The terrorists attacked a UN base in the town of Agelhoek in Mali. This is reported by AFP.



It is reported that eight peacekeepers were killed in the attack, another 19 people were injured. The attack was organized by militants, related to Al Qaeda terrorist group.



In April 2018, the militants have already attacked the same base, killing two persons.



We recall that more than 13,000 peacekeepers are deployed in Mali as part of a UN mission that was established after Islamist militias seized northern Mali in 2012. They were backed by French troops in 2013.

A peace agreement signed in 2015 by the Bamako government and armed groups was aimed at restoring stability to Mali following a brief Islamist takeover in the north.

But the accord has failed to stop violence by Islamist militants, who have also staged attacks in Burkina Faso and Niger.

Earlier this month, France and the US criticized the Mali authorities for their failure to stem the worsening violence.

Earlier an explosion thundered in Damascus, Syria. As a result, several people died. This is reported by Al Jazeera.



The channel informs that the explosion occurred in one of the southern regions of Damascus, and the Syrian authorities have already called the incident a terrorist act.



"The explosion occurred near the security department in the south of the city. There are several people killed and wounded," said in a statement.



In this case, the exact number of dead and injured is not called. It is also not yet clear whether this was a suicide attack or a bomb explosion. People clarifies that after the explosion, the shooting was heard on the spot.



For more than 6 years of war in Syria, more than 450 thousand people died according to the UN. Millions of people in the country have become refugees.
Open source

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko pardoned one Iranian and 13 citizens of Ukraine in 2018. This was reported by the Presidential Administration to the request of Ukrainian News.



"During 2018, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko pardoned 14 persons ... One of them is a citizen of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the rest are citizens of Ukraine, including one person pardoned for transfer to the territory beyond the control of Ukraine in Donetsk region," the department informs.



Poroshenko has pardoned the Iranian for an exchange for the Ukrainian sailor Andriy Novichkov, and Nadiya Kozlova, convicted for the murder of two people was pardoned for an exchange for the Ukrainian soldier Roman Savkov, captured by the militants.
Vashukevich, who has a nickname Nastya Rybka, was arrested in Thailand last February, she was accused of prostitution. She and several others were holding a sex seminar in Thailand

Anastasia Vashukevich, Belarusian model and sex instructor The Washington Post

Belarusian model and sex instructor who claimed she had evidence of Russias interference in the 2016 U.S. elections stated that she apologizes to a Russian oligarch for such statement and will not say anything else in this regard, as The Washington Post reported.

Anastasia Vashukevich made the statement in a Moscow court that was considering whether to keep her in jail as she faces charges of inducement to prostitution. The court extended her detention for three more days, the news agency reads.

Vashukevich, who has a nickname Nastya Rybka, was arrested in Thailand last February, she was accused of prostitution. She and several others were holding a sex seminar in Thailand.

After her arrest she claimed she had audio tapes of Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska, who is close to President Vladimir Putin, talking about interference in the U.S. election. She had shot to world attention a few weeks earlier when a Russian opposition leader published an investigation based on her social media posts that suggested corrupt links between Deripaska and Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Prikhodko, the message says.

She pleaded guilty, then was taken to Moscow and detained along with three others deportees including mentor Alexander Kirillov.

I will no longer compromise him, said Rybka and apologized to Deripaska.

Deripaska is one of the Russian officials who was recently sanctioned by the U.S. for connection with Crimeas annexation in 2014.
In Greece, people clashed with police during protests against the renaming of Macedonia. This is reported by Associated Press.

It is noted that the protesters threw stones at the police, fired flares, doused officers with paint. One of the protesters, with the Greek flag on his back, attacked the police with a stick. The police responded by spraying tear gas.



According to preliminary information, nine law enforcement officers were injured as a result of the clashes. There is no information on the number of victims among the protesters.

81 deputies or two third of all members of the parliament voted "for." No one voted against or abstained, reads the message.

The situation around the name of the former Yugoslav Republic prevented Macedonia from rapprochement with the EU and NATO, since Greece was against the name Republic of Macedonia because one of the regions of Greece called Macedonia. For this reason, after the dissolution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Macedonia was admitted to the United Nations under the name "Former Yugoslav Republic," and was called Skopje on Greek maps.

On the morning of January 20, mass protests against the renaming of Macedonia began in Greece.
It was noted that during the visit the parties will sign a Free Trade Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers and Israeli Government

Open source

The President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko will pay an official visit to Israel on January 20-21, as the press office of the Head of State reported.

Poroshenko will have meetings with his colleague Reuven Rivlin, Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu, the Prime Minister, and Yuli-Yoel Edelstein, the Spokesperson of Knesset.

It was noted that during the visit the parties will sign a Free Trade Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers and the Israeli Government.

The President Petro Poroshenko will also have a meeting with Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem.

Earlier, Ambassador of Israel to Ukraine Joel Lion has written an open letter in which he stated that he is shocked by a decision of Lviv Regional Council to declare 2019 as the year of Stepan Bandera, leader of one of OUN (Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists) wings, Ukraine's far-right totalitarian party, which stood for elimination of Jews, Russians, and Poles from Ukraine. The Washington Post wrote that Bandera had entered into a tactical relationship with Nazi Germany and that his followers were accused of committing atrocities against Poles and Jews.
Leonid Kaplun accused of espionage in Russia Human Rights in Ukraine

Russias FSB has come up with another Ukrainian spying story, with a standard confession wildly shown on state-controlled television. The main difference from many other such cases is that the Ukrainian, named as Leonard Kaplun, has purportedly only been deported. Given the many implausible prosecutions of Ukrainians, it seems unlikely that the absurdity of the plot prevented the FSB from bringing criminal charges, however there are certainty major problems with their story.

Whether there really is a Leonid Kaplun who transports passengers between Kyiv and Simferopol is for the moment unclear. Given his route, and the claim that he was recruited by the SBU to provide information about military moments and deployment in occupied Crimea, it is strange that the Russian media reports all cite the Voronezh Oblast FSB as source of information. They also provide no information as to where he was detained.

He is alleged to have been recruited by Ukraines SBU at Kalanchak, the Ukrainian checkpoint before entering occupied Crimea. He can be heard on a YouTube tape talking about this rather bizarrely public recruitment by a man in camouflage gear with SBU chevrons who told him that if he wanted to cross the border without any hassles he should provide them with the above information. This would not, in fact, reflect well on Ukraines Security Service since a minivan driver with a fixed route is hardly a good cover for travelling around Crimea to report on military sites. the Ukrainian does rattle off an account that makes it sound as though some of this passing on of information did already take place.

This is important since the Russian reports all claim that he was merely deported and banned entry to Russia for 20 years because he had not had time to commit criminal acts.

This has not prevented Russia from imprisoning a number of Ukrainians for supposed sabotage plots.

One possible explanation is that Kaplun is a fake, like the supposed disillusioned Ukrainian Maidan activist on Russian television recently who proved to be a Belarusian living comfortably in Minsk. Certainly the SB has rejected the allegations, and called them another FSB fake.

The FSB has considerable experience in extracting confessions to crimes that never happened. This is most often with the use of torture, though threats against family members or simply of spending years in Russian imprisonment if they dont confess can also be used. Many of the victims of such methods do end up imprisoned, although often on charges that do not resemble what they confessed to.

Kaplun would not be the first Ukrainian to merely be deported after providing an SBU bogeyman story for Russian television. Another Ukrainian spy was reported to have been uncovered in Kuban (Krasnodar region of Russia) on 24 September 2018. Serhiy Stefanenko was called an SBU officer who had allegedly tried to gather information about military sites from staff at the Russian Defence Ministry. The FSB claimed that he had come to Russia purportedly in search of work, and had been deported from Russia.

The treatment of these two Ukrainians, if their identities are real, is in marked contrast to other cases where Russia has seized the men, held them incommunicado for many months and then got them sentenced in closed courts to 11 of 12 years. In the cases of Valentin Vyhivsky and Viktor Shur, there is nothing at all to suggest that they were spying. Kostyantin Davydenko remains in custody now, almost a year after being seized by the FSB on supposed spying charges. The FSB announced on February 12 that they had detained Davydenko, alleging that he had deliberately collected and passed to the SBU information constituting a state secret about units within the so-called Russian National Guard, and about employees of the FSB. This information, if passed abroad, could supposedly harm the states security.

The Russian-controlled website Krym Inform posted an FSB operational video which claimed to show the seizure of a Ukrainian suspected of spying. Much later in the day, presumably after interrogation by the FSB in Moscow, the standard confession video was broadcast by Russian state media. While Davydenko does not look obviously ill-treated, in virtually all cases where the men arrested have later been allowed independent lawyers, they have retracted such testimony, saying it was tortured out of them.

Vyhivsky, Shur and Davydenko remain imprisoned, as do many men seized as involved in entirely unproven Crimean saboteur plots.

One possible explanation for the Ukrainian spies deported from Russia would be that local FSB offices are simply trying to improve their statistics on catching spies, or to prove their zealousness in uncovering perfidious plots by Ukrainians disguised as bus drivers or the like.

Read the original text here.
Open source

Donbas militants mined the territory near the village of Druzhne. This is reported by the headquarters of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) reports.

According to the daily OSCE SMM report, published on 01/19/2019, the SMM saw for the first time two mine hazard signs in a field about 2km south of Druzhne (non-government-controlled, 37km south-east of Luhansk), one of which was a white board with Mines written on it in Russian (the second sign was not visible), the message says.



Earlier, the UN reported that the territory of Donbas was one of the most mined regions in the world, and Ukraine ranks first in the world in terms of the number of dead as a result of mine explosions.



At the same time, the Minister for Temporarily Occupied Territories, Vadym Chernysh, argued that it was pointless to take steps to demine the territory until the end of hostilities in Donbas.

Earlier Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office to the Trilateral Contact Group on the implementation of the peace plan in the East of Ukraine Martin Sajdik said that they did not come out with a proposal to send a joint OSCE and UN mission to Donbas, according to his comments to Deutsche Welle.



According to him, the OSCE did not voice in Minsk proposals for sending a joint OSCE and UN mission to Donbas.



Thus, Sajdik refutes the statement of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin, that OSCE representatives allegedly proposed to create a joint peacekeeping mission with the UN in Donbas.



At the same time, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reported that "they welcome any additional measures that would help reduce the existing threats."
Open source

Pro-Russian militants attacked the Ukrainian positions near Hnutove in Donbas conflict zone, as said Oleksandr Motuznyak, the Spokesperson of the Defence Ministry on Joint Forces Operation (JFO) issues, the press office of the service reported.

At night the enemy fired at our positions near Hnutove, using automatic grenade launchers, large caliber guns, and small arms, the message says.

As of 11 am on January 20 no casualties among the Ukrainian soldiers were reported.

Earlier, over the past 24 hours the militants performed 16 attacks in Donbas combat zone. No casualties reported.

As we reported before, Ukrainian President Poroshenko stated that Ukrainian soldiers have not yet applied Javelins. According to him, since it became known that the Ukrainians have Javelins on their possession, Russian tank crewmen renounce tank rides and they have simply ceased tank fire.
Open source

January 20, the pro-Russian militants violated the ceasefire in Donbas conflict zone nine times. Joint Forces Operation Headquarters (JFO) reported this on Facebook.



"The enemy attacked the positions of the Ukrainian military using grenade launchers, large-caliber machine guns, and small arms near the villages of Hnutove and Pavlopil. Also the positions of our defenders were fired from ATGMs and grenade launchers in the area of Kamianka.

In the North operational grouping action zone, the enemy fired grenade launchers, large machine guns, and small arms the positions of our troops near the Vilny settlement," the report says.



As a result of the shelling, one soldier of the Joint Forces was wounded.

We reported that Donbas militants mined the territory near the village of Druzhne.

According to the daily OSCE SMM report, published on 01/19/2019, during the patrolling of the areas in the Luhansk region, temporarily uncontrolled by the Ukrainian authorities, the Missions observers for the first time spotted two mine warning signs in the field about two kilometers south of Druzhne village. One sign was made in the form of a white plate with an inscription mines in Russian. The observers could not read another sign, the message says.



Earlier, the UN reported that the territory of Donbas was one of the most mined regions in the world, and Ukraine ranks first in the world in terms of the number of dead as a result of mine explosions.



At the same time, the Minister for Temporarily Occupied Territories, Vadym Chernysh, argued that it was pointless to take steps to demine the territory until the end of hostilities in Donbas.
LONDON: British Prime Minister Theresa May plans to seek a bilateral treaty with the Irish government as a way to remove the contentious backstop arrangement from Britain`s divorce deal with the European Union, a newspaper reported.

The Sunday Times said aides to May thought a deal with Ireland would remove the opposition to her Brexit plan from the Democratic Unionist Party that supports May`s minority government and from pro-Brexit rebels in her Conservative Party.

However the Irish edition of the same newspaper quoted a senior Irish government source as saying the bilateral treaty proposal was "not something we would entertain" and a second senior political source as saying it would not work with the European Commission.

May suffered a heavy defeat in parliament on Tuesday when Conservative lawmakers and members of other parties rejected her Brexit plan by an overwhelming majority.

That left Britain facing the prospect of no deal to smooth its exit from the EU in little more than two months` time.

May is due to announce on Monday how she plans to proceed.

Many Conservatives and the DUP oppose the backstop that the European Union insists on as a guarantee to avoid a hard border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland.

No one was immediately available for comment on the Sunday Times report in May`s office nor in the Irish government.

Earlier on Saturday, Ireland`s foreign minister Simon Coveney said Dublin`s commitment to the Brexit divorce deal struck with the British government was "absolute," including the border backstop arrangement.

The Sunday Times also said a group of lawmakers in Britain`s parliament would meet on Sunday to consider ways they could suspend the Brexit process, wresting control away from May`s government.
Kolkata: Around 35 Trinamool Congress supporters were injured when a bus carrying them overturned in Howrah district on Saturday evening, police said.

The accident happened when the bus was returning from the public meeting that was organised by Trinamool Congress, the police said.

The driver lost control of the vehicle and the bus overturned as a result, an officer of Domjur police station said.

The trapped passengers were rescued by locals and some of them were taken to nearby hospital, he said.

The passengers were treated and discharged later, the police officer said, adding, the driver of the bus fled the scene after the accident.
NEW DELHI: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) working president Alok Kumar, who had triggered a row by saying that his organisation would consider backing the Congress party in the Lok Sabha polls if it includes the construction of Ram temple in its manifesto, has now retracted his statement.

Issuing a clarification on Sunday, Kumar said that his statement was over-stretched.

"This is nothing but an over-stretching of my statement," Kumar was quoted as saying by news agency IANS soon after a row erupted over his reported remarks.

"Neither are we considering to support the Congress nor will we do so in future," Kumar said.

The VHP leader also said that there was less possibility of government bringing a legislation for building a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya during the present dispensation.

Issuing a warning to the ruling BJP, the VHP leader had asserted on Saturday that his outfit is open to backing the Congress in the upcoming polls if the grand old party promises to build Ram Mandir in Ayodhya in its election manifesto.

The Congress has closed all its doors for us, but if they open their doors and include the Ram Mandir in their manifesto, we may think of supporting the party,VHPs working president Alok Kumar had reportedly told media during the ongoing Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.

Kumar also told reporters that the Congress party must remove restrictions on 'swamyasewaks' joining the party.

"One doesn't become a Brahmin by just wearing janeau (sacred thread)," Kumar said while referring to Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

However, later clarifying on the issue, Kumar claimed that he was extending the offer to all the political parties fighting in 2019 and not specifically to the Congress.

VHP wants a "broad political consensus" on the Ram temple issue, he added.

Reacting to VHPs statement, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra took a dig at Congress party and asked it to inherit Lord Ram first.

A senior Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) had recently taken a dig at the BJP-led Government by saying that a Ram Temple would be built in Ayodhya in 2025.

Notably, both VHP, RSS have been disappointed since Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an interview to news agency ANI, had made it clear that an ordinance to build a Ram Mandir would arise only after the Supreme Court, delivers its verdict.

The ordinance on triple talaq was brought after the verdict of Supreme Court. We want the issue to be solved within the framework of the Constitution. The ordinance on Ram Mandir can arise only after legal process gets over and Supreme Court gives its verdict, PM Modi had said.
LUCKNOW: In more trouble for BJP MLA Sadhna Singh from Uttar Pradesh, the Bahujan Samaj Party on Sunday filed a police complaint against the former for calling Mayawati a "blot on womankind" and "worse than a transgender".

According to ANI, the case against BJP MLA was filed by BSP's Ram Chandra Gautam in Baburi police station over her objectionable remarks on Mayawati.

Chandauli: BSP's Ram Chandra Gautam has lodged a complaint in Baburi police station against BJP MLA Sadhna Singh over her statement on BSP chief Mayawati. pic.twitter.com/ahVatjGHuT  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 20, 2019

Singh, who had come under strident criticism from allies and opposition leaders for calling BSP chief Mayawati "worse than a transgender", had earlier apologised for her derogatory remarks against the BSP chief.

"I had no intentions of disrespecting anyone, I express regret if someone was hurt by my words," she said in a statement on Sunday.

BJP MLA Sadhna Singh on her statement on BSP chief Mayawati: I had no intentions of disrespecting anyone, I express regret if someone was hurt by my words. pic.twitter.com/k4PRoaSpS4  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 20, 2019

Sadhana added that she only wanted to remind people of the infamous Lucknow guest house incident where BSP supremo Mayawati and some other BSP leaders were attacked by Samajwadi workers adding that she had no intentions of insulting anyone.

Sadhana had said that a woman who underwent a 'chirharan' (was disrobed) is now compromising with the perpetrators and had termed her as 'worse than a eunuch'.

Her statement had led to a huge row with the BSP calling the BJP MLA 'mentally ill'.

BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra said the BJP was rattled by the SP-BSP alliance and the leaders of the saffron party have lost their mental balance fearing defeat in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

"The language used by BJP leader Sadhana Singh against our party President Mayawati shows the level of the BJP. This shows that BJP is disappointed and frustrated with the SP-BSP alliance. They have no strength to win even a single seat in Uttar Pradesh. The level of language shows their mental illness. Such people should be admitted to the mental hospital of Agra or Bareli. The people of this country this time will show BJP its real place. They have lost their mental balance in fear of losing the election in Uttar Pradesh," Mishra said.

BSP's ally Samajwadi Party also condemned the remark.

"The sort of words used for Mayawati by BJP's woman MLA from Mughalsarai is highly objectionable. I condemn the statement. BJP has become completely bankrupt when it comes to morals. They are just frustrated. The statement is an insult to the women of the country," SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said.

The Mughalsarai BJP MLA made the controversial remarks at a rally on Saturday while referring to the infamous incident when Mayawati was assaulted by Samajwadi Party workers in a Lucknow guest house in 1995.

#WATCH:BJP MLA Sadhna Singh says about BSP chief Mayawati, "jis din mahila ka blouse, petticoat, saari phat jaaye, wo mahila na satta ke liye aage aati hai. Usko pure desh ki mahila kalankit maanti hai.Wo to kinnar se bhi jyada badtar hai, kyunki wo to na nar hai, na mahila hai." pic.twitter.com/w3Cdizd8eR  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 19, 2019

Taking note of the incident, the National Commission for Women (NCW) too said that it would formally issue a notice to Singh seeking an explanation from her.

Condemning her remarks, Union Minister and Republican Party of India president Ramdas Athawale told a presser in Lucknow on Sunday that such personal comments should not be made.

This is not the first time that a BJP leader has made objectionable remarks against Mayawati.

In 2016, senior UP BJP leader Dayashankar Singh was expelled for using "filthy language" against the BSP chief. His wife Swati Singh, who defended him at that time, is now a minister in the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in the state.
New Delhi: Popular television actress Saumya Tandon, who became a household name after playing the role of Anita (Gori Mem) in &TV's 'Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain' had been blessed with a baby boy recently. Now, the pretty actress has shared the first pic of her baby boy and it is too cute for words!

Saumya strikes a cutesy pose with her little bundle of joy and husband Saurabh Devendra.

Check out her post:

The actress had announced her pregnancy via Instagram by sharing a picture and a caption.

Coming to 'Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain', other lead characters of the show include Aashif Sheikh (Vibhuti Narayan Mishra), Rohitash Gaud (Manmohan Tiwari) and Shubhangi Atre (Angoori Bhabhi).

The show first started off in 2015 and has been going strong ever since. The supporting cast on the show is also hugely popular and the characters they play have now become household names.

Saumya and Saurabh tied the knot last year.

Here's extending heartiest congratulations to the happy couple.
Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday issued a strict order to the officials to stop the sale of liquor after 8 p.m at all shops in the state.

"Those caught selling liquor after 8 p.m should be penalised; their shops should be sealed and licence should be cancelled," he ordered the Excise Department officials.

Addressing a meeting of senior officials at the Chief Minister`s Office (CMO), he said: "In 2008, our government had initiated similar policy to check sale of liquor in state after 8 p.m which gave a positive message to the society."

It was also revealed in the meeting that many shopkeepers are charging higher amount than the Maximum Selling Price (MSP) quoted on bottles. Gehlot directed to take strict actions against them as well.

He also ordered the officials to stop illegal transportation of liquor in the state.
New Delhi: Soon after another BJP leader was killed in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday, former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan blamed the Congress-led state government of not taking the matter seriously. He added that murders are taking place since the Congress came to power.

Citing the killings of three BJP leaders in Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Chouhan said, "Congress used to talk of change but what change is this? Murders have started here, there was one in Indore, then in Mandsaur where a BJP leader was killed, another BJP leader killed in Barwani. Criminals are fearless today. Law and order collapsed."

Suspecting a larger conspiracy behind the murder of the BJP leader in Mandsaur, he demanded a CBI inquiry. The former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh also warned the government and said if the latter fail to stop such incidents, the BJP will come out on streets.

"Govt is taking this lightly. There seems to be a larger conspiracy behind this (BJP leader killed in Mandsaur). I demand a CBI inquiry. BJP leader was killed in Barwani, I warn the govt that they stop such incidents otherwise BJP will come out on streets," Chouhan said.

His reaction comes barely hours after senior BJP leader Manoj Thackeray from Balwadi was found dead in a field on Sunday morning. He had gone for a morning walk. A blood-stained rock was spotted from the crime site following which police are speculating that Thackeray was killed with that rock.

Another BJP leader named Prahlad Bandhwar was shot dead in Mandsaur's Nai Abaadi on Thursday. The BJP leader was also the president of Mandsaur Municipal Corporation.
A fire broke out at a tyre factory in Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday. The images from the spot show thick black smoke in the skies over the factory due to the fire.

There are no reports of any casualties or injuries in the mishap so far.

Madhya Pradesh: Fire breaks out at a tyre factory in Mandsaur pic.twitter.com/0zNjPgNWtj  ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2019

The reason that caused the blaze is yet to be ascertained.

In an unrelated incident from Madoh in Madhya Pradesh, a fire broke out in a hut in the district on Sunday. Seven family members of the house had sustained injuries in the mishap. The incident took place when happened in Bansni village of the district where the family was sleeping in their hut house.

They had lit up a Kerosine lamp but as they were asleep, the lamp caught fire and the house went up in flames. An ambulance was called immediately and the family of seven were taken to the hospital.
BENGALURU: In an ugly twist to the ongoing political drama in Karnataka, a Congress MLA was hospitalised after being allegedly injured during a brawl with other party lawmakers, who are reportedly under the BJP radar, at a resort on the city outskirts.

Karnataka Congress MLA Anand Singh had to be hospitalised after an alleged brawl with other party legislators while staying at a resort in Bengaluru, said reports.

Downplaying the issue, the Congress said that all was well within the party.

"Anand Singh was taken to hospital after there was a friendly fight between few MLAs at the resort. Everything is all right and Anand is taking rest at the hospital," state's Food and Civil Supplies Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan told reporters.

Karnataka Minister Zameer Ahmed on reports of fight between state Congress MLAs: All three are friends. They were having a discussion, it happens between friends. It was a minor fight between friends. Nobody has got any stitches; there hasn't been any blood loss. pic.twitter.com/r6ui01qHyV  ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2019

Singh is a legislator from Vijayanagara Assembly segment in Ballari district. He was shifted to a private hospital in the city centre.

The party did not share the details of the attack on Singh.

Interestingly, Karnataka Congress party leaders, including DK Shivakumar, denied any such attack on Singh.

Reacting to the incident, the state unit BJP alleged that Congress MLAs "fear for life" under Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy government.

"Congress MLAs fear for life under HDK government. Siddaramaiah preaches everyone about Constitutional values, we demand (Congress state unit president) Dinesh Gundu Rao and Siddaramaiah to immediately suspend their party MLA responsible for the attack on Anand Singh," the party tweeted.

The southern state`s Congress legislators have been residing at a private resort on the city outskirts since Friday night, after a party meeting was chaired by Siddaramaiah at the state legislature building Vidhana Soudha, as a show of legislators` strength.

The party`s senior leaders and MLAs at the resort have been holding discussions over the alleged poaching attempts by the Bharatiya Janata Party and preparing for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections in April-May, the state Congress said.

(With Agency inputs)
PRAYAGRAJ: President of Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad (ABAP), Mahant Narendra Giri, has said that all saints and top seers of the country will meet in Ayodhya after the ongoing Kumbh Mela 2019 gets over for the construction of a grand Ram Temple in the holy city.

The top seer of the Akhada Parishad also expressed his disappointment over the delay in the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya and slammed the Narendra Mod-led BJP government at the Centre for wasting four precious years after coming to power in 2014.

''After the end of Kumbh Mela, we have decided that all saints will meet in Ayodhya and the construction of Ram Temple will start. BJP is not interested in constructing Ram Temple as they want to keep this issue alive for election,'' Narendra Giri, president of Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad, told ANI.

Narendra Giri, President of Akhada Parishad: After the end of Kumbh Mela, we have decided that all saints will meet in Ayodhya & construction of Ram Temple will start. BJP is not interested in constructing Ram Temple as they want to keep this issue alive for election. pic.twitter.com/OGocgTYu1z  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 20, 2019

The remarks from Giri came days after a top Rashtriya Sewak Sangh (RSS) leader called for early construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya  the birthplace of Ram Lalla.

Doubting the intention of the BJP government, Giri alleged that the Centre did not seem to be interested in the construction of the temple.

He, however, slammed the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and RSS leaders for their statements on the Ram Temple issue.

Mahant Narendra Giri also expressed doubts over the fact that VHP's proposed 'Dharma Sansad' to be organised at the Kumbh Mela on January 31 would be able to take a concrete and firm decision over Ram temple issue.

Till now, there has been no invite for me for the VHPs 'dharma sansad' which is an annual affair, the seer said.

The ABAP chief had recently warned the authorities claiming that he along with one lakh Naga sadhus would walk to Ayodhya after Kumbh for the cause of temple as there was no definite

solution to the issue was there.

The Naga Sadhus and seers will camp in Ayodhya for a month. It will then be followed by the commencement of temple construction, the Mahant said.

The remarks from Giri comes at a time when VHP working president Alok Kumar had triggered a row by saying that his organisation would consider backing the Congress party in the Lok Sabha polls if it includes the construction of Ram temple in its manifesto.

Kumar, however, later retracted his statement.

Issuing a clarification on Sunday, Kumar said that his statement was over-stretched.

"This is nothing but an over-stretching of my statement," Kumar was quoted as saying by news agency IANS soon after a row erupted over his reported remarks.

"Neither are we considering to support the Congress nor will we do so in future," Kumar said.

The VHP leader also said that there was less possibility of government bringing legislation for building a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya during the present dispensation.

Issuing a warning to the ruling BJP, the VHP leader had asserted on Saturday that his outfit is open to backing the Congress in the upcoming polls if the grand old party promises to build Ram Mandir in Ayodhya in its election manifesto.

The Congress has closed all its doors for us, but if they open their doors and include the Ram Mandir in their manifesto, we may think of supporting the party,VHPs working president Alok Kumar had reportedly told media during the ongoing Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.

However, later clarifying on the issue, Kumar claimed that he was extending the offer to all the political parties fighting in 2019 and not specifically to the Congress.

VHP wants a "broad political consensus" on the Ram temple issue, he added.

Reacting to VHPs statement, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra took a dig at Congress party and asked it to inherit Lord Ram first.

A senior Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) had recently taken a dig at the BJP-led Government by saying that a Ram Temple would be built in Ayodhya in 2025.

Notably, both VHP and RSS have been disappointed since Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an interview to news agency ANI, made it clear that an ordinance to build a Ram Mandir would arise only after the Supreme Court, delivers its verdict.

The ordinance on triple talaq was brought after the verdict of Supreme Court. We want the issue to be solved within the framework of the Constitution. The ordinance on Ram Mandir can arise only after legal process gets over and Supreme Court gives its verdict, PM Modi had said.
New Delhi: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday said the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's statue in Gujarat, known as the Statue of Unity, was a way of correcting the imbalance in presenting the historical narrative of India, which justified the amount spent on it.

Naidu visited the 182-metre-tall statue in Kevadiya in Gujarat's Narmada district and said only a partial account of Patel's role and contributions in the freedom struggle was documented.

"This Statue of Unity is a firm reminder of the vision, courage, capabilities and contributions of Sardar Patel in the making of modern India. In the true sense, it is a way of correcting the imbalance in presenting the historical narrative of our country," Naidu was quoted in a statement issued by the vice president's office.

Justifying the money spent on the statue, Naidu said given the significance of the structure, "the amount spent on erecting it was worth it and it is a priceless investment". He also complimented Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his initiative to build the statue and said it should serve as a reminder to uphold unity among all Indians.

Known as the "Iron Man", Patel was the country's first deputy prime minister and home minister.

Citing a letter written by Patel to Jawaharlal Nehru, the country's first prime minister, in which he had cautioned about the threat from China, Naidu said the situation after the 1962 Sino-India war could have been different if Patel's words had been heeded.

"We all know that one of our neighbours waged war against us in 1962 and its result. Had Sardar's concerns been taken seriously, the situation could have been different. All other issues raised by Sardar Patel still remain relevant," he said.

Underlining the importance of the unification of the erstwhile princely states after Independence, Naidu said getting freedom from the British was a milestone in the country's modern history, but the integration of the 565 self-governed states that existed at the time of Independence was another equally important milestone.

"Without Patel and his vision and resolve, many of these 565 princely states would have preferred and remained as independent countries. Had this happened, the map of India would have been vastly different from what we have today," he said.

The people of India would forever remain grateful to Patel for realising his dream and vision of consolidating the country with a steely resolve, Naidu said. "For this act of courage and determination, Patel is rightly called the 'Iron Man of India'," he said.
Ousted AIADMK leader VK Sasikala was given special treatment in a prison in Bengaluru, where she is serving imprisonment in a corruption case, according to the report by an inquiry committee that went into allegations by a senior police official, an RTI query has revealed.

The 295-page report confirmed then DIG (Prisons) D Roopa's claims in July 2017 that Sasikala was given preferential treatment and a separate kitchen functioned for her at the Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in Bengaluru, RTI activist Narasimha Murthy said.

"I have accessed the 295 pages report through an RTI query. The report confirms that Sasikala was given special treatment in the jail," he told PTI.

The reply was furnished by M R Shobha, Public Relations Officer of the Home Department. The then Siddaramaiah government had ordered an inquiry by retired IAS officer Vinay Kumar to probe the allegations made by Roopa after the issue snowballed.

In a report submitted on July 12 to DGP (Prisons) H N Sathyanarayana Rao, Roopa had said there was "a talk" that Rs 2 crore had exchanged hands to give preferential treatment for Sasikala and there were allegations against him also, charge rejected by him. The issue had caused embarrassment to the then Congress government led by Siddaramaiah which ordered the transfer of Roopa and Rao after both sparred in public.

Sasikala is lodged at Parappana Agrahara central prison in Bengaluru ever since her conviction by the Supreme Court in February 2017 in the disproportionate assets case along with her two relatives V N Sudhakaran and Elavarasi, all serving a 4-year jail term. Kumar had submitted his report to the government on November 17, 2017 but its contents were not made public.

The report, a copy of which is available with PTI, said Sasikala, close aide of late Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa, was allowed to wear her personal clothes and cook. A pressure cooker and spices were found in her prison cell. It also said there was separate visitors' room for her and the corridor in the jail was barricaded for her.

Sasikala was provided five cells, despite no threat to her life as per intelligence reports, the report said.

The inquiry committee report said Sasikala enjoyed free movement within the prison which was corroborated by video clips. One of the videos showed Sasikala and co-convict Elavarasi going out of the female barrack with a bag in hand, it said.

The videos were submitted to the commission by Roopa along with other CCTV footage from inside the prison. The report also found that, as per the CCTV footage, Sasikala met with a person in white shirt and white pants for over four hours on June 11, 2017.

According to the prison register, the person is A. Ashokan, her advocate. However, while it was mentioned in the register that she met with him for only 45 minutes the maximum time that a prisoner can spend with a visitor, the CCTV evidence that showed she met him for several hours.

The Daily Report (submitted by the chief superintendent of the prison for July 11, 2017) also showed that Elavarasi on that day had seven visitors, but the total time spent by her was recorded as 45 minutes from 2 pm.

"This can only be explained as deliberate misreporting on the part of the concerned prison officials to escape falling within the prohibition of Rule 601 of the Karnataka Prison Manual 1978. In other words, it is a case of falsification of records, the report noted. It also found two other similar manipulation of visitor timings.
CHANDIGARH: Indian missions in the United States and Canada have sought security arrangements from local police and authorities as separatist pro-Khalistan group - Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) - has given a call for disrupting the flag hoisting ceremony at the 70th Republic Day function.

News agency IANS quoted sources as saying that security has been sought for official functions to be held across cities in the United States and Canada. A large number of people of Indian origin are settled in both countries.

In the United States, R-Day functions have been planned in Washington, New York, Houston, San Francisco, Chicago and Atlanta.

Similar functions have been planned in Ottawa, Vancouver and Toronto in Canada. Toronto and Vancouver have a large Indian diaspora, especially from Punjab and the Sikh community.

In a statement issued from its New York headquarters through its legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the SFJ said that it will honour the pro-Khalistan Sikhs who will foil the hoisting of Indian Tricolor during the Republic Day celebrations.

The SFJ is considered a Sikh separatist group by intelligence agencies, which is demanding the creation of Khalistan (land of the pure) as a separate territory for Sikhs.

In recent years, the SFJ has increased its separatist activities in the United States, Canada and Britain.

In December last year, the SFJ put up separatist posters and hoardings of `Referendum 2020` in Pakistan when Indian pilgrims went to Nankana Sahib town to celebrate the 549th birth anniversary of Sikhism`s founder, Guru Nanak Dev.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who is very vocal in criticising the SFJ and its activities, had ordered a crackdown on the outfit amid "complaints by people of deliberate attempts to vitiate the state`s atmosphere".
NEW DELHI: Rattled by strong actions taken by the Indian Army at Line of Control (LoC), Pakistani army has decided to buy huge amounts of ammunition from abroad. Pakistan has inked a deal with Italy to purchase nearly one lakh shells for its Howitzer guns. According to Intelligence Agency reports, Italy is expected to provide these shells to Pakistan soon.

Pakistan has also bought 121 new Howitzer guns from Italy to combat India's M 777 Howtitzer. Intelligence agencies are trying to find out the motive behind Pakistan's decision to procure one lakh shells from Italy.

"Our agencies are trying to find out why Pakistan is procuring about one lakh shells from Italy and where they are planning to use it", said a senior intelligence officer.

It may be recalled that India had recently decided to buy 145 M177 Howitzer guns from the US and in response Pakistan bought 121 Howitzer from Italy. Experts, however, have expressed surprise over the fact that Pakistani army is buying Howitzer from Italy instead of China.

"It seems that Pakistan is not much reliant on China made Howitzer gun, or the price of the Chinese Howitzer can be higher than that of Italy, but instead of China, buying these guns from Italy Quite astonishing", according to an official attached to the security,

Sources claim that the Pakistani Army is purchasing ammunition in bulk with an aim to target the bunkers of Indian Army. "Pakistan fears that after foiling many BAT action at LoC now Indian army is preparing to take a big revenge. Pakistan has kept all the units present in the POK on high alert in its alert sent on January 16," said an intelligence officer.

On Thursday, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, Chief of the Northern Command, had said that Indian Army is retaliating strongly to incidences of ceasefire violation and sniper attacks by Pakistani Army at the LoC.
New Delhi: Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, who is on an eight-day visit to India, has arrived in the national capital on Sunday. After spending a day in the capital, he is scheduled to leave for Varanasi on Monday.

Delhi: Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth arrives in India. He will be in the country from 20-28 January, 2019. pic.twitter.com/HXSrzOzH3n  ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2019

During his more than a week-long visit, Jugnauth will hold talks with the top Indian leadership and attend the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Varanasi.

He will attend the inaugural session of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on Tuesday, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two leaders will also meet on the sidelines of the event that day.

During the visit, the Mauritius Prime Minister will also call on President Ram Nath Kovind.

Jugnauth will also visit Prayagraj for the Kumbh Mela and then Maharashtra before heading home on January 28.

(With inputs from agencies)
In a veiled attack on Pakistan, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Sunday accused the 'neighbour on the western sector of the nation' of indulging in a proxy war for the past 30 years.

Addressing an event, the Army chief said that India's land borders on the Northern Frontiers are disputed and the western sector has partially unsettled borders.

Accusing Pakistan of unrest, Rawat said that peace on the horizon in the near future is uncertain, as reported by news agency ANI. He, therefore, stressed the need for preparation of the Indian armed forces. He added that the nation needs to be prepared by imbibing new technologies in keeping pace with advancements in warfare.

"We have to understand that we have disputed land borders on our Northern Frontiers, partially unsettled borders on our western sector and the neighbour on the western sector has been indulging in a proxy war for the past 30 years or so," said the Army Chief.

So, we don't see peace on the horizon anywhere in the near future and therefore, our armed forces have to be ever prepared and prepared by imbibing new technologies, keeping pace with advancements in warfare," added the Army Chief.

Hinting at Pakistan, the Army chief said that India's adversary on northern borders has been spending huge amounts of money on artificial intelligence and cyber warfare.

He stressed that India can't be left behind. Rawat further added that it's time for India to focus on artificial intelligence and big data analysis than keeping it confined to definitions.

"Our adversary on northern borders is spending huge amounts of money on artificial intelligence and cyber warfare, we can't be left behind. It's time to focus on artificial intelligence and big data analysis than keeping it confined to definitions," added Rawat.
Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday said that the Centre has directed all educational institutes and universities, including the IITs and IIMs, to implement 10 per cent reservation for economically weak in general category in the upcoming educational year.

"A similar order has been sent to all the state governments for the implementation of the quota. We have also given a formula on how to implement the 10 per cent reservation without (affecting) the other categories' quota," he said.

He said that a memorandum has already been issued to implement the stipulated quota. "Government has issued an office memorandum to implement 10 per cent reservation. We have issued orders yesterday to all institutes and universities to implement it in the upcoming educational year. We have also asked states to implement it," he said on Sunday.

The Parliament had recently passed the Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill, 2019 in Parliament to grant 10 reservation in education and government jobs to economically weaker individuals belonging to the general category.

The reservation is meant for individuals whose annual earning is below Rs. 8 lakh and who possess less than 5 acres of agriculture land.

The Minister, while addressing a press conference in Pune, also said that there was no alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that there would be "anarchy" in his absence. He said the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls would be fought on issues like whether people want a "mazboot" (strong) or a "majboor" (weak) government.

"Looking at yesterday's rally in Kolkata, where all the Opposition parties came together, it was evident that all these parties want to drive out Modi, but who is the alternative? They cannot present an alternative, so the condition in the country is like if there is no Modi, there will be anarchy," the Union human resource development minister said.


Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday asserted that the Congress party is "best equipped" to lead the opposition's charge against the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. He also added that the grand old party will have to handle its leadership role with "large-heartedness" and accommodate regional parties.

The former Bihar chief minister Yadav also hailed the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance in Uttar Pradesh and emphasised that his "courtesy call" meetings with Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati post the tie-up should not be construed as a "pressure tactic" aimed at the Congress.

In an interview to news agency PTI, the RJD leader said since Congress is India's oldest and currently the second-biggest political party having a pan-India presence, it is in a very strong position to win the maximum number of seats among the opposition parties.

In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, among the prospective opposition grand alliance parties, the Congress had won 44 seats, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress won 34, the Samajwadi Party won five, while the RJD had bagged four seats.

"I don't find anything wrong if Congress plays a pivotal role in forming the alliance or taking the leadership role of the alliance into the elections. But having said that, they have to accept that each state has different ground realities," Yadav said when asked if for a strong opposition coalition, the Congress has to be the pivot of the alliance.

The Congress, being the party with national acceptance and maximum footprint in the opposition, is "undoubtedly best equipped" to lead the opposition's charge against the Bharatiya Janata Party or the National Democratic Alliance, the former Bihar deputy chief minister asserted. "However, the Congress will have to handle their leadership role with large-heartedness and play a proactive role by accommodating regional parties with their agenda.

"In states where Congress don't have a robust base, it must allow regional outfits to occupy the frontal-attack position against the BJP," Yadav said, emphasising that regional parties have a greater ability to transfer votes.

The concentration is on winnability, hence the coalition must be decided state-wise and seat wise, said the 29-year-old son of former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad.

Every party will have to compromise or lend space to other parties depending on the situation in a particular state for forming a winning alliance, Yadav said while replying to a question on whether the Congress has to be more giving to regional parties to strengthen the opposition coalition.

Asked if leaving out the Congress from the SP-BSP tie-up will impact the opposition's national level coalition, he said the people of India feel they have been "duped badly" and have made up their mind to get rid of propagandists for their own well-being.

The people are wise enough to understand which fighting block can be their best bet to defeat the BJP, he said.

On whether the SP and BSP will be a part of the 'mahagathbandhan' in Bihar, the RJD leader said principally all opposition parties are together against the BJP-led alliance. "You don't always need seats to contest to prove that you are part of an alliance. Sometimes lending unconditional support works wonders for sending the message across to the electorate.

"It is true that the SP and the BSP aren't main political parties of Bihar, but we have high regard for them and their politics. We have seen that SP-BSP alliance has decided not to field their candidates in Amethi and Raebareli," Yadav said.

Once arch-rivals, the SP and the BSP announced this month their tie-up in UP for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, sharing 38 seats each and keeping the Congress out of the alliance.

Tejashwi Yadav's remarks come amid hectic efforts by the opposition to forge a strong alliance to take on the BJP in the general election. Leaders from several opposition parties, including Yadav, came together Saturday, vowing at a mega rally in Kolkata to put up a united fight in the coming polls and oust Prime Minister Narendra Modi from power.

Prime Minister Modi had earlier hit out at the Mahagatbandhan for the polls, saying it was an "unholy alliance" of various political parties for "personal survival". The BJP has also slammed the SP-BSP tie-up in UP.

Yadav also hit out at those dubbing his meeting with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati in Lucknow as a pressure tactic aimed at the Congress, saying his family always had close ties with the two leaders and the meetings were courtesy calls.

Akhilesh ji is part of our extended family and 'behen' Mayawati ji always had cordial relations with us. When she resigned from Rajya Sabha, my father publicly said RJD would always be ready to send her to Rajya Sabha if she agrees,? Tejashwi Yadav said.

Even last year during RS elections in Bihar, I called her to request her again to enter Rajya Sabha with RJD backing. So my courtesy calls to them shouldn't be construed as a pressure tactic,? he said.

As far as Bihar is concerned, irrespective of the number of MLAs in the assembly or being part of the government or opposition, everyone knows RJD is the biggest party, he said. It is RJD's fear that has kept the BJP and Janata Dal (United) together, he claimed.

On BJP terming the SP-BSP tie-up an opportunistic alliance, Yadav hit out at the saffron party saying when it has tie-ups, it calls it "smart politicking", and asked what should its coalition of about 40 parties be called. "Criticism by the BJP shows their uneasiness due to this alliance," he said.
PATNA: The BJP on Saturday slammed RJD supremo Lalu Prasad's eldest daughter Misa Bharti for her remarks that she wanted to chop off BJP leader and Union minister Ram Kripal Yadav's hands after she came to know that Yadav had decided to join the BJP ahead of the 2014 General Elections.

It may be recalled that Yadav had defeated Bharti from Pataliputra in 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Misa, who is now a Rajya Sabha MP, made the controversial statement while addressing her party supporters at a village near Patna.

"He (Ram Kripal Yadav) used to cut the chaff. We had huge respect for him. However, we stopped respecting him when he went on to join hands with Sushil Kumar Modi. At that time I felt like cutting his hands from the same chaff cutting machine," Bharti said.

Ram Kripal was a close confidant of Lalu Prasad and was the RJD MP from the now abolished prestigious Patna Lok Sabha seat three times. In 2009, when Patna was split into Patna Sahib and Pataliputra seats after delimitation, Yadav was interested in contesting from Pataliputra but he was not given the ticket as Lalu Prasad decided to contest from Pataliputra though he ended up losing.

The RJD chief, however, placated Ram Kripal by sending him to Rajya Sabha. However, in 2014 when Lalu Yadav was was disqualified following conviction in a fodder scam case, Ram Kripal thought that the seat will be given to him but Lalu chose to field Misa Bharti from that seat. This did not go down well with Ram Kripal, who then decided to join the BJP. BJP spokesman Nikhil Anand said in a statement that Misa should issue a public apology with folded hands to Ram Kripal Yadav.

Meanwhile, RJD national spokesman and Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha tried to defend Misa saying that she has only expressed her pain over Ram Kripal's action. He added that the expression haath kaat dena should not be taken literally as it was just used by her as a metaphor.

(with agency inputs)
BENGALURU: Karnataka BJP leaders on Saturday claimed that the resort where Congress MLAs were staying fearing poaching owes Rs 982 crores to the Karnataka government as a penalty in a land encroachment case, asking the Congress leaders to recover the due amount from the resort and spend it in waiving off the loans of farmers.

"Eagleton resort owe GOK Rs 998cr Penalty amount in land encroachment case. Now that Congress Party will spend time in resort we request 'Maryada Purushothama' Sri.@siddaramaiah,@DKShivakumar &@dineshgrao to collect this money while u return U can use it for farmer loan waiver," Karnataka BJP said in a tweet.

The Congress decided to shift all its MLAs to the resort after the crucial legislature party meeting on Friday. It is to be noted that four Congress MLAs skipped the meeting despite warnings by the party that any MLA who will miss the meeting will face strict action.

Recently, during the assembly session at Belagavi district, Revenue Minister R V Deshpande had said that all steps will be taken to collect Rs 982 crores from the resort.

Talking to reporters, Bengaluru (rural) MP D K Suresh said that the court was looking into the encroachment case and the Congress was not using the facilities provided by the resort for free.

"During the Siddaramaiah government itself, about 20 acre was got released and taken position after measurement. It (the case) was before the court. The resort will not provide us facilities for free," PTI quoted Suresh as saying. He stressed that resort will be paid the money and party submit a payment bill if anybody wants it to do that.

(with agency inputs)
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The BJP on Saturday admitted that its protest over the Sabarimala issue was 'not entirely successful' and the party has failed in its attempt to protect the faith of devotees.

It is to be noted that the BJP is at the forefront of the nearly two-month-long agitation against the Kerala government's decision to implement the Supreme Court order allowing entry of women of all age groups inside Sabarimala Temple, which is home to the shrine of Lord Ayyappa.

Addressing a meeting at the venue of the protest, state BJP president P S Sreedharan Pillai announced that the indefinite fast called by the party over this issue would end on Sunday.

"There were notable achievements during certain phases of the agitation, but, our fight to protect the faith was not entirely successful," he said.

"Even though we were unable to achieve 100 per cent success, we were able to garner more public support due to the blessings of Lord Ayyappa," Pillai said at the protest venue in front of the Secretariat here.

BJP's protest started losing intensity after the party failed to convince known leaders to take part in the indefinite relay fast, which was started by party general secretary A N Radhakrishnan followed by C K Padmanabhan and Shobha Surendran, among others.

In a related development, senior leaders of the BJP-led by National Democratic Alliance (NDA) met Kerala Governor P Sathasivam and submitted a memorandum seeking withdrawal of 'fabricated' cases registered against 'devotees' on the Sabarimala issue.

"Around 5,000 fabricated cases have been registered against the devotees who protested. Almost 1,000 activists are still in jail. They must be released," Pillai said.

(with agency inputs)
At least 31 Rohingya Muslims are stuck behind the barbed wire fencing along the India-Bangladesh border in Tripura since Friday, news agency PTI reported quoting officials.

The Border Security Force (BSF) officials said six men, nine women and 16 children were detained by the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) and are behind the fencing at Rayermura in West Tripura district, about 15 km from Agartala.

While the BGB asserted that the Rohingyas came from India, the BSF denied the claim. Both the sides have met twice since Saturday but failed to make any headway to resolve the issue.

"They are stranded between the international border and the barbed wire fencing for last 48 hours. They tried to enter Indian territory from Bangladesh side and we stopped them," PTI reported quoting BSF Deputy Inspector General (DIG) CL Belwa on Sunday.

The barbed wire fencing has been erected 300 feet into the Indian side from the international border.

"We are supplying water and other basic needs from our own resources to the Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds since last night. We have had two flag meetings with BGB so far, we will have another on Monday. We'll get to know the reason after discussion. We are in contact with Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB), they wanted to send these people to India," said Gokulnagar sector BSF DIG Brajesh Kumar.

Despite the BGB stressing that the Rohingyas were from India, the BSF said there was no tell-tale sign of breach of the fence on the Indian side. The BSF has also offered the BGB to join a survey on the Indian side to identify any sign of a breach in fencing.

Around 8.30 pm on Friday, BGB Commanding Officer Lt Col Gomal Kabir had called up BSF Commandant Ratnesh Kumar to inform him that they had detained 31 Rohingyas at the border.

"BGB commanding officer insisted that the BSF take those Rohingyas inside the Indo-Bangladesh border fencing. Commanding Officer BGB also alleged that BSF has been pushing Rohingyas into Bangladesh territory," Belwa told reporters.

"We were expecting that BGB will contact us for a flag meeting. But they did not contact us, rather we contacted them and yesterday 12 o'clock, an officer level meeting was conducted at zero lines," Belwa said.

He said the BSF offered BGB officials to come and survey the Indian side to see if there is any breach of the barbed wire fence.

However, the BGB authorities declined the offer and stuck to their demand that the BSF must take the Rohingyas into the Indian territory. A Battalion Commander level meeting was held at the Zero Line at 11 am on Sunday.

"The BGB battalion commander was of the same view that Rohingyas came from the Indian side. We have denied their allegations and said there is no tell-tale sign of breach of the fence on the Indian side," BSF DIG Belwa said. He added that the Rohingyas might have come from the other side (Bangladesh).

Twelve and 62 Rohingyas were apprehended in Tripura in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

In October 2017, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had ordered all state governments to identify and monitor Rohingya refugees. It said the Centre viewed infiltration of Rohingyas from the Rakhine state of Myanmar into Indian territory as a burden on the country's resources and it aggravated security challenges to the country.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims, described by the UN as the most persecuted minority in the world, fled their homes in 2017 to escape an alleged crackdown by the Myanmarese military.

Many of them reached India via Bangladesh.

with PTI inputs
KANPUR: While claiming that the strong leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi "strikes extreme fear" in his opponents, senior BJP leader and Uttar Pradesh Minister Sidharth Nath Singh said on Sunday that the 2019 parliamentary election would be a fight between the 56-inch chest and the 'khichdi' coalition of opposition parties.

He took a dig at the Opposition's show of unity at a rally in Kolkata on Saturday and said the 'khichdi' alliance was of "selfishness and corruption".

"Prime Minister Modi strikes extreme fear in his opponents who are forming 'khichdi' alliance to challenge him, but the BJP will crush all alliances," Singh told a press conference here, a day after the Kolkata rally organised by West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, in which leaders of around 20 opposition parties took part.

Noting that several opposition leaders had prime ministerial ambitions, Singh said they should decide among themselves who will be the prime minister on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Taking a swipe at Congress president Rahul Gandhi, the BJP leader said he should be the prime minister on Saturdays and Sundays since that is all he "can manage".

Singh said that the opposition parties were getting united only to defeat PM Modi and did not have any "future roadmap for the development of the country".

Hitting out at the opposition parties, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad too said that the only agenda of the "Mahagathbandhan" is to remove PM Narendra Modi which is not going to work in 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

"There has been a so-called Mahagathbandhan rally of the opposition parties in Kolkata. It was a rally of those who could not see each other eye to eye. Today they have come together. From their speeches, it was evident that their only agenda is to remove PM Modi," Prasad told reporters.

He also took a jibe at the opposition parties and asked who would be their leader against NDA`s Narendra Modi.

Meanwhile, PM on Sunday rejected Opposition's allegations that the BJP government's decision to provide 10 percent reservation in education and jobs for the economically weaker sections in the general category was politically motivated with an eye on upper caste vote in the Lok Sabha polls.

Calling the charges as "illogical," the Prime Minister told BJP booth workers from Hatkanangale, Kolhapur, Madha, Satara in Maharashtra and from South Goa parliamentary constituencies that the decision has given sleepless nights to opposition parties which, he said, were spreading lies and rumours.

"If our decision lacked strength, they (opposition parties) would not have had sleepless nights. Now they are spreading lies and rumours," PM Modi said, adding that the "historic" decision was taken in national interest.

"Our government believes in `sabka sath, sabka vikas`. For the first time, such a decision was taken. They (opposition parties) did nothing for social justice, and when we did, they were caught sleeping. The Bill was passed (in Parliament) in just 48 hours," he said.

He asserted that the decision was taken by rising above political lines, saying it was not possible without an amendment in the Constitution.

"The existing reservation for SCs/STs and OBCs will not be disturbed. We are increasing 10 percent seats in educational institutions. This will open new doors of opportunities. A major section of the society will get justice," he said, urging the party cadre to counter aggressively the opposition`s charge.

The Prime Minister also rejected the allegation that the decision was politically motivated and was taken in view of the Lok Sabha polls.

(With Agency inputs)
Gurugram: A postgraduate student of Management Development Institute (MDI) was found dead on Saturday in the campus of the institute in Gurugram under mysterious circumstances, police said.

The deceased has been identified as Juniad Taaz, 23, a resident of Delhi`s Vasant Kunj.

Police said Taaz was a third year student of Post Graduate Diploma Management at MDI in Sector 17 in Gurugram.

The deceased`s mother told police she received a message from her son on Saturday that "he was under tremendous stress." "He might have jumped off, or pushed from one of the floors of the institute... the matter is under investigation," said a police officer.

A high-ranking MDI official said: "We extend our deep condolences to the family. We informed the police immediately after knowing about it and assisted them in the process. We also assure of full cooperation in further procedures to the best of our abilities."


Se incalzeste spectaculos!

 meteorologii anunta valori termice de 30 de grade  din a doua parte a saptaminii viitoare se mai racoreste  vestea proasta este ca nu scapam de instabilitate atmosferica  Ultima decada a lunii iunie aduce o apreciere considerabila a reistrului termic, iar meteorologii anunta valori de pina la 30 de grade. Acest lucru [] Articolul Se incalzeste [citeste mai departe]
Stiri pe aceeasi tema

- Chairman of Romania's National COVID-19 Vaccination Coordination Committee (CNCAV) Valeriu Gheorghita said on Tuesday that activity at 11 immunisation centres will be temporarily halted, the open hours at 127 more will be cut and 70 vaccination rooms were closed because in about 45% of the cases

- Prime Minister Florin Citu told private broadcaster Digi24 on Monday evening, that Pension Pillar II will not be nationalized during the government the National Liberal Party (PNL) is part of, agerpres reports. Asked if the European Commission had asked him to do so, Citu said that the European Commission

- The chairman of the People's Movement Party (PMP), Cristian Diaconescu, declared on Thursday, in Braila (North-East of Bucharest), that he does not know the reasons why the governor of the National Bank of Romania (BNR), Mugur Isarescu, appointed Viorica Dancila as counselor, and, from his point

- The reforms that the Citu Cabinet is making are necessary and in accordance with the governing program, the chairman of the National Liberal Party (PNL), Ludovic Orban, said on Tuesday, after the PNL's leadership meeting. "There is a lot of information in the media which is not in accordance with

- Any threat to Romania is in fact a threat to NATO, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu said on Sunday, reports agerpres. He referred to recent tensions in the Black Sea region and stressed that NATO "is the strongest political-military alliance". "The fact that Romania is part of

- Probleme la zi: BNR despre tranzactiile cu criptomonede 12.05 PROBLEME LA ZI. Noi reglementari ale Bancii Nationale cu privire la tranzactiile cu criptomonede. Invitati: Dan Suciu  purtator de cuvant Banca Nationala a Romaniei, Valentin Necoara  director ethnic CERTSign,

- The reference index for consumer loans, regulated by OUG 19/2019 is of 1.67% per year, being calculated as an arithmetic average of daily interest loans of inter-banking transactions of the 4th trimester of 2020, dropping from the one published three months ago, of 1.88%, according to the data announced

- Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said on Tuesday in Brussels at a meeting of heads of diplomacy from the Alliances member states, that Romania supports the development of a new NATO Strategic Concept to better reflect current security realities, according to Agerpres. The first meeting addressed
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-21 06:29:58|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Matthew Nimetz, the UN envoy who brokered a Greece-Macedonia deal on their dispute over the latter's name, has asked Athens to ratify the deal as Skopje has completed its internal legal procedures.

Skopje on Wednesday formally informed the Greek government of its ratification of the deal known as the Prespa Agreement, following a parliamentary vote on Dec. 13, Nimetz said in a statement on Sunday.

"Upon the notification by the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia of the completion of the related constitutional amendments and its internal legal procedures for the entry into force of the agreement, consideration and subsequently proceeding with the ratification of the agreement by the Hellenic Republic, through its national processes, would be in conformity with the relevant provisions of the Prespa Agreement," said the statement.

"I look forward to the completion of the process as outlined in the agreement. As in the past, the United Nations remains committed to working with the two parties in finally resolving the difference between them," said Nimetz, the personal envoy of the UN secretary-general for the name issue.

Greece and Macedonia have been in dispute since 1991, when the former Yugoslav republic gained independence. Greece has objected to its neighbor's constitutional name of the Republic of Macedonia, fearing that the name indicates territorial ambitions over the northern Greek province of Macedonia. Greece's objection has impeded Skopje's bids to join NATO and the European Union.

Under the UN-brokered Prespa Agreement in June 2018, Macedonia's constitutional name would become "the Republic of North Macedonia."
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-21 06:24:55|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

SANTIAGO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- At least two people are dead in the wake of a 6.7-magnitude earthquake that rocked northern Chile's Coquimbo region late Saturday, the national emergency bureau ONEMI reported on Sunday.

The two victims, a 74-year-old woman and a 64-year-old man, died after suffering heart attack.

The quake struck at 10:32 p.m. local time (0132 GMT Sunday), with the epicenter located 13 km east of Tongoy and 428 km north of the nation's capital Santiago, at a depth of 50.1 km, according to the National Seismological Center of the University of Chile.

At least 30 homes sustained some damage, while another three were affected when a canal in Coquimbo's capital La Serena overflowed due to the seismic waves.

La Serena Mayor Roberto Jacob said the damage was limited considering the age and material of many of the constructions.

"The city has persevered quite well given how old it is and seeing that the constructions are made of adobe. In addition, the evacuation was exemplary," Jacob told reporters.

However, the town cathedral did not escape serious damage and is in danger of seeing falling debris, he said.

Officials said 11,267 area residents remain without power.

More than 50 aftershocks have been registered.

Located along the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire," Chile is highly prone to seismic activity.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-21 06:09:52|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

ANKARA, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Turkey is ready to take over the security in Syria's Manbij without delay, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a phone conversation with his U.S. counterpart late Sunday.

During the phone call, Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to accelerate talks between their chiefs of staff regarding a safe zone in northern Syria, Turkish presidency said in a statement.

The Manbij bomb attack that left four U.S. soldiers dead on Thursday is a provocation aimed to hinder U.S. withdrawal from Syria, Erdogan said.

The two countries also agreed to jointly clear Islamic State (IS) remnants of Syria and prevent their return.

Last week, Trump suggested in a tweet creating a safe zone in Syria, which is supported by Ankara.

Erdogan on Tuesday welcomed the U.S. proposal for a 32-km safe zone inside northeastern Syria, and stressed that the zone will be set up and controlled by Turkey.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-21 05:29:47|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers work at a checkpoint in John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, the United States, Jan. 20, 2019. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) experienced a national rate of 8 percent of unscheduled absences on Saturday, compared to 3 percent one year ago, the U.S. agency said Sunday. The TSA officers, who are among the 420,000 "essential" federal employees forced to work without pay after the partial government shutdown, missed their first paycheck on Jan. 11. The record-long shutdown has lasted for about a month. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) experienced a national rate of 8 percent of unscheduled absences on Saturday, compared to 3 percent one year ago, the U.S. agency said Sunday.

One security checkpoint at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport was closed on Saturday due to "excessive callouts," the TSA said in a statement, advising passengers to arrive early for their flights.

On Friday and Thursday, unscheduled absence rate of TSA officers was 7 percent and 6.4 percent respectively.

"Many employees are reporting that they are not able to report to work due to financial limitations," the agency said.

The TSA officers, who are among the 420,000 "essential" federal employees forced to work without pay after the partial government shutdown, missed their first paycheck on Jan. 11. The record-long shutdown has lasted for about a month.

The TSA said Friday that it expected "a high volume" of travelers this holiday weekend, when many workers would have Monday off in observation of Martin Luther King Day.

It estimated that between Friday and Monday, more than 8 million passengers will be screened at security checkpoints nationwide, an increase of 10.8 percent from the same period last year.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-21 05:14:44|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Un Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday strongly condemned the attack on a camp of the UN peacekeeping force in Mali that killed 10 soldiers from Chad.

The UN chief called on the Malian authorities, as well as the signatory armed groups to the peace agreement, to spare no effort in identifying the perpetrators of this attack so that they can be brought to justice as swiftly as possible, said Guterres' spokesman in a statement.

Guterres said that attacks targeting UN peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law. He reaffirmed that such acts will not diminish the resolve of the United Nations to continue supporting the people and government of Mali in their efforts to build peace and stability in the country.

Guterres conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the government of Chad, and the families and loved ones of the deceased. He paid tribute to the dedication and courage of the men and women serving in the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali.

The attack occurred Sunday morning in Aguelhok, Kidal region. The UN peacekeeping force responded robustly and a number of assailants were killed, said the statement.

Apart from the 10 soldiers killed, at least 25 others were injured in the attack.

Mali is plagued by a civil war and the rise of Islamist militants. The United Nations set up a peacekeeping mission in Mali in April 2013 to help stabilize the situation in the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-21 04:09:26|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

BUCHAREST, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Romanian Health Minister Sorina Pintea reaffirmed on Sunday that the country is not "very far from declaring the flu epidemic", as the number of people died of influenza reached 20.

The last case is a 68-year-old man from southeastern county of Galati, local health authorities said earlier Sunday.

The people who died so far from the flu in the current flu season had "one thing in common, they were not vaccinated," said the minister, adding that "out of the 20 people died, 16 had pre-existing medical conditions."

According to Pintea, "if in a week the number of diagnose cases exceeds the number of estimated cases, then we can talk about an epidemic week. If we have three consecutive weeks of epidemics, then we can declare the epidemic."

"We already have an epidemic week and we have all the chances... to have a second epidemic week," the minister said, stressing that the measures she has communicated to the local health authorities and the education ministry are actually those to be taken in the case of a flu epidemic.

The minister recommended that people who have symptoms report to their family doctor. She also suggested that schools conduct epidemiological trials, while hospitals limit visits.

At present, the flu virus is circulating more in the capital city of Bucharest, the eastern Black Sea port of Constanta and the western region of country.

Medical experts said again vaccination is the only solution to get rid of the flu virus. However, the vaccination rate in Romania is only 8 percent, which places the country the third from the last among the European states after Estonia and Latvia. The highest vaccination rate is in Britain, with 71 percent.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-21 03:34:18|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

CAIRO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi met with French Minister of Economy and Finance Bruno Le Maire in Cairo on Sunday over economic ties and bilateral relations.

During the meeting, Sisi expressed keenness to continue cooperation with France and boost relations in all fields, the presidential spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement.

Sisi also stressed the importance of coordination and consultation on various regional and international issues of common interests, especially the current crises in the Middle East.

They also discussed the maximum cooperation in the sectors of health, renewable energy, transportation and logistics, according to Rady.

Sisi and Le Maire also discussed the potential of strengthening partnership between France and Africa during Egypt's chairmanship of the African Union in 2019 in order to promote economic development in the continent.

He praised the work of French companies in Egyptian national projects, such as the development of the Suez Canal axis and the new cities being constructed throughout the country.

Le Maire arrived in Egypt on Sunday in preparation for an anticipated visit by French President Emmanuel Macron later this month, Egypt's state MENA news agency reported.

The long-awaited visit by Macron will be his first since assuming office in 2017.

Sisi visited Paris in October 2017, where he discussed with Macron joint efforts to combat terrorism, the Middle East peace process and the situation in Libya.

During his talks with Sisi, the French minister affirmed France's appreciation of the Egyptian president's leadership, which has guided Egypt from difficult times to its current state of stability, the presidential spokesman said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-21 03:04:12|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

Demonstrators wave Greek flags and shout slogans to protest against the Macedonian name deal in Athens, Greece, on Jan. 20, 2019. A mass rally held in front of the Greek parliament in Athens over the Macedonia name deal was marred by violent clashes on Sunday. Syntagma Square was converted into a battlefield when hooded protesters, trying to get into the parliament's courtyard, threw rocks and firebombs at riot police. Police forces used tear gas to repel the attempt. (Xinhua/Lefteris Partsalis)

ATHENS, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- A mass rally held in front of the Greek parliament in Athens over the Macedonia name deal was marred by violent clashes on Sunday.

Syntagma Square was converted into a battlefield when hooded protesters, trying to get into the parliament's courtyard, threw rocks and firebombs at riot police. Police forces used tear gas to repel the attempt.

According to a press release of the Greek police, 25 police officers were injured and transferred to hospital. Twelve protesters were detained and seven were arrested. A photojournalist and a cameraman from public ERT TV were also injured during the rally.

"Unfortunately, once again, the rally was gripped by extremist elements and members of the extreme-right party of Golden Dawn who in their attempt to enter the parliament with rocks and wooden bats sent many wounded people to the hospital," a statement from Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' office read after the clashes.

Thousands of people gathered in Syntagma Square to oppose the use of the term "Macedonia" in any resolution of the name row with Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), ahead of an anticipated vote on the name deal in the Greek parliament in the coming week.

Greek police estimated some 60,000 would attend the rally. About 2,000 policemen had been deployed across the capital as part of security measures to maintain order.

Waving Greek flags despite the rain in Athens, protesters chanted "Macedonia is Greece", opposing the ratification of the deal.

"We came with low hopes that the name deal will not pass. We are going to be wherever needed to defend our ancestors' legacy," self-employed Christos told Xinhua. He travelled from Laconia region in the southeastern part of the Peloponnese to join the rally.

"We are not aware of the agreement's content. I want to know exactly what is contained in the deal, so this rally would be effective," another protester, Vicky Simou from Athens, said.

"The general opinion that the deal is beneficial for Greece is not enough. Can they be more explicit on the benefits of this deal?" asked professor of linguistics Ermioni attending the rally.

With the Prespes (the site where the agreement was signed last summer) name deal, the Greek government is expected to put an end in the long-running dispute over FYROM's official name.

Under the agreement, FYROM will be renamed Republic of North Macedonia in exchange of the clearing of the path to its accession to the EU and NATO.

Athens had expressed concern of future territorial claims from the moment the new state declared independence from Yugoslavia picking the same name used by a northern Greek province.

Skopje's parliament approved a few days ago the final constitutional amendments agreed between the two sides to end such fears.

The deal also needs to be ratified by the Greek parliament before it comes into effect.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-21 01:43:59|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

Arab League (AL) Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit speaks at a press conference after the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit, in Beirut, Lebanon, Jan. 20, 2019. Arab leaders and officials on Sunday urged the international community to support nations hosting Syrian refugees and take steps to minimize the impact of the refugee crisis. The call was made in the Beirut Declaration issued as the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit concluded in the Lebanese capital. (Xinhua/Li Liangyong)

BEIRUT, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Arab leaders and officials on Sunday urged the international community to support nations hosting Syrian refugees and take steps to minimize the impact of the refugee crisis.

The call was made in the Beirut Declaration issued as the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit concluded in the Lebanese capital.

"We call on the international community to support Arab countries hosting Syrian refugees and take steps to stop the economic repercussion of the refugee crisis," said the declaration.

The refugee crisis in Arab countries is the worst humanitarian problem since World War II, the declaration said, noting that the crisis leads to an economic slowdown, increases the expenditure and deficit, imposes burdens on public sectors and infrastructure and poses risks to the society.

Arab leaders called on the world to shoulder its responsibilities to minimize the impact of the refugee crisis and double efforts to encourage and facilitate the return of refugees to their homeland.

This is the first time Arab countries have reached a consensus on encouraging Syrian refugees to return to their country, according to Lebanese caretaker Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil at the press conference after the summit.

Arab states also called upon through the declaration donor nations to fulfill their promises to offer financial support to nations hosting refugees.

At the opening session of the summit, Lebanese President Michel Aoun called for the world to step up efforts for Syrian refugees to return home.

"Lebanon calls on the international community to exert every possible effort and to ensure the suitable conditions for the safe return of the displaced Syrians to their country, particularly to the accessible stable regions or the de-escalation zones, without linking this return to the political solution," Aoun said.

Lebanon has been shouldering for years the "heaviest burden" of the displacement of Syrian and Palestinian refugees, who make up about half the Lebanese population with inadequate resources, he added.

Since conflict broke out in Syria in 2011, more than 1 million people have fled across the border to Lebanon.

The United Nations says conditions are not yet ready for their safe return.

The fourth Arab Economic and Social Development Summit on Sunday kicked off in Beirut.

Although at least eight heads of states were expected here, only the Qatari emir and Mauritanian president joined the event. But Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani arrived shortly before the summit and left minutes after it began.

The other participating countries sent their second-level and third-level ministerial delegations.

Rifts among Arab states over the absence of Syria and Libya have overshadowed the Beirut summit.

Syria is not invited to the summit organized by the Arab League (AL) as its AL membership was suspended in November 2011 through the rising casualties in the violent clashes during anti-government protests.

Ahead of the summit, Bassil openly called on AL to re-admit Syria while Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, secretary-general of AL, said AL member states have not reached a consensus on Syria's return to the 22-member bloc.

Libya's seat was also empty as it protests against the summit after supporters of the Lebanese Amal Movement tore the Libyan flag in Beirut.

The Arab economic summit, held at the head-of-state level to address issues of economic and social development among member states, is a prelude to the AL summit scheduled for March in Tunisia.
A dubbing actor of the Vibration Studios works on Arabic dubbing of a Chinese TV drama inside a studio in Cairo, Egypt, on Jan. 9, 2019. (Xinhua/Meng Tao)

CAIRO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- "I believe that I started to know more about the Chinese culture, people, history and traditions through working on the Arabic dubbing of Chinese drama," said an Egyptian media production manager. "So, I love what I am doing."

Ashraf Hamed is chief of Vibration Studios, a partner with China Radio International (CRI) for producing China-related Arabic radio shows and dubbing Chinese dramas in Egypt.

"Our work surely promotes the Chinese culture in the Arab world. The broadcast of 'Jin Tailang's Happy Life' had the highest viewership rate on Channel 2 of Egypt's state TV, according to official data and statistics," Hamed told Xinhua at one of his studios.

In the two-storey Vibration Studios, dubbing artists, editors, sound engineers and technicians have been busy working on the Arabic dubbing of a Chinese TV drama as part of an Egyptian-Chinese cooperation.

"We started our cooperation with CRI in mid-2012 through its regional office in Cairo. Over the past six years, we dubbed several Chinese TV series and we expanded our partnership with CRI until we have now daily radio shows broadcasted on the Egyptian radio," Hamed pointed out.

In late 2013, CRI and Egypt's state TV signed a protocol for on airing award-winning Chinese soap opera "Jin Tailang's Happy Life" for the first time in the Egyptian TV history. Later on, other dubbed Chinese dramas have been broadcasted on Egypt's TV through a similar agreement signed in September 2015, including "Romance of Our Parents," "Never Give Up Dodo" and most recently "Ode to Joy."

"Through these years of cooperation with our friends and partners in Vibration Studios, I believe everyone in the studios now knows more about China, especially the modern life of Chinese people," Wang Xin, an executive producer at CRI regional bureau in Cairo, told Xinhua.

"We don't choose to dub only the TV series reflecting China's traditional culture but also those depicting the modernization and development of today's China," Wang continued. "We want the audience in Egypt and even the Middle East to be more familiar with modern Chinese people."

In one of the recording studios, which is soundproofed with sound-absorbing foam, a microphone was standing where dubbing artists record their dialogues as a main part of the dubbing process.

Ashraf Hamed (1st R), chief of Vibration Studios, and sound technicians work on Arabic dubbing of a Chinese TV drama inside a studio in Cairo, Egypt, on Jan. 9, 2019. (Xinhua/Meng Tao)

Doaa Riyad, an Egyptian dubbing actress who has been working in the field for years, said that dubbing Chinese drama is one of the most difficult tasks because the Chinese way of uttering words is different from that of Arabs.

"A Chinese sentence might be too long for its Arabic translation or vice versa, which is another problem we face in dubbing Chinese drama, which makes the lip sync during voice over very difficult," the dubbing artist told Xinhua in the recording studio.

"But we overcome all this in the script preparation and do our best to make it look good in the end," she added.

The lady, who played Fan, one of the main characters of "Ode to Joy," said that dubbing Chinese TV series gave her a general idea about the Chinese social life.

"I believe the Chinese are more like us, unlike Westerners, even in the husband-wife relationship and the traditions related to girls, their manners and their marriages, etc," the dubbing actress told Xinhua.

Engineers and technicians in a nearby dim well-equipped studio, with advanced hardware equipment such as mixers, preamps and speakers, are responsible for creating the Foley, arranging the video and audio tracks, and delivering the final dubbed work.

Mohamed Ghanem, a sound engineer and designer at Vibration Studios, explained that his team realized the lip sync issue after their first experience of dubbing Chinese TV series, so they started to prepare for it from the very early stages like the phase of translation from Chinese to Arabic.

"We record the dialogues of actors on a track, while the music has a separate track and the ambient, effects and Foley have a different track and we have a final track gathering them all," Ghanem said.

"I enjoy watching the Chinese drama while working on dubbing them to the point that sometimes I work on an episode and wait for the next to see what happened," the sound engineer told Xinhua.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 23:58:45|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

CHICAGO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- By tweaking the recipe for coaxing human stem cells into insulin-secreting beta cells, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis find that the resulting cells are more responsive to fluctuating glucose levels in the blood.

For the study, the researchers grew beta cells from human stem cells, but made numerous changes to the "recipe" for producing insulin-producing beta cells by treating the cells with different factors at different times as they grew and developed to help the cells mature and function more effectively.

After this process was complete, the researchers transplanted the beta cells into diabetic mice with suppressed immune systems so that they wouldn't reject the human cells. Those transplanted cells produced insulin at levels that effectively controlled blood sugar in the mice, functionally curing their diabetes for several months.

"Previously, the beta cells we manufactured could secrete insulin in response to glucose, but they were more like fire hydrants, either making a lot of insulin or none at all," said principal investigator Jeffrey R. Millman, an assistant professor of medicine and of biomedical engineering at the university. "The new cells are more sensitive and secrete insulin that better corresponds to the glucose levels."

The researchers can't predict when such cells may be ready for human trials but believe there are at least two ways that stem cell-derived beta cells could be tested in human patients.

"The first would be to encapsulate the cells in something like a gel, with pores small enough to prevent immune cells from getting in but large enough to allow insulin to get out," Millman said. "Another idea would be to use gene-editing tools to alter the genes of beta cells in ways that would allow them to 'hide' from the immune system after implantation."

The study was published on Jan. 17 in the journal Stem Cell Reports.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 23:38:37|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

GENEVA, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- A global opinion poll published Sunday by the World Economic Forum (WEF) finds that a clear majority of people in all regions of the world say they believe cooperation between nations is either extremely or very important.

The global public overwhelmingly favors multilateral cooperation, is open to immigration and rejects the notion that countries' best interests are achieved at the expense of others, according to the WEF survey.

Most polled showed a rejection of populism and the majority said they believe upward mobility is too elusive and that governments are not doing enough to provide people with opportunity.

"The combination of climate change, income inequality, technology, and geopolitics pose an existential threat to humanity," said Klaus Schwab, WEF founder and chief executive.

"What we see with this research is that, while the international community's capacity for concerted action appears constrained, the overwhelming desire of the global public is for leaders to find new ways to work together that will allow them to cooperate on these critical shared challenges we all face," he said.

The data came in collaboration with Qualtrics, a U.S. experience management company, and will be used in panel discussions and workshops at the Jan. 22-25 WEF annual meeting.

The research covered a sample size of over 10,000 people from every region of the world ahead of the WEF meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.

North Americans have the least trust in climate science, while Western Europeans are least likely to regard technology companies as altruistic.

Asked whether their country has a responsibility to help other countries in the world, South Asians again registered the highest levels of accord with 94 percent answering positively compared to a global average of 72 percent.

Again, North Americans at 61 percent and Western Europeans with 63 percent in the affirmative, were the least effusive.

A global majority of respondents, 57 percent, say they believe that immigrants are "mostly good" for their new country, but only 40 percent of those living in Eastern Europe and Central Asia and 46 percent of respondents in Western Europe subscribe to the same opinion.

Perhaps unsurprisingly given its history, said WEF, North Americans trailed only South Asians in their approval of immigrants, with 66 percent saying they believe immigrants are mostly good.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 23:38:36|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

COTABATO CITY, the Philippines, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Unidentified persons lobbed a hand grenade at a house of a local judge in Cotabato City in the southern Philippines on Sunday, the eve of a plebiscite to ratify a law that will establish a larger Muslim autonomous region in Mindanao.

Police Chief Inspector Efren Salazar, commander of a city police station, told reporters that the incident happened shortly after 9:00 p.m. on Sunday at a village in front of the house of Judge Rosalito Rasalan.

Quoting witnesses, Salazar said the grenade landed on the roof but rolled down and exploded on the ground.

No one was injured in the explosion, he added.

Salazar said an investigation is underway. He said it is not conclusive if the attack was related to the plebiscite scheduled for Monday.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The attack took place amid tight security in the region. Authorities said at least 10,000 soldiers and policemen have been deployed to ensure the voting will be orderly and peaceful.

The Commission on Elections of the Philippines said a total of 2.8 million voters registered for the plebiscite to decide whether to ratify the landmark Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), which is expected to pave the way for wider self-rule to the Muslim minority in the Philippines and is hoped to end the decades-old conflict in the region.

If the BOL is ratified, a Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao will be created and the region will enjoy more political and economic power, including greater fiscal autonomy, a regional government, parliament and justice system.

The Philippine government hopes the BOL can pave the way for the integration process of the thousands of former separatist rebels and their families to reintegrate into mainstream society and live peaceful and productive lives.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 23:33:32|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

MOSCOW, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Syrian forces shot down seven Israeli missiles with Russia-made Pantsir and Buk air defense systems on Sunday, TASS news agency reported, citing a spokesman for Russia's national defense management center.

The air strike was delivered by four Israeli F-16 fighters from the Mediterranean at 13:32 Moscow time (1032 GMT) against the Duwali international airport in southeastern Damascus, according to TASS.

The airport was not damaged and no casualties were reported, the spokesman said.

Earlier in the day, the official Syrian news agency SANA said the Syrian air defense had intercepted a fresh Israeli missile strike targeting areas in the surroundings of Damascus.

It added that all the Israeli missiles were destroyed before reaching their targets.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 23:08:26|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

MOSCOW, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) Secretary General Hamada Madi discussed cooperation on Saturday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Sunday.

Bogdanov and Madi exchanged views on developing constructive cooperation between Russia and the IOC members in Madagascar's Antananarivo, the ministry said in a press release.

It said the two officials seek to partner on maritime security and coordinate efforts to counter new challenges, including piracy, drug and human trafficking, and other crimes at sea.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 22:13:10|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

CAIRO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian court upheld on Sunday death sentences against five defendants charged with terrorism.

Egypt's Court of Cassation endorsed the final death sentences against the five defendants who were accused of terrorism in a case known as the "Giza terrorist cell," official MENA news agency reported.

The same court said that death sentences for six others will be commuted to life imprisonment and sentences against 15 others will be upheld.

In October 2017, the Giza Criminal court sentenced 11 defendants to death, 14 to life imprisonment and one to 10-year term over committing murder, armed protests, and making explosive charges.

Terrorism rose in Egypt following the military ouster of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his currently outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

Terror attacks gradually expanded from North Sinai province bordering Israel and the Palestinian Gaza Strip to other provinces, including the capital Cairo, and started to target the Coptic minority via church bombings and shootings.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 21:38:57|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

A Chinese calligrapher presents a newly created work featuring Chinese character Fu meaning happiness to a passerby as a part of a campaign to celebrate the upcoming Chinese traditional Spring Festival, also known as Chinese New Year, in Yokohama, Japan, Jan. 20, 2019. (Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi)
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 21:32:59|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

RAMALLAH, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Spokesperson for the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Sami Mushasha told official Palestinian radio station Sunday that UNRWA's presence in Jerusalem is "not a gift from Israel, but mandated by a UN resolution in accordance with international law."

He commented on Israeli reports that authorities will shut down UN service centers in East Jerusalem, including schools, before the beginning of the next school year, and said that the UNRWA "did not receive an official notification with that regard."

Mushasha said that the organization will continue to offer its services to the Palestinian refugees, highlighting that it has been serving refugees in the city since 1950 in line with its UN mandate.

Israeli media reports had said that Israel decided to move ahead with a plan to stop the operations of the UNRWA in East Jerusalem, stop accreditation of UNRWA schools as of next school year, and change the status of the Shufat refugee camp, which is home to nearly 24,000 Palestinian refugees who also hold Jerusalem residency cards provided by Israeli authorities.

The Palestinian ministry of education said in a press statement on Sunday that "those practices and attempts aim at imposing the Israeli narrative on education in Jerusalem as part of its ethnic cleansing policy," urging international humanitarian organizations to take a stance against this policy.

Member of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee Hansen Ashrawi slammed the Israeli decision, saying "it is a direct insult to the international community and undermines its legitimacy resolutions, laws and institutions."

Ashrawi affirmed that the UNRWA and its schools were founded in Jerusalem prior to the annexation of the city in 1967.

She blamed the U.S. for providing "the financial, legal and political cover for the occupying power, in addition to the irresponsible and unilateral American steps against Palestinian rights, including cutting funding to the UNRWA and redefining the status of Palestinian refugees."

The U.S. administration declared to reduce funding to the UNRWA early in 2018, and cut it off completely by last September.

UNRWA was established in 1949 and mandated to provide assistance and protection to some 5.4 million Palestine refugees registered with UNRWA.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 21:32:58|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

BAMAKO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Chadian contingent of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) was attacked early Sunday morning in Aguelhok, northeastern Mali, by unidentified gunmen, a UN source told Xinhua on Sunday.

According to sources, the provisional toll on the peacekeepers' side was five dead and 19 others wounded, and that three peacekeepers were kidnapped by the attackers.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 21:27:55|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

by Ronald Njoroge

NAIROBI, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Ben Kilonzo has been facing reduced maize yields due to insufficient rainfall.

The 55-year-old small-scale farmer from Kitui County, in southeastern Kenya, has been relying on rainfall to cultivate maize since he inherited his farm from his father over 20 years ago.

However, due to erratic rainfall, he has been incurring losses as crops fail to reach maturity.

Kilonzo said his only other option to get water for his crops is fetching water from a river nearby, using 20 liter containers.

"However, this is a time-consuming activity given the amount of water the crops need before they are ready for harvesting," Kilonzo told reporters on Saturday.

Fortunately for Kilonzo and other farmers located in the semiarid area in Kenya, there is abundant sunshine throughout the year.

To solve the rain-deficit problem, Kilonzo bought a solar-powered water pump for about 10,000 Kenyan shillings (98.3 U.S. dollars) to get water from a neighboring river.

"I have now been able to double my maize yields despite the erratic rainfall patterns by using solar technology," he said.

Samir Ibrahim, CEO of agriculture technology firm SunCulture, said that climate change is a reality that is affecting farmers in Africa.

Despite Africa having large tracts of arable land and two-thirds of its workforce in the agricultural sector, the continent remains a net importer of food, Ibrahim said.

One of the challenges facing farmers is lack of affordable access to water to irrigate their crops, he said.

"However through use of technology such as solar-powered pumps, farmers can have enough water for their crops," Ibrahim said.

According to him, Africa is the only continent facing a water scarcity that is not a physical water scarcity but an economic water scarcity as farmers cannot afford to pay for water from both surface and underground sources.

"By having access to affordable water sources, African farmers can massively increase their productivity and yields at farm level," he said.

Technology also exists in the market to ensure that even small-scale farmers can engage in precision irrigation and use water much more efficiently, Ibrahim said.

Edward Kipkoech, a farmer in Kenya's North Rift region, has also been using solar-powered pumps to irrigate his crops.

He has since diversified away from maize and grow high-value vegetables such as kales and capsicum due to now all-year-round availability of water.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 21:17:52|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

ISTANBUL, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. proposal to set up a security zone in northeastern Syria to allay Turkey's concerns about Kurdish militia would only serve Ankara's interests if the zone would come under Turkish control, most analysts said, while some described the move as a trap.

"The security zone must be under Turkey's control," Murat Bilhan, a former diplomat, told Xinhua, arguing such a step would otherwise threaten Turkey's national security.

The Washington proposal, which Ankara welcomed, came after Turkey threatened last month to launch a cross-border operation to eliminate the U.S.-backed Kurdish militia along its border.

Ankara sees the militia, the People's Protection Units (YPG), as a terror group and the extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party outlawed for its decades-old armed struggle against the Turkish state.

The safe zone, first suggested by U.S. President Donald Trump over Twitter last Sunday, will cover 32 km from the Turkish border into Syrian territory under YPG control.

"Turkey should not fall into the trap of a security zone," Cahit Armagan Dilek, director of the Ankara-based 21st Century Turkey Institute, told Xinhua, saying that the zone would serve in the longer term the U.S. plan to ensure a YPG-controlled area.

Referring to Washington's repeated declarations of support for its Kurdish ally, he said that "it looks highly improbable that the security zone would be under Turkish control."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has dismissed the possibility of any YPG presence in the proposed security zone, while Ibrahim Kalin, the presidential spokesman, said the safe zone would be under Turkish control.

However, details about the zone do not appear to have been fully settled yet.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday that whether the Turkish and American understanding of the security zone are in agreement or in conflict would become clear following talks between the two sides.

Cavusoglu will travel to Washington D.C. on Feb. 6 for talks on cooperation in Syria.

For its part, Washington hopes the security zone will convince Ankara that the Kurdish militia would pose no security threat.

Turkey is concerned that an autonomous Kurdish entity in Syria would set an example for its own nearly 20 million Kurds, as the U.S. is known to have long sought the formation of a united Kurdistan in the Middle East which would bring together Kurds in Turkey, Iraq, Syria and Iran.

The emergence of a U.S.-backed Kurdish entity in Syria poses a serious threat to Turkey, since it may in the long run lead to Turkey's disintegration following Iraq and Syria, argued Dilek.

Washington came up with the proposal for a security zone after having unexpectedly announced, shortly after Ankara's threat of a military operation, that the U.S. troops would leave Syria.

The Kurdish militia, which Washington has used as a ground force against the Islamic State (IS), has established two self-proclaimed autonomous cantons along the Turkish border in northeastern Syria during the war.

"If the safe zone would be under Turkey's full control and the YPG would be pushed further south, then the zone would serve Turkey's interest," said Erdogan Karakus, a former general in the Turkish military.

Locals who had earlier fled the area due to the YPG pressure to seek refuge in Turkey may also be resettled there, he said.

Turkey is under social and economic pressure as it is officially hosting over 3.6 million Syrian refugees.

Top U.S. officials have repeatedly underlined that Washington would continue to protect the YPG despite the decision to withdraw troops.

Trump even openly threatened to "devastate Turkey economically if they hit Kurds."

"In case Turkey is simply allowed to set up military posts and to carry out patrols in the security zone without fully controlling it, that would be useless," cautioned Karakus.

Lindsey Graham, a prominent U.S. senator known to have sway over Trump, had talks with Erdogan and other top Turkish officials about Syria in Ankara on Friday.

In an interview with CNNTurk the day after, the republican senator avoided directly answering a question about whether the establishment of a security zone would lead to the emergence of a YPG autonomous zone.

Instead, he said he was seeking a solution that would make Ankara feel it would face no terrorism threat from Syria.

Graham suggested that an inclusive administration model rather than one dominated by the YPG in Kurdish-held territory could help settle the problem following the U.S. withdrawal.

Dilek feels that the United States plans to deploy groups close to Turkey in the security zone so as to persuade Ankara to leave the YPG alone.

In addition, Ankara would probably be granted construction projects in the area, he said.

Erdogan had spoken in favor of the security zone deal with Trump, saying he believed they reached "a historically important understanding" on the issue. The Turkish leader also stated that Turkey's state-owned Housing Development Administration could have a role in the security zone projects.

Syria opposes any Turkish incursion into the Syrian territory, describing such a move as an act of aggression.

In two previous cross-border operations against the IS and the YPG, the Turkish military and its Syrian rebel allies captured a modest portion of Syrian territory in the northwestern part of the country.

Angered by Washington's supply of weapons to the YPG, Ankara has been cooperating with Russia and Iran for a political settlement of the Syrian conflict.

The analysts do not think, however, the security zone deal between Ankara and Washington would harm Ankara's cooperation with Moscow in Syria.

"I don't think Russia would turn against Turkey given the current good level of bilateral ties, ongoing important joint projects," said Bilhan, who is also a vice chairman of the Istanbul-based Turkish Asian Center for Strategic Studies.

"Russia is naturally not happy about the security zone, but would not raise its voice as long as Turkey cooperates with the U.S.," Karakus said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 21:07:45|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

LONDON, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Two men have been arrested in connection with a car bomb in Northern Ireland on Saturday, said Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) on twitter on Sunday.

The two men, both in their twenties, have been arrested by detectives investigating explosion outside Bishop Street courthouse in Derry/Londonderry, said PSNI.

A car bomb took place at about 20:15 GMT in Northern Ireland's city of Londonderry on Saturday.

A picture published by PSNI showed a car on fire at Bishop Street Court House.

Police in Londonderry condemned the bomb attack as a significant attempt to kill people in the community.

"This attack was unbelievably reckless. Thankfully the attackers failed to kill or injure any members the local community out socialising and enjoying the best of what the city has to offer," Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton told to the press.

Londonderry, the second largest city in Northern Ireland, was known for violence during the Troubles, a period of conflict involving republican and loyalist paramilitaries, the British security forces and civil rights groups from 1968 through the Good Friday Agreement of 1998.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 20:57:43|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

BAGHDAD, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- At least two paramilitary Hashd Shaabi members were killed and another wounded Sunday in a clash with Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, a provincial security source said.

The clash erupted during an operation carried out by a Hashd Shaabi brigade to hunt down IS militants and destroy their hideouts in rugged areas in Diyala's provincial capital Baquba, some 65 km northeast of Baghdad, Issa Hamid, from the provincial operations command, told Xinhua.

Later in the day, the Hashd Shaabi carried out a search operation in the area and found different kinds of weapons and explosives left by the extremist IS group as they fled the scene, Hamid said.

The Hashd Shaabi fighters found blood spots in the destroyed hideouts indicating that the extremist militants sustained casualties, Hamid added.

Despite repeated military operations in the Diyala province, remnants of IS militants are still hiding in some rugged areas near the border with Iran, and in the sprawling areas extending from the western part of the province to the Himreen mountain range in the north of the province.

Late in 2017, Iraq officially declared full liberation of its territories from IS militants after Iraqi forces recaptured all the areas once seized by the extremist group.

However, some IS groups and individuals regrouped in desert and rugged areas and are carrying out attacks against the security forces and civilians despite operations from time to time to hunt them down.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 20:47:42|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

DAMASCUS, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian air defenses intercepted a fresh Israeli missile strike targeting the areas in southern Syria on Sunday, state news agency SANA reported.

The Israeli strike targeted areas in the surroundings of the capital Damascus in southern Syria, said the report.

It added that all Israeli missiles were destroyed before reaching their targets.

It is the latest in a string of Israeli missile strikes targeting military bases in Syria.

Last week, Israel carried out missile strikes on military bases around the capital Damascus.

The Syrian army said its air defenses intercepted most of the missiles, adding that only a warehouse in the Damascus international airport was damaged.

On Dec. 25, 2018, Israeli warplanes fired missiles on Syrian military depots in the western countryside of Damascus from inside the Lebanese airspace.

In September 2018, Russia equipped the Syrian forces with the S-300 air defense missile system, but local reports said the advanced system has not been used yet.

Syrian Foreign Ministry repeatedly charged that the Israeli attacks on Syria aim to prolong the more than seven-year war in the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 20:42:42|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

JERUSALEM, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chadian President Idriss Deby announced Sunday the resumption of diplomatic ties between the two countries, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.

"Both sides see the renewal of the relations a key to future cooperation, for the benefit of both sides," the statement said.

The announcement took place after Netanyahu arrived earlier on Sunday in Chad for a first-ever visit by an Israeli prime minister to the Muslim-majority country.

Upon his departure, Netanyahu said the resumption of ties with Chad will be followed with new ties with other Muslim countries, but did not elaborate on which countries.

"This is part of the revolution we are doing in the Arab and Muslim world," he said.

The visit follows a similar trip by Deby, who arrived in Jerusalem for a two-day official visit last November. The two leaders held meetings in which they discussed the fight against terrorism and bilateral cooperation in the fields of agriculture, solar energy, and water.

Chad and Israel severed their diplomatic relations in 1972.

Most Muslim or Arab countries do not have formal ties with Israel.

Netanyahu praised the warming ties with Chad as an example of how Israel can form relations in Africa and the Middle East, regardless of the continuing conflict with the Palestinians.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 20:32:40|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

CAIRO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Cairo Court for Urgent Matters on Sunday delayed to Feb. 24 the examination of a lawsuit demanding the amendment of a constitution article regulating the number of president's terms.

The lawsuit, filed by several people, calls on the House of Representatives' speaker to request the parliament to convene with the aim of voting on a proposal to amend article 140 of the Constitution, Egypt's official MENA news agency reported.

The article in question stipulates that the president of the republic can only be re-elected for one four-year term.

According to the proposal stated in the lawsuit, the president shall be re-elected for more similar terms as long as the people approve via a referendum.

The proposal said the current president's available terms, estimated at eight years, are "too short, given the dangers, challenges and economic and security hazards that have been encountered by the state."

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi was re-elected in April last year with a landslide victory for a second four-year presidential term.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 20:22:39|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

Guests attend a celebration marking the 40th anniversary of the establishment of China-U.S. diplomatic relations, in Los Angeles, the United States, Jan. 19, 2019. Chinese Consul General in Los Angeles Zhang Ping on Saturday called for concerted efforts to develop strong people-to-people bonds between China and the United States. (Xinhua/Qian Weizhong)

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Consul General in Los Angeles Zhang Ping on Saturday called for concerted efforts to develop strong people-to-people bonds between China and the United States.

Zhang made the remarks at a celebration held in Los Angeles marking the 40th anniversary of the establishment of China-U.S. diplomatic relations, with over 500 people participating.

Zhang said that over the past four decades, despite various ups and downs and twists and turns, China-U.S. relations have achieved historic progress, bringing huge benefits to the two peoples and contributing greatly to world peace, stability and prosperity.

"As we look at the journey that the bilateral relations have gone through, we are gratified to see that the relationship is getting wider support from different walks of life in both countries," he said.

Chinese and American people have fond sentiments towards each other, Zhang said.

People-to-people connections and friendship between the two countries constitute the foundation of their relationship, he added.

He spoke highly of the contributions of the Chinese community to the United States in boosting understanding and friendship between the two countries.

Former U.S. Ambassador to China Max Baucus recalled his days in Beijing, saying he enjoyed his post as ambassador for two reasons. "One is the Chinese people, (who are) practical, pragmatic, getting things done, upbeat, positive. Second was the reward by getting involved in a relationship. U.S.-China relations are the most important bilateral relationship in the world."

Baucus explained his principle for dealing with China-U.S. relations, namely, being patient, positive and persistent. He expressed confidence in the future development of bilateral ties.

Sher Li, president of the Chinese American Federation, a non-profit organization registered in California, said that as beneficiaries, practitioners and witnesses of China-U.S. relations, Chinese Americans cherish the friendship between both countries, and will continue to promote trade cooperation and cultural exchanges, as well as understanding between both countries and peoples.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 19:37:33|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Reverse repos worth 770 billion yuan (about 113.8 billion U.S. dollars) will mature in China in the coming week, the largest weekly amount in a year.

On Wednesday, 350 billion yuan of reverse repos will mature and another 250 billion yuan will mature Thursday, according to information service provider Wind Info.

Reverse repos enable the central bank to purchase securities from commercial banks, with an agreement to sell them back in the future.

During the past week, the People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, had a combined net injection of 1.16 trillion yuan via open market operations, the largest weekly amount in two years.

China will cut the reserve requirement ratio for RMB deposits by another 0.5 percentage points on Jan. 25, following a reduction of 0.5 percentage points on Jan. 15, which is expected to offset liquidity fluctuations before the Spring Festival, according to a previous announcement by the central bank.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 19:22:29|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

PARIS, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- A big pre-dawn fire ravaged a ski resort on Sunday in Courchevel in the French Alps, leaving two people dead and at least 22 others injured, according to local media.

The blaze broke out at around 4:30 a.m. local time (0330 GMT) on the third floor of a three-story accommodation building in the Croisette resort, news channel BFMTV said.

Firefighters found the burnt bodies of two individuals, four seriously injured and 18 slightly injured. Three of the seriously injured were taken to the hospital by helicopter.

Seventy firemen had been deployed to bring the fire under control at the ski resort in the Savoie department, while the building had been totally evacuated.

"My thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the fire's victims ... Tribute to the fire soldiers of Savoie who have brought the fire under control," tweeted French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner.

The cause of the fire has not been identified.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 18:52:23|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

DAMASCUS, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- An explosion rocked a bus in the Afrin enclave in northern Syria on Sunday, killing at least three, a war monitor reported.

Nine others were wounded in the blast that ripped through a bus near the Kao Hadad roundabout in the city, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The watchdog group said the death toll could likely rise due to the high number of critically wounded people.

The explosion also left big property damaged, the observatory added.

The explosion hit the city on the anniversary of the invasion by the Turkey-backed rebels to the city.

Afrin enclave had been controlled by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) and other allied militia groups.

Last year, Turkey spearheaded an operation to dislodge the YPG and took control of the city with the help of its allied rebels in northern Syria.

Several explosions have rocked the city since it fell to the Turkey-backed rebels.

Around 350,000 people were displaced from Afrin when the Ankara-backed rebels took control.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 18:47:23|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

PUL-E-ALAM, Afghanistan, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Up to eight people were killed as a bomb blast targeted the motorcade of Mohammad Anwar Ishaqzai, governor of Afghanistan's eastern Logar province on Sunday, local media reported.

Local media outlet 1TV said in its report that a suicide car bomb targeted the motorcade of Anwar Ishaqzai in Safid Sang area outside provincial capital Pul-e-Alam at 1:00 a.m. local time on Sunday, leaving eight people dead and 10 others injured.

Governor Ishaqzai has escaped unhurt in the blast, the media outlet quoted a local official as saying.

Taliban militants, according to the media outlet, has claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Earlier, Logar provincial police spokesman Shahpor Ahmadzai confirmed with Xinhua that the attack was against the provincial governor, but could not provide further details.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 18:47:22|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

Photo taken on Jan. 20, 2019 shows the fourth Arab Economic and Social Development Summit in Beirut, Lebanon. The fourth ArabEconomic and Social Development Summit on Sunday kicked off in Lebanon's capital Beirut. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich)

BEIRUT, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The fourth Arab Economic and Social Development Summit on Sunday kicked off in Lebanon's capital Beirut.

"We meet here to deal with economic challenges facing our countries ... We do not want to discuss the reasons for wars. We want to address their consequences for the economy and growth of our countries," Lebanese President Michel Aoun said while delivering the opening speech.

Lots of refugees are being hosted in countries, including Lebanon, which are suffering much economically, Aoun said, adding that the summit will issue a final statement about refugee crisis and its impact on economy.

The president also suggested the creation of an Arab fund for the reconstruction of countries that have experienced wars and destruction.

"We wished this summit to be an occasion to bring together all the Arabs," the president said while regretting over the absence of "the brotherly kings and presidents who have their own excuses for not showing up."

Although at least eight heads of states were expected here, only Qatari emir and Mauritanian president are joining the event.

The other participant countries have sent their second-level and third-level ministerial delegations.

Rifts among Arab states over the absence of Syria and Libya have overshadowed the Beirut summit.

Syria is not invited to the summit organized by the Arab League (AL) as its AL membership was suspended in November 2011 due to the rising casualties in the violent clashes during anti-government protests.

Ahead of the summit, Lebanon's Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil openly called on AL to re-admit Syria while AL chief Ahmed Aboul-Gheit said that AL member states have not reached a consensus on Syria's return to the 22-member body.

Libya's seat was also empty as it protests over the summit after supporters of the Lebanese Amal Movement tore the Libyan flag in Beirut.

The Arab economic summit, held at the head of state level to address issues of economic and social development among member states, is a prelude to the AL summit which will take place in Tunisia in March.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 18:17:17|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

Photo taken in December 2018 shows a sign of the China-Egypt Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, located some 120 km to the east of Cairo near the Suez Canal, Egypt. (Xinhua)

by Xinhua Writers Tang Peipei, Li Kun, Zheng Kaijun

CAIRO/TIANJIN, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Ahmad Abdel Baqy could hardly imagine what it would be like to build a city out of a desert until he started to work for the China-Egypt Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone with his Chinese colleagues in his homeland, Egypt.

Baqy, 32, is now an engineering administrator in the China-Egypt Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, located some 120 km to the east of Cairo near the Suez Canal.

Having seen the fast progress of the zone's first phase, which covers an area of 1.34 square km, Baqy has more confidence in its expansion.

On Jan. 21, 2016, Chinese President Xi Jinping attended an inauguration ceremony of the second phase of the zone (which covers an area of 6 square km) with his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, during his state visit to the North African country.

Xi said the project will bring over 100 textile, garment, oil equipment, motorcycle and solar energy companies to Egypt, and create more than 10,000 local jobs.

After three years, the cooperation zone is becoming a boomtown for more Egyptians like Baqy to realize their dreams.

JOINT ENDEAVORS

During Xi's visit in 2016, China and Egypt also signed a five-year outline document in which the two sides vowed to "double their efforts" to develop the China-Egypt Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone.

"Although the zone was launched over a decade ago, lots of new endeavors from both countries have given the program more opportunities in recent years," said Liu Aimin, chairman of China-Africa TEDA Investment Co. Ltd., which is the operation body of the zone in Egypt.

Xi and Sisi have talked to each other several times in the past three years, reaching extensive consensus on jointly implementing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a vision put forward by Xi in 2013 to promote common development along the historical land and maritime Silk Roads.

Xi suggested many times that the two countries work together to make Egypt a pivot along the Belt and Road. He also pledged that China will participate in Egypt's key projects, including the development of the Suez Canal Corridor and the construction of a new administrative capital.

Sisi said that Egypt is ready to connect its own development plans with the BRI and called for more Chinese investment in his country.

The cooperation zone is only about 50 km away from Egypt's new administrative capital and is where the BRI and Egypt's Suez Canal Corridor Development Project meet.

Liu said infrastructure construction for 2 square km of the second phase has finished, and that eight industry-leading enterprises are already onboard, with an investment of 200 million U.S. dollars, including Chinese motorcycle giant Dayun Group, which will officially start operation this year.

REMARKABLE LOCAL BENEFITS

Nahla Emad, 34, has been working for the China-Egypt Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone for nearly 10 years. She is now the CEO of the Egypt-TEDA SCZone (Suez Canal Economic Zone) Development Company, which is responsible for the investment and operation of the expansion area of the cooperation zone.

"The Egyptian staff can become executives. The promotion channels are equally provided for us," Emad said, adding that she has received "various trainings and traveled a lot to China."

The China-Egypt Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone officially started its construction in 2008. For over a decade, it has directly offered jobs to over 3,500 people and created 30,000 job opportunities through the industries it gathered.

More importantly, the program is the most important developer in the SCZone, which has managed to attract investments from the world's top companies, said Alaa Abdel Kareem, a consultant of the General Authority for the SCZone.

For example, in August 2018, Chinese fiberglass giant manufacturer Jushi, which was introduced to Egypt via the cooperation zone, completed the production base of 200,000 tons of fiberglass by its local branch, making Egypt the world's fifth largest fiberglass producer.

It is not only a milestone for Jushi's "going global" plan, "but also an important achievement and a successful example of economic cooperation between China and Egypt," said Jushi Group's Chairman Zhang Yuqiang.

Xi has been reiterating in the past three years that China and Egypt should focus on cooperation on infrastructure construction and production capacity.

The cooperation zone has been successful in helping Egypt establish and complete industries in new building materials, petroleum equipment, high and low voltage equipment and machinery manufacturing, mainly in its first phase. New industries like passenger car manufacturing, textiles and clothing will see development in the second phase.

Liu said that during the past decade, his program has attracted more than 1 billion dollars of investment and the total output value is about 1.2 billion dollars. Over 1 billion Egyptian Pounds (about 56 million dollars) in taxes have been paid to the host country.

INTEGRATED SOCIETY

The amusement park "TEDA Fun Valley" in the China-Egypt Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone is also a highlight of the cooperation program, and is attracting tens of thousands of visitors each year.

In Egypt, the cooperation zone is usually called "TEDA." In the local people's opinion, TEDA not only represents the name of the zone's operator, but is also a kind of development mode.

TEDA is short for Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area, which is located about 150 km to the east of China's capital city Beijing with the Bohai Sea to its east.

It used to be a land of saline-alkali soil but is now a modern industrial city with an annual gross domestic product (GDP) of over 44 billion dollars after over 30 years' development. In the 1990s, as a national project, China decided to help Egypt build the economic zone in Suez.

With similar geographical conditions, TEDA had become the body to operate the project. In addition to being a cluster of industrial enterprises, the cooperation zone will be converted into a city with an array of supporting facilities like restaurants and supermarkets. Commercial residence areas and a shopping mall are planned as well.

For Baqy, the cooperation zone feels like home, and gives him a sense of belonging.

"TEDA is a place that takes care of all the details of your daily life," said Baqy, who wants to bring his family here in the future.

For Kareem, TEDA has created an "integrated developmental society, not only factories."

Thanks to TEDA's own experiences that have been applied to the cooperation zone, "a vital new city will soon grow up in the desert on the shore of the Red Sea," said Zhang Bingjun, board chairman of TEDA Investment Holding Co. Ltd.

(Xinhua correspondents Li Binian, Zheng Siyuan, Wu Danni in Cairo, and Zou Duowei in Beijing also contributed to the report.)

(Video reporters: Tang Jiefeng, Li Shuai, Zhang Hao; video editor: Luo Hui)
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 17:07:05|Editor: Lu Hui

Video Player Close

JERUSALEM, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left early on Sunday morning for Chad, in a first-ever such visit.

"I am now embarking on another historic and important breakthrough," Netanyahu said in a statement before his departure.

Netanyahu is expected to meet Chadian President Idriss Deby upon his arrival, according to his office.

Netanyahu said the resumption of ties with Chad, a Muslim-majority country, will be followed with new ties with other Muslim countries, but did not elaborate on which countries. "This is part of the revolution we are doing in the Arab and Muslim world," he said.

He said the visit has enraged Iran and the Palestinians, "who are trying to prevent" the visit. "They did not succeed," he said.

The one-day trip marks the first time that an Israeli prime minister visits the central African country.

The visit follows a similar trip by Deby, who arrived in Jerusalem for a two-day official visit last November. The two leaders held meetings in which they discussed the fight against terrorism and bilateral cooperation in the fields of agriculture, solar energy, and water.

Netanyahu had said he would fly to Chad, where he and Deby "will announce the resumption of diplomatic relations."

Chad and Israel severed their diplomatic relations in 1972.

Most Muslim or Arab countries do not have formal ties with Israel.

Netanyahu praised the warming ties with Chad as an example of how Israel can form relations in Africa and the Middle East regardless of the continuing conflict with the Palestinians.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 17:07:04|Editor: Lu Hui

Video Player Close

ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The following are news highlights in Ethiopia's major media outlets on Sunday.

-- Followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church throughout the country celebrated Timket Festival (Ethiopian Epiphany) on Saturday. (Fana Broadcasting Corporate/FBC)

-- Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde urged the diplomats who represent Ethiopia abroad to promote the interests of the country with a new sprit and dedication. (FBC)

The president made the remark during a reception at the national palace on Friday for Ethiopian diplomats from across the world. (Ethiopian News Agency/ENA)

-- A committee composed of the federal government and both Somali and Afar regional states are working to sustainably resolve the problems occurred due to border dispute between the two regions.

Deputy chief administrator of Somali regional state, Adem Farah, said the committee has been making all efforts to reinstate the long-standing and well-established bond between people of both regional states. (FBC)
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 17:02:02|Editor: Lu Hui

Video Player Close

DAMASCUS, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- An explosion was heard on Sunday morning in the Syrian capital Damascus on the southern highway, state news agency SANA reported.

The report said the preliminary information indicates that it could be a terrorist act.

No further details were given by the official agency.

For its side, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said people were killed or wounded in the explosion, which is followed by gunfire in the area.

The watchdog group said the explosion is not yet known whether caused by an explosive device or a booby-trapped vehicle.

The explosion comes after 13 months of no explosion in Damascus, which has become completely safe when the last rebel group evacuated its vicinity last May.

Meanwhile, a police source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that the explosion was not a terrorist one.

He said the engineering units in the army detonated an explosive device which was found near the town of Daraya near the southern highway, possibly from the times when the rebels were in control of that area.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 16:51:58|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has sent condolences to his Kenyan counterpart Monica Juma over the deadly terrorist attack at an upscale hotel and business complex in Nairobi on Tuesday.

In a condolence message sent to Juma on Friday, Wang said he was shocked to learn that a terrorist attack took place in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, which has caused heavy casualties.

He expressed deep sorrow for the innocent victims and sincere sympathy for the injured and bereaved families.

Wang said that China condemns terrorism and violence in any form and will continue to firmly support Kenya's efforts to crack down on terrorism and maintain its national security and stability.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 16:36:55|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

LUANG PRABANG, Laos, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- PowerChina Sinohydro Bureau 3 Co., LTD, a Chinese engineering company that is building the fourth section of the China-Laos railway in northern Laos' Luang Prabang province, has offered charity clinics to the local villagers in mid-January.

The Chinese company in the mountains of northern Laos recently provided free treatment to more than 600 villagers in five villages along the China-Laos railway, the company told Xinhua on Sunday.

The Sinohydro Bureau 3 project department of the China-Laos Railway is located in the dense forests and deep valleys, with bumpy roads and harsh natural environment. A large number of local villagers suffer from diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis without convenient access to timely medical treatment due to extremely poor medical conditions.

After knowing the situation, the project department communicated with the local government and organized its medical staff to conduct a one-week free clinics in mid-January.

The treatment has addressed the worries of local staff' families and brought the friendship of China to them as well, according to the Sinohydro Bureau 3 project department of the China-Laos railway.

Since the commencing of the China-Laos railway construction in December 2016, the participating Chinese firms have actively involved in poverty alleviation and disaster relief in Laos, such as building roads and bridges for local villagers, supporting local education and donating materials to the poverty-hit families.

The China-Laos railway is promoted by leaders of the two countries as one of interconnectivity projects under the framework of China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative. Construction of the railway began in December 2016, and the railway is expected to open to traffic in December, 2021.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 15:56:46|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

QALAT, Afghanistan, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Afghan forces in fresh operations against militants have killed seven Taliban fighters in the southern Zabul province, an army statement released here on Sunday said.

According to the statement, the forces targeted Taliban hideouts in parts of Arghandab district from the ground and air on Saturday night and so far seven insurgents have been confirmed dead and 12 others injured.

The security forces would continue to chase and target anti-government militants elsewhere in the province to ensure lasting peace there.

Taliban militants haven't commented yet.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 15:46:44|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

Afghan former Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta speaks during a function to mark the 64th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Afghanistan and China in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. Jan. 19, 2019. Afghan former Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta has described China as a good neighbor of Afghanistan and stressed for further boosting of bilateral relations between the two nations. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah)

KABUL, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Afghan former Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta has described China as a good neighbor of Afghanistan and stressed for further boosting of bilateral relations between the two nations.

Addressing a function here to mark 64th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Afghanistan and China, Spanta said "we are happy that China is our neighbor, a good neighbor that has developed in all fields."

"Sino-Afghan relations are based on co-existence, non-interference and mutual interests in the course of history and we want further enhancing relations between the two nations," the former Afghan foreign minister and ex-national security advisor said.

Speaking at the function organized by Afghanistan-China Friendship Association, a non-government entity, Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Liu Jingsong said that Sino-Afghan relations stood the test of changes in the international landscape, and have positioned as a model for China's relations with its neighbors.

He said China treasures friendship with Afghanistan since the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 15:11:36|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

JAKARTA, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- An Indonesian troop was killed in a shootout with insurgents in easternmost province of Papua following an ambush against Indonesian troops in the province's Puncak Jaya regency, a Papua Military Command spokesperson said.

The insurgents' ambush took place when the troops distributed logistics to military outposts in the regency, Papua Military Command Spokesperson Muhammad Aidi said in Papua capital of Jayapura on Saturday.

During the shootout an Indonesian troop identified as Mukamu was shot in his left leg. He was dead due to severe bleeding, failed to get immediate proper treatment due to severely bad weather in the location.

"Evacuation and aid for the injured troop were late due to bad weather. He died in location," the spokesperson said, referring to the incident that took place on Friday.

Aidi said Indonesian troops found rifle gun's magazines with bullets inside that belonged to the insurgents after sweeping out the location aftermath shootout.

He alleged that the insurgent group which ambushed the troops were led by a rebel figure Lekagak Telenggen.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 15:11:36|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- China has met its annual target for pollution control in 2018, with more blue skies, cleaner waters and greener mountains.

"We have successfully delivered all the obligatory targets set for 2018 and stayed in line with the timetable outlined by the 13th Five-Year Plan," Chinese Ecology and Environment Minister Li Ganjie said during a work meeting that concluded Saturday.

Air quality has continued to improve with 338 major cities reporting good air quality on 79.3 percent of days, up 1.3 percentage points from the previous year, official data showed.

The density of PM2.5, a key indicator of air pollution, dropped by over 10 percent in 2018 from the previous year in three heavily-polluted areas, including the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

In terms of soil pollution control, Li said the country had reduced solid waste imports by 46.5 percent year on year, finished overhauls of all subpar garbage power plants and launch sweeping crackdown on the illegal transportation and dumping of hazardous waste in 2018.

Thorough action has been taken to clean up 1,009 "black and malodorous" water bodies in 36 major cities and 1,586 water sources, Li said, adding that "defense of lucid waters" would be a primary task for 2019.

China has pledged to coordinate its efforts on environmental protection and economic development in 2019.

At the annual Central Economic Work Conference held in December, authorities called for building on the achievements of 2018, making more effort in 2019.

One of the key challenges, analysts said, is finding ways to engage in pollution treatment without harming productivity.

Zhang Liqun, a researcher with the Development Research Center of the State Council, said the conference offered targeted prescriptions.

The conference made it clear that local governments must avoid the simple and unscrupulous practices of the past when dealing with environmental problems.

"This will give better support to balancing environmental protection with economic development and realizing mutually-enhancing interaction," Zhang said.

In 2019, China will put the Yangtze River restoration project in full swing, clean up more "black and malodorous" water bodies, achieve environment improvement in the Bohai Sea through comprehensive measures, and launch a water quality campaign in rural areas, Li said.

The country will also further reduce imports of solid waste and push for better air quality with better regional coordination and heavy-polluter revamps, according to the minister.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 15:01:33|Editor: mym

Video Player Close

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Comedy drama "Green Book" won Best Motion Picture, the top prize at the 30th annual Producers Guild of America (PGA) Awards held at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles on Saturday night.

The PGA Award was originally established in 1990 to honor the visionaries who produce and execute motion picture and television product. The PGA's membership includes over 7,000 members of the producing establishment worldwide.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 14:51:28|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

NEW YORK, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- The United States and China should strengthen dialogue and communication to avoid frictions, thus ensuring healthy and stable bilateral ties, a group of panelists from the two countries said here at a forum on Saturday.

The forum, which was dedicated to the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States, was jointly organized by New York State Assemblyman William Colton, American Chinese Commerce Association and American Chinese Commerce Association (HK).

Hailing the extensive U.S.-China cooperation at the bilateral, regional and global levels over the past four decades, Colton said that communication and sharing with each other their traditions and culture would be conducive to achieving profound mutual understanding.

"By holding forums such as this, we are helping people understand each other...by doing that, we are able to resolve all kinds of disputes or misunderstandings provided that we continue to talk to each other and continue to work together to do that," Colton told the forum.

Other panelists joined Colton in highlighting the significance of fostering sound development of U.S.-China ties which have not only benefited the two peoples but also promoted world peace, stability, and prosperity.

Nicole Malliotakis, another New York State Assembly member, called on business communities and people from both sides to make joint efforts since there is deep interdependence between the world's two largest economies.

Qiu Jian, deputy consul general of the Chinese consulate general in New York, noted that it is important for both sides to keep in mind the original aspirations of the establishment of diplomatic relations and forge ahead bilateral ties amid challenges.

John S. Chan, chairman of American Chinese Commerce Association (HK), said overseas Chinese could play a part in promoting the ties.

"Overseas Chinese in the United States will play a more active role as a bridge in the future, enhance mutual understanding between the two countries, and safeguard the friendly relations between the two peoples," said Chan.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 14:41:27|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

SHANGHAI, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Products and services from the Museum of Failure in Sweden have been showcased in Shanghai as from Friday, with the exhibition scheduled to last two months.

Founded by Samuel West, a Swedish psychologist, the Museum of Failure opened in Sweden in 2017 and has since embarked on a world tour. This is its first exhibition in Asia.

More than 100 failed products and services, including Coca-Cola's coffee-flavored soda, Apple's Newton MessagePad, Colgate's frozen lasagna, a bottle of green ketchup and a pen specially designed for women, are on display.

"I was so tired of reading and hearing the same boring success stories, they are all alike," Samuel West said. "It is in the failures we find the interesting stories that we can learn from. Innovation and progress require the acceptance of failure."

For entering China, the exhibition has been given a new name in Chinese, Cheng Gong Zhi Mu, which means "the mother of success." As the old saying goes, "Failure is the mother of success."

The exhibition will tour more Chinese cities afterwards, according to Samuel West.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 13:31:15|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi has asked the country's public security and special police forces to improve their emergency response.

Zhao made the remarks while watching a national combat-condition drill in east China's Shandong Province Saturday.

Zhao said the forces must unswervingly uphold and strengthen the absolute and comprehensive leadership of the Communist Party of China over public security work, reinforce the police ranks at primary level and place more focus on combat and practical skills in training.

He also told public security and special police forces to maintain a state of combat readiness, hone their professional skills and carry on their valiant and tenacious conduct to ensure a safe and stable environment for celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 11:46:04|Editor: Chengcheng

Video Player Close

HARBIN, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Yang Lai, who owns 18 hectares of paddy fields in northeastern China's major grain-growing province Heilongjiang, left his land unsown for a whole year in 2018 to restore its fertility.

Yang's year-long break as a farmer was encouraged and supported by a three-year fallow program introduced by Heilongjiang Province last year, a systematic move of the province driven by nationwide policy.

Heilongjiang Province known for its fertile black soil, saw total grain output of 75.05 billion kg in 2018, accounting for over 10 percent of the country's total grain output, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Though the province has yielded years of good harvests, Heilongjiang faces difficulties in sustainable development due to the overuse of fertilizers, frequent droughts and water shortages.

"People need to take a break after they get tired, and so does the land," said Yang, adding that the province doled out subsidies to farmers like him who were not actually farming last year.

Yang received over 80,000 yuan (about 11,823 U.S. dollars) in subsidies for his 18 hectares of fallow rice fields. Yang said his paddy fields yield in 2017 far below the average output as Yang's land had lost fertility over the years as a result of overusing fertilizers.

"Rice fallows not only improve the productivity of my land, making it possible to grow organic food after three years, but also allow surplus labor at my home to start our own businesses to increase income," Yang said.

Yang's family had a total income of 140,000 yuan in 2018, among which nearly 60,000 yuan was earned by doing business. Their sales revenue of crops only accounted for 28 percent of their income.

In Heilongjiang, more farmers, enterprises and local governments have joined the campaign for sustainable agricultural development in which quality outweighs quantity.

The province will continue its efforts in securing food production capacity and enhance its green food production, according to the province's 2019 government work report.

In addition to fallow rice field, nitrogen, phosphorous and potash fertilizers, crop rotation and river irrigation have also been gaining popularity to enhance crop output, driven by an increasing awareness of the crucial need for balanced fertilization.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 11:26:02|Editor: Chengcheng

Video Player Close

KINSHASA, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The constitutional court of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Sunday confirmed the victory of opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi in presidential elections after rejecting a legal appeal by the runner-up.

According to the court, Tshisekedi, candidate of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), won the elections with more than 38.5 percent of the vote while his close rival Martin Fayulu, another opposition candidate, garnered around 28 percent of the vote. They were followed by Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, a candidate for the ruling coalition.

After Tshisekedi was declared the winner of the election last week, Fayulu rejected the result, claiming that he grabbed at least 61 percent of the vote, and filed an appeal to the constitutional court.

On Thursday, the African Union (AU) asked the DRC authorities to suspend the announcement of the final result of the controversial election until an AU delegation arrives on Monday in Kinshasa to start a mediation for a peaceful solution.

In a statement made on Saturday morning, government spokesman Lambert Mende said that the court is independent and must deliver its judgment in accordance with the deadlines set by the law and the rules despite the AU delegation's demand.

Aged 55, Tshisekedi will be sworn in the following week as the new DRC president, succeeding President Joseph Kabila who has ruled the country since 2001.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 11:11:00|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

JINAN, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Standing by a furnace burning at over 1,300 degrees Celsius, Sun Yunyi's face is beaded with sweat. He blows air through a long hollow iron pipe while watching the colored glaze bulging from the other end.

Sun, 52, is a household name in the city of Zibo, east China's Shandong Province. Known for his skill in Boshan "chicken-fat yellow" glaze, his artwork was presented to guests from all over the world during the two-day Qingdao summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in June 2018.

China's colored glaze has a global reputation, and Boshan is its cradle. Starting in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Boshan colored glaze production began to boom in the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and reached its prime during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

For its glamorous color and jade-like texture, the translucent chicken-fat yellow glaze was regarded as a substitute for real jades in ancient China.

Sun's ancestors in Boshan started making colored glazeware as a tribute to the royals in the mid-Qing. At the age of 16, Sun learned Chinese painting from his uncle, before working for a local glaze factory.

With a not-so-elegant but vivid name, chicken-fat yellow (also known as imperial yellow) glazeware was once for the exclusive use of imperial families. Private production was strictly prohibited.

However, the rare glazing technique was lost at the turn of the 20th century when the Qing regime fell into chaos -- the empire founded by the manchurian Aisin Giorro rulers 250 years previously was crumbling at its feet.

In the 1990s, Sun's father and uncle set up a small workshop, and reaserched the making of chicken-fat yellow glaze, hoping to restore the lost art.

Chicken-fat yellow glazeware was never easy to make. Colored glaze in a liquid state cools down and hardens so quickly after being taken from the furnace that glassblowing must be carried out when the enamel is neither too hard nor too soft.

Success lies in ensuring every step is neat and clear, as each step only allows one chance to get it right.

"Nine out of 10 attempts usually fail," Sun said.

The countless failed attempts imposed enormous costs. To innovate the old technique and make improvements, Sun traveled the world in search of the finest raw materials.

"I've earned my kudos right through puffing," Sun said. After decades of practice, he finally brought the ancient craftsmanship back to life in 2007.

Soon after he took over the workshop three years later, he established a colored glaze company, seeking to inject modern design philosophy into the crafts.

"Top-quality works should feel like jade, sound like ancient stone chimes, and look like halos," Sun said. "These are my criteria for excellence."

The craft has earned a place on the list of provincial intangible cultural heritage. In 2013, he became a national patent holder of the production method.

His artwork has been widely sought after by both domestic and foreign collectors in Britain, Australia and the United States, with a 50-percent annual increase in sales.

Sun's success drew the attention of the Palace Museum in Beijing, which signed a three-year contract with him to reproduce over 1,000 pieces of its collections. In 2015, Sun's works were exhibited in the Baoyun Building, also known as the Hall of Embodied Treasures, in the southwestern corner of the Forbidden City.

Boshan District has developed colored glaze into a local pillar industry with over 5,000 practitioners, 30 master studios and 13 manufacturers, generating an output value of more than 48 million yuan (7.1 million U.S. dollars) per year.

Sun feels no rush to pass on the cause to his son, who is applying to art college in Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province.

"I won't push him too hard," he said. "Whether he takes it up as a lifetime career or not, it's his choice."
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 10:45:56|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

KINSHASA, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The constitutional court of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Sunday confirmed the victory of opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi in presidential elections after rejecting a legal appeal by the runner-up.

According to the court, Tshisekedi, candidate of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), won the elections with more than 38.5 percent of the vote while his close rival Martin Fayulu, another opposition candidate, garnered around 28 percent of the vote. They were followed by Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, a candidate for the ruling coalition.

After Tshisekedi was declared the winner of the election last week, Fayulu rejected the result, claiming that he grabbed at least 61 percent of the vote, and filed an appeal to the constitutional court.

At least two people have been killed in the country as violence broke out following the announcement of the interim election results.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 10:35:55|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

ANTANANARIVO, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- The government led by incumbent Prime Minister Christian Ntsay was dismissed after Andry Rajoelina was sworn in as Madagascan president earlier Saturday, announced Ralala Roger, general secretary of the Madagascan Presidency.

"Following today's inauguration ceremony and in consideration of necessity, the government has resigned," he said.

According to the political convention in Madagascar, the prime minister should resign after the inauguration of a new president to facilitate the nomination of his successor to form a new government.

However, the government of Ntsay, who took office in June 2018, needs to work until a new one is officially formed.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 10:35:55|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

YANGON, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- A first ever China-Myanmar Border Economic Cooperation Zone will be developed along the Kunlong-Chinshwehaw border area in Shan state, the official Global New Light of Myanmar quoted a developer as reporting on Sunday.

Legal process is being pursued to establish the economic zone on 6,000 acres (2,430 hectares) under Myanmar's Investment Law and Special Economic Zone Law, the Chitkyiye Company said.

The project will be implemented by using the company's own capital as well as foreign investment, the company's consultant U Kyaw Dwon said.

The company stressed the participation of ethnic entrepreneurs in developing the economic zone.

The project is also planned to be implemented in four regions including Kanpaiktee, Muse and Kyinsamkyawt, giving priority to Kunlong-Chinshwehaw and then Bahmo in Kachin state, Minister of Commerce Than Myint said, adding that the ministry will invite local and joint-venture companies to submit an Expression of Interest in the project.

The Myanmar government formed a central committee to put in place the border economic cooperation zone in April 2018 following the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the set-up in May 2017.
The photo shows an Afghan man works at a tomato paste plant established by Nazifa Habibzai Ahmadi in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, Jan. 13, 2019. (Xinhua/Sayed Mominzadah)

GHAZNI, Afghanistan, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- "It has long been my dream to achieve economic sufficiency for myself and create job opportunities for fellow women and nowadays I am feeling proud that my dream is being gradually materialized," whispered Nazifa Habibzai Ahmadi.

Living in Ghazni city, the capital of eastern Afghanistan's Ghazni province where the anti-government militants have been fighting over the past decade and attempting to overrun the beleaguered provincial capital, the 45-year-old Ahmadi is the first businessperson that has dared to invest there.

Taking a round in her small factory and inspecting her employees, the woman said that she didn't believe in the beginning to get support from locals in initiating and running the small income generating project.

"I started my work with a small money in mid last year and used to produce 20 kg tomato paste daily in early days of my factory but presently the factory 200 to 250 kg per day," Ahmadi told Xinhua with pride.

Despite that the products are bottled in a simple way, they are well received by locals, who prefer to buy locally produced tomato paste instead of imported one, she explained.

Ahmadi used to buy tomato from farmers, thinking that buying local products from one hand would encourage the farmers to boost their farming capacity and from the other, it would bring down the prices of vegetables including tomato.

Delighted over her income, she expressed hope to increase the factory's producing capability to produce 300 kg paste daily next year.

Currently, a total of 10 ladies and gents are working in Ahmadi's simple factory. The plant's marketing personnel are visiting neighbor provinces including Kandahar and Kabul for clients.

The determined Ahmadi predicted to compete the foreign-made tomato pastes in future to capture local markets.

"We should create opportunities for ourselves and to take steps towards achieving economic self-sufficiency," said Ahmadi, amid increasing militancy that has forced hundreds of businesspersons to shift their businesses abroad.

Ghazni has been regarded as a troubled province where anti-government militants especially the Taliban outfit is active and controls parts of the province over the past decade.

The armed group also briefly captured the provincial capital, the Ghazni city, in August last year and had vandalized administrative departments and business centers besides inflicting casualties on locals.

Taliban militants are still posing threats to Ghazni city and according to locals, the armed outfit occasionally targeted the beleaguered city with mortars and rockets to terrorize the people.

Poverty and unemployment, according to Ahmadi, are helping militant groups recruit.

Ghazni residents said the majority of foot soldiers of militant groups are jobless youngsters and mostly illiterates who have no or little income to support family.

Appreciating the initiative taken by Ahmadi, a worker inside the factory lamented that dozens of businessmen have fled Ghazni city due to continued security incidents.

"I am satisfied with the income earning here in the factory," he muttered, saying that even taking maximum benefit from minimum opportunities takes society towards stability.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 09:15:42|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

Madagascan President-elect Andry Rajoelina views guard of honour during his swearing-in ceremony at Mahamasina stadium in Antananarivo, capital of Madagascar, Jan. 19, 2019. Andry Rajoelina was sworn in as Madagascar's president on Saturday at Mahamasina stadium in the Madagascan capital city of Antananarivo. (Xinhua/Sitraka)

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Andry Rajoelina was sworn in as Madagascar's president on Saturday at Mahamasina stadium in the Madagascan capital city of Antananarivo.

"From now on, Malagasy people will always be victorious every time in economy, in social sector, in cultural sector...," Rajoelina said in his national address during the inauguration ceremony.

Declared on Jan. 8 by the High Constitutional Court (HCC) as winner of the presidential election with 55.66 percents of the votes, Rajoelina said in the presence of the three past elected presidents, Didier Ratsiraka, Marc Ravalomanana and Hery Rajaonarimampianina, that Madagascar became a model in democracy currently.

"It is the first time in the history of Madagascar since its independence that a democratic power transfer and a peaceful power transition took place between two elected presidents," he said.

Rajoelina said that his government will create industries in all the six provinces to equalize the development in all corners of Madagascar.

He mentioned his ambition to double electricity production in the country during his term and to sell it at low prices to customers. "We will create a solar panel manufacturing company to bring light to every family."

The inauguration ceremony was attended by delegation from 35 countries and international organizations.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 09:05:38|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

MEXICO CITY, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from a pipeline blast in central Mexico has risen to 71, authorities said on Saturday.

At least 71 people were killed and 76 others injured in the explosion, Hidalgo State Governor Omar Fayad told the media.
SourceXinhua| 2019-01-20 08:23:33|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close



Iraqi security forces clear explosives in the remnants of old city of Mosul, Iraq, on Jan. 19, 2019. Iraqi Defense Ministry has carried out large campaign to clear explosives in the old city of Mosul. Iraqi forces liberated the city of Mosul from the Islamic State (IS) militants in July, 2017. (Xinhua/Yasser Jawad)
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 07:55:28|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday proposed extending protections for young people brought to the nation illegally as children in exchange for 5.7 billion U.S. dollars in funding for his long-promised border wall, as he tried to break a government shutdown standoff.

Trump, speaking from the White House, linked his demand for border security to the BRIDGE Act, legislation that would extend protections for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), or the so-called "Dreamers."

The president said he would also allow holders of the Temporary Protected Status to remain in the country, though the administration has rescinded some of their protections.

The proposal also includes 800 million dollars for urgent humanitarian assistance and 805 million dollars for drug detection technology to secure ports of entry, while asking for more border agents, law enforcement personnel and immigration judges.

Trump called his proposal a "common sense compromise both parties should embrace," touting that there is "lots of compromise" in it.

The president added that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would seek quick passage of the proposal, which, however, does not include a path to citizenship for Dreamers and is viewed as a nonstarter for Democrats.

Shortly before he spoke, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top U.S. Democrat, said the proposal was "unacceptable" and did not "represent a good-faith effort to restore certainty to people's lives."

The president's offer was unlikely to gain the votes needed to pass the House of Representatives or Senate, she said in a statement.

In a statement Saturday, Pelosi said that initial reports of the proposed deal "make clear that his proposal is a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives, each of which is unacceptable and in total, do not represent a good faith effort to restore certainty to people's lives."

"It is unlikely that any one of these provisions alone would pass the House, and taken together, they are a non-starter. For one thing, this proposal does not include the permanent solution for the Dreamers and TPS recipients that our country needs and supports," the California Democrat added.

Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, despite co-sponsoring the BRIDGE Act, said in a statement Saturday that he would not support the Trump proposal to reopen the government.

"First, President Trump and Senate Majority Leader McConnell must open the government today. Second, I cannot support the proposed offer as reported and do not believe it can pass the Senate. Third, I am ready to sit down at any time after the government is opened and work to resolve all outstanding issues," Durbin said.

Trump has demanded money to build a wall along the U.S. southern border with Mexico, a signature campaign promise, but it has been strongly rejected by Democrats who view the wall as expensive, ineffective and "immoral" and call it "a political theater."

Their disagreement has led to a budget impasse and a record-breaking partial government shutdown, which enters its 29th day Saturday, affecting nine cabinet-level departments and dozens of agencies, as its impact is rippling across country.

Pelosi said Saturday that Democrats will pass a package of six bills to re-open the government "so that we can fully negotiate on border security proposals."
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 07:34:04|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

Photo taken on Jan. 17, 2019 shows granite tombstones to be packed at a factory in Chongwu Township of Huian County, southeast China's Fujian Province. Huian has developed a tombstone industry with more than 80 enterprises and over 30,000 workers. Tombstone products and stone materials are sold mainly to Japan and Europe. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 05:50:01|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

MOSCOW, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Russia's Black Sea fleet is closely monitoring a U.S. missile destroyer in the sea, the Russian National Defense Control Center said Saturday.

"Units of the Black Sea Fleet started tracking the USS Donald Cook, a guided missile destroyer, immediately after it entered the Black Sea," the center was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency.

The Pytlivy guard ship is watching actions of the U.S. ship, using electronic and technical surveillance means during the whole period of the ship's presence in the fleet's responsibility zone, it said.

Russia started inspecting commercial ships sailing through the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait after inaugurating a bridge over the strait.

On Nov. 25, Russia seized three Ukrainian naval ships and 24 sailors on board attempting to sail through the Kerch Strait from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 05:34:58|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

People march in the street during the 2019 Women's March in New York City, the United States, on Jan. 19, 2019. Braving chilly wind, tens of thousands of people in New York City took to the streets to join the third Women's March on Saturday, as a part of the annual nationwide event calling for women's rights and social equality in various aspects. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

NEW YORK, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Braving chilly wind, tens of thousands of people in New York City took to the streets to join the third Women's March on Saturday, as a part of the annual nationwide event calling for women's rights and social equality in various aspects.

At around 11:00 a.m. (1600 GMT), the crowd gathered in upper west Manhattan before marching downtown through the Sixth Avenue. Amid steady and pulsing drumbeats, the marchers held thousands of different self-made posters and chanting various slogans to express their resistance to a growing list of gender-related injustice in the country.

"I'm here to support the women of now and the women of the future," said 17-year-old Emily Walter. "I feel we have a lot to do, and I want to make this world a better world for me and for my kids."

Jennifer Edison, a local, said she has been marching for legislation of women's rights for over 30 years. "The way that we'll get our most power is by legislating women's rights in the texts of Constitution," she said.

"Women should be able to make decisions about their own bodies, without anybody else's permission," Edison stressed when asked about the most urgent issue facing women in the country. "For all genders, all races, all religions, we own our bodies."

David, who only gave his first name, was limping forward on a crutch among the crowd. He came from London as a tourist and decided to join as a way of echoing his friends who attended similar marches back home. "I feel it's important. We need to have equality in the world, no matter for male, female, abled or disabled, people of any race or color," he said.

A separate rally was also held in downtown Manhattan's Foley Square, which drew some 1,500 people. The split is caused by anti-Semitism accusations against some original organizers of the march.

In January 2017, the first Women's March took place in the wake of President Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony. It has been a widely-echoed event with over 300 "sister marches" held around the country and the world.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 05:24:57|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

TIRANA, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Albanian border police rescued an Italian captain whose yacht sank 2.5 miles from the Saranda coast, southwest Albania, police officials said on Saturday.

According to the police, the captain is a 40-year-old Italian who was travelling alone for tourism purposes from the island of Corfu. His yacht suffered a defect and sank in a few minutes.

An SOS signal has been sent before his yacht sank. Soon afterwards the Albanian border police in an operation with their rescue vessels and rubber boat found him in his life boat near the place called Qefali cape in the Ionian Sea.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 05:24:56|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

MOGADISHU, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- The United States army said it conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab terrorists in southern Somalia on Saturday, killing 52 militants.

The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said in a statement on Saturday that no civilians were killed or injured in the latest strike which was carried out near Jilib, Middle Juba Region.

"U.S. Africa Command conducted the airstrike in response to an attack by a large group of al-Shabaab militants against Somali National Army," according to the statement.

AFRICOM said it is committed to preventing al-Shabaab from taking advantage of safe havens from which they can build capacity and attack Somali people.

The strike came after media reports that Somali National Army backed by the U.S. army on Saturday killed 73 al-Shabaab militants in Bar-Sanguni neighborhood near Kismayo town in Jubbland, following an attack from al-Shabaab at a military base on Saturday morning.

The al-Qaida allied terrorist group continues to hold parts of the country's south and central regions after being chased out of Mogadishu years ago.

Somali and African Union peacekeeping forces have intensified military operations against the insurgents, flushing them in their Lower Shabelle and Middle Shabelle region bases as part of efforts to stabilize the Horn of Africa nation.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 05:09:51|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

People inspect a site hit by airstrikes last midnight in Sanaa, Yemen, on Jan. 20, 2019. Four powerful Saudi-led coalition airstrikes hit Yemen's rebel-held capital Sanaa at midnight on Saturday, residents said. According to Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television, the coalition airstrikes targeted Houthi military positions in the south and northwest of Sanaa. (Xinhua/Mohammed Mohammed)

SANAA, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Four powerful Saudi-led coalition airstrikes hit Yemen's rebel-held capital Sanaa at midnight on Saturday, residents said.

The successive strikes shook the ground of the entire city, where children's cry could be heard in explosions.

According to Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television, the coalition airstrikes targeted Houthi military positions in the south and northwest of Sanaa.

There was neither comment yet from Houthis on the coalition's air attacks nor reports on the casualties.

Hours earlier, the Houthi al-Masirah TV said it will release a video showing a captured "sick Saudi soldier prisoner" demanding the Saudi government's help to release him.

The Saturday's airstrikes were the second coalition's attack on Sanaa in a month after airstrikes on Dec. 19 last year that targeted the rebel-held military air base north of the capital.

Saudi Arabia has been leading an Arab military coalition in Yemen against the Houthi militia since March 2015, in order to reinstate the exiled government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
PRNewsfoto/MGM ResortsLady Gaga has never been shy about expressing her political opinions, and she did just that this past Saturday night in Las Vegas during her Enigma residency show at the Park Theater at Park MGM.

As reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, and seen on video posted online by attendees, Gaga stopped in the middle of performing her hit song "Million Reasons" to call for President Donald Trump to end the government shutdown, noting, "There are people that live paycheck to paycheck that need their money.

Then, Gaga took Vice President Mike Pence and his wife to task, following the news that Karen Pence is now teaching art at Immanuel Christian School, a private K-8 school in Springfield, Virginia, that bans LGBTQ students and teachers.

The vice president's reaction to the criticism has been to say, "To see major news organizations attacking Christian education is deeply offensive to us.

Well, Gaga wasn't having that.

And to Mike Pence, who thinks that its O.K. that his wife works at a school that bans LGBTQ: Youre wrong," Gaga said. "You say we should not discriminate against Christianity? You are the worst representation of what it means to be a Christian.

As the crowd cheered, she added, "I am a Christian woman, and what I do know about Christianity is that we bear no prejudice and everybody is welcome. So you can take all that disgrace, Mr. Pence, and you look yourself in the mirror and youll find it right there.

She then continued with the song.

You can watch fan-shot video of the tirade on YouTube.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.




Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 04:34:46|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

by Raul Menchaca

HAVANA, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- The music of legendary British band The Beatles was practically banned in Cuba in the 1960s. But today there's a haven on the island for fans of the timeless rock group.

At night people line up to get into the Yellow Submarine, a busy nightclub in Havana that for almost eight years has celebrated the rock and roll spirit of the Liverpool quartet.

Named in honor of the band's popular song, the club has been built to resemble a submarine, with hatches and tubular features. The walls are adorned with images of "The Fab Four" and the lyrics of their most famous songs.

Here, Cuban bands play covers of Beatles hits and tunes by other well-known rock bands.

"Traces of the Beatles are scattered throughout the panorama of music in our country," journalist and cultural promoter Guillermo Vilar told Xinhua.

Those who think the influence of the British band was restricted to Cuban rock groups "have a limited vision," said Vilar, also art director at the Yellow Submarine and one of Cuba's top experts in rock music.

The Beatles' influence is evident even in Cuban tropical music ensembles, such as Van Van, or in the songs of Silvio Rodriguez and Pablo Milanes, and in the works of concert music composer Leo Brouwer.

At a park located across the street from the Submarine, Vilar, 68, sits on a bench next to a life-size bronze statue of John Lennon that was inaugurated in December 2000 by Fidel Castro.

In October 2002, British music producer George Martin, the so-called "Fifth Beatle," came to see the statue and admitted to being moved that Cubans "remember and love Lennon."

Each Dec. 8, on the anniversary of Lennon's murder, massive concerts are held in his memory and in tribute to the band he helped create.

This week, Cuba's Cinematheque is also honoring the band with a program of movies and documentaries, including such emblematic films as "Yellow Submarine," "Help!", "The Night that Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles" and "A Hard Day's Night."

The event will offer sales of records, books, and other items related to the quartet that changed the world of music in the 60s and 70s.

There will also be special activities in other parts of Cuba, including The Cavern, a replica of Liverpool's famous tavern -- where Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr launched their careers -- in the eastern city of Holguin, about 730 km from Havana.

The Cavern, which tries to recreate the original site, is known for its statues of the four musicians seated around a table.

In Varadero, Cuba's renowned Caribbean beach resort, The Beatles Restaurant Bar also has a special program, although every day from midnight, a local band plays the group's most famous songs.

At the entrance, life-size bronze statues of the four musicians welcome visitors.

The Beatles' presence is also felt in eastern Santiago de Cuba, the second largest city, where a life-size image of McCartney recalls the visit of the musician and his family in January 2000 to the old Spanish fortress of El Morro.

The sculpture is located at the El Morro restaurant on the outskirts of the fort, where McCartney had lunch during a brief visit to the city.

These are some of the signs of Beatlemania in Cuba, a country that safeguards the band's cultural legacy and contribution to the island's musical heritage.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 03:49:40|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

GENEVA, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- The UN refugee agency UNHCR on Saturday evening issued a press statement saying that according to emerging reports, an estimated 170 people had either died or gone missing in two latest shipwrecks on the Mediterranean Sea.

UNHCR cited "recent information from NGO sources" as saying that some 53 people have died on the Alboran Sea, western Mediterranean, but it did not mention the exact time of the accident.

"One survivor is understood to have been rescued by a passing fishing boat after being stranded for more than 24 hours at sea and is receiving medical treatment in Morocco. Moroccan and Spanish rescue vessels have been searching for the boat and survivors for several days to no avail," the UNHCR statement said.

According to the statement, the Italian Navy are also reporting an additional shipwreck on the central Mediterranean, in which 117 people are currently dead or missing.

In the second accident three survivors were taken for treatment on Lampedusa, and the boat was departed from Libya, the statement said.

However, UNHCR said that it has been unable to independently verify the death tolls for both shipwrecks.

"The tragedy of the Mediterranean cannot be allowed to continue, we cannot turn a blind eye to the high numbers of people dying on Europe's doorstep," said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, on Saturday.

"No effort should be spared, or prevented, from saving lives in distress at sea," he added.

According to the latest UN figures, in 2018, 2,262 people lost their lives attempting to reach Europe via the Mediterranean Sea.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 03:29:37|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

Protesters gather near the freedom plaza in Washington D.C., the United States, Jan. 19, 2019. Thousands of women gathered in Washington D.C. on Saturday for the third Women's March, supporting women's rights while denouncing racism and violence against women. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of people, most of women, gathered in Washington D.C. on Saturday for the third Women's March, supporting women's rights while denouncing racism and violence against women.

In a cold, windy weather, demonstrators from across the country, of different ages, converged on the capital's Freedom Plaza, as they prepared to march past nearby blocks.

Banners they were holding also carried messages promoting racial and social equality, peace, environmental protection and other topics, along with slogans expressing dissatisfaction towards policies and actions of the current administration.

Hanna Plager, from the state of Massachusetts, told Xinhua that she's coming to D.C. to "stand up for women's rights."

Elliott West, who's from state of Arkansas with his wife here showing solidarity, said he's not satisfied with what's going on in Washington, urging politicians to do their jobs.

The Women's March organizers said almost 300 "sister marches" would take place around the United States, with dozens scheduled around the rest of the world.

But this year's event has been shadowed by accusations of anti-Semitism against some of the original organizers, potentially contributing to a lower turnout than the past two years.

While the Women's March in 2017, the first of its kind, drew 3.3 million to 5.2 million nationwide, and hundreds of thousands rallied in 2018, D.C. police said they expected perhaps 20,000 demonstrators this year.

The march also came amid a record-breaking partially government shutdown, entering into its 29th day on Saturday.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 02:29:28|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

by Fu Yiming, Ren Liying, Zhang Man

STOCKHOLM, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- With a boost of the EU-China Tourism Year (ECTY) in 2018, Chinese tourists visiting Europe enjoyed more convenient ways of traveling, methods of payment, and much closer appreciations of European cultures.

DEEPER AND WIDER

Unlike previous patterns of quick sightseeing and shopping, Chinese tourists to Europe have been seen visiting many destinations for much longer time, and with more interests to interact with the local population, art and culture, said Wolfgang Georg Arlt, director of China Outbound Tourism Research Institute to Xinhua in a recent interview.

In what Arlt called the "Second Wave" of outbound tourism from China, he witnessed in the past few years, "authentic experiences", "living like a local", increased interest in regional food and drinks, the step from "taking a photo of" to "taking part in", have became buzzwords especially among the younger Chinese travelers.

"Unlike traditional group tours, more and more Chinese young people are choosing to travel in France in a free-flowing way. They pay more attention to culture and art, and want to go to other cities outside Paris. We have seen these changes," Patricia Barthelemy, Head of Promotion/Leisure Marketing at the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau, said in the first edition of Sino-French Tourism Forum earlier this month.

This trend has also been revealed by Eva Recordier, promotion manager of Pont du Gard, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

Recordier told Xinhua that "we feel that Chinese tourists are in search of rather new things, the original activity, and want to live a little French experience in authentic places."

These changes are also being observed in the northern parts of the continent.

Flemming Bruhn, Director of VisitDenmark, told Xinhua that routes around Denmark outside the capital Copenhagen are welcomed by Chinese tourists.

"During 2018 we have introduced five signature routes of Denmark that takes you from Copenhagen and around the whole country... The routes have worked very good and we start to see the Chinese tourists coming more around to the rest of Denmark outside Copenhagen," said the director.

"More Chinese come to Denmark as part of a smaller group. They still buy it through a travel agent in China but they travel and decide more themselves. Also we see a new trend that the Chinese want to travel in Denmark for a longer time to see more than just Copenhagen. So our new signature routes are also a good way to experience and travel deeper," Bruhn added.

Chinese tourists are not only interested in deeper European tours but also wider ones.

"If we look at the arrival numbers for 2018, we can see that some Eastern and Southeastern EU countries including Czech Republic, Slovenia and Croatia saw substantial increases in arrival numbers, as also did the Southwest of the EU with Spain and Portugal," said Arlt.

CUSTOMIZED EXPERIENCES

Aside from promoting lesser-known destinations, EU-China Tourism Year 2018 is also aimed to improve travel and tourism experiences for Chinese tourists.

"European destinations and service providers have done a lot in the last years to provide services from payment systems to a choice of food to specific activity offers for Chinese," said Arlt.

The Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau attaches great importance to the Chinese market, and is particularly interested in Chinese individual visitors, in full expansion, said Pierre Schapira, president of Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau, adding that "the Chinese market is undoubtedly one of the most promising ones for which we have to find adapted technological solutions".

To attract this new generation of ultra-connected travelers, the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau launched in March 2018 its official account at Weibo, China's leading social media platform, and has since attracted nearly 10,000 followers. Three months later, the bureau opened its account at WeChat, another popular social media platform in China, Schapira said.

"Many things have been done to facilitate the life of the Chinese tourists in the hotels, of course, but also by the means of payment. Now Chinese tourists can pay by smartphone, through Alipay or WeChat pay, avoiding the risk of carrying cash," said Schapira.

To help facilitate Chinese tourists travelling to Europe, visa facilitation and more convenient air connectivity were also seen in some European countries.

"In 2018, more direct flights from Chinese cities (Jinan, Fuzhou, Chongqing and Shenzhen) to Paris have been launched, making it easier for Chinese tourists to travel in France and Europe," said Schapira.

Denmark has also taken measures to facilitate the travels by Chinese.

"Denmark has during 2017 and 2018 opened nine new visa-centers in China and we have also introduced a new Preferential Scheme that gives easier access to visas to Denmark," said Bruhn.

FURTHER GROWTH EXPECTED

Looking ahead, European tourism industry hopes to see more advances of EU-China people-to-people exchanges on top of the achievements of the EU-China Tourism Year.

"The agreement to celebrate a Tourism Year between not just one country, but all countries of the EU. And China underlined the importance given to the European Union in China and the importance China has for all member states of the EU," said Arlt.

"During 2018, the need to work together to keep the world moving in the direction of free trade and free exchanges of persons, goods and ideas has become even clearer given the nationalistic and xenophobic tendencies becoming dominant in a number of countries. The ECTY2018 has been one element supporting the increase in cooperation between China and the EU," he added.

"Certainly the tourism between China and Europe will continue to grow, both for business travel, including those based on the Belt and Road Initiative as well as for leisure tourism based on the huge number of cultural and natural treasures both areas are offering," Arlt emphasized.

"We hope to see the trends from the last years continuing. That means that the groups will be smaller and more individual and that they want to travel more 'deep', and therefore stay longer and see more of Denmark," Bruhn said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-20 01:29:16|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

OTTAWA, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- A Canadian man and five other people suspected of helping attackers stage an extremist attack that killed 21 people in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi have appeared in court, according to CTV Saturday.

On Friday, a judge in Nairobi ordered five of the suspects, including the Canadian man identified as Guleid Abdihakim, held for 30 days while police are looking into the deadly attack on the DusitD2 Hotel complex.

The attackers stormed the hotel complex by opening fire and throwing grenades, killing 21 people, including one police officer. Five attackers were killed by Kenyan security forces.

Islamist extremist group al-Shabab in Somalia claimed responsibility for the Tuesday attack, saying its was a response to U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Kenya is one of the strongest allies of the United States in Africa. Al-Shabab carried out the 2013 attack at Nairobi's nearby Westgate Mall that claimed 67 lives, and an assault on Kenya's Garissa University in 2015 that killed 147 people, mostly students.
MADISON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) -Troopers report one person is dead after a crash on I-10.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the accident happened around 2:24 p.m. Saturday on I-10 EB near mile marker 265.

They say Leslie Patterson, 58, of Indiana died on scene from injuries sustained in the accident.

Troopers say Patterson was driving down I-10 and, for unknown reasons, his car ran off the road and hit a tree.

Florida Highway Patrol was assisted on scene by Madison Sheriffs Department, Madison Memorial Hospital, Madison Fire Department and Department of Agriculture.
Waters: Education Facelift Incomplete

By West Kentucky Star Staff

Old timers around the Capitol claim some parts of the building have never received such attention.



The governor rightly suggests that this "facelift of sorts," as Kentucky Today calls it, offers a visual equivalence of the economic revival currently underway in the commonwealth, resulting in historically unmatched growth in job creation and economic investment and corresponding removal of prohibitive regulatory obstacles.



Could the newly polished Capitol also offer a preview of coming attractions "of sorts" regarding what will be experienced by our public education system and enjoyed by Kentucky's families when we finally decide to empower parents to choose where their children attend school?





Bevin favorite Wayne Lewis, the recently appointed Kentucky education commissioner, is doing a stellar job of bringing accountability to a system that will consume $10 billion of the state's current $22 billion budget.



Lewis is confronting achievement gaps, condemning worthless diplomas and reducing the I'm-okay-you're-okay-we're-all-okay spin emanating from the huge education bureaucracy.



Still, face-lifting Kentucky's education system cannot ultimately be achieved by Frankfort.



While Bevin also raised private money to extensive remodel the inside of the Capitol following the external scrubdown, it's what's happened outside that's most impressive.



Lewis is doing a great scrubdown on the inside of Kentucky's education system.



However, only by returning power over our education program to parents whose children are in the system will Kentucky's educational facelift be complete.



After all, even the best of schools isn't always the right fit to educate every child at the highest level.



National School Choice Week on January 20-26 offers an optimum reminder that not only does Kentucky lag behind 43 other states and even Washington, D.C. in terms of options for parents regarding where their children attend schools, but there's actually been decay even among the scant options available in the past.



One past exception to Kentucky's general policy that a child's zip code determines where he attends school has been the district-to-district transfer program which, provided both districts agree, allows the state's education support funding to follow a student living in one district to another system.



Today, however, only a dwindling number of districts still offer such opportunities, which somewhat improved the chances of at least a few Kentucky parents for finding a better educational fit for their children.



Even these crumbs which once fell from Kentucky's school-choice table have been scooped up by anti-choice bureaucrats, who, in their lust for money, regard public school students as a kind of bounty property not to be shared with others.

Meanwhile, in other states, not only are parents being invited to the table, they're deciding the menu and decidedly in charge of their children's education.



Results in other states confirm the rightness of parental school choice, especially for poor black students who, without alternatives for their parents or guardians, usually get assigned to the worst schools.



That's no longer happening  at least at the previous levels  in cities like Atlanta and Cleveland nor states such as Arizona, home of eight of U.S. News and World Report's top 10 "Best Charter High Schools" in America last year.

Black students in Atlanta's and Cleveland's charter schools statistically significantly outscored those cities' blacks in non-charter public schools in both fourth- and eighth-grade math and reading on the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).



Talk about a stark before-and-after picture for millions of low-income children once trapped in schools that should have been helping them break the cycle of poverty, prison and despair for generations in their families.



Kentucky's kids deserve to be included in such a picture, as well.



Jim Waters is president and CEO of the Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions, Kentucky's free-market think tank. Read previous columns at www.bipps.org. He can be reached at jwaters@freedomkentucky.com and @bipps on Twitter.



LEXINGTON - COMMENTARY:Photos of the state Capitol being tweeted by Gov. Matt Bevin offer an unmistakably dramatic before-and-after contrast showing impressive results of a $1.2 million scrubdown of the century-old building.
In this Jan. 18, 2019 image made from video provided by the Survival Media Agency, a teenager wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat, center left, stands in front of an elderly Native American singing and playing a drum in Washington. Videos of the incident initially sparked controversy and condemnation of the teens from Kentucky, but further review of videos show a third group of religious radicals was also in the area, and the Native Americans and students from Covington Catholic High School may have misinterpreted each other's motives. The teen wearing the cap was later identified as Nick Sandmann. (Survival Media Agency via AP) PHOTO:Survival Media Agency via AP

Teen in Confrontation: I Didn't Provoke

By The Associated Press

FRANKFORT - The student who stared and smiled at an elderly Native American protester drumming in his face outside the Lincoln Memorial as his schoolmates chanted and laughed says he did nothing to provoke the man in the videotaped confrontation and was only trying to calm the situation.

The student identified himself in an email statement Sunday evening as junior Nick Sandmann of Covington Catholic High School in a northern Kentucky suburb of Cincinnati. An official working with the family confirmed Sandmann's identity, speaking on condition of anonymity because the source didn't want to distract from the statement.

Videos posted of the confrontation drew wide criticism on social media. "I am being called every name in the book, including a racist, and I will not stand for this mob-like character assassination of my family's name," wrote Sandmann, who added that he and his parents have received death threats since video of Friday's confrontation emerged.

Both Sandmann and Nathan Phillips say they were trying to defuse tensions that were rising among three groups on a day Washington hosted both the March for Life and the Indigenous Peoples March. But video of Sandmann standing very close to Phillips, staring and at times smiling at him as Phillips sang and played a drum, gave many who watched it a different impression. Other students appeared to be laughing at the drummer; and at least one could be seen on video doing a tomahawk chop.

The dueling accounts emerged Sunday as the nation picked apart footage from dozens of cellphones that recorded the incident on Friday in Washington amid an increasingly divided political climate fueled by a partial government shutdown over immigration policy.

Phillips had approached Sandmann, but well before that, both his group and Sandmann's, which had taken part in the anti-abortion rally, were confronted by a third group that appeared to be affiliated with the Black Hebrew Israelite movement.

Videos show members of the religious group yelling disparaging and profane insults at the students, who taunt them in return. Video also shows the Native Americans being insulted by the small religious group.

Sandmann wrote that the students were called "racists," ''bigots," ''white crackers" and "incest kids" by the third group. He said a teacher chaperone gave the students permission to begin their school chants "to counter the hateful things that were being shouted at our group."

One of those chants, however, is what led Phillips and Marcus Frejo, a member of the Pawnee and Seminole tribes, to approach the youths.

It was a haka  a war dance of New Zealand's indigenous Maori culture, made famous by the country's national rugby team. Frejo, who is also known as Chief Quese Imc, told the AP in a phone interview that he felt the students were mocking the dance.

Phillips, an activist described by the Indian Country Today website as an Omaha elder and Vietnam War veteran, said in an interview with The Associated Press that he was trying to keep peace between the high school students and the religious group.

He said he heard people chanting "Build that wall" or yelling, "Go back to the reservation." At one point, he said, he sought to ascend to the Lincoln statue and "pray for our country." Some students backed off, but one student wouldn't let him move, he added.

"They were making remarks to each other ... (such as) 'In my state those Indians are nothing but a bunch of drunks.' How do I report that?" Phillips said. "These young people were just roughshodding through our space, like what's been going on for 500 years here  just walking through our territories, feeling like 'this is ours.'"

Sandmann said he heard no student chant anything beyond school spirit chants, and that he hadn't even been aware of the Native American group until Phillips approached him.

"The protester everyone has seen in the video began playing his drum as he waded into the crowd, which parted for him. I did not see anyone try to block his path," Sandmann wrote. "He locked eyes with me and approached me, coming within inches of my face. He played his drum the entire time he was in my face."

Sandmann said one of the Native American protesters yelled at them that they "stole our land" and they should "go back to Europe," but that he never spoke to or interacted with Phillips. "To be honest, I was startled and confused as to why he had approached me."

He wrote that he "believed that by remaining motionless and calm, I was helping defuse the situation."

"I said a silent prayer that the situation would not get out of hand," he wrote. He said the incident ended when the buses arrived and his teacher told him it was time to leave.

Though many commenting on the internet were taken back by Sandmann staring at Philipps, the teen said he was "not intentionally making faces at the protestor. I did smile at one point because I wanted him to know that I was not going to become angry, intimidated or be provoked into a larger confrontation." He said he had never encountered any kind of public protest before.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington apologized for the incident on Saturday, saying "this behavior is opposed to the Church's teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person." They promised to take "appropriate action, up to and including expulsion."

Sandmann said he has provided a copy of his statement to the diocese and said: "I stand ready and willing to cooperate with any investigation they are conducting." A spokeswoman for the diocese did not return an email Sunday night.

Covington Catholic High School, in the northern Kentucky city of Park Hills, was quiet Sunday as the area remained snow-covered with temperatures in the teens. The all-male school, which has more than 580 students, appeared deserted with an empty police car parked in front of the building.
Shots Fired from Car on I-24 in Trigg County

By West Kentucky Star Staff

Trigg County Dispatch notified troopers about 1 am that a vehicle pulled up next to a pickup truck and fired several shots into the truck.



They said the pickup truck, with three people inside, exited at Cadiz and stopped at a gas station. When two other vehicles pulled in near the truck, the driver of the truck allegedly rammed one of the vehicles and left the scene.

A female passenger in the pickup truck was injured from the gun shots. She was treated and released from the Trigg County Hospital.



KSP believes a red passenger car was involved in the shooting, but does not have any other description of the vehicle, or of the people involved. The truck was reportedly returning to Graves County from Nashville.



The investigation is continuing by Kentucky State Police. Detectives believe this is not a random incident.





Anyone with information is asked to contact Kentucky State Police, Post 1 at 270-856-3721 or anonymously at 1-800-222-5555. Citizens may also report tips anonymously through the KSP app. The app is available for iPhone, iPad and Android applications and can be easily downloaded free of charge through Apple and Google Play stores.



CADIZ - Kentucky State Police are investigating a shooting that occurred on I-24 in Trigg County early Saturday morning.
Mayfield Man Arrested on Burglary Charge

By West Kentucky Star Staff

MAYFIELD - A Mayfield man is facing a burglary charge.

The Mayfield Police Department says officers received a call Friday morning from a man that lived at a home on Dowdy Street. The man said that someone had just broken into his home, and the homeowner was watching him via the home security camera system that was connected to his phone.

Officers arrived in time to find 21-year-old Brandon Graham still in the home. Graham was arrested and taken to the Graves County Jail.

Graham is charged with 2nd degree burglary.
Floodwaters Close Roads; Dorena Ferry Closed

By West Kentucky Star Staff

WESTERN KENTUCKY - The Dorena-Hickman Ferry is closed due to high winds and weather conditions until Monday morning. The ferry will re-open at 7:00 am.Floodwaters have closed a couple of roads in our area.

In McCracken County, KY 1255/Bonds Road is closed at the 1 to 2 mile marker due to floodwaters just west of the KY 450/Oaks Road Intersection.

In Hickman County, KY 123 is closed at the 14 to 16 mile marker due to floodwaters.

And in Marshall County, KY 1462/Benton-Birmingham Road is closed at the Clarks River Bridge due to floodwaters.
McLib Hosts Essential Oils 101 at Library Tuesday

By WestKyStar & McLib Staff



Kendall is a graduate of University of Utah with a BS in Business. She has conducted numerous classes & workshops including a recent series of classes on Essential Oils at WKCTC.



All programs are free & open to the public



For more information, contact Bobbie Wrinkle Tel: 270-442-2510 ext. 119 Email: bwrinkle@mclib.net



PADUCAH - McCracken County Public Library will host Essential Oils 101 on Tuesday, Jan. 22 from 7-8 pm. The workshop will be led by Jennifer Kendall, instructor and wellness advocate.There is so much more to essential oils than scent. Find out how easy it can be to naturally support your body with pure essential oils. In this fascinating one hour workshop you will get a basic understanding of oils and tips and tricks to use essential oils to promote wellness.
Never, the Virginia resident said. This is something where I was going to be here no matter what. This is my life, were talking about. This is all of our lives and were going to be here fighting for that, regardless of whatever is happening at a higher level. This is for us.
A male suspect, later identified as Goff, was taken into custody and transported to the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail and booked at 9:57 p.m. on Sunday. Goff remained at the home after the alleged shooting and was quickly taken into custody, Ericsson said.
For some who attended the Womens Unity Rally in Manhattans Foley Square Saturday, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's speech was the highlight. "Justice is not a concept we read about in a book," she said. "Justice is about the water we drink. Justice is about the air we breathe."

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at the Women's March in New York: "Justice is about making sure that being polite is not the same thing as being quiet. In fact, often times, the most righteous thing you can do is shake the table." https://t.co/knzLXDTwND pic.twitter.com/oXcsyrGb2S  CNN (@CNN) January 19, 2019

But for Victoria Jones, 22, the most moving part of the rally was when the organizers invited a woman up to speak in Spanish about her job as a dishwasher. Listening to her, Jones said, she was reminded of how her grandmother worked low-wage jobs to support her family.

Im half Spanish and black as well, said Jones, 22, who had never been to a Womens March event before. Bringing up someone who doesnt speak English and bringing a translator is very liberating because usually theyre not heard.

The Womens Unity Rally was one of two new events that took place on the anniversary of the Womens March this year, providing an alternative to the traditional procession of pink pussy hats through Manhattan. Rumblings about divisions within the movement, intertwined with accusations of anti-semitism, dogged organizers leading up to the day of action. But many who came out to the events that were added to the roster this year said it was their strong message of inclusivity that attracted them.

Speakers at the rally, which was organized by the New York Immigration Coalition and a group called Womens March NYC, emphasized that women of color, low-income workers, immigrants and LGBTQ people should be at the forefront of the womens movement. Agunda Okeyo, director of Womens March NYC, also talked about plans to unite the labor unions, nonprofits serving different ethnic communities, and other groups endorsing the rally behind a forthcoming policy platform for New York, to be called the Womens State of the State.

Womens March NYC is becoming the fulcrum of a broad coalition of groups with an interest not just in one day of a spectacle but to move beyond the march to political action, Okeyo said.

In the afternoon, the first Non-March for Disabled Women, which was organized by Rise and Resist and supported by Womens March NYC, drew disability rights activists to Grand Central Terminal, where they chanted slogans simultaneously targeting Trump and the MTA, like, Access for all! Dont build a wall! and Elevators, not walls!

It was the first time Ennis Bashe, a 24-year-old who has trouble walking due to a genetic disorder known as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, could attend a Womens March event.

Marches are something Ive never been able to do, said Bashe, a graduate student in social work. Its really hard with a cane. People will kick you, step on you, bump into you. Any activist movement that bases itself on inclusion and intersectionality needs to include disability.

Whether at the rallies or the main march, demonstrators held signs connecting gender equality to a wide range of issues, from police brutality to universal health care. As in years past, activists with diverse priorities were united by a hearty disdain for the president.

Women who showed up to the various actions Saturday generally said they were aware of the accusations of anti-semitism that have been lobbed at organizers of the original Womens March on Washington, D.C. (which are linked, in part, to their qualified support for controversial black activist Louis Farrakhan), and the rift that has formed between the organizers of the different events in New York.

The march in New York has been organized by a group called the Womens March Alliance, since 2017. The WMAs founder Katherine Siemionko specifically said earlier this month, We are a local grassroots team of volunteers hosting this event for the third year in a row, and we do not have nor have we ever had an association with Womens March, Inc. or its founders.

Its a shame that we liberals spend so much time fighting with each other that we wind up dividing ourselves, said Leigh Ridpath, a preschool art teacher who came down from Westchester to attend the main march with her friends Saturday. We are helping the Republicans win by being divisive and nitpicking over little things. We need to come together with one unified voice and fight against the tyrant who is currently occupying the White House.

Some Jewish organizations and individuals specifically showed up to the Foley Square event, which did not seek to distance itself from the organizers of the original Washington, D.C., march following the controversy the way the competing Womens March on NYC did.

I believe that our feminist movement should be led by women of color, by queer and trans folks of color, said Maya Edery, a member of Jewish Voice for Peace. We should always be following the leadership of those most impacted by oppression and this rally really uplifts the leadership of women of color, which is why I chose to be here.

The controversy did bubble over into the days activities, with one womanreportedly conservative activist Laura Loomerinterrupting Okeyos speech to shout, The Womens March does not represent Jewish people!

What were not going to do today is be negative, Okeyo responded. Today is all about positivity.


For those who were in opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment, one of the things they always said was we dont need this amendment because women already have equal rights in other places, said Sen. Mamie Locke (D-Hampton). And what I said was, as an African-American woman, one could easily say we already have equal rights for Africans Americans. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. But that didnt free slaves. What freed slaves was the 13th Amendment.
Register for a FREE account to keep reading!

Register now for a FREE account to keep reading. No cost and no credit card required!

Access up to 5 articles per month when you register, or get unlimited access to all of our content online starting at $1.99 now!

Already registered? Click the log in link below
Pilgrims from Bhutan injured in road mishap in Bihar

Supaul, Jan 17 (UNI) At least 20 pilgrims from Bhutan were injured when their bus was hit by a truck on National Highway 57 near a toll plaza under Kishunpur police station in Supaul district today.

Police said here that 62 pilgrims from Bhutan were going to Bodh Gaya, the most revered shrine of Buddhists, on a bus when their vehicle was hit by a truck coming from the opposite direction. At least 20 pilgrims were injured and had been admitted to primary health centres at Saraigarh and Bhaptiyahi.

Police said the truck driver made good his escape after abandoning his vehicle on the spot.
Oregon, WI (53575)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread and strong overnight. Storms could contain damaging winds. Low 68F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread and strong overnight. Storms could contain damaging winds. Low 68F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Welcome Guest! You are here: Home  Education & Career

JEE Main Jan 2019 result declared; Read full list of toppers with their score

A total of 9,29,128 students from India and abroad had registered for JEE Main 2019

New Delhi: The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Saturday declared on JEE Main official website jeemain.nic.in the result of JEE Main January 2019. The NTA also released the list of 15 students who scored 100 percent and names of 45 students who are state toppers.

According to the NTA data, a total of 9,29,128 students from India and abroad had registered for JEE Main 2019 and 8,74,469 students appeared for the first ever Online Exam conducted by the NTA. The JEE Main 2019 was held on multiple dates from January 06 to 12, 2019 at 467 Centres in 258 Cities, including 09 outside India.

How to download JEE Main 2019 Result

Click here to go to JEE Main website: jeemain.nic.in. On the home page click on the green bar marked with "JEE (Main) January 2019 Score". On the new page which gets open, enter your Application No, Date of Birth and Security Pin. Click on Login button. You result will be displayed on the screen. Take a printout.

List of JEE Main 2019 Toppers

Following is the full and complete list of 15 students who are JEE Main January 2019 toppers. All of these students have scored 100 percent marks (B.E./B.Tech).

Full List of JEE Main 2019 State Toppers

Following is the full and complete list of 45 students who are JEE Main January 2019 toppers in various states. All of these students have scored 100 percent marks (B.E./B.Tech).

Candidates should note that the NTA Scores are normalised scores across multi session papers and are based on the relative performance of all those students who appeared for the examination in one session. The marks obtained are converted into a scale ranging from 100 to 0 for each session of examinees.

The NTA Score indicates the percentage of candidates that have scored EQUAL TO OR BELOW (same or lower raw scores) that particular Percentile in that session.

The Percentile scores of a Candidate have been calculated as follows:

Candidates should note that the NTA Score of the Total is NOT an aggregate or average of the NTA Score of individual subject. NTA score is not the same as percentage of marks obtained.

"After the JEE MAIN APRIL-2019 Exam , the JEE Main 2019 Ranks (AIR) of the candidates will be released taking into consideration better of the two NTA Scores of all candidates appeared in JAN 2019 and APRIL 2019 examinations and in accordance with the policy already made available on the JEE Main Official website", the NTA said.

"NTA Score for Paper-II (B.Arch. &B. Planning) will be declared later on", it said.

The JEE Main exam is conducted as first step to appear for JEE Advanced - a mandatory test for admission to IIT and other premium institutions of the country. The JEE Advanced 2019 will be held on Sunday May 19.

For all the latest News, Opinions and Views, download ummid.com App .

Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic.
TORONTO, Jan. 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Fraser Institutes Report Card on Ontarios Elementary Schools is out today.



This years Report Cardthe go-to source for measuring academic performanceranks more than 3,000 anglophone and francophone public and Catholic schools (and a small number of independent schools) based on nine academic indicators from results of annual provincewide reading, writing and math tests.

The Report Card is a valuable tool for parents and educators because it allows them to easily identify successful schools across the provinceserving similar students and communitiesthat can serve as an example to follow, said Peter Cowley, a senior fellow with the Fraser Institutes School Performance Studies.

For example, St. Catherines E.I. McCulley Public School, where 61.9 per cent of students have special needs, improved its overall rating from 4.6 out of 10 in 2014 to 8.9 out of 10 last year. In grade 6 math, students at McCulley improved their results from 1.8 out of four in 2014 to 3.3 out of four last year. By comparison, the provincewide average for grade 6 math last year was 2.7.

Elsewhere in the province, McKellar Park Central School in Thunder Bay (which has 66.7 per cent special needs students) improved its overall rating from 3 out of 10 in 2014 to 7.7 last year.

And Ealing Public School in London had a 0 out of 10 overall rating in 2014, but improved to 7.5 last year, even though 45.5 per cent of its students have special needs.

All too often, principals and teachers try to excuse a schools poor overall performance by blaming the characteristics of its students or the communities they serve, but the Report Card shows that any school, no matter where its located or what challenges its students face, can succeed, Cowley said.

For the complete results on all ranked schools, and to easily compare the performance of different schools, visit www.compareschoolrankings.org .

MEDIA CONTACT:

Peter Cowley (in Toronto)

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute

Cell: (604) 789-0475

E-mail: peter.cowley@fraserinstitute.org

Angela MacLeod

Senior Policy Analyst, Fraser Institute

Bryn Weese

Senior Media Relations Specialist, Fraser Institute

Cell: (604) 250-8076

Office: (604) 688-0221 Ext. 589

E-mail: bryn.weese@fraserinstitute.org

Follow the Fraser Institute on Twitter | Like us on Facebook
Bahrain is set to become a global leader in the field of ecotourism as it plans to open the worlds largest underwater theme park, said a report.



Details of the new project were revealed in a statement issued by the Personal Representative of His Majesty King Hamad and president of the Supreme Council for Environment, Shaikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, said a report in BNA.



Covering an area of over 100,000-sq-m, the exceptional dive experience will include several structures such as a submerged 70-metre Boeing 747 as a centrepiece, as well as a replica of a traditional Bahraini pearl merchants house and artificial coral reefs.



The sculptures will be fabricated from eco-friendly materials, and submerged to provide a safe haven for coral reef growth and a habitat for marine life, the report said.



The dive site will also provide researchers with rich information and data on marine ecology and biology and will be a major boost to the kingdoms ecotourism sector, it said.



Scheduled to launch in the coming months, the underwater dive site is an eco-friendly project undertaken by the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) in partnership with the Supreme Council for Environment and the private sector.



"The underwater park highlights the kingdoms commitment to preserving its marine habitat by incorporating the highest international environmental standards in this eco-friendly project," Shaikh Abdullah highlighted.



"Moreover, the project will become an international tourist attraction, given its large area, location and unique experience for diving enthusiasts," he said.



The diving site is set to be open before the summer of 2019, the report said.
Saudi Arabia will start issuing tourist guide licences to qualified Saudi women this month, a news report said.



As many as 150 Saudi women, who have studied tourism guidance and graduated as early as 2012, have applied for the license, said a report in Saudi Gazette.



The first training sessions qualifying women to obtain the licences was held in Tabuk, it said.



According to Sattam Al-Balawi, chairman of the Saudi society for tourist guides, to become a tour guide, applicants should not be less than 23 years of age, be medically fit, should pass the commission's qualifying tests and should have successfully attended training sessions in first aid.



Areej Falatah, an aspiring tour guide, said she worked for five years in areas away from her specialisation. She will now be able to work as a tour guide when she is given the license.



Meanwhile, the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) is working to give licences to three private museums in Makkah, which will join five others already existing in the city, the report said.
As a current print subscriber, you receive 24/7 access to our website and online e-edition at no additional charge. All you have to do is activate your access. To activate digital access, you will need your account number. You can find your account number on any recent subscription notice or bill.
Numerous people called 911 Wednesday after witnessing what police described as a road rage incident in the 13000 block of Telegraph Road, but the arrest by Taylor police is getting a good deal of the attention.
Jan 20 2019 10:42 am

[COMMUNICATED] This 4500+ square foot, two-story home in Ormond Beach, Florida, boasts 6 full bedrooms, a loft area, an office, 3 1/2 baths, a formal dining room, formal living room, den, kosher kitchen with kitchen dining area, large playroom, screen-enclosed pool as well as security gate, BBQ, an outdoor dining area, all on an acre of green grass.

The home is perfect for large families or multiple families. It is set up for Shabbos, Yom Tovs, and weekdays. The kitchen is fully stocked with kosher utensils, pots, and all appliances needed to whip up meals.

The Master Bedroom has two Queen-sized beds, a dresser, a walk-in closet, and a gorgeous master bathroom made of Jerusalem stone. There is space for air mattresses and cribs should you choose to share the home with more guests. It is located on the ground floor.

The Upstairs Guest Bedrooms have multiple sleeping spaces with additional room if needed. Guest Rooms 1 and 2 have two twin beds and much closet space. They share a full bathroom.

Guest Room 3 has a Queen bed and is connected to the third bathroom. Guest Room 4 has a Twin size daybed with a trundle pull out and a crib.

There are 2 additional playpens available for use, as well as 2 additional air mattresses with a pump. This home can easily sleep 5 couples along with children.



This prestigious home is located in the heart of quiet and natured Ormond Beach, Florida.

It is a 5 minute walk from the local Chabad Shul which has daily minyanim, classes, camp, and more. It is the same distance to the Mikva.

Jerusalem Grill and Jerusalem Pizza are within a 10 minute drive from the house, and they will deliver too! Eden Fresh Cafe is also within a 5 minute drive from the house1

Jerusalem grocery, Winn Dixie, and other stores are within the same 10 minute driving distance.

The beach is about 13 minutes drive away, with options to park or to even drive on the Worlds Most Famous Beach!

Ormond Beach is an hour to Central Orlando where you will find all the major theme parks, including Disney and Universal Studios.

It is also an hour drive from Satellite Beach where you can visit Kennedy Space Center and check out NASA headquarters.

Central Florida also boasts some of the most beautiful and pristine natural springs and parks.

All of the information for surrounding areas will be available at the home, and of course we are always available to help plan your stay!

Click here for a virtual tour of this home, and pictures below.

Find out today about availability: 305-650-8830 or Info@floridakoshervillas.com

To check availability of other homes, click here.
Thank you for Reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a

new account and

Purchase a Subscription

to continue reading.
Letter to the Editor

The efforts been renewed to bond for a new school. . Let me state the problem Everybody, including me, wants a new school, nobody wants to ...
What's Included

With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 712-243-2624 or email circ@ant-news.com.
Changes to the SunCommercial's back end processing means the e-edition is getting a facelift. The biggest change is the e-edition, by default, is now presented in Text view.
I wish it was possible to impeach all of you in Washington. Enough is enough. What you are doing to the country ought to be a crime. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, let him build the wall and lets get on with whats important. You are both acting like school children. The people of this great country did not elect you to act like fools, which is exactly what is happening. You are asking people to work for nothing, while their families go without not knowing when they will be able to pay the rent or buy food. Shame on all of you. Now, I realize there really should be term-limits on all politicians. One last idea give  up your pay until this is over and we will see how quick this gets resolved. This is not about Democrats or Republicans, its about the people who elected you. I am sure it will be different next election.
Im no big fan of assault firearm possession. However, I am a big fan of the facts and truth. The failures of the FBI in doing nothing to intervene well before the murderers rampage at Stoneman Douglas does not seem to resonate with most people. Most of the concern seems to center around all the problems that occurred after the criminal shooter entered the school and opened fire on teachers and students. Most lawsuits by parents seem to be missing the first and main reason the Parkland MSD school murders occurred. The mighty FBI so seriously dropped the ball that there must be a reason why the federal agencys failures are not on the front burner?
Public officials should be able to vigorously defend and oppose policy positions without resorting to bigotry and the vilification of an entire group, the ADL told Lima-Taub in a letter. Sharing and disseminating negative stereotypes like this  implying that all Muslims are, or have the potential to be, terrorists  is deeply offensive and has no place in our society.
But the sun is out and the skies are clear and the temperatures are climbing back up to what are expected to be cool and pleasant highs of 70 in Miami, 69 in Fort Lauderdale and 68 in West Palm Beach.
Natacha Beasley, who used the program to finance a new roof, impact windows and hurricane-resistant door for her 42-year-old Hollywood home, said she felt misled because her contractor failed to tell her the program would result in a lien against the house. Now she and her husband must repay the debt before they can sell the house because few lenders will approve loans on homes with PACE liens.
Ashtabula, OH (44004)

Today

Showers in the morning with strong thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. Damaging winds with some storms. High 79F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely in the evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms later on. A few storms may be severe. Low around 65F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
by Osita Ebiem





In this New Year 2019 we should take some time to restate some of the basic points on the current movement for Igbo independence from Nigeria. Why this is necessary is to disabuse the mind of many Igbo participants, Igbo friends and well-wishers of some apparent confusing signals in the prevailing struggle for Igbo self-determination. This little piece will go a long way in helping most of Igbo friends and well-wishers and some Igbo who are involved in the campaign without a clear understanding of the picture of what we are fighting for. It will help many to have a better grip of what is at stake. This concise paper should serve as a guiding document when anyone is in doubt. For the avoidance of doubts and to constantly renew our vow to be free as a people, it is necessary to clarify from time to time some basic aspects of what the contest is all about.









Clearly, with the passage of enough time, everything in life is subject to change. The ongoing campaign for Igbo freedom is not in any way different. The time lapse between 1967 and 2019 is about 52 years. That is a period that spans more than half of a century. That is enough time in actual fact to have produced new and veritable changes and circumstances in a movement that began in 1966. As a people we recognize the need to continually strive to be dynamic and make room to be able to adopt quickly changes that reflect the up-to-date facts of situations and prevailing circumstances as they affect us in real time. As we pursue this Igbo collective goal and aspiration to live free and actualize ourselves it is important to make provisions to accommodate new developments and changes as they occur.





As the Igbo renew their vow to be free and separate their ancestral land from Nigeria, there should be no mistaking about the following facts:





1. The Igbo people in the southeastern part of the present Nigerian state are an ethnic population of 50 million.





2. The bulk of this Igbo population is native to and dwell within a definite geographical territory to which they are indigenous and it has always been in their possession from time immemorial.





3. The present generation Igbo, as well as inheriting this definitive Igbo land from their ancestors also inherited the natural right as an ethnic indigenous people to be free, sovereign and live independently of their neighbors within their own native land.





4. Starting from May 29, 1966 the Igbo have always wanted a separate independent country apart from Nigeria.





5. As a result, the Igbo as a people have continually campaigned actively to free themselves and their indigenous native land from Nigeria.





6. As a result of the 1966 Pogrom in which along with some of their neighbors 100,000 of their people were murdered by government forces and private citizens of Nigeria the Igbo on May 29, 1966 permanently and irreversibly renounced their Nigerian citizenship.





7. The Igbo along with some of their neighbors who were also victims of the Pogrom went to war with Nigeria from 1967 to 1970 to prove the veracity and immutability of their decision and avowal to secede from Nigeria.





8. The Igbo want to create an indigenous authentic modern Igbo society, a sovereign Igbo state that is based on original Igbo indigenous cultural concept and way of life.





9. This Igbo nation state is conceived by the Igbo and will be created by the Igbo and for Igbo people.





10. It is an incontestable fact that the former Eastern Region, a structure on which the 1967 Biafra was based was a colonial concept and creation by the same British that created the unworkable Nigerian state.





11. It is also evidentially incontrovertible to conclude that any new state structure that is based on the same non-native British concept like Nigeria will fail too.





12. The Igbo cannot afford to embark on reenacting a new failed state venture by creating a (so-called multicultural) state within which they must constantly live in permanent compromises, sacrificing merit and excellence to all-inclusive federal government, national characters and rotational presidency or rotational leadership positions to appease everyone at the detriment of achievement and progress.





13. The Igbo will not be imposing their wishes and destiny on others whether willingly or otherwise, the same thing that the colonial Britain did.





14. The Igbo recognize the fact that all our neighbors within the region are capable in their own rights to determine their selves and destiny and that they all have what it takes to self-actualize their own selves and fate.





15. The Igbo will not impose their will and decision on their neighbors or attempt to create another Nigeria only by a different name.





16. Any such attempt on Igbo side will only amount to a recolonization of their neighbors. The Igbo have always found sufficiency within themselves without having to authenticate or validate themselves from outside.





17. The Igbo are satisfied to maintain the position of the quintessential good neighbor for which they have always been known. This is guaranteed in this deeply rooted Igbo way verbalized in the saying; egbe bere ugo ebere or agbata obi onye bu nwanne ya.





18. Based on Igbo way of life and how they choose their leaders, it needs to be stated clearly that Nnamdi Kanu or any other such activist in this Igbo self-actualization movement do not exhibit the Igbo leadership traits and are not the leaders of the Igbo independent movement.





19. It is a known fact that due to the historical colonial circumstances that the Igbo were lumped together with their neighbors in what they called the Eastern Region, under one centrally administered government. Therefore, when the 1966 Pogrom happened and it affected both the Igbo and some of their neighbors it was natural that they should stand together to fight in 1967 to become independent from Nigeria under the former Eastern Region government.





20. The fact is also uncontested that based on the same unfortunate colonial creations that almost 40% of Igbo land and population across the River Niger on the western bank were inexplicably excluded from the Biafra of 1967.









21. Today in 2019 it goes without saying that there cannot be a whole and complete Igbo nation state without the Igbo land and people on the west side of the Niger being a part and parcel of the Igbo country.





22. In the current movement for Igbo independence and self-determination which began from 1970, soon after the end of the Biafra-Nigeria War, the Igbo have embarked on this new quest only by themselves and not in alliance with any other ethnic group in Nigeria.





23. Therefore it is necessary to make it abundantly clear that the Republic of Biafra which existed between May 30, 1967 and January 15, 1970 is not synonymous with the new Igbo country that is still being fought for from 1970 till the present date of 2019.





24. The population of the former Biafra comprised of other ethnic peoples along with some Igbo while leaving out nearly half of Igbo population and lands on the west side of the River Nigeria. In the current struggle for independence Igbo population and lands everywhere are included.





25. In the new Igbo country still under formation, it is exclusively an Igbo project excluding all non-Igbo but including all Igbo everywhere and all peoples from everywhere who may wish to emigrate to become citizens of the Igbo state.





The aforementioned and more constitute the basic fundamental differences between the old Biafra and the new. With all things considered it cannot be over emphasized to say that there will not be another Biafra like the 1967 one.




by Jaymee T. Gamil





Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena spent the last day of his five-day state visit to the Philippines at the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, getting tips on the Duterte administrations bloody campaign against drugs which he has consistently praised and expressed intent to emulate in his country.









Sirisena once again expressed his admiration for the governments antidrug campaign in a closed-door briefing in Camp Crame with Dangerous Drugs Board chair Catalino Cuy, Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano and PNP chief Oscar Albayalde on Saturday.

In the same boat

While the Sri Lankan president was mum about the thousands of deaths that have become the defining feature of the Duterte administrations drug war, he acknowledged that, like in Sri Lanka, police officers in the Philippines get killed in the governments campaign against drug traffickers.





In a statement on the visit on Saturday afternoon, the PNP also cited Sirisena as saying that the reason only few world leaders take such an aggressive stance against illegal drugs was that politicians fear threat to their lives while some have found a lucrative economic support system with their involvement in illegal drugs.

Whole of govt approach

In an interview with reporters after the visit, Albayalde said the Sri Lankan delegation expressed interest to emulate the Philippines whole of government approach on fighting illegal drugs.





The PNP quoted Sirisena as saying that Sri Lanka had become a major transhipment point of illegal drugs in the international drug market, which was what the Sri Lankan government hoped to address with tips from Philippine law enforcement agencies.





The Sri Lankan government also invited the heads of Philippine law enforcement agencies to Sri Lanka.





Courtesy: inquirer.net




by Y. Fernando





An article by Adam Taylor in the Washington Post on September 16, 2014 gives a descriptive breakdown of the newest countries in the world.





Majority of these nations were split based on so-called racial and/or religious requirements. The feuds in these countries seemed maneuvered and the majority forced to concede to bullying tactics by various Western nations.





The bullies have a vested interest in causing such chaos in susceptible countries, i.e. the requirement of large quantities of weapons for prolonged conflicts and related resources provided by the West at a price, abundant natural resources which could be bartered for the weapons and pilfered at no cost and strategic geographical location etc.









This bully then takes on the role of moderator and appeals on behalf of the new potential nation to the United Nations. Recognition granted by the UN enables these new nations to rebuild and be independent with the support of the relevant moderator. This moderator can then cunningly seek stakes in the new nation as in the case of Palau that hosts a large American military base in the Pacific region.





Sadly, since separation, a majority of these new nations such as South Sudan, Kosovo, East Timor, Eritrea, The Czech Republic, Slovakia and South Ossetia have struggle economically, with border disputes, wars and an untold amount of grief for the people unending. The tensions and struggles continue along divided borders, even for nations so assisted by the Imperialists decades ago, as in the cases of North and South Korea, Pakistan and India.





Sri Lanka had a 30-year conflict with terrorism rearing its ugly head and causing untold suffering, mainly for the very people on behalf of whom the war was carried out. Now there is a demand for a new constitution to address the national problem, enable devolution of power and create ethnic harmony.





First of all, what is the national problem? It is yet to be clearly defined. As for ethnic harmony and reconciliation  when the brothers-in-arms were fighting for their rights, the people of the North and East fled to other parts of the country for safety, where they were accepted by other ethnic Sri Lankans and continue to live to this day without a hindrance. Some left our shores to avoid being a part of the rift.





Those who continue the struggle for separation from within and out of Sri Lanka seem to do so without realising the various vested interests. Or maybe they are an integral part of the maneuvers. Division based on race, religion, caste and socio-economic standing is instigated possibly to enable the divide and rule aspect in support of the higher caste politicians of the North and of course the supporting nations who stand to gain economically and strategically.





Is Sri Lanka being manipulated by these politicians for their personal gain?





Are these politicians being supported by nations with a hidden agenda needing a stronghold in this region?





Apparently fresh water is the new black-gold and is one among many of the vast quantities of natural resources

Sri Lanka possesses. We have built close ties with China and will become a major hub in the new trade route connecting the East and West. China will then have potential access to become militarily superior in the region. These could be the hidden reasons that require an entry by the various Western powers in to this region to mitigate their risks of losing control of the area.





If Sri Lanka is destabilised and divided, the politicians of the North and East and their Western supporters will be able to rule the region and dictate terms. An ideal way forward, since the war attempt failed, would be to enable a different kind of conflict in Sri Lanka. Among such machinations could be:

the promotion of wheat flour products causing many health issues with less of a requirement of indigenous and other traditional food in turn causing less demand and low agricultural production of those healthier options.

the failures of the various agricultural systems causing economic hardship to farmers by cheaper imports and the introduction of the chemicals, which causes the soil and water table to be contaminated resulting in health concerns as well.

the promotion of large reservoirs instead of traditional irrigation systems with small lakes which are more suitable for sustainable agriculture and fresh water retention during the dry season. This results in severe environmental degradation of vast areas with ensuing inability for agricultural practices.

the resistance promoted towards other sustainable energy harvesting in addition to hydropower

promoting dependency on various pharmaceutical aspects monopolised by the West, not allowing us to manufacture our own or resort to indigenous treatments.

theft and patenting of our indigenous methods, flora and fauna and their uses to curtail local use, research and innovation.

threats of trade embargos on our exports and forced trade pacts with nations to try to minimise local production, flood the market with low cost imports, disrupt small businesses and thereby the economy.

In addition to these machinations, the latest tactic seems to be the constitution enabling devolution of power. If this constitution is defeated in parliament, what with all the ridiculous inclusions and mistakes with several versions of the same document presented in Sinhala, Tamil and English, there will be a call for a referendum. If the referendum is defeated by the people with a Sinhala majority vote, while Tamil minority vote remains FOR the new constitution, the politicians of the North and East can rush to their cronies crying discrimination. These moderators will then support a UN call citing marginalising of Tamils by the majority Sinhalese. This move will be wholly supported by the Tamil Diaspora now dispersed in various countries, eagerly awaiting to return. The UN can then declare its recognition of Tamil Eelam in support of eliminating the national problem and the marginalised Tamil victims by the majority Sinhalese in Sri Lanka.





It is prudent to be cautious and understand the objective of this new constitution and all the fiascos surrounding it. It could be a manipulative move to promote the objection to this constitution by the majority and then hasten a referendum.





Additionally, the various racial and religious conflicts, which seem to be orchestrated, in the recent past, such as in the Digana and Beruwala incidents as well as all the purported administrative discrimination against minorities such as missing Tamil translations of documents/forms and lack of Tamil-speaking public officials delaying services to Tamil speakers could also be such machinations created to fuel rifts amongst the people with the final objective of officially being accepted as a Tamil Eelam.





Hot on the heels of a creation of Tamil Eelam will come a demand for a Muslim Nation which will enable the Eastern areas to host the Myanmar refugee Rohingya and others desperately seeking their own Muslim territory. Apparently as the possibilities are endless for conflicts, the country destabilised in this manner will breed the need for many moderators to swoop in to support the various causes. Cases such as this are rampant in the above mentioned nations and in Syria, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Palestine, Afghanistan and the lost nation of Diego Garcia where its people were transported lock-stock-and-barrel to pave the way for Britain to host an American military base in the Indian Ocean region.





This is modern day IMPERIALISM by very subtle means. Therefore, BEWARE and BE WISE. It is prudent to look beyond this proposed constitution and calls for referendums regardless of who suggests, for what and when.




by Gamini Weerakoon





Sri Lankans make and break constitutions with relish. Is it for the sake of good governance, which is supposed to be basic objective of constitutions, or for crass political gain?





The constitution-making-and-breaking process resumed last week with flashbacks in history going back to the mid- fifties. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe presented to Parliament, reconvened as the Constituent Assembly, some documents prepared by a panel of experts. They included proposals for a draft constitution. Soon echoes in history going back to 50 years or more were heard  Menna Rata Bedanna Hadanawo (They are trying to divide the country) inside and outside the assembly. The document was not even a draft to a constitution but only proposals, but this was incendiary stuff with an election round the corner.





The provincial councils proposed in the document were being viewed  as before  to be fragments to a cracked unitary state. Meanwhile, raucous demands are being heard for elections to be held for provincial councils. But why have elections and rejuvenate these potentially subversive units? Implement the law  the 13th Amendment  it is the law, is the stern reply. You want to eat the cake and have the cake, is the rebuttal.









And so the Great Constitutional Game of half-century vintage is played according to established conventions and we are assured of continuing encounters.





The new Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa wants an election, and not a constitution. He does not specify whether it should be provincial, parliamentary or of a presidential kind. With elections bribery, corruption and all the evils that have beset the country after Yasapalanaya administration can be eradicated, he contends. Mahinda, the visionary, seems to ignore the fact that the people in two elections  presidential and parliamentary  not very long ago, threw him out in the hope of eradicating bribery, corruption, nepotism et al.





So can elections transform this troubled isle into a Rajapaksa utopia?

Mahinda cannot contest the presidency once again with the maximum of two terms of presidency having been served. But his brothers are willing and able. The hitch is that two of them, Gota and Chamal, have already declared themselves as runners. Observers say there could also be one or two colts from the Medamullana stables, age permitting. Also Pohottuwa and Sirisena backers are asking whether the Sri Lankan Derby is confined only to the Medamullane Stables.





The UNP has almost gone dumb on constitutional change even though the proposals for a draft documents were presented to the Constituent Assembly by Wickremesinghe. He squashed the usual canards about the new constitution enabling the breakup of Sri Lanka and Buddhism being relegated from the preeminent place given in earlier constitutions. However, they have been silent on any fresh moves that could rejuvenate and enthuse their supporters. It does appear that Ranil is still firmly on the Sri Kotha saddle though the now mature stallion Sajith Premadasa is occasionally rearing up and is ready to run.





Only the TNA is pushing ahead for constitutional reforms and this should be so because Tamil voters can still be kingmakers as they demonstrated in elections before. In the 2005 presidential election, Velupillai Prabhakarans fiat prevented Tamils expected to vote for Wickremasinghe from doing so and enabled Rajapaksa to scrape through. But in 2015, they successfully backed the winner, Maithripala Sirisena. They want their demands on the lost rights of Tamils restored.





There has been a surfeit of constitutional authorities after the rumpus recreated by Sirisena in attempting to sack Ranil. Notable among them are the new variety of PCs  not Presidents Counsel but Padipelle Counsel  those who stand in stairways of court and are freely issuing their opinion on Constitutional Law to any media person in search of a story. This variety in addition to TV pundits  who seem to consider the ability to merely read out relevant provisions of the Constitution in support their party leaders stand  is sufficient enough for them to be considered authorities on the law. They have made confusion worse confounded.





Any opinion that goes against their leader and party line is unconstitutional, unpatriotic, anti-national, treasonous and a part of an international conspiracy. Their party leaders thinking and party line is absolutely correct, constitutional and patriotic. Thereafter, this opinion is offered to religious dignitaries who are knowledgeable in their doctrines but not in constitutional law. Words are put into their mouths and then given wide publicity in the media. And, Abracadabra, the correct position in the Constitutional Law is expounded to the public!





History shows that all constitutions are hard to create and even more difficult to make them last long. The British and American constitutions are the exceptions. Yet Sri Lanka is attempting to create the fourth Constitution in 70 years. The first the Soulbury Constitution survived 24 years and proved to be the most stable. But the progressives, Marxists and the like considered it as an imperialist legacy and threw it out. The 1972  Sirima-Colvin constitution  lasted only six years. The 1978 JRJ Constitution is still lasting (now 40-years-old) despite several attempts to distort, amend and destroy it. JRJ, wherever he may be, would be guffawing at these attempts.





With a presidential or parliamentary election round the corner a new Sri Lankan constitution appears to be a remote possibility. For all those interested in a new constitution, the words of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, regarded as the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, will be of interest: However good a constitution may be if those implementing it are not good it will prove to be bad. If those implementing are good it will prove to be good.





In this context a question to be asked is: What kind of constitution would be able to withstand legislators who attempt to amend it by throwing chairs, chillie water and punching one another in the Chamber of the House?





The writer is senior Sri Lankan journalist




Washington, January 19, 2019 (SPS) - The non-governmental organization (NGOs) Human Rights Watch (HRW) denounced Thursday the banning by Morocco of rallies in favor of self-determination as well as the obstruction imposed on the work of the NGOs in the occupied territories of Western Sahara.



The Moroccan authorities have systematically prevented rallies in favor of self-determination and obstructed the work of some local human rights NGOs, said HRW in its 2019 report on the human rights situation in the world, presented Thursday in Berlin.



The violations committed against Sahrawi activists continued in 2018. The Moroccan authorities beat activists and journalists, under detention and in the streets, said the source.



The Sahrawi political activists organized on June 28 a rally in al-Ayun on the occasion of the visit to the United Nations envoy. The Police beat at least seven activists, including members of the Sahrawi Association of Victims of Grave Violations of Human Rights Committed by Moroccan State, said the source.



This report, which covers 2018, notes that the negotiation process under the aegis of the United Nations between Morocco and the Polisario Front for Western Saharas self-determination was at standstill last year despite the visits to the region of the UN envoy Horst Kohler.



Morocco proposed a certain autonomy under its domination and rejects a referendum on the independence, according to HRW. (SPS)



062/SPS/APS
Iraqi PM makes first visit to protest-hit Basra



Baghdad, Jan 20 (AFP) Jan 20, 2019



Iraqi premier Adel Abdel Mahdi visited Basra Sunday, his first trip as prime minister to the southern province where lagging services spawned a water crisis and deadly protests last summer.

Abdel Mahdi's office said he visited several infrastructure and service projects in the oil-rich province, including water provision services in the Shatt al-Arab area.

"He called for redoubled efforts so these projects can be accomplished as quickly as possible," his office said.

In the summer of 2018, an unprecedented water crisis in Basra left 100,000 people hospitalised and sparked a massive protest movement that resulted in a dozen dead.

The provincial capital is still rocked by demonstrations every Friday demanding more access to drinking water, steady electricity and jobs for unemployed youth.

After his appointment in October, Abdel Mahdi pledged to present a plan to fulfil these demands within his first 100 days in office.

But it has yet to be announced and the premier is still struggling to finalise the formation of his cabinet.

The real test, observers say, will be Iraq's sweltering summer months, when temperatures rise to more than 50 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) and shortages of water and electricity can be life-threatening.
Images

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular images.
FOOD BANK OF SOUTH JERSEY

Statement on impact of the government shutdown
PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE

Drug dealer sentenced to prison for causing death of customer
RTHK: Greek protesters clash with police over Macedonia

Scuffles broke out in central Athens on Sunday as tens of thousands of people protested a planned name change for neighbouring Macedonia that parliament is due to ratify this week.

After some 30 masked youths tried to force the closure of the parliament building by throwing stones, riot police responded with tear gas volleys to break up the crowd there.

Hundreds of buses, especially from northern Greece, had brought protesters in for the rally, on Syntagma square near the parliament.

Police estimates put the number of demonstrators at 60,000 at 1200 GMT, while organisers said 100,000 people had turned out.

The crowd was monitored by almost 2,000 police, equipped with drones and helicopters, a police source said. Much of the city centre was closed to traffic on Sunday and some metro stations closed as a precaution.

Greek clerics dressed in black joined the rally to protest an accord to rename Macedonia the Republic of North Macedonia, an agreement that would end a 27-year dispute with Greece over the country's name.

A wide range of Greek political parties, from the far-right to the socialists oppose the change, but it could nonetheless be approved by the required 151 deputies in the 300-seat parliamentary chamber.

"There is only one Macedonia, the Greek Macedonia, 'that's it'," read a sign in Greek and English held by Christina Gerodimoun, in her 30s.

"This government is a government of traitors," she said in reference to a coalition led by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who brokered the deal with Macedonian counterpart Zoran Zaev in June.

Macedonia's parliament approved a constitutional revision to change the country's name 10 days ago. But for the deal between the two leaders to go through, the name change also needs to be approved by the Greek parliament.

Macedonia is a former Yugoslav republic, but for most Greeks, Macedonia is the name of their history-rich northern province made famous by Alexander the Great's conquests.

Tsipras' ruling coalition fell apart over the deal a week ago, but he then narrowly won a vote of confidence, setting the stage for parliament to vote on its ratification. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2019-01-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Weather Alert

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 277 REMAINS VALID UNTIL 1 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS IN MINNESOTA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 12 COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA BLUE EARTH BROWN FARIBAULT FREEBORN LE SUEUR MARTIN NICOLLET RICE STEELE WASECA WATONWAN IN SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA GOODHUE IN WISCONSIN THIS WATCH INCLUDES 2 COUNTIES IN WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN EAU CLAIRE PEPIN THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ALBERT LEA, BLUE EARTH, DURAND, EAU CLAIRE, FAIRMONT, FARIBAULT, LE SUEUR, MANKATO, NEW ULM, OWATONNA, RED WING, ST JAMES, ST PETER, AND WASECA.
The Tribunal has granted "last opportunity" to the Ministry for implementing its order dated August 13, 2018, by February 28, 2019 warning that "coercive measures, including prosecution" may have to be taken for non-compliance.

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday slammed the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) for not amending the "Wood-Based Industries (Establishment and Regulation) Guidelines, 2016" to check illegal felling of trees for charcoal making.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel was hearing a plea by the Indian Institute of Sustainable Development demanding a ban on the use of charcoal as a fuel in the industries for which trees are felled illegally.

The bench said even after five months of the last order, the counsel for the MoEF&CC was unable to provide any specific date by which the order of the Tribunal will be complied with.

"An affidavit has been filed on December 13, 2018, by Rohit Tiwari, Deputy Inspector General of Forests, MoEF&CC, to the effect that the Ministry was in the process of framing guidelines which will take six months. No justification has been given. The stand taken by the MoEF&CC cannot be held to be a responsible stand.

"We do not appreciate the stand in the affidavit that it will take six months to comply with the order, which was to be complied with within four weeks from August 13, 2018, having regard to the urgency of the matter. The stand taken by the MoEF&CC cannot be held to be a responsible stand," the bench said.
I have to tell you, sometimes the highlight of my day is one of the videos from the internet about cats and dogs.
Press Release

January 20, 2019 Stop EJKs, attacks vs HR activists, church leaders - De Lima To show its commitment in resolving the country's worsening human rights crisis, Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has dared, once again, the Duterte administration to end extrajudicial killings (EJKs) amid its crackdown on illegal drugs and stop its attacks on human rights activists and church leaders. De Lima, the first prominent political prisoner under the Duterte regime, renewed her call after the Human Rights Watch (HRW) released its 2019 World Report revealing that the human rights crisis in the Philippines "deepened" in 2018 under the regime of Mr. Duterte. "I challenge Mr. Duterte to stop bringing violence and terror to the populace because his drug war - which is already out of control -- continues to wreak havoc on the lives of Filipino families, especially the poor," she said. "Mr. Duterte should also stop ignoring the continuing concerns about the plight of the human rights defenders in the country whose works have become extremely difficult and dangerous as he painted them as allegedly 'enemies of the state,'" she added. In its 2019 World Report, the HRW pointed out that the administration's war on drugs, which was launched shortly after Duterte assumed presidency in 2016, continued in 2018 amid snowballing global criticisms and calls to stop the killings. HRW Executive Director Kenneth Roth wrote in the 674-page report's keynote essay that Duterte "encouraged more summary executions, supposedly of drug suspects, but often of people guilty of no more than being poor young men." According to the World Report, there is also a continuing attack on human rights activists and critics of the government to "silence" them, noting how De Lima - whom HRW called as Duterte's "most prominent critic" - remains in unjust detention on obviously politically motivated, trumped-up drug charges. "Since February 2017, Senator Leila de Lima has been jailed on politically motivated drug charges filed against her in apparent retaliation for leading a Senate inquiry into the 'drug war' killings. Her plight has prompted international expressions of support," part of the report read. De Lima said the government should start basing its campaign against illegal drugs on human rights and the rule of law to prevent more casualties and stop looking at criticisms about his governance as attacks against him. "Amid these mass atrocities, the government should be the first to stand up for the basic values of human dignity and equality of everyone instead of staining its hands with the blood of its people," she said. "Because of Duterte's madness, suspected drug offenders who don't get to have a day in the court- including women and children -- and the rights activists and church leaders who defend them, are becoming more and more vulnerable to intimidations, attacks and killings," she added. In its 2019 World Report, the HRW pointed out that the children who have been literally caught in the barrage since Mr. Duterte launched his murderous war on drugs have been relegated as mere "collateral damage." The lady Senator from Bicol urged the Filipino people and the civil society organizations to continue lobbying and pushing for rights-based legislation and call out, report and demand accountability for state-led abuses. "The year 2019 will be more challenging for Filipinos in terms of human rights situation but we should never forget to act in solidarity with each other in hopes to rebuild decency in government and to rebuild dignity in our society," she said. Last year, De Lima filed Senate Bill No. 1699, also known as Human Rights Defenders Bill, which seeks to institutionalize and enforce state obligations for the protection of human rights defenders. In December 2017, she also filed Senate Resolution No. 153 which calls for a Senate investigation into the reported deaths of 17 women HRDs summarily killed amid the rash of extrajudicial killings in the country.
On Jan. 14, the Love Boats met in Phu My (Ho Chi Minh City), followed by Laem Chabang (Bangkok) on Jan. 16 and Koh Samui a day later.

Ships helmed by two brothers

In another first for Princess in the region, the ships were commanded by two brothersCapt. Paolo Ravera at the helm of Sapphire Princess and his older brother Capt. Stefano Ravera on Diamond Princessat Phu My and Laem Chabang.

The two vessels finally met in Singapore on Jan. 19 where more than 5,000 passengers disembarked at Marina Bay Cruise Centre. Bidding farewell to Diamond, Sapphire sounded its horn and will continue sailing in the region until March. Then the ship returns to Southampton for a second European season, embarking from Singapore on a 37-night 'Indian Ocean and Europe Grand Adventure' cruise. Meanwhile, Diamond prepares for drydock.

S$250m in economic benefit

'This dual-ship homeporting marks our fifth year sailing out of Singapore, carrying over 200,000 guests during this time, marking a pivotal moment for Princess Cruises in Southeast Asia,' said Farriek Tawfik, director, Southeast Asia. 'Princess Cruises also contributed economic benefit from each homeporting season estimated to be about S$250 million in the region over the last five years,' he added. 'We certainly look forward to sailing in the region for many years to come.'

Yearlong Japan deployment

After Diamonds drydock is completed in early February, the ship will embark on a 12-night sailing from Singapore to Phu My, Nha Trang, Hong Kong, Taipei, Osaka and Shimizu (for Mount Fuji) before arriving in Yokohama on Valentines Day, Feb. 14. It will then commence a year-long deployment in Japan from Yokohama and Kobe, with 60 departures of 40 unique itineraries, visiting 41 destinations in seven countries.

Tawfik noted Diamond Princess Singapore to Yokohama cruise was sold out as a rare opportunity for regional travelers to embark on a journey covering seven destinations over 12 days from a port closer to home.
New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/19/2019 -- The report on Miniaturized Solid State Relays Market digs deep to uncover the different pillars that will help in the growth of a long-term sustainable business. Researchers exploring the industry for the forecast period, 2018 to 2026 aim at enabling the business owners to expand their customer base by enlightening them about what will be driving the behaviour of all the buyers and what the consumers will be expecting in the future.



To get Free Sample Report Copy click here @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/28547



The major manufacturers covered in this report:

- Panasonic Corporation

- Amphenol

- Pulse Electronics

- TDK Corporation

- Hammond Mfg. Co. Ltd.

- Eaton Corp.

- NEC TOKIN Corporation

- Hasco Relays and Electronics International Corp. (US)

- Datronix Holdings Ltd. (Hong Kong)

- Hamlin

- AVX Corporation (USA)

- American Electronic Components Inc.

- Molex (US)

- Omron Corporation (Japan)

- Namolectric Controls (India)



A complete coverage of how prominent leaders will compete on customer delight during the estimated period forms an important part of the study. The information contained in the Miniaturized Solid State Relays market research report further uncovers the customers and region's companies need to target in the years to come.



Most widely used downstream fields of Miniaturized Solid State Relays market covered in this report are:

- Automobile

- Electronic product

- Aerospace



To Purchase this Report click here @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/checkout-form/28547



Market segment by Region/Country including:

- North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)

- Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Spain etc.)

- Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia and Southeast Asia etc.)

- South America Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Chile etc.

- Middle East & Africa (South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia etc.)



In this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Miniaturized Solid State Relays are as follows:

History Year: 2013-2017

Base Year: 2017

Estimated Year: 2018

Forecast Year: 2018 to 2026



The study objectives of this report are:

- To analyse and study the global Miniaturized Solid State Relays capacity, production, value, consumption, status (2013-2017) and forecast (2018-2026);

- Focuses on the key Miniaturized Solid State Relays manufacturers, to study the capacity, production, value, market share and development plans in future.

- Focuses on the global key manufacturers, to define, describe and analyse the market competition landscape, SWOT analysis.

- To define, describe and forecast the market by type, application and region.

- To analyse the global and key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks.

- To analyse the opportunities in the market for stakeholders by identifying the high growth segments.

- To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyse their growth strategies.



There are 13 Chapters to thoroughly display the Miniaturized Solid State Relays market. This report included the analysis of market overview, market characteristics, industry chain, competition landscape, historical and future data by types, applications and regions.

Chapter 1: Miniaturized Solid State Relays Market Overview, Product Overview, Market Segmentation, Market Overview of Regions, Market Dynamics, Limitations, Opportunities and Industry News and Policies.

Chapter 2: Miniaturized Solid State Relays Industry Chain Analysis, Upstream Raw Material Suppliers, Major Players, Production Process Analysis, Cost Analysis, Market Channels and Major Downstream Buyers.

Chapter 3: Value Analysis, Production, Growth Rate and Price Analysis by Type of Miniaturized Solid State Relays.

Chapter 4: Downstream Characteristics, Consumption and Market Share by Application of Miniaturized Solid State Relays.

Chapter 5: Production Volume, Price, Gross Margin, and Revenue ($) of Miniaturized Solid State Relays by Regions.

Chapter 6: Miniaturized Solid State Relays Production, Consumption, Export and Import by Regions.

Chapter 7: Miniaturized Solid State Relays Market Status and SWOT Analysis by Regions.

Continue



Read more @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/miniaturized-solid-state-relays-market



About MarketExpertz

Planning to invest in market intelligence products or offerings on the web? Then marketexpertz has just the thing for you - reports from over 500 prominent publishers and updates on our collection daily to empower companies and individuals catch-up with the vital insights on industries operating across different geography, trends, share, size and growth rate. There's more to what we offer to our customers. With marketexpertz you have the choice to tap into the specialized services without any additional charges.



Contact Us:

John Watson

Head of Business Development

Market Expertz | Web: www.marketexpertz.com

Direct Line: +1-800-819-3052

E-mail: sales@marketexpertz.com

News: www.marketexpertz.com/market-news
Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/20/2019 -- HTF MI recently Announced Global Cap&Hat study with 100+ market data Tables and Figures spread through Pages and easy to understand detailed TOC on "Cap&Hat. Global Cap&Hat research allows you to get different methods for maximizing your profit. The research study provides estimates for Global Cap&Hat Forecast till 2025*. Some of the Leading key Company's Covered for this Research are Huiyang Xinbang, Mijo, San Francisco Hat, Suzhou Meiergao, Zhejiang Gaopu, Clearwater Hat, Dongyang Feilong, Alpha Sports, TAN THANH DAT, Dongguan Dingzhipin, Zen Warrior, Guangzhou Daystar, Asia Bags&Caps Industrial, Guerra & Billi Bandana.



Click to get Global Cap&Hat Market Research Sample PDF Copy Here @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1507770-global-cap-hat-industry-market



The Cap&Hat market can be split based on product types, major applications, and important regions.



Global Cap&Hat Research for a Leading company is an intelligent process of gathering and analyzing the numerical data related to services and products. This Research Give idea to aims at your targeted customer's understanding, needs and wants. Also, reveals how effectively a company can meet their requirements. The market research collects data about the customers, marketing strategy, competitors. The Cap&Hat Manufacturing industry is becoming increasingly dynamic and innovative, with more number of private players entering the industry.



Important Features that are under offering & key highlights of the report:



1) Who are the Leading Key Company in Global Cap&Hat market space?



Following are list of players that are currently profiled in the report "Huiyang Xinbang, Mijo, San Francisco Hat, Suzhou Meiergao, Zhejiang Gaopu, Clearwater Hat, Dongyang Feilong, Alpha Sports, TAN THANH DAT, Dongguan Dingzhipin, Zen Warrior, Guangzhou Daystar, Asia Bags&Caps Industrial, Guerra & Billi Bandana"



** List of companies mentioned may vary in the final report subject to Name Change / Merger etc.

2) What will the market size be in 2025 and what will the growth rate be?

In 2019, the Global Cap&Hat market size was xx million USD and it is expected to reach USD xx million by the end of 2025, with a CAGR of xx% during 2019-2025.



3) What are the Market Applications & Types:



The study is segmented by following Product Type: , Type 1, Type 2, Type 3, Type 4 & Type 5



Major applications/end-users industry are: Application 1, Application 2, Application 3, Application 4 & Application 5



To comprehend Global Cap&Hat market dynamics in the world mainly, the worldwide Cap&Hat market is analyzed across major regions. HTF MI also provides customized specific regional and country-level reports for the following areas.



- North America: United States, Canada, and Mexico.

- South & Central America: Argentina, Chile, and Brazil.

- Middle East & Africa: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkey, Egypt and South Africa.

- Europe: UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Russia.

- Asia-Pacific: India, China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, and Australia.

Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1507770-global-cap-hat-industry-market



Competitive Analysis:

The key players are highly focusing innovation in production technologies to improve efficiency and shelf life. The best long-term growth opportunities for this sector can be captured by ensuring ongoing process improvements and financial flexibility to invest in the optimal strategies. Company profile section of players such as Huiyang Xinbang, Mijo, San Francisco Hat, Suzhou Meiergao, Zhejiang Gaopu, Clearwater Hat, Dongyang Feilong, Alpha Sports, TAN THANH DAT, Dongguan Dingzhipin, Zen Warrior, Guangzhou Daystar, Asia Bags&Caps Industrial, Guerra & Billi Bandana includes its basic information like legal name, website, headquarters, its market position, historical background and top 5 closest competitors by Market capitalization / revenue along with contact information. Each player/ manufacturer revenue figures, growth rate and gross profit margin is provided in easy to understand tabular format for past 5 years and a separate section on recent development like mergers, acquisition or any new product/service launch etc.

Research Parameter/ Research Methodology



Primary Research:

The primary sources involves the industry experts from the Global Cap&Hat industry including the management organizations, processing organizations, analytics service providers of the industry's value chain. All primary sources were interviewed to gather and authenticate qualitative & quantitative information and determine the future prospects.



In the extensive primary research process undertaken for this study, the primary sources  industry experts such as CEOs, vice presidents, marketing director, technology & innovation directors, founders and related key executives from various key companies and organizations in the Global Cap&Hat in the industry have been interviewed to obtain and verify both qualitative and quantitative aspects of this research study.



Secondary Research:

In the Secondary research crucial information about the industries value chain, total pool of key players, and application areas. It also assisted in market segmentation according to industry trends to the bottom-most level, geographical markets and key developments from both market and technology oriented perspectives.



Buy Full Copy Global Cap&Hat Report 2018 @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1507770-global-cap-hat-industry-market



In this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Global Cap&Hat are as follows:

History Year: 2013-2018

Base Year: 2018

Estimated Year: 2019

Forecast Year 2019 to 2025



Key Stakeholders in Global Cap&Hat Market:

Global Cap&Hat Manufacturers

Global Cap&Hat Distributors/Traders/Wholesalers

Global Cap&Hat Subcomponent Manufacturers

Industry Association

Downstream Vendors



**Actual Numbers & In-Depth Analysis, Business opportunities, Market Size Estimation Available in Full Report.



Buy this research @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1507770



Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.
Kathmandu, January 20

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is leaving on a trip to Switzerland to attend the annual meeting of World Economic Forum.

The meeting will begin this Tuesday in Davos.

This is the first time that a Nepali prime minister is attending the annual meeting of WEF, according to the Prime Ministers Secretariat.

Oli will address three sessions of the meeting, according to sources.

The government has hoped that Nepals participation in the meeting at the prime ministerial level will help the country attract more foreign investment.

The PMs 19 member delegation includes his wife Radhika Shakya, Foreign Affairs Minister Pradeep Gyawali, Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi, the PMs chief political advisor Bishnu Rimal and foreign affairs advisor Rajan Bhattarai among others.

The team will return home on Saturday.
Chicagos first winter storm of 2019 descended on the area Friday night, dumping its heaviest snow in the northern suburbs on Saturday.

The storm has resulted in snowy and icy roads throughout northern Illinois, some Metra delays and more than 600 cancellations at the citys airports. The weather was also blamed for a flight that skidded off the runway at OHare, causing no injuries. In city and suburban neighborhoods, people are shoveling, helping their neighbors shovel or trying to convince unwilling dogs to take a walk.

Pockets of heavy snow began falling around 8 p.m. Friday evening. The largest snow totals were recorded in the northern suburbs: Highwood in southern Lake County counted 8.8 inches of snow as of 8:53 a.m., according to the National Weather Service. The city of McHenry recorded about 10 inches.

Outages were reported on the ComEd website Saturday morning at less than 100 locations in the northern suburbs, and restoration was underway, officials said.

Advertisement

Downtown Chicago, where sidewalks usually clear quickly, saw more than 5 inches before 8:30 a.m. Midway recorded 3 inches by 6 a.m. and OHare nearly 4.

Snowfall has mostly ended, except for some lake-effect snow, which is expected later this evening, said National Weather Service meteorologist Ricky Castro on Saturday afternoon.

The band of snow moving over the city is finally kind of moving out, Castro said.

Saturday evening and into early Sunday, it will be windy and become colder.

Visibility at Midway Airport remains only about a mile and a half, and winds are still blustery. Winds coming off the lake are probably going to keep the snow flying, Castro said.

The lake-effect snow probably wont amount to much accumulation-wise, but will affect many counties including Cook, Lake, DuPage and Will in Illinois as well as Lake and Porter counties in Indiana, Castro said.

Knowing the exact behavior of lake effect is, Castro said, always challenging.

Temperatures, which were about 30 downtown and in the mid-20s at the airports as of about noon, will be dropping soon and are only expected to reach the high teens on Sunday.

Advertisement

Later this afternoon into the early evening, temperatures are expected to be dipping into the lower 20s with winds chill values in the single digits and dip into the single digits early Sunday, Castro said.

Chicago Streets and Sanitation Commissioner John Tully said Saturday during a news conference that a full complement of about 300 salt spreaders and plows have been out since 11 p.m. Friday.

Our next goal, as soon as the snow stops  and it looks like it will be moving out of here in the next few hours  will be switching out some of our drivers, and then well be paying attention to our residential streets, Tully said at about 11:45 a.m.

Thats standard procedure in the city, where main streets are cleared before side streets and alleys. Delays in cleaning up side streets in the past have led to criticism of mayors and aldermen.

Advertisement

Tully said the city had some problems overnight cleaning up South Lake Shore Drive because of the wind, but said that issue had been rectified and Lake Shore Drive is moving very smooth.

Later on tonight, when the storm will have moved out, the lake-effect (snow) will kick in, and thats really a wild card, Tully added. And that looks like it will start sometime around 10 or 11 tonight and then move out by 6 a.m. tomorrow morning.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel, speaking at the same news conference as Tully, asked city residents to make sure their neighbors were safe.

If you have a neighbor whos elderly or sick, or is physically incapacitated, please check in on them and make sure everythings OK, Emanuel said.

Advertisement

And, as is the mayors wont, he gave a political perspective on the issue, taking a dig at the partially shut-down federal government.

As you know, winter weather is no stranger to the city of Chicago, but the good news is, unlike Washington, which is not open for business every day, here in Chicago, Streets and Sanitation is open for business, Emanuel said. So is 311. So is 911. So is our obviously city operations, warming centers throughout the city of Chicago.

The CTA reported no problems due to the weather. Metra service saw delays of less than 20 minutes on some lines throughout the morning. There tend to be more snow-related problems on Metra than on the CTA, since the commuter railroad covers much longer distances.

OHare International Airport was seeing delays of about 40 minutes and close to 600 cancellations, while Midway had delays of less than 15 minutes and less than 100 canceled flights, according to flychicago.com.

Advertisement

The Illinois Department of Transportations website showed roads in most of the upper half of the state covered with ice or snow.

Heres more on the storms, how to check road conditions, traffic, transit  and ways to get help.

The storms

Altogether, the combined storms could leave 6 to 14 inches of snow on the ground in some places and be followed by blasts of arctic air starting early Sunday.

The storm is expected to include dangerous blowing snow conditions, with gusty winds as strong as 35 mph persisting into early Sunday. Travel could become difficult because of drifting snow that could result in reduced visibility on the roadways. Lake Michigan waves were expected to reach as high as 10 feet from early Saturday to about 9 a.m. Sunday, blocking parts of the Chicago lakefront path and causing lakefront flooding.

Advertisement

Winter storm warnings were in effect for all of northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin and parts of northern Indiana from Friday afternoon through Saturday morning.

The weekend storms might set daily records  the most snow ever to fall on Jan. 19 was 8.8 inches in 1963. The Chicago area has gotten less snow since Dec. 1 than it typically gets. By now, winters typically have recorded 13.9 inches of snow.

In case of emergency

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency advised residents to keep their cellphones charged and monitor the National Weather Service for any alerts. Homeowners also should take steps to prevent frozen water pipes.

Anyone seeking refuge from the storm in Chicago can find a warming center on the citys data portal. Warming centers also are available in suburban Cook County that can be found on the countys Homeland Security Departments website.

Advertisement

For those looking for a way to help their neighborhood through the storm, My Block, My Hood, My City, a Chicago-based organization, was organizing volunteers to shovel snow-filled sidewalks for homeowners who are senior citizens or disabled.

1 / 8 Volunteers shovel sidewalks in the 7700 block of South Wabash Avenue in the Chatham neighborhood Jan. 19, 2019, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) 2 / 8 Resident Louise Starks waves to volunteers shoveling sidewalks and front steps in the 7700 block of South Wabash Avenue in the Chatham neighborhood Jan. 19, 2019, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) 3 / 8 Volunteer Matt Lindner, left, grabs a bag of salt as Sarah Spunt gathers shovels at a parking lot before shoveling snow in the Chatham neighborhood. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) 4 / 8 Volunteers shovel sidewalks in the 7600 block of South Wabash Avenue in the Chatham neighborhood. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) 5 / 8 Jahmal Cole, founder of My Block, My Hood, My City, welcomes volunteers at a parking lot before shoveling snow in the Chatham neighborhood Jan. 19, 2019, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) 6 / 8 More than 50 volunteers walk along the 7800 block of South Wabash Avenue to start shoveling snow in the Chatham neighborhood Jan. 19, 2019, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) 7 / 8 Mack Brusznicki, 8, lies on a snow-covered sidewalk in the 7800 block of South Wabash Avenue before shoveling in the Chatham neighborhood. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) 8 / 8 Colleen Scheitrum, left, and Karina Vazquez, shovel sidewalks in the 7600 block of South Wabash Avenue in the Chatham neighborhood. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

Whats happening on the roads and rails

Illinois road condition updates can be checked on the Illinois Department of Transportations website.

On Illinois highways and roads Saturday morning, crews were dealing with snow that was falling harder and faster than earlier in the morning, but had started to move out of the area as of 11 a.m.

Advertisement

It certainly helps that its the weekend and fewer people are on the roads, said Illinois Department of Transportation spokesman Guy Tridgell.

Tridgell said state road crews will have an issue with substantial blowing and drifting, so even after the snow stops, workers will need to plow and replow some areas. To prepare Illinois roads for the storm, the Transportation Department treated bridge decks, ramps, overpasses, elevated areas and other sections of the system that are susceptible to icing.

Illinois Tollway spokesman Dan Rozek noted that the snow fell harder and faster in the northern and western parts of the Tollway system, on I-94 in Lake County and at the western end of I-90 out toward Rockford. Tollway workers are also seeing drifting snow at the western end of I-88.

But Rozek said everything is open and traffic is moving.

Advertisement

Tridgell warned that low overnight temperatures will limit the effectiveness of salt and other material workers use to treat the roads. There will be some slick travel overnight into tomorrow, he said.

Metras website reported on-and-off delays throughout the morning.

These are the problems you really cant avoid because of the weather, Metra spokeswoman Sylvia Cooper said. We do have around-the-clock coverage with crews from all departments. All hands are on deck.

Advertisement

Cooper said Metra crews have been out salting platforms, clearing snow from platforms and yards, and using hot air blowers to clear tracks. Crews also inspect all doors, since snow can get trapped in them and freeze.

In Chicago, the citys Department of Streets and Sanitation has a fleet of 300 plows, but a determination on how many of those trucks would be dispatched to the streets depends on snowfall. The city activates its snowplow tracker during major snowstorms.

Cook County spokeswoman Natalia Derevyanny said the county expected to have its entire fleet of 60 trucks on its 560 miles of roads starting Friday night, and use 2,000 tons of salt. She said on Saturday morning that blowing snow has been a challenge, especially in more rural areas northwest and southwest of the city.

Additional Chicago Tribune staff contributed

Advertisement

charjohnson@chicagotribune.com

dawilliams@chicagotribune.com

wisniewski@chicagotribune.com

rsobol@chicagotribune.com

Advertisement

hdardick@chicagotribune.com

MORE COVERAGE

Dont want to shovel? Heres how to summon a snow plow to your door. 

Dont panic, but the polar vortex will soon impact Chicagos winter 

Advertisement

Why fur-lined hoods are so warm: The science and history 

How to get your car unstuck from snow 

Winter car care advice and tips 

Bookmark the Tribunes weather page here 

Advertisement

More Chicagoland breaking news 
Re Governors budget boosts school and health spending (Jan. 10): Gov. Gavin Newsom and his Democratic majority cannot wait to spend the faux budget surplus on their pet social programs.

If the state used normal accounting practices, there is no surplus because the state has two serious debt problems consistently ignored in every state budget.

The first concerns underfunding future state employee pension obligations that have been estimated at $450 billion. The second unfunded liability is $187 billion in future state and municipal employee health care benefits.

Those budget shortfalls in excess of half a trillion dollars will fall on the shoulders of the individual and business taxpayers so look for an even greater exodus of families and businesses from the state. There will be no one left to ride Jerry Browns train to nowhere. Who will wake up first, Sacramento or the voters?

Advertisement

Bill Dabbs

Carlsbad

Health care for all seems like risky effort

Our new governor, Gavin Newsom, says that he wants to have health care for all, whether youre a citizen or an illegal immigrant. Yet he made no mention of provision for extra doctors, nurses, radiologists  all health care workers  besides medical facilities to meet this need.

Im wondering, will this overwhelm our health care system and dramatically decrease the quality of care for our citizens, especially seniors?

Also, will this result in rationing of needed care?

Dianna Piper

Advertisement

San Diego

Bullet train a bigger waste than the wall

Recently Rep. Scott Peters in the Democrats weekly address called President Trump borderline crazy for wanting $5 billion to have a border structure to defend and protect our country and help prevent against illegal immigration.

Yet, Rep. Scott Peters supports former Gov. Jerry Browns $77 billion train fiasco project that is inefficient, continuing to be over budget and will never provide any type of real service for Californians.

Advertisement

Its apparent Rep. Peters and the Democrats are more against President Trump than looking after the nations security or California taxpayers.

Gene Henderson

University City

Letters and commentary policy

The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy. You can email letters@sduniontribune.com or leave a comment below.

Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook.
The County of San Diego has won a legal fight with the independent retirement board which last year refused to implement a lower tier of pension benefits for county employees hired after July 1.

Judge Judith F. Hayes said in a ruling that special state legislative approval of the reduced-benefits plan is not required for the San Diego County Employees Retirement Association to launch the new pension category called Tier D.

The county Board of Supervisors adopted the Tier D schedule early last year as a way to help close a multi-billion-dollar gap between pension fund assets and liabilities.

But the county employees retirement association resisted, saying legislators need to approve it.

Advertisement

The county Board of Supervisors sued the San Diego County Employees Retirement Association last April, after pension officials delayed implementing the reduced benefits tier for new hires.

Hayes wrote in her order that the county need not obtain approval by the Legislature as to Tier D because the Legislature already approved the formula.

Pension system officials said Friday that trustees accept the ruling and have decided to waive their right to appeal.

SDCERA has fully implemented Tier D, and all county employees hired on or after July 1, 2018 are in Tier D, said spokeswoman Mary Montgomery in a statement.

According to SDCERA, the county had 574 employees under the Tier D retirement schedule as of Dec. 31, 2018, which equates to a little more than 3 percent of the active members of the retirement system.

In total, the county pension system has six separate tiers for retirees, depending on hire date, length of service, the type of job performed and other factors. Tier D is the latest category of retirement benefits being offered to most county employees hired after July 1, 2018.

Upon retirement, Tier D benefits level offers new non-safety employees 1.62 percent of their last yearly salary for every year of county service.

Thats notably lower than Tier C, which pays 2.3 percent for every year of service to that category of workers. Other tiers pay as much as 3 percent for each year of service.

Advertisement

Also, the change in Tier D lowers the amount of money the county and affected workers are required to contribute to the retirement fund, from 8.27 percent to 6.02 percent.

The Board of Supervisors adopted the Tier D schedule early last year. The deal, which was agreed to by union leaders who represent most county workers in exchange for higher pay and benefits, came after most of the same supervisors approved a 50 percent increase in retirement benefits for themselves and other employees in 2002.

Since then, pension fund obligations have outpaced assets.

In its latest annual report, the retirement system reported about $12.3 billion in assets and about $15.8 billion in total liabilities. Both those figures are all-time highs for the county pension system.

Advertisement

Despite the agreement between the Board of Supervisors and union officials, the pension board in court papers argued that the new category of benefits could result in a higher pension payout than allowed under the Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2012, which would need legislative approval.

This is not simply a difference in semantics, the pension-system lawyers wrote. The two different formulas can result in significantly different benefits.

The County Counsels Office, which represented the county in the litigation, argued that state law did not require a special determination by the legislature to launch the Tier D designation.

Judge Hayes issued her ruling in November. The San Diego County Employees Retirement Association was directed to pay county legal costs of $1,380, including filing fees and other expenses, court records show.

Advertisement

jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald
Four legal claims filed by relatives of Earl McNeil, who died in June following a struggle with National City police, have been rejected by the city, clearing the way for a lawsuit over a controversial death that sparked weeks of protest in the city.

The claims were filed Nov. 26 by Taneka Ellis McNeil, his widow, as well as three other family members. Under state law, governments have 45 days to respond to a claim, and if no formal response is given the claim is deemed denied. That means plaintiffs can then go to court.

The 45 days lapsed earlier this month, said Douglas Applegate, the lawyer representing the family. He said he plans to file a lawsuit against the city soon.

The four identical claims accuse police of excessive force by putting McNeil in a restraint device called The WRAP for more than two hours. During that time, McNeil was in need of immediate medical attention, the claims contend, but police failed to take reasonable action to summon such medical care.

Advertisement

The claims seeks at least $1 million in damages for the death of McNeil.

He died June 11, about two weeks after he got into an altercation with police outside the city police headquarters. McNeil, 40, had shown up there just after dawn, alternately saying he wanted to turn himself in  a warrant had been issued for him for not showing up in court  but also making threats and stating he was high.

Police officers who approached him first put him in handcuffs and then, as McNeil struggled, wrestled him to the ground. They then placed him in The WRAP, a restraint system that is supposed to subdue people while keeping officers and the person safe from harm.

The system wraps the persons legs in a type of blanket, immobilizing the persons lower half. By fashioning a strap on the chest to the ankle, the person can sit upright and breathe.

McNeil was in the device for nearly two hours, and also had a two spit socks over his head. For more than half that time he was in the back of a police vehicle  alone, but monitored periodically by police, authorities said. Eventually he was taken to county jail, but a nurse declined to book him.

Instead, an ambulance was called to take him for a medical and psychological evaluation. But just after the ambulance, arrived McNeil stopped breathing. While paramedics were able to resuscitate him and get him to a hospital, he never regained consciousness, and his family terminated life support two weeks later.

The Medical Examiners Office concluded he died of brain damage caused by respiratory arrest. The combination of being in the Wrap and the spit socks  used because McNeil was repeatedly spitting on police  created a respiratory compromise that the medical examiner said could have led to his heart stopping. An autopsy later showed that McNeil had methamphetamine in his system.

In September, District Attorney Summer Stephan announced that no National City officers, nor a handful of San Diego County sheriffs deputies who were at the jail when McNeil stopped breathing, would face charges in connection with his death. Stephan concluded that McNeils death was not the direct, natural and probable consequence of the actions by the officers or deputies in their encounters with him.

Advertisement

At a news conference, she released excerpts from body camera and security camera videos that captured large portions of the interactions between McNeil and authorities, from the front of police headquarters to inside the station, the back of a police car and finally the basement of the downtown jail.

Applegate said he is still trying to get copies of all videos that captured portions of McNeils encounter with police. We need to see all of the videos they have for that period of time, he said.

He has also asked for detailed information on how officers are trained to use The WRAP and training materials.The device, which has been used for early two decades, has been involved in several deaths since 2001, most concentrated in the Bay Area. Deaths of people in custody where The WRAP was used occurred more than a decade ago in Maryland and Mississippi, according to new reports.

In October, a man died in a confrontation with Chula Vista police after police used pepper spray, a Taser gun and then placed him in The WRAP.

Advertisement

While there have been some lawsuits stemming from deaths of people who were placed in The WRAP, none targeted the device itself, but blamed officers for excessive force. The company said it has never been directly sued or found liable for the cause of any death in the two decades that its product has been used.

Advertisement

Twitter: @gregmoran

greg.moran@sduniontribune.com
Homicide investigators said the 59-year-old man who was gravely injured in a fight at an independent living facility last week died on Sunday.

Philip Muse was involved in an altercation Thursday morning at the facility on Mariposa Place near Ebbs Street in the community of Alta Vista. The incident occurred after Muse assaulted an employee, according to police.

Officers found Muse lying on a rear patio. Police and fire personnel performed life saving measures before he was taken to a local hospital, where he died on Sunday, said police homicide Lt. Anthony Dupree.

Although the incident is being investigated as a suspicious death, Dupree said homicide detectives got involved out of an abundance of caution.

Advertisement

Authorities are asking anyone with information regarding the incident to call the homicide unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

Business

mike.freeman@sduniontribune.com;

Twitter:@TechDiego

760-529-4973
Before they began this year, Kumeyaay elder Virginia Christman led a blessing and prayer of gratitude to the Kumeyaay people on whose land she said thousands of women were about to march.

It wasnt the giant collective roar or call to action of years past, but this years Womens March San Diego was a gentle reminder that women come from all different backgrounds.

To the girls. Please, do not let anyone abuse you, Christman prayed. Please, do not let anyone hurt you.

Twelve-year-olds Farah Jimenez and Ximena Fierro listened intently from the crowd.

Advertisement

Any concerns about fading enthusiasm or controversy at a national level did not overshadow the spirit of thousands in San Diego who danced, rallied and marched together Saturday in the name of womens rights.

At Waterfront Park, the third annual Womens March San Diego focused on inclusion and combating violence against women.

Today, I march for my nieces and for my godchildren and for all the children in my community because they deserve a future filled with opportunities, said keynote speaker Nora Vargas, a governing board member at Southwestern Community College.

San Diego police placed crowd estimates around 20,000, which is down from last years event estimated at 30,000 people.

But the dip in numbers was not reflected by a dip in intensity, many attendees said.

There was all this talk about was there still the enthusiasm from previous years, said Taylor Deal. This was more about the message. But it was just as big as other marches. It was awesome.

Some carried signs advocating for equal pay and abortion rights, while others referred to the #MeToo movement.

1 / 12 Women dance to music at the beginning of the North County Womens March. (Charlie Neuman) 2 / 12 Lead singer Rozz Hopson and the Resizters perform during the Womens March San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 12 People clap their hands to music played by the Resizters. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 12 Recently elected Vista City Council member Corinna Contreras speaks at the North County Womens March at the Oceanside Civic Center Plaza. (Charlie Neuman) 5 / 12 Women who have been recently elected to North County positions, and their male supporters, get recognition at the North County Womens March at the Oceanside Civic Center Plaza. (Charlie Neuman) 6 / 12 Laura Jane Willcock sings a spirited version of Helen Reddys 1971 hit I am Woman at the North County Womens March at the Oceanside Civic Center Plaza. She is a singer for the band The Tighten Ups. (Charlie Neuman) 7 / 12 Marchers carry signs as they walk south on Harbor Drive during the Womens March San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 12 Courtney Cordero carries a sign as she and thousands of other marchers walk south on Harbor Drive during the Womens March San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 12 Thousands of marchers move north on Pacific Highway during the Womens March San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 12 Thousands of marchers move north on Pacific Highway during the Womens March San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 12 A child sits on a mans shoulders as they and thousands of other marchers head north on Pacific Highway during the Womens March San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 12 Anzy Adams, with Women Organized to Resist and Defend, or WORD, speaks into a loudspeaker as she tries to counter a man, background left, who is with a small group anti-abortion protesters and also using a loudspeaker, as marchers reach the finish the Womens March San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Advertisement

One sign read: My arms are tired from holding this sign since the 1960s, reflecting on how long women have been fighting for equal rights.

The march also carried a heavy anti-Trump overtone. A popular sign read: Off with his thumbs, with a picture of President Donald Trump, in reference to the leaders frequent use of Twitter.

At a national level, organizers are facing allegations of anti-Semitism. Organizers for Womens March San Diego said the local group is a completely different organization than the national one with separate finances and different events.

We condemn antisemitism and any form of race or religion-based hate and will continue to work toward a more positive and just future, the local organizers said in a statement about the allegations.

Advertisement

The line-up of speakers reflected the organizers effort at inclusion, and attendees took note.

Speakers included Mejgan Afshan, the advocacy and policy coordinator for the Council on American-Islamic Relations; Priya Bhat-Patel, a newly elected Carlsbad City Council member; Lucero Camarena, a transgender Latina graduate of University of California San Diego; and JoAnn Fields, a co-director for Womens March San Diego who spoke about being a voice for Filipino and Asian Pacific Islanders in the region.

The woman we posses as a transgender woman is just as sacred and just as valid as any of our gender sisters here today, said Camarena to loud cheers. We as transgender and non-binary people have every right to be front and center in this movement. We are stronger together.

Tasha Williamson, founder of the Compassion Project which supports families when they lose a loved one to violence, spoke about the need to avoid exclusion in the womens movement and announced her bid for San Diego mayor.

Advertisement

We need to be sure we arent doing things to exclude people who look like me, said Williamson, a black community leader.

She added: I want to ask each one of you to support black people. ... I also want to say when there is no politician that represents you, become one.

Attendees said the variety of speaker programming was their favorite part of the march.

I like the diversity and the attempt to include different voices because I think an element of the womens movement has been exclusivity lately, but its nice to see so much inclusion, said Brianna Brawley, a UC San Diego student.

Advertisement

Paulina Patino, a 16-year-old from Chula Vista, said her favorite part was learning about how the land belonged to indigenous people.

David Feld, 38, from downtown San Diego, said he was thrilled to see that the national negativity didnt keep any people away.

Earlier in North County, about 1,000 people marched in Oceanside before many boarded trains and buses to participate in the San Diego event.

In her welcoming remarks at the North County Womens March, Oceanside City Councilwoman Esther Sanchez noted that Oceanside still has had only one councilwoman in most of the last 18 years. There is still a lot of work that has to be done and continues to be done.

Advertisement

She congratulated women who had won seats in November to various North County city councils, mirroring a national wave of women recently elected to public office.

We went from only two Latina (city councilmembers) in North County to five, she added. Five!

Encinitas Mayor Catherine Blakespear said on this weekend before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, women across the country are fighting for the same principles of unity King was fighting for. Justice, progress, advocacy, shared humanity, equality for all. And we do not tolerate hate speech, bigotry, white supremacy, racism, misogyny, anti-Semitism, homophobia, Islamophobia, transphobia or any other form of hatred.

There was one dissenter in the crowd, a 62-year-old Oceanside man named Sean Colgan, who carefully wandered through the gathering near the speakers wearing a red Make America Great Again hat, a Trump Motorcycle guy button and carrying a Defund Planned Parenthood sign.

Advertisement

Everywhere he went Colgan was quickly surrounded by women who put their own signs in front of his to block his message, then argued with him.

Colgan said he was spreading his message amidst a contrarian crowd because someone has to stand up for the little itty-bitty human beings they dont mind killing. Today it is me.

A group of anti-abortion protesters also engaged with the San Diego marchers, with brief exchanges yelled back and forth from the protesters perch near Pacific Highway and Ash Street.
As large trucks rumbled early Saturday down the federal coastal highway north of Tapachula, hundreds of Central American migrants converged near an immigration checkpoint, scrambling for rides on mini-buses or cramming into the beds of pickups.

They were exhausted, hungry, thirsty, their feet hurt and the road ahead was far from certain. But here in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, the migrants held onto one thought: keep moving north.

Their presence in Mexico has come as President Andres Manuel Lopez Obradors government has made an unprecedented effort in recent days to extend a cordial and orderly reception to the latest caravan of Central American migrants who have come to the countrys southern border.

For the first time, members of the caravan are being offered one-year humanitarian visas as they enter Mexico, which allow them to live and work anywhere in the country and travel without fear of deportation. Those who might qualify have been invited to apply for refugee status, a longer process that requires more extensive documentation.

Advertisement

By Saturday night, a total of 3,691 migrants, most of them from Honduras, had applied for the humanitarian visas, according to numbers released by the National Migration Institute. But if grateful for Mexicos offer, many say they continue to hope to find a way to the United States.

For hundreds of others who declined to register at the border, the day began well before sun-up at a public park in Tapachula, where they occupied every square inch of space  the flower beds, the main stage, the sidewalks and benches. By 7 a.m., the majority were long gone, leaving behind a pervasive stench of urine and dozens of stragglers on the ground, still sleeping and wrapped in blankets.

Men and women take a brief break to bathe in the river in Tapachula, Mexico. The group were among that illegally crossed into Mexico from Guatemala and heading north. (Nelvin C. Cepeda/U-T)

Human rights officials have estimated their number at more than 1,000, and members of the group have been pressing onward without stopping at the border for the sped-up five-day documentation process being offered to caravan members. Instead, they could be seen stepping briskly by the side of the road early Saturday, like people in a hurry to get somewhere.

The mission is to get to the United States, said Carlos Alfredo Hernandez, 43, a construction worker from San Pedro Sula, who carried a Honduran flag as he walked some 30 miles north of the Mexico-Guatemala border. Earnings here are the same as in Honduras.

Olvin Pena, 43, an electrician also from San Pedro Sula, was traveling with his wife and their three children, ages 9, 6, and 3. They had crossed the Suchiate River Friday by raft, avoiding the port of entry at Ciudad Hidalgo, and had not learned of the possibility that they could be documented.

Carlos Manuel Dubon, 28, was walking alone. A house painter from San Pedro Sula, he fled with his partner after gang members threatened them for their sexual orientation. His partner had found a job waiting tables at a cantina in Ciudad Hidalgo, but Dubon pressed on, saying he hoped to apply for asylum in the United States.

The migrants formed a line that stretched for miles as they walked along on a highway that ran past a lush pastoral landscape where cows and horses grazed. Some stopped to rest under the shade of tall trees, others bathed in the Huehuetan River.

Advertisement

As in last Octobers caravan that brought close to 6,000 migrants to Tijuana, many of those walking were young men, often wearing nothing more than socks and flip-flops on their feet. But there were also many families with young children who walked, slept in strollers, sat on their parents shoulders.

Migrants hesitated as they approached the Huehuetan immigration checkpoint, but nobody was there to stop them from going through  only a pair of officers from the migrant protection unit, Grupo Beta; some state civil protection workers offering water; and health workers offering medical assistance.

Almost all of the estimated 1,000 Central American caravan migrants who arrived on Friday have left the park in downtown Tapachula, Mexico, all that remains are a few migrants to include those who have foot injuries. (Nelvin C. Cepeda/U-T)

Outside convenience stores, gas stations, and the checkpoint where crowds gathered, cries of vamonos, apurense could be heard  Lets go, hurry up.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, Tonatiuh Guillen, Mexicos immigration commissioner, was at the port of entry in Ciudad Hidalgo Saturday. Its a critical situation, were going to try to help them, to repeat our invitation that they do things in the correct manner, he said of the undocumented group that crossed into Mexico after members broke a lock at the small port and invited everyone to pass through.

Guillen said the humanitarian visa offers the migrants security in Mexico. It also opens possibility of obtaining work in the region, with options that are in development, especially for young people, he said, without specifying the projects.

Many migrants continued for the third straight day to wait patiently at the port, resting on Rodolfo Robles Bridge that runs above the Suchiate River that marks the border with Guatemala.

Several of these migrants who applied for the humanitarian visas applauded the measure, even if most say their goal is not to live in Mexico.

Advertisement

Our first idea is to reach the United States, but if we cant, Mexico is offering us this opportunity and were going to take advantage of it, said Anthony Nunez, 21, from the municipality of Choloma in Honduras.

The entry into Mexico of the third large caravan from Central America in less than a year already has drawn the attention of President Donald Trump, who tweeted on Saturday that Mexico is doing NOTHING to stop the Caravan which is now fully formed and heading to the United States.

Hours later, illegal immigration again was the theme of the presidents special address from the White House. He continued to press his demand that Congress authorize for $5.7 billion in funding for a wall along the border with Mexico, offering in return to extend deportation protections for those immigrants known as Dreamers who were brought to the United States illegally as children.

As Trump has called for fortifying the U.S. border, Mexicos new president has stressed the need for more humane treatment of the migrants who enter the countrys southern border. In his campaign, he broached the possibility of employing them in projects such as his proposed Tren Maya, a railroad that would connect cultural and archaeological sites in five southern Mexican states.

Advertisement

But the project has yet to get off the ground. Its unknown where the funds would come from to build the Tren Maya, said Ivan Francisco Porraz Gomez, a researcher at the Colegio de la Frontera Sur in Tapachula.

Despite the expressions of good will toward migrants, there are no conditions in Mexico to receive more people who want to live here, he said. There are no jobs with social security, many of the migrants in Tapachula are working in the informal sector.

sandra.dibble@sduniontribune.com

Twitter @sandradibble
Rhonda Faveros existence has been anything but easy. But it has been manageable, enjoyable even.

Favero suffers from cervical spine degeneration, as well as a disorder that causes her brain tissue to slump into the cavity of her spinal canal, a condition known as Chiari malformation.

The only thing she says that holds the chronic pain at bay, enough for her to work part-time and volunteer, is the opioid treatment shes been on for the past 20 years.

Its a quality of life she is fighting desperately to hold onto.

Advertisement

As the opioid epidemic continues to ravage the country, chronic pain patients like Favero say they have become casualties in the drastic, far-reaching effort to correct the crisis.

For the past year, Faveros doctor has been tapering her opioid dosage little by little  not because he believes she needs it, but because of the immense outside pressure surrounding use of the drug, she said.

I dont think I could live very long with the pain this bad, said Favero, 58, a Hemet resident who is considering quitting her job at a senior center. Its getting even worse with more tapering.

An estimated 25 million Americans live with chronic pain, and those on opioids have become a liability that many doctors would rather not deal with altogether.

Doctors are being scrutinized more than ever for their prescribing practices. There is criticism that one watchdog campaign by the California Medical Board has gone too far.

Many primary care physicians, too nervous to manage long-term treatments and not willing to take the extra time required of these high-maintenance patients, are passing them off onto overburdened pain specialists.

Their doctors are deserting them, wholesale, en masse, said Richard Lawhern, an advocate for the chronic pain community. He added: Theres a real, unintended crisis occurring in the attempt to suppress opioids.

Advertisement

New standards

The severity of the opioid epidemic cant be underestimated.

In 2016, 42,249 people fatally overdosed on opioids  both illicit and prescription, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Most of the death toll was attributed to illicit fentanyl, a potent synthetic heroin that has taken over the street market. It is often disguised in pill form as oxycodone  drug traffickers way of capitalizing on the demand for prescription meds.

Prescription drugs were involved in an estimated 34 percent of the deaths, the CDC reported in 2018. However, the data does not specify how many deaths involved patients who were prescribed the drug, if the drug was obtained illicitly or if it was being abused.

Advertisement

While the origins of the epidemic are complex and still debated, the medical community has admitted its role in liberally prescribing painkillers without true understanding of the risks or effects of the drug.

We cant underdemonize them, Dr. Mark Wallace, chair of the Division of Pain Medicine at UC San Diego Health, said of opioids. We made a mistake back in the early 90s when we opened the door for unlimited opioid use.

The effort to combat the rising fatalities and addiction has been comprehensive, with laws, policy and guidelines touching every corner of the healthcare industry.

At the same time, the medical communitys understanding of opioids has dramatically changed. A growing body of research has led to a general consensus that opioids are not the best treatment for long-term pain  and could be making it worse.

Advertisement

Opioid prescriptions overall have declined in the past few years in California, from around 24.6 million in 2015 to 20 million in 2018, according to data from the state Department Health.

Chronic pain patients point to 2016 as a touchstone moment in what they see as the war against opioids. Thats when the CDC issued new opioid prescribing guidelines, recommending dosages of no more than 90 morphine milligram equivalents, or MME, per day.

The guidelines are more geared toward general practitioners. But the recommendations have been taken as law in many ways, widely shaping medical practice policy and setting limits as to what insurance companies are willing to pay for and major pharmacies are willing to fill.

Advertisement

As a result, many chronic pain patients are being tapered to lower dosages even if they are benefiting from amounts over 90 MME.

Wallace, who has a small number of patients he keeps on long-term opioid treatments, says the hard-line interpretation is troubling and undermines the art of medicine.

You have to look at each patient individually. Its hard, its challenging, especially in this opioid crisis, he said. They dont want us to do that.

Many doctors agree that the 90 MME amount is arbitrary. Theres no real science behind it, said Dr. Jianguo Cheng, a Cleveland-based doctor and president of the American Academy of Pain Medicine.

Advertisement

The CDC stresses that the guidelines are merely recommendations, meant to encourage communication and ensure patients have safer, more effective treatment while also reducing addiction and overdose.

In disseminating the Guideline, CDC continues to emphasize that it is important that patients receive appropriate pain treatment, and that the benefits and risks of treatment options are carefully considered, CDC public health analyst Gabraelle Lane said in a statement to the Union-Tribune.

The guideline figures prominently into a new rule that went into effect Jan. 1 for patients enrolled in Medicares Part D and Advantage drug programs. Opioid prescriptions above 90 MME now trigger an alert to the pharmacist, who must consult with the doctor before filling the order. Insurance companies can also refuse to fill prescriptions over 200 MME.

In 2016, 1.6 million Medicare patients were being maintained on dosages above the 90 MME guideline, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reported.

Advertisement

Addiction vs. dependence

The opioid epidemic has resulted in some tough conversations in doctors offices throughout the country.

Using what they know today about opioids, doctors are having to completely re-evaluate each patients highly individualized basis of pain and treatment.

Theres nothing wrong with engaging, said Dr. Ole Snyder, a family medicine physician and chairman of Scripps Healths Opioid Stewardship Program. No patient should get upset over a potential alternative to opioids, he said, noting the unlikely benefit of high doses of opioids in the long term. That being said, doctors shouldnt cut them off and say good luck.

The middle ground  lower opioid dosages combined with alternative treatments  can be understandably challenging to negotiate.

Advertisement

Tapering opioid dosages too much, too fast can bring more pain and even withdrawal symptoms. Exploring alternate treatments can be a long process, during which the pain may not be adequately treated.

Those patients who are already on them, it is very hard to get them off, Wallace said. Although he notes many patients who have successfully tapered admit they feel better.

Doctors have to make another difficult assessment: Is the patient addicted or dependent? It is sometimes a fine line.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, physical dependence on a drug is when the body adapts to the drug, requiring more to achieve the same effect and causing physical or mental symptoms if suddenly stopped.

Advertisement

Addiction is the compulsive use of a drug, characterized by behavior to try to get the drug despite harm and by an inability to stop.

Many chronic pain patients argue that they are dependent on opioids  its the nature of the drug and to be expected at high doses  but they are not addicted. They follow doctors orders, stick to their prescriptions, dont mix with illicit substances and dont seek a high.

Other times its not so clear.

Its a very complex area, said Wallace. Am I treating an addiction or am I treating pain? Sometimes I come to the conclusion Im treating both.

Advertisement

Wallace said writing an opioid prescription always comes with a little anxiety.

Its not an easy situation. It tears me apart. As a doctor Im always questioning myself: Am I doing the right thing?

Those doctors who do ultimately decide long-term opioid treatment is best are signing up for a lot more work.

Treatment plans and appointments must be intensely documented. Patients must be regularly urine tested for other substances and their prescription drug history checked for red flags of abuse. There are constant battles with insurance companies and pharmacies to pay for and fill prescriptions.

Advertisement

Opioid prescribers should also expect intense scrutiny.

If you compare people on opioids to people without, theres a significant increase in the mortality rate. Thats a good reason to have close monitoring, Cheng said.

A physician who specializes in opioids is going to be a huge problem.

Oversight grows

What, and how much, doctors are prescribing are being watched closer than ever.

Advertisement

An analysis by George Mason University researcher Tony Yang on this issue showed adverse actions against physicians by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration had quadrupled from 2011 to 2014, from 88 to 371 cases, according to a 2017 study published in the American Journal of Medicine.

Robert Harkins, a supervisory DEA agent in San Diego, said doctors shouldnt worry about the ramped-up investigations as long as they can show the prescriptions were for legitimate medical needs.

Its a very honest assessment, he said.

In California, much of the scrutiny is coming from the state Medical Board.

Advertisement

Rather than wait for complaints to come in, the licensing board decided to root out dangerous prescribing practices on its own by launching the Death Certificate Project.

In 2015, the board obtained data on all prescription drug deaths for 2012 and 2013  a total of nearly 2,700 cases. It then identified the prescribers by looking at the statewide prescription drug monitoring database, called CURES.

More than 450 prescribers came under initial suspicion. They received stern letters from the board that a complaint had been filed against them.

The doctors were interviewed, their summaries of care and treatment requested for review. The next of kin of the overdose victims were contacted for their cooperation and permission to view medical files.

Advertisement

Most of the investigations closed out favorably to the doctors, although the experience left a chilling effect on many.

In a December letter to the board, Kelly Pfeifer, a California Health Care Foundation director, said there is growing concern that the letters are causing harm and could worsen a shortage of providers willing to deal with patients reliant on high dosages of opioids.

I have had conversations with several physicians who report they have changed their prescribing practice, to the detriment of patient care, either from receiving a letter or knowing someone who has, she wrote. She has asked the medical board to re-evaluate its project, which was first reported by MedPage Today.

The medical board has defended its proactive approach, pointing to pain prescribing guidelines that the board put in place in 2012 and 2014 that doctors should be following and are now being held to.

Advertisement

The Board is a consumer protection, licensing and regulatory agency, said agency spokesman Carlos Villatoro, and this is its highest priority.

So far, the project has resulted in formal accusations against 23 doctors  including six in San Diego County  filed by the state Attorney Generals Office. Only three cases have been resolved: one doctor agreed to a public reprimand, one to probation, and one was charged with a felony in state court and his medical practice put on probation for seven years after a brief suspension.

One of the doctors administratively charged is Dr. Bradley Chesler, a pain management specialist in Escondido. He is accused of negligence and excessive prescribing to five patients, including one who fatally overdosed with alcohol and a cocktail of prescription medications in his system.

Cheslers attorney, David Rosenberg, declined to comment on the case because it is still ongoing. But hes had many clients in similar positions.

Advertisement

The vast majority of them are trying to do whats best for their patients, the lawyer said.

When it becomes clear that patients arent following their medication program, Rosenberg explained, doctors are faced with a question: continue to work with the patients, or get rid of them?

The American Medical Association tells you dont abandon your patients. They will turn to fentanyl or heroin and wind up dead or commit suicide or be in a very bad place, Rosenberg said. These are a very challenging group of patients that need incredible skill and judgement on the part of the pain management doctor.

Favero, the Hemet woman dealing with spinal issues, is one of Cheslers patients.

Advertisement

She said the oversight has had a chilling effect, resulting in the tapering of her opioid treatment.

I was one of those people, Im not going to take any pills, Favero explained of her early struggles to treat her conditions. She said she tried many other therapies that didnt work. I just didnt have any more alternatives.

Shes been put on palliative care  a status for the seriously ill, with less rigid prescribing guidelines  but its still been difficult to find a doctor to take her on full-time.

Id like to see some of these people  Favero faltered. They wouldnt be able to live a day in my shoes.

Advertisement

A lifeline on the line

For many physicians, dealing with pain patients has just become too complicated and fraught with too much risk.

Some family or primary care physicians have completely stopped seeing patients with chronic pain, said Cheng. Some are going to three, four, five doctors to try to find a pain management specialist who will take care of them.

In some cases, the refusal to treat pain has ended in suicide.

A 2018 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggest suicide among chronic pain patients has grown from 7 percent in 2003 to 10 percent in 2014  an amount that is likely underestimated. Researchers noted that the percentage of people suffering from chronic pain also rose during this period.

Advertisement

It is a difficult subject to research, given the lack of suicide notes in many cases and the anxiety and depression that can accompany chronic pain. More than two-thirds of the suicide notes that were reviewed mentioned pain as a factor.

Suicidal thoughts are not uncommon among this population, pain patients say.

Theres some points where its so bad, I look at my spouse  I just dont even know if its worth it anymore. I just hurt, said Elizabeth, an editor who has been dealing with chronic pain for a few years. She does not want to be identified by her full name for fear of retaliation. I feel like Im making the people around me miserable, Im miserable.

Elizabeth traces her chronic pain to her days as a 20-something Air Force radio technician.

Advertisement

She had been helping a co-worker fuel a cargo plane when her boots slipped on the aircrafts icy metal interior. Her head struck the bottom frame of the open doorway before she plummeted 15 feet to the ground below.

She nursed a concussion in the hospital for a week.

Life went on, the 63-year-old San Diego County resident said. Now, 40 years later, that has started to come back and haunt me.

Three discs in her neck are deteriorating. It causes severe neck and shoulder pain, and what she describes as bizarre shots of electricity going through her head, mostly focused behind her right eye.

Advertisement

Everything my doctors have asked me to do, Ive done, she said of alternative therapies. Surgery, nerve blocks and Botox treatments have all helped somewhat. But its her medication that she says offers the best relief: gabapentin for the nerve pain; Soma, a muscle relaxant; and hydrocodone, an opioid painkiller.

It provides me the ability to not focus on my headache, but to be able to focus on my work, she said.

Its a constant battle with her doctor to stay on the medication. But her doctors discomfort with continuing to prescribe an opioid painkiller is outweighed by sympathy  for now, Elizabeth said.

To me, its my lifeline. Its my thread to be able to live a normal life, she explained.

Advertisement

If I wasnt able to do that, I just dont know where Id be or what Id be doing.

Dont Punish Pain rally

What: The chronic pain community will rally in cities nationwide, calling on legislators to protect legitimate opioid treatment

When: 11 a.m. Jan. 29

Where: County Administration Center, Waterfront Park, 1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego

Advertisement

Info: dontpunishpainrally.com

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @kristinadavis
The lead San Diego Sheriffs detective assigned to look into the disappearance of the McStay family of Fallbrook nine years ago took the stand last week in the trial of the man now accused of killing them.

He was among a handful of prosecution witnesses to testify in the trial  expected to last months  which on Thursday had marked the end of its second week.

The case against defendant Charles Chase Merritt is being heard in San Bernardino County, where the McStay familys remains were found in 2013.

The 61-year-old Riverside County man is charged in Superior Court with four counts of murder in the deaths of his business associate Joseph McStay, as well as McStays wife and their two young children.

Advertisement

McStay sold water features and often hired Merritt to build them.

Joseph, 40, and Summer McStay, 43, were last heard from on Feb. 4, 2010, less than three months after they moved into a home in Fallbrook.

They and sons Gianni, 4, and Joey, Jr., 3, were found dead in November 2013, buried in two shallow graves in the desert near Victorville.

Merritt was arrested and charged a year later. He has pleaded not guilty.

So far, the jury has heard from several people, including Joseph McStays brother and mother, and a friend who had been helping the family remodel the Fallbrook home days before they disappeared.

The jury also heard from San Diego sheriffs homicide Detective Troy Dugal, who spoke about the evidence he had  and didnt have  during his time leading the investigation.

Charles Chase Merritt, 61, left, with attorney Rajan Maline, awaiting opening statements in his trial on Jan. 7. Merritt is accused of killing Joseph and Summer McStay and their two sons, ages 3 and 4, and burying their bodies in the desert in 2010. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Dugal was assigned the missing-persons case in mid-February 2010, less than two weeks after the family vanished.

Advertisement

The Union-Tribune has monitored the trial by watching livestream coverage from Law & Crime, a website specializing in live trial coverage. The site plans to carry the case gavel to gavel.

During cross examination by defense attorney Rajan Maline, Dugal explained what led him to suspect foul play.

As I dug deeper and deeper, more and more, it kept pointing to this isnt normal, he testified.

Dugal told Maline that the out-of-character nature of the disappearance was really all I had in terms of evidence to suspect something was amiss.

Advertisement

There was no smoking gun, he said.

Maline also asked about a report Dugal wrote in which he claimed he did not find evidence that a crime had occurred in the familys home.

I still state that to this moment, Dugal said.

Under the prosecution theory of the case, the McStay family was killed in the Fallbrook home, then taken to the desert for burial.

Advertisement

The defense argues that no blood was found in the home. They maintain that the family was killed in the desert, and that nothing links Merritt to their deaths.

Dugal said he decided to seek a search warrant to enter the home  he had no legal right to be there without one  and that he told the McStays extended family members not to disturb the house.

He also said he did not give Joseph McStays mother permission to clean the home  she had gone in and tossed out old food and other items before detectives could do a thorough search.

She called me while she was in the house, while she was cleaning , Dugal testified on cross examination by Merritts attorneys. I told her to stop it.

Advertisement

Authorities eventually suspected the family had intentionally traveled into Mexico  their car was found near San Ysidro  and the case was transferred to the FBI in early 2013.

Then in November 2013, a dirtbike rider came across the familys remains near Victorville, and San Bernardino sheriffs detectives took over the investigation.

To watch the trial livestream, go to lawandcrime.com, which has been in the courtroom every day since opening statements in Merritts trial on Jan. 7.

Law & Crime executive trial producer Cathy Russon said high interest in the case led to the decision to livestream the trial.

Advertisement

The fact that that two little kids were murdered with their parents makes it compelling, she said, also noting that the family had been missing for years. There are so many parts of this trial that people were interested in.

Aside from the live coverage, Russon has been tweeting notable testimony and other moments from the trial.

Trial proceedings will generally take place Mondays through Thursdays (although this Monday is a holiday), and could run through April or beyond.

To watch the livestream, or to learn about other platforms where coverage can be seen, go to lawandcrime.com.

Advertisement

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

(760) 529-4945

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT
Daniel Rodriguez Perdomo endured cold, hunger, sickness, fear and loneliness as he joined thousands of Central Americans who made their way to the Tijuana-San Diego border last fall.

But even with cousins in Tijuana and a job at a car wash, the 24-year-old migrant went back to Honduras last week, unwilling to stay in Mexico and abandoning any immediate hopes of crossing to the United States.

I feel so alone here, I miss my family, my friends, I dont feel good, he said as he prepared to go back to San Pedro Sula, part of a group of three dozen Central Americans traveling from Tijuana back to their countries under a program run by the International Organization for Migration.

As thousands of Central American migrants continue to move north in the third large caravan in less than a year, a smaller but steady flow has been going in the opposite direction.

Advertisement

Even after making the arduous journey to Baja California, close to 1,300 members of the group of some 6,000 migrants who arrived in the state last fall have returned, said Rodulfo Figueroa, who heads the Baja California office of Mexicos National Migration Institute. The great majority, more than 90 percent, have done so voluntarily, he said.

The largest numbers have gone back after turning themselves over to the Mexican government. But a smaller group has received assistance from the International Organization for Migration, under a program financed by the U.S. Department of States Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration.

Through Jan. 15, the IOMs Mexico office had carried out 520 assisted returns, with 127 of them from Tijuana.

Most first came into contact with the IOM at El Barretal, the provisional shelter run by the Mexican federal government in eastern Tijuana. Before they were accepted, they were interviewed to ensure they do not face danger back home. They also needed travel documents from their home countries, and documentation from Mexican authorities.

Some people have come to the realization that this did not meet their expectation, or perhaps they have a family situation that calls them back home, said Christopher Gascon, who heads the IOMs office in Mexico City.

The migrants are not simply sent back, but given support on the journey, including meals and psychological assistance.

They are fully accompanied all the way through, Gascon said. By traveling with the IOM, one of the big differences is that there is no detention, no presence in a migratory station, he said.

Daniel Rodriguez from Honduras passes the time at the Desayunador Salesiano Padre Chava shelter in Tijuana as he prepares to return home. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Advertisement

Nelson Jesus Ceballo, 18, said he joined last Octobers caravan in hopes of finding work in the United States and sending money home to his mother and four siblings in the Copan region of Honduras.

That was the dream, but things got complicated, he said. Like many, he realized that crossing to the United States would not be easy. The final straw came New Years Day, he said, when a group of some 150 migrants urged on by U.S. activists rushed the border fence and were met with tear gas.

They sent the gas toward all of us, even children, he said. I didnt like it, I told my cousin that I dont want to cross here.

Ceballo was among the latest IOM group made up of 32 men and three women who boarded an Aeromexico flight late Monday from Tijuana, arriving hours later in Tapachula in southern Mexico near the Guatemalan border. From there, they took land transportation to their final destinations in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. By Thursday, all were all safely back home.

Advertisement

On the day of their departure, their bags bulged with donated clothes to take home. As a steady rain fell outside the Padre Chava shelter near the U.S. border fence, they hungrily down plates of rice and beef  their last warm meal before the journey home. Their feelings ranged from anger to sadness to resignation at the prospect of returning to the places they had fled. Some said they felt a measure of relief.

While many caravan members have said they fear for their lives back in their countries, members of this group said it was poverty and lack of opportunity that drove them out.

Rodriguez was living with his father in Rivera Hernandez, a high-crime area of San Pedro Sula, but said he had managed to stay out from the grip of gangs. He had a job at a t-shirt factory, where he earned 1500 lempiras a week, just over $61.

A cousin urged him to join the caravan. People told me that crossing would be easy, he said. For ten days, I was thinking and thinking and thinking, and when the moment came, I didnt want to go, but my cousin said, well help you, well cross together, he said. But then I saw it wasnt so.

Advertisement

Luis Enrique Rodriguez, a 36-year-old laborer from Guatemala, said he had been thinking for years of working in the United States. Id see people coming from there build their houses and purchase their own land, he said. And I dont have my own house or my own land.

On the journey to the border there was a moment I thought I couldnt go on, he said. But at no moment did I think of going back.

But once at the border, he realized how difficult it would be to make it across. He said tried three times to cross through an opening in the border fence in eastern Tijuana. The moment he stepped across, he was met with U.S. Border Patrol agents and U.S. soldiers, he said. No America, no America, they shouted, and he stepped back into Mexico.

Members of this weeks return group ranged in age from 18 to 64. Several had previously lived in the United States, and some had been deported. But many said this had been their first time leaving their countries.

Advertisement

Noe Canas, a 35-year-old bus driver from the La Paz region of El Salvador, was away from home for the first time.

His put his name on a list of asylum seekers at the U.S border, but he knows he has little chance of obtaining the protected status. The two times he tried to jump the border he said, he was caught by U.S. Border Patrol agents. They found me and brought me to the wall, raised a ladder, and told me to go back, he said.

Im returning, exposed to Gods will, said Canas, a divorced father of two. I dont want to cross, and end up locked up for months. I came to work, and if thats not possible, then Ill go back, poor, and see what I can do.

Yojana Cruz, 19, said she was eager to go back. Honduras is not the best country in the world, there are no jobs, there are gangs, but its my country, she said. She hoped to continue studying, perhaps find a job as an engineer. Im going to find a way in my country, she said.

Advertisement

But others said they saw no hope back home, and were determined to leave. There is so much corruption in my country, said Giovanni Sosa, a heavy equipment operator who once lived in Houston. If the United States is not an option, then anywhere at all, Canada, China, wherever, he said.

Victor Manuel Balderramos, 18, was smiling broadly, happy to return to see his mother again, and hoping to resume his studies. But his 50-year-old father, a farmer in the Olancho region, who has the same name as his son, said he was he plans to try again.

Im going to come back, but not here, maybe through another border, maybe through Monterrey, he said.

sandra.dibble@sduniontribune.com

Advertisement

@sandradibble
In their new book My Dear Hamilton, Laura Kamoie and co-author Stephanie Dray have painted a different picture of Elizabeth Eliza Hamilton, wife of Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of the United States.

Eliza is most typically characterized as being sweet, saintly, loyal and reserved  a wallflower personality, said Kamoie, a best-selling author. But we found something entirely different in our research on her in that she could be a fiery patriot and, when necessary, a fierce grudge holder.

This characterization, Kamoie said, came in part from a letter we discovered in the New York Historical Society, in which her older sister Angelica was mad at someone and believed they needed a dressing down, and that her younger sister Eliza was the perfect one to do it, because you know how Mrs. Hamilton can be. 

My Dear Hamilton covers Elizabeth Hamiltons adventurous life, which was dedicated to family and charity work. Many of her friends were the elite of American history, and she was a casualty of the nations first sex scandal.

Advertisement

Kamoie  who has taught at the U.S. Naval Academy and holds a doctoral degree in early American history  has two non-fiction books on Colonial America. She has also written under the name of Laura Kaye, with more than 35 books.

Kamoie  who lives in Annapolis, Maryland, with her husband and two daughters  will be in Carlsbad on Saturday, Jan. 26, for Books and Bingo, an event sponsored by Adventures by the Book and the Carlsbad Library. It will feature 13 authors. Keynote and opening speakers are Kamoie and Melanie Benjamin, the New York Times best-selling author of The Girls in the Picture. Books will be available for sale and signing. Seating is limited.

Q: What fascinates you about Eliza Hamilton?

A: As a historian, Eliza Hamilton fascinated me as one of many people, particularly women, who made important but little-known contributions to the founding of our country. Chapter one of My Dear Hamilton opens, I was someone before I met Alexander Hamilton. And that was true. Eliza was 23 years old when she married Alexander. She was a patriot in her own right, having grown up on the frontier of western New York as the daughter of the general of the Northern Army. She even worked to get Alexander to intervene in the execution of British spymaster John Andre, with whom she was friendly  and she did this before she and Alexander were even married. All of that has been little recognized, to the extent that Elizas biographers usually attribute little significance to her; she has no biography of her own that covers the entirety of her whole life.

Q: What surprised Eliza about Alexander Hamiltons ambitions?

A: As the daughter of a general, Im not sure that Eliza Hamilton was necessarily surprised by Alexanders ambitions. In fact, he joked that if he were to quit his post in the Revolutionary War that she might disapprove or even dump him. He called her his Portia, which was a reference to a Roman matron who was famous for her patriotism. Its quite likely, however, that she was challenged by how little government service paid. It was her cast to make the families resources stretch, often leading her to borrow from her parents or accept gifts from them  things that she sometimes kept secret from Alexander. In what we believe is a new and unique characterization of Eliza, we very much believe that their marriage was a partnership  which is demonstrated in the fact that a few of his most famous documents are written in her handwriting, or there is other evidence that she was involved.

Q: What were the two biggest obstacles that Eliza Hamilton faced during her lifetime? Did she overcome them?

A: The single biggest obstacle that she faced during her lifetime was the death of her husband in 1804. Not only was it a huge emotional blow for her and her children, but unbeknownst to her, he died $55,000 in debt, leaving the family destitute. Eliza was at the mercy of the estates executors, friends and family and ended up having to sell the house that they built at the end of his life, the Grange in Harlem, New York City. She lived much of the rest of her life with her older children.

Advertisement

A second obstacle she faced  and a surprising one, again after Alexanders death  was their former political allies in his Federalist Party. Eliza worked during the 50 years after his death to build and protect his legacy and to create one of her own  and that ran counter to what the Federalists wished to do. After 1800, the Federalist Party lost one election after another. Some believed that it was due to their association with Alexander Hamilton, the man who had a marital affair and wrote a book about it  the Reynolds Pamphlet, which was 90-plus pages long  and so they wished to downplay their connection to him. They knew Eliza wanted to have a biography published about her husband. In it, she would certainly mention his authorship of George Washingtons farewell address from the presidency, then a famous political document. They didnt want that authorship known, so former friends of theirs actually stole the papers from Elizas estate that proved Alexanders authorship, and she ultimately had to go to court to get them back. In the end, she prevailed.

Q: Were the Burrs and Hamiltons friends at one time?

A: Yes! When the two couples moved to New York City, they lived close enough that they were in and out of one anothers houses frequently, and their children played together. There isnt a lot of source material about the specific relationship between Eliza Hamilton and Theodosia Burr, but they seemed to have remained close at least until the point that their husbands began to have increasing political differences.

Q: Did Eliza Hamiltons friendship with Martha Washington change over time?

Advertisement

A: Eliza seems to have very much viewed Martha Washington as a role model, first meeting her in Morristown before Eliza married, and then working at her side at New Windsor, New York, during the armys 1780-1781 winter encampment. After George Washington became president, Martha and Eliza were in the same political and social world of New York City, often socializing together. After George Washington left the presidency, they remained in correspondence. The Washingtons remained allies of the Hamiltons even after Alexander Hamiltons infidelity scandal, during which the Washingtons famously sent them a silver wine caddy engraved with a note of friendship. Its now at the Hamilton Grange National Memorial in New York City, if I recall correctly.

Q: Please describe Eliza Hamiltons charity work.

A: Eliza Hamilton was engaged in charity work the whole of their marriage, and that continued after Alexanders death. She most famously co-founded the Orphan Asylum Society in 1806, precursor of todays Graham Wyndham, which created New York Citys first private orphanage. She was affiliated with that organization for over 30 years, doing every kind of work on its behalf and finally becoming its first directress. She was also engaged in similar charity work on behalf of the African Free School, founded by Alexander Hamiltons New York Manumission Society, a school that provided education to free African-American children in New York City. She also famously raised money for the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., which allowed them to finally break ground and begin construction.

Q: Who were Eliza Hamiltons enemies?

Advertisement

A: Her most obvious enemy was Aaron Burr, though they seem to have seen each other only once after the duel. But within weeks of Alexander Hamiltons death, she was waging almost a public relations campaign against him, telling the story of how he went to breakfast after the duel and appeared as though he hadnt a care in the world.

There were also political enemies among the Jeffersonian Republicans, of whom James Monroe was one. As one of Alexander Hamiltons war buddies, Eliza seems to have had a long friendship with Monroe until he was likely involved in leaking the papers that proved Alexander Hamiltons affair with Maria Reynolds. Monroes role in that was something that Eliza Hamilton never forgave, leading to their famous March 1825 confrontation at which she told the former president she only wanted to hear an apology from him, and if he wasnt there to offer one he could leave  a confrontation we used to frame our novel.

Q: What are the advantages of being a co-author instead of writing your own book? What are your complementary strengths with Stephanie Dray?

A: Stephanie Dray and I both say that we have found one of the most dynamic professional relationships of our lives, and thats really true. The advantages for us in having a co-author have been not just sharing the workload, but the dynamic exchange of ideas that makes what both of us come up with even stronger. She is especially strong at structure and theme, and my strengths include emotion and choreography within a scene. So, were able to layer all these in a way that really creates something exciting and compelling.

Advertisement

My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie, William Morrow Paperbacks, 672 pages.

Books and Bingo, featuring Laura Kamoie and Melanie Benjamin

When: 1 p.m Jan. 26 (doors open at 12:30 p.m.)

Where: Hosted by Adventures by the Book in partnership with the Carlsbad City Library, 1775 Dove Lane, Carlsbad.

Tickets: Free, but seating is limited

Advertisement

Phone: (760) 602-2024

Online: adventuresbythebook.com
I was saddened to learn that after 22 years there would be no more Logan Jenkins column. As a huge fan, Id like to think some of his writing skills have rubbed off on me. I just assumed once he retired as a staff member and became a freelance writer, wed have his offerings in perpetuity.

When youre self-employed and have the opportunity to write from home and at your leisure, why would you ever want to stop? I know thats how I feel as a freelance writer myself. I will be eternally grateful to The San Diego Union-Tribune for giving me the opportunity to live out what has always been a dream, the chance to work in my underwear.

So it was a shock to hear about Logans retirement. His announcement, sadly, came at the very same time my doctor told me I was allergic to dairy. So not just the Union-Tribune with no Logan, but pizza without cheese.

When I first started reading Logans columns, I recognized instantly that he was a fabulous writer. I knew that instinctively and because I couldnt understand half the things he wrote. Words, musings, analysis, all way over my head.

Advertisement

But I knew Id have to get on board because everyone was talking about him. Did you read Logan? theyd ask, and then commence discussing his latest offerings. Not wanting to be left out, I made a greater effort to understand him.

It took only four tools: A dictionary, Internet access, my wife, and a mai tai.

What does Deus ex machina mean? I queried upon reading a recent Jenkins column.

Its Latin, my wife replied.

Latin? I squawked. I cant understand the English and now hes writing in Latin?

Shed translate and Id continue reading.

He reminds me of Shakespeare, I said to my wife.

What a fabulous compliment, she replied, equating Logans work with the greatest of all writers.

Advertisement

I cant understand him either, I moaned.

I recounted the time in high school when we had to read Romeo and Juliet. I could hardly get past two pages and a written report was due. But by a stroke of incredible luck, the movie happened to come out just then.

And so I wrote what I thought was an outstanding essay. But sadly, the teacher didnt agree, writing in bold text under the letter F: NO, THE FEUDING FAMILIES WERE NOT KNOWN AS THE SHARKS AND THE JETS.

If there is any good news about Logans retirement, it would be the fact that Im now reading the paper without my wife. She says that silly criterion I use for judging the quality of a mans work, namely the notion suggesting the less I comprehend the better the writer must be, is not only absurd but a testament to my ignorance.

Advertisement

For me, however, it remains the gold standard. Its what encourages me to reach beyond the genius of a Shakespeare or even a Jenkins, and look forward to a time no one will understand a single word Im saying.

Contact humor columnist Irv Erdos at IrvErdos@aol.com.
CITY COUNCILS

CARLSBAD

The Carlsbad City Council will meet in special closed session to discuss litigation at 4 p.m. Tuesday in council chambers, 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive.

ENCINITAS

Advertisement

The Encinitas City Council has canceled its meeting scheduled for Wednesday.

Learn more about the citys Accessory Dwelling Unit (granny flat) program at a Housing for Generations ADU workshop from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday in the Poinsettia Room at City Hall, 505 S. Vulcan Ave. City staff and the Permit-Ready ADU architects will present information about the citys ADU Program, PRADU program, new ordinances, and SB 1226, which affects ADUs. A second open house and Housing for Generations ADU workshop will be held from 4-7 p.m. Jan. 28 in the Community Room, Encinitas Library, 540 Cornish Drive. Visit www.encinitasca.gov/ADU; email planning@encinitasca.gov or phone (760) 633-2710.

ESCONDIDO

The Escondido City Council will meet in closed session to discuss litigation and property negotiations at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in council chambers, 201 N. Broadway. In open session at 4:30 p.m., the council will review the 2017-2018 Council Action Plan and discuss the status of various items within it. The board will also consider a request to approve a resolution to oppose offshore oil drilling in southern California coastal waters.

OCEANSIDE

The Oceanside City Council will meet in closed session to discuss litigation at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at City Council Chambers, 300 N. Coast Highway. In regular session at 5 p.m., the council will consider a request to put together a plan for a short-term vacation rental program. The council will also hear a five-year financial forecast, and a request to hire a consulting assistant for the Oceanside Police Departments Crimes of Violence unit.

The Oceanside City Council is seeking applicants to fill its vacant City Clerk position. The person appointed will hold office until the term expires in December 2020. Applications are at ci.oceanside.ca.us/gov/clerk/default.asp and are due to the City Clerks Office no later than 4 p.m. Wednesday.

SAN MARCOS

Advertisement

The San Marcos City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 1 Civic Center Drive, when it will review its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ended June 30. The council will consider a resolution authorizing foreclosure on property owners who are delinquent in the payment of Community Facilities District special taxes. Several resolutions annexing property to various community facilities districts will also be considered. The council will also introduce an ordinance amending the existing regulations governing tobacco and smoking; cannabis use by persons under 21 years of age and social host obligations; and responsible alcohol sales, service and delivery training.

SOLANA BEACH

The Solana Beach City Council will meet in closed session to discuss litigation at 5 p.m. Wednesday in City Council Chambers, 635 S. Highway 101. In regular session at 6 p.m., the board will review the citys Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018. The board will also make its 2019 annual citizen commission appointments, and introduce an ordinance amending the city code to include an insignia for the Solana Energy Alliance.

VISTA

Advertisement

The Vista City Council will meet in closed session to discuss litigation at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in City Council Chambers, 200 Civic Center Drive. In regular session at 5:30 p.m., the council will discuss applications for medical cannabis dispensary business permits, and the extension of a moratorium on marijuana-related uses other than those permitted by Measure Z.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS

CARLSBAD

The Carlsbad Unified School District board is scheduled to meet in closed session to discuss litigation and property negotiations at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the district office, 6225 El Camino Real. In regular session at 6 p.m., these Phase 1 projects financed through Measure HH will be presented for feedback: fencing projects at Calavera Hills Elementary, Calavera Hills Middle, Hope Elementary, Pacific Rim Elementary, Poinsettia Elementary, Valley Middle and Carlsbad High School; security camera installation at all elementary and middle school campuses; relocatable installation (also known as semi-permanent facilities) at Poinsettia Elementary; STEAM Lab installation at Buena Vista, Kelly, Hope, Magnolia, Pacific Rim, and Poinsettia elementary schools. The board will also hear a midyear report on the Local Control and Accountability Plan.

Advertisement

DEL MAR

The Del Mar Union School District board is scheduled to meet in closed session at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday at the district office, 11232 El Camino Real, San Diego, and in regular session at 5:45 p.m.

FALLBROOK

The Fallbrook Union Elementary School District board will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday in Room 106 of the district office, 321 N. Iowa St. Draft maps for the transition to by-district trustee elections will be discussed.

Advertisement

OCEANSIDE

The Oceanside Unified School District board is scheduled to meet in closed session to discuss litigation, personnel, student discipline and labor negotiations at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the district office, 2111 Mission Ave. In regular session at 6 p.m., the board will hear a report from the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee and will receive its Independent Audit Report for 2017-2018.

RAMONA

The Ramona Unified School District board is scheduled to meet in closed session to discuss labor negotiations and litigation at 6 p.m. Thursday at the district office, 720 Ninth St. In regular session at 7 p.m. the board will hear a report on its Local Control and Accountability Plan.

Advertisement

SAN MARCOS

The San Marcos Unified School District is seeking applications from interested residents within the school districts boundaries to fill the balance of a four-year term on the board, which will be up for election in November 2020. A vacancy resulted after trustee Randy Walton was elected to the City Council. The appointment is expected to be filled immediately after interviews are conducted at a special meeting on Jan. 28. Applications are available at smusd.org or by contacting the Superintendents Office at (760) 752-1299. Applicants must be residents and registered voters of the school district and Trustee Area B. Application materials must be received by Tuesday.

Advertisement

laura.groch@sduniontribune.com
KINSHASA, Congo (AP)  Congo is on the brink of its first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since independence in 1960 after the Constitutional Court on Sunday confirmed the presidential election victory of Felix Tshisekedi, although questions remain about the result.

Tshisekedi, son of the late, charismatic opposition leader Etienne, is to be inaugurated on Tuesday.

Congo's 80 million people did not appear to heed runner-up Martin Fayulu's call for non-violent protests, and African neighbors began offering congratulations.

Shortly after the pre-dawn court declaration, opposition leader Tshisekedi said the court's decision to reject claims of electoral fraud and declare him president was a victory for the entire country.

"It is Congo that won," Tshisekedi said, speaking to supporters. "The Congo that we are going to form will not be a Congo of division, hatred or tribalism. It will be a reconciled Congo, a strong Congo that will be focused on development, peace and security."

Supporters of his UDPS party celebrated in the streets of Kinshasa.

The largely untested Tshisekedi faces a government dominated by Kabila's ruling party, which won a majority in legislative and provincial elections. The new National Assembly will be installed on Jan. 26.

However, Tshisekedi's victory was rejcted by rival opposition candidate Fayulu, who declared that he is Congo's "only legitimate president" and called for the Congolese people to peacefully protest against a "constitutional coup d'etat." If Fayulu succeeds in launching widespread protests it could keep the country in a political crisis that has simmered since the Dec. 30 elections.

The court turned away Fayulu's request for a recount, affirming Tshisekedi won with more than 7 million votes, or 38 percent, and Fayulu received 34 percent.

The court said Fayulu offered no proof to back his assertions that he had won easily based on leaked data attributed the electoral commission. It also called unfounded another challenge that objected to the commission's last-minute decision to bar some 1 million voters over a deadly Ebola virus outbreak.

Outside the court, Fayulu and his supporters have alleged an extraordinary backroom deal by outgoing President Joseph Kabila to rig the vote in favor of Tshisekedi when the ruling party's candidate did poorly.

"It's a secret for no one inside or outside of our country that you have elected me president," with 60 percent of the votes, Fayulu said. He urged the Congolese people and international community to not recognize Tshisekedi as president.

Congo's government called Fayulu's statements "a shame."

"We consider it an irresponsible statement that is highly politically immature," spokesman Lambert Mende told The Associated Press.

Many worried that the court's rejection of Fayulu's appeal could lead to more instability in a nation that already suffers from rebels, communal violence and the Ebola outbreak.

"It might produce some demonstrations, but it won't be as intense as it was in 2017 and 2018," when Congolese pushed for Kabila to step aside during two years of election delays, said Andrew Edward Tchie, research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

The African Union said it had "postponed" its urgent mission to Congo planned for Monday after it noted "serious doubts" about the vote and made an unprecedented request for Congo to delay the final results.

Some neighbors, notably Rwanda, worried about violence spilling across borders from Congo, a country rich in the minerals key to smartphones around the world.

The AU statement notably did not name or congratulate Tshisekedi, merely taking note of the court's decision. It called "all concerned to work for the preservation of peace and stability and the promotion of national harmony."

A number of African leaders congratulated Tshisekedi, including the presidents of South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi. The 16-nation Southern African Development Community, after wavering in recent days with support for a recount, called on all Congolese to accept the vote's outcome.

Tanzanian President John Magufuli, in a post on Twitter, said that "I beseech you to maintain peace."
The Assembly of God Church of Samoa in Australia superintendent, Pastor Taeauga Ropati Frost, has criticised Samoas current minimum wage and described it as a joke.

Pastor Frost, who is originally from Iva Savaii and is now ministering in Australia, said the starting rate of $2.30 tala is too low for working Samoans.

What they are paying our people are peanuts  it is way too low, he said, and also blamed it for the increase in prostitution.

Thats why a lot of young girls are being prostituted in this country because of no money. They cant live on $2.30 an hour. It should be $8 to $10 an hour. These people need money to survive in the first place, he said.

Kids in high school working at McDonalds in Australia start at a rate of $13 an hour and our people are starting off with $2.30? Its a joke! For young people to get just $2.30 an hour, I do not like it. We need to give our young people a fair go at life to develop themselves and how do we do that? We give them money to start with.

Young Samoans are being mistreated by the Government by paying them low wages, added Pastor Frost, who said it was sad to see them being treated that way.

My wife and I go to hotels and we ask the kids who work there how much they get paid and its not much at all. They should really change that.

The refusal by some church ministers to pay taxes to Government also came under scrutiny with Pastor Frost saying everyone should pay tax.

The trouble is because ministers of religion are refusing to pay tax, their starting pay when they go into a village is about $3000-$5000 a week and they refuse to pay tax? And yet they have cars to fill up the road and such? Our country needs everyone to contribute, our economy needs to expand, that way everyone gets a fair share of everything.
An economics professor says ideally, minimum wages should be calculated, according to the gross domestic product (G.D.P.) of a country.

The professor, who would rather not be named when discussing the issue, said everyone deserves a share of Samoas earnings and this can be done by looking at the countrys G.D.P per capita.

With a G.D.P of over $2 billion tala, a fair minimum wage could look more like T$5.40, according to the professors theory.

Suppose that per person that is your share of the wealth of the nation, he said.

That is how economists look at it.

Samoas GDP is T$2,232 billion, according to the World Bank, with a population of 196,440 (in 2017). If everyone was paid their share of the wealth, they would earn T$11,362 per annum, or $5.40 per hour.

Im talking about how we arrive at an acceptable minimum wage, added the professor.

There is a political intervention that controls it but if we use the economy, the figures we have without a political arm then the minimum wage should be between 3 and 5 tala, he estimated (from a rounded G.D.P of two billion and a population of 200,000 people).

The Government has a moral responsibility to fairly distribute the G.D.P to all citizens, he said.

G.D.P per capita does not represent personal income, but the sum of all financial activity in a year divided by the population. But the professor believes it shows how far Samoa is from paying people what they deserve.

Tupai Saleimoa Vaai, president of the Samoa Hotels Association and manager of Vaimoana Seaside Lodge, said that figure could put most companies out of business, but he agreed with the principal behind it.

Of course there is a need for Government to look at distribution of wealth, he said.

Im not sure the merits of that [calculation], especially for a country that is just coming out of its development stages.

He said progressive tax policies, which tax the richer differently than the poor, are just some ways governments address wealth distribution, and that possibly more could be done.

But Tupai said the costs of living  one of the driving motivations to increase minimum wage  differ greatly between urban and rural villages.

From my personal view, I see the costs of living in the villages are a lot easier than of course, living in the urban areas, he said.

In rural Samoa, citizens arent pressured with costs of rent, mortgages or the costs of food, which can be grown.

The only thing that is driving up the cost of living in most of those areas is the creature comforts that everybody wants, like the big plasma screen TV in the middle of the nice open fale, Tupai said.

Of course, you dont want to deny anybody that sort of luxury or pleasures of life, but when you look at the cost of living for somebody in the urban versus the rural areas, its completely different.
The tussle between the Land Transport Authority and the Samoa Police Service over traffic enforcement powers remains unresolved.

The Cabinet is yet to make a decision on the issue after the Commissioner of Police, Fuiavailiili Egon Keil, wrote to the Prime Minister and Police Minister in October last year requesting that the Road Traffic Act 2009 is amended.

The change will enable the Police to create and print its own traffic offence notices, issue traffic citations and get credit for revenue generated from traffic fines.

Additionally, not mentioned in the previous correspondence for Cabinet, to reconsider returning all law enforcement functions related to traffic enforcement to the Samoa Police Service.

After all Samoa Police Service is a 24-hour law enforcement entity, unlike Land Transport Authority. With Land Transport Authoritys efforts directed away from street enforcement, they can focus on administrative mandates such as drivers license and vehicular registration requirements, including road construction and maintenance and vehicular safety inspections conducted on their premises, Fuiavailiili stated in his October 2, 2018 letter.

A month later the Land Transport Authority Chief Executive officer, Galumalemana Taatialeoitiiti Tutuvanu-Schwalger, in response said due to the high volume of minor traffic offences to be processed  in addition to criminal matters that is under the jurisdiction of Police  the Traffic Division was set up under Land Transport Authority to deal with minor traffic offences.

According to Galumalemana, there are valid reasons why the responsibilities of traffic law enforcement were transferred from the Ministry of Police to the Land Transport Authority.

These included the increasing prevalence of minor traffic offences, such as not wearing seatbelts and driving without a license  leading to a high volume of notices being issued.

The staffing numbers at the Land Transport Authority will also be affected if the Cabinet agreed to the proposed amendments, she added.

While the determination by Commissioner of Police to remove traffic law enforcement is noted, the work and livelihoods of 30-plus staff  who will be affected if the change goes ahead  is of my priority as well as of my management and Board, she added.

It is understood the Cabinet is yet to make a decision on the stalemate between the two Government entities.
Samoa Airways chairman Feesago Siaosi Fepuleai has expressed confidence in the financial state of the airline.

The Government is yet to release the annual report of the airlines performance in the last 12 months, but that did not trouble Feesago, as they prepare to become the first airline in the Pacific to use a Boeing 737-Max 9 aircraft.

We are financial stable to proceed with the leasing of the Boeing 737-Max 9 aircraft. We can afford it. We wouldn't be going into this if we did not have sufficient funds, he said in an interview.

As a matter of fact, you should appreciate all the work we did not get this new lease going. This would be a dry lease versus the wet lease that is currently in use.

The one we have been using, its an ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance), this time with this new aircraft will be ours and once we get this new plane, we will terminate the wet lease we currently have. And there is a huge difference and a lot of savings, he added.

Feesago said the agreement with the American firm Air Lease Corporation is good for the airline, as it is a dry lease which means it will come without the aircraft owner providing a crew.

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi, Air Lease Corporation CEO Sand Steven F. Udvar-Hazy were at the signing ceremony.

When Feesago was asked by this newspaper about a $12 million loan that it took from the Unit Trust of Samoa, referred the questions to the C.E.O. Tupuivao Seiuli Tuala.

Samoa Airways asked the Unit Trust of Samoa (U.T.O.S.) for a $12 million loan last year with the Minister of Public Enterprise, Lautafi Selafi Purcell, saying new companies should have a backup plan  and that calls for additional funding  in case of an emergency and the company does not scramble to look for money hence the loan with U.T.O.S.

With any starting company, especially an airline which is very costly, during its first 24 months will operate on a loss. However, for the Samoa Airways that has changed and our flights have been full since last month, he added.

While the Minister denied the airline was in a financial conundrum, he admitted that the Government is paying the wages for its pilots and cabin crew until a local crew is hired.
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi has challenged Village Mayors not to be afraid of making hard decision  even if it is against paramount chiefs.

Speaking to village leaders recently at the Tooa Salamasina Hall, the P.M. said there were reports of village mayors instigating trouble in villages, and chiefs have been tasked to report non-performing village mayors.

Honesty should be adhered on all levels, you are the representative of the Government, do whats right.

Some Village Mayors are more worried about their relationship with the Paramount Chief than doing what is right. It does not matter if its the paramount chief or his son, we must do what is right, if not us who? he said.

Village policies are applicable to everyone including the paramount chiefs, Tuilaepa added, and if a paramount chief is corrupt he should be removed.

Dont think you hold the paramount chiefly title you get to hide behind it; you (village mayor) must protect the integrity of the Village Council.

He said the village mayors role in the village is of significant and relatively importance as they are peacekeepers.

That is why village council meetings is one important aspect to keep the peace. The issue should be discussed and settled right then and there.

A village that is sincere with their intentions to keeping the peace meets whenever it is necessary, he added.

Village leaders also came under scrutiny for being troublemakers in the villages with the P.M. indicating that he has had complaints about the conduct of paramount chiefs.

Ive had Chiefs come seek my help with what is happening with their Paramount Chiefs, they have neglected their role that is to lead by example  yet in some cases, they are the ones stirring up trouble in the villages.

Village leaders who attended the recent meeting where then reminded of the uniqueness of Samoan culture, where chiefs were leaders in families and villages.

They should be in control of the village and leading the path of doing good works  but not the other way around, added the P.M.
The victim in an alleged domestic violence shooting incident last week has been medivacked to New Zealand for further surgery.

The woman  who is in her 30s  was flown out of the country last Friday morning, according to a family member who did not want to be named.

Police Commissioner, Fuiavailiili Egon Keil, told the Samoa Observer last Thursday that the victim suffered gunshot wounds to her face in an alleged domestic violence incident.

Deputy Registrar of the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration, Ve'atauia Faatasi Puleiata, said Peter Tulaga Eliesa of Vailoa has been charged with attempted murder and is scheduled to appear in the Supreme Court on February 4, 2019 for criminal mention.

Peter will be in Court next month on the 4th and he is facing attempted murder, Veatauia said, an interview with this newspaper.
Two prisoners escaped from the Tafaigata Prisons yesterday morning.

Aniseko Vaelei and Pati Chong Nee  who were jailed for burglary and robbery charges  dashed for freedom after a church service.

The Samoa Observer could not reach the Prisons and Correctional Service Commissioner, Taitosaua Edward Winterstein, for comment yesterday.

But a female officer, who said she is not authorised to release statements to the media, said Taitosaua was out of the office and had joined the search for the two prisoners. Therefore, he cannot be reached for comment.

The Prisons and Corrections Services went on television yesterday morning to appeal for the publics assistance to apprehend the two men.

Aniseko Vaelei, 27, is from the villages of Vaiusu, Aele and Tafaigata, he was imprisoned for theft, robbery, burglary and escaping from prison charges.

The other prisoner is Pati Chong Nee, 25, from the villages of Aleisa and Vaitele Fou and was also serving time for theft and burglary.

We urge members of the public to please contact any nearby Police stations or the prisons main headquarters and the Ola Toe Fuataina at Tafaigata with the contact numbers: 23516, 22208 and 21008, concerning any information relating to the escaped prisoners due to the severity of crimes they were charged with, said SPCS on TV1.
Apineru Junior Apineru and Serafina Apineru celebrated being married at the Faleula Methodist Church yesterday.

Mr. Apineru, 27, is a fourth year student at Piula Theological College. His wife, 24, is a Florist from Manurewa, New Zealand.

The two are looking forward to continuing their life of service for the church given that their parents are Methodist Church pastors.

The groom is the son of the President of the Methodist Church, Rev. Apineru Lafai and his wife, Seti Apineru Lafai.

Serafina is also the daughter of Methodist Church Minister, Rev. Taoa Lealaiaouloto.

Todays such a blessing because were here with families and friends and to spend this day with our loved ones is just a real blessing, they said.

Having courted for a few years, last year, Mr. Apineru decided to propose to Mrs. Apinerus family the traditional way, faamalamalamaga, where he had to get his wifes permission for marriage.

I guess its really like what the faifeau (pastor) was saying for his lauga (speech) that when were married were not just marrying each other but were also marrying the family and that is the most important part of this for today is family, Mr. Apineru said.

Mrs. Apinerus younger brother, Tupu Lavea, said he is happy for his sister.

Today has been hectic and sad, but Im also very happy to let her go because its the best for her and Im really happy that she has found the right man for her.

Apineru has found a lucky girl so Im really happy for him especially my sister.

The feast was held at the Au-uso Fealofani of Samoas Hall at Faleula where families, friends, guests and church members celebrated the union.
The Samoa First Union has called on the Government to run surveys amongst employees, unions and the public to find out how people are surviving on the $2.30 minimum wage.

The concern was outlined in a statement by Senior Organizer for Samoan First Union, Saina Tomi Fetalaia.

She said it is unfortunate that the Government wants to hear from the private sector and is raising affordability as key to any proposed hike.

We address the Government's reluctance to increase the minimum wage which is currently at S$.30 sene per hour.

It is unfortunate that the Government appears to focus primarily from the employers' perspective, namely the private sector, they state that 'the key word here is affordability, she said.

Noting the irony behind the Governments use of the use, Saina said the basic cost of living is no longer affordable for many employees with cash power, water, school fees and medical costs increasing.

When there is an increase in one's wage, generally worker productivity improves, and ideally theres a reduction in employee turnover. It makes work more attractive and absenteeism tends to decline.

Furthermore, she noted that while the Government talks about affordability by the private sector, they should look at it from a long-term.

An increase in the minimum wage would generate more disposable income, people would then spend their income on goods and services, generating more economic activity. Businesses would therefore also increase their income. It would be a win-win situation for both our employers and employees. That is how businesses benefit instead of looking at the short term effect of affordability.

The trickle-down theory doesnt work, added Saina, who said the Government should focus on the ripple effects of increasing the minimum wage.

The Governments use of American Samoa and the impact that an increased minimum wage had on its economy is scaremongering, she claimed.

The minimum wage in American Samoa is at least $US5.21 per hour, which is around $13.50 tala per hour. Samoa's minimum wage is not even half of that. All we are asking for is a slight increase, in the hopes of covering basic living costs.

If we look at other neighbouring countries such as New Zealand, where their minimum wage has made small increments, it all aims towards being an hourly 'living wage' of around $NZ20.55 which is approximately $36.39, she added.

The Government can start by making small increases in the countrys minimum wage rate to make life affordable for Samoans, Saina said.
Burglary incidents are a frightening experience for the victims whose residences are broken into.

This was a factor that came under the consideration of the Supreme Court Justice Leiataualesa Darryl Clarke, when handing down the sentencing for Siale Tunu, who was jailed for 17 months.

Tunu appeared for sentencing on two charges of burglary and theft. According to the Police Summary of Facts, in October last year, in the early morning in Vaitele, the defendant and his co-defendant approached broke into two homes and removed items valued at $7,080. The stolen items included four cell phones, $240 cash and laptops.

Justice Leiataualesa noted that the defendant is from Vailoa Faleata and has prior convictions.

These convictions were for grievous bodily harm assault and being armed with a dangerous weapon. You were convicted and sentenced to 1 year and 8 months imprisonment."

There are two victims to your offending. The first victim is a 26-year-old male of Vaitele-fou and the second victim is a 30-year-old female also of Vaitele-fou."

She says that to date, she has not received back two telephones, the Samsung S5 and Samsung S6 valued at $4,000 and that she was scared when this incident occurred."

She remains fearful and worried that you may return to their home. She has not been at peace given that this occurred whilst they were asleep and resting.

Justice Leiataualesa also noted an aggravating factor being the high prevalence of burglary incidences accompanied by theft. The burglary was of a residential home in the early hours of the morning whilst the families slept. The value of the goods stolen by you and your co-defendant was significant and there are two victims to your offending."

I do not take into account your prior conviction for assault, and armed with a dangerous weapon, as these were offending of a different nature. It does however mean that you do not receive a deduction for prior good character.

Justice Leiataualesa noted there are no other mitigating factors in this matter.

I do not accept that you are genuinely remorseful. The Probation Service says that in terms of your stated remorse, it was not genuine."

This was also reflected in Court when you were not honest about your prior convictions, initially denying your prior convictions and then wrongly stating that you had voluntarily handed yourself into Police."

Siale, burglary accompanied by theft is a highly prevalent offence in Samoa. Very often, it involves young men such as yourself consuming alcohol and then committing the acts of burglary and theft of homes and businesses, he added.

Justice Leiataualesa emphasised the move by Parliament to increase the penalty for burglary from five years to 10 years imprisonment.

That reflects Parliaments view of the seriousness of the offence. It is also a highly prevalent offence coming before the Courts.

Justice Leiataualesa told the defendant that a custodial sentence is warranted.

This is to deter you and others from committing the same or similar offences and to denounce this conduct. This is also because of the significant value of the goods stolen by you; there are two victims to your offending from neighboring homes which you perpetrated on the same night in the early hours of the morning; you did so while the victims were at home and sleeping; and this is a very prevalent offence. I also note that the Probation Service considers you unsuitable for a community based sentence.

He was sentenced to serve 17 months imprisonment.
Member of Parliament, Olo Fonoti Vaai, has called on Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaois government to remove Chinese flags flown at the site of the various projects they are funding.

The M.P. said it doesnt make sense flying their flags at projects that are funded by loans, which Samoan taxpayers will ultimately have to repay.

This is Samoa and while we are thankful to the Chinese Government for their assistance, the fact remains these are not aid, these projects are all part of the $410 million debt owed to China, he said.

These projects are not free so why are we allowing them to fly their flags on the project sites  it does not make any sense.

Making reference to the coverage by the Samoa Observer on $1.1 billion in foreign debts accumulated by the Samoa Government over the years, Olo said Samoas debt with China currently stands at $410.01 million, and indicated that the Government paid $58.4 million and $117.1 million in 2013 as debt servicing for the loans that funded the construction of the Parliamentary Building, Ministry of Justice, and the Courts and Administration Building and the Convention Center.

The Chinese Ambassador to Samoa, Wang Xuefeng, has not responded to an email from Samoa Observer that was sent with questions last Wednesday.

But the Embassys Second Secretary Liu Peng replied, saying: Is it not the international conventions to fly the two countries flags in the cooperation projects  in order to show the cooperation relation and friendship between two countries, especially other countries also do the same things?

Ms. Peng assured this newspaper that she would ask the Ambassador for comment, but there was no response from the Embassy by the time this newspaper went to press last night.

There was also an instance of a Chinese flag being flown during the Faleolo International Airport upgrade project, which Olo claimed he saw and didnt agree with.

I was puzzled. This is the gateway for most of the tourists that visit Samoa, the first thing they see is the Samoan flag accompanied by the Chinese flag. And again, it does not paint a good picture of Samoa, as a country, he added.

The airport upgrade was funded by a loan provided by the Chinese Government, which the M.P. indicated the Samoa Government has already started to pay back.

Again looking at the public accounts and for the upgrading of the airport, the loan started in 2014 with first repayment in financial year 2015 of $33.41 million."

In 2016, the Government paid $59.50 million. This climbed to $90 million in 2018.

Olo appealed to the Samoa Government to be cautious, and added that it is time for Samoans to have pride in their country and acknowledge the pre-independence work of the Mau leaders.

Why cant we do the same, we should have some pride in our country, where our Mau leaders had shed blood to assure Samoas Independence. Samoa was the first Pacific Island to gain Independence  we should wear that with pride and not allow this to continue."

We can allow the Chinese Government to install a cemented plaque at the entrance of the buildings, but we should not let them fly their flags in our country, it is that simple.

It was not possible to get a comment from Prime Minister Tuilaepa at press time.
Member of Parliament Pau Sefo Pau passed away at the Motootua Hospital yesterday morning due to ill health.

The Member for Faasaleleaga II was 65 and a businessman before he became a politician.

The owner of Seana Bar and Pau Sefos Funeral Parlour; Pau established the countrys crematorium.

He worked in the Ministry of Revenue for 10 years before he left the public service and became a businessman.

Member of Parliament, Fonoti Olo Vaai, expressed sadness when he was advised of his parliamentary colleague, whom he described as a dear friend.

I will certainly miss him, Pau is my neighbor in Parliament, he sits on my right. I will miss him. If memory serves me right, Pau has won the election from his constituency three times in a row.

But election issues disallowed him from serving and its sad that he has finally become an M.P. and hes called home so early, he said.

Fonoti said Pau was a man of many talents and a successful businessman who served Samoa and his constituency well.

It was his dream to serve as a Member of Parliament and its saddening that its been short-lived but his legacy will be carried out by his children."

His constituency meant the world to him as he was committed to serve his people though his contribution in the decision making of the development of Upolu and Savaii, he added.

Fonoti said the late politicians loyalty to the Human Rights Protection Party (H.R.P.P.) was admirable.

Attempts to get comments from the family have been unsuccessful.
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi appears to be a worried man.

How else do you explain the way hes been behaving lately, especially in relation to the opposition his administration is beginning to get?

From small lawyers to online critics to village chiefs, the Government is definitely feeling the heat so its impossible to deny that perhaps we are beginning to see a small shift in the political climate.

Which is a great development, something Samoa has been lacking for a few years.

Besides, its not normal for a political party to rule for close to 40 years in any democracy, like what has happened in Samoa. It just doesnt happen that way.

It goes without saying that change is inevitable, one way or another. This has happened all over the globe and Samoa is not immune. Its not a question of whether it will happen; its only a question of when and how.

Looking at whats happening today, Prime Minister Tuilaepa senses a shift in the landscape. Its not a huge one  and probably not enough for him and his administration to be alarmed  but it is a shift nonetheless.

From our standpoint, hes gone from being totally relaxed about it to being so anxious hes starting to sound like a broken record. Thats why we keep seeing words like idiots, fools and stupid, which are being attributed to him just about every day.

Doesnt he have anything else to say? You see when you keep saying the same thing about every issue, especially when you are the Prime Minister of a country; you begin to lose your value.

The law of diminishing returns, which ironically is what Prime Minister Tuilaepa constantly refers to in political debates, is starting to haunt him. His address to Government-paid Village representatives last week was a classic example. If anything, it was quite telling.

Dont be easily fooled by people who claim to be lawyers, Tuilaepa said.

They go around and call meetings with the village mayors and mislead some of you. They claim the Chinese have taken your lands. So let me ask you, have you lost your lands to any Chinese?

Again, the Prime Minister does not say whom he is talking about. Which is becoming quite the norm, isnt it?

But you dont have to be a lauia to know he is referring to Unasa Iuni Sapolu and the S.S.I.G., who have been making some progress in their consultations with different villages, on the issue of customary lands.

Back to Tuilaepas session with village leaders, he used the opportunity to remind them about their roles, noting that they are to guard against people whose agenda is to mislead their villagers.

You are a representative of the Government and you are appointed to serve, said Tuilaepa.

Well here therein lies a problem weve always known. This is why the Government is so keen on spending money on these village representatives. They basically become puppets for the Government in the villages. Its something Tuilaepa knows very well and he is using it very well, with the next General Election in mind.

The Prime Minister added that his frustration is towards the Village Mayors who should investigate the agenda of these people who are calling meetings in the villages and misleading the public on the issue of customary lands.

Be mindful, he said. Satan is smart and has his ways to get you to do his dirty work and in the end, you are the one that will be humiliated. And so my advice, do not appoint idiots as Village Mayors to represent the Government in village affairs.

Satan? Idiots as village mayors? Well thats classy, isnt it?

As for claims that customary lands are under threat, this is when Tuilaepa showed that something is definitely not right up there.

In New Zealand, the land belongs to Maoris yet they are not running their government. Its the same in Australia where the Aborigines are not in charge of their government. Samoa is different. Samoans are in charge of our country, our chiefs are leading the way, we understand our ways and values.

Really? Why does he need to insult New Zealanders and Australians with a divisive comment to make his point?

Lastly, Tuilaepa said the Government is made up of many highly educated Samoans, who are smart and would not let anything harm Samoa.

Okay then, its important to remember that this is a free country, and while we may not necessarily agree with Prime Minister Tuilaepa and his government, we exist to give them the opportunity to have their say. Thats what freedom of information is about, its about presenting readers and members of the public all sides of the argument so they can make up their minds.

Trust me, readers of this newspaper, and the people of Samoa, are an intelligent lot, they can easily tell the difference between rubbish and the truth. And they too can see what is happening here. They are neither fools nor idiots.

Have a peaceful Sunday Samoa, God bless!
In a major breakthrough, the Punjab Police on Saturday arrested five people in Ropar district for their alleged involvement in a state-wide Army recruitment scam.

An official spokesperson said the police recovered 29 Aadhaar cards, fake document sets of 48 individuals and Rs eight lakh from their possession.



Sixty-eight attestation and official stamps were also recovered. These stamps are of different official designations like those of SHOs, tehsildars, municipal councillors, the spokesperson said.





"In the last five years, this gang has secured recruitment of 26 individuals in the Sikh, J&K and Artillery regiments by preparing fake caste and residential proof certificates. They used to charge Rs three-five lakh from every individual for the recruitment process," the spokesperson added.



"Clerks of the Army recruiting centres in Patiala, Ferozpur and Ludhiana were hand in glove with these perpetrators, who, after taking their cut, verified the fake documents."



Initial investigations revealed that Yogesh of Salem Tabri, Ludhiana is the kingpin of this gang, which has, in the last five years, prepared fake documents of nearly 150 individuals hailing from Haryana.



"Aspirants from Haryana were roped in by Manjeet and Sunil of Jind as there is less competition in Army recruitment in Punjab. Both Manjeet and Sunil, who run an Army recruitment training academy in Jind, have also been arrested," he added.



Two other persons, Manoj and Amit of Ferozepur, used to provide recruits to Yogesh from the districts of Fazilka, Moga, Faridkot and Ferozepur.



"Names of several Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) posted in Ludhiana, Gwalior, Ferozepur and Bhuvneshwar have figured in the questioning of the suspects. These NCOs used to be a link between the recruiting authorities and the aspirants willing to join the Army," the spokesperson said.
Asserting that Rafale fighter jet is integral to the country's strategic interests, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday slammed attempts to "sabotage" and "stop the deal" for acquiring 36 fighter aircraft in a ready-to-fly condition.

In her special address on "India's Strategic Interest in the Context of Rafale Deal", organised by Foundation for Public Awareness and Policy", the Defence Minister accused the opposition parties, particularly the Congress, for "confusing" and "misinforming" the people on the issue of pricing of the aircraft.



Sitharaman said the opposition is comparing the then basic price of the Rafale jet with that of today, without factoring the escalation in the cost in the last one decade.





Flaying the Congress for raking up the issue of price, Sitharaman said in the 10 years that it was in power, it did not finalise the deal and not one aircraft was purchased while the Indian Air Force was in dire need of the fourth generation fighter jets which India's neighbours were acquiring.



Assailing the Congress for its failure in addressing the "urgent" requirements of the Air Force, the Defence Minister described it as a "disservice" to the nation.



Sitharaman also questioned the sincerity of the UPA government in acquiring the fighter jets, saying that at no stage a provision was made in the budget for purchasing these aircraft.



She said that the Narendra Modi government started the process in 2016 and in 14 months completed it and in September this year, the country will have its first Rafale jet.



What is going on is an "international corporate war", the Defence Minister said, adding: "None of us should fall prey to international corporate war by telling the people partial truths and half-truths."



Mocking at the Congress for raising questions or suspicion on the deal, the Defence Minister said it is rooted in the past experience on "cutting corners" in the deals by those who were no associated with its negotiations.



Asserting that the deal was hammered by the senior Air Force officers and there was no middle man, Sitharaman said: "We did not have any middle man in the corridor of South Block (housing the Defence Ministry)."



On the offset money component of the deal, the Defence Minister clarified that under the agreement, the Dassault is mandated to invest 50 per cent of the deal money in India and it needs not necessarily be for Rafale aircraft. "It can be for any thing ... even for mixers and grinders."



Former Vice Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Shirish Deo said the country's defence forces have to be prepared to meet any exigency and that the country cannot afford a repeat of 1962 war with China.



"We need to be strong and fast, otherwise it will be catastrophic," Air Marshal Deo said asserting that "Rafale will change the way we fight, the way Navy fights and the way Army fights".



Taking exception to people questioning the statement of the Air chief defending Rafale, Air Marshal Deo said: "It hurts when Air chief is doubted."
Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha is likely to face "action" for attending the opposition rally in Kolkata as the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) on Saturday said it will take "cognisance" of it.

"He is likely to be suspended from the party after President Amit Shah returns from AIIMS. He has now crossed all the limits as he directly attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi," a senior BJP functionary said.



Party spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy called Sinha an "opportunist" and said: "The party would take congnisance of it."



Rudy, who like Sinha also hails from Bihar, alleged that the MP from Patna Sahib constituency is availing all facilities provided to a Member of Parliament.





"Some people want to carry the banner of BJP to enjoy the perks of being an MP. Such people make it a point to be present in Parliament when the party issues whip, so that they do not lose membership (of the House). But at the same time, they are so opportunist ... they voice different opinions from different platforms," he told a press conference.



Calling him "very clever", Rudy accused Sinha of never being present in any BJP activity in the last five years.



"I have never seen him present in any party activity for the last five years. He is very clever and takes decisions on the basis of his political understanding. He calls himself of BJP and attends opposition rallies. So, I am sure the party will definitely take a call on it," he added.



Bihar BJP President Nityanand Rai told IANS that "appropriate action will be taken at appropriate time."



Meanwhile, Sinha -- who attended on Saturday an anti-BJP rally organised by Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata where leaders of 23 opposition parties were present -- said he would not mind if he is ousted from the BJP.



"I dont't mind if am ousted (from the party). I am in BJP because of people of the country. So, what I say or do is in the interest of the country," Sinha said.



Speaking on the Rafale controversy, he said: "I am not saying you are guilty, neither saying you are innocent. But if things are not answered, people will say 'chowkidaar chor hai'."



Sinha has been speaking against the party and has been critical of government's decisions like GST and demonetisation.
Rise in arms sales feeding war in Yemen

[20/January/2019]





SANAA, Jan. 20(Saba) - Could a similar comment not be made about the various British arms manufacturers who continue to, with the full support of our government, sell arms to Saudi Arabia, a state that has played and is playing such a disastrously central role in Yemens civil war?



UK aid to Yemen is eclipsed by the billions brought in through the bungling, deceitful sale of British weapons to Saudi Arabia.



Britain and the US have been the key supporters of the Saudi-led coalition, providing arms, intelligence, logistics, military training and diplomatic cover.

This has provoked criticism: in the US, a Democrat congressional resolution invoked the 1973 War Powers Act to end US involvement in the war in Yemen, but was blocked by a Republican procedural rule change to a resolution about  wolves. More recently, an attempt to push through a UN resolution calling for a ceasefire was stalled by the US and other countries, reportedly after a lobbying campaign by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Since the bombing started, the Saudis have bought from Britain 2.7bn worth of aircraft, helicopters and drones; 1.9bn of grenades, bombs and missiles; and 572,000 worth of tanks, CAAT figures showed. Last month, UN experts said there was evidence indicated both sides in the Yemen war had committed crimes under international law.

Yet the financial value of aid is a drop in the ocean compared with the value of weapons sold to the Saudi-led coalition  licenses worth at least 4.7bn of arms exports to Saudi Arabia and 860m to its coalition partners since the start of the war. Relatively speaking, aid has been little more than a sticking plaster on the death, injury, destruction, displacement, famine and disease inflicted on Yemen by an entirely manmade disaster.

The kingdom is the British governments largest arms customer, with the UK licensing more than 4.6bn worth of arms to the country since the beginning of its bombing campaign in Yemen in March 2015, according to the Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT).

The UK government claims to have one of the most rigorous arms control regimes in the world, yet evidence of attacks on medical facilities and schoolchildren in Yemen is clear.

Brokering is facilitating (rather than directly supplying) the transfer of weapons from outside Britain to a third country. Since 2012, in the counter-revolutionary backlash against the Arab spring across the Middle East and north Africa, the Saudis and the UAE, alongside Jordan and Turkey, have purchased weapons worth 1.2bn (1.08bn) from eastern and central European countries  notably the former states of Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia, and Serbia, Croatia and Bulgaria  for onward re-transfer to allied proxy forces in Yemen, Syria and Libya.

War is the primary cause of death, injury, famine and disease in Yemen; and the coalition is causing twice as many civilian casualties.

The war in Yemen has killed upwards of 57,000 people since March 2015, left 8.4 million people surviving on food aid and created a cholera epidemic.

As calls grow for an embargo on Saudi Arabia and a peace process in Yemen, this litany of British deceit, mistakes, bureaucratic malfeasance, and political maneuvering  all to support a friendly yet wantonly reckless regime  will not be judged kindly by history.

Starvation is also being used as a weapon of war in the country, according to Save the Children, with some 400,000 children under the age of five so severely malnourished they are fighting for their lives. A further 1.8 million children are also starving, according to United Nations childrens agency.

But aid experts and United Nations officials say a more insidious form of warfare is also being waged in Yemen, an economic war that is exacting a far greater toll on civilians and now risks tipping the country into a famine of catastrophic proportions.

The devastating war in Yemen has gotten more attention recently as outrage over the killing of a Saudi dissident in Istanbul has turned a spotlight on Saudi actions elsewhere. The harshest criticism of the Saudi-led war has focused on the airstrikes that have killed thousands of civilians at weddings, funerals and on school buses, aided by American-supplied bombs and intelligence.

According to United Nations Human Rights Office, between March 2015 up to 23 August 2018, 6,660 civilians were killed and 10,563 injured, although the real figures are likely to be significantly higher.





Written by Mona Zaid





Saba
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service has announced a recall of H & T Seafood Inc.'s Siluriformes fish products.

According to the agency, the products were not presented for import re-inspection upon entry into the United States. About 71,435 pounds of the products were recalled.

The Siluriformes products were imported from Vietnam to the U.S. on various dates from November 29, 2017 through October 14, 2018. The products have a shelf life of two years. The items were shipped to retail locations in California, Nevada and Texas.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) said that a late-stage trial of a treatment for sarcoma did not meet the primary endpoints. It is suspending promotion of lartruvo. It expects to incur a charge of $70 million - $90 million pre-tax or $0.10 per share in the first quarter. In addition, the company expects the trial result will have an impact of about $0.17 per share on full-year 2019 earnings per share guidance. but it does not change its 2020 minimum financial goals.

In the Friday pre-market trade, LLY is trading at $116.04, down $3.12 or 2.62 percent.

"Lilly was surprised and disappointed that lartruvo did not improve survival for patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma in this study," said Anne White, president, Lilly Oncology.

The company reported that the results of ANNOUNCE, the Phase 3 study of lartruvo (olaratumab), in combination with doxorubicin in patients with advanced or metastatic soft tissue sarcoma or STS, did not confirm the clinical benefit of LARTRUVO in combination with doxorubicin as compared to doxorubicin, a standard of care treatment.

Specifically, the study did not meet the primary endpoints of overall survival (OS) in the full study population or in the leiomyosarcoma (LMS) sub-population; there was no difference in survival between the study arms for either population. LARTRUVO was well tolerated; there were no new safety signals identified and the safety profile was comparable between treatment arms.

The company noted that lartruvo in combination with doxorubicin previously showed an OS benefit in STS in a 133-patient, U.S.-only, randomized Phase 2 trial, which led to accelerated approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and conditional marketing authorization by the European Medicines Agency. Continued approval is contingent upon verification of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial.



Lilly said it is working with global regulators to determine the appropriate next steps for lartruvo. While these discussions are ongoing, patients who are currently receiving lartruvo may, in consultation with their physician, continue their course of therapy if they are receiving clinical benefit. For patients who have not previously received lartruvo, the results of the Phase 3 trial do not support initiating treatment with lartruvoin patients with STS, outside of participation in a clinical trial. At this time, Lilly is suspending promotion of lartruvo.

lartruvo is also being studied in an ongoing global, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial in advanced STS in combination with gemcitabine and docetaxel.

Lilly expects to incur a charge in the first quarter of 2019 related to lartruvo. The exact amount of the charge has not yet been determined, but is estimated to be in the range of $70 million to $90 million (pre-tax), or approximately $0.10 per share (after tax).

In addition, the company expects this to have an impact of approximately $0.17 per share on Lilly's full-year 2019 earnings per share guidance. Lilly will provide a full update to its 2019 financial guidance, including the impact of the potential Loxo Oncology acquisition, when it announces the fourth-quarter 2018 earnings. This announcement does not change Lilly's 2020 minimum financial goals.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Now more than ever, it's clear the FBI must go
As the federal governments partial shutdown stalemate drags on  is it now in its 30th day  its effects have rippled far beyond Washington.
Thank you for reading the Philadelphia Tribune.

You have exhausted your free article views for this month. Please press the "subscribe" button below and see our introductory price of $0.25 per week for 13 weeks. Otherwise, we look forward to seeing you next month.
Markelle Fultz is back with the 76ers.

The first-overall pick of the 2017 draft attended Saturday afternoons game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Wells Fargo Center. Fultz took a red-eye flight from Los Angeles Friday night to be with the Sixers and continue his rehabilitation at the teams practice facility in Camden.

There is no timetable for his return.

Fultz had been working out with former Los Angeles Lakers physical therapist Judy Seto in Los Angeles since his agent, Raymond Brothers, announced on Dec. 4 that he was diagnosed with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

Seto is attending a conference on the West Coast. There was thought that she would travel here to work with Fultz at the Sixers facility afterward. Then after a transitional period, the expectation was that Fultz would work with the Sixers staff. However, the next step has not been determined at this time.

The Sixers will see what type of shape hes in.

I think once we can assess that judgement to try to get him back on track where he can come on an NBA court and play again, Brown said. But I dont know how far away that is.

He has missed 28 consecutive games since last playing on Nov. 19. The first-overall pick of the 2017 has already missed 93 games, dating back to last season.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Special counsel Robert Mueller's office has issued a rare public statement disputing the accuracy of BuzzFeed News' report that President Donald Trump's former attorney told Mueller that Trump directed the lawyer to lie to Congress.

"It was a total phony story and I appreciate the special counsel coming out with a statement last night. I think it was very appropriate that they did so," Trump told reporters at the White House on Saturday.

BuzzFeed, citing two unidentified law enforcement officials, reported that Trump directed lawyer Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about a Moscow real estate project and that Cohen told Mueller the president personally instructed him to lie about the timing of the deal.

The report said Mueller's investigators learned about Trump's directive "through interviews with multiple witnesses from the Trump Organization and internal company emails, text messages, and a cache of other documents."

The report said Cohen acknowledged Trump's instructions when he was interviewed by the Mueller team.

The statement by Mueller's office on Friday night doesn't cite any specific errors. Spokesman Peter Carr said that "BuzzFeed's description of specific statements to the special counsel's office, and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohen's congressional testimony are not accurate."

BuzzFeed spokesman Matt Mittenthal said the publication stands by its reporting and urged readers to "stay tuned" as they worked to determine what Mueller was denying. Ben Smith, editor-in-chief of BuzzFeed News, also said the publication stands by its reporting and the sources who informed it.

"We urge the special counsel to make clear what he's disputing," Smith said.

Immediately after the special counsel's statement was issued, Trump retweeted several posts that called the story fake news. He later tweeted: "A very sad day for journalism, but a great day for our Country!"

The extraordinary statement from Mueller's office came after congressional Democrats had pledged to investigate whether the report was true.

The Associated Press had not independently confirmed the report. Any evidence that Trump directed a witness to lie to investigators would place him in the greatest political and legal jeopardy yet.

Cohen pleaded guilty in November to lying to Congress to cover up that he was negotiating the Trump Tower project on Trump's behalf during the heat of his presidential campaign. The charge was brought by Mueller and was the result of Cohen's cooperation with that probe.

Cohen admitted that he lied when he told lawmakers he had never agreed to travel to Russia in connection with the Moscow project and when he said that he'd decided by the end of January 2016 that the "proposal was not feasible for a variety of business reasons and should not be pursued further."

He was sentenced to three years in prison for crimes that included arranging the payment of hush money to conceal his boss' alleged sexual affairs, telling a judge that he agreed time and again to cover up Trump's "dirty deeds" out of "blind loyalty."

Lanny Davis, a Cohen adviser, declined to comment.

Cohen is scheduled to testify publicly before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Feb. 7. The top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, said Friday that he expects Cohen to talk to that committee in February.

___

Associated Press writers Jill Colvin and Zeke Miller in Washington and Jonathan Lemire and Jim Mustian in New York contributed to this report.
If you watched even a few minutes of cable TV news on Friday, you could almost catch a whiff of gunpowder emanating from your flat screen -- and you heard the word bombshell more often than a night of Dick Cheney shock and awe over Baghdad. A game-changer was the other phrase that got tossed around frequently as TVs talking heads struggled to dissect a report from Buzzfeed News alleging that federal prosecutors had evidence that President Trump had directed his ex-lawyer Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about negotiations for a Trump Tower Moscow during the heat of Trumps 2016 presidential campaign.

Indeed, if anything else happened Friday -- killer floods, a new murder of the century -- the nation would not have heard about it. The implication was that Buzzfeeds report was the smoking gun, the one thing that would end Trumps presidency, even if some viewers couldnt help but wonder why that line wasnt crossed with Trumps firing of FBI chief Jim Comey or the revelation of the June 2016 Team Trump-Russia confab at Trump Tower NY or Cohen pleading that Trump directed a felony campaign-finance violation. Then, at 7:30 p.m. on a Friday night, the real chaos erupted.

The special counsels office led by Robert Mueller -- with a penchant for speaking in public somewhere between Greta Garbo and Marcel Marceau -- shocked journalists with a statement that said elements of the Buzzfeed article are not accurate, although it wasnt clear if that meant the sourcing of the information or the entire premise. (Buzzfeed News is defiantly standing behind the article.) After that, the Buzzfeed affair devolved into a Rorschach test for how one perceives Trump, the Russia scandal, and the media. The Team Mueller statement was certainly a chance for the president and his allies to crow about fake news. The Trump Resistance take was a) the oddly worded Mueller denial didnt necessarily mean the essence was wrong and b) to recall a famous 1972 Watergate incident in which Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein were also attacked as fake news for a mistake in an article that would soon be swamped by the proof of Richard Nixons massive corruption.

In other words, there was probably some wishful thinking on all sides. The only thing most Americans can say with certainty as the Buzzfeed incident still reverberates is that citizens dont really know any more now than we did last Thursday on the question that increasingly consumes the nation: Is our president a crook? Its a good time to take a step back and talk about some deeper issues around the American moment were living through -- and the outsized role that weve given to Mueller and his investigation.

I believe the Buzzfeed article generated such a media frenzy not only because of the explosive nature of the allegations but because The Establishment -- Beltway insiders in the media and on Capitol Hill, even a growing number of Republicans -- is coming to realize what more than half of everyday citizens have known for exactly two years, that Donald Trump is not fit to serve one additional day as our president, and that the risk accelerates with each day he remains in the Oval Office. Its an existential crisis for the American Experiment that runs much deeper than Trump and Russia (or Rusher, as Trump might say) and that many in the D.C. crowd are, in fact, complicit in. And yet no one knows how to get out of this mess. The idea of Trump caught red-handed committing a high crime was their easy way out, and Mueller is their deus ex machina.

Lets stipulate right now that America is in the midst of overlapping crises that are worse, arguably, than anything weve seen since 1861, and that the question of Trumps criminality -- while a vitally important one -- is only one piece of the puzzle.

America is facing a political crisis -- with major chunks of the federal government now shut down for a month with no end in sight, with 800,000 workers struggling to get by, with many of them working for no pay in a nation that supposedly abolished slavery 154 years ago, and with Trump not able to end the crisis as long as hes in thrall to right-wing talk radio hosts.

America is facing a moral crisis -- as shown by families seeking the legal right of asylum instead getting ripped apart at the U.S. southern border, with thousands of children held in inhumane tent cities or even cages, or by the growing number of hate crimes from coast to coast, like this weeks Make America Great Again harassment at the Lincoln Memorial of a proud Native American hero, in a nation where simply chanting the presidents name (Trump! Trump! Trump!) is now a symbol of white supremacy.

America is facing an unprecedented crisis of confidence -- thanks to the growing, impossible-to-ignore evidence that a president who was elected with an assist from an often-adversarial in Russia may in fact be an agent, consciously or unconsciously, of that foreign power who is consistently advocating policies that arent in the best interest of the United States yet somehow benefit Vladimir Putin.

America has faced down a lot of big crises in its history. Over just the last 100 years, think about moments like the Great Depression, the civil rights movement, or Watergate. We survived those crises through both the strength of our institutions (New Deal legislation, civil rights legislation, the Supreme Court ruling on Nixons tape) and the moral courage of everyday citizens who marched in places like Selma. But with the monumental crisis of the most dangerously unqualified president in American history, the institutions that solved the problems of yesteryear have instead helped get us here -- a corrupt, complicit and cowardly Congress, a politically warped judiciary and an numbed electorate thats been entertained to death.

And so our nation has turned its lonely eyes toward Robert Mueller, who plays right into every all-American Gary Cooper myth that a tall, silently stoic cowboy can ride into a lawless town and mete out frontier justice. The Mueller myth has only grown over the 20-months-and-counting of his slow, methodical, secretive investigation into Russias 2016 election interference, Team Trumps collusion with Russia, a possible White House cover-up, and related matters. Congress and other key players have used the existence of the Mueller probe as an excuse for inaction on the dangers posed by Trump. But Fridays chaos should have been a wake-up call for the nation. America cannot Mueller its way out of its problems.

Mueller worship has blinded the majority of Americans who oppose Trumpism to some fundamental truths. Among those is the reality that Mueller and his team arent perfect and occasionally reek of arrogance. Whatever emerges about Buzzfeeds original reporting on Michael Cohen, Muellers aides could have acted better both when contacted prepublication and in their vague statement Friday night. (And Big Media is showing its embarrassing tendency to defer to authority by giving all the weight to Muellers statement even as Buzzfeed aggressively stands by its reporting.) More importantly, Team Mueller is -- nearly two years into this -- excessively secretive, as weve seen from pages after pages of thick black redactions. No one truly knows when Mueller might issue his final report, or whether the public will even see it.

Journalism is under fire today, but the foundational premise of investigative reporting is that it abhors a vacuum -- whether that vacuum is a small town city hall thats serving real-estate developers instead of the public, or the American political system punting on evidence that the president of the United States may have committed high crimes. Journalists from Buzzfeed News, McClatchy, or other newsrooms are aggressively trying not just to get inside the Mueller probe but the underlying evidence because the public is demanding answers that were not getting answers from anywhere else in the system.

I understand what the growing network of legal beagles whove become TV and internet stars say about this -- that Mueller is playing it by the book, and that releasing any information before every "i" is dotted and "t" is crossed might not only jeopardize future convictions but risk undermining the authority that Muellers final report would need in order to convince such a politically polarized nation. But the legal-industrial complex that takes over TV every night consists of carpenters looking at every Trump problem as a nail to be hammered by the criminal-justice system. Meanwhile, the public is starting to feel the tension between Muellers tortoise-like probe and the crisis at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue that is rapidly spiraling out of control.

Think about Watergate. Yes, there were robust criminal investigations by special prosecutors Archibald Cox -- fired in the notorious Saturday Night Massacre -- and Leon Jaworski that convicted more than 40 people, including an attorney general and the White House chief of staff, but that wasnt what took down Richard Nixon or helped America get beyond the scandal. Instead, it was a combination of nationally televised public hearings where citizens saw the key players -- especially White House counsel-turned-whistleblower John Dean -- for themselves, and then a thorough (and also public) impeachment process where Nixons sins were debated by Democrats and Republicans. Yes, it was a different time. There was more trust in the media, less partisan trench warfare among the public, and a lot more courage, especially from Republicans willing to break from their party.

But its time to acknowledge the problem with the Mueller probe -- that its not going to get America out of this mess. The only thing that can do that is an impeachment inquiry into President Trump, a process that will be not secretive but transparent, not legalistic but democratic in its nature.

This week, the Atlantic published a remarkable piece by historian Yoni Appelbaum that lays out the case for the impeachment process to begin. He argues that some mythology about the way that the major impeachment inquiries of the past -- Nixon, Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson -- played out has blinded us to the essential role that an impeachment process can play in airing a crisis like the current mess, even if the ultimate outcome is not Trumps removal from office.

The crux of Appelbaums argument is this powerful paragraph. It is absurd to suggest that the Constitution would delineate a mechanism too potent to ever actually be employed. Impeachment, in fact, is a vital protection against the dangers a president like Trump poses. And, crucially, many of its benefits -- to the political health of the country, to the stability of the constitutional system -- accrue irrespective of its ultimate result. Impeachment is a process, not an outcome, a rule-bound procedure for investigating a president, considering evidence, formulating charges, and deciding whether to continue on to trial.

Until this month, Republican control of the House -- and their fealty to the Trump-Fox talk radio axis -- made that a mathematical impossibility. Now that Democrats control the lower chamber, it is imperative that they conquer their decades of political timidity and exercise their Constitutional duty -- to investigate the presidents fitness to complete his term. And these investigations should be conducted largely in public, in the same manner as the 1973 Senate Watergate hearings. News that Cohen will testify in public in early February is only a start. The American people demand -- and deserve -- much, much more.

Lets stop waiting for Bob Mueller to come down from the mountaintop. Its time for the American people, our leaders, and our battered system to relearn how to climb that mountain ourselves.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP)  A diocese in Kentucky is looking into videos that show youths, possibly from its all-male high school, mocking Native Americans outside the Lincoln Memorial after a rally in Washington.

Laura Keener of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington said Saturday it regrets the incident and is investigating but didn't comment further.

The Indigenous Peoples March in Washington on Friday coincided with the March for Life, which drew thousands of anti-abortion protesters, including a group from Covington Catholic High School in Park Hills.

Videos circulating online show a youth staring at and standing extremely close to an elderly Native American man singing and playing a drum.

Other youths, some wearing Covington clothing and many wearing "Make America Great Again" hats and sweatshirts, surrounded them, laughing and jeering.

The man playing the drum was identified by the "Indian Country Today" website as Nathan Phillips, an Omaha elder and Vietnam veteran who holds an annual ceremony honoring Native American veterans at Arlington National Cemetery.

"When I was there singing, I heard them saying 'Build that wall, build that wall,'" Phillips said, as he wiped away tears in a video posted on Instagram. "This is indigenous lands. We're not supposed to have walls here. We never did."

He said he wished the group would put their energy into "making this country really great."

State Rep. Ruth Buffalo, a North Dakota state lawmaker and member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, said she was saddened to see students showing disrespect to an elder who is also a U.S. military veteran at what was supposed to be a celebration of all cultures.

"The behavior shown in that video is just a snapshot of what indigenous people have faced and are continuing to face," Buffalo said.

She said she hoped it would lead to some kind of meeting with the students to provide education on issues facing Native Americans.

U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland of New Mexico, who had been at the rally earlier in the day, sharply criticized what she called a display of "blatant hate, disrespect, and intolerance."

This Veteran put his life on the line for our country, she tweeted Saturday. Heartbreaking.
ROME - A vessel that went down off the Libyan coast has left at least 117 migrants missing in what could be the deadliest disaster in the Mediterranean in more than a year, the U.N. migration agency said Saturday, citing reports from rescued migrants.

The account of the sinking, about 50 nautical miles off the Libyan coast, came from three survivors rescued by the Italian navy. An International Organization for Migration spokesman said two children, including a two-month old, were among those presumed dead.

The central Mediterranean represents one of the world's most perilous migrant passageways. Over the last year, it has seen a reduction in the number of large-scale disasters - in part because smugglers have been using smaller boats for those trying to reach the continent.

Meantime, European governments, particularly Italy, have tightened their own borders and tried to deter African migrants from making the journey.

But the fatality rate for those attempting the trip has increased. Most humanitarian rescue boats have ceased operations in the region, as countries across southern Europe have impounded their vessels or accused the groups of criminal activity.

"We cannot turn a blind eye to the high numbers of people dying on Europe's doorstep," Filippo Grandi, the U.N. high commissioner for refugees, said in a statement.

The UN refugee agency, noting that more than 2,200 people died last year trying to reach Europe across the Mediterranean, said that it is "concerned that actions by states are increasingly deterring NGOs from conducting search and rescue operations."

Matteo Salvini, Italy's far-right interior minister, have said his policies - which include closing off port access to humanitarian ships that rescue migrants - have helped to reduce the overall death toll in the Mediterranean by thwarting migrants from attempting the journey.

The move has been domestically popular in Italy, and it reflects how attitudes about migrants - and about the dangers they incur - have gradually hardened in Europe's front line countries.

After more than 300 migrants died in a 2013 shipwreck, Italy launched a yearlong sea operation to avoid similar tragedies. It now cedes much of the search-and-rescue in the Mediterranean to Libya's coast guard. which intercepts migrants bound for Europe and returns them to North Africa.

In a statement about the latest deadly incident, the Italian navy said that by the time a military plane had spotted the sinking dinghy, there were 20 people aboard. The plane launched two inflatable rafts and called for support. A helicopter rescued one person from the water and two people from one of Italian rescue rafts.

The three survivors were taken by helicopter to the island of Lampedusa.

Federico Soda, the Rome-based director of the IOM's Mediterranean coordination office, said it was unclear whether smugglers were changing tactics and returning to using the kind of larger rubber dinghies more common before 2017. But either way, he said, the quality of the boats is low.

[The migrants] have already bought their one-way ticket, Soda said. If you can just get people on a boat and out, the smuggler doesnt care if they live or die.
These last couple weeks, Tamujin Eberhardt has felt as if shes being held hostage by politics. The 44-year-old single mother of three hasnt been to her job as a customer service representative with the Internal Revenue Service in a month as the longest government shutdown in history drags on, and her bills are starting to pile up.

Theres the car insurance bill, even though her check-engine light came on weeks ago and she doesnt have the cash to get whatever is wrong fixed. There are the federal Parent PLUS student loan bills for her daughter, Autumn, 19, a student at Arcadia University. And theres the rent.

On Sunday, Eberhardt, who lives in the Wissinoming section of the city, got her first glimmer of hope: a $1,250 no-interest loan from the Hebrew Free Loan Society of Greater Philadelphia, a nonprofit group thats giving out short-term loans to federal workers affected by the shutdown after an anonymous donor put up $500,000 to cover the costs.

Im concerned, and Im taking it one day at a time, said Eberhardt, who added that shed be using the loan to help cover not only her bills, but fees that accrued from withdrawing from an empty bank account. This is a little bit more relief, and I thank [the donor] immensely.

Volunteers with the society handed out the interest-free checks Friday and Sunday at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia to dozens of federal workers who just had to prove they werent being paid as a result of the government shutdown, live in the region, and make $65,000 or less a year. (The limit was originally $50,000 but was raised late Sunday with the donors approval, said Marshal Granor, immediate past president of HFLS.)

As of the end of the day, nearly 100 loans had been issued, he said. Distribution of checks is to resume Monday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Constitution Center, 525 Arch St. Eligibility requirements and application forms can be found on the HFLS website at www.hflphilly.org.

Granor said they dont anticipate that workers wont make good on the agreement to pay back the loan within 90 days of receiving their first paycheck.

Some of the 800,000 federal workers who havent been paid for weeks arent counting on paychecks resuming anytime soon as negotiations between President Donald Trump and members of Congress have stalled and the partial government shutdown reached its 29th day Sunday.

On Saturday, Trump offered Democrats a deal to end the shutdown. Among the highlights: three-year protection from deportation for some immigrants, including Dreamers," in exchange for $5.7 billion in funding for a border wall. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) said the Senate would take up the measure this week, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) called the proposal a nonstarter.

Given the potential length of the government shutdown, an interest-free check couldnt have come at a better time for Jina Holland, a 32-year-old IRS worker who lives in the citys Mayfair section. Holland said shes already depleted the savings she had and has taken out several other loans. The Hebrew loan she received Sunday will help her pay Februarys rent -- at least, she said, she can guarantee a roof over her head.

With this gesture, she said, it shows that there are still good people out there who care about us.

The Hebrew Free Loan Society of Greater Philadelphia was founded in 1984 to dispense loans to Jews in need of help making ends meet, though the relief program for federal workers is nonsectarian. The donor who put up the funds for it wishes to remain anonymous.

We feel terribly upset that good, hardworking people didnt have the money to pay their bills, said Bernard Granor, 90, Marshals father and an HFLS founder. Its unprecedented.

Said board president Amy Krulik: We feel frustrated on behalf of the people who didnt create this situation but are stuck in it.

Frustration has been a constant for Kavonda Adams, an IRS customer service rep and 38-year-old mother of two who lives in the citys Wynnefield section.

Every morning, she nervously scours the news, only to be disappointed that, no, she wont be getting a paycheck as the shutdown continues. A supervisor asked her to come back to work unpaid, but Adams cant afford the gas, child care and other costs associated with just going into the office.

As much as we would like to go back to work and serve the people of America, she said, its difficult when youre not in a position to pay your bills.

She said shes going to use her short-term loan to pay the rent. Same for her friend Tiffany White, who also works in customer service at the IRS. White, of Folsom, said she gets that its a busy time for the agency, but she just cant afford to come back to work without being paid.

We understand, she said, but our rent is still due.
With the recent pilgrimage to Ghana, I shared with friends a new title given to me by the King of Akwamu, there have been some interesting negative responses from the black community.



Though the positives far outweigh the negatives, I choose today to focus on those negative ones because I believe there is great power in studying this mindset to provide teachable moments.



We American born blacks were bred to hate our own people and ourselves. Self-deprivation is buried deep within our subconscious. Weve found comfort in calling ourselves derogatory names and sabotage our own progress because weve been convinced we are unworthy of the same things whites or other nations enjoy.



When Jews visit the Holocaust Museum or Israel, or Irish and Italian Americans travel to their homelands, theres ZERO backlash from their communities and communities outside. Ask yourselves:



WHY IS THERE ALWAYS BACKLASH FROM OUR OWN BLACK COMMUNITY WHENEVER WE HAVE PILGRIMAGES OUR HOMELAND?



This is not only from other blacks; it brings commentary from other communities who mysteriously seem entitled to chime in as well!



Negative comments like; Who do these Ni**ers think they are? Theyre celebrating slavery! Africans were complicit in slavery as well! This is just a publicity stunt! They just want attention! etc. Why all the hate? Why do folks care so much? Its like we threatened themAND WE HAVE! We have threatened them and other black folks to think better of us, therefore- better of themselves!



We American blacks are SUPPOSED to think negatively about being connected to our homeland because that's how we were conditioned to think! Were SUPPOSED to think; all Africa was, was slavery when only an extremely small portion of the continent was even involved in the slave trade. Were SUPPOSED to see Africa as mainly "starving people and jungles."



We may call ourselves African Americans but we are truly disconnected from Africa. I say WE because Im not excluded! I thought my people came from South Carolina which I now see, is as stupid as a Chinese man saying his people came from Ohio! I tracked my heritage South Carolina was only a small part of my people's journey that began in Ghana, a place that had kings well before Europe had theirs. For me to be enstooled by the King Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III of Akwamu is far more relevant than if I were knighted by Queen Elizabeth whos royal bloodline doesnt go back as far. Ghana has been the 8th African country Ive visited. Theyve all been astoundingly beautiful, with classy and very educated people who speak more languages than we do.



Those of us that felt some kind of way maybe you can begin to direct that anger toward those orchestrators that made you hate who you are- those whod find comfort in you hating your own people, and those whod find it threatening for you to unite with your people in solidarity. I believe the original culprits are long dead but their policies are alive and well. Please ask yourself; if Mark Wahlberg or Ben Affleck went back to their place of heritage would you care? They have a country that loves and embraces them. WE HAVE A WHOLE CONTINENT THAT LOVES AND EMBRACES US!



In Africa, a voice commands him to look around. The Voice: "Do you see any niggers?" He answers meekly No. The voice: "Do you know why? Because there aren't any." - Richard Pryor.

Source: Michael Jai White









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Emotional babies have shrouded the leadership system of Ghana and there is the urgent need to train our politicians and other leaders in various fields in emotional intelligence to reflect some level of maturity in their utterances particularly and leadership on the whole, retired Army Chief, Captain Budu Koomson has said.



Speaking on the back of the assassination of Tiger Eye groups undercover journalist, Ahmed Hussein-Suale, Mr. Koomson noted with worry the situation where prominent figures in political and other influential spheres emerge on some platforms to speak irresponsibly, blurting out their emotional state inconsiderate of its repercussions or implications on the country or its citizens.



The definition of maturity he says, has absolutely nothing to do with ones position or influence; rather he says, how one is able to manage their sentiments with maturity and intelligence depicts their level of growth and advancement.



We have to be careful when we are in public positions, leadership positions, with people looking up to us, what we say. It is a sign of maturity. The essence of emotional intelligence is almost often not paid any attention in Ghana, he said while speaking on Citi TVs Big Issue Saturday. Adding; We have emotional babies in very big positions in Ghana.



They cant control their anger, their passion, their fingers from going into public things, they cant control their appetite for personal acknowledgement at the expense of the people, its all over the place. Its time we start with the leadership in Ghana, we start being conscious of that factor. We have to be emotionally intelligent, it has nothing to do with your IQ or doctorate degrees, if you are a thief and we give you the cassock, you will steal the wine, he said.



Citing how such irresponsible utterances have sparked violence in some countries, he emphasized the importance of inculcating emotional intelligence in the Ghanaian system beginning with various occupants of leadership positions nationwide. This he says will avoid generating chaos or leading to unfortunate incidents like that which happened with the late Ahmed Suale.

Source: Ghanaweb.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Tamale North Constituency, Alhassan Suhuyini, is wondering why President Akufo-Addo has appointed so many Ministers and appointees in charge of security yet there is the upsurge of murder cases in the country.



According to him, "we have Interior Minister, Defence Minister, National Security Advisor, Minister of State in Charge of National Security and so on yet the country's image is being tarnished with embarrassing headlines within a short period with murder cases.



Mr Suhuyini's was reacting to the murder of Ahmed Suale; an investigative journalist and a partner of Anas Aremeyaw Anas.



Speaking on Joynews Newsfile program, Saturday, the MP for Tamale North said never has Ghana been hit with very disgraceful and embarrassing headlines within such a short period of time; 2 years, international headlines, embarrassing international headlines, never before. You recall the speech theft by our president, it gave us international headlines we were all not proud of, the Australian Commonwealth games, embarrassing, Oslo Norway Chancery, international headlines that were not palatable and then the number 12 expose which has led to this matter.



How long will we continue to tolerate this international embarrassment? Cant something be done about these negative headlines we are attracting? What are the long term consequences on the image of Ghana if we continue on this line? he quizzed.



He further bemoaned the insecurity in the country and added: for me, I am particularly disappointed in the government and in our security agencies considering the expectations that many people had; given the promises that were made to them before our last elections. Im saying so because security has always been a concern to us and so you cannot compartmentalize a discussion of it and blame one regime but if an expectation is given; that we know the situation and so when we come well do something better about it and what you get is what we currently have, then it is fair to be disappointed..to say Im disappointed is because I was promised as a Ghanaian.







Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Member of Parliament for Nadowli Kaleo and Presidential Hopeful for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has described the decision by the Akufo -Addo government to purchase drones in facilitating health delivery as catastrophe.



Speaking on Atinka FMs political show, Simpieso with host, Kaakyire Ofori Ayim, he mentioned that the success of Ghanas health system hinges largely on giving quality primary and promotional health particularly in the hinterlands.



And it was the reason the NDC started building the Community-Based Health Planning & Services, CHIPS Compounds. Such a laudable initiative is what the government must be augmenting and not engaging in a copy syndrome.



According to him, the challenges of the sector can be tackled holistically through what he termed as three Ds  representing the distance to health centers, decision patients take to visit the hospital when they feel it is expensive and delay people go through before accessing health facilities.



The Ministry of Health then made a policy of making every electoral area have a CHIPS Compound. So that the health personnel will give education on nutrition and healthy life style.



Mr. Bagbin cited the examples government gave in defense of its decision where they mentioned Rwanda to have used the same approach and it is working for them.



But he explained that Rwanda is a hilly country and their health challenges are different therefore, you just dont go and see another initiative somewhere and you come to replicate it.



On the issue of Ghana Beyond Aid, he quizzed why we are in a rash to wean ourselves from donor aid since he believes we are not fully independent to finance every developmental project.



Thus, the announcement by the President Nana Akufo Addo has brought some challenges where neonatal and infant mortality, the six childhood killer diseases are have shot up their ugly heads.



This is because the rate at which we get drugs and other medical materials are decreasing leading to an increase in HIV/AIDS pandemic to 70%. It shows clearly we still need them since as a country, we do not operate in isolation.

Source: atinka









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Hong Kong: Kaifong polls see 50% turnout rate

The 2019 Kaifong Representative Election for Cheung Chau Market Town saw an overall turnout rate of 50.01%.

The Electoral Affairs Commission Chairman Justice Barnabas Fung visited the polling station in Cheung Chau during the poll which ended at 9.30pm.

He said the commission is satisfied with the electoral arrangements which were generally in good order.

There were 65 candidates contesting 39 seats.

A total of 3,553 out of the 7,104 registered voters cast their ballots today.

Polls for the 2019 Rural Ordinary Election were held on three consecutive Sundays from January 6.

The Village Representative Elections were completed smoothly over the past two Sundays.

Meanwhile, 17 candidates of the Peng Chau Market Town were returned uncontested.

This story has been published on: 2019-01-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
President George Manneh Weah at his inaugural address passionately appealed to the global business community to explore the enormous investment opportunities the Liberian economy has to offer. The influx of investors to Liberia after this clarion call has been highly remarkable and refreshing.



According to reliable data at the National Investment Commission, a significant amount of these investors are from West Africa, reinforcing the pan African school of thought that Africa can be built by Africans. Latest to respond to this call is one of Ghanas astute and highly successful business owners, Dr. George Obeng.



Dr. Obeng is expected to visit Liberia later this month, January, in order to hold talks with some top government officials from selected ministries and agencies so as to discuss his investment plans and also extend a hand of invitation to the official opening of Nananom Group Liberia in the first quarter of 2019.



The company seeks to commence operations in various sectors; namely: Real Estate, Hotel, Shopping Malls, Logistics, Aviation, Transportation and Mining.



In a telephone conversation, Dr. Obeng said: Our decision to invest in the Liberian economy is also in line with Nananom Groups 3 year strategic plan to extend operations to 6 African countries. Liberia was given immediate consideration, based on the findings of our consulting partners who conducted three months of feasibility studies in various sectors of the economy.



We are excited about the prospects in Liberia and will commit a significant amount of investment to the private sector. Our passion is job creation, which we strongly believe will complement the pro poor agenda of the government.



Dr. Obeng started Nananom Financial in 2006, the first African-owned financial service company in Ontario, Canada, where the company offers financial services to over 5,000 clients. These services include accounting and taxation, bookkeeping and finance, mortgage and loans, legal services, income tax appeal, insurance bond, harmonized sales tax, etc.

Nananom grew from a single company to a Group Status in 2010, with a number of distinct businesses in Canada and Ghana.



According to Dr. Obeng, Nananom Group has built a strong financial base in order to cater for all its subsidiaries; it has been re-positioned and restructured so as to be one of the most competitive businesses in Africa and the world.



He said the group currently operates in over 15 industries, namely: Real Estate, Property Management, Mining, Transportation, Manufacturers Representative and security Services. Highlighted among these is the groups flagship housing project, Summerhill Estate, which has been highly applauded by the Ghanaian government and stakeholders in Ghanas housing sectors.



In 2015, the Nananom Group gave birth to the prestigious Summerhill Estate located in a new luxurious residential enclave, East Legon Hills, Accra, Ghana. It offers very high quality products, exquisitely and stylishly built with personalized first class facilities.



Summerhill is considered the most preferred real estate company in Ghana and beyond as it offers the highest quality and customer focus housing while creating value for clients through competitive price. It comes with emphasis on affordability, which highlights bridging the gap between luxury and affordabilitywhich Liberians could benefit from.



The CDC-led government, since its ascendancy, continues to echo the need for the provision of affordable, permanent and decent homes for Liberians, many of whom are extremely poor and underprivileged.



This effort, the Weah government indicates, is to address the countrys housing dilemma as Liberia lags far behind its African counterparts, especially within the Mano River Union basin, on the provision of decent and affordable housing units that could bring dignity to the lives of the citizenry.



Being a renowned real estate firm involved with the construction of Luxurious Apartments and Condominium Rentals in Ghana, Nananom Group, through its Summerhill subsidiary, is also contemplating on constructing housing units for low income earners based on arrangements with the requisite authorities within the country. Our coming to Liberia could also be a great relief for the nation and its people through the construction of affordable housing units, the Nananom Group founder said.



Venturing in such an initiative could engender President Weahs quest to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor through government pro-poor agenda.



Another advantage that comes with such an investment is the employment opportunities that it offers for ordinary Liberians, especially the young people.



Dr. Obeng noted that his interest in investing in Liberia is predicated upon President Weahs call that the country is open for business and that those wanting to invest in Liberia should come in. We need to come as Africans and support the vision of this new President and his government, he said.



Dr. Obeng acquired his PhD in Economics from the Gordon Brown University. In this same prestigious university, he obtained his Bachelor of Arts and Masters in Accounting and Business Administration respectively.

He worked as a Chemical Engineer for four years before establishing Nananom Financial Services, a subsidiary of the Nananom Group of Companies in Canada. Mr. Obeng is a Chartered Accountant.

Source: liberianobserver.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The newly sworn-in President of the Republic of Madagascar, His Excellency Andry Nirina Rajoelina, has commended the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for the superintending over impressive developments in Ghana over the last two years.



The President of Madagascar made this known on Saturday, 19th January, 2019, when he held bilateral talks with President Akufo-Addo in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, shortly after being sworn into office, in an impressive ceremony that was attended by His Excellency Alpha Conde, President of the Republic of Guinea; His Excellency Hage Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia; His Excellency Edgar Lungu, President of the Republic of Zambia; and His Excellency Azali Assoumani, President of the Comoros. Also present were the Vice President of the Republic of Cote dIvoire, His Excellency Daniel Kablan Duncan; Vice President of the Seychelles, His Excellency Vincent Meriton; former President of the Republic of Mozambique and former Chairperson of the African Union, His Excellency Dr. Joaquim Chissano, and the former French President, His Excellency Nicolas Sarkozy.



According to President Rajoelina, Ghana, under the leadership of President Akufo-Addo, has consistently, since 2017, been one of the fastest growing economies not only in Africa, but in the world.



This, he explained, can be attributed to the sound economic policies being pursued by the Akufo-Addo government. He hoped for closer ties of co-operation and friendship between Ghana and Madagascar during the mandates of President Akufo-Addo and himself.



Expressing his admiration for President Akufo-Addos vision of moving Ghana to a situation Beyond Aid, he applauded his Ghanaian counterpart for his decision to situate an industrial establishment in all parts of the country, guarantee access to education for all of Ghanas children, and move towards making Ghana self-sufficient in the production of food.



All of these, President Rajoelina explained, were signs of a Ghana being put onto the path to progress and prosperity, and indicated his preparedness to deepen the relations between the two countries for the mutual benefit of the two peoples.



On his part, President Akufo-Addo congratulated President Rajoelina on his ascension, once again, to the high office of President of the Republic of Madagascar, and wished him well during his tenure of office.



He commended his Madagascan counterpart for his decision to restructure the economy of Madagascar for "strong growth", as well as establish independent bodies, akin to Ghanas Office of Special Prosecutor, to combat corruption in the island nation.



President Akufo-Addo assured President Rajoelina of the Ghanaian peoples continued solidarity with the people of Madagascar, and pledged to do his best to deepen the ties of co-operation, friendship and trade between the two countries.



President Akufo-Addo returned home from Madagascar on Sunday, 20th January, 2019.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Former President Jerry John Rawlings has called for a swift and conclusive investigation into the murder of Tiger Eye's investigative journalist, Ahmed Hussein-Suale.



In a tweet, the former President also condemned the 'reckless' action of Kennedy Agyapong in 'unmasking' Ahmed and other investigative journalists involved in the documentary; Number 12: When Misconduct & Greed Become The Norm.



"Ahmed Suales killing cannot be allowed to end up like others - unresolved. We have to get to the bottom of these questionable circumstances and their implications for our wider safety.



I support the call by the President and other opinion leaders for a swift and conclusive investigation. I am equally moved by a strongly worded letter by US Congressman Henry Johnson seeking Secretary of State Mike Pompeos support for the investigation of Suales death.



We are here today largely because one man recklessly unmasked an investigative reporter and issued threats of violence" Mr Rawlings wrote.



Background



Ahmed Hussein-Suale, was shot dead on Wednesday night at Madina in Accra by unidentified men on a motorbike and was buried on Friday in line with Islamic customs.



Ahmed hails from Wulensi in the Northern Region.











Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Vodafone Ghana has affirmed its resolve to strengthening customer care for the sustainable growth of the company.



Ms Yolanda Cuba, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Vodafone, said for that reason the company was working assiduously to roll out innovative products to address the needs of customers.



The company intends to introduce a 4G component to its line of services by the close of this year, and this was being pursued by the Management to bring their services to standard, she said.



Ms Cuba, who was inaugurating a new retail shop of the company at the Kumasi Shopping Mall, said Vodafone would continue to work to the satisfaction of the customer.



She was accompanied by Mr Puspinder Singh, Vodafone Ghana Director in-charge of Consumer Business.



The CEO indicated that the new retail outlet was to help expand its activities for the convenience of the customer.



Mr Singh said the company had stepped up efforts to opening up more of such outlets to meet its growing customer base.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
PARLAMENTUL REPUBLICII MOLDOVA

 2010

The Moldovan Parliaments website design was supported by the Democracy Support Programme in Moldova"  an initiative financed by the European Union and implemented by the Council of Europe
For his second menswear collection, Simon Porte Jacquemus decided he wanted to look to the "rural life in the hills around Montpelier" for inspiration. And so to bring his main theme of "traditional French work wear" across  inspired by blue collar workers and meant to be an homage to laborers such as bakers, electricians, and farmers  Porte Jacquemus himself made a point to arrive at the show with his diverse group of models in a big white truck. This was meant to simulate arriving from the countryside.

This isn't the only very extra, very literal step the designer took in presenting his fall 2019 collection. WWD also reports that the invite for the show held in Palais de Tokyo in Paris, entitled "Le Meunier," or "The Miller," was an actual loaf of bread "wrapped in a white tea towel signed Jacquemus." And, according to Vogue, after the models and designer were delivered to the venue, and "after a turn around the gallery," they all "sat down to eat breakfast at a rustic table laden with bread, cheese and coffee."

The collection was comprised mostly of workwear jackets, pants with pockets aplenty, light linen shirts and suits, and cotton outdoor basics with a modern update. The colors were mostly comprised of neutral tones, with a pop of pastel blue, and some orange shades here and there.

Porte Jacquemus, who grew up in Provence, said, "When I was a kid I was obsessed by the uniforms of my uncle who was an electrician." "There is no political message, but I am from the countryside, from a farmer family," he continued. "I was born with these guys, these Gilets Jaunes. So all these messages about people's suffering, I understand them. I feel close to them. But it's a bit wrong to have a message in a fashion show on a Sunday morning."

Still, without meaning to, the collection spoke volumes  in the diversity of the male models he chose, in the collection's delivery, and in the way he said, "For me, this is the France of today."
Netflix's new series Sex Education follows Otis (Asa Butterfield), the son of a professional sex therapist who winds up running an underground sex therapy operation of his own  treating his classmates who are going through the awkward pains of teenage sex. But the show doesn't just talk about sex, it talks about sexuality. And one of the characters that shines brightest on the show is Eric Effiong, a loud and proud gay black teenager with a socially awkward straight white male (Otis) for a best friend, who does everything but play into the "gay best friend" and "POC best friend" stereotypes.

Ncuti Gatwa is the breakout actor that plays Eric. And while he's new to the silver screen, he easily becomes the show's golden boy. From banana blowjobs to identity crises, Gatwa's candid portrayal Eric can get audiences to crack up one second and cry in the next. In beautifully portraying, and truly understanding all the human complexities of his character, he is able to bring this well-rounded, realistic non-caricature to life.

Gatwa chats with PAPER Magazine about being the voice for a "minority within a minority," shooting the most awkward scenes, and what he wants for Eric in season two (if it happens).

PAPER: Eric is one of the only portrayals of a young black gay teenager. Why do you think that's important? Ncuti Gatwa: "First and foremost, what I love about that storyline is that it's not that classic coming out story. Eric is out, and everybody knows he's gay, and it's what happens after he came out. And so exploring that is really interesting, and seeing how he's dealing with the world around him that knows who he is. Being a teenager is a testing time, because you're figuring out who you are in the world, and where you stand in the world. When you're a minority within a minority, and you're starting to realize 'The world's not going to love me as much as it loves my white friend, or my straight friend.' It's tricky."



In terms of representation? "We haven't seen a lot of gay black teenagers on TV, especially like Eric. And so, to see it represented on TV, I just hope Eric speaks to a lot of people who haven't see themselves represented on TV thus far, and they can seek solace in the fact that it's fine to be whoever you are. Like Eric says in the seventh episode, 'I'll be hurt either way. Isn't it better to be who I am?' The fact that Eric is just so who he is, I just hope people can look at him and think that it is okay to be who you are. And it's really important that he represents a lot of intersections, because the world is so diverse, but we only see a certain amount of people in the media. I just it's just important to see yourself represented, and I wish I had a show like Sex Education when I was younger."

"When you're a minority within a minority, and you're starting to realize 'The world's not going to love me as much as it loves my white friend, or my straight friend.' It's tricky."

Did you realize just how important it was when you took the role? "To be honest, I was just more excited to play him. I was thinking about how awesome of a character he is. I think before we started filming, as I was doing my script preparation and line learning, that's when it dawned on me that he's going to be such an important voice for so many people. And in the last four episodes, he goes through such a journey, and he's resilient in his strength. He represents strength in a way that hasn't been portrayed before, and I really wanted to get that right. The show deals with masculinity at many different points, and I think what we've tried to do  and I hope that we've done  is show that masculinity can be multi-dimensional, and there's no one particular way to be strong."

What did you have to keep in mind while being Eric?

"I really wanted to get him right, because there's a lot of people who are going to be looking at him, and seeing themselves in him. It was important to me that he wasn't a caricature. We've seen the gay best friend caricature, and we've seen the black best friend caricature, and I really wanted to move away from that. Shout out to Laurie Nunn for writing such a well-rounded, fully-fleshed, gay black character, because you're in danger of making him comedic relief. But he has such a beautiful and creative story arch in the show, so it was important to me that he wasn't a stereotype."

As we both know, there are many admirable qualities about Eric. One of those qualities  and I think many people will agree  is how well he handles a banana. "Oh my god! That scene! We went through about 300 bananas, you know, all three of us: me, Mimi Keene who plays Ruby, and Simone Ashley who plays Olivia. We just had to keep getting caught, and it was like "New bananas! New bananas!" There's actually a video on YouTube where a girl eats a banana, and it gets stuck in her throat. I think we just watched that before we shot that day, and said, 'This is what we're aiming for.'"

How would you describe your own coming-of-age and sexual awakening? "I had quite a thorough sex education from Scotland, and they had actually just introduced LGBT education into their curriculums. Everybody has to learn about LGBT history. But my sexual journey I don't know. It's the same as anybody else. I lost my virginity when I was a teenager, and it's just quite awkward, isn't it? It's uncomfortable and weird. Well, obviously, it gets better as you get older. You think you know what you're doing when you're young, and it gets better with time and practice."

"Shout out to Laurie Nunn for writing such a well-rounded, fully-fleshed, gay black character, because you're in danger of making him comedic relief."

How different is Ncuti's style from Eric's style? "They're very different. I think I'm a bit more bougie than him," he laughs. "But I definitely share his affinity for well-fitted and tight clothing. Eric is a lot more brave than I am, and he is willing to try anything: mismatched clothes, color-block clothes, and put on a whole ensemble of things that might not work together. I'm a Libra, so I do like to look good, so I try to put my outfits together more carefully. I think I'm more of a coordinated, fitted dresser than Eric."

That bright orange look was a look. "It was a brave look! He really went there. He really went to that part of town."

The online queer community has been celebrating Eric. Have people been sliding into your DMs? In a totally platonic way, that is. "I've had some beautiful, beautiful DMs from people talking about how they feel so much more comfortable to be themselves. Honestly, it warms my heart more than anything. I'm a very cynical, grumpy Brit occasionally, and it's definitely warmed my British heart the amount of love that Eric has gotten. I'm happy to play this part, and be that voice for people. It's definitely an honor and a privilege."

What would you want for Eric if season 2 happens? "I would like for Eric to continue discovering who he is, and coming into his own. I would like him to get better at playing the French horn, because he seems to be really into that. And then also, potentially find love. I'd be quite exited for Eric to find love, because he's got a lot of love to give, and it would be quite nice for it to be returned."
Hulu's Fyre Fraud documentary is able to tell the story of the fiasco that was the FYRE Festival with a linear narrative, and was able to show just how much of a pathological liar and sociopath Billy McFarland is. The original doc was also able to show how millennial social media culture has ultimately led to this dumpster fire of an event. But Netflix's FYRE truly highlights how much damage this event has caused to the Bahamian locals  particularly restaurateur Maryann Rolle.

Rolle did her best to accommodate hundreds of guests who were brought to the Exuma Point Bar and Grill when the actual Fyre Festival campsite wasn't ready just yet. "[The organizers] said the grounds aren't ready, we would like to bring the guests to your place for a few hours until the site is ready. We had a good relationship, we did so much for them so we couldn't say no to that," she told Tribune 242. She successfully served influencers and other ticket-holders breakfast, and she kept cooking and cooking along with other women until breakfast turned into lunch. "We had a lot of food, it's just that we weren't prepared because I would have had a couple grills out on the beach."

The businesswoman says that Fyre owes her $136,000. She and her husband, Elvis, trusted that the company would be able to compensate them for their services. "You're thinking it's real, we liaison in good faith. In the Bahamas, sometimes we tend to get careless about business and we lean more to good faith, that's our culture," she said. "They invested a lot of money, and that was what I was looking at, the investment that went forward. It was no way they were gonna have you do all this work and not pay you and it's not going to come off well."

But, as the Netflix documentary details, Fyre has caused Mrs. Rolle a lot of pain and suffering. On-camera, she says that she had ten persons working with her to prepare food all day and all night for 24 hours. She, of course, had to pay these people, and took $50,000 out of her personal savings to do so. "I just wiped it out, and never looked back."

Not gonna lie I literally choked up when the restaurant owner talked about having to pay out $50k to pay her employees because of what a scam the festival was #FyreFestival  Coffeesaddict  (@coffeesaddicts) January 19, 2019

The only thing I care about after watching the #FyreFestival documentary is the Bahamian locals who were overworked & never paid and Maryann Rolle who put $50,000 of her savings to pay the workers at her restaurant who manned the event.  Kaya Thomas (@kthomas901) January 19, 2019

Forget the people that spent thousands to attend #FyreFestival. What about the Bahamian people that DID NOT GET PAID!? They were just a tiny footnote in the whole documentary. The PR company that promoted the festival, produced the documentary! They swept it under the carpet!  Buster Bancroft (@BusterBancroft) January 20, 2019

Thankfully, there is a way to help Maryann Rolle. Gabrielle Bluestone, the Executive Producer of the Netflix documentary, tweeted that the Rolles have set up a GoFundMe page to help them make up for their losses during the Fyre Festival.

For those of you asking how to help Maryann Rolle, the Bahamian woman who spent $50,000 of her savings to feed the local laborers who worked on the Fyre Festival, she has an official gofundme page here: https://t.co/eLawHgE92E  Gabrielle Bluestone (@g_bluestone) January 18, 2019

Rolle wrote on the page, "As I make this plea it's hard to believe and embarrassing to admit that I was not paidI was left in a big hole! My life was changed forever, and my credit was ruined by Fyre Fest. My only resource today is to appeal for help." As of Sunday evening, the GoFund me has reached over $97,000 dollars out of their $123,000 goal.

If you'd like to help the Bahamian locals who have suffered at the hand of fraudulent American "businessmen," make sure to click on this link, and donate.
Photograph of a reconstructed French and Indian War bateau on the Oswego River. The lecture by Arthur Simmons III will describe the forts and features of the Oneida Carry at Rome NY, through which all bateaux carrying supplies, ordnance, and troops had to pass to get to Oswego.
On Weekend Update, McKinnon was first-rate as Elizabeth Warren, the Democratic presidential candidate who answered the complaint that she isnt likable. Am I likable? Prob not, McKinnons Warren said. Neither is a prostate exam. But you need one or youll die. This country is long overdue for a finger up its caboose. She added, Bend over, America, and let Mama Warren get to work.
Hes an inspiration for younger musical-theater performers of color who are unsure of their place in the industry, like myself, Martinez said of Miranda. He figured that if opportunities were not going to come to him, he was just going to make them for himself, and he actively works to make opportunities for other performers like him. I cant help but admire that.
What's Included

With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 716-372-3121 or email nfinnerty@oleantimesherald.com.
All in a days work for Ferrer, who for years has earned his living as co-chair of Mercury Public Affairs, a lobbying and influence giant that has paid him between $250,000 and $350,000 a year, according to his disclosures to the state Joint Commission on Public Ethics. Mercury is a driving force behind the MasterCard promotional campaign, employing both its L.A.-based executive director and its chairman, former California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez.
That was acting Chief of Staff Kevin OBrien, who left with no announcement or explanation shortly after de Blasio won reelection, and amid #MeToo calls for the city to account for its own handling of sexual harassment claims. (When those numbers came out later that year, the mayor initially pointed to a hyper-complaint dynamic at the Education Department to account for 500 claims there on his watch, with just seven of them substantiated.)
Whitestone: If a female police officer filed a complaint that a male police officer shoved his underwear in her face, I would venture to guess he wouldnt be transferred to a better job and the female officer sent off to a psych ward. Not to mention the outrage women would express. The female officer, a sergeant, no less, was way out of line in so many instances. First and foremost, as a person in charge, her conduct was not only unbecoming of an NYPD sergeant, but as woman, and her behavior socially unacceptable. Being ostracized for filing a complaint, being made fun of, becoming a pariah  isnt that what women have been experiencing? For a woman to do this to a man and the situation becoming a double standard is a sad commentary and puts fellow female police officers in a bad light. Ursula Mika
The President had proposed Saturday to end the federal government shutdown he initiated Dec. 22 by considering granting three-year work permits to keep immigrants in the country legally through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. In exchange, he demanded more than $5 billion to build a border wall, which Democratic House leaders say is a non-starter.
If things look a little bit different here today thats because of the fact that we had a fire  yes, a fire  in our building on North Capitol Street, host Chris Wallace said at the outset of the program.
I would think most voters  Democrat, Republican, independent, you name it  that knowing that the Republican nominee was actively trying to do business in Moscow, that the Republican nominee at least at one point had offered, if he built this building, Vladimir Putin, a free-penthouse apartment, and if those negotiations were ongoing up until the election, I think thats a relevant fact for voters to know, said the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee. And I think its remarkable we are two years after the fact and just discovering it today.
The only papers he saved were his immigration papers for him and his mother from Estonia and the letter from the Veterans Administration hospital, said LeRoy Wooster. There was nothing more recent than 30 or 40 years ago.
"The last thing he and his wife Jonna Mendez did was get their new book to the publisher and he died feeling he had completed writing the stories that he wanted to be told," the family said in a statement.
The videos show the human side of the officers as they interact with the children and one of the officers realizes hes not quite sure how to handle the carseat. The mom, who is a suspect, asks the officer to hold her 2-year-old while shes allowed to retrieve the infant from the car seat.
Sandmann and his schoolmates crossed paths with Nathan Phillips and other Native Americans at the end of the Indigenous Peoples March as they performed the American Indian Movement song. In the video that has gone viral, they were filmed clapping with smiles plastered on their faces as they mockingly sang and danced along to the song. A smirking Sandmann stands face-to-face with Vietnam War veteran Phillips  a Nebraska native of the Omaha tribe who now lives in Michigan  blocking his path and grinning in his face as his friends looked on, laughed and filmed him.
They were not shot," Jensen said early Sunday, according to the Oregonian. "Were not sure what was used at this time. Ive been told that there were numerous weapons, swords, things of that nature in the residence. The investigators are trying to determine what exactly was used to kill each person."
A squabble over the name led to his first murder, he said. Cole, then 8, and a group of kids had gone swimming. A playmate recalled only as Duane, was teasing him. When Duane jumped into the water, Cole grabbed him and held him under until he drowned. No one saw him do it and police ruled the death an accident.
Bernales was inside the E. 63rd St. apartment near Second Ave. about 11:15 a.m. when the nanny-cam recorded her place her hands around the babys head and shake the babys head up and down multiple times as the child sat in a stroller, according to court papers.
She said Roses regular aides, whove registered with a new agency, hope to return to caring for her. But right now, Murphy expects her aunts new agency will send new, unfamiliar aides who may at first frighten her.
Its a terrible position to be in, said City Councilman and Public Advocate candidate Jumaane Williams, who attended the TSA luncheon. Im proud people in New York have come together, and I want to be a part of being there to help them. They should be commended for coming to work day after day in these conditions.
The second, and more difficult, part of their mission was to try to undo the damage the Nazis had already done. For years the Germans had been stripping museums and seizing private property. But where had it all gone? It was up to the Monuments Men to track it down  and, if they could, return it to where it belonged.
I NEVER MADE OR GOT PAID ONE DOLLAR FROM FYRE BUT EVERYONE ELSE DID!!! he wrote. I too was hustled, scammed, bamboozled, hood winked, lead astray!!!... I did not and would never scam ANYONEperiod!! And I dont care if anyone sympathizes with me or not those are the FACTS!!!
President Muhammadu Buhari could not attend the 2019 Debate organised for Presidential Candidates on Saturday night because the event cl...

President Muhammadu Buhari could not attend the 2019 Debate organised for Presidential Candidates on Saturday night because the event clashed with his other major activities.









The Spokesperson for the Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress, Festus Keyamo, stated this in a statement on Sunday night.









The event was organised by the Nigeria Election Debate Group and the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria.









Giving reasons for the presidents absence, the statement said, Firstly, out of several opportunities afforded our candidate to interact with the Nigerian people directly by different organisations, our presidential candidate has taken full advantage of another town-hall meeting organised by another group which held on Wednesday, January 16, 2019.









He was also joined at that town-hall meeting by our Vice-Presidential candidate who is also the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.









Nigerians from all walks of life who were physically present and through on-line platforms asked uncensored questions which were adequately answered. It was also transmitted live by various broadcast networks in Nigeria.









In addition, the busy and hectic official and campaign schedules of Mr. President clashed with this programme. Today, Mr. President commissioned the Baro Inland Water Port in Niger State and campaigned in Niger and Plateau States where his time was over-stretched by the tumultuous and mammoth crowds in both States, (as seen by Nigerians on live television) and only returned to Abuja late this evening.









The council, however, said the reason given by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alh. Atiku Abubakar, was untenable as it showed he had no programe for the country.









We note the statement of the candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who actually came for the event and left the venue when he did not see Mr. President, who is our candidate. According to him, he would not want to attack Mr. President in his absence.









It should now be obvious to Nigerians that for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the PDP, this election is all about attacking the person and programmes of Mr. President and not about proffering their own solutions to the problems they created during their sixteen years of misrule, maladministration and looting of the nations resources.









When they cannot see President Buhari to attack, the content of their campaign becomes hollow, empty and full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Now that Atiku Abubakar had a unique opportunity to explain to Nigerians his own vision and mission without a President Buhari in the picture, he ran away. Afterall, he has his own eight years of crass and grand corruption as Vice President to defend before the Nigerian people.









On February 16, 2019 we urge Nigerians to demonstrate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the PDP, through their votes, how empty indeed their campaign has always been and to vote massively for President Muhammadu Buhari and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN who have started the rebuilding process of our great nation.









The PCC thanked the organisers for the invitation, assuring Nigerians to continue to hold the debate groups and Nigerians in high esteem which Buhari has demonstrated during past election debates when he honoured similar invitations.









Nigerians will also recall that a few weeks ago, our Vice-Presidential candidate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, also attended the debate organised by the same organisations, the statement added.
An exhibition titled 'Tohoku: Through the Eyes of Japanese Photographers' will open at Salah Taher Gallery in Cairo on 23 January.

The Tohoku region in Japan faced the biggest damage in a devastating magnitude 9 earthquake that took place on 11 March 2011.

The quake left 20,000 people dead or missing and caused the unprecedented nuclear accident at No. 1 Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant.

The media coverage of the destruction made many people familiar with the names of Tohoku's cities and prefectures, but few are likely to have a broad knowledge of other aspects of the region  its climate, natural and cultural environment, history, way of life, or people.

Through the images of nine Japanese photographers, the exhibition hopes to present the varied faces of Tohoku, and familiarise people with this relatively unknown region.

According to the exhibition text, featured are the photos of Teisuke Chiba and Ichiro Kojima, both of whom photographed Tohoku in the 1950s and 1960s; Hideo Haga, Masatoshi Naito, and Masaru Tatsuki, who have been recording festivals and folk religious rites throughout the region; Hiroshi Oshima and Naoya Hatakeyama, who combined their personal histories with the landscapes of their home regions; Meiki Lin, a photographer of the natural environment; and Nao Tsuda, who is interested in the Japanese spirit in relics and artefacts of the Jomon period.

The Sendai Collection artist collective led by Toru Ito held the same exhibition in the Japanese culture institute in Koln, Germany, and at the Postmodernism Museum of Bucharest in 2015.

Programme:

The exhibit will open on 23 January at 6:30pm, and runs will 6 February

Open daily (except Fridays) from 10am to 2pm and 4:30pm to 8:30 pm

Salah Taher Gallery, Cairo Opera House, Zamalek, Cairo

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

Short link:


The Independent National Electoral Commission has put to rest speculations that it may postpone elections in some communities in the Nor...

The Independent National Electoral Commission has put to rest speculations that it may postpone elections in some communities in the North-East, which have come under attacks of Boko Haram.









The commission, however, admitted that if not for the Nigerian Air Force, which assisted in airlifting its personnel to difficult terrains containing landmines in Borno State during the continuous voter registration, many qualified voters in those areas would have been disenfranchised.









The Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of INEC, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said with the assistance of security agencies, elections would be conducted in all states across the country.









According to him, INEC has maintained robust synergy with the security agencies under the aegis of the Inter Consultative Committee on Election Security.









This, he said, was why the commission had been having peaceful elections in most of the areas where elections were conducted in the last three years.









Oyekanmi said, Postponement is not being considered. The commission maintains robust synergy with the security agencies under the aegis of the Inter Consultative Committee on Election Security, which is why we have been having peaceful elections in most of the constituencies where elections were conducted in the last three years.









In fact, but for the Nigerian Air Force which graciously agreed to airlift the commissions staff to difficult terrains containing landmines in Borno State during the continuous voter registration, it would have been impossible for INEC to register qualified voters in those areas at that time.









We all agree that our armed forces are currently under pressure due to several security challenges across the country, especially in the North-East. But the commission believes that the military is equal to the task. Therefore, with their help, elections will be conducted in all states across the country.
The Nigerian Army on Sunday said its troops killed two Boko Haram insurgents in the ongoing clearance operation at Kajeri community in M...

The Nigerian Army on Sunday said its troops killed two Boko Haram insurgents in the ongoing clearance operation at Kajeri community in Mafa Local Government Area of Borno.









Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Operation LAFIYA DOLE said in a statement in Maiduguri that the troops also recovered ammunition and rescued two aged women from the insurgents captivity.









Nwachukwu said the insurgents killed on Saturday by troops of 112 Task Force Battalion on clearance operation in the general area of Zaza, Kajeri-Maye, and Kajeri-Maiburem villages in Mafa.









The terrorists who had infiltrated Kajeri-Maye village to unleash mayhem on the communities ran out of luck, as the vigilant troops projected their clearance operation to the village and fiercely engaged the terrorists in combat, killing two of them.









During the operation, the gallant troops rescued two women who had been held hostage by the terrorists. The rescued women were handed over to officials of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Mafa.









According to Nwachukwu, the troops also recovered one primed 36 Hand Grenade, two Dane Guns, one locally fabricated short barrel gun, and two Mobile phones.









Other items also recovered by the troops include one AK-47 rifle magazine,17 rounds of Anti-Aircraft gun ammunition, 27 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and 22 rounds of 7.62 mm NATO ammunition.









The army spokesman said the troops were on the pursuit of the insurgents who escaped.









He said they would continue with the clearance operations to flush out remnants of the terrorists still hiding in the area.
Bishop of Catholic Dioceses of Yola, Most Rev. Stephen Mamza, has said many religious leaders have lost their credibility by dabbling in...

Bishop of Catholic Dioceses of Yola, Most Rev. Stephen Mamza, has said many religious leaders have lost their credibility by dabbling into politics for pecuniary gains.









Mamza lamented that the church had lost control over many of the church leaders.









The cleric said the utterances of many church leaders showed that they had gone beyond the limit expected of them.









He said, The problem we have is that we have hungry religious leaders. Those that are not there for the service of God but because of their pockets. If not, why should a religious leader allow the politician to control him. The cleric is supposed to be the leader of the politician and not the other way around, as we can see.









We (clerics) are supposed to form the conscience of the politicians. But in a situation where due to material things, we cede this position to them, then well lose our credibility. The problem that we have today with religious leaders is that many of them have lost their credibility because they dabbled into politics.









I can give example with the Catholic church. The Catholic church has rules and regulations. But there are many other religious bodies that do not have guiding principles. These are the ones that allow their religious leaders to go into politics and they go beyond the limits that are acceptable.









But when asked about the utterances of Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka on political matters, Mamza accused Mbaka of being an embarrassment to the Catholic church.









He said, Reverend Father Mbaka is an embarrassment to the Catholic church and I wonder why he is yet to be sanctioned by the bishop of his diocese. This cannot happen in other dioceses. There is no reason why he should not be sanctioned.













Every priest is under the jurisdiction of his bishop. If a priest commits a crime or does something wrong anywhere in the world, the person that acts on that priest is the bishop. Even Rome will not act just like that; it is your own bishop that will do that. I think we can say that his bishop should make sure he cautions Mbaka because he has really crossed his bounds.
The All Progressives Congress in Ogun State has called for the removal of Governor Ibikunle Amosun as the head of the Presidential Campa...

The All Progressives Congress in Ogun State has called for the removal of Governor Ibikunle Amosun as the head of the Presidential Campaign Council in the state.









The state party, in a letter written to its National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, expressed dissatisfaction with the appointment of the governor as the head of the presidential campaign council.









The APC stated this in a petition jointly signed by state party executives, serving and former elective office holders as well as the governorship candidate, Dapo Abiodun, which was made available to journalists in Abeokuta.









The party added that its executive council and entire members at the state level had passed a vote of no confidence in the governor as the leader of PCC in the state.









President Muhammadu Buhari had, a few weeks ago, inaugurated the council with the former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, serving as co-chairman to him.









All the governors in the APC controlled-states have also been made the leader of the council in their respective states.









But in the petition, which was obtained, the signatories accused Amosun of anti-party activities which included the endorsement of the governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, Adekunle Akinlade, and alleged de-marketing of the party in the state.









The petition titled Re: Petition against the Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, for anti-party activities and utterances, where the governor was quoted to have said, I will work against Ogun APC governorship candidate.









Amosun was also accused of treating leaders and the governorship candidate of the party in the state with disdain.









The petition read in part, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who, though, a leader and 2019 senatorial candidate of our party, has, since the governorship primaries of October 3, 2018, consistently been working at cross- sections and objectives with other leaders and our 2019 governorship candidate with high disdain and insolence as enunciated below.









He sponsored and encouraged members of our party, who are his followers, to defect from the APC to the APM, a hitherto unknown political party in Ogun State.









At every opportunity, he exhibits an open surreptitious gall and bitterness against leaders of our party who he describes as fraudulent, untruthful and full of deceit.









He declared with gusto at a public gathering on December 31, 2018 with local and international press in attendance that APC will lose Ogun governorship election. He repeated the same statement at another forum.









Finally, in view of the open declaration of war on Ogun State APC as well as the blatant destruction of all party apparatuses at all levels by the governor, coupled with his blatant hostility to all APC candidates.









We, on behalf of our loyal party members, have lost confidence in the governor and do not trust his sincerity to head the Presidential Campaign Council in Ogun State.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Sunday, took a swipe at President Muhammadu Buhari, describing his administration to the era of...

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Sunday, took a swipe at President Muhammadu Buhari, describing his administration to the era of the late former Head of state, Gen.Sani Abacha .









He stated this in his 16-page book-like address, titled, Points for concern and action, given to journalists at his residence in Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta .









Obasanjo said, today, another Abacha Era is here. The security institutions are being misused to fight all critics and opponents of Buhari and to derail our fledging democracy.









EFCC, Police, and Code of Conduct Tribunal are also being equally misused to deal with those Buhari sees as enemies for criticising him or as those who may not do his bidding in manipulating to election results.









Details later.
A 41-year-old farmer, Fidelis Ikpechi, has been murdered by suspected ritualists on his farm, at Ogere -Remo area of Ogun State. Accordi...

A 41-year-old farmer, Fidelis Ikpechi, has been murdered by suspected ritualists on his farm, at Ogere -Remo area of Ogun State. According to reports, the suspected ritualists attacked Ikpechi on his farm, beheaded him and they carted away some of his body parts on Thursday, January 17th. His dismembered body was found inside a sack on Friday morning around Ositelu street, in Ogere-Remo.









Confirming the incident, the Secretary of Igede community where Ikpechi's remains were found, Mr Michael Ekirigwe, said an alarm was raised by Ikpechi's neighbours after he failed to return home on Thursday night.









We are very sad and disillusioned with the dastard killing of one of us, in fact we are very pained that a man quietly working in his farm not too far away from his house could be brutally killed like animals, what then is the fate of those whose farms are very far to the town? Ekirigwe said









The remains of the deceased has been deposited in the morgue while the matter has been reported to the police.
Gunmen killed at least eight Chadian UN peacekeepers in an attack Sunday on one of their bases in northern Mali, a source close to the M...

Gunmen killed at least eight Chadian UN peacekeepers in an attack Sunday on one of their bases in northern Mali, a source close to the MINUSMA force said.









According to a new toll, still provisional, at least eight peacekeepers have been killed, the source said.









The attack happened early Sunday at the Aguelhok base 200 kilometres (125 miles) north of Kidal and towards the border with Algeria, the source added.









A Malian security source spoke of at least six killed and 19 wounded, while a diplomat in northern Mali told AFP that several of the attackers were also killed.









An attack at the same base last April killed two peacekeepers and left several others wounded.









More than 13,000 peacekeepers are deployed in Mali as part of a UN mission that was established after Islamist militias seized northern Mali in 2012. They were pushed backed by French troops in 2013.









A peace agreement signed in 2015 by the Bamako government and armed groups was aimed at restoring stability to Mali following a brief Islamist takeover in the north.









But the accord has failed to stop violence by Islamist militants, who have also staged attacks in Burkina Faso and Niger.









Earlier this month, both France and the United States criticised the authorities in Mali for their failure to stem the worsening violence.

















(AFP.)
Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi directed the government on Sunday to continue efforts to settle all running tax disputes.

El-Sisis directions came during his meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Finance Minister Mohamed Maait, and Deputy Finance Minister for Financial Policies Ahmed Kajuk, according to presidential spokesman Bassam Rady.

During the meeting, the president stressed the importance of developing Tax Authority offices, having well-trained employees, using cutting-edge technologies, and providing good services to citizens.

El-Sisi also reviewed the latest data on the country's economic reforms from the first half of fiscal year 2018/19, which showed a primary surplus of EGP 20.8 billion, 0.4 percent of the GDP, up from 0.3 percent in the same period last year.

The deficit continued its decline to hit 3.6 percent of the GDP, down from 4.2 percent in the first half of 2017/18, the data revealed.

Moreover, government investments hit unprecedented levels, reaching EGP 55.7 billion.

Short link:


The Coming events listings are for meetings that occur Monday through the following Sunday. These are published as a public service. The deadline for submitting items is noon Wednesday. Items may be mailed to Coming Events, St. Joseph News-Press, Box 29, St. Joseph, MO 64502 or e-mailed to leanna.murphy@newspressnow.com. The News-Press reserves the right to edit items as space requires.
A record-breaking 65.2 million tourists visited New York in 2018, its tourist board said Wednesday, with British people particularly keen to visit the Big Apple from overseas. According to new figures from NYC & Company, around 51.6 million Americans and 13.5 million foreign tourists visited the city last year -- compared to 13.1 overseas visitors in 2017.

Britons topped the list of overseas visitors, with 1.24 million, followed by China (1.1 million), Canada (1 million), Brazil (920,000) and France (807,000). New York ranked the 6th most-visited city in the world for foreign tourists, according to Mastercards annual Global Destination Cities list published in September, based on a projected 13.1 million visitors.

Bangkok topped that list, ahead of London, Paris, Dubai and Singapore. The USs financial capital, where tourism employs over 390,000 people, hopes to break records again in 2019 with a predicted 67 million visitors.
The University of Bahrain (UoB) has become one of the first universities in the world to issue certificates to students using blockchain technology. This rare feat was announced at the Blockchain Unlocked Summit.

The UoB has collaborated with Learning Machine, which last year implemented a similar project with MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and are recognised as the global leader of using blockchain in education. Over 100 delegates attended the summit from the private and public sectors, which was held in partnership between UoB and Bahrain Fintechbay.

The summit focused on practical applications of blockchain and how economic sectors and start-ups can take advantage of this new technology. Blockchain verified certificates would mean that any certificate issued will secure, tamper-proof and directly shareable with employers and other universities anywhere in the world instantly.

University of Bahrain President, Professor Riyad Hamzah, explained the rationale for using the blockchain platform for academic records: We at UoB are delighted to be the trailblazers in using blockchain in the MENA region in order to better serve our students. This technology provides an encrypted platform to issue credentials to students with cryptographic proof that they were issued by UOB. Students will also have their own digital file, which means that they or indeed their employers will not have to wait for us to validate their credentials.
The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574.

Community Perspective

Send Community Perspective submissions by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Submissions must be 500 to 750 words. Columns are welcome on a wide range of issues and should be well-written and well-researched with attribution of sources. Include a full name, email address, daytime telephone number and headshot photograph suitable for publication (email jpg or tiff files at 150 dpi.) You may also schedule a photo to be taken at the News-Miner office. The News-Miner reserves the right to edit submissions or to reject those of poor quality or taste without consulting the writer.

Letters to the editor

Send letters to the editor by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707), by fax (907-452-7917) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Writers are limited to one letter every two weeks (14 days.) All letters must contain no more than 350 words and include a full name (no abbreviation), daytime and evening phone numbers and physical address. (If no phone, then provide a mailing address or email address.) The Daily News-Miner reserves the right to edit or reject letters without consulting the writer.
Egypt is set to host the Banking Technology North Africa Week conference on 28-29 January to demonstrate innovative and cost-effective digital banking services that aim to expand access to those currently unbanked while keeping increasingly demanding consumers.

According to the events brochure, the two-day conference, which will be held in Cairos Nile Ritz Carlton, is set to feature keynotes by a number of influential speakers from the countrys banking sector.

The first day will see a session titled Inclusion, Digital Transformation & Payments Day, which will witness a number of speeches by the heads of leading banks in Egypt over the future of banks in the country and the road to a cashless society.

Data, Analytics, Cyber and Information Security Day will be the main topic on the second day of the conference, focusing on achieving business resilience and continuity through an effective risk management framework.

The panels will also include discussions on preparing for new risks and ensuring security in the digital age and protecting consumers through fighting cybercrime and identity fraud to ensure customer trust and loyalty, among other topics.

The Banking Tech North Africa Awards ceremony will be held on the end of the second day to recognise the most innovative and creative leaders that stand out from the crowd in the sector.

Short link:


Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community.

Submit here
(Newser)  The Vatican received information in 2015 and 2017 that an Argentine bishop close to Pope Francis had taken naked selfies, exhibited "obscene" behavior, and been accused of misconduct with seminarians, his former vicar general told the AP, undermining Vatican claims that allegations were made a few months ago. Francis accepted Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta's resignation in August 2017, after priests in the remote Oran diocese complained about his authoritarian rule and a former vicar, seminary rector, and another prelate alleged abuses of power, inappropriate behavior, and sexual harassment of seminarians, said the former vicar, the Rev. Juan Jose Manzano. The scandal over Zanchetta, 54, is the latest to implicate Francis as he and the church face an unprecedented crisis over their mishandling of clergy abuse. Francis summoned leaders to a summit next month, but his own actions are increasingly in the spotlight.

story continues below

The pope's decision to allow Zanchetta to resign quietly, and then promote him to the No. 2 position in one of the Vatican's most sensitive offices, has raised questions again about whether Francis turned a blind eye to misconduct of his allies and dismissed allegations as ideological attacks. Manzano said he was one of the diocesan officials who raised the alarm in 2015 and sent the selfies to the Vatican, and one of three who made a second complaint in 2017 "when the situation was much more serious." "In 2015, we just sent a 'digital support' with selfie photos of the previous bishop in obscene or out of place behavior," he said. "The Holy Father summoned Zanchetta and he justified himself saying that his cellphone had been hacked." Francis named Zanchetta to Oran in 2013 in one of his first Argentine bishop appointments as pope. He knew Zanchetta well, and Manzano said Francis had treated him as a "spiritual son."

(Read more Pope Francis stories.)
(Newser)  In the days since BuzzFeed's dizzying report that President Trump directed Michael Cohen to lie to Congress, Robert Mueller's office issued a statement saying the report was "not accurate," and clarity doesn't appear to be emerging. The Washington Post takes a look at what drove Mueller's office to take such an extraordinary step and notes that it began innocently enough with Mueller spokesman Peter Carr declining comment ahead of the story's publicationnot realizing the allegation that "the president personally instructed (Cohen) to lie." Mueller's office reviewed its evidence for anything to support that allegation, sources tell the Post, and "found none." That review, in part, explains the nearly day-long delay in issuing the dispute, though the special counsel's office was unclear about which parts of the report were inaccurate. Elsewhere:

story continues below

Though BuzzFeed is standing by its story, whether its "reporting can stand up to further scrutiny is now at the center of a test of the news medias credibility," writes Michael Grynbaum at the New York Times.

Over at Fox News, Vice President Mike Pence took aim at the "obsession of many in the national media to attack this president for any reason, for any allegation. ... It's one of the reasons why people are so frustrated with many in the national media."

Rudy Giuliani tells CNN that he doesn't know if Trump talked with Cohen about testifying to Congress, and that "it may be attorney-client privilege if it happened, where I can't acknowledge it. But I have no knowledge that he spoke to him." Further, "so what if he talked to him about it?"

(Read more Robert Mueller stories.)
(Newser)  On Friday, hundreds of people had gathered in an almost festive atmosphere in a field where a pipeline had been perforated by fuel thieves and gasoline spewed 20 feet into the air. State oil company Petroleos Mexicanos said the pipeline, which supplies much of central Mexico with fuel, had just reopened after being shut since Dec. 23 and that it had been breached 10 times over three months. As they neared the spurting fuel, Gerardo Perez was overcome with foreboding. Perez recalls telling his son: "Let's go ... this thing is going to explode." And it did, with a fireball that engulfed locals scooping up the spilling gasoline and underscored the dangers of an epidemic of fuel theft from pipelines that Mexico's new president has vowed to fight, reports the AP. By Saturday evening the death toll from Friday's blaze had risen to 73, with another 74 people injured and dozens more missing. Stories of the grisly aftermath and some of the lost:

Journalist Veronica Jimenez tells Reuters she got there prior to the blast and saw a scene "like a party." Then, horror. "Some peoples skin came off ... it was very ugly, horrible, people screamed and cried. They shouted the names of their husbands, brothers, their family members."

story continues below

On Saturday, Perez, who escaped along with his son, returned to the scorched field in the town of Tlahuelilpan in Hidalgo state to look for missing friends. It was a fruitless task. Only a handful of the remains still had skin. Dozens were burned to the bone or to ash. Several of the deceased lay on their backs, their arms stretched out in agony. Some seemed to have covered their chests in a last attempt to protect themselves. Lost shoes were scattered around a space the size of a soccer field. Closer to the explosion, forensic workers marked mounds of ash with numbers.

Arely Calva Martinez said the recent shortages at gas stations raised the temptation to salvage fuel from the gusher. Her brother Marco Alfredo, a teacher, was desperate for gas to drive 90 minutes back and forth to work when word spread via Facebook that fuel spewing into the field. Marco Alfredo and another brother, Yonathan, were in the field when the fire erupted. They haven't been seen since. "I think if there had been gas in the gas stations, many of these people wouldn't have been here," Calva Martinez said while holding a picture of her brothers.

Tears streamed down Erica Bautista's cheeks as she held up her cellphone with pictures of her brother, Valentin Hernandez Cornejo, 24, a taxi driver, and his wife, Yesica, both of whom are also missing. Valentin faced "enormous lines" for a limited ration of gas, she said. Then he received a phone call alerting him to the fuel spill. "We want to at least find a cadaver," she said while weeping.

Mexican Defense Secretary Luis Cresencio said there are 50 soldiers stationed every 12 miles along the pipelines, and that they patrol 24 hours a day. But the soldiers have been ordered not to engage with fuel thieves out of fear that an escalation could result in more shootings of unarmed civilians or more soldiers being beaten by a mob.

(Read more Mexico stories.)
(Newser)  The CIA mastermind behind the so-called "Canadian caper"which got six US diplomats out of Iran during the 1979-80 hostage crisisdied Saturday the age of 78, the Washington Post reports; he had Parkinson's disease. A 25-year CIA veteran, Tony Mendez was also an impressionistic painter admired for his imaginative disguises and forgeries. "I've always considered myself to be an artist first," he said once, "and for 25 years I was a pretty good spy." He was the agency's chief of disguise when militant Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran on Nov. 4, 1979. After six US diplomats escaped to the homes of two Canadians, Mendez concocted an outlandish, complex scheme in which he disguised himself as an Irish filmmaker who visited Iran and smuggled the diplomats out as his film crew.

story continues below

Described in a 2007 Wired article and dramatized in the Oscar-winning Argo, Mendez's work earned him the revered Intelligence Star from President Carter but stayed secret until the CIA publicly honored him in 1997. His origins were modest: Born into a family with little money in 1940 in Eureka, Nevada, Mendez later dropped out of university for lack of funds, worked as an illustrator drawing missile parts for Martin Marietta, and became a CIA agent when he answered a blind ad for "Artists to Work Overseas." The author of several memoirs, he was married twice (his first wife died of cancer); survivors include his second wife and three children. "He was a brilliant man, a gifted artist, and a true American hero," his literary manager, Christy Fletcher, tells CNN. "I will miss him enormously." (Read more obituary stories.)
(Newser)  Another ding on Prince Philip's driving record. Two days after the 97-year-old's Land Rover Freelander collided with a Kia and ended up on its side, British tabloids published photos showing the Duke of Edinburgh behind the wheel of a new Land Rover on Saturdaywithout his seat belt on. The BBC reports British law states that drivers must wear seat belts in nearly all circumstances, and after being made aware of the photos, a rep for Norfolk Police said they had spoken to Philip. "Suitable words of advice have been given to the driver," says the rep. "This is in line with our standard response when being made aware of such images showing this type of offense."

story continues below

As for one of the women in the Kia, Emma Fairweather told the Mirror that the response from the palace has been insufficient and somewhat inscrutable. While a palace rep said "well-wishes" had been passed along, and Buckingham Palace added a "full message of support was sent to both the driver and the passenger," Fairweather says that's not what she got. Noting she's "lucky to be alive" (she suffered a broken wrist) she says she didn't even receive an apology. What she did get, via a call from a police family liaison officer, "didn't even make sense. He said, 'The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh would like to be remembered to you.' That's not an apology or even a well-wish." The accident, which the AP terms a "violent collision," is still under investigation and no charges have been filed. (Read more Prince Philip stories.)
The deputy chief executive officer of the French Development Agency (FDA), Philippe Bauduin, has underlined France's full support for Egypt in the funding of development projects.

During a meeting with Egyptian Minister of Investment Sahar Nasr during her visit to Paris, Bauduin expressed support for Egypt's development programme, saying the agency pumped about two billion euros into projects in Egypt, topped by stage two and three of the third Cairo Metro Line.

The two sides discussed future development plans and Nasr agreed with the FDA on engaging in a new strategic partnership in view of the Egyptian people's needs and government priorities.

Nasr said Egypt was keen on furthering cooperation with France.

Short link:


(Newser)  Winning a 268-mile race is incredible, but incredible may not be a strong enough word when it comes to the way in which ultrarunner Jasmin Paris did it. The female runner bested all her competitors, male and female alike, completing the UK's "grueling" Montane Spine Race on Wednesday in a time of 83 hours, 12 minutes, and 23 seconds, reports the Guardian. That's 12 hours less than the record set in 2016, and 26.5 hours less than the best time previously logged by a female. Oh, and the 35-year-old British veterinarian pumped breast milk for her 14-month-old daughter along the way. The process was a brutal one: Paris said she began hallucinating toward the end of the race, in which runners sleep only when they must and run all but a third of it in the dark. "I kept seeing animals appearing out of every rock," she says.

story continues below

That's understandable: The BBC reports she logged seven hours of rest time (that includes pumping and eating, in addition to sleeping) over the four days. Runners must carry their own sleeping bag and other gear and suffer through wind chills of -4 degrees Fahrenheit. The Regina Leader-Post reports many drop out while traversing the Pennine Way, a trail "that elevates 37,000 feet as it continues north from Englands Derbyshire region near Manchester all the way into Scotland." Paris' plan following the race, per a Facebook post: "It's time for baby cuddles and some serious sleeping." (Read more running stories.)
(Newser)  (Update here. Nathan Phillips now says he got between two warring groups.) A diocese in Kentucky apologized Saturday after videos emerged showing students from a Catholic boys' high school mocking Native Americans outside the Lincoln Memorial after a rally in Washington, the AP reports. The Indigenous Peoples March in Washington on Friday coincided with the March for Life, which drew thousands of anti-abortion protesters, including a group from Covington Catholic High School in Park Hills. Videos circulating online show a youth staring at and standing extremely close to Nathan Phillips, a 64-year-old Native American man singing and playing a drum. Other students, some wearing Covington clothing and many wearing "Make America Great Again" hats and sweatshirts, surrounded them, chanting, laughing, and jeering.

story continues below

In a joint statement to the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington Catholic High School apologized to Phillips. "We extend our deepest apologies to Mr. Phillips," the statement reads. "This behavior is opposed to the Church's teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person." Officials say they are investigating and will take "appropriate action, up to and including expulsion." According to the Indian Country Today website, Phillips is an Omaha elder and Vietnam veteran who holds an annual ceremony honoring Native American veterans at Arlington National Cemetery. "When I was there singing, I heard them saying 'Build that wall, build that wall,'" Phillips said, as he wiped away tears in a video posted on Instagram. "This is indigenous lands. We're not supposed to have walls here. We never did."

(Read more Native Americans stories.)
(Newser)  Advocates for gender equality are reckoning with what one called a "wonderful challenge"four or more women running for president in 2020, the AP reports. To many activists, that means a field more reflective of a party that counts women as a crucial voting bloc. But the prospect of multiple women in the race also presents obstacles, with no single candidate holding a claim to women's votes to the degree Hillary Clinton did in 2016. The women's vote, and groups that provide financial and grassroots support, could split. Looming over it all is persistent gender bias and the question of whether Americans are ready to elect a female president. "We do realize there's still sexism in this country, and what we're trying to do is change minds," says EMILY's List President Stephanie Schriock, whose group aids the campaigns of Democratic women supporting abortion rights.

story continues below

In the early days of the Democratic primary, leaders of many advocacy organizations are thrilled that so many women are seeking the presidency, but are not backing any particular candidate. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren last month became the first woman to launch a presidential exploratory effort, joined shortly afterward by New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota also are considering running. Among those candidates, Gillibrand is particularly vocal in invoking her gender as a driver of her campaign, while Warren's campaign has emphasized economic inequity. So is gender still a problem for candidates? "Because there are so many women running, it doesn't totally inoculate women from sexism, but it does provide some guardrails," says a gender-equality activist.

(Read more Election 2020 stories.)
(Newser)  A record-high group of migrants entered the US on Monday by tunneling under a border wall near San Luis, Arizona, ABC News reports. The 376 asylum seekers can be seen on US Border Patrol video walking along the border fence to be processed by agents in the Yuma area. "In my 30 years with the Border Patrol, I have not been part of arresting a group of 376 people," says CBP Yuma Border Sector Chief Anthony Porvaznik. "That's really unheard of." Most of the migrants entered via seven short tunnels dug by smugglers, while others climbed over the roughly 12-foot wall; their shoes' scuff marks could be seen on the rusty steel. ABC News calls it the biggest-ever migrant group to enter the US, while the Arizona Republic says it's a record for migrants crossing near Yuma.

story continues below

While illegal border crossings have generally plunged since in 2001, they're up in Yumaespecially families with minors. "They know that if you travel with a child, or there's a child with you when you cross, then you have to be released within 20 days," says a rep for the Yuma CBP. "That's what these smugglers are relying on. And that's what these individuals are relying on." They also know the bollard-style fence doesn't have concrete footers to stop people from digging under, per KTLA. Mostly from Guatemala, the detainees are held in cinderblock cells before they're handed over to ICE within 72 hours. A new $172 million, 30-foot-tall fence is slated for nearby areas but is unlikely to stop tunnelers from digging into the sandy soil. (Meanwhile, President Trump has made a new offer to Democrats about his proposed border wall.)
They were walking from Nkulumane to raid. No one dared stop them because they were in violent mode. One woman and her husband each had a trolley. She had a child strapped on her back. She kept telling the husband to walk behind her to protect them she said. times
Mnangagwa, 76, is trying to drum up investment on an overseas tour that started in Russia on Monday and will end with him mixing with world leaders at the Davos summit in Switzerland next week.
Guided by the second republics engagement and reengagement policy, Zimbabwe is committed to deepen and strengthen relations with the government and people of Kazakhstan. Investment opportunities exist in the mining, agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure development and energy sectors. My government is entrenching a disciplined, consistent and predictable business and policy environment which is free from corruption. Also, as part of efforts to improve the business environment, we have launched the special economic zones, said Cde Mnangagwa.
President Rampahosa is faced with an easy choice  either he intervenes to stop civilian abuse by the military in Zimbabwe or his government will be one of the parties that will answer to the ICC on why they failed to act to stop the human rights violations, Mokgalapa said.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Gunmen killed at least eight Chadian UN peacekeepers in an attack Sunday on one of their bases in northern Mali, multiple sources reported.

The UN spokesman in Mali condemned what he described as a "cowardly" attack and called for a "robust" response.

"According to a new toll, still provisional, at least eight peacekeepers have been killed," a source close to the MINUSMA force said.

A Malian security source said about 20 people were injured in the attack.

They struck early Sunday at the Aguelhok base 200 kilometres (125 miles) north of Kidal and towards the border with Algeria, the source close to MINUSMA added.

A diplomat in northern Mali told AFP that several of the attackers had also been killed.

Mahamat Saleh Annadif, the UN's special representative for Mali, condemned what he called a "vile and criminal" attack.

"Peacekeepers of the MINUSMA force at Aguelhok fought off a sophisticated attack by assailants who arrived on several armed vehicles," he said in a statement.

The attack "illustrates the determination of the terrorists to sow chaos.

"It demands a robust, immediate and concerted response from all forces to destroy the peril of terrorism in the Sahel."

Mali Islamist Violence

It was one of the deadliest attacks to strike UN forces in Mali.

An attack at the same base last April killed two peacekeepers and left several others wounded.

The deadliest strike was in October 2014, when nine troops of a Nigerian contingent were killed in the northeast.

Some 13,000 peacekeepers are deployed in Mali as part of a UN mission.

It was established after Islamist militias seized the north of the country in 2012. They were pushed back by French troops in 2013.

A peace agreement signed in 2015 by the Bamako government and armed groups was aimed at restoring stability to Mali.

But the accord has failed to stop violence by Islamist militants, who have also staged attacks in neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

Earlier this month, both France and the United States criticised the authorities in Mali for their failure to stem the worsening violence.

On January 16, France threatened to push for more targeted sanctions to be imposed on Mali after hearing a UN official report on worsening violence in the West African country.

Washington renewed its warning that it would push for changes to the peacekeeping mission in Mali, possibly a major drawdown, if there was no progress.

In August, a panel of experts said in a report to the UN Security Council that inter-communal conflicts in the region were exacerbating existing tensions from clashes between jihadist groups and international and Malian forces.

On Sunday, France's Defence Minister Florence Parly told French radio that the G5 Sahel anti-jihadist force in the region was resuming its operations.

They were suspended after an attack on their headquarters in mid-2018. The G5 force comprises contingents from Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad.

Short link:


By PTI

ATHENS: Clashes between police and a group of masked protesters left several injured in Athens on Sunday as tens of thousands demonstrated against a name change deal with neighbouring Macedonia that the Greek parliament is due to ratify in days.

The violence flared as Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras attempts to face down a political storm over his championing of a landmark agreement with Macedonia aimed at ending a 27-year dispute with Athens over the country's name.

Police estimates put the number of demonstrators at 60,000 at 1200 GMT, while organisers said 100,000 people had arrived for the rally, with hundreds of buses bringing demonstrators, especially from the region of northern Greece that also claims the Macedonia name.

Protestors wave Greek flags outside parliament in Athens, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019.

(Photo | AP)



Ten police were hurt in the protests, according to the Greek citizens' protection ministry, while a first aid station said two protesters were hospitalised with breathing difficulties.

Scuffles broke out after about 30 masked youths tried to force the closure of the parliament building, throwing stones and other projectiles.

Riot police responded with volleys of tear gas, dispersing the crowd outside the legislature.

The masked youths then set upon journalists at the scene, smashing the equipment of photographers and cameramen, according to an AFP reporter.

According to the government "the incidents were provoked by extremists, members of the Golden Dawn, who attempted to enter parliament".

"They attacked police with bits of wood and clubs, sending dozens of wounded to the hospital," said a statement from Tsipras.

A molotov cocktail explodes next to Greek riot police during clashes after a rally in Athens, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019. (Photo | AP)

A wide range of Greek political parties, from the far-right Golden Dawn to the Socialists, oppose the accord to rename Macedonia the Republic of North Macedonia.

But it could nonetheless be approved by the required 151 deputies in the 300-seat parliament in the coming days.

Flag-waving demonstrators had created a sea of blue and white on Syntagma square near the parliament, while much of the city centre was closed to traffic and some metro stations shut as a precaution.

"There is only one Macedonia, the Greek Macedonia," read a sign in Greek and English held by Christina Gerodimoun, in her 30s, at the protests.

"This government is a government of traitors," she said in reference to a coalition led by Tsipras, who brokered the deal with Macedonian counterpart Zoran Zaev in June.

Demonstrators clash with Greek riot police after a rally in Athens, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019. (Photo | AP)

The crowd was monitored by nearly 2,000 police, equipped with drones and helicopters, a police source said.

Macedonia's parliament approved a constitutional revision to change the country's name 10 days ago.

But for the deal between the two leaders to go through, the change must also be approved by Greek lawmakers.

Macedonia is a former Yugoslav republic, but for most Greeks, Macedonia is the name of their history-rich northern province made famous by Alexander the Great's conquests.

Greek riot police chases demonstrators during clashes after a rally in Athens, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019. (Photo | AP)

Tsipras termed the agreement a "historic step" towards normalising relations between the two countries.

He urged "progressive forces" to support the name change, in an interview with Afghi, a daily published by his Syriza party.

Tsipras' ruling coalition fell apart over the deal a week ago, but he then narrowly won a vote of confidence, setting the stage for parliament to vote on its ratification.

Although political parties did not officially join the demonstration, some deputies turned up to express their individual positions, and Golden Dawn's website urged members to attend.

"I came out of patriotic duty," conservative representative Fotini Arabatzi from the northern district of Serres told Skai radio.

Former Greek premier Antonis Samaras said the protest was "a demonstration for democracy, for Greece and for our rights".
By AFP

BAMAKO: Jihadist gunmen killed 10 Chadian peacekeepers and injured at least 25 others in an attack on a UN camp in northern Mali on Sunday, one of the deadliest strikes against the UN mission in the West African country.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was "in reaction" to the visit to Chad by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to the Mauritanian Al-Akhbar news agency, which regularly receives statements from this jihadist group.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned what he described as a "complex attack" on the camp in Aguelhok, in Kidal region and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

"Ten peacekeepers from Chad were killed and at least 25 injured," said a statement from UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

The gunmen struck early Sunday at the Aguelhok base 200 kilometres (125 miles) north of Kidal and towards the border with Algeria, according to a source close to the MINUSMA mission.

"MINUSMA forces responded robustly and a number of assailants were killed," Dujarric said, without specifying the toll.

Mahamat Saleh Annadif, the UN envoy for Mali, condemned what he called a "vile and criminal" attack.

"Peacekeepers of the MINUSMA force at Aguelhok fought off a sophisticated attack by assailants who arrived on several armed vehicles," he said in a statement.

The attack "illustrates the determination of the terrorists to sow chaos.

"It demands a robust, immediate and concerted response from all forces to destroy the peril of terrorism in the Sahel."

Mali Islamist violence

On Sunday, France's Defence Minister Florence Parly told French radio that the G5 Sahel anti-jihadist force in the region was resuming its operations.

They were suspended after an attack on their headquarters in mid-2018. The G5 force comprises contingents from Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad.

An attack at the same base last April killed two peacekeepers and left several others wounded.

In October 2014, nine troops of a Nigerian contingent were killed in the northeast.

Some 13,000 peacekeepers are deployed in Mali as part of a UN mission.

It was established after Islamist militias seized the north of the country in 2012. They were pushed back by French troops in 2013.

A peace agreement signed in 2015 by the Bamako government and armed groups was aimed at restoring stability to Mali.

But the accord has failed to stop violence by Islamist militants, who have also staged attacks in neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

Earlier this month, both France and the United States criticised the authorities in Mali for their failure to stem the worsening violence.

On January 16, France threatened to push for more targeted sanctions to be imposed on Mali after hearing a UN official report on worsening violence in the West African country.

Washington renewed its warning that it would push for changes to the peacekeeping mission in Mali, possibly a major drawdown, if there was no progress.
By AFP

ISLAMABAD: Leading US Senator Lindsey Graham vowed Sunday to urge President Donald Trump to meet Imran Khan to boost Washington's Afghanistan peace efforts, calling the Pakistani prime minister an "agent of change".

The Republican -- an influential ally of Trump -- made the comments in Islamabad after meeting with the Pakistani leader, saying Khan was a "new partner" who could potentially help with a peace deal in Afghanistan.

"I'm going to urge him (Trump) to meet with the prime minister as soon as practical," Graham told reporters, saying he believed Khan and Trump would "hit if off" because they have "similar personalities".

"Prime Minister Khan is the agent of change that I've been looking for," he added.

ALSO READ | Donald Trump attacks top Democrat for rejecting Mexico wall deal

Ties between Washington and Islamabad have soured recently, with US officials repeatedly accusing Pakistan of turning a blind eye to or even collaborating with the Afghan Taliban, which launch attacks in Afghanistan from alleged havens along the border between the two countries.

Trump has repeatedly lashed out at Pakistan's alleged duplicity, saying late last year that Islamabad does not do "a damn thing" for the US.

Khan has been equally critical of Trump, saying before 2018's election in Pakistan that a potential meeting with the US president would be a "bitter pill" to swallow.

The US lawmaker's trip to Pakistan comes as American officials have held several rounds of talks with Taliban representatives.

Graham said a meeting between the two leaders was vital to carve out a potential deal in Afghanistan.

"They actually need to meet and come up with a agenda that will push a resolution to the war in Afghanistan," the senator added.

Graham -- once a potent critic of Trump -- has transformed in recent months into an ardent defender and influential ally of the president.

ALSO READ | Mainstream media has lost its credibility: Donald Trump

The senator's arrival also overlapped with an ongoing trip by US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who has been shuttling around the region for months to build support for the peace initiative.

Khalilzad was in Kabul last week and then flew to Pakistan were he also met with the prime minister Friday as news reports in Pakistan suggested Islamabad was open to hosting the next round of talks with the insurgents.

The Taliban, however, have threatened to suspend the fledgling peace efforts, accusing Washington of changing the agenda of the talks and "unilaterally" adding new subjects.

Graham's trip also comes after US officials announced in December that Trump intends to withdraw as many as half of the 14,000 US troops deployed in Afghanistan.

The meetings are the latest in a flurry of diplomatic efforts aimed at bringing the Taliban to the table for negotiations with the Afghan government on ending the conflict which began with the US invasion in 2001.
By PTI

KATHMANDU: An Indian man is among eight persons arrested from different parts of Nepal on Sunday for possessing contraband drugs, police said here.

The man identified as Rajesh Mahato, a resident of Sonbarsa area in Bihar, was arrested from Malangawa town in Nepal's Sarlahi district during a security check.

Police also arrested a teenaged boy and a woman from Kathmandu, both of whom run pharmacies, for possessing contraband drugs.

In a similar incident, police arrested a man from Parsa district near NepalIndia border and recovered contraband drugs from his possession while he was returning from India.

Meanwhile, three people were arrested from Itahari area in Sunsari district and an 18-year-old boy was arrested from Malangawa area in Sarlahi district for possessing contraband drugs.
Amit Agnihotri By

In an attempt to counter the ascendancy of nationalism and Hindutva in public discourse coinciding with the BJP coming to power in 2014, there has been a gradual but marked shift in the Congress strategy that many have dubbed as soft Hindutva.

While an attempt by the Congress to align with the liberal and pluralistic tradition of Hinduism has been visible for the past four years, it has assumed an increasingly sharper pitch over the past one-and-a-half years in the build-up to some crucial Assembly elections and now the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Following the 2014 poll debacle, a view emerged that the grand old party suffered electoral losses due to a perception created by the BJP that it practised Muslim appeasement. The Congress felt the propaganda had to be countered, and paying back the saffron party in the same coin seemed to be a workable idea. Subsequently, one saw Congress president Rahul Gandhi flaunting his Hindu credentials, especially in the run-up to the Assembly elections in Gujarat (December 2017), Karnataka (May 2018), Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh (November-December 2018).

Political analysts agree that the Congress has adopted a policy soft Hindutva in order to blunt the BJPs charge of Muslim appeasement.

Whether the Congress has done it consciously or not, is a question that needs to be answered. The best counter to the BJP is to talk in their language and the Congress seems to be just doing that, said Sudha Pai, professor of political science at Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Sources said the change in Congress strategy was evident from Rahuls visit to Hanuman Garhi temple in Ayodhya in November 2016, ahead of the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, though he avoided the make-shift temple at the disputed site of Ram Lals birthplace.

Subsequently, the Gujarat and Karnataka poll campaigns saw Rahuls widely publicised temple-hopping spree. In the recent Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, the partys manifesto raised eyebrows as it promised goshala (cow shelters) in all 23,000 gram panchayats, constructing Ram Van Gaman Path (the route taken by Lord Ram during his 14-year exile) from Chitrakoot to Bundelkhand and Mahakoshal regions, starting commercial production of gomutra (cow urine), and setting up of a spirituality department  measures that have been key part of the BJPs Hindutva agenda. In Rajasthan, the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government that came to power recently announced rewards for civilians who take care of the stray cows.

Rahul has personally steered this strategic shift towards soft Hindutva. In January last year, during a trip to the family bastions Amethi and Rae Bareli in UP, he made it a point to visit a famous Hanuman temple in Rae Bareli and stopped and offered prayers at every single Lord Shiva temple en route. While he declared himself to be a Shiv Bhakt, his party gave up its shyness and proudly declared that Rahul was actually a janeudhari (sacred thread-wearing) Brahmin. The Congress president even trekked to Kailash Mansarovar in September last year. There are murmurs that he may visit the ongoing Ardh Kumbh at Prayagraj in UP, where the Congress Seva Dal has set up a huge camp.

Political analyst Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay said the Congress was forced to tweak its strategy and adopt soft-Hindutva to counter the BJP. By doing this, they have taken away BJPs trump card. Now, the BJP cannot trash the party as one which appeases Muslims, he said. It is a forced adaption. Every party has to stick to the prominent social fabric. In the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s it was socialism, then it became secularism. Over the past decade, the fabric has been nationalism.

Congress leaders deny any suggestion related to soft-Hindutva and argue that Rahul has been visiting places of worship of different religions, but the temple visits get noticed as the BJP preferred to keep the communal pot boiling.

But at the same time, Congress insiders, in an indirect admission to soft Hindutva, claim the BJP has been rattled by the tweak in the partys strategy. The BJPs focus on cow protection and Ayodhya temple months ahead of the Lok Sabha polls indicate they want to make these election issues. The saffron party injected a false sense of nationalism in the countrys political discourse and countering it is the main challenge for the grand old party, said an AICC functionary.

That this is not an ideological shift but a strategic position aimed at reaping electoral benefits is clear from the fact that the Congress is trying to present itself as a champion of cow protection in the heartland states of UP, MP and Rajasthan, but not in tribal-dominated Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. If Rahulji is visiting temples whats wrong in that? He visits other religious places also as part of sarva dharma sambhav, Ramesh Varlyani, Chhattisgarh Congress spokesperson, said.

In Jharkhand, which has seen several lynching incidents over alleged cow slaughter, the party claims an economic angle to cow protection agenda. Hindutva has never been an agenda in Jharkhand. We will stick to the economic agenda for contesting elections, but there should not be any doubt that gau hatya (cow slaughter) is banned in the country, former MP from Ranchi and former Union minister Subodh Kant Sahay said. For the BJP religion is a strategy, for us a commitment, he claimed.

Post the wins, detailed cow protection policies are in the works in Congress ruled Rajasthan and MP to convey the right message to the voters ahead of the national polls. However, in BJP ruled UP the Congress strategy is to attack the state government for harassing people in the name of cow protection. They prefer cows to human life. Even after 20 months of being in power, the Yogi Adityanath government has failed to bring a concrete policy for cow protection in the state, UP Congress spokesperson Anshu Awasthi said.

Summing up, Jai Mrug of Voter Mood Research maintained that the Congress was left with no other option but to tilt towards soft Hindutva. The party stood the risk of becoming irrelevant. It had to shift its strategy to target masses of the country. Also, with new alliances cropping up in different parts of the country, it became all the more important for them to change plans and adopt a new strategy, he said.

(With inputs from Namita Bajpai in Lucknow, Ejaz Kaiser in Raipur, Mukesh Ranjan in Ranchi, Anurag Singh in Bhopal and Rajesh Asnani in Jaipur)
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi said that Pakistan should stop meddling in the affairs of Kashmir stressing that the valley would always be an integral part of India. At the same time, he emphasised that there should be a consistent policy for the region.

The Hyderabad MP said that neither Congress nor BJP had a well-thought-out policy to reinstate normalcy in the Kashmir valley. There has to be a consistent policy for Kashmir which unfortunately continues to be lacking in the country, he said.

He accused the BJP-led Central government of not doing anything for the welfare Kashmiri Pandits and said that so many lives were being destroyed due to pellet gun attacks in the last eight years.

Instead of employing a proper policy in the region, the government is now aiming to introduce less lethal weapons. This shows where their priorities lie, he said.

The Kashmir problem cannot be treated in a James Bond or Rambo style. Someone will have to show a statesman-like approach. Kashmiris are currently alienated by the governemnt, he said.

Regarding the recent resignation of IAS officer Shah Faesal, Owaisi said that he should chalk out his own political journey. Faesal had resigned in protest of unabated killings in Kashmir and marginalisation of Indian Muslims.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said that all the 12,751 village panchayats in the State will soon be provided with BT roads. Rao, at a review meeting at Pragathi Bhavan on Saturday, directed the officials to assess the present condition of the roads in villages and prepare an action plan for laying BT roads in all panchayats. Budgetary allocations would be made for the same, he said.

Rao also reviewed the condition of the highways. He observed that roads and bridges required repairs and some bridges needed widening. Repair works have to done without taking into account which partys member has been elected as peoples representative in respective districts, constituency or mandal, Rao said. I ask all MLAs and other representatives to constantly monitor progress of the work, he added.

Rao also instructed Roads and Buildings Department officials to expedite the construction of office buildings of MLAs. The residential quarters being constructed in Hyderabad would be allotted to the MLAs soon.

Compensation to be expedited

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister instructed the officials to expedite payment of compensation amounts to the farmers who lost their lands due to the construction of canals of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS). MLA G Vittal Reddy requested Rao for the sanction of compensation for the farmers of Mudhole Assembly constituency. Responding to this, the Chief Minister instructed the officials of Finance department to issue the necessary orders.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: It was only about a month ago that a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, erected on the campus of University of Ghana, was taken down by students and teachers contending that he considered Africans inferior. Causing an uproar not only in India but also internationally, the incident raised questions regarding some of the less-talked-about aspects of Gandhis life, shedding a new light on his character.

However, the African nationals who participated in the Telangana Jagruthi International Youth Leadership Conference, an event themed around the teachings of Gandhi, had no qualms about his attitude towards Africans and were, in fact, sympathetic to it. 

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, based on Mahatma Gandhis path to sustainability and innovation, a Tanzanian national Asia Dimoso Magoma, working as a social worker, said, Gandhi too was a human being at the end of the day. I am here because I believe in the good things that Gandhi did.

For Ghanaian national Ernest Tsifodze, the act of removing Gandhis statue was condemnable. He was a great man because he has done a lot . Destroying his statue has, in turn, made our country racist. Sure, we can accept that he was racist, but we should have just left it at that.

In December 2018, the statue of Gandhi was removed from the University of Ghana after students and faculty protested that the leader was racist in his ways. An article published in the The Guardian pointed to a 2005 book which spoke about instances of Gandhi complaining of Indians having to use the same entrances as Africans. He had also used, Kaffir, a degrading term, to describe African nationals.
R Sivakumar By

Express News Service

VELLORE: The ambitious grama sabha meetings, the principal opposition party in Tamil Nadu, DMK, is holding, across the district with an aim of connecting to the grassroots level, are witnessing the public pouring out their woes particularly poor basic amenities, lack of potable water supply and official lethargy in civic bodies.

Appearing to give the party an edge in reviving its fortunes at the bottom of the pyramid of electoral democracy, top leaders sound confident and look upbeat over the response the event evokes.

The people voluntarily throng the grama sabha meetings we conduct in villages. They find an opportunity to raise their issues so that they can be addressed, AP Nandakumar, MLA representing Anaicut, told Express.

The young leader meanders through two to three villages a day in the afternoon to chair the meetings. Being an MLA, it helps him more to take up the issues raised by the people in the grama sabha meetings with the concerned government officials to resolve them.

According to Nandakumar, who is also the Vellore Central district secretary of DMK, The main issue the villagers raise is poor basic amenities. Shoddy roads, lack of potable water supply, poor street lighting also echo. I take up these issues with the officials of Rural Development immediately after the meeting.

Old age pension is another key issue the elders are raising at the event. When we sit down with them, the elders want us to help them get old age pension (OAP) provided by the government for the helpless elderly men/women. Some are alleging that eligible persons are not considered for the financial assistance but ineligible are getting it due to political influence, says M Muthamilselvi, DMK's Vellore West district secretary.

The advocate-politician travels 4 to 6 villages on a day to have an interaction with the public.

Delay in distributing marriage assistance to women and ration cards are other main problems the villagers face, she notes, adding We are trying to assuage the hurt sentiments of the people and assure them of necessary action to wipe their tears out once our party captures power.

DMK's Vellore East district secretary and MLA representing Ranipet R Gandhi is also chairing grama sabha meeting in villages that fall under his area.

The ill consequences of absence of elected representatives to civic bodies are well reflected in the meetings, DMK leaders say.

Meanwhile, observers feel that whether the grama sabha meetings held by DMK top leaders are helping the public or not, it is going to have a morale boosting impact on the dispirited cadre.

The DMK cadre are looking dispirited ever since the party had failed to come back to power in 2016 Assembly elections. The party's leadership squandered opportunities that came by its way later, points out an observer.

He underscores,  So, the main task of the leadership is to build confidence and infuse fresh blood into the disheartened cadre. I think these meetings will help them do it.

In certain places, the cadre are airing their views personally with the leaders that they should be matching their arch rival AIADMK in keeping the party workers in good humours.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Underscoring importance of opposition standing united to end the BJP rule at the Centre, DMK president MK Stalin on Saturday termed the ensuing Lok Sabha elections the countrys second fight for Independence.

He also went hammer and tongs against Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying the latter was jittery over the coming together of opposition parties.

He was speaking at a mega rally organised by West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata.

It may be recalled that just a month ago, Stalin had pitched for Congress president Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate of the anti-BJP national alliance.

Claiming that all of Modis pre-poll promises had fallen flat, he accused the BJP government of being a government for big corporates. He recalled the adverse impact of demonetisation and alleged that the note ban was aimed at benefitting those in power.

Corruption in Modis government is centralised, he alleged, making references to the discrepancies in Rafale deal.

Is not letting Nirav Modi escape, corruption, Stalin asked alleging that the Prime Minister had also abetted Vijay Mallyas efforts to flee the country.

The next (Lok Sabha) elections will be the second fight for Independence. We will stop this poison of Hindutva and radical Hinduism from spreading. Our call is to defeat Modi and save the country, Stalin said. Claiming that people were beginning to see through the BJPs facade, Stalin claimed the shifting tide in public opinion had terrified BJP. That is why Modi-(BJP chief Amit) Shah duo were attacking the opposition, he said.

All opposition parties, including regional parties, should stand united to defeat BJP. If the opposition parties remain apart, it will be conducive for BJP. All opposition parties should realise this, he stressed.

He also thanked Banerjee for organising the rally which was attended by leaders of all opposition parties, except for Biju Janata Dal and CPM-led Left front.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi and former Union ministers Arun Shourie and Yashwant Sinha were among those who spoke at the rally.
Dozens of taxis in Barcelona went on indefinite strike on Friday, blocking a major thoroughfare in protest against online ride-hailing services like Uber.

The protest comes ahead of a similar work stoppage due on Monday in Madrid just two days before the Fitur international tourism fair, one of the worlds largest, in the Spanish capital.

The strike follows new regulations unveiled Friday by Catalonias regional government forcing clients to book VTCs (Tourism Vehicles with Chauffeur) like Uber or Cabify at least 15 minutes before the actual time they are needed - a measure criticised as unfair by taxi drivers.

From now, us taxis will go on strike indefinitely in the Gran Via, a street that crosses Barcelona, federation Elite Taxi said in a statement.

On Friday afternoon, dozens of cars were blocking the street that had already been occupied over the summer by taxis in another protest that then spread to other cities.

Three people were later arrested for disorderly conduct and damages after they tried to block another central street with containers, the Catalonia regional police said on Twitter.

A VTC car was vandalised by a group of individuals and its driver taken to hospital after suffering a panic attack, the emergency services said.

Taxis argue that VTCs are not a taxi service by law and should therefore be booked 12 to 24 hours ahead of time.

We want them to differentiate both services and the only way to do so is via pre-booking, Luis Berbel, head of the Taxi Union of Catalonia, told AFP.

Fifteen minutes is nothing, its an insult to the sector.

Short link:


RTHK: Trump slams Pelosi for rejecting Mexico wall deal

US President Donald Trump bitterly attacked top Democrat Nancy Pelosi on Sunday after she rejected a deal on immigration and the Mexico border wall that would end a 30-day-old government shutdown.

Pelosi, speaker of the House of Representatives, on Saturday called Trump's offer of temporary protections for about a million immigrants in return for US$5.7 billion to fund the wall a "non-starter."

"Nancy Pelosi has behaved so irrationally & has gone so far to the left that she has now officially become a Radical Democrat," Trump tweeted. "She is so petrified of the 'lefties' in her party that she has lost control."

"...And by the way, clean up the streets in San Francisco, they are disgusting!" he added, in a seemingly gratuitous aside. Pelosi is from San Francisco.

The offer also was assailed by prominent anti-immigrant voices, which denounced it as tantamount to amnesty.

"No, Amnesty is not a part of my offer. It is a 3-year extension of DACA," Trump said in another tweet, referring to former president Barack Obama's programme to shield undocumented immigrants who entered the country as children.

Besides the 700,000 immigrants already enrolled in the so-called DACA or "Dreamers" programme, Trump's proposal would also extend to another 300,000 people who had been protected from deportation under another programme.

He said that while there would be "no big push" to remove the 11 million people in the country illegally, he warned: 'but be careful, Nancy!"

Vice President Mike Pence, who has been leading the administration's contacts with members of Congress, said a bill with the president's proposal would be introduced in the Republican-controlled Senate as early as Tuesday. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2019-01-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
By PTI

CHENNAI: DMK chief M K Stalin Sunday claimed that Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam held a 'yagna' at his office in the Secretariat here and objected to it saying Fort St George was common to people of all religions.

Stalin, addressing a wedding ceremony here claimed that the yagna performed by Pannerselvam early Sunday may have been done to get the "Chief Minister's post."

The ruling AIADMK, however, was quick to dismiss the claim as a rumour spread by the DMK with an intention of dividing a united party.

The DMK top leader said Panneerselvam should answer why he held the 'yagna' at Fort St George that houses the Secretariat.

"How can you hold it at Fort St George, what right do you have? it is a place common to people of all religions," he said.

Noting that he would not have objected if the yagna had been performed either at the Deputy Chief Minister's residence or a temple, Stalin said the premises of Fort St George belonged to the government and people of all faiths.

Dismissing Stalin's claim as a rumour Senior AIADMK leader D Jayakumar asked, "who saw the conduct of the yagna? what is the evidence for it? Stalin's 'yagna,' claim is both unauthentic and a rumour."

He accused the DMK of spreading such a rumour with the backing of TTV Dhinakaran-led Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam.

"Enemy's enemy is your friend they are Dhinakaran and DMK it is a conspiracy by both of them."

The AIADMK government is committed to the welfare of all sections of the people including the minorities, he said and accused the DMK of hatching some conspiracy "every day," to dislodge his party-led government and such efforts will not succeed.
By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: A day after he was expelled from the party, former Union minister Srikant Jena on Sunday came down heavily on Congress president Rahul Gandhi and president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Niranjan Patnaik.

Criticising Gandhi for protecting the mining mafia in Odisha, Jena announced at a media conference here that he will launch a campaign to free the state from the rule of Patnaik family. Alleging that the affairs of Congress have been handed over to mining mafia, Jena said that though he had taken up the matter with

Gandhi a number of times, he did not take any action in this regard.

Rahul Gandhi has decided that the governance of Odisha will remain under the Patnaik families for which he has agreed to a tacit alliance between the Congress and the BJD president Naveen Patnaik, Jena told mediapersons here.

In a late night development on Saturday, Jena was expelled from the primary membership of Congress by Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) following the recommendation of the All India Congress

Committee (AICC).

Explaining the reasons for his expulsion from the Congress, he said he may not have the eligibility to become a member of the Congress which is eminently eligible to accumulate properties from the loot of the mines.

Despite being aware of this, Rahul entrusted the state party leadership to him and created an opportunity for the Congress for an unholy nexus with the mining mafia in Odisha. I will intensify my campaign to free Odisha from the rule of the Patnaik family and expose the complicity of the BJD government with the

mining mafia, he said.

Targeting the chief minister Naveen Patnaik, the former union minister alleged that he is calling the shots in Odisha Congress through BJD Rajya Sabha MP Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, brother of the OPCC president. Jena further said that he will make another revelation during the visit of Gandhi to Bhubaneswar on January 25.

Claiming that he is not involved in any corrupt activities since his 40 years of political career, he said no one, not even the people of his Balasore Lok Sabha constituency has brought any charge of corruption against him.
Anusha Ravi By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: All of Sunday, an utterly embarrassed and ill-prepared Congress scrambled to answer questions on why one of its legislators, Anand Singh, had been admitted to a private hospital. The Vijayanagara MLA, who had been herded along with other Congress legislators into Eagleton resort on the citys outskirts, was hospitalised with injuries to the face, neck and shoulder. Party sources suggested that Anand Singh was assaulted by two of his colleagues  Kampli MLA J N Ganesh and Hagaribommanahallli MLA Bheema Naik  in a drunken brawl.

Anand Singh

Despite its own leaders like Siddaramaiah and Food and Civil Supplies minister Zameer Ahmed Khan acknowledging that the trio was involved in a scuffle at the resort, other leaders of the party gave different excuses ranging from chest pain to accidental fall as the reason for Singhs hospitalisation.

As if it was not embarrassing enough that some of its legislators, who are being directly monitored by AICC General Secretary in charge of Karnataka, K C Venugopal, at a private resort, Congress leaders issuing varying statements throughout the day on what had transpired put the Congress in a spot.

There was no fight. Anand Singh had stepped out to attend a wedding, said Water Resources minister D K Shivakumar when asked about the alleged scuffle. Within hours, his brother and Congress MP D K Suresh sang a different tune. There was no fight as being claimed by the media. Anand Singh complained of chest pain and was brought to the hospital. He underwent multiple tests and was sleeping when I visited, Suresh said.

From friendly fight to accident, Cong leaders dish out differing explanations

Congress and BJP leaders alike made a beeline to the hospital and each had their own version of what had happened to Anand Singh. He slipped and fell down. He sustained injuries in the fall, claimed KPCC Communications chairman and MLC Rizwan Arshad. His statements came hours after Congress Legislature Party chief Siddaramaiah as well as Minister Zameer Ahmed acknowledged that the lawmakers had brawled. Ganesh, Naik and Singh are all friends. It is common for friends to fight sometimes. This was just a friendly fight. I know the reality, claimed Zameer Ahmed. I was told that there was some fight that took place there, Siddaramaiah being prompted by his aides to cite media reports as the source of his information.

Siddaramaiah gives MLAs a dressing down

Even as confusion over why Anand Singh landed in a hospital prevailed, CLP leader Siddaramaiah called for a meeting with all legislators at the resort on Sunday evening. The former CM, along with KC Venugopal, took Ganesh and Naik to task for their reckless behaviour, sources said. You are an embarrassment to the party as well as the people who voted for you. How could you behave this foolishly and put the party in a spot? Siddaramaiah is said to have told the duo. Sources suggested that the duo apologised for their behaviour but no action is likely to be taken by the party. With Anand Singh not wanting to file a complaint against his party colleagues and Congress unwilling to acknowledge the incident publicly, the incident is likely to be quietly brushed under the carpet.

. @DKShivakumar says Anand Singh left to relatives wedding@DKSureshINC says Anand Singh had only chest pain@ArshadRizwan says Anand Singh slipped & got injuries @siddaramaiah & @dineshgrao has not yet visited their hospitalised MLA



& they say all is well in Congress.  BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) January 20, 2019

Legislators likely to be back today

At the end of the Congress Legislature Party meeting on Sunday evening, all the MLAs were asked to prepare to leave the resort. While K C Venugopal is expected to have a one-on-one interaction with all MLAs, Congress is expected to end its resort stay on Monday. The JD(S) has maintained a stoic silence over the matter of Anand Singhs health, but Congress insiders continue to blame BJP for the fiasco.

BJP takes a dig

The BJP mocked Congress all day. Its unfortunate that @KPCCPresident was unable to stop the fight in Eagleton resort. We hope Anand Singh is being treated & we pray for his speedy recovery Unfortunately @dineshgrao cant even blame BJP now, MLAs were locked up under his watch at Eagleton Whats ur excuse now?(sic), the State BJPs handle tweeted.
Arunkumar Huralimath By

Express News Service

VANNALLI, KUMTA: We have spent 70 days in a jail in Iran wearing the same clothes. And were given just one roti per day, said Inayath Abdul Khadir Shamali, a fisherman, who is back home. He is one among the 18 fishermen from Uttara Kananda district, who worked in Dubai in a fishing company.

They were arrested by the Iran police in two separate incidents on July 27, 2018 and August 25 near Kish Island for allegedly entering their waters while fishing. Recalling their ordeal, he said that since they didnt have a change of clothes, they would wrap themselves with a blanket and wash their pants. The next day they would wash their shirts.

From food to clothes to medical facilities to waiting for release, it was a living hell for us, he said. They were kept under boat arrest and six of them, including Inayath, were sent to jail. After languishing in the jail for 70 days, they were released and kept under boat arrest. Finally, on January 8, all the fishermen from the district were released and they reached Dubai on January 9.

Inayath Abdul Khadir Shamali

On Saturday, speaking with TNSE at his residence in Vannalli village, Inayath said, There was no water shortage. But there was no soap to wash ourselves or our clothes. We were not given even a mat to sleep. If anyone suffered from illness, we would inform the jail police and the medicines would come after three days. We were not able to sleep in the night due to the noise made by Iranian inmates who were on drugs.

He said, All six men from our district and three from Dubai were sent to jail in Kish Island where our fishing vessels were seized and docked. We were all packed into a small room. Every day we used to anxiously wait for good news from our lawyers. But days rolled by. We had no option but to wait with hope. For months, I did not speak to my family, including my children, in Kumta. Our bad days finally came to an end  we were released and we reached our homes.

Indian fishermen go to Dubai to work in fishing vessels. But now Inayaths family members are advising him against going to Dubai again. He too is in a dilemma about his future as its difficult to get a job with `30,000 per month. Like Inayath, the other fishermen too dont know what to do.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Telangana Model has become a buzzword, Governor ESL Narasimhan said, heaping praise on the TRSs welfare schemes during his first joint address of the TS Legislature on Saturday.

The speech focused on how projects including Kalyan Lakshmi, Rythu Bandhu and 2BHK Housing for Poor among others had set the tone for development activities in the country.

Many agricultural experts and economists including Ashok Gulati have publicly stated that Rythu Bandhu alone can save distressed farmers. The scheme has spared ryots the pain of securing agricultural investment and become a part of the national agenda. We frequently hear the words Telangana Model, much to the delight of Telanganites, the Governor said.

The schemes introduced and implemented by the government for the welfare and development of people has brought about a better standard of living. The State has been progressing in every arena and positions itself as a leading State in the country. This reflected clearly in the elections, with the people reposing confidence overwhelmingly in the TRS and electing its leaders with emphatic majorities in the recently concluded Assembly polls. Accepting this landslide victory with humility and modesty, my government proposes to initiate steps to implement all its electoral promises, the Governor said.

TRS promises include the enhancement of Aasara Pensions from `1,000 to `2,016 (`1,500 to `3,016 for the disabled), reducing age of eligibility for old age pension to 57 years, dole of `3,016 to unemployed youth and financial assistance of `5 lakh to `6 L to eligible persons who want to construct house on their own plots, while continuing with the present system of building 2BHK for the poor.

The government plans to waive off agricultural loans to the tune of `1 lakh and enhance investment support under Rythu Bandhu from `8,000 to `10,000 per acre. An honorarium for members of Rythu Samanvaya Samithis is on the cards and schemes for the integrated development of SCs and STs will be implemented.
T J S George By

What a curse democracy has become. It truly is bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people. With no stops. Look at the Cabinet circus in Karnataka. Look at Devendra Fadnavis fighting ally-turned-enemy Shiv Sena. Look at Yogi Adityanath still struggling to figure out whether governance is animal or vegetable. Look, if you have the heart, at the tragic spectacle of Manohar Parrikar, stricken with advanced cancer, being forced to carry on as chief minister in Goa because the party wants to safeguard its interests. Pathetic.

ALSO READ: Karnataka Congress moves MLAs to resort after four party MLAs skip CLP meet

The MLA circus of the kind seen in Karnataka is by now a familiar feature of Indian politics. Parliament went to the extent of amending the Constitution in 1985 to pass the anti-defection law. The aim was to stop the evil of political defection. The evil never stopped. The resort politics popularised by N T Rama Rao continues unabated. The old motto of Aaya Ram Gaya Ram has given way to the new bazaar practice of Buy Ram Sell Ram.

The Kumaraswamy government that carries on precariously in Karnataka was the result of swalpa adjust maadi between the Congress and Gowda-run Janata Dal (United). The BJPs Yeddyurappa sat momentarily in the seat of power thanks to the connivance of the states BJP governor. But not all the treasures of Arabia could buy him a majority in the House and Yeddyurappa had to quit before he could form a government.

ALSO READ: At resort, MLAs get tight security against BJP's poaching attempts

But the Buy Ram Sell Ram culture continued as the latest crisis has proved. The BJP was out to buy 12 to 15 Congress MLAs and negotiations must have progressed far enough for several MLAs to be housed in luxury water holes in Delhi and Mumbai and other places. More than 10 Congress MLAs had apparently conducted their bargains successfully. But Yeddyurappa & Co still could not reach the magic number that would have toppled the government.

Then came the Congress shouting from the hilltops that no force could bring its government down. Translated into everyday language, it meant that the Congress-JD(U) had out-bid the BJP in the auction of MLAs. As the ruling combination, they could offer not only cash but also ministerships and board chairmanships, both recognised routes to riches. Expect new ministers in the Cabinet with plans, of course, to serve the people. Congress leader Siddaramaiah, sounding more innocent than a baby, accused Yeddyurappa of horse-trading and offering crores of rupees to Congress MLAs. What a nasty thing to do to the pure-as-heaven Congress.

WATCH | Q&A with Prabhu Chawla: Mad, mad world of resort politics

The chances are that the crisis and its sudden ending (has it ended?) were more than a Congress-BJP affair. A Congress-Congress combat could as well have been part of it. The power struggle within the Karnataka Congress is no secret. Siddaramaiah, who headed the Congress government until Kumaraswamy took over in May last year, is not reconciled to his loss of office. He speaks and acts like the Congress party boss if not also as the effective chief minister. That means a barely hidden confrontation with party maverick and troubleshooter, D K Shivakumar. The long-standing ambition of Shivakumar to become chief minister makes him an active player in the buy and sell market. Ambitions are not snuffed out by temporary ceasefires. So the drama in Karnataka will continue, crisis giving way to peace and peace breaking into crisis.

That pattern has become part of life across the country. Those in power believe they should remain there indefinitely while those in opposition believe it is their right to topple the government and take over. To achieve their aims, sworn enemies become close friends, like Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav have done in UP and Chandrashekar Rao and Jagan Mohan Reddy in Hyderabad. Every tukda party is proclaiming that it will join hands with like-minded partners.

All are like-minded in their shared greed for power. What makes politicians different from ordinary human beings is the certainty with which they can extol their own supposed virtues and ridicule others. In a long, televised Press conference in Guwahati last week, the BJPs Ram Madhav did just that. He proclaimed how mahagathbandhan parties were unstable, corrupt and devoid of vision while the BJP was stable, corruptionless and visionary. As simple as that. What a pity that there are citizens in India who vote for unstable, corrupt and visionless parties when the saints and angels of the BJP are ready to sacrifice themselves for the country.

We already have the facts and figures of tomorrow: public presentation of lies as truths, intolerance, polarisation, religious violence. The future is already here.


Prabhu Chawla By

Kid me not, new idioms spruce up old lingo. Indias greying leaders use gravitas as their favourite political pose for commanding respect among friends, foes and frenemies. On the other hand, the young uns of Indian statecraft with disparate views speak the same language with social media banter. They rarely meet in public, but are constantly bonding on their smartphones. Last week, a Twitter exchange between two political scions created a media buzz.

A post by former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah showing off his snow-laden picture-perfect wooden bungalow in Srinagar brought an envious response from a political heir apparent from south India. K T Rama Rao (KTR), the promising working president of Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) tweeted back, If only there was a wish granting factory, Id have one right there; somewhere closer. Omar graciously responded, Treat mine as yours and stay anytime you like.

Since obviously it wasnt a political proposition, KTR responded, Hey, I am gonna take that offer rather seriously Omar Saab. Considering they have hardly ever met for a political discussion, the affinity was refreshingly different. Their fathersone a sitting chief minister and the other a former CMhavent been spotted together on any significant platform. But the connectivity and chemistry between their progeny indicate not only a generational change in political etiquette but also the future accoutrements of the Great Indian Political Salon.

KTR and Omar arent the only ones who are walking the new talk in their constituencies and signposting the road map ahead, in which the Congress and the BJP would have little role to play. The Omar-KTR tweetfest is also not an isolated case of a harbinger of harmony superseding the calamities of confrontation. Over half a dozen young leaders are on the driving seat of many regional parties. Using new means and methods, they are bringing relief to the arid wasteland of offensive political discourse, although India seems fated to suffer dynastic politics for longer than one can imagine.

Almost the entire non-BJP landscape is dominated by the political gene pool. Barring Rahul Gandhi, the young challengers are from the non-Brahminical order. With the exception of Tejashwi Yadav, they are either foreign educated or have studied at Indias toniest of educational institutions. Barring Rahul, they belong to backward castes or landed non-Brahmin communities. The other political DNA thread that binds them is the fact that they are the sons or grandsons of former prime ministers and chief ministers. Check out Akhilesh, Tejashwi, Omar, KTR, Jagan Mohan Reddy, Jayant Choudhry (RLD), H D Kumaraswamy and M K Stalin.

Rahul Gandhi, 48, president of the Congress party, is the son of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. Though he took the Congress plunge in 2004, he was insulated from domestic politics, having spent his wonder years in the best schools and colleges in India and overseas. According to websites, he studied at Doon School, St. Stephens College, Harvard, Rollins College, Florida and Trinity, Cambridge University. Before politics, he worked for private firms.

Akhilesh Yadav, 45, is the son of former UP chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav. He went to a military school in Rajasthan and then to Bengaluru for his bachelors and masters degrees in Civil Environmental Engineering. Subsequently, his doting dad sent him off to Sydney to acquire another masters degree.

Omar Abdullah, 48, is the son of former J&K chief minister Farooq Abdullah. Born in England, he studied at Burn Hall School in Srinagar and Lawrence School, Sanawar in Himachal Pradesh. Farooq sent his son to the University of Strathclyde in Scotland to get his BCom and MBA degrees.

KTR, 42, is the son of Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao. Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao completed his schooling from the elite St. Georges Grammar School, Hyderabad, and his bachelors degree in microbiology from Nizam College. Having secured a postgraduate degree from University of Pune, he went to the US to complete an MBA in marketing and e-commerce from Baruch College-The City University of New York.

Jayant Choudhary, 40, is the grandson of former prime minister Charan Singh and the son of ex-Union minister Ajit Singh. He is currently the vice president of Rashtriya Lok Dal, founded by his father. He is an MSc degree-holder from the London School of Economics.

Jagan Mohan Reddy, 46, is the son of former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. He went to Hyderabad Public School and graduated from Nizam College. He holds an MBA degree.

The unavoidable axiom of political families is watch and learn. Before they can weave their own webs, all political offspring spend their growing years as a fly on the wall, such as M K Stalin in Tamil Nadu and Akhilesh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh, watching their fathers excel at image laundering or muckraking to retain or capture power at any cost.

For the past few weeks, most of them have been burning up airplane fuel from one city to another, calling on each other to take the Defeat Modi operation forward. A set of squeaky clean new rules and a manual of some dirty tricks is their new syllabus book. For example, when Akhilesh and BSP chief Mayawati refused to include the Congress in the UP-specific mahagathbandhan, Tejashwi flew to Lucknow to meet them and emphasise the need for Opposition unity. Previously, Akhilesh Yadav had ignored Mulayams behenji-phobia and drove down to her residence to strike the deal that could bring the BJP down in 2019.

In the south, KTR took the initiative of forging a non-BJP non-Congress alliance by calling on Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is fighting the Chandrababu Naidu led TDP-Congress combine. The youth realpolitik is admirable since the youngsters have put their educational skills to the best use in spite of having a relatively less educated cadre and support base. However, India and Bharat are still synergetic: earthy leaders such as Stalin, Kumaraswamy and Tejashwi are leading from the front, too. Though Rahul is considered the nearest alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it is a crop of new, young and articulate leaders which is likely to play a significant role in the making of the next national leader for the coming decade.

It is also a tragic commentary on the national parties that none of them has produced an alternative to new dynasts in over half a dozen big states, while their parents did. Rahul is taking longer than his father or his grandmother to capture the national mind and heart, but the brood of our regional leaders has become state leaders in a short span of time. The fact that 29-year-old Tejashwi is considered a formidable alternative to the experienced and erudite Nitish Kumar, and not any local Congress or BJP leader reflects the disconnect. Is Indian democracy for dynasty forever when politics is childs play?

Prabhu Chawla

prabhuchawla@newindianexpress.com

Follow him on Twitter @PrabhuChawla
Sharanya Manivannan By

Of course the cotton seeds that have sprouted on the moon werent buried under its surface, the way they are on Earth. Instead, theyre in a sealed container still on board the docked mission. As the BBC put it, The crops will try to form a mini biosphere  an artificial, self-sustaining environment. Only the cotton seeds have sprouted; potato, rapeseed and other produce havent. Of all the forms of life  cotton, which only last year became genetically engineered to possibly be edible (or at least, not toxic). I wonder why China chose to shoot it into space.

An artificial, self-sustaining environment. The two words should cancel each other out because the effort it takes to truly self-sustain cannot be simulated. Yet, in a strange way, we understand. That bubble in which we must sometimes live, because theres no other way in which to survive. As 2018 ended, I was shocked by mynaivete in a post, shown on the Memories FB feature, from one year before that. Id written that 2017 had been kind to me and that Id remember it fondly  a statement which hadrapidly proved untrue. Id been in a bubble of forced gratitude, afraid to accept the truth of my misery. I could only do so in hindsight.

How much depends on the framing. One flip of the coin: in six months of that year Id gone to Batticaloa twice, my ancestral town, and found a key I had looked for my whole life. Another flip of the coin: in those same six months I had been so sick from fatigue and anxiety that I declined a free trip to Bhutan, to mountains I had seen in dreams. One more frame: I ponder travel only because I did so little of it last year, when I thought I would do so much. An astrologer friend opened my chart up. I told her how when shed last done so, I hadnt believed when shed said Id have to wait a year for what Id thought was just around the corner. The lease on that prediction is up for renewal now.

I remembered how when wed last met shed touched her heart with a sympathetic look and said, Here  you had a terrible disillusionment, with the planets exact on that point about three months ago. And how, dazed by the possibility of new love, Id said No. Id forgotten that something had indeed happened then, a culminating disappointment to a heartache that had dragged on for ages like roadkill on a bloodied wheel. One turn of the solar wheel later, she referenced that painful transit again and I saw it anew. How everything has a miasma.

I hadnt escaped with one terrible disillusionment in a December past; there was another that came later, even more harrowing, of another kind of love entirely, that I hadnt framed that way before. Sometimes life offers nothing but harsh conditions. We huddle within our bubbles  our artificial, desperate, self-sustaining environments  and tell ourselves what we need to. We cannot tell it straight until weve seen through the miasma, into clarity  or at least the next bubble.

Sharanya Manivannan

Twitter@ranyamanivannan

The Chennai-based author writes poetry, fiction and more
Anuraag Singh By

Express News Service

BHOPAL: RSS has been imparting training in making weapons, bombs, atom bomb, grenade and triggering blasts, said newly appointed Madhya Pradesh minister for cooperatives and parliamentary affairs Dr Govind Singh on Saturday, sparking a political controversy in the central Indian state.

"Ye jo Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh hai, voh hathiyar banane ki, bomb banane ki, atom bomb banane ki, hathgole banane ki aur visphot karne ki training deti rahi hai (the RSS has been imparting training in making weapons, bombs, atom bomb, grenade and triggering blasts)," said Singh, the senior minister who is the seven-time Congress legislator from Lahar seat of Bhind district.

However, when queried by journalists again in Bhopal later in the day, Singh tried to play down the matter, saying he had made the statements with respect to BJP's hue and cry about law and order situation in the state, including the murder of BJP leader in Mandsaur. "Both, the man murdered in Mandsaur and the accused belonged to the same organization."

Singh is considered close to ex-MP CM Digvijaya Singh, who also in the past has often alleged links of RSS affiliated individuals with terror activities.

The senior MP cabinet minister further told journalists in Bhopal that "till now as the BJP was in power in the state for 15 years, all these matters were under the carpet. The BJP government in the past and RSS have been fostering the criminal elements. Still the BJP people are creating utpaat (creating trouble)."

He further referred to the case of 2008 Malegaon blast accused Pragya Thakur (charge-sheeted in the 2008 blast case) to draw home his point of RSS people being involved in destructive activities.

"Let the BJP people do dharna pradarshan (demonstration), the state government is not going to bend under their pressure tactics. We're going to unearth all their hidden deeds and make them public, which will see them behind bars in the days to come," said Singh.

Importantly, the opposition BJP has been staging protest demonstrations across the state, alleging deterioration of law and order situation since the Kamal Nath led Congress government assumed power in MP, particularly in the wake of two high-profile killings on Wednesday and Thursday, among them the killing of Mandsaur Nagar Palika chairman and BJP leader Prahlad Bandhwar by his close aide and alleged fellow party worker Manish Bairagi.

Importantly, the accused Manish Bairagi and a close aide Ajay Jat were arrested from Pratapgarh district of Rajasthan on Saturday.

Reacting to the senior cabinet minister Dr Govind Singh's controversial statements, senior BJP leader Dr Hitesh Bajpai condemned the statements. "It seems that Dr Govind Singh, even after becoming a minister has nothing left to do, except making such baseless allegations. After taking the oath of office and secrecy as state's cabinet minister, he (Singh) needs to act instead of making such baseless statements."

However, state Congress spokesperson and senior advocate JP Dhanopiya defended the senior minister's statements, saying, "The minister is a responsible man, if he has made the statements, they would definitely have some factual basis."

Importantly, ahead of assembly elections in MP, during November 2018, another senior Congress leader Sunderlal Tiwari (sitting legislator son of ex-Vidhan Sabha Speaker late Sriniwas Tiwari) had termed the RSS as "symbol of terrorism." Tiwari was among the clutch of senior Congress leaders who lost the assembly polls subsequently in Vindhyan region of MP.
By PTI

JAMMU: Exuding confidence that the BJP would return to power at the Centre after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, senior party leader Ram Madhav Sunday said none in the Opposition has the "courage and caliber" to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"There is no reason for the people to dislodge Modi from the chair 'there is no one in the Opposition camp having the calibre and courage to challenge the prime minister and the BJP," the party general secretary told reporters here.

He said the BJP would repeat its 2014 performance in 2019 too and would emerge winner with more seats than its present tally along with its NDA coalition partners.

Madhav said the BJP has already started its poll preparation amid "enthusiastic and dedicated" participation by its workers under the guidance of its president Amit Shah.

"Even if the entire Opposition comes together, they will not be able to win as the BJP enjoys the support of the people across the country," he said.

Dubbing the Saturday's Opposition rally in Kolkata as "coming together of corrupt faces to save themselves from the clutches of the government", Madhav said they are trying to get united under various coalitions and are forming second and third fronts.

'Let them try' the work of the government will speak out for itself," said Madhav.

He said the government's performance is evident from not only the unprecedented developmental works in the country but also by an array of 129, target-specific schemes of the Centre for the poor, backward, schedule caste, schedule tribe and minorities besides the historic 10 per cent reservation for the poor in government jobs and educational institutions.

The BJP general secretary asserted that the opposition leaders are flocking together to protect their vested interests and shield themselves from the anti-corruption crusade launched by Modi.

"The faces on the podium during yesterday's rally made it clear that all the corrupt leaders and dynasty rulers have come together. This is allowed in democracy and we are ready as Modi's visionary leadership and development-focused polices will help the party win the elections," he said.

Referring to the Opposition's Kolkata rally, Madhav said the opposition leaders themselves admitted that they have come together but have no programme to run a coherent government.

"They are themselves admitting it and it is clear that they do not have any programme as our leaders pointed out that they did not have the flag and agenda. There only agenda is to oust Modi government and save themselves from its crusade against corruption," he said.

He said an important opportunity is coming before the people and "the BJP is sure that they will vote for Modi's visionary and development-oriented policies and a stable government."

"They will reject hotchpotch and unstable dispensation without vision and programme for the country and only having six people standing in a queue for the post of prime minister," he said.

Replying to a question on National Conference president Farooq Abdullah's statement dubbing EVM as 'chor machine', Madhav said, "I don't want to react to him.

I want to ask the Congress leadership in MP, Chattisgarh and Rajasthan if they agree with Abdullah because they won the elections in these states recently. Let them first answer and then let us see."

"On VHP leader Alok Kumar's statement that the outfit will extend support to the Congress if it includes construction of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya in its manifesto, he said," If the Congress is ready, it should come forward and tell the government that we all will build the Ram temple together.

"The country knows the character of the Congress. The people who are opposing early decision on the temple issue belongs to the Congress 'Kapil Sibal' - he is the one who is asking the Supreme Court not to give its verdict on the issue," he said.

On Farooq Abdullah's criticism on the BJP's failure in bringing women reservation bill for reservation of seats for women in legislatures across the country, Madhav said at the podium, there were 20 leaders of different parties.

He added that let them all unanimously adopt a resolution in favour of having reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies and tell the government so after which the BJP-led NDA government would enact the law "within two minutes".

On West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's charges that the Centre is misusing the CBI, the BJP leader said she used to dub the CBI as the "Congress Bureau of Investigation" when the Congress was in power.
Congos constitutional court confirmed Felix Tshisekedis presidential election win on Sunday, dismissing a challenge from another opposition leader who rejected the courts decision and declared himself president.

Second-placed Martin Fayulu accused Tshisekedi and the ruling party of stitching up the result. His move that risks stoking further unrest over the bitterly disputed poll.

Tshisekedis supporters were celebrating the court decision in the streets of Kinshasa. Fayulu says the results were the product of a secret deal between Tshisekedi and outgoing President Joseph Kabila to cheat him out of a win of more than 60 percent.

Kabilas camp and Tshisekedis denied making any such deal. The president of the constitutional court, Benoit Luamba, rejected the challenge as inadmissible.

The constitutional court has just confirmed that it serves a dictatorial regime ... by validating false results, (and enabling) a constitutional coup detat, Fayulu said in a statement.

The provisional results in the election, which was meant to enable Congos first democratic transfer of power in 59 years of independence from Belgium, showed Tshisekedi winning with a slim margin over Fayulu. Kabilas favored candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary came in a distant third.

Government spokesman Lambert Mende welcomed the courts decision.

Felix Tshisekedi will become the fifth president of the republic, Mende said by telephone.

A spokesman for Tshisekedi, Vidiye Tshimanga, said: We are happy that the voice of the Congolese people has been heard and that a true democratic and peaceful handover will occur.

If Fayulus supporters reject the result, it could worsen unrest that has already seen 34 people killed, 59 wounded and 241 arbitrary arrests in the past week, according to the U.N. human rights office.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.

Short link:


Anuraag Singh By

Express News Service

BHOPAL: A 50-year-old BJP leader Manoj Thakre was brutally murdered while on his morning walk on Sunday in Balwadi town of Barwani district, which is the home district of Madhya Pradeshs home minister Bala Bachchan.

This is the second killing of a BJP leader in four days in the Congress-ruled central Indian state within four days. Earlier, on Thursday evening, the Mandsaur Nagar Palika Chairman Prahlad Bandhwar was shot dead from point blank range by a close aide and an alleged BJP worker in Mandsaur town (around 400 km from Bhopal).

The latest killing happened about a km from Balwadi town in Barwani district, as the middle-aged politician Manoj Thakre, considered close to ex-minister Antar Singh Arya was found dead in an agricultural plot close to the main road.

As usual, he (Thakre) left his house in Balwadi town at around 5.30 am for morning walk, but was found dead in an agricultural plot close to the main Balwadi-Sendhwa road, one km from Balwadi town. Deep wounds on the body suggested that he was first attacked with heavy object and weapon on the head by more than one assailant, before being dragged into the adjoining agricultural plot. Wounds on head and face and recovery of a bloodstained stone suggested that the heavy stone was used to crush his head, said Warla police station in-charge Dinesh Kushwah.

The cop added that investigations have just begun and it would be too early to speak anything about the reasons behind the brutal murder.

A special investigation team (SIT) headed by ASP has been constituted to crack the case at the earliest.

Coming to know about the incident, ex-MP cabinet minister Antar Singh Arya was on way from Bhopal to Barwani to meet the bereaved family. Im on way from Bhopal to Barwani, it would be difficult to say anything right now about whether the killing could be political or not, Arya told The New Indian Express.

As many as three high-profile murders have jolted MPs Malwa-Nimar region, since the alleged contract killing of 40-year-old builder Sandeep Agrawal on a busy street of Indore (close to a police station) on Wednesday evening. A day later, Mandsaur Nagar Palika chairman and BJP leader Prahlad Bandhwar was shot dead by close aide Manish Bairagi in Mandsaur town and now another BJP leader Manoj Thakre has been brutally killed in Barwani.

Reacting sharply after the latest killing of a BJP leader, ex-CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan said criminal are operating fearlessly and the law and order situation has totally collapsed.

After the Thursday evening killing in Mandsaur (in which the accused have been arrested from adjoining Rajasthan), the former CM Shirvaj Singh Chouhan and present CM Kamal Nath had traded barbs.

While the former CM wrote to Nath alleging that law and order situation was deteriorating since Congress came to power in MP, Nath responded to Chouhan in written asking not to play politics on murders, particularly when one of the killings have been committed allegedly by someone from within the opposition party only.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Aadhaar cards are now valid travel documents for Indians under 15 and over 65 travelling to Nepal and Bhutan, according to a Home Ministry communique.

Indians other than those in the two age brackets will not be able to use Aadhaar to travel to the two neighbouring countries, for which no visas are needed, clarified the communique issued recently.

Indian citizens going to Nepal and Bhutan don't need a visa if they have a valid passport, a photo identity card issued by the government of India or an election ID card issued by the Election Commission, it added.

Earlier, persons over 65 and under 15 could show their PAN card, driving licence, Central Government Health Service (CGHS) card or ration card, but not the Aadhaar, to prove their identity and visit the two countries.

The Aadhaar card has now been added to the list, explained a senior Home Ministry official. "Now, persons in the age group of over 65 years and below 15 years have been allowed to use Aadhaar as a valid travel document," the official told PTI.

Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). It is being made mandatory for using a host of government services.

Giving details, the official said a certificate of registration issued by the Embassy of India, Kathmandu, to Indian nationals is not an acceptable travel document for travelling between India and Nepal.

"However, the emergency certificate and identity certificate issued by the Indian Embassy in Nepal will be valid for single journey for travelling back to India," he said, citing the communique.

Teens between 15 to 18 years will be allowed to travel between India and Nepal on the basis of an identity certificate issued by the principal of their school in a prescribed form, the officer said.

In case of a family (like husband, wife, minor children and parents) travelling together, all persons will not be required to carry relevant documents (such as a passport or an election ID) if one of the adult members has valid travel papers, he said.

However, the other family members must have some proof of their identity with a photograph and their relationship as a family, such as a CGHS card, ration card, a driving licence or an ID card issued by school/college, the official explained.

Indian nationals travelling to Bhutan need to have either an Indian passport with minimum validity of six months or a voter identity card issued by the Election Commission of India.

Bhutan, which shares borders with the Indian states of Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal, has about 60,000 Indian nationals, employed mostly in the hydroelectric power and construction industry.

In addition, between 8,000 and 10,000 daily workers enter and exit Bhutan everyday in border towns.

About six lakh Indians live in Nepal, according to data by the Ministry of External Affairs.

These include businesspersons and traders who have been living in Nepal for a long time, professionals (doctors, engineers, IT personnel) and labourers (including seasonal/migratory) in the construction sector, it said.

Nepal shares a border of over 1,850 km with five Indian states, Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Congress is "best equipped" to lead the opposition's charge against the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said Sunday, asserting that the grand old party will have to handle its leadership role with "large-heartedness" and accommodate regional parties.

Yadav also hailed the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance in Uttar Pradesh and emphasised that his "courtesy call" meetings with Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati post the tie-up should not be construed as a "pressure tactic" aimed at the Congress.

ALSO READ| INTERVIEW: RLD, other UP parties with SP-BSP alliance; BJP arch enemy, says Akhilesh Yadav

In an exclusive interview to PTI, the Rashtriya Janata Dal leader said since Congress is India's oldest and currently the second-biggest political party having a pan-India presence, it is in a very strong position to win maximum number of seats among the opposition parties.

In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, among the prospective opposition grand alliance parties, the Congress had won 44 seats, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress won 34, the Samajwadi Party won five, while the RJD had bagged four seats.

"I don't find anything wrong if the Congress plays a pivotal role in forming the alliance or taking the leadership role of the alliance into the elections.

But having said that, they have to accept that each state has different ground realities," Yadav said when asked if for a strong opposition coalition, the Congress has to be the pivot of the alliance.

The Congress, being the party with national acceptance and maximum footprint in the opposition, is "undoubtedly best equipped" to lead the opposition's charge against the Bharatiya Janata Party or the National Democratic Alliance, the former Bihar deputy chief minister asserted.

ALSO READ | BJP slams oppositions Kolkata rally as selfish

"However, the Congress will have to handle their leadership role with large-heartedness and play a proactive role by accommodating regional parties with their agenda.

"In states where Congress don't have a robust base, it must allow regional outfits to occupy the frontal-attack position against the BJP," Yadav said, emphasising that regional parties have a greater ability to transfer votes.

ALSO READ: Opposition leaders form Committee to look into EVM manipulation

The concentration is on winnability, hence the coalition must be decided state-wise and seat wise, said the 29-year-old son of former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad.

Every party will have to compromise or lend space to other parties depending on the situation in a particular state for forming a winning alliance, Yadav said while replying to a question on whether the Congress has to be more giving to regional parties to strengthen the opposition coalition.

Asked if leaving out the Congress from the SP-BSP tie-up will impact the opposition's national level coalition, he said the people of India feel they have been "duped badly" and have made up their mind to get rid of 'propagandists' for their own well-being.

The people are wise enough to understand which fighting block can be their best bet to defeat the BJP, he said.

On whether the SP and BSP will be a part of the 'mahagathbandhan' in Bihar, the RJD leader said principally all opposition parties are together against the BJP-led alliance.

"You don't always need seats to contest to prove that you are part of an alliance.

Sometimes lending unconditional support works wonders for sending the message across to the electorate.

"It is true that the SP and the BSP aren't main political parties of Bihar, but we have high regard for them and their politics.

We have seen that SP-BSP alliance has decided not to field their candidates in Amethi and Raebareli," Yadav said.

Once arch-rivals, the SP and the BSP announced this month their tie-up in UP for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, sharing 38 seats each and keeping the Congress out of the alliance.

Tejashwi Yadav's remarks come amid hectic efforts by the opposition to forge a strong alliance to take on the BJP in the general election.

Leaders from several opposition parties, including Yadav, came together Saturday, vowing at a mega rally in Kolkata to put up a united fight in the coming polls and oust Prime Minister Narendra Modi from power.

Prime Minister Modi had earlier hit out at the Mahagatbandhan for the polls, saying it was an "unholy alliance" of various political parties for "personal survival".

The BJP has also slammed the SP-BSP tie-up in UP.

Yadav also hit out at those dubbing his meeting with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati in Lucknow as a pressure tactic aimed at the Congress, saying his family always had close ties with the two leaders and the meetings were courtesy calls.

"Akhilesh ji is part of our extended family and 'behen' Mayawati ji always had cordial relations with us. When she resigned from Rajya Sabha, my father publicly said RJD would always be ready to send her to Rajya Sabha if she agrees," Tejashwi Yadav said.

"Even last year during RS elections in Bihar, I called her to request her again to enter Rajya Sabha with RJD backing. So my courtesy calls to them shouldn't be construed as a pressure tactic," he said.

As far as Bihar is concerned, irrespective of the number of MLAs in the assembly or being part of the government or opposition, everyone knows RJD is the biggest party, he said.

It is RJD's fear that has kept the BJP and Janata Dal (United) together, he claimed.

On BJP terming the SP-BSP tie-up an opportunistic alliance, Yadav hit out at the saffron party saying when it has tie-ups, it calls it "smart politicking", and asked what should its coalition of about 40 parties be called.

"Criticism by the BJP shows their uneasiness due to this alliance," he said.
By IANS

KOHIMA: Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Sunday said that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 is not applicable to Nagaland as the state stands protected under the provisions of Article 371(A) and the Inner Line Permit.

He said the state cabinet which met on January 18 discussed the Bill and re-iterated the earlier decisions adopted by the Cabinet on June 5, 2018 and January 7, 2019.

"The cabinet was of the unequivocal view that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is not applicable to Nagaland and we stand protected under the provisions of Article 371 (A) and the Inner Line Permit (ILP) as per Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, (BEFR) of 1873, affirmed under Clause 16 of the 16 Point Agreement," Rio said in a statement.

ALSO READ | SC to hear plea against Citizenship Amendment Bill after Rajya Sabha clears it

Moreover, he said the Cabinet decided to adopt a resolution re-affirming all provisions of Article 371(A) and to strengthen the implementation of the ILP as per the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) of 1873 that will also be taken up in the upcoming Nagaland Assembly session.

"The Cabinet also decided to refer the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill to the Standing Committee on Article 371(A) under the Nagaland Assembly to examine the issue in its entirety," Rio said.

The Cabinet decided to further appeal to the Indian government to have wider consultations with all northeastern states to ensure that the rights of the indigenous people were fully protected.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which has triggered massive protests in the northeastern states, was passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8.

The Bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 to grant Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who entered India before December 31, 2014.
Richa Sharma By

Express News Service

The dubious distinction of having the highest number of parliamentary constituencies with children suffering from malnutrition and several parliamentary constituencies with children suffering from malnutrition-related problems, that must be addressed immediately goes to Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand, says a study.

The analysis, Burden of Child Malnutrition in India: A View from Parliamentary Constituencies, found high prevalence of malnutrition, wasting, stunting, anemia and problem of underweight in children in traditional BIMARU states of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, years after Independence.

The research by NITI Aayog experts, supported by the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, and the Tata Trusts, found that child malnutrition was highly variable across parliamentary constituencies.

The experts used data from the fourth National Family Health Survey 2016 and two geographic information systems methodologies developed and applied to provide malnutrition estimates for the 543 parliamentary constituencies in India.

"The Lok Sabha MPs are elected by first-past-the-post universal adult suffrage and serve five-year terms in the lower house of the Parliament. Unlike districts that do not have any direct governmental accountability, a focus on constituencies can bring a greater degree of accountability to policy vision and implementation since MPs are directly responsible for the well-being of their constituents," said the study.

The study found that central and north-eastern constituencies showed the highest burden of stunting (height-for-age). When it comes to underweight children, the trends were similar with high prevalence in central and northeastern constituencies, while in case of wasting (weight-for-height), it was highest in central and western India. Anemia was highest in central and western India.

Across India, over 20 per cent of children under five experienced wasting, over one-third were underweight, over one-third were stunted, and nearly 60 per cent aged 6-59 months were anemic. India's 57 per cent prevalence of child anemia is a "severe" public health problem, based on the WHO cut-off of greater than or equal to 40 per cent prevalence.
By PTI

KOLKATA: Leaders from over a dozen opposition parties came together Saturday, vowing at a mega rally here to put up a united fight in the coming Lok Sabha elections and oust Prime Minister Narendra Modi from power.

Over 20 leaders, including two from the Congress, attended the show of unity organised by Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

"The BJP government has crossed its expiry date," she said.

The leaders called for putting the differences between the parties aside, and said they can decide on issue of prime minister's post after the elections.

Some suggested that the opposition should aim at putting up a joint candidate against the BJP nominee in every constituency.

They also decided to hold more joint rallies ahead of the elections, which are to be held by May.

Opposition rally HIGHLIGHTS: No more achhe din for the BJP, says Mamata

The next public meetings will be in New Delhi and Andhra Pradesh capital Amravati.

The two top Congress leaders, party president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, skipped the Kolkata rally.

But the party was represented by Mallikarjun Kharge and Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

Khare, who is leader of the party in the Lok Sabha, read a message from Sonia Gandhi wishing success to the rally.

H D Deve Gowda (Janata Dal-Secular), Sharad Pawar (Nationalist Congress Party) Akhilesh Yadav (Samajwadi Party), Farooq Abdullah (National Conference) and M K Stalin (DMK) were among the top leaders at the rally.

The huge crowd at the rally (Photo | PTI)

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Karnataka counterpart and H D Kumaraswamy too attended.

Socialist leader Sharad Yadav, former Union ministers Arun Shourie and Yashwant Sinha, and BJP rebel Shatrughan Sinha also shared the dais.

"The BJP government has crossed its expiry date. We all have to fight together to ensure that they are defeated," Banerjee, the last speaker, said.

"The issue of prime ministership won't be a problem," she added.

ALSO READ | 2019 elections will be India's second freedom struggle: MK Stalin at mega opposition rally

Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati didn't come to Kolkata, but BSP general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra addressed the meeting and highlighted his party's recently announced alliance with the SP in Uttar Pradesh.

"The entire country is echoing with the demand to oust the BJP. We have to come together to save the Constitution of Babasaheb Ambedkar. The SP-BSP alliance had been formed to defeat the BJP," he said.

Echoing Mishra, SP president Akhilesh Yadav said many people had thought the SP and the BSP won't be able to clinch an alliance.

Opposition show of strength (Photo | PTI)

"The BJP is now thinking how to win at least one seat in UP," he said in an apparent reference to Modi's Varanasi constituency.

"Those who used to say `Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' have turned one against the other by infusing poison in the country. We will fight together to save the country and the Constitution," he said.

READ HERE | Modi and Shah have mixed the poison of hatred in India: Arvind Kejriwal at mega opposition rally

In an apparent hint at differences between the parties, senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge recited a couplet, which suggested that even if their hearts don't meet they should hold hands.

Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said the BJP had tried to topple his government.

He said over the last 70 years the country has seen the emergence of strong regional parties that have played an important role to protect the interests of their own states.

Delhi Chief Minister accused the BJP of creating divisions among the people in the name of religion, saying this had been 'Pakistan's dream'.


Aishik Chanda By

Express News Service

KOLKATA: In what may be the biggest show of strength by Opposition parties in recent times, leaders of 23 national and regional parties descended on Kolkata on Saturday putting aside their differences and pledging to work together not to let the BJP come back to power in the upcoming polls.

Giving muscle to the mega rally were over two lakh TMC workers who assembled at the sprawling Brigade Parade Ground to listen to their boss Mamata Banerjee and a galaxy of leaders from other parties.

Opposition rally HIGHLIGHTS: No more achhe din for the BJP, says Mamata

While former Prime Minister Deve Gowda, former NDA Union ministers Yaswant Sinha and Arun Shourie and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi spoke about the need to finalise seat sharing as early as possible, Banerjee tried to dispel the notion that the Opposition alliance partners are fighting among themselves for the PM seat.

We have a collective leadership unlike the BJP. We will decide the PM after elections, she said.

Other leaders who addressed the rally included chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal, Chandrababu Naidu and H D Kumaraswamy; and former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, Akhilesh Yadav and Gegong Apang, and rebel BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha.

In response to the pointed attack on him, PM Narendra Modi said, Those who crushed democracy in their own state are now preaching about saving the democracy. Its truly ironical. Addressing a public event in Silvassa, where he inaugurated some projects after attending the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, Modi said: My actions against corruption have infuriated some people. Its but natural for them to get angry as Ive prevented them from looting public money. They have now formed an alliance called Mahagathbandhan.

ALSO READ: Opposition parties should forget their differences and fight BJP unitedly: Deve Gowda

In Kolkata, Yashwant Sinha disagreed: We have united not to remove a person but to fight an ideology.

Stressing on the need for unity, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge read out a letter of support to the rally from Sonia Gandhi, and said Though our hearts dont match, we have to hold each others hand.

Banerjee urged Farooq Abdullah, Naidu and Kejriwal to hold similar rallies in their respective states.

Abdullah and Naidu flagged the dangers of electronic voting machines and demanded that ballot papers be brought back.

While Kumaraswamy accused the BJP of indulging in horse-trading in Karnataka, SP chief Yadav said, The SP-BSP alliance has sent a wave of optimism across the country. If Tamil Nadu can return zero seats to the BJP, so can UP, Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand. TRS and the Left parties chose to stay away from the mega rally. Mayawati and Rahul Gandhi also gave it a miss.
Amar Bhushan By

The Congress presidents relentless assault on the Rafale deal reminds you of the Gobelin strategyrepeat a lie a hundred times till it is perceived as the truth. It works particularly well with people who have no appetite for details, get swayed by the simplicity and ferocity of allegations and are painfully cognizant of indiscriminate loot of public money by politicians and officials.

Rahul Gandhi is doing it, as a man possessed, to dent Modis clean image before the 2019 elections. As an Opposition leader, it may be an effective tactics to steal the limelight, but as a Member of Parliament who aspires to form government, he is hurting Indias defence preparedness by questioning purchase of fighter jets that are so vital to the Indian air security.

Till Modi arrived on the scene and brought a drastic change in the culture, it was unthinkable that any deal could be made without kickbacks. The situation was so bad that no vendor could sell even a pin without going through brokers and bribing civil servants, defence personnel and politicians. Those in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) who insisted on following prescribed rules were promptly disciplined. My brother-in-law, an IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre, was shunted out.

Senior officials who were personally honest and looked the other way as proposals were approved and money exchanged hands were rewarded with post-retirement jobs. Pliable ones who manufactured proposals, manipulated technical specifications, fixed tenders and managed field trials to tailor justification became disproportionately rich. The procurement machinery in the Ministry was so well-oiled that transfer of officials and change in governments did not affect deals in the pipeline. An Israeli dealer, disappointed with my refusal to buy his products, taunted that it was far easy to handle the Ministry than my office.

You almost suspect that Rahul Gandhi knows only the half-truth about corruption in the MoD. His peers have obviously kept him in dark about how much money they made from various deals in the past and why they could not finalise the Rafale deal for a decade. No wonder, he is so angry and has so much contempt for facts and the Supreme Courts factual rulings on each aspect of the deal. Maybe as and when he is in the government, he will appreciate the reason for the huge difference in the price of the jets.

The price is for the customisation to suit a specific security requirement. I recall I had to pay 15 times more than the price quoted by European vendors to a little-known Indian company for constructing an algorithm for our encryption systems. Rahul needs to seriously introspect why the government is willing to share the price with the Supreme Court but not with the JPC. If he believes that the hysteria he is building around the deal will bring him extra votes, he is in for disappointment. Actually, he needs to worry about cobbling alliances and highlight unfulfilled promises, farm distress and widening economic disparity.

Amar Bhushan

amarbhushan@hotmail.com

Former special secretary, Research and Analysis Wing
By ANI

MUMBAI: The Karni Sena on Saturday warned 'Manikarnika' Kangana Ranaut that if she continues to voice dissent against the outfit, they would ruin her career prospects and burn her film sets.

This comes a day after Kangana issued a statement saying that she will destroy the Karni Sena if they continue to harass her over the release of 'Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi.'

"Four historians have certified Manikarnika, we have got censor certificate as well, Karni Sena has been conveyed this but they are continuing to harass me. If they don't stop then they should know I am also a Rajput and I will destroy each one of them," she had said on Friday.

ALSO READ: Will destroy each one of them, says Kangana Ranaut on Karni Sena over Manikarnika row

Reflecting on Kangana's statement, Ajay Singh Sengar, president of Maharashtra Karni Sena said, "If she continues to threaten the members of our outfit, we will not let her walk freely in Maharashtra and will burn her film sets."

He also claimed that if the film, in any way, insults the queen of Jhansi, the Hindu society will not forgive her.

ALSO READ: There is no rift between Kangana Ranaut and Krish, says 'Manikarnika' writer

Earlier this week, the outfit had written to producers, director and the writers of 'Manikarnika' that if the image of Rani Laxmibai is maligned in the film or if she is shown to be the lover of some British national, the makers will have to "face consequences."

The Kangana Ranaut-starrer 'Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi' is one of the most highly anticipated films of 2019.

The period drama is based on the life and struggles of Rani Laxmi Bai of Jhansi and her war against the British East India Company, during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

The film is slated to hit the big screens on January 25.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Fallen leaves and kitchen waste will not be a burden to the civic body and residents of the capital city in the near future. An advanced, user-friendly aerobin is being planned to help citizens compost the leaves and waste rather than burning them in the open. The project is the mastermind of Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor. The office has finalised an aerobin model, after careful scanning of different models used across the world for eco-friendly composting. Prior to this, a random survey was conducted among city residents to study their needs.

An aerobin (Photo | Amazon.in)

The project was mooted after Shashi Tharoor expressed concern over the open burning of waste. "Thiruvananthapuram's long and eventful journey for a proper waste management system is coming to a full circle with the new aerobins," a release from his office said.

The modern day apartments and homes with tiled yards provide only limited options for waste processing to the city residents."We looked into localised composting solutions and identified a device which is widely used in Europe and the United States. The selected model of aerobin comes in three sizes - of 200l, 400l and 600l. It was designed by an Australian company and is manufactured in India for export purposes," officials of the MP's office said.

Though the city corporation has set up aerobins at several locations they are inaccessible for those living far. The MP's office said the new aerobin model has an advantage over existing composting devices in the city. "It can be fed from the top and the compost can be extracted from the bottom," they said.

Tharoor has now provided the new model to the Corporation and Thanal for evaluation. One unit will also be donated to the Girls Higher Secondary School, Peroorkada. Tharoor will hand over the unit at a function on Monday at 10.30 am.
Syrian military air defenses thwarted an Israeli attack on Sunday, shooting down several missiles in the south of the country, state media said.

Our air defense systems thwarted ... an Israeli air aggression ... and prevented it from achieving any of its goals, a military source told state news agency SANA. It gave no further details.

An Israeli military spokeswoman declined to comment.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged an Israeli attack last week on what he called an Iranian arms cache in Syria, where Tehran provides Damascus with vital support.

He told his cabinet Israel had carried out hundreds of attacks over the past years of Syrias war to curtail Iran and its ally Lebanons Hezbollah.

Usually silent about its attacks on Iranian targets near its frontier, Israel has lifted the veil this month, a sign of confidence in a campaign waged amid occasional tensions with Syrias big-power backer Russia.

Short link:


Unnikrishnan S By

Express News Service

ALAPPUZHA: Industries Minister EP Jayarajan may have heard only about the latest protest by Alappad residents. It could be the reason why he was surprised by the sudden protest against a company which is in operation since 1965.

However, Alappads struggle against mining PSUs is as old as its mining history.

ALSO READ | Alappad residents caught between the sand and the sea

The mining started around 1912 by private companies and it was later taken over by PSUs in 1965. But the initial years were largely peaceful. The fishermen community was ignorant about the mining. There were heaps of sand for them to be scooped up, said district secretary of Dheevara Sabha M Valsan, who led many protests against IRE.

But things started to change when fishermen realised the mining started to affect their livelihood. They were also keen to get a salaried job in IRE. The first protest was led by former panchayat president of Alappad P Chellappan in 1970.

The protest lasted for four years and many were injured in police action. The second agitation in 1978 was led by Valsan to secure jobs for ITI certificate holders in the region. In the next two years, Karayogam of Pandarathuruth and Dheevara Sabha protested for getting a better deal for their land and for getting employment in IRE, in 1980.

The company recruited 240 locals as temporary workers in 1990. But the resentment against IRE grew in the aftermath of the tsunami that wreaked havoc in Alappad in 2004. Protesters blocked roads to the mining site and it led to the closure of sites for over two years.

ALSO READ | Indian Rare Earths to continue scientific mining in Alappad; sea wash to be halted

By then the people realised the harmful nature of mining carried out by IRE, said Valsan. There were demands of stopping sea washing, refilling of land, use of scientific dredging.

As the discontent grew, it resulted in another round of protest in 2009. The Oommen Chandy Government announced an increased compensation of land and property leased to the company.

They are neither keen to take up more land nor return the land after refilling, said Valsan. According to him, the land was always taken at a cheap rate and residents were denied any benefits.

For many residents, the bloodied protests of the past are still fresh in their memory. My father Sahadevan was involved in one of the failed protests. He used to say a time will come when protests by the next generation will succeed, said Shyamala, a resident of Mukkumpuzha.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A constitutional amendment is the only way to make a States official language as an additional language in the respective High Court, said members of legal fraternity at the silver jubilee celebrations of Sattakathir, a Tamil law journal.

S Tamilvanan, President of State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, who steered a panel discussion on the topic, said Tamil Nadu was a forerunner when it comes to the introduction of Tamil as an official language. However, the State fell behind when it came to making Tamil an additional language in the Madras High Court.

Protests, resolutions and agitations are not the solutions for the implementation, but a constitutional amendment in Parliament is possible and most of the States are willing to take it forward as all of them want to see their local languages introduced in their respective high courts, he said.

By convention, tradition and law, as spelt out under Article 348 of the Constitution of India, only English can be used for arguments and proceedings in HCs and in the SC unless a specific relaxation is granted.

Translating these from English to Tamil and capturing their essence without committing any mistake is no easy task. To make the judgments, the legal proceedings and the arguments intelligible to the common people it is necessary for journals like SattaKathir to be widely circulated, he said.

AR Lakshmanan, a former judge of Supreme Court was awarded the Neethi Tamil Arignar by the Governor.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: With a large section of the citys techies expressing their interest to teach at government schools, the state government will be allowing volunteers to take classes on Saturdays.

The Department of State Education, Research and Training (DSERT) will allow volunteers to start teaching this academic year. This will be done under the Shaalege Banni Shanivara (come to school on Saturdays) scheme.

Officials in the department confirmed that the scheme will be re-launched, after three years. There are hardly two months left for this academic year. We will launch it from next year, a senior official from the DSERT said.

Those interested will have to first seek permission from the head of the school concerned, provide their profile information along with their residential address. They must also give a written undertaking stating the time period they wish to be associated with the school.

The volunteers are free to select a school of their choice and there are no restrictions on the selection of schools. One is also free to choose a subject of their interest and inform the head of the institute. On Saturdays, the classes will be held between 7.30 am and 12 noon, as most employees have the weekends off.

Re-launching the scheme

The programme was launched during 2015 and was quite successful but stopped with the transfer of the then director of the DSERT. Popular demand has led to the decision of re-launching the programme.
ORELAND -- Alex Stevers-Radtke of Wyndmoor and Michael Mathews of Oreland recently reached the rank of Eagle Scout announced Orelands Troop 1. A ceremony will be held at the troops Hawk Mountain Camp in New Ringgold to recognize Alexs and Michaels accomplishments and to celebrate with fr
Palestinian officials and analysts say that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sent a variety of messages during his address at the American University in Cairo as part of his Middle East tour last week.

Most notably, there was a reshuffling of issues for the US in the Middle East and the propagating of the Iranian threat as a top priority in the region at the expense of the Palestinian cause, a ploy to minimise the importance of the issue and indirectly support the USs traditional ally Israel.

These US moves come at a time when the region is facing significant challenges, most prominently the political freeze of the Peace Process between the Palestinians and Israelis, disputes with Iran, the Gulf crisis, the threats of terrorism and the proposed Middle East Strategic Alliance (MESA) suggested by the US.

Mustafa Al-Barghouti, secretary-general of the National Palestinian Initiative, said that Pompeos address was insolent and ignorant of history and that it contradicted the speech given by former US president Barack Obama in Cairo nine years ago.

This is important, because it shows that US policy has lost control and is now taking orders from the Zionist lobby, he said. Al-Barghouti added that ignoring the Palestinian cause demonstrated great dangers, but this will not change our position or will and determination to reach our goal of liberating our people and creating our own independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

He said that the positions declared by Pompeo, especially his stance on the Arabs, Muslims and Palestinians, were peppered with falsehoods and ignorance. They demonstrated the inability of the incumbent US administration to handle the current situation in the Middle East, he said.

Al-Barghouti said that Washingtons focus on the Iranian issue aimed to fracture the region, divide the Arab world, and decimate the Middle East in order to allow Israel to circumvent the boycott it is facing.

The aim was to allow the normalisation of relations with Israel under the pretext of confronting the same enemy, Iran. This, of course, is contrary to reality, reason, and the interests of the Arab people, and it should not be allowed to happen, Al-Barghouti said.

Palestinian political analyst Abdel-Majid Sweilam said that the intentional disregard of the Palestinian cause by the US revealed a crisis in Washington and a hostility to the Palestinian people.

It was also proof that the Palestinian cause was foundational, he said, because the focus on secondary issues at the expense of the main one meant that the larger strategy was falling apart.

This explains why the Americans are ignoring the Palestinian cause, he said.

Sweilam said that the so-called deal of the century to be put forward by the US on Palestine was failing because the Palestinian people would not agree to it.

The US knows that it cannot have an effective policy in the Middle East without acknowledging the rights of the Palestinian people, he stressed, adding that the Israelis would not recognise the Palestinian people or their rights.

The main goal of the deal of the century is to erase these rights, he said.

Sweilam said that US intentions could not change reality and that the Palestinian cause would continue to be the foundation of stability and security in the region. He added that the US administration was detached from reality and wanted to create a reality for itself.

Nabil Shaath, Palestinian presidential adviser on foreign affairs and international relations, said the deal of the century has nothing to say to the Palestinian people, since the US was only interested in dominating the region and confronting Iran.

This proved that Washington was weak, he said, and was further evidence of its diminished power and importance in the world.

For decades, US diplomats have viewed themselves as mediators between the Palestinians and Israelis, and US secretaries of state have usually met with Palestinian representatives during regional tours.

However, relations between the two sides deteriorated a year ago after US President Donald Trump decided to relocate the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and recognised the city as the capital of the country.

He also shut down the offices of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) in Washington and suspended US funding to the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA.

Pompeos visit to the region came amid peaceful protests since March 2018 along the border between Gaza and Israel, resulting in the deaths of more than 255 Palestinians and the injury of thousands.

Aaron David Miller, a former US mediator to the Middle East, said that Pompeos indifference to the Palestinians implied an unofficial disregard for the Palestinian-Israeli explosion and demonstrated Washingtons impotence in impacting events.

Instead of discussing the Palestinian cause, Pompeos visit focused on Iran and an agreement that Tehran is a destabilising force, he said.

Last week, Pompeo arrived in Cairo after a brief and unannounced visit to Iraq aiming to reassure Washingtons allies about US support in the war against the Islamic State (IS) group, despite the US announcement that it would withdraw its troops from Syria.

The trip also coincided with the resignation of retired general Jim Mattis as secretary of defence and retired general John Kelly as White House chief of staff.

Mattis and Kelly were two key figures thought able to tame Trumps policies, and there are now no senior retired military figures in the US administration.

Trumps foreign policy continues to raise many questions, especially his military strategy.

Mattis resigned last month after Trump suddenly announced that the US would withdraw its troops from Syria, and this was followed by leaked reports that Trump intended to withdraw thousands of US troops from Afghanistan.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 17 January, 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Sidelining the Palestinians

Short link:


Major League Baseball has apparently decided that there are 42 too many minor league baseball cities and, according to Commissioner Rob Manfred, after the 2020 season, that will change. There will be a new agreement between the majors and the minors signed and a lot of cities will lose their
SUPPORT THIS INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM

The article youre about to read is from our reporters doing their important work  investigating, researching, and writing their stories.

We want to provide informative and inspirational stories that connect you to the people, issues and opportunities within our community.

Journalism takes a lot of resources. Today, our business model has been interrupted by the pandemic; the vast majority of our advertisers businesses have been impacted. Thats why the Weekly is now turning to you for financial support. Learn more about our new Insiders program here.

Thank you.

JOIN NOW
We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message.
Sanaa, Yemen was hit by massive Saudi-led coalition airstrikes, hitting civilian as well as military targets. The raid, described as violent by locals, comes before a second round of UN-sponsored peace talks later this month.

Coalition warplanes struck several targets across the Houthi-held city in raids on Saturday evening, including training camps, drone storage facility, and Al-Dulaimi Air Base, its statement said according to Saudi media.

Houthi media countered the Saudi narrative on Sunday, stating that non-military sites hit by coalition aircraft included residential homes and civilian factories. In all, 24 separate assaults were made across the capital, including four at the air base.

Also on rt.com Docs claim US trained UAE pilots for combat in Yemen, signaling deeper involvement in conflict

Immediate casualties from the strikes are unknown; however, witnesses told Reuters that at least two people were killed, while others were injured.

Describing the raids as very violent, one resident told the news agency that the airstrikes were the worst to hit the city in a year.

The house shook so much we thought it would fall on our heads, he added.

Footage and pictures of the strikes posted to social media show the intensity of the payloads dropped which lit up the night sky. Others show a dangerous inferno that broke out at a plastics factory after it was bombed.

Condemning the attack, senior Houthi officials slammed the assault as a joint US-Saudi act of aggression, and accused Washington of having directed and prepared the wave of strikes.

Since entering the conflict on the side of the government in 2015, the coalition has conducted more than 18,000 raids in Yemen, receiving logistical support, intelligence sharing, and even training from the US.

It's estimated that one-third of coalition bombing missions strike non-military targets, including schools, markets, and mosques, according to data collected by Al Jazeera and the Yemen Data Project.

Sunday's strikes are the first the coalition has carried out on the city since a fragile truce agreement was brokered by the UN in Sweden last month between the Houthi rebels and the Yemeni government backed by Riyadh. The deal was the first real effort towards lasting peace for factions that have been at war since 2014.

However, the renewed escalation in violence comes following a Houthi drone attack against a government military parade last week. The assault killed at least six, including the commander of military intelligence.

It also raises concerns about possible advances in a second round of UN-sponsored peace talks due for the end of this month.

READ MORE: British elite reap benefits of Saudi-led war on Yemen  hunger striking labour cllr to RT

A sticking point in the negotiations has centered around control of the Houthi-held port city of Hodeida, where the vast majority of Yemen's aid and imports enter the country. While December's truce prevented an all-out coalition assault on the city, disagreements remain over who should control the city once the Houthis fully withdraw.

Recent estimates by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) say that over 60,000 people have been killed in Yemen between January 2016 and November 2018.

The group also say that due to famine reported in several areas, a further 85,000 may have died as a result of malnutrition and related diseases.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
Police have arrested two suspects believed to be involved in a car bomb detonated in downtown Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Law enforcement officials say the main line of inquiry is that the New IRA is behind the attack.

The explosion took place outside a local courthouse on Saturday evening. Police received a warning about the attack five minutes before the bomb detonated. The blast engulfed the vehicle, reportedly a hijacked pizza delivery van, in flames. No one was injured.

Also on rt.com Car blast in front of N. Ireland courthouse, terrorism suspected

Police say they have now arrested two individuals. Law enforcement officials also announced that the main line of inquiry is that the New IRA, an alliance of republican militant groups that have conducted similar attacks in Londonderry, is responsible for the attack.

DETAILS TO FOLLOW
Israel will close all UNRWA schools in East Jerusalem to replace them with Israeli-run schools in a blow to Palestinians. The agency has complained it was not told of this decision.

Israels National Security Council decided it will revoke permits for the schools which are run by the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) in East Jerusalem, the Times of Israel reports, citing Hadashot TV.

Also on rt.com Honest debate needed about legacy of Israels expulsion of the Palestinians  Ken Livingstone

The agency, which provides education, healthcare and social services for Palestinian refugees in East Jerusalem, Gaza, the West Bank Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, runs seven schools in Jerusalem which serve 3,000 students.

The report said the schools would come into the care of Israels Jerusalem Municipality that uses the curriculum set by the Israeli Education Ministry, a disturbing idea for Palestinians and their wish for self-determination. East Jerusalem is occupied Palestinian territory which Israel annexed in 1967. Israel views all of Jerusalem as its capital, while Palestinians see East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

Also on rt.com UN set to leave half of Gaza and West Bank hungry, as food programme feels a lack of US money

UNRWA's existence in Jerusalem is not a gift from Israel,UNRWA spokesman Sami Meshasha said in a statement on Sunday, explaining bilateral agreements bind Israel torespect the agency's installations, jurisdiction, and immunity in Jerusalem.

In addition, Israel is a party to the 1946 Refugee Convention, and such attempts are in violation of this Convention, he added.

Also on rt.com Racist procedure: Palestinians forced from bus & searched before entering Israeli hospital

This provocative step deliberately targets Palestinian refugees and their rights guaranteed by international and humanitarian law, Hanan Ashrawi of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation executive committee said, adding that it targets Jerusalem and its institutions within the framework of the occupying state's strategy of Judaizing the Holy City.

The move is the latest blow delivered to the agency after the US decision to pull $300 million in funding, leaving it struggling to cover its costs. Israel and the US feel the UNRWAs support for subsequent generations of Palestinian refugees is not accurate and threatens Israels Jewish majority.

Also on rt.com Kushner wants 'honest effort to disrupt' Palestinian refugee agency, Abbas up in arms

The decision follows a plan by Jerusalems outgoing mayor Nir Barkat to expel UNRWA from Jerusalem before he ended his term in December. Barkat said the Israeli municipality could control education, health, welfare, and sanitation services instead. He also planned to have municipal services take over functions in the Shuafat refugee camp, home to 20,000 Palestinians.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
Members of the Lebanese Shia group Hizbullah and the 8 March Alliance have been pressing for the participation of Damascus in the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit (AESDS), slated to be held in Beirut on 19-20 January, while also demanding the postponement of the summit if Syria is not invited.

Hizbullah, an ally of the Syrian regime, is pushing the Arab League to reinstate Damascus in the regional bloc after its expulsion eight years ago over its response to opposition in Syria.

Syrias possible participation in the AESDS was not discussed at an Arab League Council meeting on 9 January, much to the disappointment of Lebanese media loyal to Syria.

Hossam Zaki, assistant secretary-general of the Arab League, earlier stated that a decision such as reinstating Syria in the Arab bloc would have to be taken unanimously. There was no consensus among the Leagues member states to accept Syrias return to the bloc, he added.

The Arab Leagues earlier decision had been to freeze Syrias participation in the League, not its membership, an official at the League told Al-Ahram Weekly. It had been made during a summit of foreign ministers, not delegates, and required a similar or higher-level meeting to reverse the decision.

Head of the Lebanese Wefaq Party Bilal Taqieddin called on Lebanon to put off the AESDS until Syrias participation had been confirmed.

There is no harm in postponing the meeting until March. Lebanon stands to gain from Damascus participation in the AESDS or its postponement until a solution emerges, Taqieddin said.

There are groups in Lebanon that do not want to take this step. This is why it is necessary to put off the summit, instead of convening it without Syria, he added. Lebanese officials should demand the revival of relations with Syria, and Beiruts agreements with Damascus should be reactivated.

Lebanons Al-Mourabitoun, or Independent Nasserist Movement, also loyal to Syria, urged the countrys President Michel Aoun to invite Syria to the AESDS, describing Damascus as the beating heart of the Arab world.

However, other Lebanese parties that are foes of Syria have rejected calls for Damascus reinstatement in the Arab League

They include the Future Movement, the main representative of Lebanons Sunnis, the Lebanese Forces, the second biggest Christian bloc, and the Druze-supported Progressive Socialist Party.

Walid Jumblatt, the head of the latter, is alleged to have spoken of Syrian interference in the formation of Lebanons government.

The position of powerful players, such as the leaders of Hizbullah, the Amal Movement and the Aounist Free Patriotic Movement, will all be important in any decision.

Needless to say, Lebanese currents in alliance with Syria support its return to the Arab League, but it is not known whether they will be prepared to use the issue to force a rift in the coalition Lebanese government or a wider rift in the Arab League.

Lebanese Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri is claimed to have said that freezing Syrias activities in the League was a mistake that ought to be rectified. Arab and Gulf delegations had also sat alongside Syrian representatives in Arab parliamentary meetings in Geneva, he added.

Aoun has said that the AESDS must be held on its scheduled date, putting rumours of its postponement to rest.

Diplomatic observers said Beirut had decided to leave the decision on Syrias participation to the Arab League, since it was the regional bloc that had suspended Syrias membership.

However, Gebran Bassil, president of the Free Patriotic Movement and Aouns son-in-law, has always been reserved about Lebanons policy of distancing itself from the crisis in Syria, often requesting boosting relations with Damascus.

Lebanese media cited diplomatic sources as saying that the Free Patriotic Movement would not make the mistake of inviting the Syrian regime to the AESDS, notably because the Arab League does not seem to be in a rush to decide on Syrias return to the bloc.

There are sharp differences between the Arab countries on the issue, confirmed when an Arab League Council meeting was cancelled on Sunday and again when the meeting was rescheduled with Syria not on the agenda.

Moreover, inviting Syria to the AESDS will have repercussions on relations between Aoun and the Lebanese Future Movement, notably because of the latters accusation that Aoun was responsible for the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Al-Hariri, the founder of the movement.

By not discussing Syria, the Arab League has squashed hopes among the regimes allies in Lebanon for normalisation.

The Amal Movement, a supporter of Syria, has also announced its rejection of Libyas participation in the AESDS because of Tripolis lack of cooperation with Lebanon in the case of the disappearance of Amal founder Imam Moussa Al-Sadr who disappeared along with two companions during a visit to Libya in the 1970s.

The Libyan authorities stated at the time that Al-Sadr had left Libya for Italy, something that Italy denied.

Berri, the head of Amal, has insisted on not inviting Libya to the AESDS. However, the head of the meetings organising committee, Anton Shoqeir, and executive committee head Nabil Shadid have already made arrangements for the meeting.

Regarding Libyas invitation to the summit, Speaker Berri informed the two members of the committee of his approval of Libyas invitation through diplomatic channels, in this case Libyas representative to the Arab League, a statement said.

The issue of Syrias invitation, the statement continued, was contingent on an Arab League Council decision at foreign-minister level and was not an exclusively Lebanese decision.

Libya participated in the 2002 Arab League Summit meeting held in Beirut, the statement noted.

In response, Berris office issued a statement saying that the committee statement was fabricated and baseless. In fact, the Lebanese Finance Minister had visited the president at the request of Berri to protest against inviting Libya to the summit.

Lebanons Higher Shia Council also rejected inviting a Libyan delegation to attend the summit, particularly because some [Libyan] officials still represent the interests of [former Libyan leader Muammar] Gaddafi. Our national dignity precludes inviting them.

It said it might mobilise the Shias in Lebanon if Libya was invited to the meeting and warned against the public reaction that might arise from inviting the Libyan delegation.

MP Mohamed Khawaga from the Development and Liberation bloc said on Lebanese television that Beiruts stance on Libyas participation in the AESDS was clear. Libyan officials were not welcome in Lebanon, he said, as long as Libya did not cooperate in the Al-Sadr case.

MP Mohamed Nasrallah from the same bloc said inviting Libya would constitute an assault on the dignity of Lebanon and be disrespectful to a wide stratum of Lebanese people.

The public is not waiting for our call for mobilisation. The people will move on their own, in which case no one will be able to control the streets, he said.

Sources told the Lebanese NBN channel, loyal to Berri, that the Amal Movement and followers of Al-Sadr were heading towards escalation if the Libyan delegation was granted access to Lebanon.

It should be mentioned that the Syrian regime, the ally of Hizbullah and Amal, had a strong relationship with the late Libyan leader Gaddafi.

Lebanese sources said that it would have been difficult for Al-Sadr to have travelled to Libya without the approval of Damascus and its making arrangements for it.

While moves to postpone the AESDS are growing, diplomatic sources say that Lebanon is adamant on forming a new government and convening the summit in Beirut on its due date for reasons linked to decisions made at the Cedar Donors Conference to support Lebanons economy. Preparations for the summit are ongoing.

Invitations have been distributed, including to the heads of all the religious denominations in Lebanon.

Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League Hossam Zaki, who flew to Lebanon to arrange the convening of the summit, said it would convene as scheduled and that conflicts within Lebanese circles were matters for Lebanons domestic policies and not the Arab League.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 17 January, 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Lebanons quandary



Short link:


Sen. Lindsey Graham has said that Syria might face the same bleak future Iraq saw when the US pullout in 2011 arguably gave rise to Islamic terrorism there, warning that sending US troops home will turn it into "Iraq on steroids."

Graham (R-South Carolina), who has styled himself as one of the main opponents of the withdrawal of some 2,000 US troops from Syria, announced by President Donald Trump late last year, was speaking from Ankara when he urged Trump to take his time with the drawdown of forces.

"So I told President Trump  if you withdraw and do not think this through, you're creating a nightmare for Turkey," Graham said.

Also on rt.com US slowing things down on troop withdrawal from Syria  top senator

The hawkish Senator has previously pleaded with Trump to "slow down" things in Syria, arguing that an immediate withdrawal would endanger Israel, embolden Iran and incite a war between the Turkish forces "and our allies the Kurds."

Speaking on Saturday, Graham struck a far more conciliatory tone with Turkish officials compared to Trump, who last week threatened to "devastate Turkey economically" if it mounts an offensive on Kurds, while stressing that "it is now time" to bring US troops back home.

Graham said the US military is working on a plan together with the Turkish army that would allow them to create a buffer zone between Turkey and Kurdish fighters in Syria "so that Turkey doesn't believe they are threatened by [the People's Protection Units] YPG elements in Syria."

READ MORE: Trump is willing to take military action in Syria again if needed  Pompeo

The YPG is the backbone of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a US-backed alliance of mainly Kurdish militias that have enjoyed Washington's protection throughout its campaign in Syria, including material support.

Graham said that in order to secure Turkey's interest, Kurds need to lay down heavy arms and move away from the Turkish borders. Turkey remains a key NATO bastion in the Mediterranean and along with the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany hosts some 150 US-made B61 bombs.

In the recent years, the relations between the two allies have soured, and in particular, over Washington's support for Kurdish militias, which Ankara considers an extension of the Kurdistan's Workers' Party (PKK) and therefore terrorists.

READ MORE: Trump threatens to devastate Turkey economically if it attacks Kurds amid US withdrawal from Syria

Despite worsening ties, Washington has refused to abandon the Kurds completely.

"And having said all of that, the people who fought with us against ISIS, we do owe them something," Graham said, noting that unless that complex preparatory work is done, the US troops must stay in Syria.

He argued that otherwise the war-torn country will follow in the footsteps of Iraq, but it would be even worse this time.

So If we don't think this through, this is going to be Iraq on steroids.

While US troops left Iraq in 2011, ending nearly 9 years of the American war here that begun with the intervention in 2003, they returned in 2014 as the country devastated by years of conflict and resurgent sectarian violence was struggling with the advent of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL).

Iraq has been receiving a steady stream of financial aid from Washington, which has not worked out as planned, with a 2013 report by the Special US Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) finding that some $60 billion allocated to the Middle Eastern country "had underperformed."

The Iraqi woes are to a huge extent linked to its infamously corrupt government, with Iraq's Prime Minister, Adil Abdul-Mahdi acknowledging this month that the widespread corruption "has been distorting the image of the [Iraqi] state and society, and the reputation of its citizens in general."

In contrast with Iraq, Syria has a capable government that with the help of Russia has asserted itself by defeating IS and quashing attempts by the Western-backed opposition to outs it from power.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
The death of acclaimed photographer, Mohamed Ben Khalifa, who worked with RTs Ruptly and AP, had left his Libyan colleagues shaken as dozens of journalists took to the street to denounce violence against the media.

In Tripoli, some of protestors had their mouths symbolically taped. The journalists held portraits of Ben Khalifa and slogans in Arabic, English and French languages, reading Libya without media and Journalism is not a crime.

He died while he was defending and demanding our rights as journalists, fellow reporter, Tariq al-Houni, said of his slain colleague.

The rallying media people in Benghazi issued a joint statement, saying: We condemn the latest violations committed by armed militias who try to intimidate and repress journalists.

Ben Khalifa was killed in a shelling near Tripoli on Saturday as he was covering the resent spike in violence between the rivaling armed groups. The 35-year-old is survived by his wife and six-month-old daughter.

Also on rt.com Acclaimed photographer & video journalist working for RTs video agency killed in Libya clashes

One of the leading photographers and photo journalists in Libya had been working with RTs Ruptly video agency since 2016, producing dozens of stories about the fighting in the country and plight of migrants, fleeing for Europe.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
Berlin might face a lawsuit from one of Germanys largest defense contractors, Rheinmetall, over its decision to halt all arms deals with Riyadh in the wake of the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Der Spiegel reports.

Rheinmetall AG might file a claim for compensation against the federal government worth millions of euro, the company said in a letter to the Ministry of Economics, the German weekly says. The defense industry giant considers itself eligible for restitution as Berlin suspended exports, which were already approved by the German security council, for political reasons.

Also on rt.com Germany fully halts arms exports to Riyadh & hits 18 Saudis with travel bans over Khashoggi

The company also fears that its own shareholders could file lawsuits against it if the management fails to demand compensation for the losses stemming from the halt of arms exports to Saudi Arabia. The exact amount of compensation has not been revealed, though.

Back in October, Chancellor Angela Merkel announced her country would stop supplying weapons to Riyadh under current circumstances  referring to the investigation into the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. The self-exiled fierce critic of Riyadhs policies was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

In November, the German Ministry of Economics confirmed that all arms exports to Riyadh had been stopped. Even those arms shipments approved before Merkels October announcement were halted. The government also said at that time it influenced the holders of individual licenses to completely stop any arms deliveries to Saudi Arabia.

Also on rt.com Khashoggi murder a monstrosity, no arms exports to Riyadh until incident cleared up  Merkel

Such a drastic decision was apparently provoked by the governments decision to extend the weapons embargo imposed against Riyadh in October for two months. Initially, the ban was expected to be in force until the end of 2018. However, in early January, the cabinet agreed to prolong it following a heated discussion.

No German arms manufacturers, except for Rheinmetall, expressed their discontent over that situation so far. Before the halt, Germany had approved arms exports worth 416.4 million ($475.7 mn ) to Saudi Arabia in 2018 alone. However, the total losses the German companies are suffering because of the ban might be even bigger as Der Spiegel reports that the total value of the affected arms exports might amount to up to 2 billion ($2.27 bn).

Merkel also called on Germanys European allies to follow suit and cut off arms sales to Saudi Arabia. While Norway and Spain have canceled weapons sales as well, others were apparently reluctant to let their defense industries suffer losses because of this situation.

French President Emmanuel Macron refused to halt arms sales to the nations second-biggest purchaser as its deals with the Kingdom were worth almost 4 billion ($4.67 bn) just between September 2017 and August 2018. US President Donald Trump also said it would be foolish to scrap his countrys ongoing $110 billion arms deal with the Saudi government despite pressure from both sides of the political spectrum.

Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also said it would be very difficult to drop the US$12 billion (CAN$15 billion) deal on arms sales to Riyadh despite concerns about Khashoggis fate. The journalists grisly murder still resulted in large-scale diplomatic fallout for Riyadh and strained its ties to some of its long-time allies in the West.

Also on rt.com US arms concern warns Canada of billions of dollars of liability if Trudeau scraps Saudi deal

The United States imposed economic sanctions on 17 Saudi officials in November for their role in the Khashoggi killing, and a month later, the US Senate unanimously passed a resolution holding Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman responsible for the murder.

The kingdom eventually charged 11 individuals in connection to the murder, with five suspects facing the death penalty. Saudi officials also doubled-down on their insistence that the crown prince knew nothing of the brutal assassination.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
Death toll rises to 76 in Mexico pipeline blast  local media

Death toll rises to 76 in Mexico pipeline blast  local media

The death toll from an explosion at a ruptured oil pipeline in Mexicos central Hidalgo state has climbed to 76, according government officials, cited by local media. The blast occurred after locals had gathered around a ruptured Pemex pipeline to collect fuel that was spilling out. The state-owned petroleum company said the fire was caused by fuel thieves illegally drilling into the pipe. The site has since been secured by the Mexican Army. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has made cracking down on fuel thieves a priority, claiming that the government lost over US$3 billion in 2018 due to illegal fuel siphoning.Source : RT - Daily news
A major Estonian news outlet has run an opinion piece suggesting the country purchase a missile system that could hit Russias St. Petersburg as a means of deterrence. Moscow blasted the idea as a provocation.

Seemingly obsessed with a hypothetic Russian aggression against his home country  an Estonian journalist Vahur Koorits has come up with a bizarre National Defense plan in an op-ed he wrote for Delfi  one of the leading online news media outlets in the Baltics.

Also on rt.com Russians will die in Tallinn if they invade: Estonian commander launches bizarre rant

In his piece, Koorits argues that some traditional means of defense, such as tanks or air defense systems would not be enough to protect Estonia from its large eastern neighbor that allegedly dreams of launching a splendid little war against the small Baltic nation. Instead, Estonia desperately needs missiles capable of striking sensitive Russian targets in case of such conflict, the man says.

However, he did not just stop at simply suggesting what he calls an effective means of deterrence but went on to assign potential targets for a hypothetical strike, which involved some chilling options. Apart from military shipyards and the HQs of the Russian Navy and the Western Military Command, his list included the central districts of St. Petersburg  Russias second most populated city, which happens to be located not that far from the Estonian borders.

St. Petersburg is a city where many people live, so just several limited strikes [targeting] the city center might have a tremendous impact on the public opinion, Koorits writes in his piece. Other options suggested by the report include buying enough military ships to cut off Russias trade routes going through the Baltic Sea or to stop Russias oil trade with Europe.

One can hijack cargo ships, attack them or sink them to disrupt [Russias] sea trade, he wrote. The goal is to discourage the ship owners from sending their vessels to Russia, he added, apparently implying that it is not just Russian ships that could be attacked in such operation.

The journalists rant did not go unnoticed in Moscow, which said that such irresponsible statements would hardly contribute to any normal relations.

Vahur Koorits, who calls for deploying missiles to his country, which are capable of hitting St. Petersburg, cannot be seen as a journalist he is a real agent provocateur, the deputy head of the Russian Senates Defense and Security Committee, Franz Klintsevich, said in a Facebook post, adding that the man apparently does not even realize what his proposals might lead to.

I hope that the Estonian decision-makers assess the situation realistically, the senator said. Meanwhile, the deputy head of the Russian State Duma Defense Committee, Andrey Krasnov, went even further and assumed that the Estonian might not be quite right in his head.

The journalist should undergo a medical screening, the Russian MP told RIA news agency, adding that it remains to be seen if he is capable of performing his professional duties. He also said that such frenetic ideas involving destruction of St. Petersburg are a result of fervent anti-Russian hysteria, which is prevalent among some parts of the elites and society in the Baltic States.

Also on rt.com Cunning plan: Poland wants to set up a US military base right next to Russias Kaliningrad

It is not the first time some Estonian public figures launch bizarre rants at Russia. In July, the Estonian Defense Forces commander said that Russian troops will die in Tallinn if they ever dare to invade. The man then confessed to fighting bloodthirsty Russians in his dreams.

NATO and its members  the Baltic States in particular  have repeatedly branded Moscow a threat. The Alliance then eagerly used this pretext to build-up forces and stage large-scale drills on the Russian borders. Moscow dismissed all accusations, arguing that it has never sought confrontation but only had to respond to the NATO actions.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
Thousands of people marched through the Greek capital, Athens to central Syntagma Square on Sunday to once again decry the name-change deal with Macedonia. Scuffles erupted as some demonstrators attacked riot police.

Masked protestors tossed red paint and flares at the shield-bearing officers who guarded a narrow ladder leading to the parliament building in a scene reminiscent of the movie 300. Several troublemakers then began striking riot shields with sticks and even managed to break one of them. Police initially kept their cool but eventually retaliated, using sound bombs to disperse the attackers. However, it turned out to be a tactical retreat as scuffles reignited after a short break, with Syntagma filling with thick white smoke. Reuters reports that tear gas was also used.

'), link: "http://bit.ly/2T4LzLg" }, events: { onReady: function () { if(ga) { ga('send', 'event', 'JWPLAYER-GA', 'CLICK PLAY', location.href); ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Article', 'Ready', location.href); //      } }, onPlay: function () { myStreamingTag.playVideoContentPart(metadata); if (ga) { ga('send', 'event', 'JWPLAYER-GA', 'CLICK PLAY', location.href); ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Article', 'Play', location.href); } var playingVideoId = 'js-mediaplayer-5c446db5dda4c8243f8b45bc'; // id   pauseMedia(playingVideoId); //             }, onPause: function () { myStreamingTag.stop(); if (ga) ga('send', 'event', 'JWPLAYER-GA', 'CLICK PAUSE', location.href); }, onComplete: function () { myStreamingTag.stop(); if (ga) { ga('send', 'event', 'JWPLAYER-GA', 'COMPLETE', location.href); ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Article', 'Complete', location.href); } } } }); jwplayer("js-mediaplayer-5c446db5dda4c8243f8b45bc").addButton( "http://bit.ly/2fI6r7G", "Download", function () { window.location.href = "http://bit.ly/2TbHUeE"; }, "download" ); function pauseMedia(playingMediaId) { var players = document.querySelectorAll('.jwplayer, object'); for (var i = 0, max = players.length; i

The organizers of the protest said they expected a million people to gather in Athens, with countless buses delivering demonstrators to the capital from various parts of the country.

The majority is said to have come from the northern Greek region of Macedonia. People there  like many others in Greece  believe that their neighboring state, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), appropriated their cultural heritage by choosing the same name back in 1991.

In order to end the lengthy dispute, which saw Greece blocking Macedonias access to the EU and NATO, the countries reached the Prespes agreement last year. FYROM will be renamed the Republic of North Macedonia in accordance with the deal, but the half-measure didnt seem to satisfy most of the Greek population.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!

Athens police fire tear gas at protesters as 1000s rally against Macedonia name-change deal (VIDEO)

Athens police fire tear gas at protesters as 1000s rally against Macedonia name-change deal (VIDEO)

Source : RT - Daily news
At least eight UN peacekeepers have been killed and many injured in a major assault on one of their bases in the northeastern Mali, where various Al-Qaeda and Islamic State-linked groups have been active.

The incident occurred early on Sunday in the northeastern Kidal province near the village of Aguelhok. A group of militants attacked the base using many armed vehicles, a statement issued by the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, MINUSMA, said. The attack was successfully repelled, it added.

Also on rt.com French soldiers ambushed by terrorists in conflict-ridden Mali

At least eight soldiers with the UN mission died in the clashes, the statement said, adding that several others were injured without specifying the exact number. A Malian security source told AFP that at least 19 servicemen were injured in the incident.

The identities of the affected soldiers were not officially revealed. However, some local media suggested that all those killed were from Chad. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far but Al Qaeda affiliates declared they made previous attacks. Two peacekeepers were killed in the assault on this base in April 2018.

The UN Secretary Generals Special Representative to Mali, Mahamat Saleh Annadif, condemned the attack and said it demands a robust, immediate and concerted response from all forces, adding that MINUSMA will not let this barbarity go unpunished.

Also on rt.com 6 killed in attack on EU-funded anti-terror force in Mali implicated in summary executions

In recent years, Mali has been hit by conflict with both Islamist rebels and ethnic Tuareg separatists. A peace treaty was signed with the secular Tuareg groups in 2012, who subsequently joined forces with the government to fight Al-Qaeda-linked militants, who had been seizing territory and imposing Sharia law on the towns and villages in the north including the ancient city of Timbuktu.

France sent troops to Mali in 2013 and managed to successfully drive back most of the Islamist factions, but violence still plagues the countrys northern regions. One of the most devastating attacks that took place in 2017 saw 60 people killed and scores injured as five suicide car bombers detonated explosives at a military base in the northern Malian city of Gao.
Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry participated in a tripartite meeting with his Iraqi and Jordanian counterparts on Sunday on the sidelines of the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit in Beirut.

The meeting discussed ways of enhancing economic, development and technical cooperation between the three countries.

The meeting also reviewed regional developments in various areas including national security, common Arab interests and combating terrorism.

The Arab ministers affirmed their intent to continue meetings and consultations and to carry on with joint action to promote stability in the region and develop cooperation on all levels.

The fourth Arab Economic and Social Development Summit kicked off on Sunday with the participation of all Arab countries except Syria and Libya.

Egypt's delegation to the summit is chaired by Minister Shoukry.

During the summit, Arab leaders are scheduled to discuss the agenda of the preparatory ministerial meetings held ahead of the summit.

The agenda includes 29 draft projects and resolutions on issues of mutual concern among the Arab countries.

Short link:


Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi met with French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire in Cairo on Sunday to discuss economic ties and bilateral relations.

The meeting was attended by Egypt's Minister of Investment Sahar Nasr and the French ambassador in Cairo.

Egypt's presidential spokesperson Bassam Rady said that the French official conveyed greetings from French President Emmanuel Macron to his Egyptian counterpart, stressing his country's interest in strengthening the strong and distinguished relations it has with Egypt as a cornerstone of stability in the Middle East.

The French minister also affirmed France's appreciation for President El-Sisi's leadership, which has guided Egypt from difficult times to its current state of stability, praising the wise decisions that have led to positive economic development.

The president expressed keenness to continue cooperation during the upcoming period to boost relations in all fields, including coordination and consultation on various regional and international issues of common interest, especially the current crises in the Middle East, whose repercussions extend to the Mediterranean region.

They also discussed maximising cooperation in the sectors of health, renewable energy, transportation and logistics,.

The President and Le Maire also discussed the potential of strengthening the partnership between France and Africa during Egypt's chairmanship of the African Union in 2019 in order to promote economic development in the continent.

El-Sisi stressed the importance his country places on economic and trade cooperation with France, which could benefit from investing in Egypt's given its evolving business climate and the success of its economic reform programme.

El-Sisi stressed that these positive developments in the economy makes Egypt a great candidate as a base for increasing French exports into Africa.

The president praised the work of French companies in Egyptian national projects, such as the development of the Suez Canal axis and the new cities being constructed throughout the country.

French Finance Minister Le Maire arrived in Egypt on Sunday in preparation for an anticipated visit by French President Emmanuel Macron later this month, Egypt's state-owned MENA news agency reported.

Le Maire also met with Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and economic portfolio ministers.

The long-awaited visit by President Macron will be his first since assuming office in 2017.

El-Sisi visited Paris in October 2017, where he discussed with Macron joint efforts to combat terrorism, the Middle East peace process, and the situation in Libya.

Short link:


It was an unfair question to ask. Obviously he did not, as there was no way he would have recognized my voice or in any other way assumed that he was talking to anyone other than a random American who happened to be in Paris. Had he known, I wonder whether he would have agreed to have the phone handed to me.
Ron Thornton of Lower Milford Township wrote: Exactly how many miles will the requested $5 billion-plus for a wall actually cover? Where exactly will this new wall be built? What exactly is the new construction intended to accomplish beyond what already exists? Contracts and agreements usually require specific written facts. We are entitled to no less. Read his full letter here.
Some likely spent their Saturday night wondering what all the fuss was about. Light flurries began in Allentown just before 6 p.m., the start of a night in which the area was expected to get 2-4 inches of snow followed by heavy rain. Earlier in the day, about 3:30 p.m., the National Weather Service had peeled back its original forecast of up to 11 inches of snow, effectively downgrading the event to a winter weather advisory in effect until 1 p.m. Sunday. Some municipalities, such as Palmer Township, canceled their snow emergencies and commercial vehicle bans were lifted on several highways, though the restriction remained for the Lehigh Valleys busiest corridors, such as Route 22 and Route 33.
Once the government is reopened, Democrats and Republicans can talk about a range of ways to secure the border and reform our immigration system, Casey said in a statement. I have supported increased funding for border security, but I wont vote to fund a wall that security experts say wont work.
Lehigh Valley organizers renounced their affiliation with the Womens March amid controversy at the national level. The organization behind that march has been roiled by an intense ideological debate. In November, Teresa Shook, one of the movement's founders, accused the four main leaders of the national march organization of anti-Semitism. This accusation was targeted specifically at two primary leaders: Linda Sarsour, a Palestinian-American with a long history of criticizing Israeli policy, and Tamika Mallory, who has maintained a longstanding association with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.
The first signal of the new wave of possible wrongdoing happened in September 2017, when agents from the state police and attorney generals office raided the countys Administration Building, jail and work release center. Five months later, in February 2018, the attorney generals office charged seven current and former prison guards with sexually abusing female inmates or having inappropriate contact with them.
Pay Attention To The Russell Stocks Index and Financial Sectors

For those that still believe the US markets are weak and poised for a total collapse, we want to bring something to your attention. Throughout weeks of uncertainty about China trade deals, the US government shutdown, continued Brexit issues and who knows what else oh yeah US Q4 Earnings data, guess what has been taking place in some US sectors? Thats right, a rather solid price recovery.

Two of our favorite sectors to watch for signs of strength and weakness have been rocketing higher over the past few weeks after setting up a very deep price low near Christmas 2018. The Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) and the Financial Sector ETF (XLF). While the ES, NQ, and others are still waffling around trying to find the momentum to break out to the upside, pay attention to the other sectors that could be leading the way.

Weekly IWM (Russell 2000) Chart

This first Weekly IWM (Russell 2000) chart clearly shows the support zone that was set up in early 2018 after the February 2018 price collapse. Yes, the recent October 2018 price collapse drove price below that support level, but it appears this is a wash-out low price reversal where traders panicked on the news and other events. The fact that this recovery has taken place may cause some to consider this a dead-cat-bounce, but were not seeing that in our research. This could/should be the start of something that pushes prices sideways/higher for a few months, at which time we will need to see to these sectors and the rest of the markets are performing to determine if the overall market is still I a bull market or about to drop into its first bear market leg down.

Weekly XLF (Financial Sector) Chart

This next chart is a Weekly XLF (Financial Sector) ETF showing our Fibonacci price modeling system and a similar Support Zone. One thing that is rather interesting about these charts is that they are both moving substantially higher this week while recently breaking above our Fibonacci bullish trigger level (shown near the right side of the chart as a GREEN LINE). The XLF chart also shows that the current price is well above the BLUE and CYAN Fibonacci projected target levels. This indicates that price may be attempting to move back into the earlier Fibonacci price range (retracement range) to establish more rotation. This new price rotation will set up new Fibonacci modeling system trigger points and tell us where the next move is likely to target.

Yes, we do expect some downside rotation near current levels. We dont expect this rotation to be very deep or concerning. Price must move in waves, up and down, to support future momentum higher or lower. Our Fibonacci modeling system is suggesting any current downside rotation will likely result in a new momentum move to the upside. Still, these sectors are on fire right now and we urge traders to be cautious of any longs because we are expecting some downside price rotation over the next week or two before the next rally.

Pay attention to these markets moves. 2019 is poised to be a very exciting and profitable year for skilled traders and wise investors. Visit www.TheTechnicalTraders.com to get our daily and weekly analysis forecast complete with long term investing swing trading, and index day trade signals.

53 years experience in researching and trading makes analyzing the complex and ever-changing financial markets a natural process. We have a simple and highly effective way to provide our customers with the most convenient, accurate, and timely market forecasts available today. Our index, stock and ETF trading alerts are readily available through our exclusive membership service via email and SMS text. Our newsletter, Technical Trading Mastery book, and 3 Hour Trading Video Course are designed for both traders and investors. Also, some of our strategies have been fully automated for the ultimate trading experience.

Chris Vermeulen

www.TheTechnicalTraders.com

Chris Vermeulen has been involved in the markets since 1997 and is the founder of Technical Traders Ltd. He is an internationally recognized technical analyst, trader, and is the author of the book: 7 Steps to Win With Logic



Through years of research, trading and helping individual traders around the world. He learned that many traders have great trading ideas, but they lack one thing, they struggle to execute trades in a systematic way for consistent results. Chris helps educate traders with a three-hour video course that can change your trading results for the better.



His mission is to help his clients boost their trading performance while reducing market exposure and portfolio volatility.



He is a regular speaker on HoweStreet.com, and the FinancialSurvivorNetwork radio shows. Chris was also featured on the cover of AmalgaTrader Magazine, and contributes articles to several leading financial hubs like MarketOracle.co.uk

Disclaimer: Nothing in this report should be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell any securities mentioned. Technical Traders Ltd., its owners and the author of this report are not registered broker-dealers or financial advisors. Before investing in any securities, you should consult with your financial advisor and a registered broker-dealer. Never make an investment based solely on what you read in an online or printed report, including this report, especially if the investment involves a small, thinly-traded company that isnt well known. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report has been paid by Cardiff Energy Corp. In addition, the author owns shares of Cardiff Energy Corp. and would also benefit from volume and price appreciation of its stock. The information provided here within should not be construed as a financial analysis but rather as an advertisement. The authors views and opinions regarding the companies featured in reports are his own views and are based on information that he has researched independently and has received, which the author assumes to be reliable. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content of this report, nor its fitness for any particular purpose. Lastly, the author does not guarantee that any of the companies mentioned in the reports will perform as expected, and any comparisons made to other companies may not be valid or come into effect.

Chris Vermeulen Archive

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




An Egyptian parliamentary delegation led by speaker Ali Abdel-Aal met on Sunday with emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Gaber Al-Sabah and Crown Prince Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

The delegation also held talks with Kuwaiti Prime Minister Gaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah and speaker of the Kuwaiti parliament (the National Assembly) Marzouk Al-Ghanem.

A press release said that speaker Abdel-Aal extended an invitation to the emir of Kuwait to visit Egypt.

"You will be more than welcome in your second country Egypt, and we hope that while you are in Cairo you will visit parliament to deliver a word to the Egyptian people who highly appreciate your role as a great statesman and humanitarian leader," Abdel-Aal said.

In response, Sheikh Al-Sabah said that he greatly appreciates the historical and strategic relations between Egypt and Kuwait, which share one destiny and one future.

"Sheikh Al-Sabah also stressed that the Arab world is in pressing need for Egypt's pivotal role in standing up to foreign conspiracies targeting Arab peoples and riches," said the press release, adding that "for this reason, Kuwait has always been keen that the relations between Egypt and Kuwait always remain strong."

"Kuwait is committed to providing all the financial and political support needed to keep Egypt strong, stable, and flourishing," the emir said, vowing that he will visit Egypt "very soon."

Speaker Abdel-Aal said that the Egyptian delegation's five-day visit aims to boost political and economic relations with Kuwait.

Abdel-Aal told the emir that Egypt greatly appreciates the role of the Kuwaiti leadership in supporting Egypt's 30 June revolution and providing all financial assistance necessary to the country's economic reform march.

"Egypt will also remain a big supporter of Kuwait's national security and Arab solidarity in general," Abdel-Aal told the emir, adding that "the security of Kuwait and the Arabian Gulf in general is a red line for the Egyptian leadership."

"Egypt and Kuwait stand on one side and both share common interests and are keen on coordinating in all respects, particularly the area of fighting terrorism," said Abdel-Aal.

The statement said Abdel-Aal's visit aims not only to reinforce relations with Kuwait, but also to coordinate with top officials there on the necessity of standing up to the conspiracies and challenges facing the Arab world.

Abdel-Aal and Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Gaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah said they are happy that the joint Egyptian-Kuwaiti committee, headed by the foreign ministers of the two countries, are achieving great progress.

"The committee held a twelfth round of meetings in November 2018 to push relations forward in commercial and economic terms," said Abdel-Aal.

Al-Mubarak said Kuwait is happy that Egypt was elected chair of the African Union in 2019.

"We will coordinate in this respect with each other on issues related to the Horn of Africa and the Nile Basin countries," said Al-Mubarak.

Speaker of the Kuwaiti National Assembly also said that Egyptian-Kuwaiti relations represent a model to follow in view of the distinguished ties binding the two countries.

The Egyptian parliamentary delegation includes secretary-general Ahmed Saadeddin, chairman of the African affairs committee Tarek Radwan, head of the Egyptian-Kuwaiti Friendship Association Hamdi Soliman, and MPs Ahmed Helmi Al-Sherif, Amr Ghallab, Zakaria Hassan, Ahmed Nashaat Mansour, Mahmoud Abul-Kheir, Essam El-Keky, El-Sayed Hassan, Gaber El-Tiwiki, Essam Saad Abbas, and Alaa Nagi.

MP El-Feky told Ahram Online that Kuwaiti investments in Egypt have reached $3 billion.

"As a result," said El-Feky, "the visit comes on time to send a message to Kuwaiti investors that they are welcome in Egypt, and that the attempts of some to do harm to Egyptian-Kuwaiti relations will go nowhere."

A verbal clash between Egyptian and Kuwaiti parliamentarians erupted last November.

A Kuwaiti MP, Safaa Al-Hashim, attacked Egypt's Immigration Minister Nabila Makram after the latter spoke in defence of an Egyptian expat who complained in a recorded video that she was assaulted by five people as she was having a walk in Kuwait City with her husband and children.

Officials and parliamentarians in both countries were keen to contain the clash and "abusive remarks," agreeing that the Egyptian and Kuwaiti peoples respect each other and that they are against any campaigns aimed at destroying these relations.
The News About Fake News Is Fake

In the last few days I was looking around for stories that could illustrate what fake news actually is, and I had a nice collection, but then last night Robert Mueller of all people clarified what exactly fake news is better than I could have. At first the BuzzFeed crew that was caught staring straight into the headlights has a feeble response (what exactly was untrue in our article?), but was silenced by the WaPo of all publications: Muellers team said every bit of the article was false.

And still I wonder if people now understand better what fake news is. Which I think has a lot to do whit the fact that the term was monopolized by a section of US media as meaning things that had to do with Trump, more or less exclusively. That way, when Trump accused these same media of publishing fake news, they knew their loyal readers wouldnt believe him.

But in reality theyve been at it ever since Trump entered US politics, and they dug in ever deeper into their anti-Donald trenches, first for political reasons, later for profit (nothing sells like Trump in America today). And in the process, especially since they published umpteen pieces a day on the topic, they had to use unproven and biased allegations and innuendo. There was never enough real news to go around to feed the monster they created. Thats how we got Russiagate.

Still, of course, like me, you want to know how fake news is recognized, how experts tell it apart from real news. Well, despair no more. An actual professor researched it, and was quoted by the New York Times last week, which doesnt publish fake news, it says. I got to say, personally, I found this highly enlightening.

Older People Shared Fake News on Facebook More Than Others in 2016 Race

The authors were careful in defining fake news, a term that has been weaponized by many, including President Trump, to dismiss real news they dislike. Reasonable people disagree about where to draw the line and we were very conscious of those issues, Professor Guess said. As a result, they assembled a limited list of sites that reliably published fake content, based on various sources, including reporting from BuzzFeed News. As best the researchers could tell, the list did not include any websites associated with Russian disinformation efforts, according to Professor Guess. The Facebook and survey data came from a group of about 3,500 people whom the authors tracked during the 2016 election in order to better understand the role social media played in political discourse. They found that Republicans and those who identified as very conservative tended to share the most news from questionable sources. But that tendency may have less to do with ideology and more to do with what those articles said: Users tend to share stories they agree with and the fake news sites were disproportionately pro-Trump, the authors said.

So the researchers distinguish fake news from real news, but they dont tell us -or the NYT doesnt- what methods they use to tell the two apart. They do tell us that what Trump calls fake news is merely real news he dislikes. Its funny how people say that so easily, and never think they themselves might do just that.

..a limited list of sites that reliably published fake content.. sounds intriguing, but not convincing. That this list partly comes from BuzzFeed is hilarious in view of Muellers indictment of BuzzFeeds article about Trump instructing Michael Cohen to lie. Other than that, the article doesnt really say much. But luckily Quentin Fottrell, personal finance editor at MarketWatch, elaborates (free advice: Quentin, stick to your trade!)

His article caught my eye because whereas the NYTimes piece talked about older people sharing more fake news, Quentin adds that its about Republican older people. And that I find hard to believe. At least without proof; I wouldnt want to jump to such conclusions based on fake news. Lets see how far I can get:

Why Republican Baby Boomers Are More Likely To Share #Fakenews On Facebook

So why are Republican baby boomers more likely to share fake news on Facebook? One theory: As they didnt grow up with technology, they may be more susceptible to being fooled.

That one sentence says a lot about this entire study. It even sounds fake to me. Because while I can see the less exposed to tech issue to an extent, I see no reason why Republican baby boomers would be fooled more easily by technology than their Democrat peers.

[..] Andrew Guess, an associate professor at Princeton University, and his colleagues disseminated an online survey to 3,500 people in three waves throughout the 2016 campaign. Of the respondents, 1,331 in the initial wave agreed to share their Facebook profile data, which allowed researchers to analyze the age and political affiliations of those people who were more likely to spread fake news. The results showed that 90% of these users actually did not share misleading or fake articles and only 8.5% shared one or more fake news articles. A plurality, 18%, of the Facebook users who shared the fake stories were both self-identified Republicans and over the age of 65, the authors concluded, and these individuals shared nearly seven times as many fake news articles as respondents in the youngest age group, ranging in age from 18 to 29.

I had to look at this a few times. Heres what I think it says:

 They studied 3,500 people in 3 waves, of which the initial one was larger than 1,331 people, since that is the segment of the first wave who shared their Facebook data (we assume not all did).  90% of these 1,331, or 1,198 people, shared nothing at all (no fake news).  8.5% of the 1,331, or 114 people, did share fake news stories. 18% of those 114 (so 18% of 8.5%), or 20 people, were self-identified Republicans over the age of 65.  Therefore 20 people out of 3,500, or 0.57%, were older Republicans who shared fake news (as it was defined by the survey). There are probably even more people in that target group suffering from dementia than the 0.57% who shared fake news. So what are we looking at here? You could argue that its really 20 people out of 1,331, but thats still only 1.5%. Meaningless.  These 20 people shared 7 times as many fake news pieces as young people. That may be true, but they also shared more than 99.43% of people their own age. Does this still mean anything at all to you?

Quentin delights us with some more data;

Another possible explanation: Older Americans may have felt particularly passionate and entrenched in their political views and, therefore, ideological. For instance, the most ideological members of Congress shared news stories on their Facebook pages more than twice as often as moderate legislators between Jan. 2, 2015, and July 20, 2017, according to a 2018 Pew Research Center study, which examined all official Facebook posts created by and for members of Congress in this period.

If you ask me, its peculiar to make statements about politics that heap ordinary Americans together with politicians, but at least that paragraph doesnt say Republicans are more likely than others to [fill in your preference]. But then were off to the races again:

[..] Whats more, baby boomers are more likely to be conservative and ideological, according to data crunched by Pew. In both 2015 and 2016, about one in 10 baby boomers identified as conservative Republicans  the highest percentages dating back to 2000, researchers Shiva Maniam and Samantha Smith wrote for Pew. In both years, conservative Republicans made up the largest single partisan and ideological group among boomers.

Wait. The logic here is that baby boomers are more likely to be conservative and ideological because 1 in 10 baby boomers say theyre conservative Republicans. But that means 9 out of 10 does not. This doesnt even make a single sliver of sense. Yo, Quentin (and professor Guess), we need some help here.

To be fair, older Republicans share more news in general, and fake news gets caught up in the mix. Members of Congress with very conservative or very liberal voting records both shared news links in about 14% of all their posts, but members with more moderate ideology scores shared links to news stories in just 6% of their posts, Pew found.

That starts out with older Republicans in general and then seamlessly veers into members of Congress from both sides of the aisle, with either very conservative or very liberal voting records. Not fully self-contradictory, but darn close.

There may also be a political explanation: A trickle-down effect from the presidents own remarks about the liberal media. Older Republicans could feel more emboldened by Trumps comments and, as a result, assume stories that support their causes are accurate.

Thats the first time I explicitly read Quentin saying that fake news is linked to Trump. But other than that, there is no sign that older Democrats dont feel emboldened by DNC or Hillary or Pelosi comments just as much as Republicans do by Trump. Quentin and professor Guess only pretend to make a point, but theres nothing there.

The president has doubled down of late on the view that the mainstream medias negative coverage of his administration is rooted in bias. The media also has a responsibility to set a civil tone and to stop the endless hostility and constant negative and often times false attacks and stories, Trump said last year. Confirmation bias helps outlandish theories and reports gain traction on social media. And that, psychologists say, is where fake news comes in.

Since there is nothing that indicates one political side is more prone to confirmation bias than the other, fake news will necessarily also occur on both sides. Why you would have psychologists define fake news I dont know. Oh, and I think that Trump comment makes a lot of sense.

With so much noise on social media, how can people distinguish between rumor and reality? Psychologists say people develop defense mechanisms to cope with an uncertain world early in life, but this also draws people to information that seems to confirm their own beliefs and world views and to ignore reports or opinions that contradict their perceptions. At its core is the need for the brain to receive confirming information that harmonizes with an individuals existing views and beliefs, said Mark Whitmore, an assistant professor of management and information systems in Kent State Universitys business school. In fact, one could say the brain is hard-wired to accept, reject, miss-remember or distort information based on whether it is viewed as accepting of or threatening to existing beliefs. Older Americans may be less likely to question authority However, many people effectively rationalize the irrational in order to avoid going against values and ideas they were taught by their parents. Childrens learning about make-believe and mastery becomes the basis for more complex forms of self-deception and illusion into adulthood, Eve Whitmore said. When people are faced with absurd and conflicting messages, her husband added, It becomes easier to cling to a simple fiction than a complicated reality. [..] Ultimately, however, it may come down to our trust in the internet, rather than institutions or belief systems. People who have grown up with the internet have experienced things that are not necessarily truthful. They have had experiences on social media or they have witnessed friends dealing with false information, which has made them more skeptical about what they read versus the baby boomers who did not grow up with the internet and have, therefore, limited experience.

Remember, the articles headline is Why Republican Baby Boomers Are More Likely To Share #Fakenews On Facebook. And then it does absolutely nothing to make that point, but instead goes a very long way to proving that ALL baby boomers do that. Either one of which, first of all, you dont prove by talking 20 people out of a sample of 3,500, but moreover, secondly, your entire article -strongly- appears to deny.

And do we know what fake news is now, are we any closer to that? Not that I can see. And theres no way I can say it all in one go, so Ill get back to this topic. But not before thanking Robert Mueller for defining fake news in his own way. It must have cost him, and the FBI and DOJ, some genuine heartache, but in the end he couldnt let the entire avalanche of media and Democrats run with such an overtly fake piece of news. There were calls for Congressional investigations based on it, for crying out loud.

Speaking of which, crying out loud might be what you expect BuzzFeed to do now, but dont count on it: they got a ton of free publicity, and thats all the entire fake news cycle has been based on from the start. And if it didnt kill the New York Times or CNN, why would it kill BuzzFeed? Its a growth industry. And credibility is overrated.

By Raul Ilargi Meijer

Website: http://theautomaticearth.com (provides unique analysis of economics, finance, politics and social dynamics in the context of Complexity Theory)

 2019 Copyright Raul I Meijer - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

Raul Ilargi Meijer Archive

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




Joyce A. Zender of St. Peter and formerly of Lake Crystal died, Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at Mayo Clinic Health System - Mankato, after a 6 month battle with acute myeloid leukemia. A Memorial Service will be held at 4 p.m., Monday, June 21, 2021 at Cornerstone United Methodist Church, Lake Cr
"I am so happy I made it. Yes, the Filipino brand can."

Oryspa Spa Solutions Inc. founder and president Sherill Quintana

A Laguna-based entrepreneur who formulated rice bran-based health and beauty products became the first Filipino woman to win the Asia Pacific Women Entrepreneur Award conferred by the Confederation of Asia Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry at Carigan Palace, Kempinski, Istanbul, Turkey.The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry congratulated Sherill Quintana, the founder and president of Oryspa Spa Solutions Inc., for winning the prestigious award. Quintana serves as PCCIs Committee Chair for Women and Social Entrepreneurship. Quintana is a multi-awarded entrepreneur, educator and well-known in the country, particularly among micro, small and medium enterprises as mentor and advocate of the Filipino brand. Prior to her latest award, Quintana was named Outstanding Citizen of Los Banos 2017, while Oryspa was recognized as the Most Promising Franchise at the 2015 Franchise Excellence Award. She also won the Asean Business Awards for Excellence in Healthcare at the Asean Business Summit in Vientiane, Laos in 2016. Quintana, who obtained a degree in Sociology from the University of the Philippines, worked for the US Agency for International Development and World Wife Fund for Nature before establishing her business, with the support of her husband. The selection process was very rigorous. The panel of judges was composed of business leaders from different countries. I am so happy I made it. Yes, the Filipino brand can, Quintana said after winning.

Quintana teams up with Card Mutually Reinforcing Institution to come up with a lotion and beauty oil out of turmeric.

CACCI, a network of National Chambers of Commerce and Industry from 27 countries in Asia and the Western Pacific recognizes women entrepreneurs who are outstanding in entrepreneurial and leadership contribution to the social well-being of the local community, practice of good business ethics, and support of the chamber movement in the region. I am a living witness as to how Sherill struggled in her early years as a start-up entrepreneur. I am one of her mentors and I am proud how she is reaping the fruits of her labor and hardwork. It is indeed a well-deserved win PCCI president Ma. Alegria Limjoco said. Limjoco was with Quintana during the gala awards ceremony at the 32nd CACCI Conference on Nov. 24, 2018. Oryspa Spa Solutions Inc. is the number 1 maker of 100-percent rice bran based spa products in the Philippines. Quintana incorporated the health benefits of rice bran into personal care products such as shampoos, soaps, lotions, body scrubs under the Oryspa brand and launched the business in 2010. Oryspa opened its first stall in SM Calamba. Oryspa won the Asean Business Excellence Award in Healthcare 2016, Best in Social Responsibility Program and Most Outstanding Filipino Franchise of the Philippine Franchise Excellence Awards 2017.It inspires other MSMEs to level up, go mainstream and export their brands prompting its founder Quintana to launch the advocacy project Yes The Filipino Brand Can and publish the book A Small Entrepreneurs Journey: How to Start, Survive, Succeed in 2016.
Egypt's Court of Cassation commuted on Sunday death sentences to life imprisonment for six defendants convicted of forming a terrorist cell in Giza in a 2014 case.

The court also upheld life imprisonment sentences for 14 others in the same case, and a minor was sentenced in absentia to 10 years in prison.

The court's verdict is final and cannot be appealed.

The defendants were charged with forming a cell that aimed to carry out attacks on members of the judiciary, on public and private property, and illegally protesting.

The original verdict was issued in October 2018, sentencing 11 to death, five of whom were in absentia, and 14 were sentenced to life in prison.

Prosecutors said that the defendants established a group that aimed to violate the provisions of the constitution and the law, prevent state institutions from carrying out their activities, and attack personal freedom.

The prosecution also charged members of the cell with attempting to kill a police officer in Giza in 2014.

Short link:


A Catholic archbishop and other speakers at the funeral Saturday of slain Gdansk Mayor Pawel Adamowicz urged an end to political and social divisions in Poland, targeting some of their comments at the countrys ruling right-wing party.

Top Polish and European officials and thousands of citizens joined Adamowiczs widow, two daughters and other family members at the Mass held at Gdansks vast Gothic St. Marys Basilica.

Adamowicz, 53, died Monday after being stabbed the night before at a charity event in the northern Polish city. The arrested suspect is an ex-convict who publicly voiced a grudge against an opposition party, Civic Platform, that Adamowicz once belonged to.

The slaying, which came as Poland faces a deep political divide over actions by the conservative ruling Law and Justice party, was a shock to the nation. It has drawn calls for greater national unity and condemnation of hate speech that has intensified in public amid political rivalries.

Advertisement

Adamowicz himself was the target of criticism in state media and hate messages by some far-right activists for his tolerance and openness to others regardless of their race or beliefs. He was opposed to Polands refusal to accept migrants and against the governments moves to control the judiciary. He had called Gdansk a city of freedom and Solidarity.

In his sermon at the funeral, Gdansk Archbishop Slawoj Leszek Glodz said Adamowiczs death was a ringing alarm bell.

Our homeland needs harmony in its social life and politics, Glodz said.

Other speakers at the church drew applause, unusual for a funeral ceremony in predominantly Catholic Poland, as they denounced hostility in public and political life.

We will not remain indifferent to the spreading poison of hatred in the streets, in the media, in the internet, in schools, in parliament and also in the church, said Dominican friar Ludwik Wisniewski, a friend of the slain mayor.

A person who is filled with hatred, who builds his career on a lie, cannot hold high positions in our country and we will make sure of that, Wisniewski said, drawing long applause for an apparent reference to Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the ruling party leader, who did not attend the funeral.

Another friend, Aleksander Hall, said Adamowicz was killed by hatred that was instigated and fueled in Polands state media.

He appealed to public officials to put an end to such actions.

Advertisement

It remained to be seen how appeals for unity will play out in campaigns for the European and national parliaments this year.

A very personal address by Adamowiczs widow and daughter drew tears from many attending officials, former President Lech Walesa among them. They said his love was divided between the family and Gdansk.

Those at the funeral included European Council President Donald Tusk, a personal friend; Polish President Andrzej Duda; Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki; former German President Joachim Gauck and city mayors from the Netherlands and Germany.

Pope Francis sent rosaries to the family and assured them of his prayers. Prayers were also said by Jewish and Muslim leaders.

Advertisement

The black urn with the mayors ashes was placed before the altar, surrounded by dozens of white roses. It was later put to rest in a niche at one of the basilicas chapels.

Crowds overflowed into the streets of this Baltic port city and watched the funeral Mass on giant screens. Black-and-white photos of the popular mayor were displayed in many shops and apartment windows.

Residents told TVN24 that the mayor was a friendly person always ready to offer support, who greeted everyone with a smile.

Crowds also gathered around screens in Warsaw and other cities across Poland to see the funeral.
Thousands of yellow vest protesters rallied Saturday in several French cities for a 10th consecutive weekend, despite a national debate launched this week by President Emmanuel Macron aimed at assuaging their anger.

In Paris, about 8,000 protesters started their march at the Invalides monument in Paris, home to Napoleons tomb, to remember the 10 people killed in protest-related traffic accidents and the hundreds injured since the movement for economic justice kicked off on Nov. 17.

French police have been criticized for using rubber projectiles that have caused several serious injuries to protesters.

Its not normal to treat people the way we are being treated. We have injured people every Saturday, said Juliette Rebet, a demonstrator in Paris.

Advertisement

Protesters marched peacefully in the French capital but clashes erupted at the end of the main demonstration. Some activists wearing masks threw projectiles and knocked down a traffic light before police charged at them, using tear gas and water cannons. Thirty people were arrested in Paris, police said.

Clashes were also reported in Bordeaux, Toulouse and the western city of Rennes.

At the Invalides, protesters carrying a banner that read Citizens in danger marched at the front of the procession and held coffin-shaped boards in memory of those killed.

Paris deployed 5,000 police around the capital, notably around government buildings and the Champs-Elysees shopping area. About 80,000 police fanned out nationwide.

The capital and much of France have endured weeks of protests over economic demands by French workers and students that at times descended into violence. The grass-roots protests started two months ago over fuel taxes but became a broader revolt against economic problems.

According to the Interior Ministry, there were 27,000 protesters across France by early Saturday afternoon, down from 32,000 at the same time the week before.

Macron is facing a plethora of demands ranging from the reintroduction of Frances wealth tax on the countrys richest people to the implementation of popular votes that allow citizens to propose new laws.
With the California GOP still smarting from its poor showing in the November election, state Senate Republicans have reshuffled their leadership, picking Sen. Shannon Grove, a Bakersfield conservative who faces the challenge of taking charge at a time when Democrats enjoy a legislative supermajority.

Grove, who once described herself as a gun-carrying, tongue-talking, spirit-filled believer, was elevated to the leadership post by the depleted Senate Republican Caucus last week.

A vocal supporter of President Trump, Grove will lead the 10-member Senate caucus  two seats were lost to Democrats in the November election  as other Republicans are urging the party to move away from Trump and more to the center in hopes of winning back voters in California. The 53-year-old Army veteran takes over in March from Sen. Patricia Bates of Laguna Niguel..

Its not a secret that I am a social and fiscal conservative. Its who I am, Grove said. Some people in the caucus and in the building dont align with that same philosophy that I have. But that doesnt mean you cant work together and solve problems.

Advertisement

Grove, who was elected to the state Senate in November, said her priorities include economic development, job creation, ending frivolous lawsuits against businesses and solving the homelessness problem.

She faces a challenging year as newly elected Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has already announced a host of proposals opposed by the minority party in the past, including new taxes and expansion of healthcare coverage for immigrants in the country illegally.

The biggest challenge will be distancing the caucus from Trump enough to be relevant while also offering enough policy solutions to be influential, said Mike Madrid, a Republican political strategist. That, he said, will be a tough task.

Grove shows no signs of distancing herself from the president, signaling early that she will take a hard line on enforcing immigration laws.

She objects to Newsoms proposal to expand access to Medi-Cal healthcare coverage to those up to age 26 who are in the U.S. illegally  coverage currently goes to age 19  at a cost of $260 million.

As a United States military veteran, Id like the governor to use some resources to make sure every veteran is taken care of in our state before we access medical care for undocumenteds, Grove said. I think our veterans should be taken care of first.

Grove, who did administrative work in the Army and previously served in the state Assembly, has also opposed legislation requiring vaccination of all schoolchildren and said she supported allowing school employees to carry guns to protect campuses from mass shootings.

Advertisement

She has spoken out against the so-called sanctuary law that restricts cooperation by local law enforcement in California with federal immigration agents.

Now with the sanctuary state law, these illegal, undocumented criminal individuals are being released back into our community, Grove said during a campaign forum hosted last year by her hometown paper, the Bakersfield Californian.

Grove, who frequently retweets President Trumps comments to her supporters, endorsed his proposal to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border as part of a package that would also provide protection against deportation for immigrants brought to the country illegally as children.

Its detrimental to our country not to have border security, she said during the Bakersfield forum.

Advertisement

Grove was criticized by abortion rights advocates in 2015 after an online publication that covers reproductive health said she gave a speech in which she suggested God eased Texas drought after the state passed an anti-abortion bill.

Afterward, she acknowledged that she told the audience it rained the night Gov. Rick Perry signed the bill, but added, I did not say that God made it rain because of the bill.

In a Facebook post that year, Grove asked whether Californias drought was caused by God.

Nobody knows. But biblical history shows a consequence to mans actions; we do know for sure that Californias water shortage crisis has been compounded by liberal politicians poor decisions  not properly managing our water resources and refusing to build water storage for decades.

Advertisement

The reduced size of the Republican caucus in the Senate will make it more difficult to fight tax increases and other proposals by the Democratic supermajority, she said.

Right now were at a super-mega-minority, Grove said in an interview this past week. You have to be able to block the two-thirds [vote] and they can lose 20% of their caucus in either house and still pass any tax increase they choose. What can we do? Probably not a lot.

Democrats saw their numbers swell after the November election from 26 seats to 28, a supermajority that allows them to raise taxes, put measures on the ballot and override vetoes without needing any Republican votes.

Grove, who represents Tulare and Kern counties, and portions of San Bernardino County, is counting on relationships with Democrats to allow the Republican caucus to influence legislation this year.

Advertisement

Her focus on making the state more friendly to business stems from her work running a temporary staffing agency that she founded after she left the Army, she said.

Boosting the economy will help those who are struggling, she argued.

Our state is the fifth-largest economy in the world, yet it holds the title of having the highest poverty rate in the nation, Grove said, adding that she plans to work with pragmatism and compassion across party lines for the sake of the millions of forgotten Californians.

Coverage of California politics 

Advertisement

patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com

Twitter: @mcgreevy99
As a damaging partial government shutdown hit the 30-day mark on Sunday, President Trump sought to allay criticism from conservative critics who fear he is softening his hard line on immigration, while unleashing strident new attacks against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

In a series of tweets, Trump lambasted the San Francisco Democrat, who has emerged as his chief antagonist in the standoff, for behaving irrationally in rejecting his offer Saturday of temporary legal protection for some immigrants and refugees in exchange for the funding he wants for a barrier along the border with Mexico.

Yet the presidents suggested compromise was dismissed as well by his usual allies on the anti-immigration right, many of whom last month encouraged him to provoke the shutdown, by refusing to sign funding for a quarter of the government unless he got the $5.7-billion installment he wanted for a border wall.

The shutdown impasse since then comes amid intensifying questions over Trumps efforts to build a tower named for himself in Moscow while he was running for president, an element in wider investigations of the president and his campaigns relationship with the Kremlin.

Advertisement

The presidents lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, confirmed Sunday that talks about the prospective Moscow project continued up to the 2016 election, months longer than acknowledged. He also said he was certain that Trump did not urge his former fixer Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about the timeline, while also admitting he wasnt sure whether Trump and Cohen spoke about it.

But Giuliani  whose pronouncements on Trumps legal problems tend to raise more questions than they quell  told CNNs State of the Union that if the president did communicate with Cohen about his testimony beforehand, it would have been perfectly normal.

So what if he talked to him about it? Giuliani said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) participates in a swearing-in ceremony on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 3. (Cheriss May / TNS)

Senior Democrats who appeared on Sundays news talk shows vowed to scrutinize both the timing of Trump Tower talks with Russian officials and questions surrounding Cohens congressional testimony  even as a BuzzFeed report last week that Trump had instructed Cohen to lie was disputed by the office of Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel in the Russia probe.

Sen. Mark R. Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is conducting its own Russia probe, said it was big news that Trump was actively trying to do business in Moscow as the campaign was in its home stretch.

If those negotiations were ongoing up until the election, I think thats a relevant fact for voters to know, and I think its remarkable we are two years after the fact and just discovering it today, Warner said on NBCs Meet the Press.

Cohen, who has pleaded guilty to lying to Congress, is due to appear before the House Oversight and Reform Committee next month before reporting to prison.

Advertisement

Giuliani, also appearing on Meet the Press, said that conversations about the Trump Tower project went on throughout 2016, adding, Probably could be up to as far as October, November. He provided a similar timeline to CNN in December, which contradicted previous public assertions that the project faded away much earlier.

Initially Cohen had testified under oath that talks had ended by January 2016, then acknowledged in his guilty plea that they lapsed in June, just before Trump accepted the Republican nomination. If negotiations with Moscow continued through the year, they took place while Trump, as a presidential nominee, was entitled to see classified intelligence.

Rep. Adam B. Schiff of Burbank, who heads the House Intelligence Committee now that Democrats are the majority in the lower chamber, reaffirmed that his panel will be looking closely at the presidents Russia ties, including the Trump Tower talks and Cohens previous testimony.

We have to get to the bottom of this, he said.

Advertisement

Separately, Schiff joined other senior Democrats in accusing Trump of failing to make any serious effort to end the partial government shutdown, which is leaving some 800,000 federal workers without pay and crimping a broad range of services to the public, including airport security and payment of farm subsidies.

Pelosi, on Twitter, again urged Trump to re-open the government, let workers get their paychecks and then we can discuss how we can come together to protect the border.

The president and his allies slapped back, hitting Democrats for refusing to entertain Trumps proposal for three years of protection against deportation for about 1 million immigrants, including some so-called Dreamers brought illegally to the United States as children as well as refugees whove long been eligible for U.S. residency because of disasters or conflicts in their own countries.

In effect, Trump has offered to provide relief to the groups after he acted to end the programs protecting them; federal courts have intervened to limit his actions.

Advertisement

The president aimed most of his wrath at Pelosi, tweeting that she is so petrified of the lefties in her party that she has lost control. He also took a swipe at her district, adding: And by the way, clean up the streets in San Francisco, they are disgusting!

Trump, who has proved highly sensitive to criticism from right-wing media outlets about any softening of his immigration stance, insisted that his offer on Saturday did not amount to an amnesty  a notion that is anathema to his conservative base.

That distancing was underscored by Vice President Mike Pence, appearing on Fox News Sunday. Pence said the proposal did not amount to an amnesty because theres no pathway to citizenship.

Yet in his tweets, Trump tipped his hand about the administrations longer-term strategy to extract concessions from the Democrats  one that would undoubtedly rile his hardest-line supporters.

Advertisement

Amnesty will be used only on a much bigger deal, whether on immigration or something else, the president wrote.

Trump included a thinly veiled threat of a large-scale roundup of immigrants here illegally, many of whom have been in the country for many years: There will be no big push to remove the 11,000,000 plus people who are here illegally  but be careful Nancy!

In a separate appearance on CBS Face the Nation, Pence suggested some rank-and-file Democrats were ready to break with Pelosi and other Democratic leaders and seek a deal to end the shutdown, though he refused to name them.

Appearing on Fox News Sunday, the No. 3 House Democrat, Rep. James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, suggested that Trumps plan could at least serve as the basis for talks.

Advertisement

He said Democrats sought a permanent fix both for the Dreamers  participants in the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA  as well as for the refugees, many of them from Central America, whose temporary protected status is in jeopardy.

Lets go back and forth on this and see where we can find common ground, Clyburn said. We are all for negotiations.

But, echoing other Democratic leaders, Clyburn said that prior to any such talks, Trump should first agree to fund and reopen the government.

laura.king@latimes.com

Advertisement

@laurakingLAT
The images in a series of videos that went viral on social media Saturday showed a tense scene near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington.

In them, a Native American man steadily beats his drum at the tail end of Fridays Indigenous Peoples March while singing a song of unity for indigenous people to be strong in the face of the ravages of colonialism that now include police brutality, poor access to healthcare and the ill effects of climate change on reservations.



For the record: This article incorrectly states that Nathan Phillips fought in the Vietnam War. Military records indicate that he served in the Marines, but not in Vietnam.

Surrounding him are a throng of young, mostly white teenage boys, several wearing Make America Great Again caps, with one standing about a foot from the drummers face also wearing a relentless smirk.

Nathan Phillips, a veteran in the indigenous rights movement, was that man in the middle.

Advertisement

In an interview Saturday, Phillips, 64, said he felt threatened by the teens and that they suddenly swarmed around him as he and other activists were wrapping up the march and preparing to leave.

Phillips, who was singing the American Indian Movement song of unity that serves as a ceremony to send the spirits home, said he noticed tensions beginning to escalate when the teens and other apparent participants from the nearby March for Life rally began taunting the dispersing indigenous crowd.

A few people in the March for Life crowd began to chant Build that wall! Build that wall! he said.

It was getting ugly, and I was thinking: Ive got to find myself an exit out of this situation and finish my song at the Lincoln Memorial, Phillips recalled. I started going that way, and that guy in the hat stood in my way and we were at an impasse. He just blocked my way and wouldnt allow me to retreat.

So, he kept drumming and singing, thinking about his wife, Soshana, who died from bone marrow cancer nearly four years ago, and the various threats that face indigenous communities around the world, he said.

I felt like the spirit was talking through me, Phillips said.

The encounter generated a wave of outrage on social media less than a week after President Trump made light of the 1890 Wounded Knee massacre of several hundred Lakota Indians by the U.S. cavalry in a tweet that was meant to mock Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), whom Trump derisively calls Pocahontas because she has cited Native American ancestry.

Advertisement

In a statement, the Indigenous Peoples Movement, which organized Fridays march, called the incident emblematic of our discourse in Trumps America.

It clearly demonstrates the validity of our concerns about the marginalization and disrespect of indigenous peoples, and it shows that traditional knowledge is being ignored by those who should listen most closely, Darren Thompson, an organizer for the group, said in the statement.

Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.), who with Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kan.) became the first Native American women elected to Congress in 2018, said the video was difficult to watch.

To see a group of students from a Catholic school who are practicing such intolerance is a sad sight for me, Haaland said.

Advertisement

Some of the teens in the video wore sweatshirts from Covington Catholic High School in Park Hills, Ky., which sent students to Washington to participate in Fridays antiabortion March for Life event, according to an archived page of the schools website that was taken down on Saturday.

On Saturday, school officials and the diocese of Covington released a joint statement:

We condemn the actions of the Covington Catholic High School students towards Nathan Phillips specifically, and Native Americans in general, the statement said.

The matter is being investigated and we will take appropriate action, up to and including expulsion.

Advertisement

Chase Iron Eyes, an attorney with the Lakota Peoples Law Project, said the incident lasted about 10 minutes and ended when Phillips and other activists walked away.

It was an aggressive display of physicality. They were rambunctious and trying to instigate a conflict, he said. We were wondering where their chaperones were. [Phillips] was really trying to defuse the situation.

Phillips, an Omaha tribe elder who fought in the Vietnam War and now lives in Michigan, has long been active in the indigenous rights movement.

A co-founder of the Native Youth Alliance cultural and education group, he shows up to Arlington National Cemetery every Veterans Day with a peace pipe to pay tribute to Native Americans who served in the U.S. military.

Advertisement

My job has always been taking care of the fire, to keep the prayers going, Phillips said.

In that role, he has encountered anti-Native American sentiments before: In 2015, Phillips was verbally attacked by a group of Eastern Michigan University students who were dressed as Native Americans during a theme party near the town of Ypsilanti, according to news reports.

Phillips had approached the group, informing them that their celebration was racially offensive, a local Fox News station reported. One of the students threw a beer can at him, Phillips told the news outlet.

But the incident on Friday, combined with the ensuing attention from media outlets scrambling to get his story, left him shaken.

Advertisement

Im still trying to process what happened, Phillips said. Im feeling a little bit overwhelmed.

Still, he said, he hopes the teens will find a lesson in all of the negative attention generated by the videos.

That energy could be turned into feeding the people, cleaning up our communities and figuring out what else we can do, Phillips said. We need the young people to be doing that instead of saying: These guys are our enemies.

Antonio Olivo, Cleve R. Wootson Jr. and Joe Heim write for the Washington Post.
To the editor: Rabbi Mitchell Rocklin calls out Sens. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) for questioning whether a judicial nominee who is a member of the Knights of Columbus can serve on the federal bench. Rocklin calls their concern a constitutionally prohibited religious test, but it is not.

The senators do not claim that nominee Brian Buescher is unfit to serve on the bench because he is Roman Catholic. Their concern is whether his membership in the Knights of Columbus may affect his ability to judge impartially.

Roman Catholicism is a religion. There is no religion called Knights of Columbus, which is in fact an organization that takes political positions that should be of concern to the Senate.

It is entirely appropriate for senators to query a judicial nominee about his membership in an organization that advocates elimination of both marriage equality and a womans right to choose before they reward him with a lifetime appointment to the federal bench.

Advertisement

Mark Shoup, Apple Valley

..

To the editor: Thanks to Rocklin for reminding us of Americas unique religious history.

In her questioning, Harris revealed a lack of simple understanding of our Constitutions secular guarantee by suggesting that because Buescher is a Catholic and member of the Knights of Columbus, he might favor religious ideology over principle. As Rocklin shows, Harris is only the latest in a long line of political figures who have made this serious error.

I cannot recall any recent judicial nominee being questioned during a Senate confirmation hearing about whether his religious faith might deny him the privilege of sitting on the bench. This is another benefit of the unique separation of church and state we enjoy in America.

Lets keep it that way, Sen. Harris.

June Maguire, Mission Viejo

..

Advertisement

To the editor: Rocklin frames the questioning of Buescher about his membership in the Knights of Columbus as religious intolerance. If we had the luxury of seeing the case only through the lens of religious liberty, I would agree.

However, I cannot expect Rocklin to feel the cold dread and fury many of us feel at the prospect of losing hard-won autonomy over our own lives and reproductive rights.

Clearly, Hirono and Harris were getting at the issue of whether Buescher would vote in accordance with the public positions of the Knights of Columbus. That is very much a political question, not exclusively a religious one.

By accusing the senators of scoring political points, Rocklin dismisses the risks of confirming jurists who hope to reverse constitutional rights to fit their own narrow religious convictions. I do not want Buescher guarding my hen house, thank you.

Advertisement

Nancy Breuer, West Hills

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
The electoral college was an unwanted child from the beginning. Born in Philadelphia in mid-August 1787, when most delegates to the Constitutional Convention were eager to escape the heat and humidity and go home, it was the fruit of a compromise between the two warring factions at the convention: those who wished to revise the Articles of Confederation and retain sovereignty in the states, and those who wished to replace the articles by shifting sovereignty to a fully empowered national government. In effect, should the United States remain a confederation or become a nation-sized republic?

There was no consensus on an answer to that question, and the electoral college accurately reflected the impasse. Neither side was happy with the result. James Madison, at this stage of his career an ardent nationalist, left Philadelphia in September believing that he had failed. Later canonized as the Father of the Constitution, Madison confided to friends that the document he had just signed was fatally flawed because the principle of state sovereignty survived in two places, the Senate (where small states get the same vote as big states) and the electoral college (where votes again arent apportioned by population only). Although it began We the people, the Constitution did not really mean those words, Madison said, and for that reason, would not last for long.

More than two centuries later, Madisons prediction has long since died a natural death. In fact, the U.S. Constitution became the political model for all aspiring liberal governments in the modern era, with one glaring exception: No country in the world adopted the electoral college.

Ironically, the electoral college resists replacement for the same reason it needs to be replaced: the unrepresentative power of states with small populations.

Advertisement

Foreign coverage of American presidential elections can resemble Marx Brothers comedy skits, mocking the distinction between voters and electors. (One French commentator joked that the distinction resembled the medieval difference between equants and epicycles in the Ptolemaic universe.) The recent election of Donald Trump, who won the presidency with a smaller percentage of the popular vote than Mitt Romney did in losing it, generated some combination of bewilderment and outrage through a traumatized electorate.

All of which rises to an obvious question: If the framers who created the electoral college regarded it as an ugly compromise, if no one else in the world copies it, admires it or understands it, if its recent product is the most unqualified and embarrassing president in American history, why has it not followed the same fate as powdered wigs and the property qualification to vote?

The short answer is that were stuck with it. The longer version is that the framers deliberately made it difficult to amend the Constitution, requiring a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress and a three-quarters supermajority of all the states. Ironically, the electoral college resists replacement for the same reason it needs to be replaced: the unrepresentative power of states with small populations. Any proposed constitutional amendment must first negotiate the gantlet in the Senate, where the Dakotas, with less than half the population of Los Angeles, control twice the votes of California. It must then achieve a supermajority among the 50 states, where Vermont and Rhode Island have the same clout as New York or Pennsylvania. Think of it as the constitutional version of a Catch-22.

For these reasons, all previous attempts to abolish the electoral college recall the tale of Sisyphus rolling the boulder up a hill. There are sound reasons to conclude that a constitutional amendment making presidential elections more democratic is and always will be a bridge too far.

On the other hand, Madison and a small coterie of his colleagues, chiefly George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, decided to cross just such a bridge in 1787. In the face of implacable opposition, they somehow performed the impossible task of replacing the Articles of Confederation with the Constitution. Historians often call it the miracle at Philadelphia.

Let me suggest that, after Trumps election, we occupy an opportune moment to try our own hands at making a miracle. Popular frustrations are ripe for harvesting during the election of 2020, which needs to become a referendum not just on Trumps presidency, but also on the electoral college that, more than Russian hackers, made it possible.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute 

All presidential candidates from both parties should be required to answer the following question: Do you favor replacing the electoral college with the direct popular election of the president? Throughout the primary season, We the People banners and T-shirts should appear at Democratic and Republican rallies, as well as anywhere citizens gather to express themselves on the issues at stake in the campaign. The goal is to generate and fully expose an overwhelming mandate for reform.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, at the state level, a complimentary movement, lets call it Electors for Democracy, can recruit and support electors who pledge to cast their votes for whoever wins the national popular vote. (An organized effort along these lines is already underway in several states.) There is nothing in the Constitution that requires an elector to vote for the winner in his or her state, a loophole that might offer a way around the amendment impasse. We shall see. The debate it generates will make the effort itself worthwhile.

There are undoubtedly other legal and political approaches that will occur to more imaginative advocates of electoral reform once the dialogue gets going. We should be poised to try anything that works. Upending the electoral college might very well take years, but the great debate must begin now. The opportunity is ripe, the problem is serious, the solution is obvious and, for the faint of heart, Madison is up there cheering us along.

Joseph J. Ellis latest book is American Dialogue: The Founders and Us.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook
Im a black American whose family has been here for centuries. And our countrys nation of immigrants mantra has always rankled me a bit.

It implies that all the tired, poor, huddled masses landing on our shores came to America in search of better lives. That writes people like me out of the narrative, in a nation that benefited mightily from the unpaid labor of our ancestors.

My dark-skinned forebears didnt come here willingly. They were brought to America from Africa in chains; disposable commodities, enslaved then bought and sold like property. Their names were erased, their journeys basically untraceable.

I remember as a kid listening to my white classmates talk about their families origins; theyd made their way to Cleveland from Italy, Ireland, Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia, with exotic languages, lunches and customs.

Advertisement

Ive decided, science be damned, to remain Nigerian. And Im not the only one.

The only roots I knew were in Alabama and Georgia, where my parents were born. They fled the South in the first half of the 20th century, running not toward visions of freedom but away from homegrown bigotry.

My mother yearned for the basics of dignity; to be able to try on a hat in a department store or eat at the lunch counter in Woolworths, in a state where the governor didnt promise segregation forever.

My father left Georgia one step ahead of an angry mob that aimed to lynch his brother for refusing to step off the sidewalk as a white man passed. That brother hid in a hastily dug hole in the family cornfield, until they made their getaway in the middle of the night.

My familys migration stories dont feature America as a shining city upon a hill. The only border we crossed was the Mason-Dixon line, escaping the clutches of Jim Crow and the Ku Klux Klan.

I knew there were also white branches in our family tree; Id visited the small century-old family cemetery near the farm where my mother had grown up. Her father, a mulatto, was buried there  alongside a few Confederate soldiers who shared his genes. When my colored grandmother died, my mother had to ask for permission to bury her next to her husband, among all those dead white bodies.

The white side was no mystery to me. There were stories and records and inheritances, and even a town named after them.

But the generations of black people who shaped my identity? Their history was off limits to me until do-it-yourself DNA testing became a thing.

Advertisement

Two years ago, I swabbed my cheek and spit into a tube and sent those samples off to two different testing groups.

Six weeks later, two nearly identical verdicts arrived and the shock set in.

More than half of my DNA  54%  was European, mostly English, Scotch and Irish, with a sprinkle from Russia, Scandinavia and the Iberian Peninsula.

That left me amused. I figured I ought to keep the results on me at all times, just in case some white person wanted to call the cops if I delayed ordering in Starbucks, or I cashed too big a paycheck, or was talking on my cellphone in a hotel lobby. Hey, guys, ignore this brown skin and check my documents. Im actually one of you!

Advertisement

I was surprised to find no trace of Native American blood, despite my grandmas long black hair and high cheekbones. Not even the droplets claimed by Elizabeth Warren  though we heard family stories too.

But what meant the most to me was one specific entry in my ethnicity rundown: Nigerian 24%. That was the single biggest chunk of me.

Just seeing the word gave me a rush of something I still cant describe: a mix of excitement, wonder, pain and pride.

I thought of awkward moments in the past, when some stranger would randomly ask, Where are you from? when they couldnt place my particular blackness.

Advertisement

Now, if I chose, I could offer up a label: My people are from Nigeria.

I was no longer some random progeny of the Middle Passage. My mere existence suddenly felt wondrous.

I imagined that one particular Nigerian woman or man enduring the misery of the voyage and the horrors of slavery, so that I could come into being. Enduring, procreating and passing along to me some of that strength and resiliency.

And I couldnt have chosen a better African country to be from! Producer of great doctors, brilliant writers, hard-working students and royal heirs to vast fortunes they promise to share if you are kind enough to provide your bank info.

Advertisement

My new heritage seemed to explain everything: My mothers laser focus on education. My passion for reading and writing. My fathers hustle, entrepreneurial spirit and confidence in his own considerable charm.

I reread every Nigerian author Id enjoyed, finding my family in the characters  as if my father hailed from Lagos instead of Lithonia, Ga.

Nigeria seemed to ground me; I was from someplace too.

Then the announcement came: Ancestry.com had updated its interpretation of my DNA. As of September 2018, I was no longer a daughter of Nigeria.

Advertisement

Everyone in the Ancestry database would see a change, the company said, because reference populations and the ethnicity algorithm underwent significant development.

The companys African profile data was particularly wobbly. According to newly refined measurements, I was still 46% African, but my DNA alignment was dramatically different: 26% Benin/Togo; 10% Cameroon, Congo and South Bantu People; 7% Mali; and 2% Ivory Coast/Ghana.

And only 1% Nigeria (insert crying emoji here).

I got the news during the holidays from my brother, whod already made peace with the genealogical shift.

Advertisement

While family members argued  on Facebook, in phone calls, at family gatherings  about what our new percentages meant, my brother steered me to Ancestrys explanation, as if that could settle things:

Dont worry, your DNA hasnt changed. What has changed is how much we know about DNA, the amount of data we have available and the ways we can look at it for clues to your past.

Africa presents special challenges. The African continent is the ancient birthplace of humanity, and humans there are the most genetically diverse on Earth. This makes Africa a tricky place for ethnicity estimation.

I dont recalling them using the word estimate when they pitched the DNA tests. In essence, they were guessing then and theyre making better guesses now. I feel like a rube.

Advertisement

So why does trading in Nigeria for Benin and Togo feel like such a comedown to me? No offense to those other African nations, but I enjoyed the stature that a headliner country like Nigeria brings.

Perhaps its a salve for the ache of being relegated to the bottom rung of the racial hierarchy here.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute 

Then why didnt the news that Im technically more white than black carry that same sort of resonance?

Advertisement

Because identity is more than ancestry, even in these overtly tribal times. Its a reflection not just of our genes, but our experiences, our values, our idiosyncrasies, who we choose to be.

DNA doesnt recognize man-made national boundaries, and identity isnt dictated by ancient ethnic ties.

So, Ive decided, science be damned, to remain Nigerian. And Im not the only one. My cousin Russ is still rocking a dashiki in his Facebook profile pic.

Sandy Banks is a former Los Angeles Times reporter, editor and columnist. She is a senior fellow with the USC Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership & Policy
As the nation waited to hear President Trumps latest warnings about a crisis on the border Saturday, a mother in this border town had a more immediate concern: quinceanera photos.

Liliana Saenz supervised as 14-year-old daughter Clarissa posed for a photographer in front of an American flag mural downtown. Saenz didnt care if Trump declared a national of emergency (he didnt). She didnt even plan to watch the president speak. Neither did the photographer she had hired.

An emergency is: Are we going to cross the border to get tacos? Fernando Arteaga said, and they laughed.

Trump raised alarms again Saturday in his latest televised address about a humanitarian and security crisis on our southern border that requires urgent action.

Advertisement

It is a horrible crisis. It is a humanitarian crisis like we rarely see in our country, he said.

But most interviewed in this Democratic stronghold said that McAllen, which Trump visited 10 days ago, doesnt feel anything like a crisis zone. Migrants have flowed across the border here for generations, and most of those arriving now are families seeking asylum at a local shelter. McAllens downtown, La Plaza mall and local farmers markets were bustling with crowds, but not migrants.

For Saenz and her quinceanera photo crew, a crisis would have been rain  it was sunny and clear. Or not having a dress in time (Clarissa did  its royal blue, like Wonder Woman) or shoes (she was wearing red high tops).

Downtown taco stands and discount markets were full of shoppers, many with children in tow. A few streets away, someone set off fireworks. Could it be gunshots? No way, the group said, unfazed. Not here. Across the river in Reynosa, Mexico, maybe.

If you hear that in Reynosa, Arteaga said, you better hit the floor.

Whenever Arteaga and others cross into Mexico, they said, they utter a prayer of protection: against being robbed, kidnapped or murdered. But they dont do that here, they added. Cartel crime has been escalating across the border for years: shootings, kidnapping, disappearances, decapitations, bodies strung from bridges. Now thats a crisis, the group agreed.

Across town at the farmers market, Pat Ozuna said its easy to feel insulated if you live in McAllen, far from the ranches where migrants cross at night. Ozuna, 49, said migrants have vandalized her familys farm in recent years, knocking down fences and killing livestock. Her parents volunteer at the local migrant shelter, but they all support Trump and a border wall.

She wished Trump had declared a national emergency this weekend.

Advertisement

Come spend the weekend and see if you feel safe on the ranch, she said. Id vote for him again.

The founder of the Catholic Charities migrant shelter here had planned to tell the president about the groups work with families, mostly asylum seekers from Central America, when he visited Jan. 10.

Sister Norma Pimentel had been invited to Trumps round-table meeting, but he never asked her to speak. Instead, he spent much of the discussion talking about migrant criminals and drug traffickers.

A young immigrant boy carries his belongings through the halls of the Catholic Charities Respite Center temporary facility on his way to another city. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Advertisement

He wanted to show there was an emergency in the valley and he needs to act on it, Pimentel said as she toured the shelters new location in a former nursing home. If he was really interested in human trafficking, he would have asked me to come to the table and talk about it and bring one of these families.

Each day, 200 to 300 families arrive at the shelter, receive food, clothes and rides to the Greyhound bus station. From there, they travel to join friends and relatives across the country. Theyve come a long way since the first influx of migrant youth in 2012  a true crisis, she said  adding space, donations and volunteers. On Saturday, there were nearly as many volunteers at the shelter as migrants  no crisis.

They have it under control, Pimentel said.

Migrants stuck on the other side of the border in cities like Reynosa are the ones suffering, Pimentel said, denied asylum by U.S. Customs officers who tell them to join waiting lists that can take months.

Advertisement

Theres hundreds of them on the other side of the border, abandoned. Were causing that, she said of U.S. immigration policies.

If Trump were really concerned about victims of human trafficking, she said, he would help them  not leave them stranded in northern Mexico.

Juan Pablo Lazo, 25, a single father, paid a smuggler $7,000 to travel with his 2-year-old daughter Marjorie from El Salvador across the river illegally into Texas this week. The farmworker paid in advance, and was robbed of what little cash he had left while still in northern Mexico.

Juan Pablo Lazo with his daughter Marjorie, 2, at the Catholic Charities Respite Center. Lazo, who is from El Salvador, said he was robbed while traveling through Monterrey, Mexico. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Advertisement

After crossing the river, Lazo claimed asylum, was held by Border Patrol and released with a notice to appear in immigration court. On Saturday, he and his daughter ate barbecued chicken at the shelter before catching a bus to join his older brother in northern New Jersey. The real emergency, he said, isnt on the U.S. side of the border  its in Mexico and El Salvador, where he fled gang violence and a depressed economy where his only option was seasonal field work.

If it was an emergency, said McAllen resident Lindsey Ledezma, people would evacuate. We dont even evacuate for hurricanes. Its kind of ridiculous, honestly.

Ledezma, 19, said the real crisis here is the federal governments partial shutdown. A cosmetology student, she lives with her mother, a Border Patrol dispatcher who has continued to work without pay for nearly a month, barely able to pay their bills.

Were back to eating sandwiches and noodles but our lights are still on, thank goodness, Ledezma said during a break from class.

Advertisement

Her mother has borrowed from her own parents retirement savings to make ends meet. That still may not be enough to prevent their electricity from being cut off at the end of the month. Theyre hoping the shutdown ends and her mother, who has worked for the agency 11 years, gets back pay.

We sort of figured thats what would happen because thats what happened last time, there was a shutdown, but theres no guarantee, she said. It feels like youre walking a tightrope with a blindfold.

Twice, Ledezma said, she heard her mother cry herself to sleep. And in one of the poorest parts of the country, she knows theyre not alone in their desperation.

Its other government agencies: food stamps, housing, WIC. That worries me. We dont receive benefits, but I know other people who cannot get by without it, Ledezma said.

Advertisement

At La Plaza mall, Hollister Co. clothing store manager Kenny Huerta, 25, took a break for dinner at the food court with his girlfriend and another friend. They frequent downtown clubs and have never had problems. They were more bothered by Trumps warnings than they were about border security.

McAllen is a city of 140,000 where crime has dropped in recent years; yet because of all the warnings, Huerta said, People think were this horrendous city, full of crime.

Like Detroit, added friend Christian Briones, 22.

Huertas girlfriend, Larissa Barera, 21, said her relatives called from Saltillo, Mexico, on Friday, troubled by reports about border insecurity, to ask if it was safe for her to go out. She set them straight.

Advertisement

Barera said the valley is so sleepy and small town-feeling, it actually gets boring. Like many young people here, she and her friends have traveled to Austin and San Antonio and considered moving. But family ties, and the comforts of border life, kept them here.

This is all you need, Huerta said.

They planned to celebrate a friends birthday later with barbecue, carne asada. Missing that, they said, would be a crisis.

molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com

Advertisement

@mollyhf
The explosive video of a white Chicago officer shooting a black teenager 16 times shocked consciences around the world with footage of Laquan McDonald gunned down as he walked away from police.

The graphic images of Laquan crumpling to the street while bullets kept striking him stirred expectations that the officer might be convicted in the killing and pay a heavy price in prison time.

The verdict came in October  a rare murder conviction for an officer in an on-duty shooting. But the sentencing of less than seven years late Friday for Jason Van Dyke  and the possibility that he may serve half that  led Laquans family and at least one activist to question whether justice had been done and the right message sent to other officers.

William Calloway, who was instrumental in the legal battle that led to the release of the dashcam video in 2015, described the penalty as a slap in the face to us and a slap on the wrist for Van Dyke.

Advertisement

The sentencing came a day after a different judge acquitted three officers accused of lying about the shooting to protect Van Dyke, who was probably the first Chicago officer ever found guilty in the shooting of an African American.

That verdict also disappointed many Chicagoans who hoped convictions would help eradicate a code-of-silence culture that dates back decades among officers in the nations third most populous city.

Van Dyke, 40, was convicted of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery  one for each bullet fired at the 17-year-old.

Laquans family lamented that the penalty was too light. His great uncle said the sentence reduced Laquans life to that of a second-class citizen and suggests to us that there are no laws on the books for a black man that a white man is bound to honor.

In a brief statement, Van Dyke acknowledged the teens death, telling the judge that as a God-fearing man and father, I will have to live with this the rest of my life.

The sentence of six years and nine months was less than half the penalty that had been sought by prosecutors, who asked for 18 to 20 years. But it went far beyond the request of defense attorneys, who argued that Van Dyke could be released on probation. The prison term also was a fraction of what Van Dyke could have faced had he been convicted of first-degree murder, which carried a mandatory minimum of 45 years in prison.

Judges typically rebuke defendants during sentencings, even for much lesser crimes, and they often explain why they imposed the sentence they did. Judge Vincent Gaughan did neither.

The judges decision to deem the second-degree murder conviction the most serious crime  siding with the defense on that question  may also have spared Van Dyke a far longer term behind bars.

Advertisement

Had Gaughan sentenced Van Dyke on the 16 counts of aggravated battery, as prosecutors asked him to do, he could have faced decades in prison. Each aggravated battery count carried a mandatory minimum of six years, and the judge could have ordered those sentences to be served one after the other.

The lead defense attorney, Dan Herbert, said Van Dyke truly felt great after learning his sentence. He was happy about the prospect of life ahead of him and someday being reunited with his wife and two daughters.

The prosecutor who oversaw the case said he can live with the sentence.

Our goal was to find the truth, present the truth and ask for justice. ... It was not revenge, special prosecutor Joseph McMahon said.

Advertisement

The issue of race loomed over the case for more than four years, although it was rarely raised at trial. One of the only instances was during opening statements, when a prosecutor told jurors that Van Dyke saw a black boy walking down the street who had the audacity to ignore the police.

On Friday, several black motorists testified that the officer used a racial slur and excessive force during traffic stops in the years before the shooting.

City Hall released the video to the public in November 2015  13 months after the shooting  and acted only because a judge ordered it to do so. The charges against Van Dyke were not announced until the day of the videos release.
France's Minister of Finance Bruno Le Maire is set to arrive in Egypt Sunday in preparation for an anticipated visit by French President Emmanuel Macron later this month, the state-owned MENA agency reported.

Le Maire is set to hold meetings with Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and economic portfolio ministers.

On Friday, the French Embassy in Cairo said the French minister will meet also with Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.

According to the embassy statement, Le Maire will convey to Egyptian officials France's wish to foster and diversify economic ties between the two countries.

The long-awaited visit by President Macron will be his first since assuming office in 2017.

El-Sisi visited Paris in October 2017 where he discussed with Macron joint efforts to combat terrorism, the Middle East peace process, and the situation in Libya.

Short link:


Andy Vajna, a Hungarian American film producer who worked on several Rambo movies with Sylvester Stallone, Total Recall with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Madonnas Evita, has died. He was 74.

Vajna, who produced many other films, died Sunday at his Budapest, Hungary, home after a long illness, Hungarys National Film Fund said.

Schwarzenegger remembered Vajna as a dear friend and a revolutionary force in Hollywood.

He proved that you dont need studios to make huge movies, Schwarzenegger posted on Twitter. He had a huge heart, and he was one of the most generous guys around. Ill miss him.

Advertisement

Andy Vajna was a dear friend and a revolutionary force in Hollywood. He proved that you dont need studios to make huge movies like Terminator 2 or Total Recall. He had a huge heart, and he was one of the most generous guys around. Ill miss him. My thoughts are with his family.  Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) January 20, 2019

Stallone paid tribute to Vajna on Instagram, calling him a pioneer and the man that made Rambo happen. Vajna believed in First Blood, the first Rambo film, when no one else did. This truly breaks my heart, Stallone said.

Vajna was also owner of the TV2 Group, a Hungarian company that owns several television channels, including TV2, one of Hungarys two main broadcasters and politically aligned closely with Prime Minister Viktor Orbans government.

We are bidding farewell to the greatest Hungarian film producer, Orban posted on his Facebook page. Hasta la vista, Andy! Thank you for everything, my friend!

Since 2011, Vajna had been a commissioner in the Orban government, in charge of developing Hungarys film industry.

Hungarian films have won several top prizes at recent international festivals. In 2016, Son of Saul, financed mostly by Hungarys National Film Fund, won the Oscar for best foreign language film.

Vajna, who enjoyed a state-granted monopolistic concession on Budapest casinos, was recently listed by the Hungarian edition of Forbes magazine as the 18th richest Hungarian, with a net worth estimated at nearly $240 million. He also owned Radio 1, a radio station popular across the country.

The producer was born Andras Gyorgy Vajna in Budapest on Aug. 1, 1944, and escaped Hungarys communist regime in 1956 with help from the International Red Cross. After some time in Canada, he was reunited with his family in Los Angeles.

Advertisement

After studying at UCLA, Vajna operated cinemas in Hong Kong, where he also established a successful wig-making company.

In the mid-1970s, Vajna set up Carolco, a film production firm, with Mario Kassar. Besides the Rambo series, the two men were also behind films like Victory  starring Stallone, Michael Caine and Pele; Red Heat and Total Recall, starring Schwarzenegger; and Angel Heart and Johnny Handsome with Mickey Rourke.

After leaving Carolco in 1989, Vajnas films included Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Die Hard with a Vengeance, The Scarlet Letter, Nixon and I Spy.

He also produced several successful Hungarian films and was co-owner of Korda Studios, in the village of Etyek, near Budapest, where The Martian, Inferno and Hellboy II: The Golden Army were filmed.

Advertisement

Late last year, Vajna was among a handful of business people close to Orban who donated most of their media holdings to a nonprofit foundation overseen by an Orban ally, a move which put over 470 publications under even closer political control.

Vajna is survived by his wife, Timea.

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour 

Movie Trailers

Advertisement

calendar@latimes.com

@LATimesMovies
The San Diego County sheriffs detective assigned to look into the disappearance of a Fallbrook couple and their two young boys nine years ago took the stand last week in the trial of the man accused of killing the family, testifying that he found no evidence they were killed in their home.

The trial of defendant Charles Chase Merritt, 61, is being heard in San Bernardino County, where the McStay familys remains were found in 2013. The trial, which began two weeks ago, is expected to take months.

Merritt is charged in Superior Court with four counts of murder in the deaths of his business associate Joseph McStay, 40, as well as McStays wife, Summer, 43, and their sons, Gianni, 4, and Joey Jr., 3.

The family was last heard from on Feb. 4, 2010, less than three months after they moved into their home in Fallbrook. The remains of the couple and their boys were found buried in two shallow graves in the desert near Victorville in November 2013.

Advertisement

Merritt was arrested and charged with the McStays deaths a year later. He has pleaded not guilty.

So far, the jury has heard from several people, including Joseph McStays brother and mother, and a friend who had been helping the family remodel the Fallbrook home days before they disappeared.

The jury also heard from San Diego County sheriffs Det. Troy Dugal, who was assigned the missing-persons case in mid-February 2010, less than two weeks after the McStay family vanished.

The San Diego Union-Tribune has monitored the trial by watching livestream coverage from Law & Crime, a website specializing in live trial coverage. The site plans to carry the case gavel to gavel.

During cross-examination by defense attorney Rajan Maline, Dugal explained what led him to suspect foul play.

As I dug deeper and deeper, more and more, it kept pointing to this isnt normal, he testified.

Dugal told Maline that the out-of-character nature of the disappearance was really all I had in terms of evidence to suspect something was amiss.

There was no smoking gun, he said.

Advertisement

Maline also asked about a report Dugal wrote in which he claimed he did not find evidence that a crime had occurred in the familys home.

I still state that to this moment, Dugal said.

Under the prosecution theory of the case, the McStay family was killed in the Fallbrook home, then taken to the desert for burial.

The defense argues that no blood was found in the home. They maintain that the family was killed in the desert, and that nothing links Merritt to their deaths.

Advertisement

Dugal said he decided to seek a search warrant to enter the home  he had no legal right to be there without one  and that he told the McStays extended family members not to disturb the house.

He also said he did not give Joseph McStays mother permission to clean the home  she had gone in and tossed out old food and other items before detectives could do a thorough search.

She called me while she was in the house, while she was cleaning, Dugal testified during cross-examination by Merritts attorneys. I told her to stop it.

Authorities initially suspected the family had traveled into Mexico after their car was found near San Ysidro and the case was transferred to the FBI in early 2013.

Advertisement

Then in November 2013, a dirt bike rider came across the familys remains near Victorville. At that point, San Bernardino County sheriffs detectives took over the investigation.

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com
Chico police officers knew they had only minutes to act when they pulled up to the house where someone had called 911.

Limp bodies were splayed inside, in the backyard and in the garage. Some people looked pale and felt cold to the touch; others had stopped breathing. One persons skin had turned purplish.

Officers suspected a mass overdose of heroin or some other opioid. So they reached inside their squad cars glove compartments for naloxone, a medicine that can reverse opioid overdoses.

As the officers administered the antidote, some of those who had overdosed seemed to jolt back to life. They gasped for air or their breathing quickened. Their bodies grew warmer.

Advertisement

One person was declared dead at the scene. But a dozen others who overdosed on Jan. 12 survived, in part because they were quickly treated with naloxone, officials say.

Without that, Im convinced that we would have had certainly four or five, if not more, additional fatalities, Chico Police Chief Michael OBrien said. Theres no doubt it saved lives.

As the opioid epidemic continues to claim lives in California, police officers and first responders in the state are increasingly stocking naloxone in their patrol cars. More than 50 law enforcement agencies have requested the medicine from the state Health Department since the agency began distributing it at no-cost in October.

The spread of naloxone is part of a push to equip as many people as possible with the medicine, in case they come across someone who has overdosed, though some law enforcement agencies remain hesitant.

When the call came in around 9 a.m. that Saturday morning, eight officers responded  all those on duty in the town 90 miles north of Sacramento.

When they arrived, some people were performing CPR on unconscious victims. Police found someone passed out who seemed to have just come out of the shower. One person lay unconscious in a hammock in the backyard.

A group of friends had been at a party and returned to the house early in the morning and began doing drugs, OBrien said. Officials believe the young adults overdosed almost immediately, suggesting the drugs they took contained fentanyl, an opioid that is 100 times more powerful than morphine.

A very small amount of fentanyl can be fatal, and often users dont know their drugs have been laced with grains of the white powder.

Advertisement

Chico police began carrying naloxone in their squad cars last year, in part because they were worried about the arrival of fentanyl, OBrien said. Deaths from fentanyl in California nearly tripled between 2015 and 2017, the latest year for which data is available.

We knew fentanyl had been moving west, OBrien said. Now that weve had this mass casualty incident ... that should concern us all.

Officials have not said which drug the fentanyl had been mixed with, but fentanyl has increasingly been found in non-opioids such as methamphetamine and MDMA. Last year, three men in Los Angeles overdosed from cocaine laced with fentanyl. In 2016, 58 people overdosed and 12 died in Sacramento from counterfeit painkillers tainted with fentanyl.

On Jan. 12, Chico officers administered naloxone  often referred to by its brand name Narcan  in the form of a nasal spray, similar to an allergy medicine.

Advertisement

Aris Turner, a 34-year-old Chico resident, was declared dead. Twelve others were taken to the hospital; four required respirators to breathe, but all survived.

The Chico officers who used their naloxone supply that morning restocked it later that afternoon.

The California Health Department allotted $19.7 million in October to provide free naloxone to churches, schools, police officers and other organizations.

The single largest order among the 56 law enforcement agencies that have requested the medicines was from the Los Angeles Police Department. The agency began distributing the kits to officers in December, LAPD spokesman Josh Rubenstein said.

Advertisement

Yet many police departments have not employed naloxone. They point out that ambulances often respond to 911 calls before them, or that they are worried about liability from administering the drug. Officers may also be hesitant to embrace naloxone because of stigma around drug users, said UCSD professor Peter Davidson, who studies addiction and treatments.

But Davidson pointed out that there is almost no risk associated with naloxone; administering it to someone who is not having an overdose has no effect. A California law also protects officers from any liability if they administer the antidote and it does cause problems, he said.

He anticipates that within the next five to 10 years, carrying naloxone will become standard among officers, especially if death tolls from opioids continue to mount.

Advertisement

Its great for law enforcement to have it, because when they are the first people there, thats someone whos not dead, Davidson said.

Cassie Miracle, founding member of the Northern Valley Harm Reduction Coalition in Chico, said she believes a large swath of people should have naloxone on them, not just officers. Many advocates agree.

Often times we only think of our first responders like police and paramedics, and not drug users and the people around them  they truly are there first, Miracle said. Those minutes count.

She has struggled to attract people to naloxone trainings in Chico over the past year, though the recent tragedy might have changed that, she said.

Advertisement

On Thursday, Miracle held a naloxone training for the Butte County Sheriffs Department, she said. Another training for community members hosted at a bookstore later that day drew 30 people, her organizations highest ever turnout, she said.

Its unfortunate that it took such a big event for us to get active and actually get Narcan into the hands of folks, but we will happily do that, Miracle said.

soumya.karlamangla@latimes.com

Twitter: @skarlamangla
Congo is on the brink of its first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since independence in 1960 after the Constitutional Court on Sunday confirmed the presidential election victory of Felix Tshisekedi, although questions remain about the result.

Tshisekedi, son of the late charismatic opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, is to be inaugurated on Tuesday.

The Democratic Republic of Congos 80 million people did not appear to heed runner-up Martin Fayulus call for nonviolent protests, and African neighbors began offering congratulations.

Shortly after the predawn court declaration, opposition leader Tshisekedi said the courts decision to reject claims of electoral fraud and declare him president was a victory for the entire country.

Advertisement

It is Congo that won, Tshisekedi said, speaking to supporters. The Congo that we are going to form will not be a Congo of division, hatred or tribalism. It will be a reconciled Congo, a strong Congo that will be focused on development, peace and security.

Supporters of his party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress, celebrated in the streets of Kinshasa, the capital.

The largely untested Tshisekedi faces a government dominated by outgoing President Joseph Kabilas ruling party, which won a majority in legislative and provincial elections. The new National Assembly will be installed on Saturday.

However, Tshisekedis victory was rejected by rival opposition candidate Fayulu, who declared that he is Congos only legitimate president and called for the Congolese people to peacefully protest a constitutional coup detat. If Fayulu succeeds in launching widespread protests it could keep the country in a political crisis that has simmered since the Dec. 30 elections.

The court turned down Fayulus request for a recount, affirming Tshisekedi won with more than 7 million votes, or 38%, and Fayulu received 34%.

The court said Fayulu offered no proof to back his assertions that he had won easily based on leaked data attributed to the electoral commission. It also called unfounded another challenge that objected to the commissions last-minute decision to bar about 1 million voters over a deadly Ebola virus outbreak.

Outside the court, Fayulu and his supporters have alleged an extraordinary backroom deal by Kabila to rig the vote in favor of Tshisekedi when the ruling partys candidate did poorly.

Its a secret for no one inside or outside of our country that you have elected me president with 60% of the votes, Fayulu said. He urged the Congolese people and international community to not recognize Tshisekedi as president.

Advertisement

Congos government called Fayulus statements a shame.

We consider it an irresponsible statement that is highly politically immature, spokesman Lambert Mende told the Associated Press.

Many worried that the courts rejection of Fayulus appeal could lead to more instability in a nation that already suffers from rebels, communal violence and the Ebola outbreak.

It might produce some demonstrations, but it wont be as intense as it was in 2017 and 2018, when Congolese pushed for Kabila to step aside during two years of election delays, said Andrew Edward Tchie, research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Advertisement

The African Union said it had postponed its urgent mission to Congo planned for Monday after it noted serious doubts about the vote and made an unprecedented request for Congo to delay the final results.

Some neighbors, notably Rwanda, worried about violence spilling across borders from Congo, formerly known as Zaire, a country rich in the minerals key to smartphones around the world.

The African Union statement notably did not name or congratulate Tshisekedi, merely taking note of the courts decision. It called all concerned to work for the preservation of peace and stability and the promotion of national harmony.

A number of African leaders congratulated Tshisekedi, including the presidents of South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi. The 16-nation Southern African Development Community, after wavering in recent days with support for a recount, called on all Congolese to accept the votes outcome.

Advertisement

Tanzanian President John Magufuli, in a post on Twitter, said, I beseech you to maintain peace.
Hello! Im Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.

The Academy Award nominations come out this Tuesday, so get ready. Our movies team will be up far too early to report the news, talk to some nominees and generally bring you everything you need to know about the second biggest day in Oscar season. In preparation, Times awards columnist Glenn Whipp made his predictions for all 24 categories.

It is a sad fact that there will probably be no women nominated in the category of best director. This is, of course, an issue that has long dogged the movie industry, and an upcoming series at the UCLA Film and Television Archive will examine some of the history behind women filmmakers in Hollywood. Beginning on Friday (Jan. 25), Liberating Hollywood will feature eight female directors working in the 1970s, including Elaine May, Joan Tewkesbury, Lynne Littman, Joan Micklin Silver and others. This series is very exciting and I will be publishing a story on it soon.

Well have our first Indie Focus Screening Series event of the new year coming up in early February. And more on the way. For info and updates, go to events.latimes.com.

Advertisement

Samuel L. Jackson, from left, James McAvoy, Bruce Willis and Sarah Paulson in Glass. (Jessica Kourkounis / Universal Pictures)

Glass

From writer-director M. Night Shyamalan, Glass is an unusual and somewhat unexpected sequel to his films Unbreakable and Split. The film stars Samuel L. Jackson, James McAvoy and Bruce Willis as three men all institutionalized in the same facility who have superhuman powers that makes them supervillains in the making. Anya Taylor-Joy reprises her role from Split and Sarah Paulson appears as a doctor specializing in patients with delusions of grandeur.

In his review for The Times, Justin Chang wrote, Shyamalan has one or two decent shocks in store  one suspense sequence is so precisely choreographed it takes your breath away  but well before the end, it is hard to shake the feeling that hes still falling back on the usual spiritual-sentimental hokum, the same entreaty to believe for beliefs sake. Whether you see this Glass as half-empty or half-full, theres no mistaking it for the work of any other filmmaker (especially since no other filmmaker would allow Shyamalan to make another of his patented pointless cameos). Its the work of a filmmaker who, no less than the genre hes trying to reimagine, feels stuck on repeat.

Jen Yamato interviewed Shyamalan, Jackson and Paulson. As Shyamalan said of his unlikely franchise, So many things had to go right that had nothing to do with me that had to fall into place . When I look back on this trilogy and this movie theres a sense of, Wow  it was kind of meant to be.

For the New York Times, Manohla Dargis called the film an enjoyable new whatsit, while adding, In time, the air of misterioso quiet and encroaching, consuming terror give way to manly growling, jaw-clenching and vein-popping, and everything falls to pieces in a poorly conceptualized and staged blowout . Shyamalan needed a few more years between this movie and the last to work out the kinks, and maybe a screenwriting partner who could help him separate his A material from his B, C and D ideas. He certainly needs help with his female characters, a lineup of cliches that are never as touching or as witty as he thinks. Hes still playing with genre but not nearly enough, and no amount of self-reflexive winking and meta-patter about comics makes it better.

At Vanity Fair, Richard Lawson wrote, Shyamalan ultimately upends our expectation, our rote appetite, for a huge C.G.I. melee. I like that temerity, the one that keeps the film so zeroed-in on these characters and their struggle for their own mythos. Theres probably something a bit autobiographical in there, Shyamalan insisting that his modest scale is plenty. It gives Glass a tinge of the quaint, a refreshing sensation after all these years of maximalism. The movie is still pretty silly, of course, but its sins  its fussiness, its preening pretension  are more forgivable than, say, Suicide Squads useless nihilism, or Deadpools acrid smugness.

Fyre Festival ticket holders arriving in the Bahamas expecting to have a good time got a rude awakening in Netflixs Fyre, above, and Hulus Fyre Fraud. (Netflix)

Advertisement

Fyre and Fyre Fraud

It was a moment that will live in social media infamy, as in 2017 the Fyre Festival that was meant to be a luxurious, decadent music festival turned into a disaster for all involved. Now the competing documentaries Fyre, on Netflix and directed by Chris Smith, and Fyre Fraud, on Hulu and directed by Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby, each dissects how charismatic promoter Billy McFarland set in motion the series of events that would ultimately land him in prison.

For The Times, Kenneth Turan reviewed Smiths Fyre, noting, Everyone spoken with tries to grapple with the question of why it all happened, why an event that seemed so hip, new and cutting edge down to the heady presence of influencers and supermodels crashed and burned so completely . The answer seems to be a venerable one: As long as human beings are gullible, there will always be individuals able to take advantage of them. To put it in terms W.C. Fields could understand, theres a sucker born every minute.

Amy Kaufman dug into the unusual circumstances that led to two documentaries on the same subject coming out so close to each other. She also highlights what makes each film distinct. As Smith said of his surprisingly humane portrait of many of those behind the scenes, I think the thing that surprised me most is how much I liked and cared for the people that I met that got wrapped up in this. Going into it, I was worried that it was going to be a movie about bad people doing bad things. And in the end, I found quite the opposite.

Advertisement

Times pop music critic Mikael Wood used the docs to examine the current state of music festivals. As he wrote, Fyre and Fyre Fraud make something else clear too, and thats how insignificant music was to this music festival . And thats because McFarland wasnt selling music; he marketed Fyre not as a place to watch bands but as a place to rub elbows with models and take glamorous pictures to post on social media. The performances were there merely to provide some structure  to give a name to the thing for which people traveled to Great Exuma.

At the New York Times, Wesley Morris wrote about the two films together as well, saying, [W]hen people in both Fyre movies say that theyre positive McFarland will strike again, whats in order is the deeper, more cautionary examination of him thats in Fyre Fraud. Not because that prediction is wrong. But because I wouldnt put anything past this country. McFarland really might have another act. Maybe as a con artist. Maybe as someone more, I dont know, elected.

Anna Karina in 1966s La Religieuse. (Rialto Pictures / Studiocanal)

La Religieuse

Advertisement

Long best known for the attempts by religious groups to block its initial release in France, the 1966 film La Religieuse (The Nun) is now being released in the U.S. in a dazzling new 4K restoration. Directed by Jacques Rivette, who would go on to be a hardcore cinephile favorite with films such as 1974s Celine and Julie Go Boating, the film stars Anna Karina as a young woman forced into a Catholic convent against her will.

For The Times, Justin Chang wrote, [T]here is nothing minor about this movie, and nothing particularly aberrant: In its sculptural compositions and meticulous choreography of bodies through space, it has a recognizably Rivettian formal beauty. Certainly there is no better time than the present to appreciate it anew . Its portrait of totalitarian authority and the reckless abuse of clerical power is as scaldingly resonant now as it ever was.

For the New York Times, J. Hoberman wrote, La Religieuse is not so much anticlerical as it is anti-authoritarian. The movies real subject is the nature of social control, the totalitarian demand for unquestioning obedience and the capricious application of power  a theme that may have inspired and was only reinforced by its arbitrary censorship.

Email me if you have questions, comments or suggestions, and follow me on Twitter: @IndieFocus.

Advertisement

SIGN UP for the free Indie Focus movies newsletter 
The numbers are problematic, to say the least.

Of the American Society of Cinematographers 390 members, only 18 are women.

And that dismal figure represents an improvement. The female membership has more than doubled in the last seven years, according to an ASC spokesperson.

ASC President Kees Van Oostrum acknowledges, We come from a very male-dominated industry. So how do you change that fact? One drives the other. If you get more female cinematographers in the workflow, doing good work, theyll become members.

Advertisement

(The statistics are equally dismal for ethnic diversity; only 5% of ASC members are Latino, 3% are Asian and 2% are black, according to the group).

Van Oostrum cites the importance of the industry hiring more diverse crews, so that more diverse people can rise through the ranks to become cinematographers.

Thats the way ASC member Polly Morgan worked her way up in the field.

I started off at the bottom of the ladder as a PA [production assistant] and then a camera assistant. I saw that female cinematographers were rare indeed, she recalled. Now, Im certainly seeing more and more women take the stage. There are more female support groups and mentorship programs in which women  and men  encourage women and help them see it is possible to have a career in cinematography.

RELATED: At 100, the American Society of Cinematographers looks back while thinking ahead 

ASC third-term president Kees van Oostrum (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

People come from everywhere; its more diverse than most movie sets. Kees van Oostrum

The ASC has identified increasing not only gender but also ethnic diversity among its ranks as a necessary goal, and the organization sees its educational program as a step in that direction. The makeup of the ASCs master classes tends to be diverse, because people come from everywhere; its more diverse than most movie sets, says Van Oostrum.

Advertisement

Bradford Young, a black cinematographer who did Solo: A Star Wars Story, did one and he was so inspirational. I know, singlehandedly, he convinced, 20 people to go from Im not going to try that; Im not going to succeed to Yes, I can do this.

The first-ever female cinematography Oscar nominee (for Mudbound), Rachel Morrison, says she is seeing more women on crews and more being promoted from within. I feel incredibly bolstered these last few years in efforts towards inclusion, she said. Theres visible change.

John Simmons is co-chair of the ASCs vision committee, which deals with issues of diversity and inclusion. He believes making changes in the organization will depend on greater opportunities in the industry for women and minorities.

I know a number of amazing cinematographers  male and female, black, of all nationalities  who are on their way up, who have wonderful work, but they havent had those opportunities, he said. I was very fortunate in that I got to shoot a lot of stuff. I started pretty early, and a lot of people trusted me. My career stands on the shoulders of people who wanted to make a change in our society and in the film industry.

Advertisement

We cant suddenly admit more women or people of color as ASC members. But we can do our part to work for change, with the goal being a more inclusive film industry.

Its sort of horrifying, how long it takes to change peoples minds, to make them aware there are people being prevented from doing potentially great work. ASC member Caleb Deschanel

Member Larry Fong says, Although Ive faced different levels of racism throughout my life, its never been enough to stop me from pursuing this career dream of cinematography. Luckily, when youre behind the camera, its not as much of an issue as it is when youre in front of it, which is an ongoing, real problem. But Ive found that cinematography and crew positions  if you do a good job, youll be hired.

My sponsor at ASC was Michael Goi [American Horror Story], who is, of course, Asian American. I cant help but think of James Wong Howe, who, decades and decades ago, was an Oscar-winning cinematographer [for Hud and The Rose Tattoo]. Back then, if you can imagine the racial hurdles  he was still able to become this well-known, almost household name. Thats pretty incredible.

Advertisement

Longtime member Caleb Deschanel takes the long view.

I wish you could wave a magic wand and make it instantaneous, he said. The important thing is to sustain the effort and not let it be a fad so we find ourselves 10 years down the line and [its a problem again]. I remember years ago hearing about it. It sort of disappears and comes back in waves.

Its two steps forward and one step back. Its sort of horrifying, how long it takes to change peoples minds, to make them aware there are people being prevented from doing potentially great work.

calendar@latimes.com
From the street its a Mission-style California bungalow. A remnant of old Hollywood. It was built as a model home in 1895, with a fantasy tower rising out of the top to tempt potential buyers with its then-unobstructed view. But like the organization it houses, the building near Hollywood and Highland is deceptively old-school in front while looking to the future inside.

Since 1937, it has been the official clubhouse of the American Society of Cinematographers, which turns 100 this month.

Were a society, not a union or guild, notes ASC third-term President Kees van Oostrum. Their main purposes are labor situations, insurance, pension, health and welfare. We stay away from all that.

When the ASC formed in 1919, they said, We just want to be a social club that also deals with the art of cinematography. Yes, they had a pool table, they had a player piano, but they were adamant about educating directors and producers about what a cameraman really did.

Advertisement

Today, the society publishes the magazine American Cinematographer, and educates and consults the industry on new technology.

Membership is by invitation only. There are no quantity or age requirements. Membership is judged entirely by accomplishment, looking at excellence in the art and craft of cinematography, says ASC spokeswoman Lisa Muldowney.

A Mitchell Model A 35mm Movie Camera, 1919 Design with hand crank. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Bylaws require candidates to have been directors of photography for at least five of the last eight years. Once a member sponsors a candidate, the membership must ratify the quality of that persons work by vote. Its an exclusive club: While the International Cinematographers Guild represents about 8,400 professionals, the ASC has only 390 active and retired members (plus 230 associates). That includes what Van Oostrum estimates to be a 5% increase each year in recent times.

Having the ASC designation after cinematographers names has become a point of prestige and authenticity  a seal of approval thats invaluable especially as women and minorities establish themselves in a traditionally white, male field.

Rachel Morrison is the only woman so far to be nominated for the cinematography Oscar, for 2017s Mudbound. Morrison, who was the cinematographer on Black Panther, notes that, Especially among female cinematographers, theres a real tendency for people to doubt ones experience level or abilities. Those letters tend to legitimize one as knowing what theyre doing.

A number of events are marking the ASCs centenary: a proclamation by the city, an open house for the public and a members-only celebration at the clubhouse.

This is no ordinary clubhouse. On a recent private tour of the societys home, Van Oostrum points out the camera that shot Bullitt, another that captured several Alfred Hitchcock features, including North by Northwest, and the Mitchell BNC Serial Number 2, which Gregg Toland used to shoot Citizen Kane.

Advertisement

There are beautiful still photographs by members on the walls and a kitchen stocked with K-cups and pastries. Then, smiling, he adds, We have a bar  obviously.

The American Society of Cinematographers has been housed in the same building near Hollywood and Highland since 1937. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

RELATED: How the American Society of Cinematographers is dealing with diversity 

Five-time Oscar nominee Caleb Deschanel (The Black Stallion, The Natural, the upcoming The Lion King) joined in the 80s. He says members learn from each other, share stories about productions and everything. Theres a big educational aspect to it as well. They run these programs for students to talk to cinematographers.

Advertisement

About 1,600 students have earned certificates under the tutelage of top shooters via the ASCs Master Classes, notes Van Oostrum.

Indicating a modern-looking structure coming together behind the buildings history-preserving face, he explains: Thats where the new Education Center will go. Its a fitting metaphor for the organization. Through its Motion Imaging Technology Council (MITC, or My Tech), the ASC has counseled the industry on many aspects of image capture, reproduction and theatrical exhibition and home distribution. It led the standardization of color grading from device to device and format to format  all to preserve filmmakers intentions.

Sometimes that can seem a little like moving forward to go back: Van Oostrum proudly says the organization was instrumental in getting home-video manufacturers to provide settings for viewers to tone down digital motion smoothing (causing what some call the soap-opera effect) to restore films to their cinematic look. He also champions shooting on film, calling it a myth that digital productions are cheaper.

Deschanel acknowledges the importance of the organization staying in the technological forefront. When the ASC was formed, motion picture cameras were basically Bell and Howell Cameras  35-mm film was used to make movies, he says. That didnt change for almost 100 years. The big changes that happened in the first 100 years were basically color, with first two-strip, then three-strip; then once color film was developed, the big changes had to do with speeds of film and grain and emulsion and things like that. Suddenly, in the last 15-20 years, with the evolution of digital technology, everything is changing.

Advertisement

Theres a lot of technical talk, Deschanel adds. But what really interested me was the conceptual talk about how you come up with an idea for representing the story on film.

Its this kind of discussion about the art and science of cinematography that makes the ASC special, members say.

President Kees van Oostrum at the ASC clubhouse in Hollywood. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Theres always been this sort of law here that once you come through these doors, were all even. ASC President Kees van Oostrum

Advertisement

Theres always been this sort of law here that once you come through these doors, were all even, notes Van Oostrum, whose shooting career began in 1980. Ive been a member for 26 years. Even in the old days, when I was smuggled in  I wasnt supposed to be here as a student  they would deal with me as an up-and-coming cinematographer. You could ask anything.

Polly Morgan (Call the Midwife, Legion), at 39, became the ASCs youngest member this summer, according to the organization. Ive been there in social situations where Ive gotten to have a drink with some of the people whose work Ive seen but I didnt know personally. Now we have a sort of personal connection.

She recalls shooting an ASC project featuring Deschanel: Since I was a little girl, The Black Stallion has been one of my favorite films. So to meet Caleb was a real honor.

Larry Fong (300, Now You See Me) says hes too shy, generally, to approach admired artists, but is fired up by learning:

Advertisement

There are times when I go to the movies and think, How could they do a movie of this scope? Or if not the scope, subtle beauty. Im often baffled by how someone captured an image, lit something, or thought of a camera move. I dont have everything figured out; Im always learning. Its an evolving art.

Morrison, who joined in 2017, says she has received an incredible amount of support from within the society. I cant tell you how many of my heroes approached me to tell me how personally moved they were by my work on Mudbound.

That was incredibly meaningful to me.

------------

Advertisement

The ASC Clubhouse

Where: 1782 N. Orange Drive, Los Angeles

When: Open to the public by appointment on weekdays during normal business hours.

Info: (323) 969-4333

Advertisement

calendar@latimes.com
Dont tune out the music behind the movement

In Laura Bleibergs article about costumes for ABTs revival of Harlequinade [Like Works of Art to Move in, Jan. 13], we learned all about the costumes, all about Marius Petipas original choreography as reconstructed by Robert Perdiziola, all about ABT, but the poor slob who wrote the music is not mentioned. Whats with that? Why is ballet so conspicuously uninterested in the music that gives dance its raison detre?

Nicholas Meyer

Santa Monica

Advertisement

The full story should be told

I so appreciated Laura Bleibergs well-crafted review [Like Resplendent Poetry in Motion, Jan. 12] of the Hubbard Street Dance Chicagos recent performance at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts and for the real estate the Calendar section gave to it.

Yet I was dismayed in reading of the storied Windy City dance companys historical background  namely that Claire Bataille, founding member and former director of the Lou Conte Dance Studio, was conspicuously omitted from being credited as a vital force in its creation and legacy, especially as Claire passed away only a mere few weeks ago. Lou Conte himself was quite effusive in his appreciation of Claire and was quoted in her obituary as saying, Its very probable there would not be a Hubbard Street Dance Chicago had it not been for Claire Bataille. He is not alone in that assessment.

Kevin Gillogly

Thousand Oaks

Why so down on The Upside?

I rarely react to reviews of movies. But film critic Justin Changs mean-spirited critique of The Upside [Really, There Is No Upside, Jan. 11] with Bryan Cranston, Kevin Hart and Nicole Kidman, has moved me to react. While Upside will not win any Academy Awards, it was entertaining and, although a bit uneven, funny. All three actors do an excellent job in what was, simply, a comedy. Too bad Mr. Chang was too busy hating to appreciate that fact.

Gregg Solkovits

Advertisement

Northridge

Green Book is the real deal

Glenn Whipps article about the movie Green Book [Rocky Journey, Jan. 11] does a great disservice to a wonderful film. It accentuates the negatives behind the scenes that are pure Hollywood gossip. The script, the clothes, cars, buildings and the people represent very closely to how I grew up in an Italian neighborhood. The acting is superb. Its nice to see genuine acting by Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali. The best review was the huge ovation the audience gave at the end of the movie I attended. And I can bet you there were few Italian New Yorkers in the audience.

Howard Schecter

Advertisement

Hawthorne

::

I have not met a person yet who has seen Green Book that doesnt agree it is Oscar-worthy in many categories, including best movie. It manages to expose the evils of American structural racism and segregation in an entertaining cinematic experience. Yet in the most self-defeating example of phony controversy and political correctness, some in Hollywood have turned against it.

Alan Segal

Advertisement

San Diego

Rhapsodizing over the Globes

Chiming in on The Times Golden Globes coverage [Opening Doors, Jan 7]. I thought Bohemian Rhapsody was wonderful and absolutely deserving of best picture. Also deserving were Rami Malek and Glenn Close. I like the Golden Globes because they are not part of the Hollywood good-old-boys club. They are independent, they vote their minds and are not impressed with films that no one will understand or even see. I also agree about Roma. Absolute torture to watch.

Kathleen McCord

Advertisement

Encinitas

::

Do you realize that you printed the same Sandra Oh quote four times in Mondays Calendar section? Was there nobody else at the awards, including winners, who had anything interesting, poignant, or important to say?

Axel W. Kyster

Advertisement

Bradbury

Superhero vigor isnt real acting

Sonaiya Kelleys gushing over Brie Larson role in Captain Marvel was close to laughable [Building Captain Marvel, Jan. 13]. Larson is playing a comic book hero, not Lady Macbeth or Anne Frank. We get it. The role required that she work herself into decent shape. But the article noted that she had not one but two stunt doubles to assist her.We cringe at the thought of Laurence Olivier talking about all the push-ups he had to do in order to play the role Joe Palooka.

David Macaray

Advertisement

Rowland Heights

Weighing in on no-host Oscars

Regarding Josh Rottenbergs analysis Setting the Bar for a No-host Oscars [Jan. 12]: A no-host Oscars? Driver-less cars? Whats next, an executive branch without a president?

Joe Kevany

Advertisement

Mount Washington

::

I have a great idea. Maybe the Academy and the producers of the Oscars could get The Avengers to host, all of them. It could be hilarious and attract the 21 to 35 audience everyone so desperately craves these days. The Avengers are adept at saving the day from possible disaster.

Saul Saladow

Advertisement

Los Angeles

Editors note: While there has been speculation that members of The Avengers could participate in hosting duties at this years Oscars ceremony, at presstime this idea was nothing more than a rumor.

::

I worked as Allan Carrs assistant on the infamous Snow White/Rob Lowe Oscar show he produced. I have to say that if (and only if) you arrived late and missed the opening number, it was a wonderful no host Oscar show. But if you did watch the opening number, your stomach may have curdled with Rob Lowe and Snow White singing Proud Mary and some horrible, god-awful moments with Snow White in the audience.

Advertisement

Rob Newman

Beverly Hills

::

The Academy should offer the hosting spot to Robert Mueller. Everyone would tune in and he could tease with Stay tuned for an important announcement, and Ill also tell you who won best picture.

Advertisement

Jake Dimo

Ventura

Cut some slack for indie budgets

In Noel Murrays review of the animated film Tall Tales [Tall Tales Comes Up Short, Jan. 11] he comments on the pedestrian visuals. It seems that every week, the reviewers forget that not every film has a $100 million budget or even $15 million. In the independent film section, some are working with $500,000. Im not sure how this can be taken into consideration in the reviews, but a lot of these little independent films are doing the best they can with what they were given.

Advertisement

David Brant

Lake Arrowhead

There are better role models

As an African American man who has overcome bigotry to succeed in life, I was appalled that you gave nearly three pages of print to the rapper Rubberband OG [Rough Rhymes, Jan. 6], who admits he couldnt hold a job, smokes weed, has fathered four children by four different women and writes songs about the victimhood he finds himself in.

Advertisement

He is the stereotype of the black man who is a loser and wants to blame society for the bad choices he has made in his life. I am sure The Times could find other black men (Tyler Perry, Steve Harvey, Barack Obama, for example) who have overcome obstacles and found success in their lives.

Mike Lockridge

Mission Viejo

No mention of Trump ads?

Advertisement

Thanks for your reporting on the Presidents Oval Office address [New Script but the Same Old Lines, Jan. 9]. I agreed with most of your reporting, but you left out what I consider to be an extremely crass, tacky, and slap-in-the-face of decent behavior for this presidents use of his office.

As Lawrence ODonnell on MSNBC reported, blatant political [fundraising] emails bookended the presidents address. Ive never seen such a callous use of the Oval Office backdrop for crude political fundraising, and Im surprised that it hasnt received more attention.

Bill Clark

Santa Monica

Advertisement

Underwhelmed with Roma

[Regarding Feedback, Jan. 13] I would like to second a readers view of Alfonso Cuarons Roma, which I consider one of the most massively overpraised films of recent years. As I was watching this account of one womans unwanted pregnancy and anothers abandonment by an adulterous husband, I realized Id seen this before and done much better. And it was done almost sixty years ago by another director, the underrated Delmer Daves. After a long career of helming rugged fare such as Destination Tokyo, Task Force and 3:10 to Yuma in the 40s and 50s, he turned in the early 60s to what were then termed soap operas with A Summer Place, Parrish and Susan Slade. These were beautifully crafted dramas, also written by Daves, that revolved around the same subject matter as Roma. I know Hollywood is a town of notoriously short memories, but the critics heaping superlatives on Cuaron would do well to remember the unheralded artistry of Daves.

Bill Royce

Cathedral City

Advertisement

In defense of Billy Joel

Did Randall Roberts seriously call Billy Joels Just The Way You Are treacly in an otherwise well-written article [Slips and Slaps, Dec. 18] that also mentions Lionel Richie, Anne Murray, and worst of all, Celine Dions diabetes-inducing My Heart Will Go On?

Dont go changin, Billy. No matter what Randall Roberts thinks.

Axel W. Kyster

Advertisement

Bradbury

The conversation continues online with comments and letters from readers at latimes.com/calendarfeedback

calendar.letters@latimes.com
At the Womens March in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, amid the cacophony of chants and shouts, a subtler melodic sound caught the attention of marcher Dina Khouri. Sporting a bright pink knitted pussy hat, the Woodland Hills resident made her way through the crowd to the corner of Hill and 1st streets.

There, amid all the protest signs, hot dog carts and T-shirt vendors, Khouri unexpectedly found what shed been searching for: a choral group singing in a unified, clear voice. She found a protest choir called Community Chorus.

One of my New Years resolutions was to join a choir, she said. And look what just presented itself! Its so lovely. I love this city, and I love this day!

Khouri wasted no time, snagging a sheet of lyrics from a chorus member and joining the group mid-song. I love to sing, so why not? she said.

Advertisement

The protest choir named Community Chorus performs during the Womens March on Saturday in downtown Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Multimedia artist and composer Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs formed the Community Chorus in 2016. The group meets twice a month for rehearsals at the Womens Center for Creative Work in the Elysian Valley neighborhood of Los Angeles and regularly performs at protests around the city. Its free and open to anyone, regardless of singing experience or ability to read music. Although Riggs does bring in professional guest musicians to work with the group, the point isnt to perfect vocal technique. Its to come together.

On Saturday morning, volunteer choral director Tany Ling led the Community Chorus enthusiastically. The soprano had arrived at the march a little before 10 a.m. with a backpack full of pop-up choir supplies: water, a folding metal music stand, a binder of sheet music, a tambourine and a ukulele. For two hours she led two dozen women  most wearing red in support of the Los Angeles Unified School District teachers strike  as they serenaded marchers.

Woohoo! Sing it, women! one passerby shouted in support of the chorus as she waved a sign that read, Your Vote Is Your Voice.

Let your little light shine, shine, shine, the group responded, singing along to a tune based on music by Pamela Warrick-Smith.

In place of songs by Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger, this protest choir sang Rise by Solange, Hold On Be Strong by Outkast and Sing About Love by British alt-rock band Chumbawamba. There were punk song covers too, including Keep Your Laws Off My Body by the Dog Faced Hermans.

We wanted to get away from 60s-era protest songs composed by white males, Ling said.

Tany Ling, the volunteer choral director of Community Chorus, leads the group Saturday at the Womens March in downtown L.A. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Advertisement

Community Chorus founder Riggs said by email that she formed the group to ease protest fatigue. Launching a protest choir would keep her engaged, accountable and marching, she hoped. A native of Oakland, Riggs grew up attending protests and sees them as a necessary and important motivating experience, not the end-goal.

Riggs apparently isnt alone in craving that sort of communal motivation. According to Ling, the Community Chorus is outgrowing its rehearsal space. Nearly 40 members attended a week ago, and new members join at each rehearsal.

The group has been busy. Last week it joined striking teachers at Delevan Drive Elementary in the Glassell Park neighborhood of L.A. twice, singing strong despite cold, rainy weather.

Our music got soggy and so did we, Ling said. But, rain or shine, the group plans to continue singing alongside LAUSD teachers as long as the strike continues.

Advertisement

Riggs chooses which events the group will sing at, many driven by resistance to President Trump and his policies, including immigration and family separation at the border. The chorus also sings at fundraisers for organizations such as JusticeLA, which advocates for prison reform, and it canvassed as a group for candidate (now Congresswoman) Katie Hill.

After the Womens March performance, choir member Jessica Basta was energized.

I thought today was very powerful, she said. We have a lot of songs that are low-key, theyre not upbeat like a lot of the chants going by. But I love hearing these different voices come together with the same message. Listening to that today gave me chills.

Please support our coverage of local artists and the local arts scene with a digital subscription.

Advertisement

See all of our latest arts news and reviews at latimes.com/arts.
By Baek Byung-yeul





Korea's ginseng exports are expected to reach $200 million in 2019, thanks to growing demand, the agriculture ministry said Sunday.







The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corp. (aT) said exports of ginseng products totaled $188 million in 2018, an 18.5 percent increase year-on-year.







China was the biggest importer, buying ginseng products worth $51 million, followed by Japan at $33 million, Hong Kong at $29 million and the United States at $24 million.







The aT, a state-run agency that promotes local agro-fisheries products, said there was growing demand for ginseng in China and neighboring countries because these regions lack locally grown ginseng roots.







"The exports of ginseng products are not just to China, as the products are popular in many countries such as Japan, the U.S. and Vietnam," an agriculture ministry spokesperson said. "At this pace, exports will likely reach $200 million."







Ginseng products rank fifth among exports of major agricultural products. Cigarettes led the way at $792 million, followed by beverages ($418 million), instant noodles ($413 million) and instant coffee ($266 million).


Egypt is keen to support stability and security in South Sudan and boost mutual cooperation with the country, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi told South Sudanese counterpart Salva Kiir on Thursday.

Kiir arrived in Cairo on Wednesday for a two-day visit.

The two leaders held a meeting at Cairo's Ittihadiya Presidential Palace followed by extensive discussions between delegates from both countries.

El-Sisi emphasised "Egypt's complete and unlimited support for South Sudan's efforts to achieve peace and stability in the country as an extension to Egypt's national security," El-Sisi's spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement.

The two leaders discussed the latest developments regarding the implementation of the peace agreement between government and opposition forces in South Sudan.

The two leaders also discussed a number of regional issues including in Nile Basin countries and the Horn of Africa.

President Kiir expressed his country's appreciation for the close cooperation with Egypt, praising Egypt's sincere support for a solution to the conflict in South Sudan and its humanitarian efforts there.

Kiir also spoke about the pivotal role Egypt has been playing to support stability in Africa, which have qualified the country to chair the African Union in 2019.

Egypt's relations with South Sudan are currently seeing an "unprecedented boom," El-Sisi said in a speech during a joint press conference with Kiir on Thursday, emphasising Cairo's continued support for South Sudan's peace-building, stabilisation and development efforts.

In September, President Kiir signed a peace agreement with rebel factions to end a five-year civil war that has killed an estimated 400,000 million and crippled the country's development since it gained independence in 2011.

In his speech, El-Sisi urged the international community to fulfil its commitment to backing South Sudan in its advance towards development. The Egyptian president said the two countries look forward to further strengthening their ties.

"Our discussions today reflected the determination of the two countries to move forward with bilateral relations and push them to a wider level in a way that enables us to make the best use of the economic and investment opportunities available," El-Sisi said.

The two leaders last met in September in Beijing on the sidelines of the Forum on ChinaAfrica Cooperation FOCAC 2018.

Short link:


South Africa: SA records high traveller movements over festive season

South Africa has recorded 6 852 972 traveller movements at its ports of entry, up from 6 811 510 movements in 2018.

Briefing the media on traveller statistics on Sunday, Home Affairs Minister Siyabonga Cwele said the increased movements were influenced mainly by tourism, cross border employment, business and education programmes.

The statistics are for the period 1 December 2018 to 15 January 2019.

Statistics on traveller movement are an important indicator on how busy our ports are, and how efficient we are in processing movements. When comparing statistics for the period 1 December to 15 January over the past two years, we see a marginal increase of 0.61%. This year we recorded 6 852 972 movements compared to 6 811 510 movements in 2018, said Cwele.

The top nationalities cleared at ports of entry over this period were from Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, United Kingdom, Germany, USA, Namibia and Zambia. OR Tambo International Airport cleared the highest volumes, with 997 167. It was followed by Beitbridge at 884 992, then Lebombo with 625 975, Ficksburg Bridge with 471 474 and Maseru Bridge with 428 038.

Extended hours at front offices

Cwele said that due to higher volumes of citizens in the period after the New Years celebration and the start of school year, the department extended operating hours at its big and some medium-sized offices from 2 to 11 January 2019.

During the period, offices across the country provided services to citizens and other clients from 7am to 7pm.

During the extended hours period, 116 404 citizens visited Home Affairs offices to access services, including applying for smart IDs, collecting documents, getting temporary ID certificates, registering births, applying for birth certificates and resolving various queries.

Extending office hours benefitted citizens who were looking for enabling documents with which to register learners and university students and for matric exams. There are citizens who came to collect their IDs in order to cast their votes during the 2019 general elections.

The intervention helped in testing the offices readiness to serve eligible voters during the voter registration weekend of 26 and 27 January 2019. Our people need identity documents in order to register to vote. Overall, operations went well, Cwele said.

The Minister said he is satisfied the departments offices are ready to assist citizens this coming weekend. He had visited some offices in three provinces during this period.

He also appealed to those who applied for identity documents to come and collect them, noting that most of the uncollected IDs are in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.

As at the beginning of this year, 297 000 IDs were uncollected at various office across the country.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2019-01-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
A gate at Suwon circa 1900-1910



By Robert Neff



In the morning, George C. Foulk, dressed in his uniform, called on the magistrate or governor of Suwon. His notes are rather sparse (unlike his notes of other locations) but he did describe the fortifications and the location of the yongmun  with which he seemed fairly pleased.



"The main part of the town, which seemed but a village of thatched houses, lay in a valley between two lines of pretty pine wooded hills."



"The wall line is nearly square, running over the hill tops and across the valley north and south of the town: It is pierced for two great gates north and south, and other small and masked ones for military purposes."



"The official buildings are close against the western hill, and comprise a very large yongmun and a small palace: from the formed a wide avenue leads eastward, lined with offices, meeting the one real street of the city, which is but the road connecting the north and south gates  a section of the highway leading from Seoul to the southern provinces of the country."





Gate of the Yongmun at Suwon circa 1900-1920.



"On top of the hill back of the palace is a very graceful pavilion  for the commander-in-chief, from here the view over the country is magnificent embracing all quarters but the east."



"By it is a walled court, or drill ground and narrow stone stairways leading to an arch in the base of the wall."



"The wall is massively built and lined with picturesque bastions of odd shapes; like that of the other cities."



"It was whole and kept in good condition and with the great thickness of earth banked behind it would offer good resistance against even modern artillery."





A pavilion in the fortress at Suwon circa 1900-1920.



As for the governor, Foulk wrote:



"The governor is about eighty-five years old, yet hearty and strong. While he was courteous and kind in his manner to me, he seemed greatly feared by the host of retainers about him.



"The discipline of the place seemed very rigid and minute, and all day long the air of the Yongmun was one of excitement and function, evinced in beating of drums, rushing about in all directions of gaily uniformed underlings, runners and policemen and shrill long drawn cries by people transmitting orders or announcing the approach of the visiting officials."



Foulk was surprised to discover that living in one of the Yongmun's buildings was a Chinese official with a small retinue of servants. He tried to discover the purpose of the Chinese official but found all to be evasive in answering and only managed to learn that, despite "the high rank of the Korean governor he was bound to call daily upon the Chinese officer."





The walls and gate of Suwon fortress circa 1900-1920.



Foulk was further convinced of the obvious power that China enjoyed in Korea when orders were given for "no one to invade [his] quarters out of curiosity [but] some of the Chinese did so insolently." The gentle remonstrations to the offenders by the governor's officials were ignored.



Foulk's stay was fairly short  almost as short as his notes  but one of his remarks is fairly interesting:



"Suwon was said to have been founded as a royal city to be the residence of a King who abdicated in favor of his son; the King came here to live but died soon after though the young King was for a long time kept in ignorance of his death."



Foulk seems to be mistaken  or perhaps I am but the establishment of the walled city may go back to that dark page in Korean history involving the filial piety of King Jeongjo for his father, Prince Sado.



Over the years Prince Sado has been villainized  perhaps rightly. He is associated with rapes and murders. "Our quarters," wrote his wife, "became a house of horrors in which no one could be certain they would not fall victim."





The gate in 2016.



At a young age, Sado suffered from hallucinations  his mental unrest may have further been aggravated by the mental abuse his father King Yeongjo (r. 1724-1776) heaped upon him. His father blamed him for any natural disaster and forced him to witness executions. After speaking with his son, his father would often wash his own ears out  a gesture of wanting to rid himself of his son's presence.



Events climaxed in the summer of 1762 when the king ordered his son to climb into a rice chest and had it sealed and placed in the hot sun. Despite the pleading of Sado's son, the king  his grandfather  could not be swayed and Sado died eight days later.



When King Yeongjo died, Sado's son ascended to the throne as King Jeongjo (r. 1776-1800) and began a campaign of revenge. He had his father buried in the Suwon area and moved people from the surrounding villages to the new city he had built near the tomb. The city walls and a detached palace were constructed as a means of "protect[ing] the tomb and to maintain its glory."



This fortress and city came to be known as Hwaseong  now part of modern Suwon. It is for this reason Suwon is known as the City of Filial Piety.





Pigeons and the walls of Suwon in 2016.





The fortress of Suwon in 2016.





A royal tomb near Suwon circa 1900-1920.


Trump, Kim to meet again to discuss denuclearization



The White House announced Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will be meeting again at the end of February. The announcement came after Kim Yong-chol, vice chairman of the Central Committee of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, traveled to the U.S. last week for a meeting with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at Dupont Circle Hotel near the White House and President Trump.



After a lengthy session with the North Korean negotiator, Trump told reporters that a country had been picked for his second summit with the North Korean leader.



Although an exact venue and date have not been announced, it is a good sign that the two countries have confirmed a second summit to follow up on their first summit in Singapore last year. Despite their agreement to work toward North Korea's complete denuclearization, little progress has been made since their first meeting on June 12, 2018.



Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Kim Eui-gyeom said Saturday that the upcoming summit will be a turning point in establishing permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula. Many South Koreans are hoping the second U.S.-North Korea summit will pave the way for Kim's visit to South Korea, which was not realized last year although the leaders of the two Koreas had agreed on it during the inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang in September 2018. It was the third Moon-Kim meeting in a single year and many South Koreans had hoped to see Kim visit Seoul within that year. At the time Moon had announced that Kim would visit Seoul within the year, given that there were not any special circumstances that prevented it, raising expectations among South Koreans to see a North Korean leader finally paying a reciprocal visit to the South.



Some Japanese news outlets reported over the weekend that Kim is likely to visit South Korea in late March or early April. But Cheong Wa Dae denied the reports.



A second U.S.-North Korea summit had been highly anticipated after Kim's New Year speech where he underlined his eagerness to meet with the U.S. President again and Trump also showed a favorable reaction to the message on Twitter. But concerns are rising as to the effectiveness of the second summit in expediting North Korea's denuclearization as the two countries remain wide apart on the specifics. Since the first summit in Singapore, the denuclearization talks have been deadlocked with the U.S. resolve to retain sanctions against North Korea. Kim vowed to seek a "new way" to protect its sovereignty if the U.S. keeps up its "unilateral sanctions."



Kim also stressed that his country had declared it will no longer "build, test or use"nuclear weapons. He needs to follow this up with a clear roadmap to assure the global community of its commitment to getting rid of its nuclear program. This will be crucial to the success of the second Trump-Kim summit.



During a New Year press conference earlier this month, Moon said Kim's visit to Seoul can be facilitated by the realization of a second U.S.-North Korea summit. We hope the summit will proceed smoothly so that it will set the necessary conditions for a highly anticipated meeting in Seoul between the leaders of the two Koreas.




Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business.
Kim Yong-chol, vice chairman of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party Central Committee, delivers a letter from the regime's leader Kim Jong-un to U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, Saturday (local time). Kim Yong-chol visited Washington as a nuclear envoy, discussing schedules and agendas for an upcoming second summit between Trump and Kim. / Screen capture from Twitter



'A lot of progress' with North: Trump



By Lee Min-hyung



U.S. President Donald Trump will hold a much-anticipated second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in late February, Trump confirmed Saturday (local time), signaling hopes for rapid progress in their stalled denuclearization talks.



"We have agreed to meet sometime, probably the end of February," Trump told reporters.



The remark came a day after he met with North Korean envoy Kim Yong-chol at the White House. The top negotiator of the North visited Washington for a three-day trip to possibly discuss detailed schedules and agendas for the upcoming summit. In a meeting with Trump, Kim Yong-chol delivered a letter from the regime's young leader.



Trump went on to say that both sides fixed a location for the meeting and will announce it "in the future."



"Kim Jong-un is looking very forward to it and so am I," Trump said. "We have made a lot of progress as far as denuclearization is concerned and we are talking about a lot of different things. Things are going very well with North Korea."



Speculation has been rampant over the timeline and location for the Washington-Pyongyang summit, as Trump has in recent weeks declined to confirm the details despite signs indicating the meeting is imminent.



Even if nothing official has been confirmed, Vietnam is seen as the most probable venue for the upcoming summit, with the country reportedly engaging in "logistical preparations" for the meeting by repeatedly expressing its interest in hosting the event.



It is likely that Washington and Pyongyang may have picked either Vietnam's capital city of Hanoi or port city of Danang for the venue of their second meeting. This is because the country is not far away from Pyongyang and has enough experiences in hosting large-scale international events.



As of Sunday, North Korea has yet to report anything on the upcoming Washington-Pyongyang summit. But chances are the regime will announce the second summit in a couple of weeks, as it did in late May last year when its state-controlled Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim Jong-un expressed his firm determination for the June 12 summit with the U.S.



Working-level dialogue



Keen attention is being drawn to possible agendas for the summit at a time when the U.S. and North Korea fail to make any progress in their stalled denuclearization talks following their first summit.



Starting Saturday (local time in Sweden), working-level delegations from Washington and Pyongyang have kicked off four days of discussion to fine-tune their differences on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.



Steve Biegun, the U.S. special representative for North Korea, led the delegation from Washington, while North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui headed his side. A South Korean delegation, led by Lee Do-hoon, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, also took part in the ongoing working-level talks.



In particular, this is the first time the heads of the working-level delegations from Washington and Pyongyang have held a face-to-face discussion since Biegun was appointed last August.



In October, Biegun expressed his hopes to meet with Choe in Vienna to narrow their differences on their stalled denuclearization talks. But the meeting was not arranged in the end, with the North keeping silent over the proposal.



During the ongoing closed-door meetings, delegations from Washington will likely offer a series of its possible bargaining chips to keep the regime at the denuclearization dialogue table. In December, Biegun underlined the need to provide humanitarian aid to the North.



North Korea, for its part, will also demand the U.S. take what the regime calls "reciprocal steps" in line with the North's phased denuclearization. The steps are likely to include the North's exemptions from international sanctions.



It remains to be seen whether both sides can narrow their differences during the first-ever meeting. But chances are that they will reach a broad agreement on a possible agenda and framework for the upcoming summit.


Venice, FL (34285)

Today

Cloudy in the morning with scattered thunderstorms developing later in the day. High 89F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Overcast. Low near 75F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
You might not be aware that on August 16th the Council was informed, at the conclusion of the regular meeting, that there would be an Executive Session to discuss upcoming salary and benefit negotiations with the police union. Mayor Stahr informed Mrs. Wolfe that she would not be allowed to attend since her husband is a York City Police Officer and her participation would be a conflict of interest. It should be noted that Officer Wolfe is one of two officers that represented the police union during contract negotiations with the City this year. This only magnified her financial conflict of interest. Mrs. Wolfe argued with the Mayor quite vocally, stating that she had always been allowed to participate when the previous mayor was in office and demanded that she should be allowed to attend. The Mayor, again, asked her to leave and then the City Attorney told her that since she did have a financial conflict of interest she would be required to leave. We believe Mayor Stahr acted in the best interest of the City and the taxpayers by requesting Mrs. Wolfe recuse herself of Police Union discussions and negotiations.
Turkey is ready to take over security in Syria's Manbij without delay, President Tayyip Erdogan told US President Donald Trump in a telephone call on Sunday, the Turkish presidency said.

Erdogan said an attack that left four US personnel dead last week in Manbij was an act of provocation aimed at affecting Trump's decision last month to withdraw US troops from Syria.

Manbij is controlled by a militia allied to the US-backed Kurdish YPG, who last month invited Syrian President Bashar Assad into the area around the town to forestall a potential Turkish assault.
Both the exceptional circumstances surrounding Sunday's attack near Damascus, which was attributed to Israel, and Syria's response may indicate a new direction in "the war between wars" currently been waged, and raise a number of questions about the objectives of the attacker and the responder.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



The Russian army in Syria said it was Israeli planes that launched air-to-surface missiles over the Mediterranean Sea, towards targets in the area of Damascus International Airport. Contrary to most of the attacks previously attributed to Israel, for which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took partial responsibility, Sunday's attack took place in the afternoon, during daylight hours. At the time of the strike, an Iranian passenger/cargo plane was coming in for landing at Damascus International Airport. The plane belonged to the Iranian aviation company Mahan Airlines.

Mahan's headquarters are in Tehran; the company operates from Imam Khomeini Intenrational Airport and has a large fleet of aircraft, some 60 in total, most made in Europe. In 2009, the company was found to have unlawfully taken three Boeing 747s from the European company Blue Sky Airlines, using forged bills of sale. The company refused to return the planes, hardly surprising, given the American boycott on the sale of US-made aircraft of any kind to Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The flightpath of the Mahan airliner that turned back from Damascus

Mahan flies both domestic and international flights, which is interesting given that in December 2011, the US Treasury declared it an embargoed company on the grounds that it supports terrorism and serves the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. In announcing its embargo on the company, the US Treasury said it primarily serves the Revolutionary Guards' elite Quds Force, which operates in the international and Middle Eastern arenas, is assisting Hezbollah and the Syrian army, operating against Israel and trying to establish itself in Syria.

Last month, Germany officially announced that it planned to ban Mahan Airlines from landing in its territory, after receiving evidence that the company's planes, including Boeing 747s, had transferred Quds Force weapons and operatives to Syria.

With this in mind, it is fair to assume that the action attributed to Israel was intended to deter the Mahan plane, which took off in Tehran, from landing in Damascus. This assumption can be reinforced by the fact that this was the only plane due to land at Damascus airport.

The plane was close to touch down when the strike took place, and it is reasonable to believe that Israel alerted the Russians to the attack and the Russians directed the craft back to Tehran. The suspicion that the entire operation was to stop the plane landing is strengthened by the fact that the usual Syrian sources, such as the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, or other Syrian and Lebanese sources did not report the strike nor distribute photographs of Israeli missiles hitting their targets.

Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system fells rockets over the Golan Heights (Photo: Yossi Amar)

There is no way of knowing who or what was in the belly of the plane, but one could sensibly assume that whoever attacked it was interested in sending it back from whence it came - with a warning for whoever sent it. All of this was apparently done in order not to irritate the Russians, and to bring them onboard with the operation.

The Syrian response is also interesting. The reaction was surface-to-surface rocket fire, apparently under cover of a barrage from an anti-aircraft missile battery launched in order to mislead Israel. AMid the anti-aircraft fire was a surface-to-surface rocket aimed at Mount Hermon. The anti-aircraft missile fire only came after the attacking planes were out of range, or even when they had already returned to their base in Israel. Assuming, of course, that it was Israel who carried out the attack.

The Syrians have previously fired anti-aircraft missiles into Israeli territory, even though they had no target they could realistically hit. To Israel, Sunday's was a reprisal attack aimed at harassing and wearing down its population, creating panic and possibly harming tourism on the Golan. This was the case a few weeks ago, when Israel attacked and Syrian surface-to-air missiles were fired at the Jewish state, even though they did not hit. And this was the case Sunday, when the rockets brought down by Iron Dome could be clearly seen in the skies over Mount Hermon, while thousands enjoyed the snow below.

Tourists at the Mt. Hermon ski resort

This method of retaliation shows that the Assad regime is apparently looking for ways to respond to the attacks attributed to Israel, especially after Israel lifted much of the veil of ambiguity over these strikes.

This removal of the veil of ambiguity by then-IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot and Prime Minister Netanyahu is intended to make the Russians deter the Iranians themselves, and make it clear to Tehran that Quds Force commander Qassem Suleimani is dragging them into a perilous escapade. He is trying to avenge the damage to the prestige of his regime, apparently without pushing Israel too hard, and the Russians are pressuring him not to do anything that could lead to a broad confrontation.
A temporary structure built on a building in Yongsan to protest a redevelopment plan for the area is on fire after police raided the site early Jan. 20, 2009. / Korea Times file



By Park Ji-won



A decade ago, on Jan. 19, 2009, about 30 residents held a sit-in protest in a temporary four-story tower built on the top of a building in Yongsan demanding proper compensation after a decision to redevelop the area.



In a pre-dawn attack by dozens of police commandos and privately hired security guards, the temporary building structure occupied by displaced tenants in Yongsan, central Seoul caught ablaze. The fire took the lives of five residents and one police officer, leaving more than 20 people injured.



The incident was tragic but is typical of recent history where the country has been obsessed with speedy development.



In South Korea, "yongyeok" or errand men, have been commonly mobilized to drive out remaining residents or company tenants from areas planned to be redeveloped under the city's approval. They raid protest sites without warning and frequently use violence to force evictions. Their frequent violence and following casualties have prompted many to label them "gangsters" or "hired goons." In the Yongsan incident, also called Yongsan Disaster, those errand men also played a role along with police officers.



It is unknown exactly what helped ignite fire in the temporary building, as no fact-finding process has yet taken place in a decade. The government reversed its interpretation of the deadly incident after President Moon Jae-in took power.



In March 2018, the prosecutor's fact-finding committee said it would launch an investigation into the incident while the Korean National Police Agency's fact-finding committee on human rights violations later concluded in September 2018 that "then police command has a responsibility for the incident as the police entered the scene without taking proper safety measures."



However, sources say the prosecutor's committee stopped its investigation due to pressure by former investigators in the past administrations working on clearing the police of charges. Several reports say two outside investigators resigned from the pressure and there will be a possibility of disbanding the committee as it failed to meet the conditions as the committee requires a certain number of outsiders.



Suspicions of poor investigation



Investigators at the Seoul Central Prosecutors' Office concluded that 20 protesters were guilty of obstruction of justice and they were put in jail for three to four years. Last year, they were pardoned under the Moon Jae-in administration.



Prosecutors were suspected of having hastily concluded that the fire was caused by the protesters' mishandling of a large amount of paint thinner used in making Molotov cocktails. Some protesters, meanwhile, insist it was not thinners but a container of cenox  a fuel additive stored on the second floor for a generator  which fell after police pulled an iron beam from the temporary structure.



The authorities also cleared the police of all criminal charges, saying they were not directly responsible for sparking the fire and that the mobilization of police commandos was legitimate.



There are suspicions that the police first sparked the fight as it had decided to raid the scene two hours before the protesters started to fight back by hurling Molotov cocktails at police and contract workers. Kim Soo-jung, then an official at Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, explained that, "The city was under terrorist attack by the evictees so the police had to suppress them."



However, some say the situation was not as violent as described before the police became involved, as it was all too common for riot police to be deployed to such scenes.



Kim Seok-ki, then head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, resigned from his post but and later became the consul general in Osaka in two years, and the president and CEO of the Korea Airports Corporation. He is now a lawmaker of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP).



'Justice should be served'



After the Yongsan incident, the government approved the revised enforcement decree on building demolition; a residential building cannot be forcefully evicted in wintertime, at night or during bad weather.



However, family members of the five residents who were killed during the police operation, and survivors who were injured continue to raise their voices to ask for the punishment of the authorities, including Kim who made the decision to mobilize the police which led to the casualties, and government measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring.







Kim Young-deok, widow of Yang Hoe-sung who died in the Yongsan incident, sells hotteok, a Korean street food, in front of the construction site near where the deadly incident happened 10 years ago, Thursday. / Yonhap



"Family victims of the Yongsan incident shed tears of blood every day for 10 years. Nothing has been proven," Kim Young-deok, widow of Yang Hoe-sung, said during a testimony session held by several lawmakers at the National Assembly, Tuesday.



"It took 10 years but nothing has been disclosed. And evicted people are still driven out and dying," said Jun Jae-sook, widow of Lee Sang-min.



"I hope a related law will be revised so evictees can live normal lives without being kicked out of their homes in the wintertime."



Jun also asked Kim Seok-ki to quit as a lawmaker and take responsibility for what he did.



"Kim Seok-ki who ordered to mobilize the government forces to suppress the protest is now working as a lawmaker. It is absurd. I am here to change the law that states people cannot get punished after killing because the statute of limitations has expired."



They held a sit-in protest in front of Kim's office at the Assembly after they finished their testimony.





An evictee is surrounded by police officers who allegedly forcefully raided the building where people held a sit-in rally to demand proper compensation for their relocation from the Yongsan area on Jun. 20, 2009. / Korea Times file
A third Qatari cash infusion will be paid out to Palestinian civil servants in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday after it was held back by Israel in protest of Palestinian border violence, a Qatari diplomat said on Sunday.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



In November, Qatar began a six-month, $150 million program to fund civil servant wages and shipments of fuel for power generation in Gaza, offering a measure of reprieve to the blockaded enclave under the control of the Hamas terror group.

First Qatari cash installment paid out to Palestinian civil servants in the Gaza Strip, November 9, (Photo: AFP)

Qatar hopes the aid will ease conditions and restore stability, part of efforts to bolster its international standing amid a diplomatic dispute with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf neighbors.

Speaking from his office in Doha, Mohammed Al-Emadi, head of Qatar's Gaza Strip Reconstruction Committee, said the latest $15 million wage payment was initially withheld by Israel but would now arrive this week.

"Due to the violence on the border, the Israeli government postponed it. The agreement is subject to there not being too much violence, so last Friday they (Israel) approved to do the third tranche," Emadi said.

Qatari Ambassador to Gaza Mohammed Al Emadi arriving at the March of Return protest site

Emadi said wage payments would not be physically carried by him in cash into Gaza as with previous disbursements but that a new system had been arranged. He declined to specify how it would work.

Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) declined to comment.

Palestinian civil servants receive salaries ()

X

Emadi said Qatar would next push for a roughly $80 million electricity project that would have it effectively manage the strip's power supply, buying Israeli electricity in bulk and distributing it across Gaza while collecting payment from Palestinians in return.

"We will fund this project but I want to make sure I have control of the electricity so I can get my money back," he said of the plan, which would see Qatar build a power substation and network to end the need for costly fuel shipments.

"We need to find a solution for these 2 million peoplethis is our aim and goal. Not just to deliver money because Israel wants quiet or Hamas wants money."
The Palestinian Authority has handed over to US authorities an American-Palestinian it had sentenced to life imprisonment for violating a ban on selling land to Israelis, two senior Palestinian officials said on Sunday.

"Issam Akel holds an American passport and he was handed over to the US authorities upon their request," one senior security official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.

A second official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed Akel's release.

Both declined to give any more details. Akel's family was not available for comment. US officials did not comment when asked about Akel's release.

Akel was convicted by a West Bank court in December of attempting to sell a property in East Jerusalem without the permission of his business partners or the Palestinian authorities.
A funeral was held in Britain on Sunday for six unknown Jewish victims of the Auschwitz death camp, after the remains of five adults and at least one child were donated to the Imperial War Museum in 1997.

The BBC said the remains were discovered among a large number of objects relating to the Holocaust given to the museum by one donor.

Coffins were lowered into the ground in a Jewish cemetery north of London at a ceremony attended by the Israeli ambassador and the deputy German ambassador, the BBC said.
Following Israeli airstrike in southern Syria on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel's policy concerning Iran has not changed.

"We have a permanent policy: To strike at the Iranian entrenchment in Syria and hurt whoever tries to hurt us. This policy does not change whether I am in Israel or on an historic visit to Chad. This policy is permanent," he said during his visit to the African country.
Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil appealed at the end of an Arab economic summit on Sunday to the international community to take steps to encourage Syrian refugees to return home.

"We call on the international community to take its responsibility to curb the misery," he said, after discussing the issue with other Arab states at the summit which Beirut is hosting.
Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked over the weekend dimsissed members of the Druze community protesting against the Nation-State Law, telling them that the controversial law "is not going to be amended since it defines Israel as the national home of the Jewish people."

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



The contentious law defines Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people as well as ends Arabic's status as an official language of Israel, leading critics to claim it is discriminatory against Israel's minorities.

Addressing the protesters who gathered outside her Tel Aviv home on Friday, Shaked said that legislation could be passed to enshrine the status of the Druze community in law.

"In order to mend the rift, we can definitely push for legislation defining the status of the Druze community, Shaked told the activists.

Shaked brushed off claims by several protesters accused that she was indifferent to their distress. "The fact I made an effort to meet with you on a Friday shows I care," she said.

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked speaks with Druze protesters against the Nation-State Law

Shaked also praised the deep connection between the Druze community and the Jewish state, stating that the law does not harm Israel's Druze citizens.

"When I enlisted in the IDF I had a lot of dreams, I thought I would amount to something but everything changed after I stepped on an explosive device and lost my legs while protecting you, the Knesset members who voted in favor of the Nation-State Law, and all of Israel's citizens," a disabled Druze IDF veteran told Shaked.

"Look me in the eye and tell me how you could raise your hand to vote in favor of the law without thinking of me," he said.

"We were trying to appeal to her heart, but when there is no heart nothing will happen," some activists said before abruptly ending the discussion.

Brig. Gen. (res.) Amal Asad, a leader of the Druze protests against the law, criticized the justice minister for putting politics before people. "Shaked's fear of elections is disappointing," he said.

Before meeting with Shaked, members of the Druze community and activists opposing the law met with a series of political leaders, including Labor Chairman Avi Gabbay, former IDF chief of staff and the leader of the Israel Resilience Party Benny Gantz, Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid, and Orly Levy-Abekasis who heads the newly established Gesher party, to discuss ways to amend the law.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the central African nation of Chad on Sunday to officially restore relations after nearly 50 years, a move that the Isreli leader said was "historic."

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



The visit and official announcement marked a milestone in Netanyahu's recent policy of seeking out new allies among developing countries that have historically sided with the Palestinians at the United Nations and other international forums.

Benjamin Netanyahu and Idriss Deby (Photo: GPO)

visited Jerusalem in November , for talks during which the leaders discussed cooperation in agriculture, counterterrorism, border protection and technology. Netanyahu hailed what he called a "historic and important breakthrough" with the Muslim-majority country that borders Libya and Sudan.

Benjamin Netanyahu and Idriss Deby

"Israel is making inroads into the Islamic world. This is the result of considerable effort in recent years. We are making history and we are turning Israel into a rising global power," Netanyahu said from the capital city of N'Djamena, during the first ever visit by an Israeli prime minister. "We are continuing on, up the mountain, to new heights."





Benjamin Netanyahu and Idriss Deby (Photo: GPO)

Chad broke off relations with Israel in 1972 amid pressure from the Arab world. Most recently, it has played a key role as a partner of the United States and other North African countries in combatting jihadist groups such as Boko Haram in the Sahara.

Benjamin Netanyahu and Idriss Deby (Photo: GPO)

The desert country is one of the world's least developed states, according to the World Bank's Human Development Index, and its government has been accused of widespread human rights abuses and rigged elections. Deby took power in 1990 and has since been re-elected five times.

Benjamin Netanyahu and Idriss Deby (Photo: GPO)

"This is very disturbing and even causes outrage in Iran and among the Palestinians who are trying to prevent this. They will not succeed," he said.
Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah sent US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo a letter in late December rejecting future American financial assistance, citing the 2018 US anti-terrorism law ATCA.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



The Anti-Terrorism Clarification Act, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump back in October and recently approved by the US Congress, would enable American authorities to seize assets from any foreign terrorist entity that receives financial aid from the US government. The law also means that any US citizen could sue the PA for involvement in terror activity and be compensated by the money earmarked for PA financial aid.

Abbas letter to Pompeo

The bill's sponsor, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), in September 2018 called the legislation "a carefully balanced approach to better ensure victims' access to compensation and to hold supporters of terrorism accountable."

Indeed, in his December 26 letter, obtained by Ynet, Hamdallah said that while the Palestinians were grateful for the long-standing American financial assistance, and that the "bond between the Palestinians and the American people will always be strong," the new law made the aid a "dividing force" as it changes the "rules of jurisdiction over the Government of Palestine."

Trump and Abbas at the UN General Assembly, September 2017, (Photo: AP)

The PA turning its back on the aid, in order to avoid being subjected to controversial lawsuits, also likely sees an end to funds meant to preserve the coordination between the PA and Israeli security forces in the West Bank. As a result, the PA and its security forces might themselves destitute, which would not only end the cooperation with Israel but also significantly strengthen Hamas in the West Bank and unleash a wave of terror attacks.

Over the past few weeks, the Trump administration was reportedly scrambling to amend the legislation in order to ensure the US security assistance to the PA continues.

A senior Israeli official told Ynet that Israel has also been working behind the scenes to ensure the law was amended, and once the US Congress returned from the Christmas break, there was a reasonable chance the legislation will indeed undergo the necessary changes.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday the renewal of diplomatic ties between Israel and the African country of Chad.

The announcement was made during Netanyahu's official visit to the country, some 47 years after the severing of relations between the two states.
The picture painted by the intelligence gathered by Israel and by the United States Central Command is very worrying. The Iranians, it transpired, have started sending surface-to-surface missiles to Shiite militias in Iraq. The missiles are meant to be aimed, among other things, at Israel, to deter it from further attacks on Iranian facilities in Syria.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



It is a cunning Iranian move: missile fire from Iraq would not give Israel just cause to attack Syria or Lebanon, and it would put the Jewish state in a dilemma. Furthermore, an attack on Iraq requires coordination with the US, who has already informed Israel that any military action it takes in Iraq would endanger the lives of Americans protecting the Baghdad regime. It would also require coordination with neighboring countries such as Jordan and Saudi Arabia to allow the Israel Air Force warplanes to fly in their airspace. It's obvious these countries will not openly cooperate with Israel in attacking a neighboring Arab nation.

This has happened over the past year, and caused the IDF to raise its level of alert. The Iranians didn't send the missiles as a mere threat, they also intend to use them for a strike in retaliation or for deterrence.

On February 10, 2018 , the IAF attacked the T-4 Air Base in northern Syria, destroying a command and control trailer for an Iranian drone after it infiltrated Israel. During that same incident, an IAF F-16 fighter jet was downed over Israeli territory by a Syrian anti-aircraft missile. Iranian military personnel were killed in the Israeli strike, and Tehran prepared to retaliate through the Shiite militias it has at its beck and call. It seems that it was only due to heavy diplomatic pressure that the missile threat from Iraq was lifted. Instead, the Iranians on May 10 launched more than 20 rockets towards the Israeli Golan Heights, which didn't cause any damage or create a new balance of deterrence. On the contrary, they only gave Israel cause to strike the Iranians again where it's convenient for the IDF  in Syria.

An Israeli strike on Iranian targets in Syria (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

Gadi Eisenkot's General Staff didn't have to deal with long-range missile firefrom Lebanon, Syria, Iraq or Iranto a large extent thanks to a smart policy of ambiguity that allowed Israel "plausible deniability," and didn't force the enemy to respond to strikes for which Israel had not claimed responsibility.

The recent decision to tear down the veil of ambiguity surrounding Israel's military operations in Syria leaves the General Staff, now under the command of new IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi, with the need to preserve and enhance Israeli deterrence in other ways. Beyond the creativity and daring that have characterized Kochavi's military career so far, this will require him for the first time to display political capabilities. To allow the IDF the freedom of operations in Syria, with a window of opportunity that is closing as the civil war in the country draws to an end, he will have to win support from the prime minister and every single member of the security cabinet.

The Iranian attempt at entrenchment in Syria has been halted for now, but the final word has not yet been uttered. An Iranian attack against Israel from Iraqi soil is still a realistic scenario. Is the IDF prepared to deal with a new front from Iraq? Will the government withstand American pressure to leave the work of ridding Iraq of the Iranians to someone else? Will Israel's Arab friends cooperate with it? Will Israel choose not to respond to missiles from Iraq or Iran into its territory, despite the blow it would deliver to its deterrence? Or alternatively, will the Israeli government allow the military to take heavy punitive action, including damaging civilian infrastructure, to make it clear to the entire Middle East that Israeli citizens are not free play?

A different General Staff, no less talented, had to contend with the same questions in the 1990s, and couldn't deliver answers.

The sites in western Iraq where the Iranians might deploy missiles, are in almost the same area from which the long-range "Al Hussein" Scud missiles were launched at Israel during the First Gulf War. On January 18, 1991, almost precisely 28 years ago to the day, eight Al Hussein missiles were launched for the first time from western Iraq toward population centers in central Israel and the Haifa area. Israel didn't respond that day, and remained diplomatically paralyzed, with undeveloped military plans, until the end of the US-led coalition's Operation Desert Storm on February 28.

A Ramat Gan home destroyed by an Iraqi Scud, January 1991 (Photo: GPO)

n total, some 40 missiles were fired from Iraq, most of them at Dan region. Israel didn't respond, and it is paying the price in psychological deterrence price to this very day. The enemy learned Israel's Achilles' heel. Even Hamas dares to launch rockets at Tel Aviv and still remains standing. The Gulf War created the "ethos of restraint," which in the years that have passed has become a doctrine at which Israel. The historical memory is that Israel held back and didn't attack due to heavy American pressure. But this is only half the truth.

The fear: Attack on Dimona

The beginning was actually promising. As early as April 1990, four months before the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and nine months before the first missile was fired at Israel, Israeli intelligence uncovered seven stationary launchers stationed in western Iraq. In July, initial preparations began for an operation to strike this apparatus, and then a series of discussions and preparations began for special opsboth aerial and groundof different scales. But this saga was filled with zig-zagging. There wasn't a clear worldview, no plan reached a point at which it had reasonable odds of success, and the diplomatic conditions had not yet ripened. Israel was running on the spot.





Patriot missiles intercepting Iraqi Scuds over Tel Aviv during the 1991 Gulf War (Photo: GPO)

Three weeks after the Iraqi invasion, on August 21, 1990, the IDF General Staff held war games to examine the different ways to deal with the threats from Iraq. By this point, the IDF was already on high alert in light of assessments that an all-out regional conflict would include Israel as well. At the conclusion of the war games, there was talk of possible missile fire or a potential Iraqi airstrike on strategic targets, such as the Dimona nculear reactor and major population centers. There was also the assessment that the Iraqis had the ability to use chemical weapons against one of those strategic targets, like Dimona.

Most of the speakers at the meetinghead by then-IDF chief Dan Shomron, his deputy Ehud Barak, the head of the Military Intelligence Directorate Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, and Air Force Commander Avihu Ben-Nunbelieved that Iraq would try to provoke Israel in order to draw it into war and dismantle the American coalition with the Arab world. Therefore, they predicted there would be American pressure on Israel not to take action. Most of those present agreed that there was room for Israeli restraint regarding the timing, scope and nature of a potential response, and they all agreed any move should be coordinated with the Americans.

Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in 1991 (Photo: AP)

Shomron's General Staffjust like Gabi Ashkenazi's General Staff, which dealt with the possibility of a strike on Iran's nuclear project 20 years laterpreferred to have the Americans solve the problem for Israel. But they weren't confident the Americans would do the job in a satisfactory manner, so they all agreed that if Iraq launched missiles at major Israeli population centers, Israel would have no choice but to respond.

Then GOC Northern Command, Maj. Gen. Yossi Peled argued that Israel had to respond either way, even if missiles were only launched at military targets, otherwise it would undermine Israel's deterrence against the threat of indirect fire in the future. Lipkin-Shahak addressed the possibility of friction with Jordan in the case of Israeli airstrikes on Baghdad, and recommended Israel "examine other painful responses, such as hitting Iraqi shipping."

The IDF chief assessed that the Israeli military did not have the ability to destroy the Iraqi Air Force, and it also did not have the ability to completely prevent or stop missile fire at Israel. Therefore, he said, the top priority for the military would be how to restore Israeli deterrence, and not how to remove the threat. In other words, deter Iraq from further missile fire.

"If Israeli population centers are hit," the IDF chief said at the conclusion of the war games, "Israel will pound government and strategic sites in Baghdad and military targets in western Iraq, to send the Iraqis an unequivocal message: if the missile fire doesn't stop, we will hit population centers in Baghdad."

The war games exposed the fact the IDF did not have a concrete view on when to use force or indeed have an operational plan in the face of the threat of missile fire toward Israel from western Iraq. At the time, the IDF was prepared to fight off two Iraqi units that were supposed to join an eastern front against Israelone from the direction of Syria and the other from the direction of Jordan. But it didn't have an effective plan to deal with missiles or long-range rockets. The only plan the military had when the crisis erupted was meant to deal with Syrian chemical weapons, and the IDF top brass were now trying to adjust it for the existing conditions in western Iraq.

But that plan was not ready either. From the moment it was presented in late 1989 and until the end of the First Gulf War, it remained unclear who would command this operation, which combined the Israel Air Force, the Ground Forces and the Intelligence Directorate. A bitter argument was waged between the Air Force and special ops HQ (which at the time was under the command Maj. Gen. Doron Rubin). The decisions made by the IDF chief, his deputy, and the head of the Operations Division didn't help settle the dispute. Conversely, a similar dispute is currently ongoing between the Depth Corps, which inherited the headquarters for special operations, and the Air Force.

But these operations combining Special Forces and the Air Force, which were planned for western Iraq, were secondary in their importance. The preferable option was reinforcing deterrence through painful punishment of the Iraqi government and its citizens should missiles actually be launched at Israeli population centers. Clues for this can be seen in General Staff and government discussions from those days.

The first missile landed in Tel Aviv on January 18, 1991, at 2am. Four hours later, then-defense minister Moshe Arens held consultations in his office. IDF chief Shomron recommended attacking Baghdad. The Air Force commander also spoke of a significant strike; otherwise there was no point in bothering. The deputy IDF chief recommended action on two fronts  the rocket fire and punitive measures  but stressed that Israel was entirely dependent on the Americans to get real-time intelligence from Baghdad. The Air Force commander also stressed the need to coordinate with the Americans, asked permission to carry out a sortie over western Iraq to take photos and gather intelligence, and proposed that Israel carry out both the punitive measures and the attack on the launchers.





Deputy IDF Chief of Staff Ehud Barak and Defense Minister Moshe Arens during the 1991 Gulf War (Photo: Israeli Ministry of Defense)

At 7:45am, the defense minister convened another meeting. The Air Force commander presented the plans for the intelligence sortie that very afternoon. He also presented three plans for special operations in western Iraq. "It turns out the Americans were unable in their first strike to destroy the entire Iraqi defense apparatus," said Ben-Nun. "Therefore I recommend taking a neighborhood in the city of Ramadi, which is west of Baghdad, and wiping it out with 80 tons of bombs." The Navy commander, Maj. Gen. Micha Ram, had another suggestion: "Let's sink four Iraqi merchant ships." The head of the IAF's Air Group, Brig. Gen. Amir Nachumi, said that "if Israel doesn't respond, the Iraqis will try to hit us with chemical warfare."

That day, at 3pm, it appeared that the coordination with the Americans was unsuccessful, and the intelligence sortie was postponed to the following day. That evening, the Americans informed Israel they were willing to immediately provide it with two Patriot batteries to brign down the Iraqi missiles. Major General Thomas R. Olsen, a representative of the United States Central Command (Centcom) landed in Israel the next day with satellite images of western Iraq, which was supposed to give the Israelis a sense of cooperation. But the photos were taken a month prior and not in real time. During Olsen's stay in Israel, four missiles were launched at the Dan regionfurther proof the American activity in western Iraq was ineffective.

Soon after the second missile launch, at 9am on January 19, the defense minister convened a meeting. He gave an update about his conversation with his American counterpart, then-defense secretary Dick Cheney, during which Arens raised Israel's request to take intelligence photos during the day and act in the evening. The Air Force commander once again presented a plan for an intelligence sortie in the afternoon, and again the Americans didn't cooperate, claiming they had no control over the Arab nations that the Israel Air Force would have to fly over on its way to Iraq. Arens, Shomron and Barak agreed that action must be taken so the Americans would have no choice but to agreeeven if it entailed shooting down Arab planes on the way. Arens concluded the discussion, saying: "First western Iraq, then we'll go for Baghdad."

At 10am, the Air Force commander presented the IDF chief with his plans of action in western Iraq. Dan Shomron argued Israel had to "get a foot in the door." Meaning: Israel had to do somethingbe it an intelligence sortie or an attack, even a symbolic oneto try and deter the enemy.

At 10:45am, the IDF chief gave the Air Force commander the green light "to prepare for a violent intelligence sortie in western Iraq. If the planes identify a relevant target, like a Scud missile launcher, they are authorized to attack." At 11am, the defense minister approved the plan. At 2pm, the sortie was supposed to get underway.





Israeli PM Yitzhak Shamir and US President George HW Bush meeting in Madrid in 1991, after the Gulf War (Photo: David Rubinger)

But then, at the very same forum that approved the plan, the defense officials started faltering. Arens received an update that then-prime minister Yitzhak Shamir had spoken to US President George H.W. Bush, who told him he had been unsuccessful in reaching understandings with Saudi Arabia and Jordan about Israeli operations in Iraq. At 12pm, the defense minister asked the IDF chief to change the flight path of the sortie. In light of the change, the IDF chief reached the conclusion the sortie could take place that day.

At 12:30pm, Arens convened another meeting. The Air Force commander informed the forum that the intelligence sortie would not be carried out that day. By this point, the enthusiasm among the senior ranks of the IDF for any kind of operation in Iraq had dropped. Everyone was talking about the possibility of an entanglement with Jordan, leading it to join the war.

At 4:30pm, Shamir ended the charade and gave the order: "Israel will not respond. We will discuss this again near the end of the war."

This dynamic of zig-zagging and quickly switching from enthusiasm to weariness, which in reality stemmed from a lack of preparedness, was present until the very end of the crisis. The military itself didn't understand what it wanted; it began with plans for small commando operations, moved on to extensive preparations to conquer western Iraq using hundreds of troops who would remain in the field for days on end, and ended with nothing.

The plan to hit Iraq's dams

The issue of punitive measures came up again in a situation assessment by the General Staff on January 21. All of the speakers pointed to the inabilityboth by Israel and the USto eliminate the surface-to-surface missile threat on Israel, and recommended patiently monitoring further developments. Maj. Gen. Yoram "Yaya" Yair, who was the commander of the 91st "Galilee" Division, spoke about retaliatory and deterrence operations to stop the missile fire, and proposed a plan to destroy two dams on the Tigris River, which must have been a contingency plan. Destroying the dams would lead to extensive flooding and grave damages to populated areas in Iraq. But the Air Force commander had reservations due to operational limitations, and the proposal was scrapped.

As far as we know, this plan was first brought up in discussions held at the Defense Ministry even before the fighting began. On October 19, 1990, Arens requested an examination of the option of attacking dams on the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in Iraq. The Intelligence Directorate examined the ramifications of destroying two of the three dams: Haditha, Saddam (now known as the Mosul Dam), and Samarra. At the same time, the head of the IDF's history department, Col. (res.) Benny Michelson, was required to prepare a report on the ramifications of the British attack on the Ruhr valley dams in Germany in 1943.

The attack of the dams on the Tigris, which was rejected on January 21, 1991, was brought up again for discussion on February 10 by the head of the Operations Division. By that point, the Americans had already destroyed most of the relevant targets, and Israel had no choice but to settle for the dams as almost the last realistic option it had left to restore its deterrence. At the end of the discussion, it was decided that the MID would gather information about seven dams in Iraq, and the Air Force would present the head of the Operations Division with operational plans of attack by February 19nine days later. These decisions were made despite the fact two and a half weeks earlier, the Air Force commander stated he did not have the ability to carry out these attacks.

The situation assessment was that despite the immense damage to both lives and property in Iraq, world opinion would have an easier time stomaching such an operation than a brutal bombardment of a city. But, as was the fate of all of the IDF's plans during the First Gulf War, the plans to attack the dams were not ready before the end of the conflict.

700 sorties a day

There was just one point at which Arens managed to seize the opportunity with his American counterpart. On January 22, at 8:30pm, a rocket landed on Abba Hillel Street in Ramat Gan, causing heavy damage and leading to the deaths of three elderly people through heart attacks. The defense minister and the IDF chief of staff visited the site, and left with a strong sense that the Americans' Patriot systems were incapable of properly intercepting the Iraqi Scuds. Israel had reached the limits of its patience  and of its restraint.

Israelis wearing gas masks during the 1991 Gulf War (Photo: GPO)







At 10:30pm, Arens convened a debate on how Israel should respond. "If the rocket launches do not stop," the defense minister told the generals, "our civilians will flee the urban areas." This grim prediction was to come true.

Arens spoke with Cheney during this debate, and for the first and only time, the Americans agreed to allow Israel to take action in western Iraq, west of a line that would be set between the two sides. However, the Americans repeatedly stressed that they were unable to arrange any Israeli coordination with the Jordanians and the Saudis, and that this was already Israel's business.

However, the Air Force meteorologists warned that bad weather was expected over Iraq for the coming two days, and there was also a dispute over the size and intensity of the operation. The head of the Israel Air Force was talking about 700 sorties a day, otherwise it would be impossible to complete the mission. Others proposed making do with targeted actions by IDF special forces. And again they went back to arguing who would be responsible for the operation  the commanders on the ground or the Air Force?

At a cabinet meeting held on January 23 at 9am, the prime minister realized what he was dealing with. In order to avoid offending the chief of staff and not back himself into a corner, the prime minister authorized ongoing preparations for a wide-ranging operation in western Iraq, but, in a hint to the army of his true plans, Shamir ordered additional plans to be drawn up. "Until then," he said, "there is no authorization for anything."

Israel never struck Iraq during the Gulf War, although it came close.

The Gulf War is a poor precedent. Today, as Aviv Kochavi prepares the army for the post-civil war era in Syria, he must take into account the fact that Israel will always be subject to political pressure from a power that would deny it freedom of action - whether it is the Americans in Iran or the Russians in Syria.

IDF Chief of Satff Aviv Kochavi at the Western Wall in Jerusalem (Photo: AFP)

Another lesson from the Gulf War is that the IDF was unprepared for shifting regional threats. The plans were drafted during wartime, and even the army itself was not convinced that they could hold up. In order to withstand pressure the political echelon had to be sure that it had an army with true ability, or the diplomatic battle would also be lost.

The third lesson was one intended mainly for Israel's neighbors: In the Gulf War, Israel prepared especially harsh punitive measures. It did not implement them because it was not ready from a political, operational or intelligence standpoint. But its willingness to harm civilian populations in order to cause enormous damage to an enemy state, still exists today. The long-range intelligence and operational capabilities also exist. The enemy must know that the only thing that prevents Israel from striking major cities in response to attacks on its own civilians is the willingness of the political echelon to actually do it.
Rep. Sohn Hye-won speaks to reporters about allegations of her real estate speculation at the National Assembly, Sunday. Yonhap



A ruling party lawmaker embroiled in allegations of real estate speculation said Sunday that she will quit the Democratic Party (DP) to avoid placing a political burden on the party.



Rep. Sohn Hye-won has come under fire following allegations that she mobilized her relatives and aides to buy properties in an old district of Mokpo, 410 kilometers southwest of Seoul, before authorities designated it as a cultural asset site.



She has strongly denied the allegations.



"I cannot drive the people into a meaningless war of attrition. I'll give up party membership," Sohn told a press conference. "If the prosecution probe finds out that the allegation is true, I'll also give up my parliamentary seat."





Sohn is alleged to have used inside information she obtained while serving on the parliamentary culture committee and to have provided money to her relatives for the purchases. Yonhap





She has denied the allegations. Yonhap
Syrian defense systems thwarted an Israeli air attack on Sunday in the south of the country, state media said, citing a military source. Short time later, a rocket fired at the northern Golan Heights had been intercepted by the Iron Dome aerial defense system over Syrian territory, said the IDF Spokesperson's Unit.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



"Our air defense systems thwarted... an Israeli air aggression ...and prevented it from achieving any of its goals," the Syrian source told state news agency SANA. An Israeli military spokeswoman declined to comment.

Russia's National Defense Control Centre said the attack was carried out by four Israeli jets and targeted an airport in southeastern Damascus, RIA news agency reported. There were no victims and the airport was undamaged in the attack, RIA cited the centre as saying.

Footage of alleged IAF attack in Syria

X

The smoke trails of Iron Dome interceptor were clearly seen over the Mount Hermon ski resort that opened its doors to tourists earlier on Sunday. Although the site was not evacuated following the rocket attack, heavy military presence was reported in the area following the events. The new IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi was also making his way to the northern border immediately after the incident.

Iron Dome intercepts rocket fired from Syria (:   )

X

The Al Quds Al Arabi newspaper reported on Friday that Russia had conveyed to Israel its intent to renovate Damascus International Airport and warned the Israeli government against striking targets, believed to be Iranian arms depots, in the airports proximity. According to the report, the Israel Air Force attacks prevent various Russian airlines from resuming their operations in the region.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who currently on a visit to Chad, said in a statement: "We have a defined policy: to harm Iranian entrenchment in Syria and to harm anyone who tries to harm us."

Netanyahu confirmed last week in a rare admission that the Israel Air Force struck Iranian targets in Syria last weekend, following Syrian reports of successful interceptions over Damascus.

The prime minister said that "in the past 36 hours," the IAF hit Iranian arms depots near Damascus airport. The wave of recent attacks proves that we are determined more than ever to act against Iran in Syria," he told the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.

Iron Dome intercepts rockets over Mount Hermon (Photo: Attila Somfalvi)

Netanyahu also said that the IAF has hit "hundreds" of targets belonging to Iran and its proxy Hezbollah in Syria since the start of Israel's campaign to thwart Iranian military entrenchment in the region.

The prime minister's statement came after Syria's state-run news agency SANA said the country's air defenses intercepted missiles fired by Israeli fighter jets last Friday night. The attacks reportedly caused damage but no casualties. SANA reported that "over eight targets" exploded over the capital, adding that most of the Israeli missiles had been intercepted.

IAF strike in Syria

An ammunition warehouse at the Damascus airport was reportedly hit, but a Syrian Transport Ministry official said to SANA airport activity continues as normal.

"At 11:15 before midnight Israeli warplanes coming from Al-Jalil area launched many missiles towards Damascus area and our air defenses intercepted them and downed most of them," a Syrian military source told SANA.

Syrian state media broadcast footage of what it said were the air defenses firing, with bright lights seen shooting across the night sky. Explosions were heard in one of the videos.
Syrian state media said Sunday that country's air defense systems "thwarted Israeli air attack" in the south of the country.
It was 3.30 pm on Friday afternoon, on Balfour Street in the center of the coastal town of Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv. The family of 24-year-old Yehuda Biadga contacted the emergency services. They reported that Biadga, who was released from IDF service after six months due to trauma, had run into the stairwell of their apartment block, armed with a knife, after he went wild in the apartment. A further report to the police said that a young man in the street was waving a knife.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



Two police officers from the Tel Aviv disctrict were dispatched to the scene. One of the policemen, who was equipped with a taser, got off his scooter and began looking for the young man, while his partner continued to ride around the area. When he reached the intersection of Jabotinsky and Herzl streets, a few hundred meters from the young man's house, he spotted him. The police say the officer called to Biadga to drop the knife. The policeman claims that the young man continued to run toward him with the knife and that he felt that his life was in danger. He fired two bullets into the center of Biadga's body. Eyewitnesses reported that during the shooting, there were several meters' distance between the two. Biadga died soon after in hospital.

Yehuda Biadga serving in the IDF

Police sources said that the policeman followed the rules of engagement and fired at center of the suspect's body. "He had no choice; he felt that if he did not shoot, he would have been stabbed to death," the sources said. "It is impossible to understand what a person goes through in such a situation, and we certainly should not judge him, because he defended his life and the welfare of the public."

The police spokesman said: "We received a report of a young man carrying a knife and acting out of control, and there was genuine concern for the safety of passers-by. One of the police officers identified the suspect carrying a large kitchen knife. The officer called for him to stop, but he continued to approach with the knife in his hand. The police officer shot at the suspect because he believed there was a concrete and immediate danger to his life, and in no way because of the suspect's ethnic origin."

The policeman's attorney, Sagi Blumenfeld, said: "Opening fire was the last resort, and due to the immediate danger to his life. He acted lawfully."

Biadga's family strongly rejects these explanations, and accusing the police officer of having "an easy hand on the trigger."

"It's murder," says Biadga's aunt, Zehava Adina. "Just because he's Ethiopian, a policeman gets off his motorcycle and shoots him. What is that if not murder? Why does only this happen in our community? We did not come to Israel for our children to be abused and murdered."

Police at the scene of the shooting

One of Biadga's two younger brothers, David, accused the police of having looser terms of engagement for his sibling than for terror suspects. "When a terrorist goes to carry out a terror attack, they say 'don't shoot', and if they do shoot, then it's the legs, but a civilian gets shot in the upper body. It's not normal. Yehuda was a totally normative person. He excelled at his studies, studied at yeshiva and was God-fearing."

Hagos Ubo, Biadga's brother-in-law, who first reported the incident to the police, said he had asked the officers not to shoot him.

"On the street he was no longer a threat to anyone and was not running wild. I was with the police on the line and I asked them not to shoot him. I dont believe that the policeman was in danger, and if he was, why didn't he shoot in the air? Why immediately shoot to kill? He was not a well man. They just shot him in the head," he says. "If Yehuda had been a white man, they would have thought twice before they shot and killed him in cold blood just because he was Ethiopian. Yehuda was a little sick and he had a problem, but he took pills and it stopped."

Ubo, who has been a volunteer with the police for four years, says the tragedy had made him rethink his connection to the force.

"That's it; I'm throwing away my uniform," he says. "How long are they going to keep treating the Ethiopian community like this?"

Biadga's funeral was to take place on Sunday. Police were preparing for the possibility of demonstrations by members of the Ethiopian community, who were set to protest both his death and previous incidents alleged police brutality.
Yehuda Biadga was shot dead on Friday by a policeman who was supposed to protect him. He was shot dead because he is black, not because he was dangerous.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



Let's assume for a moment that the young man, who struggled with a mental disorder, put a policeman or someone else at risk. Why did the policeman approach him if he saw Biadga was holding a knife? Why didn't he neutralize the suspect by shooting him in the legs or lower body?

Yehuda Biadga

I am proud to be a citizen of a country where people think twice before pointing a gun at someone. I am proud that in Israel, if you are not sure the suspect is dangerous, you shoot him in the legs.

But this is not what happened with Yehuda Biadga. This incident frustrates the Ethiopian community especially in light of recent efforts made by local authorities to change the attitudes towards the community and fight discrimination and racism.

But as it turns out, racism, discrimination, and trigger-happy hands are still at large, and the Ethiopian community has to pay the price in blood.

I have four children. They are Sabras (Israelis born in the country), they are beautiful, and they are black. And I'm scared. I am afraid to bring them up into this world knowing that a policeman has shot dead a mentally ill Ethiopian man. This is a badge of shame for Israeli society, and a badge of shame for the police which, to this day, have failed to understand that one's skin color does not pose a danger to society.

Police officers at the scene of the shooting of Yehuda Baidga, January 19, 2019

The police are supposed to protect the Ethiopian community just like they protect other communities. Harassing Ethiopians because they are suspicious of anyone who has a black complexion is not part of their job description. This time, the police have crossed a red line.

Policemen should treat people with dark skin and frizzy hair as equal citizens. If up until now they were treated as immediate suspects, what happened on Friday was a step up: now you're allowed to shoot them dead, without warning.

Someone has to stand up and say something. To claim that the matter is being examined by the Police Internal Investigations Department is just throwing dust in our eyes. It's like giving aspirin to a cancer patient a cancer of growing racism.

I write these lines from South Africa, a country where racism has been part of life for many years. These displays of racism, in Israel, are like a bullet to my own chest.








Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dedicated the past weekend to preparing a new propaganda video against leftists and journalists, but his message was aimed at one person only: Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit. The left and the media, his favorite targets, were only a cover this time; an excuse to send a message in a sophisticated manner to the person who will determine his legal and perhaps political future.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



The video shows solemn and militant-looking left-wing protesters demonstrating against Mandelblit, to pressure him to indict Netanyahu "at any cost." The video concludes with the question: "Will they succeed?" To those who believe both the overt and covert messages in the video, the answer is clear: They have succeeded. After all, the attorney general is expected to indict Netanyahu. And Mandelblit made this decision because he capitulated to pressure from the left and the media.

There is no one quite like Netanyahu during elections time. He's the no.1 campaigner; he works fast and effectively. On Friday night, reports emerged about the attorney general's expected decision to file an indictment against him, and a minute after the Shabbat ended, Netanyahu's video has already gone viral.

Prime Minister Netanyahu (Photo: AFP)

Netanyahu used to have campaigns about policy, security, Hamas, Iran and the Arabs going to the polls in droves. These issues are no longer on the agenda. Has anyone heard about the Iranian threat recently? Netanyahu is constructing his campaign and setting an agenda meant to undermine the credibility of law enforcement authorities. To add authenticity and establish a rational and solid theory, he is including the media and the left, who are hated anyway.

The upcoming elections campaign, or what's left of it, will be all about investigations and indictments. Netanyahu is waging the battle of his life through the elections campaign. Meaning: There is an attempt to overthrow him using fruitless investigations, false accusations and selective enforcement.

Over the years, Netanyahu has been very careful about showing respect to law enforcement: the police, the prosecution, the attorney general, the courts. He was seen as a true democrat. But the further the cases against him progress, the further progresses his erosion of those who will determine the fate of one of the most popular prime ministers we've ever had. As far as Netanyahu is concerned, he won't allow such trifles to interrupt his tenure.

In December 2017, Netanyahu dismissed the police's recommendations, saying most of them would be thrown out. In December 2018, he took it to a new level, putting the head of the outgoing police commissioner Roni Alsheikh on the chopping block and accusing him of personal harassment ("a rigged game"). Now it's Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, whom Netanyahu accuses of capitulating to the left and the media in one fell swoop of a video. This is how you build a campaign.

Netanyahu is facing the most significant test of his political life. There is no way back from this. In such a war, almost all is fair. This war against the media, the left, the state prosecutor and the attorney general will be THE campaign of the April 2019 elections. The Iranians and Hamas will have to wait till the next round.
A video published on social media Saturday shows several Palestinian women attacking an IDF officer for arresting a 14-year-old boy in Kafr Qaddum, a Palestinian town in the northern West Bank.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



The women attacked the officer in order to prevent the arrest of the minor. According to the footage, the officer, a lieutenant in the Paratroopers Brigade, reacted in a calm and controlled manner.

Palestinian women attack IDF officer in Kafr Qaddum, January 19, 2019

Every weekend, Palestinians in Kafr Qaddum protest the construction of a controversial road in their town. Generally, these demonstrations go on without incident.

Palestinian women attack IDF officer in Kafr Qaddum, January 19, 2019

X

The boy who was arrested belongs to the Shatiwi clan, which is responsible for organizing these demonstrations. He was arrested for hurling rocks at soldiers from inside a building located on the outskirts of town.

The IDF backed the officer, saying he had acted properly in order to complete his mission and prevent the influx of violent protesters and rioters to nearby Israeli settlements.

Palestinian demonstration in Kafr Qaddum, January 19, 2019

"On Saturday noon, a violent riot broke out in Kafr Qaddum during which some 50 Palestinians burned tires and hurled rocks at IDF soldiers, who responded with crowd dispersal measures in order to prevent the demonstration from spreading into neighboring Israeli settlements", the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said in a statement.

"During the arrest of a Palestinian minor who was hurling rocks at IDF soldiers, a number of Palestinians gathered round in protest. The soldiers completed their mission, arrested the offenders and left the village without causing damage or injuries," the statement said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu harshly criticized Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit on Saturday night over an interview Mandelblit gave Channel 12, in which he commented on the investigations against the prime minister.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



"The choice to cooperate with such a program, at such timing, is unprecedented in the history of Israeli justice and raises serious questions," Netanyahu said. "I have grave things to say about what we saw, and I'll say them when I return from the state trip to Chad."

"It turns out that for an entire year, the police didn't investigate offenses, but was instead looking for charges against me. It's called a 'set up,'" the prime minister said. "Such a program, which aired on the eve of a decision the attorney general is supposed to make regarding my affairs, is more disturbing than the embarrassing interview (police chief Roni) Alsheikh gave to Uvda ahead of the release of the police recommendations " in the cases against the prime minister.

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photos: Amit Shabi, Alex Kolomoisky)

Netanyahu is suspected of wrongdoing in three separate cases: Case 1000 concerns allegations that the prime minister and his family received illicit gifts from wealthy donors, most notably billionaire film producer Arnon Milchan. Case 2000 concerns allegations that Netanyahu held talks with Yedioth Ahronoth publisher and owner Arnon Mozes about favorable coverage in return for legislation that would weaken Yedioth's rival, free daily Israel Hayom. Case 4000 concerns an alleged quid pro quo relationship between Netanyahu and investor Shaul Elovitch, who was the majority shareholder of Bezeq telecommunications and owner of the Walla! News site; Elovitch allegedly ensured Netanyahu and his family received favorable coverage on Walla! News in return for regulatory benefits for Bezeq, which sought to merge with satellite company Yes.

Mandelblit has reportedly finished the deliberations on two of the cases and is expected to soon announce his decision to indict Netanyahu for bribery in Case 4000 pending a hearing. According to Channel 12, the attorney general intends to indict Netanyahu in Case 1000 as well, for fraud and breach of trust. A decision has not yet been made on Case 2000 due to disagreements within Mandelblit's team.

According to a report on Channel 12 on Saturday night, Mandelblit said to his close associates that "these cases are important to me. They're important to the (justice) system and they're important to the State of Israel. There's no attorney general or state prosecutor, we will all work together until we reach a decision. I rely on you, I trust you."

The attorney general also said that "my entire professional life has led me to this moment, and my entire professional career will be measured by this decision."

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit (Photo: Elad Gershgoren)

During a meeting on Case 1000, Mandelblit reportedly called State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan and said to him that "there is no escaping an investigation." To the other participants in the meeting, he reportedly said: "He's not cautious. The prime minister needs to be more caution. Shame."

Mandelblit also rejected the criticism against his regular work meetings with Netanyahu during the many months the police investigations were ongoing, telling his close associates that "it's clear to me that the prime minister wants me to understand he is an excellent prime minister, and that we can't (manage) without him; mostly on matters of security in the Cabinet. To me, that's transparent, and it doesn't work on me. It would be a colossal disaster if I allowed this to influence me."

"I've worked with Netanyahu for years and there were no problems," Mandelblit said. "Unfortunately, we got to where we did. But the bottom line is that a problematic pattern of behavior of Netanyahu's was discovered here, he makes ties with wealthy people and instead of steering clear of their affairs, he works to promote them."

In recent months Mandelblit has felt, according to the report, that the attacks from Netanyahu and his allieswhich have so far been directed against the police and the prosecutionwill be directed at him ahead of his decision on whether or not the indict the prime minister. "The talking points are coming directly from the top," the attorney general said to his associates. "The prime minister is dragging the entire country down. It's sad, and it will hurt us all."

Prime Minister Netanyahu (Photo: Reuters)

This week, Mandelblit is expected to meet with Netanyahu's legal team to discuss their request to postpone the release of his decision until after the elections. .

If the attorney general announces his decision in February, the hearing is expected to be held only after the April 9 elections. Netanyahu's legal team is expected to ask for many months to study the material and prepare for the hearing, so the final decision on whether the prime minister will stand trial will be made months after the elections.

In response to reports Mandelblit plans to indict Netanyahu for bribery in Case 4000, the prime minister's legal team said that "On the eve of a meeting between the prime minister's attorneys and the attorney general, there is no place for leaks meant to sabotage the meeting and hurt Prime Minister Netanyahu's right to be heard in a professional and fair manner.

"It is ridiculous that what is considered bribery here is not money, but a handful of non-hostile stories in a sea of hostile stories against the prime minister on an internet site. Based on this criteria, the 43 ministers and MKs who voted in favor of closing Israel Hayom in return for favorable coverage from (Arnon) Mozes, should know they are expected to be accused of bribery. And the same will happen to any politician who received favorable coverage. It is an absurdity, which undermines the foundations of democracy."

Over the weekend, Netanyahu's Likud Party launched a new campaign against journalists Ben Caspit, Amnon Abramovich, Guy Peleg and Raviv Drucker, all of whom have helped expose the suspicions of corruption against the prime minister. Their photos appeared on billboards and on social media under the tagline "They will not decide."

Billboard with photos of Israeli journalists and the tagline 'They will not decide'

While the campaign was initially launched anonymously, Likud officials had to admit on Saturday night that the party was behind the campaign after Meretz leader MK Tamar Zandberg filed a complaint to the State Comptroller and asked him to discover who was behind it.

The State Comptroller's Office confirmed Saturday night that it will look into who funded the ad campaign against the journalists, and why it was not done in accordance with election propaganda laws. "According to the election propaganda laws, there must be transparency about propaganda during election time, including on billboards," the State Comptroller's Office said.

Netanyahu also posted a video to social media on Saturday night, accusing the left wing of pressuring the attorney general to file an indictment against him. The video makes the accusation that "For three years now, the left and the media are persecuting the attorney general to force him to file an indictment at any cost." It shows protesters outside Mandelblit's home and outside the synagogue he prays in. The video concludes with the question: "Will they succeed?"

Attorney Eldad Yaniv, who appears in the video, said he plans to file a complaint against the video for incitement.
Several thousand people marched through major Australia cities on Sunday calling for safety for women after an Israeli exchange student was murdered in Melbourne.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



The marches, part of the Women's March rallies held around the world in support of women's rights, gathered some 3,000 people in Sydney, who in their chants demanded safe streets for women in Australian cities.

Aiia Maasarwe, 21, was killed when walking home after a night out with friends in Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city, earlier this week. A 20-year-old man was charged with her murder.

Women's March, Sydney (Photo: EPA)

Maasarwe's death recharged outrage over violence against women after 22-year-old Eurydice Dixon was killed in Melbourne while walking home after performing at a comedy show in June.

Thousands of people gathered at vigils for Maasarwe on Friday and continued to lay flowers at the site of her death. A special tram carrying only flowers late on Friday followed the route of Maasarwe's final journey.

In Sydney on Sunday marchers held signs paying tribute to Maasarwe and other victims of violence. Television news showed women carrying signs: "For Aiia and for those who suffer silently" and "I wanna walk through the park in the dark".

Aiia Maasarwe (Photo: Family album)

"I don't want my daughter to grow up in a world where she's unsafe or she can't pursue the opportunities she wants and I march for my son because I don't want him to grow up in a world where toxic masculinity is acceptable," said Samantha Nolan-Smith, one of several hundred protesters in the Australian capital Canberra, reported Australian Broadcasting Corp.

In reaction to Maasarwe's death, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said his government would announce another "action plan" to stem violence against women ahead of an election expected by May, on top of A$350 million ($252 million) that has already been committed.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived Sunday to the country of Chad for an official visit.

I am now embarking on yet another historic and important tripto a huge Muslim state bordering Libya and Sudan. This is part of the revolution in relations between us and the Arab and Muslim world," Netanyahu said shortly before his flight.
The US military on Saturday said it had carried out its deadliest airstrike in Somalia in months, killing 52 al-Shabab extremists after a "large group" mounted an attack on Somali forces.

The US Africa Command said the airstrike occurred near Jilib in Middle Juba region. There were no reports of Americans killed or wounded.

The US statement did not say whether any Somali forces were killed or wounded by the al-Qaida-linked extremists. Al-Shabab via its Shahada news agency asserted that its attack on two Somali army bases killed at least 41 soldiers. It described the location as the Bar Sanjuni area near the port city of Kismayo.

There was no immediate comment from Somalia's government.


California's water supply is now inextricably tied up with climate change. In a warming world, nature has already brought smaller Sierra snowpacks and less predictable precipitation patterns.



Gov. Gavin Newsom, if he is to successfully steer the state into the future, has to bring to his water agenda the same steely-eyed, reality-based drive that the two previous governors brought to limiting carbon emissions.



It's time for the state to respond to its water challenge with the same sense of urgency with which it adopted Assembly Bill 32, the landmark law capping greenhouse gas emissions, in 2006. That same year, the state began a drought that may not yet have ended, although it has been punctuated by periods of extreme wet weather. Water forms the most tangible edge of climate change.



The task will be in some sense simpler than adopting AB 32, and the results could conceivably be more rewarding. Govs. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jerry Brown, in making the state a leader in the fight against climate change, knew they were setting an example for the rest of the world, even though reducing carbon emissions here has only an incremental effect on our own air and climate. Someone had to show the way, and they did.



Now, if Newsom recognizes the connection between a warming planet and changes to California's hydrology, he could drive a new approach that not only sets a moral standard for a planet in which water is an increasingly contentious resource, but he could also ensure the state's own environment and economy can survive and in fact thrive amid wrenching change.



A climate-oriented water agenda accomplishes more than moral leadership. It keeps our thirst quenched, our crops growing and the priceless web of life intact.



Of course, water is more tangible than carbon emissions, and rights to it are owned, exercised and transferred, so enacting a plan for water resilience in the face of climate change will pose challenges that may make reducing carbon emissions seem easy in comparison. But we have no choice. At least, not if we want California to continue to have a sustainable environment and a vital economy.



Ground zero in the state's water challenge is the Central Valley, the vast, flood-prone region that was tamed by 20th century engineering projects and turned into the nation's richest agricultural region.



The changing climate and more volatile weather patterns make the valley again susceptible to flooding. Sacramento, in fact, is among the U.S. cities most vulnerable to inundation. Any water plan for California should start with protection from flooding and with projects that capture, reroute and store floodwaters.



That means a different approach from the last century's great engineering projects. Instead of dams, California today needs projects that meet multiple needs at once: reducing flood risk, recharging depleted groundwater and restoring degraded wildlife habitat.



It also means stepping up the timeline of the landmark groundwater laws that finally require that subsurface water be measured, managed and shared equitably.



Less groundwater will inevitably mean agriculture must become more efficient, and perhaps more geographically concentrated, with rich islands of green amid retired land. At the same time, advances in farm practices that raise productivity will also probably mean field jobs become scarcer.



Newsom ought to not merely keep his eye on the San Joaquin Valley economy, but be ready with an action plan that helps it diversify beyond agriculture.



In Southern California, we have our own crops to retire: lush, green lawns that must be soaked, fertilized and trimmed but that never produce anything that can be eaten, worn or sold.



The long drought, and enticements from water agencies, convinced many homeowners to pull out their lawns. We must keep that retirement going. Water is too precious a commodity for such use.



Newsom also has a role in helping the region move more quickly to recapture and reuse stormwater and wastewater. He appears willing to encourage cities to build more housing  and to hold back funding from those that drag their feet. He should consider a similar system of enticements and penalties for water practices.





The above editorial appeared in the Los Angeles Times. It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.




YAKIMA, Wash.  As more than 400 people marched through downtown Yakima on Saturday, the names of missing and murdered Yakama Nation women echoed off the buildings.

A contingent of Yakama Nation citizens and supporters of missing and murdered indigenous women led the third Womens March on Yakima while chanting the names of Felina Metsker, Rosenda Strong, Destiny Lloyd and others, after each one saying, Never to be forgotten.

Today, I am going to walk for my sister, Cissy Strong-Reyes, Strongs sister, told the group before the march. And when I go home, I am going to step up and walk for other women.

She and other Native speakers called for more thorough investigations into cases of missing and murdered women in Indian Country.

Strong, 31, was last seen in October near Toppenish. Metsker, 33, was shot to death in Harrah in 2016, and a federal jury recently convicted the man accused of killing her. Lloyd, 23, was found dead near Marion Drain Road in December 2017. Her death was recently ruled a homicide.

The Yakima march was one of many womens marches held around the country. It has been held every year since 2017, when thousands of women converged on Washington, D.C., to protest President Donald Trumps inauguration.

While marchers in Yakima represented other issues  gender equality, reproductive rights, opposition to Trumps policies  the issue of murdered and missing indigenous women was at the forefront, literally and figuratively.

Following speeches outside the Unitarian Universalist Church on North Second Street, marchers lined up behind the Native American group members  many wearing red in support of missing and murdered women; some in regalia  who started off the parade with traditional songs and drumming.

The marchers, escorted by Yakima police motorcycle officers, marched down East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, North Eighth Street and East Yakima Avenue before ending at Millennium Plaza, where the Lil Swan Dancers, a Yakama dance group, performed traditional dances.

Patricia Whitefoot, one of the leaders of the dance group, said she was grateful for the emphasis placed on indigenous women.

While this has been going on for many years, it has not been in the attention of the media, Whitefoot said.

Christopher Strong, Strongs brother, said he hopes the added attention will generate more tips into what happened to his sister, as well as other women.

Other speakers at the event included Yakima City Councilwoman Dulce Gutierrez and Ester Huey, longtime community activist and facilitator for the Lets Talk community-engagement group.

Huey reminded the crowd that they were building on the work of women who marched for the right to vote and equality in the past century and that they needed to work together to create the beloved communities envisioned by Martin Luther King Jr. where people work for the common good.

Gutierrez, likewise said the marchers needed to stand together in solidarity to help empower women.

When we speak out as women, men are held accountable, Gutierrez said.
YAKIMA, Wash. -- For more than two decades, relatives of Samantha Rios wondered what happened after she took a taxi to her home in Naches Heights in 1992 and disappeared.

In 2016, skeletal remains were uncovered by a heavy-equipment operator moving dirt in the Gleed area and were identified as belonging to Rios. She had been stabbed to death. Detective Chad Michael of the Yakima County Sheriffs Office took a new look at the missing person case that had gone cold years before.

The case had not been taken to the end. Finding her remains in that location led us to the suspect, said Yakima County Sheriff Robert Udell. These missing persons cases are like homicides for us. They never go away.

As the issue of missing and murdered Native women and girls gets more attention in Washington state and throughout the U.S., advances in DNA technology are spurring investigators to take another look at cold cases in hopes of bringing resolution  and, potentially, justice  to family and friends.

Udell plans to create a cold case task force in an effort to do that in Yakima County.

Its a direction we want to go. We have dozens of cold cases back there, he said.

Reservations throughout the United States have long struggled with violence that disproportionately affects Native women and girls. At the 1.3 million-acre Yakama reservation, no one knows exactly how many Native girls and women have gone missing within or near its boundaries.

In 2009, the FBI concluded a two-year probe into the deaths of 16 women on the reservation from 1980 to 1993. An FBI spokesman said there may be as many as 32 unsolved cases on the reservation involving disappearances and deaths.

Udell is working through a long list of goals for his first 90 days as sheriff, so he has a lot on his plate. He also noted that a cold case task force is not funded, but that wont keep it from happening; its on the list, he stressed, and will involve retired deputies donating their time and potentially others with the right expertise who want to help.

He has already been approached by a few retired deputies, Udell said.

We dont have it in our budget, and detectives now have plenty of active cases that need their attention, he said. But its important to people that we clear those (cold cases) up. ... (Family) just want to know what happened. Whenever we get those leads, we go after them.

Its important to the tribe, added Detective Sgt. Jerrold Towell. If theyre able to identify these folks, theyre able to bring them home.

Theres always a chance, Udell said.

One cold case that has already gotten close attention is that of the unidentified woman whose remains were found near Parker Dam and the unincorporated community of Parker on Feb. 16, 1988. Authorities think the 30- to 40-year-old woman, believed to be Native, was murdered.

Towell requested the exhumation a few days after an October meeting in Yakima on missing Native women. On Wednesday, he and Udell met with new Yakima County Coroner James Curtice for more discussion. A date for the exhumation has not been set.

Cold case task force members will be able to see written documents on all cold cases, which are in three-ring binders along with related evidence in the sheriffs office evidence rooms.

The process over the next 90 days is to establish what we need to do, Udell said. It shouldnt be too hard to get going. Well just have to give them access to our new information systems.

That could involve some refreshers on DNA advancements.

A fingerprint off a wall, if collected right, will yield DNA, Udell said, noting that years ago, blood was necessary. The DNA has changed so much in the last decade.

It wont be easy. Time takes its toll. Witnesses die. Investigators are reassigned or retire. Evidence is moved, deteriorates or disappears. But information that remains, however scant, can yield clues for those who take a new look.

Those cold cases arent necessarily without leads, Udell said. We have found that a fresh set of eyes will come up with stuff thats almost obvious.

When you look at a cold case, oftentimes the answers there, Towell said.

Other efforts

Others have taken and are taking a closer look at cold cases on the Yakama reservation. During a Jan. 14 meeting at Legends Casino in Toppenish on missing Native women in Washington state, some noted that the Yakama Nation Police Department has had a cold case task force. Yakama Police Commissioner James Shike spoke at length and also mentioned several efforts to broaden and strengthen investigations.

Udell and Towell, who stressed their good working relationships, were among representatives of several agencies at that meeting. Authorities already know that cooperation, trust and information-sharing could help advance and potentially close some cold cases.

Others outside the area could help as well. Janet Franson, a retired homicide investigator who runs the Lost and Missing in Indian Country Facebook page, has been in touch with Towell about getting DNA samples from three sisters of Native descent in the Yakima area whose grandmother, Stella Horrell, went missing in 1943. Horrell was living in Phoenix at the time.

We worked with (Franson) and collected DNA from family here and sent it to Texas, where its going to be analyzed, Towell said.

The swabs have gone to the University of North Texas, Franson noted, and processing them for DNA usually that takes about six months because of a backlog.

Theyll put it into the national DNA database, into CODIS (the Combined DNA Index System maintained by the FBI). Its the same process that we did for Janice Hannigans case, she said of the 16-year-old White Swan High School student who disappeared after she was discharged from the hospital on Christmas Eve 1971.

If remains have been found or if remains are found at a later date ... theyll get a hit on the DNA, she said. Thats why we do that DNA.

Along with her Facebook page, Franson works cold cases for the Williamson County (Texas) Sheriffs Office and previously did so for another sheriffs office in Montana.

There are agencies all over the United States that are looking to do this, and its a great thing, Franson said. Its all about the hunt, the chase, and we just love to put bad people in jail. And we like to bring some resolution.

Families need to see that somebody cares about their loved ones, Franson said, that they matter, that they are important.

Were trying as hard as we can to work these cases. Even if nothing ever comes of it, at least we tried, and they know that we tried, and that we care enough to try, she said.
7 day print subscribers enjoy unlimited access to yakimaherald.com

Enter the LAST NAME and the 7 DIGIT phone number on your print subscription account to connect your print subscription to your yakimaherald.com account.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  The grandfather of a northwestern Wisconsin girl who authorities say was abducted during a home invasion that left her parents dead said Saturday that the family has no connection to the suspect and doesn't understand why he targeted her, deepening a mystery that has captivated the state for months.

Someone blasted open the door of James and Denise Closs' home near Barron with a shotgun in October , gunned the couple down and made off with their 13-year-old daughter, Jayme Closs.

Jayme had been missing for nearly three months Thursday when she approached a stranger near the small, isolated north woods town of Gordon and pleaded for help . Officers arrested 21-year-old Jake Thomas Patterson minutes later based on Jayme's description of his vehicle. He was jailed on suspicion of kidnapping and homicide.

Investigators have said Patterson's goal was to kidnap Jayme, but he appears to have no connection to the family. Jayme's grandfather Robert Naiberg said in a telephone interview Saturday that the only thing the family knows for sure is that no one knew Patterson. He said Jayme told FBI agents she didn't know him at all.

"He didn't know Jayme, he didn't know Denise or Jim," Naiberg said. "(Jayme) don't know him from Adam. (But) he knew what he was doing. We don't know if he was stalking her or what. Did he see her somewhere?"

Patterson attorneys Charles Glynn and Richard Jones said in a statement they consider the situation "very tragic" and that they are relying on the court system to treat their client fairly. Charges are expected against Patterson on Monday, when he is expected to make his initial appearance in court.

The news that Jayme was safe set off joy and relief in her hometown of Barron, population 3,300 and about 60 miles (100 kilometers) from where she was found. The discovery ended an all-out search that gripped the state, with many people fearing the worst the longer she was missing.

Story continues

Jayme's aunt, Jennifer Smith, posted on Facebook Saturday that Jayme was doing well.

"Jayme had a pretty good night sleep it was great to know she was next to me all night what a great feeling to have her home. As a family we will get through all of the healing process Jayme has. It will be a long road but we are family strong and we love this little girl so much!!"

Another aunt, Sue Naiberg Allard, posted that Jayme got "the most awaited hug ever" when she returned home.

Jayme told one of the neighbors in Gordon who took her in that she had walked away from a cabin where she had been held captive.

"She said that this person's name was Jake Patterson, 'he killed my parents and took me,'" said another neighbor, Kristin Kasinskas. "She did not talk about why or how. She said she did not know him."

Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said investigators are trying to figure out what happened to Jayme during her captivity and why she was seized, and gave no details on how she escaped except to say Patterson was not home at the time. He said there is no evidence Patterson knew Jayme or her family or had been in contact with her on social media.

"I know all of you are searching for the answer why any of this happened," Fitzgerald said. "Believe me, so are we."

The sheriff said he didn't know whether Jayme had been physically abused.

Patterson took measures to avoid leaving evidence at the scene, including shaving his head beforehand, and a shotgun was recovered from the home where Jayme was believed held, Fitzgerald said.

Property records show that the cabin belonged to Patterson's father at the time of Jayme's disappearance.

The cabin is in Eau Claire Acres, a development about 10 miles (16 kilometers) outside the tiny town of Gordon, nestled in the dense evergreen forests of northwestern Wisconsin that are popular with vacationers in the summer and snowmobilers and ATV riders in the winter. Law enforcement barricades blocked the road leading to the property Saturday.

Naiberg, Jayme's grandfather, said he spent a few hours with her on Friday. No one pressed her to talk, he said, adding that FBI agents and doctors advised them to let her speak when she's ready. He said she was largely silent and did not talk about how Patterson had kept her confined.

Patterson, who was unemployed, remained largely an enigma Saturday.

He has no criminal record, the sheriff said. He worked for one day in 2016 at the same Jennie-O turkey plant in Barron as Jayme's parents. But the sheriff said it did not appear Patterson interacted with the couple during his brief time there.

Over the past few months, detectives pursued thousands of tips, watched dozens of surveillance videos and conducted numerous searches for Jayme, including one that drew 2,000 volunteers but yielded no clues.

In November, the sheriff said he kept similar cases in the back of his mind as he worked to find Jayme, including the abduction of Elizabeth Smart, who was 14 when she was taken from her Salt Lake City home in 2002. Smart was rescued nine months later after witnesses recognized her abductors on an "America's Most Wanted" episode.

___

For more stories on Jayme's abduction and her parents' deaths: https://apnews.com/JaymeCloss

___

For The Latest updates: https://bit.ly/2VMnpXU

___

Associated Press writers Jeff Baenen in Barron, Wisconsin; Amy Forliti in Gordon, Wisconsin; Gretchen Ehlke in Milwaukee; and Brady McCombs in Salt Lake City contributed to this report.
The twin ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach are cited by environmental authorities as some of the worst sources for the region's endemic air pollution, a problem regulators aim to address with a planned phase-out of the 16,000 smoke-spewing diesel trucks that service the shipping centers.

What sort of clean technology will replace them is far from certain, but Paccar (PCAR), one of the world's largest heavy-duty truck manufacturers, is teaming with Toyota (7203.T-JP) to test one promising alternative.

At this month's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the partners unveiled the first of 10 prototype trucks that will rely on hydrogen fuel cells. That puts the partners in competition with players like Tesla (TSLA) that are focusing on battery-powered semis.

"We believe that carrying energy in the form of hydrogen for heavy-duty Class 8 trucks makes more sense than carrying it in batteries" because the trucks can be refilled faster and offer longer range, said Brian Lindgren, director of research and development for Paccar subsidiary Kenworth.

Fossil fuel replacement

While hydrogen could be used as a direct replacement for fossil fuels in internal combustion engines, most efforts focus on using it to power fuel cells. That technology  which was conceived back in the 1850s  forces hydrogen gas through a catalyst-coated membrane where it bonds with oxygen from the air. The process creates water vapor and a stream of electrons that can power the same electric motors that are found in a battery-electric vehicle. That's why some experts refer to fuel cells as "refillable batteries."

In passenger cars such as the Toyota Mirai or Honda (7267.T-JP) Clarity FCV it takes about five minutes to refuel a hydrogen tank with a range of around 300 miles, far less than required to recharge a battery. Though refilling a Class 8 truck's hydrogen tank will take longer, it still would be substantially less than the time needed to charge the batteries needed for a similar semi.

Story continues

Fuel-cell technology is nearly as quiet as the drivetrain in battery-electric vehicles, Lindgren noted  so quiet, in fact, that reporters attending a CES news conference were surprised to learn the truck behind the Paccar engineer had been idling the whole time.

'Peppy and quiet'

"Drivers like these trucks because they are peppy and quiet," Lindgren said.

The fuel-cell system that will be used in the prototypes will be supplied by Toyota and is an updated version of an original test vehicle that operated at the ports this past year. The new trucks will actually pair two stacks producing about 228 kilowatts, or 306 horsepower. That understates the power the technology delivers because the electric motors that drive the wheels produce tremendous amounts of torque  though Paccar and Toyota officials didn't have the final torque numbers available.

Improving performance and easing the job of a fuel-cell truck's driver, the Paccar/Toyota technology will require only a four-speed transmission, rather than the 18-gear transmissions in the typical Class 8 truck.

In production, meanwhile, Andy Lund, the Toyota chief engineer on the project, said the trucks would have the same payload capacity as a diesel rig.

5 to 7 miles per gallon

From a fuel economy perspective, Lindgren said the prototype trucks will be roughly equivalent to a current diesel, or around 5 to 7 mpg. But Lund stressed that the vehicles will produce nothing but water vapor in terms of exhaust.

The new project will provide answers as to whether fuel-cell technology can serve as a viable replacement for the conventional diesel trucks that now ply the ports, hauling goods from ship to shipping depots, Lund added.

Paccar and Toyota aren't the only ones looking at fuel cells for the trucking industry. Salt Lake City-based Nikola Motor is developing several of its own hydrogen-powered heavy-duty rigs, including the Class 8 Nikola One it hopes to start building later this year. It claims to have received about 8,000 advance orders worth more than $6 billion.

'Fool cells'

Not everyone is convinced hydrogen power will prove viable, however. Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk is fond of calling the technology "fool cells," and he isn't the only critic. Skeptics note that there is no ready source of hydrogen and no distribution network as there is for either electricity or diesel fuel.

They also point out that hydrogen must be produced either by cracking water into its component elements  two parts hydrogen, one part water  or by refining fossil fuels ranging from coal to petroleum to natural gas. Those approaches can be energy intensive or result in CO2 emissions.Tesla is one of several companies that are focusing on battery-powered Class 8 trucks. Musk previewed a running version of the Tesla Semi in November 2017.

Which technology will win is far from certain, but California air quality regulators want to see all diesel trucks used at the Los Angeles-area ports permanently sidelined by 2035 and replaced by zero-emission vehicles.
Khartoum (AFP) - A doctors' committee linked to anti-government protests in Sudan on Sunday apologised for incorrectly reporting that a child had been killed in the demonstrations.

Sudanese police said that two people had died in protests that rocked Khartoum on January 17, but the organisers had reported that three people were killed, including a child, in clashes with riot police.

"We apologise for this false report of a child killed in Thursday's demonstrations," a committee of doctors linked to the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) that is leading the protest movement said in a statement on Facebook.

"This mistake happened because we trusted a confident source, but we are now investigating the matter," it said, confirming that two people had died in the demonstrations on Thursday.

On that day riot police broke up a march on the presidential palace in Khartoum by hundreds of people chanting "freedom, peace, justice" -- the key slogan of the protest movement.

Hours later, residents of the capital's Burri district staged a demonstration that led to clashes between riot police and protesters, witnesses said.

The total number of people killed in demonstrations since they first erupted on December 19 stands at 26, including two security personnel, according to official figures.

But rights group Amnesty International last week put the death toll at more than 40.

Protests have rocked Sudan since December 19 when the government raised the price of bread, and since then have escalated into rallies against President Omar al-Bashir's three-decade rule.

The SPA has called for a march on Sunday on parliament in Omdurman, the twin city of Khartoum on the west bank of the Nile.

"The protesters will submit to parliament a memorandum calling on President Bashir to step down," added the association, which represents the unions of doctors, teachers and engineers.

The group said there will also be rallies in Khartoum on Sunday, to be followed by night-time demonstrations on Tuesday in the capital and in Omdurman.

"And on Thursday there will be rallies across all towns and cities of Sudan," the statement added.
Cyber University of Korea President Kim Jin-sung, left, and President and Publisher of The Korea Times Lee Byeong-eon shake hands during the memorandum of understanding signing ceremony at the newspaper company's building in central Seoul, Tuesday. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk



By Kim Jae-heun



The nation's oldest English newspaper The Korea Times has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Cyber University of Korea (CUK) to promote the latter's online Korean language lectures on its website.



The online university will provide its free learning program "Quick Korean" to The Korea Times, which will share it on its online news platform for foreign visitors to use.



"The Korea Times is the nation's first English news daily and we are also the first cyber university established in Korea," CUK President Kim Jin-sung said during the MOU signing ceremony held in The Korea Times' office in central Seoul, Tuesday. "As we, both are pioneers in each sector and have come together to collaborate on promoting the Korean language, I believe we will make a good outcome out of it."






Algiers (AFP) - A retired Algerian general on Saturday became the first candidate to announce a run for president in April elections, as ailing incumbent Abdelaziz Bouteflika's intentions remain unknown.

Ali Ghediri, a former defence ministry personnel director, threw his hat into the ring after the North African country on Friday called the much anticipated election for April 18.

Bouteflika, 81, who uses a wheelchair and has rarely been seen in public since a stroke in 2013, is due to complete a fourth term in office on April 28.

Despite his advanced age and poor health, some of his supporters have called for him to stand for a fifth term.

But the president himself is yet to make his plans clear.

By law, would-be candidates now have until March 4 to register with the constitutional court.

Uncertainty over whether Bouteflika will stand for re-election has frozen Algerian politics for months.

Ghediri was the first to seize the initiative, declaring in a statement to Algerian media that "I have decided to take up the challenge by running in the presidential election".

"This major challenge... involves questioning, without any taboos, the established order," said the 64-year-old, who retired in 2015.

Ghediri has bolstered his profile with a series of prominent media appearances in recent weeks.

In an interview with El Watan newspaper last month he hit out at speculation that the polls might be postponed and Bouteflika's mandate extended, saying he expected the army to stop any such move.

These comments earned him a rebuke from the defence ministry, which threatened to go to court if rules on the conduct of former military officers were breached.

Algerian politics is notoriously opaque and the winner of every multiparty presidential election has been pre-selected by a shadowy elite, beginning in 1995 with victory by retired general Liamine Zeroual.

The president's brother and special adviser Said has been widely seen as Algeria's de facto ruler since Abdelaziz's stroke, which severely impaired the president's speech.
This reports story is no longer being updated. For the latest updates, please click here.

Hundreds of flights have been canceled at Boston's Logan International Airport as the major winter storm continues to bring an ice storm and heavy snow to New England.

At least one fatality has been associated with this storm. In Kansas, a snowplow driver was killed after his vehicle drove onto the shoulder and rolled over, the Associated Press reported.

"After the storm started as snow, sleet and freezing rain is creating difficult travel and causing power outages in southern and eastern New England," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski.



Major snowstorm pounds Midwest, Northeast

AP Photo/Garret Fischer

First, at vero eos et accusamus et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui blanditiis praesentium et accusamus et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui voluptatum.

1/12

(Instagram/murphy_thelabrador)

A pup in Naperville, Ill., enjoyed the snow on Saturday, Jan. 19.

(Photo/Dan Eidsmoe)

Snow blanketed Chicago on the morning of Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019.

(PhotoDan Eidsmoe)

Heavy snow piled up on Chicago's streets and sidewalks on Jan. 19, 2019.

(Photo/Dan Eidsmoe)

Morning snow created picturesque scenes in Chicago on Jan. 19, 2019.

(Photo/Dan Eidsmoe)

Crews worked to clear sidewalks of snow amid an intense storm on Jan. 19, 2019.

(Instagram/daniel_eidsmoe)

Early morning snow made for difficult travel conditions around Chicago on Jan. 19.

(Instagram/chickenkrispy)

Snow coated roads and sidewalks in downtown Chicago on Saturday, Jan. 19.

(Twitter/ISPDistrcit21)

At least two semi-trucks and a handful of other vehicles slid off roadways around Danforth, Ill., on Saturday, Jan. 19, local officials reported.

(Instagram/414films)

Pedestrians worked their way through packed sidewalks in Milwaukee, Wisc., on Jan. 19.

(Instagram/chrissiwit)

Roads were unsafe for travel in Milwaukee, Wisc., on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019.

(Twitter/ISPDistrict21)

Story continues

Visibility was severely poor in parts of eastern Illinois on Saturday afternoon amid a massive snowstorm.

(Instagram/@catahoula_dex)

While the storm may have caused travel chaos in Chicago, some animals made the most of it.

(Twitter/ODOT_Statewide)

The Ohio Department of Transportation had thousands of crews on roads across the state as a major storm hit the region on Jan. 19.

(Instagram/chancegolden2018)

A playful pup was barely visible in the heavy snow that blanketed Milwaukee, Wisc., on Jan. 19.

(Twitter/MSHPTrooperC)

A crash on a snow-covered I-55 closed part of the highway in Sainte Genevieve County in eastern Missouri on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019.

(Twitter/MSHPTrooperI)

Officials in Dent County, Missouri, said the area experience the "worst of the snow" in that region on Twitter on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019.

(Photo/h_coker89)

Icy roads forced this driver, who was unhurt, off the road in Arkansas on the morning of Saturday, Jan. 19.

Meghan Mussoline

Thick snow fell in State College, Penn., on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019, but Chester the dog was unsure about the conditions.

(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

A Pennsylvania Department of Transportation road treatment truck pulls in to attach a plow at a storage facility in Franklin Park, Pa. on Friday, Jan. 18, 2019. Weather forecasters are are predicting a heavy weekend snow storm across Pennsylvania and surrounding states.

IowaDOT

A plow truck drove down a snow-covered stretch of Interstate 80 east of Des Moines, Iowa.

(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Pedestrians walk in the snow in Detroit, Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019.

(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

A vehicle spins out on Interstate 94 in Detroit, Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019.

(AP Photo/Hans Pennink)

Crews clear snow at the Albany International Airport in Colonie, N.Y., Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019.

(AP Photo/Lisa Rathke)

Bill Moore cross-country skis down a street on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019, in Montpelier, Vt.

(AP Photo/Lisa Rathke)

Carter Martin shovels a sidewalk at Maplefields store and gas station on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019, in Plainfield, Vt.

The snowstorm will be followed up by a blast of brutally cold air on Sunday night, which could be dangerous for those left without power in the wake of the storm.

"The cold can be life-threatening for those left without power and no means to heat their homes," Pydynowski said. "In areas hit hard by the snowstorm, roads cleared by accumulating snow during the storm may become blocked again due to extensive drifting snow in the storm's wake through Monday."

Download the free AccuWeather app to see how much snow you will receive in your area.

3:00 p.m. EST Sunday:

Traffic is backed up in areas of New Hampshire and Massachusetts due to snow and icy road conditions.



Screen Shot 2019-01-20 at 2.58.30 PM.png

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

2:00 p.m. EST Sunday:

Strong winds downed a tree blocking all lanes of N. Roosevelt St. in Washington D.C.

12:36 p.m. EST Sunday:

Coastal flooding has been reported across New England, including in the town of Duxbury, Massachusetts.



This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

11:15 a.m. EST Sunday

Some of the highest snow and ice reports from the winter storm have been reported in New England and New York. The storm is winding down, but snow and ice continue to accumulate in some locations.



new england snow totals 12019

mid-atlantic snow 12019

New York snowfall totals 12019

Pennsylvania snow totals

ice reports 12019

10:36 a.m. EST Sunday:

Here is an updated look at flight cancellations at several major travel hubs including in Canada. Boston still leads the way with more than 400 flights cancelled.



flight cancellations

8:34 a.m. EST Sunday:

Over 400 flights have been canceled at Boston's Logan International Airport as icy conditions spread through Massachusetts. Over 2,600 road crew members from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation are out treating the roads at this hour.



ice new england 12019

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Slick road conditions are being reported around Worcester, Massachusetts. Officials are reminding residents to avoid unnecessary travel.



This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

7:53 a.m. EST Sunday:

Blowing and drifting snow will create problems in parts of the Northeast today, especially in some locations where roads have already been cleared. Blowing snow is being reported along Interstate 70 Sunday morning.

The Ohio Department of Transportation said it had more than 1,300 plows out across the state.



This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

6:25 a.m. EST Sunday:

Temperatures are starting to plummet across the Ohio Valley and parts of the mid-Atlantic, freezing water and slush. Between 3 and 4:00 a.m., the temperature in Pittsburgh fell from 29 to 22 F. It is currently 19 F.



This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Some of the storm's first accumulation reports of over 1 foot are rolling in from Saratoga and Schenectady counties in New York state.



static ALB snow 1am 1/20/19

static ALB 1/20 6am

5 a.m. EST Sunday:

Rain, sleet and freezing rain continue to replace snow throughout the southern half of New England. After receiving 5 inches of snow, rain and sleet are now falling in Boston.



static HVN 5am weather 1/20

Following an inch or two of snow accumulation, rain is now inundating New Haven, Connecticut, as temperatures rise into the mid-30s F. Road conditions are improving across the area as a result.



static 5am traffic 1/20

3:45 a.m. EST Sunday:

Level 3 Snow Emergencies have been declared for Hocking, Marion, Union, Delaware, Morrow, Crawford, Hardin, Putnam, Hancock, Seneca, Huron, Erie, Ottawa and Sandusky counties in Ohio.

Freezing rain and sleet have replaced snowflakes over southern New England. While temperatures are expected to rise above freezing this morning, a flash freeze will result in more icy conditions by Sunday afternoon.



This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Farther north in Albany, the airport has been reporting 1- to 2-inch per hour snowfall rates since midnight local time. So far 9 inches of snow has fallen, but over a foot of snow is expected to accumulate through Sunday afternoon.



This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Click here to see earlier storm reports which include the Northeast, Midwest and Plains.
By George Georgiopoulos and Michele Kambas ATHENS (Reuters) - Police fired tear gas to disperse protesters outside parliament on Sunday as tens of thousands of Greeks rallied in Athens to protest ahead of next week's parliamentary vote to ratify a name deal with Macedonia. Central Athens turned into a sea of people holding blue and white Greek flags as thousands came from all over the country to rally against the accord to name the ex-Yugoslav state North Macedonia. Many Greeks believe the name Macedonia implies a territorial claim over their country's own northern region of that name. The issue evokes strong emotions among Greeks who consider Macedonia, the ancient kingdom ruled by Alexander the Great, to be an integral part of their homeland and heritage. The accord, signed by the two governments, unblocks the ex-Yugoslav republic's desire to join NATO and the European Union once it is ratified by Greece's parliament. "We cannot stomach this deal, to give away our Macedonia, our history," said pensioner Amalia Savrami, 67, as she waved a large Greek flag on Athens's Syntagma Square. "Macedonia is Greek, period." Macedonia declared independence in 1991, avoiding the violence that accompanied much of the break-up of Yugoslavia. Prime Minister Zoran Zaev has sought to accelerate the country's bid to join the EU and NATO and to work on resolving the decades-old name dispute with Greece. Greece had agreed that until the name dispute is resolved, its northern neighbor, with a population of about 2 million, could be referred to internationally as "FYROM" - Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. That is the name under which it was admitted to the United Nations in 1993. Settling the issue would be hailed as a success by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, whose left-right coalition came to power in 2015. He won a confidence motion this month after the junior partner in his coalition pulled out. "The Prespes accord is a historic step not only for the two countries and the broader region, but for Europe as a whole. It cements relations of friendship, cooperation and stability," Tsipras told Sunday's Avgi newspaper. The agreement with Skopje had strained relations with the right-wing Independent Greeks party, his coalition ally, which objected to the use of Macedonia in any agreed name. United Nations diplomat Matthew Nimetz, who has mediated talks between the two countries, said he looked forward to Greece's ratification of the accord after FYROM delivered on related constitutional amendments. "As in the past, the United Nations remains committed to working with the two parties in finally resolving the difference between them," he said in a statement. Greek police said that 10 officers were wounded in clashes with demonstrators after being attacked with stones and petrol bombs. (Additional reporting by Renee Maltezou and Lefteris Papadimas; editing by Janet Lawrence and David Goodman)
N'Djamena (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Chad on Sunday for what he called a "historic" trip, during which diplomatic ties with the African state were expected to be renewed.

"I am now leaving on another historic and important breakthrough, to Chad, a huge Muslim country bordering Libya and Sudan," he told reporters before boarding the plane at the Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv.

"There will be big news," Netanyahu said, hinting at the formal resumption of diplomatic relations between the countries that Chad had cut in 1972.

His office later confirmed he had landed and was meeting with Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno in N'Djamena.

Netanyahu has sought to improve ties with countries in the Arab and Muslim world and said he expected more such diplomatic breakthroughs soon.

"There will be more countries," said Netanyahu, who is seeking re-election in April 9 polls while also facing the possibility of being indicted in corruption investigations in the coming weeks.

The one-day visit follows Deby's November trip to Israel.

The two leaders at the time declined to comment on whether their talks have included arms deals.

Chadian security sources say the country has acquired Israeli equipment to help battle rebels in the country's north.

Chad is also one of several African states engaged in Western-backed operations against Boko Haram and Islamic State group jihadists.

Pressure from Muslim African nations, accentuated by the Arab-Israeli wars of 1967 and 1973, led a number of African states to sever relations with the Jewish state.

But in recent years, Israel has held out the prospect of cooperation in fields ranging from security to technology to agriculture, to improve ties on the continent.

Deby is one of Africa's longest-serving leaders.

He took over the arid, impoverished nation in 1990 and won a disputed fifth term in April 2016 to lead the country of some 15 million people.
Panama City (AFP) - A massive power outage hit Panama on Sunday just days before the arrival of Pope Francis, leaving traffic lights inoperable, businesses in the dark, and gas stations unable to pump fuel for some six hours.

The pope is set to arrive in Panama on Wednesday for the World Youth Day festival, an event expected to attract some 200,000 young Catholics from across the globe.

Panamanian electric power company ETESA said service to most of the country shut down starting at 11:42 am (1642 GMT) Sunday.

ETESA said it identified the location of the problem, but did not say what caused the blackout.

Some six hours later President Juan Carlos Varela announced via Twitter "the full re-establishment" of the national power grid after meeting with senior ETESA officials.

The company said some parts of neighboring Costa Rica and Nicaragua were also hit by the power outage.

Varela said the blackout was unrelated to the pope's visit.

- Panama 'prepared' -

The Panama City subway system fully closed down during the blackout.

"I was on the subway, and they made us get out and walk," said Panama City resident Pedro Flores, 23.

Mother-of-four Dalicia Gonzalez, 38, was unimpressed by the papal hoopla and worried about more immediate issues.

"I could care less about the pope. I care about my home, and what are we going to do? What a nightmare!" she said, as she bought sweets in a dark shopping center.

President Varela called for calm and urged Panamanians "to keep things normal."

The capital city's Tocumen International Airport and the busy and vital Panama Canal were able to activate backup systems and maintain normal operations, authorities said.

But water supplies were affected in many parts of the country. The water treatment plant serving Panama City was among those knocked out, the country's Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers said on Twitter.

Domingo Espitia, coordinator of an interagency task force preparing for the papal visit, said that contingency plans had been successfully implemented when the power went out.

Story continues

"The Panamanian state is prepared for this type of contingency," he told reporters. He said Tocumen airport had maintained "100 percent" of its normal operations.

When traffic lights went out, Espitia said that authorities "immediately took control" to keep traffic moving.

Pope Francis is scheduled to visit Panama from Wednesday until Sunday, January 27, for the massive World Youth Day festival. The event is expected to attract faithful from 150 countries.

In a video released ahead of his trip, Francis, 82, said he would urge young people to take on the challenges of poverty, violence and migration, and "change the world."

It will be the 26th foreign trip by the Argentine-born pope since he was chosen to lead the Catholic Church in early 2013, and his first to Panama.

The last pope to visit Panama was Pope John Paul II during a tour of Central America in 1983.
BERLIN (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Sunday it was unclear how any talks between Britain and Ireland on resolving the question of the Irish backstop could help the European Union's deal with London on Brexit. British Prime Minister Theresa May is to set out her plans for Brexit on Monday after UK lawmakers rejected her deal with the EU last week, throwing the process into disarray. The United Kingdom is due to leave the bloc on March 29. Asked by ZDF television about media reports on possible plans by May to negotiate a bilateral deal with the Irish government, Maas said it was unclear how it would work. "We have to negotiate and also agree a withdrawal agreement with Britain. It is a bit of a mystery to me what the British government wants to negotiate with Dublin or what sort of an additional agreement it should be," he told German television. "It won't have any effect on what was agreed with the (European) Commission." The Sunday Times reported that May was seeking a bilateral treaty with Ireland to remove the contentious backstop arrangement that the EU insists on to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. Maas also said it would be "very difficult" to renegotiate Britain's withdrawal agreement with the EU. "All 27 members must agree. In the last few days there have been relatively clear statements that there are many who are not ready to and there are some that are open to it. We have to wait to see what the Britons suggest," he said. In an interview with Monday's edition of Die Welt daily, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a pro-European, said it was pointless for the EU to make concessions to Britain. "Even if the EU moves away from the backstop and gives up the position of the Irish government, which I don't think will happen, even that wouldn't save the deal," he said, adding he put the risk of a no-deal Brexit at just 10 percent. Like the EU as a whole, Germany does not want a no-deal Brexit but it has plans in place just in case. The DIHK Chambers of Commerce, a body that represents German businesses, also argued that the EU should not offer Britain concessions. "If we move towards the Britons further, the integrity of the internal market will be at stake and this is not negotiable from the point of view of German industry," Volker Treier, foreign trade chief of the DIHK, told Tagesspiegel. (Reporting by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Dale Hudson)
On Saturday, the day designated to mark the second anniversary of the Womens March, women in New York City could march, rally or protest in a variety of locations and under different auspices, but the messages, and even one of the messengers, werent that different.

In the past, New York Citys march was led by Womens March Alliance, a grassroots organization unaffiliated with the national organization Womens March Inc., which organized the original rally in Washington in 2017. This year, it proceeded, as scheduled, with its third annual march and rally on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

Meanwhile, downtown, the New York City chapter of Womens March Inc. held a rally  with no marching  co-sponsored by the New York Immigration Coalition, and Girls for Gender Equity.

Spectators and supporters attend the Womens Unity Rally, hosted by a chapter of Womens March Inc., at Foley Square in New York City on Jan. 19, 2019. (Photo: Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)

Both events unveiled strategies for expanding their supporters electoral power. The march announced its new campaign, March to the Polls 2020, and set a goal of turning marchers into voters. The rally focused on elevating the voices of immigrants and women of color and highlighting issues for Congress.

There was even a third non-march in midtown organized by an anti-Trump action group, Rise and Resist, for disabled marchers who couldnt participate in either the march or rally.

The rift between the New York group and the national organization stems from the reluctance of Womens March Inc. leaders to cut ties with the anti-Semitic, antigay Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. The controversy has plagued the Womens March for nearly a year and has become a source of discord in communities outside Washington, where protesters had to decide if they would align with the national group, or with a separate organization, March ON, or neither.

Reported attempts at merging the two New York events never came to fruition, leaving marchers to choose which side of the city they wanted to be on.

At the rally

Jan Huttner attends the Womens Unity Rally, hosted by a chapter of Womens March Inc. (Photo: Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)

Marchers at the rally decried the accusations of anti-Semitism against the Womens March Inc. Many came because of the focus on women of color and immigrants.

Story continues

This is not about us, said Jan Lisa Huttner, a Jewish feminist activist who marched with the Alliance the last two years, but made a point of attending the rally this year instead. This is about the women who are specifically targeted by this administration. The Trump administration is not targeting Jews. African-American, LGBT, Hispanic and Muslim women have been targeted.

Faith Wellington marched in D.C. two years ago and this year brought her two daughters to rally on behalf of separated families of immigrants from Central America. I want them to see the unity people have here, she said. Theyre here to give a voice to the woman and migrant children at the border who dont have a voice today.

Faith Wellington and her daughters participate at the Womens Unity Rally hosted by a chapter of Womens March Inc. on Jan. 19, 2019, at Foley Square, New York City. (Photo: Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)

Wellington joined Petra Magro, who is a chairperson of the left-wing Filipino organization Gabriela. When asked why the group chose the rally instead of the March, Magro said, This one is intersectional and represents peoples issues  and people of color are well-represented here.

I didnt think a lot about the march on the Upper West Side, said Agunda Okeyo, founder of the Womens March N.Y. chapter. I knew I wanted to do a rally that was reflective of New York and its different communities.

Leslie Camacho, a Mexican-American college freshman was marching for the first time, said Im marching to stand up for my family. She lives in a mixed-status family and came to the rally for her mother, who is an immigrant. Who knows what will be decided about immigration and what will happen to my family?

Leslie Camacho attends the Womens Unity Rally on Jan. 19, 2019, at Foley Square. (Photo: Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)

Ellen Florentine didnt know there were two separate Womens March events. I dont care whos in charge, she said. We want to get Trump out of office.

Both [events] are problematic in different ways, said another attendee, Bryony Romer. There are accessibility issues with the march and questions about leadership in regards to anti-Semitism in the other. The important thing is not to walk away from things that are flawed, but to work with them and move them forward.

For first-time marcher Maha Akhtar, attending with a friend, Omera Begum, the Womens March Alliance event felt like kind of an offshoot, throwing accusations against Womens March [Inc.] and creating division. Were here as Muslim women and we want to say to all women, We are with you, and this is our country too, said Akhtar.

Maha Akhtar and Omera Begum attend the Womens Unity Rally hosted by a chapter of Womens March Inc. on Jan. 19, 2019 at Foley Square, New York City. (Photo: Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)

Another woman attending her first rally was Gizelle Marie, an organizer of New York Stripper Strike. Its usually a white womens march, she said. People dont see sex workers as human, especially sex workers of color. But I hope my words can impact people to make them realize were here with them and they need to be here with us too.

PHOTOS: Protesters take part in third annual Womens March 

Kathleen Wolfe, 49, said she chose the rally specifically because it was attended by the pioneering feminist Gloria Steinem. I go where Gloria [Steinem] goes, she said as she pressed toward the stage.

For her part, Steinem chose to attend the rally because this is the only rally that has the support of 50 different community organizations. It is in itself a movement. she told Yahoo News, describing the 2017 march in New York, in which middle-class white women were heavily represented, not inclusive.

But whether its rallies, marches or meetings, its all one movement.

Journalist and social activist Gloria Steinem poses for a photo before speaking at the Womens Unity Rally on Jan. 19, 2019. (Photo: Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)

Steinem spoke at the rally, along with others, including New York Citys first lady, Chirlane McCray, and the rising Democratic star Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who also addressed the uptown march.

Steinem, 84, added, a lot of progress has been made, but theres room for more. The good thing about being old is that you know times were worse. And the good thing about being young is that you know they can be better.

At the march

Karen Marron and her daughter Claire, 12, stand in Times Square at the end of the Womens March. (Photo: Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)

Karen Marron did her research before choosing between the march and rally. She said she disagreed with the way the leaders of Womens March Inc. responded to accusations of anti-Semitism. I was happy to see another alternative.

To hear Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speak felt like a part of history, said Marron. And it was special to have my daughter hear her, too.

A group of Ocasio-Cortez supporters was surprised to see the new congresswoman, who is still getting settled in Washington, at the march. AOC represents the people, said Allie Horton. Shes one of us. So its great to see her at this event when there are so many things she could be doing right now, like visiting her family.

A man attending the Womens March wears a button of newly elected Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. (Photo: Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)

Ana Rodriquez took time off from her vacation to march and was surprised to learn there was another rally going on downtown. I was not aware of the separation between the marches, but its basically the same at the end of the day. Whether its two, three or five marches, its more exposure.

Some women chose on the basis that marching seemed more engaging than listening to speakers at a rally. It was tough deciding between the two, said Taryn Luby, who marched in Minnesota in 2017. But in the end, I wanted to physically march, because it felt impactful and powerful.

Erica Vasquez, attending the rally with her hometown friends Marie Monteleone, Amanda Castelli and Vicky Murray, sympathized with the feeling. Vasquez described the march as having fun energy and good vibes. Im loyal to this march, and I felt safe here, she said. On her way to the march with her friends, she said they were followed for three blocks by a man shouting Abortion is murder.

Erica Vasquez, Marie Monteleone, Amanda Castelli and Vicky Murray display their signs following the Womens March in New York City on Jan. 19, 2019. (Photo: Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)

It was unsettling, but they were familiar with opposition to marching.

My parents thought I was crazy to come here, said Murray. Theyre conservative and they support Trump. Castelli, who said her father, a legal immigrant from Italy, is also very, very much conservative, said she came here for the movement. They were all wearing pink pussy hats made by Castellis mother.

This [march] has the spirit of what this movement is meant to be, said Marron, who remained in the neighborhood as the march ended. Hopefully, it will all come back together as one voice and one movement.

Taryn Luby (third from left) poses with friends in Times Square after the Womens March. (Photo: Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:

See our 2018 year-end features >>>
(Reuters) - China has offered to go on a six-year buying spree to ramp up imports from the United States in order to reconfigure the relation between the two countries, Bloomberg reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.

By raising annual goods imports from the United States by a combined value of more than $1 trillion, China would seek to reduce its trade surplus, which last year stood at $323 billion, to zero by 2024, one of the people told Bloomberg.

It was unclear how the offer differed from what China pledged when U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Buones Aires in December. At that meeting, China offered more than $1.2 trillion in additional commitments on trade, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said.

Reuters reported on Jan. 9 that U.S. officials used three days of trade talks with Chinese counterparts in Beijing to demand more details on China's pledge to make big purchases of American goods. China offered similar commitments, albeit on a smaller scale, during talks in Washington last May.

The Bloomberg report on Friday helped drive a rally on Wall Street where main stock indexes were on track for their fourth week of gains, in part on hopes the United States and China would strike a deal to end a trade war between the world's two biggest economies. The two sides have imposed tit-for-tat tariffs that have disrupted hundreds of billions of dollars of commerce.

While increased purchases of U.S. goods have been part of the talks, American negotiators have also focused on issues that would require structural change in China. Those include finding ways to end the misappropriation of intellectual property from U.S. companies and halting industrial subsidies.

Halfway through a 90-day truce in the U.S.-China trade war agreed to on Dec. 1 when Trump and Xi met during the G20 summit in Argentina, there have been few details provided of any progress made. On Tuesday, a Republican senator said U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer had told him he had seen no progress on structural issues.

Story continues

Data on Monday showed China's exports unexpectedly fell the most in two years in December and imports also contracted, pointing to further weakness in the world's second-largest economy in 2019 and deteriorating global demand.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin discussed lifting some or all tariffs imposed on Chinese imports and suggested offering a tariff rollback during trade discussions scheduled for Jan. 30.

Lighthizer has resisted the idea, and the proposal had not yet been introduced to Trump, according to the Journal.

Chinese Vice Premier Liu He will visit the United States on Jan. 30 and 31 for the latest round of trade talks aimed at resolving the bitter trade dispute. The Trump administration is scheduled to increase tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods to 25 percent on March 2 from 10 percent.

The Trump administration has urged China to take steps to protect U.S. intellectual property, end policies that force American companies to turn over technology to a Chinese partner, allow more market access for U.S. businesses and reduce other non-tariff barriers to American products.

China has repeatedly played down complaints about intellectual property abuses, and has rejected accusations that foreign companies face forced technology transfers.

(Reporting by Rishika Chatterjee in Bengaluru; Writing by Nick Zieminski in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Jonathan Oatis)
By Sofia Menchu TAPACHULA, Mexico (Reuters) - Hundreds of mostly Honduran migrants entered southern Mexico on Friday, joining around 1,000 other people from Central America who crossed a day earlier and putting to the test Mexico's vows to guarantee the safe and orderly flow of people. The cohort crossed the Guatemalan border into Chiapas state before dawn without needing the wrist bands that Mexican officials on Thursday gave migrants to wear until they could register with authorities, several migrants and an official told Reuters. "The road today was open," said Marco Antonio Cortez, 37, a baker from Honduras traveling with his wife and children, ages 2 and 9. "They didn't give us bracelets or anything, they just let us pass through Mexico migration." A migration official at the entry point, who asked not to be named because she was not authorized to speak to media, said that at least 1,000 people crossed from Guatemala into Mexico before dawn, without putting on wrist bands. Asked why migrants did not receive wrist bands, David Leon, the director of civil protection, said authorities faced a caravan of hundreds of people early in the morning and let them pass rather than risk a confrontation. The migrant group proceeded on foot alongside cars on a highway, accompanied by federal police officers, arriving at a shelter in the city of Tapachula around midday. Sitting by the side of the road rubbing cream onto his children's feet, 40-year-old Honduran migrant Santos Pineda said he and his family entered Mexico easily, and without having to provide documents or wear any wrist bands. The family's plan was to press on to the United States, he said. A migration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said those who entered without wrist bands ran the risk of being detained for crossing illegally. Around 300 mostly Honduran migrants with wrist bands were still waiting to cross into Mexico on Friday afternoon. Mexico's migration institute said the migrants can stay in temporary shelters in Mexico until they receive humanitarian visas allowing them to remain in the country, or they can wait in Guatemala for their document to be ready. Groups of migrants left El Salvador and Honduras earlier in the week, the latest in a string of caravans of people largely fleeing poverty and violence. The caravans have inflamed the debate over U.S. immigration policy, with President Donald Trump using the migrants to try to secure backing for his plan to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is pursuing a "humanitarian" approach to the problem, vowing to stem the flow of people by finding jobs for the migrants. In exchange, he wants Trump to help spur economic development in the region. (Reporting by Sofia Menchu; Writing by Daina Beth Solomon; Editing by Leslie Adler and Rosalba O'Brien)
Lagos (AFP) - Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari and his main challenger on Sunday faced accusations of arrogance, disrespect and elitism, after they failed to turn up for a debate between election hopefuls.

Buhari, of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and Atiku Abubakar, from the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were supposed to have been among five candidates at the set-piece discussion late Saturday.

But Buhari stayed away, citing his "busy and hectic official and campaign schedules" and because he had already taken part in a live, televised question-and-answer session.

Abubakar returned from the United States and headed to the venue in Abuja but "at the last second he decided not to appear", debate moderator Mark Eddo announced.

Abubakar, referred to across Nigeria as "Atiku", later blamed Buhari, saying the president's absence was "a slight on all of us and our democracy".

"We came here for a presidential debate, not a candidacy debate, and I, Atiku Abubakar, cannot challenge or question an administration where the man at the helm of the affairs of the nation is not present to defend himself or his policies," he added.

Nigeria goes to the polls to elect a new president on February 16 in what is expected to be a close race between the two main parties.

The PDP was in power for 16 years from 1999, when democracy was restored after decades of military rule. Buhari's victory in 2015 was the first for an opposition candidate.

- 'Utter disgust' -

The other three candidates at the debate all said Buhari and Abubakar's absence was not surprising and both were from the old ruling class.

Retired army general Buhari, 76, headed a miliary government in the 1980s, while Abubakar, a wealthy businessman four years his junior, was vice-president under Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 to 2007.

Obasanjo issued an open letter on Sunday accusing Buhari of recruiting agents to falsify the election results, and cast doubts on the national electoral commission (INEC).

Story continues

"Personally, I have serious doubts about the integrity, impartiality and competence of the INEC to organise elections that are fair, open and credible," said the ex-president who supported Buhari in 2015 but this time is backing his rival Abubakar.

Nigeria's presidency responded later Sunday in a statement calling Obasanjo's comments "bizarre and scandalous."

"The elections starting in February will be free and fair as promised the nation and the international community by President Buhari," it added.

Buhari, Abubakar and Obasanjo are among a number of ageing politicians to have dominated Nigeria for decades in a country where around 60 percent of the population of more than 180 million is aged under 30.

Oby Ezekwesili, a former education minister, of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, said: "I think it's important for us to acknowledge that there is a political class that simply needs to fade away from our country.

"The idea that the will of people will be subject to the whims and caprices of our politicians should be a total anomaly," added the ex-World Bank vice-president.

Fela Oludatore, an entrepreneur and motivational speaker, of the Alliance for New Nigeria, accused Buhari and Abubakar of acting like "rulers (who) don't explain to their subjects what they're going to do".

Kingsley Moghalu, of the Young Progressives Party, who was a former deputy governor of Nigeria's central bank, branded both arrogant and ignorant.

"They're not here so they can't answer the questions... They belong to the old school... with a sense of entitlement but not a record of performance," he added.

Many ordinary Nigerians accused the APC and PDP candidates of disrespect. One said he felt "utter disgust" and the only appropriate response for voters was at the ballot box.

Another told the Premium Times website a two-hour live debate "requires intellectual stamina and quite frankly, I know both cannot cope so I was not surprised".




Romanian Ambassador to Korea Mihai Ciompec speaks in Seoul, Jan. 18, about Romania's first EU presidency and its challenges. / Embassy of Romania



By Yi Whan-woo



Romania will lead the European Union in harmony, although tough tests await the country during its rotating EU presidency from January to June, Romanian Ambassador to Korea Mihai Ciompec said.

During a reception at his embassy on Jan. 18, to mark Romania's first EU presidency, the envoy said the country would faithfully carry out its motto, "Cohesion, a common European value," and enhance political, economic, and social integration within the EU accordingly.

Ciompec's remarks came as the EU faces tricky tests that can change the course of its history, such as the United Kingdom's scheduled exit in March, European Parliament elections in May and wrangling over the next budget.

Political turmoil in Romania has also raised questions over its credentials for the EU presidency.

Against this backdrop, Ciompec cited Romanian President Klaus Werner Iohannis to give an assurance that Romania, after joining the EU in 2007, could now take a "forefront role" for a "more cohesive, more united, and stronger Europe."

"The Romanian presidency of the Council of the European Union will take place at a time when common efforts of the member states and of the EU institutions are needed in order to identify workable solutions to major challenges the European unification project is facing," Ciompec said.

He speculated that a multilateral summit among European leaders in Sibiu, Romania, on May 9, would be "a crucial moment" to send a message of unity within the union and show that his country would "act as a genuine and honest broker" to move the EU forward.

"This is the reason why the approach of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union revolves around the principle of cohesion, illustrated in our motto and central theme of the presidency, Cohesion,' a common European value," he added.

The ambassador underscored that the EU policies should be more in line with cohesion among its members and that his country would seek to bring them closer in political, economic and social aspects.

He outlined four pillars to achieve cohesion  ensuring sustainable and equitable development, making Europe safer, enhancing Europe's global role and encouraging equal opportunities and equal treatment for all.

Commenting on budget issues, Ciompec said making progress with negotiations on the Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF), was among the key agenda.

The MFF determines the budget spending of the EU for at least five years. The current MFF runs from 2014 to 2020 and the EU is working on the new MFF for 2021-2027.

"The European budget is a reflection of how we see the European Union in the future. From this perspective, we will make all efforts to prepare the grounds for a timely agreement on the next multiannual financial framework," he said.

The reception on Jan. 18 attracted Korean foreign ministry officials, European ambassadors and other members of the diplomatic corps in Seoul.

The EU will have 27 members, if Brexit takes place.

The Council of the EU negotiates and adopts legislation, together with the European Parliament through the ordinary legislative procedure. It also coordinates the policies of EU members and develops foreign and security policies.

The council's presidency rotates every six months. Romania will succeed Austria.
A couple of days ago, national news outlets reported that second lady Karen Pence is returning to her job teaching art at Immanuel Christian School, a small, private K-8 school in Springfield, VA, that bars LGBTQ+ staff and students.

The school requires applicants for teacher and staff jobs to accept marriage as "the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive covenant union as delineated in Scripture." In its parent agreement, the school states that it can refuse to admit or expel students who participate in or support "homosexual activity or bi-sexual activity." Immanuel also does not condone premarital sex, identifying as transgender, or "any other violation of the unique roles of male and female."

While this type of policy is not uncommon for a private evangelical Christian institution, the extreme views are far out of touch with those of most Americans. According to a 2017 report by the Public Religion Research Institute, the overwhelming majority of Americans, across all religious groups, support same-sex marriage.

Luke Hartman, an out gay man who graduated from Immanuel, said that his experience affected him profoundly. "I am a living example that intolerance, both in policy and rhetoric, are harmful to the mental wellness and development of LGBTQ students, who are desperately looking for ways to fit in," he said in a statement through The Trevor Project, a nonprofit that provides crisis and suicide intervention to LGBTQ+ youth. "The silent and spoken messages of rejection that are constantly felt by LGBTQ students directly impact the relationship they have with their faith, education, and relationships with family and friends  ultimately resulting in a feeling of being less than when compared to their straight and cisgender peers."

Doreen Duggan, 27, a friend of Hartman, attended Immanuel from pre-K through 8th grade. She said Immanuel was very small  about 50 kids in each grade  and predominantly white.

Story continues

Duggan, who was adopted from Chile and describes herself as a "tomboy" when she was growing up, recalls teachers telling her not to play with boys at recess. "I could be having an innocent conversation, and they would say, 'Go play with the girls,'" she told Refinery29. Teachers and staff tried to discourage dating and relationships in the higher grades, even among opposite-sex students, she said.

Marriage was always portrayed as being exclusively between a man and a woman, and the "no premarital sex" message was constantly broadcasted. Duggan said she doesn't remember anyone specifically addressing same-sex relations, but they were also clearly not condoned. She remembers kids in the higher grades being encouraged to go to "purity classes" to pledge their virginity and getting purity rings.

As a mother of two (7 and almost 2), Duggan said she wouldn't send her children to Immanuel. "I would not put my kids in that school as a parent now," she said. "But it really aligned with my parents' morals."

I would not put my kids in that school as a parent now. But it really aligned with my parents' morals.

After Immanuel, Duggan attended the local public school for high school. "I met more people of different races, religions, and sexualities. For me, it was about meeting the people  like, There is no way this person is a bad person. That made what I'd been taught not make sense anymore." She said that while some of her classmates have become more open-minded since graduating, others have turned out just like their ultra-conservative parents.

Duggan said she thinks an environment like Immanuel can hurt kids in the long run. "It worries me for the kids who might be questioning whether they're LGBTQ," she said. "Their parents might not know they're putting their kids in a place that will cause damage. That age range, K through 8, is so pivotal for a child in terms of learning who they are. It has another complex layer when you're raised in an environment of self-hatred, because you're raised that what you are, who you are, is an abomination."

Recent research backs this up. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people, and lesbian, gay, and bisexual are more than four times more likely to make a suicide attempt than their straight peers. Almost half of all trans people have made a suicide attempt, most before age 25, according to the National Center for Transgender Equality. The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) recently released a report that found LGBTQ+ students, have experienced increased hostility at their schools in the past two years.

"The Trevor Project hears from young people every day about their experiences with rejection at home and school  places where they should feel the safest," Amit Paley, CEO and executive director of The Trevor Project, said in a statement. "We hope Immanuel Christian School will adopt policies of inclusion for LGBTQ young people that make them feel safe, accepted, and loved."

The Trevor Project has sent 100 copies of A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo, an illustrated kids book that discusses LGBTQ+ acceptance and marriage equality (the Pences released books about Marlon Bundo, their pet rabbit, and this is the inclusive response) to Immanuel in an effort to encourage them to change their employment and enrollment policies.

"We are not attacking the school," Kevin Wong, head of communication for The Trevor Project, told Refinery29. "We want to prevent young people from attempting suicide, and we know that rejection at home and at school raises the risk factors for suicide attempts. And we want to make sure that everyone knows that being a person of faith and being LGBTQ aren't mutually exclusive."

On Thursday, Vice President Mike Pence defended his wife's decision, telling EWTN, a Catholic news network, that "to see major news organizations attacking Christian education is deeply offensive to us."

"We have a rich tradition in America of Christian education, and frankly religious education broadly defined," he said. "We'll let the other critics roll off our back, but this criticism of Christian education in America should stop."

Karen Pence's spokesperson Kara Brooks told the Washington Post, "It's absurd that her decision to teach art to children at a Christian school, and the school's religious beliefs, are under attack."

What's offensive and absurd is that the Pences are unwilling to examine how those religious beliefs impact young people's lives.

We reached out to Karen Pence's spokesperson Kara Brooks and Immanuel Christian School, and will update this story when we hear back.

If you are an LGBTQ person thinking about suicide, please call the Trevor Lifeline at 1-866-488-7386. You can also access counseling via chat at TheTrevorProject.org/Help, or by texting 678-678.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

You Asked, We Answered: Here's How Nancy Pelosi Could Become President

What Ivanka Did This Week: ???

Embattled By Anti-Semitism Claims, The Womens March Forges On
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand speaks at Women's March in Iowa: 'We would change everything' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand kicked off her 2020 presidential campaign in Iowa this weekend by tackling a controversial subject head-on and being a marquee speaker at the Women's March in Des Moines on Saturday.

Although the Democratic National Committee and NAACP withdrew their support from the Women's March amid accusations of bigotry by some of the lead organizers, Gillibrand spoke at the rally in which the 14-degree weather pushed marchers into the Iowa State Capitol building, where she was swarmed before and after taking the stage.

I will make this very clear. We know there is no room for anti-Semitism anywhere in our movement. We know this. We know that our movement is empowered when all of lift each other, Gillibrand told the crowd, which was dotted with women wearing pink "pussy hats" and holding signs.

(MORE: Women's March 2019: Thousands of protesters across US rally amid controversy over anti-Semitism)

Her decision to speak at the march has garnered some criticism as two of the Women's March leaders have been accused of anti-Semitism, drawing scrutiny to the marches, which have become an annual global movement. Co-president Tamika Mallorys ties to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan have come under fire.

During an appearance on "The View," Mallory did not condemn Farrakhan over his alleged anti-Semitic comments but said she didnt agree with those statements.

Women's March board member Linda Sarsour drew criticism from Jewish groups when she told a magazine in 2017 that it would be impossible to be both Zionist and feminist.

"You either stand up for the rights of all women, including Palestinians, or none. Theres just no way around it," Sarsour told The Nation.

Women built new organizations and led the resistance. Black women made sure that a credibly accused pedophile did not win in Alabama, Gillibrand added, referring to the defeat of Senate candidate Roy Moore.

Story continues

Let us commit ourselves to this fight. The battle ahead is long. It is hard but it is worth it because everything you know and love is at stake do not give up. Do not grow weary," Gillibrand said.

The senator chatted with young girls who approached her, making small talk about school and sharing anecdotes about her sons.

The rally provided a national stage for the New York senator to speak about some of the issues she has confronted legislatively in the Senate.

Despite that progress, women still do not represent 51 percent of elected leaders in this country. Imagine just for a moment what America would look like if it did. Imagine what would be possible. Do you think we would still be fighting tooth and nail for basic reproductive freedoms in this country? Do you think that wed be hesitating to pass a national paid leave bill? Do you think it would be so hard to end sexual violence in our military, on college campuses and in society? Gillibrand said.

The truth is, if we changed who is at the decision-making table, we would change everything, she said.

PHOTO: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand speaks to a crowd at the state capitol for the third annual Women's March on Jan. 19, 2019, in Des Moines, Iowa. (Steve Pope/Getty Images)

(MORE: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand tells Colbert shes launching presidential exploratory committee)

Over the weekend, she also defended remarks she made about her ex-colleague, former Sen. Al Franken. She reportedly caught flack from her Democratic peers for calling on Franken to resign after allegations of sexual misconduct were raised against him.

PHOTO: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand speaks to a large crowd at the state capitol for the third annual Women's March on Jan. 19, 2019, in Des Moines, Iowa. (Steve Pope/Getty Images)

(MORE: Gillibrand on a 2020 White House bid: 'I'm thinking about it')

At a Friday night event in Sioux City, Gillibrand was asked repeatedly about comments she had made about Franken, who resigned in December 2017 after multiple women accused him of touching them inappropriately. Gillibrand was the first Democrat to call for his resignation.

"I know it makes a lot of Democrats sad, some angry. But the truth is, Sen. Franken had eight credible accusations against him, for harassment and groping. They were corroborated in real time and they were deemed credible by those who investigated them," she said. "For me, that eighth allegation that came out from a congressional staffer, before he was senator, I couldn't remain silent anymore. Because what my silence meant was defending him."

Choosing to take the stage in Iowa, an early primary state, allows Gillibrand to get a head start on a presidential race that is expected to see a record number of women running for president.

Im going to run for president of the United States because, as a young mom, Im going to fight for other peoples kids as hard as I would fight for my own, she told Stephen Colbert earlier this week when she announced her run on an appearance on The Late Show.

Gillibrand has led three successful re-election bids as senator and has sponsored bills that focus on combatting sexual harassment, providing national paid family leave and promoting gender equality.

She is also a vocal critic of President Donald Trump and voted against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaughs confirmation.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii have also joined the race with other prominent women reportedly contemplating a presidential bid.

Editor's note: A previous version of this story incorrectly listed Tulsi Gabbard as the governor of Hawaii; she is a congresswoman in the state.
Park So-youn, head of animal activist group Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE), gives her account of the alleged euthanasia of rescued animals without CARE staff's knowledge, at a press conference in southern Seoul, Saturday. / Yonhap



By Jung Hae-myoung



Park So-youn, the head of animal rights group Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE), is refusing to resign despite the recent protest from group members and supporters over her euthanasia of hundreds of animals.



She made her stance clear at a press conference in southern Seoul, Saturday, her first public appearance since the controversy emerged on Jan. 11. She said she would stay until the group is stabilized and that her mistake had been a lack of communication with staff.



After the press conference, the CARE staff who claim they did not know about the mercy killing, again called for Park's resignation, saying she had made arbitrary decisions.



"Park is trying to justify her indiscriminate behavior (of administering euthanasia). Instead she is saying she will lead the social discussion on animal euthanasia," a staff member said.



Staff also criticized Park for trying to avoid responsibility.



"She said she did not inform us about the euthanasia just because she was scared of a backlash, but it does not mean killing animals secretly is acceptable," a staff member said.



Staff plan to propose a resolution to dismiss Park at the group's board meeting in February.



"A thousand donors stopped making donations after the row," a staff member said. "Park should resign to normalize the group, which is also our final mission."



Korea Animal Rights Advocates (KARA) and the Korean Animal Welfare Association (KAWA) also made a joint statement calling for Park's resignation.



"The core of this case comes from Park's dogmatism, a lack of communication within the group and a lack of morality," said a joint statement by the groups. "Park is passing the buck by saying it is not her own problem but a social issue of euthanasia."



Meanwhile, some other animal protection groups, including the Korea Association for Animal Protection and the Voice for Animals, supported Park, saying the press and society should stop maliciously attacking Park, who had been "sacrificing herself to rescue animals for the past 10 years."



Earlier this month, Park was accused of euthanizing more than 250 dogs saved from dog farms from 2015 to 2018.



At the press conference, Park claimed what she did was mercy killing, which was different from mass slaughter. She said she hid the truth from group members and the public because she was "scared of getting caught in a controversy like what is happening right now."



She claimed CARE had rescued the animals mainly from farms that raised dogs for meat, and that there was no option but to euthanize sick or large dogs that were not easily adopted. She claimed all the dogs would have been killed if not rescued.



"We could save 80 percent of the rescued animals and could send (kill) the rest 20 percent without pain," she said. "That was the minimum animal protection activity we could do in this country," she said.



On Friday, some animal rights groups filed a complaint with the prosecution against Park alleging fraud, embezzlement and violation of the Animal Protection Law.




Speaking at the event, Deputy PM Vuong Dinh Hue praised the VCA for the achievements that the organisation gained in 2018 and asked the VCA to continue advising the Party and State on policies to encourage the development of cooperatives.

According to VCA Chairman Nguyen Ngoc Bao, cooperatives are playing an active role in agricultural restructuring, rural modernisation and sustainable poverty reduction.

He added that cooperatives have become a bridge connecting enterprises to form value chains.

Vietnam currently has over 22,400 cooperatives, of which 13,700 operate in the agricultural field and 7,500 are non-agricultural cooperatives.

The VCA is a member of the International Co-operative Alliance, the World Association for Small and Medium Enterprises and has relations with 200 cooperative organisations of countries around the world.
FILE - In this June 13, 2017, file photo, the parents of this 7-week old red wolf pup keep an eye on their offspring at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, N.C. A pack of wild canines found frolicking near the beaches of the Texas Gulf Coast have led to the discovery that red wolves, or at least an animal closely aligned with them, are enduring in secluded parts of the Southeast nearly 40 years after the animal was thought to have become extinct in the wild. AP Photo/Gerry Broome/File
A notice on the entrance of a public health office in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, advises people to inform the staffers in advance of fevers and rashes, as measles infections have been spreading in the region, Jan. 14. / Yonhap



By Kim Rahn



Measles infections are growing here, putting health authorities on high alert.



Five infants aged under four as well as three of their mothers were confirmed to have contracted measles in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, Sunday.



The infants were attending two daycare centers there. The three mothers tested positive, but they had had vaccinations in the past and their symptoms were not grave, according to the provincial health office.






Clarksburg, WV (26301)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy. High 87F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. Low 67F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Morgantown, WV (26505)

Today

Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 87F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. Low 69F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near an inch.
Philip Kennicott is the Pulitzer Prize-winning art and architecture critic of The Washington Post. He has been on staff at The Post since 1999, first as classical music critic, then as

culture critic.




By Lee Min-hyung







The Ministry of National Defense has urged Japan to stop engaging in inappropriate media warfare by distorting facts over the ongoing "radar feud," the ministry said in a statement Saturday.







The demand came in response to Japan's release of an audio recording that the country claims proves that South Korean destroyer Gwanggaeto the Great locked its fire-control radar on Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force's P-1 patrol plane last month.







"It is inappropriate for the Japanese government to make such a unilateral claim with inaccurate information with a view to intensifying bilateral diplomatic conflict," the ministry said in a text message to reporters.







The ministry said that before releasing the recording, Japan should have proven it was made at the exact time the South Korean destroyer reportedly targeted the Japanese surveillance plane.







"Japan should unveil accurate information on not just the audio, but also its recorded time and frequency data, as lack of such detailed information may give misconceptions internationally," the ministry said.







The radar dispute erupted on Dec. 20 in the East Sea where the South Korean vessel was on a humanitarian mission to rescue a North Korean fishing boat that was adrift.







But with Japan and South Korea making conflicting accusations, the debate is escalating into a diplomatic issue.







Defense delegations from both sides met in Singapore last week to resolve the dispute, but failed to narrow their differences.







South Korea says Japan should apologize for the low flight of its plane at the time when Japan claims the South Korean vessel directed fire-control radar at it.







In its statement, the South's defense ministry said Japan should give the reasons behind the plane's provocative flight over the South Korean destroyer.







"Japan should not engage in improper media warfare against the South, but carry out a scientific and objective verification of the incident in the presence of experts from the two countries," the ministry said.




Thank you for Reading.

As a community service, our obituaries are always free to view. In order to better know our audience, we ask that you register to continuing viewing.
Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. If you have a subscription, please Log In .

Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. If you believe you've gotten this message in error, please Log In.
U.S. President Donald Trump thumbs up as walks on the South Lawn of the White House upon his return to Washington from Dover, Delaware, U.S., January 19, 2019. Reuters



U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that the location of his next summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been chosen but will be announced in the future.



The second summit is being planned for near the end of February, after Trump met with a senior North Korean official at the White House Friday.



"We had a very good meeting yesterday with North Korea. That was an incredible meeting," the U.S. president told reporters at the White House.



"It lasted almost two hours and we've agreed to meet sometime probably the end of February. We've picked the country but we'll be announcing it in the future," he said.



Kim Yong-chol, known as a close aide to the North Korean leader, arrived in the U.S. capital Thursday to try to finalize the details of the second summit.






STARKVILLE, Miss. (WTVA) - The Starkville Labor Day murder is two of the most brutal unsolved crimes in the city's history.

Two elderly women died in 1990, but are still on the minds of many locally.

"I just opened the case file today in like several years," Starkville Sgt. Bill Lott said. "I just feel like a failure not being able to solve it."

Lott has been on the case since 2003.

On September 3, 1990, a man entered the home of 65-year-old Kathryn Crigler.

Her friend, 81-year-old Betty Jones, was at Crigler's house.

Jones opened the home door after hearing a knock. That's when a man entered and began stabbing her, killing her instantly.

"It's nothing anyone wants to hear," Jones' niece, Jennifer McWhorter-Taylor, said.

Crigler, who was in a separate room at the time, was raped and assaulted.

She was strangled and had several broken bones causing her to faint.

When she woke up, she was able to dial 911.

Crigler: "I need help."

911 Dispatcher: "Your name is Mrs. Crigler?

Crigler: "Yes. Tonight there is one single boy, a young man. And he went in the front room where my friend was and he came back with his hands all bloody."

Crigler died from her injuries and deep depression months later.

Before she died, she explained what she saw the night of the murder.

"She described him as having the most piercing blue eyes she had ever seen," Lott said.

Lott said the man came into the home asking, "Where is the silver?" But after he killed Jones and assaulted Crigler, he only picked up $20.

Police say sexual homicides of the elderly only occur in 3 percent of homicide cases.

And scary enough, statistics show that most suspects know their victim.

A sexual assault kit was used on Crigler, but there was never a complete match.

Lott thinks there is more that can be done.

"If you did familial search DNA you could run against the database again and see if he has kinfolks," he said. "You can find him and stop a rapist."

Familial search DNA is a system where you can find family members of suspects through the DNA search and the database.

Lab officials look for relatives by scanning genetic profiles in the offender database and look for DNA samples that match with the suspects.

States like California utilize the tool to snatch several criminals off of the streets, so they ask -- Why not Mississippi?

Taylor and Lott have become advocates for the tool.

Taylor even sent a letter to the Attorney General's Office asking to please consider the testing.

If you have any information that can help Starkville Police crack the case, please contact the department at (662)-323-4131.
If you're new to Nashville, or maybe you're just looking to buy a home, there are some new emerging parts of town you may want to consider.
The tanned rough and callused back of hands of an old woman are captured in poet-photographer Yang Hae-nam's photo "Coltsfoot." In this photo taken some 20 years ago, the lady cuts herbs off stems in the front yard of her house. / Photos from Noonbit Publishing



Poet-photographer captures farmers, rustic lifestyle to praise Mother Nature



By Kang Hyun-kyung



Yang Hae-nam, 53, is a multitalented artist based in the midwestern land-locked county of Geumsan, South Chungcheong Province.



He writes poems, takes documentary photos and has put them together for photographically illustrated poetry in a book form  a rare genre dubbed "photopoetry" or "photopoem."



Poet-photographer is not the sole title that defines Yang. He is also a film fanatic and has collected over 3,000 movie posters for decades. He is also a pop music critic.



Yang embarked on the rare journey of narrating his photos in 1984 when he joined a local coterie poetry group called "Jwa-do-si," a term referring to a region situated in the western side of the Jeolla provinces.



Although Yang's hometown Geumsan is not technically part of the Jeolla region, he said the county, along with other rustic towns nearby, shares the Noryeong Mountain Ridge which stretches from North Chungcheong Province to all the way down to South Jeolla Province, and people living along the mountain ridge share cultural and psychological bonds.



Yang has created connections with fellow poets, and they team up to publish a collection of their poems every year. Yang joined the poetry club two years after he started taking photos in 1982.





Poet-photographer Yang Hae-nam / Courtesy of Yang Hae-nam



Inspired by Mother Nature surrounding his hometown, Yang has captured farmers and their rural lifestyle for his photos and poems.



For him photos and poems are meant to be together.



"Text and images are inseparable," he said in a recent interview with The Korea Times.



While working on his photo projects, he said he felt something was missing. After he became a poet, he tried pairing his short writings with his photos. He felt they completed his works.



"In the 1980s, there were people who paired their photos with poems in a book form. At that time, people called this a photopoem," he said. "To me, their works were seen as idealistic and unrealistic, maybe because of the objects they captured in the images. I prefer documentary photos, so I chose to do my own way of photopoetry. I liked to capture agricultural landscapes, the rustic lifestyle and farmers who depend on farming to make ends meet."





A beekeeper looks on in a gently sloped mountainous region in South Chungcheong Province in this photo taken over 30 years ago.



His three decades of photopoetry are summarized in his new book, tentatively titled "Time That Approached Me." It showcases 110 selected photos taken over the decades in his town and the greater Geumsan area.



The publication has drawn mixed reactions from his friends and fellow poets.

Some of them liked it, but some presented a different view.



"My acquaintances commented that photography and poetry are two very different fields and they were wondering why I put them together. Some advised me to focus on one  either photos or poems  rather than trying to do both at the same time," he said.



Their criticism, however, has not discouraged him from continuing his project "I'm used to doing them both at a time, so I asked them to accept my project as a genre of art."



Photopoetry is a rare field in Korea and photography and poetry are considered by many as two separate fields.



In the West, photopoetry has been part of art history for over a century, according to Michael Nott, the author of "Photopoetry 1845-2015, A Critical History."

Nott said the first use of the term photopoem is found in the 1936 book, "Photopoems: A Group of Interpretations Through Photographs," photographed and compiled by Constance Phillips.





An elderly woman carrying a heavy bag on her head is captured in Yang's photo. A poem, titled "The Principle of Conservation of Mass," was paired with this photo.



Yang made both factual and fictional interpretations of his photos in his latest book project. Some of his poems are fictional in that he wrote the lines for certain photos based on his imagination, not based on information he had acquired from his amateur models.



Prior to taking photos, Yang said he speaks to his potential models for a couple of hours to encourage them to open their heart. If he feels as though he didn't get "real photos," he visits the same farmers over and over again to make them feel at home while being photographed.



His photo compiled with a poem titled "The Principle of Conservation of Mass" is an exemplary piece of fictional photopoetry.



An elderly lady carrying a heavy load on her head is captured in the photo. Wearing a shabby blouse, she has a tanned face and a weary smile.



"The Principle of Conservation of Mass" reads: "Once, at least once in my life, I wish I could lay all my burdens down. I know I won't feel unburdened even if I do that. Because there will be more to press me even harder."



Yang described the bulky items on her head as a heavy burden the old woman has endured all her life, and observed that even if she lays it down from her head, she will not feel better because there will be another maybe tougher one next. So laying her burdens of the moment won't make a difference in terms of weight of burden she carries.



"That poem was fictional," Yang said. "I took several photos of her, and in some of them she looks carefree with a big smile on her face. But I chose the one featuring her a little bit depressed because I thought it showed the weight of the burden she might have endured all her life."





In his latest photopoetry "The Time That Approached Me" released earlier this month, Yang pairs his photos and poems in book form. / Korea Times
Kim Divan, 66 years old, of Woodward, OK passed away at his home on Saturday, June 12. He was born in Nebraska but spent his childhood and most of his adult life in Palmdale, CA until moving to Oklahoma in 2005. Kim liked to have a good time and enjoyed his motorcycles and fishing. He will b
UTICA, N.Y. -- As the winter storm approaches, shoppers flooded grocery stores Saturday to try and stock up for the winter storm.

Big grocery store chains like Price Chopper have reported items flying off the shelves faster than they could restock them.

Officials with Price Chopper say that Governor Andrew Cuomo's tractor-trailer ban is making it very difficult to restock their shelves.

Chanatry's, a local grocery store, reports that they had an easier day.

"Today everyone is happy, we are thankful to have so many local vendors to restock us overnight. Where a big chain store where they can't do that but we are able to do that and it's been a pretty good day for us" said owner Mark Chanatry.

The most popular items this weekend were water and various food items. While most were picking up the essentials, some were buying items to help them enjoy the storm. Many carts had Utica's famous tomato pie and ice cream.

"Get out before the storm hits, then just sit back and relax in our huggies, watch a little TV and read whatever. So I can relax, I'm not worrying about it this weekend" said Boilermaker Race Director Jim Stasaitis.

City officials are recommending that people stay off the roads, and let the plow crews do their job.

NewsChannel 2 will have full team coverage of the winter storm throughout the weekend.
New Jersey Resources Corporation, an energy services holding company, provides regulated gas distribution, and retail and wholesale energy services. The company operates through four segments: Natural Gas Distribution, Clean Energy Ventures, Energy Services, and Storage and Transportation. The Natural Gas Distribution segment offers regulated retail natural gas services to approximately 558,000 residential and commercial customers in central and northern New Jersey; provides storage management services; and participates in the off-system sales and capacity release markets. The Clean Energy Ventures segment invests in, owns, and operates commercial and residential solar projects located in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. The Energy Services segment provides unregulated wholesale energy management services to other energy companies and natural gas producers, as well as maintains and transacts a portfolio of physical assets consisting of natural gas storage and transportation contracts in the United States and Canada. The Storage and Transportation segment invests in natural gas transportation and storage facilities. The company offers heating, ventilation, and cooling services; holds commercial real estate properties; and provides solar equipment installation, and plumbing repair and installation services, as well as engages in the water appliance sale, installation, and servicing activities. New Jersey Resources Corporation was incorporated in 1981 and is based in Wall, New Jersey.

Read More
By Park Hyong-ki



The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has fined four global banks operating in Korea for illegally sharing information and colluding in price bids to win foreign exchange derivatives contracts from five Korean companies, the antitrust regulator said Sunday.



Those companies or exporters launched the bids to tap investment banks that could help them hedge risks against currency swings and volatility through those contracts including currency swaps.





JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon

According to the FTC, JPMorgan Chase has been slapped with the biggest fine of 251 million won ($223,000), followed by HSBC with a 225 million won fine.



Deutsche Bank again faces a penalty of 212 million won, and Standard Chartered (SC) Bank Korea faces 5 million won in fines.



Altogether, they will have to pay 693 million won.



The FTC also has warned them of consequences should they conspire again.



The antitrust regulator said it expected the latest measures will bring the market back in order and "positively" affect companies in dealing with currency derivatives for risk management through fair competition.



This came as it has been investigating some foreign investment banks. The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) has also been probing into a number of cases involving investment banks' price rigging of forex derivatives contracts separately.





HSBC CEO John Flint
Northrop Grumman Corporation operates as an aerospace and defense company worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Aeronautics Systems, Defense Systems, Mission Systems, and Space Systems. The Aeronautics Systems segment designs, develops, manufactures, integrates, and sustains aircraft systems for strategic and tactical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions; and long-range strike aircraft systems, tactical fighter aircrafts, and airborne battle management systems. The Defense Systems segment offers weapon and mission systems for the U.S. military and civilian agency customers. Its principal products and services include integrated battle management systems, weapons systems, information technology services, and intelligence operations. This segment provides command and control and weapons systems, including munitions and missiles; precision strike weapons; propulsion, such as air-breathing systems; and gun systems and precision munitions. It also offers life cycle service and support for software, weapons systems, and aircraft; security services, including information and cyber operations; intelligence analysis and support; and IT infrastructure, such as cloud. The Mission Systems segment offers command, control, communications, and computers ISR systems; radar, electro-optical/infrared, and acoustic sensors; electronic warfare systems; communications and network systems; processing systems; navigation; and maritime power, propulsion, and payload launch systems. This segment also provides airborne sensors and networks; cyber and intelligence mission solutions; maritime/land systems and sensors; and navigation, targeting, and survivability solutions. The Space Systems segment offers satellites and payloads; ground systems; missile defense systems and interceptors; launch vehicles and related propulsion systems; and strategic missiles. Northrop Grumman Corporation was founded in 1939 and is based in Falls Church, Virginia.

Read More
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.

Read More
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates mountain resorts and urban ski areas in the United States. Its Mountain segment operates Vail Mountain, Breckenridge Ski, Keystone, Beaver Creek, and Crested Butte Mountain resorts in Colorado; Heavenly Mountain, Northstar, and Kirkwood Mountain resorts in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada; Mount Sunapee Resort in New Hampshire; Park City resort in Utah; Stowe and Okemo Mountain Resort in Vermont; and Stevens Pass Mountain Resort in Washington. This segment also operates Whistler Blackcomb in Canada; and Perisher Ski Resort, and Falls Creek and Hotham Alpine Resort in Australia, as well as 3 urban ski areas, such as Afton Alps in Minnesota, Mount Brighton in Michigan, and Wilmot Mountain in Wisconsin. Its resorts offer various winter and summer recreational activities, including skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, snowtubing, sightseeing, mountain biking, guided hiking, zip lines, challenge ropes courses, alpine slides and mountain coasters, children's activities, and other recreational activities; and ski and snowboard lessons, equipment rental and retail merchandise services, dining venues, private club operations, and other winter and summer recreational activities. This segment also leases its owned and leased commercial space to third party operators; and provides real estate brokerage services. The company's Lodging segment owns and/or manages various luxury hotels and condominiums under the RockResorts brand, and other lodging properties; various condominiums located in proximity to the company's mountain resorts; destination resorts; and golf courses, as well as offers resort ground transportation services. This segment operates approximately 5,500 owned and managed hotel and condominium units. Its Real Estate segment owns, develops, and sells real estate properties in and around the company's resort communities. The company was founded in 1997 and is based in Broomfield, Colorado.

Read More
Vocera Communications, Inc. provides secure, integrated, and intelligent communication and workflow solutions that empowers mobile workers in healthcare, hospitality, retail, energy, education, and other mission-critical mobile work environments in the United States and internationally. The company's communication solution integrates with other clinical systems, including electronic health records, nurse call systems, and patient monitoring, as well as to provide critical data, alerts, alarms, and clinical context that enable workflow. It also offers Vocera Communication and Workflow System, a software platform, which connects communication devices, such as hands-free, wearable, and voice-controlled Smartbadge and badges, as well as third-party mobile devices; and Vocera Care Experience, a hosted software suite that coordinates and streamlines provider-to-patient and provider-to-provider communication and clinical rounding to enhance quality of care, patient and staff experience, reduce care provider's risk, and improve reimbursements, as well as Vocera Ease, a cloud-based communication platform and mobile application to enhance the patient experience by enabling friends and family members to receive timely updates about the progress of their loved one in the hospital. In addition, the company provides professional, software maintenance, and technical support services; and classroom training, distance learning, or customized courseware for systems administrators, IT and industry-specific professionals, and end-user educators. As of December 31, 2020, the company provided its solutions to approximately 1,900 healthcare facilities, including large hospital systems, small and medium-sized local hospitals, clinics, surgery centers, and aged-care facilities. It sells its products through direct sales force, resellers, and distributors. The company was incorporated in 2000 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.

Read More




Jeffrey Jones, chairman of the board of American Chamber of Commerce / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
PGT Innovations, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and supplies impact-resistant residential windows and doors in the Southeastern United States, Western United States, the Gulf Coast, Coastal mid-Atlantic, the Caribbean, Central America, and Canada. It offers heavy-duty aluminum or vinyl frames with laminated glass to provide protection from hurricane-force winds and wind-borne debris; and non-impact vinyl windows with insulating glass and multi-chambered frames for various climate zones. The company also offers customizable non-impact-resistant aluminum frame windows and doors; and non-glass vertical and horizontal sliding panels for porch enclosures, including vinyl-glazed aluminum-framed products used for enclosing screened-in porches that provide protection from inclement weather. In addition, it offers premium aluminum impact-resistant products; aluminum impact-resistant windows and doors; vinyl energy-efficient impact-resistant windows; and commercial storefront window system and entry doors. Further, it provides impact and non-impact sliding glass and terrace doors; fixed picture, single hung, and horizontal rolling windows; aluminum thermally broken doors and windows; fixed and operating windows; sliding, folding, and hinged doors; and moving glass walls and windows. The company offers its products under the PGT, CGI, WinDoor, NewSouth Window Solutions, ECO, and Western Windows Systems brands, as well as WinGuard, WinGuard Vinyl, EnergyVue, Eze-Breeze, Sentinel, Targa, Sparta, and Estate Collection names. It serves residential new construction, and home repair and remodeling end markets through window and building supply distributors, window replacement dealers, and enclosure contractors. The company was formerly known as PGT, Inc. and changed its name to PGT Innovations, Inc. in December 2016. PGT Innovations, Inc. was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in North Venice, Florida.

Read More
AU Optronics Corp. researches, develops, produces, and sells thin film transistor liquid crystal displays and other flat panel displays. The company operates through two segments, Display and Solar. The Display segment designs, develops, manufactures, assembles, and markets flat panel displays for use in televisions (TVs), TV sets, and other related products; desktop monitors; mobile PCs, such as notebooks and tablets; mobile phones; and commercial and other applications, including displays for automobiles, industrial PCs, automated teller machines, point of sale terminals, pachinko machines, medical equipment, and others. This segment serves original equipment manufacturing service providers; and brand companies. The Solar segment manufactures and sells solar materials, including ingots, solar wafers, and solar modules, as well as provides technical engineering and maintenance services for solar system projects. This segment sells its ingot and solar wafer products primarily to solar cell manufacturers; and solar modules to installers, solar system integrators, property developers, and other value-added resellers. The company also engages in the renewable energy power generation; repairing and sale support of TFT-LCD modules, as well as sale support of solar-related products; injecting and stamping parts; manufacture and sale of molds, light guide plates, liquid crystal products, backlight modules, and related parts, as well as precision plastic and metal parts; IP related business; design, development and sales of software and hardware for health care industry; manufacture, assembly, and sale of automotive parts; manufacture and sale of motorized treadmills; and planning, design, and development of construction for environmental protection and related project management. It operates in the People's Republic of China, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, and internationally. AU Optronics Corp. was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan.

Read More
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.

Read More
Johnson & Johnson researches and develops, manufactures, and sells a range of products in the health care field worldwide. It operates through three segments: Consumer Health, Pharmaceutical, and Medical Devices. The Consumer Health segment offers baby care products under the JOHNSON'S and AVEENO Baby brands; oral care products under the LISTERINE brand; skin health/beauty products under the AVEENO, CLEAN & CLEAR, DR. CI:LABO, NEUTROGENA, and OGX brands; acetaminophen products under the TYLENOL brand; cold, flu, and allergy products under the SUDAFED brand; allergy products under the BENADRYL and ZYRTEC brands; ibuprofen products under the MOTRIN IB brand; smoking cessation products under the NICORETTE brand; and acid reflux products under the PEPCID brand. This segment also provides women's health products, such as sanitary pads and tampons under the STAYFREE, CAREFREE, and o.b. brands; wound care products comprising adhesive bandages under the BAND-AID brand; and first aid products under the NEOSPORIN brand. The Pharmaceutical segment offers products in various therapeutic areas, including immunology, infectious diseases, neuroscience, oncology, pulmonary hypertension, and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The Medical Devices segment provides electrophysiology products to treat cardiovascular diseases and neurovascular care products to treat hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke; orthopaedics products in support of hips, knees, trauma, spine, sports, and other; advanced and general surgery solutions that focus on breast aesthetics, ear, nose, and throat procedures; and disposable contact lenses and ophthalmic products related to cataract and laser refractive surgery under the ACUVUE brand. The company markets its products to general public, and retail outlets and distributors, as well as distributes directly to wholesalers, hospitals, and health care professionals for prescription use. Johnson & Johnson was founded in 1886 and is based in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Read More
Shinhan Bank CEO Wi Sung-ho, second from left, raises a trophy with sales employees of the bank's Dongtan New Town branch after awarding them for achieving the best regional performance at an event in Seoul, Saturday. The bank held a comprehensive management review of 10,000 employees. It has held the event every year since 1984. Courtesy of Shinhan Bank
Ingersoll Rand Inc. provides various mission-critical air, fluid, energy, specialty vehicle and medical technologies in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It operates through four segments: Industrial Technologies and Services; Precision and Science Technologies; Specialty Vehicle Technologies; and High Pressure Solutions segments. The company offers air and gas compression, vacuum and blower products, fluid transfer and management equipment, loading systems, power tools and lifting equipment, displacement pumps, liquid and precision syringe pumps, and compressors, as well as as well as aftermarket parts, consumables, and services. It also designs, manufactures, and markets golf, utility, and consumer low-speed vehicles, as well as integrated systems. The company's products are used in medical, laboratory, industrial manufacturing, water and wastewater, chemical processing, drilling, hydraulic fracturing, well servicing applications, precision irrigation, energy, food and beverage, agriculture, and automated liquid handling end-markets, as well as various manufacturing, industrial facilities applications, and other activities. It serves to various industries and sectors. The company sells its products through an integrated network of direct sales representatives and independent distributors under the Ingersoll Rand, Gardner Denver, Club Car, CompAir, Nash, Elmo Rietschle, Robuschi, Thomas, Milton Roy, ARO, Emco Wheaton, and Runtech Systems brands. The company was formerly known as Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to Ingersoll Rand Inc. in March 2020. Ingersoll Rand Inc. was founded in 1859 and is based in Davidson, North Carolina.

Read More
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..
L Brands, Inc. operates as a retailer of home fragrance products, body care products, soaps and sanitizers, women's intimate and other apparel, and personal and beauty care products. It operates in two segments, Bath & Body Works and Victoria's Secret. The Bath & Body Works segment sells body care, home fragrance products, soaps, and sanitizers under the Bath & Body Works, White Barn, C.O. Bigelow, and other brand names. This segment operates approximately 1,735 Bath & Body Works stores in the U.S. and Canada, as well as approximately 285 stores in 30 other countries operating under franchise, license, and wholesale arrangements; and online stores at BathandBodyWorks.com. This segment also includes the Bath & Body Works merchandise sourcing and production function. The Victoria's Secret segment sells women's intimate and other apparel, and personal care and beauty products under the Victoria's Secret and PINK brand names. This segment operates approximately 930 Victoria's Secret and PINK stores in the U.S., Canada, and Greater China, as well as approximately 455 stores in 70 countries operating under franchise, license, and wholesale arrangements; and online at VictoriasSecret.com and PINK.com. This segment also includes the Victoria's Secret and PINK merchandise sourcing and production function. The company was formerly known as Limited Brands, Inc. and changed its name to L Brands, Inc. in March 2013. L Brands, Inc. was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.

Read More
ICICI Bank Limited provides various banking products and financial services in India and internationally. It operates in Retail Banking, Wholesale Banking, Treasury, and Others Banking segments. The company offers savings, salary, pension, current, and other accounts; and fixed, recurring, and security deposits. It also provides home, car, two wheeler, personal, gold, and commercial business loans, as well as loans against securities and other loans; business loans, such as working capital finance, term loans, collateral free loans, loans without financials, finance for importers and exporters, and secured loans for credit card swipes, as well as loans for new entities, and schools and colleges; and credit, debit, prepaid, travel, and corporate cards. In addition, the company offers insurance products; pockets wallet; fixed income products; investment products, such as mutual funds, gold monetization schemes, and initial public offerings, as well as other online investment services; and farmer finance, tractor loans, and micro banking services, as well as other services to agri traders and processors, and agri corporates. Further, it provides portfolio management, trade, foreign exchange, locker, private and NRI banking, and cash management services; family wealth and demat accounts; commercial and investment banking, capital market, custodial, project and technology finance, and institutional banking services, as well as Internet, mobile, and phone banking services. Additionally, the company offers securities investment, broking, trading, and underwriting services; and merchant banking, trusteeship, housing finance, and pension fund management services. As of March 31, 2020, it had a network of 5,324 branches, 15,688 ATMs, 1,638 insta-banking kiosks, 483,538 POS terminals, and 1,791 cash acceptance machines. ICICI Bank Limited was founded in 1955 and is headquartered in Mumbai, India.

Read More
Halliburton Company provides a range of services and products to oil and natural gas companies worldwide. The company's Completion and Production segment offers production enhancement services, including stimulation and sand control services; and cementing services, such as well bonding and casing, as well as provides casing equipment. It also provides completion tools that offer downhole solutions and services, including well completion products and services, intelligent well completions, liner hanger and sand control systems, and service tools; production solutions comprising coiled tubing, hydraulic workover units, downhole tools, pumping services, and nitrogen services; and pipeline and process services, such as pre-commissioning, commissioning, maintenance, and decommissioning. In addition, this segment offers electrical submersible pumps, as well as artificial lift services. The company's Drilling and Evaluation segment provides drilling fluid systems, performance additives, completion fluids, solids control, specialized testing equipment, and waste management services; oilfield completion, production, and downstream water and process treatment chemicals and services; and drilling systems and services. It also offers wireline and perforating services, including open-hole logging, and cased-hole and slickline; and drill bits and services comprising roller cone rock bits, fixed cutter bits, hole enlargement, and related downhole tools and services, as well as coring equipment and services. In addition, this segment provides cloud based digital services and artificial intelligence solutions on an open architecture for subsurface insights, integrated well construction, and reservoir and production management; testing and subsea services, such as acquisition and analysis of reservoir information and optimization solutions; and project management and integrated asset management services. Halliburton Company was founded in 1919 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Read More
Wall Street analysts have given Invesco BulletShares 2024 High Yield Corporate Bond ETF a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but Invesco BulletShares 2024 High Yield Corporate Bond ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
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.

Read More
Bonhill Group Plc, a B2B media company, provides business insight, analysis, and networking and research in the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East, Africa North America, and the Asia Pacific. The company offers InvestmentNews, which provides content, data, and information to advisers; Portfolio Adviser that delivers timely and insightful news and analysis; What Investment, a consumer monthly magazine for private investors who manage investments held in pensions and investment wrappers, as well as individual equities and property; and Expert Investor, which delivers news, insights, and analysis to fund selectors, institutional and wholesale investors, and high-net-worth advisers. It also provides International Adviser for the global intermediary market that uses cross-border insurance, investment, and pension products on behalf of their high-net-worth clients; Fund Selector Asia that offers information and analysis on asset allocation and portfolio construction, business moves and industry trends, technology and operations, and regulatory development, as well as hosts events; and ESGclarity.com, which provides industry news, analysis, opinion, data, and content. In addition, the company offers information-age.com that provides news, analysis, guidance, and research for its CTO community, as well as organizes live and virtual events programs; SmallBusiness.co.uk, which offers news, how-to features, and expert guidance from accountants and lawyers, as well as interviews with business figures; GrowthBusiness.co.uk that provides news, how-to features, and expert commentary from financiers, accountants and lawyers; and DiversityQ.com, an online portal that offers board members, HR professionals, and D&I practitioners with the news, analysis, and case studies from industry practitioners, practice guidance, and research on the D&I sector, as well as provides live and virtual events programs. Bonhill Group Plc is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

Read More
PetroChina Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in a range of petroleum related products, services, and activities in Mainland China and internationally. It operates through Exploration and Production, Refining and Chemicals, Marketing, and Natural Gas and Pipeline segments. The Exploration and Production segment engages in the exploration, development, production, and marketing of crude oil and natural gas. The Refining and Chemicals segment refines crude oil and petroleum products; and produces and markets primary petrochemical products, derivative petrochemical products, and other chemical products. The Marketing segment is involved in marketing of refined products and trading business. The Natural Gas and Pipeline segment engages in the transmission of natural gas, crude oil, and refined products; and sale of natural gas. As of December 31, 2020, the company had a total length of 31,151 km, including 22,555 km of natural gas pipelines, 7,190 km of crude oil pipelines, and 1,406 km of refined product pipelines. The company is also involved in the exploration, development, and production of oil sands and coalbed methane; trading of crude oil and petrochemical products; storage, chemical engineering, storage facilities, service station, and transportation facilities and related businesses; and production and sales of basic and derivative chemical, and other chemical products. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People's Republic of China. PetroChina Company Limited is a subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corporation.

Read More
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.

Read More
Wall Street analysts have given Berkeley Energia 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 Berkeley Energia wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
AutoZone, Inc. retails and distributes automotive replacement parts and accessories. The company offers various products for cars, sport utility vehicles, vans, and light trucks, including new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products. Its products include A/C compressors, batteries and accessories, bearings, belts and hoses, calipers, chassis, clutches, CV axles, engines, fuel pumps, fuses, ignition and lighting products, mufflers, radiators, starters and alternators, thermostats, and water pumps. The company also offers maintenance products, such as antifreeze and windshield washer fluids; brake drums, rotors, shoes, and pads; brake and power steering fluids, and oil and fuel additives; oil and transmission fluids; oil, cabin, air, fuel, and transmission filters; oxygen sensors; paints and accessories; refrigerants and accessories; shock absorbers and struts; spark plugs and wires; and windshield wipers, as well as air fresheners, cell phone accessories, drinks and snacks, floor mats and seat covers, interior and exterior accessories, mirrors, performance products, protectants and cleaners, sealants and adhesives, steering wheel covers, stereos and radios, tools, and wash and wax products. In addition, it provides a sales program that offers commercial credit and delivery of parts and other products; and towing and tire repair services. Further, it sells automotive diagnostic and repair software under the ALLDATA brand through alldata.com and alldatadiy.com; and automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products through autozone.com. As of August 29, 2020, it operated 5,885 stores in the United States; 621 stores in Mexico; and 43 stores in Brazil. AutoZone, Inc. was founded in 1979 and is based in Memphis, Tennessee.

Read More
Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company, focuses on developing cell-based therapeutics to treat neurological conditions associated with demyelination, and cellular immunotherapies to treat cancer. Its clinical stage programs include AST-OPC1, an oligodendrocyte progenitor cell population derived from pluripotent stem cells that is in Phase I/IIa clinical trial for spinal cord injuries; AST-VAC2 is a non-patient-specific cancer immunotherapy derived from pluripotent stem cells for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer; and AST-VAC1, a patient-specific cancer immunotherapy that has completed Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia. The company was formerly known as BioTime Acquisition Corporation and changed its name to Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc. in March 2013. Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc. was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in Fremont, California.

Read More
Minister of National Defence Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich (Photo: VNA)



The trip aims to enhance mutual trust and the traditional relationship, solidarity and friendship between the people and armies of the two nations.



Over the past few years, Vietnam and Laos have coordinated to organise a number of activities to strengthen the bilateral relations such as celebrating the Vietnam-Laos friendship and solidarity year 2017, the 55th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties (1962-2017), and the 40th anniversary of signing the Vietnam-Laos treaty on cooperation and amity (1977-2017).



The two sides also have worked together to implement effectively cooperation agreements on security and defence as well as strengthened locality-to-locality collaboration, especially in the shared border areas, in building infrastructure, providing health care, developing human resources, and ensuring order and security in border areas.



In 2017, Vietnam and Laos completed a project on increasing and upgrading border markers along their boundary in addition to signing a protocol on the Vietnam-Laos borderline and national border markers, and an agreement on management regulations of Vietnam-Laos border and border gates.



The two nations continued to promote the implementation of an agreement between the two governments on dealing with undocumented migration and marriages along the shared border.



They also worked together to seek and gather thousands sets of remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who laid down their lives during wartime in Laos./.
Added King: Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will.

Make no mistake: King well knew that all over the South, liberal white kids were risking their lives for black freedom. He was calling out other white people, often older, more moderate white people like those eight men, for the tepidness and flaccidity of their commitment to racial reconciliation. This was 1963, but as the stories above suggest, that problem endures.

It is possible, for instance, to celebrate that Florida has finally done right by the Groveland Four  and yet, to also be disgusted that it takes 70 years for the state to belatedly admit its crimes and deliver some small measure of delayed justice.

It is possible to consider the GOPs condemnation of Steve King all well and fine, yet also a little arbitrary and affected given that King has a history of racist rhetoric that passed without his party seeming to much notice or care  and that the GOP itself has a long record of thinly-veiled racism as obvious as the writing on Barack Obamas birth certificate.
In 1938, a doctor labeled bacteria on us either resident or transient, categories that have stuck. Through studies of moisture studied after wearing occlusive gloves, the concept has developed that we have a population of bacteria on top of the heavy callus layer and another, different one deeper, which is persistent. Copious studies have cultured human paws for transient bugs before and after hand washing, after contact with several contaminated objects, like meats, tables, toilets, ATMs, cell phones, etc. Results mostly show there is a possibility of sharing those bacteria with others.

If a doctor enters the exam room, should he or she wash their hands in front of you before shaking? Another point the article brings up is whether handshakes are too friendly in the #MeToo era. Of personal interest, I have never practiced handshaking routinely in my office, while other docs do it automatically. However, the other day, a female patient stood up as I came into the room (nice respect for an old guy?), and offered her hand to shake, which I did. As a patient, I will shake a doctors hand if it is offered (just to make sure there is no scalpel in it).
JOHANNESBURG - The U.S. military on Saturday said it had carried out its deadliest airstrike in Somalia in months, killing 52 al-Shabab extremists after a "large group" mounted an attack on Somali forces.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 19/1/2019 (880 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

JOHANNESBURG - The U.S. military on Saturday said it had carried out its deadliest airstrike in Somalia in months, killing 52 al-Shabab extremists after a "large group" mounted an attack on Somali forces.

The U.S. Africa Command said the airstrike occurred near Jilib in Middle Juba region. There were no reports of Americans killed or wounded.

The U.S. statement did not say whether any Somali forces were killed or wounded by the al-Qaida-linked extremists. Al-Shabab via its Shahada news agency asserted that its attack on two Somali army bases killed at least 41 soldiers. It described the location as the Bar Sanjuni area near the port city of Kismayo.

There was no immediate comment from Somalia's government.

In neighbouring Ethiopia, state television cited the defence ministry as saying more than 60 al-Shabab fighters had been killed and that four vehicles loaded with explosives had been "destroyed." Ethiopia contributes troops to a multinational African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia and has troops there independently under Ethiopian army command.

A Somali intelligence officer said al-Shabab had been amassing fighters for more than a week to launch a major attack against Somali and Kenyan forces in order to disrupt a planned offensive against the extremists. The officer said some 400 extremists, including foreign ones, had been prepared, including two suicide car bombers. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters.

Al-Shabab controls large parts of rural southern and central Somalia and continues to carry out high-profile suicide bombings and other attacks in the capital, Mogadishu, and elsewhere.

The Islamic extremist group claimed responsibility for the deadly attack on a luxury hotel complex in the capital of neighbouring Kenya on Tuesday, the latest high-toll assault inside that county in retaliation for Kenya sending troops to Somalia to fight al-Shabab.

The extremist group finds itself under pressure at home on a number of fronts, including from a small presence of rival fighters linked to the Islamic State organization, which has begun challenging al-Shabab in recent months.

The United States has dramatically stepped up airstrikes against al-Shabab in Somalia since President Donald Trump took office, carrying out at least 47 such strikes last year. Some have targeted top al-Shabab leaders or key financial officials; the extremist group funds its attacks with an extensive network of "taxation" and extortion.

In October, the U.S. said an airstrike killed about 60 fighters near the al-Shabab-controlled community of Harardere in Mudug province in the central part of the country.

The airstrikes hamper the extremist group but have not "seriously degraded al-Shabab's capability to mount strikes either inside or outside Somalia," Matt Bryden of Sahan Research, an expert on the extremists, told The Associated Press after the Nairobi hotel attack.

Airstrikes alone cannot defeat the extremists, Bryden said, and must be combined with more ground-based attacks as well as a non-military campaign to win over residents of extremist-held areas.

The U.S. on Saturday said it is committed to "preventing al-Shabab from taking advantage of safe havens from which they can build capacity and attack the people of Somalia."

Associated Press writers Abdi Guled in Nairobi, Kenya; Elias Meseret in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; and photo editor Ben Curtis in Nairobi, Kenya contributed.

Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa
NDP MLA and former cabinet minister Andrew Swan has told the Free Press he intends to leave provincial politics and seek the federal NDP nomination in Winnipeg Centre ahead of this falls federal election.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/1/2019 (879 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NDP MLA and former cabinet minister Andrew Swan has told the Free Press he intends to leave provincial politics and seek the federal NDP nomination in Winnipeg Centre ahead of this falls federal election.

Party sources confirmed Sunday Swan will hold a formal announcement tonight to launch his nomination bid. He is the second candidate to vie for the NDP nomination in Winnipeg Centre: University of Winnipeg instructor and Indigenous activist Leah Gazan threw her hat in the ring Saturday.

The Winnipeg Centre riding executive has yet to set a date for the nomination meeting. However, New Democrat hopes are high that the riding can be returned to the fold. It was held by former NDP MP Pat Martin for 18 years until it was lost to the Liberals and Robert-Falcon Ouellette in the 2015 election.

Swan said he strongly believes Winnipeg Centre needs an NDP MP to get fair representation in the House of Commons, and will seek to repatriate a riding that has only had Liberal or Conservative MPs four times in its nearly 100-year history.

"We currently have an MP (Ouellette) who has been missing in action since he came in on the Trudeau wave," Swan said in an interview. "Hes disappointed people. People are upset that he has either failed to take a position or has taken the wrong position. Its time for a change."

ADRIAN WYLD / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Liberal MP Robert-Falcon Ouellette was elected to represent Winnipeg Centre in 2015.

If successful in winning the nomination, Swan said he will remain in the Manitoba legislature until the end of the spring sitting and then resign his seat.

In his bid to jump into federal politics, Swan will face a stiff test against Gazan, a dynamic public figure who has established a high profile as a respected activist on a range of indigenous, LGBTTQ* and core area issues. In addition to her work at the U of W, she has served on the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, the Board of Governors of Red River College and the Winnipeg Taxicab Board.

In a release posted on Facebook last weekend, Gazan said the steady increase in poverty and meth addiction in Winnipegs core is proof enough that Winnipeg Centre, which is among the poorest federal ridings in Canada, needs new representation in Ottawa.

"It is time that Winnipeg Centre has a leader that will listen to the community with all its knowledge and wisdom, stop stalling and act immediately to ensure all residents can realize their rights to joy," she wrote in her release. "I want to be that leader."

Swan certainly has the advantage that he was served as a MLA for the last 15 years, during which time he served in the cabinets of former NDP premiers Gary Doer and Greg Selinger.

However, Swan has some internal party baggage to deal with. He was part of the so-called "Gang of Five" cabinet ministers who resigned in November 2014 to protest against Selingers continued leadership.

Swan was widely expected to seek re-election in the fall 2020 provincial election but was facing a difficult choice about where to run given that his riding, Minto, will cease to exist thanks to electoral boundary redistribution. Party sources believed he would ultimately run in Wolseley, an NDP-held riding that will be vacant heading into the provincial election after MLA Rob Altemeyer confirmed he would not run for re-election.

dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca
Although a restaurant in Chatham, Ont. begs to differ, Charlie Clements, the long-time face of Tubbys Pizza, formerly located on the corner of Stafford Street and Grosvenor Avenue (now the Grove Pub & Restaurant), swore up and down during an interview years ago that his establishment was the first on the planet to serve Hawaiian pizza.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/1/2019 (879 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Although a restaurant in Chatham, Ont. begs to differ, Charlie Clements, the long-time face of Tubbys Pizza, formerly located on the corner of Stafford Street and Grosvenor Avenue (now the Grove Pub & Restaurant), swore up and down during an interview years ago that his establishment was the first on the planet to serve Hawaiian pizza.

Not to be outdone, Shirley Eng, owner of Mitzis Chicken Finger Restaurant at 250 St. Mary Ave. once told us how, in the 1980s, her husband Peter created honey dill sauce by mistake  a honey boo-boo, we called it  while attempting to make another dip entirely.

Surprised? Well, heres the story behind another famous foodstuff that, depending who you choose to believe, was purportedly invented right here in Winnipeg.

Homers namesake keeps his eyes on Ellice Avenue.

Forty years ago this fall, George Katsabanis, together with his brother Sam, sister Anna and her husband George Panopoulos, opened Homers Restaurant, a 100-seat dining spot at 520 Ellice Ave. that, to this day, offers traditional Greek favourites such as taramasalata, spanokopita and avgolemono soup.

Sure, theirs wasnt the first Greek-flavoured restaurant in town, having been beaten to the pastitsio punch by Acropolis, Hermes and Zorbas, all now closed. Still, a fair number of people who visited Homers early on seemed hesitant to order entrees they could barely pronounce, often telling their server, "Sorry, I thought you served pizza," while putting on their coats on their way back out the door.

After a few months Katsabanis and his partners figured thats it; if they didnt come up with something that was going to have wider appeal, Homers wasnt going to be around for its first anniversary, never mind its 40th.

"Back home (in Greece), souvlaki is traditionally made with pork or lamb but one day over a glass of wine I said to a friend of mine, What if I cut a marinated chicken breast into small, bite-size pieces and put those on a skewer instead?" says Katsabanis, 83, seated in a 10-seat, private dining room steps away from his reception area.

Homers in its early years.

Sounds yummy, his chum responded.

In February 1980, the Winnipeg Tribunes restaurant critic paid Homers a visit. In the review that followed, she raved about its "pleasant atmosphere," "perfect blend of attentive but unobtrusive service" and also about a dish shed never encountered previously: chicken souvlaki. Practically overnight, dinner lineups were "out the door, every day of the week," says Katsabanis, who now runs things with Jutta, his wife of 54 years.

In 1982, two years after chicken souvlaki put Homers on the culinary map, Katsabanis travelled to Greece to visit friends and family. While there he paid a visit to one of his favourite dining spots. When the owner asked what he wanted for supper, he said chicken souvlaki.

"Whats that?" the fellow replied.

Homers famous chicken souvlaki.

"Here, let me show you," Katsabanis shot back.

Katsabanis, 83, was born in Kalamata, "thats right, like the olive." He arrived in Winnipeg, where his sister was already living, in January 1962 on a day so bone-chilling he immediately wrote a letter to his family in Greece imploring them, "Whatever you do, dont come to Canada!"

"It was something crazy like 30 below and the first thing I did when I walked out of the train station on Main Street was slip on some ice, almost breaking my back," he says. "It cost me $415 to get here and if Id had another $415 in my pocket I tell you, I would have turned around and gone right home."

Head chef Rem Lian serves up some chicken souvlaki.

Despite knowing only two words of English, "thank and you," he quickly landed work, first as a dishwasher at a downtown greasy spoon, and later as a cook at Champs, a Main Street drive-in affiliated with American entrepreneur Harland Sanders Kentucky Fried Chicken operation. It was while he was toiling at the latter locale, he says, when he figured out "where the money is."

"A friend of mine was working at a beer parlour. With tips, he was making roughly three times as much as me. I asked if they needed any help and when he said sure, I quit Champs and went to work at the New Occidental Hotel, which used to be at the corner of Main and Logan, instead," he says, smiling when he recounts how, when he was asked if he had any experience working in a bar, he lied, stating, "yes, in Greece," guessing his new employers werent about to call long-distance to see if he was telling the truth or not.

Katsabanis worked at the "Ox," widely regarded as one of Main Streets most rough-and-tumble watering holes, for three years. He left there in 1970 after his boss died and his wife sold the business. For a while he considered becoming a restaurateur himself. That plan abruptly changed, however, when a real estate agent whod been showing him available properties escorted him to his office on Portage Avenue to go over some paperwork.

"I remember walking into his place of work and thinking in my head, my god, this is so beautiful, how much do these people get paid?" he says.

Sous chef Anna Peta with a pot of spanokopita.

Later that week he went for a bite with another agent, a person associated with Select Home Realty, to pick his brain about the real estate biz. Long story short, within a month Katsabanis had his first listing, a single-family dwelling on Furby Street he eventually sold for the princely sum of  get this  $1,495.

In time, Katsabanis successfully completed a two-year real estate brokers course, a move that eventually led to him establishing his own firm, Dorion Realty. Despite enjoying a tremendous amount of success in his chosen career, the notion of having his own restaurant never went away. That explains why, when a hamburger joint at 520 Ellice Ave. hit the market in 1979, he approached his brother, sister and brother-in-law, and asked if they wanted to go into business together. (Anna and George Panopoulos went on to open a place of their own, Hercules, in what was then the Eaton Place food court, before they retired in 1996. George died in 2008.)

"For a while I tried to do both (jobs) but when we started getting busy I realized no, I have to choose," Katsabanis says. "I was very good at real estate, dont get me wrong, but deep down I guess I always loved restaurants more."

The olive oil at Homers is produced at Katsabanis family estate in Greece.

Katsabanis begins every morning the same way. After getting out of bed, sometimes as early as 4 a.m., he eats a handful of dried fruit and nuts, as well as two hard-boiled eggs drizzled with virgin olive oil produced on his familys estate in the hills overlooking Kalamata.

"There is no better olive oil than this; its organic, has zero acidity, everything healthy," he says, fetching a litre-sized bottle restaurant customers can purchase for use at home. "We go through a lot of olive oil here  once or twice a year we bring in 120 containers, with 17 litres in each container  and I like to tell people some of the trees it comes from, I planted when I was a little boy."

Asked about the famous-types whove dined at Homers through the years, Katsabanis laughs and says "Sorry but at my age, I cant remember all the names," before coming up with a list that includes two ex-prime ministers, John Turner and Jean Chretien, as well as international singing star  and fellow Greek  Nana Mouskouri.

"She came here twice, the first time with her husband and kids and the second time on her own, after a concert. Both times were fun; shes very friendly."

Long-time servers Jennie Bremner-McLeod (right) and Angida Ricafort in dining room serving saganaki.

Katsabanis laughs again when the topic of his work schedule is broached; although his car is generally the first one in the parking lot seven days a week (Homers is closed to the public on Sundays, but is open for catering and/or private functions), his presence isnt required in the kitchen or dining room as much as it once was, he concedes.

"I have a wonderful staff, some of whom have been here for almost 30 years, that definitely know what theyre doing," says the father of two and grandfather of five. "Because of that, much of my time is spent bookkeeping or shopping. Ill be in my office downstairs and somebody will yell, "George, were low on this or that," and away I go to the store."

As for toasting Homers milestone, 40th anniversary, Katsabanis has a couple ideas hes been toying with. First, hed love to host a reunion for the multitude of men and women whove worked there through the years, many of whom have gone on to become "doctors, lawyers, tons of PhDs," he says. Secondly, hes seriously considering rolling back the price of his most famous dish, maybe for a week or two, as a nod to the scores of regular customers whove supported him and his family for four decades.

"I just started thinking about it, that maybe we could charge $9.95 or something for chicken souvlaki the same as it used to be years ago. I dont want to make money; in fact, I dont even care if it costs me money. It would just be our way of saying thank you, Winnipeg, for everything youve done for us."

Katsabanis admits its funny to consider that when he moved here 57 years ago, the only thing he thought about those first few weeks was how soon he could go back to Greece.

"Now, here at the restaurant, they always make the joke how they cant get rid of me."

David Sanderson writes about Winnipeg-centric restaurants and businesses.

david.sanderson@freepress.mb.ca

David Sanderson

Dave Sanderson was born in Regina but please, dont hold that against him. Read full biography
A non-profit group is seeking donations of furniture, clothes and cash for as many as 100 people who were displaced after two fires in the West End in the past week.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/1/2019 (879 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A non-profit group is seeking donations of furniture, clothes and cash for as many as 100 people who were displaced after two fires in the West End in the past week.

The Spence Neighbourhood Association is asking for donations to be dropped off at the John Howard Society at 583 Ellice Ave.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES One person was transported to hospital in critical condition but has since been upgraded to stable after a fire broke out in a Maryland Street apartment block.

"Two fires this past weekend have displaced 60 to 100 people in our community," a statement from the association said.

"They have lost everything... the organizations in the West End are collecting items to help folks rebuild their lives; fires dont leave anything behind."

Furniture, linens, clothes, small appliances, televisions and kitchen items are requested.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES A fire in a three-storey apartment building at 626 Ellice Ave. early Jan. 13 sent one person to hospital and displaced about 30 others.

Monetary donations can be dropped off or mailed to the associations office at 615 Ellice Ave.,Winnipeg, MB, R3G 0A4, or given online through CanadaHelps at spenceneighbourhood.org/donate.

On Jan. 13, a fire broke out in an apartment block at Ellice Avenue and Maryland Street. Most tenants got out on their own, but firefighters found one person still inside who was rushed to hospital in critical condition. That person was later upgraded to stable condition.

On Jan. 14, a blaze broke out in a three-storey building in the 400 block of Maryland Street. More than 40 residents were forced to evacuate.

"All donations will go directly to the victims of the fire and any surplus items will go to folks in need," the statement said.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sharpened his core re-election message on Sunday, telling his MPs to present a positive message to Canadians while he branded his Conservative opponents as a detached party of the elite.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/1/2019 (879 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addresses his national caucus on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Sunday, January 20, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sharpened his core re-election message on Sunday, telling his MPs to present a positive message to Canadians while he branded his Conservative opponents as a detached party of the elite.

The prime minister delivered a campaign-style speech at the start of a two-day Liberal caucus retreat on Parliament Hill, characterizing his party as a beacon of hope for Canadians in a world of upheaval. At the same time, Trudeau attacked the opposition Conservatives as a party rooted in the past and mired in the divisiveness of its former leader, Stephen Harper.

While the prime minister wielded political attacks against Harper and current Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, the message to rank-and-file MPs in the four-hour, closed-door meeting was to keep it positive in their ridings, insiders said.

The MPs discussed the strategy for the federal election in October, where the "importance of a positive message and not personal attacks" was stressed to "contrast with the opposition," one source said.

Much like the party's successful "sunny ways" strategy in 2015, this year's campaign will be "all about positive politics," Health Minister Ginette Petipas-Taylor said after the meeting.

"Our caucus is going to be engaged in making sure that Canadians are aware of the good work that we've done, and also that we want to continue to meet the needs of all Canadians."

Trudeau used his speech to tell his MPs to stay focused on helping Canadians at home in this coming election year, despite the anxiety created by global turbulence.

He referred to the China-U.S. trade war and the pending Brexit divorce of Britain and Europe, as well as the threat of climate change and the economic upheaval of lost jobs to artificial intelligence.

But Trudeau avoided mention of the other woes that have undercut his government's attempts to grow the economy and diversify trade, including the wide gulf in relations with China, and uncertainty about moving forward with Canada's top ally and trading partner  the Trump protectionists in Washington.

Trudeau took several partisan shots at the Conservatives, saying they have no plan for tackling climate change and the economy, while citing Liberal gains in lowering taxes and unemployment. The prime minister singled out the Canada Child Benefit as a boon to working families.

He accused the Conservatives of voting against several of his government's initiatives in an effort to "protect the wealthy, the well-connected, and the powerful," at the expense of working Canadians  even referencing a campaign slogan used by conservative Ontario Premier Doug Ford.

"Make no mistake: The Conservatives pretend to be 'for the people,' but that couldn't be further from the truth. This is still very much the party of Stephen Harper," Trudeau said.

"We have sent a clear signal to the rest of the world  Canadians are ready to work and Canada is best place to do business."

But Trudeau did not mention Canada's personal list of international woes, including its plummeting relations with China after the RCMP arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on Dec. 1 at the behest of the United States.

Days later, China detained Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who were arrested on vague allegations of "engaging in activities that endanger the national security." A third imprisoned Canadian, Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, received a death sentence last week on drug charges in a sudden retrial.

"People across the country  and really, around the world  are anxious about what they see happening on the news, and in their communities," Trudeau said.

"The world's two largest economies are at odds, and our founding European nations are going through unprecedented political turmoil."

Trudeau also id not mention the uncertainty surrounding the unfinished economic business with the Trump administration in Washington. This includes ratifying a newly renegotiated North American free trade agreement and getting rid of punishing U.S. sanctions on Canadian steel and aluminum.

Those international headaches could make it more difficult for the Trudeau Liberals to keep the focus on domestic concerns as they navigate their way through an election year.

Infrastructure Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said he expects to spend a lot of time travelling the country in the coming months, attempting to deliver on government promises to fund thousands of projects to ease public transport gridlock, "green" the economy, and extend growth to less populated communities.

"This is about governing. It's not about campaigning," Champagne said, brushing aside suggestions the infrastructure rollout has been too slow.

Liberal MP William Amos, whose West Quebec riding of Pontiac is two-thirds rural, said his constituents are "impressed by what they've seen so far" from the government.

"But they want more because for a lot of small-town Canadians, job growth hasn't been the same as it has been in urban Canada."
TORONTO - Five things to watch for in the Canadian business world in the coming week:

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/1/2019 (879 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO - Five things to watch for in the Canadian business world in the coming week:

Wholesale trade

Statistics Canada will release wholesale trade and manufacturing numbers for November on Tuesday. The federal agency said wholesale sales rose 1.0 per cent to $63.8 billion in October, more than offsetting a 0.7 per cent decline in September.

CP earnings

CP Rail releases its fourth-quarter results on Wednesday. Analysts said both CP and rival CN Rail are well positioned to weather potential economic headwinds and the U.S.-China trade war as ongoing investments in new cars and track bolster crude-by-rail and commodities shipments.

Retail sales

Statistics Canada will release retail trade figures for November on Wednesday. Retail sales increased 0.3 per cent to $51.0 billion in October, topping expectations for an increase of 0.4 per cent.

Welcome to Whistler

CIBC's Annual Whistler Institutional Investor Conference kicks off on Wednesday. CIBC decided to cancel the oil and gas part of the conference after Whistler town council took part in a letter-writing campaign in December demanding oil companies compensate it for its costs related to climate change. The mayor subsequently apologized.

Rogers earnings

Rogers Communications releases fourth-quarter results on Thursday. Strong wireless results helped Canada's second-largest telco beat analyst expectations in the third quarter and raise its full-year outlook.




Have any questions? Please give us a call at 701-572-2165
After Winter Storm Yoshi moves out of the state, a deep freeze is on the way.
GREENWICH  For 11 years, parents of Hamilton Avenue School children have fought to have a level playing field  literally.

Last summer, they thought they finally got their wish when fixes to the field won initial approval. But then the effort stalled again, more delays that could have the compounding effect of postponing the project even further.

In June, the Board of Education approved a $424,00 interim appropriation request to fix the field, which slopes six feet from end to end and is pockmarked by potholes. The Board of Estimate and Taxation followed suit in July 2018. Seven months later, the Representative Town Meeting will vote on the appropriation Tuesday.

Through a comedy of errors, it didnt make it until December, were here in January, school board chair Peter Bernstein said.

Sylvester Pecora, a Chickahominy resident and longtime advocate for the field, had a different take.

They forgot about us, he said.

One decade, three principals and three superintendents

The community has clamored for the field to be made level since the new school was completed a decade ago. But field work was not included in the school rebuild, and a lawsuit and work on the schools parking garage contributed to delaying needed fixes. When the project was estimated to cost $791,800 last year, the BETs Budget Committee deferred the project twice.

We have to fight for everything, Pecora said.

The school board last year tried to fast track a less expensive version of the project, but the proposal did not come before the RTM until January. School officials blamed the delay on personnel transitions, a lack of institutional knowledge among new hires, changes in software used to manage projects and a series of building and equipment failures from July to December.

Theres no way to gloss it over, said Interim Superintendent Ralph Mayo. Our systems are not where they should be.

The project got lost because Chief Operations Officer Lorianne ODonnell and Director of Facilities Dan Watson came on board and had to become familiar with 60 ongoing projects, with no one to turn to for institutional knowledge, school board Vice Chair Jennifer Dayton said.

This is the second time in the last year that school board officials have cited turnover as the reason for losing track of a project. In July, the school board found replacement of the roof over Julian Curtiss School was ongoing, but no funds were in place to pay for the work.

Finance officials called for an audit of BOE practices following the town-wide scramble to approve $617,000 to fund the roof construction.

Holding onto a chief operations officer and a district facilities manager will help keep track of projects going forward, Mayo said.

The board has also hired a project manager, who starts Monday, to oversee the ongoing projects in the district.

Reducing turnover is one of many improvements Greenwich schools can make to better manage projects, according to preliminary findings from Blum & Shapiro, a law firm examining district processes.

Mayo expects the firm will complete its report at the end of January.

Now, or later?

To make up for the long delays in getting the Hamilton Avenue field renovated, school officials last year chose to seek an interim appropriation, rather than include the project as part of the 2019-20 municipal budget process. An appropriation would allow the Board of Education to do the work over the winter; if the money were approved as part of next years budget, it would not be available until the start of the next fiscal year in July.

But, as the next budget process is clicking into gear, several RTM members say that is where the Hamilton Avenue project belongs. The later start date would postpone completion of the project from April to September, school officials said.

What troubles me is process, said Carl Rob Perelli-Minetti, the chair of the RTMs Finance Committee.

The school board wants to classify the project as a repair, saying student safety is at risk so it should be paid for with cash in the interim and start immediately; others see it as a capital improvement, necessitating the more formal procedure and paid through bonding.

It shouldve been in last year or this years budget, said Kimberly Blank, chair of the RTMs Education Committee. It doesnt make sense as an interim, but I dont want to punish kids because it doesnt fit my view of what makes an interim.

There is also uncertainty whether the amount being sought by the school board is sufficient to cover the needed work. Milone & MacBroom, the firm that drew up the estimate for school and town officials last year, noted the total reflects costs of construction in 2018 and should be escalated at a rate of 3 percent every year thereafter.

It is our hope that when we do an RFP, itll come in at $424,000, Bernstein said.

If the appropriation is approved now, the RTM is going into the work with insufficient funds, RTM Budget Oversight Committee Chair Lucia Jansen said. The extra time would allow the school district to return with an appropriation adjusted for higher construction costs and contingencies, she said.

Members of the RTM Education Committee are ready to pull the trigger, however.

This is the right time, as opposed to putting it into budget when contractor has a lot of work to do, said J. Robert Tuthill, the committee representative for District 4. I think its a good reason for not waiting to put it in the regular budget.

For the RTM District 3 Vice Chair, the potential postponement is personal.

We are always being made an example of, Dawn Fortunato said.

It is hard to tell how the slope affects the kids, since they make the best of it, Principal John Grasso said. And while the current and retired school nurses say there have not been injuries from the slope, that is not a reason to wait, proponents said.

Its an accident waiting to happen, Tuthill said. Everyone deserves a level playing field.

jo.kroeker@hearstmediact.com
BRIDGEPORT  One person was injured and 10 tenants were displaced after a propane gas tank exploded at a White Street apartment building.

The explosion occurred at 11:20 a.m. Sunday at a 3 1/2-story wood-frame apartment building, Deputy Fire Chief Lance Edwards said

When crews arrived at 49 White St., they found significant damage to the left side of the home and quickly extinguished a fire in the walls, Edwards said.

A tenant from the first-floor apartment was sent to the hospital with burns. No firefighters were injured.

Edwards said it appears tenants were using a one-pound can of propane to support a small heating system in the bedroom when the explosion occurred.

Red Cross will provide lodging for the seven adults and three children who lived in the building, which had seven apartments, Edwards said. Red Cross is expected to arrive at 2 p.m., officials said over the scanner.

Police spokesman Av Harris described the building as leveled.

The building official responded. The fire marshal is investigating, Edwards said.

This story has been updated with additional information from the fire department.
BRIDGEPORT  City firefighters quickly put out a mobile home on fire between two houses late Saturday afternoon.

Around 4:25 p.m., fire units were sent to the 80 block of Pearl Harbor Circle for a reported vehicle on fire. Less than two minutes later, the dispatcher updated the call to a motor home on fire in the driveway of a home.

The first unit on scene reported a mobile home in the driveway on fire, fully involved. Despite the mobile home being situated between two homes, the fire units on scene said there was no threat of exposure to either home.

All fire units except for one ladder and one engine were cleared from the scene by 4:50 p.m.

A Fire Marshal responded to the location to investigate the cause of the blaze.
(WGGB/WSHM) -- School officials with the Amherst-Pelham Regional Public Schools confirm that an eighth grader has died. A GoFundMe page for the students funeral expenses explained the child was found unresponsive after participating in the blackout challenge on social media.
Articles Sorry, there are no recent results for popular articles.

Images Sorry, there are no recent results for popular images.
Wilmington, DE (19810)

Today

Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 84F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early with showers later at night. Low 69F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
"During the landing, the last 100 metres was thrilling," said Wu Weiren, designer of the lunar program. Chang'e-4 landed on a slope surrounded by four perilous craters. "It was pretty accurate." Chang'e-4's chief engineer, Sun Zezhou, explained the probe hovered, and then autonomously avoided the craters it detected using lasers. But Sun, Wu and the team at ground control didn't know of Chang'e-4's success at the time, because of the delayed transmission of data from the moon's far side. A screen at the Beijing Aerospace Control Centre shows the lander of the Chang'e-4 probe and the rover Yutu-2 (Jade Rabbit-2) taking photos of each other. Credit:Jin Liwang "Why did we go to the far side of the moon to explore? Two reasons. From a scientific viewpoint, the far side of the moon, especially the landing zone, is the oldest crater. Its geological structure and composition may be more representative of the age of the moon," says Sun.

Second, the far side of the moon offered more favourable conditions for low-frequency radio observations of space, or listening for the earliest sounds of the universe. The ruling Chinese Communist Party's official newspaper, People's Daily, offered a third reason: The party has set the goal of being at the forefront of the world's space powers by 2030. China started late in the space race, achieving its first astronaut in space, Yang Liwei, in 2003. Chinese astronauts made their first spacewalk in 2008. NASA named its Apollo moon missions, conducted almost 50 years ago, after a mythical Greek god. The Chinese Lunar Exploration Program has named its lunar probes after the moon goddess of Chinese mythology, Chang'e, and the rovers after her pet rabbit. Chang'e-3 reached the moon with the first Jade Rabbit in 2013. China was only the third nation, after the United States and Russia, to make a soft landing on the moon.

But China wanted its own "first". The Chang'e-4 mission has racked this up. First growth on the moon This week cotton seeds sprouted, and potato and rapeseed plants began to germinate, the first biological growth experiments on the moon. They died, on schedule, as the frozen lunar night descended late this week. "We successfully realised the first green leaf that has grown on the moon in human history. This will provide the research foundation for human beings to build a lunar base in the future," declared the dean of Chongqing University's Institute of Advanced Technology, Professor Xie Gengxin, at another press conference. The first green leaf sprouting on the moon. Credit:China National Space Administration

Chang'e-4 carried a bioscience tank measuring 17.3 centimetres by 19.8 centimetres contained six species  cotton, rapeseed, potato, Arabidopsis, yeast and fruit flies. The tank had a high-pressure seal to withstand the month-long space flight and moon landing, and a camera to record the experiments. China's ground control sent a command for water to be released 30 minutes after landing. For the next nine days, temperature, data and 170 photographs of the growing seeds were sent back to ground control. The internal temperature of the tank was kept between -60 degrees Celsius and 80 degrees Celsius, "a stable temperature suitable for living", according to the Chonqing University scientists who designed the experiment. Scientists wanted to see how the seeds grew under low gravity and high radiation. Potato is likely to become a staple food for humans to survive in space, the Chinese scientists said. Rapeseed oil is likely to be an important cooking fuel. Fruit flies have short growth cycles. Yeast is food for fruit flies. The tank contained a micro-ecosystem of producers, consumers and decomposers. The experiment was switched off to save battery power as the lunar night arrived.

Science in action Chang'e-4 carried four international and six Chinese payloads or experiments. Astrophysicist and ANU research fellow at the Mount Stromlo Observatory, Brad Tucker, says an experiment from the Netherlands tested how quiet the far side of the moon was for radio telescopes. "This has long been an idea of astronomers and so it was great to see it tested ... So just like NASA missions, there is a huge involvement from international groups."

Australia's Parkes radio telescope famously was involved in providing the televised images of NASA's great leap for mankind in 1969, as Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. The Parkes Observatory in central NSW provided television images of the first moon landing. Credit:CSIRO Tucker says nowadays, Australian space scientists hold regular meetings with collaborators in China, discussing projects from radio astronomy to optical astronomy and space missions. "When it comes to astronomy space, China has quickly levelled to the same scale as the US, Europe, and Russia." The next step in China's moon program is to send Chang'e-5 to the moon by year's end to collect samples and return to Earth with them.

"All the scientists are interested in getting access to these fresh new samples from a site they haven't been at during Apollo missions," says Mauer. Another two probes will explore and take samples from the moon's south pole, the likely site of a moon research base. Chang'e-8 will test technology that could be used to build a moon base. Deputy chief commander of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, Wu Yanhua, said that like China, the US, Russia and Europe are all considering a moon research station. China planned to test technologies that could be used to build houses, such as 3D printing, on the moon as part of a multinational base. "No matter if it is robots or humans to the moon, if there are more frequent explorations and development tasks, there should be infrastructure to support routine exploration," he said. A long-term base would need to be built to endure temperatures ranging from minus 180 degrees at night to more than 100 degrees during the day.

Tucker says: "People often ask why we never went back to the moon, and that was because we had no reason. Now groups do, that is for more experiments and using it as a gateway to Mars. Everyone has come to the conclusion that being able to get resources and establish a refuelling stop around the moon is the easiest way to Mars." Technology has come a long way since the first moon landing. He expects multiple countries to have a large presence on the moon by the end of the next decade. But international co-operation on the moon base could be hampered by the US political bar on NASA working with China. The so-called Wolf Amendment, introduced in 2011, links NASA funding to a prohibition on NASA co-operating with China without explicit approval from Congress. Chinese astronauts are prohibited in the International Space Station.

Before the earthly technology trade war between the Trump Administration and China worsened, dialogue between the two nations' space programs appeared to be warming. NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine had met with his Chinese counterpart, CNSA administrator Zhang Kejian, at an international conference in Germany last October. Bridenstine, who this month congratulated China's space program on achieving a "first for humanity", told Zhang last year he would welcome greater sharing of scientific data with China. Chinese state media reported as front page news this week that former US astronaut and one-time NASA chief Charles Bolden was calling for co-operation with China's space program. "My fear is the US may be left out," Bolden was quoted as saying. The European Space Agency is training with Chinese astronauts ahead of the expected start date of China's space station, Heavenly Palace, in 2022.

By then, the International Space Station, built through collaboration between the US and Russia, will be retired. The European Space Agency began developing ties with its Chinese counterpart in 2012. The International Space Station. Credit:Photo: NASA via Bloomberg Maurer was one of the first European astronauts to train in the Chinese space program in 2017, doing sea survival training alongside seven "taikonauts". After a fortnight of exercises, a space capsule was placed in the ocean, and the astronauts had to survive in the water for hours until they were rescued by helicopter. Maurer marvelled at the inflatable rubber boots.

A year earlier, a Chinese taikonaut had spent six days in a cave in Europe in an ESA scientific program. "We learn how to work together as an international team, in a dangerous and difficult environment in a stressful situation. The Chinese taikonaut integrated perfectly," he says. Li Guoping, secretary general of China's National Space Administration, said China was working with Germany, France, Russia and the European Space Agency on manned space exploration and hoped for international co-operation on developing equipment, astronaut training and space medicine for the Chinese space station. Maurer says that collaboration with more international partners was needed because space exploration required the best technology  and it is expensive. China, in its pursuit of space glory, appears to have deep pockets. Wu Yanhua on Tuesday compared the cost of sending Chang'e-4 to the moon with Beijing's rampant subway construction, per kilometre.
Not everyone is a fan of multiculturalism. That includes the current Prime Minister.

At least, thats one conclusion you can draw from his aversion to the word.

This week, Scott Morrison announced that local councils would be compelled to hold

citizenship ceremonies on January 26. Australia Day should be reserved for

conferring citizenship to migrants, given that Australia is the most successful

migrant country on earth.

Scott Morrison avoids the word multiculturalism, but there are many ways for an immigrant to identify as an Australian. Credit:AAP

Its a fine sentiment in one respect. While there is disagreement about whether January 26 is the right date for Australia Day, few would dispute the nations historic success with immigration.

But Morrisons favoured choice of words  his distancing from multiculturalism - represents a departure from predecessor Malcolm Turnbull. As PM, Turnbull was fond of describing us as the most successful multicultural society in the world. He spoke often about the value of mutual respect.

This isnt about splitting hairs. As Ill explain, theres an important difference between saying were a migrant country and saying that were also a multicultural society.
A 34-year-old who was allegedly kicked out of a suburban wine bar on Sydney's north shore before launching a stabbing attack on a group of teenagers was a postgraduate science lecturer at the University of NSW.

Until last week, Shannon Brett Morrison was working as a project manager at a pharmaceutical company PSI CRO and as a lecturer and tutor in the UNSW School of Medicine.

Shannon Brett Morrison, 34, has been charged with attempted murder after he allegedly stabbed six teenagers in a park on Sydney's north shore.

Described online by colleagues as "approachable," "humble" and "a pleasure to work with," Mr Morrison holds a Masters in Pharmaceutical Medicine from UNSW, as well as a Bachelor of Advanced Science from the University of Sydney.

But now the 34-year-old stands accused of attempted murder, after an alleged stabbing spree last weekend in which he allegedly attacked six teenagers with a knife in a Turramurra park.
A newly developed family of drugs could cut cholesterol by up to 75 per cent and prevent thousands of strokes, heart attacks and deaths.

But theres a catch: the drugs cost about $8000 per patient per year.

Unless the manufacturer cuts prices, subsidising it for the hundreds of thousands of Australians with high cholesterol could blow out the health budget.

Michael Lynch uses a PCSK9 inhibitor, and credits it with lengthening his life. Credit:Louise Kennerley

The new drugs, called PCSK9 inhibitors, pose a big dilemma for health authorities around the world: how much is preventing a heart attack worth?
Leading Australian scientists will conduct a study into causes of the huge fish kill on the Darling River and the wider issue of water mismanagement after accepting a request from Labor leader Bill Shorten.

The Australian Academy of Science welcomed the opportunity to prepare the report by February 10 in time for Mr Shorten to present it to Parliament in its first week back.

Days after a mass fish kill in the Darling River at Menindee last week, hundreds of carcasses remain , stinking and rotting. Photo Nick Moir 10 jan 2019 Credit:Nick Moir

It's understood academy members had themselves been pushing for an urgent investigation into a fish kill on the Darling near Menindee Lakes that left as many as 1 million fish dead earlier this month.

The rapid-fire study is expected to summarise existing research - including from the CSIRO and the Murray-Darling Basin Authority - but won't call on federal and state government scientists to avoid placing them in the awkward position of criticising policy.
For some time Ive had a policy not to debate the existence of human-induced climate change, especially not with strangers on the internet.

In my experience the only people still in doubt are not the type to be persuaded by facts. If you present evidence, theyll simply attack the credibility of the source and insult you for believing it.

My position as a journalist is simple. When the scientific community has genuine debate, Ill report the evidence and counter-evidence and various viewpoints. When there is near consensus, Ill regard the science as settled until such time as that changes.

The ocean around Tasmania used to be renowned for forests of giant kelp, with strands measuring 12 metres, but most of it has died off as the waters have warmed. Credit:Craig Sanderson

Climate change falls into the latter category, so the fertile ground for a journalist is to examine how it plays out in specific ecosystems, and how humans respond to it both through public policy and as individuals.
"This is Uberification of education and there are plans to scale it up in the global north," he says. "These staff are not trained teachers. They are high school graduates who instruct kids for a fraction of the price that it costs to employ a qualified teacher. By and large, teachers make up about 70 per cent of a school budget. If you want to make money, you hire fewer teachers or unqualified staff." Gavrielatos says the tablets provide instructions including "circulate around the room for 30 seconds, rub the board, tell children to close their books". "All these tablets are connected to the mother ship so the company know where everyone is every minute of the day," he says. Bad luck if a kid asks a question."

On March 16, 2018 the High Court of Uganda delivered a judgment which found Bridge International Academies was operating illegally. Judge Lydia Mugambe said Bridge International's conduct in establishing "schools all over the country without any registration with any conformity to relevant government department speaks to a high level of reckless disregard of national institutions set up to ensure qualitative education in the country". Mugambe said because the Bridge International schools were not registered, children studying at the schools had to register in other schools for national examinations. "This conundrum is wrong," she said. "That their children pass exams does not make it right." In a column she wrote for daily news publication New Vision in early 2018, Uganda's First Lady and Minister of Education Janet K Musevini complained that more than 60 Bridge schools had opened without being licensed by her education ministry.

When Gavrielatos challenged a World Bank official about the bank's support of Bridge International, he says he was called "ideological". "I responded it's the law ... it's the law," Gavrielatos says. This corporation has no regard for the national laws which require schools to be registered and therefore the observance of standards such as the employment of qualified teachers. They have no regard for national curriculum and they operate in facilities which one minister described as so lacking in hygiene that they put the health and safety of students at risk." A spokeswoman for The World Bank had no knowledge of the conversation between its official and Gavrielatos. She told the Herald that the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, IFC, invested $US13.5 million in Bridge Academies because of its potential for bringing quality, low-cost basic education on a large scale to children living in poverty.

"There is some evidence that Bridges education programs and use of technology are effective, notably a strong performance by Bridge pupils on Kenyas national secondary school exams," she says. "Strong learning gains were also noted in the Liberia pilot in the Centre for Global Developments evaluation and most recently in an evaluation of Bridge schools operating in Nigeria." The spokeswoman says an independent evaluation of the Bridge Academies program in Kenya has been underway for nearly two years and early results are expected in 2019. Jim Yong Kim, outgoing president of the World Bank, which supports Bridge International. Credit:Photo: AFP Bridge International's Uganda country director Morrison Rwakakamba says it is making "excellent progress with the Ugandan Ministry of Education and have a very positive dialogue with them around our schools".

"I'm delighted to confirm that the vast majority of our teachers are fully qualified having been through a two-year teacher training college. In addition, all our schools and materials in Uganda are meeting standards set by the government, and I expect to soon have confirmation of that from a new government inspection report. "We are all looking forward at what is being achieved to help children in Uganda, we do not want to look back at past debates that are now resolved." A spokesman for Bridge International told the Herald that its teachers in Uganda were teaching the national curriculum and were qualified to teach, "well trained and supported". A spokeswoman for Pearson told the Herald that Bridge is increasingly working in partnership with governments to support their delivery of public education and low cost schooling for disadvantaged students. Pearson is an investor in Learn Capital which is a Silicon Valley venture fund that invests in Bridge International Academies. The Pearson spokeswoman says it has a "small investment in Bridge" but is not directly involved in instruction or operating Bridge schools.

"Governments are increasingly recognising the value and potential of Bridge as an innovative, scalable way of delivering better outcomes for some of the most disadvantaged children in the world," the spokeswoman says. "We have met with Education International and also offered to build a constructive dialogue with them and other concerned parties on numerous occasions." Pearson is one of the biggest education companies worldwide. In Australia, it publishes textbooks and has contracts with six states and territories to print and distribute NAPLAN tests. It scans the tests, employs teachers to mark them and reports the test results. Its contracts with the NSW Education Standards Authority are reportedly worth more than $51 million. Pearson was also contracted to develop the framework for the OECD's benchmark Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) test for 2018. Anna Hogan, from the University of Queensland, who co-authored a report for the NSW Teachers' Federation called Commercialisation in Australian public schooling, said school curriculum, lesson plans and teacher professional development have increasingly been outsourced to for-profit companies including Pearson and a large number of smaller operators. Some companies sell public schools software for data analysis of national tests including NAPLAN.

She says she is concerned that companies can run national and international tests as well as mark them and report on them and market materials on how to do well in them. She says the increased focus on NAPLAN and PISA provided questionable benefit to children, but had profited private companies. "Public schools are using their limited budgets to source these external resources from companies that are making a profit off them. The taxpayer dollars are then funding commercial providers," she says. Hogan says many teachers have raised concerns about the use of text book materials tailored to standardised tests. She says her research found that teachers felt pressured to use iPads as part of the curriculum and other commercial resources that they would not have otherwise chosen to use. "That's when commercialisation starts dictating what you teach in your school," she says.

"Commercialisation isn't necessarily the problem, it is the extent and pervasiveness of it, which can be. It is when a teachers' autonomy is removed over what they are doing in their classroom and it has become commercialised. "External providers are now saying this resource will allow you to tick this box in the curriculum and you can move on. I think that's one of the concerns because we are looking at the deprofessionalisation of teachers." Hogan says she fears the use of laptops with scripted lessons in Africa could lead "to the complete annihilation of what it means to be a teacher professional which is what the scary future of teacher becomes if it starts to become adaptive learning". "Logging onto the computer and students are doing all their curriculum work on the computer and the algorithms are telling them what their weak areas are. The teachers are totally hands off and just facilitating," she says. Gavrielatos says teachers using scripted lessons are not well equipped to take questions from students. Credit:Klaus Vedfelt

Maurie Mulheron, head of the NSW Teachers Federation, says teachers are extremely concerned at the growing commercialisation of education in Australia. In early childhood, vocational and higher education, the for-profit industry dominates, leading to high costs [and] the loss of quality, he says. In the school sector, huge edu-businesses push narrow standardised testing agendas and occupy the curriculum and professional learning space left by the loss of positions in the public sector. Pearson Australia managing director David Barnett says its materials cover the curriculum and any references to NAPLAN preparation in some publications is being removed. "It doesn't have NAPLAN material, it doesn't refer to NAPLAN questions. It simply helps the student learn content," he says.

"We are really concerned about the pressure that has arisen out of NAPLAN. We certainly think the tests should be well run, but we don't support the idea that the tests should be taught to ... or prepared for. "If good teachers believe that they can be more effective by using our products, then great. We are a commercial organisation ... but it is a highly competitive industry which is an important check and balance in behaviour in any kind of industry." Barnett says Pearson Australia does not provide digital education but it is provided by Pearson in the US. "If parents want to access that ... then that's their choice," he says. A new American documentary called Backpack Full of Cash shows how children who attend "virtual" charter schools can now do all their schooling from home without the need for any physical interaction with teachers or other students. That includes dissecting a frog on their computer at home. Gavrielatos fears this low-cost education option will take off because it can save governments the expense of paying teacher wages.
When Trump made a great, great wall on the US-Mexico border a signature of his campaign, the Chinese emperors from the Qin dynasty in 221 BC to the Ming and successive dynasties until the 18th century  had they been alive  would have ecstatically cheered Long live Trump!

Little had these powerful builders of the Great Wall of China expected to see such an endearing reverberation of their walled mindset and middle-kingdom values in the 21st century. Whether in ancient China or in contemporary U.S., can a border wall really deter invaders and crossers alike, while defending, unifying, and guarding the purity of the culture and the safety of the subjects that it encircles?

In the Chinese Middle Kingdom those of Han descent believed that they could only remain superior to othersnamely the northern barbarians and nomadic people like Xiongnu, Qian, Li, and later the Mongols among others  if they divided their civilized world from others. They felt that once the line of the Great Wall got drawn, the divide between the Middle Kingdom and the barbarians would become absolute and immovable. Such a line delineated a culture that excluded and built a vertical Middle Kingdom in the hope of outliving anything and anyone who was different and was perceived as a threat.
For nearly a decade, Marie Jean Pierre showed up to work as a dishwasher at the Conrad Hotel in Miami's posh, high-rise-filled Brickell neighbourhood.

The Haitian immigrant said she informed the hotel from the time she was hired, in April 2006, that she could not work on Sundays because she was a missionary for the Soldiers of Christ Church.

"I love God," Pierre, 60, told NBC Miami on Wednesday. "No work on Sunday, because Sunday I honour God."

For most of that time, the hotel respected her religious beliefs and allowed her to have Sundays off. However, that changed in October 2015, after a kitchen manager insisted on scheduling her to work on Sundays.
Capital gains tax will be a major topic as we race to the next federal election. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg was on the attack last week, pointing out that if Labors capital gains tax (CGT) proposals become law, Australians will be paying CGT at one of the highest rates in the Western world.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says if Labors capital gains tax proposals become law, Australians will be paying CGT at one of the highest rates in the Western world. Credit:Mick Tsikas

Our top marginal income tax rate is 47 per cent, including Medicare. This means a top-rate taxpayer now pays 23.25 per cent CGT, when the 50 per cent discount for holding an asset for more than 12 months is applied.

Labor intends to raise the top marginal rate to 49 per cent by reinstating the 2 per cent Budget Repair Levy. And to reduce the 50 per cent CGT discount to 25 per cent.

If Labor succeeds in making both these changes, a top-rate taxpayer will suddenly find themselves paying CGT of 36.75 per cent  an increase of almost 58 per cent.
Do you dream of riding a vintage bicycle around cobbled streets?

Of going to the market to pick up burrata and fresh tomatoes for lunch?

Sambuca Di Sicilia is surrounded by beaches, hiking trails and vineyards and has a view of Mount Etna. Credit:Shuttershock

Of stopping for an espresso with the vecchi signori in the Mediterranean sunshine?

Well, you could do all those things, and you could do them for less than two dollars.
Carlos Ghosn is looking increasingly isolated in his Tokyo cell, where the fallen car executive has languished for the better part of two months amid dimming prospects of a release any time soon.

Nissan executive Carlos Ghosn. Credit:AP

Renault said on Thursday that it was seeking a change in governance after French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire called for leadership that was "new and durable," a signal from the carmaker's most powerful shareholder that Ghosn's last line of defence  the French government  has fallen.

It's a reversal for the French government, which had shown restraint until now, saying Ghosn should be presumed innocent until proven otherwise. But as Ghosn's chances of a release from detention anytime soon become increasingly unlikely, the realisation has set in at Renault's biggest and most important shareholder that the company needs to move on from Ghosn, the figurehead of the carmaker and the Renault-Nissan alliance for years.

Renault's acting chairman and lead independent director, Philippe Lagayette, and Patrick Thomas, who heads governance committee, said in a statement that Renault is actively working to find a solution for its future governance. For now, the company will continue to operate under its existing set-up, Renault said.
Client-1 refers to Trump. Petrillo declined to comment Saturday. It is unclear precisely what directives Petrillo was referring to, though he did not allege elsewhere in the memo that Trump explicitly instructed Cohen to lie to Congress. He wrote that Cohen was in close and regular contact with White House-based staff and legal counsel to Client-1 as he prepared his testimony and specifically knew . . . that Client-1 and his public spokespersons were seeking to portray contact with Russian representatives in any form by Client-1, the Campaign or the Trump Organization as having effectively terminated before the Iowa caucuses of February 1, 2016.
Meanwhile, Tsipras has expended political capital to push the deal in what will probably be his last months in office. Polls indicate his party will lose an election that must take place this year. Tsipras took office in 2015 as an economic populist, promising to push back against Europe and rewrite the terms of its bailout. But the gambit failed, and he has since remade himself as a more conventional center-left leader, drawing close, most notably, to German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Greeks say Tsipras views the name deal as a legacy project.
DHQ Teaching Hospital Jobs 2019 in Gujranwala

Latest DHQ Teaching Hospital Management Posts Gujranwala 2021 DHQ Teaching Hospital requires the services of experienced and responsible personnel for the positions of Warden, Stenographer, Clerk, Accountant, Cashier, Driver, Naib Qasid, Mali, Chowkidar, Aya, Sanitary Worker, Bearer, Cook, Accounts Clerk, Statistical Clerk, Ward Servant, Ward Boy, Ward Cleaner in Gujranwala.

How to Apply on DHQ Teaching Hospital Job Advertisement

Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online.

Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If the employer asks you to pay money for any purpose including processing to shortlisting, do not pay at all and report us using our contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs cannot be applied online here. Error & omissions excepted.
We know what her strength is, which is being indomitable, said Anand Menon, professor of European politics and foreign affairs at Kings College London. But she has a bunker mentality, so the cabinet is left out of things. She has a tendency, seen in the last week, to govern as if she has a huge majority. But she doesnt. She has failed to explain or persuade, which is why Parliament doesn't get her deal, because shes never bothered to talk it through.
Tshisekedi, 56, is set to be inaugurated as Congos president on Tuesday. He would take over from Joseph Kabila, who has been president for 18 years since he inherited the position from his father, Laurent Kabila, who was assassinated in 2001. Tshisekedi is a political novice who has spent most of his life in the shadow of his father, Etienne Tshisekedi, the founder of Congos Union for Democratic and Social Progress, who died in early 2017.
South Korea has about 28,500 U.S. troops on more than 20 sites and paid $855 million last year toward the cost. But the cost-sharing pact expired at the end of last year after 10 rounds of negotiations that left  in the words of one Foreign Ministry official in Seoul  a huge gap between both sides.
Since taking office, Ghani, 69, has attempted to build a reputation as a reformist technocrat, economic visionary, democratic modernizer and champion of peace. But his efforts have been undercut by entrenched poverty and violence, especially the deadly Taliban campaign that has persisted despite the presence of thousands of U.S. troops, many of whom may now be withdrawn by President Trump. Ghani has also suffered from his image as an impatient and isolated leader who only trusts a few aides.
I have seen this cost of war firsthand, which is why I fight so hard for peace, said Gabbard, an Iraq War veteran. And thats the reality of the situation that were facing here. Its why I have urged and continue to urge President Trump to meet with people like Kim Jong Un in North Korea because we understand whats at stake here. The only alternative to having these kinds of conversations is more war.
This urge to have answers now, now, now is strong and can come across as inauthentic, said Ted Johnson, a senior fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice who has observed Gillibrand. Its okay to say, I didnt know. Its okay to engage audiences. But its not okay to compensate for the not knowing and the not engaging with a super strong position immediately in order to win them over. The thing about growth is that it takes time.
Katrina Spradley, then 38, was about to have a hysterectomy in April 2008. She said that she told her physician that she also had urinary issues  every time she would laugh, cough or sneeze, she would leak urine. It happened so often that she would wear sanitary pads. A urologist was consulted and determined that implanting vaginal mesh at the same time as the hysterectomy would repair her bladder problem, she said.
Social media has been agog all of Sunday evening, after former president Olusegun Obasanjo released a letter castigating President Muhammadu Buhari.

The former president made some points against Buhari, in his recent open letter entitled Points for concern and action  which was made available to journalists in Abeokuta on Sunday.

However, some supporters of Buhari have taken to social media to call out the ex president over his claims that Buhari plans to rig the forthcoming elections.

According to many of them, Obasanjo has no moral justification to speak about election rigging in Nigeria, because his track record in that regard, are still very fresh in the minds of many.

The reminded Obasanjo of appointing Maurice Iwo, Abel Guobadia, who they accused of conducting the most rigged election, in the history of election in the country.

See below

https://twitter.com/Ediong/status/1086997340425281536?s=19

Okadigbo who replaced him in November 1999 without the blessing of Obasanjo, was also unceremoniously removed with the assistance of Nigerian police in August 2000.

Please don't get me started on the rigging during Abel Guobadia and Maurice Iwu periods of OBJ. It was a travesty.  s   (@OvieAli) January 20, 2019

https://twitter.com/Ediong/status/1087006317611503617?s=19

A man who seek for illegal 3rd term, a man whom many prominent politicians were killed during his tenure, is calling another Abacha, do we have to teach adults history too. We didnt forget your Maurice Iwu INEC , when election results are written in the bedroom.  A S J (@AbdullahiJalin1) January 20, 2019

It has to be the defn of irony when the man who gave us Maurice Iwu (Prof of result writing) and conducted what's accepted as the most rigged elections in our history is the one lecturing us on how to conduct credible elections. Someone shd tell him this is no longer his "Watch".  Yinka Ogunnubi (@yinkanubi) January 20, 2019
The 9th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (Source: indianexpress.com)



Chau made the suggestion at a meeting with President of the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) Jamin R.Vasa on the sidelines of the 9th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS 2019) in Ahmedabad city on January 18th.



The ambassador called on the two sides to help their businesses participate in trade fairs of each other, stressing that the enhanced coordination between the Vietnamese Embassy and the GCCI would contribute to promoting bilateral trade and investment ties.



Jamin R.Vasa committed to organising trips for Gujarat enterprises to Vietnam in April or May this year to explore investment and business cooperation opportunities in the Southeast Asian nation.



VGGS was first held in 2003 to re-establish Gujarat as a preferred investment destination within India. Today, the biennial summit has evolved into a platform for brainstorming on agendas of global socio-economic development, in addition to being a facilitator for knowledge sharing and forging effective partnerships.



More than 70,000 delegates have registered for this years event, including over 2,100 foreigners./.
One after another, the subcommittee called the bills up and shot them down. They included bills to let localities ban guns from libraries; adding Roanoke and Charlottesville to the list of places that can ban weapons with high-capacity magazines from public areas; allowing localities to regulate guns in public buildings; requiring owners to report the loss or theft of guns; update the existing ban on plastic guns to include those produced by 3-D printers; require universal background checks; ban bump stocks; and restore Virginias limit on purchasing no more than one handgun per month.
Some analysts say resistance to CRRC in Congress, the Pentagon and the U.S. rail-car industry may force Metro to award the contract to a different company. Doing so would probably lead to legal challenges and cost Metro hundreds of millions of dollars, given CRRCs bargain prices. No U.S. company makes subway cars, so China competes in that market against companies from Asia, Europe and Canada.
Montgomery County Council member Tom Hucker (D), who represents downtown Silver Spring, said many residents appreciate the need to rehabilitate the aging Metro system, particularly the Forest Glen station, which has had water problems for years. He said he also hears from residents who say they moved to Silver Spring to be near Metro and the future Purple Line, so they will likely be willing to put up with the light-rail construction.
Todays Headlines

The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning.

By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
His measure targets so-called community solar developments on rural land zoned for conservation. Community solar projects let people who cant put panels on their roofs help pay for solar developments by signing up as subscribers. In return, they can lower their electric bills by as much as 10 percent. The goal is to make solar energy available to more consumers and help the environment by reducing the use of fossil fuels.
Police said the incident occurred in the westbound lanes of Route 50 near Summerfield Road. The site is in the Falls Church area, about a mile west of the Seven Corners Center shopping area.
That means the partial government shutdown that began Dec. 22 is hitting especially hard here. Economists say the standoff is costing the D.C. region more than $100 million a day, and Maryland officials estimate that 172,000 federal workers in the state are losing $778 million in salary every two weeks. But in Camp Springs, the loss is measured in empty chairs at beauty shops, a pronounced slowdown at local restaurants and school-lunch balances that have run dry.
Along with DAndrade, three others admitted getting sucked into Williamss scam as semi-unwitting co-conspirators. Prosecutors say that when DAndrades network started to run dry, Williams turned to Carla McPhun, a Maryland real estate investor who met Williams through DAndrade. McPhun admitted that she lied to one investor about where the money was going, thinking she would be able to repay it soon. She did not realize the entire project was a fraud until she saw on the news in February that Williams had been arrested.
The 2019 presidential candidates debate held yesterday with candidates of the two major political parties, Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, APC and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, being absent.

Their absence from the debate which was attended by candidates like Kingsley Moghalu, Fela Durotoye, Oby Ezekwesili, has sparked a high storm on social media. With many Nigerians expressing their disappointment and anger at the disrespect.

Aldo reacting to the absence of these two major candidates from the much awaited debate, is Shehu Sani, lawmaker representing Kaduna Central, as he described the situation as very unfortunate.

The senator speaking via his Twitter handle on Saturday evening said, these two candidates command big crowds at stadiums during campaign rallies, yet have phobia for a mic and a few people, that will be present in the debate hall.

Its unfortunate and ironic that candidates who flaunt crowds of supporters in hundreds of thousands in open stadiums, have fear of a microphone and a few people in a Hall, he said.

Writing in pidgin English, he also took a swipe at the federal government, who threatened to interrogate Atiku, the moment he got back from the U.S, over his alleged involvement in the collapse of former Bank PHB  yet failed to show up for the debate, which Atiku headed straight to, upon arriving Nigeria.

He also blasted Atiku for absconding from the debate venue, upon sighting his co-debates, who will ready to nail him.

In his words:
One who came back early to Scripps, Nicole Greenberg, said when shes home between semesters, Theres definitely a lot of asking what Im going to do when I graduate. Another, Emilie Hu, said she otherwise would have spent winter break at home in Pasadena, Calif., with her dog and, because her twin brother already went back to college, alone with my parents. Instead, she spent a week learning job-seeking tips.
In The Washington Post, former CIA director Michael Hayden and former acting U.S. solicitor general Neal Katyal added their joint opinion: that the House of Representatives should begin an investigation into whether impeachment is appropriate, though they fervently hope and pray that an impeachment investigation would come back with no evidence of crimes or conspiracy.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  President Donald Trump urged farmers Monday to stick with him even as many grapple with the impact of his trade war with China and the partial government shutdown.

No one understands better than our great farmers that the tough choices we make today reap rewards for centuries to come, Trump said, adding that their greatest harvest is yet to come.

Were doing trade deals that are going to get you so much business, youre not even going to believe it, he said.

Trump, in an address to the 100th annual convention of the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the American heartland largely supported him in 2016 and pledged that his policies would ultimately help the agriculture industry despite short-term pain.

The president devoted much of his hourlong address to defending his decision to hold out for billions of dollars to build his long-promised wall at the southern border, which has resulted in an impasse with Congress and the longest government shutdown in history.

Trump said the wall was needed to cut down on illegal immigration, even though border crossings have fallen in recent years, and he said that it would lead to immigration reform that would help farmers get the workers they need for their fields.
If climate change is a problem of global urgency  and we believe it is  most members of the city of Waco Sustainable Resources Practices Advisory Board sure didnt reflect it last week. Say what you will of board member Sarah Brockhaus bold resolution pressing the City Council to pursue a course away from greenhouse gas-causing fossil fuels and toward 100 percent reliance on renewable energy, a strategy many cities across the United States now pursue. The tragic fact is a vocal segment of the public in attendance and even a few board members appeared stunned that city leadership was interested in only occasional input from citizen committees such as this one.

That may not have been quite the message city leaders meant to convey. But for more than an hour, discussion of ways to reduce municipal reliance on fossil fuels gave way to tedious wrangling over protocols and procedures commissions and boards must follow if they want even consideration of their recommendations by the council. As City Manager Wiley Stem III explained, recommendations by committees are generally presented to the council via its annual report rather than going straight to council members for prompt consideration. At one point, board members devolved to the sorry point of debating repeated use of the word whereas in board resolutions. No wonder one environmentalist fled the third-floor city meeting room screaming.
Every year, Americans go through the January ritual of honoring Martin Luther King Jr., our secular civil rights saint and martyr. Marches and parades take place with multitudinous recitations of his stirring I Have a Dream speech at the Lincoln Memorial in 1963.

We are more interested in idolizing Dr. King than applying the principles for which he died to contemporary American life. We have a knack for celebrating our heroes past deeds rather than examining how they might apply to us in the here and now.

The Martin Luther King national holiday is no exception. Most Americans will just see the MLK holiday as a Monday off work. Some will honor it as a national day of service. For very few will it be an occasion to ask: If Dr. King were still with us, what would he say of our country today?

Dr. King was assassinated in Memphis, supporting city sanitation workers organizing a union for better wages and safe work conditions. Yet little mention is made of his work in favor of unions and higher pay. Indeed, wages are still low and opponents have leveled constant warfare against unions, diminishing their membership and undercutting a vehicle for economic rights.
Julia Gannaway was actively involved in this report, Dixon said after summarizing his bracing findings at City Hall Monday night. The reality is I know I dont have any credibility with some people on this council and some people in this room. But apparently Julia Gannaway does. So I asked her to sit in with me and I showed her what I had and she showed me what she had. And she didnt know a lot of stuff going on before she started talking to people. She didnt even know about the relationship till she got her first interview or was getting ready to come down here and interview. So theres a lot of things that came up during that. You have to understand also that she was understandably concerned about retaliation [against city employees who were interviewed]. She didnt want anybody to be retaliated against. I know there was a blowup in this council room and that shouldnt have happened and shouldnt have been allowed to happen. Not much way to stop it from starting unless somebody exercises better self-control, but there is a way to stop it from continuing.
Sarah Jo Dudik

Dec. 18, 1936 - Jan. 18, 2019

Sarah Jo (Grant) Dudik, 82, of Aquilla, passed away Friday, January 18, 2019 at a Waco hospital. A Rosary will be recited 5 p.m., Sunday, January 20, at Aderhold Funeral Home Chapel in West, with visitation to follow until 7 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10 a.m., Monday, January 21, 2019, at St. Mary's Catholic Church of the Assumption in West. Burial will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery in West.

Sarah was born December 18, 1936, in Aquilla to W.I. "Teenie" and Margaret White Grant. Her family moved to Waco shortly after World War II started and she was a proud graduate of Waco High School Class of '55.

Upon graduation she joined Texas Retail Grocer's Association beginning as a receptionist. Until she medically retired as Executive Vice-President, Sarah Jo served as a lobbyist for grocers throughout Texas, as their membership coordinator, and director of all annual conferences and conventions. She also wrote and photographed for, and served as editor and publisher of The Texas Food Merchant magazine. Prior to married life, she was a member of the choir at Emmauel Baptist Church in Waco and taught Sunday School for several years. She also served in all offices including Noble Grand of F.M. Compton Rebekah Lodge #87 in Waco.
After about a year and half, he was sent to advance training for Vietnam, and in November 1970 arrived in Cam Ranh Bay with Unit 554 Civil Engineering Squad in heavy repair construction.

Our nickname was Red Horse, he said of the combat engineers. In fact, 554 was the last Red Horse unit in Vietnam.

The unit would do all its preparation at Cam Ranh Bay and then was sent out to various locations in Vietnam for repair and rehab. His travels, usually by a C-130s and C-123s, took him all over Vietnam: twice to Da Nang, to Nha Trang, Hon Tre Island, Pleiku, and, finally, the Saigon area, mainly around Tan Son Nhut.

Only when they traveled by convoy did they face the most danger. When they went off-site, they carried their weapons, as they never knew what they might encounter. In fact, when Knue wasnt doing his other duties, he would take his turn as gunner on the back of a truck. Pleiku was where most of the heat was, Knue said.

The convoy was attacked once, but Knue declined to talk about it.

Knue left a month early and returned to Craig AFB in Selma, Alabama. In December 1971, he married Carol Dierckman, his high school sweetheart.

She was a good military wife, Knue said. She adjusted very well.
Senator Ben Murray Bruce representing Bayelsa East has reacted to the recent open letter by former president Olusegun Obasanjo, saying the allegations are too pertinent to ignore.

In the letter entitled Point for concern and action, the former president made some points against the President Muhammadu Buhari led government. The letter which was made available to newsmen through Obasanjo at his Obasanjo Library in Abeokuta, highlighted the many ills of the present government.

In the letter, Obasanjo described Buhari as following the dictatorial footsteps of former military head of State, Sani Abacha, also calling him a pathological liar.

According to Ben Bruce, while speaking via his Twitter handle on Sunday, he said that the former president knows the present one, through and through. Mr Bruce also asked if Nigerians are safe, in the hands of a pathological liar

The allegations raised today by former President Olusegun Obasanjo against President Buhari are very pertinent being that Obasanjo is one of the only few persons that knows the President through and through. He calls him a pathological liar. A disciple of Abacha. Are we safe?
Second we are going to host some training opportunities and bring some of those experts from around the country to us so that way, our smaller agencies in our area can benefit from that along with us.

Lorena Police Chief Tom Dickson said he was pleased to hear Waco polices effort to bring more police dog training to the area. Lorena police recently added a new police dog, Zeta, in August, and more training would be beneficial to all local agencies, Dickson said.

I think it is great any time we can get more training and any time we get a chance, we will take advantage of that, Dickson said. It is very beneficial to get regional training for our officers too, especially training of our K-9 program.

Waco has two police dogs on duty, Hondo and Kempi. Both dogs are Belgian Malinois, a breed several departments use for the dogs ability to find narcotics and search for suspects or victims, Holt said.
Volunteers asked managers or supervisors for permission to put up posters with information about resources for potential human trafficking victims. Foran said volunteers have participated in the outreach event for several years and typically focus on the Interstate 35 corridor, both cities and rural areas.

Coalition leaders and volunteers held similar events in Bosque, Hill, Freestone, Limestone and Bell counties Saturday. About 60 people participated in the Central Texas area, Foran said.

Last year, the McLennan County Sheriffs Office worked about 60 human trafficking investigations, including sex trafficking and labor trafficking cases, Detective Joseph Scaramucci said. As a result of those investigations, 50 people were arrested on human trafficking-related crimes and 100 victims of human trafficking were identified, Scaramucci said.

I just recently joined Unbound, but I think this is a humbling experience to go into businesses and talk to people who might not know about trafficking, Baylor student and volunteer Katelyn Lunini said. It is so important to know, and I dont think people realize how prevalent it is.

Saturdays effort has the potential to be the difference between a victim continuing to be trafficked and finding help, Turner said.

If people who are being trafficked go to these businesses and see these signs, that could lead to them being rescued, Turner said. If we, in any way, are going to help a victim by seeing a poster, I am all for spending my time out helping.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The audit found the zoos safe was accessible with a single digital code known by multiple employees and was not installed in a secure location. When the auditing firm made a site visit March 21, the safes door was not completely closed, according to the audit.

BKD inspected the cash procedures at the zoos Plaza Cafe, Treetop Cafe, Snack Shack and vending operations. The audit found that cash registers at the zoo were dated and not fully operational. When items could not be scanned in the point-of-sale system, staff would manually enter the price, hurting inventory management.

Employees would also apply their own discretion for personal purchases, leading to lost revenue. Cash counts were not performed, two vending machines were not managed, security cameras were not placed to catch wrongdoing and staffers would not document shift changes for positions tied to cash-handling.

Ford said improvements to the safe, cash register and cameras have been made, and all employees have been trained on how best to handle cash.
Senator Doug Jones visited Huntsville to answer questions folks have on the government shutdown.

Senator Jones said he chose Huntsville because the city has several government employees who are furloughed.

He provided updates on the shutdown. He also made it clear that he was only Democratic Senator who voted to keep the government open in December.

"Lets get this government open for three weeks. Give these people their back pay. We've been trying to put band aids on everything. We've passed a bill to give workers their back pay. I've got a bill pending that I don't think it's been to dropped, but it's going to this coming week that will give workers their back pay. It'll figure out a way to give contractors their back pay," said Senator Doug Jones.

Senator Jones also explained there hasn't been any negotiations with the border wall and government shutdown because President Trump is only talking to Republicans
In a bid to end the monthlong partial shutdown of the U.S. government, President Donald Trump on Saturday offered Democrats compromises on his hard-line immigration policies, but they were knocked down by the opposition party even before he spoke.

"We hope they will offer their enthusiastic support, and I think many will," Trump said of the Democrats. "The radical left can never control our borders. I will never let it happen."

In his remarks, broadcast live from the White House Diplomatic Reception Room, Trump called for 2,750 more federal agents for immigration control and $5.7 billion for a steel barrier covering 370 kilometers (230 miles) of the border with Mexico.



"It is time to reclaim our future from the extreme voices who fear compromise and demand open borders," Trump said. "That is why I am here today to break the logjam."

Pair of programs



Trump offered compromises on two programs his administration has targeted for elimination: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for immigrants from some Latin American and African nations.



The bipartisan Bridge Act would allow 740,000 immigrants who came to the United States illegally as children, often referred to as Dreamers, to keep their work permits and hold off deportations for three more years if their permits have been revoked.



That plan has been strongly opposed by some prominent conservative commentators.

Shortly before Trump spoke, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the offer a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives that were "unacceptable" and said the president's proposal was "not a good-faith effort."



"It is unlikely that any one of these provisions alone would pass the House, and taken together, they are a nonstarter. For one thing, this proposal does not include the permanent solution for the Dreamers and TPS recipients that our country needs and supports," Pelosi added in her statement.



U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu, a Democrat from California, tweeted: "We will never allow a shutdown as a negotiating tactic. Need to reopen government first."

U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, an Alabama Republican, chastised his Democratic Party colleagues in the House for rejecting Trump's proposal even before the president announced it, saying Trump "keeps trying to negotiate and Democrats just keep saying no."

Trump said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, would bring his proposed legislation to the floor next week in order to "immediately reopen our federal government."

The president made his announcement shortly after he attended a naturalization ceremony in the Oval Office for five new American citizens, highlighting his support for legal immigration.

Trump's proposal reportedly stems from a Thursday night meeting involving his son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner; Vice President Mike Pence; and McConnell to craft an outline for legislation that could win sufficient approval from opposition lawmakers.



McConnell has resisted any immigration-related bills being introduced in the Senate that the president would not agree to sign in advance.

'Time to make a law'



In a statement released after Trump's speech, McConnell said, "Everyone has made their point  now it's time to make a law. I intend to move to this legislation this week."

There had been speculation Trump might declare the situation on the southern border a national emergency, giving him a face-saving way to end the government shutdown that could prove both politically and economically costly, while maintaining the backing of his core supporters.

Later, several top administration officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, Trump son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner and acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, spoke with a small group of reporters at the White House.

Mulvaney cautioned that while declaring a national emergency "is still a tool that is available to the president," it is not the preferred route.

The president faces pressure from his conservative base not to compromise on immigration issues. Some influential commentators, who are hard-liners on border security, have warned Trump that trading amnesty for wall funding could cost him re-election in 2020 because he would lose support.

Pence denied the criticisms, saying, "This is not an amnesty bill." He said the proposal was for a three-year reprieve for DACA recipients and would not grant citizenship or permanent residency to any of the immigrants affected.

Trump has repeatedly insisted he needs $5.7 billion in taxpayer funding to extend a wall along the U.S. southern border with Mexico.

The Democrats, who control the House but not the Senate, have offered more than $1 billion in new money for border security, but none specifically for a wall. Democratic sources say the money will be included in a packet of spending bills the House will consider next week  $524 million to improve ports of entry and $563 million to hire more immigration judges.



The impasse over the wall and the record-long government shutdown also led to a dispute between Trump and Pelosi over her plans to travel to Afghanistan.

'Very irresponsible'



Pelosi accused the White House on Friday of leaking information about her planned trip to fly commercially to Afghanistan after Trump denied Pelosi the use of a military plane for the trip.



Pelosi said it was "very irresponsible on the part of the president" to release details about her sensitive travel plans, which the State Department said significantly increased the security threat on the ground.



The White House denied leaking Pelosi's flight plans.



Trump on Thursday had revoked the use of a military plane for Pelosi and Democratic members of Congress for their planned trip to Afghanistan to visit U.S. troops and to Brussels to take with NATO leaders. In a letter to the speaker, the president said that "in light of the 800,000 great American workers not receiving pay [as a result of the shutdown], I am sure you would agree that postponing this public relations event is totally appropriate."



A spokesperson for Pelosi's office said the trip would have provided "critical national security and intelligence briefings" as well as served as an opportunity for Pelosi to thank the troops.



The president's letter did not directly address Pelosi's call Wednesday for Trump to delay his scheduled Jan. 29 State of the Union address until government funding was restored and the shutdown ended.



VOA's Katherine Gypson contributed to this report.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has written an open letter, warning Nigerians not to vote president Muhammadu Buhari in the forthcoming elections.

In the letter entitled point of concern and action , the former President said he doubts the integrity of the present Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and Buharis commitment to allow for free, fair and credible elections  following his track records.

Obasanjo also criticised the TraderMoni scheme, which he said was an abuse office by the learned Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN and a pastor. He says in other climes, Osinbajo would have been impeached and prosecuted for recklessly spending our Commonwealth.

He also reiterated his stand that the Buhari led administration has failed, incompetent, divisive, nepotistic, encourages and condones corruption.

Read full letter below

Im concerned as a democrat who believes that with faithful and diligent practice of democracy, we can get over most of our political problems and move steadfastly and surefootedly on the course of stability, unity of purpose, socio-economic growth and progress for all.

Democracy becomes a sham if elections are carried out by people who should be impartial and neutral umpires, but who show no integrity, acting with blatant partiality, duplicity and imbecility. For all democrats and those carrying out the process of elections, there must be the redline that must not be crossed in tactics and practices of democracy.

I personally have serious doubt about the present INECs integrity, impartiality and competence to conduct a fair, free and credible election. And if the INEC is willing, will the ruling party and government allow it? From what we saw and knew about Osun State gubernatorial election, what was conclusive was declared inconclusive despite all advice to the contrary.

The unnecessary rerun, if viewed as a test-run for a larger general election, would lead people to expect incidences of deliberately contrived, broken or non-working voting machines or card readers, confusion of voters as to their voting stations, inadequate supply of voting materials to designated places, long line to discourage voters and turning blind eyes to favour the blue-eye political party of INEC because the Commissions hands will be tied to enable hatchet men and women to perform their unwholesome assignment. The transmission and collation of results are subject to interference, manipulation and meddling. If the INECs favourite political party wins with all the above infractions, the result will be conclusively declared and if not, there will be a rerun, the result of which is known before it is carried out. I know that I am not alone in being sceptical about the integrity of INEC and its ability to act creditably and above board. But we are open to be convinced otherwise.

The joke about INEC would seem real. The INEC was asked if the Commission was ready for the election and if it expects the election to be free, fair and credible. The INEC man is reported as saying in response, we are ready with everything including the results! God save Nigeria! It is up to Nigerians to ensure that the redline is not crossed in safeguarding our fledgling democracy. And if crossed, appropriate action must be taken not to allow our democracy to be derailed.

A friend of mine who is more credulous and who claims to be close to the Chair of INEC keeps telling me that INEC will retrieve its image and reputation by conducting the coming elections with utmost integrity and impartiality. I am not sure as I believe more in action than in words and in past record than in promise. The track record of the present INEC is fairly sordid and all men and women of goodwill and believers in democracy must be prepared for the worst from INEC and their encouragers and how to get Nigeria out of the electoral morass that the Commission is driving us into. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. A battle long forewarned does not embroil the cripple nor catch him unawares. A word is sufficient for the wise. The labour of Nigerian democracy heroes must not be in vain.

Some men of God would hold President Buhari to his word on free, fair, credible and peaceful elections. I am a realist and I reiterate that I go by track record. Therefore, I am not persuaded by a track record of hollow words, impunity, insensitivity and I-couldnt-care-less attitude, or by the sanctimonious claims of any candidate and his campaign staff. I will only believe what I see. This is a time for vigilance to fight to safeguard our votes and defend our democracy. The price of liberty and sustenance of our democracy is eternal vigilance and appropriate reaction to ward off iniquities. We must all be ready to pay that price and not relying on hollow words of callousness. The derailment of Nigerian democracy will be a monumental disaster comparable to the disaster of the Nigerian first military coup.

While Nigerians must not allow such a disaster to happen nor take such an affront lying low, the international community who played an admirable role in warning INEC, of course, to no avail on the Osun State gubernatorial election and who have been warning all political parties must on this occasion give more serious warning, send more people to the field to observe and work out punitive measures against INEC and security officials especially the Police and politicians who stand to gain from INECs misconduct, which is obviously encouraged by the Executive Arm of Government and who must be held responsible for the violence that will follow. Such measures can vary from denial and withdrawal of visas from the people concerned and from their families to other more stringent measures including their accounts being frozen and taking them to International Criminal Court, ICC, if violence emanates from their action or inaction. Nigeria must not be allowed to slip off the democratic path nor go into anarchy and ruin. No individual nor group has monopoly of violence or gangsterism. And we must not forget that in human interaction, reactions are normally greater than action, though opposite.

It is no use, at this juncture, to keep lamenting about the failure, incompetence, divisiveness, nepotism, encouragement and condonation of corruption by Buhari administration as there is neither redeeming feature nor personality to salvage the situation within that hierarchy. You cannot give what you dont have. Bode George put it bluntly in his statement of December 3, 2018 when he said:

The other day, the Vice-President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo  a learned man, an enlightened person in all parameters  was seen at various markets in Lagos State and Abuja distributing N10,000 each to market women. What an absurdity! It was indeed an obscene display of executive recklessness and abuse of office. Pray, where did the money come from? Was it budgeted for in the appropriation law? In more civilised nations, Osinbajo would have been impeached and prosecuted for gutting our collective treasury.

What an act by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria lawyer, number 2 man in the Executive hierarchy; and what is more, a pastor of one of the Christian movements led by a revered, respected and upright church leader, Pastor E. A. Adeboye. Osinbajo must have gone for, if you cant beat them, join them. A great pity indeed and which makes people ask the questions, Any hope? Yes, for me, there is hope.

Osinbajo has shown the human weakness and proved the saying that the corruption of the best is the worst form of corruption. His explanation that it was their government programme can only be construed to be very shallow and lopsided, if not an outrightly idiotic programme.

Traders in rural and sub-urban areas of Nigeria are many more than those in urban areas and they are much poorer than traders in Lagos, Abuja and other cities. They need more attention and greater help. Are they to be confined to the heap of perpetual poverty? What of those who are not traders? They are not entitled to hand-out and they can languish in penury? And what about millions who have lost their jobs in the last three and a half years? The timing is also suspect. Those who criticise the action are called evil but they are not evil as they know what they are doing and saying, and they love Nigeria and Nigerians not less than the likes of Osinbajo. They are not devils incarnate; they are patriots.

What is the connection between taking the number of PVC (Permanent Voters Card) of the recipient of the N10,000 doled out to traders and the forthcoming election? There is something sinister about it, and Professor Osinbajo, of all people, should know that. With collusion of the INEC officials and card readers not made to work, anybody quoting the PVC number may be allowed to vote as the revised Electoral Bill was not signed. And if that happens all over the country, it will be massive rigging indeed. The Chairman of INEC must stand firm and carry out his duties with competence and unbending neutrality. Card readers must be used without fail and accreditation must be completed and number ascertained and made public before voting commences as was done in 2015.

Amina Zakari has become too controversial a figure to be able to give assurance of free, fair and credible election for INEC. President Buhari and her family have declared that there is no blood relationship but there is relationship through marriage and that is more than enough for the good lady to step aside. A judge does not sit in judgement over a case once he or she becomes a cause for controversy or one side in the case has strongly objected to the judge.

Madam Amina Zakari should, in honour, stay out and not be seen as a source of contamination of the election. Otherwise, it will be difficulty to deny the rumour that she is being assigned to Collation Centre for one duty only  to write out figures that are not results of the voting in the field on fake results sheets without water mark or on genuine results sheets which she will have access to as a Commissioner. Amina Zakari is not the only Commissioner that can be in the Collation Centre. Let the INEC Chairman act boldly and impartially and prove his absolute neutrality and responsiveness to contribute to make the election peacefully free, fair and credible. His integrity needs to be transparently demonstrated.

We should remember that there had been reports of INEC sponsored rigging in the past, and also with INEC officials through collation and with officials being put in party coordinators dresses and working for the political party favoured by INEC and also putting the dresses of other parties on INEC-favoured parties and police uniforms on INEC-favoured parties to rig all the elections for the favoured party. Like all of us, INEC knows all these and it should devise means to make sure they do not happen. But will they? One way will be to only allow card readers to be means of authenticating voters and where there is no such authentication, it should mean no voting. The second is to use only identity cards with watermarks issued by INEC itself to party officials only for identification of political party coordinators, officials and agents and not political parties dresses or arm and wrist bands which anybody can wear for purposes of identification on election duty or function. Both the Presidency and the National Assembly must so far be commended for adequately providing funding as confirmed by INEC, and therefore funding cannot be an excuse for poor performance by INEC.

President Buhari and his hatchet men in the coming election think that the judiciary must be primed in their favour. Hence, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, has been harassed and prosecuted for non-declaration of his assets without following the Constitution and the law, just to make him conform or set him aside for a Buhari man to take over or act, as President Buhari and his people believe no stone should be left unturned to rig Buhari in. It seems to be a ploy to intimidate the judiciary as a whole in preparation for all election cases that will go before them. Where and how will all these stop?

Typically, with overwhelming outrage and condemnation, we are told that the Presidency denied knowledge of the action. But the Vice-President told us that the President knew of the action on Saturday night for everything that has been prepared for Monday morning. Haba VP, it doesnt happen that way. Nobody should take such measure against any of the four in hierarchy below the President or any of his ministers without his knowledge and indeed his approval. But if that can happen to the Chief Justice of the Federation, the fifth man in the hierarchy of government, without the knowledge let alone the approval of the President, then it speaks for the type of government we have which means the President is not in charge let alone being in control and no Nigerian must take anything for granted. We are all unsafe and insecure under such an administration. And enough of it! Buharis apologists will not stop at anything to try to cover up his administrations inadequate performance and character. A constitutional liberal democracy cannot thrive without an independent and insulated judiciary from the executive and the legislature.

Nigerians must wake up and stop these acts of wanton desperation tantamount to mental incapacity to run the affairs of Nigeria wholesomely.

Life and living are anchored on trust. But if I trust you and you deceive, cheat or disappoint me the first time, it is shame on you. However, if I allow you to do so the same thing for me the second time, I do not only have myself to blame, I must be regarded as a compound fool.

Buhari has succeeded in deceiving us the first time and we will be fools to allow ourselves to be deceived the second time. Buba Galadima, who knows Buhari very well as a confidant and National Secretary of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, the Buharis party before it joined in forming All Progressives Congress, APC, has warned us this time around that no matter what he promises, he cannot change his character and attitude. He describes him as inflexible, insincere, dubious, intolerant, never accepts responsibility when things go wrong and impervious to reason and advice for change. If you cannot change your mind, you cannot change anything is the assertion of George Bernard Shaw.

Even when figures, facts and statistics are made clear to Buhari, he keeps repeating what is untrue, either because he cannot understand or for mischief purposes and that places him on the level of a pathological liar. He believes he can get away with impunity and deceit as he seems to have done on many occasions in the past. Buba Galadimas position is well complemented by Dr. Auwalu Anwar on the APC, CPC, TBO and Buharis character and attitude in his yet to be launched book, Politics As Dashed Hopes in Nigeria. It is also a stunning revelation. Anwar clearly pointed out, the brazen display of incompetence, insensitivity and irresponsiveness by delusional party, CPC, leadership at all levels.

Buhari was the leader of the party. Bola Tinubus statement about Muhammadu Buhari in 2003 is fairly prophetic, Muhammadu Buhari is an agent of destabilisation, ethnic bigot and religious fanatic who, if given the chance, would ensure the disintegration of the country. His ethnocentrism would jeopardise Nigerias national unity.

Junaid Mohammed was eloquent on the issue of nepotism. But if as we were told that Buhari is nepotic because he does not trust others, why should others trust him to continue to put their fate and life in his hand.

Trust begets trust. They cannot be trusted for sensitive appointment but they can be sent out to campaign for his re-election. Who is fooling who?

What is happening under Buharis watch can be likened to what we witnessed under Gen. Sani Abacha in many ways. When Abacha decided that he must install himself as Nigerian President by all means and at all costs, he went for broke and surrounded himself with hatchet men who on his order and in his interest and at high costs to Nigeria and Nigerians maimed, tortured and killed for Abacha. Buhari has started on the same path in mad desperation.

From available intelligence, we have heard of how Buhari and his party are going about his own self-succession project. They have started recruiting collation officers who are already awarding results based on their projects to actualise the perpetuation agenda in which the people will not matter and the votes will not count. It is the sole reason he has blatantly refused to sign the revised Electoral Reform Bill into law.

His henchmen are working round the clock in cahoots with security and election officials to perfect their plan by computing results right from the ward to local government, state and national levels to allot him what will look like a landslide victory irrespective of the true situation for a candidate who might have carried out by proxy presidential debate and campaigns.

The current plan is to drape the pre-determined results with a toga of credibility. It is also planned that violence of unimaginable proportion will be unleashed in high voting population areas across the country to precipitate re-run elections and where he will be returned duly elected after concentration of security officials as it happened in Osun State. We are monitoring them and we call on all democrats across the world to keep an eye on the unfolding anti-democratic agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari.

This is the time for preventive measures to be taken otherwise Nigeria may be presented with a fait accompli with impunity and total disregard of all pleas.

His scheme bears eloquent testimony to this road similar to Abacha whom he has praised to high heavens and as an arch-supporter and beneficiary from Abacha, he has seen nothing wrong done by him. It is clear from all indications that Buhari is putting into practice the lessons he learned from Abacha. Buhari has intimidated and harassed the private sector, attacked the National Assembly and now unconstitutionally and recklessly attacked and intimidated the Judiciary to cow them to submission.

I was a victim of Abachas atrocities against Nigeria and Nigerians  high and low. At the height of Abachas desperation for perpetual power, he did not brook any criticism because Nigeria was seen as his personal property. You must go along with him or be destroyed. All institutions for ensuring security, welfare and well-being of Nigeria and Nigerians particularly the Police, the Military and the Department of State Services (DSS) were abused and misused to deal with critics of Abacha and non-conformists with Abacha.

Today, another Abacha Era is here. The security institutions are being misused to fight all critics and opponents of Buhari and to derail our fledgling democracy. EFCC, Police and Code of Conduct Tribunal are also being equally misused to deal with those Buhari sees as enemies for criticising him or as those who may not do his bidding in manipulating election results. Criticism, choice and being different are inherent trade mark of democracy. If democracy is derailed or aborted, anarchy and authoritarianism will automatically follow.

Today, as in the day of Abacha, Nigerians must rise up and do what they did in the time of Abacha. Churches and Mosques prayed. International community stood by us Nigerians. I was a beneficiary and my life was saved. Well-meaning Nigerians took appropriate actions and made sacrifices, some supreme, some less than supreme but God had the final say and He took the ultimate action.

God of Nigeria is a living God and a prayer-answering God. Nigerians must cry out to God to deliver Nigeria. Here again, I have been threatened with arrest and extermination but I will not succumb to intimidation or threats. Maybe I should remind those who are using probe as a threat that I have been probed four times by EFCC, ICPC, House of Representatives and the Senate and Buhari has access to reports of these probes. But I have also challenged Buhari and the criminals around him to set up a probe on the same allegations and I will face such probe in public. But I know that these criminals cannot withstand a Police inquiry let alone clinical probe on the past public offices they held. My fervent prayer is that President Buhari may live to see the will and purpose of God for Nigeria.

My final appeal to him is to desist from evil with manipulation and desperation because evil has repercussion especially as man who should watch and be mindful of his self-acclaimed and packaged integrity.

At the end of the day, those who goad you on will leave you in the lurch. You will be left alone, naked and unheralded. In defeat, which must be Buharis fear leading to desperation, he and his co-travellers can still maintain modicum of decency, and exhibit fear of God in their actions. We have been told that governance has been abdicated to a cabal. Now, campaigning has been abdicated to jagaban. And it is being authoritatively stated that he would not join any presidential debate. Nigerians will not allow the elections to be abdicated to INEC and Police to give us false and manipulated results. I personally commend the President for yielding to popular outcry to let the former Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotun Idris, go when he is due as he had the track record and history of being assigned to rig elections for the incumbent. It was alleged that he was sent to Kano for that purpose in 2015. He was already deploying his Commissioners of Police on similar mission before his exit. We must all encourage the new Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to tread the path of professionalism, even-handedness, respect and new image for the Police.

While Nigeria must appreciate Buhari for the little he has done and allow him to depart for home in peace if he allows free, fair, peaceful and credible elections, we must also tell ourselves that Nigeria deserves better at this point in time than what Buhari is capable of offering. History will note that he has been there. Nigeria now needs a man with better physical and mental soundness, with an active mind and intellect.

Let me say again that Nigeria belongs to all Nigerians and exists for the benefit of all Nigerians and non-Nigerians who desire to live or do business in and with Nigeria. The attitude of it is my turn and I can do what I like with impunity will not last because Nigeria is created by God and it will outlive all evil machinations and designs against the overall interest of Nigeria.

Before I conclude, let me assert that the security situation has deteriorated with kidnapping everywhere and Boko Haram more in action and nobody should deceive Nigerians about this.

With the teaming up of Boko Haram and Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP), Boko Haram is stronger today militarily than they have ever been. Boko Haram has also been empowered by the Nigerian government through payment of ransom of millions of dollars which each administration disingenuously always denies. With ISIS being liquidated in Iraq and Syria, Africa is now their port of concentration. Soon, they may take over Libya which, with substantial resources, is almost a totally failed state. When that happens, all African countries North of Congo River will be unsafe with serious security problems. The struggle must be for all West African, Central African, North African and most East African States. Nigeria has to play a vanguard role in this struggle as we have much to lose. This administration has reached the end of its wit even in handling all security issues, but particularly Boko Haram issue, partly due to misuse of security apparatus and poor equipment, deployment, coordination and cooperation.

Finally, those Nigerians that are being intimidated or threatened by this Administration must trust in God and stand firm. Tough times do not last forever, but tough people invariably survive tough times. This is a tough time for almost all Nigerians in different respects, but the peoples will shall triumph. All people who have registered to vote with their PVCs must never allow anybody or anything to deny or deprive them of the right of performing their fundamental civic duty of voting and sustaining democracy. Establishment of democracy and its sustenance is second to attainment of independence in our political life, leaving out the victory of the civil war. We shall overcome.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has abandoned his five-nation European tour citing the bad economic situation back home where several people have been killed and hundreds arrested following streets protests over the high cost of living.

Some observers, including British Labor lawmaker Kate Hoey, claimed that Mnangagwa cut short his visit due to a fall out with military hardliner retired General Constantino Chiwenga over governance matters amid a nationwide crackdown on protesters.

In a tweet, Mnangagwa wrote on his official Twitter account, "ln light of the economic situation, l will be returning home after a productive week of bilateral trade and investment meetings. We will be ably represented in Davos by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube. The first priority is to get Zimbabwe calm, stable and working again."

The president was expected to attend this years edition of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Some disgruntled Zimbabweans had set up an online petition aimed at blocking Mnangagwa from attending the meeting, questioning his move to rub shoulders with world leaders while local people are being brutalized by state security agents.

Responding to Mnangagwas tweet, Hoey said, "So edmnangagwa leaves Davos for a country in crisis and romours General Chiwenga plotting a coup. Harare in shutdown with military everywhere.

Peter Hain, former British Labor Party Member of Parliament for for Neath, said in a tweet, "Absolutely tragic. Promised new Zimbabwe @Emmerson Mnangagwa goes up in flame & Mugabe-sytle repression confirming all the skeptics and proving those like me willing him a chance wrong. What's will @SADC do now?"

At the same time, Movement for Democratic Change leader Nelson Chamisa has appealed to the Southern African Development Community and African Union to stop the political crisis in Zimbabwe where some people have been killed, hundreds injured and at least 600 arrested following protests last week.

In a Twitter message, Chamisa said, "Our country is going through one of its worst moments. Despite the vitrol, we maintain a dignified position befitting our role as led by the people. We remain committed to peace in solving the challenge that triggered the turmoil."

In a post on his Facebook account on Wednesday, Mnangagwa said he was saddened by the wanton violence and cynical destruction during the protests.

Information Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa, said on state television Tuesday that the demonstrations amounted to terrorism and were well-coordinated by the opposition.

But Chamisas party dismissed these remarks, saying Mnangagwa's government should be punished by the United Nations for terrorizing hundreds of innocent civilians who want peace and are demanding freedom.

MDC chairperson Tabitha Khumalo told VOA Zimbabwe Service that armed police and other state security agents raided her home in the country's second largest city, Bulawayo, where they found a maid.

"I'm told that the state security agents were from the police's Law and Order Department who were accompanied by heavily armed soldiers. I was not a home when they got home. I'm asking for your prayers.

Most opposition members are currently in hiding following reports that they are being sought by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and police.

The protests were sparked by fuel price increases of 150% announced last week by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
ISLAMABAD - An influential Unites States senator who is considered to be close to President Donald Trump cast doubts on reports that half of the United States troops in Afghanistan would be withdrawn soon.



Ive had no evidence that theres been a number like that at all. I dont believe that reports accurate, said Republican Senator Lindsey Graham Sunday in Islamabad, where he was talking to journalists during a trip to the country.



The New York Times reported in December that Trump had ordered the military to withdraw almost 7,000 troops from Afghanistan. The White House has not denied the reports. According to The Washington Post, former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis resigned over disagreements with the president on troop withdrawal from Syria and Afghanistan.



The news of withdrawal sent shock waves in the region at a time when the Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad was trying hard to move negotiations with Taliban forward.



Khalilzad ended a four-day visit to Pakistan Sunday, after the Afghan Taliban seemingly refused to meet with the American team, despite reported efforts from host country Pakistan. Talks with the Taliban have dead-locked over the issue of involving the Kabul government in the negotiations. The Taliban call the Kabul regime a puppet of the Americans and have never accepted it as a legitimate government.



Graham reiterated the war in Afghanistan needs a political solution and suggested a meeting sooner rather than later between Trump and Pakistans Prime Minister Imran Khan to find a resolution to the Afghan conflict.



Im going urge him to meet with prime minister [Khan] as soon as practical. I think they will hit it off. Similar personalities, Graham said.

U.S. special representative for Afghanistan reconc U.S. special representative for Afghan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, right, and Pakistani Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, second left, lead their respective delegations in talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, Jan. 17, 2019. U.S. special representative for Afghan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, right, and Pakistani Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, second left, lead their respective delegations in talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, Jan. 17, 2019.

Trust deficit

Graham also blamed Pakistani hesitance to fully cooperate with the Americans on the terrible trust deficit between the two countries.



The day Pakistan sees us as a more reliable strategic partner, the day theyll do more, he said.



The United States has long complained Pakistan provides sanctuaries to the leadership of the Afghan Taliban, a charge Islamabad denies. It has also long claimed Islamabad could do more to bring the Taliban to the table for negotiations.



In recent months, several U.S. officials have indicated Pakistan appeared to be trying to help resolve the Afghan issue, but added they were cautious in their optimism due to what they called a history of duplicity.



Khalilzads tweet at the end of his trip credited Pakistan for pushing to resolve the Afghan conflict.



Were heading in the right direction with more steps by Pakistan coming that will lead to concrete results, he tweeted.



Graham also seemed optimistic that things were improving, crediting the change to Pakistan militarys efforts to deal with the threat of terrorism, plans to integrate the lawless tribal areas into mainstream Pakistan, and a new prime minister in office that he thought could be a partner in a beneficial relationship.



I dont want to oversell, but its time to realize things have changed, he said, adding that he would suggest to his colleagues in Congress to stop stereotyping.



Graham, who has been to Pakistan dozens of times, also said he saw the country as a good market for American products and wanted the relationship to move beyond security-related issues.

But on Sunday, he said, "Nancy, I am still thinking about the State of the Union speech, there are so many options - including doing it as per your written offer (made during the shutdown, security is no problem), and my written acceptance. While a contract is a contract, Ill get back to you soon!"
ISLAMABAD - The United States said Saturday that it was determined to address "legitimate concerns" of all sides in the conflict in Afghanistan to achieve peace.



Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. special envoy for Afghan reconciliation, tweeted the pledge from neighboring Pakistan, where officials are trying to arrange and host the next round of talks with representatives of the Afghan Taliban.

The insurgent group has been reluctant to send its envoys to the dialogue since its last meeting with Khalilzad's team in the United Arab Emirates a month ago. Representatives from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the host country also attended that meeting.



The Taliban has since accused the U.S. team of backing away from holding discussions on key insurgent demands for all American and NATO troops to leave the country to allow Afghans to resolve political differences themselves.

Washington has been pushing the Taliban to open direct talks with the Afghan government, but insurgents have refused to do so, rejecting Kabul as an "American puppet."



"To achieve peace, we are ready to address legitimate concerns of all Afghan sides in a process that ensures Afghan independence and sovereignty, and accounts for legitimate interests of regional states," Khalilzad said.



He called for insurgents to agree to a cease-fire, and warned that U.S. troops would hit back if they came under attack from the Taliban.



"Urgent that fighting end. But pursuing peace still means we fight as needed," the U.S. envoy underscored in his messages via Twitter.

Pakistan promotes dialogue



Pakistan said it was trying to facilitate U.S.-Taliban discussions, hoping the dialogue would lead to an intra-Afghan peace process. Islamabad has long been accused of sheltering and covertly helping Taliban rebels orchestrate attacks inside Afghanistan. Pakistani leaders reject the charges.



"The solution to the Afghan issue is not possible without intra-Afghan dialogue, and Pakistan considers it vital for the restoration of peace in the entire region," Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told local media Saturday.



Washington opened direct peace talks with the Taliban last summer to promote a political settlement to the war. Since then, media reports have said U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a plan to pull out nearly half of the 14,000 American troops stationed in Afghanistan in the coming weeks.



The reported plans have worried critics, who say the move will encourage the Taliban to continue its military campaign rather than negotiate a political settlement to the 17-year-old war.
KINSHASA, CONGO - Congos election crisis deepened early Sunday when the Constitutional Court confirmed the win of Felix Tshisekedi, rejecting claims of fraud, and runner-up Martin Fayulu promptly declared himself the countrys only legitimate president.

Fayulus supporters have alleged an extraordinary backroom deal by outgoing President Joseph Kabila to rig the vote in favor of the opposition after the ruling partys candidate did so poorly that a Plan B was needed. Neither side has acknowledged the accusations.

The court, however, said Fayulu offered no proof to back his assertions that he had won easily based on leaked data attributed to the electoral commission.

Fayulu urged Congolese to take to the streets to peacefully protest what he called constitutional coup detat, accusing the court of validating false results. Its no secret ... that you have elected me president, he said.

Neither Congolese nor the international community should recognize Tshisekedi, nor obey him, Fayulu added.

FILE - Felix Tshisekedi, leader of the Congolese m FILE - Felix Tshisekedi, leader of the Congolese main opposition party, was announced as the winner of the presidential elections. He gestures to his supporters at the party headquarters in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Jan. 10, 2019. FILE - Felix Tshisekedi, leader of the Congolese main opposition party, was announced as the winner of the presidential elections. He gestures to his supporters at the party headquarters in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Jan. 10, 2019.

Tshisekedi: Congo won

Tshisekedi said early Sunday that the Constitutional Courts decision confirming him as the winner of the presidential election was a victory for the entire country.

It is Congo that won, said Tshisekedi, speaking to his supporters after the court decision. It is not the victory of one camp against another. I am engaged in a campaign to reconcile all Congolese. ... The Congo that we are going to form will not be a Congo of division, hatred or tribalism. It will be a reconciled Congo, a strong Congo that will be focused on development, peace and security.

The largely untested Tshisekedi, son of the late, charismatic opposition leader Etienne, is to be inaugurated Tuesday. His supporters who had gathered outside the court cheered.

FILE - Congolese independent electoral commission FILE - Congolese independent electoral commission (CENI) officials count the presidential ballots from over 900 polling stations at a local results compilation center in Kinshasa, Jan. 4, 2019. FILE - Congolese independent electoral commission (CENI) officials count the presidential ballots from over 900 polling stations at a local results compilation center in Kinshasa, Jan. 4, 2019.

?African Union doubts

Its a shame that Mr. Fayulu wants to stay isolated, Tshisekedis spokesman, Vidiye Tshimanga, told The Associated Press. He said the two men once had been part of an opposition coalition demanding that Kabila step down.

The new president will need everyone for the reconstruction of the country, Tshimanga said, as the Congolese people have suffered a lot in recent years.

African Union Urges Congo to Suspend Final Election Results The African Union continental body issued a surprise last-minute demand late Thursday for Congo's government to suspend the announcement of final results of the disputed presidential election, citing "serious doubts." Congo's constitutional court is poised to rule as early as Friday on a challenge filed by the election's declared runner-up. Martin Fayulu has requested a recount, alleging fraud. The African Union continental body issued a surprise last-minute demand late Thursday for Congo's government to suspend the announcement of final results of the disputed presidential election, citing "serious doubts." Congo's constitutional court is poised to rule as early as Friday on a challenge filed by the election's declared runner-up. Martin Fayulu has requested a recount, alleging fraud.

The courts declaration came shortly after the African Union in an unprecedented move asked Congo to delay announcing the final election results, citing serious doubts about the vote. It planned to send a high-level delegation Monday to find a way out of the crisis, fearing unrest spilling across borders of the vast Central African nation.

Congos government replied it was up to the courts.

The court turned away Fayulus request for a recount in the Dec. 30 vote.

Government spokesman Lambert Mende quickly acknowledged the courts decision, congratulating Tshisekedi as Congos fifth president.

Supporters of Felix Tshisekedi, Democratic Republi Supporters of Felix Tshisekedi, Democratic Republic of Congo's opposition politician declared winner of the presidential poll, sing and dance ahead of the Constitutional Court final decision on the presidential results, in Kinshasa, Jan. 19, 2019. Supporters of Felix Tshisekedi, Democratic Republic of Congo's opposition politician declared winner of the presidential poll, sing and dance ahead of the Constitutional Court final decision on the presidential results, in Kinshasa, Jan. 19, 2019.

?Mineral rich country

The country of 80 million people, rich in the minerals key to smartphones, is moving close to achieving its first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since independence in 1960.

But observers have warned that the courts upholding of the official results could lead to further unrest. At least 34 people have been killed since provisional results were released Jan. 10, the United Nations has said.

The court could have ordered a recount or ordered a new election.

It called unfounded a challenge filed by another candidate, Theodore Ngoy, that objected to the electoral commissions last-minute decision to bar about 1 million voters from the election over a deadly Ebola virus outbreak.

The court said Tshisekedi won with more than 7 million votes, or 38 percent, and Fayulu received 34 percent. However, leaked data published by some media outlets, attributed to the electoral commission and representing 86 percent of the votes, show that Fayulu won 59 percent while Tshisekedi received 19 percent.

Democratic Republic of Congo's President Joseph Ka Democratic Republic of Congo's President Joseph Kabila speaks during an interview by the Associated Press at the Nation's Palace in Kinshasa, Dec. 9, 2018. Democratic Republic of Congo's President Joseph Kabila speaks during an interview by the Associated Press at the Nation's Palace in Kinshasa, Dec. 9, 2018.

?Threat to Kabila, allies

Fayulu, a lawmaker and businessman who is outspoken about cleaning up Congos sprawling corruption, is widely seen as posing more of a threat to Kabila, his allies and the vast wealth they have amassed.

All of the election results, not just the presidential ones, had been widely questioned after Kabilas ruling coalition won a majority in legislative and provincial votes while its presidential candidate finished a distant third.

Congos election was meant to take place in late 2016, and many Congolese worried that Kabila, in power since 2001, was seeking a way to stay in office. Barred from serving three consecutive terms, Kabila already has hinted he might run again in 2023.

After Tshisekedi was announced as the surprise winner in provisional results Jan. 10, some Congolese weary of turmoil appeared to decide that replacing Kabila with an opposition figure was enough, despite questions about the vote.

Reflecting the yearning for stability, 33 Congolese non-governmental groups and civil society movements Thursday called on people to comply with whatever the court rules to preserve the peace.

With that perhaps in mind, Tshisekedis party sharply rejected the AUs attempted intervention.

The continental bodys stance is the work of some mining lobbies seeking to destabilize the Democratic Republic of Congo in order to perpetuate the looting of this country, the partys secretary-general, Jean-Marc Kabund, said in a statement.

Ahead of the courts ruling, hundreds of Tshisekedis supporters were in the streets of the capital, Kinshasa, waving tree branches and banners reading Congo for the Congolese.
The partial U.S. government shutdown reached day 31 Monday with the Senate's Republican leader preparing a vote on a proposal that President Donald Trump is calling a compromise and Democratic leaders say is a non-starter.

Trump's plan would provide three years of protection against deportation for hundreds of thousands of immigrants who came to the country illegally when they were children, as well extensions of protected status for people who fled their countries due to violence or natural disasters.In return he would get the $5.7 billion in funding he wants for a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Democrats object to the border wall as an ineffective and expensive security solution.They want Trump and Republicans to agree to reopen the government first and then discuss other border security initiatives.

Senate to vote on Trump proposal



Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he plans to bring Trump's proposal to a vote in his chamber in the coming days, although he will need some Democratic support to win approval.

In the House, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she is planning votes this week on adding more immigration judges and money for scanning vehicles and drugs at the country's ports of entry. The House has already passed multiple measures that would reopen the government, but McConnell has refused to bring them up in the Senate, saying he will not consider any bill that Trump would not support.

FILE - U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi holds a new FILE - U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi holds a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 10, 2019. FILE - U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi holds a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 10, 2019.

Day 31



While the shutdown continues, about 800,000 government workers are either continuing their jobs without pay, or have been furloughed.

"Nancy Pelosi and some of the Democrats turned down my offer yesterday before I even got up to speak. They dont see crime & drugs, they only see 2020 - which they are not going to win. Best economy!" Trump said on Twitter, referring to next year's presidential election. "They should do the right thing for the Country & allow people to go back to work."

Nancy Pelosi and some of the Democrats turned down my offer yesterday before I even got up to speak. They dont see crime & drugs, they only see 2020 - which they are not going to win. Best economy! They should do the right thing for the Country & allow people to go back to work.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2019

He later called the government employees working without pay "great patriots."

To all of the great people who are working so hard for your Country and not getting paid I say, THANK YOU - YOU ARE GREAT PATRIOTS! We must now work together, after decades of abuse, to finally fix the Humanitarian, Criminal & Drug Crisis at our Border. WE WILL WIN BIG!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2019

Pelosi used her own post Sunday to reiterate to Trump the Democrats' position.

"800,000 Americans are going without pay. Re-open the government, let workers get their paychecks and then we can discuss how we can come together to protect the border. #EndTheShutdown," Pelosi said.

.@realDonaldTrump, 800,000 Americans are going without pay. Re-open the government, let workers get their paychecks and then we can discuss how we can come together to protect the border. #EndTheShutdown https://t.co/8RKUTnhgBd  Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 20, 2019

Trump Proposes Immigration Deal in Bid to End Shutdown In a bid to end the monthlong partial shutdown of the U.S. government, President Donald Trump on Saturday offered Democrats compromises on his hard-line immigration policies, but they were knocked down by the opposition party even before he spoke."We hope they will offer their enthusiastic support, and I think many will," Trump said of the Democrats. "The radical left can never control our borders. I will never let it happen." In a bid to end the monthlong partial shutdown of the U.S. government, President Donald Trump on Saturday offered Democrats compromises on his hard-line immigration policies, but they were knocked down by the opposition party even before he spoke."We hope they will offer their enthusiastic support, and I think many will," Trump said of the Democrats. "The radical left can never control our borders. I will never let it happen."

Democratic Rep. Nita Lowey, chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, said in a statement there is "simply no reason" for the shutdown to continue while the two sides "are engaged in a complex policy discussion."

"Protecting Dreamers and TPS recipients is the right thing to do. The President is wrong to hold them hostage over money for a wasteful wall that could be better spent on more effective border security measures. The Presidents trade offer  temporary protections for some immigrants in exchange for a border wall boondoggle  is not acceptable," Lowey said.

Watch related video by VOA's Michael Bowman:

Conservatives weigh in



Conservative critics of Trump's plan said the protections against deportation amounted to amnesty for lawbreakers.

What Is DACA? President Donald Trump on Saturday proposed to extend protections for individuals enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in exchange for $5.7 billion in funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall. The Obama administration in June 2012 issued the DACA executive order after the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act did not pass in Congress several times. President Donald Trump on Saturday proposed to extend protections for individuals enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in exchange for $5.7 billion in funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall. The Obama administration in June 2012 issued the DACA executive order after the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act did not pass in Congress several times.

But Trump tweeted, "No, Amnesty is not a part of my offer ... Amnesty will be used only on a much bigger deal, whether on immigration or something else.Likewise there will be no big push to remove the 11,000,000 plus people who are here illegally-but be careful Nancy!"

No, Amnesty is not a part of my offer. It is a 3 year extension of DACA. Amnesty will be used only on a much bigger deal, whether on immigration or something else. Likewise there will be no big push to remove the 11,000,000 plus people who are here illegally-but be careful Nancy!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2019

Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, but major legislation in the chamber almost always requires a 60-vote majority. It is unclear if Trump will be able to convince at least seven Democrats to vote for his proposal.

Even if the Senate approves Trump's plan, it would face defeat in the House. A Senate victory for Trump, however, could force new negotiations over his border wall plan and over reopening the government, as furloughed federal workers are set to miss their second paycheck next Friday.

State of the Union



As tensions over the border wall and the government shutdown continued unabated last week, Pelosi demanded Trump postpone his scheduled Jan. 29 State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress until after the government is reopened, submit it in writing to Congress or make the speech at the White House.Trump, in turn, postponed her fact-finding trip with other congressional leaders to visit U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Trump had not directly responded to her call to delay the State of the Union speech until after the shutdown ends.

But on Sunday, he said, "Nancy, I am still thinking about the State of the Union speech, there are so many options - including doing it as per your written offer (made during the Shutdown, security is no problem), and my written acceptance. While a contract is a contract, Ill get back to you soon!"
Martin Luther King Jr., a man who embodied the U.S. civil rights movement, was assassinated more than 50 years ago on April 4, 1968. Here is a timeline of events before and after his death.

April 3, 1968  King arrives in Memphis Tennessee, to support striking sanitation workers and checks into the Lorraine Motel.

April 4 (before 6 p.m.)  King leaves his room at the Lorraine Motel to attend dinner at the home of a local minister. He lingers on the balcony to talk to his driver in the courtyard below.

April 4 (6:01 p.m.)  King is shot and rushed to St. Josephs Hospital.

April 4 (7:05 p.m.)  King is pronounced dead. Rioting erupts in more than 100 U.S. cities. President Lyndon B. Johnson declares a state of emergency.

April 5  The FBI begins its investigation of Kings murder, which will cost more than $2 million and involve more than 3,500 investigators.

FILE - A mule cart carries Martin Luther King Jr.' FILE - A mule cart carries Martin Luther King Jr.'s mahogany casket through the streets of Atlanta, April 10, 1968, en route to funeral services at Morehouse College. FILE - A mule cart carries Martin Luther King Jr.'s mahogany casket through the streets of Atlanta, April 10, 1968, en route to funeral services at Morehouse College.

?April 9  Kings funeral is held at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. More than 50,000 people accompany his mule-drawn coffin through the city.

April 19  The FBI investigation centers on James Earl Ray, 40, whose fingerprint, according to detectives, matched one on the rifle used to shoot King. The convicted armed robber had escaped from the Missouri State Penitentiary the previous year.

April 24  Ray obtains a Canadian passport under the name George Sneyd and purchases a plane ticket from Toronto to London.

June 8  Ray is arrested at Londons Heathrow Airport after trying to buy a ticket to Brussels and is later extradited to the United States.

James Earl Ray is being transported in Memphis, Te James Earl Ray being transported in Memphis, Tennessee, in this 1968 photo released by the Shelby County Register's office, March 31, 2011. James Earl Ray being transported in Memphis, Tennessee, in this 1968 photo released by the Shelby County Register's office, March 31, 2011.

?March 10, 1969  Ray pleads guilty to killing King and is sentenced to 99 years in a Tennessee prison.

March 13, 1969  Ray recants his guilty plea, claiming he was coerced. He maintains his innocence for the rest of his life.

1978  Ray testifies before the House Select Committee on Assassinations, which later concludes that Ray acted alone. However, the committee concludes there was circumstantial evidence of a conspiracy.

December 1993  Former Memphis restaurateur Loyd Jowers says members of the Mafia paid him $100,000 to plan Kings assassination. Jowers says he paid laborer Frank Holt to shoot King.

April 23, 1998  Ray dies in prison from kidney and liver disease at age 70.

1999  The King family, who believes Ray was innocent, sues Jowers for Kings death. The civil lawsuit ends with a $100 award to the King family, who donate the money to charity.

June 2000  U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno conducts a fourth investigation into Rays appeal, but finds no evidence of a conspiracy.

WATCH: Legacy of MLK, 51 Years After His Assassination
Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can download this video to view it offline.
WASHINGTON - A month of deadly protests across Sudan represents a total rejection of President Omar al-Bashirs 30-year rule, said Mohammed Mo Ibrahim, a Sudanese-British billionaire and founder of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.

Since mid-December, Sudanese youth have taken to the streets to protest failed policies, repression, government-sanctioned torture, ongoing conflict and a deteriorating economy that has left many unsure of their next meal.

People are hungry, and they see the looting of the countrys resources by the ruling clique, Ibrahim told VOA by phone Friday. Just, people had enough.

Sudanese demonstrators burn a tire as they partici Sudanese demonstrators burn a tire as they participate in anti-government protests in Khartoum, Sudan, Jan. 17, 2019. Sudanese demonstrators burn a tire as they participate in anti-government protests in Khartoum, Sudan, Jan. 17, 2019.

Protests erupted last month over concerns about the governments economic policies, Ahmed Elzobier, a Sudan researcher at Amnesty International, told VOA.

After violent crackdowns across the country, which human rights groups say have left more than 40 people dead, protesters demands have expanded, Elzobier added.

Now, they want the countrys leadership to step aside.

People just eat bread because you cannot afford anything else, Ibrahim said. When they are pushed against the wall, they just have nothing to lose.

Impunity

Ibriham decried a culture of impunity that has, so far, shielded Bashir and the ruling party, the National Congress Party. Politicians openly flaunt their power, Ibrahim said, while the countrys 40 million people can only watch.

If 70 percent of the budget is allocated to the president, at his whims, to spend on the militias, the armies, the security forces  what is left? Thirty percent to support education, health, agriculture, road infrastructure, clean water? Ibrahim said. This is not a way to run a country.

Ibrahim said protesters face a huge array of armed forces in the capital, Khartoum, and across the country.

Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir greets his supp Sudans President Omar al-Bashir greets supporters at a rally in Khartoum, Sudan, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019. Sudans President Omar al-Bashir greets supporters at a rally in Khartoum, Sudan, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019.

The people of Sudan were courageously going out in the street everywhere  in every single town and city and village in Sudan, demonstrating and asking those guys to go, he said.

But security forces have abused their power, Elzobier added, putting protesters at risk.

We received many reports from different activists and human rights defenders that the Sudanese security forces use lethal force  live ammunition  against protesters, Elzobier said.

Government empathy

With protesters showing no signs of relenting, the government has made a point to acknowledge their concerns.

Bashir has called the youth the future of Sudan and said he respects their right to protest in search of better conditions, promising to make their just demands a reality, Al Arabiya, a Dubai-based, Saudi-owned news organization reported Sunday.

But the government has shown two sides, according to Amnesty.

Despite their gestures of appeasement, the ruling party also wants to protect the government and its grip on power. To do that, Elzobier said, theyve enlisted the help of shadowy groups  heavily armed militias that travel in unmarked pickup trucks wearing masks.

The countrys former vice president has said this armed militia will protect the regime at any cost, Elzobier added.

Outside help

As the protesters press on, Amnesty has called for the immediate cease of lethal force, the unconditional release of peaceful protesters and an investigation into those who have committed crimes against civilians.

But Ibrahim said the Sudanese people need help outside the country to find justice.

It just cannot go on unpunished, and we look for the international community to really stand up and say enough is enough, Ibrahim said.

That could involve imposing sanctions on officials involved in the killing of protesters and more media coverage of the protests and the violence unfolding.

A tear gas canister fired to disperse Sudanese dem Tear gas disperses Sudanese demonstrators during anti-government protests in the outskirts of Khartoum, Sudan, Jan. 15, 2019. Tear gas disperses Sudanese demonstrators during anti-government protests in the outskirts of Khartoum, Sudan, Jan. 15, 2019.

In 2017, the United States lifted long-standing sanctions against Sudan following months of diplomacy in a bid to boost the economy.

Ibrahim expressed doubt, however, that pursuing charges against Bashir in the International Criminal Court was the best course of action, suggesting instead that abandoning that route could entice Bashir to prevent further violence and deaths.

Room for optimism

Despite unrest in his home country, Ibrahim sees reasons for optimism in governance across Africa.

There is a lot of positive things happening, he said. In Angola, in Botswana, in Namibia, in Ghana  I would hope in Nigeria.

Each of these countries has, in the past five years, held successful elections or seen the peaceful transfer of power. Nigerians will head to the polls again in February.

The battle now is moving towards peaceful elections, more transparency. I am optimistic, and I think we are moving forward  unfortunately not in my country.

Ibrahims foundation, established in 2006, seeks to promote good leadership and governance in Africa through an annual index of governance, a cash prize for noteworthy achievements in leadership and other initiatives.
A diocese in Kentucky apologized Saturday after videos emerged showing students from a Catholic boys high school mocking Native Americans outside the Lincoln Memorial after a rally in Washington.



The Indigenous Peoples March in Washington on Friday coincided with the March for Life, which drew thousands of anti-abortion protesters, including a group from Covington Catholic High School in Park Hills.



Videos circulating online show a youth staring at and standing extremely close to Nathan Phillips, a 64-year-old Native American man singing and playing a drum.



Other students, some wearing Covington clothing and many wearing "Make America Great Again'' hats and sweatshirts, surrounded them, chanting, laughing and jeering.

'Appropriate' punishment



In a joint statement, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington and Covington Catholic High School apologized to Phillips. Officials said they are investigating and will take "appropriate action, up to and including expulsion.''



We extend our deepest apologies to Mr. Phillips,'' the statement read. "This behavior is opposed to the church's teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person.''

According to the Indian Country Today website, Phillips is an Omaha elder and Vietnam veteran who holds an annual ceremony honoring Native American veterans at Arlington National Cemetery.



When I was there singing, I heard them saying, 'Build that wall, build that wall,' '' Phillips said, as he wiped away tears in a video posted on Instagram. "This is indigenous lands. We're not supposed to have walls here. We never did.''

A woman speaks during the Indigenous Peoples March A woman speaks during the Indigenous Peoples March on the National Mall at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Jan. 18, 2019. A woman speaks during the Indigenous Peoples March on the National Mall at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Jan. 18, 2019.

He told The Washington Post that while he was drumming, he thought about his wife, Shoshana, who died of bone marrow cancer nearly four years ago, and the threats that indigenous communities around the world are facing.



"I felt like the spirit was talking through me,'' Phillips told the newspaper.

State Rep. Ruth Buffalo, a North Dakota state lawmaker and member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, said she was saddened to see students showing disrespect to an elder who is also a U.S. military veteran at what was supposed to be a celebration of all cultures.



The behavior shown in that video is just a snapshot of what indigenous people have faced and are continuing to face,'' Buffalo said.



She said she hoped it would lead to some kind of meeting with the students to provide education on issues facing Native Americans.

Online fury



The videos prompted a torrent of outrage online. Actress and activist Alyssa Milano tweeted that the footage "brought me to tears,'' while actor Chris Evans tweeted that the students' actions were "appalling'' and "shameful.''



U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., who is a member of the Pueblo of Laguna and had been at the rally earlier in the day, used Twitter to sharply criticize what she called a "heartbreaking'' display of "blatant hate, disrespect and intolerance.''

Haaland, who is also Catholic, told The Associated Press she was particularly saddened to see the boys mocking an elder, who is revered in Native American culture. She placed some of the blame on President Donald Trump, who has used Indian names like Pocahontas as an insult.

It is sad that we have a president who uses Native American women's names as racial slurs, and that's an example that these kids are clearly following, considering the fact that they had their Make America Great Again hats on,'' Haaland said. "He's really brought out the worst in people.''
The Associated Press is reporting Pakistan arrested more than a dozen counter-terrorism officers Sunday.

The arrests came a day after the officers shot a middle-aged couple, their teenage daughter and a family friend, in what the officers had described as a shootout with Islamic State militants.

Relatives and witnesses say the victims were shot in cold blood.

According to Dawn, a Pakistani newspaper, relatives of the family are holding a sit-in protest in Sahiwal against the killings and have not allowed officials to remove the bodies.

Pakistani television aired footage of the family's son, according to Dawn, saying his family was traveling to a wedding when police began shooting at them. He said there were no weapons in the car.

Dawn reports witnesses confirmed no weapons were fired from the car.

Hadiya Khalil, left, who survived a shoot-out by c Hadiya Khalil, left, who survived a shoot-out by counter-terrorism officers, is carried by an unidentified relative at her home in Lahore, Pakistan, Jan. 20, 2019. Hadiya Khalil, left, who survived a shoot-out by counter-terrorism officers, is carried by an unidentified relative at her home in Lahore, Pakistan, Jan. 20, 2019.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Twitter: "While the CTD has done a great job in fight against terrorism, everyone must be accountable before the law."

While the CTD has done a great job in fight against terrorism, everyone must be accountable before the law. As soon as JIT report comes, swift action will be taken. The govt%27s priority is protection of all its citizens. https://t.co/Vek2YHLmKQ  Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 20, 2019

He also posted: "Still shocked at seeing the traumatized children who saw their parents shot before their eyes. Any parent would be shocked as they would think of their own children in such a traumatic situation. These children will now be fully looked after by the state as its responsibility."

Still shocked at seeing the traumatized children who saw their parents shot before their eyes. Any parent would be shocked as they would think of their own children in such a traumatic situation. These children will now be fully looked after by the state as its responsibility.  Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 20, 2019

Two young daughters of the family also survived.
Vanguard

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an open letter to major presidential candidates for Nigerias February 16 election urging them to publicly commit to revolutionary and innovative anti-corruption reforms in five key areas, such as security votes, power sector corruption, judicial corruption and removal of immunity for presidents, vice-presidents, state governors and deputy state governors.

ThisDay

The much advertised 2019 Presidential Debate organised by the Nigeria Elections Debate Group (NEDG) and Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) held yesterday without the participation of the two leading candidates, President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Sun

Presidential Candidate Kingsley Moghalu, of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), has disclosed plans to revive the economy of Nigeria if elected as president in the forthcoming election.

Daily Times

The North East Solidarity Network of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has made a shocking disclosure on some persons believed to be moles working against the unity and interest of the country. The group particularly called out Najaatu Muhammad, a Commissioner at the Police Service Commission (PSC), whom it claimed had been working against the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.

Daily Trust

The wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, on Saturday said the only option for the betterment of Nigeria is for Nigerians to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming elections.

Leadership

Kwara State governor, Alh Abdulfatah Ahmed, has said that Senator Rafiu Ibrahim remains the Peoples Democratic Partys (PDP) candidate for Kwara south senatorial district.

Tribune

Supporters of the presidential candidate of the African Action Alliance, Omoyele Sowore, are seen protesting against the noninclusion of their candidate among participants at the presidential debate.

The Nation

Alleged conspiracy by some retired generals to frustrate the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari next month is doomed to fail,the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole,vowed yesterday.
WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani says Trump's discussions with Russian officials over construction of a Trump Tower in Moscow went on throughout the time he was campaigning for the White House in 2016, months longer than previously acknowledged.

It's our understanding that they went on throughout 2016," Giuliani told NBC's Meet the Press. Giuliani said there "weren't a lot of them, but there were conversations. Can't be sure of the exact date."

"Probably could be up to as far as October, November  our answers cover until the election," Giuliani said, referring to written questions Trump has answered from special counsel Robert Mueller, who for 20 months has been investigating Trump campaign ties to Russia and whether Trump, as president, obstructed justice by trying to thwart the probe.

"So anytime during that period they could've talked about it," Giuliani said. "But the president's recollection of it is that the thing had petered out (subsided) quite a bit, and the construction project never materialized. During the early stages of the 2016 race for the Republican presidential nomination, Trump often said he had no business ties to Russia.

FILE - Republican presidential candidate Donald T FILE - Then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a rally in Louisville, Kentucky, March 1, 2016. At the time, Trump was telling voters he had no business dealings in Russia while his personal lawyer was negotiating a Moscow 'Trump Tower' project through the November 2016 election. FILE - Then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a rally in Louisville, Kentucky, March 1, 2016. At the time, Trump was telling voters he had no business dealings in Russia while his personal lawyer was negotiating a Moscow 'Trump Tower' project through the November 2016 election.

Giuliani, a former New York mayor, said that Michael Cohen, Trump's former personal attorney, "would have a much better recollection of [the Moscow negotiations] than the president. It was much more important to him. That was his sole mission. The president was running for president of the United States. So you have to expect there's not going to be a great deal of concentration on a project that never went anywhere."

Big news

Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the lead Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee that has been investigating Trump campaign ties to Russia, said on the NBC show the length of Trump's efforts to build a Moscow skyscraper, extending into the November 2016 national election, was "news to me, and that is big news. Why, two years after the fact, are we just learning this fact now when theres been this much inquiry?

Warner added, I would think most voters  Democrat, Republican, independent, you name it  that knowing the Republican nominee was actively trying to do business in Moscow, that the Republican nominee at least at one point had offered, if he built this building, Vladimir Putin, a free-penthouse apartment, and if those negotiations were ongoing up until the election, I think thats a relevant fact for voters to know. And I think its remarkable we are two years after the fact and just discovering it today.

U.S. President Donald Trump's former lawyer Michae FILE - U.S. President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen exits Federal Court after entering a guilty plea, in New York City, Nov. 29, 2018. FILE - U.S. President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen exits Federal Court after entering a guilty plea, in New York City, Nov. 29, 2018.

Cohen has pleaded guilty to, among other offenses, lying to Congress about the extent of Trump's involvement with the Moscow project, telling a congressional panel that Trump's efforts ended in January 2016, just as the Republican presidential nominating contests were starting three years ago. He has said he lied to comport with Trump's own public comments to voters, but more recently has said he recalls the Moscow discussions extending to June 2016, a shorter time frame than Giuliani acknowledged Sunday.

The online news site BuzzFeed said last week that Trump had directed Cohen to lie to Congress about the Trump Moscow timeline, but Mueller's office late Friday said the report was "not accurate." BuzzFeed said it continues to stand by the story.

In a separate interview on CNN, Giuliani said he had "no knowledge" of whether Trump talked to Cohen before his congressional testimony.

Mueller is believed to be writing a report on his findings from his lengthy investigation. He and other federal prosecutors have secured convictions or guilty pleas from several key figures in Trump's orbit, including former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, campaign aide Rick Gates, former national security adviser Michael Flynn, former foreign affairs adviser George Papadopoulos and Cohen.
The death toll from Fridays fuel pipeline explosion in central Mexico has climbed to 73, the governor of the countrys Hidalgo state said.

Governor Omar Fayad also said Saturday at a news conference in Mexico City that at least 74 others were injured.

A leak and the resulting blast were caused by fuel thieves illegally tapping into a gas pipeline in Hidalgo state, officials said.

Forensic experts work the area of a pipeline explo The area of a pipeline explosion in Tlahuelilpan, Hidalgo state, Mexico, Jan. 19, 2019. The area of a pipeline explosion in Tlahuelilpan, Hidalgo state, Mexico, Jan. 19, 2019.

Video footage showed the fuel gushing into the air and people collecting gas in buckets, garbage cans and other containers before the explosion.

A number of people at the scene told Reuters that local shortages in gasoline supply since Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador launched a drive to stamp out fuel theft had encouraged the rush to the gushing pipeline.

Everyone came to see if they could get a bit of gasoline for their car, there isnt any in the gas stations, said farmer Isaias Garcia, 50. Garcia was at the site with two neighbors, but waited in the car some distance away. Some people came out burning and screaming, he added.

Fayad said the condition of many of the injured was deteriorating, and that some had burns on much of their body. Some of the most badly injured minors could be moved for medical attention in Galveston, Texas, he added.

I urge the entire population not to be complicit in fuel theft, Fayad said. Apart from being illegal, it puts your life and those of your families at risk.

Tlahuelilpan Mexico Tlahuelilpan, Mexico Tlahuelilpan, Mexico

Lopez Obrador, who has launched a crackdown on fuel theft, called on the entire government to assist the people at the site of the explosion.

The government says fuel theft costs the country about $3 billion a year.
GENEVA - Heads of U.N. and international aid agencies will use the World Economic Forums influential platform to present humanitarian and human rights issues on behalf of millions of people caught in conflict, poverty and natural disasters. The Forum begins its annual weeklong meeting in the plush Swiss Alpine resort of Davos on Monday. Gloomy Davos: Plenty of Crises, Few World Leaders An array of crises will keep several world leaders away from the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos next week, which takes place against a backdrop of deepening gloom over the global economic and political outlook.Anxieties over trade disputes, fractious international relations, Brexit and a growth slowdown that some fear could tip the world economy into recession are set to dominate the Jan. An array of crises will keep several world leaders away from the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos next week, which takes place against a backdrop of deepening gloom over the global economic and political outlook.Anxieties over trade disputes, fractious international relations, Brexit and a growth slowdown that some fear could tip the world economy into recession are set to dominate the Jan.

The World Economic Forum is best known for the many high-powered government and business leaders who make the annual pilgrimage to Davos to acquire lucrative deals and shape geopolitical events.

But the annual event also presents a robust humanitarian agenda. This year, the Forum, World Bank and International Committee of the Red Cross will launch a Humanitarian Investing Initiative. The aim is to seek new solutions for protracted humanitarian crises by moving from short-term to long-term funding to support fragile communities.

United Nations aid agencies will feature prominently during the week-long meeting. The World Food Programs executive director, David Beasley, will co-host events, such as 'conflict and hunger' and 'the use of digital technology in the humanitarian sector.'

World Economic Forum Warns of Impact of Global Tensions International tensions and nationalist politics can further weigh on the global economy this year and hinder efforts to deal with big issues such as climate change, the organizers of next week's Davos forum warned Wednesday.In its annual Global Risks Report, the World Economic Forum said the world is evolving into "a period of divergence following a period of globalization." A "darkening" economic outlook, in part fostered by geopolitical tensions between the United States and China, "looks set to International tensions and nationalist politics can further weigh on the global economy this year and hinder efforts to deal with big issues such as climate change, the organizers of next week's Davos forum warned Wednesday.In its annual Global Risks Report, the World Economic Forum said the world is evolving into "a period of divergence following a period of globalization." A "darkening" economic outlook, in part fostered by geopolitical tensions between the United States and China, "looks set to

WFP spokesman Herve Verhoosel says the group will be seeking support for its operations. He says many of the companies attending Davos understand that investments in food security are fundamental to business success.

It saves lives and builds stronger markets around the world. In fact, it can increase GDPs by up to 16.5 percent and a persons lifetime earnings by 46 percent, he said.

With more than 3,000 of the worlds movers and shakers from 110 countries present, aid agencies see the Forum as a valuable opportunity to strengthen relationships with world leaders and keep their life-saving missions on the worlds agenda.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle B U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet attends a news conference at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Dec. 5, 2018. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet attends a news conference at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Dec. 5, 2018.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet will be attending events on a wide range of topics. Her spokeswoman, Ravina Shamdasani, says these include LGBTI or Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender and Intersex standards in businesses, and human rights and democracy in a changing world.

A couple of events on womens rights as human rights and female leadership. The importance of women playing a role in global affairs by creating a new architecture that allows them to fully participate as leaders and shapers, she said.

The head of the U.N. Childrens Fund, Henrietta Fore will champion the needs of children and young people who are caught up in humanitarian crises or are being left behind because of extreme poverty and lack of development.

U.N. Development Program Administrator, Achim Steiner will seek to raise $100 million from Davos wealthy clientele to protect wild animals and their habitats.
Martin Luther King Jr., a man who embodied the U.S. civil rights movement, was assassinated more than 50 years ago on April 4, 1968. Here are some key facts about his life.

Early life

Martin Luther King Jr. was born Jan. 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the son of Martin Luther King Sr., a prominent local preacher and civil rights leader, and Alberta King, a former schoolteacher. King says he first became conscious of racism at age 6, when a white friends father wouldnt allow his son from playing with him.

Organizing protests

King rose to prominence in the mid-1950s when as a young preacher he led the successful drive to desegregate public buses in Montgomery, Alabama, forcing the city to end its practice of segregating black passengers. He organized protests throughout the 1950s and 1960s against Southern segregation in the struggle for black equality and voting rights.

Martin Luther King, Jr. and his civil rights marc FILE - Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights marchers cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., March 21, 1965. FILE - Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights marchers cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., March 21, 1965.

?Nonviolence

King understood a key to success for the civil rights movement was a strategy of nonviolent protests, which he championed as an alternative to armed uprising. King has said he was inspired by the teachings of Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi. The movement was tested in places like Birmingham, Alabama, where police used attack dogs and fire hoses to disperse protesting schoolchildren and in Selma, Alabama, where a 1965 march is remembered as Bloody Sunday because police attacked protesters.

MARTIN LUTHER KING DREAM FILE - Martin Luther King Jr., head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, addresses marchers during his "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Aug. 28, 1963. FILE - Martin Luther King Jr., head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, addresses marchers during his "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Aug. 28, 1963.

?March on Washington

Kings famous I Have a Dream speech launched what had been a mostly black Southern movement into a nationwide civil rights campaign. By August 1963, the push for equality had grown significantly across the country, and 250,000 people, black and white, traveled to the nations capital to participate in the March on Washington. The protest was peaceful with no arrests.

Political victories

The civil rights movement came to a crescendo in 1964, when President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act outlawing racial segregation in public places and King won the Nobel Peace Prize. The following year, the Voting Rights Act banned practices that were used to keep blacks from participating in elections.

Assassination

On April 4, 1968, a single gunshot killed King on a motel balcony in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was supporting striking sanitation workers. James Earl Ray, a segregationist, pleaded guilty to shooting King and spent the rest of his life in prison. King, who was 39 when he died, gave a speech the night before his death that foreshadowed his assassination. And I have seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get there, he said.

Timeline of MLK Assassination, Investigation Into His Killing Martin Luther King Jr., a man who embodied the U.S. civil rights movement, was assassinated more than 50 years ago on April 4, 1968. Here is a timeline of events before and after his death.April 3, 1968  King arrives in Memphis Tennessee, to support striking sanitation workers and checks into the Lorraine Motel.April 4 (before 6 p.m.)  King leaves his room at the Lorraine Motel to attend dinner at the home of a local minister. He lingers on the balcony to talk to his driver in the courtyard below Martin Luther King Jr., a man who embodied the U.S. civil rights movement, was assassinated more than 50 years ago on April 4, 1968. Here is a timeline of events before and after his death.April 3, 1968  King arrives in Memphis Tennessee, to support striking sanitation workers and checks into the Lorraine Motel.April 4 (before 6 p.m.)  King leaves his room at the Lorraine Motel to attend dinner at the home of a local minister. He lingers on the balcony to talk to his driver in the courtyard below
Protests turned violent Sunday between Greek demonstrators and police as tens of thousands of people converged on Athens to oppose a name-change deal with Macedonia.

Greece has long protested the name Macedonia, adopted by its northern neighbor after it split from Yugoslavia.

Greeks say Macedonia's new name -- the Republic of North Macedonia -- represents an attempt to appropriate Greek identity and cultural heritage, because Macedonia is also the name of Greeces northern province made famous by Alexander the Great's conquests.

Macedonias Parliament Approves Change in Countrys Name Macedonias parliament has approved a proposal to change the countrys name, a move that could pave the way for it to join NATO and the European Union. Eighty members of parliament in the 120-seat body voted in favor of the measure Friday to rename the country North Macedonia, just surpassing the two-thirds supermajority needed to enact constitutional changes. Parliament was forced to address the issue after a September referendum on the matter failed to achieve the turnout threshold of 50 percent.  Macedonias parliament has approved a proposal to change the countrys name, a move that could pave the way for it to join NATO and the European Union. Eighty members of parliament in the 120-seat body voted in favor of the measure Friday to rename the country North Macedonia, just surpassing the two-thirds supermajority needed to enact constitutional changes. Parliament was forced to address the issue after a September referendum on the matter failed to achieve the turnout threshold of 50 percent. 

The protests Sunday started out peacefully but later in the day demonstrators threw rocks, firebombs and other items at police, who responded with numerous volleys of tear gas. At least 25 officers and dozens of people were injured in the clashes, officials said. Police said at least seven people had been arrested, according to the Associated Press.

Protestors wave Greek flags outside parliament in Protesters wave Greek flags outside parliament in Athens, Jan. 20, 2019. Greek lawmakers are to vote this coming week on whether to ratify the agreement that will rename its northern neighbor Republic of North Macedonia. Protesters wave Greek flags outside parliament in Athens, Jan. 20, 2019. Greek lawmakers are to vote this coming week on whether to ratify the agreement that will rename its northern neighbor Republic of North Macedonia.

The Greek parliament is expected to vote on the deal later this week, in which Macedonia will change its name and Greece will drop its objections to the Balkan country joining NATO and the European Union.



A nationwide poll in Greece this week found that 70 percent of respondents oppose the deal, AP reported.

Greece, Macedonia Settle Long-Simmering Name Feud Greece and Macedonia reached a historic settlement Tuesday to their long-simmering dispute over the name Macedonia  shared by the former Yugoslav republic and an ancient region of northern Greece.Under the deal between the two prime ministers, the country will now be called The Republic of North Macedonia.Our investment in the compromise is a definition of a specified Macedonian name for our country, a dignified and geographically defined name, Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said.  Greece and Macedonia reached a historic settlement Tuesday to their long-simmering dispute over the name Macedonia  shared by the former Yugoslav republic and an ancient region of northern Greece.Under the deal between the two prime ministers, the country will now be called The Republic of North Macedonia.Our investment in the compromise is a definition of a specified Macedonian name for our country, a dignified and geographically defined name, Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said. 

The agreement has caused Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to lose his four-year coalition in parliament after his nationalist allies defected to protest the deal. Following the upheaval, Tsipras narrowly won a confidence vote in parliament on Wednesday.



Tsipras has called for a televised debate on the planned name deal with Macedonia before parliament votes on the agreement.



The Greek prime minister and his Macedonian counterpart, Zoran Zaev, brokered the compromise in June to end a 27-year name dispute between the two neighbors.



Last week, Macedonia's parliament approved a constitutional revision to change the country's name. The agreement has also caused protests in Macedonia, with critics there saying the government gave up too much in the deal.



Tsipras has argued the Macedonia deal will bolster stability in Europe's Balkan region. EU countries have also strongly backed the deal.
SYDNEY - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has wrapped up a three-day trip to the South Pacific to reassure vulnerable island nations that Canberra is serious about tackling climate change.

Morrison told Pacific Island leaders that Australia would meet its international obligations to reduce carbon emissions in line with the Paris climate change agreement.

Many low-lying communities fear that rising sea levels will force them from their homes. In Samoa, coastal villages are already making plans to relocate to higher ground in the nations volcanic interior.

Morrisons three-day trip to Vanuatu and Fiji has been described by foreign policy experts as mostly a success.

Coal a sticking point

But climate change remains a source of friction between Australia and its smaller neighbors. Fijis Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama criticized Canberra for not doing more to cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the economys reliance on coal. Australia has some of the worlds highest per capita rates of carbon pollution.

Australia is also eager to counter Chinas growing strategic influence in the South Pacific, although Morrison insists all countries should work together.

We are here because we are for the independent sovereignty and prosperity of Vanuatu because they are our Pacific neighbors and family. That is why we are here, he said. Our objectives and our motives here, I think, are very transparent to our family and friends here in the Pacific, particularly here in Vanuatu. This question is put to me all the time. I mean, we do not have to choose. We just have to work cooperatively together.

Australia has also mended a previously fraught relationship with Fiji. Prime Minister Bainimarama is a former commander of the Fijian military who deposed an elected government in 2006. Democracy was restored to Fiji, an archipelago of about 900,000 people, in 2014.

Countering China

Pacific nations have debts of about $4 billion. Creditors include the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, while $1 billion is owed to China.

Experts say that some South Pacific countries have preferred to take out loans from China rather than accept grants from Australia because the process was simpler and less bureaucratic.


ISLAMABAD - The process of submitting nomination papers for the upcoming presidential vote in Afghanistan concluded Sunday, with President Ashraf Ghani and his ruling coalition partner Abdullah Abdullah among the candidates seeking the country's top office.

Ghani and Abdullah, who was appointed chief executive in a deal mediated by the United States after the disputed 2014 election, filed their nomination papers just hours before the Independent Election Commission (IEC) closed the proceedings.

The election activity comes as an early morning suicide car bombing of a government convoy in eastern Afghan province of Logar killed at least eight security forces, underscoring serious security challenges facing the country in the wake of a raging Taliban insurgency.

Afghan security forces inspect the site of a car b Afghan security forces inspect the site of a car bomb blast in Kabul, Jan. 15, 2018. Afghan security forces inspect the site of a car bomb blast in Kabul, Jan. 15, 2018.

The presidential vote, scheduled for July 20, is also under scrutiny because of the lack of serious reforms to prevent a repetition of previous fraud-marred Afghan elections.

IEC officials, however, dismiss concerns and insist their rescheduling of the polls from the original April 20 date has given them enough time to fix the problems and to lay the ground for a better organized vote.

"Our [candidates'] goal should be to work toward ensuring this election process results in a strong government and nation. Whatever consensus regarding any reforms is required must be achieved now to remove any doubts about the election outcome," Ghani said in televised comments after formally registering his candidacy with IEC.

The IEC was heavily criticized for failing to prevent mismanagement and alleged rigging in the October parliamentary election. The final results are still awaited, fueling traditional mistrust and suspicions among voters about the upcoming election.

Afghanistan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, cen Afghanistan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, center, shakes hands with his supporters after arriving to register as a candidate for the presidential election, in Kabul, Jan. 20, 2019. Afghanistan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, center, shakes hands with his supporters after arriving to register as a candidate for the presidential election, in Kabul, Jan. 20, 2019.

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a former ethnic Pashtun warlord accused of war crimes and once listed as terrorist by the U.S., has also joined the presidential race.

Hekmatyar stopped his Hizb-i-Islami group from waging insurgent attacks against foreign forces and returned to Kabul from years of hiding in 2016 after signing a U.S.-backed peace deal with President Ghani's government.

Hekmatyar's fighters have been blamed for committing atrocities during the Afghan civil war that enabled the Taliban to capture most of Afghanistan in 1996.

Several former officials of the Ghani-led National Unity government are also among the contestants. They include Hanif Atmar, former national security adviser; Rahmatullah Nabil, ex-chief of the Afghan intelligence agency; Zalmai Rassoul, a former foreign minister who came third in the last presidential election; and Shaida Abdali, a former diplomat.

Peace talks with Taliban

The United States, meanwhile, has intensified efforts to seek a politically negotiated settlement to the 17-year-old conflict with the Taliban, which control nearly half of the country and maintain battlefield pressure on U.S.-backed Afghan forces to capture more territory.

U.S. special representative for Afghanistan reconc U.S. special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, and Pakistani Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua led their respective delegations in talks in Islamabad, Jan. 17, 2019. U.S. special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, and Pakistani Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua led their respective delegations in talks in Islamabad, Jan. 17, 2019.

Chief American peace negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad, and his team spent several days in neighboring Pakistan, where authorities tried to arrange the next round of U.S.-Taliban talks.

A U.S. Embassy statement announced Sunday said Khalilzad visited Islamabad from January 17-20 where he met with Pakistani civilian and military leaders. It said that both sides reaffirmed their commitment to advance the Afghan peace process."

Khalilzad highlighted that all countries in the region will benefit from peace in Afghanistan, the statement concluded, though it was not clear whether Pakistani efforts to bring the two sides to the negotiating table succeeded.
Senator Ben Murray Bruce, has reacted to President Muhammadu Buharis failure to show up at the presidential campaign, scheduled to hold today.

The senator representing Bayelsa East said the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar took the challenge of the All Progressives Congress, APC to travel abroad and not get arrested  which he did. He however said that the APC and its presidential candidate has refused to take their challenge.

He noted via his Twitter handle on Saturday that Buharis rather than take up the challenge, chickened out of the debate.

Atiku was there in the flesh. We took their challenge and Atiku went to America. Now that it is time for the APC and Buhari to take our own challenge, they chickened out. What possible excuse could the President have? Atiku still wants to debate him even in Daura.
Click here to log in and see all of our other subscription options for the Mesabi Tribune, including online only & auto-renewal subscriptions.


Jersey Shore personality Jen Harley has made her first public appearance in Las Vegas since her big holiday split with boyfriend Ronnie Ortiz-Magro (Pictured: Heather Marianna and Jen Harley at the Deluxe Version Magazine pop-up located at Tivoli Village)

Harley was seen wining and dining at Hamptons, a new-American local hot spot at Tivoli Village in Las Vegas, before jetting off to Palm Beach, Florida. Joining Harley was Heather Marianna, Las Vegas-based beauty expert and TV host.

The two enjoyed dinner and cocktails, seeming unaffected by the recent incidents that took place. A patron said they even overheard Harley FaceTiming with Ortiz-Magro, despite the recent battery charges that were allegedly filed by him.

There is no question as to whether the two are back seeing each other, but it appears that Harley is not going to let the drama stop her from pursuing her social life.


The Mob Museum  The National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement is offering free admission to federal government employees for the duration of the government shutdown (with valid I.D).

In addition, The Underground speakeasy will offer $5 cocktails made with house-distilled moonshine to federal government employees during this time.
A former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has also joined millions of Nigerians to react to the absence of the two major presidential candidates at the 2019 presidential debate.

The event which was scheduled for January 19th, saw the few candidates like Kingsley Moghalu, Oby Ezekwesili, Fela Durotoye attending and participating. However candidates of the major political parties, Peoples Democratic Party, PDPs Atiku Abubakar and the All Progressives Congress, APCs Muhammadu Buhari.

According to Fani Kayode, it was pity that Atiku and Buhari failed to participate. He however, accused the President of being running because he is incapable of expressing himself .

Speaking via twitter on Saturday, the forms minister said that the failed to debate, because he lacks the ability to understand issues and defend record in office.

Its a pity that the two leading candidates did not participate in the presidential debate this evening. Buhari is nothing but a coward. He is running scared because he is incapable of expressing himself let alone understanding the issues or defending his record in office.
Prague, Czech Republic (UroToday.com) Dr. Thomas Wiegel provided the radiation oncologists perspective to the treatment of positive lymph nodes. Dr. Wiegel broke his talk into three specific topics: (i) primary treatment of the positive nodes, (ii) adjuvant/salvage radiation therapy after radical prostatectomy, and (iii) metastasis directed therapy.The effect of adding radiation therapy to ADT for the treatment of positive lymph nodes was assessed in an NCDB study in 2015. Compared with ADT alone, patients receiving ADT + radiation therapy was associated with a 50% decreased the risk of five-year all-cause mortality (HR 0.50, 95%CI 0.37-0.67) with a crude OS rate of 71.5% vs 53.2%. The addition of radiation therapy to ADT is also supported by data from the control arm of the STAMPEDE trial where failure-free survival outcomes favored planned the use of radiation therapy for patients with N+M0 disease (HR 0.48, 95%CI 0.29-0.79) compared to those receiving hormonal therapy onlyEvidence for adding radiation therapy to ADT in the adjuvant setting for pN1 disease primarily draws from the landmark paper by Abdollah et al.in 2014. Patients with pT3b/pT4 or positive surgical margins in the setting of Gleason 7-10 disease OR patients with 3-4 positive lymph nodes derived a greater benefit from ADT + adjuvant radiation therapy compared to those receiving ADT alone. These findings were validated in a NCDB study, finding that only those with one to two positive nodes, pathological Gleason score 7-10, and pT3b/4 disease or positive surgical margins (HR 0.75, p=0.01), and those with three to four positive nodes, regardless of local tumor characteristics (HR 0.57, p=0.01). However, there are limitations to this retrospective population-level analysis as Dr. Wiegel notes. For instance, what are>4+ nodes? Is a patient with 5 nodes positive going to derive the same benefit as someone with 12 nodes positive? Second, there is a potential issue with lymph node density: ie. patients with 5/5 positive nodes are unlikely to derive a comparable benefit as someone with 5/30 positive nodes.Metastasis-directed therapy has recently become a hot topic for improving outcomes in advanced prostate cancer patients. Last years publication of the phase II trial assessing metastasis-directed therapy in oligometastatic disease randomly assigned 62 patients (1:1) to either surveillance or metastasis-directed therapy of all detected lesions (surgery or stereotactic body radiotherapy)At a median follow-up of 3 years, the median ADT-free survival was 13 months for the surveillance group and 21 months for the metastasis-directed therapy group (HR 0.60, 80%CI 0.40-0.90; p = 0.11). As such, the suggestion is that this therapy should be further explored in phase III trials.As Dr. Wiegel points out, there is already clear level 1 evidence for the efficacy of radiation therapy + ADT for patients with positive nodes. In the final analysis of the SPCG-7 study randomizing men with high and intermediate risk prostate cancer to either hormonal therapy or hormonal + radiation therapy, the 15-yr prostate cancer-specific mortality rates were 34% and 17% in the hormonal therapy and hormonal + radiation therapy arms, respectively (p<0.001)Dr. Wiegel concluded by referring to the EAU guidelines that state in patients with cN+ or pN+ prostate cancer, offer pelvic external irradiation in combination with immediate long-term ADT (LE 2b; Gr B).Presented by: Thomas Wiegel, MD, Professor, Clinic of Radiation Oncology University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, GermanyWritten by: Zachary Klaassen, MD, MSc  Assistant Professor of Urology, Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University/Medical College of Georgia, Twitter: @zklaassen_md, at the 16th Meeting of the European Section of Oncological Urology, #ESOU19, January 18-20, 2019, Prague, Czech Republic References:Further Related Content:
Making space in the groin: first, a 2-cm incision is made at the inferior vertex of the femoral triangle, followed by blunt dissection with the index finger, and gas insufflation (5 mmHg) with an Air-Seal device Trocar placement: trocars should always be placed outside the femoral triangle to avoid clutching/clashing of the instruments. Trocars with a balloon are very useful for avoiding unnecessary length of the trocar inside the reduced space

Minimally invasive inguinal lymphadenectomy is a safe technique with the same oncological principles and indications as the open procedure  the major contraindication is cN3 disease

The same number of nodes removed is achievable, with no increased risk of local recurrence or port-site metastases

Minimally invasive procedures are associated with less number of minor and major complications

There is still a high rate of lymphocele and lymphedema and we must continue to search for additional solutions

In some urology departments, minimally invasive inguinal lymphadenectomy is the gold-standard procedure

Russell CM, Salami SS, Nieman A, et al. Minimally invasive inguinal lymphadenectomy in the management of penile carcinoma. Urology 2017 Aug;106:113-118. Singh A, Jaipuria J, Goel A, et al. Comparing outcomes of robotic and open inguinal lymph node dissection in patients with carcinoma of the penis. J Urol 2018 Jun;199(6):1518-1525.

Prague, Czech Republic (UroToday.com) The penile cancer session at ESOU 2019 was well attended and highlighted a presentation by JM Gaya-Sopena, MD from Barcelona, who discussed the current role of minimally invasive inguinal lymphadenectomy.Inguinal lymphadenectomy for penile cancer has both staging and therapeutic values. The presence of nodal involvement and node density are the most important prognostic factors for recurrence and death; 7 nodes per groin is considered the quality standard. Dr. Gaya-Sopena notes that among cN0 patients (80%), 20-25% of patients will harbor occult metastases. For patients with cN+ disease (20%), in the patients with palpable nodes, approximately 70% will actually have metastatic involvement. Among cN+ patients, around 70-80% have no distant metastases and cure can be attained.According to the EAU guidelines, a modified inguinal lymphadenectomy (or dynamic sentinel node biopsy) should be performed for cN0 patients with >T1G2 disease. Furthermore, among cN1/cN2 patients a radical inguinal lymphadenectomy should be performed; cN3 patients should have a radical lymphadenectomy if they have a response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Despite these guidelines, there is low adoption rate for inguinal lymphadenectomy at the population level. According to Dr. Gaya-Sopena, this may be secondary to (i) low experience in management of the disease secondary to the rarity of penile carcinoma, (ii) old fashion beliefs if you cant cure it, primum non nocere, and (iii) there is a high morbidity for open (modified or radical) inguinal lymphadenectomy with a 70-75% total complication rate, including 30-35% Clavien 3. There are several ways to solve this issue, namely centralization and minimally invasive (laparoscopic or robotic) approaches.Dr. Gaya-Sopena cautions that those adopting minimally invasive techniques for inguinal lymphadenectomy must adhere to the gold-standard open oncological principles. These include (i) dissecting lymph tissue from the same anatomic limits, (ii) the same oncologic indications (cN0 or cN1-2), and (iii) performing a modified or radical inguinal lymphadenectomy depending on the clinical indication.The key steps to a robotic inguinal lymphadenectomy are as follows:Dr. Gaya-Sopenas postoperative management after robotic inguinal lymphadenectomy is as follows:There are several retrospective case series comparing laparoscopic and robotic inguinal lymphadenectomy to historical open series noting decreased major complication rate and decreased lymphedema rates. In the only report comparing laparoscopic (n=7) to robotic (n=27) inguinal lymphadenectomy there were no differences in lymph node yield, length of stay, or complications.However, based on the largest reported robotic experience to date from India(n=40), there are still complications after robotic inguinal lymphadenectomy: lymphocele (13.7%), lymphedema (7.8%), and cellulitis (7.8%). Wound infection (3.9%) and skin necrosis (1.9%) were rare. In his personal experience, Dr. Gaya-Sopena has performed 51 groin dissections robotically with a median surgical time of 95 min per groin and median lymph node count of 8, with 18 groins having lymphorrhea and 4 patients having lymphedema.Dr. Gaya-Sopena concluded his presentation with several take-home messages:Presented by: JM Gaya-Sopena, MD, Fundacio Puigvert, Barcelona, SpainWritten By: Zachary Klaassen, MD, MSc  Assistant Professor of Urology, Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University/Medical College of Georgia, Twitter: @zklaassen_md at the 16th Meeting of the European Section of Oncological Urology, #ESOU19, January 18-20, 2019, Prague, Czech Republic References:
Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri has apologized for the inability of Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to participate in the 2019 presidential candidates debate alongside others.

According to Omokri, a staunch supporter of Atiku, and the PDP, theres no way Atiku could have gone ahead go debate when the president, Muhammadu Buhari, was himself absent.

He noted that Atiku, who was in the United States, flew 12 hours non stop, proceeded only to clean up and change clothes and headed to the venue of the debate  only to find out that Buhari was not there.

He shared a video of Atiku live at the venue via his Twitter handle, and apologized on behalf of the presidential candidate for not debating.

Take a look

WATCH and SHARE this video. Atiku was at the venue of #2019Debate LIVE. He waited in vain for Buhari to show up. He flew 12 hours non stop and only had time to shower and change his clothes. I apologise that he did not debate. But how can he debate in the absence of Buhari?
S-TRAC had the highest risk population  the cleanest dataset.

S-TRAC also had the least dose reduction and dose modification  patients stayed on the initial recommended dose

SORCE is likely reported next year  extended to 3-year follow-up when they saw the 1-year results of ASSURE

All the current agents being assessed target the angiogenesis pathways  which makes sense for patients with metastatic RCC and active angiogenesis pathways, large vascular supply. However, for micrometastatic disease, this has less biologic rationale. Is disease-free survival an appropriate endpoint for adjuvant therapy discussions and for RCC? Is it a true surrogate for overall survival? Is it just prolonging time to symptomatic progression but not changing overall survival?

Surveillance of metastatic RCC  a recent phase II study by Heng et al. (Lancet Oncology 2016) demonstrated that patients with favorable and intermediate mRCC actually take 14.9 months to progress to needing targeted therapy. Surveillance for these patients is a reasonable option. So perhaps immediately starting patients on systemic therapy after a nephrectomy isnt warranted, especially as there is no clear overall survival benefit. Indeed, when looking at the placebo arms of the RCTs listed above, 40-60% of patients remained disease-free at 4-8 years after nephrectomy  suggesting that overtreatment with adjuvant therapy would be significant. NNT using ASSURE: 136 patients would need to be treated for 1 patient to derive benefit NNT using S-TRAC: even with S-TRAC, 9 patients would need to be treated for 1 patient to derive DFS benefit, not even OS benefit Toxicity  as many patients would need to be treated to derive some benefit, toxicity profiles become important. Unfortunately, as a class, targeted therapies have significant toxicity profiles. Grade 3-4 adverse events in these studies were not negligible More importantly, dose reduction or drug discontinuation was common amongst all the RCTs  mostly due to side effects Dose likely matters In a pooled analysis of the PROTECT study data by Maxine Sun et al. (EU 2018), they noted that while risk category didnt seem to impact outcomes, patients who received full-dose treatment appeared to derive some benefit compared to those not receiving full-dose S-TRAC, the only study to show benefit, is the only one of the first 3 studies to have patients start and maintained on full-dose sunitinib  and may be one reason it was positive, while the others were negative

Prague, Czech Republic (UroToday.com) Dr. Axel Bex approached the discussion of adjuvant therapy after nephrectomy for high-risk renal cell carcinoma (RCC) by providing the urologists perspective  however, as he noted, it is likely very similar to that of the medical oncologists perspective , presented by Dr. Bamias.At this time, there are 4 reported in the adjuvant setting - ASSURE ( Haas NB et al. Lancet 2016 ), S-TRAC ( Ravaud A et al. NEJM 2016 ), PROTECT trials ( Motzer RJ et al. JCO 2017 ), and ATLAS (Gross-Goupil M et al. Ann Oncol 2018). There are 2 ongoing trials that are likely to report soon  SORCE and EVEREST. He had a summary of these 6 studies and their designs, as seen below:At this time, only S-TRAC has been positive  with an improvement in DFS. He noted the following:Based on S-TRAC results alone, the FDA (United States) approved sunitinib for adjuvant therapy  but, interestingly, EMAA (European Medication approval) did not approve any medical adjuvant therapy for RCC.He also pointed out that many of these studies have not been able to report on overall survival  but many point to slowly splitting K-M curves on immature data as a possible signal of OS benefit. However, he cautions that this is more likely an artifact of the low number of patients alive (and at risk) in these populations at the later part of the KM curves. He does not believe any OS benefit would be meaningful.He again reiterated the common question in the discussion of adjuvant therapy for RCC  are we targeting the right targets and endpoints?He made a few other important points.Based on all of this data, his recommendation  in conjunction with EAU guidelines is to NOT recommend adjuvant therapy.This is where the potential promise of immunotherapy lies, as it appears to be much better tolerated than targeted therapies.Presented by: Axel Bex, MD, Ph.D., Netherlands Cancer Institute, Department of Urology, Amsterdam, NetherlandsWritten by: Thenappan Chandrasekar, MD. Clinical Instructor, Thomas Jefferson University, Twitter: @tchandra_uromd, @TjuUrology, at the 16th Meeting of the European Section of Oncological Urology, #ESOU19, January 18-20, 2019, Prague, Czech Republic





Further Related Content:
(@FahadShabbir)

NARO-FOMINSK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th January, 2019) FOMINSK, January 20 (Sputnik) - A total of 30 legendary Soviet T-34 tanks transferred by Laos to Russia arrived to the Russian city of Naro-Fominsk in the Moscow Region, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Dmitry Bulgakov said on Sunday during a ceremony of meeting an echelon with the tanks.

On January 9, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that 30 Soviet T-34 tanks had been transferred by Laos to Russia within the framework of defense cooperation between the two countries. The tanks are planned to be used during Victory Parades, as well as in museum expositions and films about the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War.

"Today is a glorious and solemn day for all of us, an important government objective has been successfully completed! On the initiative of Defense Minister of Russia, Hero of Russia, Gen.

Sergei Shoigu, as a result of international defense industry cooperation, 30 T-34 tanks were brought back to the homeland," Bulgakov said.

Commander of the 4th Guards Kantemirovskaya Tank Division, Col. Vladimir Zavadsky said later that the decision to create a battalion of T-34 tanks was made on instructions of the defense minister. The battalion will be deployed in the Kantemirovskaya tank division of Naro-Fominsk.

The agreement on the transfer of the Soviet tanks was reached during Shoigu's visit to Laos in January 2017.

The T-34 was a technological breakthrough for its time. Between 1940 and 1946, the Soviet Union produced over 58,000 such tanks, however, to date only few of them remain operational.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th January, 2019) Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Presidential Representative for the middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov attended on Saturday the inauguration ceremony of Madagascar's president-elect Andry Rajoelina in Antananarivo and held a meeting with the sworn-in head of state, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

Earlier in January, the country's Constitutional Court confirmed Rajoelina's victory in the second round of presidential elections with over 55 percent of the votes.

"The Russian delegation [to the inauguration ceremony] was headed by Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov. At the end of the inauguration ceremony, Bogdanov was received by president Rajoelina, who was given an oral message from President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin," the statement said.

The two sides discussed a number of issues aimed at further strengthening the traditionally friendly relations between Russia and Madagascar, focusing on intensifying mutually beneficial cooperation in trade, economy and investment and promoting promising projects in various areas.

"[Bogdanov and Rajoelina] also reaffirmed Moscow's and Antananarivo's mutual focus on further deepening political dialogue and strengthening coordination of stances in the international arena, based on the fundamental principles of international law and the UN Charter, especially on the issues of countering terrorism, transnational crime and piracy off the African coast," the ministry added.

Prior to his election as president, Rajoelina headed the country's transitional administration from 2009 to 2013.
Expressing condolences to the families of the victims, President Jeenbekov sympathized with the bereaved families who lost their loved ones in the plane crash

Kyrgyzstan, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Jan, 2019 ) :Expressing condolences to the families of the victims, President Jeenbekov sympathized with the bereaved families who lost their loved ones in the plane crash.

The plane that crashed in an Iranian airport Monday morning Jan 14 was carrying meat from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, said the Public Relations Office of the Iranian Army in a statement.

The plane which was a Boeing cargo 707 made an emergency landing in Fath Airport, in the province of Alborz west of capital, Tehran. It was on the runway when it hit a wall and caught fire.

Soon after the incident, an official of Iran Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) said on condition of anonymity that the Boeing-707 mistakenly landed at Fath Airport in Karaj while the pilot could not control the plane on the runway.

According to Mehrdad Alibakhshi Director of the Crisis Management Department of Iran's Forensic Medicine Organization, out of 16 passengers, only one survived in the crash.

All the 15 bodies transferred to Forensic Medicine Organization, with one woman also among them, have been identified.
BEIJING, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Jan, 2019 ) :Head of the China Film Cooperation Group Lee Kexi said in an interview with the Islamic Republic news Agency (IRNA) on Sunday, 'We can use our equipment and capabilities mutually. China is keen on such cooperation with Iran. Film field is a great ground for collaboration.' The Chinese official highlighted that there are many cultural experiences in the two countries that should be used with the cooperation of state institutions and the two countries and filmmakers can benefit from these supports.

'We have been able to collaborate in the film industry in recent years,' Lee said, adding, 'This cooperation can be much stronger and more effective, and the media can also strengthen relations between the two countries.

'Pointing out that the cinematic productions and films made by China and Iran have many similarities, the Chinese official said that part of these commonalities relates to the long-standing cultural and artistic exchanges of the two countries.

He made the remarks, 'China and Iran are two ancient civilizations with a history of commonalities and cooperation, and the collaboration of the two filmmakers in the future reflects the depth of the historical relationship, and the filmmakers of the two countries can use these communications to make their own films.
A celebration of the life for John Robert "Bobby" Brown, 72, will be held at his residence on Wednesday, June 16, 2021, at 10 a.m. Bobby was born in Dublin, but his home was Baldwin County. He was predeceased by his parents, John Preston "Pete" Brown and Virginia Watson Brown. He was retired
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic we have maintained that Gov. Chris Sununu handled the emergency superbly. That is why New Hampshire weathered the crisis well relative to most other states. It is also why the voters overwhelmingly returned the young governor to office last November.
Index-Journal Careers

PART-TIME POSITION available in our packaging area.

Job responsibilities include putting inserts into the newspaper. Must have a positive attitude and be a team player. Applicants must be able to: lift up to 20-lbs; stand for long periods of time; be available to work Sunday thru Friday, late evening to early morning hours; pass drug screen.
IT GOT INTO the 90s back home the other day and friends complained to me over the phone though guiltily because they knew Id spent a day in the ER in New York which, honestly, had been a beautiful illuminatory experience and not miserable at all, but they felt sheepish about complaining of 
Silver Linings is a continuing Union Leader/Sunday News report focusing on the issues of New Hampshires aging population and seeking out solutions. Union Leader reporter Roberta Baker would like to hear from readers about issues related to aging. She can be reached at rbaker@unionleader.com or (603) 206-1514. See more at www.unionleader.com/aging. This series is funded through a grant from the Endowment for Health.
Greg Chakmakas is a real estate attorney with Sheehan Phinney Bass & Green.

NH Legal Perspective is sponsored by Sheehan Phinney Bass & Green PA. This column does not provide legal advice. We recommend that you consult an attorney for specific guidance on legal questions.
Under The Dome: Legislators take up new assignments in the state and U.S. capitols
For full access, please log in, register your subscription or subscribe.

Try for 99 a month for two months, cancel or pause anytime.
The positions of the Ukrainian troops came under fire from grenade launchers, antitank missile systems, heavy machine guns, and small arms.

Russia's hybrid military forces mounted nine attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas on January 20, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as wounded in action (WIA).

Read alsoJFO: Ukraine reports 16 enemy attacks in Donbas in past day

"The enemy violated the ceasefire in Donbas four times from 00:00 to 18:00 Kyiv time As a result, one servicemen of the Joint Forces was wounded," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation (JFO) said in an update on Facebook as of 18:00 Kyiv time on Sunday.

The Russian occupation forces opened fire from grenade launchers, large-caliber machine guns and small arms near the villages of Hnutove and Pavlopil (four times).

Moreover, strongholds of Ukrainian troops near the village of Kamianka were attacked with the use of antitank missile systems and grenade launchers, the report said.

The enemy also employed grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, and small arms near the village of Vilne, as well as grenade launchers of various systems outside the village of Krymske (twice).

The situation in the area of the Joint Forces Operation remains under control of Ukrainian troops.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Russian occupation forces mounted 16 attacks on Ukrainian army positions on January 19. There were no Joint Forces casualties in the past day.
There were no Ukrainian army casualties in the past day.

Russian-led forces mounted 16 attacks on Ukrainian troops in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, in the past 24 hours.

Read alsoUkraine forces in Donbas shoot down enemy drone equipped with fragmentation explosives (Video)

"No Ukrainian army casualties have been reported in the past day. According to intelligence reports, one occupier was killed and another one was wounded," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation said in an update on Facebook as of 07:00 Kyiv time on January 20, 2019.

The enemy opened fire from grenade launchers of various systems and heavy machine guns (twice) near the village of Shyrokyne, from grenade launchers  near the village of Pisky, from grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms (twice)  near the town of Maryinka, from grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms (twice)  outside the village of Lebedynske, from grenade launches, heavy machine guns and small arms (thrice)  in the area of the village of Pavlopil, from automatic grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and 120mm mortars (twice)  near the town of Krasnohorivka, and from grenade launchers and heavy machine guns near the village of Vodiane, the report said.

Russian occupation forces also employed large-caliber machine guns outside the village of Vilne, as well as small arms and heavy machine guns (twice) near the village of Stanytsia Luhanska.

According to intelligence reports, one occupier was killed, and another one was wounded on January 19.

Since Sunday midnight, Russian-led forces have attacked the Ukrainian positions near Hnutove, using automatic grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms.

As UNIAN reported earlier, the Ukrainian forces in Donbas had shot down an enemy drone equipped with fragmentation explosives.
The communities of the former Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate in Vinnytsia region were most active in joining the OCU.

In total, 100 parishes of the former Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) have become part of the newly created Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) since the unification council and the creation of the local OCU, independent from Russia's Orthodox Church.

Read alsoPoroshenko says Moscow pursues provocations against autocephaly of Ukrainian church

The UOC-MP communities were most active in joining the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine in Vinnytsia region, as well as in the west and in the center of the country. Their activity is significantly lower in the eastern, southern and northern regions of Ukraine, as reported by the Ukrainian TSN news service.

In particular, on January 19, the religious community in the western city of Khmelnytsky (parish in honor of St. John the Divine), as well as those in the villages of Stufchyntsi and Holovchyntsi located in Khmelnytsky region joint the newly created Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

As was earlier reported, a total of 70 UOC-MP communities became part of the new church as of January 15.
Shame on us.

Unable to resolve political differences, the U.S. government has failed in its basic task: Keeping its doors open and its employees paid.

The partial federal shutdown is now headed into its fifth week, the longest such impasse in U.S. history. Its a sad symbol of the dysfunctionality of our government.

President Trump and the Democrats who control the U.S. House are at loggerheads over funding for a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. Thats a difficult but solvable political issue, and its not a reason for either side to shutter our national government.

Last week, we saw no progress, but plenty of gamesmanship as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi delayed Trumps State of the Union speech and he responded by grounding her planned trip to Brussels and Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, some 800,000 federal employees and contractors arent getting paid. Some 420,000 federal employees  including workers at the Transportation Security Administration, Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controllers, the Border Patrol, FBI and Coast Guard  stay on the job because they are deemed essential, but without pay.
In the House, Bush and her sophomore colleague Melodye Blancett, D-Tulsa, have formed the Womens Caucus. Under their leadership, the caucus is bipartisan  meaning its not the red or the blue that matters but rather an effort to improve the states treatment of women.

The sophomore designation means that Bush and Blancett are beginning their second terms as Oklahoma legislators. And in Oklahoma City this year, sophomores could be at the head of the class.

In the Womens Caucus, the freshmen outnumber the upper-class women. Of the 23 members, 15 of them will begin their first legislative session next month: eight Republicans and seven Democrats.

For those of us who lived through the tumultuous sessions of the last two years, we just felt that as women  if we could come together  wed have a stronger voice, Bush said.

The intent of the caucus is not to take on any issue that is divisive. But there are a lot of issues in Oklahoma that affect women where we can work together, she said.

So far, theyve had one meeting, an introductory breakfast get-together on the Legislatures organizational day.

Bush said she and Blancett hope to bring some topics to the Womens Caucus soon for discussion.
Oklahomas U.S. senators issued statements following President Donald Trumps proposal announced Saturday about border security:

James Lankford

After meeting with members from both parties and hearing the major elements needed to end the shutdown, the President put out a reasonable compromise, which extends DACA protections beyond the next presidential election, adds humanitarian relief at the border, provides additional immigration judges to get faster due process, allows minors to apply for asylum in Central America instead of traveling the dangerous road to the US border, and adds barriers along the US border in areas that are the highest priorities.

The olive branch policy and funding options in the Presidents proposal should give Democrats an opportunity to negotiate in good faith. While there is still work to do to solve these and other immigration issues in the long-term, I look forward to considering the proposal in the Senate. Lets end the shutdown.

Jim Inhofe
Allegations of interfering in divorce case involving his client

In another incident, officers claim Connor called another attorney to threaten a man who was in a relationship with one of the attorneys clients in a divorce case. The attorney testified before the grand jury and said the womans estranged husband began stalking her, and that he was charged with first-degree burglary after threatening the woman and her boyfriend at his home.

Connor represented the estranged husband.

Winston Connor called (the attorney) and told him the criminal charges needed to go away or Connor was going to take out (the boyfriend,) the warrant states. Connor made a direct threat that he was going to ruin (the boyfriends) dentistry practice and told (the attorney) he needed to make sure (the woman) knew that.

The divorce lawyer alleged Connor told him the woman could have the home and other property in the divorce if she would make the criminal case go away. In a subsequent conversation between Connor and the woman, he told her that her lawyer didnt have best interests at heart and that after looking into her boyfriends practice, he would destroy him.
Oklahoma legislators filed more than 2,800 bills and joint resolutions by Thursdays deadline, House and Senate staff said Friday.

The total included 1,733 House bills, 1,040 Senate bills, 21 House joint resolutions and the same number of Senate joint resolutions.

Joint resolutions are the usual measures being referred to a vote of the people.

More than 300 shell bills were prefiled by House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka. Shell bills contain no substantive language and come into play only if new language is inserted during the legislative process. This generally has to be done by the first committee at the end of February.

The Senate does not allow shell bills, but does have looser restrictions on the introduction of bills and joint resolutions after the pre-session deadline.

Appropriations bills are not subject to the deadline and typically arent filed until a budget is agreed upon.

Among bills filed last week were:

 Senate Bill 195, by Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, titled the Personhood Act, stating that life begins at the moment of conception.
The Deputy PM made the statement while attending a meeting, organised by the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (Amcham)s Hanoi chapter in the capital city on January 18th, to celebrate 25 years of the normalisation of the Vietnam-US trade relations, and the 25th founding anniversary of Amcham in Vietnam.

At the meeting, he affirmed that the normalisation and development of Vietnam-US relations have resulted in great interest for the people of the two nations, contributing to regional and international peace, stability, cooperation, and growth.

At the ceremony (Photo: VNA)



In the past 25 years, two-way trade surged nearly 120 times, from USD450 million in 1994 to more than USD60 billion in 2018. The US has been Vietnams largest export market for several consecutive years.

Investment from the US has greatly contributed to Vietnams development. The activities of GE, Microsoft, IBM, Nike, ExxonMobil, and other US firms, have helped Vietnam earn and sustain a foothold in the global value chain, Hue noted.

Speaking highly of Amchams achievements over the last 25 years, he voiced his hope that Amcham will continue to serve as a bridge connecting the two nations, thereby deepening and bringing the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership to a new height.

Chairwoman of the 2019 Amcham Board of Governors Natasha Ansell said the normalisation of Vietnam-US relations have opened up opportunities for US enterprises and investors to develop in Vietnams market.

On the occasion, she revealed that a new programme titled Amcham Academy for High Potential Talent will be launched to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the organisation.

The programme is hoped to offer chances to learn and connect to young Vietnamese leaders, as part of Amchams commitment to creating sustainable socio-economic values for Vietnam, Ansell said./.
Abortion rights: Several members of Oklahomas congressional delegation joined in or voiced support of March for Life activities.

Speaking on the Senate floor, U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe quoted the Bible and several speeches he made in the 1990s to attack abortion rights, and particularly so-called late-term abortions.

Only five countries allow abortion after twenty weeks, including the United States and North Korea, said Inhofe. Unacceptable.

Some experts point out that while the U.S. has no national gestational limit for abortion, most states do. This is also the case in several other countries, including Australia and Canada, where abortion is regulated by provincial governments.

Oftentimes, you hear people say, Its based off of a religious belief, or Its above their pay grade, but its not, Lankford said in explaining his position. We can know the origin of our species; we know human life begins upon fertilization.

Last week Lankford reintroduced legislation stripping all federal funds from Planned Parenthood and redirecting it to other womens health clinics.
Editors's Note: Today's blogger of the day is Sammy Kwinga a frequent commentator on contemporary governance issues, media, politics and current affairs. He delves on the 14 Riverside Drive rescue operation execution highlighting the high points and areas which need to be upgraded to enhance war against terrorism.

The training of armed and security forces is such that upon hearing gunshots, an armed officer responds by taking cover and training his gun in the direction of the gunfire thus assailants.

And the security forces who responded to the Tuesday, January 15, Dusit2D attack did exactly that- and more.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Brave and patriotic taxi driver drives suspected terrorists straight to Garissa police camp

Kenyas security apparatus response was superb to say the least.

In less than 20 minutes, elite squad Recce and other special forces were at the 14 Riverside Drive complex engaging the terrorists and evacuating hundreds of civilians to safety.

The quick response which saw more than 700 people hitherto squirming in terror rescued to safety.

Security agents' quick response and efficient coordination helped save more lives. Photo:UGC

Source: UGC

As we mourn 21 people who lost their lives in the ordeal, one shudders to imagine the number of casualties that would have resulted from the incident had there not been timely intervention from the security forces.

It is the quick response which served to disorient the terrorists and enabled those in the building to hide from the blood-thirsty assailants.

Word has it that one of the terrorists with designation of a suicide bomber may have been thrown off balance by unfavourable condition due to keen security personnel leaving him with little option but detonate the explosives he had "prematurely".

READ ALSO: Tech company mourns six senior employees killed in DusitD2 attack

A look at the chilling video of the man blowing himself up at a relatively isolated place, makes one shudder at the thought of the calamitous outcome had he gained access to one of the rooms in the building where tens of terrified Kenyans were.

Importantly, the command structure worked seamlessly like a well-oiled engine without allowing any room for confusion.

This is unlike the Westgate attack in September 2013, where dozens of lives were lost as police and the military wrangled on who was supposed to take command of the operation.

Then, the rescue mission was so disorganised that a number of security officers are said to have been felled by friendly fire from officers in the same mission.

However, it was totally a different story on Tuesday, January 15, as Recce and other rescuers advanced towards the assailants with such caution and precision that saw hundreds of lives saved.

The rescue mission advanced in such a manner that in a few hours, the assailants had been cornered to the topmost floor and eventually neutralised.

Outside, tens of security officers stood guard, guns ready to deal with any danger, including sniper fire from the terrorists.

It is this top-notch organisation that quashed the terrorists mission to inflict maximum damage.

It is commendable that President Uhuru Kenyatta, his deputy William Ruto and Opposition leader Raila Odinga led Kenyans in recognising the gallantry of our security forces.

READ ALSO: ODM, Wiper continue to fight over Embakasi South seat as Jubilee pulls out of race

By the same token, unlike the Westgate attack, the few statements issued by authorities made sense and served to dissipate any panic from the kinsmen of trapped persons awaiting rescue.

It was also well thought out to keep curious onlookers-and politicians from the scene, thereby minimising issuance of statements likely to spark unwarranted anxiety.

In the past three years, Kenyan intelligence officers take the credit for thwarting dozens of terrorist attacks in various towns in Kenya.

Early February, 2018, police averted a large scale terror attack after they intercepted a vehicle loaded with explosives at Merti in Isiolo.

The vehicle was believed to be heading to Nairobi for a wide scale terror attacks.

There are other similar incidents which show that the relative calm we enjoyed in the past three years or so was not by fluke but earned through the selfless devotion of our defence and security forces.

However, the DusitD2 hotel attack is a fresh reminder that we must never lower our guard.

As security agencies do their part of looking out for terrorists at our borders and inside the country, it is important that citizens help in the effort by reporting to police cases of suspicious individuals living in our midst.

TUKO.co.ke welcomes writers, bloggers, photographers and all sorts of noise makers to become a part of our Bloggers network.

If you are a seasoned writer or a complete newbie, apply and become Kenyan's next star blogger. Send us some info about your career, interests and expertise and why youd like to contribute to the Blogger Network at news@tuko.co.ke.

If you have any thoughts, feelings, comments or suggestions on the above article, feel free to shoot us an email on news@tuko.co.ke

Witness Narrates His Experience After 14 Riverside Terror Attack | Tuko TV

Source: Tuko Breaking News Latest
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.
Many commentators are highly critical of the Government given the high debt held at present, particularly so, as the Minister of Finance has told us that the Government is short of money and had to revert to both the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund (HSF) and borrowing to continue to run the economy and support those disadvantaged by the pandemic and the continuing recession.
This is a long overdue letter of thanks to the Public Health Department of the Division of Health, Wellness and Family Development of the THA.

We, the residents of Calder Hall Trace, Scarborough, have long enjoyed excellent service from the sanitation workers who operate in our neighbourhood.
Three Opposition MPs are calling on the Government and the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) to have a heart and stop disconnecting the water supply of errant customers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein yesterday wrote to WASAs executive director Lennox Sealey urging him to suspend the drive and display humanity as people are suffering and strapped for cash in the pandemic given the lockdowns.
THE COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the world to maximise the use of digital platforms. One supermarket that is making good use of this is SuperQuality.

With locations in the Trincity Industryal Estate, Couva and Chaguanas, the supermarket has launched its e-commerce store, where customers will be able to access goods and services with the click of a button from the comfort of their home.

Director of of e-commerce at SuperQuality, Dion Khan told Express Business that technology and innovation have always been his main focus for the groups supermarkets.
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Mogadishu, January 20

The US Army said it has conducted an airstrike against Al-Shabaab terrorists in southern Somalia, killing 52 militants.

The US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said in a statement on Saturday that no civilian was killed or injured in the latest strike which was carried out near Jilib, Middle Juba Region.

US Africa Command conducted the airstrike in response to an attack by a large group of Al-Shabaab militants against Somali National Army, according to the statement, Xinhua news agency reported.

AFRICOM said it is committed to preventing Al-Shabaab from taking advantage of safe havens from which they can build capacity and attack Somali people.

The Al-Qaeda allied terrorist group continues to hold parts of the countrys south and central regions after being chased out of Mogadishu years ago.

Somali and African Union peacekeeping forces have intensified military operations against the insurgents, flushing them in their Lower Shabelle and Middle Shabelle region bases as part of efforts to stabilize the Horn of Africa nation.  IANS
vermaajay1968@gmail.com

Washington, January 19

US President Donald Trump will hold a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in late February on Pyongyang dismantling its nuclear and missile programmes, the White House has announced.

The two leaders had met on June 12 last year in Singapore for the first summit.

While the White House did not identify a location for the second summit between the two leaders, according to media reports preparations were under way to host the summit, most likely in Vietnams capital Hanoi or coastal city of Danang.

The announcement came after Trump met with North Korean envoy, Kim Yong Chol, on Friday for a discussion that included talk about Kim Jong Uns unfulfilled pledge to dismantle his countrys nuclear weapons programmes.

President Trump sat down with Kim Yong Chol, a high-level official in North Koreas Communist government, in the Oval Office, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said. President Donald J Trump met with Kim Yong Chol for an hour and half, to discuss denuclearisation and a second summit, which will take place near the end of February.

The President looks forward to meeting with Chairman Kim at a place to be announced at a later date. she said in a statement.

The press secretary told reporters: We continue to make progress, we continue to have conversations. The US is going to continue to keep pressure and sanctions on North Korea until we see fully and verifiable denuclearisation, she said.

The North Korean envoy arrived at the White House after a closed-door meeting with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US special envoy for North Korea Stephen Biegun at a hotel here.

Last year in Singapore, Trump had described his first-ever historic meeting with Kim Jong-un as really fantastic and said they had agreed to sign an unspecified document after their very positive summit, aimed at normalising ties and complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.  PTI
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

January 20

A Catholic school in Kentucky condemned a group of its students, many of whom wore Make America Great Again hats, after they were recorded harassing a Native American Vietnam veteran in a video that went viral on Saturday.

The students from private, all-male Covington Catholic High School in northern Kentucky were in Washington for an anti-abortion rally on Friday when they were filmed surrounding Nathan Phillips and mocking the Native Americans singing and drumming.

One teen in particular is seen standing in front of Phillips, staring into his face with a smile. Fellow students, many in clothing bearing President Donald Trumps MAGA slogan, cheered him on and chanted, build that wall, build that wall, Phillips said.

The footage was shared online by organisers of an indigenous peoples march that also took place on Friday.

In a joint statement, the high school and Diocese of Covington condemned the actions of the students towards Nathan Phillips specifically, and Native Americans in general. The matter is being investigated and we will take appropriate action, up to and including expulsion, the statement said.

In a separate video uploaded to social media, the 64-year-old Phillips, an elder of Nebraskas Omaha tribe, wiped away tears as he described the incident.

I heard them saying build that wall, build that wall.

These are indigenous lands, were not supposed to have walls, he said. I wish I could see that energy of that young mass of young men, put that energy into making this country, really, really great, helping those that are hungry.

Phillips is a well-known Native American activist who was among those leading the Standing Rock protests in 2016-2017 against the construction of an oil pipeline in North Dakota.

He holds an annual ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery to honor Native American veterans, according to media reports.

Phillips could not be reached for comment on Saturday.

Democratic US Congresswoman Deb Haaland, a member of New Mexicos Laguna Pueblo tribe, said on Twitter that Phillips had risked his life for his country, and that the students showed blatant hate, disrespect, and intolerance.

Covington Mayor Joe Meyer, a Democrat, said the appalling footage had rightly inspired a tidal wave of condemnation and that his town was now being linked with intolerance and ethnic intimidation because of the boys actions.

The videos being shared across the nation do NOT represent the core beliefs and values of this city, he said in a statement.

Alison Lundergan Grimes, the Democratic secretary of state for Kentucky, said the children were not solely to blame.

I turn to the adults and administration that are charged with teaching them, and to others who are silently letting others promote this behavior, she said on Facebook. Reuters
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Vatican City, January 20

Pope Francis will make his first trip to Panama on Wednesday for a gathering of more than 1,50,000 young Catholics from across the globe at the World Youth Day festival.

The 82-year-old pope will use the major event on the Catholic calendar to address the problems of poverty, corruption and migration in his native Latin America, church officials said.

Our youth, particularly in Central America, need opportunities, said Panama Archbishop Jose Domingo Ulloa.

Often, their hard reality was a choice between emigration or falling into the clutches of drug traffickers, said Ulloa, in Rome for a preparatory visit.

It will be Francis third World Youth Day event, having presided over the gathering in Rio de Janeiro shortly after his election as pope in 2013 and again in Krakow, Poland in 2016.

In Poland, he challenged conservative governments in Central and Eastern Europe to soften their resistance to migrants seeking refuge from conflict in the Middle East.

In a similar way, he is expected in Panama to stand up for migrants from El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras who make up the majority of those traveling in caravans to the US border, despite the opposition of President Donald Trump and the American right.

Many of the young people who are participating in the WYD are immigrants themselves, Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti said.

Hundreds of thousands of Central Americans cross the border into Mexico every year, heading north in search of a better life. Millions more have fled economic collapse and political repression in Venezuela, straining social services in neighboring countries.

The recent image of migrant caravans from Central America, with all their suffering, will be very much in mind, said Ulloa.

In an advance message to the event, Francis said many young people, both believers and non-believers, had a strength that can change the world. On Friday, he said in a separate video message to the World Indigenous Youth gathering in Soloy, Panama, to hold on to their cultures and roots by fighting marginalization, exclusion, waste and impoverishment.

Return to native cultures. Take care of the roots, because from the roots comes the strength that will make you grow, prosper and bear fruit, he told hundreds of young indigenous Catholics who will join the WYD gathering next week.

Fighting poverty will be a key theme. Extreme poverty in Latin America hit its highest level for nine years in 2017, according to a report by the UNs Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

It said more than 10 percent of Latin Americans -- 62 million peoplewere living in extreme poverty. The Argentine pontiff lands in Panama on Wednesday after a 13-hour flight from Rome to begin his seventh trip to his native Latin America.

The pope wants to get closer to young people, to those who are suffering, to send a message of hope, said Gisotti.

His last visit to the region, to Peru and Chile a year ago, was overshadowed by protests over the cover-up by church authorities of pedophile priests.

Its a subject which is generating a lot of attention in the church, said Gisotti, who said the pope had no plans to meet with victims during his visit to Panama.

The pope will break away from the celebrations on Friday to visit a juvenile detention center in Pacora, outside Panama City. It was Francis personal wish to do the side visit, the spokesman said.

Thats something that came from the popes heart, according to Gisotti.

He will also visit a center for young people with AIDS on the last day of his trip.

It is the first time Francis has visited Panama as pope, in what will be the 26th trip of his papacy, taking in 40 countries. John Paul II visited the tiny Central American country for a day during a regional tour in 1983.  AFP
vermaajay1968@gmail.com

Washington: Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has claimed that she had to cancel her trip to war-torn Afghanistan as the White House had leaked her plans to fly commercially and caused a security risk. US President Donald Trump had on Friday denied Pelosis excursion to Brussels and war-torn Afghanistan, a tit-for-tat retaliation for her suggesting him to reschedule his annual State of the Union address slated for January 29. The Speaker had made the suggestion citing security concerns triggered by a nearly four-week federal government shutdown. Pelosi accused Trump of endangering the lives of Americans by revealing about her trip to Afghanistan. PTI

Pak exports over 100,000 kg human hair to China

Islamabad: Pakistan has exported to China over 100,000 kg of human hair valued at $132,000 over the last five years. The Ministry of Commerce and Textile told the National Assembly that 105,461 kg of human hair was exported to China in the last five years, the Dawn reported. Demand for human hair has increased in China due to growth in the makeup industry. The other reason for the increase in the export of human hair is that there is little trend for wearing wigs for fashion, AM Chauhan, a prominent beautician, told the daily. Exporters have placed bins in hair salons and buy hair at an average rate of Rs 5,000 or Rs 6,000 per kg, Chauhan added. PTI

Philippines richest man Henry Sy dies at 94

Manila: The Philippines wealthiest man Henry Sy, who rose from being a penniless Chinese immigrant to leading a multi-billion dollar business empire, died on Saturday. The 94-year-old, from the Chinese city of Xiamen, made his fortune with a Philippine shopping centre conglomerate that has put up some of the largest malls in the world. However, his holdings also included banks, hotels and real estate in the Philippines, as well as shopping centres in China. He had a net worth of $19 billion as of Friday. Forbes said he was the 52nd richest person in the world last year, beating out bold name tycoons like Elon Musk, Rupert Murdoch and George Soros. AFP

Kamala chooses Baltimore as campaign headquarters

Washington: The first Indian-origin senator in US, Kamala Harris, has picked Baltimore as headquarters of her potential 2020 presidential campaign, a media report has claimed. Harris, 54, who recently came out with two books, has not officially announced her 2020 presidential bid. But reports in mainstream US media suggest that it might be announced soon. Local Baltimore Sun Friday reported that Harris has selected Baltimore for her campaign headquarters if, as expected, she runs for president in 2020, according to sources familiar. The senators office has declined to comment on the report. PTI

Traditional plunge: Priest Sergei Ryzhov conducts a ceremony as a woman takes a dip in the freezing waters of Lake Buzim during celebrations of the Orthodox Christian feast of Epiphany in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, on Saturday. Reuters
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Beirut, January 20

A bomb blast in a bus killed three civilians Sunday in the northern Syrian city of Afrin on the first anniversary of a Turkish attack on the Kurdish-majority region, a war monitor said.

Nine other people, including fighters, were killed in the explosion, said the head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Turkish troops and allied rebel groups seized the Afrin region from Kurdish forces in March last year after a two-month air and ground offensive.  AFP
Ehsan Fazili in Srinagar

Ehsan Fazili in Srinagar

Shah Faesal hogged the headlines in 2010 by becoming the first Kashmiri to top the Indian Administrative Service exams. This success made him an icon for the youth in Kashmir and inspired many other Kashmiris to qualify the coveted examinations. However, moved by the situation in Kashmir over the past few years, he has opted to join politics, armed with the experience in the system. The resignation on January 11 again made news. He talks to The Tribune about his reasons behind the decision.

You say you have been thinking of resigning from the IAS for the past two years. What has been bothering you all this while and why did you decide to take the plunge now?

This has been on my mind for the past two years now. The political situation in Kashmir, more so since 2012, has been worsening. As a civil servant, it has been very difficult for me to speak out against the culture of killings in Kashmir and lack of any political initiative from the Government of India. So, it had become important for me to make a statement and I felt it was time I did it.

You have resigned in protest against the governments lack of political initiative in Kashmir and for restoration of peace in the state. What, in particular, prompted your decision?

I think the most potent provocation was the educated people picking the gun in the Valley. PhD scholars are leaving universities; professors are giving up jobs in colleges. This situation has the potential of putting Kashmir on flames and escalating tension in the region further. It was important for me to alert the Central Government of the situation in the state and this is my way of doing that.

What has the response from people across the past one week been?

The younger generation in Kashmir was initially skeptical about my decision. However, over the past one week, there has been a flood of support in my favour. I had expected this response from the youth. Hundreds and thousands of people came to my residence in Srinagar pledging their support for me. That was something totally unexpected. I want to meet people on the ground and I know there will be a lot more to learn and educate myself in.

How do you plan to consult all stakeholders and sections of society?

My idea behind going to the field and meeting various stakeholders, including youngsters, is to see whether they are ready for supporting me in the upcoming elections if I contest. We have a conflict situation at hand. It is important to understand the ground sentiment first. Neither I nor anybody in my family has been active in politics. I have to interact and understand the opinion of youngsters first and then take the next step.

I am seeking feedback from everybody out there and anybody who matters or has an opinion on Kashmir and gets affected by the situation here. I am ready to listen to everybody and learn from them. I am a newcomer in this field. It is a complex situation. I hope various stakeholders will be ready to share their ideas with me.

You have said that your resignation was a strategic decision taken at the right time. How and why?

Resignations are not served every day. It is a one-time decision and once in a lifetime too. I was out of state for about a year during which I gathered the courage to leave the job. I understood my own reasons for doing so and found a certain purpose.

Do you think your stand on consultations with the separatists has created problems for you?

Absolutely not. I think I have stated a fact. If we want to de-escalate the situation and want peace in Kashmir, it is important that we listen to every stakeholder. Hurriyat (separatists) is a very important stakeholder. However, they have not reacted so far and I am not sure how will they respond.

How do you think will your experience of being in the system help people?

I have an understanding of how the legal and policy frameworks work. I think that puts me in a better position to understand the system and the processes that can facilitate dialogue and smoothen the communication between Delhi and Srinagar. My exposure to civil services has given me some leverage. I think the most important missing element at this time is the dialogue between Delhi and Srinagar and that needs to be picked up again.

What about talks with Pakistan?

I believe whenever India and Pakistan have talked, we have seen the situation improve on the ground in Kashmir and on the border. The loss of life in border areas like Poonch, Rajouri, Samba and RS Pura in the Jammu region and Uri or other areas in Kashmir has come down. To de-escalate the situation and improve in the situation in J&K, it is important that the dialogue between India and Pakistan continues.

Governor Satya Pal Malik said that you could have served people in a better way as an IAS officer rather than as a politician. What do you have to say?

Everyone has an opinion. I respect Governor Malik. I have chosen a path for myself after due consideration and have no plans of going back to civil services.

What is your idea of India?

When I look at India and what were the circumstances under which J&K, rightly or wrongly, acceded to the union of India, it was Mahatma Gandhis India. It stood for democracy, equality for all and peace and giving space to the marginalised communities. However, the India that we have been witnessing for the past few years is not what Gandhi had envisaged.

Are you planning a visit to your home in North Kashmir?

I plan to visit all districts of the state beginning with my home town.
H-E-B Corp. won control of one block of Hays Street in the Jan. 8 City Council meeting, to expand into a new and bigger store while the current store remains open.
FS Aijazuddin

FS Aijazuddin

This year has begun with a collapse of imperial proportions. The Great Britain, at the cusp of its empire in the 19th century, ruled over 24 per cent of the worlds population spread over territories covering 26 per cent of the worlds land mass. Today, it seems incapable of governing itself.

The Brexit Referendum in June 2016 to remain within the European Union or to divorce the Great Britain from 27 EU partners has exposed fault lines that threaten the structure of its much-vaunted parliamentary democracy. Queen Elizabeth II may reign over the Great Britain and Northern Islands, but who rules? A Parliament comprising representatives elected from 650 constituencies? A 22-member Cabinet? Or the 17 million people who voted to leave the EU in a referendum and whose slender majority (52:48) has been petrified by Parliament into an Eleventh Commandment?

The Brexit vote has a subliminal root. The British Isles, centuries ago, were once a Roman colony under Julius Caesar.

Pt Jawaharlal Nehru reminded his guest, the British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan (a classicist), of this and impressed him by asking whether the Romans had ever re-visited their colonies. In those days, they did not need to. The colonised sought to become Roman citizens, just as in the 1950s and 1960s, immigrants from the subcontinent and the West Indies sought the nationality of their erstwhile masters. Ironically, todays Britons are scurrying to apply for Irish passports to ensure a visa-free access to Europe. Britons are ingesting, in Edward Gibbons words, that most incurable of poisons  the bitter remembrance of lost glory.

This past week has seen an incumbent government led by Theresa May, who voted against Brexit as a minister and then spent the past 18 months as prime minister advocating it, lose a vote on her Brexit plan by the largest margin since Westminster took itself seriously. Yet, she remains in power. A day later, she wins a vote of confidence in her premiership.

What options does a Britain chained to the Brexit decision have? A second referendum? A chastened majority now wishes it, except that it will be as ephemeral an expectation as Churchills triumph of hope over experience. A new deal with the EU? The EU has no intention of applying another sugarcoat to a deal that PM Theresa May could not persuade Parliament to swallow at the first attempt. Brexit without any deal? Many in Britain share apprehensions that an independent Britain might become an isolated Britain, detached from Europe and only semi-attached to the United States.

The US government is in a self-inflicted state of shutdown. Its hapless employees are being coaxed into returning to work without pay. China, having waited a century to recover Hong Kong, has warned the world that it will not wait 100 years to reclaim Taiwan, using force if necessary to achieve reunification.

The World Bank group has been decapitated with the precipitate removal of its Korean president, Jim Yong Kim. In his place could be an India-born former CEO of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi, sponsored by the First Daughter Ivanka Trump. Transvestites have made history by dipping in the Ganges at the Kumbh Mela. Dr Manmohan Singh will be visiting Pakistan finally  albeit disguised as Anupam Kher in the film, The Accidental Prime Minister. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, after only three appearances out of 31 sittings of the present Parliament, has threatened to attend a fourth. And Pakisan army chief Qamar Bajwa meets the business community of Karachi in a one-to-many consultation without the minister of finance, State Bank governor, or anyone in the civilian government responsible for the economy.

Could there be stranger beginnings to this unhappy New Year?
Maj-Gen AK Shori

Maj-Gen AK Shori

The Army Postal Service (APS) Corps is a unique mix of regular Army personnel and civilians, who join the APS on deputation. They wear uniform; undergo military training and put on rank as per their civil status. The history of the APS goes back to 1886 when the Field Post Office (FPO) comprising civilians went to Persia. On March 1, 1972, the APS got an independent status as a corps. I was allotted the Indian Postal Service.

During the probation period, I got the opportunity to visit the FPO in north Sikkim. The love for uniform prompted me to opt for deputation to the APS where I spent 21 out of 33 years of my service and got an opportunity to lead the Corps as Additional DG. During my first tenure (1986-90), I was posted at Kalimpong as Officer Commanding of a postal unit, which had FPOs at Siliguri as well in high altitude border areas in Sikkim. During peak winter, we used to move our FPOs for exercise at the base camp at Zuluk and Kyangnosa la at an altitude of 9,000 ft. The arrival of FPO vehicle in the morning carrying mail and newspapers was like festival time.

The Delhi edition newspapers, which were eagerly awaited by the officers, were carried by morning Indian Airlines flight from Delhi to Bagdogra. These were loaded in an FPO vehicle, which carried postal bags for Sikkim and Kalimpong reaching late night at Gangtok. Next day, another vehicle would carry mail for Army establishments en route and finally reach the exercise location, exactly 17 miles from Gangtok, at a height of 10,000 ft. The unit orderlies would be waiting to hand over as well to collect the dak (posts).

A number of officers used to visit the FPO with a query and hope to receive personal communication as well to collect the newspapers. My office, which was in a tent adjoining the FPO, was also visited by them to enjoy a welcome cup of tea. The visit to FPO used to be a sort of picnic. Once GOC 27 Div, Maj-Gen SJS Chatwal ordered that all officers would visit the forward pickets and enquire from the troops about their welfare.

The highest post was at 4,275-m height and when I, along with my Field Post Master, reached there carrying personal mails meant for the troops, it was a delight to see their faces light up. I still remember the hot tea and pakoras served by them. The mail vehicle reaching at Kalimpong in the night was eagerly awaited and the then GOC used to wait for the newspaper and dak to be delivered immediately to his residence. Those were the days of romancing with letters since there was no phone, email or internet. The letters were the only link between the troops and their families.

I went back to the civil life and rejoined the APS as Lt Col after a gap of eight years. I noticed that the FPOs now had computers to book registered letters and Speed Post. Money orders were transmitted via satellite, even in remote locations like the Siachin Base Camp. When I took over as Additional DG, a massive technological upgrade drive was undertaken with support of the Army Headquarters and India Post, resulting in more than 400 FPOs fully computerised having e-post service; online track and trace facility for Speed Post; and SDS mail being introduced.

Also, FPOs were handling more than seven lakh savings bank accounts and around 1.2 million Postal Life Insurance policies which were fully computerised. The supply of newspapers and periodicals to troops and units got a massive fillip and new services like Debit Army Logistic Post service became popular among the units. I left the APS in March 2015 to join as Chief Post Master General, Himachal Pradesh, before retiring as Member Postal Board in July 2016. In the recent past, there have been reorganisation and restructuring of the APS as per the policy decision of Army HQ. This has resulted in disbanding of a number of services like supply of newspapers, stoppage of savings bank schemes, Postal Life Insurance and discontinuance of Parcel Logistic Service. Since personal communication is almost zero, by having skeleton services, the APS is losing the bonding with a soldier.

The availability of Small Savings Schemes, PLI and supply of newspapers at the doorsteps of the units in field and counter-insurgency areas were much sought after as well as required. In countries like the US, its postal service even delivers cakes for the troops thousand miles away in Iraq and Afghanistan. In India, even the basic communication, banking and other logistic services have been disbanded. The outcome is that not only the letter rather the corps itself appears to be a thing of the past, whose memories can be only be cherished.
gspannu7@gmail.com

Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 20

Punjab Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday wrote letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan premier Imran Khan as both countries prepare to open the Kartarpur corridor to commemorate the 550th anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

In his letters to both prime ministers, he has cautioned against any disfiguring of the historic Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara on the Pakistani side and Dera Baba Nanak Gurdwara on the Indian side in the name of commercialisation and tourist comforts.

The sacredness and serenity of Kartarpur Sahib and Dera Baba Nanak Gurdwara Sahib await the footfalls of our pilgrims. Yet precisely our footfalls have the power to erode the history, architecture and ecology of these sites, Sidhu wrote in his letters differing slightly in content that The Tribune has accessed.

Suggesting that the land where Guru Nanak Dev spent 18 years of his life be declared a heritage village, Sidhu has suggested ways to preserve the sanctity of the corridor and the pristine landscape and terrain.

Sidhu has suggested that no concrete structures be built around the gurdwaras and avoiding altering the historic sites and also regulate the flow of pilgrims.

We must move primarily on foot with an exception only for elderly, disabled or sick, along with providing accessible amenities such as toilets. Personal transport should be eschewed at all costs, wrote Sidhu suggesting walking trails to be developed along the fields and tourist facilities to be eco-friendly.

Waste disposal should be carefully planned and executed. Garbage from the use of plastic bags, bottles and packaged foods has no place, added Sidhu, who was first blamed for the Kartarpur corridor row last year by political parties here before both countries agreed to progress on the issue.

Sidhu in his letter has also suggested that local and traditional artefacts must be allowed and encouraged in the bazaars around the area.

We can kindly turn away any form of shopping complex that sells fast food or utilises plastic wares. We can welcome folk art and the music of rabbis and folklorists to perform around the area, wrote Sidhu to both PMs.

As a sixth additional suggestion to PM Modi, the minister said that the local land can be used for organic cultivation of food crops to serve langar to the devotees.
editorial@tribune.com

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 19

A defiant Local Bodies Minister, Navjot Singh Sidhu, today refused to abide by the directions of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh for allowing tenders for development works in cases where there is a single bidder.

A spat took place between the two during a meeting of the Chief Minister and MLAs from the south Malwa region here today. Many MLAs are learnt to have complained that people are unhappy with the government for failing to carry out pending works.

The MLAs have complained that while new works are not being allotted, even projects clears by the previous government have remained unfinished after the tenders were cancelled by the Local Bodies Department, headed by Sidhu.

Sidhu said he would not allot any tenders for works if there was a single bidder. Though the Chief Minister is learnt to have asked Sidhu that there is no legal bar on allotting singe bid tenders, the latter insisted that he would do it if the CM gives me these directions in writing. The CM is learnt to have insisted that development works cannot remain in limbo.

Sources say Chief Principal Secretary to CM Suresh Kumar intervened and said the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) was the executing agency for unfinished works started by the previous government, so the issue of restarting these after releasing dues of contractors should be brought before the Board for approval.

The Chief Minister is the chairman of the PIDB. For allotting new works to a single bidder, it was decided to form a committee of four officers, including Chief Principal Secretary, Chief Secretary and top officers in the finance and local bodies departments, who would take a call on how to allot the works.

Among other complaints the MLAs lodged was the growing resentment among Dalits. They said they were unhappy with the Congress for its inability to release the post-matric scholarship funds and due to high power bills.

During the SAD-BJP regime, almost 18 lakh Dalit consumers were getting 200 units free. But in the past two years, there has been a cap. Only those Dalit consumers get this free power whose annual consumption is less than 3,000 units and have a sanctioned power load of only up to 1 kW.

Zira skips meet

MLA Kulbir Singh Zira, who was suspended for indiscipline, did not attend the meeting on Saturday. Though he was at the Punjab Bhawan, where the meeting took place, he reportedly kept sitting with Punjab affairs incharge Asha Kumari in a separate room.

Rs 202-cr grant for Malwa districts

The CM announced a development grant of Rs 202.35 crore for strengthening infrastructure in Bathinda, Faridkot, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Moga, Mansa, Sangrur and Muktasar districts.

MLAs again raised the issue of Gaurdians of Governance becoming a power unto themselves.

Laddi meets CAPT, seeks apology
sanjiv@tribunemail.com

Ropar, January 19

With the arrest of five persons, the district police claim to have busted a statewide Army recruitment racket being run in Punjab for the past more than five years.

Those arrested have been identified as Amit Kumar and Manoj Kumar of Ferozepur Cantonment area, Manjit Singh and Sunil of Jind in Haryana and Yogesh Kumar of Ludhiana.

SSP Swapan Sharma said 29 Aadhaar cards, fake document sets of 48 individuals and Rs 8 lakh in cash were recovered. Sixtyeight attestation stamps, including of the designation of SHO, tehsildar and municipal councillor, were seized too.

The gang had secured the recruitment of at least 26 persons in the Sikh, JAK and Artillery regiments on the basis of fake caste and domicile certificates. They would charge between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh from every recruit, the SSP said.

The police official said clerical staff at the Army recruitment centres in Patiala, Ferozepur and Ludhiana were allegedly hand in glove with the accused. Initial investigations revealed that Yogesh of Salem Tabri in Ludhiana was the kingpin of the gang, which had so far prepared fake documents for 150 persons, mostly from Haryana.

The police said Manjit and Sunil would allegedly make youths from Haryana appear in recruitment drives in Punjab, where the competition was less. Manoj and Amit would allegedly hunt for aspirants in Fazilka, Moga, Faridkot and Ferozepur.

The SSP said the names of several non-commissioned officers posted in Ludhiana, Gwalior, Ferozepur and Bhubaneswar too had figured in the scam.  TNS

Would charge Rs 5 lakh

The recruitment gang charged Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh from every successful job aspirant

Gang had secured at least 26 recruitments in Sikh, JAK and Artillery regiments

On basis of fake documents, Haryana youths were made to appear in job drives in Punjab where competition was less
editorial@tribune.com

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Dera Baba Nanak, January 19

Six assailants allegedly shot dead Rachpal Singh, son of former SAD Sarpanch Gurdeep Singh, at Padde village here.

The police have registered a case under Sections 302, 148, 149 IPC and Arms Act against Sukhdev Singh, Lali, Balraj Singh, Harjeet Singh, Sanjampreet Singh and Jasbir Singh.

Local Akali workers have alleged that a Cabinet minister of the area was shielding the accused.

Scores of villagers, led by Sukhjinder Singh Sonu Langah, son of former minister Sucha Singh Langah, held a protest at the Gandhi chowk area in Batala where slogans were raised against the police. Traffic remained blocked for nearly two hours at the protesters placed the body in the middle of the road, demanding immediate arrest of the accused.

Local MLA and Cabinet minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa denied the charge that he was pressuring the police to favour the accused. The Langah family is in the habit of blaming me whenever something goes wrong. On the contrary, I have spoken to senior officers, including SSP Opinderjit Singh Ghuman, to ensure unbiased action, he said.

SAD workers alleged that after the panchayat elections, the police were acting in a selective manner in returning weapons. The police are under instructions to return the firearms of people owing loyalty to the Congress, while Akalis are not getting their weapons back, said Sonu Langah.

To this, Randhawa said Sonu should prove his charge or refrain from making such frivolous statements. I question the locus standi of Langah. His family stands ostracised and hence he has no right to call himself an Akali, the minister claimed.
gspannu7@gmail.com

Barnala, January 20

Senior AAP leader and Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann on Sunday said he has left taking liquor on his mothers advice.

Mann, who is often criticised by political opponents for excessive drinking, earned high praise from party supremo Arvind Kejriwal for giving up alcohol.

My political opponents often level accusations against me, saying Bhagwant Mann takes liquor and remains intoxicated day and night. Brothers, it always pained me when I saw old videos of myself on social media where I was being defamed, Mann said at a rally here.

He said he has left drinking from January 1 and that he hopes to shun liquor for the rest of his life.

I admit I used to take liquor occasionally. But my political opponents maligned me. Today my mother is here. She had told me that people defamed me excessively on the television and then asked me to stop taking liquor. Now they cannot defame me, said Mann, who is set contest the Lok Sabha elections from Sangrur seat again.

In 2016, the suspended AAP MP Harinder Singh Khalsa had complained against Mann to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, requesting her to change his seat in the Parliament as Mann, who sat next to him, was stinking of alcohol.

Later during his address, Kejriwal lauded Mann for leaving liquor, saying his commitment was not a small thing.

Friends, Bhagwant Mann has won my heart. Not only mine, he also won the hearts of whole Punjab. A leader should be like him who is ready to make any kind of sacrifice for the people. It is not a small thing to make such a big commitment. After January 1, he says he will not touch liquor. It is a very big thing, said Kejriwal.

Kejriwal said Mann, who was a stand up comedian, left his career to serve the people of Punjab.

Today Punjab is sinking because of drugs. In the last Punjab elections, Mann fought against Sukhbir Singh Badal from Jalalabad seat because he felt at that time Sukhbir was the biggest guilty for the situation Punjab was in. Today, Sukhbir Badal is responsible for drugs in Punjab, alleged Kejriwal.

Kejriwal asked how many people are ready to leave liquor for the people.

Earlier in his speech, Mann claimed nobody could blame him for embezzling even a single penny. He also lashed out at SAD and Congress in his address.

Meanwhile, talking to reporters Kejriwal said AAP would contest all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. We will contest all 13 seats in Punjab. There will be no alliance with the Congress in Delhi or in Punjab. People were earlier fed up with the Akali Dal and now with the Congress as they failed to honour any poll promise. We will carry out the same work in Punjab as we have done in Delhi, said Kejriwal.

During the rally, Mann announced former Union Minister Harmohan Dhawan would be the party candidate from Chandigarh seat for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Dhawan had joined AAP last year.  PTI
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 19

With the commencement of the daily Amritsar-Dehradun flight by SpiceJet from Sunday, domestic connectivity from Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport is all set to increase.

This flight will depart from Dehradun at 11.55 am and will arrive at 12.35 pm. Its return flight will leave Amritsar at 12.55 pm and reach Dehradun at 1.35 pm. The total duration of the flight will be 40 minutes with an aircraft capacity of 78 passengers.

Airport Director Manoj Chansoria said the airport would connect the ninth domestic destination with this flight.

It is already handling 11 daily flights to Delhi, three flights to Mumbai, two to Bangalore, a flight each to Srinagar, Hyderabad, Goa and Guwahati. Efforts are underway to increase frequency of Amritsar to Nanded flight from twice a week to three times.

He said a flight to Kokata was likely to commence from March.
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Barnala, January 20

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday hit out at those who recently left the party, calling them "opportunists" who were greedy for posts and tickets.

Kejriwal, who launched his party's campaign for upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Punjab by addressing a rally here, also attacked the Congress-led state government and said it had "betrayed" people as it failed to deliver on its poll promises.

Senior AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and the entire state unit leadership, including Harpal Cheema and Aman Arora, also attended the rally.

"Some people left AAP few days back. Our political opponents started saying AAP has begun to disintegrate. Nobody in the country has the courage to disintegrate the party," he said.

"Congress, Akali Dal and BJP have tried their best in the last five years to weaken the party but God has been with us," the AAP national convenor said.

"Those who have left AAP were not worthy of staying in the party. They were opportunists and were greedy for tickets and posts. They tried to break the party. God wielded the broom and all bad persons are now out," Kejriwal said.

Two rebel AAP leaders from Punjab-Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira and Jaitu MLA Baldev Singh, besides senior lawyer H S Phoolka, have quit the party this month. Khaira was suspended from the party in November last for indulging in "anti-party activities".

Kejriwal accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre of creating hurdles in development works in the national capital and trying to kill him.

"The Modi government tried to not allow us to run the government in Delhi. We want to build hospitals, schools but they continued to create hindrance in our efforts. But we fought them and did good work," he said.

"I have been attacked four times in last two years. Have you ever heard of any chief minister being attacked? They conspired to kill me," he claimed.

Training his guns at Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Kejriwal said the former had not honoured any of the pre-poll promises, including those of farm loan waiver, raising pension and distributing smart phones.

"Two years ago, you ensured the victory of Captain sahib (Amarinder Singh) with a huge majority. They had filled forms for giving you jobs. I want to ask you to raise your hands if anybody here has been given a job yet. Not even a single job has been given by the state government," the AAP leader said.

"Two years have passed. Captain betrayed people," Kejriwal said.

The Delhi chief minister also accused the Punjab government of ignoring the Dalit community, backward classes and poor.

Alleging that Singh's government was handing over the functioning of all government hospitals and schools to private entities, Kejriwal asked, "How can he be called the chief minister when the governance is going into the hands of private people?"

He claimed his government in Delhi had "transformed" the condition of government schools, enabling children belonging to Dalit, Schedule Caste and Backward Class communities to avail quality education.

"Last year, Dalit children secured over 90 per cent marks," he said.

Similarly, the condition of government hospitals has been improved, where medicines are given and tests conducted free of cost, the Delhi chief minister said.

"We have now planned that Delhi government would bear the expenditure of private coaching for children of Dalit community," Kejriwal said.

He also reminded people that his party made Harpal Cheema and Budh Ram, both Dalits, leader of opposition in Punjab Assembly and chairman of the party's core committee, respectively.

Kejriwal appealed to people to vote for AAP in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

"You have seen SAD and Congress. Last time, there was a miss (in AAP forming the government in Punjab). People tell me how it had happened. AAP was to win at least 100 seats, but Congress and Akali Dal conspired against us," he said.

"Friends, do not make any mistake this time. Ensure (AAP's) victory on all 13 Lok Sabha seats under the leadership of Bhagwant Mann," Kejriwal said.

He said Mann was the only MP to raise Punjab's issues in Parliament.

"If need arises, Parliament will be disrupted for the sake of Punjab and we will ensure justice for you," he said. - PTI
gspannu7@gmail.com

Raebareli (UP), January 20

Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi are likely to visit their respective parliamentary constituencies Amethi and Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh on 23-24 January, a party leader said on Sunday.

During his two-day visit, the Congress chief is expected to take part in several party programmes and a meeting of the district vigilance and monitoring committee, the leader said.

United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi is also expected to attend the district vigilance and monitoring committee meeting in her constituency Rae Bareli, the leader added.

The Gandhis will arrive at the Fursatganj airport on January 23, from where they will leave for their respective constituencies. They will depart for Delhi on January 24.  PTI
sanjiv@tribunemail.com

Hazira (Gujarat), January 19

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the Armoured Systems Complex of Larsen and Toubro in Gujarat, the first private facility in the country where the K9 Vajra self-propelled howitzer guns will be manufactured.

In 2017, L&T had won the Rs 4,500-crore contract from the Ministry of Defence to supply 100 units of K9 Vajra-T 155 mm/52 calibre tracked self-propelled gun systems to the Army under the Centres Make in India initiative.

I congratulate the entire team of L&T for building the state-of-the-art K-9 Vajra Self Propelled Howitzer. This is a significant contribution towards Indias defence sector and protecting the country, Modi tweeted. The PM shared a short video on his Twitter handle of himself standing in a tank. Checking out the tanks at L&Ts Armoured Systems Complex in Hazira, he said in the tweet.

The company has set up the facility in Hazira, around 30 km from Surat, to manufacture and integrate advanced armoured platforms, such as self-propelled artillery Howitzers, future infantry combat vehicles, future-ready combat vehicles and future main battle tanks. Spread over 40 acres within L&Ts 755-acre Hazira Manufacturing Complex, the ASC is executing the K9 Vajra guns programme.

The K9 Vajra contract involves delivery of 100 such systems in 42 months, which is the largest contract awarded to a private company by the Ministry of Defence.

Present at the function were Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Defence Acquisition of the Republic of Korea Wang Jung Hong, and L&T Group Chairman AM Naik. The facility has been developed to make full-fledged battle tank manufacturing possible in India, a senior L&T Defence official said.  PTI

100 units in 42 months

755 acre L&Ts Hazira manufacturing complex

40 acre Armoured Systems Complex that will execute K9 Vajra guns programme

100 Units of K9 Vajra to be manufactured by L&T

42 months time in which these will be delivered

Larsen and Toubro had signed a transfer of technology contract for guns with South Korean company Hanwha Corporation

Boosting Make in India in the defence sector is our endeavour. I am glad that the private sector too is supporting this pursuit and making a valuable contribution. Narendra Modi
editorial@tribune.com

Shubhadeep Choudhury

Tribune News Service

Kolkata, January 19

Blowing the poll bugle, 23 Opposition parties, who shared the stage at a rally convened here today by West Bengal CM and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, vowed to put up a united front against the Narendra Modi-led Centre.

The question of who would be the Prime Minister in case the participants do manage to win enough seats to cobble up a majority was put off for a decision at the time of forming the government.

There are too many bridegrooms (dulha)  one will become the Prime Minister, SP leader and former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said. Some of the other speakers, including Mamata, said it would be the janata (people) who would take a call on who would be the PM.

It was also announced that more such rallies would be held in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu announced holding similar rallies soon in Delhi and Amravati, respectively.

UPA convener Sonia Gandhi sent a message to the participants through senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge wishing success to the rally. The upcoming Lok Sabha elections will not be an ordinary one. This will be an election to restore the nations faith in democracy. This rally marks an important attempt in galvanising leaders across the political spectrum to fight the arrogant and divisive Modi government. I wish it all success, read her message.

The Gandhis  Sonia and Rahul, who sent a similar message to Mamata yesterday  kept away from the meeting. Besides Kharge, Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singvi, a Rajya Sabha member from West Bengal, was also present in the rally.

Kharge emphasised the need for all anti-BJP forces to join hands against the saffron party. Otherwise, the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah duo will have a free run, he warned.

It was the Modi-Shah duo who bore the brunt of the attack in todays rally. None of the other BJP leaders was mentioned even in passing by any of the speakers.

The rally at Kolkatas iconic Brigade Ground was also attended by the father-son duo of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and the Abdullahs, Farooq and Omar, both former Chief Ministers of J&K.

Deve Gowda also aired the view that Opposition parties should enter into seat-sharing arrangements so that BJP candidates in each seat were challenged by a single candidate from the Opposition.

ANTI-MODI RANT

" Chaukidar chor hai If you keep suppressing facts, people will continue to say chaukidar chor hai There was lokshahi during Vajpayees tenure and now its tanashahi (dictatorship). "  Shatrughan Sinha, BJP

Modi a publicity PM Narendra Modi is a publicity Prime Minister, not a performing one. He and his government have betrayed the nation.  N Chandrababu Naidu, TDP

EVM chor machine EVM is a chor machine, which should be replaced with paper ballot It is not there in any part of the world. It is used for theft (of votes) and we have seen this in elections. We should together move the EC and approach the President on the issue"  Farooq Abdullah, NC

BJP infused poison Many people thought SP and BSP wont be able to clinch an alliance. The BJP is now thinking how to win at least one seat in UP. Those who used to say Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas have turned one against the other by infusing poison in the country. "  Akhilesh Yadav, SP

Bengal tigress at it The Bengal tigress has given the call to oust BJP. I am sure it will be successful We (Opposition leaders) have to have a single aim  that is ousting the BJP in the next LS election."  Arun Shourie, ex-minister
editorial@tribune.com

Kochi, January 19

Four nuns, who took part in a protest demanding the arrest of rape-accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal, have written to the Kerala CM, seeking his intervention to ensure that their transfer orders were not effected till the trial of the case was over.

The letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was written after four of the five nuns, who led the agitation against the bishop last year, were directed to leave their convent in Kottayam district, in compliance with a transfer order issued by their congregation last year.

The survivor nun has also written a separate letter to the CM, seeking his help in the matter. Their aim is to single me out and to harass and torture me. My life will be in danger if such a situation arises, she alleged in her letter.

Their congregation  Missionaries of Jesus under the Jalandhar diocese of the Roman Catholic Church  has directed the nuns to join their previously assigned convents, according to the transfer orders issued between March and May 2018.

The nuns  Alphy, Anupama, Josephine and Ancitta  were served notice by the superior general of the congregation, Regina Kadamthottu, urging them to take up their assigned responsibilities as befitting members of the Missionaries of Jesus congregation.

In their letter to the CM, the nuns alleged that the transfer orders were aimed at splitting them and to sabotage the case against Bishop Franco Mulakkal.  PTI
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Bengaluru, January 20

The Congress in Karnataka Sunday issued notices to its four MLAs seeking explanation from them for their absence at the Legislature Party meeting, asking why no action should taken against them under the anti-defection law.

The notices were sent to Ramesh Jarkiholi, who was dropped as minister in the recent cabinet rejig and is said to be extremely unhappy over it, B Nagendra, Umesh Jadhav and Mahesh Kumatahalli, Congress sources said.

Exposing fissures in the party, the four lawmakers had skipped the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meet Friday, which was called as a show of strength against the BJPs alleged attempt to topple the partys coalition government with the JD(S) in the state.

The absence of the four lawmakers posed no imminent threat to the seven-month-old Congress-JD(S) government in the numbers game, but suggested that all was not well within the Congress which is still wrestling with dissidence.

In the notice issued to Jarkiholi, while seeking response from him for not attending the meeting, CLP leader Siddaramaiah has also sought an explanation about the media reports that he was joining the BJP and about his visit to Delhi and Mumbai to meet saffron party leaders.

Asking as to why he has not issued any statement so far rejecting these reports, the CLP leader said, Your conduct suggests that you will voluntarily quit from the membership of the Indian National Congress. You have got elected as a legislator on the Congress symbol and cannot quit as party member under the Constitution.

Ahead of the meet, Siddaramaiah had issued notices to all party MLAs, warning that their absence would be viewed seriously and action initiated according to the anti-defection law.

Soon after the CLP meet, which was attended by 76 MLAs, the Congress legislators were shifted to a resort on the city outskirts in a counter move to BJPs alleged toppling bid.

The BJP legislators, who were camping at a luxury hotel in Gurgaon, returned home last night. PTI
editorial@tribune.com

New Delhi, January 19

A court here today questioned the Delhi Police over filing a chargesheet against former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar and others in a 2016 sedition case without procuring requisite sanctions.

Metropolitan Magistrate Deepak Sherawat granted the police time till February 6 to procure requisite sanctions after they told the court they would get approvals within 10 days.

Why did you file (the chargesheet) without approval? You dont have a legal department? the court said. The court is likely to resume hearing on the matter soon.

The police, on January 14, filed the chargesheet in a city court against Kumar and others, saying he was leading a procession and supported seditious slogans raised on the varsity campus during an event in February 2016.

It also charged former JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya for allegedly shouting anti-India slogans during the event held on February 9, 2016, to mark the hanging of Parliament-attack mastermind Afzal Guru.

Earlier, they had claimed before the court that Kumar had raised anti-India slogans in 2016 to incite hatred and disaffection towards the government.

The police cited statements of witnesses in its chargesheet to state that Kumar was walking along with the protesters where a number of unidentified persons were raising slogans during the event.

The evidence listed by the agency include report of JNUs high-level committee, statement of varsitys registrar Bhupinder Jutshi and the mobile phone recordings in which Kumar was seen arguing with him over the cancellation of the programme.

The police said a video shot by a news channel and clips shot by students present at the spot showed that Khalid, Bhattacharya and Ashutosh were raising slogans.

It, however, added that the slogans raised by Ashutosh were not anti-national, unlike those by Khalid and Bhattacharya. Khalid raised slogans as shown in the videos and mobile clips, the police said. Regarding Rama Naga, whose name appears in column 12, the chargesheet said he delivered speech with contents against the RSS.  PTI
uttara@tribuneindia.com

New Delhi, January 20

The government has sacked two executive directors of Nirav Modi scam-hit Punjab National Bank (PNB) for their alleged failure in exercising proper control over the functioning of the bank.

Their services were terminated from January 18, as per the Finance Ministry notification.

The Central Government has removed KV Brahmaji Rao and Sanjiv Sharan from the office of Executive Director (ED) of PNB with immediate effect, it said.

It is alleged that there were procedural lapses on part of both the EDs as they fail to take cognisance of the Reserve Bank of India advice of linking SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) with Core Banking Solution (CBS) system of the bank.

The circular was issued in 2016. Some banks implemented the directive, while some did not, including PNB.

Rao was to retire this month, while Sharan was to superannuate in May this year.

In August last year, the government dismissed Allahabad Banks Usha Ananathasubramanian in connection with countrys biggest bank fraud allegedly carried out by Nirav Modi and associates at PNB. She was MD and CEO of PNB before moving to Allahabad Bank.

Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi in connivance with certain bank officials allegedly cheated PNB of about Rs 14,000 crore through issuance of fraudulent letters of undertaking.

A Mumbai branch of PNB had fraudulently issued LoUs for the group of companies belonging to Modi since March 2011.

The total number of LoUs issued to the companies of Nirav Modi, his relatives and the Nirav Modi Group are 1,213, and to Mehul Choksi, his relatives and the Gitanjali Group are 377.

The CBI has already filed chargesheet in this case. The chargesheet has mentioned names of many employees and top management, including former MD and EDs of the bank.  PTI
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Chandauli (UP), January 20

An MLA from the ruling BJP in Uttar Pradesh Sunday came under severe criticism from allies and opposition leaders for calling BSP chief Mayawati a "blot on womankind" and "worse than a transgender".

Mughalsarai MLA Sadhana Singh made the controversial remarks at a rally on Saturday while referring to the infamous incident when Mayawati was assaulted by Samajwadi Party workers in a Lucknow guest house in 1995.

"Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati sold her dignity for power and joined hands with thosewho disrespected her... She is a blot on womankind. Cannot say if she can be counted among men or women, she is worse than a transgender person," Singh alleged.

Condemning her remarks, Union minister and Republican Party of India president Ramdas Athawale told a presser in Lucknow on Sunday that such personal comments should not be made.

Bahunjan Samaj Party (BSP) leader SC Misra said on Twitter BJP leaders have "lost their mental balance after the BSP-SP tie-up" which, he said, threatened to rock the ruling party's boat.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav also denounced the BJP MLA for using derogatory remarks against Mayawati.

"The remark smacks of desperation and nervousness among BJP leaders and is an affront to all women," he tweeted.

Earlier in the day, the National Commission for Women said it would formally issue a notice to Singh seeking an explanation from her. PTI
sanjiv@tribunemail.com

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 19

Ahead of the Republic Day event this year, 21 children from across the country are finding themselves at the centre of a storm over the status of the coveted National Bravery Awards.

An ugly situation has arisen in the capital where these children have parked themselves in the hope of attending the R-Day Parade as promised by the Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW), the NGO associated with the National Bravery Awards since 1957.

But the reality is that these kids (among them children from Jammu and Himachal) wont get to be part of the R-Day event this time. The reason  ICCW stands booked for embezzlement of government funds after the Delhi High Court recently questioned its financial integrity on a complaint filed by one of its employees. The FIR has been registered by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, which was funding ICCW for the National Creche Scheme as well as the National Bravery Awards.

Following evidence of financial fraud, the ministry dissociated from the NGO, informing it that they wont be supporting the ICCW version of the Bravery Awards.

Meanwhile, the ministry reinvented the national childrens awards for this year and included bravery as one of the categories under the awards now called Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, 2019. The National Selection Committee met last week under the chairpersonship of WCD Minister Maneka Gandhi and selected 26 children under various heads, including bravery. These children will be part of the official R-Day Parade contingent this year and will be presented the Awards by President Ram Nath Kovind.

In a letter to ICCW, the Ministry asked the NGO leaders not to select children for any bravery awards following the financial fraud. It also told the ICCW to ask potential bravery award candidates to apply online with the National Childrens Awards portal launched in August 2018.

It was much later that we learnt of ICCW running a parallel award selection process despite our repeated intimations to them not to do so. We sent letters to ICCW urging them not to give false hopes to children about attendance of the Republic Day Parade. We told ICCW leaders they should not use false pretences to mislead children or their wards as the Government had dissociated itself from the NGOs events and had undertaken its own selection for national childrens awards. We now learn ICCW has got 21 children to the capital promising them bravery awards. This is quite unfortunate, WCD Ministry Joint Secretary Aastha Khatwani told The Tribune today.

This after ICCW president Gita Sidharth said she had not got any intimation from the ministry about whether the 21 children in question will get to attend the R-Day Parade.

The ministry, however, cited letters to ICCW making its dissociation from the NGO clear well in time.

The ICCW has been handling the National Bravery Awards since 1957 and 963 children have so far been presented with the awards.

The Delhi HC recently indicted the NGO for financial irregularities and appointed a team of administrators consisting of WCD Ministry officials to oversee its financial functioning pending further inquiry.
shriaya.dutt@tribuneindia.com

Tribune Web Desk

Chandigarh, January 20

A video that surfaced online showed a 75-year-old woman pleading and begging a police officer to lodge an FIR over the death of her 20-year-old grandson recently went viral.

In the video, the elderly woman, Brahma Devi, can be seen falling at the policemans feet begging him to register a case. Brahma Devi had gone to the Gudamba police station in Lucknow after her labourer grandson Akash Yadav died in a plywood factory.

Akash was crushed under a malfunctioning machine in the factory, his grandmother said.

After the video viral went viral on social media and drew outrage, the police inspector, Tej Prakash Singh, was transferred to the police lines.

A report has been filed and the case in under investigation, Pratap said.

"We will examine the whole video, find out the circumstances (of his death) and act further," Senior Police Inspector Harendra Singh said in Lucknow.

However, the relatives wanted a case against Ajay Gupta, the owner of the plywood factory. Gupta has been missing since the day of the incident.

Locals say the machines were outdated and needed severe repair.
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

New Delhi, January 20

Untrained forest officials and delayed compensation to victims of big cat attacks are some of the reasons for the steep rise of 40 per cent rise in leopard poaching cases last year in comparison to 2017, wildlife experts say.

Terming leopard poaching cases as revenge killing, an official of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) said man-animal conflict was the primary reason which the government needs to address swiftly.

The NTCA is the statutory body under the Ministry of Environment with an overarching supervisory role as provided in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

According to data given by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change during the winter session of Parliament, 260 leopards were poached between 2015 and 2018 with 66 big cats falling prey in 2018 alone. The number of poaching incidents was 47 in 2017.

Humans poach leopards in retaliation to attacks on their livestock and the tedious process of compensating for their loss make them take law in their own hands for a quick solution. The process of compensation needs to be expedited to stop this revenge killing, the NTCA official, who did not wish to be named, said.

Expressing a similar concern over the spiralling instances of leopard poaching, an official of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) said human-wildlife conflict is the concentrated in agricultural regions where human population growth begins to encroach on animal territory.

In such situations, wildlife causes destruction to crops, livestock, infrastructure and human lives. Thus, to minimise the human reaction against wild animals, effective mechanism to cover the loss and immediate support in the form of compensation is required, said Tilotama Verma, Additional Director of WCCB.

While the NTCA and WCCB called for effective resolution of the conflict by streamlining the process of compensating the victims in case of attacks, environment activist Gaurav Bansal said it was the forest staff crunch, lack of training and arms for officials that are some of the reasons behind the rise in poaching incidents.

While the poachers have guns, the forest officers have sticks, which are not enough to face them, Bansal, also a lawyer, said.

The view was shared by the NTCA official who said that good quality arms must be provided to the forest officials by the respective state governments.

Weapons for forest officials are being procured in some states like Assam. There have INSAS rifles (Indian Small Arms System) but there is a lack of regular supply of good quality ammunition to them. The state governments must provide proper arms to forest officials to tackle the problem, the official said.

According to the WCCB official, awareness programmes and sensitisation of communities living around forests can reduce leopard poaching.

Leopards are directly poached for their body parts which are sold internationally for medicinal value and decoration. Increased awareness on wildlife, its role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and the immorality of driving another species to extinction will definitely help address issues of poaching of wild animals, Verma said.

The official also held practices like witchcraft and black magic by poor and illiterate communities responsible for poaching of the big cats.

Leopard poaching is an offence under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 which entails up to seven-year imprisonment with a minimum of Rs 25,000 fine.

The experts said this was one of the most stringent and effective wildlife laws in the world.

They also emphasised on providing proper training to the frontline staff of forest and police on the basics of wildlife law and identification of wildlife species.

Minister of State for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Mahesh Sharma had said the law enforcement authorities in states maintain strict vigil against poaching of wild animals including leopards.

According to state-wise date provided by the minister on leopard poaching, Uttarakhand was found with the maximum cases of 15 followed by Madhya Pradesh which had 13 poaching incidents in 2018.

He had said that the state governments and union territories have been requested to strengthen the field formations and intensify patrolling in and around protected areas. PTI
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Madgaon (Goa), January 20

Taking a dig at the Oppositions show of unity during a rally in Kolkata, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said their mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) was an alliance of corrupt, negativity and instability.

The Opposition was staring at a defeat in forthcoming elections and looking for excuses ahead of their impending loss and thus are vilifying electronic voting machines, Modi said, addressing BJPs booth-level workers through video conference.

Leaders from over a dozen Opposition parties gathered in Kolkata on Saturday and vowed to put up a united fight in the coming Lok Sabha elections and oust Modi from power.

Several Opposition leaders at the rally demanded the use of ballot papers instead of EVMs which they said were the source of all sorts of malpractices.

The Oppositions mahagathbandhan is an alliance of corruption, negativity and instability. The Opposition has dhanshakti (money power), we have janshakti (peoples power), Modi said.

He also wished the ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar a speedy recovery, and called him the architect of modern Goa. PTI
shalender@tribune.com

Actress Aditi Rao Hydari will be walking the ramp at a fashion show in Mumbai to raise funds for charity.

She will be walking at the event for free to raise funds.

The event is happening in collaboration with an NGO called Saharchari Foundation. The funds will be raised and the proceeds will be used for supporting charities and non-profit organisations focused on empowering women. "It's a great honour to associate with Sahachari Foundation IANS
shalender@tribune.com

Manpriya Singh

lmost all the buzzwords of the beauty industry have been done and dealt withrejuvenation, organic, aromatherapy. You name it. Before the spa and beauty industry stimulates our senses, its got to go for our imagination. And what appeals more than the spa menus promising mind, body and soul rejuvenation with brand new catchphrases; for chocolate scrubs long got assimilated into neighborhood corner salons. Some of the latest at the spas in the city.

Candle, charcoal & ice-cream

Before you jump the gun, they are three active ingredients in three different signature spa therapies. No longer do you just use candles to brighten up your home but with the advent of skin care with burning candles you brighten up tone and texture of your skin too, Richa Aggarwal, beauty expert, Cleopatra, gets us started on a treatment that she feels is the most successful in dealing with wrinkles, dull skin and anti-ageing.

From burning hot to ice-cold, they next have on board ice-cream hand and feet care. Ice Cream Mani Padi is an indulgent way of taking care of your skin of hands and feet for hydrating, toning, exfoliating and brightening them. Ice-cream ball is rubbed onto the skin and messaged well, exfoliation process begins by adding sugar crystals, black grapes or cherries and oats and several other ingredients popular in the beauty world.

From the milky white ice-cream to black charcoal, they have on board bamboo charcoal-inspired skin care wherein hands and feet are cleaned with charcoal skin nourishing shampoo, which is followed by message, exfoliation and finally application of charcoal pack. She adds, This remains the most purifying way of taking care of skin of hands and feet.

Red wine spa for lovebirds

In a fortnight the countdown to lovebirds global festival, Valentines Day, begins. A red wine scrub and massage may not sound all that new to a few discerning patrons of the latest in the spa world, it definitely sounds fresh to those in the city always on the lookout for the latest.

Affirms Avneet Manchanda, manager, Quan Spa, JW Marriott, Chandigarh,  Its a procedure where we follow in a 30-minute body scrub with red wine as the active ingredient, followed by a 60-minute customised massage with an option of several essential oils. Red wine is known to have anti-ageing properties, she shares.

Hair D-stress spa

We knew of spas taking care of skin and stress, but a recently opened unisex spa and salon Stylush promises to take care of every problem on the table exam anxiety, work pressure or a taxing relationshipwith hair detox and D-stress spa based on Japanese aromatherapy oils, pulse point massage and exfoliating salt scrubs for improving blood circulation and countering headaches. Shares the co-founder Shalu Swani, Japanese live the longest as they believe in going to the gym to exercise and regular D-stress sessions for a pulse point or a head massage and are therefore always mindful.

When the latest is the oldest

No conversation on spa, salon and wellness can be considered exhaustive without taking into consideration what the nature and ancient therapies have to offer. Rejuve the spa at Lalits Chandigarh property promises a spa experience encompassing aroma, Ayurvedic herbal and natural therapies.

Elaborates Imit Arora, GM, We are the only spa in the city with hydrotherapy aqua bed offering Ayurvedic herbal and hammam therapies. We offer our guests the ultimate spa experience through its Ayurvedic, healing, and curavtive therapies. Going by the timeline while that may not sound very new but that definitely sounds novel.

manpriya@tribunemail.com
editorial@tribune.com

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, January 19

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday expelled former Finance Minister Altaf Bukhari for anti-party activities. He has also been accused of conspiring to engineer a split in the party in 2016, soon after the death of then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

Bukhari, 59, who is also an industrialist, was the front runner for the Chief Ministers post for his key role in forging an unprecedented alliance between the PDP, Congress and the National Conference to stake claim to form the government in November last year.

The alliance between the three parties did not materialise in a coalition government as Governor Satya Pal Malik dissolved the Assembly. Bukhari conspired and led dissent in the party at its most crucial stage which resulted in a serious damage to our efforts at implementing the Agenda of Alliance of our coalition government. While the party leadership was engaged in negotiations with its partner and the Government of India insisting on implementing some agreed points before forming the new government, the dissension weakened its bargaining position forcing subsequent events against its will, said a PDP spokesman.

The PDP spokesman said the party had been watching with concern Bukharis activities for quite some time. Ever since the passing of our founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, he has been persuing his personal political ambition at the cost of the party and the states interest, he said.

The spokesman said after the collapse of the coalition in June last year, Bukhari had started open attempts at breaking the party by hobnobbing with its rivals.

The spokesman said Bukhari never tried to clear the impression that he was at the centre of a rebellion which was brewing in the party. Bukhari, a first-time legislator from the Srinagars Amira Kadal constituency, was the likely candidate for the PDP, NC and the Congress when the three parties made a claim to form the government in November last year.
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Jammu, January 20

Indian and Pakistani troops traded fire on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on Sunday.

Defence Ministry sources said here that the Pakistan Army targeted Indian positions in Kalal and Khori areas of Nowshera sector using small arms, automatics and mortars.

"Our troops retaliated strongly and effectively," an official said, adding that the Pakistani firing started at 1 pm.

"Till last reports came in there was no casualty or damage on our side," an official said.

More than two dozen violations of the 2003 bilateral ceasefire by Pakistani troops have taken place during this month in Poonch and Rajouri and on the international border in the Jammu division. IANS
editorial@tribune.com

Amit Khajuria

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 19

Former Finance Minister Altaf Bukhari has questioned the reasons for his expulsion from the Peoples Democratic Party and ridiculed charges levelled by the party against him that he was being overambitious in politics.

Bukhari active political career started when he was made the face of the party at the high-level delegations that met then PM Manmohan Singh at the height of the Kashmir unrest in 2010 along with party president Mehbooba Mufti.

Surprisingly, Bukhari said he was happy over the partys decision (to expel him). He said the reasons given for my expulsion are debatable. He is expected to lay bare the reasons and his side of the story in the next few days.

In a statement, he indirectly spoke of the weaknesses of the egoistic leaders in the PDP and the rise of the leaders who were unknown.

He said: During my journey of active politics I have witnessed agreements and disagreements, gratification and obstructions, brewing resentment and misguided notions.

Power and position have never been an allurement for me as history bears a testimony to it. During this brief stint of my active politics, I also got a chance to witness the downfall of so-called popular leaders and the rise of those who were hitherto unknown in the arena of politics, Bukhari said. He was probably referring to the downfall that the PDP leaders in recent months and his own rise to the point where he was presented as a Chief Ministerial candidate of a coalition of odds that never took off, resulting in the dissolution of the Assembly on November 21 last year.

In an ironic note at the end of his statement, he said: I wish the J&K PDP all the very best!
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 19

The displaced Kashmiri Pandit community held a protest outside Raj Bhawan on Saturday to observe the 30th holocaust dayhere.

A large number of community members attended the protest, which was organised under the banner of the All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference along with prominent socio-political organisations. The members sought justice for the community, which has faced pain and anguish for 29 years in forced exile from the Kashmir valley.

The members submitted a joint memorandum to the Governor listing their demands.

Advocate Ravinder Raina, conference president, said the community had been deceived with a false and hollow promise of rehabilitation in the last 29 years by successive governments.

The government should immediately come out with a blueprint for the return of the community to Kashmir with honour and safety. The community should be declared internally displaced, Raina said. Shiban Khaibri, another protester, asked for a probe by a Supreme Court judge into the alleged genocide and ethnic cleansing of the community.
editorial@tribune.com

Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, January 19

As many as 18 students of a private school were injured when their school bus overturned near Sasan village in the district on Saturday. The bus driver also sustained injuries in the accident.

All injured were rushed to Dr Radhakrishanan Medical College and Hospital. At least 16 students were discharged after the first aid, while Priya (13), Mishul (7) and bus driver Narender Kumar remained admitted to the hospital following serious injuries.

Carrying more than 25 students, the bus of K-Key Public School was on its way to school from Sasan village when it suddenly overturned near the village.

The driver said a technical fault in the steering wheel led to the mishap.

Deputy Commissioner Richa Verma reached the hospital to ensure best treatment to the injured. She said that the police had been directed to investigate the cause of the accident. Meanwhile, the police registered a case and started investigation.

Narender Thakur, MLA, also visited the hospital and enquired about the well-being of the injured.
editorial@tribune.com

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Jind, January 19

With polarisation of voters on caste lines becoming sharper after comments by certain Jat leaders, the Congress on Saturday made an attempt to woo the Punjabi community while the BJP tried to make inroads into Agarwal voters.

Led by Bharat Bhushan Batra, former MLA from Rohtak, several Congress leaders belonging to the Punjabi community (who migrated at the time of Partition) held a press conference to denounce the statements of Jat leader Hawa Singh Sangwan and former Independent MLA Sukhbir Singh Farmana.

Sangwan had termed the Punjabi community, to which Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and BJPs Jind candidate Krishan Midha belong, as Pakistani and had told people not to vote for them.

Farmana, who had addressed a meeting in support of Congress candidate Randeep Surjewala, had likened Punjabis to fritters that look beautiful, but lead to stomachache if eaten.

Though Surjewala had already distanced himself from Farmanas statement and denounced it, the BJP had been exploiting this by saying the Jat leader said all this in the presence of the Congress candidate and state Congress chief Ashok Tanwar, but none objected at that time.

Batra termed Sangwan as an agent of the BJP and criticised Farmanas statement, saying the Congress had nothing to do with him.

With Jat quota violence also casting its shadow on the bypoll, Batra and other Punjabi leaders in the Congress held the BJP government responsible for the February 2016 incidents of arson and violence.

The BJP government holds opposition leaders responsible for quota violence, but Parkash Singh Commission appointed by the government held SPs, IGs, DGP and the Chief Ministers Office responsible for it, Batra claimed.

Meanwhile, Urban Local Bodies Minister Kavita Jain and her husband Rajiv Jain (Khattars media adviser) tried to make inroads into the Agarwal community on Saturday. They met former minister and four-time MLA from Jind Mange Ram Gupta and sought his blessings.

Members of the Agarwal community had been nursing a grouse against the BJP for not giving the ticket to a member of the community. Khattars private secretary Rajesh Goel, who hails from Jind, had been working overtime to woo Agarwal voters.

Meanwhile, Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda on Saturday campaigned for the Congress nominee. Together with Surjewala, Deepender addressed meetings in Ikkas, Intal Kalan, Intal Khurd, Jajwan, Dhanda Kheri, Dariyawala and Sangatpura and sought votes for the Congress.

The BJP government is out to shatter brotherhood, but the Congress believes in unity of all 36 biradari (communities) living in the state, Deepender said.

Surjewala termed himself as Jind ka beta (son of Jind) and said together with Deepender, he would make Jind a more developed town that Rohtak and Kaithal.

Deepender represents Rohtak in Parliament. Randeep MLA from Kaithal at present. Rajya Sabha member Kumari Selja would campaign for the Congress nominee from Sunday.

Abhay Singh Chautala of the INLD on Saturday alleged that the BJP government had been discriminating against the rural youth in the name of providing jobs on merit.

He claimed that those who had studied in rural schools were unable to compete with those who had passed out of urban schools.

Addressing members of District Bar Association in Jind, he said the INLD had already demanded several times that the rural youth should get 20 per cent additional marks in competitions for jobs.

For JJP nominee Digvijay Chautala, his mother and Dabwali MLA Naina Chautala campaigned for the second successive day on Saturday.

Hisar MP Dushyant Chautala addressed a series of election meetings. He alleged that the BJP government had given stepmotherly treatment to Jind in the past four years.

Leaders statements that drew flak
amansharma@tribunemail.com

Varinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 20

The road to greener pastures in Canada has turned a bit difficult for thousands of Punjabis, for the Government of Canada has slightly enhanced its settlement funds (show money) requirement for them.

To achieve their dream to move to Canada permanently, all Permanent Residence (PR) aspirants will now have to show more reserve funds to the Canadian authorities at the time of filing their applications and at the time of landing in Canada.

Meanwhile, the Government of Canada has also started urging the Express Entry candidates to make sure that their profiles were updated and these must reflect their financial position change vis-a-vis funds requirement.

The newly-introduced change involves increase of the requisite minimum settlement funds  show money as it is called in local parlance  by just over 1.5 per cent for each family.

For example, if a single person lands unaccompanied in Canada, he or she will have to show settlement funds to the tune of Canadian $12,669 instead of earlier requirement of $12,474.

The Canadian immigration norms stipulate that all federal skilled workers and federal skilled trades class aspirants or candidates must show proof of settlement funds. The changed norms will have huge impact on Punjabis as they were migrating in thousands to Canada each year.

If a family of five was migrating to and landing in Canada, it will have to show an additional Canadian $410 dollars (approximately Rs 22,025.2, as per today's exchange rates), according to new rules.

No. of family members 2018 2019 Increase 1 $12,474 $12,669 $195 2 $15,530 $15,772 $242 3 $19,092 $19,390 $298 4 $23,181 $23,542 $361 5 $26,291 $26,701 $410 6 $29,652 $30,114 $462 7 $33,013 $33,528 $515

*Figures in Canadian dollars

The objective of the practice to show the funds upon landing in Canada was to ensure that the principal applicant and her or his family members were equipped with financial resources to support themselves for the initial period required for their settlement as permanent residents.

The Canadian Experience Class candidates who were working in Canada on an eligible work permit were, however, exempted from showing the requisite settlement funds. But in case they apply for the Permanent Residence via the federal skilled workers' route, they will have to come out with the 'show money'.

Family members include a spouse or a partner, dependent children and the dependent children of a spouse or partner. IRCC considers a dependent child to be any family member under the age of 22.

Interestingly, the Canadian immigration rules stipulate that family members who were not accompanying the principal applicant at the time of landing in Canada should also be counted and included in the documents and their fee should also be deposited.

The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) requires that small changes, however, should be mentioned by candidates for these could affect a candidate's eligibility. For the same reason, the express entry candidates were required to update their profiles showing that they were having the funds as per new requirements.

The requisite funds, the IRCC norms stipulate, must be readily available with the candidate at the time he or she files an application for permanent residence and when a permanent resident visa is issued. "Upon landing in Canada, the principal applicant will also have to prove to an immigration officer that they have the required amount and access to it," the IRCC norms say.

The funds could not be borrowed and equity on real estate cannot be counted as proof or funds. However, if accompanied by a spouse or a partner, money held in a joint account could be counted towards the settlement funds requirement. The IRCC norms require procurement of official letters from the banks or financial institutions where the money is kept.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Ambala, January 19

The local police have arrested a man for the murder of a Bihar native.

Sanjay, the suspect in Vikas murder case, was arrested from UP. He was produced in a court, which sent him to two-day police remand. The police would recover the weapon used in the crime during the remand.

Vikas (30), a native of Bihar, was killed over a petty issue in Ambala City on Thursday night. He was living with his family at Ratangarh village here.

Savita Devi, the deceaseds wife, had said they had gone to Sector 8, Ambala City, to attend the wedding of her sisters daughter. Some boys, who had come with the marriage party, were continuously dancing. Around 10 pm, Vikas went there and asked them to stop.

Sanjay, the grooms friend, pushed Vikas and stabbed him in the chest. Vikas was taken to the Civil Hospital where he was declared dead.

Ambala City SHO Ajit Singh said, Sanjay has been sent to two-day police remand. The weapon used in the crime is yet to be recovered.
Terre Haute, IN (47803)

Today

Partly cloudy in the morning. Scattered strong thunderstorms developing later in the day. Damaging winds with some storms. High 97F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. Low 71F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall near an inch.
Johnstown, PA (15901)

Today

Partly cloudy skies during the morning hours will become overcast in the afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 81F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely in the evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms later on. A few storms may be severe. Low 68F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
In this file photo, Afghan commandos patrol Pandola village near the site of a U.S. bombing in the Achin district of Jalalabad, east of Kabul, Afghanistan.
featured

WAGES

The $15 minimum wage is going to destroy New Jersey
The human face can be a bit of an open book. Sure we can fake our facial expressions, but in general: Smile = happy, grimace = angry. Even our companion animals have our number  dogs, for example, are very sensitive to the emotional cues we give. But what about other animals?

According to a 2018 study led by scientists at Queen Mary University of London, it appears evident that when it comes to goats at least, the answer is yes.

Published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the researchers explained how 20 goats reacted to images of happy and angry human facial expressions, concluding that the goats preferred to look at and interact with the positive faces.

The research was conducted at Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats in Kent, where the team showed the goats pairs of unfamiliar faces of the same person showing happy and angry expressions.

The goats preferred the happy faces, which elicited greater interaction with the goats approaching them and exploring them with their snouts. The effect was amplified when the happy faces were on the right side, suggesting that goats use the left hemisphere of their brains to process positive emotion.

Taken at the Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats. ChristianNawroth / Wikimedia Commons

First author Dr. Christian Nawroth, pictured above, said in a statement from the University, We already knew that goats are very attuned to human body language, but we did not know how they react to different human emotional expressions, such as anger and happiness. Here, we show for the first time that goats do not only distinguish between these expressions, but they also prefer to interact with happy ones.

The study, which provides the first evidence of how goats read human emotional expressions, implies that the ability of animals to perceive human facial cues is not limited to those with a long history of domestication as companions, such as dogs and horses, notes the researchers.

Dr. with a goat. Alan Mcelligott

Study leader Dr. Alan McElligott, pictured above, said The study has important implications for how we interact with livestock and other species, because the abilities of animals to perceive human emotions might be widespread and not just limited to pets.

This isn't the first look by these researchers into the inner lives of goats that we've reported on here (see: Goats are the new dogs!). In the previous study, the team found that goats have the capacity to communicate with people, just like other domesticated animals such as dogs and horses do. So is it any surprise that they can read our emotions and respond accordingly?

As McElligott said in reference to the earlier study, If we can show that they are more intelligent, then hopefully we can bring in better guidelines for their care. With the research showing that goats are more perceptive than most people realize, hopefully, we're one step closer to achieving that goal.

In conclusion: Baby goats playing and jumping. Because, baby goats playing and jumping.
Ford has unveiled the refreshed Mondeo at the 2019 Brussels Motor Show in Belgium. The Mondeo was looking stale for quite some time now and needed a refresh desperately. However, it did not come alone. It brought along the companys first-ever hybrid wagon and, from our initial impressions, we would call this hybrid-wagon a masterstroke!

Wagons Will Get The Attention They Deserve

Station wagons or Estates have always been popular in Europe.

To think of it, they provide you the ride quality of a low-slung sedan with the practicality of a crossover.

The only fly in the ointment was the way these wagons look; but now, automakers have started paying heed to the aesthetics as well, thus making these elongated hatches a complete package. Even if you consider the U.S. market, station wagons are slowly making a comeback. Although they constitute a fraction of manufacturer sales figures, wagons are seeing a rise in demand here in the States. Automakers who are planning to stop selling wagons here now, cough... BMW... cough, will surely bring them back in the very near future.

Improved Aesthetics

Talking about the refreshed model, the facelifted Mondeo now comes with several new features and improvements over its predecessor. On the outside, the Mondeo comes with a few changes that dont change the looks drastically, but it still feels refreshed. The front comes with a reshaped grille and new inserts on the bumper.

At the rear, the car gains new C-shaped profile intersected by a full-width chrome bar. With that said, the Mondeo still looks like a Mondeo.

Step inside the car, and you will find the gear lever to be missing. This has been replaced by a new rotary shift dial for the automatic transmission. The Mondeo also receives new upholstery and a revised center console that, according to Ford, will give the cabin an even more premium feel. New trim details can be found in the Titanium, ST-Line, and Vignale trims.

Multitude Of Options Under The Hood

Now, this is where our interest lies  the hybrid wagon Mondeo is powered by a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine and an electric motor that produce a combined power output of 187 horses.

Thanks to the 1.4-kWh, lithium-ion battery, the automaker estimates the wagon to deliver approximately 55 miles per gallon.

The wagon will have a cargo space of 14.23 cubic-feet that can be increased to 53.25 cubic-feet with the rear seats flipped down.

If youre looking for an oil-burner, then you will be delighted. The new 2.0-liter mill is set to come in different state of tunes to cater to the sedate as well as enthusiast drivers. The new range of EcoBlue diesel engines come with power ratings of 120 horses, 150 horses, and 190 horses. These new units meet Europes latest Euro 6d Temp emissions standards thanks to a standard SCR emissions after-treatment system. Although the engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, you can opt for the companys new eight-speed automatic that replaces the six-speed dual-clutch PowerShift. This transmission is expected to optimize efficiency and provide smooth, swift gearshifts. The same 1.5-liter Ecoboost engine that produces 165 horses continues as the only gasoline option. The car will be offered with an optional all-wheel-drive system for certain powertrain configurations.

Tech-heads Will Be Happy

On the tech front, the facelift Mondeo is offered with an optimized adaptive cruise technology with added start-go functionality.

It can bring the vehicle to a complete halt in stop-start traffic, and automatically pull away if the stopping duration is less than three seconds. Not just this, the Mondeo also receives a new speed limiter in combination with sing recognition system which ensures the vehicles maximum speed is automatically adjusted to remain within changing speed limits.

Conclusion

The refreshed Mondeo will reach showrooms in March this year and is expected to carry a starting price tag of 21,995 ($28,500). The new Mondeo Hybrid Wagon will be available from 28,000 ($36,200). Do you think Ford should consider bringing this to the U.S. as well? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2020 Ford Mondeo.

Read our full review on the previous generation Ford Mondeo.
We are dead serious right now. Mitsubishi actually managed to outsell the three brands mentioned in the U.S. Maybe it is some kind of sorcery or Mitsubishi has sprayed some sort of invisible ink, we dont know, but the Japanese giant has managed to move 118,074 cars in 2018 - all of it without socializing at auto-show gatherings or sponsoring many events.

It took us two minutes to lift our jaws back LISTEN 03:52

Quite an Astonishing Feat

First things first, Mitsubishi recorded a growth of 13.9-percent in 2018 when compared to the year preceding that. This six-figure sales number happens to be the companys best since recession in 2008. If you remember, Mitsubishi used to actually advertise its cars back then, but lately, we barely get to see or hear about it. To give credit where its due, Mitsubishi has pinned some drool-worthy brands clean.

In the same time-frame, Land Rover sold 92,143 vehicles, Volvo moved 98,263 cars, and Lincoln managed to sell 103,587 cars and SUVs.

This is quite surprising given that the Japanese does not have a diverse lineup as it did a decade back, and neither is it aggressively venturing into EVs and autonomous cars.

Smart Strategies at the Right Time Saved The Company

Even though we have seen and heard all the above mentioned brands marketing their cars and SUVs through as many as advertising mediums as possible, Mitsubishi quietly sat in the back and produced budget cars that did not need high-level marketing or advertising. In fact, Google, does Mitsubishi, and you will be surprised to see the suggestions.

Some people think Mitsubishi capsized after the recession last decade and thinks the company stopped manufacturing cars.

So, how did such a company manage to achieve the unthinkable? While some may call it luck, it is because Mitsubishi anticipated the crossover demand before other brands could. Currently, Mitsubishi sells a trio of crossovers - the Outlander, Outlander Sport, and Eclipse Cross, which are doing fairly well in the market, apart from a few other cars which complete its portfolio.

What They Had To Say

Speaking to The Drive in regards to the companys fast-rising sales, Mitsubishis President and CEO, Fred Diaz, said, "This isnt something we take lightly. We attribute it to having the right products at the right time. Our product planning team saw the CUV trend coming and committed the brand to having a competitive lineup of vehicles positioned for growing demand in the crossover utility vehicle segment."

Quality Products with a Reasonable Price Tag

What also played a big part in the companys success is the affordability factor.

The average price of a car sold in the U.S. is $37,577; and the starting price of every single Mitsubishi sold is less than that, except the Outlander PHEV.

Mitsubishi offers all the basic creature comforts and some additional features like the touchscreen infotainment system, 10-year warranty on powertrain, and easy-pay options spread across four years at 0-percent APR. Who wouldnt get lured by such schemes that make any Mitsubishi product a value-for-money proposition?

Our Take

The current crop of Mitsubishi cars are not made for enthusiasts. Period. But the automaker has managed to hit the sweet spot in terms of the pricing and the products itself. The companys plug-in hybrid, the Outlander PHEV, also feels like a decent package for 36,000 bucks. We dont know what Mitsubishi has planned for the EV future, but expect the company to grow all the more in the coming years. What are your thoughts on the Mitsubishi cars? Share them with us in the comments section below.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

Read our full review on the 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross.

Read our full review on the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport.
Well, there is a lot linking the two visually, without having to dig under the skin to find the connection. There are plenty of places around (and especially in) the Supra that just scream BMW, so one could almost be tempted to call it a Z4 hardtop with Toyota styling cues and tuning by Toyota . Frankly, the styling is the most different part of the two vehicles - they are the definition of badge engineering, but lets go a little deeper into analyzing just what links these two models and what sets them apart (if anything).

The fact that BMWs new Z4 is underneath very similar to the new Toyota Supra is no secret and neither of the two manufacturers ever tried to cover this link up. In fact, weve known from the start that the new Supra would end up being developed on BMW underpinnings, with BMW engines and parts. But how deep does the connection go, given Toyotas claim that the two vehicles were developed separately (albeit using common bits)?

Here are seven ways in which Supra is the same as the Z4 LISTEN 04:03

1. The Supras interior is almost all blatantly BMW but not as nice as the Z4s

Comparing photos of the 2020 Toyota Supras interior with what BMW is offering in its new Z4, two facts become immediately apparent: first, the BMW is much nicer and more modern feeling inside than the Toyota - it looks one generation of cars ahead of it in terms of interior design. Second, the Supras interior is a mishmash of older BMW bits which if youve ever driven a fairly recent Bimmer will be instantly recognizable to you.

The Toyotas interior is not bad per se, but it looks nowhere near as posh as the BMWs. And the fact that it has so many buttons and switches from a five-year-old 3-Series makes it worse still, although only when comparing it to the Z4 - against other cars from other brands, it will stack up better, although not as good as the BMW.

Not convinced the Supras interior is more Bavarian than Neuschwanstein Castle? Let me mention all the bits Toyota borrowed from BMW for its Supra interior:

Automatic gearbox selector

Sport mode button and Console

Electric parking brake button

Rotary knob for the iDrive infotainment system

Moving up the center console, we find even more BMW DNA in the form of the climate controls that look like they came straight out of a 1-Series, as well as the strip of programmable numbered buttons above it.

The vents for the climate control dont look BMW, though, but the integrated trapezoidal button for the hazards does look like it could be from some BMW, I just havent been able to pinpoint which one.

The infotainment screen above certainly looks like a BMW unit, but even if the screen itself isnt from the German manufacturer, the software it displays definitely is, although Toyota has obviously changed it to suit its new Supra. And, I wouldnt really complain that the Supra looks like it has iDrive since it is one of the best systems out there - especially if the Supra has the latest version installed.

Around the steering wheel area, the buttons on the two horizontal wheel prongs are identical to what you see in the 1- and 3-Series (the old 3-Series, that is).

The wheel itself doesnt seem to be a BMW wheel, but it may be and its just hidden by the way its trimmed. Lurking behind the wheel, though, we find BMW stalks on the left and right - hopefully, the Supra doesnt have the ridiculous and infuriating non-self-canceling turn signal level

Going to the left of the steering wheel we are greeted by a distinctly BMW lights panel. However, this part looks like the one from newer BMWs (new Z4 included), although its not as nice as the one on the BMW. The Z4 gets a nice silver button in the middle for that extra bit of class.

But there is more: the door handles also appear to be very similar to those of the Z4, although on the Toyota you dont get the buttons for the electric seat memory function integrated in the same panel.

The Supra has lock/unlock buttons on both doors, though, integrated behind the handle itself, whereas in the BMW the buttons are placed in front of the handle.

The switches for the windows and mirrors are hard to judge because they look similar from manufacturer to manufacturer. However, theres no disguising the buttons for the seat memory function, located on the Supra right where youd find them in the old 3-Series or current 1-Series. Its hard to say whether or not the seats are entirely BMW units or if just bits for the base and structure are used.

Finally, I also noticed the Supras pedals are absolutely identical to those of the Z4, with exactly the same design and silver trim. Oh, and the rearview mirror (as well as the buttons around it) and the side mirrors also have a whiff of BMW about them.

2. Both Supra engines are BMW-sourced

The new Toyota Supra will be offered with either a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo or a 3.0-liter six-cylinder turbo engine and both units come straight from BMW. The smaller engine (internally known as B48B20), will be available in two states of tune (197 and 255 horsepower) which directly mirror the outputs the same unit has, say, in a MINI Cooper S and a BMW 330i respectively.

Its unclear just how much Toyota has changed this engine for the Supra, but the unit undeniably comes from BMW, as does the larger 3.0-liter, an engine which you usually find powering 40i-badged BMWs. In the Supra, it is tuned to make 335 horsepower and 494 Nm / 365 pound-feet of torque, which is actually 6 Nm less than what it makes in the Z4. Power for all engine version is currently sent to the rear wheels exclusively through the a ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox, the exact same one BMW has in its Z4.

Whats a bit peculiar is that even though the six-cylinder Supra has the same engine with basically the same output, the BMW Z4 is two tenths faster to sprint to 100 km/h or 62 mph; it is a bit amusing that BMW dropped its claimed sprint time for the fastest current Z4 from 4.1 to 3.9 seconds after Toyota announced the Supra was capable of sprinting to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds, undoubtedly simply in order to outdo the Japanese automaker on paper - it will obviously be very interesting to see how these two cars compare out on a track, but that head to head comparo is still some months away.

This may reveal whether or not one of or both manufacturers are underrating the engine and performance numbers which could prove quite different in the real world.

3. They have the exact same wheelbase

While overall width and length is slightly off between the two, the distance between its axles is exactly the same (both wheelbase and track). The Supra is longer overall, but slightly narrower than the Z4 and its also about half an inch lower too. What this means is that the platform itself (the chassis) is identical and only the body that sits on top is different.

The hard points for mounting the suspension are also identical as is the suspension setup itself, although it is said the two vehicles have different characters out on the road.

4. Toyota assures us Supra will handle differently compared to the Z4

So while the two vehicles may be mechanically identical, both manufacturers insist their car has unique handling characteristics. The BMW Z4 has already been tested by automotive journalists at its international launch venue and they say its a fun car, but not one thats overly playful or especially rewarding to drive fast, mirroring a bit of the more laid back character of previous Z4 generations.

The Supra, however, which is cheaper and more fun oriented should be a bit more lively and tail happy than the BMW. If you read the official press blurb for the Supra, you will see a lot on the idea of specific tuning which according to Toyota will make the Supra its own car that will feel different to the Z4.

6. The biggest difference between them is how they look and the fact that one is a hardtop and the other a convertible, as well as the level of perceived luxury

Frankly, the biggest difference between the Z4 and Supra (at least on paper) is related to price. The BMW with a four-cylinder engine is about the same price as a six-pot Supra for what is essentially the same car.

What sets each model apart is that one is a convertible and the other a hardtop, but its not just that. The BMW feels like the much more luxurious automobile of the two, with a much better appointed cabin, classier details and an overall feeling that it costs more money.

The Toyota, on the other hand, is less focused on feeling luxurious and more on driving dynamics and enjoyment. But well have to wait for the first cars to get tested to make sure this is the case.

7. Both vehicles will be built out of the same plant in Austria

What further proof do you need that the two cars are very similar than the fact that they will both be assembled alongside at the Magna Steyr plant in Graz, Austria. Besides, the fact that they jointly developed these two sports cars shows both companies are looking to save a few pennies so having the same factory build both models probably makes a lot of financial sense for them.

Further Reading

Toyota Supra Returns After 21 Years with BMW Engine; And its Not Cheap

Read our review of the 2020 Toyota Supra

Check out our full review of the 2014 Toyota FT-1 Concept

Convertible Top Can be Stowed in 10 Seconds

Read our full, in-depth review of the 2019 BMW Z4
Kansas City Women's March Focuses On Empowerment, Not Trump Despite bitterly cold temperatures, hundreds of people took to the streets of the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City Saturday afternoon for the third annual Women's March, a celebration of and rally for inclusiveness and women's empowerment. Joining similar rallies across the country, marchers wearing woven pink hats carried signs in support of causes ranging from LGBTQ rights to expansion of Medicare.

Lord forgive us for our cynicism . . . Still, this gaggle of healthy ladies wearing warm clothes walking through a shopping district seems more like a victory lap than a battle against injustice.Credit to this coverage which does mention controversy surrounding the event and notes the effort to recruit a more diverse crowd amid what seems like an exceptionally angry Abercrombie & Fitch advert Take a look:
OLATHE, KS (KCTV) -- The Olathe Fire Department had to rescue a deer who fell through ice on Sunday afternoon. It happened at Lake Olathe at about 12:30 p.m. The fire department said in a tweet that the deer was stuck in five feet of water but that they were able to get it out.
Report: Patrick Mahomes could land $200 million Chiefs contract after 2019 season According to a story posted by ESPN's Adam Schefter on Sunday morning, Patrick Mahomes could sign a $200 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. Schefter says that league sources tell him the Chiefs intend to renegotiate Mahomes' contract as soon as it is eligible, which would be after the 2019 season.

Fun fact forwarded by the best and brightest of our blog community aswhich is usually the benchmark for most crumbling societies or at least a foreshadowing of upheaval underway.Read more:
Hundreds brave bitter temperatures Saturday to take part in Women's March Kansas City | The Kansas City Star With a stiff north wind and temperatures in the mid-teens, about 600 women, men and children braved Saturday's bitter conditions to take part in Women's March Kansas City

This isn't reporting or journalism it's state run propaganda and doesn't even provide locals with a full glimpse of the discourse surrounding a controversial topic . . . Today the newspaper silenced progressive voices of dissent in order to push an Anti-Trump agenda. Meanwhile,Tomorrow, they'll charge rubes 4 bucks for this . . .
[January 20, 2019] President Clinton Provides a Powerful Message to Attendees of the World Patient Safety, Science & Technology Summit

For the 7th year in a row, President Clinton presented the keynote address at the World Patient Safety, Science & Technology Summit. In his speech, President Clinton commended attendees on the 273,077 lives saved over the last 7 years and asked participating clinicians, hospitals and healthcare technology companies to recruit others to join them. He stated, "I'm grateful that the movement just in the last year alone saved more than 90,000 lives. I'm grateful for the 4,700 hospitals at home and around the world that are part of this effort. I'm grateful that 89 technology companies have committed to share data to develop algorithms and predict dangerous trends. And I hope there will be more. I'm very happy that this is increasingly a global effort. The patient safety movement now has 35 regional chairs leading local networks across 50 countries." He continued, "My most important message is to please stay active in this, please get more people active in it and don't give up." This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190120005015/en/ Former President Bill Clinton's Keynote address at the 7th Annual World Patient Safety, Science & Technology Summit (Photo: Business Wire) After his speech, President Clinton sat down with the Founder & Chairman of the Patient Safety Movement, Joe Kiani, on stage and they discussed the state of the world today, the dangers of apathy, global warming and the opioid epidemic. President's Clinton's speech and discussion with Kiani will be on the Patient Safety Movement's YouTube (News - Alert) channel next week: https://www.youtube.com/user/0x2020 Other keynotes included speaker Daniel J. Cole, presenting the emerging challenge of Delirium from the perspective of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). New Actionable Patient Safety Solution Introduced in Medication Safety: Drug Shortages By addressing drug shortages in the healthcare system, caused by such factors as business decisions, manufacturing problems, and product discontinuation, hospitals can mitigate possible delays in treatment protocol and the increased likelihood of medical errors due to subpar substitutes. "We can't hope for zero preventable harm and deaths, we need to plan for it and put the proper patient safety processes in place," says Joe Kiani, Founder and Chairman of the Patient Safety Movement Foundation. "Patient safety experts from around the world have done the heavy lifting and created proven solutions. These APSS are available to every hospital and thousands have implemented one or two APSS but sadly, only 4 hospitals have implemented all of them. We hope to see every hospital implement every APSS in 2019." Summit presetations today included:



Healthcare Technology Leadership Panel - Medtronic's Chairman & CEO Omar Ishrak was the moderator of the panel, consisting of Dr. Donald Rucker, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, US Department of Health and Human Services; Ed Cantwell (News - Alert) , President & Chief Executive Officer, Center for Medical Interoperability; Anders Wold, President and Chief Executive Officer, Clinical Care Solutions GE Healthcare; Jan Kimpen, Chief Medical Officer, Philips (News - Alert) ; and Katherine Kay, Patient Advocate, discussing how hospitals are leveraging open data to create interoperability.

- Medtronic's Chairman & CEO Omar Ishrak was the moderator of the panel, consisting of Dr. Donald Rucker, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, US Department of Health and Human Services; Ed Cantwell (News - Alert) , President & Chief Executive Officer, Center for Medical Interoperability; Anders Wold, President and Chief Executive Officer, Clinical Care Solutions GE Healthcare; Jan Kimpen, Chief Medical Officer, Philips (News - Alert) ; and Katherine Kay, Patient Advocate, discussing how hospitals are leveraging open data to create interoperability. Pushing Transparency and Aligned Incentives Through Policymakers Panel - The panel, consisting of Larry Smith, Vice President, Risk Management Services, MedStar Health; Aidan Fowler, National Director of Patient Safety, Deputy, Chief Medical Officer England, NHS Improvement, Department of Health and social care; Scott Morrish, patient advocate; and Congressman Harley Rouda, was moderated by former Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona, discussed the need for aligned incentives.

- The panel, consisting of Larry Smith, Vice President, Risk Management Services, MedStar Health; Aidan Fowler, National Director of Patient Safety, Deputy, Chief Medical Officer England, NHS Improvement, Department of Health and social care; Scott Morrish, patient advocate; and Congressman Harley Rouda, was moderated by former Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona, discussed the need for aligned incentives. Delirium Panel : An Emerging Patient Safety Challenge - Moderated by Dr. Michael A. E. Ramsay, the panel, consisting of Dr. Pratik Pandharipande, Professor and Chief of Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Lee Fleisher, Professor and Chair of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Chair Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, ASA Perioperative Brain Initiative; Adrian Gelb, Secretary, Distinguished Professor (Emeritus), World Federation Societies of Anesthesiologists, University of California, San Francisco; Dr. David Scott, Director of Anesthesia & Acute Pain Medicine, Prof. at School of Med, Chair of Perioperative Cogn., St. Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Australia, University of Melbourne, Alzheimer's Association Int.; Dr. Daniel Arnal Velasco, Patient Safety and Quality Committee Chair, President ESA, SENSAR; and Audrey Curtis, patient advocate, discussed how delirium can be prevented in half the estimated 2.6 million patients affected by it in the U.S. each year.

- Moderated by Dr. Michael A. E. Ramsay, the panel, consisting of Dr. Pratik Pandharipande, Professor and Chief of Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Lee Fleisher, Professor and Chair of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Chair Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, ASA Perioperative Brain Initiative; Adrian Gelb, Secretary, Distinguished Professor (Emeritus), World Federation Societies of Anesthesiologists, University of California, San Francisco; Dr. David Scott, Director of Anesthesia & Acute Pain Medicine, Prof. at School of Med, Chair of Perioperative Cogn., St. Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Australia, University of Melbourne, Alzheimer's Association Int.; Dr. Daniel Arnal Velasco, Patient Safety and Quality Committee Chair, President ESA, SENSAR; and Audrey Curtis, patient advocate, discussed how delirium can be prevented in half the estimated 2.6 million patients affected by it in the U.S. each year. Leading Causes of Preventable In-Hospital Deaths Panel - Moderated by patient safety champion Dr. Tami Minnier. This panel, consisting of Carole Hemmelgarn, patient advocate; Dr. Helen Macfie, Chief Transformation Officer, MemorialCare Health System; Thomas J. Kallstrom, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, American Association for Respiratory Care; and Clifford Hughes (News - Alert) , Immediate Past President & Chairman of Board Accreditation Council, and International Society for Quality in Health Care, examined the flipside of how patient safety is typically viewed. Instead of a Safety I perspective, where the focus is on creating an environment where "as few things as possible go wrong," the panel highlighted the Safety II perspective that emphasizes ensuring "as many things as possible go right." The evening ended with a special musical performance by the two-time Grammy nominee Belinda Carlisle. She shared that this cause is close to her heart as she too has lost both family and friends due to medical errors. For more information, please visit the Patient Safety Movement Foundation website. Members of the media may request a digital media kit by emailing irene@prfordolphins.com

About The Patient Safety Movement Foundation More than 200,000 people die every year in U.S. hospitals and 4.8 million worldwide in ways that could have been prevented. The Patient Safety Movement Foundation is a global non-profit which creates free tools for patients and hospitals. The Patient Safety Movement Foundation was established through the support of the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation, and Competition in Healthcare to reduce that number of preventable deaths to ZERO. Improving patient safety will require a collaborative effort from all stakeholders, including patients, healthcare providers, medical technology companies, government, employers, and private payers. The Patient Safety Movement Foundation works with all stakeholders to address the problems with actionable solutions for patient safety. The Foundation also convenes the World Patient Safety, Science & Technology Summit. The Summit brings together some of the world's best minds for thought-provoking discussions and new ideas to challenge the status quo. By presenting specific, high-impact solutions to meet patient safety challenges, called Actionable Patient Safety Solutions, encouraging medical technology companies to share the data their products are purchased for, and asking hospitals to make commitments to implement Actionable Patient Safety Solutions, the Patient Safety Movement Foundation is working toward ZERO preventable deaths. Visit patientsafetymovement.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190120005015/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[January 20, 2019] Reference Customers are Very Satisfied With Torry Harris, Says Independent Research Firm

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, January 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Torry Harris Business Solutions (THBS), a global leader in integration, full life-cycle API management and digital transformation, announced that they have been named a 'Strong Performer' in The Forrester Wave: API Management Solutions, Q4 2018. Forrester says, "Overall, the reference customers provided by Torry Harris Business Solutions are very satisfied with both vendor and product." Forrester, in its Wave report notes that: "Torry Harris Business Solutions is a full-fledged systems integrator that treats its API management solution as a versioned, supported product. This provides a strong combination of broad out-of-the-box product features and innovative API strategy and delivery skills."

"Its product strategy is driven by a vision for platform business models and disruptive ecosystems. This, in turn, is exemplified by a corollary product, Digit Market (not part of this evaluation), which wraps the API management core with additional marketplace capabilities."

" Torry Harris productizes multiple other elements usful to an API platform, such as API testing tools, a repository, build tools, documentation authoring, and API business strategy planning."



Shuba Sridhar , Vice President - Strategic Initiatives, Torry Harris Business Solutions, "Digital Transformation is about automated integration. Done right, APIs & API Management are a means to succeed with automated integration. Glad that THBS has been recognized in the API Management space. Automating integration has been the core focus area of the company for more than two decades!" A complimentary copy of The Forrester Wave: API Management Solutions can be downloaded HERE.

About THBS Torry Harris Business Solutions is a multinational provider of business, technology and IT consulting services. It specializes in the areas of Integration, Platform Services, Full life-cycle API Management and Digital Transformation Services. THBS has been appraised at level 5 of the CMMI Institute's Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI Level 5). The company has been assessed and certified for ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001 & ISO 26001. THBS is also compliant with Payment Card Industry's Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). The company has its offshore development centres in Bangalore & Gurgaon (India). It has offices in Bristol (UK), New Jersey (USA), Dubai (UAE), Dublin (Ireland), Munich (Germany), Paris (France) and Vienna (Austria). Visit https://www.thbs.com/ to know more about the company, its services & products. Media Contact:

Diganta Kumar Barooah

marketing@thbs.com

+91-80-41827200

Torry Harris Business Solutions



[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Netcracker Leads Discussion on Innovative Cloud Technology and Disruptive Market Approaches at Digital Transformation Middle East 2019

From the Netcracker Press Office:

What: Netcracker Technology announced today that it will lead the conversation on leveraging cloud technologies to drive and monetize digital transformation for service providers at TM Forum's (News - Alert) Digital Transformation Middle East 2019 event this week. The Company will lead a number of discussions during the event, as well as exhibit in booth #9.

When: January 21-22, 2019

Where: The Grosvenor House in Dubai, UAE

Details: At the show, Netcracker Technology's Chief Strategy Officer, Sanjay Mewada, will lead the discussion on the impact of innovation and new technology adoption on digital disruption.

On Monday, January 21st, Mr. Mewada will participate inthe session "Driving Digital Transformation with Innovative Technology." The session will take place at 11:25am in room Windsor 1.







On Tuesday, January 22nd, Mr. Mewada will speak on "A Disruptive Market Approach to Expand in B2B." Mewada will address how today's operators can leverage the cloud B2B market to monetize new services and deliver more rewarding digital experiences to customers. The Expert Insights session will take place at 11:50am in room Windsor 1.

For more information or to schedule a meeting with Netcracker at the show, contact Juliet Shavit at jshavit@smartmarkusa.com.

About Netcracker Technology

Netcracker Technology, a wholly owned subsidiary of NEC (News - Alert) 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.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190119005001/en/
The State Examinations Commission is reviewing exam rules for bereaved students after a young woman spoke of being forced to sit her Leaving Cert business paper the day after her mother s death .

Rhona Butler from Carrick-on-Suir, said her mother died of cancer on June 13th last in the middle of her Leaving Cert exams.

The following day, she had to go into school to sit her business exam or risk repeating the Leaving Cert the following year.

My school couldnt have done anything for me, they would have if they could have . . . I didnt want to make it any more abnormal than it was, she said

After her mother was buried on Saturday, Ms Butler was back on Monday to complete her accounting exam.

https://www.tipperarylive.ie/news/home/358461/carrick-on-suir-student-whose-mother-died-during-her-leaving-cert-campaigns-for-bereaved-students-to-be-allowed-sitexams-later-in-the-summer.html

She made a plea for there to be an option for those dealing with bereavement to take their exams a few weeks later, rather than waiting a whole year more.

If I didnt show up on the day, that was my problem. It wasnt the departments, they didnt care, she said.

In a statement, a spokesman for the State Examinations Commission (SEC) said it has been undertaking a review of its reasonable accommodation scheme for students who suffer traumatic events or illnesses at exam time.

The SEC is very alert to the difficulties which some students encounter in their lives at examinations time,he said.

A spokesman for Minister for Education Joe McHugh said the Minister rang Ms Butler on Thursday after listening back to her radio interview.

Minister McHugh firmly believes that reviewing how we look after and support students who suffer a close family bereavement at exam time is an important step, he said.

Minister McHugh has assured Ms Butler that the issue was immediately raised with officials.
Farmington, WV (26555)

Today

Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. Hot. High near 85F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. Low 67F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are sparing no expense while renovating their new home, Frogmore Cottageand the latest reports reveal how much they're spending, and on what!

According to The Times of London, the royal couple will throw down $3.8 million on Frogmore, which is located on the grounds of Windsor Castle, about 30 miles west of London. That might seem like a lot of money to spend, but keep in mind these former servants' quarters need a lot of work. For one, they'll be taking the cottage's five apartments and merging them into one 10-bedroom home.

And besides, these are the Duke and Duchess of Sussex we're talking about, so we doubt there'll be much need for corner-cutting.

"Renovations using the best finishes with top-of-the-line, custom 'everything' is $1,000 per square foot," says Michael Hershkowitz, a contractor and founder of REDOnyc in New York City. "Plus they are including structural work[$3.8 million] is probably not an unreasonable figure."

So where will that money go? Here's a rundown of the renovations reportedly in the works.

A green energy unit

Meghan and Harry are planning to install a $60,000 green energy unit. Um, what's that? It's a way to provide heat, hot water, and electricity to the home with minimal carbon emissions. After all, this royal couple is passionate about the environment! In fact, two of the seven charities they supported at their wedding were environmental charities, according to Live Kindly.

We don't have particulars on the exact type of green energy unit, but given the size of the home, one likely possibility cited by experts is a solar water-heating unit, a hybrid system that uses solar water heating along with other low-carbon technologies like a heat pump or a wood boiler, according to Simple Energy Advice. In addition to being environmentally-friendly, these units save on energy costs over time.

A floating floor

A floating floor sounds like the stuff of fairy tales, making it perfect for a royal couple.

The reality is a bit more mundane, though. When it comes to flooring, a "floating floor" refers to an installation method. Floating floors are held in place with tongue and groove joints rather than being nailed or glued to the original flooring, according to Networx.

"There are all sorts of reasons to go with a floating floor," says California real estate developer Tyler Drew. "Floating floors are often popular with houses that lack cement foundation and rely on wood joists for support."

A mom/baby yoga studio

Meghan is building a yoga room, with a special springy floor typically found in dance studios, according to the Daily Mail. Hey, only the best for mom and tot. And after all, this baby's grandmother is a yoga instructor!

Additional fireplaces

Harry and Meghan will also be adding a few grand fireplaces, the Mail reports, a delightfully homey touch. Can't you easily envision them reading a book to their little one in front of a cozy fire?

More stairs

More stairs will be added to the home, too. Most likely this is to ensure "that security personnel can move through the house without disturbing the occupants," according to Drew.

In other words: No need for random bump-ins with bodyguards, since they'll have their own methods of navigating from story to story.

Security

Frogmore Cottage is currently highly accessible, which won't work for the royal couple. While the exact details of their plans are unknown, one unnamed source told The Times that Frogmore's security measures will be more "like Fort Knox" by the time they're done. Experts surmise that these measures will include fencing, road closures, alarms, and video cameras, among other things.

A satellite dish

Plans for the cottage also include what some see as a real eyesore: an outside satellite dish.

It looks like these royals enjoy their TV time! What better way to unwind after a long day of diplomatic duties than tuning in to a rousing rugby match?

Still, the dish has ruffled some locals' feathers. In the words of one historian interviewed by The Sun, with typical British understatement: "Oh, dear, a satellite dish. It's not quite right."

Right or wrong, what the royals want, the royals get.

The post Inside Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's $3.8M Renovationand One Horrible Eyesore They're Adding appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
Forty years ago, I was invited to join a small elementary school as principal. Today, we have more than 2,000 students enrolled in programs that stretch from pre-school to post-graduate. What I learned along the way tells me that the new state Education Department guidelines for non-public schools are a mistake.

There is no one-size-fits-all for schools, teachers or students. I am equally proud of all of our alumni, whether they go on to become rabbis, attend Harvard Law School or become plumbers and electricians after graduating from our vocational program.

That is what is troubling about the new guidelines released by the Education Department in November and revised last month. They are a top-down, uniform, across-the-board set of mandates for nearly 2,000 distinct religious and independent private schools.

The guidelines impose a long list of classes that we must teach, not only in core subjects such as English and math, but also dance, theater and career development. They even empower local school districts to evaluate our teachers.

The parents who choose our school do so at great financial sacrifice. They pay the same real estate and other school taxes as everybody else, plus they must bear the burden of tuition. They choose our school because they want an education that is rooted in Jewish texts and informed by Jewish morality, history, culture, ideals and hopes.

What they do not want is a curriculum chosen by the local school district, a school schedule that is subject to the approval of the local school board or teachers who answer to Albany.

My perspective is that of a Jewish school leader, but concern about the guidelines is ecumenical. The Archdiocese of New York put it well: "Every school has a culture of its own that is a profound influence over the children. Religious schools reinforce the faith in every activity, including in the teaching of secular subjects. Moral values are taught not just by instruction, but by example. Religious parents want their kids to grow up in that kind of environment."

Religious school leaders are also concerned that control over the academic curriculum today will lead to control over the values we teach tomorrow. These concerns are not so easily dismissed.

Witness what is occurring in England, where an all-girls Orthodox school was recently designated "inadequate" because students did not receive "a full understanding of the world." The school was criticized for not affirmatively promoting respect for same-sex marriage, for not providing sex education and for not teaching evolution, which is in conflict with the school's religious beliefs.

In the eyes of the U.K. Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills, this all added up to a failure to provide students with "a well-rounded education."

However well-intentioned New York's regulators of today may be, history teaches that once the autonomy of independent and religious schools is undermined, the reach of the state will only expand. Even now, government has "offered" to evaluate our Jewish studies classes, which are chock-full of academic and intellectual value. But an evaluation today will lead to a suggestion tomorrow and a mandate down the road.

The public discussion about yeshivas has been skewed by critics who have diverted attention from the entirety of the yeshiva system and instead focus only on a small subset of schools with a particularly heavy emphasis on Jewish studies.

Their program might not be for everybody or even for most families. But the beauty of a private school system is that each year parents make a choice about whether to enroll their children there. Contrast that with the public school system, where too many children are trapped for too long in failing schools and failing school districts.

There is also a touch of hypocrisy reflected in these guidelines. For years, government officials who have visited our school tell me how wonderful it is. But when asked about the possibility of government support for our academic programs, they invoke the constitutional prohibition against entanglement between church and state.

How then is it possible that government can dictate what our school must teach, how and for how long we must teach it, and even who can teach at our school? If that is not excessive entanglement, and the state can impose those requirements on religious schools, where is the line drawn?

The domestic Jewish miracle of the 20th century was the recreation of Jewish life and learning in the United States after the destruction of the Holocaust. In 1944, there were two dozen Jewish schools in New York, with no more than 5,000 students. Today, there are 165,000 students enrolled in more than 400 Jewish elementary and high schools in New York state, and an equal number elsewhere across the United States.

Those students and schools are not a result of the growth of the Jewish community, they are the cause of it. State regulations cannot be allowed to hinder our mission or hamper our growth.

Rabbi Yaakov Bender is the dean of Yeshiva Darchei Torah, and a member of the rabbinical board of the National Society of Hebrew Day Schools.
ALBANY  A new legislative session at the Capitol in Albany always presents opportunities for lobbyists and their clients hoping to influence state government. But lobbyists entered relatively uncharted waters in January.

The difference is the new Democratic majority in the state Senate, which wrested the chamber away from Republicans to return New York to one-party rule for the first time since 2009.

"This is a totally new dynamic for lobbyists and ... anyone who has business before the state," said former Assemblyman Keith Wright, now the director of government relations at Davidoff Hutcher & Citron.

And in Albany, where relationships are a key to getting business done, Wright joked that firms with strong ties to the Senate Democrats are "probably uncorking a lot of champagne and are ready to party."

After being in the minority for the past eight years, he said, "This is (the Democratic-affiliated firms') time to shine."

One of the firms closely linked to the Senate Democratic Conference is the Parkside Group, which was heavily involved in the electoral victories that led to the conference winning 39 seats, the largest majority in decades.

The lobbying firm is expected to have greater sway in the chamber during the legislative session, although Parkside partner Evan Stavisky declined to comment on the new dynamic.

Conversely, lobbying firms that have in recent years banked on their ties to the Senate Republicans could find themselves on the outside.

Because of the power transition in the Senate, a contract lobbyist remarked, "Everyone is trying to get in and act like they've been there with these guys all along now."

There will also be new relationships forged. On both sides of the aisle, more than a quarter of the chamber's members are new, and influential veteran senators  including Democrat Jeff Klein and Republicans Carl Marcellino and Kemp Hannon  are out of office.

Wright described the turnover as a "revolution."

Before the power shift, one lobbyist said there was a certain level of predictability about where senators would fall on key issues.

Almost immediately after Election Day, lobbyists were scrambling to forge alliances with the incoming class of 15 new Democrats. "There are a lot of people to get to know," remarked an independent lobbyist, who like most lobbyists wanted to remain anonymous when discussing this aspect of business at the Capitol.

And all of new Democrats ascended to positions of powers, taking on leadership roles on committee and subcommittees.

The turnover will also be seen at the staff level. Senate Democrats now get the perk of filling the behind-the-scenes jobs that make the chamber function. New senators and staff members will have much to learn. Almost immediately, they were tossed into the three-month budget process at the start of the session.

Some lobbyists rejected the notion that the fresh faces will give firms extra power to exert their will, but at least one veteran lobbyist expected legislative staffers will look for outside help to draft legislation.

Nearly $130 million was spent lobbying state and local governments in New York during the first six months of last year, an increase of 6.7 percent from the same period in 2017, and it's expected to increase in this year's legislative session.

The vast majority of the spending during this period, about $113 million, went toward compensation for retained and in-house lobbyists, according to data compiled by the state Joint Commission on Public Ethics. Approximately $4.7 million was spent on advertising, almost $789,000 on events and the rest for lobbying-related costs.

The biggest single spender on lobbying was the health care workers union 1199 SEIU, which spent $3.6 million. Other top spenders included the Greater New York Hospital Association at $2.28 million, the New York State Nurses Association at $1.4 million, and Uber at $1.3 millon.

Health care interests will likely be spending even more this year, as a potential government takeover of health care in New York could be a major topic of discussion among progressives during the legislative session.

"The issues are going to change because the political dynamics are changing in the Legislature," said Stavisky.

In addition to the partisan issues, there are initiatives like gambling expansion that will garner significant lobbying spending by interested parties.

When it comes to good government reforms, such as transparency measures and campaign finance changes, there are less likely to be deep-pocketed interests lining up a team of lobbyists to influence the process.

The shifting power in Albany has also altered the legislative process, which is traditionally dominated by the budget for the first three months of the year and ends in June with any remaining major policy items.

"This year has the potential to break that up a bit," Stavisky said.

As he predicted before the legislative session, the Senate, in conjunction with the Assembly, got off to a fast start addressing items stymied by Republican control, including the adoption of electoral reforms and expanding LGBTQ rights.

Next week the Legislature is schedule to pass bills codifying abortion protections and overhauling public education.

David.Lombardo@timesunion.com - 518.454.5427 - @poozer87
Washington

In a bid to break the shutdown impasse and fund his long-promised border wall, President Donald Trump on Saturday offered to extend temporary protection for young people brought to the U.S. illegally as children. But while Trump cast the move as a "common-sense compromise," Democrats were quick to dismiss it at a "non-starter."

Trump declared from the White House that "both sides in Washington must simply come together," adding that he was there "to break the logjam and provide Congress with a path forward to end the government shutdown and solve the crisis on the southern border."

Hoping to put pressure on Democrats, the White House billed the announcement as a major step forward. But Trump did not budge on his $5.7 billion demand for the wall and, in essence, offered to temporarily roll back some of his own hawkish immigration actions  actions that have been blocked by federal courts.

Following a week marked by his pointed clashes with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, it was not clear if Trump's offer would lead to serious steps to reopen the government, shut for a record 29 days. Trump's move came as hundreds of thousands of federal workers go without paychecks, with many enduring financial hardship. Many public services are unavailable to Americans during the closure.

Democrats dismissed Trump's proposal even before his formal remarks. Pelosi said earlier in the day that the expected proposal was "a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives, each of which is unacceptable." The California Democrat said the effort could not pass the House and again called on Trump to reopen the government.

Democrats made their own move late Friday to break the impasse when they pledged to provide hundreds of millions of dollars more for border security.

Seeking to cast the plan as a bipartisan way forward, Trump said Saturday he was incorporating ideas from "rank-and-file" Democrats, as top Democrats made clear they had not been consulted. He also said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would bring the legislation to a vote this week, though Democrats appeared likely to block it. McConnell had previously stated that no vote should be held in the Senate until Trump and Democrats agreed on a bill.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer described the proposal as simply "more hostage taking."

Trump's remarks from the Diplomatic Room marked the second time he has addressed the nation as the partial shutdown drags on. On this occasion, he sought to strike a diplomatic tone, emphasizing trust and the need to work across the aisle. But he still maintained that a border barrier was needed to block what he describes as the flow of drugs and crime into the country, though he described it as "steel barriers in high-priority locations."

The proposal was met with immediate criticism by some in conservative corners, including NumbersUSA, which seeks to reduce both legal and illegal immigration to the U.S. "The offer the President announced today is a loser for the forgotten American workers who were central to his campaign promises," said Roy Beck, the group's president.

At the other end of the political spectrum, Trump's offer was panned by progressive groups, with Anthony Romero, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, calling it a "one-sided proposal."

Trump embraced the shutdown in December in large part because of angry warnings from his most ardent supporters that he was passing up on his last, best shot to build the wall before Democrats took control of the House in the new year. After his announcement Saturday, some supporters appeared unhappy with his effort to bridge the divide with Democrats.

"Trump proposes amnesty," tweeted conservative firebrand Ann Coulter. "We voted for Trump and got Jeb!"

In a briefing with reporters, Vice President Mike Pence defended the proposal from criticism from the right. "This is not an amnesty bill," he insisted.

White House acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney insisted that declaring a national emergency to circumvent Congress  Trump has threatened to do so  remains on the table, but added that the "best way to fix this is through legislation."

Mulvaney also sought to increase the pressure on congressional Democrats in advance of Tuesday, the deadline for the next federal pay period, saying: "If the bill is filibustered on Tuesday...people will not get paid."

Trump's son-in-law and senior aide, Jared Kushner, has led the work on the proposals, said three people familiar with White House thinking who were not authorized to speak publicly. Some said Pence and Mulvaney and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen were involved, too.

To ensure wall funding, Trump said he would extend protections for young people brought to the country illegally as children, known as "Dreamers," as well as for those with temporary protected status after fleeing countries affected by natural disasters or violence.

Administration officials said the protections would apply only to those currently in the Obama-era program shielding them from deportation, and the temporary protected status would apply to those who currently have it and have been in the U.S. since 2011. That means people from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Haiti  countries that saw the status revoked since Trump took office  would get a reprieve.

Democrats criticized Trump's proposal because it didn't seem to be a permanent solution for those immigrants and because it includes money for the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, which the party strongly opposes.

Democrats also want Trump to reopen government before talks can start.
Albany

For lovers of art, history, music and good food, New York is the place to be in 2019.

The state will be celebrating the semi-centennial anniversaries of the original 1969 Woodstock festival and the Stonewall Uprising, as well as the birthdays of Walt Whitman and Prohibition in elaborate fashion. Regional visitors' bureaus are finding creative ways to capitalize on these events, which are projected to be a boon to the state's tourism sector.

WorldPride New York City and Woodstock 2019 art and music events are already generating global buzz. Frommers ranked New York among 19 best places in the world to visit in 2019, noting both of those events. Closer to home, the Catskill Mountains and Hudson Valley were collectively ranked as the 15th-most-popular destination for Airbnb guests in 2019. In both instances, New York was among just two locations in the United States that made the cut.

North of the Capital Region, the first phase of the conversion of North Hudson's former Frontier Town amusement park into an equestrian campground and day-use area is complete, and a new Paradox Brewery will open on the Essex County site in 2019.

Overall, the state's tourism sector appears to be in good shape for the coming year. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's administration has spent much of the state's $50 million annual advertising budget promoting its tourism market.

This investment appears to have paid off: Tourism went from being New York state's fourth-largest industry to its third-largest in the past year, accounting for one in 10 jobs in the state, according to the 2016-2017 Empire State Development annual report.

"This is going to be a great year for sure," said Ross Levi, executive director of Tourism for New York State at ESD. "When you take into consideration 2018 and 2020, (and) the amount of new tourism assets coming to New York State, it's somewhat overwhelming."

The fiscal impact of the tourism sector grew from $105 billion to $108 billion in the last year, Levi added.

ESD credits the state's multiple tourism initiatives like its I LOVE NY, Taste NY and Path Through History targeted campaigns for the state's 5 million increase in tourists for the 2016-2017 fiscal year. Visits to ESD websites grew by 20 percent, as did the number of potential tourists that said they had a positive view of New York as a place to visit.

Prohibition tours

In the City of Albany, visitors can get nostalgic for Prohibition. Discover Albany is working on some programs related to the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the 13-year national ban on the manufacture and sale of alcohol.

The Ten Broeck Mansion will host a series of events title "Speaking Easy: Prohibition in Albany." The mansion is home to a 170-year-old wine cellar that was boarded up at the outset of Prohibition, but was uncovered and restored in the 1970s.

Discover Albany is also working with Death Wish Vodka and other craft beverage companies to re-launch its Spirit of Albany series, offering craft cocktail recipes inspired by Prohibition and pop-up speakeasies to share these beverages.

The city's Historic Neighborhood Brew Tours, led by Albany beer historian Craig Gravina, will also be back with a prohibition twist.

Alexander Hamilton returns

With Lin Manuel-Miranda's smash hit musical "Hamilton" coming to Proctor's in July, Discover Albany will be kicking off a series of Hamilton-themed events, including tours of the Schuyler Mansion, where Eliza Schuyler was married to founding father Alexander Hamilton.

The Hamilton family's baptismal records will be available to view at the First Church, and a new exhibit at the Albany Institute of History and Art, "the Skyler Sisters and their Circle" will run from July 20 to Dec. 29.

"They have some wonderful items to display like Eliza Schuyler's wedding ring and portraits and some other items that you can't find anywhere else," said Molly Belmont, director of marketing at Discover Albany. "That will really focus on the impact the women had on the history of this county."

Woodstock 2019

The Woodstock event, which takes place in the town of Bethel, Sullivan County, at the site of the original 1969 hippie gathering, has been getting lots of attention.

Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is organizing a flurry of interactive exhibits, a lecture series, and film, art and music performances throughout the year. Organizers say they hope to capture the sense of community and harmony felt at the original music festival, which took place during a turbulent time in U.S. history that has many parallels to today's political climate.

Rumors of massive, multi-day outdoor music festival organized by original Woodstock producer Michael Lang have yet to be confirmed by the directors at Bethel Woods, who say they are still exploring the feasibility of such an event. (Previous Woodstock anniversary concerts prompted mixed reactions: Woodstock '99 is remembered as frequently chaotic and overly commercialized.)

"We have been working hard with our partners to pull somethings together and we will continue to work diligently. ... Stay tuned and ignore the, dare I say, fake news and leaks that are out there," said Eric Frances, Bethel Woods' chief financial officer and general manager, at a recent New York State Empire State Development meeting.

Skywalking from Columbia to Greene

Due to its popular ski resorts, mountains and unique wildlife, Columbia and Greene counties boast one of the fastest-growing tourism sectors, according the Empire State Development analysis.

"Part of it is our proximity to the Metro (New York City) area: The Amtrak station in Hudson is the third-busiest station in the state of New York," Columbia County tourism administrator Anne Cooper said, noting that the area has a large second home market.

The Hudson River Skywalk, a pedestrian walkway being built along the Rip Van Winkle Bridge, will wrap up its final phase of construction in 2019. The span connects the two counties as well as the historic homes of two of the region's most famous 19th Century artists: Landscape artist Thomas Cole lived on the west bank, and his famous pupil Frederic Church on the east side. If trekkers squint hard, they can see the image of Rip Van Winkle sleeping in the mountains.

An economic analysis of the project provided by the state estimates that new visitor spending at local businesses around the Skywalk, including restaurants and lodging, is expected to be approximately $4.53 million annually, resulting in the creation of 66 jobs.

The City of Hudson continues to be a major destination for tourists. For those looking for unique accommodations, the Maker Lounge, a high-end tavern offering specialty drinks and food, will officially open its luxury micro-hotel in 2019.

A two-acre indoor water park and luxury resort is also coming to the Catskill Mountains in 2019. Kartrite Hotel & Indoor Waterpark will feature a transparent dome roof that will enable visitors to get a tan year-round.

WorldPride

With 2019 WorldPride coming to New York City, in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, in June 2019, New York State is emphasizing its LGBT-friendly tourism attractions across the state. It is directing visitors abroad to many upstate attractions, and has debuted a new LGBTQ travel guide.

A major attraction will be the Niagara Falls Pride concert, featuring the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and free fireworks show.

Smaller cities, including Albany, will be promoting their annual pride parades and showcasing LGBTQ-orientated businesses and events. The Pride Center of the Capital Region, the oldest LGBTQ center in the country, will host its annual Capital Pride festival in Albany on June 8 and 9. The festival will include a parade and concert in Washington Park.

Lit-tourism

Poets throughout the country will celebrate Walt Whitman's 200th birthday at the poet's birthplace in Huntington, Long Island. The three-day convention, from May 31 through June 2, will feature readings, poetry slams, and more Whitman-themed activities.

Here in the Capital Region, literature fans can attend the winter-spring edition of the Visiting Writers Series hosted by the New York State Writers Institute, and hear experts discuss the impact local writers Henry James, William Kennedy and Herman Melville  and other authors who have taken an interest in Albany  have had on the area.

Agritourism

New York State already has too many beverage tourism trails to count. But this year, the state is launching six new cuisine trails in the North Country, doubling the number of such offerings across the state. The trails wind through beef, produce, dairy and maple farms and orchards in Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties and are expected to boost the state's growing agritourism sector.

"These new Cuisine Trails highlight some of the best food and beverage producers and providers in New York," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a promotional statement last month. "They will help connect Upstate farms and businesses with visitors and local markets, boosting the North Country's economy and supporting growing trends in agritourism."
Years after wood chipper death, meaning still sought Loved ones wonder why nothing changes to protect workers

Years after wood chipper death, meaning still sought Loved ones wonder why nothing changes to protect workers

When the man she loved appears in her dreams, it's raining just as it was the day he was killed two years ago  shimmering spring showers threaded by sunlight, scented with green grass. Kristen Hickey and her fiance, Justus Booze, were short $60 on their May rent. Then a friend of Booze snagged him a gig on a landscaping crew in Guilderland; it paid $60 for a day's work.

In her dreams, Booze looks the same as he did as he headed off for work that day: 23, cute, skinny with a big, sweet smile. That sweetness charmed just about everyone who met Booze, a guy who grew up in foster care. He remembered nothing about his mother. He avoided drugs and crime. After graduating from Schalmont High School in 2012, he landed a part-time dishwasher job in a Schenectady diner while studying in community college to be an accountant. Sometimes, Booze couldn't patch together enough jobs to pay rent and the homeless shelters were full. Those nights, he huddled on porches of abandoned buildings to do homework and get a few hours of sleep.

Hickey and Booze met as platonic housemates. After Hickey's marriage crumbled, a landlady friend of Hickey offered a spacious apartment with one caveat: Booze was already living there and must be allowed to stay.

"She said he was a good person and worked so much, he wouldn't be in the way, just let him sleep on the couch," Hickey said.

Her three children  Matthew, Joshua and Olivia  adored him instantly. It took longer for Hickey, 33, who felt awkward about the age difference and insecure about her judgment of men. Booze helped the kids with math, played games, took them apple picking. The first Christmas tree he ever had was in their home. His winter coat was just a thin parka. But on snowy, icy days, he bundled her children up and walked them almost a mile to school if Hickey needed to race to her nurse's aide job.

Booze had trouble finding a full-time job in the gig economy. Yet despite the odds, he was so industrious he seemed fated to earn his way into a happy, middle class family life. Instead, Booze died horribly on that May 4 landscaping job in 2016. He was dragged headfirst into a Bandit 250, a wood chipper with metal blades so fast and powerful they shred huge logs at a rate of 2 feet per second.

His death certificate lists severe sharp force and shredding injuries as cause of death.

After a 2016 investigation, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined Booze's employer that day, Countryside Tree Care, $141,811 alleging several violations, including failure to provide adequate training, gear or supervision. Owner Tony Watson is appealing. The state Health Department, conducted and concluded its own probe last year and found Booze's death completely preventable.

Neither agency's report answered Hickey's simple question: will the state do anything to make hazardous workplaces safer for independent contractors and day laborers like Booze?

Sometimes Hickey's dreams morph into nightmares. They end with the last thing she remembers clearly about May 4. She got a call telling her Justus had been killed then drove to the place where he died. She ran toward the police cars flashing lights. Booze's friend shouted, "Don't look at him. You don't want to see him like that." She collapses on the ground.

HOW JUSTUS WORKED

Albany private investigator Marjorie Greene met Booze when she tracked him down to give him a small amount of money he inherited from his birth mom when she died. Booze was about 19 then and had aged out of foster care.

"My impression was, Justus is the loneliest person I've ever met, a kid in an utter social void who had no one," said Greene. "He was so sweet. I tried to be a mother figure for him. No one taught him to drive. He had no formal identification, which affected the jobs he could get. I took him to get an ID. I took him to lunch occasionally to chat about how life was going. I showed him how to write a resume, took him to job fairs."

Booze registered with many temp agencies. His schedule was soon packed with mostly minimum wage jobs. One involved crawling into hoods over restaurant stoves to clean them. When Greene saw him later, she recalls he was covered head to toe in soot.

Booze only owned two T-shirts at the time, so Greene bought him a few casual shirts for school or retail jobs. It was near Christmas, so she wrapped the shirts in glittery paper and ribbons.

"He thanked me over and over, said it was his first Christmas gift ever," Greene said.

During the recent holiday season, Hickey and her three children were settled into a cozy new residence, a mobile home a friend offered to them in a Ballston Spa trailer park, where they were surrounded by reminders of Booze. Framed photos of Booze decorated the walls. His cat, Boozee, gazed at the sparkly Christmas tree. When Joshua, 11, showed Hickey what he made in school, he displayed a black and yellow wooden race car decorated with the initials JB.

Joshua laughed when he saw the cat gently bop a shiny tree ornament with its paw. He scooped Boozee up.

"Mean people hit Boozee in the head but Justus rescued him. We took care of him and he got better," Joshua said, cuddling the purring tabby.

Olivia, 9, giggled when she remembered Booze's first attempts at cooking, his mac and cheese noodles sliding on top of yellow goo. But she ate it enthusiastically "because he was so nice and he made us happy. When we walked to school in snow, my legs got tired so he carried me on his shoulders."

Her eyes suddenly welled with tears and she quickly hugged Boozee.

Matthew, 13, recalls Booze helped him learn to enjoy math. In exchange, Booze asked Schutta to teach him to make brownies.

Shortly before Booze died, Greene gave him exciting news. One of his foster parents had adopted Booze and another boy when both were toddlers. However, the woman died soon after the adoption so Booze couldn't remember her or his adoptive brother. But Greene found him. He was now a young Navy man living in Syracuse. Greene said the two separated brothers planned to meet soon.

Between the life he was building with a fiancee and her three devoted kids plus the news from Greene, Booze's life was taking a turn he may have never expected.

"Justus was finally getting the family he wanted his whole life," Greene said.

MAY 4, 2016

Booze had mowed lawns and raked leaves but Hickey said he had never been anywhere near a wood chipper before the day she showed up to work on that job in Guilderland. Watson, the owner of Countryside, told the Times Union that he met Booze through a mutual friend who implored Watson to throw work Booze's way.

"I liked Justus and wanted to help him out," said Watson, a landscaper for 30 years. "We didn't really need Justus that day. It wasn't a huge job."

OSHA noted that Watson was Countryside's only full-time employee as well as the owner. On such landscaping jobs, Watson told the Times Union he normally takes the role of tree trimmer, which involves climbing trees and cutting branches. Experienced workers are assigned to use chain saws and drive the vehicle that picks up and places the big tree trunks onto the chipper. He assigns rookies like Booze to ground work, where tasks can include feeding large debris like chunks of tree trunks and leafy branches into the wood chipper.

Asked whether OSHA's conclusion that he failed to train Booze properly was accurate, Watson declined to answer on his lawyer's advice. The Department of Health concluded in its 2017 report that wood chippers are one of landscaping's most dangerous pieces of equipment for the unskilled.

Department of Health investigator Julie Zhu wrote that the Bandit 250's blades can shred logs 12 inches in diameter in less than 3 seconds once they are grabbed by the wood chipper's "feed wheels," which rotate at a speed of 1,000 to 2,000 rpm. Those wheels can yank a grown man into the shredding blades in 2.75 seconds, the report calculated. A worker would have to react in less than 3 seconds to grab an entangled co-worker.

Bandit 250's key safety feature are "last chance cables" located at the mouth of the chipper. A worker tangled in a branch would have less than one second  0.75 second precisely  to disentangle his hands and grab the last chance cables.

Another Bandit 250 safety feature is a wooden paddle that workers use to push debris into the chipper. According to the Department of Health and OSHA, Watson did not have the paddle. Investigators reviewed Guilderland security camera footage that show Booze and a co-worker guiding debris into the chipper with their hands. Neither man had safety goggles or hard hats recommended by OSHA.

There is no footage of Booze's death. No one witnessed how he was pulled in. A co-worker told OSHA a "weird noise" came from the chipper and when the man turned to look, he saw Booze's feet sticking out.

The Department of Health examined the chipper and found no malfunction. It also scrutinized the gloves Watson gave to his workers and criticized the cuffs because they could get caught in branches as a worker fed the wood into the chipper. The agency's recommendations to make landscaping safer include using the proper tightly fitted shirts and gloves. It also suggested that wood chipper manufacturers use technology that would automatically stop the blades and wheels if a worker is pulled into the chipper.

From 1982 to 2016, Zhu documented 41 workers nationwide who were killed by being dragged into wood chippers.

When asked if he had changed what safety gear or training he gives his workers, Watson declined to answer for legal reasons. He said Booze was the only on-the-job fatality for one of his workers.

"In my 30 years in business, none of my workers have ever even had to go to the emergency room," Watson said.

He has no idea how he can pay the OSHA fines. He said caring for his mother during her battle with cancer depleted his earnings. He contended that OSHA fines should reflect revenues and size of the penalized company.

"I'm not saying I shouldn't be fined, but Donald Trump, with all his millions, would pay the same $141,000 my small company is fined if this accident happened on one of his properties," said Watson. "It's unfair to small businesses. OSHA is trying to drive me out of business."

CARING ABOUT JUSTUS

Albany attorney Alex Dell often represents day laborers like Booze in workmen's compensation cases. If he had been injured rather than killed, people might assume he would have received nothing because Booze was an independent contractor with no benefits.

"But people shouldn't assume that because sometimes we can determine that under New York law, a freelancer actually should be regarded as a staff worker," Dell said. "Even for independent contractors, a general liability suit can be possible."

Watson had not paid his worker's comp insurance at the time Booze was killed. (He declined to discuss what liability insurance he had). When employers fail to pay worker's comp insurance, an injured worker may still be able to get money from a state fund, an approach Marilyn Greene says worked for Booze's brother.

She helped him get a lawyer who worked on contingency and gathered the adoption paperwork, adoptive mother's death certificate and other paperwork to prove the familial link between the men. Greene said there was enough left over from the money paid out by the fund after the lawyer's fees to give a few thousand dollars to the brother and pay for the funeral so Hickey could keep the $5,000 from a GoFundMe campaign that had been raised to pay for Booze's cremation.

Dell's advice to anyone injured in the gig economy is "sit down for a consultation, a free one, don't pay for one, with an attorney before you think there's no hope."

Dell said New York law offers some protection to independent contractors who are fired because they refuse to do dangerous work or because their bosses will not provide needed safety gear or training. Such freelancers can sometimes successfully sue to get their jobs back if fired. But Dell concedes that's asking for workers who aren't certain where their next paycheck will come from to take a big gamble that they can find a lawyer to help them navigate the legal system.

Matt London is the executive director of the Northeast New York Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health, an advocacy group that offers low-cost training to employers who regularly hire day laborers.

"When a company fails to provide training and safety gear to a worker who dies as a result, that's a crime that should be punished with fines high enough to make the employer feel the life lost was valued," London said. "Think about how differently Justus' death would have been prosecuted and punished if he worked in an office for a big paycheck."

London believes the proof that America still values richer, permanent workers lives more than a day laborer's is obvious.

"The fact that there are only enough OSHA inspectors to inspect every workplace roughly every 130 years, on average, is evidence enough," London said. "With all due respect to the Times Union, look at how much attention the media gives to an incident when a worker is killed, compared to when someone in the general community is killed."

Hickey and Greene believe Booze made his life meaningful through his heart and spirit. But they can't find meaning in his death.

Greene hopes people who read about Booze will be inspired to help kids who age out of foster care befriend and mentor them, show them how to drive, enroll in courses, get into a union, learn a skill so they can confront the adult work world with dignity and a skill set.

"I'd like to hear some politician say a law is being passed that makes work safer for freelance workers like him that people just forget about," Hickey said. "I didn't want to hear anyone say Justus died as part of God's plan."

At age 7, Olivia was even blunter. After Booze died, she started to write a letter to Justus in heaven. "Dear Justus, God take you" it began.

But her misspelled letter immediately veered into a furious message directly to God: "Did he take him back? You have no right. So again you have no right to take him. That was my stepfather. Have no right to take him back. Bad God. Bad God. Bad God."

Lynda Edwards is an enterprise reporter and editor. She began her career at PBS Frontline and freelancing for The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The Washington Monthly and Miami Herald. She was a Nightly Business Report associate producer at PBS and worked for The Village Voice in New York and Miami, The Associated Press and Gannett and newspapers in Arizona, South Florida, Tennessee and Colorado. You can reach her at LyEdwards@timesunion.com, 518-454-5403.

Digital presentation by Cathleen F. Crowley
Des Moines, Iowa

Advocates for gender equality are reckoning with what one called a "wonderful challenge"  four or more women running for president in 2020.

But the prospect of multiple women in the race also presents obstacles, with no single candidate holding a claim to women's votes to the degree Hillary Clinton did in 2016. Groups that provide financial and grassroots support, could split.

Looming over it all is persistent gender bias and the question of whether Americans are ready to elect a female president.

"We do realize there's still sexism in this country, and what we're trying to do is change minds. I think this country is more than ready for this to happen, I really do," said EMILY's List President Stephanie Schriock, whose group aids the campaigns of Democratic women supporting abortion rights. "But that doesn't make it easy."

For now, many women are basking in the success of the November elections that sent a historically diverse class to Congress. Crowds gathered nationwide Saturday for the third annual Women's March.

EMILY's List, which spent $37 million on House races in 2018 and was a pivotal Clinton ally, is "not currently endorsing any candidate for the Democratic nomination for president" in 2020, Schriock said. She demurred when asked if that strategy would change.

A wait-and-see approach works for now, but groups that actively bolster female candidates could face pressure to align with specific campaigns as the primary goes on.

Deirdre Schifeling, executive director of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, said only that the group's estimated 12 million backers are dedicated to defeating President Donald Trump and that she looks forward to working with "all candidates" in the primary.

NARAL Pro-Choice America's president, Ilyse Hogue, said the abortion rights group has made no firm decision about whether to eventually back one or more Democratic hopefuls and that "we see it as a plus, not a minus, if we haven't endorsed by the Iowa caucus" because it means that members see multiple candidates supporting their goals.

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren last month launched a presidential exploratory effort, joined shortly afterward by New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota also are considering running.

Among that top tier of female candidates, Gillibrand is particularly vocal in invoking her gender as a driver of her campaign. She put women's priorities and perspective at the forefront of her launch this week. She pledged to fight for children and highlighted her work on behalf of sexual misconduct victims.

Gillibrand was one of the few prominent 2020 Democrats who attended a Women's March event this year amid anti-Semitism charges that plagued the event's national leadership team.

But the senator said the controversy wouldn't disrupt her commitment to the broader mission.

Gillibrand praised Iowa voters for sending two women represent the state in Congress. "This is what changing the face of leadership looks like," she said.

Warren's campaign has so far emphasized racial and economic inequity more than gender.

Pundits are already speculating about her and Gillibrand's "likability"  reminding influential women of the uneven playing field that Clinton faced challenging Trump.
Chicago

Activists and others who were disappointed by the outcome of two historic cases involving the killing of black teenager Laquan McDonald by a white Chicago police officer see a way forward  by turning tragedy into political power.

A judge on Friday sentenced former Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke to less than seven years in prison for McDonald's 2014 death.

Video of Van Dyke firing 16 shots at McDonald as he walked away from the officer prompted protests, a U.S. Justice Department investigation of the Chicago Police Department and the firing of the police superintendent, among other changes. It was also a key piece of evidence in Van Dyke's trial, when a jury last year found him guilty of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery.

The judge's sentence of six years and nine months  less than half of the penalty sought by prosecutors  means the 40-year-old could be released in just over three years. It came a day after a different judge acquitted three other Chicago police officers accused of lying about the shooting to protect Van Dyke.

Activist William Calloway, who helped force Mayor Rahm Emanuel to release police video of the shooting, said he and other community members were "heartbroken" by the judges' decisions, but won't give up seeking changes.

"If you're a black Chicagoan, don't protest. Don't take to the streets," he said. "It's time we take to the polls."

Calloway is trying to defeat a five-term alderman in local elections next month to win a seat on the Chicago City Council. He has criticized the incumbent and other black aldermen for not doing enough to change the culture of a police force that has long had a reputation of racial bias and condoning police brutality.

The McDonald shooting already has been a major factor in Chicago politics.

The charges against Van Dyke were announced in 2015, the same day City Hall  under a judge's order  released the video.

The case was widely seen as the reason the county's top prosecutor, Anita Alvarez, was voted out of office a few months later, and it's thought to be a factor in Emanuel's decision not to seek a third term next month.

Roughly a dozen candidates are running to replace him, and almost all of them blasted both judges' decisions this week and what they said was a lack of accountability for officers who commit crimes while on duty.

"With so many members of our Black and Brown communities criminalized and jailed for non-violent drug offenses, Van Dyke's sentence today shows that our lives don't matter," Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, a top candidate who's African-American, said in a written statement.

The impact has extended to communities outside Chicago, said Rashad Robinson, president of the national civil rights organization Color Of Change.

The group worked with Chicago-area activists to unseat Alvarez, with a "Bye, Anita" campaign. It's also helped elect new district attorneys in places like Philadelphia and in St. Louis County, where a white officer wasn't charged with the 2014 killing of Michel Brown, a black and unarmed 18-year-old, in Ferguson, Missouri.

Color of Change opened an office in downtown Ferguson to support Wesley Bell, who last fall was the first African-American to be elected St. Louis County circuit attorney. Bell's first action after taking office was to remove three veteran assistant prosecutors, including one who played a role in presenting evidence to a grand jury in the case. He's also made policy changes, such as ending prosecutions for most marijuana possession cases.

"The killing of Laquan and that video is one of the many catalysts that have sparked this current movement we're in of prosecutor accountability," Robinson said. "Our metric of success as a movement can't solely be based on whether or not police officers go to prison, but that the culture of policing changes in this country."
London

Britain's opposition Labour Party is calling for an "open and frank debate" on the government's stalled Brexit plan and an increased role for Parliament in managing Britain's departure from the European Union but still won't meet with Prime Minister Theresa May.

Keir Starmer, the party's Brexit spokesman, used a speech Saturday to say that it is now up to Parliament to take the tough decisions needed to break the Brexit impasse. He said holding a second referendum on Britain's EU membership has to remain an option.

May's Brexit withdrawal plan from the EU was soundly rejected in Parliament this week, leading to crisis talks with other parties before her return to Parliament on Monday with an amended Brexit plan.

Britain is scheduled to leave the bloc on March 29 and so far does not have a Parliament-approved withdrawal plan. Many economists warn this "no-deal" scenario could have serious economic consequences.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz suggested Saturday the EU may be willing to give Britain more time to leave if it has a good strategy because a "no-deal" departure would be bad for everyone. He was quoted by Germany's Welt am Sonntag newspaper as saying "if London presents an orderly strategy and plan, a postponement of the exit date by a couple of months is conceivable."

He said: "One thing is certain: a hard, disorderly Brexit would harm us all."

Cross-party talks in Britain designed to move the Brexit process forward have so far failed to produce momentum toward a solution.

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn refuses to take part in the talks May has requested until she removes the possibility of a "no-deal" departure from the table. She says there is no legal way for her to do so.

Corbyn said in a Friday night letter to May that the talks are just a delaying tactic and complained that she is unwilling to consider extending the deadline for Britain's withdrawal or allowing a second Brexit referendum.

Former Conservative Prime Minister John Major told the BBC on Saturday that a "no-deal" departure would be the worst possible outcome, one that would harm millions.

He said Parliament should be allowed to hold a series of "indicative" votes on a number of different Brexit plans and lawmakers should vote without being constrained by party loyalties. He says a second referendum may be necessary now that the complexity of Brexit is better understood.
Albany

Shawn Hodges, the general manager at the Marriott Residence Inn off Washington Avenue in Albany, has learned how to say hello, thank you and how are you in French and Turkish, among other languages in order to speak with his housekeeping staff. For everything else, he uses technology to communicate.

"Thank God for Google Translate," Hodges said. Six of the 10 suite attendants on his hotel's housekeeping staff are immigrants or refugees from as far away as the Congo and Malaysia.

"The most successful companies are diverse and can reach a larger culture," Hodges said. "You've got to embrace it."

Hodges has joined the ranks of Capital Region employers seeking out a more diverse workforce or simply responding to the reality of immigration, refugee resettlement and rising education and employment among minority communities amid low unemployment.

Unemployment in the region dipped below four percent this summer. Black unemployment in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy metropolitan area dropped to 12.5 percent in 2016 from 13.8 percent the year before, according to a Center for Economic Growth analysis of census data.

Minorities are accelerating in STEM fields, with the region's higher education institutions awarding 35 percent more diverse graduates with degrees in 2017 than 2013. While the area's tech hubs attract these highly educated local talents or foreign-born workers on specialized visas, immigrants and refugees who may have less experience and language skills are filling lower-paying jobs across the region.

More than 4,200 refugees have made a new home in the Capital Region since 2005, although those numbers are dropping significantly as the Trump administration limits refugee arrivals.

Dan Cullen, regional director of the Capital Region Workforce Development Institute, said what he's heard most often from as many as 100 manufacturing companies is that they need to fill jobs. He said employers are more open to making accommodations, like hiring English language learners and providing language classes, than they would have been during the economic recession.

Cullen predicts the workforce will continue to adjust to reflect changing demographics.

"It's a matter of trying to figure out where can we start to enroll other people who we haven't traditionally been tied to," he said.

Andrew Kennedy, president of CEG in Albany, said that while the area's population is growing and diversifying, the labor force is shrinking. He's seen more of an international population relocating to the area than people from inside the U.S.

"I think our concern is making sure that the jobs remain here for those individuals. We're helping remove any barriers that would prevent them from doing that. We've seen the issues that many companies in California in the tech sector had regarding issues like that," Kennedy said, referring to limiting the number of visas for the highly skilled as part of tightening immigration policy. "We understand that there is a delay. It hasn't impacted productivity or slowed down companies' efforts."

CEG is at the helm of initiatives, many laid out in Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Capital 2020 plan, to hire hard-to-reach populations with lower skills or education through apprenticeship programs at community colleges and local organizations.

"What we're seeing, not only from corporations and business leaders, is they are looking for diversity in their workforce," Kennedy said.

Hodges said he doesn't look for experience, which can be learned on the job, especially in the hospitality industry where employees can move up in the ranks quickly. Instead, he values the work ethic of his immigrant employees who appreciate the opportunities they've been given.

"They're the best. They're more grateful for the opportunities," Hodges said. "They're here on time and they come to work with a smile."

One is Birsen Karaca, who on a recent morning wiped down the mirror and cleared away a coffee cup from a suite on the third floor. The 40-year-old moved from Turkey with her husband and two children four years ago for the kids' education. They're now students at Hudson Valley Community College and Guilderland High School.

She never had a job before starting at the hotel in May. She said the management is good, but the work is tiring and she wishes the pay was more than $11 an hour.

At the TownePlace Suites by Marriott near Albany Medical Center, general manager Kathy Tabora said that because of low unemployment, it can be hard to fill positions and she's previously gone out on bus routes to recruit.

In 2017, she also worked with the Refugee and Immigration Support Services of Emmaus (RISSE) organization in Albany to recruit. She hired four refugees at the hotel she worked at last year and now employs one at her current workplace, and hopes to take on more when business picks up again in January.

Tabora said the mantra of welcoming the stranger fits with the ethos of the hospitality industry.

"Just because it's hard, doesn't mean you shouldn't do it," she said of her recruiting efforts. She makes accommodations, like using Google Translate to carry on a conversation or offering rides to employees without cars when the weather is bad or buses aren't running. Hodges said he also offers rides to employees.

Local employers can be reticent to talk about hiring foreign-born workers in the current political climate where it's not always popular. For some, it's a practical necessity and a natural reflection of local demographics; for others it's a political statement and intentional effort.

For Korean immigrant and entrepreneur Jinah Kim, who started Sunhee's Farm Kitchen and Restaurant in Troy in 2016, it's both. She said a diverse workforce populates cities and contributes to the local economy.

She currently employs 18 at her restaurant and recently opened convenience store, with most of her kitchen staff immigrants or refugees. They come from at least six different countries and a variety of professional backgrounds  some doctors, architects, business owners  who find themselves in low-paying work because of limited language skills. Kim runs free English classes for employees and community members at a center a couple blocks away from the restaurant.

One employee is Hamid Razai, 38, who came from Afghanistan a year ago on a visa sponsored by his father, who arrived in 2002 as a refugee. Working in the restaurant's kitchen is his first job in the U.S. When he was hired five months ago he knew very little English and said it was a big problem to find work. Kim tutored him on kitchen vocabulary and now he's able to communicate and contribute financially to his family. He dreams of opening his own store one day.

"A lot of these employees will eventually open up their own businesses and contribute to the economy of that local community even beyond what we do," Kim said. "You learn from each other, you create a better community, you bring different flavors into the workforce. Those are things you can't put a value on or measure."
Will Waldron/Albany Times Union

Edward Scharfenberger, bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of Albany, has issued an open letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo criticizing the Reproductive Health Act and predicting the legislation, if approved, will expand abortion under the pretenses of choice and progress.

The letter, released Saturday evening, also said the act threatens to rupture the communion between the Catholic faith and those who support the RHA even while professing to follow the Church, something that troubles me greatly as a pastor.
Dorothy Eleanor Mercer passed away on June 9, 2021 at Archbold Memorial Hospital. She was born on December 18, 1932, in Pavo to the late Early Byrd Wood and to the late Nellie Deen Wood. She was married to Eugene Mercer who precedes her in death. Survivors include her children, Leon David Mc


remaining of

SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
Cresaptown, MD (21502)

Today

Some sun in the morning with increasing clouds during the afternoon. High 87F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Low 68F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
ICL Group Ltd, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty minerals and chemicals company worldwide. It operates in four segments: Industrial Products, Potash, Phosphate Solutions, and Innovative Ag Solutions (IAS). The Industrial Products segment produces bromine out of a solution that is a by-product of the potash production process, as well as bromine-based compounds; produces various grades of potash, salt, magnesium chloride, and magnesia products; and produces and markets phosphorous-based flame retardants and other phosphorus-based products. The Potash segment extracts potash from the Dead Sea; mines and produces potash and salt; produces Polysulphate; produces, markets, and sells magnesium and magnesium alloys, as well as related by-products, including chlorine and sylvinite; and sells salt. The Phosphate Solutions segment uses phosphate commodity products to produce specialty products; produces and markets phosphate-based fertilizers, as well as sulphuric acid, green phosphoric acid, and phosphate fertilizers; and manufactures thermal phosphoric acid for various industrial end markets, such as oral care, cleaning products, paints and coatings, water treatment, asphalt modification, construction, and metal treatment. It also develops and produces functional food ingredients and phosphate additives for use in the processed meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, beverage, and baked goods markets; and produces milk and whey proteins for the food ingredients industry. The IAS segment develops, manufactures, markets, and sells fertilizers based primarily on nitrogen, potash, and phosphate, including water soluble specialty, liquid, soluble, and controlled-release fertilizers. It sells its products through marketing companies, agents, and distributors. The company was formerly known as Israel Chemicals Ltd. and changed its name to ICL Group Ltd in May 2020. ICL Group Ltd was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Read More
Novan, Inc., a clinical development-stage biotechnology company, provides nitric oxide-based therapies to treat dermatological and oncovirus-mediated diseases. Its clinical stage dermatology drug candidates include SB204, a topical monotherapy for the treatment of acne vulgaris; SB206, a topical anti-viral gel for the treatment of viral skin infections; SB208, a topical broad-spectrum anti-fungal gel for the treatment of fungal infections of the skin and nails, including athlete's foot and fungal nail infections; and SB414, a topical cream-based gel product candidate for the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases. The company also develops SB207, an anti-viral product candidate for the treatment of external genital warts; WH602, a nitric oxide-containing intravaginal gel to treat high-risk human papilloma virus (HPV); WH504, a non-gel formulation product candidate to treat high-risk HPV; and SB019 for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2. Novan, Inc. has a license agreement with Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; and a strategic alliance with Orion Corporation. The company was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Morrisville, North Carolina.

Read More
EVERTEC, Inc. engages in transaction processing business in Latin America and the Caribbean. The company operates through four segments: Payment Services - Puerto Rico & Caribbean; Payment Services - Latin America; Merchant Acquiring; and Business Solutions. It provides merchant acquiring services, which enable point of sales and e-commerce merchants to accept and process electronic methods of payment, such as debit, credit, prepaid, and electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards. The company also offers payment processing services that enable financial institutions and other issuers to manage, support, and facilitate the processing for credit, debit, prepaid, automated teller machines, and EBT card programs; credit and debit card processing, authorization and settlement, and fraud monitoring and control services to debit or credit issuers; and EBT services. In addition, it provides business process management solutions comprising core bank processing, network hosting and management, IT professional services, business process outsourcing, item and cash processing, and fulfillment solutions to financial institutions, and corporate and government customers. Further, the company owns and operates the ATH network, an automated teller machine and personal identification number debit networks. It manages a system of electronic payment networks that process approximately three billion transactions. The company sells and distributes its services primarily through direct sales force. It serves financial institutions, merchants, corporations, and government agencies. The company was formerly known as Carib Latam Holdings, Inc. EVERTEC, Inc. was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Read More
Top dollar: Melrose boss Simon Peckham took home 42.8 million in 2017  1,017 times more than the 42,000 average wage for workers at the firm

Britain's top bosses are being paid as much as 1,000 times more than the average wage of their employees, a Mail on Sunday investigation has found.

Analysis of accounts filed by the countrys 100 biggest listed companies showed bosses at private equity giant Melrose, housebuilder Persimmon and Ladbrokes bookmaker owner GVC last year had the largest disparities between the pay packages handed to their chief executives and their staff.

In the worst case, Melrose boss Simon Peckham took home 42.8 million in 2017  1,017 times more than the 42,000 average wage for workers at the firm.

At Persimmon, former boss Jeff Fairburn last year received 47 million, which was 882 times the salary for his workers, while GVC chief Kenny Alexander took home 18.8 million, or 484 times the average pay of his workforce. All three benefited from controversial long-term bonus schemes.

New rules introduced on January 1 require all large and medium-sized firms to begin calculating so-called chief executive pay ratios this year  and to start reporting them annually from 2020.

Some shareholder groups say they will urge investors to vote against chief executives whose pay packets are 20 times larger than the average for the company.

MPs and campaigners last night condemned the outrageous figures exposed by The Mail on Sunday and accused the worst offenders of living in cloud cuckoo land.

Rachel Reeves, chairwoman of the Commons Business Select Committee  which is in the midst of a widescale inquiry into fair pay  said: It beggars belief that these executives see fit to trouser pay packets vastly outstripping the pay of average workers in their own businesses.

The bosses in these companies must be living in cloud cuckoo land if they think they deserve their outlandish pay packages.

Excessive rewards for the few at the top mean less investment in the business, in capital or people, which could create value in the future.

If shareholders wont or cant hold these companies to account, then we will need Government to step in with tougher rules that clamp down on this kind of executive reward.

The Mail on Sundays research will pile pressure on firms at a time when executive pay is coming under increasing public scrutiny.

Shameless! The ten fattest fat cats  all paid at least 260 for every 1 workers get Nice little earner: Three have quit, but good times roll on for bosses on the gravy train

Last week, Spanish firm Santander ditched plans to appoint star investment banker Andrea Orcel as its new chief executive because it would have been forced to pay him 50 million (44 million) to compensate for pay awards he would have been due at his former employer, UBS.

Today we can also reveal that CYBG, owner of Clydesdale Bank and Yorkshire Bank, faces a shareholder revolt at its annual general meeting over excessive bonuses for bosses.

On Tuesday, Reeves and the Business Select Committee will grill the Governments Minister for corporate responsibility, Kelly Tolhurst, on fair pay in a session in Parliament.

The next day, Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh will be leading a debate on FTSE 100 company pay ratios in Westminster Hall.

She said: Whilst the FTSE 100 chief executives take home payslips which read more like telephone numbers than salaries, their hard-working employees have watched their salaries remain stubbornly low.

Its high time that all staff received a fair deal at work and the contribution of those at the bottom is recognised at the same time as those in the boardroom.

Pressure is also building from business academics, who argue that chief executives should be forced to wait far longer to earn performance rewards, which should also be shared by other staff.

The new rules introduced by Theresa Mays Government earlier this month will force all UK firms with 250 employees or more to start publishing their own ratios next year.

Arnold Donald of Carnival took hom 10.3million in 2017 - 400 times more than the average pay for employee at the company

But big City shareholders, led by the Investment Association, are urging listed companies to begin publishing their figures in annual reports this year.

Firms own figures will be based on median average numbers for UK employees  the salary of the employee halfway between the top of the scale and the bottom.

The Mail on Sundays figures are mean average numbers for all employees  including those based outside the UK  and have been calculated by dividing staff costs by headcount. So firms own figures are likely to differ.

The worst offender in our survey, Melrose, is the private equity firm that controversially bought engineering giant GKN last year.

The 42.8 million pay packet in 2017 for Simon Peckham, its chief executive, is the most recent figure provided by the company in its annual report. It was largely made up of a 41.8 million long-term performance bonus.

The companys 12,000-strong workforce  made up mostly of employees of US air conditioning manufacturer Nortek  shared 502.9 million overall in comprising salaries, pensions and social security costs. This means the average employee earned 42,048.49.

Peckham therefore was paid 1,017 for every 1 his typical employee earned.

A Melrose spokeswoman dismissed the figures as incorrect and out of date, instead pointing to Peckhams total pay for 2016, which was less than 1 million.

She added: The ratio is thus 20 to one, and definitely not the amount quoted. It seems entirely wrong and misleading to use pay levels in 2017.

Peckhams total package is set to be reduced significantly when 2018 pay figures are revealed  likely to be giving him one of the best ratios in the FTSE 100  but could rocket up again when future bonus schemes come to fruition.

The second-worst offender in our list, Jeff Fairburn, infamously took home 47 million in 2017, including a 44.9 million long-term bonus.

That meant the former boss of housebuilder Persimmon received 882 times more than the average for the firms 4,535 workers.

Their average package, which would have been skewed upwards by the 130 senior managers who benefited from a controversial long-term bonus scheme, was 53,362.73.

The scandal over Fairburns mega-bonus, first highlighted by The Mail on Sunday, led to him leaving the company at the end of last year.

However, Persimmons interim chief executive Dave Jenkinson  previously group managing director  also made 20.4 million in 2017.

And the firms 2018 annual report, which will be published in the coming months, will reveal further multi-million pound payments for Jenkinson and others under the controversial long-term bonus plan.

In total, three of the FTSE 100 chief executives who feature in our top ten list of worst pay ratio offenders have stepped down from their positions in recent months.

Long-serving Unilever boss Paul Polman, who left at the end of last year, notched up a pay ratio of 287 to one thanks to his 11.7 million (10.6 million) package. Like many ofther firms on the list, Unilever is a large international business, so is based in many countries where wage standards are lower.

Reckitt Benckiser boss Rakesh Kapoor, who said he would be leaving the consumer goods giant last week, made 12.5 million in 2017, which is 316 times more than his average employee. The company said it was a fair payer, and pointed out that most of its employees are based outside of the UK.

Last night, former Business Secretary Vince Cable, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: We can see that top executives are paying themselves more in a working day than their average employee earns in a year.

It is entirely right that investors should step in to stop excesses and that greedy bosses should be made to quit.

He added: I do believe that a combination of naming and shaming and compulsory shareholder votes on remuneration are working slowly to change boardroom culture.

But tougher measures, including employee or public interest representatives on boards and remuneration committees, will follow if excesses continue. GVC boss Kenny Alexander was paid a total of 20.7 million (18.8 million) in 2017, which was 484 times higher than the average employee pay of 38,814.73.

A spokesman said: Under Mr Alexanders leadership, GVC has grown considerably from an Aim company to a member of the FTSE 100, creating thousands of jobs and benefits to employees, as well as significant shareholder value.

GVC is likely to come under fire once again this year when it discloses another tranche of bonus payments, under the same long-term scheme, to Alexander.

Embarrassment of riches: Jeff Fairburn resigned following outrage over his 75 million bonus

Fourth in our pay ratio shame list is Andre Lacroix, chief executive of electronic equipment testing firm Intertek, who made 11.7 million, including a one-off 4 million fee for joining the company. The average Intertek worker earned just over 28,000, giving the firm a pay ratio of 414 to one.

Arnold Donald, the Miami-based chief executive of Carnival, which runs P&O and a number of other ferry brands, made $13 million (10.3 million), with a pay ratio of 400 to one.

We calculated that mining giant Evraz, which counts Roman Abramovich as a major shareholder, has a pay ratio of 307 to one, thanks to CEO Alexander Frolovs $5.5 million (4.4 million) remuneration. The firm did not respond to request for comment.

Tesco, which employs thousands of frontline supermarket employees in the UK and elsewhere, also made it into the top ten list, with Dave Lewiss 4.9 million package giving a ratio of 303 to one.

Compass Group, the hospitality giant, paid chief executive Dominic Blakemore 4.6 million last year, which was 260 times more than the average employee. The mean figure will have been driven down because Compass has many employees outside the UK.

Influential shareholder advisory group Pirc recommends that pay ratios should not exceed 20 times the average wage. It regularly tells investors to vote against remuneration at annual general meetings if this ratio is exceeded.

Luke Hildyard, director of the High Pay Centre, said: From a fairness perspective, huge pay differences perpetuate the economic divides in the Britain.

These divisions have painful consequences for society as a whole, and big businesses should take some responsibility by narrowing their own pay ratios.
Sir Philip Greens retail empire is preparing for a major round of talks with its shop landlords as it emerged last night that leases on up to 200 stores are coming to an end.

The leases held by the billionaires Arcadia Group, many of which were signed decades ago in the 1990s when the high street was experiencing rapid growth, are understood to be up for renewal by the end of next year.

They include contracts on stores under the groups main brands Topshop, Top Man, Dorothy Perkins, Miss Selfridge, Burton, Wallis and Evans.

Dynasty: Tina Green, Sir Philip Green and Chloe Green attend 70th annual Cannes Film Festival

The push comes as British retailers trigger talks with lenders and landlords to shed costs or restructure as the shift to online accelerates.

Last week, New Look said it had agreed terms with lenders that would cut its debts by 1 billion.

Dozens of other high street chains, including stores and restaurant businesses, are understood to be drafting in advisers to engage in talks with banks and property firms ahead of the next quarterly rent deadline at the end of March.

Store leases were traditionally agreed on terms of 25 years, with reviews every five years that allowed landlords to demand increases in rents.

But as visits to many high streets have fallen, the practice has strangled town centres caught between rising rents, business rates and dwindling demand from shoppers.

The new push by Arcadia means the group, owned by Green since 2002, could significantly reduce costs by closing stores or asking for rent reductions.

It is believed that as many as 100 leases will expire both this year and next.

A spokesman for Arcadias property department told The Mail on Sunday there was a significant opportunity to review leases as contracts end.

We have a large historic estate and, naturally, there is an ongoing dialogue with landlords, the spokesman said.

Penny-pinching: Arcadia could significantly reduce costs by closing expensive stores

According to its latest accounts, the groups annual lease payments are 183 million on sales of 1.9 billion. It has more than 1,000 UK outlets, including stores and concessions, and employs more than 20,000 staff globally.

In 2018, retailers delivered more profit warnings than at any time in the past decade, in what was an exceptionally tough year, according to new research.

More than a third of general retailers listed on the London Stock Exchange said profits were dwindling faster than expected, with half blaming a slide in consumer confidence.

The 36 retail profit warnings in 2018 eclipsed even the troubled travel and leisure sector, with its 29 warnings.

Firms are obliged to tell the stock market if profits are likely to fall more than 10 per cent short of expectations.

Alan Hudson, head of restructuring at accountant EY which carried out the study, said changes to shopping habits had brought into question the future of shops themselves.
Tomorrow is Blue Monday  supposedly the most depressing day of the year with money worries a key contributor.

Financial experts say confiding in others is the first step to climbing out of difficulty.

Becky OConnor, personal finance specialist at insurer Royal London, says: Debt can quickly become unmanageable and it can happen to anyone. People find it hard to open up, so they need to be encouraged to do so.

Debt can quickly become unmanageable and it can happen to anyone,' says Becky OConnor, personal finance specialist at insurer Royal London

She says listeners should be empathetic and solutions-focused rather than be judgmental, shocked or offer a bail-out.

Charity worker Jenny Taylor quickly took this on board when her mum finally confessed mortgage problems when she was three days from losing her home.

The loans term was ending with 100,000 outstanding, but her mother failed to act.

Jenny says: I was upset shed gone through this by herself. She was embarrassed and confused. Jenny helped her to scrutinise the paperwork and stave off repossession.

She is now arranging power of attorney to help her mother if she is unable to look after her finances in the future. She has also sought equity release quotes so her mum can remain in the property and fund her retirement.

Jenny adds: I always presumed my intelligent mum had a good grasp of finances but clearly not. If we all talked about money more, these situations might be easier.

Further help from mind.org.uk and nationaldebtline.org (0808 8084000).
EMILY ST. LAWRENCE, Chariho girls lacrosse, senior: St. Lawrence scored the 100th goal of her career in a 16-1 win against Lincoln. St. Lawrence finished her career with 104 goals, eight short of the school record. The team did not play last season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

JOSH MOONEY, Stonington track & field, sophomore: Mooney scored in three events at the State Open meet. Mooney was second in the 110 hurdles, fourth in the javelin and fifth in the 300 hurdles. He scored all 17 of Stoningtons points.

ALEX STOEHR, Westerly softball, freshman: Stoehr hit three triples and a double in a doubleheader sweep of Barrington. For the week, she was 7 for 13 with four doubles, two triples and three RBIs. Stoehr is hitting .333 for the season.

Vote

View Results
Under-trial prisoner dies, family alleges custodial torture

Mumbai, Jan 20 (PTI) An under-trial prisoner died

after being found unconscious in his cell in Maharashtra's

Aurangabad district Saturday, the police said.

The family of Yogesh Rathod (29), the deceased,

alleged that he was tortured by police which led to his death.

Rathod, a resident of Bharamba Tanda in Kannad tehsil

of the district, had been arrested a few days ago in a case of

house trespass, a police official said.

He was sent to Harsul prison after a court remanded

him in judicial custody.

He was found unconscious in his cell Saturday evening

and rushed to a government-run hospital where he was declared

dead, the official said.

While his family members alleged that he died due to

police torture, the exact cause of death will be known after

autopsy, he added. PTI DC

KRK KRK
Jammu, Jan 20 (PTI) Two absconders, including a man accused of raping a woman 21 years ago, were arrested in separate operations in Jammu and Kashmir, police said Sunday.

The rape accused, identified as Shadi Lal, a resident of Butla village, was arrested from Bhaderwah in Doda district Saturday, a police official said.

He said Lal was wanted in a case registered by Bhaderwah police station in 1997 under Sections 376 (rape) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Ranbir Panel Code.

In another operation, police arrested another absconder Joginder Singh of Maira Jagir village of Akhnoor in the outskirts of Jammu.

Singh, who was presently living in Delhi, was arrested by a special team after a long hunt of over 24 years, he said.

Singh was involved in a case registered against him in 1997 under various sections of the RPC. PTI TAS SNE

SNE
Chandigarh, Jan 20 (PTI) A head constable of Punjab Police was arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000, an official spokesperson said Sunday.

The spokesperson of the vigilance bureau said H C Raja Singh, posted in Kapurthala police station, was caught red-handed on the complaint of Baljit Singh, reader to Judicial Magistrate Ludhiana.

The complainant had approached the vigilance bureau and informed that he came into contact with a woman through social media, who called him at a flat of her associate at Guru Gobind Singh Avenue, Jalandhar on December 29 last year.

He claimed, in a pre-planned move, her associate head constable Raja Singh raided that flat and threatened him to register a case under the Immoral Traffic Act.

The complainant alleged that the accused police official was demanding Rs two lakh for not taking any action against him and the deal was struck at Rs one lakh.

The spokesperson said the woman was also forcing the complainant to deliver the promised amount to the police official.

After verifying his information, the vigilance team laid a trap and the accused was arrested on the spot for taking a bribe of Rs 50,000 as a first installment from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses.

He informed that a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the accused and his two women associates at the VB police station Jalandhar and said further investigation was underway. PTI CHS KJ

KJ
Jammu, Jan 20 (PTI) Five drug peddlers were arrested Sunday along with contraband substance in separate operations in Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

Mohan Lal, a resident of Bhartund Chaka, was arrested and 50 g of charas was recovered from his possession during frisking at Ban Ganga in Reasi district, a police spokesperson said.

He said the arrested person is a "notorious drug dealer" and had come to Katra town for drug deal.

He said Zahoor Ahmad of Anantnag was arrested and 7.5 kg of poppy straw was recovered from his possession at Domail-Pouni in Reasi district.

Mohammad Iqbal of Bhabar Rasalayan was arrested along with 670 g of poppy straw from Simbal-Chowa area of Reasi, the spokesperson said.

He said an inter-state narcotic smuggler, Mohammad Imran of Punjab was arrested after police recovered 40 kg of poppy straw from his truck at Palli Morh in Kathua district, he said.

The spokesperson said the truck was on its way to Punjab from Kashmir when it was intercepted by police.

Another drug peddler, Rakesh Sharma of Padian village was arrested along with 510 g of charas from Rehmbal area of Udhampur district, the spokespeson said.

He said all the three arrested peddlers were booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

Meanwhile, a shopkeeper was arrested after 81 LPG cylinders were seized from his shop at Nowabaad in Bathindi area of Jammu.

Javed Rather, originally hailing from Kulgam district of south Kashmir, had dumped the gas cylinders illegally in his shop and used to black market these cylinders at higher rates, the spokesperson said. PTI TAS KJ

KJ
Bengaluru, Jan 20 (PTI) The Congress in Karnataka Sunday issued notices to its four MLAs seeking explanation from them for their absence at the Legislature Party meeting,

asking why no action should taken against them under the anti-defection law.

The notices were sent to Ramesh Jarkiholi, who was dropped as minister in the recent cabinet rejig and is said to be extremely unhappy over it, B Nagendra, Umesh Jadhav and Mahesh Kumatahalli, Congress sources said.

Exposing fissures in the party, the four lawmakers had skipped the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meet Friday, which was called as a show of strength against the BJP's alleged attempt to topple the party's coalition government with the JD(S) in the state.

The absence of the four lawmakers posed no imminent threat to the seven-month-old Congress-JD(S) government in the numbers game, but suggested that all was not well within the Congress which is still wrestling with dissidence.

In the notice issued to Jarkiholi, while seeking response from him for not attending the meeting, CLP leader Siddaramaiah has also sought an explanation about the media reports that he was joining the BJP and about his visit to Delhi and Mumbai to meet saffron party leaders.

Asking as to why he has not issued any statement so far rejecting these reports, the CLP leader said, "Your conduct suggests that you will voluntarily quit from the membership of the Indian National Congress. You have got elected as a legislator on Congress symbol and cannot quit as party member under the Constitution."

Ahead of the meet, Siddaramaiah had issued notices to all party MLAs, warning that their absence would be viewed "seriously" and action initiated according to the

anti-defection law.

Soon after the CLP meet, which was attended by 76 MLAs, the Congress legislators were shifted to a resort on the city outskirts in a counter move to BJP's alleged toppling bid.

The BJP legislators, who were camping at a luxury hotel in Gurgaon, returned home last night. PTI KSU RA SS KJ
Bengaluru, Jan 20 (PTI) The wife of Karnataka Congress MLA Anand Singh, who had to be hospitalised after being injured in an alleged brawl with party legislator J N Ganesh, Sunday threatened to take legal action against the errant MLA.

"If it is true that Ganesh beat up my husband, my children and I will not keep quiet and will take legal action against him," Laxmi Singh told a section of media from Mumbai.

She is currently in Mumbai to attend a relative's wedding and is expected to return to Bengaluru soon.

Anand Singh was hospitalised after he and Ganesh, both from Ballari district, had a heated argument and came to blows late last night at the resort where the party MLAs are herded together amid the BJP's alleged poaching attempt, according to sources.

Asked if she has been informed that Ganesh provoked Singh, Laxmi said, "I do not know whether Ganesh provoked my husband, but can anybody try to kill somebody for provocation? Is it right?"

Asked if there was a scuffle between Ganesh and Singh in the recent past, she said, "No, they are good friends. Yes, my husband told me that in the last Congress Legislature Party meeting, there was a heated exchange with (legislator) Bheema Naik. Other than that he did not tell me anything."

Replying to another query, Laxmi said she does not know when Singh would be discharged from the hospital.

"My relatives, including my brothers, who are at the hospital, said my husband is in pain," she said.

"I have made several calls, but I was told he was sleeping. Nobody is telling me the exact account of my husband's condition," she said, adding that her son had spoken to Minister D K Shivakumar, who said Singh was fine.

Singh was admitted to a private hospital.

Singh had "a black eye and suffered blunt injuries" and also complained of uneasiness in the chest, hospital sources said.

Ganesh is among the disgruntled Congress MLAs who was reportedly in touch with other dissidents in the party and was on BJP's radar in its alleged toppling game. PTI BDN SMN

SMN
Bengaluru, Jan 20 (PTI) Karnataka BJP MLAs have returned to the state from Gurgaon where they were lodged in a private resort for the past a few days.

State BJP president B S Yeddyurappa had asked all 104 party MLAs to return and they flew back to the state late Saturday night, BJP MLC Lehar Singh told PTI.

"Some of them have directly flown back to their constituencies and others including former deputy chief ministers R Ashoka and K S Eshwarappa returned to Bengaluru," he said.

With the Congress on tenterhooks to keep its numbers intact, the party's MLAs are remaining sequestered in a resort on the city outskirts fearing a poaching bid by BJP.

Yeddyurappa had said BJP would not destabilise Karnataka's ruling coalition.

"Let the Congress-JD(S) leaders not have any doubt about it," he said, after chinks in the ruling coalition were exposed when four MLAs skipped the Congress Legislature Party meet on Friday.

As the fissures became evident, the Congress on Friday swiftly moved all its MLAs to the resort in a bid to "escape" the BJP's alleged bid to woo its MLAs.

Top Congress sources had said Friday that at least eight party MLAs have "committed" themselves to BJP. The BJP also announced that a seven-member team led by Yeddyurappa would tour drought-hit districts from Monday.

CLP leader Siddaramaiah had welcomed Yeddyurappa's decision to call back all BJP MLAs and asked him to "walk the talk" on not trying to destabilise the ruling coalition.

"I welcome Yeddyurappa's decision to call back the BJP legislators from Delhi and send them to monitor the drought management in the state," he said in a tweet in Kannada.

Congress minister D K Shivakumar said he was in touch with all the MLAs.

Asked about senior ministers resigning to accommodate disgruntled legislators in the cabinet, he said, "I have voluntarily offered (to resign)...in the interest of the party. If my leaders want, I'm ready." PTI BDN SS ABH

ABH
BJP ticks off Stalin for not echoing "Rahul for PM" at TMC

rally

(Eds: Rephrasing para 5)

Chennai, Jan 20 (PTI) The BJP Sunday said DMK president

M K Stalin could not reiterate his 'Congress chief Rahul

Gandhi for Prime Minister pitch' in the Opposition rally at

Kolkata and it showed that he has diverged from his avowed

stand.

Stalin, however, said he continued to be firm in his

stand of "Rahul for PM."

"Stalin said Rahul Gandhi will be the PM candidate in

Chennai. He could not say so at Kolkata," BJP Tamil Nadu unit

president Tamilisai Soundararajan said here adding such

contradictions outlined the contours of the Opposition front.

Later, speaking to reporters in Madurai, the BJP leader

said, "had Stalin been consistent in his stand why did not he

say that he proposed Rahul Gandhi for the post Prime

Minister at the mega Kolkatta rally attended by over 20

parties."

Criticising Stalin for diverging from his previous stand

of supporting Rahul Gandhi for the post of Prime Minister she

said, such deviation showed "his hesitancy and obstacles."

Unlike the undercurrent of incohesion in the Opposition

ranks, her party led front was clear that "to save the nation,

Narendra Modi should return as the Prime Minister."

The DMK chief said he proposed Rahul Gandhi's name at his

party held event here whereas the Kolkata rally saw the

convergence of several Opposition parties who had decided to

pick the PM nominee post Lok Sabha election in keeping with

the unique political scenarios in their respective States.

"It was a DMK held event where we had every right and we

proposed Rahul Gandhi since people of Tamil Nadu expected and

what is wrong in it," asked Stalin addressing a function.

Affirming that Rahul Gandhi would be the next Prime

Minister, Stalin said "wait and see if it happens or not," and

added that no leader at the Opposition rally had questioned

him for backing the Congress chief for the top post.

Viduthalai Chiruthailgal Katchi chief Thol Thirumavalavan

said the Kolkata rally was only an initiative aimed at

bringing together "secular parties against the BJP and it was

not an event to declare the Prime Minister candidate of the

Opposition." PTI VGN

ROH ROH
Karna turmoil: Cong MLA injured in 'brawl', notices sent to 4

lawmakers for skipping CLP meet

(Eds: Incorporates related stories)

Bengaluru, Jan 20 (PTI) In an ugly turn in the ongoing

power game in Karnataka, a Congress MLA was injured in an

alleged brawl with a colleague lawmaker at a resort even as

the party issued notices to its four legislators who skipped a

crucial CLP meeting amid BJP's alleged poaching attempt.

Anand Singh was hospitalised after he and J N Ganesh,

both from Ballari district, had a heated argument and came to

blows late last night at the resort where the party MLAs are

herded together, Congress sources said Sunday.

In its notices to four MLAs on Sunday, the party sought

to know why action should not be taken against them under the

anti-defection law for not attending the Friday's Congress

Legislature Party Meeting that was a show of strength against

BJP's alleged bid to dislodge the ruling coalition.

Singh has "a black eye and suffered blunt injuries,"

according to sources at the private hospital where he is

undergoing treatment. He had also complained of uneasiness in

the chest but was now in the ward and "fine", they added.

Ganesh is among the disgruntled Congress MLAs who was

reportedly in touch with other dissidents in the party and on

the BJP's radar in its alleged toppling game.

Congress spokesperson and former Nizamabad MP Madhu Goud

Yakshi said the scuffle was related to some business issue had

nothing to do with politics.

"It was personal district related. They are all together

in business. The scuffle has nothing to do with politics. They

come from the same district and have business relations. It

(the fight) is something related to that. It has nothing to do

with politics," he said.

The two MLAs had the dinner together in his presence and

everything was cordial but after he left the fight broke out,

Yakshi told PTI.

Bidadi police under whose jurisdiction the Eagleton

resort is located, said they have not received any complaint

so far.

A posse of policemen have been deployed in front of the

hospital with no visitor being allowed.

"We have not been allowed inside the hospital,"

Raghunath, a Congress MLA, said.

In a dig at the Congress, BJP tweeted, "It's unfortunate

that @KPCCPresident was unable to stop the fight in Eagleton

resort. We hope Anand Singh is being treated & we pray for his

speedy recovery. Unfortunately @dineshgrao can't even blame

BJP now, MLA's were locked up under his watch at Eagleton.

Whats ur excuse now?"

Senior minister D K Shivakumar however brushed aside

reports that Singh had been assaulted and claimed all the

Congress MLAs were united.

"Someone has misled. There was no fracas. There was no

incident of smashing of bottle (on Singh's head). It is all

fake news. Everyone is together. The entire Congress is

united," he said.

State senior BJP leader and former Deputy chief minister

R Ashok asked the Congress to produce Singh before the media

and said police should initiate legal action in the case.

"Why is it that the Police have not taken any action in

this incident?. I demand that the Congress should produce

Singh before the media. I suspect that the Congress is making

efforts to cover up the case," he alleged.

As it struggled to keep its MLAs on leash, the Congress

Sunday issued notices to Ramesh Jarkiholi, who was dropped as

minister in the recent cabinet rejig and is said to be miffed

over it, B Nagendra, Umesh Jadhav and Mahesh Kumatahalli,

Congress sources said.

Exposing fissures in the party, the four law makers had

skipped the CLP meet, held amid the political turmoil that

broke out on Monday last with BJP MLAs ensconced in a luxury

hotel in Gurugram.

The BJP MLAs flew back home last night after the party

state unit president B S Yeddyurappa asked them to return and

said the party would not destabilise the Kumaraswamy

government.

The absence of four at the CLP meet posed no imminent

threat to the seven-month old Congress-JDS government in the

numbers game but suggested that the crisis for it was far from

over.

In the notice to Jarkiholi, CLP leader Siddaramaiah

besides seeking response from him for not attending the MLAs'

meeting also asked him to provide an explanation about media

reports that he was joining BJP and about his visit to Delhi

and Mumbai to meet saffron party leaders.

Asking as to why he has not issued any statement so far

rejecting the media reports, Siddaramaiah said "your conduct

suggests that you will voluntarily quit from the membership of

the Indian National Congress. You have got elected as

legislator on Congress symbol and cannot quit as party member

under the Constitution."

Seventysix of the 80 Congress MLAs had attended the CLP

meet.

Ahead of the meet, Siddaramaiah had issued notices to all

the party MLAs warning that their absence would be viewed

"seriously" and action initiated uner the anti-defection law.

Top Congress sources had said Friday that at least eight

party MLAs have "committed" themselves to BJP, an apprehension

that caused jitters in the party and made it to shift the

legislators to the resort.

As for the BJP camp, party MLC Lehar Singh said all 104

MLAs flew back to the state late Saturday night after

Yeddyurappa asked them to return.

"Some of them have directly flown back to their

constituencies and others including former deputy chief

ministers R Ashoka and K S Eshwarappa returned to Bengaluru,"

he said.

Eshwarappa said the Congress-JD(S) coalition government

in the state would fall due to internal bickering and his

party would form the government.

The present political turbulence is because of the

internal bickering in the Congress and their leaders have been

needlessly levelling allegations against the BJP, he said last

night. PTI BDN KSU GMS RA

VS VS
New Delhi, Jan 20 (PTI) An alleged rape victim and her husband, who have temporarily shifted here from Jammu and Kashmir apprehending threat to their lives, have been given protection by the Delhi High Court.

The high court was informed by the couple that personal circumstances forced them to leave their native place and made serious allegations against some police officials and political workers.

The couple claimed that the woman was allegedly physically assaulted and raped and the man was kept in detention for several days by the Jammu and Kashmir police and now he was out on bail.

The court directed the concerned DCP of Delhi Police to look into the matter and forthwith provide protection to the couple and that their address shall not be disclosed to any other person except the government counsel.

"The petitioners' (couple) residence in the NCT of Delhi shall not be disturbed, except by due process of law and with prior intimation to this court," Justice Najmi Waziri said.

The couple said they had approached the Jammu and Kashmir High Court in September 2018 seeking protection and the court had directed the state to look into the matter of providing protection to the petitioners.

However, they claimed that no protection was accorded to them and they apprehend a grave threat to their life, limb and liberty and were constrained to temporarily shift to Delhi.

The Delhi High Court directed the concerned DCP to look into the matter and forthwith provide due protection to the couple and asked the police officials to give their numbers to them so that they can reach out for help in case of any exigency. PTI SKV HMP HMP SOM

SOM
New Delhi, Jan 20 (PTI) A 'peace calender' was released here on Sunday to send out a message of peace amid strain in bilateral ties between India and Pakistan.

Many people, including Army veterans, youths and school students, gathered here to release the 'peace calendar', an initiative of the 'Aaghaz-e-Dosti' organisation that works to foster people-to-people relations between India and Pakistan through its voluntary network of people.

The calendar features paintings of school students from India and Pakistan on the theme of peace. Six paintings from each country were selected for being published in the form of calendar.

Sudheendra Kulkarni, a writer and former aide of the late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, told the gathering that the young generation is the hope for both countries.

He recalled how the initiatives such as start of bus, train and trade services across borders brought happiness to people and hence more such steps should be taken.

Major General (retired) T K Kaul, the executive president of India Pakistan Soldiers Initiative for Peace, talked about how there are veterans in both countries who advocate peace. PTI ASK SMN
Barnala, Jan 20 (PTI) Senior AAP leader and Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann on Sunday said he has left taking liquor on his mother's advice.

Mann, who is often criticised by political opponents for "excessive drinking," earned high praise from party supremo Arvind Kejriwal for giving up alcohol.

"My political opponents often level accusations against me, saying 'Bhagwant Mann takes liquor and remains intoxicated day and night'. Brothers, it always pained me when I saw old videos of myself on social media where I was being defamed," Mann said, at a rally here.

He said he has left drinking from January 1 and that he hopes to shun liquor for the rest of his life.

"I admit I used to take liquor occasionally. But my political opponents maligned me. Today my mother is here. She had told me that people defamed me excessively on the television and then asked me to stop taking liquor. Now they cannot defame me," said Mann, who is set contest the Lok Sabha elections from Sangrur seat again.

In 2016, the suspended AAP MP Harinder Singh Khalsa had complained against Mann to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, requesting her to change his seat in the Parliament as Mann, who sat next to him, was stinking of alcohol.

Later during his address, Kejriwal lauded Mann for leaving liquor, saying his commitment was "not a small thing".

"Friends, Bhagwant Mann has won my heart. Not only mine, he also won the hearts of whole Punjab. A leader should be like him who is ready to make any kind of sacrifice for the people. It is not a small thing to make such a big commitment. After January 1, he says he will not touch liquor. It is a very big thing, said Kejriwal.

Kejriwal said Mann, who was a stand up comedian, left his career to serve the people of Punjab.

"Today Punjab is sinking because of drugs. In the last Punjab elections, Mann fought against Sukhbir Singh Badal from Jalalabad seat because he felt at that time Sukhbir was the biggest guilty for the situation Punjab was in. Today, Sukhbir Badal is responsible for drugs in Punjab," alleged Kejriwal.

Kejriwal asked how many people are ready to leave liquor for the people.

Earlier in his speech, Mann claimed nobody could blame him for embezzling even a single penny. He also lashed out at SAD and Congress in his address.

Meanwhile, talking to reporters Kejriwal said AAP would contest all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. "We will contest all 13 seats in Punjab. There will be no alliance with the Congress in Delhi or in Punjab. People were earlier fed up with the Akali Dal and now with the Congress as they failed to honour any poll promise. We will carry out the same work in Punjab as we have done in Delhi," said Kejriwal.

During the rally, Mann announced former union minister Harmohan Dhawan would be the party candidate from Chandigarh seat for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Dhawan had joined AAP last year. PTI CHS VSD IND

IND
New Delhi, Jan 20 (PTI) The Congress on Sunday said the remarks by a BJP MLA in Uttar Pradesh calling BSP chief Mayawati "worse than a transgender" were "absolutely condemnable" and exposed the saffron party's "anti-women mentality".

Mughalsarai BJP MLA Sadhana Singh made the controversial remarks at a rally on Saturday while referring to the infamous incident when Mayawati was assaulted by Samajwadi Party workers in a Lucknow guest house in 1995.

"Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati sold her dignity for power and joined hands with those who disrespected her... She is a blot on womankind. Cannot say if she can be counted among men or women, she is worse than a transgender person," Singh alleged.

Reacting to the remarks, Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi said the words used by the BJP MLA were "absolutely condemnable" and shameful.

"I believe she owes the women of the nation an apology besides apologising to Mayawati Ji. What I find absolutely unfortunate as a woman is that a woman leader speaks such derogatory words about another woman," she said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has time and time again exposed its "anti-women mentality" right from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has used language which is "sexist and misogynist" inside Parliament and outside, and refused to apologise for it, she alleged.

"Whether it is for Sonia Gandhi, whether it is for our Congress women leaders...We have had many of their chief ministers come forward with their own anti- women mindset and statements which are derogatory in nature," Chaturvedi said.

It clarifies and also shows that the BJP continues to endorse their anti-women agenda and anti-women mindset, she said.

If the BJP can't take action against Singh it will clearly prove that such remarks are not just endorsed, but encouraged, the Congress leader said.

The Trinamool Congress also reacted sharply to the remarks, with senior party leader Derek O'brien saying: "We condemn the obnoxious language used against Behen Mayawati Ji." PTI ASK ASG GVS
New Delhi, Jan 20(PTI) Don't think 'mama' has become weak, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who lost power in the recent Assembly elections, asserted Sunday and claimed the BJP will win at least 27 out of the 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

Congress may have formed government in the state but it could fall "anytime as it lacks majority", Chouhan, who is also called 'mama' or uncle, said at 'Yuva Vijay Sankalp Maharally' of Delhi BJP's Yuva Morcha.

"Don't think mama has become weak. I promise you that we will win at least 27 seats, as we did in 2014, out of the 29 Lok Sabha seats, in the coming elections," said the senior BJP leader.

Hitting out at Congress government in Madhya Pradesh, Chouhan claimed BJP could also have formed a "lame" government too but it decided it would do so only with a grand majority.

Chouhan also mocked the gathering of opposition leaders at Saturday's Kolkata rally as "bhanumati ka kunaba" (marriage of convenience), saying there was no unanimity over a common leader among the parties planning the 'mahagathbandhan'.

"Its like a wedding without a groom. On the other hand we have a leader in the form of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lead us in the battle ground," he said.

The 'Yuva Vijay Sankalp Maharally' was the fifth of a series of big rallies held by the Delhi BJP in the last two months, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

However, the event saw a not so whelming attendance. Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari warned from the stage that it would be investigated who were the persons leaving the venue during speeches of the leaders.

Delhi BJP Yuva Morcha president Sunil Yadav claimed the event was attended by over 20,000 persons.

"People were coming and going but the chairs were full," he said.

The Yuva Morcha had planned to torch 40-feet effigies of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal but the plan was shelved in view of poor air quality in the city, Yadav said.

The rally was attended by many senior BJP leaders including Union minister Vijay Goel who attacked Kejriwal, alleging that his government in Delhi has "destroyed" the city.

Jaibhan Pawaiya, Lok Sabha election co-incharge of Delhi BJP, asked students to sharpen their arguments to face the challenge of being mocked on the slogan of "Achhe Din" by the opponents and counter it with achievements of the Modi government. PTI VIT VIT SOM

SOM
Patna, Jan 20 (PTI) The Janata Dal (United) Sunday said it would vote against the controversial Citizenship Bill when it is tabled in the Rajya Sabha, notwithstanding the party's alliance with the BJP.

The party's national general secretary and chief spokesman K C Tyagi said this while criticising the Congress for staging a walkout from the Lok Sabha when the bill was being put to vote, saying it was a "farce" and "tantamount to support".

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8, seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims 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.

A large section of the people and several organisations in the northeast have opposed the bill saying it would nullify the provisions of the Assam Accord of 1985, which fixed March 24, 1971, as the cut-off date for deportation of illegal immigrants irrespective of religion.

Tyagi was speaking to reporters after a meeting of the party's national office bearers here at the residence of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who heads the JD(U).

Poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor, who joined the party in September last year and was elevated to the post of national vice-president a few weeks later, was among those who attended the meeting chaired by Kumar.

"The national office-bearers of the party reaffirmed the commitment to the legacy of socialist movement and to our old stand on issues like Ram temple, Article 370 and uniform civil code," Tyagi said.

"As far as the new citizenship bill concerning Assam is concerned, we condemn the attitude and behaviour of the Congress when the bill was put to vote in the Lok Sabha," he added.

Staging a walkout is tantamount to support and it is our apprehension that the Congress, by enacting a farce, wants to support the bill. We are going to oppose it when it comes before the Rajya Sabha, Tyagi said further.

The stance of JD(U) assumes significance in the backdrop of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), its ally in Bihar, facing the heat on the issue in Assam where it is in power and has lost the support of its former ally Asom Gana Parishad following differences on the matter.

The JD(U) leader also said a party delegation, which would comprise Kishor and himself, among others, would soon visit Assam to take stock of the ramifications of the legislation.

Tyagi further said that the JD(U) will hold its national executive meeting here in the last week of February.

"State president Vashishtha Narayan Singh has been assigned the task of deciding candidates for the seats which our party will be contesting in the Lok Sabha polls," he said.

"He will be assisted by Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan and Vijendra Yadav, both of whom have headed the state unit in the past," he added.

The JD(U) is slated to contest 17 out of 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state, as per the arrangement it has reached with alliance partners BJP and Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).

Pavan Varma, another JD(U) national general secretary present at the meeting, said, "Our differences with the BJP on controversial issues is on principles and do not in any way violate coalition 'dharma'."

"We do not think it would lead to any misgivings as we have taken our stand on each of these issues after informing the BJP beforehand," he said.

Replying to a query, he said the party was confident that the constituents of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will finalise the seats to be contested by each party by the end of February, before the poll schedule is announced. PTI NAC JM RHL
Bamako, Jan 21 (AFP) Gunmen killed 10 Chadian peacekeepers and injured at least 25 others in an attack on a UN camp in northern Mali on Sunday, one of the deadliest strikes against the UN mission in the West African country.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned what he described as a "complex attack" on the camp in Aguelhok, in Kidal region and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

"Ten peacekeepers from Chad were killed and at least 25 injured," said a statement from UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

The gunmen struck early Sunday at the Aguelhok base 200 kilometres north of Kidal and towards the border with Algeria, according to a source close to the MINUSMA mission.

"MINUSMA forces responded robustly and a number of assailants were killed," Dujarric said, without specifying the toll.

Mahamat Saleh Annadif, the UN envoy for Mali, condemned what he called a "vile and criminal" attack.

"Peacekeepers of the MINUSMA force at Aguelhok fought off a sophisticated attack by assailants who arrived on several armed vehicles," he said in a statement.

The attack "illustrates the determination of the terrorists to sow chaos.

"It demands a robust, immediate and concerted response from all forces to destroy the peril of terrorism in the Sahel." (AFP) AQS

AQS
United States, Jan 21 (AFP) Ten peacekeepers from Chad were killed and at least 25 were injured in an attack on their camp in northern Mali, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday.

Guterres strongly condemned what he described as a "complex attack" on the UN peace mission's camp in Aguelhok, near Kidal. AQS

AQS

AQS
(Eds: Updating with Israeli raids, rocket fire)

Damascus, Jan 20 (AFP) A bomb blast hit the capital of war-torn Syria on Sunday and a "terrorist" was arrested, state media said, in a rare attack in the city that has been largely insulated from violence.

The explosion came as another bomb in the northern city of Afrin killed three people and wounded nine others, according to a war monitor, on the first anniversary of a Turkish offensive on the Kurdish-majority region.

Also on Sunday Israel said it intercepted a rocket fired from Syria after Damascus accused the Jewish state of carrying out air raids on the south of the country.

State news agency SANA said a "bomb blast" had hit southern Damascus "without leaving any victims".

"There is confirmation of reports that a terrorist has been arrested," it said.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor reported, however, a "huge explosion" near a military intelligence office in southern Damascus that left a number of people dead and wounded.

"The explosion took place near a security branch in the south of the city," and was followed by shooting, said the monitor which relies on a network of sources inside the country.

"There are some people killed and injured but we could not verify the toll immediately," it added.

It was unclear if the blast was caused by a bomb that was planted or a suicide attack, according to the monitor.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Syria is locked in a civil war that has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests in 2011 spiralled into full conflict.

With key military backing from Russia, President Bashar al-Assad's forces have retaken large parts of Syria from rebels and jihadists, and now control almost two-thirds of the country.

The Syrian regime in May reclaimed a final scrap of territory held by the Islamic State group (IS) in southern Damascus, cementing total control over the capital for the first time in six years.

Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said that Sunday's blast appeared to be the first attack in Damascus since a car bomb over a year ago that caused no casualties.

Damascus has been largely spared the worst of the violence during the country's nearly eight-year war, but several bomb attacks have shaken the city.

In March 2017 a double suicide attack claimed by Al-Qaeda's former affiliate in the country killed 74 people, including dozens of Iranian pilgrims visiting religious sites in the historic Old City.

That was followed a few days later by bombings claimed by IS at a courthouse and restaurant that killed 32 people.

One of the most high-profile attacks in the capital saw a bomb kill Assad's brother-in-law Assef Shawkat -- a top security official -- and the minister of defence at a command centre in July 2012.

Since reclaiming control of Damascus and surrounding regions, security forces have removed many of the checkpoints that dotted the city.

Government troops have largely pushed remaining rebel and jihadist forces into the northwestern province of Idlib, while IS holds a few dwindling pockets of territory.

The Afrin blast was the result of a bomb placed in a bus in the centre of the city, according to the Observatory.

Turkish troops and allied rebel groups seized the Afrin region from Kurdish forces in March last year after a two-month air and ground offensive.

Israel meanwhile said a rocket fired from Syria's Golan Heights had been intercepted by its "Iron Dome" air defence system.

It came after SANA, quoting a Syrian military source, said anti-aircraft defences went into action after Israel on Sunday launched air strikes on the south of the country.

Israel has pledged to stop arch foe Iran from entrenching itself militarily in neighbouring Syria and says it has carried out hundreds of air strikes there against Iranian targets and those of Tehran's Lebanese ally Hezbollah. (AFP) SCY

SCY
New Delhi, Jan 20 (PTI) Following are the top foreign stories at 2000 hours:



FGN24 US-3RDLD TRUMP

Trump offers protection to 7 lakh undocumented immigrants in exchange of border wall funding, but Democrats reject it as "non-starter"

Washington: US President Donald Trump has launched a new "compromise" plan to end a prolonged and crippling government shutdown by offering protection from deportations for some 700,000 undocumented immigrants in exchange for a whopping USD 5.7 billion for constructing a controversial wall on the US-Mexico border. By Lalit K Jha



FGN21 WEF-SURVEY-INDIANS

Indians biggest supporters of international aid: WEF global survey

Davos: Indians have emerged as the biggest supporters of international aid, with a global public opinion survey putting India on the top when it comes to people expecting their nation to help other countries. By Barun Jha



FGN13 WEF-CURTAIN RAISER

World leaders set to flock to Davos amid fears of economy sleepwalking into crisis; over 100 from India to attend

Davos: The rich and powerful from across the globe will flock to this ski resort town on the Swiss Alps for five days beginning Monday to discuss what's ailing the world amid fears of the global economy sleepwalking into a crisis, with more than 100 CEOs from India expected to be in attendance. By Barun Jha



FGN25 PAK-ISIS-INNOCENT

Pak ISIS 'terrorists' shot dead were 'innocent': govt

Lahore: Pakistani authorities on Sunday admitted that three of the four ISIS "terrorists" who were killed in an encounter with police in Punjab province were "innocent" even as 16 personnel involved in the shootout have been arrested. By M Zulqernain



FGN15 BANGLA-ATTACK-LD ARREST

Top financier of Dhaka cafe attack arrested

Dhaka: A top Islamist extremist, who allegedly supplied arms, explosives and money to the militants who carried out 2016 terror attack on a cafe in Bangladesh, has been arrested, police said on Sunday. By Anisur Rahman



FGN20 SYRIA-2NDLD EXPLOSION

'Bomb blast' rocks Syrian capital Damascus

Damascus: A bomb blast hit the capital of war-torn Syria on Sunday and a "terrorist" was arrested, state media said, in a rare attack in the city that has been largely insulated from violence. (AFP)



FGN9 CHILE-2NDLD QUAKE

Two dead from heart attacks as strong quake jolts Chile

Santiago: A strong 6.7-magnitude earthquake hit north-central Chile on Saturday, the US Geological Survey said, with police reporting the deaths of two people from heart attacks. (AFP)



FGN5 MEXICO-LD FIRE

Fuel pipeline blaze in Mexico kills at least 73

Tlahuelilpan (Mexico): An explosion and fire in central Mexico killed at least 73 people after hundreds swarmed to the site of an illegal fuel-line tap to gather gasoline amid a government crackdown on fuel theft, officials said. (AFP)



FGN22 UN-MALI-LD ATTACK

Attack on UN base in Mali kills 8 peacekeepers: UN source

Bamako: Gunmen killed at least eight Chadian UN peacekeepers in an attack Sunday on one of their bases in northern Mali, a source close to the MINUSMA force said. (AFP)



FGN17 AFGHAN-ATTACK-GOVERNOR

At least seven killed in attack on Afghan provincial governor

Puli Alam (Afghanistan): A Taliban suicide bomber killed at least seven security guards Sunday after targeting the convoy of an Afghan governor, officials said, in the latest violence to rock the war-torn country. (AFP)





RUP

RUP
Brussels, Jan 20 (AFP) The EU said Sunday that "doubts remain" over the result of the DR Congo's disputed election, after the country's highest court declared Felix Tshisekedi president, outraging opponents.

With fears running high that the poll dispute could plunge the perennially unstable central African nation into fresh turmoil, an EU spokeswoman pleaded for all sides to refrain from "any action that could lead to violence".

DR Congo's constitutional court threw out a legal challenge by runner-up Martin Fayulu early Sunday, paving the way for Tshisekedi to take over from long-ruling strongman Joseph Kabila.

"We take note of the announcement by the Constitutional Court last night," an EU spokeswoman said.

"As expressed by the AU (African Union) high level consultative meeting on Thursday in Addis, doubts remain regarding the conformity of the result," she added.

The AU's chairman, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, is due in Kinshasa on Monday, and the EU called on all parties to cooperate with his mission.

The AU had called for the final results to be delayed.

But another regional bloc, the 16-nation Southern African Development Community, congratulated Tshisekedi on Sunday and called for a peaceful handover of power.

Tshisekedi's victory was provisionally announced earlier this month by the election commission CENI, but it was challenged both at home and abroad.

The Financial Times and other foreign media have reported seeing documents that confirm Fayulu as the winner, and the influential Roman Catholic Church, which says it deployed 40,000 observers to monitor the poll, has also dismissed the official outcome. (AFP)

RUP

RUP
Puli Alam (Afghanistan), Jan 20 (AFP) A Taliban suicide bomber killed at least seven security guards Sunday after targeting the convoy of an Afghan governor, officials said, in the latest violence to rock the war-torn country.

The attacker rammed a vehicle full of explosives into the convoy of Anwar Ishaqzai, the governor of central Logar province, who was travelling with his provincial intelligence chief on the highway connecting the region to the capital Kabul.

"Fortunately, both officials escaped unhurt. But the attack has left eight people dead, all bodyguards of the governor," provincial police spokesman Shahpoor Ahmadzai told AFP, adding that seven people were wounded by the blast.

Abdul Wali Wakil -- a member of the Logar provincial council -- confirmed the incident but said seven people were killed.

The Taliban, who have been waging a 17-year war against the Western-backed Afghan government, claimed responsibility for the attack.

The bombing comes days after the Taliban struck a fortified foreign compound in Kabul with a truck bomb, killing at least four people -- including a US and an Indian national -- and wounding more than 100 others.

Fights between security forces and Taliban militants have continued to intensify across the country during the frigid Afghan winter, which traditionally experiences a lull in fighting.

The defence ministry announced Sunday that over 40 Taliban insurgents were killed during airstrikes and ground operations in the last 24 hours.(AFP)

RUP

RUP
New Delhi, Jan 20 (PTI) Following are the top foreign stories at 1700 hours:



FGN11 US-2NDLD TRUMP

Trump offers protection to undocumented immigrants in exchange of border wall funding

Washington: US President Donald Trump has launched a new plan to end a government shutdown, which has been ongoing for nearly a month, by offering protection from deportations for some undocumented immigrants in exchange for USD 5.7 billion for constructing a wall on the US-Mexico border. By Lalit K Jha



FGN13 WEF-CURTAIN RAISER

World leaders set to flock to Davos amid fears of economy sleepwalking into crisis; over 100 from India to attend

Davos: The rich and powerful from across the globe will flock to this ski resort town on the Swiss Alps for five days beginning Monday to discuss what's ailing the world amid fears of the global economy sleepwalking into a crisis, with more than 100 CEOs from India expected to be in attendance. By Barun Jha



FGN15 BANGLA-ATTACK-LD ARREST

Top financier of Dhaka cafe attack arrested

Dhaka: A top Islamist extremist, who allegedly supplied arms, explosives and money to the militants who carried out 2016 terror attack on a cafe in Bangladesh, has been arrested, police said on Sunday. By Anisur Rahman



FGN12 SYRIA-LD EXPLOSION

'Huge explosion' in Syria capital causes fatalities: monitor

Damascus: A "huge explosion" near a military intelligence office in Damascus Sunday left a number of dead and wounded, a war monitor said, after state TV reported early indications suggested a "terrorist act". (AFP)



FGN9 CHILE-2NDLD QUAKE

Two dead from heart attacks as strong quake jolts Chile

Santiago: A strong 6.7-magnitude earthquake hit north-central Chile on Saturday, the US Geological Survey said, with police reporting the deaths of two people from heart attacks. (AFP)



FGN5 MEXICO-LD FIRE

Fuel pipeline blaze in Mexico kills at least 73

Tlahuelilpan (Mexico): An explosion and fire in central Mexico killed at least 73 people after hundreds swarmed to the site of an illegal fuel-line tap to gather gasoline amid a government crackdown on fuel theft, officials said. (AFP) RUP

RUP
Mumbai, Jan 20 (PTI) His films may be one of the most money minting releases, but when it comes to choosing a story Aamir Khan follows his heart and the business aspect does not come into consideration.

The 53-year-old superstar, who made some unusual choices in his close to three-decade-long career, made experimental cinema mainstream by giving hits like "Sarfarosh", "Lagaan", "Dil Chahta Hai", "Rang De Basanti", "Taare Zameen Par", "3 Idiots", "Dangal" and "Secret Superstar".

"As a creative person, I have always followed my heart and worked on films that have touched and moved me. And these are often films that are considered risky by the market and when these films get accepted by people it gives me lot of strength and confidence. Also, it reinforces the belief I have in storytelling and creativity," Aamir told PTI.

The actor was speaking on the sidelines of the inauguration of the National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday.

Aamir praised the initiative by the government.

"I am a student of cinema and a lover of history. I am glad this museum has started. I am keen to look at it all through. I have a fascination for creative people, like who started the film industry and who made all these silent films, talkies, black and white and colour films. Whenever there is a book on any film personality I always buy, I like to read about that time."

On the work front, there have been reports that Aamir will be part of an Osho biopic, based on spiritual guru Rajneesh but there is no official announcement from the actor on his upcoming films. PTI KKP SHD SHD

SHD
Mumbai, Jan 19 (PTI) Michelin-star chef Vikas Khanna, who is making his directorial debut with "The Last Color", says he never planned his foray into films and it all happened organically.

The celebrated chef said he has no plans to pursue direction full-time.

"I am not changing gears, I am just adding something. It just came honestly. I had no aspirations to be a filmmaker. I am doing it for the love of art. If something moves I do it. I don't know what will inspire me next," Khanna, who has made documentaries in the past, told PTI.

The film "The Last Color", based on a book of the same name by Khanna, revolves around the Supreme Court order against an age-old tradition of not allowing widows in Vrindavan to play Holi.

Khanna's visit to Vrindavan in 2011 for his book 'Utsav: A Culinary Epic of Indian Festivals' gave birth to "The Last Color", which now has turned into a film.

"In Vrindavan while I was just crossing by a lane I saw hundreds of widows standing on the balcony, who were dressed in white while the streets, the walls and other people were in colors. This is so stark. As a chef, everything in my life has been about colors."

He went back to New York to his normal life but the image of widows remained with him. The celebrity chef went crazy after looking at a story that appeared in 2013 in New York Times about widows playing Holi for the first time, following the orders of the Supreme Court.

At that time a bereaved Khanna was unable to recover from the demise of his father and decided to visit his favourite city, Varanasi to get a closure.

A chance encounter with a young girl, who he called Chhoti, a tightrope walker approached him for money so that she could go to school and become a lawyer eventually, gave birth to a story for his book.

The book follows the friendship between a young girl and a widow named Noor in Vrindavan.

The Michelin star recipient says, "Chotti gave me the inspiration for my story about women whose life is colourless.

"Over the course of time, the book titled 'The Last Color' took a shape. Lot of people then had advised me not to write a fiction novel and that I should rather concentrate on writing books on cooking."

On his publisher's advice, Khanna decided to turn the book into a film. He also visited ashrams to do his research for the film.

"We started scouting for directors we did not find anyone who felt the pain and also sensitivity to color, so I came on board."

Khanna says he has dedicated this film to his father.

The film stars Neena Gupta in the lead and she was Khanna's first and only choice. He approached her while the actor was shooting for "Badhaai Ho".

For Khanna, to enter into the world of cinema and to be on the sets was akin to being in the kitchen.

"Making a film is exactly the same as running a kitchen. You should know the craft, understand the frame and emotion and it is like understanding the menu, where and how the food will be cooked.

"Like, how we decorate a restaurant and a dish similarly a film's scene are decorated with story, performances, etc. The dish that is ready on the table is just like a shot captured onscreen."

Khanna, who has taken the Indian cuisine on a global platform with his high-end restaurant Junoon in New York, says, "There is lot of food in the film but we are not keeping it in the forefront. I have touched upon lot of things in this film like caste system, food, it is all inter-layered."

The film was recently premiered at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in California and it is likely to release in India this year. PTI KKP SHD

SHD
Geneva, Jan 20 (AFP) Klaus Schwab, who founded the World Economic Forum (WEF), has said his childhood during World War II inspired him to build an organisation that would make the world a better place.

His foundation, which hosts many of the world's most powerful, famous and wealthy people at its annual meeting in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, has clearly made an impact.

But questions have grown about whether the organisation is meeting its declared goal of "improving the state of the world", with resentment rising against the pro-business Davos agenda, and voters turning instead to populist leaders.

One persistent criticism is that WEF meetings, including this week's main annual gathering in Davos, have simply created a safe space for the corporate world to lobby governments without oversight.

Schwab was not available for an interview with AFP but the WEF's managing director, Adrian Monck, said in an email that the organisation "subscribes to the highest standards of governance".

Schwab, born in Ravensburg, Germany, in 1938, was a little-known business professor at the University of Geneva when in 1971 he founded the WEF's precursor, the European Management Forum.

He later broadened the conclave by inviting US business leaders, assembling a prestigious Rolodex as he turned the gathering into a showcase for networking and exchange of ideas.

In a 2018 book, two Stockholm University professors chronicled the WEF's evolution, as over time politicians joined the business executives in Davos to give the forum the air of a United Nations, with a few celebrities thrown in.

"Against the backdrop of what is perceived to be malfunctioning global governance institutions and stalled international policymaking, the WEF presents itself as offering an alternative," Christina Garsten and Adrienne Sorbom write in "Discreet Power: How the World Economic Forum Shapes Market Agendas".

Over the years, success has bred success for the WEF as many of the world's movers and shakers vie to rub shoulders in the Swiss Alps at panel discussions and apres-ski socialising. Newer regional meetings have joined the Davos calendar.

The WEF's "fragile authority" relies on proving "that if you want to be part of the global nobility, then you have to be here," Sorbom told AFP.

She said the organisation appears to offer something lacking in other international bodies: a venue where the heads of business and government can meet "and possibly come up with some good ideas". But it has "troublesome aspects", she added.

With dozens of heads of state and government coming to Davos each year, the WEF can be seen as a body "without a legal mandate to influence global governance yet with an ambition to do so", Garsten and Sorbom write.

Oliver Classen of the Swiss NGO Public Eye, which has spearheaded protests and other campaigns to counter the Davos meeting, said the WEF has always been "fully dependent" on the 1,000 companies that support the foundation.

Membership to the Forum ranges from the equivalent of USD 60,000 (53,000 euros) to USD 600,000, fees that allow company representatives to attend Davos and other meetings throughout the year.

"Schwab seems to have a firm belief that making people talk to each other is an objective that justifies pretty much everything," Classen said.

"What he does not realise is that... when the large majority of those people have commercial interests then it is about deal-striking and nothing else." Monck, however, said that for the WEF, "multi-stakeholder engagement... means respecting the opinions and interests of others".

The Davos meeting reportedly faced an existential threat in the early 2000s after sustained protests stretched the patience of the local community.

In response, Schwab opened the meeting to more civil society groups while widening media access to an event that had previously been mostly held behind closed doors.

That move was not "voluntary", said Christian Dorer, the editor-in-chief of Swiss media group Blick, who recently had rare access to Schwab for a profile.

Schwab "realised he had to, otherwise the Forum would be dead," Dorer told AFP, also saying that the WEF founder had changed over the years.

"He was really only attached to the business world, and now he is much more open." Sorbom said her research showed an organisation that tolerated some dissent, up to a point.

"You can voice criticism, but if you are too critical, then you are out, unless you are Bono," she said.

Monck told AFP that if the principle of multi-stakeholder engagement is "not one you can sign up to, then the Forum is not the best platform for your engagement". (AFP)

PMS

PMS
London, Jan 20 (AP) As Prime Minister Theresa May prepared her next move in Britain's deadlocked Brexit battle, a senior opposition politician said Sunday that it's unlikely the UK will leave the European Union as scheduled on March 29.

A government minister, however, warned that failure to deliver on Brexit would betray voters and unleash a "political tsunami." May is due to present Parliament with a revised Brexit plan on Monday, after the divorce deal she had struck the EU was rejected by lawmakers last week.

With just over two months until Britain is due to leave the bloc, some members of Parliament are pushing for the UK to delay its departure until the country's divided politicians can agree on a way forward.

Labour Party Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer said "it's inevitable" Britain will have to ask the EU to extend the two-year countdown to exit that ends on March 29.

"The 29th of March is 68 days away," Starmer told the BBC. "We are absolutely not prepared for it. It would be catastrophic." Britain's political impasse over Brexit is fueling concerns that the country may crash out of the EU on March 29 with no agreement in place to cushion the shock.

That could see tariffs imposed on goods moving between Britain and the EU, sparking logjams at ports and shortages of essential supplies. Many economists expect Britain to plunge into recession if there is a "no-deal" Brexit.

May's government is split between ministers who think a disorderly departure must be avoided at all costs, and Brexit-backers who believe it would be preferable to delaying or reversing Brexit.

Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab, who quit the government in opposition to May's agreement with the EU, said a no-deal Brexit would have "short-term risks," but they would be "manageable." International Trade Secretary Liam Fox wrote in the Sunday Telegraph that "failure to deliver Brexit would produce a yawning gap between Parliament and the people, a schism in our political system with unknowable consequences." He said public anger could trigger "a political tsunami."

May has spent the days since her deal was thrown out meeting government and opposition lawmakers in an attempt to find a compromise. But the talks have produced few signs that May plans to make radical changes to her deal, or to lift her insistence that Brexit means leaving the EU's single market and customs union.

Fox said one possible solution could be to strike a deal with the Irish government guaranteeing there would be no border controls between EU member Ireland and the UK's Northern Ireland.

He said that could ease concerns about the deal's most contentious measure  an insurance policy known as the "backstop" that would keep Britain in an EU customs union to maintain an open Irish border after Brexit. Pro-Brexit lawmakers worry that Britain could be trapped indefinitely in the arrangement, bound to EU trade rules and unable to strike new deals around the world.

Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney, however, tweeted that the Irish government was committed to the entire withdrawal deal, "including the backstop." British lawmakers who want a softer Brexit are preparing to try to amend May's plans in a Jan. 29 debate, and to use parliamentary rules to try to prevent a no-deal Brexit and take control of the exit process.

Conservative lawmaker Nicky Morgan said she and several opposition colleagues planned to introduce a bill to ensure "that if the prime minister can't get an agreement approved by the House of Commons by the end of February," the UK will ask the EU to postpone its departure date "so that we can build a consensus and get ourselves more prepared for Brexit. " Delaying Brexit would require approval from the 27 other EU nations.

Starmer said there was a roadblock in the way of a solution to the Brexit crisis, "and that roadblock is the prime minister." "Her mind is closed," he said. AP KUN

KUN
Prayagraj (UP), Jan 20 (PTI) The mega Kumbh Mela, which began on January 15 and will continue till March 4, is expected to generate a revenue of Rs 1.2 lakh crore for Uttar Pradesh, says apex industry body Confederation of Indian Industry.

Although the Kumbh Mela is spiritual and religious in nature, the economic activities associated with it generate employment for over six lakh workers across various sectors, CII said in a report.

The Uttar Pradesh government has allocated Rs 4,200 crore for the 50-day Kumbh Mela this time, which is over thrice the budget of the Maha Kumbh in 2013, making the mega pilgrimage perhaps the costliest ever.

The hospitality sector aims at employing 2,50,000 people, airlines and airports around 1,50,000 and tour operators around 45,000. The employment numbers in eco-tourism and medical tourism are being estimated at 85,000, says a CII study.

Apart from this there will be around 55,000 new jobs in the unorganized sector comprising of tour guides, taxi drivers, interpreters, volunteers etc.

This will lead to increase income levels for government agencies and individual traders.

Attracting a massive number of foreign tourists from various countries like Australia, UK, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, New Zealand, Mauritius, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, the Kumbh is a festival of the world.

"The 'mela is expected to generate a revenue of Rs1,200 billion for Uttar Pradesh, the state where it is being held, while neighbouring states like Rajasthan, Uttarkhand, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh will also benefit from the enhanced revenue generation with a large number of national and foreign tourists expected to explore other destinations.

The Uttar Pradesh government has allocated a hefty amount of Rs 4,200 crore for the Kumbh Mela held in Allahabad, which has become the costliest pilgrimage till date.

"The UP government has allocated Rs 4,200 crore for 2019 Kumbh Mela. The previous state government had spent around Rs 1,300 crore for the Maha Kumbh, which was held in 2013," state Finance Minister Rajesh Agarwal told PTI.

The area of Kumbh Mela has also been doubled to 3,200 hectares as compared to 1,600 hectares in the previous melas.

The Kumbh is a unique and massive gathering of both rural and urban population and also has a huge dispersal factor as people travel long distances across the country.

In order to house this multitude, authorities have erected a mini-city of more than 4,000 tents. The city is being lit by installing over 40,000 LED lights, say local authorities.

Overhauling of key infrastructure is being done, including upgrading nine railways stations and construction of a new airport terminal in Allahabad.

The setting up of this new city in the huge Mela area involves 250 km roads and 22 pontoon bridges, which will make it the largest temporary city in the world.

The Kumbh, a sacred Hindu pilgrimage, is thus expected to generate direct and indirect business activities, the fruits of which would hopefully benefit the economy not only of Uttar Pradesh, but that of India as a whole, the CII document says.

The Kumbh at Sangam city Prayagraj, as Allahabad is now known, dates back to a hoary past, whose first mention of was made some 2,000 years ago by the Chinese traveler Hsuan Tsang who visited India during the reign on King Harshvardhana.

Based on a complex astrological calculation, the alignment of the stars determines the time and place of the Kumbh in one of the following four river-sites: Haridwar, Prayagraj, Nasik and Ujjain.

It is a celebration of an ancient tradition  a dip in the holy waters where the mythical Saraswati, Ganga and Yamuna meet.

These riverside festivals and the city that springs up around them are attended by millions, making the Kumbh Mela the largest religious gathering, perhaps the oldest, and the largest temporary city in the world.

Learned seers believe that a dip in the waters would endow an individual with religious merit.

Masses of devotees gather on the riverbank to attain spiritual enlightenment, some in the belief that doing so will lead them worldly success, others simply to purify their souls.

The Kumbh Mela gets its worldwide reputation as a mega-event not only because of the sheer number of people who attend the fair but also for a widespread display of cultural traits of a nation, which is bound by ties of faith and traditions.

Around 12 crore people are expected to visit the Kumbh between now and Maha Shivratri on March 4, when the Mela will come to a close on Maha Shivratri day.

The first "Shahi Snan' (royal bath) of Kumbh on January 15 drew a record crowd of 2.25 devotees, said Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who has been meticulously supervising minute details personally to make the event "Divya Kumbh, Bhavya Kumbh". PTI SMI ABH

ABH

ABH
An explosion at a fuel pipeline in central Mexico killed at least 73 people after hundreds gathered at the site of the illegal fuel-line tap. The government has been cracking down the growing problem of fuel theft.

The blast occurred near Tlahuelilpan, a town north of Mexico City. Federal and state firefighters and ambulances rushed to the spot to help victims and take them to hospitals.

Fuel traffickers had pierced the pipeline on Friday, following which authorities sent an army unit to control the crowd that had gathered to collect the spilled fuel. Around 700 people had swarmed to the spot and it became increasingly difficult for the 25 soldiers sent to man the site. The blast occurred two hours after the pipeline was first breached.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador tweeted that he was deeply saddened by what happened at Tlahuelilpan. He said that the army was correct in trying to secure the pipeline and manage the situation, but it is not easy to impose order on a crowd.

The fire was brought under control by around midnight on Friday.

Forensic workers attempted to load the charred bodies into vans to be transported to funeral homes, but were stopped by people who demanded their relatives' bodies. The bodies were eventually taken to a morgue.

The tragedy comes at a time when there is a highly publicised federal government crackdown on fuel theft, a problem that cost Mexico an estimated USD 3 billion in 2017.

Mexico is regularly rocked by deadly explosions at illegal pipeline taps, a dangerous but lucrative business. About 15 oil pipeline explosions and fires causing more than 50 fatalities each have occurred around the world since 1993.

With inputs from agencies
What works against him are the below average dialogues and a sloppy script
Karnataka BJP MLAs have returned to the state from Gurugram, where they were lodged in a private resort for the past a few days.

State BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa had asked all 104 party MLAs to return and they flew back to the state late Saturday night, BJP MLC Lehar Singh told PTI.

"Some of them have directly flown back to their constituencies and others including former deputy chief ministers R. Ashoka and K.S. Eshwarappa returned to Bengaluru," he said.

With the Congress on tenterhooks to keep its numbers intact, the party's MLAs are remaining sequestered in a resort on the city outskirts fearing a poaching bid by BJP.

Yeddyurappa had said BJP would not destabilise Karnataka's ruling coalition.

"Let the Congress-JD(S) leaders not have any doubt about it," he said, after chinks in the ruling coalition were exposed when four MLAs skipped the Congress Legislature Party meet on Friday.

As the fissures became evident, the Congress on Friday swiftly moved all its MLAs to the resort in a bid to "escape" the BJP's alleged bid to woo its MLAs.

Top Congress sources had said Friday that at least eight party MLAs have "committed" themselves to BJP. The BJP also announced that a seven-member team led by Yeddyurappa would tour drought-hit districts from Monday.

CLP leader Siddaramaiah had welcomed Yeddyurappa's decision to call back all BJP MLAs and asked him to "walk the talk" on not trying to destabilise the ruling coalition.

"I welcome Yeddyurappa's decision to call back the BJP legislators from Delhi and send them to monitor the drought management in the state," he said in a tweet in Kannada.

Congress minister D.K. Shivakumar said he was in touch with all the MLAs.

Asked about senior ministers resigning to accommodate disgruntled legislators in the cabinet, he said, "I have voluntarily offered (to resign)...in the interest of the party. If my leaders want, I'm ready."
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
He was a visionary and one of the most famous capitalists in all of history. He introduced the automobile to the world and created the modern day production line. By the time of his death in 1947 Henry Ford was worth almost $200 billion in today's dollars. He was an icon and a hugely successful businessman.

Except when he failed. And in 1928 he launched a project that failed big time. It was called Fordlandia and no, it wasnt located in Oregon and Fred Armisen had nothing to do with it.

Related: 5 Things Real Leaders Do Every Day, According to Henry Ford

Its a town located in the Amazon rainforests of Brazil. Believe it or not, the town is still there but not at all like it was planned. Fordlandia (catchy, right?) was established by the automaker so that he could have a reliable source of a very critical raw material: rubber. In 1928, there was (or so it seemed) an endless supply of rubber trees in the Amazon rainforest and hey  who gave a hoot about the environment back then anyway, right?

The deal seemed like a good idea at the time. Resources were plentiful, labor was cheap. The Brazilian government was happy to give a concession for a cut of the profits. The hope was to build a community of 10,000 workers who could enjoy the high standard of living, like the Americans had, while churning out rubber for Fords factories back home.

It failed. Big time. Why?

Related: Why Henry Ford's Most Famous Quote Is Dead Wrong

Workers building the city were felled by yellow fever and malaria. Transport was only possible by a nearby river because there were no roads. Managers, who knew little about tropical farming, incorrectly planted crops that were then beset by disease and insects. Even worse, the local workers were forced to eat unfamiliar American food, wear ID badges, endure long hours in the hot sun, live in American-style housing and -- can you believe it? -- they didnt like it! In fact, they disliked the arrangements so much that riots broke out after just a few years.

Ironically, the whole adventure ultimately turned out to be a waste of time: by 1945 synthetic rubber would circumvent the need for natural rubber. Ford's grandson sold back the property to the Brazilian government six years after its founding for a loss of about $200 million in today's dollars.

Related: How Ford Created a Huge Market by Lowering its Prices

Talk about a bad business decision, right?

But here's the thing: even the greatest capitalists make bad business decisions. Dont believe me? Think of New Coke or Apples Newton or Sonys Betamax. Bad business decisions are a part of doing business. But theres a thing about making bad decisions that separates the successful business people like Henry Ford from all others. The decision doesnt kill your company.

The Fordlandia loss most definitely hurt Ford's pride more than his pocketbook because, as mentioned above, he was personally sitting on a fortune worth more than 10 times that amount while the Ford Motor Company was in the midst of a post-war profit boom.

Sure, Ford lost money. But he didn't lose his shirt. He did what smart business people do. He took a risk -- a big risk -- but he certainly didn't bet the farm. That's a lesson I've learned from years running a business. When I decide to invest in a new technology, or a new product line, or an updated website I always make sure I can afford to lose the money. Whenever I hear of people investing their life savings in a new business or all of their capital in a new venture I always think uh-oh. Thats not something Henry Ford would have done.

Related:

Ever Heard Of Henry Ford's Colossal Failed City in the Jungle?

How to Get Better at Handling Failure: Key Lessons From Entrepreneurs

5 Compelling Reasons for Starting a Business Even Though Most Businesses Fail



Copyright 2019 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
BURNABY, B.C.Richard Lee focused on his community connections Saturday as he made his first public statements since being named the Liberal candidate in the Burnaby South byelection.

Lee has lived in the riding for 30 years and represented Burnaby in British Columbias legislature for 16 years, serving for a time as deputy Speaker. He was the first Chinese-Canadian to do so, the Liberals pointed out in a statement on their website.

Speaking at his campaign office, Lee answered only a few questions from reporters and said he had not spoken with Karen Wang, the Liberals original pick for the riding, since the social media post that led to her resignation.

Wang stepped aside Wednesday after StarMetro Vancouver translated a WeChat post in which she urged Chinese-Canadians to vote for her, the only ethnic Chinese candidate, instead of NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who she described as of Indian descent.

The riding was already garnering national attention as Singh vies what would be his first seat in Ottawa. He welcomed Lee to the race Saturday before quickly turning his attention to highlighting the housing crisis in the community that was ignored or made worse by various governments.

Lee, meanwhile, promised to run a positive campaign and said he will talk to everybody.

Read more:

Opinion | Karen Wang disgraced herself with the politics of division

Karen Wang makes tearful appeal to public: I dont deserve to be labelled as a racist

It makes us look bad: Burnabys Chinese-Canadian community reacts to Karen Wangs resignation over WeChat post

A strong belief in democracy, freedom, equality and multicultralism led him to join the race, Lee said as he pledged to address housing, jobs ... and having a green environment for our kids.

He was also firm in his support for the Trans Mountain pipeline when questioned.

The local community will support the pipeline as well as getting safety concerns addressed, Lee said. We want to create jobs thats why the pipeline is going ahead.

When asked if he approached the Liberals with interest in running or if they approached him, Lee said he had expressed before but due to time constraints and other issues I was not running.

Given this situation there is an opportunity to see what we can do for Burnaby South, Lee said.

The Liberals decision to run a candidate in the riding was not a given: Green Party Leader Elizabeth May urged the Liberals to follow her partys lead in offering a leaders courtesy to Singh by not running against him.

Valentine Wu, a former B.C. Green Party candidate, announced his intention to run as an independent in the riding on Thursday and said hes gathering signatures to confirm his candidacy. Wang has also said she is considering re-entering the race as an independent.

The Liberals further distanced themselves from Wang on Friday when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the controversy for the first time.

The statement made by our former candidate in Burnaby South was unacceptable and not representative of the kinds of politics that I put forward, certainly the kinds of politics that our team focuses on, he said in in Sherbrooke, Que., where he was meeting with cabinet at a retreat. One understands that our diversity is one of our greatest strengths as a country. Those statement were not in keeping with what the Liberal Party stands for and certainly that is why the individual is no longer part of our team.

Burnaby South is one of the most diverse ridings in the country  more than 68 per cent of 111,000 residents identify as visible minorities with Chinese people accounting for the largest bloc  and the byelection turmoil has sparked debate about how racial identity fits into Canadian politics.

Some observers say parties have a long history of cynically appealing to the so-called ethnic vote, and Wangs only fault might have been putting the strategy in writing. Others say her post crossed a line by pitting two groups against each other.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Mario Canseco, president of Vancouver-based Research Co., said he conducted polling in 2015 on what multicultural voters in the Lower Mainland are looking in a political representative.

Theyre motivated, more than anything, by the same things that any other voter would be motivated by  the party policies, the structures, the candidates. There were less than five per cent who said their main motivator for choosing a candidate is ethnicity, he said.

So theres not a lot of meat on those bones, in my view. But its still something that many politicians spend time doing. Everybody celebrates the Lunar New Year, they go to Vaisakhi. ... But its not going to be the main motivator for those voters.

With files from Melanie Greene, Bruce Campion-Smith and The Canadian Press.

Read more about:
Just over a week ago, 18-year-old Rahaf Mohammed was preparing to land in a country that she did not know and had never visited. She had broken with her family, her religion and her country. Her family later denounced her.

Escaping to Thailand had been a very dangerous leap of faith, but she was now about to enter Canada, transitioning from a Saudi woman controlled by sharia law and beaten by her family for rebelling, to a Western teenager in an uncontrolled social media world.

She literally risked her former life to save her future life.

She must have felt alone but unbeknownst to her, a global village of human rights activists was about to lay the groundwork for her entry to Canada. This cascade of humanitarian assistance was forged by Mohammeds individual courage, amazing team work, expert knowledge and Canadas willingness to step up to the plate, not to mention luck and timing.

Attention initially centred on Mohammeds personal welcome by Chrystia Freeland, Canadas minister of global affairs, at Torontos Pearson Airport. Was it too political? Too smarmy? Too opportunistic?

Sometimes politics, policy and personal considerations are difficult to separate. The Liberal governments Feminist International Assistance Policy has been proudly showcased, in spite of scorn from regressive and barbaric regimes like Saudi Arabia.

The photo of a female foreign minister greeting a young female who narrowly escaped the clutches of Saudi Arabias infamous code of guardianship, which dictates that a male relative must control her life, sent a strong, symbolic message of inspiration in defence of womens rights. Reaction was also non-partisan as Ontarios Minister of Womens Issues Lisa MacLeod, said she was proud that Canada has welcomed Mohammed.

Freeland, a former journalist, might have also be thinking of the brutal killing and dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi by the Saudis and later, the minister explained that her decision was partially influenced by the age of her own teenage daughter.

The controversy then moved from the photo to policy questions about Canadas refugee system. Why had Mohammed been fast tracked and how?

First, Canada did not seek Mohammed. Nor, did she seek Canada.

It was the prominent Egyptian activist and feminist, Mona Eltahawy who sounded the alarm about Mohammeds plight according to a blog from Human Rights Watch (hrw.org). Eltahawys tweet was noticed by Sunai Phasuk, a senior researcher with HRW.

Phasuk confirmed that Rahaf was confined to a Bangkok hotel after a man at the airport took her passport, a frightening position for anyone. Thai authorities decided to return her to Saudi Arabia rather than allow her to seek Australian asylum as she had wished.

She was not in prison but she was being held prisoner and about to be deported to a dangerous and terrible situation.

Human Rights Watch, swung into action. It contacted journalists and the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR. Using an extensive cadre of activists, an international campaign was mounted. Within 24 hours #SaveRahaf became a high profile hashtag.

Meanwhile, Mohammed was resourceful. She physically barricaded herself inside the room, writing notes to friends in the event she disappeared. She demanded to speak to UN officials, who eventually arrived after 36 hours, assessed her, ran security checks and confirmed her status as a refugee in grave danger.

Canada at this point was still not involved.

The UNHCR and human rights workers then launched a second phase of activism by reaching out to foreign ministries to find a safe home for her. Canadian Ambassador Donica Pottie in Bangkok stepped up to the plate.

Jean Nicolas Beuze, the UNHCR Representative in Canada, noted that the emergency resettlement was an exceptional case made possible thanks to the great co-operation between Canadas Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and the UN Refugee Agency.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Mohammed was lucky, as she readily admits. Of the 25 million refugees, circling the globe looking for safe havens, less than 1 per cent will be resettled.

Call it politics. Call it karma. Call it foreign policy.

It took a global village to rescue Mohammed but Canadas response was the correct one. Even a middle power can make a difference, especially for women and girls.

Penny Collenette is an adjunct professor of law at the University of Ottawa and was a senior director of the Prime Ministers Office for Jean Chretien. She is a freelance contributor for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @penottawa

Read more about:
When the Liberal government came to power, it did away with the approach to foreign policy practiced by its Conservative predecessors and replaced it with something a bit more idealistic.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau embarked on an international media tour during which he repeatedly declared himself a feminist. The foreign service, all the way up to Minister Chrystia Freeland, began to loudly champion environmental and human rights causes in other countries.

For a time, this appeared to be working nicely. International media ate it up. Canadians seemed proud that their self-image as a kind and gentle country was reflected in the words and public positions of the countrys diplomats.

Inevitably, there were awkward moments along the way, specifically the costume drama debacle in India. Tensions with Saudi Arabia also surfaced last year when Freeland Twitter-cized the kingdom over its human rights record. It was a shot across the bow at Riyadh that prompted weeks of recriminations.

But recent weeks have brought more serious tests of the Trudeau governments approach to foreign policy.

First, there is escalating tension between Canada and China over our detention of Huawei executive, Meng Wanzhou. It is hardly a fair fight  China is a fully emerged superpower whose real issue is with the United States, not Canada. Unhelpfully, our country, with its inherent resolve to uphold the rule of law, is caught between the two.

Not only that but Huaweis problems elsewhere in the world are making the problem even more challenging. For example, Poland has arrested a Huawei sales director for spying on behalf of the Chinese government, while other countries have formally put the mobile phone maker on notice that the company will be precluded from participating in their 5G networks.

And now, the stakes have become even higher with lives now on the line. This week, a Canadian, Robert Schellenberg, was hastily sentenced to death by a Chinese court, and other citizens, caught in the Huawei crossfire, appear to have been unjustly detained.

If thats not enough, the acrimony between Canada and Saudi Arabia has further escalated. Last week, Freeland challenged that country again by personally welcoming teenage refugee Rahaf Mohammed, who had been on the brink of deportation back to her homeland before Canada proactively intervened.

In both instances, we saw the typical diplomatic tit-for-tat play out: statements were issued, fingers were wagged, ambassadors were recalled, and so forth. In an election year, when a government is inclined, for domestic political purposes, to flex its foreign policy muscles, when push comes to shove, the governments range of options on the international stage are quite limited.

The truth is, the Liberals can do little more than huff and, on a good day, puff that China is acting arbitrarily, as the Trudeau government did when it issued a travel warning. Or say, Canada is a country that understands how important it is to stand up for human rights, to stand up for womens rights around the world, as the prime minister did when explaining the governments rationale for taking in Mohammed.

But beyond these statements and the usual diplomatic quid pro quo, the Trudeau government has yet to take meaningful retaliatory action. China sentences our citizens to death; Saudi Arabia withdraws critical investments and repatriates its many foreign students. Meanwhile, Canada does little more than make speeches about our values.

What would decisive action look like?

For starters, Canada could join the ranks of its Five Eyes peers in putting restrictions on how Huawei participates in countrys telecommunications infrastructure. It could terminate the contract to sell light armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia for use in a war that has been internationally denounced in Yemen.

These actions, though meaningful, would come at an enormous cost to both government and Canadian business (upwards of $1 billion in the case of arms sales to the Saudis), and inevitably invite further retribution from the bullies on the world stage.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

With all this in mind, one sees the appeal of virtue-signalling in lieu of a more muscular foreign policy. It is telegenic, it builds on Canadas international brand as a mild-mannered do-gooder.

But it may well come at a higher cost than the government ever imagined.

Jaime Watt is the executive chairman of Navigator Ltd. and a Conservative strategist. He is a freelance contributor for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @jaimewatt

Read more about:
Sport

Southgates perfect start gives England momentum

Gareth Southgate won over an English public who were sceptical about his ability to lead the Three Lions with a run to the World Cup semi-finals three years ago and is already silencing his critics at Euro 2020. For the first time at a European Championship,
During the summer of 2017, when temperatures reached triple digits in Arizona, four women drove to a vast desert wilderness along the southwestern border with Mexico. They brought water jugs and canned food  items they later said they were leaving for dehydrated migrants crossing the unfriendly terrain to get to the United States.

The women were later charged with misdemeanour crimes. Prosecutors said they violated federal law by entering Cabeza Prieta, a protected 860,000-acre refuge, without a permit and leaving water and food there. A judge convicted them Friday in the latest example of growing tension between aid workers and the U.S. Border Patrol. Aid workers say their humanitarian efforts, motivated by a deep sense of right and wrong, have been criminalized during the Trump administrations crackdown on illegal border crossings. Federal officials say they were simply enforcing the law.

The four women, all volunteers for the Arizona-based aid group No More Deaths, were convicted after a three-day bench trial at a federal court in Tucson. They could face up to six months in federal prison.

Their trial coincided with a partial government shutdown now nearing its 30th day, the longest in the countrys history. Negotiations have stalled as U.S. President Donald Trump stands firm on his demand for $5.7 billion (U.S.) in border wall funding, citing a humanitarian crisis at the southern border.

In his verdict order, federal magistrate Judge Bernardo Velasco said the womens actions violated the national decision to maintain the Refuge in its pristine nature. Velasco also said the women committed the crimes believing, falsely, that they would not be prosecuted and, instead, would simply be banned or fined.

Catherine Gaffney, a volunteer for No More Deaths, said the guilty verdict challenges all people of conscience throughout the country.

Read more:

Death toll in Mexico border shootings rises to 29

Border clash leaves caravan migrants dejected, worried

Trump lies his way through a visit to the border with Mexico as he escalates his emergency threat

If giving water to someone dying of thirst is illegal, what humanity is left in the law of this country? she said in a statement.

The criminal charges stem from an incident on Aug. 13, 2017, when a federal wildlife canine officer found the womens pickup truck near Charlie Bell Pass, a historic site at Cabeza Prieta. Inside were water jugs, canned beans and several similar items. The officer spotted the women a few hours later. They admitted leaving food and water at the site, according to court records.

Natalie Hoffman, Oona Holcomb, Madeline Huse and Zaachila Orozco-McCormick were charged in December 2017. They said their work for No More Deaths was motivated by their religious convictions and a belief that everyone should have access to basic needs to survive, according to court records.

Federal prosecutors argued that the defendants should have been aware that leaving disposable items at the refuge is a punishable crime. During the trial last week, prosecutors said the women had admitted willingly violating federal law, the Arizona Republic reported.

In court documents, prosecutors pointed to a conversation between representatives of No More Deaths and a refuge manager who said officials prefer to use rescue beacons to help stranded migrants because they result in actual rescues. Rescue beacons are scattered across the area for migrants to activate if they need help, officials said.

No More Deaths said rescue beacons result in only a small number of rescues. The group also points to the number of migrants who have died trying to cross the vast desert terrain in the region. More than 3,000 migrant deaths have been reported between October 1999 and April 2018, according to data gathered by Humane Borders and the medical examiners office in Pima County, which covers part of Cabeza Prieta.

During the trial, one of the women, Orozco-McCormick, likened being on the refuge to being in a graveyard because of the number of migrants who have died there, the Arizona Republic reported.

The women are among several No More Deaths volunteers who are facing similar charges. Five others are scheduled for trial in February and March, the group said.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

One of them, Scott Warren, is also accused of alien smuggling, a felony charge that No More Deaths claim was a retaliation for the groups activism. Last year, the group published footage showing Border Patrol agents kicking over water jugs left in the desert. One agent was seen emptying a gallon of water onto the ground. Warren was arrested shortly after the footage was published.

A Border Patrol spokesman told the Washington Post earlier that the agency is not targeting the group and is simply enforcing immigration laws. Court records say Warren met with two Mexico natives at a building known as the Barn, located in the town of Ajo, Arizona, near the Cabeza Prieta refuge, and gave them food and water.

Warren told the Arizona Republic last year that his goal was to give food and medical care, not to smuggle migrants into the country.

Read more about:
DETROITAn Indigenous veteran who was seen in online video being taunted outside the Lincoln Memorial said Sunday he felt compelled to get between two groups with his ceremonial drum to defuse a confrontation.

Nathan Phillips said in an interview with The Associated Press that he was trying to keep peace between some Kentucky high school students and a Black religious group that was also on the National Mall on Friday. The students were participating in the March for Life, which drew thousands of anti-abortion protesters, and Phillips was attending the Indigenous Peoples March happening the same day.

Something caused me to put myself between (them)  it was black and white, said Phillips, who lives in Ypsilanti, Mich. What I saw was my country being torn apart. I couldnt stand by and let that happen.

Videos show a youth standing very close to Phillips and staring at him as he sang and played the drum. Other students  some in Make America Great Again hats and sweatshirts  were chanting, laughing and jeering.

Other videos also showed members of the religious group, who appear to be affiliated with the Black Hebrew Israelite movement, yelling disparaging and profane insults at the students, who taunt them in return. Video also shows the Indigenous people being insulted by the small religious group as well.

Read More:

U.S. diocese investigates after students in MAGA hats mock Indigenous veteran at D.C. rally

The U.S. Park Police, who have authority for security on the Mall, were not taking calls from media during the partial government shutdown.

In a joint statement, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington and Covington Catholic High School apologized and said they are investigating and will take appropriate action, up to and including expulsion.

We extend our deepest apologies to Mr. Phillips, the diocese statement read. This behaviour is opposed to the Churchs teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person.

As of Sunday morning, Covington Catholics Facebook page was not available and its Twitter feed was set to private. Calls to the school went unanswered Sunday.

According to the Indian Country Today website, Phillips is an Omaha elder and Vietnam War veteran who holds an annual ceremony honouring Indigenous veterans at Arlington National Cemetery.

Phillips said it was a difficult end to an otherwise great day, in which his group sought to highlight injustices against Indigenous people worldwide through marching and prayer. He said his first interaction with the students came when they entered an area permitted for the Indigenous Peoples March.

They were making remarks to each other ... (such as) In my state those Indians are nothing but a bunch of drunks. How do I report that? he said. These young people were just roughshodding through our space, like whats been going on for 500 years here  just walking through our territories, feeling like this is ours.

Nearby, the Black religious activists were speaking about being the only true Israelites. Phillips said group members called Indigenous people sellouts.

Marcus Frejo, a member of the Pawnee and Seminole tribes who is also known as Chief Quese Imc, said he had been a part of the march and was among a small group of people remaining after the rally when the boisterous students began chanting slogans such as make America great and then began doing the haka, a traditional Maori dance. In a phone interview, Frejo told the AP he felt they were mocking the dance.

One 11-minute video of the confrontation shows the haka dance and students loudly chanting before Phillips and Frejo approached them.

Frejo said he joined Phillips to defuse the situation, singing the anthem from the American Indian Movement with both men beating out the tempo on hand drums.

During the incident, Phillips said he heard people chanting Build that wall or yelling, Go back to the reservation. At one point, he said, he sought to ascend to the Lincoln statue and pray for our country. Some students backed off, but one student wouldnt let him move, he added.

Although he feared the crowd could turn ugly, Frejo said he was at peace singing despite the scorn. He briefly felt something special happen as they sang.

They went from mocking us and laughing at us to singing with us. I heard it three times, Frejo said. That spirit moved through us, that drum, and it slowly started to move through some of those youths.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Eventually, a calm fell over the gathering and it broke up.

The videos prompted a torrent of outrage online. Actress and activist Alyssa Milano tweeted that the footage brought me to tears, while actor Chris Evans tweeted that the students actions were appalling and shameful.

Covington Catholic High School, in the northern Kentucky city of Park Hills, was quiet Sunday as the area remained snow-covered with temperatures in the teens. The all-male school, which has more than 580 students, appeared deserted with an empty police car parked in front of the building.

The private schools website describes its mission as being to embrace the Gospel message of Jesus Christ in order to educate students spiritually, academically, physically and socially.
ORAN, ARGENTINA  The Vatican received information in 2015 and 2017 that an Argentine bishop close to Pope Francis had taken naked selfies, exhibited obscene behaviour and had been accused of misconduct with seminarians, his former vicar general told The Associated Press, undermining Vatican claims that allegations of sexual abuse were only made a few months ago.

Francis accepted Bishop Gustavo Zanchettas resignation in August 2017, after priests in the remote northern Argentine diocese of Oran complained about his authoritarian rule and a former vicar, seminary rector and another prelate provided reports to the Vatican alleging abuses of power, inappropriate behaviour and sexual harassment of adult seminarians, said the former vicar, the Rev. Juan Jose Manzano.

The scandal over Zanchetta, 54, is the latest to implicate Francis as he and the Catholic hierarchy as a whole face an unprecedented crisis of confidence over their mishandling of cases of clergy sexual abuse of minors and misconduct with adults. Francis has summoned church leaders to a summit next month to chart the course forward for the universal church, but his own actions in individual cases are increasingly in the spotlight.

The popes decision to allow Zanchetta to resign quietly, and then promote him to a new No. 2 position in one of the Vaticans most sensitive offices, has raised questions again about whether Francis turned a blind eye to the misconduct of his allies or dismissed allegations against them as ideological attacks.

Manzano, Zanchettas one-time vicar general, or top deputy, said he was one of the diocesan officials who raised the alarm about his boss in 2015 and sent the digital selfies to the Vatican.

In an interview with AP in the pews of his St. Cayetano parish in Oran, Manzano said he was one of the three current and former diocesan officials who made a second complaint to the Vaticans embassy in Buenos Aires in May or June of 2017 when the situation was much more serious, not just because there had been a question about sexual abuses, but because the diocese was increasingly heading into the abyss.

Read More:

Argentine bishop at Holy See under investigation after priests accused him of sexual abuse

U.S. Catholic bishops to pray over clergy sexual abuse scandal

Pope Francis tells bishops to maintain zero tolerance for child abuse

In 2015, we just sent a digital support with selfie photos of the previous bishop in obscene or out of place behaviour that seemed inappropriate and dangerous, he told AP in a followup email. It was an alarm that we made to the Holy See via some friendly bishops. The nunciature didnt intervene directly, but the Holy Father summoned Zanchetta and he justified himself saying that his cellphone had been hacked, and that there were people who were out to damage the image of the pope.

Francis had named Zanchetta to Oran, a humble city some 1,650 kilometres northwest of Buenos Aires in Salta province, in 2013 in one of his first Argentine bishop appointments as pope. He knew Zanchetta well; Zanchetta had been the executive undersecretary of the Argentine bishops conference, which the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio headed for two successive terms, from 2005-2011.

And by all indications, they were close. Manzano said Bergoglio had been Zanchettas confessor and treated him as a spiritual son.

All of which could explain why Francis named him to Oran despite complaints about alleged abuses of power when Zanchetta was in charge of economic affairs in his home diocese of Quilmes.

Earlier this month, the Vatican confirmed that the new bishop of Oran had opened a preliminary canonical investigation into Zanchetta for alleged sexual abuse. But Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti stressed in a Jan. 3 statement that the abuse allegations had only emerged at the end of 2018, after Zanchettas resignation and nearly a year after Francis created the new position for him as assessor of the Vaticans financial management office.

At the time of his resignation, Zanchetta had only asked Francis to let him leave Oran because he had difficult relations with its priests and was unable to govern the clergy, Gisotti said in the statement.

At the time of his resignation there were accusations against him of authoritarianism, but there were no accusations of sexual abuse against him, the statement said.

Manzano said the Vatican had information about sexually inappropriate behaviour starting in 2015, with the naked selfies, and reports of alleged misconduct and harassment in May or June of 2017, though he noted they didnt constitute formal canonical complaints.

After the 2015 report, Francis summoned Zanchetta to Rome, Manzano said. He returned to Argentina improved, to the point that no one even investigated how those photos got to Rome.

But as the months passed, Zanchetta became more aggressive and took impulsive decisions, manipulating facts, people, influences to reach his goals. Manzano said Zanchetta started coming to the seminary at all hours, drinking with the seminarians and bringing a seminarian with him whenever he visited a parish, sometimes without asking permission of the rector.

The rector tried to keep the students in order, being present when the bishop appeared, but the monsignor looked for ways to avoid his attention and to discredit him in front of the young guys, Manzano told AP in an email. The bad feeling was aggravated when some of them left the seminary. It was then that the rector investigated and warned of harassment and inappropriate behaviour.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

In May or June 2017, Manzano, the rector and another priest presented their concerns to the No. 2 in the Buenos Aires nunciature, Monsignor Vincenzo Turturro, who moved it forward fabulously, Manzano said. Manzano said he reported about Zanchettas alleged abuses of power with the clergy, while the rector reported about the alleged sexual abuses in the seminary. Manzano said he didnt know the details of the alleged abuses, but he ruled out any acts of rape.

The pope summoned Zanchetta again in July 2017. Returning home, Zanchetta announced his resignation in a July 29 statement saying he needed immediate treatment for a health problem.

Zanchetta spent time in Corrientes before leaving for Spain, where he is believed to have met with one of Francis spiritual guides, the Rev. German Arana, a Jesuit to whom Francis had sent another problematic bishop, the Chilean Juan Barros.

Zanchetta largely disappeared from public view until the Vatican, in an official announcement Dec. 19, 2017, said Francis had named him to the new position of assessor in APSA, a key administrative department which manages the Holy Sees real estate and financial holdings. While the Vaticans annual yearbook lists Zanchetta hierarchically as the top deputy to the APSA president, his exact duties were never clear since the job didnt previously exist.

Zanchetta has not publicly responded to the allegations against him. The Vatican has not provided information when asked, other than to say he is not working while the investigation takes its course. Gisotti, the spokesman, didnt respond this weekend to a request for comment.

While the Zanchetta case has been cloaked in secrecy, Manzano agreed to speak on-record to AP and a journalist from The Tribune daily of Salta. He sat for an on-camera interview and followed up with an email to explain his own actions and the concerns that sparked them. The other prelates involved were away from Oran and unreachable by telephone.

Manzano defended Francis handling of the case, saying the pope himself should be considered a victim of Zanchettas manipulation.

There was never any intent to hide anything. There was never any intent of the Holy Father to defend him against anything, Manzano said. He denied there was any contradiction in the Vaticans Jan. 3 statement, distinguishing between a report about alleged sexual abuse and a formal complaint.

The current bishop of Oran, Bishop Luis Antonio Scozzina, declined to speak to AP on camera, saying he wanted to keep silent until the investigation was in the hands of the Holy See. He has issued a statement urging victims to come forward and provide testimony. But he told AP he didnt want to create a media circus that might compromise the rights of both victims and accused.

A catechist in the diocese said church leaders had told staff and volunteers not to speak to the media about the allegations at the seminary.

The mother of one seminarian said her son had told her that the allegations of sexual misconduct involving some of his colleagues in the seminary were true. Unfortunately yes, he told me when I asked him about this, she said, speaking on condition of anonymity to protect her son.

The scandal has taken its toll in Oran, a deeply conservative community near the Bolivian border. Manzano and the others who made the complaints to the Vatican were transferred, but the new bishop has said the transfers were due to pastoral needs, not retaliation. Manzano has said he is happy to be back working as a parish priest.

I feel a great pain, because as a Christian how can we let these things take place? asked retiree Hector Jimenez. Teacher Gianina del Valle Chein said the Vatican should have treated Zanchetta like like any normal person who did something, and not hide him, take him away to somewhere else so that he can keep doing the same thing.
PORTLAND, ORE.  A rural Oregon man killed four members of his family at the home they shared and was shot by sheriffs deputies as he tried to kill a girl, authorities said.

Mark Leo Gregory Gago, 42, killed his parents, his girlfriend and their infant daughter Saturday night before deputies shot him, the Clackamas County Sheriffs Office said.

The victims were not shot, the Oregonian reported. Sheriffs Office Sgt. Brian Jensen said the causes of death will be investigated.

Were not sure what was used at this time, Jensen told reporters near the scene Sunday. Ive been told that there were numerous weapons, swords, things of that nature in the residence. The investigators are trying to determine what exactly was used to kill each person.

The sheriffs office identified the victims as Olivia Gago, 9 months; Shaina Sweitzer, 31; Jerry Bremer, 66; and Pamela Bremer, 64.

The home is about 32 kilometres south of Portland and northeast of the city of Woodburn.

The sheriffs office took an emergency call from a resident of a home at about 10:15 p.m. Saturday. The caller described a violent and hectic scene, Jensen said. Arriving deputies found a horrific situation, Jensen said.

Ive talked to investigators, 20-year veterans, and theyre saying this is a shocking scene, Jensen said.

They found a woman dead outside the home and Gago attacking the child. The 8-year-old child was Sweitzers daughter from a previous relationship.

A roommate also survived. She suffered what deputies described as injuries that did not appear to be life-threatening. She was being treated at a hospital.

Gago had been arrested in August on a weapons charge. Jensen said by email that Gago was booked on a charge of unlawful possession of a weapon. He did not have details on the circumstances of the arrest or disposition of the case.
TLAHUELILPAN, MEXICOThey were warned to stay away from the geyser of gasoline gushing from the illegally tapped pipeline in central Mexico, but Gerardo Perez says he and his son joined others in bypassing the soldiers. As they neared the spurting fuel he was overcome with foreboding.

Perez recalls telling his son: Lets go ... this thing is going to explode.

And it did, with a fireball that engulfed locals scooping up the spilling gasoline and underscored the dangers of an epidemic of fuel theft from pipelines that Mexicos new president has vowed to fight.

By Sunday morning the death toll from Fridays blaze had risen to 79, with another 81 hospitalized in serious condition, according to federal Health Minister Jorge Alcocer. Dozens more were missing.

Perez and his son escaped the flames. On Saturday, he returned to the scorched field in the town of Tlahuelilpan in Hidalgo state to look for missing friends. It was a fruitless task. Only a handful of the remains still had skin. Dozens were burned to the bone or to ash when the gusher of gasoline exploded.

Read More:

Mexican pipeline explosion kills 73, leaves nightmare of ash

Fireball at ruptured Mexico oil pipeline leaves 21 dead, dozens badly burned

Fuel thefts are an inside job, Mexican president says

Just a few feet from where the pipeline passed through an alfalfa field, the dead seem to have fallen in heaps, perhaps as they stumbled over each other or tried to help one another as the geyser of gasoline turned to flames.

Several of the deceased lay on their backs, their arms stretched out in agony. Some seemed to have covered their chests in a last attempt to protect themselves from the blast. A few corpses seemed to embrace each other in death. Lost shoes were scattered around a space the size of a soccer field. Closer to the explosion, forensic workers marked mounds of ash with numbers.

On Friday, hundreds of people had gathered in an almost festive atmosphere in a field where the duct had been perforated by fuel thieves and gasoline spewed 20 feet into the air.

State oil company Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, said the pipeline, which supplies much of central Mexico with fuel, had just reopened after being shut since Dec. 23 and that it had been breached 10 times over three months.

The tragedy came just three weeks after President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador launched an offensive against fuel theft gangs that had drilled dangerous, illegal taps into pipelines an astounding 12,581 times in the first 10 months of 2018, an average of about 42 per day. The crackdown has led to widespread fuel shortages at gas stations throughout the country as Pemex altered distribution, both licit and illicit.

Lopez Obrador vowed on Sunday to continue the fight against a practice that steals about $3 billion per year in fuel.

Mexico needs to end corruption, Lopez Obrador said. This is not negotiable.

He said he would offer financial aid to communities along pipelines that have become somewhat dependent on income from fuel theft rings.

Lopez Obrador faces an uphill fight against a practice that locals say is deeply rooted in the poor rural areas where pipelines pass, covered by only a foot or two of dirt. In some cases, locals support the fuel thieves.

Tlahuelilpan, population 20,000, is just 8 miles (13 kilometres) from Pemexs Tula refinery. Pemex Chief Executive Octavio Romero said an estimated 10,000 barrels of premium gasoline were rushing through the pipeline with 20 kilograms of pressure when it was ruptured.

Locals on Saturday expressed both sympathy and consternation toward the presidents war on fuel gangs.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Arely Calva Martinez said the recent shortages at gas stations raised the temptation to salvage fuel from the gusher.

Her brother Marco Alfredo, a teacher, was desperate for gas to drive 90 minutes back and forth to work when word spread via Facebook that fuel spewing into the field. Marco Alfredo and another brother, Yonathan, were in the field when the fire erupted. They havent been seen since.

I think if there had been gas in the gas stations, many of these people wouldnt have been here, Calva Martinez said while holding a picture of her brothers.

Tears streamed down Erica Bautistas cheeks as she held up her cellphone with pictures of her brother, Valentin Hernandez Cornejo, 24, a taxi driver, and his wife, Yesica, both of whom are also missing. Valentin faced enormous lines for a limited ration of gas, she said. Then he received a phone call alerting him to the fuel spill.

We want to at least find a cadaver, she said while weeping.

Health officials were taking DNA samples from direct relatives at the local community centre in Tlahuelilpan to aid in identification. Outside, a long, chilling list of the missing was taped to a window.

Wrapped in a blanket, Hugo Olvera Estrada said he had gone to six nearby hospitals looking for his 13-year-old son, who had joined the crowd at the fuel spill. He hasnt been seen since.

Ay, no, where is my son? he wailed.

Lopez Obrador launched the offensive against illegal taps soon after taking office Dec. 1, deploying 3,200 marines to guard pipelines and refineries. His administration also shut down pipelines to detect and deter illegal taps, relying more on delivering fuel by tanker truck.

Mexican Defence Secretary Luis Cresencio said there are 50 soldiers stationed every 12 miles along the pipelines, and that they patrol 24 hours a day. But the soldiers have been ordered not to engage with fuel thieves out of fear that an escalation could result in more shootings of unarmed civilians or more soldiers being beaten by a mob.

We dont want this sort of confrontation, Cresencio said.

A second pipeline burst into flames Friday in the neighbouring state of Queretaro as a result of another illegal tap. But in this fire there were no reported casualties.

In December 2010, authorities also blamed thieves for a pipeline explosion in a central Mexico near the capital that killed 28 people, including 13 children.

Read more about:
WARSAWA Catholic archbishop and other speakers at the funeral Saturday of slain Gdansk Mayor Pawel Adamowicz urged an end to the political and social divisions in Poland, targeting some of their comments at the countrys ruling right-wing party.

Top Polish and European officials and thousands of citizens joined Adamowiczs widow, two daughters and other family members at the Mass held at Gdansks vast Gothic St. Marys Basilica.

Adamowicz, 53, died Monday after being stabbed the night before at a charity event in the northern Polish city. The arrested suspect is an ex-convict who publicly voiced a grudge against an opposition party, Civic Platform, to which Adamowicz once belonged.

The slaying, which came as Poland faces a deep political divide over actions by the conservative ruling Law and Justice party, was a shock to the nation. It has drawn calls for greater national unity and condemnation of hate speech that has intensified in public amid political rivalries.

Adamowicz himself was the target of criticism in state media and hate messages by some far-right activists for his tolerance and openness to others regardless of their race or beliefs. He was against Polands refusal to accept migrants and against the governments moves to control the judiciary. He had called Gdansk a city of freedom and Solidarity.

In his sermon at the funeral, Gdansk Archbishop Slawoj Leszek Glodz said Adamowiczs death was a ringing alarm bell.

Our homeland needs harmony in its social life and politics, Glodz said.

Other speakers at the church drew applause, unusual for a funeral ceremony in predominantly Catholic Poland, when they denounced hostility in public and political life.

We will not remain indifferent to the spreading poison of hatred in the streets, in the media, on the internet, in schools, in parliament and also in the church, said Dominican friar Ludwik Wisniewski, a friend of the slain mayor.

A person who is filled with hatred, who builds his career on a lie, cannot hold high positions in our country, and we will make sure of that, Wisniewski said, drawing long applause for an apparent reference to Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the ruling party leader, who did not attend the funeral.

Another friend, Aleksander Hall, said Adamowicz was killed by hatred that was instigated and fuelled in Polands state media.

He appealed to public officials to put an end to such actions.

After the mayors slaying and TV reports blaming only the opposition for aggressive language, some called this week for the head of the state TVP to be fired.

It remained to be seen how appeals for unity will play out in campaigns for the European and national parliaments this year.

A very personal address by Adamowiczs widow and daughter drew tears from many attending officials, former president Lech Walesa among them. They said his love was divided between the family and Gdansk.

Those at the funeral included European Council President Donald Tusk, a personal friend; Polish President Andrzej Duda; Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki; former German president Joachim Gauck and city mayors from The Netherlands and Germany.

Pope Francis sent rosaries to the family and assured them of his prayers. Prayers were also said by Jewish and Muslim leaders.

The black urn with the mayors ashes was placed before the altar, surrounded by dozens of white roses. It was later put to rest in a niche at one of the basilicas chapels.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Crowds overflowed into the streets of this Baltic port city but were able to watch the funeral Mass on giant screens. Black-and-white photos of the popular mayor were also seen in many shops and apartment windows.

Residents told TVN24 that the mayor was a friendly person always ready to offer support, who greeted everyone with a smile.

Crowds also gathered around screens in Warsaw and other cities across Poland to see the funeral.
Amy Mather doesnt know what shell do now that the province has ended her free tuition.

Its terrifying, to be honest, said the 21-year-old, whos studying child and youth care. Ive been at Ryerson for two years now on free tuition and its still very difficult.

Mather is one of thousands of students hit last week by the provincial governments announcement of a sweeping package of reforms to the Ontario Student Assistance Program and tuition. It includes a 10 per cent cut to tuition fees across the board, but it also means the end of both free tuition for lower-income students and of the six-month grace period on interest being charged on loans after finishing a degree. Those are changes that many students say will make paying for their education much more difficult or impossible.

Mather says it might cost her the chance to finish her degree. The whole reason she decided to go back to school, after a year off, was the free tuition program, introduced by the Liberal government in 2016.

All her tuition was covered under the grant and she also qualified for an OSAP loan that covers living expenses, such as the $1,300 in rent she pays for a basement apartment with her partner in Ajax.

She already works three jobs and doesnt get help for school from her parents.

Read more:

The student, the parent, the graduate: the people hit by Tories OSAP shakeup weigh in

Free-tuition program is gone, tuition reduced and student fees are no longer mandatory, Ford government announces

Opinion | Martin Regg Cohn: Ontarios buck-a-beer playbook is coming to a campus near you  with tuition discounts too good to be true

Mather has an idea of what it will be like without the free tuition because she started her post-secondary education at Carleton University in 2015, before it kicked in. She incurred $18,000 in debt from that first year alone.

And then I took a year off because I couldnt afford it, she said. I cant even describe the amount of struggling.

Merrilee Fullerton, the minister of training, colleges and universities, told reporters Thursday the 10 per cent tuition cut will translate to significant savings for students and their families, and that the goal is to focus resources on the students with the greatest need.

She said OSAP costs are out of control and noted the auditor general projected in December they could balloon to over $2 billion annually by 2020-21, an increase of 50 per cent from four years earlier.

About 300 students protested in front of the legislature on Friday to protest the end to free tuition for low-income students.

Stephanie Bertolo, vice-president of education at McMaster Students Union and a recent arts and science grad, said the decrease on the sticker price of tuition is a relief for students on the surface but we are disheartened to see that it is changing to a formula we dont think is necessarily going to help as many students.

Were seeing a portion of the grants turned back into loans.

Abdullah Mushtaq, director of advocacy for the College Student Alliance, called the cuts a devastating move.

Its going to have the biggest impact on low- and middle-income students, he said. That couple of thousand dollars is still coming out of their pockets.

For Donald Giancoulas, the changes will mean $800 in savings on the cost of his studies overall but also a huge change in his grants-to-loans ratio, which is now about 70/30. Hell also face the immediate start of interest being charged on his loans.

It will end up costing me more money, he said of the reforms.

Hes getting what he believes the government considers a secondary or post-graduate degree, in accounting from Sheridan College. For these kinds of degrees, loans will be a minimum of half the aid provided, another one of the new changes announced by the province last week.

Its a change Giancoulas estimates will cost him about $1,500 on an $8,000-a-year program. Any time you go into something where you have a plan and then someone changes the plan, its frustrating, he said, adding hes committed to finishing his education.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

But thats going to come with a little bit more hard work and a little more effort.

With files from Rob Ferguson and Kristin Rushowy

What do the changes mean for you? The Star has you covered:

10 per cent tuition cut:

Across the board, the province is cutting tuition for domestic students by 10 per cent. For a student attending an Ontario college, this will add up to an average savings of $340 depending on the program, Post-secondary Minister Merrilee Fullerton told reporters.

Free tuition:

This has been scrapped by the province. Brought in by the previous Liberal government, it allowed qualifying students to have 100 per cent of their tuition covered by grants that they didnt have to pay back, and still qualify for OSAP to cover living expenses. Now the province is converting more of the grants to loans. No one will have their tuition covered entirely by grants.

Individual impact:

It depends on your exact situation. The province said in its news release Thursday that under the new plan 82 per cent of grants will go to students with a family income of less than $50,000, up from 76 per cent under the previous government. However, those students will still have to pay for some of their tuition out of pocket through loans.

According to examples on the governments OSAP.ca calculator, if your parents make a total of $50,000 or less a year, and youre doing a university undergraduate degree, the ratio would break down as a $7,100 grant and $7,600 loan. If they make $70,000 under the same scenario then its a $6,100 grant and $8,600 loan.

Second degrees:

If youre doing another degree, like a postgrad college certificate, graduate degree, or law school, your loan-to-grant ratio will be a minimum of 50 per cent loan, the government says in its news release.

Mature students:

The definition of a mature student, which the government calls an independent student, will change from someone who has been out of high school for four years to someone whos been out of school for six years.

This means that youre tied to your parents income longer, and your OSAP grants and loans calculation will be connected to your parents income for six years after youre out of high school, rather than four.

The OSAP interest grace period:

Its gone. Under the old Liberal government, there was a six-month grace period after finishing your degree before you had to start paying back your loans. The idea was this gave you time to get on your feet and find a job. You still have the grace period on making payments but now interest will accrue during it.

Read more about:
An announcement from Fords provincial government this week about dropping tuition costs across the province by 10 per cent felt like a short-lived victory for some.

While tuition is set to drop, the provincial government also announced other cuts to the OSAP program, which led to widespread outcries from student population. Amongst the cuts are the end of free tuition for lower-income students and the end of the six-month grace period on interest on OSAP loans after graduation.

The Star spoke to several students, graduates and parents about the new changes to OSAP and the new anxieties they face and new financial reality they have to deal with.

The High School Student

Matilda DeBues, 17, Grade 12 student at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School in Peterborough

For DeBues, the question now hanging in the balance is whether she can afford to follow her passions.

Read more:

Students call Tories funding changes frustrating, terrifying and devastating

Free-tuition program is gone, tuition reduced and student fees are no longer mandatory, Ford government announces

Ford governments tuition cut to cost universities $360 million and colleges $80 million

DeBues has already been accepted to Trent University and Lakehead Orillia. Shes still waiting to hear back from the University of Toronto, where she hopes to enter her dream program of criminology and sociolegal studies, but with cuts to OSAP, an acceptance letter might not make a difference.

I now have to choose based on whether I can afford a certain university versus whether I actually want to go there, said DeBues. It makes me feel forced to choose for the wrong reasons.

DeBues, who comes from a single-income household, planned to work a part-time job throughout her studies and rely on OSAP to help offset the cost of tuition and inflated living expenses in Toronto. But the decision to scale back OSAP grants leaves her unsure if she can afford to choose what she studies.

The program (at U of T) is really good, and it seems to cover everything I want to learn about, said DeBues. The other programs Ive applied to only cover one small aspect.

Although she would be unable to study everything she wanted, DeBues said she might be forced to choose Trent, her hometown school, to reduce living expenses and help close the gap left by cuts to OSAP grants.

The timing of the announcement has created other problems, said DeBues. With first-semester exams looming and acceptance letters already coming in, the cuts have added confusion to an already stressful time of year.

A lot of my friends dont know whats going on, said DeBues.

The deadline to apply to universities was a few days ago Everyone is in the middle applying to OSAP or getting accepted to university, and now these changes make it harder for people to ... go through with the plan they already had.

The Second-Year Student

Nicole Ferrier, Queens University, life sciences

Ferrier is an aspiring pre-med student, but with looming cuts to her OSAP, her career plans might have to be put on hold. She has to figure out how to fund her way through her undergraduate degree before she can even consider med school.

It makes me beyond upset, I feel like Im in position where my hands are tied, she said. I only have so many options.

Ferriers OSAP covers most of her expenses during the school year. She works two service jobs in the summer so that she can focus on her heavy course-load during the school year. Hailing from Burlington, major expenses like rent, which are now covered by her OSAP, are at risk under the new program.

She came to Queens as the child of a single parent who had no savings to go toward her education. Ferrier relied on the grants she received from the province. Now she said, the only way for her to continue attending school is by working through the semester.

As many hours as possible, to fund the money that Im losing, she said. Im in a pretty gruelling program with lots of work to put in so having to work during the school year more hours than Id like to, its definitely going to take a huge toll.

Ferrier said she plans on joining an on campus protest against the new program on Tuesday. At a university like Queens, where students tend to be affluent, she said its important that lower-income students have their voices heard.

So many students here arent going to be affected as severely. But the smaller portion of us who are being affected  a lot of us are really scraping by to be here.

The Soon-To-Be Graduate

Daniel Lis, 22, Ryerson University, politics and governance

After five years in post-secondary, Lis has already gone through ups and downs with changes in OSAP policy.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

I've had the unique opportunity to experience both the previous funding model prior to 2017  which is the model that were reverting to now  as well as the recent ... more supportive OSAP model, he said. When I was under the previous model there was a lot less funding available.

Lis and his younger brother, a first-year Ryerson student, relied fully on the combination of grants and loans provided by the OSAP model implemented after 2017 to cover their tuition. Even so, Lis said he had to work a ton while attending classes, and even sometimes put school on hold completely to get by.

When he had to pause his studies to work full-time, he said the grace period from repaying his loans was what enabled him to start saving up.

Students are almost always in the lowest income bracket, Lis said. So the six-month change is really going to take a huge toll on tons of families.

His mother has already returned to the workforce to help support her sons despite her own ongoing health issues, he said, adding that he is concerned about his education taking a toll on (his) familys financial circumstances, even more in the wake of the changes to the OSAP model.

Last year, Lis qualified for a grant covering his full tuition based on financial need  a grant which would be inaccessible to him under the new system.

Im very thankful that Im going to be able to graduate with minimal time under (this) model, but (my brother) is going to have to do another three years, said Lis. I dont envy him.

This 10 per cent reduction in tuition, it's just all smoke and mirrors to get students off guard and think that we're actually getting a good deal out of this, he said. Were getting screwed over this.

The Mature Student

Noah Redka, 22, St. Lawrence College, second degree in business

Redka decided to go back to school after he couldnt find a job in Albertas oil industry with a college diploma. He picked business and decided he would ride it out through another four years, hopefully coming out with a job at the end of it.

Redka qualifies as a mature student, having been out of high school for four years. And without any funding from his parents, he qualified for several grants under OSAP. With some strict budgeting, it covers most of his expenses. Im tired of being so broke, said Redka. By the end of the semester, Redka said his debt will reach about $27,000. With fewer grants, hes estimating to tack on another $8,000 by the time he graduates.

Once that happens, Redka said his plan to handle the interest accumulation that will start immediately after graduation under the Fords government plan is to send out a lot of resumes. A lot.

I am a little nervous about having to take whatever option just comes my way whether or not its close to what I want to start my career in  and just the quality of life after that, said Redka.

Theres a big portion of students who, right after, feel the pressure and get sucked into doing some mundane job that they really dont want to do for so long just in order get themselves out of debt.

The Parent

Mariana Hernandez, 42, parent of a first-year student at George Brown College.

Hernandez didnt want her daughter to be stuck in her situation. As an artist, Hernandez floats between contract jobs to support her family.

Her daughter, 20-year-old Tawny Lovecchio, is studying social work at George Brown. Lovecchio qualified for free tuition but still works a part-time job to cover her transportation costs.

Hernandez is worried that when the time comes, her daughter wont be able to pay back her loans.

Theres never a guarantee that youll find a job in the first year and you have to repay the loan, she said. A lot of other students are put in this kind of situation because (they) dont pay back their loan right away  they go into default and then they mess (up) their credit.

Hernandez said it feels like they are sort of at the governments will.

Shes worried  well, were worried  but shes still trying to focus on her school work to make sure its going to go in the right direction.

Rhianna Jackson-Kelso is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Stars radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @RhiannaJK

Premila DSa is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Stars radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @premila_dsa

Stefanie Marotta is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Stars radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @StefanieMarotta

Marjan Asadullah is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @marjanasadullah
Colten Boushie, a 22-year-old Cree man , was fatally shot by white farmer Gerald Stanley on Aug. 9, 2016, on Stanleys farm near Biggar, Sask. Stanleys acquittal on murder and manslaughter charges last Feb. 9 was heavily criticized by some Canadians, including the prime minister. A new book by Kent Roach, the Prichard-Wilson Chair in Law and Public Policy at the University of Toronto, looks at how the case can shed light on issues of racism and how the criminal justice system treats Indigenous people.

It was not long after Colten Boushies death that the media started reporting on the tragic event that had occurred on Stanleys farm. The early media reports, with some exceptions, reflected stories told by Eric Meechance that denied attempted theft of a vehicle on the Stanley property. This contributed to the early polarization of opinion that would continue to dog the case.

On Aug. 11, 2016, a story quoted Colten Boushies uncle, Alvin Baptiste Sr., that Boushies companions pulled into that farmers yard to see if they could get any help with the vehicle. The next day, the press reported Eric Meechances statements that they were looking for help with a flat tire and that running is probably what saved our lives, you know, because if he is going to shoot one, he probably would have shot us all.

This early press, which was at odds with the reference in the RCMP press release to detaining three people and seeking a fourth in a related theft investigation, probably helped to ignite the social media firestorm that pitted Boushie supporters, who believed the initial press reports, against those who viewed the RCMPs reference to a theft investigation through the lens of their concerns about rural crime and, perhaps, their fear of Indigenous youth.

One example of the social media backlash to the early press was a post on a GoFundMe page for the Stanleys (subsequently removed) that stated, These dirty Indians off the Rez stopped in at our farm and tried to steal our vehicles and when they couldnt, they vandalized it. After our farm pitstop, they carried on to Gerrys where things got out of hand.

Some of the early press, however, hinted at the possibility of threats from the Indigenous people more serious than theft. The self-defence narrative that had been put to Stanley in his RCMP interview started to emerge in the mainstream media. On Aug. 12, 2016, the CBC ran a story entitled Deadly Shooting near Biggar Sask Sparks Debate over Right to Defend. It featured a statement by a criminal defence lawyer that when there doesnt appear to be any reasonable alternative, lethal force is no doubt permitted.

The CBC story also discussed a recent case where Saskatoon police did not lay charges against a woman who killed an intruder in her home. For Stanley supporters, this raised questions about why Stanley had been arrested, detained and charged. At the same time, it also raised the notion of self-defence without any factual foundation, perhaps reflecting negative stereotypes about Indigenous people as often drunk and dangerous.

There were 24 complaints about the CBC story and the CBC ombudsperson subsequently found that the story prematurely declared that self-defence would be a matter before the courts. Although Stanley did not formally claim self-defence at the trial, it will be suggested in Chapter 8 that he made implicit appeals to self-defence.

An Aug. 13, 2016, press story repeated reports that the natives stopped in the farmyard to seek help with a flat tire. It also painted a picture of polarization by juxtaposing Cree and subsequent Boushie family lawyer Eleanore Sunchilds comments about 100 years of stereotypes and racism and the Battlefords particular history with statements that many local farmers are raising money online and scheduling a steak night in support of the Stanleys.

An employee of the hotel, where the steak night was to be held, stated that the Stanleys are awesome people. We want to help as much as we can. Nobody should have died, but we knew it was going to come to this. Things are out of control. The idea that things are out of control played into the rural crime narrative, which was freighted with racial overtones.

The planned steak night to support the Stanleys captured the public imagination. It evoked images of cowboys versus Indians. It reflected the comparative wealth of the non-Indigenous population compared to the Indigenous population. The Boushie family urged that the steak dinner be cancelled, but National Post columnist Colby Cosh argued, [h]elping to provide a legal defence for a friend  or just a fellow creature in deep trouble  ought to be acceptable. He noted that his retired parents raise cattle in the region and like Stanley, they live outside the immediate range of law enforcement, and they are armed  There is an omnipresent tension between reserve natives and non-native farmers.

Read more:

What Trudeau said after the verdict

Boushies family sues RCMP, Stanley

Shree Paradkar on countrys reaction to the verdict

Premier Brad Wall posted on Facebook on Sunday, Aug. 14, to respond to the social media comments. As the post is quite extraordinary and is no longer on Facebook, it will be quoted in full as taken from a screen shot in media coverage:

Racism has no place in Saskatchewan. In the wake of the shooting near Biggar, there have been racist and hate-filled comments on social media and other forums.

This must stop. These comments are not only unacceptable, intolerant and a betrayal of the very values and character of Saskatchewan, they are dangerous. There are laws that protect citizens from this kind of hate may be enforced. They will be enforced.

I also have every confidence that the circumstances of Colten Boushies death will be fully investigated by the RCMP and that appropriate charges will be laid and prosecuted, based on the evidence. None of us should be jumping to conclusions about what happened. We should trust the RCMP to do their work.

I call on Saskatchewan people to rise above intolerance, to be our best and to be the kind neighbours and fellow citizens we are reputed to be.

Walls comments deserve praise for calling out and denouncing racism. It is surprising that they were not introduced at trial as evidence of a realistic possibility that some potential jurors may be biased both because of the pretrial publicity and the racist and hateful views expressed in some of the social media postings.

At the same time, Wall did not express sympathy to Boushies family or his community. He did not name the racism at play as anti-Indigenous. Indeed, the cbc reported a number of social media comments that painted the non-Indigenous majority as the victims of racism, including, Ive been called more names by Natives than I can count. Also, Wanna stop racism? Revamp those obsolete treaties and make every adult in Saskatchewan pay taxes. A society that treats people differently because of their race is an unjust society.

Wall reminded people about criminal offences against the wilful promotion of hate propaganda and the RCMP echoed Walls comments about laws against hate speech. Such offences are notoriously difficult to prosecute. Saskatchewans most famous hate-speech prosecution involved two trials of Indigenous leader David Ahenakew for anti-Semitic remarks, the first resulting in a conviction reversed on appeal and the second resulting in an acquittal.

This may also have fuelled the idea that there was hate and racism on both sides. The false equivalence between Stanleys murder charge and the theft and assault charges that Boushies friends faced was echoed in a false equivalence between long ingrained anti-Indigenous racism and Indigenous attitudes towards settlers of various origins and races.

Walls comments that we should trust the RCMP to do their work did not address the history of distrust of the RCMP by many Indigenous people. The RCMP appropriately respected Stanleys Charter rights, allowing him several opportunities to talk to lawyers, but they informed Debbie Baptiste of her sons death during a tactical search and issued a press release that twinned the investigation of Colten Boushies death with a related theft investigation.

In any event, Walls intervention did not stop some of the vile social media commentary. Ben Kautz, a municipal councillor in Browning, Sask., posted to the Saskatchewan Farmers Group on Facebook that in my mind his only mistake was leaving witnesses. A screen shot of the post was widely circulated. Kautz received threats, apologized for the post, and subsequently resigned his elected position.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

It is difficult to know exactly what effect the social media explosion after Boushies death had on attitudes among potential jurors. The Canadian justice system takes pains to impose publication bans on bail hearings and preliminary inquiries because of concerns about tainting the jury pool, but it is less experienced with dealing with prejudicial pretrial social media.

In any event, no questions would be asked of prospective jurors to establish if they had been exposed to, or had participated in, the social media firestorm that erupted after Colten Boushies death. Prospective jurors were not questioned about social media even though a few court decisions recognized the reality of the new internet world and allowed potential jurors to be questioned about their social media use in order to determine if they could be challenged as not being impartial 

Peremptory challenges

Both Stanley and the prosecutor were entitled to 14 peremptory challenges [challenges with no reasons given]. Stanley used 13 peremptory challenges and the prosecutor used only four. University of Saskatchewan law professor Glen Luther correctly predicted, before jury selection, that it was likely that the accused would use peremptory challenges to exclude Indigenous jurors, but less likely that the prosecutor would use them to exclude non-Indigenous people in an attempt to have Indigenous representation on the jury. This appeared to have happened with Stanley using five peremptory challenges to exclude visibly Indigenous and otherwise qualified prospective jurors. The Stanley trial was added to the significant, but non-official, list of cases decided by all-white juries.

Boushies family was dismayed by the jury selection. Coltens mother refused to attend jury selection, but stated, If its an all-white jury, I dont think we have a chance. Her statements underlined that the controversial acquittals and manslaughter verdicts by all-white juries in Saskatchewan had a lasting impact. The majority of the Supreme Court decided in 2015 that jury selection should not be the vehicle for addressing historical grievances, but its conclusion discounted how some jury verdicts themselves contributed to these grievances.

Jade Tootoosis, Boushies cousin, commented after the jury selection, A lot of my family didnt come today because they already felt that a decision had been made and I came with hopes that it would be different. It was really difficult to sit there today and see every single, visible Indigenous person be challenged by the defence. Its not surprising but extremely frustrating and something that we feared would come true. The Boushie family did not have standing in the trial, but they were directly affected by all aspects of it, including jury selection.

Peremptory challenges have long been a feature of British justice. William Blackstone defended them in the eighteenth century on the basis that they demonstrated the concern of English law for the accused and allowed the accused to act upon sudden impressions and unaccountable prejudices.

Quoting Blackstone with approval, the Supreme Court has described peremptory challenges as purely subjective. In 1982, a judge referred to peremptory challenges as guess work, noting that they could be used even if the prosecution or the accused could not establish that a prospective juror was not impartial, but because they may be suspicious of the views of a particular juror because of his or her age, occupation, appearance, place of residence, dress, nationality, race, religion and numerous other reasons.

Peremptory challenges were abolished in England in 1988. Since 1986, the United States Supreme Court has attempted to prevent discriminatory uses of peremptory challenges by the prosecutor, and since 1992, by the accused. The American courts require a neutral non-discriminatory reason for using a challenge, but have often been unsuccessful in preventing the exclusion of African-American jurors, except in cases of a clear intent to discriminate.

The Manitoba Aboriginal Justice Inquiry observed three trials in Thompson, Man., in 1989 and found that 35 of 41 Aboriginal people called to serve on juries were rejected, often by the prosecutor, but sometimes by the accused. It also documented how the two white men accused of murdering Helen Betty Osborne used six peremptory challenges to exclude all Indigenous people from the jury. The inquiry recommended that peremptory challenges should be abolished. In his 2013 report, retired Supreme Court justice Frank Iacobucci warned, First Nations jury service could still be significantly undermined through discriminatory use of peremptory challenges. 

Even trial judges, who have recognized that the prosecutor could challenge discriminatory uses of peremptory challenges by the defence, have concluded that the Charter would not assist such challenges. They have also reasoned that the accuseds Charter right to silence would prevent the court from requiring the defence to justify their use of a peremptory challenge. This is different from the American experience where the accused, like the prosecutor, must provide some non-discriminatory reason for the use of a peremptory challenges when racial discrimination may be in play.

Some courts have indicated that abusive use of peremptory challenges by the prosecution might be reviewable, but have not found such discrimination in cases where it was alleged. The Supreme Court avoided the issue in a 1995 case where a prosecutor used a form of peremptory challenge to keep all males off the jury.

The courts subsequently rejected an allegation that the prosecutor had engaged in a discriminatory use of a peremptory challenge in a Yukon case, but the press reported that the prosecutor had explained he challenged the prospective juror, not because he was Indigenous, but because he worked for an Indigenous band. This underlines the skepticism that often accompanies attempts to regulate discriminatory uses of peremptory challenges. It casts doubt on whether legislation that attempted to stop the discriminatory use of peremptory challenge would actually be effective.

Also, the limited Saskatchewan experience does not suggest that challenges to discriminatory uses of peremptory challenges would likely have been successful. After Stony Lee Cyr lost his Treaty and Charter challenges to Indigenous under-representation on a Regina jury, his lawyer complained to the press that when the opportunity came for a clearly aboriginal person to sit on the jury, the Crown chose to exercise their challenge.

The Crown prosecutor replied that there were many reasons for using peremptory challenges, including criminal history, and that a person was not a right fit for the case. This demonstrates the range of excuses that can be made for the exclusion of Indigenous people and others from the jury. The forensic difficulties of proving a discriminatory use of a peremptory challenge were also underlined by the prosecutors statements: I dont even remember who I peremptorily challenged and its difficult to say, based solely on last name or physical appearance, whether or not people are aboriginal.

The trial judge declared a mistrial the next day, not on the basis of the prosecutors alleged use of peremptory challenges to exclude an Indigenous juror or that the aid and assistance clause of the Treaty prohibited First Nation persons being shut  out of the criminal justice process, but on the basis that the defence counsels comments strike to the very heart of the jury system as they imply that Mr Cyr cannot receive a fair trial based on the ancestry of the jurors which have been selected. The judiciarys defensiveness about juries again resurfaced. No attempt was made in court to challenge what the accused alleged was a discriminatory peremptory challenge of an Indigenous prospective juror.

If the prosecutor had challenged the accuseds use of peremptory challenges to exclude visibly Indigenous jurors in the Stanley trial, he might have faced an arduous task. We will never know, because the prosecutor made no objection as the accused used peremptory challenges to keep five visibly Indigenous persons, as well as seven other persons, off the Stanley jury. The trial judge was also passive in the face of these peremptory challenges and did not raise the issue on his own initiative.

Correction  January 21, 2019: This excerpt was edited from a previous version that mistakenly referred to William Blackstone as a former British prime minister.

Excerpted from Canadian Justice, Indigenous Injustice: The Gerald Stanley and Colten Boushie Case by Kent Roach (McGill-Queens, January 2019). Roach will be speaking at McNally Robinson, Grant Park, Winnipeg on Jan. 26 at 7 p.m.

Read more about:
Jefferson Graham

Watertown Public Opinion

ROUTE 15, California  This drive is only supposed to last four hours, but when confronted with so much wide-open space, Joshua trees awaiting to be photographed, crazy billboards and the world's largest thermometer, well, the car is going to stop. A lot.

Like 10 hours' worth. And that only scratched the surface.

I've been making the Los Angeles to Las Vegas trek for several years now, and it never gets old. I share some of my favorite scenes in the photo gallery above. Here are some highlights along the route:

Hesperia: This is the first glimpse of the open desert after leaving Ontario, California, and merging onto Route 15, the highway that will continue north all the way through Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Idaho. Hesperia is where I shot this Joshua tree on the side of the road.

Victorville: Another 8 miles up the road, and you're in the last city you will see on this drive, a town that once touted a gateway to historic Route 66. The town itself has a terrific Route 66 museum but downtown has many shuttered stores and homes  so if you enjoy seeing abandonment, this is a great place for that. Tip: Continue on old 66 north, towards Barstow, and get to Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch, a roadside attraction of one man's eccentric collection of bottles, signs and such.

Barstow: The near-midway point of the drive, with an outlet mall, electric charging stations for Teslas and other cars, a remade railroad station that's now home to McDonald's, Subway and other fast food restaurants and gift shops. The Barstow Station is a major stop for tour buses. I prefer to keep on driving.

Yermo: Now you're really in the desert, with no cities in sight. There's both a ghost town (Calico Ghost Town) attraction along with abandoned buildings, working diners (Peggy Sue's and Penny's) accessible Joshua trees and electric charging. Tip: Peggy Sue's is our favorite LA2Vegas pit stop, with typical '50s diner food  everything from grilled cheese and burgers to pizza and ice cream.

Zzyzx Road: A fun stop, just because the name is so funny; there's not much out here beyond taking photos of the iconic sign.

Baker: Or the town time forgot. It's home to the world's largest thermometer, a 134-foot attraction that can be seen for miles. Note: The temps are over 95 degrees for five months of the year, so it's not like the thermometer will be that useful. It's hot outside. Baker once attracted a lot of roadside visitors who now speed through after gassing up and getting something to eat at the Mad Greek. On our last visit, we counted three shuttered motels (of the three in town), several closed gas stations and restaurants. For photographers looking to get up close and personal with buildings that have been left to rot, this is the place. (Tesla owners, Baker has the largest collection of charging stations on this trip, 40 stalls.)

Stateline: Primm, Nevada, about 45 minutes from Baker, offers lower-price gas, many restaurants (including a second Mad Greek) an outlet mall and two casinos, Whiskey Pete's and Buffalo Bill's. A large roller coaster adorned Buffalo Bill's for years, but it's been closed for quite some time.

Almost last stop: Seven Magic Mountains. A fun and free art installation of seven day-glo painted boulders is worth a pull off the road for a great desert selfie moment. You're about 15 minutes from downtown Las Vegas, at this point, with more open access to Joshua trees than anywhere else on this trip  not to be missed.

Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas: Stay on South Las Vegas Boulevard and you'll start to see the skyline of the Las Vegas Strip get closer and closer. At 5200 S. Las Vegas Boulevard, just south of the Mandalay Bay Resort, you'll get the ultimate Vegas selfie in front of the iconic sign first enacted in 1959. And if you feel like offering a "toke" or two (Vegas talk for "tip"), you could probably pose with an Elvis impersonator or showgirl, who are usually on hand.

From here, head north and pass the MGM Grand, Excalibur, Caesars Palace or whatever your destination might be.

Finally, a driving tip: For much of the route, it's two lanes per side, and on a busy day, and with slow RVs, this ride can get really congested. The best time to drive it is early, the earlier the better, especially on Fridays and holiday weekends. Returning home from Vegas shouldn't begin any later than 10 a.m. on Sundays.

Unless you have a lot of time on your hands.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Road trip scenes: Highlights on the drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas
Staff reports

Watertown Public Opinion

The airline serving Watertown and Pierre has announced it has ended operations in the South Dakota cities and that any future focus will be on charter flights and California.

The announcement was carried in a statement made by officials of Aerodynamics Inc., which is doing business as California Pacific Air (CP Air), to its employees. The statement was part of a press release issued by Watertown Mayor Sarah Caron and Pierre Mayor Steve Harding.

The joint release from Caron and Harding also said that CP Air has temporarily ceased all operations and is furloughing all of its employees for approximately three weeks beginning Friday, Jan. 18.

The CP Air statement leaves both Watertown and Pierre without any commercial air service and no information indicating that it will resume.

The mayors received the CP Air shutdown message in a memorandum signed by Theodore L. Vallas, chief operating officer and president, and forwarded to them by Thomas Wright of CP Air maintenance.

Fernando Pineda, executive vice-president and chief operating officer of CP Air, sent the message to company employees regarding the ceasing of operations in South Dakota and the intent to limit service to California and charter flights.

The mayors are advising people directly impacted by the airline shutdown to contact CP Air directly at 1.855.505.9394 or customerservice@mycpair.com.

Impacted travelers can also visit transportation.gov/airconsumer for additional resources.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) leads the Essential Air Service contracting process and has called for proposals from airlines interested in serving the Pierre and Watertown markets. The USDOT gives EAS communities, such as Pierre and Watertown, the opportunity to review the proposals and make a recommendation but ultimately chooses the winning proposal.
Bay Regatta aims bigger

SAILING: The 22nd Bay Regatta is expected to be the biggest yet and will firmly stand out as one of South East Asias finest yachting events.

Sailing

By The Phuket News

Sunday 20 January 2019, 11:00AM

New meets old on one of the most unique race courses in the world

Taking place in some of the most beautiful scenery the region has to offer, the four days racing and daily prize giving dinners will bring a buzz of excitement to Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi.

Just two months after the Phukets Kings Cup Regatta, The Bay Regatta 2019 will be the scene for the regions yachting community in February. The action is spread over four days of exhilarating competition in the surrounding bays of Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi. This years competition will be split into six classes: Racing Class, Cruising A, Cruising B, Bareboat Charter, Racing Multihulls and Cruising Multihulls

Kae Wattana, Managing Director of organisers Regattas Asia comments "The Bay Regatta is now in its 22nd year and is more popular than ever with competitors joining from all around the world. This year will see the return of the 110 year old S/Y Seraph as our committee boat and we will hold our daily presentation at a fantastic new venue in Krabi, The Phra Nang Inn. We are all looking forward to another great event."

The four days of racing are a mixture of coastal passages and around the islands encompassing the provinces of Phuket, PhangNga and Krabi and includes some of Thailands most beautiful islands.

Racing starts at 8.30am each day off the beach at each of the overnight stops.

There are a number of different courses used during the regatta. Courses are designed to offer competitive sailing to all types of yachts and are selected on a daily basis by local sailing personalities Andy Dowden and Simon James.

Traditionally, yachts will start off at Ao Po, through Phang Nga Bay to Ko Yao Noi, heading east for two nights in Krabi and returning to Ao Chalong Bay on Phuket.

The action can be viewed from the look-out points at the regatta venues: Thursday Feb 14: Ao Po; Friday Feb 15: Long Beach, Ko Yao Noi; Saturday Feb 16: Ao Nang/Koh Dam Group; Sunday Feb 17: Cape Panwa, Phuket.

The Regatta is organised by Regattas Asia under the auspices of the Phuket Yacht Club. The event is supported by the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand and the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Co-Sponsors: Chang, The Tourism Authority of Thailand, Pra Nang Inn, Vacation Village Yacht Charter, Budget Car and Truck Rental, Castle Creek, Mekhong and Raymarine.

Regatta Partners: Chandara Resort and Spa, Haadthip, Jungceylon, Koh Yao Chukit Resort.

Local Supporters: Electrical Marine, B&G, Octopus Marine, The Mangosteen Resort, Epic Charters.

Media Partners: Class Act Media, The Phuket News, SEA Yachting, Check In Surat Magazine, One Coast, Marine Directory Asia, aBoat.

For further information contact:

Kae Wattana Regatta Director, Regattas Asia

Email: kae@regattas.asia

Tel: 081 5388848

https://www.facebook.com/BayRegatta

www.bayregatta.com
Asia Pop 40 counts down the top 140 songs in Asia of 2018

Throughout January, the regions first and only syndicated radio chart countdown programme, Asia Pop 40, will once again count down the most popular 140 songs from 2018 over four weekly episodes.

Entertainment

By The Phuket News

Sunday 20 January 2019, 10:00AM

Tune in to Phuket Live 89.5 on Fridays from 9pm and Sundays from 1pm.

Throughout January, the regions first and only syndicated radio chart countdown programme, Asia Pop 40, will once again count down the most popular 140 songs from 2018 over four weekly episodes.

This year marks the fifth annual countdown of the top 140 songs on the Asia Pop 40 chart, based purely on their ranking in the chart and the number of weeks they appeared.

While the weekly AP40 countdown is hosted by Dom Lau, this years countdown of the year will be presented over the four weeks by guest hosts from AP40s affiliate stations as well as Asia Pop 40 Chinas host Max Lim.

Creator and Executive Producer of Asia Pop 40, Rob Graham, stated: Were very excited to present our year-end highlight package of Asia Pop 40 again this year. What better way to showcase 52 episodes, or 156 hours, of programming? Our annual countdown was a first for Asian radio and were very proud of that.

Graham added As per previous years, we will be honouring the Asia Pop 40 No. 1 Song of 2018, the Asia Pop 40 Artist of 2018 and the Asia Pop 40 Group/Duo of 2018.

The Asia Pop 140 countdown programmes will air throughout January, culminating with the announcement of the No. 1 Song of 2018 on Saturday 26.

The Asia Pop 140 chart of 2018 consists of:

62 collaborations;

27 tracks from solo female artists;

58 tracks from solo male artists;

28 tracks from groups;

15 songs from movie soundtracks;

85 tracks from the Americas;

7 tracks from Australia/New Zealand;

15 tracks from Europe;

33 tracks from the UK; and

10 tracks from Asia.

About Asia Pop 40

Asia Pop 40 is the first regional weekly chart countdown radio show produced in Asia specifically for Asian radio, now heard in over 100 markets across Asia- Pacific and the Middle-East in English and Mandarin.

Each week Asia Pop 40 counts down the most popular streams on Apple Music across Asia to produce a pan-regional radio programme.

Asia Pop 40 is supported by a multi-faceted, multi-lingual website  www. asiapop40.com  featuring the chart, artist interviews, celebrity gossip, social media plug-ins and links to the iTunes store, making it an essential platform for any advertiser wanting to reach a young, affluent Asian audience.

Asia Pop 40 is produced and syndicated by EON Syndicated Media, based in Singapore.

Asian Relevance

EONs Executive Producer, Rob Graham, stated The Asia Pop 40 chart is the main reference source for whats hot in Asian music for the worlds music media. And because AP40 is made in Asia for Asia, this makes the Asia Pop 40 chart truly relevant for Asian audiences by being Asias first-ever official regional chart.

Asia Pop 40 is three hours in length and, apart from showcasing the latest music, features latest movie reviews, albums reviews, artist interviews and massive competitions.

Asia Pop 40 airs weekly on Phuket Live 89.5 on Fridays from 9pm and Sundays from 1pm.

For more information, go to www.eonmusicmedia.com or contact Rob Graham at rob@eonmusicmedia.com

www.asiapop40.com

@eonmusicmedia

@asiapop40
A Parents Social for those who have children with special needs in the Waterford School District is coming up this month.
The Oakland University Police Department is launching a long-term fundraising campaign to add a new bomb detection K-9 unit to its force.
This subscription will allow curernt subscribers of The News Guard to access all of our online Subscriber-Only content, including the E Editions area.

NOTE: To claim your access to the site, you will need to enter the Last Name and First Name that is tied to your subscription in this format: SMITH, JOHN

If you need help with exactly how your specific name needs be entered, please call us at 1-541-994-2178 or email admin@countrymedia.net.
Macy's Inc. and American flags fly outside a department store in downtown Chicago on May 13, 2018. MUST CREDIT: Bloomberg photo by Christopher Dilts.
Bank of America Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides banking and financial products and services for individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses, institutional investors, large corporations, and governments worldwide. Its Consumer Banking segment offers traditional and money market savings accounts, certificates of deposit and IRAs, noninterest-and interest-bearing checking accounts, and investment accounts and products; and credit and debit cards, residential mortgages, and home equity loans, as well as direct and indirect loans, such as automotive, recreational vehicle, and consumer personal loans. The company's Global Wealth & Investment Management segment offers investment management, brokerage, banking, and trust and retirement products and services; and wealth management solutions, as well as customized solutions, including specialty asset management services. Its Global Banking segment provides lending products and services, including commercial loans, leases, commitment facilities, trade finance, and commercial real estate and asset-based lending; treasury solutions, such as treasury management, foreign exchange, and short-term investing options and merchant services; working capital management solutions; and debt and equity underwriting and distribution, and merger-related and other advisory services. The company's Global Markets segment offers market-making, financing, securities clearing, settlement, and custody services, as well as risk management products using interest rate, equity, credit, currency and commodity derivatives, foreign exchange, fixed-income, and mortgage-related products. As of April 15, 2021, it served approximately 66 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 4,300 retail financial centers; approximately 17,000 ATMs; and digital banking platforms with approximately 40 million active users. The company was founded in 1784 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Read More
18 hours ago

| June 17th | 2021 8:38 AM

Does Nike (NYSE: NKE) Have What It Takes To Get Back Running Again

For a company whose shares powered to new highs on what felt like a daily basis for much of last year, Nike (NYSE: NKE) has surprised many with its sluggish performance in the first half of 2021. Their shares are trading down more than 10% from the most recent all time high that they tagged at the end of December. In the grand scheme of things, this
17 hours ago

| June 17th | 2021 8:38 AM

Does Nike (NYSE: NKE) Have What It Takes To Get Back Running Again

For a company whose shares powered to new highs on what felt like a daily basis for much of last year, Nike (NYSE: NKE) has surprised many with its sluggish performance in the first half of 2021. Their shares are trading down more than 10% from the most recent all time high that they tagged at the end of December. In the grand scheme of things, this
In a bid to attract tourists from Northern Europe, Indonesia is participating in the 2019 Matka Nordic Travel Fair in Helsinki from Jan. 17 to 20.

"Indonesia's participation in the Matka Nordic Travel Fair is part of our support to reach the target of attracting 20 million foreign tourists," said a representative of the Tourism Ministry's marketing II regional IV (Europe) development department, Agustini Rahayu, in a statement on Friday as quoted by Antara.

The event itself is participated in by 914 participants from 84 countries and expected to draw more than 68,000 visitors.

The Northern Europe market is said to be very promising as it contributed 25.17 percent to the total European market that reached 760,000 visitors in 2018. Additionally, the people are known to be big shoppers, have high incomes and vacation abroad more than once a year.

Agustini said people living in Northern Europe had long holidays and usually spent around US$1,464 per visit.

Read also: Banyuwangi at center of next tourism drive in Europe

"Currently their favorite Southeast Asian country as a destination is Thailand. Indonesia needs to promote itself as a country filled with natural, cultural and sensory wonders."

The ministry is said to also promote the archipelago's unique experiences, such as local coffee and spices and musical instruments.

During the fair, the ministry is collaborating with the Indonesian Embassy in Helsinki, as well as the Yogyakarta Tourism Agency, South Kalimantan provincial administration and eight tourism players. (kes)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, January 21 2019

According to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, at least 2 million Muslim Uighurs and other minorities in Chinas Xinjiang region have been forced into political camps for

indoctrination.



Many children have been separated from their parents and siblings, and a lot of Uighurs  including prominent scholar Muhammad Salih Hajim, who translated the Quran into the Uighur language  have died in unclear circumstances in the camps, the president of the Uighur American Association Ilshat Hassan Kokbore told The Jakarta Post recently.



Ilshat and his fellow Uighur activists, Omer Kanat from the Uighur Human Rights Project and Turgunjan Alwadun from the World Uighur Congress, visited the Post on the sidelines of their mission to meet with the Indonesian government.



Omer said they wanted to meet with officials at...
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Suherdjoko (The Jakarta Post) Semarang, Central Java  Sun, January 20, 2019 18:04 879 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e7bcfbe 1 Business Trans-Java,trans-Java-highway,toll-road,Public-Works-and-Public-Housing-Ministry,jakarta,surabaya,infrastructure,Jokowi-infrastructure-drive Free

The government has slated Monday as the day when the 938-kilometer trans-Java toll road will open fully from Merak in Banten to Pasuruan in East Java, although several issues remain unresolved.

For example, from Semarang to Surakarta in Central Java, the toll road will still use smaller local roads such as Jl. Suprapto for the Ungaran exit and Jl. Tingkir Raya for the Salatiga exit. The use of the smaller local roads is expected to create bottlenecks and congestion during peak times.

The toll road, a source of pride for President Joko Jokowi Widodos administration, will finally connect the countrys two biggest cities by road: Jakarta and Surabaya in East Java.

Yudhi Krisyunoro, the president director of PT Trans Marga Jateng, the operator of the toll road, said on Saturday during a press conference that he was aware of the problem. He said the operator had communicated the matter to the Public Works and Housing Ministrys Directorate General of Roads Bina Marga.

We hope the government will look into it, he said.

He said the government had procured land to widen Jl. Tingkir Raya for the Salatiga exit.

Another problem is damage to the road at kilometer 321 along the Pemalang-Batang segment in Central Java. The operator of that part, PT Pemalang Batang Tol Road, said it would repair the cracks along 30 meters of road and complete the work by Sunday, hours before the opening of the full toll road.

The companys technical and operational director, Arman D. Panjaitan, said on Saturday that rain had caused the damage at kilometer 321.

The toll to use the road between Jakarta and Surabaya is Rp 660,500 (US$46.41). For the first two months motorists will enjoy a 15 percent discount on some of the segments.

In June last year, during the Idul Fitri exodus and return journey, holidaymakers used parts of the toll road, at that time spanning about 760 km. Of this length, 524 km was fully finished, with drivers paying to use it, while 235 km was functional but not yet fully operable.

The government will expand the road to the easternmost regency on Javas mainland, Banyuwangi. From Merak to Banyuwangi, the road will span 1,167 kilometers. The longest trip right now, from Merak to Grati in Pasuruan is Rp 775,500.

On Jan. 21 tolls will be levied on the following segments for the first time, Pemalang- Batang, Batang- Semarang, Semarang-Surakarta, Salatiga-Kartasura all in Central Java. The three segments were officiated by President Joko Jokowi Widodo on Dec. 2018.

The government has divided the road into four clusters: Cluster I comprises Jakarta-Cikampek and Cikampek-Palimanan; Cluster II comprises Palimanan-Kanci, Kanci-Pejagan, Pejagan-Pemalang, Pemalang-Batang and Batang-Semarang; Cluster III comprises Semarang-Surakarta, Surkarta-Ngawi, Ngawi-Kertosono, Kertosono-Mojokerto and Mojokerto-Surabaya; and Cluster IV comprises Porong-Gempol, Gempol-Pandaan and Gempol-Pasuruan.
State-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina has urged downstream oil and gas regulatory agency BPH Migas to discipline unofficial retail gasoline kiosks known as Pertamini across the country following reports that they sell poor-quality fuel at higher prices.

According to Pertamina president director Nicke Widyawati, Pertamini kiosks not only sell fuel at prices that are much higher than those at official Pertamina gas stations, but they also compromise the purity of the fuel by mixing it with other substances, including water.

Some kiosks sell fuel at Rp 10,000 (70 US cents) per liter or even higher while Pertamina sells it for Rp 7,400 per liter at its gas stations.

Pertamini's business is illegal. Apart from higher price, the purity of their gasoline does not meet regulatory standards, Nicke said in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Friday as quoted by kontan.co.id.

She added that the kiosks were against the governments one-price fuel policy.

Indonesia consists of more than 17,000 islands and gasoline is still not equally distributed, which means remote regions still struggle to have access to fuel. This has led to the emergence of Pertamini kiosks, which require very little capital and can be acquired by anyone.

It is not uncommon to find small businesses selling gasoline in glass bottles in both rural and urban areas around Indonesia. These merchants simply buy the fuel at official gas stations, then resell it in 1-liter bottles on the side of the road.

A Pertamini acquires its fuel with the same method but resells it using a mobile red and white kiosk that can be bought online for around Rp 8 million.

Nicke is aware that many communities in remote places need the kiosks as there are not many gas station (SPBU) available.

I do understand their situation. However, these problems must be resolved. We will overcome these problems with BPH Migas, she said.

Nicke added that Pertamina planned to open Pertashops, which will sell gasoline, LPG gas and lubricants, in about 7,300 villages across the country by 2020. (das/evi)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Ruslan Sangadji (The Jakarta Post) Palu  Sun, January 20, 2019 18:11 879 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e7be008 1 National #Palu,Palu,earthquake,tsunami-survivor,tsunami,#earthquake,#tsunami,disaster-victims,#FoodPoisoning,food-poisoning Free

Dozens of people from Kabonena and Tipo subdistricts in Palu, Central Sulawesi, who were displaced by a recent earthquake, have been hospitalized for reported food poisoning after consuming donated food on Saturday.

Badrun, one of the food poisoning victims, said the food was distributed to the shelter at around 11 a.m. local time. The displaced people did not feel anything strange as they ate the food but an hour later they started to feel dizzy and nauseous, he said.

The victims  mostly children  were rushed to Anutapura Palu Hospital.

Anutapura Palu Hospital deputy director for medical services Herry Mulyadi said his office had recorded that at least 38 people had been admitted to the hospital, while others were taken to other hospitals.

Every single one of them complained about feeling dizzy and nauseous, Herry said.

By Sunday, more than half of the food poisoning victims had been discharged.

Central Sulawesi Governor Longki Djanggola, who visited the victims at the hospital on Saturday evening, said that everyone should ensure that the food and drinks they donated were safe for consumption.

I thank everyone who took part in helping the displaced people through their donations; but people, at the same time, have to remain vigilant before consuming [the food], he said.

Samples of the food had been taken to Central Palu's medical laboratory for examination, Longki said.

It remains unclear who sent the food to the shelter. (spl/ipa)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Tangerang, Banten  Sun, January 20, 2019 11:24 880 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e7b2164 1 City murder,murder-case,Tangerang,police,domestic-abuse,domestic-violence,child-abuse,violence-against-children Free

A woman identified as R, 27, has been named a murder suspect after allegedly beating her 1.5-year-old son QLR to death in Tangerang regency, Banten.

QLR was her second child from a second failed marriage, according to Jatiuwung Police chief Comr. Eliantoro.

R hated the victim because he was an unwanted biological child, Eliantoro said on Saturday as quoted by kompas.com.

The mother admitted that she had attacked her own child with her bare hands.

R was living with her third husband, W, 50, who claimed he did not know that his stepchild was being abused because she would only hit QLR when W was at work.

Meanwhile, neighbors have testified that they regularly heard the child screaming but did nothing to interfere.

There was no [effort in stopping the abuse]. They lived in a rented house so there was not a lot of interference in the familys life, Eliantoro said.

QLR died en route to the hospital on Friday. He had visible bruises on his back and face.

An autopsy will be carried out on the childs body to discern a cause of death. Meanwhile, R will undergo psychological tests.

She has been charged under Article 80(3) of Law No. 23/2002 on child protection and Article 44(3) on Law No. 23/2004 on domestic violence eradication, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years. (ami)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Stefanno Reinard Sulaiman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, January 20, 2019 11:00 880 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e7b0115 1 Business green-energy,biofuel,energy-and-mineral-resources-ministry,palm-oil,coal Free

The production of biofuel from sources such as palm oil and sugarcane is prone to delays and vulnerable to fluctuating supplies and prices, the government has acknowledged.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministrys director general for renewable energy, Rida Mulyana, said it was thus crucial for the government to ensure that the price of renewable energy for end users remained affordable, whether through incentives or other measures.

Pertamina's Green Fuel (100 percent palm oil fuel) project was a case in point, he said.

When the price of CPO is much higher than that of crude, we must decide what kind of incentives the government should provide [to ensure continued development], Rida said.

While its true that biofuels would cut our dependency on oil imports and [help keep the rupiah stable], in the end we are talking about [whether or not its] economical.

The government had a number of incentives in mind, he explained, such as imposing a domestic market obligation (DMO) and capping the price of crude palm oil (CPO).

If the price of CPO continues to increase, it would be positive for exporters but not for the domestic market. [] So, do we need to impose a DMO like we do for coal and cap the price [of CPO]? All of these [aspects] are still being discussed, Rida said.

Green Fuel is Pertaminas project to process a CPO derivative called refined bleach deodorized palm oil (RBDPO) with crude oil at its refineries.

Rida said renewable fuel was much more stable than B20 (a 20 percent biodiesel blend). However, the government only provides incentives for B20 and not for other types of biofuel.

Currently, under the B20 policy, the government plans to maintain the price of the biodiesel at the same level as Solar, Pertaminas diesel brand.

An incentive is provided for biofuel producers, taken from the CPO export levy collected by the Indonesian Oil Palm Estate Fund (BPDP-KS).

Therefore, biofuel producers are able to sell biofuel at the same price as diesel fuel to producers and distributors, such as Pertamina.

Another renewable fuel project where commercial development has progressed at snails pace is sugarcane-derived bioethanol, because the supply is sought by other industries, such as cosmetics.

Energy and Mineral Resources Ministery Regulation No.12/2015 on the provision and utilization of biofuels stipulates that bioethanol must gradually be blended into gasoline, from 1-2 percent in 2015 to 20 percent in 2025.

Rida explained that, based on Pertaminas calculation, the price of bioethanol was still much higher than the companys RON-92 gasoline sold under the Pertamax brand.

The BPDP-KS cant provide incentives for bioethanol, and the state budget is also not an option, so we [cannot comply with the bioethanol obligation] for now, he said.

Both the Green Fuel and bioethanol projects are part of the governments drive to hike the share of renewable energy in the national energy mix to 23 percent by 2025. As of December 2017, the share was still below 10 percent; data for 2018 has not been published yet.

Latest data from the ministry show that overall efforts to increase the share of renewables have thus far been fruitless, as the consumption of dirty energy continues to increase, especially with state-owned electricity firm PLNs ongoing development of coal-fired power plants this year.

"Renewable energy growth is overshadowed by the higher consumption growth of fossil fuel. Hence, the share of renewable energy [in the energy mix] is going nowhere," Rida said.

Previously, the Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR), a local energy think tank, criticized the government as being unfair to the green energy industry, as its incentives and policies mostly endorsed dirty energy, such as coal.

"The government is demanding that renewable energy compete with coal, [even though the latter] is backed by the government through policies and incentives," IESR executive director Fabby Tumiwa told The Jakarta Post recently.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, January 20, 2019 13:52 879 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e7b6bf2 1 City museums-in-Jakarta,Maritime-Museum,North-Jakarta,Jakarta-administration,reconstruction,renovation,tourism Free

The Jakarta administration is planning to revamp the Maritime Museum in North Jakarta, which was partly destroyed in a fire in January last year.

Jakarta Tourism Agency head Asiantoro said up to Rp 48 billion (US$3.38 million) had been allocated from the city budget to renovate the museum.

"The revamp will begin this year," Asiantoro told kompas.com on Saturday.

Asiantoro said the buildings demolition and plans for the new structure would be completed this year, followed by reconstruction.

He further explained that it was necessary to demolish the burnt wing of the Bahari Museum as it had become a safety hazard. It will be reconstructed to match the buildings original design.

A fire gutted the Bahari Museum on Jan. 16 last year, damaging buildings A and C.

The damages included a collapsed ceiling and destroyed windows in sections 4 and 5 on the second floor of C building, where the International Sea Legend and the Archipelago Sea Legend rooms were located.

The fire also gutted section 3 on the first floor of C building where the ship miniatures room and the warehouse were located. More damages could also be seen in the navigation machines and traditional boat room as well as the Java Sea War room in sections 2 and 3 on the second floor of C building.

Dozens of collections were also destroyed in the fire. (ars)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, January 20, 2019 11:09 880 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e7b0f39 1 National Religious-Affairs-Ministry,Lukman-Hakim-Saifuddin,Abu-Bakar-Baasyir,terrorism,Jokowi-administration,Jokowi Free

Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin has asked the Indonesian people to forgive firebrand cleric Abu Bakar Baasyir, a terror convict believed to have been responsible for the 2002 Bali bombings.

He further called on the public support President Joko Jokowi Widodos decision to release the cleric, who was once seen as the most influential jihadi ideologue in Southeast Asia.

Every religion teaches us to forgive even the sinful ones. [Baasyir]s condition has weakened because of old age and illness, so let us forgive him, Lukman said on Saturday as quoted by Antara, adding that the convict had served two-thirds of his prison sentence.

Read also: Lawyer says Ba'asyirs release not gift' from Jokowi

Ba'asyir's age, the minister said, was the primary reason why he supported his release.

"He's really old, very old," he said.

With Jokowis approval, Baasyir is slated to be released from Gunung Sindur prison in Bogor, West Java, on Thursday. It is unclear if Jokowi granted him a pardon or merely approved a request for a conditional release.

The 81-year-old cleric, known as the spiritual leader of hard-line organization Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT), has been in prison for eight years after being sentenced to 15 years by the South Jakarta District Court in 2011. The court found him guilty of funding a military training camp for terrorists in Aceh.

Baasyir was also convicted for being involved in the 2002 Bali bombings, which killed more than 200 people. However, in 2006, the Supreme Court accepted his case review petition and acquitted him of all charges.

Jokowis decision came only months before the April presidential election, sparking speculation that the move was politically motivated.

Yusril Ihza Mahendra, a lawyer of for Jokowi-Maruf Amin campaign, was quick to dismiss the speculation, saying the Presidents decision had been purely based on humanitarian reasons, given Baasyirs old age and deteriorating health.

Jokowi said he was very concerned about Baasyirs condition and therefore asked me to examine his release, start a dialogue and meet him at the prison, Yusril said.

He said the cleric would return to his hometown in Surakarta, Central Java, after his release and live with his son.

Indonesia's largest Islamic organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), meanwhile, approved the move to free Baasyir from prison and asked the public to respect the decision.

We appreciate President Jokowi for his decision to release [Baasyir] based on humanitarian reasons, NU secretary-general Helmy Faishal Zaini said separately as reported by Antara news agency.

Helmy further said the decision could serve as reconciliation to reduce political tension among voters ahead of the presidential election. (vny)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Paris, France  Sun, January 20, 2019 19:07 879 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e7bfdf2 2 Business #Japan,#France,Renault-Nissan,Merger,Carlos-Ghosn,arrest Free

Japanese media reported Sunday that France wants a merger between Renault and Nissan following the arrest of former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn, but according to France's economy minister changing the current set-up is "not on the table".

Ghosn headed a powerful alliance between Nissan, Mitsubishi and Renault before his arrest in November on charges of financial misconduct.

A delegation including Martin Vial -- a Renault director designated by the French government -- made the merger request at talks with Japanese officials in Tokyo, Kyodo News reported, citing sources close to the matter.

The French government is the biggest shareholder in Renault with a stake of more than 15 percent, while Renault owns 43.4 percent of the Japanese carmaker Nissan with voting rights.

A merger between the two is favoured by French President Emmanuel Macron, Kyodo said.

Japanese business daily Nikkei also reported the merger request by the French delegation, saying Nissan had been opposed to giving Paris greater sway over the Japanese carmaker.

According to Nikkei, the delegation also said Renault wants to name Nissan's next chairman -- a post that has remained vacant since Ghosn was ousted on his arrest in November.

But the reports appear to contradict comments French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire made to Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD) newspaper, published Sunday.

"A shareholder rebalancing, a change in cross-shareholdings between Renault and Nissan is not on the table," he told the French weekly.

Contacted by AFP, a French economy ministry spokesman had no comment to make on the Japanese media reports.

A 'stable relationship'

Macron last month held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina, at which they only agreed to ensure a stable relationship within the three-way alliance, which also includes Japan's Mitsubishi Motors.

Abe reportedly stressed the importance of all three companies "maintaining their stable relationship" at the summit talk.

But the Japanese premier reportedly also said the fate of the group should be decided by "private businesses" and "governments should not commit to how the alliance should operate going forward", according to a senior government official quoted by Kyodo.

Last week, Renault said it had launched the search for a successor to Ghosn, after a Tokyo court quashed his appeal for bail as he faces three charges of financial misconduct.

But Le Maire also said in his interview with the JDD newspaper: "The principle of the presumption of innocence must apply" to Ghosn.

But over and above Ghosn's case, "there are also the interests of Renault and of the alliance", he added. "A business of this scale needs solid and stable governance."

The French government has called for a board meeting to pick Ghosn's successor.

Nissan, which holds a 15-percent stake in Renault, is widely seen as hoping to reduce the influence of the French partner on its management and review the alliance to make it more equitable.
The Aceh Manpower Agency has deported 51 Chinese citizens who were found to be working at a construction company in Aceh Besar regency without the necessary documents.

Aceh Manpower Agency oversight division head Putut Rananggono said the Chinese workers had been working at PT Lafarge Cement Indonesia since last year and were discovered on Tuesday, when the agency conducted an inspection of the work site.

When we conducted the inspection, they were working at a power plant, he said on Saturday, as quoted by Antara.

The workers were employed by PT Shandong Licun Power Plant Technology, a third party that was hired by Lafarge.

The workers left Aceh through Sultan Iskandar Muda (SIM) Airport in Aceh Besar.

They have all been deported from Jakarta via SIM Airport, two people yesterday [Friday] and the other 49 today [Saturday], Putut said.

Lafarge confirmed that the 51 Chinese citizens had been working at the company. Lafarge spokesperson Faraby Azwani said the company would work to obtain the necessary employment permits for the workers.

This will be done by PT Shandong Licin Power Plant. They will coordinate with the Aceh Manpower Agency and other related parties, Faraby said. (kmt/evi)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Winny Tang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, January 21, 2019 08:31 879 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e7b24fe 1 Business BEI,stock,FMCG,consumer-goods,Unilever,Unilever-Indonesia,Kino-Indonesia,Garudafood-Putra-Putri-Jaya,Indofood Free

Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies may continue to face challenges in 2019 amid slow consumption growth and new competing products, although there is potential for a rebound in their stock prices next year, analysts have predicted.

Some analysts forecast that the top-line growth of major FMCG players in Indonesia, such as Unilever Indonesia and Indofood CBP Sukses Makmur, would be unlikely to reach double digits in 2019.

We only expect soft revenue growth [for Unilever] in 2019, an increase of 5.7 percent year-on-year [yoy], said Natalia Sutanto, a Danareksa Sekuritas equity analyst, on her latest research note.

She said Unilevers performance next year would face tight competition with new products from competitors coming onto the market, coupled with the possibility of a rupiah depreciation that may put pressure on margins.

In the first nine months of this year, Unilever Indonesia, listed on the bourse under the ticker code UNVR, posted only a 1 percent increase in revenues yoy to Rp 31.5 trillion (US$2.15 billion). Its profits rose by 39.7 percent to Rp 7.3 trillion as of September, thanks to a one-off gain from selling its spread business to KKR & Co. for $8.1 billion.

Unilever is not the only company that may encounter challenges next year, as analysts said Indofood Sukses Makmurs subsidiary, Indofood ICBP  which sells flagship instant noodles Indomie, Supermi and Sarimi, dairy products and beverages like Indomilk and Pepsi  might see its margins squeezed next year.

[For ICBP], there is a potential for a decline in margins because of the increase in prices of raw materials, especially wheat. Meanwhile, tight regulation, especially in the dairy industry recently, has also been our concern, William Siregar, BNI Sekuritas equity analyst, told The Jakarta Post.

He said he expects ICPBs revenues in 2019 to reach Rp 41.4 trillion, an increase of 8.95 percent compared to the estimated revenues of Rp 38 trillion, by the end of 2018.

Yet, there are some external factors that may support the performance of FMCG players in Indonesia, such as UNVR, ICBP, Kino Indonesia (KINO) and Garuda Food (GOOD) in 2019, which would make their stocks attractive for investors.

These factors are believed to drive consumption: the planned increase in workers' minimum wages by 8 percent in 2019, the rise in civil servants pay by 5 percent next year, the 100 percent increase in funds for the Family Hope Program (PKH) and the upcoming 2019 presidential election.

Thus, going into 2019, we still set overweight ratings on shares in the FMCG sectors, based on those indicators, William said.

Lanjar Nafi, an equity analyst from Reliance Sekuritas Indonesia, said that amid the slowdown in peoples purchasing power this year, the performances of UNVR, KINO, ICBP and GOOD were in line with expectations, although they were not that satisfactory.

Lanjar projects that UNVRs top line will grow by 6.3 percent and its bottom line by 16.8 percent next year. In addition, he said he expects ICBP's topline to increase by 7.7 percent and bottom line by 8.2 percent, whereas he estimates KINO's topline to grow by 12 percent and bottom line by 15.9 percent.

KINO, which sells personal care products (Ellips, Ovale, Absolute), food and beverages (Cap Kaki Tiga, Cap Panda brands), said consumers purchasing power would remain soft until the beginning of December.

Consumers purchasing power is still soft. Thus, as a company, we need to be more agile in capturing opportunities, including grabbing more market share from competitors, Harry Sanusi, Kino president director, told the Post recently.

Helped with its personal care segment, Kino is optimistic that it would be able to book 12 percent revenue growth next year, without taking into account the food segment. Meanwhile, it aims to boost net profits by 30 percent in 2019.

Garudafood Putra Putri Jaya, producer of Gery, Kacang Garuda and Chocolatos, which had just launched an initial public offering (IPO) in October, said that to boost sales the firm would expand its business domestically and abroad. It would develop existing products and create new products to satisfy market demand.

In 2018, we launched more than 10 new products and next year we plan to launch more than that to be able to win the competition in the market, Hardianto Atmadja, Garudafood CEO, said.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, January 20, 2019 10:32 880 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e7aca46 1 City Prince-Jayakarta,jakarta,tourism,cultural-preservation,culture-and-tradition Free

The Jakarta administration is planning to expand the grave of 16th-century leader Prince Jayakarta this year to add facilities for visitors, according to Jakarta Tourism and Culture Agency acting head Asiantoro.

"We will acquire the land beside Prince Jayakartas grave. It should be preserved," Asiantoro told kompas.com on Saturday.

Asiantoro said the expansion would make room for souvenir shops and other facilities for the visitors.

"The budget for the project is Rp 23 billion [US$1.6 million], the expansion will be done this year.

Located in Jatinegara Kaum, Pulogadung, East Jakarta, Prince Jayakartas grave is in a cemetery complex that is surrounded by mosques, kompas.com reported,

Apart from its regular visitors, numerous officials have visited the grave, including President Joko Jokowi Widodo and former Jakarta deputy governor Sandiaga Uno, on the city's birthday. (mai)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, January 20, 2019 17:39 879 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e7bc336 1 Politics #2019-elections,2019-elections,2019-presidential-election,#2019PresidentialElection,Democratic-party,#DemocraticParty,Cirebon,#Cirebon,West-Java,#WestJava Free

Cirebon mayor and Democratic Party member Nasrudin Azis declared his support for President Joko Jokowi Widodos reelection bid on Saturday, despite his party being a member of the coalition behind Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subiantos presidential campaign.

Nasrudin, who is also the head of the Democratic Party branch in Cirebon, West Java, said he felt that Jokowi should have the opportunity to continue the development program that he started in 2014.

Because if [Jokowi] only gets one term then the work that has been arranged and directed for the advancement of Indonesia might stagnate, he said in Cirebon on Saturday as quoted by kompas.com. Jokowi needs to be given the chance to continue the development program for the next five years.

He said he was ready to accept the consequences of supporting Jokowi, adding that he was sure his party would respect his decision.

Of course every choice carries risk, he said. God willing, as fellow Indonesians, my friends from the same party who have made a different choice will be able to understand this personal stance of mine.

Nasrudin is not the first Democrat to declare support for the incumbent. Former West Nusa Tenggara governor Muhammad Zainul Majdi, also known as Tuan Guru Bajang (TGB), former West Java deputy governor Deddy Mizwar and Papua Governor Lukas Enembe have declared their support for Jokowi.

While TGB has since left the party, Deddy and Lukas both remain in the party's ranks and have not been sanctioned by the party's leadership. Democrat executives have said certain party members will be exempt from campaigning for Prabowo and Sandiaga.

With over 47 million residents, West Java is Indonesias most populous province. With 97 percent of the population being Muslim, it is widely regarded as among the most religiously conservative provinces in the country.

During the 2014 elections, West Java was one of the 10 provinces that Prabowo won, garnering 59.7 percent of the vote compared to Jokowis 40.22 percent.

Several recent polls, however, have found that Jokowi has a slight lead in the province and his West Java regional campaign chairman Dedi Mulyadi has said the campaign targets to win 60 percent of the vote there. (kmt/ipa)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, January 20, 2019 10:25 880 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e7abb9f 1 Business capital-inflows,market-confidence,BI,perry-warjiyo Free

Bank Indonesia (BI) has recorded that capital inflows into the country totaled Rp 14.57 trillion (US$1.03 billion) in the period from Jan. 1 to Thursday.

Nearly all assets flew in, BI Governor Perry Warjiyo said on Friday as reported by kontan.co.id, adding that the capital entered Indonesia in the form of government debt papers (SBN) worth Rp 11.48 trillion and shares worth Rp 3.21 trillion.

Perry said it indicated an improvement in global investor confidence in the Indonesian economy in response to the policies introduced by BI, the government and the Financial Service Authority (OJK).

With an improved economic condition, stability could be maintained, while the current account deficit  which is currently higher than 3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP)  could consistently be narrowed, he added.

He added that investor confidence could be seen in the decline of the credit default swap (CDS) spreads  or the difference between the governments bonds and the US Treasury  that had declined from 126.3 basis points (bps) to 124.1 bps. (bbn)
With Japan set to begin accepting more foreign workers from April, more companies are extending support to foreigners in areas such as visa acquisition, administrative procedures and securing accommodations, aiming to make it easier for them to settle in the country.

Prestate, a Tokyo-based start-up focused on real estate development, has since last year been promoting a plan to renovate vacant private houses and other buildings into company housing for foreign workers. It aims to transform 100 such buildings across the country into company housing for foreigners within the year.

On Wednesday, a 25-year-old Nepalese man moved into company housing arranged by Prestate in Hadano, Kanagawa Prefecture. Monthly rent including heating and electricity is 30,000 (about $275). That includes an air-conditioned private room and kitchen, as well as access to a common area with a refrigerator and microwave.

The apartment I lived in before was not air-conditioned. Ill be comfortable living in this company housing because the walls and bed are clean, he said.

In many cases, when renting an apartment or condominium, it is difficult to contract with a landlord if a guarantor cannot be secured. As a result, especially for foreigners with no relatives in Japan, finding accommodations can be a challenge.

However, through a rental contract between a company housing operator and the company employing foreign workers, it becomes possible for all the workers to move into the housing at once, solving the difficult hurdle of finding accommodations in Japan.

A Prestate executive director said, Our business helps solve the problem of vacant houses that are a serious concern in rural areas.

According to a survey by the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry, the number of households of foreign nationals is rapidly increasing, reaching 1.39 million as of January 2018  an 11 percent increase from a year earlier.

With the revised Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law taking effect in April, about 340,000 more foreign nationals are expected to arrive over the next five years.
Sneakers and apparel retailer Our Daily Dose (ODD), along with sneakers illustrator group KIKS, collaborated with four artists for the In Art We Trust charity program.

The artists, namely Muklay, Alipjon, Mandy CJ and Ganiks, were asked to combine sneaker culture and art on sneakers. The artists were given the freedom to create, and the sneakers were then framed to be auctioned to the public. Proceeds will go to natural disaster victims through kitabisa.com.

The sneakers are currently being exhibited at the Our Daily Dose shop in Pondok Indah Mall 2, South Jakarta, and visitors may bid in the auction, starting from Rp 3 million (US$211.4). The auction will close on Jan. 22 and the result will be announced on Jan. 24.

Read also: Vans to launch sneaker and clothing inspired by Vincent van Gogh

Artist Muklay, who painted an Air Force 1 sneaker, told kompas.com that he had tried to visualize how humans may not know what will happen in the future, including natural disasters, through unidentified creatures. He inserted bright colors as a symbol of hope after a disaster.

Sneaker with artwork by Muklay. (Kompas.com/Kahfi Dirga Cahya)

Ganiks, who created with an Adidas Prophere, gave his trademark touch of collages. The collage has a number of layers, just like life itself, he said.

Sneaker with artwork by collage artist Ganiks. (Kompas.com/Kahfi Dirga Cahya)

Meanwhile, taking inspiration from cave paintings, Alipjon drew on an Air Force 1 and sent out a message to live passionately.

Sneaker with artwork by Alipjon. (Kompas.com/Kahfi Dirga Cahya)

Taking a different move from the other artists, Mandy CJ left an Adidas Superstar in its original color while creating a design of Adidas founder Adolf Dassler as the sneakers backdrop.

Sneaker with artwork in backdrop by Mandy CJ. (Kompas.com/Kahfi Dirga Cahya)

This is a tribute to Adolf Dassler, she said. (wng)
Local telecommunication operator PT Smartfren Telecom, which recently took over the operations of 4G LTE mobile internet provider Bolt PT Internux, launched a new Wi-Fi modem that runs on the 4G+ network in Jakarta on Thursday.

"We're the first operator to launch this CAT7 or 4G+ technology. The speed is two times faster than the regular 4G," said Smartfren commercial deputy CEO Djoko Tata Ibrahim during the launch event as quoted by Antara.

A collaborative effort with Chinese tech company Haier, the Super Modem WiFi S1 is said to offer two times faster download and upload speeds, and runs on 2.4GHz and 5GH frequencies.

Read also: How to stay safe on public Wi-Fi while traveling

"Currently, not many are using [this technology], hence the speed can be this fast," said Smartfren device planning and management general manager Hendy Hartono.

Priced at Rp 1.2 million (US$84.5) that includes a 30-day 120GB 4G internet quota, the modem boasts other features like storage sharing capability, a microSD slot, USB on-the-go and can also be used as a power bank.

Six months and one year bundling packages are available for Rp 1.7 million and Rp 2.6 million, respectively, which include 50GB monthly quota and an additional 50GB quota for nighttime usage. (kes)
Colors not only evoke certain moods but they could also serve as a reflection of global trends, as seen by choices in home decor paints.

In reflection of a sense of optimism, paint company Dulux recently named its warm amber shade Spiced Honey the color of the year for 2019.

Oscar Wezenbeek, managing director at AkzoNobel's Decorative Paints Southeast Asia & South Asia, which oversees Dulux, said the color of the year was always chosen following the company's annual gathering of specialists from across the world at its Global Aesthetic Center at the company's headquarters in the Netherlands.

Taking on the theme of "Let the light in", Wezenbeek said the 2019 color choice reflected an optimistic point in a journey following a tumultuous past couple of years as seen in global politics and economics, especially since 2017, which saw a darker and muted shade of "Denim Drift" as the annual shade that year.

"And as now we see more optimism picking up, the colors become brighter as well, to reflect the sense of optimism. So the color that we launch today is called Spiced Honey and it really reflects that energy, that optimism that we see," Wezenbeek told The Jakarta Post during an interview in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Dulux has announced its annual color for 16 years, each year picking a different shade as a backbone to a pallet framework. This year, the warm tone of Spiced Honey, an already existing color previously named Creme Brulee in the companys collection of over 5,000 colors, include four color pallets to inspire different moods for different spaces.

Read also: Conchita Home seeks to bring eclectic touch to living space

The pallets include choices curated for a space to "Think", which includes warm neutrals of beige and browns to stimulate the mind and encourage concentration, while "Dream" features soft pastels of pink and purple that are calming and soothing.

Spaces designated for more visceral moods can take after the "Act" pallet that seeks to inspire through bold bright shades such as yellow and green, or the "Love" pallet that include intense pigments of red and blue.

In Asia, including Indonesia, Wezenbeek said overall brighter colors had consistently been more popular compared to in other regions.

"In a way it's not surprising to me, because you've got a very young, vibrant population here. Very strong young generation in Indonesia. And I think young people are more vibrant and a bit more adventurous," Wezenbeek said.

Jun de Dios, president director at PT ICI Paints Indonesia (AkzoNobel Decorative Paints Indonesia), said darker tones such as black and grey were conversely among the least popular choices in the region.

"Indonesians in particular, they like vibrant colors, especially if you want to do a feature wall, one would be a bright red, or bright yellow, orange. I've seen some walls that are purple, but not the entire four walls, but one feature. So that again communicates the type of mood they like to show," De Dios said.

Indonesian interior designer Diana Nazir, who spoke at the launch, noted on the importance of a color board as the foundation in building a space.

"People love color. So we always start with a color board so people can make their choices in creating specific moods for different spaces," Diana said. (kes)
"We haven't yet found a better way of selling knickers than a beautiful bottom," says Sarah Stagliano, one of a new breed of French lingerie designers grappling with how to make exciting underwear in the age of #MeToo.

With G-strings and push-up bras losing their allure as ultra sexiness gives ways to comfort, and the whole idea of seduction being questioned, designers are grappling with how to be interesting without objectifying women.

Aubade, one of France's leading lingerie brands, does not shy away from sex in its advertising.

But it found itself at the centre of controversy last month over a huge poster of a pair of perfectly rounded buttocks wearing embroidered panties.

Hung from the facade of one of Paris' biggest department stores, it sparked a furious response from the city's deputy equality chief who called for it to be taken down.

Communist councillor Helene Bidard accused the brand of objectifying a "faceless" woman and demanded "the immediate withdrawal of this sexist campaign."

Others, however, countered that women's rights tended to be the least respected in countries where such billboards were banned.

"We were not expecting the fuss," said Aubade boss Martina Brown.

The brand's "Lessons in Seduction" ad campaign sparked similar horror 25 years ago, she said, when it urged women to "keep it spicy" and "let the situation work to your advantage".

"It shocked people but that did not stop women buying the lingerie nor the brand evolving," said the German-born managing director.

"Women love to see fine embroidery and lace; it talks to them, and that is why we have been zooming in on the underwear.

"We have to cut off the models' heads in the photos otherwise we can't show the detailing," she insisted.

'Let women dream'

Nor did she feel that impossible body standards were being set for women.

"Twenty years ago some brands used ordinary women rather than models for their ads. We prefer to let people dream," Brown added.

Aubade will be showing alongside 15 other big French brands at a huge "Lingerie Rocks" show this weekend during Paris fashion week.

The line-up also includes Henriette H, a young label at the other end of the spectrum which works mostly on Instagram.

Its creator Stagliano opened her boutique on a street in central Paris once known for its bordellos.

Read also: Flagging Victoria's Secret announces new lingerie CEO

Stagliano has tried to capture something of that risque air by putting her changing rooms in the window. It is up to the customers whether they pull the curtain or not.

Nor is her label averse to some rather provocative embroidery, with an explicit come-on delicately sewn into the arm of a chemise.

"I can see how all this could be taken badly," she told AFP. "But a woman should be at liberty to put herself in the window if she wants to. It's about reappropriation."

And according to Stagliano, 36, that also extends to women being free to choose whether they want "to be a sexual object".

No more Photoshop

She backs her model, Jazzmine, who is in her 30s, and refuses to be photoshopped even if her breasts have "fallen perhaps a little" after she breastfed her baby.

Jazzmine has been the face of the brand for six years and "will still be in 10 years", Stagliano declared.

In this line of fashion, sensual photo shoots are a must, she said.

"To sell a pair of knickers you need a pair of buttocks because that is where you wear them," the designer added.

"We haven't yet found a better way to sell them than a beautiful bottom.

"If I was using a woman's rear end to sell cream" that would be another thing, Stagliano argued.

The Simone Perele brand takes a far more restrained view.

For last year it has been showing its creations in still life draped on the end of a sofa, or glimpsed on a sportswoman or writer.

"There is another way of doing it," said Stephanie Perele, the grand-daughter of the label's founder, who says women have had enough of photoshopped images.

Renaud Cambuzat, a fashion photographer who is now artistic director of the Chantelle group, said there were still nowhere near enough underwear choices for modern women, who are "complex, multifaceted and ever changing".

On the one hand, there are shows like those of US lingerie giant Victoria's Secret where it's "as if #MeToo never really happened" but the signs are that "we could be seeing the end of an era and the start of another", Cambuzat said.

On the other hand, there is "body positivism", he said, which "we associate ourselves with" but which can end up at opposite extremes.

"Even after #MeToo we are stuck with a lot of stereotypes. Lots of things are changing but there is still a way to go," Cambuzat argued.
Studies have shown that eating too quickly can lead to several health problems, including putting on weight and an increased risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.

According to kompas.com, here are the dangers of chowing down food too fast.

1. Heart problems

Hiroshima University cardiologist Dr. Takayuki Yamaji conducted a study with more than 1,000 healthy Japanese adults. They were asked to characterize their eating speed, whether its slow, normal or fast. They were then asked to track their health for the next five years. The results showed that those with a fast eating speed were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

2. Acid reflux

Eating your food quickly can increase your risk of acid reflux, as the digestive tract is filled with larger pieces of food. It would lead to the organ being overloaded and to excess stomach acid. Acid refluxes can make you experience a burning sensation in the chest, a sour taste, regurgitation, sore throat or difficulty swallowing.

Read also: 7 tips to avoid bloating after eating

3. Diabetes

A study in Lithuania in 2012 revealed diabetes as a possible consequence of eating too fast. Dr. Yamaji said when people eat fast, they tend not to feel full and are more likely to overeat. Eating fast causes bigger glucose fluctuation, which can lead to insulin resistance, he said. Insulin resistance is a condition when cells in the body dont respond effectively to the hormone insulin, which can cause Type 2 diabetes.

4. Obesity

A study showed that the body cannot signal the feeling of fullness when we gulp down food too quickly. This could lead to a higher calorie intake and an increased risk of obesity, whereas mindful eating would give the brain enough time to realize when youre full. (wng)
A British police officer has become an unlikely internet star, all because of his ironic name.

Sharp-eyed Twitter users were tickled pink by officer Rob Banks, who appeared for a few seconds on British television network ITV's news bulletin on Thursday (Jan 17).

The Avon and Somerset police constable wore a serious expression as he spoke about how recent budget cuts have affected the police forces.

But his name hogged the headlines instead, after a screenshot of the television interview quickly found its way online.

Twitter user Seth Darby was among those who shared a screenshot on social media, and his tweet has since gone viral with over 17,000 retweets and 66,500 likes.

He wrote in the tweet: "And the award for policeman name of the year 2019 goes to ..."

And the award for policeman name of the year 2019 goes to.... pic.twitter.com/uPyHYu0YcA  seth darby (@sethdarby) January 17, 2019

Read also: Show me the money: Wealth-flaunting meme goes viral in China

Several Twitter users responded by calling it the best moment of 2019 so far.

Another user, Jeremy Bowling, said: "I do hope it's short for Robin."

Mr Banks has since inspired social media users to share other hilarious and unfortunate names they have come across.

These include Cardinal Sin, who was a leader of the Catholic Church in Philippines, and a doctor specializing in faecal microbiology named Henry Butt.

Twitter user Mr Natural wrote: "I knew a man called Russell Sprout, went into politics, joined the green party."
Taiwan-based tech company Asus launched in Jakarta on Thursday three "smallest laptops in the world".

"Zenbook is the smallest laptop in the world. Its size is even smaller than the MacBook Air," said Asus Southeast Asia regional director Jimmy Lin during the launch as quoted by kompas.com.

The company's three latest laptops are the ZenBook UX333, which has a 13.3-inch display, UX433 (14-inch) and UX533 (15.6-inch).

Lin said the 13.3-inch ZenBook was so small that it was 9 percent smaller than A4 size paper. Meanwhile, when compared to a 13-inch MacBook Air, the product is smaller by up to 29 percent. Such size can be achieved thanks to ZenBook's very thin bezel that is only 2.8 mm thick on both the right and left side. Hence the laptop's display panel can cover almost the entire screen with up to 95 percent screen-to-body ratio, without the need to widen its physical size.

Read also: Sorry, Apple. These are the five best laptops for travelers

Additionally, all three products also come with a touchpad feature that also works as a numpad. "These numpad buttons can be activated by pressing the top right corner of the touchpad," said Asus Indonesia country product manager Jonas Chen.

Price-wise, the 13.3-inch ZenBook UX333 is available at a starting price of Rp 15.3 million (US$1,078) for the model that comes with Intel Core-i5 8265U, 8 GB RAM and 256 GB SSD, and is said to have a battery that can last 14 hours. The 14-inch ZenBook UX433 has the same price tag and specification as the 13.3-inch version.

Meanwhile, the 15.6-inch UX533, which is only available in one model, is equipped with Intel Core-i7 8565U, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, 16-hour long battery capacity and a price tag of Rp 23 million. (kes)
Instead of a brush, people who practice acrylic pour use a cup.

Dawn Hesnault introduced a group of people to the style of painting last Sunday morning at Arts and Drafts.

The paints are mixed together with water and a substance called Floetrol.

Its a paint additive so that it flows smoother and you dont get brush strokes, Hesnault said.

To do whats called a dirty pour, the students pour all the colors they want into a cup, and then dump it onto a canvas.

All the colors are mixed together in the cup.

Then you pick up the canvas and you tilt it and let that paint flow all around until you get it the way you want it. Then you set it down and leave it til its dry, she said.

The class used canvases measuring 8 by 10 inches, but larger sizes are fine, Hesnault said.

She also showed the class a second method, called the flip cup.

You mix the paint the same way in the cup. But then what you do is you set your canvas on top of it, and then flip the whole thing over, she said.
There will be 17 models, including Hranac.

She decided to submit an audition to help bring awareness to Alzheimers.

In her video, Hranac, 27, said she has a huge passion for working with people suffering with the disease. She has been the executive director at Edgewood for two years. There, she said, she gets to build relationships with residents and their families.

Working at the facility can be challenging because of the nature of Alzheimers.

(The residents) are all terminal. None of this disease is reversible. I never want them to struggle, Hranac said.

From a health care standpoint, I pray that they go peacefully and that they dont have to struggle. From a personal attachment standpoint, I never want to lose them because I love them, but I do know they will be in heaven and be in a good place if they do go.

Another connection Hranac has to Alzheimers is her stepgrandmother, who battled Alzheimers disease and dementia for about 12 years before passing away.

It is estimated that 5.7 million Americans are living with the disease, according to the Alzheimers Association. It is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States and has no cure.
Along with the addition of Lutz M&A in 2015, Mark Duren was named managing shareholder. Duren succeeded Gary Witt, who had served as Lutzs managing shareholder since 1994. Durens goal was to build upon the momentum established over the previous 20 years.

Over the next several years, Sorensen said Lutz expanded into three new locations in Nebraska. The first new location was Lincoln in 2016. In 2017, Lutz joined forces with McDermott & Miller, a CPA firm which had offices in Grand Island, Hastings and Omaha. The firm strengthened its presence in Central Nebraska by acquiring Shonsey & Associates, a Grand Island CPA firm, on May 1, 2018.

Today, she said, Lutz employs more than 260 individuals.

As Lutz looks toward the future, there are plans for continued growth and development for the company, employees, clients and the communities the firm serves, Sorensen said.

When Lutz entered the Grand Island market, Sorensen said the company felt it needed a central location for both the Lutz Grand Island North and the Lutz Grand Island South teams to come together.

With the new building, we saw an opportunity to invest in our employees and the community, she said.
Donations of childrens hats, mittens and gloves for Hastings Museum and Stuhr Museum were collected by the Leadership Development and Altruism Committee. Donna Dill and Judi Nelson used the donations to decorate the Christmas trees at the museums. After Christmas, the items were given to children in need of mittens, gloves and hats.
The Wilton Chamber of Commerce is hosting the second Annual Wilton Winter Carnival. This event, sponsored by Fairfield County Bank, will be held Sunday, Jan. 27 noon until 4 p.m. and is designed to be fun for all ages.

There will be horse-drawn carriage rides, a live ice sculpting demo at the Gazebo plus pre-carved sculptures at Fairfield County Bank and Gregory and Adams, P.C., Village Market, and the Library, music live from Fox 95, a campfire with marshmallows (children must be accompanied by an adult) by the Wilton Rotary Club, a lifesize Olaf character for photo ops, kids activities and crafts provided by The Painted Cookie and others, kids games and treats, plus food trucks including Bubble and Brew, Cousins Lobster, Lucky Dog and more.

For adults, Bumski, a novel truck with beer and wine and spirit tastings, including bourbon, whiskey, scotch and warm cocktails, will be on site. Stroll through town to view all Wilton has to offer. The library will be open with special activities and you can warm up next to the fireplace.

The event is rain, snow or shine.

Supporting sponsors include Kimco Realty and media sponsors Good Morning Wilton and the Fox 95.

For further information, contact Chamber Executive Director Debra Hanson at 203-762-0567 or info@wiltonchamber.com.

Rx drug discount cards available

The town is offering residents the Wilton Prescription Drug Discount Card Program as a way to save money on prescription medications and certain medical services.

Wilton is able to participate in this program as an added benefit of its membership with the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM), at no additional cost to the town or its residents.

The program will help residents save money on medications if a prescription is not covered by insurance. This card can be used by any Wilton resident at Wiltons local pharmacies and a number of national pharmacy chains, to obtain discounts and savings on prescription medications, whether they are currently insured, uninsured, or underinsured.

The card offers the following features and benefits:

Anyone can participate, regardless of age or income.

All prescription medications are covered, including any pet prescriptions for human-based medications that can be filled at a regular retail pharmacy.

There is no cost to the municipality or to participating residents.

Generic prescriptions offer the highest savings, but name brand medications are eligible for discounts as well.

There are more than 65,000 participating pharmacies nationwide, including CVS, Rite-Aid, Walgreens, Walmart, Stop & Shop, and Big Y, and many local pharmacies.

Discounts are also offered on other medical services including vision, hearing and LASIK services.

Each resident in Wilton will receive a Town of Wilton Prescription Discount Card by direct mail which they may use at any participating retail pharmacy. Additional cards are available at the town clerk and social services offices.

Cards may also be printed by visiting CTRxDiscountCard.com after the cards have been mailed and by selecting Town of Wilton from the drop-down menu.
The American Shakespeare Theatre was kind of like one of those old Hollywood movie stars youre just not sure is still alive.

Olivia De Havilland is still kicking at 102. Carol Channing? The curtain closed on her life performance a few days ago, at 97.

When I first moved to Stratford in 1984, a few blocks away from that echoing barn of a theater, it was already a moldering mess, a fire trap in search of ignition and rapid, consuming, spectacular oxidation.

The fact that it stood upright for nearly another 35 years before going up in flames seems to be a miraculous homage for something whose time was long past.

Over the years, one local charlatan after another promised to shine up the theater all the way back to its alleged glory. All they needed was a little more state money, a few extra thousand dollars in local donations from people who believed in the power of stage productions, the value of classic literature, and the actors who inhabit roles to create timeless emotion.

Thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, of school kids bused there from anywhere within a two-hour bus trip, were first exposed to Shakespeare along the banks of the Housatonic River in Connecticut. Hundreds of years later, The Bard is still fueling a tourist attraction in his English hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon.

Stratford, Connecticut was never able to create that kind of synergy. About as close as it could ever come is the venerable Jerrys Shakespeare Pizza, around the corner from the set-back, Elm Street property that isolated the theater from its neighbors, who were screened from seeing the place burn, until it was too late.

The highway signs on the Merritt Parkway and I-95 announcing the theaters imminent exit were hopeful jokes. The theaters sunset arrived at a time when vacuous cable TV was keeping more and more people home, huddled for warmth around their mortgages and rising property tax bills.

Sure, the great James Brown played the Shakespeare; the inimitable Kinks.

But the theaters claim to fame was staged presentations of Shakespeare.

Katharine Hepburn once swanned around the 14 acres. But for decades, besides some truncated summer programming, the park has been a bucolic home for the noisy, gregarious monk parakeets whose VW-sized thatched nests make for easy bird watching. I wasnt the only neighbor who would bring over old oranges for them to tear into, while enjoying their noisy takeoffs and landings.

Shakespeare, to this eventually quiet little town park, was there in that fire trap, but very far away, in some rosy memories. Yes, all the foibles of man, from greed to love, are there, but the language is dense and archaic. Im wondering if the old Shakespeare Festival Theatre turned off more kids than excited them.

Im kind of a word guy, and every time I see a Shakespeare play it takes me a couple scenes to even start understanding the language. Still, it can be mind-blowingly beautiful. A couple years back, we stood in line at the replica Globe Theatre on the south bank of the Thames, to spend five English pounds, about $12, for standing room in front of the stage for The Tempest, a mostly unbelievable story of coincidence. A couple days later, still gob-smacked, we did the same thing for A Midsummer Nights Dream.

Both were unbelievably wonderful and moving, even if the story lines were not reconstructed from transcripts of grisly California murder trials and recycled bad jokes from 20 years ago.

Theater in Connecticut is in trouble. You can see it in the smallish crowds at the Yale Rep and Long Wharf. The Westport Country Playhouse and the Hartford Stage have deep-enough subscription bases, but anyone who thinks that the region was or is eager for a reopening of the Shakespeare Theatre, is having a mid-winter night delusion.

Which brings us to the letter that Stratfords legislative delegation has penned to Gov. Ned Lamont, requesting $5 million to try to put something new on the site of the Stratford ruins.

That would be a classic case of good money being burned after the bad. They call it an artistic and cultural icon. I mean, Olivia De Havilland is arguably a cultural and artistic icon, but Im pretty sure it would be tough for her to reprise her role as Scarlet OHaras sister-in-law in Gone With the Wind, from 1939 Hollywood.

This brings us to the state lawmakers who want Gov. Ned Lamont to cough up $5 million.

It has a special place in the history of not only Stratford, but also of our entire state, the Stratford state representative whined on Friday. Rebuilding would be an opportunity to revitalize the arts, boost our economy and commemorate an integral piece of our history.

That is so much laughable hogwash.

Lets leave it to Willy the Shake, who in The Tempest wrote how the actors melted into thin air, and in Macbeth: Whats done is done.

Ken Dixon, political editor and columnist, can be reached at 203-842-2547 or at kdixon@ctpost.com. Visit him at twitter.com/KenDixonCT and on Facebook at kendixonct.hearst.
NORWALK  Dozens of volunteers helped clean up a stretch of the citys riverfront on Saturday morning.

The estuary cleanup organized by the Surfrider Foundation Connecticut chapter and Skip the Plastic Norwalk stretched from the Maritime Aquarium area and throughout Ostershell Park.

Many of the volunteers were youngsters and parents from Cub Scout packs 97 and 68, and Scouts BSA troops 19 and 190. Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling and his wife, Lucia, also helped fill 5-gallon buckets with refuse (the organizers skipped using plastic trash bags).

The group collected piles of water bottles, beer and liquor bottles, plastic bags and polystyrene coffee cups from Dunkin Donuts. Among the stranger items found were an animal skull and a soggy red fabric bag filled with nickles and dimes.
NEW YORK  An impending storm, a schism within the movement and activism fatigue didnt deter handsful of Connecticut women from traveling to Manhattan for the third annual Womens March on Saturday.

Even so, the march itself was drastically smaller than previous years  New York City Police estimated as many as 25,000 marchers, compared to more than 250,000 the previous two years.

I dont think dwindling numbers means anything, said Laura Kostin, a member of the Greenwich Representative Town Meeting who ran for a seat in the state House of Representatives in 2018. The frustration has not faded.

Kostin traveled to New York with a group of Greenwich women to attend the march on the Upper West Side, which, despite dwindling attendance, was mostly a celebration of what the movement has achieved since the first Womens March in 2017 a day after the inauguration of President Donald Trump. An unprecedented number of women ran for and were elected to office at every level in 2018 with the help of many women who became politically active for the first time after the 2016 election.

The Womens March events, which took place around the country, were a sign of how the movement has persisted despite controversy among the New York-based leaders of the national Womens March group that planned the original event. Allegations of anti-Semitism divided the leaders of the group last year, prompting apologies, and spawning rival marches in New York and other cities that focused on intersectionality and diversity within the movement itself.

The group of Connecticut women said they attended the march on the Upper West Side rather than the second rally in New York, which took place in lower Manhattan, because the location was more convenient. The second rally, which featured speakers like U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, drew a few thousand people and highlighted the progressive agenda of the group, rather than focusing on the controversy that led to the rival rally.

Donna Mcdonough, who lives in Hamden, attended the rally in lower Manhattan, and said she was disappointed by the divide within the movement as well as the low attendance.

I think that we should have learned something from 2016, she said. Also, I support the rights of women everywhere, including in Palestine ... I suspect that the turnout was a lot smaller than it should have been because I think that people were disillusioned with the splintering.

Others attended a march in Hartford on Saturday, including Gov. Ned Lamont, first lady Annie Lamont and Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz.

In Hartford, about 2,000 people gathered in Bushnell Park and marched a few hundred yards to the north side of the state Capitol for the days rally.

Several Fairfield County groups participated, including a busload from Westport-based DefenDemocracy and Sister District of Fairfield County, and a group from Fairfield Standing United, with Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey, D-Fairfield.

Lamont, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Bysiewicz and U.S. Rep Jahana Hayes were all at the Hartford march. Bysiewicz said her appointment as chair of the Governors council on Women and Girls on Friday was timed in part to coincide with Saturdays march.

Blumenthal said the marches make a difference in Washington, D.C.

The nation is watching, Trump is watching and my colleagues in the Senate are watching, he said. The old saying that a picture is worth 1,000 words, well, Donald Trump doesnt read too much, but he looks at pictures.

In New York, Jennie Baird, who attended the Upper West Side march, was raised in an activist family  she remembers her parents taking her to protests during the Vietnam War era. She has attended the Womens March every year, and said even though activism has always been a part of her life, she didnt consider herself active until after the 2016 election.

That was really a wakeup call, Baird said. The first Womens March changed everything.

Baird said she was not concerned about the divisions within the movement, and argued the emphasis on the controversy is a way to distract from the original intent of the march.

Its easy to use that as a division tool, she said. But the march Im seeing is very inclusive.

Baird attended the March on Saturday with her mother, Linda Levy, and her daughter, Izzy Baird, who is a student at Mount Holyoke College. It was the first time the three generations of women attended a march together.

Levy was a freedom rider  a group of civil rights activists who rode interstate buses into the segregated southern United States in the 1960s to challenge the non-enforcement of the the Supreme Court decision that ruled segregated public buses were unconstitutional  and said shes hopeful the momentum of the Womens March will continue.

I believe in this country, I believe in democracy and I believe in this movement, Levy said. The civil rights movement had plenty of schisms, but when I think back to the 1960s and to now, this country isnt perfect and theres still a lot to do, but weve come a long way. Whats going on now is unbelievable.

Levy said the march has evolved from its first iteration in 2017. She said the protests that year were largely anti-Trump and focused on Womens reproductive health. This year, she observed, there was a greater diversity of issues and groups represented on the signage of the protesters, and among the protesters themselves.

I cant remember a time when so many people have been following politics and all of the issues this closely, she said. This is good for progress and good for the country.

kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt. Staff writer Dan Haar contributed to this report.
Connecticut Students for a Dream, a youth-led statewide network that advocates for the rights of undocumented youth and their families, has rejected President Donald Trumps offer to extend DACA protections  and bring an end to the government shutdown  in exchange for money to build a wall along the border with Mexico.

We refuse to let the safety of our immigrant communities be a bargaining chip in Trumps quest for his border wall, the group said in a statement Saturday after the presidents proposal was made public.
FileMasazo Nonaka receiving a certificate for the Guinness World Records oldest man living title at a ceremony in Ashoro, Japan, on April 10, 2018. Nonaka died on Jan. 20, 2019, aged 113. (Jiji Press/AFP/Getty Images)

Worlds Oldest Man Dies in Japan Aged 113

The worlds oldest manMasazo Nonaka, Japanesehas died at the age of 113.

Nonaka died in the early morning hours of Jan. 20 at his homean inn on Japans northern island of Hokkaido run by his family for four generations.

Family members told Japanese media that Nonaka died peacefully from natural causes in his sleep.

We feel shocked at the loss of this big figure. He was as usual yesterday and passed away without causing our family any fuss at all, his granddaughter Yuko told Kyodo News.

When Nonaka was 112 years old, he was recognized as the oldest man living by the Guinness World Records in an April 10 ceremony attended by family and local officials.

Nonaka was born on July 25, 1905, 42 days before the Russo-Japanese War ended with the Treaty of Portsmouth, mediated by Theodore Roosevelt.

Reuters reported that Nonaka was a farmer and lumberjack in his youth, later going on to run a hot-spring resort in his hometown Ashoro. He had six brothers and one sister, marrying in 1931 and fathering five childrentwo sons and three daughters.

A document kept by the local welfare authorities describes how Nonaka regularly soaked himself in sulfur-rich hot springs and has an insatiable appetite for sweets, especially strawberry shortcake.

During the Guinness World Records ceremony, he was offered cake but could only eat the whipped cream as he was not able to eat solid food.

In retirement, he enjoyed watching sumo wrestling on TV and eating sweets, according to local media.

Japan has one of the worlds highest life expectancies and was home to several people recognized as among the oldest humans to have lived. These included Jiroemon Kimura, the longest-living man on record, who died soon after his 116th birthday in June 2013.

The oldest verified personthe French woman Jeanne Louise Calmentdied in 1997 at the age of 122, according to Guinness World Records.

Agence France-Presse and The Associated Press contributed to this report
Author Elizabeth Gilberet (L) takes a photo with a guest at the meet and greet at the Oasis during Airbnb Open LA in Los Angeles, Calif., on Nov. 18, 2016. (Mike Windle/Getty Images for Airbnb)

Why Elizabeth Gilberts Ideas About Happiness in Eat Pray Love Are Wrong

As the year begins, many will embark on a self-improvement project. Elizabeth Gilberts mega-selling memoir Eat Pray Love has inspired millions toward a journey of self-discovery.

Many who have read the book see the author as wise. Gilbert made the Time Magazine list of 100 most influential people in the world, and she was named to Oprahs SuperSoul 100 list of visionaries and influential leaders.

In Eat Pray Love, Gilbert shares what she has learned about happiness:

Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it.

Gilberts idea of fighting and striving for happiness is popular. Over 1,600 fans of Eat Pray Love quote this passage approvingly at GoodReads.com, the social cataloging website for books. The quote appears in an astonishing 12 million Google searches. Gilberts ideas are popular, but many popular ideas are wrong.

Gilbert would have us believe there is a direct path to happiness that each of us can navigate. In Gilberts case, todays right partner or circumstance may be replaced by a better one tomorrow, as one reaches for more happiness. But Gilberts path to happiness is misdirected. A bottomless appetite seeking better circumstances is antithetical to happiness.

Eli Finkel is a psychology professor at Northwestern University. In his book The All or Nothing Marriage, Finkel explains how Gilbert taps into our cultural zeitgeistthe contemporary American hunger for a life that is true to the self rather than beholden to rules and restrictions.

Finkel points out that at the beginning of Eat Pray Love, Gilbert is married to a loving, decent man and knows it, but settling for love and decency doesnt feel like an option for [her].

In Eat Pray Love, Gilbert claims to find happiness and her true self. She falls in love with Jose Nunes (called Felipe in the book) a Brazilian-Australian importer. In her follow-up book to Eat Pray Love, Committed, Gilbert marries Nunes; she presumably lives happily ever after. Not so fast. In 2016, she left Nunes for Rayya Elias.

As Finkel points out, This is the second time Gilbert has divorced an impressive and appealing partner who generally treated their relationship with respect and dignity. Finkel adds:

Fairy tales and romantic comedies often depict getting married at the end of the storythe beginning of the happily-ever after. From the perspective of a relationship scientist, such stories are more farce than romance. Building a happy marriage requires that spouses successfully navigate a dense thicket of challenges and opportunities, frequently without a good map of the route ahead.

Finkel is rightly concerned about the mindset we bring to our marriages. He cautions, Just as we have increasingly looked to our marriage to help us fulfill higher-level needs, we have decreasingly invested the time and energy required for the marriage to meet these expectations.

Gilberts Mindset

In a 2015 New York Times essay Confessions of a Seduction Addict, Gilbert confesses that in her youth she careened from one intimate [non-monogamous] entanglement to the nextdozens of themwithout so much as a day off between romances.

Sex was just the gateway drug, she writes. Gilbert was after seduction:

Seduction is the art of coercing somebody to desire you, of orchestrating somebody elses longings to suit your own hungry agenda. Seduction was never a casual sport for me; it was more like a heist, adrenalizing and urgent. I would plan the heist for months, scouting out the target, looking for unguarded entries. Then I would break into his deepest vault, steal all his emotional currency and spend it on myself.

Steal  emotional currency and spend it on myself? What can be more vicious?

Gilbert claims to be past such foolishness. But notice, her mindset seems to be unchanged. Shes sleeping with fewer people, but she is still seeking happiness through external means. Like all of us, with such a mindset we become emotional cannibals, trying to steal from others what we think we dont have inside.

The Real Alternative

Rather than rely on Gilberts facile but flawed narrative as a path for self-discovery and happiness why not study the real masters?

Examine the purpose of your life, psychiatrist Viktor Frankl would recommend. Life demands of us right action and right conduct, writes Frankl in one of the most profound books of the 20th century, Mans Search for Meaning. Drawing on his experiences as a prisoner in concentration camps, Frankl observes, It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us.

In a book filled with wisdom, perhaps the most famous passage from Mans Search for Meaning is a prescription for Gilbert and for all of us:

Dont aim at successthe more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of ones dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of ones surrender to a person other than oneself. Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it. I want you to listen to what your conscience commands you to do and go on to carry it out to the best of your knowledge. Then you will live to see that in the long runin the long run, I say!success will follow you precisely because you had forgotten to think of it.

Happiness and success will follow us when we live by right action and conduct. Stop seeking happiness. Live by a higher purpose. Frankls advice is a real prescription for a happier life and a better world.

This post Why Elizabeth Gilberts Ideas about Happiness in Eat Pray Love are Wrong was originally published on Intellectual Takeout by Barry Brownstein. He is professor emeritus of economics and leadership at the University of Baltimore. He is the author of The Inner-Work of Leadership.
Twitter Users Forced to Delete Political Posts Say Activists in China

There are fresh concerns the Chinese regime is censoring social media users who upload posts containing politically sensitive messages.

Some activists in mainland China have complained that in recent months their Twitter accounts were hacked into. Others claimed Chinese authorities even contacted activists and pressured them into deleting their posts on Twitter.

A former editor from Chinas state-run media now warns the Chinese Communist Partys (CCPs) decision to expand censorship efforts, from domestic to international social media websites, will create further tension between the CCP and its citizens.

Ordered to Delete Posts

Former journalist and Twitter influencer Ju, 59, was invited to an unusual meeting in October 2018. The media professional who withheld his full name, said a representative from Chinas Ministry of State Security and another agent met with him and presented printed copies of all of his Twitter posts.

[They] said I need to delete any posts related to president Xi Jinping or another top leader, Wang Qishan, Ju told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Ju ignored the order so a more senior national security agent asked to meet with him in November.

This agent asked me to delete all of my posts on Twitter so I did, Ju said. It was only later that I realised that many other Twitter users are also being asked by authorities to delete their posts.

Ju also found he could no longer log into his Twitter account and his attempts to register a new account with his cellphone number failed.

A different Twitter user with 4,000 followers, who wished to remain anonymous, had a similar experience with the Ministry of State Security. Officials also ordered him not to post to Twitter about certain subjects.

All I can do now on Twitter is interact with other users or send a few tweets that touch on politics, the anonymous source told ABC. If I tweet about anything political, or something cynical about Chinese leaders, I will probably have some trouble.

Foreign Websites, VPNs Banned

Many foreign websites are banned in China including Facebook, Google, YouTube, WhatsApp, and Twitter. A national firewall blocks access to these websites and their apps but some people use virtual private networks (VPNs) to bypass the firewall and avoid being censored.

The CCP previously introduced legislation to ban unauthorised use of VPNs, which has resulted in some internet service providers being shut down.

Although the CCP bans its citizens from using what it calls the international internet, it has no issue with state-run media using the same banned websites to spread propaganda across the world.

Most individual users have been able to bypass the firewall up until recently. However, a Guangdong Province man has been fined for accessing the international internet through an unapproved VPN in January.

Mounting Criticism of Regime

Amnesty International believes the CCP is targeting individual users because there is mounting criticism of the Chinese regime.

Chinese authorities are concerned about Twitter users, even though they are a percentage of the population, because on Twitter you can understand what the rest of the world is saying about China without censorship constraints and also political opinion on Twitter in Chinese Twitter is often very anti-government, Amnesty Business and Human Rights Strategy Adviser William Nee told the ABC.
Felix Tshisekedi of Congo's Union for Democracy and Social Progress opposition party, at a press conference in Nairobi, Kenya, Congo's Constitutional Court, on Jan. 20, 2019. (Ben Curtis/AP)

Tshisekedi Declared Congos President, but Runner-Up Revolts

KINSHASA, CongoCongos election crisis deepened early on Jan. 20, when the Constitutional Court confirmed the win of Felix Tshisekedi, rejecting claims of fraud, and runner-up Martin Fayulu promptly declared himself the countrys only legitimate president.

Fayulus supporters have alleged an extraordinary backroom deal by outgoing President Joseph Kabila to rig the vote in favor of the opposition after the ruling partys candidate did so poorly that a Plan B was needed. Neither side has acknowledged the accusations.

The court, however, said Fayulu offered no proof to back his assertions that he had won easily based on leaked data attributed to the electoral commission.

Fayulu urged Congolese to take to the streets and peacefully protest what he called a constitutional coup detat, accusing the court of validating false results. Its no secret  that you have elected me president, he said.

Neither Congolese nor the international community should recognize Tshisekedi, nor obey him, Fayulu added.

Tshisekedi said early Sunday that the Constitutional Courts decision confirming him as the winner of the presidential election was a victory for the entire country.

It is Congo that won, said Tshisekedi, speaking to his supporters after the court decision. It is not the victory of one camp against another. I am engaged in a campaign to reconcile all Congolese.  The Congo that we are going to form will not be a Congo of division, hatred, or tribalism. It will be a reconciled Congo, a strong Congo that will be focused on development, peace, and security.

The largely untested Tshisekedi, son of the late, charismatic opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, is set to be inaugurated on Tuesday. His supporters who had gathered outside the court cheered.

Its a shame that Mr. Fayulu wants to stay isolated, Tshisekedis spokesman, Vidiye Tshimanga, told The Associated Press. He said the two men once had been part of an opposition coalition demanding that Kabila step down.

The new president will need everyone for the reconstruction of the country, Tshimanga said, as the Congolese people have suffered a lot in recent years.

The courts declaration came shortly after the African Union in an unprecedented move asked Congo to delay announcing the final election results, citing serious doubts about the vote. It planned to send a high-level delegation on Monday to find a way out of the crisis, fearing unrest spilling across borders of the vast Central African nation.

Congos government replied it was up to the courts.

Congo top court declares winner in election https://t.co/1tL4H06Rq3 pic.twitter.com/tAwcI4eRDZ  Reuters TV (@ReutersTV) January 20, 2019

The court turned away Fayulus request for a recount in the Dec. 30 vote.

Government spokesman Lambert Mende quickly acknowledged the courts decision, congratulating Tshisekedi as Congos fifth president.

The country of 80 million people, rich in the minerals key to smartphones around the world, is moving closer to achieving its first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since independence in 1960.

But observers have warned that the courts upholding of the official results could lead to further unrest. At least 34 people have been killed since provisional results were released on Jan. 10, the United Nations has said.

Violence is at it's peak in #Congo .Sources claimed that the U.N. rights office in Congo has 34 people who are killed and 59 people wounded.

Do you think all of this should happen just because of presidential election results? #StopViolence #Humanity pic.twitter.com/ImicWzpmtc  H4Human (@h4humanrights) January 19, 2019

The court could have ordered a recount or ordered a new election.

It called unfounded a challenge filed by another candidate, Theodore Ngoy, that objected to the electoral commissions last-minute decision to bar some 1 million voters from the election over a deadly Ebola virus outbreak.

The court said Tshisekedi won with more than 7 million votes or 38 percent, and Fayulu received 34 percent. However, leaked data published by some media outlets, attributed to the electoral commission and representing 86 percent of the votes, show that Fayulu won 59 percent while Tshisekedi received 19 percent.

Fayulu, a lawmaker and businessman who is outspoken about cleaning up Congos sprawling corruption, is widely seen as posing more of a threat to Kabila, his allies, and the vast wealth they have amassed.

All of the election results, not just the presidential ones, had been widely questioned after Kabilas ruling coalition won a majority in legislative and provincial votes while its presidential candidate finished a distant third.

Congos election had been meant to take place in late 2016, and many Congolese worried that Kabila, in power since 2001, was seeking a way to stay in office. Barred from serving three consecutive terms, Kabila has already hinted he might run again in 2023.

After Tshisekedi was announced as the surprise winner in provisional results on Jan. 10, some Congolese weary of turmoil appeared to decide that replacing Kabila with an opposition figure was enough, despite questions about the vote.

Reflecting the yearning for stability, 33 Congolese nongovernmental groups and civil society movements on Thursday called on people to comply with whatever the court rules to preserve the peace.

With that perhaps in mind, Tshisekedis party sharply rejected the AUs attempted intervention.

The continental bodys stance is the work of some mining lobbies seeking to destabilize the Democratic Republic of Congo in order to perpetuate the looting of this country, the party Secretary-General Jean-Marc Kabund, said in a statement.

Ahead of the courts ruling, hundreds of Tshisekedis supporters were in the streets of the capital, Kinshasa, waving tree branches and banners reading Congo for the Congolese.

By Saleh Mwanamilongo and Carley Petesch
President Donald Trump makes a statement about immigration and the border wall from the diplomatic reception room of the White House on Jan. 19, 2019. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)

Trump Outlines Proposal for Border Security Compromise, Pelosi Rejects It

President Donald Trump laid down a proposal for a border security compromise that would provide temporary protection from deportation to some 700,000 illegal immigrants in exchange for border wall funding.

The proposal also included a list of measures generally supported by both parties, including humanitarian funding, drug detection technology, and extending protections for people who have fled wars and disasters.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) rejected the offer, but her response seemed to leave some room for negotiation.

What is original in the Presidents proposal is not good. What is good in the proposal is not original. Democrats will vote next week to add additional border security funding for ports of entry, advanced technology for scanning vehicles for drugs & immigration judges.  Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 19, 2019

Wall Still In

Trump and the Democrats failed to reach an agreement on the border wall funding, which lead to some quarter of the federal government to shut down on Dec. 22.

Speaking from the White House on Jan. 19, Trump presented the case for there being a humanitarian crisis at the border, including the statistic that thirty percent of the women who make the trek to the U.S. border suffer sexual assault, which the White House says was reported in 2017 by Doctors Without Borders. He then went over his arguments for border security, such as the fight against drug and human trafficking, criminals sneaking in, and the economic impact of illegal immigrants.

He then presented his proposal, which he called straightforward, fair, reasonable and common sense, with lots of compromise.

He retained the demand for $5.7 billion for border wall construction, but repeatedly qualified the plan.

This is not a 2,000-mile concrete structure from sea to sea, he said. These are steel barriers in high-priority locations.

He invoked the authority of border security officials, who back the need for a barrier.

Trump further called for $800 million for humanitarian assistance, medical support, and new temporary housing at the border. Another $805 million would go to additional drug detection technology at ports of entry, where most of the illegal drugs enter the country.

DACA, TPS Relief

In a sign of compromise, he offered three years of legislative relief for the 700,000 recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), illegal immigrants brought to the United States as children. The relief would allow for work permits, social security numbers, and protection from deportation.

In September 2017, Trump rescinded DACA, but federal judges in New York and California put his action on hold. Trump previously said he expected his action would be upheld by the Supreme Court, which may rule on the issue sometime this year, perhaps in the summer, he said.

Trumps proposal further included a 3 year extension of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS), that currently lets people from 10 countries stay in the United States if they left their homes to escape wars, disasters, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions.

Nearly 440,000 have come to the United States under the program since its inception in 1990 (pdf).

In July, the administration extended the program for Somalia and Yemen. But its scheduled to expire in 2019 for Nepal, South Sudan, and Syria.

Trump ended the program for Sudan, Nicaragua, Haiti, and El Salvador, but again, a federal judge put his decision on hold.

The idea to offer Democrats a DACA and TPS deal in exchange for the wall funding was floated by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who said Trump found the idea interesting after the two lunched on Dec. 31.

In addition, Trumps proposal includes 2,700 additional border agents and other law enforcement personnel and 75 immigration judge teams.

The immigration court system is extremely overburdened with a backlog of nearly 900,000 cases.

If Democrats were to accept Trumps proposal and the government reopened, he pledged to hold weekly bipartisan meetings on broader immigration reforman issue with bipartisan support, though each party envisions it differently.

Trump vs Pelosi

Trump said Senate leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is ready to put legislation enshrining Trumps proposal to a vote. Republicans would need at least seven Democrat votes to overcome a filibuster in the Senate.

The main hurdle, however, is in the House of Representatives, where Democrats hold majority.

However strained already, Trumps relationship with Pelosi has been put to further test over the past week.

In an exchange of power moves, Trump denied Pelosi foreign trip using government plane on Jan. 17, when she was already on her way to the airport, leading to an embarrassing moment when she was forced to turn around and later cancel the trip.

Trump appeared to be responding to Pelosis withdrawing invitation to Trump for the annual State of the Union address on the House floor. Pelosi cited security reasons, telling Trump to reschedule for after the government reopens, but the Secret Service rebuked the security argument.

In his Jan. 19 remarks, Trump may have taken another jab at Pelosi, saying his proposal wouldnt affect the availability of foreign workers to our farmers and vineyards.

Pelosi and her husband Paul own a Napa Valley vineyard worth at least $5 million, according to Roll Call.

Response

Pelosis office didnt respond to a request for comment.

In an online statement on Jan. 19, Pelosi rejected Trumps proposal, though her response seemed to offer some ground for negotiation.

Unfortunately, initial reports make clear that his proposal is a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives, each of which is unacceptable and in total, do not represent a good faith effort to restore certainty to peoples lives, she said. It is unlikely that any one of these provisions alone would pass the House, and taken together, they are a non-starter. For one thing, this proposal does not include the permanent solution for the Dreamers and TPS recipients that our country needs and supports.

Dreamers is another word for illegal immigrants who came to the country as minors.

With his statement on the #TrumpShutdown, its clear President @realDonaldTrump realizes that by closing the government and hurting so many American workers and their families, he has put himself and the country in an untenable position. pic.twitter.com/u1XsWb4KBt  Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 19, 2019

Pelosi went on to list four border security measures the Democrats support: additional ports of entry, new drug detection technology, hiring more than 3,000 customs and border patrol personnel, and more immigration judges. Three of these measures appear to be a part of Trumps proposal.

Graham previously said that Democrats would have to offer much more than $5 billion for the wall to get a permanent solution for DACA.

A fantastic proposal Mr. President! Lets get it done! https://t.co/m8bzYGRLTw  Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) January 19, 2019

Trump has backed protections, including legal status for the DACA population, before. But in exchange, he wanted $25 billion for the border wall and other security as well as moving the immigration system to one that is more merit-based.

Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the status of Rep. Nancy Pelosis trip overseas. She cancelled the trip. The Epoch Times regrets the error.

Update: Further information was added regarding Rep. Nancy Pelosis withdrawing invitation to President Donald Trump for the State of the Union address.
President Donald Trump and others pay their respects as the remains of Scott A. Wirtz, a Defense Intelligence Agency civilian and former Navy Seal, are carried by during a dignified transfer for U.S. personal killed in a suicide bombing in Syria at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware, on Jan. 19, 2019. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)

Trump Travels to Dover AFB to Honor 4 Americans Killed in Syria Attack

President Donald Trump went to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Jan. 19 to pay tribute to the four Americans who were killed in a suicide bombing in northern Syria.

Will be leaving for Dover to be with the families of 4 very special people who lost their lives in service to our Country! he wrote on Twitter before his trip.

Will be leaving for Dover to be with the families of 4 very special people who lost their lives in service to our Country!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 19, 2019

In December, Trump announced that he planned to withdraw 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria. He reiterated later that the pullout would be slowed, as he tries to ensure the safety of Kurdish allies who are at risk of attack from neighboring Turkey.

The United States believes that fighters from the ISIS terrorist group were behind the attack that killed the four Americans.

Flanked by military officials, Trump and other U.S. officials filed up a ramp leading onto a military transport aircraft, where a prayer was offered to honor the memory of Scott Wirtz, a civilian Department of Defense employee.

Trump filed down the plank and saluted while six service members carried the casket holding Wirtz to a waiting gray van.

In addition to Wirtz, those who died during the Jan. 16 attack in Manbij, Syria, were Army Chief Warrant Officer Jonathan Farmer, 37, of Boynton Beach, Florida, and Navy Chief Cryptologic Technician Shannon Kent, 35, from upstate New York, the Department of Defense said.

The Pentagon didnt identify the fourth person killed, a contractor working for a private company. U.S. media identified her as Ghadir Taher, a 27-year-old employee of defense contractor Valiant Integrated Services.

Meanwhile, in Congress, things were still at a standstill as the government shutdown stretched into its 30th day.

On Jan. 19 Trump outlined a compromise, which primarily sought to provide temporary protection from deportation to some 700,000 illegal immigrants in exchange for $5.7 billion in border wall funding. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) rejected his proposal out of hand.

Trump has been the only side to offer a compromise so far.

In one tweet, he said the Democrats dont see crime & drugs, they only see 2020  which they are not going to win. Trump urged the party to do the right thing for the Country & allow people to go back to work.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Trump Responds After Pelosi Rejects Border Wall Compromise Offer

President Donald Trump responded to House Speaker Nancy Pelosis (D-Calif.) rejection of his border-wall proposal on Jan. 20, as he outlined the selling points of his new offer, while chiding Democratic leaders for dismissing him before he even gave his speech.

In a string of early-morning tweets, Trump made clear that his latest offer doesnt include amnesty for illegal immigrants already in the United States.

No, Amnesty is not a part of my offer, Trump said on Twitter. It is a 3 year extension of DACA. Amnesty will be used only on a much bigger deal, whether on immigration or something else. Likewise there will be no big push to remove the 11,000,000 plus people who are here illegally-but be careful Nancy!

No, Amnesty is not a part of my offer. It is a 3 year extension of DACA. Amnesty will be used only on a much bigger deal, whether on immigration or something else. Likewise there will be no big push to remove the 11,000,000 plus people who are here illegally-but be careful Nancy!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2019

On Jan. 19, Trump outlined his new offer, which would provide temporary protection from deportation to some 700,000 illegal immigrants, in exchange for $5.7 billion in border-wall funding. A number of additional measures, such as humanitarian funding, drug-detection technology, and extending protections for people who have fled wars and disasters, were included as well.

The three-year extension for the 700,000 illegal immigrants under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy offers legislative relief that would allow for work permits, social security numbers, and protection from deportation. Trumps proposal also includes a three-year extension of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) that currently lets people from certain countries stay in the United States if they left their homes to escape wars, disasters, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions.

In his response, Trump chastised Pelosi, saying she has lost her authority over the Democrats, as the shutdown reached its 30th daythe longest in U.S. history.

Nancy Pelosi has behaved so irrationally & has gone so far to the left that she has now officially become a Radical Democrat, he wrote on Twitter. She is so petrified of the lefties in her party that she has lost controlAnd by the way, clean up the streets in San Francisco, they are disgusting!

Nancy Pelosi has behaved so irrationally & has gone so far to the left that she has now officially become a Radical Democrat. She is so petrified of the lefties in her party that she has lost controlAnd by the way, clean up the streets in San Francisco, they are disgusting!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2019

In one tweet, Trump said Democrats dont see crime & drugs, they only see 2020  which they are not going to win. At the same time, he touted the strong economy and called on their party to do the right thing for the Country & allow people to go back to work.

Nancy Pelosi and some of the Democrats turned down my offer yesterday before I even got up to speak. They dont see crime & drugs, they only see 2020  which they are not going to win. Best economy! They should do the right thing for the Country & allow people to go back to work.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2019

The partial shutdown, which affects about a quarter of the federal government, began Dec. 22 after lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on funding for border security. Trump has been the only side to offer a compromise so far, as Democrats refuse to budge from their initial $1.3 billion offer for border-security purposes, which doesnt include funds for a border wall.

Pelosi, on Twitter, shot back at Trump.

800,000 Americans are going without pay. Re-open the government, let workers get their paychecks and then we can discuss how we can come together to protect the border, she wrote. .@realDonaldTrump, 800,000 Americans are going without pay. Re-open the government, let workers get their paychecks and then we can discuss how we can come together to protect the border. #EndTheShutdown https://t.co/8RKUTnhgBd  Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 20, 2019 Trump reminded Americans that they are already building parts of the wall. Dont forget, we are building and renovating big sections of Wall right now. Moving quickly, and will cost far less than previous politicians thought possible, he wrote on Twitter. Building, after all, is what I do best, even when money is not readily available! Dont forget, we are building and renovating big sections of Wall right now. Moving quickly, and will cost far less than previous politicians thought possible. Building, after all, is what I do best, even when money is not readily available!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2019 Currently, about 654 miles of barrier exists along the nearly 2,000-mile U.S.Mexico border. Customs and Border Protection constructed around 31 miles of new and replacement fencing in 2018, with the final nine miles expected to be done early this year, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Latino Surge

Meanwhile, Trumps approval rating among Latinos shot up by 19 points, according to the latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll.

The poll, conducted from Jan. 10th to Jan. 13th, found that 50 percent of Latinos surveyed approved of the job Trump is doing. The same poll conducted in December showed the approval rating at 31 percent. Pollsters surveyed 1,023 adults by phone in the latest one.

Trump said the surveys findings reflect how important the wall is to Hispanics.

Wow, just heard that my poll numbers with Hispanics has gone up 19%, to 50%, he said on Twitter. That is because they know the Border issue better than anyone, and they want Security, which can only be gotten with a Wall.

A mid-October survey by the same pollsters last year found only 27 percent of approval among Latino voters. The recent surge coming in the midst of the partial shutdown indicates that Trumps Latino base strongly support the construction of a border wall.

Despite the double-digit surge in Latino approval, pollsters NPR and PBS failed to mention the number found in their own own poll. A search for the term Latino poll on the outlets website failed to yield any articles talking about the recent increase.
Demonstrators take part in a march against terrorism, in repudiation of the police academy recent car bombing, and in support of the victims and their relatives, on Jan. 20, 2019. (Juan Barreto/AFP/Getty Images)

Colombians March for Peace After Deadly Car Bomb

BOGOTA, ColombiaUnder the slogan Colombia united against terrorism, thousands of people marched in the countrys main cities Jan. 20 to reject violence, three days after a car bomb attack attributed by the government to the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel group left 21 dead and 68 injured.

With t-shirts, balloons, and white flags, the protesters walked down an avenue to gather at the historic Plaza de Bolivar, in downtown Bogota, to honor the victims with a minute of silence. Similar marches occurred in the cities of Medellin, Cali, and Barranquilla.

It is a symbol of patriotism, of civility, of union, today we are here as simple citizens rejecting terrorism, rejecting violence, showing the world that this united country is invincible, Colombian President Ivan Duque told Reuters during the march.

The Jan. 17 attack against the General Francisco de Paula Santander Cadet School, the training center for officers of the National Police, was committed with a car loaded with 80 kilos (175 pounds) of explosives.

In the attack, the worst of its kind in the last 15 years in Colombia, 20 cadetspeople between 18 and 23 years old who aspired to become National Police officers were killed, along with the driver of the vehicle, which belonged to the ELN.

Colombia yes, terrorism no, and No more police or military killed by terrorism, shouted the participants in the protest, many of whom approached the police to embrace them as a sign of support.

The ELN, which has some 2,000 members and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, is radical, has a diffuse chain of command and dissent among its ranks, which according to security sources and analysts makes it difficult to reach a peace agreement.

The Marxist group, founded by radical Catholic priests in 1964 and inspired by the Cuban revolution, hasnt claimed responsibility for the attack or issued a public statement.
Joe and Sherry Waters and David and Carol Higgins enjoyed watching Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Dallas AT&T Performing Arts CenterWinspear Opera House on Jan. 19, 2019. (Amy Hu/The Epoch Times)

DALLASDavid and Carol Higgins, and Joe and Sherry Waters came to see Shen Yun Performing Arts together at the Dallas AT&T Performing Arts CenterWinspear Opera House. The Waters and Mr. Higgins are managers, and Mrs. Higgins owns a business.

Its really good, said Joe Waters after seeing Shen Yun. Very colorful.

Carol Higgins said, Its beautiful visually. Very stimulating, and added that the four of them appreciated the emcees who take the stage before each performance to give context of each story to the audience.

That context helped Mrs. Higgins look at Chinese culture from inception until today from a historical perspective.

Just the historical perspective of what the dances are intending to mean, and then just interestingly, the fact that theres still persecution happening in China and people there dont have the opportunity to see this type of artform, she said.

Shen Yun was formed in 2006 in New York. Its mission is to revive Chinas 5,000 years of traditional culture, which has been repressed in China since the communist party seized power.

Sherry Waters felt that her impression was similar to her friends:

Just beautiful colors and visually appealing, and interesting, she said. And they [Shen Yun performers] are just so talented. Theyre all so talented and obviously very well rehearsed.

Mrs. Waters was interested when she learned that Shen Yun performers practice Falun Dafa, a spiritual practice based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance.

She was also surprised to learn that the Chinese Communist Party persecutes Falun Dafa practitioners in China, and primarily because of that, Shen Yun cannot travel there.

That was a surprise, thats what we were talking about actually, said Mrs. Waters.

Mr. Higgins also shared his impressions of Shen Yun.

Very beautiful. Great choreography, and great music. Very nice, he said.

Mr. Higgins said that Shen Yuns animated backdrop tied the performance together.

Shen Yuns backdrop is patented and extraordinary: dancers seem to step in and out of the magical worlds presented on the screen.

Mrs. Waters said, Its so vivid and beautiful.

Happiness

What the quartet felt watching the performance varied from person to person.

Mr. Waters felt relaxed and that it was an enjoyable situation. Mrs. Higgens agreed with him.

Mrs Waters said she felt happy.

Sounds simple but it is happy, she said. It just makes me happy to sit there and listen to the live orchestra and see the pretty colors, and just let it sort of wash over me. Its just happy.

Mr. Higgins also shared what he felt watching Shen Yun Performing Arts.

Just pure joy, he said.

This is what we want to teach them

Michael and Tanya Sze brought their young daughters to Shen Yun and were happy that the girls could learn about their heritage.

Michael Sze is a physician and Tanya Sze is a lawyer with her own private practice.

The dancing, the choreography was amazing, said Tanya Sze. The perfect coordination of everyone, and the beautiful flow; the garments, the costumes, and, some humor in there. And, about God, and creation and spirituality, freedom of expression, freedom of religion.

Mrs. Sze said that she celebrates that there is freedom of expression and freedom of religion in the United States.

So we celebrate that, she said. And were very sad for whats happening in China. My husband is from China. He came here after the communists  . He came here in 1980. Its personal to our family too.

Mrs. Sze commented on Shen Yuns mission to revive the traditional 5,000-year traditional Chinese culture and share it with the world.

I think its wonderful, she said. My childrenwere trying to teach them Chinese culture. So they learned something today. This is what we want to teach them, so theyre a part of their heritage.

Michael Sze also shared his experience of Shen Yun Performing Arts.

I think its very nice, he said. I think it just made me realize how interconnected art is across the whole world.

Mr. Sze commented on dance as an expressive form.

It kind of cuts across culture, and its a universal language, he said.

Shen Yun Performing Arts freely expresses the spiritual nature of traditional Chinese culture, and they freely use their artform to depict China through the ages. Mr. Sze said that expressing spirituality is important for people.

I think its a basic need, he said. And then humanity always has looked to religion for answers, and also peace of mind, and being to accept certain destinies in their lives. I think theres just like necessity that is sad that not everybody can access.

With reporting by Amy Hu, Diane Gao, and Carrie Gilkison.

The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the companys inception in 2006.
A forensic officer at the scene of a suspected car bomb in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, on Jan. 20, 2019. (Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)

Police Link Northern Ireland Car Bomb to New IRA and Say Was Attempt to Kill People

Detectives in Northern Ireland believe an extremist group called the New IRA is responsible for a car bomb that exploded outside a courthouse in Londonderry, and are calling the attack an attempt to kill.

Two men in their 20s have been arrested in connection with the incident, said officials with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

Clearly, it was a very significant attempt to kill people here in this community, Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said, according to the BBC.

It is understood the bomb was planted inside a pizza delivery van that had been hijacked from a driver shortly before the Jan. 19 blast. The van, with the bomb inside, was left outside the courthouse at 7:23 p.m. local time.

Minutes later, someone called in a warning.

In the intervening minutes we had already found the car and were starting to evacuate the area, said Hamilton, according to the BBC.

Thankfully, the local community and the police service acted bravely together and we got everybody away just in time, Hamilton said. But the bomb detonated just as we were leaving the area.

Thankfully the attackers failed to kill or injure any members the local community out socializing and enjoying the best of what the city has to offer, said PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton in a statement.

Hamilton told reporters Sunday that the main line of inquiry was that a dissident republican group, the New IRA, was behind the Jan. 19 car bomb attack.

Our main line of inquiry is against the New IRA, Hamilton was cited by The Mirror as saying, adding that the organization is small, largely unrepresentative, and determined to drag people back to somewhere they dont want to be.

The extremist New IRA is one of a small number of militant groups opposed to a 1998 peace deal that largely ended three decades of violence in the British-run province. They have carried out sporadic attacks in recent years.

Hamilton said he did not see the bombing as an escalation of the extremist groups capabilities but a continuation of a threat that has been officially at the severe level for 10 years.

Unbelievably Reckless

Hamilton condemned the bomb attack as unbelievably reckless.

Authorities evacuated residents, hundreds of hotel guests, 150 people from the Masonic Hall, and a large number of children from a church youth club.

The people responsible for this attack have shown no regard for the community or local businesses, Hamilton said. They care little about the damage to the area and the disruption they have caused.

Area resident Greg McLaughlin told the BBC that the force of the blast caused his windows to shake.

It was very, very loud. I knew right away this was a bomb, he said, according to the report. We knew it was quite close.

You could see the ball of fire on the street, McLaughlin added. It sounded to me like a very significant blast. I havent heard anything like it in Derry for quite a while.

The Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley was cited by The Guardian as saying that the bomb was an attempt to disrupt progress in Northern Ireland.

The small number of people responsible have absolutely nothing to offer Northern Irelands future and will not prevail, she said.

Some 3,600 people were killed in the conflict that was fought between mainly Protestant unionists who want Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom and predominantly Catholic nationalists. Some sporadic violence continues among small, splinter groups but car bombings are rare.

The reported bombing comes as police on both sides of the now-open border between Northern Ireland and European Union-member Ireland have express fears that a return to a hard border after Brexit, complete with Customs and other checks, could be a target for terrorist groups.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Family members of a victim cry when recognizing the body after an explosion in a pipeline belonging to Mexican oil company PEMEX on Jan. 19, 2019 in Tlahuelilpan, Mexico. (Hector Vivas/Getty Images)

Mexico Pipeline Explosion Puts New Focus on Government Crackdown on Fuel Theft

MEXICO CITYMore than 70 people were killed after a gasoline pipeline blast in central Mexico on Jan. 19. The explosion happened after fuel thieves punctured a hole in the Tula-Tuxpan pipeline and crowds of people came to fill plastic containers with fuel.

The incident has put new focus on the governments crackdown on fuel theft.

Gas stations across Mexico have been facing shortages of gasoline and diesel after measures taken by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to fight fuel theft are jamming up distribution systems.

Shortages

In order to stop the rampant fuel theft that sucks as much as 70 billion pesos ($3.6 billion) a year from the coffers of Pemex, Mexicos national oil company, Lopez Obrador has shut several key pipelines that carry gasoline and diesel to consumers from refineries and ports. Now, fuel is being delivered by truck, a vastly less-efficient system that is causing massive distribution problems in at least 10 Mexican states.

In the state of Guanajuato, a center for fuel theft, more than 85 percent of service stations were reportedly without fuel last week. Meanwhile, in the Mexico City area, most service stations have at least some gas, but long lines are forming as panicked drivers rush to fill their tanks.

Alejandro Diaz, an employee of the Mexico City government, waited two hours to get to the front of the line to fill up his car Jan. 11. But when he got to the front of the line, gas station employees told him that the station had just been resupplied by a tanker truck, and that they would have to wait another two hours for the gasoline to settle before it could be pumped.

The people at the top make these decisions, but they dont consider what happens to us at the bottom, he told The Epoch Times. Who knows if there are going to be any benefits?

In addition to closing pipelines, the federal government has deployed about 5,000 soldiers and police officers to monitor pipelines and distribution centers. Lopez Obrador called the strategy a success in a press conference Jan. 14, noting that the military and police have recovered 4.5 million barrels of stolen gasoline.

Organized Crime

Over the past decade, fuel theft, or huachicoleo, as it is known in Mexico, has grown exponentially to become one of the major activities of organized crime, according to Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, professor of political science at George Mason University and author of Los Zetas Inc.: Criminal Corporations, Energy, and Civil War in Mexico.

It has been practiced in certain communities since the last century, but during the Calderon administration it started to become very well structured, very organized, involving cartels and other actors, Correa-Cabrera told The Epoch Times. The exponential growth of this business happened during the [former President] Enrique Pena Nieto years, and you can see it in the numbers, that fuel theft exponentially increased.

For a variety of reasons, Pemex has been losing tens of billions of pesos annually since 2013. But more than 20 percent of those losses can be attributed to the tens of thousands of barrels of gasoline that go missing every day.

For Correa-Cabrera, such massive theft points to high-level corruption, including of Pemex officials, state governments, and the armed forces.

You cannot do this level of operation without the knowledge of Pemex employees, she said. The theft was of such a magnitude that there were so many actors that should have been involved and informed about it.

Since Lopez Obrador took office, government investigations are starting to reveal the vast corruption networks behind huachicoleo. Lopez Obrador has accused his three predecessors of tolerating fuel theft, and opened a criminal investigation into Leon Trauwitz, a Mexican army general tasked with protecting Pemex under Pena Nieto, for involvement in the crime.

Economic Impact

According to government reports, the strategy has already caused a significant decline in fuel theft. But the gasoline shortages are testing Mexicos economy and patience.

Chambers of commerce have stated that the fuel shortages have already caused 1.25 billion pesos ($66 million) in losses to the economy, and that there could be serious economic fallout if the situation continues this week.

However, the inconvenience so far has not translated into a massive repudiation of Lopez Obradors government. According to a poll by newspaper El Financiero, 64 percent of Mexicans think that the shortages are worth it to fight huachicoleo.

Arturo Martinez, a businessman who commutes by car every day to central Mexico City from a southwestern suburb, told The Epoch Times that he waited an hour and 20 minutes to fill up his tank in a line that stretched half a mile and 100 cars on Jan. 11. Although he was frustrated that he had to take time out of his work day to buy gasoline, Martinez, who voted for Lopez Obrador, thinks that the measure is for the best.

Maybe if they stop people from stealing gasoline, the price will go down, and that will be good for us, he said. Its taking time out of our days, but its good that theyre doing it. Thats why were enduring it, and not complaining.
Mexico Fuel Pipeline Blast Death Toll Rises to 73, Witnesses Describe Horror

At least 73 people were killed after a pipeline, ruptured by suspected fuel thieves, exploded in central Mexico, authorities said on Jan. 19, as President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador defended the army despite its failure to clear the site before the blast.

Forensic experts filled body bags in the field where the explosion occurred on the evening of Jan. 18 by the town of Tlahuelilpan in the state of Hidalgo. It was one of the deadliest incidents to hit Mexicos troubled oil infrastructure in years.

One witness described how an almost festive atmosphere among hundreds of local residents filling containers with spilled fuel turned to horror as the blast scattered the crowd in all directions, incinerating clothing and inflicting severe burns.

A number of people at the scene told Reuters that local shortages in gasoline supply since Lopez Obrador launched a drive to stamp out fuel theft had encouraged the rush to the gushing pipeline.

Everyone came to see if they could get a bit of gasoline for their car, there isnt any in the gas stations, said farmer Isaias Garcia, 50. Garcia was at the site with two neighbors but waited in the car some distance away.

Some people came out burning and screaming, he added.

To root out theft, Lopez Obrador in late December ordered pipelines to be closed. But that led to shortages in central Mexico, including Hidalgo, where local media this week said more than half of the gas stations were at times shut.

In an interview with local television, Hidalgo State Governor Omar Fayad said 71 people were killed and 76 people injured in the explosion, which happened as residents scrambled to get buckets and drums to a gush at the pipeline that authorities said rose up to 23 feet high.

The crackdown on fuel theft has become a litmus test of Lopez Obradors drive to tackle corruption in Mexicoand stop illegal taps draining billions of dollars from the heavily indebted state oil firm Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex).

Video on social media showed people filling buckets from the pipeline during daylight hours in the presence of the armed forces before the blast.

But Lopez Obrador, who vowed to continue the crackdown on theft, defended the army in the face of questions about why soldiers failed to prevent the tragedy.

Were not going to fight fire with fire, the veteran leftist said. We think that people are good, honest, and if weve reached these extremes  its because they were abandoned.

In the aftermath, soldiers and other military personnel guarded the cordoned-off area.

Hundreds gathered at a local cultural center on the afternoon of Jan. 19, hoping to get information about loved ones who disappeared after the explosion. Officials had posted information about DNA tests for identification, and a list of people who had been taken to hospitals.

Like a Party

Lopez Obrador said the army had been right to avoid a confrontation due to the large number of people seeking to make off with a trove of free fuela few liters of which are worth more than the daily minimum wage in Mexico.

Blaming previous governments for neglecting the population, he said the priority was to eradicate the social problems and lack of opportunities that had made people risk their lives. He rejected suggestions the incident was linked to his policy.

Still, Lopez Obrador had vowed to tighten security in sensitive sections of the oil infrastructure, and the ruptured pipeline was only a few miles away from a major oil refinery.

Pemex Chief Executive Octavio Romero told reporters that there had been 10 illegal fuel taps in the same municipality in the last three months alone. Neither he nor the president said exactly when the valves to the pipeline were closed.

Relatives of victims stood huddled together, some of them crying, after the massive blast. Much of the rush to siphon off fuel and the chaos of the explosion was captured on mobile phones and began quickly circulating on social media.

Mexican media published graphic pictures of victims from the blast site.

Local journalist Veronica Jimenez, 46, arrived at the scene before the explosion where she said there were more than 300 people with containers to collect fuel.

I saw families: mother, father, children, she told Reuters. It was like a party  for a moment you could even hear how happy people were.

When the blast hit, people ran in different directions, pleading for help, some burned and without clothing, she said.

Grief-stricken family members blocked access to the field for over half an hour, saying they would not let funeral service vehicles pass until they were told where the dead were being taken.

Lopez Obrador has said his decision to close pipelines has greatly reduced fuel theft, but the death toll has raised questions about potential unintended consequences.

There was a gasoline shortage, people one way or another wanted to be able to move around, said local farmer Ernesto Sierra, 44. Some even came with their bean pots.

By Anthony Esposito
A couple has been sentenced to life in prison after they were found guilty of starving their adoptive daughter to death when she was 16 years old. The sentencing took place at the Dallas County Court House in Adel, Iowa, on Jan. 18, 2019. (Screenshot/Google Maps)

Iowa Couple Starved 16-Year-Old Daughter Sabrina Ray to Death, Sentenced to Life

An Iowa couple guilty of starving their adopted daughter to death when she was 16 years old has been sentenced to prison where they will likely spend the rest of their lives.

Marc Ray, 43, was sentenced to 80 years, and his wife, Misty Jo Bousman Ray, 41, was sentenced to life on Jan. 18 for the death of Sabrina Ray, who was their oldest adopted daughter.

On May 12, 2017, police arrived at the couples home in Perry, Iowa, to find Sabrinas adopted sisters, 12 and 14 at the time, in a room with her lifeless body. That same day, Marc and Misty Ray were with their sons at Disney World in Florida.

Mother credits Sabrina Ray for saving childrens lives https://t.co/74B1w2ILdt pic.twitter.com/S2jsEucqfS  BuzzTeller (@BuzzzTeller) January 17, 2019

Sabrina, who was 16 at the time of her death, had been severely malnourished and weighed just 56 poundsaround the healthy weight for an 8-year-old girl.

In a report sighted by the Des Moines Register, one of the officers who had witnessed the scene that day, Josh Sienkiewicz, called the home the most horrific scene in my entire career and life.

It is hard to put into words the feelings that come over methe smells, the pain, the anguish, the fear, and the evil, he said.

HAPPENING NOW: #MarcRay and #MistyRay have entered the Dallas County courthouse for their joint sentencing. Misty faces a mandatory life sentence and Marc up to 80 years in prison for their actions that led up to 16-year-old #SabrinaRays death @weareiowa5news pic.twitter.com/UhjdtGyyrQ  Angelina Salcedo (@ASalcedoNews) January 18, 2019

The Des Moines Register reported that Judge Terry Rickers, who handed the sentences to the couple, told them at the Dallas County Courthouse in Adel on Jan. 18 that their treatment of their adopted daughters was cruel and evil.

"Cruel and evil": Judge sentences adoptive parents of Sabrina Ray to prison. https://t.co/4d4IvyBO6T pic.twitter.com/wC6blDRMV8  We Are Iowa Local 5 (@weareiowa5news) January 18, 2019

Sabrinas sisters were forced to watch her slowly and agonizingly die, Rickers said.

Sabrina lies there, malnourished, emaciated, diaper-clad, covered in various wounds and bruises. Her rash and skin barely cover her skeleton  Mr. Ray and Mrs. Ray, your actions and your treatments of your daughters in this case could be fairly described as both cruel and evil.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: And to think of all of the money they received given by the state, for the bringing up of the child. How could a disgraceful thing like this happen to continue for so long?   https://t.co/gWFrFG2Svf  Richard Evaristo (@RichardEvaristo) January 20, 2019

In December 2018, Marc Ray pleaded guilty to child endangerment resulting in death, and three counts of third-degree kidnapping, for having illegally confined his three adopted daughters. On Jan. 9, Misty Ray pleaded guilty to first-degree kidnapping and two counts of third-degree kidnapping for having confined Sabrinas two adopted sisters. Each of them will be ordered to pay restitution, which will include $150,000 to Sabrinas heirs.

Assistant County Attorney Stacy Ritchie told the couple they had neglected the childrens basic needs.

Rather than love and care for these girls, the defendant locked them in a room, starved them, abused them, pitted them against each other, denied them basic necessities and used them as slave labor, she said, according to the Des Moines Register.

Both Marc and Mistry shed tears during the sentencing, but only Misty decided to apologize.

The adoptive parents of Sabrina Ray, a central Iowa teenager who starved to death in May 2017, are headed to prison. https://t.co/QB3iRRXVZT  Des Moines Register (@DMRegister) January 18, 2019

I would give anything to go back in time and right all those wrongs, she said, the Des Moines Register reported.

It was my responsibility to protect and love our children and not cause them pain, she said, according to the Daily Mail. I failed as their mother All of this is my fault, and I want our children to know that they did nothing wrong. They were good kids who deserve better. I am so sorry.

The court heard that the two remaining girls and another boy were under the care of the Rays are now in good condition.

Several Family Members Guilty

Several members in the Ray family had also been accused of abusing Sabrina Ray, according to the Des Moines Register.

Sabrinas brother, Justin Ray, 21, had pleaded guilty in February 2017 on two counts of willful injury. He was given 10 years in prison.

Sabrinas cousin, Josie Raye Bousman, 21, was charged with three counts of kidnapping, child endangerment resulting in death, and obstructing prosecution. Her trial has been scheduled for March but since then, the court has ordered it to be set for a new date.

Sabrinas adoptive grandmother, Carla Bousman, 63, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after she pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent person and to two counts of child endangerment, among other charges. She was initially accused of helping to kidnap and torture Sabrina and helping to cover up her death.

From NTD News
Staff and visitors walk pass the lobby at the Huawei office in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province on Oct. 8, 2012. (STR/AFP/GettyImages)

Huaweis Expansion in Africa Comes Under Scrutiny

Chinese telecommunications giant Huaweis market dominance in Africa can be exemplified by remarks made in 2016 by Pang Jimin, then-president of the companys Global Government Affairs department.

Of the several dozen available commercial 4G networks in Africa, more than 70 percent were built by Huawei, Pang said at an industry conference in Egypt, according to African online business site African Business Central.

Since making forays into the African market in 1999, Huawei has strategically monopolized telecom infrastructure.

For the previous-generation technology 3G, Chinas Ministry of Commerce claims that Huawei helped to build more than 50 networks in 36 countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

And when it comes to rolling out the next-generation 5G technology, Huawei has cooperated with many local telecom providers in Africa for trial runs, including MTN Group, Africas largest mobile operator; Vodacom, based in South Africa; and Safaricom, which is headquartered in Kenya.

Internet Infrastructure

Huawei also has been building up internet networks used by African governmentswith security ramifications.

According to a December 2018 article by Kenya-based news site The East African, Huawei, along with fellow Chinese tech company ZTE, have built national fiber-optic communications networks and e-government networks in more than 30 countries.

That includes outfitting the headquarters of the African Union (AU). China fully funded and built the complex located in Ethiopias capital, Addis Ababa.

In January 2018, French newspaper Le Monde revealed that since 2012, every night, data has been transferred from computer systems at the headquarters to servers in Shanghai. Additionally, hidden microphones were found inside the desks and walls of the building. Huawei was named in connection to the alleged spying. China denied Le Mondes claims.

According to an analysis by Canberra-based think tank Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), citing content from Huaweis own website and documents obtained from the African Unionincluding contracts for the unions IT infrastructurethe Chinese tech giant had provided some of the headquarters buildings equipment, including computing and storage devices. The think tank pointed out that while it is possible Huawei was not aware of the alleged data theft, the companys obliviousness would itself be cause for a national security concern. Huawei has since denied ASPIs claims.

Joshua Meservey, senior policy analyst for Africa and the Middle East at the U.S. think tank Heritage Foundation, told a March 2018 congressional hearing on Africa relations that the risk for African governments is significant.

Citing comments by former CIA head Michael Hayden, who said Huawei shared with Beijing extensive knowledge of the foreign telecommunications systems it involved with, Meservey said that he believed Beijing has already taken advantage of this African vulnerability.

State-Sponsored Strategy in Africa

Huaweis interest in doing business in Africa is driven by its founder and CEO Ren Zhengfeia former Chinese army engineer who headed the General Staff Departments Information Engineering Academyand to a great extent the ideology of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

According to a biography published by Chinas Huazhong University of Science and Technology Press in 2010, Ren often read the writings of former Chinese Communist Party leader Mao Zedong and used Maos thoughts to set up Huaweis business strategy. For example, Ren adopted a well-known Maoist strategyseizing power in the countryside and then using rural bases to encircle and capture cities, a method honed during Chinas civil warto expand Huaweis business both domestically and internationally.

Beginning in 1992at a time when the Chinese telecom market was dominated by foreign firms such as Alcatel, Lucent, and NortelHuawei began to aggressively market its digital telephone switches in Chinas rural areas, before expanding to the rest of China, according to the book.

Using the same Maoist strategy, Huawei first expanded into less-developed regions of the world, such as Africa, Southeast Asia, and western Asia, before expanding into major European and American markets.

The Chinese tech giant is also one of many Chinese companies that followed Beijings call for overseas expansionthe Go Out strategy promulgated by former CCP leader Jiang Zemin (who ruled throughout the 1990s to early 2000s).

According to Chinas state-run media, Jiang first suggested the strategy in July 1996, after visiting six African countries: Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.

The concept of Go Out was mentioned again in December 1997, when Jiang said during a CCP work meeting, We should aggressively lead and organize competent companies to go out, to invest and set up factories at other countries, and utilize their markets and resources.

In May 1998, at another CCP work meeting, Jiang identified Africa, along with the Middle East, Central Asia, and Latin America, as regions for aggressive investment, as part of his Go Out strategy.

The concept eventually became an official element of Chinas foreign policy in November 2002, when it was included in a political report during the 16th National Congress, a once-every-five-years conclave when the Partys leadership transitions.

During this time, Huawei took up the mantle, first setting up a subsidiary in Nigeria in 1999.

Training Initiative

The company also seeks to extend soft power through its corporate social responsibility program called Seeds for the Future, established in 2008 for the goal of developing local IT talents and promoting greater interest in the telecommunications sector. Usually, students studying in STEM-related (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields are selected.

Participants in the program receive Mandarin-language training at top universities in Beijing, according to Huaweis website, as well as technical training at the companys headquarters in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. Many universities around the world have noted that Seeds for the Future is an all-expense paid program.

The program is available in many countries around the world, including the United States, and more than 20 countries in Africa, including Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, and South Africa.

According to Huaweis website, more than 30,000 students from more than 350 universities, representing 108 countries and regions, had participated in its program as of 2017.

But some experts believe these are more than just an education program. Huaweis partnerships with top UK universities, including the Seeds for the Future program, have been called into question. Anthony Glees, a professor of politics at the University of Buckingham and a national security expert, called the relationships deeply disturbing and absolutely classic Communist subversion tactics, in a December 2018 article by The Daily Telegraph.

Glees explained that Huaweis programs have a military, political, and industrial component to it that people have not understood, due to the companys close ties with Beijing, and Rens ties to the Chinese military.

In a policy brief issued in July 2016, researchers at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University questioned the effectiveness of Huaweis training programs.

Are the training programs that Huawei labels as CSR programs truly focused on social and environmental well-being, or are they prudent cost saving, profitable business, or human resource development programs? the policy brief asked.

Cloud Solutions

Huaweis forays into cloud data storage have also prompted espionage concerns. In November last year, the company unveiled its new cloud computing station in South Africa. On its website, the company touted itself as the first cloud service provider to operate a local data center in Africa.

Huawei also has inked deals with multiple information and technology firms around the world to provide cloud services to companies in Africa, including the South Africa-based Datacentrix, India-based Tech Mahindra, and Germany-based T-Systems.

Security concerns surrounding Huaweis cloud computing products were raised way back in September 2013, when the Virginia-based analyst firm Defense Group Inc. published a report at the request of the U.S.China Economic and Security Review Commission.

The report, titled Red Cloud Rising: Cloud Computing in China, warned of cloud computing services set up by Chinese national champion corporations, such as Huawei and ZTE, noting that their efforts to sell their services outside of China could indirectly result in a significant amount of U.S. corporate data ending up on servers under Chinese control.
Greek Protesters Clash With Police Over Macedonia Name Deal

Greek protesters clashed with police outside Parliament on Jan. 20, with tens of thousands rallying against a name-change agreement between Greece and Macedonia on grounds that it erodes national identity.

Demonstrators chanted Macedonia is Greek and waved Greek flags, according to a BBC report, and a highway was temporarily blocked in northern Greece in solidarity with the protesters.

Initially, the demonstration in central Athens was peaceful, The New York Times reported, but turned violent when protesters tried to storm the Parliament building and were met by riot police holding shields.

At least 10 police officers were injured in the clashes, The Associated Press reported, as demonstrators threw rocks, flares, firebombs, paint, and other objects. Police responded with repeated volleys of tear gas and blocked access to a staircase leading to Parliament.

Law enforcement officials said in a statement that officers had been attacked by organized groups of individuals with special ferocity, [using] rocks, iron bars, wooden clubs, firebombs etc.  Police forces acted according to operational plans and orders, showed restraint and professionalism, and using the appropriate methods, repelled the attacks.

Hundreds of buses brought protesters into central Athens for the rally, which took place on Syntagma Square. Organizers had said they expected about 3,000 buses would travel from northern Greece alone, while police said that by the afternoon of Jan. 20, a total of 327 had arrived from across the country.

Police estimates put the number of demonstrators at 60,000 around midday, while organizers said 100,000 people had turned up. Protest organizers had initially said they hoped to attract more than 600,000 people.

Name-Change Controversy

The protesters were rallying against an accord to give the ex-Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia a new namethe Republic of North Macedonia. Greek nationalists argue the name Macedonia should only refer to a Greek province of the same name.

We cannot stomach this deal, to give away our Macedonia, our history, said pensioner Amalia Savrami, 67, as she waved a large Greek flag on Athens Syntagma Square.

Macedonia is Greek, period, she said.

Currently, the ex-Yugoslav state is formally referred to at the United Nations as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, or FYROM. Under the new deal, the country would be renamed North Macedonia, its language would be called Macedonian, and its people would be known as Macedonians.

Greeces Parliament is expected to start a debate Jan. 21 on ratifying the deal and vote on it by Jan. 25.

Macedonias Parliament has already approved the name change to Republic of North Macedonia.

The accord, signed by the two governments, unblocks the ex-Yugoslav republics desire to join NATO and the European Union, once the deal is ratified by Greeces Parliament.

Macedonia declared independence in 1991, avoiding the violence that accompanied much of the break-up of Yugoslavia. Prime Minister Zoran Zaev has sought to accelerate the countrys bid to join EU and NATO, and to work on resolving the decades-old name dispute with Greece.

Greece had agreed that until the name dispute is resolved, its northern neighbor could be referred to internationally as Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Nationalists in both countries are opposed to the name change, arguing that the move erodes their respective cultural and national identities.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Four Youths, the Youngest 12, Charged With Rape

Four boys ranging from ages 12 to 14 were charged with kidnapping and raping a minor in New Castle County, Delaware, on Jan. 16.

The investigation started on Dec. 11, 2018, when New Castle County Division police were called to the Wellington Woods community in response to a reported rape. Once there, they found that a minor was forced into a residence and raped by four boys.

Louis Miller, 13; Kabarshenay Ellis-Pinkney, 14; Jaden Glover, 12; and Joseph James-Carter, 13, were arrested on Jan. 16 as suspects in the investigation. All four boys were charged with felony rape, kidnapping, and conspiracy in the first degree. Two of them were additionally charged for menacing the victim with a deadly weapon and threatening her to not tell anyone, according to the police report.

Evidence Links the Four Boys

After the case was assumed by the Family Services Squad, the four boys were identified. Throughout the case, many search warrants were filed and more evidence was found, linking the four boys with the kidnapping and rape of the minor.

According to the report, based on the evidence, detectives are concerned that there may be more victims. Pictures of all four boys were included in the report and are available for public viewing.

Miller received a total of 10 charges during his initial hearing at Peace Court 11, and he was held in lieu of a secured $65,000 bail.

Ellis-Pinkney faces a total of five charges. His first hearing was in Family Court, and he was held in lieu of $104,000 cash bail.

Glover is facing a total of six charges, and like Ellis-Pinkney, he had his first hearing in Family Court and was held in lieu of $104,000 cash bail.

James-Carter is facing a total of eight charges. He had his court hearing in Family Court, and was held in lieu of $104,000 cash bail, states the report.

Detectives are asking anyone with any information pertaining to this investigation to contact Detective Holubinka at (302) 395-2745 or via email at Adam.Holubinka@newcastlede.gov.
Explosion in Londonderry, Police Investigate Suspected Car Bomb

Police in Northern Ireland reported a suspected car bomb that exploded in Londonderry on Saturday, Jan. 19, around 8:15 p.m. local time. There were no apparent injuries from the incident as people were urged to stay away from the area.

An image released by police on Twitter showed what appeared to be a burning vehicle in Bishop Street in the center of the city. The suspected blast occurred outside the citys courthouse.

Bishop Street Closed STAY AWAY Suspected Car Bomb pic.twitter.com/S3cFu3zy0i  PSNI DC&S District (@PSNIDCSDistrict) January 19, 2019

A journalist from the Irish edition of the Sunday Times newspaper reported that the attack was carried out by the New IRA, a terrorist group opposed to the 1998 peace deal that largely ended three decades of violence in the British-run province.

The scene in #Derrys Diamond where a car bomb had exploded outside Derry Court House on Bishop Street pic.twitter.com/4JumfQoUSo  Leona O'Neill (@LeonaONeill1) January 19, 2019

Some 3,600 people were killed in the conflict that was fought between mainly Protestant unionists who want Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom and predominantly Catholic nationalists. Some sporadic violence continues among small, splinter groups but car bombings are rare.

Police with sniffer dogs checking parked vehicles in the #Derrys Diamond area amid fears of a secondary device pic.twitter.com/42w20mpJjs  Leona O'Neill (@LeonaONeill1) January 19, 2019

The reported bombing comes as police on both sides of the now-open border between Northern Ireland and European Union-member Ireland have express fears that a return to a hard border after Brexit, complete with customs and other checks, could be a target for terrorist groups.

The @mayordcsdc John Boyle says that the city is shocked and saddened at tonights explosion pic.twitter.com/Ze5dcnpODz  Leona O'Neill (@LeonaONeill1) January 19, 2019
Chinese Regime Enables Huaweis Overseas Expansion Through One Belt, One Road Initiative

Embattled Chinese telecom giant Huawei has been able to expand its business internationally even as many governments around the world voice their concerns about the security of its equipment.

Huawei has successfully transformed into one of the biggest tech giants in the world from a small Chinese company because it serves the interests of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP): providing the advanced technology the Party needs to exert its political clout globally, while assisting the Chinese regime in carrying out surveillance and spying activities.

Huawei was able to build its presence in global tech sectors because the company has been piggybacking off Chinas One Belt, One Road (OBOR, or Belt and Road) foreign-policy initiative in recent years.

In 2013, Beijing rolled out One Belt, One Road, an aggressive plan to build up trade routes connecting China, Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America. Through the financing of infrastructure projects in more 60 countries, the Chinese regime is seeking to bolster its geopolitical influence around the world.

Huawei is a key participant in those projects.

Internet Cables

On Oct. 22, 2018, Huawei Marine, a joint venture between Huawei and the U.K.-based submarine communications firm Global Marine Systems, announced its Peace Cable project: a 12,000 km (7,456 miles) long underwater high-speed internet cable system linking Pakistan, South Africa, Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti, Egypt, and France. The project is currently in its cable and material manufacturing stage.

The project, which will be jointly carried out by Huawei Marine and the Peace Cable International Network, a subsidiary of Chinese fiber optic manufacturer Hengtong Group, is expected to be in service by the first quarter in 2020, according to Huaweis official website, and will serve as a new information expressway from China to Europe and Africa.

Days earlier, Mao Shengjiang, chief operating officer of Huawei Marine, said while speaking at the third Asia Pacific Submarine Network Forum that Huawei Marine has been contracted to build about 40,000 km (24,854 miles) of submarine cable worldwide, which [is long enough that the cables] could circle the earth at the equator.

But Huawei Marines global ambitions were stonewalled in June 2018, when Australia stepped in to stop the company from laying underwater internet cables for the Solomon Islands. Australia offered to fund and build the cables instead, which the Pacific island nation accepted. According to Reuters, Australias decision was based on security concerns, given that Huawei would have had access to a broadband hub in Sydney if it were allowed to lay the cables.

5G Rollout

Huawei is also the key to the Chinese regimes plan to roll out 5G technology around the world.

5G is the next generation of wireless mobile communications technology. Countries are vying for leadership because that technology is seen as critical to future economic growth.

According to a Dec. 2018 report by U.S.-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Huawei has become a market leader in manufacturing equipment that is vital for 5G networks, the radio access network (RAN).

RAN connects mobile users with the 5G core network. According to the report, Huawei is the market leader for RAN equipment, with a 31 percent market share, followed by Ericsson (29 percent) and Nokia (23 percent), in the first quarter in 2018.

Huaweis overseas ventures in both underwater fiber optics and 5G have been in part driven by Chinas national policy of OBOR.

OBOR

In March 2015, the Chinese regime made clear how important these technologies are to its interests: the National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Commerce, jointly issued a directive detailing goals and actions for OBOR. Two key objectives were the construction of transnational fiber topics for communications and synchronizing technological standards [between China and other countries].

By dominating 5G standards at international standard-setting agencies, Huawei could pocket licensing fees from mobile-service providers and governments that use its 5G technology. Huawei would also gain earnings from future contracts for maintenance or repair jobs of its sold equipment.

This agenda is in line with Beijings overall desire to become less dependent on foreign technology. In January 2018, Chinas state-run media Xinhua reported on its intention to accelerate the development of technical standards for technologies such as 5G and the internet of things (IoT), under the name of China Standards 2035.

In May 2018, Zhou Jialiangwho was a company director working in Kyrgyzstan at the time and now serves as director for Huaweis Volkswagen account, according to his LinkedIn pagesaid in an interview with Chinese media 21st Century Business Herald that OBOR provided many opportunities for the company to expand its market in Central Asia and elsewhere.

Zhou said that different OBOR infrastructure projects, such as railways, roads, airports, and oil pipelines, would all require modern telecom equipment to allow systems to communicate with each otherprime business opportunities for Huawei.

By participating in OBOR, Huawei, which had relied on concessional loans and business loans for overseas expansion, would be able to receive funding from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the state-owned Silk Road investment fund.

The fund was designed to foster investment in countries under OBOR. Beijing pledged $40 billion when it was established in December 2014.

Huawei executives have continually made it clear their intentions to capitalize on the Chinese regimes flagship project. While speaking at the annual World Internet Conference in China in December 2015, Richard Yu, CEO of Huaweis customer service division, Consumer Business Group, announced that Huawei would embark on its own One Belt, One Road initiative: a plan to reach out to untapped markets around the world.

Smart City Projects

OBOR also involves exporting another of Chinas technological advances: the smart city.

Chinas State Information Center published a research paper in December 2015, detailing how the construction of smart cities could help lead the OBOR initiative. The paper applauded Huawei, as well as its domestic competitor ZTE, for undertaking an important role in building smart cities in other countries.

In May 2017, at the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, where Chinese leader Xi Jinping invited heads of state to participate in the project, Xi reiterated the importance of building smart cities under OBOR.

On the companys official website, Huawei has touted its ability to provide smart solutions, including safe cities and smart citiesin other words, using Huaweis surveillance technology and cameras.

A Smart City is a complex mesh of systems across sectors such as transportation, energy, water, and healthcare, according to Huaweis website. The company claims that its smart city solution can build up a network, much like a persons nervous system, with real-time situation reporting and analysis that combines cloud computing, IoT, Big Data, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

But inside China, such technology has been used to monitor citizens and snuff out dissidents.

The dangers of Huawei exporting such technology abroad were explained by the think tank Jamestown Foundation, in an article published in June 2018.

While the smart cities of the future could be better, more efficient cities, they could also provide authoritarian regimes with previously undreamt of tools of surveillance and control, the foundation warned. Additionally, when used in democratic countries, Huawei equipment may act as a conduit for [Beijings] intelligence gathering.

An example of Huaweis smart cities is at Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, under the OBOR initiative, according to a 2017 article published by Huawei on its official WeChat social-media account.

In the WeChat article, Huawei claimed that it had reduced the number of traffic violations and crime rates after placing more than 10,000 cameras in Astana.

Jamestown Foundation, in the same article, noted that within three years from 2014 to 2017, Huawei doubled the number of countries where it has deployed its smart city technology: to 40 from 20. An interesting pattern emerged: Huawei first deployed it in a number of authoritarian and hybrid regimes such as Pakistan, Venezuela, Laos, and Angola, before branching out to democratic countries, such as France and Germany.

In January 2018, the German city of Duisburg signed a memorandum of understanding on a smart city partnership with Huawei. Under the agreement, the two partners will work together on projects such as expanding the citys WiFi network, improving government cloud solutions, traffic management, smart street lamps, and 5G technology.

Smart Energy

Huaweis OBOR projects also include another smart solution: selling its smart energy system to petroleum companies and oil-producing countries, according to a Nov. 8, 2016 article on its website.

During a speech at the Huawei Global Energy Summit held in Abu Dhabi, Jerry Ji, an executive within Huaweis Enterprise Business Group unit, said that Huawei is committed to helping oil and gas companies address challenges and build competitiveness in the global market in todays digital age.

Huaweis answer is to offer data solutions technology to energy companies. In November 2016, Huawei and Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company, a subsidiary of the UAE state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, announced they established a new cloud data center to help the latter process huge volumes of data created by offshore oil exploration and production.

Huawei, in an article published on its website in June 2018, announced that its oil and gas data solutions have been implemented in 45 countries, providing the service to 70 percent of the worlds top 20 oil and gas companies. Some of these smart energy deals have been officially declared OBOR projects by the Chinese regime.

Also a part of its smart energy solutions, Huawei inked a solar power plant project in Argentina, the companys first successful OBOR project in the South American country.

The solar project, a 300 megawatt (MW) power station, is being built at Cauchari village in northwest Argentina, with financing from Chinese loans. The plant, which adopted Huaweis internet-enhanced Smart PV system, is being built by Shanghai Electric, a subsidiary of Chinas state-owned construction company, PowerChina.

Huaweis possession of such sensitive data can have dangerous ramifications, given its close ties to Beijing. In February 2018, the U.S. Council of Economic Advisers, which conducts economic research to advise the White House, highlighted the potential for cyber attacks on critical U.S. infrastructure sectors to generate especially large negative spillover effects to the wider economy. Examples of critical infrastructure include utilities, agriculture, and finance.

The councils report cited a 2014 report by PricewaterhouseCoopers that explains the motivation behind such attacks: nation-states would target critical infrastructure providers in order to steal trade secrets and proprietary IP, including financial and workforce-related information, for the purpose of advancing their political and economic advantages.

Several U.S. lawmakers recently voiced security concerns that Huaweis sales of solar equipment in the United States could threaten the entire American electricity grid.

Rep. Tom Marino (R-Pa.) wrote a letter to the U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry, according to the Financial Times, about his concern that [Huaweis] entrance into large-scale and residential solar markets may pose a threat to our nations infrastructure.

National Emergency System

One of the countrys signature OBOR projects is the national emergency system developed in Ecuador, according to Chinas official OBOR web portal.

The emergency system, named ECU 911, is built by Chinas state-owned China National Electronics Import and Export Corporation (CEIEC). Huawei supplied tens of thousands of dollars in equipment to the system, including 4,500 surveillance camerassome equipped with facial recognition technology, routers, wireless access points, network switches, and wireless access controllers.

Shashank Joshi, a senior fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a UK-based think tank, expressed concerns about buying surveillance equipment from China, as it encourages authoritarian principles and omnipresent surveillance, according to an August 2018 editorial, titled Ecuadors All-Seeing Eye Is Made in China and published by Foreign Policy magazine.

Meanwhile, David Denoon, a professor of politics and economics at New York University and the director of the schools Center on U.S.-China Relations, pointed out another exploitative aspect of working with Chinese companies.

Telecommunications and surveillance systems are considered attractive projects [for China] because they permit monitoring of local content and usually lead to long-term contracts for replacement parts [in surveillance equipment], Denoon told Foreign Policy.
William Overholt, author of "China's Crisis of Success," speaks at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington on Jan. 15, 2019. (Wu Wei/NTD)

Chinas Elite Love Trump, US Researcher Says

WASHINGTONChinas elite love President Donald Trump and hope he can put useful pressure on China to move reforms forward, a top American researcher said recently.

William Overholt, a senior research fellow at Harvard Universitys Asia Center, said, The Chinese elite love Trump.  The United States elite hates Trump and the masses love him. He said in China, the elite love Trump and the masses hate him for nationalistic reasons.

They like him because he is pushing on [Chinese leader] Xi Jinping.

Overholt told The Epoch Times, [Chinas elite] are afraid that some things are being moved backward. They think some foreign pressure could be very helpful.

The situation was similar to what once happened in Japan, Overholt explained. Japanese would wait for Americans to push them to do things that they needed to do anyway.

I think there are many people in China, especially among academic elites who see it that way, Overholt said. They hope for more reform and opening. It is what Xi Jinping says he wants. But to many people in China and many people outside of China, it looks more like very, very slow reform and substantial closing.

Overholt commented on Chinas elites at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on Jan. 15, while discussing his new book Chinas Crisis of Success.

In his book, Overholt argues that China has reached a threshold where success has eliminated the conditions that enabled miraculous growth. Continued success requires re-invention of its economy and politics. The old economic strategy, based on exports and infrastructure, now piles up debt without producing sustainable economic growth, and Chinese society now resists the disruptive change that enabled earlier reforms.

Overholt discussed the emergent economic weakness China is now facing. The problems include collapsed productivity growth, high debt, plateauing of property prices, the starving and cannibalization of private sectors, and the state no longer gaining control through its ownership of industry.

He also discussed emerging political weakness, which includes the alienation of broad segments of the Chinese people, while the Chinese regime fights to retain control.

What we are seeing is a party that is grasping for every little lever of political control, everything, Overholt said.
Employees work on a micro-motor production line at a factory in Huaibei in eastern China's Anhui Province, on June 23, 2018. (AFP/Getty Images)

Chinas Job Market Faces Challenging Road Ahead With Unemployment Rising

Chinas job market has been devastated by the Sino-U.S. trade war, and the outlook for 2019 isnt looking very positive.

Berlin-based think tank Mercator Institute for China Studies, published a report Jan. 10 projecting that if the trade dispute cant be settled, Chinas export sector could take an immediate hit, leading to mass layoffs of workers.

This is compounded by the fact that the Chinese economy is already struggling, which means rising unemployment could fuel social unrest, the report warned.

In the last month of 2018, Chinas manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI) dropped to 49.4, the weakest reading since February 2016, according to Reuters. A PMI dipping below 50 signals economic contraction.

Chinas job market in 2018 was already doing poorly. Overall employment dropped by about 2.8 million people in the 12 months ending in November 2018, CNBC reported, citing a Jan. 9 survey of 374,000 large industrial firms conducted by Hong Kong financial services company Gavekal Dragonomics.

In an attempt to address the problem, 20 Chinese provinces have introduced measures to boost employment, in response to a call by Chinas cabinet-like State Council in December 2018 to prioritize stable employment and job creation.

Among the measures is to provide the unemployed with government-subsidized training in vocational skills, according to a Jan. 7 article by Chinas state-run newspaper Global Times.

Many Chinese media have predicted that the 2019 job market will be the worst-ever employment season, according to the Global Times.

Confidence in the Chinese economy is also at an unprecedented low level. Out of 465 Chinese individuals whose personal assets were valued at 10 million yuan or more (about $1.47 million) during the past six months, 34 percent stated that they were very confident about the Chinese economy, according to a survey by Chinese business magazine Hurun Report published on Jan. 16. Thats a 14 percent drop from a year earlierand the lowest level since 2010.

Meanwhile, the percentage of respondents saying they had no confidence at all rose to 14 percent, an increase of 8 percent from a year prior, and the highest level since 2010.

One reason for Chinas poor job market is that foreign companies have been moving their production away from Chinasome because of the trade war, while others for economic reasons.

Apple assembler Foxconn let go of about 50,000 contract workers since October last year at the companys iPhone assembling factory at Zhengzhou City, the capital of Chinas Henan Province, according to a Jan. 18 report by Japanese media Nikkei. Unidentified sources told Nikkei that the scale of the workforce reduction was similar to previous years, but it was significant that the cuts happened much earlier than usual for the contract workers.



Another Apple assembler, Pegatron, stopped renewing monthly labor contracts for Chinese workers beginning in November last year, according to Nikkei.

In early January, Nikkei reported that Apple had reduced planned production for its three new iPhone modelsXR, XS, and XS Maxby 10 percent for the January-March quarter, because of slowing demand in China, the worlds largest smartphone market.

In December 2018, Samsung closed its joint-venture smartphone production facility in Tianjin City, after more than 20 years in operation, due to sluggish sales in China, according to Chinas business media Caixin. The closing of the facility, which was a joint venture with a Chinese company backed by the Tianjin government, affected more than 2,000 workers.
FileAfghan policemen outside a government compound in Kabul that was hit by an attack on Dec. 25, 2018. The Jan. 20, 2019, car bomb blast on a highway near Kabul targeted a convoy, killing at least eight Afghan security force members. (Mohammad Ismail/Reuters)

Car Bomb Attack Kills Eight Security Force Members in Afghanistan

KABUL, AfghanistanA car bomb attack on a convoy of the governor of Afghanistans southern Logar Province killed at least eight Afghan security force members on Jan. 20 but left the provincial chief unharmed, local officials said.

Shahpoor Ahmadzai, the spokesman for Logars provincial police, said the bomber detonated an explosives-packed car close to the governors convoy on a major highway between Logar and the capital Kabul.

Unfortunately 10 others are wounded, and the number of casualties may rise, Ahmadzai said, adding that the provincial chief of the countrys intelligence agency was also in the convoy but unhurt in the attack.

Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban, said in a statement that the group was responsible for the blast and that a large number of Afghan special forces had been killed or wounded.

Logar, located around 46 miles from Kabul, is known as a strategic gateway to the capital and is vulnerable to attacks due to the Talibans active presence in most areas of the province.

The terrorist group has ramped up attacks in strategic provinces in recent months in its battle to expel foreign forces, topple the Western-backed government, and restore its version of hard-line Islamic law, even as peace talks with the United States ramp up.
NEW YORKGeorge Callas was a little lost for words when the curtain lifted and dancers in vibrant costumes glided across the stage. The spectacle in front of him was something he didnt expect when he walked through the doors of the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center.

They are very talented people. This is a new thing for me, he said.

Callas is the chief revenue officer at the Invictus Group, a company that develops tools to provide banks with analytics and data. Prior to this, he was in several management roles for leading financial institutions and financial services firms. He attended the performance on Jan. 19 with friends Ron Justice and Mora Schley.

New York-based Shen Yun is the premier classical Chinese dance and music company that tours the globe with a mission to revive Chinas semi-divine culture. Each performance comprises of about 20 vignettes that showcase different aspects of China like its regions, dynasties, and stories.

Many of Shen Yuns stories portray themes like spiritual devotion, the benevolence of gods, good and evil retribution, and the search for the meaning of life. For thousands of years, the ancient Chinese regarded these values highly, having been influenced by Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.

Along with the dancing, Callas found these stories quite enlightening. He said, Im just taking it all in, you know.

His friend Justice, who is the chief executive officer of The State Bank and Fentura Financial, agreed with Callas. He added that he was just thinking of the beauty of the dancing.

The beauty  comes from the symmetry, the synchronization, Justice said. Its amazing! Its just really, truly beautiful.

Meanwhile, Schley said she found the performance educational. She said, I liked learning about the culture and the story [and] how it builds on each segment.

Callas added, I recommend people go and see it.

With reporting by Wei Yong and Janita Kan.

The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the companys inception in 2006.
President Donald Trump blinked Saturday -- at least with one eye -- in an effort to end the stalemate that has closed a significant portion of the federal government for the past month.

The president redefined the nature and the extent of his long-dreamed-of border wall, while at the same time offering to extend temporary protection for the so-called "Dreamers," young people illegally brought by their parents to this country when they were younger than 16. For most of them, America is the only country they ever have known. It appears to be a good-faith effort by the president to appeal to Democrats for the compromise that would get the country back into full operation.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi proved she is not interested in restoring the government to full function, rejected the president's offer as a "non-starter" -- and she did so half an hour before the president officially made it.

And so it goes in a Washington, D.C., that exists in a bizarre alternative universe from the rest of the country. Some 400,000 Americans still are forced to work without pay and another 400,000 stay home, again without pay. Millions of other Americans are increasingly inconvenienced by shuttered or unstaffed museums, monuments, parks and other government facilities.
The president visited South Texas recently to further explain why he shuttered the government  and may declare a state of emergency  over a border wall. It was nothing more than a campaign stop. It is unfortunate the president is using Texas as a backdrop for his campaign, and more so that some in Texas are participating. But there is no good explanation for his actions. The federal government shutdown is unacceptable and must end. The purported reason for the shutdown does not meet any basic test of sound public policy.

The president, and unfortunately state leaders, are equating the wall, variously, with national security and with border security, sometimes using the terms interchangeably. Immigrants are not a security threat, and we find efforts to paint them in those terms irresponsible and reprehensible. Simply put, the southern border is not a significant entry point for international terrorist organizations.
King's nephew, the Rev. Derek Barber King Sr. of Atlanta, was in the crowd and called upon to share some words with attendees.

He talked of his uncle's assassination, and how James Earl Ray, who killed King in 1968, likely wanted to silence his political movement and everything he stood for. But, Derek King noted, quoting the famous Obi Wan line from the Star Wars movie franchise, "If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."

The result of King's martyrdom, Derek King said, is the powerfully charged and continuously unfolding story of justice.

"Don't you give up, don't you get tired and don't you get deceived," he urged. "God is still in charge... If you can't run, walk. If you can't walk, crawl. But whatever you do, keep on moving."

Navasota ISD teacher Dorothy Sargent was in attendance with her husband, Wilbert. She said she comes to the parade and program every year to rekindle a spirit of fellowship and friendship with others in her community. She said despite some of the turbulence in today's sociopolitical climate, she believes America continues to progress. More than 50 years after King's civil rights movement, she said, it remains crucial to reflect on what the civil rights leader taught.
A Bryan woman was arrested Friday after authorities conducted a drug raid on a home near Crockett Elementary.

According to Bryan police, investigators with the police department and the Texas Department of Public Service suspected drug sales were coming from a home in the 300 block of East Villa Maria Road. On Friday, a search warrant was executed and two people were detained. Throughout the home, authorities located a total of 24 grams of methamphetamine and a minute amount of Ecstasy, a report notes.

Tonya Maria Sifuentez, 34, told authorities she was dealing the meth from her home in order to support her own drug habit.

She is charged with delivery of methamphetamine, a first-degree felony punishable by up to 99 years in prison and $10,000 in fines.

She was released from the Brazos County Jail on $12,000 bond.
Click the image to the left and log in to get your exclusive reader perks.
This is the temporary subscription pass for users returning from the Vision Data subscription process. Your subscription will be updated within 24 hours, after your information is verified. Please click the button below to get your pass.
A Ste Genevieve woman concerned about her daughters safety has launched an advocacy campaign to bring seatbelts to school buses in Manitoba.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/1/2019 (879 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Ste Genevieve woman concerned about her daughters safety has launched an advocacy campaign to bring seatbelts to school buses in Manitoba.

Petra McGowan is asking others who share her concerns to join Manitoba Parents for Mandatory Seatbelts, a Facebook group she launched earlier this month. As of Wednesday, it had attracted 228 members.

"When she first stepped on the bus, I was so surprised," McGowan said in an interview, recalling the first time she escorted her six-year-old daughter, Emerson, onto a Seine River School Division bus bound for Ste Anne Immersion, a 45-minute trip.

In Europe, where McGowan lived previously, school bus seatbelts are a preventative safety measure as commonplace "as brushing your teeth."

In winter, when road conditions can change in a matter of hours, McGowan said she worries as she awaits her daughters return.

"If the bus is five minutes late, Im anxious."

Her will to take action was further galvanized last October, when The Fifth Estate, a CBC investigative documentary series, aired an episode called "Unbuckled," which delved into the 1984 study Transport Canada relies on to justify its stance that school bus seatbelts can do more harm than good in a collision.

McGowan said she found the documentarys conclusions "pretty disturbing."

Shortly after the episode aired, Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau ordered his department to reexamine the relevant research on school bus restraints.

This week, a spokesperson for Garneaus office said a timeline for completing the review will be discussed at a cabinet meeting later this month.

"Recognizing that school bus safety is a shared responsibility among all levels of government, this review will involve close collaboration with provinces and territories, safety advocates, and a diverse safety stakeholder community," the spokesperson wrote in an email.

A Manitoba government spokesperson said motor vehicle safety standards fall to Infrastructure Minister Ron Schulers department, which awaits the findings of Garneaus review.

A spokesperson for Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen declined to make the Steinbach MLA available for an interview.

McGowan said provincial lawmakers need not wait for Ottawa to make up its mind.

"We shouldnt be reviewing anymore. We know it is unsafe."

She wants the province to draft a bill similar to one tabled in late November by former Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne. If passed, Bill 56 would see three-point harnesses installed in all Ontario school buses by 2025.

"I want that to happen in my province as well," McGowan said.

Her own reading of the 35-year-old Transport Canada study found it didnt account for all types of collisions.

"It didnt address sideways rollovers, which are the most lethal."

McGowan said shes buckled in for the long haul, as laws dont change overnight. The parents whove joined her online group will continue to share information, discuss concerns, and consider advocacy strategies like a letter writing campaign while they await action from politicians.

She said the group has already bolstered similar grassroots efforts in other provinces, such as a Change.org petition started last November by Gary Lillico, a school bus driver in British Columbia.

For now, Transport Canada maintains the high-back padded seats found on school buses provide compartmentalization during a collision, distributing the impact over a childs upper body. A lap belt causes a child to pitch forward, increasing the chance of head and neck injuries.

McGowan called Transport Canadas stance "isolated" and out of step with safety regulations for other types of vehicles.

However, some safety organizations support the federal governments view. The Canada Safety Council website calls school bus travel "16 times safer than travelling in a family car."

Transport Canadas Motor Vehicle Safety branch website adds "less than 0.02 percent of all Canadian road deaths involve an occupant of a school bus."

McGowan said she isnt calling school buses unsafe, just pointing out seatbelts would make them safer. She believes studies on modern lap-and-shoulder belts support her argument, and noted medical professionalsthose who deal with the aftermath of bus accidentstend toward her view.

In a 2015 statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics said new school buses should have safety restraints, and encouraged school divisions to install height and weight-appropriate three-point harnesses.

While a belted child can be harder to extricate, McGowan noted a child knocked unconscious can also be hard to move.

"Were giving kids a fighting chance if there are seatbelts," she said.

Seine River superintendent Mike Borgfjord said divisions must follow current safety legislation, and pointed to Seine Rivers strong safety record.

Trustees will discuss the topic of seatbelts at their Tuesday board meeting. Borgfjord said he hopes divisions are consulted if government regulations are amended.

Seine River hasnt run any costing scenarios for installing seatbelts in its fleet of 70 buses, which ferry 70 percent of division students to and from school each day. The longest one-way bus rides in the division can run up to 85 minutes, due to its expansive catchment area, Borgfjord said.

McGowan allowed the cost of retrofitting may be significant, but pales in comparison to the value of the cargo.

"You cannot put money against a childs life."
Automotive News Digest; Week Ending January 19, 2019 - Compiled By Executive Producer Larry Nutson







AUTO CENTRAL DETROIT and CHICAGO - January 20, 2019: Every Sunday Larry Nutson, Senior Editor and Chicago Car Guy along with fellow senior editor Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau, give you The Auto Channel's "take" on this past week's automotive news, in easy to "catch up" with news nuggets.

See Also: links to the past 25 year's millions of (Indexed By Bing) pages of automotive news, automotive stories, articles, reviews, archived news residing in The Auto Channel Automotive News Library.

TV viewers, you can now enjoy The Auto Channel TV Network On Amazon TV, Google TV, HULU, ROKU, and Old Fashioned "Free and Clear" Over the air TV in Boston and South Florida as well as local cable systems.

* We took in the media previews at the last and final winter Detroit Auto Show, the North American International Auto Show, that is. The show moves to June in 2020. Big trucks and fast cars dominated what little there was new, with concepts from Infiniti and Nissan striking our eye. The RAM 3500 heavy duty with 1,000 ft-lb of torque and the 2020 Shelby Mustang GT 500 with over 700-HP roll out the big numbers.

* The 2019 NACTOY winners--North American Car, Truck and Utility of the Year, were announced at NAIAS. Genesis G70 is the car winner, RAM 1500 is the truck winner and Hyundai Kona/Kona EV is the Utility winner.

* Honors for design excellence in production and concept vehicles making their debut at NAIAS at the 13th annual EyesOn Design Awards. The 2019 EyesOn Design Award winners are: 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500  Best Production Vehicle, Infiniti QX Inspiration concept  Best Concept Vehicle, Infiniti QX Inspiration concept  Innovative Use of Color, Graphics or Materials, Infiniti QX Inspiration concept  Best Interior and Lexus LC Convertible concept  Best Exterior Lighting.

* Ford and Volkswagen confirmed the two automakers will work together to develop and produce medium-size pickup trucks and small commercial vans. They also said they will cooperate on electric and autonomous vehicles. The companies said they intend to have the medium-size pickup trucks available in global markets as early as 2022, with commercial vans coming later. As of now none of the products are for the U.S. This could change.

* The Automotive Hall of Fame announced its class of inductees for 2019 this week. They included: pioneering racer Janet Guthrie; former FCA chairman, the late Sergio Marchionne; founder of American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc. Richard E. Dick Dauch; and insurance and finance innovator Patrick Ryan. Founded in 1939 the AHoF has inducted more than 275 men and women who have been innovators in the auto industry. The induction ceremony will take place on July 18, 2019 in Detroit.

* Chevrolet has pulled a TV ad that claimed the brand was "more reliable" than Honda, Toyota and Ford. The data used to support the ad was in question and the three truck makers challenged Chevrolet.

* Reuters reports a federal grand jury in Detroit indicted four managers at Volkswagen AGs luxury Audi unit as part of the U.S. governments investigation into the German automakers diesel emissions cheating scandal, according to court documents. In total, 13 people have been charged in the United States, including the four Audi managers. The four are charged in a 12-count indictment with conspiring to evade U.S. emissions standards in diesel vehicles sold in the United States with 3.0-liter engines.

* Carlos Ghosn remains in custody in Japan as prosecutors continue to add charges of improper financial dealings. The latest charge is for improperly receiving $9 million in compensation from a joint venture between Nissan and Mitsubishi. Officials from both companies expressed surprise and outrage at this newest revelation. Ghosn is credited with saving Nissan more than 20 years ago and had become a hero in the auto business community. He has already been charged for under-reporting in income for eight years and other financial misdeeds. Ghosn was denied bail by Japanese authorities and will continue to remain in jail. He can be held until March 10 and prosecutors can request a one month extension. Ghosn could be in jail for months before any thing substantial happens with the charges against him.

* Writing for Reuters, Joe White says, "Someone call Sammy Hagar and tell him to get 'I Cant Drive 55' recut in German." To fight climate change, the German government is proposing to put a 130 km/hr (80 mph) speed limit on the nations legendary no limits autobahns, raise fuel taxes and institute electric vehicle quotas. The proposals have not been adopted. Political trouble seems certain.

* In order to reduce costs Tesla is planning to cut 7% of its work force while simultaneously increasing production of the Model 3, a move likely to be affect more than 3,000 jobs. In and e-mail to employees CEO Elon Musk said There isnt any other way. He noted that they will be making many manufacturing engineering improvements to do that. Tesla cut prices on all models earlier this month because of the loss of the $7,500 federal tax credit on its electric vehicles.

* Colorado plans to join 10 other states in encouraging non-polluting vehicles by developing ZEV (zero-emission vehicle) rules requiring automakers to sell target numbers of these vehicles. Colorados new governor, Jared Polis, is calling for the creation of an interagency task force to support EV vehicle use across the state. The Colorado Automobile Dealers Association is not on board saying Coloradans already have plenty of clean vehicle choices.

* Hyundai and Kia are recalling about 168,000 vehicles to fix a fuel pipe problem that can cause engine fires. The recall covers some 2011 through 2014 Kia Optima cars, 2012 through 2014 Sorrento SUVs, and 2011 through 2013 Sportage SUVs, all with 2-liter and 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines. Also covered are many 2011 to 2014 Hyundai Sonata cars and 2013 and 2014 Santa Fe Sport SUVs.

* The epic Dakar Rally finished this past week in Lima, Peru. Considered the worlds toughest rally-race, the Dakar Rally moved from Africa to South America over a decade ago because of security issues. The motorcycle category was won by Australian Toby Price in his Red Bull KTM 1-2-3. In the car class, Nasser Al-Attiyah from Qatar led the field in his Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux. The Truck class win went to Eduard Nikolaev from Russia in his KAMAZ, his third consecutive win. And, in the Quad class Argentinas Nicolas Cavigliasso won.

* NASCAR Hall of Famer Glen Wood, a pioneering driver and co-founder of stock-car racings longest-running team, has died. He was 93. Woods passing was announced by Wood Brothers Racing. Until his death, Wood was the oldest living member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, inducted into its third class in 2012. Glen and his brother, Leonard, built a legendary racing operation that still competes in what is now known as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The Wood Brothers Racing organization has 99 victories in more than 1,500 starts in NASCARs top division, fielding cars for an illustrious list of legendary drivers.

* A final thought on the NAIAS moving its date to June. It will be interesting to observe all the automotive media wearing shorts to press conferences. And, now many more auto scribes will be able to attend Arizona Auction Week.
Washington: The images in a series of videos that went viral on social media showed a tense scene near the Lincoln Memorial.

In them, a Native American man steadily beats his drum at the end of an Indigenous Peoples March on Friday while singing a song of unity for indigenous people to "be strong" in the face of the ravages of colonialism that now include police brutality, poor access to health care and the ill effects of climate change on reservations.

Surrounding him is a throng of young, mostly white teenage boys, several wearing Make America Great Again caps, with one standing about 30 centimetres from the drummer's face also wearing a relentless smirk.

Native American Indian elder Nathan Phillips is taunted by Covington Catholic High School students wearing Make America Great Again caps near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. Credit:Twitter

Nathan Phillips, a veteran in the indigenous rights movement, was that man in the middle.
The arson squad has been called in to investigate a deliberately lit fire at a Perth high school.

Its understood police and security staff attended Morley Senior High School at 3.30am on Sunday after alarms at the premises were activated.

The torched classroom. Credit:WA Police

There was a fire in one of the classrooms, and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services attended the scene.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze just before 4am.
Family and friends have remembered the young man killed in a Swan Hill brawl as a gentle, kind man.

Jesse Edwards, 20, died from serious head injuries after a fight broke out in the north-east Victorian town early on Saturday morning.

Jesse Edwards died on Saturday morning after a fight broke out in Swan Hill. Credit:Facebook

He was treated on the scene by paramedics, but was unable to be saved.

The fight broke out on Campbell Street around 1.15am Saturday morning.
The "outstanding" work of a local police officer who recognised a distinctive cap and T-shirt from the scene of Aiia Maasarwe's death led to the early arrest of murder suspect Codey Herrmann.

But a massive political glitch could have jeopardised the initial homicide investigation.

Mr Herrmann's arrest came two days after the student's death when a police officer stationed at Heidelberg recognised a "1986" cap and two-tone grey T-shirt left outside the shopping centre where Ms Maasarwe's body was found.

He has been charged with the rape and murder of the exchange student, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, who was killed shortly after she left a tram in Bundoora last Wednesday.

Mr Herrmann was on bail for minor offences.
Deep bruising and cuts Doreen Lovett knew something was terribly wrong when police told her that her son Tommy had been arrested but was not in a police cell. He was in hospital. Ms Lovett, a local Indigenous leader in Melbourne who works in Victorias criminal justice sector, raced to the Austin Hospital in Heidelberg to discover her son shaken and in pain. A doctors report of his injuries describes deep bruising and cuts over his body, swelling and abrasions on his forehead and prominent welts surrounding his eyes and cheeks. A gash on Lovetts wrist had to be stitched up. Lovett told his mother he had been scooting towards his grandmas house when a plain-clothes detective emerged from the home and barked at Lovett to stop. Lovett says the detective had a reputation among the local Indigenous community as a policeman to be avoided, so he scooted around the corner towards a police van and two uniform officers. They were searching for the 40-year-old, goatee-wearing suspect.

In a statement written after the incident, one of the policemen in the van, Constable K, describes Lovett seeking help from police. He stopped slightly behind our vehicle and in a loud voice asked if we can take him back to his  grandma's, K wrote. The male that stopped appeared to be young, of Aboriginal descent and looked somewhat distressed. Doreen Lovett says her son's ordeal has changed him forever. Credit:Luis Ascui From a distance of about 50 metres, the plain-clothes detective yelled at the uniform officers to arrest Lovett. He would later insist he believed Lovett was the wanted car thief and he had visited Lovetts grandmas house because it was frequented by men who fitted the suspect's description. Other police officers were not so certain. Five other officers who attended the scene later wrote that they believed Lovett was not the offender we were looking for. A sixth policeman, who handcuffed Lovett, later wrote that he was not sure why I was being directed to arrest this male as he did not match the description for the offender.

Lovett was also confused. As he was cuffed, he asked why he was being detained. He also remembers being scared, especially as the first detective raced towards him. Lovett feared a beating. Constable K wrote in his statement that Lovett was initially not aggressive but became agitated due to the handcuffs, which were cutting into his wrist. The arrival of the plain-clothes detective also prompted a reaction in Lovett. He became very resistive once the detective came up to him and targeted his head and neck. The detective had put his right arm into the jaw/neck area of the male and virtually took over from [the second arresting officer] Senior Constable R. Soon, two more plain-clothes detectives arrived at the scene, crowding over Lovett, who was screaming about being in pain. In his statement, Constable K noted the physical disparity between Lovett and the three detectives: Lovett was a skinny handcuffed male that myself and SC R had easily controlled before.

Lovetts insulting of the first detective, said the constable, caused a reaction. The detective decided to grab the young male by the upper part of the body and do something Im not sure what. As a result the males head was pushed into the timber plank and then further down towards the ground at which stage the two other detectives decided to engage and assist the detective. I did not see how or if the young male resisted in any way and did not see it necessary in any way to use force. Ks colleague, Constable R, said in his statement that after Lovett called the detective an idiot  the detective  then picked [Lovett] up by his upper body and with the aid of both other detectives, threw [Lovett] into a brown wooden fence. (A third policeman wrote an almost identical description of Lovett being thrown into a fence in his own statement.) In the first detectives statement, he justifies Lovetts handling after he was handcuffed because of what he claimed was the 18-year-old's potential for violence (Lovett had previously been charged by police for assault but has never been convicted for any crime.)

All three detectives described Lovett in their own statements as acting violently and spitting at them near the end of his ordeal, which led to Lovett being capsicum sprayed. Lovett admits spitting, but claims he did so because his mouth was filled with blood. He also alleges further humiliation  a policeman using water from a dog bowl to wash the capsicum spray from his face. (A police spokesperson said it was not known if police put the water into a bowl to provide this after-care.) Next, Lovett was charged with resisting arrest and assaulting police. For months, the arrest and the charges loomed over Lovett. Doreen Lovett recalls her son withdrawing. He stopped going out, she says softly. And he stopped smiling. Lovett might have been convicted if his Aboriginal Legal Service lawyer didnt press police to hand over the diary entries and statements from all of the police at the scene. At first, police stalled in doing so. Then, unexpectedly in early 2017 after a magistrate ordered police to produce all files about the arrest, police told Lovett his charges would be withdrawn.

The teenager, who had been arrested for someone elses crime only to face possible jail time for allegedly assaulting police, was suddenly told he had no case to answer. Disturbing to say the least Lovett and his mother complained about his arrest to senior police via an Indigenous police liaison group. Police files reviewed by The Age reveal a local police officer who worked with one of the detectives accused of assaulting Lovett attempted to informally mediate with the Lovett family, in apparent breach of police policy. The approach by the local officer confused Doreen Lovett, although she says he acknowledged her sons arrest had been bungled. If that was so, it accords with a diary note made by one of the uniformed officers at the scene. When some of the information about how the incident was handed sank in  it was disappointing and disturbing to say the least, Constable K wrote in his diary after he had resumed searching for the actual car theft suspect (who was later charged).

But, officially at least, the police admitted no fault. After the informal approach from the local officer, Lovett declined to be interviewed by internal affairs officers. He feared he would be further targeted and no one would believe him. This week, a police spokesperson said the investigator who had reviewed Lovetts arrest was unable to determine if any criminal or disciplinary behaviour occurred. Situations like this are extremely dynamic and police are acting on real-time information. From time to time police make mistakes, which is what occurred when the 18-year-old was incorrectly arrested on April 5, 2016, the police statement says. The police denial that anything improper occurred during Lovetts arrest is, according to his lawyer Jeremy King, of firm Robinson Gill, typical of Victorias broken police complaints system. Over the past five years, King has emerged as Victorias leading lawyer when it comes to successfully suing police after they have been formally cleared by an internal investigation. He is acting for Lovett, who intends to sue police.

We cannot leave it up to Victoria Police to hold officers who engage in misconduct to account for their actions. They have an inherent conflict of interest, he says in comments backed by the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service. This view is also supported by data. A screengrab showing Tommy Lovett riding to his grandmother's house on his scooter. In 2009 Victoria Polices internal affairs unit released a report that found the system was failing Indigenous complainants. Fewer than 1.5 per cent of brutality complaints involving an Indigenous person were substantiated. Almost a decade later, a separate inquiry by the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) found 4 per cent of brutality allegations from a sample of police complaints were upheld. The states police complaint system faced further intense scrutiny in April 2018, when The Age revealed the mishandling or cover-up of several alleged police brutality cases (including a case involving the alleged assault and humiliation of a Preston pensioner captured on CCTV). The reporting sparked a scandal, prompting fresh calls for reform  later backed by a joint parliamentary committee  and the charging of several officers by IBAC. King says the Andrews government is now failing Victorians by stalling on reform.
A police detective has come under fire for approaching patients about a possible civil lawsuit against a NSW doctor, in the weeks after the specialist was sensationally acquitted of 50 counts of sexual and indecent assault.

Its understood Newcastle doctor Jeremy Colemans defence team  who have previously been scathing of the police handling of the case against their client  intend to make a formal complaint to the NSW police watchdog over the detectives actions.

Dr Jeremy Coleman. Credit:Max Mason-Hubers

It comes after they obtained an email sent last September written by Detective Senior Constable Adam Stephen, in which he circulated the contact details of a Shine Lawyers solicitor canvassing a civil suit against Dr Coleman.

As a disclosure this has nothing to do with police nor am I in anyway suggesting you contact this lawyer. This matter is entirely up to you, Senior Constable Stephen wrote, despite sending the email from his work address.
Hundreds of people have taken part in a rally for women's rights in Canberra. Holding placards with slogans like "This is what a feminist looks like" and "No means no", they heard a line of speakers of all ages call for change in the attitudes of some men towards women.

One of the organisers, and the first speaker, Amy Blain, said: "We are all here because we want to see change."

She said she wanted the event to be broad, embracing people of different backgrounds. "Let our choice be to connect, not disconnect. To unify, not fragment. To work together, not apart," she said.

Hundreds at feminist rally in Canberra. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong

Most of those there were women, with a smattering of men, but there was a broad range of ages. An estimated 300 to 400 took part in the event. Similar rallies were held in Sydney and Melbourne and in US cities.
The Morrison government has given Netflix the green light to regulate film and television classification on its streaming platform in an unprecedented shift following a two-year trial.

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield approved the ongoing use of the scheme, which allows the company to quickly rank content between G and R18+ after the review was finalised in August.

Sandra Bullock in Bird Box, a new Netflix show which would fall under the company's new self-classification system. Credit:Netflix

The new system removes immediate control of classifications for movies from the Classification Board for the first time since it was established in 1970.

During that period, Netflix automatically generated the same rating or one rating higher than the Classification Board in 96 per cent of instances, the Communications Department confirmed.
The Louisiana Supreme Court on Friday declined to hear appeals from prosecutors and defense attorneys for convicted Bourbon Street shooter Trung Le, leaving undisturbed a lower court ruling that could trim his sentence from 60 years to 20.

The courts decision essentially upholds a state 4th Circuit Court of Appeal decision in April that left both sides disappointed.

Authorities said Le, a Belle Chasse resident, fired the first shots in a 15-bullet fusillade on crowded Bourbon Street early on June 29, 2014. An unknown second gunman returned fire, killing Hammond nursing student Brittany Thomas.

Nine others were wounded in the melee.

Le was convicted of manslaughter in the death of Thomas and attempted manslaughter for shooting at the second gunman.

Prosecutors never said that Le shot Thomas, but they alleged that his reckless actions set off the chain of events that led to her death.

At sentencing, Criminal District Court Judge Byron C. Williams threw the book at Le by stacking a 20-year sentence on the attempted manslaughter count atop a 40-year sentence for manslaughter.

However, the 4th Circuit Court ruled that under Louisiana law, his manslaughter conviction in Thomas' death could not stand because he did not physically kill her and was not acting in concert with her actual killer, the unknown male.

Instead, the appellate court said, Le was guilty of negligent homicide in connection with Thomas death.

Prosecutors appealed that decision, seeking to reinstate Les manslaughter conviction. Meanwhile, defense lawyers sought to have Les attempted manslaughter conviction vacated.

Defense attorney Martin Regan argued that Le shot to protect his friends after the other man raised a gun and said, I got that .40 for you.

The Louisiana Supreme Court declined to consider arguments from either side, although Chief Justice Bernette Johnson and Justice Jefferson Hughes III voted to consider the appeal from prosecutors to reinstate the manslaughter conviction.

The case will now head back to Criminal District Court for Le's resentencing. He could receive a total sentence between 20 and 25 years.

The 2014 mass shooting on Bourbon Street was followed by another one on the same street in 2016 that also left nine people wounded and one person dead.

Trung Le found guilty in Bourbon Street shooting Trung Le, the 22-year-old Belle Chasse man who fired the first four bullets in a 15-shot melee on Bourbon Street in 2014 that left a Hammond w

In a statement, Orleans Parish District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro decried the recurrent violence and the courts decision.

New Orleans is known worldwide for its Mardi Gras, second-lines and festivals, he said. But to let this decision stand creates a dangerous situation for our citizens and tourists. It essentially says that if there is a gunfight that inadvertently takes the life of an innocent bystander such as Brittany Thomas, the law will treat the shooters as if there isnt a real victim.

Meanwhile, Regan pledged to pursue further appeals in state and federal courts. Weve just begun to fight, he said.
For Krystal Sheltry, the paycheck her family relies on didnt arrive Tuesday.

That's when the partial federal government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, really hit home for Sheltry and her husband, who serves in the Coast Guard and is required to keep working even though he is not being paid.

Today you will not be receiving your regularly scheduled mid-month paycheck, Adm. Karl Schultz, commandant of the Coast Guard, said in a statement to all personnel. To the best of my knowledge, this marks the first time in our nations history that servicemembers in a U.S. Armed Force have not been paid during a lapse in government appropriations.

Saturday marked the 29th day of the shutdown, with no end in sight as President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats continue to argue over Trumps demand for $5.7 billion to fund a wall along the border with Mexico.

But Sheltry wasnt about to wait for a solution in Washington to do something to help out her and other affected families.

On Thursday and Friday, about 80 families were fed for free, thanks to donations to an emergency food pantry Sheltry and other Coast Guard spouses opened up.

That pantry  which also collects other essential goods besides food  is operating out of First Baptist Church, 8828 Belle Chasse Highway, which Sheltry said opened up its doors after she wasnt able to find a long-term option at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, also in Belle Chasse.

She hopes to keep the pantry going as long as the government remains shut down, with the exception of weekends, when the church needs the space.

She said its better than having the pantry in a garage  her first plan after she learned it wasnt possible to have it on the base.

Sheltry said the idea of accepting food from others is difficult for Coast Guard members because they have so much pride.

A fellow volunteer at the food bank held back tears Saturday when asked how the shutdown has affected her family, recalling that when she went to buy groceries last week, her son asked, Mom, can we buy that?  referring to a bag of chicken nuggets. Its like $6.

And it broke my heart, and I said to him, Hey, buddy, you dont worry about that,  said the volunteer, a fellow Coast Guard spouse. She asked that her name be withheld, in part citing a negative reaction by some posters on social media to government workers in need.

All government workers are welcome to take from the food pantry, Sheltry said, because the shutdown affects many more people in Louisiana than just the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard is the only branch of the U.S. military whose personnel arent being paid, after funding from the Department of Homeland Security ran out. Other branches of the military are funded through the Department of Defense, which has been funded by Congress.

South Louisiana isnt the only place thats taken to the food pantry idea. New London, Connecticut  the home of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy  is also using one, with many businesses in town rallying to the cause.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

The volunteer in Belle Chasse said the reaction she initially saw in New Orleans was much different.

Can't see video below? Click here.

I was so discouraged, so discouraged, she said of the community's initial tepid response, though she noted that might be understandable because of a lack of knowledge of how the Coast Guard is funded.

Shes seen more support in recent days, though.

Second Harvest Food Bank has started taking donations for the pantry. A spokesman for the food bank said a large supply of diapers should also be shipped there Monday.

Sheltry said she worries there are servicemembers in need who just wont accept help from the pantry because of their sense of pride.

We want people to come in. We hope that theyre not too scared to come in, too nervous, too embarrassed, she said.

But if someone doesnt want to pick out food in person, there is the option to text and pick up a supply, the volunteer said. Rides are available for people who dont have transportation.

And while the food pantry is helping for now, the volunteer said its ridiculous things have gotten to this point. Her daughter wont have a party for her 13th birthday Sunday, the volunteer said, because the family just cant afford it.

Its not about politics. Its not about the wall, the volunteer said. Its about our dignity. Its about feeding our families. Youve reduced the Coast Guard to food stamps and food pantries. Thats what theyve reduced us to.

The pantry is set to reopen Monday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the same hours on Tuesday and from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday.

Donations of refrigerated food, such as dairy products, can be accepted.
When former federal narcotics agent Chad Scott walks into a New Orleans federal courtroom Tuesday to face trial on perjury and obstruction of justice charges, prosecutors will have to finally begin showing their hand after a secretive, three-year investigation that has roiled the federal law enforcement community and upended more than a dozen major federal drug cases.

Scott, 50, a chiseled, blond water-ski champion who was also a star agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration, is at the center of the maelstrom. He faces seven counts of perjury, obstruction and falsification of government records. A second trial in which Scott will face four other charges, including conspiracy and stealing suspects' property for personal use, is set for October.

The second trial will also include Rodney Gemar, a former Hammond police officer who was a member of Scott's task force. Gemar faces six counts, most of them related to illegally taking the property of suspects.

Both trials stem from acts Scott allegedly committed while leading a Metairie-based drug task force that regularly made major busts along the busy Interstate 12 corridor, a major route for drugs traveling up from Mexico through Houston and on to the East Coast.

Two members of Scott's task force  former Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's deputies Johnny Domingue and Karl Newman  have already pleaded guilty to taking money and drugs from witnesses. Both are in custody awaiting sentencing after Scott and Gemar are tried. Newman is expected to testify against Scott. It's unclear if Domingue will be called as a witness.

Scott has been a major focus of the investigation from the get-go, in part because of federal authorities' alarm at the prospect of a rogue agent. While much of the investigation has focused on whether members of the task force have enriched themselves by shaking down suspects, Scott's first trial will focus on whether he cut corners in his zeal to make cases that would stick. His second trial does include allegations that he helped himself to other people's property.

The first trial centers on allegations related to a drug trafficker named Frederick Brown. Two counts concern a truck that Brown surrendered to Scott, possibly because Scott liked it and wanted to use it. According to the government, Brown gave Scott the truck in Houston, but Scott reported seizing it in Metairie. If he had correctly reported seizing the truck in Houston, it would have gone to that city's DEA branch office rather than the New Orleans one where Scott was based.

The other five counts in the first trial revolve around the government's claim that Scott perjured himself in court hearings concerning a defendant named Jorge Perralta, and that he tried to persuade Brown to lie under oath as well. Scott is also accused of testifying under oath that Brown had volunteered that Perralta had been present at those transactions, when Scott knew that he hadn't.

Perralta was convicted of trafficking cocaine and heroin in 2016. But the conviction was later tossed at the government's request as fallout from the Scott investigation spread.

If convicted, Scott faces a maximum of 10 years on each of the three obstruction counts and five years on each of the perjury counts, though federal sentencing guidelines would likely recommend a much shorter sentence.

His trial will also begin the highly unusual spectacle of a federal law enforcement officer being prosecuted by those he formerly called colleagues.

"It's a rare, rare event," said Harry Rosenberg, a former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana, which includes New Orleans. "I cannot remember in the last couple of decades a federal agent prosecuted in federal court in New Orleans."

The last federal law enforcement agent prosecuted in New Orleans was Daron Council, an FBI agent charged in 1997 with taking bribes, according to news reports. Council later pleaded guilty, so he never went to trial.

The Scott case has been unusual from its inception.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

It began as an investigation by Louisiana State Police into whether Domingue was stealing drugs and then trying to resell them on the black market. A search of Domingue's Livingston Parish apartment turned up drugs taken from DEA evidence lockers, court documents said. Newman was arrested as well, and prosecutors alleged that he routinely took drugs, often for personal use. The arrest of the two deputies prompted strict policy changes within the DEA to tighten procedures related to assigning officers to the task force and the handling of evidence.

Soon after Newman's arrest, federal authorities took over, with a raft of agencies  including the FBI, Department of Justice Inspector General and the DEA's Office of Professional Responsibility, which investigates allegations against agents  taking part in the inquiry.

To avoid any possible taint, the investigations were not overseen by lawyers from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District, which is based in New Orleans and has prosecuted most of the cases investigated by the task force. Instead, attorneys from the U.S. Department of Justice's Fraud Section in Washington, D.C., were brought in to oversee the probe.

The case has proceeded in strict secrecy as agents ran down leads and checked on Scott's old cases going back decades, putting about a dozen others on hold while the investigation proceeded. In a couple of instances, authorities took the rare step of throwing out convictions or guilty pleas.

In one of those cases, a man who had pleaded guilty to his role in a Hammond-area shootout was allowed to withdraw a guilty plea, after which the feds dropped the case against him and two co-defendants. Two of the three have since pleaded guilty in state court. One case is still pending.

In another case, a man who pleaded guilty to selling methamphetamine was allowed to go free.

Most of the investigators' moves were hidden, with court documents filed under seal and other federal agents kept in the dark. One time the investigation surfaced in public was in December 2016, when dozens of FBI agents descended on the Hammond Police Department and the Hammond office of Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Daniel Edwards, with whom Scott had a close professional relationship. During the ensuing search, which lasted nearly 24 hours, the agents seized computers and phones, but refused to say anything else about what they found. Edwards was never implicated in the probe.

Ten months after that raid, Scott and Gemar were indicted on a total of 13 counts. Scott faced counts of perjury, obstruction, conspiracy and falsification of government records and conversion of government property to personal use. Gemar faced conversion and other counts. Months later, a superseding indictment added a single count to Scott's total.

Since then, Scott's defense lawyer, Matthew Coman, who prosecuted some of Scott's cases as an assistant U.S. attorney, has chipped away at the government's case, accusing prosecutors of misconduct and hiding evidence in a document dump that totaled some 200 gigabytes and more than 900,000 pages of material. He also urged the judge to split the 14 counts into three trials, winning a partial victory when U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo divided it into two separate trials. Gemar will be tried along with Scott in the second trial.

The prosecution has also had some turnover. Diidri Robinson and Antonio Pozos, the two federal prosecutors originally overseeing the case, have both left the Department of Justice for private practice. The case has now fallen to prosecutors Charles Miracle and Timothy Duree. The pair have signaled that they intend to pursue the case aggressively: They have not offered Scott a plea deal.

The federal courthouse is closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. Jury selection is expected to begin Tuesday morning, with opening statements to follow.
Louisiana Senate President John Alario likened the standoff over how much money state government has available to spend to the deadlock over the border wall that has shut down the federal government.

The fight in Washington, now entering its fifth week, is about preventing the Republican president from securing a win by approving taxpayer funds for the security wall  Democratic claims to the contrary.

In Baton Rouge, the stand-off, now entering its third month, is about keeping a Democratic governor from having enough money to increase pay for school teachers, some of his most ardent supporters, by setting up the scenario where he would have to raise taxes in an election year to cover the costs of that promise  Republican claims to the contrary.

Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards wants the Legislature to approve teacher pay raises of at least $1,000. The governor also wants to boost salaries for cafeteria workers, school bus drivers and others by $500 annually. The price tag would be about $114 million per year.

House Speaker Taylor Barras, a Republican, says he supports raising the pay for K-12 public school teachers. But setting up the expectation that we could pay for it is a little bit premature, he said Thursday to explain why he continues to refuse to recognize that Louisiana has more money available than previously thought  revenues Edwards wanted to use for, among other things, giving teachers their first raise in a decade.

The New Iberia banker says the states economic situation is far too fluid now for taxpayers to take on more spending promises. Administration and legislative economists say better-than-expected tax collections could add more than $125 million than previously expected for this fiscal year and at least $67 million for next budget year.

House Republican leadership blocks attempt to improve state's revenue forecast again The panel that decides how much money the state can spend remains at an impasse over efforts to improve state revenue projections, after House

All four REC members must agree to recognize the additional revenues before the state can spend it. Alario, LSU economist Jim Richardson and Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne do, and for a third time in as many months, Barras does not.

Basically, without the adjustment, Edwards will have to cut spending and/or rearrange money for other services in order to fund the pay hike in the executive budget proposal for next year, which must be submitted in February and must balance spending with the amount of money the REC says is available. The Republican-majority Legislature convenes April 8, so if the REC recognizes the additional monies in March or April, then legislators, rather than the governor, can author the pay raises.

Its a dangerous political game that likely will enliven the legislative session going into an election season in which the governor and all 144 seats are up. Incumbents are loath to alienate large blocks of voters before an election.

Louisiana has 48,749 public school teachers. Another 38,749 workers drive school buses and serve as aides, clerical workers and skilled craftsmen.

Today, the regional average, as defined by the Southern Regional Education Board, is $50,955 per year, according to the latest estimate. Teacher pay in Louisiana averages $49,745.

Nationally, teachers today are paid on average $60,483 annually, according to a recent survey conducted by the National Education Association.

In 2018, teachers walked out of their classrooms in Arizona, Oklahoma, and West Virginia before legislators in those states agreed to pay raises: 5 percent more in West Virginia; $6,100 more in Oklahoma; and a 20 percent increase over three years for Arizona teachers.

Larry Carter, who heads the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, held out the possibility of a similar response, saying in November that teachers want to see true discussions. Four years ago, the union was one of the first backers of Edwardss bid to become governor from the backbench of the Louisiana House.

The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, while supportive of teacher pay raises, is preparing to fight back if tax breaks are rolled back or taxes are increased.

If they are thinking that they are going to use the issue to increase taxes, then I have bad news for you, you dont need to do that, LABI President Stephen Waguespack told AM Baton Rouge on Talk 107.3 FM radio.

Meanwhile, Republican majority states like Georgia, Texas, Indiana and Mississippi are seeking substantial pay raises for their public school teachers this year, with some bills proposing rollbacks of tax breaks to pay for the pay hikes.

Commissioner of Administration Dardenne says thats not necessary in Louisiana  the economy is better and the projected increase in revenues cover the modest salary raise for teachers.

Were just playing a game right now by not recognizing the reality that we face, Dardenne said at Thursdays REC meeting. It defies logic, but it doesnt defy politics.
For two days, more than 200 Republicans from across the South have gathered in Kenner to hear from conservative officials and pundits and share ideas for promoting GOP causes in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election and this years state-wide elections in Louisiana.

Its so great that we can sit here today and talk about what it is to be a Republican, said state Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain, who was the Southern Republican Leadership Conferences closing speaker Saturday evening.

Many of the events attendees shared Strains view of the two-day event, which is held before every presidential election. This years was dubbed the Kickoff to 2020.

The speeches are great and I love hearing them, but really, its about community, said Michael Lunsford, who is on the St. Martin Parish Republican Executive Committee and volunteered at the event. Its great to get connected with people.

Nancy Frohn, of Oxford, Mississippi, said she came to learn about the latest thats happening in the Republican Party. I think we need to be at gatherings like this to support each other, she said.

Sue Morrison, who came to the event from Etta, Mississippi, said she found the event re-affirming because it was an opportunity to meet like-minded people from other states.

+14 Steve Scalise, Taylor Barras welcome Republicans to Kenner with stories of battling Democrats U.S. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise and Louisiana House Speaker Taylor Barras each took direct aim at Democrats when they welcomed Republic

Southern Republicans prepare to gather in Kenner this weekend for 'Kickoff to 2020' event Hundreds of Republicans will be flocking to the New Orleans area this weekend for for whats being billed as one of the biggest GOP events lea

We think its very important that we work as a bigger group, she said. Meeting people from your state and other states is so important when you are talking about building a big foundation for success.

The more we get to know each other, the better we can work together, she said.

The weekend included several rounds of applause for Trumps proposed $5.7 billion border wall and jeers at mentions of Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

The crowd fell silent when Trumps public address on border security and immigration was livestreamed into the auditorium Saturday, save for a few rounds of applause. After Trump ended his remarks, SRLC attendees rose to their feet, cheering and waving red Make America Great Again signs, and broke out in Trump chants.

Can't see video below? Click here.

The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Aside from the prominence of Trump T-shirts, MAGA hats and pachyderm pins, several themes carried throughout the event  support for Trump and his proposed wall along the southern border of the United States; opposition to liberal Democrats, in particular New York U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who several speakers mentioned; and faith in the economy during Trumps presidency.

Ryan Bosi, of New Jersey, and Aisha Love, of Washington, D.C., attended the event to promote their American Border Foundation, a nonprofit that advocates on behalf of border protections and stricter immigration policies.

We need Donald Trump to stay strong and not give into the shutdown, Bosi said.

Love, wearing American flag-printed shoes that had MAGA  shorthand for Trumps Make America Great Again slogan  emblazoned atop them, said she enjoyed the synergy and the energy with all the speakers.

Everyone here wants to make a difference, thats what I love about this, she said. Youve got a group of patriots here that are ready to change America. Its inspirational.

Trump offers a 'Dreamers' deal for border-money proposal; Dems quickly dismiss as 'non-starter' WASHINGTON (AP)  In a bid to break the shutdown impasse and fund his long-promised border wall, President Donald Trump on Saturday offered to

Bosi, who was wearing an Immigration and Customs Enforcement hat and a Trump T-shirt, said he noticed how friendly people were.

Its an amazing group right here, he said.

Republican candidates for governor  U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham, of Alto, and Baton Rouge businessman Eddie Rispone  chatted with potential supporters in the Pontchartrain Centers hallways. State Sen. Sharon Hewit, of Slidell, and former U.S. Rep. John Fleming, of Minden, who havent ruled out running for governor, also were at the conference on Saturday.

Abraham and Fleming participated in a panel discussion, along with U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Baton Rouge, about health care, where they promoted conservative proposals, including the repeal of the federal Affordable Care Act.

Abraham even worked in a mention of Trumps proposal for a border wall.

The first thing we need to do to solve the opioid crisis is build the wall, he said when the panelists were asked about the addiction epidemic that has plagued Louisiana and other states. The dealer? They need to go under the jail for life. They do not need to be on the streets. Weve got to get tougher on our laws.

Cassidy, meanwhile, took aim a universal health care proposal supported by some Democrats that has been dubbed Medicare for All. He said such a proposal would ultimately bankrupt the Medicare system.

We believe in giving power to the patient, Cassidy said. If the patient knows how much something costs ... shes going to the place thats best for her health and best for her pocketbook.

Other Louisiana Republicans who took the stage Saturday included U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, of Baton Rouge; Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta, of Metairie; and Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin, of Baton Rouge.

Several of the events anticipated speakers were unable to make it. Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowskis flight was canceled due to an airplane issue, and viral Trump supporters Lynnette Hardaway and Rochelle Richardson, popularly known as "Diamond and Silk" had to cancel due to bad weather in their home state North Carolina.

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant took time in his speech to support a proposal that has been floated by several Louisiana Republicans to do away with the states unusual election system that pits all candidates against each other on a single ballot, followed by a runoff a month later. The head of the Louisiana GOP has advocated eliminating the blanket primary, as have other prominent Republicans.

"One thing I don't get is this jungle primary, Bryant said, drawing cheers from the crowd. You've got to get out of that."
Attorneys for a former Baton Rouge automobile dealer accused in the 2015 murder-for-hire of his ex-wife are again asking a judge to throw out vital cellphone evidence in the case, this time citing a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

Authorities have said cellphone evidence led them to 67-year-old Hamid Ghassemi and to Tyler Lee Ashpaugh, one of his three alleged accomplices, and ultimately to the buried body of Taherah Ghassemi, 54.

Even though state District Judge Lou Daniel declined in 2017 to suppress cellphone evidence in the case, he scolded law enforcement for the way a search warrant was presented to a commissioner, saying an affidavit contained no probable cause to obtain Hamid Ghassemis phone records.

The judge, however, said Ghassemi had no expectation of privacy in the phone business records held by AT&T.

+3 In high-profile Ghassemi murder-for-hire case, judge refuses to toss cellphone evidence A judge declined Friday to toss out key cellphone evidence in the alleged murder-for-hire case against Baton Rouge automobile dealer Hamid Gha

Fast forward to the Supreme Courts ruling last June in a Michigan case, in which the sharply-divided high court said a suspect has a legitimate privacy interest in records held by a third party. The court also said a warrant is required to collect that information.

Now, Ghassemi's attorneys, Tommy Damico and Brent Stockstill, are asking Daniel to toss out Ghassemi's cellphone records and "the fruits of the poisonous tree created by those records."

In their motion to suppress the cellphone evidence, Damico and Stockstill claim in a Jan. 9 filing that Ghassemi  in light of the Supreme Court's 5-4 ruling  had a reasonable expectation of privacy in the business records of AT&T.

"Specifically incoming calls to his phone was not information he intentionally shared with AT&T, but information AT&T collected in the ordinary course of their business," the lawyers argue.

Ghassemi's phone records indicate he received a call from Ashpaugh about 12:45 a.m. the morning after his ex-wife disappeared, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office has said.

Ashpaugh's phone records show he had been at the woman's house the night she went missing, and at the sites where her burned car was located in Baton Rouge and her body was found in rural St. Helena Parish, authorities said.

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the high court's June decision is limited to cellphone tracking information and doesn't impact other business records, including those held by banks.

"When the government tracks the location of a cellphone," Roberts stated, "it achieves near perfect surveillance, as if it had attached an ankle monitor to the phone's user."

The chief justice noted that police can continue to respond to an emergency and obtain records without a warrant.

East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore III said Thursday his office does not believe the Supreme Court decision alters Daniel's ruling with respect to the sheriff's officers' actions "in any way."

In the case decided by the high court, Moore said, law enforcement obtained cellphone location information in an armed robbery investigation and did not have what are known as "exigent circumstances."

Exigent circumstances can exist, for example, when there is a genuine risk that someone's life is in danger.

Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

"In our case, the detectives were not investigating a crime but were attempting to find and rescue a woman who had been missing for four days and obtained a search warrant which was signed by a commissioner," the district attorney said.

"It is important that although ... Judge Daniel found that the search warrant was deficient, he specifically declined to suppress the evidence not only due to a lack of a legitimate privacy interest but also because the officers in our case did not intentionally mislead the commissioner and had knowledge that constituted probable cause to obtain a warrant ... " he added.

Damico on Thursday reiterated his contention that the evidence the state is trying to rely on to prove its case was improperly and unconstitutionally obtained.

"We believe that we will win this motion and the evidence will be suppressed," he said.

In his 2017 ruling, Daniel said authorities had reasonable grounds and probable cause to seek Hamid Ghassemi's phone records. But he also noted that the search warrant affidavit contained "not one word" of probable cause, including the fact that the couple had gone through a bitter divorce or that Ghassemi allegedly had threatened to kill his ex-wife in 2013.

The sheriff's corporal who presented the warrant to then-19th Judicial District Commissioner Quintillis Lawrence testified previously in the case that he was in a rush to locate Taherah Ghassemi before she turned up dead.

Daniel also ruled that because the records were sought from AT&T in West Palm Beach, Florida, the commissioner lacked the authority to issue a warrant in another state.

Ghassemi, who owned Import One and Import One Elite on Airline Highway, is set to stand trial April 22 on first-degree murder. Prosecutors aren't seeking the death penalty. He faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison if convicted.

+5 Former Baton Rouge auto dealer to stand trial for alleged 2015 murder-for-hire of ex-wife A former Baton Rouge automobile dealer accused in the murder-for-hire of his ex-wife in 2015 will go on trial in April.

Ashpaugh, 24, of Denham Springs, pleaded guilty in July to manslaughter in exchange for a 40-year prison term. He admitted shooting Taherah Ghassemi in the head but claimed she was already dead when he shot her.

Daniel Humberto Richter, 37, of Walker, pleaded guilty in September to manslaughter and second-degree kidnapping in return for a 50-year prison sentence. He admitted participating in the woman's abduction and slaying, and said he buried her body.

Richter once worked for Hamid Ghassemi.

Skyler Williams, 21, of Denham Springs, also is charged with first-degree murder in the case and faces a possible life sentence without parole if found guilty on that charge. He was 17 when Taherah Ghassemi was killed.

Ghassemi, who paid his ex-wife $1 million in a divorce settlement, is accused of paying $10,000 to have her killed.

She disappeared in mid-April 2015 and was discovered May 16 of that year.
Thank you! You've reported this item as a violation of our terms of use.

This content was contributed by a user of the site. If you believe this content may be in violation of the terms of use, you may report it.
Florida Department of Health reported 12,157 new COVID-19 cases statewide during the week of June 4-10, bringing the cumulative total since March 2020 to 2,300,786. Forty more people died, upping the death toll to 37,265.
A snow storm expected to drop nearly 2 feet of snow across Central New York will also affect Centro services across the region, according to the organization.

Centro has canceled all bus service in Oswego, Auburn and Utica and buses in Syracuse will only run on snow routes beginning at 6 p.m.

Heres a list of how the storm has affected service in Syracuse, Oswego, Auburn, Utica:

Syracuse: Effective 6pm Saturday, January 19, 2019 Centro will operate on Snow Route until further notice.

Oswego: Effective 6pm Saturday, January 19, 2019 Centro will suspend all bus service. The last commuter trip operating to/from Syracuse will operate. There will be no service to/from Syracuse on Sunday, January 20. Centro will resume its regular service on Monday, January 21 (weather permitting).

Auburn: Effective 6pm Saturday, January 19, 2019 Centro will suspend all bus service. The last commuter trip operating to/from Syracuse will operate. There will be no service to/from Syracuse on Sunday, January 20. Centro will resume its regular service on Monday, January 21 (weather permitting).

Utica: Effective 6pm Saturday, January 19, 2019 Centro will suspend all bus service. Centro will resume its regular service on Monday, January 21 (weather permitting).
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has set out an ambitious agenda for 2019 that he wants to accomplish in 100 days. When it comes to legalizing marijuana for adult recreational use, Cuomo and the New York State Legislature ought to take their time and get it right. Otherwise, they risk causing harm that far outweighs the $300 million tax windfall they anticipate.

It seems a foregone conclusion that recreational marijuana will become legal in New York. Public opinion is in its favor. Medical marijuana is legal in more than half the states, including New York. Recreational use is legal in 10 states and the District of Columbia, and 21 other states considered it in 2018, including New York. Our neighbors to the north (Canada) and east (Massachusetts and Vermont) already permit it.

Meanwhile, outlawing marijuana use hasnt been much of a deterrent. In one survey, 1 in 10 New Yorkers said they had used pot in the past month. Kids report marijuana is easy to obtain. Where the law has been effective is in putting tens of thousands of people, disproportionately blacks and Latinos, into the criminal justice system for a minor offense. On average, 60 people are arrested for marijuana possession every day in New York, burdening police and the courts, and damaging the defendants future prospects of employment. If pot becomes legal, those convictions will be expunged and revenue from pot sales will be directed to communities harmed by its criminalization, the governor said.

For every argument in favor of marijuana legalization, there is an equally compelling argument against it. Smoking marijuana causes lung disease. Driving under the influence of marijuana is a danger to others, and is harder to detect than alcohol intoxication. Pot can harm young, developing brains. Young children may be attracted to candy-like marijuana edibles. People can become addicted.

Those are real risks. Last year, the state Health Department concluded they were outweighed by the benefits of regulating cannabis: controlling the quantity, quality and potency of pot; drying up demand for dangerous synthetic marijuana; and raising hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue from what now is a black market.

With some reservations, we have come around to the governors point of view. Society allows adults to drink alcohol and smoke tobacco, despite their known risks. We try to prevent young people from using those products. Why should marijuana be any different?

As they write the rules for a regulated cannabis market, the governor and legislators have some thorny questions to answer:

How will they mitigate the harms we know marijuana can cause? New York states county health officials New York states county health officials oppose legalizing marijuana for its negative impact on public health. County social services departments will be on the front lines of dealing with the consequences of addiction  job loss, child neglect and the need for more drug treatment. A healthy portion of the tax revenue from marijuana sales should be earmarked for county-level public health outreach and response.

How will they decide who will get the lucrative licenses to grow and distribute pot? If they use the model adopted by the Health Department for the medical marijuana program, were in trouble. The selection process was not transparent and the scoring of applications appears to have been subjective. As If they use the model adopted by the Health Department for the medical marijuana program, were in trouble. The selection process was not transparent and the scoring of applications appears to have been subjective. As Syracuse.com has reported , it helped to have political connections.

How will they keep marijuana out of the hands of young people? The Health Departments study said a regulated market would curb availability to underage users. That has not been the experience in Colorado, where youth marijuana use The Health Departments study said a regulated market would curb availability to underage users. That has not been the experience in Colorado, where youth marijuana use jumped 20 percent the year after legalization.

How will they discourage people from driving under the influence of marijuana? Unlike tests for alcohol intoxication, tests for THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, are not always a reliable indicator of impairment. Data from Colorado and Washington, the first states to legalize recreational marijuana, show a Unlike tests for alcohol intoxication, tests for THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, are not always a reliable indicator of impairment. Data from Colorado and Washington, the first states to legalize recreational marijuana, show a marked increase in marijuana-related traffic fatalities. Colorado officials were so alarmed, they began a Drive High, get a DUI campaign and a series of cannabis conversations to engage the public in finding solutions to drugged driving.

What else can New York learn from the other states that have legalized marijuana? By now, there ought to be some well-established best practices and known pitfalls to avoid.

Even if the Legislature passes a bill in this session legalizing adult use of recreational marijuana, it will take years to get the program off the ground. New York should not rush the critical first step for the sake of meeting an artificial deadline.

Syracuse.com editorials

Editorials represent the collective opinion of the Advance Media New York editorial board. Our opinions are independent of news coverage. Read our mission statement. Members of the editorial board are Tim Kennedy, Trish LaMonte, Jason Murray and Marie Morelli.

To respond to this editorial: Post a comment below, or submit a letter or commentary to letters@syracuse.com. Read our submission guidelines.

If you have questions about the Opinions & Editorials section, contact Marie Morelli, editorial/opinion leader, at mmorelli@syracuse.com
Syracuse, N.Y. -- Theres a total lunar eclipse tonight -- also known as a super blood moon -- but we probably wont be able to see it in Central New York.

Cloud cover over Syracuse is forecast to be 100 percent for the entire duration of the eclipse tonight, according to the National Weather Service. In fact, skies will likely be completely covered through early afternoon Monday.

Clouds will likely cover the entire sky in Central New York all night, blocking our view of the total lunar eclipse.

While the winter storm has moved on, it is dragging in cold air from Canada that is pulling moisture from the Great Lakes into Central New York. That brings lake effect snow -- and clouds. In fact, its one of the reasons Upstate New York is among the cloudiest places in the United States.

The eclipse might be visible in other parts of Upstate New York, where there are breaks in the clouds. No guarantees, though.

If youre an optimist, you can always step outside between midnight and 1 a.m., when the total eclipse will occur. Bundle up, though: Wind chills are expected to be about 17 degrees below zero.

If you want to see the eclipse while staying a little warmer, you can watch a live stream.

Total lunar eclipses are known as blood moons because red light from the sun bends through the earths atmosphere, giving the moon an orange glow. Tonights eclipse is also a super moon, because the moon is at its closest point to the earth; and a wolf moon, because its the first full moon of the calendar year.
Light Work is pleased to present Rodrigo Valenzuela: American Type. Valenzuela's solo exhibition is on view in the Kathleen O. Ellis Gallery from January 14 - March 1, 2019. The opening reception on Thursday, January 31, 2019, from 5-7 p.m., features a gallery talk with Rodrigo Valenzuela at 6 p.m. Signed copies of American Type exhibition catalog, Contact Sheet 200 will be available to collectors after the talk. Find Light Work in the Robert B. Menschel Media Center on the Syracuse University campus at 316 Waverly Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13244. The exhibition and reception are free and open to the public. Refreshments served.

Rodrigo Valenzuela's work boldly addresses themes of labor, power, and representation. For a Chilean artist living in America at a moment in which the president of the United States continues pressing for a border wall, the underlying narrative of Valenzuela's work--of immigration and the struggles of the working class--is as charged as ever.



The title of the exhibition, American Type, refers to a 1955 essay in which art critic Clement Greenberg frames the work of abstract expressionist painters such as Pollock, Kline, Motherwell, and Rothko as distinctly American. Greenberg proposed that post-war American painting was more about the act of painting itself than about any complex idea of representation. Valenzuela finds it interesting to challenge this concept and, as he puts it, to contemplate "how much the absence of content has become the American gold." He doesn't argue that abstraction is necessarily without subject or emotion, but Valenzuela questions Greenberg and art world elitism more generally by making his own subversive abstractions that he imbues with social-political meaning.



Valenzuela's approach to representation in his work draws our attention to the extensive labor of his artistic process. Every aspect of his work shows a trace of his own labor, from the building of studio assemblages, to the photographic steps that lead to the final prints. Even the wooden frames that hold the work have been cut, assembled, and painted by his hand. Labor is inherent in the making of all art, but for Valenzuela it becomes a compelling central subject.

ARTIST BIO

Rodrigo Valenzuela lives and works in Los Angeles, CA. He studied art history and photography at the University of Chile (2004), holds a BA in Philosophy from The Evergreen State College (2010), and an MFA from the University of Washington (2012). Recent residencies include Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts (Omaha, NE), Center for Photography (Woodstock, NY), Core Fellowship at the Museum of Fine Arts (Houston, TX), Light Work (Syracuse, NY), MacDowell Colony (Peterborough, NH), and Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine. Recent solo exhibitions include Future Ruins at Frye Art Museum (Seattle, WA, 2015), Galerie Lisa Kandlhofer (Vienna, Austria, 2018), Work in Its Place at Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (Eugene, OR, 2018), New Land at McColl Center (Charlotte, NC, 2017), American-Type at Orange County Museum (Santa Ana, CA, 2018), Labor Standardsat Portland Art Museum (Portland, OR, 2018), and Prole at Ulrich Museum of Art (Wichita, KS, 2016). Valenzuela is an assistant professor in the Department of Art, University of California at Los Angeles, and recipient of the 2017 Joan Mitchell Award for Painters and Sculptors. He participated in Light Work's Artist-in-Residence Program in August 2017.

Exhibition Catalogue

Accompanying the exhibition,

Contact Sheet 200

includes an essay by Shane Lavalette. Purchase the catalog in the Light Work shop at







Gallery Hours, Admission & General Information

Find Light Work's galleries in the Robert B. Menschel Media Center, 316 Wa0verly Ave., Syracuse, New York. Gallery hours are: Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday 10 a.m.- 6 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 1 p.m.-9 p.m. Light Work closes on all major holidays. Follow Light Work on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. For general information, please visit www.lightwork.org, call (315)443-1300, or email info@lightwork.org.

About Light Work

Light Work is a nonprofit, artist-run organization dedicated to the support of artists working in photography and electronic media, located in the Robert B. Menschel Media Center. Light Work invites groups and individuals to schedule tours of the exhibitions and facility and to attend gallery talks. Light Work thanks Syracuse University, Robert B. Menschel and Vital Projects, JGS (Joy of Giving Something Inc.), the New York State Council on the Arts, the Andy Warhol Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, CNY Arts, the Central New York Community Foundation, and the subscribers to Contact Sheet for their dedicated and ongoing support of our programs. Light Work is a member of CMAC, the Coalition of Museum and Art Centers at Syracuse University.

Exhibition Tour

Light Work offers guided tours to engage community groups with its exhibitions. Led by gallery staff, tours provide visitors with a range of ways to look at, engage with and enjoy works in the photographic medium. Groups are also welcome to plan self-guided visits.

Location:

316 Waverly Ave

Syracuse, NY 13244

315-443-1300

info@lightwork.org

www.lightwork.org

Parking

Limited free public parking is available on Waverly Avenue and paid parking is available in Booth Parking Garage adjacent to Light Work.

Gallery Hours:

Monday - Thursday 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Friday: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Saturday - Sunday: 1:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Bay of Plenty

We are looking for a Forklift Operator with a current OSH forklift license. You will need to be physically for as the job...



View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nz
Bay of Plenty

Our client has plenty of work in the pipeline and as such they are in need of qualified or experienced carpenters for an...



View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nz
We need to chat, New Zealand.

Specifically about this lynch mob mentality we seem to have developed of late.

It happened to Grace Millanes alleged killer when he was taken to court late last year, and its happened again this week with our British visitors.

Going through comments on Stuffs Facebook page is like being teleported back to the Salem witch trials of the 17th century.

Get out of our country and STAY OUT!

Why are they still here!? Lock em up in a cupboard at the airport til we can send the f*****s home!

Shame, a family of disgraceful mutts. Be gone with yall.

What a foul lot they are. Get them out of our country now.

Piss of out of our country, dont come here and cause trouble, its people like you that make our country look bad. DONT COME BACK!!!!!

And then there was the comment: Can we get a lynch mob for Hamilton District Court?

What shocks me is this is coming from the country that, devastatingly, has held the record for the highest youth suicide rate per capita in the developed world  2018 saw our highest youth suicide rate ever.

We are forever telling our children to speak out against online bullying, but then adults grab their digital pitchfork and jump online to do the very thing we are telling our kids not to. Adults have been spewing hateful cyber-bullying content onto public forums like Facebook, for children as young as 13 to read. Adults have been disseminating memes about this family; a popular form of online humour that youth engage with.

We have even taken to making fun of a boy who surely cant be older than 10. A country of adults is poking fun at a child.

We are just setting an excellent example  and yes, that was sarcasm in case you didnt pick it.

We have made a national sport out of personally attacking them, and along the way weve made plenty of assumptions. We assumed they were from Ireland, whereas the New Zealand Herald has reported they are actually English citizens, holidaying from Liverpool.

We shudder in our gumboots and stubbies when we are accused of being Aussies; we scream absolute bloody murder. So its okay to assume the nationality of others based on the way they sound, but we can get snotty when our accent sounds Aussie to other people? Sounds like a Tui ad  yeah right!.

They are not bloody Poms, they are from Ireland, they are called pikey, the worst of the worst people that are allowed to live in the UK, said one commenter, further proving my point.

Really New Zealand? And these are just the comments we can publish without printing more stars than letters.

Oh, but it gets better  or worse, in my opinion. There was a Facebook event dedicated to giving these tourists a proper send-off at Auckland airport.

The event: Give the gypsy travellers a good old Kiwi send-off 18th Jan has since been removed from Facebook, but prior to its removal, people were eager to get to Auckland Airport from around the country and see the visitors off with a wave of abuse. I sincerely hope we dont give this kind of good old Kiwi send-off to the All Blacks or other people that we actually like.

And were not just attacking them blindly on news articles or the comments section. No no, Kiwis have taken to finding these visitors personal Facebook pages and commenting on their photos.

More gypsy tinker pikey scum. Dont bother coming to New Zealand, your filth isnt welcome.

Wrong country to mess with ya inbred trailer trash scum!

Try another country youre not welcome here. Disgusting disrespectful pigs

Comments on wedding photos such as: Wheres your fat booze gut, white singlet and red shorts you wore on holiday in New Zealand lol haha. How long were you there for before the country turned against you? Not bad, less than a week and five million people hate you and banded together. Fat useless gobshite, and Surprised he could get near you with that fat guts of his His guts will be smaller after a stint in jail in New Zealand!

One particular thread of comments on their personal Facebook page that made me feel sick to my stomach was on a post regarding the death of their Nan.

Shes spinning in her grave right now. Signed, a disgusted Kiwi.

And seconded by another disgusted Kiwi - good riddance to bad rubbish you pack of losers!

Make that three trailer trash scum.

Have we really stooped so low to comment on a post about a dead relative?

Please dont read this as me excusing what they have done or how they have treated our lovely country and people. I am just as outraged at the way theyve come here and allegedly trashed our beaches and stolen from out restaurants and eateries.

But do read this as a scathing review of our disgusting attitudes. I am all for defending whats yours and for standing up against whats wrong, but personally attacking these people, calling them names and dishing out threats is so below us as a nation - or so I thought.

Go ahead and say that their behaviour is disgusting; that stealing and littering will not be tolerated here, but calling them fat gypsy scum is just abhorrent and unnecessary. Why are we stooping to this level?

We pride ourselves on our tourism industry; on being hospitable and clean green New Zealand, but what really needs a clean-up is our attitude.

One commenter got it. One. In the hundreds of comments I read.

This family is definitely an embarrassment to their country of origin. But these comments are also an embarrassment to New Zealand.
Stay up to date on COVID-19

Get Breaking News

Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox.

Sponsored By: Arvest Bank
On January 2 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Brazil, and his Department noted that in discussions with Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo they highlighted the importance of working together to address regional and global challenges, including supporting the people of Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua in restoring their democratic governance and their human rights. Pompeo declared that the US and Brazil have an opportunity to work alongside each other against authoritarian regimes.

From this we gather that Pompeo is a strong advocate of democratic governance and will always make it clear that the United States supports unfortunate people living in countries having authoritarian regimes. It is apparent he must believe in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

Unfortunately it transpired that Pompeo is a selective supporter of democracy and freedom of religion, because after he left Brazil and went to the Middle East he voiced vigorous support for despots who rule countries in a manner that is undeniably authoritarian.

In a speech in Cairo on January 10 Pompeo threatened Iran and declared that Nations are rallying to our side to confront the regime like never before. Egypt, Oman, Kuwait, and Jordan have all been instrumental in thwarting Irans efforts to evade sanctions. It must be gratifying for him that these nations have joined the US in its crusade against Iran, three of them being hereditary monarchies and one run by a non-regal martinet.

Oman, for example, is an absolute monarchy by male primogeniture. The Sultan, Qaboos bin Said al Said, has been the hereditary leader of the country since 1970. Freedom House notes that The regime restricts virtually all political rights and civil liberties, and imposes criminal penalties for criticism and dissent Political parties are not permitted, and the authorities do not tolerate other forms of organized political opposition.

In Jordan the monarch holds wide executive and legislative powers, including the appointment of the prime minister and all seats of the senate. The monarch approves and dismisses judges; signs, executes or vetoes all laws; and can suspend or dissolve parliament.

The leader of Kuwait, the Amir, according to the CIA Factbook, is chosen from within the ruling family, confirmed by the National Assembly; the prime minister and deputy prime ministers are appointed by the Amir. In this autocracy, according to Human Rights Watch, there are no laws prohibiting domestic violence or marital rape a man who finds his mother, wife, sister or daughter in the act of adultery and kills them is punished by either a small fine or no more than three years in prison.

Pompeo wants democratic governance and human rights in Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua. Why not in Oman, Jordan and Kuwait?

The only one of Pompeos countries not ruled by a supreme monarch is Egypt, whose president is Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi who was elected in May 2014, almost a year after he removed his elected predecessor, the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohammed Morsi, from office in a coup. Sisi won a second four-year-term in March 2018 against a sole minor opposition candidate. Human rights lawyer Khalid Ali and former prime minister Ahmad Shafiq withdrew from the race, and the former armed forces chief of staff Sami Anan was arrested.

In his warmongering anti-Iran, anti-Syria speech Pompeo announced that his visit to Egypt was especially meaningful for me as an evangelical Christian, coming so soon after the Coptic Churchs Christmas celebrations and visited the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ and the Al-Fattah Al-Alim mosque where he praised Egypts freedoms here in this houses [sic] of worship, these big, beautiful, gorgeous buildings where the Lord is clearly at work.

He ignored Amnesty Internationals statement that in Egypt the authorities continued to violate the right to freedom of religion by discriminating against Christians. His own Department recorded that last year Irrespective of religion, authorities also did not apply equal protection to all citizens and sometimes closed churches, in violation of the law, according to multiple sources.

The bigotry of the Egyptian regime and its clerics was epitomised on January 13 when Al Azhar University which is responsible for a national network of schools with approximately two million students expelled a female student for being hugged by a male friend. The scandal was revealed in a video clip which showed a young man carrying a bouquet of flowers kneeling before a young woman and then hugging her in what appeared to be a marriage proposal. According to a University spokesman this violates the values and principles of society. There was not a word from Pompeo, that self-declared admirer of Egyptian places of worship where the Lord is clearly at work.

Pompeo continued his tour of the region, and next day, as he landed in Saudi Arabia, the Egyptian regime announced that for the seventh time it had extended its state of emergency which allows authorities to take exceptional security measures, including the referral of terrorism suspects to state security courts, the imposition of curfews and the confiscation of newspapers. This would be supported in Saudi Arabia where, as chronicled by Freedom House, the absolute monarchy restricts almost all political rights and civil liberties. No officials at the national level are elected. The regime relies on extensive surveillance, the criminalization of dissent, appeals to sectarianism, and public spending supported by oil revenues to maintain power. Women and religious minorities face extensive discrimination in law and in practice.

This discrimination was highlighted by the New York Times on January 13 when it published an Op-Ed by Alia al-Houthlal that implored Pompeo to ask Saudi Prince Mohammad bin Salman to release her sister, the womens rights activist, Loujain al-Houthlal, who is imprisoned in Riyadh. Ms Alia al-Houthlal wrote that her sister had been tortured in prison, and that a close associate of bin Salman, Saud al-Qahtani, who has been named in connection with the murder of Mr Jamal Khashoggi [brutally killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 last year], was present at several torture sessions.

The Times reported that Pompeo began his conversation with bin Salman, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, by saying I want to talk to you about a couple of places weve been. We think we learned a lot along the way that will be important going forward. There was no mention of the torture of Loujain al-Houthlal or any other gross violations of human rights in Saudi Arabia where the regime continues to repress peaceful activists and dissidents, harassing writers, online commentators and others who exercised their right to freedom of expression by expressing views against government policies.

There was none of that embarrassing stuff. It was all skated over, with Pompeo saying only that we spoke about human rights issues here in Saudi Arabia  women activists. We spoke about the accountability that  and the expectations that we have. The Saudis are friends, and when friends have conversations, you tell them what your expectations are.

Pompeos expectations include joint action with the Saudi regime and other Middle East autocracies to counter Iranian malign influence, which he regards as an even higher priority than working against authoritarian regimes in Latin America, which Washington is determined to dominate. Pompeos objections to authoritarianism are highly selective, for in his Cairo speech he confined himself to describing Iran malevolent, and oppressive while denouncing Iranian expansion and regional destruction, which is a trifle ironic, coming from a Secretary of State whose military devastated Irans neighbours, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Pompeos ethical approach is decidedly ambiguous and his moral flexibility would attract the admiration of a trampoline gymnast. His Cairo speech was titled A Force for Good: America's Reinvigorated Role in the Middle East, but it is apparent that reinvigoration is confined to plans for destruction of Iran, in which Washington will be assisted by Pompeos friends  the Middle Easts authoritarian regimes.
The young boy, possibly 8 or so, sat cross-legged in the middle of the white stone beehive hut. He spoke quietly but intently to a young girl, probably his sister, sitting directly across from him.

Suddenly, a woman stepped into the igloo-shaped structure. We have to go; its time to start heading down, she said to the boy, who was decked out in a brown robe.

But, Mom, wailed the junior Jedi. Were re-enacting a scene!

Fortunately, Mom wasnt heartless enough to yell cut. So she nodded and stepped back outside. A few minutes later, the two Star Wars aficionados traipsed after her, undoubtedly reveling in the excitement of visiting Luke Skywalkers secret retreat and reliving a moment from The Last Jedi.

The young American was the only Jedi I spotted on Skellig Michael that day; the robe, of course, was a dead giveaway. But I suspect that others also came primarily to see Luke Skywalkers hideaway, an astonishing monastery, reportedly built in the sixth century, pillaged by Vikings in the ninth century and ultimately abandoned in the 12th century. Me? I was there for both.

And I was lucky to be on the top of this rather forbidding rock jutting from the sea. Much like Rey, we overcame several daunting obstacles to visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

First, only 180 people are allowed on the island each day. Boats to Skellig Michael run from March to October out of the small town of Portmagee on the Ring of Kerry in western Ireland. The boats are small, each holding about 12 passengers. Reservations are essential. I went through four boat companies before I found three seats available any time in the four-day window we had in Kenmare  and I was searching a month and half in advance.

Having tickets, though, is just the first step. The second hurdle is the weather, especially the condition of the ocean. If the seas are choppy, its a no-go. We had a sunny day, but the captain told us that stormy weather had forced the cancellation of most trips the week before us. He estimated his boat goes out only about 90 times a year.

The third obstacle is the island itself. Visitors need to be in good condition to mount the 600 steps  no railings!  to the top. And, of course, what goes up must come down. We brought our trusty hiking poles, and they helped with both the ascent and descent.

Luckily, the Force was most definitely with us that day. The sun beamed and the waters were calm as we sailed first around Little Skellig, where we could marvel at the thousands and thousands of gannets that made it their home. (We were too late for the puffins.) Then we sailed around Skellig Michael itself before we disembarked, basically by jumping from the boat onto a concrete landing, with an assist from one of the crew.

Fortunately, the rough-hewn steps to the top were dry. Once at the top, a docent regaled us with the history of the monastery. Ultimately, though, I wanted time to see the small cemetery; to explore the primitive, stone beehive huts, which housed the monks cells, church and oratorio (similar beehives can be seen on the Dingle peninsula); and just to ogle at this incredible scene. No wonder its strange, stark beauty captivated the makers of Star Wars.

Anybody seen Jon Snow?

The road to Kings Landing, aka Dark Hedges, was devilishly hard to find. We were in the middle of nowhere in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, driving on narrow country lanes that we joked were just a cow and half wide. Google Maps kept directing us to a particular road, unaware of its closure due to roadwork. We detoured repeatedly and were rerouted repeatedly until finally we saw several cars parked on the side of a road.

This has to be it, I thought. Why else would there be so many cars?

We walked about a quarter mile up Bregagh Road, and there it was: an avenue of tall beech trees, their twisty, gnarly limbs forming a tree tunnel. Couples, individuals and groups meandered the roughly half-mile stretch of road (now closed to traffic), soaking up the mysterious ambiance and admiring the eerie arch of branches.

The Stuart family originally planted the trees in the 18th century to make a dramatic impression as visitors approached their Gracehill manor house. But since its use as a location in Game of Thrones, Dark Hedges has become wildly popular. (Indeed, tourism authorities in Northern Ireland have built on the popularity of GoT and have helpfully erected signs identifying GoT locations. Websites also list various GoT locations, and tour companies offer GoT itineraries.)

The next day, as we drove the scenic Causeway Coastal route, we veered off to see Ballintoy harbor. It was a steep ride down a narrow road, and as we neared the bottom, I gasped. I had seen this picturesque harbor before  in a dramatic photograph in a gallery near our bed-and-breakfast in Portrush. As we wandered about taking our own photos, I discovered a sign identifying the harbor as the spot where Theon Lovejoy returned to the Iron Islands, his home.

We didnt visit Larrybane quarry, where viewers first meet Brienne of Tarth, but we could see it from the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge (which itself can be seen in the distance in that GoT scene). The original bridge was built in 1755 and connected the mainland to an island with a salmon fishery (now closed). The current bridge is 66 feet across and 98 feet above the rocks and water. And, yes, it sways as you cross  and thats a big part of the excitement. Once you cross, theres not much to explore. Much of the trail on the island was closed when we were there.

The coast around the rope bridge is free to explore, but theres a small charge to cross the bridge. Guidebooks and information at the ticket booth caution against people with vertigo or fear of heights from crossing. Frankly, the warnings seemed a little exaggerated to me. I thought that scariest part was the steep, open metal staircase leading down to the bridge.

Strangely, one of the most otherworldly places we visited  Giants Causeway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland  is not a location in Game of Thrones (or Star Wars, for that matter). Created by volcanic action, the causeway is made up of about 40,000 massive black basalt columns extending into the sea.

The name comes from a legend, which tells of a contest pitting the rather puny Irish giant Finn MacCool against a big Scottish giant who lived on Staffa, an island of basalt columns we had visited a couple of years ago. Staffa and the causeway are apparently part of the same geological formation, and we were impressed that the connection is immortalized in legend.

Those in a hurry can take a bus from the visitors center to the causeway. In a little less of a hurry? Walk the half mile or so from the visitors center to the causeway.

But those with time  like us  should opt for the red trail, a cliffside path with spectacular overhead views of the causeway. The path then drops down and about midway down, one can detour to see various other formations, like the organ, basalt columns that evoke organ pipes.

It was while we were exploring this tangent of the red trail that we got drenched by a sudden, violent storm. We tried to shelter under a rock overhang, but when the rain showed no signs of abating, we decided to take our chances and leave. As suddenly as it appeared, the storm ended. By the time we reached the causeway, the dark clouds had moved out to sea.

The old Old World

Irelands dramatic landscapes and volatile weather make it easy for the island to conjure up and beguile us with distant planets, fantasy worlds and Celtic legends.

But when it comes to the mysterious and enigmatic, Ireland doesnt need fiction. Theres plenty of mystery and awe in the remains of its own ancient past.

About 45 minutes north of Dublin is Newgrange, a Neolithic passage tomb built around 3200 B.C., making it older than the Egyptian pyramids or Stonehenge. (It can be visited only on a guided tour. Timed tickets are sold at the visitors center.)

At the entrance is a large stone, decorated with stone spirals, a common motif. The passage into the tomb is low and narrow; we ducked and held our purses and cameras in front of us so they wouldnt scrape the walls. Once inside the inner chamber, we saw three niches where the communal burials were. Geometric carvings adorned some stones.

The highlight came when the guide turned off the lights, and we were in complete, utter darkness. Then she flipped a switch, and we experienced what it would be like inside the tomb, which is believed to have also been used for rituals, on the winter solstice. On that day alone, the light of the rising sun enters the passage and illuminates the inner chamber for 17 minutes.

In County Clare, in the famed Burren, a lunar-like limestone plateau, we visited the Poulnabrone dolmen, a portal tomb in use between 5,200 and 5,800 years ago. The tomb sits on a high spot, so it is easily seen from the road, and it exerts a primitive attraction. What made the site special, at least for me, was the setting: the austere limestone pavement that emphasized the loneliness and the solitude of the tomb. (Incidentally, the famous Cliffs of Moher are on the edge of the Burren region.)

Among its various stops, the renowned Ring of Kerry drive has three stone ring forts to visit  Staigue (near Sneem), Cahergall and Leacanabuaile (both near Cahersiveen). These are circular fortresses, mainly dating back 300 to 600 A.D. Also called fairy forts, they are thought to have been defensive structures built around farmsteads. All three on the Ring of Kerry are worth visiting; each is a little different.

One of the most amazing stone forts, though, is Dun Aengus on the island of Inishmore, one of the Aran islands. In part thats because of its age (built about 1100 B.C. and occupied until roughly 1000 A.D.) and size (consisting of several concentric walls). But mostly, its because of its breathtaking location  right smack on the edge of 300-foot cliffs.

The day we were there was gray and a little drizzly. It didnt take much wind to let you know you could be swept right off the cliffs and knocked onto the rocks below. Maybe thats why I got a little dizzy as I neared the precipice.

Skellig Michael, Newgrange, Poulnabrone dolmen, Dun Aengus, the Ring of Kerry all these were places that we had long planned to visit. Like Giants Causeway and Carrick-a-rede, they were part of a detailed itinerary.

Sometimes, though, serendipity strikes, and you come upon something by surprise. Driving the Ring of Beara, we saw a sign for a stone circle. We drove, drove and drove some more  we were on the verge of giving up  when we came upon a small parking lot and an honor box for the 2 euro entry fee. Despite the rain, I grabbed the camera and headed up a hilly path, in search of the circle. My two companions stayed in the car.

Finally, I came upon what I later learned was the Uragh stone circle and my jaw dropped: five stones in a tight circle, one megalith about 10 feet tall. In the background, framed by the stones, a waterfall roared.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin is no doubt delighted by a new report that President Donald Trump has privately told top administration officials that hes serious with his rally blather about pulling the U.S. out of NATO. For generations, the Kremlin has yearned for such an American withdrawal, which would effectively dissolve an organization that has held Russian aggression in check for 70 years.

Americans and our allies, on the other hand, should be terrified.

Whether Trump is driven here by geopolitical ignorance, fealty to his isolationist base or something worse, Congress shouldnt wait for him to pursue this reckless notion. A Senate vote to express support of NATO today would pass nearly unanimously, sending a strong signal to Trump that he needs to drop this terrible idea, now. Senators should set aside partisanship for the good of the country and the world, and take that vote.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a global alliance of, currently, 29 North American and European nations. It was created in 1949 to confront a belligerent Soviet Russia with collective defense: An attack on any NATO member is viewed as an attack on all of them.
Greene County, Mo., has taken an unusual approach to dealing with jail overcrowding: Its inmates, including those still awaiting trial, are being held in 52-foot semi-trailers in a parking lot. Its the brainchild of a private contractor whos now trying to sell this idea around the country.

More than 100 prisoners are housed in six trailers, confined, often for long durations, to spaces of about half the size of a ping-pong table per man  a situation corrections experts and civil rights advocates say is inhumane and intolerable.

Yet Greene County is touting this blatant violation of civil and human rights as a fantastic idea and potentially the wave of the future for other jails. Lets hope not.

The southwestern Missouri countys trailer park jail, as officials jokingly call it, began in response to the legitimate problem of overcrowding at the countys regular jail.

So about a year ago, with the help of a Missouri company called All Detainment Solutions, the sheriffs office came up with what it presents as an innovative first-in-the-nation idea: housing inmates in the modified semi-trailers in a parking lot next to the jail, all of it surrounded by razor wire.
On the anniversary of the Blues Stanley Cup parade we take a look at some of the most memorable parade celebrations in St. Louis history.
But Sandmann said it was clear to him that Phillips had singled him out for a confrontation, although he was not sure why.

He said the incident began when a group identifying themselves as the Hebrew Israelites began to shout disparaging and vulgar comments at his group. He said the students began using school spirit chants -- with permission from teachers -- in response to the taunts.

He denied that anyone in the group said "build the wall" or used hateful or racist language toward Phillips.

"Our chants were loud because we wanted to drown out the hateful comments that were being shouted at us by the protesters," he said.

"The protester everyone has seen in the video began playing his drum as he waded into the crowd, which parted for him. I did not see anyone try to block his path. He locked eyes with me and approached me, coming within inches of my face. He played his drum the entire time he was in my face," Sandmann said.
Updated at 7:57 p.m.

A viral video of a group of Kentucky teens in "Make America Great Again" hats taunting a Native American veteran heaped fuel Saturday on a long-running, intense argument among abortion opponents as to whether the close affiliation of many antiabortion leaders with President Donald Trump since he took office has led to moral decay that harms the movement.

The video, which began to spread Saturday morning, showed a throng of young, mostly white teenage boys, several wearing MAGA caps, closely surrounding a 64-year-old man who was beating a drum as part of an Indigenous Peoples March happening near the Lincoln Memorial on Friday.

A few of the young people chanted "Build that wall, build that wall," the man said, adding that a teen the video shows smirking in front of him was blocking him from moving.

The students in the video had just come from the March for Life, the country's largest antiabortion rally and march, which happens annually on the National Mall, a few blocks east of the Lincoln Memorial.

In a statement Saturday, the Catholic high school and diocese some of the teens belong to issued a statement of apology to the man, named Nathan Phillips, and to "Native Americans in general."
ST. ANN  A man police say was involved in a shoplifting case at a Menards was killed Saturday afternoon when the vehicle he was driving crashed as a patrol car pursued him.

According to Fox2, police were called to the Menards store on St. Charles Rock Road about 4:15 p.m. A store security officer saw a man and woman stealing items and confronted them. The couple ran to the parking lot. The store officer followed and tried to detain them.

St. Ann Police Chief Aaron Jimenez told the TV station that the male suspect threatened the employee, telling him he had a gun. The couple got into a car and fled, heading east on St. Charles Rock Road.

Officers responding to the call saw the suspect vehicle and turned around to give chase. Less than a minute later, the getaway car collided with another vehicle at Lynn Town Drive.

The driver of the car fleeing the store died. Two of his passengers were injured as was the driver of the other vehicle.

The names of those involved in the crash have not been released.
You want us to Show You our work? they said. No thank you.

The move came on the same day that a different branch of government in Missouri stood up for the Sunshine Law, which allows citizens to hold elected officials accountable by making their work a matter of public record. The Court of Appeals, Western District, upheld a previous decision by Cole County Circuit Court Judge Patricia Joyce to fine former Cole County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Richardson for multiple violations of the Sunshine Law. That case will end up costing taxpayers $36,000 in fines and attorneys fees.

Richardson, who lost his re-election bid in a GOP primary last August, had been found to have knowingly and purposefully violated the Sunshine Law in refusing to hand over public documents sought by attorney Aaron Malin. Malin, along with David Roland of the Freedom Center of Missouri, have filed numerous similar lawsuits across the state alleging multiple violations of the Sunshine Law. They have won against prosecutors, sheriffs departments and police departments.

In Missouri, these days, far too many public officials believe the peoples records are made to be hidden, not shared.
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) senator Daniel Zamfir calls on the Romanian National Bank to decide for ROBOR to be calculated on the basis of the transactions being carried out, holding that the index at which the Romanians' installments with credits in lei is calculated is "doctored" by an understanding between the commercial banks, with the National Bank of Romania (BNR)'s "direct knowledge and involvement".

"The index for calculating the Romanians' installments with credits in lei is arranged, it is doctored by an understanding between the commercial banks with the direct knowledge and involvement of the National Bank of Romania (...) I call on the National Bank of Romania to stop as of tomorrow this mechanism by which the ROBOR is calculated today, a mechanism that artificially inflates the Romanians' installments. By the leverages that BNR has, it needs to establish for this ROBOR to be calculated on the basis of the transactions being carried out, because that is the real, market value at which transactions are carried out and not depending on quotations. (...) ROBOR is an understanding between the commercial banks, it is not the result of a free market, as BNR officials have so often explained to us. It is an understanding that is made to cover up the losses from the commercial banks' financial speculations, losses that are put on the shoulders of those who have credits in lei," the Chair of the Economic Committee of the Senate, Daniel Zamfir, told a press conference on Sunday.

He says that on January 29, hearings will be kicked off at the Senate Economic Committee, to which BNR Governor, Mugur Isarescu, the President of the Competition Council, Bogdan Chiritoiu, but also other stakeholders will be invited."The information I have will be the subject of hearings I intend to start at the Senate Economic Committee as of January 29, hearings to which the Governor of the National Bank of Romania, the President of the Competition Council and other stakeholders will be invited to provide explanations," said Zamfir.The senator maintains that he is in possession of documents that are the subject of an investigation that was launched in 2008 by the Competition Council."These documents, this investigation initiated by the Competition Council has been covered up for years, the investigation started in 2008, it ended in 2011. It ended with no resolutions, however, that is, things were not even taken any further with a view to sanctioning the deeds that were found here and neither was it classified for lack of evidence, it was simply covered up and kept in the drawer. Now, if DIICOT [the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism , ed.n.] thinks the deeds fall under its jurisdiction, I'm not a lawyer, I'm not good at it, I'm carrying out this demarche only with the public interest in mind," Zamfir said.He states that BNR can intervene to limit, to curtail the ROBOR course, but "intervenes whenever it wants and does not intervene when it does not want to." "The question is, why does such a thing happen, does the National Bank have a political interest? When he wanted to help Basescu [former Romanian president, ed.n.], Mugur Isarescu intervened and kept ROBOR down, now that he does not like the Dancila Government, he cannot intervene?," Daniel Zamfir concluded.
Senate President Calin Popescu-Tariceanu will attend the meeting of the Chairpersons of the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC) on Monday, informs a press release sent to AGERPRES on Sunday.

According to the cited source, the COSAC meeting is the first event that the Romanian Parliament, respectively the Senate, organizes within the parliamentary dimension of the first Romanian rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The objectives of the conference are to present the priorities of the rotating Presidency of the EU Council held by Romania, the COSAC Bi-annual Report and the preparation of the plenary session of COSAC.

The meeting will be attended by the chairpersons of the European Affairs Committees of the EU member states and of the candidate countries for accession to the European Union, as well as representatives of the European Parliament and the European Commission.

The COSAC meeting kick off on Sunday at the Palace of Parliament.
The Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union has finalized the process of adopting its first file in the area of economic and financial affairs, namely the Regulation as regards the minimum loss coverage for non-performing exposures (NPL), informs the Ministry of Public Finance (MFP).

Recording significant progress in the area of financial services represents a priority of Romania in the Economic and Financial Affairs Council.

"It is a promising beginning of term at the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. I am convinced that we will make a good impression and show that the teams of experts from the Ministry of Public Finance as well as other relevant ministries are prepared and will rise to the performance level expected from a successful presidency," Minister of Finance Eugen Teodorovici underlined.

The six files currently in the trilogue are at different stages of progress. The Romanian Presidency is also finalizing the process of adopting the Cross-Border Payments Regulation (CBP), the one concerning the Pan-European Personal Pension Products (PEPP) and the Risk Reduction Package in the banking sector.

According to the MFP release published on the institution's website, the Romanian Finance Minister already met in Strasbourg with Pervenche Beres and Othmar Karas, co-rapporteurs on the file on the review of the European System of Financial Supervision and members of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) in the European Parliament.

At the same time, the Romanian Minister of Finance also discussed with Isabelle Thomas, a member of the Budget Committee of the European Parliament, about the negotiations on the multi-annual financial framework. The two officials agreed to try to move forward as far as possible the negotiations between the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament, especially with regard to sectoral proposals for which a general approach or a partial mandate has already been established during the Austrian Presidency.
Foreign Affairs Minister Teodor Melescanu will attend on Monday the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, on the agenda of the EU foreign ministers' meeting featuring topical issues such as combating misinformation, the EU- League of Arab States (LAS) cooperation and the relation between the EU and the Association of South East Asian Nationsm (ASEAN).

According to a press release of the Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE), at the meeting chaired by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, the Romanian Foreign Minister will be presenting to the counterparts the main topics in Romania's focus during the term of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, including those in the field of foreign and security policy, in which the Presidency acts in support of the High Representative.

At the same time, Minister Teodor Melescanu will present on Tuesday the priorities of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU in the field of foreign relations at a briefing he will have in the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), respectively in the European Parliament's Committee on Development (DEVE).

On the same day, the Romanian dignitary will have the opportunity to present the priorities of the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council in foreign relations in a briefing organized by the European Policy Center think tank, the press release further shows.
Minister of Public Finance Eugen Teodorovici will present on Monday in Brussels Romania's priorities in the financial field before the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) in the European Parliament and on Tuesday will chair the first meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN), informs the relevant ministry.

The head of the Finance Ministry will be in Brussels on 21-22 January 2019 for a series of bilateral meetings in the context of Romania's exercising the presidency of the Council of the European Union.

"On Monday, January 21, 2019, Eugen Teodorovici will present Romania's priorities in the financial area to the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs in the European Parliament, will meet with Eurogroup President, Portuguese Minister of Finance Mario Centeno and will attend the Eurogroup meeting in an extended format. On Tuesday, January 22, 2019, Minister Teodorovici will chair the first meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN)," reads a press release posted on the MFP website.

The agenda of the meeting includes topics such as the InvestEU program, the status of the review of the European System for Financial Supervision, the work program of the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council at ECOFIN and the European Semester level.
The meeting of the Chairpersons of the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC) starts Sunday at the Romanian Parliament, being the first event organised by the Senate and the Deputies Chamber as part of the parliamentary dimension of the first rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union held by Romania.

The meeting, due to take place Sunday through Monday, brings together the chairpersons of the European Affairs Committees of the member states and of the candidate countries for EU membership, as well as representatives of the European Parliament and the European Commission.

The conference presents and clarifies the priorities of the Romanian Presidency, debates the BI-annual Report of COSAC, prepares the plenary session of COSAC and hosts a panel that will debate European convergence and cohesion, according to www.parl2019ro.eu.

The meeting of COSAC Chairpersons is preceded by a meeting of the presidential troika composed of the delegations representing the national parliaments of the acting president (Romania), the former president (Austria) and the future president (Finland) as well as the European Parliament. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss and agree on the agenda, participants, topics and other important aspects pertaining to the meeting.

COSAC was established in Paris, on the 16-17 November 1989 by the President of the French National Assembly. It has brought together, once every six months starting from 1989, the specialized bodies of national parliaments which deal with European affairs as well as representatives of the European Parliament and of the European Commission. Each conference is convened by the parliament of the country which holds the office of President of the Council of the European Union and is prepared in cooperation with the European Parliament and the other troika parliaments.

COSAC is not a decision-making body, rather, its role is one of consultation and parliamentary coordination, shaping its position through consensus.
Editors note: This editorial ran last year about this time. The bill has been reintroduced. We have made minor changes to the editorial, but our position remains unchanged.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

These words make up the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. They are critical to the life of a free society.

The First Amendment assures us the right to practice and proclaim our beliefs, even if those beliefs are not the popular beliefs.

It is not a liberal or conservative amendment but it is the solid foundation upon which we freely worship, we peacefully protest, we complain about our politicians and we in the media keep the public informed of what is happening on the local, national and world scene.

Unfortunately, freedom of the press does not presently apply to post-secondary school students publishing in their college newspaper. Instead, their stories can be censored, their voice silenced.
SCOTTSBLUFF  A Scottsbluff assisted living facility is under new ownership.

In a press release, Kismet BFF-A LLC d/b/a WEL-Life at Scottsbluff issued a statement sayign it would like to recognize Trevor Stacey, executive director and the outstanding team at WEL-Life at Scottsbluff with the successful transfer of operational ownership from Welcov Healthcare of Edina, Minnesota, to Kismet BFF-A LLC, while remaining steadfast to providing quality care to the residents and their families with respect, dignity and kindness.:

On Sept. 1, 2018, the company transferred business operations to new ownership. While the business operations transfer occurred in September, the legal notices were not posted at the same time.

We know transitions of this magnitude can be challenging. We appreciate the support of all involved. The WEL-Life at Scottsbluff team and our consulting team look forward to serving the residents, families and Scottsbluff community for years to come, said Wendy Soulek, CEO of Lantis, which is the management consulting company.

All parties involved offered a special thank you to the State of Nebraska, The Nebraska Healthcare Association and all the many vendors who helped with the swift transition, according to the press release.

Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form
SCOTTSBLUFF  The Scottsbluff Sam & Louies Pizzeria is teaming up with United Way of Western Nebraska for a better tomorrow. They will host fundraising events the week of Jan. 21 to benefit United Way and all you have to do is enjoy some great food from Sam & Louies.

On Tuesday, Jan. 22, Sam & Louies Pizzeria, 1522 Broadway, Scottsbluff, will host an all-day fundraiser to assist United Way of Western Nebraska in their final push to reaching their 2018-19 campaign goal of $335,000. The campaign dollars raised will help fund nonprofit agencies and programs applying for 2019-20 United Way funding. Sam & Louies will donate 15 percent of their sales that day. Lunch starts at 11 a.m. and dinner ends at 9 p.m.  plenty of time to eat in or carry out a great meal.

There will be a 50/50 raffle that day at the restaurant (you do not have to be present to win). Second-place prize will be a Sam & Louies gift bag, third-place prize will be a Quacky Combo of ducks in the 2019 United Way Duck Dash. Door prizes will also be given away throughout the day.
Doshier said she tries to get her Auxiliary members, friends and relatives to save their ham bones.

Most people just throw them out, but we save them and freeze them for Dick to use in the soup, she said.

Achziger and Schwab each bought and donated a ham to go toward the soup.

Orr said he starts on the soup on Thursday mornings by washing down the beans before letting them soak overnight. On Friday mornings, he will get up early to let everything cook for three-to-four hours before setting the heat on low and letting it finish over night. On Saturday mornings, hell get everything set up and ready for the guests to come in and start helping themselves.

It will take about an hour or so each time, Orr said.

And sometimes on Saturdays, Orr will come in to discover a cake or bread donated by an anonymous Good Samaritan.

Since the start of the ham and bean soup tradition, membership at the post has diminished significantly.

At Post #36, where its ranks were once at 500 veterans, are now down to between 150 and 250, Achziger said. Nationally, of the 18 million veterans who are eligible to join, only 2.4 million are members.
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 
S hocking images reveal how some of the world's most polluted cities would look if all pollution was visible.

Using data from 2018, the photos show what it would look like if humans could see hazardous chemicals produced by vehicle exhausts once the initial plume of smoke has disappeared.

According to the Air Quality Index, Londons level of pollution stood at 25, halfway between good and moderate.

The Air Quality Index is used by government agencies to gauge how polluted their cities are, assessing levels of different air particles to determine the level.

Londons level of pollution stood at 25, halfway between good and moderate

Invisible pollution kills up to 9,000 people a year in the English capital, according to the Guardian.

Delhi was found to have almost ten times the pollution level of London, with an AQI rating of 223.

The image created by Select Car Leasing shows the seriousness of the pollution levels in Delhi.

The air quality rating in Delhi was 223 on average in 2018

According to a study published in Lancet Planetary Health, Indias toxic air killed 1.24 million people in 2017.

Istanbul also suffered from a high Air Quality Index level in 201. Pollution levels reached 161, considered to be unhealthy.

The images were visualised in accordance with the Air Quality Index.

Cities with a lower Air Quality Rating would have less dense visible emissions, only coverinb close to car exhausts and ground level, but cities with higher, more dangerous emission levels would see denser levels of smog in the atmosphere which would make it difficult to see further beyond short distances ahead.

Last year, research by the University of Chicago found that air pollution can reduce life expectancy by just under two years.

Istanbul's air quality rating averaged at 161

It found that the average person in the world is losing 1.8 years of their life expectancy to dirty air that violates the World Health Organisations guidelines.

It comes as Sadiq Khan launches the Breathe London network which uses sensors to build a picture of air quality across the capital.

In collaboration with the Environmental Defense Fund Europe and Google Earth Outreach - which will fix mobile sensors to two of its Street View cars - air quality information will be collected and published on an online map.

Seoul's air quality rating was an average of 48 in 2018

The map, which will be published on the Breathe London website, will show Londoners the condition of the air they are breathing in each place.
F ootage of teenagers wearing Make America Great Again hats appearing to mock a Native American Vietnam War veteran has sparked outrage.

A viral video of the group of mostly boys has attracted criticism on social media, with many condemning their actions.

In the video, students from Kentuckys Covington Catholic High School are seen to be taunting Omaha elder Nathan Philips as he sings and drums.

One youth in the video appears to be standing extremely close to the 64-year-old Vietnam war veterans face, while other pupils are seen chanting, laughing and cheering.

The teens were taking place in an anti-abortion rally in Washington and met Mr Philips, who was taking part in an Indigenous Peoples March, on Friday.

The video has prompted outrage / REUTERS

According to the schools diocese, the pupils could face expulsion as a result.

In a joint statement , the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington and Covington Catholic High School apologised and said they are investigating and will take "appropriate action, up to and including expulsion."

The statement read: We extend our deepest apologies to Mr Philips.

This behaviour is opposed to the Churchs teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person.

According to the Indian Country Today website, Mr Phillips is an Omaha elder and Vietnam veteran who holds an annual ceremony honouring Native American veterans at Arlington National Cemetery.

The school has apologised after videos emerged / AP

Marcus Frejo, a member of the Pawnee and Seminole tribes who is also known as Chief Quese Imc, said he had been a part of the march and was among a small group of people remaining after the rally when the boisterous students began chanting slogans such as "make America great" and then began doing the haka, a traditional Maori dance.

Mr Frejo later said he felt as though the pupils were mocking the dance.

One 11-minute video of the confrontation shows the Haka dance and students loudly chanting before Mr Phillips and Mr Frejo approached them.

Mr Frejo said he joined Mr Phillips to defuse the situation, singing the anthem from the American Indian Movement with both men beating out the tempo on hand drums.

He said: "They went from mocking us and laughing at us to singing with us. I heard it three times,".

The videos prompted a torrent of outrage online. Actress and activist Alyssa Milano tweeted that the footage "brought me to tears," while actor Chris Evans tweeted that the students' actions were "appalling" and "shameful."
T he worlds oldest man has died at the age of 113.

Masazo Nonaka died in the early hours of Sunday while sleeping at his home - a hot springs inn - in northern Japan.

His family said he died peacefully from natural causes at home in Ashoro on Japans northern main island of Hokkaido.

His grandaughter said he appeared to be as usual until her elder sister noticed he was not breathing. He was pronounced dead by his family doctor.

"He didn't have any health problem. He went peacefully and that's at least our consolation," she said.

Masazo Nonaka receives the certificate from Guinness World Records as the world's oldest living man / AP

The supercentenarian, whose family has run a hot springs for four generations, was certified last year as the worlds oldest living man at 112 years and 259 days.

Mr Nonaka was born on July 25, 1905, two years after the Wright Brothers celebrated the first power-driven flight and just months before Einstein published his theory of relativity.

He grew up in a large family and succeeded his parents running the inn, which is now run by his granddaughter.

Mr Nonaka spent his retirement watching sumo wrestling on TV, reading newspapers and eating sweets and cakes.

He told Guinness World Records last year that his secret to a long life was soaking in hot springs and eating sweets.

His daughter added that it was likely because he lived his life in a way that did not bring him stress.

Mr Nonaka outlived his wife and three of their five children.

The fastest-aging country in the world, Japan, as of September 2018, had a centenarian population of 69,785, nearly 90 percent of them women, according to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
S now has been forecast across the UK this week as temperatures continue to plunge amid an icy cold snap which could last several weeks.

As much as 10cm of snow could fall in parts of Scotland and northern England on Monday night while flurries are expected in London and the south east by Tuesday morning.

Temperatures sunk as low as -9C in parts of northern Scotland as the weekend began, while in southern England conditions hovered a few degrees above freezing.

Forecasters said there is a chance the prolonged cold snap could last for several weeks, but weather models are currently unable to make confident predictions.

The uncertainty comes from a sudden stratospheric warming event at the end of December, causing temperatures to rapidly rise in the atmosphere, leaving open the possibility of an extended cold period.

After a crisp winter's day on Sunday for most of the country, Monday started off dry, bright and chilly for most of the UK.

Forecaster Becky Mitchell told the Standard: "The weather will start to change across the UK on Monday as a band of rain, sleet and snow moves from the north west to the south east.

"In northern areas of England and Scotland and Northern Ireland there could be widely around 5cm of snow in hilly areas, and 10cm of snow locally.

"Snow is also expected to settle in Wales.

"Further south, people could wake up to wintry flurries on Tuesday morning as the band moves across the country.

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

"Tuesday will be a wintry day with a mix of sun and showers across the country, a lot of showers could fall as snow and London could see some more showers in the afternoon."

Ms Mitchell added that Tuesday and Wednesday night will be particularly cold, and temperatures in parts of Scotland where snow has settled could fall below -10C.

A weather warning for ice could be issued as the mercury drops.
D etectives investigating a suspected car bomb in Northern Ireland have arrested two more men.

The men, aged 34 and 42 years, were arrested in the city on Sunday evening.

Their arrests come after two men in their 20s were arrested in the early hours of Sunday morning. All four men were being held in custody on Sunday evening.

An explosion in Londonderry city centre occured at 8pm on Saturday night after a vehicle exploded on Bishop Street.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said it was fortunate that no-one was killed or injured.

Dramatic CCTV footage of the incident released by police has revealed how a group of people had walked past the car containing the bomb just minutes before the explosion.

Assistant chief constable Mark Hamilton described the bomb as a "crude device" and the attack as "unbelievably reckless".

The bomb sent plumes of smoke in the air / PA

Mr Hamilton said hundreds of people, including hotel guests and children from a church youth club were evacuated from the area.

Police said their main line of inquiry is that the New IRA militanat group was responsible for the attack.

Forensic officers inspect the remains of the van used as a car bomb on an attack outside Derry Court House. / Getty Images

The Irish nationalist New IRA is one of a small number of militant groups opposed to a 1998 peace deal that largely ended three decades of violence in the British-run province. They have carried out sporadic attacks in recent years.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said he did not see the bombing as an escalation of militant groups' capabilities but a continuation of a threat that has been officially at the "severe" level for 10 years.
T wo people have been arrested in relation to a car bomb attack outside a Londonderry courthouse.

Police said their main line of inquiry is that the New IRA militanat group was responsible for the attack.

The Irish nationalist New IRA is one of a small number of militant groups opposed to a 1998 peace deal that largely ended three decades of violence in the British-run province. They have carried out sporadic attacks in recent years.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said he did not see the bombing as an escalation of militant groups' capabilities but a continuation of a threat that has been officially at the "severe" level for 10 years.

No one was injured the attack, which happened shortly after 8pm on Saturday when a vehicle exploded on Bishop Street.

Mr Hamilton said hundreds of people, including hotel guests and children from a church youth club were evacuated from the area.

"At around 7.55pm last night officers on patrol in Bishop Street spotted a suspicious vehicle and were making checks when, around five minutes later, information was received that a device had been left at the courthouse," he said.

"We moved immediately to begin evacuating people from nearby buildings including hundreds of hotel guests, 150 people from the Masonic Hall and a large number of children from a church youth club.

"The device detonated at 8.10pm."

It is believed the vehicle was hijacked from a delivery driver in Quarry Street a short time before the explosion.

Mr Hamilton condemned the attack as unbelievable reckless.

Forensic officers inspect the remains of the van used as a car bomb on an attack outside Derry Court House. / Getty Images

"Thankfully the attackers failed to kill or injure any members the local community out socialising and enjoying the best of what the city has to offer," he said.

"The people responsible for this attack have shown no regard for the community or local businesses. They care little about the damage to the area and the disruption they have caused."

The attack has been labelled an act of terrorism and condemned from both sides of government.

Dissident Republican group Saraodh has said it believes it was carried out by "revolutionary republicans".

The Mayor of Derry John Boyle has challenged those responsible to explain themselves.

"I would actually like to ask the people responsible for this what it actually was that they thought they were going to achieve.

A burning car following a suspected car bomb in Londonderry, northern Ireland. / AFP/Getty Images

It achieves nothing, it didn't achieve anything in the past, it didn't achieve anything right now," the SDLP mayor said.

"This is the past and it has to stay in the past. We don't want to see any more of it."

Northern Ireland Secretary of State Karen Bradley has said those behind the bomb attack will not prevail.

"This attempt to disrupt progress in Northern Ireland has rightly been met with utter condemnation from all parts of the community.

"The small number of people responsible have absolutely nothing to offer Northern Ireland's future and will not prevail.

"Our voices across the political spectrum are united. This is intolerable violence and we want to look forward and build a peaceful future for all in Northern Ireland.
F ormer Ukip leader Nigel Farage has endorsed a new pro-Brexit party as he vowed a return to frontline politics if Britain doesnt leave the EU on March 29.

The MEP for the South East was approached last week by former activists for Ukip who have applied to register the Brexit Party with the Electoral Commission.

Former Ukip economics spokeswoman Catherine Blaiklock has applied to register the new party, according to The Sun on Sunday.

The paper said that Mr Farage had been sounded out as a possible leader.

Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage who is reported to be considering a return to frontline politics / PA

He told the paper: "This was Catherine's idea entirely - but she has done this with my full knowledge and my full support.

"If the Government goes back on its word and betrays the millions of people who voted for Brexit then we need a party prepared to stand up and fight for it.

TODO: define component type apester

"I'm fully prepared for Article 50 to be extended or revoked and if that happens, I will re-enter the fray."

He added that there would be a "huge public backlash" should Prime Minister Theresa May look to extend Brexit beyond March and that people would "flock" to a "real pro-Brexit party".

The 54-year-old, who led Ukip to a win in the popular vote at the 2014 European elections but has failed to win a Westminster seat in seven attempts, said he would not "stand by and do nothing" if Brexit was not delivered on March 29.

Mr Farage left the party in December, saying he was uncomfortable with the direction Ukip has taken in recent months.
From the bottom of our hearts, we want them to stay.

Without your great nation, this Continent would not be what it is today: a community defined by freedom and prosperity.

After the horrors of the Second World War, Britain did not give up on us. It has welcomed Germany back as a sovereign nation and a European power.

This we, as Germans, have not forgotten and we are grateful.
L eading cabinet Brexiteer Liam Fox has accused Remainer MPs of trying to "steal" Brexit from the British people.

The International Trade Secretary angrily said backbenchers were trying to "hijack" Britain's withdrawl from the EU by trying to take control of the process.

"You've got a Leave population and a Remain Parliament," he told BBC1's The Andrew Marr Show.

"Parliament has not got the right to hijack the Brexit process because Parliament said to the people of this country 'We make a contract with you, you will make the decision and we will honour it'.

"What we are now getting is some of those who always absolutely opposed the result of the referendum trying to hijack Brexit and in fact steal the result from the people."

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox on The Andrew Marr Show / PA

Dr Fox warned that the political consequences if Parliament was to go back on the referendum result, would be "astronomical".

At least two cross-party groups of MPs are planning to table amendments to enable backbenchers to take control of the business of the House to delay or frustrate Theresa May's Brexit plans.

One group led by Tory former minister Nick Boles and the senior Labour MP Yvette Cooper is attempting to block a no-deal Brexit - something Mrs May strongly opposes.

A second, led by the former attorney general Dominic Grieve, is said to want to go further and suspend the Article 50 withdrawal process.

Downing Street described the moves as "extremely concerning" and said they underlined the need for MPs who supported Brexit to vote for it in the House.

However Tory former cabinet minister Nicky Morgan, who is backing the Boles-Cooper amendment, rejected claims MPs were trying to stage a constitutional "coup".

"To describe it as a coup is overblown," she told Sky News's Ridge on Sunday programme.

"It's a strange coup that starts with a whole bunch of democratically elected Members of Parliament."

Labour MP Hilary Benn, who chairs the Commons Brexit committee and is backing the same amendment, also rejected claims MPs were behaving unconstitutionally.

"MPs doing their job are not plotters, they are trying to sort out the mess the Prime Minister has created," he told The Andrew Marr Show.

"We are facing a national crisis and there are many MPs in the House of Commons whose first priority is to ensure that we do not leave without a deal."

The row erupted as Mrs May was preparing to brief cabinet ministers on her talks with other party leaders and senior MPs following the crushing defeat of her Brexit deal last week in the Commons.
A mum-of-two with muscular dystrophy is urging the NHS to give disabled people equal access to cervical cancer screenings after she suggested the lack of hoists in health centres has meant she has gone unchecked for five years.

Despite receiving her first cervical cancer letter in 2014, Fiona Anderson has never had a smear test because her GP practice does not have a hoist, something she suggests is the case at the majority of healthcare centres.

The 30-year-old, who has been a wheelchair user since she was six years old, said she is running the risk of cancer going undetected purely because of an accessibility issue related to my disability.

Ms Anderson, from Bolton, has now set up a petition which is calling on the NHS to give people with disabilities equal access to cervical cancer screenings by offering hoists at all healthcare centres.

In just weeks the petition has gained more than 100,000 signatures. In that time, Ms Anderson says she has heard from around 100 women who have spoken out about similar difficulties.

In a statement, a spokeswoman for the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership has now apologised to Ms Anderson for not being offered an alternative to meet her needs.

She said they have national guidance in place to ensure patients who need assistance can access cervical screening but said they recognise how frustrating it must be for Fiona that she has not been able to book one.

Ms Anderson's petition now has more than 100,000 signatures / Change.org

Speaking to the Standard, Ms Anderson said: For women like me its been an ongoing issue for a number of years.

Its a problem disabled women have faced time and time again and it really could have dangerous consequences.

These screenings are so important but I havent been able to have one because my GP doesnt have a hoist and hasnt referred me on.

Its a postcode lottery if youll be able to access these services if you have a disability like I do. Accessibility shouldnt be the reason behind why people are living with cancer undetected.

All you have to do is speak to a handful of disabled women  four out of five will tell you that theyve never had a screening or they have had to jump through hoop after hoop to get it.

Ms Anderson said she was also not made aware of any database of healthcare centres which have hoists available.

A petition is calling on the NHS to give disabled women equal access to cervical cancer screenings / PA Wire/PA Images

Similar problems were experienced by Kerry Thompson, from Milton Keynes, who told the Standard that she had her first cervical cancer screening 10 years ago, the results of which came back showing abnormalities.

However, since moving to a new area, Ms Thompson, 39, said she was unable to get another test at her current GP  despite calling two or three times a year  as she was never referred to a centre which could accommodate her.

She said: The GP surgery told me theres nothing they can do, they have never offered to send me to the hospital. I havent had a screening in 10 years and that was after being told I have abnormal cells.

Theyve sent me letters about a smear test and every time I call up and say I know Im well overdue. But each time I do, they say we dont have the facilities, our nurses havent been trained. I ask every time can you find out what I need to do?, but they never get back to me. Thats two or three times a year.

You just have to put it to the back of your mind," she added. It wasn't until Ms Thompson was hospitalised last year with an unrelated medical issue that she got a screening scheduled.

Elizabeth Gwilliam, 32, from Devon, uses a wheelchair and says she has definitely experienced a lack of equipment  both hoists and transferring boards  in GPs and hospitals.

She said: You hear people getting cervical cancer younger and younger  some of those people are going to be missed because they cant get access to the same screenings.

Lauren West, Muscular Dystrophy UKs Trailblazers manager, said that "access to healthcare is a basic human right" but said too many disabled women "are missing out because of the physical and attitudinal barriers that stand in their way".

She added: Screening is essential in preventing cervical cancer and every woman should be entitled to routine testing. We wholeheartedly support Fionas petition and have written to the health minister to put across our concerns and to request a meeting.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership told the Standard: We recognise how frustrating it must be for Fiona that she not been able to book a cervical screening test at her own GP practice and hasnt been offered a suitable alternative.

"We have national guidance in place to ensure patients who need assistance can access cervical screening in a location that has the equipment in place and were sorry that she hasnt been offered an alternative that meets her needs.

"Its important that everyone who is invited to a smear test is able to attend and we will be looking again at how we can support GPs and patients across the region can access screening services.
A teenage girl was the first person to help the Novihok poisoning victims Sergei and Yulia Skripal, it has emerged.

Schoolgirl Abigail McCourt was with her family before she rushed to the aid of the 66-year-old ex KGB spy and his daughter after seeing them collapsed on a bench in Salisbury last march.

The teen said she at first thought Mr Skripal had suffered a heart attack, but immediately alerted her mother, who an Army colonel and chief is nursing officer, to go and help.

Together, the mother and daughter ran to administer first aid.

She said: It was my brother's birthday and we were out celebrating, and we were coming home and I saw them on the bench," Abigail, who learnt first aid at school, told Salisbury-based radio station Spire FM.

Military personel investigating in Salisbury / Getty Images

"At this point people were still walking past and I don't think anyone had really noticed them.

"I told my mum because I thought he was having a heart attack. We went over and it developed from there.

"We went home and the next day I was talking to some of my friends about it, and at break someone Snapchatted me and said, 'Is this the thing you were talking about?', and I was 'OK, wow'.

"I was a bit shocked, to be honest, because I don't think I was expecting near that to have happened. I needed to phone my mum and see if she was OK. It was a bit surreal."

Abigail, who had to undergo hospital tests to see if she had been contaminated by the deadly nerve agent, was speaking after winning a Spire FM Local Hero Award.

Abigail, who was nominated by her mother, said she put her first aid training to good use and believed she made a difference.

"It just all helped and I did make a massive difference, I think, because the woman wasn't breathing at the time we found her," said the teenager from Larkhill, Wiltshire.

"If someone is in trouble you have got to do something, and I don't think you really question it at all."

Yulia Skripal was poisoned alongside her father Sergei / PA

Ms McCourt told the radio station she was "immensely proud" of her daughter.

"I just think she has been incredibly brave at the time to rush in. She's trained in first aid and is in the cadet force at school, and she would never walk on by even if it was obvious it was dangerous," she said.

"I know she'd do it all again if required to do so, which makes me immensely proud to be her mother."

Investigators believe the Skripals first came into contact with the poison when it was sprayed on the door handle of the former spy's home in Salisbury.

Mr Skripal and his daughter survived the attack, which Prime Minister Theresa May said had "almost certainly" been approved by the Russian state.

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 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 with 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.
You probably havn't been able to escape the avalanche of #10YearChallenge posts on social media over the past week.

From celebrities to school friends, all have been showing their "glow up" to the world. And whilst most stars look like they havn't aged a day (yes, we're looking at you, J. Lo and Reece Witherspoon), the one thing that has noticably transformed over the years is their style.

Due to changing trends, as well as the evolution of a celebrity's personal style, and in some cases, the appointment of a stylist, the majority of the most stylish celebs in 2019 have seen quite the dramatic sartorial makeover in the past decade.

From Kim Kardashian to Victoria Beckham, Blake Lively to Emma Watson, the difference between their 2008 and 2018 ensembles is eye-popping.

Lady Gaga in 2008 and 2018 / Getty Images

People. Fashion. Power. Delivered weekly. Email Sign up Sign up I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice {{message}} {{permutiveUid}} {{message}}

No one has transformed themselves (and their wardrobe) quite as much as Lady Gaga, who has gone from red carpt wild card to shooting to the top of best dressed lists this awards season.

And, it's not just Hollywood names which have got the throwback treatment.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2008 and 2018 / Getty Images

A little look back at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's fashion evolution shows just how much their lives have changed over the psat 10 years. Meghan has gone from cool LA girl to Duchess of Sussex, whilst Prince Harry from a baggy bootcut jeans army boy to a tailored dad-to-be.
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence visited the Pentagon on Thursday to roll out the 2019 Missile Defense Review. In a speech to a packed auditorium, the president touted his record as commander in chief, congratulated Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan for his job performance, blasted NATO allies for not paying enough for their own security, and jabbed at Democrats for not agreeing to fund a border wall to end the nearly month-old partial government shutdown.

In brief comments on the Missile Defense Review, he mentioned the importance of space as a domain of war and assured the Pentagon that its budget for fiscal year 2020 will request funding for new missile-tracking satellites to defend the United States and allies.

Trump also seized the opportunity to commend the Pentagon's ongoing work to organize a new military branch for space. The nation will have advanced missile defense capabilities, he said, "with the Space Force leading the way." Space ultimately is "going to be a very big part of our defense and offense," Trump said. He insisted that space-based missile defense will be funded in 2020 and noted that the Pentagon will "remove bureaucratic obstacles" to accelerate the acquisition of these systems. [Military Space: The Latest Satellites and Missions]

In the Missile Defense Review, DoD highlights partnerships that the United States has forged with allies to counter missile threats. But Trump struck an adversarial tone by calling for "fair burden sharing" and for allies to pay for a portion of the cost of missile defense. "We are protecting very, very wealthy countries," he said.

The Pentagon was expected to release the Missile Defense Review in May. Trump directed it during the first week of his presidency. The last one was the Obama administration's 2010 Ballistic Missile Defense Review

What's new?

In remarks at the Pentagon auditorium, Shanahan said the United States for the first time recognizes the threat of "new and sophisticated missiles." Examples are hypersonic and advanced cruise missiles that countries like China and Russia are developing as tools of "political intimidation" and to deter the U.S. military from intervening in future military conflicts when these weapons might be deployed.

Speaking to reporters later at a Pentagon news conference, John Rood, undersecretary of defense for policy, called the MDR "the start of a new era, the next era, in missile defense." The United States since the 1990s has had a missile shield  a network of ground, air and sea based radars and interceptors  in place to protect the nation from ballistic missiles from countries like North Korea and Iran. DoD will be expanding the coverage to hypersonic and cruise missiles, said Rood. "Over the last two decades , we have seen an evolution of the missile threat, and more sophisticated capabilities."

Mike Griffin, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, said the Russians and Chinese are developing hypersonic tactical missiles for regional deployment. Even though they are non-nuclear, they have a "strategic impact," he said, because they are used to keep U.S. forces on the defensive.

Missile defense analyst Tom Karako, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said most of what is discussed in the 2019 review are continuations of existing efforts. For the first time, however, the document puts Russia and China "in the same sentence as missile defenses." Another subtle change is that it acknowledges that a path to peace with North Korea may theoretically be possible, but nevertheless the review "endorses a defense and defeat dominant posture toward rogue states," Karako said. The single most significant action in the MDR is the endorsement of a program to build a new network of early warning and tracking satellites, which the Pentagon calls a Space Sensor Layer.

Importance of space

The Pentagon has missile warning satellites  the Space Based Infrared System  in high and geostationary Earth orbits to detect launches such as intercontinental ballistic missiles. The future space-based sensors the Pentagon plans to develop will be in lower orbits, designed to monitor, detect and track more advanced, maneuvering hypersonic glide vehicles from locations almost anywhere on the globe. Space sensors "enjoy a measure of flexibility of movement that is unimpeded by the constraints that geographic limitations impose on terrestrial sensors, and can provide 'birth to death' tracking that is extremely advantageous," the review said.

More sensors in space "may increase the overall likelihood of successfully intercepting offensive missiles, reduce the number of U.S. defensive interceptors required to do so, and potentially destroy offensive missiles over the attacker's territory rather than the targeted state," said the report.

Congress in the National Defense Authorization Act for 2019 directed DoD to identify the most promising technologies, estimate a schedule, cost and personnel requirements for a space-based defensive layer.

Griffin noted that the Space Sensor Layer will serve as a targeting tool in wartime and as a "persistent, timely" surveillance capability in peacetime. [Launch Photos: Delta IV Launches WGS-9 Military Communications Satellite]

How long will this take?

Griffin said it could take a few years to develop the Space Sensor Layer. "We're not talking about going straight from the missile defense review to an objective system," he told reporters. "You'll start to see experiments materialize over the next few years," he said. "We want to see some action."

The Missile Defense Agency has been studying concepts for a Space Sensor Layer to defend from hypersonic threats for at least three years. It concluded that because hypersonic weapons are "dimmer" targets that are more difficult to see, the sensors need to be closer to the action. "We also have to have a much broader range of coverage," Griffin said. "So the best approach is a network of satellites in low orbit. How many and on what orbits remains to be decided."

The George W. Bush administration tried to develop a constellation of satellites in lower orbit, the Space Tracking and Surveillance System to keep tabs on enemy missiles from launch to intercept. The goal was to deploy 24 satellites but only two were launched and the program was terminated by the Obama administration in 2013.

Air Force Lt. Gen. Sam Greaves, director of the Missile Defense Agency, said a lot of analysis is going into the Space Sensor Layer to avoid a repeat of past failures. MDA will be "executing a disciplined acquisition process" for these new capabilities, said Greaves. "We have to prove things in the laboratory, prove things on the ground" before the Pentagon commits to buying any system. "You won't see us jumping to an objective system," he said. "Milestone driven is a key term, it will be data rich decision making."

But Griffin suggested that he will push for the program to get underway as soon as possible. "We're starting this year," he said. Congress has not set specific cost limits for the Space Sensor Layer but Griffin said he is not concerned about it becoming outlandishly expensive. "I believe it will be affordable," he said. "It will be comparable to other existing assets we have today, but I can't give you a number right now."

Not happening any time soon: space-based interceptors. "We'll be initiating yet another study," said Griffin. Missiles in space have long been talked about but there are still many unknowns. He said DoD needs to better understand their effectiveness, cost and "other considerations."

Will the money follow?

Roman Schweizer, defense industry analyst at Cowen Research, said the missile defense review contains "strong statements about international threats and demands for new technologies" but funding and acquisition plans will remain unclear at least until the fiscal year 2020 budget is made public and Congress begins to analyze the request.

Follow-on actions from the review could benefit companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, Raytheon and Aerojet Rocketdyne, Schweizer wrote in an email to investors. "We anticipate a robust discussion in Congress once the 2020 budget is released."

This document is an "important step in making the case for new missile defense spending, but Congress will have a lot to say. "And remember one important wrinkle, none of this is final until Congress passes the 2020 budget (and future budgets) and we would expect House Democrats to pick apart the review and question some of more controversial aspects such as the militarization of space."

This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry.
SPEAK OUT

The Tribune invites readers to express their views in the Voice of the People column and in Viewpoint.

Letters to the Voice of the People are limited to 200 words. Viewpoint columns should be no more than 700 words.

Both Viewpoint and Voice of the People submissions are subject to editing. All submissions must include the writer's full name, which will be printed.

Letters, including e-mail, which do not include the writer's street address and telephone number will not be considered for publication. This information is kept confidential but is necessary for verification purposes.

Letters may be mailed to the Editorial Department, South Bend Tribune, 635 S. Lafayette Blvd., Suite 138, South Bend IN 46601; emailed to vop@sbtinfo.com, faxed to 574-236-1765, or submitted through our online form here.

Due to volume, it is not possible to print all submissions. Except in special circumstances, we do not print poetry or thank-you letters. We do not print letters announcing events to come, extensive quotations from other material, open letters or form letters.
Thelma Duncan, age 93 of Columbus, OH, formerly of Somerset, passed away on Wednesday, June 16, 2021 at Kobacker House Hospice Care in Columbus. Services are pending at this time and will be announced on Thursday. Lake Cumberland Funeral Home is entrusted with the arrangements for Thelma Duncan.
Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription, or activate your access, to continue reading.
PHILIPS BURG ---The Committee of Civil Servants Unions (CCSU), formerly known as the GOA held a consultative meeting with the honorable Minister of Justice Cornelius de Weever on Friday January 11 2019. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss the additional function descriptions and evaluations that will become part of the new police function book.



The CCSU seeks to ensure proper representation of the whole civil servants corps and therefore invited the NAPB and the ABVO to take part in the meeting in the capacity of observers as both unions represent the majority of unionized members within the Justice Ministry and are currently not represented in the CCSU due to the legal requirements for membership not being fulfilled.



The members and observers were all given the opportunity to ask the Minister questions and make statements. The WITU cautioned the Minister that any changes that he would like to implement should be in the ultimate benefit of the police force. Before the meeting was adjourned the Minister of Justice ensured the CCSU that a complete function book for the police will be submitted as soon as possible for review.



Based on article 112g of the LMA, the CCSU has a 6 weeks period to provide feedback on matters related to the function book once all relevant documents have been submitted.

The Members of the Committee of Civil Servants Unions are appointed every 2 years based on their official membership count. The CCSU consists for the 2018-2020 term of one member of the WICSU-PSU Mr. Riegnald Arrindell and his replacement member Mr. Franklin Mariana along with one member of the WITU Mrs. Claire Elshot-Aventurin and her replacement member Mr. Robert Rawlins. The CCSU is supported by a Secretariat consisting of 3 persons, the Chairlady Ms. Jessica Weeks, the General Secretary Mrs. Suenah Laville-Martis and the Deputy General Secretary Mr. Travis McQuilkin.
PHILIPSBURG:---Finally, Overseas Bloodline is published in Spanish, the language of the main character in the book, Adelaida Morales, my beloved grandmother, says Loekie Morales, author of this book. The title in Spanish is La Sangre Llama and I am most proud to have it published as a hardcover version, useful for comprehensive reading in Spanish.

Overseas Bloodline was originally published in 2002 in Dutch as Bloedlijn Overzee and was for years on the B-list for Dutch literature in high schools in Holland. In 2012 it was translated into English and published together with an Audiobook. Just recently it was also translated and published by the Aruban department of Culture and Education into Papiamento as Sanger ta Yama, the local language in Aruba. The Papiamento version is only available in Aruba. The English version is available at the Shipwreck shops and at Beyond Kultura Events Foundation.

Overseas Bloodline is the real-life story of three sisters who found each other again after seventy years. Morales did what several family members told her not to do in 1990. She packed her things and travelled to the western edge of Venezuela, a country she only knew from tales, to find her roots. Mainly siblings of her grandmother, whom her granny had lost in life for 70 years. Morales ended up with several surprises on her quest for the past.

The story is a powerful passionate one of the quest to find not only her roots but join a family separated by poverty and lack of communication, that drove them apart. The author describes the ups and downs during her search for her grandmothers family and the moments of hope and fear in her book. Those are interwoven with letters, flashbacks, socio-cultural stories, wherein the Dutch, Venezuelans and Curacao-Caribbean culture are being compared from the peoples point of view. Overseas Bloodline and its Spanish version La Sangre Llama are available at Shipwreck shops and at Beyond Kultura Events Foundation at 5271223. For the listeners, there is an audiobook of the English version Overseas Bloodline available.

Morales I intend to launch this Spanish version in Curacao and Cuba upcoming February. Later this year, Morales said. She will also start soon with the production of an Audiobook project of La Sangre Llama, in Spanish as well.

In the meantime, Gina Ramsbottom of Arubas Department of Education and the Designer of the book cover, Bethsarim Brinez Albertsz, have gotten their copies of La Sangre Llama.
New York: US President Donald Trump has sought to end the longest federal government shutdown in US history by announcing a compromise proposal that would fund his promised border wall while providing protections for immigrants at risk of deportation.

In an address from the White House on Saturday local time, Trump struck an unusually conciliatory tone, describing his plan as a "straightforward, fair and reasonable" attempt at bipartisan compromise.

But the President's proposal received a frosty reception from leading Democrats who said his offer did not go far enough to protect undocumented immigrants who had entered the US as children.

They insisted any negotiations over a border security should not begin until the government re-opens.
Washington: Nancy Pelosi is winning her showdown with President Donald Trump for one simple reason: She knows how to do her job better than he knows how to do his.

The House speaker is fond of three precepts; spend time with her and you'll hear them all. One is from Abraham Lincoln: "Public sentiment is everything. With it, nothing can fail; against it, nothing can succeed."

The second is from her father, an old-school Democratic mayor of Baltimore: "Votes are the coin of the realm." The third is her own: Never underestimate Nancy Pelosi.

In this battle, she's winning - and Trump's losing - on all three counts.
"As we've reconfirmed our reporting, we've seen no indication that any specific aspect of our story is inaccurate. We remain confident in what we've reported, and will share more as we are able," Matt Mittenthal, a spokesman for the news outlet, said on Saturday. People familiar with the matter said Carr told others in the government that he would have more vigorously discouraged the reporters from proceeding with the story had he known it would allege Cohen had told the special counsel Trump directed him to lie  or that the special counsel was said to have learned this through interviews with Trump Organisation witnesses, as well as internal company emails and text messages. Carr declined to comment for this story beyond the special counsel's office statement issued Friday. After Carr declined to comment to BuzzFeed, but before the story was published, he sent reporter Jason Leopold a partial transcript of Cohen's plea hearing, in which Cohen admitted lying to Congress about the timing of discussions related to a possible Trump Tower project in Moscow, according to the emails BuzzFeed's spokesman provided. Cohen had claimed falsely that the company's effort to build the tower ended in January 2016, when in fact discussions continued through June of that year, as Trump was clinching the Republican nomination for president. "I made these misstatements to be consistent with Individual 1's political messaging and out of loyalty to Individual 1," Cohen said at his plea hearing late last year, using the term "Individual 1" to refer to Trump.

Carr, people familiar with the matter said, hoped Leopold would notice that Cohen had not said during the hearing that Trump had explicitly directed him to lie. But Leopold, who co-authored the story with reporter Anthony Cormier, told the spokesman he was not taking any signals, and Carr acknowledged the point. "I am not reading into what you sent and have interpreted it as an FYI," Leopold wrote. "Correct, just an FYI," Carr responded. A person inside the Trump Organisation said a BuzzFeed reporter also talked with a lawyer for the organisation hours before the story posted and was warned that the story was flawed and should be scrutinised further. Mittenthal said, "We trust our sources over the organisation still run by Donald Trump's family. That organisation is directly implicated in the allegations related to the Trump Tower Moscow project, and refused to speak on the record for our story." The language Cohen and his representatives used in court had been ambiguous. Cohen had pleaded guilty in two cases  one for lying to Congress about the Moscow project, and another involving campaign finance violations for hush-money payments to women who had alleged affairs with Trump.

While neither Cohen nor his representatives had ever said explicitly that Trump directed Cohen to lie to Congress, Guy Petrillo, Cohen's attorney, wrote in a memo in advance of his sentencing, "We address the campaign finance and false statements allegations together because both arose from Michael's fierce loyalty to Client-1. In each case, the conduct was intended to benefit Client-1, in accordance with Client-1's directives." Client-1 refers to Trump. Petrillo declined to comment on Saturday. It is unclear precisely what "directives" Petrillo was referring to, though he did not allege elsewhere in the memo that Trump explicitly instructed Cohen to lie to Congress. He wrote that Cohen was "in close and regular contact with White House-based staff and legal counsel to Client-1" as he prepared his testimony and "specifically knew . . . that Client-1 and his public spokespersons were seeking to portray contact with Russian representatives in any form by Client-1, the Campaign or the Trump Organisation as having effectively terminated before the Iowa caucuses of February 1, 2016." People familiar with the matter said after BuzzFeed published its story  which was attributed to "two federal law enforcement officials involved in an investigation of the matter"  the special counsel's office reviewed evidence to determine if there were any documents or witness interviews like those described, reaching out to those they thought might have a stake in the case. They found none, these people said. That, the people said, is in part why it took Mueller's office nearly a day to dispute the story publicly. In the interim, cable news outlets and other media organisations, including The Washington Post, dissected its possible implications  even as their reporters were unable to independently confirm it. Told of the special counsel's failure to find support for the story, Mittenthal, the BuzzFeed spokesman, said, "Our high-level law enforcement sources, who have helped corroborate months of accurate reporting on the Trump Tower Moscow deal and its aftermath, have told us otherwise. We look forward to further clarification from the Special Counsel in the near future."

Two people familiar with the matter said lawyers at the special counsel's office discussed the statement internally, rather than conferring with Justice Department leaders, for much of the day. In the advanced stages of those talks, the deputy attorney general's office called to inquire if the special counsel planned any kind of response, and was informed a statement was being prepared, the people said. Around 7:30pm on Friday local time, Carr distributed it to numerous media outlets via email. "BuzzFeed's description of specific statements to the Special Counsel's Office, and characterisation of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohen's congressional testimony are not accurate," he wrote. People familiar with the matter said the special counsel's office meant the statement to be a denial of the central theses of the BuzzFeed story  particularly those that referenced what Cohen had told the special counsel, and what evidence the special counsel had gathered. BuzzFeed, though, asserted that the language was not specific about what was being contested.
Washington: Although the details about what it got wrong are still sketchy, BuzzFeed News' apparently mistaken story about Michael Cohen and President Donald Trump is the highest profile misstep yet for a news organisation during a period of heightened and intense scrutiny of the press.

Reporters at the Guardian, CNN, McClatchy News and other outlets have published disputed, suspect or uncorroborated stories about Trump and the investigation swirling around him since special counsel Robert Mueller began his probe 21 months ago. Each instance has elicited cries of "fake news" from the President and his supporters, stoking the claim that the mainstream media is biased and irresponsible.

But these disputed stories have tended to be about discreet events or actions; they were effectively clues rather than conclusions about Trump's potential criminality.

BuzzFeed's story on Thursday, written by Jason Leopold and Anthony Cormier, was of a different nature and magnitude: It reported that prosecutors had detailed evidence that Trump had directed Cohen to lie to Congress about Trump's proposed office tower project in Moscow in 2016  a direct accusation of presidential criminality. Democrats argued that would be an impeachable offence, if proved.
Belfast: Four men have been arrested over a car bomb attack in Northern Ireland's Londonderry, with police linking the bomb to the New IRA militant group.

The scene of Saturday night's car bomb on Bishop Street in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Credit:PA

Two men in their twenties were detained hours after the explosion outside the city's courthouse on Saturday evening local time, Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said. Two others, aged 34 and 42, were arrested later.

"Fortunately it didn't kill anybody, but clearly it was a very significant attempt to kill people here in this community," he said.

Hamilton said the main focus of the investigation was on the New IRA  one of a small number of groups opposed to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement that largely ended three decades of violence in the British-run province. The New IRA has claimed sporadic attacks in recent years.
Paris: Protesters throughout Europe have taken to the streets again as disaffected voters vent their anger with what they see as out-of-touch governments.

Several thousand people wearing yellow vests have gathered at locations across France for the 10th consecutive weekend of anti-government protests.

A yellow vest demonstrator gestures through tear gas during a protest on Saturday in Marseille, southern France. Credit:AP

Protesters in Paris, Bordeaux and Toulouse clashed with police, with security forces responding to projectiles with tear gas and water canons, footage broadcast by BFMTV showed.

In Serbia, more than 10,000 people marched through Belgrade on Saturday evening to protest against the rule of President Aleksandar Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), demanding media freedom as a precondition for free and fair elections.
While the motivations of the killer are still being debated, the aftermath has been a festival of accusations. A sampling of the headlines in the country's largest tabloid, Fakt, captured the mood. "Murdered Out of Hatred", the paper declared on Tuesday. The headline on Wednesday: "We will not forgive you for this death! Politicians!" In Gdansk, which like many cities remains a bastion of the opposition, most people place the blame for the current climate at the feet of one party, Law and Justice, and its leader, Jaroslaw Kaczynski. People stand by a heart shaped with candles as a tribute to Pawel Adamowicz , the mayor of Gdansk, murdered last week. Credit:AP The night before the funeral, Krzysztof Szczepaniak, a professor at the University of Gdansk, was one of thousands who stood in line outside of the majestic Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which dates to the 14th century, waiting to pay his respects to the city's slain leader.

With his wife and their eight-year-old twins, he was still waiting in the biting cold as midnight approached. Though it was a moment for quiet reflection, he said, he could not contain his anger at what he said was the contempt shown by the governing party since the killing. "They do not feel sorry; they are sowers of hatred," Szczepaniak said. "We hope very much that after this murderous murder, the Polish nation will finally understand which side the truth is on. And again we can be proud of Poland and our solidarity, as we were in 1989." That was the year Poland broke free from communist rule. The spark in the fight for freedom came from this city, where the labour unions of the shipyards banded together in a movement that became known as Solidarity, or Solidarnosc in Polish. A black hearse with the coffin of Pawel Adamowicz is brought to St Mary's Basilica in Gdansk for burial on Saturday. Credit:AP

But the roots of today's political divide can also be found in those days of uprising. Kaczynski, along with his twin brother, Lech, fought alongside Lech Walesa to bring down communism. In 1990, Jaroslaw Kaczynski helped the Solidarity hero win the presidency and later served as Walesa's chief of staff. But they fell out after an intense power struggle and have been enemies ever since. Kaczynski soon came to believe that the revolution had never been completed. By agreeing to a bloodless transition that allowed some communist figures to remain in public life, he believed political leaders had failed to eradicate the Soviet infection. Supporters of the ruling Law and Justice party hold a portrait of the leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski as they attend a pro-government rally in front of the presidential palace, in Warsaw, Poland in 2016. Credit:AP He formed Centre Agreement and, ultimately, Law and Justice, which had a brief turn in power from 2005 until 2007. But much of his agenda had been stymied by the courts. The party lost the early election to the liberal Civic Platform.

While his party sought to make a comeback, tragedy struck in 2010: A plane carrying dozens of the country's top political and military leaders crashed near the Russian city of Smolensk. Everyone on board was killed, including Lech Kaczynski, who was president of Poland at the time. For a brief moment, the nation came together. But soon, the tragedy was seized upon by Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who placed it at the centre of the party's mythology of martyrdom and aggrieved nationalism. Now, instead of evoking a national tragedy, the word Smolensk is a marker of tribal identity. Lech Walesa, the former Polish democracy activist and ex-president, signs a condolence book for Gdansk Mayor Pawel Adamowicz. Credit:AP Dudek, the conservative political scientist, said, "I have friends, highly intelligent and very-well-educated folks, who sincerely wish Kaczynski's death."

He said the state television network, TVP, firmly under the control of the ruling party, is the lead promoter of bile with its coverage of the killing and the current climate; it has laid blame for the latter at the feet of opposition MPs. Thousands of protesters rallied outside TVP's headquarters in Warsaw on Thursday night, calling for its director to be fired and "to stop the propaganda of hate". The broadcaster has since toned down its coverage, but Kaczynski has refused calls to remove the director. Poland's two most famous foes, the country's de facto leader, head of the ruling party Jaroslaw Kaczynski, right, and former President Lech Walesa, second left, stand near each other after exchanging wry comments before a courtroom in Gdansk, Poland, in November. Credit:AP Even if the killing of Adamowicz proves to be the irrational act of madman, there is fear that the increasingly heated rhetoric could translate to violence.

Since Monday, police have detained nearly two dozen people who had either promoted violence or had threatened public figures. A special team of 105 prosecutors has been established to investigate hate crimes. Loading The mayor of Gdansk had been the frequent target of right-wing politicians and journalists, who portrayed him as an immoral criminal who would let terrorists into Poland and represented a threat to the nation. Adamowicz, who was first elected mayor in 1998, dedicated himself to combating what he saw as the forces of hate and intolerance. During an interview at his office last spring, he said it was his goal to show the world that the Poland of Kaczynski was not the only Poland. His city, he said, was a place of tolerance, where immigrants were welcomed and gays and lesbians did not need to feel threatened, and it still embraced the values at the foundation of liberal democracy.
Vatican City: Pope Francis has swiped a tablet to launch a new app allowing the faithful to pray with him.

Pope Francis unveils his own user profile in Click To Pray, the official app of the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network, during the Angelus noon prayer he recited from the Vatican on Sunday. Credit:AP

He presented the Vatican's latest digital platform, known as the Worldwide Network of Prayer with the Pope, during his traditional Sunday address to tens of thousands of people in St Peter's Square.

The new app, called Click to Pray, will inform the user what the leader of the world's 1.3 billion Roman Catholics is praying for  such as world peace or the population of a country hit by a natural disaster  so they can join him.

Francis, who once said he was a "disaster" with technology, turned to a priest holding the tablet for him and asked, "Did I do it?"
.                 ,      ,   ...
But back to cheap crays, more crays, more money, festivals and tourists. Nothing to see here. Look, over there, its a restrateur who wants cheap crays. Well knock me over with a lobster. The proposal, in its current form, does not have enough support to pass the Legislative Council. One Nation, courted by the treasurer, rebuffed his advances and declined to give the plan its support. But the question remains: can the minister use his powers of exemption to push at least part of his plan to nationalise 17 per cent of the industry through? Possibly. The Fish Resources Management Act 1994 says 1) The Minister may, by instrument in writing, exempt a specified person or specified class of persons from all or any of the provisions of this Act.

Can he increase quotas to existing licence holders like he did with KB Foods at Christmas? More on that soon. I get the feeling that if the government senses that it has public sentiment on his side, it will try. Crayfish are cheaper when sold straight from the boats. Credit:Geraldton Fisherman's Co-Operative Crays are costly On 6PR this week, the Premier noted that crayfish are expensive. Now theres a revelation.

These pesky crays are tricky things, they dont just line themselves up on a beach, they have to be caught. Out at sea. In all kinds of weather. Its called work. The Premier cited a trip to Kailis Brothers which was selling crays for one hundred dollars a kilo, or about $50 per cray. The rule of thumb is that two crays make up a kilo. But heres the rub. The prices are volatile, but this week the fishermen were paid about $50 a kilo for small crays, or $25 a cray. This beach price is not profit, it includes the lease or purchase of quota, normal running expenses like deckhand wages, fuel, boat and equipment depreciation, maintenance, lost pots and insurance. Add onto that about $12 a kilo for transport and handling. So at the most, the $100 per kilo crays cost Kailis $62 per kilo or $31 per cray. Possibly less depending on the handling costs.

That then begs the question, who pockets (minimum) $38 per kilo mark-up? The so-called middlemen have been forgotten in this debate. They are retailers and traders, who pay the beach price (the price paid when the crays are landed on the beach) to the fishermen plus handling. They then on-sell the produce. Funny how we dont hear about the rich traders, just multimillion dollar crayfishermen. Although we did hear a bit about traders KB Foods, formerly Kailis Brothers, who sold a 90 per cent stake in their business to Chinese conglomerate, Hong Kong-listed Legend Holdings, in 2016.

They were given an increase in their quota by the minister to provide lobster for a Mission Australia Christmas lunch. But wait, thats China. Is this good China or bad China? Is the goal really cheaper, local cray? Thats a whole other kettle of fish. The minister does have the power to increase quota or more correctly give exemptions to existing licence holders.

Everybody would like cheaper, local crayfish. Credit:Geraldton Fisherman's Co-Operative And traders are more likely to support quota increases because they work on margins and volume where they buy low and sell at a profit. The fishermen just sell their quota for the highest price. And they fish for whatever their market requires. The fishermen say that they have approached the minister four times in the last 16 months with a plan to increase domestic supply through the Local Lobster Program, but to no avail. They want more tags (one tag per cray) to be able to sell into the domestic market. A group of fishermen on Facebook called Lanno Lobster said they sell crays from their boat but are not allowed extra tags. Surely this is what the minister and Premier want? Cheaper, local crays? The Lanno blokes say "it is obvious the demand is strong when we can sell direct from the boat. No need for a middle man, no need for transport or delivery, no need for a distributor or a wholesaler.

"The high prices everyone is complaining about only occur when our product has to go through these avenues." We don't need intervention from government to create new licences when the measures to supply the WA Public are already in place....and they work. The problem lies in the amount "we are given to pass on, the lobster blokes say. The only people who have tried to get rid of government red tape and increase crays to the domestic market are the fishermen. Under the Local Lobster Program they sell well under the export price. You can almost see their ideas being used against them. The politics is obvious because, lets face it, its hard to have much empathy for multimillionaires.

Even if they do get up and go to work at 2am in all kinds of conditions, mortgage their homes and take on enormous debt and risk. Speaking to Clinton Moss, a young fisherman, I was struck by his candour. Im two million dollars in debt, he told me on a crackly phone, twenty nautical miles off the coast as he pulled his pots. Is it any wonder these families are in shock? And now the government wants a great big piece of the action. Without any of the risk. It was curious to see Bradley Woods of the Australian Hotels Association standing alongside the minister as he continued his push to take a chunk of the industry. I wonder how hoteliers would feel if a government decided to take a whopping 17 per cent of their businesses, consoling them with its OK, well let you pull more beers?

Loading If the government wins the battle, the local crayfishermen worry about the sustainability of the fishery. And they say the recreational fishers should also worry. You cant just take a further 27 per cent out of the sea and expect stocks to remain plentiful. What we are witnessing is a government intent on convincing us that everyone wins under this new policy.
A Perth widow narrowly survived a frightening car collision on Saturday after a vehicle smashed through the front of her home into her living room.

A Perth woman who was dozing on a lounge in her home's front room was woken to the terrifying sound of a car smashing into the house. Credit:9News

The 57-year-old Kalamunda woman was asleep on a couch in the room when the car ploughed into the home and became wedged in the spot she had been laying just moments before.

Neighbour Colin Cockburn told 9News that he heard the car smash into the home and came out to investigate.

"We heard a screech and then a bang, so we came out of the house and as we came out, I saw a large cloud of dust, he said.
He went to what seemed like countless appointments with doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists and occupational therapists. More than a year on, and having worked tirelessly on his mental health, Mr Thornberry said he was much more positive and credits his new outlook to his rehabilitation from hoarding. He said he owed his success to Black Swan Healths Buried in Treasures program in Osborne Park. It was the first time he recognised he was hoarding, not collecting. As hoarders weve got blinkers on, we dont want to see it, Mr Thornberry said.

It becomes more about the search than the stuff. I acquired anything and everything  I had a 70sqm garage and I couldnt get my car in there. "The backyard was full of stuff and half finished projects. You dont want people to see that, you dont want them to think youre living like a pig even though its clean, it was just untidy and there was crap everywhere. No one in the group at the beginning wanted to admit they had a problem. It was Im a collector and theres always an excuse of why you collect that particular item.

When you go around the group, you realise those excuses youve been giving yourself are rubbish and the actual item is rubbish. It makes it a lot easier to get rid of it when you dont have false attachments to it. Just because you lose that item doesnt mean youve lost that memory, although certain items bring back certain memories. The free program consists of 16 two-hour long weekly workshops run by experienced mental health workers and "lived experienced" representatives who assist clients in taking control of their own lives. Mr Thornberry said although he still felt the urge to go online and buy things, he now made the choice not to and instead directed his energy elsewhere.

Im like an alcoholic, you know you have a problem with it so you just stay away from it, he said. But you have to realise you have a problem first. For Mr Thornberry, hoarding was about control and a sense of purpose. As a child, he would collect things - although while he was at school his parents would throw them away without telling him. Mr Thornberry still remembers one of his prized possessions that was thrown away without his knowledge: a teddy bear given to him when he was seven by the curator of the London Museum.

That teddy bear was from the first five years of when the company was open and would be worth about $100,000 now, he said. It was just thrown away when I was at school. Mr Thornberry said it was this childhood lack of control that transformed into his hoarding habits as an adult. Buried in Treasures gave him ways to redirect that control and gain a newfound sense of purpose. Its changed my life, he said.

I have a purpose and Im finding other things to do like going to a photography course and Native Animal Rescue where Ill be volunteering. Unlike other hoarders, Mr Thornberry said he didnt have obsessive compulsive disorder and it was an individual condition that was always secondary to something else. We all have anxiety of some sort and it makes it worse, you dont want to give up anything, you want to control your environment as much as you can, he said. Buried in Treasures coordinator Nadia Bamasri. Credit:Lauren Pilat Buried in Treasures coordinator Nadia Bamasri said the program, which started in 2015, helped about 50 people annually but funding was often a challenge.

There is a waiting list with about 200 people enquiring each year, she said. I have had people waiting up to a year and a half to take part but thats the best we can do. Rome wasnt built in a day and you cant declutter in a day. It costs $5000 to $7000 for 12 people to take part in Buried in Treasures at a time, with the program only running a few times a year. Black Swan Health chief executive Terina Grace said Buried in Treasures was the only free program of its kind offered in WA, as the issue of hoarding was often overlooked.
It has been four days since the body of Israeli international student Aiia Maasarwe was found in Bundoora, but Melbourne is still clearly a city in mourning.

Crowds will once again gather on Sunday to pay tribute to the 21-year-old, as her family in Israel press for the return of her body and her accused killer awaits a second court appearance.

The vigil has been planned for 2pm Sunday afternoon at the makeshift memorial set up where her body was found on Main Drive.

The makeshift shrine continues to grow with the community leaving flowers and heartfelt messages where Aiia Maasarwe's body was found. Credit:Paul Jeffers

It is alleged she was attacked by 20-year-old Codey Herrmann just after getting off a route 86 tram about 11pm Tuesday.
A boy has been bitten on the leg by a dingo on Fraser Island after he was faced with a pack when he raced up a sand dune in Queensland.

The 6-year-old was returning to a campsite with his family during their holiday when the attack happened about 6pm on Saturday.

A dingo surveys the beach on Fraser Island. Credit:AAP

RACQ LifeFlight Rescue air crewman Dan Leggat said the incident occurred following an afternoon swim.

The family had finished swimming when the young boy said he wanted to race up a sand dune," he said.
The number of people in NSW prisons hit record levels last year despite more than a decade of crime declines, with women and Indigenous people locked up at a faster rate than others.

Harsher sentences, more police powers, changes to bail laws and parole conditions plus improved technology and security have put more people in jail as more crimes are solved.

Use the Herald Crime Dashboard to explore how crime affects your local area and discover trouble spots across New South Wales.

Senior lecturer at the Sydney Institute of Criminology (University of Sydney) Dr Garner Clancey said people coming through the courts are being imprisoned more frequently and serving longer sentences.
Four family members who run a newsagency in Sydney's north-west are facing legal action over their alleged involvement in a theft of more than $1 million worth of baby formula and vitamins in the past 12 months.

A 31-year-old Carlingford man was arrested at Sydney Airport upon returning from China on Saturday morning.

His arrest is the sixth that NSW Police have made in relation to what they call "a well co-ordinated theft syndicate".

Police believe the theft syndicate has been operating for several years, but in the past year it sent "thousands of shipments" to China.
Crime has declined dramatically in NSW over the last 15 years as the number of people going to jail has risen to reach record numbers.

NSW Police have recorded 11,330 fewer assaults, 7480 fewer robberies, burglaries are down 36,200 and car thefts have been reduced by 22,850 in the year to September 2018, compared to the same period in 2003.

The drop in property crime was estimated to save NSW more than $5 billion between 2001 and 2013.

But not every category of crime has fallen with drug offences more than doubling, while sex offences are up by about 40 per cent. There were also 2776 more domestic assaults recorded in the year to September 2018 than in 2003.

Use the Herald Crime Dashboard to explore how crime affects your local area and discover trouble spots across New South Wales.
The grave has only just been conclusively identified as that of 2nd Lieutenant Parkes. The Defence Department's detective work now means the headstone will be replaced with one that finally honours Lieut Parkes during a rededication service in July. Roy Parkes received the visit from the Defence team at his room at the Thomas Bowden retirement village in Ryde. Roger Winter, a friend of some 40 years, forewarned him they might call so it didnt come as too much of a shock (hes had recent heart surgery). Mr Parkes, who never married, explains that the tattoos on his forearms (a lion, his nickname at school, and a red dog after the movie) were done as a present to himself on his 90th birthday. "It was always a mystery where his body was. My dad, Richard, was very fond of his brother Reuben," he said. "They used to swim in the river like ordinary boys. I think the family were proud of him fighting and looking after the country.

"When the Defence people came I was that excited to find out that they had found him and where he was buried. I was thrilled." Andrew Bernie who heads up the Unrecovered War Casualties team for the Army said the digitisation of records meant an increasing number of cases were being submitted for investigation. "In the case of Reuben Parkes two things happened," he said. "We were actually doing some research into another missing Australian lieutenant near to where Reuben Parkes was last seen. We compared the list of missing 2nd lieutenants and captains and which soldiers had already been recovered from that area. "We found that there was only one 2nd lieutenant missing in that area and already a 2nd lieutenant had been recorded as recovered and taken to the Hangard communal cemetery extension and it could really be nobody else." "An organisation called Fallen Diggers Incorporated, a group of private military history researchers, had put a case in to the Commonwealth Wargraves Commission and we had both independently come to the same conclusion saying there is only one Australian 2nd lieutenant missing from that area and only one Australian 2nd lieutenant recovered."

Reuben Parkes, pictured standing on the far-left, with members of the 34th Battalion. Credit:Australian War Memorial "We were all confident of the same opinion that this indeed was clearly and convincingly the grave of 2nd Lieutenant Parkes." Historian Andrew Pittaway of Fallen Diggers, founded by military historian Dennis Frank, said they previously submitted their investigation to the London office of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission but no progress had been made. "We submitted [our findings] to the Unrecovered War Casualties team and they said: 'We are working on that now!'" he said. "In November we got the official okay that the case had been approved, it was around Armistice Day."
Forget Scott Morrisons attempt to crank up the culture wars issue over Australia Day: the real and concerning issue has to do with pronunciation of the word "Australia" itself.

Scott Morrison: a man of the people? Credit:Dan Himbrechts

Not since the words terra Australis or terra Australis incognita (the unknown southland) was converted by the explorer Matthew Flinders to "Australia" back in 1804 (later accepted by the British Admiralty in 1824) have we faced such confusion over our name.

Whats in a name, you might ask? But when its the name of your country, your identity, your brand, your birthright, a standard pronunciation would seem to be desirable.

After all, Americans, whether from south or north, east of west, reproduce a more or less standard version of Amairicuh with emphasis on the vowels "e" and "a". These become "air" and "uh", thus investing the word with a resonance, even reverence.
Bboxx, a UK-based next generation utility platform, received a US$31m minority investment.

Africa Infrastructure Investment Managers, though its AIIF3 fund, is taking a minority stake in BBOXXs operations in Rwanda, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

This investment will accelerate the roll-out of the companys solar systems, which combine solar panels and batteries with technology, available on a pay-as-you-go basis via mobile money.

Led by Mansoor Hamayun, CEO and co-founder, Bboxx designs, makes and distributes and finances plug and play solar systems across Africa.

The deal with AIIM  Africas largest and most experienced infrastructure-focused private equity fund manager and a member of Old Mutual Alternative Investments with USD 2.1 billion AUM  will allow the company to install two million solar systems by 2022, bringing electricity to 10 million people in these African countries.

The company has brought electricity to 750,000 people in frontier markets, with substantial operations in countries including, Rwanda, Kenya, Togo, the DRC, Nigeria and Pakistan.

It has 600 staff across nine offices including in Rwanda, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Togo, with its head office in the UK and its manufacturing operations based in China.

FinSMEs

18/01/2019
Darwin boy Andrew Liveris made a name for himself running the Michigan-based conglomerate Dow Chemicals and for his enthusiastic use of the corporate jet and corporate credit card.

Relinquishing the high-flying lifestyle of a multinational chief executive was never going to be easy.

Illustration: John Shakespeare

Fortunately, Liveris has since found gainful employment working for Saudi Arabia's Mohammad Bin Salman as special adviser to the kingdoms sovereign wealth fund and as a director of Saudi Aramco, the worlds largest oil company.

Bone Saw" bin Salam, of course, is the liberalising reformer many, including the CIA, believe ordered the murder of journalist and dissident Jamal Khashoggi.
Scotland has become the latest Commonwealth country to back potential changes to its defamation laws in a move local legal experts say has lessons for Australia.

Like other countries including Australia, Scotland is grappling with how to update its defamation law for the age of social media. The popularity of Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms has led to a rise in costly "backyarder" claims involving arguably frivolous allegations between individuals.

Scotland is considering overhauling the principles of defamation law built up in cases, some as old as the Edinburgh skyline. Credit:Jane Barlow

Defamation law potentially affects everyone and it is crucial that we ensure the law is fit for modern Scotland," said Scottish Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs Ash Denham as she announced a round of public consultations last week.

The enormous growth in the use of social media presents new challenges and means that defamatory communication is becoming increasingly instant and common."
Police are appealing for witnesses to an alleged road rage incident in Belconnen on Monday, January 7.

The incident occurred on William Hovell Drive about 4.45pm, when a white Honda Jazz was travelling northbound in the right hand overtaking lane.

It is alleged a vehicle, described as a dirty, light coloured, four-door sedan, travelling behind the Honda Jazz moved onto the incorrect side of the road and deliberately sideswiped the Honda Jazz.

William Hovell Drive is an undivided major arterial road with a speed limit of 90km/h in both directions.

The sedan was last seen heading towards Belconnen along William Hovell Drive. The driver is urged to contact police regarding the alleged incident.
Never in the field of economic conflict was so much analytical effort devoted to so few... as in Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowes one-man crusade to save the economics profession.

This latter-day Lord Kitchener wants more young Australians studying economics at high school and university, then enlisting as economists in the holy war against economic inefficiency.

RBA Governor Philip Lowe. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen / Fairfax Media

His message: Your country needs you. Opportunity cost is being flouted on every hand, yet we have just 3000 professional economists fighting the tide of economic illiteracy.

Young women, in particular, should look at themselves in the mirror and ask the hard question: for what good reason have I not to become an economist? Why should I squander my life on any lesser calling than the orderly regulation of mammon?
Labor will seek to promote its small business credentials at this year's election with a pledge to give the sector a seat at the cabinet table.

"Labor will be putting in the election that we actually have a better option on small business than the government," shadow treasurer and small business minister Chris Bowen said.

Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen at the Australian Labor Party Conference in December. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Labor has pledged to match the company tax cuts offered by the government, will continue the instant asset write off and will introduce an Australian Investment Guarantee under which businesses will be able to claim deductions of up to 20 per cent in the first year on investments in depreciable assets over $20,000.

Labor will look to attract small businesses who have a beef with the Australian Tax Office by installing a second commissioner dedicated to appeals.
You might imagine that most people's health-based resolutions would start at the crack of dawn on the first day of the new year - but one of Australia's largest fitness brands says they don't see an upward trend in traffic until the end of January.

Jordan McCreary, who oversees 17 F45 studios in Sydney and Brisbane as well as his own physiotherapy business, says visitor traffic in the first week of the year is less than a sixth of what they will experience later in the month - with many members freezing their accounts in the fortnight before and after our calendars reset.

"Fitness has typically been a business that revolves around people not coming to your facility": F45 director Jordan McCreary. Credit:Brook Mitchell

F45 workouts are intense, 45-minute group classes - some days focusing on resistance-based training, and others on cardio. After starting a couple of years ago, the chain has more than 1300 studios worldwide.

More than a third of their members had their account on freeze over the holiday period, with most returning this week, along with a healthy bump of new members, up 20 per cent in January and February compared with the rest of the year.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.

We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.

A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
The Yankees may be casting a line for a big fish, after all.

Apparently passing on free agents Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, the Yankees reportedly are interested in adding Colorado Rockies superstar third baseman Nolan Arenado, who will be a free agent after the 2019 season.

Would the Yankees give up what it takes now for this kind of rental?

Check out our analysis.

Nolan Arenado, 3B

Club: Colorado Rockies.

Age: 27 (28 on April 16, 2019).

Size: 6-1, 210.

Bats: Right.

Contract: Made $17.75 million in 2018 in last season of two-year, $29.5 million deal. Eligible for salary arbitration this season and can file for free agency after the 2019 campaign.

2018 stats: Rockies, .297 average, 590 AB, 104 runs, 175 hits, 38 doubles, 2 triples, 38 HR, 110 RBI, 73 BB, 122 K, 2 SB, 2 CS, .935 OPS, 156 games.

Career stats: .291 average, 3,348 AB, 524 runs, 975 hits, 222 doubles, 25 triples, 186 HR, 616 RBI, 285 BB, 571 K, 13 SB, 13 CS, .886 OPS, 876 games in six seasons with Rockies (2013-18).

Status: Maybe the Yankees are passing on offering huge money to sign free agent third baseman Manny Machado is because they want to acquire Arenado before or during the 2019 season in a trade or sign him next winter as a free agent.

"More than one major league source has suggested that Nolan Arenado is the Yankees' real (third base) target," Andy Martino of SYN reported.

Coming off consecutive playoff seasons after a seven-year dry spell, the Rockies surely would want a massive return for Arenado, a superstar who has played in four All-Star Games and won five Gold Gloves since 2013.

The Yankees could start a package by offering third baseman Miguel Andujar, the 2018 AL Rookie of the year runner-up, but the Rockies probably would demand a lot more premium talent for Arenado.

Until this report, the rumor mill has had Arenado, a Southern California native, signing next winter with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In fact, theres been chatter that the Dodgers arent willing to give free agent outfielder Bryce Harper a long-term contract this winter because management is saving up to sign Arenado.
Cals Childrens Charity had a busy couple of months with the run up to the end of the year with the hugely successful Christmas Fair and New Years Day Splash, school visits and meetings, the normal running of the shop, collecting much needed donations and the ever growing Car Boot Sales.

3rd December: 3Cs Christmas Craft Fair

The ever popular and successful Christmas Fair had over 150 stalls selling all manner of Crafts and goodies to satisfy your Christmas needs. The rainy weather held until the afternoon, giving time for Santa and his helpers to arrive and hand out presents to the children.

This year the mulled wine was made and sold for the charity by Paula and Mick and what a brew it was, selling out in record time! The tombola stall also did well and was sold out by 2pm with prizes for everyone.

Cals promenade buzzed with hundreds of people coming from far and wide to stock up on goods and gifts with many eating at the local restaurants. With home-made decorations, traditional Christmas treats and many craft items on sale, there was something for everyone.

Our thanks go to stall-holders and visitors for continuing to support this event.

3Cs would like to thank all those who helped with preparations and on the day to make it so successful.

Our thanks also go to the local Zabita who attended to help the smooth running of the event and who also supplied Santas Sleigh, in the guise of one of their pick-up trucks.

Car boot events are held on Sundays during the winter months and are very popular with both buyers and sellers, so come along and find that bargain you have been looking for.

Car Boot Sales

Dates of the next Car Boot Sales are:

Sunday 20th January 2019

Sunday 3rd February 2019

Sunday 17th February 2019

If anyone would like to help and give some of their time on a Sunday morning to set up this event, we are looking for volunteers , please contact 3Cs on Facebook page or at the shop.

New Years Day Splash

To bring in the New Year, nine brave souls took the plunge into the cold January waters of Cals to raise money for charity. 3Cs also invited another local charity to join in the fun event.

It has become a favourite of many locals who go along to watch the splashers in fancy dress taking a dip. They were cheered on by spectators for the five minutes they have to stay up to their necks in the water. The splashers were sponsored by family and friends to take part, with Gareth Patten (The Bride) raising a wopping 2,000 lira and Desree Saroglu (the Pirate) raising an amazing 1,295tl for 3Cs.

A huge well done and thank you from us all . A further 484 tl was raised from generous donations. The event was covered by Anadolu Ajans for National TV. The money raised will provide much needed help for local children.

Gareth Patten also won the bottle of wine for the best fancy dress as voted for by the spectators in the Bambu Restaurant, who hosted the event.

Advent Calendar organised by Cals Beach Forum

Cals Childrens Charity have long been supported by Cals Beach Forum. One of their annual fund raisers is organised by Highlander and is an Advent calendar, where members pay to have a number on the calendar.

Once again, members dug deep into their pockets and have donated 538 to the charity.

A fantastic and incredibly generous amount, and we offer our heartfelt thanks to you all.

Now for the Important News

What do 3Cs do with the funds raised in the charity shop, at events and from donations?

We continue to support 15 students through university by providing bursaries. This helps students who otherwise may have financial difficulty in being able to attend University.

As part of the ongoing support of local schools, December also saw the committee visiting one of the schools who have applied for help. It was discussed with the teachers and school manager how 3Cs can best support the childrens needs. They have been granted 10,000 TL to purchase much needed equipment.

There are further applications for hearing implants and over the coming weeks they will be reviewed to see if they can also be granted.

All this can only be achieved because of your generosity, whether it is your time in helping, your donations to the shop, attending and supporting at events or the money you kindly donate, so please, please dont stop. If you have anything that can be sold in the shop, then take it along.

The shop is located near to Tom London cafe bar or you can get in touch via the 3Cs Facebook Group.

3Cs are constantly in need of new volunteers so if you can spare some time please contact them or pop down to shop.

Watch out for the next newsletter to keep you updated on events and how, with your help and support, 3Cs continue to help local children and schools.
Hi Neighbor,

I took a walk on a blistering hot day last summer with the mayor and borough president.

We were roaming around the South Shore searching for that ideal spot for a fast ferry to Manhattan  if we were lucky enough to get one.

You knowthe ferry service every commuter south of New Dorp Lane has been clamoring about for decades.

Recall Staten Island was left out of the Five-Borough fast ferry system because, wellwe already have a ferry. Those big orange ones. And theyre free!

Believe me, it was hot that summer afternoon. The sun was burning. So hot that the mayor kept dabbing sun screen on top of his head. His hair must be thinning up therebut hes so tall I really couldnt see.

On top of that, the suns rays were hitting his noggin before any of ours.

Anyway, we hit three or four potential spots, starting at the foot of Bentley Street in Tottenville  sort of the end of the world for an East Shore guy like me.

Then we ambled  by car  up the east side of the South Shore to a couple of other spots, the Sharrott Avenue fishing pier and then Mount Loretto.

So months later, when our City Hall reporter got a tip that the mayor would be making a big Staten Island announcement, I was excited:

EXTRA, EXTRA!

READ ALL ABOUT IT!

STATEN ISLAND GETS A FAST FERRY!!

We finally made it!

Or not.

The wind soon left my sails. The South Shore ferry became the North Shore ferry. The mayor and his team decided to put the new, fast boats  which are not free -- next to the old, slow boats  which are free -- in St. George.

Huh?

Truth be told, I was never a fan of a true South Shore ferry. And I told Mayor de Blasio and BP Oddo just that on that blistering summer day.

Mayor Bill must have thought the sun got to me because my suggestion didnt even make the list of possibles.

Ocean Breeze, I told them. The Ocean Breeze fishing pier is the spot.

Not a novel idea, mind you. Guy Molinari suggested it when he was BP, not long after the fishing pier opened. And he dropped the idea the next day.

I could never really get to the bottom of why. Guy told me ferries coming and going would disrupt the lives of the fish  and fishermen.

It reminded me of a great line Ed Koch blurted out when environmentalists objected the construction of a new West Side Highway and esplanade along the Hudson back in the late 80s.

Seems they were worried about the mating habits of the striped bass.

''If those striped bass need a place to fornicate, I'll build them a motel in Poughkeepsie, Koch told them.

Ahhh, Ed.how I miss you.

But back to Ocean Breeze.

I grew up there and spent many, many hot summer days swimming and boating in the polluted waters  a story for another time.

For now, a report issued by the mayors office says the water is not deep enough for fast ferries to come and go.

I think it is.

Admittedly, Im no marine engineer and have not done depth soundings. But the types of boats were talking about do not have so much of a draft that they need really deep water.

I took a glance at a map of the waters off Staten Island, and it appears there is three feet of water at the shoreline at mean low tide. It increases to four, five, six and then seven and nine feet as you move offshore.

The Ocean Breeze fishing pier juts 835 feet into the water, one of the longest fishing piers in New York City, according to the Visiting New York web site. The piers distance into the sea offers plenty of opportunities for deep water angling it says.

On the other hand, the city says, a pier thousands of feet long would have to be built to get to water deep enough.

With all due respect to Mayor de Blasio and his team, Id love to see the evidence.

There is no spot today on the South Shore, there is no spot that works on the Mid-Island, the borough president said the other day as he and de Blasio teamed up in Borough Hall to tout the new North Shore location. And do a little damage control on the South Shore snub.

Again, with all due respect, could someone let us in on how we really know? Have depth soundings been done? Or are we working off charts and if so, how old are they?

And even if the depth is not suitable, the area can be dredged. A city report suggests that option would be too expensive. Really? How much?

Seems there is a dearth of information about all this.

Our local political leaders say a South Shore ferry is essential to get people to work faster and keep cars off the roads.

For those who think Ocean Breeze is too far north, no matter where a pier is situated, it wont get cars off Staten Islands roads. Maybe it will keep them out of St. George, or off the Gowanus. But commuters will drive to the pier.

Which means easy access and parking.

Ocean Breeze offers both. The pier is off Capodanno Boulevard.

Midland, Lincoln and Seaview avenues lead directly to it.

There is plenty of space along the waterfront side of Capodanno to building more parking lots.

The city would not have to build a pier. But it would have to install a floating dock of significant size and a gangplank leading from the existing pier.

Meanwhile, the striped bass can mosey down to Buono Beach by the Alice Austen House when theyre feeling a little frisky. A much more romantic view of the Manhattan skyline.

Brian

.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Community Board 1 resoundingly rejected Mayor Bill de Blasios plan to rezone a wide swath of Bay Street as part of City Halls plan to build affordable housing units across the city.

The vote against was 37-3. Not a lot of wiggle room there for the city. City Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-North Shore) and GOP Borough President James Oddo, who each have a part to play as the process now moves forward, should take note.

De Blasio is looking to rezone parts of St. George, Tompkinsville and Stapleton. He wants to bring 1,800 mixed-income apartments to the area.

In addition, the Sanitation Department garage on Jersey Street and a city lot at 55 Stuyvesant Pl. will be redeveloped for residential and commercial use.

Its a mammoth undertaking. A lot more people could potentially come into the area. On top of the people who will already come into the North Shore thanks to big projects now underway, including the Lighthouse Point development and the Empire Outlets mall.

Not to mention the people who have already arrived at the Urby apartment complex in Stapleton. And lets not forget that theres an Urby Phase 2 development yet to come. That project has seen delays, but is supposed to underway sometime in 2019.

So get ready for the crowds. There could be as many as 6,000 new Islanders here when all is said and done. Under the citys plan, buildings as tall as 13 stories could be built. It will be a big culture change all around.

So you can understand why community board members and others wonder what infrastructure improvements the area will see to deal with all these people.

How are all these new residents going to get around? Where are the kids going to go to school? Where will residents get medical treatment? Where are they going to buy groceries? What boosts to mass transit can we expect? How is traffic going to be managed?

The new fast ferry in St. George could help, but were also talking about buses. About moving people up and down Bay Street, including by car. Youre kidding yourself if you think that people are going to move here from other parts of the city and not expect to drive their own cars. Thats part of the Staten Island Dream. Bay Street already generates a lot of rush hour traffic. What are we going to do about it?

In a touch of something like irony, low income folks already in the neighborhood could find themselves priced out and displaced by the new development. How does de Blasio tote it up when one person in need of affordable housing is replaced by another? Is that just a wash?

Were told that whatever concerns there are will be addressed as the process moves forward. I hope so, but the citys recent track record isnt great.

We never got much of a North Shore traffic plan when the New York Wheel was still in play. Maybe the Bay Street Corridor will be different. After all, the Wheel wasnt de Blasios project. He inherited it from the Bloomberg administration.

But the Bay Street rezoning, should it pan out, will be all de Blasios. And Roses. And Oddos. For good or ill. Rose has a loud voice in the outcome given the outsized influence that the local Council member has on land use decisions in their districts.

City elected officials and planners should also note that this resounding rejection comes from community board members and neighborhood advocates sympathetic to the needs of low income people, sympathetic to calls for economic justice and affordable housing. This is the North Shore, after all. Something needs adjusting if you cant make the sale to them.

Im not anti-development. Far from it. Im against the lack of planning, which has been at the root of many of the big-ticket development problems the Island has grappled with for the last half century, including our lousy transportation network.

Lets not do it again.
WASHINGTON  Amid internal controversies and a capital city deeply distracted by the partial government shutdown, the third Womens March returned to Washington on Saturday with an enduring message of anger and defiance aimed directly at President Donald Trumps White House.

The original march in 2017, the day after Trump's inauguration, flooded the city with hundreds of thousands of people. The exact size of the turnout remains subject to a politically charged debate, but it's generally regarded as the largest Washington protest since the Vietnam era.

This year was a more modest affair for multiple reasons. An estimated 100,000 protesters packed several blocks around Freedom Plaza, just east of the White House, holding a daylong rally. The march itself took about an hour and only moved about four blocks west along Pennsylvania Avenue past the Trump International Hotel before looping back to Freedom Plaza.

Organizers submitted a permit application estimating up to 500,000 participants even though it was widely expected that the turnout would be smaller. The original plan was to gather on the National Mall. But with the forecast calling for snow and freezing rain and the National Park Service no longer plowing snow because of the shutdown, organizers on Thursday changed the march's location and route.

As it turned out the weather was chilly but otherwise pleasant, and the mood among the marchers a now-familiar mix of sister-power camaraderie and defiant anger toward Trump and the larger power structure. As always the Trump administration was the direct target of most of the abuse  with fresh bitterness stemming from more recent events like Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's successful confirmation last fall despite a direct accusation of sexual misconduct when he was in high school.

One sign declared, "Strong women only fear weak men." Another stated, "MOOD: Still pretty mad about Kavanaugh."

Parallel marches took place in dozens of cities around the country.

Preparations for this year's march were roiled by an intense ideological debate among the movement's senior leadership. In November, Teresa Shook, one of the movement's founders, accused the four main leaders of the national march organization of anti-Semitism.

The accusation was leveled at two primary leaders: Linda Sarsour, a Palestinian-American who has criticized Israeli policy, and Tamika Mallory, who has maintained an association with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.

Shook, a retired lawyer from Hawaii, has been credited with sparking the movement by creating a Facebook event that went viral and snowballed into the massive protest on Jan. 21, 2017. In a recent Facebook post, she claimed Sarsour and Mallory, along with fellow organizers Bob Bland and Carmen Perez, had "steered the Movement away from its true course" and called for all four to step down.

The four march organizers have denied the charge, but Sarsour has publicly expressed regret that they were not "faster and clearer in helping people understand our values."

Despite pleas for unity, an alternate womens march organization sprung up in protest and a parallel rally took place in New York on Saturday a few miles away from the official New York Womens March protest.

-- By Ashraf Khalil
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Sailors on base in the Middle East enjoyed cookies from Royal Crown Bakery, Grasmere.

Navy Lt. Roman Chernin, of Midland Beach, sent sailors -- including some from Staten Island -- a variety of cookies from the bakery to the ISA Air Base in Bahrain, which is situated off Saudi Arabias eastern coast.

Chernin, a regular at the bakery, made sure to send desserts that he knew wouldnt melt. More than a week after Chernin sent the treats, his friend and fellow Staten Islander Jeff Peterson sent photos of him and other sailors enjoying the cookies.

I told [Peterson] exactly where it was from, and he said it was amazing," Chernin said. And the postal service always does a good job of getting it there."

Chernin said the cookies bring the sailors a little piece of home. He will soon leave for Bahrain for his next mission.

FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.
Sharon, PA (16146)

Today

Cloudy skies during the morning hours followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 82F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely in the evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms later on. A few storms may be severe. Low near 65F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Footage shows tourists enjoying the colourful sights of an umbrella festival in northern Thailand on Sunday.



The event takes place in the village of Bo Sang in Chiang Mai province where locals have been hand-making beautiful silk sun umbrellas for hundreds of years.



Stunning designs have earned them a reputation as the best umbrella makers in the world and their products are shipped to dozens of different countries.



Each year, villagers celebrate their tradition by lining the streets with bright, intricately decorated umbrellas, while local men and women dress up in traditional ancient costumes and ride bikes through town.



The three-day festival attracts thousands of tourists who converge on the small town.



According to local legend, locals began making the umbrellas centuries ago when a Buddhist monk from the area travelled to neighbouring Burma, returning to his home with the newly learned umbrella making technique.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. This includes cookies from third party social media websites and ad networks. Such third party cookies may track your use on Sharedots sites for better rendering. Our partners use cookies to ensure we show you advertising that is relevant to you. If you continue without changing your settings, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on Sharedots website. However, you can change your cookie settings at any time. Learn more
ROME  A private rescue boat carrying dozens of migrants said Sunday that for a second day several nations had not given permission for it to enter a safe port, while another vessel filled with panicky migrants and described as taking on water in the southern Mediterranean was helped by a cargo ship.

The Dutch-flagged boat Sea-Watch 3, run by a German nongovernmental group, said it had contacted Italy, Malta, Libya and the Netherlands asking where it could land the 47 migrants it had taken aboard. Sea-Watch tweeted that Libyan officials hung up when it asked for a port assignment.

An Italian state TV reporter aboard Sea-Watch 3 said the rescue took place Saturday about 30 miles off the coast west of Tripoli in Libyas search-and-rescue area. Human traffickers in Libya launch flimsy or rickety boats crowded with migrants hoping to reach Europe and its opportunities for better lives.

Separately, the Sea-Watch group tweeted Sunday afternoon that because it appeared no countrys coast guard had initiated a rescue mission, Sea-Watch 3 was heading toward a vessel with 100 migrants aboard that said it was taking on water.

We cant cover by ourselves the Mediterranean, where persons are left to die, Sea-Watch lamented, estimating that it would take it would take 15 hours for its boat to reach the stricken vessel in waters north of Misrata, Libya.

Sea-Watch said news of the migrants plight was relayed by another aid group, Alarmphone, which operates a telephone hotline for use by people in distress at sea.

Late Sunday night, the Italian coast guard said a cargo ship, flying a Sierra Leone flag and asked by Libyan authorities to aid the stricken vessel, had rescued all aboard. The condition and numbers of survivors were not immediately known.

Quoting Alarmphone, Sea-Watch had said earlier that the migrant vessel reported navigational problems and that a child among them was unconscious or deceased. Subsequent communication said the boat was taking in water and seeking assistance, regardless of what this would mean concerning a possible return to Libya, Sea-Watch said.

The migrants told Alarmphone they were freezing on the open sea. Alarmphone tweeted that the migrants were panicking and screaming.

The Italian coast guard said that after the rescue, the cargo ship was awaiting instructions from the coordinating Libyan authorities about where it could take the migrants. The Libyan coast guard couldnt carry out the rescue itself because it was busy rescuing 140 migrants on two other boats, the Italian coast guard said in a statement.

Migrants dread the prospect of being returned to Libya, where they have reported torture, including beatings and rapes, in overcrowded detention centers.

The governments of Malta and Italy have been refusing to allow private boats rescuing migrants to dock. Both contend that in recent years they have taken in many migrants rescued at sea and that fellow European Union nations must agree to take their share of these asylum-seekers.

Frances DEmilio is an Associated Press writer.
ROME  More than 100 African migrants who set off in a rickety, inflatable dingy have died in a wreck off the Libyan coast, humanitarian workers said Saturday, in what was the deadliest such episode in recent months.

The scale of the catastrophe became clear after three survivors, two Sudanese and one Gambian, who were rescued by the Italian navy and brought to shore in the southern Italian island of Lampedusa, told aid workers that they were the only survivors among 120 who departed.

Survivors told us that they had about 10 women on board, and one of them was pregnant, Flavio Di Giacomo, a spokesman for the International Organization for Migration, said in a phone interview. There were also two toddlers, one of them was 2 months old.

The migrants were believed to have been from countries in West Africa and Sudan.

The dingy set out Thursday from the coastal town of Garabulli, west of Tripoli, and in about 10 hours started deflating and taking on water, survivors told humanitarian workers.

When an aircraft from the Italian navy on a security and surveillance mission spotted the craft 50 nautical miles northeast of the Libyan capital, the vessel had already started sinking, the navy said in a statement, and roughly 20 people could be seen on board.

The rescue effort comes in a fraught political environment, with several European governments questioning the motives of independent rescue groups, and some bringing criminal charges against them.

The Italian navy said that, after launching two inflatable rafts toward the migrants, it immediately called another helicopter to provide support, as their closest vessel was well beyond 110 nautical miles from the shipwreck.

The helicopter rescued the only three survivors and brought them to the hospital on the island of Lampedusa. They were suffering from hypothermia, had burn scars and were traumatized, humanitarian workers said.

The Italian coast guard said in a statement that it had immediately verified that the Libyan coast guard was aware of the event within their search and rescue area.

On Friday night, the Italian navy said the rescue operations, coordinated by the Libyan Rescue Coordination Center, had concluded after the search for the dinghy proved fruitless.

Gaia Pianigiani is a New York Times writer.
TLAHUELILPAN, Mexico  Mexicos president pledged Saturday to redouble his fight against an epidemic of fuel theft after thieves punctured a pipeline north of Mexico City, causing an explosion that killed at least 73 people and injured 74 others.

The blast underscored the danger of fuel thefts, which has cost the government billions of dollars and has been the target of a weeks-long crackdown by the administration of Mexicos new president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

The governments strategy has included diverting fuel from the pipelines most heavily targeted by criminal gangs, and transporting it by truck. But the logistical changes have slowed deliveries across the country, causing shortages and long lines at service stations.

Lopez Obrador insisted that the disaster showed why his strategy was more necessary than ever: Fuel theft not only inflicts financial damage on the nation, but it also exacts a deadly toll.

We have to continue with the plan to end fuel theft, Lopez Obrador said during a news conference. We will not stop. We will eradicate this.

The explosion, which occurred Friday night in Hidalgo state, was particularly deadly because the breach in the pipeline created by criminals had also lured hundreds of villagers from the municipality of Tlahuelilpan, drawn by the promise of free gasoline.

That section of pipeline had been among the parts of the fuel transportation network that had been temporarily shut as part of the governments strategy to curb theft. But the flow through the tube resumed Friday, just hours before thieves punctured it, officials said.

Gov. Omar Fayad of Hidalgo told reporters that his state, like others, had suffered fuel shortages as a result of the governments strategy.

Residents who gathered at the explosion site Saturday said that while opportunism had prompted some residents to flock to the illegal pipeline tap Friday, many others were compelled by the shortages created by the government crackdown.

In the footage, military personnel who had rushed to the scene can be seen standing by and observing the throng that had converged on the pipeline, which connects to the nearby Tula refinery operated by the government-run oil firm Petroleos Mexicanos, known as Pemex.

Mexicos defense secretary, Luis Cresencio Sandoval, said that about 25 troops were on the scene, but the contingent was not large enough to turn back the 600 to 800 villagers who had swarmed the site.

Paulina Villegas and Kirk Semple are New York Times writers.
ATHENS  Protesters clashed with police outside Greeces parliament during a rally that drew tens of thousands of people Sunday against the Greek-Macedonia name deal. At least 25 police officers were injured and seven people arrested, police said.

Demonstrators threw rocks, flares, firebombs, paint and other objects at riot police who responded with repeated volleys of tear gas. Some protesters jumped over a fence and tried to scale the steps, but officers chased them away.

People attending the rally said large clouds of tear gas led many to abandon the protest. The square in front of parliament had nearly emptied out by early evening, though small groups of protesters continued to clash with officers.

Greece and Macedonia agreed last June to a deal that would change the name of Greeces northern neighbor to North Macedonia. In exchange, Greece would lift its objections to the country joining NATO.

Greeces parliament is expected to begin debate Monday on ratifying the deal, with a final vote by Friday. Macedonias parliament already has approved it.

Protesters are against the deal because they believe that any use of the name Macedonia in the neighboring countrys name is a usurpation of ancient Greek heritage.

A statement from Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras office blamed extremist elements and members of Golden Dawn  an extreme-right, anti-immigrant party  for the clashes on Sunday.

In our democracy, citizens free expression is an inalienable right, even for those who want to abolish democracy, he said.

In northern Greece, farmers temporarily blocked the highway leading to the Macedonian border in solidarity. It later reopened.

Demetris Nellas is an Associated Press writer.
BEIRUT  Lebanon used an Arab economic summit Sunday to seek the return of Syrian refugees to safe areas of their war-torn country, where the nearly eight-year civil war is still under way despite a recent series of government victories.

President Michel Aoun told the opening session that Lebanon is overwhelmed by the presence of Syrian and Palestinian refugees, which is struggling with an economic crisis.

We call for a safe return of Syrian refugees to their country, especially to stable areas that can be reached and areas of low levels of violence, Aoun said in his opening address. This should not be linked to reaching a political solution.

Lebanon is home to some 1 million Syrian refugees, a quarter of the countrys population.

The meeting is the first economic and development summit to be held since 2013, and comes as Syria, Yemen and Libya remain gripped by violence and Iraq confronts a massive reconstruction challenge after its costly victory over the Islamic State group.

Qatars ruler attended the summit, which has been marred by divisions over readmitting Syria to the Arab League. But Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani arrived shortly before the summit and left minutes after it began.

Qatar has been one of the main backers of Syrian insurgents trying to overthrow President Bashar Assad.

The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have reopened their embassies in Damascus, and the visit by Qatars ruler is widely seen as a first step to restoring relations with Syria.

As the summit was ongoing in Beirut, Syrian state media reported that the countrys air defense units repelled an Israeli air strike near the Damascus International Airport. Such attacks have usually occurred at night but Sundays air raid happened during daylight hours.

Sheikh Tamim and the president of Mauritania were the only heads of state from the 22-member Arab League who came to Beirut to attend the summit. Other countries sent lower-level delegations. The other leaders absence appeared to be a snub to Lebanon, where groups led by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah had insisted that Assad should be invited.

We regret the absences of some brotherly kings and presidents who have their justified excuses, Aoun said.
KINSHASA, Congo  Congos election crisis deepened early Sunday when the Constitutional Court confirmed the victory of Felix Tshisekedi and rejected claims of fraud. But runner-up Martin Fayulu defiantly declared himself the countrys only legitimate president.

Fayulus supporters have alleged an extraordinary backroom deal by outgoing President Joseph Kabila to rig the Dec. 30 vote in favor of Tshisekedi after the ruling partys candidate did so poorly that a Plan B was needed. Neither side has acknowledged the accusations.

The court, however, said Fayulu offered no proof to back his assertions that he had won easily based on leaked data attributed to the electoral commission.

Fayulu urged Congolese to take to the streets to peacefully protest what he called a constitutional coup detat, accusing the court of validating false results. Its no secret ... that you have elected me president, he said.

Neither Congolese nor the international community should recognize Tshisekedi, nor obey him, Fayulu added.

The largely untested Tshisekedi is set to be inaugurated on Tuesday. His supporters who had gathered outside the court cheered.

Its a shame that Mr. Fayulu wants to stay isolated, Tshisekedis spokesman, Vidiye Tshimanga, told the Associated Press. He said the two men once had been part of an opposition coalition demanding that Kabila step down.

The new president will need everyone for the reconstruction of the country, Tshimanga said, as the Congolese people have suffered a lot in recent years.

The courts declaration came shortly after the African Union in an unprecedented move asked Congo to delay announcing the final election results, citing serious doubts about the vote. It planned to send a high-level delegation on Monday to find a way out of the crisis, fearing unrest spilling across borders of the vast Central African nation.

Government spokesman Lambert Mende quickly acknowledged the courts decision, congratulating Tshisekedi as Congos fifth president.

Observers have warned that the courts upholding of the official results could lead to unrest. At least 34 people have been killed since provisional results were released on Jan. 10, the United Nations has said.

Saleh Mwanamilongo and Carley Petesch are Associated Press writers.
Thousands of protesters thrust clenched fists in the air, donned knitted pink hats, chanted demands for reproductive rights and social justice for all before marching through downtown San Francisco as part of the third Womens March on Saturday.

The march came just weeks after a record 127 women were sworn in to the 116th U.S. Congress  21 Republicans and 106 Democrats  making the new body the most racially and ethnically diverse in the countrys history, with the first two Native American women and the first two Muslim women.

Many speakers marked the diverse group of freshman congresswomen as a sign of changing and reigniting power of communities and a warning to the Trump administration that these women will speak truth to power and start a womens wave of political strength.

This is the kind of leadership we need in office to bring further equality ... because these female elected officials know a thing or two about being a woman, said Mona Shaikh, a standup comedian and master of ceremonies at the rally.

Thousands of protesters  including some children clutching handmade signs demanding reproductive rights and the phrase love trumps hate superimposed over rainbow flags  crammed Civic Center Plaza, and chanted along with local community organizers, civil rights advocates, Oakland Rep. Barbara Lee and San Francisco Mayor London Breed.

I wish we could say that are living in unprecedented times, but as people of color and as women around this country, we have faced and continue to face many, many challenges, Lee said to the marchers. We have overcome before, and we will again. And how are we going to do that? By not backing down, by standing up, by fighting back  and yes  by leading.

Before stepping off the stage at the end of her speech, Lee warned, Let me just say, as we say in our district  stay woke, prompting shouts from the crowd.

Representatives with the San Francisco Poster Syndicate set up a screen-printing station near the plaza, where they cranked out fresh posters emblazoned with the faces of Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza, freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and other advocates for women.

Lucia Gonzalez-Ippolito, 30, wrapped a red apron around her waist and helped print posters for marchers, free of charge.

Were providing education about women who are part of these resistance movements, and its really important to know the work that they do, especially in times like this where we can feel hopeless, Gonzalez-Ippolito said. Its important to look at the work these women are already doing and try to be part of that. Thats why were here.

Hundreds of marchers waved the homemade posters showing Ocasio-Cortez, a 29-year-old former bartender, sitting on a stairwell in a pantsuit with the phrase, Women like me arent supposed to run for office, and another with Garzas hair flowing past her shoulders, reminiscent of a wave, with the slogan The tides of justice are rising up.

Korah Guilar, 31, of San Carlos carried the poster of Garza on a wooden stick during the march. She participated in the first Womens March in Washington, D.C., in 2017 and said she marched again Saturday because she is still concerned President Trump will follow through with some of the promises hes made since he was elected, such as defunding Planned Parenthood, which she said she once used as her primary health care.

Im concerned, as a Latina, about his discussion of minorities that are invading the country, Guilar said. I dont feel that we have an atmosphere of respect at this moment, and Im hopeful that we will continue to vote for people that reflect our needs and wants because we still have a lot of old, white males that are making decisions for us.

Other marches and gatherings were held in communities like Oakland, San Jose, Chico and Sacramento. More than 100 crowds also gathered elsewhere in the U.S. and around the globe.

The Womens March movement was sparked from a sense of urgency some women felt on the heels of Trumps election in 2016.

San Francisco organizers said they work independently of those leaders. That sentiment was repeated earlier last week in a letter addressed to the Jewish Community of San Francisco amid allegations of anti-Semitism among Womens March national leadership.

We ... are emphatically against hate or prejudice of any kind, including against our Jewish and LGBTQ communities which are both strongly represented on our team and in programming, San Francisco organizers said in a recent statement regarding the allegations.

San Francisco police officers escorted marchers down Market Street after the two-hour rally at Civic Center. Many onlookers craned their necks and raised cell phones in the air to snap pictures, only slipping into the crowd of marchers after indigenous leaders at the front of the walk passed by.

Lauren Hernandez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LaurenPorFavor
The Prescher-Willette Seed Farm is making some changes in their operation.

More of our customers are buying our beans in bulk, Damian Prescher, co-owner of the seed farm, states. So we are adding two overhead storage bins, a new grain leg and an 80-foot truck scale to our operation.

The overhead bins will facilitate faster filling of trucks while the scale, which is located beneath the overhead structure, will allow the semis to be weighed in the same spot they are loaded.

Damian, and his father, Chuck, purchased the Willette Seed Farm in 2005. Damians sister Vanessa Bromeland also works for the company.

In addition to the family members, the operation employs six other people. They are, Mike Hughes, Alan Bartholmey, Marty Ziegler, Matt Whitney, Adam Hearn and Brian Bock.

Hughes and Bartholmey are long time employees. Hughes, the plant manager, started with the seed farm in 1974 and Bartholmey, who is the mechanic of the operation, joined the company the following year.

While Chuck and his wife, Corrine, reside in Blue Earth. Damian lives in a house located on the seed farm building site. Damian and his wife, Tina, have twin daughters, Addison and Erin, who are almost 11 years old, son Ames, who is six years old and another daughter, Eliza, who is three years old.

Operating the seed farm is not just as simple as harvesting the beans, putting them in a bin and then loading them out.

Both seed beans and edible soybeans are processed and conditioned at the seed farm.

Most of the beans grown for the seed farm are produced within a 20-mile radius of the farm, which is located south of Delavan.

There is a four-step process that the soybeans go through to remove pods, splits, weed seed, small and large beans and discolored beans.

Much of that process has remained the same over many years. However there is one machine, an optical sorting machine, that is new to the process. This machine can look at 500,000 beans a minute as they flow through a channel. The optical sorting machine uses a precise jet of air to remove any discolored beans.

Damian Prescher explains Uniformity is important to our customers and all of these things are done for appearance, so that the consumer receives beans that are the same size, shape, color and weight.

Everything they clean gets tested by a third-party lab, according to Hughes. In addition the food grade beans go through seven additional food safety tests including tests for salmonella and e-coli.

There is rarely any problem with raw soybeans because the crop is not irrigated, Hughes says. Many of the problems which have occurred with lettuce and other vegetable crops have happened because the source of their irrigation water was contaminated.

The Prescher-Willette Seed Farm ships their edible beans all over the United States including Washington, California, Texas, Georgia, Virginia, Illinois and Hawaii. Their clients sell the beans as sprouting beans.

The Prescher-Willette Seed Farm began operating during the Great Depression.

Don Willette established Willette Seed Farm in 1933. In the early years seed production was mainly small grains and flax. Later, production grew to include seed corn and soybeans.

During the 1960s the day-to-day operation of the business transitioned to Dons four sons, Mike, Pierre, Tom and Jan. In addition to the seed farm, they were also involved with feeding hogs, along with dairy and beef cows.

The 1970s saw a decreased demand for oats and wheat but an increase in the production of soybeans. Large scale production and exporting soybean seed to Europe began.

Export business continued to grow during the 1980s with all the varieties being non-GMO, (genetically modified organism). In 1989 Willette Seed Farm joined with other family owned seed conditioning plants to establish Gold Country Seed. University breeding of new soybean varieties had become targeted towards specific-use niche varieties.

In 1996 Round-Up-Ready soybeans became available. This was the beginning of the end for public varieties. Universities continued to focus on non-GMO soybeans while the private breeders concentrated their efforts on herbicide tolerant traits. Eventually this led to farmers being unable to save their own seed for planting during the next crop year.

The 2000s saw privately developed GMO varieties dominate the seed industry. The exportation of soybean seed to Europe disappeared over fears of accidental introduction of GMO varieties. The market for identity-preserved, non-GMO soybeans emerged. Prescher-Willette Seed Farm continues to produce these varieties for human consumption.

According to Hughes, the company continues to grow, clean, package and ship both non-GMO and GMO soybeans

They have custom seed production and processing clients that include the University of Minnesota, Asgrow, AgriPro, Stine, Monsanto and Gold Country.
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



At least five people - including two children - were displaced following a 1-alarm fire at a residence in San Francisco's Hunters Point neighborhood early Sunday morning, according to fire officials.



The blaze was first reported around 2 a.m. at a two-story residence in the 100 block of Harbor Road, fire officials said. The fire was reported contained around 2:18 a.m., per fire officials.



Nobody was injured, and the cause is under investigation. The American Red Cross is assisting those that were displaced.





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
Tens of thousands turned out Saturday in cities across the Bay Area for a series of Women's Marches celebrating the record number of women sworn into Congress and advocating for womens' and civil rights.



It was the third year in a row for the marches, which began in January 2017 in the wake of the election of President Donald Trump, drawing huge crowds at events throughout the globe.



"Women will save the soul of America," Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, told a crowd gathered at the Lake Merritt Amphitheater Saturday morning.



"This past November, we elected 113 women who were sworn in to serve in our nation's capital in the most diverse House of Representatives ever," Lee said to thundering applause and cheers from the audience.



Sonia Pina of Oakland echoed the theme, saying in an interview, "We have an unprecedented number of women in Congress. It's exciting to see the effect of what we are doing," referring to the marches, which began with the aim of electing more women.



Rachel Murch of Hayward said, "I support equality across all realms: LGBTQ, immigrants, all races, all religions."



Signs included, "Vote! Prevent unwanted presidencies!" and "Toxic Masculinity Kills." No final figure was available for attendance at press time, but organizers estimated about 10,000 people came.



After addressing the crowd at the Oakland Women's March, Congresswoman Lee whisked across the bay to the San Francisco march in time to address demonstrators there.



Other speakers at the "Truth to Power" San Francisco event, which began at the Civic Center Plaza, included comedian and actor Mona Shaikh and Mayor London Breed.



After the rally, participants in the San Francisco event began marching from the Civic Center down Market Street to Embarcadero. Organizers earlier in the day had predicted a turnout between 60,000 and 80,000.



About 500 people turned out for the Women's March in Petaluma, organizers said. After a rally at Walnut Park at Petaluma Boulevard South and D Street, participants marched through downtown.



In Walnut Creek, demonstrators gathered for a rally at Civic Park at Civic Drive and North Broadway, then marched through downtown.



In San Jose, a march began at 11 a.m. at San Jose City Hall, with a rally afterward at Arena Green East.





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



An 18-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a brutal assault earlier this month in San Francisco that left an 88-year-old woman with life-threatening injuries, police said.



Police arrested Keonte Gathron in San Francisco on Saturday evening after he allegedly committed another robbery.



Gathron is suspected in the Jan. 8 assault in the 1000 block of Visitacion Avenue. Around 6:45 a.m., a witness reported seeing a male suspect exit a residence from an interior staircase and walk eastbound on Visitacion Avenue.



Shortly thereafter, the victim was found in a park across the street suffering from severe head injuries. She was taken to the hospital, and continues to be treated for life-threatening injuries.



Police say their investigation led to evidence linking the person leaving the residence to the assault.



"This is an ongoing investigation, and we will have further details to follow later in the week," San Francisco police Chief William Scott said in a written statement. "But we want to express our gratitude to neighbors and leaders in the Visitacion Valley community who worked closely with our investigators to address this senseless act of violence."



Anyone with further information related to this case is asked to call the San Francisco Police Department at (415) 575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411, beginning the text message with SFPD. Those sharing information may remain anonymous.





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
A woman died Saturday in a shooting near the Alum Rock neighborhood of San Jose, and police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting.



San Jose police said they responded about 5:30 p.m. to a residence in the 2400 block of Clyda Drive, near Interstate Highway 680. Police Officer Gina Tepoorten said officers found the woman dead, with at least one gunshot wound.



The woman's name had not been released Saturday night. No suspects have been identified or apprehended, Tepoorten said.



Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Jesus Mendoza or Detective Juan Vallejo of the San Jose Police Department's Homicide Unit at 408-277-5283. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 408-947-7867.







A man was struck and killed Saturday night while weaving across the lanes of southbound U.S. Highway 101 in Corte Madera while on his bicycle, the California Highway Patrol said.



The CHP got a call at about 7:30 p.m. Saturday that a man wearing dark clothing was weaving across all lanes of 101 on his bicycle, said CHP Officer Andrew Barclay. As a CHP officer was headed there, he said, another motorist called to say they had hit an object in the roadway, which turned out to be the bicyclist.



The bicyclist, identified Saturday night only as a man, was pronounced dead at the scene, Barclay said. The death remains under investigation.







From breakfast all the way through to the end of the day, the Bay Area is holding events to commemorate the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., including parades, rallies and opportunities for service.



MLK Day was established as a federal holiday in 1983, and Congress designated it a National Day of Service in 1994. In the Bay Area, as in many other states, people looking to volunteer have many opportunities.



Berkeley Adult School offers a chance to kick off the day with the eighth annual Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast. The event begins at 8 a.m. at the school, 1701 San Pablo Ave.



Another 8 a.m. breakfast, this one in San Francisco -- the labor and community breakfast held at the Marriott Marquis Ballroom, 780 Mission Street.



The City of El Cerrito is holding its 30th annual MLK parade and rally, starting with an 8:30 rally at City Hall Plaza, Manila and San Pablo avenues. The march ends at El Cerrito High School.



In Santa Cruz, a march and rally held by the city's police department and the NAACP Santa Cruz County Branch kick off at 9 a.m. at Cathcart Street between Cedar Street and Pacific Avenue.



Cities all over the area are spotlighting volunteer activities, including the fourth annual East Palo Alto mayor's tree planting and MLK Day of Service at 9 a.m. in MLK Park, 435 Daisy Lane.



Moving into the afternoon, Carolyn McKinstry, a civil rights advocate and witness to the 1963 bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, will speak at the Hayward Annual MLK Birthday event.



The event will take place at Chabot College's Reed L. Buffington Visual & Performing Arts Center at 4:30 p.m.







One person suffered minor injuries Saturday night resulting from a two-alarm fire at a Pinole apartment complex, firefighters said.



The fire was first reported at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at 535 Sunnyview Drive in Pinole, with the second alarm called at 4:40 p.m., said Capt. Tracie Dutter of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.



Fire departments in Pinole, Rodeo-Hercules, Richmond, El Cerrito and Vallejo sent crews to the scene, where "heavy flames" were reported on the first floor. Contra Costa County Fire Protection District crews responded, as well.



The fire damage destroyed three units. The American Red Cross was on the scene to help find residents shelter. One person suffered cuts when fleeing the burning apartment through a broken window, Dutter said.



The cause of the fire is under investigation.







A 30-year-old man was hospitalized with injuries not thought to be life-threatening after he was shot early Saturday morning in Antioch, police officials said.



Officers were dispatched to the 100 block of Walter Way around 2:24 a.m. on a report of a shooting, according to police. The shooter fled before the officers got there, police said.



The victim is in the hospital in stable condition, according to police. Officers are working on leads in the case, and anyone with information is encouraged to call police at (925) 778-2441.







A 44-year-old transient was being held in the Solano County Jail Saturday night, booked on suspicion of shooting a man in the foot after an argument, according to Fairfield police.



Roderick Darnell Harris, listed by police as a transient, was found before 4 p.m. Saturday, not long after - and not far from - the Linear Park Trail at Beck Avenue near Interstate Highway 80, police said.



Harris and the victim had been involved in an argument shortly before the shooting. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of the gunshot wounds that are not considered life-threatening.



Harris faces one charge of aggravated assault with a firearm.







San Francisco Fire Department crews have contained a 1-alarm fire at a residence in Hunters Point early Sunday morning, according to fire officials.



The blaze was first reported around 2 a.m. at a two-story residence in the 100 block of Harbor Road, fire officials said. The fire was reported contained around 2:18 a.m., per fire officials.



Nobody was injured and the cause is under investigation. Fire officials didn't provide a number of residents that were displaced.





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
SANTA CRUZ (BCN)



A two-story house sustained significant damage Saturday night in a fire that displaced six people, Santa Cruz firefighters said.



The fire at 120 McMillan Drive was called in at 6:26 p.m. Saturday, with firefighters arriving to find "heavy fire" on most of the second floor, according to Josh Coleman, a battalion chief with the City of Santa Cruz Fire Department. Nineteen firefighters had the fire under control in 22 minutes.



The fire remained under investigation late Saturday, and it is classified as unintentional and not suspicious in nature, Coleman said.



Damage was estimated at about $175,000.





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
Less than a month after hiring an interim superintendent, the Blue Earth Area School Board initiated the process of finding a qualified individual to fill the position of full-time superintendent.

The board voted to hire the South Central Service Cooperative (SCSC) to aid in the search and selection of a candidate to fill the position.

SCSC is the same group utilized by the board in the search for an interim superintendent.

Harold Remme, who worked with the board through the process of hiring Dr. Jerry Jensen as interim superintendent, was present at the board meeting to preview the proposed timeline and parameters for the search.

A notice of the opening was to be posted immediately with the position remaining open for applications through Feb. 28.

The candidates will go through a screening process which will take place during the first two weeks of March. The first round of interviews will also take place at this time.

Final interviews and an offer of employment from the School Board would be completed by March 16-22 with the goal of approving a new superintendent contract by April 1.

The search for a full-time superintendent will involve more input from community members, teachers, students and current administrators, according to Remme.

Jensen updated the board on the sale of the former Winnebago High School.

According to Jensen, the deal is close to being completed. The Blue Earth Area School District utilized the services of a professional firm to take care of a mold problem in one of the former locker rooms.

The elevators just need to be powered up, they were disconnected so that kids could not play with them. They have been inspected and should be ready to go, Jensen said. There is also a need to identify which equipment stays with the building after the sale.

Scott Robertson, a Winnebago resident, was in attendance representing a core leadership committee involved with finding new uses for the former school. This committee was recently organized with the help of the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF). Robertson expressed the desire for this deal to get completed so that the committee could apply for funding from the state legislature.

Robertson also informed the board of a meeting to be held on Feb. 23. The meeting will be for a Strategic Planning Session concerning the former Winnebago High School.

Tours of the school will begin at 8 a.m., followed by an acton forum beginning at 9 a.m. The purpose of the meeting will be to outline the communitys assets, determine potential projects and design a plan moving forward. SMIF will award up to $20,000 to the best project identified.

Jensen outlined some goals he has while he serves as the interim superintendent to ensure that he is on the same track as the School Board.

Those goals include providing a seamless transition between superintendents, helping prepare new board members so they may be effective while serving on the board and providing leadership and support to the administrative team.

Jensen stated he will also assist in the search for a new superintendent and give guidance in the development of the budget.

Finally, Jensen said he wanted to be visible and available in the community by attending ball games and other school events to ensure that the community has access to him.

In other business:

Susan Benz was elected board chair and Frankie Bly was elected as vice-chairman. Susie Rosenau was elected to the position of clerk and Jeremy Coxworth was voted in as treasurer (however a special meeting has been called for Jan. 21 to consider the selection of a new board treasurer).

A resolution was passed directing the administration to make recommendations for reductions in programs and positions. It was stressed this does not mean any cuts will happen but is something the board needs to do to allow for possible actions which could become necessary.
Tens of thousands turned out Saturday in cities across the Bay Area for a series of Women's Marches celebrating the record number of women sworn into Congress and advocating for womens' and civil rights.



It was the third year in a row for the marches, which began in January 2017 in the wake of the election of President Donald Trump, drawing huge crowds at events throughout the globe.



"Women will save the soul of America," Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, told a crowd gathered at the Lake Merritt Amphitheater Saturday morning.



"This past November, we elected 113 women who were sworn in to serve in our nation's capital in the most diverse House of Representatives ever," Lee said to thundering applause and cheers from the audience.



After addressing the crowd at the Oakland Women's March, Congresswoman Lee whisked across the bay to the San Francisco march in time to address demonstrators there.



Other speakers at the "Truth to Power" San Francisco event, which began at the Civic Center Plaza, included comedian and actor Mona Shaikh and Mayor London Breed.



After the rally, participants in the San Francisco event began marching from the Civic Center down Market Street to Embarcadero. Organizers earlier in the day had predicted a turnout between 60,000 and 80,000.



About 500 people turned out for the Women's March in Petaluma, organizers said. After a rally at Walnut Park at Petaluma Boulevard South and D Street, participants marched through downtown.



In Walnut Creek, demonstrators gathered for a rally at Civic Park at Civic Drive and North Broadway, then marched through downtown.



In San Jose, a march began at 11 a.m. at San Jose City Hall, with a rally afterward at Arena Green East.







King tides over the next two days have prompted the National Weather Service to issue a flood advisory for along Bay Area coastal areas.



Around the bay, forecasters say extreme high tides of 7-feet will occur at 10:03 a.m. Sunday followed by extreme low tides late Sunday afternoon at 4:55 p.m.



Similar tidal cycles are expected on Monday, according to the weather service. The height and timing of the tides will vary by location.



Low-lying areas, including the Embarcadero in San Francisco and bayside parking areas, may see minor flooding. Motorists and pedestrians should expect seawater on roadways, parking lots, trails and sidewalks, forecasters said.



Beachgoers may not be able to access paths to coves and narrow beaches during high tides and low tides may cause issues for mariners, according to the weather service.



King tides occur when there is alignment of the gravitational pull between sun and moon. More information on specific tide predictions by location can be found at https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/ports .







A pedestrian fatally hit by a car Friday evening near the entrance to the Novato Fair Shopping Center was a 70-year-old Novato woman, authorities said.



The woman was hit at 6:06 p.m. by a car headed southbound in the 1500 block of South Novato Boulevard, according to police.



The woman, whose name was not released, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver stayed and cooperated with police.



The cause of the collision is being investigated. Witnesses are asked to contact the Novato Police Department's traffic section at (415) 897-4361.







Police in Berkeley are investigating a sexual assault that was reported earlier this month at a University of California-Berkeley campus residence.



The University of California Police Department is investigating the incident.



Police said the victim, a University of California-Berkeley student, was sexually assaulted in her residence on Jan. 6 by a suspect she had met with earlier in the day at a cafe on campus.



When the cafe closed, the victim and the suspect went to the victim's residence, and once they were at the residence, the suspect sexually assaulted the victim, police said.



The victim did not suffer any major physical injuries during the assault.









Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
San Francisco Fire Department crews have contained a 1-alarm fire at a residence in Hunters Point early Sunday morning, according to fire officials.



The blaze was first reported around 2 a.m. at a two-story residence in the 100 block of Harbor Road, fire officials said. The fire was reported contained around 2:18 a.m., per fire officials.



Nobody was injured and the cause is under investigation. Fire officials didn't provide a number of residents that were displaced.





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
From breakfast all the way through to the end of the day, the Bay Area is holding events to commemorate the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., including parades, rallies and opportunities for service.



MLK Day was established as a federal holiday in 1983, and Congress designated it a National Day of Service in 1994. In the Bay Area, as in many other states, people looking to volunteer have many opportunities.



Berkeley Adult School offers a chance to kick off the day with the eighth annual Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast. The event begins at 8 a.m. at the school, 1701 San Pablo Ave.



Another 8 a.m. breakfast, this one in San Francisco -- the labor and community breakfast held at the Marriott Marquis Ballroom, 780 Mission Street.



The City of El Cerrito is holding its 30th annual MLK parade and rally, starting with an 8:30 rally at City Hall Plaza, Manila and San Pablo avenues. The march ends at El Cerrito High School.



In Santa Cruz, a march and rally held by the city's police department and the NAACP Santa Cruz County Branch kick off at 9 a.m. at Cathcart Street between Cedar Street and Pacific Avenue.



Cities all over the area are spotlighting volunteer activities, including the fourth annual East Palo Alto mayor's tree planting and MLK Day of Service at 9 a.m. in MLK Park, 435 Daisy Lane.



Moving into the afternoon, Carolyn McKinstry, a civil rights advocate and witness to the 1963 bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, will speak at the Hayward Annual MLK Birthday event.



The event will take place at Chabot College's Reed L. Buffington Visual & Performing Arts Center at 4:30 p.m.





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
Your Holiday Shopping Magazine to Emporia and area businesses. Also visit ShopEmporiaKansas.com to shop Emporia businesses who are online. Start your online shopping here.

VIEW NOW
WASHINGTON  President Trump defended his proposal to end the partial government shutdown, using his Twitter account Sunday to attack House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for turning down the offer, even as Vice President Mike Pence appeared to open the door to negotiations over the plan.

In an appearance on Fox News Sunday, Pence said Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, planned to bring the presidents proposal to the Senate floor for a vote on Tuesday, adding that Trump had set the table for a deal.

But when Chris Wallace, the programs host, asked Pence if the presidents proposal was a final offer, Pence hedged, saying, Theres a legislative process that is going to begin on Tuesday in the United States Senate  a possible acknowledgment that the proposal might be amended on the Senate floor.

Does that mean that youre willing to negotiate from what the president said, or is that the final offer? Wallace asked again. Pence replied, Well, of course. The legislative process is a negotiation.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he believes Senate Democrats will block the measure.

On Twitter, Trump seemed to be holding fast to his wall demand as he took aim at Pelosi and protested conservative critics who have described the plan as amnesty for unauthorized immigrants.

Nancy Pelosi and some of the Democrats turned down my offer yesterday before I even got up to speak, Trump wrote in one of a string of tweets. They dont see crime & drugs, they only see 2020  which they are not going to win. Best economy! They should do the right thing for the Country & allow people to go back to work.

With public opinion turning against him, Trump offered a deal Saturday, saying he would extend temporary protections for some unauthorized immigrants if Democrats gave him $5.7 billion for the wall he wants to build along the southern border.

But Democrats have said the plan is a nonstarter because it does not offer a pathway to citizenship for the young immigrants known as Dreamers, who were brought to the country illegally as children, and offers only three years of protection from deportation. Democrats are demanding that the president reopen the government before any negotiations on border security.

Nancy Pelosi has behaved so irrationally & has gone so far to the left that she has now officially become a Radical Democrat. She is so petrified of the lefties in her party that she has lost control, Trump also wrote, before adding a slap at her district. And by the way, clean up the streets in San Francisco, they are disgusting!

To his conservative critics, Trump wrote: No, Amnesty is not a part of my offer. It is a 3 year extension of DACA. Amnesty will be used only on a much bigger deal, whether on immigration or something else. Likewise there will be no big push to remove the 11,000,000 plus people who are here illegally  but be careful Nancy!

The Associated Press contribute to this report.

Sheryl Gay Stolberg is a New York Times writer.
WASHINGTON  In a bid to break the shutdown stalemate, President Trump offered Saturday to extend temporary protections for young people brought to the U.S. illegally as children and those fleeing disaster zones in exchange for his long-promised border wall.

But while Trump cast the move as a common-sense compromise, Democrats were quick to dismiss it at a nonstarter.

With polls showing a majority of Americans blaming him and Republicans for the impasse, Trump said from the White House that he was there to break the logjam and provide Congress with a path forward to end the government shutdown and solve the crisis on the southern border.

Hoping to put pressure on Democrats, the White House billed the announcement as a major step forward. But Trump did not budge on his $5.7 billion demand for the wall and, in essence, offered to temporarily roll back some of his own hawkish immigration actions  actions that have been blocked by federal courts.

After a week marked by his pointed clashes with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, it was not clear whether Trumps offer would lead to serious steps to reopen the government, shut for a record 29 days. Trumps move came as hundreds of thousands of federal workers go without paychecks, with many enduring financial hardship. Many public services are unavailable to Americans during the closure.

Democrats dismissed Trumps proposal even before his formal remarks. Pelosi said the expected offer was nothing more than a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives and that the effort could not pass the House

What is original in the Presidents proposal is not good. What is good in the proposal is not original, she later tweeted.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also panned the proposal as more hostage taking, saying that it was Trump who had single-handedly imperiled the future of the immigrants he proposed to help.

The New York Democrat said there is only one way out of the shutdown. Open up the government, Mr. President, and then Democrats and Republicans can have a civil discussion and come up with bipartisan solutions, he said.

Democrats had made their own move late Friday to try to break the impasse when they pledged to provide hundreds of millions of dollars more for border security. But Trump, who has yet to acknowledge that offer, laid out his own plan, which officials said had been in the works for days.

Trumps remarks from the Diplomatic Room marked the second time he has addressed the nation as the partial shutdown drags on. On this occasion, he sought to strike a diplomatic tone, emphasizing the need to work across the aisle. He maintained that a border barrier is needed to block what he describes as the flow of drugs and crime into the country  but described steel barriers in high-priority locations instead of a 2,000-mile concrete structure from sea to sea.

The proposal was met with immediate criticism from some conservative corners.

Trump proposes amnesty, tweeted conservative firebrand Ann Coulter. We voted for Trump and got Jeb! she said, in a reference to Trumps 2016 rival, Jeb Bush.

At the other end of the political spectrum, Trumps offer was panned by progressive groups, with Anthony Romero, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, calling it a one-sided proposal.

In a briefing with reporters, Vice President Mike Pence defended the proposal from criticism from the right. This is not an amnesty bill, he insisted.

White House acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said that Trump had not ruled out one day declaring a national emergency to circumvent Congress to get his wall money  as he has threatened  but added that Trump maintains that the best way to fix this is through legislation.

To ensure wall funding, Trump said he would extend temporary protections for three years for Dreamers, young people brought to the country illegally as children. Administration officials said the protections would apply only to the approximately 700,000 people currently enrolled in the Obama-era program shielding them from deportation, and not all those who could be eligible. The plan would offer no pathway to citizenship for those immigrants  a deal breaker for many Democrats.

Jill Colvin, Catherine Lucey and Zeke Miller are Associated Press writers.
PHOENIX  A lawyer for the family of an incapacitated Arizona woman who gave birth in a long-term care facility said she is not in a coma as previously reported.

The Arizona Republic reported that attorney John Micheaels said the 29-year-old woman has significant intellectual disabilities and does not speak but has some ability to move, responds to sounds and is able to make facial gestures.

Phoenix police have said the woman was the victim of a sexual assault and have disclosed little other information.

A Jan. 8 statement by San Carlos Apache Tribe officials said the woman, a tribal member, gave birth while in a coma. News outlets have reported that the woman, who has not been identified, was in a vegetative state at the facility where she spent many years.

The important thing here is that contrary to whats been reported, she is a person, albeit with significant intellectual disabilities. She has feelings and is capable of responding to people she is familiar with, especially family, Micheaels told the newspaper.

The woman gave birth to a baby boy on Dec. 29 as staff at Hacienda HealthCare frantically called 911 for assistance, telling an operator that they had not known she was pregnant.

Police investigators have been collecting DNA samples from male employees at the facility and any other men who could have had contact with the woman. State regulatory officials have also launched investigations.

The victim and the newborn have reportedly been recovering at a hospital.

The womans guardian, her mother, described her in a May 29 annual guardian report filed in court as an incapacitated adult.
When it was time for Abbi Vakil, a Mountain View hardware engineer, to replace his car, he turned to a company he saw as a tech disrupter, TrueCar.

From its ads, he expected the service to help him find a car at the lowest price and without negotiation. TrueCar advertised all over the place, he said, so I thought Id plug everything into TrueCar.

But what Vakil experienced, he said, was not what the ads promised. It was a clever stunt to get leads to these car companies, he said, so they could start inundating you with, Buy from me! Buy from me! Buy from me!

Before he could see prices for a BMW i3 and a Chevy Volt, he had to share his contact information with TrueCar, resulting in calls from seven dealerships, he said, initiating the very haggling he had hoped to avoid.

And then there was the price. Some research on leasing led Vakil to suspect he could get a better deal than TrueCar offered. Ultimately, he leased a Volt for a lower monthly payment than the TrueCar guaranteed price. I saved about 60 bucks a month  its a meal, he said. I just worked up from the bottom price.

A study from a nonprofit consumer group and a lawsuit in federal court against TrueCar, as well as myriad complaints on Twitter and web forums, suggest that Vikals experience is not rare, and that shoppers as well as dealers say they have been let down by TrueCars service.

The consumer group found that the TrueCar guaranteed price averaged $1,550 more than consumers paid when dealers had to bid for their business. The lawsuit, which was brought by 162 car dealers and is still working its way through the court, asserts that TrueCars no haggle promise is false advertising, and that the factory invoice pricing falsely implies savings that TrueCar does not deliver.

TrueCar, in a written response, said: On average, the prices offered tend to be thousands of dollars below MSRP and also tend to be at or below the market average transaction prices because dealers provide prices to TrueCar knowing that consumers can easily compare those prices to what other people paid.

TrueCar became a billion-dollar public company by collecting sales data from car dealerships and showing consumers what other buyers had paid for specific cars and options, and offering the cars at a low pre-negotiated price. Its website says it is behind the car-buying programs for more than 500 companies, including USAA, AARP and American Express.

TrueCar, which started as Zag.com in 2005 and grew to prominence by giving consumers leverage when buying a car, has evolved into a tool to funnel buyers into dealerships. Jack Gillis, who is the car-buying authority for the nonprofit Consumer Federation of America, was asked what advantage TrueCar offers the consumer. At this point, he said, I dont know.

It wasnt always this way. TrueCar was created with the consumer in mind, said Scott Painter, its founder. I have been on a career-long crusade to make buying a car simpler, easier and more fun, Painter said.

He founded Carsdirect.com, a similar site, before TrueCar, and has now founded Fair, which leases cars on a month-to-month contract, much like a cell phone. TrueCar was a hero brand and it took on the dealers, he said. I am not the most popular guy on the dealer front.

TrueCar has a built-in design fault, said stock analyst David Trainer, who follows the company. While TrueCar gave consumers the information they needed to get a lower price from car dealers, the dealers paid TrueCar a fee for each sale. Dealers didnt like paying for the cudgel that customers used to beat them down on price. How do you answer to two masters? Trainer asked. You are either going to help the dealers or the consumers.

Eventually, dealers revolted. Between December 2011 and February 2012, TrueCars franchise dealer count fell 35 percent, to 3,599 from 5,571, according to a federal filing. It put a big squeeze on TrueCar.

To win dealers back, TrueCar gave them more control over the prices consumers would see. It stopped showing an estimate of what dealers paid for cars.

We had to turn over our customers to our dealers to make it work, said Painter, who handed the reins to Chip Perry in 2015. Painter said he was still the largest stockholder, but is no longer employed in any way by TrueCar.

Despite the changes, to buyers like Vakil, an impression of price transparency lingered. I went to TrueCar based on what I thought it was and it wasnt that anymore, he said. It really was for the car companies.

A recent study by a nonprofit consumer group in Washington, the Center for the Study of Services, which publishes Consumers Checkbook, bolsters Vikals impression. The consumer group, which offers its own nonprofit car-buying service, said that in 137 car purchases over nearly six months, it saved consumers an average of $1,550 compared with the TrueCar price. In all of the testing, we havent found a single case in which our price didnt beat TrueCar, said Robert Krughoff, president of the Center for the Study of Services.

The Consumers Checkbook car-buying service gets at least five dealers to bid for a customers business. The lowest price on the selected car wins. Consumers Checkbook charges the car shopper $250 for its service, and after deducting its fee, the consumer saved an average of $1,300 compared with TrueCar. The organization offers free instructions for people who want to solicit bids themselves. The best way to get good prices is to make dealers bid independently, said Krughoff, whether they use our service or not.

Roy Furchgott is a New York Times writer.
Thousands of people gathered in cities across the United States, before taking to the streets for Saturday's third annual Women's March, and the signs many people held displayed humor and candor to the march.

Many of the signs made reference to the march's call for social justice and reproductive rights, urging others to vote or fight against bigotry. Some used pop culture references to make their points, from a reference to Marie Kondo ("Trump doesn't spark joy") to Netflix's popular film, Birdbox.
UNITED NATIONS  Fuel is being shipped illegally from Iran to Houthi Shiite rebels in Yemen to finance their war against the government, and both sides are violating international law with their military campaigns and arbitrary detention of rivals, U.N. observers say in a new report.

The experts paint a grim picture of a deeply fractured country sliding toward humanitarian and economic catastrophe with no sign of victory by either side in a conflict that many view as a proxy war between regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran.

In the 85-page report to the Security Council seen by the Associated Press, the experts said the government and its coalition partners led by Saudi Arabia made significant progress on the ground against the Houthis in 2018  but their aim of restoring the governments authority throughout the country is far from being realized.

At the same time, the panel of experts monitoring U.N. sanctions against Yemen said the Houthi leadership has continued to consolidate its hold over government and non-government institutions.

In the reports only upbeat note, the experts said talks in Sweden between the government and the Houthis that led to an agreement in December on a cease-fire and withdrawal of rival forces from the key port of Hodeida have raised hopes that a political process may quell the primary conflict in Yemen.

The conflict in Yemen began with the 2014 takeover of the capital Sanaa by the Iranian-backed Houthis, who toppled the government of Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. A Saudi-led coalition allied with Hadis internationally recognized government has been fighting the Houthis since 2015.

Saudi-led air strikes have hit schools, hospitals and wedding parties and killed thousands of Yemeni civilians. The Houthis have fired long-range missiles into Saudi Arabia and targeted vessels in the Red Sea.

The fighting in the Arab worlds poorest country has taken a terrible toll on civilians, with thousands killed and a catastrophic humanitarian crisis under way.

The latest report said a small number of companies inside and outside Yemen operated as front companies using false documentation. The panel said it found that the fuel was loaded from Iranian ports and the revenue from the sale of this fuel was used to finance the Houthi war effort.

Iran has repeatedly rejected allegations that it is providing military support to the Houthis.

Edith M. Lederer is an Associated Press writer.
Frustrated by President Trumps proposal to temporarily extend protections for DACA beneficiaries and Temporary Protected Status holders in exchange for a border wall, undocumented residents covered by those two programs called it a false promise that only offers Band-Aid solutions.

If they are going to give us immigration reform, we dont want to be fooled, said Mariano Guzman of San Pablo, a TPS holder from Honduras and member of the National TPS Alliance. We will continue to fight until the administration looks at us like human beings.

Billing his plan as a compassionate response to our ongoing tragedy on the southern border, Trump proposed a three-year extension of protection for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and for TPS holders. The program provides relief to undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. if their home countries suffered life-threatening disasters, such as earthquakes or hurricanes.

Trumps proposal, though, offers no path to citizenship to those in the two programs.

A three-year extension seems like a trap. I dont agree with that, added Guzman, who was granted his status in 1998 after Hurricane Mitch struck Honduras, killing more than 7,000 people in that country alone.

Adding to immigrants frustration is that Trump previously sought to end both programs. The decisions were challenged and eventually reversed in federal court, but the programs remain in limbo, leaving hundreds of thousands of immigrants without a potential path to legalization.

Its an insult when hes offering something we already had and he took away, said Juan Prieto, a DACA recipient and spokesman for the California Immigrant Youth Justice Alliance.

We dont want our lives and the promise of temporary fixes to be used for permanent damage, he said, pointing to construction of the wall. Thats whats happening here.

Meanwhile, groups like the Federation for American Immigration Reform in Washington, D.C., which favors stricter immigration enforcement, condemned Trump for not being harsher in his negotiations.

Think the border crisis is bad now? Wait until after another amnesty, tweeted the group Saturday. Why is Trump turning a battle over our sovereignty into giving benefits to illegal aliens?

Trump kept up his calls for heightened border security amid what he called a rush of crime and drugs, a promise he made from the beginning of his presidential campaign.

I intend to keep that promise one way or another, he said.

Democrats rejected the proposal Saturday, making it likely that the longest government shutdown in U.S. history will continue. Trump has pledged not to sign any budget bills until Congress approves money for a border wall.

The Democratic National Committee called Trumps proposal a stunt to avoid responsibility and deflect blame.

This isnt a compromise; its a nonstarter, the committee said. If the president is actually interested in getting something done, he should reopen the government and restart good-faith negotiations.

Trump is offering immigrants what he took away in exchange for billions of dollars for a wall  a plan that is extremely unpopular with Americans and likely wont go anywhere, said Layla Razavi, policy director for the California Immigrant Policy Center in Oakland.

I suspect that American people are going to push back and reject everything the president said today, she said Saturday. People are obviously worried about their future. Their lives have been held as political pawns for the past few years.

Tatiana Sanchez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tatiana.sanchez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TatianaYSanchez
The revelation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential elections caught Americans by surprise. As we learn more about how the Russian intelligence agencies, state-controlled media and various proxies worked to influence the U.S. elections in an effort to undermine trust in the electoral process and further divide Americans, many are asking if the United States and Russia are in a new Cold War.

But, as we know, the Cold War didnt end in the Soviet Unions favor. Why is Russian president Vladimir Putin once again pitting his nation against the West? And is Russia winning this time?

During the Cold War, the world seemed more neatly divided into a competition between two superpowers. Americans were taught that the Communists were the bad guys (and Soviet citizens were taught about the evils and hypocrisy of the West). After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, however, the United States reigned as the sole superpower. Without the evil empire to oppose, successive U.S. administrations vacillated on the level of focus on Russia and in offering a strategic vision for the newly liberated post-Soviet republics.

Each president seemed convinced that he could fix the Russia problem through a close personal relationship with the Russian leader.

President Bill Clinton developed a close bond with Boris Yeltsin, and sought to integrate Russia into international institutions, such as the G-8, while at the same time pursuing policies that Yeltsin categorically opposed, most notably the U.S.-led bombing of Serbia.

After Yeltsins handpicked successor, Vladimir Putin, took the reins in the Kremlin, President George W. Bush infamously said that he looked into Putins eyes and saw his soul (a comment he would later come to regret). Putin invaded Georgia at the end of Bushs term.

Yet, just a year later in 2009, with Putin briefly handing over the presidency to Dmitry Medvedev (but undoubtedly remaining as the decision-maker), the Obama administration was ready for a fresh start. The Obama reset soured quickly however when Putin returned to the presidency in 2012, intent to redefine the relationship with the West as an adversarial one. Relations between Russia and the West took a nosedive in 2014. As Ukrainians rose up in a mass democratic movement to depose a corrupt, Kremlin-controlled leader, Viktor Yanukovich, the Kremlin seized the opportunity to invade Ukraine, taking over Ukraines Crimean peninsula and starting a proxy war in Ukraines east. The United States and Europe responded by imposing economic sanctions on Russia and providing financial and military support to help the Ukrainians defend themselves against further Russian aggression.

Similarly, President Trump came into office seeking closer and better relations with Russia. Despite those stated intentions, U.S.-Russia relations have continued to unravel: Congress forced his administration to impose more sanctions on Russian businesses and oligarchs; the U.S. expelled 60 Russian diplomats in response to the attempt by Russian agents to poison a former Russian intelligence officer in the U.K.; and, the White House has pulled out of a Soviet-era arms-control treaty citing rampant Russian violations.

It is no wonder, then, after decades of both Republican and Democratic administrations going back and forth on what Russia is  an adversary? a partner? a convenient occasional ally?  that the American people are more confused about U.S.-Russia relations than during the Cold War years.

Putin skillfully plays with this ambiguity: He has carefully crafted an image that often contradicts reality. In this image, he plays the roles simultaneously of defender of Christian values (even though the majority of Russians are not religious); savior of Russia from economic destitution (even though under his rule the Russian economy entered a period of stagnation and 25 percent of Russians are too poor to have an indoor toilet); and a strong leader as compared with the weak democratically elected leaders in the West (even though most Westerners who visit Russia outside the glitz of Moscow would likely not want to live there).

If it wasnt clear before, it should be clear by now: Putins Russia is an adversary of the United States. The Kremlin needs to have an external enemy to distract the Russian people from the problems plaguing their country.

Putin, however, is no fool  he understands the limits of Russian capacities and ability to project power. Russia is no match to the United States economically, militarily, or in terms of its appeal to others. The Russian president understands that to win, you dont have to be better than everyone else; everyone else just has to do a little worse.

And this is why the Kremlin has launched a strategy of political warfare against the West in the form of disinformation campaigns, support for far-right political parties in Europe, cyberattacks, money laundering, and other tools of influence that allow Moscow to undermine its perceived adversaries at very little cost.

After all, its cheaper to open an internet troll farm than to build tanks and invest in sustainable economic growth. And if the Russians can cause so much damage with so little, others who see the United States as an enemy are sure to follow suit.

Alina Polyakova is a fellow at the Brookings Institution and an adjunct professor of European studies at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University.
Like much about his administration, the possibility that President Trump is a Russian asset has the disorienting quality of being simultaneously unthinkable and plausible. The recent report that the FBI opened an investigation into whether Trump was working for Moscow defies assumptions outside The Manchurian Candidate and other fictions. And yet evidence of his furthering Vladimir Putins goals is plentiful and plain.

The FBI opened the counterintelligence probe in 2017, the New York Times reported, soon after Trump fired its director, James Comey, and explicitly linked his decision to the bureaus investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 campaign. The inquirys central concern was whether the president, either as secret agent or useful idiot, was advancing Russias interests in contravention of the United States. Days after the investigation began, newly appointed Special Counsel Robert Mueller took it over, according to the Times, along with the continuing criminal investigation of the Trump teams relationship with Russia.

Trumps initial failure to deny the report  in the friendly confines of a Fox News interview, no less  wasnt reassuring. Neither was the Washington Posts subsequent revelation that Trump took pains to conceal the content of his discussions with Putin, even confiscating an interpreters notes. (The president eventually got around to insisting he never worked for Russia, a dramatic narrowing of his earlier, false claim to have nothing to do with Russia.)

The worst possible implication of these reports, that Putin has an operative in the White House, is dark and outlandish indeed. But Trump pursues the Russian strongmans priorities openly and overtly, even when they conflict with U.S. interests.

His assault on NATO is a glaring example. An American project to counter the Soviet Union, NATO is a heretofore bipartisan pillar of U.S. foreign policy as well as a wartime ally, 9/11 being the only instance in which the compacts mutual protection guarantee has been invoked. For Putin, on the other hand, NATO is a bete noire. He has gone to great lengths to thwart its minutest expansions, most recently fomenting discontent over Macedonias accession by meddling in Greek elections. (Sound familiar?)

Trumps performance at a NATO summit last year, where he insulted, berated and threatened to forsake key European allies, left little doubt that he shares Putins attitude toward the trans-Atlantic alliance. Though Trump ended the gathering on an incongruously conciliatory note, the Times recently reported that he repeatedly returns to the idea of withdrawing from NATO despite his advisers best efforts.

U.S. retreat from Syria is another Kremlin priority to which Trump hews in spite of his subordinates. His abrupt announcement last month that 2,000 American troops would leave the conflict brought about the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, a NATO alumnus.

Granted, withdrawal from military conflicts and even alliances might be favored for reasons that have nothing to do with Russia. But the administrations favors to Moscow extend to the otherwise inexplicable. Take last months lifting of sanctions against companies linked to the Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, a close Putin ally. Reversing the sanctions, which were a response to Russias attack on the U.S. election, was so controversial that nearly 150 Republican lawmakers voted with Democrats to reinstate them.

Deripaska, by the way, was also close to Trumps disgraced campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, whose lawyers recently acknowledged that he shared internal polling data with a suspected Russian intelligence associate. Not coincidentally, last week Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani abandoned his long-standing insistence that there was no collusion between the campaign and Russia.

Even Trumps handling of domestic affairs reflects Russias designs against Western efficacy. Consider the unprecedented government shutdown that is crippling agencies responsible for national security.

Whether the president has worked for the Russians in the counterintelligence sense isnt known. But he has clearly worked out for them very well.

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.
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Dublin, is about to visit Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina in the next two weeks. It does not take a political science degree to connect the dots: Those are the first four stops in the 2020 presidential nomination process.

So is the 38-year-old congressman ready to join a Democratic field that is growing by the day? I called him to ask. The answer: not yet. But hes definitely serious, and said he will make his decision by early spring, at the latest.

He should have plenty of company by then if he jumps into the race. Most likely, two of his competitors will be fellow Californians: Sen. Kamala Harris, who is on the brink of announcing her candidacy; and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who is contemplating a run. So far, the early polls give the name-recognition to Joe Biden, the former vice president and senator, but there is plenty of space for new faces such as Beto ORourke or Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., to emerge.

What would Swalwell bring to the party that the others would not? In a word: youth. He would not be the youngest in the field, that distinction would go to his House colleague, 37-year-old Tulsi Gabbard, but her campaign seems to have stalled before it began in earnest over her past opposition to gay rights and her oddly solicitous 2017 meeting with Syrian dictator Bashar Assad.

Im not naive, I do see this as a talented field, but Im inspired by the 27 candidates who helped us win the House (in November) who were in their 40s and under, Swalwell said in a phone interview Thursday. I think the country signaled by electing them that they wanted new energy and new ideas and a new confidence.

This is where Swalwell sees his lane in the race. He is the first in his family to graduate from college, has two children under age 2 and still has student debt. In other words, he would be able to relate to Americans struggles in ways that others might not.

The crowded field is not the only barrier to Swalwells prospects. History is against him. No sitting member of the House of Representatives has advanced to the presidency since James Garfield in 1880. Indeed  are you listening, Kamala Harris?  only three U.S. senators have moved directly to the presidency, the most recent being John F. Kennedy in 1960 and Barack Obama in 2008.

There are plenty of reasons it is difficult to move from the legislative to the executive branch, especially for a congressman who is just one of 435 members of the House. Swalwell, a frequent presence on cable news shows, believes the challenge, while daunting, is no longer insurmountable.

So you want to run for president of the United States? Join the crowd They're in: President Trump, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Julian Castro, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. About to announce: Sen. Kamala Harris and a multitude of others. See More Collapse

Were in this democratized era where a House member who does good work and is agile with social media, broadcast and cable, can show their qualifications, he said. I think thats the biggest difference between the modern era and when Mr. Garfield was elected president.

So what would a Swalwell candidacy mean to his constituents in the 15th Congressional District, stretching from Fremont and Hayward across the hills to the valley to Livermore? Would they necessarily lose the representative they elected to replace Pete Stark in 2012?

Californias rules would allow Swalwell to run concurrently for his House seat and the presidency. But he insists he will not. Assuming he announces for president  as is likely  he will decide by December, before the Iowa caucuses, whether he is in the race too stay.

I think its important for your constituents that they know what youre doing ... and to be clear that youre not hedging or trying to audition for something else, he said. People see through that. I wouldnt do that.

Californias move to a March 3 primary  after only the contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina  would seem to give a home-field advantage to a homegrown candidate. The opportunity is not lost on Harris or Garcetti, or Swalwell.

For Democrats, the long-term concern must be whether a bruising primary battle might weaken the eventual nominee in a general election.

If we were not running against Donald Trump, I would be concerned about that, Swalwell said. In many ways, the race is going to be a referendum on Donald Trump. We need someone credible, qualified, aspirational to unite the country.

As recent days have shown, many Democrats are prepared to step forward for the challenge.

John Diaz is The San Francisco Chronicles editorial page editor. Email: jdiaz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnDiazChron
Prisons and universities in California dont mix, but they should.

Campuses should be more involved inside penitentiaries. They should be out front in tossing lifelines to incarcerated people yearning for education. They also should be sending students and faculty inside prisons to get a firsthand look at the fruits of 30 years of mass incarceration.

The prison system and UC are two of the oldest institutions in the state, both having been founded in the 1850s. The two institutions, however, have cooperated on few, if any, joint undertakings during the states plunge into the disastrous mass incarceration policy in the past three decades.

The costs of mass incarceration have left the UC and the state university systems gasping for air. As UC itself reported, in 1970, prisons represented less than 4 percent of state general fund revenue, while the UC and California State University systems combined received nearly 14 percent. Today, the prison systems take is nearly double what higher education gets: 9 percent compared with 5 percent for public higher education.

Nevertheless, even though incarceration funding is harming higher education, the pipeline to prison has failed to ignite an outcry at UC Berkeley, certainly not among administrators or faculty  nor, strangely, among students. A visit by right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos provoked a riot. But there is only deafening silence when it comes to the imbalance in allocating state resources. Why is that?

Leah Millis / The Chronicle

UC Berkeley has had a long and conflicted history with corrections. The Berkeley campus was for decades home to a distinguished School of Criminology. Some of the most prominent names in the field of law enforcement served as the schools dean, among them O.W. Wilson and Joseph D. Lohman, a former sheriff of Cook County, Ill.

Dean Lohman was especially effective in fundraising for the criminology school. During his tenure from 1960 until his death in 1968, he raised more than $1 million. This was a stunning achievement for its time. But the money went to projects that angered many faculty colleagues and students.

Tam Duong Jr./The Chronicle

Under Lohmans direction, the money flowed in, but there was little concern for the ethical or political implications of the funded research projects, said an editorial in the journal Social Justice. Police officers, jailers, prison guards, FBI agents and narcs were attending classes on the UC Berkeley campus.

The criminology school became so polarized that it was paralyzed.

Matters came to a head in the early 1970s when the UC administration shut down the whole criminology school. Even though almost 50 years have passed, academic memories are long, and durable.

Ever since then, the Berkeley campus has preferred arms-length scholarship and discussions in the safe space of classrooms to exposing its own students and faculty to the reality of the prison yard. Hundreds of inmates who are potential leaders, yearning for the fruits of education, are on the waiting list for the scarce spaces in college-level classes taught at San Quentin State Prison by the highly regarded Prison University Project, which is accredited by little Patten University in Oakland.

Meanwhile, San Francisco State Universitys Project Rebound recently celebrated 50 years of success. Since its inception in 1967, Rebound has helped the formerly incarcerated through offers of special admission, counseling, tutoring, lunch vouchers and financial support. The Rebound concept has spread to seven other CSU campus.

The only thing comparable on the UC Berkeley campus is the Berkeley Underground Scholars initiative. The goal of the initiative is recruitment, retention, policy and advocacy. It lacks the institutional support and funding that S.F. State gives to Project Rebound.

Berkeley students have created several student-initiated classes supporting teaching basic literacy to San Quentin prisoners.

Since 2012, Ive also taught a School of Journalism editing course in which Berkeley students visit the prison to help with research for the award-winning San Quentin News.

Its not just the prisoners who are losing out because of the estrangement between San Quentin State Prison and UC. The students are missing out. Allen H. Marshall, a Berkeley student from Santa Rosa who took the San Quentin editing class in 2015, said: For all my talking and nice thinking, when faced with reality, I saw that I had many of the judgments and fears of popular culture. Nevertheless, it was only by working with inmates on a weekly basis that I was able to learn this about myself and develop a more nuanced perspective toward criminals and the prison system in America.

William J. Drummond, a professor of journalism at UC Berkeley, is completing a book on the history of the San Quentin News. To comment, submit your letter to the editor at SFChronicle.com/letters.
About a decade ago, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. allowed a dangerous trend to take hold: Its workers repeatedly filed false records about the companys response to excavators who were trying to avoid striking underground pipelines, regulators say.

California law gives PG&E two days to answer requests to locate and mark its natural gas pipelines, a requirement designed to prevent catastrophic accidents. If the utility cant mark the lines in 48 hours, its supposed to work out a different timeline with the excavator, or else the request becomes a late ticket.

But as early as 2009, regulators say PG&E employees  under pressure from their bosses  started misrepresenting internally how quickly they responded. The inaccurate records numbered in the tens of thousands over a later five-year period, an investigation from staff at the California Public Utilities Commission found.

Commission staff in the Safety and Enforcement Division laid out their investigations findings in a 177-page report, a redacted version of which was reviewed by The Chronicle.

The allegedly falsified records were of particular concern to regulators because the problem grew in the years after the 2010 San Bruno pipeline explosion that killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes. While the blast wasnt caused by a failure to locate and mark the pipeline, it focused public attention on the safety of PG&Es gas operations.

In its haste not to record late tickets, PG&E risked creating even more problems, former regulatory officials said.

Catherine Sandoval, who was a state utility commissioner from 2011 to 2017, called the investigations findings disgusting and deeply appalling. As a regulator who was sitting on the commission when much of the alleged record falsification took place, she said, I feel lied to after reviewing the report at The Chronicles request.

They managed to falsify records tens of thousands of times over a period of almost 10 years and not kill anyone, which is a miracle, said Sandoval, who is now an associate professor at the Santa Clara University School of Law. It was a tinderbox.

PG&E said it has already taken important steps to rectify the problem, including upgrading its gas pipeline tracking system as well as its review and audit protocols.

In a Jan. 14 response to the utilities commission, PG&E said it understood the serious concerns raised by the investigative report.

The report describes conduct that was unacceptable and was not, and is not, condoned by PG&E, the company said. PG&E recognizes that gaps in culture, organization and systems, among other things, contributed to an environment where these issues arose and continued over time.

Most of PG&Es recent struggles, including its likely bankruptcy, stem from the electrical side of its business, where power lines are at issue in wildfire liability that could exceed $30 billion. But the regulatory investigation found extensive shortcomings on the gas side of the business  which was supposed to be reformed after the San Bruno blast.

The report found PG&E would sometimes record that it had reached an agreement with an excavator to delay the locating and marking of pipelines when, in reality, a company employee had left only a voice mail. That raised the possibility that construction could begin before a crew knew where the pipes were located.

PG&E also acknowledged in its own filing that some staffers unacceptably took advantage of a software glitch they knew would cause late tickets to appear as timely. The company said the glitch has since been eliminated.

Certain PG&E leaders have known about the record falsification for years, the commissions report said. PG&Es internal quality assurance auditors found examples beginning in 2009 and repeatedly raised the issue, the report said.

PG&E hired two consulting firms to investigate the scope of the problem. One of them, Guidepost Solutions, found that ticket manipulation grew beginning in 2012 and continued through 2017, coinciding with the states construction boom as California recovered from the financial crisis.

In short, as the number of tickets grew to unmanageable amounts, PG&E struggled to keep up with the demand, while at the same time increasing the pressure on locators to meet a goal of zero late tickets, Guidepost said in its report. Locators responded by cutting corners.

Though it has acknowledged the seriousness of the commission staffs findings, PG&E has also stressed that its rate of dig ins  in which a gas pipe is ruptured or other underground equipment is damaged  has consistently decreased in recent years.

Late tickets are primarily an internal managerial metric that help the company allocate personnel resources properly, PG&E said in its response to the commission. PG&E is not required to report late ticket numbers to any public agency or regulator, so the issues identified by the commission staff in no way constituted an effort to deceive the government, the company said.

According to the regulatory staff investigation report, employees said PG&E leaders exerted pressure on them, including by threatening their jobs, to reach an unattainable response time to underground service requests.

The fierce demands, combined with insufficient staff, led to 135,000 late tickets from 2012 to early 2017, said a review by the second consultant, Bates and White. The figure was higher than PG&Es count by tens of thousands.

Investigators called PG&Es actions serious and unacceptable.

The problems presented significant risks to the public and went unreported for many years even though PG&E was aware that its system did not properly record late tickets at least as early as 2009 and continued to report to its leaders repeatedly about this issue, they said in the report.

PG&E says it received more than 4.6 million requests to locate and mark pipelines from 2012 to 2017, the period of focus in the commissions staff investigation. And in a filing to the commission last week, a coalition of utility worker unions said the problem was confined to a truly small number of instances given the large total.

Tom Dalzell, the business manager of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1245, said employees may not have understood what they had to do if they wanted to renegotiate a request to locate and mark pipelines beyond the 48-hour requirement. Dalzells union represents 12,000 PG&E employees, including about 3,000 on the gas side of the utility.

I want to be clear that this was not optimal: People should have had a better understanding of what documentation is required to stop the clock, Dalzell said. But I just dont think that it is as horrific as the Safety and Enforcement Division does.

The commissions case against the utility will be considered by an administrative law judge, a process that should not last longer than two years, a commission spokesman said.

Commissioners will ultimately be the ones to impose any punishment against PG&E, which could include a steep financial penalty. But the commission also has an opportunity to be creative in its approach, said Steven Weissman, a former administrative law judge for the regulatory agency.

Regulators could decide, for instance, to require PG&E to report weekly for several years about its locating and marking practices, or they could require sworn affidavits from inspectors on a random basis, said Weissman, now an emeritus lecturer at UC Berkeleys Goldman School of Public Policy.

The allegations against PG&E matter because the commission cant possibly be on top of absolutely everything every utility is doing, so it relies on utilities reporting accurate information, Weissman said. The alleged falsification of records undercuts that trust, he said.

The commission takes dishonesty very seriously, Weissman said. The fact that this particular story has to do with potential serial dishonesty  its going to go right to the core of their values as regulators.

Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle 2018

Sandoval, the former commissioner, said the potential penalty could be more than $1 billion, given the number of violations. The commission needs to know immediately whether the problems have been resolved, and if they havent, regulators could fast-track requirements for PG&E to change its practices, she said.

We should have been told about this in 2009, 2010, Sandoval said. The duty is not simply not to lie. They have a duty to be forthcoming. By their failure to be forthcoming, we were deprived of the opportunity to address this issue and end the problematic behavior.

Interactive Vaccine Tracker: Latest developments Detailed information about the coronavirus vaccines as it becomes available.

One supervisor, whose name was redacted, wrote in a July 2016 email to staff to stop gaming the system, according to the report.

No more not following procedures, no more gaming the late ticket metric, no more refusing to complete end of day reviews, he wrote. Take immediate action, dont wait. Dont (accept) mediocre performance from yourself or your employees.

Another PG&E employee on the locate and mark division said the pressure from leadership on employees intensified around 2013 or 2014, according to her interview with investigators. She said heads would roll  if there were late tickets in any division.

Instead of saying, Hey, hey, no late tickets, lets look at the root cause and see how many people does it take to get this done? and Why are the employees putting notes in the ticket?, they feel pressure, she said. You dont have bad employees out there. You have employees trying to meet the expectations. And if they are not reasonable expectations, theres going to be workarounds.

Ultimately, the record falsification aggravated problems facing PG&E workers, the report said, because undercounting late tickets meant management couldnt increase staffing to the level needed to meet the demand.

Dig-ins happened following 224 late tickets between January 2012 and February 2017, according to findings from the consulting firm PG&E hired. But PG&E ruled out its late response as a cause for almost all the incidents.

None of the dig-ins resulted in injuries, death or explosions.

Still, PG&E staff responsible for locating and marking pipelines felt great pressure not to have any late tickets, according to the audit from the outside firm the utility hired to investigate the matter. This pressure was particularly acute during a three-year period when a PG&E official  whose name is redacted  made it clear that he would not tolerate any violation of the 48 hour requirement, the audit said.

During one notable incident in San Jose in November 2014, a contractor working on a high-rise project thought he was in the clear to start digging and hit a gas main with a backhoe. About 2,500 people had to be evacuated from the downtown area, and property damage totaled more than $100,000.

Safety regulators later found both PG&E and the contractor to be at fault. The excavator had called two days before the dig, and the utility responded  one hour before the work was to begin  with a voice mail asking for a call back, regulators found.

The regulatory allegations have already had negative consequences for PG&E.

Both S&P Global Ratings and Moodys Investors Service cited the commissions proceeding on the matter when they explained their recent decisions to downgrade PG&Es credit ratings.

State Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, a longtime critic of PG&E, said he believed the utility had taken great strides to secure its pipeline infrastructure after the San Bruno blast. But the records investigation shows other problems remain, he said.

It seems that they have certainly not learned from their mistakes and not changed the culture of the company to prioritize safety, Hill said. They ignore safety.

The case also weighed on state Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, who proved to be an important legislative ally for PG&E last year when he authored a bill intended to provide some financial relief to the utility in the wake of the 2017 wildfires.

After learning of the gas records allegations, Dodd called for systematic change at PG&E, including a board shakeup.

That was a turning point for me, about the lack of a culture of safety at PG&E. It was infuriating, frankly, Dodd said in an interview. It was just a bit much for me to hear that, in fact, not only did they have all these problems in the electric division, but theyre still not doing the right thing in the gas division.

J.D. Morris and Kimberly Veklerov are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com, kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris @kveklerov
Thank you for reading!

You have reached your 30-day limit of free access to SentinelSource.com, The Keene Sentinels website. If you would like to read two more articles for free at this time, please register for an account by clicking the sign up button below.

We hope you find The Sentinels coverage of the Monadnock Region valuable. We rely on our subscribers to bring you strong local journalism and hope you will consider supporting our work by taking advantage of this special subscription offer here.
Keene, NH (03431)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun early, then becoming cloudy later in the day. High 81F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies. Low near 60F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
For Washington women, political protest is a tradition as old as the Evergreen State.

On Saturday, thousands of women hit the streets in cities across the state in a string of protests that were, at first, keyed to President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration. A record number of folks turned out to the first Womens March in 2017, which is on track to be one of the largest demonstrations in the citys history.

In this Washington, one of the first causes taken up by women cost them the right to vote.

That fight  against alcohol and prostitution, both of which were big business for Seattles big boys  involved one of Washingtons most interesting, if unsung, early immigrants.

RELATED: Washington State Women's March group to disband after Saturday's march

Emma Ray was a baby in her mothers arms in February 1859 when they were both sold into slavery from a Springfield, Missouri auction block. The Civil War saw her run south ahead of the Union Army to Arkansas by an owner intent of maintaining his property; she was returned north and freed months before the Emancipation Proclamation.

Educated by missionaries, she married a mixed-race man, L.P. Ray. In her autobiography, Twice Sold, Twice Ransomed, she described him as a wanderer who lost himself in alcohol.

I was born twice, bought twice, sold twice, and set free twice, Ray wrote. Born of woman, born of God; sold in slavery, sold to the devil; freed by Lincoln, set free by God.

The Rays eventually wound up in Seattle, where Ray found God in several Christian churches and, ultimately, the temperance movement. Ray became a leading light in the local chapter of the Womans Christian Temperance Union.

The organizations aim was alcohol prohibition, and its members in Washington fought successfully to shutter brothels and saloons. This, it seems, didnt go over well with many of the power brokers in a booming frontier Seattle.

RELATED: Seattle's Belltown then and now: What's changed, what's stayed the same

Washington women first won the vote in 1883, and, though they made up less than 40 percent of the states population, had enough sway to push prohibition while allied with similarly inclined men. Their opponents found a reprehensible solution.

Heres how Mildred Andrews describes the moment at HistoryLink.com, Washingtons online encyclopedia:

The city, which relied heavily on sin taxes, lost revenue. A powerful Saloon League successfully lobbied the judges of the territorial supreme court.

And so it was that, on Feb. 3, 1887, Washingtons non-Native American women were disenfranchised by a 2-1 vote by a supreme court that ruled that the title of the suffrage act wasnt clear enough.

Washingtons voting men relented 23 years later, passing womens suffrage into law in 1910. Four years late, the state enacted prohibition following massive demonstrations led by the temperance leagues.

Writing in her autobiography, Ray described the last great temperance rally.

There was a call for every prohibitionist to meet at a certain place in the morning and take part in a parade. For once most all sects of religion answered the call and came together, and with them a great number of unbelievers. 

Some of the banners read, John Barleycorn must go, He robbed me of my father, He killed my brother, He broke up my home, and such like. We started at the north end and marched down First Avenue. Part way down First Avenue we looked back towards Pike Street and it was a beautiful sight to see those banners and flags floating in the breeze.

It reminded us of the Scripture in the Song of Solomon, when he was speaking of the church, and asked, Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, as fair as the moon, and as clear as the sun, and as terrible as an army with banners.

Saturdays throngs of marching women and their supporters may strike a similar scene in a city that, a century later, still makes room for a righteous rabble.

Follow Levi on Twitter at twitter.com/levipulk.
In 1999 Amazon was starting to become a known entity: Its CEO and founder Jeff Bezos was already a billionaire, and taking the internet by storm.

Of course that's nothing to where they (and Seattle) are in 2019: Beyond a bookseller, Amazon is now an online retailer responsible for almost half of the entire e-commerce market. The net worth of its founder is more than 10 times what it was in 1999, making him the richest man in the world by a good mile.
The 7:55 a.m. ferry sailing to Seattle from Bainbridge Island is more often filled with commuters with ironed dress shirts, slacks and hair-sprayed dos accompanying their shoulder bags and backpacks.

But on Saturday they were replaced with pussy hats and black garbage bag-wrapped, shouldered protest signs.

"Evil, stupid or both?" one sign read with an unflattering drawing of President Donald Trump. The sign-wielder's partner wore a sandwich board with an official-looking presidential seal until a closer look revealed a twist on the design with the words "Shithole President of the United States."

Seattle's Women's March didn't start until 9 a.m. in Cal Anderson Park, but a steady, scattered march through the city to the rally showed the diversity of both the protesters and what was being protested. It showed signs of a more inclusive march, something it has been criticized for in the past.

Signs poured into the park from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. ranging from indignation over the U.S.'s current administration to the lack of inclusion in calls for equality. It wasn't all Trump administration-focused.

The march was much smaller than in past years, with about about 10,000 in attendance, according to the event's organizers. But the march went on through Seattle with little-to-no disturbance. Counter-protesters didn't have much a presence either, although one man in a Make America Great Again hat was recording videos of homeless camps the march passed, panning from camp to crowd.

RELATED: Washington State Women's March group to disband after Saturday's march

"Equality for women means all women," one sign read. More than a fair share of signs made reference to Trump's attitude and actions toward women, such as "pussy-grabbing" and his namecalling of political opponents like Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi.

One woman's backpack was wrapped in pink cloth that read "Women say free Gaza." Another one championed "Veterans for Peace."

A rally before the march featured numerous speakers including Rev. Bianca Lovelace, ChrisTiana Obey Summer, Hana Hassan, Cinthia Illan Vazquez and Rev. Kelle Brown.

Lovelace, speaking on behalf of the Poor People's Campaign in Washington state criticized the president, his administration and the city of Seattle for not helping the poor and working class.

"We are tired of dealing with a government that mistreats and preys on the poor and working class, we are tired of a government that cares more about guns our youth," Lovelace said to a growing, cheering crowd at Bobby Morris Playfield. "We are tired of a government, and a society, that tries to police women's bodies."

She also listed racism, xenophobia and toxic masculinity as traits coming from the White House. "Newsflash 45, we don't want no damn wall," Lovelace yelled to the crowd.

ChrisTiana ObeySummer told the crowd being an ally is not enough.

After quoting part of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from a Birmingham Jail, ObeySummer criticized the inactive ally.

EARLIER: Despite splits between state, national groups, Seattle Women's March goes into 3rd year

"The construct of the ally has become a passive philosophy anchored by sympathetic inaction, expressed through baseless outrage and self-aggrandizing pontification," ObeySummer said. "It is the 21st Century 'white moderate'."

The white moderate was outlined in King's letter as the "great stumbling block" in the stride toward freedom.

ObeySummer urged everyone present to become an accomplice, rather than an ally.

Speeches and signs weren't all that were used to express a message. A group of three women dressed in red robes and white hats, a symbol of the oppression of women from Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel "The Handmaid's Tale."

One of the women, Hallette Salazar, 67, was attending her first Women's March. She had worked Saturdays, so she sent her husband to the previous two in her stead. But since she retired in September, she knew she could make it this year.

"I'm here and united with these people, because this is bigger than anything else," Salazar said. "I understand the controversy and both sides, but we can't give up on this." Her sign read, "Divide and Conquer. United We Stand."

Salazar said she's marching because of her growing concerns with the religious right and their control over reproductive rights.

"A woman's right is in danger and to me the religious right is being disingenuous and hypocritical when it comes to abortion and children."

Robin Robinson, 58, also attended her first march Saturday. She wanted to become more involved in her community -- and to understand it and its people better.

LAST YEAR: #ShePersisted to #MeToo: Women's March marks year of resistance

"I'm opening my eyes, and I'm here to learn," Robinson said. "I'm surprised -- and glad -- that I'm seeing a diverse group out here. We want that."

Robinson is taking action after the march, in February she's going to Olympia to lobby with the Teamsters 167 union.

Vickey Schroeder, 74, who's been to all three marches said she was encouraged to see young people and people of her generation all holding different signs for different causes.

"I want to tell all of these people to be in it for the long haul and don't give up hope," Schroeder said. "It's not going to be an easy fix."
Get 25% off of the regular $65 annual All Access rate. With this subscription you will get:

 Digital access to ElPasoInc.com and archives (value $45)

 Print subscription home or business delivered (value $65)

 Book of Lists (annual rate only, value $50)

 El Paso Inc. Magazine (value $20)

 El Paso Kids Inc.

 Special sections

- OR -

Get 15% off of the regular $45 annual Digital-only rate. With this subscription you will get:

Complete digital access to ElPasoInc.com.
Local federal workers struggling without pay in the government shutdown said they don't think the president and lawmakers are serious about ending the shutdown.

Federal correctional officers from the SeaTac Detention Center said what the president is offering to end the shutdown, won't change anything.

As a federal correctional officer and an Airforce veteran, Roger Hasty II has seen many things. But he can't believe the government shutdown is about to hit its month mark with no end in sight.

"I'm livid right now. This whole thing is unnecessary, uncalled for, we have real people with real issues and we keep hearing fake promises," said Hasty.

To end the shutdown, President Trump offered temporary protected status for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, in exchange for $5.7 billion to build a border wall.

But top democrats called the offer, "a non-starter."

"This is a common-sense compromise both parties should embrace," said President Trump.

RELATED: Washington: Even if you don't work for the government, the shutdown is affecting you

Hasty didn't find comfort in what the president and lawmakers said.

"It's like a slap in the face," said Hasty. "We want to work, we want to provide for our family while still helping America but you're not helping us."

Meanwhile two missed paychecks later, Hasty's worry is how he will feed his two small children and his wife who's a full-time student, or how he will put a roof over their head.

"I had to write a letter to my land-lady to let her know, 'you know, sorry the rent's going to be late but I'm in the government shutdown.'"

As the vice-president of his local union, Hasty hopes lawmakers can come to the table to with real solutions to end the shutdownand not use federal workers as bargaining chips.

RELATED: Crystal Mountain to offer free lift tickets to federal workers during shutdown

"You have been elected to do a job," said Hasty. "You're getting paid to not do your job right now, but we are doing our jobs and we're not getting paid. Something is seriously wrong with that equation."

Several officers told KOMO News morale has been low at the SeaTac Federal Detention Center.

They said if people want to help, they should call their lawmakers at 866.803.8830
Were a much better test of different groups and how candidates can appear to different groups, he said. We have those groups here. Were not homogenous like Iowa or New Hampshire.

Bottom line: South Carolina is the most important of the four states because it offers all registered voters a chance to participate and its demographics are more diverse than Iowa and New Hampshire. And for candidates, South Carolina is a place where candidates get the best test of their messages.

For Dems, we are the first test of African-American support, which is hyper-critical for any would-be nominee, said Winthrop University pollster Scott Huffmon. For the GOP, we are the first test of the broad swaths of conservatism. We have large contingents of everything from evangelicals to libertarian-leaning, small-government folks to business Republicans needed to secure the nomination and possibly the White House.

College of Charleston's Gibbs Knotts, who plans on publishing a book about South Carolinas critical role in the presidential process later this year with colleague Jordan Ragusa, agreed with Huffmons observation about the importance of South Carolinas diversity in the Democratic primary.
Then the Democrats would look not only silly but reckless. Bad voters feelings last a long time, so resentment of a Trump impeachment would last a long time. Lets not forget that in 2019, bitterness over the Civil War as well as the Civil Rights Act in the 1960s still influences lots of Southern votes. Voters need to focus on the aims and records of candidates rather than on some dream when casting their votes. And the Democrats need to remember that forcing their members from swing states to join an impeachment effort might lead to Republican victory for those seats in the next election.

OK. I know this is a bit of a dream, but it seems to me that a good constitutional amendment would be one requiring that all members of both houses of Congress and their families move to Washington during sessions. I would even support having the government pay their expenses for this. Im convinced that one reason the partisan feelings have become so bitter is that the members and their families dont get to know and respect each other as they did in the past.
Educators realize that its hard for students to learn when their stomachs are growling, and we all have to work together to do something about it. While we are doing all of this hard work, we need to ensure that the walls of our classrooms do not hide the reality we see everyday. Our governments, our community leaders and the public need to know what it is really like to be a student living in poverty so they can enact policies and deliver services that support our students. We can make a difference in our community and in our students lives.
Growing fruits and vegetables aint easy, folks.

You need expertise, knowledge, wisdom, training, aces up your sleeves, entrepreneurship and blessings from heaven to be successful.

The first thing I learned at Clemson was that growing vegetables is an art and a science. I compare the art/expertise of growing vegetables to the filling of crates. You fill one box with some, stack it in the truck, fill another with some more, stack it in the truck, fill an entire truck, send it on its way, and another truck backs into the loading dock. You keep adding to your expertise, and each truckload makes you a better grower.

But remember no matter how much expertise you get, you will never become an expert growing produce. When people call me an expert at growing produce, I tell them that an Ex is a has-been and a spirt is a drip under pressure.

Next, I think of the knowledge needed to grow produce as the science or, as I commonly refer to it, book knowledge. Anyone can obtain this by reading and memorizing a book about growing vegetables or fruit. We all need this as a basis/foundation of a good farming operation, and everything we do should be based on this basic knowledge.
Gandhinagar, Jan 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday met his nonagenarian mother Hiraba in Raisan village near here after he made a brief stopover on his way to Ahmedabad Airport. Hiraba lives with the PM's younger brother Pankaj Modi in the village.

The prime minister spent around 30 minutes with his mother and other family members in the morning and then left for Ahmedabad airport, sibling Pankaj said. PM Modi is on a three-day visit to Gujarat since January 17.
Mr Nonakas family said they noticed he wasnt breathing and a doctor later pronounced him dead. In retirement he enjoyed watching sumo wrestling on TV and eating sweets. Nonaka had six brothers and one sister, marrying in 1931 and fathering five children. His wife died in 1992 and only two of his children are still alive. Mr Nonakas granddaughter, Yuko, said her family has been able to live a happy life thanks to him.

Before retiring, he ran a traditional Japanese hot spring inn at Mount Meakan, an active volcano in Akan National Park. His family believes Nonakas longevity was due to the fact that he lived a stress-free life. Guinness officially recognized Nonaka as the oldest living man after the death of Spaniard Francisco Nunez Olivera last year. Nonaka was born in July 1905, according to Guinness World Records. His successor to oldest living man is Gustav Gerneth, although Gerneths age is currently unconfirmed.
In Russia, there is a remarkable tradition, an amazing symbiosis of Orthodoxy and pagan rites. Everyone knows that Orthodox Christmas comes after the celebration of New Years Day, since the Orthodox Church, unlike other Christian churches, lives according to the Julian calendar. The Russian Empire lived in line with this calendar until 1917. Correspondingly, New Years Day itself was then celebrated starting on the night from January 13 to January 14 (according to the Gregorian calendar). Therefore, nowadays Russia has an unofficial and popular holiday with a completely unthinkable name - Old New Year. After the celebration of Orthodox Christmas and on the eve of this Old New Year in Russia, it was customary to try and guess the future. This was done in any exotic ways  everyone was doing whatever he or she could. I decided to follow this tradition on Old New Year's Eve on Monday, January 14th and see what the coming year has in store for us.

Let's start, probably, with a forecast for the market as a whole - that is, the most ungrateful occupation. I think that in 2019 the issues, predictions and anxieties about the future tormenting the market after the end of the monopoly era will take on the form of a new reality. The end of 2018, as well as the previous years after the crisis of a decade ago generally showed more or less positive results of Christmas sales reflecting the growth of jewelry consumption. The only question is what exactly is growing there?

The growth of mass-market sales via the Internet is obviously exacerbating the tendency to focus on design as the main consumer driver and to minimize the cost of producing the jewelry itself, including the materials from which it is made. This opens up a multi-lane road to the consumer market for synthetics and refined stones. Good design is expensive, but it is worth it if it removes unnecessary nonsense from the consumers thoughts regarding what such jewelry is made of. There is not much to say in this regard  it is just a designer innovative product of new or the newest technologies.

The premium segment remains in its own right, but it is even more isolated in its exclusivity from the mass consumer. Forevermarks sales growth, when you pay first for exclusivity and then for a diamond, is an example to this effect.

In other words, this year the existing consumer stereotype that a diamond is valuable as a diamond, be it 0.5 or 2 carats, will pass the point of no return. No, the diamond itself is no longer valuable. Its intrinsic value will finally give way to the value of a brand and design.

We should also not forget the anything but simple situation involving the middle-class consumer wallet being under aggressive pressure from the so-called ethical consumption, which in practice is expressed in promoting the rejection of a product requiring serious efforts to manufacture in favor of an outright fake for the same money.

The marketing efforts of the Diamond Producers Association (DPA) are surprising in this regard. The DPAs multimillion-dollar budgets more than sufficient for a global marketing campaign and its not the first year of existence suggested much more aggressive and visible actions in 2017 and 2018. However, this did not happen. Instead, the Lightbox occurred.

No matter what De Beers has to say about this initiative trying to prove that it is a tool for restraining the growth of prices for synthetics and labelling it as casual jewelry, all this is not quite so, because they will sell something bearing the name of "diamond" despite the preceding "synthetic" identifier. And this means another and not at all a weak effort to destroy the value of the very concept of diamond.

It is surprising that De Beers' DPA partners, and above all ALROSA, even assuming the unbelievable that they took the arguments of their colleagues at face value, did not propose to discuss the equity participation in Lightbox. Indeed, if it is a marketing tool to protect the value of natural stones by fixing the maximum value of synthetics, then this is in the interests of the entire diamond industry. The arguments that this project is the brainchild behind investments in the innovative technologies of Element Six are not insurmountable, if the task is precisely how it is declared - to flood the market with cheap disclosed synthetics.

I think that 2019 will see the issue of generic marketing efficiency rising with all its unpleasant obviousness both for the DPA and for the entire market. The efforts to promote the value of a natural polished diamond as such appear to be beneath any comparison with the efforts to promote the right polished diamonds (having guarantees of origin, certificates and electronic identifiers), which makes sense for stones from one carat and above, and also for synthetics. And this means only one thing - erosion of the symbolic value of a diamond in favor of brands that are already avidly looking at cheap substitutes. The only question is who will discuss this in the DPA itself. One real counterpart for De Beers there is ALROSA, being an equal investor in the project. But what is going on with ALROSA?

I think 2019 will bring another staff update to this company. This can already be viewed upon with humor, as upon hastily changing Soviet leaders on the eve of Perestroika  and for ALROSA it became a sullen management tradition to change one top management team with a new one faster than the previous team will be able to understand hands-on how the diamond business works, and then repeat this again and again with perseverance worthy of another use. Exceptions only confirm the rules. In addition, ALROSA is still not a full-fledged commercial company with all the attendant business risks and ambitions. This is a state-owned enterprise with a fairly strict directive management by the government and control over all possible controllers, which in fact turns it into a quasi-ministry. And the ministerial logic in any business is simple and based on two main motivators, as it is now fashionable to say, the first being What if something goes wrong? often modified to It's not me, it's them, and the second being associated with some positive upside or the vital need for a continuous stream of positive reporting "to the top," because key decisions are made there. However, the time of positive reports is gone for objective and subjective reasons, and ALROSA is ceasing to be a successful step on a career ladder (see the article The Jubilee Speeches).

No promotional hits like She Said Yes or Innovation Contests or other important happenings having nothing to do with business will be able to dissolve the incredibly complex challenges that the company is facing due to the depletion of commercially viable mineral resources, incompatibility of its business and social role in Yakutia and global changes in the market itself.

And this concerns not only ALROSA: the diamond-mining sector is rapidly moving into the low-margin business segment due to the changing consumer value of mined goods. The situation is developing in such a way that the sightholders or the diamond consumption sector are less and less dependent on a particular mining company - just the opposite.

2019 is the last year of the 10-year agreement between Botswana and De Beers. Botswana has already said that it wants more in 2020.

It seems to me that the government of this country is not at all delighted seeing the already apparent contradictions between De Beers as a mining company being part of Anglo American and abiding to the appropriate logic and De Beers as a jewelry brand and manufacturer of synthetics. I think De Beers, to smooth out the contradictions, will substantially increase investments in marketing diamonds by their territorial origin, namely focusing on Botswana and Namibia, and this will add to the pressure on the symbolic value of polished diamonds themselves.

In 2019, another African diamond country, namely Angola, will certainly remain in the spotlight. Accustomed to the very peculiar, but highly predictable trade policy of this country, the diamond market was literally stunned by the changes in 2018. The only question is: What was it? Starting very rapidly, these changes have not yet taken the form of a sustainable system. Quite obvious contradictions arose between Sodiam, a state-owned diamond trader and Endiama, a state-owned diamond mining company after they were turned into separate business units having the right to sell produced goods. The sharp rise in prices for goods produced by Angolas major diamond miner Catoca on the backdrop of preserved practice of selling large parcels of diamonds following the rule Buy it or leave it, changed the mood in the market from hope to disappointment. However, ALROSA chose this occasion - for the first time in 10 years - to buy goods from Catoca, being the latters largest shareholder and having paid by 10 or even 15 percent more compared with prices offered in the secondary market. The company can probably try to separate +10 goods from the purchased amount and sell them at some tender, making the remaining part of goods absorb the losses and then announce its African expansion a success, without going into the details of this expansion, but this is certainly not about business.

Large-scale police operations to combat the illegal buying of alluvial rough carried out in 2018 had long been due, but, as you know, "you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs." Dealers having official licenses also fell under the police rink, and the seized goods headed off to the diamond centers following various and often inconceivable routes, which, to put it mildly, did not add transparency.

Any changes are painful and full of mistakes. Angola is still a terra nova for most market stakeholder, but nevertheless the country has every chance this year to declare its full-fledged leadership in the diamond sector, along with Botswana and Namibia. And here the question is no longer focused on the strategic choice that the new government made a year ago, but on correct tactical patterns permitting to systematize the daily activities of the country's diamond industry based on the decisions taken.

While I was immersed in divination, ALROSA was reported to be set on starting a business venture in Zimbabwe.

According to Sergey Ivanov, CEO of ALROSA the company is always happy to share its rich experience with partners. Meanwhile, ALROSA has no specific plans for work in this country for the time being, since it is necessary to understand what Zimbabwe has to offer. It is reported that ALROSA established a subsidiary in Harare last December apparently to evaluate geological prospects and share its rich experience. At the same time, however, ALROSA left an active African project in Botswana just one month ago.

As it follows from a report to this effect, ALROSA made this decision due to the fact that "changes at the top management level of ALROSA led to a "change of emphasis" and early stage exploration was no longer a priority for ALROSA as the company focused instead on production and marketing." However, the companys business activity in Zimbabwe will involve preeminently early-stage exploration, because the notorious Marange diamond field is already empty as a drum. And here it should be noted that political and legislative guarantees for investments in Zimbabwe and Botswana appear to be two big differences. Russia and Botswana produce one half of the world's diamond output. And Botswana is now facing negotiations on a new trade agreement with De Beers... In general, there are a lot of things to consider.

However, given that this announcement was made during the visit of Zimbabwes President to Russia, we will leave this news without further comments.

2019 in the mining sector is the year to be dominated by private companies belonging to the second echelon. Flexible in decision-making and motivated by business, they are able to adapt to the market that has changed forever, the market, which requires less diamonds in general and is no longer willing to carry the enormous production and social costs incurred by the monsters from the monopoly era. Deep sorting of goods for a specific client, which increases added value; management of production costs, where you are motivated not by the procedure and administrative agenda, but by the desire not to go bust; and geographical diversification into paying projects - this is the future of diamond mining in the evidently coming low-margin times."

But in general, the year 2019 will finally draw a line under the era of A diamond is forever replacing it with This particular diamond may be forever if you pay more, but that one is definitely not.

Sergey Goryainov, Rough&Polished




2018 saw a major shift in the debate over gun reform across the country. Young people, born into a post Columbine shooting world, stepped up to the mic to say that they were tired of living in fear. On a smaller scale, Roanoke got its first chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, an advocacy group seeking gun-control changes. But will this momentum carry over into 2019? If its up to the young people, it sure will.

While only made up of a small group of teenagers, the SW Virginia chapter of March For Our Lives is hitting the ground running in 2019. Most notably in pushing for the passing of Senate Bill 1096, which would toughen up the current minor access to firearm laws. SB1096 would bump the age considered a child in the context of the law up from 14 to 18, and make breaking the law punishable as a class six felony. This is age bump up may seem like a small change, but it can make a huge difference in how reckless gun owners are held accountable. An example of this was seen following the Great Mills High School shooting in Maryland. In Maryland the minor access to firearm laws age cutoff is 16, so since the shooter in the incident was 17 his father couldnt be held liable in any way shape or form. When parents are not held accountable for the consequences of irresponsible gun ownership it sends a message to other parents that safe storage is not important. Those wishing to learn more about safe firearm storage should refer to projectchildsafe.org, which has resources to help with everything from talking to your kids about guns to gun lock installation.
The need to improve Interstate 81 is clear, and the long-term benefits are significant. As always, the issue is the sources of funding. We understand that politics is the art of the possible and therefore fully support a solution that generates the necessary funds to complete the entire $2.2 billion in recommended improvements. The governors tolling proposal already has strong legislative support, a key factor for any proposal moving forward. We urge all members of the General Assembly to give it strong consideration. A vast percentage of daily traffic on I-81 comes from out-of-state, making tolling an efficient way of assuring that Virginians do not bear the burden of funding improvements on their own. Additionally, the recommended variable tolling plan, which proposes lower rates at night, would provide an immediate incentive to alter driving schedules where doable, and in doing so, help address congestion immediately.
She said she floundered for awhile before she was able to tap into the entrepreneurial scene and find her tribe. She described the experience in a book she published in 2013 called Rurally Screwed.

She eventually met Josh Baldwin, who owns a company in West Virginia that publishes a couple of regional magazines. Friends of his used to work in Lexington and constantly invited him to visit. Once he did, he fell in love with the area. He did some research and found Knadler, who had the same vision for a magazine to cover the area.

I love small, Appalachian or Alleghany Mountain towns with bustling main streets, Baldwin said. And I felt like all three  Lexington, Staunton and Harrisonburg  all have that going for them. And I think thats a great thing to see going on in the country.

Knadler and Baldwin, who serves as the magazines publisher, started their work in May. They found writers and photographers and conceptualized what stories they would tell.

The inaugural issue was distributed in December with stories about the LaunchLex program promoting new businesses, a new mural in Buena Vista and a deluxe hotel in Harrisonburg.

Baldwin said that since the magazines have been hitting mailboxes, they are averaging 15 new subscriptions every day.
BLACKSBURG  Town officials are considering some key changes to their general commercial zoning law, including whether they want to finally allow apartments on the ground floor of buildings.

Apartments and townhomes are currently not allowed on ground floors in the general commercial zones designation, the areas typically suited for retail and office centers. Apartments are allowed on the upper or basement floors of buildings in those zones, but require a town-approved permit.

Town officials say the ground-floor discussion was prompted by pressure from local developers who have raised questions about the viability of the condition.

Since the time I joined town council, it was never designed to be troublesome to developers, Mayor Leslie Hager-Smith said. The idea that you want to have first-floor retail was considered best practice.

But Hager-Smith said project plans submitted by developers in recent years suggest that they have faced a tougher time putting retail on ground floors.

This is a loosening of our guidelines, Hager-Smith said.
Saunders added that I think that a lot of citizens that are engaged understand.

Billye White scoffs at remarks like that.

We should know whats going on before they get rid of our city manager, she told me. Im a citizen of Salem. Im a good citizen and I voted for these idiots [who ousted Boggess]. I dont know how they can dismiss the city manager when the citys in such good shape.

Another Salemite from whom I sought insight was Bob Archer, president of Blue Ridge Beverage Co., which employs more than 400 and distributes beer, wine and soft drinks to 49 Virginia counties and 16 cities.

Archers family has been in Salem since 1959, and hes probably as plugged into the city as one can get. Yet he told me: I dont know a damn thing.  I was totally taken by surprise, as a citizen of Salem, and Im just amazed as to how this was handled.

Ive worked with Kevin for many years, on many boards and commissions, all to the communitys good, and Ive always been impressed, Archer said. Hes just always been a real professional. Hes a good man; hes well known and respected.
Roanoke police have arrested a man they believe was involved in the robbery of a BB&T bank in southwest Roanoke on Friday, according to a social media post by the agency Saturday.

Michael Colasanti, 47, of Tennessee, has been identified as the suspect in the bank robbery that occurred on the 2000 block of Colonial Avenue Southwest, according to the Roanoke Police Department.

He was arrested overnight and charged with robbery and a bomb threat.

Previous information disclosed by police stated that a man entered the bank with his face covered and announced his intention to rob the institution. The man then left on foot with money, Roanoke Police Spokeswoman Caitlyn Cline previously said.

Police stated on social media Saturday that the investigation is ongoing and that anyone with information is asked to call the agency at 853-2212.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The former Lee Theatre building on Williamson Road is expected to get some new life soon  as apartments.

Owner Venkat Reddy, who acquired the two-story property in November, is teaming up with Husain Alam of Alam Design Group to renovate the vacant structure into about 35 upscale studio apartments. Last week, the Roanoke Planning Commission gave the project's rezoning efforts a stamp of approval to go forward.

Reddy said he is hopeful that the former theater will become an affordable option for people searching for something cheaper than most apartments downtown, but who still want to live nearby.

The property at 3162 Williamson Road was constructed in the early 1940s as a theater, and its first film was the Bette Davis picture "The Little Foxes," according to The Roanoke Times archives. It served as a family theater for many years, especially as Williamson Road thrived. However, in its last few years it dabbled in adult movies, before that business model became a victim of the VCR and the theater closed for good in 1985. It was later transformed into apartments on the upper level with commercial and office space on the ground floor. Those changes are still apparent in the aging building, which has been empty and boarded up for several years.
On last years filing deadline, there was a partial failure of the IRS electronic system that enables Americans to submit their returns online. The problem kept millions of Americans from meeting the midnight deadline and led the IRS to grant a penalty-free, one-day extension.

Filing season is busy and compressed and challenging for everyone on a normal basis, said Edward Karl, vice president of taxation for the American Institute of CPAs. This will be particularly challenging year.

The IRS is among about a quarter of federal agencies whose funding lapsed on Dec. 22 after Trump and congressional Democrats couldnt agree on appropriations because of Trumps demand for $5.7 billion to fund the border wall. Trump had promised repeatedly during his presidential campaign that Mexico would pay for the wall.

About 70,000 IRS employees  roughly 88 percent of the workforce  had been furloughed, according to the IRS shutdown contingency plan. Issuing tax refunds is not among the agency tasks that would be allowed during a shutdown, which are limited by law to activities that are necessary for the safety of human life or protection of government property, the Nov. 29 contingency report said.
Leaira Martin said her grandmother knew some people who would dig a hole in the ground and bury their forbidden liquor there, hidden under leaves. McKinzie Camp said one of her classmates had a family member who was nearly arrested, but evaded law enforcement by hiding under a log.

Some of them were very surprised by what they found and who their grandparents were when they were younger, said Tina Arrington, one of two facilitators of the class that produced the project.

Chris Prillaman, owner of Twin Creeks Distillery, shared his wisdom with the students. Prillaman, the great-grandson of two moonshiners, said he tried to stress to the students that most people made and sold liquor illegally out of necessity; they had few other skills and needed money.

Prillaman said he thinks these conversations are important; the history might otherwise be lost. You cant Google everything, he said.
Johnson said his business also wanted to start brewing beer that will be sold at the winery but cannot get a brewing permit because of the government shutdown.

We have everything set up for a brewery but we cant do anything until this issue is settled in Congress, Johnson said.

Doug John, who owns and operates Apocalypse Ale Works in Forest, said he has several new beers his business cant release until the shutdown is resolved.

In the craft beer industry you have to watch for trends, John said. IPAs are big right now and small breweries like ours release new beers to follow those trends. If we cant make new beers, it will really start to hurt our business.

John said the shutdown is also delaying his license to start making cider.

The state has approved us to make cider and so has Bedford County, John said. Those entities have done their part, but until the TTB signs off on it we cant do anything. The only good thing about this is that we have more time to perfect our recipe.

Austin John, Doug Johns son, said independent breweries that ship their product across state lines  including Devils Backbone in Nelson County  cannot distribute new products until the shutdown ends.
Blog Archive June 2021 (1) May 2021 (77) April 2021 (77) March 2021 (82) February 2021 (68) January 2021 (64) December 2020 (67) November 2020 (66) October 2020 (66) September 2020 (67) August 2020 (74) July 2020 (83) June 2020 (92) May 2020 (86) April 2020 (104) March 2020 (105) February 2020 (74) January 2020 (75) December 2019 (75) November 2019 (70) October 2019 (89) September 2019 (69) August 2019 (81) July 2019 (77) June 2019 (73) May 2019 (110) April 2019 (110) March 2019 (102) February 2019 (85) January 2019 (123) December 2018 (116) November 2018 (112) October 2018 (121) September 2018 (107) August 2018 (150) July 2018 (163) June 2018 (190) May 2018 (145) April 2018 (112) March 2018 (124) February 2018 (113) January 2018 (164) December 2017 (150) November 2017 (144) October 2017 (169) September 2017 (171) August 2017 (135) July 2017 (131) June 2017 (147) May 2017 (160) April 2017 (138) March 2017 (156) February 2017 (143) January 2017 (203) December 2016 (208) November 2016 (185) October 2016 (173) September 2016 (194) August 2016 (232) July 2016 (225) June 2016 (238) May 2016 (231) April 2016 (215) March 2016 (246) February 2016 (226) January 2016 (252) December 2015 (230) November 2015 (250) October 2015 (234) September 2015 (222) August 2015 (253) July 2015 (275) June 2015 (279) May 2015 (223) April 2015 (226) March 2015 (243) February 2015 (258) January 2015 (281) December 2014 (292) November 2014 (296) October 2014 (413) September 2014 (472) August 2014 (506) July 2014 (483) June 2014 (488) May 2014 (512) April 2014 (497) March 2014 (531) February 2014 (482) January 2014 (535) December 2013 (482) November 2013 (441) October 2013 (416) September 2013 (491) August 2013 (521) July 2013 (491) June 2013 (470) May 2013 (457) April 2013 (426) March 2013 (420) February 2013 (414) January 2013 (489) December 2012 (433) November 2012 (504) October 2012 (469) September 2012 (430) August 2012 (427) July 2012 (360) June 2012 (336) May 2012 (362) April 2012 (322) March 2012 (263) February 2012 (224) January 2012 (291) December 2011 (295) November 2011 (325) October 2011 (330) September 2011 (319) August 2011 (333) July 2011 (318) June 2011 (387) May 2011 (373) April 2011 (389) March 2011 (375) February 2011 (335) January 2011 (400) December 2010 (445) November 2010 (395) October 2010 (312) September 2010 (262) August 2010 (277) July 2010 (323) June 2010 (386) May 2010 (360) April 2010 (333) March 2010 (351) February 2010 (336) January 2010 (384) December 2009 (353) November 2009 (300) October 2009 (308) September 2009 (350) August 2009 (298) July 2009 (255) June 2009 (203) May 2009 (193) April 2009 (186) March 2009 (197) February 2009 (173) January 2009 (148) December 2008 (181) November 2008 (197) October 2008 (236) September 2008 (304) August 2008 (314) July 2008 (273) June 2008 (27) May 2008 (1) April 2008 (6) October 2007 (1) May 2007 (1) April 2007 (6) March 2007 (2) February 2007 (1) October 2006 (1) September 2006 (1) August 2006 (4) July 2006 (4) June 2006 (1) July 2005 (1) May 2005 (2) March 2005 (1) June 2004 (2) May 2004 (1) April 2004 (4) March 2004 (2) February 2004 (2) July 2003 (2) June 2003 (5)
If you break a contract, youll likely face an early termination fee, which might run about $15 to $20 for each month left on your contract. If youre moving to an area where the provider doesnt offer service, it might not charge the fee.

Or if youre switching to a competing company, see whether it will reimburse you. Spectrum and Verizon Fios will cover up to $500 of the previous providers early termination fee for new customers who sign up for eligible plans.

Installation and service fees: Cable companies might tack on fees of $50 to $100 or even more to have a tech set up your home for cable, internet or landline service or to fix a problem with your existing service.

If your home is already wired and installation is limited to connecting basic equipment, see whether you can do it yourself; some providers offer self-installation kits for free or for a reduced fee.

Or ask the provider to waive the installation fee  youll have more leverage if you make the request before you start service than if you wait until the fee hits your bill, said Peter Zimbicki, head of operations for BillFixers, a service that negotiates lower bills for consumers. Its worth asking the company to remove service call fees, too, especially if the problem is the providers fault.

Equipment rental fees: Renting a modem from your internet provider might cost you $10 to $15 a month. Instead, buy your own and you might pay $100 to $200, but you should recoup the cost within a year or two.
Sculthorpe said he and the other founding partners talked in recent years about selling the business  and even had an offer to buy the business last year.

It was a fair offer, but we just didnt think it was the best plan for us or the technicians because it wasn't providing a lot of guarantees going forward, Sculthorpe said.

"I floated it out there to see if they were interested," Sculthorpe said about the three longtime employees.

"After explaining the ups and downs of the business and what it is like, they decided it was something they wanted to do. It thrilled us to keep the business going. It will provide for the employees there. It provided for us for 27 years so I don't see any reason for that to change as long as they keep the same work ethic they have today, Sculthorpe said.

The company has 15 employees and has done work for clients such as SunTrust Bank and McGuireWoods.

Crown came to the company after working two other jobs. He was a fast food restaurant assistant manager for five years before deciding to do something different.

So I was going to be a painter. I painted for one day, he said. He called John Casstevens, who he said is like a father to him, and asked for a job.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This week's student spotlight comes from Allison Grace, a home-school student from Lexington. To participate, Richland County students are encouraged to offer a family-friendly essay of 500 to 1,000 words, include your name, photo, your grade and school. Send it to News@RichlandSource.com, with Student Spotlight in the slug line. A photo on the subject would be helpful as well.

I felt someone watching my every step as I patrolled that little street in Poland. Often times I had turned, but I never saw any faces, just rustling curtains blocking light from spilling onto the darkened streets.

This night, I was late. It wasnt really my fault, I had taken my friends shift as a favor, but now I had to cut across the entire town to get to my post.

My military issue boots sloshed through the slushy snow, the only sound in the deserted streets, thanks to the curfew. After looking over my shoulder, I ducked into a dark alleyway. This would get me to the other side of town faster than the main streets.

Halfway through, I heard a scuffle behind me. Maybe just a rat, but I couldnt risk it being a rebel.

Adjusting my Mauser on my shoulder so whatever was in the alley would know who they were messing with, I turned around. Wer ist da? Who is there?

Silence.

I was making a fool of myself. The only thing there was a pile of rags. I glared at them.

You are making me late. Then I gave them a good kick.

The rags yelped and scrambled away, crying, Nien, nien, nie krzywdz mnie, in broken mix of German and Polish.

I felt a flush creeping up my neck. I had just kicked a child, a girl no less.

Im sorry, I said, taking a step towards her. Where is your mother? She shouldnt be out past curfew, but dressed like that shed freeze before the sun rose.

Her wide eyes locked onto my Mauser and she kept repeating, Nien, nien. She held on hand protectively over her chest, clutching the fabric of her dress, almost like she was hiding something.

Im not going to hurt you.

Slowly, I leaned my rifle against one of the brick walls and crouched to her eyelevel. There has to be something I can do. Then I remembered the hunk of cheese Id saved in case I got hungry on patrol.

I pulled it out of my pocket. A few pieces of gray fuzz stuck to it, but I figured she wouldnt mind.

Here you go, madchen.

She didnt move.

I held it out as far as I could.

Im not trying to hurt you, its  I tried to remember the Polish word for foodjedzenie. I only hoped I said it right.

Her eyes always on my Mauser, she darted forward and snatched the cheese. Danke.

I watched her nibble on it, then stood. If I was much later, Id get in trouble. But I couldnt just leave her, shed die. But what could I do? If I took her to a house, Id scare the inhabitants out of their wits knocking on their door.

You could give her your jacket.

But then Ill be in trouble.

Youre already going to be in trouble for being late. Whats a lost coat?

With a sigh, I unbuttoned my coat. The chilly night air slipped right through the shirt beneath, biting my skin. I pulled my arms from the sleeves, already regretting this decision. But I had started. I couldnt back down now.

I held it out to her. Here.

Nien! She backed away, shaking her head violently. I had expected her to snatch it from me and look at me like some kind of hero. But that was silly, I was an imposter.

I moved towards her to drape my jacket over her shoulders. She shoved it away and I saw what she was hiding. My jaw tightened.

I couldnt give her the jacket. The Fuhrer would not be pleased. I bit my lip, staring at the black swastika on my sleeve. She was just a girl.

Hardly knowing what I was doing, I ripped the patch from the jacket, threw it down, and ground my heel over it.

Then I draped the coat over her shoulders, hiding the yellow Star of David.

She smiled up at me. Danke.

Bitte. I smiled at her, but inside, my stomach whirled. I was going to pay for this.

Allison Grace is a young writer from Lexington. She will be graduating this May and hopes to get a job at the library and continue writing. You can follow her adventures at her blog: allisongracewrites.com
Brilliant writer She has been called Americas best comic novelist (Gore Vidal) and Americas most brilliant satirist (Wall Street Journal) in recent years, but during her lifetime she had a hard time finding readers. Especially when she wrote about Shelby, Ohio.

When opening the covers of Dawn Powells Shelby books it is well to keep in mind that her childhood in Ohio and her teenage years in Richland County, were not particularly the happiest of her life.

The disorientation she experienced being shuffled between relatives from town to town underlies her perspective on small town life; as well as the disappointment in family relations that undermined her faith in adults.

They are not light and cheery stories. She didnt have a light and cheery childhood.

But once you understand this, it's simply a blast to read her stories and realize that people are still reading them today, 70 years after they were written. She has a gift for taking you to the place and the time; and when you start looking for Shelby in the first decades of the 1900s, it is a valuable and rewarding excursion.

You can tell from the tone of each Shelby tale where the adult Dawn Powell was in her life development when she wrote it. Some of the stories are sadder, more depressed, almost like therapy as she worked out of her system making sense of her childhood. These stories were written first.

But there are later Shelby stories that she wrote when her wit and skill were at their peak, and the irrepressible joy of expressing herself carries the plot and subject matter to a higher level of humor and bittersweet hope.

All of her life that was not Shelby

Dawn Powell was born in Mt. Gilead in 1896. Her mother died when she was quite young and she bounced around the relatives to live in Galion, Crestline, Shelby, Cardington and Mansfield.

When her father remarried it was to a woman whose preoccupations in life did not include her stepchildren. Young Dawn showed very early on that she was going to be a writer, and when her stepmother burned her notebooks the girl fled to live with an aunt in Shelby.

During the formative teen years, when Dawn was observing the world and first finding words with which to shape her observations, she was living on Broadway Street in Shelby. Her first published words were in the Shelby High School newspaper.

She didnt stick around town long after graduation, but after she landed in New York City a few years later, and found her footing as a writer, her first major works all still had their feet firmly planted in Richland County.

Scholars who study the writings of Dawn Powell divide her career into two distinct categories: the New York cycle and the Ohio cycle.

Ms. Powell became widely recognized in the 1930s for her smart, sassy and sophisticated renderings of smart, fashionable and sophisticated Greenwich Village characters. Her plays were witty and sharp-edged, and one of them became a 1933 Erich Stroheim movie called Hello Sister.

Most critics who fell in love with the cosmopolitan works of Dawn Powell were willing to overlook her occasional lapses into Ohio; and they accepted the Ohio books provisionally because the writings did not particularly endorse small town life. All of her characters who were worth their ink on the page were trying desperately to escape the small town.

By the time she died in 1965, she had an amazing shelf of writing: 15 novels, 10 plays and nearly 100 stories. Her recent resurgence in popularity and the new editions of her books are almost solely driven by the New York works. But it is in the Ohio works where she really revealed her soul.

In Dawn Powells Ohio novels it is not too difficult to find Richland County. The small town her characters inhabit is almost always Shelby, though it may be called Birchfield, Ashton Center, or Lamptown.

The book with the most identifiably Shelby locations is Dance Night, though it probably the grittiest of them all.

Her last Ohio book was My Home is Far Away, and it is by far the most charming, spirited and witty look at her childhood memories. It also has a considerable number of references to Richland County that make a local reader feel right at home.

train smoke There was gray train smoke over the town most days, it smelled of travel, of intercontinental trains about to flash by, of important things about to happen. Dance Night, 1930.

Shelby Junction

There is one aspect of the tales that, from the perspective of local history, is so valid and valuable it is priceless  worth far more than the price of admission.

That is the way she records the presence and power of trains in her hometown.

In a world that was much more quiet and grounded than we know today, she captured the sense of how much the railroad impacted their lives every day.

In Dance Night she wrote:

The Chicago train thundered by with a fleeting glimpse of white-jacketed porters and lit-up dining cars. Morry and Jen watched it hungrily, they were on that train whizzing through Lamptown on their way to someplace, someplace wonderful, and looking a little pityingly out of their car window at a boy and girl sitting on the back steps over a saloon. The train went ripping through further silence leaving only a humming in the air and a smoky message painted on the sky.

Trains show up in nearly all of Powells books, and set a tone that clearly resonates from her deepest attachments to life. The house where she lived in Shelby was within 50 yards of the Big Four railroad station, and the periodic rumbling of the earth as trains rolled through her life was a comforting, grounding aspect of Shelby.

In My Home is Far Away she wrote, no one could be afraid with the giant trains romping in and out of the room all night  or so it seemed  and the friendly male voices outside on the train platform.

The road not traveled

The writings of Dawn Powell are celebrated today for her cogent and acerbic response to New York City society, but she wouldnt have had such a visceral view of the city if she hadnt come from somewhere much more quiet.

What makes her a New York girl is the fact that she was seeing it through the eyes of a Shelby girl. She was very much aware of that. Among her last writings is this:

In a way something like that happened to me when I ran away from Ohio. People and places froze into position and nothing Ive seen or heard of them since makes any impression on that original picture. It isnt that Im crazy about the picture or even that I dislike it. Its just that I live in that picture, whether I want to or not, when I fall asleep at night.

Its as if the day I left Ohio I split in two at the crossroads, and went up both roads, half of me by day here in New York, and the other half by night with the dead in long ago Ohio. What Are You Doing in My Dreams? 1963
U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has said he will urge President Donald Trump to meet with the Pakistani prime minister to reset long-difficult U.S. relations with Pakistan and push for a peaceful settlement in Afghanistan.



Graham, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, spoke in Islamabad on January 20 after meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.



The comments come amid efforts to press on with talks between the Taliban and the United States aimed at an agreement to end the 17-year war in Afghanistan.



"I think they will hit it off" if they meet as they have "similar personalities," said Graham, who has generally been a staunch supporter of Trump, of the proposed meeting between the U.S. president and Khan.



"With Prime Minister Khan we have a unique opportunity to change our relationship," he told a press conference.



The senator called for a "strategic engagement" between Washington and Islamabad that would include a free-trade agreement.



The United States and Afghanistan have repeatedly accused Pakistan of providing "safe havens" for the Taliban on its soil. Islamabad rejects the allegation.



Graham's trip to Pakistan coincided with a four-day visit by Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. special envoy for peace in Afghanistan, during which he met with Khan and the country's military chief General Qamer Javed Bajwa.



At the talks, Pakistan and the United States reaffirmed their commitment to advance the Afghan peace process," the U.S. Embassy said in a statement.



Khalilzad has recently held a series of meetings with the Taliban's political office in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.



The Taliban have long refused to hold direct talks with Afghan officials, whom they dismiss as "puppets."

With reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters
Ukrainian actor Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who has said he is running for president of Ukraine, has admitted that he has commercial interests in Russia and has said he will divest himself of them "in the near future."



In an interview with Ukrainskaya Pravda on January 20, Zelenskiy confirmed a January 18 report by RFE/RL that he is a co-owner of a Cyprus-registered firm called Green Family LTD, which owns the Russian filmmaking company Grin Films.



"Our company owns shares of that company," Zelenskiy said. "That is true."



He said that he has no direct relationship with Grin Films and had no role in the company's successful application for a grant from the Russian Culture Ministry.



He added that he has not worked in Russia since Moscow's 2014 annexation of the Ukrainian region of Crimea, although he acknowledged that his company had been receiving royalties from film projects since that time.



Ukraine's presidential election is scheduled for March 31.



Incumbent President Petro Poroshenko has been harshly criticized by the Ukrainian opposition for allegedly owning businesses in Russia.



In September, he claimed that a shipyard he used to own in Russia-annexed Crimea had been seized by Russian authorities and he does not own it anymore.



Poroshenko also said that he had shut down his chocolate factory in the Russian city of Lipetsk in 2014 after he became president.



The West has imposed sanctions on Russia and those doing business there in the aftermath of the annexation of Ukraine's Crimea.



Poroshenko has not yet officially announced he will seek a second five-year term but is widely expected to do so.



Poroshenko's main rival appears to be former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who is credited in the most recent opinion polls with 12.7 percent.

The same poll conducted in December unexpectedly put the 40-year-old Zelenskyy in second place, with 9 percent, while Poroshenko came in third, with 8.6 percent.
The U.S. Navy says the USS Donald Cook is heading to the Black Sea to conduct maritime security operations and enhance maritime stability with NATO allies in the region.



The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer was navigating the Dardanelles Strait in Turkey on January 19 as it headed north toward the Black Sea, the U.S. Navy said in a statement.



The U.S. Navy routinely operates in the Black Sea consistent with the Montreux Convention and international law, the statement said.



It did not say when it expected the ship to reach the Black Sea, but the TASS news agency quoted the Russian Defense Ministrys Defense Control Center as saying it is tracking the movements of the Donald Cook, which according to international convention may stay in the Black Sea for no longer than 21 days.

Tensions in the region have been heightened since November 25 when Russian security forces fired on, boarded, and then seized three Ukrainian vessels near the Kerch Strait, which links the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.



Moscow claims the Ukrainian vessels illegally entered Russian territorial waters near Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula that Russia occupied and took over in 2014. It is holding 24 Ukrainian sailors for possible trial on charges of illegal border crossing.



The United States, European Union, and other Western countries have called for their release.



"The United States and the U.S. Navy continue to stand alongside our allies in defense of shared regional interests and maritime stability," Commander Matthew J. Powel, commanding officer of Donald Cook, said in the Navy statement.



"Our arrival into the Black Sea will showcase the Navy's interoperability in pursuit of common security objectives, enabling us to respond effectively to future crises or deterring aggression," he added.

Aleksei Pushkov, chairman of the Information Policy Committee of the Russian Federation Council, tweeted that "U.S. warships are becoming frequent visitors to the Black Sea.

These visits have nothing to do with U.S. security," Pushkov wrote, adding: They should keep away from our coastline."

U.S. national security adviser John Bolton said in December that there will be no substantial meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin while Moscow still holds the Ukrainian ships and sailors.



Russia moved swiftly to seize control over Crimea after Moscow-friendly Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was pushed from power in Kyiv by the pro-European Maidan protest movement in February 2014.



Putin's government sent troops without insignia to the peninsula, seized key buildings, took control of the regional legislature, and staged a referendum denounced as illegitimate by at least 100 countries at the UN.



Russia also fomented unrest and backed opponents of Kyiv in eastern Ukraine, where more than 10,300 people have been killed in the ensuing conflict since April 2014.



The International Criminal Court (ICC) ruled in November 2016 that the fighting in eastern Ukraine is "an international armed conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation."
Several thousand people marched through central Belgrade on January 19 to protest against President Aleksandar Vucic's rule.



At least 10,000 people were estimated to have taken part in the march, the latest in a series of protests over the past eight weeks against Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party's (SNS) policies toward the media and election reforms.



The protests are organized by the Alliance for Serbia, a grouping of some 30 opposition parties and organisations. Demonstrators wore badges that read: "It has started" as they chanted slogans such as "Vucic thief."



"The only demand we have is that this evil [regime] goes away," said Branisalv Trifunovic, an actor who addressed the crowd. "We want elections, but freedom must come first."



Vucic had previously said he would not bend to opposition demands for reforms to the electoral system or increased media freedom "even if there were 5 million people on the streets."



"I came here to express my dissatisfaction with the ruling elite," said Ljiljana Zivanovic, a 64-year old pensioner. "The [SNS and Vucic] control all media, I am sick of all the corruption going on."



The protests have spread to other cities in Serbia and were also held on January 18 in country's second city Novi Sad, the southern city of Nis, and several other towns.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and dpa


Thousands of Serbs joined an antigovernment march in Belgrade on January 19 for a seventh consecutive Saturday. The marches started after thugs assaulted Serbian Left party leader Borko Stefanovic on November 23, 2018. Protesters are calling for the equal coverage of the opposition by the public radio and television broadcaster, RTS, and are demanding the resignations of President Aleksandar Vucic, Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic, and RTS head Dragan Bujosevic.
Protesters have clashed with police outside Greece's parliament during a rally that drew tens of thousands of people who oppose a name deal with Macedonia.



Dozens of demonstrators threw rocks, fireworks, and other objects at riot police officers as they tried to enter the parliamentary premises in Athens on January 20.



Police responded with the use of batons and tear gas.



Nine officers were injured in the violence, they said.



The governments of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his Macedonian counterpart, Zoran Zaev, struck the deal in June to change the former Yugoslav republics name to the Republic of North Macedonia.



In exchange, Athens would lift its objections to the country joining NATO and the European Union.



Greek lawmakers were expected to start a debate on January 21 on ratifying the agreement and vote on it by the end of the week.



Earlier this month, Macedonias parliament approved a constitutional revision to change the country's name.



The deal has met with opposition in both Greece and Macedonia with critics saying it makes too many concessions to the other side.



Athens argues that use of the term "Macedonia" implies territorial claims on Greeces northern province of the same name, and on its ancient Greek heritage.



"There is only one Macedonia, the Greek Macedonia, that's it," read a sign held by one protester in Athens.



"This government is a government of traitors," Christina Gerodimoun told the AFP news agency, in reference to a coalition led by Tsipras.

Protest organizers said they hoped to attract more than 600,000 demonstrators. Police released an official estimate of 60,000.

A statement from Tsipras's office blamed "extremist elements" and members of the far-right Golden Dawn party for the clashes during the rally.

"In our democracy, citizens' free expression is an inalienable right, even for those who want to abolish democracy.... It is also the duty and obligation of those of us who do believe not to allow them. Let's isolate and condemn them," it said.

The Greek prime minister survived a confidence vote in parliament on January 16. The motion was launched after his junior partner, Defense Minister Panos Kammenos, resigned in protest over the agreement.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, dpa, and AFP
Greek nationalists protested outside the parliament in Athens on January 20 against the country's agreement to accept Macedonia's name change to North Macedonia. Some protesters clashed with police blocking access routes to the parliament building. Greek hard-liners argue that Macedonia is also the name of Greece's northern region and believe that the use of the name by a neighboring country undermines Greek historical rights.
A court in Norway has ordered the detention of a Russian national ahead of his trial for allegedly stabbing a woman at a supermarket in Oslo that police say was the start of a plan to kill several people.



The Oslo District Court handed down its ruling on January 19, saying the 20-year-old Russian should remain in custody until his trial.



The stabbing occurred on January 17 at a grocery store in central Oslo. The victim, who remains hospitalized in a critical condition, was paying for her groceries when attacked.



Norway's PST domestic intelligence agency is investigating the stabbing as a terror-related attack.



Police have said the suspect, who traveled to Norway from Russia via Sweden on the day of the attack, wanted to kill several people and they are investigating whether he has any ties to Islamic extremists.



Norwegian public broadcaster NRK has reported the man is from Russia's Bashkortostan region, close to Kazakhstan.

Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, and NRK
Bulgarian prosecutors have charged five Syrians and a Bulgarian woman with financing terrorist groups in the Middle East.

"The group transferred at least 25 million euros [$29 million] to terrorist organizations over four years," said Rumiana Arnaudova, a spokeswoman for the attorney general, on January 19.

Deputy Attorney General Ivan Guechev said the network was "without precedent in the European Union."

The money transfers are alleged to have taken place since 2016.

Special forces arrested 43 people on January 18 in raids throughout Bulgaria on a suspected criminal ring that had been financing terrorist groups.

Arnaudova said the financing had been carried out across the border using the traditional Muslim "hawala" system that is difficult to trace.

The criminal ring had also bought dozens of cars in Bulgaria and transported them to terror groups in Syria via Turkey, which borders Bulgaria.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP
Speculation that the merger of Russia and Belarus is just over the horizon has become so strident in recent weeks that top officials in both countries have made efforts to refute it.



"I call these suggestions very stupid and far-fetched for discussion in our society," Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka said on January 10.



"As for the Union State [between Russia and Belarus], I am simply surprised by the inflated uproar about this topic," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during his annual results-of-the-last-year press conference in Moscow on January 16.



Lavrov described the situation as "absolutely normal" and without any "hidden geopolitical agenda."

Talk Of Unification

The speculation, however, came as a result of an extraordinary flurry of bilateral diplomatic activity that included no fewer than three summits between Lukashenka and Russian President Vladimir Putin -- on December 6 in St. Petersburg and in Moscow on December 25 and 29 -- and a meeting of the two countries' prime ministers in Brest on December 13.



Following those talks, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev issued what has become known as the "Medvedev ultimatum," saying Moscow's continued financial support for Belarus's chronically dependent economy would depend on tangible progress on implementing moribund provisions of the 1999 treaty creating the Union State -- common currency, joint customs, a joint audit chamber, and more.



Prominent Russian commentator Leonid Bershidsky wrote for Bloomberg on January 8 that unification has become "particularly attractive" to Putin as a way of extending his rule over Russia behind the end of his current term in 2024. He could, the theory goes, become head of a bolstered Supreme State Council, which is the main executive body of the Union State, and thereby retain "a large measure of his power for life without changing the [Russian] constitution."



Ukrainian political analyst Oleksandr Khara, writing for UNIAN on December 28, made essentially the same argument and added that absorbing Belarus is a key element of Putin's "strategic task" of accumulating what he sees as "Russian lands."



"The scenarios where Russia absorbs Belarus look inevitable at the moment," Khara wrote.



Lukashenka added fuel to the fire during a December 14 press conference when he accused Russia of trying to "annex" Belarus and warned his countrymen and the world to be wary of attempts by Moscow to undermine Belarus's sovereignty.



During his weekly news round-up on January 13, one of Russia's most powerful media bosses, Dmitry Kiselyov, dished out a stern warning for Minsk.



"If Minsk opts for being without Russia, the future of Belarus will be ghastly," he said. "Of course, Russia will become weaker but there will be no Belarus at all."

Subsidies For Loyalty



However, many analysts see the current activity as part of a larger pattern spanning the two countries' entire post-Soviet history, in which Lukashenka deftly offers or withholds his support for Moscow in complex bargaining for the Russian economic subsidies on which his country relies.



Kenneth Yalowitz, a fellow at the Wilson Center in Washington who served as U.S. ambassador to Belarus in the 1990s, told RFE/RL that Lukashenka's appetite for merger is at a low ebb since Russia's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region and Moscow's involvement in the military conflict in eastern Ukraine. At the same time, he noted, Russia's economy is groaning under the strain of Western sanctions and other priority projects for Putin, leaving Moscow unable to bear the cost of absorbing Belarus's basket-case economy.

"Given the difficulties [the Russians] are facing -- the war still [going on] in Ukraine and a lot of internal problems that they have -- I'm just not sure that they would be moving in the direction of trying to digest Belarus," Yalowitz said. "What they want more than anything else is a reliable ally to the west and Lukashenka has basically been that."

Belarusian opposition politician Anatol Lyabedzka agreed that the cycle of bilateral relations remains essentially the same.



"Relations between Putin and Lukashenka are a permanent struggle over the length of the leash that Putin gives to Lukashenka," Lyabedzka told RFE/RL. "I think that the Kremlin has noticed that Lukashenka is taking advantage of the weakness of Putin on the international stage and is trying to make the leash a little longer."



The current bone of contention between the two autocrats is a Russian tax reform that began to take effect at the beginning of the year. In an effort to end de facto internal energy subsidies, Russia is phasing out export duties for oil and instead imposing an extraction tax. Because Belarus has been importing Russian oil duty-free under the common economic space and subsequently exporting it with its own duties tacked on, it now stands to lose a major subsidy. Under the plan, Belarus could come up $300 million short this year and lose up to $12 billion by 2024.



The squeeze comes with Belarus facing about $5 billion in international debt payments due in 2019.



"The country lives in a situation of enormous accumulated debts and we take on new ones every year," Lyabedzka said. "We are now looking for billions of dollars to pay off the old ones. So the loss of several hundred million dollars is quite painful for Lukashenka."



But Lukashenka has leverage, too, in a relationship that has come to be known as oil-for-kisses. Russia counts on Belarus as a reliable political ally, particularly in its confrontation with NATO. The two countries hold joint military exercises that regularly engage the West's attention.



"Russia is in a position of pretty serious [international] isolation, and this gives Lukashenka some room for maneuver," Russian political analyst Kirill Rogov told RFE/RL. "[Belarus] is the last bastion. Considering the sharp conflict with the West, Moscow understands that at any moment the West could start pulling Belarus toward its sphere of influence and this creates some uncertainty. In the isolation that Russia is now experiencing, it is losing some of its influence, including over Belarus."



Earlier this month, Belarus was said to have unexpectedly lifted a long-standing limit on the number of U.S. diplomats allowed in the country -- a symbolic gesture that contrasts sharply with the reduced diplomatic relations between Russia and the United States as a result of tit-for-tat expulsions.



Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesman Anatol Hlaz told RFE/RL on January 11 that senior officials from Belarus and the United States have been discussing other ways of improving bilateral relations.



Rather than eyeing the incorporation of Belarus into Russia, Moscow or some Kremlin-connected oligarchs could be seeking a stake in Belarus's oil-refining industry, which remains one of last family jewels left in Lukashenka's inventory. Giving that up would represent a major loss of sovereignty for the country of some 10 million people. Moreover, refining accounts for about 20 percent of the Belarus state budget, so surrendering that sector could create as many problems as it solves for Minsk.



Ironically, Belarus's shambolic economy could be the main defense of its sovereignty against Russia. When Lukashenka met with Putin on December 29, his Christmas gift consisted of four sacks of potatoes and a tub of lard -- possibly a symbolic representation of how little Russia stands to gain in a merger with Belarus.



In addition, over the last two decades, Belarus has developed a significant sense of its own national identity. Even its much-noted Soviet nostalgia is a peculiar type that emphasizes stability and government paternalism while rejecting suffocating central control from Moscow. Any Russian effort to foist unification on Belarus would arguably meet neither the open resistance that characterized Ukraine's Maidan revolution nor the easily manipulated apparent acceptance that Moscow manufactured in Ukraine's Crimea region.



"In Crimea, they had this fake referendum there, but I think in Belarus it would be different," former U.S. Ambassador Yalowitz said. "The country has been independent for more than 25 years and people have gotten used to being a separate country."



And in Russia the prospect of taking on the Belarus economic project would likely not be greeted as enthusiastically as the annexation of Crimea was by a population that has seen significant tax hikes and a painful increase in retirement ages in the last few months.



"At its best, Belarus is not Crimea," Russian political analyst Yekaterina Shulmann told Foreign Policy magazine this month, "but, in an average Russian's perception, is a poorer country to be fed and kept by Russia."

With reporting by RFE/RL's Belarus Service and RFE/RL Russian Service correspondent Mikhail Sokolov
Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email please call (208) 542-6777 for help.



We get it. You don't want to see the ads.

We'd just ask you to understand that those ads help us pay the bills  and our reporters. Please, consider white-listing the Standard Journal in your ad-blocker or, even better, purchase a subscription so that you can help support quality local journalism.
South Africa: Sisulu extends condolences to families of Moz drowning victims

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has extended condolences to the families of four South Africans who drowned in Mozambique's Portuguese Islands.

This follows the recovery of the four bodies after a protracted recovery mission. The deceased had travelled on holiday with a group to Mozambique on 12 January.

Sisulu conveyed South Africa's appreciation to the government of Mozambique for their efforts in the recovery operation and the consular support given to the families by the High Commission in Mozambique, led by Ambassador Mandisi Mpahlwa and the Limpopo Provincial Government.

The Minister has directed Mpahlwa to ensure that all necessary processes and documents are concluded as soon as possible for the repatriation of the bodies and for the families to return home as early as possible, the department said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Sisulu has received a report from Mpahlwa on Andre Hanekom, who is detained in Mozambique. She has directed Mpahlwa to visit Hanekom after receiving concerns from his family and friends about his health.

The High Commissioner confirmed to the Minister that Hanekom is well in custody and is facing a number of charges. He will appear in court soon. The High Commissioner is monitoring the case, keeping the family informed and offering consular support. The Minister also directed the High Commissioner to always keep the family informed of all the developments, the department said.

Zim watch

Switching focus to Zimbabwe, Sisulu has noted that protests that neighbouring country have calmed down and life in the streets of Zimbabwe is returning to normal.

The Minister further received a briefing from the South African Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mphakama Mbethe, on the economic situation in the country.

The South African government is working with the Zimbabwean government to find a short and long term solution to the economic situation.

Sisulu said if the situation is not attended to, the current economic challenges can derail the political and economic progress Zimbabwe has made since the election of the new President.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2019-01-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Lebanon, IN (46052)

Today

Variable clouds with thunderstorms - possibly severe in the afternoon. Damaging winds with some storms. High near 95F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. Low 68F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
WATERBURY The Connecticut Community Foundation has awarded grants totaling $96,000 to ten nonprofit organizations serving residents of 21 towns in Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills. With these grants, the foundation aims to build peoples pathways from poverty to prosperity and to support diverse and robust neighborhood, city and regional economies, according to a statement.

A committee of local residents comprehensively reviewed the submitted grant applications and made recommendations to the Foundations Board of Trustees, who approved the grant awards in December 2018. The grants are made possible through the generosity of donors who have created charitable funds at the Foundation over more than nine decades.

Julie Loughran, president and CEO of Connecticut Community Foundation, said, A skilled workforce and thriving families fuel the economic engine of Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills. We applaud the donors and grantees whose investments in the economic vitality of the region make communities stronger for us all.

Career Resources was among three organizations awarded grants for delivery of job training. With their $10,000 grant (their second from the Foundation), they will continue to provide job readiness training to unemployed adults in Waterbury with substantial barriers to employment, such as lack of formal education or history of incarceration. Career Resources intensive three-week training, based on the national STRIVE model, teaches professional workplace norms and leadership and public presentation skills to prepare people for gainful employment.

For the minimum amount of investment, the STRIVE program delivers maximum return in terms of creating job opportunities and also improving the family unit. We are creating wage earners, tax paying citizens and productive employees, said Scott Wilderman, CEO of Career Resources, in a statement.

The other nine grantees addressing economic vitality in the region:

New Milford-based Community Culinary School of Northwestern Connecticut received a $10,000 grant to support job skills training for unemployed and under-employed adults leading to career paths in the food service industry.

Connecticut Association for Human Services was awarded $5,000 to continue collaboration with Waterbury community agencies to implement the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program and to provide other assistance for low-wage earners.

Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness was awarded a $10,000 grant for coordination of services for homeless and housing unstable youth and families in Waterbury and surrounding areas.

Connecticut Partnership for Children was awarded $6,000 to connect families in Naugatuck with vital resources for health and basic needs and to provide classes related to household budgeting and nutritious and affordable cooking.

Greater Waterbury Interfaith Ministries in Waterbury received a $10,500 grant for operational support of its soup kitchen and emergency food pantry.

Hispanic Coalition of Greater Waterbury, the fiscal sponsor for Working Cities Waterbury, received $15,000 for the second year of a three-year grant commitment to address the economic and racial inequalities that have devalued Waterburys once-vibrant River Baldwin neighborhood.

Madre Latina, based in Waterbury, received $5,000 to support social services, job training and education that position Latinas for success in the workforce.

Neighborhood Housing Services of Waterbury received a $10,000 grant to explore the feasibility of developing a local food truck park, or similar business. This social enterprise would serve as a catalyst of community and economic development.

The Salvation Army in Waterbury received a $14,500 grant to support the operation of a temporary emergency shelter for low income homeless families with children, and to provide critical staff training.

Learn more at www.conncf.org/supporting-nonprofits.

Students can apply for foundation scholarships

The Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation is awarding scholarships for the 2019-20 academic year. Scholarship applications are now available for the more than $150,000 available to area students. Scholarship guidelines, requirements and applications are available on the Community Foundation website.

Scholarship applications for the 2019-20 academic year must be submitted by April 1, 2019. The Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation serves Litchfield County with a collection of more than 30 scholarship funds from local donors. These funds provide scholarships to area students throughout the Northwest Corner.

Most scholarships are awarded to residents of the Foundations 20-town service area. The Foundation serves the towns of Barkhamsted, Bethlehem, Canaan/Falls Village, Colebrook, Cornwall, Goshen, Hartland, Harwinton, Kent, Litchfield, Morris, New Hartford, Norfolk, North Canaan, Salisbury, Sharon, Torrington, Warren, Washington and Winsted/Winchester.

For a complete list of scholarships, visit northwestcf.org/scholarships.

Women & Girls Fund accepting grant applications

The Women & Girls Fund of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation invites nonprofits to apply for grants. Programs eligible for grants include those that serve women and girls in the development of economic self-sufficiency by means of education, financial literacy and social services. Applicants may request up to $5,000 for programs and capital needs.

The application deadline is March 1. Grant applications can be completed and submitted online at www.northwestcf.org/womenandgirls

The Women & Girls Fund was established as a giving circle in 1999 by a small group of women who shared a concern for the real-life needs of local women and girls. The Fund has awarded more than $50,000 to organizations that work to help women and girls develop skills, attain economic security, and improve their quality of life.

In recent years, the Women & Girls Fund has awarded grants to support summer internship programs, career-development seminars, and provided laptop computers for educational and employment research.

The fund has also supported child-care scholarships and transportation assistance for working mothers, programs that enhance economic opportunities and promote self-sufficiency for women leaving abusive relationships, and leadership-assertiveness workshops for high school girls.

Established in 1969, the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation serves 20 towns in Northwest Connecticut. Its total endowment, comprised of more than 280 funds, has grown from initial assets of $15,000 to more than $110 million. Last year, combined grants and scholarships totaled more than $4 million.
3 1 of 3 Contributed photo / Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Contributed photo / Show More Show Less 3 of 3





THOMASTON  The Thomaston Savings Bank Foundation has established a new giving campaign, Act to Impact Employee Giving Grants. This initiative was developed to allow Bank employees to give back to the communities the bank serves by deciding how to distribute $30,000 in Foundation grants. The employees were divided into 20 teams giving each team the opportunity to award a $1,500 onetime grant to an area non-profit. Grants were presented to the organizations over the month of December and early January.

Our employees demonstrate their passion for supporting area non-profits with the time and money they donate year over year. We are proud to give our employees an outlet to further support the work of the organizations they feel so strongly about, said Stephen Lewis, president, Thomaston Savings Bank Foundation, in a statement.
Source:

January 20, 2019 16:42 IST

A Bharatiya Janata Party leader was found dead in Barwani district of Madhya Pradesh on Sunday morning, with the police suspecting that he was murdered.

The death of Manoj Thakre, 48, came to light three days after another BJP leader was shot dead in Mandsaur, prompting the party to claim that its leaders were being targeted.

Balwadi, where Thakres body was found, is around 100 km from the district headquarters.

The body had injury marks on the face and around the neck, said district Superintendent of Police Y D Bhutia.

He had gone out for morning walk in hazy weather. Local police got the information around 6.40 am that a body had been spotted, and within two minutes they reached the spot, the Superintendent said.

Prima facie it appeared that Thakre was killed by unknown persons, she said.

A Special Investigation Team headed by an additional superintendent of police has been formed to investigate the killing, she said.

We have picked up some people and are questioning them, Bhutia added.

Former state minister and BJP leader Antar Singh Aryas son Vikas told reporters that the killing was fall-out of a political rivalry, but did not elaborate.

On Saturday, the BJP had submitted petitions to officials in every district seeking improvement in the law and order situation, claiming it had deteriorated under the

newly-elected Congress government.

Prahlad Bandhawar, chairman of the Mandsaur Municipal Council, was shot dead Thursday. According to the police, one Manish Bairagi allegedly shot him over a financial dispute.

Former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan tweeted on Sunday that it was a matter of grave concern that BJP leaders are being killed.

Congress is taking it lightly and seeking to make a cruel joke of the incidents, Chouhan said, pointing out that Thakre, a popular BJP mandal president, was killed in the very district to which Home Minister Bala Bachchan belongs.

Bachchan could not be contacted for reaction.
Source:

Last updated on: January 20, 2019 19:18 IST

In an ugly turn in the ongoing power game in Karnataka, a Congress MLA was injured in an alleged brawl with a colleague lawmaker at a resort even as the party issued notices to its four legislators who skipped a crucial Congress Legislature Party meeting amid Bharatiya Janata Partys alleged poaching attempt.

Anand Singh was hospitalised after he and J N Ganesh, both from Ballari district, had a heated argument and came to blows late Saturday night at the resort where the party MLAs are herded together, Congress sources said Sunday.

In its notices to four MLAs on Sunday, the party sought to know why action should not be taken against them under the anti-defection law for not attending the Fridays Congress Legislature Party meeting that was a show of strength against BJPs alleged bid to dislodge the ruling coalition.

Singh has a black eye and suffered blunt injuries, according to sources at the private hospital where he is undergoing treatment. He had also complained of uneasiness in the chest but was now in the ward and fine, they added.

Ganesh is among the disgruntled Congress MLAs who was reportedly in touch with other dissidents in the party and on the BJPs radar in its alleged toppling game.

Congress spokesperson and former Nizamabad MP Madhu Goud Yakshi said the scuffle was related to some business issue had nothing to do with politics.

It was personal district related. They are all together in business. The scuffle has nothing to do with politics. They come from the same district and have business relations. It (the fight) is something related to that. It has nothing to do with politics, he said.

The two MLAs had the dinner together in his presence and everything was cordial but after he left the fight broke out, Yakshi said.

Bidadi police under whose jurisdiction the Eagleton resort is located, said they have not received any complaint so far.

A posse of policemen have been deployed in front of the hospital with no visitor being allowed.

We have not been allowed inside the hospital, Raghunath, a Congress MLA, said.

WATCH: Fight between Anand Singh and JN Ganesh is fake news: D K Shivakumar

In a dig at the Congress, BJP tweeted, Its unfortunate that @KPCCPresident was unable to stop the fight in Eagleton resort. We hope Anand Singh is being treated & we pray for his speedy recovery. Unfortunately @dineshgrao cant even blame BJP now, MLAs were locked up under his watch at Eagleton. Whats ur excuse now?

Senior minister D K Shivakumar however brushed aside reports that Singh had been assaulted and claimed all the Congress MLAs were united.

Someone has misled. There was no fracas. There was no incident of smashing of bottle (on Singhs head). It is all fake news. Everyone is together. The entire Congress is united, he said.

State senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister R Ashok asked the Congress to produce Singh before the media and said police should initiate legal action in the case.

Why is it that the police have not taken any action in this incident? I demand that the Congress should produce Singh before the media. I suspect that the Congress is making efforts to cover up the case, he alleged.

As it struggled to keep its MLAs on leash, the Congress on Sunday issued notices to Ramesh Jarkiholi, who was dropped as minister in the recent cabinet rejig and is said to be miffed over it, B Nagendra, Umesh Jadhav and Mahesh Kumatahalli, Congress sources said.

Exposing fissures in the party, the four lawmakers had skipped the CLP meet, held amid the political turmoil that broke out on Monday last with BJP MLAs ensconced in a luxury hotel in Gurugram.

The BJP MLAs flew back home on Saturday night after the party state unit president B S Yeddyurappa asked them to return and said the party would not destabilise the Kumaraswamy government.

The absence of four at the CLP meet posed no imminent threat to the seven-month old Congress-Janata Dal-Secular government in the numbers game but suggested that the crisis for it was far from over.

In the notice to Jarkiholi, CLP leader Siddaramaiah besides seeking response from him for not attending the MLAs meeting also asked him to provide an explanation about media reports that he was joining BJP and about his visit to Delhi and Mumbai to meet saffron party leaders.

Asking as to why he has not issued any statement so far rejecting the media reports, Siddaramaiah said your conduct suggests that you will voluntarily quit from the membership of the Indian National Congress. You have got elected as legislator on Congress symbol and cannot quit as party member under the Constitution.

Seventy six of the 80 Congress MLAs had attended the CLP meet.

Ahead of the meet, Siddaramaiah had issued notices to all the party MLAs warning that their absence would be viewed seriously and action initiated under the anti-defection law.

Top Congress sources had said Friday that at least eight party MLAs have committed themselves to BJP, an apprehension that caused jitters in the party and made it to shift the legislators to the resort.

As for the BJP camp, party MLC Lehar Singh said all 104 MLAs flew back to the state late Saturday night after Yeddyurappa asked them to return.

Some of them have directly flown back to their constituencies and others including former deputy chief ministers R Ashoka and K S Eshwarappa returned to Bengaluru, he said.

Eshwarappa said the Congress-JD-S coalition government in the state would fall due to internal bickering and his party would form the government.

The present political turbulence is because of the internal bickering in the Congress and their leaders have been needlessly levelling allegations against the BJP, he said on Saturday night.
Just The Facts

Public transit participation

The following statistics indicate the number of Tupelo Transit riders for the given month. The number of total rides does not reflect the number of individual riders using the system, because the same person riding a bus for five consecutive days would be counted within the statistics as five rides.

The fixed-route system is the most visible portion of Tupelo Transit, with buses running three different routes each day and stopping at pre-arranged stops. The paratransit system provides direct pick-up service at the home of eligible city residents. Only the elderly and disabled and eligible.

OCTOBER

Fixed route: 521

Paratransit: 848

NOVEMBER

Fixed route: 523

Paratransit: 678

DECEMBER

Fixed route: 521

Paratransit: 743
Source:

January 20, 2019 15:29 IST

The Congress in Karnataka on Sunday issued notices to its four MLAs seeking explanation from them for their absence at the Legislature Party meeting, asking why no action should be taken against them under the anti-defection law.

The notices were sent to Ramesh Jarkiholi, who was dropped as minister in the recent cabinet rejig and is said to be extremely unhappy over it, B Nagendra, Umesh Jadhav and Mahesh Kumatahalli, Congress sources said.

Exposing fissures in the party, the four lawmakers had skipped the Congress Legislature Party meet on Friday, which was called as a show of strength against the BJPs alleged attempt to topple the partys coalition government with the Janata Dal-Secular in the state.

The absence of the four lawmakers posed no imminent threat to the seven-month-old Congress-JD-S government in the numbers game, but suggested that all was not well within the Congress which is still wrestling with dissidence.

In the notice issued to Jarkiholi, while seeking response from him for not attending the meeting, CLP leader Siddaramaiah has also sought an explanation about the media reports that he was joining the BJP and about his visit to Delhi and Mumbai to meet saffron party leaders.

Asking as to why he has not issued any statement so far rejecting these reports, the CLP leader said, Your conduct suggests that you will voluntarily quit from the membership of the Indian National Congress. You have got elected as a legislator on Congress symbol and cannot quit as party member under the Constitution.

Ahead of the meet, Siddaramaiah had issued notices to all party MLAs, warning that their absence would be viewed seriously and action initiated according to the

anti-defection law.

Soon after the CLP meet, which was attended by 76 MLAs, the Congress legislators were shifted to a resort on the city outskirts in a counter move to BJPs alleged toppling bid.

The Bharatiya Janata Party legislators, who were camping at a luxury hotel in Gurgaon, returned home on Saturday night.
As the Athens-Clarke County Commission prepares for a shift in members and initiatives, the results of some decisions from last year are beginning to take effect from extended alcohol sales on St. Patty's Day to free parking on certain federal holidays.
A ribbon cutting on Wednesday night celebrated a new opportunity for Athens visitors looking to enjoy the Classic City.

Although Homewood Suites by Hilton in Athens opened the day after Thanksgiving, the new hotel hosted its grand opening on the evening of Jan. 23 with food, prizes and room tours.
Traverse City, MI (49684)

Today

Morning clouds will give way to sunshine for the afternoon. High 86F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear early, then a few clouds later on. Low 57F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale

Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada.

Search Real Estate
Property details:

5 ACRE vacant residential land in Sun Valley Arizona!! Just outside of Holbrook CASH or SELLER FINANCINGwith small down payment. NO CREDIT CHECK- EVER! Now you can afford your own piece of the American Southwest! This 5 acre parcel outside of Holbrook, AZ is at a mile high elevation in the Painted Desert/Petrified Forest area of Northern Arizona, with a modest 4 season climate and cooler summer temperatures than in the Phoenix Valley. A pleasant 3 hour drive from Phoenix or Tucson will bring you...

Price: $ 3,950 Property Address: Star Dust Rd State/Province: Arizona Seller State of Residence: Arizona Zip/Postal Code: 86029 Zoning: Residential City: HOLBROOK/ Sun Valley Type: Homesite, Lot Location: 860**, Sun Valley, Arizona

You will be redirected to eBay



Nearby Homesite, Lot
Just before Christmas, a story broke that seemed too strange -- and too hypocritical -- to be true. As Democratic Party elders were trying to stifle loutish impeachment threats by fanatical House freshmen, it was revealed that Democratic operatives had used cyber fraud to manipulate the 2017 Alabama Senate race.

Its hard to know precisely who masterminded the plot because the perpetrators have lawyered up and are pointing fingers at one another. But according to the New York Times and subsequent reporting in The Washington Post, the culprits in the self-styled Project Birmingham used the same tactics employed by Russian disinformation specialists that lie at the heart of the 2016 U.S. presidential election controversy.

Those tactics included a phony Facebook page, Alabama Conservative Politics, intended to divert votes from GOP nominee Roy Moore to a Republican write-in candidate. It entailed a false flag effort suggesting that automated Russian bots were supporting Moore on Twitter. The tactics worked. Seven weeks before the election, the Montgomery Advertiser published a piece headlined Russian invasion? Roy Moore sees spike in Twitter followers from land of Putin. Other news outlets followed suit, further tarnishing a candidate reeling under sexual misconduct allegations.

Did this effort cost Moore the election, which he narrowly lost to Doug Jones? Did dirty tricks deprive Republicans of a supposedly safe seat at a time when control the U.S. Senate was up for grabs? Some observers are skeptical. Roy Moore is so well known in Alabama that people had very settled opinions about whether they wanted him as their senator before the race even started, University of Alabama political scientist Joseph L. Smith told reporters.

That sounds right, but the same could be said of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Even Democrats who claim the 2016 election was stolen from them would concede that almost everyone had settled opinions about these two nominees before Russian troll farms began spewing their garbage during the 2016 general election. But the truly stunning hypocrisy is that Project Birmingham, which included a former Google engineer who worked on the 2012 Obama presidential campaign and for the Obama administration, faithfully emulated the tactics of the Russian troll farms dubbed Fancy Bear and Cozy Bear, which are under the auspices of Russias intelligence services and military.

In other words, Democrats who played games in Alabama did more than erode their partys moral high ground. In consciously mimicking the enemy, they also put the spotlight on special prosecutor Robert Mueller and his investigation.

Last February, a grand jury impaneled to hear Muellers evidence indicted 13 Russians and three Russian companies for their 2016 activities. The special prosecutor followed this up with July indictments of 12 Russian military officers for hacking, a serious crime. But its the February 2018 indictments that are more problematic for Democrats.

Those 13 Russian trolls were indicted on conspiracy charges. But what laws did they conspire to break? Federal election statutes prohibiting campaign contributions, maybe? Abusing their travel visas, perhaps, as none of the Russians who visited the U.S. told U.S. Customs what they were up to? Those are misdemeanors, and its not what the government charged them with anyway. They were indicted for conspiring to defraud the United States.

Its not a crime to post political comments under an online alias. Its not a criminal offense in this country to spew inaccurate information on social media -- or tell outright lies about candidates for public office If it were, the U.S. would need a hundred more prisons, at least one of them for politicians and campaign consultants.

Muellers theory of the case became clear on June 15, when Deputy Solicitor General Michael Dreeben argued in court against a motion by Concord, one of the indicted Russian corporations, to dismiss the charges. The special counsel, Concord argued, targeted it for a contrived crime not specifically defined in any statute, without notice and under a standard known only to the special counsel.

We do not need to prove a criminal violation of the underlying statute, Dreeben told U.S. District Court Judge Dabney Friedrich in response.

If you find that standard alarmingly elastic, youre not alone. The federal government does lots of things, more and more every year, and many things private parties do can get in the governments way, former Justice Department lawyer Jack Townsend told Weekly Standard writer Eric Felten, one of the few journalists who explored the implications of Mullers indictment. It cant be that each such action is automatically a felony.

Yet, Dreeben was speaking the truth. Conspiracy to defraud, known as a Klein conspiracy, comes from a complex 1950s tax case in which the defendants and their accountants went to extraordinary lengths to hide income  they opened no fewer than 17 offshore companies, among other strategies  consistently thwarting the Internal Revenue Service until federal prosecutors secured a conviction on a single conspiracy count. As legal scholars Ben Wittes and Emma Kohse point out, the doctrine is even older than that. It comes from a 1910 Supreme Court ruling that USDA officials who falsified crop reports could be convicted of conspiracy for impairing, obstructing, or defeating the lawful function of any department of government.

Fourteen years later, in a decision written by Chief Justice William Howard Taft, the high court went further, ruling that conspiring to defraud the United States also means to interfere with or obstruct one of its lawful governmental functions by deceit, craft or trickery, or at least by means that are dishonest.

Such language gives Bob Mueller a lot of leeway. How did the Russians defraud the United States? Not merely by technical violations of campaign finance laws, but by running a big con on the American people -- impersonating Americans and pitting us against each other. In one instance, Russian trolls pretending to be both anti-Islam and pro-Islam were told to demonstrate at the same Houston location at the same time, apparently in hopes of fomenting violence.

This certainly seems a fraud on the United States. But what are we to make of the real American, a registered Democrat, no less, who posted stories in 2016 from the Denver Guardian, with extravagant slanders against Hillary Clinton: She pocketed millions of dollars from the Afghanistan War; an FBI agent investigating her emails was found dead  that kind of thing. Vicious stuff, all of it invented. (There is no Denver Guardian, for starters.) The perpetrator apparently did it for money. Should he be prosecuted for conspiring to defraud the country? If so, then what about the utterly specious 2012 ads run by the Obama campaign blaming Mitt Romney for the death of a steelworkers wife?

That was a form of fraud. It was most definitely a conspiracy  mapped out by Obamas top campaign aides. Im not saying federal prosecutors should start parsing campaign rhetoric looking for criminal intent. That would be insane, not to mention unconstitutional. Nor do the Democratic Party computer nerds who fooled around in the Alabama sandbox want any attention from the special prosecutor. But heres Muellers dilemma: If he indicts Russians who targeted Democrats while giving a pass to Americans who used the exact same fraudulent means to harm Republicans, then his investigation no longer looks like its about the sanctity of the U.S. election process. It looks like its about getting Donald Trump.
Aiming to implement integrated strategies to monetise its portfolio of intellectual property rights across business units and territories, DHX Media has appointed a new vice president of rights strategy and subsidiary commercial director.





Specifically, Lara Ilie will fill the position of VP of rights strategy at global childrens content and brands company, reporting to chief commercial officer Anne Loi, while Rachel Taylor will be commercial director of wholly-owned subsidiary, WildBrain.In the newly created position, Ilie will develop and help implement integrated strategies to monetise the companys portfolio of intellectual property rights across business units and territories. Working with the senior management team, Ilie will be responsible for formulating strategies to keep DHX Media at the forefront of market trends and grow revenue from its portfolio of kids and family brands . These include properties such as Peanuts, Teletubbies , Strawberry Shortcake, Caillou, Inspector Gadget, and the acclaimed Degrassi franchise. In addition, Ilie will manage sales of DHX Medias content library in Canada, Italy, Spain and Australia.We are committed to driving increased growth from our world-leading portfolio of kids and family brands, said Josh Scherba, president, DHX Media. Lara has a talent for building strong client relationships and has consistently demonstrated a keen understanding of the international market for childrens content and brands. With her in-depth knowledge of DHX Medias rights business , Lara is the ideal person to help us further identify and advance integrated strategies to propel our rights business on the next phase of growth.WildBrain, a prominent property in the kids space on YouTube , has appointed Rachel Taylor (pictured) to the position of commercial director reporting to managing director on Gisby, WildBrain. Based in London, Taylor will be responsible for expanding WildBrains commercial partnership business with third-party brands and will lead WildBrains sales and operations teams, as well as client management.The third-party kids brands that we manage are an important pillar of the WildBrain business, Gisby remarked. Rachel possesses a deep appreciation of the importance of commercial partnerships, built over a decade of experience working in international media and consumer products. We welcome her to the WildBrain team and look forward to working with her to continue building our network of clients and developing these relationships.
PHILADELPHIA  The middleweight division may have just found its ace.



MLW today announced Ace Austin will compete at MLW: SUPERFIGHT at the 2300 Arena. The event is an MLW FUSION TV tapings for beIN SPORTS.



Fans can buy tickets starting at $15 at http://www.MLWgo.com.



League officials confirmed that Ace Austin will be a regular in 2019 starting in 2 weeks when the "Ace of Spades" takes his talents to Philadelphia for MLW SuperFight.



Austin impressed fans and league officials alike in his late 2018 MLW debut where he fought Myron Reed in a match that fans are still talking about (watch for free).



Spending his early days in the sport with the Anoa'i family's WXW promotion, the 21-year old cutting edge grappler is an emerging middleweight. While Austin has recently lit up the midwest wrestling circuit, the 190 pounder has also found immense success abroad winning 2 international championships in 2 countries in 2018.



An avid skateboarder, Austin trains in Parkour, creating a unique dynamic to his matches.



As the middleweight division continues to heat up, Austin vows he won't be denied in MLW.



See Ace Austin live in Philadelphia February 2nd at the 2300 Arena as MLW presents a live network special for beIN SPORTS (buy tickets).



Tickets to witness the event live in Philadelphia start at $15 at MLWgo.com. Tickets will also be available day of show at the box office.
The Two39 Group announced today that their Bonita Springs-based tech hub, meeting center, and coworking space with an emphasis on technology focused entrepreneurs, Two39 Work, is joining forces with Fusion Pointe to connect members with mentors, investors, and new business opportunities.

Members at Two39 Work will immediately gain access to Fusion Pointes mentor network of successful entrepreneurs and investors and be able to participate in a robust agenda of workshops, bootcamps, meetups, and special presentations from Fusion Pointes extensive network of seasoned mentors.

The Two39 Work coworking space in Bonita Springs will serve as the host location for Fusion Pointe. Through their network of mentors, members will have access to office hours with other entrepreneurs, investors, and corporations who volunteer their time to help the Two39 Work community. Mentors will be available to give advice on fundraising, recruiting, technology, intellectual property, marketing, sales, and more. It will be easy for an entrepreneur or mentor to connect via the Two39 Work community.

Teaming up with Two39 Work is a major step towards continuing to grow a super connected startup community in the Southwest Florida area, said Steve Walling, Chairman of Fusion Pointe. By leveraging the strengths of different entrepreneurial ecosystems that already exist, we can accelerate Southwest Florida as a preferred destination for startups and entrepreneurs.

The Two39 Work and Fusion Pointe partnership will create additional opportunities in the local economic development community by becoming a buzzing hub of venture development, where entrepreneurs will get the knowledge, connections and potential sources of capital they need to succeed, all emanating from one central location.

Two39 Work is excited to sponsor this initiative and we believe the addition of Fusion Pointe to our community will allow entrepreneurs across Southwest Florida, and perhaps beyond, to leverage the immense resources available in the area, said Brian Samelson, of Two39 Work. After completing a thorough market assessment, we have found that there are very few entrepreneurial support organizations that can match the breath of valuable services and capabilities that the Two39/Fusion Pointe partnership will offer early Stage companies.

Two39 Work, located at 24301 Walden Center Drive in Bonita Springs, FL will be opening its doors on February 1st with a Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting ceremony scheduled for February 11th. Guided tours are now available for parties interested in membership opportunities.

To learn more Two39 Work, please visit: two39work.com or email info(at)two39group.com.

To learn more about Fusion Pointe, please visit: fusionpointe.org
Volunteers box up meals at 'Feeding the Dream' event "Dr. King once said, 'The time is always right to do what is right.' We believe that ending hunger is right as a matter of justice and a moral obligation, said Rod Brooks, President and CEO of Rise Against Hunger.

Rise Against Hunger is partnering up with civic groups, corporations, and community volunteers all across the U.S. on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day to help solve one of the worlds most pressing issues  hunger. From January 14 - 28, the international hunger relief non-profit will inspire thousands of volunteers to package over 3 million hunger relief meals.

Around the globe, over 821 million people go to bed hungry each night  thats about one in every nine people. In support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2 ending hunger by 2030  Rise Against Hunger aims to nourish, sustain and empower communities to see a world without hunger. Through the month of January, the International Hunger Relief non-profit will honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who dreamed of a world without hunger and poverty, by holding its second annual Feeding the Dream initiative.

"Dr. King once said, 'The time is always right to do what is right.' We believe that ending hunger is right as a matter of justice and a moral obligation, said Rod Brooks, President and CEO of Rise Against Hunger, We aim to honor Dr. King's legacy by empowering volunteers around the world to help end the scourge of hunger."

Rise Against Hunger plans to package around 3 million meals around the globe from January 14-28, joining together all ages and backgrounds in around 160 of the organizations signature Meal Packaging Events.. The meals, comprised of rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables and 23 essential vitamins and minerals, will be sent to people in critical need all around the globe.

Rise Against Hunger will also encourage people to take action on Monday, January 21, by signing the zero hunger pledge. Each pledge signature will act as a representation for support of a hunger-free world by 2030  just 11 years away.

Dr. King once said, Why should there be hunger and deprivation in any land, in any city, at any table, when man has the resources and the scientific know-how to provide all mankind with the basic necessities of life? There is no deficit in human resources. The deficit is in human will.

To learn more about Rise Against Hungers Feeding the Dream initiative and download social media shareable images to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., visit http://www.feedingthedream.org.
There are seemingly endless opportunities in FFA. You can do and see so much with the blue jacket.

In just a few weeks, the National FFA Organization will celebrate National FFA Week  a time to celebrate FFA members and share with others the exciting story of the organization that provides the next generation of leaders who will change the world.

National FFA Week is a time for FFA members to host a variety of activities to raise awareness about the role the National FFA Organization plays in the development of agriculture's future leaders and the importance of agricultural education.

As part of the weeklong celebration, the organization will encourage members, supporters and others to share reasons to give to the organization on Tuesday, Feb. 19  Give FFA Day!

Give FFA Day is an annual 24-hour campaign encouraging the public to support various needs impacting FFA members. Last year, the National FFA Foundation raised more than $161,000 in one day! This years goal is to raise $200,000. Members and supporters are being urged to share why they support FFA on social media, by using #GiveFFADAy and set up their own fundraisers. More information can be found here.

So, just how does FFA influence FFA members? Bella Culotta is just one story of how the organization has a global impact.

As a senior in high school from Ithaca, N.Y., Bella joined the TST BOCES New Visions FFA Chapter and quickly developed a passion for international agriculture. Bella then received an all-expenses-paid trip to the three-day Global Youth Institute hosted by the World Food Prize Foundation. Furthermore, she was selected for an eight-week internship in Nepal where she worked on a solar-powered irrigation pump to improve the quality of life for those who lived in the region. Bella is now attending Cornell University and is considering a double major in applied economics and management with a career ambition of being an agriculture development consultant. Her goal is to educate others on the global food system.

There are seemingly endless opportunities in FFA. You can do and see so much with the blue jacket, and that is not something to take for granted, says Bella.

Bellas story is just one example of how a year in FFA can change a young persons life. National FFA is committed to offering programs to promote career preparation and leadership development, agricultural literacy, and teacher recruitment and retention.

The National FFA Organization provides leadership, personal growth and career success training through agricultural education to 669,989 student members who belong to one of 8,630 local FFA chapters throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The organization is also supported by 459,514 alumni members in 2,236 alumni chapters throughout the U.S.

# # #

About National FFA Organization

The National FFA Organization is a national youth organization of 669,989 student members as part of 8,630 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The organization is supported by 459,514 alumni members in 2,236 local FFA Alumni chapters throughout the U.S. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. The National FFA Organization operates under a federal charter granted by the 81st United States Congress and it is an integral part of public instruction in agriculture. The U.S. Department of Education provides leadership and helps set direction for FFA as a service to state and local agricultural education programs. For more, visit the National FFA Organization online at FFA.org and on Facebook, Twitter and the official National FFA Organization blog.

About National FFA Foundation

The National FFA Foundation builds partnerships with industry, education, government, other foundations and individuals to secure financial resources that recognize FFA member achievements, develop student leaders and support the future of agricultural education. Governed by a 19-member board of trustees composed of educators, business leaders, individual donors and FFA Alumni, the foundation is a separately registered nonprofit organization. About 82 percent of every dollar received by the foundation supports FFA members and agricultural education opportunities. For more, visit http://www.FFA.org/Give.
Top performers from all over visit Startup Alley, giving these newcomers an unparalleled opportunity to field-test and refine their solutions and meet game-changing partners, said Publisher Brad Inman.

Inman Group announced another 10 real estate companies that will be part of Startup Alley at Inman Connect New York, Jan. 28  Feb. 1, 2019.

Inman Connect is a multi-day event where nearly 4,000 top performing real estate professionals invest in their business, shaping the year ahead by expanding their skill sets and deepening their referral networks. Attendees include leading real estate franchises, independent brokers, MLS and association leaders, tech entrepreneurs and marketing executives.

Startup Alley is a sponsorship opportunity specifically designed for companies just entering the real estate scene. Inman attendees look to this area of the event for the next new innovation to help them run their business.

Top performers from all over visit Startup Alley, giving these newcomers an unparalleled opportunity to field-test and refine their solutions and meet game-changing partners, said Publisher Brad Inman.

For more information on Startup Alley sponsorship and/or exhibitor opportunities at Inman Connect, please contact sales(at)inman.com.

Companies featured in Startup Alley will include:

Earnnest

earnnest.com

Earnnest is changing the way money moves in real estate. Their digital platform allows buyers to securely and electronically deposit funds directly to an escrow holder. They keep agents, buyers, and escrow holders in the loop with automated emails and tracking information. Say goodbye to lost checks and wire fraud.

Echovate

echovate.com/real-estate/

Echovate is a people analytics tool that helps organizations recruit, retain, and grow successful, prosperous people. They reveal the unique behavioral compositions of individuals and provide valuable insights into how to leverage strengths within specific roles and organizations. They are transforming the hiring and retention process in real estate.

InstaUnicorns

instaunicorns.com

InstaUnicorns is a digital agency that is focused on bringing optimized traffic to business & personal Instagram accounts. They specialize in growing real estate agents' Instagram pages by engaging on their behalf with their targeted audience, increasing their exposure to about 100,000 potential clients per month.

Kleard

kleard.com

Kleard is the best safety technology for real estate agents. The Kleard app gives agents the ability to verify those they work with using Kleard's innovative dual, on-the-spot verification system. This allows for better safety, mechanisms to help prevent crime, and an interconnected activity tracking system which means agents no longer have to show homes or host open houses without proper and effective safety layers in place.

My Digital Advertising

mydigitaladv.com

Smart, affordable, and efficient digital advertising for everyone. Real estate professionals choose where they want to advertise instead of chasing zip codes. They can change ads out on the go with My Digital Advertising's mobile friendly site and get desktop and mobile ads for one low price. Agents can target their audience effectively with My Digital Advertising's easy to use custom audience feature. Design, target, and launch campaigns in minutes.

NetSheet

NetSheet.com

NetSheet is THE BEST LEAD CAPTURING tool for real estate agents. Once installed on a real estate agents website, the NetSheet widget allows visitors to generate their own estimates, while enabling the real estate agent to easily grab their contact details. Dont miss out on another deal again. Sign up for FREE at netsheet.com.

Outer Realm

outerrealmvr.com

Outer Realm creates photo-real, interactive virtual reality tours of new real estate developments, allowing clients to tour prospects through entire future properties before theyre built. For existing properties, they have the most compelling virtual furniture staging app, allowing prospective buyers and tenants to view a furnished listing using augmented reality glasses without the hassle and expense associated with physical furniture.

Tristan Assist

tristanassist.com

Tristan Assist is an always on, always professional email answering service for real estate professionals. Tristan sorts inboxes quickly and securely  according to rules that agents set. Agents can reclaim up to a 3rd of their working day for doing what matters: prospecting, following up with clients and closing deals. All of the Tristan Assistants are trained in the world and language of real estate and they have a singular focus of helping clients to convert more leads, organize their lives, and provide more focus by handling and managing their inbound email.

Zenlist

zenlist.com

Zenlist is the premier home aggregation, search and collaboration experience for leading real estate agents and their clients. At the core of their service is aggregation of all MLS AND pre/non-MLS listings. They couple premier aggregation with robust search, collaboration, and intelligence features to help agents manage their clients home search experience. To search like a pro, search with a pro.

Zoneomics Inc.

zoneomics.com

Zoneomics is national a zoning and land use data analysis platform. They have brought the world of zoning information into one source to transform the way real estate professionals operate. From a single parcel to an entire market in seconds, agents can visualize the use options and development allowance according to the zoning code. Increase deal flow, unlock opportunities and close deals faster with Zoneomics.

Inman Connect New York will take place at the New York Marriott Marquis Times Square from Jan. 28-Feb. 1, 2019. The best and the brightest in real estate and technology are expected to attend. For information on how to receive a press pass, please contact jennifer(at)inman.com.

About Inman | Real estate professionals from around the world turn to Inman first for accurate, innovative and timely information about the industry. Known for its award-winning journalism, cutting-edge technology coverage, in-depth educational opportunities, and forward-thinking events, Inman is the industrys leading source of real estate information. For more information, visit http://www.inman.com.
InterDev, an Atlanta area provider of Information Technology, Security, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) services, is proud to sponsor the Future City Competition to be held this weekend at the City Springs Conference Center in Sandy Springs, GA.

Future City is a national competition that focuses on improving students math, engineering, and science skills. The program invites 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students to use problem solving skills to imagine, design, and build cities of the future.

The competition starts with a question to the students  How can we make the world a better place? The students are given a scenario in which they must provide a solution to a citywide issue. Past topics include storm water management, urban agriculture, public spaces, and green energy. The 2018-2019 theme is Powering Our Future! Teams will be tasked to design a power grid for Future City that can withstand and quickly recover from the impacts of a natural disaster. Winners of the January regional competitions will move on to compete at the Finals in Washington, DC next month.

After the departure of the Georgias regional coordinator, Future Cities organizers suddenly found themselves without a coordinator for the region and without a venue for the 2019 competition. Eleonora Straub stepped up to the plate and filled the position. Straub advised the team from St. Jude the Apostle School that won first place in the regional Future City competition in 2018, and represented Georgia at the World Competition in Washington, D.C. Future Citys competition in GA was in danger of not happening at all since we lost not only our regional coordinator, but also the location at which to hold this amazing competition, Straub said.

InterDevs Director of GIS, Mike Edelson, suggested City Springs for the event and made the introduction. Mike saved the day and thus saved the Future City competition in Georgia! said Straub. Edelson has been involved with Future City competition for many years as a SimCity Virtual City and Special/Society Awards Judge.

Working together with City Springs and Edelson, Straub was able to secure not only a state of the art competition location but also additional sponsors for the event. Straub announced, On behalf of all the middle school students in GA, I would like to thank Mr. Edelson for his brilliant idea, his tireless determination and his generous support in making Future City competition happen last Saturday, January 19th, 2019!

InterDevs GIS team currently provides services to nearly 30 municipalities throughout the Southeast. With the Future City Competition coming so close to home, the team will have the direct opportunity to offer their continued support to the program. In addition, a number InterDev employees have volunteered to help judge this years regional competition.

About Future City

Future City is a program of DiscoverE, a consortium of professional and technical societies and major U.S. corporations. Future City, a STEM program, is reaching females and underserved students: 49% of participants are female; 33% of participating schools have 50% or more of their students enrolled in the reduced or free lunch program. The annual Future City Competition for sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students is held from September 2018 through February 2019.

More than 40,000 students from 1,350 middle schools typically participate nationwide in the regional competitions. The winning team from each qualifying regional competition receives a trip to the Future City Finals at the Hyatt Regency in Washington DC, February 16-20, 2019. For more information, visit http://www.futurecity.org.

About InterDev

Beyond their principal role as a strategic provider of Managed IT and Security Services, InterDev is well known as a champion of IT visioning and innovation for growing businesses and government agencies  a role they perfected over nearly four decades. In addition to managing and hosting IT operations for its valued clients, InterDev also offers MosaicGIS, a cloud-based, software-as-a-service GIS platform based on Esri, as well as VoIP telecommunications services and circuit solutions. InterDev delivers services to businesses and municipalities throughout the Southeast and Midwest from their offices in Atlanta, Beaufort (SC) and Chicago. For more information, visit http://www.interdev.com.
As we look to the future, our research has determined that more customers require engines in this particular power category, as they downsize with more efficient powertrains.

DEUTZ Corporation has expanded its line of under-25 HP engines to better meet the needs of customers who want to efficiently power machines like aerial platforms, welders, trenching equipment and mini skid-steer loaders, as well as equipment for lawn care and pump applications. Two new engines, the D1.2 and the D1.7, will be available for immediate delivery throughout the Americas in Q2 2019 with complete DEUTZ parts and service support already in place.

As we look to the future, our research has determined that more customers require engines in this particular power category, as they downsize with more efficient powertrains said Robert Mann, president and CEO of DEUTZ Corporation. The D1.2 and D1.7 are simple, cost-effective, mechanical engines that meet the latest emissions regulations both here in North America and in the EU.

DEUTZ has entered into an MOU with Kukje Machinery Co., with the mutual intent for both parties to sign a long-term agreement for these engines in early 2019. The D1.2 and D1.7 will be DEUTZ-branded and fully supported by the DEUTZ service network. The engines are naturally aspirated, three-cylinder configurations offered in 1.2L and 1.7L displacement with output ratings of up to 25 HP. The D1.2 and D1.7 can also be utilized with the new E-DEUTZ products by providing customers with complete hybrid packages that are more efficient and environmentally friendly.

These engines are well established in the off-highway market, and were confident that our customers who need engines in this power category will find the D1.2 and D1.7 to reflect the high quality standards that they expect from DEUTZ, Mann said.

In addition to the new D1.2 and D1.7 engines, DEUTZ will also offer its D2.2 L3 engine rated at 24.4 HP with no EGR or exhaust aftertreatment and a high torque rating that provides the type of machine performance typically achieved by 50 HP engines.

Its all a part of our strategy to provide customers with engines that provide the right amount of power, but are still simple and economical to install and maintain, said Steve Corley, chief sales officer for DEUTZ Corporation. By enhancing this particular engine range, were bringing DEUTZ quality and performance to even more equipment manufacturers here in the Americas.

To learn more about DEUTZ Corporation and its complete line of diesel and natural gas engines, visit http://www.deutzamericas.com.

ABOUT DEUTZ CORPORATION:

For more than 150 years, DEUTZ engines have supplied customized, cost-effective power to a broad array of machine types and market segments. The nine-millionth DEUTZ engine was produced in 2015. From its headquarters in Norcross, GA, DEUTZ Corporation, a subsidiary of DEUTZ AG, supports its product range of 25- to 830-hp diesel and natural gas engines. The company is committed to providing optimized power solutions from the drawing board to prototype to production release. The organization serves as a sales, service, parts, and application engineering center for the Americas, employing nearly 300 people. DEUTZ Corporation also operates a value-added production facility for some of its key OEM partners, as well as an engine remanufacturing facility in Pendergrass, Georgia. Strategically located DEUTZ Power Centers and Service Centers are designed uniquely support both OEM partners and end users. For more information, visit http://www.deutzamericas.com.

ABOUT KUKJE MACHINERY :

KUKJE Machinery has been manufacturing and providing agricultural machinery, tractors, combine harvesters, rice harvesters and diesel engines, to over 50 different countries and is a leading industrial company in Korea.

For the last 50 years, 450 skilled engineers and all staff members of BRANSON Tractor, the tractor brand name of KUKJE Machinery, have concentrated on developing cutting-edge technology and achieving the highest quality to meet global customers needs. BRANSON compact tractors equipped with EPA Tier-4 final and EC stage V engines, from 20hp to 74hp, are directly being exported to over 50 different countries and its quality is proven by winning Gold Level Status of NAEDA (North American Equipment Dealers Association) for 3 consecutive years.

KUKJE Machinery has the been producing diesel engines for tractors and other industrial applications to meet the global customer needs for over 30 years. For more information, visit http://www.branson-global.com
Kolkata, Jan 20 : Mahatma Gandhi's secularism was much more than just a religious yearning and he was successful in forging Hindu-Muslim unity, a panel of historians and political scientists said here on Sunday.

"I would like to say that Gandhi in the last few years of his life tried to make sure that India's political leadership is committed to secularism. This is something that is not generally realised," said Rajmohan Gandhi, biographer-cum-grandson of the leader, during a discussion on Gandhi's Secularism at the 10th edition of Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival (AKLF).

His latest book was 'Why Gandhi Still Matters: An Appraisal of the Mahatma's Legacy'.

Rajmohan Gandhi, biographer of Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, mentioned that if one reads carefully the history of the last few months of 1947, he would see there was a possibility of India becoming a Hindu state and Pakistan, an Islamic state.

"At that time Gandhi played an active role in getting a clear written political commitment. It was not just his religious yearnings," said.

Speaking about an incident when Gandhi was asked about rampant violence, his grandson said: "He preached 'fear not-hate not', but Gandhi had mentioned that 'fear not' became popular while the latter did not".

But consciously people knew that by acting on the feelings of ill-will or malice, one would do great harm to Indian society, he said.

Speaking about Gandhi's religious yearnings, political scientist Tridip Suhrud said "Ishwar Allah Tero Naam" is actually Bengal's gift, as young Manu Gandhi (Gandhi's grand niece) was visiting Noakhali when these words were added to 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram'( Hindu religious song). Gandhi told her that the lines must be included whenever this prayer is sung.

"It is not denial of God, it is about deep faith. To think of Gandhi minus his quest for religion would be to forget the most vital part of him. His life's long quest was to see God face-to-face. The idea of secularism is very differently constituted; it is constituted by 'samabhava'. This word is all about equality and equitability," Suhrud said.

Regarding Gandhi's take on religion in politics, historian-cum-grandnephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Sugata Bose said: "We have to understand he was describing non-violence, non-cooperation as a struggle of religion against irreligion. He was not in favour of separating the domains of religion and politics".

Bose said that like many of his contemporaries in the early 20th century, Gandhi believed that if religion is taken completely out of politics, it might be like evacuating it of any sense of ethics.

Also, he was very successful in forging Hindu-Muslim unity. His closest political compatriots were Shaukat Ali and Mohammad Ali.

Pointing how Gandhi evolved with time, Bose said: "In the early 1920s he would not dine with the Ali brothers and that he was also not in favour of inter-marriage. But by 1940s, he honestly mentioned that now he is in favour of inter-marriage and also approved inter-dining".

While writing papers on Gandhi, Bose found that though Gandhi failed to prevent Partition, in the months after independence he chided Congress leaders saying 'India does not belong to majority community and minorities have equal rights".
Bengaluru, Jan 20 : AIADMK's jailed leader V.K. Sasikala had received preferential treatment in Bengaluru Central Jail, including specially cooked food and access to special cells, a probe report revealed.

"Through the evidence, we get a clear indication of some food cooking activity in the group of five cells made available to Sasikala," noted the report of inquiry panel led by retired IAS Vinay Kumar.

Though the report was allegedly submitted to the Karnataka government in 2017, its findings were made public only now.

Karnataka's woman Indian Police Service (IPS) officer D. Roopa Moudgil, then Deputy Inspector General (DIG) (Prisons), through a report in 2017 first exposed the favours and alleged that special treatment was given to Sasikala in Bengaluru central prison.

Sasikala is serving a four-year sentence since February 2017 after the Supreme Court upheld her conviction in a corruption case by a trial court in Bengaluru in September 2015.

"My report was not accepted by the government, and instead I was transferred from the post. The independent inquiry panel's report, led by Vinay Kumar, is in line with my findings," Moudgil told IANS here.

"I stand vindicated as the panel's report also says there were serious lapses," she said.

After submitting her report, Moudgil was transferred by then Congress-led state government as the DIG Commissioner for Traffic and Road Safety, Bengaluru.

Class-A facilities were given to Sasikala, indicating "lapses", the independent probe report noted.

Questioned about the report, Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara refused to comment on the issue, saying he was "not aware".
New Delhi, Jan 20 : Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ridiculing the proposed grand alliance of opposition parties, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Sunday asserted the country in the next 100 days will be free of his "tyranny and incompetence".

"Your Highness, the cries for help are the cries of millions of unemployed youth; of farmers in distress; of oppressed Dalits and Adivasis; of persecuted minorities; of small businessmen in ruin; begging to be freed from your tyranny & incompetence.

"In 100 days they will be free," tweeted Gandhi in response to Modi assertions that the 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) was a grouping of corrupt, negativity and instability.

"Today, the entire opposition has come together and is shouting 'bachao, bachao, bachao'," Modi had said referring to 23 political parties coming together for 'oust Modi' campaign on Saturday at a mega rally in Kolkata organised by West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee.
Kohima, Jan 20 : Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Sunday said that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 is not applicable to Nagaland as the state stands protected under the provisions of Article 371(A) and the Inner Line Permit.

He said the state cabinet which met on January 18 discussed the Bill and re-iterated the earlier decisions adopted by the Cabinet on June 5, 2018 and January 7, 2019.

"The cabinet was of the unequivocal view that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is not applicable to Nagaland and we stand protected under the provisions of Article 371 (A) and the Inner Line Permit (ILP) as per Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, (BEFR) of 1873, affirmed under Clause 16 of the 16 Point Agreement," Rio said in a statement.

Moreover, he said the Cabinet decided to adopt a resolution re-affirming all provisions of Article 371(A) and to strengthen the implementation of the ILP as per the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) of 1873 that will also be taken up in the upcoming Nagaland Assembly session.

"The Cabinet also decided to refer the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill to the Standing Committee on Article 371(A) under the Nagaland Assembly to examine the issue in its entirety," Rio said.

The Cabinet decided to further appeal to the Indian government to have wider consultations with all northeastern states to ensure that the rights of the indigenous people were fully protected.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which has triggered massive protests in the northeastern states, was passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8.

The Bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 to grant Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who entered India before December 31, 2014.
San Francisco, Jan 20 : Facebook on Sunday said it will create an independent Institute for Ethics in Artificial Intelligence (AI) with an initial grant of $7.5 million.

In collaboration with the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in Germany, the institute will help advance the growing field of ethical research on new technology and will explore fundamental issues affecting the use and impact of AI.

"The institute will conduct independent, evidence-based research to provide insight and guidance for society, industry, legislators and decision-makers across the private and public sectors," said Joaquin Quinonero Candela, Director, Applied Machine Learning, at Facebook.

The institute will address issues that affect the use and impact of AI, such as safety, privacy, fairness and transparency.

"At the TUM Institute for Ethics in Artificial Intelligence, we will explore the ethical issues of AI and develop ethical guidelines for the responsible use of the technology in society and the economy," said Professor Dr Christoph Lutge.

The institute will also benefit from Germany's position at the forefront of the conversation surrounding ethical frameworks for AI "including the creation of government-led ethical guidelines on autonomous driving" and its work with European institutions on these issues.
Kolkata, Jan 20 : Lt General Zameer Uddin Shah (retd), whose explosive memoir "The Sarkari Mussalman" created a storm in 2018, said on Sunday that the SIT report that cleared then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's name is a "cover up" of the 2002 riots in the state.

"The Army was not given logistical support by the Gujarat administration when we arrived. It took them more than 24 crucial hours when hundreds of lives were lost to provide us with vehicles, guides and other logistical support.

"The SIT report contradicts everything that I have written in my memoir but let me make this very clear. I was never called by the SIT to present my version of events. I had submitted a detailed report in 2002 itself," Shah, a decorated Army veteran who was sent to Gujarat to quell the 2002 riots, said during a panel discussion on his book at the closing day of Apeejay Kolkata Literature Festival.

He reiterated that he had written the 'Gospel truth', adding that the sequence of events had been recorded in the "war diaries" of the Army.

The memoir, published by Konark Publishers, has courted much controversy over its portions relating to the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Shah said in his memoir that after about 3,000 troops landed at the Ahmedabad airfield by 7 a.m. on March 1, 2002, they had to wait for over a day to receive transport and other logistical support from the state government in order to fan out to the cities and towns which were engulfed in violence.

This delay, he said, happened despite a direct request by him to Modi at 2 a.m. on March 1 in Gandhinagar, in the presence of Union Defence Minister George Fernandes.

The Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigative Team (SIT) report, which cleared Modi's name, had concluded that there was no delay "in requisition and deployment of the Army", based on testimony of Ashok Narayan, the Additional Chief Secretary (Home).

Shah's version of events has been backed by then Army chief Gen S. Padmanabhan.

The SIT was headed by R.K. Raghvan, now ambassador to Cyprus. IANS Questions sent to him and his attache at the embassy have not been answered so far.

Shah was speaking at a session "Jai Hind! For flag and Country" at the closing day of the 10th edition of the Apeejay Kolkata Literaty Festival.
Bhubaneswar, Jan 20 : The East Coast Railway (ECoR) has ordered a large scale safety audit of all level crossings in its jurisdiction, an official said on Sunday.

The move came after the Tapaswini Express crossed a level crossing in open condition near Odisha's Puri on Saturday.

ECoR General Manager Purnendu Sekhar Mishra has called upon all staff and officers to identify weaknesses in the system and bring them to the fore.

"Unless we admit that there are mistakes or deficiencies, we cannot expect the system to grow and change for the better. Unless we admit that there are deficiencies, we cannot expect the deficiencies to be removed," he said.

He has asked senior officials to interact with junior colleagues to know more about problems in the field.

There are 828 level crossings in ECoR jurisdiction, out of which Odisha has 559. While there are 224 level crossings in Andhra Pradesh, 45 are in Chhattisgarh.

The audit will cover all safety aspects of the level crossings. Starting from the boom barriers to the approach road, the siren to the warning boards, all aspects will be checked in detail, said an ECoR statement.

The level crossing gatemen will be subjected to tests on their working knowledge. The level crossing drawings will also be matched with the actual ground position to rule out any inconsistencies, the statement said.

Loco pilots will also be tested for awareness of rules related to crossing the level crossings. These tests will be in the form of counselling and in interactive mode.

This safety drive will be one of the largest to be carried out by any zonal railway. Covering each level crossing in the zone will be a big task, but it has been ordered to be done at the earliest, the ECoR said.
Bengaluru, Jan 20 : Karnataka Congress legislator Anand Singh was hospitalised on Sunday after an alleged brawl with other party MLA while staying at a resort in Bengaluru, a party leader said.

"Anand Singh was taken to hospital after there was a friendly fight between few MLAs at the resort. Everything is all right and Anand is taking rest at the hospital," state's Food and Civil Supplies Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan told the media.

Singh is a legislator from Vijayanagara Assembly segment in Ballari district. He was shifted to a private hospital in the city centre.

The details of the attack on Singh were, however, not disclosed by the party leaders.

Earlier in the day, party leaders, including D.K. Shivakumar, however, denied any such attack on Singh.

The state unit BJP alleged that Congress MLAs "fear for life" under Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy government.

"Congress MLAs fear for life under HDK government. Siddaramaiah preaches everyone about Constitutional values, we demand (Congress state unit president) Dinesh Gundu Rao and Siddaramaiah to immediately suspend their party MLA responsible for the attack on Anand Singh," the party tweeted.

The southern state's Congress legislators have been residing at a private resort on the city outskirts since Friday night, after a party meeting was chaired by Siddaramaiah at the state legislature building Vidhana Soudha, as a show of legislators' strength.

The party's senior leaders and MLAs at the resort have been holding discussions over the alleged poaching attempts by the Bharatiya Janata Party and preparing for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections in April-May, the state Congress said.
Chandigarh, Jan 20 (IANS) Indian missions in the United States and Canada have sought security arrangements from local police and authorities as separatist pro-Khalistan group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) has given a call for disrupting the flag hoisting ceremony at the 70th Republic Day function.

Sources have told IANS that security has been sought for official functions to be held across cities in the United States and Canada. A large number of people of Indian origin are settled in both countries.

In the United States, R-Day functions have been planned in Washington, New York, Houston, San Francisco, Chicago and Atlanta.

Similar functions have been planned in Ottawa, Vancouver and Toronto in Canada. Toronto and Vancourver have a large Indian diaspora, especially from Punjab and the Sikh community.

In a statement issued from its New York headquarters through its legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the SFJ said that it will honour the pro-Khalistan Sikhs who will foil the hoisting of Indian Tricolor during the Republic Day celebrations.

The SFJ is considered a Sikh separatist group by intelligence agencies which is demanding the creation of Khalistan (land of the pure) as a separate territory for Sikhs.

In recent years, the SFJ has increased its separatist activities in United States, Canada and Britain.

In December last year, the SFJ put up separatist posters and hoardings of 'Referendum 2020' in Pakistan when Indian pilgrims went to Nankana Sahib town to celebrate the 549th birth anniversary of Sikhism's founder, Guru Nanak Dev.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who is very vocal in criticising the SFJ and its activities, had ordered a crackdown on the outfit amid "complaints by people of deliberate attempts to vitiate the state's atmosphere".

( can be reached at jaideep.s@ians.in)
New Delhi, Jan 20 : Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday attacked the opposition, saying they were coming together fearing defeat against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

"Fearing defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, they all are coming together after looking at the massive support towards Modi," Chouhan said while addressing party workers at the Vijay Sankalp rally at the Ramlila Maidan here.

Hitting out at the opposition parties for not being able to decide on a prime ministerial candidate, Chouhan said: "The opposition is unable to decide their candidate as everyone has a different opinion on it. In the south, people want Rahul Gandhi's government, Bengal wants Mamata Banerjee as Prime Minister whereas in Uttar Pradesh, people want Mayawati. There is no decision."

Taking a jibe at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, he said he was born in politics by opposing the Congress.

Chouhan said 22 opposition parties have come together as Modi has taken a tough stand on issues of corruption and also formed a special investigation team to look into the black money issue.

"Due to his tough stand on corruption and the black money, the corrupt people are calling the watchman (Modi) a thief. But the entire world knows who are thieves," he said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said the Prime Minister has taken the country to newer heights globally in the last four and a half years. "Modi has increased the respect of the country globally, wherever he goes people chant his name. Modi is god for poor, he is the identity of new India and he is the respect for India."

Asking the people to compare Modi with the 22 opposition party leaders, he said: "Is there any comparison between Modi and the 22 opposition party leaders? It is the beginning of the electoral battle, our leader has been decided but their leader has not yet been decided."

Recalling the surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Army across the border on the terror launch pads, Chouhan said: "Earlier, US and Israel used to carry out surgical strikes against their enemies. But now India under Modi's leadership is also capable of carrying out surgical strikes against terror."

Accusing the opposition of doing vote bank politics over the illegal refugees residing in the country, he demanded: "Should illegal refugees be sent back to their countries or not?"

Hitting out at the opposition, he said: "For their vote they did not want them to be sent back. But our government has decided to send them back."

He also said that the coming Lok Sabha elections are between a "nationalist and development-oriented government versus the unity of the opposition which wants to destroy the country".

Terming the Congress-led government in Madhya Pradesh as being handicapped, he questioned how long it will function.

"In the recently held Assembly elections, a very surprising thing happened in Madhya Pradesh. The BJP got more votes but the Congress got more seats," he said, adding that in terms of Lok Sabha parliamentary constituencies, the BJP was leading in 17 out of 29 seats.

"Yet they are short of a majority government. This government is a handicapped government. I don't know for how long it will function," he said.

Vowing that the BJP will again win more than 27 seats in Madhya Pradesh, the former Chief Minister said: "In 2014 elections, the BJP won 27 out of 29 seats. Right now looking at the vote percentage we are leading on 17.

"But I can assure you that we are going to win 27 seats again and will try to win all the 29 seats," Chouhan added.
Number of very hot days in Canberra, Australia, 1914-2018. The red curve is a quasipoisson regression. Graphic: Tamino / Open Mind

By Tamino

19 January 2019

(Open Mind)  Weve spoken before (as have many before us) of the fact that climate isnt just about the average, its about the whole distribution (the probability distribution if you want to get technical).

We also emphasized that the tails of the distribution  the probabilities for extreme values (very very cold or very very hot, if were talking about temperature) can change profoundly when we shift the distribution left or right, without otherwise changing its shape; we illustrated this with July temperature in Moscow:

Probability distribution of July temperature for Moscow, before and after the year 2000. Graphic: Tamino / Open Mind

It set me to wondering, how do things look down under?I got daily data from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology for over 100 stations across the continent (their ACORN data set), and searched them for very hot days. I defined a very hot day as one with a high temperature of 100F (37.78F) or higher. I hope the Aussies can forgive me for using a definition based on an arbitrary choice (triple-digits) for an arcane (Fahrenheit) temperature scale  but Americans understand it, and few can argue that 100F or higher makes for a very hot day.

I counted how many hot days occur each year, defining the year as July-through-June so that summer (Dec-Jan-Feb for southern hemisphererians) wont be split across years. Then I fit a straight line by least squares, just to test whether or not theres a trend and which way its going. To be eligible, I insisted that a station must have had at least 5 hot days since records began (for most stations, the year 1910). []

We can do exactly the same analysis for a station which is in a very hot part of Australia, Alice Springs. []

Number of very hot days in Alice Springs, Australia, 1911-2018. Graphic: Tamino / Open Mind

The number of very hot days each year (100F or hotter) has nearly tripled. All temperature from 37C (98.6F) and above are more likely. Note that about once a year they would reach 41C (105.8F) or more, but these days about once a year theyll make it up to 43C (109.4F). Not only have heat waves gotten more frequent and hotter, in places like Alice Springs theyre reaching extremely dangerous levels. [more]

The Oz Heat Distribution
Chandigarh, Jan 20 : Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah will break up the country if they return to power in the 2019 general elections.

"Agar inki desh mein dobara sarkar aa gayi 2019 mein, toh yeh desh ke tukde tukde kar dengey (If they return to power in the 2019 elections, they will break up the country)," Kejriwal told the media in Sangrur town in Punjab, around 130 km from here.

Kejriwal said that people in the country wanted to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha polls.

"The country is fed up with the five year rule of Modi and Amit Shah. They have destroyed this country in five years. They have poisoned the minds of people," the Delhi Chief Minister said.

"The whole country wants to defeat them. Leaders of all parties have got together and urged people to defeat them (BJP) in the elections," Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal, who was accompanied by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and AAP Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia, reached Sangrur by train.

After meeting party leaders from Punjab, Kejriwal left for Barnala town by road to launch the party's campaign for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
For a person who has had her own ups and downs in the government - from being the HRD minister when Narendra Modi became Prime Minister to being shifted to the less fancied textiles ministry - she appears to have emerged as BJP's swordarm to take on the Opposition, mainly the Congress, to convey the party's viewpoint on raging controversies.

Of late, Irani is the chosen spokesperson to attack the Congress as she is seen to be combative, quick-witted, sharp and articulate.

Irani, who challenged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in his Amethi bastion in the last Lok Sabha election, is never at a loss for words and has been at the forefront of the BJP's attack on allegations pertaining to members of the Nehru-Gandhi family.

With the Congress persistently raking up the controversial Rafale deal, she has articulated the party's viewpoint on several occasions.

She was fielded by the BJP on Friday to counter former Finance Minister P. Chidambarm's attack on the BJP following a newspaper report over the deal to purchase fighter jets from France.

Earlier in the week, she took on Rahul Gandhi after he sought to mock Prime Minister Narendra Modi over receiving the Philip Kotler Presidential award.

While Gandhi had said sarcastically that the award was so famous that it had no jury and had never been given out before, she hit back saying late Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were honoured with Bharat Ratna during Congress regimes by their own governments.

"The allegation had been made by a person whose illustrious family decided to confer the 'Bharat Ratna' on themselves," she said.

During the debate in the Lok Sabha in the winter session on the triple talaq bill, an important issue for the BJP, the party fielded Irani as one of its key speakers.

She also hit out at Rahul Gandhi during the debate on the Rafale deal over his claim that Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had "lied" and Modi was an "incompetent man".

When the Congress attacked BJP chief Amit Shah over the alleged 16,000-fold increase in its turnover of a company linked to his son, the BJP fielded Irani to defend him.

She was among first leaders to attack Rahul Gandhi over reports of his rising popularity on Twitter.

Irani, who was then the Information and Broadcasting Minister, took to Twitter, suggesting that the retweets were from fake accounts abroad.

She has articulated the BJP's viewpoint on all issues raised by the opposition including demonetisation, jobs and the problem of farmers.

Irani, who is the youngest member in the Modi cabinet, continues to visit Amethi and is likely to again challenge Gandhi in the electoral fray.

She made arrangements for sending senior citizens from Amethi to the Kumbh earlier this month. She keeps the party cadre in the parliamentary constituency motivated by keeping in touch with them.

Irani, who joined BJP In 2003 and entered Rajya Sabha in 2011, got a big elevation when she was appointed Human Resource Development minister soon after the formation of the BJP-led government in 2014.

Almost immediately afterwards, was in the midst of a controversy over an incident at a famous apparel store in Goa during a party conclave that attracted unnecessary attention. She was dropped from the National Executive and shifted from the HRD after her controversial statement during a raging row over the death of Rohit Vemula, a Dalit scholar of Hyderabad University.

She was shifted to the Textiles ministry in 2016 that led to speculation that her influence within the party had waned. There was similar speculation when she was moved out of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry after almost a year.

But all that speculation has proved to be unfounded. Irani has been, and continues to be, the key face of the party articulating its viewpoint and taking the battle to the opposition camp.

"Her journey so far has been very inspirational and she has worked hard. She has never refrained from struggle and has taken the plunge whenever asked to. She is a fighter. She has a very good command over language and there is clarity in her thoughts. Her moving ahead is also an inspiration for other women," Vijaya Rahatkar, chief of the BJP's women's wing, told IANS.

Irani, who joined politics after working in television serials, took on Congress heavyweight Kapil Sibal in the Chandni Chowk seat in 2004 Lok Sabha polls and lost. She has served the party in various capacities, including as BJP national secretary and president of the BJP's Mahila Morcha.

"She is a firebrand leader with very good political acumen. She has had a long journey and has kept improving. She has proved herself in all the positions she has held," party leader Vinay Katiyar said.
New York, Jan 20 (IANS) With an eye on political moderates, President Donald Trump has offered to bargain temporary status for nearly a million illegal immigrants for the $5.7 million he wants in the budget for his border wall, but the deal to end the partial government shutdown was shot down by the Democratic Party leadership.

After swearing-in a group of immigrants as citizens at the Oval Office on Saturday, he said he would give a three-year reprieve from deportation for 700,000 young people who were brought into the US as children and 300,000 illegal immigrants from Nepal and certain other countries that have faced natural disasters or violent upheavals.

He also promised to pursue immigration reforms after the shutdown crisis was resolved and hold weekly bipartisan meetings to fashion "a great product, a product we can be proud of".

Democrat leaders have ruled out any compromise and insist on an end to the shutdown before there can be negotiations.

Even before he spoke, Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected any proposal he would make saying they would be a "non-starter".

The Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the proposals "ineffective and one-sided" and accused him of taking the one million as hostages.

The government remained paralysed except for its vital functions as the partial government shutdown that entered its 30th day on Sunday with most government employees going without their paychecks since January 11 and nearly 800,000 of them on temporary layoff.

Trump has demanded that the budget should include $5.7 billion for his border barrier, which the Democrats, who control the House of Representatives, have refused. Because of the stalemate there is no budget and no money for most government operations.

His first formal offer of concessions was aimed at the moderates in both parties who were looking for a path to compromise.

"It is time to reclaim our future from the extreme voices who fear compromise and demand open borders," he said.

Some in his own party have also opposed his proposal citing the offer to extend temporary protection to some illegal immigrants.

Trump offered a scaled-down vision of the border wall that he had promised in his election campaign, saying, "This is not a 2,000 mile concrete structure from sea to sea. These are steel barriers in high priority locations."

Temporary permission to say legally in the US that was given to the 700,000 young people, dubbed "Dreamers" for their pursuit of the American Dream, expired in March and the Trump administration did not renew it.

Another programme to allow people from certain countries affected by violence or natural calamities like the Nepal earthquake to stay on in the US is not being renewed.

Democrats said that since Trump had ended these programmes offering to reinstate them was not a compromise. "Offering some protections back in exchange for the wall is not a compromise but more hostage-taking," Schumer said.

Trump also said that he would introduce a system for people to apply for asylum in their Central American home countries, instead of coming to border and either applying for asylum or entering the US illegally.

About 7,000 Central Americans who came in a caravan through Mexico are camped in squalor at the border trying to enter US, straining the resources of their host towns and another caravan is on its way.

He described it as a "humanitarian and security crises".

Trump cast his efforts end illegal immigration as a compassionate effort, saying it would end the exploitation of migrants, especially women and children, by the smugglers who have been known to attack and rape them.

As for the US, he said the end to illegal immigration would prevent wages being depressed, the public services being strained and criminals entering the country. He mentioned an Indian-American police Corporal Ronil Singh, who was killed the day after Christmas in California by an illegal immigrant.

He also said the border barrier would stop the drugs being smuggled across the border.

If there is a compromise, "we can start the border project of remaking our immigration system for the 21st century", Trump said.

He has said earlier that he wants to introduce a merit-based immigration system similar to those of Canada and Australia that could benefit Indian professionals who have to wait as many as 10 years to get their green cards.

Two weeks ago, he had tweeted, that those on temporary professional H1-B visas "can rest assured that changes are soon coming" that will put them on "a potential path to citizenship".

A master of marketing, Trump evoked the imagery of patriotism and the traditions of welcoming legal immigrants.

He went in the morning to an air force base to solemnly receive the bodies of four Americans killed by the Islamic State terrorists in Syria last week. One of the victims was a Syrian-American woman.

And just before his speech he held a ceremony for a group of green card-holders that included a Muslim woman wearing a head cover to formally become US citizens.

On the other side, thousands participated in the Women's March in Washington and elsewhere that protested Trump's immigration policies in addition to demanding protection of women's rights.

( can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis)
New Delhi, Jan 20 : The "BJP hatao" campaign of opposition parties got a major boost at the Kolkata rally convened by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee but the idea of a "mahagathbandhan (grand alliance)" continues to be a challenge over the absence of a common face to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

The grand event of opposition unity, barely three months before the Lok Sabha polls, had its incongruities. Congress President Rahul Gandhi and BSP chief Mayawati skipped it even as they sent their nominees, apparently not wanting to put any doubt on their own claims to prime ministership in the post-poll scenario.

The event was not attended by the Left parties, Banerjee's rivals in West Bengal, Biju Janata Dal, the Telangana Rasthra Samithi and YSR Congress Party.

Some of the parties which shared the platform will be fighting against each other in the Lok Sabha elections - the Congress against the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi and Congress against the Bahujan Samaj Party-Samajwadi Party combine in crucial Uttar Pradesh.

There is no clarity yet if the Congress party will ally with Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal. The Left will leave no stone unturned to defeat the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. The Congress and Left will battle it out in Kerala.

But as a platform, the Kolkata rally sent important signals that the opposition parties are willing to cooperate and coordinate to the largest extent possible against the Modi government and that they will have no hesitation in forging an alliance in the post-poll scenario to keep the BJP out.

All the issues in the opposition's quiver, including the Rafale deal, demonetisation, "flawed" implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), unemployment, job losses and farm distress, "attack" on institutions, "misuse" of investigative agencies and apprehension over misuse of electronic voting machines (EVMs) were raised at the meeting and virtually spelt out the opposition's narrative in the run-up to the general elections.

The opposition's challenge makes re-election tougher for Modi, who has already started attacking the grand alliance and is pitching the election as a "people versus mahagathbandhan" battle.

The poll arithmetic in terms of alliances such as that between the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh will also make the going tough for the BJP.

A doughty campaigner, Modi is also potraying the opposition parties as greedy for power, pointing out that their only agenda is to remove him and come to power for their "selfish" ends while he is constantly working for welfare of the people.

The Modi government is also making course corrections following election losses in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

The show of unity at Kolkata has augmented the opposition challenge in the Lok Sabha elections and the opposition parties are expected to follow with some more such shows of strength in other parts of the country in the coming weeks.
Mumbai, Jan 20 (IANS) The ongoing third quarter earning results, budget expectations, developments in the US-China trade relations and the Brexit issue will chart the course of the markets in the weeks to come.

Also any volatility in crude oil prices will continue to affect the rupee, which has weakened for two consecutive weeks.

"Traders should trade cautiously for the next 10 days as markets prepare and discount budget expectations," said Sahil Kapoor, Chief Market Strategist, Research, Edelweiss Wealth Management.

The NSE Midcap Index has closed at a five week low and is beginning to witness broad based selling. Nifty on the other hand has been able to eke out gains based on a select few bluechip stocks.

The quarterly results will remain in focus in the upcoming weeks as major third quarter results by Kotak Mahindra Bank, Maruti Suzuki, Larsen and Toubro, Yes Bank, Asian Paints and ITC is scheduled to be announced.

"Trading woes will be dictated by the upcoming interim budget with investors preparing to reshuffle their portfolio according to their expectations." said Rahul Sharma of Equity99.

In November, the Bank of England had warned that a no-deal Brexit can cause a recession worse than the 2008 financial crisis. After the Brexit deal was rejected by British Parliament with a significant margin, investors will keep a close watch on developments in the same.

On the partial US government shutdown, New York Federal Reserve President John Williams has raised a red flag saying that the shutdown is an emerging headwind to the economic growth. The prolonged shutdown is causing uncertainty among the investors.

According to Viral Berawala of Essel Mutual Fund, investors awaited the next steps for the UK after Prime Minister Theresa May's government narrowly survived a no-confidence vote. Losing the vote has made it harder to have a smooth Brexit.

Regarding the US-China trade relations, Berawala said that reports of Beijing offering to ramp up imports from Washington and the latter considering to lift some tariffs on Chinese products would boost the global investor sentiments.

"The Nifty would need to convincingly close above the recent highs of 10,931, for it to move towards the 11,200 levels in the coming week; else range bound price action could continue. Crucial support to watch in the coming week for weakness is 10,692," Jasani said.

The S&P BSE Sensex gained 376.77 points, or 1.04 per cent, to close at 36,386.61, whereas the Nifty gained 112 points, or 1.04 per cent, to settle at 10,906.95 during the week gone by.

The Indian rupee continued to depreciate for the second week on the trot, as it weakened by 69 paise to Rs 71.18 against the US dollar from its previous close of Rs 70.49.

Provisional data from the BSE since the start of year showed that foreign institutional investors offloaded stocks worth Rs 2,318.76 crore as against domestic investors buying Rs 1,842.31-crore shares.

( can be reached at ravidutta.m@ians.in)
Mexico City, Jan 20 : The death toll from a devastating oil pipeline blast in Mexico has increased to 73, officials said.

The toll was confirmed to the media by Hidalgo Governor Omar Fayad on Saturday evening, reports Efe news.

Accompanied by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Fayad said that there were 74 injured, who were receiving treatments at hospitals in Hidalgo, Mexico City, Queretaro and Guanajuato.

The governor announced that some of the injured will be transferred in the next few hours to a specialised burns medical centre in Galveston, Texas.

It is believed that the blast occurred after the pipeline was ruptured by suspected oil thieves in the town of Tlahuelilpan, in Hidalgo state, on Friday night.

The pipeline went ablaze at around 7 p.m., when dozens of people were scrambling around a leak spot to collect fuel in the presence of the armed forces.

TV footage showed large flames and people at the scene with severe burns as well as what appeared to be smouldering corpses scattered on the ground near the blaze.

Raul Arroyo, Hidalgo state prosecutor, said of the 73 victims, only nine have been identified so far.

Authorities said that the pipeline transported the highly flammable octane gasoline which facilitated the explosion, although the exact cause of the blast was still being ascertained.

Residents in the immediate vicinity of the pipeline, which runs from the cities of Tuxpan to Tula, have been evacuated, state oil company Pemex said.

President Obrador, who visited Tlahuelilpan on Saturday, said pipelines will be monitored to avoid fuel theft, CNN reported.

"To guarantee that there are no fuel shortages, it has been fundamental the participation of the armed forces, the military, marines and federal police," he said.

"If necessary, we will re-enforce the surveillance strategy. Another method will be the increase of fuel transportation capacity."

The explosion comes as gas stations in several Mexican states and the country's capital have been running dry for nearly two weeks.

The Obrador administration closed key pipelines in an effort to crack down on fuel theft, which the Mexican leader said cost the country an estimated $3 billion last year.
Washington, Jan 20 : US President Donald Trump said the location for his second meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been picked and will be announced "in the future".

"We've picked the country, but we'll be announcing it in the future," Trump told reporters at the White House on Saturday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Trump's remarks came a day after his meeting with Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of North Korea's ruling Korean Workers' Party Central Committee, at the White House.

"We had a very good meeting," Trump said.

"We've made a lot of progress that has not been reported by the media, but we have made a lot of progress as far as denuclearization's concerned," he added.

The White House announced on Friday following the meeting that the second summit between the two leaders "will take place near the end of February".

Both leaders of Washington and Pyongyang have said they look forward to the second summit. Trump and Kim Jong-un held a historic summit in Singapore in June last year.

Kim said during his January 7-10 trip to China, his fourth visit to China in less than a year, that Pyongyang will make efforts for the second summit between North Korea and US leaders to achieve results that will be welcomed by the international community, while thanking China for its efforts to push for progress in the Korean Peninsula.

Seoul has voiced similar appreciation.

At a press conference on January 10, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said: "Until now, China has played a positive role in helping very much the Korean Peninsula's denuclearization and improving inter-Korean relations."
SYDNEY, Jan. 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Speedcast International Limited (ASX: SDA), the world's most trusted provider of remote communication and IT solutions, today announced that Iridium CertusSM, an advanced new multi-service platform powered by the $3 billion Iridium NEXT constellation, is now commercially available to Speedcast customers. Iridium Certus is designed to meet any customer needs from small to large applications, or low to high-speed, across maritime, IoT, land mobile, and government applications. The service brings enhanced functionality with enterprise-grade global network connectivity to the Land, Maritime, and Offshore markets.

The new Iridium Certus service simplifies satellite communications through a robust multi-service platform, where one terminal can deliver a range of services from multiple high-quality voice lines to the highest throughput L-band data connection available. Initial IP data speeds debut at up to 352 kbps, and later, through a firmware upgrade, up to 704 kbps. Eventually, the IP connection speeds will be up to 10-times faster, reaching up to 1.4Mbps and can support Streaming IP, Short Burst Data (SBD), prepaid and safety services. With Iridium Certus, customers can control costs by eliminating the need to deploy expensive infrastructure or large, expensive directional terminals that rely on geostationary satellites.

"Speedcast's mission is to bring reliable high-speed communications to our customers worldwide," said Tim Bailey, Executive Vice President, Products, Marketing and Business Development, Speedcast. "With the introduction of Iridium Certus, Speedcast is launching several unique hardware and airtime packages that bring flexibility across multiple land, maritime and offshore usage needs for all segments. Our new price packaging, combined with Speedcast's wide range of Value Added Services make Iridium Certus from Speedcast an industry-leading offering for either primary communications or as backup to our Global Ku-band VSAT. We are already seeing strong early take up on Iridium Certus from our Land, Maritime, and Offshore customers where reliable, simple-to-use mobile connectivity is critical for their business operations."

"Speedcast is a key global launch partner in our Iridium Certus strategy," said Bryan Hartin, Executive Vice President, Iridium. "As we bring the best-in-class Iridium Certus broadband service to customers, we are confident that the partnership with Speedcast will help solidify our stance as the leader in mobile satellite communications."

When paired with VSAT, Iridium Certus delivers an ideal hybrid solution that combines L-band with Speedcast's global Ku-band VSAT service. The combined service keeps operations running in the case of an outage or blockage by providing guaranteed back-up voice and data services. Iridium Certus is a key component of Speedcast Atlas, the fully-managed end-to-end service with global 24/7 technical support.

For more information on the Iridium Certus promotion, go to https://events.speedcast.com/iridium-certus.

About Speedcast International Limited

Speedcast International Ltd (ASX: SDA) is the largest provider of remote communications and IT services in the world. Speedcast's fully managed service is delivered via a leading global, multi-access-technology, multi-band and multi-orbit network of 80+ satellites and an interconnecting global terrestrial network, bolstered by extensive on the ground local support from 40+ countries. This global "network of networks" allows customers to fully rely on the most robust, integrated infrastructure available in the market for their mission critical applications. Speedcast is uniquely positioned as a strategic business partner, tailoring communications, IT and digital solutions to meet unique customer needs and enable business transformation. Speedcast extends its managed services through differentiated technology offerings including cyber-security, crew welfare, content solutions, data and voice applications and network systems integration services. With a passionate customer focus and a strong safety culture, Speedcast serves more than 2,500 customers in over 140 countries in sectors such as Maritime, Energy, Mining, Enterprise, Media, Cruise, NGOs and Government. Learn more at www.speedcast.com.

Social Media: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook

Speedcast is a trademark and registered trademark of Speedcast International Limited. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective owners.

 2019 Speedcast International Limited. All rights reserved.

Contact Information:

Toni Lee Rudnicki

Vice President, Global Marketing

Speedcast International Ltd

[email protected]

+1-832-668-2634

SOURCE Speedcast International Limited

Related Links

http://www.speedcast.com


DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, January 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

Torry Harris Business Solutions (THBS), a global leader in integration, full life-cycle API management and digital transformation, announced that they have been named a 'Strong Performer' in The Forrester Wave: API Management Solutions, Q4 2018. Forrester says, "Overall, the reference customers provided by Torry Harris Business Solutions are very satisfied with both vendor and product."

Forrester, in its Wave report notes that:

"Torry Harris Business Solutions is a full-fledged systems integrator that treats its API management solution as a versioned, supported product. This provides a strong combination of broad out-of-the-box product features and innovative API strategy and delivery skills."

"Its product strategy is driven by a vision for platform business models and disruptive ecosystems. This, in turn, is exemplified by a corollary product, Digit Market (not part of this evaluation), which wraps the API management core with additional marketplace capabilities."

" Torry Harris productizes multiple other elements useful to an API platform, such as API testing tools, a repository, build tools, documentation authoring, and API business strategy planning."

According to Shuba Sridhar, Vice President - Strategic Initiatives, Torry Harris Business Solutions, "Digital Transformation is about automated integration. Done right, APIs & API Management are a means to succeed with automated integration. Glad that THBS has been recognized in the API Management space. Automating integration has been the core focus area of the company for more than two decades!"

A complimentary copy of The Forrester Wave: API Management Solutions can be downloaded HERE.

About THBS

Torry Harris Business Solutions is a multinational provider of business, technology and IT consulting services. It specializes in the areas of Integration, Platform Services, Full life-cycle API Management and Digital Transformation Services. THBS has been appraised at level 5 of the CMMI Institute's Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI Level 5). The company has been assessed and certified for ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001 & ISO 26001. THBS is also compliant with Payment Card Industry's Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). The company has its offshore development centres in Bangalore & Gurgaon (India). It has offices in Bristol (UK), New Jersey (USA), Dubai (UAE), Dublin (Ireland), Munich (Germany), Paris (France) and Vienna (Austria).

Visit https://www.thbs.com/ to know more about the company, its services & products.

Media Contact:

Diganta Kumar Barooah

[email protected]

+91-80-41827200

Torry Harris Business Solutions



SOURCE Torry Harris Business Solutions
NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Jan. 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Peninsula YMCA is waiving membership dues for Y members whose pay is being delayed due to the partial government shutdown.

"Social responsibility is a key focus for the Y, and that includes supporting our neighbors and providing others the opportunity to give back to our community," said Adam Klutts, CEO of the Peninsula YMCA. "Our concern grows for the wellbeing of members who are federal employees impacted by the shutdown. We want to help with the mounting stress that results from trying to meet basic needs while not receiving a paycheck. Maintaining healthy habits and exercise are more important than ever when life's challenges are beyond our control."

Peninsula YMCA members affected should present their government ID to their local Peninsula YMCA center in January to have their dues waived.

In addition, Peninsula YMCA locations in Hampton, Newport News and Williamsburg will be designated collection centers for the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank.

"Many furloughed federal employees are eligible for assistance from the foodbank," said Karen Joyner, CEO of the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank. "We deeply appreciate the support from the Peninsula YMCA, particularly at this time of year when donations are typically lower following the holidays. It's always so inspiring to see our community partners come together to make sure no one goes hungry. It is vital that our shelves are always stocked because food insecurity can impact a home without any notice."

Anyone interested in donating to the foodbank may drop off non-perishable food items to the Hampton Family YMCA located at 1 YMCA Way in Hampton; the Tom and Ann Hunnicutt Family YMCA located at 7827 Warwick Blvd. in Newport News; or the R.F. Wilkinson Family YMCA, located at 301 Sentara Circle in Williamsburg during normal hours. The YMCA locations will not distribute any food but will serve as collection centers for the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank, which will dispense food from its regular distribution locations.

About the Y

The Y is one of the nation's leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Across the U.S., 2,700 Ys engage 21 million men, women and children  regardless of age, income or background  to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nation's health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. Anchored in more than 10,000 communities, the Y has the long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change. pmymca.org.

SOURCE Peninsula Metropolitan YMCA

Related Links

https://www.peninsulaymca.org


American Mirror

January 20, 2019

A divided and notably smaller Womens March stepped off today, but activists despise America just as much.

As the malcontents approached the Trump International Hotel & Tower in New York, they chanted, Five, six, seven, eight, America was never great!

Watch:

Five, six, seven, eight! America was never great!: chant at uptown Womens March (passing a Trump hotel on Central Park West) pic.twitter.com/br0mnNFd64  Matthew Chayes (@chayesmatthew) January 19, 2019

America was NEVER great! one printed sign read as the protesters chanted.

Another sign said Trump/Pence regime must go.

At the same protest in New York City, socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez fended off a question about organizers anti-Semitism by accusing President Trump of anti-Semitism.

WATCH: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez addresses question about those with concerns about anti-Semitism within the Women's March groups. https://t.co/qxhHH5CLXR pic.twitter.com/0B90LAZ186  The Hill (@thehill) January 19, 2019

When asked about anti-Semitic statements by several leaders of the Womens March, Ocasio-Cortez responded, Right now, in this moment in the United States, we have to censure this conversation.

I think that concerns of anti-Semitism with the current administration and the White House are absolutely valid and we need to be sure we are protecting the Jewish community and all those that feel vulnerable in this moment.

This article was posted: Sunday, January 20, 2019 at 6:51 am

Print this page.

Infowars.com Videos:

Comment on this article
Plattsburgh, NY (12901)

Today

Partly cloudy skies during the morning hours will give way to occasional showers in the afternoon. High near 80F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Showers early becoming less numerous late. Low 62F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
The 16-year-old suffered minor injuries, police said. Shamirs relative was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and weapons offenses and was released.

James is charged with aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, employing a juvenile in the commission of a crime, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and other offenses.

James is scheduled to appear for a pre-indictment conference on Feb. 11.

Three A.C. men released:

Three city men charged with evading police after reports of one of them waving a handgun at an unknown victim in the resort were released from jail Thursday after detention hearings in Atlantic County Superior Court.

Kyrie Johnson, 26, Abdul Bailey, 26, and Yahsin Cheeks, 25, all charged with eluding, obstruction of justice and resisting arrest, were arrested Jan. 8 after city police responded to a call reporting a man was brandishing a handgun at an unknown victim on Tennessee and Atlantic avenues.

After an officer tried to conduct a motor vehicle stop, the driver sped off, police said, before stopping in the 800 block of Virginia Avenue, where the three men got out and ran. Officers arrested Johnson and Bailey.
The buildings  Liberty Apartments at 1519 Baltic Ave.; Disston Apartments at 1711 Arctic Ave.; and School House Apartments at 61 N. Martin Luther King Blvd.  have not been renovated in decades and have been the source of many citizen complaints, according to city officials.

We knew they were not performing to the standard that HUD would like to see, based on their real estate assessment center scoring, Meringoff said. They were not meeting a passing score. So we are drawn to those opportunities.

He estimated the project will provide $12.5 million in economic impact to the area through wages paid to subcontractors and local spending by construction workers. It will create 74 direct construction jobs, 86 indirect jobs and improve living conditions and supportive services for more than 300 residents, he said.

The hearing was run by CRDA Director of Planning and Development Lance Landgraff, who pointed out that CRDA is only being asked to provide a small portion of the overall funding for the project.

The proposal will come back before the full CRDA board for a vote, probably in February. If all goes well with the CRDA loan and other financing, we expect to start the rehabilitation in midsummer, Meringoff said. We are lining up for July.
Cape May during the winter is a very different place than Cape May in high season. Instead of bustling crowds carousing through Washington Street Mall during summer evenings, theres a distinct quiet that overtakes the area, with seasonal businesses closed and significantly smaller crowds. And thats good news for us locals, who get the town, and the fun, practically to ourselves. Here, five Cape May bars to get to in the offseason.

1. The Mad Batter.

At The Batter, as its affectionately known to locals, there is live music seven days a week, all year round. After being closed for a few weeks for renovations, The Batter is back with both live music and fantastic cocktails. Head there this week for Mike Flanigan on Thursday, The Squares on Friday and Wednesday, Jimm Ross Trio on Saturday and Monday, Open Mic Night on Sunday, and The Honey Hawks on Tuesday. Located at 19 Jackson St. Go to MadBatter.com for more information.

2. Fins Bar & Grille.
The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, said he was hopeful his estranged benefactor and predecessor, Godswill Akpabio, would be defeated in the February 16 senatorial election.

Mr Emmanuels campaign trail was at Ikot Ekpene and Obot Akara  two key local government areas in Akwa Ibom North-West District  on Saturday.

Mr Akpabio, a former governor of the state, is the senator representing the district.

He is seeking re-election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC in August last year.

His main challenger, Chris Ekpeyong, a shrewd businessman and a former deputy governor of the state, is from Obot Akara.

The senators defection, which has rattled PDP in the state till date, is considered a major threat to Mr Emmanuels re-election bid.

Although Mr Emmanuel did not mention Mr Akpabio by name while addressing the political rallies in the two areas, he repeatedly assured the crowd at the events that Mr Ekpenyong would make a better senator.

Governor Emmanuel spent much time talking about the local politics in Ikot Ekpene and Obot Akara.

I can sign my signature on him, he will not betray you people, and he will not betray PDP, Governor Emmanuel said of the PDP senatorial candidate. Nobody loves Obot Akara and Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District like Chris Ekpenyong.

The governor urged the people of Obot Akara and Ikot Ekpene to give Mr Ekpenyong 100 per cent votes in the election.

He said it would make a perfect combination for Mr Ekpenyong to be at Abuja, while he, as governor, controls the state.

I have checked records, this is the first time Obot Akara is going to produce a senator, he added.

The governor, who said his administration has built roads and bridges in Obot Akara, promised to do more for the area if he is elected for a second term.

For Mr Emmanuels re-election bid, his campaign team is banking on activating the governors marital relationship to gain some votes in the district.

Governor Emmanuels wife, Martha, is from Oruk Anam, which is a local government area in the district.

Ikot Ekpene, your daughter is the governors wife, Idongesit Nkanga, a former governor of the state and the director general of Mr Emmanuels campaign team, said at the rally in Ikot Ekpene. Will you go look for another governorship candidate to support?

Anybody can build roads, hospitals if he has money to pay contractors. But for the private sector to come and invest and give you 15 industries in three and a half years, it takes more than just money. If you dont have source of energy, if you dont have security, nobody will come and invest in your state.

Udom Emmanuel is a man of peace. You cannot give what you dont have. It is because of that peace that we have prosperity in Akwa Ibom state today, Mr Nkanga said.

ADVERTISEMENT

He added, Nobody changes a winning team.

Mr Akpabio, whose political influence cuts across the entire Akwa Ibom State, is considered the favourite in the Akwa Ibom North-West District election.
ADVERTISEMENT

The kidnappers of 20 men from Illela in Katsina State have threatened to kill their captives on Monday if they do not receive N20 million.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how on December 19, last year 20 men were abducted by gunmen at Illela village of Safana Local Government Area on their way back from a wedding ceremony in Kankara town.

PREMIUM TIMES obtained audio of a voice call between one of the village elders and one of the kidnappers.

In the audio, the kidnapper gave an ultimatum of four days which will lapse tomorrow (Monday).

He threatened that if the N20 million is not paid by Monday, they would kill the captives since their relatives dont love them enough to provide the ransom. He said the kidnappers were also tired of holding the victims.

PREMIUM TIMES made efforts to communicate with the police spokesperson in the state, Gambo Isa, who at first denied the incident.

Mr Isa later confirmed the abduction after speaking with the police divisional officer for Zakah district. He said that they are collaborating with the traditional leaders in the community and Miyetti Allah cattle breeders group as the local vigilante group to rescue the victims.

He explained some efforts by the police to free the victims.

The police spokesperson assured the victims would soon be rescued, saying negotiation with the kidnappers was not an option.

In a telephone interview, a resident of the area confirmed the kidnappers first brought down their initial demand of N50 million to N30 million (N1.5 million for each person) and now to N20 million.

The resident who pleaded anonymity said the police had not attended to similar cases, saying the security agency was always reluctant to assign officers to comb the forest in search of the victims.

He also lamented that the demand of the kidnappers cannot be met since the villagers are poor and will not be able to raise even N100,000.
ADVERTISEMENT

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has deployed jet aircraft and helicopters on special surveillance in efforts to flush out bandits in Sokoto State and environs.

An Air Vice Marshal, Isiaka Amao, the Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Tactical Air Command (TAC), disclosed this to journalists on Saturday at the arrival of Special Force at Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, Sokoto.

Mr Amao said the deployment to Sokoto was in fulfilment of the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakars promise during his last visit to Sokoto.

He said the Chief of Air Staff made arrangement based on observations during the last visit to affected states as well as successes recorded in other areas. The officer noted that some bandits who moved from some places in neighbouring Zamfara had found Sokoto as a safe haven and that they continue extending their nefarious acts in some of the villages in Sokoto State.

He charged officers and men deployed to be serious with the mission, noting that the business is to flush out all the bandits in Sokoto state in collaboration with other sister services and security agencies.

To assist you in this task, the NAF has deployed jet aircraft, helicopters and surveillance aircraft, he added.

He explained that these platforms would operate from Katsina and Sokoto airfields and assured that adequate Jet A-1 fuel, support equipment and personnel were on ground to support the air operations.

Mr Amao assured that the Chief of Air Staff had provided enough resources for the welfare of the Special Force.

However, he said: I want to remind you once again that your duty here is to protect and save lives and property, it is not to harass or intimidate the good people of Sokoto state.

You are all professionals and you should operate as such, you must adhere strictly to your rule of engagement and be good ambassadors of NAF.

He wished them safe and successful operation, adding that residents and government looked forward to having a peaceful state as soon as possible.

(NAN)
ADVERTISEMENT

Six political parties in Bauchi State announced on Sunday that they have formed a common front to unseat incumbent APC governor, Muhammed Abubakar, during the forthcoming elections.

The parties, led by an elder statesman, Bello Kirfi, announced this in Bauchi while addressing a press conference.

Mr Kirfi named the six parties as the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Green Party of Nigeria (GPN) and aggrieved members of All Progressive Congress (APC)

According to him, others are Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alliance for Democratic Congress (ADC) and Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM).

The parties enumerated the decay in infrastructure, education, environment and other sectors in the last four years, among other reasons, as the factors that necessitated the coalition.

They said that some party faithful had decided to remain in APC because of their respect for President Muhammad Buhari and not because they were happy with happenings in the state.

The parties said that they had perfected plans to foil an alleged plan to rig the polls, saying they would engage their supporters to protect their votes during the election.

Yakubu Lame, former Minister of Police Affairs who was one of those that lost to the incumbent governor during the APC primaries, said they were not fighting APC in the state, but Governor Abubakar.

Mr Lame lamented the loss of key members of the party in the state and called on the national secretariat of the party to take action.

Also speaking, PRP gubernatorial candidate, Muhammad Ali-Pate, a former minister who also lost to the incumbent governor during the APC primaries, said he defected to PRP following rancour that engulfed APC during and after the primaries in the state.

Reacting to the development, Abubakar Al-Sadiqque, Press Secretary to Governor Muhammed Abubakar, described the coalition as very funny.

Mr Al-Sadiqque said that the coalition is part of democracy and it means that democracy has come to stay.

He said most of those in the coalition were former members of the ruling party in the state but decided to part ways after failing to secure tickets during the party primaries.

The people of the state are aware of what is happening, especially with the defection of key officials of opposition parties in the country, to APC.

We urge the people to vote wisely during the 2019 election like they did in 2015, he admonished.

(NAN)
A senior Nigerian lawyer and activist, Femi Falana, has petitioned the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) seeking compensation for the families of about 200 Internally-displaced persons (IDPs) mistakenly bombed in January 2017 by a Nigeria airforce jet at a camp in Rann, Borno State.

Rann, a remote community on the border of the state, came into limelight on January 17, 2017 when the jet on a mission to attack Boko Haram fighters near the Cameroonian borders, dropped its bombs on the crowded camp for IDPs there.

The Nigerian defence headquarters later blamed the attack on lack of appropriate marking of the camp.

The then caretaker chairman of Kala Balge Local Government, Babagana Malarima, said 236 people were killed in the bombing. He gave the death toll after several attempts by both government and the military to cover up.

Mr Malarima told the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, during a visit to the camp that the survivors and family members of the victims were demanding compensation from the Nigerian government.

Though the compensation terms were not made known then, it is estimated that, if the Islamic rules for death compensation (Diyya) is to be applied, it could be around N40 million per person, which would amount to a N9.5 billion pay out the federal government.

Two years after, the Nigerian government has not paid the victims any compensation.

It was on that note that on the second anniversary of the bombing, Mr Falana, who is the lawyer to the victims and survivors, sent a petition to the NHRC insisting that a fatal wrong was committed on the people of Rann who must be compensated.

In the petition, Mr Falana said excuses by the Nigerian military in defence of what happened do not hold water, insisting that the offence was not only grave but careless.

He also called for thorough investigation of the incident and the findings made public.

Giving some background facts of the incident, the lawyer said On January 17, 2017, dozens of people were killed while several others were injured after a Nigerian Air Force jet was reported to have bombed a camp in Rann, Borno State, where thousands of families displaced during the offensive against Boko Haram militants were sheltering.

A Non-Governmental Organization, Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF), said that its staff in the area had seen at least 200 people wounded and 50 dead following the bombing and expected the death toll to rise. But the chairman of Kale-Balge Local Government Area, Babagana Malarima, said we buried 234 persons in Rann after the bombs were dropped on the IDP camp. We have two other injured persons that died while in hospital in Maiduguri.

Instead of reporting the tragic incident to the Accident Investigation Bureau which is saddled with the responsibility of investigating aircraft accidents in Nigeria, the authorities of the Nigeria Air Force decided suo motu to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the bombing of the IDP camp. Although the report of the inquiry was not made public, the Nigeria Air Force blamed the bombing of the camp on an accident.

In a statement credited to the NAF spokesperson, Air Commodore Olatunkubo Adesanya, it was said that no NAF pilot leaves his base with the intention of going to kill the same set of people he greatly sacrifices day and night to protect.

Apart from expressing its deepest regrets to all concerned, the NAF promised that all necessary measures would be taken to prevent a recurrence of the unfortunate incident.

To cover up the humanitarian disaster, the NAF claimed that that the IDP camp was not properly marked! While soliciting the understanding and support of all Nigerians and members of the international community regarding the tragic incident, the panel of inquiry and the NAF Authorities have failed to address the payment of compensation to the people who were injured and the families of those who were killed in the bombing incident.

However, it was announced that the NAF Chief of Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar had directed appropriate NAF officials to intensify humanitarian intervention schemes for Internally Displaced Persons at Rann and other parts of the North East region.

It is our view that the finding of the military panel that the accident occurred due to the failure of the authorities to mark the IDP camp at Rann confirmed that it was a case of official negligence. However, the tragic incident cannot be blamed on failure to mark the camp in an area that is fully controlled by the army.

ADVERTISEMENT

According to Hughes Robert, MSFs head of emergencies, The whole camp is controlled by the army and no one can come in or out without being checked, so thats a shock, as well as the fact that this was a very densely populated place that was full of civilians who already lived there and internally displaced persons who had come there.

Having confirmed that the NAF pilots were aware of the IDP camp at Rann, the failure to mark it cannot explain the negligence of the pilots involved in the bombing incident. In any case, the marking of all IDP camps in the North East region ought to have been done by the NAF.

When the United Nations building was attacked in Maiduguri by the Nigerian Army a few months before the bombing of the Rann Camp it was also said that the incident occurred because it was not marked! Are Nigerians to believe that the members of the Armed Forces in the 7TH division located in Maiduguri are not aware of the offices of the UN and other international relief agencies in the same city?

Regrettably, the cry of the council chairman, Mr. Malarima for payment of compensation to the families of the deceased, as well as the injured ones has fallen on deaf ears.

In marking the second anniversary of the unfortunate incident we are compelled to call on the National Human Rights Commission to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the air crash with a view to preventing the reoccurrence of such humanitarian disaster.

In addition, the Commission should ensure that the survivors and the families of those who were killed in the bombing incident are compensated by the insurance company which insured the NAF plane.
ADVERTISEMENT

A Borno elder and former Nigerian ambassador to Chad, Gaji Galtimari, has passed on.

He died on Saturday night in Maiduguri, at the age of 81 years, after a brief illness.

He was buried in Maiduguri after a well attended funeral service led by the Chief Imam of Borno and attended by top dignitaries, including the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima.

Mr Galtimari was the chairman of Borno Elders Forum and Kanem Borno Cultural Foundation.

Before his death, Mr Galtimari served in the federal civil service where he rose to the position of permanent secretary before he was appointed secretary to the military government of Borno State under Abdulmuminu Aminu. He was later appointed Nigerian ambassador to Chad by the defunct military regime of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.

The last public office held by the deceased was the chairmanship of Kanem Borno Historical and Cultural foundation which had just last week made a public presentation of a two-volume publication on first-ever comprehensive history of the ancient Kanem Borno empire, titled Kanem Borno: A Thousand Years of Heritage.

He was also a key player in some of the early but failed attempts by the federal government of Nigeria to strike a deal with the Boko Haram insurgents.

He is survived by many children and grand children.
ADVERTISEMENT

Mohammed Adamu, the Inspector-General of Police, has summoned all police commissions to an emergency meeting in Abuja.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt Sunday night that the meeting is expected to commence at the Force Headquarters at 9:00 a.m., and all the 95 police commissioners have been notified.

The meeting is the first of such for Mr Adamu, who assumed office as inspector-general on January 15.

Key aspects of the meeting were not immediately disclosed, but a source privy to the arrangement told PREMIUM TIMES election security would be one of the topics.

Mr Adamu, whose appointment is in acting capacity until confirmation, is also likely to use the event to intimate officers about his agenda for the Nigerian police in the immediate term.

Nigeria hold presidential and parliamentary elections on February 16, an exercise widely expected to constitute a major security challenge to the police.

The police have a primary responsibility to provide security across the country on election day.

Police spokesperson Frank Mba told PREMIUM TIMES the meeting would be opened to the media.
The public procurement law in its current design can hinder economic growth and kill local businesses if its provisions are not urgently revised and amended, the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Ben Akabueze, has said.

According to Mr Akabueze, although the intention of the World Bank and other development partners with the law was positive, its provisions were not well-conceived to promote the countrys development interests.

If relied upon the way it was designed, the law is capable of killing growth in the local economy, he said.

I subscribe to the view that the public procurement law needs to be revised if we are going to make progress. Both government officials and National Assembly members have agreed something is wrong. Yet, nobody is doing anything about amending it, Mr Akabueze said.

The DG was speaking as a special guest at a policy advocacy roundtable on Budget Cycle, Budget System and Public Expectation organized by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) in Abuja.

The Public Procurement Act 2007 designed primarily after the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) was to ensure transparency, competitiveness, value for money and professionalism in the public sector procurement system.

But, Mr Akabueze criticized the provision of the law that allows a maximum of 15 per cent of the total contract sum as mobilisation fees to contractors.

He said the provision was hardly sufficient to either mobilise the contractor and his equipment to a construction site nor finance a satisfactory job delivery.

How can we have a public procurement law that approves a maximum of 15 per cent mobilisation fees to contractors? In most parts of the world, with a government contract, you can walk into a bank for a loan and the only thing the bank will check will be the capacity to deliver.

The question about whether the government will pay is taken for granted. That is not the case here, where doing government contracts has killed many businesses. If you collect money from the bank, you are not sure when the National Assembly will approve the budget.

Banks are not even in a hurry to finance government contracts. So, if you give somebody a contract and allow him 15 percent advance payment, he will spend the next six months going from one bank to another to get finance for the contract.

After six months, the cost will escalate. That means from Day 1, the contract has failed. Some people will even prefer to make away with the 15 percent advance payment and abandon the contract. If we do not do something (revise the law), the problem will continue, he said.

2018 BUDGET PERFORMANCE

On the performance of the 2018 Budget, the DG said although it was normal practice globally to aim for 100 per cent implementation when drawing up a budget, governments at all levels has never achieved the target.

He said Nigerians often misconstrue budget implementation for capital expenditure and ignoring similar components in statutory transfers to agencies like the Independent National Electoral Commission, Niger Delta Development Commission, and Universal Basic Education.

So, when the percentage of what has been implemented in the capital and statutory transfers, which were fully disbursed, is fully aggregated, you will come to about 75 percent implementation level for the year, he said.

However, the DG expressed regrets that in reality, it was the capital component of the budget, which he described as the most important, that always suffers the most in the implementation.

BLAME NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

Mr Akabueze, however, blamed the National Assembly for poor budget implementation.

Once a new year begins, regardless of what the National Assembly does, in terms of approving the budget, does not stop the recurrent component of the budget from running.

ADVERTISEMENT

You cannot stop paying the interest on your loan or stop paying workers salaries in January, because the National Assembly has not approved the budget.

The only aspect that cannot run until the National Assembly passes the budget is the capital component, which happens to be the most important, from a developmental point of view because this is where the roads, electricity, housing, railways, airways are covered, he said.

WHY NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DELAY BUDGETS

A former director, Bureau of Public Procurement, Joe Abah, who was also a special guest at the event, identified a number of reasons why the National Assembly always delays the passage of the federal budget.

According to Mr Abah, these include corruption, opaque procurement rules, and regulations, lack of standard pricing template involving about 22,000 budget items.

Under the 2016 budget, he said, those standard prices template was not updated for more than three years. He attributed it to the failure of the BPP procurement process.

Within those three years, he said, the value of the Naira crashed and affected the prices of items quoted by ministries, departments, and agencies.

Recently, the Border Communities Development Agency was enmeshed in a massive procurement fraud involving the abuse of the process to select contractors for the award of almost 1,000 self-enrichment contracts by members of the National Assembly.

The agencys procurement officials disregarded key criteria it had set for selection of prospective contractors by shortlisting bidders that had neither tax nor pension clearance certificates as requirements for the award of contracts.

The exclusive report by PREMIUM TIMES showed the growing abuse of the procurement law by government agencies in Nigeria.
ADVERTISEMENT

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has defended the absence its candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari, at a presidential debate held for five candidates gunning for the top seat in next months elections.

The ruling party in its defence on Sunday also said Mr Buhari is not in the same class with the presidential candidate of the main opposition Peoples democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.

The national publicity secretary of the APC, Lanre Issa-Onilu, said this Sunday evening during a press conference with journalists in Abuja.

We are not in the same class with Atiku and PDP to come and share the same stage with people who ruined this country to talk about what? Debate with who? Thats an insult that the president will come and debate with who? he said.

Mr Buhari courted controversy when he shunned the debate, while Mr Abubakar, who had just returned from a trip to the U.S. came briefly but left when told Mr Buhari was not available to debate.

Those who debated were: Oby Ezekwesili of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, Fela Durotoye of the Alliance for New Nigeria and Kingsley Moghalu of the Young Progressives Party.

While Mr Buhari failed to attend because of his strict schedule, according to his campaign team, Mr Abubakar, who was seen at the venue of the debate, said he decided to withdraw his participation, after learning Mr Buhari had chosen to stay away.

In the statement Sunday, Mr Issa-Onilu said the debate is not the only platform for its candidate to interact with Nigerians and there is no way the party will use all platforms.

He also said the president does not have to give a reason for his absence.

The president doesnt have to give any reason at all for not attending that debate. The debate is just one of several platforms available to candidates; it is up to them to choose that which best suits their interest, he said.

Making reference to the town hall meeting the president and his vice, Yemi Osibanjo held two days ago, he said that is a platform that best represents them.

That for us is what our candidate needs, that for us is more important, that for us gives us the platform to say we are different, he said. We cannot exhaust all the platforms so we pick the platforms that are most impactful and we are the ones in the position to determine which platforms we want to use.

He said the president, as part of his more important duties, was in Niger State where he inaugurated the Baro Inland Water Port.

The president is already engaging with the public so that particular debate may not be important. I think it (debate) is important to people who are seeking power, not for somebody who has a lot speaking for him already.
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has advised young Nigerian journalists to desist from unethical practice, uphold ethics and shun blackmail in any form.

The executive director, CISLAC, Auwal Rafsanjani, gave the advice on Saturday in Abuja at the second edition of Campus Journalism Awards 2019 organised by Youth Digest magazine in partnership with CISLAC and supported by Global Affairs Canada (GAC).

Mr Rafsanjani warned the journalists to avoid spreading fake news on their social media handles and be socially responsible to influence growth in the society.

Journalism is not activism, therefore journalists should contribute to nation building. Journalists must be able to hold public officials accountable, he said.

According to him, journalism is not a means of accumulating wealth, saying this is one thing young journalists have to understand.

Journalism is an act of giving voice to the voiceless and service to humanity,  he said.

Speaking at the event, the publisher of Premium Times newspaper, Dapo Olorunyomi, said the quality of works of the awardees gives significant hope for the future of journalism in Nigeria.

Mr Olorunyomi said awards have been bastardised in Nigeria, but the qualities of the judges gave a lot of confidence that it was a serious-minded engagement.

When we see young people in this kind of preference, it is a great thing to reward them to inspire them. We have to salute those who have put this together, he said.

Dapo Olorunyomi, Publisher, Premium Times

The editor of Youth Digest Magazine, Gidado Shuaib, urged journalists to stand firm against unethical practices that may jeopardise the future of the profession.

We now face a dearth in our ethics and the ripples of this is being felt all over the country. Information sharing is being challenged by the menace of hate speech, fake news, brown envelope syndrome as well as other issues, he said.

Speaking with Premium Times, the awardees said the award will spur them to be more professional and ethically conscious.

The winner, Campus Journalist Awards 2019, a student of Modern European Languages and Linguistics of Usman Danfodiyo University, Maryam Abdullahi, said practicing journalism for her has been amazing although time-consuming.

Its not easy to join journalism practice with schooling, but I achieved this with the assistance of great minds around me, she said.

Ms Abdullahi who also won the Gender Equality category said funding and time are major constraints of campus journalists.

Also, the winner of the photojournalism category, a student of the department of English language, Obafemi Awolowo University, Adejumo Kabir, said it is a good thing for student journalists to expose the irregularities in the society.

It is also important to admonish campus journalists not to be too hungry for fame. When one is doing the right thing, you will be remembered in your grave. I have never done any story for award sake or money sake. It has always been for the interest of the masses, he said.

Winner of the Investigative Journalist category, Olufemi Alfred. Winner, photojournalist category, Adejumo Kabir The winner, Campus Journalist Awards 2019, Maryam Abdullahi. The executive director, CISLAC, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani.

Meanwhile, the winner of the Investigative journalism category, Olufemi Alfred, a student of the department of English Language, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, advised other campus journalists to be persistent, focused and balanced in their reportage.

ADVERTISEMENT

There are no conventional patterns. Just keep doing what you do. It will pay off someday, very soon. Only if you are persistent, he said.

The Campus Journalism Awards is among several awards organised to celebrate campus journalists across the country.

The second edition of the awards received 241 entries out of which 30 finalists emerged.
The federal government demanded the removal from office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, in the false asset charges it filed at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), PREMIUM TIMES has learnt.

According to the second request, made through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, the government wants Mr Onnoghen to step aside for his immediate junior in the bench, Ibrahim Mohammed, who hails from Bauchi State.

Confirming the report earlier published by the Punch Newspaper, the tribunal said the request for Mr Onnoghen to vacate his office was made the same day the false asset charge was brought against him.

I was just told now by the people at the registry that the motion was filed along with the charge, said Ibrahim Alhassan, the head of media and publicity at the CCT.

According to the request, the AGF asked Mr Onnoghen to allow another judge head the NJC, so that he (Onnoghen) would not be a judge in his own case.

It is unclear whether the Nigerian government also petitioned the National Judicial Council about the allegations concerning Mr Onnoghen.

Various lawyers have said the current provision of Nigerian laws only empowers the council to undertake any kind of disciplinary action against serving judicial officers.

While the media assistant to the AGF, Salihu Isah, refused to respond to calls and enquiries by PREMIUM TIMES regarding the matter, the CJNs spokesperson, Awassam Bassey, said in a text message on Sunday that he had no comments on the issue.

However, copies of the motion published by the Punch Newspaper indicate that the government is asking the tribunal to order the vacation of Mr Onnoghen from office and direct President Muhammadu Buhari to take immediate steps to swear in a new acting Chief Justice.

An order of the honourable tribunal directing the defendant/respondent to step aside as the Chief Justice of Nigeria and chairman of the National Judicial Council over an allegation of contravening the provision of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act CAP C15 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 pending the determination of the case.

An interlocutory order of the honourable tribunal directing the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to take all necessary measures to swear in the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court as an acting Chief Justice and chairman of the National Judicial Council in order to prevent a vacuum in the judicial arm of government pending the determination of the case, the paper quoted the AGF as saying in the motion.

Mr Onnoghen was taken before the CCT by the anti-graft federal agency, the Code of Conduct Bureau, on January 11.

The bureau accused Mr Onnoghen of failing to declare his accounts used for the transfer of foreign currencies and delaying the renewal of his declaration form after same expired in 2009.

It also accused him of only making a complete declaration in one, out of two forms filled in December 2016 and submitted with the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

According to the charge, the failure of the CJN to include his domiciliary accounts in form 000014, while the details were only contained in form 000015, meant that the CJN attempted to conceal information and was liable, for false asset charges.

The charges were brought pursuant to a petition against the CJN dated January 7 by a former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change and a current member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Denis Aghanya.

Reacting to criticisms that the federal government propelled the trial of Mr Onnoghen, the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, said Mr Buhari had nothing to do with it.

Responding to the charges against him, Mr Onnoghen had said he failed to renew his forms in 2009, after the expiration of his 2005 declaration form because he forgot to do so.

The CJN also said he had omitted the accounts in form 00014 because he believed that the said accounts were no longer functioning.

ADVERTISEMENT

Some lawyers described the comments by the CJN as a confirmation of his guilt. Others, however, said section 3 (d) of the CCB Act renders the charge invalid after Mr Onnoghens explanation.

The section states thus: Provided that where the person concerned makes a written admission of such breach or non-compliance, no reference to the Tribunal shall be necessary.

The tribunal adjourned Mr Onnoghens trial till January 22.

Some courts have, however, issued restraining orders stopping the CCT from proceeding with the trial until the determination of related cases.

Mr Onnoghen was sworn in as CJN in March 2017, five months after he was nominated to replace the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mahmoud Mohammed.
A former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Sunday criticised President Muhammadu Buhari, accusing him of plotting to rig the general elections.

In a statement he personally signed, Mr Obasanjo also expressed doubt in the neutrality of the electoral commission, INEC.

Read Mr Obsanjos full statement below.

POINTS FOR CONCERN AND ACTION

By

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo

I am concerned as a democrat who believes that with faithful and diligent practice of democracy, we can get over most of our political problems and move steadfastly and surefootedly on the course of stability, unity of purpose, socio-economic growth and progress for all.

Democracy becomes a sham if elections are carried out by people who should be impartial and neutral umpires, but who show no integrity, acting with blatant partiality, duplicity and imbecility. For all democrats and those carrying out the process of elections, there must be the red line that must not be crossed in tactics and practices of democracy.

I personally have serious doubt about the present INECs integrity, impartiality and competence to conduct a fair, free and credible election. And if the INEC is willing, will the ruling party and government allow it? From what we saw and knew about Osun State gubernatorial election, what was conclusive was declared inconclusive despite all advice to the contrary. The unnecessary rerun, if viewed as a test-run for a larger general election, would lead people to expect incidences of deliberately contrived, broken or non-working voting machines or card readers, confusion of voters as to their voting stations, inadequate supply of voting materials to designated places, long line to discourage voters and turning blind eyes to favour the blue-eye political party of INEC because the Commissions hands will be tied to enable hatchet men and women to perform their unwholesome assignment. The transmission and collation of results are subject to interference, manipulation and meddling. If the INECs favourite political party wins with all the above infractions, the result will be conclusively declared and if not, there will be a rerun, the result of which is known before it is carried out. I know that I am not alone in being sceptical about the integrity of INEC and its ability to act creditably and above board. But we are open to be convinced otherwise.

The joke about INEC would seem real. The INEC was asked if the Commission was ready for the election and if it expects the election to be free, fair and credible. The INEC man is reported as saying in response, we are ready with everything including the results! God save Nigeria! It is up to Nigerians to ensure that the redline is not crossed in safeguarding our fledging democracy. And if crossed, appropriate action must be taken not to allow our democracy to be derailed.

A friend of mine who is more credulous and who claims to be close to the Chair of INEC keeps telling me that INEC will retrieve its image and reputation by conducting the coming elections with utmost integrity and impartiality. I am not sure as I believe more in action than in words and in past record than in promise. The track record of the present INEC is fairly sordid and all men and women of goodwill and believers in democracy must be prepared for the worst from INEC and their encouragers and how to get Nigeria out of the electoral morass that the Commission is driving us into. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. A battle long forewarned does not embroil the cripple nor catch him unawares. A word is sufficient for the wise. The labour of Nigerian democracy heroes must not be in vain. Some men of God would hold President Buhari to his word on free, fair, credible and peaceful elections. I am a realist and I reiterate that I go by track record. Therefore, I am not persuaded by a track record of hollow words, impunity, insensitivity and I-couldnt-care-less attitude, or by the sanctimonious claims of any candidate and his campaign staff. I will only believe what I see. This is a time for vigilance to fight to safeguard our votes and defend our democracy. The price of liberty and sustenance of our democracy is eternal vigilance and appropriate reaction to ward off iniquities. We must all be ready to pay that price and not relying on hollow words of callousness. The derailment of Nigerian democracy will be a monumental disaster comparable to the disaster of the Nigerian first military coup.

While Nigerians must not allow such a disaster to happen nor take such an affront lying low, the international community who played an admirable role in warning INEC, of course, to no avail on the Osun State gubernatorial election and who have been warning all political parties must on this occasion give more serious warning, send more people to the field to observe and work out punitive measures against INEC and security officials especially the Police and politicians who stand to gain from INECs misconduct, which is obviously encouraged by the Executive Arm of Government and who must be held responsible for the violence that will follow. Such measures can vary from denial and withdrawal of visas from the people concerned and from their families to other more stringent measures including their accounts being frozen and taking them to International Criminal Court, ICC, if violence emanates from their action or inaction. Nigeria must not be allowed to slip off the democratic path nor go into anarchy and ruin. No individual nor group has monopoly of violence or gangsterism. And we must not forget that in human interaction, reactions are normally greater than action, though opposite.

It is no use, at this juncture, to keep lamenting about the failure, incompetence, divisiveness, nepotism, encouragement and condonation of corruption by Buhari administration as there is neither redeeming feature nor personality to salvage the situation within that hierarchy. You cannot give what you dont have. Bode George put it bluntly in his statement of December 3, 2018 when he said:

The other day, the Vice-President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo  a learned man, an enlightened person in all parameters  was seen at various markets in Lagos State and Abuja distributing N10,000 each to market women. What an absurdity! It was indeed an obscene display of executive recklessness and abuse of office. Pray, where did the money come from? Was it budgeted for in the appropriation law? In more civilised nations, Osinbajo would have been impeached and prosecuted for gutting our collective treasury.

What an act by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria lawyer, number 2 man in the Executive hierarchy; and what is more, a pastor of one of the Christian movements led by a revered, respected and upright church leader, Pastor E. A. Adeboye. Osinbajo must have gone for, if you cant beat them, join them. A great pity indeed and which makes people ask the questions, Any hope? Yes, for me, there is hope. Osinbajo has shown the human weakness and proved the saying that the corruption of the best is the worst form of corruption. His explanation that it was their government programme can only be construed to be very shallow and lopsided, if not an outrightly idiotic programme.

Traders in rural and sub-urban areas of Nigeria are many more than those in urban areas and they are much poorer than traders in Lagos, Abuja and other cities. They need more attention and greater help. Are they to be confined to the heap of perpetual poverty? What of those who are not traders? They are not entitled to hand-out and they can languish in penury? And what about millions who have lost their jobs in the last three and a half years? The timing is also suspect. Those who criticise the action are called evil but they are not evil as they know what they are doing and saying, and they love Nigeria and Nigerians not less than the likes of Osinbajo. They are not devils incarnate; they are patriots.

What is the connection between taking the number of PVC (Permanent Voters Card) of the recipient of the N10,000 doled out to traders and the forthcoming election? There is something sinister about it, and Professor Osinbajo, of all people, should know that. With collusion of the INEC officials and card readers not made to work, anybody quoting the PVC number may be allowed to vote as the revised Electoral Bill was not signed. And if that happens all over the country, it will be massive rigging indeed. The Chairman of INEC must stand firm and carry out his duties with competence and unbending neutrality. Card readers must be used without fail and accreditation must be completed and number ascertained and made public before voting commences as was done in 2015.

Amina Zakari has become too controversial a figure to be able to give assurance of free, fair and credible election for INEC. President Buhari and her family have declared that there is no blood relationship but there is relationship through marriage and that is more than enough for the good lady to step aside. A judge does not sit in judgement over a case once he or she becomes a cause for controversy or one side in the case has strongly objected to the judge. Madam Amina Zakari should, in honour, stay out and not be seen as a source of contamination of the election. Otherwise, it will be difficulty to deny the rumour that she is being assigned to Collation Centre for one duty only  to write out figures that are not results of the voting in the field on fake results sheets without water mark or on genuine results sheets which she will have access to as a Commissioner. Amina Zakari is not the only Commissioner that can be in the Collation Centre. Let the INEC Chairman act boldly and impartially and prove his absolute neutrality and responsiveness to contribute to make the election peacefully free, fair and credible. His integrity needs to be transparently demonstrated.

ADVERTISEMENT

We should remember that there had been reports of INEC sponsored rigging in the past, and also with INEC officials through collation and with officials being put in party coordinators dresses and working for the political party favoured by INEC and also putting the dresses of other parties on INEC-favoured parties and police uniforms on INEC-favoured parties to rig all the elections for the favoured party. Like all of us, INEC knows all these and it should devise means to make sure they do not happen. But will they? One way will be to only allow card readers to be means of authenticating voters and where there is no such authentication, it should mean no voting. The second is to use only identity cards with watermarks issued by INEC itself to party officials only for identification of political party coordinators, officials and agents and not political parties dresses or arm and wrist bands which anybody can wear for purposes of identification on election duty or function. Both the Presidency and the National Assembly must so far be commended for adequately providing funding as confirmed by INEC, and therefore funding cannot be an excuse for poor performance by INEC.

President Buhari and his hatchet men in the coming election think that the judiciary must be primed in their favour. Hence, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, has been harassed and prosecuted for non-declaration of his assets without following the Constitution and the law, just to make him conform or set him aside for a Buhari man to take over or act, as President Buhari and his people believe no stone should be left unturned to rig Buhari in. It seems to be a ploy to intimidate the judiciary as a whole in preparation for all election cases that will go before them. Where and how will all these stop? Typically, with overwhelming outrage and condemnation, we are told that the Presidency denied knowledge of the action. But the Vice-President told us that the President knew of the action on Saturday night for everything that has been prepared for Monday morning. Haba VP, it doesnt happen that way. Nobody should take such measure against any of the four in hierarchy below the President or any of his ministers without his knowledge and indeed his approval. But if that can happen to the Chief Justice of the Federation, the fifth man in the hierarchy of government, without the knowledge let alone the approval of the President, then it speaks for the type of government we have which means the President is not in charge let alone being in control and no Nigerian must take anything for granted. We are all unsafe and insecure under such an administration. And enough of it! Buharis apologists will not stop at anything to try to cover up his administrations inadequate performance and character. A constitutional liberal democracy cannot thrive without an independent and insulated judiciary from the executive and the legislature. Nigerians must wake up and stop these acts of wanton desperation tantamount to mental incapacity to run the affairs of Nigeria wholesomely.

Life and living are anchored on trust. But if I trust you and you deceive, cheat or disappoint me the first time, it is shame on you. However, if I allow you to do so the same thing for me the second time, I do not only have myself to blame, I must be regarded as a compound fool.

Buhari has succeeded in deceiving us the first time and we will be fools to allow ourselves to be deceived the second time. Buba Galadima, who knows Buhari very well as a confidant and National Secretary of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, the Buharis party before it joined in forming All Progressives Congress, APC, has warned us this time around that no matter what he promises, he cannot change his character and attitude. He describes him as inflexible, insincere, dubious, intolerant, never accepts responsibility when things go wrong and impervious to reason and advice for change. If you cannot change your mind, you cannot change anything is the assertion of George Bernard Shaw. Even when figures, facts and statistics are made clear to Buhari, he keeps repeating what is untrue, either because he cannot understand or for mischief purposes and that places him on the level of a pathological liar. He believes he can get away with impunity and deceit as he seems to have done on many occasions in the past. Buba Galadimas position is well complemented by Dr. Auwalu Anwar on the APC, CPC, TBO and Buharis character and attitude in his yet to be launched book, Politics As Dashed Hopes in Nigeria. It is also a stunning revelation. Anwar clearly pointed out, the brazen display of incompetence, insensitivity and irresponsiveness by delusional party, CPC, leadership at all levels. Buhari was the leader of the party. Bola Tinubus statement about Muhammadu Buhari in 2003 is fairly prophetic, Muhammadu Buhari is an agent of destabilisation, ethnic bigot and religious fanatic who, if given the chance, would ensure the disintegration of the country. His ethnocentrism would jeopardise Nigerias national unity.

Junaid Mohammed was eloquent on the issue of nepotism. But if as we were told that Buhari is nepotic because he does not trust others, why should others trust him to continue to put their fate and life in his hand. Trust begets trust. They cannot be trusted for sensitive appointment but they can be sent out to campaign for his re-election. Who is fooling who?

What is happening under Buharis watch can be likened to what we witnessed under Gen. Sani Abacha in many ways. When Abacha decided that he must install himself as Nigerian President by all means and at all costs, he went for broke and surrounded himself with hatchet men who on his order and in his interest and at high costs to Nigeria and Nigerians maimed, tortured and killed for Abacha. Buhari has started on the same path in mad desperation.

From available intelligence, we have heard of how Buhari and his party are going about his own self-succession project. They have started recruiting collation officers who are already awarding results based on their projects to actualise the perpetuation agenda in which the people will not matter and the votes will not count. It is the sole reason he has blatantly refused to sign the revised Electoral Reform Bill into law.

His henchmen are working round the clock in cahoots with security and election officials to perfect their plan by computing results right from the ward to local government, state and national levels to allot him what will look like a landslide victory irrespective of the true situation for a candidate who might have carried out by proxy presidential debate and campaigns.

The current plan is to drape the pre-determined results with a toga of credibility. It is also planned that violence of unimaginable proportion will be unleashed in high voting population areas across the country to precipitate re-run elections and where he will be returned duly elected after concentration of security officials as it happened in Osun State. We are monitoring them and we call on all democrats across the world to keep an eye on the unfolding anti-democratic agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari. This is the time for preventive measures to be taken otherwise Nigeria may be presented with a fait accompli with impunity and total disregard of all pleas.

His scheme bears eloquent testimony to this road similar to Abacha whom he has praised to high heavens and as an arch-supporter and beneficiary from Abacha, he has seen nothing wrong done by him. It is clear from all indications that Buhari is putting into practice the lessons he learned from Abacha. Buhari has intimidated and harassed the private sector, attacked the National Assembly and now unconstitutionally and recklessly attacked and intimidated the Judiciary to cow them to submission.

I was a victim of Abachas atrocities against Nigeria and Nigerians  high and low. At the height of Abachas desperation for perpetual power, he did not brook any criticism because Nigeria was seen as his personal property. You must go along with him or be destroyed. All institutions for ensuring security, welfare and well-being of Nigeria and Nigerians particularly the Police, the Military and the Department of State Services (DSS) were abused and misused to deal with critics of Abacha and non-conformists with Abacha.

Today, another Abacha Era is here. The security institutions are being misused to fight all critics and opponents of Buhari and to derail our fledgling democracy. EFCC, Police and Code of Conduct Tribunal are also being equally misused to deal with those Buhari sees as enemies for criticising him or as those who may not do his bidding in manipulating election results. Criticism, choice and being different are inherent trade mark of democracy. If democracy is derailed or aborted, anarchy and authoritarianism will automatically follow.

Today, as in the day of Abacha, Nigerians must rise up and do what they did in the time of Abacha. Churches and Mosques prayed. International community stood by us Nigerians. I was a beneficiary and my life was saved. Well-meaning Nigerians took appropriate actions and made sacrifices, some supreme, some less than supreme but God had the final say and He took the ultimate action.

God of Nigeria is a living God and a prayer-answering God. Nigerians must cry out to God to deliver Nigeria. Here again, I have been threatened with arrest and extermination but I will not succumb to intimidation or threats. Maybe I should remind those who are using probe as a threat that I have been probed four times by EFCC, ICPC, House of Representatives and the Senate and Buhari has access to reports of these probes. But I have also challenged Buhari and the criminals around him to set up a probe on the same allegations and I will face such probe in public.

But I know that these criminals cannot withstand a Police inquiry let alone clinical probe on the past public offices they held. My fervent prayer is that President Buhari may live to see the will and purpose of God for Nigeria. My final appeal to him is to desist from evil with manipulation and desperation because evil has repercussion especially as man who should watch and be mindful of his self-acclaimed and packaged integrity. At the end of the day, those who goad you on will leave you in the lurch. You will be left alone, naked and unheralded. In defeat, which must be Buharis fear leading to desperation, he and his co-travellers can still maintain modicum of decency, and exhibit fear of God in their actions. We have been told that governance has been abdicated to a cabal. Now, campaigning has been abdicated to jagaban. And it is being authoritatively stated that he would not join any presidential debate. Nigerians will not allow the elections to be abdicated to INEC and Police to give us false and manipulated results. I personally commend the President for yielding to popular outcry to let the former Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotun Idris, go when he is due as he had the track record and history of being assigned to rig elections for the incumbent. It was alleged that he was sent to Kano for that purpose in 2015. He was already deploying his Commissioners of Police on similar mission before his exit. We must all encourage the new Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to tread the path of professionalism, even-handedness, respect and new image for the Police.

While Nigeria must appreciate Buhari for the little he has done and allow him to depart for home in peace if he allows free, fair, peaceful and credible elections, we must also tell ourselves that Nigeria deserves better at this point in time than what Buhari is capable of offering. History will note that he has been there. Nigeria now needs a man with better physical and mental soundness, with an active mind and intellect.

Let me say again that Nigeria belongs to all Nigerians and exists for the benefit of all Nigerians and non-Nigerians who desire to live or do business in and with Nigeria. The attitude of it is my turn and I can do what I like with impunity will not last because Nigeria is created by God and it will outlive all evil machinations and designs against the overall interest of Nigeria.

Before I conclude, let me assert that the security situation has deteriorated with kidnapping everywhere and Boko Haram more in action and nobody should deceive Nigerians about this. With the teaming up of Boko Haram and Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP), Boko Haram is stronger today militarily than they have ever been. Boko Haram has also been empowered by the Nigerian government through payment of ransom of millions of dollars which each administration disingenuously always denies. With ISIS being liquidated in Iraq and Syria, Africa is now their port of concentration. Soon, they may take over Libya which, with substantial resources, is almost a totally failed state. When that happens, all African countries North of Congo River will be unsafe with serious security problems. The struggle must be for all West African, Central African, North African and most East African States. Nigeria has to play a vanguard role in this struggle as we have much to lose. This administration has reached the end of its wit even in handling all security issues, but particularly Boko Haram issue, partly due to misuse of security apparatus and poor equipment, deployment, coordination and cooperation.

Finally, those Nigerians that are being intimidated or threatened by this Administration must trust in God and stand firm. Tough times do not last forever, but tough people invariably survive tough times. This is a tough time for almost all Nigerians in different respects, but the peoples will shall triumph. All people who have registered to vote with their PVCs must never allow anybody or anything to deny or deprive them of the right of performing their fundamental civic duty of voting and sustaining democracy. Establishment of democracy and its sustenance is second to attainment of independence in our political life, leaving out the victory of the civil war. We shall overcome.
What has dominated national discourse after last nights presidential debate is not the performance of the candidates that participated but mainly the absence of the two main contenders in the February 16 election.

President Muhammadu Buhari, the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, were absent from the presidential debate

Some attendees described their absence as the height of disregard for Nigerians.

Fela Durotoye, Atiku Abubakar, Oby Ezekwesili, Muhammadu Buhari and Kingsley Moghalu are the five aspirants invited to take part in the debate.

Debate organisers told PREMIUM TIMES Saturday evening that all the candidates confirmed participation. However, when moderator Mark Eddo called them out to take the podium, only three appeared  Mrs Ezekwesili of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, Mr Durotoye of the Alliance for New Nigeria and Mr Moghalu of the Young Progressives Party.

While Mr Buhari failed to attend because of his strict schedule, according to his campaign team, Mr Abubakar, who was seen at the venue of the debate, said he decided to withdraw his participation, after learning Mr Buhari had chosen to stay away.

The three other candidates who participated did not buy their excuses. The three candidates momentarily put aside their ideological differences to characterise the two contestants as arrogant and disrespectful of the Nigerian people they aspire to serve when the moderator asked them their thought on the absence.

While Mrs Ezekwesili said the absence signalled the mark of their exit from the race. Mr Moghalu and Mr Durotoye also took shots, saying their inability to answer questions from Nigerians forced them out of the debate.

Some attendees who came to observe the debate live at Transcorp Hilton Hotels in Abuja were not surprised by their absence.

I am not surprised because it has been a routine for popular candidates to avoid crucial debates such as this right from the inception of democracy in Nigeria. However, I will push the bulk of the blame on the incumbent (Buhari) because he created the precedence that made Mr Atiku not to attend, Nicholas Iwerunonye, a correspondent of Daily independent said. As a journalist, I feel disappointed that this has become the sad reality of Nigeria.

For medical expert, Henry Ewononu, disappointment was a rather mild word to describe his thoughts on the absence.

I feel utter disgust. I dont know the right word that can convey how bad I feel. They have not only insulted the intelligence of Nigerians but also thrown a challenge to Nigerians to do our worse and that is the way I see it.

Nigerians have been looking for this opportunity to hear first hand from this people how they would carry out their plans if elected, but they took Nigerians for granted and for me if Im to prescribe appropriate sanctions I will say Nigerians should retaliate on February 16 with their votes.

On Mr Abubakars decision to leave moment before the event started, Mr Ewononu said the former vice president never wanted to participate and had been looking for an excuse.

At the last minute, he gave one flimsy excuse for not appearing for the debate. I see him as someone who is not even prepared for the debate. If he does have something to tell Nigerians, if he knew how to say it and he was sure of his conviction that those prescriptions will cure Nigeria, he would have grabbed this opportunity to talk to not just Nigerians but many viewers and listeners all over the world. Its an opportunity he lost. Its a pity.

Peter Morgan, an Abuja based lawyer was also particularly critical of Mr Abubakar.

I think for me, I will not take that decision because I am not running this campaign because of an individual in office. I am running because I want to work for the Nigerian people so he should have taken the decision to address Nigerians whether President Buhari appears or not because when he assumes office he is not going to put his leadership on Buhari.

Zarihi Yusuf reechoed the thoughts of many other respondents who neither felt surprised nor disappointed by the absence.

ADVERTISEMENT

I know its something that requires intellectual stamina and quite frankly, I know the both cannot cope so I was not surprised.

Respondents praised the debaters on their presentations and clarity of thought and vision for the country during the debate

Atiku Faces Social Media Backlash

Meanwhile, Mr Abubakr took to Twitter to explain the reasons behind his decision to withdraw from the debate.

We came here for a Presidential debate, not a candidacy debate, and I, Atiku Abubakar cannot challenge or question an administration where the man at the helm of the affairs of the nation is not present to defend himself or his policies, he explained in one of the many tweets in his official handle Saturday night.

But that too was greeted by fierce criticism by online commentators.

Im disappointed in you sir. Neither I or any member of my family will vote for you. You and buhari are the same, another user, Chris Obanya, wrote.

Sir, that strategy was faulty. You squandered the best opportunity to showcase the options you have. The debate is not about Buhari, but issues confronting the nation, another user wrote.

Mr Abubakar, a former vice president, is seen as the main challenger to President Buhari in next months presidential election.
ADVERTISEMENT

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says that Nigerians must appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari for contributing to the development of the nation.

Mr Obasanjo stated this on Sunday at a press conference held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta.

The elder statesman said the briefing was a follow-up to the letter he wrote to Mr Buhari in January 2018.

He said that developments after the letter had proven the contents right, adding that his predictions had been fulfilled.

I believe that as a watchman, it is appropriate at this time to speak out and where there is need to raise alert, I should raise it and where there is need to commend, I should commend, he said.

He commended Mr Buhari for respecting the views of Nigerians who had called for a new Inspector-General of Police (IGP) over fears that the former IGP, Ibrahim Idris, might aid election rigging.

I personally commend the president for yielding to popular outcry to let the former Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, go when he is due as he had the track records and history of being assigned to rig elections for the incumbent, he said.

Mr Obasanjo, who insisted that history could not ignore Mr Buharis contributions to Nigerias development, prayed that the president would witness Gods purpose for Nigeria.

History will note that he has been there.

My fervent prayer is that President Buhari may live to see the will and purpose of God for Nigeria, he said.

Mr Obasanjo also said that some clerics would hold the president to his word on free, fair, credible and peaceful elections.

He,however, called on the INEC Chairman to stand firm and carry out his duties with competence and unbending neutrality.

The former president also frowned at the prosecution of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, over alleged non-declaration of his assets without following due process.

He further warned that with the liquidation of the ISIS in Iraq and Libya, Africa would be the next port of concentration.

Mr Obasanjo, therefore, called on all African countries to join the struggle in eliminating terrorists from the region, adding that Nigeria must play a vanguard role.

(NAN)
A Nigerian author, Amadi Asuogu, wants the British prosecuted for crimes they committed against Nigeria during colonialism.

Mr Asuogu, a professor of religious studies, said this during the launch of his book: Un-united states of Nigeria in Abuja on Saturday.

He did not say where the trial should take place.

Mr Asuogu, who said his book contains Nigerias history from pre-amalgamation period, accused the British of responsibility for Nigerias challenges and suggested that restructuring remains the major solution to the problems of Nigeria.

Nigerias amalgamation was not to unite Nigeria, but to pay the British, he said.

They needed to pay themselves at the time. And the northern part of the country was having a budget deficit. In order to balance this budget deficit, they needed to take the resources from the south to balance the deficit in the north. In order to do that, they needed a legal framework which was the amalgamation

The British wanted the northern part of Nigeria to continue depending on them. They prevented the north from seeking education. They saw that in the south people were educated and there was a lot of nationalists so they enthroned the northerners during independence so that they will control Nigeria through the North. So restructuring is in order that there can be a balance of equation, Mr Asuogu said.

Listing a number of economic and other crises experienced in Nigeria before independence, Mr Asuogu said the Nigerian government should institute legal action against its pre-colonial leaders.

The Aba women riot of 1929 when people were slaughtered because they were protesting against taxation.

You have the Enugu coal mine of 1947 when coal miners were murdered because they were protesting conditions of work. We have the Jos massacre where workers who were working in the tin mines were starved to death. We have the British doctrine of personification which was used to subdue villages-if you challenge them, they will kill you.

Those are the kind of things we are talking about. They cannot be allowed to stand, Mr Asuogu said.

The author condemned Nigerias current electoral system, describing it as a fraud.

Staggered electionswhich is what we are currently practicing is fraudulent. For example on February 16, we have the presidential elections, whoever wins, that has a down ballot effect.

If we were to have all the elections on the same day: when I vote, I will not know who will be the president or the governor. Everybody has the same chance. But if you, first of all, decide who will be the president, then the other parties will suffer from the effect. So that is fraudulent, Mr Asuogu said.

Also speaking at the event, a lawyer and civil rights advocate, Frank Tietie, described the book as an essential document for all Nigerians, especially students of politics.

The book is about the most essential book for every Nigerian politician and students of history.

No literature has been so clear on what the problems of Nigerian politics are. The book takes a look at the pre and post-amalgamation histories of Nigeria with a view to selflessly explain the need for restructuring.

It shows how even in Nigerias amalgamation the real intention of our colonial masters was so that Nigeria will never unite, Mr Tietie said.

ADVERTISEMENT

According to a senior Nigerian lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, in his forward to the book, the title of the book, the un-united states of Nigeria derives from the reality of the problem of unity before and after amalgamation, till the present day. The book realistically presents Nigeria as: the Commonwealth Nations of Nigeria (C. N. N). This book shows that there is a connection between British colonialism and the ugly happenings of today.

The book launch was organised by a group, the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) Abuja.
ADVERTISEMENT

A Federal High Court in Benin, Edo State, has sentenced a middle-aged man, Onovo Malachy, to 12 months imprisonment for internet love scam through which he duped a female foreigner of $140,000

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the convict on a one-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence.

EFCC spokesperson, Tony Orilade, in a statement on Sunday, said Mr Malachy pleaded guilty to the charge. Based on the plea, the prosecuting counsel, Larry Peters, prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.

The charge reads: That you Onovo Osita Malachy on or about 4th day of July 2017 in Benin Edo State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did by means of fraudulent trick to wit: love scam on a dating site obtained the sum of $140,000 only from Helen Wang and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 421 of the Criminal Code Act CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria,2004.

The defence counsel, I. U. Uchechukwu, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy as the defendant has become remorseful.

Justice A. A. Demi-Ajayi in his judgment sentenced Mr Malachy to 12 months imprisonment. The convict will also forfeit all asset traced to him, including an uncompleted building and a Toyota Camry 2007 model, to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The head of Project Development Institute (PRODA) is scheduled to appear on Monday before the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over allegations of mismanagement of resources at the Enugu-based research institute.

The ICPC invitation, which was addressed to the office of the Director-General of the institute, created confusion on who between the immediate past Director-General, Charles Agulanna, and the incumbent Acting DG, Edwin Oriaku, is to appear before the anti-graft agency.

Investigations by PREMIUM TIMES revealed Mr Agulanna, who had once appeared before ICPC over similar issues, completed his term as the DG on January 1 and handed over to Mr Oriaku, who until then was the Director of the Department of Engineering and Research Development Production. Mr Oriaku was also the most senior officer in the institute.

However, ICPC, in its letter dated January 8 and signed by its Director, Special Investigations, Frank Nanakumo, failed to specify the individual it wanted to question.

The letter, which is entitled; Investigation Activities/Request for Documents, reads in part; The Director-General would recall that the Commission is investigating a case of alleged violation of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 in the course of which documents were retrieved by the Commission.

In furtherance of the investigation and pursuant to Section 28 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act. 2000, you are requested to appear before the undersigned at the Commissions headquarters, Abuja on Monday, 21st of January, 2019 at 1000 hours, for interview.

But based on the content and tone of the letter, PREMIUM TIMES gathered from sources at the agency that the Acting DG had notified the former helmsman of the invitation, but the latter declined to go, saying the letter was addressed to the office and not his person.

Meanwhile, in a telephone interview with PREMIUM TIMES, the Acting DG, Mr Oriaku, said he will appear before the ICPC team on Monday.

Since it is the office that was invited by the ICPC I shall be there on Monday to honour the invitation. I plan to explain the situation that warranted my presence and we will await the agencys decision whether there will be further clarifications or not, he said.

While Premium Times could not verify the individual or organisation that wrote the petition against the agencys management to the ICPC, the newspaper confirmed a series of letters of complaint written against the administration of Mr. Agulanna by the leadership of some staff unions in the institute under the umbrella of the Joint Union of PRODA.

The joint union comprises the institutes chapters of the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutes (ASURI) and the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN).

Some of the letters, copies of which were made available to PREMIUM TIMES, accused Mr Agulanna of corrupt practices, poor performance and maladministration. They urged the government to urgently effect a leadership change at the institute.

One of such letters, dated September 21, 2018, and addressed to the Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, reads in part; It is with a great sense of duty and responsibility that our unions have decided to throw some light on the inadequacies to our research institution, and the abysmal performance of the institutes current DG/CEO, Engr. Dr. Charles Nkem Agulanna and entire management team. They have not only performed far below expectation, but have brought more damnation and retrogression to the institute, and research and development in the country. Ostensibly, the past six and a half years in the institute could be labelled as a wasted era in our lifespan.

When our correspondent spoke to Mr Agulanna, he agreed he was once summoned by ICPC but denied knowledge of the new invitation. He said since he had handed over the management of the institute to the most senior official, he was already on his annual leave.

On his part, the Chairman of the institutes Governing Board, Daniel Onjeh, said he was yet to be informed of the invitation by ICPC but confirmed the workers complaints against the administration of Mr Agulanna and his efforts to settle the matters amicably.

Mr Onjeh, who was an All Progressives Congress senatorial candidate in Benue in 2015, told PREMIUM TIMES that his board was yet to meet this year and that as soon as it does, all contradictions will be resolved.

I just said I should quickly respond to your question on the ICPC invitation. I am not yet aware but on the allegations of corruption and others by the workers, it is an internal crisis that my board met on ground and we are trying to resolve it. You would know that our board was just constituted in 2017.

Also speaking on the matter, the Special Adviser to the Minister of Science and Technology on Technical Matters, Ibiam Oguejofor, said only the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry could give definite answers on the issues affecting the administration of the institute.

ADVERTISEMENT

The minister, Mr Onu, had shortly upon his assumption of office announced that through the institute, Nigeria would by 2018 be able to produce pencils and in turn provide jobs for about 140,000 young Nigerians.

The workers are lamenting that in spite of the budgetary allocations and releases to the institute by the federal government, the institute has not fared better under its current leadership. They are calling for a probe of the management and a change in the leadership.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) says that former President Olusegun Obasanjo is being haunted by what he did while in office, especially with regards to the conduct of elections.

Lanre Issa-Onilu, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, stated this at a news conference on Sunday in Abuja,

He was reacting to allegations by Mr Obasanjo that the APC-led Federal Government had concluded plans with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rig the coming elections.

For eight years of Obasanjo in office, all the elections he held, infact, government policies were determined by whatever mood he found himself.

All the institutions of government were brought under his wings and what he did for those eight years is what is haunting him.

He cannot imagine that a government will allow INEC the statuary independence that it has.

We have had 93 elections or more since APC came to power, and you can be sure that all those elections were conducted without government interference.

We can understand where the former president is coming from, his past is haunting him, he imagines that perhaps the way he did it is the same way we will do it, Mr Issa-Onilu said.

He added that the APC-led federal government had always allowed institutions to fulfill their mandates without interference.

Mr Issa-Onilu said that the 2003 and 2007 general elections held under Obasanjo`s watch were nothing to write home about.

He gave an assurance that under the APC government, votes would count in the coming general elections, assuring that the polls would be free, fair and credible.

The APC spokesman added that the party had no reason to rig elections, because according to him, its achievements in all sectors of the country`s economy would speak for it.

He, however, advised Mr Obasanjo to adjust himself to the reality of an imminent defeat in the coming elections.

He has carried himself about as the dispenser of our destiny and God is showing him clearly that he has just only been lucky.

And the favour that God has done to him, he now considers as the things that are coming from him.

I think it is time for him to smell the coffin, this election will come and it will be free and fair, APC does not have any reason to rig it, Issa- Onilu said.

He further maintained that after February 16, Mr Obasanjo would realise that he is not God.

Mr Issa-Onilu said the APC was already campaigning round the country even though the PDP had earlier said that President Muhammadu Buhari would campaign by proxy.

ADVERTISEMENT

He also stressed that Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate, personifies the dark era of the country.

Mr Issa-Onilu said the APC was poised to bring the country out of the doldrums that the PDP brought it to with its 16 years of governance.

(NAN)
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Sunday expressed doubt over the neutrality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the forthcoming general elections.

Mr Obasanjo, who helped President Muhammadu Buhari to defeat the then incumbent president Goodluck Jonathan in 2015, parted ways with Mr Buhari whom he has repeatedly attacked as having performed poorly in office.

Mr Obasanjo is backing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the February 16 election.

I personally have serious doubt about the present INECs integrity, impartiality and competence to conduct a fair, free and credible election, the former president said in a press statement he distributed to journalists at his Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

If the INEC is willing, will the ruling party and government allow it? From what we saw and knew about Osun State gubernatorial election, what was conclusive was declared inconclusive despite all advice to the contrary, he added.

Mr Obasanjo mentioned ways in which INEC could be used to rig the elections.

The unnecessary rerun (in Osun election), if viewed as a test-run for a larger general election, would lead people to expect incidences of deliberately contrived, broken or non-working voting machines or card readers, confusion of voters as to their voting stations, inadequate supply of voting materials to designated places, long line to discourage voters and turning blind eyes to favour the blue-eye political party of INEC because the Commissions hands will be tied to enable hatchet men and women to perform their unwholesome assignment.

The transmission and collation of results are subject to interference, manipulation, and meddling.

If the INECs favourite political party wins with all the above infractions, the result will be conclusively declared and if not, there will be a rerun, the result of which is known before it is carried out.

The former president also touched on the controversy surrounding INECs appointment of President Buharis relative, Amina Zakari, as head of the commissions collation centre.

Mrs Zakaris appointment, the opposition alleges, is part of the plan by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig the elections.

Both the presidency and INEC have dismissed the allegation as untrue.

Amina Zakari has become too controversial a figure to be able to give assurance of free, fair and credible election for INEC, Mr Obasanjo said.

President Buhari and her family have declared that there is no blood relationship but there is a relationship through marriage and that is more than enough for the good lady to step aside. A judge does not sit in judgment over a case once he or she becomes a cause for controversy or one side in the case has strongly objected to the judge.

Madam Amina Zakari should, in honour, stay out and not be seen as a source of contamination of the election. Otherwise, it will be difficult to deny the rumour that she is being assigned to Collation Centre for one duty only  to write out figures that are not results of the voting in the field on fake results sheets without watermark or on genuine results sheets which she will have access to as a Commissioner.

Amina Zakari is not the only Commissioner that can be in the Collation Centre.

Let the INEC Chairman act boldly and impartially and prove his absolute neutrality and responsiveness to contribute to make the election peacefully free, fair and credible. His integrity needs to be transparently demonstrated, the former president said.

The former president said there have been reports in the past of INEC collaborating with officials of political parties to rig elections.

ADVERTISEMENT

He said card readers was one of the sure ways to prevent rigging in the forthcoming elections.

One way will be to only allow card readers to be means of authenticating voters and where there is no such authentication, it should mean no voting.

The second is to use only identity cards with watermarks issued by INEC itself to party officials only for identification of political party coordinators, officials and agents and not political parties dresses or arm and wrist bands which anybody can wear for purposes of identification on election duty or function.

Mr Obasanjo appealed to the international community to be actively involved in checking the activities of INEC.

The former president, however, commended both the presidency and the national assembly for adequately providing funding for INEC.

Funding cannot be an excuse for poor performance by INEC, Mr Obasanjo said.
ADVERTISEMENT

A former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo, said on Sunday that the Boko Haram insurgents have become stronger than ever.

Mr Obasanjo, a retired military general, made this known in a lengthy statement he issued on Sunday.

In the statement, Mr Obasanjo accused President Muhammadu Buhari of not only failing in all aspects of governance but also plotting to rig the coming election.

The former president said Mr Buharis alleged desperation to remain in power despite his mental and physical incapacitation, reminds him of the era of a former military dictator, Sani Abacha.

Calling on Nigerians to resist any plot to rig the election, the former president said the electorates should make good use of their permanent voters card to vote out the incumbent administration that has also failed to manage the countrys security problem.

According to Mr Obasanjo the security situation has deteriorated with kidnapping everywhere and Boko Haram more in action and nobody should deceive Nigerians about this.

Mr Obasanjo said if Nigerians fail to take a definitive step by voting Mr Buhari out of power in next months general election, Boko Haram and its Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP) may soon take over the entire West African region and make life unsafe for all.

With the teaming up of Boko Haram and Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP), Boko Haram is stronger today militarily than they have ever been, said the former President.

Boko Haram has also been empowered by the Nigerian government through payment of ransom of millions of dollars which each administration disingenuously always denies.

With ISIS being liquidated in Iraq and Syria, Africa is now their port of concentration. Soon, they may take over Libya which, with substantial resources, is almost a totally failed state. When that happens, all African countries North of Congo River will be unsafe with serious security problems.

The struggle must be for all West African, Central African, North African and most East African States. Nigeria has to play a vanguard role in this struggle as we have much to lose.

This administration has reached the end of its wit even in handling all security issues, but particularly Boko Haram issue, partly due to misuse of security apparatus and poor equipment, deployment, coordination and cooperation.

Finally, those Nigerians that are being intimidated or threatened by this Administration must trust in God and stand firm. Tough times do not last forever, but tough people invariably survive tough times. This is a tough time for almost all Nigerians in different respects, but the peoples will shall triumph.

All people who have registered to vote with their PVCs must never allow anybody or anything to deny or deprive them of the right of performing their fundamental civic duty of voting and sustaining democracy.

Establishment of democracy and its sustenance is second to attainment of independence in our political life, leaving out the victory of the civil war. We shall overcome.

President Muhammadu Buhari who was brought to power through a popular vote promised to end the Boko Haram insurgency in six months. Though the administration has been able to reclaim some local government areas that were under the control of the insurgents, the group is still able to carry out attacks on military formations and civilians in the three North-eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.
Presidential candidates of three political parties engaged Nigerians in a televised debate Saturday.

Although the debate was for five presidential candidates, three of them eventually took part in the debate.

They included a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu of the Young Progressives Party (YPP); a former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili of the Allied Peoples Congress of Nigeria (APCN); and a motivational speaker, Fela Durotoye of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN).

The duo of Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) opted out of the debate.

The debate comes five weeks after Vice President Yemi Osinbajo took on the running mates of the same presidential candidates in a similarly televised presidential debate on December 14.

PREMIUM TIMES highlights some of the claims presented by the candidates at the debate.

Oby Ezekwesili

Claim 1: 29.7 percent of young Nigerians unemployed

While discussing the state of the Nigerian economy, Mrs Ezekwesili said that 29.7 percent of young Nigerians are unemployed.

Oby Ezekwesili at the presidential debate. [PHOTO CREDIT: Official Twitter handle of Channels TV]

Verification: According to the National Bureau of Statistics, for Q3 2018, the unemployment rate for young people (15-35years) declined to 29.7 percent in Q3, 2018 from 30.50 percent in Q2 2018. This was, however, an increase from 13.7 percent in Q3 2015, the NBS said.

Underemployment within the youth population (15-35 years) during the same quarter declined from 27.2 percent in Q3 2017 to 25.7 percent in Q3 2018, the bureau added in its report.

Verdict: True

Claim 2: Some 60 per cent of Nigerian women are poor

Speaking on the subject of poverty, Mrs Ezekwesili said some sixty per cent of Nigerian women are poor.

Verification: Checks by PREMIUM TIMES showed that according to the poverty and equity brief published by the World Bank for sub-Saharan Africa in April 2018, the population of females within the international benchmark for poverty line was put at 53 percent of the population. But the statistics were prepared with data and details obtained in 2009.

The report added that the last official estimate on poverty, between 2009 and 2010, due to slow growth rate amidst dwindling oil revenue, would have slightly increased by 2017. Ditto the nations overall poverty rate. In recent years, the report said, low oil prices has a detrimental impact on the economy and growth decelerated significantly.

Verdict: Largely true.

Fela Durotoye

ADVERTISEMENT

Claim 1: 108 million Nigerians homeless

Mr Durotoye, commenting on Nigerias housing deficit, said 108 million Nigerians are homeless.

Fela Durotoye speaking at the presidential debate. [PHOTO CREDIT: CHannels Twitter handle]

Verification: Last December, Mustapha Shehuri, the Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, expressed concerns over lack of housing for more than 70 million Nigerians. Mr Shehuri told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the development was worrisome to the federal government.

But in 2017, the Bureau of Public Service Reform (BPSR) said the country has made over 108 million Nigerians technically homeless.

The bureau described the 100,000 houses built yearly in the country as insufficient, adding that it was time for stakeholders to join governments efforts in providing affordable houses for the people by taking advantage of the ongoing Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) programme.

According to the global homelessness statistics, there are an estimated 24.4 million homeless people in Nigeria due to rapid urbanization, insecurity and poverty, according to data obtained from the UNHCR report in 2007. There are indications that the figures would have ballooned.

Development experts have always argued that it is near-difficult to have harmonised data on homelessness, especially in developing countries.

Verdict: Unproven

Claim 2: 60 per cent of Nigerian labour is in agriculture

Mr Durotoye also claimed that 60 per cent of employed Nigerians are employed in the agriculture sector.

Verification: As of 2017, according to World Bank indicators, employment in agriculture stood at 37 per cent.

The NBS last Labour Force report stated that at the national level, forty-eight million, five hundred and thirty-three thousand, three hundred and nineteen (48,533,319) persons were reported to be engaged in one form of economic activity or the other. The figure showed that agriculture, forestry and fishing sector had the highest number of persons employed with 14,837,693, representing 29 per cent.

It has been argued, however, that the informal nature of agriculture makes it difficult to capture farmers and others working in the sector into the labour statistics data bank.

Verdict: False. Not supported by verifiable data.

Kingsley Moghalu

Claim 1: Rural Nigeria has about 53 per cent of the population

Verification: Commenting on the need to reach out to people in the rural areas in Nigeria, Mr Moghalu said about 53 per cent Nigerians live in rural areas. Trading Economics says that Rural population (compared to the percentage of total population) in Nigeria was reported at 51.4 per cent in 2016, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognised sources.

Kingsley Moghalu at the presidential debate. [PHOTO CREDIT: Channels Twitter handle]

Verdict: Near-accurate

Claim 2: Nigeria spends N1 trillion on petrol subsidy

Verification: Commenting on how to cut waste in governance, Mr Moghalu said Nigeria spends 1 trillion naira on petrol subsidy.

In April 2018, the state minister for oil, Ibe Kachikwu, said the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) stood at N1.4 trillion. The development came amidst revelation the present administration pays for subsidy, despite claiming the contrary and scrapping budgetary allocations for the payments shortly after it came into power.

In 2018, PREMIUM TIMES exposed how the federal government illegally diverted $1.05 billion sourced from the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) dividend funds to secretly fund subsidy payment on petroleum products. At N360 to a dollar, the amount translated to N378 billion.

But earlier in 2014, the Goodluck Jonathan administration which operated the subsidy regime had announced that about N971 billion would be used to subsidise the supply of petrol to Nigerians in 2015.

Mr Moghalu did not specify the regime he refers to, however.

Verdict: Unspecified.

CLAIM 3: 80 per cent of education budget on recurrent expenditure

Speaking on the state of education, Mr Moghalu lamented that about 80 percent of Nigerias education budget is on recurrent expenditure. He attributed the poor allocation to the rather poor state of the nations educational standard.

Verification: Checks by this newspaper show that in the 2019 budget proposal, of the total allocation of 620,503,169,028 to the ministry of education, the sum of 573,211,835,706 was allocated to recurrent expenditure while 47,291,333,322 was allocated to capital. This represents 92.4 percent recurrent and 7.58 percent capital allocations.

In the 2018 budget document, of the sum of 605,795,857,907 allocated to the ministry of education, 544,070,304,367, representing 89.9 percent was allocated to recurrent expenditure while 61,725,553,540, representing 10.08 percent went into capital allocation.

Verdict: Accurate, over 80 per cent allocated to recurrent.
ADVERTISEMENT

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Sunday attacked President Muhammadu Buhari, accusing him of plotting to rig the general elections.

Mr Buhari is seeking re-election on the platform of his party, APC. The presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on February 16.

In an open letter titled Point for Concern and Action which he distributed to journalists at a press conference held at his house at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Mr Obasanjo also alleged that the president was acting like a former military dictator, Sani Abacha.

Buhari has succeeded in deceiving us the first time and we will be fools to allow ourselves to be deceived the second time, Mr Obasanjo wrote.

Buba Galadima, who knows Buhari very well as a confidant and National Secretary of Congress for Progressive Change,CPC, the Buharis party before it joined in forming All Progressives Congress, APC has warned us this time around that no matter what he promises, he cannot change his character and attitude.

Mr Obasanjo was one of the millions of Nigerians who supported Mr Buhari in the 2015 presidential election. He has since withdrawn his support for the president, accusing him of incompetence and nepotism.

In his letter, the former president said Mr Galadima describes him (Mr Buhari) as inflexible, insincere, dubious, intolerant, never accepts responsibility when things go wrong and impervious to reason and advice for change. If you cannot change your mind, you cannot change anything is the assertion of George Bernard Shaw.

Mr Obasanjo then claimed that what is happening in Nigeria under Mr Buhari can be likened to what Nigerians witnessed under a late military dictator, Sani Abacha.

Mr Abacha, who ruled Nigeria between 1993 and 1998, died in office while trying to perpetuate himself in office.

He went for broke and surrounded himself with hatchet men who on his order and in his interest and at high costs to Nigeria and Nigerians, maimed, tortured and killed for Abacha. Buhari has started on the same note on the same path in mad desperation, Mr Obasanjo claimed.

He then alleged that the president and his party are recruiting collation officers who are already awarding election results.

It is the sole reason he has blatantly refused to sign the revised electoral bill into law. His henchmen are working round the clock in cahoots with security and election officials to perfect their plan by computing results right from the ward to local government, state and national levels to allot him what will look like a landslide victory irrespective of the true situation for a candidate who might have carried out by proxy presidential debate and campaigns.

He said the current plan is to drape the pre-determined results with a toga of credibility and also use violence of unimaginable proportion which will be unleashed in high voting population areas across the country to precipitate re-run elections.

We are monitoring them and we call on all democrats across the world to keep an eye on the unfolding anti-democratic agenda of President Muhammed Buhari. This is the time for preventive measures to be taken otherwise Nigeria may be presented with a fait accompli with impunity and total disregard of all pleas.

Mr Obasanjos letter comes despite repeated promises by President Buhari to ensure free and fair elections.

The presidency is yet to react to Mr Obasanjos latest outburst.

BELOW IS THE FULL STATEMENT BY MR OBASANJO

POINTS FOR CONCERN AND ACTION

By Chief Olusegun Obasanjo

I am concerned as a democrat who believes that with faithful and diligent practice of democracy, we can get over most of our political problems and move steadfastly and surefootedly on the course of stability, unity of purpose, socio-economic growth and progress for all.

Democracy becomes a sham if elections are carried out by people who should be impartial and neutral umpires, but who show no integrity, acting with blatant partiality, duplicity and imbecility. For all democrats and those carrying out the process of elections, there must be the redline that must not be crossed in tactics and practices of democracy.

I personally have serious doubt about the present INECs integrity, impartiality and competence to conduct a fair, free and credible election. And if the INEC is willing, will the ruling party and government allow it? From what we saw and knew about Osun State gubernatorial election, what was conclusive was declared inconclusive despite all advice to the contrary.

The unnecessary rerun, if viewed as a test-run for a larger general election, would lead people to expect incidences of deliberately contrived, broken or non-working voting machines or card readers, confusion of voters as to their voting stations, inadequate supply of voting materials to designated places, long line to discourage voters and turning blind eyes to favour the blue-eye political party of INEC because the Commissions hands will be tied to enable hatchet men and women to perform their unwholesome assignment. The transmission and collation of results are subject to interference, manipulation and meddling. If the INECs favourite political party wins with all the above infractions, the result will be conclusively declared and if not, there will be a rerun, the result of which is known before it is carried out. I know that I am not alone in being sceptical about the integrity of INEC and its ability to act creditably and above board. But we are open to be convinced otherwise.

The joke about INEC would seem real. The INEC was asked if the Commission was ready for the election and if it expects the election to be free, fair and credible. The INEC man is reported as saying in response, we are ready with everything including the results! God save Nigeria! It is up to Nigerians to ensure that the redline is not crossed in safeguarding our fledgling democracy. And if crossed, appropriate action must be taken not to allow our democracy to be derailed.

A friend of mine who is more credulous and who claims to be close to the Chair of INEC keeps telling me that INEC will retrieve its image and reputation by conducting the coming elections with utmost integrity and impartiality. I am not sure as I believe more in action than in words and in past record than in promise. The track record of the present INEC is fairly sordid and all men and women of goodwill and believers in democracy must be prepared for the worst from INEC and their encouragers and how to get Nigeria out of the electoral morass that the Commission is driving us into. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. A battle long forewarned does not embroil the cripple nor catch him unawares. A word is sufficient for the wise. The labour of Nigerian democracy heroes must not be in vain.

Some men of God would hold President Buhari to his word on free, fair, credible and peaceful elections. I am a realist and I reiterate that I go by track record. Therefore, I am not persuaded by a track record of hollow words, impunity, insensitivity and I-couldnt-care-less attitude, or by the sanctimonious claims of any candidate and his campaign staff. I will only believe what I see. This is a time for vigilance to fight to safeguard our votes and defend our democracy. The price of liberty and sustenance of our democracy is eternal vigilance and appropriate reaction to ward off iniquities. We must all be ready to pay that price and not relying on hollow words of callousness. The derailment of Nigerian democracy will be a monumental disaster comparable to the disaster of the Nigerian first military coup.

While Nigerians must not allow such a disaster to happen nor take such an affront lying low, the international community who played an admirable role in warning INEC, of course, to no avail on the Osun State gubernatorial election and who have been warning all political parties must on this occasion give more serious warning, send more people to the field to observe and work out punitive measures against INEC and security officials especially the Police and politicians who stand to gain from INECs misconduct, which is obviously encouraged by the Executive Arm of Government and who must be held responsible for the violence that will follow. Such measures can vary from denial and withdrawal of visas from the people concerned and from their families to other more stringent measures including their accounts being frozen and taking them to International Criminal Court, ICC, if violence emanates from their action or inaction. Nigeria must not be allowed to slip off the democratic path nor go into anarchy and ruin. No individual nor group has monopoly of violence or gangsterism. And we must not forget that in human interaction, reactions are normally greater than action, though opposite.

It is no use, at this juncture, to keep lamenting about the failure, incompetence, divisiveness, nepotism, encouragement and condonation of corruption by Buhari administration as there is neither redeeming feature nor personality to salvage the situation within that hierarchy. You cannot give what you dont have. Bode George put it bluntly in his statement of December 3, 2018 when he said:

The other day, the Vice-President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo  a learned man, an enlightened person in all parameters  was seen at various markets in Lagos State and Abuja distributing N10,000 each to market women. What an absurdity! It was indeed an obscene display of executive recklessness and abuse of office. Pray, where did the money come from? Was it budgeted for in the appropriation law? In more civilised nations, Osinbajo would have been impeached and prosecuted for gutting our collective treasury.

What an act by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria lawyer, number 2 man in the Executive hierarchy; and what is more, a pastor of one of the Christian movements led by a revered, respected and upright church leader, Pastor E. A. Adeboye. Osinbajo must have gone for, if you cant beat them, join them. A great pity indeed and which makes people ask the questions, Any hope? Yes, for me, there is hope.

Osinbajo has shown the human weakness and proved the saying that the corruption of the best is the worst form of corruption. His explanation that it was their government programme can only be construed to be very shallow and lopsided, if not an outrightly idiotic programme.

Traders in rural and sub-urban areas of Nigeria are many more than those in urban areas and they are much poorer than traders in Lagos, Abuja and other cities. They need more attention and greater help. Are they to be confined to the heap of perpetual poverty? What of those who are not traders? They are not entitled to hand-out and they can languish in penury? And what about millions who have lost their jobs in the last three and a half years? The timing is also suspect. Those who criticise the action are called evil but they are not evil as they know what they are doing and saying, and they love Nigeria and Nigerians not less than the likes of Osinbajo. They are not devils incarnate; they are patriots.

What is the connection between taking the number of PVC (Permanent Voters Card) of the recipient of the N10,000 doled out to traders and the forthcoming election? There is something sinister about it, and Professor Osinbajo, of all people, should know that. With collusion of the INEC officials and card readers not made to work, anybody quoting the PVC number may be allowed to vote as the revised Electoral Bill was not signed. And if that happens all over the country, it will be massive rigging indeed. The Chairman of INEC must stand firm and carry out his duties with competence and unbending neutrality. Card readers must be used without fail and accreditation must be completed and number ascertained and made public before voting commences as was done in 2015.

Amina Zakari has become too controversial a figure to be able to give assurance of free, fair and credible election for INEC. President Buhari and her family have declared that there is no blood relationship but there is relationship through marriage and that is more than enough for the good lady to step aside. A judge does not sit in judgement over a case once he or she becomes a cause for controversy or one side in the case has strongly objected to the judge.

Madam Amina Zakari should, in honour, stay out and not be seen as a source of contamination of the election. Otherwise, it will be difficulty to deny the rumour that she is being assigned to Collation Centre for one duty only  to write out figures that are not results of the voting in the field on fake results sheets without water mark or on genuine results sheets which she will have access to as a Commissioner. Amina Zakari is not the only Commissioner that can be in the Collation Centre. Let the INEC Chairman act boldly and impartially and prove his absolute neutrality and responsiveness to contribute to make the election peacefully free, fair and credible. His integrity needs to be transparently demonstrated.

We should remember that there had been reports of INEC sponsored rigging in the past, and also with INEC officials through collation and with officials being put in party coordinators dresses and working for the political party favoured by INEC and also putting the dresses of other parties on INEC-favoured parties and police uniforms on INEC-favoured parties to rig all the elections for the favoured party. Like all of us, INEC knows all these and it should devise means to make sure they do not happen. But will they? One way will be to only allow card readers to be means of authenticating voters and where there is no such authentication, it should mean no voting. The second is to use only identity cards with watermarks issued by INEC itself to party officials only for identification of political party coordinators, officials and agents and not political parties dresses or arm and wrist bands which anybody can wear for purposes of identification on election duty or function. Both the Presidency and the National Assembly must so far be commended for adequately providing funding as confirmed by INEC, and therefore funding cannot be an excuse for poor performance by INEC.

President Buhari and his hatchet men in the coming election think that the judiciary must be primed in their favour. Hence, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, has been harassed and prosecuted for non-declaration of his assets without following the Constitution and the law, just to make him conform or set him aside for a Buhari man to take over or act, as President Buhari and his people believe no stone should be left unturned to rig Buhari in. It seems to be a ploy to intimidate the judiciary as a whole in preparation for all election cases that will go before them. Where and how will all these stop?

Typically, with overwhelming outrage and condemnation, we are told that the Presidency denied knowledge of the action. But the Vice-President told us that the President knew of the action on Saturday night for everything that has been prepared for Monday morning. Haba VP, it doesnt happen that way. Nobody should take such measure against any of the four in hierarchy below the President or any of his ministers without his knowledge and indeed his approval. But if that can happen to the Chief Justice of the Federation, the fifth man in the hierarchy of government, without the knowledge let alone the approval of the President, then it speaks for the type of government we have which means the President is not in charge let alone being in control and no Nigerian must take anything for granted. We are all unsafe and insecure under such an administration. And enough of it! Buharis apologists will not stop at anything to try to cover up his administrations inadequate performance and character. A constitutional liberal democracy cannot thrive without an independent and insulated judiciary from the executive and the legislature.

Nigerians must wake up and stop these acts of wanton desperation tantamount to mental incapacity to run the affairs of Nigeria wholesomely.

Life and living are anchored on trust. But if I trust you and you deceive, cheat or disappoint me the first time, it is shame on you. However, if I allow you to do so the same thing for me the second time, I do not only have myself to blame, I must be regarded as a compound fool.

Buhari has succeeded in deceiving us the first time and we will be fools to allow ourselves to be deceived the second time. Buba Galadima, who knows Buhari very well as a confidant and National Secretary of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, the Buharis party before it joined in forming All Progressives Congress, APC, has warned us this time around that no matter what he promises, he cannot change his character and attitude. He describes him as inflexible, insincere, dubious, intolerant, never accepts responsibility when things go wrong and impervious to reason and advice for change. If you cannot change your mind, you cannot change anything is the assertion of George Bernard Shaw.

Even when figures, facts and statistics are made clear to Buhari, he keeps repeating what is untrue, either because he cannot understand or for mischief purposes and that places him on the level of a pathological liar. He believes he can get away with impunity and deceit as he seems to have done on many occasions in the past. Buba Galadimas position is well complemented by Dr. Auwalu Anwar on the APC, CPC, TBO and Buharis character and attitude in his yet to be launched book, Politics As Dashed Hopes in Nigeria. It is also a stunning revelation. Anwar clearly pointed out, the brazen display of incompetence, insensitivity and irresponsiveness by delusional party, CPC, leadership at all levels.

Buhari was the leader of the party. Bola Tinubus statement about Muhammadu Buhari in 2003 is fairly prophetic, Muhammadu Buhari is an agent of destabilisation, ethnic bigot and religious fanatic who, if given the chance, would ensure the disintegration of the country. His ethnocentrism would jeopardise Nigerias national unity.

Junaid Mohammed was eloquent on the issue of nepotism. But if as we were told that Buhari is nepotic because he does not trust others, why should others trust him to continue to put their fate and life in his hand.

Trust begets trust. They cannot be trusted for sensitive appointment but they can be sent out to campaign for his re-election. Who is fooling who?

What is happening under Buharis watch can be likened to what we witnessed under Gen. Sani Abacha in many ways. When Abacha decided that he must install himself as Nigerian President by all means and at all costs, he went for broke and surrounded himself with hatchet men who on his order and in his interest and at high costs to Nigeria and Nigerians maimed, tortured and killed for Abacha. Buhari has started on the same path in mad desperation.

From available intelligence, we have heard of how Buhari and his party are going about his own self-succession project. They have started recruiting collation officers who are already awarding results based on their projects to actualise the perpetuation agenda in which the people will not matter and the votes will not count. It is the sole reason he has blatantly refused to sign the revised Electoral Reform Bill into law.

His henchmen are working round the clock in cahoots with security and election officials to perfect their plan by computing results right from the ward to local government, state and national levels to allot him what will look like a landslide victory irrespective of the true situation for a candidate who might have carried out by proxy presidential debate and campaigns.

The current plan is to drape the pre-determined results with a toga of credibility. It is also planned that violence of unimaginable proportion will be unleashed in high voting population areas across the country to precipitate re-run elections and where he will be returned duly elected after concentration of security officials as it happened in Osun State. We are monitoring them and we call on all democrats across the world to keep an eye on the unfolding anti-democratic agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari.

This is the time for preventive measures to be taken otherwise Nigeria may be presented with a fait accompli with impunity and total disregard of all pleas.

His scheme bears eloquent testimony to this road similar to Abacha whom he has praised to high heavens and as an arch-supporter and beneficiary from Abacha, he has seen nothing wrong done by him. It is clear from all indications that Buhari is putting into practice the lessons he learned from Abacha. Buhari has intimidated and harassed the private sector, attacked the National Assembly and now unconstitutionally and recklessly attacked and intimidated the Judiciary to cow them to submission.

I was a victim of Abachas atrocities against Nigeria and Nigerians  high and low. At the height of Abachas desperation for perpetual power, he did not brook any criticism because Nigeria was seen as his personal property. You must go along with him or be destroyed. All institutions for ensuring security, welfare and well-being of Nigeria and Nigerians particularly the Police, the Military and the Department of State Services (DSS) were abused and misused to deal with critics of Abacha and non-conformists with Abacha.

Today, another Abacha Era is here. The security institutions are being misused to fight all critics and opponents of Buhari and to derail our fledgling democracy. EFCC, Police and Code of Conduct Tribunal are also being equally misused to deal with those Buhari sees as enemies for criticising him or as those who may not do his bidding in manipulating election results. Criticism, choice and being different are inherent trade mark of democracy. If democracy is derailed or aborted, anarchy and authoritarianism will automatically follow.

Today, as in the day of Abacha, Nigerians must rise up and do what they did in the time of Abacha. Churches and Mosques prayed. International community stood by us Nigerians. I was a beneficiary and my life was saved. Well-meaning Nigerians took appropriate actions and made sacrifices, some supreme, some less than supreme but God had the final say and He took the ultimate action.

God of Nigeria is a living God and a prayer-answering God. Nigerians must cry out to God to deliver Nigeria. Here again, I have been threatened with arrest and extermination but I will not succumb to intimidation or threats. Maybe I should remind those who are using probe as a threat that I have been probed four times by EFCC, ICPC, House of Representatives and the Senate and Buhari has access to reports of these probes. But I have also challenged Buhari and the criminals around him to set up a probe on the same allegations and I will face such probe in public. But I know that these criminals cannot withstand a Police inquiry let alone clinical probe on the past public offices they held. My fervent prayer is that President Buhari may live to see the will and purpose of God for Nigeria.

My final appeal to him is to desist from evil with manipulation and desperation because evil has repercussion especially as man who should watch and be mindful of his self-acclaimed and packaged integrity.

At the end of the day, those who goad you on will leave you in the lurch. You will be left alone, naked and unheralded. In defeat, which must be Buharis fear leading to desperation, he and his co-travellers can still maintain modicum of decency, and exhibit fear of God in their actions. We have been told that governance has been abdicated to a cabal. Now, campaigning has been abdicated to jagaban. And it is being authoritatively stated that he would not join any presidential debate. Nigerians will not allow the elections to be abdicated to INEC and Police to give us false and manipulated results. I personally commend the President for yielding to popular outcry to let the former Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotun Idris, go when he is due as he had the track record and history of being assigned to rig elections for the incumbent. It was alleged that he was sent to Kano for that purpose in 2015. He was already deploying his Commissioners of Police on similar mission before his exit. We must all encourage the new Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to tread the path of professionalism, even-handedness, respect and new image for the Police.

While Nigeria must appreciate Buhari for the little he has done and allow him to depart for home in peace if he allows free, fair, peaceful and credible elections, we must also tell ourselves that Nigeria deserves better at this point in time than what Buhari is capable of offering. History will note that he has been there. Nigeria now needs a man with better physical and mental soundness, with an active mind and intellect.

Let me say again that Nigeria belongs to all Nigerians and exists for the benefit of all Nigerians and non-Nigerians who desire to live or do business in and with Nigeria. The attitude of it is my turn and I can do what I like with impunity will not last because Nigeria is created by God and it will outlive all evil machinations and designs against the overall interest of Nigeria.

Before I conclude, let me assert that the security situation has deteriorated with kidnapping everywhere and Boko Haram more in action and nobody should deceive Nigerians about this.

With the teaming up of Boko Haram and Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP), Boko Haram is stronger today militarily than they have ever been. Boko Haram has also been empowered by the Nigerian government through payment of ransom of millions of dollars which each administration disingenuously always denies. With ISIS being liquidated in Iraq and Syria, Africa is now their port of concentration. Soon, they may take over Libya which, with substantial resources, is almost a totally failed state. When that happens, all African countries North of Congo River will be unsafe with serious security problems. The struggle must be for all West African, Central African, North African and most East African States. Nigeria has to play a vanguard role in this struggle as we have much to lose. This administration has reached the end of its wit even in handling all security issues, but particularly Boko Haram issue, partly due to misuse of security apparatus and poor equipment, deployment, coordination and cooperation.

Finally, those Nigerians that are being intimidated or threatened by this Administration must trust in God and stand firm. Tough times do not last forever, but tough people invariably survive tough times. This is a tough time for almost all Nigerians in different respects, but the peoples will shall triumph. All people who have registered to vote with their PVCs must never allow anybody or anything to deny or deprive them of the right of performing their fundamental civic duty of voting and sustaining democracy. Establishment of democracy and its sustenance is second to attainment of independence in our political life, leaving out the victory of the civil war. We shall overcome.
On Saturday afternoon, The Museum of Texas Tech University had an artist come and speak about "The Holy Quran Pursuit". The Holy Quran Pursuit consists of paintings about Quran and 10 surahs. The Holy Quran Pursuit represents artistry and Islamic calligraphy. On Saturday, January 19, 2019, at the Museum of Texas Tech University.
The year 2018 could be described as one drama-filled one in the Nigerian Senate under the leadership of Senate President Bukola Saraki.

In as much as he at times tried to evade controversies in 2018, the official fought major battles that tested his political strength.

Several controversies trailed the lawmaker ranging from his in-and-out of court battles with the Code of Conduct Bureau, to disagreements with President Muhammadu Buhari and some appointees, to faceoff with colleagues and also a heated exchange with the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.

Below are some major battles that Mr Saraki fought in 2018 in no particular order.

1. Saraki Vs IGP

The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, had in the past one year, been a thorn in Mr Sarakis flesh.

Besides snubbing the Senates invitation three times  which Mr Saraki described as a gross disrespect, the security chief had several times given orders ostensibly to attack the Senate.

The IGP had invited Mr Saraki for questioning in early June after some Offa robbery suspects allegedly confessed to being sponsored by him.

But this approach was later abandoned by the police who asked him to send a written response to the allegations instead. The Senate president subsequently sent a written response to the allegations.

Mr Saraki denied all allegations of involvement in the planning or execution of the Offa robbery in April which caused the death of many.

The Senate president was summoned again to appear before the police on the day that 14 senators defected. A siege was laid at his residence and that of his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu. The lawmaker, however, managed to escape and later presided over plenary.

The police later frowned at Mr Sarakis failure to appear as directed and threatened to make him face the consequences. Mr Saraki asked the IGP to send his personnel to question him.

Recently, the lawmaker lashed out at the IGP over an attempt to arrest a senator, Dino Melaye, who has also had conflicts with Mr Idris. Mr Saraki described the police chief as Nigerias most partisan police IG.

Mr Idris last week retired from the police and has been replaced as inspector-general.

2. Saraki Vs Oshiomhole

It was all quiet until Mr Saraki dumped the APC and joined the PDP; it became a game of accusations and counter accusations characterised most times by name calling.

Perhaps pricked by his defection  and obviously other lawmakers who followed suit, Mr Oshiomhole, began to verbally attack the Senate president, who did not hesitate to respond.

Shortly after Mr Sarakis defection, Mr Oshiomhole asked the lawmaker to resign or be removed from office.

In a swift response, Mr Saraki told the APC chairman that all efforts to remove him from office will fail.

He also accused Mr Oshiomhole of behaving like a rain-beaten chicken as though he (Mr Saraki) was haunting his life.

ADVERTISEMENT

The brawl did not end there.

Upon Mr Sarakis declaration to run for presidency, as expected, Mr Oshiomhole said his decision had vindicated him.

He also charged APC members in Kwara State to jettison their personal ambitions and work towards ending the reign of Mr Saraki in Kwara politics.

After the Senate president lost in the primary election, the publicity secretary of the APC, Yekini Nabena, said Mr Sarakis loss shows PDP delegates were fed up with his political style.

Mr Saraki replied describing the comment as irresponsible.

The war of words between the two dominated part of Nigerian politics between August and November and there seems to be no end in sight yet.

3. Saraki Vs Omo-Agege

The disagreement between the Delta State senator and Mr Saraki can be traced back to when he was suspended for 90 days for accusing his colleagues of working against President Muhammadu Buharis re-election plans in 2019.

This he said was done by adopting the amendment to section 25 of the electoral act outlining a change in the sequence of elections.

One week later, following his suspension, the lawmaker stormed the the chamber during plenary followed by some hoodlums who are believed to have been led by him and carted away the mace.

He was, however, quick to deny any wrondoing.

The federal high court in Abuja nullified his suspension even though the Senate tried to appeal.

Mr Omo-Agege did not relent in his verbal attacks which were directed at his colleagues and especially, Mr Saraki.

4. Saraki Vs Ali Ndume

After his suspension in 2017, Ali Ndume began to verbally attack the Senate president and express disappointment at his leadership.

He had said Mr Saraki betrayed him and other senators who supported him (Mr Saraki) and that he regrets supporting him.

In May, he tackled Mr Saraki and accused him of dictatorship.

In September, Mr Ndume criticised the Senate Presidents presidential ambition as he said Mr Saraki can only win election in Kwara State.

Mr Saraki has made efforts not to respond to Mr Ndumes comments but a few times has ignored him on the floor of the Senate.

5. Saraki Vs Abdullahi Adamu

Former governor of Nasarawa State has never failed to hide his undying love and support for the president.

He was always willing to tackle anyone whose words or actions are against Mr Buhari in 2018. Although he tackled other colleagues in 2018, his major target was Mr Saraki.

The conflict started when the Senate adopted a report by the Senate and House of Representatives Joint Committee on the Amendment to the Electoral Act.

Mr Adamu and nine other senators accused the Senate president of not allowing them to add their voices to the debate.

They eventually left the chamber to address the press while the plenary was still on, insisting that the sequence change was targeted at Mr President.

Mr Adamu, who was later removed as chairman Northern Senators Forum in February, began to attack Mr Saraki. Mr Adamu called on the Senate President to resign or face the consequences.

He also accused Mr Saraki of using his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, to do his dirty work.

6. Saraki Vs Tinubu

At the time when the Senate President was battling Mr Oshiomhole, another cold war erupted between him and the APC National Leader, Bola Tinubu.

Mr Tinibu, who claimed to know why people like Mr Saraki and Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal left the party, said in a statement, that they left because the APC could not give them what they wanted  which was automatic tickets and sharing of the national wealth which the governing APC could not guarantee.

According to him, the defectors left the party to return to a motley agglomeration that would promise them what true democracy could not: automatic tickets, sharing of the national wealth and other offices and privileges.

And as expected, Mr Saraki, in a swift response, said the reasons advanced by Mr Tinubu were false and mischievous.

He listed the many sins of the President Buharis administration and the leadership of APC which he said culminated in his defection.

On another occasion, the lawmaker in a leaked audio clip, vowed that Kwara State will never take instructions from any political leader in Lagos State, in veiled reference to Mr Tinubu.

7. Saraki Vs Lai Mohammed

Since Mr Sarakis exit from the ruling party, it has been a battle for supremacy between him and the Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, who is also from Kwara State.

The duo struggled to see their anointed candidates win the Kwara State by-election for Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero federal constituency  which was conducted to replace a late princess, Funke Adedoyin.

The APC candidate, Tunji Olawuyi polled 21,236 to emerge winner, while his closest rival, Saheed Alatise of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), scored 18,095.

Mr Saraki and other members of the PDP alleged that the process was skewed against their party.

In a recent attack, Mr Mohammed accused the Senate President of dancing on the graves of the innocent souls who died in the April 5, 2018 armed robbery attack in Offa.

He said his comment came after Mr Saraki reportedly said in a radio interview that he donated N10 million when he visited Offa to commiserate with the people in the aftermath of the robbery, even when the amount that was stolen from the robbed banks vaults was N7 million.

Mr Mohammed said Mr Saraki did not pay a dime to the robbery victims.

Mr Saraki has dismissed the ministers comments as falsehood.

8. Sarakis Failed Presidential Ambition

Mr Sarakis presidential ambition can also be considered as a major battle he fought in 2018.

He was verbally attacked from the day he made the declaration until the day of the primary election.

He officially announced his decision to run at a public dialogue organised by the #NotTooYoungToRun Movement, a youth pressure group. The group later dissociated itself from Mr Sarakis ambition.

Mr Saraki lost the battle when a former vice president, Atiku Abubakar defeated him and other aspirants to emerge presidential candidate of the PDP.

Mr Saraki promptly vowed to support Mr Abubakar win the 2019 presidential election. He is currently a prominent member of Mr Abubakars campaign team.
Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerias president, left the venue of his campaign in Jos without delivering his campaign speech, due to the large crowd of party supporters who overwhelmed the security at the event.

The president, who is seeking re-election, was ushered out of the venue of the rally through the back door of the stadium located at the VIP section.

Mr Buhari arrived at the Rwang Pam Stadium at about 3:30 p.m. with his entourage. On the entourage was Governor Simon Lalong and his deputy, Sunny Tyoden; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustafa; former Plateau deputy governor, Pauline Tallen, among other dignitaries.

While he was entering the venue of the rally, thousands of party supporters were hailing his arrival, chanting 4+4. The crowd had also forced the presidents convoy to stop for security to clear the way for him to get access to the venue.

Soon after he got to the VIP area before alighting from his car, a mammoth crowd trooped towards his car and blocked all ways to get out of the car.

The situation compelled the president to sit in the car for over 30 minutes, waiting for security to control the area before he finally got to his seat as security personnel pushed back the crowd and struggled to make way.

All efforts by security agents including soldiers and the SSS, to gain control of the venue was unsuccessful, as supporters resisted all security forces.

Later, more crowd, believed to be mostly supporters of the party, surged toward the podium while some climbed the top of vehicles in the entourage of Mr Buhari, chanting Sai Buhari, Sai Baba.

As security personnel battled unsuccessfully to push the crowd back, Mr Buhari left the venue of the rally without delivering his speech.

Soon after the president left the venue, the special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, in a statement, described the rally as successful, saying the crowd was a sign of love for the president.

President Muhammadu Buhari extends heartfelt appreciation to the people of Plateau State, who turned out in innumerable numbers to welcome him in Jos, during his presidential campaign visit on Saturday.

After waiting for about an hour, with the melee not receding, but rather increasing in tempo and fervour.

The president lauds Plateau people for turning out in their thousands to welcome him into Jos, lining the roads right from the airport, defying the boiling sun.

We have been serving you for about four years, we want another four years mandate from you, it is needful for you to allow us give you a report. You deserve it, the statement highlighted.

The president was later led through the rear exit and was only able to wave to party supporters as he was hurried out.

Mr Lalong and the director general of the Buhari/Osinabajo Campaign Organisation, Rotimi Amaechi, were not also able to deliver any speech at the venue due to the crowd trouble.

The governor, who could not speak at the event, later sent his speech to PREMIUM TIMES through his commissioner for information, Yakubu Dati.

The unprecedented massive turn out of Plateau people irrespective of party affiliation is not just a demonstration of love for President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress but an endorsement of the success of the Rescue Administration in the state.

ADVERTISEMENT

Mr Lalong said the nonpartisan welcome confirms Plateaus restored status by his administration as the acclaimed Home of Peace and Tourism.

Mr Buhari had earlier paid a courtesy visit on the Gbong Gwom Jos, Jacob Gyang Buba before going to the stadium.

He was not able to receive thousands of defectors from other political parties to APC because of the crowd that forced him to leave.
President Muhammadu Buhari and the main opposition candidate, Atiku Abubakar, were absent at the presidential debate organised by the Nigerian Election Debate Group (NEDG) and the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) on Saturday.

The Buhari campaign organisation released a statement saying that the president was not at the debate because he had already attended a live town hall last Wednesday. On his part, Mr Abubakar, who was at the venue of the debate but refused to mount the podium, said there was no point participating in the debate if Mr Buhari will not be attending.

In their absence, the presidential candidates of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) Oby Ezekwesili; The Alliance for New Nigerian Party (ANNP), Fela Durotoye; and the Young Progressives Party (YPP) Kingsley Moghalu, took to the stage to tell Nigerians of their plans for the country if elected president in the election in February.

The candidates, who are all political outsiders as this is the first time they are seeking elective positions, kicked-off the debate with gusto. They told Nigerians why they were qualified to govern the country and what they were going to do differently if elected to lead Africas most populous country.

Oby Ezekwesili

Ms Ezekwesili started by saying the country is in a dire situation and therefore in need of urgent rescue. Quoting legendary Nigeria novelist, Chinua Achebe, the former minister of education narrowed down the problem of Nigeria to that of leadership.

With a flurry of bleak statistics about the country, she said the people to take the country out of the present quagmire were technocrats and not career politicians. She said if elected president, she would disrupt the pattern of leadership in the country.

On her plans to revamp the economy, Ms Ezekwesili said her plan would lift 80 million Nigerians out of poverty if elected president. Arguing that many Nigerians earn less than N700 per day, she promised to increase the productivity of Nigerians as a means of rolling back poverty. She promised to remove the barriers that impede productivity and to privatise public institutions as a means of boosting productivity.

If people are more productive, they earn more and are lifted out of poverty, she argued.

Ms Ezekwesili suggested that she will revisit the Steve Oronsanye report which recommended the reduction of government agencies as a cost-cutting measure. She said her government will reward merit by finding the most competent people and putting them in positions of leadership.

Ms Ezekwesili, who was calm for the entirety of the debate, said she plans to tackle widespread insecurity in the country by setting up a SWAT team of the best brains. She said she would seek and encourage local and continental collaboration as a panacea to the countrys security challenges.

Decrying the growing spate of youth unemployment and underemployment, she promised to solve the problem by not only creating employment opportunities for the youth but also investing in skill acquisition and teachers quality.

She said her educational policy will pay particular attention to early childhood education. She promised a review of the curriculum with more attention paid to innovation and teachers quality.

She, however, erroneously claimed that majority of teachers in the country still have the minimum qualification of Teachers Grade II. However, in most states in the country, the minimum qualification for teachers is the National Certificate for Education (NCE). In fact, in 2015, a former minister of education, Ibrahim Shekarau, suggested that the minimum qualification for teachers should be a bachelors degree.

Score: 7/10

Kingsley Moghalu

The former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said he joined the presidential race because he believes it is time for a different kind of leadership in the country.

Mr Moghalu said his aim was to address the root causes of the problems that beleaguered the country.

We will restructure the country to establish its potentials, he said. We would restore Nigeria position in the world. Nigerias position in the world has fallen.

He took a swipe at President Buhari saying his government will work with women to grow the country. They will not just be in the kitchen or the other room, he said to cheers from the audience.

ADVERTISEMENT

On fixing the economy, he said the countrys politics has to be first fixed. The path to fixing Nigeria economy depends on who becomes the president of the country, he said.

However, his plan to cut government spending seems ironic as he promised to hire I.5 million more policemen and work towards moving unproductive civil servants to other sectors of the economy where their contribution will be enhanced.

He, however, did not explain how employing 1.5 million more police officers will cut cost but he declared at the end that he would cut government spending by 50 per cent in his first two years in office.

Mr Moghalu promised to move Nigeria away from an oil economy by focusing on innovation and spreading ICT to rural areas by providing incentives for start-ups to move to the rural areas.

Mr Moghalu who took a swipe at the APC and PDP for not showing up at the debate saying that was because they lacked the solution needed to solve the problems and they have turned their backs on Nigerians. He said he will bring political will in solving the countrys security problems.

He vowed to cut corruption and tribalism and ethnic considerations in the appointments of military leaders.

We will bring to the problem intelligence and win the hearts and minds of the people. We will improve border security and improve economic opportunity, he said.

He said he will invest in the creation of 21st-century police force in the country as a means of solving kidnapping and other criminal activities

He said he would solve the separatist agitation in the South-east by making every Nigerian feel Nigerian. He said the countrys leadership is divisive and unlike the government will practice a merit-based inclusive government.

Mr Moghalu promised to increase the education budget to 20 per cent of the annual budget and will reform pedagogy. He also promised to end the perennial strike of university lecturers.

Score: 7/10

Fela Durotoye

The leadership trainer said Nigerians have been ruled but not led in the last 50 years. He said as a leadership expert of over 25 years, he has what it takes to provide the type of leadership the country lacked.

Those who we have accepted as being leaders are people we would not hire ourselves. I will restore the hope in Nigeria and together we would build a new Nigeria, he said.

He said his plan to grow the economy is centred on the improvement of agriculture, housing and road construction. He promised to increase the use of Nigeria arable land from 37 per cent to 50 per cent.

According to Mr Durotoye, by fixing road agriculture and housing, he intends to create 30 million jobs.

He said he would reduce government spending arguing that instead of driving around with a 30-vehicle convoy as the incumbent president does, he would rather drive in a bus with other members of his cabinet.

We must re-orientate our people to understand the importance of paying taxes, he said.

Mr Durotoyes plans on the economy was clearly the weakest of the trio. When asked how to source for money to implement his educational plans, he said he would encourage alumni contribution.

He said the countrys educational system was aimed at providing certification instead of preparing youth for employment outside the school.

Score: 6/10
JOHESU: Health workers strike looms in Nigeria

The Nigerian health workers under the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) have threatened to resume their suspended strike.

JOHESU on Wednesday threatened to resume the industrial action it suspended last year May, if the dispute is not resolved within two weeks. JOHESU, through its chairman, Biobelemoye Josiah, issued the strike notice in a letter addressed to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Nigige.

Buhari approves medical director for FMC, Kebbi

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Aliyu Balarabe as the Medical Director (MD), Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State.

According to a press statement signed by a spokesperson of the federal ministry of health, Boade Akinola, on Wednesday, Mr Balarabes appointment is for an initial first term of four years.

Ms Akinola said the appointment was confirmed in a letter signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

She said Mr Balarabes appointment takes effect from December 27, 2018.

Researchers urged to develop Lassa fever vaccine

Scientist and researchers have been tasked to intensify their researches towards developing a vaccine that could prevent the spread of Lassa fever across the continent in the nearest possible future.

This plea was made at the maiden Lassa fever international conference which held in Abuja.

Though some Lassa fever vaccines have been developed, all are still in clinical stages and none has been certified for use.

This is one of reasons for organising the Lassa fever international conference.

The conference was an avenue for researchers, scientists, health workers and people with interest in the disease from across the world to reflect on what is known and available and prioritise research agenda towards eradicating the disease.

More investments in global health will yield incredible returns  Bill and Melinda Gates

After years of putting billions of dollars of their own money into the support of the sector and other humanitarian causes across the world, philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates say more investments in global health will yield incredible returns for mankind.

The couple spoke on Wednesday in a teleconference with journalists across the world on the importance of continued robust investment in global health.

Mrs Gates noted there has been considerable improvement in human conditions in the last two decades due to improved investment in the sector.

ADVERTISEMENT

She said the result of the huge global investments in the sector is that the poorest parts of the world have not only become less poor, they have also become much healthier.

Lagos to enforce standards on sale of fruits, vegetables

The Lagos State Government says it will enforce standards in the sale and consumption of fruits and vegetables to guarantee the health and safety of consumers in the state.

Divine Dunkwu, the Head, Public Affairs, State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA), said the agency had initiated a project to ensure that handling, packaging and display of vegetables and fruits are done in accordance with the acceptable standards.

He said LASCOPA was collaborating with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Lagos State Market Board and the Ministry of Wealth Creation to drive the project.

According to him, LASCOPA will look into the packaging, handling, ripening of fruits with unhealthy substances, lack of proper storage facilities and unhygienic environments for sales and display of the products.

Scientist claims local remedy for diabetes

Chukwunonso Ejike, a professor and researcher at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi, said he has developed a local remedy for diabetes mellitus.

Mr Ejike made the claim on the sidelines of the Technology and Innovation Expo 2019 in Enugu.

Diabetes mellitus is a disease in which the bodys ability to produce or respond to the hormone insulin is impaired, resulting in abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates and elevated level of glucose (sugar) in the blood.

Mr Ejike said that the remedy product known as the VOG Tea was one of six products exhibited by the university at the Expo, invented in 2018 after four years of intensive research.

The don, who is the Dean, Basic Medical Sciences in the institution, said that the tea was produced from three culinary vegetables, noting that the process of patenting the product had already begun and it would soon be in the market.

Programme to reduce lead poisoning in Nigerian communities yielding result  Study

A pilot programme introduced to reduce lead poisoning in Nigerian gold mining communities has yielded positive result, a new study has revealed.

The study titled Reducing Lead and Silica Dust Exposures in Small-Scale Mining in Northern Nigeria shows that the programme has brought extraordinary improvements to an area where hundreds of children had died from lead poisoning

The study was carried out by Occupational Knowledge (OK) International in partnership with Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).

Lead poisoning in Nigeria was first discovered in Zamfara State by Medecins San Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) in 2010.

The plague, which was caused by lead pollution generated from processing lead-rich rock ores for gold, claimed the lives of 400 to 500 children within the state.

To pave a way for treatment, eight villages were remediated.

Man blind after taking erectile dysfunction drug overdose

A man in his 50s, who reportedly drank an entire 30-milliliter bottle of liquid sildenafil used to treat erectile dysfunction, is currently experiencing vision issues that include debilitating night blindness.

According to a medical case study recently published in the journal, JAMA Ophthalmology, the man, was not identified but was said to have drunk 10 times more than the recommended dose of the drug.

IFLScience reported that the man later saw doctors at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston, U.S., where he claimed he was experiencing night blindness, sensitivity to light and was seeing doughnut-shaped spots, IFLScience reported, citing the study.

Doctors said in the study all of his symptoms  except for the doughnut-shaped spots  improved days after he received treatment.

Stress may raise the risk of Alzheimers disease

New research suggests that vital exhaustion, a marker of psychological distress, may raise the risk of developing Alzheimers disease.

Many factors may increase Alzheimers risk, including age, family history, and genetic makeup. Certain health issues, such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes, may also influence the odds of experiencing dementia because they impact the blood vessels.

Researchers led by Sabrina Islamoska, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Public Health at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, set out to investigate the possibility of a link between vital exhaustion and Alzheimers disease.

Your smartphone might be the cause of your neck pain

A new study published in PLOS One reveals that prolong cellphone use, and in particular text messaging, can cause neck pain and have an impact on soft tissues that surround the spine.

Researchers at the University of Khon Kaen in Thailand aiming to elucidate the cause of a syndrome known as text neck highlighted the risk associated with this type of posture.

The team filmed 30 smartphone users aged 18 and 25, who spent up to eight hours a day on their phones. Their ergonomic risk levels were evaluated with Rapid Upper Limb Assessment tool (RULA), which is often used to analyse the posture of desktop and portable computer uses. Participants in the study had an average score of 6 points, well in excess on an acceptable score of one or two points.

The lead researcher, Suwalee Namwongsa, said the results identified issues with unsuitable neck, trunk and leg posture which leads to musculoskeletal disorders. Musculoskeletal disorder was more prevalent among students who spend the most times on their smartphones (more than five hours a day) and among those who smoked and did not exercise.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reiterated its readiness to facilitate access to foreign exchange by Nigerian companies that want to import equipment to ease business growth in the country.

The CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, said this on Sunday during an inspection of Dangote Refinery in Lagos.

The refinery when it starts full operation would be refining 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day (bpd).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the tour of the facility was held at its location within the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos.

Mr Emefiele said that the projects on completion would also be expected to produce 883 KPTA polypropylene plant, three million tons per annum Urea plant and 1,100 kilometres sub-sea pipeline infrastructure.

He said it would transform the Nigerian economy from a net importer of refined petroleum products to a net- exporter of petroleum products.

The governor said that the support to indigenous companies by the CBN was to ease the importation of equipment needed in Nigeria for production.

He said he is extremely delighted with the huge investment and massive progress recorded here in Dangote Petrochemical and Fertilizer Refinery.

This shows commitment and readiness for business.

I have said it before that we will also support any Nigerian companies that take interest in construction and manufacturing of goods in Nigeria.

CBN will provide funding in terms of foreign exchange and naira to import equipment that will fast track business activities.

Dangote Group s nine billion dollars investment is a reality of an indigenous companys commitment that is interested in the socio-economic growth of Nigeria.

This has made us to support Dangote Group with N75 billion in Forex to import equipment and other facilities to ease completion of the refinery, he said.

The CBN boss said that This is the kind of investment we need in Nigeria that will empower Nigerians and boost our revenue.

I am happy that this project by Dangote Group came up in my lifetime. The federal government will continue to support the project and any other projects in the country.

The ongoing nine-billion-dollar-refinery investment will enjoy our support, no doubt.

We are doing this to fast-track other importation of equipment you will need for a speedy completion of that project and to encourage other Nigerians to follow your lead, Emefiele said.

According to him, the tour is necessary to lend our support to this laudable project that will transform Nigerias downstream oil sector.

ADVERTISEMENT

Mr Emefiele said that the CBN would continue to support tremendous and impactful projects that would improve the socio-economic profile of the country through such investments.

He said the diversification of the Dangote Group was worthy of emulation by other industrialists.

By the time this refinery is completed, it will not only service the needs of our domestic economy but shore up our international oil investments.

Projects like this and our support will encourage more Nigerians to begin to think like the Dangote Group, he added

Mr Emefiele commended Aliko Dangote for his resilience and dedication to create wealth.

It may interest you to know that we always expend one-third of our total foreign exchange obligation to import petroleum products.

When the fertilizer plant will commence operation between April and May this year and the Refinery commences operation in April 2020, we will have a lot of savings from foreign exchange.

In near future, we may be buying foreign exchange from the Dangote Group, he said.

Mr Emefiele urged other private refinery licensees to develop the capacity to build more refineries.

I have not seen any licensee approach the bank for credit to build refinery.

Remember, such licensee will approach his bank which will in turn assess his capacity to build such refinery and such request will be forwarded to the CBN for approval.

If they have the capacity, we will support them through their banks, Mr Emefiele said.

In his remarks, Aliko Dangote commended the CBN for its support and for believing in the project.

He said that the largest single train refinery in the world, Dangote Refinery, would commence operations in April 2020.

Mr Dangote said that the construction of the refinery that would be producing 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day by the Dangote Group was expected to help Nigeria save over $7.5 billion through import substitution.

He said that it would also put the country on the global map as a major oil and gas hub in Africa.

He said that the Dangote Refinery, therefore, would help the government create a robust domestic refining sector.

Mr Dangote said that it would reduce the importation of petroleum products and save the country from capital flight.

The refinery is going to save a huge amount of foreign exchange outflow because, today, forex is being used in the importation of petroleum products and our foreign reserves are being heavily depleted.

And whatever little forex we are earning from the sale of crude oil, is being used to import petroleum products.

Our petroleum refinery is going to have a major beneficial impact on the economy in terms of foreign exchange savings, he said.

Mr Dangote said: We will be adding value to our economy as all these projects are currently creating about 26,000 employment opportunities.

He said that when completed, it would create about 80,000 employment opportunities.

We will also save over 7.5 billion dollars for Nigeria annually through import substitution.

We will generate an additional $5.5 billion per annum through exports of the refined petroleum products, fertiliser and petrochemicals, he said.

The Dangote Group boss said that the company had been championing a comprehensive overhaul of the energy sector in Nigeria, with a view to making it a self-reliant nation.

He attributed Dangote Groups decision to invest massively in the refinery sect
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-20 18:59:24

Press Information

RESEARCH REPORT INSIGHTS

Research Report Insights (RRI)



42 Joseph Street



Port carling P0B 1J0



Muskoka, Ontario1



Phone - +1-631-721-4201



Website: https://www.researchreportinsights.com



Email: sales@researchreportinsights.com



BISHU

+1-631-721-4201

6317214201

email

https://www.researchreportinsights.com





# 631 Words

Research Report Insights (RRI)42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +1-631-721-4201Website: https://www.researchreportinsights.comEmail: sales@researchreportinsights.com+1-631-721-42016317214201

Utility tractors are commonly used for various agricultural and non-agricultural purposes. The main applications of utility tractor are ground keeping, landscaping and other commercial purposes. Furthermore, additional features of utility tractors are attaching or detaching of plaguing equipment such as grader, blades, mid- or rear-mount finish mowers, subsoiler, rotary cutter and rototiller. It is very easy for the farmers to purchase these tractors for small agricultural applications. In North American region, utility tractors with rear-mounted snow blowers are gaining superior traction in the market due to cold climatic conditions. The major end users of the utility tractors are agricultural farmers and landscape contractors. Over the last few years, sales of 2-WD (Two Wheel Drive) and 4-WD (Four Wheel Drive) tractors have witnessed an increase in the growth of sales and the same trend is anticipated to continue over the slated time period. The sales of utility tractors in the global market is projected to grow with a healthy CAGR during the forecast time period.SegmentationThe global utility tractor market can be segmented on the basis of Drive:Pedestrian TypeWheeled TypeThe global utility tractor market can be segmented on the basis of Application:Request For Report Sample: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upsample/120124577/Utility-Tractor-Market LandscapingConstruction CompanyGovernment AgenciesHay & Agriculture Products OperationsMunicipalitiesOthersDriverIncreasing demand of low budget agricultural equipment for personal plaguing purposes and in government projects such as field plaguing is expected to drive the global utility tractor market over the forecast time period. Furthermore, growing government subsidies on agricultural machine is also capturing consumers eyes towards the market in the foreseeable time period.TrendIndustry leaders are investing hefty money in the research and development in order to make a cornerstone in the global market. Moreover, Tech giants are focusing on manufacturing Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVT) system for utility tractor. Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVT) system is easy in operation owing to this system has no manual gear & clutch system, each and every transmission related to tractor is automatic.Request Report For Toc: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/TOC/120124577/Utility-Tractor-Market Regional Market OutlookThe global utility tractor market is segmented into the following regions  North America, Latin America, Europe, APAC and Middle East and Africa. APAC region is expected to dominate in the market owing to rapidly growing agricultural industry. North America is anticipated to be the 2nd largest market, owing to growing small scale government projects related to agricultural industry. In Europe, the growth rate for the market is witnessed to be healthy due to increasing mid-size dairy farm, particularly in Italy and Germany. Middle East & Africa region is projected to grow with sluggish growth rate owing to low growth rate of agricultural industry particularly in GCC countries. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are estimated to grow with noteworthy growth rates throughout the forecast time period.Key PlayerKey player for the global utility tractor market are:Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.LS Mtron TractorDeere & CompanyAGCO TractorArgo Tractors S.p.A.Daedong-USAVmax InternationalGroup (Shanghai) Co.,Ltd .,AC&ECaterpillar Inc.Research Methodology:RRI surveys a number of companies in order to estimate the data covered in the report through triangulation methodology. A detailed market understanding and assessment of the drive and application segments covered in the study. The research methodology also includes interviews conducted for various industry leaders by the research experts. This helps the researchers to match their previous findings with the ones confirmed from various resource persons. The report focuses on analyzing the supply-side approaches and keeps a track of that of the demand-side so as to make sure the findings are true. The global market scenario has been derived by consolidation of regional market overviews.Report Analysis: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upcomming/120124577/Utility-Tractor-Market
Theodolite Market

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-20 15:18:20

Press Information

Research Report Insights

42 joseph street, Portcarling P0B 1J0, Ontario, Muskoka, canada



vikas

analyst

6317214201

email

http://www.researchreportinsights.com





# 512 Words

42 joseph street, Portcarling P0B 1J0, Ontario, Muskoka, canadaanalyst6317214201

The global theodolite market is expected to register a healthy growth attributed to the growing need for making accurate measurements during the construction process. Apart from making accurate measurements in the construction industry, application of the theodolite also contributes during the study of orology. Growing need to re-measure the mountain ranges by the survey department of countries such as China and India continues to fuel growth of the global theodolite market. Integration of advanced technological features that enable laser tracking and GPS monitoring for high precision measurement has further contribute towards growth of the global theodolite market.Growth of the global theodolite market is mainly bound to various macro-economic and micro-economic factors. The report reveals that the increasing demand for making precise measurements in various industries such as construction and transportation industry has led to an upsurge in demand for theodolite market. Emerging technology will continue to transform and redefine the application of theodolite globally. With the emerging technology, manufacturers are focusing on integrating the advanced technological features in theodolite devices in order to equip them with enhanced GPS and laser tracking attributes. Bound to these factors, adoption of the theodolite devices will continue to increase in the global market.Report For Report Sample with Table of Contents@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114643/Theodolite-Market The report provides an in-depth insight on the crucial aspects of the global theodolite market while offering related information on the important segments, factor fuelling growth of the global market, competitive landscape and growth patterns. Research Report Insights states that the global theodolite market is expected to represent a value of over US$ 300 Mn by the end of 2022.On the other hand, various factors are expected to inhibit growth of the global theodolite market. Bound to lack of raw materials due to imposition of restrictions on use of the arsenic oxide by the European Union is likely to inhibit growth of the global market positively. As arsenic oxide is increasingly used to manufacture telescope, microscope and optical lens. With increasing impositions by the government on the use of arsenic oxide, the global theodolite market is expected to witness an inhibiting growth.Theodolite devices will further continue to witness significant demand during the survey procedures. Increasing demand to re-measure the mountain ranges in various countries such as China and India is likely to rev up adoption of the global theodolite market.Key market players operating in the global theodolite market include EIE Instruments, South Surveying & Mapping Instrument Co Ltd, Survey Instruments Services Pte Ltd., Hexagon AB, Trimble, Suzhou FOIF Co., Hilti Group and Topcon Corporation.Request For Report Discount@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114643/Theodolite-Market In the next section, the report reveals that the global theodolite market is segmented on the basis of product type, application and region. On the basis of product type, the global market is segmented as optical, electronic and vernier product. Based on application, the global market is segmented in terms of industrial, construction and other applications. By region, the global theodolite market is segmented as North America, Latin America, Europe and Japan.
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-20 18:56:07

Press Information

RESEARCH REPORT INSIGHTS

Research Report Insights (RRI)



42 Joseph Street



Port carling P0B 1J0



Muskoka, Ontario1



Phone - +1-631-721-4201



Website: https://www.researchreportinsights.com



Email: sales@researchreportinsights.com



BISHU

+1-631-721-4201

6317214201

email

https://www.researchreportinsights.com





# 555 Words

Research Report Insights (RRI)42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +1-631-721-4201Website: https://www.researchreportinsights.comEmail: sales@researchreportinsights.com+1-631-721-42016317214201

Rail wheels are the basis of movement for the trains by providing traction, while axles are used to transmit vertical loads to the wheels. The assembly of rail wheels, axle, bearing and brake components are called as rail wheel set. Over the last few year, increasing government projects to connect two states or country such as One Belt One Road is anticipated to create opportunity for the global market during the forecast time period. Additionally, increasing high speed rail project particularly in developing countries have also opened the door for the market. On the flip side, government regulations pertaining to replacing of wheel and axle are also anticipated to give positive potential to the global rail wheel and axle market during the forecast time period.SegmentationThe global rail wheel and axle market can be segmented on the basis of Wheel Type:Locomotive WheelResilient WheelOthersThe global rail wheel and axle market can be segmented on the basis of Axle Type:Powered AxleNon-Powered AxleThe global rail wheel & axle market can be segmented on the basis of Rail Type:LocomotivePassenger TrainFreight TrainSpecial TrainThe global rail wheel and axle market can be segmented on the basis of Sales Channel:OEMAftermarketDriverRequest For Report Sample: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upsample/120124576/Rail-Wheel-and-Axle-Market Increasing railway projects as well as electrification in existing rail line are projected to drive the global market. Moreover, continuous innovation in rail technology such as high speed train, bullet train are anticipated to foster the market throughout the forecast time periodRestraintOther modes of transportation such as Maglev and Hyperloop are anticipated to hinder the market over the slated time period.Regional Market OutlookEurope is anticipated to dominate in the region owing to increasing rail vehicle fleet. In term of value China is projected to be 2nd largest market for the global rail wheel and axle wheel market. North America is projected to grow with healthy growth rate owing to increasing rail trams and metro rail over the slated time period. Moreover, APAC is also projected to grow with noteworthy growth rate owing to increasing government rail project particularly in Japan, China and India. Middle East & Africa is anticipated to grow with remarkable CAGR due to increasing railway infrastructure particularly in GCC Countries and Turkey.Request Report For Toc: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/TOC/120124576/Rail-Wheel-and-Axle-Market Key PlayerKey player for the global Rail Wheel & Axle market are:KALYANI GROUPSimmons Machine Tool CorporationNIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATIONMannshan Iron & Steel Co., Ltd.Masteel Wheel AxleKLW Wheelco SACNGHH-BONATRANSLucchini RSOMKKolowagResearch Methodology:RRI surveys a number of companies in order to estimate the data covered in the report through triangulation methodology. A detailed market understanding and assessment of the drive and application segments covered in the study. The research methodology also includes interviews conducted for various industry leaders by the research experts. This helps the researchers to match their previous findings with the ones confirmed from various resource persons. The report focuses on analyzing the supply-side approaches and keeps a track of that of the demand-side so as to make sure the findings are true. The global market scenario has been derived by consolidation of regional market overviews.Report Analysis: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upcomming/120124576/Rail-Wheel-and-Axle-Market
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-20 18:03:53

Press Information

RESEARCH REPORT INSIGHTS

Research Report Insights (RRI)





42 Joseph Street





Port carling P0B 1J0





Muskoka, Ontario1





Phone - +1-631-721-4201





Website: https://www.researchreportinsights.com





Email: sales@researchreportinsights.com



BISHU

+1-631-721-4201

6317214201

email

https://www.researchreportinsights.com





# 535 Words

Research Report Insights (RRI)42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +1-631-721-4201Website: https://www.researchreportinsights.comEmail: sales@researchreportinsights.com+1-631-721-42016317214201

Our report gives analysis and forecasts of polyglycolic acid market on the international and regional level. The study provides historic data of 2014 along with forecast between 2015 and 2023 based on volume and revenue. The market in North America and Europe has been forecast in terms of volume (tons) and revenue (US$ Mn). Glycolic acid or hydroxyacetic acid is prepared from the reaction between Chloroacetic acid and sodium hydroxide. Polyglycolic acid or PGA also known as polyglycolide is a polymer composed by polycondensation of glycolic acid. They are mainly used in cosmetic formulations, household and industrial cleaning products and in medical sutures.The study provides a critical view of the polyglycolic acid market by segmenting it based on applications and regional demand. Application segments have been analyzed based on current trends and future potential. Regional segmentation includes the current and forecast demand for North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa.Request For Report Sample: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upsample/120124572/Polyglycolic-Acid-Market These have been further sub-segmented into countries and areas by applicability to the market. The segmentation also includes demand for individual applications in all regions.Further the report includes probable opportunities in the polyglycolic acid market on the global and regional level.Our research have included a detailed value chain analysis to provide aexhaustive view of the polyglycolic acid market. Analysis of Porters Five Forces Model has also been included to help understand the competitive scenery in the market. The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, wherein applications have been benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate, and general attractiveness for future growth.Predilection to adapt to new technologies has been accounted for while estimating demand for polyglycolic acid in individual regions.Prices considered for calculation of revenue are average regional prices obtained through primary quotes from regional suppliers, distributors, and direct selling regional producers based on manufacturer feedback and application requirement.A reactionaryaccess has been adopted in this study to estimate demand for PGA in light of the information available pertaining to Kureha Corporation's scale of operations.Request Report For Toc: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/TOC/120124572/Polyglycolic-Acid-Market Companies were considered for the market share analysis based on their product portfolio, revenue, and manufacturing capacity. The polyglycolic acid market for medical applications is unorganized; few companies manufacture PGA in limited quantities.Our report covers a detailed competitive perspective that includes market share and company profiles of key players operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include Kureha PGA, LLC, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Huizhou Foryou Medical Devices Co., Ltd., and Teleflex, Inc. Company profiles include aspects such as company overview, brand overview, financial overview (in terms of financial year), business strategies, and recent/key developments.Polyglycolic Acid Market (Segmentation)Polyglycolic Acid Market (By Application)Medical, Packaging, Shale Gas Extraction, Others (Including Agriculture, Civil Engineering Resins, and Filters)Polyglycolic Acid Market  (By Geography)North America, U.S., Rest of North America, Europe, Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Spain,Rest of Europe,Asia Pacific,China,Japan,ASEAN,Rest of APAC,Latin America,Brazil,Rest of LATAM,Middle East & Africa,GCC,South Africa,Rest of MEAReport Analysis: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upcomming/120124572/Polyglycolic-Acid-Market
Military Personal Protective Equipment Market

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-20 15:37:31

Press Information

Research Report Insights

42 joseph street, Portcarling P0B 1J0, Ontario, Muskoka, canada



vikas

analyst

6317214201

email

http://www.researchreportinsights.com





# 608 Words

42 joseph street, Portcarling P0B 1J0, Ontario, Muskoka, canadaanalyst6317214201

Military personal protective equipment has become a crucial and standard element of soldier equipment. One of the major factor driving the market is the increasing role of ground troops in different parts of the world such as Iraq, Afghanistan and India among others. The demand for military personal protective equipment is anticipated to be driven by modernization initiatives undertaken by several large defense spenders globally and various internal security threats, such as organized crime and terrorism among others.One of the major factor driving the market is the increasing role of ground troops in different parts of the world such as Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq among others. As of 2014, there were 8 active military conflicts and 10 official wars known by the United States. In addition, there were also other violent clashes relating 64 countries and 576 separatist and militias groups. In 2016, in wars between Syria and Iraq, Afghanistan, South Sudan, the Lake Chad basin and Yemen helps the military personal protective equipment market to grow at a high CAGR which in turn is expected to boost the market.Request For Report Sample with Table of Contents@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114595/Military-Personal-Protective-Equipment-Market Body armor (IBA), improved outer tactical vest (IOTV), advanced combat helmet (ACH), pelvic protection systems (PPS), life safety jacket, military combat eye protection (MCEP) and others sectors are the various product types of the military personal protective equipment market. Among various product types of the military personal protective equipment market body armor (BA) is the held the major market share in 2015 and expected to be the same during the forecast period of 2016  2024.The military personal protective equipment market has been segmented on the basis of application into army, air force, navy and others. Among various application of the military personal protective equipment market army held major market share in 2015 followed by navy and is expected to be remain the same during the forecast period of 2016  2024. Several countries are focusing on manufacturing better military personal protective equipment such as lightweight under suits, ballistic inserts, combat helmets and advanced night vision equipment that provide the benefits of enhanced protection and comfort to ground, navy and air forces. In 2015, the market is expected to be dominated by North America followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. In addition, Asia Pacific occupies more than 20% of the global market share, is driven by developing economies such as India, South Korea, Japan and China among others which are performing soldier modernization programs.By geography, the military personal protective equipment market is classified into five regions namely North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Latin America. In 2015, North America holds the largest market share in the military personal protective equipment followed by Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa. However, in 2024 Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the largest market for military personal protective equipment market followed by North America. China held the largest share for the military personal protective equipment market in Asia Pacific in 2015. It is also expected to experience healthy growth in the coming years. Growing research and development activities started by different research organizations acts as a driving factor of the market. In addition, growing concerns over the safety and protection of the forces is expected to propel the growth of the market.Request For Report Discount@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114595/Military-Personal-Protective-Equipment-Market Key players profiled in this report include 3M Ceradyne (United States), ArmorWorks (United States), Eagle Industries Unlimited Inc (United States), BAE Systems (United Kingdom), DSM Dyneema (United States),Armorsource (United States), Du Pont (United States), Honeywell Advanced Fibres and Composites (United States), Revision Military Inc. (United States) and GentexCorporatio Corporation (United States) among others.
Firefighters entered the room and found that the fire had put itself out. The smoke was removed from the building with only minimal damage, according to the post.
military personal protective equipment market body armor (BA) is the held the major market share in 2015 and expected to be the same during the forecast period of 2016  2024.

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-20 09:51:12

Press Information

Research Solution Insights Pvt Ltd

400 , East Royal Lane, Building Three Suite, Irving Texas 75039 United States



Sagar

CEO

7875758555

email

https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com





# 726 Words

400 , East Royal Lane, Building Three Suite, Irving Texas 75039 United StatesCEO7875758555

Military personal protective equipment has become a crucial and standard element of soldier equipment. One of the major factor driving the market is the increasing role of ground troops in different parts of the world such as Iraq, Afghanistan and India among others. The demand for military personal protective equipment is anticipated to be driven by modernization initiatives undertaken by several large defense spenders globally and various internal security threats, such as organized crime and terrorism among others.One of the major factor driving the market is the increasing role of ground troops in different parts of the world such as Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq among others. As of 2014, there were 8 active military conflicts and 10 official wars known by the United States. In addition, there were also other violent clashes relating 64 countries and 576 separatist and militias groups. In 2016, in wars between Syria and Iraq, Afghanistan, South Sudan, the Lake Chad basin and Yemen helps the military personal protective equipment market to grow at a high CAGR which in turn is expected to boost the market.Request for Report Sample: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/sample/230015-Military-Personal-Protective-Equipment-Market Body armor (IBA), improved outer tactical vest (IOTV), advanced combat helmet (ACH), pelvic protection systems (PPS), life safety jacket, military combat eye protection (MCEP) and others sectors are the various product types of the military personal protective equipment market. Among various product types of the military personal protective equipment market body armor (BA) is the held the major market share in 2015 and expected to be the same during the forecast period of 2016  2024.The military personal protective equipment market has been segmented on the basis of application into army, air force, navy and others. Among various application of the military personal protective equipment market army held major market share in 2015 followed by navy and is expected to be remain the same during the forecast period of 2016  2024. Several countries are focusing on manufacturing better military personal protective equipment such as lightweight under suits, ballistic inserts, combat helmets and advanced night vision equipment that provide the benefits of enhanced protection and comfort to ground, navy and air forces. In 2015, the market is expected to be dominated by North America followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. In addition, Asia Pacific occupies more than 20% of the global market share, is driven by developing economies such as India, South Korea, Japan and China among others which are performing soldier modernization programs.Request for Report Discount: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/discount/230015-Military-Personal-Protective-Equipment-Market By geography, the military personal protective equipment market is classified into five regions namely North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Latin America. In 2015, North America holds the largest market share in the military personal protective equipment followed by Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa. However, in 2024 Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the largest market for military personal protective equipment market followed by North America. China held the largest share for the military personal protective equipment market in Asia Pacific in 2015. It is also expected to experience healthy growth in the coming years. Growing research and development activities started by different research organizations acts as a driving factor of the market. In addition, growing concerns over the safety and protection of the forces is expected to propel the growth of the market.Key players profiled in this report include 3M Ceradyne (United States), ArmorWorks (United States), Eagle Industries Unlimited Inc (United States), BAE Systems (United Kingdom), DSM Dyneema (United States),Armorsource (United States), Du Pont (United States), Honeywell Advanced Fibres and Composites (United States), Revision Military Inc. (United States) and GentexCorporatio Corporation (United States) among others.The segments covered in the Military Personal Protective Equipment market are as follows:Global Military Personal Protective Equipment Market: By ProductType Body Armor (IBA) Improved Outer Tactical Vest (IOTV) Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) Pelvic Protection Systems (PPS) Life Safety Jackets Military Combat Eye Protection (MCEP) OthersGlobal Military Personal Protective Equipment Market: By Application Army Air Force Navy OthersReport Analysis: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/analysis/230015-Military-Personal-Protective-Equipment-Market Global Military Personal Protective Equipment Market: By GeographyNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaMexicoEuropeU.K.GermanyFranceItalyRest of EuropeAsia PacificIndiaChinaJapanRest of Asia PacificLatin AmericaBrazilRest of Latin America Middle East and AfricaSaudi ArabiaUnited Arab EmiratesRest of Middle East and Africa
Research Report Insights. According to the report, approximately US$ 7.15 Bn worth of mechanical locks are estimated to be sold across the world by the end of 2022.

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-20 11:10:29

Press Information

Research Solution Insights Pvt Ltd

400 , East Royal Lane, Building Three Suite, Irving Texas 75039 United States



Sagar

CEO

7875758555

email

https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com





# 501 Words

400 , East Royal Lane, Building Three Suite, Irving Texas 75039 United StatesCEO7875758555

The latter appears to secure inferiority due to large area for surface impact, designing flaws and lack of provision for security updates, while evaluating security properties of mechanical and electronic locks. Future prospects of global market for mechanical locks has been assessed in the report published by Research Report Insights. According to the report, approximately US$ 7.15 Bn worth of mechanical locks are estimated to be sold across the world by the end of 2022. The global mechanical locks market is estimated to exhibit a moderate CAGR over the forecast period.Request for Report Sample: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/sample/230113-Mechanical-Locks-Market Factors Influencing Growth of the MarketThe demand for mechanical locks is likely to witness steadfast expansion, in the view of developing technologies in the domain of physical securities. Adoption of high-tech guarding, biometric access platforms and smart locks continues to remain sough-after in the market, decreasing the uptake of mechanical locks among consumers, concurrently. Mechanical locks are witnessing decline in terms of gaining mass consumer appeal that continues to opt for adamantine security products, even as a retail commodity.Interconnected locks are likely to remain sought-after in the market, according to a report. Interconnected locks are estimated to secure nearly US$ 1.9 Bn in terms of revenues by the end of assessment period, despite the moderate expansion of the total mechanical locks. Interconnected locks will gain traction in securing apartments, buildings, military housing and rest of the residential facilities. The interconnected locks are likely to remain sough-after owing to their precise lever action and compatibility to handicapped requirements.Request for Report Discount: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/discount/230113-Mechanical-Locks-Market Ease of manufacturing and construction of interconnected locks is likely to lead manufacturers in rising production of these locks.Highlights from the ReportThe tubular locks are expected to be top selling product in the market, reflecting steady CAGR during the assessment period.Stainless steel, by material type is likely to remain forefront in the mechanical locks market, securing over US$ 2.4 Bn by the end of 2022.Report Analysis: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/analysis/230113-Mechanical-Locks-Market Grade level 2 mechanical locks will create an incremental opportunity of nearly US$ 600 Mn during the forecast period.External facility security segment, by application type is expected to be most lucrative segment in the market, revenues from which will hold approximately one-fifth value share of the overall market.North America will remain most attractive region in mechanical locks market throughout the assessment period.Asia-Pacific excluding Japan region is estimated to contribute significantly in generation of revenues by the sales of mechanical locks globally.Competitive LandscapeSome prominent market players are expected to focus on cost-effectiveness in manufacturing mechanical locks by obtaining better quality raw materials through large supply chain. ECO Schulte GMBH & Co. KG, Serrature Meroni Spa, Dom Ronis, Allegion Plc, Picard-Serrures, Winkhaus Austria Gmbh, Dormakaba Holdings AG, Yale Security Inc., The Eastern Company, and ASSA ABLOY AB (key subsidiary - Mul-T-Locks) are some leading market players in the competitive landscape of the market throughout the assessment period.
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-20 18:09:49

Press Information

RESEARCH REPORT INSIGHTS

Research Report Insights (RRI)



42 Joseph Street



Port carling P0B 1J0



Muskoka, Ontario1



Phone - +1-631-721-4201



Website: https://www.researchreportinsights.com



Email: sales@researchreportinsights.com



BISHU

+1-631-721-4201

6317214201

email

https://www.researchreportinsights.com





# 534 Words

Research Report Insights (RRI)42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +1-631-721-4201Website: https://www.researchreportinsights.comEmail: sales@researchreportinsights.com+1-631-721-42016317214201

Industrial Protective Footwear which is also known as safety boot or shoe is vigilantmaterial that helps to protect foot from falling objects, direct compression menace. For example Heavy building materials and construction equipment could pose serious injury to the body, including feet. Hence it is mainly approved by different construction industries. These shoes are mainly covered with steel or other hand shell protection which works as a shield for feet and ankles.Protective shoes comes in many categories such as steal toe, plain toe, gumboots, antiskid safety shoe, chemical industrial safety shoe, heat resistant safety shoe, leather shoe, PVC safety shoe, rubber safety shoe, etc. The report provides a thorough overview of the growth curvedisplayed by the industrial protective footwear market in a global scenario. It includes an in-depth and constant analysis of the factors influencing the demand and supply trends in the market.Request For Report Sample: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upsample/120124570/Industrial-Protective-Footwear-Market Overview of Industrial Protective Footwear MarketIn 2013, Global Industrial protective footwear market was valued US$6.3 bn.Further this market is determine to collect US$9.4 bn by the end of 2020 and show a lift of 6.0% CAGR. Global Industrial protective footwear market underpasses safety footwear designed to raise workplace safety in industries. Industries where protective footwear is primarily active is in chemical, construction, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, transportation, food, mining, and manufacturing.A unique system in Industrial protective boots is maintained that they usually have a safety symbol printed on them. This initiative arebought by government regulatory bodies and they reveal the protection& safety level of the footwear. Additionally, these boots are produced in conformity with standards for safety shoes across various countries. For instance, in the U.S., industrial footwear production is carried out in consonance with the standards laid down by the American National Standard for Personal Protection-Protective Footwear (ANSI).Request Report For Toc: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/TOC/120124570/Industrial-Protective-Footwear-Market Major reason in increase in the number of worker accidents has arrived as the key reason behind widespread approval of industrial protective footwear. Presently, the market witnesses increasing demand from North America, Asia Pacific, and Europe. Among these regions, Europe is at top in global market for industrial protective footwear in 2013. After Europe, North America emerged as the second largest market for industrial protective footwear the same year. The growth of the market in Europe is due to the presence of a large number of safety shoe manufacturers in countries such as the U.K, France, Italy, Germany, and Spain respectively.Industrial Protective Footwear Market :Segmentation.Industrial Protective Footwear Market (By Geography)North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Rest of the World.Industrial Protective Footwear Market (By Type)Leather footwear , Waterproof footwear, Rubber footwear, Plastic footwearIndustrial Protective Footwear Market (By application)Construction, Manufacturing , Mining , Oil and Gas , Chemicals , Food , Pharmaceuticals, Transportation.Active Key Players :To provide a holistic overview of the prevailing competitive landscape of the global industrial protective footwear market, the report also profiles companies such as Rahman Group, Jal Group, Oftenrich Holdings Co. Ltd. (Golden Chang), Saina Corporation Co. Ltd., Honeywell Safety Products, ELTEN GmbH, UVEX Safety Group, COFRA Holding AG, VF Corporation, and Rock Fall Ltd.Report Analysis: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upcomming/120124570/Industrial-Protective-Footwear-Market
Global bottled water market was valued at $198.4 million in 2017, and is expected to reach $307300 Million by 2024, expanding at a CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period 2024 End

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-20 10:03:04

Press Information

Research Solution Insights Pvt Ltd

400 , East Royal Lane, Building Three Suite, Irving Texas 75039 United States



Sagar

CEO

7875758555

email

https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com





# 557 Words

400 , East Royal Lane, Building Three Suite, Irving Texas 75039 United StatesCEO7875758555

Global bottled water market was valued at $198.4 million in 2017, and is expected to reach $307300 Million by 2024, expanding at a CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period 2024 End. Bottled water is packaged drinking water that is purified and free from contamination. It is available in plastic and glass water bottles, and is the most convenient way for the body to fulfill its hydration needs being easily available in nearby retail stores and supermarkets. The market driven by the rise in healthcare awareness about waterborne diseases such as malaria, typhoid, diarrhea, food poisoning, and others. Moreover, bottled water is more portable and convenient to use as it is handy, thus supporting the market growth. In addition, tap water is available at a lower cost, which also poses a restrain to market growth.Request for Report Sample: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/sample/230013-Bottled-Water-Market Bringing about extensive innovations in bottled water manufacturing processes, and striving towards increasing awareness among masses regarding benefits of using recycled bottles are prime strategies implemented by businesses working in the global bottled water market. Many companies are developing advanced and cost-effective techniques of producing water bottles, so that they can efficiently function while causing least harm to the environment. Such businesses are also receiving tremendous support from most governments all over the globe. Mountain Valley Spring Company LLC, GroupeDanone, PepsiCo Inc, Icelandic Water Holdings, The Coca Cola Company, Nestle Waters, Unicer - Bebidas SA, Grupo Vichy Catalan, Suntori Beverage & Food Ltd, and CG Roxane, LLC, are key players operating in the global bottled water market.The continued increase in per capita consumption indicates that consumers see bottled water as a healthy alternative to other packaged beverages. Consistent with this view, sales revenues for the U.S. bottled water market in 2017 were nearly $16000 Million in wholesale dollars, a 7.4% increase over the previous year.Nearly all of the bottled water sold in the U.S. is sourced domestically. In fact, imported bottled water accounts for only 1% of the U.S. market. The vast majority of bottled water companies in the U.S. are small, community-based companies using local water sources and distributing their products within an average radius of 300 miles from their bottling facilities.Request for Report Discount: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/discount/230013-Bottled-Water-Market Segment Review:The global bottled water market is segmented based on type and geography. Based on type, it is classified into still water, carbonated water, flavored water, and functional water. In 2017, the still water segment held the largest market share, accounting for three-fifths of the total market share and is expected to maintain this trend during the forecast period. In terms of geographical analysis, in 2017, Asia-Pacific dominated the market, occupying 35.6% share, followed by Europe with 27.1%. Geographically, the market is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.Report Analysis: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/analysis/230013-Bottled-Water-Market The mounting concern of large carbon footprint of the manufacturing processes as flagged by environmentalists is another critical factor likely to negatively impact the market to an extent. Stricter imposing of unfavorable regulations is a key factor likely to hamper its production in some states. Nevertheless, the introduction of products that have a variety of health benefits and innovative flavors are key trends impacting the growth of the U.S. market. The growing popularity of mineral laced water and low-calorie flavored drink bodes well for the market.
Bioinsecticides, biofungicides, and bionematicides are rapidly growing market segments that are expected to fuel demand for biopesticides in the near future.

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-20 09:29:34

Press Information

Research Solution Insights Pvt Ltd

400 , East Royal Lane, Building Three Suite, Irving Texas 75039 United States



Sagar

CEO

7875758555

email

https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com





# 880 Words

400 , East Royal Lane, Building Three Suite, Irving Texas 75039 United StatesCEO7875758555

Biopesticides are derived from natural sources as animals, bacteria, plants, and certain minerals. Bt (Bacillus thruingiensis) containing products are the most common type of biopesticides but the plant-incorporated protectants (PIP) that come from adding genetic material to plants also fall in this category. The global biopesticides market has shown significant growth during the past few years. This trend is anticipated to continue during the forecast period due to increasing consumer awareness about the consumption of organic food and growing usage of biopesticides in order to minimize the environment pollution worldwide.Biopesticides are the key components of integrated pest management (IPM) programs, and are receiving much attention as a means of reducing the load of synthetic chemical products that are used to control plant diseases. The objective of improving the commercial feasibility of production and use of biopesticides is propelling market growth. Moreover, extensive and organized research has resulted in improved formulation techniques, enhanced application methods, and increased ability to produce biopesticides through mass production, and better storage and shelf life capabilities.Request for Report Sample: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/sample/230005-Biopesticides-Market In this report, the global biopesticides market is categorized into five segments: (i) by product type; (ii) by active ingredients type, (iii) by crop type, (iv) by application and (v) by geography. Based on product type, the market has been categorized into bioinsecticides, biofungicides, bionematicides, and bioherbicides. Biopesticides are widely used for controlling various insects and disease-causing pathogens. Based on active ingredients, the biopesticides market is segregated into microbial pesticides, plant pesticides, and biochemical pesticides. Furthermore, the market is segmented into permanent crops and arable crops among others including forage & turf grasses and greenhouse crops by crop type. Based on application type, the biopesticides market is bifurcated into seed treatment application, on farm application, and post harvest application.Bioinsecticides, biofungicides, and bionematicides are rapidly growing market segments that are expected to fuel demand for biopesticides in the near future. The usage of biopesticides can greatly decrease the use of conventional pesticides without affecting crop yields in the Integrated Crop Management (ICM) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs. Globally, the demand for nature-based biopesticides is on the rise with increased environmental awareness and the pollution potential and health hazards from many conventional pesticides.Request for Report Discount: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/discount/230005-Biopesticides-Market Based on geography, the global biopesticides market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW). In 2014, North America held the largest share of the biopesticides market followed by Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of the World (RoW). North America is expected to maintain its leading position during the forecast period.Globally, the pesticide industry is highly regulated. Pesticide regulation has shifted from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Food and Drugs Administration to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA, in turn, has been encouraging the development and use of biopesticides in the U.S. Increasing demand for chemical-free crops and more organic farming is anticipated to propel the usage of biopesticides in North America. In addition, biopesticides are quickly biodegradable, are less toxic, and are more targeted to the specific pest that helps to control pest population to a manageable level. Increasing focus on research and development and production of environment friendly and safe pesticides by the industry is expected to boost the growth of the market.The report also covers the drivers, restraints, and opportunities (DROs) of the biopesticides market. The study highlights the current market trends and provides forecast for the period 2023 End. We have also covered the current market scenario for global biopesticides, and highlighted future trends that are likely to affect its demand.By geography, the market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW). Under the scope of the report, each region is further segregated into major country to highlight the respective market share of biopesticides in each country. The study covers major countries such as the U.S., and rest of North America; Japan, China, and India in Asia Pacific; the Spain, Italy, and France in Europe; and Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East in RoW. The size and forecast for these markets for the period from 2023 End has been provided in the report.Report Analysis: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/analysis/230005-Biopesticides-Market Under the scope of this report, different influencing and hindering factors of the biopesticides market have been analyzed. The market attractiveness analysis provided in the report highlights the key investing areas in this industry. The report also provides the company market share analysis of key players operating in the biopesticides domain. Some of the key players in this market include Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, AgBiTech Pty Ltd, Becker Underwood Inc., BASF SE, Arysta LifeSciences, Valent Biosciences Corp, Bayer CropScience AG, Dow AgroSciences and Novozymes A/S among others.The scope of the study presents a comprehensive evaluation of the stakeholder strategies and winning imperatives for them by segmenting the global biopesticides market as below:Global biopesticides Market :By Product Type Bioinsecticide Biofungicide Bionematicides BioherbicidesBy Active Ingredients Type Microbial pesticides Plant-pesticides Biochemical pesticidesBy Crop Type Permanent Crops Arable Crops Others ( forage & turf grasses and greenhouse crops )By Application Type Seed Treatment Application On Farm Application Post Harvest Application
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-20 13:48:03

Press Information

Research Report Insights

Research Report Insights





42 joseph street,





Portcarling P0B 1J0,





Muskoka, Ontario





T: +1-631-721-4201



Vikas Bahurupi

Manager

6317214201

email

https://www.researchreportinsights.com





# 523 Words

Research Report Insights42 joseph street,Portcarling P0B 1J0,Muskoka, OntarioT: +1-631-721-4201Manager6317214201

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 with Table of Contents@ 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.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.Request For Report Discount@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114652/Biometric-Driver-Identification-System-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: 2019-01-20 10:58:25

Press Information

Research Solution Insights Pvt Ltd

400 , East Royal Lane, Building Three Suite, Irving Texas 75039 United States



Sagar

CEO

7875758555

email

https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com





# 676 Words

400 , East Royal Lane, Building Three Suite, Irving Texas 75039 United StatesCEO7875758555

Today the market for any given product is governed by the awareness among the consumers. An average buyer concentrates on the personal priorities and needs, apart from the overall notoriety of the product. These factors often administer the commodities of personal hygiene like diapers to a great extent. The modern day parents analyse the products for the infants more soberly than ever before. The material, costing, comfortable level are significant factor for making a diaper brand popular. Thus research and development are imminent part of baby diapers manufacturing. Also, the market for baby diapers is rising at an enormous pace, following rise in global demand.Request for Report Sample: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/sample/230003-East-Africa-Baby-Diapers-Market In recent years, the demand for baby diapers has grown fixedly in various nations of East Africa.The report provides a thorough acument into the key market dynamics, emerging trends, recent design innovations, and competitive landscape. The study offers a detailed statistical analysis related to the market share and size of segments and analyzes the key factors configuring the competitive acts. Recent attempts by governments of various countries and private players in East Africa are highlighted and their impact on the costing strategies of vendors are evaluated.East Africa Baby Diapers Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe East Africa baby diapers market is principally driven by a continuous slump in the toddler mortality rate in developing nations, an upswing in urban population with significant expendable incomes, and increasing awareness related to the hygiene of infants. Coupled with this, in-depth and persistent efforts made by several governmental and non-governmental organizations to create awareness among rural population have led to an increasing use of baby diapers to promote the healthy growth of infants.Request for Report Discount: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/discount/230003-East-Africa-Baby-Diapers-Market Increasing shift toward the use of eco-friendly and viable materials in manufacturing baby diapers has resulted in various product innovations. The onset of ultra-soft and hypoallergenic diapers made without the use of any supplements is expected to shoot the market over the forecast period. However, the growing run of parents embracing longer in-between changing times of diapers has resulted in skin rashes and bugs among babies. Various study reiterating the role of disposable diapers in causing testicular cancer among males are likely to hinder the growth of the market to an extent.East Africa Baby Diapers Market: Provincial VisionThe major countries considered in the research report are Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. Kenya becomes top lucarative market for baby diapers in East Africa. The dramatic demand for baby diapers in Kenya is driven by the significant rise in birth rate included a substantial decline in the infant mortality rate as compared to other developing nations of East Africa. After Kenya,Tanzania is the second largest revenue contributing country in the East Africa diapers market. Other Countries Involved are Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.East Africa Baby Diapers Market: Companies InvolvedLeading players are also establishing feasible products made with biodegradable materials to entice parents who are vigilant of the environmental brunt of adapting diapers. Major manufacturers are making product modernization and operating boosting their distribution channels to centralize their presence across major countries. Key players accomplishing in this market include Johnson and Johnson, INDEVCO Group Procter and Gamble, Unicharm Corporation, SCA Hygiene Products GmbH, Mega Soft (Fujian) Hygiene Products Co. Ltd., and Interconsumer Products Ltd.Report Analysis: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/analysis/230003-East-Africa-Baby-Diapers-Market This report gives you approach to definitive data such as: Market growth drivers, Factors hindering market growth, Current market trends and Market extensions for the coming decade.Key highlights of this reportOverview of key market forces propelling and forbiddingmarket growthUp-to-date analysis of market trends and technological advancementsPin-point analysis of market competition dynamics to offer you a competitive edgeAn analysis of strategies of major competitorsAn array of graphics and SWOT analysis of major industry segmentsDetailed analyses of industry trendsA well-defined technological growth map with an impact-analysisOffers a clear understanding of the competitive landscape and key product segments.
On Friday, somewhere between 100,000 and 300,000 people attended the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. The crowd dwarfed that at the Womens Anti-Semites March the following day. Vice-President Pence addressed the March for Life crowd in person, and President Trump spoke via satellite.

Was that news? No. The only news that emerged from the massive rally arose out of a peaceful confrontation between some high school boys from Kentucky and an elderly Native American Man and a group of his followers. Supposedly, the boys treated the man disrespectfully. This became front-page news across the country. Why? Because it was important? Of course not; on Friday there were countless traffic accidents that deserved to make the news more than this encounter between teenagers and an aged activist. But this is how my home town paper, the Star Tribune, treated the story:

The MAGA hats were, of course, key to the story. They made the insignificant encounter into front page news, because the left-wing media got a twofer: an opportunity to smear both the right to life movement and President Trump and his supporters.

If you paid attention to the news, you would think that the only noteworthy thing that happened at the March for Life was the Indian/teenager standoff. Yet it turned out that even that meagre story was mis-reported. Rod Dreher and Roger Kimball have the details. In fact, if you look at video of the entire encounter, what happened was that the Kentucky teenagers, while waiting for a bus in front of the Lincoln Memorial, were being harassed by a separate group of eccentrics. The kids were jumping up and down and chanting when the Native American activist, along with several supporters and a camera, approached them and waded into the Kentucky teenagers, beating on his drum. He got into the face of one of the teenagers and pounded his drum a few inches from the boy in what was obviously intended to be an intimidating manner. A few moments later, members of the first group jeered at the Kentucky kids, calling them faggots. I have watched several videos of the incident, of varying lengths and shot from multiple perspectives, and havent see that the boys did anything wrong at allcertainly nothing warranting a news story.

The boy who is now being crucified on social media did nothing but stand still while the left-wing activist beat a drum in his face. Here is one of the videos:

This story was fake news at its worst, but the facts didnt matter. The March For Life quickly denounced the high school students, their diocese has disowned them, and their school threatened to expel them. The lives of those who are recognizable in the videos will likely be ruined.

For what? Even if a group of high school kids had mocked a gang of aggressive activists who intruded into their midst, how is this front-page news? We are rapidly reaching the point where there is little actual news reported. Instead of news, we have narrative. What fits the far-left narrative is reported, whether accurately or not. What doesnt fit the narrative is disregarded. Our news media exist not to inform us, but to propagandize on behalf of the left. No wonder no one trusts them!

UPDATE: Ed Driscoll has the latest at InstaPundit. A number of conservatives who initially jumped on the bandwagon have now apologized to the Covington Catholic kids. Thats good, but it would have been better not to chime in with a corrupt lynch mob in the first place.

FURTHER UPDATE: Left-wing news sources are now backing off. See, for example, the Star Tribune, which has dropped its original headline, Students in MAGA Hats Mock Native American After Rally. No acknowledgement, of course, that this was a flat out lie. Now, this is what we see:

American Indian says he tried to ease tensions at Mall

The revised story begins:

A Native American who was seen in online video being taunted outside the Lincoln Memorial said Sunday he felt compelled to get between two groups with his ceremonial drum to defuse a confrontation. Nathan Phillips said in an interview with The Associated Press that he was trying to keep peace between some Kentucky high school students and a black religious group that was also on the National Mall on Friday.

This is complete bullshit, but the Associated Press knows that a large majority of readers will not have seen the video. The activist went looking for press coverage, dishonestly, and he got it.
I think if Rep. Ilhan Omar were a Republican, her hometown newspaper would be ferreting out fellow Republicans for their response to her frankly expressed deep thoughts on Israel. As it is, the Star Tribune fails even to report them. I tried to do the work that the Star Tribune wont do in the City Journal column A question for Democrats.

Omar was in the national news last week with her comments about Lindsey Graham. The Star Tribune could hardly avoid the story, although it could seek to mitigate the damage (as Washington correspondent Patrick Condon did).

Yesterday the Star Tribune chided Omar editorially in A serious, unforced social-media error by U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar. The editorial expresses disapproval of Omars comments about Graham, but it cant resist the temptation to place them in the context of Trump tweets and statements by former Rep. Michele Bachmann. Michele has been out of office for four years (and I miss her!).

The editorial culminates in friendly advice to Omar not to embarrass us: More care with her future communications will serve her  and Minnesota  well. Physician, heal thyself. The Star Tribune would have served Minnesota well by covering Omar with a modicum of competence.

The editorial largely fails to serve any purpose other than discharging an obviously unpalatable obligation. By contrast, the pseudonymous attorney Warren Henry shows how one might perform a useful journalistic function criticizing Omar in the Federalist column CNN Does Not Know How To Question Ilhan Omars Conspiracy Theories And Anti-Semitism.
A combination of Democratic obstructionism and Jeff Flake flakiness has conspired to create a backlog of federal judicial nominees awaiting a vote in the Senate. Flake, it will be recalled, decided to bottle up all judicial nominees in committee towards the end of 2018 because Majority Leader McConnell wouldnt allow a vote on legislation to protect Robert Mueller.

Mueller needs no protection. Hes not going to be fired, as the recent hearings on William Barrs nomination confirmed.

In any event, the Senate lacks the power to protect him from discharge. The legislation Flake insisted upon is unconstitutional. But Flake wanted to go out in a blaze of never-Trumpist glory, and was willing to indulge in his grandstanding at the expense of confirming well-qualified judges.

Faced with the resulting backlog of nominees, and with Democrats insisting on 30 hours of floor debate even for innocuous district court nominees and relatively low level executive branch officials, Senate Republicans, understandably, are frustrated. Reportedly, some were enraged by the fact that when the Senate reconvened earlier this month, more than 270 nominations had been returned.

Thus, at a retreat earlier this week, Senate Republicans discussed changing Senate rules to expedite the confirmation of Trumps nominees for federal district court judges and executive branch nominees other than Cabinet picks and selections for bipartisan commissions such as the Federal Communications Commission. The idea is to limit floor debate for these nominees to a few hours, perhaps two or three.

Ordinarily, such a change requires 67 votes but, according to the Washington Post, McConnell discussed deploying the nuclear option to change the rules by a simple majority. Harry Reid and the Democrats used this option to end the filibustering of cabinet members and judges below the Supreme Court level. Republicans then used it to apply the same rule to Supreme Court nominees.

The Post notes that the rule change under consideration by Republicans would be permanent, so that a future Democratic president could benefit from it. This prospect should not deter Republicans from pulling the trigger. If a future Republican Senate tries to obstruct a future Democratic presidents nominees, the Dems will change the rules without hesitating.

Using the nuclear option to break the logjam on nominees should be a no-brainer, given Democrat obstruction. Theres certainly no justification for spending 30 hours of Senate floor time to debate over federal district court nominees.

Its true these judges are becoming increasingly important as (1) many of them join the anti-Trump resistance and (2) the practice of granting nationwide injunctions becomes more common. Even so, there is no need for 30 hours of debate.

Many of these nominees are non-controversial. The Dems insist 30 hours to debate them just to slow things down.

Controversial nominees almost invariably are confirmed on a straight party vote. So theres no need for 30 hours of floor debate on them, either. No one is listening.

The same analysis applies to court of appeals nominees. However, theres not a major bottleneck at that level right now. Thus, it makes sense to limit the nuclear option to these lower-profile judges and to executive branch positions below the Cabinet level. Sweep away that underbrush, and the Dems can have their 30 hours to debate high level nominees at little cost to filling these positions.

Lets hope the GOP pulls the trigger.
Also noted are people vital to the creation of Hampton Institute, such as Robert Russa Moton who served as an administrator at the school. He later accepted the position as the Tuskegee Institutes second president following the death of founder Booker T. Washington. Mr. Moton is buried on the grounds of the now-named Hampton University.
Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation@postregister.com for help creating one.
Insights

Imagine the young mother feeding her infant and then settling the child in for a nap, as the mom sighs in relief at what she believes is a mom Read more
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.
Michael Bennett, the owner and founder of Charleston-based Bennett Hospitality  a veritable Lowcountry empire of hotels, restaurants and other properties  has been waiting for this for years. It has to be just right.
Charleston's annual MLK Celebration sponsored by the YWCA of Greater Charleston hosted events during the 10-day celebration including the poet
EDITOR'S NOTE: The Post and Courier published "Last Rights" on January 20, 2019 detailing the story of Bob DeVay, a South Carolina man with terminal cancer who wants to choose how and when he dies.

In May, Bob sat at his computer and typed out a plea to state lawmakers:

About six months ago, I was diagnosed with mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare terminal cancer that forms around the lung cavity. Although there are no known cures for it, progress is being made in treating it and extending the life expectancy of those who have it. Originally, I was accepted into a drug trial run by Dr. Wrangle of MUSC. I was elated and started the trial.

After one round of this experimental drug combination, they discovered a second type of cancer in my spinal cord that was fairly well advanced. After consultation with all the physicians involved, the recommendation was to do nothing other than palliative care and make my dying as peaceful and pain-free as possible. No trial drug, no surgery, no chemo. I take 4 different kinds of pain-killers and they are helpful. (Note: Bob had surgery the previous January to remove the spinal tumor and help prevent additional paralysis but lost substantial use of his legs, then began palliative care.)

I understand, as best a layperson can, why this was the decision and accept it, up to a point.

In South Carolina, however, that leaves me the options of hospice care, home care, move to another state that allows physician-assisted suicide, or no care. I picked hospice, and they are working with me to reduce the pain and anxiety.

The point I want to make is that physician-assisted suicide is illegal in South Carolina, and I cannot figure out any logical medical reason for it. All my adult life, every time I have gone into a hospital or doctor's office, you are asked to sign myriad forms, permission slips, etc. I have signed a "do not resuscitate" (DNR) form for myself in the ambulance and the hospital. I have executed a health care proxy and signed everything I can to take control over the end of my life, but it will be of little use when the end comes. The pills hospice prescribes will take care of only so much of the pain and anxiety.

The irony is that I now have no control over when and how to end my life besides violent ones such as a gun, overdosing on drugs, or other things I know nothing about and have no interest in pursuing.

The main reason that we don't allow physician-assisted suicide is the fact that most people view this as against their beliefs and only their God can make these types of decisions. I understand their belief system. However, it is no longer my belief system. I am not trying to change the belief system of others, but I would like to have other people tolerate mine.

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution clearly delineates a separation of church and state, one that we conveniently ignore in end-of-life decisions. It is way past due that we have a discussion about this and pass a law that allows physician-assisted suicide. I understand there is not much of a lobby for it since most of us will die within the year, and we would rather spend the time with friends and family than lobby some politician. I hope others will take up this right and just cause.

- Robert DeVey
Hicks column: It's time to legalize medical marijuana, and this could be the year
Jennifer Berry Hawes is a member of the Watchdog and Public Service team who worked on the newspaper's Pulitzer-Prize winning investigation, "Till Death Do Us Part."
Get the SC business stories that matter.

Our newsletter catches you up with all the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina every Monday and Thursday at noon. Get ahead with us - it's free.
3.6k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Advertising

At midnight on Friday Trumps disastrous shutdown entered its fifth week. Although the president himself is immune to the financial consequences, many millions of Americans are not immune, and are starting to suffer. We are hearing reports of federal workers being evicted from their homes, going to soup kitchens, and selling off their possessions at pawn shops and on Craigslist.

As the pain continues for millions, Trumps political allies are starting to panic, because every opinion poll shows that the vast majority of American voters blame him  and Senate Republicans  for the shutdown.

And the presidents historically-low approval numbers have been dropping even further every day that the shutdown continues.

Trumps allies are rightly concerned about the political impact of Trumps shutdown but they have a problem: the president himself. He believes he is winning the shutdown battle and that he will ultimately prevail.

Advertising

Hes right that he has the strong support of his base, which constitutes only 20% to 30% of the voting public. He doesnt seem aware that his base alone cannot carry him and his party to victory in 2020.

According to new reports, former employees in his own White House dont believe that he fully grasps the odds he faces, or how he is losing the support of many people who voted for him in 2016.

The president jumped without looking first, said one former White House official. And can you imagine the humiliation the president would bring on himself if he caved and got little or nothing in return?

And the presidents offer yesterday didnt do anything to move the needle in his favor. In fact, by offering a compromise to Democrats it actually hurt him among his most hardcore anti-immigrant supporters.

Trump is going out of his way to hurt and belittle Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, which further decreases his chances of getting a deal he likes from the Democratically-controlled House.

Both sides have said that there is no real path forward for a compromise right now.

And as 800,000 federal employees  and millions of federal contractors  go without pay for a second month, the political fallout suffered by Trump and the GOP could be severe.

Some people close to Trump have said they cant see him ever giving in and losing face. They believe that he cant let down his base on such an important issue. This is why many of them still believe that declaring a national emergency is the best way forward for Trump to resolve the impasse.

Steve Bannon, the presidents former chief strategist said recently:

I just dont think he has any alternative except to declare a national emergency. The Democrats have no intention, ever, of giving him a penny for the wall.

Bannon also maintains that building the wall is crucial for Trump to have a chance of winning reelection in 2020.

If you do not have a wall fully under construction, you are not going to get a second term, Bannon warned.

And Bannons views are in line with conservative media commentators such as Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter and Michelle Malkin. They have egged Trump on to demand substantial wall funding, which led to him causing the shutdown in December.

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) said last week that Trump has to win on the border security issue. He has no choice.

As Trump appears firm in his resolve, many other Republicans who will be up for reelection in 2020 are wavering.

At least three Republican senators  Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski(Alaska) and Cory Gardner (Colo.)  have called for the government to be reopened. A handful of others senators have expressed misgivings about Trumps hardline position also.

Recently a top GOP strategist  Karl Rove  warned GOP senators that to avoid losing the Senate in 2020 they would need to recapture independent and suburban voters. And Trumps hardline immigration stances will not do that, Rove said.

Immigration hawk Stephen Miller also favors the declaration of national emergency, but many others within the party do not.

Those who are opposed to a national emergency declaration believe such a move would get tied up in the courts for a long time and would do no good.

Opinion polls throughout the crisis have made uncomfortable reading for the president and his allies. Five major opinion polls have been released on the shutdown since the start of the year  from the Pew Research Center; PBS News Hour; Quinnipiac University; CNN; and ABC News and the Washington Post. In all five, blame for the shutdown has been assigned primarily to Trump and the GOP by voters.

Results like that ensure that the pressure on Democrats to make concessions to Trump is negligible.

But even some Republicans who criticize Trump dont believe he is about to back down, either.

There is going to have to be some kind of compromise as this shutdown is felt more broadly outside of Washington, D.C., said Doug Heye, a former communications director of the Republican National Committee. But the idea that Trump is going to cave just because? I dont think that holds a lot of merit.

Even if that is true, it is not easing the concerns of some Trump allies that the president has dug himself a deep hole and is fighting a battle that will be very hard to win.

Hes hurting himself with swing voters now to avoid hurting himself with his base, the former White House official lamented. Hes boxed in and doesnt really have anywhere to go and Democrats know it.

The problem for the country  and for the millions of Americans affected by Trumps shutdown  is that even though Trump is losing, he doesnt see it. Before this disaster ends there will be much more damage inflicted on the country. Hopefully either Trump or Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will see that sooner than later, and take the steps they must take to end the shutdown.
562 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Advertising

When Donald Trump created divisions within America he was elected president. But now he is creating divisions within his own party, which may lead to his downfall.

On Saturday he gave a speech outlining his plan to get a border wall and to re-open the U.S. government. But his plan was immediately rejected by Democrats, so it was a complete failure as a compromise, and it got him no more political support among either Democrats or independents.

Among Republicans and his anti-immigrant base of supporters, however, Trumps proposal was a complete disaster.

Somehow, the self-described political genius in the Oval Office managed to make everybody unhappy, but especially Republicans. And in so doing, he has highlighted a major fissure within the GOP on the issue of immigration. He has opened a deep wound which will be very difficult to heal.

Advertising

Trumps compromise plan was to give 1 million immigrants (700,000 Dreamers under the DACA program and 300,000 resident refugees facing expiration of their temporary protected status) three years of protection from deportation in exchange for $5.7 billion in funding for the wall.

Mainstream Republicans such as GOP leaders on Capitol Hill, praised his leadership. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell agreed to get a Senate vote on his proposal next week.

But the anti-immigrant conservative wing of the party were incensed that Trump dared to offer amnesty to undocumented immigrants.

Ann Coulter tweeted:

Trump proposes amnesty. We voted for Trump and got Jeb!

Trump proposes amnesty. We voted for Trump and got Jeb!  Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) January 19, 2019

And she wasnt the only hardline Republican calling Trumps plan amnesty.

James Carafano of the conservative Heritage Foundation issued a statement saying:

Amnesty encourages further illegal immigration, incentivizes the tragedy of human trafficking, and undermines our citizens confidence in the rule of law.

Amnesty should not be part of any border security deal, especially given that many who today oppose a wall have publicly supported and even voted for physical barriers in the recent past.

So the president has a huge political problem now. He managed to divide Republicans at a crucial time, while also solidifying a united Democratic Party that opposes him.

He has no chance of breaking Democratic opposition to his border wall. And congressional Democrats were quick to reject his plan.

The political question is whether Trumps latest proposal will shift the blame to Democrats for the longest government shutdown in history. Polls have consistently shown that most Americans blame him  he once said he would be proud to allow a lapse in funding for federal agencies in order to force Democrats to capitulate on the wall money  and that only about a third of them see Democrats as the culprits.

This is not likely to change after yesterdays speech. So the shutdown is slowly but surely turning into a political disaster for Trump. And members of his own party are starting to panic.

Trump called for bipartisanship Saturday, even as he painted the Democratic Party as a hostage of its left-most fringe.

These problems can all be solved but only if we have the political courage to do what is just and what is right, he said, as he called for the two sides to come together, listen to each other, put down their armor, build trust, reach across the aisle and find solutions.

The U.S. government is no closer to opening now than it was before Trumps speech. And Trump is no closer to getting cash for his wall now either.

All Trump did with his speech was create a split within his own party without being able to divide Democrats. He did not succeed in shifting the blame to them either.

Trump is floundering, and has no idea what he is doing. He should never have shut down the government, but now that he did, he has no clue as to how to end it. All he cares about is saving face, to protect his precious ego.

He will continue to claim that his proposal was not amnesty but this will not appease the right wing of his party. Mitch McConnell will continue to lick his boots in the Senate, but that wont help either the president or the GOP in 2020.

And in the meantime, Democrats continue to gather political strength while Trumps approval keeps going down in the polls.

The best resolution to the crisis we are in is for Bob Mueller to start issuing indictments and to put an end to the Trump presidency before it does any more damage to our country.
14.1k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Advertising

Rudy Giulianis admission that Trump was trying to make a deal with Russia for a Trump Tower Moscow is another step closer to Trump being charged with treason.

Giuliani said according to the transcript of NBCs Meet The Press:

RUDY GIULIANI:

Well, its our understanding that it  that they went on throughout 2016. Werent a lot of them, but there were conversations. Cant be sure of the exact date. But the president can remember having conversations with him about it.

Advertising

CHUCK TODD:

Throughout 2016 

RUDY GIULIANI:

The president also remembers  yeah, probably up  could be up to as far as October, November. Our answers cover until the election. So anytime during that period they couldve talked about it. But the presidents recollection of it is that the the thing had petered out quite a bit. They sent a letter of intent in. They didnt even know where to send it they knew so little about it. Theyd finally got it straightened out. And then they abandoned the project. And thats about as much as he can remember of it. Because, remember, 2015, 2016, hes running against 16 people for president of the United States. And I know that. I was with him, like, for 

CHUCK TODD:

So 

RUDY GIULIANI:

 five months. His concentration was 100% on running for president.

Video:

What Giuliani is admitting that Trump did was possibly treasonous, which means that what is Mueller report is likely to be even worse. pic.twitter.com/hV8vvZWfAS  Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) January 20, 2019

Rudy Giuliani gave the financial motive for Trump treason

Rudy Giuliani for reasons that arent obvious admitted that Trump lied during the campaign when he said that he wasnt trying to do business in Russia. Trump was trying to do business in Russia through Election Day. The motive for Trump selling out his country to the Russians was money. MSNBCs Nicolle Wallace that the motive for Trumps collusion was that he is bought, owned and paid for by Bussis. Trump is Putins property, and the knowledge of Trumps efforts to do business in Russia puts a new treasonous light on Trump behavior as president.

Rudy Giuliani admitted the motive for potential Trump treason which means that what Mueller has is likely even worse than what Giuliani publicly disclosed.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook.
2.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Advertising

The politics of Donald Trumps shutdown are beginning to worry some big-time Republican operatives.

Opinion polls show that while Trump has increased his approval ratings with Republican voters during the shutdown, he has lost significant ground with many important voting groups, such as independents and non-college educated white voters. These are both crucial demographics for a Republican presidential victory in 2020.

Highly regarded former White House political strategist Karl Rove held a meeting with Senate Republicans this week and told them they should not be too reliant on their conservative base for their electoral support. Rove said they will be facing a tough 2020 presidential election and they need to reverse the direction of the polls.

An NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll published Thursday showed the president has seen his approval rating drop by 9 points and his disapproval rating climb by 9 points among suburban men during the shutdown.

Advertising

Rove, was former President George W. Bushs top political strategist, and he still carries significant clout in GOP circle. He was invited by Senate leaders to speak to the 22 Republican incumbents who will be up for reelection in 2020. They held a day-long planning session on Thursday in Washington.

Senate Republicans are worried about losing their majority status in 2020. They have a much tougher map to defend the 22 seats than they had in 2018, and if Trumps popularity continues to plummet they may be at risk of losing Senate seats in Colorado, Maine, Iowa, or Arizona. A net loss of three seats plus the presidency would give Democrats control of the upper chamber.

Needless to say GOP lawmakers are getting extremely nervous about next years election. Economic experts have been warning that the government shutdown could lower economic growth significantly, and it is likely Trump and Senate Republicans will shoulder most of the blame for this.

Rove advised the senators at the meeting not to rely too much on the conservative base for their reelections. The base is solidly behind Trump in the shutdown stalemate but the base is getting smaller and wont be enough to assure election victories. He stressed the importance of expanding the GOPs appeal beyond the core base of strong Trump supporters.

One GOP senator who attended the meeting said:

He talked about politics being about addition and multiplication. You want to continue to bring people in who support you and the ideas that youre presenting to help the country move forward in a productive way

Another person said that Rove warned a base-only strategy is a perilous bet for 2020 and advised the party that realizes this first may gain the edge in the coming presidential contest.

Rove has recently published editorials saying that while Democrats have refused to compromise, the White House should consider publicly announcing an offer to end the shutdown by asking for border wall funding in return for legal status for Dreamers.

Saturdays White House address by Trump came close to doing this, but did not offer full legal status for the DACA recipients and thus was a failure. So Trump is continuing to lose the shutdown war for public opinion.

A Quinnipiac University poll published Monday showed that registered independent voters found the arguments of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (N.Y.) more believable than Trumps by a margin of 48 percent to 33 percent.

At Thursdays meeting Rove also explained the massive problems that GOP candidates had among suburban voters in the 2018 midterm elections. He warned that they would need to regain many of these formerly-Republican voters to win future elections.

Losing the suburban vote was a troubling development for GOP candidates as suburbs have become younger and more diverse, a demographic trend which will only get worse for Republicans in the future.

In November Rove saw what was coming and warned that weve got to be worried about whats happening in the suburbs.

When we start to lose in the suburbs, it says something about us, he said at the time. He also made clear that the GOP couldnt make up for suburban voter losses by picking up voters in rural areas because frankly, theres more growth in suburban areas.

Senate Republican Whip John Thune (S.D.) acknowledged to reporters that the president still needs to convince independent voters that funding the border wall is worth a partial government shutdown.

The real battlefield is for those independent voters and I dont think hes probably won them over yet, Thune said.

All polls show that Democrats are winning the public relations battle over the shutdown, which is especially hurting Republicans among suburban and independent voters.

As one Democratic pollster said:

Normally people blame both parties in shutdowns but most voters really think this shutdown is due to Trump. Shutdowns often get blamed on the Republicans because people think that Democrats like to do things with government so they are unlikely to shut it down.

Right now we are winning the swing vote on the shutdown.
690 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Advertising

The past week has not been easy for supporters of Donald Trump, especially those who believe he is innocent of conspiring with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election.

On Thursday BuzzFeed News published allegations that he instructed his former attorney Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about a proposed Trump Tower real estate project in Moscow. And even though Bob Muellers office has attacked the accuracy of BuzzFeeds reporting, the news site is standing by it, saying it is accurate. And as the truth comes out after Muellers final report is issued, and Cohen testifies before Congress on February 7, we may find out that the BuzzFeed story was indeed true.

As attention has been focused the past few days on whether Trump suborned perjury and should be impeached, most people have seemingly forgotten some startling comments made by Trumps personal attorney Rudy Giuliani earlier in the week.

In a CNN interview on Wednesday, Giuliani claimed that he never said there was no collusion with Russia in the Trump campaign, only that Trump himself wasnt involved in it:

Advertising

"I never said there was no collusion between the campaign or between people in the campaign I have not. I said the President of the United States," Pres. Trumps attorney @RudyGiuliani tells @ChrisCuomo https://t.co/Jy0gttT6Ac pic.twitter.com/JGISmtgrdy  Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) January 17, 2019

This was a boldfaced lie, of course, which leads to the big question: Why is Giuliani saying this now? Both Giuliani and Trump have always maintained that there was no Russian collusion, period. Perhaps it is because he knows there is new evidence proving collusion that will be made public soon.

Giulianis change in strategy was not lost on highly-respected former federal prosecutors Mimi Rocah and Joyce Vance, however. And they offered some fascinating insights into why Giuliani said what he did in an editorial they wrote for NBC News, which analyzed in detail Giulianis surprising about-face on the collusion issue.

They wrote:

Giulianis conversation with Cuomo does not represent a subtle, nuanced shift in position. This is an admission by the presidents lawyer that when the president said no collusion and when he himself claimed there was no collusion by anyone, let alone the top four or five people in the campaign, they were not telling the truth.

Of course, if the position had always been that maybe there was collusion, but Trump wasnt involved, the response to the special counsels investigation would have been to fully cooperate. Any rational leader in this position would want to know who the bad actors were in his or her campaign. But that was not the response, because that has not been the position  until now.

Everyone was shocked when Giuliani admitted he and his boss have been lying the whole time about collusion. Nobody could figure out exactly why he did that.

But in their editorial Rocah and Vance set forth their own theory, writing:

Giuliani is technically Trumps lawyer. But the strategy he has been running since he joined the team in April 2018 is a political one, not a legal one. None of what he does is meant to convince a judge or a jury. It is meant to confuse the issues, to inoculate people against shocking news before it arrives, and to retain the presidents good standing with his base.

This is important because if the new Democratic House decides to file articles of impeachment against the president, Trump needs to have enough support among Republicans to ensure his majority in the Senate will hold. Giuliani has been moving the goal posts to accommodate the facts, always giving the president a retrenched argument.

The two high-powered former prosecutors made clear their opinion that what Giuliani is doing is NOT a good LEGAL strategy. However, they think that perhaps Giuliani is in a bind with his client, and is setting forth the exact argument that Trump wants to hear.

He also may be trying to get ahead of some bad news that may be coming in the near future.

One of the only things that Giuliani has been consistently good at is getting out ahead of bad facts before they surface in the press or in pleadings, they wrote, adding:

When there is bad news coming, Giuliani blurts it out, the public gawks, and the shock is absorbed in advance. Giuliani, with his theatrics, socializes bad news so well that by the time it drops, most people are numb to it.

In the face of mounting evidence that there was collusion between members of the campaign and Russians, Giuliani has doubled down on his strategy of distract, shock and confuse, Rocah and Vance continued.

Then they finished with this important thought: is anybody paying attention at this point?

The position that Giuliani has staked out  that Trump was unaware of what others might have done  wont get him very far with anyone who is paying attention.

With all of Trumps shenanigans and distractions it is very possible that very few people are actually paying attention to Giulianis comments  or to the fact of the Russian collusion that took place in the 2016 campaign.

But if this case goes to court  or if there is a public impeachment trial  there is no question that American voters will indeed be paying attention then, and Donald Trumps downfall will be assured.
Advertising

BuzzFeed News doubled down yesterday on its defense of its bombshell report from Thursday night which said that President Trump ordered his former attorney Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about a deal to build a Trump Tower in Moscow.

BuzzFeeds report elicited a rare response from special counsel Robert Muellers office which on Friday issued a statement saying that BuzzFeeds description of specific statements to the Special Counsels Office, and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohens Congressional testimony are not accurate.

But after the special counsel statement was made public, the news outlet stood by its reporting and released a statement Friday night, saying it stood by its reporting and urging Mueller to make clear what hes disputing. Yesterday BuzzFeed spokesman Matt Mittenthal defended the report again, issuing a second statement saying:

As weve re-confirmed our reporting, weve seen no indication that any specific aspect of our story is inaccurate. We remain confident in what weve reported, and will share more as we are able.

Advertising

The BuzzFeed News report said Trump met with Cohen at least 10 times to discuss the tower and backed a plan for him to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russia to negotiate on the construction of the major Moscow real estate project. The president had maintained many times on the campaign trail that he had no business dealings of any kind in Russia.

When told of the special counsels failure to find support for the BuzzFeed story, Mittenthal added:

Our high-level law enforcement sources, who have helped corroborate months of accurate reporting on the Trump Tower Moscow deal and its aftermath, have told us otherwise. We look forward to further clarification from the Special Counsel in the near future.

Cohen has cooperated with special counsel Robert Muellers probe into obstruction of justice and possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia in 2016. BuzzFeeds story said Cohen discussed Trumps order to lie with the special counsels staff.

Trump and conservative allies seized upon the controversy surrounding the report.

It was a total phony story, and I appreciate the special counsel coming out with a statement last night, Trump told reporters Saturday. I think that the BuzzFeed piece was a disgrace to our country. It was a disgrace to journalism, and I think also that the coverage by the mainstream media was disgraceful.

The entire premise of this story, which received wall-to-wall coverage, was based on evidence the reporters admitted they never even saw. Who couldve predicted that the publishers of the phony dossier would get this wrong, too? Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel said.

Cohen adviser Lanny Davis has refused to confirm or deny the BuzzFeed report. He has implied that Cohen would discuss the issue in more detail during his congressional testimony on February 7.
Advertising

WASHINGTON (Reuters)  Women marched in hundreds of U.S. cities and overseas on Saturday to mark the second anniversary of demonstrations that drew millions of protesters to the streets the day after Republican President Donald Trumps inauguration in January 2017.

Womens March, a national nonprofit organization that evolved from the initial Washington march, again hosted its main event in Washington, with hundreds of sister marches in other cities.

March On, a separate grassroots coalition that also grew from the original march, coordinated hundreds of marches in cities such as Boston, Houston, Baltimore and Denver.

Leaders of both groups said they would use this years marches to push policy related to raising the minimum wage, access to reproductive healthcare and voting rights, among other issues. They are aiming to mobilize women to vote ahead of the 2020 elections, when Trump is expected to be the Republican nominee for president.

Advertising

There is definitely huge, huge focus on the 2020 elections, said March Ons Natalie Sanchez, an organizer of the 2017 Boston Womens March who is also with March Forward Massachusetts, which organized Saturdays march there.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who launched her bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination this week, addressed the womens march in Des Moines, Iowa, the state that holds the first nominating contest and acts as a proving ground for White House hopefuls. She told the crowd that the 2017 march was one of the most influential political moments in her life.

Now is the time to get off the sidelines. Our democracy only works when people like you stand up and demands it, Gillibrand said.

Kimberly Graham, 54, an attorney in Des Moines, said attending the march there two years ago gave her hope after Trumps election left her feeling dejected. Her excitement from seeing so many women and minorities win midterm election races has inspired her to weigh challenging Republican U.S. Senator Joni Ernst.

Its given me a lot of hope that things will turn around. That it is darkest before the light, Graham said.

Activists say the marches were a chance to celebrate the gains made in the 2018 elections, which saw more women elected to the U.S. Congress than ever before.

The newly elected women  nearly all Democrats  include the first Muslim women and first Native American women in Congress, as well as the first black women to represent their states in New England. Many cited Trumps presidency among the reasons they decided to run for office.

As the political movement that grew out of hundreds of loosely affiliated marches in 2017 has grown, divisions have emerged.

In some cities, like New York and Washington, there was more than one march or demonstration due to criticism that some Womens March leaders are anti-Semitic  a charge those leaders have sought to dispel in recent interviews and statements.

Leaders of Womens March and March On say there is a role for everyone and that divisions in leadership have not detracted from the overall movement.

Julie Wash, 57, a librarian from Saratoga Springs, New York, said Womens March leader Tamika Mallory  who has faced blowback for her support of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan  is being held to a different standard than Trump and other white, male leaders.

Theres a level of accountability that we need to hold white establishment men to if were going to hold Tamika Mallory to that standard, Wash said.

Wash came to the Washington march with her friend Nan Sullivan, 65, a business owner also from Saratoga Springs.

Give us the whole table. Dont give us a seat. Just give us the whole table. Get out of the way and well clean up the mess, Sullivan said.

The marches also have been criticized as being unwelcoming to conservative women, who may support Trumps presidency and oppose abortion rights. The annual March for Life by anti-abortion campaigners was held in Washington on Friday, attended by Vice President Mike Pence.

(Reporting by Amanda Becker and Katharine Jackson in Washington; additional reporting by Ginger Gibson in Des Moines; Editing by Colleen Jenkins, Daniel Wallis and Leslie Adler)
241 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Advertising

By Benjamin Long

NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation)  A U.S. lesbian couple rejected for admission to a retirement community suffered a defeat this week in their effort to claim discrimination, but a leading legal group on Friday vowed to take up the fight to protect LGBT+ people from housing bias.

Bev Nance and Mary Walsh, married for a decade, sought to live in Missouris Friendship Village but were told their marriage was not in accordance with biblical principles, according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in St. Louis.

Marriage means the union of one man and one woman, according to the Friendship Village policy cited in the case.

Advertising

The couple fired back, accusing the retirement community of discriminating on the basis of their gender.

A federal court this week sided with the retirement community, ruling it was not a case of gender discrimination and dismissing the case.

The case could be considered discrimination based on sexual orientation, but that is not illegal under federal fair housing laws, the ruling said.

The couple is consulting with lawyers and weighing their next step, according to their attorney.

But Lambda Legal, a New York group that argues on behalf of LGBT+ rights, said it will challenge the existing law and help protect LGBT+ people in Missouri and other nearby Midwestern states, it said.

A ruling by a Midwestern federal appeals court 30 years ago said the fair housing law did not prohibit discriminations against homosexuals.

It would be delightful if the court said it was overruling the decision, Greg Nevins, a senior attorney at Lambda Legal, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Longtime residents of Missouri, Nance, 68, a retired math teacher, and Walsh, 72, a retired business manager, have been together for almost four decades.

They married in the state of Massachusetts in 2009, according to their lawsuit.

Fewer than half the U.S. states  21  explicitly protect LGBT+ people from housing discrimination, according to the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBT+ rights group.

This is sex discrimination, and it is against the law, said Michael Adams, head of Senior Action in a Gay Environment (SAGE), a non-profit organization advocating for elderly LGBT+ people.

The fact that a federal court thinks otherwise and has ruled that the federal Fair Housing Act does not protect an older same-sex couple just underlines that much more must be done to protect LGBTQ older people from bias and mistreatment as they age, Adams told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

(Reporting by Benjamin Long; Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst ((Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, womens and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking, property rights and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org) (Benjamin.Long@thomsonreuters.com)
Advertising

By Joseph Ax

(Reuters)  A U.S. federal judge in Wisconsin on Thursday blocked a Republican-backed law that would limit early voting across the state to two weeks, finding the new legislation was essentially the same as a previous statute he stopped 2-1/2 years ago.

The early-voting bill was part of a package of laws that the Republican-controlled legislature passed during a rare all-night lame-duck session in December, which included measures aimed at curbing the powers of incoming Democratic Governor Tony Evers.

The effort drew criticism from Democrats that Republicans were effectively ignoring the will of the voters after Evers victory in Novembers midterm election ended eight years of total Republican control of the state capitol. Similar lame-duck sessions in Michigan and North Carolina also provoked controversy.

Advertising

The states largest cities, Milwaukee and Madison, offered six weeks of early voting last year, while smaller municipalities with fewer resources provided shorter windows.

Republicans have argued that the early-voting law would simply create a uniform standard for the entire state, while Democrats contend that the statute is meant to stifle voting among young, poor and minority voters.

In 2016, U.S. District Judge James Peterson blocked a similar law, finding that Republicans enacted it for partisan gain.

On Thursday, Peterson said the new law was essentially the same as the old one, after the plaintiffs in the case, including the progressive group One Wisconsin, asked him to block it from taking effect.

This is not a close question: The three challenged provisions are clearly inconsistent with the injunctions that the court has issued in this case, he wrote.

Peterson also stopped two other provisions from taking effect: One that would prohibit voters from using expired student identifications and one that would prohibit voters from using temporary IDs for more than 60 days.

The original case is currently before a federal appeals court in Chicago, which heard arguments on the issue and other election-related laws nearly two years ago but has yet to rule.

Republican legislative leaders did not immediately comment on the decision.

(Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Scott Malone and Tom Brown)
1.6k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Advertising

Fear of eviction, inability to pay their mortgages and feed their children among the fears of federal workers.

SECURITY GUARD AT THE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM, FAYE SMITH, STANDING IN FRONT OF SENATOR MITCH MCCONNELLS OFFICE SAYING:

Im here today to bring my bill for Mr. Mitch McConnell, to show him, if youre not familiar, I want a Second Chance [rent credit] program. I have to have my rent in on time. I have no more money coming in. I am a guard at The Smithsonian Institute and I need my rent paid and I have nothing and I need to know when is he going to open things back up because Im about to be evicted. If I dont have my rent in by the first of next month, through the Second Chance program, I will be evicted.

Video:

Advertising

JANITOR AT U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, AUDREY MURRAY, AT PANEL SAYING:

I am a single mother. I lost my husband last year. I bought me a house in the process, and Im worried about how Im going to pay my mortgage.

JANITOR AT U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, ANGELA VASQUEZ, SAYING:

Its heartbreaking when my children come home from school hungry, open the fridge, and theres nothing there. They ask me, Mom, why is there no food, why havent you bought food? I tell them Im going to go tomorrow. They dont need to know whats going on as its traumatic for them too. Therefore I ask the government to please reopen the buildings so we can continue with our struggle, what we do every day.

Three federal government employees shared emotional stories to panels and the press on Wednesday (January 16), urging the U.S. Government to resume their payment of workers.

Faye Smith, a security guard at The Smithsonian National Museum, stood outside Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells office explaining tearfully to the media that she was close to eviction if she cant pay her rent by the first of next month.

Audrey Murray, a janitor at the U.S. Department of State, spoke to a panel about not being able to pay her mortgage while Angela Vasquez, a janitor at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, urged the government to stop the shutdown as she didnt have enough for food in the fridge for her children.
5.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Advertising

Democrats rejected Trumps offer to end his shutdown in exchange for wall money as a non-starter that cant pass the House or Senate.

Axios reported:

A Democratic aide told Axios: Dems were not consulted on this and have rejected similar overtures previously.And a House Democratic aide said: Similar inadequate offers from the Administration were already rejected by Democrats.

The BRIDGE Act does not fully protect Dreamers and is not a permanent solution.

This is not a compromise as it includes the same wasteful, ineffective $5.7 billion wall demand that shut down the government in the first place.

Advertising

This cannot pass the House or Senate.

The President must agree to re-open government and join Democrats to negotiate on border security measures that work and not an expensive and ineffective wall that the President promised Mexico would pay for.

Trump is trying to divide the Democrats with his offer

Trumps offer is bogus because any bill that includes money for his wall cant pass Congress. Democrats are united in not giving Trump a single penny for the wall that he promised that Mexico would pay for. Trump is trying to weaken his opposition by dividing them. The problem is that they are unified against his wall. Any offer that includes his wall is dead on arrival.

The president is wasting his time. His offer isnt going to help his sagging poll numbers or end the shutdown.

There is nothing to negotiate. Trump could end the shutdown today by announcing that he will sign a bill to reopen the government.

The obstacle to the government reopening is Trump, not Schumer and Pelosi.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook.
2.3k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Advertising

By Andrew Hay

(Reuters)  A Catholic school in Kentucky condemned a group of its students, many of whom wore Make America Great Again hats, after they were recorded harassing a Native American Vietnam veteran in a video that went viral on Saturday.

The students from private, all-male Covington Catholic High School in Park Hills, Kentucky, were in Washington for an anti-abortion rally on Friday when they were filmed surrounding Nathan Phillips and mocking the Native Americans singing and drumming.

One teen in particular is seen standing in front of Phillips, staring into his face with a smile. Fellow students, many in hats and sweatshirts with President Donald Trumps MAGA slogan, cheered him on and chanted, build the wall, build the wall, Phillips said.

Advertising

Video:

The footage was shared online by organizers of an indigenous peoples march that also took place on Friday.

In a joint statement, the high school and Diocese of Covington condemned the actions of the students towards Nathan Phillips specifically, and Native Americans in general.

The matter is being investigated and we will take appropriate action, up to an including expulsion, the statement said.

In a separate video https://bit.ly/2FKUUnM uploaded to social media, the 64-year-old Phillips, an elder of Nebraskas Omaha tribe, wiped away tears as he described the incident.

I heard them saying build that wall, build that wall. These are indigenous lands, were not supposed to have walls, he said. I wish I could see that energy of that young mass of young men, put that energy into making this country, really, really great, helping those that are hungry.

Phillips holds an annual ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery to honor Native American veterans, according to media reports.

Democratic U.S. Congresswoman Deb Haaland, a member of New Mexicos Laguna Pueblo tribe, said on Twitter that Phillips had risked his life for his country, and that the students showed blatant hate, disrespect, and intolerance.

(Reporting By Andrew Hay; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
Last year Julien Sitbon travelled all over the world to play poker on his way to eclipsing the USD$1,000,000 mark in lifetime cashes. One destination he has never visited is Australia and he's here in Melbourne playing at the Aussie Millions for the first time.

"It's really my first time," said Sitbon. "Last year I played a lot and I decided to have a little break. Just come here and visit and travel. I want to enjoy the country and travel with my girlfriend. I'll play the Aussie Millions AM and then travel all around here."

Sitbon flew into Australia ten days ago and spent time at the beach in Perth, before flying to Melbourne where he arrived four days ago.

"I played the H.O.R.S.E. and the Opening Event twice, and I've made Day 2. I'm feeling quite good, being here, of course, I hope I can make Day 3.

A smiling Julien Sitbon

"The style of poker here is completely different. It's a lot more like in the U.S. than in Europe. It's not the same poker. It's nice because it's much more about exploitation than GTO. I really like that a lot."

He told PokerNews that after the tournament he is hoping to see the sharks around Australia. Let's hope that sharks are in the water and not in the poker tournaments.

"I'm ok with that," Sitbon smiled. "I will fight with them at the poker tables - but not in the water!"
Vermillion, SD (57069)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. Hot. High 94F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds early will give way to generally clear conditions overnight. Low around 60F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
As frigid Arctic air moves into the Harrisburg area with wind chill values of 15 below zero today and tomorrow, several Martin Luther King Jr. Day events have been canceled or postponed.

The Central PA MLK Day of Service Opening Ceremony and Volunteer Projects at Susquehanna Township High School and Holtzman Elementary have been rescheduled for February 24 to celebrated during Black History Month, organizer Mike Walsh said.

Its only the kickoff event at the schools that has been rescheduled. The following volunteer events are canceled:

Bethel AME History Harvest

Monument Church renovation and clean up

Friends of Midtown dog park project

https://centralpamlk.partnershipplanners.org/projectlist/index.php?ece041bbddee0b

Mondays MLK Morning of Service: Community Projects at the Agape Center at Messiah College have been canceled. Other events set through this week are still expected to be held. You can see a full list here.

https://www.messiah.edu/mlk

Check back for the latest updates.
Attempted homicide charges have been filed against three people after a Saturday shooting in Lebanon County that injured four people, some of them critically, police said.

Police said more than 20 bullets were fired during the shooting.

In an evening news release, Lebanon City police announced that Eric McGill, 26, of Lebanon, Dominique Shumate, 28, of no permanent address and Sean Sykes, 28, of Harrisburg, all will face four counts of attempted homicide, police said.

McGill and Shumate have been arrested and are to be arraigned on charges, police said. Sykes has not been apprehended, but a warrant is out for his arrest, police said.

In addition to the attempted homicide charges, the three suspects also face charges of conspiracy to commit homicide, aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, conspiracy to commit recklessly endangering another person and possession of a firearm prohibited, police said.

According to the release, officers heard gunshots fired about 4:48 a.m. near the intersection of North 12th and Church streets, where they saw a vehicle driving without its lights on.

They attempted to stop the vehicle, but it fled, police said, adding that two handguns were thrown from the car.

The vehicles driver eventually pulled into a parking area near Willow and Jones streets, and those inside of the vehicle ran away, police said.

Sean Sykes

McGill and Shumate were arrested after a brief foot chase, police said, adding that Sykes escaped.

The trio is accused of playing a role in the shooting in the 1000 block of Church Street, where multiple shots were fired into a building. Police said it is believed the building was targeted by the shooters.

Four people  a 36-year-old Lebanon man, a 47-year-old Palmyra man, a 48-year-old North Cornwall Township woman and a 64-year-old Lebanon woman  were injured in the shooting. All are being treated at a local medical facility, police said. Their individual conditions vary from stable to critical.

Police said they are continuing to investigate the shooting, and those with information about the incident have been asked to call Lebanon police at 717-272-2054 or the local Crime Stoppers at 717-270-9800.
Forecasters have backed off on earlier predictions that parts of central Pennsylvania could see up to a foot of accumulation, but, still, some snow has fallen.

And meteorologists predict that snow could mix with rain and ice into Sunday morning, complicating travel on Pennsylvania roadways.

By 7:30 p.m. Saturday several crashes on central Pennsylvania highways had disrupted traffic, causing lane closures and restrictions, according to PennDOTs 511PA.

Crash on I-83 northbound at Mile Post: 2.0. There is a lane restriction.  511PA Harrisburg (@511PAHarrisburg) January 20, 2019

Crash on I-81 northbound between Mile Post: 2.5 and Mile Post: 3.5. There is a lane restriction.  511PA Harrisburg (@511PAHarrisburg) January 20, 2019

A crash on Interstate-83 northbound in Shrewsbury Township, York County near the Welcome Center exit has caused a lane restriction, according PennDOT officials.

And a crash on Interstate-81 northbound in Antrim Township, Franklin County between Exit 3 (U.S.11) and Exit 5 (Greencastle) also has caused a lane restriction.

Updates about possible travel delays from PennDOT can be seen on the 511PA website.

Warnings about those crashes were in addition to information posted about speed limit restrictions on roadways across the state.

National Weather Service meteorologist David Martin said the Harrisburg area likely will see weather-related travel issues into Sunday afternoon, especially as temperatures plummet.

You are pretty much on track to get a mix of sleet, snow and rain, maybe a little bit of freezing rain, Martin said.
Despite forecasters' reduced snowfall predictions for an ongoing winter storm, meteorologists are still calling for sleet, ice and single-digit temperatures in the coming hours and days.

Those are factors that could complicate not only traffic on area roadways, but also cause power outages and lead to other emergencies.

For those reasons, utility officials and the Red Cross have issued guidelines about how to safely heat homes, as well as how to contend with weather-related power outages.

We will be prepared to respond if the forecasted ice and wind cause outages. said Carol Obando-Derstine, regional affairs director with PPL Electric Utilities.

Lauren Siburkis, a spokeswoman with Met-Ed, said the same.

"At this time, weve secured ... additional line workers and utility personnel that can be deployed to the hardest-hit areas within our service territory, Siburkis said.

The utility officials spoke before Saturdays winter storm began dumping snow across the state, including the Harrisburg area, where National Weather Service forecasters predicted 1 to 4 inches of snow could fall.

And that snow is to be followed by sleet and freezing rain, meteorologist David Martin said.

"You are pretty much on track to get a mix of sleet, snow and rain, maybe a little bit of freezing rain, he said.

9:45 PM Radar Update: Snow is transitioning to sleet across S and SE PA at this hour. The correlation coefficient product (left) indicates snow falling in the maroon areas and a mix of snow/sleet in the yellow/green areas. Sleet will continue to advance north overnight. #PAwx pic.twitter.com/PTtgqd3VwS  NWS State College (@NWSStateCollege) January 20, 2019

Ice, Obando-Derstine said, can prove especially problematic. Heavy ice accumulation can cause weak tree branches to snap and fall, she said, explaining those branches can land on and sever utility lines, cutting power to customers.

In cases with especially heavy accumulation, the weight of ice alone can be enough to snap lines, Obando-Derstine said, adding that slippery roadways also can lead to vehicles crashing into utility poles.

Stay away from any downed wire, and assume that all downed wires are energized, Obando-Derstine said.

In addition to that tip, Obando-Derstine offered others.

During a power outage, she said homeowners should avoid opening their refrigerators, as keeping a closed seal will help to maintain a cool interior, keeping food from quickly spoiling.

She also said that any electric stoves, ovens, hotplates or heaters on at the time of a power outage should be immediately turned off, so they are not forgotten when power is restored.

Those who plan to use gas-powered generators to power their homes while electricity is out need to make sure the generators are not kept indoors, Obando-Derstine said. Running gas-powered generators indoors could lead to a build up of carbon monoxide, which is poisonous and can cause death, she said.

Lastly, Obando-Derstine cautioned against using candles for light because they can lead to house fires, she said.

Like Obando-Derstine, officials at the American Red Cross also highlighted the threat of fire, as temperatures are set to plummet.

By Sunday night, low temperatures could be as cold as 5 degrees, with a windchill of -5, according to a seven-day forecast from the National Weather Service.

Low temperatures on Monday are predicted at only 4 degrees, with a windchill of -10, according to the same forecast.

In the wake of the forecast, Red Cross officials offered the following heating tips:

All heaters need space. Keep children, pets and things that can burn at least 3 feet away from heating equipment.

Never leave a fire in a fireplace unattended, and use a glass or metal fire screen to keep fire and embers in the fireplace.

Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.

Turn off portable space heaters every time you leave the room or go to sleep.

Have wood and coal stoves, fireplaces, and chimneys inspected annually by a professional and cleaned if necessary.

If you must use a space heater, place it on a level, hard and nonflammable surface, not on rugs or carpets or near bedding or drapes.

Plug heaters' power cords directly into outlets and never into an extension cord or power strip.

Even in areas with lower snow totals, quickly dropping temperatures tonight will create icy roadways. Drivers, please use extra caution tomorrow morning and watch for black ice.   NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) January 20, 2019

In addition to those tips, officials at the Red Cross also encouraged homeowners to make sure that smoke detectors are installed and working in their houses and that occupants, including children, are aware of planned escape routes in case of emergencies.
The National Weather Service has released early snowfall totals for the winter storm that is expected to make its way through central Pennsylvania Saturday into Sunday.

The early numbers show that by shortly after 7:30 p.m., some parts of the state had already received more than four inches of snow.

Snowfall totals are listed below:

Cashtown, Adams County - 2.3 inches

Fishertown, Bedford County - 2.8 inches

Altoona, Blair County - 4 inches

Tyrone, Blair County - 4 inches

Stormstown, Centre County - 4.5 inches

State College, Centre County - 3.3 inches

Centre Hall, Centre County - 2.5 inches

Houtzdale, Clearfield County - 1.8 inches

Shiremanstown, Cumberland County - 1 inch

Upper Strasburg, Franklin County - 3 inches

Chambersburg, Franklin County - 2.5 inches

Montgomery, Lycoming County - 1.4 inches

Trevorton, Northumberland County - 1 inch

Wellsboro, Tioga County - 3 inches

Loganville, York County - 0.5 inches

On Saturday, a National Weather Service winter weather advisory predicted most of central Pennsylvania could see 1 to 4 inches of snow by 1 p.m. Sunday. That is down drastically from a Friday prediction, which called for up to a foot of snow in the same timeframe.

David Martin, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the change is due to the storms shifted path, as well as slightly warmer-than-expected temperatures.

The storms path has shifted largely to north of Interstate-80, Martin said. That means parts of north-central and northeastern Pennsylvania are now expected to see the most accumulation, he said.

Snowfall totals in those areas are expected to reach up to a foot, and communities on the New York border could see up to 15 inches or more, Martin said.
Though the Harrisburg area may miss most of the sleet areas to the north will see this morning, were still going to be dealing with ice as the wet roadways freeze over.

And when it happens, itll happen fast.

Its going to be pretty dramatic, said National Weather Service at State College meteorologist Peter Jung. Its going to be like someone switched the light switch on.

The rain were seeing now should move out of the area by 10 a.m., and it could be followed by some snow or a wintry mix with little or no additional accumulation.

But as a front of Arctic air moves in across Canada into Pennsylvania, temperatures are going to plummet rapidly in the late morning, potentially freezing wet roads.

At 8 a.m., the temperature in the Harrisburg area was hovering around 35, but the cold air is already moving into northern Pennsylvania. When it hits here, temperatures could drop to:

28 by noon,

24 by 3 p.m.,

19 by 5 p.m.,

4 overnight.

Winds will kick up, too, increasing from 5 to 10 mph to 13 to 18 mph with 34 mph gusts. Wind chill values of 15 below zero can be expected tonight, prompting a wind chill advisory, starting at 7 p.m. and into Monday.

Todays cold conditions and ice follow Saturdays snow storm. Though far less accumulation than early estimates called for fell on the area, it was still enough to cover the roads and make travel treacherous around the region.

Heres a sampling of accumulation totals from around the area:

Harrisburg International Airport: 2.8 inches,

Colonial Park, 3.5 inches,

Hershey, 2.5 inches,

Carlisle, 2.5 inches,

Camp Hill, 3 inches,

Greencastle, 4.5 inches,

Chambersburg, 6 inches,

Lebanon, 2 inches.

Monday will be sunny, and the cold temperatures will stick around. Expect a high of 14 and a low of 5 with wind chill values as low as 15 below zero.

Tuesday will be mostly sunny with a high near 26 and a low around 22.

Wednesday will see rain and snow starting in the early hours, turning into just rain after 1 p.m. and through the evening. Little or no accumulation is expected as high temperatures will rise to 42 with a low of 36.

Thursday will see a high of 40 and a low of 24 with a 60 percent chance of rain during the day and a 30 percent chance of snow at night.

Friday will be partly sunny with a high near 32 and a low of 11.

And Saturday will be mostly sunny with a high near 23.

Visit PennLive.com/weather for your latest weather updates.
Snow flurries are falling in central Pennsylvania, but forecasters are not calling for nearly as much accumulation as was originally predicted.

On Saturday, a National Weather Service meteorologist explained why, pointing to two specific factors: the storms shifting path and warmer-than-expected temperatures.

You are pretty much on track to get a mix of sleet, snow and rain, maybe a little bit of freezing rain, meteorologist David Martin said, speaking about the Harrisburg area.

Snow continues to overspread central PA. Milder air is now expected to work a little farther northward and, as a result, the snowfall accumulation forecast has decreased across southern PA...and the heaviest ice accumulation forecast has shifted a bit northwestward. #ctpwx pic.twitter.com/YcwXGfslbs  NWS State College (@NWSStateCollege) January 19, 2019

On Saturday, a National Weather Service winter weather advisory predicted most of central Pennsylvania could see 1 to 4 inches of snow by 1 p.m. Sunday. That is down drastically from a Friday prediction, which called for up to a foot of snow in the same timeframe.

The change, Martin said, stems from both the path of the storm, as well as air temperatures.

The storms path has shifted largely to north of Interstate-80, Martin said. That means parts of north-central and northeastern Pennsylvania are now expected to see the most accumulation, he said.

Snowfall totals in those areas are expected to reach up to a foot, and communities on the New York border could see up to 15 inches or more, Martin said.

Air temperatures in much of central Pennsylvania also were a few degrees higher than expect, which contributed to the reduced accumulation totals, Martin said.

Shortly before 5 p.m., Martin said areas in the western part of the state were seeing mostly rain, and central Pennsylvania was beginning to see flurries.

A few more counties have been downgraded to a Winter Weather Advisory...including Allegheny County.  NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) January 19, 2019

That precipitation is expected to continue into Sunday morning, he said, adding that sleet and freezing rain could mean dangerous road conditions.

Slippery roadways could persist into Sunday afternoon, especially if some of the accumulated snow melts and refreezes as temperatures drop, Martin said.

According to the National Weather Service, temperatures in the Harrisburg area could reach as cold as 5 degrees by Sunday night, and low temperatures on Monday night are predicted at 4 degrees.

Officials at AccuWeather issued a similar warning, calling for brutally cold air ... which can threaten lives and complicate travel and cleanup efforts."

Slush or wet snow not cleared will turn into a solid sheet of ice, making it extremely difficult to shovel, AccuWeather officials said.
In January, Gillette, the men's razor company, released an advertisement not about shaving, but about male behavior. Gillette and fans of the ad say that the commercial encourages men to set the best example they can for the next generation. But some are offended by the ad, saying it stereotypes men and is counterproductive to the larger conversation about gender roles. Did Gillette get it right or go too far?

PERSPECTIVES

CNN's Heather Kelly spoke with Pankaj Bhalla, Gillette's North America brand director, regarding the new ad, which has a new take on the traditional Gillette tagline, "the best a man can get." Instead, the ad asks: "Is this the best a man can get?" According to Kelly:

The ad demonstrates many behaviors society has conceded to for generations, such as bullying and objectifying women. Instead of continuing to make excuses for such behavior, the men in the ad interfere when witnessing these types of actions. Although Gillette's Bhalla says the ad is not about toxic masculinity, there's no question that Gillette is calling consumers to action, asking them to speak up when they see the very behaviors that have contributed to creating a culture of toxic masculinity for decades. CNN's Noah Berlatsky reports:

A call like this is long overdue, and Gillette stepped up where few others have.

But many people -- men and women alike -- feel that rather than set a new precedent, the ad vilifies masculinity in general. Many feel that the ad itself stereotypes men, lumping them into a group of wrestling, bullying, objectifying beings, who have no control over their own behaviors (that is, until another male gets involved).

The ad has 109,000 likes and 387,000 dislikes on YouTube, at the time of writing. Gillette's heart might have been in the right place, but many people believe the company executed its idea poorly, hurting men in the process. As Forbes' Charles Taylor puts it:

According to Gillette's website, the company's goal in creating the ad was to live up to their own tagline, "the best a man can be."

Many people find this to be not only commendable, but necessary. New Orleans Saints tight end Benjamin Watson supported Gillette during an appearance on Fox & Friends, saying:

Meanwhile, others are calling for a boycott of Gillette products. According to this camp, advertising a sweeping generalization about men is unforgivable.

Ive been shaving since I was 12, since the beginning I used Gillette because thats what my father used, now I will never use it again, and neither will my father, collectively been your customers for 50+ years never again #BoycottGillette #Gillette  Ary (@ary31574363) January 15, 2019

The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has written President Trump to suggest that he postpone his State of the Union address, citing her "security concerns" over the ability of the Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security to protect government officials during the shutdown.

With all due respect, that is fake news.

Pelosi isn't worried about security. She invited the president to deliver the State of the Union on Jan. 3, 13 days after the partial government shutdown began. She did not ask the Department of Homeland Security and the Secret Service before writing the president whether they had concerns about their ability to provide security. Indeed, Politico reports that a planning meeting with the Secret Service was scheduled for the day after Pelosi sent her letter, and subsequently canceled. If Pelosi had bothered to ask, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen would have told her exactly what she said Wednesday on Twitter: "The Department of Homeland Security and the US Secret Service are fully prepared to support and secure the State of the Union."

Pelosi is using her faux security concerns as a pretext to do something unprecedented and outrageous: deny a president of the United States the opportunity to come to Congress and deliver his State of the Union address. Never in the history of our Republic has the House speaker invited, and then disinvited, a sitting president from addressing a joint session of Congress. Yet all those who constantly decry Trump for shattering of presidential norms seem to be perfectly fine when Pelosi is doing the norm shattering  and lying about why she is doing it.

 Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever.

To the contrary, some have praised this is as a power move on Pelosi's part. No, it's not. Pelosi understands full well the power of a State of the Union address. Trump's first two addresses of a joint session drew 48 million and 46 million television viewers, respectively (plus millions more online). She knows that, if anything, the drama of Trump addressing Congress in the midst of the shutdown would likely increase interest. Trump has now twice demonstrated that he can use the venue effectively. So, Pelosi wants to stop him from speaking from the rostrum of the House of Representatives directly to tens of millions of Americans and calling her out for her refusal to compromise.

If she follows through on this threat, it could backfire. Right now, Democrats are brimming with confidence because polls show that a majority of Americans blame Trump for the shutdown. But according to a recent Hill-HarrisX poll, 70 percent of Americans want both sides to compromise, including 61 percent of Republicans and 76 percent of Democrats. Right now, Trump is the only one talking compromise, while Democrats are demanding unilateral surrender. A few weeks ago, Trump sent Vice President Pence to Capitol Hill with an offer that cut his wall request from $5.7 billion to $2.5 billion. Pelosi said she would be willing to give him "one dollar." She probably thought it was funny. But to millions of voters, it came across as cocky and insensitive to the hundreds of thousands of federal workers affected by the shutdown.

Then, to add insult to injury, Democratic lawmakers took a junket to Puerto Rico on the very day that federal workers stop receiving their paychecks. They had time to sun themselves on the beach at an exclusive resort with more than 100 lobbyists and executives and hang out with the cast of "Hamilton," but they could not be bothered to accept Trump's invitation to meet with him at the White House on Tuesday to find a way out of the crisis.

And now Pelosi is threatening to cancel the State of the Union address  a move that will be seen by many Americans as petty and vindictive. If Democrats continue with this cavalier attitude and refusal to negotiate, eventually public opinion will turn against them.

Trump should tell Pelosi that, while he appreciates her concerns, the Secret Service has assured him that they can handle security and that he plans to deliver his address in person, as scheduled. Let her withdraw the invitation. If she does, it will be a turning point in our nation's history  a moment when the last vestiges of comity in Washington were destroyed. It may also be the moment when Americans finally realized that Pelosi cares more about hurting Trump than she does about finding a compromise solution and doing what is best for the country.

Follow Marc A. Thiessen on Twitter, @marcthiessen

Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 2
NORMAL  We all know what it's like to return from a weeklong vacation and confront a backlog of emails to answer. Now, imagine you are a furloughed federal employee returning to work after three weeks or four weeks (or more).

That's among the concerns of officials at colleges and universities as they wait for the federal government to resume full operation.

The situation becomes more precarious every day, especially since no one knows how long the shutdown will last, said Millikin University President Patrick White.

Functions related to student financial aid appear to be moving relatively smoothly now after a glitch related more to annual maintenance of the website than the federal shutdown, said Bridget Curl, Illinois State University's director of financial aid.

It's not affecting disbursement of student aid for the current school year, she said.

According to Josh Norman, associate vice president of enrollment management at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, federal financial aid for the 2018-19 school year was fully appropriated months ago and funding for things such as Pell Grants is mandatory.

Other than complications with the verification process, EIU has no immediate concerns regarding students and their financial aid, he said.

But there are concerns at ISU and elsewhere about what will happen if the shutdown continues.

What we've seen in the past  and we've never had a shutdown this long before  it takes the agencies a good month just to clear their emails, said Jason Wagoner, director of research and sponsored programs at ISU.

In fiscal year 2018, ISU received about $8.7 million in federal grant funding. While some grant-awarding agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health, are operating, others, such as the National Science Foundation, are part of the shutdown.

We're checking it on a daily basis, said Shireen Schrock, faculty grants manager at Illinois Wesleyan University that typically receives about $500,000 to $750,000 in federal grants. We're trying to stay as close to the information as possible and hang in there like everybody else.

At Millikin, some faculty members seeking National Science Foundation funding for the first time in years have pending requests totaling about $175,000, said spokesman Dane Lisser.

 Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever.

The website through which grant applications are submitted is operating, but there is no one to review the applications and no one to answer questions, said Wagoner.

Rob Rhykerd, chair of ISU's Department of Agriculture, said, Faculty have dates on their calendars when grants are due, but don't know if those will be changed, if programs will be continued or how long decisions will be delayed.

The longer it goes on, the longer it will take to catch up, said Schrock.

Another problem, noted Schrock and Rhykerd, is there's no one to contact if they need permission to modify how they are using money from existing grants.

ISU officials have talked about the possibility of delaying grant-funded purchases or travel, but at this point, the agencies are still allowing grant recipients to get reimbursed for expenses covered by the grants, said Wagoner.

That may change if the shutdown goes on much longer, he said. It's wait and see right now.

Wagoner said the shutdown definitely will have an impact on hiring students for grant-funded research in the summer if the situation isn't resolved.

But Millikin officials don't expect the shutdown to affect plans to pay students for research and related projects because they use money from institutional sources rather than the federal or state government.

As for student financial aid, Curl said, We're not packaging any yet for next year.

Usually students are notified in March what their aid package will be, she said.

If this continues into late February, we may have some issues, she said. We could still go ahead and estimate.

EIU officials said they had no immediate concerns regarding students and their financial aid and would begin packaging financial aid within the next 30 days  their normal time frame.

Asked how long it might be before major impacts are seen, Wagoner said, That's the million-dollar question.  We hope cooler heads prevail in D.C.

Noting that some parents and students are likely among the federal employees and contractors impacted by the shutdown, White said, As these families dip into their savings, they will find it harder to support the education of their young people at schools across the state and country. That will produce hardship, uncertainty and difficulty in making plans for long-term investment in higher education.

Contact Lenore Sobota at (309) 820-3240. Follow her on Twitter: @Pg_Sobota

Love 0 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
BLOOMINGTON  School districts in Illinois are trying to eliminate snow days by implementing digital days in their place, but the Illinois General Assembly might walk back the flexibility that makes that possible.

A law that went into effect in time for the 2018-19 school year removed the requirement of a minimum number of hours that constitute an instructional school day, giving districts the opportunity to try digital days, work-based learning and other nontraditional means of education.

However, at least two bills have been proposed that would reinstate previous requirements for an instructional day, including at least five clock hours under direct supervision of teachers or other school personnel.

There is concern that this freedom might result in some bad actors, some districts could maybe go too far, said Mark Jontry, regional superintendent of education for McLean, DeWitt, Logan and Livingston counties. I would hate to see that flexibility go away.

Starting this semester, Tri-Valley School District in Downs is using that flexibility to implement digital days so education doesnt have to stop for inclement weather.

We saw it as an opportunity to move forward and be innovative, and so we moved in that direction and our teacher association agreed, said David Mouser, superintendent of Tri-Valley. From our perspective locally, though we are aware of what may be happening statewide and what kinds of bills may be introduced to back some of this up, we just felt like this was the right thing to do.

 Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever.

Barry Reilly, superintendent of Bloomington District 87, said similar bills might be proposed in an effort to protect teaching jobs.

I think the fear is that youll have districts that take advantage of that attendance issue to have kids there less in order to try to save money, and money meaning jobs, he said.

In McLean County Unit 5, the school board and administrators have considered trying to implement digital days. However, with the legislation pending, theyre focused on passing a calendar without digital days in mind.

Were not going to go forward if theres legislation that is going to prohibit it in the next year, said Superintendent Mark Daniel.

For this semester, Heyworth Community Unit School District has implemented a pilot program to see how well digital days work for the district. Superintendent Lisa Taylor said eliminating them as a possibility would be a disservice to our students.

She and Mouser both said they will adjust for the new legislation if it comes, but for now, digital days will utilized as they see necessary.

This is what Tri-Valley is going to do this year, Mouser said. If legislation comes back and its different for next year, well have to revisit it. Like any innovative plan, we reserve the right to make changes.

Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. Follow her on Twitter: @kwatznauer.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 2

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
BLOOMINGTON  Strong winds and fluffy snow made a dangerous combination Saturday as Central Illinois endured its second snowstorm in a week. The forecast for Sunday goes from bad to worse, with plummeting temperatures and the possibility of a bit more snow.

The snow started out as the issue, and then once the wind got in here, thats now the main threat, said Scott Baker, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Lincoln.

About 3 inches of snow fell on Bloomington-Normal, with winds blowing up to 30 mph. Knox County received more than 5 inches from a storm that stretched diagonally from Iowa to Indiana.

In Central Illinois, cars slid off roads and several semitrailer trucks jackknifed. Illinois State Police said state Route 10 west of Lincoln was nearly impassable Saturday afternoon.

"Multiple cars have been abandoned in the middle of State Route 10," the state advisory said. "IDOT plows have been unable to open the road up. Please seek alternate routes of travel instead of Illinois Route 10 west of Lincoln."

In Funks Grove Township, plows were idled until the winds died down. A posting on the township Facebook page said Route 136 was impassable and other roads couldn't be kept open.

The Mount Hope-Funks Grove Fire Protection District asked anyone with snowmobiles if they could help respond to emergencies until roads were reopened. The district also put out a plea for help to uncover fire hydrants buried by snow.

McLean County remained under a collision alert, with motorists advised to delay reporting non-injury accidents. Illinois State University and Heartland Community College both closed, and a number of events were canceled.

Chris Gardner of Normal said her family spent the day cooking, cleaning and occasionally sledding after their flights to New York City and Arizona were canceled. "Boo winter," she wrote on Twitter.

Some people ventured into the cold to find something warm. Manager Amanda Dambacher of Panera, 1401 S. Veterans Parkway, Bloomington, said business didnt pick up until after lunch but as streets became more clear, customers came calling for basically anything hot.

Ironically, Dairy Queen, 1528 E. College Ave., Normal, did sell a few Blizzard treats, but traffic was significantly lower than usual, said store manager Mary Calfas.

 Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Private plow drivers cleared commercial lots and residential driveways as quickly as they could. White-out conditions were reported throughout the region but none in the Twin Cities, according to the National Weather Service.

The wind kept enough snow in the air that people with plows, snowblowers and shovels had to go over the same areas multiple times to keep paths clear.

Scott Bowles, owner of Scotts Exterior Maintenance, Bloomington, said it seemed everyone was more prepared for this storm.

All in all, everythings cleaning up rather well, Bowles said. Its pretty fluffy snow so, normally, a big drift, theyre hard to push because they're rather heavy, but since its so fluffy, it hasnt been too bad.

Outside of the Twin Cities, road crews fought drifting on north-south roads, according to a Facebook post by the McLean County Sheriff's Department. All roads, especially secondary roads, remain treacherous. Sheriffs deputies and Illinois State Police troopers have responded to dozens of motorist assists and minor vehicle incidents throughout the day."

Several highways were closed temporarily after semi trucks jackknifed. In Bloomington and Normal, police said there werent very many accidents, but some drivers had slid off the road into ditches and medians.

Both cities issued parking bans to keep vehicles off streets while plowing crews worked to remove snow. Normal police said the number of cars parked on streets outnumbered the number of accidents reported; those vehicles were ticketed.

Temperatures never rose above freezing. Coupled with dangerous road conditions and snowed-in driveways, most people stayed indoors as #StayHomeSaturday cropped up on social media once again.

Light snow is anticipated midweek and possibly again next Saturday, Baker said.

Photos: Snow returns for a second round in Bloomington-Normal 

Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. Follow her on Twitter: @kwatznauer.

Love 2 Funny 2 Wow 2 Sad 1 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Terry Iverson, president and CEO of the manufacturing firm his grandfather founded 88 years ago, loses sleep worrying what will come of the business once he decides to retire.

His kids arent interested in taking the reins at Iverson & Co. in Des Plaines, which sells and services machine tools. His vice president had been groomed for ownership but left for another opportunity.

Iverson expects he will have to merge or sell, but to whom? And will the buyer take good care of his customers and his familys legacy?

Its something I think about every day, Iverson, 59, said.

His succession concerns are shared by many in the Chicago areas manufacturing industry, which anticipates a barrage of baby boomer retirements among company owners who often dont know who will take over their businesses once they hang up their gloves.

Some industry leaders worry that companies without succession plans might close, or get purchased by private equity firms that move them out of the region or pick them apart  consequential for the local economy, given the hundreds of thousands of workers that Illinois small and midsize manufacturing firms employ and the billions of dollars they contribute to the states GDP.

In a new report, the Great Cities Institute at the University of Illinois at Chicago surveyed the 363 family-owned manufacturing companies it identified in Chicagos six collar counties with between 20 and 250 workers  a group that collectively employs more than 22,000 people  to gauge how well they were planning for the future.

About three-quarters of respondents had owners over the age of 55, and of those, half had no plans for succession. Nearly 62 percent had not designated a specific successor, up from 38 percent the last time a similar survey was conducted in 1989.

Though these are firms whose names are unknown to the general public, their role in the supply chain represents the lifeblood that drives of the success of the states $104 billion manufacturing industry, said Dan Swinney, executive director of Manufacturing Renaissance, a Chicago nonprofit that commissioned the survey.

This is a crisis for the manufacturing sector, said Swinney, whose group advocates for advanced manufacturing as a stabilizing force in communities. This whole sector of the economy is left up to the whims and the contradictions inside individual families.

To address the challenge, Manufacturing Renaissance is reviving an effort, which it first attempted in the 1980s, to match retiring manufacturers with entrepreneurs who are interested in keeping the companies local and viable.

 Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever.

The Ownership Conversion Project, in the process of raising money for an expected launch this year, boasts several heavy-hitting partners to help recruit companies and potential buyers as well as smooth the transition with financing help.

A priority of the initiative will be to prepare manufacturing workers to take over the business once the boss retires, as they have industry expertise and a stake in seeing it succeed. A manager or superintendent could be groomed for ownership, or a group of employees could go in on it together, Swinney said.

Companies will be identified while they are still healthy and strong, long before desperate owners start to consider offers from private equity firms that often prioritize profits over jobs or the longevity of the business, Swinney said. The early start is important because it takes time to prepare workers to become owners, including securing capital.

One goal is to increase minority ownership in Illinois manufacturing sector, where 99 percent of companies are owned by whites even as many blacks and Latinos staff factory floors, according to a 2014 report from the U.S. Commerce Departments Minority Business Development Agency. The program also plans to do outreach to black, Latino and women entrepreneurs to interest them in the acquisitions.

DeJuan Lever, 36, is excited about the support the program will offer as he pursues his dream to own an industrial manufacturing company. Lever, who works in sales and marketing at a small manufacturing company in Chicago, said his aspiration is unique among his friends, who are more focused on climbing the corporate ladder.

A native of Michigan, Lever was raised in the industry: his father was a human resources executive at General Motors and his mother toolmaker for Delphi Automotive Systems. He hopes the Ownership Conversion Project will help him secure financing and complete the due diligence to ensure he is making a smart investment.

The key for wealth generation is ownership, said Lever. This is a wealth building tool for my family and generations after me, and an opportunity to employ people and build economies.

Manufacturings succession challenge runs in parallel to a related struggle to find qualified workers.

Half of the nearly 600,000 people working in manufacturing in Illinois will have to be replaced over the next 10 to 15 years as a result of retirements, and owners regularly complain that there are not enough skilled people to take those jobs, said Mark Denzler, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturing Association.

You have tens of thousands of openings, and thats the kind of talent that could eventually own a corporation, Denzler said.

Iverson, whose grandfather founded the machine tools firm in Des Plaines, has made it a priority to encourage young people to consider manufacturing careers. He launched a nonprofit, Champion Now, to change perceptions about the industry, and wrote a book about his efforts. Still, his own three children, some of whom worked for a time at his company, have opted for white-collar jobs: one in marketing for an insurance company, another in financial services, another doing web development for a venture capital firm.

Iverson, who employs 14 people, is intent on seeing his familys way of doing business continue even if a fourth generation isnt at the helm. He has an informal apprenticeship program at his firm to cultivate future leaders at his company, who he hopes will ensure its sustainability either by acquiring it or running it under new ownership.

If we mentored properly to begin with, succession planning wouldnt be nearly as difficult because you would have a whole generation entering the workforce with leadership in mind, Iverson said.

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
BLOOMINGTON  A Bloomington car dealership that has gone through several transformations since it opened in 1935, including several ownership changes, will undergo another one this week.

Tim Johnson, co-owner of Barker Motor Co. since 1999, plans to retire with an open house from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at the Buick, GMC and Cadillac dealership, 2030 Ireland Grove Road.

Johnson, 66, said he got into the business because ever since he was kid he has loved cars  especially Ford Mustangs and other muscle cars.

"As a matter of fact, I had to sell one of my (Mustang) Shelbies so I had enough money to buy into Barker," said Johnson.

"When the Barkers decided they wanted out, I guess Dan thought I would be a good partner and he offered me 20 percent of the business," said Johnson.

He and his wife plan to move St. Louis, where their daughter, who works for the St. Louis Cardinals, lives.

In high school, Johnson started washing cars at the Ford dealership that was later purchased by Don Stone and is now Sam Leman Ford.

"In high school, I think I would have worked there for free because it was so much fun. I just loved cars," said Johnson.

"My dad said, 'Whatever you do, just be in the car business.' I wasn't very astute at mechanical things, but he said I could do other things at a car dealership, so that's kind of what I did. I wouldn't change a thing. I'd do it all again."

What he liked most about the business was every day was different; even his first day as co-owner.

 Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

"The first day after we bought the business from the Barkers, four feet of snow fell," recalled Johnson. "We brought our kids in when they were about 10 years old at the time. We were all trying to dig out. That was our first day."

Over nearly 20 years, Traeger has become more than a business partner to Johnson.

"He's like a brother to me," said Johnson. "He's just a great person, honest, hardworking. We just saw eye to eye on basic things. There were a lot of times that we could have made a lot more money if we had done some things differently, but we always tried to do the right thing. We always try to treat everyone as good and as fair as we can."

Traeger will continue to operate the business, but he has turned over more of the daily responsibilities to his son, Andy, who on Jan. 2 became the Bloomington dealership's general manager; and son-in-law Jake Detmers has replaced Andy Traeger as general manger at Barker Chevrolet in Lexington.

"Part of the reason I came down here is to help fill (Johnson's) shoes," said Andy Traeger. "We are going to miss Tim dearly. He is a big part of the business ... and like a second father to me.

"He has done a great job of keeping a positive attitude not only for himself, but more importantly the employees at the store," said Andy Traeger. "You get people who are negative, but Tim is the one who will be optimistic and keep the attitudes high. So when you say shoes need to be filled, it will be hard to fill his shoes."

Johnson said he and Dan Traeger did not change the name of the dealership because Barker Motor had been around for so long.

"It was just part of the community and we wanted to leave it that way," said Johnson.

The Barker brothers bought the dealership in 1956 from their father, Alden F. Barker II, who moved to Bloomington from Danville in 1935 to open the Oldsmobile dealership at 407 W. Washington St. In 1945 the dealership moved to 310 N. Lee St. That location was sold in 1971 to the city of Bloomington, which used it to build its headquarters fire station, and the dealership moved to its current location.

The Barkers expanded the dealership by purchasing the Cadillac franchise for the area in 1978 and the GMC franchise in 1994.

In 2001, General Motors downsized and cut out the Oldsmobile brand. In later years the dealership diversified its product line by becoming a GMC medium duty truck dealer and Buick franchise. In 2004 the Chevrolet franchise in Lexington was also purchased and named Barker Chevrolet.

Contact Maria Nagle at (309) 820-3244. Follow her on Twitter: @Pg_Nagle
Many of us have made (and, by now maybe, already broken?) New Years resolutions, but small businesses can make no better resolution in January than to get their books closed quickly and their taxes organized right away.

The Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) of McLean County at Illinois Wesleyan University always recommends business owners have an accountant/CPA assist with planning and paying business taxes. In fact, the SBDC can provide a resource list with local firms that small businesses can work with.

Throughout the year, the SBDC receives all sorts of questions regarding taxes, including:

 Can I write this off as a business expense?

 What forms do I have to complete and submit?

 How do I prepare and pay payroll taxes?

 How do I plan for and pay the sales tax Ive collected?

 Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever.

 And at this time of year, what are new tax laws and regulations that affect my business?

You can begin to see why having an accountant or CPA is necessary for business purposes. Tax experts can provide faster and more effective assistance for business owners who come prepared to learn.

During the month of January, the SBDC is hosting a tax seminar to help educate business owners. Insight CPAs, a local accounting firm, will be presenting some ins-and-outs of business taxes and will be available to answer general questions.

The event is Jan. 31, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the McLean County Chamber of Commerce, Bloomington, hosted in collaboration with that organization. Cost is $25 to attend; lunch is included.

Attendees can expect a detailed discussion of income tax, including allowable business expense deductions, the documentation that is needed to prepare a business tax return, and everything required to stay in compliance with the IRS.

A host of tax law changes and updates have resulted from the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, so business owners will find this session extraordinarily valuable. There also will be a brief overview of payroll and sales taxes.

Visit the SBDC website at www.mcleancosbdc.org or the respective Chamber of Commerces sites for more information or to reserve your seat.

Probably the most common New Years resolution youve heard over the past couple of weeks is, Im really going to get in shape this year. For businesses, establishing a bookkeeping regimen and dedicating some time now to a tax workout will pay huge dividends in 2019.

Bussone is director of the Illinois Small Business Development Center of McLean County, based at Illinois Wesleyan University.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0
DETROIT  General Motors volume brands, Buick and Chevrolet, will offer U.S. consumers more all-electric vehicles in the future even as GM declares its luxury brand, Cadillac, as its EV leader.

We were the first to bring a long-range EV to market with the Chevy Bolt EV, said Steve Majoros, Chevrolets marketing director for cars and crossovers. Cadillac will be the first brand to use GMs new EV platform, but they wont be the only one to use it.

GM believes that within the next decade, electrification will play a larger role in transportation, said Cadillac President Steve Carlisle.

Majoros said Chevrolet will continue to be a part of GMs electrification strategy, even as GM plans to kill the Volt, an electric car thats backed up by a gasoline generator, later this year.

Likewise, Buick plans to leverage a series of upcoming vehicle launches in China over the next few years to add EVs to its U.S. lineup, said Phil Brook, Buick and GMCs vice president of marketing.

Majoros, Brook and Carlisle spoke to the Free Press on the sidelines of the Detroit auto show.

Last week, Cadillac showed a photo of what the brands first electric vehicle will look like, though it did not say when it would come to market, its name, where it will be built or other details.

The vehicle will be the first off a future platform GM is developing for EVs that will accommodate all-wheel, front- and rear-wheel drive vehicles across the automakers four brands.

GM has been working to build that platform since April 2018 at its design center in Warren, said Carlisle.

The first EV to come off that platform, as a Cadillac, will go to market in late 2021 or early 2022, Carlisle said.

 Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever.

GM CEO Mary Barra said Cadillac will be known by consumers for its innovation.

Taking the lead in innovation and technology will make Cadillac Cadillac again, Barra told reporters at a media event in Detroit where the EV was shown along with Cadillacs new 3-row SUV the XT6.

Also, the EV space is fiercely competitive and GM needs extra market reach and more EV options to offer consumers, said Majoros.

Chevrolet has been fighting a lot of different competitors, even up to Tesla, said Majoros. If youre in the electric space, you have to consider a Bolt EV too.

Globally, Buick is GMs second largest brand, behind Chevrolet, due largely to Buicks popularity in China. For the full year 2017, Buick sold 1.2 million vehicles in China, said Brook. Last years final sales numbers are not yet officially tallied, he said.

China leads the world in EV sales. In 2017, about 770,000 EVs were sold there, according to Forbes, nearly four times those sold in the United States.

China has provided subsidies to EV buyers and incentives to makers of EVs, especially electric buses. But the rules changed last fall, and Chinas government now requires carmakers that sell 30,000 or more cars a year to make fleets with increasingly higher fuel economies by 2020 and 2025. For carmakers, it means building and selling more EVs there.

In the first half of this year, Buick will launch a new EV SUV in China called the 2020 Buick VELTE 6, Brook said. That vehicle and several other EVs Buick will launch in China in upcoming years will, Allow us to pick and choose the (electric) vehicles for the U.S. market, said Brook, who added Buick does not have a definitive EV plan for the United States market yet.

But GMs decision to make Cadillac the vanguard for its EV program was not solely around the strong EV sales in China, said Carlisle.

We face challenges equally in China and across all other markets, said Carlisle. Cadillac tends to be its best when its focused on innovation and technology and consumers gravitate towards technology.

Cadillac also attracts high-income customers who are able to overcome the pain points of current EV ownership, such as range anxiety.

If youre an EV buyer, you likely have other cars in garage, Carlisle said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Ottumwa, IA (52501)

Today

Intervals of clouds and sunshine in the morning with more clouds for later in the day. High 92F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely in the evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms later on. A few storms may be severe. Low 68F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Oskaloosa, IA (52577)

Today

Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 92F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms, especially in the evening. Low 68F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
A 26-year-old man was arrested on accusations of stabbing three people in Maywood Park late Friday night.

Law enforcement officers responded to reports of three people stabbed in a grassy area near Northeast 102nd Avenue and Interstate 84 in the city of Maywood Park at 7:20 p.m. Friday. Maywood Park is a triangle-shaped city in Multnomah County nestled into a stretch of Northeast Portland.

Multnomah County Sheriffs deputies teamed with the Portland Police Bureau and its K-9 unit to find Xaire Lamont Darn Johnson nearby. Deputies said Johnson was the suspect in the stabbings, which sent the three victims to the hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries.

Johnson was booked into the Multnomah County jail Saturday morning and faces a number of felony assault and unlawful use of a weapon charges. Each of his six assault charges carries a $250,000 bail.

-- Andrew Theen

atheen@oregonian.com

503-294-4026

@andrewtheen

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.
By Rob Wagner and Andrea Salinas

On Feb. 14, 2018, as new state legislators, we turned on the televisions in our Capitol offices and watched terrorized students fleeing Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. During the next several weeks, more than 300 students from our district rallied at the Oregon Capitol as part of a national movement to press elected leaders to respond to the violence and pass sensible gun safety legislation.

On those steps and in our offices, students shared how government leaders had told them they were too young to have an opinion. They were told it wasnt the right time to talk about Thurston or Sandy Hook or Umpqua and now, Parkland.

Instead, we asked those students, what do you want from your leaders? They told us they want to feel safe in their schools. They want their ideas heard and considered. They want to stop the bloodshed.

We made a promise: If you do the research, we will draft a bill. Those determined students studied the issues and developed policies that they believe will reduce gun violence and end mass school shootings. And now they are asking lawmakers to institute laws to ensure their safety at school.

The result is Senate Bill 501, a wide-ranging approach to gun safety.

Is it a perfect bill? Of course not. Both gun enthusiasts and gun safety advocates will find things to criticize. But we should all be proud of these young people who have stood up and said -- in the great words of Gov. Tom McCall -- This is my community, and it is my responsibility to make it better." They are engaging in our democratic process, as challenging as it is. We are in awe of their commitment to seeing it through.

As legislators, we take an oath of office to uphold the Constitutions of the United States and Oregon and we will fulfill that duty. But no court ruling in the U.S. or the Oregon Supreme Court prohibits sensible gun safety regulations.

This spring, the Oregon Legislature will consider several bills: requiring safe storage, keeping guns out of the hands of stalkers, setting ammunition regulations, closing loopholes in our background check policy and more.

Many of these ideas, including the students SB 501, will be controversial. Opponents will protest loudly. Supporters will cheer wildly. Thats all part of the democratic process. As legislators, its our job to hear our constituents -- even young people -- and do our best to represent them and make wise and smart decisions.

Let us be clear: We believe that upholding the Second Amendment and regulating gun safety are integral parts of a free and open society. We must come together to fight for sensible and constitutional gun safety policies that we know will save lives.

As legislators, as community members and as parents with children in our schools, we will support our children in their effort to find their voices, to engage in civil dialogue and to ask their elected officials to step up to make them safe.

-- Sen. Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, and Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Lake Oswego.
By Sara Kerr, Thomas Lannom and Harmony Quiroz

Earlier this month, Oregon Secretary of State Dennis Richardson released an audit of Portland Public Schools. Any audit of a large, complex organization like Portland Public Schools will have findings and recommendations. This audit was no exception and the district has much work to do to meet its goals of educational excellence and equity. Our job as the school board-appointed Community Budget Review Committee is to provide oversight of the districts spending, and its a job we take seriously. Thats why well push hard on district leaders to address the audits most concerning findings.

That said, there is a real risk that the audit will distract our collective attention toward patching a leaky roof while the house itself is on fire.

The Oregon Legislature is grappling with how to fully fund K-12 schools. According to the Oregon Education Department's Quality Education Model, Oregon has consistently and grossly under-funded its public schools for more than 20 years. And not just by a little. The current statewide gap is $2 billion. The audit only mentioned that massive under-investment in Oregon's school children -- the house on fire  in passing. It did highlight opportunities to patch the roof through tightened financial practices, stronger oversight and accountability, and structural changes like better pay and training for teachers. Those opportunities are all well-founded and important, but alone they are insufficient to meaningfully move the needle for our children.

The now-17-year-old Quality Education Model report found: Aggressive leadership by key decision makers should position the model for implementation before we fail a generation of young and deserving future leaders. Unfortunately, that kind of leadership never happened and we did, in fact, fail a generation. And we are still failing.

We have a chance to fix it now.

Over the past year the Legislatures Joint Committee on Student Success has been traversing the state, touring schools and listening to Oregonians. Committee members confirmed again, that the house is on fire.

State auditors found that Oregon is now in the bottom half of education funding in the United States, having fallen from No. 15 in the 1990s. Weve been cutting education and other essential social service budgets for decades. Our past choices have left us with crumbling infrastructure, diminished essential services, departures of high-quality teachers, and some of the highest class sizes and lowest graduation rates in the country.

If we want different results, we have to do something different. And the solution cant come from slashing funds, which go toward ensuring students and their families have access to stable and affordable housing, healthcare and food -- the top three non-school related barriers to improving high school graduation rates.

It is long past time to address the problem of a broken revenue system. Oregonians deserve a world class education. We can have that, but not without dramatically increased resources. To be clear, new resources must be used strategically and should be targeted toward districts greatest needs and priorities, with clear expectations and accountability for results.

It is incumbent on Oregons 197 school districts, including Portland Public Schools, to do a better job of ensuring that any new state resources are well-used and lead to tangible results for students -- particularly those of color and living in poverty, who the audit points out are currently and historically least well-served.

Legislators: The next biennial budget must have at least $10.7 billion for K-12 education on its own -- the number identified as needed to fund the Quality Education Model. Lets not miss the opportunity to put out the fire while our community works together to fix the roof.

-- Submitted by the citizen volunteers who were appointed to serve on the Portland Public Schools Community Budget Review Committee. Members include Sara Kerr, Thomas Lannom, Harmony Quiroz, Justin Elardo, Roger Kirchner, Jeff Lewis, Judah McAuley, Krystine McCants, Dani Oates, Irina Phillips, Betsy Salter and Ranfis Villatoro.
Gov. Kate Browns plan to fund Oregons Medicaid costs barely rates a mention in the long list of controversial issues ahead for the 2019 legislative session. New education funding, a green-energy proposal and rent control bills dominate discussion of the debates that lie ahead.

But the Medicaid funding plan deserves legislators and Oregonians attention all the same. While the proposal is a marked improvement over the current plan, it still includes  and increases  an inequitable tax that was billed as a short-term fix. While the state is levying the tax on health care premiums paid by small businesses, K-12 school districts, and even thousands of college students, it cannot legally impose it on plans offered by self-insured entities that administer employees health care benefits.

In other words, large corporations like Nike and Intel arent paying it.

Legislators may well bless the proposal as the best legal and pragmatic solution for funding Oregons share of Medicaid costs. And Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen, who served on the work group that developed the proposal, makes a persuasive argument for the necessity of the premium tax, despite its inability to include some of the states largest corporations. But Oregonians, who have time and again seen how inequities become entrenched in the tax code, deserve more than a quick adoption of the proposal by a Legislature angling to land bigger fish. Rather, lawmakers should acknowledge the taxs shortcomings, assure Oregonians that the rate wont grow again and prove their commitment to tax fairness as they look to raise billions in new revenue this session.

The states Medicaid program, called the Oregon Health Plan, provides health care to about 1 million Oregonians, including some 380,000 people added through an Affordable Care Act expansion in 2014. While the federal government provides the vast majority of funding, Oregons financial responsibility has also increased. Still, the program enjoys broad support across the state, which has rightly championed the concept that increasing peoples access to health care makes for good fiscal and health policy.

That said, coming up with the right funding strategy as costs have grown hasnt been easy. In 2017, legislators passed House Bill 2391, a $600-million-plus plan that included a new 1.5 percent tax on health care premiums for plans covering more than half the insured population. Although the tax is assessed on insurers, the law explicitly allowed them to pass the entire tax on to customers, including small businesses, nonprofits, individuals and college students who buy insurance through their schools. Oregons K-12 school districts also must pay the tax, which totaled about $10.7 million in 2018, according to the Oregon Health Authority. That sum  the equivalent of roughly 107 teachers salaries and benefits  came on top of other cost increases that forced cuts at many districts.

Large entities that self-insure their health care plans and are regulated under federal law, however, were exempt.

That essential unfairness prompted three lawmakers to refer the tax and other provisions of the bill to voters. While Oregonians last January decisively approved Measure 101  backing the two-year-fix  many looked to leaders to develop a better solution.

To an extent, Oregons leaders came through. Brown specifically directed her work group to develop a more broad-based strategy. The group sought a mechanism that would cast a wider net, generate sufficient cash and not require a new way of collecting revenue, Allen told The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board. But ultimately, the group determined its best solution was to keep the premium tax, add in the one segment of the self-insured group that it legally can and increase the 1.5 percent rate to 2 percent. Based on figures provided by the state Department of Consumer and Business Services, almost 40 percent of plans in the private insurance market would not be subject to the tax. The tax, projected to generate $410 million for the next biennium, is expected to be paired with a $2 per pack cigarette tax increase, a to-be-determined tax on employers that dont provide health care, General Fund contributions and other provisions to collectively fund Oregons Medicaid costs for the next six years.

Allen acknowledged that the funding package falls a little bit unevenly on Oregonians, but notes the tax allows the state to trigger matching federal funds that a General Fund allocation by itself would not.

The rationale is worthy of a full discussion. Hopefully, lawmakers agree.

- Helen Jung for The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board
Two women who say they were sexually assaulted after someone slipped drugs in their drinks at a popular Eugene bar have filed a $5 million lawsuit against the bars former ownership -- claiming it knew the bar had an ongoing problem but failed to protect them.

The lawsuit says an employee at Taylors Bar & Grill -- situated next to the University of Oregon campus -- might have been working together with customers to doctor womens drinks, take the incapacitated women off premises and rape or otherwise sexually attack them, according to the lawsuit filed Thursday.

At the time, police had investigated the possibility of a bartender working in concert with customers, the suit says. No charges, however, appear to have been filed against any employees.

On Jan. 19, 2017, the two women who filed this weeks lawsuit say they went to Taylors Bar to spend the evening with friends, and soon became disoriented after consuming drinks that had been tainted. A male stranger escorted the women out of the bar -- even though a friend of the women told bar employees that the man shouldnt be taking the women and that the friend had arranged to take them home, the suit states.

The lawsuit says the women were sexually assaulted at an off-site location.

John Charles Hare, who owned the bar at the time, is listed as a defendant -- along with his company Charles Hare Enterprises. Hare couldnt be reached for comment Saturday.

The bar changed ownership in May 2017, four months after the women reported being attacked.

A 24-year-old man, Jacobi Broshawn Thornsberry, was convicted of two counts of first-degree rape for attacking one of the plaintiffs and another woman who is not part of the lawsuit. Thornsberry was sentenced to more than 33 years in prison last spring. He is not listed as a defendant in the lawsuit.

Jacobi Broshawn Thornsberry was sentenced to more than 33 years in prison for raping two women.

The bar is a popular hangout for the university crowd. Last summer, Mens Health magazine named it one of the 51 Best College Bars in America.

But that same week, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission sent Taylors Bar a letter warning that the commission was moving to revoke its liquor license because of 29 reports of disturbances, unlawful activities or noise that indicate a history of serious and persistent problems" from June 2017 to June 2018. Thats after current ownership took over.

A hearing to air out the case -- and give Taylors Bar a chance to dispute the proposed cancellation of its liquor license -- hasnt been held yet.

Among problems cited by the liquor commission: Three different women said theyd been drugged at the bar and suffered temporary memory loss from it in September 2017, October 2017 and April 2018.

According to a 2018 story in The Register Guard, as many as 10 women had reported being drugged at the bar in the previous two years. That includes four women who told police that they had ordered drinks from a Taylors bartender and then blacked out in 2016, according to the story.

The lawsuit alleges that the bar facilitated rather than protected against the druggings by allowing security cameras inside the bar to be turned toward the ceiling; by allowing obviously incapacitated women to be carried or escorted away from the bar by unknown males; by failing to warn female customers that it had an ongoing problem with druggings; and by failing to provide female customers with commercially available coasters that test whether a drink has been drugged.

The suit seeks $2.5 million each for the two plaintiffs.

Taylors profited from the niche market of serving excessive amounts of alcohol to young persons in a chaotic, loud, and dark bar environment, reads the lawsuit.

Because (the bars ownership) did not protect against the above-described predatory activity, multiple, unsuspecting female patrons have been drugged at the bar and taken from the bar and sexually assaulted," the lawsuit says.

The suit was filed in Lane County Circuit Court. Eugene attorneys Travis Eiva, Erin Zemper and Jennifer Middleton are representing the plaintiffs.

-- Aimee Green

agreen@oregonian.com

o_aimee

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.
Less than two weeks after a Portland bar filed a $115,000 lawsuit against one of its former bartenders  for prompting state regulators to temporarily suspend its liquor license  the bar has agreed to drop its lawsuit.

An attorney for the bartender, Gunnar Hokan Jorstad, announced Saturday that The Barrel Room has agreed to drop its lawsuit against the 25-year-old. Jorstad was caught drinking on the job last January in violation of state rules, spurring the Oregon Liquor Control Commission to announce a 21-day suspension of the bars liquor license starting Sunday.

A written statement released by Jorstads attorney, Michael Fuller, said his client has apologized.

Our client has learned a valuable lesson through this unfortunate experience and is sorry for the impact it has had on other employees not being able to work during the suspension, Fuller wrote.

Ten days ago, after Jorstad hired Fuller, the lawyer had described the lawsuit as frivolous and absurd.

Fuller said that Jorstad had already taken responsibility for being intoxicated on the job when he accepted a sanction suspending his servers license for 18 days. But Fuller contended The Barrel Room was not taking responsibility for its part in the violation: failure to supervise.

Fuller also said that his client was filing a complaint with the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, claiming the bar failed to give Jorstad his last paycheck  for $315  after he was fired.

It was unclear Sunday whether the settlement included any money exchanging hands.

The Barrel Room, 105 N.W. Third Avenue in Portland.

But according to an email Friday from The Barrel Rooms attorney to Jorstads, the business was willing to agree to a dismissal of the case and a mutual walk away as to all claims if Jorstads side made a statement to news media admitting his fault and commenting on the unfairness of the OLCC rule as to businesses under these specific set of circumstances.

On Saturday, Fullers written statement criticized the commission.

From our perspective, the penalty that the Oregon Liquor Control Commission imposes on a business for the behavior of an employee is unfair, especially under the circumstances of this case where the business immediately had its employee leave upon learning of the employees conduct, Fuller wrote.

Douglas Raab, an attorney for The Barrel Room, said Sunday he reviewed the statement and said he had nothing further to add.

Fuller represented Jorstad pro bono.

-- Aimee Green

agreen@oregonian.com

o_aimee

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.
SUNDAY

Black Monday: Don Cheadle, Regina Hall and Andrew Rannells star in a new series about events leading up to the historic stock market crash of Oct. 18, 1987. (10 p.m. Showtime)

Crashing: Pete Holmes returns for Season 3 of the comedy series inspired by his own early days in stand-up. (10 p.m. HBO)

High Maintenance: The series starring Ben Sinclair as a bike-riding pot delivery guy serving clients in Brooklyn returns on a new night for Season 3. (10:30 p.m. HBO)

SMILF: Frankie Shaw returns for Season 2 of the comedy-with-drama about a single mother in South Boston. (10:30 p.m. Showtime)

MONDAY

Big Brother: Celebrity Edition: The silliness returns, with a new cast of celebrities, including Anthony Scaramucci. (8 p.m. CBS)

Independent Lens: Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World explores the impact and influence Native American musicians have had on popular music. (10:30 p.m. PBS)

TUESDAY

Conan: Conan OBrien returns, but his show is now a half-hour. (11 p.m. TBS)

WEDNESDAY

Suits: The legal eagles return for part two of Season 8. (9 p.m. USA)

"Pure": New drama about a Mennonite pastor struggling with drug traffickers in his community. (10 p.m. WGN America)

THURSDAY

"Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes": Joe Berlinger directs a four-episode documentary featuring interviews with the serial killer, who was executed in Florida 30 years ago. (Netflix)

Broad City: Its the fifth and final season for Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobsons groundbreaking comedy. (10 p.m. Comedy Central)

The Other Two: New series about two siblings with showbiz aspirations dealing with their careers and their 13-year-old brothers status as an Internet-famous teen. (10:30 p.m. Comedy Central)

Siren: Season 2 premieres. (8 p.m. Freeform)

FRIDAY

"Black Earth Rising": Michaela Coel and John Goodman star in a thriller about a Rwandan woman orphaned by genocide who, as an adult in London, explores her past. (Netflix)

Strike Back: The action continues in Season 6. (10 p.m. Cinemax)

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: The comedy returns for the second half of its fourth and final season. (Netflix)

SATURDAY

Saturday Night Live: James McAvoy (Glass) hosts, and Meek Mill is musical guest. (8:29 p.m. NBC)

Kristi Turnquist

kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.
On Dec. 30, The Oregonian published a front-page article about Oregons handling of people found guilty except for insanity. The in-depth examination, by the Malheur Enterprise and ProPublica, was prompted by the case of Anthony Montwheeler, who was charged in 2017 with killing two people shortly after his release by Oregons Psychiatric Security Review Board.

A reader inquiry prompted ProPublica to review the underlying data and assertions. The Oregonian published a shortened version of the article, which had been updated Dec. 12, and that version contained several significant errors, according to ProPublicas review.

First, the initial report said people released from board supervision were charged with felonies more often than people freed after serving prison terms: 23 percent within three years of release, compared to 16 percent for ex-convicts. Both numbers are wrong.

Importantly, insanity defendants do not have a higher rate of being charged with felonies within three years than ex-convicts. The true rate is 16 percent for insanity defendants, according to ProPublica.

The state does not track the number of former prisoners charged with felonies after they are freed. The rate cited in the article arose from a misreading of state records.

It is possible to compare the rates of felony convictions between people freed from prison and from PSRB oversight. ProPublicas review found 8 percent of people released by the board were convicted of new felonies in Oregon within three years, compared with 29 percent of those freed from prison.

ProPublica said the original calculation was inflated by multiple mistakes, such as including misdemeanors and crimes outside the three-year window.

Second, the article said Oregon released people found not guilty by reason of insanity from supervision and treatment more quickly than nearly every other state. ProPublica said its review did not support that characterization.

Last, the article reported that people released from board supervision had been charged with assaults involving first responders (at least 75), family members (44), service workers (13) and others. ProPublicas review found violent incidents in each category, but it could not replicate the numbers cited in the original article.

A central assertion of the article holds up: The boards only published statistic on recidivism  that 0.46 percent of people under supervision commit crimes  does not capture the reality of what happens once that supervision ends. The board has acknowledged that it does not track those outcomes.

According to a correction published Friday by the Malheur Enterprise and ProPublica, they re-examined the cases of 419 people who had been freed before Oct. 15, 2015. They were free for at least three years, a frequently used metric in academic studies of recidivism. The recidivism rate for that group is 16 percent.

The errors in our stories are regrettable, particularly at a time when the accuracy and fairness of news organizations is under constant assault, a correction published Friday said. We hope that Oregonians can look beyond them to the essential findings described above.

The Oregonian occasionally reprints articles from the Malheur Enterprise, whose editor, Les Zaitz, is a former editor and investigative reporter for us. The article was part of ProPublicas Local Reporting Network initiative.

**

In a story in the Jan. 13 Sunday Business section, NerdWallet reported erroneously that mortgage loans guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs would be affected by the shutdown. The VA says that operations are not affected.
TEMPE, Ariz.  Oregon leads the Pac-12 in field goal percentage defense, but all three of its conference losses have featured opponents shooting over 50 percent from the floor.

The Ducks entered Saturdays game at Arizona State holding teams to 39.3 percent from the floor, 20th nationally, and 64.2 points allowed (28th). But the Sun Devils, the worst shooting team in the Pac-12, won 78-64 because they shot 51 percent, including an outrageous 56 percent in the first half, despite being outrebounded and the Ducks having more second-chance points and points off turnovers.

It was the third time in five games Oregon (11-7, 2-3 Pac-12) allowed an opponent to shoot so well, as Oregon State and UCLA shot 51.0 and 51.7 percent, respectively, in wins against UO earlier this month.

Dana Altman said the three losses had different reasons for the opponents shooting so well.

Its game to game. Part of the two (against Oregon State and UCLA) were people getting to the rim on us and Kenny (Wooten) not being there, that was a part of it, Altman said. (Saturday) night, until the eight minute mark I thought we were kind of doing alright in the second half. I think they only scored 11 points in that first 12 minutes.  Up until that point I thought our activity was pretty good but it sure changed after that.

Oregon has things to address on both ends of the court with Washington State and Washington, who entered Saturday ranked third (46.3 percent) and sixth (43.0) in the Pac-12 in field goal percentage, respectively, coming to Eugene next weekend.

The Ducks did not shoot well in their win at Arizona or in their loss at ASU, but the defensive showing might be more alarming considering how consistent UO has been on that end. Oregon has lost its last five games in which opponents shot at least 50 percent, last winning against Utah (51.2 percent) in the Pac-12 Tournament last year.

I was telling the guys in the locker room, with losses like this you got to learn from it, senior forward Paul White said. "I feel like every loss now theres something that we learned from. Oregon State we kind of started to establish our identity. UCLA we learned how to close out games. Now with those one more about operating in a tough situation, keeping our heads on our shoulders.

With that being said, good offensive teams are going to have good nights. I think for us, we need to make it as difficult as possible to make those shots.
Multiple small businesses were destroyed Saturday in a three-alarm fire in a strip mall in Hazel Dell, fire officials said.

Clark County Fire District 6 officials said the Hazel Dell blaze began just after 2 p.m. at the strip mall at 10501 Northeast Highway 99. Three businesses were extensively damaged, fire officials said in a news release, and at least nine saw some level of smoke and/or water damage." Hazel Dell is in unincorporated Clark County and sits just north of Vancouver.

Crews responded to the Chic Boutique clothing store when an employee reported seeing sparks and flames emit from a ceiling light fixture.

The employee evacuated the business and called emergency responders.

Clark County Fire and Rescue and Vancouver Fire also responded to the strip mall. According to a news release, crews battled intensely hot fire for 40 minutes.

While we first took at offensive posture fighting the blaze, crews discovered it had breached the common attic and was spreading at a furious pace, Battalion Chief Kevin Todd said in a statement. Fire crews' pictures from the scene show extensive damage to Chic Boutique and an adjacent chiropractors office and childrens clothing store.

No one was injured or killed in the blaze, which drew a total of 12 engines, two trucks, one squad and three battalion chiefs to the site.

This story will continue to be updated as more information becomes available.

-- Andrew Theen

atheen@oregonian.com

503-294-4026

@andrewtheen

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.
UPDATED Monday, Jan. 21: The stranded kayaker has been found and brought to safety, the Clackamas County Sheriffs Office said in a tweet Sunday.

The kayaker is OK," according to the agency.

***

The Clackamas County Sheriffs Offices is looking for a stranded kayaker on the Sandy River.

Just after 6:18 p.m. on Saturday, the law enforcement agency tweeted that it was en route to the river near the former Marmot Dam to assist a kayaker who has become stranded. The agency said it had deployed its dive team to the area.

At 7:53 p.m., the sheriffs office tweeted that it was sending additional staff to help in what was now a search and rescue.

Through Twitter, deputies responded to questions from The Oregonian/OregonLive. Due to conditions such as daylight, weather, and terrain we are simply supplementing our dive rescue deputies with SAR personnel, the agency said.

Deputies have not been in contact with the kayaker, a spokesman said through Twitter. We are working with the citizen who called 911 to locate where the kayaker was last seen. Well release more updates as we get them.

Search and rescue crews are gathering near Southeast Bacon Creek Ln. and Southeast Ten Eyck Rd, which is about 2.5 miles northeast of Sandy.

-- Andrew Theen

atheen@oregonian.com

503-294-4026

@andrewtheen

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.
Waste Heat to Power Market Growth & Forecast to 2024 | Industry Top Key Players  Siemens Mitsubishi, Ormat, Thermax, Enogia SAS, Kalina power, ABB, Amec Foster Wheeler, ElectraTherm, Cyplan, Triogen, Echogen

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/616493/

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/check-for-discount/616493/

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/united-states-waste-heat-to-power-market-report-2018?utm_source=Openpr.comRR-SP

https://www.marketstudyreport.com

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/blog/

The report is a comprehensive exploration of global Waste Heat to Power market offering growth rates, size of the industry, competitive landscape information, factors to the contributing growth of the global Waste Heat to Power market and more.Germany waste heat to power market is predicted to reach over 800 MW by 2024. Strict government norms toward carbon emissions along with growing measures towards energy security will fuel the business growth. Rising concern to meet decarbonization target coupled with rising energy consumption will further complement the industry outlook. According to AG Energiebilanzen (AGEB), total energy consumption of the country rose by 1.6 % in 2016 when compared with 2015.Request a sample of this premium report at:Rapid industrialization along with rising focus to reduce overall operational cost of industries will propel the waste heat to power market share. Increasing installations of heating units across industrial and utility applications coupled with ongoing measures towards energy conservation will further complement the business landscape. In March 2017, the government of China announced to spend USD 2,170 Billion toward transportation and infrastructure developments during the thirteenth five-year plan.The U.S waste heat to power market share will grow on account of growing measures toward utilization of waste thermal energy to produce electricity. Government mandate toward emissions for industrial facilities will further stimulate the product penetration. In 2013, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) granted USD 1 million to Cool Energy, Inc.(CEI) for supporting R & D on a 20-kW waste heat Stirling engine generator to generate electricity.Growing measures to reduce the energy bills by residual heat utilization will drive the waste heat to power market. Volatile fuel prices along with rising electricity demand will further influence the industry growth. In 2016, according to the U.S energy information administration, industrial and commercial sector consumed approximately 4,450 trillion British thermal unit energy. Waste Heat To Power Market will cross USD 30 billion by 2024, as reported in the latest study report.Request a discount on standard prices of this premium report at:Heavy metal applications in predicted to witness gain over 12% by 2024. Industries effort to meet their rising energy demand by residual heat utilization along with growing investments toward infrastructure establishment will fuel the waste heat to power market. Implementation of these systems will decrease the overall operational cost, which will enhance the product demand over the forecast timeframe.Notable players in the waste heat to power market include ABB, Siemens Mitsubishi, Ormat, Thermax, Enogia SAS, Kalina power, Amec Foster Wheeler, ElectraTherm, Cyplan, AQYLON, Triogen and Echogen.Glass applications in 2016 accounted for over 8% of the global waste heat to power market share. Increasing demand for flat glass from automotive and infrastructural sector along with increasing industries focus towards energy conservation will augment the product demand. In 2015, international automotive production was around 90 million units, with China made dominant contribution of approximately 20 million units.Table of Content:Chapter 1. Methodology and Scope1.1. Methodology1.1.1. Initial data exploration1.1.2. Statistical model and forecast1.1.3. Industry insights and validation1.1.4. Market definition & forecast parameters1.2. Data sources1.2.1. Primary1.2.2. SecondaryChapter 2. Executive Summary2.1. Waste heat to power industry 360 degree synopsis, 2013 - 20242.1.1. Business trends2.1.2. Product trends2.1.3. Application trends2.1.4. Regional trendsChapter 3. Waste Heat to Power Industry Insights3.1. Industry segmentation3.2. Industry landscape, 2013 - 20243.3. Industry ecosystem analysis3.3.1. Vendor matrix3.4. Innovation & sustainability3.5. Regulatory landscape3.6. Cost structure analysis3.6.1. Steam Rankine Cycle3.6.1.1. Capital Cost3.6.1.2. Operation and maintenance cost3.6.2. Organic Rankine Cycle3.6.2.1. Capital Cost3.6.2.2. Operation and maintenance cost3.7. Existing waste heat to power projects for the U.S.3.7.1. East North Central3.7.2. West South Central3.7.3. South Atlantic3.7.4. North East3.7.5. East South Central3.7.6. West North Central3.7.7. Pacific Central3.7.8. Mountain States3.8. Industry impact forces3.8.1. Growth drivers3.8.1.1. North America3.8.1.1.1. Growing measures toward energy conservation3.8.1.1.2. Increasing investment towards clean energy technologies3.8.1.1.3. Expansion and retrofitting of existing industrial equipment3.8.1.2. Europe3.8.1.2.1. Growing adoption of energy efficient systems3.8.1.2.2. Stringent government norms toward carbon emissions3.8.1.3. Asia-Pacific3.8.1.3.1. Growing demand for electricity3.8.1.3.2. Rising investments towards industrial sector3.8.1.4. Middle-East & Africa3.8.1.4.1. Growing demand for electricity3.8.1.4.2. Growing investment towards water desalination industries3.8.1.5. Latin America3.8.1.5.1. Rapid industrialization & urbanization3.8.2. Industry pitfalls & challenges3.8.2.1. Long payback period and high capital cost3.9. Growth potential analysis3.10. Porter's analysis3.11. Competitive landscape, 20163.11.1. Strategy dashboard3.12. PESTEL analysisChapter 4. Waste Heat to Power Market, By Product4.1. Waste heat to power market share by product, 2016 & 2024Related Report:United States Waste Heat to Power Market Report 2018In this report, the United States Waste Heat to Power market is valued at USD XX million in 2017 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2017 and 2025.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 Report LLC4 North Main Street,Selbyville, Delaware 19975USAPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email:sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:Blog:
Global mHealth Solutions Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022 - Largest Companies are Medtronic plc, Jawbone, Life Watch AG, Athena health, Inc., Withings, Cisco Systems, Inc. and Nokia Corporation

mHealth Solutions Detailed Report

https://www.reportsnreports.com/contacts/requestsample.aspx?name=439691

https://www.reportsnreports.com/contacts/inquirybeforebuy.aspx?name=439691

http://www.reportsnreports.com/contacts/discount.aspx?name=439691

#Access PDF Brochure of #mHealth Solutions Market Report Now available atGlobal mHealth solutions market is projected to reach USD 90.49 billion by 2022 at a CAGR of 33.7% during forecast period. Factors expected to drive growing utilization of mHealth apps and connected health devices are rising penetration of smart gadgets & need to curtail soaring healthcare costs. Rapid growth in developing countries across APAC is also expected to provide an opportunity for revenue generation in market.Top companies in mHealth solutions market are Medtronic plc (Ireland), Apple, Inc. (U.S.), AirStrip Technologies, Inc. (U.S.), AliveCor, Inc. (U.S.), Life Watch AG (Switzerland), Nike Inc. (U.S.), Koninklijke Philips N.V. (Netherlands), Jawbone (U.S.), OMRON Corporation (Japan), Withings (France), Bio Telemetry Inc. (U.S.), Athena health, Inc. (U.S.), AgaMatrix, Inc. (U.S.), iHealth Lab, Inc. (U.S.), AT&T (U.S.), Qualcomm (U.S.), Cerner Corporation (U.S.), and Cisco Systems, Inc. (U.S.), and Nokia Corporation (Finland).Industry Insights6.1 Industry Trends6.1.1 Increasing Utilization of mHealth Solutions for Personalized Patient Engagement6.1.2 Remote Monitoring and Growing Focus on Consumer-Centric Mobility Solutions6.1.3 Growing Application of Cloud-Based mHealth Solutions Across the Healthcare Ecosystem6.1.4 Wearable Health Technology6.2 mHealth Apps: Market Highlights6.2.1 Demand and Supply6.2.2 Adoption Analysis6.2.2.1 High-Growth Areas in the mHealth Apps Market6.2.3 mHealth Revenue Trends6.2.4 Future Trends6.3 Mobile Healthcare Ecosystem: Stakeholder Analysis6.3.1 mHealth Device Manufacturers6.3.2 Application Developers6.3.3 mHealth Service Providers6.3.4 Network Providers#Access the Complete Report on mHealth Solutions Market Report Now atThe report analyzes the mHealth solutions market and aims at estimating the market size and future growth potential of this market based on various segments such as product & service and region. The report also includes an in-depth regulatory analysis for various regions across the globe and competitive analysis of the key players in this market along with their company profiles, product and service offerings, recent developments, and key market strategies.North America accounted for the largest share of the mHealth solutions market, followed by Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East &Africa. The modernization and rising adoption of various healthcare IT solutions in the countrys healthcare system, the high penetration of health wearable devices and various government initiatives are some of the factors contributing to the large share of North America in the market.#Discount on mHealth Solutions Market by Connected Devices (Blood Pressure Monitor, Glucose Meter, Peak Flow Meter) Apps (Weight Loss, Woman Health, Personal Health Record, & Medication) Services (Diagnostic, Remote Monitoring, Consultation) - Global Forecasts to 2022 report atThe mHealth solutions market segment is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The growth of this market can be attributed to the rising digitalization across the health continuum, the increasing concerns for health, wellness, and self-health management among patients and high adoption of smart phones and tablets across the globe.Key Objectives of the Study To define, describe, and forecast mHealth solutions market on basis of product & service and region To provide detailed information regarding major factors influencing growth of mHealth Solutions market (drivers, restraints, opportunities, challenges, and trends) To analyze micromarkets with respect to individual growth trends, prospects, and contributions to the overall mHealth Solutions market To analyze opportunities in market for stakeholders and provide details of competitive landscape for mHealth solutions market players To forecast size of mHealth solutions market, in five main regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and AfricaReportsnReports is your single source for all market research needs. Our database includes 500,000+ market research reports from over 95 leading global publishers & in-depth market research studies of over 5000 micro markets.Corporate HeadquartersTower B5, office 101,Magarpatta SEZ,Hadapsar, Pune-411013, India+ 1 888 391 5441sales@reportsandreports.com
Bookie Loses Big from Punters Betting on Donald Trumps Truthfulness

Published January 20, 2019 by Mike P

A European bookie has lost hundreds of thousands of dollars to punters who bet on the number of lies Donald Trump told in an Oval Office address.

Everyone can agree that Donald Trump has provided shock value as the US President. And part of that shock value has been the many times that Trump has been found to be bending the truth, or when he has not been entirely aware of the facts.

Tuesday 8 January 2019 will mark one of the most memorable examples for a number of astute gamblers who actually bet on the number of lies that President Trump would tell. Yep, you read that correctly. We all live in a day and age where there is money to be made on whenever Trump stretches the truth!

Odds Given on Trump Lies

In this case, Trump was making an address from the White Houses iconic Oval Office when Bookmaker.eu decided to let punters bet on the US Presidents truthfulness. In regard to the bet, punters were asked to answer yes or no as to whether Trump would tell over or under 3.5 lies in his address.

Bookmaker.eu was willing to provide odds of -145 for those backing more than the lucrative 3.5 lies, while the more reserved punters were given +115 for fewer than 3.5 lies. For every $145 staked, those who went for more than 3.5 lies would receive $100 in profit.

Advantage Punters

Once the address was concluded, Bookmaker.eu consulted the Washington Post's Fact Checker. Ultimately, this revealed that the Washington Post had performed six corrections to Trumps address, thus ruling in favour of the punters who believed Trump would surpass the 3.5 threshold.

In the wake of the outcome, odds consultant John Lester informed various media outlets that he estimated Bookmaker.eu to have lost more than $276,000. Lester said the bookie did not believe that Trump would lie so often in an eight-minute address. And it has since emerged that Bookmaker.eu accepted wagers of up to $25,000 on the bet.
President Trump completes 2 years: US retreat from globalism has become rule of the day

International

oi-Shubham Ghosh

Washington, Jan 20: US President Donald Trump completed two years in office on Sunday, January 20. The Republican incumbent now has covered half of the journey of his first term in the office and it has been quite an eventful time: both in the US's domestic and foreign affairs.

However, it is in the foreign affairs that the US has witnessed unusual developments since Trump took over in 2017 and with each passing month and day, the president has ensured that the world's only superpower retreats more into a shell, leaving profound repercussions on key issues across the globe. However, it is not Trump who is backtracking as the first president. After the years of overreaching in foreign policy matters which was more of a logical conclusion of the Cold War era, the US faced backlashes both at home and abroad and Barack Obama administration started the process of reversing Washington's foreign policy that stressed on globalism. Despite presence of threats in Ukraine and Syria, Obama's US did not cross the line as his predecessor George W Bush had done in Afghanistan and Iraq. Trump, though apparently is opposed to Obama's policies, has continued with the same in foreign affairs, letting go Washington's outward looking foreign policies.

Trump, however, did not weigh between the necessary and unnecessary. While he vowed to withdraw troops from Syria and Afghanistan which many thought was good for regional stability, he also pulled out from key international multilateral mechanisms like Paris Climate Agreement and nuclear deal with Iran. Agreements like Nafta and Nato also came under intense criticism from President Trump. The surprising factor, however, is that Trump, while trying to distance the US from old allies, tried to cultivate relations with not-so democratic and completely undemocratic regimes in Russia, China and North Korea. This has been one of the contradictory features of the Trump administration and has enraged people although Washington also passed legislation like CAATSA during his time to penalise anybody trying for having friendly relations with the so-called enemy countries.

No wall yet in two years

The unilateral retreat of the US has been a high point of the Trump era and the last two years have seen a number of occasions when it has been reaffirmed. Trump though has not been able to build a wall along the Mexico border which would be symbolic of his inward-looking rule and has led to a government shutdown for almost a month now.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 14:09 [IST]
Location for Trump-Kim Jong meet finalised

International

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

Washington, Jan 20: US President Donald Trump on Saturday said the location for the second US-North Korea summit, to be held late February, has been decided and would be announced in due course.

The White House confirmed on Friday that the second meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un would occur next month, following a rare visit to Washington by a senior North Korean general. Vice Chairman Kim Yong Chol, a right-hand man to Kim, met the US president here as the two nations seek a denuclearisation accord that could ease decades of hostility.

Trump-Kim Jong to meet again in February: White House

"We had a very good meeting yesterday with North Korea...It lasted almost two hours. We agreed to meet sometime the end of February. We have picked the country, but we will be announcing it in the future," Trump told reporters here.Trump said Kim is looking "very forward" to the next meeting with him and so does he.

The US president and Kim first met in June last year in Singapore where they agreed on a verifiable denuclearisation of North Korea. Trump said a lot of progress has been made since then.

"We have made a lot of progress that has not been reported by the media...we have made a lot of progress as far as denuclearisation is concerned...We have made a lot of tremendous progress that has not been reported, unfortunately, but it will be. Things are going very well with North Korea," he said.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 9:12 [IST]
PM lauds mother for following Covid norms, isolating from 6-year-old boy to protect him from coronavirus

India is adaptable, agile even during pandemic: PM Modi at fifth edition of VivaTech

Will not dance to his tune: Mamata Banerjee, Chandrababu Naidu slam PM for mocking Oppn rally

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Jan 20: Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "the 'Mahagathbandhan' (grand opposition alliance) is against the people" remark, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu Saturday said the opposition leaders were not "bonded labourers" who would dance to the PM's tune.

Asked to comment on Modi's criticism of the opposition alliance at a meeting in Silvassa on Saturday, Banerjee said, "He (Modi) is not the 'Nawab' and we are not his slaves that we will dance to his tunes.

"We are free citizens of this country. He wants us to be his servants, but we are not." Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who was present at the tea party hosted by Banerjee after the united opposition rally at Brigade Parade Ground, said, "We are only the servants of people of this country".

Opposition rally Highlights: Gathbandhan sounds battle cry from Kolkata, vows to crush BJP

Asked to comment on Modi's remark that the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal was afraid of the BJP, Banerjee said, "The BJP is scared to face people of the state. Modi will get a befitting reply in the coming elections for making such comments." Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi called for a one-on-one fight with the BJP in every constituency in the forthcoming general elections.

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav said BJP is anti-people and dividing the people by spreading hatred.

"In Uttar Pradesh, they (BJP) are sowing the seeds of hatred among the people on the basis of religion and caste," he said.

National Conference leader Farooq Abdulah said the Constitution of the country was under threat.

Besides Naidu, Singhvi, Yadav, Satish Mishra of BSP, Abdullah, former Arunachal CM Gegong Apang, Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani and Patidar leader Hardik Patel were present at the tea party.

PTI

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 15:14 [IST]
Was Congresss poll win due to chor EVMs?: Ram Madhav responds to Abdullah

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Jan 20: Responding to Farooq Abdullah's remarks that the "EVM is a chor machine", BJP general secretary Ram Madhav on Sunday questioned the Congress if it too agreed with Abdullah's remarks in light of the recent electoral victories in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.

"I don't want to react to Farooq Abdullah, I want to ask Congress leadership in MP, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan whether they agree that because EVMs were 'chor' they could win in those states. First answer that, then let's see," Ram Madhav said.

Farooq Abdullah on Saturday called the EVM the "chor machine" and demanded that the ballot paper system be brought back for the sake of transparency.

Speaking at the united opposition rally organised by TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, he said, "It is not the question of ousting any single person (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) but of saving the country and honouring the sacrifices of those who fought for its freedom."

"The EVM is chor machine. Honestly speaking, it is so. Its use must be put to an end. Nowhere in the world is the machine used. The opposition parties should approach the Election Commission and the President of India to stop the use of the EVM and bring back the old ballot papers for the sake of transparency," he said.

When asked about the prospects of a Grand Alliance especially after the mega show of Opposition leaders at the United India rally of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, the BJP leader said they were trying to save themselves.

"When people see all those old faces, it seems that all the corrupt and those part of a dynasty have come together,'' he said.

Pointing out that the BJP had no "jhanda or agenda", Madhav said the people would have to decide at 2019 elections whether they want to have a government headed by a visionary prime minister or a "hotchpotch" government which does not know who is their leader.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 18:49 [IST]
VHP says will not wait for SC's decision on Ram Mandir, ask govt to bring ordinance

Objection of AIMPLB about absence of Muslim Judge on bench is disturbing: Alok Kumar

Sacred water and soil from the Sangam to reach Ayodhya today ahead of Aug 5 Bhumi Pujan

VHP makes U-turn after extending support to Congress over Ram Mandir issue

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, Jan 20: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) working president Alok Kumar on Sunday retracted his statement and said that the Hindu outfit is not going to support Congress or any other political party.

Kumar said that he was extending the offer to all the parties and not specifically to the Congress.

The statement comes after media reports suggested that the VHP would support Congress if the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya is on the party's election manifesto.

Shatrughan Sinha avoids question on Ram temple; joins Mamata's opposition rally

Kumar had earlier asserted that it is open to backing the Congress in the polls, if the grand old party in its poll manifesto promises to build Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

The construction of a Ram temple has gained momentum in the recent past, with elections around the corner. A number of organisations and political parties have been mounting pressure on the Centre to initiate construction of the temple in Ayodhya- the birthplace of Lord Ram.

Both VHP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have been pressurising the government into fast-tracking the Ram Mandir.

RSS clarifies: 'Ram Temple should be ready by 2025, never said construction should begin in 2025'

However, the BJP has said that it would wait for the Supreme Court's verdict on the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

The Supreme Court recently fixed January 29 as the next date for hearing in the case.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 14:17 [IST]
Stalin says,'he didn't do any wrong by proposing Rahul's name for PM's post'

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Chennai, Jan 20: DMK president and leader of opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, MK Stalin on Sunday said that he didn't do any wrong by proposing Congress President Rahul Gandhi's name for Prime minister's post. He also said that in West Bengal they decided to finalise the PM after election.

Speaking to media, Stalin said,''Yes I had proposed Rahul Gandhi's name, in Chennai's DMK rally, as the next PM. It is very funny that when I said this, media asked me why you said this but yesterday when I did not say this the same media is saying that why you did not say this.''

''I had said this about Rahul Gandhi in Chennai, what was wrong in it? It is the wish & aspiration of the people in Tamil Nadu. But in West Bengal they have decided to finalise this after the election. It is their wish,'' he further said.

Opposition rally Highlights: Gathbandhan sounds battle cry from Kolkata, vows to crush BJP

Leaders from 22 opposition parties may have called for a "collective leadership" to oust the BJP government at the Centre, but the issue of prime ministerial candidate continues to be a bone of contention in the proposed 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) as various parties are pitting their own candidates for the top post.

While Congress is pushing for Rahul Gandhi as the PM candidate of the united opposition, BSP wants Mayawati to lead the pact.

The leaders of the anti-BJP parties at the TMC-led mega rally in Kolkata, which included stalwarts like NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, DMK's M K Stalin, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, reiterated the oft-repeated position that the prime ministerial face should be decided later and the one-point agenda should be to dethrone the Narendra Modi government.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 14:50 [IST]
Protests rage on in Assam over Citizenship Bill

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

Guwahati, Jan 20: Protests against the Citizenship Amendment Bill showed no sign of waning in Assam on Saturday as agitators staged semi-clad protests in Texpur, took out women's rally in Tinsukia, and organised citizen's meeting in Guwahati.

In Tezpur town of Sonitpur district in lower Assam, activists of the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) staged a semi-clad protest. Shirtless male members of the organisation demonstrated with messages painted on bare bodies as they took out a massive rally through the main thoroughfares demanding the Bill be scrapped immediately.

Protesting in front of the deputy commissioners office, the demonstrators raised slogans against Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and state Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill passed in Lok Sabha

They also demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi explain to them how the people of Assam and the country benefited from demonetisation.

In Tinsukia district of upper Assam, women came together to take out a protest rally and also blocked National Highway 37 for some time.

In Guwahati, a citizens' protest meeting was organised in which prominent personalities from the Assam Sahitya Sabha, AJYCP, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), among others, spoke against the Bill and demanded that it be scrapped.

The controversial bill, passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8, seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims 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.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 8:21 [IST]
PM lauds mother for following Covid norms, isolating from 6-year-old boy to protect him from coronavirus

India is adaptable, agile even during pandemic: PM Modi at fifth edition of VivaTech

Opposition vilifying EVMs to explain coming defeat, says PM Modi

India

oi-Deepika S

Madgaon (Goa), Jan 20: Taking a dig at the Opposition's show of unity during a rally in Kolkata, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said their "mahagathbandhan" (grand alliance) was an alliance of corruption, negativity and instability.

The Opposition was staring at a defeat in forthcoming elections and looking for excuses ahead of their impending loss and thus are vilifying electronic voting machines, Modi said, addressing BJP's booth-level workers through video-conference.

Leaders from over a dozen opposition parties gathered in Kolkata Saturday and vowed to put up a united fight in the coming Lok Sabha elections and oust Modi from power.

Several opposition leaders at the rally demanded the use of ballot papers instead of EVMs which they said were the source of "all sorts of malpractices".

"The Opposition's mahagathbandhan is an alliance of corruption, negativity and instability. The Opposition has 'dhanshakti' (money power), we have 'janshakti' (people's power)," Modi said.

He also wished the ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar a speedy recovery, and called him the "architect of modern Goa".

A campaign against the Electronic Voting Machines was considered one of the key focus areas -- a list of which was drawn up after yesterday's rally.

Several opposition leaders, including Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference, had labelled the EVMs "chor machine" - an allegation that started last year following a string of BJP victories in assembly elections, especially the party's sweep in Uttar Pradesh.

Several voters had alleged that the EVMs had recorded their votes wrongly. Later, Mayawati - one of the key opposition leaders -- had demanded that paper ballots be re-introduced for elections and the EVMs junked.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 16:48 [IST]
PM lauds mother for following Covid norms, isolating from 6-year-old boy to protect him from coronavirus

India is adaptable, agile even during pandemic: PM Modi at fifth edition of VivaTech

On poaching of MLAs, Kumaraswamy has this question for Modi

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

Kolkata, Jan 20: Questioning Narendra Modi over his claims of fighting corruption in the country, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy alleged that on one hand, the prime minister was talking about fighting corruption and, on the other, his party was trying to poach Congress legislators by using money.

"What you have been watching for one week, (is) how the BJP is trying to destabilise the stable government in Karnataka. I want to put one question to the honourable prime minister: Recently, during his party meeting, he (Modi) said he wanted to remove corruption and clean the country. For this, he requested citizen of the country to support him.

Karnataka: Legislators discuss political scenario, drought situation in CLP meeting

"But what's going on in Karnataka? Which money they (BJP) are offering to Congress MLAs to support them? From where the money is coming?" Kumaraswamy asked.

When asked about four Congress MLAs missing from the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting in Karnataka, Kumaraswamy said, "Nothing will happen, they will also come and join us."

Four dissidents skipped the CLP meeting in Bengaluru on Friday, which was called as a show of strength to counter an alleged bid by the Bharatiya Janata Party to topple the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition in Karnataka.

As Congress carts its MLAs away, BJP comes up with plan B in Karnataka

Kumaraswamy, who is Kolkata to take part in Opposition rally on Saturday, said the rally would be a memorable day in national politics towards a change in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 8:15 [IST]
Now, India gets its first artificial intelligence B.Tech course in IIT Hyderabad

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Hyderabad, Jan 20: With the growing demand and applicability of artificial intelligence, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad is set to launch a full-fledged BTech program in AI starting from the academic year 2019-2020.

It has become the first Indian Educational Institution to offer such a full-fledged B.Tech. program in AI and likely the third institute globally - after Carnegie Mellon University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), both of which are in the U.S.

Admissions to the course will be accepted based on the JEE Advanced score. With this, IIT Hyderabad becomes the first Indian educational institution to offer a full-fledged BTech programme in AI and reportedly the third institute globally after Carnegie Mellon University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US. The course will reportedly only take in only 20 students.

Students pursuing other degrees such as B.Tech. in chemical engineering or mechanical engineering can also pursue a minor in AI as well from the coming academic year onwards.

Along with this, the Department of Liberal Arts in collaboration with faculty from Computer Science and Electrical Engineering in IIT Hyderabad has also launched a minor in AI and Humanity.

IIT Hyderabad is already offering an MTech program in AI and ML, and an MTech in Data Science since 2015-16.
NCW to send notice to Sadhna Singh for objectional remark on Mayawati

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, Jan 20: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken Suo Motu cognisance of the objectionable statement made by BJP MLA Sadhana Singh about BSP chief Mayawati. The Commission will be sending a notice to Sadhna Singh regarding the statement in question

Singh had made the distasteful remark while addressing a public gathering. Though she did not directly mention the infamous Lucknow guest house incident, where BSP supremo Mayawati and some other BSP leaders were attacked by Samajwadi workers, Singh said that a woman who underwent a chirharan (disrobe) is now compromising with the perpetrators, "she is worse than an eunuch.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 12:56 [IST]
Meghalaya illegal mining: Families appeal rescuers to get at least even a finger or bone

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Shillong, Jan 20: The families of four of the 15 miners trapped inside a 370-foot-deep coal mine in Meghalaya on Saturday urged rescuers to retrieve a decomposed body spotted by divers so that they can perform the last rites.

"We want the body," said Manik Ali, whose 20-year-old brother Monirul Islam is among the 15 miners who were trapped in the rat-hole mine.

"Even if they manage to get a finger or a bone out of the shaft, it is fine for us. We will at least be able to bury the dead with some respect," said Ali.

Body of one out of 15 miners, trapped in Meghalaya spotted after 33 Days

Ali, representing the families of three trapped miners from Assam's Chirang district, and Aminul Uddin from Hojai district were called by the district administration and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Thursday to see a video footage showing the body.

Navy divers have found a body of one of the 15 trapped miners and also spotted several skeletons in the flooded rat-hole coal mines in Meghalaya East Jaintia Hills district, weeks after a multi-agency search operation was launched to rescue them, officials and sources said Thursday.

The situation is worse now as government officials said it would be extremely difficult to retrieve the body intact since it was in a decomposed state.

The Naval personnel spotted the decomposed body of one of the miners about 200 ft along the horizontally dug small hole and managed to pull it about half way to the bottom of the shaft, operation spokesperson R Susngi told PTI.

Meghalaya: SC bans transportation of extracted coal lying at various sites

The 15 miners were trapped in an illegal rat-hole coal mine in Lumthari village of East Jaintia Hills district since 13 December after water from a nearby river gushed in. The rescue efforts picked up days later when several agencies were roped in as the rescuers were struggling to pump out water from the the mines.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 14:33 [IST]
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2019 to be held in Varanasi: official

Five thousand Swish Cottage at Kumbh Mela in Allahabad for participants of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

Foreign origin spouse of Indian eligible for overseas citizen of India card, says MHA

Mauritian PM to arrive in India on 8-day visit

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

New Delhi, Jan 20: Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth will arrive here on Sunday on over a week-long visit during which he will hold talks with the top Indian leadership and attend the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Varanasi.

Jugnauth will arrive here on Sunday morning and after spending a day in the capital, he will leave for Varanasi on Monday.

He will attend the inaugural session of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on Tuesday, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two leaders will also meet on the sidelines of the event that day.

Kumbh Mela 2019: The Shahi Snan and the Akharas

During the visit, he will also call on President Ram Nath Kovind.

Jugnauth will also visit Prayagraj for the Kumbh Mela and then Maharashtra before heading home on January 28 morning.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 9:30 [IST]
Leopards are among the most neglected big cats in India: Here's why

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Jan 20: When it comes to the poaching of endangered species, elephants, tigers and rhinos tend to be in the limelight. But a new report sets out to plug the information gap on a different species that is imperiled by a tide of demand related to rising affluence in Asia: leopards.

Factors like loss of habitat, a shrinking prey base, man-animal conflict, and organized poaching and poisoning of the animal are leading to the decimation of the leopard population. Further, lack of awareness about the ecological crisis and poorly managed forests are also responsible for a decline in their numbers.

According to data given by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change during the winter session of Parliament, 260 leopards were poached between 2015 and 2018 with 66 big cats falling prey in 2018 alone. The number of poaching incidents was 47 in 2017.

Untrained forest officials and delayed compensation to victims of big cat attacks are some of the reasons for the steep rise of 40 percent rise in leopard poaching cases last year in comparison to 2017, wildlife experts say.

Revenge killing

"Humans poach leopards in retaliation to attacks on their livestock and the tedious process of compensating for their loss make them take law in their own hands for a quick solution. The process of compensation needs to be expedited to stop this revenge killing," the NTCA official.

Expressing a similar concern over the spiralling instances of leopard poaching, an official of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) said human-wildlife conflict is the concentrated in agricultural regions where human population growth begins to encroach on animal territory.

"In such situations, wildlife causes destruction to crops, livestock, infrastructure and human lives. Thus, to minimise the human reaction against wild animals, effective mechanism to cover the loss and immediate support in the form of compensation is required," said Tilotama Verma, Additional Director of WCCB.

Delayed compensation

While the NTCA and WCCB called for effective resolution of the conflict by streamlining the process of compensating the victims in case of attacks, environment activist Gaurav Bansal said it was the forest staff crunch, lack of training and arms for officials that are some of the reasons behind the rise in poaching incidents.

"While the poachers have guns, the forest officers have sticks, which are not enough to face them," Bansal, also a lawyer, said.

Untrained forest staff

The view was shared by the NTCA official who said that good quality arms must be provided to the forest officials by the respective state governments.

"Weapons for forest officials are being procured in some states like Assam. There have INSAS rifles (Indian Small Arms System) but there is a lack of regular supply of good quality ammunition to them. The state governments must provide proper arms to forest officials to tackle the problem," the official said.

According to the WCCB official, awareness programmes and sensitisation of communities living around forests can reduce leopard poaching.

"Leopards are directly poached for their body parts which are sold internationally for medicinal value and decoration. Increased awareness on wildlife, its role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and the immorality of driving another species to extinction will definitely help address issues of poaching of wild animals," Verma said.

The official also held practices like witchcraft and black magic by poor and illiterate communities responsible for poaching of the big cats.

They also emphasised on providing proper training to the frontline staff of forest and police on the basics of wildlife law and identification of wildlife species.

Minister of State for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Mahesh Sharma had said the law enforcement authorities in states maintain strict vigil against poaching of wild animals including leopards.

According to state-wise date provided by the minister on leopard poaching, Uttarakhand was found with the maximum cases of 15 followed by Madhya Pradesh which had 13 poaching incidents in 2018.

There are no reliable estimates of how many leopards exist in India. The animals are notoriously wary of humans and are spread out over large areas, so tracking their numbers is difficult.

Leopard poaching is an offence under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 which entails up to seven-year imprisonment with a minimum of Rs 25,000 fine. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature, which categorises leopards as "near threatened" on its red list of species, says that leopard populations have become extinct in some parts of the world and dwindled to tiny numbers in others.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 16:24 [IST]
Karnataka turmoil: 'No in-fight between MLAs', Congress denies rumours of clash, bribe

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Bengaluru, Jan 20: Senior Congress leader and Minister D K Shivakumar said that there is no in-fight between Karnataka Congress MLAs Anand Singh & JN Ganesh. He further denied any rumours of clash or bribe.

Speaking to media, on reports of fight between Karnataka Congress MLAs Anand Singh & JN Ganesh, Shivakumar said,''There is no fight. You saw all of them coming together, going together. It's fake news. Entire Congress party is united. I'm confident that even those who couldn't attend CLP will come to Congress.''

The legislators were shifted to the private resort on the city outskirts on Friday night after a CLP meeting was chaired by CLP leader Siddaramaiah at the state legislature building Vidhana Soudha, as a show of legislators' strength.

On poaching of MLAs, Kumaraswamy has this question for Modi

On reports that a Congress MLA gifted a 2019 Mercedes-Benz car to Siddaramaiah, he said,''There is no gift or anything. We also sometimes take our friends' vehicle to travel. There is no issue. Is there any record that he has received a gift or anything? Nothing, no record.''

The Congress party over the past week has been accusing the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of allegedly poaching its legislators.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Congress in-charge KC Venugopal will interact with the party legislators on Sunday, state unit President Dinesh Gundu Rao tweeted. "KC Venugopal will interact individually with our MLAs regarding parliamentary elections and decision on our future course of action will be taken," Rao tweeted.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 13:19 [IST]
Karnataka Congress MLA hospitalised after 'fight' in resort, BJP rubs it in

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Bengaluru, Jan 20: A Congress lawmaker has ended up in hospital, allegedly after a brawl with a party colleague last evening at a resort, where they were moved on Friday. Anand Singh was hospitalised after he was allegedly hit on the head with a bottle by JN Ganesh at Bengaluru's Eagleton resort, the local media reported.While the Congress party has denied any such occurrences and media reports, many Congress leaders were seen outside the hospital as the local media reported.

However, Senior leader DK Shivakumar brushed away the reports of the fight. His brother and party legislator DK Suresh, who was also at the hospital, later said he Anand went to the hospital this morning after feeling chest pain. Congress leader Raghunath, who visited Apollo hospital, said they were not being allowed inside.

Don't fear, we are not here to destabilise, Yeddyurappa tells Congress

Karnataka Deputy CM G Parameshwara told to the media about the incident, "I've seen that only through media. I was there till 8 o'clock y'day. I don't know what has happened but I will let you know. Once I come out, I'll definitely let you know."

After a virtual attempt to topple the Congress-JDS government in the state, the BJP is now out to sympathise with the MLA's as a Congress lawmaker was admitted to hospital last night due to scuffle inside the resort.

It's unfortunate that @KPCCPresident was unable to stop the fight in Eagleton resort.

We hope Anand Singh is being treated & we pray for his speedy recovery



Unfortunately @dineshgrao can't even blame BJP now, MLA's were locked up under his watch at Eagleton



Whats ur excuse now? pic.twitter.com/GnkK87GWp1  BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) January 20, 2019

The BJP tweeted, "It's unfortunate that @KPCCPresident was unable to stop the fight in Eagleton resort. We hope Anand Singh is being treated & we pray for his speedy recovery. Unfortunately @dineshgrao can't even blame BJP now, MLA's were locked up under his watch at Eagleton. Whats your excuse now?"

The BJP further tweeted that "What more proof do we need to tell all is not well within Congress..Congress MLA's in Eagleton resort indulged in physical fight & 1 MLA is admitted. How long will congress be in denial mode & blame BJP for all their differences? When political party is lame, it loves to blame."

On Friday, the Congress moved 76 of its 80 lawmakers to the resort amid fears of poaching by the BJP. Tension had been brewing since last weekend, when the party accused the BJP of launching "Operation Lotus' - a term coined in 2008 when the party allegedly engineered defections of opposition legislators to ensure that its government headed by Mr Yeddyurappa remains stable.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 15:01 [IST]
Happy with my expulsion says Altaf Bukhari

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

Srinagar, Jan 20: Former Jammu and Kashmir finance minister Altaf Bukhari, who was expelled by the PDP on Saturday, said he was happy over the party's decision.

"It has been a long association with PDP, especially with its founder Late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. My association with this party has been enriching in many ways. It not only gave me a chance to work for my constituency, but provided me an opportunity to contribute my bit in the development across the nook and corner of the state," Bukhari said in a statement here.

PDP expels Altaf Bukhari for anti-party activities

He said power and position have never been an allurement for him "as the history bears a testimony to that fact".

"During my journey of active politics, I have witnessed agreements and disagreements, gratification and obstructions, brewing resentment and misguided notions. I also got a chance to witness the downfall of so-called popular leaders and rise of those who were hitherto unknown in the arena of politics," he said.

Bukhari said while he was happy over the party's decision, "the reasons given for my expulsion are debatable".

"I am also equally happy for this decision of the party as my conscience is clean and I never compromised on my principles. I wish the J&K PDP all the very best," he said.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 9:22 [IST]
Dont fear, we are not here to destabilise, Yeddyurappa tells Congress

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

Bengaluru, Jan 20: The BJP would not destabilise Karnataka's ruling coalition, party state chief B S Yeddyurappa said Saturday, as the state remained in the grip of political unrest with the Congress on tenterhooks to keep its numbers intact.

As the Congress MLAs remained sequestered in a resort on the city outskirts fearing a poaching bid by the BJP, Yeddyurappa said he had asked all his party lawmakers camping at a hotel in Gurugram to return and tour the state's drought-hit areas."We will not try to destabilise this government for any reason, let them not have that fear. We will work as the opposition," Yeddyurappa, whose party has been accused of having triggered the political crisis with its toppling game, said.

On poaching of MLAs, Kumaraswamy has this question for Modi

"Let the Congress-JD(S) leaders not have any doubt about it," he said, a day after chinks in the ruling coalition was exposed with four MLAs skipping the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meet.As the fissures became evident, the Congress on Friday swiftly moved all its MLAs to the resort keeping them on leash to "escape" the BJP's alleged "onslaught" to woo its MLAs with money and other allurements.Top Congress sources had said Friday that at least eight party MLAs had "committed" themselves to BJP to jump ship.

The BJP also announced that a seven-member team led by Yeddyurappa would tour the drought-hit districts from Monday. CLP leader Siddaramaiah welcomed Yeddyurappa's decision to call back all BJP MLAs and asked him to "walk the talk" on not trying to destabilise the ruling coalition."I welcome Yeddyurappa's decision to call back the BJP legislators from Delhi and send them to monitor the drought management in the state," he said in a tweet in Kannada.

"Yeddyurappa has said that they will not destabilise the state government, they will work as opposition. Let Congress, JD(S) leaders not fear.He should walk the talk and save the public's trust," Siddaramaiah said in another tweet.Congress pointsman and frontline minister D K Shivakumar said he was in touch with all the MLAs.Asked about senior ministers resigning to accommodate disgruntled legislators in the cabinet, he said, "I have voluntarily offered.. in the interest of the party if my leaders want I'm ready. ""All of us are ready," he said when asked how many were ready to quit.

On Yeddyurappa-led team's drought tour, Shivakumar said "good thing that at least now they have got enlightenment to study the drought situation. Karnataka government will give them all cooperation. My compliments to them." As the state saw another return to resort politics, the BJP alleged that the resort where Congress legislators were staying owed Rs 982 crore to the government as penalty in a land encroachment case and asked Congress leaders to collect the amount and use it to waive farm loans.

"Now that Congress Party will spend time in resort we request 'Maryada Purushothama' Sri.@siddaramaiah,@DKShivakumar &@dineshgrao to collect this money while u return U can use it for farmer loan waiver," KarnatakaBJP said in a tweet, citing media reports.During the recent assembly session at Belagavi, Revenue Minister R V Deshpande had told the House that the state government would take all measures to collect Rs 982 crore from the resort for encroaching on 77 acres of government land.

Karnataka: Legislators discuss political scenario, drought situation in CLP meeting

In a clear sign that all was not well within the Congress, the CLP meet saw four absentees and the party later said it would issue notices to Ramesh Jarkiholi, B Nagendra, Umesh Jadhav and Mahesh Kumatahalli seeking explanation.After the political drama unfolded on Monday, two Independents withdrew support to the coalition government.The Congress has been accusing the BJP of making repeated attempts to bring down the government and targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah on the issue.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 9:05 [IST]
Cries of help are of those wanting freedom from tyranny: Rahul on PM's 'bachao' jibe

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Jan 20: Congress president Rahul Gandhi hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday over his "bachao, bachao" swipe at the Opposition, saying the cries of help were of people "begging" to be freed from "your tyranny and incompetence".

Taking to Twitter, Gandhi said, "Your Highness, The cries for help are the cries of millions of unemployed youth; of farmers in distress; of oppressed Dalits & Adivasis; of persecuted minorities; of small businessmen in ruin; begging to be freed from your tyranny & incompetence." He added, "In 100 days they will be free."

Gandhi's attack came a day after Modi, taking a dig at the Opposition rally organised by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata, said the BJP had only one MLA in West Bengal, "but still they are so afraid of us, because we follow the path of truth, that they have gathered parties from across the country and are crying '\Rbachao , bachao, bachao' (save us)".

On a day when several opposition parties came together on a common platform in Kolkata, Modi had hit out at their proposed "Mahagathbandhan" (Grand Alliance), saying it was a combine of those who were angry at his stringent action against corruption as they had been stopped from looting public money.

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy had also hit out at Modi, saying, "Actually, he meant to say that it's time to 'bachao' (save) the nation from him and the BJP."

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 20:30 [IST]
(CNN)  The U.S. military said Saturday that an airstrike near the Jilib, Middle Juba Region of Somalia killed more than 50 al-Shabaab militants.

Al-Shabaab is an al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group.

U.S. Africa Command, which oversees U.S. military operations on the continent, said the airstrike was conducted "in response to an attack by a large group of al-Shabaab militants against Somali National Army Forces" on January 19. The U.S. military said they "currently assess this airstrike killed fifty-two (52) militants" and that they assess that no civilians were killed or injured in the strike.

Al-Shabaab recently claimed responsibility for a terror attack in Nairobi, Kenya, on January 15. Men armed with guns and explosives stormed a hotel complex in the Kenyan capital killing at least 21 people.

The Department of Defense estimates there are 3,000 to 7,000 al-Shabaab fighters and 70 to 250 ISIS fighters in Somalia, as of August 2018.

There has been a significant increase in airstrikes in Somalia by the U.S. since President Donald Trump authorized the U.S. military to carry out precision strikes targeting al-Shabaab in March 2017 in a effort to bolster the Federal Government in Somalia. Prior to that the U.S. military was only authorized to carry out airstrikes in self-defense of advisers on the ground.

Saturday's strike is the 6th U.S. airstrike in Somalia targeting al-Shabaab in 2019. In 2018, the U.S. conducted 47 precision airstrikes against al-Shabaab militants. In 2017, the U.S. conducted 35 air strikes and conducted 15 air strikes in 2016.

The U.S. has approximately 500 troops in Somalia, primarily in advisory roles.

This story was first published on CNN.com "US military says airstrike kills more than 50 terrorists in Somalia"
Got an idea of what was to come, former Pak envoy on meeting Ram Madhav

BJP will form stable govt with 'some friends' in J&K: Ram Madhav

India

pti-PTI

Srinagar, Jan 20: BJP general secretary Ram Madhav on Sunday said while his party would most likely go it alone in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, it would form a "stable government with some friends" in the state after the polls.

He said his party would contest all seats in the state.

"There is the least possibility of a pre-poll alliance with any party for the assembly elections in the state.

The BJP will emerge (as) the largest party after the elections and will give a stable government to the people with some friends," Madhav told reporters here.

'Was Congress's poll win due to chor EVMs?': Ram Madhav responds to Abdullah

Due to the special circumstances in the state, "we have no hesitation in joining hands with others" to form the government, he said.

Talking about the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) erstwhile ruling alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he said, "After elections we formed an alliance, but today again the BJP is going it alone in the elections."

The BJP leader said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kick start the party's campaign for upcoming parliamentary and assembly polls in the state during his visit on February 3.

"While the parliamentary elections are scheduled for April-May, the BJP is ready for the assembly polls in the state as well. It is up to the Election Commission to decide whether the two polls are held together or separately," Madhav said.

The Election Commission had in November last said fresh elections in Jammu and Kashmir would be held within the next six months. The state is currently under President's rule.

Madhav dismissed allegations that the BJP did not favour assembly polls in the state.

"There is no truth in the rumours being spread that the BJP is not in favour of early assembly polls in the state," he said.

He claimed some other parties wanted the polls to be deferred as they feared losing.

Asked about the PDP expelling former minister Altaf Bukhari, Madhav said, "I don't want to talk about internal matters of another political party, but I must underscore one point here that he is the same leader who was projected as the chief minister of the combined opposition when they (PDP, Congress and National Conference) were trying to form the government in the state just a couple of months ago."

Speaking about rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, Madhav said the BJP has prepared a roadmap for the community's return and rehabilitation and it will be implemented only when the situation in the Valley turns conducive.

"We had identified land at five places in the Valley for pandit townships..but due to various reasons, it could not materialize, the biggest being the prevailing security situation in the Valley," he said.

The BJP leader said the party was bound by its promise to Kashmiri Pandits and when the situation improves, it will take the community's leadership into confidence and move forward.

Asked about the problems being faced by West Pakistan refugees in getting the benefits of a rehabilitation package announced by the Centre, Madhav said every attempt will be made to address any difficulty faced by the community.

"We will ensure that the refugees get relief and will look into the procedure to make it easy for them as we did in the case of displaced people from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir," he said.
Is the Modi govt fighting for blue tick or against pandemic: Rahul Gandhi

If vaccines are free, why should private hospitals charge for them: Rahul to PM Modi

Ayodhya land deal: Rahul Gandhi slams BJP, says betrayal in name of Lord Ram is unrighteous

BJP taunts Stalin as he skips Rahul Gandhi for PM at Kolkata rally

India

oi-Deepika S

Chennai, Jan 20: A day after show of unity in Kolkata, the BJP took a dig at DMK chief MK Stalin alleging that he has digressed from his pitch 'Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for Prime Minister'.

At a grand meeting of opposition leaders in Kolkata on Saturday, hosted by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Stalin restrained from repeating his endorsement of Rahul Gandhi, he was needled by the BJP.

Why couldn't he say so in Kolkata? the BJP asked, claiming it exposed chinks in the proposed national alliance of the opposition parties.

Stalin says,'he didn't do any wrong by proposing Rahul's name for PM's post

"Last month, Stalin said Rahul Gandhi will be the prime ministerial candidate in Chennai. He could not say so in Kolkata. Such deviation showed his hesitancy and obstacles. These contradictions revealed the incohesion in the opposition unity," BJP's Tamil Nadu unit president Tamilisai Soundararajan told news agency PTI.

Stalin, however, stands firm on his proposal.

"Yes, I did propose Rahul Gandhi's name. What is wrong with it?" the son of M Karunanidhi said in Chennai today.

Opposition parties have maintained that the decision on the prime minister will be taken only after the national election.

"I had announced Rahul Gandhi's name at a function organised by the DMK. This is what the people of Tamil Nadu want. The situation is different in other states. In West Bengal, they decided to finalise the name after the election. It is their wish," Stalin clarified.

MK Stalin has credited the Congress chief for the party's victories in three heartland states and believes that "Rahul Gandhi has the ability to defeat the fascist Modi government and projecting him as the next prime minister is the right thing".
BSP to contest assembly polls in three states on its own: Mayawati

BJP MLA regrets calling Mayawati worse than eunuch; BSP leader files FIR

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Jan 20: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Sadhana Singh on Sunday apologised for her derogatory remarks against Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo.

"In the recent speech that I had given, my intentions were not to humiliate anyone, rather I just meant to remind Mayawati of the help extended to her by BJP during the June 2, 1995 guest house incident. I did not mean to cause embarrassment to her, but if my words have hurt anyone's feelings, I regret it," Singh said in her statement.

Meanhile, BSP's Varanasi and Azamgad Zonal Head Ram Chandra Gautam filed the FIR against Singh's humiliating remarks on Mayawati.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo moto cognisance of Singh's remarks and said a notice would be issued seeking her reply.

BJP MLA Sadhana Singh sparks outrage, says 'Mayawati neither man nor woman'

Singh, who was addressing a public gathering on Saturday, made the remarks while referring to the 1995 guest house incident, where the BSP chief and several other party leaders were attacked by Samajwadi Party workers.

Speaking on the recent announcement of BSP-SP alliance for the Lok Sabha elections, she claimed that a woman (Mayawati) who underwent a 'chirharan' (disrobe) was now compromising with the perpetrators and went on to label her 'worse than a eunuch'.

The Mughalsarai MLA said, "I don't think Uttar Pradesh's former Chief Minister is a woman or a man. She doesn't understand the concept of dignity. Draupadi was a victim of sexual misconduct. She vowed to get revenge. That was a self-respecting woman. Look at this woman. Everything was looted from her, despite which she sold all her dignity to get power."
BSP to contest assembly polls in three states on its own: Mayawati

BJP MLA Sadhana Singh sparks outrage, says Mayawati neither man nor woman

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, Jan 20: Bharatiya Janata Party's MLA from Mughal Sarai Sadhana Singh sparked outrage after she used offensive language against BSP supremo Mayawati at a rally in her constituency.

During a public meeting, Singh said that Mayawati is neither a man nor a woman and added that in spite of being humiliated by the Samajwadi Party in the infamous 1995 Lucknow guest house incident she joined hands with the same party.

#WATCH:BJP MLA Sadhna Singh says about BSP chief Mayawati, "jis din mahila ka blouse, petticoat, saari phat jaaye, wo mahila na satta ke liye aage aati hai. Usko pure desh ki mahila kalankit maanti hai.Wo to kinnar se bhi jyada badtar hai, kyunki wo to na nar hai, na mahila hai." pic.twitter.com/w3Cdizd8eR  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 19, 2019

Addressing the rally, she referred to an incident that took place in 1995 in which Mayawati, along with several other BSP leaders, was attacked by Samajwadi Party workers. The incident had led to years of animosity between the SP and the BSP. Singh said that a woman who had undergone a "chirharan" (disrobing) is now compromising with the perpetrators and accused her of "selling her dignity for power". "She is worse than a eunuch," Sadhana Singh said.

SP-BSP: Electoral math sorted, challenge ahead is political chemistry

"She has no sense of self-respect. She was almost molested. In history, when Draupadi was molested, she vowed revenge. But this woman, she almost lost everything, but has still sold her dignity for the sake of power. We condemn Mayawatiji. She is a blot on womankind. A woman who gulped down insults for comfort and power is a blot on womankind," Singh said.

Her remarks come close on the heels of the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party coming together in an alliance in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections.

Reacting to Sadhana Singh's remarks, BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra said that Singh was "mentally ill". Sadhana Singh is a member of UP's 17th Legislative Assembly and represents the Mughalsarai constituency in Chandauli district.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 11:23 [IST]
Three held in Mangaluru after police open fire at gang

20-year-old goes into labour while travelling to Mumbai, delivers baby at One-Rupee clinic

Aadhaar now a valid travel document, can be used to visit Nepal, Bhutan

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Jan 20: Aadhaar cards are now valid travel documents for Indians under 15 and over 65 travelling to Nepal and Bhutan, according to a home ministry communique.

Indians other than those in the two age brackets will not be able to use Aadhaar to travel to the two neighbouring countries, for which no visas are needed, clarified the communique issued recently.

Indian citizens going to Nepal and Bhutan don't need a visa if they have a valid passport, a photo identity card issued by the government of India or an election ID card issued by the Election Commission, it added.

Govt will soon make Aadhaar-driving licence linking mandatory: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Earlier, persons over 65 and under 15 could show their PAN card, driving licence, Central Government Health Service (CGHS) card or ration card, but not the Aadhaar, to prove their identity and visit the two countries.

The Aadhaar card has now been added to the list, explained a senior home ministry official.

"Now, persons in the age group of over 65 years and below 15 years have been allowed to use Aadhaar as a valid travel document," the official told PTI.

Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). It is being made mandatory for using a host of government services.

Giving details, the official said a certificate of registration issued by the Embassy of India, Kathmandu, to Indian nationals is not an acceptable travel document for travelling between India and Nepal.

"However, the emergency certificate and identity certificate issued by the Indian Embassy in Nepal will be valid for single journey for travelling back to India," he said, citing the communique.

Teens between 15 to 18 years will be allowed to travel between India and Nepal on the basis of an identity certificate issued by the principal of their school in a prescribed form, the officer said.

In case of a family (like husband, wife, minor children and parents) travelling together, all persons will not be required to carry relevant documents (such as a passport or an election ID) if one of the adult members has valid travel papers, he said.

However, the other family members must have some proof of their identity with a photograph and their relationship as a family, such as a CGHS card, ration card, a driving licence or an ID card issued by school/college, the official explained.

Indian nationals travelling to Bhutan need to have either an Indian passport with minimum validity of six months or a voter identity card issued by the Election Commission of India.

Bhutan, which shares borders with the Indian states of Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal, has about 60,000 Indian nationals, employed mostly in the hydroelectric power and construction industry.

In addition, between 8,000 and 10,000 daily workers enter and exit Bhutan everyday in border towns.

About six lakh Indians live in Nepal, according to data by the ministry of external affairs.

Violate Aadhaar Act and face penalty of up to Rs 1 crore

These include businesspersons and traders who have been living in Nepal for a long time, professionals (doctors, engineers, IT personnel) and labourers (including seasonal/migratory) in the construction sector, it said.

Nepal shares a border of over 1,850 km with five Indian states - Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 16:15 [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

2 killed, 4 injured after cable car of Jammu ropeway project snaps

India

oi-PTI

Srinagar, Jan 20: Two workers were killed and four others injured today after a cable car of the under-construction Jammu ropeway project crashed, the police said.

The crash took place due to a technical snag near the Mahamaya temple this evening, a police official said.

According to preliminary information, one of the cable cars got detached and crashed, resulting in the death of one of the workers on the spot and injuries to five others, he said.

He added that the injured were rushed to the Government Medical College and Hospital, where one of them died.

All six were aboard the cable car when the crash took place, the police official said.

The Jammu ropeway project, planned to boost tourism in the winter capital, is likely to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 3.

The 1.66-km-long cable car project has two phases, first from Bahu Fort to Mahamaya Park and second from Mahamaya to Peer Kho over the Tawi river, with a total length of 1,118 metres.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 23:24 [IST]
Much of this has to do with loopholes in our gun laws.

Gun trafficking occurs here in the States much in the same way. Mexico has very strict gun laws, making it very difficult to purchase guns legally there. Many immigrants from central America are fleeing gun violence. They are seeking asylum in the States. If the administration is honest, then we must address the fact that ignoring this makes us complicit.

Sandra Carpenter, Omaha

Workable border solution

Since the Republicans did not fund Trumps wall when they had majority control of both houses of Congress, it is foolish to believe hell get it done now that the Democrats took control of the House.

What is very possible and a much more successful scenario is both Republicans and Democrats agreeing on what is workable and voting together to override Trumps veto. The situation will not be resolved on a unilateral basis, either.

If the U.S. and Mexico agreed to build state-of-the-art processing centers right on the border and staff them adequately, they could get rid of the backlog almost immediately and end this humanitarian crisis once and for all.
The writer, an associate professor of history at the University of Georgia, is a contributor to Bloomberg Opinion.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has a keen sense of history. By demanding that President Donald Trump either postpone the State of the Union address until the government shutdown ends or deliver a written statement, she has raised the possibility that we might finally get rid of a ritual that has devolved into empty political theater.

The speech takes its name from the clause in the Constitution stipulating that the president shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.

Like much of the Constitution, this language left the particulars up for grabs. How often, for example, was the president supposed to brief Congress? George Washington delivered the first such speech on Jan. 8, 1790. It was short and sweet: A mere 1,089 words. A year later he reprised the act, which set the precedent of an annual address, with Congress expected to send a written reply.
As for non-metro Nebraska, its job-growth rate was strong as recently as 2012. Its growth that year exceeded 3 percent, which was above the rate for Omaha and Lincoln. But job growth for non-metro Nebraska fell sharply in 2013, and in 2017 and 2018 the rate moved into negative territory, meaning a net decrease in overall non-metro job numbers.

The Fed findings show the need for Nebraska leaders in government, industry and education to look for strategies to facilitate opportunities across the state.

The weakness in ag prices and the current uncertainty for export sales have obviously meant hardship for farmers and ranchers and have had a dampening effect on local retailers and suppliers. A rural turnaround will depend, in part, on decisions by the federal government.

At the local level, many factors affect a communitys economic prospects. Some key factors: the performance of public schools; career academies that connect local schools with industry and community colleges; availability of workforce housing; civic vision and local cooperative partnerships; community foundations that draw on local resources to address public needs. The University of Nebraska is doing commendable outreach to rural communities and is strengthening its supports for entrepreneurship and business development.
In 2000, the Omaha World-Herald wrote a profile on Phillips, who at the time was conducting a vigil with his family for the entire month of November on the National Mall.

Vincent Schilling reported Saturday on Indian Country Today that Phillips, a Vietnam-era veteran, was singing the "American Indian Movement Song." The boys are students of Covington Catholic High School, a private all-boys school in northern Kentucky outside Cincinnati, who were in Washington for the March for Life.

Schilling, a correspondent for Indian Country Today who has written about Phillips, said he is "appalled at the level of disrespect" displayed by the boys in the video.

"I am outraged, furious, yet heartbroken," Schilling said. "I hope there can be some lessons learned here."

The student who stood immediately in front of Phillips later told the Associated Press that he did nothing to provoke the man in the videotaped confrontation and was only trying to calm the situation.

The high school and Diocese of Covington released a statement condemning the students' actions and apologizing to Phillips, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. It read:
State and federal offices, schools, libraries and some businesses will be closed Monday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Omahans can attend these events to remember and venerate the civil rights champions life:

Information: Together will partner with middle school students from Partnership 4 Kids and UNO students who are recipients of the Susan Thompson Buffett Scholarship to provide a community breakfast. Pancakes, sausage and fresh fruit will be served. Donations will benefit Together's Nourish program.

Information: Abide Omaha will host any individuals or groups who would like to serve the inner city and connect with the north Omaha community to make a difference in one of the most underserved areas in Omaha. Participants are invited to bring their own lunches and attend an optional talk afterward on poverty in the inner city. Sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040449aaa929a57-mlkserve.
At what point do you start dipping into the funds that you have been saving for retirement and you get penalized? Kern said. Do you start throwing stuff on credit cards and start racking up debt that way?

Her in-laws in Iowa, who are farmers, even offered to lend the family their spring fertilizer money.

Its adding a lot of stress to everybody, she said.

This week she marks her 20th anniversary with the weather service. Kern said the situation can be even rougher for those earlier in their careers who are still paying off college loans and have yet to build up much savings.

We signed up to protect lives and property, she said. Were very passionate people about our jobs and were dedicated.

And its hard for them to see what the current impasse has to do with weather forecasts.

Were definitely caught in the middle, she said. Its unfortunate.

After federal employees missed their first check of the year, J. David Cox Sr., national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, issued a statement calling on the Senate to take up House-approved legislation to reopen the government.
The father of the latest homicide victim was just 16 when he was fatally shot while riding in a car near 44th and Burt Streets. His assailant was convicted of second-degree murder and is serving a sentence of 30 to 50 years.

Pollard said her grandson was a graduate of Omaha Central High School who loved his family and tried to steer away from trouble. She said she had warned him that the house where he was shot was not a safe place.

Someone had shot up that house a couple of times before, Pollard said. I told him that he should stay away from there, but he just said not to worry.

The family will need some time to discuss options before making funeral arrangements, Pollard said.

I cant believe we have to go through this again, she said. Im waiting on his mother to come over so we can talk.

The homicide was the first reported in the city in 125 days. In fact, no homicides were recorded for 106 straight days at the end of 2018, a streak not seen by the Omaha Police Department since at least the 1960s.
Many times, we end up with people who have died, and it started out as a little marijuana deal, Kleine said. The people who are involved in this case are very fortunate that somebody didnt end up dead.

Both gunmen had another stroke of fortune once the case reached court. After initially talking to police, prosecutors say, Brenden has declined to cooperate. At one point, he cut off police, telling them, Im not a snitch.

That left prosecutors with little to go on  other than evidence that Phillips went to a Council Bluffs hospital to get treated for the self-inflicted shot to the hand.

In turn, Roman is under consideration for transfer to Young Adult Court  a diversion court that allows teens to avoid a record if they successfully complete the program.

And prosecutors reduced a first-degree assault charge against Phillips to second-degree assault  a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison or five years of probation.

His attorney, Timothy Ashford, said Phillips, now 18, isnt a gang member  unlike one teen in the case who claimed Lomas membership.
Dobrynskaya analyzed 2,300 sets sold from 1987 to 2015 to measure their price-return over time. She analyzed price trends for links to risk factors like value, volatility and size in the models developed by theorists Eugene Fama and Kenneth French.

She found that collections used for Hogwarts Castles and Jedi star fighters beat U.S. large-cap stocks and bonds, yielding 11 percent a year. Smaller kits rose more than medium-sized ones, similar to the size effect in the Fama-French model (though the relation isnt exact).

The beta of the size factor is statistically significant and the dynamics of the Lego index we created for our research is similar to that of the size factor, Dobrynskaya said by phone from Moscow. Lego sets dont show a significant correlation to the financial crises and can be seen as an attractive investment with a diversification potential.

Guess what? Not everyone loves the science. Trying to shoehorn Legos into model of factor returns strikes some people as a little silly and creates the potential for human judgment to distort findings. First among the hazards is the possibility that everything is explained by happenstance  a criticism that looms over many factor models.
Gottlieb did not name specific companies or groups. But an alliance of makers of the highly profitable advanced drug therapies issued some of the most glaring warnings about government-approved copies of their products: They could "put you in the emergency room.'' They may carry "additional risks.'' The "potential problems involve efficacy, safety.''

Gottlieb indicated that the FDA may take action if it determines that a company is deliberately misleading the public about the safety of biologic copies, by issuing warning letters to the drugmakers involved.

Such messages about unbranded biologics "raise public health concerns,'' he said. "They could negatively impact a patient's judgment about an otherwise safe and effective product.''

At stake are savings to the U.S. health-care system that have been estimated at $54 billion to more than $200 billion over 10 years.

Policymakers say getting the costs of biologics under control is vital to curbing U.S. health-care spending; it is estimated that 70 percent of growth in prescription drug costs between 2010 and 2015 was fueled by biologics, with drugs such as AbbVie's Humira leading the way.

The copies are projected to be priced 10 percent to 51 percent less, according to a study by the nonprofit Rand Corp.
Susanna Perry Gilmore, concertmaster, stepped out of the 1st Violin seat to perform the violin solo for both pieces.

Gilmore was immediately and thoroughly dazzling. The thoughtful and complex melody lines of the Massenet seemed to be effortlessly conjured from her 200-year- old violin as though it was the first time anyone had heard them. Katie Wychulis also deserves praise for her sensitive accompaniment on the harp.

The Ravel was an earthy and exciting change of pace. Gilmores lengthy unaccompanied violin passage at the beginning was a raw and stunning taste of the Gypsy music that inspired the larger rhapsody. When the orchestra joined her, their playful exchange was delicious.

Gilmore sustained an energized and sincere performance throughout. The impressive depth of her emotional relationship to the piece was evident down to her fingertips and even in her gaze as she played. The patrons gave her a standing ovation. Several shouts of brava! brought her on to the stage for a second curtain call.

After intermission the orchestra returned to America with the Suite from Aaron Coplands Billy the Kid.
Saturdays concert will be slightly different than Fridays, but not by much. Church revealed late in the show that the majority of it is the same, but hed be calling a few audibles to make for unique shows night after night.

Staples such as Springsteen and Smoke a Little Smoke and Jack Daniels anchored the setlist and were rallying cries for the fans. The audibles, on the other hand, were total surprises including a few rarities of his own (Higher Wire and Mixed Drinks About Feelings) as well as a few cover songs.

What you get tonight will never be heard the rest of this tour, Church said.

Those moments were sometimes fun, but a few seemed like a stumble. Or a mismatch. Maybe just a bad play call.

A cover of Aint Living Long Like This was mighty entertaining, even when Church missed a few lyrics. But covers of Del Shannons Runaway and The Meters Just Kissed My Baby were bizarre choices that clashed with the otherwise excellent set.

Church wants things to be different and fun every night, but could they not have picked a Springsteen or Haggard or, my goodness, any classic country song to cover?
July 31, 1946 - January 9, 2019 Carole Sandra Pugh, age 72 of Auburn (originally Dunoon, Scotland), passed away on January 9, 2019. She was born to the late Stewart and Isobel Jackson on July 31, 1946 in Dunoon, Scotland. She was a graduate of Glasgow University and spent the next six years working and traveling the world. Carole's adventurous spirit took her backpacking through Europe, the Middle East and East Asia, with physio jobs in London and Australia to support her traveling funds. On a short training course in San Francisco she unexpectedly met a young American Naval Officer that changed the course of her life 46 years ago. Carole and her husband, Bill, recently celebrated 43 years of marriage and have spent 35 of those years living in Auburn, Alabama. Carole was a retired Physical Therapist and was a very active member of First Presbyterian Church of Auburn (FPC). Carole and Bill were avid world travelers with trips to all seven continents. Carole was committed to many philanthropic causes with multiple service trips to Africa with CURE International and mission trips with FPC. Carole was an active participant in many local organizations: Philanthropic and Education Organization for Women (P.E.O), The International Women for Peace and Understanding, OLLIE Classes, Tai Chi and Book Group. Carole was preceded in death by her parents Stewart and Isobel Jackson. She is survived by her husband William Pugh, and daughters Gwendolyn Crumpton (Archer), Jennifer Pugh (Jody Self) and Caitlin Butts (Cody) and her four grandchildren Michael Archer Crumpton, Evelyn Crumpton, Quinn Self and Campbell Butts. Carole was best known as a daughter, wife, mother, grandmother ("Beeba") and loyal friend. She truly lived her life to the fullest and never let a minute be wasted. She will be missed by so many around the world. A memorial service will be held Saturday, January 26th at 2:00pm at First Presbyterian Church of Auburn (143 E Thach Ave). In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Presbyterian Community Ministry (PCM), in Carole's honor. Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home and Crematory. www.jeffcoattrant.com
Maria (Skippy) Peterson, age 94, a native of Antigo Wisconsin and a resident of Lillian AL, passed away Monday, January 14, 2019. I am writing my own obituary to thank God, my loving family, friends, relatives, neighbors, fellow Catholics, teacher colleagues, medical personnel, including pharmacists, and staff who do the paperwork, Lillian residents and snowbirds, all the kind people who helped me arrive here at death's door, a happy woman. Although born in Antigo WI, from the age of two I grew up in Atmore, AL., a southerner who graduated from Auburn University as a chemical engineer and whose night life had spent with the Auburn Players theatrical group. I started my career at St. Regis Paper Mill, and enjoyed my many years teaching at Pensacola Junior College and the University of West Florida. My love of birthdays led to a list of birthdays of people I knew personally for each of the 365 days of the year, even February 29. This led to the publication of the "Duchac Dailey". I wrote and sent this message to all my relatives and friends. "When the spirit moved me and the flesh was willing". I have a love of learning, am a voracious reader, traveled quite a bit with Lyle and attended many educational Elder Hotels. My travels included refreshing visits to Deep Woods Lakes in Wisconsin near my birthplace. For 54 years I have been a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church and the Lillian community and participated in many capacities including the ACCW, The Lillian Paper and Lillian Library, Girl Scouts, Grand Marshall of the 4th of July parades, Choir and Parish Council. I have enjoyed these endeavors and this journey on earth with all of you. Preceded in death by her husband, Lyle Hugh Peterson who passed away in 2012, a sister Aileen and brother's Joseph and Duke David. I am survived by our five children and their families; Clancy and Larry O'Donnell with Kevin, Colleen (Joel) with great granddaughter Quinn Riley , and Shannon with great grandson Kellen; Gregory Peterson and son Damian, Lyetta and Rich Griffin with Jeffery and David (Sammy); Anita and John Sanford with Paul and Rachel (Brad); Bret and Lisa Peterson with Brian, Mark and Amy. I am also survived by my nieces Jahala and Janine Woods, and my nephew Ronald Duchac. A memorial mass for Skippy will be held on Saturday, January 26, 2019 at 12:30pm from St. Joseph Catholic Church in Lillian. A reception meal will follow at the Parish Hall. Flowers can be sent to the church or memorials may be made to Mary's Shelter in Elberta or the Lillian Library. www.wolfefuneralhomes.com
A suspected tornado swept through Elmore, Dallas, Autauga and Coosa counties on Saturday, causing significant damage to downtown Wetumpka on Saturday and leaving buildings on the ground.

Wetumpka Mayor Jerry Willis told the Montgomery Advertiser that a senior center and the police department were among buildings damaged from the storm.

Its bad, when you love a place as much as we love Wetumpka, to see this devastation, he said.

One injury was reported, but it wasnt serious, Willis told the Advertiser.

A message from the Alabama Emergency Management Agency said a 6 p.m. curfew was established for the town Saturday, adding that only emergency personnel would be permitted in the area to assist residents.

Citizens are urged to stay clear of downtown Wetumpka and areas affected along the track of the storm, the news release read. Unnecessary travel is hindering emergency personnel from clearing roadways of downed power lines, trees, and debris.

Relief efforts begin

The Elmore County Commission was responding to and assessing damage created by the storm Saturday, it added. Elmore County EMA and first responders are assisting the city of Wetumpka.
If there was any gray area, our officer would kick it out and there would not be a citation issued," Fuller told the Opelika-Auburn News. "But anyone that was issued a citation for sure ran the red light because we had the video - about an eight second video clip that showed each incident of them running the light.

Opelikas contract with ATS expired on May 31, 2018 and on June 1, the city terminated its red light enforcement program. It does not have a current agreement.

'Always about...safety'

We are involved in a lawsuit that was filed in October 2017, challenging the legality of our automated red light camera enforcement program, and they contend that our red light camera program violated the state constitution, because its a civil violation and not a criminal violation, said Fuller.

Then we of course and ATS filed a joint motion to dismiss. And on Nov. 21, Judge Christopher Hughes, Lee County Circuit Judge, granted the joint motion to dismiss, because the plaintiffs admitted their respective vehicles did run the red light and both voluntarily paid the civil fines," the mayor said. "They did not avail themselves of any review provided by law.

The plaintiffs filed notice for appeal to the Alabama Supreme Court.
BEIRUT  Since disappearing in Syria nearly two years ago, an American therapist has missed the birth of one grandchild, then another.

His family in the United States does not know where he is, who is holding him, whether he has the diabetes medication he needs or even whether he is still alive. They have not spoken to him since he told them he was making a quick trip to Damascus from Lebanon to visit relatives in February 2017, packing little more than pajamas in his overnight bag.

Majd Kamalmaz, now 61, had been in Damascus for less than a day when he was stopped at a government checkpoint, according to the taxi driver who had been driving him around the Syrian capital. That was the last time anyone has heard from him.

Like some other Westerners with relatives who have been detained or held hostage over the course of Syrias long and bloody civil war, Mr. Kamalmazs family chose at first not to speak publicly about his disappearance as they tried to push for his release.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan  At first, the police described a weekend shooting in central Pakistan as a successful operation against a group of terrorists: four dead, including a middle-aged couple, their daughter and another man.

Then the couples children  a boy and two girls who survived the firefight with minor injuries  told a story about police brutality that was painfully familiar to Pakistanis, and the authorities arrested more than a dozen police officers, the prime minister demanded answers, and officials were left struggling to explain what happened.

From a hospital bed near his younger sisters on Saturday, Muhammad Umair, 9, told local journalists that his family had been traveling on Saturday from Lahore, the capital of Punjab Province, to a town in the regions south to attend a wedding. They were stopped near the city of Sahiwal by police officers belonging to the counterterrorism department, he said.

My father said to the police, Take the money, but let us go, Muhammad Umair said.

But the police opened fire, killing his father, Muhammad Khalil, a 43-year-old grocery store owner; his mother, Nabila; his 12-year-old sister Areeba; and a family friend, 36-year-old Zeeshan Javed.
The last politician she liked, she said, was Charles de Gaulle, but  dead for nearly 50 years  he is little more than a childhood memory.

But also there was Mr. Laziou, an admirer of the far-right, nationalist leader Marine Le Pen.

At the other end of the table, Mr. Huve, the carpenter, described himself as an environmentalist and supporter of a far-left, anticapitalist party.

Divorced with grown children, he can afford to live only in the house he is renovating  two open-plan rooms with a hodgepodge of tools, an old wardrobe, a simple wooden table, a sink and a spotlight for doing carpentry late at night.

He worried that the Yellow Vest frustration with government would sweep up the movement, perhaps unwittingly, in far-right politics.

Its not that people are extreme right, but they find in it a way of saying, We dont agree, he said  with the government, with the way things are.

Then they say, Well, weve tried everything except the extreme right, so why not?

That may be the danger of the governments approach of dispersing the eclectic clusters of protesters and taking back their public space.

As Ms. Laplanche watched the gendarmes dismantle the camp on the roundabout where the protesters had gathered since mid-November, her reaction was telling about the great distance Mr. Macron needs to close.

The government has no response to us, she said. Now they are taking away our right to demonstrate; they dont want to hear us.
DUBLIN  The police in Northern Ireland arrested four men on Sunday in connection with a car bombing outside a courthouse in central Londonderry the night before that drew condemnation from across the political spectrum.

The bomb, which had been planted in a hijacked delivery van, caused no casualties or major damage. But after receiving a warning, the police had little time to evacuate children from a youth club nearby and hundreds of people from a luxury hotel and a masonic hall before the device exploded around 8.10 p.m. Saturday.

The explosion followed a pattern of attacks in the city attributed to republican groups opposed to the peace agreement that ended the Troubles in Northern Ireland 20 years ago.

The delivery van used in the attack had been hijacked shortly before in Brandywell, a nearby nationalist area of the city. The police arrested two men in their 20s, then later on Sunday detained two others, age 34 and 42, Reuters said. The police did not identify them or provide a possible motive.
THE HAGUE  They enjoy diplomatic perks, earn six-figure salaries and pay no taxes. As they enter and exit the courtrooms of The Hague in their adorned judicial robes, all rise in a required gesture of respect.

So it may seem incongruous that the international judges  sitting on two of the most important global courts  are entangled in awkward legal questions over how much money they make and whether they deserve it.

At the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands, responsible for trying individuals for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, a number of judges have filed a lawsuit against their court for more pay.

The judges say the court has not granted them salary increases paid to other senior court officials. They want a pay raise of 26 percent plus retroactive compensation, pension increases and damages that could run into the millions.
ATHENS  A peaceful demonstration by tens of thousands of people in Athens turned violent on Sunday, as protesters seeking to enter the Parliament building used clubs, firebombs and other objects to attack officers guarding the building, according to the police.

For the most part, the rally, called days before the Greek Parliament was to vote on ratifying an agreement to rename the countrys northern neighbor North Macedonia, was peaceful. But around 3 p.m., clashes broke out and footage shared on social media showed the police using tear gas on some demonstrators. The police said that 25 officers had been wounded in the clashes and that seven people had been arrested.

The office of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras accused extremists of trying to force their way into Parliament and of attacking police officers with stones and clubs, wounding dozens of people. A photographer was among those injured.
MANILA  Henry Sy, a tycoon known as the father of modern Philippine retail, whose chain of super malls changed the countrys retail landscape, died on Saturday in Manila. He was 94.

His company, SM Investments Corporation, announced the death.

For the last 11 years, Forbes had named Mr. Sy the richest person in the Philippines. His net worth was estimated as $19 billion.

Mr. Sy opened the first ShoeMart in 1958 after a stint selling surplus boots. It later became known simply as SM.

From a tiny shop in downtown Manila, SM grew into a behemoth, with 62 department stores, 56 supermarkets and more than 200 smaller grocery stores. SM had revenues of $6.7 billion in 2016. The chain also operates six malls in China.
A branch of Al Qaeda in northwestern Africa claimed responsibility for an attack on a United Nations base in Mali that killed 10 Chadian peacekeepers on Sunday, saying it was in response to Chads resumption of diplomatic relations with Israel.

In a statement, the United Nations mission in Mali said that a peacekeeping base had come under attack in the northeastern village of Aguelhok. The village is in one of the most troubled regions of the country, which has repeatedly been in the cross hairs of a jihadist insurgency.

Early this morning, the statement said, the blue helmets of the Minusma  the peacekeeping mission in Mali  fought off a complex attack launched by assailants who arrived aboard a convoy of numerous vehicles.

Besides the 10 peacekeepers killed, 25 were wounded.

The Qaeda branch, the Group to Support Islam and Muslims, released its statement late Sunday. The group, which has gone through a series of name changes since pledging allegiance to Al Qaeda in 2006, framed the killings as a response to a decision by President Idriss Deby of Chad to normalize relations with Israel.
JOHANNESBURG  The American military on Saturday said it had carried out its deadliest airstrike in Somalia in months, killing 52 Shabab extremists after a large group mounted an attack on Somali forces.

The United States Africa Command said the airstrike occurred near Jilib, a town not far from the East African coast, in the Middle Juba region. There were no reports of Americans killed or wounded.

The statement did not say whether any Somali forces were killed or wounded by the extremists, who are linked to Al Qaeda. The Shabab, via its Shahada news agency, asserted that its attack on two Somali army bases killed at least 41 soldiers. It described the location as the Bar Sanjuni area near the port city of Kismayo.

There was no immediate comment from Somalias government.

The Shabab controls large parts of rural southern and central Somalia and continues to carry out suicide bombings and other attacks in the capital, Mogadishu, and elsewhere.
Spiro Mitrakis, the owner of the Purple Steer Restaurant in Whiting, said that was not unusual to see.

To each his own, I guess, he said.

Mr. Mitrakis said the area had received about three inches of lake-effect snow in the morning, but that the skies and the roads were clear  and frigid  by early afternoon, with temperatures around 17 degrees. Just another day in the wintertime, he said.

Farther from Lake Michigan in Valparaiso, Ind., Samantha Minton is a waitress at The Bait Shop, where brunch offerings include foie gras with French toast and a Wagyu McMuffin. She said she had yet to see a snowflake on Sunday, and that overall the storm, which delivered only a few inches on Saturday, had been a bit of a disappointment.

I was really hoping to get snowed in and watch movies and gorge myself on junk food, but that didnt happen, so here I am at work, she said.

For many people in Connecticut, binge-watching to ride out the storm would have meant seeing their batteries head for zero along with the temperature. Eversource and United Illuminating, two utility companies in the state, said there were widespread power outages in large part because so much of the storms precipitation had come in the form of sleet or freezing rain. Mr. Otto, the Weather Service meteorologist, said the trouble could multiply as the frigid winds pick up.

Those kind of winds blowing on those power lines and trees that are already stressed from the weight of the ice, I think, is going to be problematic, he said.

Farther north and farther inland, the storm had mainly dropped snow. As of Sunday morning, the greatest total reported was in Lake Desolation, N.Y., north of Albany and in the southern Adirondack Mountains, where 16 inches fell, Mr. Otto said.
But thats a gamble. Over the last century, Puerto Rico has produced landmark social housing projects like El Falansterio in San Juan, an Art Deco-detailed waterfront complex from the 1930s that, all these years later, remains a thriving community and a model of elegant, humane design.

Unfortunately, anyone who knows about rising construction costs, the islands crippled bureaucracy and its legacy of failed projects, and the federal governments looming deadlines for spending reconstruction money also knows that the only things that may actually end up getting built are sprawling, quasi-suburban projects on cheap, shovel-ready agricultural land, uncoordinated with services and transit.

And also a bunch of luxury hotels and condo towers on the coast.

The system favors cheap and quick solutions, said Federico del Monte, president of the Puerto Rican Planning Society.

Omar Marrero, who runs Puerto Ricos Central Office of Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency, demurred while acknowledging the problems. We will try to keep communities intact, he said. But to the extent the legal requirements dont allow us to use federal dollars, families will have to decide whether they want to remain where they are.

Carmen Chevere Ortiz has decided already. She became accustomed over the years to floods in Villa Calma, an informal working-class community near the northern coast of the island that lies below sea level.

But Maria was different, she told me the other day. The area was swamped in minutes by what seemed to her like a tidal wave that suddenly swept away houses and cars. We lost everything, Ms. Chevere said. Now I just want to get out of here as fast as possible.

On the other hand, many islanders in similar predicaments, like Mr. Torres, wont want to leave, free apartment or not.
Were at Cohens mercy for the dates, Mr. Giuliani said, adding that the president doesnt remember the dates. He does remember conversations about Moscow. He does remember the letter of intent. He does remember, after that, fleeting conversations.

He added that he was trying to keep Mr. Trump from legal exposure if prosecutors uncover evidence of a conversation that the president has said he does not recall.

Like so many other threads of the Russia saga, the story that the presidents aides have told about the Trump Tower Moscow negotiations has changed repeatedly. First, they said that the discussions never moved beyond their infancy, barely involved Mr. Trump, and ended well before the Republican primaries. Then, when Mr. Cohen pleaded guilty in November to lying to Congress about the Tower negotiations, the special counsels office revealed they extended at least until the middle of 2016.

When  and even if  the discussions officially ended remains unclear, and Mr. Giuliani did not provide clarity.

Even after Mr. Trump secured a surprise victory in November 2016  and as evidence was mounting that the Russians had carried out a sophisticated campaign to disrupt the presidential election  Mr. Trumps top aides took part in numerous meetings and phone conversations with Russians that have been a focus of Mr. Muellers investigation.

Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and senior adviser, met with the head of a Russian bank under sanctions and asked Russias ambassador to Washington, Sergey I. Kislyak, whether Mr. Trumps aides could use phone lines at the Russian embassy to communicate with Moscow during the presidential transition. Michael T. Flynn, who would become President Trumps first national security adviser, discussed sanctions with Mr. Kislyak numerous times in December 2016 as President Obama punished Russia for its campaign of election interference.

Mr. Flynn pleaded guilty a year later to lying to F.B.I. agents about his communications with Mr. Kislyak.
In the plan he unveiled on Saturday, Mr. Trump offered to restore the DACA and T.P.S. protections for three years. But Democrats say that is a nonstarter, because it does not offer a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, and because Mr. Trump is simply giving back protections that he himself took away.

The McConnell aide, Don Stewart, said the Republican legislative package would include seven appropriations bills that would fund government agencies that have been partially closed for a month.

The legislation that the majority leader will bring to the floor this week would both reopen the remaining portions of the government, fund disaster relief, fund border security and address immigration issues that both Republicans and Democrats would like to address  all in one bill, Mr. Stewart said.

Mr. McConnell would need votes from all Republicans and seven Democrats for the package to pass. But only a handful of Democrats in Republican-leaning states might feel pressured enough to cross the aisle. A spokesman for one of them, Senator Joe Manchin III of West Virginia, said Mr. Manchin  who just won re-election  would remain undecided on the Republican proposal until he saw it.

In broadening the package beyond Mr. Trumps plan, Mr. McConnell may be trying to pick up additional Democrats  especially those who are eager to vote for disaster relief.

Hes starting to move the pieces around to see whats going to fly and whats not going to make it, said Jim Manley, who was a top aide to Harry Reid, the former Democratic leader from Nevada. Hes trying to put the pressure back on Democrats, and hes trying to see what the possibilities of a deal are by putting a larger package there. Hes trying to see how large the package has to be to bring Democrats on board.

But Mr. Trump seemed to be holding fast. He retweeted a series of endorsements of his proposal from Republican lawmakers on Sunday evening, and earlier in the day, he took aim at Ms. Pelosi and pushed back against conservative critics who have described the plan as amnesty for undocumented immigrants.
In a phone call with the president before Saturdays proposal announcement, Mr. McConnell encouraged Mr. Trump to extend the offer with temporary immigration protections as a way to reach out to Ms. Pelosi and other Democrats with a more appealing overture, according to a person familiar with the call who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a private conversation.

Ms. Pelosi has argued that it is Mr. Trumps intransigence  and Mr. McConnells refusal to allow a vote on House bills that would reopen the government but not fund a border wall, despite the Senates passage of such a measure last month  that is putting the nation at risk.

The presidents insistence on the wall is a luxury the country can no longer afford, Ms. Pelosi said on Thursday.

Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, suggested that Mr. McConnell was way out to lunch in trying to place responsibility for the shutdown on Ms. Pelosi. Her allies in the House say the speaker is hardly the sort to wilt under Mr. McConnells attacks.

The bottom line is Pelosi is showing some leadership over here, Representative Jim McGovern, Democrat of Massachusetts and chairman of the Rules Committee, said last week. McConnell is behaving like a coward. He is afraid to take on Trump.

As longtime party leaders, Ms. Pelosi and Mr. McConnell have history with each other, much of it not good given their divergent ideologies. Ms. Pelosi was a harsh critic of the 2017 tax law that Mr. McConnell championed. They have also clashed bitterly over the Affordable Care Act and the economic stimulus program enacted by Democrats under Ms. Pelosis stewardship during the first years of President Barack Obamas administration despite Mr. McConnell rallying his party in near blanket opposition to the Democratic agenda.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.  Randall L. Woodfin, the 37-year-old mayor of Birmingham, Ala., made an unlikely sales pitch the other day after glancing toward some black-and-white photos of his citys segregated past.

A 52-foot-tall Confederate monument, a sandstone obelisk erected in 1905 and within sight of City Hall, is available, he said. For free.

Any Confederate museum that wants this thing can have it, Mr. Woodfin said in an interview at City Hall. Ill give it to them right now. Hell, Im even willing to give them whatever they need to get it to them.

But Mr. Woodfin, and the State of Alabama, know such a transfer would not be without political and legal consequences. Almost 154 years after the end of the Civil War, the country is still quarreling  in state capitols and courtrooms, on college campuses and around town squares  over how, or whether, to commemorate the side that lost.
SAN ANTONIO  Donald J. Trump got Brenda Hernandezs hopes up in 2016 when he indicated that he had a heart for young undocumented immigrants like her, who were brought into the country by their parents. But her hopes were dashed when Mr. Trump became president and ordered an end to the federal program known as DACA that shields her from deportation.

After the presidents latest announcement on Saturday  that he was proposing to end the standoff over the partial government shutdown by, among other things, temporarily extending that shield  Ms. Hernandez just shrugged.

I dont trust Trump  I dont believe him, she said as she hoisted her 3-year-old son onto a swivel chair at the D & H Beauty Salon in San Antonio. The blue-collar shop, with rows of wooden chairs in the waiting area, is a favorite among immigrants in the city. But in the hours after Mr. Trumps White House address, his latest offer of an immigration deal was finding little support.

[Read: In Trumps Immigration Announcement, A Compromise Snubbed All Around]

In exchange for $5.7 billion to erect a barrier along the border with Mexico, Mr. Trump said he would agree to extend protection for three years for the roughly 800,000 immigrants who benefit from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which covers people brought into the country illegally as children. The president held out the hope of similar relief for 300,000 immigrants living in the United States with temporary protected status, known as T.P.S., after fleeing earthquakes and other disasters in their own countries.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.  Hal Abelson, a renowned computer scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was working the classroom, coffee cup in hand, pacing back and forth. The subject was artificial intelligence, and his students last week were mainly senior policymakers from countries in the 36-nation Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Mr. Abelson began with a brisk history of machine learning, starting in the 1950s. Next came a description of how the technology works, a hands-on project using computer-vision models and then case studies. The goal was to give the policymakers from countries like France, Japan and Sweden a sense of the technologys strengths and weaknesses, emphasizing the crucial role of human choices.

These machines do what they do because they are trained, Mr. Abelson said.

The class was part of a three-day gathering at M.I.T., including expert panels, debate and discussion, as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development seeks to agree on recommendations for artificial intelligence policy by this summer.

But where are policymakers supposed to even start? Artificial intelligence seems to be everywhere, much hyped, much feared yet little understood. Some proclaim A.I. will be an elixir of prosperity, while others warn it will be a job killer, even an existential threat to humanity.
Skygazers across the Western Hemisphere will be treated to celestial eye candy on Sunday night into early Monday morning as the full moon turns coppery red during a total lunar eclipse. It will be the only total lunar eclipse of the year, and that in itself should be reason enough to stay up late and marvel as the moon gets swallowed by Earths shadow.

You might have heard that this eclipse is also being called a Super Blood Wolf Moon. But as astronomers know, no number of edgy modifiers could make this display of cosmic clockwork any cooler.

[Sign up to get reminders for space and astronomy events on your calendar.]

Unlike a total solar eclipse, when the moon moseys between the sun and the Earth, its our planet that slides between the sun and the moon during a total lunar eclipse. As the Earth blocks the sun, only slivers of light make it through the planets atmosphere and to the moon.

If you were standing on the surface of the moon when this event was happening, and you were staring back at the Earth, what you would see is this beautiful reddish-orangish tinted ring, said Jackie Faherty, an astrophysicist at the American Museum of Natural History.
[What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.]

Harvey Weinsteins criminal trial in New York will be perhaps the biggest and most important production of his lifetime.

Mr. Weinstein, the Hollywood mogul known for his ego and tenacity, parted ways with his defense lawyer, Benjamin Brafman last week, and is working fast to assemble a dream team of powerhouse trial lawyers to handle his sexual assault case  a cast that may feature a woman as his lead counsel, according to people familiar with the discussions.

Mr. Weinsteins break from Mr. Brafman followed weeks of intense arguing between the two. It appeared to reflect a change in Mr. Weinstein. He had spent the past year largely in hiding after an avalanche of accusations from women about sexual harassment and assault made him the symbol of the #MeToo movement. During that time, he placed his entire faith in Mr. Brafman  a pugnacious former prosecutor at home in the citys criminal courts  to speak for him on the courthouse steps and to fight the sex-crime charges brought by the Manhattan district attorneys office.

But now Mr. Weinstein appears to be reasserting control over his defense  using the template set out by O.J. Simpson in his murder trial in 1995  and assembling a team of legal experts. One person familiar with Mr. Weinsteins thinking said he is looking for an experienced woman to defend him against allegations of rape and sexual assault.
Seven months ago, Michael Dickerson worked the morning shift at the McDonalds in Far Rockaway, Queens. He stocked the freezers with hamburgers, fixed frying machines and did whatever was needed.

Mr. Dickerson, 34, had no problem working hard, he said. But he was barely making enough to pay his bills, let alone make child support payments for his four children. Something had to change, he recalled thinking.

I want to live right and healthy and be somebody my kids can look up to, he said in a recent interview.
PARIS  When, at 12, Grayson Perry began covertly dressing in womens clothes, he assumed in his innocence that the impulse must have something to do with wanting to be a member of the opposite sex. For decades he pursued his cross-dressing adventures, first in private and then very publicly as a Turner Prize-winning artist whose performances increasingly incorporated his feminine alter ego, Claire.

It wasnt until 2000, the year he turned 40, that Mr. Perry experienced an epiphany about his cross-dressing. It was, as it turned out, really about me putting on the clothes that gave me the feelings that I wanted, he has been quoted as saying.

The most joltingly direct and concentrated emotional hit, he found, came from wearing frilly, flouncy, beribboned frocks, the kind of confectionary stuff you picture when you think of Little Bo Peep. Classic preadolescent dresses, in Mr. Perrys mind and also in his polemics, came to symbolize the antithesis of the macho. And it was Mr. Perry as Claire that came to mind often during the week of mens wear shows that ended in Paris on Sunday, and not only because Mr. Perry is the subject of an excellent exhibition at the Monnaie de Paris, or Paris Mint (Grayson Perry: Vanity, Identity, Sexuality, through Feb. 3).
The Hearth & Hound, the Hollywood restaurant opened by the chef April Bloomfield and the restaurateur Ken Friedman in 2017, closed after dinner service on Saturday night. Ms. Bloomfield, who made the announcement on the restaurants Instagram account, had acquired Mr. Friedmans share of the Hearth & Hound last June, when their decade-long partnership was dissolved in the wake of the sexual harassment scandal that engulfed the business.

Ms. Bloomfield posted the announcement as dinner guests were still ordering, and offered no reason for the closing. The post showed pictures of her and smiling employees, who number nearly 100. Im so proud of what we accomplished in our short time, she wrote. (The restaurant was open for just 15 months.) I thank our guests, friends and supporters for the warm welcome during a tumultuous last year.

Ms. Bloomfield did not respond to phone calls and text messages seeking further comment, and declined to speak to a reporter who approached her during dinner service on Saturday.

The large restaurant was packed, inside in the dining room and bar, and outside on the patio. Fires were still blazing in the open kitchen, where Ms. Bloomfield was cooking in a blue shirt and apron. She paused occasionally to greet regulars; as diners hugged her, she teared up and wiped her eyes.
The email did not mention that the article would also assert that Mr. Mueller had substantial evidence of the supposed presidential marching orders  a vital component that gave the story so much apparent heft.

To be fair, Fortress Mueller has been a frustration for reporters. The special counsels office has kept leaks to a minimum while refusing, for the most part, to confirm or deny whatever report about its work is firing up the news algorithm. While its impenetrability may explain the BuzzFeed reporters casual-seeming approach, its not much of an excuse for skipping the steps taught in Journalism 101.

The Mueller teams challenge to the BuzzFeed report is also exposing the flaws of the wider media ecosystem, which is all too ready to spring into action at any sign of the Big One. Within minutes of the articles publication on Thursday, Twitter was ablaze, and cable panelists were effusive. This is stunning, Don Lemon said on CNN. Lawrence ODonnell spoke of a Nixonian moment on MSNBC.

Fox News reported the articles claims as potentially an enormous, enormous problem for this presidency. But the guest who described it that way, the Fox News contributor Guy Benson, also warned, Proceed with caution on this story  it may be true, it may not.

By the following morning, other news organizations had failed to match the BuzzFeed piece with their own reporting and increasingly included if true caveats  but that didnt prevent hours of on-air speculation about the potential implications of subornation of perjury, with its echoes of Watergate.

Even after the special counsels statement on Friday night, Rachel Maddow of MSNBC speculated that it wasnt a true denial. During an interview with Mr. Smith, she asked, Do you have any concern that this statement from the special counsels office might be an effort to dissuade you and dissuade your reporters from pursuing this, even if it is accurate, either because it interferes with the special counsels investigation in some way or it is otherwise too uncomfortable for this Justice Department?
TOKYO  Carlos Ghosn, the embattled global auto executive who has spent the last two months jailed in Japan, is offering to post a higher bail amount and personally pay for an apartment in Tokyo along with private security guards as he prepares a case seeking his release before trial.

Mr. Ghosn, 64, who has been charged on three counts of financial misconduct at Nissan Motor, the Japanese auto company he led for two decades, was denied bail by a Tokyo court last week. The court rejected an appeal by his lawyers, who made a new bail application to the district court in Tokyo on Friday.

As the court considers my bail application, I want to emphasize that I will reside in Japan and respect any and all bail conditions the court concludes are warranted, Mr. Ghosn said in a statement released to the news media on Monday morning.

Mr. Ghosn, until recently the head of the car-making alliance of Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi, is making new assurances in support of his bail request in Tokyo as Renault, the French automaker, is preparing to cut ties with him under pressure from the French government, a shareholder in Renault.
1. The government shutdown lives on, but there have been hints of movement.

President Trump is still insisting on $5.7 billion for his wall on the southern border, and he announced Saturday that he would extend deportation protections for some undocumented immigrants in exchange for the wall money.

But it looked unlikely that Democrats, who had added more than $1 billion in border-related spending to their funding bills to try to get him to relent, would budge. Eight hundred thousand federal employees are still going without pay.
THE HEARTBEAT OF WOUNDED KNEE

Native America From 1890 to the Present

By David Treuer

Illustrated. 512 pp. Riverhead Books. $28.

Over the past 12 months, Native American politicians, artists and academics have made uncommon gains. Indeed, Native American women helped to make 2018 the Year of the Woman. In November, New Mexican and Kansan voters elected Debra Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) and Sharice Davids (Ho-Chunk) to Congress, while voters in Minnesota elected Peggy Flanagan (Ojibwe) their lieutenant governor. In October, the sociologist Rebecca Sandefur (Chickasaw) and the poet Natalie Diaz (Mojave) won MacArthur Foundation Awards, while throughout the spring and summer, the playwrights Mary Kathryn Nagle (Cherokee), Larissa FastHorse (Lakota) and DeLanna Studi (Cherokee) had historic openings at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., Artists Repertory Theater in Portland, Ore., and Portland Center Stage, respectively. From the cover of American Theater magazine in April to CNN on election night, the work of these eight dynamic Native women garnered national acclaim.

Such achievements represent more than added texture to the mosaic of modern America. They underscore the rising power of American Indians over the past two generations. During an era known as Self-Determination, Indian tribes and their citizens have changed not only their particular nations but also the larger nation around them. Though still poorly understood, this era emerged from urban and reservation activism in the 1960s and 70s, when community leaders, students and veterans, among others, challenged onerous policies that had aimed to assimilate tribal communities. The Self-Determination Era has now grown in prodigious ways and yielded countless examples of achievement across Native North America, including the elections of Haaland and Davids as the first American Indian women ever elected to Congress.
The Lower Manhattan Cultural Councils Extended Life residencies are getting an extension.

The organization announced Sunday that the dance development program, which provides financial and developmental support to midcareer artists, has been newly fortified by a $600,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, which will allow the projects scope to be expanded. The organization also announced the latest recipients.

The choreographers Nora Chipaumire, Beth Gill, Maria Hassabi, Sarah Michelson, Jennifer Monson, Okwui Okpokwasili, Pam Tanowitz and David Thomson will all receive support, with Ms. Chipaumire, Mr. Thomson, Ms. Gill and Ms. Michelson being given $15,000 a year and residency development space as part of a new branch of the program.

The organizations executive director of artistic programs, Lili Chopra, explained in a phone interview that the idea behind the new branch is to not only support creative endeavors but also to work with artists to make life in New York City more affordable.

We are really interested in looking at how artists are working today, she said, and how we think about the models in which independent artists  especially ones that are really heavy in research and development  operate today.
I now consider myself the only legitimate president, he added.

Congo went to the polls in December in what was intended to be the countrys first democratic handover of power in the 59 years since it gained independence from Belgium. For the past 21 years, the country has been led by the Kabila family, first by Laurent-Desire Kabila and then by his son Joseph Kabila.

But challenges were filed to the court, including by Mr. Fayulu, who said the result was announced only after Mr. Tshisekedi and Joseph Kabila, the outgoing president, came to a power-sharing agreement. The two have denied any such deal.

Fears of violent protest and a crackdown by the government have gripped the nation since the election. The government went as far as cutting internet and text messaging services in an attempt to maintain order in the weeks after the polls. Service was restored on Saturday night.

On Saturday, hundreds of supporters of Mr. Tshisekedi gathered in the capital, Kinshasa, to protest the challenge to his win. During a Friday news conference, Mr. Fayulu urged calm ahead of the results.
Mr. Kushner conceded in a briefing after the presidents speech that he did not see the proposal as a solution for the DACA program, which Mr. Trump moved to rescind in 2017.

At this moment in time, Mr. Kushner said, this is a good path forward.

Many conservatives did not share that view.

Trump proposes amnesty, the conservative commentator Ann Coulter said on Twitter. We voted for Trump and got Jeb! she added, referring to Jeb Bush, who challenged Mr. Trump for the Republican nomination in 2016 and supported a broad immigration overhaul that would have given undocumented immigrants a path to legal status.

Still, in the eyes of many White House officials, the prospect that Mr. Trump could use the proposal to shift blame for the shutdown and pressure Democrats to end the impasse was worth trying. Mr. Pence argued on Saturday that the speech was a sincere effort by Mr. Trump to break the logjam, and he and other White House officials suggested that the measure could attract enough support to succeed from centrist Democrats fed up with the shutdown and willing to side with Republicans.

But such a coalition did not appear to be forming, and courting one bears considerable risk for a president who is most comfortable when he is defying convention, eschewing compromise and being hailed as a hero by supporters who often equate bipartisan deal making with weak-kneed capitulation.

The vast majority of Democrats knocked the approach. While many of them have pressed for measures to protect DACA recipients and immigrants living in the United States under Temporary Protected Status enacted when their countries were destabilized by war or catastrophe, most regard the proposal he put forth on Saturday as woefully inadequate. It offers only three years of protections for the DACA recipients and those who hold T.P.S., which the Trump administration has also moved to end for several countries.

This is not an amnesty bill, Mr. Pence said. There is no pathway to citizenship in this proposal.
BOONE, Iowa  Senator Kirsten Gillibrand represents one of the biggest and bluest states in America, anchored by the nations largest urban metropolis. But as she made her way across snowy Iowa during her first visit as a presidential candidate, Ms. Gillibrand put far more emphasis on her upstate New York roots, bipartisanship and small-town political ancestry.

She talked about her love of RVs and her family vacation last summer to see a Nascar race  and suggested she could make an RV trip in Iowa this year. She spoke of her faith and finding common ground with Republicans. And she harked back repeatedly to her first run for Congress, in 2006, when she ousted a Republican incumbent in a seat that her pollster warned she couldnt win because there were more cows than Democrats.

I grew up in upstate New York, a community not unlike this one, Ms. Gillibrand said as she introduced herself at a house party in Sioux City on Friday evening. Of her first race, she said, It was a two-to-one Republican district, a lot like the district were in today.

The next morning, inside a cafe in Boone, she told the dozen or so people there: I really appreciate being in a rural place. Im from a rural place. I grew up in a rural place. I represented a rural place for Congress.
An initial report by Illinois State Police contradicted some witness accounts.

The report, which Mr. Kulis has criticized, says Roberson was given multiple verbal commands to drop his weapon and get on the ground before he was shot by Officer Covey. It also says Mr. Roberson was wearing plain black clothing with no markings that would identify him as a security guard, according to witnesses. Mr. Kulis told NPR that Mr. Roberson was wearing a hat with the word security on it.

Midlothian and Illinois state police, who are both investigating the shooting, had declined to name Officer Covey, even as Mr. Kulis subpoenaed records of the shooting and Mr. Robersons family pressed for the officer to be identified.

Nick Valadez, a lawyer for Midlothian, told The Chicago Tribune that growing pressure led to the decision to release the officers name.

Given that the vitriol has died down slightly and given that the name was being batted around, speculated to, as well as the plaintiff pursuing it and amending the complaint, it just seemed to be time, Mr. Valadez said.

Neither Midlothian nor Illinois state police responded to requests for comment on Saturday. Neither Officer Covey nor a union representing him could be reached for comment.

I want justice for my son. I want this officer put away. I want him to lose his job, Ms. Roberson said as some supporters held T-shirts with the words Security Guard. Dont Shoot and a picture of Mr. Robersons face.

Mr. Roberson had an infant son, and his girlfriend was pregnant with their second child. Ms. Roberson said he was a musician who loved playing the organ at church. She did not like that he worked as a security guard or that he wanted to become a police officer.
Some 2,000 homes in the Trois-Rivieres region have been repaired so far with the help of government aid and other programs. Connecticut is just beginning to get aid to families. Insurers here are also starting to pitch in with their own financial help, though more will be needed.
Several reporters who cover the Justice Department said they interpreted the statement as a full denial of BuzzFeeds conclusions. Mr. Smith, in the interview, said the wording of Mr. Carrs statement was imprecise, adding that he was eager to understand which specific aspects of the article the special counsels office had denied. Asked if the statement had caught him by surprise, Mr. Smith replied, You always have to be ready for everything in this business.

BuzzFeed News, the reporting division of a website better known for viral videos and quizzes, has scrambled for respect and recognition since its founding eight years ago. Under the direction of Mr. Smith, a longtime political journalist, the site has pursued ambitious stories. Last year it was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for an inquiry into the deaths of Russians in England, which Mr. Leopold worked on.

BuzzFeeds longtime investigative editor, Mark Schoofs, left in October for an academic post at the University of Southern California. His replacement, Heidi Blake, who is based in London, edited the Cohen piece, along with Mr. Smith and Ariel Kaminer, a senior investigations editor, both of whom are based in New York.

This is not the sites first brush with controversy. In January 2017, Mr. Smith was the first editor to publish the explosive, but unverified, dossier compiled by the former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele during the 2016 campaign. Besides earning ire from the White House, and some scolding from media ethicists, the site was also sued for libel by Mr. Cohen in a case that was later dropped. Last month, a federal judge ruled in favor of BuzzFeed in a separate dossier-related lawsuit.

Mr. Leopold, who is based in Los Angeles and known for his mastery of Freedom of Information laws, has a self-described checkered past in journalism that includes retracted reporting and accusations of plagiarism. In 2006, he reported for TruthOut.org, a liberal website, that Karl Rove, a senior adviser to then-president George W. Bush, would soon be indicted; the story proved false. Mr. Leopold has also spoken openly about his recovery from addiction. Asked about Mr. Leopolds past, Mr. Smith pointed to his Pulitzer Prize nomination last year.

The contentiousness over the recent BuzzFeed article is unlikely to abate soon.

Its central assertion pleased many liberals impatient for Mr. Mueller to release his findings. Democratic lawmakers were quick to write on Twitter that, if true, the articles findings could lead to impeachment. In covering the reaction to its own scoop, BuzzFeed ran the headline, More And More Democrats Are Suggesting Trump Should Be Impeached After He Told His Lawyer Michael Cohen To Lie To Congress.

The cold water of Mr. Carrs denial led some journalists to cringe on-air in real time. This is a bad day for us, the CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said on Friday, after his network had devoted many segments to dissecting the piece. It reinforces every bad stereotype about the news media.
Emboldened by the recent elections, progressive Democrats are proposing numerous radical and expensive programs, including single-payer health care and a Green New Deal. Unfortunately, these leftists suffer from cognitive dissonance on the cost and how to pay for these programs.

On trips to Scotland and Italy the last two years, I spoke with residents who love their socialized medicine. At the same time, they loudly complained about the onerous taxes they paid.

The darling of the left, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has proposed a Swedish-style progressive tax as high as 70 percent. What AOC does not tell you is that taxing the rich is not enough. European countries also impose regressive value-added taxes that hurt the poor.

Progressives point to Germany as a model for green energy. Perhaps they should read the liberal Der Spiegel, which has reported how poor Germans have had electric power disconnected because they could not pay for it.

We would be wise to remember the late Margaret Thatchers quote: The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples money.

Roland Camp, Munster

Love 7 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 4

Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.

Marc Chase Editor Marc Chase is a veteran investigative reporter, columnist and editor of more than two decades. He currently leads The Times news staff as local news editor. He can be reached at 219-933-3327. Follow Marc Chase Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
"Pope Francis said GOP frontrunner Donald Trump 'is not Christian' if he pledges to build a wall between the United States and Mexico."  News item, Feb 18, 2016.

Vatican City is surrounded by a fortress which, over the years, has protected popes from their enemies.

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.

I want a wall just like Israel's. Israel has a wall separating it from enemies, terrorists and potential illegal immigrants. And it works. It works so well that Israel is busy building a massive sea wall to protect its ports. The Jerusalem Post said illegal immigration dropped from 9,500 in the six months before the wall was completed to 36  and eventually to zero.

Walter Dougherty, Valparaiso

Love 11 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 7

Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.

Marc Chase Editor Marc Chase is a veteran investigative reporter, columnist and editor of more than two decades. He currently leads The Times news staff as local news editor. He can be reached at 219-933-3327. Follow Marc Chase Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
Winnefeld: It really isnt. I tell people that if you put someone in inpatient treatment, the only thing you get out of that is 30 days of sleep, knowing your loved one is in a safe place. After 30 days, the brain simply has not recovered enough to go back out into the real world. The chances of a full recovery are very low if you only have 30 days of treatment.

Q: President Donald Trump has created a commission to focus on the crisis and drug addiction. And Congress has passed a 21st Century Cures Act. Are we headed in the right direction?

Winnefeld: The vector is in the right direction but nowhere near strong enough. The first thing I would do is compliment (former New Jersey) Gov. (Chris) Christie on his work leading the mission that the president put together. This is the most important work Gov. Christie will do in his public life.

The challenge is that the commissions recommendations are not being implemented nearly fast enough, if at all. We know what we need to do at the federal level, but were not doing enough of it.
The focus of the Brookings study is job growth and how Indiana might attract and retain companies that will provide the types of careers that will allow workers to continue to progress in their career and wages. While this is a worthy topic, and one that Ivy Tech is committed to serving, its only part of our mission.

Just as important is Ivy Techs role in developing talent prepared for todays jobs, more than 80,000 of which are going unfilled in our state right now. And we know Hoosiers will need to continue to skill up. That is why we make virtually all of our programs and short-term certificates stackable." This means students can come back to Ivy Tech or to our university partners to continue skilling up as their jobs evolve and even better career opportunities present themselves.

We commend Hicks for encouraging Indiana to think boldly about how we remain competitive in attracting economic investment and viable, sustainable job growth. Its fair to suggest our community college must continue to improve, along with other state workforce development entities and education institutions. That is our primary goal each and every day, and our faculty and staff are equally committed to this effort. We embrace the critical role we play in growing Indianas economy and the prosperity of Hoosiers.
A reporter asked Trump on the South Lawn as he headed to Marine One for a trip to the border Jan. 10, Does the buck stop with you over this shutdown? It was a notion (The buck stops here) embraced by every president since Harry Truman. But not this president, who responded, The buck stops with everybody.

As he headed to the Mexican border at McAllen, Texas, Trump also disavowed saying that Mexico would pay for the wall he wants American taxpayers to foot: Obviously, I never said this, and I never meant theyre going to write out a check. But Hoosiers know better. At rallies from Indy, to Westfield, to Fort Wayne to Evansville, Trump repeatedly said he would build a wall and Mexico would pay for it. I heard him say it; you heard him say it. According to the Washington Post, hes said it 212 times, even on his campaign website.

On the 21st day of the shutdown, Pence met with unpaid federal workers, saying, Focus on the mission. I want to assure you that were going to figure this thing out.

But days before, Pence ruled out the most obvious deal where everyone could win: Border security funding for a Dreamer deal that would impact some 10,000 Hoosier kids who face banishment after coming here with their parents, and more than a million nationally.
"He has violated that order, and based on recent remarks he made in video, Hammond police detectives are investigating the crimes and deciding if filing additional charges is an option at this time," Kellogg added. "Detectives are working closely with the victim to ensure that everything possible is done to stop this criminal behavior.

'I don't have plans on going anywhere else'

Even with the neighbor conflict, McDowell said she's standing her ground.

McDowell is a full-time working, single mother with three children, including a 17-year-old daughter, a 14-year-old son and an 11-month old girl. She moved from Chicago to Hammond in 2011 to anchor her family.

I'm a very family-oriented person, and I moved out here because I heard nothing but good about Hammond and it being family-oriented and the mayor and what he does for the community, McDowell said. I like it here. I don't have any plans of going anywhere else, and I refuse to let somebody like him just run me out.

McDowell said she doesn't know what the future holds but said she will remain vigilant in documenting incidents of harassment.
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS: The House passed the Clarity on Small Business Participation in Category Management Act (H.R. 226), sponsored by Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez, D-N.Y., to change the categories included in Small Business Administration annual reports on small business contracting goals. Velazquez said the change would particularly help minority-, women- and veteran-owned small businesses in their efforts to remain competitive in the federal contracting marketplace. The vote, on Jan. 9, was 414 yeas to 11 nays.

OBAMACARE LITIGATION: The House agreed to a title of a bill (H. Res. 6), sponsored by Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md. The title would authorize House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to intervene, on behalf of the House, in an effort to uphold the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in the case of Texas v. United States, which concerns the constitutionality of the ACA. A supporter, Rep. Donna Shalala, D-Fla., said the title would allow the House to "defend the valuable protections in the Affordable Care Act that this case threatens to take away." An opponent, Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., said it would be a partisan, money-wasting effort by Democrats that went against the desire of many states to have the Affordable Care Act repealed. The vote, on Jan. 9, was 235 yeas to 192 nays.
GARY  One promotes health care in this city. The others maintain their business in Gary, support teachers and education, fought for workers' rights or rewrote fire safety procedures.

Those five people earned Drum Major and Marcher awards Saturday from the Gary Frontiers Service Club at the group's 40th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast at the Genesis Convention Center.

The awards recognize someone who has dedicated her/his life to improving the human condition of others. As Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson described them, the honorees share a tremendous heart for service.

Despite the snow, hundreds attended and watched as Dr. Janet Seabrook accepted the Drum Major Award. The CEO of Community HealthNet, Seabrook responded after Gary in 1996 was named the neediest U.S. city without community health. In 1998, one year out of medical residency, she founded Community HealthNet, which in the past two decades has grown from one trailer in the Glen Park section of Gary to six locations around Lake County.

I am humbled and overwhelmed by this award, said Seabrook, a 2018 Marcher honoree and great-niece of the late Martha Morgan Naylor, the 2011 Drum Major Award recipient.
Dunes Dog Training Club will hold a Pets N Vets fundraiser. The bowling fundraiser begins at 10 p.m. Feb. 16 until 1 a.m. Feb. 17 at The Super Bowl, 218 W. East St. Bowling tickets are $22 and include bowling, food and shoe rental. Pre-purchase bowling tickets from Dunes Dog Training Club members. For information, call Harvey Roller at 219-776-5335; or the club at 219-996-4770.

The Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce is hosting the third annual Fish-On Portage, a fishing and outdoor show. The show will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 23 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 24 at Woodland Park, 2100 Willowcreek Road. All outdoor events to be showcased include hunting, fishing, snowshoeing, archery, kayaking, hiking, bird watching and more. The Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce is accepting vendors representing these activities or other activities involving the outdoors. Concessions will be available. There will be door prizes, a childrens area with Petey the Perch and other activities. Seminars will run throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $2 for ages 7 to 18. There will be free parking.
Long Road to Hard Truth: The 100-Year Mission to Create the National Museum of African-American History and Culture at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 12 in the Bruce W. Bergland Auditorium, Savannah Center.

An Indiana native and Harvard University graduate, Judge Robert Wilkins, is a U.S. circuit judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Wilkins will discuss how the museum came to be, evolving from the early history of advocates clamoring for a monument to recognize black soldiers in the Civil War, to the September 2016 opening of the NMAAHC, a process that took 100 years.

For more information on these events, contact the Office of Diversity, Equity and Multicultural Affairs at 219-980-6596 or kevsbrya@iun.edu.

Purdue Northwest hosts Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration Breakfast and Reception

HAMMOND AND WESTVILLE  Purdue University Northwest (PNW) invites the Northwest Indiana community to celebrate diversity and inclusion through the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. in two events on its Westville and Hammond campuses Jan. 21 and 22. Michigan City, Indiana native Dr. Theo Williams will deliver the keynote presentation at both celebrations.
The attorney for convicted ex-Lake County Sheriff John Buncich argued his remaining convictions should be reversed in paperwork filed Saturday.

On Dec. 21, the federal government conceded that Buncich should be re-sentenced due to insufficient evidence presented at trial on three wire fraud counts.

Previously the government agreed the court should vacate Buncich's convictions on Counts 1 through 3, affirm the other convictions, and remand for sentencing, according to a court filing Dec. 21 in the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago.

Kerry Connor, Buncich's attorney, presented arguments for the striking down of the remaining convictions.

"It should be of grave concern that Counts 1 to 3 were brought by the government at all," Connor said in the filed argument. "...That the jury did convict the defendant of three counts for which even the government concedes there is no evidence, demonstrates a level of severe prejudicial infirmity."

Connor argued that there is no substantial evidence to convict Buncich on Count 4, honest services fraud, due to lack of evidence that the payments from Scott Jurgensen, an FBI informant and owner of Samson's Towing in Merrillville, were in fact bribes.
Ice Fishing Derby

Grab your winter gear and poles to take part in the Rosser Park Ice Fishing Derby from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 26. Enjoy breakfast, cash prizes, and raffles while you fish. Cost is $20/adult and $5/16 years of age and under. Rosser Park is located at 3216 Minnesota St., Lake Station; doors open at 4:30 a.m. Call 219-942-0055 for details.

Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad

The Theatre at the Centers Theatre for Young Audiences will perform Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad Jan. 22-26. This stirring drama is a tribute to the great American who freed herself and hundreds of slaves with courage. Show is recommended for grades 4-12. Visit theatreatthecenter.com for details about the TYA performances.

Tickets Available  Shelf Ice Brewfest

Tickets are available for the annual Shelf Ice Brewfest in Michigan City from 1 to 5 p.m. Feb. 16. Beer enthusiasts can enjoy 40 local and regional breweries, fun snow activities, ice sculptures, food and more. Tickets are limited and range from $10-70. Visit Eventbrite.com for details.
A great American who freed herself and hundreds of people from the bonds of slavery, Harriet Tubman was determined to change the world. This theatrical experience for young audiences begins as Harriets friend, Sarah Bradford, author of Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman, is persuading a publisher to print her book. The publisher is not enthusiastic until he begins to read through the stories of Harriets life. Virginia Rep on Tour brings this wonderful production to Theatre at the Center, Saturday, Jan. 26 for the public, and Jan. 22 through 25 for school groups. 219-836-3255 or www.theatreatthecenter.com
"When we free it up from buildings and coal ash, the possibilities are endless," Meer said. "One of the main components would be a walkway along the access that would link the harbor to Mount Baldy. Future generations of our residents should be able to walk that mile to the National Lakeshore."

Michigan City will have to work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to work out logistical issues like erosion and if any limitations to the site would restrict access to the lake. But the hope is that additional shoreline could help boost tourism and draw more people to town and other Michigan City destinations, like the Lighthouse Place Premium Outlets, the Uptown Arts District and the Blue Chip Casino, Hotel and Spa.

"It could be a nice promenade," he said. "What's important is the vistas and the views."

Michigan City Generating Station has long been a local landmark but it's been blocking the view that's one of the city's top assets, Meer said.

"It's been an industrial factory with a cooling tower since I was a child," he said. "But I don't think I would miss it."

Love 16 Funny 3 Wow 1 Sad 5 Angry 13

The business news you need With a weekly newsletter looking back at local history. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Moving back across the pond, we also have our own international political drama unfolding as we speak. Remember all that "Trumpian" noise over China in the fall? Well, although the rhetoric has quieted down a bit, the drama continues behind closed doors. As the tariff and trade war talk heated up to unproductive levels, the President took a cooling off period approach and paused the phase-in of the next tariffs until March. According to CNBC, the two governments re-engaged last week and are at least talking.

To address the complete scope of concerns between the two nations is, in my opinion, highly unlikely. The issues are too large, the cultures too divergent, and the national agendas too opposing. What I believe we can hope for is improvement around the margins, some political face saving, and enough wins for both sides to step back the rhetoric and much of the punitive tariffs. What I fear is, to much pride and ambition on behalf of both governments. I also think its highly likely this one goes down to the wire as well, causing once again, more uncertainty between now and March.
Libby Rocco, center, stands with long-time friends Mike Ashley, left, and Rich Church, right, as she accepts her Citizen of the Year award from the Shenandoah County Chamber of Commerce.
(CNN)  The children's eyes light up when their mother pulls out a photo of her triplets taken shortly after their birth in 2015.

"Moez!" three-year old Moez says, pointing at the infant version of himself.

"Elina!" says his sister Elina.

But when it comes to the third baby in the photograph, the siblings become confused.

When they grow older, their mother Mihrigul Tursun says, she will tell her children about their missing brother Mohaned.

"I will tell them everything," Tursun says. "I will tell them the Chinese government killed their brother."

Tursun says she and her son are victims of Beijing's growing crackdown on Muslim majority Uyghurs in China's far western Xinjiang region, where a U.S. State Department official says at least 800,000 and possibly up to two million people may have been detained in huge "re-education centers."

The Urumqi Children's Hospital in Xinjiang, where Tursun says her son died, didn't respond to CNN's requests for comment meaning CNN is unable to independently confirm her claims.

But Tursun's story of detention and torture fits a growing pattern of evidence emerging about the systematic repression of religious and ethnic minority groups carried out by the Chinese government in Xinjiang.

'Open-air prison'

China's actions in Xinjiang have been fiercely condemned by countries around the world, including in the United States, where lawmakers introduced draft legislation called the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act on Thursday.

"Credible reports found that family members of Uyghurs living outside of China had gone missing inside China, that Chinese authorities were pressuring those outside the country to return, and that individuals were being arbitrarily detained in large numbers," lawmakers wrote.

According to the U.S. State Department, Chinese authorities have indefinitely detained at least 800,000 Uyghur, ethnic Kazakhs and other Muslim minorities since April 2017.

"The pervasive surveillance in place across Xinjiang today has been frequently described as an 'open-air prison,'" Assistant Secretary of State Scott Busby said on December 4th while testifying before Congress.

Beijing has had a long and fractious history with Xinjiang, a massive, nominally autonomous region in the far west of the country that is home to a relatively small population of around 22 million in a nation of 1.4 billion people.

The predominately Muslim Uyghurs, who are ethnically distinct from the country's majority ethnic group, the Han Chinese, form the majority in Xinjiang, where they account for just under half of the total population.

Uyghurs have likened China's campaign against their people to a form of "cultural genocide," with former internment camp detainees describing forced lessons in Communist Party propaganda and region-wide bans on Uyghur culture and traditions.

China has repeatedly denied it is imprisoning or re-educating Uyghurs in Xinjiang, instead saying that it is undertaking voluntary vocational training as part of an anti-extremism program.

"The local Chinese government is taking these preventative counter-terrorism and de-extremization measures to protect more people from being devoured by terrorism and extremism," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said last month

In early January, Chinese authorities took some foreign diplomats and journalists on a carefully supervised tour of some of the "vocational education centers."

Detainees were seen taking language courses in standard Mandarin Chinese, painting, performing ethnic dances and even singing the song, "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands," according to a Reuters report.

"All of us found that we have something wrong with ourselves and luckily enough the Communist Party and the government offer this kind of school to us for free," one Uyghur inmate told journalists during the tour.

'Where is my baby?'

When Mihrigul Tursun touched down in Urumqi, Xinjiang, to see her parents on March 13, 2015, she didn't know it was the beginning of three years of pain and loss.

Tursun had grown up in Xinjiang, but like many young Uyghurs moved overseas for employment opportunities. She was flying with her eight-week old triplets from Egypt where she had been living and working. Upon arrival at Urumqi airport, she claims Chinese officials began to ask her questions.

"They start to ask me, what you take from Egypt? Who (do) you know in Egypt? How many Uyghurs do you know?" Tursun says.

It was at this point, Tursun claims, that she was detained and her three children taken from her by officials.

CNN contacted multiple Chinese ministries and institutions mentioned by Tursun, including the Xinjiang Prisons Administration Bureau and Urumqi Police, for comment on her story but none responded.

After she was released from detention three months later, doctors told her that her son Mohaned had passed away in the local Urumqi Children's Hospital.

All a doctor told her about Mohaned's death was that he had died at some point after an operation. He was less than a year old.

Tursun says she was never given any reason why her children were admitted to hospital. When she questioned why her children had matching scars at the base of their necks, she was told intravenous drips had been necessary to give them nutrition.

Even then Tursun says the Chinese authorities didn't leave her alone. She says her passport was confiscated, forcing her to remain inside China.

In April 2017, while in her parents' home county of Qarqan, 1,184 kilometers (735 miles) away from Urumqi, she says she was taken away from her two remaining children and placed in detention by Chinese authorities.

After she was taken into the Xinjiang center, Tursun says police placed her in an overcrowded cell with more than 50 other women. Many of them, she recognized from her hometown.

"I see someone is my doctor, someone is my (middle) school teacher. Some are neighbors. Some studied with me (in the) same school," Tursun says, a single tear running down her cheek. Tursun says the inmates ranged in age from 17 to 62.

The room was so crowded that the women had to take turns sleeping in shifts and standing. During her time in the centers, Tursun claims she saw nine of the detainees die due to hostile conditions.

One woman, a 62-year-old named Gulsahan, had spent at least six months in the center, says Tursun. "Her legs and her face were swollen and there were rashes," Tursun recalls. One day Gulsahan didn't wake up.

"Police tell us 'make her wake up.' When we touch her hand she is cold," Tursun says.

According to Tursun, another casualty was a 23-year-old a mother of two, named Padegun, who had spent thirteen months in prison.

For two months, says Tursun, Padegun suffered from non-stop menstrual bleeding. One night, at around 4 a.m., Tursun says Padegun collapsed during a shift when she was among the prisoners standing.

"We all screamed and then police said don't anyone touch her. (Then) they dragged her by her feet," says Tursun.

I don't remember my parents' voices

Tursun's eyewitness accounts are a long distance from the happy, almost utopian image of the camps Beijing has attempted to paint in its official propaganda.

In footage from inside the camps broadcast on Chinese state-run TV in 2018, Uyghur inmates were shown attentively sitting in classes learning standard Mandarin Chinese, and being taught skills such as sewing.

But many Uyghurs whose relatives are believed to have disappeared into this detention system call the idea it is a voluntary vocational training system absurd.

"My mom (Gulnar Telet) is a mathematics teacher. She graduated from university. She's fluent in Mandarin. I don't know what kind of skill or education she needs," 21-year-old Arfat Aeriken says. "It's just an excuse."

Aeriken grew up in Xinjiang but moved to the U.S. to get a university education overseas in 2015. Gradually, his parents stopped calling or messaging him until all communication ceased some time in 2017.

"My parents didn't want to 'get disappeared' so they didn't text me too often," he says. "It was very apparent that having contact with someone outside of China is dangerous."

He said he only finally learned that both his parents had been detained from a family friend who fled to Kazakhstan last August.

In September, Aeriken posted a desperate plea on YouTube, begging the U.S. government and the United Nations to take notice.

"I don't remember when was the last time I heard my parents' voice," he says in the video. "I ask the United States government, United Nations and all other foreign governments to take immediate action to stop this brutal attempted ethnic cleansing."

Afraid to communicate with anyone in Xinjiang, he says he has no information about who may be caring for his 10-year-old younger brother.

Aeriken has been granted asylum in the U.S. But with no tuition money coming from his parents he has been forced to drop out of college.

He isn't alone. There is an untold number of other international students from Xinjiang similarly stranded in the U.S., according to Sean Roberts, a professor of development studies at George Washington University and expert in Uyghur language and culture.

"They're terrified. They don't know what to do. They don't necessarily want to declare asylum in the US because that reflects badly on their family," says Roberts. "But they've also gotten messages from the region that they shouldn't come back because they'll definitely be put in one of these internment camps."

'When my country is free'

It wasn't until 2018 that Mihrigul Tursun and her children finally escaped China.

She said diplomats from the Egyptian Embassy in Beijing intervened to help secure her release from prison and reunite her with her Egyptian-born children. In April, she finally left for Cairo.

Today, she and her children live in a two bedroom apartment in Virginia, on the East Coast of the United States, where they are working through the US asylum process.

The adjustment has not been easy.

Her son Moez suffers chronic asthma attacks, that have landed the family in the emergency room twice in recent months.

But without health insurance, Tursun says she cannot afford to take her son to a pediatrician. Meanwhile, she says for the last month her parents' phones have gone silent.

Asked whether she think she'll ever see her parents again, she says "only when my country is free."

"Then maybe I can see them."

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Uyghur refugee tells of death and fear inside China's Xinjiang camps."
Roseburg, OR (97470)

Today

Mainly clear. Low around 55F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low around 55F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Each year, people travel to Washington, D.C., from all over the United States to demonstrate peacefully on behalf of the unborn as part of the March for Life. It warms my heart to see so many people  many of them young Nebraskans  braving the elements to remind our national leaders that we value life in its earliest form.

Since the inaugural March for Life in 1974, which drew around 20,000 people, the number of participants has grown into the hundreds of thousands. Each person marching represents many more Americans who believe defending the sanctity of human life is essential to defending our freedom as a society.

There are indications the rising generation is the most pro-life generation in recent memory. Advancements in ultrasound imaging technology have made it increasingly difficult to overlook the humanity of unborn children. The Trump administration has taken several encouraging steps as Vice President Pence continues to affirm the hope that the current generation will restore the right to life.

Tragically, the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision led to federal abortion laws on par with countries whose human rights records are among the worst in the world, including North Korea and China. We remain one of only seven countries that permit abortions on demand after 20 weeks of pregnancy  an age at which studies have proven babies can feel pain.
If one or more national chains do set up shop here, we must make it worth their while, with our friendly smiles and our shopping dollars.

But we cannot expect others to volunteer to fill North Plattes empty storefronts. Especially when every out-of-town shopping trip we make and every online order we place, necessary as some of the goods we seek might be, signals that theres no profit in their investing here.

If we value local choice, we must be ready to provide it ourselves. Thats the second lesson.

That means encouraging small, existing local retailers to grow  through our patronage and assistance  and helping others to get started.

North Plattes historic downtown buildings werent filled by major national chains when built a century and more ago. Yes, Penneys was here then, but it wasnt yet what it became.

The businesses that sprouted and blossomed downtown were planted by individuals. A few, like W.J. OConnor and the Hirschfeld brothers, came from other Nebraska or regional cities and stayed. But most were local.

Our western Nebraska ancestors couldnt, and didnt, count on folks back East to save them. And neither can we.
The Lincoln County Commissioners meeting will be on Tuesday at 9 a.m. this week. The courthouse will be closed on Monday in commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

At the meeting, commissioners will consider directing Lincoln County Attorney Rebecca Harling to draft a petition to file with the Nebraska Tax Equalization and Review Commission to allow the county assessors office to use an alternate professionally accepted mass appraisal technique for Parkland Estates II and Luke Estates in North Platte.

Last week, Charity Farley, lead appraiser with the assessors office, told commissioners that the income approach specified by state statute 77-1333 results in an assessment far below the market value of the properties.

In other business, commissioners will:

 Hear a year end report by Lincoln County Sheriff Jerome Kramer.

 Consider final plans and a budget presented by Lee Davies, architect, for the first floor restroom renovation project at the courthouse.

 Receive and order filed fee reports submitted by the county sheriff.

 Consider claims and treasurers receipts.
Last weekend I wrapped up my 2018-19 deer hunting season. I was hunting in Nebraskas late antlerless deer season that ended Jan. 15. This season is designed to manage the overall size of the herd. By concentrating on shooting does, you limit the reproductive potential of the herd. It is a prudent approach to wildlife management. Over the last decade, my core hunting group and I have tried to help in the herd management efforts by hunting this season, but with a unique twist.

Most hunters in Nebraska use rifles. They hunt the same way year after year. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with this, a few years back I suggested to my group of campmates that we do something a bit different and hunt with a variety of firearms. The result is that weve have had a lot of fun doing this, and some of my hunting buddies have even confessed that they never would have thought to do it on their own.

Over the years we have hunted with lever action rifles, using only iron sights  because John Wayne never used a scope. We have used big bore revolvers and shotguns using slugs. Last year, our theme was vintage military service rifles, World War II or older. That was quite an eclectic looking gun rack in camp that year.
Foldable phones have been the talk of the town for the last two years at the very least, and 2019 will likely herald the advent of the first set of bendy devices. The Royole FlexPai has the privilege of being the first foldable phone to hit the market, but it's still very much imperfect hardware. That said, the first to the punch usually still has a number of kinks to be worked out, and the FlexPai is to be respected for what it stands for, more than for what it actually is.

Samsung is set to launch its own flexible phone in January, and we expect the world's biggest smartphone manufacturer to deliver a far more polished device. Companies like Xiaomi have also teased their own takes on flexible hardware, and we'll be surprised if other big OEMs don't join the trend this year.


The Samsung Exynos 9820-powered version of the forthcoming Galaxy S10 has landed on Geekbench. Unsurprisingly, it continues to lag Apple in terms of single-core performance but looks to be able to outrun the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Galaxy S10 variant in this key metric.

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

Samsungs eagerly anticipated Galaxy S10 has been spotted on Geekbench ahead of its official unveiling. This is the second time in recent weeks that the S10 has made an appearance on Geekbench, although on this occasion it is running Samsungs homegrown Exynos 9820 instead of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855. As has been the case for some time, Samsung will ship the S10 models with Snapdragon chips to the US market and will fit the Exynos chips for models shipping internationally.

Again, as in the past there will naturally be performance variations between the Galaxy S10 depending on market as a result, but broadly speaking they are absolutely comparable chipsets. On this occasion, the Exynos 9820-powered S10 outstrips the single-core performance of the Snapdragon 855 variant with a score of 4382 compared with a score of 3413. Both, however, are well off the single-core performance of the Apple A12 Bionic-powered iPhone Xs line. The A12 picks up a single-core score of 4797.

The Exynos 9820 is clearly an excellent performer, however, and has gained ground on Apple in this regard. However, the Apple A12 kills both the Exynos 9820 and Snapdragon 855 in multicore performance with a score of 17931. The Exynos 9820 can only muster a multicore score of 9570 whereas the Snapdragon 855 puts in a respectable score of 10256. That said, in terms of everyday use, both the Exynos 9820 and Snapdragon 855 are still going to be very solid chips offering more than enough performance.

Apple jumped to a 64-bit architecture for the A7 SoC first found in the iPhone 5S in 2013, a full year or more ahead of its competition, and has held that lead in chip design and performance ever since.
Caleb Slinkard was hired as the editor of the Norman Transcript in August of 2015. He is a graduate of Texas A&M University-Commerce and previously was in charge of several newspapers in northeast Texas.

Follow Caleb Slinkard Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
Its a story that is heard too often  and unnecessarily  in this country: Police in the Phoenix suburb of Tempe, Arizona, say a burglary suspect shot to death by an officer Tuesday was a 14-year-old boy carrying a replica gun.

Authorities said Tempe officers reported a suspect burglarizing a car ran away and he was holding what appeared to be a handgun.

During the chases, police said he turned toward the officers. One officer perceived that as a threat and shot the suspect, who died at a hospital. Police said that the teen had a replica 1911 airsoft gun in his possession, which they determined he had taken from the vehicle.

Although the footage has not been released, police said that the shooting was captured on the officers body camera. Hopefully, the footage will support the officers decision  a decision that must be made in seconds or fractions of seconds.

The replica guns that are currently available  and available widely  are, from even a close distance, virtually indistinguishable from the real guns. While its clearly unfortunate that a Tempe teen died in the latest incident, its equally clear that the officers chasing the teen could not reasonably know that it was not a real gun or what the young mans intentions were with that gun.
A Saylor Township man arrested Wednesday is being held without bond at the Polk County Jail in Des Moines on numerous burglary charges and warrants for his arrest as authorities believe him to be responsible for more than 25 burglaries across Iowa.

Eric Hall, 43, is charged with three counts of burglary, eluding, interference with official acts, criminal mischief and a probation violation out of Wisconsin.

According to the Iowa Department of Public Safety, law enforcement agencies began responding to burglaries in rural businesses across Iowa and Minnesota in September 2018.

The burglar forced their way in late at night when the businesses were closed. The burglar would steal primarily cash from these businesses, the department said in a statement released Friday.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Law enforcement agencies across the state worked together by sharing details of the burglaries, along with video surveillance to catch the suspect.

Hall was identified as a suspect, who was arrested Wednesday after an off-duty Guthrie County Sheriffs Office deputy located Hall at the Prairie Meadows Casino in Altoona.

The deputy notified Polk County Sheriffs Office deputies about Hall, who responded to arrest him.
A 43-year-old New Orleans man died in a fatal motorcycle crash on LA 46 in St. Bernard Parish early Saturday (Jan. 19) morning, State Police said.

Michael Richardson was driving a 1999 Honda motorcycle and heading east on LA 46 around 3:35 a.m. when he lost control of the vehicle near Volpe Drive. He ran off the road to the right and was ejected from the motorcycle, police said.

Richardson, who was not wearing a helmet, was pronounced dead on the scene, police said.

It was not immediately clear if speed or impairment were factors in the crash. A toxicology test and autopsy will be performed, police said.

Louisiana law requires all motorcyclists to wear helmets. For more information on the Louisiana Motorcycle Safety, Awareness, and Operator Training Program, visit http://www.lsp.org/motorcycle.html
The U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly last week for a resolution rejecting White nationalism and White supremacy as hateful expressions of intolerance that are contradictory to the values that define the people of the United States.

The measure was aimed at Iowa Republican Steve King, who had made the mistake of saying what he actually thought in an interview with The New York Times.

White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization  how did that language become offensive? King asked. Why did I sit in classes teaching me about the merits of our history and our civilization?

The House Republican leadership stripped King of his committee assignments, essentially making him a non-entity in Congress, a point further emphasized by calls from House Republican Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that the nine-term congressman resign.

Cantrell on New Orleans police chief: I got this

The aggressive response raised two obvious questions: Why now, after what one GOP aide called Kings lifetime achievement award of awful comments? And why arent Republicans calling out President Donald Trump for the same kind of rhetoric?

The short answer is political calculation. Republicans just lost the House and Kings usual margin of victory shrank from 20 points down to 3. Trump, meanwhile, maintains strong support from the GOP base. The electoral formula says to dis King and stick with Trump.

This is one of the reasons the GOPs disavowing of racists has become a nearly continuous wash, rinse and repeat cycle instead of a true purge over the years.

In a twist on hate the sin, but love the sinner, Republicans have tried to condemn the sinner while not alienating the sinners supporters. Trying to have it both ways has left a legacy of mixed messages and dog whistles.

This is nothing new. Almost exactly 30 year ago, former Ku Klux Klan wizard David Duke won a Louisiana House seat in Metairie, sending GOP leaders into an apoplexy of disavowals.

Duke, then 38 and president of a Klan makeover called the National Association for the Advancement of White People, narrowly defeated fellow Republican John Treen in a special election Feb. 18, 1989.

Duke won despite public condemnation from the national and state parties and endorsements of Treen by former President Ronald Reagan and sitting President George H.W. Bush.

Republican National Chairman Lee Atwater could not have been stronger in spurning Duke after the election results were released that Saturday night.

"David Duke is not a Republican," Atwater said in a released statement. "He's a pretender, a charlatan and a political opportunist who is looking for any organization he can find to try to legitimize his views of racial and religious bigotry and intolerance.

"We repudiate him in his views, and we will take steps to see that he is disenfranchised from our party if he is declared the official winner."

This is the same Lee Atwater who had just helped Bush get elected with a promise to make black inmate Willie Horton [Democrat Dukakis] running mate and years earlier had described the evolution of the Southern strategy as going from saying, [N-word, N-word, N-word], in 1954 to using terms like forced busing, states' rights, and all that stuff before transitioning to tax cuts.

Now, youre talking about cutting taxes, and all these things youre talking about are totally economic things and a byproduct of them is, blacks get hurt worse than whites, Atwater said in an interview. "'We want to cut this, is much more abstract than even the busing thing, uh, and a hell of a lot more abstract than [N-word, N-word].

Long after Atwater and the GOP publicly disowned Duke they were still courting his followers.

Thats how Steve Scalise, then a state representative from the same House District 81 that Duke won 30 years ago, appeared at a 2002 gathering of the European-American Unity and Rights Organization, yet another Duke creation.

Scalise, who is now the second-ranking Republican in the U.S. House, survived the political fallout when the EURO appearance was uncovered in 2014, saying he was unaware of the organizations white supremacy creed or its connection to Duke. He repudiated both.

But then, Scalise also once described himself to a reporter as like David Duke without the baggage.

This is the crux of the Republican Party problem. It is politically compelled to excommunicate the likes of Duke and King, but cant let go of the racist baggage that sill stirs too many voters.

Texas agrees: Slavery main cause of the Civil War

King was already using his public rebuke to rally his followers before the week was out.

The unhinged left has teamed up with Republican NeverTrumpers and is pulling out all the stops to destroy me, King wrote in a campaign email to his supporters, claiming the rabid leftist media are coming after him for supporting President Trump and because of his views on immigration.

This is why Republicans have to keep denouncing racists.

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.
Superintendent Shaun Ferguson is taking over a New Orleans Police Department that is in much better shape than it was just a few years ago.

The department is roughly six years into a federal court consent decree that ordered wide-ranging reforms to eliminate unconstitutional policing. U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan has praised NOPD for making significant strides in reforming the department.

But there is more work to be done, as federal monitors emphasized in a recent email exchange with the city attorneys office. As you know, substantial work remains to be done in, among other areas, bias-free policing, community policing, performance evaluations, and stops, searches, and arrests before the NOPD will achieve compliance with the Consent Decrees requirements, lead monitor Jonathan Aronie wrote Dec. 13 in response to a city email.

Superintendent Ferguson, who was sworn in Friday, acknowledged the importance of the consent decree during a press conference last week. He is committed, he said, to constitutional policing. Id like to see the department come full circle with the consent decree, we need to complete that process, he said.

That is essential.

'We are in this together,' NOPD's new chief Shaun Ferguson says at swearing-in

Superintendent Ferguson talked about other top priorities, including decreasing homicides and shootings and strengthening the relationship between police and residents.

To residents, he said, I assure you that we will build on the positive relationships that have already been established, we will mend any relationships that may have been broken, as well as forge new relationships.

The annual Crime Coalition survey last fall found an uptick in citizen satisfaction with the NOPD after a significant decrease the year before. The survey found that 55 percent of residents were satisfied with NOPDs performance in 2018 compared with 51 percent in 2017.

These ratings are far higher than when the survey started in 2009 in the midst of federal investigations into Katrina-era crimes committed by police officers. Overall satisfaction then was at only 33 percent.

The improvement is a credit to former Superintendent Michael Harrison, who made implementation of the consent decree a top priority.

One of the positive effects of that wide-ranging order is that officers are being trained to handle crisis situations. The program is voluntary, but about 40 percent of officers have gone through Crisis Intervention Team training.

That training teaches officers how to quickly assess a mental health crisis call, recognize the signs of different mental illnesses and de-escalate a situation. As mental health calls increase, those skills are essential to the safety of officers and the people in crisis.

NOPD already has trained more officers in CIT than the consent decree requires, but the goal ought to be to get every officer trained.

How can we make New Orleans a truly peaceful city?

Superintendent Ferguson also will need to continue to rebuild troop strength. Recent pay raises have helped slow the loss of officers to other jobs or retirement, and improved recruiting has started to fill the void caused by a hiring freeze during Mitch Landrieus tenure.

As of Dec. 13, NOPD had 1,162 officers and 59 recruits on the payroll. Assuming all those recruits become officers, that still leaves the department at least 200 officers short of the citys hiring goal.

The current city budget only allows for 1,203 officers, which wouldnt include room for more recruit classes this year. That would be a mistake. Mayor LaToya Cantrell and the City Council must find money to keep bringing in officers.

NOPD will always lose officers, so recruitment and training must be ongoing.

Superintendent Fergusons most recent assignment was as commander of the Education and Training Division, which oversees the police academy. Surely that strengthened his appreciation for the importance of the recruit classes.

In his introductory press conference, Superintendent Ferguson said Mayor Cantrell is committed to investing in training and resources for officers. He thanked her for that, and she responded, You got it.

Staffing was the top priority for Forward New Orleans during the mayoral race in 2017. The coalition of community groups asked candidates to commit to a target net increase of 50 officers each year. That is an ambitious goal, but the NOPD made progress in 2018. The department had a net increase of 32 officers between the end of 2017 and December 2018.

The Crime Coalition and other civic groups are committed to helping the department improve recruiting and hiring, and the mayor and police superintendent ought to continue to take them up on that.

Superintendent Ferguson talked broadly about that kind of civic partnership in his introductory press conference. We are all partners in this, the New Orleans Police Department cannot do it by themselves, and you cannot do it without us. We must do this together, he said.

Every New Orleanian should commit to that.
On Friday (Jan. 18), a truly moving event occurred at the Capitol. Thousands of young people converged on Washington, D.C., in a respectful, prayerful march to serve as the voice for the voiceless at the 46th-annual March for Life, a national protest of the U.S. Supreme Courts notorious Roe v. Wade decision. These young pro-life advocates are an inspiration to the nation, shining a light on the love and hope our country is built upon.

Nearly 2,000 Louisiana students visited D.C. for this momentous event. The enthusiasm and dedication shown by these young leaders speaks volumes for the future of our state and country. It is this powerful activism that has led Louisiana to become the prominent pro-life state, always fighting for the rights of the unborn.

This fight begins with the President Donald Trumps leadership. When President Trump took office in January 2017, I was encouraged that our nation would be led by an executive guided by his commitment to protecting life. Under his leadership, America is restoring the principles of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all people, including the unborn.

The strength of President Trumps commitment to life has been clear since his first week in office, when he banned the use of Americans tax dollars to promote abortions in foreign countries, known as The Mexico City Policy, signaling a significant step to protect life. Unfortunately, in her first week as speaker, Democrat Nancy Pelosi held a vote on legislation to prop up the abortion industry by passing taxpayer funding of abortion through her Democrat-led House. Fortunately, that bill is dead on arrival in the Senate.

Though we face this new obstacle in our work to protect life in the House of Representatives, my dedication to this cause remains firm. As your representative in Congress, I have always fought to defend the sanctity of life. As the Republican Whip, I have worked to pass historic legislation protecting the unborn. We will not yield any ground as we defend the gains we have made in defense of life.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Last Congress, we made great strides to promote life. Confirming President Trumps Supreme Court nominees, Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, were the most significant actions taken by Congress. It will take the combined action of pro-life members of Congress, as well as federal judges who share that belief in protecting innocent life at all stages, to once again ensure that life is respected.

In our legislative role, Congress made strong advancements toward passing laws that protect the unborn. Under my leadership as Republican Whip, the House successfully voted to defund Planned Parenthood and passed the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act to prevent abortions after 20 weeks  around the fifth month of pregnancy  the time at which unborn children can feel pain.

Unfortunately, the Senate failed to act, so this month I joined my colleagues in reintroducing this powerful legislation preventing abortions after 20 weeks. Signing this legislation into law would bring us closer to fully recognizing the life and rights of the unborn. Further, this month I cosponsored the Defund Planned Parenthood Act because no taxpayer should be expected to fund something that subsidizes abortions or funnels money into an inherently political organization.

Until the lives of the unborn are fully recognized, our work will continue. Through prayer, faith, and action, we will continue to create lasting change in America. Fridays March for Life was a positive sign that our fight to protect innocent life is alive and well in our country, and especially in the hearts and minds of the next generation of Louisianas leaders.

U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise of Jefferson represents Louisianas 1st Congressional District.
New Orleans police responded to two carjackings and one attempted carjacking Saturday (Jan. 19) going into the early hours of Sunday morning.

The first carjacking took place at around 8 a.m. on Saturday in the French Quarter. The victim, a 28-year-old man, told police he was approached by two men while he was sitting in his car near the intersection of St. Louis Street and Royal Street. The men initially asked him for a cigarette before wrestling him out his vehicle. The men fled in an unknown direction in the car, according to police.

The vehicle is a 2018 four-door black Toyota Camry with Colorado plate DKG235.

The attempted carjacking took place in the 500 block of Canal Street at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, according to police. The female victim, 32, told police that she was approached by a man in his early 20s who demanded her car keys. The man was wearing a black Saints jacket and black pants, the woman said.

She refused to give him her keys and ran to her vehicle and locked the doors. She was able to drive off while he tried to chase her on foot.

The third carjacking took place at around 3 a.m. near the intersection of Ursuline Avenue and Henrietta Delille Street. Two men approached the victims, demanding their vehicle, according to police. The men fled in the vehicle and were later arrested when they were spotted at 4603 Chef Menteur Highway by a State Police unit.
It was 12 years ago, on Dec. 30, that Kyle Bergeron  who at 16 was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, AML  after a hard fought battle, left this world at the young age of 18. For the past 11 years, teddy bears in his honor have been presented at Childrens in Hospital in New Orleans, where children are fighting the disease  cancer.

Kyle and his identical twin, Logan, are the sons of Charlie and Vicki Bergeron of Luling.

The C word is always difficult to hear, but never more so than it is said about a child. Teddy Cares bring a light of sunshine into the lives of children fighting cancer. More than 2,100 bears have been distributed in the last 10 years.

This year, in addition to the 300 teddy bears delivered to Tulane Hospital for Children and Childrens Hospital, 18, $100 gift cards to Walmart were presented to teens fighting cancer. Six hundred dollars of toys was also donated, so parents could pick up gifts to wrap for their children.

The Teddy Cares bears presentation began with an activity and lots of prizes as the participants played Christmas bingo in the playroom at the hospital. Then the bears were delivered. Children welcomed them with wide-opened arms and huge smiles.

For myself, it was a very emotional, yet a loving time, Vicki Bergeron said. Going into some of the same rooms that my Kyle was in can be hard. Teddy Cares is making such a huge difference in the lives of children fighting cancer.

Bergeron said that she couldnt do this each year without the help from her friends and the community.

It was 12 years on Dec. 30 since I lost Kyle, Bergeron said. He continues to push me every step of the way with the ultimate goal to bring a smile to a child during the most difficult time. Before he left, he said: Mom, please dont forget about the children.

The year after Kyles death, Logan told his mother: Lets use the money we normally spend on Christmas gifts and buy bears to bring to children at Childrens Hospital in memory of Kyle.

The duo found the perfect bears at Breaux Mart. People inquired what they planned to do with all of the bears, and when they found out about Teddy Cares, they made contributions to help the cause.

After doing the activity for a couple of years, it became costly to continue on their own. Thats when Logan suggested having the bears sponsored. For just $10, anyone can sponsor and name a bear.

Each bear also wears a shirt, which is donated by Rep. Gary Smith and his family company, G Smith Motorsports.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

The bear also has a note that says: Hold me tight throughout the night, Ill always be your friend, no matter what.

This is my Christmas for as long as Im alive, Vicki Bergeron said.

Dr. Tammi Singleton, one of the oncologists who treated Kyle and who was present during the teddy bear presentations shared her thoughts.

This yearly event is delightful, amazing and more than anything inspiring, Singleton said. This family, who has experienced the ultimate loss, the loss of a child, channel their pain into something positive to help other children.

Kyle touched my life in so many ways, and I have developed deep relations with the Bergeron family. I am honored to have walked the walk with all of them. We laughed and cried, and it is an amazing to be a part of this experience each year.

The bears are so comforting to the children. To see these young people smile is a feeling like no other.

Said Vicki Bergeron: Kyle always finds a way to connect me with a mom each year. This year, it was a lady with a son about 11 years old, and she was able to come out and play Christmas bingo with us. She was so sweet and began talking to Logan.

She asked why we do what we do, and Logan told her: We spent a lot of time at Childrens when my brother was fighting cancer, so we like to come back at Christmas to try to spread a little cheer.

When the patient opened her bear, it just so happened to be a Kyle bear (all the bears are named). The nurse told me that when she checked on this patient later that night, she was sleeping with his Kyle bear. Because this same nurse knew Kyle and had been one of his nurses at Childrens Hospital during his time there, she was able to tell the little patient all about her buddy Kyle.

The bears can also be found in places other than Childrens Hospital. Some go through the U.S. mail to oncology patients in other states, to other oncology patients in Louisiana and to oncology patients at Tulane Hospital.

If anyone wants to get experience the joy of giving to others with a sponsorship, there is a Teddy Cares account set up at First National Bank USA in Boutte. Donations are accepted year round.

Anita Hymel writes about people and events in the River Parishes. To reach her, email hymelacathome@aol.com.
Vinton, IA (52349)

Today

Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. SW winds shifting to N at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. SW winds shifting to N at 10 to 20 mph.
Hundreds who came to a City of New Orleans' gun buy-back event on Saturday (Jan. 19) left with no cash and firearms in hand, after the event attracted a larger than expected crowd, according interviews with people who waited in line.

The buy-back was scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the mayors office said. At 11:23 a.m., however, messages on the mayors Twitter and Facebook page said the gun buy-back was over.

We reached our capacity earlier than expected, Beau Tidwell, a spokesman for Mayor LaToya Cantrell, said of the event at New Hope Baptist Church in Central City.

Money to pay for the buy-backs came from the Edward Wisner Donation, a charitable trust established in 1914 that supports "local needs in the areas of beautification, education, recreation or human services, according to the citys website.

Erick Lewko, 48, said he heard about the gun buy-back from an article in The Hayride, a conservative political commentary website. The article, which was shared more than 15,000 times, criticized such programs as ineffective and said the citys offer of $500 to those turning in guns just provided an opportunity for participants to make a profit. Before Saturday, Lewko said, he confirmed the event details on the citys social media and then called the mayors office to ensure it was happening.

Lewko said he arrived at the event in the 1800 block of Reverend John Raphael Jr. Way at about 10:30 a.m., a half hour early. He estimated about 350 people already were in line. By about 11:15 a.m., he said, word spread throughout the line that no more money was available. Lewko remained in line until about noon. Then, police officers who appeared to be providing security for the event said that only those already inside the church would be able to exchange their guns for money, Lewko said.

Lewko was frustrated that it was not advertised that there was a limit on the buy-back, he said. He said he saw no representatives from the city communicating with the waiting crowd.

The level of organization was just nonexistent, Lewko said.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

The line wrapped around the block, said David Benson, who also attempted to participate.

Benson and Lewko estimated they were among hundreds who were turned away. Many aired their frustration on the mayors and citys Facebook pages.

A simple advance communication about the (number) of available vouchers could have prevented tons of wasted time in bad weather, Benson, no relation to the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans' owners, said in an email.

Big Easy Magazine, a self-described progressive online publication, reported that 200 people received payouts. Tidwell said it was not immediately clear how many guns were collected or how many people received vouchers for payment.

The city will provide those figures once they are available, he said.

In an email, Tidwell acknowledged the tremendous turnout for the event and that large crowds lined up before doors opened.

We are grateful for the huge response and glad so many stepped up to help get guns off the street, he said.
In the wake of Hurricane Michael that slammed the Florida panhandle earlier this year and took lives and destroyed homes and businesses, many people are still trying to recover. Having been in a similar situation because of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, a River Ridge resident and Harahan residents separately decided to lend a helping hand to their neighbors on the gulf coast.

I am a partner with the Louisiana Cajun Navy, and I saw a picture they posted of a young boy standing in a desolate neighborhood looking at a slab of cement, where his house once stood, Doug Sanders said. It was at that moment that I knew that I needed to do something to help him and the other kids that had been cruelly touched by this hurricane. This one image was a call to action for me.

After Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc in Houston, the lifelong River Ridge resident single-handedly organized a massive drive for personal care items, cleaning supplies and clothes, and he was able to donate nine pallets of items on a tractor trailer to the residents of the city.

This time I decided to focus only on the kids, especially since it was so close to the holidays, Sanders said. I collected toys to donate to families in Panama City. I made two runs with my own vehicle to the gulf coast and delivered over 600 toys to the local Catholic Charities group to be distributed.

The group opened up their warehouse the Saturday and Sunday before Christmas for parents to come and shop for their children. All together, the warehouse contained 10,000 toys from various donors, including the donation from River Ridge.

Sanders spread the word of his crusade through Facebook and social media, and friends and family responded not only with toys but also with $1,500 in gift cards and cash. He was able to use some of these donations to negotiate with stores for their best deals on toys. In some instances, Sanders simply gave cash to people he saw in Panama City that were in need.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

In Harahan, Cliff Rodrigue and Harahan police officer Darlene Schwartz had the same idea as Sanders. The duo organized a donation drive in their city for hurricane victims in Altha, Florida. Altha is a small coastal city with about 800 residents and one police officer, who also serves as the chief.

We had heard that FEMA left the small city and that there was still plenty of work that needed to be done and the people still needed so much to continue to survive, Schwartz said. The residents really needed cleaning items, winter clothes, heaters and items for children, so we gathered as much as we could.

The team was able to garner enough donations for Rodrigue to make three trips to Altha. Schwartz was able to acquire plenty of donations from local consignment shop, Rhea Lanas, that donated an ample amount of childrens clothing to the effort.

We still plan to make more trips to Altha, Schwartz said. We want to bring more personal items for families that we pre-determine have specific needs, sort of like an adopt a family situation. This is just another example of people from Harahan reaching out and helping other people that are suffering.

Kim Roberts writes about people and events in the East Jefferson community. To reach her, email k_rob136@cox.net.
Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission
A lavatory in Phillipsburg Elementary School sustained moderate fire, heat, smoke and water damage Friday, the towns fire chief says.

Phillipsburg police, fire and emergency squad responders were called at 12:48 p.m. to the school at 525 Warren St. for a fire alarm sounding, fire Chief Rich Hay said in a news release.

The fire was discovered burning in the boys' room next to the gym, at the rear of the building.

The school had already been evacuated when responders arrived, and all students and staff were accounted for, Hay said.

Fire suppression operations were immediately initiated, with the fire being extinguished in less than 5 minutes, Hay says in the release. There was moderate fire, heat, smoke and water damage to the lavatory. Additionally, there was minor smoke damage to an adjacent hallway.

All students and staff walked to Firth Youth Center, about two blocks away, where students were dismissed at normal time.

The school was set to open 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday for students to retrieve their belongings, Phillipsburg schools Superintendent Greg Troxell said via Facebook.

The evacuation went smoothly, Troxell said, nothing he "was extremely impressed with the behavior of our students." Faculty and staff handled the evacuation of 670 students "with purpose and professionalism," Troxell continued, and he thanked parents for their cooperation.

The investigation into the cause and origin of the fire was continuing, by Phillipsburg police, Warren County Fire Marshal Joe Lake and the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety.

The fire department cleared the incident at 2:08 p.m., and the school is scheduled to reopen Tuesday following Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Findlehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
A small act of kindness by a local funeral home and a few hundred volunteers should not go unnoticed.

Peter Turnpu, 77, whose body was found at his Waterford Township residence last month, was about to be buried in a "potter's field." Leroy Wooster of the LeRoy P. Wooster Funeral Home and Crematory in Atco decided that such a nondescript service was not good enough for a vet who died without a family.

So, Wooster put out a call for mourners to join him at Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Burlington County for a procession and graveside service Friday afternoon. NJ Advance Media reported Thursday that representatives from several veterans groups were committed to attending, and the turnout, according to some reports, was more than 1,000.

While Turnpu apparently had no close friends, Wooster and Camden County Freeholder Bill Moen fried to fill in some of the blanks. A native of Estonia, Turnpu became a citizen in 1954, and served in Vietnam from 1964 through 1996. But not much is known about his later years.

The funeral director put out the word for volunteers through local newspapers and TV stations, which got picked up by social media. Wooster's funeral home donated the casket.

"This could be anyone's relative," Moen added of Turnpu.

But he wasn't just "anyone." He was a Vietnam veteran, honorably discharged, whose life was celebrated by a big bunch of people who cared.

Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.
What is Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez hiding? Why is she fighting the Legislature's request for documents related to the explosive rape allegations from Katie Brennan -- documents that could shed light on Suarez's own truthfulness in the case?

Welcome to the next phase of the Brennan rape scandal. Until now, the focus has been on the Murphy administration's frat-boy behavior -- the failure to take Brennan's rape charge seriously, the decision to hire the man she accused, Al Alvarez, and to give him a fat raise, despite promising Brennan that they'd get rid of him.

But the role of Suarez is coming next. She claims that she knew nothing about the case while her team worked on it for eight months in 2017, a claim that is now under scrutiny by the legislative committee.

It's important because if Suarez was involved, it would amount to a gargantuan conflict of interest that would throw the legitimacy of the rape investigation into doubt.

Suarez has acknowledged that she knew Alvarez personally. And she was on Phil Murphy's short list to be named the next attorney general during this same period, several sources say, presenting an even sharper conflict. Prosecuting one of Murphy's senior campaign aides during the campaign is not the sort of thing that ingratiates a job applicant.

So far, there is no evidence that Suarez meddled in the case. The head of the unit that handles rape cases, John Mulkeen, said on Saturday that he made the decision not file criminal charges against Alvarez, and that neither Suarez nor Murphy's team played any role.

"I did not speak to her (Suarez) about the decision," Mulkeen said. "All the conspiracy theories that say the governor's office interfered are nonsense. That's a complete work of fiction."

Brennan's lawyer in the criminal case, Alan Zegas, doesn't buy it for a minute: "The decision not to prosecute was political," he said. "Katie Brennan told a completely believable story. She had a right to have a grand jury make a determination and was denied that opportunity."

Suppose, for a moment, that Suarez didn't interfere, but that she knew her crew was investigating the case.

Even that would be ample grounds to shift the case to another county. Brennan should not have to trust Mulkeen's word, or worry that Suarez might have overruled him if his decision went the other way. Moving the case would remove any doubt, which is why ethics rules typically bar even the "appearance" of a conflict.

The committee is clearly suspicious of Suarez. It made two requests for documents, both of them rejected by Suarez. The first came in December and was a broad demand. The second was more narrow, asking for emails from four specific dates in April and May of 2017, soon after Brennan made her complaint.

How did the committee know those four dates? It seems clear its investigators are working with a whistleblower who had knowledge of the inner workings of Suarez's office.

Suarez herself seemed to confirm that in her rejection of the committee's request, which came from her counsel, Ralph Lamparello. In it, Lamparello notes that the committee's request noted that it had "received information that Prosecutor Suarez had received e-mail communications regarding Ms. Brennan's allegations."

I asked Mulkeen if Suarez was included on the investigative emails, which would indicate she is lying when she denies knowledge of the investigation. He wouldn't confirm or deny it. So, why is he giving her only a half-exoneration?

My guess is that the committee will escalate this fight over documents by issuing a subpoena, which members will discuss, according to Sen. Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, the co-chair. Watch for Suarez to be swearing her oath sometime soon.

I keep thinking about the human wreckage behind this case. Alavarez lost his job, and will forever be shamed, over a charge that we can't be sure is true, a charge that was never heard in a court of law.

And Brennan is living a familiar nightmare. She did everything a rape victim is supposed to do, went straight to police, submitted to intrusive rape kit investigation, called her husband and best friend right away. She worked quietly behind the scenes to get justice from Murphy's team, and was ignored. She went public, she testified with grand dignity under oath -- and now sleazy men are making sleazy calls to people like me, trying to discredit her in all the familiar ways.

Suarez wouldn't talk to me. She could remove a great deal of suspicion by releasing the emails the committee is seeking, even if most of the content is redacted. She could clear this up in a flash. Why wouldn't she do that if she's telling the truth?

Attorney General Gurbir Grewal investigated Hudson County's handling of the case and gave Suarez a full-throated exoneration. My guess, though, is that he's regretting the last line in his exoneration letter, when he told the committee to drop its investigation of Suarez before it even got started. That was overreach with a political bent, and it annoyed legislators who are only doing their job of oversight.

As for Murphy, he's caught in a bind that's strangely similar to Suarez's. Murphy claims that he didn't know about Brennan's allegation until the Wall Street Journal called either, even though his senior staff knew, just as hers did. And Murphy, today, is still enforcing a gag order that blocks women who worked on his campaign from testifying about any sexual harassment they may have faced.

Here's a free tip for both of them: If you want people to believe you, stop hiding relevant information. It makes you look guilty -- even if you're not.

More: Tom Moran columns

Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com or call (973) 836-4909. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.
The statewide smoking ban for public beaches and parks took effect Wednesday. After a quick trip down the block, I called one of the bills sponsors, Valerie Vainieri Huttle.

Looks like the bans working, I told her. I didnt see a single smoker on the beach.

Of course, I didnt see a single person on the beach either. It was 30 degrees and cloudy.

But what about summer? The Bergen County Democrat, who has a house on Long Beach Island, told me she thinks most beachgoers will be happy that they will no longer encounter cigarette smoke.

When you inhale secondhand smoke these days its more irritating because its not common anymore, she said.

And then theres the litter.

Theyre dropping their cigarette butts and the beach is becoming an ashtray, she said.

Thats been my experience as well. Perhaps there is some seaside cigarette smoker who has disposed of his butt properly. But Ive yet to see it.

When it comes to this sort of thing, the pot smokers are better. They dont let much of their precious smoke escape. And they also tend to smoke their joints down to the point where the butt is tiny - and biodegradable.

That could become an issue in the near future, assuming the Legislature finally passes that bill legalizing cannabis. If everything proceeds on schedule, this will be the first summer that both types of smokers face the same bans.

Its about time, I say. Weve been living through a period of insanity for the past century or so. During that time cigarettes, which kill more than 400,000 Americans a year, were not just tolerated by the government but promoted as a symbol of free enterprise.

Meanwhile those who promoted free enterprise in pot, which kills slightly more than zero Americans per year, were clapped in irons and hauled off the hoosegow.

Theres no logical argument for banning one while treating the other as some sort of fundamental right.

Yet thats what Chris Christie did when he was governor. Huttle recalls that he vetoed her bill twice on the grounds that such decisions should be made locally.

But when it comes to cannabis, Christie was among the few Republicans running for president in 2016 who wanted to maintain a federal ban.

He lost that race  and that argument. All over the country, states are legalizing marijuana with no objection from the Trump administration.

I got a good look at how legalization works back in October when I traveled to Montreal to report on the first day of legal sales in Canada.

I expected to see people smoking pot in the streets on the long lines outside the dispensaries. I didnt see any, perhaps because anyone who lit up a joint would be accused of the grave social offense of bogarting if he didnt share it.

I did see quite a few Canadians smoking cigarettes, however. They were huddled in doorways against the cold. As of October, the potheads were legally entitled to join them - with no fear of being hauled off by the gendarmes.

How will this work if and when legalization comes to Jersey? I discussed that with Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Stephen Reid. Hes an outspoken anti-marijuana lobbyist who has pushed successfully for an ordinance banning pot dispensaries in his town.

The bill currently before the Legislature permits towns to opt out of having dispensaries. But it doesnt ban visitors from bringing pot to town.

This is where it gets interesting. The current draft of the bill states that nothing in the bill is intended to permit a person to smoke or otherwise consume a cannabis item in a public place.

But how will that be enforced?

Reid said cigarette smoking was already banned on the beach and boardwalk before the recent law took effect. What happens if pot smokers light up?

If someone is on the boardwalk smoking a marijuana joint, someone else may call the police, Reid said.

In that case the smoker  whether of pot or tobacco - could face the same penalties as a cigarette smoker under the New Jersey Smoke-Free Air Act, the bill says.

So far the cigarette smokers have been pretty good about confining themselves to smoking zones on the street ends next to the boardwalk, Reid said. It will be interesting to see what happens when the potheads light up next to the tobacco addicts.

Back when Bruce Springsteen used to write songs about the Jersey Shore, he had a line that described that sort of thing perfectly: Do what you like, but dont do it here.

Looks like The Boss had a better grip on governance than his No. 1 fan.
Theres a frame behind Sister Lillian Sharrocks desk that reads: God doesnt give us what we can handle. God helps us handle what we are given.

Sharrock isnt worried about Gods help, but shes worried if the Archdiocese of Newark will support urban Catholic schools.

We have different needs, said Sharrock, who is in her 41 st year at St. Augustines School in Union City. First she taught; then she was vice principal for 30 years. Now, shes is in her ninth year as principal. She has led a successful school that has mostly Hispanic students, reflecting the area demographics.

The school -- with 160 students, down 21 from last year -- has STEM programs, various afterschool activities and a school that adapts Howard Gardners theory of Multiple Intelligences.

Decline has been the trend for the last several decades for all Catholic schools and more since Lighting the Way -- the archdiocesan takeover of all elementary schools -- was implemented four years ago. A recent evaluation, the Catapult Report, chronicled the failures of this program, but no replacement has been announced. It worries Sharrock that the report did not specifically address the needs of urban schools.

Many parents live from paycheck to paycheck, Sharrock said.

And even though St. Augustines tuition is modest at $4,650 annually, its a struggle for most families to pay it. The school awards many scholarships from individual donors, the Sisters of Charity -- to which the three sisters at the school belong -- fund-raising, and the Scholarship Fund for Inner City Students.

Lighting the Way has also added many high-paying staff members at the archdioceses Superintendent of Schools office who issue many reports about all sorts of goals.

"But they but dont help the schools do it,'' Sharrock said.

A spokeswoman for the archdiocese said more time is needed.

The Catapult Report is fairly new and the archdiocese requires more time to fully review, analyze and act in response to the opportunities outlined in the report,'' acting Director of Communications and Public Relations Maria Margiotta said in a statement. "We are committed to the growth of all Catholic schools in the archdiocese and we look forward to working together with our pastors and school administrators to continuously improve Catholic school education for our children.

Sharrock also faces problems meeting the needs of immigrant families, who can be transient, work several jobs and cannot always cover all expenses. But she feels strongly that immigrants believe in us (the church).

Ninety-eight percent of the students are Catholic; the rest, Christian. St. Augustine prepares the children for sacraments, celebrates special Masses and imparts religious values.

We pray every morning with the children and teachers, said Sharrock, a graduate of St. Bridgets and St. Marys High School, both now closed, in Jersey City who grew up on Wayne Street.

My cousin, Marlene Cunningham, was a classmate of Sharrock at both schools, when their classes were filled to the brim and there were multiples of each grade. Most of the teachers were Sisters of Charity, known to be excellent and tough educators. Sharrock became a sister because she found these nuns were interested in and dedicated to the students.

The same can be said for her today. In her day, there were 25 Catholic grammar schools in Jersey City; today, there are five and, with one exception, all struggle. In all of Hudson County, there were 48; now there are 11. Twelve high schools are reduced to four.

Part of the problem is that a 19th century model of Catholic education still permeates today. And while the smallest number of students ever is enrolled in Catholic schools, the cost for educating them has increased astronomically. The Jesuits, for example, have experimented with a middle school concept and the Cristo Rey model -- through which students earn tuition by working part of the school week in a business -- like the one in Newark. But these are far and few between.

The 19th annual Catholic Schools Week begins a week from today with the theme Catholic Schools: Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed. And they do all that well; Sharrock even superbly. Someone in the chancery described Sharrock as passionate about Catholic education. She knows God has her back. She wonders if the archdiocese will.

The Rev. Alexander Santora is the pastor of Our Lady of Grace and St. Joseph, 400 Willow Ave., Hoboken, 07030, FAX: 201-659-5833; Email: padrealex@yahoo.com; Twitter: @padrehoboken.

Details ...

St. Augustine School for pre-K-3 through eighth grade is located at 3920 New York Ave., Union City, NJ 07087. For information, call 201-865-5319 or email info@staugustinesunioncity.com. The sixth annual Sister Roberta OHea Scholarship Dinner, honoring Joseph Cardinal Tobin, is set for 6:30 p.m. May 1 at the Fiesta in Wood-Ridge.
UPDATE SUNDAY: Big miss for weekend winter storm means heavy rain, little snow for state

Gov. Phil Murphy said Saturday afternoon the winter storm headed for New Jersey appears to be changing and is starting lighter than we had predicted."

But, he warned, the state still faces a wild card  temperatures that are supposed to plummet Sunday night and could cause trouble whether your area gets snow, rain, or a mix.

The surfaces are gonna be iced up, Murphy said during an interview on News 12 around 5 p.m. We are very focused on that sort of back end of the storm.

My standing advice has been and continues to be: Whether youre getting rain or snow, youre best to stay indoors, put your feet up, he added.

The storm was expected to dump snow across the top half of the state, possibly up to a foot in parts of North Jersey. Murphy declared a state of emergency across the state that started at noon.

But the latest forecasts include milder predictions, with rain replacing snow in parts of Central Jersey.

Still, Murphy said, the window of this storm is very wide."

Its a good 24-hour storm, he said, noting that conditions will depend on where you live.

The governor stressed that temperatures could drop into the single digits Sunday night. And that could lead to dangerously icy roads and power outages, thanks to frozen tree limbs.

Murphy also noted that some of the brining solution that crews spread across the state to prep for the storm could be washed away, and thats another reason for people to be careful.

An abundance of caution is recommended," the governor said.

Murphy said state crews and agencies are prepared for whatever happens, and utility companies are ready to tackle outages.

He also offered some tips. First, if you power goes out, phone that in immediately, Murphy said.

Dont assume somebody else did, he said.

Also call if you see a downed power line, and dont go near them, Murphy added.

And my most important piece of advice is: Stay home and let this thing ride itself out, the governor said.

Monitor the social media accounts for the Office of Emergency Management and the State Police for updates:

NJOEM on Facebook: www.facebook.com/READYNEWJERSEY

NJOEM on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ReadyNJ

NJ State Police on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NewJerseyStatePolice

NJ State Police on Twitter: www.twitter.com/NJSP

You may also sign up for text and email alerts:

NIXLE - www.nixle.com.

NJ Alert - www.njalert.gov.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.
The Force Report is a continuing investigation of police use of force in New Jersey. Read more from the series or search your local police department and officers in the full the database.

When it comes to problem police officers, the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office says, its not gonna stand down."

We want to make sure that were doing everything that we can to have transparency so that we can make sure our community is comfortable, Lt. Delisa Brazile said Saturday, as clergy, activists, law enforcement and other members of the community gathered at the Pilgrim Baptist Church in Red Bank to discuss how to improve relations between police and residents.

The event, organized by NJ Black Multi-Faith Alliance member the Rev. Terrance Porter, served as a conversation following the publication of The Force Report, a 16-month investigation by NJ Advance Media for NJ.com into police use of force statewide, which found widespread racial disparities in how force was applied by law enforcement.

In Red Bank, the investigation showed a black person is 174% more likely to have force used on them than a white person.

A panel of representatives from the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office talked about how use-of-force policies and procedures work and how law enforcement was working hard to rein in any bad police officer behavior.

No one wants to see a bad cop on the street where they could harm somebody, said Doug Johnson, the deputy chief of detectives at the prosecutors office.

He and Brazile stressed how important it was for residents to report any problems with police officers to that officers department so that the prosecutors office can get involved if theres any criminality.

Johnson also said residents should be compliant with what police officers ask them to do.

Going back and forth and arguing with a police officer, whether he thinks hes right or wrong, he does have the authority to take away your liberty, Johnson said. So speaking in a respectful fashion and complying with whatever he tells you to do could eliminate a lot of issues.

Residents asked for more specifics on how police officers were trained on interacting with the community.

Youre teaching all of us how to act, but if the boys in blue dont know, then its not working, said Teretha Jones, of Neptune Township, before talking about her own bad interaction with a young police officer. Ive seen officers escalate issues where there was no need for any kind of force, rudeness or take downs.

Johnson said he agreed 100 percent that the respect has to come from both sides.

When asked about the use-of-force numbers from The Force Report, Brazile said she would not comment on them because the prosecutors office did not compile them, but that the office had its own internal numbers that they looked at.

The questions also touched on de-escalation and cultural diversity training in police academies, the continuous training officers receive on the job, including unconscious bias training, and the early warning system that flags certain behaviors like misconduct, lawsuits and drunken driving to identify potential problem officers. While an individual police department can monitor use of force as part of the early warning system, the state does not mandate it.

One meeting in this room is not going to solve everything, Brazile said. But so long as we have the lines of communication open, and its going back and forth, we can understand what were getting and what were not getting.

Afterward, attendees broke into four groups to discuss different ways to confront bias and to improve relations between community and law enforcement. Suggestions included police coming to schools to teach kids about their jobs and more meet-and-greets in their communities.

Allenhurst Police Department Chief Michael Schneider said the discussion was great, adding that he asks his officers to fill out use-of-force forms even if they think it might not be warranted.

It all comes down to the leadership of each department, Schneider said. So I say (to the officers), Id rather you fill it out than not fill it out. The Allenhurst Police Department reported a total of nine uses of force from 2012 through 2016, according to the data compiled by The Force Report.

Birgit Mondesir, office manager at Pilgrim Baptist Church, said the conversation was a fitting way to pay tribute to Martin Luther King Jr., who not only talked the talk, but also walked the walk when it came to social justice.

This is a part of a whole celebration that can give tangible, real results, Mondesir said. We can only do that by talking with people, changing mindsets that will eventually change rules and regulations.

Carla Astudillo may be reached at castudillo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @carla_astudi.
A community restaurant owned by Jon Bon Jovi and his wife, Dorothea, will serve federal employees affected by the government shutdown for free at a lunch event Monday, the restaurant said on Facebook.

JBJ Soul Kitchen in Red Bank is teaming up with the Phil and Tammy Murphy Family Foundation to provide meals to the workers, who have been furloughed or working without pay since the shutdown began on Dec. 22.

In line with our mission, federal workers are encouraged to join us for a delicious meal and to learn about additional support and resources available in our community, the restaurant said in a Facebook post.

JBJ Soul Kitchen opened in Red Bank in 2011 with a donation- and volunteer-based paying system, according to its website.

The meal will be served from 12 - 2 p.m. on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, with the potential of additional meals depending on the organizations' resources and demand, WNBC reported. Workers planning to come should bring proof of employment with the federal government.

Erin Petenko may be reached at epetenko@njadvancemedia.com.Follow her on Twitter @epetenko. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY  Family and friends of the 5-year-old Jersey City student who was found unresponsive in his classroom and later died have opened their hearts and purse strings.

More than 400 people have raised $22,324 to help with funeral arrangements for the Cordero School student, who never woke up after nap time Thursday and then was pronounced dead at the RWJBarnabas Health Jersey City Medical Center.

The total, which was still rising Sunday afternoon, surpassed the initial goal of $15,000. Marie Bagunu, the organizer of the page, said in the description that all contributions will go toward defraying the funeral travel expenses of having the boy buried in his home country.

The boys death is being investigated by the Hudson County Prosectors Office, but it is not considered suspicious at this point. The boys name has not been released and Bagunu, the GoFundMe page organizer, nor the boys parents, could be reached.

The Cordero School, also known as School 37, shared the GoFundMe page on its Parent Teacher Association Facebook page, where it has been shared more than 100 times. The association declined to comment.

The School District of Jersey City also took to Facebook expressing their sorrow in the death of the 5-year-old student:

JCPS mourns the passing of a PK student today We are deeply saddened by the death of a Pre-K student at the Cordero... Posted by The School District of Jersey City on Thursday, January 17, 2019

The Cordero PTA Facebook page shared Principal Derek Stantons message to the school community:

The PTA sends ours deepest sincerest condolences to the family. Please see Mr. Stantons message: Posted by Cordero PS 37 PTA on Thursday, January 17, 2019

An update on the investigation from the Hudson County Prosecutors Office was not immediately available.
JERSEY CITY  In honor of Martin Luther King Jr.s birthday, activists and residents are taking their own steps to fight its violence.

There has been an alarming increase of killings and violence in the city as well as throughout the nation, the Rev. Herbert Daughtry, leader of the House of the Lord Church, said in a statement. We hope by these marches, rallies and interacting with people on the street . .. we will be able to reduce the violence and unite the city.

Daughtry announced the MLK March for Peace and Justice, which will take place on Monday at The House of the Lord Church on 427 MLK Jr. Drive, corner of Forrest Street. People will assemble at 10:30 a.m. and the march will kick off at 11 a.m.

Like other major cities, Jersey City has had its fair share of violence. Recent acts of violence include a stabbing in the area of MLK Drive and McAdoo Avenue, a shooting incident at Newport Centre Mall and a daytime shooting on Grant Avenue.

Hessie Williams, founding president of Mothers Pain, created a group for mothers who have lost their sons and daughters to violence, will attend the march, Daughtry said.

Her 17-year-old son, Leander Williams, was killed Aug. 16, 2016 during a back-to-school party at the Holy Ghost Tabernacle Ministries church hall on Communipaw Avenue, which is about a 10-minute walk from The House of the Lord Church.

During the event, marchers will stop and say a prayer at sites where people were murdered, Daughtry said.

The event is sponsored by A Mothers Pain, Social Action Committee of the House of the Lord Church and Committee for Justice in the Workplace.
JERSEY CITY  Worship music rang through Temple Beth-El Friday night when families, children and city politicians gathered during the annual sabbath service dedicated to honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

Congregants joined in unison claps during the lyrical service, which state Assemblywoman Angela McKnight attended as its keynote speaker. As she stood before dozens, she posed a question of self-reflection in light of what would have been Kings 90th birthday on Jan. 15.

I want you to ask yourself: Are you doing what Dr. King did? Are you taking actions to see the change that you want to see in your community or in your world? Or, are you being complacent?"

During McKnights roughly 10-minute talk, one could hear a pin drop. Eyes were glued to her as she spoke, wearing a vibrant, colorful maxi skirt with her hair tied back.

McKnight, the first black woman elected for the 31st District for the state assembly in 2015, is the founder of the Jersey City-based nonprofit AngelaCares which advocates for seniors, youth and the underprivileged.

During her talk, she challenged her attentive listeners to ask themselves what they can do to help other people.

Use tonight to think what you can do for others. And tomorrow, start, she urged. You will be a part of the village thats helping the world, which includes your world, a better place."

McKnight said she felt empowered when she spoke Friday.

I felt the message while I was reading it, McKnight told The Jersey Journal after her keynote speech. I need to do more. I want to do more.

She noted many of ills that King talked about are still present today.

We have to do better. As people, we have to."

Matt Schapiro, a Jersey City Board of Education member, attended Fridays service with his wife and three children and said he was inspired by McKnights words.

My favorite part was her call to action, Schapiro noted. That was a great message ... People all over the place want to help, but the hardest thing is sometimes starting.

Jersey City Council President Rolando Lavarro Jr. and Councilman James Solomon also attended the two-hour service.

Its an opportunity to be reflective, and I think Angela hit all the right tones there, Lavarro said. Its refreshing to have someone like Angela McKnight, whos so genuine and honest."

McKnight referred to one of Kings famous quotes on unity, which resonated with many as they erupted in applause and laughter.

We may have all come on different ships, but were in the same boat now," she said twice, quoting King.
A vehicle slammed into a Secaucus go-go bar Friday evening, leaving workers and customers with minor injuries, police said.

The crash at AJs GoGo on Secaucus Road occurred at 5:27 p.m., Secaucus police Capt. Dennis Miller said. The driver and and occupant fled on foot and have not been arrested yet, Miller said.

Some workers and customers at the club suffered minor injuries, Miller said. Details on the crash were being withheld because it is an active investigation, Miller noted.

The club closed Friday night after the crash, but it reopened Saturday.
JERSEY CITY  More than 40 people were evacuated from their homes late Friday night after a report of the smell of gas, officials said.

Jersey City firefighters responded to the area of Summit and Hopkins avenues at 11:17 p.m. on the report of a possible gas leak, Jersey City spokeswoman Ashley Manz said. Some 41 people were cleared from nine buildings as a precaution, Manz said.

PSE&G arrived at the scene and repaired a gas main break in the street, Manz added. All the residents were then allowed to return to their buildings.
Given the popularity of Holly Black's books, it's unlikely that anyone reading the just published "The Wicked King" had not read "The Cruel Prince," which spent 10 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, and was one of Amazon's Top 20 for last year. Black's 29 books have sold 12 million copies.

The sequel, which debuted at No. 1 on the Times bestseller list, immediately welcomes readers by explaining the main character and bringing them into her universe as Jude, our protagonist, practices with a heavy sword and reflects on her former life.

"Sometimes Jude longed for her bike, but there were none in Faerie. Instead, she had giant toads, and thin greenish ponies and wild-eyed horses slim as shadows.

"And she had weapons.

"And her parents' murderer, now her foster father. The High King's general, Madoc, who wanted to teach her how to ride too fast and how to fight to the death."

The author of the Spiderwick series takes her fantasy fairy world seriously and rocks an ethereal look with a shock of cobalt hair and ears she had surgically altered to look elfin.

On the first day of her book tour, which was also the day Black's latest fantasy book was published, Black chatted with New Jersey Authors about growing up in West Long Branch, almost becoming a librarian, and how she churns out two books a year. What follows is an edited version of that conversation.

You have written 29 books since 2002, which is extremely impressive, especially to some writers who struggle to get one done every few years. What's the secret here?

The first came out in 2002. I did The Spiderwick Chronicles, and they were very short, and on a publication schedule of every six months. It was a much faster moving series, and they are much, much shorter. That really bumped up my numbers. They were middle grade, really early middle grade. They weren't early readers.

"The Wicked King" picks up where last year's bestseller, "The Cruel Prince" left off.

Still, the most recent books are 370 and 320 pages, so not exactly early chapter books. What is your process? How do you work?

I have tried a lot of different things. My process started out, I would make a plan and figure out what I thought would happen and as I wrote it, I realized my plan didn't work. When I started out, I would rewrite a chapter and rewrite and then realized I needed to rewrite and I would be in this constant process of rewriting and re-imagining. And I still have a tendency to not write something correctly until I write it wrong. I am experimenting with fast drafting. Just trying to write 3,000 words in a day, just trying to move through the whole thing with mixed success I am not sure it was successful, but maybe it was.

Where do you work and what's your process like?

In terms of my day, I get up and often meet two friends Cassandra Clare, who writes the Shadowhunter books and a short story adult writer, Kelly Link. We meet at Cassie's house now and work all day, near each other. We've got our headphones on. All doing our own thing in proximity to one another. It is nice, recreating an office space and have some people to get feedback from. Otherwise being a writer can be lonely. Sometimes I scamper off to the couch because I like to lay around a little.

On a regular workday, often have a noonish start and go until about 6. I have a 5-year-old, and so we hang out. And then I will put him to bed and hang out with my husband for a while. I have a terrible tendency to stay up all night and going back to work.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

When I was in middle school. I loved stories I wanted to make up stories about knights of the silver sun, by which I think I meant moon. I wrote it in eighth grade, and it was so bad. I had the "Writers Market" and I remembered having some pleasure from the process. I remember poring over that "Writers Market" and finding it inspirational in some way.

Did you do other jobs before becoming successful as an author?

There are a lot of obstacles to becoming a published writer. I just wasn't writing enough, and not with a great seriousness until I was probably 24 or 25. Before that I had a bunch of different jobs. I did medical market research. I was a production editor on medical journals. On weekends I was working on this book, and at some point, I became serious about it and more willing to spend a lot of time fixing it and approaching it with more rigor.

"The Cruel Prince" was such a huge hit it even sparked a parody Twitter account and won the New England Book Award.

How does growing up in New Jersey inform your work?

I graduated from the College of New Jersey. My first book, Tithe, is set on the Jersey Shore and all three fairy tale books are very much in that space. There used to be a pier in Long Branch, with a haunted mansion on it and the whole thing burned down, and it lives in my novel. Some of the geography I definitely fudged so I could have what I wanted, but Tithe is set in the house where I grew up.

Where did you get your first library card?

I am a library school dropout! I went to Rutgers Library School, and I went on my first book tour in my last year of library school. I went on tour for Spiderwick, and they let me push it back. Let me preface my story. I am a terrible library patron. I had a terrible problem bringing books back. I would keep taking out books and keeping them too long and afraid to bring back and sneaking them back at night. At some point, I realized I was no good with books that were not mine. The last thing I had to do was to pay my library fines.

I'm sure many will relate, though possibly not as many who were studying to become librarians. Where did you get that first card?

It must have been the West Long Branch Public Library.

A couple of personal questions. How long have you had bright blue hair?

About six years.

And, please tell me about the surgery to give you elf-like ears.

After the election, I was: 'I don't know what I am doing. Nothing makes sense anymore.' I had seen people who had the surgery, and I read about Samppa von Cyborg who does the surgery. He travels all over the world giving people elf ears. It is super cool but (I thought) not for me. After the election, I don't know, but why not? It is a world without sense or reason.

Which authors do you reread?

Ellen Kushner's "Swordspoint," Charles De Lint's "Jack, the Giant-Killer," Tana French, I have been reading a bunch of her books. I have read "The Goblin Emperor" by Katherine Addison a million times. I find it really comforting. And, Megan Abbott.

What are your goals?

As a writer, it is a weird job, and I always think about success as a writer is staying in the game, continue to be able to publish books and continue to be able to be out there, and having a long career.
Niagara Falls, NY (14301)

Today

Light rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers in the afternoon. High 76F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms before midnight. Low 64F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
There is right and there is wrong  and then there is something in the middle of the two called an explanation that attempts to explain away the rightness or the wrongness of a particular action.

I think like most people, I really dont give much thought to criminals sitting behind bars. With the exception of those who are mentally ill, it was their willing and knowing actions that put them on the periphery of society and in many ways, they are forgotten by the public at large.

And I certainly am not interested in those who now have nothing but time on their hands and want to expose some wrong-doing by others or offer a mea culpa for the harm they have done and caused others. To put it bluntly, I tend to ignore them just like they ignored the laws that are in place to protect people and keep them and their belongings safe.

But I received a letter from a Bridgeport man incarcerated at a federal correctional facility in Bennettsville, South Carolina, that changed my mind about some of those forgotten voices.

It wasnt the first letter I have received from a man behind bars, but it was the first commenting on a column I wrote and how it related to his life.

The column, Addicted? The color of skin matters, was about how the conversation has changed since drugs infiltrated the suburbs and real access to help  including how addicted people are treated  is now available.

The inmate wrote in his letter, I wish to say as a person of color (Hispanic) and an addict, I am one of the casualties. ...the only help we received was a severe prison sentence.

Call it what you want: a reflection of regret made in the solitude of a long prison sentence, or simply a prisoners need to connect with someone not known by an inmate number.

What intrigued me to write him back was his request to get complimentary copies of the paper so he could keep up with what was happening in Connecticut  and something else very simple: he had beautiful penmanship, something that was remarked on by other Register staff. His language was concise, educated.

He had not revealed his crimes in his first letter, but since they were committed in the Registers coverage area, it wasnt hard to look him up.

And he was no choirboy. He had a nasty habit of pulling a mask over his face and robbing banks at gunpoint.

My readers know from previous columns that I believe in bad guys and I believe they are where they are supposed to be: locked up. But my readers also know that I had a difficult early life and at one time, my footsteps could have led me in the same direction. I know how thin that tripwire can be when you are balancing precariously on it.

The letter writers life of crime started at age 14 with stealing cars and breaking into various establishments. A year later, he began to use heroin.

Now, at age 60, with five years still to go on an 18-year prison sentence, he corresponded about a life of crime and the drugs that were like a bodyguard shielding him as he committed crime after crime.

Once I began with that and cocaine, I never used any other drug ... he wrote.

I have not revealed his name or his inmate number and I wont since I have no idea how dragging their name back in print would affect the family. But let me give readers a condensed version of him based on his letters.

He grew up on the West Side of Bridgeport in an area he says wasnt very bad but just me choosing to make the decisions I did without any consideration to my family or the consequences. As a result, this is my third time in prison and in a federal prison at that.

My immediate and extended family were always very supportive but they could never understand why I continued to waste all my talents and skills on drugs, then crime.

Despite the drug use, he enjoyed learning and earned his GED at age 20 while serving his first stint in jail and obtained an associate degree during his second. When he was released, he worked at various jobs in Bridgeport and Westport but as always, I tried to go it alone and eventually slipped back into relapse.

Being a loner in prison is a survival mechanism, he wrote. But in the real world, you get lost.

And 13 years with time still to go on the clock is a long time to sit in a cell and think about yourself and all the things that could have been different.

Regretfully, heroin has haunted me all these years  or shall I say my addiction, he wrote. I always continued to drift back to what I felt comfortable with, and that has kept me constantly incarcerated.

I dont think this inmates story is different than many others. He was bright, enjoyed learning, and had the support of family. That is a pretty solid foundation.

I was raised with the understanding that if you walk on the opposite side of the law, then you have to expect whatever happens. So, I have always believed when an inmate facing life in prison or a long prison sentence says he or she has regrets, it is because he or she is sitting in a cell watching life go by as the years pile up and their hair is turning grey  not because they regret what they have done.

But Michael Lawlor, the former undersecretary for criminal justice policy and planning at the Office of Policy and Management, strongly disagreed with me during a previous conversation. In his efforts to bring criminal justice reform to Connecticut, he spent time in the prisons and said he knew many men  some who were killers  who sincerely regretted what they did  and not because they were locked up, but because of what it took from their victims.

In five years, the Bridgeport man incarcerated in South Carolina will step outside prison gates a free man again after 18 years. He admits he is not sure what he will do or where he will do it.

I really like CT, but it could be too much of a trigger for me, especially if I go it alone, he wrote.

Like so many before and after him who have chased euphoria, the drugs were good and the high rapturous  but the fallout costly.

It is so costly, that I have yet to receive a letter from a prisoner that the ride to the sky was worth it.

Locked up? An inmate from Bridgeport admits regret.

James Walker is the Registers senior editor. He can be reached at 203-680-9389 or james.walker@hearstmediact.com. Follow him on Twitter @thelieonroars
Contributed Photo / North Haven Police Department / Contributed Photo

NORTH HAVEN  Town police are hoping the public can help them track down a man they say is responsible for stealing a smartphone from a local store.

The suspect allegedly took an iPhone  valued at over $1,000  from a business on Universal Drive, police said Friday. Surveillance footage caught the suspect.
TORRINGTON - Three years ago, Shawna Hudak was missing her fun times as a Nutmeg Ballet student. So when she visited the Nutmeg Conservatory where her daughter studied, she had a great suggestion for her former teacher, Susan Szabo: Lets do it again.

And that was the birth - rather, the rebirth - of Adult Ballet at the Nutmeg, an arts extension program geared to older men and women who want to enjoy the benefits of classical ballet training - regardless of whether they have ever taken a dance lesson in their lives.

I thought that it would be great for all of us to be able to dance again, Hudak said. Just a fun way to get back into shape, because once you start ballet, it kind of stays with you.

Adult ballet classes were introduced in 1974 by Nutmeg founder Sharon Dante. Szabo said, My first class that Sharon ever gave me was the adult ballet class back in 1977. I eventually took that class over and really enjoyed it, enjoyed teaching the adults.

But the classes were discontinued for a few years, until Hudak showed up. She had been a Nutmeg student in the 1980s.

I was in The Nutcracker every year, she said. I was everything from an angel on up to Young Clara. It was kind of a big deal in the 80s.

Her daughter performed in The Nutcracker this past season. And now, while her daughter studies at Nutmeg during the day, Hudak spends Monday nights back at the barre with other former Nutmeg students and first-time dancers.

I think its a relaxing way to get your body back in shape, she said. You dont necessarily need to know ballet. Its just a wonderful experience, a wonderful way to have a little time for yourself.

Hope Bourque, a Nutmeg student from 2003 to 2010, has been attending the adult classes for about two years. Even though its a 45-minute drive from her Simsbury home, she said, I wanted to go back to my home studio, because Nutmeg has such a family feel to it, and that kind of brought me back.

Bourque said, Its not a prima ballerina class, but we have a lot of fun and we take a lot of time focusing on things that you wouldnt think of, like basic details. But you can be any level of dancer. The teachers make sure that if youre an advanced dancer you could take further steps to make it a little harder. If youre a beginner, you work with just the basics. But youre all doing the same thing at different levels.

Melissa Marks, of New York City and Litchfield, said in an email, In the spring of 2018, after more than a half of a century of dreaming to being a ballet dancer, I walked into my first adult ballet class at the age of 57. I was so nervous because I had no idea what to expect, but I knew I needed to give it my best shot.

In the beginning I felt silly, barely able to keep up with the class, she said. However I was determined to not give up. I stuck with it and since then, I have been consistently attending adult ballet classes. Just being in the studio is an amazing experience in itself, let alone dancing, and for that I am very grateful. At this point, it is one of the brightest spots of my week that I always look forward to.

When Hudak suggested restarting the adult classes, Szabo almost immediately agreed.

It really took off, and I really enjoyed it, she said. It gave me a different perspective on teaching, going back to when I started teaching, which was to the adults. I teach the classes the majority of the time, but we have guest teachers, including Victoria Mazzarelli, Joan Kunsch and Donna Bonasera.

Mazzarelli is Nutmegs artistic director. Kunsch is associate artistic director. Bonasera, who teaches the current Monday night classes, is artistic director at Connecticut Dance Theatre, teaching artist at Nutmeg Conservatory, and ballet teacher at Torrington School of Ballet (TSOB), Reach for the Stars Academy of Dance, and Ballet Theatre Company. Szabo is director of the TSOB and childrens ballet mistress.

Szabo recalls how one woman overcame her lack of self-confidence as a result of the classes.

We do movements across the floor, which is very intimidating to some adults, she said. I would say, OK, start in this corner and walk to the other corner all by yourself. I had one woman turn to me and say, I cant do that. I said, You can do that, you really can. And so she walked across the floor all by herself. And two weeks later, she was jumping and leaping across the floor and having a ball.

Mazzarelli said, I think its good to open Nutmeg to the community and work with not only former students but also new students in adult ballet. Its never too late to start dancing.

The Classical ballet training the adult classes offer are intended to help develop strength, flexibility and balance at a comfortable pace. It includes barre work, center stretching and flowing movements across the floor. Students are encouraged to dress comfortably. Ballet slippers are required and can be purchased at the Dance Shop at 62 Main St., adjacent to the Conservatory.

Adult Ballet at the Nutmeg is held in the Premier Studio at the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts, 58 Main St., Monday evenings from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. A 10-session class card is $150, and individual drop-in classes are $20 each. Proceeds from these classes will go toward construction of the newly designed set that will be debuted in the Nutmegs 50th anniversary 2019 production of The Nutcracker.

For details on registering for adult classes, call 860-482-4413 or email info@nutmegconservatory.org.
Martin Luther King Jr. was the biggest Civil Rights leader in the U.S. during the 1950 and 60s. Until his assassination in 1968, King led marches, delivered speeches and inspired the masses through peaceful protest.

To honor his legacy, King's birthday (January 15) has been designated a federal holiday; MLK Day is celebrated on the third Monday of January each year.
OTTAWA, Jan. 20, 2019 /CNW/ - Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Perry Bellegarde and AFN Yukon Regional Chief Kluane Adamek congratulate the Teslin Tlingit Council (TTC) on the recent Yukon Supreme Court decision that affirms Canada's constitutional obligation to meaningfully and appropriately implement the terms of Modern Treaties, particularly the TTC Final and Self-Government Agreement.

"Self-government agreements have the potential to create a modern, effective relationship between First Nations and Canada, but Canada has to fulfill its promises once the agreements are made," said AFN National Chief Bellegarde. "Otherwise, First Nations will not sign these documents. TTC signed their Final and Self-Government agreements on the understanding that their self-governing authority would be supported with fair funding from Canada. That isn't happening and Canada is eroding its credibility. I lift up TTC for fighting for their people and their rights."

Yukon Supreme Court Justice Ron Veale found that Canada has failed its obligations to the TTC Self-Government agreements by not providing funding for all its citizens. The court found that Canada has only been funding TTC and other Yukon First Nations on the number of "status" citizens. However, TTC's self-government agreement does distinguish between citizens that hold Indian status and those that don't.

For several years, TTC has noted the importance of properly funding all their citizens, according to the terms of their self-government agreements. Regional Chief Adamek says the court decision reaffirms TTC's view and interpretation of their agreements.

"Justice Vaele's decision sets a positive precedent and important recognition that Modern Treaties, particularly TTC's self-government agreement, are paramount to federal policies. This ruling signals to Canada that meaningful realization of self-government requires the federal government to uphold its constitutional obligations to the terms of Final and Self-Government Agreements. Federal officials cannot continue to interpret our agreements through the lens of the Indian Act," the Regional Chief said.

"Yukon First Nation children and families deserve proper programs and services supported by adequate funding based on the total population of citizens as determined by each respective First Nation. TTC, and other Yukon First Nations, entered into modern treaties, after decades of negotiation, to reach an agreement that would enable Canada and TTC to further their common priorities. At its core, the agreement is about ensuring Teslin Tlingit citizens, regardless of federally-imposed categories of status or non-status, can realize self-determinations in accordance with their principles and values."

TTC signed their Final Land Claims and Self-Government Agreement in 1995, in good faith. Their preference, as has been their history, is to negotiate with governments to realize their interests. TTC is disappointed they had to turn to the courts to confirm what they've consistently stated since 2010. However, they see this decision as a turning point to get on with the work of finalizing a financial transfer agreement with Canada that will provide resources to meaningfully support the needs of their citizens.

The Assembly of First Nations is the national organization representing First Nation citizens in Canada. Follow AFN on Twitter @AFN_Comms, @AFN_Updates.

SOURCE Assembly of First Nations

For further information: Michael Hutchinson, Press Secretary for the National Chief, Assembly of First Nations, 613-241-6789 ext. 244, 613-859-6831 (cell), [email protected]; Monica Poirier, Bilingual Communications Officer, Assembly of First Nations, 613-241-6789 ext. 382, 613-292-0857 (mobile), [email protected]; Arturo Calvo, A/Communications and Policy Analyst, Assembly of First Nations Yukon Region, 867-393-920 ext. 9227, 867-334-3314 (cell), [email protected]

Related Links

www.afn.ca


New York:

In the latest incident of alleged hate crime in the US, a Sikh man was brutally assaulted by a white man who pulled his beard, kicked and punched him in the face at a convenience store in the state of Oregan. Harwinder Singh Dodd, who was working at a convenience store, was racially targeted on Monday by 24-year-old Andrew Ramsey. Ramsey targeted Dodd because of his perception of the employees religion, FOX 12 TV news reported, citing a court document.

Ramsey wanted rolling papers for cigarettes, but did not have an ID and the clerk would not sell them to him, Justin Brecht, a legislative policy adviser in the Oregon State Capitol and a former combat Marine, was quoted as saying by the report.

According to the report, when Dodd asked Ramsey to leave, he attacked him by pulling his beard, punching him in the face, pulling him to the ground and kicking him, Brecht said, adding that they held Ramsey down until the cops arrived.

He was bleeding, he had gotten punched quite a bit in the face, and kicked on the ground and thrown to the ground very brutally. It was very serious.

Ramsey was charged with a hate crime, assault, police said, adding that he threw his shoe at Dodd and tried to steal his turban. He was also charged with assault in the fourth degree, disorderly conduct and criminal trespass.

Hate crimes have increased by 40 per cent in Oregon from 2016 to 2017, according to the FBI. In August 2018, in about a week, two Sikh men were brutally assaulted in the US State of California that raised concerns over increasing incidents of hate crimes in the country.

Last year, the South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) published a report documenting a 45 per cent increase in hate violence and rhetoric against Indians, Sikhs, and South Asian Americans from the year prior.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
highlights Trump also proposed increase in law enforcement to heighten border security.

Divide between Republicans, Democrats over border wall led to the shutdown.

It has rendered 800,000 govt workers without job, crippled key departments.

Washington:

Seeking to end the federal government shutdown, US President Donald Trump has offered to extending protection for people illegally brought to the country as children in exchange for $5.7 billion for constructing a wall on the US-Mexico border. The deal was, however, dismissed by the Democrats as a non-starter. The president also proposed a slew of measures to increase border security, including an increase in law enforcement, saying he was offering a commonsense compromise both parties (Republicans and Democrats) should embrace. The divide between the Trump-led Republican Party and the Democratic Party led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over the border wall led to the shutdown, which has rendered 800,000 federal government workers without work and crippled key departments. The shutdown  the longest in US history  entered its 29th day, as Trump on Saturday made the announcements.

The president has also proposed protection to other groups of immigrants facing deportation. Both sides in Washington must simply come together, Trump said in a White House speech, adding he is trying to "break the logjam.

"It is time to reclaim our future from the extreme voices who fear compromise and demand open borders, which means drugs pouring in, human trafficking and a lot of crime, he said.

Trump said he is here today to break the logjam and provide Congress with a path forward to end the shutdown and solve the crisis on the border.

Defending his plan for the border wall, he said, The radical left can never control our borders. Walls are not immoral, in fac,t they are the opposite of immoral because they will save many lives.

The president said he would give protection for young people brought to the country illegally as childrenalso known as Dreamersand also extend it to those with temporary protected status after fleeing countries affected by natural disasters or violence.

Trump said he proposes three years of legislative relief for 700,000 DACA recipients brought here unlawfully by their parents at a young age many years ago.

This extension will give them access to work permits, social security numbers and protection from deportation, he said.

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) allows such people to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and become eligible fora work permit.

"Our proposal provides a three-year extension of Temporary Protected Status. This means, 300,000 immigrants whose protected status is facing expiration will now have three more years of certainty so that Congress can work on a larger immigration deal, which everybody wants  Republicans and Democrats, Trump said.

He said farmers and vineyards will not be affected because lawful and regulated entry into the country will be easy and consistent.

The president pushed for the $5.7 billion to fund the strategic deployment of a barrier system or wall on USs southern border, saying this is not a 2,000-mile concrete structure from sea to sea. These are steel barriers in high priority locations and much of the border is already protected by mountains and water, Trump said.

In his proposal to end the shutdown, he proposed $800 million in humanitarian assistance, medical support, and new temporary housing; $805 million for technology, canines, and personnel to help stop the flow of illegal drugs, weapons and other contraband; and USD 782 million to hire an additional 2,750 border agents, law enforcement officers and staff.

USD 563 million to support the immigration court system, including hiring 75 new immigration judge teams to reduce the immigration court backlog of 800,000 cases was also part of Trumps proposal.

Trump said this plan solves the immediate humanitarian crisis.

It provides humanitarian relief, delivers real border security and immediately reopens our federal government. If we are successful in this effort, then we can start the broader project of remaking our immigration system for the 21st century," he said.

Once the government is open, Trump said he will hold weekly bipartisan meetings to reform the immigration system.

The divide between the Republicans and Democrats, and the shutdown are fallouts of Trump refusing to sign spending bills without the USD5.7 billion to start constructing the border wall.

The Democrats appeared unimpressed by his proposal and dismissed it.

"The president has taken pride in shutting down government. Now, he must take action to open up government," Pelosi said.

Trumps proposal is a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives, each of which is unacceptable and in total, do not represent a good faith effort to restore certainty to peoples lives, she said.

"It is unlikely that any one of these provisions alone would pass the House, and taken together, they are a non-starter. For one thing, this proposal does not include the permanent solution for the Dreamers and TPS recipients that our country needs and supports," Pelosi said.

Senate Minority Leader Senator Chuck Schumer said its clear the president realizes that by closing the government and hurting so many American workers and their families, he has put himself and the country in an untenable position

Trumps remarks failed to acknowledge the pain and suffering he has caused to federal workers, contractors, and millions of US citizens, Democratic senators Mark R Warner and Tim Kaine said.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

A family in Maharashtras Aurangabad was in for a shocking treat after they ordered paneer dishes from food delivery company Zomato and found plastic fibre in the food items. Sachin Jamdare alleged that there was plastic fibre in the paneer dishes he had ordered. He told news agency ANI, "I ordered chilly paneer, paneer masala for my children. When we started eating, my daughter told me that the paneer was very hard and her teeth were hurting while chewing. When I tasted it, I found fibre.''

When he when to the restaurant to complain about the food, they refused to listen to him. "I was really worried about my children's health. I went to the restaurant to speak with the owner. They did not entertain my issue, saying that maybe Zomato guy did something. I went to the police station and lodged a complaint. I wanted to raise awareness among our countrymen how these people can play with our health for something as little as Rs150," Jamdare added.



Responding to the incident, Zomato has issued a statement apologising for the incident. "Zomato is deeply committed to food safety, quality, and hygiene. We apologise for the anguish this incident must have caused to our user. We have suspended the restaurant from our platform pending results of the external FDA investigation and in the meanwhile, have refunded the entire amount to the user," the statement read.



A police official confirmed that the complaint has been received and they have sent samples of the food for testing, adding that investigation will be conducted after the results are received.

Last December, a video went viral on the social media where a Zomato delivery person was seen eating food from one of the packets, resealing it and putting it back into the delivery bag. After this incident, the company had issued a statement saying that it would introduce tamper proof tapes and take other precautionary measures to safeguard the quality of the food delivered.

(With inputs from ANI)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Agartala:

At least thirty-one Rohingya Muslims are literally in no man's land, holed up behind the barbed wire fencing along the Bangladesh border in Tripura since Friday, while a blame-game is on between the border guards of the two countries over their refuge. The Border Security Force (BSF) officials said six men, nine women and 16 children were detained by the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) and are behind the fencing at Rayermura in West Tripura district, about 15 km from here.

While the BGB asserted that the Rohingyas came from India, the BSF denied the claim. Both the sides have met twice since Saturday but failed to make any headway to resolve the issue. "They are stranded between the international border and the barbed wire fencing for last 48 hours. They tried to enter Indian territory from Bangladesh side and we stopped them," BSF Deputy Inspector General C L Belwa told PTI Sunday.

The barbed wire fencing has been erected 300 feet into the Indian side from the international border. "We are supplying water and other basic needs from our own resources to the Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds since last night," the DIG said.

Despite the BGB stressing that the Rohingyas were from India, the BSF said there was no tell-tale sign of breach of a fence on the Indian side. The BSF has also offered the BGB to join a survey on the Indian side to identify any sign of a breach in fencing.

Around 8.30 pm on Friday, BGB Commanding Officer Lt Col Gomal Kabir had called up BSF Commandant Ratnesh Kumar to inform him that they had detained 31 Rohingyas at the border. "BGB commanding officer insisted that the BSF take those Rohingyas inside the Indo-Bangladesh border fencing. Commanding Officer BGB also alleged that BSF has been pushing Rohingyas into Bangladesh territory," Belwa told reporters.

"We were expecting that BGB will contact us for a flag meeting. But they did not contact us, rather we contacted them and yesterday 12 o'clock, an officer level meeting was conducted at zero line," Belwa said. He said the BSF offered BGB officials to come and survey the Indian side to see if there is any breach of the barbed wire fence.

However, the BGB authorities declined the offer and stuck to their demand that the BSF must take the Rohingyas into the Indian territory. A Battalion Commander level meeting was held at the Zero Line at 11 am on Sunday.

"The BGB battalion commander was of the same view that Rohingyas came from the Indian side. We have denied their allegations and said there is no tell-tale sign of breach of fence on Indian side," BSF DIG Belwa said. He added that the Rohingyas might have come from the other side (Bangladesh).

Twelve and 62 Rohingyas were apprehended in Tripura in 2017 and 2018 respectively. In October 2017, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had ordered all state governments to identify and monitor Rohingya refugees.

It said the Centre viewed infiltration of Rohingyas from the Rakhine state of Myanmar into Indian territory as a burden on the country's resources and it aggravated security challenges to the country.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims, described by the UN as the most persecuted minority in the world, fled their homes in 2017 to escape an alleged crackdown by the Myanmarese military. Many of them reached India via Bangladesh.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

In a bid to boost indigenous defence production in India, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday inaugurated the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor in Tiruchirapalli district of the South Indian state. The much-ambitious corridor in the heart of Tamil Nadu also gets an impressive response from the local industrialists with various private and public sectors announcing an investment of around Rs 3100 crores.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony in Tiruchirapalli, Sitharaman said, "The response from the local industry to this defence corridor has been amazing. They even wanted to extend this corridor up to Palakkad but we had to tell them that it would currently consist of these five nodes (cities) only".

The Defence Minister also spoke about various initiatives for the industry to engage with armed forces and co-create the best in defence technologies under the banner of "Make in India' programme. Besides accelerating growth in regional industries, these corridors will also facilitate a well-planned and efficient industrial base resulting in a boost to defence production.

The Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor, also called the Tamil Nadu Defence Production Quad as the nodal cities form a quadrilateral, includes Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Coimbatore and Tiruchirappalli as nodes. The idea behind setting up defence industrial corridors is to ensure connectivity among various defence industrial units.

Aforementioned five nodal cities have existing defence ecosystem in the form of OFBs (Ordnance Factory Boards), vendors working with Defence PSUs, and other allied industries. Many global conglomerates like Lockheed Martin also announced their plans to invest in the corridor. This will be the country's second defence industrial corridor after the first one was launched in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh on August 11, 2018, with an investment of Rs 3,732 crore in defence production.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, in his Budget speech on February 2 last year, had announced that two defence industrial production corridors will be set up in the country to promote the domestic defence industry.

Apart from these corridors, Sitharaman also launched the "CODISSIA Defence Innovation and Incubation Centre" to support the MSMEs, Start-Ups and existing industries in their endeavour to expand and contribute significantly for defence indigenisation and other areas.

The minister is also scheduled to sign three defence-related MoUs on Sunday and later in the day will inaugurate the Coimbatore Defence Innovation hub via video conference from Trichy.

(With inputs from agencies)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The political crisis in Karnataka intensified on Sunday as Congress confined its MLAs to a resort outside the city for another night after four of them didnt turn up during the partys legislature meeting amid claims of poaching by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Karnataka Congress in-charge KC Venugopal will Sunday have a one on one discussions with all the Congress MLAs amid reports that disgruntled Congress MLAs may resign from the party. "KC Venugopal will interact individually with our MLAs regarding parliamentary elections and decision on our future course of action will be taken, state unit President Dinesh Gundu Rao tweeted.

The Congress party has been accusing the BJP of trying to topple the Congress-JDS coalition government in Karnataka after three of them went incommunicado. The BJP, however, said it has no such intentions and leveled counter allegations of poaching against the ruling coalition. Citing the same fear, the BJP had also sent its MLAs to a luxury resort in Gurugram but they all returned to Bengaluru on Saturday.

Our MLAs are returning to Bengaluru from Delhi. We will tour the state and analyse the situation of drought. We will not destabilise this govt at any cost. Congress and JDS need not worry," former Karnataka Chief Minister and senior BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa said.

Also Read | As Congress flocks MLAs, BJPs BS Yeddyurappa says wont destabilise Karnataka government

The political crisis gripped the south Indian state after Karnataka minister and Congress strongman DK Shivakumar said that three of their MLAs have gone missing and claimed that they were at a Mumbai hotel with BJP leaders. Shivakumar also alleged that they were offered money to switch sides. Following the claims, the Congress called a legislature meeting to test the loyalties of its MLAs. However, the three MLAs skipped the meeting furthering the speculations of them quitting the party.

The MLAs who failed to attend the session were - Ramesh Jarkiholi, who was removed as a minister in the recent cabinet rejig, B Nagendra, Umesh Jadhav and Mahesh Kumatahalli. The coalition government in Karnataka had suffered the first major setback when two MLAs, an Independent and a member of the Karnataka Pragnyavantara Janata Paksha, Tuesday withdrew support to the government.

There was no immediate threat to the government with the withdrawal of support, but speculation was rife that many other disgruntled Congress MLAs could follow suit by resigning from the Assembly, though the party has maintained that its flock is intact. In the 224-member Assembly, BJP has 104 members, Congress has 79, JDS 37, BSP, KPJP and Independent one each, besides the Speaker.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Madhya Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manoj Thackeray, who had gone for a morning walk on Sunday, was found dead in Warla police station limits. The police found Thackerays blood-stained body with his head crushed in a field. The stone used to kill Thackeray was also found near his body. The police have sent the body for post-mortem and registered a case of murder against unknown persons. The Police have also constituted a team to investigate the case.

This is was the second murder of a Madhya Pradesh BJP leader in less than a week. Earlier on Thursday, BJP leader and Mandsaur Municipal Corporation chairman Prahlad Bandhwar was shot at point-blank range in front of the district cooperative bank.

The incident had taken place at around 7 pm when bike-borne attackers stopped in front of Bandhwar who was standing outside the bank building and shot at him at point-blank range. The BJP leader was rushed to hospital but succumbed to the bullet injuries.

Also Read | Jayantilal Bhanusali, former Gujarat BJP vice president shot dead onboard train

Following the incident, scores of BJP leaders gathered outside the hospital. A police investigation is still underway in the case and the bike used by the attackers have been recovered. However, the killers of Bandhwar were still at large.

Reacting to the party leaders killing, former state cabinet minister and senior BJP leader Kailash Chawala termed the incident heinous crime and demanded immediate arrest of the perpetrators.

Barwani: Balwadi BJP leader Manoj Thackeray has been found dead in a field in Warla police station limits. He had gone for a morning walk today. More details awaited. #MadhyaPradesh pic.twitter.com/Cxp0uztAU4  ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2019

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s booth-level workers from South Goa parliamentary constituency through teleconferencing today. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will inaugurate a security corridor in Tamil Nadu later today. Seeking to end the federal government shutdown, US President Donald Trump has offered to extend protection for people illegally brought to the country as children in exchange for $5.7 billion for constructing a wall on the US-Mexico border.

18:58 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress party has always sought vote in Baba Saheb's name but did nothing for him, while our government has given him respect, says Home Minister Rajnath Singh at at 'Bhim Vijay Sankalp' rally in Nagpur.

17:45 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Stefanos Tsitsipas knocks out defending champion Roger Federer 6-7(11) 7-6(3) 7-5 7-6(5) to reach his first quarterfinal at a Grand Slam.

17:06 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In

After the end of Kumbh Mela, we have decided that all saints will meet in Ayodhya & construction of Ram Temple will start. BJP is not interested in constructing Ram Temple as they want to keep this issue alive for election, says Narendra Giri, President of Akhada Parishad.





















14:04 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In PM Modi: I pray that my dear friend Manohar Ji, popular CM of Goa & architect of modern Goa, recovers soon. He is working even in this condition and his passion towards his work is inspirational for us.

13:32 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In They've already started making excuses for their defeat(in 2019 polls).EVM is being made villain. It's natural that every political party wants to win the polls,but it's worrisome when some parties take public for granted.They consider public stupid & so keep changing colours: PM Modi

13:32 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In They've formed alliances with each other.We've formed alliance with 125cr countrymen.Which alliance do you think is stronger?Most leaders at that stage in Kolkata were either son of influential ppl or were trying to set their own children. They've 'dhanshakti',we've 'janshakti': PM



PM:They've formed alliances with each other.We've formed alliance with 125cr countrymen.Which alliance do you think is stronger?Most leaders at that stage in Kolkata were either son of influential ppl or were trying to set their own children.They've 'dhanshakti',we've 'janshakti' pic.twitter.com/DfeqN5oTXj

 ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2019



13:32 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In PM Modi in an interaction with BJP workers from Maharashtra and Goa: Because of the previous governments, political workers are usually known as 'dalaal' (middleman) among common public. However, our workers are known as 'Maa Bharti Ke Laal'.

12:00 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Kasganj: Police carried out a flag march on Saturday ahead of Republic Day. DM says, "Region divided into 2 zones&8 sectors.50 sensitive points identified.Forces deployed.Sec 144 imposed. No procession, without permission, allowed." Violence erupted in the city on Republic Day last year.



Kasganj: Police carried out a flag march y'day ahead of Republic Day. DM says, "Region divided into 2 zones&8 sectors.50 sensitive points identified.Forces deployed.Sec 144 imposed. No procession, without permission, allowed." Violence erupted in the city on Republic Day last yr. pic.twitter.com/Eo2aSbjvuF

 ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 20, 2019



11:59 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In

S Bhadoria, BSP on PM candidate: Dalits, OBCs, Muslims, women&poor want a person from their rank, particularly Mayawati ji. As party worker,we dream&desire that Mayawati ji should take leadership at this juncture in country.However other parties are free&will decide at right time.



S Bhadoria, BSP on PM candidate: Dalits, OBCs, Muslims, women&poor want a person from their rank, particularly Mayawati ji. As party worker,we dream&desire that Mayawati ji should take leadership at this juncture in country.However other parties are free&will decide at right time pic.twitter.com/4uc9xqEn5e

 ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2019























11:59 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken Suo Motu cognisance of the objectionable statement made by BJP MLA Sadhana Singh about BSP chief Mayawati. The Commission will be sending a notice to Sadhna Singh regarding the statement in question.

09:53 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Delhi: Nine trains are running late due to foggy weather conditions.

09:32 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Barwani: Balwadi BJP leader Manoj Thackeray has been found dead in a field in Warla police station limits in Madhya Pradesh. He had gone for a morning walk. More details awaited.

08:49 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Agra: Prime Minister of Denmark Lars Lkke Rasmussen and his wife visit the Taj Mahal.



Agra: Prime Minister of Denmark Lars Lkke Rasmussen and his wife visit the Taj Mahal. pic.twitter.com/7wlCl6P3se

 ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 20, 2019



08:10 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Delhi: Five luxury cars go missing from an automobile workshop in Nangloi. A case has been registered and a police investigation is underway. Several teams have been formed to recover the vehicles.

08:09 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 on the Richter Scale hit near the coast of Coquimbo, Chile today at 01:32 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), reports ANI.

07:24 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Our conditions will pose challenges to Mithali Raj and company: Kiwi skipper Amy Satterthwaite

07:23 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth arrives in India for 8-day visit.



Delhi: Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth arrives in India. He will be in the country from 20-28 January, 2019. pic.twitter.com/HXSrzOzH3n

 ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2019



For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The high-intensity political drama in Karnataka turned ugly after one of the Congress MLAs, camping at Eagleton resort in the outskirts of Bengaluru amid fears of poaching by the BJP, was hospitalised allegedly after a fight with his colleague. According to local media reports, Singh was rushed to hospital after he was hit with a bottle on his head by JN Ganesh at the resort. Several Congress leaders were seen outside the Apollo hospital where Singh was admitted.

The Congress, however, denied the reports and claimed that Anand Singh was taken to the hospital on the complaint of chest pain. Senior party leaders DK Shivakumar and his brother DK Suresh dismissed the fight angle and said he was admitted to hospital on Sunday morning after feeling chest pain.

I dont know about the fight Anand Singh is admitted in hospital due to chest pain. There are no injuries or anything. His parents are here at the hospital. Other issues are just speculations, ANI quoted DK Suresh as saying.

Also Read | Karnataka crisis continues as Congress MLAs remain confined to hotel amid poaching fears

The clarification from the Congress came after the BJP took a dig at the party. In a series of tweets, the Karnataka BJP shared screenshots of a local news channel claiming fight between the two Congress MLAs.

What more proof do we need to tell all is not well within Congress Congress MLAs in Eagleton resort indulged in physical fight & 1 MLA is admitted. How long will Congress be in denial mode & blame BJP for all their differences? When political party is lame, it loves to blame, the BJP said in a series of tweets.

BJP MLA R Ashok accused DK Shivakumar and his brother DK Suresh of lying and demanded the police to take suo-motu cognisance of the matter and investigate further.

DK Shivakumar and DK Suresh are confusing people by telling lies. Doctors of Apollo Hospital should come out and give clarification about whether Anand Singh is admitted for chest pain treatment or for something else. Police should file a suo-motu case and investigate, Ashok was quoted as saying by ANI.

Also Read | As Congress flocks MLAs, BJPs BS Yeddyurappa says wont destabilise Karnataka government

The Congress had shifted its 76 MLAs to Bengalurus Eagleton resort in a bid to foil any poaching bid by the Bharatiya Janata Party after four lawmakers skipped the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting. The Congress has been accusing the BJP of trying to topple its coalition government with the JD-S. The BJP, however, denied the claims and leveled the same allegations against the ruling Congress-JDS alliance.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The Congress party has issued show cause notices to its four Karnataka MLAs seeking an explanation from them for not being present at the Legislature Party meeting. In the notices issued to the four MLAs, who are reportedly in the folds of the BJP, the party has asked why no action should be taken against them under the anti-defection law. Amid the poaching fears by the BJP, the Congress had on Friday called a Legislature Party meeting to test the loyalties of lawmakers amid fears of poaching by the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

While all the MLAs were present at the CLP meeting, four Congress legislators - Ramesh Jarkiholi, who was dropped as a minister in the recent cabinet rejig, B Nagendra, Umesh Jadhav and Mahesh Kumatahalli didnt turn up. The Congress party has been accusing the BJP of trying to topple the partys coalition government with the JD(S) in the state.

Also Read | Karnataka crisis continues as Congress MLAs remain confined to hotel amid poaching fears

In the notice issued to Ramesh Jarkiholi, Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah has sought an explanation about the media reports of him joining the BJP and meeting the saffron party leaders in Mumbai and Delhi.

Your conduct suggests that you will voluntarily quit from the membership of the Indian National Congress. You have got elected as a legislator on Congress symbol and cannot quit as party member under the Constitution, Siddaramaiah said asking as to why he didnt issue any statement rejecting the media reports.

Ahead of the CLP meeting, the Congress party had warned all the party MLAs that their absence will lead to action according to the anti-defection law. The meeting was attended only by 75 MLAs and all of them were then shifted to a resort in the outskirts of the Bengaluru.

The BJP, however, said it has no such intentions and leveled counter allegations of poaching against the ruling coalition. Citing the same fear, the BJP had also sent its MLAs to a luxury resort in Gurugram, but they all returned to Bengaluru on Saturday.

Also Read | As Congress flocks MLAs, BJPs BS Yeddyurappa says wont destabilise Karnataka government



Our MLAs are returning to Bengaluru from Delhi. We will tour the state and analyse the situation of drought. We will not destabilise this govt at any cost. Congress and JDS need not worry," former Karnataka Chief Minister and senior BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in its order made available on Saturday rejected fugitive business tycoon Vijay Mallyas claim that the governments efforts to extradite him were part of a political vendetta and termed them mere fiction of his imagination.

In its judgment, the court said, Mere statement that the government of India had pursued a political vendetta against him and initiated criminal investigations and proceeding against him cannot be ground for his stay in the UK. Hence, the arguments in these regards are mere fiction of his imagination to pose himself as law-abiding citizen.

Mallya had fled the country on March 2, 2016 the day when a consortium of banks filed a case against him before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). He, however, claimed that he didnt flee but went to attend a motorsports council meeting in Geneva on March 4, 2016.

Also Read | Vijay Mallya declared as fugitive economic offender, govt can now confiscate his properties

Had it been the case that he went to attend a pre-scheduled meeting and is a law-abiding citizen, he would have immediately informed the authorities about his schedule to return to India after attending his meeting and commitment, the special PMLA court observed.

The court said that it would not be safe to accept his argument that he left the country only to attend a pre-planned meeting as he didnt give any fix date of return despite repeated summons and issuance of the warrant of arrest.

On January 5, the embattled billionaire, accused of defaulting over Rs 9,000 crore of bank loans, was declared a fugitive economic offender (FEO) by a special Mumbai court. However, declaring him a fugitive offender didnt serve the desired purpose.

Recently, he had lost an extradition case filed by India. On December 11, the Westminster Magistrates Court in London had pronounced its verdict in the case and ordered authorities to extradite Vijay Mallya to India to face the trail.

The liquor tycoon has long been pleading before the Indian authorities to accept his payback offer. Days before the extradition case verdict, Mallya had requested banks to accept his offer, saying that he contributed thousands of crores to the State exchequers through his alcoholic beverage group and now defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

For three decades running Indias largest alcoholic beverage group, we contributed thousands of crores to the State exchequers. Kingfisher Airlines also contributed handsomely to the States. Sad loss of the finest Airline but still I offer to pay Banks so no loss. Please take it, he had said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
highlights BSP filed a complaint against Sadhana Singh over her statement on Mayawati.

Sadhana had said that BSP chief Mayawati is a "blot on womankind".

Akhilesh Yadav denounced the BJP MLA for using derogatory remarks.

New Delhi:

Bahujan Samaj Partys Ram Chandra Gautam has lodged a complaint in Baburi police station against BJP MLA Sadhana Singh over her statement on BSP chief Mayawati. "SP & BSP workers protested against the statements made by BJP leader Sadhna Singh about BSP chief Mayawati, outside Superintendent of Police's office in Chandauli today. Police have asked for 2 days to register an FIR", Gautam said. However, on Sunday, Sadhana issued an apology, saying her remarks were only meant to remind Mayawati of the support BJP provided to her during the infamous guest house incident of 1995. My intention was not to insult anyone. I only wanted to remind Mayawati ji of the support BJP provided to her after the unfortunate guest house incident on June 5, 1995. I apologise if my words have caused grief to anyone, Singh said in her statement.

The Mughalsarai MLA, while addressing a rally said that BSP chief Mayawati is a "blot on womankind" and "worse than a transgender". While referring to the infamous incident when Mayawati was assaulted by Samajwadi Party workers in a Lucknow guest house in 1995, Sadhana said, "Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati sold her dignity for power and joined hands with those who disrespected her... She is a blot on womankind. Cannot say if she can be counted among men or women, she is worse than a transgender person."

Chandauli: BSP's Ram Chandra Gautam has lodged a complaint in Baburi police station against BJP MLA Sadhna Singh over her statement on BSP chief Mayawati. pic.twitter.com/ahVatjGHuT  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 20, 2019

Condemning her remarks, Union minister and Republican Party of India president Ramdas Athawale told a presser in Lucknow on Sunday that such personal comments should not be made. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader S C Misra said on Twitter BJP leaders have "lost their mental balance after the BSP-SP tie-up" which, he said, threatened to rock the ruling party's boat.

Also Read| Sadhana Singh, BJP's UP lawmaker, expresses regret over her controversial remarks against Mayawati

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav also denounced the BJP MLA for using derogatory remarks against Mayawati. "The remark smacks of desperation and nervousness among BJP leaders and is an affront to all women," he tweeted.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The Centre on Sunday directed all educational institutions and universities to implement 10 per cent reservation for the economically backward section in general category from the upcoming educational year 2019. The development came days after the constitutional provision to provide 10 per cent quota to the poor among upper castes came into force on January 14. Addressing a press conference in Maharashtra, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said an office memorandum has been issued to implement the stipulated quota.

"Government has issued an office memorandum to implement 10 per cent reservation. We have issued orders yesterday to all institutes and universities to implement it in the upcoming educational year. We have also asked states to implement it," Javadekar was quoted as saying.

In its recently concluded winter session, the Parliament passed the Constitution (124 Amendment) Bill, 2019, after President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the same. The bill was passed by the Parliament on January 9.

These "special provisions" would relate to "their admission to educational institutions, including private educational institutions, whether aided or unaided by the state, other than the minority educational institutions".

"In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 1 of the Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Act, 2019, the Central Government hereby appoints January 14 as the date on which the provision of the said Act shall come into force," a gazette notification by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment read.

The Act amends Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution, by adding a clause which allows states to make "special provision for the advancement of any economically weaker sections of citizens". The reservation will give a financial relief to upper caste individuals whose annual income is below Rs 8 lakh and who possess less than 5 acres of agriculture land.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

A massive controversy erupted after a fractious BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh, Sadhana Singh, called Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati 'worse than an eunuch'. The remarks of the BJP leader were sharply criticised by the BSP which said that the words used for Mayawati show the level of the saffron party. "After the announcement of this coalition (SP-BSP), BJP leaders have lost their mental balance and they should be admitted to mental hospitals in Agra and Bareilly," senior BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra said.

Reacting to the SP-BSP alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP lawmaker from Mughalsarai had said that a woman who was disrobed is now compromising with the perpetrators, "she is worse than an eunuch".

She (Mayawati) has no self-respect... she was almost molested earlier and yet... in history, when Draupadi was molested, she took a vow to seek revenge... but this woman, she lost everything, but still sold her dignity for the sake of power. We strongly condemn Mayawati ji. She is a blot on womankind. A woman who gulped insults for comfort and power ... is a blot on womankind, the BJP leader had said.

Also Read | This is how political parties reacted to SP-BSP alliance ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections

Singh was apparently refereeing to the 1995 guest house scandal when the BSP chief was allegedly assaulted by Samajwadi Party leaders. The incident took place at a Lucknow guest house after reports of Mayawati pulling out of the alliance with SP. Following the incident, the relations between the SP and the BSP remained hostile for over two decades.

However, the animosity ended recently, when Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav announced their coalition for the Lok Sabha elections, scheduled to be held later this year. During the announcement of their alliance, the BSP chief had said that she had left behind the guest scandal for the sake of the country.

Akhilesh Yadav, who had declared during his joint press conference with the BSP chief for the announcement of the coalition that Mayawati's insult would be like his insult also condemned the incident, saying the remarks of the BJP leader was an "insult to the women of the country" and demonstrate the "moral bankruptcy and hopelessness" of the saffron party.

Also Read | Why Congress is not part of SP-BSP alliance for 2019 Lok Sabha polls in UP

Meanwhile, the BJP leader had no regret over his shocking remarks and she refused to apologise to the BSP chief. "I don't regret my statement. A woman who is unable to protect her own dignity is a blot on womankind. She forgot her disrespect for political gains. It's not only about her but the entire womenfolk, which has been let down," Singh was quoted by News18 as saying.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
highlights Kumar reached South Pole after covering 111 km of walking on snow on January 13.

She also carried equipment weighing 35 kilogram along with her.

ITBP is credited with 211 successful mountaineering expeditions across the globe.

New Delhi:

Aparna Kumar became the first woman IPS DIG and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) officer to successfully reach the South Pole. Kumar reached the South Pole after covering 111 kilometre of walking on the snow on January 13 where she unfurled the National and ITBP flags. She also carried equipment weighing 35 kilogram along with her. She is also credited with scaling the top six mountain peaks of the six continents of the globe including the Mount Everest which she scaled on May 25, 2016. Kumar was given a grand welcome at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on Saturday after ITBP officials. The women band of ITBP presented the welcome tunes and a bouquet to her.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief Minister Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath also conveyed their appreciations to the officer.

Aparna Kr becomes the 1st woman IPS DIG & Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) officer to complete the expedition to South Pole. She reached the South Pole on 13 Jan. She is a 2002 batch UP Cadre IPS officer, who has been posted at Northern Frontier Headquarters of ITBP in Dehradun. pic.twitter.com/P6cOD4Mulu  ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2019

Kumar is a 2002 batch UP Cadre IPS officer, who has been posted at the Northern Frontier Headquarters of ITBP in Dehradun. The ITBP is credited with 211 successful mountaineering expeditions across the globe, making a record.

The ITBP is a Central Armed Police Force which is primarily deployed to secure the icy Himalayan borders of the nation since its Inception in 1962.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

BJP president Amit Shah, who was suffering from swine flu and was admitted to AIIMS on January 17, was discharged on Sunday, BJP spokesperson Anil Baluni said. Shah was admitted to AIIMS after complaints of chest congestion and breathing issue on Wednesday.

"Shah was discharged at 10.20 AM from AIIMS after recovering from swine flu," said an AIIMS official. BJP leader and in-charge of the partys IT cell Amit Malviya said Shah was fine and has returned home from the hospital. "BJP President Shri Amit Shah has been discharged from AIIMS. He is fine and back home now. Thanks for all your wishes and messages," Malviya tweeted.

BJP President Shri Amit Shah has been discharged from AIIMS. He is fine and back home now. Thanks for all your wishes and messages.  Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) January 20, 2019

Congress leader BK Hariprasad had on Thursday courted controversy by mocking Amit Shah's illness on Thursday. Taking the political discourse to a new low, the Congress MP said, "Amit Shah has got fever due to panic. He panicked as some MLAs (of the Congress) have come back. If he topples the Congress-JD(S) government, then he will have vomiting and loose motions. That is why he got swine fever."

"Amit Shah is suffering from 'suar ka zukam' and was cursed by the people of Karnataka," the MP further added.

Referring to the BJP's alleged "Operation Lotus" to topple the Karnataka coalition government, Hariprasad said, "if he (Shah) continues to destabilise the Karnataka government, he will have to deal with even more serious diseases."

The BJP on Thursday reacted furiously to Congress MP BK Hariprasad's controversial 'swine flu' dig at BJP president Amit Shah, saying that flu is curable but "mental illness" of the opposition party's leaders is difficult to treat.

Demanding that the Congress should sack Hariprasad and tender a public apology for these "abhorrent" remarks, the BJP claimed that the opposition party's "silence" over these comments show that all such "toxic" views have the sanction of its leadership.

"The kind of ugly and indecent comments Congress MP BK Hariprasad have made about BJP president Amit Shah's health show the standards of the Congress. Flu is curable but it is difficult to cure Congress leaders' mental illness," Union minister Piyush Goyal said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Anticipation around Kangana Ranauts much-awaited project, Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi is expanding with every passing day but in a sad turn of events, Kamal Jain, the producer of the movie is in a critical condition at the hospital. According to Spotboye, Manikarnika producer Kamal Jain suffered from a paralytic stroke recently and is battling for Life on the ventilator at the moment.

Jain had shared a heartfelt message on his Twitter handle hopeful of bouncing back to health soon and thanking his entire team for their hard work and commitment. Heres his tweet:

Dear friends, this certainly is not the best time to be in hospital. Hope to get well soon and enjoy the success of our collective dream & hardwork. My best wishes to all pic.twitter.com/VnYLYxXlJc  Kamal Jain (@KamalJain_TheKJ) January 19, 2019

Manikarnika - The Queen of Jhansi is directed by Krish Jagarlamudi and is slated to release on January 25. The film is written by Prasoon and Baahubali writer KV Vijayendra Prasad. Earlier, Manikarnika - The Queen of Jhansi, Why Cheat India and Thackeray were scheduled to release on the Republic Day weekend, but the makers of Why Cheat India advanced their release to January 18 when makers of Thackeray requested them to do so.

Ever since the film went on floors, Manikarnika has been in the news for no good reasons. One of the most controversial films of the year, Manikarnika had to face a lot of backlash from its cast and crew.

The film will release in over 50 countries in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, Shariq Patel, CEO of Zee Studios stated. With only a week to go before the film release, the makers are putting in every effort to bring the best while maintaining the hype steady going.

Producer Kamal Jains critical condition might affect films release and performance. We wish him a fast recovery and better health!

For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

After keeping their relationship under wraps for a while, Arjun Kapoor and Malaika Arora are now frequently spotted hanging out and spending time together. While Arjun recently confessed on Koffee With Karan that he is not single anymore, Malaika has not spoken much about their relationship.

If the grapevine is to be believed, things are getting pretty much serious between the two, and they are planning to tie the knot in the near future. As per a report in a leading publication, Malaika and Arjun are on a house hunt where they can live together as husband and wife.

An insider is quoted as saying, "Arjun and Malaika are looking for real estate to set up a home together in 2019 after they get married."

Talking about being open to the idea of marriage, Arjun had recently said on Koffee with Karan, "Yes, now I am. Earlier, I wasn't" on his appearance on Koffee With Karan 6. When KJo asked Malaika about Arjun's KWK appearance, she said, "It was hot, it was honest and I loved every bit of it!"

When Malaika was recently asked by Hindustan Time about the reports of her tying the knot with Arjun Kapoor in 2019, she was quoted as saying, I never answer personal questions. Not that I shy away from answering or whatever. I just dont feel comfortable talking about my personal life. And whatever my life has been, everyone is aware of it. I dont need to be talking about it. I am just enjoying my life - its beautiful and precious.

Meanwhile, on the professional front, Arjun will be next seen in Sandeep aur Pinky Faraar opposite Parineeti Chopra. He has also begin shooting for Ashutosh Gowarikers Panipat and the crime drama Indias Most Wanted.

For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Goa:

Unfazed by the Opposition's show of unity at a rally in Kolkata, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday dismissed it as an alliance of corruption, negativity and instability, saying while those parties have "money power", the BJP has "people's power". Modi also said that seats in educational institutes will be increased to implement the 10 per cent general category quota. The prime minister was addressing BJP's booth-level workers from Lok Sabha constituencies of Kolhapur, Hatkanangle, Madha and Satara in Maharashtra and South Goa through video-conference.

Leaders from over a dozen opposition parties gathered in Kolkata on Saturday and vowed to put up a united fight in the coming Lok Sabha elections and oust Modi from power. Several opposition leaders at the rally demanded the use of ballot papers instead of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) which, they said, were the source of "all sorts of malpractices".

Modi said the Opposition was staring at a defeat in forthcoming elections and looking for excuses ahead of their impending loss and thus, were vilifying EVMs. "You must have seen that one of the leaders who was sharing the dais recalled the Bofors scam. Truth cannot be kept hidden. The Opposition's "mahagathbandhan" is an alliance of capitalists, corruption, scams, negativity and instability," he said. "The Opposition has 'dhanshakti' (money power), we have 'janshakti' (people's power)," he added.

Replying on the query from a booth worker in Kolhapur, Modi said while the Opposition alliance is with political parties, "our alliance is with the dreams of 125 crore Indians and their hopes and aspirations". "Those who were on the dais in Kolkata were either son or daughter of a big person or who wanted to make his son or daughter big in politics," he alleged.

Those who never believed in democracy within their parties were now talking about democracy from a public platform, he said, taking a dig at the Opposition's rally. He said such people do not have faith in any institution and are busy defaming constitutional authorities.

"We get worried when some groups take people for granted. They think people are fools. That is why they don't leave any stone unturned to change their colour... I would like to repeat, this is a dangerous game for the country and a thing to worry about," Modi commented.

"While on one hand, they are busy saving or nurturing their own families, we are busy developing a nation. Our country is our family... Those who start violence against the person contesting against them even at panchayat level, are now singing songs of protecting democracy," he said.

Modi said the Centre's decision to provide quota to the economically weaker sections from the general category in education and government jobs has given "sleepless nights" to the Opposition.

"If our decision had no strength, then these people would not have had sleepless nights. They have to get down in the field to spread lies and rumours. This means we have done right work and worked for the country," he said.

Seeking to allay concerns about lack of seats in educational institutes to accommodate the new quota provision, he said, "I would like to assure that we will increase 10 per cent seats in every educational institution so that despite the reservation, everyone will get an opportunity."

Modi said the government would ensure that no one faced injustice and that the quota for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes remain intact. "But with (the new) 10 per cent reservation, new opportunities have been opened up," the PM asserted.

The government has worked rising above political interests. "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas has been the focus of our style of functioning," he said. The prime minister also added that the BJP had taken such a "historic step" that if any party had to make such a move without researching the Constitution, he would have himself criticised it.

"After researching the Constitution, we made 10 per cent reservation for the economically weaker section. They (opposition) have not done anything for social injustice. When we did it, they were caught napping," he said.

These people are still "unconscious". When the government has taken a historical step for the larger good of people, it is natural for them to oppose, he said. "Those who say that I took the decision keeping polls in mind, I want to ask them, when do we not have elections in the country," the PM questioned. He said if he had to take the decision three months ago, then people would have claimed he did it keeping in mind elections in five states.

"If I did it before, they would have said I did it for the Karnataka elections, before that they would have said I did it to get benefit in Gujarat elections," the PM noted. Before starting the interaction with people of Goa, Modi wished ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar a speedy recovery and called him the "architect of modern Goa".

"I would like to wish my good friend and Goa's popular CM and architect of modern Goa, Manohar Parrikar, a speedy recovery. The way he has been working and his zeal towards work has been an inspiration for a party worker like me," he said.

Appealing BJP workers to strengthen the booths, Modi said the party has given respect to the word 'worker'. "Due to earlier governments, the image of a worker was that of a 'dalal' (middleman). But, the image of BJP workers is that of 'maa Bharati ke lal' (patriots)," he added.
New Delhi:

All India Institute of Medical Science or AIIMS Patna has invited applications for 165 vacancies across various posts such as account officer, nursing superintendent, assistant nursing superintendent, chief nursing officer, office assistant group B and other.

Candidates can visit the official website - aiimspatna.org to apply for the job. AIIMS Patna announced vacancies to 35 posts in a notification published on Employment News this week. The last date for receipt of application from the eligible candidate is the 45th day from the date of publication of the advertisement in the Employment News i.e. March 5, 2019 up to 5.00 PM, as per the notification in Employment news.

Duly filled-in application along with attested copies of all important certificates are to be sent to All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Administrative Officer, Phulwarisharif, Patna, Bihar- 801507 superscribing the envelope Application for the post of AIIMS Patna by Speed Post/Registered Post only.

Maximum age limit: The maximum age limit to apply for the job must not exceed 56 years as on the closing date of receipt of application.

Vacancy: Here are some major jobs announced by AIIMS Patna:

Assistant Nursing Superintendent: 85 vacancies



Office Assistant Group B: 14 vacancies



Chief Pharmacist: 11 vacancies



Pharmacist Grade 1: 6 vacancies



Private Secretary Group B: 5 vacancies

For all the Latest Education News, Jobs News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has taken a decision to issue an 'instruction module' to all schools to deter students from cheating, a senior Board official said on Friday. The module was being worked on for quite some time and it has reached its final form on Friday, the official told IANS.

Cheating is an individual malpractice. This year we are doing something special to bring down the instances of cheating. We will be issuing a module to the schools by next week. It talks about why cheating is unethical and immoral. It will have case studies to that effect, the official said requesting anonymity.

The number of cases of cheating during CBSE exams rose from 56 in 2016 to 119 in 2017, according to media reports. The official said the number is around a similar figure in 2018 also.

CBSE received a major blow in 2018 when question papers of Mathematics and Economics for Class 10 and 12 respectively were leaked to the students before the exams. The fiasco resulted in re-conducting of the Economics paper for Class 12 students.

I cannot reveal the security mechanism we have brought in. But we have put in place a system which will help us identify any malpractice if it takes place. The system has been strengthened at all levels, said the official.

The official also debunked reports that the board is conducting exams early this year due to general election, saying its completely wrong and that early exams have nothing to do with the elections.

We are conducting exams a little early this year at the instruction of the Delhi High Court, which had said that the schools results should not coincide in anyway with the Delhi University admission. To that effect, the results this year will be announced early in May, the official said.

About the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is the apex board that looks after the development and propagation of secondary and higher secondary education in India. The board has been the part of the long history that has seen the development of school-level education in India. The CBSE took the final shape that it operates today in the year 1952. Currently, the CBSE Board conducts annual examinations like CBSE 10th Board Exams and CBSE 12th Board Exams along with entrance tests for professional courses like JEE Mains and CBSE NET Exam.

(With inputs from IANS)
Jalgaon (Maharashtra):

A superintendent of police (SP)-rank officer and another person have been sentenced to life imprisonment in a 2009 kidnapping and extortion case by a court in Maharashtras Jalgaon. Jalgaon Sessions Judge PY Ladekar convicted Manoj Lohar, who is presently posted at the Home Guard Department in Mumbai in a senior administrative position, and his relative Dheeraj Yevle on January 16. The court pronounced the sentence on Saturday and also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 each on the duo. According to the prosecution, Lohar had in 2009 forcibly kept the then zilla parishad member, Uttam Mahajan, confined at his office at Chalisgaon in Jalgaon district of North Maharashtra and two other places for two days in a bid to extort Rs 25 lakh from him.

He was at that time posted as additional SP of Chalisgaon. Mahajan was picked up by police sub-inspector Vishwasrao Nimbalkar and brought to Lohars office on June 30, 2009.

Lohar had threatened to expose some illegal doings by Mahajan at the educational institutes run by the latter and demanded Rs 25 lakh from him.

He kept Mahajan confined first at his office and then at co-accused Yevles residence from June 30 to July 1, 2009.

Mahajan was released on July 2 after his son Manoj Mahajan contacted the then Jalgaon SP for help.

A case was registered against Lohar and Yevle on July 16, 2009 and the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) conducted a probe into it.

Lohar was arrested in June 2012 and later released on bail. While Nimbalkar was also an accused in the case, the court acquitted him for want of evidence.

Lohar and Yevle were convicted under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 342 (wrongful confinement), 346 (wrongful confinement in secret), 364-A (kidnapping for ransom), 385 (putting person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

For all the Latest Crime News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi :

A Delhi youth allegedly stabbed to death a 19-year-old man who had allegedly molested his sister in the Ambedkar Nagar area of Delhi on Saturday, the police said. The brother went to the alleged molester's house, who also happened to be his childhood friend, where he lived with his parents, and stabbed him to death after a heated argument. The incident is reported to have taken place in South Delhi at around 10:30 am.

The police said that the family of the victim tried to save the 19-year-old but was frightened by the accused. Right after stabbing his friend, the accused managed to escape even as the family raised an alarm. The victim was rushed to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. An FIR was filed and raids were conducted to nab the accused, the police said as quoted by the Indian Express. However, later in the day, the accused himself surrendered before the Ambedkar Nagar police.

The accused, in his statement to the police, said that the victim, who was his childhood friend, was a regular visitor at his house and even used to stay over at his place. The accused added that the deceased had visited him for dinner on Thursday night where the two slept on the first floor with the brother of the accused.

However, the victim excused himself to go to the washroom after which he went to the room of his friend's sister on the second floor and allegedly molested her. The police also added that the deceased fled the scene after the girl started shouting. No complaint, however, has been filed by the girl or her family in relation to the alleged molestation.

For all the Latest Crime News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Kolkata:

A major fire broke out early Sunday at a five-storey building in southern Kolkata, gutting goods worth lakhs and destroying multiple shops next to the building, a senior fire department official said. At least 19 fire tenders had been pressed into service to douse the fire at Traders Assembly building in Gariahat area after it was noticed around 1 am. The building houses a garment store on the ground and first floor and residential apartments on the floors above, the official told PTI. All families have been evacuated from the building and no one was injured in the fire, the official said, adding that some people had to be taken to hospital after they complained of breathing problems.

The building does not have an elevator and people had to climb downstairs to escape the fire, the official said.

The exact cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained, but it seems that fire from a shop on the footpath adjoining the building led to the incident, he said.

At the moment, the fire has been brought under control. Our men are fighting tooth and nail to douse the fire pockets, the official said, adding that traffic movement has been temporarily restricted in the area.

Earlier, a fire department official had said that a blast in a transformer could have started the fire.

State Fire Minister Sujit Bose visited the site earlier in the day.

A team of forensic experts and senior officials of Kolkata Police Disaster Management Group have also reached the site to collect samples for an investigation into the incident.
New Delhi:

Honda Cars India recently said it will increase prices of its vehicles by up to Rs 10,000 from next month in order to partially offset the impact of increase in commodity prices and foreign exchange rates.

The company will hike price of its premium SUV CR-V by Rs 10,000 and other models by up to Rs 7,000 from February, Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) said in a statement.

"There has been a huge pressure on costs owing to commodity prices and foreign exchange rates and we had been trying to hold this increase for as long as possible. However, we are now compelled to pass on a part of the increased costs to customers effective February 1," HCIL Senior Vice President and Director Sales and Marketing Rajesh Goel said.

The company currently sells a range of products in the country from hatchback Brio to premium sedan Accord Hybrid. Earlier, during the month, Maruti Suzuki India had announced price hike for its select models by up to Rs 10,000.

Besides MSI, automakers like Toyota Kirloskar Motor and utility vehicle maker Isuzu Motors India had also announced plans to hike prices of their respective models from January this year.
Shamokin, PA (17872)

Today

Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 81F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Showers early then scattered thunderstorms developing late. Low 64F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
The world's oldest man Masazo Nonaka has died at the ripe of age of 113.

He put his old age down to eating sweets and taking hot baths.

Mr Nonaka passed away peacefully in his sleep, having outlived his wife and three of their five children.

"We feel shocked at the loss of this big figure," his granddaughter Yuko told Kyodo News.

"He was as usual yesterday and passed away without causing our family any fuss at all."

His hobbies included watching sumo wrestling.

He was one of around 68,000 people in Japan aged 100 or older.

The new world's oldest man is reportedly Gustav Gerneth of Germany, also 113. The current world's oldest woman is Kane Tanaka of Japan, 116.

The world's oldest person on record was 122-year-old Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment, though doubt has recently been placed on her claim.

Newshub.
The only total lunar eclipse of 2019 will take place on Sunday when the shadow of the Earth falls on the moon, turning it into a reddish-orange "blood moon."



The total phase of the eclipse will be visible from the Western Hemisphere, Europe and the western part of Africa, as well as from northern Russia.

Assuming good weather conditions, the lunar drama will have a potential viewing audience of some 2.8 billion people.

The best views will be in North America, which will see the eclipse high in the midwinter night sky starting at 9.36 pm Eastern Standard Time (1336 Monday AEDT).

It will be the first time in more than three years that most of North America will be able to see a total lunar eclipse, according to NASA.

People in the eastern side of North America will have the best view, but it will be visible from coast to coast, and the duration of totality will be longer than usual - just over one hour.

Viewers in Europe will see the eclipse low in the western sky as the moon approaches its setting at dawn on Monday. Moon gazers in Central and Eastern Europe will see the moon set before it's entirely free of Earth's shadow.

The name "blood moon" comes from the reddish-orange colour that the moon takes on during the eclipse. The colour changes because small molecules that make up the Earth's atmosphere scatter blue light as sunlight passes through it, leaving behind mostly red light that bends, or refracts, into Earth's shadow.

As a bonus, Sunday's eclipse will occur during a "supermoon" when it is closest

to Earth in its orbit and therefore appears bigger and brighter.

New Zealand skywatchers will only get four minutes of a partial penumbral eclipse - the hazy edge of the Earth's shadow - and to make matters worse, the sun will still be up.



At 8:43pm on Monday as the moon begins to rise, a tiny slither of it will be "a little bit fainter than the rest", according to timeanddate.com - but only for Kiwis in the upper half of the North Island or Hawke's Bay.

And to make things even more difficult, you'll have to be somewhere high with an unobstructed view of the horizon to see it on the horizon.

"The moon exits the penumbra just as it sets in New Zealand and no change in colour or brightness will be visible despite timeanddate.com saying five minutes will be visible," astronomy educator Josh Kirkley of Stardome told Newshub. "I know this from personal experience."

And five minutes later, it'll be all over.

AAP / Newshub.
Prince Philip reportedly hasn't apologised to the woman whose wrist was broken when his Land Rover hit the vehicle she was travelling in.

Philip was unhurt in the accident, which happened on Friday (NZ time). A baby in the other vehicle, a Kia, was also unhurt.

But Emma Fairweather, 45, had her wrist broken.

"I'm lucky to be alive and he hasn't even said sorry," she told UK tabloid The Mirror.

"It has been such a traumatic and painful time and I would have expected more of the royal family."

Ms Fairweather said she hasn't even heard from the palace yet, let alone receive an apology.

"I know the Queen is a busy lady but I was really excited at the idea she might phone me. Instead, I got a call from a police family liaison officer.

"The message he passed on didn't even make sense. He said, 'The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh would like to be remembered to you.' That's not an apology or even a well-wish."

She says her friend was driving well below the speed limit when the prince's vehicle came straight at them.

"I kept thinking he was going to stop but he didn't. It all went into slow motion as I watched the other car."

On hearing the other driver was none other than the Duke of Edinburgh, Ms Fairweather said she was shocked, confused, upset and overwhelmed.

Both drivers passed their breathalyser tests.

Buckingham Palace told The Mirror a "full message of support was sent to both the driver and the passenger", despite Ms Fairweather's complaints.

Philip earlier on Sunday (NZ time) was photographed back behind the wheel of a brand new Land Rover, appearing to not be wearing his seatbelt.

Newshub.
The body of murdered Israeli student Aiia Maasarwe is to be released to her family today after a number of tributes and rallies in Australia and her home country.

The tributes remembered the young woman and called for an end to gender-based violence.

Australia Correspondent Jason Morrison spoke to Duncan Garner.

Watch the video.
But ACT leader David Seymour told Newshub it's a complete waste of taxpayers' money.

"This Saatchi & Saatchi campaign from the Government is a good example of why you might be sceptical about politicians spending taxpayers' money. When you're spending someone else's money on someone else's project, you don't care how much you spend and you don't care what results you get. This is textbook 101 Government waste.

In the 2018/19 financial year $87,699.62 has been spent so far on buying advertising for the campaign. Mr Seymour says it's not working.

"A smarter approach would've been to finalise the details of the [anti-money laundering] laws earlier. In reality, real estate agents only found out about the detail in November or December. They're now reeling to get prepared, and a million dollar advertising campaign hasn't helped matters at all.

It's estimated that more than $1 billion a year comes from drug dealing and fraud, and can be laundered through New Zealand businesses.

In the 2017/18 financial year, $216,459.83 was spent on the campaign.

$126,957.51 for concept design and creative development

$9,016.51 for focus group testing

$46,280.00 for digital media production and development

$34,205.81 for administrative costs.

Justice Minister Andrew Little refutes Seymour's claims, telling Newshub it's what's needed.

"Getting information out about what is happening, and most importantly why it's happening. I think the cost is pretty modest by comparison and given the objective of it - which is to slow down or prevent money laundering and financing of terrorism - I think it's money well-spent."

Mr Little accepts there have been challenges with raising awareness, but is confident it's doing its job.



"By in large the feedback is it is doing what it was intended to do, people are getting their heads around it. It's not as a bad of problem as people thought it might have been when it was originally started.

The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act now covers transactions and purchases in casinos, banks and financial institutions, trust and company service providers, lawyers and conveyancers, accountants and providers of accounting services, and real estate agents.

The following sectors are being covered progressively: dealers in high value goods and the New Zealand Racing Board (from August 1).

Real Estate Institute CEO Bindi Norwell backs the campaign, but told Newshub consumers need more assistance.

"It's really good how the campaign explains why the issue is so important to consumers. I believe more could be done in terms of the information in that campaign to make it easier for consumers to understand what they need to do and why.

"The real estate industry is taking it seriously. I think it's going to have some frustrations at the start, but hopefully it will be business as usual over the next few months. This is very important legislation for New Zealand."

Newshub.
If recreational cannabis is legalised, some people think the profits should go back to the community - a model that's already used with alcohol.

Massey University has conducted research looking at how alcohol licensing trusts work and whether their use could translate to cannabis if recreational use is legalised in 2020.

Lead researcher Dr Marta Rychert said the results show strong support for the model. More than half the respondents in a survey, 62 percent, said they would support it, she told The AM Show on Monday.

"The surprising thing that we've seen is that 62 percent of respondents chose something which we call 'middle ground cannabis law reform' options," she said.

"It's something in between prohibition and a full commercial profit-driven market - like what we see with alcohol."

In west Auckland, two trusts own and operate liquor retail stores and hospitality venues on behalf of the community. Both the Waitakere Licensing Trust and the Portage Licensing Trust are 100 percent community-owned.

A similar model applies in Invercargill where the Invercargill Trust owns six liquor outlets in the area, and returns a share of the profits to the community.
The top three candidates for 2019's New Zealander of the Year have been announced.

The finalists have been chosen because they all share "empathy, understanding and a passion for effecting real, positive change" according to Chief Judge Cameron Bennett.

All three finalists are tackling tough social issues that affect New Zealand and its people, Mr Bennett said.

First up is Dr Marewa Glover, an internationally recognised tobacco harm reduction advocate.

"Marewa Glover has become a catalyst for the adoption of practical, real world solutions to public health issues, especially those that disproportionately affect indigenous populations," explains Mr Bennett.

Then there's Lisa King, whose company has provided lunches to over a million hungry kids.

"Lisa King doesn't just believe that no Kiwi child should go hungry, she rolls up her sleeves and makes that belief a reality... Lisa's innovative and successful social enterprise Eat My Lunch is positively and sustainably transforming the lives of thousands of Kiwi kids,"

Last, but not least, Mike King. Mr King is a former comedian and now a mental health advocate.

"Mike King has seen first-hand the tragic and devastating impacts of depression, alcohol and drug abuse in our communities, especially among Maori and young people" says Mr Bennett.

"He pulls no punches in tackling New Zealand's shocking rate of suicide, inspiring hope and optimism for those most at risk."

The finalists have been chosen from 448 nominations, and the winner will be announced at the New Zealander of the Year Awards Gala in Auckland on 13th of February.

This year marks the tenth annual New Zealander of the Year awards.

Last year, equal pay advocate Kristine Bartlett took the award home.

Newshub.
Tauranga has the eighth most unaffordable housing in the world when measured against income, a new global study says.

Housing prices in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom and United States were compared in the 15th annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Study.

It found that Tauranga was among the world's most expensive housing markets, just ahead of Auckland, and behind Hong Kong, Vancouver, Sydney, Melbourne, Santa Cruz, San Jose, and Los Angeles, respectively.

It comes down to the median household income of people living in Tauranga. It currently sits at $68,000 per year and yet house prices are at a median $623,000.

Auckland isn't much better, where the median income is $94,400 per year and the median house price is $845,000.

The next least affordable places in New Zealand are Hamilton-Waikato, followed by Napier-Hastings, Wellington, Dunedin, Christchurch and Palmerston North-Manawatu.

New Zealand's housing unaffordability is "severe", the report says. It notes how Auckland is the seventh least affordable among the 91 major global housing markets, and has been severely unaffordable in all 15 previous reports.

In New Zealand, as in Australia, housing "had been affordable until approximately a quarter century ago", the report says, explaining how this led to a land scarcity and pushed up house prices.

"Public opinion placed the issue of housing affordability to the top of the policy agenda in the last three national elections," the study notes.

The Government's Urban Growth Agenda is highlighted, which calls for intensified residential development on both greenfield and infill sites. It also notes how the Auckland urban containment boundary is to be abolished.

National leader and Tauranga MP Simon Bridges said the report "nails" the problem. He believes development of the country's housing market has been restrained by the Resource Management Act (RMA).

"This is something that's a long-run problem. It says that effectively we've kept things in a regulatory straitjacket," he told The AM Show on Monday.

"Think about Tauranga, it's got plenty of land. Out Papamoa East, you could build something like 35,000-40,000 more houses."

Mr Bridges said successive governments have "dropped the ball on this".

The former National-led government passed RMA reforms in April 2017, but those reforms did not go as far as National wanted after it struggled to get support from other parties.

"Labour and the Greens didn't want to know... I promise you this year you will see from us in National wholesale reform. You'll see something bold," Mr Bridges said.

National MP Stuart Smith said the party will release its draft legislation this year to replace the RMA.

"We want to simplify this complex but vital Act to give people more certainty on issues that come under the RMA," he wrote in an opinion piece this month.

"By doing this, we want to make it easier to build houses, allow important projects to get off the ground and reduce environmental impacts."

Mr Bridges said it takes too long to develop housing in New Zealand.

World's most expensive housing markets

Hong Kong Vancouver Sydney Melbourne Santa Cruz San Jose Los Angeles Tauranga Auckland

Newshub.
The rowdy group of tourists who have plagued New Zealand over the past week are calling for Auckland Mayor Phil Goff to lose his job.

In an exclusive interview with Newshub's Cleo Fraser, member of the family John Johnson complained they had been "treated like animals" - and warned legal action could be an option.

After leaving the ground covered in trash at Auckland's Takapuna Beach, Mr Goff responded by calling the group "trash" and "leeches".

"They're a bunch of arseholes," Mr Goff told bFM's Mikey Havoc.

"They're worse than pigs and I'd like to see them out of the country."

His comments have infuriated Mr Johnson, who told Newshub Mr Goff is supposed to be the "leader for the city".

"It's not a third-world country and I believe a third-world country wouldn't even act like this," he says.

"He turned around and started calling us pigs, Irish this that and the other, we're garbage. And I don't think he should actually be the mayor and running any town or city what he's running - I'm not sure what he's running.

"But I believe that you should lose your job for that reason because he should not be shite-talking about other people."
The band of rowdy British tourists who have caused trouble across New Zealand have allegedly left a huge mess in a Wellington motel room.

While the group booked and paid to stay at the motel, a cleaner told the Daily Mail that Red Bull cans and spaghetti had been left strewn across the room on Saturday morning.

The motel worker, who did not want to be named, said it took "hours" to clean up the mess, and the room the group stayed in "smelt like kids' poo".

"I think they were dirty people, we had to wash everything," she told the British tabloid.

The employee said the group - who have allegedly refused to pay for meals at restaurants across the country - damaged the motel room floor, and claims items have gone missing from the room.

The group's booking was made under the name 'Eileen', according to the employee.

There were supposed to be four adults and two children staying in the room, but when they showed up, the worker said there were at least seven people over the age of 15 and two young children.
An East Coast company will be the first in New Zealand to import stronger cannabis under new biosecurity laws.

Hikurangi Cannabis Company has been given the green light to cultivate strains with high levels of THC, the plant's primary psychoactive compound.

Until December 2018, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) only allowed low-THC strains into the country. After looking into the issue with the Ministry of Health, MPI updated the regulations and Hikurangi lodged an application to cultivate stronger varieties.

A new amendment to the company's licence means it can now legally grow 16 new varieties of cannabis for medicinal purposes. Of those 16, five strains will be high-THC, seven low-THC and four high-CBD.

THC is an effective pain reliever, and managing director Manu Caddie says the expanded list of permitted cultivars will mean only good things for the future of medicinal cannabis.

"As we breed the particular plants that Hikurangi medicines are derived from, our plant scientists are saying diverse genetics is really important," he said in a statement.

Biosecurity measures will be stepped up with the introduction of high-THC strains coming into the country, he says.

In August 2018 Hikurangi became the first New Zealand company to be awarded a medicinal cannabis cultivation licence.

New Zealanders will get to vote on personal cannabis use in a binding referendum at the 2020 general election.

Newshub.
Zimbabweans living in New Zealand fear that family and friends back home are unsafe amid a government crackdown that's turned violent.

Protests were sparked when President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who replaced Robert Mugabe, doubled the price of fuel to tackle shortages.

Hundreds of people have been arrested, and the BBC is reporting 12 people were killed and hundreds more beaten and injured. But Zimbabweans in New Zealand believe the situation could be even worse than that.

Access to the internet has been severely cut by the Zimbabwean government and the community here is only getting intermittent updates often accompanied by gruesome footage, some showing dead bodies.

The United Nations is calling for the government to stop the excessive use of force - including firing live ammunition.

"We don't have verification of the exact number of people who were killed or injured, but there are Doctors' Associations that are putting numbers out there that more than 60 people were treated in hospitals for gunshot wounds," says UN human rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.

Zimbabweans who had hoped that the end of the Mugabe era could bring an end to brutal leadership are feeling betrayed again.

"The Zimbabweans thought that there was a change with the new government after the old regime left, and there was hope for people, and now it's worse than hopeless," one person says.

The only information they're receiving from home isn't giving them any respite.

Newshub.
Thousands of car enthusiasts have descended on a Lower Hutt car park to show off their modified rides.

But these are no illegal street races. Hardpark fans are on a mission to show New Zealand the good side of the motoring community.

This is a community rallying together, trying to prove that not all modified cars are owned by 'boy racers'.

"The guys that are causing the mayhem, you're wrecking it for everyone," says organiser Falgoon Patel. "You're not giving the next generation the chance for this culture to continue."

Just before New Year, Christchurch and Mt Manganui were overrun with vehicles evading police and breaking the law throughout the night.

For events like Hardpark, revving engines and ripping burnouts is all part of the fun - but Mr Patel says it needs to be legal.

"We've worked with the wider community, the police, the council, to make sure the activity that gets all the negative press is shut down for this weekend."

When done the right way, a few officers are all the police presence you need. Those attending weren't fazed by them being here.

"The police aren't here to party poop it," one told Newshub.

"They're just here to help if you know what I mean, just to stop people from being silly."

"The guys that are in the press get into cars and they think it's cool, but they just ruin it for us to be honest," says another. "It makes it really hard."

That's why meets like this are so important to Mr Patel - they help cement a future for fellow car lovers.

"I'd like to see another generation take it over and keep it running and running and running," he says. "I'd like to see more events like this pop up around the country."

That way, all that burns out are the tyres.

Newshub.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 20)  The president of the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy says the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) is not a quick fix for the problems of Mindanao.

Speaking to CNN Philippines Sunday, Amina Rasul said should the BOL be ratified there won't be an immediate improvement in the quality of life among residents in the new Bangsamoro autonomous region.

"We're talking about changing the system of governance in the region. The learning curve is going to be there. The problems of governance in the autonomous region cannot be answered just by a change in law," she said.

Funding to provide government services, addressing the issues of poverty, education and conflict must also be done, and Rasul admitted these cannot happen overnight.

The passing of the BOL would provide better tools to resolve the issues than the ones currently in place.

"It will provide more powers than the autonomous region currently has. That's good, and we should concentrate on that and make sure that the law passes, because with more tools  with more powers  you will now be able to govern a little better because you will have better leverage," she said.

The passage of the BOL, Rasul added, would lay to rest what she called "the war of independence" waged by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Rasul, however, said one of the factors that would make an immediate impact on peace and development on poverty is that a special fund will be created to be used by the new regional government to tackle the immediate needs to end the conflict.

"And then there is an increase from 70 to 75 percent share ng regional government of the net and national revenues coming from BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) and (the Bureau of) Customs. So, having more funds now means that the new regional government can deliver more services. And that is what we are all hoping for," she said.

Uniting interests

Rasul said, over the years, the people of Mindanao have become closer working towards peace.

"We are neighbors, we are all Mindanaoans," she said.

She added support for legislature to bring peace to the area has also been growing.

"If you look at the Bangsamoro Organic Law, there are safeguards to ensure that this is going to be a law, this will be a new regional government that will make sure that the human rights of all are going to be protected and promoted," she said.

She pointed out that it is written that women, indigenous peoples, youth and religious leaders will have representation in the regional government.

On the issue of ancestral lands, Rasul said it was not so much about the resolution but the protection of rights.

"Resolution of issues is going to take so much time... There are so many moving parts. But, there is assurance that the law will safeguard the rights of indigenous peoples," she said.

Rasul also addressed the issue of areas not under the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)  specifically Cotabato City and Isabela City who will vote "yes" or "no" on Monday for their inclusion in the region.

Should one or both areas vote "no," Rasul said it would simply mean they will not be included in the new regional government, but that the plebiscite to determine the ratification of the BOL would proceed on February 6.

She, however, said she sees no reason to vote "no."

"If I were a citizen of Isabela City or Cotabato City, I would look at the law, and I would think whether this is good for me or not. And I cannot see why they would not think that this is good," she said.
Mrs. Ruth L. Cleek, 94 died peacefully surrounded by her family on June 14, 2021, in New Albany Indiana. Born December 21, 1926, in Hot Springs, Virginia, she was the daughter of the late Willie Gratton Hodge and Clara (Stinnett) Hodge, and wife to the late Ronald Cleek. Mrs. Cleek was the P
So, what could be the motivating factor for the urgency of Virginia ratifying this expired, outdated constitutional amendment? Family Research Councils Patrina Mosley believes, The ERA is not about women, it is a smokescreen for abortion. Tina Whittington, executive vice president of Students for Life of America, agreed: The only reason to pick the ERA off the dusty floor of history is because of a fierce desire to protect abortion at all costs.

As was evident during the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearings, there is a real fear that Roe v. Wade could be overturned by the Supreme Court. In which case, each state would then be able to determine how they would legally address abortion. The fear that more states could possibly pass legislation to protect the preborn and support women who choose life, must be the major reason why Planned Parenthood has donated millions to our state politicians and that they are in turn rushing to pass legislation to ratify an expired, outdated constitutional amendment. For the benefit of all Virginians, the House of Delegates should not waste time considering SJ 284.
Amy Woolard is the policy coordinator of the Legal Aid Justice Center, which is based in Charlottesville. Speaking to the Times-Dispatch, she said the large number of law enforcement referrals can be explained, in part, to a misunderstanding of the role of SROs. Charges like disorderly are stemming from a confusion of the role of school resource officers in our school buildings, she said. Disorderly conduct is really taking an issue that is for schools to handle and suddenly putting it under the purview of law enforcement and courts.

Indeed, state data shows that nearly 40 percent of all disorderly conduct charges against children in Virginias juvenile justice system originate in schools.

And lest anyone think this push to keep school discipline issues out of the criminal justice system comes from anti-law enforcement legislators, think again. Mike Mullin, one of the sponsors of the legislation in the House of Delegates, is a former prosecutor, but one whos concerned about whats been called the school-to-prison pipeline.

Nobody is saying disruption in the classroom is acceptable, but it could be handled with a suspension or a letter to a parent, he told the Times-Dispatch. It doesnt have to lead to incarceration.

Why divisions have increasingly relied on police and SROs to address cases of school discipline is a matter of debate  some people would contend that its simply easier to have an in-house police officer haul the kid to the precinct. Whatever is behind this trend, both in Virginia and in the nation, its time to bring schools and parents back into the picture.
One might say, in my defense, that it is natural not to feel great open-hearted love for people in general. But I know its possible to extend that kind of love further than I do  know it because I have a front-row seat to watch my wife in the world, and  while were equal in lovingness in the marriage  she really does give from the heart to a wider circle than I do.

Her example  and that also of my brother, who seems to live much of his life by giving from the heart to others  shows me that a meaningful degree of loving our neighbors as ourselves is within the realm of human possibility.

That spiritual/emotional goal seems to me a pinnacle of what a person can be. We usually focus on how its great for the receivers of such love, but my own experience tells me its really wonderful for the giver, too.

So, given how rewarding it feels to love, what holds me back?

I observe how part of how I hold back is that I have criteria that I apply to people, and I open my heart to them to the extent that the criteria are met. Do they show in their lives the virtues I care about? Do they value me? Are they rewarding to spend time with?
The House voted 424 to 1 for the resolution. Even King voted for it. The only no vote was Rep. Bobby Rush, Democrat of Illinois, who thought the resolution too weak and wanted the house to censure King.

Other House Democrats thought censuring a member of Congress for speech outside Congress could be a bad precedent, especially given the new crop of outspoken Democratic members. The full House punted on censure on a voice vote, referring the matter to the House Ethics Committee.

Steve King is at least isolated and immobilized. Several newspapers in Iowa say he has embarrassed the state long enough and should resign. He says he wont resign, which is always what people say until the moment they do.

So let Steve King stew in his bitter juices, and let us shun him and his boneheaded ideas while we celebrate the inspiring life of Martin Luther King Jr.

The open-air Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial and bookshop in Washington remain open during the partial government shutdown. Among the MLK quotations on his memorial is this from 1959: Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a better person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.
The dates and times of the drills still arent announced beforehand but now, Jenks said, when a drill begins, it is clear that it is a drill and not a real event. We wont even wait the 30-60 seconds anymore.

While the dates and times of the drills are not released in advance, no one should have reason to believe it is a real event, he said.

Hanover schools take a similar approach, having a school staff member make a school-wide announcement about the drill. Thats repeated three times, Hanover schools spokesman Chris Whitley said.

We believe our approach is a good balance between ensuring that our students, staff, and faculty are fully aware that it is a drill and simulating an actual event, Whitley said. This approach allows us to constantly refine our ability to respond if an actual event occurred.

In Richmond, the four planned drills  two in September, one this month and one in April  are all unannounced, but Richmond Public Schools spokeswoman Kenita Bowers said the district encourages schools to give parents a heads up through a principals weekly message. Students and staff are told on the day of the drill, she said, an effort to reduce panic and confusion as to whether it is a real or simulated event.
They are a sweet couple, she said. And I love to hear Les talk.

Some of the tiny teapot jewelry is sold in the gift shop at the Bedford Welcome Center.

Michelle Crumpacker, administrative manager of the center, said visitors love the items.

I love that these are unique and m

Nearing 70 years old, Strachan continues to make the jewelry, but she attends fewer shows.

We are in the twilight of our business, she said. We will do it as long as we can.

Nancy Strachan is the former director of the Bedford Public Library and founder of the ministry and nonprofit Rwandan HUGS,which provides education and emergency assistance as well as nutrition and labor equipment for those living in Rwanda.

She said she and her husband of 45 years have enjoyed spending double the amount of time together and having a more flexible schedule.

Its been the biggest benefit to it, she said. Not the financial part. I get to spend time with my husband and that provides the gift of time together. For some, being in business together may be a disadvantage, but for us it works well. My skill set is balanced by his skill set.
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading.

To subscribe, click here. Already a subscriber? Click here.
Free access for current print subscribers

As a home delivery subscriber, you get free unlimited digital access to news-daily.com including stories, photos, obituaries, e-edition and more on your computer, tablet or phone.

All you need is your print subscription account number and your last name.

Don't know your subscription number? Email access@news-daily.com with your delivery address.

Activate your account now.
The Kent Center School Scholarship Fund will host the 24th annual Chocolate Fest Feb. 7 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Kent Center School.

A snow date of Feb. 8 is set.

Patrons will be invited to pay $5 at the door to receive a plate of homemade chocolate goodies from local bakers.

Bakers interested in making chocolate treats are reminded there is a no-nut policy  not just peanuts  due to student allergies.

Baked goods should be delivered to the 9 Judd Ave. school Feb. 7 from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. through the front door of the school.

Proceeds go to scholarships for the post-secondary education of Kent Center School graduates.

For information, mail info@kcssf.org or visit www.Facebook.com/kcssfchocolatefest or call 860-927-3497.
Help support your local hometown newspaper/website. Independent local news reporting matters. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription, for as little as $3, so we can continue to provide independent local reporting on our communities.
GREENWICH  The official presentation of the 2019-20 municipal budget is still days away, but a fight may already be brewing over Greenwichs proposed capital spending over the start of such possible projects as replacing the ice rink and the Eastern Civic Center.

At a public hearing last month, several members of the Representative Town Meeting spoke out against town spending and urged restraint in the budget. And this could lead to much debate after First Selectman Peter Tesei introduces a proposed budget Thursday night that includes $53 million to $54 million in spending on capital projects.

That figure includes $26 million in capital spending from the Board of Education, but it also has many capital projects that Tesei considers to be priorities. He is looking for money to further develop projects, including building a new municipal ice rink, replacing the Eastern Greenwich Civic Center, enhancing Roger Sherman Baldwin Park and seeking property for a new Northwest fire station.

Id like to think there is support for this, Tesei said late last week. The only way youre going to know is if you put it forward. I am confident and grounded in what I believe members in our community are looking to see. Thats my responsibility.

But there could be a lot of opposition to the strategic investments Tesei is likely to include in the budget. The budget needs approval from both the Board of Estimate and Taxation and the RTM. And last month, RTM members came out swinging against high capital spending.

On Friday, RTM Budget Overview Committee Chair Lucia Jansen noted the discussion in December was over an initial budget draft with $80 million in proposed capital spending.

Committee members have not seen the first selectmans proposed budget that would have more complete information, Jansen said. It appears that many of the capital projects in fiscal year 2020 will be initial startup projects, she said, and the BOC will review the complete operating and capital costs of these projects.

Jansen said the BOC wants a full review of the towns operating budget, too, specifically looking at what steps have been taken to increase productivity and delivery of services in Town Hall while reducing costs.

The details of the budget proposal are still being finalized. Tesei will make his formal presentation to the Board of Estimate and Taxation at 6 p.m. Thursday, followed by a presentation of the school budget and a public hearing.

The BETs Budget Committee will then begin weeks of hearings, starting on Feb. 4, on the proposed budget. Committee Chair Leslie Moriarty said all capital and operational budgets will be discussed as each department went in for a hearing.

The town needs to invest in its infrastructure and schools so that we have well-maintained buildings and services that meet our residents needs, Moriarty said. The Budget Committee will be evaluating both the budget year and forecast years for the scope and timing of all projects. It will examine the towns ability to implement and finance each plan.

Moriarty added the committee will want an update on approved but not completed projects and will discuss the items in Teseis budget along with the Board of Education master plan.

These plans combine to significantly increase the total amount of capital spending, which will need to be balanced against our funding strategy, Moriarty said. I expect a good exchange of information during the upcoming budget meetings.

The budget for the current fiscal year totals $40.7 million in capital spending for the town and the schools. Initially, the proposed capital spending for 2019-20 was higher, but the Board of Education deferred funding for a new field at Central Middle School and remediation at Western Middle School.

Tesei said he understands the concerns. The towns operating budget will basically reflect only contractually mandated salary increases and continued full town funding of fixed costs such as post-employment benefits, said Tesei, who said he is committed to managing costs.

You have to make a judgment, he said. The budget is a series of judgments. When you see us being affirmed by rating agencies as Triple A, and you see them talk about strong management and fiscal operations, you know were not being irresponsible in what were doing. Were being visionary in knowing the amenities were talking about are things that people look to when they consider communities.

And if there is opposition to his budget plan, Tesei said there will be a mechanism for it.

These are amenities and services we have had before, Tesei said. My question for (opponents to the spending) is, Are you saying you do not want these things? If you dont want them then vote accordingly. Ive always said that if people dont want something then vote accordingly.

He urged town officials to focus on the towns needs.

It seems weve gotten to a point where people do not remember how to have a discourse and a differing opinion without negativity, said Tesei, defending his budget plans.

I think these are amenities these people have really come to enjoy. Theyre an integral part the communities and neighborhoods and I think weve been very fortunate over time to have them continue, he said.

The facilities at the civic center and the rink are no longer adequate, Tesei said. The funds in the 2019-20 budget would not be for actual construction but for preparations. And replacing these amenities, as well as other projects like improvements to Roger Sherman Baldwin Park, would be a long-term investment that would bring in new residents and make Greenwich a more marketable town, Tesei said.

Greenwich stands out among other communities, he said, pointing to credit rating agencies that state the town is in extremely strong condition.

People have to know that their community has a solid track record when it comes to maintaining public infrastructure and quality service as well as managing their finances, Tesei said. I think weve done all of that. Youll have people who argue, No, you havent, and you can always find areas to improve. But overall the independent satisfaction surveys (of residents) give us the feedback that affirms the actions that were taking.

Within the next month or so, Tesei intends to formalize a portfolio of town capital projects to attract new residents and enhance the quality of life. His ultimate goal is to look for corporate sponsorships.

Im talking about sponsorship and naming for the civic center or the rink, Tesei said. The new ferry boats could also fall into that. This is a real opportunity and I want to address that in the coming months by finding people who will help me.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
But Chilton Foliat Primary School needs a further 85,000 to fund clubhouse

YOUNG entrepreneurs at Chilton Foliat Primary School are racing against the clock to raise funds for a new classroom and community clubhouse.

Government funding has been secured for the classroom part of the project  but a further 85,000 is needed to fund the clubhouse.

Saving cash by building both elements together is essential.

However, the Governments funding timeline requires building work to start next month.

Consequently, the school is working hard to address the funding gap.

Pupils were given 5 each that they were encouraged to grow by hosting cake sales and making crafts to sell at their Grow A Fiver Pop-Up Shop.

Their collective profits came to more than 1,000.

The rest of the fundraising is being run by the newly-formed Chilton Foliat Community Association and Greenham Trust has awarded match-funding  which means that every 1 donated via The Good Exchange will be matched with 1 from the trust, up to a maximum of 20,000.

Headteacher Katie Turner, who joined the school in September, said: Its an exciting time at Chilton Foliat Primary School.

The enthusiasm from both the school and village community is infectious and we are hugely optimistic that we will reach our 85,000 target, creating a fabulous building to benefit all our children and the wider local community and continuing to build on our already positive relationships.

The new building will be designed to provide the school with a fit-for-purpose classroom, creating the space required to meet the learning needs of the schools older children.

It will also contain a community clubhouse for Chilton Club Childcare, enabling the continued provision of the Early Birds Club, After School Club and Holiday Club working parents across the area.

Previously, these clubs operated out of a well-used mobile classroom, due to be demolished and replaced with the new wood clad structure.

If you wish make a donation to the Chilton Foliat Community Association to support the project, visit The Good Exchange or email chiltonfoliatpledges@gmail.com for more information.
Newburyport - Paul James Matthews, 95, a resident of Newburyport, died Monday morning June 14, 2021 at Port Healthcare Center in Newburyport. He was born on January 26, 1926, in Newburyport, Mass., to the late James and Mary Matthews. Paul was raised in Newburyport and was a graduate of Newb
The Maine Department of Public Safety announced Saturday evening that a South Portland man who had been reported missing was found dead.

Authorities say 69-year-old Carlos Ordonez was located along the banks of the Fore River in South Portland. A man walking his dog in the woods near the river found his body at about 5 p.m.

Police said Ordonez had shot himself.

Ordonez was last seen on Tuesday in the Old England Village area of South Portland.

Officials were searching Clark's Pond and Brick Hill area of South Portland on Saturday.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sought Wednesday to reassure U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in Syria that they will be safe after American troops withdraw from the country.

Amid confusion over plans to implement President Donald Trump's pullout order and threats from Turkey to attack the Kurds, Pompeo made an unannounced stop in Iraq while on a weeklong trip to the Middle East aimed at assuaging the fears of Washington's Arab partners that the U.S. is abandoning the region or walking away from the fight against the Islamic State group.

"These have been folks that have fought with us and it's important that we do everything we can to ensure that those folks that fought with us are protected," Pompeo said of the Kurds while visiting Irbil, the capital of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, after talks in Baghdad.

His comments were similar to those made earlier in the week by Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, who said on visits to Israel and Turkey that protecting the Kurds is a priority for the U.S. even as it moves to withdraw some 2,000 American troops from Syria.

Bolton's comments drew a quick rejection from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who said they were a "serious mistake" and that Turkey "cannot make any concessions in this regard." Turkey regards the Kurds as terrorists and has vowed to attack them.

Pompeo, however, downplayed Erdogan's response to Bolton and predicted that any differences could be ironed out in upcoming talks between the U.S. special envoy for Syria, Jim Jeffrey, and Turkish and Kurdish officials.

"Erdogan has made commitments; he understands that - I think he uses the language - he talks about he has no beef with the Kurds. We want to make sure that that's the case, and I'm confident that as Ambassador Jeffrey and others travel through the region in the days ahead, we'll make real progress on that," Pompeo said.

Still, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Wednesday that Turkey will not refrain from military action to protect its borders from what he describes as threats posed by Syrian Kurdish fighters.

The Turkish rebuffs continue to amplify a rift between the NATO allies and raise new questions about how the United States would protect fighters who are U.S. allies in the war against the Islamic State group.

Earlier in Baghdad, Pompeo said he told Iraqi officials that "the fight to counter Iran is real and important."

Pompeo and Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi discussed efforts to ensure the "lasting defeat throughout the region" of the Islamic State group, State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said.

Pompeo also promoted the U.S. push to move Iraq toward energy independence, said Palladino. Iraq imports electricity and natural gas from Iran to meet its energy needs.

Iran has cultivated close ties with Iraqi politicians and religious and business leaders since the 2003 U.S. invasion toppled dictator Saddam Hussein and destabilized the country. Neutralizing those relations will be a difficult  and possibly dangerous  task. Iran has the ear of several powerful Iraqi militias that rival the might of the country's U.S.-funded security forces.

Abdul-Mahdi and Parliament Speaker Mohamed al-Halbousi, who met with Pompeo separately, both said they told the American diplomat that Iraq values good relations with its neighbors.

Pompeo also met with Iraqi President Barham Salih and Foreign Minister Mohamed Alhakim and stressed the U.S.'s support for strong, relations based on the 2008 Strategic Framework Agreement between the two countries.

Pompeo has said the Syria withdrawal would not detract from U.S. efforts to contain Iran's considerable clout in the region. The White House reinstated sanctions against Iran last year for allegedly violating the 2015 nuclear deal championed by former President Barack Obama. International nuclear inspectors had said there was no evidence that Iran was violating the deal.

Pompeo's visit is the third high-profile visit by an American official to Iraq in the last month. Iraqi politicians were incensed when Trump last month made an unscheduled visit to a U.S. base in western Iraq without also meeting Abdul-Mahdi, as his predecessors Obama and George W. Bush had done.

Trump said on his Dec. 26 visit that the United States could use its bases in Iraq as a platform for continued operations against the Islamic State group in Syria.

The visit left lawmakers smarting and prompted calls to annul a 2014 agreement that brought U.S. forces back to Iraq. Some 5,200 U.S. troops are now stationed in the country.

Earlier in December, U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry urged Iraq to sever its energy dependence on Iran and open its energy sector to American investment. He was in Baghdad with a trade delegation arranged by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Maryland State Police are looking for a man that they've formally accused in the death of a woman whose body was found in a shed on the property where she lived.

A police news release Saturday said homicide investigators have obtained a warrant charging 49-year-old Stanley E. Ricketts Jr. with first-degree murder in the death of 42-year-old Tameko L. Barham of Federalsburg. Barham's family members found her body Friday afternoon when she hadn't come in to work earlier in the day.

Police say investigators saw obvious trauma to her body, and an autopsy was being performed to determine how she died.

Federalsburg is in Caroline County, on the Eastern Shore.
Varstnicii, persoanele cu dizabilitati si familiile cu copii vor primi suport din partea Uniunii Europene pe timp de pandemie
After trying to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, President Donald Trump on Saturday offered to extend temporary protection for children of migrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children in a bid to end the shutdown impasse.

Many Democrats, as well as immigrant rights activists, call the plan a non-starter because it would only delay dealing with the problem.

"The things he's putting forward, the temporary status, the temporary protection for DACA recipients, we don't want anything to do with it, Ali Torabi said. Especially because we don't want to be in the exact same situation 3-years down the line."

Torabi is a DACA recipient. He immigrated here with his mother and brother 23 years ago and during those 23 years, he has called San Diego home.

I have an intimate understanding of what it's like to be undocumented in very vulnerable setting, like the border community," Torabi tells NBC 7.

As the partial government shutdown enters the one month mark, hundreds of thousands of federal workers are stuck wondering whats next. NBC 7s Alex Presha talks with NBC 7s Danny Freeman and Union President for Prisons Tracy Sagale to learn more.

DACA allows children of undocumented immigrants to stay in the U.S. if they were under 16 when they were brought to the country and if they arrive before 2008.

Trump tried to end the program in September 2017 and since the president tried to end the DACA, Torabi's life has been in limbo. Its created some problems because he's applying to medical school.

"A lot of Universities Ive interviewed at have been hesitant because they don't know if Im going to have my status. If Ill lose my status. If Ill be employable," he said.

American Friends Service Committee, which advocates for immigrant rights, also doesn't support the plan.

"It's a non-starter," AFSC director Pedro Rios said. "So really as a border community, it's not something that we would want to accept and we're hoping that Democrats also take that line."

Torabi was also hoping for the same thing.

"I hope the Democrats are bold enough to reject it because what he is offering does not really help us," he said.

Trump's decision to end the program is currently being appealed. A federal judge in Texas in August ruled against the president and an appeal is currently making it its way to the Supreme Court.

There are around 800,000 people who are DACA recipients.
Sign up to get breaking news, weather forecasts, and more in your email inbox.

Sign Up Now
In a bid to break the shutdown stalemate, President Donald Trump offered to extend temporary protections for young people brought to the U.S. illegally as children and those fleeing disaster zones in exchange for his long-promised border wall. But while Trump cast the move as a "common-sense compromise," Democrats were quick to dismiss it as a "non-starter."

With polls showing a majority of Americans blaming him and Republicans for the impasse, Trump said from the White House that he was there "to break the logjam and provide Congress with a path forward to end the government shutdown and solve the crisis on the southern border."

Hoping to put pressure on Democrats, the White House billed the announcement as a major step forward. But Trump did not budge on his $5.7 billion demand for the wall and, in essence, offered to temporarily roll-back some of his own hawkish immigration actions  actions that have been blocked by federal courts.

Following a week marked by his pointed clashes with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, it was not clear if Trump's offer would lead to serious steps to reopen the government, shut for a record 30 days. Trump's move came as hundreds of thousands of federal workers go without paychecks, with many enduring financial hardship. Many public services are unavailable to Americans during the closure.

Democrats dismissed Trump's proposal even before his formal remarks. Pelosi said the expected offer was nothing more than "a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives" and that the effort could not pass the House

"What is original in the President's proposal is not good. What is good in the proposal is not original," she later tweeted.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also panned the proposal as "more hostage taking," saying that it was Trump who had "single-handedly" imperiled the future of the immigrants he proposed to help.

The New York Democrat said there is only "one way out" of the shutdown. "Open up the government, Mr. President, and then Democrats and Republicans can have a civil discussion and come up with bipartisan solutions." he said.

Sunday morning Trump responded with a series of tweets attacking Pelosi and defending his plan against charges from conservatives that it amounted to offering amnesty to undocumented immigrants.

Nancy Pelosi has behaved so irrationally & has gone so far to the left that she has now officially become a Radical Democrat. She is so petrified of the lefties in her party that she has lost control...And by the way, clean up the streets in San Francisco, they are disgusting!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2019

Democrats had made their own move late Friday to try to break the impasse when they pledged to provide hundreds of millions of dollars more for border security. But Trump, who has yet to acknowledge that offer, laid out his own plan, which officials said had been in the works for days.

Seeking to cast the plan as a bipartisan way forward, Trump said Saturday he was incorporating ideas from "rank-and-file" Democrats, as top Democrats made clear they had not been consulted. He also said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would bring the legislation to a vote this week, though Democrats appeared likely to block it. McConnell had previously stated that no vote should be held in the Senate until Trump and Democrats agreed on a bill.

Trump's plan seems to stand little chance of getting the 60 votes needed in the Senate. Chris Coons of Delaware, a Democrat the White House has looked to as a possible partner on immigration negotiations, said he will not support it. And Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, another key centrist, said she would study the details of the plan but did not commit to vote for it.

She added of the shutdown: "This needs to end now."

Trump's remarks from the Diplomatic Room marked the second time he has addressed the nation as the partial shutdown drags on. On this occasion, he sought to strike a diplomatic tone, emphasizing the need to work across the aisle. He maintained a border barrier was needed to block what he describes as the flow of drugs and crime into the country  but described "steel barriers in high-priority locations" instead of "a 2,000-mile concrete structure from sea to sea."

The proposal was met with immediate criticism from some conservative corners, including NumbersUSA, which seeks to reduce both legal and illegal immigration to the U.S. "The offer the President announced today is a loser for the forgotten American workers who were central to his campaign promises," said Roy Beck, the group's president.

At the other end of the political spectrum, Trump's offer was panned by progressive groups, with Anthony Romero, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, calling it a "one-sided proposal."

Trump embraced the shutdown in December in large part because of angry warnings from his most ardent supporters that he was passing up on his last, best shot to build the wall before Democrats took control of the House in the new year. After his announcement Saturday, some supporters appeared unhappy with his effort to bridge the divide with Democrats.

"Trump proposes amnesty," tweeted conservative firebrand Ann Coulter. "We voted for Trump and got Jeb!" she said, in a reference to Trump's 2016 rival, Jeb Bush.

In a briefing with reporters, Vice President Mike Pence defended the proposal from criticism from the right. "This is not an amnesty bill," he insisted.

White House acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney also sought to increase the pressure on congressional Democrats in advance of Tuesday, the deadline for the next federal pay period and the day officials said McConnell would begin to move on legislation.

"If the bill is filibustered on Tuesday...people will not get paid," he said.

Mulvaney said that Trump had not ruled out one day declaring a national emergency to circumvent Congress to get his wall money  as he has threatened  but added that Trump maintains that the "best way to fix this is through legislation."

Trump's son-in-law and senior aide, Jared Kushner, along with Pence, had led the efforts build the plan Trump announced on Saturday, according to three people familiar with White House thinking who were not authorized to speak publicly. After a heated meeting with Pelosi and Schumer that Trump stormed out of, the president directed his aides to bypass Democratic leaders and instead reach out to rank-and-file members for ideas.

To ensure wall funding, Trump said he would extend temporary protections for three years for "Dreamers," young people brought to the country illegally as children. Administration officials said the protections would apply only to the approximately 700,000 people currently enrolled in the Obama-era program shielding them from deportation, and not all those who could be eligible. The plan would offer no pathway to citizenship for those immigrants  a deal breaker for many Democrats.

Trump also proposed a three-year extension to the temporary protected status the U.S. offers to immigrants fleeing countries affected by natural disasters or violence. Officials said the exemption would apply to about 300,000 people who currently live in the U.S. under the program and have been here since 2011. That means people from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Haiti  countries that saw the status revoked since Trump took office  would get a reprieve.

Democrats, however, criticized Trump's proposal for failing to offer a permanent solution for the immigrants in question and because he refuses back away from his demand a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, which the party strongly oppposes. Democrats have told Trump he must reopen government before talks can start.

Trump had repeatedly dismissed the idea of a deal involving Dreamers in recent weeks, saying he would prefer to see first whether the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, survived a court challenge.

On Friday, the Supreme Court took no action on the Trump administration's request to decide by early summer whether Trump's bid to end that program was legal, meaning it probably will survive at least another year.

But during a recent trip to the U.S.-Mexico border, Trump hinted at the possibility, saying he would consider working on the wall and DACA "simultaneously."

A previous attempt to reach a compromise that addressed the status of "Dreamers" broke down a year ago as a result of escalating White House demands.
President Donald Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani said Sunday that plans to build a Trump Tower in Moscow remained an active proposal as late as November of 2016, months later than known previously.

Giuliani, appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press," said that the president has told him he can remember having conversations with his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, about the project well into 2016.

Cohen has pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about the timeline of his involvement in the proposal, admitting that he worked on it through June of 2016. He initially said it ended at the beginning of that year.

It's our understanding that they went on throughout 2016," Giuliani said of the discussions, adding that there "weren't a lot of them, but there were conversations. Can't be sure of the exact date," he said, referring to written questions Trump and his lawyers have answered from special counsel Robert Mueller's office.

Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said that it was "big news" to him that the talks were continuing through October or November 2016 and said he thought it "a relevant fact for voters to know."
Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand talked about her rural roots in upstate New York and her bipartisan efforts in Congress during a two-day visit to Iowa, which holds the first-in-the-nation presidential caucus and a key stop for any 2020 presidential candidate.

Gillibrands trip came three days after she announced she intends to run for president. She participated in a Womens March at the state capitol and talked to hundreds of voters at small events, NBC News reported.

A Democratic rival, Sen Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, got bigger crowds during a trip earlier in January.

Im not a national name and the fact that you turned out to meet me  Im so grateful, Gillibrand told a coffee shop crowd in Ames, where her campaign handed out some of the first Gillibrand campaign T-shirts of the cycle on Saturday. I plan on being here a lot, so I really appreciate this first opportunity.

She presented herself as uniquely qualified to appeal across the aisle, a result of her politically moderate beginnings and her progressive bonafides as a liberal senator.

I work on a bipartisan basis every day. I worked [with] Ted Cruz on ending sexual harassment in Congress  I can work with anybody, she said to laughs later that day in Des Moines.
What to Know Chuck Schumer is pushing legislation that would protect government workers who can't pay their bills because of the government shutdown

The measure would shield workers from eviction or home foreclosure, repossession of their cars and penalties for late payment of bills

The measure was introduced by Sen. Brian Schatz, of Hawaii, and cosponsored by Schumer and 24 other senators

Sen. Chuck Schumer is pushing legislation that would protect government workers who can't pay their bills because of the government shutdown.

He says the measure would shield workers from eviction or home foreclosure, repossession of their cars and penalties for late payment of bills and student loans.

"Across New York City and Long Island, thousands of people and their families continue to suffer through a needless government shutdown that has absolutely nothing to do with the federal agencies they so diligently serve," Schumer said in a statement.

"That is why, amidst another push to open the government, I am fighting with my colleagues for necessary financial protections for impacted federal workers during this shutdown and for workers of any future shutdown, because no federal public servant should have their financial well-being held hostage by a president unwilling to simply open the government in the middle of a debate," he added.

The measure, known as the Federal Employee Civil Relief Act, was introduced by Sen. Brian Schatz, of Hawaii, and cosponsored by Schumer and 24 other senators, according to Schumer's release.

Schumer on Sunday also said he thinks Democrats will block the measure to give the president $5.7 billion for the border wall.

The proposal would also extend temporary protections for some young people brought to the U.S. illegally as children and immigrants who fled disaster zones.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is to bring Trump's proposal to the Senate floor for a vote on Tuesday.
Two PG&E workers are being hailed as heroes after they reportedly saved at least one life while on the clock Thursday night.

The California Highway Patrol and the Marin County Fire Department said PG&E crews were repairing power lines and set up traffic control on Lucas Valley Road when drivers told them a drunk driver was passed out behind the wheel.

The two men went to check it out and the CHP said the driver got out of his car and fell 30 feet into Nicasio Creek.

Graham Groneman from Marin County Fire said he "saw an individual fall down the embankment" and "strike his head lying face down in the water."

After the storms, the creek was flowing and the hillside was slippery. While emergency crews made their way to the rescue, Marin County Fire officials said those two workers jumped in and got the man out.

"The person was face down unconscious in the water. If they didn't do that by the time we got there it probably wouldn't have been a positive outcome," Graham said.

William Medrano, 58, was taken to Marin General Hospital and was arrested for driving under the influence, CHP officials said.

The workers were credited with keeping a drunk driver off the road and for rescuing a stranger in need.

"They were pretty humble folks. Don't think they realized the difference they made on that call," Graham said.
Prosecutors in Minnesota have charged a woman whose 2-year-old child tumbled from the back seat of a moving vehicle while still strapped in a car seat.

Forty-year-old Maimuna Hassan of Mankato was charged Thursday with child endangerment, failing to properly secure a child passenger restraint and a misdemeanor driver's license violation.

Dashcam video captured the moment the car seat and toddler rolled out of the vehicle Monday as the car turned a corner in Mankato. Police say the child was properly strapped into the car seat, but the car seat wasn't fastened in the vehicle. The child was OK.

The Star Tribune reports Hassan told police her daughter must have unlocked the car seat from the passenger seat.

Online court records do not list an attorney who could speak for Hassan. Her first court appearance is Feb. 14.
Here are some of the top stories for last week from the NBC 6 Weekend Digest:

Tourist Says He Found Hidden Cameras in Miami Airbnb

A tourist who planned to stay in an Airbnb in Miami says he found two hidden cameras disguised as phone chargers in his room.

"It was shocking. I did not know what to think at first, I did not know if I was being watched live or if it was just being recorded, or what was going on there," he told NBC 6 on Friday.

For more information, click here.

A tourist who planned to stay in an Airbnb in Miami says he found two hidden cameras disguised as phone chargers in his room. NBC 6s Steve Litz reports.

A South Florida commissioner has come under fire  with some groups calling for her resignation  after posting comments on social media alleging that one of two Muslim congresswomen elected this year might blow up Capitol Hill."

Anabelle Lima-Taub, who was elected to the Hallandale Beach commission in 2016, posted a petition calling for the removal of Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib  saying she proudly signed it and called Tlaib an anti-Semite with no place in government."

For more information, click here.

Florida School Districts Struggle With Medical Marijuana

Medical Marijuana has been legal in Florida for more than two years but many school districts havent set policies about administering the drug to students who need it.

NBC 6 Investigators spoke with a group of parents pushing school officials to follow state law and develop a policy.

For more information, click here.

Medical Marijuana has been legal in Florida for more than two years but many school districts havent set policies about administering the drug to students who need it. NBC 6 Investigators spoke with a group of parents pushing school officials to follow state law and develop a policy.

3 Children Found in Freezer Died of Asphyxiation

Autopsies showed three young children died of accidental asphyxiation when they became trapped in an unplugged chest-style freezer in their yard in north Florida.

Suwannee County Sheriff Sam St. John said there were no signs of trauma on the children.

For more information, click here.

Broward Man Used Fortnite to Recruit Child Porn Victim: Authorities

A Broward County man used the popular game Fortnite to recruit an underage teen to engage in sexual activity and get pornographic photos and videos of the minor.

Investigators believe there could be as many as 20 more victims.

For more information, click here.

Anthony Gene Thomas is accused of using popular game Fortnite to prey on minors for pornographic photos and videos. NBC 6 anchor Johnny Archer reports.
A child was taken to the hospital Saturday evening following an accident involving an ATV, officials said.

The incident happened in at Northwest 16th Street and Northwest 5th Court in Florida City.

The child had to be airlifted to the hospital, where their condition remains unknown.

The incident happened as many are taking to the streets in ATVs, marking the annual Wheels Up, Guns Down event on Martin Luther King Jr. weekend.

On Saturday, riders revved through intersections in Brickell. On Friday, they made their way through other parts of South Florida, as well. Miami-Dade Police have so far reported two arrests.

Man we are just out here trying to have fun, stay out of trouble. Wheels up, guns down, we come from all over, said one person taking part in the event.

The illegal biking has caused trouble in the past. Dozens of arrests were made over the holiday weekend in previous years.

This year, officers across South Florida have warned reckless riders that theres nowhere to hide.

We have more air support, helicopters and aircraft. You wont be able to outrun or outmaneuver our air support, said one officer.

Its unclear if the incident that injured the child is related to the Wheels Up, Guns Down event.
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349
A South Florida neighborhood is on high alert after many residents found their cars vandalized.

Multiple security cameras were rolling as criminals broke into cars early Saturday morning. The unidentified suspects would pull up in a vehicle and slam on the brakes. Thats when someone would jump out and start going up to different cars and trucks, breaking windows, rummaging through the interior and stealing valuables.

My car was broken into. My sons car was broken into. They vandalized everything inside  broke the window and took the personal items, said Robert Gonzalez, a victim.

The incident happened in the area of Northeast 207th Street and 12th Avenue.

My alarm went off and I heard the noise and two, three minutes later, we looked at the car. All four of them were broken into. It really sucks, said Marjorie Saint-Lauas, another victim.

Detectives combed the vehicles for forensic clues. The vandalism and damage was the first thing people noticed when they woke up this morning and stepped outside.

I just came home around 6:00 a.m. and I went inside my house and 10 minutes later, I heard a car peel out. I opened the door and noticed they attempted to break into my mothers car and they broke into my brothers big truck, said Jennifer Williamson, a victim.

Multiple people who spoke with NBC 6 said the break-ins happen frequently in Northeast Miami-Dade.

Police said at least 16 cars were hit and are investigating the case.

Anyone with information on this incident is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
Florida voters who expected new Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to be politically divisive because of his strong ties to President Donald Trump may be surprised by the quick actions he's taken in his first two weeks in office.

DeSantis announced a bold plan to address environmental issues, including an acknowledgment that the state needs to address rising sea levels; posthumously pardoned four black men accused of raping a white teenager nearly 70 years ago; named a Democrat to a top position in his administration; and demanded that the Republican-led Legislature rewrite a restrictive law so medical marijuana can be more accessible to patients.

While Trump continues to divide the country, DeSantis is beginning his term with actions that can unite people across political affiliations.

"This new governor is a great governor. I'm more encouraged by Ron DeSantis' first two weeks than anything I've seen in years," trial lawyer John Morgan said recently in a Facebook video.

Morgan has raised millions of dollars over the years for Democratic candidates, including Trump's 2016 opponent, Hillary Clinton. Morgan also led the effort to put legal use of medical marijuana in the state constitution and sued when the Legislature and then-Gov. Rick Scott banned smokable use of the plant.

DeSantis is now on Morgan's side on the medical marijuana issue, prompting Morgan to declare, "DeSantisclause came to town!"

DeSantis campaigned on building off the economic accomplishments of Scott, who was elected to the U.S. Senate after two terms as governor, but he's proving to be neither a Scott clone nor a divisive figure like Trump.

Scott had a reputation for being partisan, and DeSantis is starting his term by appealing to a broader political base. In doing so, he's taking action on issues Scott failed to address.

In 2017, the Legislature unanimously approved a resolution apologizing to the families of the Groveland Four, the men accused of raping a 17-year-old girl in 1949. One of the four was tracked down by a posse and shot 400 times. The other three were convicted with dubious evidence.

The case is now seen as a racially unjust blight on Florida's history. The Legislature asked Scott to pardon the men, but he took no action. DeSantis and the state's Cabinet granted the pardons on his first Friday in office.

"I don't know why it took this long to do it. I don't know why Gov. Scott didn't (pardon them). He didn't have the guts," said Wade Greenlee, the brother of one of the Groveland Four. "But I thank God for the governor that we have now. He didn't waste no time."

Although Scott was criticized by environmentalists for denying climate sea level rise, DeSantis plans to create a chief science officer position and said on his second day in office that the state needs to protect wildlife and communities from sea level rise.

The new governor has also strengthened the commitment to addressing red tide off the state's coast and pollutants in Lake Okeechobee that cause algae blooms downstream by promising to spend a billion more dollars on the issues and create new state offices dedicated to environmental threats.

DeSantis is also reaching out to people who opposed him politically  most notably by appointing former Democratic state Rep. Jared Moskowitz, one of the Legislature's most vocal opponents of the Republican agenda, as the state's emergency management director.

Of course, DeSantis's first impression is only two weeks old, and the remaining three years and 50 weeks of his term will be the test of whether he continues to govern for a broad spectrum of Floridians.

But for now, he's even caught the attention of some Democrats.

"He's taken a pretty proactive Florida stand, and it's a distinct contrast with Scott," Democratic pollster David Beattie said. "It's almost like he's giving the finger to Scott."

Beattie was among those who thought DeSantis would have a hard time getting elected because he ran almost entirely on his and Trump's mutual admiration. Trump backed DeSantis in the primary, tweeting his praise and holding a Florida rally. Beattie said at the time that the extreme partisan nature of the campaign would make it difficult for DeSantis to build off his base.

But Beattie now admits DeSantis as governor appears to be different than DeSantis the candidate, saying there's no doubt he's appealing to a broad base rather than a narrow ideology.

"I'm surprised. It's not what I anticipated," he said, predicting that DeSantis' first approval ratings will be higher than Scott's ever were in his eight years in office.

DeSantis said he's not trying to create a distinction between himself and Scott.

"We all come in under different circumstances. Gov. Scott came in when the economy was in the tank. He had run based on being a jobs guy and he focused on that," DeSantis said.

He said issues like the environment are more of a priority for voters now than they were 10 years ago.

"Some of these other things like the Groveland Four, the Legislature led on that ... ," he said. "I was like, 'These guys got railroaded. We've got to do what's right.' So I'm just calling them as I've seen them."
What to Know The government shutdown began on December 22, at midnight

The shutdown occurred due to a disagreement between President Trump and leaders in Congress over how to fund part of the government

President Trump has tried to secure $5 billion for a border wall - leading Democrats have refused

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is directing dozens of wildlife refuges to return staffers to work to make sure hunters and others have access despite the government shutdown, according to an email obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press.

The partial restaffing of 38 wildlife refuges is angering wildlife groups, who accuse the Trump administration of trying to minimize the public impact of the more than two-week-old shutdown to limit the political blowback for President Donald Trump. Trump and Democrats in Congress are locked in a dispute over Trump's demand for billions of dollars for a wall on the southern U.S. border.

In an email sent Tuesday afternoon, Margaret Everson, principal deputy director of the Fish and Wildlife Service, cites "opportunities, including hunting" that are being lost in the shutdown.

Everson advises in the email that 38 wildlife refuges around the country will bring back some furloughed staff using carryover funds.

"While many of our refuges have remained accessible, but not staffed, the extended lapse in federal appropriations is impacting both our ability to serve the public and to protect natural resources under our care in some places," Everson wrote.

"For the next 30 days, using previously appropriated funds, we will bring back a limited number of employees to resume work on high priority projects and activities that support the Service's mission and meet the public's desire for access to Refuge lands," Everson said in the email.

Everson did not immediately respond to an email from the AP seeking comment. An email sent to a Fish and Wildlife Service spokeswoman seeking comment elicited an automatic email saying she would respond to requests after the shutdown ends.

The shutdown has forced federal agencies to stop issuing paychecks for hundreds of thousands of government employees. Government services largely have been limited to the most pressing, such as Transportation Security Administration workers providing security at airports without pay.

Unlike as in some past shutdowns, the Interior Department  which oversees both wildlife refuges and national parks  initially had directed national parks to stay open but with little staffing, leading to pile-ups of uncollected garbage and human waste in parks. The National Park Service over the weekend said some parks could start using visitor fees to staff during the shutdown.

The Interior Department's shutdown plan also says a small majority of agency staffers in charge of permitting and overseeing oil and gas development in federal waters will be kept at work no matter how long the shutdown lasts, "as they are essential for life and safety."

The Trump administration has emphasized public use on public lands in general, especially by hunters and oil and gas developers. This has angered environmental groups, which say the government is putting wildlife and habitat at risk.

On Wednesday, the National Wildlife Federation, National Wildlife Refuge Association, the Coalition to Protect America's National Parks, the Trust for Public Lands and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Retirees Association urged the Trump administration to keep national parks, wildlife refuges and other public lands closed to the public during the shutdown.

"It is simply impossible to steward these shared American treasures properly, leaving thousands of lands and waters accessible to the public with no staff on site, even for an emergency," the groups wrote in a letter.

Desiree Sorenson-Groves of the National Wildlife Refuge Association criticized the partial restaffing of some wildlife refuges.

"If it wasn't essential to have these refuges open for the past three weeks, how is it essential now?" she asked. The bottom line was the Trump administration was trying to "make this less painful to the American public," she said.

According to the email, the wildlife refuges being restaffed include Oklahoma's Wichita Mountains, scene of an annual winter elk hunt.

Rod Smith, a biologist with Oklahoma's Department of Wildlife Conservation, works with the federal government to coordinate the annual elk hunts in the Wichita refuge, 59,000 acres of craggy mountains jutting from the surrounding prairie.

Smith said Wednesday that he and others are awaiting word on whether the U.S. Fish and Wildlife's directive on carryover money means a hunt can happen next week. If applicants who won the roughly 300 permits granted this year don't get to hunt by the end of January, they may have to wait until next winter.

"We've had to have patience. Wait and see is always hard," Smith said. "Then, just logistically it makes it difficult. And it will make it more difficult next year when we're carrying people over."

Other refuges identified in Everson's letter are Midway Atoll and Kilauea Point in Hawaii, Tualatin River in Oregon, Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually in Washington state, the Sacramento, Kern, Sutter and five others in California, the Lower Rio Grande Valley refuge and four others in Texas, the Rocky Mountain Arsenal refuge in Colorado, Utah's Bear River refuge, and the Bosque del Apache and Valle de Oro refuges in New Mexico.

Others in the Midwest and South are the Minnesota Valley and Fergus Falls refuges in Minnesota, the DeSoto in Iowa, the Mingo refuge and two others in Missouri, the Crystal River refuge and three others in Florida and the Wheeler refuge in Alabama.

In the Northeast, the refuges singled out for more staff in the shutdown are Pennsylvania's John Heinz, the Wertheim of New York, Bombay Hook of Delaware, Parker River of Massachusetts, and the Umbagog of New Hampshire.
A federal inmate in East Texas a year away from his release now is facing an additional 15 years in prison after authorities say he caused the death of another prisoner.

The Texarkana Gazette reports that 27-year-old Jama Jerrell Hinkle was indicted Thursday by a grand jury in Texarkana on a count of involuntary manslaughter in the death of 42-year-old Brandon Ray Parker.

The indictment alleges the two were arguing in September when Hinkle punched Parker, causing him to fall and strike his head on the ground.

Hinkle is serving a five-year sentence for robbing a Fort Worth bank. He was scheduled for release next January but now is facing the new charge.

Parker was in prison for possessing child pornography. Authorities determined he died of brain trauma.
On Sunday, Bishop Curtis Guillory held a rededication Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Port Arthur -- the final church in the Diocese of Beaumont, which spans 33 cites in Southeast Texas, to re-open after Tropical Storm Harvey.

"We had about a foot and a half of water in the sanctuary, 4 feet in the school, Every building flooded, even the rectory where I live," said Father Kevin Badeaux, pastor at St. Joseph.

The Beaumont Enterprise reports all traces of damage from the August 2017 storm are erased, with new tile flooring, fresh white paint and golden accents added to familiar fixtures.

One recurring comment was the "lightness" and "brightness" of the chapel, which was built in the 1970s and had boasted a much darker color scheme since.

A local artist repainted the stations of the cross, and the children's chapel is now home to a vivid portrait of the infant Jesus, as well as an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant restroom.

"Our old pews were warped, so these are all new -- solid oak," Badeaux said before Sunday's Mass.

The benches in the sanctuary were rearranged slightly to allow for more wheelchair-accessible seating and a space for the choir to the left of the altar.

The crucifix was outfitted with a new base -- a gilded depiction of the empty tomb of Jesus -- and the adoration chapel was refinished.

A few volunteering parishioners and the Knights of Columbus, who made a significant donation to the church's restoration efforts, walked about the chapel early Sunday morning, preparing for the arrival of the bishop as the band members tuned their instruments and adjusted their music stands.

One such parishioner, Nilda Ramirez, took a moment from going over the songs she would sing with the band to discuss what it was like when her house and her spiritual home were both flooded.

"It's challenging, not being in your home and trying to serve your community," Ramirez said. "Challenging, but not impossible."

Ramirez, who is now back in her Port Arthur home, lost everything but her house in the flood.

"I had to throw everything I owned away. It was heartbreaking," she said. "But some of our church community are still out of their homes now."

Ramirez said the shared experience of loss and tragedy brought the community together and fortified her faith in God. Even though they did not have their own place of worship, they were together -- working to help bring solace and supplies to a community devastated by tragedy.

The parish was welcomed by St. James Parish after the storm. Badeaux lived there until the rectory at St. Joseph was repaired.

"We hold five services over the weekend -- two in Spanish and three in English, and they let us use their chapel. They were very kind," Badeaux said.

"I like to say we were trying to do three things at once. We were trying to recover ourselves, trying to help the community recover, and then maintaining our regular ministry. It was a lot."

Around Easter of 2018 the St. Joseph congregation was able to move back onto their own property, holding Mass in Cody Hall behind the sanctuary.

It was not until December that Badeaux was able to once again give a sermon surrounded by the prismatic stained-glass windows that encircle St. Joseph's sanctuary.

"It's great to be home," he said, smiling.

There have been many changes to the church, including a baptismal well that now looks as if water flows from a gilded seashell into a stone pond.

For Alfredo Garcia, one new addition to his church stirs a well of emotion.

Standing in the new day chapel that he, his wife and sons built for their parish, Garcia, with his voice catching in his throat, spoke of the tabernacle that will now hold the holy sacraments at the church he and his family attend.

"I have this happy feeling here," he said, gesturing to his chest. "In my heart, I cannot explain."

The small church's new altar was anointed by Guillory after the Holy Eucharist. Garcia then wiped it down before the cloth was placed on it.

Usually reserved for the first Mass in a newly built church, the rite of dedication was altered slightly for the Sunday morning proceedings.

The altar in the main chapel of St. Joseph was not damaged, and did not need to be re-anointed, but Bishop Guillory thought it important to re-establish the sanctity of the church after the massive renovations. He blessed and anointed the sanctuary walls and fixtures with holy water, which served both as a sign of repentance and as a reminder of one's baptism.

"It's really the essence of a dedication, in that Harvey was so traumatic, and this church is the center of the faith community, and they've come through it, too," Guillory said. "It's a sign of the presence of God in times of tragedy, as well as in times of joy."
Bradley International Airport is open Sunday, but some airlines are adjusting flight schedules due to the winter storm in Connecticut and other parts of the northeast.

Some flights are operating on schedule on Sunday, but most flights were proactively canceled by the airlines, according to an airport spokesperson.

Approximately 43 percent of Sunday's arriving and departing flights have been canceled by the airlines, airport officials said.

Some flights in the afternoon are still operating on their normal schedule, but airlines continue to make adjustments, the spokesperson said.

The airlines are continuing to adjust their schedules and are working on returning back to their normal flight operations for Monday, however, there may be some residual delays, according to airport officials.

Passengers who are scheduled to travel Sunday night or Monday morning are advised to check in with their airline on their individual flight itineraries and any potential re-booking options before heading to the airport.

Several airlines have put travel waivers in place, an airport official said.

For real time flight status updates, click here.

You can get latest forecast anytime here.
After a brief respite from a stormy week of weather, much of the Bay Area on Sunday once again saw a return of scattered showers and breezy winds.

Scattered rain fell across parts of the region Sunday morning and afternoon. Off-and-on showers are expected to continue through the afternoon before heavier showers kick in around 6 p.m. in the North Bay and spread to the south, weather officials said. A "small chance" of thunderstorms is also in the forecast for later Sunday afternoon.

Sunday's storm has prompted officials to issue a wind advisory between 6 p.m. Sunday and 4 a.m. Monday for the coast and areas immediately hugging the San Francisco Bay. Wind speeds are slated to check in between 20 and 30 mph with some gusts peaking as high as 45 mph.

The National Weather Service also issued a coastal flood advisory between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. Sunday for areas along the water.

Rainfall totals for Sunday are not expected to come close to what the Bay Area witnessed during the middle of last week when a major storm system lashed the region with heavy rain.

The coastal hills, North Bay mountains and Santa Cruz Mountains could lead the way with about one-half inch or more of rain collected, according to NBC Bay Area Meteorologist Rob Mayeda. Locations in the valleys and near the bay could only see about one-quarter of an inch of rain.

When it comes to Sunday night's Super Blood Wolf Moon, Bay Area residents may or may not be able to catch a glimpse of the lunar phenomenon due to mostly cloudy skies.

Farther north, a flash flood watch has been issued for communities hit by last year's devastating wildfire.

The National Weather Service says mud and debris flows are possible in and around the town of Paradise through 9 p.m. Sunday.

Forecasters say thunderstorms packing heavy rainfall could cause small rivers and creeks to rise quickly.

No evacuations have been ordered but the Butte County Sherriff's Office says residents should be prepared to leave if flooding occurs.

Paradise was virtually incinerated two months ago by the Camp Fire that killed 86 people and destroyed nearly 15,000 homes.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
(Natural News) Every new parent feels some measure of anxiety about their newborn. Babies dont come with instruction manuals, and ensuring that they are well fed, safe and happy can feel overwhelming at times. For this reason, many families get help from parents, in-laws or others in the early days, as the new little family settles into a good routine. Ultimately, within a few weeks, taking care of a baby feels simple, easy and natural and, despite the lack of instructions, parents do figure things out.

What parents do not need when they take their babies home from the hospital is unwanted governmental interference and oversight. And yet that is precisely what Oregon Governor Kate Brown is pushing for. Browns latest proposed budget includes Senate Bill 526, which mandates that the Oregon Health Authority urgently study home visiting by licensed health care providers. In a bid to expedite the bill, lawmakers have labeled it an emergency in need of urgent resolution by the end of the year. The 18 sponsors of the bill claim that it is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety.

What is Senate Bill 526?

Essentially, Bill 526 would mandate that each family with a newborn receive visits from appointed healthcare workers in the early weeks after the baby comes home. According to PJ Media, the Beaver Valley Times explained the bill as follows:

When the program is complete, every new parent  this includes adoptions  would receive a series of two or three visits by someone like a nurse or other health care practitioner. The visits could include basic health screenings for babies; hooking parents up with primary care physicians; linking them to other services; and coordinating the myriad childhood immunizations that babies need.

On the surface, this might seem like a good idea, a way for parents to get help and support from caring medical professionals who can help ease the stress of those early weeks with a newborn. In reality, however, the bill is nothing more than a way for the government to get early access to and control over children. It is a declaration of official lack of trust in the abilities of parents to care properly for their own children, and a way for children to quickly fall under the watchful eye of Big Brother. And it is a very clever way for the government to make sure babies are receiving the myriad childhood immunizations that they deem necessary, but which many parents are opposed to. (Related: Will Big Brother read brain scans to see who will commit future crime?)

While proponents of the bill insist that this type of monitoring will quickly determine which kids are being neglected and abused so that they can be removed from the home and receive the necessary help, in reality, nothing could be further from the truth. As reported by PJ Media, children in the Oregon foster care system are abused at twice the rate of the rest of the nation. Clearly, the state cannot take care of the vulnerable children already under its care, so why would it want to take on the surveillance of a further 40,000 children born each year?

PJ Media reported:

No state agent could ever be an adequate substitute for a loving parent, but clearly, not everyone agrees. Proponents of home surveillance cite child abuse statistics and highlight horrific cases of neglect and abuse, glossing over the fact that most of these cases involve families who were known to law enforcement authorities and social services agencies that were unable to protect the children from their abusers. (Related: Report: Government foster systems force deadly psychiatric drugs on thousands of helpless children.)

Clearly, this bill is nothing more than a thinly disguised attempt to monitor and control parents and to gain early access to children so that they can be molded into the system.

Learn more about governmental overreach at BigGovernment.news.

Sources include:

PJMedia.com

PJMedia.com

PrepForThat.com
(Natural News) Scientists have long known that bacteria can fight other bacteria by producing their own version of antibiotics. The researchers behind a recent study have uncovered another bacterial survival tactic. By generating toxic proteins, certain bacteria become capable of communicating with one another, essentially allowing them to form their own social networks.

This remarkable discovery was opened up by researchers from the Argonne National Laboratory. According to Science Daily, the team found this out after they had obtained molecular protein structures from the NC101 strain of the Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. The protein structures were identified as being from a three-part system that consisted of a contact-dependent growth inhibition (CDI) toxin, its elongation factor, and its immunity protein.

Finding the immunity protein led the researchers to believe that this systems purpose is two-fold. First is competition, and second is communication or signaling. Through this, the bacterial cells could interact with each other, or possibly kill or even control other pathogens. (Related: Even bacteria use weapons of self-defense: Tiny daggers slice amoeba when they try to attack.)

There are really only a few molecules of the toxin that get into the neighboring cell. Its hard to estimate the real extent of the cell damage. Thats why we were thinking its not meant to kill, but rather to control and communicate, explained Karolina Michalska, protein crystallographer and co-author of the paper.

Andrzej Joachimiak, Director of Structural Biology Center and Midwest Center for Structural Genomics and Michalskas co-author, added: We are basically learning how the bacteria interact and communicate. We have some ideas that we are trying to resolve, because the toxins may have different activities. They may affect different bacteria differently.

Far from just being present in gut or soil bacteria, these systems have been found in human pathogens as well. Some of these toxins of CDI systems are present in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, for example, which is involved in lung disease, noted Joachimiak.

As bacteria grow more resistant to conventional antibiotics, Joachimial and his teams findings present a potential new method of combating and overcoming the pathogenic bacteria responsible for various infectious diseases. The CDI toxin has been shown to impede and antagonize competing bacteria, so finding a way to tap into or control this toxic protein can make the fight against bacteria that much easier.

For more stories about modern or alternative medicine, feel free to go to AlternativeMedicine.news today.

Sources include:

ScienceDaily.com

Academic.OUP.com
How much can forests fight climate change? Nature

Ancient Earth saw a huge spike in meteor impacts. It may be ongoing. National Geographic

BlackRock accidentally posted spreadsheets full of information on thousands of financial advisors that use its ETFs, calling some dabblers and others power users Business Insider. BlackRock should fit right in at CalPERS, then.

My speech on driverless cars at the Transportation Research Board, Washington DC, 15/1/19 Christian Wolmar (MH). Wolmar is a well-regarded British transportation journalist. Wolmar: I will leave you with the words of Michael DeKort: The 2030-year time period [for the introduction of driverless cars] isnt remotely close. The real answer is that they will never get remotely close to finishing. Not much farther than the first base they are on now.'

Brexit

The Malign Incompetence of the British Ruling Class Pankaj Mishra, NYT. Even Theresa May cant top Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, PC, FRS.

800 fire doors across Poole the same as those that failed post-Grenfell checks Daily Echo. Like Grenfell, this is a privatization story. See NC Grenfell coverage here and here.

Syraqistan

China?

India

New Cold War

Trump Transition

1,400 Miles of Abortion Restrictions The Intercept

New York Confronts Its Worst Measles Outbreak in Decades NYT

Our Famously Free Press

The House Democrats Colossal Election Reform Bill Could Save American Democracy Slate. No hand-marked paper ballots, hand-counted in public. (A paper trail is meaningless, because the software that scans, tabulates, and prints the paper trail can still be hacked.)

Democrats in Disarray

Incredibly meek loser mafia families. Pass the popcorn.

Guillotine Watch

Class Warfare

Kennedy and King Family Members and Advisors Call for Congress to Reopen Assassination Probes Who.What.Why. A group consisting of relatives of the Kennedy and King families, as well as their confidantes and other prominent voices, is calling for a Truth and Reconciliation Committee to get to the bottom of these tragic murders. Includes the groups letter, with an impressive list of signatories.

Lunar eclipse 2019: how to watch this supermoon turn blood-red Vox

Antidote du jour (via):

Bonus antidote:

Take a look at how still this kingfisher keeps it's head while hunting, incredible!  #Winterwatch pic.twitter.com/3H2n9v62vK  BBC Springwatch (@BBCSpringwatch) January 15, 2019

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Sunday evening announced that he would not attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.

Mnangagwa took to his official Twitter handle and said his finance minister would instead represent the Zimbabwe delegation at the WEF.

The three-day global showcase gets underway on Tuesday and ends on Friday.

In light of the economic situation, I will be returning home after a highly productive week of bilateral trade and investment meetings. We will be ably represented in Davos by the minister of finance, Mthuli Ncube. The first priority is to get Zimbabwe calm, stable and working again, he wrote.

Ironically, Mnangagwas message on Twitter would have reached very few citizens at home.

A partial internet shutdown remains in place and both mobile and internet service providers have been prevented by government from allowing citizens to access to social media sites.

The directive to shut down the internet by authorities is set to be challenged in the high court tomorrow. The challenge through an urgent application was brought by the Media Institute of Southern Africas Zimbabwe chapter and the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.

Mnangagwas trip abroad, after he announced a 150% fuel price hike last weekend has been widely criticized as being insensitive. He travelled to Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan  with Switzerland initially set to have been his last stop during his five-nation tour. He hired a private Boeing Dreamliner 787 for the trip.

The fuel price hike resulted in violent protests breaking out last week and coincided with a three-day stayaway called by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, which brought business to a standstill.

A joint operation by the army and police led to a widespread crackdown on citizens. The brutal crackdown has attracted global condemnation with the United Nations on Friday warning against the heavy-handed response by security forces against citizens.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, a coalition of pro-democracy groups, on Friday said it had recorded 844 human rights violations during the three-day stay away.

It put the death toll at 12 people, recorded 78 gunshot related injuries and said 242 people were assaulted, tortured and treated inhumanely by security officials.

At a joint media briefing on Saturday, a trio of police and army spokespersons said the army was not behind the brutal crackdown on citizens.

Instead, Charity Charamba, the police spokesperson and who spoke on behalf of the trio said the crackdown had been led by rogue soldiers, who stole military regalia and were now terrorizing citizens.

Some of these uniforms worn by criminals were seized by rogue elements during the recent riots in Epworth and Chegutu. We are therefore giving an ultimatum to individuals who have retired, deserted, absented themselves without official leave from service to immediately handover uniforms either to the police or the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, she said at the media briefing.

Roadblocks have intensified in the capital, Harare and in Bulawayo, the second largest citywith searches of vehicles and citizens asked to produce proof of identification.

Despite the increased presence of police and army, organisers have called for a second stay away this week. Most banks, schools, supermarkets and businesses shutdown last week.

Economic observers have warned that the economy is unable to sustain a series of back-to-back stay aways and said job losses and company closures were imminent.

The Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries in its latest report said that capacity utilisation of industries would fall this year to just 34.3%, reversing an improvement seen last year of 48.2%.

 TimesLive

Breaking News via Email

Loading...

Related Zimbabwe Latest News
The Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) and other security services have issued a warning to people who are committing crime particularly robberies whilst wearing military regalia or police uniforms that it is an offence for anyone who is not sanctioned to put on such uniforms

Speaking at a joint media briefing this evening, ZRP National Spokesperson Commissioner Charity Charamba and ZDF Public Relations Officer Colonel Overson Mugwisi said those who have retired, deserted or are absent without official leave must return the uniforms either to the ZDF or ZRP with immediate effect.

Colonel Mugwisi said some of the uniforms worn by the criminals were seized by rogue elements during the recent riots in Epworth and Chegutu.

He cited a case in point where five robbers were arrested in Epworth on the 14th of this month who were using police and military regalia to commit robberies after hiring vehicles from car rentals companies.

Colonel Mugwisi also reminded business people who sell replica military attire that it is an offence to do.

 ZBC

Breaking News via Email

Loading...

Related Zimbabwe Latest News
Zimbabwe National Liberations of War Veterans Associations (ZNLWVA) national political commissar, Francis Nhando has praised Chiredzi town chairperson Gibson Hwende as an exemplary leader.

Hwende is an MDC Alliance councillor and he recently shocked Zanu-PF after he won the town chairperson position despite the fact that his party has fewer council seats than the ruling party.

His victory triggered a witch-hunt in Zanu-PF which accused and suspended two of its own councillors for selling out to the opposition.

Nhando, however, is of a different opinion as he feels none of the ruling partys four councillors in the town was competent enough for the job.

Hwende was the right candidate for that post as there is no candidate in Zanu-PF who could match him. That guy has more leadership qualities than anyone else in council so I am convinced the councillors made the right choice, said Nhando.

He warned Zanu-PF not to expel the councillors it suspects of voting for Hwende, saying they just needed orientation on party ideology.

Our councillors displayed a very clear and assessable training need. This deficiency extents to the local provincial leadership which itself has identifiable training needs. All is clear that our partys school (The Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology) must teach its cadres on the consequences of their actions, said Nhando.

He attacked corruption in government and the ruling party, saying there was no way towns and cities in the country could develop with the kind of corruption currently taking place.

Stands corruption has become a national disaster involving big thieves. Today, as has happened in Chiredzi, our councils have been invaded by looting gangsters zvaana Mashayamombe kuHarare. Land is sold and council is left with no development capital. The result is poor service delivery while gangsters with unexplained wealth roam free, said Nhando.

He was referring to former Zanu-PF Harare province chairperson Shadreck Mashayamombe who has often been accused of being a land baron.

He warned that the criminals that surrounded former president Robert Mugabe before his overthrow in November 2017 were still free.

Our problem is with the bureaucratic comprador. It looks like they are planted to make it impossible. How is it that chidudu chiye chekuGwanda Solar Project is not in prison? Kuwanza tenderpreneurship. This week we heard of those two guys from the Public Service (Commission). We cant be friends with anyone if we play chimuramu nemacriminals akadero, said Nhando.

Nhando was referring to Wicknell Chivhayo who failed to implement the Gwanda Solar Project despite being paid US$5 million in advance.

He was also referring to chief paymaster at the government Salaries Service Bureau (SSB), Brighton Chiuzungo and former permanent secretary in the Public Service ministry Ngoni Masoka.

Chiuzungo was recently suspended from work without pay on countless fraud allegations including making arbitrary allowance and salary increases of 40 percent for himself and collecting back pay of $6 600 backdated to January 2018. His alleged fraud prejudiced taxpayers of tens of millions of US dollars over several years.

Masoka on the other hand, is accused of irregularly employing dozens of his own relatives and registering hundreds of ghost workers in a coordinated scam that allowed him to siphon-off millions of dollars from the civil service since 2014.

In another scam, Chiuzungo and Masoka allegedly worked in cahoots and implemented a fraudulent vehicle scheme by which they would allocate luxury cars to the ghost workers on a yearly basis. They would then write off the previous vehicle allocations as old and allow themselves to buy the old vehicles at unbelievably low prices and claim the vehicles had been sold to the workers.

 TellZim

Breaking News via Email

Loading...

Related Zimbabwe Latest News
Eighteen protesters who allegedly invaded and caused damage to a police in station in Marondera on Thursday appeared before magistrate Ignatius Mugova facing charges of public violence.

The accused who were represented by Marondera lawyer David Dhumbura, a member of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, were denied bail and ordered to return to court tomorrow.

According to court papers, on January 15, at around 11am, the accused persons were acting in connivance with other accomplices who were gathered at the corner of Nyaguwe Road and Chikomo Drive, Dombotombo in Marondera.

They allegedly barricaded the road with stones and started burning tyres while throwing stones at police officers. They were part of mobs who were demonstrating against the recent hike in fuel prices and general economic hardships in the country.

The accused persons advanced towards ZRP Dombotombo Police Station while throwing stones. They allegedly broke into the police station and ransacked all the three station offices destroying furniture, criminal records and stole property which included cellphones, riot shields, helmets, hand held radios, base station radio, baton sticks, an HP laptop, cash, police riot gear, tear smoke canisters and bicycles.

The accused also allegedly assaulted police officers on duty who sustained injuries. The 18 were later arrested when police and other security reinforcements were called.

The total value of the damaged and stolen property is approximately $30 000.

John Hama and Rumbidzai Katsande represented the state.

 The Standard

Breaking News via Email

Loading...

Related Zimbabwe Latest News
Pressure is mounting on President Emmerson Mnangagwa regarding his planned trip to the World Economic Forum (Wef)s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, next week  amid Zimbabwes worsening political crisis, the Daily News can report.

This comes as plans are afoot by Mnangagwas seething opponents to confront and embarrass him when he appears at the meeting  as public anger over the cumulative events of the past few days mounts.

Should the threatened demonstrations and public haranguing of Mnangagwa go ahead as planned, it could mark a major setback on the international stage for the 76-year-old Zanu PF leader who has been pushing very hard  albeit unsuccessfully thus far  to normalise Zimbabwes frosty relations of the past two decades with Western powers.

Well-placed sources confirmed the plans to the Daily News yesterday, adding however, that the logistics of mounting the project were proving to be a major challenge as there is always heavy security in Davos when the annual Wef gathering gets underway, as many leaders of powerful nations attend the jamboree.

Its true that some people are planning to demonstrate against Mnangagwa in Davos for his and his governments sins of commission or omission.

The only issue that has not been resolved is how to overcome the tight security there, to make the demos visible and effective. As you know, a similar plan by elements of the G40 to demonstrate against him there last year fell apart because of the same challenges, one of the sources said.

A Zanu PF insider said there were concerns that the planned protests could happen, noting ruefully that with Mnangagwas international standing beginning to suffer serious erosion in the West, protesters could this time gain some sympathy and thus be able to mount a successful demo.

Deputy Information minister Energy Mutodi said government was not fazed by the prospects of Mnangagwa being humiliated in Davos.

The president is in Davos for business and surely he cannot ditch such an important meeting because of demonstrations either at home or abroad.

Zimbabwe needs time to grow the economy and government will not be deterred by protests.

We know where we are heading to we are committed to the economic success of the country, but along the way there will be reactions from the public and at the end everyone will be happy, Mutodi told the Daily News.

This years Davos meeting comes as Zimbabwe is reeling from a mega economic crisis which has been further exacerbated by steep increases in the prices of fuel announced by Mnangagwa last week.

On Monday, thousands of fed up citizens, among them workers  heeded calls by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) to stay away from work in response to Mnangagwas unpopular decision to hike prices of fuel  prompting riots and the subsequent mayhem witnessed in Harare, Bulawayo and several towns, this week.

Government has since been accused of launching a vicious crackdown against the opposition, civic society, pro-democracy groups and the ZCTU leadership following the disturbances that were witnessed during the strike.

Doctors have fingered security forces whom they said shot 68 people and left dozens requiring life-saving surgeries during the deadly violence.

As a result of the government clampdown, civic society organisations (CSOs) have sent distressed calls to the African Union (AU) to intervene in the countrys worsening political crisis.

Meanwhile, pressure continued to mount for Mnangagwa and his government to halt widening rights abuses by the security forces across the cities and towns which witnessed this weeks riots.

The United Kingdom (UK) minister for Africa Harriet Baldwin on Thursday summoned Zimbabwes ambassador to the UK, Christian Katsande, to discuss the growing crisis and disturbing reports of use of live ammunition, intimidation and excessive force against protesters.

Baldwins statement noted the deaths of several people during the stay away.

We are deeply concerned that Zimbabwes security forces have acted disproportionately in response to actions such as arson and looting, Baldwin said.

She urged government to reign in security forces and restore full Internet services to allow freedom of expression by ordinary Zimbabweans.

The United Nations human rights office yesterday also denounced the excessive use of force by security forces against protesters.

Its very difficult to manage a situation like this, but the bottom line is that the use of live ammunition by security forces was used, excessive violence was used, UN spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva, Switzerland.

Meanwhile, calls are growing for Mnangagwa to cancel his Eastern European tour and second appearance at the Wef and come back home to deal with the growing political crisis.

I think its a reasonable request that the president comes back and sorts out issues. The problem with the trips is that he is going to worsen the Zimbabwe image because the questions that he is going to be asked by journalists are about the deteriorating situation back home.

Unlike his first attendance at Davos, where the world was more concerned about his vision, people are now curious about what is happening in the country, said political analyst Rashweat Mukundu .

He implored Mnangagwa to engage opposition leader Nelson Chamisa and the countrys civic society in meaningful dialogue to resolve the current crisis.

The mistake made was to think the coup and elections were a cure to the countrys economic problems, he added.

University of Zimbabwe social sciences lecturer Tawanda Zinyama said it would be politically wrong for Mnangagwa to appear at Davos especially when there were growing concerns at home.

It is important for the president to cut short his trip. The American president Donald Trump and France leader Emmanuel Macron are not travelling to Davos because their situations domestically do not require their absence.

He (Mnangagwa) cannot say Zimbabwe is open for business when property is being destroyed. Which investor will be foolish to invest in the country when the situation is like this? Zinyama queried.

Trump has cancelled his trip to Wef to attend to growing problems in the United States due to the current shutdown of government business while Macron will remain in Paris to deal with protests over two cents increase in the prices of petrol.

Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta has also cancelled his trip to deal with the security situation in the East African economic giant which was attacked by terrorists this week.

 DailyNews

Breaking News via Email

Loading...

Related Zimbabwe Latest News
THE deadly military and police crackdown against protesters over the past week which left at least 12 people dead was just a foretaste of things to come, President Emmerson Mnangagwas spokesman has warned.

George Charamba made the ominous remarks from the Azerbaijan, the latest stop in President Mnangagwas five-nation tour which so far seen him visit Russia and Belarus.

The country was effectively shut down for much of last week after the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) called a stay-at-home protest against fuel prices increases.

Widespread violence and rampant looting of shops however characterised the first day of the protest with activists blockading roads using burning tyres and rocks.

Government responded by unleashing armed police and soldiers with rights groups saying the crackdown left at least 12 dead, while 78 were shot and more than 240 have faced assault, torture, inhumane and degrading treatment.

The embattled administration claims the opposition MDC party was behind the protests as part of plans aimed at either overturning the results of disputed July 30 elections or forcing the establishment of another unity government.

Government will not stand by while such narrow interests play out so violently. The response so far is just a foretaste of things to come, Charamba told the Sunday Mail from the Azerbaijan capital, Baku.

He was adamant that the MDC was behind the protests, dismissing the ZCTU as member-less and moribund.

According to Charamba, it was not a coincidence that the violent protests were concentrated in MDC strongholds.

Its their constituency, their politics and their programme; and all the co-ordinates of violence are on (MDC leader Nelson) Chamisas desk and he knows it, he said.

The member-less and moribund ZCTU cannot claim to have galvanised or mobilised workers.

If anything, we are seeing a reactivation of the 1999 structures which unleashed violence on society, where MDC and ZCTU had that filial relationship.

This means the response of the State must deal with both the wayward parent and the wayward child, which is exactly what is going to happen.

Charamba further blasted Chamisa and the MDCs international backers saying that, if the idea behind the protests was to constrain Government and force a GNU, they are terribly mistaken.

The poise of pastor-ship and scriptural nattering Chamisa is indulging in will not stand in the way of justice, nothing will take away the devilry that he represents.

He thinks he can find his way to State House on the blood of Zimbabwean people, said Charamba.

As for those dark forces backing the MDC and its allies, let them look at the unmitigated violence they have wrought via their agents.

They should not expect us to take them seriously when they bemoan disruption of internet services at a time (when) they want the whole nation to be burning and moaning about the losses brought by their own agents.

 NewZimbabwe

Breaking News via Email

Loading...

Related Zimbabwe Latest News
THE ruling Zanu-PF has encouraged its members to defend the revolution at a time when the country is under siege from rogue MDC-Alliance elements and its allies who instigated a damaging stayaway last week.

This was said during an emergency Bulawayo Provincial Coordinating Committee meeting at Davies Hall yesterday by the party provincial secretary for administration Cde Elifas Mashaba. He said the country had been affected by widespread political disturbances in the name of economic protests which resulted in the destruction of property, loss of innocent lives, including those in the security sector.

Innocent citizens of our country fell prey to barbaric and vicious attacks from these enemies of the people who indiscriminately used an assortment of weaponry which included iron bars, machetes, stones, barbed wire and in some cases firearms.

Many of the victims were left homeless while some sustained life threatening injuries and are receiving treatment at various medical centres across the country, he said.

Cde Mashaba said the protests were acts of terrorism and not protests.

In this moment in time we must all work together to defend this sacred vote. All our party structures including the youth, stand activated to defend our revolution. We all know what a war is about and as responsible citizens of our dear nation, we must do everything possible to avoid it.

He told the meeting that the developments in the country must remind them of the lethal scale at which the regime change agenda is now pursued.

The revolution is under threat, these threats come against a background of a resounding victory by the party in the harmonised elections.

The results of these elections left our enemies in total disarray.

The results were widely accepted by Sadc, AU and various observer missions including the international community and were declared peaceful, free, fair, and credible, he said.

Cde Mashaba said members of the party should increase their vigilance and stay alert during such times.

Cde Mashaba said the party has established command centres across the country and members must use these as strategic administrative structures in order to thwart any efforts to destabilise the country.

 SundayNews

Breaking News via Email

Loading...

Related Zimbabwe Latest News
The Hispanic presence in the United States is inextricably linked to pivotal events in our nations history. Last year, 2018, marked two important events that forever changed the destiny of Mexico and Puerto Rico, the homelands of the two largest Hispanic groups in our nation. These events resulted in millions of Latinx people being absorbed into this territorial and cultural expanse we call America.

For Mexican-Americans, Feb. 2, 2018, marked 170 years since the signing in 1848 of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo at the end of the Mexican American War. The U.S. expanded to include almost half of Mexicos territory, bringing into the nation vast regions of the West, including California, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada.

Another important but unrecognized result was the birth of the Mexican-American people, many of whom still identify as Chicanos  constituting a whole new ethnic identity within the American cultural and political landscape. However, in violation of the treatys promises and assurances, Chicanos rights to their language and culture were soon threatened and abrogated, and much of their properties and lands were lost through duplicity, intimidation and outright violence. Mexican-Americans are still struggling to gain their legitimate claim to a host of human rights, and classroom history books continue to exclude their cultural, economic and military contributions to this nation.

For Puerto Ricans, particularly most of us who identify as Boricuas, July 25 marked 120 years since Gen. Nelson Miles troops landed on the southern shores of our island, in the final chapter of the Spanish American War.

Claiming to bring the blessings of American civilization, Miles disbanded a democratically elected council of Puerto Rican deputies and replaced them with a military government. Nearly two decades later, the Jones Act of 1917 granted Puerto Ricans U.S. citizenship. Boricuas were not permitted to vote on this most crucial decision.

Following a period of imperial neglect, U.S. corporations came, conquered and gained control of most of the arable land, turning it into a sugar cane cash crop. While our labor was being exploited and our resources extracted, the colonial government instituted an English-only policy in public education, decimating our native language and culture. For decades it was only the U.S. president  for whom Boricuas could not vote  who appointed the governor of the island.

Last year marked 70 years since Puerto Ricans were finally permitted in 1948 to elect their own governor, Luis Munoz Marin. However, the empire obligated him to suppress the legitimate movement for Puerto Rican independence to the point that during the repression, it was a crime to sing the national anthem or simply fly the Puerto Rican flag. Still, mounting economic pressures forced millions of Boricuas, beginning in the 1950s, to leave their homeland in search of employment in the cold industrialized cities of the North.

Both the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo and Miles landing in Puerto Rico were culminating events of two wars: the Mexican American War and the Spanish American War. The concept of Manifest Destiny  so often invoked during the 19th century to justify conquest, genocide and domination  made these wars seem inevitable.

The Manifest Destiny of this nation was in the past two centuries  and even as conceived today  to be one of expansion, domination and hemispheric hegemony. Yet, for many Hispanic Americans, our cultural destiny revolves around affirmation of our culture and language, preservation of our identity and hemispheric cooperation.

Among the most essential, pivotal issues for Boricuas and Chicanos are those that were initiated and defined by those two wars of conquest. Mexican-Americans are more concerned about immigration and citizenship issues and Puerto Ricans are more focused on the complex conundrum of their islands political status. Yet in both cases they can legitimately proclaim that before we came to America, America came to us!

It is not enough to simply know history, we should become aware of the relationship historical events have to the problems of today. As a multicultural nation of immigrants and natives, we need to understand well the lessons of history and commit to utilizing peaceful cooperation, rather than violent domination, for resolving the problems of diversity that await.

Julio Noboa is a recently retired assistant professor of social studies at the University of Texas at El Paso and, in the past, a frequent contributor to the Express-News opinion pages.
The GoFundMe page, "Searching For The Truth," created following the deaths of Nichol Leila Olsen and her two daughters has raised more than $55,000 since Thursday.

"There are countless unanswered questions and we, as well as many, are waiting for answers," the page states. "Please help us in our mission to seek the truth."

FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox

It's unclear what the money raised will be used for. A message sent to the page's creator asking about the funds' purpose was not immediately answered Saturday.

Subscriber Content: Sheriff says boyfriend of woman in San Antonio triple shooting is 'person of interest,' but not a suspect

The page was created by GoFundMe user NAL NAL, listed as from San Antonio. A friend of Olsen's, Nicole Marie Baptiste, posted on Facebook that she "helped organize this fund with the approval of Nichols son and brother."

Baptiste continued, writing that the funds will be used "to help the families search for the truth."

Nichol Leila Olsen, 37, and her daughters, Alexa Denice Montez, 16, and London Sophia Bribiescas, 10, were found dead the morning of Jan. 10 at a home in the 11300 block of Anaqua Springs.

The three were discovered in the gated community home by Olsen's boyfriend, Charlie Wheeler, 31.

Olsen's death was ruled a suicide by the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office, but her friends and family have questioned that ruling saying she would never harm herself or her children. The deaths of Montez and Bribiescas were ruled homicides.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said Thursday that a handgun was found in close proximity to Olsen's body. No suicide note was found.

The San Antonio Express-News also reported that Salazar said he has no reason to doubt the medical examiner's rulings, but said his investigators will independently verify whether Olsen's death was a suicide.
BuzzFeed News' apparently mistaken story about Michael Cohen and President Donald Trump is the highest-profile misstep yet for a news organization during a period of heightened and intense scrutiny of the press, as the special counsel's office issued a thorough rebuke of the website's story published Thursday.

Reporters at the Guardian, CNN, McClatchy News and other outlets have published disputed, suspect or uncorroborated stories about Trump and the investigation swirling around him since special counsel Robert Mueller began his probe 21 months ago. Each instance has elicited cries of "fake news" from the president and his supporters, stoking the claim that the mainstream media is biased and irresponsible.

But these disputed stories have tended to be about distinct events or actions; they were effectively clues rather than conclusions about Trump's potential criminality.

BuzzFeed's story on Thursday, written by Jason Leopold and Anthony Cormier, was of a different nature and magnitude: It reported that prosecutors had detailed evidence that Trump had directed Cohen to lie to Congress about Trump's proposed office tower project in Moscow in 2016 - a direct accusation of presidential criminality. Democrats argued that would be an impeachable offense, if proved.

The big claim led to a big fall on Friday. In an extraordinary statement, Mueller's office cast doubt on BuzzFeed's report.

"BuzzFeed's description of specific statements to the special counsel's office, and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohen's congressional testimony are not accurate," the statement said, challenging the central thrust of BuzzFeed's explosive story - that Mueller's team had detailed evidence of felonious acts by the president.

The fact that the normally buttoned-up special counsel's office felt compelled to issue a statement suggests that the story's conclusions were too baldly stated and too consequential to stay unchallenged. In effect, Mueller's office seemed to be saying that BuzzFeed went too far and got some things wrong, though it did not say how or what.

In fact, what it didn't say was important, too. It didn't say Mueller had no evidence that Trump had sought to influence Cohen - just that BuzzFeed's description of such statements was inaccurate. Nor did it spell out which reported statements were inaccurate and in what way. Further, it offered no details about how BuzzFeed had mischaracterized any evidence that Mueller has collected.

This gave the online news organization a small bit of daylight and some hope of vindication. In response to Mueller's office, Editor Ben Smith issued a statement saying BuzzFeed stood by its story. He urged Mueller "to make clear what he's disputing."

The Washington Post's reporting on Friday indicated that "the special counsel's office seemed to be disputing every aspect of the story that addressed comments or evidence given to its investigators."

BuzzFeed has been in the uncomfortable position of being alone on its Cohen story. No other news organization has confirmed or duplicated the story through its own reporting since BuzzFeed published it - typically a bad sign for the veracity of any reported allegation because scoops are often matched within hours when a major story breaks.

Under Smith's tenure, BuzzFeed News has split from the main BuzzFeed site and become a source of serious investigative journalism and political reporting. Its series on assassinations of people opposed to Russian President Vladimir Putin was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize last year.

Mueller's spokesman, Peter Carr, has been a font of "no comments" to reporters since the special counsel's office began looking in May 2017 into Russian involvement in the 2016 election. He has remained silent amid tens of thousands of stories about Mueller's investigation, even as some of these press reports appeared to go off track.

No news outlet, for example, has been able to corroborate the Guardian's story in late November about a secret meeting between Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and Julian Assange, who heads WikiLeaks, the online organization that leaked thousands of emails apparently stolen by Russian hackers from the Democratic National Committee. Manafort and WikiLeaks disputed the story, which implied a connection between the Trump campaign and the leaks. The Guardian has stood by the story.

Last month, McClatchy reported that unidentified intelligence agencies had picked up cellphone signals indicating Cohen had traveled to Prague at the height of the presidential campaign in 2016, lending credence to claims in the disputed "Steele dossier" that Cohen had met secretly there with Russian officials to coordinate with Trump's campaign. Cohen has denied the story, which also hasn't been confirmed by another news organization.

CNN has published at least two disputed stories on the Russia probe.

The first, in June 2017, reported that Congress was investigating a Russian investment fund with ties to Trump transition officials. CNN retracted the article, which was based on a single anonymous source, but never said it was inaccurate; it also forced three journalists responsible for its publication to resign.

A second CNN article in July reported that Cohen intended to tell Mueller that Trump had approved a fateful meeting at Trump Tower in June 2016 between Russian operatives and his top campaign officials, Manafort, Donald Trump Jr. and son-in-law Jared Kushner. Although one of the story's key sources - Cohen's lawyer, Lanny Davis - recanted his support for the claim after publication, CNN has also stood by this story, which was co-written by Carl Bernstein, one of The Post's legendary Watergate reporters.

BuzzFeed has also faced a buzz saw of criticism from Trump supporters for publishing the dossier, a collection of unconfirmed reports alleging that Russian officials held compromising information about Trump that was compiled by Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence officer. Trump has repeatedly denounced it as "bogus" and "a pile of garbage."

Ironically, Trump can now rely on his nemesis, Mueller, to advance his critique of BuzzFeed and the press.

Speaking to reporters Saturday, Trump called the BuzzFeed story "phony" and said the media has lost its credibility.

"I think that the Buzzfeed piece was a disgrace to our country. It was a disgrace to journalism, and I think also that the coverage by the mainstream media was disgraceful, and I think it's going to take a long time for the mainstream media to recover its credibility," he said.

Trump, who has called Robert Mueller's investigation a "witch hunt," said he appreciated the special counsel's statement: "I appreciate the special counsel coming out with a statement last night. I think it was very appropriate that they did so; I very much appreciate that."
Jacksonville residents once again are being asked to step up  and donate their used shoes to help those in need.

I think its a wonderful project, said Jacksonville resident Diann Brechbuhl, the local contact for Chesterfield, Missouri-based ShoeCrew Water Projects. People are helping other people with shoes that they no longer need and youre helping people sustain life through water.

Once collected, the donated shoes are sold to exporters and the money generated is used to fund the creation of clean water sources in countries where people either have no access to clean water or have to walk miles to get it.

The projects we did last year were three different projects in Malawi, and I think we did one in Haiti, said Yolanda DePrater, ShoeCrews executive director. This years projects will be decided after DePrater talks with ShoeCrews partners from Living Water International, she said.

The Jacksonville community donated 3,019 pairs of shoes toward the cause during 2018. Since Brechbuhl started helping the ShoeCrew with donations in 2010, Jacksonville has collected 35,816 pairs of shoes, she said, noting that they make big collection pushes in January and March but accept shoes all year.

Organizers are looking to get a jump on it for their 10th year of collecting in Jacksonville.

While the programs international benefits are as clear as the clean water it provides to developing communities, the program also has benefits closer to home, according to ShoeCrew.

Keeping used shoes out of landfills keeps them from possibly harming nearby water supplies, organizers said. ShoeCrew also works to educate people on the need for clean, accessible water supplies, with supporters visiting schools and churches to talk about the issue.

We have a 5,000-foot exhibit in Chesterfield Mall about the global water crisis, DePrater said. Its a very interactive exhibit that we give tours and people can get involved in it. Schools are loving it, everyone from kindergarten to college level. Its very good.

For the ShoeCrew, education is half the battle.

We cant get support for our mission if people dont know, DePrater said. In this country its hard to fathom theres still a problem with people not having safe water or walking 4 miles to get it.

Those wanting to donate shoes in the Jacksonville area can take them to Bob Freesen YMCA, the Brechbuhl residence at 80 Alice Drive, College Avenue Dental, Fitness World, Hampton Inn, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Our Saviour Catholic School, Trinity Lutheran School in Arenzville or Waverly Public Library. Other locations include Jacksonville Area Conference of Churches members such as First Presbyterian Church, Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church, Franklin United Methodist Church, Grace United Methodist Church, Trinity Episcopal Church and Faith Lutheran Church.

Shoes donated should be new or gently used, free of rips and have intact soles. Laces should be tied together or shoes should be banded together to prevent them from being separated in transport.



Story was updated Jan. 21, 2019, to correct location site to Hampton Inn.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 19)  The mayor tagged as the 'mastermind' in the killing of AKO-BICOL Party-list Representative Rodel Batocabe asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to deny his political party's official withdrawal of support for his mayoral candidacy.

Daraga Mayor Carlwyn Baldo, in a comment sent to the Comelec en Banc Friday, sought to junk LAKAS-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD)'s revocation of his certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONA).

Baldo was nominated as the official candidate of LAKAS-CMD for the mayoralty post of Daraga, Albay. The slain lawmaker was his supposed political rival.

In his comment, Baldo said he is being implicated in the "sensationalized case" of Batocabe. He also maintained his innocence and denied involvement in the killing.

The Daraga mayor claimed he was not informed of the revocation, and he was not given a chance to explain.

"Due process dictates that [Baldo] should have been given the opportunity to be notified of the intention and the grounds relied upon by LAKAS-CMD, if indeed it is true, in revoking his CONA, and give his explanations thereto," the letter read.

Baldo and the six gunmen, who pointed at him as the mastermind, are facing double murder and six counts of multiple frustrated murder charges over the killing of Batocabe and his security aide.

Lakas-CMD is allied with President Rodrigo Duterte's party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan.

Baldo also sought help from the President to grant him fair treatment and to provide protection for his family amid investigations.
Jamison Jaron Weeden, 28, Okmulgee resident, left us June 5, 2021. Service of Remembrance will be Friday, 11:00 AM, The Chapel of Peace of the Keith D. Biglow Funeral Directors, Inc., of Okmulgee. biglowfunerals.com
Meanwhile in San Antonio.

Thousands were surprised and confused Saturday to discover the reason for the Alamo City's success and safety was our wall.

In comments preceding his announcement on the continuing partial government shutdown and border security, President Donald Trump cited San Antonio when speaking about the effectiveness of security walls.

"Everybody knows that walls work. You look at different places they put up a wall, no problem. You look at San Antonio. You look at so many different places. They go from one of the most unsafe cities in the country to one of the safest cities, immediately, immediately."

Let that one rumble around in your head for a bit.

A quick search (consisting of looking out the window and then checking Texas Department of Transportation traffic cameras) found no walls barring anyone from San Antonio. In fact, the city is often known as one of the most welcoming and friendly cities in Texas.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg said Saturday that San Antonio is indeed one of the safest cities in the U.S.

"San Antonio is one of the safest big cities in the nation," Nirenberg said. "The Express-News reported last year that crime is at a 30-year low here. The plummeting crime rate is due to the hard work being done by the brave men and women of the San Antonio Police Department."

The mayor did not comment on the city's wall. Probably because there isn't one.

San Antonio remains about 150 miles from Mexico. The effectiveness of a wall around San Antonio - real or imagined - to keep America's southern border safe remains unclear.

The only wall of any notoriety in San Antonio's history are the walls of the Alamo. And unfortunately, those didn't work out too well for us last time.

But the one thing we did find in reference the president's comments on San Antonio's wall was a flood of social media memes and snark.

Enjoy.

Staff writer Madison Iszler contributed to this report.
One of the primary topics discussed at the Midland College board meeting on Tuesday was the possibility of bringing a pre-kindergerten charter school to the MC campus  with a soft launch as soon as the upcoming fall.

Damon Kennedy, vice president of Instructional Services, said the project  though it has been in the works for about eight months now -- still is in the early stages.

"We went into a one-year planning grant to MISD and Midland College," Kennedy said. "It's been supported by the (Texas Education Agency with) a substantial sum of money so we worked through the feasibility of the project. Ultimately, we have reached a point where we have decided this is truly feasible (and) that we have a budget that makes sense (and) we think we can both in short-term and long-term provide for facility needs in a pre-k charter."

Kennedy said this is one of the strategic priorities of the campus, and one of its strengths of the college.

RELATED: MC, A&M plan engineering academy

MC's current day care facilities  the Helen L. Greathouse Children's Center and the Midland College Childcare Center at Manor Park  are already known throughout the community for their quality child care, he said.

"To existing facilities, we're known as an excellent teacher-training college," Kennedy said. "Our Greathouse Center is noted as an exceptional lab facility for our students to learn in and our children to grow in. So, the pre-k charter school is something that is truly needed in this community."

He said ages 3 and 4 are crucial to a child's development, and research has proven that if a child is successful at age 4, then the child is more likely to be successful in school.

With the charter school, he said they plan to target  at a minimum  50 percent of students living in improvement-required districts in the community.

"We want to impact areas in the community that, historically, have been underserved," Kennedy said.

The remainder of the students will largely come from the population of children in the Greathouse Center.

When the building is completed, he said the capacity for children will be 80 3-year-olds and 80 4-year-olds. However, in the fall, the capacity will be half the number for both ages while the college plans to utilize some of the portable buildings on campus.

He said they are in the process of considering spaces  what the building will look like, how it is going to be paid for, where it would physically be located on campus and how that space would impact campus.

MC President Steve Thomas said there is some potential support in the community that could help fund remodeling the interior of the portable buildings, including adding bathrooms.

"That's a requirement for this type of program," Thomas said. "We started working with architects to create a village out of these portable buildings, and then we will see some landscaping and really make that a nice environment for the students, for their little ones and for the teachers. And we'll be right next door to the day care center, so there will be some synergy with what we're doing with our day care program. I think it's going to be fine."

Thomas said it is just a matter of getting the money, but they still need an estimate of the cost.

He said there is a need for the pre-k in Midland.

"I work with Educate Midland, and I'm on their leadership team," Thomas said. "When we started looking at academic performance and realized there's just not enough education for the 3- and 4-year-olds in the community, we said we've got to do something about that. Midland College is trying to step up and make that need. I'm optimistic."

Kennedy said that because of the rate of construction in Midland, the 20,000-square-foot building  with pre-k classrooms, offices and college classroom development areas  likely will not be launched until fall 2021.

"I've also been working with MISD on a teacher-prep program, targeting students in high school, building them toward an (associate of arts in teaching) at Midland College and transferring them to partnering institutions to do their teaching," Kennedy said. "One of the things we're also considering is the prospect of a pre-k baccalaureate."

As an institution, Midland College is authorized to offer five baccalaureates, and they currently offer two, he said.

The college is in the preliminary stages of looking at the feasibility of the bachelor's degree and ensuring they are not interfering with other colleges along the way, he said.

"My contention is, the need is so great, if we all do everything we could possibly do, there is still a shortage of teachers," Kennedy said. "There are still some conversations to be had, but it is in consideration. When it comes to training those teachers in pre-k, we'd like to be doing some of that ourselves."
MOULTRIE [mdash] Gary Ray Riggins, age 67 of Colquitt County died Monday June 14, 2021 at his home surrounded by family Celebrations of Life Services are being planned and will be announced later Gary was born September 17, 1953 in Moultrie Ga. to the late Curtis R. and Martha Latrail Holmes
Funeral arrangements for a firefighter who died last week have been announced. See video from last week when firefighters from around the county paid respects to him as he was brought back to Burke County after his autopsy in Winston-Salem.
In a recent interview with the BBC, The Greatest Showman star Hugh Jackman said that he'd be keen to reprise his role of P.T Barnum in a sequel to the popular movie musical.

"If a genuine opportunity came up where it felt like the right thing to do, then yep, I'd get the top hat back out," Hugh said.

"We have a situation in the business where the company that did it has been sold to Disney, so there are a lot of spinning plates right now.

"I'm not sure what they would do, but it did take a while to get the first one up, and it's not to be underestimated how difficult it is to get a musical up and going."

"But it's clear to me and to everyone that people love these characters. I loved this movie, I loved this character and it was one of the great joys of my life."

So while he's keen for the sequel to happen, it sounds like it might be a wee while away yet!
January 20, 2019

The MoA Week In Review - Open Thread 2019-04

Last week's posts on Moon of Alabama:

January 15 - Putin Asks And Trump Delivers - A List Of All The Good Things Trump Did For Russia

This week saw another fake story about Trump and Russia. A newly released chapter of Matt Taibbi's book Hate Inc. (available for free) touches on the issue: BuzzFeed's big scoop and the media's giant factual loophole. Doug Johnson Hatlem lists all the Russiagate stories the media retracted or seriously corrected. He is at number 37 so far.

Two weeks ago Senator Lindsay Graham argued against screwing the Kurds in Syria:

SEN. GRAHAM: Well, I had lunch with the president last week and I came away a bit encourage. There are three things that we want to accomplish as part of a withdrawal. We want to make sure that when we leave the Kurds do not get slaughtered. And I don't trust Turkey to take care of the Kurds. It'd be like Putin trying to police Assad. That didn't work well. We need a plan to protect the Kurds from Turkey and others.

The same Senator Graham is now pushing for screwing the Kurds:

"So I told President Trump if you withdraw and do not think this through, you are creating a nightmare for Turkey. President Obama created a nightmare for Turkey by arming elements of the YPG that are clearly tied to the PKK and in the eyes of Turkey this was devastating," Graham said in a statement to reporters in Ankara on Saturday. Graham believes the US and Turkish militaries are already coordinating on a plan to disarm the YPG. Heres the good news: General Dunford, I think, has a plan that hes working on with the Turkish military that can accomplish these objectives and they are to move the YPG elements away from Turkey, said Graham, adding that heavy weapons in particular should be taken away.

Did anyone else publish about the Hersh piece? I have seen none. There are many more interesting bits in there, on Reagan's Star Wars for example, that I did not point out.

January 18 - Reagan Wannabe Relaunches Reagan's Star Wars

Part of old/new star wars plan is new technology to kill missiles shortly after they take off. The idea is bollocks:

A 2012 National Academy of Sciences report puts it very plainly: Boost-phase missile defensewhether kinetic or directed energy, and whether based on land, sea, air, or in spaceis not practical or feasible.

The latest from Spire FM: The officer, who was hospitalised after being exposed to novichok last March, is on duty once again. - Yulia Skripal recovered in less than ten weeks. Why did it take the doorknobichok Det Sgt Nick Bailey a full ten month to come back to work?

Use as open thread ...

Posted by b on January 20, 2019 at 14:37 UTC | Permalink

Comments

next page 
With the new year upon us and a legislative session (under way), let us resolve to be the bright light that shines through the darkest night for the smallest and most vulnerable of angels.
Somali security officers take position after a second explosion near the president's residence in Mogadishu, Somalia. (Image: Reuters)

The US military on January 19 said it had carried out its deadliest airstrike in Somalia in months, killing 52 al-Shabab extremists after a "large group" mounted an attack on Somali forces. The US Africa Command said the airstrike occurred near Jilib in Middle Juba region. There were no reports of Americans killed or wounded.

The US statement did not say whether any Somali forces were killed or wounded by the al-Qaida-linked extremists. Al-Shabab via its Shahada news agency asserted that its attack on two Somali army bases killed at least 41 soldiers. It described the location as the Bar Sanjuni area near the port city of Kismayo.

There was no immediate comment from Somalia's government.

In neighbouring Ethiopia, state television cited the defense ministry as saying more than 60 al-Shabab fighters had been killed and that four vehicles loaded with explosives had been "destroyed."

Ethiopia contributes troops to a multinational African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia and has troops there independently under Ethiopian army command.

Al-Shabab controls large parts of rural southern and central Somalia and continues to carry out high-profile suicide bombings and other attacks in the capital, Mogadishu, and elsewhere.

The Islamic extremist group claimed responsibility for the deadly attack on a luxury hotel complex in the capital of neighboring Kenya on Tuesday, the latest high-toll assault inside that county in retaliation for Kenya sending troops to Somalia to fight al-Shabab.

The United States has dramatically stepped up airstrikes against al-Shabab in Somalia since President Donald Trump took office, carrying out at least 47 such strikes last year.

Some have targeted top al-Shabab leaders or key financial officials; the extremist group funds its attacks with an extensive network of "taxation" and extortion.

In October, the US said an airstrike killed about 60 fighters near the al-Shabab-controlled community of Harardere in Mudug province in the central part of the country.

The airstrikes hamper the extremist group but have not "seriously degraded al-Shabab's capability to mount strikes either inside or outside Somalia," Matt Bryden of Sahan Research, an expert on the extremists, told The Associated Press after the Nairobi hotel attack.

Airstrikes alone cannot defeat the extremists, Bryden said, and must be combined with more ground-based attacks as well as a non-military campaign to win over residents of extremist-held areas.

The US on Saturday said it is committed to "preventing al-Shabab from taking advantage of safe havens from which they can build capacity and attack the people of Somalia.
Former UK Prime Minister Theresa May

British Prime Minister Theresa May plans to seek a bilateral treaty with the Irish government as a way to remove the contentious backstop arrangement from Britain's divorce deal with the European Union, a newspaper reported.

The Sunday Times said aides to May thought a deal with Ireland would remove the opposition to her Brexit plan from the Democratic Unionist Party that supports May's minority government and from pro-Brexit rebels in her Conservative Party.

However the Irish edition of the same newspaper quoted a senior Irish government source as saying the bilateral treaty proposal was "not something we would entertain" and a second senior political source as saying it would not work with the European Commission.

May suffered a heavy defeat in parliament on January 15 when Conservative lawmakers and members of other parties rejected her Brexit plan by an overwhelming majority.

That left Britain facing the prospect of no deal to smooth its exit from the EU in little more than two months' time.

May is due to announce on January 21 how she plans to proceed.

Many Conservatives and the DUP oppose the backstop that the European Union insists on as a guarantee to avoid a hard border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland.

No one was immediately available for comment on the Sunday Times report in May's office nor in the Irish government.

Earlier on January 19, Ireland's foreign minister Simon Coveney said Dublin's commitment to the Brexit divorce deal struck with the British government was "absolute," including the border backstop arrangement.

The Sunday Times also said a group of lawmakers in Britain's parliament would meet on Sunday to consider ways they could suspend the Brexit process, wresting control away from May's government.
A European Union-wide tax on the world's top digital companies could be reached by the end of March, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said in an interview published on January 20.

"We made a compromise offer to Germany in December and I am convinced that a deal is within arm's reach between now and the end of March. With the European elections just a few months away, our citizens would find it incomprehensible if we gave up on this," Le Maire told the Journal du Dimanche newspaper.

In December, European Union finance ministers failed to agree a tax on digital revenues, despite a last minute Franco-German plan to salvage the proposal by narrowing its focus to companies such as Google and Facebook.
January 20, 2019 / 08:31 AM IST

A host of Opposition leaders are set to attend a political rally organised by West Bengal Chief Minister and All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) leader Mamata Banerjee on January 19.

Aimed to be a show of strength for Opposition forces ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the United India rally will be held at the Brigade Parade ground in Kolkata, West Bengal.

It is being called by

some as the largest such event in West Bengal since Independence.With no such public meeting in the planning, this is likely to be not just the first but also the last united opposition rally before the Election Commission of India (EC) announces poll dates for the general elections.
Narendra Modi

Taking a dig at the Opposition's show of unity during a rally in Kolkata, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 20 said their "mahagathbandhan" (grand alliance) was an alliance of corruption, negativity and instability.

The Opposition was staring at a defeat in forthcoming elections and looking for excuses ahead of their impending loss and thus are vilifying electronic voting machines, Modi said, addressing BJP's booth-level workers through video-conference.

Leaders from over a dozen opposition parties gathered in Kolkata on January 19 and vowed to put up a united fight in the coming Lok Sabha elections and oust Modi from power.

Several opposition leaders at the rally demanded the use of ballot papers instead of EVMs which they said were the source of "all sorts of malpractices".

"The Opposition's mahagathbandhan is an alliance of corruption, negativity and instability. The Opposition has 'dhanshakti' (money power), we have 'janshakti' (people's power)," Modi said.

He also wished the ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar a speedy recovery, and called him the "architect of modern Goa."
Supporters of Congress party are framed by the party's symbols installed at the venue where Rahul Gandhi is addressing a rally at Bardoli

In an ugly turn in the ongoing power game in Karnataka, a Congress MLA was injured in an alleged brawl with a colleague lawmaker at a resort even as the party issued notices to its four legislators who skipped a crucial CLP meeting amid BJP's alleged poaching attempt.

Anand Singh was hospitalised after he and JN Ganesh, both from Ballari district, had a heated argument and came to blows late last night at the resort where the party MLAs are herded together, Congress sources said on January 20. In its notices to four MLAs on Sunday, the party sought to know why action should not be taken against them under the anti-defection law for not attending the Friday's Congress Legislature Party Meeting that was a show of strength against BJP's alleged bid to dislodge the ruling coalition.

Singh has "a black eye and suffered blunt injuries," according to sources at the private hospital where he is undergoing treatment. He had also complained of uneasiness in the chest but was now in the ward and "fine", they added. Ganesh is among the disgruntled Congress MLAs who was reportedly in touch with other dissidents in the party and on the BJP's radar in its alleged toppling game. Congress spokesperson and former Nizamabad MP Madhu Goud Yakshi said the scuffle was related to some business issue had nothing to do with politics.

"It was personal district related. They are all together in business. The scuffle has nothing to do with politics. They come from the same district and have business relations. It (the fight) is something related to that. It has nothing to do with politics," he said.

The two MLAs had the dinner together in his presence and everything was cordial but after he left the fight broke out, Yakshi told PTI. Bidadi police under whose jurisdiction the Eagleton resort is located, said they have not received any complaint so far. A posse of policemen have been deployed in front of the hospital with no visitor being allowed.

"We have not been allowed inside the hospital," Raghunath, a Congress MLA, said. In a dig at the Congress, BJP tweeted, "It's unfortunate that @KPCCPresident was unable to stop the fight in Eagleton resort. We hope Anand Singh is being treated & we pray for his speedy recovery. Unfortunately @dineshgrao can't even blame BJP now, MLA's were locked up under his watch at Eagleton. Whats ur excuse now?"

Senior minister D K Shivakumar however brushed aside reports that Singh had been assaulted and claimed all the Congress MLAs were united. "Someone has misled. There was no fracas. There was no incident of smashing of bottle (on Singh's head). It is all fake news. Everyone is together. The entire Congress is united," he said.

State senior BJP leader and former Deputy chief minister R Ashok asked the Congress to produce Singh before the media and said police should initiate legal action in the case. "Why is it that the Police have not taken any action in this incident?. I demand that the Congress should produce Singh before the media. I suspect that the Congress is making efforts to cover up the case," he alleged.

As it struggled to keep its MLAs on leash, the Congress Sunday issued notices to Ramesh Jarkiholi, who was dropped as minister in the recent cabinet rejig and is said to be miffed over it, B Nagendra, Umesh Jadhav and Mahesh Kumatahalli, Congress sources said.

Exposing fissures in the party, the four law makers had skipped the CLP meet, held amid the political turmoil that broke out on Monday last with BJP MLAs ensconced in a luxury hotel in Gurugram. The BJP MLAs flew back home last night after the party state unit president B S Yeddyurappa asked them to return and said the party would not destabilise the Kumaraswamy government.

The absence of four at the CLP meet posed no imminent threat to the seven-month old Congress-JDS government in the numbers game but suggested that the crisis for it was far from over.

In the notice to Jarkiholi, CLP leader Siddaramaiah besides seeking response from him for not attending the MLAs' meeting also asked him to provide an explanation about media reports that he was joining BJP and about his visit to Delhi and Mumbai to meet saffron party leaders. Asking as to why he has not issued any statement so far rejecting the media reports, Siddaramaiah said "your conduct suggests that you will voluntarily quit from the membership of the Indian National Congress. You have got elected as legislator on Congress symbol and cannot quit as party member under the Constitution." Seventy six of the 80 Congress MLAs had attended the CLP meet. Ahead of the meet, Siddaramaiah had issued notices to all the party MLAs warning that their absence would be viewed "seriously" and action initiated under the anti-defection law.

Top Congress sources had said Friday that at least eight party MLAs have "committed" themselves to BJP, an apprehension that caused jitters in the party and made it to shift the legislators to the resort. As for the BJP camp, party MLC Lehar Singh said all 104 MLAs flew back to the state late Saturday night after Yeddyurappa asked them to return.

"Some of them have directly flown back to their constituencies and others including former deputy chief ministers R Ashoka and K S Eshwarappa returned to Bengaluru," he said.

Eshwarappa said the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in the state would fall due to internal bickering and his party would form the government. The present political turbulence is because of the internal bickering in the Congress and their leaders have been needlessly levelling allegations against the BJP, he said last night.
A day after his expulsion from the Congress, former Union minister Srikant Jena on January 20 said he would expose AICC president Rahul Gandhi to such an extent that he would "not show his face in public" again.

Jena, along with former Koraput MLA Krushna Chandra Sagaria, was expelled from the primary membership of the Congress for anti-party activities by the Odisha unit of the party, following recommendations from the All India Congress Committee (AICC).

"I understand that Rahul Gandhi is visiting Odisha on January 25. I will expose him on that day so that he will not be able show his face in public," Jena told a press conference.

He, however, did not divulge the details of his proposed "maha-khulasa" (disclosure) against the Congress chief.

Peeved over his expulsion from the Congress, Jena said, "Rahul Gandhi has made it clear that he will remain with the mining mafia. The OPCC leadership, which was once with Utkalmani Gopabandhu Dash, has now come to the hands of the mining mafia. Though I have drawn Rahul Gandhi's attention several times in this regard, he preferred to remain with the mining mafia."

Freedom fighter Gopabandhu Dash is referred to as "Odisha's Gandhi", who earned the sobriquet "Utkalmani" (jewel of Utkal or Odisha) for his tremendous contribution as a social worker, reformer, political activist, journalist, poet and essayist.

Jena alleged that Gandhi had also decided that the governance of Odisha should remain with the Patnaik family, for which he had announced a "grand alliance" with Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik.

Stating that he had not indulged in any anti-party activities, Jena said he could not fit as a member of the Congress because he was not "accumulating properties" from the loot of mines.

In a letter to Gandhi on December 9, 2018, Jena had said: "I can understand why our PCC president, Niranjan Patnaik, is strongly opposed to illegal mining as an issue given that his family is directly involved in it. They have been charged the highest penalties for illegal mining, amounting to over Rs 2,000 crore last year.

"On top of this, Niranjan Patnaik has filed an affidavit in the Orissa High Court (in a case dating back to 1985) that he used to give bribes to a mining official for his mining business."

Jena also vowed to end the "Patnaik family politics" in Odisha.

"From now on, I will wage my relentless fight against the unholy nexus between Rahul Gandhi and (Chief Minister) Naveen Patnaik in Odisha," he said.

Jena added that he would expose the complicity of the BJD government in the state with the mining mafia.

Replying to Jena's allegations, Niranjan Patnaik said, "Those indulging in indiscipline have no place in the Congress."

Slamming the state Congress chief, Jena said he (Niranjan) was a habitual bribe-giver and had also received a stricture from the Orissa High Court.

"Despite being aware of this, Rahul Gandhi entrusted the party's state leadership with him and created an opportunity for the Congress for an unholy nexus with the mining mafia in Odisha," he added.

Meanwhile, state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vice-president Samir Mohanty said Jena's ouster from the Congress proved that the party was being run by the mining mafia.
The BJP on January 20 said DMK president MK Stalin could not reiterate his 'Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for Prime Minister pitch' in the Opposition rally at Kolkata and it showed that he has diverged from his avowed stand. Stalin, however, said he continued to be firm in his stand of "Rahul for PM."

"Stalin said Rahul Gandhi will be the PM candidate in Chennai. He could not say so at Kolkata," BJP Tamil Nadu unit president Tamilisai Soundararajan said here adding such contradictions outlined the contours of the Opposition front.

Later, speaking to reporters in Madurai, the BJP leader said, "had Stalin been consistent in his stand why did not he say that he proposed Rahul Gandhi for the post Prime Minister at the mega Kolkatta rally attended by over 20 parties."

Apparently blaming Stalin for diverging from his previous stand of supporting Rahul Gandhi for the post of Prime Minister she said, such deviation showed "his hesitancy and obstacles."

Unlike the undercurrent of incohesion in the Opposition ranks, her party led front was clear that "to save the nation, Narendra Modi should return as the Prime Minister."

The DMK chief said he proposed Rahul Gandhi's name at his party held event here whereas the Kolkata rally saw the convergence of several Opposition parties who had decided to pick the PM nominee post Lok Sabha election in keeping with the unique political scenarios in their respective States.

"It was a DMK held event where we had every right and we proposed Rahul Gandhi since people of Tamil Nadu expected and what is wrong in it," asked Stalin addressing a function.

Affirming that Rahul Gandhi would be the next Prime Minister, Stalin said "wait and see if it happens or not," and added that no leader at the Opposition rally had questioned him for backing the Congress chief for the top post.

Viduthalai Chiruthailgal Katchi chief Thol Thirumavalavan said the Kolkata rally was only an initiative aimed at bringing together "secular parties against the BJP and it was not an event to declare the Prime Minister candidate of the Opposition.
Aadhaar cards are now valid travel documents for Indians under 15 and over 65 travelling to Nepal and Bhutan, according to a Home Ministry communique.

Indians other than those in the two age brackets will not be able to use Aadhaar to travel to the two neighbouring countries, for which no visas are needed, clarified the communique issued recently.

Indian citizens going to Nepal and Bhutan don't need a visa if they have a valid passport, a photo identity card issued by the government of India or an election ID card issued by the Election Commission, it added.

Earlier, persons over 65 and under 15 could show their PAN card, driving licence, Central Government Health Service (CGHS) card or ration card, but not the Aadhaar, to prove their identity and visit the two countries.

The Aadhaar card has now been added to the list, explained a senior Home Ministry official.

"Now, persons in the age group of over 65 years and below 15 years have been allowed to use Aadhaar as a valid travel document," the official told PTI.

Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). It is being made mandatory for using a host of government services.

Giving details, the official said a certificate of registration issued by the Embassy of India, Kathmandu, to Indian nationals is not an acceptable travel document for travelling between India and Nepal.

"However, the emergency certificate and identity certificate issued by the Indian Embassy in Nepal will be valid for single journey for travelling back to India," he said, citing the communique.

Teens between 15 to 18 years will be allowed to travel between India and Nepal on the basis of an identity certificate issued by the principal of their school in a prescribed form, the officer said.

In case of a family (like husband, wife, minor children and parents) travelling together, all persons will not be required to carry relevant documents (such as a passport or an election ID) if one of the adult members has valid travel papers, he said.

However, the other family members must have some proof of their identity with a photograph and their relationship as a family, such as a CGHS card, ration card, a driving licence or an ID card issued by school/college, the official explained.

Indian nationals travelling to Bhutan need to have either an Indian passport with minimum validity of six months or a voter identity card issued by the Election Commission of India.

Bhutan, which shares borders with the Indian states of Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal, has about 60,000 Indian nationals, employed mostly in the hydroelectric power and construction industry.

In addition, between 8,000 and 10,000 daily workers enter and exit Bhutan everyday in border towns.

About six lakh Indians live in Nepal, according to data by the Ministry of External Affairs.

These include businesspersons and traders who have been living in Nepal for a long time, professionals (doctors, engineers, IT personnel) and labourers (including seasonal/migratory) in the construction sector, it said.

Nepal shares a border of over 1,850 km with five Indian states  Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
15 miners stuck in a coal mine in Meghalaya. Image: @imgovindpandey

The families of four of the 15 miners trapped inside a 370-foot-deep coal mine in Meghalaya Saturday urged rescuers to retrieve a decomposed body spotted by divers so that they can perform the last rites.

The Navy divers had detected on January 16 the decomposed body of one of the miners, using an unmanned, remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) at a depth of around 160 feet inside the main shaft.

Officials have said it would be "extremely difficult" to retrieve the decomposed body intact.

"It is difficult to retrieve the remains detected (by the ROV) without disintegration as wanted by the family members and shown in the recorded video taken by the Navys ROV," East Jaintia Hills district Deputy Commissioner F M Dopth said.

A senior government official said that the rescue operation is still underway because of a Supreme Court order.

The district authorities are waiting for family members from West Garo Hills district in western Meghalaya to reach the site.

Seven miners from Rajabala area have been confirmed trapped inside the ill-fated mine when horizontal holes dug along the coal seam accidentally flooded on December 13, operation spokesperson R Susngi said.

"We want the body," said Manik Ali, whose 20-year-old brother Monirul Islam is among the 15 miners trapped in the rat-hole mine.

"Even if they manage to get a finger or a bone out of the shaft, it is fine for us. We will at least be able to bury the dead with some respect," said Ali.

Ali, representing the families of three trapped miners from Assam's Chirang district, and Aminul Uddin from Hojai district were called by the district administration and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Thursday to see a video footage of the body.

"They showed us the video. The body is swollen. The face cannot be seen so we cannot make out who it is," said Aminul Uddin, who worked at the same coal mine with his elder brother Kuti Miya.

Aminul Uddin was lucky as he went home on December 7 to vote in Assam's panchayat elections.

"On the evening of December 13, I got to know that my brother is trapped," he said.

On December 13, water from nearby Lytein river flooded a network of tunnels in the mine, trapping 15 men.

A multi-agency operation, which include de-watering of the main shaft where the miners are trapped and in the nearby mines, have failed to yield any result so far, as the water level did not reduce even after pumping out over 3 crore litres of water, officials had said.

The district administration and rescuers have told the families that the body could disintegrate if it is pulled out and that it would be difficult to retrieve it.

"It does not matter. We are Muslims. According to Quran, we have to bury the dead. I can recognise if its my brother even if I get to see the ring on his finger," said Ali.

"I have lived with my brother all my life. I will be able to recognise him," said Aminul.

Both of them said they have conveyed the message to the district administration.

"The deputy commissioner is talking to the next of kin and trying to convince them that it is very difficult to retrieve the body," said Additional Chief Secretary Peter Ingty, who is overseeing the rescue operation.

He said it is because of the Supreme Court order that the operation has not been called off.

"It is only because of the Supreme Court order that we are hanging on. Submissions will be made before the court and let's see what happens," Ingty said.

The apex court is hearing a public interest litigation seeking steps to rescue the 15 miners.

District SP Sylvester Nongtynger said the investigation officer of the case will act on the claims made by the family members of Kuti Miya.
Q14. What exclusive government-owned store was inaugurated at the departure terminal of the Goa International airport in January 2019 by Suresh Prabhu, minister for Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation? (Image: PTI)

Union Commerce and Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu Saturday said India has the potential to be a $5 trillion economy in the next 7-8 years.

Addressing a seminar on exports at Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit here, Prabhu said his department had prepared a road map to make this possible by focusing on manufacturing, service sector and agriculture.

"India has a potential to be a $5 trillion economy in 7 to 8 years, and definitely a $10 trillion economy before 2035," Prabhu said.

"Manufacturing should lead to export. This will bring quality and competitiveness. Our cumulative export stands at around half a trillion dollars. The challenge is to double it" he said.

"Today, we have great opportunity to increase exports. There are disruptions taking place in the world and India should take advantage of it," he added.

Prabhu said India can increase exports to Africa and Latin American countries.

To boost air connectivity in the country, Prabhu said 100 new airports will come up in the near future with a cumulative investment of $65 billion.

Two MoUs were Saturday signed between the Gujarat government and Airports Authority of India for establishing greenfield airports at Dholera and Ankleshwar.

The MOUs were inked in the presence of Prabhu and Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani.

As per one MoU, Dholera airport will be established at a cost of Rs 1500 crore.

The other MoU was for the development and operation of airport and MRO at Ankleshwar.
A French government delegation has informed Tokyo that it would seek an integration of Renault and Nissan, most likely under the umbrella of a single holding company, the Nikkei reported on January 20.

The delegation, which included French government-designated Renault director Martin Vial, also said that it wanted to name Nissan's next chairman, according to the report. Nissan was not immediately available for comment.

Nissan ex-chairman Carlos Ghosn, arrested and detained in Tokyo since November 19, has been indicted in Japan on charges of under-reporting his salary for eight years through March 2018, and temporarily transferring personal investment losses to Nissan during the global financial crisis. Ghosn has denied all charges.

The French government has requested Renault hold a board meeting in coming days to replace Ghosn. Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said in a newspaper interview published on January 20 that Michelin Chief Executive Jean-Dominique Senard could be a good choice to head Renault.

"The French state, as shareholder, will have its say. What I can tell you, is that Jean-Dominique Senard has a renowned competence with regards to the automobile industry," Le Maire told France's Journal du Dimanche newspaper.
Representative image

Chandan Taparia

Continuing with the classic chart patterns, we will be discussing Rounding Top and Rounding Bottom pattern.

A Rounding Top is a chart pattern that is identified by price movements that form the shape of an upside down "U". It is formed at the end of an extended upward trend and will often indicate a reversal in the long-term price movement.

Rounding Bottom serves as the opposite of a Rounding Top that signals a reversal that would lead to a bullish future outlook for the security.

Rounding Top

In a Rounding Top, the securitys price will increase to a new high and then steadily decrease from a resistance level to form the rounding top. Volumes will usually be the highest when the price is increasing and may experience another high on the downtrend during the sell-off phase.

The pattern can develop over several weeks, months or even years, and is considered a rare occurrence by many traders. This pattern represents a bearish future outlook for the security.

Rounding Bottom

In a Rounding Bottom, the price begins with a decreasing trend until it reaches a support point. Once reaching the support point, the price will begin to trend higher. A trend line following the prices lows will form a U shape.

This pattern can also be followed by another rounding bottom forming a double bottom if the price resists a bullish trend. A Rounding Bottom is expected to result in a reversal and traders seek to take long positions at the support level to profit from future gains.

The author is technical and derivative analyst at Motilal Oswal Securities.

The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on Moneycontrol are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Earnings are likely to be the big focus point for the market in this week along with a few macro data points globally. Additionally, possible easing of tensions between the US and China are likely to keep investors busy.

Stable global cues along with rise in IT and consumption names helped the bulls put up a tough fight. The market was largely trading around the flat line with bouts of negative moves. The last couple of hours witnessed erasing of losses.

For the week, both the Sensex and Nifty ended 1 percent higher.

"Next week is expected to be full of action with the major names in India Inc reporting their Q3FY19 earnings, few of them namely HDFC Bank, Kotak Bank, Maruti, L&T, Yes Bank, Asian Paints, Indigo, TVS Motor, ITC, Ultratech Cement and United Spirits. Trading woes will be dictated by the upcoming interim budget with investors preparing to reshuffle their portfolio according to their expectations. Global market events such as China's Q4 GDP growth data, Japan's balance of trade data and the US existing home sales data for the month of December 2018 will also be closely watched," Rahul Sharma, Senior Research Analyst at Equity99 said in a statement.

Here is a gist of ten things that will keep traders on their feet:

HDFC Bank, Wipro reactions

This week will see investors reacting to the earnings of HDFC Bank and Wipro. Both the companies declared their December quarter results after market hours on Friday.

Wipro reported IT services revenue of Rs 14,665.6 crore for the December quarter, a rise of 2 percent compared to revenue of Rs 14,377.3 crore posted during the previous quarter.

The company reported a net profit of Rs 2,544 crore against the previous quarter's Rs 1,885 crore.

The earnings before interest and taxes was reported to be at Rs 2,909.4 crore, a jump of 12.5 percent quarter on quarter from Rs 2,586.3 crore.

The IT services EBIT margin rose to 19.8 percent from 18 percent posted during the previous quarter.

Meanwhile, private sector lender HDFC Bank posted a 20.3 percent year-on-year (YoY) growth in its December quarter (Q3) net profit at Rs 5,585.85 crore on strong growth in its net interest income (NII). The bank met the analyst estimates even as provisions rose considerably in the third quarter.

The bank had posted a profit after tax of Rs 4,642.60 crore in the same period last fiscal.

The net interest income (difference between interest earned and expended) rose to Rs 12,576.75 crore up 21.9 percent YoY. In the year ago, the bank had posted NII of Rs 10,314.3 crore. The core net interest margin for Q3FY19 stood at 4.3 percent.

Earnings

Around 205 BSE companies will be declaring their earnings for December quarter. Apart from marquee names, investors will watch out for earnings from HDFC AMC, Hindustan Zinc, Union Bank of India, Alembic Pharma, Havells India, ICICI Prudential Life, Can Fin Homes, InterGlobe Aviation, United Spirits, Biocon, Reliance Power, PVR and Dewan Housing, among others.

Big names to declare Q3

The Street will watch out for key earnings such as Kotak Mahindra Bank, Asian Paints, UltraTech Cement, Yes Bank, L&T and Maruti Suzuki.

Kotak Mahindra Bank: Motilal Oswal expects standalone loan growth at 23 percent and deposit growth to be around 21 percent. The earnings could grow 19 percent year on year, while the asset quality could be stable, analysts at the firm wrote in their report.

Asian Paints: Motilal Oswal expects subdued performance from the company, with a likely contraction in margins. The revenue could grow by 13 percent, it added.

Yes Bank: The brokerage house expects loan growth to remain significantly ahead of the system at 42 percent, while deposit growth is likely to be healthy around 38 percent year on year. Investors must need to watch out for succession plan to Rana Kapoor as well as asset quality.

Larsen & Toubro: The net profit could grow 19 percent YoY on the back of better order book and higher other income. It expects revenue growth of 12 percent.

Maruti Suzuki: Motilal Oswal expects a sombre performance by Maruti during the current quarter. The PAT could see 6 percent decline, dragged by lower volumes and margin contraction.

Corporate Action

Apart from Board meetings to declare results, investors will watch out for special meetings to dividend issue. Some of the names include Mindtree, Trident, Infosys, and KPIT Technologies.

The Board of NHPC will be meeting to discuss a fundraising plan. Foseco India could be in focus as the company will be discussing a voluntary delisting process.

Technical Factors

The Nifty formed a bullish candle for the second consecutive week in a row.

It bounced back after hitting its 5-days exponential moving average (EMA) to close above 10,900 levels.

Analysts at HDFC Securities believe that the near term trend for Nifty could be rangebound. It is showing lack of strength after an upside breakout of triangle is not a good sign for bulls. A decisive/sustainable move only above 10,950 levels could open up more upside in the market for next week

A higher levels weakness or a slide below the key lower support of 10,850 could bring bears back into action. The inherent structure of long term charts is indicating limited upside potential for the market for near to long term, they wrote in their report.

Rupee

Traders will keep an eye on the movement in Indian rupee as well. The currency managed to touch 71 per US dollar threshold again.

The currency has shown some recovery from the recent lows, but mildly higher crude trajectory is likely to keep an upside on the appreciation.

Crude

Investors in the Indian market could make a note of movements in Brent Crude prices. The commodity has crossed USD 61 per barrel, but is still off its high points from the past one year.

With possible easing of tensions between China and US, prices have resumed an upward move. Having said that, the global slowdown fears are also likely to weigh on crude prices.

Global Cues

The Street will keep a watch on global cues such as the White House shutdown as well as possible easing of tensions between the US and China. Both countries have been at loggerheads and imposed import tariffs. But that has dented economic progress of both the nations, thereby spooking markets around the world.

Macro Data

On the global front, China will announce its Q4 GDP. Additionally, US will declare its home sales data, while Japan will be announcing Balance of Trade data.

Back home, there are no major macro cues except for forex reserves data.

Stocks in News

NTPC: The company will consider a bonus issue on January 30, 2019.

Ashirwad Steels: It has approved re-appointment of Dalbir Chhibbar as MD

Mahindra Rural Housing Finance: Board approved issue of NCDs worth Rs 6,000 crore on private placement basis.

IDFC First Bank: RBI approved appointment of V Vaidyanathan as MD & CEO for 3 years.

L&T: SEBI has asked the company to not proceed with buyback offer due to likely adverse debt-equity ratio,

South Indian Bank: Q3 net profit falls 27 percent at Rs 84 crore; asset quality deteriorates.
Ravindra Rao

In recent sessions, crude oil has recovered as the US and China showed willingness to resolve their differences. Optimism regarding a trade truce has led to a rebound in prices of crude. API and EIA crude inventories continued to decline.

OPEC and its allies will meet in Baku, Azerbaijan in March to measure the impact of the reduced production on oil markets to ensure a balance between supply and demand.

Members will again meet in April to review the ongoing production cuts and to decide whether the cutbacks should be extended or not. This shows that OPEC is serious about rebalancing the market. This has led to rally in crude oil prices.

OPEC's crude oil production declined sharply in December primarily due to the drastic cut in Saudi Arabia's output. Crude oil output of Iran, Libya and Venezuela continued to decline too. Hence, sentiment regarding crude oil was bullish.

Reports suggested that China has put forward a plan to eliminate trade surplus with the US. Baker Hughes rig counts data declined sharply. As a result, the crude oil prices extended gains on the last trading session of the week.

Base metals were under pressure at the start of the week as China's trade data disappointed the Street. China's foreign direct investment (FDI) in the US fell for a second straight year.

In 2018, Chinese FDI in the US fell to $4.8 billion (from $29 billion in 2017, and $46 billion in 2016). However, base metals recovered after reports suggested that China may announce stimulus measures to support economic growth.

China plans to cut taxes, step up spending and provide ample financing to private and small enterprises to help counter the slowdown. Also, US President Donald Trump raised hopes of reaching a trade deal with Beijing.

The US is considering lifting tariffs on Chinese imports to calm volatile stock markets and encourage Beijing to make concessions in current trade talks.

Ahead, crude oil is expected to be bullish. OPEC crude oil production has fallen in December. The much-needed support has been offered by Saudi Arabia leading the cuts. Trump has taken a hard stance against OPEC and repeatedly clamored for a production cut.

OPEC production cut has come into effect from January 1. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih has assured markets that OPEC and allies will do whatever to rebalance the market. OPEC and its allies will meet in Baku on March 17 and 18 to review production cuts. This has boosted sentiments.

The OPEC compliance rate has improved sharply to 163 percent, according to OPEC's latest report. This is well before OPEC decided to go in for a 1.2-million-b/d cut from January 2019 for the first half of the year. Saudi production in December averaged 10.55 million b/d vs 11.02 million in November.

Also, optimism regarding improving trade relations between the US and China has bolstered sentiment for crude oil. Chinese Vice Premier Liu He is scheduled to visit the US for the next round of talks in late January. This shows that both parties are serious about resolving their differences.

Meanwhile, China's crude oil imports in December soared nearly 30 percent from the previous year, to average 10.35 million b/d. Its crude imports for 2018 averaged 9.28 million b/d, up 10.1 percent year-on-year, data from the General Administration of Customs showed.

This was the second time China's monthly crude imports breached 10 million b/d and the figure was 1.2 percent lower than the record high of 10.48 million b/d in November 2018, signaling robust demand. Baker Hughes rig counts are falling.

However, the IEA has warned that rising US crude oil production along with the slowing global economy may cap the upside in crude oil prices for 2019. This may contain gains in the crude oil prices.

(The author is Head - Commodity Research & Advisory, Anand Rathi Commodities.)
The year started badly for the banking sector with the infamous scam pulled off by diamantaires Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, in which they issued Letters of Undertaking worth over Rs 13,000 crore from a single branch of Punjab National Bank. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against Modi and Choksi, who have fled the country. Many have been arrested in related to these scams by the CBI. (Image: Reuters)

The government has sacked two executive directors of Nirav Modi scam-hit Punjab National Bank (PNB) for their alleged failure in exercising proper control over the functioning of the bank. Their services were terminated from January 18, as per the Finance Ministry notification.

The central government has removed K V Brahmaji Rao and Sanjiv Sharan from the office of Executive Director (ED) of PNB with immediate effect, it said.

It is alleged that there were procedural lapses on part of both the EDs as they fail to take cognisance of the Reserve Bank of India advice of linking SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) with Core Banking Solution (CBS) system of the bank.

The circular was issued in 2016. Some banks implemented the directive, while some did not, including PNB.

Rao was to retire this month, while Sharan was to superannuate in May this year.

In August last year, the government dismissed Allahabad Bank's Usha Ananathasubramanian in connection with country's biggest bank fraud allegedly carried out by Nirav Modi and associates at PNB. She was MD and CEO of PNB before moving to Allahabad Bank.

Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi, in connivance with certain bank officials, allegedly cheated PNB of about Rs 14,000 crore through issuance of fraudulent letters of undertaking. A Mumbai branch of PNB had fraudulently issued LoUs for the group of companies belonging to Modi since March 2011.

The total number of LoUs issued to the companies of Nirav Modi, his relatives and the Nirav Modi Group are 1,213, and to Mehul Choksi, his relatives and the Gitanjali Group are 377.

The CBI has already filed chargesheet in this case. The chargesheet has mentioned names of many employees and top management, including former MD and EDs of the bank.
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Sun Pharma, India's largest drug maker's stock hit 52 week low on BSE, dropping below the resistance levels of Rs 400.

Corporate governance issues have once again unsettled the company. This time, it was a Moneylife report alleging fresh whistle-blower compliant made to market regulator the Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

This too was filed by the same whistle-blower who had filed a complaint in September 2018, according to the report.

The latest whistle-blower complaint alleges large transactions between Aditya Medisales (AML) and Suraksha Realty, controlled by Sun Pharmas co-promoter Sudhir Valia, out of the money generated from the publicly-listed company.

The whistle-blower complaint provides alleged statements of ICICI Bank and Yes Bank accounts that show transactions made between AML and Suraksha Realty. Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.

Sun Pharmas domestic formulation business is entirely routed through a promoter-owned entity called AML, a super stockist.

AML was disclosed as related party of the company, only during FY18, while the arrangement had been in existence for years.

However, the transactions with AML were not reported as related-party because it was not required to be classified prior to FY18, the company said in December. It also said that AML had become a related party due to consolidation of Sun Pharmas shareholding among fewer investment entities.

In an analyst call in December, the company had said the arrangement with AML was made for an efficient tax structure and it is ready to consider changing the structure of the deal.

In FY18 the revenues of AML were around Rs 8,000 crore.

"Lack of disclosures on certain related party transactions has been a concern," an analyst tracking pharma at a Mumbai-based brokerage house said on the condition of anonymity.

These issues (raised by alleged the whistle-blower) may remain an overhang on the stock until more clarity emerges, the analyst added.

While SEBI has acknowledged that it had received a whistle-blower complaint on Sun Pharma in December, it is yet to re-open the case.

Corporate governance experts such as JN Gupta, Co-founder & Managing Director of Stakeholders Empowerment Services and former Executive Director of SEBI, says it is time for the market regulator to verify the allegations made by the whistle-blower.

"The issue is that we do not know the truth. We only know what has been alleged. So it is a clear cut case where SEBI needs to get into details and if at all any wrong doing is found, it is punished as soon as possible and as high as possible, Gupta told CNBC-TV18 on January 18.
FRANKENMUTH, MI  Stop by the Frankenmuth Farmers Market on National Pie Day, Wednesday, Jan. 23, to find a variety of unusual pies and even more unusual ice cream flavors.

The markets 2nd Annual Pie Day Sale is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will raise funds for the market, located at 534 N. Main St. in Frankenmuth.

Pie lovers can expect to find varieties including Black Forest cheesecake, white Russian, sweet potato, peach kuchen, pineapple pistachio, mango key lime, coconut cream, peach blueberry, raisin pecan, chocolate raspberry, and chocolate peanut butter. The pies are made in the markets Artisans Kitchen with locally-sourced ingredients, when possible, according to a Frankenmuth Farmers Market news release.

To pair with the pie, Cream of the Crops Ice Creams, also made at the Frankenmuth Farmers Market and known for unusual flavors like chicken and waffles and nacho, will be for sale. Ice cream flavors to be offered during the Pie Day Sale include Oh Bay! bay leaf ice cream, Cider Pumpkin Sorbet, Make It Grape! Sherbet, Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake Ice Cream, Smooshd Cake Ice Cream, The Sugar Plum Dairy Ice Cream, and Caramel Christmas Partea featuring Tozy Teas Christmas Star tea.

The Frankenmuth Farmers Market, a nonprofit organization, is raising funds to pay for construction of its new building, a key feature of which is the Artisans Kitchen. This incubator kitchen is a fully-licensed and certified state-of-the-art commercial kitchen which can be rented out for catering, private cooking events, classes, and commercial food preparation and production. Its primary purpose is to provide small start-ups and entrepreneurs with low-cost kitchen space to prepare food that can be sold commercially.

Learn more about this and other Frankenmuth Farmers Market events at www.frankenmuthfarmersmarket.org.
MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI  The Muskegon County Sheriffs office is investigating a homicide after detectives found a body in a vehicle that had been burned, according to a news release issued by the sheriffs office early Sunday morning.

While investigating the incident, detectives located another possible crime scene at a different location in Muskegon County, according to the release.

Additional information will be provided by the sheriffs office as the investigation continues.

The city of Montague police department and Michigan State Police are assisting the Muskegon County Sheriffs office with its investigation.
KALAMAZOO, MI -- A large group rallied in the snow Saturday for the Kalamazoo Women March On event, held in solidarity with similar events across the country.

One of the citys first major snowfalls of 2019 and temperatures dropping to 19 degrees did not stop those who gathered Saturday, Jan. 19, in downtown Kalamazoo.

About 100 people joined together at Bronson Park. Participants listened to speeches and voiced support for each other.

Because of heavy snowfall Saturday, organizers strayed from their original plans for the event, which had included a march to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park and back.

The event featured a diverse group of speakers, including members of the LGBTQ, black and Jewish community, along with Kalamazoo youth who addressed the crowd.

Julia Serlin, a local high school student, invited her peers to join her on stage as she delivered her speech.

We as a society have to commit to being the recipe for change by making ourselves heard, Serlin said.

Another participating Saturday, Emily Sipsma, said she has attended all three womens march events since the first in January 2017.

Its inspiring to see local leadership giving the microphone to young people, because thats not always been the case," Sipsma said. "We dont always listen to what the kids want and what they need from us when theyre the ones that the systems are going to serve the longest.

Snow fell throughout the hour-long event. People crowded close together for warmth. By the end, the flurries subsided. The sun broke through as the crowd dispersed from Bronson Park.

This years march was organized in collaboration with national group March On. March On is a nonprofit separate from the Womens March banner, which has recently faces criticism for institution leaders association with speakers seen as anti-Semitic.

The focus of the Kalamazoo Women March On event was to gather people of all backgrounds to stand in solidarity against, forces of inequality, injustice and intolerance in all its forms, according to the March On website.
BERRIEN COUNTY, MI  An ambulance crashed and rolled over on a snowy highway in the afternoon on Saturday in southwest Michigan, according to the Berrien County Sheriffs office.

The single-vehicle crash occurred around 4:48 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, on westbound I-94 in Berrien Countys Watervliet Township. The ambulance was transporting a 69-year-old female patient from Watervliet Township at the time of the crash, according to a news release issued by the sheriffs office.

At least one medic was injured in the crash, the release reads.

Deputies and emergency crews responded to the scene on westbound I-94 on a report of a rollover crash. Investigators wrote that paramedics with Pride Care were driving an ambulance westbound on I-94 while transporting a patient to Spectrum Lakeland Hospital in St. Joseph, Michigan.

The driver of the ambulance lost control of the vehicle when it hit a patch of slush and snow near the shoulder, causing the vehicle to roll over, the release reads.

A 22-year-old male paramedic from Battle Creek sustained lacerations to the head. A second paramedic in the vehicle, a 21-year-old man from Bangor, was reportedly unnerved but uninjured.

The ambulances 69-year-old patient was taken to Spectrum Lakeland Hospital by a second ambulance called to the scene.

Westbound I-94 was closed for approximately one hour while deputies investigated the crash.

The sheriffs road patrol, Watervliet Township police and fire, Coloma Township police, Pokagon Tribal police and Pride Care ambulance assisted deputies on scene.
Winter has returned to mid-Michigan with a vengeance.

The National Weather Service has issued a wind chill advisory from 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20 until noon Monday, Jan. 21 for several counties including Saginaw, Genesee, Bay, Lapeer, Shiawassee, Oakland, Midland, Tuscola, and St. Clair.

Wind chills values may dip as low as 15 to 20 degrees below zero overnight Sunday into Monday. Frostbite could occur in as little as 30 minutes at those figures, according to the weather advisory.

Cities in the advisory area include Flint, Lapeer, Saginaw, Bay City, Owosso, Port Huron, Caro, Midland, and Auburn Hills.

The cold weather and below-zero wind chills are expected to persist into Monday evening until high temperatures reach the upper 20s Tuesday across mid-Michigan along with a chance of accumulating snowfall.
Editors note: This story has been updated to include a statement released Sunday night by Covington Catholic High School student Nick Sandmann.

WASHINGTON, D.C.  Video showing a Native American elder from Michigan surrounded by white teenagers in Make America Great Again hats near the Lincoln Memorial has gone viral.

The man in the middle of the tense scene now filling social media feeds and sparking outrage and debate is Nathan Phillips of Ypsilanti, a longtime advocate for the rights of indigenous people.

Phillips steadily beat his drum and sang a Native American song as Trump-supporting teens surrounded him during the Indigenous Peoples March on Friday, Jan. 18. Phillips acknowledges walking into the crowd, but he says one of them stood in his way and wouldnt let him move forward.

The teens were from Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky and were in Washington, D.C., for the anti-abortion March for Life.

Phillips said he heard chants of Build that wall! and was looking for an exit as things started getting ugly, but the teens swarmed around him, The Washington Post reported. Feeling threatened, he said he just kept thinking about his wife, who died of cancer, and the threats indigenous people face, and felt the spirit was talking through me.

Phillips, who wiped away tears as he reflected on Fridays events in one video, said he heard students making noises that seemed to mock Native American chanting, The New York Times reported.

The footage also shows students making what appear to be tomahawk-chop gestures as Phillips played his song.

Heres what he told CNN:

Nick Sandmann, a Covington Catholic High School junior, released a statement Sunday night, identifying himself as the student who stood face to face with Phillips.

While Phillips claims he was trying to make his way through the crowd to the top of the Lincoln Memorial to finish a prayer when Sandmann blocked his path, Sandmann gives a different perspective, saying he felt singled out for confrontation by Phillips.

He locked eyes with me and approached me, coming within inches of my face. He played his drum the entire time he was in my face, Sandmann wrote. I believed that by remaining motionless and calm, I was helping to diffuse the situation.

Sandmann said he said a silent prayer that the situation would not get out of hand and smiled at one point because I wanted him to know that I was not going to become angry, intimidated or be provoked.

At no time did I hear any student chant anything other than the school spirit chants. I did not witness or hear any students chant build that wall or anything hateful or racist at any time, he said.

Covington Catholic High School and the Catholic Diocese of Covington released a joint statement on Saturday condemning the students actions, saying the matter is being investigated and the school would take appropriate action up to and including expulsion.

Some claim Phillips brought what happened upon himself by approaching the students.

Covington Catholic student bothering elder man yet here is evidence of the man approaching them during their school cheer not disturbing anyone. Doesnt make sense pic.twitter.com/SRYRJOIoKf  Maria Judy (@mariajudy_) January 19, 2019

Phillips told the Detroit Free Press he purposefully stepped between the group of mostly white students and a gathering of about four black members of a religious group known as the Black Hebrew Israelites because they were arguing and tensions were escalating, so I put myself in between that, between a rock and hard place. But then, he said, a mob mentality took over and he was surrounded.

Sandmann acknowledged the students were being loudly attacked and taunted by black protesters before Phillips approached and began playing his drum.

This doesnt excuse the racist tomahawk chops they were doing, nor their chanting over him (rude at best), nor staring him down. I dont like the behaviour of people doxxing these kids, but their own behaviour still needs to be addressedeven if Nathan Phillips did approach them https://t.co/wsF2Ut3l3i  Skylar Baker-Jordan (@SkylarJordan) January 20, 2019

Some claim another Native American activist further instigated things by telling the students, Go back to Europe where you came from! This is not your land!

(Warning: video contains profanity.)

This kid, who's life is currently being destroyed, actually gestures to his friend to show Nathan Phillips respect during his drumming! All while another activist is screaming to go back to Europe because all he can do is be white? #CovingtonCatholic pic.twitter.com/ZSSurcG24j  Zach Ukens (@ZachUkens) January 20, 2019

Ypsilanti Mayor Beth Bashert issued a statement on Sunday, saying the city is proud of Phillips for his bravery and actions in the face of a shameful act of harassment and intimidation.

Mr. Phillips has served our country as a Marine ... and has worked during his life to uphold the values and lands of Native Americans in many ways and places. He should be held up as a model to our youth, Bashert wrote.

As a longtime resident of Ypsilanti, Phillips has spoken at protests, city council, public meetings and other events, Bashert said.

He has held Powwows in our parks, is a water protector who went to Standing Rock with his daughter, and has worked with the Native Youth Alliance locally, she said.

Sadly, he was also the target of an act of racist harassment locally as well (at Eastern Michigan University). He has always been respectful and strong in how he manifests his values.

In 2015, Phillips, an Omaha tribe member, was reportedly harassed by a group of EMU students dressed as Native Americans, one of whom allegedly threw a beer can at him.

In 2017, after protesting at Standing Rock against the Dakota Access pipeline, Phillips and his daughter, Alethea Phillips of Ypsilanti, led a group of local protesters in a march against the Rover Pipeline near Silver Lake in Washtenaw Countys Dexter Township.

Fridays incident in D.C. has sparked reactions near and far.

Heres what some are saying:

Im grateful for #NathanPhillips, Omaha Elder, Vietnam Veteran, and one of the last to peacefully leave Standing Rock, by militarized force  for inspiration and lessons in remaining calm, keeping focused on our own individual spirituality and well-being  against all odds.  Juliana Repp (@nativelawyer) January 19, 2019

Wado to #NathanPhillips for his bravery when confronted by a bigot from #CovingtonCatholicHigh. We appreciate your service to our country, your dedication to youth, and your stance at the #IndigenousPeoplesMarch against #MAGA hatred. @realDonaldTrump has failed as a leader. pic.twitter.com/PIHn6zM2I0  Oscar Hokeah (@OscarHokeah) January 19, 2019

#NathanPhillips #IndigenousPeoplesMarch

He showed us we still sing the song even in the face of ignorance pic.twitter.com/on1BzYPmS0  PIITAASAAPOPAAKII (@EaglePlumeWomen) January 20, 2019

#NathanPhillips - Omaha Elder, Vietnam Veteran, Water Protector, Peace Maker.



500 generations of ancestors heard your song; a new generation hears it now. pic.twitter.com/oQERb8C4mN  Operation Wolverines (@OpWolverines) January 20, 2019

Everything needs to change with the way we raise boys in our culture. But the real story is Nathan Phillips, an Elder and Vietnam Vet, who faced this evil and sang his songs. @Gillette your ad is perfect for the day. #speakup #liveyourredwithlove #NathanPhillips pic.twitter.com/rWpjM48925  Yancey Red (@red_yancey) January 20, 2019

What is happening to our humanity? Parents, if you support #nathanphillips, talk about respect and kindness to your kids tonight, I will . https://t.co/LeOzS981PL  Karla Favalessa (@KarlaFavalessa) January 20, 2019

I want #NathanPhillips to be the only name that's remembered from today's ugliness. Nathan Phillips. Not the horde of bland, frightened, forgettable kids who'll grow up to be bland, frightened, forgotten adult wastes. Nathan. Phillips. https://t.co/yqSTP0vJHN  Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) January 20, 2019

I just spoke for 45 minutes with Nathan Phillips, the Native American leader harassed in D.C. He lives in Michigan.



Phillips said there was a "mob mentality" that was "scary."



New detail he told me: Before incident seen on video, the students were harassing a group of blacks.  Niraj Warikoo (@nwarikoo) January 20, 2019

It only seems appropriate to honor Vietnam War Veteran, NATIVE American and Omaha elder, Nathan Phillips, over those who spew hatred and ignorance. pic.twitter.com/qG2sIJTRR7  Andrew Gillum (@AndrewGillum) January 20, 2019
ANN ARBOR, MI  It typically only takes seven words for John McInerney to bring a smile to the face of patients as he wheels his cart down the halls of C.S. Mott Childrens Hospital.

Do you want to build a robot? he asks one of his most loyal buddies, Bria Grays, instantly getting her out of bed on a dreary Thursday afternoon.

McInerney has built friendships with hundreds of young patients, simply by being the "Lego guy, turning his lifelong passion into a nonprofit, Buildup Mobile, that allows him to contract with Mott for 20 hours a week.

Graduating from the University of Michigans Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design in 2016, McInerney dreamed of working for Lego as a product designer. When that proved more difficult than he anticipated, McInerney had to think outside the box.

I was like, OK Ill just make up my own job,'" said McInerney, 24, of Birmingham. So, if I was going to make up my own job, I was going to make it my dream job  working with kids and helping people.

McInerney started volunteering at Mott once a week about a year ago while working at The Robot Garage, a Birmingham-based workshop where he taught children engineering and architecture skills with Legos for more than six years.

After establishing a relationship with Michigan Medicine Patient Technology Coordinator J.J. Bouchard, McInerney sent him a YouTube video of an elaborate city he had built with children at The Robot Garage.

Bouchard had been looking for new and innovative ways to bring technology to patients beyond virtual reality and teaching children how to code. He immediately knew what McInerney was bringing to the table was special.

Right away I was like, Wow, this is amazing, Bouchard said.

It was the perfect opportunity to kind of marry robotics and coding and technology with something that was more physical and approachable to everybody. It was incredibly unique to have somebody come in with this fully-realized program.

While he had the ambition to turn his volunteer work into a career, McInerney noticed it was difficult to consistently attract patients to the hospitals playrooms. So, he decided to build a cart he could wheel around and bring into the patients rooms.

Resembling a work bench with wheels, the carts drawers are filled with around 15 different versatile Lego kits patients can construct into robots resembling a frog, race car and spaceship, among others. An iPad supplied by McInerney allows patients to swipe through step-by-step directions on how to construct the robots.

Hell typically see around 8 to 10 patients per day, spending 20 to 40 minutes with each, helping them through the construction process.

Grays wasnt a fan of Legos until she met McInerney, she said. Her room is now filled with her own Legos she built with her new friend, becoming a master builder, according to McInerney.

If you know how to follow directions, youre good, said Grays, 21, who has been at Mott since New Years Eve with a blood infection. I was going to tell (McInerney), You dont have to ask me (to play), just come on in.

Its McInerneys goal to take Buildup Mobile beyond Mott into hospitals across the country, he said, training others to help patients build robots using the carts he designed.

Right now, McInerney said hes having the time of his life having a positive impact on the lives of children and young adults during a difficult time in their lives.

I think the most rewarding thing is that my job is to make kids who are having a really hard time happy, and smile, he said. There are parents who will say, This is the first time Ive heard my kid laugh in a week. That kind of hits me hard. The fact that I can bring joy to some of these kids is incredible.

Beyond putting smiles on the faces of patients and their families, Bouchard said Legos have helped reduce pain levels and anxiety while benefiting patients' cognitive development and gross motor skills.

What were finding is that its actually incredibly beneficial for their therapeutic goals, Bouchard said. Kids are sitting up more, theyre more engaged, theyre using their hands and their fingers and doing both small motor and gross motor (exercises) while engaging with the Legos.
CHELSEA, MI  Chelseas Church of the Nazarene has welcomed its first-ever youth pastor.

The Rev. Chelsea MacAdam has joined the church, which has seen youth involvement increase in the last five years, church officials said in a news release.

I love teens and have found that serving them, preaching to them, teaching them and loving them is where God provides the most fruit in my world, MacAdam said in the release.

MacAdam, 27, is originally from Sylvania, Ohio, and attended Eastern Michigan University to study elementary and secondary education. She is licensed with the Church of the Nazarene and has served in churches in Dundee and Northville.

MacAdam is reaching out to community leaders to invite children in sixth through 12th grades to attend the Chelsea Church of the Nazarene youth groups, regardless of their religious background.

Youth groups meet from 6:45 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays at the church, 12126 Jackson Road. More information is available at 734-475-2526 or on the churchs website.

A special game night is set for 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25, at the church. To RSVP for this event, call or text MacAdam at 419-490-7116.
'At the Limits of What I Can Do:' Marine Corps Commandant Makes Plea for Funding

Gen. David Berger told Congress that the service has trimmed assets and people and needs full funding to ensure readiness.
MIDDLETOWN  While other novelists might occassionally employ a ghost writer, Portland resident John Popielaski stresses that his writing  both fiction and poetry  is entirely his own.

Popielaskis first novel, The Hollow Middle, published in December by Unsolicited Press of Portland, Oregon, is now available in paperback for $18 on Amazon as well as other booksellers.

Why the title? Popielaskis answer is cryptic. A lot of places are considered useless unless they are co-opted for commercial purposes, he said.

Early print and online reviews have been favorable. The Seattle Review of Books notes its rare that our attention is captured in just a few lines, but drop yourself anywhere into the first chapter of The Hollow Middle, and youll find yourself caught up.

Even so-called cautionary reviews of The Hollow Middle hold few reservations.

TLC Book Tours admits ... fewer words would have made a better, tighter book. For me. But then that might not have been Popielaskis goal. Perhaps he always intended for readers to work hard to understand this character [Albert Lesiak] he obviously cares for.

The plot is a backdrop for Lesiaks ruminations. Hes a middle-aged English teacher who, with his wife, moved from Connecticut to a farm in Maine. There they take in and support autistic twin boys, live a prosaic life, and raise them on a dwindling income.

But rather than plot, the richness of the novel is found in the character study of its protagonist. In fact, much of Popielaskis prose in The Hollow Middle channels 18th-century British novelist Laurence Sterne and 20th-century satirist Evelyn Waugh.

Lesiak, Popielaski said, is a person who was raised a sporadic Catholic. He [is] a sins-of-the-father sort of guy and believes in the restorative nature of confession as an act that has the strength to lift the burdens of the past from the shoulders of the present.

Popielaski, 50, started teaching English at Xavier High School in 2000. At Xavier, he teaches classes in American and British Literature. His close friend and chairman of the English department, Kyle St. George, calls the book excellent. Make no mistake, it is not popular fiction. Its not intended to be. It is literature ... subtle, ironic and [humorously] self-deprecating.

Previously, Popielaski taught school in Mississippi, and English at St. Thomas More in Queens, N.Y. Born in Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., he attended SUNY-Stony Brook and American University. Before becoming a teacher, he worked as a mover, tent erector, lobster man, and lackey to a tropical biologist, he said.

In 2005, Popielaski, then 37, told the Press that when he was a college student a vehicle mishap sent him to the hospital with a skull fracture. After that, he began writing poetry. To him, it was a wake-up call to poetry. I liked the idea that with poetry you can start off with a single subject, explore it in some depth, and then move on, he said .

If Popielaskis prose often lapses into poetry, consider it a bonus. The style of The Hollow Middle is Iambic meter. (Lines of poetry contain iambs a metrical foot having two syllables: the first is unstressed, or weak, and the second stressed.)

The authors poems have appeared in such literary journals as The Hollins Critic, New South, Post Read and Redivider. The author of several poetry collections, his Isnt it Romantic? won the Robert Phillips Chapbook Award from Texas Review Press.

In 2013, he decided to move on to novel writing, a more challenging medium, but with a wider audience. Popielaski explained that while writing his novel he would picture people he knew, then change certain characteristics and place the character in dramatic situations of his imagination.

Popielaski said Unsolicited Press may be a small press when compared with an E.P. Dutton or Simon & Schuster. But, he likes that they publish literary fiction.

His sales goal is modest. If I can sell a thousand copies of my novel, Ill be happy, said Popielaski, who is writing a sequel.

For information on the book, visit unsolicitedpress.com.
When St. Elizabeth of Hungary Roman Catholic Church in Branford closed in June 2017, it was a kind of death for Andrea Duffy, and the grieving was difficult. But she moved on to St. Mary Church, one of the other two churches in the newly formed St. John Bosco Parish, and became a trustee and member of the Parish Council.

Its not just what the church does for you. You have to join the church and be a part of it, said Duffy, who had been a member of St. Elizabeth for about 15 years after moving from West Haven to Branford.

I wrestled for a while and I realized my faith was not in a building, she said.

So now that her former church, which she can see on her neighborhood walks, is being sold, there is more acceptance of the inevitable.

When the Archdiocese of Hartford instituted a major restructuring plan in June 2017, reducing the number of parishes from 212 to 127, including 59 new parishes formed by merging others, 26 churches were left dark, available for weddings and funerals but not for regular Masses. Now the archdiocese is selling those buildings to other congregations or even nonreligious uses.

St. Paul Church on First Avenue in West Haven, closed when the parish merged with St. Lawrence and St. Louis to form St. John XXIII Parish, is being sold to the University of New Haven. UNH is conducting an environmental review before the sale is closed and has not decided how it will use the property, said university spokeswoman Lyn Chamberlin in an email, but she said UNH has no plans to raze the church.

It is important for us to continue to invest in the neighborhood surrounding our main campus, said UNH President Steven Kaplan in a release when the sale agreement was announced in November.

But the closing of a long-beloved church means its former members no longer will be able to worship in the sanctuary where they were married, where their children were baptized and received their first Holy Communion, where their parents and spouses were memorialized before being sent to their final resting place.

It was very hard when the sanctuary light was blown out and the doors were closed for good, said Duffy, whose husbands funeral was held at St. Elizabeths in 2011. Our last Mass there was June 25, 2017. Its a grief. Its the grieving process, just like when you lose a close family member. Later that year, Father [Daniel] Keefe was kind enough to have a healing Mass for the people of St. Elizabeths, with a mingling of holy water into one bowl from the closed church and the two remaining parish churches, St. Mary and St. Therese.

But the Mass was celebrated at St. Mary in the center of town, not at St. Elizabeth, with its floor-to-ceiling windows looking out on the natural world.

I thought that when we closed the church that was the funeral, and I realized that wasnt. That was the death. The healing service served as a funeral. Its expected sale  the buyer has not been revealed because the sale hasnt closed  is easier for Duffy to deal with. You know that time goes on and its now just a building, she said.

Pope Francis, however, emphasized the special nature of closed churches in a letter to those attending an International Conference on Cultural Heritage in November, titled Doesnt God Dwell Here Anymore? The common sense of the faithful perceives for the environments and objects destined for worship the permanence of a kind of imprint that does not end even after they have lost that role, Francis wrote to those wrestling with what to do with buildings that are no longer in use.

The Rev. Daniel Keefe, pastor of St. John Bosco, said in an email that he had not been familiar with St. Elizabeths parishioners before the merger. Their reaction to it being closed (not sold) was, understandably, very emotional, he wrote. Yet, the majority accepted it as a necessity, and joined the new parish of St. John Bosco. Many of the former St. Elizabeth parishioners now have an active role in the many ministries of St. John Bosco and have embraced the new parish.

Removing religious objects

When a church is closed, it is not just a matter of locking the doors. It must be deconsecrated, with special prayers and all religious items removed  the altar, relics, statues and vestments. If the baptismal font is not removable, it must be destroyed, according to Paul Connery, director of property and assets for the Archdiocese of Hartford. The stained-glass windows may remain if the building will continue to be used as a church but, if not, anything showing a religious scene must be removed.

While the archdiocese is overseeing sale of the properties, which may include rectories, schools, convents and land, proceeds will go to the parish, Connery said. Any sale must be approved by the archdioceses Finance Council and Archdiocesan Consultors, a group of priests who report to Archbishop Leonard Blair.

Most of these properties are owned specifically by these parishes, Connery said. My role in this department is to be an adviser, facilitator  We want to make sure that they follow the proper civil and canon law processes.

Churches may be sold for use as schools and other profane purposes  profane as in secular, the opposite of sacred  but not for a sordid use, Connery said.

We do sell churches to real estate developers, so they are for-profit, but we certainly put restrictions to the degree that we legally can to make sure they are not used in ways that are antithetical to our Catholic Church beliefs, Connery said. It would be nice for sure if a church were sold to another church. Its not a Catholic church anymore.

He said that restrictions the archdiocese may put on a sale will not last indefinitely. But, he said, most of these buildings have zoning issues anyway. A lot of them are in residential areas so theyre not going to turn them into a supermarket.

One of the first churches to be sold was St. Brendan on Whalley Avenue in New Haven. The parish had merged with St. Aedan on Fountain Street before the archdiocesan-wide plan went into effect and the property, including a school, was bought by a Chabad-Lubavitch boys rabbinic school, Yeshivas Beis Dovid Shlomo.

Churches that have gone on to non-religious uses include St. Margaret of Scotland Church in Waterbury, which was sold to the Brass City Charter School, Connery said, with the church planned for use as an auditorium. And the city of East Hartford bought Blessed Sacrament Church for use as a senior center. We have another potential sale where they might turn it into a museum, Connery said. Among other properties sold are the rectory of St. Therese Church in Branford on Acorn Road, which was sold to a private party as a residence.

Location and condition

But most organizations seeking to buy closed churches are faith groups, said Dave Melillo, a senior commercial associate with H. Pearce Commercial Real Estate, which is acting as agent for the Archdiocese of Hartford and the Diocese of Bridgeport. He said selling a church is not very different from selling commercial properties.

It comes down to location and condition. Theres no magic to it, Melillo said. Youre certainly more limited in your pool of buyers. The majority of inquiries are from other religious organizations or educational organizations. Were busy. Were showing them often.

He said many of those interested are from ethnic churches looking for a larger space, although many dont have the financial resources to buy a large church.

St. Ann Church, 930 Dixwell Ave., Hamden, and St. John the Baptist, 786 Dixwell Ave., New Haven, are for sale as the result of four parishes merging into one, named Christ the Bread of Life. While St. Ann Church is still on the market, its parish center on Jones Road was sold to a West Haven congregation, Comunidad Cristiana de Restauracion a las Naciones, Melillo said.

However, that sale displaced a congregatoin that had been meeting in the parish center, Bethcar Fellowship Church, which now is meeting at a transitional location, First Calvary Church at 605 Dixwell Ave., New Haven, according to its website. Pastors for those two congregations could not be reached.

St. Anthony on North Main Street in Ansonia, which closed in 2015, before the archdioceses merger plan, was sold in September to Abundant Life Ministries, according to the city assessors web page.

Other churches the archdiocese has designated for sale include St. Clare in East Haven, Church of the Epiphany in Cheshire, and St. Mary of Czestochowa and Sacred Heart in Torrington.

Connery said his job is satisfying and challenging. This process, its going to keep going. Thats the reality, he said. There are more churches that are going to close over time. It is unfortunate. People are sad when their church closes.  A lot of these churches are late 1800, early 1900 churches, a lot of these are immigrant churches. We dont have enough priests to cover the number of parishes.

In the Diocese of Norwich, spokesman Wayne Gignac said the only church in the diocese for sale is the former Sacred Heart Church in Vernon.

A more piecemeal process

Connerys counterpart in the Diocese of Bridgeport is Anne McCrory, chief legal and real estate officer. Theyre way ahead of us in the sale of churches, for sure, because we havent done the same consolidation of church as they have, McCrory said of the archdiocese. Weve done things a little more piecemeal here.

One church that is in the process of being sold is Our Lady of Pompeii of the Holy Rosary, informally called Holy Rosary, which is one of three churches the diocese closed in 2012, out of 16 in the city. That was a church that was what we call suppressed canonically in 2012, McCrory said. The others were St. Raphael and St. Ambrose.

We have a contract for sale of Holy Rosary, she said. Im reluctant to say that its going to happen, but were hopeful.

Holy Rosary is listed as part of the East Bridgeport Historic District and was founded at the turn of the 20th century by Italian immigrants, although the current building was built in 1930, McCrory said. It was an ethnic parish as opposed to a territorial one so it drew Italian immigrants from all over the area.

For many years, Holy Rosary held Italian Mass in addition to English, McCrory said. However, it had lost  its ethnicity many years ago.

When a territorial parish closes, its crystal clear. The assets, the liabilities and the people are divided up, she said. The problem with an ethnic parish is there isnt any territorial breakup. The diocese by default kind of has to take responsibility for what happens there.

Another church that the diocese may have a buyer for is St. John Nepomucene at Brooks and Jane streets on Bridgeports East Side. Closed in 1991, the church fell into disrepair. We preserved both the rear altar, the actual altar itself, because it had a relic in it, side railings in addition to of course the windows and the statues, McCrory said.

Despite its dilapidated condition, the diocese hopes to have a buyer, because other potential sales have fallen through, McCrory said. What you get in the urban areas are popup churches, she said. Theyre great and theyre wonderful people, but they dont generally have any money.

She said in selling a closed church Bishop Frank Caggiano is always looking for some sort of ministry that would be complementary to the mission of the church, such as a monastery. On the other hand, I have seen some interesting restaurants that have resulted from churches in other parts of the country, McCrory said.

She said the model established under former Bishop William Lori was to keep the closed church available to former parishioners for a period of time, perhaps as a chapel. Lori felt there needed to be a period of transition, she said. Its pretty luxurious in the current environment to be able to do that.

The Archdiocese of Hartford has also allowed closed churches to be used for weddings and funerals until theyre sold.

edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382.
Many local and national organizations provide helpful information for staying safe in extreme cold such as the Center for Disease Control and the American Red Cross.

According to Consumer Reports, the two greatest concerns with dealing with extreme cold are hypothermia - when your body falls below 95 degree, and frostbite - which occurs when body tissue freezes, especially with the extremities.

In order to better prepare for the extreme temperatures, we have assembled a list of steps you can take to avoid the dangers of the extreme cold.

Be Informed, Be Prepared

If you notice parts of your body feeling numb in the cold, it is best to place more layers on that body part in order to avoid frostbite. If you see someone with frostbite, bring them into a warm area. Do not force a person with frostbitten extremities to walk as this may worsen their condition.

You can also warm these extremities with either warm - not hot - water, or with the use of body heat. See a doctor if you're noticing the worsening of these symptoms, as you may develop acute frostbite.

Similarly to frostbite, hypothermia requires medical help if you find yourself exhausted and disoriented in the extreme weather. If you find someone with hypothermia, the first step is to bring them to a warm area, and remove any wet or damp articles of clothing, as these may worsen their condition.

In order to stabilize someone with symptoms of hypothermia, one must first warm their core with an electric blanket in order to help circulate warm blood to other parts of the body. If this is successful, you can slowly add less heat with the use of traditional blankets.

Warm drinks also help in aiding someone with hypothermia. According to medical professionals from Consumer Reports, the process "rewarming" is something only a medical professional can assist with in severe cases of hypothermia.

Protect Your Core and Extremities With Appropriate Clothing

Keeping your torso warm is the key to reducing your chances of suffering from hypothermia, as the torso will push warm blood to your extremities. The best way to do this is with a down-filled jacket, which uses the insulation to retain your body heat while also acting as a barrier between you and the cold.

Insulated, loose layers are also key for retaining body heat. If wearing layers, moisture-wicking clothing is preferred, such as polyester, microfiber, or merino wool. Avoid cotton at all costs as cotton absorbs water at a high level, allowing moisture to weigh you down while also lowering your body temperature, according to a panel from Consumer Reports.

The extremities - earlobes, nose, fingers, and toes - are often the first parts of the body to suffer from frostbite. Similarly to protecting your core, synthetics and wools are your best bet for retaining heat in these parts of the body.

Mittens are better to combat frostbite versus wearing traditional gloves. Mittens keep your fingers together, therefore, keeping them warmer. Additionally, wearing two layers of socks may do more harm than good as they may limit the circulation that goes to your feet.

If you feel any signs of shivering, it is best to find more layers of clothes to put on. If you find your clothes getting wet, it is advised that you change out of these clothes and place warm, dry clothes on.

Take Care of Children, Elderly, and Pets

Elderly individuals and children are considered the most susceptible to hypothermia and frostbite as their thermal regulatory mechanisms are not fully-developed.

Babies are the most susceptible to hypothermia as infants tend to lose heat easily from their "disproportionately large" heads. Be sure to have infants have their heads protected from extreme weather.

Elderly individuals with chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart failure also have difficulty maintaining their body temperatures.

The Red Cross suggests that any and all pets should be brought inside from the harsh cold weather. If your pet is an outdoor animal, it is best to bring them to a sheltered, warm area with they have access to non-frozen drinking water and ample food. This is also applicable for livestock. If you cannot physically bring your animal inside, make sure they have a dry, protected area that allows them to retain their body heat.

Ensure the Safety of Your Home

Providing heat in your home may be one of the most important tasks during the cold weather. It is important that if you are heating your house, that you have the proper ventilation, especially with chimneys.

Speaking of chimneys, make sure that your chimney or fireplace has been inspected and is properly ventilated when having a fire. Never burn paper in a fireplace, experts say.

To ensure the further safety of your home, it is recommended that you have a multipurpose dry, chemical fire extinguisher as well as a battery-operated, properly testing smoke and carbon monoxide detector.

If using a space heater, it is recommended that you find a model that turns off should the heater fall over. Additionally, make sure the heater is on a stable surface that is away from any flammable objects, this includes furniture and bedding. If the cord is damaged to your space heater, do not use it.

For a fuel-powered heater, be sure that your housing has proper ventilation. Never use a fluid not compatible with your fuel-powered heater.

Should something tragic happen, it is best to develop an emergency plan ahead of time that details an emergency kit as well as a plan for leaving the house in the safest manner.

For more safety tips, please visit the Center for Disease Control, the American Red Cross, or Consumer Reports.
HAMDEN  Those gathered at Congregation Mishkan Israel varied in creed, belief and background. But they came together to worship and sing as one.

The temple held its annual interfaith service to mark the life of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Thursday evening.

Rabbi Emeritus Herbert Brockman served as the keynote speaker upon the occasion, following in the footsteps of King, who addressed the congregation in 1961.

Drawing from Kings example, Brockman addressed what he considers the defining civil rights issue of our time  immigration  in his remarks.

He drew a comparison between the vision of two Kings  one, Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, as well as the modern Republican Party as shaped by the administration of President Donald Trump; the other, Martin Luther King Jr.  for this country and how it welcomes immigrants, tracing the threads of the two viewpoints through American history, seeking answers to basic questions like who are we? and who do we want to become?

He urged those in attendance to embrace immigrants, to embrace their fellow man, and welcome them to his country  to stand alongside King, seek justice, and believe in the American tradition.

Martin Luther King gave his life for his love of country. Kings greatness was his absolute belief in the rightness and righteousness of the American ideal. Before Kings patriotism, all dark forces of nativism, supremacy and prejudice paled. He staked his life on (a) life of brighter and better things, a land of equality, dignity and freedom, said Brockman. My friends, we have seen these days before. We have spent generations battling those who would make America sharp and small and scared.

We have risen; we have challenged; we have dragged ourselves to a more perfect union. We have done so by seeing ourselves and our own histories in the eyes of the other. By choosing compassion and mercy and grace, we are far richer and freer and a more prosperous people. In our shared humanity, we find our empathy and our strength. We find the proud and dusty pages of our story, that proves that ours is a country unafraid to open, extend and expand.

Through the service, prayers were offered for unity, for welcome, for the love of God, for the glory of God, for humanity and the world.

We pray for love to encompass us for no other reason save that we are human / for love through which we may all blossom into persons who have gained power over our own lives, said Omer Bajwa, Muslim chaplain at Yale University.

We pray to stand upright, we fallen; to be healed, we sufferers. We pray to break the bonds that keep us from the world of beauty; we pray for opened eyes, we who are blind to our own authentic selves, said Rev. Allie Perry of the Shalom United Church of Christ.

Let the time not be distant when all shall turn to you in love, when corruption and evil shall give way to integrity and goodness, when bigotry shall no longer enslave the mind, nor prejudice blind the eye, said Rev. Jack Davidson of Spring Glen Church and Rev. Bonita Grubbs. May all, created in your image, become one in spirit and one in friendship, forever united in your service. Then shall your realm be established on earth, and the word of Your prophet fulfilled.

The Most Rev. Peter Rosazza, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus with the Archdiocese of Hartford, offered a benediction at the close of the service, praying to give thanks for Kings life, work and example.

Though his life was taken by a violent act  something he sensed would happen  his legacy lives on in his person, his writing, and his intercessory prayer from heaven. All challenge our society to conform to the best of our traditions  that each and every human being deserves respect, and that every human being, and every human life, is of inestimable value, said Rosazza.

We state with Dr. King  I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional truth will have the final word in reality. This is why right temporarily defeated is stronger than evil triumphant.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
Flu deaths continue to rise in the state, reaching eight in the week ending Jan. 12.

According the state Department of Public Health, there were two new deaths that week. Overall flu cases also spiked. The most recent report stated that 1,248 people in the state tested positive for the contagious respiratory illness, up from 1,039 the week before. The number of people hospitalized due to flu climbed as well, to 433 from 377.
Special counsel Robert Mueller's office on Friday issued a rare public statement disputing the accuracy of BuzzFeed News' report that said President Donald Trump's former attorney told Mueller that the president directed him to lie to Congress.

President Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen walks out of federal court, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018, in New York. Cohen. [File Photo: AP/Julie Jacobson]

BuzzFeed, citing two unidentified law enforcement officials, reported that Trump directed Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about a Moscow real estate project and that Cohen told Mueller the president personally instructed him to lie about the timing of the deal. The report said Mueller's investigators learned about Trump's directive "through interviews with multiple witnesses from the Trump Organization and internal company emails, text messages, and a cache of other documents."

The report said Cohen acknowledged Trump's instructions when he was interviewed by the Mueller team.

The statement by Mueller's office on Friday night doesn't cite any specific errors. In it, the special counsel's spokesman, Peter Carr, said, "BuzzFeed's description of specific statements to the special counsel's office, and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohen's congressional testimony are not accurate."

BuzzFeed spokesman Matt Mittenthal said the publication stands by its reporting and urged readers to "stay tuned" as they worked to determine what Mueller was denying. Ben Smith, editor-in-chief of BuzzFeed News, also said the publication stands by its reporting and the sources who informed it.

"We urge the special counsel to make clear what he's disputing," Smith said.

Immediately after the special counsel's statement was issued, Trump retweeted several posts that called the story fake news. He later tweeted: "A very sad day for journalism, but a great day for our Country!"

Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, tweeted: "I commend Bob Mueller's office for correcting the BuzzFeed false story that Pres. Trump encouraged Cohen to lie. I ask the press to take heed that their hysterical desire to destroy this President has gone too far. They pursued this without critical analysis all day. #FAKENEWS."

The extraordinary statement from Mueller's office came after Democrats had vowed to investigate whether the report was true, calling that possibility a "concern of the greatest magnitude." House intelligence committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., both said they would probe BuzzFeed's account. Some Democrats even said that if the report were true, then Trump should be impeached.

The Associated Press had not independently confirmed the report. Any evidence that Trump directed a witness to lie to investigators would place him in the greatest political and legal jeopardy yet.

Giuliani said in a statement earlier Friday that "any suggestion  from any source  that the President counseled Michael Cohen to lie is categorically false." White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders called the allegation "absolutely ridiculous."

On Twitter on Friday morning, Trump charged that Cohen was "Lying to reduce his jail time!"

Cohen pleaded guilty in November to lying to Congress to cover up that he was negotiating the Trump Tower project on Trump's behalf during the heat of his presidential campaign. The charge was brought by Mueller and was the result of Cohen's cooperation with that probe.

Cohen admitted that he lied when he told lawmakers he had never agreed to travel to Russia in connection with the Moscow project and when he said that he'd decided by the end of January 2016 that the "proposal was not feasible for a variety of business reasons and should not be pursued further."

He was sentenced to three years in prison for crimes that included arranging the payment of hush money to conceal his boss' alleged sexual affairs, telling a judge that he agreed time and again to cover up Trump's "dirty deeds" out of "blind loyalty."

Giuliani noted that Cohen had pleaded guilty to lying and quoted federal prosecutors in New York who chastised him for a "pattern of lies and dishonesty over an extended period of time." Mueller's team, however, had previously called him a credible witness.

"Today's claims are just more made-up lies born of Michael Cohen's malice and desperation," Giuliani said.

Lanny Davis, a Cohen adviser, declined to comment.

Cohen is scheduled to testify publicly before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Feb. 7. The top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, said Friday that he expects Cohen to talk to that panel in February.

Although House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has discouraged any talk of impeachment in the early days of her new majority, some senior Democrats said that if the BuzzFeed report was confirmed, Trump's actions could rise to that level.

"If the @BuzzFeed story is true, President Trump must resign or be impeached," tweeted Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro, a member of the House intelligence panel.

Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline, also a Judiciary committee member, tweeted that if Trump directed Cohen to lie, "that is obstruction of justice. Period. Full stop."

A Senate Democrat, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, tweeted that "we need to know this ASAP" if Mueller does have multiple sources confirming that Trump directed Cohen to lie.

"Mueller shouldn't end his inquiry, but it's about time for him to show Congress his cards before it's too late for us to act," Murphy tweeted.
Meridian, MS (39302)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun in the morning followed by cloudy skies during the afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 91F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy with occasional rain after midnight. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low near 70F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a half an inch.
Gone are the days when you'd put on a pair of joggers just to Netflix and chill or hit the gym. As the athleisure trend shows no signs of waving off. The good ol' joggers have been given a style makeover by designers and several brands. It can be rocked while working out as well as for a night out. Bonus? When they come hella cheap, you just can't resist. Here are 10 joggers under Rs 1000 that are super stylish yet comfy :

1. U.S. Polo Assn. Navy Blue Straight Fit Joggers

 Myntra

Who said basics aren't stylish? Pair these basic blue joggers with a graphic tee and see your fashion game go onwards and upwards!

Price: INR 999

Buy it here

2. Playboy Grey Straight Fit Joggers

 Myntra

Pair these joggers with a classic white V-neck t-shirt and a denim jacket for the perfect airport look.

Price: INR 749

Buy it here

3. French Connection Black Joggers

 Myntra

You can never go wrong with a pair of black joggers. It is a wardrobe staple and can be literally paired sweatshirts, t-shirts or jackets.

Price: INR 999

Buy it here

4. Duke Off White Straight Fit Joggers

 Myntra

Put your best fashion foot forward with this pair of white joggers. Pair these with your best kicks, a basic t-shirt with some reflective sunnies and you're good to go!

Price: INR 744

Buy it here

5. FOREVER 21 Black Solid Joggers With Text Detail

 Myntra

This number by Forever 21 is for the men out there who love street style. The side panel text detailing in white is a definite way to stand out amongst the crowd.

Price: INR 899

Buy it here

6. Puma Red Joggers

 Myntra

These red hot joggers from Puma are definitely a fresh change if you want to give your greys and blacks a rest.

Price: INR 899

Buy it here

7. Jack & Jones Grey Joggers

 Myntra

These grey joggers by Jack & Jones with pocket zipper detailing are durable, comfy and super stylish. Pair these up with a basic black hoodie and slip-ons and they won't let you down.

Price: INR 999

Buy it here

8. Mast & Harbour Stretchable Denim Joggers

 Myntra

If you're looking for the perfect alternative for days when you just don't want to put on a pair of jeans, this is it. These denim joggers give you the comfort , stretchability and look great with everything.

Price: INR 749

Buy it here

9. Flying Machine Navy Blue Printed Cuffed Joggers

 Myntra

These Hawaiian printed joggers look super chic and will transform your overall look by adding a layer of funk. Wear these with a snapback hat and carry a backpack for the ultimate airport look.

Price: INR 919

Buy it here

10. John Players Camouflage Print Joggers

 Myntra

Channel your inner military spirit while giving your shorts a break with these camo print joggers. The print and color scheme is very versatile and can be paired with almost anything.

Price: INR 989

Buy it here
Meadville, PA (16335)

Today

Rain showers in the morning with thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 78F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely in the evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms later on. A few storms may be severe. Low 64F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
As soon as they were old enough to consider themselves at home in todays culture, our children began rolling their eyes at us, parents who we
Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

He came up with an easier way to do this, said Earley.

What he actually came up with is a new device for greasing the roller bearings that are made at ABB. Earley said it saves about 25 percent of the time needed for manufacturing.

On Tuesday, he was recognized by the management of ABB and representatives from other local industries for his initiative and innovations. This took place at the January meeting of the Workforce Pipeline Committee, which was held at the Universal Advanced Manufacturing Center. Chuck Abernathy, director of the McDowell Economic Development Association, and Steve Bush, director of the McDowell Chamber of Commerce, were there along with managers and representatives of almost all of the manufacturing companies in the county.

We want to foster that type of behavior, said Earley. How many of us at 18 years old had a career plan?

School Superintendent Mark Garrett was there as well to help recognize McKinney.

This potential that McKale has got is all across our school system, said Garrett.
A storm that walloped the northeast bringing snow, sleet, ice, frigid temperatures and high winds has delayed or canceled flights for thousands of travelers over the busy holiday weekend.

We have 80 pieces of snow removal equipment and we are doing as much as we can to clear the airport, said Samantha Decker, spokeswoman for Logan International Airport in Boston.

As of 9 a.m. there were 449 flights, scheduled to fly in or out of the airport, that have been canceled. A limited number have been able to take off or land, she said.

Bradley International Airport is open and clean-up operations are continuing, but delays and cancellations should be expected, said Alisa Sisic, spokeswoman for the airport.

Some flights are operating, however, the majority have been proactively cancelled by the airlines, she said. Our airline partners have been adjusting their flight schedules due to regional and local weather conditions.

By Sunday afternoon 41 percent of incoming or outgoing flights had been cancelled, she said.

At least 13 flights have been canceled for Sunday and another is delayed, according to the airport website.

Some flights are taking off later on Sunday on time, but airlines are continuing to adjust their schedules. Cancelations are expected to continue throughout the day, she said.

At Worcester Regional Airport at least five flights which are arriving or departing on Sunday have been canceled but several others scheduled for later in the day are also expected to take off, according to the website.

All people scheduled to travel on Sunday or Monday should check with their airline before heading to the airport. Some airlines will be offering travel waivers for those willing to delay flying, airport officials said.

Peter Pan Bus lines have also announced a number of cancellations for Sunday.

All service is cancelled for all buses heading north of New York City including all routes to and from Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Albany.
Usually when someone is arrested, they arent too happy with police.

But one Massachusetts police department received praise and appreciation from someone they put in handcuffs.

Boxborough Police shared a photo on Facebook Sunday showing a card and what appears to be a Dunkin' gift card from someone they arrested.

Today was my first arrest in my entire life and its not a good thing nor am I proud of it, the letter says. "But I really wanted to thank you all for being so professional and for doing your jobs well.

The letter writer thanks one officer for being professional and kind.

I never want to see you guys again, ok maybe not under those circumstances, the letter adds. You all are a great team and thank you all for your service.

In their Facebook post, Boxborough Police said they are trained to treat everyone, not matter what the circumstances or situation, with dignity and respect.

This is the bedrock principle behind the concepts of procedural justice and police legitimacy, the department wrote. To receive such positive feedback reassures us that we are operating effectively while serving as a reminder that we can make a difference.
A 58-year-old Lawrence man was ordered held in lieu of $1 million bail after he was charged in connection with the December 15 death of an 11-year-old Precious Wallaces of Tewksbury, authorities said.

In a press release issued early Saturday, Lawrence police and the Essex District Attorneys Office said Miguel Rivera, was arrested Friday night and charged with permitting substantial bodily injury to a child and misleading a police investigation. According to the Eagle Tribune, Rivera is Precious Wallacess uncle.

On Dec. 15 emergency medical personnel were called to Riveras 233 Jackson St. home at about 3:30 a.m. EMTs said they found the girl unresponsive. She was transported to Lawrence General Hospital and later airlifted to Tufts Medical Center in Boston. The little girl lingered for several days before she was pronounced dead.

An autopsy was conducted but authorities have not released a formal cause of death in the incident. According to the Eagle Tribune, police said they are investigating if the girl ingested or came in contact with fentanyl, a powerful opioid.

Officials said the investigation into the girls death is continuing and more charges may be forth coming.

Rivera is being held pending arraignment in Lawrence District Court Tuesday.
A 28-year-old South Boston man has been charged with the shooting death of a man Friday in Jamaica Plain, Boston police said in a release. According to officials, officers responded to a call for a shooting near 3100 Washington Street at about 3:30 p.m. Friday afternoon. There they found two men suffering from gunshot wounds. Both men were transported to local hospitals with what police termed life threatening injuries. One victim, identified as Carl Reynolds, 28, of Roxbury, later died of his wounds. Upon further investigation, police arrested the second gunshot victim, Victor Rodriquez, 28, of South Boston, and charged him with murder, unlawful possession of a firearm a subsequent offense, and unlawful possession of ammunition. Rodriguez remains in police custody as he receives treatment for his gunshot wounds.
NORTHAMPTON - Newly elected State Representative Lindsay Sabadosa made an unexpected admission at the 3rd annual Womens March in Northampton Saturday.

Standing on the steps of City Hall in front of a crowd of hundreds of people, Sabadosa, who was recently chosen by voters to represent the 1st Hampshire District, said that she was a survivor of sexual assault.

I am a survivor of assault and I am a survivor of sexual harassment, Sabadosa said. The first time I was sexually assaulted I was twelve. That is something that I carry with me and that I dont always share.

Sabadosa went on: But this week it turns out that I work in a building where I dont know that I can be safe. She was referring to of an alleged incident in which a lawmaker was accused of groping a woman at a cocktail reception. The lawmaker has denied the allegations. Im not going to be quiet about that, she said. Im going to be really, really loud about it.

Sabadosas personal admission and her call to action set the tone for Saturdays rally--one in which a number of female speakers shared their experiences as women and championed with reverence the concept of female power.

The rally, which was one of hundreds occurring across the nation Saturday, addressed a milieu of issues, not just ones germane to sexual violence. Climate change, the Trump White House, immigration, and a number of other issues were broached over the course of the afternoon.

Yet womens experiences were the chief focus of Saturdays event.

True to her word, Sabadosa hasnt been quiet about the issue of womens safety. She recently announced her intention to reintroduce a bill that would set up an independent investigatory body to investigate instances of sexual harassment on Beacon Hill.

Speaking Saturday, Sabadosa glorified the notion of anger, calling for her constituents to use rage as a catalyst for change. Im not going to be quiet about that, Im going to be angry. I want you to be angry with me, she said.

Also present was newly elected Senator Jo Comerford, who gave a speech about the need for constituents to stick together to affect social change.

Comerford, who was recently elected to the Hampshire-Franklin-Worcester County Senate District seat, said that she would like to see voters unified behind progressive initiatives.

It is powerful, it feels powerful to stand shoulder to shoulder with women from this region, said Comerford. When were rallying today for gender justice, were rallying against anti-semitism, were rallying for immigrant rights, against xenophobia, for trans rights--theyre all the same struggle. And that is a beautiful struggle. We can never let ourselves be divided, she said.

Rachel Maiore, director of the Pioneer Valley Womens March, said in a statement that Saturdays rally was a way to recommit to one another and remind the powers that be that the Womens Movement is a force to be reckoned with.

Maiore said the march was about celebrating womens progress and the future of womens empowerment. We celebrate not only the women who were elected [in recent elections] but the thousands of women who helped get them elected or worked in other ways to promote equality and justice," she said.
Curt Hahn had been managing one of Detroits biggest radio stations, WJR, back in the 1970s, when he and his wife, Cele, decided they wanted to move to either her native Iowa or his native Western Massachusetts to raise their children.

What was then WDEW radio in Westfield came up for sale at the time, so Western Massachusetts won out for Hahn, who had grown up in the small village of North Hadley where his father owned the community store.

Curt and Cele Hahn landed in Westfield in 1978, taking over the small, 2,500-watt AM radio station then located in a split-level house on Union Street. During their first year in business, the station got flooded out when the Westfield and Little rivers overflowed their banks, leaving Westfields East Main Street commercial corridor under rising waters.

WDEW gave way to WLDM, new call letters that Hahn says were his feeble attempt at an abbreviation for Westfield, Massachusetts, and the couple focused on building a new following for their station in what was then a very robust radio market. (WLDM, which broadcast from sunrise to sunset, would eventually morph into the mightier 50,000 watt WNNZ and move to Springfield, owned by the Hahns until they sold in 1998 to Clear Channel.)

For Curt Hahn, one of the first steps was to hire someone to run his news operation. He remembers the interview of a young man who traveled across the Massachusetts Turnpike from a small station in New York states Hudson River Valley. So impressed was Hahn that he decided on the spot to hire the candidate.

I am proud to say I was the guy who brought Jim Madigan to Western Massachusetts, says Hahn. He was very bright, a bright guy who loved history and politics. He was a fan of (Thomas) Jefferson and (John) Adams, and Im sure we probably chatted about that. I hired him because I was so taken with him.

It wasnt that he knew the latest, screaming headline in the area. What impressed me was that he was a very self-effacing guy, an unassuming person. I love to describe him as the real Clark Kent.

By that, Hahn says, Madigan, whether he was in the news room, on the phone or whenever he put on his reporters jacket, he would ask whatever the right questions were. He was polite, and he was never afraid to ask the tough questions, too.

Madigan settled in Westfield to hone his reportorial skills, covering municipal government and the general comings-and-goings of life in the small city he came to love and where he met  at City Hall  the woman he would love and make his wife, Lena.

Hahn, who hosted WLDMs morning show back in the day, says his time with Madigan as his on-the-air partner was some of the most enjoyable time in the business just because of (Jims) wit. They were quite the team, notes Lena Madigan

Jim Madigan spent three years as news director at WLDM before moving first to TV news at abc40 where he spent eight years as a general assignment and politics reporter and then to public television station WGBY in 1990.

All of those fond memories of four decades past came rolling back for Hahn in the summer of 2016 when Madigan announced his retirement from WGBY at the age of 65 because he suffered from terminal lung disease. In the weeks and months that followed, the two reconnected and Hahn regularly traveled from his home in New Hampshire to visit with Madigan. All of that wit was still there. He and I had some very fun conversations, Hahn remembers. Until Madigans death last spring.

Hahn says he and his late wife, who died five years ago, were very proud to see Jim move on and up, to go on to the next good thing. He is one who believes Madigans landing with PBS was a decision best attributed to a higher power. I think God made that decision. It was the perfect spot for (Jim), Hahn says. He wasnt an ambulance chaser. He enjoyed meeting people, asking civil questions and listening.

One thing I learned in the talk (radio) business was that a good reporter, a good interviewer is basically a good listener, Hahn says. I am still amazed at how many people do interview shows and dont listen to answers. Jim liked people, he interacted with them and he listened to them.

Hahn is among those who also believe a new fund which bears Madigans name will benefit the communities served by WGBY in western New England. WGBY this month debuted the Jim Madigan Fund to support responsible, fact-based LOCAL public media journalism now and in the future. It hopes to raise an initial $50,000.

Explains WGBYs general manager Anthony V. Hayes, Its critically important that our community has a reliable source of news and information it can trust. WGBY is that source. Jim Madigan was committed to  and embodied  the journalistic integrity of public multimedia journalism. Through the Jim Madigan Fund, WGBY honors his legacy and continues the tradition of fact-based reporting.

Donations to the fund will be used for the local production of news content, including town-hall style public discussions of important issues and political debates, as well as provide hands-on learning opportunities for aspiring journalists and students of media production.

Says Lena Madigan in a letter supporting the fund, My son and I are overwhelmed at WGBYs tribute to my husband by way of this fund. I was aware of how much my husband meant to me and my son, but how moving it is to learn what he meant to the WGBY community.

Adds Lynn Page, deputy general manager who worked with Madigan during his entire tenure at PBS, We are so proud of the meaningful work Jim did, connecting our region through his reporting. We would like to honor his legacy by carrying on the tradition of supporting quality, trusted journalism through our local services and the young people we mentor in Jims footsteps. It is our hope that donations to the Jim Madigan Fund will make an impact in our communities by providing respected journalists and programs, like Connecting Point.

I think its a good fit and a great idea, to acknowledge Jim and see to it that his work is not forgotten, Hahn says of the effort. Also, hopefully, whoever the intern or recipient is, can use the opportunity to learn to use their own knowledge to be a reporter who puts things in perspective (for the audience) and not their own personal viewpoint of things.

That was the thing about Jim. He came to reporting with a sense of history, not one of what is the politically hot item. He asked questions about basic issues and not about personalities, adds Hahn. Today, the news business has become so enthralled with personalities instead of the topics of the day. Its easy to do, to lay everything at Trumps feet, but news is not about idolizing people instead of the issues that confront the nation. Jim didnt fall into that trap.

Of all the people who worked for me, hes certainly one of the most memorable guys, one of the most real people who would put all the cards on the table. He was just interested in doing a good job as a reporter. He sure did that, Hahn says. He gained the peoples confidence. He did that in spades. Jim never made himself the story. He was simply the workman. I dont deprecate him at all by saying that. Its meant as a huge compliment.

Cynthia G. Simison is assistant to the publisher and managing editor of The Republican. She may be reached by email to csimison@repub.com.
Despite the numbing cold, thousands of protestors -- many dressed with a hint of pink -- flooded Boston Common to reaffirm their commitment to progressive values in an era of conservative leadership.

On the 29th day of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, protestors in cities across the nation held Womens March rallies to support left-wing values and progressivism while opposing the conservative national agenda of President Donald Trump. Saturday marked the third year of the Womens March, a movement first launched after the presidents inauguration in 2017.

"I know it's cold out here," said Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, the Boston march's keynote speaker. "But the pursuit of justice is uncomfortable and inconvenient."

Pressley's speech followed comments by nearly a dozen female leaders across the political and racial spectrum.

Women leaders of the ACLU, NAACP, the Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action, the United American Indians of New England, Planned Parenthood, the Brazilian Work Center, as well as transgender leaders and victims of gun violence, spoke on the need to stand together and in opposition to any rhetoric that pits one group against one another.

"When we're not in the room, or at the table, we need you to ask why," Boston NAACP President Tanisha Sullivan told the massive crowd, speaking from a stage on the common. Sullivan said the voices of white women have historically been more amplified than that of their "sisters of color."

"We need you to understand being an ally does not mean speaking for us, it means lifting up your voices with us," Sullivan added.

Inclusion was a key message throughout the speaking program, something Sullivan told MassLive was lacking in past marches. While planning the 2019 march, Sullivan said she felt organizers had made a better effort to include different ethnic and racial groups.

The response was overwhelmingly positive. Wakefield Town Councilor Mehreen Butt, elected in 2017, received wild applause from the throngs of protestors when she said she was the first Muslim woman elected to a municipality government.

"That seemed unimaginable before I won, because there were no others," Butt said. "We gather today to keep going, to continue to stand up and speak out."

The Wakefield councilor directed a single plea to the thousands of women in the crowd: "Run for office," she said.

"I promised when I cracked that ceiling, I would hold, I would prop open that door for women behind me," Butt said, adding, "My job did not end when I got a seat at that table, my job was to save a seat for those coming along beside me."

The record number of women who ran for office in the 2018 elections, and the 36 newly-elected women in U.S. Congress, are a direct result of the Women's March movement, according to organizers like Karen Cosmas, the executive director of March Forward Massachusetts.

Cosmas confirmed the Massachusetts protest had no ties to the New York-based Women's March Inc., the founders behind the national movement who have been accused of anti-Semitism.

Pressley, who has been thrown into the national spotlight for her progressive politics and historic win as the first black female to represent Massachusetts in the U.S. House of Representatives, said she and other women who won elected positions did not ask for permission to lead -- and she is not "a monolith."

"There is no single story to define us," Pressley said. "No matter how hard the press and the pundits may try. You can talk about waves, and you can talk about magic all you want, but what we put it in and what we saw play out in 2018 was work."

Beyond the positive message for more women in politics, there was a strong sense of anti-Trumpism at the rally, demonstrated in part by speakers' sentiments and many, many handcrafted signs.

That opposition was perhaps exacerbated by the small group of counter-protestors who gathered near the stage at the start of the march, around 10 a.m., and began physically and verbally clashing with Women's March supporters.

Boston Police officers quickly quelled any serious conflict, creating a barrier around the small conservative group clad in pro-Trump apparel. John Camden, who said he was part of the "Club of American Nationalists," said he and others came out to support pro-life policies and President Trump.

Both sides, divided by stern-faced police officers, raised their voices and hurled insults at one another. Throughout the rally, the counter-protestors chanted "Build the Wall," to which speakers like Gladys Vega, executive director of group The Chelsea Collaborative said, "get the hell out of here, this is not your space."

"I am delighted to be here as we fight for justice and we attack ignorance in our community," Vega added to roaring applause from the large crowd. "We are here to say, we're not going anywhere because we built this country."

Though it was rarely mentioned by program speakers, many in the crowd had signs reflecting disappointment in the government shutdown.

Lori, a protestor from northeastern Massachusetts who declined to give her last name, held a sign that read: "Shut Down Trump...Not the Government." She said her husband, who inspects water quality in New England with the Environmental Protection Agency, was out of work due to the shutdown.

"We have one month's mortgage saved up," she said, adding, "How do you put food on the table?...It's ridiculous. Put the workers back to work."

Lori wore a knitted pink hat, like thousands of others who stood on Boston Common. At the conclusion of the speaking program, the throngs of people marched the streets of downtown Boston, some chanting, "Hey, hey! Ho, ho! Gender violence has got to go."

Organizers like NAACPs Sullivan said the 2019 march, unlike past marches, is about looking forward -- an optimistic tone matched by Wakefield Councilor Butt, who told the crowd that for women and marginalized groups, The cracks in the ceiling are making it possible to see the light.
Here are a couple of easy immigration questions  answerable with a simple yes or no  we might ask any American of any political stripe: Does everyone in the world have a right to live in the U.S.? Do the American people have a right, through their elected representatives, to decide who has the right to immigrate to their country and under what conditions? I believe that most Americans, even todays open-borders people, would answer no to the first question and yes to the second.

Theres nothing new about this vision. Americans have held this view throughout our history, during times when immigration laws were very restrictive and when they were more relaxed. Tucker Carlson, host of Fox News Channels Tucker Carlson Tonight, gives us an interesting history lesson about immigration at Prager University (http://tinyurl.com/ydylykfk). It was prompted by his watching a group of protesters who were denouncing President Trumps immigration policies. They were waving Mexican flags and shouting, Si, se puede! (Yes, we can!)
The yearly Citizen Recognition Award in Sandy Level has been named for the late Howard Dillard, who is said to have epitomized the qualities the award celebrates during his 100 years of life.

Dillard died on Jan. 6.

The Howard Dillard Citizen Recognition Award will be given Monday at St. John Baptist Church at the end of the Stop the Violence Walk at Sandy Level.

He is the epitome of Sandy Level, said Garrett Dillard, the awards founder and Howard Dillards great-nephew.

Howard Dillard lived his whole life in Sandy Level  formerly called Log Town  the younger Dillard said, including living for 70 or 80 years in his house on Morris Drive.

He was able to get around well at home on his own until maybe the last two months before he passed, said granddaughter Tara Scales.

He was a hard working, dedicated community member and church-going fellow. He wanted to see everybody doing good, Garrett Dillard said.

Scales said that her grandfather and grandmother, Maryland Keen Dillard, who died in 1999, had six children, 15 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
VDOT to hold meeting on Martinsville Southern Connector

The Virginia Department of Transportation will hold a meeting on the Martinsville Southern Connector study from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Drewry Mason Elementary School.

The meeting will introduce the goals for the study.

Public comments will be accepted through Feb. 2.

In February 2018, VDOT begin to evaluate potential transportation improvements along the U.S. 220 corridor between the U.S. 58/220 Bypass and the North Carolina state line.

The Martinsville Connector Study is a first step toward identifying future improvements to the U.S. 220 corridor within its study limits. It is a separate analysis than I-73 corridor that was completed in November 2006.

Learn more at http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/salem/martinsville_southern_connector_study.asp.
February is the time of year for genealogy classes to be held at Bassett Historical Center, which holds two series of four classes each year. The classes are held each Tuesday in February at 10 a.m., and there are several spots still open for these free classes. Classes will be taught by Cindy Hubbard Headen, who is on staff at the Historical Center. The next class series will be held in fall.

You can wash produce in a solution of white vinegar mixed into warm water. Add a cupful of vinegar to the washing machine when laundering scratchy materials to soften them. Pour some down the sink or garbage disposal to clear out bad odors. White vinegar is great for cleaning windows and other glass. Get rid of crusty build-up on coffeemakers, small appliances or flower vases with white vinegar, by allowing the item to soak in a vinegar-and-water solution or spraying some on, for 10 minutes. Its also good for getting stains out of some fabrics. If your dog or cat had an accident in the house (whoops), get rid of the odor and discourage the animal from doing that again (in that spot, at least) by cleaning with a vinegar solution.
Hollys message will be a message of hope, and a message of work, he said, because weve still got work to do. We can never forget all of those sacrifices that were made for people in general during the civil rights era.

Talking about King, one of the greatest orators of all time  is always a challenge and a joy, he added.

Teach-in

In past years there have been a few to several teach-ins around the city and county, but there will be only one this year: from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Morning Star Baptist Church in Axton. Lunch will be served at noon. Instructors will be from Moral Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Jerusalem Christian Church, Christ Temple Holy Church and Morning Star.

Smith, the pastor of Jerusalem Christian Church, said that he will teach the adults class. He said he will use a book written by King to share Kings emphasis not only on community, but on love within the community.

You want to teach it from his perspective because he had a very good perspective, he said.

He also plans to emphasize Kings message that all these things  education, gifts and talents  are given to people so they can serve  we are all called to be servants.
Meghan Markle has been spotted on a business lunch with a new key appointee after Kensington Palace hired the former Brexit speechwriter for David Davis as its deputy press secretary

Christian Jones was seen yesterday leaving Chucs Italian restaurant in Notting Hill with Meghan as she strolled back to her car.

He became deputy director of communications for both Meghan and Harry and William and Catherine in December, after racking up nearly seven years of experience working with two Government departments.

The Duchess of Sussex (right) was yesterday seen leaving a restaurant in Notting Hill, west London, with Christian Jones, one of her new communications directors

The Cardiff University graduate served as Mr Davis' speechwriter at the Department for Exiting the European Union from October 2016 to September 2017, before taking up a new role as the department's press secretary.

Prior to that he was chief press officer at the Treasury from November 2014 to October 2016, serving under George Osborne and, for a brief period, the current Chancellor Philip Hammond.

His major new role, which was advertised publicly, includes liaising with British and international media and supporting the young royals' charitable work and engagements.

Mr Jones will lead the day-to-day press office operations of the two households and advise Meghan, Harry, William and Catherine on how to interact with the media.

Mr Jones (seen left and right, with Meghan yesterday) became deputy director of communications for both Meghan and Harry and William and Catherine in December, after racking up nearly seven years of experience working with two Government departments

During his time at the Department for Exiting the European Union, he was pictured sitting (far left) around a table several seats along from Mr Davis as he spoke to the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier

Mr Jones attended Cardiff University from 2008 to 2011 and graduated with First Class Honours. He is seen in an undated image with a friend

During his time at the Department for Exiting the European Union, he was pictured sitting around a table several seats along from Mr Davis as he spoke to the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier.

Mr Jones attended Cardiff University from 2008 to 2011 and graduated with First Class Honours.

Kensington Palace did not comment on the appointment.

Alongside her press team and other palace staff, Meghan also has her own assistant, Amy Pickerill.

She accompanies the Duchess on events, and was spotted on Wednesday as she visited the Mayhew animal welfare charity in Kensal Rise, north-west London.

Mr Jones (left, in an undated image) as David Davis' speechwriter at the Department for Exiting the European Union from October 2016 to September 2017
Tributes have been paid to Denise Elliott, Macken, Leitrim Village who tragically died on Thursday following a single vehicle car accident on the Castlecara Road, Carrick-on-Shannon.

Ms Elliott's employer, Leitrim Office Supplies have paid a heartfelt tribute to her in a message posted online.

"It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of our dear colleague and friend Denise Elliot. Denise passed away due to a road traffic accident.

"She will be known by many of you as she worked with Leitrim Office Supplies for over 14 years, her good humour, wit and genuine interest in people will be remembered by all.

"As a family business we considered Denise to be part of the Guckian Family, she will be sorely missed by us and her colleagues and friends. May she rest in Peace."

Ms Elliott will be reposed at her residence on Saturday from 2pm until 8pm with removal on Sunday morning to St. Patrick's Church, Drumshanbo arriving for Mass of Christian burial at 11.30am with funeral afterwards to Drumshanbo New Cemetery. House private on Sunday morning please.
In this file photo U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., discusses efforts to secure a KC-135 training simulator for the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station. On Friday, Schumer and fellow Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand announced that $14 million has been included in the Senate's fiscal year 2019 budget for the development of a new training center at the air base.
During the summer of 2017, when temperatures reached triple digits in Arizona, four women drove to a vast desert wilderness along the southwestern border with Mexico. They brought water jugs and canned food - items they later said they were leaving for dehydrated migrants crossing the unfriendly terrain to get to the United States.

The women were later charged with misdemeanor crimes. Prosecutors said they violated federal law by entering Cabeza Prieta, a protected 860,000-acre refuge, without a permit and leaving water and food there. A judge convicted them Friday in the latest example of growing tension between aid workers and the U.S. Border Patrol. Aid workers say their humanitarian efforts, motivated by a deep sense of right and wrong, have been criminalized during the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal border crossings. Federal officials say they were simply enforcing the law.

The four women, all volunteers for the Arizona-based aid group No More Deaths, were convicted after a three-day bench trial at a federal court in Tucson. They could face up to six months in federal prison.

Their trial coincided with a partial government shutdown now nearing its 30th day, the longest in the country's history. Negotiations have stalled as President Donald Trump stands firm on his demand for $5.7 billion in border wall funding, citing a humanitarian crisis at the southern border.

In his verdict order, federal magistrate Judge Bernardo Velasco said the women's actions violated "the national decision to maintain the Refuge in its pristine nature." Velasco also said the women committed the crimes believing, falsely, that they would not be prosecuted and, instead, would simply be banned or fined.

Catherine Gaffney, a volunteer for No More Deaths, said the guilty verdict challenges all "people of conscience throughout the country."

"If giving water to someone dying of thirst is illegal, what humanity is left in the law of this country?" she said in a statement.

The criminal charges stem from an incident on Aug. 13, 2017, when a federal wildlife canine officer found the women's pickup truck near Charlie Bell Pass, a historic site at Cabeza Prieta. Inside were water jugs, canned beans and several similar items. The officer spotted the women a few hours later. They admitted leaving food and water at the site, according to court records.

Natalie Hoffman, Oona Holcomb, Madeline Huse and Zaachila Orozco-McCormick were charged in December 2017. They said their work for No More Deaths was motivated by their religious convictions and a belief that everyone should have access to basic needs to survive, according to court records.

Federal prosecutors argued that the defendants should have been aware that leaving disposable items at the refuge is a punishable crime. During the trial last week, prosecutors said the women had admitted willingly violating federal law, the Arizona Republic reported.

In court documents, prosecutors pointed to a conversation between representatives of No More Deaths and a refuge manager who said officials prefer to use rescue beacons to help stranded migrants because they result in "actual rescues." Rescue beacons are scattered across the area for migrants to activate if they need help, officials said.

No More Deaths said rescue beacons result in only a small number of rescues. The group also points to the number of migrants who have died trying to cross the vast desert terrain in the region. More than 3,000 migrant deaths have been reported between October 1999 and April 2018, according to data gathered by Humane Borders and the medical examiner's office in Pima County, which covers part of Cabeza Prieta.

During the trial, one of the women, Orozco-McCormick, likened being on the refuge to being in a graveyard because of the number of migrants who have died there, the Arizona Republic reported.

The women are among several No More Deaths volunteers who are facing similar charges. Five others are scheduled for trial in February and March, the group said.

One of them, Scott Warren, is also accused of alien smuggling, a felony charge that No More Deaths claim was a retaliation for the group's activism. Last year, the group published footage showing Border Patrol agents kicking over water jugs left in the desert. One agent was seen emptying a gallon of water onto the ground. Warren was arrested shortly after the footage was published.

A Border Patrol spokesman told The Washington Post earlier that the agency is not targeting the group and is simply enforcing immigration laws. Court records say Warren met with two Mexico natives at a building known as "the Barn," located in the town of Ajo, Arizona, near the Cabeza Prieta refuge, and gave them food and water.

Warren told the Arizona Republic last year that his goal was to give food and medical care, not to smuggle migrants into the country.

---

The Washington Post's Amy B Wang contributed to this article.
Two more Port Arthur-born music legends will join the ranks of such hometown luminaries as Janis Joplin when they are inducted into the Gulf Coast Music Legends Hall of Fame.

Renowned Zydeco musician C.J. Chenier and the late Clifford Antone, founder and namesake of Antones nightclub in Austin, on Thursday will be enshrined on the second floor of the citys Museum of the Gulf Coast.

We used to joke around, because he was C.J. Antone and Im C.J. Chenier, and he saw me grow up in the music business, Chenier said. Thats where I turned 21, on Sixth Street.

When someone reaches the pinnacle  the high point of their career, no matter what it is, those are the people you see in here, museum director Tom Neal said. People always ask, Is there something in the water down here? and I say, Apparently.

The decision to induct these two music moguls on the same day was a deliberate one, Neal said. Antone and Chenier were close. Cheniers father and fellow Hall of Famer, King of Zydeco Clifton Chenier, was the first act Antone booked when he opened his club.

Years later when C.J. Chenier joined his fathers band, his first show in 1978 was at Antones. Chenier will celebrate the 40th anniversary of that first show with a concert on Feb. 8.

Antone, who died in 2006, loved the blues  particularly the blues from Port Arthur.

More Information C.J. Chenier and Clifford Antone Music Hall of Fame Induction When: Thursday, Jan 24, 5-7 p.m. Where: 700 Procter Street, Port Arthur, Texas To submit a candidate for the Museum of the Guld Coast's Halls of Fame visit MuseumoftheGulfCoast.org/Halls-of-Hame See More Collapse

Thats the bar by which he measured all of the other acts, Neal said. He thought the blues in Southeast Texas was the best, and he wanted the world to see it. He was passionate about promoting and educating people on the blues  bringing it to the next generation.

Antone is often credited with earning Austin its title as the live music capital of the world.

He was bringing in huge acts, who were then going back and saying, You have to go play Austin, Neal said. Musicians would agree to play without knowing what their pay would be. They just wanted to be there.

Musicians often played the Antones stage for a week or more at a time, and Antone went out of his way to make sure they had what they needed.

He got into some trouble with the law, Neal said. But everyone said the only reason he was doing illegal things was to support his musicians, which no one was doing at the time. It was unheard of. All he cared about was the music.

Neil said Antone often paid for things like medical expenses for musicians who where having a hard time, and provided them with food and loging, along with a place to play.

I remember we spent a whole week playing Antones that first time, Chenier said. Thats a good place.

Chenier has produced more than 10 albums since that first gig at Antones and, while he enjoys playing the accordion with his band, his first love was the saxophone.

He plays all over the world, bringing bayou flair to stages big an small. He has won awards like the 1997 Living Blues Critics Poll Award and the American Association for Independent Music Indie Award for best zydeco album.

Im thrilled  thrilled beyond belief  its just something I never thought would happen, Chenier said of his induction. I think me and my father will be the only father-son in there.

Chenier said coming from Port Arthur and being able to do what he does for a living is a blessing.

Its just unbelievable, he said.

haley.bruyn@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/HaleyWrites_BE
Joe Jackson had been flying military airplanes for a quarter-century and was in his third war when he was touched by glory. He had enlisted in the old Army Air Corps before World War II, had flown jet fighters during the Korean War and was among the first pilots of U-2 spy planes in the 1950s.

In 1968, he was a 45-year-old Air Force lieutenant colonel flying transport planes in Vietnam. After landing his C-123 at an overrun military camp, braving mortar shells and weathering crossfire to rescue three stranded servicemen, Col. Jackson became one of only 14 members of the Air Force to receive the Medal of Honor for their actions in the Vietnam War.

He was 95 when he died Jan. 12 at a Veterans Affairs facility in Seattle. His death was confirmed by his daughter, Bonnie Jackson, who said there was no specific cause.

Jackson enlisted in the Air Corps (later called the Army Air Forces before the Air Force became an independent branch of the military in 1947) intending to be an airplane mechanic. During a training flight, he put out a fire in an engine, saving the aircraft and the crew.

His calmness under pressure received the supreme test on May 12, 1968, when a U.S. Special Forces camp at Kham Duc, South Vietnam, was assaulted by North Vietnamese soldiers. Eight aircraft, including helicopters and airplanes, had crashed or been destroyed on the ground. One plane blocked the runway, leaving only 2,200 feet of the 4,000-foot airstrip usable.

Over a two-day period, about 1,000 U.S. service members, Vietnamese allies and civilians were airlifted from the camp, which was surrounded by mountains. One cargo plane, carrying about 150 South Vietnamese civilians, was shot down, killing everyone on board.

When the evacuation appeared to be complete, orders were issued to bomb the camp and demolish anything left behind.

"Negative, negative!" a pilot shouted over his radio. Three members of an Air Force team assisting with the evacuation were not accounted for.

Jackson, circling at an altitude of 9,000 feet, watched as another C-123 landed on the airstrip below, coming under constant fire from machine guns and mortars. As the pilot turned around, the three men on the ground scrambled toward the airplane, but they were too late. The C-123 was airborne and did not have enough fuel to return.

Jackson and his crew of four took over the rescue effort as the last hope for the three airmen stranded at Kham Duc.

"We're going in," he said, as he pitched his unarmed C-123 into a near-vertical descent, to reduce exposure to enemy fire.

Maneuvering his cumbersome aircraft through a 270-degree roll as if it were a nimble fighter plane, Jackson leveled out just above the trees and landed on the first 100 feet of the runway, by then engulfed in smoke from burning fuel tanks.

He slammed on the brakes, with the tires screeching as the plane skidded down the runway pockmarked by mortar shells.

"I told the guys I'm not going to reverse the propellers, because to do that would shut down the auxiliary jet engines," he said. "And I didn't want to take time to restart them. I said, 'We're not going to be on the ground very long.' "

He came to a stop near where the three members of the combat control team were hiding in a ditch.

"It didn't seem like there was any possible way for a plane to get in," Jim Lundie, one of the three rescued servicemen, later said. "The whole camp was burning and exploding. When I looked up and saw that C-123 coming in, it was like a miracle. I couldn't believe it."

The three airmen jumped on board as bullets ricocheted off the runway and under the belly of the airplane. A rocket headed for the cockpit, falling short and landing "immediately in front of the nose wheel of the airplane," Jackson said in a Library of Congress oral history interview. It failed to explode.

Turning the plane around, he roared back down the runway in the opposite direction, taking off at the steepest angle he could.

"I say that we were on the ground somewhere around 40 to 50 seconds," he later recalled.

"As I was taking off, automatic weapons and small-arms fire was directly in front of me and probably behind me as well, from both sides of the runway," he said. "The spot where we were parked, that spot erupted with mortar fire."

A C-130 that landed earlier in the day at Kham Duc returned to its base riddled with more than 85 bullet and shrapnel holes in the fuselage. Jackson's "survived the approach, landing, turnaround, and departure without receiving a single hit," wrote his commanding officer in a letter nominating him for the Medal of Honor.

President Lyndon B. Johnson presented the medal to Jackson and three other service members at a White House ceremony on Jan. 16, 1969.

Joe Madison Jackson was born March 14, 1923, in Heard County, Georgia, the youngest of seven sons. His father was a farmer and teacher.

After high school in Newnan, Georgia, Jackson enlisted in the Army Air Corps. (Another Newnan resident, Marine helicopter pilot Stephen Pless, also received the Medal of Honor the same day as Jackson.)

During World War II, Jackson served mostly as a gunnery instructor in the United States. He flew 107 missions as an F-84 fighter pilot in the Korean War and later became one of the first pilots of the Air Force's U-2 spy planes. During the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, he helped direct aerial reconnaissance over the island.

He graduated from what is now the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and then he received a master's degree in political science in 1963 from George Washington University.

After 298 combat missions in Vietnam, Jackson served at the Pentagon and at the Air Force's Air War College in Alabama. He retired in 1974 as a full colonel.

He later worked with Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer, and helped train members of the Iranian air force. He settled in Kent, Washington.

Survivors include his wife of 74 years, the former Rosamund Parmentier of Kent, Washington; two children, Bonnie Jackson of Kent and David Jackson of Dallas; a granddaughter; and a great-granddaughter.

While Jackson's plane was on the ground at Kham Duc, a reconnaissance aircraft snapped what is believed to be the first photograph of a military action that resulted in the Medal of Honor.

"You know, people have asked me, 'Why did you do such a thing?' " Jackson told Larry Smith, author of "Beyond Glory: Medal of Honor Heroes in Their Own Words."

"My answer is, 'It was the right thing to do' . . . The mission was to get the three guys, and we got out of there OK, and I'm happy. That was the limit of my thinking.

"If you start thinking about medals, you're gonna lose your shirt."
When Kirsten Gillibrand moved left on guns in 2009, she did it fast.

The moderate Democrat from upstate New York had just been appointed to the Senate and liberals were in uproar. Then a congresswoman, Gillibrand had an A-rating from the National Rifle Association. She co-sponsored bills to roll back restrictions on firearms in the District of Columbia and to limit disclosure of gun trace information by law enforcement. Gun control advocates were stunned that she was chosen to fill the seat.

But Gillibrand's transformation had already begun. The day of her appointment, she vowed to work on a bill to strengthen background checks with a fierce critic of her gun record, then-Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y. The following day, she told an audience in Harlem that she could perhaps be flexible on gun control.

The new senator proved more than flexible. She voted against the NRA's entire agenda and received an F-rating from the group by her next election, less than two years later. Her shift on guns was so rapid that it drew a word of caution from McCarthy, who became an ally.

"I remember saying to her one time, 'Don't change your mind so fast - learn the issue first,' " McCarthy said.

Gillibrand overhauled her political identity during this period, abandoning the conservative positions that made her popular upstate and embracing or even moving further left than the liberal consensus on guns, immigration, Wall Street and same-sex marriage. As the Democratic Party itself moved left, she staked out positions popular with the party's swelling base of liberals, a posture most evident when she called for abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. She has voted against President Donald Trump's agenda more than any other senator.

Gillibrand's evolution seemed to reach its apex last week when she introduced herself as a candidate for president and a fighter for liberal values. But her shift in views from a decade ago is already raising questions among Democrats and provoking attacks from Republicans eager to define her as a flip-flopper.

Experts who have followed Gillibrand's rise said the impression that she has hair-trigger judgment and an overriding instinct to capitalize on the political moment could prove more problematic than any one shift on policy.

"This urge to have answers now, now, now is strong and can come across as inauthentic," said Ted Johnson, a senior fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice who has observed Gillibrand. "It's OK to say, 'I didn't know.' It's OK to engage audiences. But it's not OK to compensate for the not knowing and the not engaging with a super strong position immediately in order to win them over. The thing about growth is that it takes time."

Jonathan Tasini, a labor activist and supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who weighed a primary challenge against Gillibrand in 2010, said the Democratic left should not reflexively turn its back on candidates who have changed positions.

"The thing we have to look at is: Does the evolution make sense? Is it a whiplash evolution or does it have some content to it where you can see someone changing? I don't know the answer, in all candor, with Kirsten Gillibrand," he said.

Gillibrand, now 52, has often described her changes of view as epiphanies. On the subject of guns, she tells about meeting in 2009 with the parents of a Brooklyn teenager who was killed by a stray bullet. She dropped her NRA-backed positions as a result, she says.

"When you absorb any amount of someone's pain that they're living in that moment, it's hard to ignore it," Gillibrand told GQ last year. "It changed my view completely and it changed my view immediately. It wasn't an evolution. It wasn't a thoughtful process. It was immediate."

Last week, she said her shifts reveal political courage.

"I think it's important to know when you're wrong and to do what's right. And I will do what's right, and I will fight for what's right, and I don't back down from those fights," she said Wednesday at a news conference in Troy, New York.

Gillibrand has gone against her own party on a number of matters related to women. She crossed fellow Democrats with her bipartisan push to remove the adjudication of military sexual assault cases from the chain of command. The plan failed to advance to a final Senate vote in March 2014.

She alienated the Clintons and some of their allies in 2017 when she became the highest-profile elected Democrat at that point to say Bill Clinton should have resigned over his affair with Monica Lewinsky. She had previously benefited from their support, financial and otherwise.

That same year, she was the first senator to call for the resignation of Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., after he was accused by eight women of groping or forcible kissing. Dozens of colleagues followed; Franken, who denied some allegations and said he remembered other encounters "very differently," said the next day that he would leave the Senate.

The Franken episode angered some on the left who felt Gillibrand abandoned Franken for her own gain. Through a spokesman, Franken declined to comment for this piece.

"I will stand up for what I believe in, especially when it's hard." Gillibrand said Wednesday. "With Sen. Franken, it's sad for many people, but after eight allegations of sexual harassment and groping, credible allegations at the time, I just couldn't stay silent. My job was not to stay silent. I couldn't defend it. ... If some wealthy individuals - that makes them angry, that's on them," she said.

Susie Buell, a major Democratic donor who has criticized Gillibrand's handling of the episode, wrote in an email to The Washington Post that she saw Gillibrand as "the leader in the force" calling for Franken's resignation, calling it a rush to judgment "at a very intense moment."

"It has nothing to do with wealthy people not wanting women being protected. It is about a great US senator, Al Franken, being accused and then driven out of his seat without the opportunity to defend himself. That to me is not acceptable," Buell wrote.

Still, some liberal activists are not convinced the decision will be a problem for Gillibrand.

"If we're going to be the party who believes women - and I think we should - Kirsten took a courageous position and that should be acknowledged," said Neil Sroka, communications director for Democracy for America, a liberal political action committee.

Republicans have already started to hammer her.

"If you looked up 'political opportunism' in the dictionary, Kirsten Gillibrand's photo would be next to it," Republican National Committee spokesman Michael Ahrens said last week. "From jumping on the 'abolish ICE' bandwagon to turning on the Clintons, Gillibrand always goes where the political wind blows. Democrats know it, which is why she's barely registering in the polls."

Yet that ignores a central facet of Gillibrand's policy changes: She has swung left in line with and occasionally ahead of Democratic voters, the sort of moves voters typically reward, not punish. The share of Democrats who want stricter gun laws has risen by 20 points since she embraced that view in 2009. What were once liberal views on immigration and LGBT rights have become mainstream.

In the Senate, Gillibrand has fought for the LGBT community, helping to lead the successful effort to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the policy barring military service by out gays and lesbians, and pushed legislation to stop discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Her aides are particularly sensitive to her record on same-sex marriage and how it is described. Gillibrand started to vocally support same-sex marriage when she was appointed to the Senate. Under criticism at the time, she noted that she had backed a New York gay-marriage bill the previous year.

As a member of the House, Gillibrand said she personally supported same-sex marriage but argued for civil unions and letting states decide what to call them.

"I think the way you win this issue is you focus on getting the rights and privileges protected throughout the entire country, and then you do the state-by-state advocacy for having the title," she told an LGBT publication not long before her Senate appointment, according to the Advocate.

While support for same-sex marriage is unanimous among high-ranking Democrats now, her position was common at the time among party leaders. Only two senators publicly supported same-sex marriage as of early 2008, according to Baptist Press, the news service of the Southern Baptist Convention. Gillibrand was among about six senators, all Democrats, who supported it at the time of her appointment, the news service reported. (As president, Barack Obama didn't formally support same-sex marriage until 2012.)

Immigration represented a more dramatic shift for Gillibrand. As a House member, she opposed amnesty for undocumented immigrants and supported making English the official language and deputizing police officers to act as immigration agents. After joining the Senate, she began to support comprehensive immigration reform and a pathway to citizenship, along with other liberal priorities on immigration.

In late June, Gillibrand denounced ICE as a "deportation force" and joined calls by liberal activists to abolish it. She was the first U.S. senator to take the position, and at the time, her language put her further to the left than her potential Democratic presidential rivals. Abolishing ICE and replacing it with a different agency is now a position shared by much of the field.

"I don't think ICE today is working as intended. ... I believe that it has become a deportation force, and I think you should separate the criminal justice from the immigration issues," Gillibrand said on CNN's "Cuomo Prime Time."

Peter Rivera, a former New York labor commissioner who in 2009 said Gillibrand's then-opposition to amnesty "borders on xenophobia," said she accepted his invitation to meet with Hispanic legislators and has been "completely supportive" of their agenda ever since.

"I attacked her," Rivera said. "I was opposed to her and she did not hold that against me. For all intents and purposes, she broke bread with me and said I want your support."

---

The Washington Post's Emily Guskin in Washington and Jenna Johnson and David Weigel in Sioux City, Iowa, contributed to this report.
Rudy Giuliani vehemently denied Sunday that President Donald Trump asked his former attorney Michael Cohen to lie to Congress, speaking during a fiery CNN interview in which he also said BuzzFeed News should be sued for reporting such allegations this past week.

Giuliani acknowledged that Trump might have spoken to Cohen about his testimony, but he shrugged it off, saying that would have been "perfectly normal."

"So what?" Giuliani, who serves as Trump's personal attorney, said to CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" Sunday morning. "As far as I know, President Trump did not have discussions with him. Certainly no discussions with him in which he told him or counseled him to lie."

Special counsel Robert Mueller III's office has issued a statement denying central aspects of a report from BuzzFeed claiming the president directed Cohen to lie to Congress about a deal to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Giuliani blasted the news organization, which stands by its reporting, calling the story "scandalous" and "horrible."

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said Giuliani keeps changing his tune as more details are revealed, telling NBC's Chuck Todd: "This morning I almost feel bad for him."

"He keeps having to readjust his stories as more facts come out," Warner said on "Meet the Press." "We know Trump was trying to do business with Moscow up until this election."

Warner, who serves as ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he and Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., have agreed they want to bring Cohen back to testify before the panel. Cohen testified before the committee in 2017 and is expected to appear Feb. 7.

In his CNN interview, Giuliani said BuzzFeed "should be sued, they should be under investigation," telling Tapper: "You've got a hysteria in the media that interprets everything against Donald Trump. What they did yesterday was truly fake news and disgusting."

Giuliani told NBC's Todd he was "100 percent certain" the president never asked Cohen to do anything but tell the truth to Congress.

"I can tell you his counsel to Michael Cohen throughout that entire period was, 'tell the truth,' " Giuliani told Todd. "We thought he was telling the truth. I still believe he may have been telling the truth when he testified before Congress."

Cohen signed a plea deal with the special counsel in November, after pleading guilty to lying to Congress about plans to build the tower. Although he'd previously said the conversations about the tower ended in January 2016, he later acknowledged they were still occurring in June 2016.

Giuliani said Sunday the conversations about the tower could have extended even further - up to the November 2016 election.

Asked by Todd whether the conversations extended through 2016, Giuliani said, "Yeah, probably up to, could be up to as far as October, November."

Giuliani reiterated his previous arguments that Trump was truthful in his repeated insistence that he wasn't doing business in Russia, saying the president was only minimally involved and the involvement only went as far as submitting a nonbinding letter of intent - which he argues isn't the same as doing business.

"All his concentration was 100 percent on running for president," Giuliani said.
Tlahuelilpan, Mexico

Mexico's president vowed Saturday to redouble his fight against an epidemic of fuel theft after thieves punctured a pipeline north of Mexico City, causing an explosion that killed at least 73 people and injured 74 others.

The blast underscored deadly perils of the fuel- theft racket, which has cost the government billions a year and has been the target of a weekslong crackdown by Mexico's new president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

The government's strategy included diverting fuel from pipelines most slowed deliveries across the country, causing Lopez Obrador, who visited the area early Saturday, insisted that the disaster showed why his strategy was more necessary than ever.

"We have to continue with the plan to end fuel theft," Lopez Obrador said during a news conference later at the presidential palace in Mexico City.

The fuel theft crisis is an early test of Lopez Obrador's efforts to combat the country's worsening security landscape. He intends to both strengthen the nation's security apparatus and address underlying social issues, such as inequality and poverty.

Last Wednesday, the lower house of Mexico's Congress approved the creation of a 60,000-member national guard composed of police officers and military personnel to handle national public security tasks, including its fight against organized crime. The proposal was criticized by opposition parties and human rights activists as militarization of policing.

Friday's explosion, which occurred in a rural, impoverished part of the state of Hidalgo, was particularly deadly because the breach in the pipeline created by criminals had also lured hundreds of villagers from the municipality of Tlahuelilpan, drawn by the promise of free gas.

That pipeline section had been among the parts of the fuel transportation network temporarily shut down as part of the government's strategy to curb theft. But the flow through the tube resumed Friday, just hours before thieves punctured it, officials said.

Mexico's defense secretary, Luis Cresencio Sandoval, said that about 25 troops were on the scene, but the contingent was not large enough to turn back the crowd numbering 600 to 800.
A Galveston County jury sentenced a heroin dealer connected to a larger organized drug ring to 25 years in prison on Thursday.

Lorenzo Alfaro, 25, was one of five co-defendants engaged in organized drug smuggling in Galveston. The jury convicted Alfaro on the first degree offense of engaging in organized criminal activity and sentenced him to 25 years in prison and ordered him to pay a $2,500 fine.

Alfaro had been facing a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and maximum sentence of life because of a previous felony conviction of attempted robbery. He also had a previous conviction for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

PORT ARTHUR LEGEND: Janis Joplin would be 76 if not for heroin

The Galveston County District Attorney's Office said that the jury factored in Alfaro's prior convictions in deciding his prison sentence.

Alfaro's arrest was part of a larger covert effort by the Galveston Police Department's Narcotics Division to identify heroin organizations in the community.

An undercover detective testified during Alfaro's trial that he asked a known local marijuana dealer, a co-defendant of Alfaro's, if he could sell the detective heroin. The dealer put him in contact with a "middle man," also a co-defendant, who sold him a small amount of heroin.

BREAKING NEWS UPDATES: Get your breaking news alerts delivered to you.

The middle man then led the undercover detectives to Alfaro and two other co-defendants who sold them more heroin, approximately 2 grams, in a hand-to-hand transaction.

This transaction between the small network of dealers formed the basis of the charge against Alfaro.

Under Texas law, when two or more people participate in or profit off of criminal activity, all of the persons participating can be charged with engaging in organized criminal activity. The engaging charge raises the degree of crime one level from the criminal activity actually committed. In Alfaro's case, what would have been a second-degree felony by selling the detective heroin was bumped to a first degree felony.

NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here.

Nick Powell covers Galveston County for the Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter and send him tips at nick.powell@chron.com


Five New York Air National Guard members have been selected as the top airmen of the 109th Airlift Wing at the Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia.

First Lt. Peter Gioia of Glenville, has been selected as the Company Grade Officer of the Year.

Senior Master Sgt. Amie Moore of Wynantskill earned the wing's Outstanding First Sergeant of the Year title.

Master Sgt. Justin Kruzinski of Delanson earned the wing's Outstanding Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year title.

Staff Sgt. James Cappadora of Albany was named the Outstanding Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.

Senior Airman Waeya Lin of Rensselaer earned the Outstanding Airman of the Year honor.

They were selected on the basis of superior leadership, job performance, community involvement and personal achievements. They will compete in a statewide competition soon.

Gioia, a 14-year veteran who joined the 109th in 2016, serves as the wing's protocol officer, polar plans officer for Operation Deep Freeze, and the vehicle maintenance flight officer in charge for the 109th Logistics Readiness Squadron.

He earned a bachelor's degree in education through the Empire State in 2012.

Moore, who joined the 109th in 2007, is first sergeant of the 109th Logistics Readiness Squadron. Before joining the wing, she served 10 years in the Army National Guard and then with New York Air National Guard's 105th Airlift Wing in Newburgh. She manages the squadron's family support programs, awards and decoration packages, and professional ceremonies.

Moore obtained her associate's degree in liberal arts and social sciences through Alfred State College and then continued her education to earn a Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Science degree in health education at State University of New York, Cortland, in 2001.

Kruzinski, who joined the wing in 2002, is the aircrew flight equipment lead trainer for the 109th Operations Support Squadron. He is responsible for the inspection, maintenance and positioning of aircrew survival equipment and the continuation survival training of aircrew for the only ski-equipped LC-130 aircraft in the world.

He is a 2002 graduate of Duanesburg Central School and earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from the University at Albany in 2009.

Cappadora, who joined the 109th in 2014 , is a fuel systems journyeman with the Maintenance Group.

He earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and psychology at the University at Albany.

Lin, who joined the wing in 2016, is a medical technician with the wing's Medical Group.

He is a 2012 graduate of Rensselaer High School and obtained his bachelor's degree in biochemistry from Elmira College. Lin was recently accepted into the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.

Advance to colonel

Robert Epp of Halfmoon, an Iraq War veteran, has been promoted to colonel in the New York Army National Guard.

Epp, who had been serving as the chief of legislative affairs of the New York National Guard, was promoted during a ceremony at New York National Guard headquarters in Latham.

Epp has been reassigned as deputy commander of the New York National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, which is headquartered at Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia.

He joined the Army as an enlisted Soldier in 1983 and served in Korea and Fort Benning, Ga., as an artillery fire direction specialist, eventually reaching the rank of sergeant. He joined the New York Army National Guard after being commissioned as a lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, 108th Infantry.

Epp, a military intelligence officer, has served in a variety of positions to include intelligence officer for the 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry, commander of the 227th Military Intelligence Company, intelligence officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency, assistant professor of military sdience at Syracuse University, division plans officer for the 42nd Infantry Division, intelligence officer for the 42nd Infantry Division, Camp Smith Training Site Garrison commander and deputy personnel officer for the New York National Guard.

He is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College and the Army War College.

Epp has earned a Bronze Star Medal, a Meritorious Service Medal, three Army Commendation Medals, an Army Achievement Medal, an Army Good Conduct Medal, a Humanitarian Service Medal, and a Meritorious Unit Citation.

Top leader visit

The American Legion Auxiliary Department of New York will host ALA National President Kathy Dungan Friday through Sunday, Jan. 25-27, during a stopover in her yearlong nationwide tour to call on community members.

Dungan will have the opportunity to learn about veteran support efforts in New York, and visit female veterans at The Guardian House located in Ballston Spa. Dungan, of Wesson, Miss., was elected national president of the ALA during the 98th ALA National Convention in August 2018. During her term, Dungan has chosen to highlight the problems women veterans face, particularly the needs of homeless women veterans  including post-traumatic stress disorder, military sexual trauma, and suicide.

Dungan, an ALA member for 40 years, is eligible for membership through her father Wittie Card who served in the Army during World War II.

News of your troops and units can be sent to Duty Calls, Terry Brown, Times Union, Box 15000, Albany, NY 12212 or brownt@timesunion.com.
March of Dimes doesn't always hold a dinner for its Houston Chronicle Best Dressed Hall of Fame honorees. Some years there's a luncheon instead. Other times, an honoree might host a Sunday supper in her home.

But with $725,000 of this year's $1 million goal raised, and the debut of MOD's Roosevelt Society, which celebrates both the organization's 80th birthday and its top-level donors, an intimate gathering inside Neiman Marcus's couture salon felt appropriate. And fun.

A trio of six-foot-tall models changed into a sampling of Carolina Herrera's resort, cocktail and eveningwear, effectively setting the evening's tone on an aspirational note. Come March 28, the American fashion house will showcase its spring collection on the runway during the 37th annual Best Dressed Luncheon at the Post Oak Hotel chaired by Sue and Lester Smith.

On Tuesday, Sue was one of the 60 VIPs - past and present Best Dressed honorees, MOD supporters and Neiman Marcus head honchos - swapping holiday travel stories and peacocking in the best sense of the term.

Gracie Cavnar's pink suede boots elicited a fair share of praise, as did Kristina Somerville's Swarovksi-swathed Art Deco heels. Dr. Yvonne Cormier accessorized her signature Oscar de la Renta frock with a South African necklace in the style of Viola Davis, who's been rocking a similar aesthetic of late.

Gayla Gardner often sews her own magnificent clothes if you can believe it, though on this occasion, she opted for a midnight blue Chloe coat. Lucinda Loya's svelte jumpsuit gleaned from a similar hue, and Becca Cason Thrash's enviable stack of silver baubles registered like a dreamy J. Landa Jewelry meets the Met Gala's "Heavenly Bodies" mash-up.

The menu, too, shone as a topic of conversation. No wilted salads here; not on such a (relatively) cold winter night. On the contrary, Mariposa, Neiman's in-house restaurant, served shiitake mushroom soup, prime rib with mashed potatoes and chocolate mousse to grateful diners while the Julie Johnson Trio performed jazz in the background.

Following Laura Ryan's testimony, the MOD client delivered twins at just 24 weeks, the crowd's next logical move was strategy: there's only 10 weeks left to raise the remaining $265,000 and purchase a killer Carolina Herrera outfit for the big day.
When Vincent Connare invented the typeface Comic Sans in 1994, he never set out to offend anybody. The typographer designed it for some of the first Microsoft home computers: it was intended for the speech bubbles of an animated cartoon dog that would help people navigate the Microsoft Windows interface for the first time.

"I said, 'Comic dogs don't talk in Times New Roman,'" Connare recalled. So, he developed an alternative; a playful, friendly font inspired by comic book type, designed to look handwritten and targeted at younger users. "My original idea was it was going to be used for kids. It wasn't made for everybody to like it," Connare told Live Science.

Unexpectedly, Comic Sans began to spread, appearing in formal documents, on signs, in advertisement  even on billboards. But then, when two typographers started a"Ban Comic Sans" movement in 2002, it gained worldwide traction as other designers began to voice their derision for the goofy font. It got bad enough that when Connare was asked to give a talk at the prestigious Design Museum in London, there were complaints that he shouldn't be presenting there. "I think I had a bodyguard!" he recalled, humorously. [Breaking the Code: Why eYuor Barin Can Raed Tihs]

Today, Connare is amused by all the attention that his humble, friendly font has received since he invented it almost three decades ago. But what exactly makes most people despise Comic Sans so much?

Rugged and beautiful fonts

A single typeface carries multiple nuanced cues  and we're surprisingly good at picking up on them. In a series of studies published in the early 2000s, academics at Wichita State University in Kansas revealed that people perceive typefaces as having distinct personalities, and that they're able to drill these down to precise traits.

"Results showed that people's perceptions of typefaces boil down to three main factors: their 'ruggedness and masculinity', 'perceived beauty' and 'excitement,'" said Barbara Chaparro, who led the research when she was the head of a usability research lab at Wichita State University at the time. (She's now a professor of human factors and behavioral neurobiology at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.)

Later studies showed that when people were asked to rate the suitability of these typefaces for formal documents like resumes, they typically chose typefaces rated as clearly legible and more "beautiful,", over those that were more "excitable," and loud, Chaparro told Live Science. This suggests that humans are good at determining when a typeface suits a given context.

These qualities are cued by multiple subtle traits of the design. For instance, serif fonts have tiny extenders on the ends of letters, which lends them a more refined and elegant quality to the average eye. Consequently, "more professional documents tend to use serif fonts," Chaparro said. San serif fonts, on the other hand, don't have these elegant extenders, and tend to come across as more casual. Asked why we read these subtle cues the way we do, Chaparro said that's hard to know for sure. But, "from the typewriter days, there is a history of serif fonts being used for business documents," she said. Perhaps, over time we have come to link these visual cues to formal writing.

One thing is clear to typographers: "Comic Sans is a sans serif typeface  designed to be informal, casual and used for that kind of material  like a comic," Chaparro said. "I do not think it was ever intended to be used for serious documents."

And this, it seems, is where the problem lies for most people who despise its goofy characters. After the invention of Comic Sans, people started to use it in contexts that it wasn't intended for  such as, in formal documents  giving it a disjointed quality that some found jarring. "People, especially typographers, get upset when it's used improperly. For example, if someone sends an email or writes a document using it," said Chaparro, "it results in a mismatch  an informal, childlike, 'funny' typeface for a potentially serious topic." [Why Are Some People Better at Drawing than Others?]

Naivety and novelty

Connare has a theory about why that occurred. In the 1990s, when home computers started becoming the norm, they gave people a sense of agency that they hadn't had before. Suddenly, anyone with access to a computer could choose from a variety of fonts with which to personalize their documents. "This was the first time that people had a choice, so they were picking crazy things because they could do anything," Connare said. Essentially, it came down to naivete and novelty, he explained. "People didn't have much experience, and so they just picked what was different." With its unusual, playful style that mimicked handwriting, Comic Sans had mass appeal, triggering its rapid spread.

"This typeface was taken up by a number of non-designers in their documents  things like homemade flyers, homemade invitations, websites that were done by non-professionals," said Jo Mackiewicz, a Professor of Rhetoric and Professional Communication at Iowa State University who has done research on why people perceive different personalities in different typefaces. "I think a lot of the reasons people hate it is that it's seen so often, and in places where it should not be used. The fact that it was being used outside of its rather limited purpose  that became obnoxious to people who knew better."

Mackiewicz also thinks that because of the ubiquitous and informal use of Comic Sans, it became associated with other bad design elements, "like centered types, or all caps, or underlining"  features that make typographers' skin crawl. As others took up the cause against Comic Sans, it grew into its reputation as the pariah of the typography world  and marked those who used it as lacking in taste.

"Comic Sans is a special case because so many people do hate it," Mackiewicz told Live Science "So using it now is particularly problematic because people can just discount you, outright.

Where does this leave the beleaguered  but eternally cheery  typeface and its maker?

These days Connare lives in the French countryside, where he grows olive trees and practices calligraphy in his spare time  not overly concerned about people's opinions of him, or his font. But he said that when he meets people and talks about Comic Sans, surprisingly, many confess to him that they are fans. So, for all the offense it has caused, perhaps it has a secret following.

"Most people are friendly and nice about it," Connare said. "It's like it's a song that they don't want anybody to know that they like."

Originally published on Live Science.
THE indicative routes for the by-passes of Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale could be ready by the end of the year, according to Minister of State, Patrick ODonovan.

And he has welcomed the funding of 900,000 for Limerick City and County Council which will allow design work to begin on the two relief roads.

Starting now to put a plan in place for them is absolutely critical, he said.

These road projects could not have proceeded unless they were specifically included in the National Development Plan, Project Ireland 2040 and he had worked to ensure that, he pointed out.

Now we are starting to see funding being allocated to the projects. The money involved here, almost 1m will allow the council to complete much of the work needed to get routes for both towns.

Including Abbeyfeale and Newcastle West for early stage funding now is vital because work is continuing to progress on the design of the bypass of Adare and the Foynes Road to Limerick, Minister ODonovan continued. Once that road is started and possibly completed in stages, the traffic problem will move on to the other towns. So starting now to put a plan in place for them is absolutely critical.

The chairman of the Newcastle West Development Association, Michael Finucane has also welcomed the beginning of work on the relief roads. It is a good start, he said, adding that there had been false dawns in the past. However, he cautioned, the projects could take some time.

He acknowledged however that some of Newcastle Wests traders werent totally convinced about the merits of the project, pointing out that there is a perception that Newcastle West is already by-passed.

There are positives and negatives with any by-pass, he continued. I believe it has to happen. Otherwise we are in trouble with traffic.

He stressed the importance of the two relief road projects going ahead in tandem with the development of the Limerick Adare Foynes road.

The 900,000 for the by-passes is part of overall funding of 10m for Limericks national roads in 2019. The funding includes 1.4m to continue the design of the Limerick to Foynes road, which includes the bypass of Adare. A further 2.2m is allocated to design works for the Limerick to Cork Motorway and 500,000 for the Cahir to Limerick Junction road on the N24.
THOMOND Community College has become the first school in Limerick chosen to take part in a new Government programme, aiming to double the countrys global impact by 2025.

The secondary school in Moylish Park is one of 20 schools nationwide selected to pilot the Global Schools programme, which gives students the chance to explore Irelands role in the United Nations (UN).

The programme also aims to highlight the importance placed on Irelands contributions to peacekeeping, international development, and identifying multilateral solutions to the shared challenges faced globally.

Last week, TCC hosted Captain Brian Lynch of the Defense Forces and Donal Cronin of the Department of Foreign Affairs, who visited the school as part of a Global Schools delegation visit.

TCC students heard about the work of the Irish Embassy and the plans to broaden its footprint through Global Ireland. Students also learned about the importance of the UN and why Ireland is a member.

Diplomacy and Irish trade bilateral and multilateral partnerships were also discussed with the students.

A history of Irelands peacekeeping work over the last 60 years was also outlined to students and a UN Security Campaign video was screened.

After a questions and answers session with the students, a copy of the UN charter was also presented to students, and the UN flag was also raised by the school.

The Global Schools programme was launched in December 2018, and will be trialled in the 20 selected schools this month.

Following the pilot, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Education and Skills, and the Department of Defence will work together to develop the wider Global Schools programme and roll out a plan for all second level schools.
GARDAI observed a man fighting with another male in the early hours of St Stephens Day in a County Limerick town, a court has heard.

Charlie Gore, aged 26, of Roches Road, Rathkeale, pleaded guilty to intoxication at Kilmallock Court.

Inspector Liz Kennedy said at 1am on December 26, 2018, gardai observed the defendant fighting with another male on Roches Road, Rathkeale.

He was extremely intoxicated. He was arrested for his own safety, said Insp Kennedy.

Kevin Power, solicitor for Mr Gore, said his client is 26 and works in Germany.

He was back for the holidays. He is not a drinker as such - it didnt agree with him. He shouldnt have been in that situation. He wishes to go back to Germany to go back to work. He apologises to the gardai and to the court, said Mr Power.

Judge Marian OLeary said if Mr Gore paid 300 to the court poor box she would strike the matter out.
FOR one weekend, in May 1968, Abbeyfeale was the centre of all things Irish when it hosted the annual conference of Conradh na Gaeilge and hundreds of people from all over the country gathered in Tobins Hall.

But that was only one of the highpoints of the towns enthusiasm for the Irish language. Just five years before that, in March 1963, the then President of Ireland, Eamon de Valera was welcomed by thousands of people who packed the Square for the presentation of the Glor na nGael national award. Abbeyfeale had taken the ultimate accolade for the most Irish speaking place outside the Gaeltacht in 1962 and won again in 1963.

Now, renewed efforts are underway in Abbeyfeale to get people speaking as Gaeilge on a regular basis.

Just before Christmas, a new branch or coiste of Conradh na Gaeilge was established in the town, more than a century after the first coiste was set up there in 1906. Now, the coiste is busy organising its first Tionol or gathering which takes place next month. And they have drawn up a programme of get-togethers where people can take part in caint is comhra as Gaeilge as well as a series of lectures and a walking tour of the town which will include the Glor na nGael plaque, now in place at St Itas Hall. But, not surprisingly, it being Abbeyfeale, there will be plenty music too.

The weekend opens on Friday,February 8 in Fr Caseys GAA hall with a lecture by Athea academic Seamus OCoileain on the history of Irish in West Limerick.

According to Irish traditional musician Donal Murphy, who is PRO for the new coiste and for the Tionol, an tUasal OCoileain has done a lot of research on the issue and has come up with some very interesting material.

This will be followed at 9.30pm with a concert featuring The Flannery Sisters, Denis Curtin, Riona ni Churtain as well as Donal and the Murphy family.

A lecture on the history of clothing in Munster will be given by Sile de Cleire on Saturday morning and will be followed by the walkabout.

In the afternoon there will be a talk on the 18th century poetry of Fr Nicholas ODomhnaill by Abbeyfeale academic Una Nic Einri. agus cuirfear deireadh leis an Tionol le seisiun eile ceoil o ceoltoiri oga.

A small admission fee5 will be charged per ression over the weekend.

It is all about encouraging people to use their Irish, Donal Murphy said. Thirteen years ago, he was, he explained,, disgusted with himself when he found himself unable to give an interview as Gaeilge for a TG4 documentary.

This inspired him to do something and he advertised for those interested in setting up a coirceal cainte in Abbeyfeale.

To his great surprise, a group of 10 turned up for the first gathering and then began meeting regularly.

It started with the basics, Donal explained, but over time people improved. And he hopes that following the Tionol, the new coiste will get another coirceal cainte up and running.
A SERIAL offender who is serving a lengthy prison sentence for theft offences has received a further sentence for stealing a consaw from a parked van in Limerick.

At Limerick District Court, Gerard ONeill, aged 23, of New Crescent Halting Site, Childers Road, admitted stealing the STIHL consaw worth 1,000 from the rear of the vehicle.

Sergeant Donal Cronin said the defendant and another man smashed the window of the van to gain access to the vehicle some time between February 7 and February 8, 2017.

The consaw, he added, was never recovered and the owner remains at a financial loss.

Solicitor Tom Kiely said his client is currently serving a lengthy prison sentence and that there was no reality to him paying compensation to the owner of the stolen property.

He said Mr ONeill had a difficult upbringing and that he first began offending and came to the attention of gardai while still a juvenile.

He said he has underlying mental health issues and that he is easily led and vulnerable.

Judge Mary Larkin imposed a two-month prison sentence which is to be served consecutively to a four-year prison sentence which was imposed at Limerick Circuit Court last July.

That sentence related to the theft of various items of property worth more than 12,000 during a spate of burglaries at a number of commercial premises in the Ballysimon areas of the city.

All of those offences occurred on dates between January and April 2016.
AN TAISCE Limerick has welcomed plans for a new multi-purpose development on Parnell Street.

The proposal would see a building which would allow space for both retail and residential use, be built on the grounds of what is now McEnerys shop.

An Taisce Limerick warmly welcomes the proposal for a modern retail and residential building at Parnell Street, close to the junction with Mallow Street and Davis Street, said a spokesperson.

This is a prominent site, directly across from Colbert Station, and will be one of the first buildings noticed by visitors to the city, they said.

While the building occupying the site has been left vacant and now stands derelict and unsightly, this is an opportunity to replace it with a building of high quality that will enhance a street that has suffered disproportionately in recent years, they added.

If the planning application is accepted, it would see the demolition of the existing three-story shop building where McEnerys Shop now stands.

In its place, a four-story mixed-use building would be built.

The proposed development would consist of 11 apartments on the three upper floors.

These would consist of 10 one-bedroom apartments, one two-bedroom apartment.
TWENTY seven acres has been sold for a record price in County Limerick of 1 million, the Leader has learned.

It works out at almost 38,000 an acre. The average price of an acre of good quality land in the county is 10,000 an acre.

Selling agent, Tom Crosse, of GVM Auctioneers, remained tight lipped about the recent sale that has been the talk of Adare. However, he did confirm that agreement had been reached for the parcel of land at Curraghbeg, Adare, located one kilometre from the village.

Mr Crosse reported fever interest in the property. It is understood, from local sources, that the winning bid was 1,000,000. GVM were guiding at 750,000.

The auctioneer said there was a lot of interest from locals living in houses in Adare wishing to build their own home. This pushed the price.

However, the Leader believes a Dublin-based business man won the race for Curraghbeg and bought it by private treaty.

The property was offered for sale in two lots. Lot one was a single storey farmhouse and 17.5 acres - it is excellent quality land.

Lot two was nine acres, six of which is zoned residential. However, that particular portion is landlocked to the rear of an existing housing development. It was sold as the entire, said Mr Crosse. It was put on the market by a local family. Cattle had been grazing the million euro pastures in recent times.

The interest shown comes down to location, location, location and reflects the popularity of the village, said Mr Crosse.

Adare is flying. The Manor has enhanced it, its popularity is growing, business people are gravitating towards it to live. The fact there is an old farmhouse there guarantees planning permission if somebody wants to build a big house on it.

There is some value in there for the zoned land even though it is landlocked - people would take a view on that. You have the proximity to the village and the bypass will come at the side of Adare, which will make it more accessible as well, said Mr Crosse.

It all adds up to a record price paid in County Limerick for Curraghbeg.
Problems with the surface of the path at Maynooth's Square has been raised by members of the local Municipal District meeting on January 10.

The issue arose when Cllr John McGinley proposed that the pay parking surplus in the town be used to re-furbish The Square this year and any surplus be used for access and disability schemes in Maynooth.

Officials said the refurbishment of the Square would need design, costing and public consultation in the context of a public realm plans and could be considered by the Public Realm Team, the establishment of which is now under consideration at this time and subject to the agreement and funding support of the five municipal districts.

Cllr McGinley said he would propose spending 200,000 on the Square.

Cllr Tim Durkan supported the motion. He said there were complaints that when it is wet the limestone currently on The Square gets very slippy and childrenfrom the girls school had slipped on it.

Cllr Theresa Murray said the issue might need another meeting.

Council executive, Evelyn Wright, said any plan would likely need a Part 8 consultation process and they could get the Public Realm Team to look at it.

But Ms Wright said it was unlikely this work would start in 2019 due to programme of work.

Cllr McGinley said that he had not heard of complaints about people slipping on limestone.

The Council has plans for other work in the town in Main Street between Brady's and Willow and Wild.

The Area Engineer said that would happen this year but not the work proposed by Cllr McGinley. He suggested they could earmark 200,000 for it this year and add further funds when the work was done after 2019.

Cllr Murray said the Main Street should complement the Square work.
A public vote in Naas to change the Irish of the towns name is unlikely to take place in the near future. An effort by local councillor and historian Seamie Moore to arrange a referendum has not attracted enough support.

Read also: Speeding in Naas housing estates to be tackled

He wants the vote to take place along with the Kildare County Council and European Parliament elections due in May.

However KCC is resisting the idea and there hasnt been a great deal of support from the other councilors on the Naas Municipal District.

Cllr. Moore wants Nas na Riogh to be the official named instead of An Nas because he believes that this is the historically correct name.

Everybody uses Nas na Riogh going back in time, he said, citing a number of examples.

Expressing frustration at the lack of progress, he said many people supported the poll and he wanted to know how much it would cost.

He wants the arrangements made for the holding of the vote, or plebiscite and he plans to raise the issue at a meeting of the Naas Municipal District today. Kildare County Council has a number of concerns about legal issues surrounding the poll. These include who would be entitled to vote because town boundaries have changed.
Warren County residents Monday will be able to sit down and talk with local police and an elected official.

Washington Township Police Lt. John Kaufmann and Republican Assemblyman John DiMaio, whose 23rd District covers parts of Warren, as well as Hunterdon and Somerset counties, have scheduled an event at the McDonalds, 461 Route 31 South, Hampton. Folks can join them from 10:30 a.m. to noon while enjoying a cup of java.

Kaufmann said the goal of the event is to discuss community issues, learn more about each other and build relationships in an informal, neutral environment.

Coffee with a Cop events began in 2011 as a California police departments attempt to bring law enforcement officers and community members together. Similar events have been hosted since then by departments throughout the United States.

Slate Belt Regional Police Chief David Mettin hosted a series of three similar events this past October and November.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Bethlehem Township is hopeful that a state grant helps put a stop to frequent flooding in Municipal Park that renders the township-owned recreational area a soggy mess for days after rain.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection awarded the township a $57,600 grant this week to kick off the Nancy Run tributary restoration project. The township is providing matching funds and applying for another grant to complete the work, said Kate Ebel, senior environmental scientist for the Wildlands Conservancy, which is partnering with the township on the restoration.

Anytime you can fund work to restore a creek, you are investing in that community, DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell said in a news release. When this work begins on Nancy Run, residents will see improvements to stream life and the area surrounding the stream.

The grant will allow the township to stabilize and grade the eroding stream bank of a small unnamed stream that feeds in to the Nancy Run Creek, which flows through the Farmersville Road park. The project will also reconstruct a 90-degree turn in the stream channel to help improve water flow.

During heavy rains, the stream floods into a nearby grassy area used by geese and then pathogens are able to enter the waterway. This leaves standing water in the parks for days afterwards, Ebel said.

This is something that the township has been wanting to take on for a little while, Ebel said. It has been getting worse in the park.

The project will also plant three acres of riparian vegetation along the restored stream corridor, protecting the park infrastructure while creating a wildlife habitat along the stream, according to the state. The plantings will make walks around the park -- currently a large plot of mowed grass -- more enjoyable and interesting, Ebel said.

It is a big park and there is a lot of potential here, she said. We are excited to work with the township for a new vision for the park.

The grant will allow the project design phase to begin with the goal of commencing work in 2020.

The funding comes from the Growing Greener grant program, which is supported by the Environmental Stewardship Fund thats funded through landfill tipping fees.

Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter@sarasatullo and Facebook. Findlehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Bobrisky is not here to play on his attaining the features of a lady and his transformation took a stunning turn in 2018.

Of late, Nigerian male Barbie, Bobrisky looks every inch like a lady with female features.

The bleaching expert now goes around looking shapely like a young woman. He now has well rounded buttocks and a breast.

While many people wants to believe that all he has to show for his recent figure is breast pad and buttocks pad, Bobrisky has allay their doubt by confirming to a follower who took to the comment section on his Instagram post on Saturday, January 19, to doubt what he has on his chest.

In the shared photo, Bobrisky who is known to be bare-chested in the past displayed what appeared to be real breasts underneath a black body-hugging dress.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android and read the best news about Nigeria

Bobrisky confirms what he has on his chest to fans. Source: Instagram

Source: Instagram

The curious fan asked if what he has on his chest are real, he answered in the affirmative.

Bobrisky confirms he has female features on his chest. Source: Instagram

Source: Instagram

READ ALSO: We can't investigate Bobrisky based on assumptions, bring an evidence - Dolapo Badmus

Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that Bobrisky was playing aunts role to Nollywood actress Tonto Dikehs son, Andre. The two of them were having lunch together at a fancy restaurant.

Tonto and Bobrisky now has an enviable relationship as besties who watches each other's back.

Did you know? NAIJ.com (naija.ng) is now-> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better.

Bobrisky bares it all on Legit TV:

Source: Legit.ng
- Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has taken a swipe at President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo

- Obasanjo lashed out the president and VP over the trial of chief justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen

- The former president queried Osinbajo's claim that the president was unaware of Onnoghen's trial

Former Nigerian president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has lashed out at President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, over the latters claim that the president was ignorant of the trial of embattled Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen.

Legit.ng reports that Obasanjo stated that if truly the president was unaware of the trial, it is inappropriate and it shows that he is no longer in control of the country.

Obasanjo who had earlier noted that Buhari would return to Katsina is the 2019 presidential election is free, fair, credible and peaceful, enthused that Professor Osinbajo was economical with the truth.

READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda

In a press briefing where he addressed journalists on the state of the nation, the Ogun high chief explained that the President is harassing and prosecuting the judiciary to ensure that he can rig the forthcoming general elections.

He said: President Buhari and his hatchet men in the coming election think that the judiciary must be primed in the favour. Hence, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, has been harassed and prosecuted for non-declaration of his assets without following the constitution and the law, just to make him conform or set him aside for a Buhari man to take over or act, as President Buhari and his people believe no stone should be left unturned to rig Buhari in.

It seems to be a ploy to intimidate the judiciary as a whole in preparation for all election cases that will go before them. Where and how will all these stop?

On page eight of a booklet titled points for concern and action which the former president handed over to journalists at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun state, venue of the briefing, he expressed disbelief in Osinbajo over claims that Buhari was unaware of the action on Onnoghen until Saturday night.

According to Obasanjo: But the Vice President told us that the President knew of the action on Saturday night for everything that has been prepared for Monday morning. Haba VP, It doesnt happen that way.

Nobody should take such measure against any of the four in hierarchy below the President or any of his ministers without his knowledge and indeed his approval.

But if that can happen to the Chief Justice of the Federation, the fifth man in the hierarchy of government, without the knowledge let alone approval of the President, then it speaks for the type of government we have which means the President is not in charge let alone being in control and no Nigerian must take anything for granted.

We are all unsafe and insecure under such an administration. And enough of it!

Buharis apologists will not stop at anything to try to cover up for his administrations inadequate performance and character. A constitutional liberal democracy cannot thrive without an independent and insulated judiciary from the executive and the legislature.

Nigerians must wake up and stop these acts of wanton desperation tantamount to mental incapacity to run the affairs of Nigeria wholesomely.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Legit.ng previously reported that former president Olusegun Obasanjo declared that President Muhammadu Buhari would return to Daura, his home town in Katsina state, if the 2019 presidential election is free, fair, peaceful and credible.

Obasanjo made this declaration when he addressed journalists at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun state, on Sunday, January 20.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better

Nigeria Latest News: Buhari vs Atiku - 2019 Elections | Legit TV

Source: Legit
- The minister of education, Malam Adamu Adamu, says N9.5 billion has been released by the federal government to clear backlog of scholarship allowances

- Adamu says the fund is meant for scholarship allowances owned Nigerian students at home and abroad

- The minister urged the Academic Staff Union of Universities and Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic to call of their prolonged strikes

The federal government has said it has released N9.5 billion for the payment of backlog of scholarship allowances owed Nigerian students at home and abroad up to December 2018.

The minister of education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who was represented by Alhaja Asta Ndajiwo, the director, Federal Scholarship Board, disclosed this during a press conference in Abuja at the weekend, News Agency of Nigeria reports.

Legit.ng gathers that Adamu said that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari had already expended over N800 million in 2018 for the payment of scholarship stipends to students at home and abroad.

READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda

According to him, with the current release, the administration will be spending a total of N10 billion for payment of scholarship to students in the 2018 budget and we are determined to do more.

He said: Let me use this opportunity to direct the scholarship board to immediately undertake all due processes required to clear the backlog of scholarship allowances owed Nigerian students both home and abroad. The Federal Government has already released the sum of N9,752,000 for this purpose.

In the third edition of our weekend press briefing, I informed you that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has already expended over N800 million in payment of scholarship stipend.

Adamu said that the board had inherited scholarship liabilities from the scheme operated by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

He said that these liabilities should be thoroughly verified before payment, adding that the board must ascertain that the admissions of such scholars were still valid and that the scholars were still currently pursuing their programmes.

He said that the number of scholarship applicants had risen to 30,000 as against the usual 12,000 applicants for the four scholarship schemes.

The minister therefore appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) to call off their prolonged strikes in the interest of Nigeria, parents and students.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Nigeria has four scholarship opportunities which can be enjoyed by students to further their academic pursuits.

They are the Commonwealth scholarship, the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scholarship, the Federal Government scholarship and the Sustainable Development Goals scholarship.

However, the qualifying examination for the commonwealth scholarship had just taken place in Abuja on January 17.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the federal government spent over N3 billion on 2,953 Nigerian students studying abroad under three scholarship arrangements, namely federal government scholarship, the Bilateral Education Agreement and the Commonwealth Scholarship scheme.

The disclosure was made in Abuja by the minister of education, Adamu Adamu. The minister, who made the disclosure during a press conference noted that the government had so far spent N800 million in the current 2018/2019 academic year.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better

Parents advice government over ASUU strike | Legit TV

Source: Legit.ng News
The remains of a former Nigerian Ambassador to Chad Republic, Ambassdor Usman Gaji Galtimari, was buried on Sunday, January 20, in Maiduguri, amidst hundreds of sympathisers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Galmatari was buried in a cemetery in Maiduguri metropolis at 11 am.

Galtimari, 81, who was also the Chairman of the Borno Elders Forum, died on Saturday after a brief illness.

READ ALSO: Buhari to inaugurate Zik Mausoleum in Onitsha Thursday, January 24

The burial rites were attended by Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno, Emirs of Dikwa and Bama, Alhaji Muhammad Ibn Masta and Shehu Ibrahim Ibn El-Kanemi as well as elders from the state.

He was survived by three wives and 29 children.

NAN reports that Galtimari served at various capacities in the defunct northeastern state.

He was also the secretary to the Borno State Government (SSG) between 1984 and 1987.

In 1987, Galtimari was deployed as the Nigerian Ambassador to Chad Republic and retired in 1991.

Galtimari also led the Borno State Governments Administrative Committee of Inquiry into the Boko Haram disturbances in 2009.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

He served as the chairman of the Federal Governments Dialogue Team with Boko Haram insurgents.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Nigeria's Ambassador to Cote dIvoire, Ibrahim Isah, died after a protracted illness on Tuesday, January 15.

Isah was said to have died in Abidjan, the country's capital at 59.

Legit.ng gathered that the late Isah, who hailed from Niger state, joined the Nigerian Foreign Service in 1983. He served at the Nigerian High Commission in Sierra Leone, consulate general in New York, Jeddah and at the embassy in China.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better.

We are honestly tired of Buhari and Atiku | - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit
The Police Service Commission (PSC) has said it would annually recruit at least 30,000 personnel into the countrys law enforcement agency in order to address what it described as a noticeable shortfall of officers in the system.

Vanguard reports that the commissioner representing human rights, north central in the PSC, Rommy Mom, disclosed this in Makurdi during an interactive session with police personnel and officers in the zone.

The report quoted Mom as saying Nigeria is seriously under-policed with the country grappling with less than 350,000 officials.

READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda

With this figure we have a ratio of 32 police officers to almost 800 Nigerians which is grossly in adequate. That is far below the international standards which should be 132 to 100,000 persons. So we will annually recruit 30,000 personnel until we address the shortfall.

No doubt Our personnel are very small, they are also living in conditions that could be much better in terms of the challenges they face on their jobs.

According to the report, Mom stated that because the police is expected to play a major role in ensuring the success of the coming general elections, the PSC had set mechanism in motion to monitor the conduct of the men of the force.

The commissioner of police in Benue, Omololu Bishi, reportedly said the police had a duty to ensure that the coming general elections were free, fair and credible charged them to be professional in the discharge of that responsibilities.

PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news updates

The success of that election is with us, if we are unbiased and ensure that we provide adequate security and level playing field for all, it woulda certainly be successful, Bishi was quoted as saying.

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of zone 8, Adekunle Oladunjoye, recently warned policemen against misconduct and other negative actions that could further tranish the image of the force.

The Police Zone 2 AIG, comprising Ekiti, Kogi and Kwara, gave the warning on Friday, January 18, in Lokoja while addressing men and officers of the Kogi state command of the Nigeria Police. Read more: https://www.legit.ng/1216419-dont-tarnish-image-aig-warns-policemen.html

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better.

2019 Election: New IGP Speaks Tough | Legit TV

Source: Legit
- Nigeria's president is set to inaugurate the Zik Mausoleum in Onitsha on Thursday, January 24

- The inauguration of mausoleum has been slated as part of activities for his re-election campaign in Anambra state

- The south east zonal coordinator of Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign Organisation said President Buhari wold also pay a visit to the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe and his Council, before proceeding to inaugurate the Mausoleum

President Muhammadu Buhari will on January 24, inaugurate the Zik Mausoleum in Onitsha, as part of activities slated for his re-election campaign in Anambra.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sharon Ikeazor, the south east zonal coordinator of Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign Organisation made the announcement at the All Progressive Congress (APC) stakeholders meeting in Awka on Saturday, January 19.

Ikeazor said that on arrival, Buhari would pay courtesy a visit on the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe and his Council, before proceeding to inaugurate the Mausoleum.

READ ALSO: Shehu Sani reacts to Buhari, Atiku's absence at presidential debate

You are aware that the Zik Mausoleum has been abandoned for so many years but at the inception of the Buhari administration in 2015, President promised to complete the project and it has been completed, she said.

She said that thousands of APC faithful and supporters were expected to attend the campaign rally at the Holy Trinity Basilica ground in Onitsha.

The party has concluded plans to deploy strategies to win the election including door-to-door and community campaigns.

The people of southeast are extremely prepared to give Mr President better votes than in 2015, she assured.

Also speaking, the State Coordinator and Senator representing Anambra south, Senator Andy Uba said the meeting was also arranged to reconcile aggrieved members of the party ahead of the election.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

For us to be able to win, help the president, candidates and the zone, we must be able to seek ways of working together.

The president will win with more votes than he had before, Uba said.

The state acting APC chairman, Basil Ejidike said the party was committed to ensuring victory for the President and all its candidates in the state.

He called on party faithful and supporters of Buhari to turn out massively for the mega rally.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that President Muhammadu Buhari has commissioned the Baro Inland Water Port in Niger state.

The contract, costing N6 billion, was originally awarded in 2011 and 2012 then abandoned, until Buharis government forged ahead to deliver it. Buhari will also later hold a campaign rally in Minna the Niger State capital.

Tayo Fadile, general manager in charge of Corporate Affairs, National Inland Waterways Authority, said the new port is fitted with a Mobile Harbour Crane, Transit shed and an Administrative block.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better

Nobody can stop Buhari in 2019, Atiku cannot win' - Nigeria Street Gist | - on Legit TV

Source: Legit.ng
- The Nigerian Air Force has announced the arrival of a special force team at Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, Sokoto state

- NAF said the team is on special surveillance in efforts to flush out bandits in Sokoto State and environs

- The chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, made the arrangement based on observations during his visit to affected states as well as successes recorded in other areas

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has deployed Jet aircraft and helicopters on special surveillance in efforts to flush out bandits in Sokoto State and environs.

Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao, the Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Tactical Air Command (TAC), disclosed this to newsmen on Saturday, January 19, at the arrival of Special Force at Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, Sokoto.

Amao said the deployment to Sokoto was fulfillment of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakars promise during his last visit to Sokoto.

The Chief of the Air Staff made arrangement based on observations during the last visit to affected states as well as successes recorded in other areas.

The Nigerian Air Force has announced the arrival of a special force team at Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, Sokoto state. Photo credit: Facebook, NAF

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Shehu Sani reacts to Buhari, Atiku's absence at presidential debate

The officer noted that some bandits moved from some places in neighbouring Zamfara had found Sokoto as a safe haven and that they continue extending their nefarious acts in some of the villages in Sokoto state.

He charged officers and men deployed to be serious with the mission, noting that the business is to flush out all the bandits in Sokoto state in collaboration with other sister services and security agencies.

To assist you in this task, the NAF has deployed Jet aircraft, helicopters and surveillance aircraft, he added.

NAF said the team is on special surveillance in efforts to flush out bandits in Sokoto State and environs. Photo credit: Facebook, NAF

Source: Facebook

He explained that these platforms would operate from Katsina and Sokoto Air fields and assured that adequate Jet A-1 fuel, support equipment and personnel were on ground to support the air operations.

The officers and men of NAF deployed have been urged to be serious with the mission. Photo credit: Facebook, NAN

Source: Twitter

Amao assured that the Chief of Air Staff had provided enough resources for the welfare of the Special Force.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

However, he said: I want to remind you once again that your duty here is to protect and save lives and property, it is not to harass or intimidate the good people of Sokoto state.

You are all professionals and you should operate as such, you must adhere strictly to your rule of engagement and be good ambassadors of NAF.

He wished them safe and successful operation, adding that residents and government looked forward to having a peaceful state as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that one of the helicopters used by the Nigerian Air Force in its aerial support in the fight against insurgency has been lost in combat.

The Nigerian Air Force in an official statement said the incident happened in the evening of Wednesday, January 2, in Damasak.

The institution said the operation is part of the Nigerian troops effort to combat insurgency in the northeast.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better.

Can Nigerian Soldiers really not deal with Boko Haram fighters?| Legit TV

Source: Legit.ng
- Governor Ortom of Benue state said President Buhari lacked the capacity to bring the farmers/herders crisis in Nigeria to an end

- Ortom said the president cannot end the crisis because he is an interested party

- The Benue governor, however, said the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has a better chance of resolving the crisis

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of lacking the capacity to provide lasting solutions to recurrent conflicts between farmers and herdsmen across the country because he is an interested party.

Vanguard reports that Ortom stated this in his interaction with traditional rulers at the palace of Chief Daniel Abomtse in Gwer West local government area in Naka.

The Benue governor reportedly accused President Buhari of taking sides with the herdsmen rather than tackling the farmers/herdsmen crises appropriately.

READ ALSO: Our future is not in the hands of retired generals - Oshiomole

He stressed that Nigerians elected the president in 2015 to address the security challenges in the country.

He said: If Buhari wins he will continue to prosecute Miyetti Allah agenda which explains why they have endorsed him, Buhari cannot solve farmers, herders crises, because apart from romancing with Miyetti Allah groups as seen even yesterday, he is not in charge but rather a cabal.

It was clearly demonstrated at the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign rally in Delta state recently that our president has lost consciousness.

The Benue governor, however, said the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, had a longstanding relationship with the people of Benue state having received a chieftaincy title from the state years back.

He added that Atiku is better poised to protect the interest of the people of Benue state.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that phe presidency warned Governor Ortom to stop spreading false reports in churches about President Buhari's purported plans to Islamise Benue state.

Malam Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant on media and publicity to the president in series of tweets on Sunday, January 13, called on Ortom to desist from basing his campaign for re-election on falsehoods concerning the president and instead focus on the dire issues confronting the state.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better.

Nigeria Latest News: Buhari vs Atiku - 2019 Elections | Legit TV

Source: Legit.ng
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, after a two-day trip to the United States has returned back to Nigeria.

Channels reports that the aircraft that conveyed the presidential candidate touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja at about 3:00pm on Saturday, January 19.

Legit.ng had earlier reported that Atiku Abubakar, had departed from the United States of America after a two-day visit.

It was earlier reported that Atiku is expected to land in Abuja, the nations capital, for the televised presidential debate scheduled for 7pm Nigerian time.

Legit.ng gathered that the debate is between the leading presidential candidates. It is not clear if President Muhammadu Buhari, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), would be in attendance.

Atiku left the US after holding a town hall meeting with Nigerians in Washington DC.

The publisher of The Boss newspaper, Chief Dele Momodu, in a tweet on Saturday, January 19, confirmed that the former vice president left U.S for Nigeria ahead of the presidential debate.

He said: "We are told that the PDP Flagbearers return is to enable him attend the much-hyped Presidential Debate holding today in Abuja, Nigerias capital. As well as show that he is fit and mentally prepared for the job of running Africas most populous country."

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better.

Nigeria Latest News: Buhari vs Atiku - 2019 Elections | - on Legit TV

Source: Legit.ng
Front-page

Barron tries to move forward after Jayme Closs' return

Gay Fladten

Everything happens for a reason.

That bit of conventional wisdom, routinely tossed around when people face obstacles of all sorts, falls ridiculously short in the case of Jayme Closs.

What happened to this 13-year-old girl from rural Barron is beyond inexplicable. There can be no rational reason for a 13-year-old girl to have her parents, James and Denise Closs, murdered and to be abducted and held captive for 88 days.

The chilling details, unveiled Monday in Barron County Court, only made the case harder to wrap ones mind around, as the criminal complaint indicated that suspect Jake T. Patterson told authorities he meticulously planned the crime after deciding to abduct Jayme, even though they had never met online or in person. Patterson, 21, said he decided to take Jayme after seeing her board a school bus as he drove to work one morning. He didnt even know Jaymes name at the time.

The sheer randomness of such a horrific crime is hard for people to deal with, said Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald, adding, Its scary.

The idea that some depraved individual can shoot two people to death and literally snatch a middle-schooler out of her mothers arms  the complaint indicates that Patterson, after shooting James with a shotgun, forced his way into a locked bathroom where Denise clutched Jayme in a bear hug as they cowered in the bathtub  for no apparent reason is the stuff of nightmares. But in this case, however disturbing, its reality.

That helps explain why the case has attracted international media attention and, sadly, made Barron a household name around the country.

But while the rest of the world will inevitably move on to the next big news story now that Jayme is back safe with family members, the challenge is greater for those who call Barron (population: 3,423) home. Over the past three months, residents mourned for Jaymes parents, helped law enforcement look for clues to Jaymes disappearance and sought to keep her name and face in the public eye, hoping against the odds that somehow Jayme would be found alive.

Moving forward

And now they, like Jayme, have to find a way to move forward.

Its been a difficult thing to absorb, for me as a lifelong resident of Barron, Wisconsin, and a lot of other people around here, Barron Mayor Ron Fladten said late last week. We always talk about how Barron is such a nice, quiet, peaceful place to live. And it has been, and it is, with the exception of this terrible tragedy that took place.

While he acknowledged that some terrible things happen in this world  now even in their little corner of it  the mayor said folks just have to put it behind them.

You cant live in fear, Fladten said.

The dark cloud that hung over the community for nearly three months began to lift when the news broke Jan. 10 that Jayme had been found alive after escaping from the cabin near Gordon in Douglas County where Patterson had held her captive since the Oct. 15 abduction from the Closs family home about a mile west of Barron.

There was a lot of joy and lot of elation, Fladten said. I think people in the community were overjoyed when they learned Jayme was coming home.

A week after her recovery and three days after the criminal complaint laid out in detail how prosecutors say Patterson carried out the murders and the abduction, the mayor said things appeared to be settling down in the community.

Preliminary planning is underway for a community celebration, something Fladten believes will help the community move on.

Then we can focus on healing and moving forward, he said, emphasizing that his biggest concern is that Jayme get the time and counseling she needs to heal and adjust to her new reality.

Barron schools superintendent Diane Tremblay said she still gets stopped on the street by people asking the same question: How do we convince our kids that theyre safe?

After initially being reluctant to accept offers of help from outside groups out of what she now describes as an overprotective instinct that made her want to limit the number of new faces kids would be exposed to in school, Tremblay said she eventually came to realize that people with experience and expertise could provide valuable insights into how to help students, staff and community members cope with the traumatic events of the past three months.

There is no better resource than people who have been through trauma in schools, she said.

Newtown ally

One of the people who reached out to the Barron school district was Michele Gay, whose 7-year-old daughter, Josephine, was killed in the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. Gay is the co-founder and executive director of Safe and Sound Schools, an organization that helps school districts prepare for and respond to crises.

While Newtown and Barron faced different challenges, both communities have had to deal with a tragedy, said Gay, whose organization connected with Barron schools through the state Department of Justice.

There are some common threads we share, Gay said. Both are small towns that are normally safe and secure where everybody knows everybody, we think. ... There are elements we share that will help inform critical decisions that will have to be made in Barron.

A crucial challenge involves restoring a sense of physical and psychological safety among students, she said.

There is a lot of fear to manage, Gay said. There is a sense that, Oh my goodness, this could happen to me. Even though the odds are astronomically rare, there is that idea that has opened up in childrens minds.

While Tremblay already has been meeting with various school groups to see how theyre doing, she said administrators plan to do a formal assessment of all students and staff beginning on Jan. 29 so they can address the distinct needs of each person in recovering from the trauma they have endured.

Right now, we just want to be sure our kiddos feel safe, Tremblay said.

Shortly after Jayme was found, Gay wrote a blog on the Safe and Sound Schools website expressing her joy but also cautioning that the ordeal didnt end the moment Jayme was safe in the custody of law enforcement after seeking help from a woman walking her dog near Pattersons cabin.

It is important to understand that Jayme and her communitys journey does not end today, Gay wrote. While we feel joyous at Jaymes return, the process of healing and recovery has no prescribed timetable. Each member of the community will have their own unique way to heal, their own journey to follow.

Safe and Sound Schools, which began assisting the Barron school district while Jayme was missing, will continue its work with the district, Gay said. The group has enlisted several experts from its crisis support network to provide training and support in crisis response, trauma and recovery.

Were make connections and making sure, first and foremost, they dont feel alone. Were going to be with them, Gay said. It doesnt matter what your tragedy experience is. Our team has a lot of experience walking through tragedy and the many twists and turns it presents.

As for Jayme, Tremblay said school officials are leaving the timing of her potential return to classes at Riverview Middle School up to the family. In the meantime, they are coming up with several educational options for Jayme when shes ready.

Model of resilience

Fitzgerald, who adamantly maintained throughout the time Jayme was missing that he believed the teenager was alive, continues to sound an optimistic tone.

We just have to move forward and never give up hope, Fitzgerald said. Thats kind of been my message all along. You have to believe that hope is out there.

Though many Barron County residents expressed anxiety about the seeming randomness of what happened to the Closs family while Jayme was missing, Fitzgerald said such sentiments have tailed off since Jayme was recovered and the complaint offered some answers to the mysteries surrounding the case.

Our community will come out of this even stronger than before, Fitzgerald said, pointing out that the case has brought people closer together and that he expects those bonds to continue with neighbors more committed to look out for each other and more inclined to report suspicious activity.

Resilience is the key, Fitzgerald said, and residents need look no further than Jayme to find inspiration. After all she went through  from seeing her parents murdered to being bound and locked in Pattersons trunk for the 65-mile drive to the Douglas County cabin to whatever horrors she may have endured during her captivity  she found the strength to push away the weighted bins Patterson used to trap her under his bed and escape.

Theres no question: Jayme is the hero, Fitzgerald said. The will to survive that she showed is an example for us all that we can do anything if we work together and never lose hope.
Trichy, January 20: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a ride in the K-9 Vajra howitzer, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said the Army would get a fleet of 10 more Howitzers in the next one month. The K-9 Vajra is one of the two new howitzers to have been inducted into the Army after a gap of more than 30 years in the shadow of the Bofors gun scandal.

"The induction of the gun into the Army was a big achievement after a gap of 30 years... in the next month, the Army will receive a new batch of these guns," Defence Minister Sitharaman said in reply to an ANI query. This is one of the fastest deals in terms of the time taken. Larsen & Toubro had won Rs 4,500 crore contract to supply 100 units of the K9 Vajra-T 155 mm/52 calibre Tracked Self-Propelled gun systems to the Indian Army in 2017. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Unveils M777, K9 Howitzers for Indian Army.

Had the privilege of inaugurating the Larsen and Toubro Armoured Systems Complex in Hazira, Gujarat. Boosting Make in India in the defence sector is our endeavour. I am glad that the private sector too is supporting this pursuit and making a valuable contribution. pic.twitter.com/2zJynr5aCw  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 19, 2019

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the Armoured Systems Complex of Larsen and Toubro in Gujarat, the first private facility in the country where the K9 Vajra self-propelled Howitzer guns will be manufactured. Larsen & Toubro had in 2017 won the Rs 4,500-crore contract from the Ministry of Defence to supply 100 units of K9 Vajra-T 155 mm/52 calibre tracked self-propelled gun systems to the Indian Army under the Centre's 'Make in India' initiative.

"I congratulate the entire team of Larsen & Toubro for building the state-of-the-art K-9 Vajra Self Propelled Howitzer. This is a significant contribution towards India's defence sector and protecting the country," Prime Minister Modi tweeted.

"Boosting 'Make in India' in the defence sector is our endeavour. I am glad that the private sector too is supporting this pursuit and making a valuable contribution," he had said in another tweet. The other gun to have been inducted into the Army was the M-777 ultralight howitzer which has been imported from the US.
On Thursday, a federal grand jury in Detroit, Michigan, indicted four Audi executives for playing a role in the diesel cheating scandals that rocked parent company Volkswagen Group in 2015 and 2016. The four executivesRichard Bauder, Axel Eiser, Stefan Knirsch, and Carsten Nagelall worked for Audi in Germany, and they have not been arrested.

The four men have been charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, commit wire fraud, and violate the Clean Air Act.

This indictment says that in response to this news from CARB, Oliver Schmidt, the general manager in charge of emissions compliance for VW Group, sent an email to Knirsch, telling him that our worst fears have come true and that we urgently need help with arguments. Schmidt is one of the few VW Group managers who has actually been arrested, tried, and sentenced. He was sentenced to seven years in prison in December 2017.

As we explained in 2015:

If management learned VW engineers were able to achieve the impossible They found a way to burn diesel in a manner which literally saved billions of dollars for the company, they would naturally want to know how it was done. This was a breakthrough. It is inconceivable that all of management wouldnt be interested in learning at least something about how the system worked. Basically this means all senior management could likely be liable if logic is a guide here.

In addition, we said:

There is no way a BMW engineer or one from Mercedes is going to believe they cant achieve something Volkswagen engineers can. You see where Im going here? It is impossible that questions about this new technology wouldnt have come up in vehicle planning and board meetings. Moreover, auto makers routinely tear apart competitors cars No other auto company evaluated this breakthrough technology in order to emulate it? Finally, none of the diesel engineers ever got hired away by rival companies?

We were right on this as well. You may recall this when you read:

It is shocking how brazen a scheme this was and how it spread throughout the auto industry without governments being aware of it at all. We will see if these indictments serve as a warning to current business leaders to obey rules and regulations.
President Donald Trump has made an attempt to end the government shutdown. Today at the White House, he announced he would be willing to extend protections for DACA recipients in exchange for a border wall.

President Donald Trump said, "I am here today to break the logjam and provide Congress with a path forward to end the government shutdown."

Speaking from the White House, he proposed funds for what he called a, "humanitarian and security crisis" at the Southern Border: new drug detection technology, more border patrol agents, more judges, and a wall.

President Donald Trump said, "The plan includes $5.7 billion for a strategic deployment of physical barriers, or a wall."

Then he offered what he believes will convince moderate Democrats to support him,

President Donald Trump said, "Three years of legislative relief for 700,000 DACA recipients."

And, added that he would also offer three years of protection for individuals with temporary protected status or TPS.

President Donald Trump said, "That is our plan, border security, DACA, TPS, and many other things."

But, Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejecting the proposal. In a statement, Pelosi said, "It is unlikely that any one of these provisions alone would pass the House, and taken together, they are a non-starter. For one thing, this proposal does not include the permanent solution for the Dreamers and TPS recipients..."

Then, Speaker Nancy Pelosi adding that Democrats want border security but first, will pass bills to reopen the government, something that seems unlikely as both sides continue to stand their ground.
A great deal

Somewhat

Not very much

Not at all

Vote

View Results
Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Thunderstorms likely in the morning. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 88F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Variable clouds with scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly overnight. Low 67F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
More than 200 businesses or individuals benefited from the North Central Ohio SCORE in 2018, according to Neil Hamilton, the immediate past chair of the nonprofit organization.

The organization's 27 volunteer mentors held a total of 217 meetings in 2018, some to guide entrepreneurs with their ideas and others to help existing businesses and nonprofits get to the next level.

"We have appointments every week -- year in and year out, weve counseled over 200 nearly every year in recent years," said Hamilton.

The North Central Ohio SCORE holds a mix of one-on-one meetings and workshops to benefit business owners and entrepreneurs in Ashland, Richland, Crawford, Knox, Marion, Morrow and Wyandot counties. The meetings are free of charge, and typically workshops have a low fee.

One volunteer and retiree, Merris Welge does it for "the satisfaction of helping someone start a business."

"And I learn something new with every client I talk to," he said.

He considers it his responsibility to give information to clients without telling them what to do.

"We never tell someone they have a crazy idea," he said. "Instead we put information on the table for people to make an informed decision. We help them make a right decision, whether it's to support the idea or not."

Further, North Central Ohio SCORE recently received a silver award from SCORE National.

"That was a great accomplishment for the chapter as a whole. That was our goal and we achieved that goal," Hamilton said.

The organization added more mentors with expertise in different areas to attain this award.

"It was a really good year, and we look forward to 2019 being a better year. Were going for gold," Hamilton said.

SCORE was founded in 1976 with the notion that retired individuals could help the Small Business Administration work with individuals. It was initially called Service Core of Retired Executives, but the name changed to SCORE, as the organization was opened to anyone with impressive business experience.

For more information, visit www.ncoscore.org or find the organization on Facebook.
This is a story about how life could end for many of us: at home surrounded by high-tech sensors, voice assistants and automated pill dispensers. And there's a "companion" robot to ward off loneliness.
The Supreme Court said on Friday that it will no longer hear a case related to the Trump administration's decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census.
5G will have an enormous impact on the world
The Herald reports:

Auckland must dump the ideology of a compact city and spread out and grow to make housing affordable, says Auckland councillor Greg Sayers.

Auckland should spread out predominantly to the south where there is a lot of suitable land, Sayers says in a self-published book, How to Fix Aucklands Housing Crisis.

The Rodney councillor joins other right-leaning advocates who believe the solution to the citys housing crisis is to abolish the rural-urban boundary that controls land supply for housing, freeing up planning rules to make it easier for developers and funding infrastructure through user-pays.
MANLY, Iowa  Charges are filed against two people after a law enforcement search Saturday morning.

The Worth County Sheriffs Office says they found narcotics and drug paraphernalia in rural Manly and arrested Mark Urbatsch, 62 of rural Manly, and Holly Low, 45 of Northwood.

Urbatsch is accused of possession of methamphetamine-3rd or subsequent offense, possession of marijuana-3rd or subsequent offense, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Low is charged with possession of meth-1st offense, possession of marijuana-1st offense, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The Mitchell County Sheriffs Office K9 Unit assisted with this search.
ROCHESTER, Minn.-Mayo Clinic is completing renovations of the tower that houses 56 bronze bells.

Its the Rochester Carillon that sits on top on the Plummer building downtown.

The Carillon is a musical instrument that has 56 cup-shaped bells. The bells were installed in the 1920s from the Mayo brothers as a memorial to soldiers in World War 1.

Now in todays times, the bells need an update.

We spoke to Austin Ferguson. Hes the carillonneur of Mayo Clinic and tells us that the restoration project is necessary.

This restoration will make it play like a world class instrument, said Ferguson.

He tells us they're keeping the bells and keyboard but starting everything else from scratch.

Heres some of the work thats being done:

1. Tear out old roller-bar transmission system and replace with new, directional-square transmission system (old system was dated, clunky, heavy, and prone to breakages due to its design. New system is lighter, easier to service, and uses modern technology).

2. Take off highest 17 bells and re-mount in a new, custom-frame in new location

3. Raise entire bell frame up five and a half feet (helps get sound to the ground better and makes it easier to service in the future)

4. Replace the clock strike system that was original to 1928 with new electric strikers, this includes a new clock chime system that can be controlled not only from up in the tower but also on a smartphone

5. Re-mount all 56 bells with new clapper springs and mountings

6. Replace the umbrella system (the waterproofing system on top of the playing cabin) with a new model thats sturdier than the old model

7. Replace all wires with new, unbent ones as well as all linkages between keyboard and playing mechanism

8. Replace adjustment mechanism (known as turnbuckles) with newer, easier-to-use models

9. Extensive service to the keyboard to make it less noisy

10. Construction of new framework to hold both the new clock strikers and new playing mechanism

The project is expected to be completed this March.
MASON CITY, Iowa  A second guilty plea in Clear Lake drug bust.

Heather Mae Copas, 37 of Clear Lake, is now pleading guilty to possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine. Her sentencing is set for March 4.



Joshua Debower Joshua Debower

Copas and Joshua Debower, were arrested on July 13, 2018, after police searched a home along Plaza drive and found over 20 grams of meth, as well as marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Debower previously pleaded guilty to possession of meth-1st offense and was sentenced to five days in jail and a $315 fine.
Leading Irish protection specialist, Royal London, is calling on the Irish Government to establish a register of Wills to overhaul the current system, which it says, makes the process of locating a Will more difficult than it ought to be.

Over the last two years the life assurance company has been examining the probate process in Ireland. They have found significant inefficiencies within the system, which are leading to lengthy delays across the country for families looking to settle the affairs of deceased loved ones.

In July of this year, the Minister for Justice, Mr. Charles Flanagan, reported figures from the Courts Service showing a waiting time of up to 8 weeks in Kilkenny District Probate Office for a Grant of Probate. Its investigations have found that while probate delays are a product of a complex process with insufficient resources, the lack of a centralised Wills register is compounding the issue.

Liz Murray of Royal London in Kilkenny, explained, Typically a person will look for a Will if a friend or family member has passed away and they have been asked by the Probate Office to provide a Will, before the deceaseds estate can be settled. However, a Will can go missing for a variety of reasons. For example, the Executor of the deceaseds estate simply cannot locate the Will or the deceased may not have told anyone they have made a Will.

As it stands, someone wanting to locate a missing Will really only has two options. Firstly, they can tell their Solicitor who then contacts other local Solicitors on their behalf to see if they are holding the Will. Alternatively, they can place an advertisement in the Law Society Gazette and hope that whichever Solicitor is holding the Will sees the advertisement, remembers the name of the client and comes forward. At the moment there are over 10,000 practicing Solicitors in Ireland2. Coupled with the fact that Ireland has an ageing population, this method is no longer fit for purpose.

Royal London says that Ireland could model a Wills register on the UK system which does not collect the specific details of a Will, rather it simply registers its existence and tags its location. The contents of the Will itself can only be accessed when the person passes away and will only be disclosed if the person searching for it has a legitimate interest and can provide a copy of the deceaseds death certificate.

Ms. Murray went on to say, Essentially, its a database for Wills; with a record of where they are located for when the time comes to recover them. This is a much more efficient and effective method of dealing with an already difficult process for families and friends of deceased. Establishing a Wills register in Ireland would make the whole process much easier and more transparent for all concerned.

Royal London advised that Ireland is lagging behind its European counterparts when it comes to Wills registers. According to www.successions-europe.eu, a website co-financed by the European Commission, just seven out of the twenty-eight European Union member states do not have a national Wills register  although five of these countries have now initiated a legislative process to establish one. Additionally, a European Network of Registers of Wills Association (ENRWA) report from as far back as 2010 called out Ireland as the only country that has not made any strides in this regard3.

This issue has been brought to the attention of the Dail several times. In particular, Senator Terry Leyden has been drawing attention to this topic since 2011 when he first proposed a Will Register Bill to the sitting administration. Senator Leyden brought another Bill to the attention of our current Government in December 20164. However, with Brexit matters dominating Government proceedings since then not much progress has been made, although it is hoped the Bill will be moved forward in the near future and that Government support can be secured.
Oregon man suspected of killing four family members had been arrested on weapons charge
Yet the farming federation has continued to stand by Trump, even as its delegate body was set to debate Tuesday whether to toughen its policy stance on tariffs as a result of Trumps trade war.

Trump spoke only briefly about his trade dispute with China and said talks with Beijing are going very well. He touted a revised trade accord between the United States, Mexico and Canada and urged Congress to ratify that deal.

And he said the Department of Agriculture is doing everything within its power to help farmers deal with the ongoing shutdown.

Of the standoff with Democrats over Trumps refusal to sign a spending bill without at least $5.7 billion in border wall funding, the president said: Were fighting very hard to defend our nation. He added that ordinary Americans are missing paychecks but said that many have sent him a message that we agree with you 100 percent.

Trumps appearance here highlighted the importance of the organization to him. During the shutdown, he has canceled a vacation at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, and aides said he called off a trip to an economic forum in Davos, Switzerland, later this month. Last year, Trump became the first president to address the farmers convention since George H.W. Bush.
The 2019 Nebraska Ag Tech Association Conference and Trade Show will be Jan. 31 at the Kearney Holiday Inn.

It will highlight precision ag topics that include economics, nutrient management, data collection, equipment, variable rate applications and sprayer technology.

Learn more about this conference and registration details at https://neata.org/ or by or contacting Wendy Morrissey at wmorrissey2@unl.edu or 402-472-5636.

Women in Agriculture

The annual Nebraska Women in Agriculture Conference hosted by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension will be Feb. 21-22 at the Kearney Holiday Inn.

The theme for the two-day event designed to educate and uplift women involved in Nebraska agriculture is Take Charge of Change.

The five focus topics are production, market, financial, human and legal risks.

General session speakers include Marji Guyler-Alaniz of Iowa, who will discuss the inspiration for and evolution of FarmHer, an enterprise to update the image of agriculture, particularly the roles of women in agriculture.
Were still a few days from summer, but temperatures are dangerously hot already. As we get ready for whats expected to be the hottest day of the year, some organizations in the metro are making sure people in the community are protected.
imPerfect Dancers Company:

Anne Frank  Words From the Shadows

7:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 29

Buy tickets

This inspirational tribute is a work of extraordinary beauty and grace choreographed by Walter Matteini and Ina Broeckx of Italys Imperfect Dancers Company. The diary of Anne Frank invites us to think about this dark period of history, seen through the eyes of an adolescent. Warning of the dangers of intolerance, the shows theme is still relevant today.

Anne Frank, parole dallombra (Anne Frank, words from the darkness) is dedicated to Anne Frank and was made to commemorate the 70th anniversary of her arrest and deportation. The piece begins when after the liberation of Auschwitz, Annes father, the only survivor of the family, returns to the Secret Annex where he gets the diary of his daughter. While reading, he discovers aspects of her that he did not expect. He relives their absconding and the tragic events that followed.
Opening old wounds

Does the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County community predominantly believe the downtown Confederate statue is a public nuisance? Do we really believe the statue represents hate? Do we really believe it means that racism is rampant here?

I certainly cant speak for the entire community  and neither can anyone else, including the several hundred individuals who showed up on a rainy Sunday afternoon to rally for or against the statue (Statue showdown, Jan. 14).

Ill simply share that I was stunned by the results of the Journals Jan. 1 online poll on the Confederate statue. I didnt expect to see that 5,235 people had participated in the poll. And  given the shrill opposition and some splashy reporting  I didnt expect to see that 80 percent of the poll participants (4,178) voted to leave the statue where it is. Nearly 14 percent (736) voted to move the statue to a cemetery or somewhere else. Six percent (308) voted to do away with the statue entirely; and less than one percent (13) were undecided.

Yes, I know the Journal poll isnt scientific. But it shouldnt be dismissed, either.

Might it possibly mean that most of us have forgiven the sins of the past, and that most of us are not interested in opening old wounds?
In an interview with Chris Wallace on Fox News, press secretary Sarah Sanders claimed that nearly 4,000 known or suspected terrorists come into our country illegally, and we know that our most vulnerable point of entry is at our southern border...

Unfortunately for Sanders, Wallace had done his homework. Do you know where those 4,000 people (were) captured? he asked. Airports. In baggage claim, not wading across the Rio Grande. He added, The state department says there havent been any terrorists that theyve found coming across the border from Mexico.

NBC found that, according to Department of Homeland Security data, just six people on the terrorism watch list were apprehended by Customs and Border Patrol agents at the southern border in the first half of 2018.

Caught in two obvious misstatements in a single sentence, Sanders shifted to another, claiming that without a wall there will be influx of drugs coming into the U.S. from Mexico.
Does she possess the ability or the desire to successfully raise funds for someone in a tough district? Would she be considered too much of a lightning rod?

This is crucial if she is to build coalitions. Here is where the Sam Rayburn Rule could come into play. The former House speaker was famous for telling newly elected legislators to get along, go along. The House of Representatives may be beyond the strict letter of Rayburns warning, but I suspect a number of members hold to the ethos, especially as it relates to Ocasio-Cortez.

Not every member of her party welcomes Ocasio-Cortez with open arms. By her first day in Congress, she had leapfrogged many of her colleagues in notoriety that have paid their dues and, in many cases, know more about the issues substantively that she champions.

This perspective was shared by Whoopi Goldberg, who offered paternalistic advice to Ocasio-Cortez on The View: You just got there, and I know you have lots of good ideas, but I would encourage you to sit still for a minute and learn the job.

Whether she sits still or hits the ground running, Ocasio-Cortez must be able to count to 218, the number of votes required for a majority. The speeches, press appearances and social media impact cannot mitigate the ability to count to 218.

But individuals come to the House of Representatives for myriad reasons, and Ocasio-Cortez should be afforded the time to figure out what her role will be. As the masterminds of Brexit illustrate, there is a thin line between appearing to have the answers to becoming yesterdays news. To avoid the latter scenario, Ocasio-Cortez had better get some authority before she tries to use it!

The Rev. Byron Williams (byron@publicmorality.org), a writer and the host of The Public Morality on WSNC 90.5, lives in Winston-Salem.
Choi said no one from the state came by to tell him about the advanced timetable for the bridge  even though state officials said they have been working with business owners since 2015 to get them ready for the closure.

Current plans call for the replacement bridge to be opened in early spring, possibly by April 1, but Choi still faces a big unknown: The ramps that connected Broad Street to Business 40 are gone for good. So even when the freeway reopens in the summer of 2020, he will no longer get as many of the cars that zoom by below.

It wont come back 100 percent, he said of business. I hope it comes back as much as possible.

Willows Bistro on South Liberty Street is in a restored railway freight warehouse and office that stands just south of where a long bridge used to carry Business 40 over Liberty Street.

People used to come right down Liberty and drop by for a meal, but that direct connection is gone for now.

We have seen a significant drop in business, said Ryan Oberle, one of the restaurants managers. We do have our regulars. It has picked up a little since people have figured out how to get here. The holidays are normally very good for us, but this year it has not been as good. Some people just gave up trying to find a route here.
Mary Anne Sheboy tirelessly pursued news stories when she worked as a reporter for WXII television station for nearly 18 years, a colleague said.

She was a gutsy reporter, said Billy Rich, a former reporter and videographer for WXII. She was a go-getter. When she was assigned a story, she would track down the information. She had contacts all over the place.

Sheboy, 65, died Dec. 27 from complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, said her sister, Mary Cathryn Sheboy of Cleveland.

Mary Anne was a very good friend to so many people, Mary Cathryn Sheboy said of her sister. She made a lot of friends in Winston-Salem.

Sheboy retired from broadcast journalism in 1995 after working at WXII for 17 years, the Winston-Salem Journal reported in May 1996. She sold her farm in Davidson County and returned to Cleveland to live with her family there.

I am going to miss a lot of people down here, Sheboy said at the time.

Mary Anne Sheboy graduated in 1971 from Saint Augustine Academy in Lakewood, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, her sister said. Sheboy also attended Cleveland State University.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said it has received more than 250 forms and more than $2 million in application fees in the first week of accepting applications from those seeking to grow or distribute medical marijuana.
Evelyn "Berniece" Anderson, age 89, of Pierce City, Missouri, passed away following an illness on June 12, 2021. Berniece was born on April 22, 1932, in Neosho, Missouri, to Truman and Louella (Ball) Patrick. At 21 years old, Berniece married her best friend, Millard Anderson. Before his pas
This Week in Review

A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more.
A survey of technology companies in the UK has found that 70% believe that a no-deal Brexit would have either a very or fairly negative effect on their businesses, while 84% are of the opinion that the UK is, overall, unprepared to deal with no deal.

The survey was carried out by lobby group techUK which counts more than 900 firms, mostly small and medium-sized businesses, as its members. These companies employ about 700,000 people, roughly half the tech sector jobs in the country, and range from FTSE 100 companies to start-ups.

techUK sought answers from 773 companies between 30 November 2018 and 10 December 2018, and received responses from 276, a 36% response rate. As many tech firms have policies against participating in surveys and also considering the short timescale, techUK said this was a good turnout.

The survey found that most bigger companies (250+ staff) had taken steps to get ready for a no-deal Brexit, but smaller outfits (less than 50 staff) and 46% of mid-sized businesses (50 to 249 staff) had taken no steps to prepare for Britain lurching out of the European Union without a deal.

Last week, the British Parliament voted down an exit plan advanced by Prime Minister Theresa May, leaving the ruling Conservative Party with a shade over 70 days to prepare for the country's exit from the EU on 29 March. The vote was initially scheduled for 11 December and the survey sought to align with that date; later the vote was put off to January.

techUK said when survey respondents were asked why they had not made any preparations for a no-deal Brexit, many firms (49%) said they were unable to predict what impact it would have, while others (37%) were unsure of what they should do to be prepared.

Among the top three preferences of the respondents (64%) was a delay in the UK leaving the EU, with 16% giving this as their primary preference.

Only 11% said their first preference was a no-deal exit, with less than a third (27%) citing it among their top three preferences. Only 2% wanted a general election to sort out the situation, while 25% gave this option among their top three preferences.

A majority (59%) said the UK should retain a closer alignment with the EU after leaving the bloc, while 29% wanted a looser alignment.

techUK chief executive Julian David said: Our polling suggests that many of our small and mid-sized members, in particular, do not have the resources or information needed to effectively prepare for no deal.

"They want a deal that works and a future relationship that retains a high level of alignment and access to the EU market on issues that matter to the sector, such as the free flow of data, regulation and the availability of talent.

"We believe a simple Canada-style free trade agreement would not be an acceptable outcome for most of techUKs members.

The UK voted to leave the EU in a referendum held on 23 June 2016. May triggered Article 50, the intention to leave the EU, on 29 March 2017 giving the country two years to leave the 27-member political and economic grouping.

Graphic: courtesy techUK
Martin Wiktorin, president and country manager for Singapore, Brunei & Philippines, Ericsson, Soh Wai Wah, principal and chief executive, Singapore Polytechnic and Mark Chong, Group chief technology officer, Singtel, at the launch of the 5G facility.

Singapore telco Singtel, Singapore Polytechnic and Ericsson have opened the country's first live 5G facility at the polytechnic's Dover Road campus, to serve as a training centre, test bed and ideation lab to develop Singapore's 5G ecosystem and encourage adoption of 5G by businesses.

A statement from Singtel said the facility, named 5G Garage, was connected to Singtel's latest pilot 5G network located at Ayer Rajah, and would run on 3.5GHz trial spectrum provided by the Info-communications Media Development Authority.

Singtel, Ericsson and Singapore Polytechnic have signed a memorandum of understanding to:

Build and operate a 5G facility where enterprises can develop and test 5G solutions;

Co-develop 5G solutions relevant to industries such as transportation, logistics, healthcare and manufacturing;

Develop and deliver 5G wireless technology curriculum for the SPs School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering; and

Develop 5G capabilities for the workforces of the three organisations.

Singtel Group chief technology officer Mark Chong said: Singtel is pleased to partner with Ericsson and SP on our 5G Garage initiative. As Singapore advances its digital economy and becomes a smart nation, the benefits of 5G will first be seen in enterprises, especially in their digital transformation when they integrate technology into their processes, services and products.

"With 5G standards largely established, now is an opportune time for SMEs and enterprises to join us in shaping our 5G future.

Martin Wiktorin, country manager Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines, Ericsson, said: 5G has the potential to transform industries and bring enhanced mobile broadband experience for consumers. At Ericsson, we are already collaborating globally with 42 operators, 45 institutes and 31 industry partners, to create a thriving 5G ecosystem.

"We are delighted to partner with Singtel and Singapore Polytechnic towards the setting up of the 5G Garage, which we hope will stimulate SP students to come up with new 5G use cases.

About 250 final-year students from SP's diploma in electrical and electronic engineering and diploma in computer engineering will learn about 5G wireless technology and how to utilise it, as part of their course work.

SP staff and students will also be able to learn from technology transfer from experts at Singtel and Ericsson.

Soh Wai Wah, Singapore Polytechnics principal and chief executive, said: This collaboration reflects our strong industry partnership, which is key to keeping our student learning relevant and updated.

"This latest collaboration will equip our students with skills in the latest technologies and nurture them to innovate and create solutions for the world.
 Flash

The death toll from a pipeline blast in central Mexico has risen to 71, authorities said on Saturday.





At least 71 people were killed and 76 others injured in the explosion, Hidalgo State Governor Omar Fayad told the media.

Forensic personnel work at the site of a pipeline explosion in the municipality of Tlahuelilpan, Hidalgo state, Mexico, on Jan. 19, 2019. The death toll from the pipeline explosion has risen to 66, governor of the state of Hidalgo said on Saturday. [Photo/Xinhua]

The explosion and ensuing blaze occurred at a pipeline spot in the community of San Primitivo of the municipality of Tlahuelilpan at around 7:00 p.m. local time (0100 GMT), when hundreds of people gathered around a leak to collect fuel.

The pipeline of the state-owned petroleum company Pemex runs from the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico to the Tula refinery, near the site of the incident.

According to the local government, between 600 and 800 people gathered in the area of the drilling to collect leaking fuel with containers and many of them were bathed in the hydrocarbon.

Fayad said that military personnel and police tried to disperse the crowd after the armed forces responded to the leak at around 5:00 p.m. local time (2300 GMT), but people ignored the warning until the explosion came.

Lopez Obrador said he was dismayed by the tragedy. He offered his deepest sympathy to the families of the victims and ordered the government to offer support.

"The most important thing" now was attending to the injured in order to save people's lives, the president said.

Authorities indicated that the pipeline leakage was illegally tapped by fuel thieves, a problem that afflicts the Pemex pipelines.

Lopez Obrador, who took office on Dec. 1, has launched a major crackdown on increasing fuel theft in Mexico, which cost the country some US$3 billion last year.

The accident is one of the worst tragedies due to pipeline explosions in Mexico in recent years.

In December 2010, 30 people were killed and 52 others injured in a series of explosions involving two oil pipelines in the central state of Puebla.
On Friday, officials with the Walker County Hospital District board announced that they have finalized a $7.8 million purchase of Huntsville Memorial Hospital. Do you feel like this is a good use of tax dollars, and is this the right direction for the struggling health care facility?

You voted:
Burma Fresh ARSA Attack Injured Six Police Officers: Govt

Police Brig-Gen Tin Ko Ko (far right) pays a visit to police private Myo Kyaw Lwin (center), who was wounded during the ambush on Wednesday, at a government hospital in Yangon on January 17, 2019. / Ye Zarni / Facebook

YANGONSix policemen, including one police colonel, were wounded during an ambush by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) on Wednesday in northern Rakhine State, according to an announcement on State media on Saturday.

Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) announced on Saturday that a police van with security forces from No. 2 Border Guard Police Headquarters on board was attacked near Wat Kyein Village in Maungdaw Township. The government said ARSA, a Rohingya insurgent group which also launched serial attacks on police outposts in northern Rakhine State in 2017, was behind the ambush. The group has been denounced by the government as a terrorist organization since the 2017 attacks.

Despite the attack taking place a few days ago, the governments announcement came only after a short video allegedly recorded at the scene went viral online early on Saturday. The footage includes the date of the attack and bears an ARSA logo.

The video shows well-equipped masked men in camouflageunlike those which appeared in previous videos released by the groupholding AK-47 rifles and opening fire on a passing police van. The footage was aired on MRTV with a Myanmar translation of what the gunman says after the attack: Our ARSA (launched the attack) on January 16, 2019 as God orders to kill security forces.

A police report earlier on Saturday blamed the attack on the Arakan Army, a Rakhine rebel group currently fighting against government forces in the same region for greater autonomy. However, the report originally posted on Ye Zarni, the official police force Facebook page, was removed on Sunday morning.

The government spokesperson was not available for comments.

If the ambush was carried out by ARSA as the government claims, this attack would be the first the group has carried out since 2017. In August 2017, an attack by ARSA on police outposts in northern Rakhine resulted in government security forces launching massive clearance operations in the area and prompting an exodus of nearly 700,000 Rohingya to flee to nearby Bangladesh. Those who fled accused the security forces of rape, arbitrary killing and arson.
Tanaiste Simon Coveney has denied he and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar were at odds on the issue of the Irish backstop, as alleged by former British Brexit Secretary Dominic Rabb.

Mr Raab on Sunday said that Mr Coveney did not rule out an exit mechanism from the backstop when they met.

Speaking on the Andrew Marr Show on the BBC, Mr Raab said that an exit mechanism was ruled out by the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who he described as "less moderate" than Simon Coveney.

He added: "They have taken this deeply political view on the backstop, which has got nothing to do with the realities of solving a return to the hard border and now we need to make sure that there is a ladder for them to climb down."

But this drew a response from Mr Coveney who on Twitter said: For the record, Taoiseach & I have always been on the same page on Brexit & we remain united & focused on protecting Ireland. That includes continued support for the EU/UK agreed on WA in full, including the Backstop as negotiated.

For the record, Taoiseach & I have always been on the same page on #Brexit & we remain united & focused on protecting Ireland. That includes continued support for the EU/UK agreed WA in full, including the Backstop as negotiated. @RTENewsNow https://t.co/ljmSBtvuNz  Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) January 20, 2019

Government Chief Whip Sean Kyne did not dismiss reports from the UK media that Mrs May is about to seek a bilateral treaty with Ireland in a bid to overcome the backstop impasse in the House of Commons ahead of the March 29 deadline.

Speaking on RTE's The Week in Politics, Mr Kyne said any proposal from Mrs May would need to have the backing of MPs. He also said the Irish Government would wait to see the full details of what she is proposing before giving a formal reply.

He said Mrs May would have to relax some of her red lines before the EU and Ireland could explore any options.

The Government has held fast to the backstop concept as the bare minimum in the post Brexit scenario.

However, the chances of a no-deal Brexit have increased following Mrs May's humiliating defeat in the House of Commons this week.
The countrys top official for public expenditure has been sharply criticised for snubbing a request to appear before the Oireachtas Health Committee which is investigating cost overruns at the National Childrens Hospital.

Chief Whip Sean Kyne and the Opposition lashed out at Robert Watt, secretary general at the Department of Public Expenditure, who said his attendance is not required before the committee.

Mr Watt wrote to the committee saying he did not think his attendance was required as it is a matter for the Department of Health.

Committee chairman Michael Harty said it was astounding that Mr Watt has declined the invitation to attend its meeting tomorrow.

Mr Kyne said the position of the secretary-general is not sustainable.

He said the Department of Public Expenditure quibbles over small amounts of money in other areas and should make itself available to the committee as part of its work.

Mr Kyne said that lessons have not been learned from overruns in the past with PPARS (the health payroll and personnel system) and the Port Tunnel.

Mr Kyne said that the departments of Health and Public Expenditure have to work together in relation to cost control.

Health Minister Simon Harris was informed of potential increases in cost in August, and he informed Cabinet just before Christmas when he became aware of the actual figures.

Mr Kyne also pointed out the Luas interlink project came in under time and under budget.

Speaking on RTEs The Week in Politics, Sinn Feins spokesperson on health Louise OReilly said Mr Watt should appear at the committee to account for the overspend, tell members at what point the overspend was communicated to him and his department, and whether anything was done to curb it.

Queries to the Department of Public Expenditure went unanswered yesterday.

It emerged yesterday that the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) is to examine the soaring costs of the new national childrens hospital.

Mr Kyne, speaking yesterday, accepted the cost increases from 450m to 2012 to more than 1.4bn today were not acceptable and said C&AG Seamus McCarthy is likely to examine the spike in costs.

However, a Government spokesman later said this is actually not the case and no plans exist for the C&AG to examine the costs.

The Department of Health and the Health Service Executive have finalised terms of reference for an investigation commissioned by the Government into the soaring cost of the new hospital.

That review is to be carried out by consultants PwC and is expected to take three months.

Fianna Fail TD Lisa Chambers said: We need to find out what went wrong so it does not happen again. She said that ultimately, the minister is responsible.

Labours Joan Burton said the issue was related to the decision of the Taoiseach to combine the Department of Public Expenditure with the Department of Finance.
Ryanair has cooled its Brexit rhetoric by saying it does not expect any large-scale flight disruptions to be caused by the UK leaving the EU.

The airline - which, last week, issued a second profit warning in three months - had repeatedly warned, last year, of the prospect of UK-based planes being grounded for up to three weeks on the back of any disorderly Brexit.

However, speaking at the Killarney Economic Conference, Ryanair's chief operating officer Peter Bellew countered this by saying he could not forseee there being any overnight stoppage of flights with Brexit.

This was, he said, because Ryanair - like other airlines of scale - had taken complicated and costly steps to set up subsidiaries.

"I dont see there being an overnight stoppage of any flights. However difficulties with specialist parts could follow Brexit," Mr Bellew said.

Supply chain networks, he said, are very interlinked and Ireland - like the rest of Europe - could suffer with specialist parts suppliers pulling out of Britain and not bothering to set up elsewhere in the EU.

Many American suppliers have been reluctant to relocate within the EU, he said.

Last week Ryanair said it could not rule out a further cut in its full-year profit forecasts given the ongoing uncertainty about the terms of Britain's EU departure.

Ryanair began preparatory steps about five years ago, Mr Bellew said. Earlier this month, the airline secured a UK operating licence, allowing it to fly within the UK and from the country to non-EU routes in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Mr Bellew said Irish people should be more sympathetic towards Britain in its current situation.

"There is far too much gloating by commentators here in Ireland," he said.

"As an airline, we have taken the view not to be bashing the English. We need to get behind the UK economy a little bit more, and end a lot of the gloating that is going on."

Ryanair is, he added, trying to be "inclusive" of the British and advocate for them at regulatory level in Europe.

He said he would urge the Irish Government, the people of Ireland and businesses to do the same.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
State capital Bangalore and other parts of Karnataka has been put on alert after the outbreak of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), also known as monkey fever claimed seven lives in Shivamogga.

According to local media, till now there have been no reports of infections from Bengaluru, but the disease has been confirmed in Shivamogga, Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Chikmagalur where over a 50 people are said to have contracted the deadly disease.

BCCL/ REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE

It is feared that the infection could soon reach Bengaluru, which has a large monkey population, frequenting in residential areas.

KFD aka monkey fever is spread from parasite tick living on monkies.

Humans can get infected by contact with a sick or recently infected monkey or by a tick bite. The ticks act as vectors after the blood meals (dry, inert powder made from blood) from infected animals. Person to person transmission has not been reported. Domestic animals such as goats, cows may become infected with KFD but play a limited role in the transmission of infection, Dr Pratik Patil, Consultant, Infectious Diseases at Fortis Hospital told Deccan Chronicle.

AFP/ REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE

The fatal disease was first reported in India in 1957 in Shivamogga and since then regular seasonal outbreaks have been reported in Karnataka and neighbouring states.

According to doctors, symptoms of monkey fever include high fever, headache, severe muscle pain, vomiting, abdominal pain and bleeding from nasal cavity, throat, and gums.

Monkey fever which has an estimated fatality rate between 2% - 10% does not have any specific treatments.

BCCL/ FILE

Following the outbreak which caught the health authorities off guard, efforts are being made to identify those infected and educate people about keeping themselves safe.

Samples have been collected from all the areas where suspected cases have been repeated and sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for tests.

The outbreak has also put neighbouring states on notice as there the infection has a history of spreading to parts of Kerala, Goa and Maharashtra from Karnataka.


remaining of

Thank you for Reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
There is no reason for children to have their lives ended before they can even begin. As we work to end global violence and promote peace throughout the world, it is shameful that this brutality is happening in our own backyard.

Under Republican leadership, Congress had the most productive pro-life terms ever, but there is still so much more that needs to be done. I have always been an ardent supporter of pro-life policies that protect life at every stage. That is why every Congress I have cosponsored legislation to protect the sanctity of life at conception, defund Planned Parenthood while protecting access to vital womens services, prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from using fetal tissue in research, remove the tax-exempt status of bonds that go to abortion providers and abortion clinics, and ensure no federal funds can be used for abortions or go to abortion providers.

Every woman who experiences an unplanned pregnancy deserves our compassion and support, which is why I advocate for adoption and boosting resources for crisis pregnancy centers.
The outright banality of the anti-Trump rhetoric leaves one wondering if true journalism will ever return, especially considering the blind approval the national media gave his predecessor, or the medias continued trumpeting of talking points from the Democratic Party. Given the similarities in rhetoric from news outlets and the Democrats, the national media often appears to be nothing more than an extension of the Democrat brand.

Theres a well-worn Latin phrasecaveat emptorthat comes to mind with the multiple media outlets that have veered from their mission. Let the buyer beware. An informed populace has never been more vital to democracy.

This goes beyond Trump, of course, as this column has stated several times. The Democrats began their far-left descent before Trump. The denigration of Republican values, likewise, has a long history in the media. Ronald Reagan was regularly vilified by national media outlets, and George Bush was continually ridiculed.

This is not to overlook the obvious. Trumps penchant for a good fight has been well documented, one tweet at a time, often giving his opponents ammunition they otherwise would lack. The far lefts attacks on traditional American values have likewise been on full display, attacks on freedom of speech and freedom to espouse bedrock Christian values among them.
Well, apparently Martha heeded Jesus advice because when He arrived to call Lazarus from the grave, it was Mary who stayed in the house and Martha who went out to greet Him. Even though Lazarus had been dead for four days, Martha told Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask." (John 11:21)

You probably never realized that it was Martha to whom Jesus said: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." Jesus even asked her, "Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26)

Her reply confirms just how much Marthas priorities had changed: Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world." (John 11:27)

Its not hard in todays world to become a little confused about our priorities. Think about it. Were always trying to steal a moment here and there or squeeze little more out of life. Yet when our backs get up against the wall, its then that we somehow find the time to look up and ask the Lord for help, finally realizing that Jesus was right all along: "Only one thing is needed."

We try to make life so complicated when the simple truth is once we put God first in our lives, everything else will fall into place. That doesnt mean that life will be a bed of roses, but it does mean that God will be there to help us bring order out of chaos. Proverbs 3:6 says it this way: "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
A molotov cocktail explodes next to Greek riot police during clashes after a rally in Athens (Yorgos Karahalis/AP)

Protesters clashed with police outside the parliament in Athens during a rally that drew tens of thousands of people against the Greece-Macedonia name deal.

At least 25 officers were injured and seven people arrested, police said.

Demonstrators threw rocks, flares, firebombs, paint and other objects at riot police, who responded with repeated volleys of tear gas.

Expand Close Demonstrators clash with Greek riot police (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Demonstrators clash with Greek riot police (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP)

Some protesters jumped over a fence and tried to scale the steps but officers chased them back down.

One man draped in a Greek flag attacked police with a large stick, while others swung big flags on wooden poles and struck officers.

People attending the rally said large clouds of tear gas led many to abandon the protest.

The square in front of parliament had nearly emptied out by early evening, though small groups of protesters continued to clash with officers.

Expand Close A demonstrator uses the Greek flag to battle riot police (Yorgos Karahalis/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A demonstrator uses the Greek flag to battle riot police (Yorgos Karahalis/AP)

Greeces parliament is expected to start a debate Monday on ratifying the deal and vote on it by Friday.

Macedonias parliament has already approved it, agreeing the country would go by the name North Macedonia.

Macedonia and Greece struck the deal in June to end a decades-long dispute over the name, which Greece says harbours territorial claims on its northern province of the same name.

Protesters are against the deal because they believe any use of the name Macedonia in the neighbouring countrys name is a usurpation of ancient Greek heritage and implies territorial claims on Greece.

Expand Close Greek riot police chases demonstrators (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Greek riot police chases demonstrators (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP)

A statement from the office of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras blamed extremist elements and members of Golden Dawn  an extreme-right, anti-immigrant party  for the clashes on Sunday.

It said: In our democracy, citizens free expression is an inalienable right, even for those who want to abolish democracy  it is also the duty and obligation of those of us who do believe not to allow them. Lets isolate and condemn them.

Police said in a statement that officers had been attacked by organised groups of individuals with special ferocity, (using) rocks, iron bars, wooden clubs, firebombs, etc.  police forces acted according to operational plans and orders, showed restraint and professionalism and, using the appropriate methods, repelled the attacks.

Protest organisers said they hoped to attract more than 600,000 people. Police released an official estimate of 60,000.

Expand Close Protesters wave Greek flags outside parliament in Athens (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Protesters wave Greek flags outside parliament in Athens (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP)

While organisers said about 3,000 buses would travel from northern Greece alone, police said a total of 327 had arrived from across the country Sunday afternoon.

Among the people who addressed the protest were former conservative Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, a member of the Mount Athos monastic community and a Greek-American former politician, Chris Spirou, who was once a member of New Hampshires House of Representatives.

In northern Greece, farmers temporarily blocked the highway leading to the Macedonian border in solidarity. It later reopened.

About 300 anarchists staged a counter-demonstration on Sunday. Police erected barriers to prevent clashes.

After their otherwise peaceful rally, anarchists burned a car with official licence plates.
A huge fireball which engulfed people scooping up fuel spilling from a pipeline ruptured by thieves in Mexico last Friday killed 66 people and badly burned 71 others, with 85 people still missing

The blast came only three weeks after Mexico's new president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador launched an offensive against fuel theft gangs who drilled dangerous, illegal taps into pipelines an astounding 12,581 times in the first 10 months of 2018, an average of about 42 per day.

With crowds of townspeople often involved, either aiding thieves or collecting spilled fuel in primitive containers, it was only a matter of time before a fire occurred.

In fact, they have happened before, but seldom with the scale and horrifying death toll of last Friday's fire in the state of Hidalgo, which came as people collected the spilled petrol in buckets, plastic jugs and garbage cans.

The leak was caused by an illegal pipeline tap in the small town of Tlahuelilpan, about 100km north of Mexico City, according to state oil company Petroleos Mexicanos, known as Pemex.

Video footage showed dozens of residents in an almost festive atmosphere as whole families gathered in a field as a geyser of fuel spouted dozens of feet into the air from the tap.

Footage then showed flames shooting high into the air against a night sky and the pipeline ablaze. Screaming people ran from the flames, some themselves burning and waving their arms.

Hidalgo Governor Omar Fayad said 21 people were killed immediately and many more suffered burns in the blast at the pipeline which carries fuel from the Gulf coast to Tula, just north of Mexico City.

Hidalgo state police said the leak was first reported about 5pm local time. "There was a report that residents were on the scene trying to obtain fuel," according to a police report. Two hours later, the pipeline burst into flames.

Another pipeline burst into flames in the neighbouring state of Queretaro last Friday, also because of an illegal tap. Pemex said the second fire was "in an unpopulated area and there is no risk to human beings".

In December 2010, authorities blamed oil thieves for a pipeline explosion near the capital which killed 28 people, including 13 children.

That blast burned people and scorched homes, affecting 5,000 residents in an area 10km wide in San Martin Texmelucan.

The blast will further focus attention on Lopez Obrador's fight against the 3bn a year fuel theft racket.

"I greatly lament the grave situation Tlahuelilpan is suffering because of the explosion of the duct," Lopez Obrador tweeted. He called on all branches of government to assist the victims.

He launched the offensive after taking office on December 1, deploying 3,200 marines to guard pipelines and refineries.

His administration also shut down pipelines to detect and deter illegal taps, relying more on delivering fuel by tanker truck. There are not enough trucks, however, and long queues at petrol stations have plagued several states.

But Lopez Obrador faces resistance to his battle against fuel theft. Gangs have been able to win the loyalty of whole neighbourhoods, using free petrol and getting locals to act as lookouts and confront military patrols carrying out raids against the thefts.

It is unclear whether last Friday's tragedy will turn the tide of opinion against the gangs in the impoverished villages that lie above the underground pipelines.
US President Donald Trump yesterday said he was grateful to special counsel Robert Mueller for a statement disputing a BuzzFeed News report that Trump directed his former lawyer to lie to Congress about a Moscow property deal.

"I appreciate the special counsel coming out with a statement last night. I think it was very appropriate that they did so," Trump told reporters at the White House. "I think that the BuzzFeed piece was a disgrace to our country. It was a disgrace to journalism."

Mueller's office issued its rare public statement disputing the accuracy of the report that Trump's former attorney told Mueller that Trump directed the lawyer to lie to Congress.

BuzzFeed, citing two unidentified law enforcement officials, reported that Trump directed lawyer Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about a Moscow property project and that Cohen told Mueller the president personally instructed him to lie about the timing of the deal.

The statement by Mueller's office last Friday night didn't cite any specific errors in the report.

However a BuzzFeed spokesman said the website stood by its reporting. "We urge the special counsel to make clear what he's disputing," Smith said.

Cohen pleaded guilty last November to lying to Congress to cover up that he was negotiating the Trump Tower project on Trump's behalf during the heat of his presidential campaign. The charge was brought by Mueller and was the result of Cohen's co-operation with that probe.

Cohen admitted that he lied when he told lawmakers he had never agreed to travel to Russia in connection with the Moscow project and when he said he had decided by the end of January 2016 that the proposal was "not feasible for a variety of business reasons and should not be pursued further".

He was sentenced to three years in prison for crimes that included arranging the payment of hush money to conceal his boss's alleged sexual affairs, telling a judge that he agreed time and again to cover up Trump's "dirty deeds" out of "blind loyalty".
Eight months pregnant Mirza Rivera (C), 19, a migrant from Honduras, rests in a public park during her journey towards the United States, in Tapachula, Mexico. Photo: Reuters

Hundreds of migrants, mostly from Honduras, entered southern Mexico this weekend, joining around 1,000 other people from Central America who crossed a day earlier and putting to the test Mexico's vows to guarantee the safe and orderly flow of people.

The cohort crossed the Guatemalan border into Mexico before dawn without needing the wrist bands that officials gave migrants to wear until they could register with authorities.

"The road today was open," said Marco Antonio Cortez (37), a baker from Honduras travelling with his wife and children, ages 2 and 9. "They didn't give us bracelets or anything, they just let us pass through Mexico migration."

The migrant group proceeded on foot along a highway, accompanied by federal police officers, arriving at a shelter in the city of Tapachula around midday.

Sitting by the side of the road rubbing cream onto his children's feet, 40-year-old Honduran migrant Santos Pineda said he and his family entered Mexico easily, and without having to provide documents. The family's plan was to press on to the US.

Mexico's migration institute said the migrants can stay in temporary shelters in Mexico until they receive humanitarian visas allowing them to remain in the country, or they can wait in Guatemala for their document to be ready.

Groups of migrants left El Salvador and Honduras last week, the latest in a string of caravans of people largely fleeing poverty and violence. The caravans have inflamed debate over US immigration policy, with Donald Trump using the migrants to try to get backing to build a wall on the US-Mexican border. Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is pursuing a "humanitarian" approach, vowing to stem the flow by finding jobs for the migrants. In exchange, he wants Trump to help spur economic development in the region.

Meanwhile, last Friday a US federal judge found four volunteers from the No More Deaths group guilty of entering a national wildlife refuge without a permit, as they sought to place food and water in the Arizona desert to feed migrants. US Judge Bernardo Velasco's ruling marked the first conviction against humanitarian aid volunteers in a decade.
Andy Vajna, a Hungarian-American film producer who worked on several Rambo films with Sylvester Stallone and Madonnas Evita, has died at the age of 74.

Vajna, who produced many other films, died on Sunday at his Budapest home after a long illness, Hungarys National Film Fund said.

He was also owner of the TV2 Group, a Hungarian company that owns several television channels, including TV2, one of Hungarys two main broadcasters.

It is aligned closely with Prime Minister Viktor Orbans government.

We are bidding farewell to the greatest Hungarian film producer, Mr Orban posted on his Facebook page.

Hasta la vista, Andy! Thank you for everything, my friend!

Expand Close Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (Szilard Koszticsak/MTI /AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (Szilard Koszticsak/MTI /AP)

Since 2011, Vajna had been a commissioner in the Orban government, in charge of developing Hungarys film industry.

Hungarian films have won several top prizes at recent international festivals.

In 2016, Son of Saul, financed mostly by Hungarys National Film Fund, won the Oscar for best foreign language film.

Vajna, who enjoyed a state-granted monopolistic concession on Budapest casinos, was recently listed by the Hungarian edition of Forbes magazine as the 18th richest Hungarian, with a net worth estimated at nearly 240 million US dollars (186 million).

The producer was born Andras Gyorgy Vajna in Budapest on August 1 1944 and escaped Hungarys communist regime in 1956 with help from the International Red Cross.

Following some time in Canada, he was reunited with his family in Los Angeles.

After studying at UCLA, Vajna operated cinemas in Hong Kong, where he also established a successful wig-making company.

In the mid-1970s, Vajna set up Carolco, a film production firm, with Mario Kassar.

Besides the Rambo series, the two men were also behind films such as Escape to Victory, starring Stallone, Michael Caine and Pele; Red Heat and Total Recall starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Angel Heart and Johnny Handsome with Mickey Rourke.

After leaving Carolco in 1989, Vajnas films included Die Hard with a Vengeance, The Scarlet Letter, Nixon and I Spy.

He also produced several Hungarian films and was co-owner of Korda Studios, in the village of Etyek, near Budapest, where The Martian, Inferno and Hellboy II: The Golden Army were filmed.

Vajna is survived by his wife, Timea.
Smoke rises from a building after a fire at Courchevel ski resort, France January 20, 2019 in this still image taken from social media video. Jeremy via REUTERS

Smoke rises from a building after a fire at Courchevel ski resort, France January 20, 2019 in this still image taken from social media video. Jeremy via REUTERS

Evacuees gather across the street from a building fire at Courchevel ski resort, France January 20, 2019 in this still image taken from social media video. Georgis Kelli via REUTERS

Fire erupts from a building at Courchevel ski resort, France January 20, 2019 in this still image taken from social media video. Georgis Kelli via REUTERS

Fire erupts from a building at Courchevel ski resort, France January 20, 2019 in this still image taken from social media video. Georgis Kelli via REUTERS

A first responder walks near the scene of a fire at Courchevel ski resort, France January 20, 2019 in this still image taken from social media video. Georgis Kelli via REUTERS

Two people have been killed and 22 others injured in a large blaze that broke out in the French ski resort of Courchevel, officials said.

Authorities in the Savoie region said the blaze started at 4.30am local time on Sunday in a building housing seasonal workers in the heart of the Alpine town.

The Savoie prefecture said 70 firefighters helped fight the blaze.

Among the injured, four have been seriously wounded. The fire also forced 60 people to be evacuated from the building.

Expand Close Evacuees gather across the street from a building fire at Courchevel ski resort, France January 20, 2019 in this still image taken from social media video. Georgis Kelli via REUTERS / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Evacuees gather across the street from a building fire at Courchevel ski resort, France January 20, 2019 in this still image taken from social media video. Georgis Kelli via REUTERS

The cause of the fire and the identity of the victims were not known.
Emergency team members look for a boy fell into the 100-meter-deep waterhole in a mountainous area near the town of Totalan in Malaga, Spain, yesterday. Photo: AP Photo/Gregorio Marrero

Rescuers in Spain have said they hope in about 35 hours to find a two-year-old boy who fell in a borehole six days ago.

Angel Garcia, the leading engineer coordinating the search-and-rescue operation in Totalan near Malaga, said that estimate depends on everything "going favourably".

Mr Garcia said a drill is perforating a hole, and then two or three experts in mining rescues will dig a horizontal tunnel to the location where they believe the toddler fell.

Mr Garcia said: "We are hopeful that we can get to him as soon as possible and bring him to his parents."

There has been no vocal contact made with Julen Rosello, who fell into the 360ft hole last Sunday.
Thousands of Poles packed the streets of Gdansk yesterday to bid farewell to the city's mayor who was murdered in a crime that has prompted warnings of a growing climate of hate.

Pawel Adamowicz died last Monday after being stabbed multiple times during a charity event the night before. His attacker, a man with a history of violence who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, only got out of prison last month.

He made no attempt to flee and said Adamowicz had to die because his old party, Civic Platform, was responsible for his incarceration.

While there was no evidence to suggest a political motive, Rafal Dutkiewicz, a former mayor of Wroclaw and a friend of Mr Adamowicz, claimed that a growing atmosphere of hatred in Polish politics had played its part. "There is definitely a link," he told journalists. "The deepness of the hate is great. There is a Polish expression: 'when you plant the seeds of wind, you get a storm'."

Those who agree with Mr Dutkiewicz argue that the Polish government has helped foster an atmosphere of hate and intolerance. Meanwhile, far-right groups have moved closer to the centre, apparently emboldened by the change in political atmosphere.

"As mayors we got threats and I am pretty sure the political tension and the climate of debate made it happen," said Mr Dutkiewicz. He, Mr Adamowicz and nine other mayors received "political death certificates" from The All-Polish Youth, a nationalist group, after signing a positive statement on refugees.

"In such a situation the state should react against the dissemination of hate... but there was no reaction from the government, the courts or the state," he said.

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021]
The incident came after the Indigenous Peoples March on Friday (AP)

A diocese has apologised after videos emerged showing students from an all-male Catholic high school mocking Native Americans after a rally in Washington.

The Indigenous Peoples March on Friday coincided with the March for Life, which drew thousands of anti-abortion protesters, including a group from Covington Catholic High School in Park Hills, Kentucky.

Videos circulating online show one youth staring at and standing extremely close to Nathan Phillips, an elderly Native American man singing and playing a drum.

Other students, some wearing Covington clothing and many wearing red Make America Great Again hats and sweatshirts, surrounded them, laughing and jeering.

This Veteran put his life on the line for our country. The studentsa display of blatant hate, disrespect, and intolerance is a signal of how common decency has decayed under this administration. Heartbreaking. https://t.co/NuPnYu9FP4  Rep. Deb Haaland (@RepDebHaaland) January 19, 2019

In a joint statement, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington and Covington Catholic High School apologised to Mr Phillips.

Officials said they are investigating and will take appropriate action, up to and including expulsion.

The statement said: We extend our deepest apologies to Mr Phillips.

This behaviour is opposed to the churchs teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person.

This is indigenous lands. We're not supposed to have walls here. We never did.Nathan Phillips

According to the Indian Country Today website, Mr Phillips is an Omaha elder and Vietnam veteran who holds an annual ceremony honouring Native American veterans at Arlington National Cemetery.

In a video posted online, he wiped away tears as he said of the incident: When I was there singing, I heard them saying Build that wall, build that wall.

This is indigenous lands. Were not supposed to have walls here. We never did.

He said he wished the group of youngsters would instead put their energy into making this country really great.

State politician Ruth Buffalo, a member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, said she was saddened to see students showing disrespect to an elder who is also a US military veteran at what was supposed to be a celebration of all cultures.

The behaviour shown in that video is just a snapshot of what indigenous people have faced and are continuing to face, she said.

She added that she hopes it will lead to some kind of meeting with the students to provide education on issues facing Native Americans.

Congresswoman Deb Haaland, who had been at the rally earlier in the day, sharply criticised what she called a display of blatant hate, disrespect, and intolerance.

She tweeted: This Veteran put his life on the line for our country. Heartbreaking.
A former CIA technical operations officer who helped rescue six US diplomats from Iran in 1980 and was portrayed by Ben Affleck in the film Argo has died at the age of 78.

A family statement and his literary agent confirmed Antonio Tony Mendez died Saturday at an assisted-living centre in Frederick, Maryland.

He had suffered from Parkinsons disease, according to the statement.

Specialising in covert operations, Mendez helped devise the plan under which six diplomats who were in hiding were disguised as a Canadian film crew so they could board a flight and escape the country amid the Iran hostage crisis.

The daring plot  for years a side note to the 52 people held hostage for 444 days  captured the publics attention in Argo, which won the 2013 Oscar for best picture.

Mendez, who joined the CIA after getting recruited in 1965, spent his 25-year career working undercover in Cold War battlegrounds, including the Soviet Union.

Working as a chief of disguise, Mendez and his workers helped secret agents remain secret through creating false documents and disguises, according to a biography for his first book, The Master of Disguise: My Secret Life in the CIA.

Expand Close Ben Affleck played Tony Mendez in the Oscar-winning film Argo (Matt Crossick/PA) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Ben Affleck played Tony Mendez in the Oscar-winning film Argo (Matt Crossick/PA)

Tony Mendez was a true American hero. He was a man of extraordinary grace, decency, humility and kindness, Affleck tweeted on Saturday.

He never sought the spotlight for his actions, he merely sought to serve his country.

Im so proud to have worked for him and to have told one of his stories.

The Argo screenplay, based on another memoir by Mr Mendez and also an Oscar winner, was liberally embellished for the big screen.

The six Americans passage through the Tehran airport and on to a plane was uneventful, Mr Mendez wrote.

But the movie portrayed a white-knuckle take-off, with Iranian assault teams racing behind the jet down the runway.

Born in Nevada, Mr Mendez moved to Colorado at age 14, attended the University of Colorado and worked for Martin Marietta on the Titan intercontinental missile, according to the online biography .

He was recruited for the CIA in Denver through a blind ad.

In less than two years, the biography says, he and his family had moved overseas while Mr Mendez worked in south and south-east Asia.

His wife, Jonna, is also a former chief of disguise in the CIAs Office of Technical Service.

The two wrote a book about their agency work in Moscow in the final days of the Cold War and their romance, which led to their marriage after he retired in 1990. Mr Mendez was also an accomplished painter.

His family says he will be buried in a private ceremony at the family graveyard in Nevada.
We almost had a visit from Donald Trump last November. But then he sent Kevin Hassett, chairman of the White House council of economic advisers, instead. And his main message was that he expects Ireland to continue to be a "voice of reason" alongside the United States against more left-wing European governments in the coming years.

There was much head-scratching as we tried to figure out just what countries he was referring to, or even what map of Europe he, and presumably the president, have been looking at recently. Because any casual study of the continent will show that the real threat to the region, to peace and stability, to the very future of the EU, and indeed, to democracy, comes not from any left-wing movement, but from the growth of right-wing, nationalist, racist political parties, some of which have come to power and are determined to extend their influence beyond their own borders.

Take Poland, for example. There the conservative Law and Justice party (PiS) on coming to power set about "reforming" state television, the public prosecutor and the judiciary. All judges were forced to retire at 65 to be replaced with those more amenable to the wishes of their political masters. This has resulted in the European Commission taking action against the Polish regime under Article 7 of the Rome Treaty that could lead to it losing its EU voting rights.

(The PiS has been especially critical of Gdansk, which it regards as a liberal hotbed. Last week the mayor, Patel Adamowicz, was murdered addressing a public function).

In Hungary, prime minister Viktor Orban's "threatening democracy and the rule of law" through his treatment of migrants, NGOs, the media and academic freedoms has led to the European Parliament launching Article 7 proceedings against that country. But these actions will come to nothing because they need unanimous condemnation by all the other EU members, and Poland and Hungary have agreed to back each other. Hungary, which was the first to build a wall (actually a fence) to keep out immigrants, also has the support of the Czech Republic and Croatia. Mr Orban is also a fan of Vladimir Putin with whom he has been having discussions with a view to establishing closer links.

In Austria, the Chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, has had to deny his government is trying to limit press freedom, after the far-right controlled interior ministry suggested police should limit the amount of information they give to certain less favoured media outlets. In Italy, Matteo Salvini, Interior Minister and leader of the right-wing League party, says he wants to turn the upcoming European Parliament elections into a referendum on immigrants and a victory for like-minded parties throughout the Union. And he has the support of Marine Le Pen in France.

In Germany, we have seen the rise of the Nazi-inspired hard-right Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) just as that bastion of freedom and democracy, Angela Merkel, steps down as leader of her party, and, in the next two years, as chancellor of Germany. Her disappointing results in the last federal election forced her to make compromises with those who were insisting on a less generous approach to the migrant question.

In Sweden, the nationalist-conservative Sweden Democrats became that country's third biggest party. And there has been a similar rise in the popularity of nationalist and Eurosceptical representation in Denmark.

And then there is France.

In France you have Emmanuel Macron, who started off as Donald Trump's new best friend, but now is anything but. Like French presidents often do, he also started out as the darling of the French voters, and now has slipped out of their affections. And this loss of affection has been demonstrated weekly for months now by the street protests of those who take their name from the hi-vis yellow jackets they wear, the gilets jaunes.

When we first saw these colourful demonstrators on the streets of French cities protesting against the high price of fuel, they seemed to be following in a recognisable French tradition. But now, after 12 people have died and thousands have been injured (and the price of fuel reduced), the nature of this movement - or at least of some of those who appear to have taken control of it - is revealed to contain strains of racism, sexism, anti-Semitism and homophobia, which makes it ideologically close to the rest of the hard-right movement in Europe.

Here in Ireland, there was an attempt last week to mirror the French experience, with a hi-vis yellow jacket protest, which seemed to be vaguely aimed at Leo Varadkar and the Government on the strength of some kind of unhappiness and a background hum of discontent. Gardai sealed off a few streets in preparation, but in the end they weren't needed. The 30 discontented who turned out packed up and went home. But why so few?

Well, despite the stereotype, we are not really hot-headed and always spoiling for a row. Yes, people came out in their thousands to protest against water rates, but that was because protest leaders were able to exploit those who paid little or no tax being asked for the first time, to pay. Other than that, we might muster a crowd to complain about a hospital closure or that of a post office. But mostly we stay at home or go to the pub and grumble. Which is not necessarily such a bad thing when we see what goes on elsewhere.

We carry this attitude into our elections when we vote for centre-right and centre-left parties and avoid extremists of all shades, the vote for Peter Casey in the presidential election notwithstanding. That could be a useful trait in the forthcoming European elections, when the far-right parties set out to take over the institutions of the EU, and the only opposition to this plan will come from a small number of countries, including Ireland.

Viktor Orban, the far-right Hungarian prime minister, says he hopes anti-immigration parties will win the May European Parliament elections and gain control of the European Commission before gradually taking over the European Council.

"We have reached the point in Europe where liberals have become the number one enemy of freedom," Mr Orban says. "There will be two civilisations in the EU. A mixed Muslim-Christian one in the West and a traditional European-Christian one in Central Europe."

So it is not to prevent the rise of more left-wing governments that Ireland needs to be, in the words of Donald Trump's man, "a voice of reason". Rather it is to ensure that the nightmarish scenario envisaged by prime minister Orban and his comrades throughout much of the EU, can never come true.

EU Commission president Jean-Claude Junker warned recently that the prospect of another war in Europe was not as remote as we might like to think.

He was reminding us that the EU was originally set up to ensure extreme nationalism and racism would never again lead to conflict. We must be constantly vigilant if that vision is to remain intact.
It has been nigh on impossible to turn on your radio in recent weeks without hearing a chin-stroking conversation between one of Montrose's finest and Bertie Ahern on the latest machinations on Brexit.

The former taoiseach who, you will remember, managed to get through six years of his adult life without a bank account, has become a staple of the national debate as we look down our noses at our nearest neighbours.

The Mahon Report has been forgotten. The dig-outs have been forgotten. The extraordinary luck at the racetrack has been forgotten. The economic policies which ultimately led to the financial crash have been forgotten.

So Ahern sidles into radio and TV studios to wax lyrical about the glory days of the Peace Talks, before wheeling out his latest opinion on Britain's decision to leave the EU.

And it's not just RTE which runs to Ahern for advice as our country stares into the Brexit abyss. Simon Coveney has been knocking on Bertie's door for guidance on how to deal with those awkward politicians up North who don't appreciate the Tanaiste's earnest approach to the Brexit and Northern Assembly conundrums.

At a media briefing before Christmas, Coveney was forced to distance himself from social media comments made by his press adviser, Chris Donohoe, who said the "reintroduction" of Ahern as a "credible instead of a disgraced taoiseach makes him sick".

"I think he understands the parties well in Northern Ireland and I have benefited from hearing his views," Coveney said in Ahern's defence.

Another prominent voice throughout the Brexit fiasco has been John Bruton. The former taoiseach is a regular in broadcast and print media, where he make some fairly obvious comments about Brexit.

Bruton also has the ear of Leo Varadkar, according to the Taoiseach's advisers, due to his "wealth of knowledge" on the EU.

Ahern and Bruton are undoubtedly a wealth of knowledge on international affairs, given previous roles and political achievements. However, there seems to be a reluctance within the upper ranks of Fine Gael to tap into another former incumbent of the Department of Taoiseach.

Enda Kenny had his faults and the Sunday Independent mail room would come under serious strain if we asked readers to send in their suggestions. However, chief among those criticisms would not be Kenny's performance on the international stage, or his lack of diplomatic relationships with other heads of state. While still cleaning the blood from the blades they stuck in his back, Fine Gael TDs would fall over themselves to highlight Kenny's reputation on the continent.

They would say Kenny's two central achievements in office were restoring, or at least paving the way towards restoring, the country's economy, and cementing Ireland's standing among other EU member states.

Fine Gael colleagues always talk about the unique relationships he developed with senior EU leader such as Angela Merkel, Francois Hollande, Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker. The chairman of all chairmen, they'd say. The next EU president by a country mile, they'd add.

As far as Anglo-Irish relations go, we have come a long way from former British prime minister David Cameron personally wishing Kenny good luck ahead of the 2016 general election. I'm not sure Theresa May will be rushing to scribble some supportive words for Leo Varadkar ahead of the next election. And it's probably a long shot to suggest May will be still in office at that point. Perhaps it will be Jacob Rees-Mogg sending Varadkar some warm wishes.

But where is Kenny now? He's certainly not on RTE - and why would he be? It's not in Kenny's nature to push himself into the limelight. He's been burned enough times by his own broadcast performances to know that it is not wise to put your hand directly into the fire if it's not entirely necessary.

There is also a certain sense of decorum expected of former taoisigh. It would not be seen as sporting for a previous officer holder to offer a running commentary on a successor, - no matter how much they wanted to do it.

So Enda stands on the terraces, with his Fine Gael scarf around his neck, cheering on the team with the rest of the party faithful.

In the second week of this month, Kenny did make a public appearance - in Cambodia, where he met the prime minister and addressed the students of the national university.

The speech comprised a brief history of the EU and listed how Ireland has benefited from membership. Before a question and answer session with the students, Kenny joked: "I could speak for two hours on Brexit but I'd bore you to tears."

Maybe that's why no one in Government seems interested in hearing his views on Brexit. However, he clearly has something to say. Before Christmas, he spoke to the Limerick Chamber of Commerce. In a short video uploaded by the chamber, Kenny said the EU was "rock solid" behind Ireland and insisted it was up to the House of Commons to decide the next move. Not earth-shattering analysis by any means, but the comments were only an extract from a short video promoting the event.

In June, Kenny awoke from his political hibernation to receive European Movement Ireland's 'European of the Year' award. In his acceptance speech, he said he was appalled by UK politics which he said "lack credibility".

Advisers to Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney seemed bemused last week when asked if either politician seeks Kenny's advice on Brexit. Varadkar's adviser said they occasionally speak "informally" but that was about it. Coveney's adviser said she didn't know if the Tanaiste confided in Kenny, but said she would go find out. She was never heard from again.

Those close to Kenny say they are appalled by Varadkar's lack of interest in the former taoiseach's views on the EU and Brexit. After all, they argue, it was Kenny who ensured Ireland, Northern Ireland and the Border were treated as a special case in the negotiations.

"It shocking that they haven't tried to tap into his wealth of knowledge in European affairs," a source said.

Kenny was the architect of what would eventually develop into what we now call 'the backstop' - which essentially ensures there cannot be a hard border on the island of Ireland should Britain and the EU not agree on a trade deal.

Some people would say "sure, isn't the backstop the thing that's causing all the trouble?" and it is. Many those people are members of the UK Conservative Party.

(You could also argue that there should have been some discussions about what type of borders could avoid a return to violence, rather than categorically ruling out any type of border - but c'est la vie.)

However, Kenny did ensure Ireland did not become an afterthought in the Brexit negotiations - in the same way that little thought was given to the Border during the actual British referendum debate.

While still taoiseach, Kenny was also forced to slap down the aforementioned Bertie Ahern, who was pushing the idea of Ireland having bilateral negotiations with the EU during the talks. Imagine how that would have gone down in Brussels.

Last week, the UK's former Brexit secretary, David Davis, told a British parliamentary committee that Enda Kenny took a "more constructive approach" to the negotiations than Varadkar. He wasn't saying it for votes or show; it was an opinion on how the talks have developed.

Pride may be preventing Varadkar from engaging with Kenny on Brexit. After all, he forced him out because he believed he could do a better job.

Kenny may also be too proud to approach the Taoiseach with his advice. But at this point, Brexit negotiations are unravelling rapidly and the Government needs all the support it can get. Past grievances must be put aside.

However, there is something of an ageist attitude among the Fine Gael young turks towards their forefathers. Any time they talk about reshuffling Cabinet, it's always the older ministers, rather than the incompetent ones, they suggest should be sacked.

But experience is important and every organisation benefits from the wisdom of those who have seen more than those who have followed.
A solitary protester approached the garda barrier on Kildare Street last Tuesday afternoon with all the intensity of William Wallace facing down the English at the Battle of Falkirk.

Instead of war paint, he wore a motorcycle helmet. He crouched his legs slightly, extended his arms and let out a primeval roar.

Moments earlier, he shouted "p****s" at a group of gardai who prevented him from walking through a cordon at the Molesworth Street entrance to Leinster House.

The officers looked on uninterested. The handful of other protesters who showed up for the 'Not My Taoiseach' demonstration also looked on slightly bemused by the protester's antics.

However, undeterred by the ambivalence to his theatrics, the protester returned minutes later and smashed his motorcycle helmet on the street before storming off. The visor went flying as the helmet bounced along the concrete. It was quite the show.

Unfortunately the statement was somewhat undermined when he returned within minutes to pick up his now broken helmet. This was the highlight of the first yellow vest protest outside Leinster House. The movement was inspired by the violent 'gilets jaunes' demonstrations in France and gardai were prepared for a big turnout.

All entrances to Kildare Street were blocked off and more than 30 gardai were deployed to police the event.

But in reality there was no event to police.

Previous protests by the mixed bag of protesters saw bigger turnouts including an event yesterday outside the Custom House in Dublin city centre.

The views of some of those who attended the protest outside Leinster House seemed to be scraped from the bottom of the internet.

One demonstrator insisted former US president George W Bush had recently been arrested and was being secretly held captive in Guantanamo Bay.

He also believed Madeleine McCann was kidnapped by a senior figure in the Democratic Party called John Podesta who is a close supporter of Hillary Clinton.

Podesta found himself wrapped up in an internet conspiracy called 'Pizzagate' during the presidential elections. There are not enough column inches to explain the online controversy here, but suffice to say it's fairly bonkers.

Another protester outside Leinster House said the Government was poisoning young girls by giving them the HPV vaccine which prevents certain cancers.

Predictably enough, the mainstream media was accused of ignoring all of the issues mentioned above.

There appears to be some confusion as to where the Irish yellow vest movement sits on the political spectrum. There have been anti-immigration and far-right sentiments expressed at rallies.

But there is very little, if any, appetite for far-right politics in Ireland. A few laughable organisations have popped up over the years but are mostly treated with disdain by the public.

Similarly, self-described far-left activists are anxious to pin their colours to the international movement. However, they seem to be getting lost in the miasma of their counterparts on the other side of the political spectrum.

Even the far-left parties in Leinster House are steering clear of the protest movement.

These groups barely capitalised on the recession and are going to find themselves increasingly squeezed as the economy returns to better health.

They will have a voice but they are destined to remain on the fringes of Irish politics. However, they realise the yellow vests are not going to make them relevant.

Even the so-called socialists in Sinn Fein are coming around to the ways of capitalism when it comes to their own salaries.

Violent protests are rare in Ireland. Even during the austerity years, mass street protests rarely turned overly nasty.

The Greeks looted and clashed with police when their country was crippled by the crash.

In Ireland, people did protest. Thousands took to the streets to demonstrate against new taxes, bank bailouts and water charges. But for the most part, the protests were peaceful and dignified.

And a violent uprising is unlikely to be caused by a handful of protesters spouting conspiracy theories and throwing their protective headwear around the streets. But I could be wrong.
Last Wednesday afternoon, an unnamed man was shopping in Nairobi when he received word that a nearby hotel was under siege by Islamist terrorists.

Dressed only in jeans, a charcoal shirt and runners, the off-duty SAS soldier sprinted to his car and armed himself with a rifle, a side weapon and a knife for hand-to-hand combat.

The clock was ticking, and his usual protection gear not at hand, so he could do nothing but pull a flimsy-material balaclava over his face before rushing into the fire-fight.

Minutes later he emerged, leading civilians to safety while word spread that his heroics had saved countless lives.

It was with great irony that the tale of this man's brave actions made headlines around the world on the same day that columnists and social media debated whether or not we should exorcise a list of so-called toxic masculine traits from men and boys.

The debate follows a report by the American Psychological Association (APA), which has condemned traditional masculinity as 'harmful' and called for certain characteristics to be expunged.

Traits like 'stoicism', 'competitiveness', 'aggressiveness', 'dominance', 'eschewal of the appearance of weakness' and 'risk'.

Basically, all the traits that were displayed by our Nairobi hero.

Expand Close Police survey the aftermath. Photo: Reuters / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Police survey the aftermath. Photo: Reuters

Labels are dangerous. They satisfy society's need to simplify people. To put their behaviours into boxes marked 'good' and 'bad' in order to make better sense of the world and separate ourselves from anything that makes us uncomfortable or which we find difficult to understand. One man's madness is another's idea of genius, as they say.

You would think then that the APA would have had the nuanced thinking to understand this when deciding if a particular trait is a vice or virtue. It is not about the trait, per se, but how it is used? And for what purposes?

Take aggressiveness. Most of us learned to view it as an unacceptable emotion. Instead we were encouraged to behave courteously and to always be agreeable in order to get by in the world.

But what about positive aggression? The kind that fires up a sportsman to compete, or helps a businessman crush their competition and secure a deal? Channelled in the right direction, it enables a person to be assertive, independent and achieve a mastery over themselves and their passion.

Likewise, with stoicism, how many women have bemoaned men who show little in the way of emotion? We are constantly urging them to 'open up'. Yet emotional detachment can help a person stay calm and brave in the face of anxiety and pain. It is the perfect anecdote in uncertain times, a protection against sleepless nights in an otherwise cruel and changing world.

Most women seem better able to talk about feelings on a daily basis but the added benefit of not being an 'open book' is that - on the rare occasions a stoic person does discuss his feelings - people are more likely to listen.

Go through the rest of the list and we can see how each 'toxic' trait actually aids mankind's two basic needs: survival and sexual reproduction. There's a reason that, for thousands of years, the alpha-male has been sought by women and envied by men and continue to dominate the top of the food chain. You want them to just easily give that up?

The other side of the coin is that - if this dissection of men's characters is an acceptable development in mental health - then surely women should be subjected to the same scrutiny.

So what are the traits of 'toxic' femininity? If we are to hold women accountable for poor behaviour associated with their gender, we would need to look at behaviour that is far subtler and insidious.

It's important to say here 'not all women' but what about some women's tendencies to allow their passivity to maintain certain abusive power structures? When they look the other way from abuses committed by the men in their lives - even towards their own children - in order to keep the family together?

Or what about their ability to employ victimhood to control men or avoid responsibility in personal relationships? To use emotional manipulation or their sexuality to get men to do their bidding? Or their passive aggressive tendencies to spread rumours in order to undermine, degrade and undercut another women in their social circle? Some of the most toxic competition occurs between women competing for status.

In 2017 a study in the journal Evolutionary Psychological Science showed that women are far more likely to use nasty gossip to compete for a man's attention. Their behaviours are often perpetuated by other women who want to keep in favour with their friends.

When women use aggression it is also deployed in a more devious and underhand manner.

In 2016 a study conducted by Plymouth University found that young women with high emotional intelligence (EI) are more likely to use manipulative behaviours, resulting in a greater engagement in delinquency.

As Dr Alison Bacon, lecturer in psychology, who led the study explained: "It's an interesting line of research to follow, given that very little work has been conducted on EI and what it might facilitate in terms of non-prosocial behaviour."

When you consider how research has shown that women consistently outperform men on nearly all emotional intelligence measures, Dr Bacon's findings are even more unsettling.

In 2016, research, conducted by the Korn Ferry Hay Group, used data from 55,000 professionals in 90 countries.

They found that in 11 of 12 "emotional intelligence competencies" women outperformed men. Do men even stand a chance against the more socially sophisticated ways of a woman?

Perhaps, then, a better way for discussions on gender and behaviour is to employ a more balanced approach.

To realise that both men and women have the ability to weaponise even traditionally virtuous traits for their own toxic ends.

No man, or woman, should ever be put in a box labelled all 'good' or 'bad' - we all have our shadow side - but as Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung pointed out: "One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious."
Britain did not swallow the Irish border backstop. The massive rejection by Westminster of the EU Withdrawal Agreement containing the backstop reflects well on none of the participants in the Brexit fiasco. That includes the Irish Government.

The 14-month-old backstop sought to ensure that, despite Britain's exit from the EU and its enormous implications, there could never be any change whatsoever to how the Border on this island functions. One of the many reasons Brexit presented a strategic nightmare for Ireland was that it would inevitably change how the two jurisdictions on this island interact.

Absolutism in the face of the inevitable is rarely a wise position to take. Demanding of the British that there be absolutely no change to border arrangements was always more likely to bring about the hardest and most damaging form of Brexit than it was to preserve the status quo.

Despite this, absolutism on border issues has been the position of the Government since November 2017 when the backstop was put on the Brexit negotiating table. Those taking this position failed to see the constitutional implications for the UK of the backstop, then sought to dismiss those implications, then sought to 'de-dramatise' them. All of these failed because they were based on a multiple misreadings, most particularly a misreading of British politics.

The breadth of the opposition to the backstop across the political spectrum in Britain was evident last week in the House of Commons debate. Some of the many anti-backstop comments made by MPs during the debate are worth quoting because they illustrate the breadth of the opposition to it.

Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the opposition Labour Party, said: "Northern Ireland would be subject to significantly different regulations from the rest of the UK, but the EU would have a right of veto - a right of veto - over the UK's exit from the backstop arrangement. Far from taking back control, that is actually handing control to somebody else."

Hilary Benn, a Labour Party frontbencher, added: "The House of Commons will not agree a deal because of fear that we will be locked permanently into a backstop."

Kate Hoey, a Labour backbencher who is Northern Irish, weighed in: "I can never support a situation in which Northern Ireland will end up being treated separately from the rest of the United Kingdom and in which the only people who will speak for it will be representatives of the Irish Government. That is just not tenable."

In Ireland, British opposition to the backstop is usually attributed solely to stereotypical English Conservatives who dream of Empire and either hate Ireland or are ignorant of it (or both).

This is simply wrong. Opposition to the backstop has been widespread among the anti-Brexit wing of that party from the time it was put on the table. Contributions to the debate in the Commons last week highlighted this to anyone who is interested in the facts.

Anna Soubry, an arch-Remainer, described the backstop as 'vassalage'. She went on to say: "No one should be under any illusions about how bad a place the backstop will be. Northern Ireland will have limited benefits, but those benefits will be better than the rest of the United Kingdom, which is clearly a threat to the Union of our country."

Robert Halfon, another Tory who supported Remain in the referendum, said the backstop "would create two different regimes for Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom, and that has the potential to weaken our Union".

Shailesh Vara, who opposed Brexit in the 2016 referendum but who resigned from the Northern Ireland office last November over the Brexit deal, said: "It is also extraordinary that we are agreeing to enter an unending backstop that we will not be able to leave unilaterally. Effectively, we are agreeing to be handcuffed by the EU, and it will determine when the handcuffs come off."

Damian Collins, yet another Conservative who opposed Brexit, echoed this view: "We are trapped in the backstop, and the EU has lots of good reasons to want to keep us there."

With apologies to readers who have seen it spelt out in this column many times over the past 14 months, permit me briefly to repeat just why the backstop has real constitutional significance and is not merely about a few extra checks in the Irish Sea, as it is sometimes portrayed by its advocates.

There is a big difference between devolving powers to a region on issues like abortion and tax rates on the one hand and, on the other, placing a region in the market of another jurisdiction. In the first case, there are no border implications. In the second, there are.

Even more importantly, under the backstop, the laws governing commerce in Northern Ireland would have to made in Brussels and Strasbourg, thereby disenfranchising Northern voters. EU law would also be the supreme law of the land. These matters are profoundly constitutional in nature and anyone who claims otherwise does not understand how the legal infrastructure of states works.

The deal so resoundingly rejected by Westminster would have involved Britain agreeing in principle to all these constitutional implications. That was always unlikely.

With just weeks to go before Britain's membership of the EU lapses, it is even less likely that Westminster will reverse its position and swallow the backstop.

Without the backstop, the only way for there to be no change to the Border on this island is for all of the UK to stay in the EU or - at a minimum - to stay in both the EU's customs union and single market. The latter has always been extremely unlikely.

That means that if a no-deal exit is to be avoided the Irish and EU side will have to give way on the backstop or hope that Britain does a full U-turn on Brexit. These things could happen, but as of now, a no-deal is the more likely outcome.

One reason that is the case is because political and public discourse in Ireland has been so supportive of the backstop position, making an Irish U-turn on it all but impossible politically.

Nearly all commentators and those who might be termed experts have been supportive. One of the extraordinary things about it is how little questioning there has been about the costs and risks of what has been one of the biggest foreign policy decisions in the State's history.

Even more curious has been the need of many such people to enter into a competition of outrage over Brexit.

Predictably, the rejection of the backstop spurred this competition. Dr Jennifer Cassidy, an Irish political scientist based in Oxford, provided a particularly stark example after the vote. She began a social media posting as follows: "You invaded us. You conquered us. You divided us. You robbed us of our language, our heritage, our land. You starved us. You starved us. You starved us."

It continued in this vein, winning the approval of thousands of people in the form of Twitter 'likes'.

If this sort of rhetoric was coming from a teenager obsessed with revolutionary chic, it would be one thing. But for a grown-up - with a doctorate in political science, no less -to spout this sort of stuff in 2019 shows that it is not only Brexiteers who have taken leave of their senses.

Dr Cassidy, who was educated at Wesley College in Dublin, followed up her purple prose the next day, writing: "Brexit means lies. Brexit means racism... Brexit means hate."

This reductionist rhetoric may play well in the echo chambers of social media, but as with all simplistic demonising of large swathes of people with vastly different motives for their views, it serves to inflame and legitimise tribalism. Brexit is bad enough as it is.
Premium

Eoghan Harris Opinion Misery media fails to give due credit to the Taoiseach

Taoiseach Micheal Martin must drive his advisers mad. Unlike Leo Varadkar or Donald Trump, he never bigs up success stories such as the effect of Level 3 Plus on Covid or his visionary Shared Island project. Last Friday, Tony Holohan and RTE cheerleaders seemed to imply Level 5 was responsible for the improved Covid situation. Not so.
Now is a good time to buy an Audi. The German car maker's 2019 Experience Audi Sales Event is still running nationwide. As part of the event Audi is offering finance packages from 2.9pc. At BMW dealerships around the country, savings of 5.1pc, or an average saving of 3,296, is available on new BMW models. Finance packages as low as 1.9pc APR are also offered on selected BMW models.

French car maker Citroen is luring potential buyers with low finance rates, purchase contributions and scrappage. Dacia is offering 4.9pc APR across its range for 191, which includes the recently launched and more rugged and robust new Dacia Duster, which customers can get their hands on from 149 a month.

Ford has a range of offers as part of its Ford Innov8 campaign, including seven-year warranty, seven-year roadside assistance and two years' free servicing, until the end of January. The campaign extends to a range of 10 Ford models: KA+, Fiesta, EcoSport, Focus, C-MAX, Kuga, Mondeo, S-MAX, Galaxy and Ranger.

Across dealerships nationwide Honda has a range of offers on all vehicles ordered before January 31 including 3.9pc APR on HP and PCP across JAZZ, HR-V and the Civic Family ranges. This is also available on the all-new 1.5-litre petrol CR-V.

Expand Close Nissan is giving 0pc finance on the Micra / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Nissan is giving 0pc finance on the Micra

Book a new 191 Hyundai before January 31 and avail of either five years' free servicing, 3.9pc APR finance or scrappage of up to 5,000 on selected models.

Customers who opt for a Jaguar before March 31 can avail of 4.9pc APR PCP finance on all models. Kia customers who order a new car before the end of February can avail of 0pc finance on the Ceed, Stonic and Sportage and 3.9pc APR on all other models.

Land Rover buyers can benefit from a rate of 4.9pc APR PCP finance on all models excluding Range Rover Sport and Range Rover until March 31. Lexus is tempting buyers with 3.9pc APR on the IS, ES, UX, NX and RXL. In addition IS and NX customers can avail of a 2,000 hybrid trade-up allowance if they don't opt for the low APR deal.

For 191, Mazda is offering PCP finance from 1.91pc APR or a 191 bonus up to 2,000. If you have an eligible car and want to upgrade, an Eco Upgrade of up to 3,000 is available.

Savings of 3pc can be made across the MINI range, while 191 offers from Mitsubishi include 1.9pc HP on the Outlander and the Eclipse Cross and 3.9pc PCP on ASX. There is also 1,000 worth of free accessories, while stocks last, on the Outlander.

You can enjoy two new Nissan models for the price of one, thanks to its 191 offer. Anyone interested a buying a new Nissan Micra or Qashqai now can exchange it for the equivalent model in 2020 free of charge. If, however, customers decide that offer isn't for them, Nissan also has a number of other 191 offers to choose from, including 0pc finance on the Micra or 3.9pc PCP finance available across the range. Customers with older trade-ins can benefit from up to 5,500 scrappage allowance if they upgrade to a new Nissan.

Expand Close Renault is offering 0pc APR on the Zoe / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Renault is offering 0pc APR on the Zoe

Opel Ireland is offering customers a choice of three offers to suit their individual needs: 0pc finance (PCP or HP), minimum 3K scrappage or three years' free servicing.

Order a new Peugeot before January 31 and avail of one of its 191 offers including PCP and HP low-cost finance from 3.9pc APR, a five-year extended warranty across the passenger car range, scrappage of up to 4,000 or a deposit contribution of up to 750. Peugeot vans benefit from a 3.9pc APR HP finance rate and scrappage up to 4,000.

Customers looking to buy a 191 Renault can choose from a host of offers before January 31. Kadjar customers can avail of savings of over 4,000 with a complete package with 1.91pc APR PCP or HP finance, 1,000 cashback and three years' servicing. All other models come with a 1.91pc APR PCP or HP finance, 750 cashback and three years' servicing. If you're planning on going electric in 2019, the zero-emissions Renault ZOE Z.E. 40 comes with 0pc APR and 0pc BIK as standard for 191, making the switch to a zero-emission vehicle even more attractive.

Until January 31 SEAT is offering up to 5,000 scrappage and finance from 0pc. Order a new Skoda before the end of the month and avail of 0pc PCP on Fabia, Rapid, Octavia and Superb, 2.9pc PCP on Kodiaq and 3.9pc PCP on Karoq and Citigo. A 3.9pc HP rate is available on all models and a 1,000 deposit contribution is also available on certain Octavia and Superb models, but any PCP rate lower than 3.9pc can't be combined with Skoda Scrappage.

Suzuki is offering 0pc APR across the entire range.

Toyota buyers have a choice of APR rates from 2.9pc on passenger cars and 1.9pc on commercial vehicles. Their 'Upgrade to Hybrid for Less' means you have a lower monthly payment for a hybrid over a petrol. Until January 31, Toyota is also offering trade-in boosters of up to 3,000 on select passenger models.

To lure prospective buyers to showrooms around the country, Volkswagen is reintroducing their EcoGrant of up to 5,000 available on EU 1-4 diesel and petrol cars that are scrapped.

Volvo dealers nationwide are offering customers PCP rates from 3.9pc on the XC90 to 0.09pc on the V90. Customers can also avail of a luxury digital pack on all models except V40 and outgoing S60 for 699 (999 on XC90), which offers customers a minimum saving of 3,000 and includes front and rear park assist, rear parking camera, High Performance Pro audio system and smartphone integration with USB hub.
It's no exaggeration to say that a new range of road safety technologies on new vehicles will be the biggest step forward in road safety since the introduction of the seatbelt.

Almost ten years have passed since the last update to the EU's vehicle safety regulations. In that time there have been major advances taking place with in-vehicle safety technology. Last year the European Commission finally approved a large package of transport policy proposals known as the 'Third Mobility Package', which includes some very significant measures to improve road safety in the EU.

The most significant element of the package includes a set of new vehicle safety measures for cars, vans and trucks.

However, although the Commission has approved these features becoming mandatory under EU vehicle safety regulations, they have one big hurdle to clear: a vote in favour of the measures by MEPs in the EU Parliament.

If voted on and adopted, proven lifesaving technology such as intelligent speed assistance and lane departure avoidance will no longer be optional extras on vehicles sold in the EU but a basic minimum requirement. And we could expect to see the measures come into force on new vehicles from 2021 onwards.

On behalf of the European Commission, the Transport Research Laboratory in the UK (TRL) examined the potential for these advanced technologies to save lives. Its report estimated that these new vehicle safety features could prevent 25,000 deaths over the next 15 years cross the EU if implemented.

The package of new vehicle safety standards includes 15 lifesaving technologies, which includes:

1 Advanced emergency braking (cars)

2 Alcohol interlock installation facilitation (cars, vans, trucks, buses)

3 Drowsiness and attention detection (cars, vans, trucks, buses)

4 Distraction recognition / prevention (cars, vans, trucks, buses)

5 Event (crash) data recorder (cars and vans)

6 Emergency stop signal (cars, vans, trucks, buses)

7 Full-width frontal occupant protection crash test - improved seatbelts (cars and vans)

8 Head impact zone enlargement for pedestrians and cyclists - safety glass in case of crash (cars and vans)

9 Intelligent speed assistance (cars, vans, trucks, buses)

10 Lane keeping assist (cars, vans)

11 Pole side-impact occupant protection (cars, vans)

12 Reversing camera or detection system (cars, vans, trucks, buses)

13 Tyre pressure monitoring system (vans, trucks, buses)

14 Vulnerable road user detection and warning on front and side of vehicle (trucks and buses)

15 Vulnerable road user improved direct vision from driver's position (trucks and buses)

Two technologies in particular could have a huge impact on making the roads safer if they were made mandatory.

Advanced emergency braking technology automatically slows down and stops the vehicle if it detects another vehicle, pedestrian or cyclist in its path.

Intelligent speed assistance communicates the current speed limit to the driver using satellite and speed-sign recognition technology and helps keep the vehicle within the posted limit. And yes, it will be an overridable system. As speeding is a contributory factor in a third of fatal crashes in this country, such a measure could have a significant positive impact on safety.

The Commission is also proposing enhancing the need for manufacturers to design better visibility into trucks and include sensors on the front and side so drivers can see cyclists and pedestrians more easily. This measure alone would be of great benefit in this country as annually a number of cyclists and pedestrians are killed or seriously injured in collisions where the blind spot is a contributory factor.

If we want to see these technologies as standard on all new vehicles in Europe it is vital that EU member states and the European Parliament, specifically MEPs, give their backing to the plans. It's also crucial that they do not give in to pressure from car manufacturers, who according to the ETSC have attempted to weaken parts of the vehicle safety proposals.

As recently as January 10 last, the European Parliament's Transport committee, comprised of MEPs, voted in support of the wide-ranging package of new vehicle safety measures.

As we look to close the gap between Ireland and the safest countries in the EU, the rollout of these new safety technologies would help us greatly in achieving this goal. Ireland and its MEPs must add its weight to the push to get these measures made mandatory when it comes to a final vote in the EU Parliament. This needs to happen before the EU Parliament's term ends on April 18.
Operation Transformation leader Cathal Gallagher was the biggest loser on the show this week, shedding a massive 16 pounds.

The paramedic, who piled on the weight after a house fire forced his family into rented accommodation and left him dealing with banks and insurance companies, says hes thrilled with the results.

Now into week two of the show, Cathal has become something of a household name, so much so that even the grocery shopping takes longer now.

One morning this week I had a lot on and I couldnt get the shopping done because so many people want to talk to you when you go to the supermarket.

Little old women who I barely know are all over to me and practically wanting my autograph.

On Friday, Limerick woman Trisha Lewis, who is close to achieving her personal goal of losing 100 pounds, told the Late Late show of the hurtful comments people would make when she was morbidly obese.

Cathal agrees that he too has seen people staring at him, and sniggering and laughing because of his weight.

People would have stared. When I was over in Poland, we went swimming every second day, and Id be going into the pool... and Id see women pulling their children away from me. The sniggering would start. And its not just Poland. I wouldnt have been in the pool here this last couple of years. Youd be aware of people sniggering and laughing.

He added: People would steer clear of me on the bus, people wouldnt want to sit beside me.

The affable Donegal man says he feels lucky to be on the show, because his wife Agi applied on his behalf. The show's producers have never accepted a third party application before.

Agi was so desperate for him to overhaul his lifestyle that last summer they mutually decided that shed move to Poland to give him some time to focus on his health.

We took a bit of time out, she went back to Poland, to see was I going to do something about the issues that I have. But for the four months, I didnt put a pot or pan on the cooker at all. It was delis and takeaways, and with the good weather there were barbecues and wine.

Often, his unhealthy lifestyle Cathal was the cause of friction in their household, Cathal says.

The eyes would be rolling and shed be giving out to me: look at the s*** youre eating. Thats crap food. It would be takeaways, chinese and pizzas. I could write book in excuses, there were always reasons to celebrate, celebrate something that happened in work or celebrate something else.

It caused conflict in the house. I had my head stuck in the sand. I now realise my wife had major concerns about my health. I was a cardiac arrest waiting to happen.

He added: She had given up asking me to do something about myself.

When I went over to Poland to bring Agi and Maja back, she may have been happy to see me but she certainly wasnt happy to see so much of me. She thought Id have been able to take control. But with them being away, I was further depressed, I had low self-esteem, and I remember thinking well if I drink this tonight, maybe Ill die in my sleep.

Cathal says hell never return to the weight he was at when he started Operation Transformation and is ready to spend much of this year getting his health back. His confidence is back, he says.

I had lost weight about four and a half years ago, and then we had a house fire, and I was dealing with banks and insurance companies, and that is not the easiest on the best day. The stress increased so much that I went back smoking and comfort eating."

"I had to rent a house. We were knocked out of our routine as such. And I find when Im knocked out of my routine, I go for comfort food to make me feel better. And then the next morn, you ask yourself why did I do that? Its the rush of sugar to the blood that gives the high.

Myself and my wife wed been trying to get pregnant and that was another stressor. Now we have our beautiful wee girl Maja."

Cathal says theres now fun and laughter back in his household, and when little Maja jumps on the resistance trainer with him, the whole family is laughing along.

And seeing people travel from all over the country to take part in a walk with him in Ballyshannon was a massive boost to his confidence.

"A couple came over to me at the start, and the man said you dont know me but everything you said, every part of it and I could tell you about it. So much so that I got in the car in Dublin and Im here to walk with you.

Another couple came from Belfast, another came from Longford... Im over the moon that Im inspiring other people.

You can feel it in the air, people in the northwest here are walking around with smiles.
Laura Brennan, 26-year-old patient advocate who restored public confidence in HPV vaccine was conferred with an honorary Degree of Doctor of Literature by University College Dublin. Pictured with her father Larry, mother Bernadette and brothers Kevin and Fergal. Picture: Iain White/Fennell Photography

Laura Brennan, 26-year-old patient advocate who restored public confidence in HPV vaccine was conferred with an honorary Degree of Doctor of Literature by University College Dublin. Picture: Iain White/Fennell Photography

Laura Brennan, 26-year-old patient advocate who restored public confidence in HPV vaccine was conferred with an honorary Degree of Doctor of Literature by University College Dublin. Picture: Iain White/Fennell Photography

A 26 year-old woman who is dying from cervical cancer has appealed to parents to inoculate their children with the HPV vaccine.

Laura Brennan, who was recently given an honorary doctorate from University College Dublin, said she has spent the last 12 days in hospital because she has cervical cancer.

This could have been prevented thanks to the HPV vaccine, she said on Twitter. Protect your children from this, vaccinate.

The Clare woman was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2016, and underwent five months of intense treatment which seemed to be successful, but a few months later she was told that her cancer had returned and that this time, it was a terminal.

How many people know January is cervical cancer awareness month? Laura, who has been tirelessly campaigning for the vaccine asked today on Twitter.

So far Ive spent 12 days in hospital thanks to having CC. This could have been prevented thanks to the HPV vaccine. Protect your children from this, vaccinate.

It was Lauras dedication to raising awareness and education about the vaccine that earned her the UCD accolade.

In an interview with Independent.ie last month, Laura said she doesnt know how much time she has left.

I have had many highs in the past year or so  a lot more than lows, she says. I would say that despite the cancer, the last 12 months have been the best of my life; I was at the Toy Show in November, I went to a concert with my brother, to Copenhagen and the US to talk about my experiences - I have had so many great opportunities and made some fantastic friends.

Playing a small role in spreading the word about the importance of vaccination has been an amazing experience and to be honest, I havent had any tough times really  the only thing that really gets me is when I see someone younger than me dealing with cancer or any other illness  I find that very upsetting. And although it would have been nice to have some nieces or nephews to play with (Im still waiting), I have been really lucky as life has been so good to me.
On hold: Shane Ross was informed of how his crackdown played out in rural areas. Photo: Damien Eagers

Transport Minister Shane Ross has been warned to ease up on his plans for new road safety laws, the Irish Independent can reveal.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has intervened to express the concerns of Fine Gael TDs and some ministers about Mr Ross's plans for a tough penalty points system.

A large section of Mr Varadkar's party believes Mr Ross has already caused enough upset in rural Ireland with his clampdown on drink-driving.

Rural TDs are said to have "got it in the neck" over Christmas, with anecdotal reports of people being breathalysed on their way to morning Mass.

At a meeting between Mr Varadkar and the Independent Alliance on Tuesday night, the Taoiseach expressed the concerns of his party to Mr Ross.

A number of sources told the Irish Independent that while the exchanges were cordial, Mr Varadkar's intent was clear.

"The message was 'enough is enough'. He got his drink-driving legislation through and the continued changes are causing upset in rural Ireland," a source said.

A separate source confirmed that the Taoiseach told his minister that the clampdown "got a negative reception over Christmas".

Tanaiste Simon Coveney also rowed in, telling Mr Ross that he should realise the growing opposition based on conversations that had taken place at Cabinet earlier that day.

During that Cabinet meeting, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan was among a number of Fine Gael representatives who outlined objections to what is being perceived as a crusade against motorists in rural Ireland.

Mr Ross has put forward proposals to introduce tough penalties for motorists caught speeding and automatic fines for not carrying a driving licence.

Fine Gael has sought to delay any changes by pushing them to a Cabinet committee for assessment.

At the meeting on Tuesday, Mr Ross defended his record in the job to the Taoiseach, making the point that road deaths have continuously fallen since he came into office.

Last year, there were 142 fatal collisions resulting in 149 fatalities on Irish roads. This is seven fewer than in 2017.

Of the 149 fatalities, there were 62 drivers killed, 21 passengers, 42 pedestrians, 15 motorcyclists and nine cyclists.

The meeting between the Taoiseach, Tanaiste and the Independent Alliance was scheduled as a "start of term" get-together.

Some in the Alliance were expecting dinner in Government Buildings but were only offered a bowl of fruit.

The Alliance ministers were given an opportunity to outline their priorities for the months ahead.

Disabilities Minister Finian McGrath is understood to have raised Beaumont Hospital and the potential recognition of the state of Palestine.

OPW Minister Kevin 'Boxer' Moran and Junior Education Minister John Halligan are understood to have spoken about issues relating to the cost of living.

A Government source insisted that the relationship between Fine Gael and the Alliance is "strong despite difference in some areas".

Mr Ross has also been privately targeted by Fine Gael ministers after a poor performance at a press conference on Brexit contingency plans.
Transport Minister Shane Ross has launched a stinging attack on Fine Gael ministers who criticised Garda enforcement of drink-driving laws by saying they are "unfit for Government".

The minister's comments come after he was subjected to a week of intense private briefing by Fine Gael ministers over road safety laws and his handling of Brexit contingency plans.

Speaking to the Sunday Independent, Minister Ross said: "Despite intense pressure from vested interest groups on my Government colleagues, I enjoyed their full support for this life-saving drink-driving legislation.

"It goes without saying that any minister who would oppose gardai enforcing the law would be unfit for Government," he added.

Writing in today's Sunday Independent, Mr Ross also scathingly attacks the "lunatic fringe" in Leinster House who have been "huffing and puffing about the evil of breathalysing drink-drivers in the morning".

He also criticises anonymous politicians who "lurk in the shadows" to brief the media against drink-driving laws.

"There are some very odd people with very soft voices roaming the corridors of power," he writes.

"It's a sobering thought that there are low standards in high places when it comes to drink," he adds.

Rural Fine Gael ministers faced a backlash from constituents during the Dail recess over Mr Ross's drink-driving clampdown.

At a Cabinet meeting last week, Fine Gael ministers, including Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan, complained about an increase in early morning Garda breathalyser tests during the Christmas period.

Rural Affairs Minister Michael Ring, Agriculture Minister Michael Creed and Business Minister Heather Humphreys also raised concerns at Cabinet. Independent Minister of State Sean Canney publicly said gardai should focus on other crimes instead of stopping motorists who are drink driving.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris was forced to defend his use of early morning breathalyser tests after the criticism from Government ministers. Mr Harris said there was a mistaken belief among motorists that they are always safe to drive the morning after they have been drinking.

Yesterday, Fianna Fail justice spokesman Jim O'Callaghan said it was not the job of Government ministers to direct gardai on operational matters.

"If Government ministers want gardai to stop policing certain laws, they should seek to change those laws rather than criticising the gardai for doing their job," Mr O'Callaghan said.

Justice Minister Mr Flanagan said he supports all laws passed by the parliament including those relating to drink-driving.

"Gardai do important work 24 hours a day and seven days a week to protect communities while preventing and detecting crimes," Mr Flanagan said.

Meanwhile, Mr Ross insisted he answered "utterly honestly" when he said he anticipated checks on goods bound for Ireland coming from Scotland through Northern Ireland. His comments sparked controversy when Tanaiste Simon Coveney was recorded telling Mr Ross he should not have discussed checks on the Border because he did not want to be part of a Government that introduces a physical border on the island of Ireland.

"Unfortunately it gave an opportunity for the shadowy spinners from the drunken driving gang to resurface. They care little for the perils of a hard border or the threat of more road deaths," Mr Ross says.
Fianna Fail and the SDLP will announce a set of "shared principles" in the coming weeks as the long-mooted merger of the parties has been taken off the table.

The two parties based on either side of the Border will unveil plans for a "stronger relationship" between their organisations on an all-island basis.

The parties will then work together in "partnership" on issues of "common interest", according a senior Fianna Fail figure. The party source insisted Fianna Fail will not be merging with the SDLP now or any time in the near future.

"It is not a merger and its not a preliminary to a merger," a source said.

The source said the party wants to build "cross-Border engagement" with the SDLP but said Fianna Fail will not be running candidates in May's Northern Ireland local elections. The SDLP will also not run candidates south of the Border.

Neither party will share resources under the arrangement, according to the Fianna Fail source.

There has been widespread speculation in recent years over the possibility of the two parties merging since Micheal Martin announced his intention to move Fianna Fail into the North in 2014.

Last year, Mr Martin said: "I think in terms of political ideology and narrative, there are many similarities between us and the SDLP."

He was also forced to sack Eamon O Cuiv and Senator Mark Daly when they announced a Fianna Fail candidate in the North without the party's permission.
Last month, detectives from the serious crime review team drove from the Republic across the Border to the Quinn family home deep in the what was known as 'bandit country' in south Armagh.

They were there to update the family on the progress of their 'cold case' investigation into one of the most savage cross-Border crimes of recent times - the murder of Paul Quinn (21), who was beaten to death by a suspected IRA mob of at least 10 men in 2007.

Paul was attacked in Co Monaghan. Some of his suspected killers live in the Northern Ireland jurisdiction of South Armagh. The investigation has been a model of close police cooperation, with coordinated arrests on both sides of the Border.

After more than a decade of omerta among IRA suspects and their network of sympathisers, Paul's murder remains unsolved.

A cold case review by gardai has been under way for more than a year.

When detectives with the review team next return to the Quinn homestead in Cullyhanna to brief the Quinn family on their findings, who knows what the Border landscape they so freely crossed last month will be like.

Senior Garda sources will tell you that the case of Paul Quinn is just one of myriad security issues over which Brexit uncertainty has cast its shadow.

The investigation into the young man's murder will continue, as will the Garda's longstanding cooperation with police in Northern Ireland, one senior source said.

In recent weeks, Garda Headquarters has upped the ante in assessing the potential fallout from Brexit. A team of senior officers is now meeting weekly, assessing the appropriate security response to the various Brexit scenarios, including the worst-case of a no-deal, no-backstop exit that raises the prospect of customs checks along almost 500km of the Border.

The notable threats are from crime gangs involved in smuggling and, perhaps more worryingly, from dissident republicans who, as Garda Commissioner Drew Harris pointed out last year, may exploit the Border for their own ends.

The last official count recorded 208 crossings into Northern Ireland. An Army mapping exercise has identified formerly uncounted crossings, mostly lanes and byways, bringing the total to close to 300.

Many were closed during the Troubles. In Monaghan, for instance, 26 roads to the North were open during the Troubles. Now there are 102.

No one wants a return to closing roads, Garda sources say. And while the details of the Garda's plans for the worst-case Brexit scenario remain confidential, they are likely to include provision for the deployment of more patrols in Border regions, and more resources to engage in the kind of intelligence-led policing that has been used to such effect against Dublin's feuding gangs.

"The Border is open for business and there are no plans to close it. There is police-to-police cooperation that exists and Brexit will not change that," said a senior source.

"It certainly will require additional resources. Part of the peace dividend has been a reduction of policing but there would be an expectation that more resourcing occurs."

The Government has rather unconvincingly denied that it has any plans for customs checks. Even in a worst-case scenario Brexit, gardai believe customs checks are not their bag - "a civil matter" for Revenue, said one source.

Were customs posts to become a target, however, that would change.

The Sunday Independent has established from security sources that concerns have been raised about dissident republican activity and at a very high level.

"Dissidents are a threat but they are a threat that we dealt with all along. Whether the presence of a Border will enhance their numbers or not, I don't know. There is a certain cohort that is always going to be involved," said one senior source.

"Policing the Border will be about prevention and detection. We will still have our interaction with the PSNI. We will still have to deal with the cross-Border criminal who is going to come down here and carry out burglaries in the South and then burglaries in the North."
The scene of a suspected car bomb on Bishop Street in Derry Photo credit: @PSNIDCSDistrict/Twitter/PA Wire

PSNI officers stand watch over the remains of the car that was earlier hijacked and packed with explosives before being detonated outside Derry court house. Photo: Getty

Forensic officers inspect the scene of a suspected car bomb in Derry, January 20, 2019. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

The remains of the car. Photo: Getty Images

A forensic officer takes a photograph of the scene of a suspected car bomb in Derry, January 20, 2019. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

The car bomb that exploded near the courthouse in Derry has been linked to a dissident group the New IRA.

Speculation has mounted overnight that the explosion was planned by the group of dissident republicans, who have made no secret of their desire to exploit the fallout from Brexit.

It is understood PSNI officers were only given a 15 minute warning to evacuated the area before the bomb went off.

Police said that at around 7.55pm on Saturday night officers on patrol in Bishop Street spotted a suspicious vehicle.

The officers were making checks when information was received that a device had been left at the courthouse.

Police condemned the attack as "unbelievably reckless" while representatives from across the political spectrum moved to condemn those responsible.

Tanaiste Simon Coveney tweeted his disgust at the incident.

"I utterly condemn the car bomb terrorist attack in Derry this evening," he said.

"There is no place and no justification possible for such acts of terror, which seek to drag Northern Ireland back to violence and conflict."

Violent dissident republican groups have been responsible for a number of murders over the last 10 years.

They include the killing of Sappers Mark Quincey and Patrick Azimkar outside Massereene Barracks in Co Antrim in 2009 and PSNI Constable Stephen Carroll in Craigavon, Co Armagh in the same year as well as Constable Ronan Kerr in Omagh in 2011.

Dissidents were also responsible for the murders of prison officers David Black in 2012 and Adrian Ismay in 2016.

Expand Close Forensic officers arrive at the scene of a suspected car bomb in Derry, January 20, 2019. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Forensic officers arrive at the scene of a suspected car bomb in Derry, January 20, 2019. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

There have also been a number of narrow misses, including the maiming of Constable Peadar Heffron in 2010, when an undercar booby trap bomb left him seriously injured.

It is estimated that the New IRA has carried out about 40 attacks in the years since it was formed in 2012.

Speaking after Saturday's explosion, Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said: "We moved immediately to begin evacuating people from nearby buildings including hundreds of hotel guests, 150 people from the Masonic Hall and a large number of children from a church youth club.

"The device detonated at 8.10pm. At this stage it appears as though the vehicle used had been hijacked from a delivery driver in the Quarry Street a short time before the explosion.

"The people responsible for this attack have shown no regard for the community or local businesses.

"They care little about the damage to the area and the disruption they have caused."

Northern Ireland Secretary of State Karen Bradley has said those behind the bomb attack will not prevail.

Expand Close John Boyle, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, speaks to the media near the scene of a suspected car bomb on Bishop Street. Steven McAuley/PA Wire / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp John Boyle, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, speaks to the media near the scene of a suspected car bomb on Bishop Street. Steven McAuley/PA Wire

"This attempt to disrupt progress in Northern Ireland has rightly been met with utter condemnation from all parts of the community.

"The small number of people responsible have absolutely nothing to offer Northern Ireland's future and will not prevail.

"Our voices across the political spectrum are united. This is intolerable violence and we want to look forward and build a peaceful future for all in Northern Ireland.

"Thank you to the PSNI and emergency services who are working so hard to keep people safe and secure."

Witnesses earlier said they heard a loud bang and saw a large plume of smoke.

Local residents, including those in a sheltered housing complex for elderly people, were evacuated.

Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster said it was a "pointless act of terror" which "must be condemned in the strongest terms".

"Only hurts the people of the City. Perpetrated by people with no regard for life," she said.

"Grateful to our emergency services for their swift actions which helped ensure there have been no fatalities or injuries.

Derry's SDLP mayor John Boyle challenged those responsible on what the aim was.

He said: "I would actually like to ask the people responsible for this what it actually was that they thought they were going to achieve.

"It achieves nothing, it didn't achieve anything in the past, it didn't achieve anything right now.

"This is the past and it has to stay in the past. We don't want to see any more of it."

Sinn Fein Foyle MP Elisha McCallion has condemned the explosion.

"This incident has shocked the local community," she said. "In particular, there are many elderly residents who live in the area who have been alarmed.

"Thankfully no-one appears to have been injured.

"Derry is a city moving forward and no-one wants this type of incident. It is not representative of the city.

"I would encourage anyone with information about this incident to bring it to the police."

Local SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan tweeted: "Whoever is responsible for this explosion outside Bishop Street Courthouse in Derry clearly hasn't got the message that the people of Derry DO NOT want this on our streets.

"We are trying to move Derry forward and will not let anyone drag us back to the dark days of the past."

Local Democratic Unionist MLA Gary Middleton condemned the incident as a "disgraceful act of terrorism".

"PSNI have confirmed there were no injuries in the serious incident at Bishops Street," he said.

"Vehicle hijacked with explosion outside courthouse. Disgraceful act of terrorism."

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long has also voiced her concern about the incident on Twitter, describing it as "very disturbing news".
There were echoes of a bitter family feud in the will of a wealthy Dublin publican which went to probate last week.

Mary Coman, founder with her late husband Pat of Coman's pub in Rathgar, left almost 4m in her will- but nothing to her six sons, five of whom were involved in a bitter dispute with their parents, which surfaced in the High Court.

"We have lost everything we valued, we have lost our fatherhood and motherhood," Mary Coman, mother of six sons and six daughters, told a court during the dispute.

Relations between the sons who ran the pub and bottling plant deteriorated as Pat Coman dipped into company funds to buy houses for his daughters. At a board meeting in 1997, it was decided that any money taken out by the elderly founder would be treated as an advance against future ownership of the pub.

This was followed in 1998 by Patrick and Mary Coman going to the High Court to have five of their six sons, Geoffrey, John, Patrick Jnr, Thomas and Denis, removed as directors. Their other son, William, and their daughters took no part in the legal dispute.

Despite mediation, no agreement could be reached when the parents' salaries were stopped until outstanding company loans of 1.25m were repaid, and the matter arrived back in the High Court in 2002. In, 2003, lawyers and accountants hammered out a deal that the five sons would pay their parents 7m for their 52pc.

The settlement, which Gerard Hogan SC later admitted was "a back of the envelope calculation", failed when Pat Coman later claimed it didn't include the 'bricks and mortar' of Coman's and demanded an additional 1.25m.

"I have been told they [the five sons] are going to starve us into submission. It was in the paper that we have a 4m house in Rathgar - we bought it for 6,000. We have no resources," Mary Coman told the High Court in 2003. "It is a terrible thing for a mother to look down and see we are outcasts in our own family."

After Judge Joe Finnegan warned both sides he "could make a decision that nobody can live with", the disputing parties retired for further talks and the action was finally settled, with Pat and Mary Coman signing over their interests in the family business to their sons. In her will, which was drawn up in 2008, Mary Coman, of Grosvenor Road, Rathgar, described as a company director, who died on the August 13, 2018, left estate valued at 3,919,686.

She left her house in equal shares to her daughters Monica, Ella and Elizabeth. They were each also left 25pc of the residue of the estate, with the remaining 25pc shared equally between her other daughters, Eugenia, Petrina and Paulina.

"I am satisfied I have made due and appropriate provision for each of my six sons through the interest I have given them in the family business and in various advancements I have given them in my lifetime," Mrs Coman said in her will.

Her words from beyond the grave are the final chapter of a sad saga that convulsed one of the best-known families in the Dublin pub trade.
Minister Josepha Madigan lays a wreath at the Soloheadbeg Ambush Centenary celebration in Co. Tipperary Photo: Tony Gavin

Relatives of RIC member James McDonnell, Vera McDonnell Gleeson, Phil Manion and Vincent McGrath at the Soloheadbeg Ambush Centenary celebration in Co. Tipperary Photo: Tony Gavin

Guest speaker Eamon O'Cuiv TD addresses the crowd at the Soloheadbeg Ambush Centenary celebration in Co. Tipperary Photo: Tony Gavin

Crowds gather at the centenary commemoration in Soloheadbeg

Minister Josepha Madigan lays a wreath at the Soloheadbeg Ambush Centenary celebration in Co. Tipperary Photo: Tony Gavin 2

Thousands gathered to commemorate the Soloheadbeg ambush on January 21, 1919 which sparked the War of Independence.

The first shots of the war were fired by Dan Breen, Sean Treacy, Seamus Robinson, Sean Hogan and other members of an eight-strong IRA Third Tipperary Brigade unit.

The daughter of Seamus Robinson, Dimphne Brennan (85), is to meet with relatives of the two RIC constables killed 100 years ago.

Ms Brennan said her father maintained until his dying day that the fatal shootings were accidental with the intention from the outset of disarming and capturing the two policemen.

Expand Close Guest speaker Eamon O'Cuiv TD addresses the crowd at the Soloheadbeg Ambush Centenary celebration in Co. Tipperary Photo: Tony Gavin / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Guest speaker Eamon O'Cuiv TD addresses the crowd at the Soloheadbeg Ambush Centenary celebration in Co. Tipperary Photo: Tony Gavin

"He was a gentle and kind man...there was never any intention to kill them," she said.

Their ambush was planned to seize a cartload of gelignite explosives as it was transported to a local quarry from an RIC base in Tipperary town.

However, a plan to disarm and capture the RIC guard went badly wrong and two RIC Constables were killed in a hail of bullets.

Constable Jim McDonnell and Constable Paddy O'Connell, who were both Catholic, died after apparently trying to shoulder their rifles when suddenly confronted by the IRA volunteers on a stretch of road just six metres wide by the gate to Cranitch's field.

Expand Close Grand Neices of Dan Breen Deirdre Myers, Saoirse McArdle and Notreen Myers at the Soloheadbeg Ambush Centenary celebration in Co. Tipperary. Photo: Tony Gavin / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Grand Neices of Dan Breen Deirdre Myers, Saoirse McArdle and Notreen Myers at the Soloheadbeg Ambush Centenary celebration in Co. Tipperary. Photo: Tony Gavin

The ambush and shootings, which were not sanctioned by IRA command in Dublin, took place on the very day the republican Dail met for the first time and declared independence from Britain.

Accounts after the War of Independence and Civil War indicated that the two RIC officers initially thought the ambush was a hoax.

In the feverish atmosphere of Irish politics just three years after the Easter Rising, Soloheadbeg lit the spark for Ireland's War of Independence and four years of bloody violence which engulfed the entire island.

More than 2,000 people were killed by early 1922 alone.

Expand Close A pipe band plays at the centenary commemoration in Soloheadbeg / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A pipe band plays at the centenary commemoration in Soloheadbeg

The significance of the ambush and its implications for Irish history was marked by Solohead Parish Centenary Committee led by Oliver Coffey, Michael Ryan, Tim Hanley and Tim Ryan.

Mr Ryan said the aim was to commemorate a critical event in Irish history and to make it as inclusive and sensitive as possible.

With that in mind, military re-enactors were not allowed participate in today's events.

More than 1,000 people gathered at Solohead village for a special memorial and also at the Soloheadbeg ambush site - crowds were so large Gardai and stewards closed local roads and implemented a park-and-ride system from Tipperary Racecourse.

Relatives from all 12 individuals involved that day were present at the ceremony.

Jack and Josephine O'Connell represented their grand-uncle, Constable O'Connell, while Constable McDonnell was represented by his descendants Vincent McGrath and Philip and James McDonnell.

Former Irish Independent news editor, Treacy Hogan, and his son Robert, were present to represent their grandfather and great-grandfather, Sean Hogan.

"It is important that today is all about inclusion. What happened 100 years ago happened. But it is very important that we remember all those involved," he said.

Sean Hogan who would later be the focus of a dramatic IRA rescue from the Tipperary-Cork train several months after Soloheadbeg.
Stretching the truth: Saoirse Ronan in the lead role for Mary Queen of Scots, which has been criticised for not sticking to historical facts

Cheeks pinched, and looking sternly beautiful, Saoirse Ronan delivers another astonishing performance in Josie Rourke's new film Mary Queen of Scots. So often the embattled 16th-century monarch has been presented to us as a victim, a papist dupe, a wavering impediment to Queen Elizabeth's glorious reign, but here Mary takes centre stage.

She's just 18 when she returns to Scotland from France to take the reigns of a chilly kingdom she's been the notional head of since infancy. In a country riven by sectarian strife, the French-speaking, Catholic Mary infuriates reformist firebrands like John Knox. She also faces threats from within her own family, and from further south, where Mary's claim on the English throne worries Elizabeth's advisers.

Mary attempts to forge a friendship with her cousin queen (Margot Robbie), but the men who surround them both are determined that will never happen. Mary Queen of Scots - which is absorbing, slow-moving but full of detail - has been pretty much ignored thus far by the various awards. It's a very solid drama, but its writer Beau Willimon has been criticised in some quarters for a scene in which Mary and Elizabeth meet at a remote location on the Borders and have a free and frank discussion.

It's nicely done, and dramatically satisfying to have these embattled women whose fortunes we've been following to finally have a face-to-face confrontation. However, there's absolutely no historical evidence to suggest that the two monarchs ever met. Does that matter? Only if you think that history is set in stone and ought to be slavishly adhered to by entertainers.

Expand Close Inconvenient truth: Braveheart is considered one of the most historically inaccurate films of all time / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Inconvenient truth: Braveheart is considered one of the most historically inaccurate films of all time

Another recent period drama, The Favourite, has been rightly lavished with praise by critics and has become the Oscar frontrunner. But when I interviewed its director Yorgos Lanthimos last month, he wisely admitted that when it comes to history, "you can't know what is really true". It is not the job of moviemakers to "make history lessons", but to create "something that feels in its own right complete and also relevant to our times". In other words, historical facts shouldn't get in the way of a good yarn.

In Lanthimos' film, Olivia Colman's 18th-century monarch, Queen Anne, is as loud and histrionic as a pampered opera diva. Was the real queen as outrageous? Probably not, and she and her rival ladies in waiting certainly did not use the blunt and unadorned Estuary English employed in the film. But instead of getting bogged down in detail, The Favourite uses humour and dramatic pyrotechnics to make its story feel urgent, and real.

The more slavishly period films cling to preconceived notions about how people behaved in the distant past, the more boring they are to watch. In 1984, Milos Forman's period drama Amadeus won eight Oscars, including Best Picture, and became one of the biggest box-office hits of that year. It starred Tom Hulce as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, portraying him as a debauched and venal wastrel whose divine genius so infuriates rival composer Antonio Salieri that the older man sets out to kill him.

It was nonsense from start to finish. Mozart was something of a peacock, and did have a fondness for scatological jokes, but cannot possibly have been as irritating as the cackling buffoon portrayed by Hulce. And Antonio Salieri was a respected Viennese composer and teacher who seems to have had a friendly and cordial relationship with Mozart. But where would the fun have been in watching a film like that?

When Kirk Douglas publicly announced in 1960 that blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo was the real author of Spartacus, he effectively brought the era of Communist witch-hunts in Hollywood to an end. Trumbo was a truly great scriptwriter, but how much did he really know about Spartacus? Not a lot, because no one really does, outside Roman accounts of the slave uprising he led, and the fact that he hailed from the southern Balkans, and had once been a gladiator.

But in a way, that lack of hard fact was an advantage for Trumbo, who was free to create the sweeping tale of the fierce Thracian slave who leads a revolt at his gladiator stable, falls in love with Jean Simmons, takes on the might of Rome's armies and ends up being crucified on the Appian Way. In fact, he probably died on the battlefield, and the famous "I'm Spartacus" scene was pure, inspired fiction.

The finished film was cut before release, including a controversial scene in which Laurence Olivier's Roman general Crassus has his slave (Tony Curtis) sponge his back in the bath and speaks in code about homosexual love. It was put back in a 1991 restoration, with Anthony Hopkins ghosting Olivier's voice. Thankfully, that kind of moral censorship of history seems to be a thing of the past: the biopic Colette, which was released a few weeks back, might not have been made at all a decade or two, as it deals frankly with the great French writer's attempt to live an openly gay life in early 20th-century Paris.

Good historical dramas often have more to say about the present than the past. Laurence Olivier's 1944 film Henry V was the first film based on a Shakespeare play to become a box-office success. It was beautifully made, and starred Olivier himself as the monarch with the pudding-bowl haircut who leads England's armies to glorious victory at Agincourt.

But Olivier was working in conjunction with the British government, who'd provided some of the finance, and had been specifically ordered by Churchill to create a film that would evoke former glories and cheer up a jaded nation.

Winston also requested he drop some of the more unsavoury aspects of Henry's character that had been highlighted by Shakespeare. What resulted was a film steeped not in the past but the present, offering solace to a war-weary public. Incidentally, much of it was shot on the Powerscourt Estate in Co Wicklow.

Also shot in Ireland was Mel Gibson's Braveheart, which won five Oscars at the 1996 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. The production was a shot in the arm for our moribund film industry, and Gibson was terrific as William Wallace, the Scottish noble who paints his face blue and leads a ragtag army against the invading English.

Except he probably didn't paint his face because he wasn't a 5th-century Celt, he probably eschewed tartan rags for the more sensible battle attire of armour, and may well have been a more sophisticated fellow than Mel's bare-chested warrior. Braveheart has been described as one of the most historically inaccurate films of all time, but the inconvenient truth is it's also great fun.

Storytelling shortcuts are commonplace in period dramas, and with good reason: stick too close to the dry facts of history and you'll end up with a boring film that imparts nothing because no one goes to see it. In Lawrence of Arabia, Peter O'Toole was a 6ft 2in Adonis: the real Lawrence was 5ft 4in and kind of funny looking.

In escaping the Nazis, the real Von Trapp family did not cross the snow-capped Alps to freedom as depicted in The Sound of Music, but trudged across a railway track into Italy.

Marie Antoinette was not the silly, faddish, fashion-obsessed twit portraying by Kirsten Dunst in Sofia Coppola's 2006 biopic, but a cultured and politically astute woman whose famous line "let them eat cake" was either a misquote or never said at all.

Pocahontas, the 17th-century Native American woman who was the subject of a lush Disney animation in the mid-1990s, was 11 or 12 when she met the dashing explorer Captain John Smith, and did not fall in love with him. Instead she was captured later on by white settlers, ended up marrying a tobacco farmer and converting to Christianity. But who'd have been able to stay awake during that dreary cartoon?
Ann OLoughlin at the launch of her latest novel. Photo: Conor O Mearain

A French court case about two children swapped at birth inspired Irish journalist Ann O'Loughlin to write her fourth novel, My Mother's Daughter.

Details of the real life dilemma confronting two sets of parents in France who unwittingly raised each other's child had gripped the attention of the public. O'Loughlin used the baby swap theme to weave stories of two families in Ireland and the US.

"I was intrigued by the situation as it was outlined in the French courts and I knew their predicament would provide inspiration for a novel," she said.

O'Loughlin is a bestselling novelist as well as an experienced full-time journalist. Her earlier novels have been translated into 10 languages.

"My Mother's Daughter asks the reader what would happen if the child you named, raised and loved turned out not to be your own. That a swap had happened. Would your loyalty be to the child that has your family name, or to the child who was robbed of it?" she asked.

She deals with issues of family ties and the forging of bonds of love.

How strongly does upbringing influence identity in the lives of two girls given to the wrong parents? Which is more powerful - nature or nurture?

My Mother's Daughter is the first O'Loughlin novel to be snapped up by major international publishing house Orion Books in a two-book deal. It was launched in Ireland and Australia last Thursday. Orion will launch the UK edition in May.

Her earlier novels were published by Scottish firm Black and White Publishing. The ebook versions of the novels had strong sales.

Her debut novel The Ballroom Cafe sold more than 400,000 in ebook sales.

The Judge's Wife and The Ludlow Ladies Society also sold strongly.

Speaking at the launch of My Mother's Daughter in Dubray Books on Grafton Street in Dublin, she said she was heartened when readers from around the globe contacted her to tell her they enjoyed her writing.

Recently, a woman in Australia wrote to say she had given up reading but The Ballroom Cafe helped her rediscover her joy in books.

The author's own life would make good material for a good novel. A native of Co Clare, she had a distinguished career as a security correspondent for the Irish Independent and is now a High Court reporter for the Irish Examiner.

She met her English-born husband John while on an extended holiday on the Trans-Siberian Railway, travelling from Paris to Hong Kong.

She is a passionate advocate of the importance of books in an increasingly digital age.
State Street Corp is dismissing 1,500 employees in a push to cut costs and automate more of its business.

The reduction amounts to about 6pc of the workforce in high-cost locations, the Boston-based bank said in an earnings statement on Friday. That includes 15pc of senior management.

The company had more than 39,000 employees as of the end of September last. "Structural costs are still too high and our automation efforts have not moved fast enough," CEO Ronald O'Hanley said in the statement.

"The changes we are making will position us well to realise our three-year strategic vision to be the leading asset servicer, asset manager, and data insight provider to the owners and managers of the world's capital."

The shares rose 2.7pc in trading in New York on Friday. O'Hanley, who took over as CEO this month, is moving swiftly to reorganise the money-management and custody-banking giant after the shares lost more than one-third of their value last year.

The reductions are aimed at saving $350m (307m) in 2019, the company said.

O'Hanley has said that the firm needs to reduce structural costs by 2pc to 3pc a year.

Rocky markets have battered State Street, crimping third-quarter fee revenue. Meanwhile, analysts have questioned whether the purchase of a software maker was too costly. But the prospect of cost reductions has pushed the stock up, with State Street rallying 13pc this year up to January 17.

That has made it the second-best performer among 18 companies in S&P's index of money managers and custody banks.

BlackRock Inc, the world's largest manager, also announced this month plans to eliminate 3pc of its workforce, or 500 people, amid changing investor preferences and rising market uncertainty.

Bloomberg
BC Partners has hired Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan to advise on the sale of Acuris, the financial news and information company that includes the Mergermarket and Debtwire brands. The private equity firm is hoping to fetch more than 1bn (1.1bn).

Discussions on the sale are at an early stage and no final decisions have yet been made, sources said.

BC sold an approximately 30pc stake in the company to Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC Pte in 2017. BC originally invested in the company, formerly known as Mergermarket Group, in 2014.

Bloomberg
Late last year this column reported on the key differences between men and women on their travels for work. One of the key points was that while females hate dining alone, it's not as big a deal for men.

That's not the case for Ciaran Haughey.

Expand Close A Table4one screen grab / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A Table4one screen grab

He hates it, and the frequent traveller had a lightbulb moment two years ago, in a Manchester hotel. "It was the fourth night of a business trip, the fourth night eating alone," he recalled.

"I looked around the restaurant and there were 10 other people on their own in the same restaurant, looking at their phones."

That feeling of isolation was a constant bugbear for him, he says: "I enjoy a good meal, but I find it difficult to enjoy food on my own. Good company is a key ingredient." Looking around the restaurant, he did what everyone else was doing - and took out his phone. "I just wanted some way of connecting to them and I went online to see some way, or app, of doing that. I couldn't find anything so I thought 'there's a gap in the market'."

With it, the idea for Table4one was born: an app that connects people with business people in the same city who don't want to look like a Billy-no-mates. Users sign up via Google's Play Store or Apple's App Store, and enter details such as job, industry area and professional interests - whether they'd like to meet someone to talk business, pitch/be pitched an idea or even seek a job. Finally, and importantly, it asks for your social interests, whether they be sport, arts, politics, and so on.

The idea is to match you with like-minded individuals to while away an otherwise grim lunch or dinner time if you were dining solo.

"It's on a professional basis, it's finding someone in the same industry or similar objectives to what you have - it's LinkedIn for dining," he says.

The app is something of a passion for Haughey, with his brother and wife working on elements of the project.

Previously with Dell for nine years in technical support leadership roles, followed by a decade in the UK with Barclays, directing IT and HR operations, he now works full-time as a senior director of operations at a marketing company in the skincare and wellness sectors.

"I travel about 25-30pc of my time, so it's enough that it's still enjoyable and I like to see new places and experience new cultures - what I don't like is sitting down and having dinner on my own  I would rather travel with someone I don't like than on my own."

Launched at the last Web Summit in Lisbon, Table4one now has 27,000 downloads across 80 countries. "So, we're getting traction," he says. "Even with that, it is a numbers game, so 27,000 out of a global population is still a drop in the ocean, but it's a good start."

The app itself has a matching algorithm, so Haughey says if there if someone in the same industry or shares the same interests as you it'll match you with them, and has the ability to pull in some of your info from LinkedIn, adding: "We're quite early in our evolution, so the more we can grow the user base, the better the connection."

Given that it's a free app for users, it's monetised through restaurants, which can subscribe to be "at the top of recommended lists locally". Haughey says when the app reaches critical mass, he'll be looking to release a premium model with additional features and advertising. "It's been self-funding up to now, but we're looking at seed funding or angel investment now," he reveals.

What the app doesn't do - and it's clearly spelled out on it landing page - is act as a dating site. The feedback has shown that "women would feel a lot more comfortable with meeting other women business travellers". That option is provided, with users choosing from a list of would-be dining companions on their day of choice. On link-ups, he cites a recent example in Las Vegas, where he was showcasing the technology two weeks ago at the Consumer Electronics Show, where the CEO of a Japanese event management company, like EventBrite here, was using the app, and is now keen to do business with the Irish startup, and provided insights into its own IPO experience.

What the app has shown is the cultural attitude to food. "What we've found so far in Europe is the further south you go, the more adoption there is.

"The Latin cultures have more of a appreciation for the whole event of eating. Our biggest country for downloads is Portugal, then it's Spain and Morocco. In the Nordics there isn't the same uptake and culture."

And the Sligo native thinks being stand-offish can be bad for business, following the maxim of New York Times bestseller Keith Ferrazzi, a consummate networker, whose book was simply titled Never Eat Alone. "Two tables away could be your best business deal - investor, employer, it could change your life and you could miss out on that opportunity."
I've never dropped acid. But a colleague of mine has. On Friday, he told me that Salesforce's mega jobs launch - the biggest in Ireland's recent history - wasn't far off what is known as 'a trip'.

As I wandered around the company's Californian-style launch announcement at the National Convention Centre, I certainly wondered whether I'd been drinking.

Giant furry mascots emerged to weave and bob among us. They did so to a bed of trancey dance music that played against the backdrop of a teletubbies-style giant mural, featuring cows and Dublin's skyline.

The assembled journalists looked at each other, then over at Martin Shanahan, the IDA boss staring around him in the second row.

Times have certainly changed since the besuited, corporate job announcements of Dell, Microsoft and Intel.

As the furry mascots bobbed off to the side, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar stepped up to pronounce Ireland as the "tech capital of Europe with Dublin at its heart".

And that was about all he said. Whether it was the trancey mascots or the fact that he was having to spend his 40th birthday at a business software jobs launch in a convention centre, he declined to take any questions from the assembled national media present.

The jobs announcement itself was curious. On paper, it's the single biggest jobs announcement in recent times. However, there is some devil in the detail.

The 1,500 new jobs - to add to the 1,400 that Salesforce currently employs here - are to be rolled out "over five years". In tech, that is a long, long time. It's rare to make reliable projections like that.

To be fair, big tech multinationals usually (though not always) deliver on these job announcements. Over the last decade, most of the big ones have exceeded such job targets.

But that wasn't the only notable thing about the show. Part of the announcement was the unveiling of a 'Salesforce Tower' in Dublin's docklands.

When we first saw this, there was excitement: a new tower for Dublin's skyline. And coming from Salesforce, it was something to get excited about.

In San Francisco, Salesforce Tower is the city's tallest building. In London, Salesforce Tower (formerly Heron Tower) is the city's third-tallest building.

So would we be seeing a new iconic structure for Dublin? Alas, no - the unveiling of the photos revealed a five-storey office building reminiscent of a high-spec Lidl, a multi-storey Skoda dealership or a DIT campus in the midlands.

It's the Barack Obama Plaza of Salesforce Towers.

The assembled staff (almost 1,000 of them) at the Convention Centre didn't care. For many of them, this could mean relocating into the city centre instead of out in the far off fields of Leopardstown.

Outside the Convention Centre, the Chamber of Commerce and the various lobbyist organisations looking to cash in somehow, reaction to the new tech jobs was muted.

As is the case with almost every major high-end jobs announcement in Dublin these days, accommodation and regionalisation were to the fore.

"And where will they live?" was the most 'liked' response I received to tweeting the Salesforce news on Thursday evening.

"Always Dublin," read others.

This column has lamented before about the lack of ambition in our planning system that means infrastructure such as accommodation and efficient transport are now the preserve of (much) higher paid workers.

Aside from what it says about our own culture ('we don't want to grow! We're fine the way we are!'), it creepingly creates a 'them' and 'us' mindset. 'They' are the 'tech elite' who 'come in here and force property rents up to unaffordable levels'.

'We' are the native residents whose kids, unless they get a job at one of these high-paying companies, can no longer afford the kind of modest family home in Dublin that their parents could when they were younger.

Thus, growing grumbles when new tech expansions are announced. What used to be greeted with universal praise is now met with a much more mixed welcome.

As for 'why always Dublin', Salesforce's decision to come even further into the centre of Dublin - and on the northside, too, where big tech companies previously would not consider - is just the latest indication that Ireland is a one-town country when it comes to really big tech software investments.

It's spreading to other niches in tech, too. As the Irish Independent revealed last week, WeWork is now taking a huge chunk of the old Clerys building, to add to the old Central Bank and five other major office blocks it has moved into in Dublin.

So why Dublin? Three reasons.

First, the obvious: the biggest, most important companies are already in, or near, Dublin.

That means Google and Facebook who between them, are headed for 11,000 staff in Dublin. Microsoft has opened a new campus. Amazon is busy adding an extra 1,000 jobs. Linkedin, HubSpot and (literally) dozens of others are all bedding down here.

So companies thinking of setting up shop in Ireland, whether they come from abroad or are homegrown, understand that there's a much better chance of hiring qualified professionals around Dublin from these companies.

Several bosses in recently-arrived US tech companies have said this over and over: they need to be around Dublin to poach staff from the big players already here.

This also means that if they need to get additional expert staff from abroad, especially from Europe, Dublin is a much easier sell than Cork or Limerick or Galway. It's a fact of life: Dublin is a bigger, more cosmopolitan city, something that appeals to young, single professionals. (There are exceptions such as Apple in Cork.)

Salesforce is the latest big Dublin jobs announcement. But it won't be the last.
Q I am 57 and I went back to work in December 2016. I have a salary of 24,000 per year and I have no pension in place. Is it too late for me to start paying into a pension? I would only be able to afford to save 100 per month as I have a daughter doing the Leaving Cert very soon. Patricia, Dublin 7

It is never too late to start saving for retirement - whether this is done through a pension or otherwise. You are 57, so have 11 years until your State pension starts. You could even keep working beyond that so you still have time to build up a fund to help your retirement.

The key questions determining whether or not a pension is the right way to save are as follows. First, do you pay any income tax? If the answer is yes, pension contributions will qualify for tax relief. Second, is your employer willing to contribute anything in addition to your own pension contributions? If the answer to either of those questions is yes, a pension arrangement may make most sense. If the answer to both questions is no, it may make more sense to save outside a pension - either into a regular savings bank account or a regular savings investment policy.

You should note that, even if your employer will not contribute to a pension with you, it must provide access to a Personal Retirement Savings Account (PRSA - a type of personal pension) so at least you will have an option available if you don't want to source a pension yourself.

The key point is that you should save for your retirement - whether through a pension or outside one. You should get some independent financial advice on the most appropriate arrangement for you.

Foreign service and pension

Q Some 25 years ago, I taught for two years in a French university and duly paid all my pension and social insurance levies. Now as a permanent secondary teacher employed by the Department of Education, I've been trying to find out if I can make these years' foreign service count towards my entitlement to an Irish State pension. This is particularly important for me, as I have only a few years of social insurance contributions accumulated for my work here in Ireland. Any enquiries I've sent online to French authorities remain unanswered and I wonder if I would have better success on the Irish side? If so, where should I address my query and do you have any other advice on how I might resolve this?

Mary, Co Kerry

You are correct that social insurance contributions made while employed in another EU state will count towards determining your entitlement to a State pension in Ireland. The Citizen's Information website gives a useful case study which may help you estimate your Irish State pension (contributory). You should also have an entitlement to a State pension from France in respect of the years employed there.

The Irish social welfare authorities will assist you in claiming your entitlement at the point that you retire. The claim form asks if you have ever been employed in another EU country and if so, to provide details of the country, your social security number, your employer and the dates you worked there. It is advisable that you submit your retirement claim at least six months in advance of your State pension age to give them time to track down your record. In the meantime, you can contact the French authorities at europe.exchange@pole-emploi.fr to obtain the information directly if you are looking to estimate your position in advance.

Inheritance tax and pension

Q I recently had the option of leaving a preserved pension with Eircom (where I worked for 40 years) - or draw it out and reinvest it myself, which I did. It was a substantial pension. I accepted the transfer value offered by Eircom at the time and reinvested it in accordance with the rules, including accessing that pension from the age of 50. The main reason I accepted and transferred my pension was because in the event of my death, the remaining full fund values are paid to my estate - which of course would include my wife and adult children. My questions are: if I had included my wife in a joint investment of the transfer value, would she have to pay tax (inheritance or other tax) on inheriting her share of it if it transpired I pre-deceased her? Could I still include my wife in a joint investment of the transfer value at this stage? I also have a question in relation to the 'Fair Deal' nursing home option were I to need it in the future. I am under 60 and currently draw down about 250 per week from this pension - as I have a part-time job as well. I and my wife own our family home and I also own 30 acres of land. Were I to sign up to nursing home care through Fair Deal, would 80pc of my weekly 250 go towards the cost of my nursing home care under Fair Deal or have 'Fair Deal' access to the full pension pot - and could the HSE (through Fair Deal) make me increase my weekly take from the pension fund?

Pat, Co Meath

From your description above, you appear to have invested your pension in an Approved Retirement Fund (ARF). In that case, the ARF is a pension investment which is owned by yourself and you cannot nominate your wife as a joint holder of that investment at any point. However, the good news is that you do not need to hold a joint investment for your wife to avoid inheritance tax on the proceeds of your ARF.

After you die, your wife can inherit your ARF as an ARF in her name and then she is subject to the same rules as you are on your current ARF. If you have an Approved Minimum Retirement Fund (AMRF), it will be converted into an ARF in your wife's name.

However, there is an alternative method for distributing the proceeds of your ARF which involves treating the distribution as your income immediately prior to your death and therefore your wife would inherit the balance of the funds, net of the income tax, USC and PRSI deducted.

In order to ensure that your wife inherits your ARF without the imposition of any taxes, you would need to update your will to ensure that it is clear that your intention is that she inherits your ARF as an ARF in her own name. With regard to this, it is best to speak to your solicitor to update your will to reflect this intention.

In relation to Fair Deal, my understanding is that ARF distributions will count as income. Broadly, 40pc of your total income, including 40pc of your ARF distributions, will be payable towards Fair Deal costs if your wife is still alive. You should also note that 80pc of your total income, including 80pc of your ARF distributions, will be payable towards Fair Deal costs if by that time you are widowed. I am not aware of any right on the part of the State to force you to increase your ARF income in the event of you using Fair Deal.

The 'financial needs assessment' for Fair Deal is complex and very dependent on individual circumstances, so the answer given here necessarily involves some simplification and is not intended to be advice. You should therefore seek individual advice specifically based on your needs and circumstances.

Trevor Booth is head of personal financial planning at Mercer (mercer.ie)

While we will endeavour to place your questions with the most appropriate expert for your query, this column is not intended to replace professional advice
Those who buy a car through a PCP deal could find themselves owing more than the car is worth  or struggling with debt Stock image

Most of us expect to have somewhere to turn for redress if things go wrong with a loan or investment. This isn't always the case though. When you borrow money or invest in something, you usually have certain rights if you run into problems with the product - or with the firm which has provided the product.

There are also usually rules in place to reduce the chances of something going wrong.

To be covered by these safeguards, however, the firm or product must be regulated by the Central Bank - or authorised by another suitable body. There are a number of investments and loans which are not regulated and which fall outside the remit of the Central Bank. It's therefore crucial that you find out if you're dealing with a regulated financial firm or product before committing your money to something - and if not, what (if any) recourse you have should things go wrong.

PCP car finance

About one in three new cars are bought using a type of car finance known as Personal Contract Plans (PCPs), according to a report published by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission early last year.

Despite the high take-up of PCPs, this type of finance is not regulated. Consumers could easily run into difficulty with PCPs - or not fully understand what they're getting into. "When compared to other consumer financial products, PCP is particularly complex," said the consumer watchdog in its report. "Because of the considerable complexity inherent in PCPs, there must be a doubt as to whether consumers can fully understand how they work, particularly the implications at the end of the agreement."

The monthly repayments under a PCP are often low - which could lead an individual to believe that the car finance is more affordable than it actually is. However, you usually have to pay a deposit at the start of the PCP and there is also typically a large balloon payment at the end of the agreement for those who wish to keep the car. There may also be extra fees and tricky conditions built into a PCP. The CCPC has described PCPs as one of "the least flexible forms of finance". When you come to the end of a PCP deal, you could find yourself owing more than the car is worth - or struggling with debt. You could also find yourself in a position where you've repaid most of the car finance, but end up losing the car because you can't afford to make the final repayment.

PCPs are largely available from car dealers. As PCPs are unregulated, there's no obligation on the finance company offering you a PCP to assess whether the arrangement is suitable for you or not - or to check if you be able to repay the finance. Were you to be applying for a regulated loan, however, these checks must be done.

The CCPC believes PCPs should be brought within the scope of the Central Bank's consumer protection code "given the considerable complexity attached to PCP finance and the existence of a regulatory imbalance compared to other car finance". (It is this code which requires that checks on loan suitability be conducted for consumers) "This would have the effect of mirroring the protections that are currently afforded to consumers who purchase other types of financial products," said a CCPC spokesman.

A recent report commissioned by the Finance Minister has also called for legislation to be reviewed to ensure that those who buy cars through PCPs are protected. "There is no evidence so far of significant consumer detriment arising from PCPs," said the report. "However, potential problems have been identified and it may be useful to deal with them before they materialise." The Central Bank said it is "currently engaging with the Department of Finance" about the recommendations made in this report.

Another source of potential problems with PCPs arises from their omission from the Central Credit Register - the database which banks and other lenders use to check your credit record before offering you a loan. Should a lender not be aware that you owe money through a PCP, it may lend you more money than would have been the case had it been aware of the PCP. This, in turn, could see you struggling with debt as you may take on too many loans at the same time. However, PCPs and hire-purchase agreements will be included in the Central Credit Register from the end of June. A PCP may suit you if you're buying a car, and the CCPC has found that the number of people who fall behind on PCP repayments is very low.

All the same, it is important that you carefully consider a PCP before signing up to it - and that you understand your financial obligations throughout and at the end of the arrangement.

You can make a complaint to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO) if you run into problems with a PCP.

PCPs aren't the only unregulated loans available here - some high street stores offer loans [typically so a consumer can finance the purchase of the retailer's goods] which may not fall within the remit of the Central Bank or CCPC.

Peer-to-peer lending

With peer-to-peer lending, you lend money to businesses and earn interest on the money lent. The returns made on peer-to-peer lending can beat the interest earned on deposit accounts. This has made peer-to-peer lending attractive to some of those seeking alternatives to deposits.

However, peer-to-peer lending is riskier than traditional deposit accounts and it is not regulated either. Should you lend to a business which runs into financial difficulties, you may not get your money back.

Peer-to-peer lending is a type of crowdfunding (where money is raised from a large number of individuals or organisations to fund a business, project, personal loan or other need).

One way to protect your money should you opt for peer-to-peer lending is to lend to a variety of businesses. Doing so reduces your exposure to any one business or sector - which should in turn reduce the amount of risk you take on. Also check what safeguards the peer-to-peer lending platform has in place for those who use it.

Linked Finance is one of the biggest peer-to-peer lending platforms in Ireland. In the UK, it is authorised and regulated by the UK regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and it says that it voluntarily applies FCA standards in Ireland.

Linked Finance said that it "completes a rigorous credit evaluation on each loan request received".

"Only businesses adjudged creditworthy by our analysts will be permitted to seek funding on the platform and a loan grade [to indicate the potential risk of a loan] is provided alongside each loan request," said a spokesman for Linked Finance.

Less than 1pc of loans borrowed through its platform end up in default, according to Linked Finance, which added that it has a debt management process in place "to maximise recovery for lenders".

In his Budget speech last October, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe announced plans to start to regulate crowdfunding activities in late 2019 or in 2020.

In the meantime though, anyone engaging in peer-to-peer lending or other crowdfunding should be aware that they can not fall back on the Central Bank should something go wrong.

As crowdfunding is not regulated by the Central Bank, none of the bank's codes of conduct, compensation schemes (such as the Investor Compensation Scheme), or consumer protections apply to it.

Neither can you make a complaint to the FSPO as it only investigates complaints made against regulated firms.
The fraudsters will be delighted. The decision not to set up a dedicated Garda insurance fraud unit will mean the dodgy claims can continue and the easy money will keep flowing for the claimsters.

That is the conclusion that is hard to escape after plans for insurers to fund a new Garda unit to tackle claims fraud were knocked on the head by the Garda Commissioner and the minister responsible for insurance reform. Minister of State Michael D'Arcy said that funding of a Garda insurance fraud unit by the insurance industry "won't be happening".

He said he met Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to discuss the issue and he agreed with the Commissioner, who was not prepared to accept the Garda Siochana being funded from outside the Exchequer.

This led to the Government being accused by the Alliance for Insurance Reform of engaging in a "perpetual round of bickering and pass the parcel", instead of progressing key insurance reforms.

The chancers have been effectively given the all-clear to continue their chicanery by the decision not to have a dedicated unit within the Garda to pursue them.

And remember, there is a significant amount of fraud permeating the motor claims scenario, according to former High Court president Nicholas Kearns

The insurance industry estimates that fraud costs around 200m a year. But the former High Court president said the true figure was a multiple of this, as that figure only represented the levels of fraud that were detected. And it did not account for exaggerated claims.

He said settlements for claims were large in this country, which encouraged fake claims; there is very little chance of detection for those making false claims; and few fraudsters were ever prosecuted for perjury. Mr Kearns said the chances of a fraudster being charged with perjury were "infinitesimal".

And remember, too, that most compensated claims for whiplash are "frankly spurious", according to the professional body for general practice training.

But there is too much money to be made by claimsters, and their enablers, for any serious efforts to be made to clamp down on false and exaggerated claims.

A small number of lawyers are besmirching their profession by representing professional claimants. Even when these cases are thrown out of court, there seems to be no questions asked of the lawyers for their failure to properly vet the claims being made.

Honest drivers deeply resent having to pay for dodgy claims. It is high time we got serious about tackling the menace.
Aviation entrepreneur Ulick McEvaddy has held discussions with international aviation giants IAG - which owns Aer Lingus and British Airways - and US carrier Delta about establishing new hubs for their operations at his proposed new Dublin Airport terminal, it is understood.

McEvaddy met IAG boss Willie Walsh and former Aer Lingus chief executive Stephen Kavanagh and discussed the possibility of either British Airways or Aer Lingus - or both - becoming the anchor tenant at the terminal, according to well-placed industry sources.

Expand Close Aviation entrepreneur Ulick McEvadd / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Aviation entrepreneur Ulick McEvadd

Similar "preliminary discussions" have also been held with the world's second-largest airline, Delta Air Lines, which has a longstanding operation out of Dublin. McEvaddy's proposal would see the US carrier create a much bigger hub operation at Dublin, according to sources.

A spokeswoman for Delta said that it did not comment on "industry rumour or speculation".

A recent report prepared for the Department of Transport by consultants Oxford Economics found "no strong reason to delay development of a third terminal on grounds of affordability".

It found that a third terminal could be part of a wider plan to make Dublin a primary hub airport and that "this option could include BA [British Airways] moving some traffic over from Heathrow, which may be a consideration for the organisation post-Brexit".

When contacted by this newspaper, British Airways owner IAG referred the matter to sister airline Aer Lingus.

A spokeswoman for that airline said she was "not in a position to comment on whether or not meetings took place".

But she added that it was important a third terminal did not become a "distraction" and the airline was supportive of the plans of semi-state airport authority DAA to further develop hub infrastructure at the existing terminals between now and 2024.

Aer Lingus has major growth ambitions on transatlantic routes in the coming years with plans to grow its transatlantic fleet to 30 aircraft.

But it has also had a sometimes fraught relationship with DAA in recent times over claims that it has made about the lack of investment in the type of airport infrastructure that it says it needs to further develop Dublin into a transatlantic transit point for British and European passengers seeking to avoid heavily-congested hubs such as London Heathrow.

DAA has long argued that a third terminal is not required at the airport in the medium term. Nevertheless, McEvaddy - who declined to comment when contacted by this newspaper - has said that his proposals could proceed should Transport Minister Shane Ross make a decision that a new terminal is required.

McEvaddy - who runs aviation company Omega Air - wants to develop a third independent terminal on 130 acres of land he owns adjacent to Dublin Airport. The land lies to the west of the existing terminals, directly between the current main runway and a new parallel runway that DAA plans to build. It was reported by this newspaper in 2017 that McEvaddy has secured financial backing for the project - which could cost as much as 2bn - from a major Dubai-based fund, Tricap Investments.
A spate of dog attacks on sheep in recent months has put the issue back in the spotlight as the lambing season approaches.

A north Sligo farmer made headlines when he warned that he is "patrolling" roads close to his home with a double-barrelled shotgun, threatening to shoot dogs accompanying hillwalkers.

Andy 'The Bull' McSharry stated that he would shoot dead any dogs found on his land - even those on a lead.

His comments reflect the fears and frustrations of sheep farmers who have ewes close to lambing or vulnerable young lambs in fields.

Both farmers and dog owners must be clear on their rights and responsibilities when it comes to their animals.

While many farmers know their duty under the law in the case of domestic animals like their cattle and sheep, liability for dogs has separate rules.

For instance, in the case of injury or damage to livestock which is caused by a dog, the owner is responsible regardless of the dog having previously attacked livestock or having a 'mischievous tendency'.

There is also previous case law in Ireland surrounding liability where dogs have caused injury to animals in the case of them bolting.

One such case involved frightened foals as a result of which they bolted and injured themselves - meaning the dog owner was not responsible.

However, in the case of dogs causing either the death of sheep as a result of fright, or the loss of unborn lambs, farmers can make a claim against the dog owner if they have evidence to show that the injury was a direct result of the actions of the dog - for example, a statement from a vet.

Suffocation

Farmers intending on making a claim must also be able to show which dog caused the injuries, and this may be difficult where there has been no physical attack - only suffocation or injury through fear.

Farmers must be able to show that the dog in question caused the injuries 'on the balance of probabilities', which is the test applied by the courts.

The Control of Dogs Act sets out that if a dog worries livestock, the owner or any other person in charge of the dog shall be guilty of an offence.

One exception to this rule, is where the livestock have wandered on to the dog owner's land and the dog has attacked. In this case, the owner of the dog would not normally be liable.

Shooting Dogs

A common question that comes from farmers who have sheep in fields, is whether they can shoot a dog which is in the midst of an attack or has attacked sheep.

The rules are that the person who shoots the dog must be able to show that:

* The dog was shot when it was worrying, or was about to worry, livestock and that there were no other reasonable means of ending or preventing the worrying;

* Or, the dog was a stray in the vicinity of a place where livestock had been injured or killed, and the defendant reasonably believed that the dog had been involved in the injury or killing, and there were no practicable means of seizing the dog or ascertaining to whom it belonged;

* The defendant was the person in charge of the livestock.

* He/she notified, within 48 hours, the member in charge at the nearest garda station to the place where the dog was shot.

While the law clearly states that there are circumstances where an attacking dog can be shot, you should bear in mind the priority should be to stop the dog where possible rather than shoot it, as in many cases the owner will be a neighbour!

Liability

In the case of dog attacks on people, the liability of the owner is similar in that the owner will be responsible regardless of whether the dog has previously attacked or not.

Many people incorrectly believe that dogs can bite once without the owner being liable, but that is just a myth.

A dog owner will also be responsible for injuries caused by dogs to trespassers if the owner has been in any way negligent, so it is always advisable to notify trespassers of the presence of a dog by clearly displaying a sign.

Theresa Murphy is a barrister based in Co Galway





Strict conditions for farmers seeking a gun licence

By Deirdre Flynn

Applications for a firearm certificate (gun licence) are made via a form at the local garda station. A licence lasts for three years.

A licence can be restricted or unrestricted. A restricted certificate relates to particular categories of guns and are usually granted only to members of gun clubs who have carried out various courses.

An unrestricted certificate is generally granted to farmers and is used solely for the purpose of shooting vermin, crows etc on their farm.

Before granting a licence, a garda superintendent must be satisfied that the applicant complies with certain conditions and can continue to comply with them during the lifetime of the certificate. Such conditions include:

* the applicant must have a 'good reason' for requiring the gun.

* the applicant must be permitted to possess, use and carry the gun or ammunition without danger to the public safety or security of the peace.

* the applicant must not be disentitled to hold a gun.

* secure accommodation must be provided for the gun - which can be inspected by a garda.

Applicants, particularly farmers seeking an unrestricted licence, must specify the land on which it is proposed to use the gun. The gun can then only be used on this land - otherwise the licence can be revoked.

Applicants must also set out details of any previous convictions, and say if they have ever been refused or had a licence revoked.

The gardai require two character referees - they will look into the applicant's background prior to granting a licence.

The applicant must also provide proof of competency in the use of the gun for which they are seeking a licence.
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement following winning a confidence vote, after Parliament rejected her Brexit deal, outside 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, January 16, 2019. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

British Prime Minister Theresa May is due before the House of Commons on Monday where she will set out her Plan B after her Brexit blueprint was roundly defeated last week.

The Withdrawal Agreement was subject of the greatest parliamentary humiliation of a serving prime minister in the modern era, but Mrs May survived a vote of no confidence 24 hours later.

Here we look at what could happen next:

Theresa May resigns

While the PM has said she will not lead the Tories into another general election, she has consistently ruled out quitting before Brexit.

Plan B is activated

The Prime Minister has yet to reveal what her fallback position is. Under the terms of an amendment tabled by Dominic Grieve and controversially passed by MPs, she has until Monday to present a new plan to the Commons.

While the details of this Plan B are not clear, the chairman of the Eurosceptic European Research Group, Jacob Rees-Mogg, wrote in the Mail on Sunday that it was possible for Mrs May to get a deal through the Commons if she persuaded the EU to show flexibility on the backstop and 39 billion divorce bill.

Expand Close Caricatures of Conservative politicians are driven past the Houses of Parliament on January 15, 2019 in London (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Caricatures of Conservative politicians are driven past the Houses of Parliament on January 15, 2019 in London (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

"If I had to choose between no deal and Mrs May's original accord, I would have no hesitation of opting for no-deal Brexit but even Mrs May's deal would be better than not leaving at all," he wrote.

Mrs May has offered to talk to opposition parties and groups with different desires and views to find consensus in Parliament. But her refusal to abandon no-deal Brexit and other leaders' refusal to speak properly until she does suggests one party will need to cede some ground.

Also writing in the Mail on Sunday, the chief Brexit representative for the European Parliament, Guy Verhofstadt, said: "If necessary, this document could still be enhanced in the next coming weeks.

"British politicians will always find an open door to do that, but they must act soon.

"This will only happen if political parties in the UK start to work together.

"Such a cross-party approach is not natural to the adversarial UK political system, but it's time to change course and to put the national interest ahead of narrow party political interests."

Other options include:

Confidence vote 2.0

The opposition can in theory call as many of these votes as they like, although the Lib Dems have said they will not support another as they believe it is a waste of time.

Such a vote could trigger a general election but this is very much the nuclear option for Tory rebels and the DUP have already said they will not vote with Labour, so it appears to be a forlorn hope.

Back to Brussels

Expand Close Anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

The EU has said repeatedly that it will not reopen negotiations on the Withdrawal Agreement, and "assurances" on the Irish border backstop were dismissed by Brexiteers earlier this week. There is little time and no clear indication what more the EU can or wants to offer. France has stepped up its no-deal preparations.

Asking for an extension of Article 50

Mrs May has previously insisted almost to the point of foot-stamping that Britain will leave the EU on March 29, and a U-turn here would enrage already puce Brexiteers.

Halting Article 50

A court case last year ruled that, while all 27 other EU states have to agree to extend the Article 50 process of leaving, the UK can unilaterally reverse it. Neither the Tories nor Labour support a halt but Philip Hammond reportedly told business leaders in a conference call on Wednesday that a bill being rustled up by backbenchers would have this as its aim.

No-deal Brexit

If Theresa May loses and Parliament cannot come together behind an alternative, the UK will leave the European Union on March 29 without a deal. This is something to either be afraid of, or not afraid of, depending on your view of Brexit.

A second referendum

Labour members at conference left the door open to supporting a new vote on leaving if the party could not trigger a general election. Mr Corbyn was applauded by Labour activists when he pointed this out in a speech on Thursday. But he also indicated he would rather leave with a Labour-flavoured Withdrawal Agreement.

Former attorney general Dominic Grieve wrote in the Sunday Times: "I have made no secret of my support for the People's Vote campaign but it is important to recognise that this idea may well gain support only at the end of a process when every possible Brexit option has been explored.

"I do not doubt that legislating for a new referendum is a difficult decision and the last resort for many MPs.

"We must, however, pursue this debate with courtesy, listening to those of other views and finding areas of common interest, but keeping our own preference in mind. I am convinced on grounds both of common sense and the national interest that a new public vote will be helpful to resolving this crisis."
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said "UK-wide solutions are possible" to resolve the Brexit crisis. His comment, in a Sunday Independent article today, follows indications that senior DUP figures are now open to a 'soft' Brexit.

Yesterday DUP MP and chief whip Jeffrey Donaldson said the "time for megaphone diplomacy on both sides" was over.

He said unionists were "ready to engage" and called for "political maturity" that the Brexit challenge demanded.

Mr Donaldson told the Sunday Independent: "I believe it is possible to arrive at a UK-wide solution that protects both the integrity of the UK and the EU and avoids a hard border. Certainly such an outcome avoids a hard Brexit but it doesn't mean the UK staying in the single market.

"A new free trade agreement with the EU should provide for customs arrangements that accommodate North-South cooperation without creating a regulatory border in the Irish Sea."

It is understood that Mr Varadkar and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney will now offer to meet a DUP delegation this week. Mr Varadkar will also ask all party leaders in the Dail to meet him on Tuesday to consult and confer on the situation.

As the March 29 Brexit deadline looms, the Taoiseach will also meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Netherlands PM Mark Rutte, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez this week in Davos.

Taken together, these developments indicate that positions are evolving in an urgent attempt to find a solution to the Brexit crisis.

In a break from the hard-line DUP position on Brexit, Mr Donaldsonaid in a tweet: "Any solution must respect the integrity of both the United Kingdom and EU but also the progress made in developing relationships on these islands. This is above all about future relationships."

He later said: "I have been concerned for some time about the level of megaphone diplomacy across the border. The absence of the political institutions, including the Assembly and North-South Ministerial Council has left the Brexit process bereft of a dialogue between Belfast and Dublin.

"This has resulted in a proposal for a backstop that now threatens to upend the entire process and result in a hard Brexit. If this is to be avoided, we all need to show the political maturity that has enabled us to achieve so much through the peace process and find our way through and out of this impasse.

"The GFA is founded on the principle of consent and in developing relationships that respect the integrity of each other's position. An outcome that creates a border in the Irish Sea threatens this delicate balance just as much as a hard border between North and South. We need a solution that avoids both."

A 'soft' Brexit arrangement with the EU, involving UK-wide customs or regulatory alignment or non-divergence, may secure sufficient support in the Commons, with the backing of the DUP and Remain-supporting Labour and Conservative party MPs, and Scottish Nationalists.

However, hard-line Tory Brexiteers have delivered an ultimatum to UK Prime Minister Theresa May, warning she will split the party if she seeks support from Labour for a watered-down Brexit plan.

In his article today, Mr Varadkar refers to the controversial Ireland 'backstop' element of the EU-UK withdrawal agreement document.

"We wrote it with the UK government and elements were included at their request, like the single customs territory encompassing Britain as well as Northern Ireland," the Taoiseach writes. "Solutions and special arrangements that are specific to Northern Ireland are easier to negotiate and implement given its size and unique history and geography, but UK-wide solutions are possible too."
TOUGH TIMES: Pro Brexit supporters outside the Houses of Parliament, London, last week ahead of the House of Commons vote on UK Prime Minister Theresa Mays Brexit deal  which was defeated. Photo: PA

Two groups of MPs are planning tamendments to enable backbench MPs to take control of the business of the House of Commons, in a bid to frustrate Theresa May's Brexit plans.

Downing Street has hit out at the moves by rebel MPs to rewrite the rule book in an attempt to derail Britain's withdrawal from the EU.

One group led by Tory former minister Nick Boles and the senior Labour MP Yvette Cooper is attempting to block a no-deal Brexit - something Mrs May strongly opposes.

However a second group led by the former attorney general Dominic Grieve reportedly wants to go further and suspend the Article 50 withdrawal process.

Downing Street described the moves as "extremely concerning" and said they underlined the need for MPs who supported Brexit to vote for it in the House of Commons.

"The British public voted to leave the European Union and it is vital that elected politicians deliver upon that verdict," a No 10 spokeswoman said.

"Any attempt to remove the government's power to meet the legal conditions of an orderly exit at this moment of historic significance is extremely concerning.

"This news should serve as a reminder to those MPs who want to deliver Brexit that they need to vote for it - otherwise there is a danger that Parliament could stop Brexit."

The reports comes as Mrs May prepares to brief Cabinet ministers on her talks with other party leaders and senior MPs following the crushing defeat of her Brexit deal last week.

The Sunday Times said it had obtained leaked emails showing that Mr Grieve had been in secret communication with a Commons clerk of bills Colin Lee to discuss how it could be possible suspend Article 50.

Expand Close Humiliation: UK Prime Minister Theresa May and Tory colleagues during Prime Ministers Questions in the House of Commons. Photo: Mark Duffy/PA / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Humiliation: UK Prime Minister Theresa May and Tory colleagues during Prime Ministers Questions in the House of Commons. Photo: Mark Duffy/PA

In one email sent on Wednesday, Mr Lee was said to have made clear that the aim of the plan was to delay Brexit.

"What follows is just for you and you will understand the terms," he said.

"We have been thinking that legislation is needed, but it occurs to me the substantive motion, say calling for Article 50 extension, could be made."

In a statement, a House of Commons spokesman said: "It is common practice for clerks to provide advice to Members on the drafting of many items of parliamentary business, such as bills, motions and amendments.

"This advice is provided on a rigorously impartial basis. We do not comment on individual cases."

Mrs May is due to make a statement to MPs on Monday setting out how she intends to proceed with Brexit after the tumultuous events of last week.

She will also table a "neutral" motion - which is expected to attract a flurry of amendments from MPs - which will be debated and voted on on January 29.

With feelings running high, the pro-Brexit International Trade Secretary Liam Fox warned of a "political tsunami" if the Government fails to deliver on the 2016 referendum vote.

He also hit out at ministers calling for Mrs May to rule out a no-deal Brexit, saying the "most stupid thing possible" in a negotiation is to "give away your strongest card".

Expand Close Prime Minister Theresa May listens to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn speaking after losing a vote on her Brexit deal in the House of Commons, London. Tuesday January 15, 2019. Photo: PA Wire / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Prime Minister Theresa May listens to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn speaking after losing a vote on her Brexit deal in the House of Commons, London. Tuesday January 15, 2019. Photo: PA Wire

Writing in The Sunday Telegraph, Dr Fox said: "Failure to deliver Brexit would produce a yawning gap between Parliament and the people, a schism in our political system with unknowable consequences.

"The reaction of the Question Time audience could become a political tsunami. It is time for MPs to deliver on the promises they made. It is a matter of honour and a matter of duty."

In a letter to the Telegraph, 50 Tory association chairmen and other senior grassroots figures said the party's 2017 manifesto stated "no deal was better than a bad deal", and failing to honour that pledge would be a "breach of trust with with voters and party members".

Meanwhile Commons Speaker John Bercow, was said to be considering abandoning his plans to step down this summer after Cabinet ministers threatened to deny him a peerage because of his alleged "bias" against the Government over Brexit.

The Observer reported that "friends" of Mr Bercow who have been in contact with him recently said he was now "seriously reflecting" on whether to stay on - possibly until 2022.

It follows reported briefings last week by Government that someone who had "cheated centuries of procedure" should not expect to be elevated to the House of Lords.
You are here: China

Chinese doctors have completed the world's first remote operation using 5G technology, reports people.cn.







The procedure has been conducted on a pig with the latest technology in Fujian Province.





Doctor Liu Rong was able to use a 5G connection to remotely control the robotic arms in a hospital 50 kilometers away. The 5G technology allowed the doctor to see a clear, real-time image of the operation, as well as communicate with his assistants.





A hepatic lobule was removed from the test animal in less than ten minutes, completing the tele-surgery successfully and neatly.





Liu Jingfeng, another doctor involved in the operation says the operation is proof that 5G technology is feasible for use in long-distance medicine.




Thousands of jobs need to be safeguarded by 'life-support' measures to help Irish companies badly hit after Brexit, a leading business group economist has warned.

Cashflow supports through interest-free loans, an increase in grant aid and changes to VAT rules may all be vital to keep many businesses alive, warned Fergal O'Brien, chief economist and policy director at employers' body Ibec.

"In terms of life support measures, manufacturing is the most exposed sector, the entire agri-food industry, and engineering. These are the sectors that need a designed bespoke set of measures. We need an emergency plan to put companies on life-support and give them time to adjust and diversify," he said.

"We have EU state-aid rules - in normal times you don't support industries. When you have exceptional times and exceptional dislocations such as Brexit, then you have to.

"We did this back in 2008 when the global crisis hit.

"Governments need to be allowed to intervene and support the most affected industries. We did it for the German car industry. We did it for the French chemical industry," he said.

"Ireland's economy is facing significant dislocation. Ireland is an exceptional case in terms of the level of our exposure to Brexit and the UK market."

The Government and Enterprise Ireland as well as various agencies are implementing measures to help companies, including funds to help them break into new markets, and there are lower-cost loans.

"But the crucial point is if we face a hard Brexit or cliff-edge Brexit, we are going to need a whole new scale of intervention that is about life support so these companies can continue to operate.

"We did a scheme back in the 2008 downturn called an enterprise stabilisation fund which provided cashflow support which was the big pressure... We are going to have the do the same here," he said.

Cashflow support would give interest-free loans to companies, and an increase in grant-aid, particularly around investment in equipment and machinery.

"We can also do things around our tax system. If the UK becomes a third country, we will have to pay VAT at the point of entry. That will really hurt the cashflow of small businesses. There are arrangements that other countries are putting in place to avoid that cashflow pressure. This would remove the requirement to pay VAT at the point of entry so they can pay for it later when they are getting cash from sales.

"It has been talked about but it hasn't been done. We need a Government decision and certainty from Brussels that if we do hit the worst-case scenario that we will have those emergency supports in place to keep companies alive.

"Crucially, we need aid to be allowed from the moment we need it. That we won't be waiting six, nine or 12 months for Brussels to give permission. We are looking at significant numbers of jobs under threat. Tens of thousands of employees will be working in companies that will be facing severe pressure and severe stress.

"Increasingly, our goods and groceries have come from the UK. Brexit will make all of that more expensive... it's going to hurt the consumer.

"A deal is possible by the end of March but it will have to have a transition period. Everyone needs time to adjust. There is no provision for a transition in a no-deal scenario," he said.

Meanwhile, new EU contingency plans for hauliers may help avoid disaster for the industry. Transport Minister Shane Ross will bring an EU directive before the Dail which would potentially allow Irish hauliers operate as normal in the UK for an additional nine months in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

"The proposal would allow UK-licensed road hauliers to continue to complete journeys in the EU after March 29 in a 'no-deal' scenario. It is contingent on the UK giving equivalence of rights to EU hauliers during this period," the plan reads. The UK has taken steps to implement the same measures for EU hauliers.
The Clashs song White Riot would be a fitting musical accompaniment to the on-going yellow vests insurrection against French president Emmanuel Macrons government. During weeks of disturbances, there has barely been a brown or black face in sight.

This absence is particularly notable in major cities such as Paris, where vast suburban communities habitually blamed for all social ills have shown next to no interest in joining.

Everybody, from the casseurs  a French word for those who go out to destroy property  to thugs fighting the police, has been overwhelmingly fair-skinned. Typically, reactionary commentators and other bigots who like to dwell on a mythical enemy within are very disappointed by this.

When the Arc de Triomphe itself was ransacked by a mob just before Christmas, there was an outcry, especially when a statue of Marianne  the female personification of the French Republic  had her marble face smashed in. Neo-nazis obsessed with the Third Reich have since been implicated in the desecration, which caused more than 1m worth of damage.

 Paris protests: Police and 'gilet jaunes' protesters clash for fifth straight weekend

The sense of an entire civilisation being under attack has been furthered week after week, with fires lit all over Paris, from just outside the postmodern Jeu de Paume art gallery to the medieval Saint-Germain Abbey.

On Saturday, there were skirmishes next to Les Invalides, where the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte lies beneath a golden dome.

If the usual housing estate suspects had been involved in such acts of destruction, you can be sure that the establishments us against them clamour would have gone into overdrive.

Just imagine a group of Muslim or black African men using a stolen forklift truck to bring down the main door of a government ministry, as the yellow vests did on one of their day of rage Saturdays.

Or a well-organised gang of them attempting to assault the Elysee Palace itself, or throwing a smoke grenade into a police van in order to steal an assault rifle, as happened in December.

Words like terrorist and radicalised roll easily off the tongue when alleged lawbreakers fit a stereotype, but this is by no means the case when they are representing a movement from La France profonde  the countrys traditional provincial heartland.

Banks, private homes and cars have also been seriously damaged. Millions of pounds worth of goods have been looted, not least from luxury shops around the Champs-Elysees. Such scenes have been replicated in most French cities and major towns.

As propagandists struggle to link the chaos with those from immigrant backgrounds, white riot privilege has allowed the yellow vest agitation to become routine. Intensely violent rallies are now held every Saturday without fail.

Desperate to pacify the street mobs, Macron has already given them some 10bn (8.9bn) worth of government concessions. He first repealed green taxes on fuel, so removing one of the most principled ecological aspects of his policy schedule. Then there were hugely generous fiscal measures, including raising the national minimum wage by seven per cent.

Meanwhile, criminal courts have been reluctant to hand down anything except for token punishments against those yellow vest rioters who have actually been caught. This is despite their haphazard road blockades leading to horrifying accidents that have claimed a dozen lives so far.

Contrast all this with 2005  the last time there were disturbances across France, linked to ethnic minority communities living on sink estates. Then, the trouble was actually triggered by police.

An incident in which two boys died from electrocution while hiding from officers in Clichy-sous-Bois, near Paris, was enough to mobilise hundreds of thousands. Beyond brutal repression and harassment by the forces of law and order, they were rallying against high unemployment, discrimination and the general lack of opportunities.

Those involved almost 14 years ago were not allowed anywhere near central Paris, let alone the monuments of state, and were instead left to rampage through their own squalid housing warrens. They were given next to nothing in terms of government appeasement either.

Instead, Nicolas Sarkozy, then a notoriously reactionary interior minister, called them scum who should be washed away with a power hose. He implemented colonial state of emergency legislation, including the kind of curfews used during Frances war against Algeria.

As a form of collective punishment, almost 6,000 were arrested, and nearly 1,500, including minors, convicted to custody. Some suspects were threatened with deportation and having their French citizenship revoked.

Nowadays, the dismal prospects for social advancement for the types targeted, and the way they are treated by a ruthless establishment, remain unchanged. In many cases they are far worse.

This was made abundantly clear by footage of a police chief repeatedly punching an unarmed black man during a yellow vests rally in Toulon earlier this month. The unnamed victim had his head banged against a wall by Didier Andrieux, who was in direct charge of 400 officers in the southern port city.

Never mind that the suspect was not even wearing a yellow vest  the high visibility motoring jacket that is the movements trademark  but he was clearly pacified and under control. Andrieux, nonetheless, hit out with sheer venom.

Yet, unsurprisingly, the Toulon prosecutor cleared the commander of any wrongdoing within a day, saying he had used appropriate force after being knocked over by protesters two hours earlier.

In turn, this version of events has since been contradicted by new videos showing that the bellicose commander had, in fact, been the first to administer blows after deploying a telescopic truncheon.

There will now be an internal police inquiry, but it is unlikely to challenge the conclusions of the judiciary for the obvious reason that it will be carried out by Andrieuxs own colleagues.

Just as appalling, Andrieux has just been made a Legion dhonneur. The fact that a career policeman associated with this type of horrendous behaviour has been awarded Frances highest medal for civilian and military merit says so much about how institutionalised the behaviour is.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Short of their usual pantomime villains, manipulative bigots who despise anybody linked with continents such as Africa and religions such as Islam, are now torn between supporting the yellow vests and their sometimes legitimate grievances, and condemning their excesses. This is becoming increasingly difficult.

Yellow vests are certainly being punched, beaten with truncheons and smothered in chemical weapons on protest days. Projectiles called flash-balls developed by a French firearms manufacturer and ostensibly non-lethal grenades have been used to maim and otherwise hurt them, but they are not receiving anything like the state-sanctioned abuse that ethnic minorities still endure every day of the week.

Ongoing French inquiries with a racial element relate to black and North African men who have been shot dead, or otherwise allegedly killed by police while in custody.

The double standards are well reflected in White Riot, a song about those who do not usually take to the streets being tempted to do exactly that. The yellow vests are pushing their alleged oppressors to the very limit, because they know white rioters will get away with a lot more than those who are far more reviled, and whose problems are much more pressing.
The Taliban has refused peace talks for years, hoping that one day it will capture Kabul, remove a democratic government, and form an extreme regime in the country as they did in 1996. But Afghanistan is stronger today than it was back then: at that time the institutions were entirely destroyed during the civil war and there was no army. But now they are functional, with 314,000 Afghan army and police as well as 22,000 foreign troops.

The Taliban is still able to conduct high-profile attacks in Kabul and capture some parts of other cities. But it cannot be kept in one area of the city for long while ordinary people as well as its own members are being affected.

Since 2003, the Taliban has continuously striven to attack various cities in order to establish a base from which it can easily maximise its power throughout the rest of the country  but it has yet to succeed.

In September 2015, the Taliban took back some parts of the northern city of Kunduz but it lost control of the province within a few days to US and Afghan forces.

 Taliban disguised in burqas kill at least 13 by storming university campus

Last August, the Taliban launched a brazen attack to overrun a strategic Ghazni city but failed at that too. There is not a single provincial capital it has complete control over yet. Though the Taliban contested or controlled 40 per cent of Afghan territory, these are remote rural areas with very small populations.

There are several reasons behind the Talibans failure in recapturing Afghanistan by fighting and finally, that compelled it to take part in peace talks after 17 years of war.

There are four major ethnic groups in Afghanistan: Pashtun, Tajik, Uzbek and Hazara. The majority of the Taliban are Pashtun, have little support in Tajik and Uzbek communities, and no support in the Hazara community, as the Hazaras are Shia Muslims while the Taliban is a Sunni Islamic movement.

Similarly, almost 80 per cent of the central leadership of the Taliban is Pashtun, including the chief, Haibatullah Akhunzada, and his deputies, Mohammad Yaqub, and Sirajuddin Haqqani.

Pashtuns are also the victims of the Talibans war more than any other ethnic group. The conflict has largely continued in Pashtun areas. Their villages have been ruined  the Taliban burned the schools in these areas, ended educational opportunities for their children and killed their influential elders.

On the other side, the key government posts are also with the Pashtun. Both former and current Afghan presidents are Pashtuns, and the significant cabinet position of the current government is with the Pashtuns.

A large number of Pashtun politicians, tribal chiefs and intellectuals are against the Taliban, which is one of its biggest weaknesses.

The central, conservative ideology of the Taliban is also responsible for its failure, as it is unacceptable for most Afghans, particularly the literate population. With the establishment of Karzais interim government in 2001, Afghanistan progressed in every walk of life.

Dozens of government and private universities have been set up in these 17 years. Girls, who were banned from school during the Taliban government, now make up 39 per cent of public school students. Womens political participation has also increased: they now have 69 out of 249 seats in the lower house of Afghanistans parliament, whereas the upper house has 27 women among its 102 members.

Despite fighting a war for 17 years and losing thousands of its fighters, the Taliban has failed to make any significant headway and has not managed to capture a single provincial capital.

The withdrawal of more than 100,000 Nato troops from Afghanistan in 2014 also means that the Taliban has lost its argument for war, because it argued the occupation of foreign forces which overthrew its government in 2001 was the main cause. Now the Afghans believe that the Taliban continued the war for no reason; the foreign troops pulled out in huge numbers and the remaining soldiers will leave after the peace talks have come to a conclusion.

Currently, the paramount challenge for the Taliban is the potential splintering of its relationship with Iran, Rusia and China, whereas before it only enjoyed strong ties with Pakistan. Leaders also fear that the rank and file will split into different groups, thus losing its sense of unity.

Moreover, the areas once considered the centres of the Taliban (Helmand, Kandahar and other southwest provinces) stopped being seen as such in 2010, when it lost control for good after supportive areas of the insurgency suffered more than normal, in terms of casualties, the breakdown of the education and damage to the economy.

The communities most affected by war not only prohibited the Taliban from making a disturbance in these areas, but also prevented their own people from taking part in the fighting.

Soon after controlling Kabul in 1996, the Taliban banned all television stations, newspapers and radio stations in order to keep people unaware of what was really happening. However, since the collapse of the regime in 2001, the media has flourished immensely, to the extent that today there are 83 private television stations, over 170 FM radio stations and hundreds of print media publications.

The media has played a key role in highlighting the cruelties of the Taliban on ordinary Afghans.

Politicians regularly argue that the Taliban began a war against the Americans but killed more Afghans than did the US. These kinds of discussions have created a big backlash against the Taliban.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

In the past 16 years, Islamic religious scholars who had striven for peace and declared the war in Afghanistan illegitimate have been increasingly targeted.

Hundreds have been killed in Kandahar and Badakhshan provinces alone, many claimed by the Taliban. But by losing support within religious circles as well as the wider population, the Talibans position is getting weaker by the day.

Similarly, its aggressive attacks have diminished support in Afghanistan as it has violently targeted almost every social group indiscriminately. The hostility the Taliban faces from Afghans has kept it feeble.

With this in mind, it is not astonishing that a nationwide poll in 2015 found that 92 per cent of Afghans supported the Kabul government and only 4 per cent favored the Taliban.

Perhaps now the Taliban is closer to the realisation that it can achieve more from peace talks than wreaking havoc.

Hizbullah Khan is a freelance journalist and researcher. He writes about South Asian political and security issues
Matteo Salvinis League and Luigi Di Maios Five Star Movement have already embarked in their European electoral campaign tours, readying the ground for the most important and pivotal ones so far.

Because of Brexit, the number of MEPs will change; of the 73 UK seats, 46 will be freed up and available for possible EU enlargements, while 27 will be shared out among underrepresented EU countries, so Italian seats will increase from 73 to 76.

Deputy prime ministers Salvini and Di Maio have already started targeting the European establishment and leaders  particularly French president Emmanuel Macron  by openly supporting the yellow vests movement. Unsurprisingly, especially considering the intensity of Di Maios approach (which explicitly outlined Five Stars support for the yellow vests movement), attempts to draw a bridge between Italy's far-right and France's yellow vests movement has met strong criticism from the French government.

Di Maio is also hoping to create an alliance with the yellow vests as part of a new European group that has been unveiled this month through a picture on the minsters Instagram profile.

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 heterogeneous group includes Pawel Kukiz, a Polish politician and head of political movement Kukiz 15 which has coordinated with the far-right National Movement Party; Croatian politician and anti-eviction activist Ivan Sincic, chairman of Human Blockade; and Finlands Karolina Kahonen, of the party Liike Nyt.

As Di Maio explained in his post, these forces are working, despite their different views, on a manifesto which satisfies as many of its members wishes as possible.

Salvinis League, on the other hand, can count on years spent on building up a coalition of the European far right through connections with Marine Le Pens National Rally, Geert Wilders and his Freedom Party, and the German Alternative for Germany (AfD), currently led by Alice Weidel and Alexander Gauland in the Bundestag.

In addition to that, the minister of the interior has also managed to establish strong connections with Hungary prime ministers Viktor Orban and Polands Law and Justice. Salvini kicked off his European tour in Warsaw on 9 January, meeting with political counterparts Joachim Brudzinski and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, as well as the far-right Law and Justice Party leader, Jarosaw Kaczynski.

Salvini pledged an Italo-Polish axis to counter the Franco-German one  his aim being the creation of the League of Leagues, as he announced during the partys gathering in Pontida last year.

As part of this plan, Salvinis League has also joined Steve Bannons Movement, an organisation founded by Donald Trumps former chief strategist to promote right-wing populism in Europe and counter George Soross Open Society, pushing for nationalism instead of globalism.

However, Bannons Movement is at a standstill at the moment. As The Guardian reported in November 2018, it hasnt managed to get large far-right parties on board. Towards the end of 2018, the AfDs Gauland went as far as saying that Bannons European plan would fail.

Its easy to see why. Forces with a lot of support like the League do not actually need Bannons help to achieve great electoral results. In addition to that, the Movement has been said to be illegal in most of Bannons target countries due to electoral laws, with the exception of Italy and the Netherlands.

But when it comes to Italian parties in government, massive electoral gains can be expected for both the League and Five Star in the European elections due to the electoral result of 2018 and growing Euroscepticism among the electorate, as the two deputy prime ministers continue to occupy public debate and politics.

Once again, Salvini will focus more and more on migration, as exemplified by his recent Security Decree, which clamped down on asylum rights and removed humanitarian protection status, pushing thousands of people out of reception structures.

On this front, however, a form of resistance has emerged, as mayors of major cities like Naples and Palermo have declared that they will not apply the decree in their cities, as it would reduce the rights of refugees and migrants.

Salvini has also pushed hard on refusing to allow NGO ship Sea Watch 3 to enter Italian ports, and against the EU deal on the relocation of the migrants aboard the ship.

The idea that the ports are closed to migrants, as Italian journalist Annalisa Camilli has illustrated in Internazionale, is actually false, as 3,293 people have reached the country by sea since June, as reported by the Ministry of the Interiors own data. More recently, in a video on his Facebook page in response to the news that two shipwrecks in the Mediterranean claimed the lives of 170 migrants on 19 January, Salvini suggested that keeping ports open would only encourage NGOs and human traffickers, a position that has been widely condemned.

Nevertheless, this idea has been instrumental in anti-NGO campaigns in the Italian media, even in the face of severe reductions in the number of migrants travelling to Italy prior to Salvinis appointment. By 2017, for example, Marco Minnitis (Salvinis predecessor) deal with Libya dramatically reduced the flow of migrants to Italy by 87 per cent. Salvini knows all of this, as well as the fact that NGO rescue boats have been barred from operating in the Mediterranean. Even still, he relies on these false claims to fuel his constant propaganda machine.

Anti-migrant and refugee rhetoric is indeed growing in Italy, aiding far-right and neo-fascist forces in the process.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

The backlash against childrens book Superman Was a Refugee Too (Anche Superman Era Un Rifugiato) an initiative promoted by the UNHCR and curated by the Italian writer of Somali descent Igiaba Scego, is a perfect example; it was swiftly attacked as pro-migration propaganda by neo fascist Italian party CasaPound both in its Il Primato Nazionale magazine, and its student block.

The book has also been labelled as propaganda by right-wing newspapers ll Giornale and La Verita, strong supporters of the League.

The question now is whether the European elections will lead to a clash between the two ruling parties. While Salvinis focus is clearer, Di Maios isnt as straightforward for voters with anti-immigration priorities, as the Five Star Movement holds many different positions and is less able to push its political narrative in the same way as the League, which is acquiring more and more support.

While Salvini focuses on an electoral campaign perspective, Di Maio knows that the Five Star movement cant afford to have this government fail, a restriction that is becoming clearer to the public as time progresses.

What is certain is that far-right influence will dominate European elections, worsening conditions for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in the process as the narrative against them becomes more mainstream.
Its been two long years since Donald Trump was elected president of the United States of America. Since January 2017 when the 45th president took office, people in the US and the international community have watched this administrations backtracking on civil human and rights, and international law, as well as a deadly polarisation of US society and the emboldening of white supremacist groups and their anti-immigration agendas, spurred on by implicit and explicit support from the White House.

Trump ran for office on a hardcore populist, racist, anti-immigration platform that his base feverishly supported with their torches in hand. Blaming Muslims and Mexicans for white Americas problems resonated with millions of people  to the shame, shock and terror of many other Americans like myself.

Trump tapped deep into the fears and hatred of angry white people; he told them who to blame for their woes. And his base was quick to accept his proposed solutions. Cages, walls and religious-based bans all sounded like great ideas to Republicans and Trump supporters. Sounds a lot like the beginnings of Nazi Germany to me.

 Donald Trump announces plan to 'end government shutdown' involving border wall funding

Of course, some folks Ive spoken with about why they voted for Trump insist they only did so because of his being an outsider to Washington politics and his vows to drain the swamp  but I have always found that argument hard to believe.

The truth is much nastier and closer to home; anti-immigration rhetoric and policy has been a hallmark of this administration, and that, unfortunately, is what his supporters voted for  even if some still cant admit it out loud.

But how far has Trump really come in fulfilling his promises and how far will he take things in order to get his way? Lets take a look at the facts.

On 20 December 2018, Trump refused to sign a stopgap spending bill that had already been approved by the Senate, because it didnt include money for additions to the border wall he had campaigned so hard for (and that Mexico was supposedly going to pay for).

This presidential temper tantrum has now turned into the longest government shutdown in US history and it doesnt look like progress will be made anytime soon. Late yesterday, President Trump offered what the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) called tepid remedies for recipients of Temporary Protected Status (TPA) and DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). But Democrats are already saying that isnt going to get him his wall.

As for the effects on the immigration process, Chicago-based civil rights and immigration attorney Christina Abraham told me the shutdown has completely stalled the legal process for migrants  with immigration courts only hearing cases where people are currently in detention. This means that all the other immigration cases are being pushed back in an already backlogged system.

For example, before the shutdown immigration case hearings were already being scheduled one and a half to two years out, and now people will have to wait even longer. And even though immigration courts are hearing detention cases, because of the reduced workforce the detention cases are being handled even slower. After the shutdown is finally over there will be even more catching up to do.

It seems blatantly obvious to everyone but Trump that Mexico was never going to pay for the wall  not the past administration, nor the current one. Whether or not this was a surprise to him is beyond me, but the president and his public relations team had to provide some kind of explanation to his base.

On 2 January of this year, he tweeted that the replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta), the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), would pay for it. But according to experts at PolitiFact thats just not true; congress hasnt even approved the new trade deal and there are no new tariffs on Mexican exports, nor is the issue contemplated in the agreement at all.

And, while many Democrats agree that there is a need for extra security measures to control irregular migration from the southern US border, they seem unwilling to move on funding additions for Trumps wall.

Trumps most inhumane immigration legacy to date remains the thousands of Central American children literally ripped away from their parents, locked in cages in tent cities on the border, shivering under foil blankets and vulnerable to sexual assault, and even death, while in custody.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Now, we are finding out that this administration has separated thousands more children from their parents and held them for even longer periods of time than was previously believed. In an article published in December on Independent Voices, I talked about how this administration has profited off the detention of migrants. Considering the dividends to be made by the for-profit immigration detention industry, it is unlikely that the practice will slow down or stop while Trump is in office.

Its not that difficult to predict what our future holds under this administration. As long as this country has a white supremacist, misogynistic autocrat in the White House things are going to be scary for brown people, LGBT+ people, religious minorities and women.

We must look to the legacies left to us by Malcolm X and Dr Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Sitting Bull and other notable civil and human rights activists from this country that have dared to stand up to the forces of the American government when injustice, corruption and ineptitude prevailed.

It is clearly time to take to the streets again and demand that America return to its former glory, the glory that the Statue of Liberty stands for, the glory that made this nation so great  its policy of open arms to people who want to better themselves and their lives, and better the country in the process. Otherwise we are no longer a nation of liberty and justice for all.
At the moment when 250 passengers and 15 crew aboard United Airlines flight 179 from New York should have been sound asleep in Hong Kong, they were beginning their 15th hour on board the plane stuck on the ground at a military airfield in the northern region of Labrador in sub-Arctic Canada.

The Boeing 777 had taken off on schedule on Saturday afternoon from Newark for the 8,052-mile flight across the Arctic to Hong Kong.

About three-and-a-half hours into the flight, as the jet was making landfall above the coast of southwest Greenland, a passenger became ill.

Initially the crew decided to return to Newark. But one of the passengers, Chris Liew, told The Independent: At some point, the pilots diverted to Goose Bay.

We landed at about 9.30pm local time [8pm New York time].

The sick passenger was taken off and the plane refuelled to replenish the fuel dumped before landing.

Recommended Flight diverted after student bites passenger in drunken rage

But instead of taking off, the plane remained on the ground.

A couple of hours later we were informed there was a problem with a door and a mechanic was called, said Mr Liew.

Evidently it couldnt be fixed and the pilots began working with their operations centre for a new plan, essentially involving a replacement aircraft that either took us back to Newark or on to Hong Kong or some intermediate airport closer to Hong Kong.

The delay became so extended that one passenger set up the diversions own Twitter account, Save United 179.

Goose Bay airport, just outside the settlement of Happy Valley, is a Canadian Armed Forces base. A local resident, Philip Earle, told The Independent: Your Royal Air Force built a lot of the infrastructure here such as hangars and barracks which still exist.

The airfield is on flight routes between Europe and the west coast of the US, and occasionally receives diversions. But as border officials do not work at night, passengers could not processed officially into Canada.

All that time, one aircraft door was open and it was minus 28F (-33C) outside, said Mr Liew.

The aircraft was adequately warm for those of us sitting away from the open door. Some unfortunate flight attendant was posted at the door for safety and security, I suppose.

Travel Photographer of the Year 2018 Show all 16 1 /16 Travel Photographer of the Year 2018 Travel Photographer of the Year 2018 Timbuktu, Mali: In the last light of day the inhabitants of Timbuktu wash their clothes and take a shower in the port of Kabara. Stefano Pensotti/www.tpoty.com Travel Photographer of the Year 2018 Budapest, Hungary: Szechenyi Baths, built in 1913, is the most popular the inhabitants of Budapest who come here to relax with friends. Stefano Pensotti/www.tpoty.com Travel Photographer of the Year 2018 Chefchaouen, Morocco: Perfect newly picked oranges were everywhere in Chefchaouen, Morocco. Isabella Smith/www.tpoty.com Travel Photographer of the Year 2018 Kollam, Kerala, India: On my summer holidays in India our neighbours 30+ year old Mango tree was cut down. It was a sad sight to watch as this was a fruit yielding tree, home to many birds and a lot of shade under it on a hot sunny day. Daniel Kurian/www.tpoty.com Travel Photographer of the Year 2018 Lake Louise, Banff, Canada: When I first went to Lake Louise, I thought everything was beautiful not just the lake or the mountains but all of the little details. Tevin Kim/www.tpoty.com Travel Photographer of the Year 2018 Thanarghat, Sadar, Bangladesh: The river was little bit dried up; thus, the sandy base was seen. These little girls lived on the other side of the river and they were playing in the shallow water while waiting for their mother. Fardin Oyan/www.tpoty.com Travel Photographer of the Year 2018 Chamonix, Mont Blanc, Switzerland: A few climbers descended down to the base of Mont Blanc. Katherine Kosmicki/www.tpoty.com Travel Photographer of the Year 2018 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: In Tanzania, when you have albinism, you are thought to be evil. There is even a price on the head of children with albinism since killing a person with albinism is considered to bring good luck. Marinka Masseus/www.tpoty.com Travel Photographer of the Year 2018 Guatemala, Santa Lucia Utatlan: Mayan woman from Santa Lucia Utatlan, Guatemala. The designs from this region incorporate colourful geometric patterns and bird motifs. Tom Law/www.tpoty.com Travel Photographer of the Year 2018 Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo: Elie, 45, struts his stuff in the streets of Brazzaville. He has been a Sapeur for 35 years and his elaborate outfits bring joy to himself and his community. Tariq Zaidi/www.tpoty.com Travel Photographer of the Year 2018 Shaanxi, China: Endangered gold: The Qinling golden snub-nosed monkey is listed as Endangered by the IUCN as only some 3,800 individuals still exist. Most people have never seen these creatures. Marsel Van Oosten/www.tpoty.com Travel Photographer of the Year 2018 Mantadia National Park, Madagascar: Chameleon colours. Ignacio Palacios/www.tpoty.com Travel Photographer of the Year 2018 Svalbard, Norway: A mother Polar bear and her two young cubs are migrating north, as the sea ice melts quicker than previous years. Roie Galitz/www.tpoty.com Travel Photographer of the Year 2018 Amritsar, India: A Sikh pilgrim performs his ritual washing in the lake with the most famous place of worship for the Sikhs in the background. Matjaz Krivic/www.tpoty.com Travel Photographer of the Year 2018 Rio Lagartos, Yucatan, Mexico: Colours of the World: Pink - Las Coloradas. On the northern coast of Mexicos Yucatan peninsula are the magical pink lakes of Las Coloradas. The area is actually a private salt mine adjacent to the Rio Lagartos biosphere. Daniel Burton/www.tpoty.com Travel Photographer of the Year 2018 Niger River, Mali, West Africa: Sand divers freedive down to the bottom of the Niger river to collect sand for the building industry. Its an extremely dangerous job from which many dont return. Philip Lee/www.tpoty.com

No food or refreshments were offered until the 12-hour mark.

UA, this is the all time worst customer experience I have ever had, tweeted one passenger, Rose Kazan. Shame on you. Stranded for 12 hours.

We need you guys to act on this colossal disaster and help get this plane moving.

United Airlines told The Independent about what happened after the diversion: Prior to departure, the aircraft experienced a mechanical issue. The airport did not have customs officers overnight so we were not able to let customers depart the aircraft.

An alternative aircraft is being flown in to transport customers back to Newark. We apologise to our customers and our crew is doing everything possible to assist them during the delay.

The replacement aircraft landed at around 12.30pm local time (11am New York time) and carried a fresh crew.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

But as attempts to fix the broken door continued, Chris Liew confirmed: Were at 15 hours on the ground and counting.

The eventual delay was 16 hours, with the return to New York 26 hours after the original flight had left.

In November 2018, a planeload of Air France passengers travelling from Paris to Shanghai spent three days in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, after a smoke detector was activated.
British rapper Geko has said he hopes his fans are safe after police responded to reports of a shooting at a concert venue in Oslo.

The Manchester-born artist was performing at Eventhallen in the Norwegian capital on Saturday night.

Officers said there were reports of a person being shot in the leg and security staff took control of the firearm before they arrived on the scene.

Five people have been arrested in connection with the incident and are being questioned, police in Oslo said.

Police added: We also are aware of a possible injured man in the emergency room. He appears to be hurt in the leg.

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

We are still on the site with many units and are working to talk with witnesses.

Geko, whose single 6:30 was certified silver this week, posted on his Instagram story: My show got shot up, sorry to everyone that come to see me and I hope everyone that got hit is okay. Love you all.

PA
Prior to sentencing, 77-year-old activist Lev Ponomarev asked the judge not to take his age into account. The gasps and shrieks that followed the 5 December verdict suggested few expected him to be taken so seriously.

For the assembled room of activists, journalists and onlookers, the 25-day custodial sentence (later reduced to 16) was the definition of heavy-handedness. It represented the full weight of the state thrown against a veteran rights activist whose only crime was to share a blog on Facebook.

But for the judge Dmitry Gordeyev, a former police officer, it was water off a ducks back. Hed been here before. Only a few months earlier, he sentenced Alexei Navalny, another star of the opposition, to custodial terms  not once but twice.

He barely blinked as he administered near-maximum sentences. And he remained steadfast a week later, refusing an appeal to allow the activist to attend the funeral of his longtime co-collaborator Ludmila Alexeyeva, who died during his time in jail.

Today, Ponomarev is back in the land of the free, having rested for a couple of weeks by a lake near Moscow.

He says his time in jail was a positive experience.

Yes, at the start everyone inside smoked, and that didnt help his lungs  but by the end his fellow prisoners were smoking through the windows out of respect. Yes, the food wasnt anything to write home about, but after a few complaints to the right people, things improved (almost certainly temporarily). Yes, the bunk beds were not comfortable; at 4 sq m a person, the cells were barely half the European average. But it wasnt right to make a fuss.

I didnt have it bad, and I met some very interesting people, he says. We found a common language.

We already know these guys cant run a country. All they see are invented dangers Lev Ponomarev, activist

Inside prison, Ponomarev remained true to the activist within. Before the first week was out, he had taken up the case of two fellow inmates from Chechnya, who were awaiting trial for theft. Prosecutors had argued they acted together as a criminal network, he found out  in truth, they had only shoplifted, and only out of desperation and hunger.

Ponomarev connected them to a friendly Chechen lawyer, and soon enough they were out of prison and on their way back home.

As we speak in the busy Moscow office of his For Human Rights NGO, Ponomarev is coordinating a defence for another prisoner he met. The man, a naive 20-year-old, was, he says, abducted by Russian security services at Moscow Vnukovo airport as he returned from Turkey.

The security officers tried to recruit the man as an informer, says Ponomarev, threatening him with a stack of falsified terrorism offences.

Im not new to this game but I was genuinely surprised, he says. Were used to this kind of thing happening in southern regions like Krasnodar, and Chechnya, but not Moscow.

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 sense of mission came early to Ponomarev, with anger at Soviet injustices nagging him even as a boy. In many ways, family history had cast the die. His grandfather, a farmer, suffered during Stalinist repressions  it was not the worst story in the country, as he survived, but bad enough to leave a mark.

By the age of 16, Ponomarev had become a staunch anti-Stalinist and anti-communist.

The activist began his professional career as a brilliant mathematician and physicist, later settling on the field of particle physics. He chose science, he says, because it was the one area where free thinking was still tolerated by the authorities: Even [infamous head of national security] Lavrentiy Beria understood you needed free people to create the hydrogen bomb.

But when notions of Perestroika and freedom took hold over the country in the late 1980s, Ponomarev understood it was time to forget science and move on, into activism.

In 1988 he became one of the founders of Memorial, a human rights group honouring the memory of the Soviet repressed.

It was the first truly democratic organisation Russia had seen  and it still exists, though not without difficulties, to this day. Ponomarev, who was in charge of registration, made it happen by applying scientific logic to unlock Soviet bureaucracy.

Later, Ponomarev became an MP, and the motor behind the Democratic Russia movement, which played a major role in the fall of the Soviet Union. Ponomarevs political platform not only helped Boris Yeltsin achieve a majority in parliament, kickstarting the latters career, but also organised several of the most influential mass rallies of the time.

The two men appeared side by side throughout the historic events of 1990-91, before going their separate ways in 1993, divided over the war in Chechnya.

 Moscow protests: Russian opposition leader Navalny detained

Memories of Ponomarevs effectiveness may have played a role in the decision to single him out for punishment. But the activist insists the sanction, usually dished out for serious crimes, came as a surprise.

It shocked me because I do try to stay on good terms with the FSB generals, they know me, and oftentimes we come to an agreement, he says. The last time I was arrested was 10 years ago, for two days.

What likely tipped the balance was Ponomarevs support of two groups of young Russians charged with extremism offences (the Network and New Greatness affairs). Like many liberal Russians, the activists believes the youngsters were set up by intelligence officers.

It was his sharing of a blog post, urging people to protest outside the security agencys headquarters in central Moscow, that served as the pretext for his arrest and prosecution.

Of course, the security services were annoyed that 1,500 people turned up, he says. It was a real kick in the nuts and they seemed to hold me responsible.

Ponomarev says it is unclear if Putin knew about his arrest at the time. But the president had clearly abdicated on his constitutional responsibility of protecting human rights, and had also outsourced key policy decisions to the security agencies.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

The Kremlin was unlikely to benefit from either in the long run, he says.

The authorities are digging their own grave by letting the spooks take over domestic policy, he says. We already know these guys cant run a country. All they see are invented dangers. They need to speak to the people.
Rescuers in Spain have said they hope, within the next day and a half, to find a two-year-old boy who fell in a borehole nearly a week ago.

Julen Rosello plunged into the 110m shaft on Sunday while walking with his parents in a mountainous area near the village of Totalan, northeast of Malaga.

The well is so narrow rescuers are not able to get down it, so have been forced to use machinery to drill tunnels.

Angel Garcia, the leading engineer coordinating the search-and-rescue operation in Totalan near Malaga, said that estimate depends on everything going favourably.

Mr Garcia said a drill is perforating a hole, and then two or three experts in mining rescues will dig a horizontal tunnel to the location where they believe the toddler fell.

Mr Garcia said: We are hopeful that we can get to him as soon as possible and bring him to his parents.

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

There has been no vocal contact made with Julen.

The discovery of several strands of the boy's hair on Wednesday is the first confirmation that Julen  who is said to have momentarily wandered away from his mother and father  is down the hole. DNA tests have shown it belongs to the child.

The boys dad, Jose Rosello, told reporters that the family was "not going to give up" and have "hope that he is not dead".

He said: "I feel like we have [been] here for months," adding that, while he feared the worst, he had hope for an angel to help us bring him back alive".

AP
Tens of thousands of people paid tribute to murdered Polish mayor Pawel Adamowicz at his funeral in the city of Gdansk as church leaders and politicians called for an end to the country's bitter political divide.

The assassination of Mr Adamowicz, who was stabbed on stage at a major charity event last Sunday and died the following day, was met with outrage across Europe.

Police said around 45,000 people attended the funeral, where Polands president Andrzej Duda and prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki joined members of the public.

EU president Donald Tusk also attended the service, which saw 3,500 mourners gathered inside St Mary's Basilica in Krakow, according to broadcaster TVN24.

Gdansk Archbishop Slawoj Leszek Glodz called for an end to Polands political divisions at the funeral, referring to the mayors murder as a bell calling for alarm.

"Our homeland needs harmony in politics," Mr Glodz said.

Dominican friar Ludwik Wisniewski, a friend of Mr Adamowicz's, said Poland could not remain indifferent to the "spreading poison of hatred in the streets, in the media, in the internet, in schools, in parliament and also in the church".

Banners with black and white pictures of Mr Adamowicz were draped over buildings and thousands watched the service on outside TV screens.

Mr Adamowicz was a liberal critic of anti-immigration policies by Polands ruling party and encouraged migrants to seek refuge in Gdansk.

He was also known for backing a campaign to defend the rule of law.

Activists claim the ruling conservative Law and Justice Party (PiS) is trying to increase its political control over Polands judiciary.

Mourners carry a giant Polish National flag as they gather to watch the funeral service (EPA)

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn described Mr Adamowiczs death as a tragic loss for Poles and all those who want to build inclusive societies.

Pawe Adamowicz was a true defender of liberty and equality. Today, we honour his memory and his fight for an open and tolerant society, Guy Verhofstadt, Brexit coordinator for the European Parliament, said.

Polish authorities have arrested a 27-year-old former convict, identified only as Stefan W, over the killing.

The attacker, who had recently been released from prison, claimed he had been wrongfully imprisoned for attempted bank robbery and tortured by the mayors former party Civic Platform.

At least 10 other people have been detained by authorities in recent days after calls for more murders and acts of aggression on social media following Mr Adamowiczs death.

In 2017, Mr Adamowicz was one of 11 Polish mayors who were targeted with fake death certificates by a far-right group called All-Polish Youth, after signing a declaration to welcome refugees in opposition to government policy.

The assassination has been politically divisive in Poland with some critics blaming politicians for spreading polarising rhetoric.

In the wake of Mr Adamowiczs death, support for the PiS party has fallen to 30 per cent from 33 per cent in November, according to a poll conducted by Kantar Millward Brown.

Agencies contributed to this report
You are here: China

A direct sea freight route opened Saturday between Taiwan's Kaohsiung and Pingtan in Fujian Province, drastically shortening the time of farm produce from the island entering the mainland market.



A freighter, operated by Taiwan trade shipping agency Wagon, departed from a port in Kaohsiung for Pingtan on Saturday afternoon.

The 178-nautical mile journey between the two cities will be shortened from two or three days to just nine hours after the opening of the new route.

The freighter was loaded with over 700 tonnes of fruit, vegetables and liquid crystal display panels, worth over 15 million yuan (2.2 million U.S. dollars).

All the items were purchased by trade enterprises from Pingtan.

Han Kuo-yu, mayor of Kaohsiung, said that he expected more high-quality products manufactured in Kaohsiung, including farm produce, to be shipped to the mainland market.
Two people have died and at least 25 have been injured following a fire at a ski resort in the French Alps.

Sixty resort employees were evacuated after the blaze broke out at accommodation for seasonal workers in Courchevel in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Footage posted on social media showed fire crews using ladders to rescue trapped workers from the wooden building. At least one person can be seen jumping an upper floor to escape the flames.

Two bodies were found in the burnt-out building, local media reported. They have not yet been identified.

Four other people were seriously hurt but are not thought to have life-threatening injuries.

Recommended 17 die in Ecuador rehab blaze started by patients trying to escape

Authorities in the Savoie region said prosecutors had opened an investigation the cause of the fire, which broke out on buildings third floor at about 4.30am.

A witness said he saw two men jumping out of the burning building to escape the flames. Most of the workers staying there were young, Yarik Zanuda added.

The two young men who jumped, I saw them after, they are wounded and hospitalised, he wrote on Facebook. Another was saved by firefighters. But the woman who called for help on the third floor, I do not know. I hope she is saved too.

A seasonal worker who had been staying in the building claimed no fire alarm had sounded. He told French broadcaster LCI: I heard, Help, help, help! from my room. I went out, I saw the flames.

About 70 firefighters had brought the blaze under control by dawn. The fire was extinguished by 9.40am local time (8.40am GMT).

Frances interiror minister, Christophe Castaner, paid tribute to the emergency services and said his thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the victims of the fire.
Tens of thousands of protesters marched through Athens on Sunday to show their fury with their governments deal with Macedonia, in a day of violent clashes outside the Greek parliament.

Some marchers attacked riot police with rocks, flares, firebombs and paint, only for the officers to respond with tear gas.

At least 60,000 people attended the demonstrations which left around 10 police officers injured.

Some protesters jumped over a barrier and attempted to climb up the steps of the Greek parliament but were chased down by police officers.

One man draped in a Greek flag attacked police with a large stick, while others beat nearby officers with big flags on wooden poles.

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 statement from Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras blamed extremist elements and members of Golden Dawn, an extreme right party, for the unrest.

In our democracy, citizens free expression is an inalienable right, even for those who want to abolish democracy, the statement said.

It is also the duty and obligation of those of us who do believe not to allow them. Lets isolate and condemn them.

Macedonia and Greece struck a deal in June to end a decades-long dispute over Macedonias name.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

The country will now be called North Macedonia but the protesters believe the name is a usurpation of ancient Greek heritage and implies territorial claims on Greece.

Away from Athens, farmers in northern Greece temporarily blocked the highway leading to the Macedonian border, in a show of solidarity. It later reopened.

Additional reporting by agencies
The worlds oldest man has died in Japan at the age of 113.

Masazo Nonakas family said he died peacefully in his sleep at his home, a hot springs hotel on the northern main island of Hokkaido.

We feel shocked at the loss of this big figure. He was as usual yesterday and passed away without causing our family any fuss at all, said his granddaughter, Yuko Nonaka.

Mr Nonaka was certified as the worlds oldest living man last year at the age of 112 years and 259 days.

Born on 25 July 1905, shortly before Albert Einstein published his theory of special relativity, he went on to outlive all seven of his siblings, his wife, and three of his five children.

His favourite pastime was soaking in the hot springs at the hotel his family has run for four generations in the town of Ashoro.

After growing up in a large family, Mr Nonaka eventually took over the running of the traditional hot springs hotel  known as onsen ryokan in Japan  from his parents. The hotel, which has also stood the test of time and is 106 years old, is currently being run by his granddaughter.

At the time of being confirmed the worlds oldest man by Guinness World Records in April last year, Mr Nonaka was still able to move around by himself in a wheelchair. He read a newspaper each morning, enjoyed watching sumo wrestling and samurai TV dramas, and had a taste for cakes.

He died of natural causes in the early hours of Sunday, his family 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

Japan is known for the longevity of its citizens and has been home to a number of record-holders. They include Kane Tanaka, a woman who at 116 years and 18 days is the worlds oldest living person.

The oldest man in history whose age has been verified, Jiroemon Kimura, was also Japanese. He died in 2013 aged 116 years and 54 days.
Two monks were killed and two others injured when gunmen presumed to be Muslim insurgents stormed a Buddhist temple in southern Thailand, police have said.

The attack in Narathiwat province on Friday night was the latest incident in a recent upsurge of violence in the area, which since 2004 has been plagued by a separatist insurgency that has claimed about 7,000 lives.

Narathiwat is one of Thailand's three southernmost provinces, the only ones with Muslim majorities in the Buddhist-dominated country.

Witnesses described seeing armed men arrive at the temple on motorcycles, open fire with automatic weapons and then storm inside where they shot the monks in their quarters, according to a Thai news report. One of those killed was the temple's abbot.

The temple attack was one of several violent incidents in Narathiwat on Friday, including a roadside bombing that wounded five members of security forces, and a shootout between paramilitary rangers and five armed men that left one of the gunmen dead. The others escaped.

The attacks have occurred during an effort to revitalise peace talks between the Thai government and some insurgent groups, and may be an effort to scuttle them by stoking popular outrage and inviting heavy handed retaliation.

Analysts say the most militant group, the Barisan Revolusi Nasional, BRN, is not taking part in the talks.

The New York-based group Human Rights Watch has pinned the blame for the ongoing violence on the BRN.

The ghastly attack on Buddhist monks by insurgents in Thailand's deep south is morally reprehensible and a war crime, and those responsible should be held to account, said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

The insurgents' 15-year campaign of deliberately attacking Buddhist and Muslim civilians can't be justified.

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 watchdog said that since the insurgency flared up in January 2004, BRN's members have targeted Buddhist temples and monks because they consider them emblematic of the Thai Buddhist state's occupation of ethnic Malay Muslim territory.

At least 23 monks have been killed and more than 20 wounded, it said.

The insurgents have also targeted security personnel assigned to provide monks safe passage to and from the temples, it said.

Buddhist temples often serve as community centres, and monks are revered in Thailand. There is fear that attacks on temples could trigger vigilante action by Buddhist civilians against Muslims.

This is a very brazen act to drive a wedge among people, Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, a human rights defender, told the Associated Press.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

The cause of the conflict in the south is originally between the government and locals. But this is an attempt to turn the conflict to be between two religions, she added.

She said there are victims on both sides, noting that on 11 January, an Imam was gunned down.

A lack of transparency in the judicial system makes it difficult to assign blame for the violence, said Ms Pornpen, who also heads the Cross Cultural Foundation, which monitors and documents cases of torture and ill-treatment.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha condemned the violence and ordered security officers to find the culprits, said government spokesman Puttipong Punnakanta.

AP
The National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings across the Dakotas, Great Lakes states and New England for the weekend as a storm is forecast to dump up to 2ft of snow.

The storm is expected to bring up to 10in (25cm) of snow to the Midwest before pummeling the Northeast on Sunday. The National Weather Service in Albany, New York, said snow could fall at a rate of one to three inches (2.5-7.5 centimetres) an hour, creating difficult to impossible travel conditions in some areas.

The warnings state conditions throughout the Northeast could approach blizzard criteria.

In New York City, the worst of the storm is expected from Saturday afternoon through Sunday afternoon, with snow accumulations of up to 6in (15cm), followed by rain that could turn to ice as temperatures drop later Sunday.

Single-digit temperatures could last into Monday, according to forecasts.

Recommended Rain and snowstorms kill five people in California

Officials are warning of potential flight disruptions at airports, as well as possible changes to train schedules.

More than 2,000 flights had been cancelled through Sunday, according to FlightAware.com, which monitors flight delays.

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

Amtrak also cancelled some trains Saturday from Chicago to Washington and New York, as well as between New York and Boston and Pennsylvania on Sunday.

In Iowa, the Department of Transportation warns that visibility is less than a half mile in many locations due to snow and wind. And in South Dakota, where snow is starting to pile up, authorities are warning drivers to give plows extra room.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

The storm was also bringing thunder and lightning to cities like Houston, Tennessee and Memphis, according to CNN. The outlet reported over 100 million Americans were under some form of storm warnings over the weekend.

Additional reporting by AP
Donald Trump has again confused weather with climate change, suggesting the US would benefit from a little of that good old fashioned Global Warming right now amid forecasts of snow and cold conditions.

Little more than two months since a similarly misleading conflation, the president tweeted: Be careful and try staying in your house. Large parts of the Country are suffering from tremendous amounts of snow and near record setting cold.

Amazing how big this system is. Wouldnt be bad to have a little of that good old fashioned Global Warming right now!

In November, Mr Trump conflated seasonal weather with climate change, suggesting chilly conditions meant global warming wasnt real.

Brutal and Extended Cold Blast could shatter ALL RECORDS  Whatever happened to Global Warming? he tweeted.

Mr Trumps latest claim also echoed another winter tweet in 2017, in which he said America would benefit from a little bit of that good old global warming when much of the US was inundated with snow.

The 72-year-old has long history of denying the scientific consensus on climate change. He once claimed the phenomenon was a Chinese hoax intended to hurt American exports.

In October, Mr Trump told CBSs 60 Minutes he thought that although the climate might be changing, the climate could very well go back.

Nasa has a web page dedicated to making clear the basic distinction between weather and climate. The difference between weather and climate is a measure of time, it states.

Weather is what conditions of the atmosphere are over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere behaves over relatively long periods of time.

Mr Trumps views are also at odds with the White Houses own National Climate Assessment.

A winter storm is currently bringing some of the coldest temperatures of the season to the east coast. The Weather Channel reports parts of upstate New York had up to 11in of snow overnight.

Many major cities such as New York City and Boston were spared major snowfall. But a mix of rain and dropping temperatures wreaked havoc on air travel with nearly 5,000 flights cancelled across the country on Sunday.

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

In a series of Sunday morning tweets, the president addressed the border wall dispute and government shutdown, attacking Nancy Pelosi as a Radical Democrat.

He also claimed, without providing any evidence, that my poll numbers with Hispanics has gone up 19%, to 50%. That is because they know the Border issue better than anyone, and they want Security, which can only be gotten with a Wall.
Donald Trump may indeed have spoken to his then lawyer Michael Cohen about false testimony he delivered to Congress, and which is now at the centre of a seething political controversy, Rudy Giuliani has said.

Last week, BuzzFeed reported that Mr Trumps personal lawyer delivered the false information to politicians about the then candidates business interests in Moscow on the orders of the man who is now president. Democrats and opponents of Mr Trump leapt on the story, saying it showed the president had committed perjury.

On Friday evening, after the White House and the presidents lawyer dismissed the claim, special counsel Robert Mueller issued a rare statement to suggest that at least elements of the story were not true.

BuzzFeeds description of specific statements to the special counsels office, and characterisation of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohens congressional testimony are not accurate, spokesman Peter Carr said.

On Sunday, Mr Giuliani, a former New York mayor who now serves as Mr Trumps main lawyer, conceded the president may have spoken to Cohen about the testimony he delivered to two congressional committees about negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Cohen delivered the information in writing, then in person when he appeared before both the Senate and House intelligence committees. He claimed it would not have been of any significance if he had spoken with him.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

I dont know if it happened or didnt happen. It may be attorney-client privilege if it happened, where I cant acknowledge it. But I have no knowledge that he spoke to him, but Im telling you I wasnt there then, he told CNN. So what if he talked to him about it?

Mr Giuliani also said Mr Trumps conversations with Cohen about a possible deal in Moscow may have continued up until the 2016 election.

Cohen told Congress that negotiations had ended in January 2016, and later admitted to Mr Mueller they had gone on until June, by which point Mr Trump was effectively the only Republican candidate left in the race.

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

Appearing on NBC, Mr Giuliani said the presidents written answers to questions from Mr Mueller cover up to the election with regards to discussions about the possible deal.

Its our understanding that they went on throughout 2016, he added. There werent a lot of them, but there were conversations. Cant be sure of the exact dates, but the president can remember having conversations with him about it.

Supporters of the president have seized on the statement from Mr Mueller  who Mr Trump has frequently claimed is leading a witch hunt  to attack the media. The president himself, thanked Mr Mueller, telling reporters: It was a total phoney story, and I appreciate the special counsel coming out with a statement last night.

Meanwhile, BuzzFeed has said it stands by its report and has invited Mr Mueller to specify what aspects of it are not correct.

Cohen was sentenced in December to three years in prison for tax and fraud charges, for lying to Congress and for a pair of campaign finance violations stemming from hush money that prosecutors in the Southern District of New York allege Mr Trump directed his former fixer to pay to a porn star and a former model on the eve of the election.

He is due to go to jail in March. Before that, he is scheduled to again appear before politicians on 7 February when he is set to will testify publicly to members of the House oversight committee.
A student and member of a Tri Delta sorority chapter at the University of Oklahoma was expelled from the group after a video showing a woman participating in blackface was uploaded to social media.

In the video, a woman can be seen covering her face with black paint. The same woman can also be heard saying a racial slur while the person filming the video, who the Tri Delta group confirmed to The Independent was its member, can be seen laughing.

On Saturday, after the video was shared widely online, the sororitys collegiate chapter president London Moore released a statement in which she said: Our chapter condemns the racist, offensive and disgraceful conduct of the two women involved in the video posted yesterday.

More specifically, we are deeply disappointed in the actions of the one woman associated with the Theta Gamma chapter of Tri Delta.

The behaviour documented in the video is abhorrent and is in no way consistent with Tri Deltas ideals. To those students directly impacted by this senseless act of racism, we are deeply sorry, and we know that is not enough.

Recommended Prada issues apology after accusations over blackface imagery

The sorority also confirmed that the "woman who participated in, filmed and posted the video is no longer a member of our organisation".

The video sparked outrage when it was uploaded to Twitter on Friday, after first being filmed on Snapchat.

Although the students have not been formally identified, The University of Oklahoma has also faced backlash over its response to the video - which some deemed insufficient considering the gravity of the situation.

Though it acknowledged the issues with the offensive video in a statement released by the president, the school appeared to take no action other than accepting apologies from the students.

In a statement, president James L Gallogly said: We are saddened and offended that even on the eve of such an important holiday for our nation we are reminded how far we have yet to come in the conversation about treating everyone with respect and dignity.

The University of Oklahoma abhors such conduct and condemns the students actions and behaviour in the strongest terms possible. While students have the freedom of expression, the negative impact of such conduct cannot be underestimated.

The students have offered to apologise in order to reflect their regret.

In response to the schools statement and handling of the situation, students and alumni have expressed their disapproval with the University of Oklahoma.

Are you really saddened and offended? When the only thing given is a bs apology? DO BETTER. Its embarrassing to be a Sooner today, one person wrote.

Another said: Thats unacceptable. As an alumni I will not be donating any money to the university as long as this is treated so casually. Im incredibly disappointed in this weak and inadequate response.

This is not the first time the school has found itself in the midst of controversy regarding racism.

In 2015, a viral video showed members of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity singing a racist song.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

The fraternity was later shut down and two students were expelled over the incident.

The Independent has contacted the University of Oklahoma for comment.
Activists have denounced a court that convicted four women volunteers who had entered an Arizona wildlife park and left food and water for migrants crossing the US-Mexico border.

A federal judge in Tucson found the four humanitarians with the group No More Deaths, guilty of entering the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge without a permit, and leaving gallons of water and cans of beans.

Magistrate judge Bernardo Velasco found Natalie Hoffman, Oona Holcomb, Madeline Huse and Zaachila Orozco-McCormick guilty of having no permit and leaving behind personal property. Ms Hoffman was also convicted of operating a vehicle inside the park.

Each of the women faces up to six months in prison, and a $500 fine.

After the ruling, Catherine Gaffney, a veteran member of the group denounced the courts decision.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

This verdict challenges not only No More Deaths volunteers, but people of conscience throughout the country, she said. If giving water to someone dying of thirst is illegal, what humanity is left in the law of this country?

The organisation was established in 2004 by religious leaders in Arizona with the intention of maintaining water and supply drops on known migrant trails via driving and hiking.

Its website says: To achieve this goal, volunteers drive to remote areas of the desert on unpaved, rough roads, sometimes spending several hours in the car. Volunteers then hike to water-drop points up to two miles away over steep or rocky terrain, with no shade, carrying water, canned food, blankets, and other items. Over the course of a day, volunteers may hike five to 15 miles total.

The Arizona Republic reported that one of the volunteers, Ms McCormick said she considered the work they were doing almost sacred. She described being on the refuge as like being a graveyard, because of the number of migrant deaths that had taken place there.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Mr Velasco said in his ruling: The defendants did not get an access permit, they did not remain on the designated roads, and they left water, food, and crates in the refuge. All of this, in addition to violating the law, erodes the national decision to maintain the Refuge in its pristine nature.

He also criticised the campaign group for allegedly not fulling informing the volunteers of the consequences of breaking the refuges regulations. He said the four women had acted in the mistaken belief that the worst that could happen to them would be a citation or that they would be banned for entering the park in the future.

The newspaper said Fridays ruling was the first conviction against humanitarian volunteers on the US-Mexico border since 2009. Another five volunteers are due to appear in court to face similar charges in February and March.

It comes as the country is one month into a partial government shutdown that has been caused by Donald Trumps failure to negotiate a spending package with Democrats if it does not include $5.6bn for a border wall.
The mother of a high school student among the group filmed in confrontation with a Native American man after a rally in Washington DC has blamed black Muslims for the encounter.

The womans son was reportedly alongside several wearing Make America Great Again (Maga) hats who were criticised for apparently taunting Nathan Phillips, surrounding him and chanting build the wall, build the wall.

But she claimed black Muslims had been harassing the group from the private, all-male Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky who were said to be in the capital to attend the anti-abortion March for Life.

In an email to the news website heavy.com, the woman wrote: Did you hear the names of the people were calling these boys? It was shameful. Did you witness the black Muslims yelling profanities and video taping to get something to further your narrative of hatred??

Did you know that this man came up to this one boy and drummed in his face?

Recommended Student issues statement over standoff with Native American man

The site said the woman was not the mother of the boy featured most prominently in the footage, who has since identified himself as Nick Sandmann and released a lengthy statement denying that any intimidation or mocking took place.

The encounter happened following an anti-abortion March for Life rally in the capital on Friday. A video clip first surfaced that appeared to show the Covington students surrounding Mr Phillips and jeering him, with Mr Sandmann in particular standing directly in front of him and smiling. The school and its parent diocese issued a swift apology and said they would investigate.

We will take appropriate action, up to and including expulsion, a statement said. This behaviour is opposed to the Churchs teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person.

That clip of Mr Phillips, an elder of Nebraskas Omaha tribe and reportedly a Vietnam war veteran, was shared online by organisers of an indigenous peoples march that also took place on Friday.

However, a separate and much longer video showed how the children were subjected to a barrage of abuse including homophobic slurs and racially charged language by the group of black men mentioned by the students mother. The men, who claimed to be Hebrew Israelites according to the New York Times, argued aggressively with the students.

Extended footage depicts the apparent leader of the religious group hurling homophobic slurs at the students. Thats Make America Great Again, a bunch of child-molesting f****ts, he is heard to say. Another member  who seems to be the person filming  is recorded calling the children dirty-ass crackers and racist bastards. Approaching the students, he continues loudly: Look at all these dusty-ass crackers with that racist garbage on.

The same video shows the moment Mr Phillips arrived at the scene of the confrontation, singing and playing a drum. The 64-year-old can be seen interposing himself between the two groups, before he is enveloped by the crowd.

Another separate clip appears to show further abuse directed at the boys. A man  not Mr Phillips  can be heard to say: You white people go back to Europe, this is not your land.

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 apparent intimidation of Mr Phillips, meanwhile, has prompted a torrent of outrage. Actress and activist Alyssa Milano tweeted that the footage brought me to tears, while actor Chris Evans said the students actions were appalling and shameful.

Democratic congresswoman Deb Haaland, a member of New Mexicos Laguna Pueblo tribe, tweeted that the students had shown blatant hate, disrespect, and intolerance.

Ruth Buffalo, a North Dakota state lawmaker and member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation tribe, said she was saddened to see students showing disrespect to an elder who is also a military veteran.

The behaviour shown in that video is just a snapshot of what indigenous people have faced and are continuing to face, said Ms Buffalo.

Covington Catholic High School has since closed its Facebook page.

When I was there singing, I heard them saying, Build that wall, build that wall, Mr Phillips said, as he wiped away tears in a video later posted on Instagram. This is indigenous lands. Were not supposed to have walls here. We never did.

In an interview with the Detroit Free Press, Mr Phillips said he believed the Covington students were in the process of attacking the religious group, but video footage does not appear to bear out that claim.

In his statement, Mr Sandmann decried the outright lies he said had been propagated about his conduct.

He said that Mr Phillips had approached him, and that he believed he had defused the situation by remaining calm and not interacting physically with the older man.

He added: This is the first time in my life Ive ever encountered any sort of public protest, let alone this kind of confrontation or demonstration.

I was not intentionally making faces at [Mr Phillips]. I did smile at one point because I wanted him to know that I was not going to become angry, intimidated or be provoked into a larger confrontation.

Additional reporting by agencies

This story has been updated
China has launched an annual "Happy Chinese New Year" global celebration campaign as the 2019 Spring Festival draws near.

More than 1,500 live performances, exhibitions and temple fairs, among other celebration events, are scheduled to take place in 396 cities in 133 countries and regions across the globe during the campaign.

The combination of cultural exchanges and tourism will be heavily featured in the campaign, with major activities scheduled to be held in tourist destinations along the Belt and Road, including Cairo and Dubai.

The campaign will also feature activities celebrating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and countries including Russia, Mongolia and Bulgaria.

The "Happy Chinese New Year" global celebration, a series of cultural events celebrating the Spring Festival worldwide, was first initiated in 2010 to promote cultural exchanges between China and other countries.
The family of a black teenager killed by a former Chicago police officer say they are unhappy with the length of the prison sentence given to the officer, describing it as a slap in the face.

Jason Van Dyke was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison on Friday for killing 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in 2014. He was convicted last year of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery, one count for each bullet he had fired at the teenager.

The case has fuelled debates about race and policing and its code of silence, and sparked large street demonstrations after a video of the incident emerged 13 months later, only because a judge demanded its release.

Footage showed Van Dyke opening fire within seconds of getting out of his police car and continuing to shoot Mr McDonald as he lay in the street.

The sentence of less than seven years for Van Dyke  and the possibility that he may serve only half of that  led Mr McDonalds family and at least one activist to question whether justice had been done and the right message sent to other officers.

Recommended Chicago police officers cleared of covering up Laquan McDonald murder

William Calloway, who was instrumental in the legal battle that led to the release of the dashcam video in 2015, described the penalty as a slap in the face to us and a slap on the wrist for Van Dyke.

The sentencing came a day after a different judge acquitted three officers accused of lying about the shooting to protect Van Dyke, who was probably the first Chicago officer ever found guilty in the shooting of an African American.

That verdict also disappointed many Chicagoans who hoped convictions would help eradicate a code-of-silence culture that dates back decades among officers in the nations third-largest city.

Mr McDonalds family lamented that the penalty was too light. His great uncle said the sentence reduced Mr McDonalds life to that of a second-class citizen and suggests to us that there are no laws on the books for a black man that a white man is bound to honour.

In a brief statement, Van Dyke acknowledged the teenagers death, telling the judge that as a God-fearing man and father, I will have to live with this the rest of my life.

The sentence was less than half of the penalty that had been sought by prosecutors, who asked for 18 to 20 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

But it went far beyond the request of defence attorneys, who argued that Van Dyke could be released on probation.

The prison term also was a fraction of what Van Dyke could have faced had he been convicted of first-degree murder, which carried a mandatory minimum of 45 years in prison.

Judges typically rebuke defendants during sentencings, even for much lesser crimes, and they often explain why they imposed the sentence they did.

But Judge Vincent Gaughan did neither in his brief comments from the bench.

The lead defence attorney, Dan Herbert, said Van Dyke truly felt great after learning his sentence.

He was happy about the prospect of life ahead of him and someday being reunited with his wife and two daughters.

The prosecutor who oversaw the case said he can live with the sentence.

Our goal was to find the truth, present the truth and ask for justice ... It was not revenge, special prosecutor Joseph McMahon said.

The judges decision to deem the second-degree murder conviction the most serious crime  siding with the defence on that question  may also have spared Van Dyke a far longer term behind bars.

Had he sentenced Van Dyke on the 16 counts of aggravated battery, as prosecutors asked him to do, the accused could have faced decades in prison.

Each aggravated battery count carried a mandatory minimum of six years, and the judge could have ordered those sentences to be served one after the other.

The issue of race loomed over the case for more than four years, although it was rarely raised at trial.

One of the only instances was during opening statements, when the special prosecutor told jurors that Van Dyke saw a black boy walking down the street who had the audacity to ignore the police.

On Friday, several black motorists testified that the officer used a racial slur and excessive force during traffic stops in the years before the shooting.

One of those witnesses, Vidale Joy, said Van Dyke used the slur after pulling him over in 2005 and at one point put a gun to Mr Joys head.

He said Van Dyke looked infuriated and seemed out of his mind. Under cross examination, Mr Joy acknowledged that he did not allege Van Dyke used a slur in his first accounts of the stop.

Van Dykes relatives tried to defend and humanise him, saying he was a good father and not racist.

Recommended Chicago on edge as Laquan McDonald murder trial begins

His wife, Tiffany, said her biggest fear was that somebody would kill her husband in prison for something he did as a police officer, something he was trained to do.

She looked up over her shoulder and addressed the judge directly: His life is over. Please, please. He has paid the price already ... I beg for the least amount of time.

On Thursday, Cook County Judge Domenica Stephenson cleared former officer Joseph Walsh, former detective David March and officer Thomas Gaffney on charges of obstruction of justice, official misconduct and conspiracy.

Judge Stephenson accepted the argument that jurors in the Van Dyke case rejected: that the video that sparked protests and a federal investigation of the police force was just one perspective of the events that unfolded in Chicago.

The judge said the video showed only one viewpoint of the confrontation between Van Dyke and the teen armed with a small knife.

She found no indication the officers tried to hide evidence or made little effort to talk to witnesses. She singled out how they preserved the graphic video at the heart of the case.

The video showed Van Dyke opening fire within seconds of getting out of his police vehicle and continuing to shoot the teen while he was lying on the street. On the footage, the teen is seen collapsing in a heap after the first few shots. Bullets kept striking his body for 10 more seconds.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Police were responding to a report of a male who was breaking into trucks and stealing radios on the citys South Side.

City Hall released the video to the public in November 2015  13 months after the shooting  and acted only because a judge ordered it to do so. The charges against Van Dyke were not announced until the day of the videos release.

The case cost Van Dyke and the police superintendent their jobs and was widely seen as the reason the countys top prosecutor was voted out of office. It was also thought to be a major factor in Mayor Rahm Emanuels decision not to seek a third term.

The accusations triggered a federal investigation of the police department that found Chicago officers routinely used excessive force and violated peoples rights, particularly minorities.

AP
The name of the white police officer who shot and killed a black security guard as he was detaining a suspected gunman has been revealed over two months after his death.

Jemel Roberson was working a shift at Manny's Blue Room, a bar in the southwest Chicago suburb Midlothian, when a gunman started shooting inside the bar.

The 26-year-old father apprehended the shooter and pinned him to the ground. But moments later, a Midlothian police officer approached the scene and shot Mr Roberson.

Over two months after his death on 11 November, Mr Roberson's mother Beatrice Roberson explained on Saturday why she was making her first public statement.

I was just too messed up. I couldnt talk about it without crying, Ms Roberson said at a news conference amid snow flurries. The other day, I made up my mind. I said Im going to fight for my son.

Recommended Security guard killed by cops was working extra shifts to buy gifts

Ms Robersons declaration came a day after the name of the officer who shot her son was revealed as part of a wrongful-death lawsuit she filed against the officer, Ian Covey of the Midlothian Police Department, and the village of Midlothian.

Hours after the amended complaint was filed on Friday, Chief Daniel Delaney confirmed the officers name.

Mr Covey, who was placed on administrative leave, is white, and Mr Roberson was black.

If a young man shot a police officer, that young mans picture would be on the TV tonight, Gregory Kulis, Beatrice Robersons lawyer, said at the news conference.

But for two months, we have been looking for the name of the officer that killed Jemel Roberson.

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

Witnesses at the incident said they warned officers that Mr Roberson was a security guard and that he was wearing clothes marked Security. Jemel Roberson, who was licensed to carry a firearm, was holding the man at gunpoint.

I hear some people say he was shot, Beatrice Roberson said. My son was not shot. My son was murdered.

An initial report by Illinois State Police contradicted some witness accounts.

The report, which Mr Kulis has criticised, says Mr Roberson was given multiple verbal commands to drop his weapon and get on the ground before he was shot by Mr Covey.

It also says Mr Roberson was wearing plain black clothing with no markings that would identify him as a security guard, according to witnesses. Mr Kulis told NPR that Roberson was wearing a hat with the word security on it.

Midlothian and Illinois state police, who are both investigating the shooting, had declined to name Mr Covey, even as Mr Kulis subpoenaed records of the shooting and Mr Robersons family pressed for the officer to be identified.

Nick Valadez, a lawyer for Midlothian, told the Chicago Tribune that growing pressure led to the decision to release the officers name.

Given that the vitriol has died down slightly and given that the name was being batted around, speculated to, as well as the plaintiff pursuing it and amending the complaint, it just seemed to be time, Mr Valadez said.

Neither Midlothian nor state police responded to requests for comment on Saturday. Neither Mr Covey nor a union representing him could be reached for comment.

I want justice for my son. I want this officer put away. I want him to lose his job, Beatrice Roberson said as some supporters held T-shirts with the words Security Guard. Dont Shoot and a picture of Jemel Robersons face.

Jemel Roberson had a young son, and his girlfriend was pregnant with their second child.

Beatrice Roberson said her son was a musician who loved playing the organ at church. She did not like that he worked as a security guard or that he wanted to become a police officer.

Two months before his death, Mr Roberson stopped by his mothers office to print out an application for the Chicago Police Department.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

He loved people, and he loved saving lives, Ms Roberson said. He always had that protective feeling, that he needs to protect somebody.

The amended lawsuit came on the same day that Jason Van Dyke, a former Chicago police officer, was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison for murdering Laquan McDonald, a black teenager. Some have criticised the sentence, calling it too short.

Beatrice Roberson agreed, but said it would not deter her from pushing for Mr Covey to face criminal charges.

Im not going to give up, Ms Roberson said, before breaking into a chant of justice for Jemel.

New York Times
An estimated 170 refugees are thought to have drowned after two separate dinghies sank in the Mediterranean on Friday.

One of the small, overloaded boats capsized off the coast of Libya after leaving the country on Thursday night.

An Italian naval helicopter rescued three people who had been on board, who have been taken to hospital on Lampedusa, an Italian island, to be treated for severe hypothermia.

The survivors later told staff at the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) that 120 people had been on board the dinghy.

After a few hours, it began sinking and people began drowning, Flavio Di Giacomo, of the IOM, said.

In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea Show all 7 1 /7 In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A baby being taken on to MSF's Bourbon Argos ship from a boat carrying 130 migrants and refugees Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A refugee boat carrying 101 people being rescued by MSF's Bourbon Argos Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A refugee boat carrying 101 people being rescued by MSF's Bourbon Argos all images by Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A baby among refugees on a boat carrying 185 people off the coast of Libya Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea Migrants and refugees sleeping after being rescued by MSF's Bourbon Argos ship Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A crew from MSF's Bourbon Argos ship rescuing a boat carrying 130 migrants and refugees off the coast of Libya, at sunrise Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A woman in a stretcher being lifted onto MSF's Bourbon Argos ship from a boat carrying 130 migrants and refugees off the coast of Libya Lizzie Dearden

A two-month old baby, 10 women and two children are among the missing and most of the passengers are thought to be from West African countries,

In a second incident, 53 refugees who left Moroccos shores on a dinghy were declared missing after a reported collision in the Alboran Sea according to Spanish non-governmental organisation Caminando Fronteras.

The United Nations Refugee Agency said in a statement it was deeply saddened by reports of an estimated 170 people dead or missing but was unable to verify the death toll.

Separately, the charity Sea Watch said on Saturday it had rescued 47 people at sea, including eight unaccompanied minors, from a rubber boat in distress north of the Libyan city of Zuwara.

Matteo Salvini, Italys interior minister, who has closed off Italian ports to humanitarian boats since in mid-2018, said the ports would remain closed to deter to human traffickers.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

These are just the latest tragedies on the central Mediterranean where, in 2018, one in 18 people died or went missing making the trip to Europe.

The UN refugee agency said that though fewer people are making the journey, the rate of deaths has risen sharply.

Some 2,297 refugees are said to have died in the Mediterranean last year, while attempting to reach the continent.

Additional reporting by agencies
Jihadists in Mali have massacred a group of 10 United Nations (UN) peacekeepers in a targeted attack that wounded at least 25 more people.

The al-Qaeda affiliated extremists attacked the group's Aguelhoc camp early on Sunday morning, the spokesperson for Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general, said in a statement.

Eyewitnesses living nearby said that the attackers arrived on motorbikes and cars.

The peacekeepers "responded robustly" and killed a number of the assailants, according to the UN.

"Attacks targeting United Nations peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law," the organisation said in a statement.

"The secretary-general calls on the Malian authorities...to spare no effort in identifying the perpetrators of this attack so that they can be brought to justice as swiftly as possible."

The UN's mission in Mali was established in 2013 and is one of the organisation's deadliest peacekeeping efforts.

A number of jihadist groups, linked to al-Qaeda and Isis, have grown increasingly powerful in Mali and are now targeting the more populated south of the country instead of the West African nation's arid north.

Peacekeepers from Chad have borne the brunt of the violence, with 51 killed by the end of 2018.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

The UN's 15,000 strong mission aims to combat the militants, alongside Malian and French troops and a five-nation regional counterterror force.

Additional reporting by agencies
Congos top court rejected election fraud claims and confirmed Felix Tshisekedi as its new president, sparking fears of further violence across the country.

As Mr Tshisekedis supporters celebrated in the streets, runner-up Martin Fayulu dismissed the court ruling, claiming it had paved the way for a constitutional coup detat.

The rival candidate claimed the election had been rigged and filed a legal challenge, however it was ruled as inadmissible by the Democratic Republic of Congo's Constitutional Court on Sunday.

Mr Tshisekedi, who received 38 per cent of the vote, had not been widely considered the leading candidate.

However the electoral commissions results showed him winning with a slim margin over Mr Fayulu, who received 34 per cent of the vote.

Recommended Ford and IBM use blockchain to combat child labour in Congo

Mr Fayulu claims that Mr Tshisekedi and outgoing president Joseph Kabila made a deal to cheat him out of a more than 60 per cent win  an accusation they both refute.

In a statement dismissing the court ruling, Mr Fayulu said: The constitutional court has just confirmed that it serves a dictatorial regime...by validating false results, [and enabling] a constitutional coup detat.

Congo presidential election opposition candidate Martin Fayulu. (AP)

I am now considering myself as the sole legitimate president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, he added in another statement.

Mr Fayulu called for people to mount peaceful demonstrations across the country.

Inside the Congo camp haunted by an unknown war Show all 10 1 /10 Inside the Congo camp haunted by an unknown war Inside the Congo camp haunted by an unknown war Mave Grace and her sister Rachele-Ngabausi fled their village with their father to an internally displaced camp in Bunia Reuters Inside the Congo camp haunted by an unknown war According to witnesses, militiamen killed her pregnant mother, her three brothers and injured her two-year-old sister Reuters Inside the Congo camp haunted by an unknown war Refugees in the camp must huddle together for warmth under makeshift tents during regular rainy season downpowers Reuters Inside the Congo camp haunted by an unknown war Rachele-Ngabausi bears a scar that runs from the bottom of her left cheek, past the inside of her left eye and up her forehead Reuters Inside the Congo camp haunted by an unknown war During the attack, Mave Grace saw men with machetes cutting open their pregnant mothers belly and killing the unborn child Reuters Inside the Congo camp haunted by an unknown war When Grace woke she was surrounded by dead bodies. Her left hand was cut off just above the wrist, and it is still healing Reuters Inside the Congo camp haunted by an unknown war The girls father, Nyine Richard, says he does not know how to live anymore and has lost all hope Reuters Inside the Congo camp haunted by an unknown war Their camp is a sea of makeshift blue and white tarpaulin tents. Many spend their days praying together for a way out Reuters Inside the Congo camp haunted by an unknown war Not even two-year-old Rachele-Ngabausi was spared the violence when attackers came into her village at night wielding machetes Reuters Inside the Congo camp haunted by an unknown war The United Nations refugee agency UNHCR expects 200,000 refugees to reach Uganda from the Ituri region this year Reuters

Unrest over the vote has already killed 34 people, wounded 59 and led to 241 arbitrary arrests in the past week, according to the UN human rights office.

In a speech, Mr Tshisekedi welcomed the victory and said he would seek to mend divisions in the country.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

This is the end of one fight and the start of another in which I will enlist all the Congolese people: a fight for well-being, for a Congo that wins, he said.

Tomorrow the Congo we will build will not be a Congo of hate, tribalism and division.

Independent monitors had flagged major problems with the election, including faulty voting machines and polling stations where many were unable to vote.

The Catholic Church, which had a 40,000-strong team of observers, denounced the provisional result.

In a rare intervention, the African Union (AU) called for final results to be postponed, citing serious doubts about the election's credibility.

Congo rejected that request on Friday.

Additional reporting by Reuters
Labour has denied reports that more than a quarter of its members have quit in protest at Jeremy Corbyn's Brexit policy.

The party said suggestions that up to 150,000 people had left in recent months were "just wrong".

Newspaper reports claimed the total number of paying members had slumped from 540,000 last summer to around 385,000.

Labour insiders quoted in the Sunday Times said the reported fall had cost the party around 6m.

However, a senior Labour source said: "We are proud of our mass and vibrant membership and claims about this drop off are just wrong."

Recommended Labour demands BBC footage and apology amid Abbott Question Time row

While the spokesperson declined to say exactly how many members Labour has, the party's chairman, Ian Lavery, insisted its membership still numbers more than 500,000 and that it has "more members than all other parties combined".

Labour is the "largest party in Western Europe" and internal figures "show more joining the party than leaving every week", he wrote on Twitter.

And Jennie Formby, Labour's general secretary, said of reports of a slump in members: "This is total fabrication. More people are joining Labour every week than resigning. Im proud to be general secretary of a mass membership party that is building a social movement for change."

Mr Corbyn is facing mounting pressure from party members and more than 70 Labour MPs who are urging him to back calls for a fresh referendum on Brexit.

The Labour leader has so far refused, insisting his focus is on securing a better Brexit deal or triggering a general election.

Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Show all 20 1 /20 Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Brexit supporters outside parliament PA Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament An anti-Brexit protester adjusts her pro-EU wig AFP/Getty Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament A message to Jeremy Corbyn in support of a peoples vote Getty Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament A mock Titanic captained by Theresa May heads towards an iceberg in a stunt by campaigning group Avaaz AP Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Anti-Brexit protesters outside parliament PA Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Protesters of opposing sides are in close contact outside of parliament PA Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Paintings of Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn Getty Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage speaks to the media at the protests outside parliament Reuters Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament A pro-Brexit protester in Parliament Square Getty Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Opposing protesters share the space outside parliament Getty Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament An anti-Brexit protester holds EU balloons outside parliament Reuters Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Anti-Brexit protesters stand on Westminster Bridge PA Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage speaks to the media at the protests outside parliament Reuters Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament EPA Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament A pro-Brexit protester sets up outside parliament Reuters Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament An Avaaz campaigner holds a Peoples Vote life float Reuters Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament A demonstrator holds a sign advocating a no-deal Brexit outside parliament AFP/Getty Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament An anti-Brexit protester waves an EU flag on Westminster Bridge PA Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Protesters of opposing sides demonstrate outside parliament AFP/Getty Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Protesters of opposing sides stand near parliament Reuters

But with 72 per cent of Labour members wanting the public to be given another say on Brexit, frustration in the party over the leadership's position is growing.

Among Labour voters the figure rises to 78 per cent, according to YouGov polling.

Last week, 71 Labour MPs signed a statement calling on their party leadership to back a fresh vote.

One of them, Bermondsey and Old Southwark MP Neil Coyle, claimed Labour had lost 60,000 members in the last year.

Responding on Twitter to a supporter of Mr Corbyn, he wrote: "Another brainiac who hasn't worked out yet why 60,000 people left the Labour Party last year..."

Another of the signatories, Tottenham MP David Lammy, warned on Sunday that the party could split over Brexit.

He told Sky News' Ridge on Sunday: "There is a small group in our party who are so frustrated, who have so much grievance, the fear is that they are going to go off and form another party. I personally reject that.

"But the danger is that, just like 1983, a new party built around a relationship with Europe keeps the Labour Party out of power for a generation."
Theresa May will launch a fresh bid to win support for her rejected Brexit deal by trying to bypass the European Union and secure a bilateral Brexit treaty with Ireland, according to reports.

The move, which comes as No 10 expresses extreme concern at a backbench bid to give parliament control of Brexit, would see the UK try to convince Ireland to agree a plan for keeping the Northern Ireland border open after Britain leaves the EU.

Officials are said to believe that such an agreement could remove the need for the controversial backstop part of Ms Mays Brexit deal, which is the leading cause of Tory and DUP opposition to the plan and the main reason it was overwhelmingly rejected by MPs last week.

Ms May will update the Commons on Monday on how she plans to proceed after the crushing defeat.

Under the new proposal being discussed by No 10, the Sunday Times reports, the UK would try to convince the Irish government to negotiate a treaty that would remove the need for the backstop, which Brussels insisted on as an insurance policy to ensure an open border is maintained even if the EU and UK cannot agree a trade deal.

Recommended Labour heavyweights put party closer to backing new Brexit referendum

The arrangement would see the UK enter into a temporary customs union with the EU, and Northern Ireland agree to abide by European rules on goods until a subsequent deal was reached.

A Downing Street source said talk of a bilateral agreement with Ireland was "not something we recognise".

Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, appeared to confirm the plan, however, telling the BBCs Andrew Marr Show: We have to compromise on the backstop. If were to get the agreement through, we absolutely have to do that. The question is how we find a way to do that.

Asked what such a compromise might involve, he said: Its getting an agreement with Ireland on an alternative mechanism to ensure that we dont get friction across the Norther Ireland-Ireland border.

Mr Fox said both the UK and Irish government shared a desire to preserve an open border in Northern Ireland, adding: The question is can we achieve what the Irish government wants and what we want by a different mechanism.

The government will explore ways to find an alternative mechanism to ensure that we give the Irish government what they want, which is that we end up with no hard border, he added.

Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Show all 20 1 /20 Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Brexit supporters outside parliament PA Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament An anti-Brexit protester adjusts her pro-EU wig AFP/Getty Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament A message to Jeremy Corbyn in support of a peoples vote Getty Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament A mock Titanic captained by Theresa May heads towards an iceberg in a stunt by campaigning group Avaaz AP Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Anti-Brexit protesters outside parliament PA Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Protesters of opposing sides are in close contact outside of parliament PA Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Paintings of Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn Getty Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage speaks to the media at the protests outside parliament Reuters Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament A pro-Brexit protester in Parliament Square Getty Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Opposing protesters share the space outside parliament Getty Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament An anti-Brexit protester holds EU balloons outside parliament Reuters Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Anti-Brexit protesters stand on Westminster Bridge PA Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage speaks to the media at the protests outside parliament Reuters Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament EPA Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament A pro-Brexit protester sets up outside parliament Reuters Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament An Avaaz campaigner holds a Peoples Vote life float Reuters Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament A demonstrator holds a sign advocating a no-deal Brexit outside parliament AFP/Getty Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament An anti-Brexit protester waves an EU flag on Westminster Bridge PA Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Protesters of opposing sides demonstrate outside parliament AFP/Getty Brexit deal vote: Opposing groups of protesters gather by parliament Protesters of opposing sides stand near parliament Reuters

Dublin moved swiftly to pour cold water on the suggestion.

Simon Coveney, the Irish foreign minister, wrote on Twitter: As Brexit dominates news coverage, no surprise that some analysis today gets it wrong. I can reassure you the Irish governments commitment to the entire [withdrawal agreement] is absolute  including the backstop to ensure, no matter what, an open border between Ireland + NI and the [Good Friday Agreement] are protected.

And an Irish government source told the Sunday Times that a bilateral treaty doesnt sound like something we would entertain.

Ms Mays chief of staff, Gavin Barwell, has reportedly told cabinet ministers that, if the plan fails, the prime minister could seek to secure more support for her deal by announcing she will step down in May.

Ms May briefed her cabinet on her next steps during a conference call on Sunday afternoon.

The latest twist comes as a cross-party group of backbenchers prepares to try to amend whatever plan Ms May puts forward in order to give parliament the right to seize control of Brexit.

The proposal, led by former attorney general Dominic Grieve, would remove the governments power to choose what parliament debates and instead prioritise any motion backed by 300 MPs from at least five parties  significantly less than a Commons majority.

 Jeremy Corbyn says Theresa May's Brexit plan is 'quite clearly a dead deal'

A separate plan being worked on by senior parliamentarians, including Labours Yvette Cooper and former Tory ministers Nick Boles and Nicky Morgan, would force the government to delay Brexit if a deal is not approved within weeks.

A Downing Street spokesperson said: The British public voted to leave the European Union and it is vital that elected politicians deliver upon that verdict.

Any attempt to remove the governments power to meet the legal conditions of an orderly exit at this moment of historic significance is extremely concerning.

In a sign of growing concern among Eurosceptics that the amendments could lead to Brexit being delayed or reversed, leading Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg, a vocal critic of Ms Mays deal, said it would be better to leave the EU on the terms of the prime ministers plan than not leave at all.

Writing in the Mail on Sunday, he called on the Conservatives to come together in the national interest. He added: If I had to choose between no deal and Mrs Mays original accord, I would have no hesitation of opting for no-deal Brexit, but even Mrs Mays deal would be better than not leaving at all.

Even at this very late stage, I believe that with commitment and effort we can avoid such a choice.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of central London to show their opposition to violence against women and the gendered impact of austerity measures.

Women in around 30 countries have assembled to protest against female oppression on the second anniversary of the first Womens March in 2017.

The inaugural demonstration saw 6 million people across the world united in anger over the election of Donald Trump  who has a record of making demeaning comments about women  as US president.

Demonstrators gathered at 11am in Portland Place before heading towards Regent Street and along Haymarket, ending with a rally and speeches in Trafalgar Square.

The theme for the London event was bread and roses, commemorating the Polish-born American suffragette and workers rights campaigner Rose Schneiderman. After the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911 where 146 mainly female garment-industry workers died, Schneiderman said: The worker must have bread, but she must have roses, too.

Women of all ages along with a smattering of men clutched bouquets of roses and brandished pithily sombre placards as they marched through the capital.

I will never understand why it is more shameful to be raped than be a rapist, read one sign. Ive seen better cabinets in Ikea, said another. Anything you can do, I can do bleeding, chimed in one more.

Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, a Womens March organiser, told The Independent she was marching because she was worried about the impact Brexit will have on women.

I was at the first Womens March  walking at the front next to Bonnie Greer and Sadiq Khan, the lawyer says.

I am here because we need to disrupt the status quo. Austerity has hit women hardest. Reports from the Fawcett Society show women are bearing the brunt of economic oppression.

Placards reflected this sentiment across the colourful crowd of protesters who were wrapped in scarves and hats for warmth. Some wore cat-eared pink pussy hats as a sartorial rebuke of Mr Trumps notorious leaked comments about grabbing women by the genitals.

I am fast and furious like my name, said Anna Quick, who founded womens rights charity Verve.

I am here with my mother and daughter. There are three generations of us. And then there is Rocky the chihuahua. He is a male ally. He even has a Verve badge on, the 49-year-old added, gesturing to a small dog poking out of her bag.

Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Show all 70 1 /70 Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London A protester with a banner chants slogans as she takes part in the Women's March calling for equality, justice and an end to austerity in London Reuters Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Reuters Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London A girl holds a rose as protesters take part in the Women's March calling for equality, justice and an end to austerity Reuters Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Reuters Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Reuters Womens March  bread and roses rally in London A woman dressed as suffragette gestures Reuters Womens March  bread and roses rally in London Reuters

The campaigner explained her 81-year-old mother knitted the three anatomical hats worn by the family.

I told her to also knit tan and black ones because not all pussies are pink, she added. My passion is women and girls in the developing world. The biggest issues facing women in 2019 are clean water, access to education, and ending child marriage.

I want my daughter to get equal pay but the other stuff is more important to me. Sorry, kiddo, she said, making her daughter chuckle.

Ms Quick, who says she has been a feminist for as long as she remembers, said the election of Mr Trump has helped the feminist cause.

Trump has been amazing for feminism, she said. My generation have been pissed for a long time but he has woken up younger women. They now say they are feminists but that wasnt the case five years ago. If he were to vanish now Id be glad he came. He can go now.

I was born a feminist. My mother was a single mother and teacher and I grew up seeing inequities and struggles around me.

Elsewhere in the crowd, toddlers could be seen sitting on demonstrators shoulders and wrapped up inside prams. The mood was one of sunny and cheerful determination  with no talk of the recent controversy that has seen Womens March leaders in the US accused of antisemitism.

Both Tamika Mallory and Carmen Perez, co-chairs of the Womens March in America, have been linked to Louis Farrakhan. He is the leader of the Nation of Islam and has a history of making antisemitic and homophobic remarks.

The Nation of Islam is deemed to be an antisemitic hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Centre. In November Womens March organisers issued a statement saying the movement existed to fight bigotry and discrimination in all their forms  including homophobia and antisemitism  and to lift up the voices of women who are too often left out.

Organisers of the global Womens March have sought to distance themselves from the controversy, saying they were an associated but separate movement from the Womens March in America, with separate funding and leadership.

I love the atmosphere. It is a bunch of women and men supporting equal rights, said Caitlin Cooper, a 19-year-old student who is studying paediatric nursing Southbank university.

The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Show all 27 1 /27 The best placards from the Women's March 2019 The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Angela Christofilou/The Independent The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Angela Christofilou/The Independent The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Angela Christofilou/The Independent The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Angela Christofilou/The Independent The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Angela Christofilou/The Independent The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Angela Christofilou/The Independent The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Angela Christofilou/The Independent The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Angela Christofilou/The Independent The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Angela Christofilou/The Independent The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Angela Christofilou/The Independent The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Angela Christofilou/The Independent The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Angela Christofilou/The Independent The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Angela Christofilou/The Independent The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Angela Christofilou/The Independent The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Reuters The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Angela Christofilou/The Independent The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Angela Christofilou/The Independent The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Angela Christofilou/The Independent The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Angela Christofilou/The Independent The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Angela Christofilou/The Independent The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Angela Christofilou/The Independent The best placards from the Women's March 2019 REUTERS The best placards from the Women's March 2019 Angela Christofilou/The Independent The best placards from the Women's March 2019 REUTERS The best placards from the Women's March 2019 REUTERS The best placards from the Women's March 2019 REUTERS The best placards from the Women's March 2019 REUTERS

I love the amazing variety of people, added Frances Friend, who is studying history at Kings College London.

Some people of our age dont think there is a cause  even though Im sometimes scared to walk home at night. They think there are equal rights for men and women but I think there is still a fight.

Ms Cooper said: People normalise women feeling scared to walk home alone. Sometimes it takes something awful to happen to someone for them to have an opinion.

As buoyant protesters marched towards Trafalgar Square, bemused tourists could be seen standing by the side of the road filming the hubbub.

I am here because I believe women should have equal rights and equal pay. I cant believe we have to be here today but there you go, Louisa Enock, 54, said.

Mathew Bain, her 25-year-old son, added: This is my first march and Im here for the same reason. If you do the same job, you deserve the same amount of money. Also, there has been a shift to the far right with leaders across the world and this is bad for women, and bad for immigrants, and bad for poor people.

I dont think the Conservative party cares about equal rights for women, Ms Enock added. The party is based on keeping the top dogs at the top and face it, they are mostly men. It is not in the partys interests or on their radar to be aware of gender inequality.

Elsewhere in the throng of people, Sara, a 24-year-old who works in publishing but did not want to give her full name, said: Im a feminist. But I dont think just saying that is enough. You have to be politically active and you have to march. Protests like today actually make a difference  the upskirting bill started with protests.

I am not sure how much the #MeToo movement has changed the day to day lived reality of womens lives but it has definitely opened up conversations and raised awareness. It is now treated as an issue. It is important we look at all three issues of class, race and gender when understanding womens situation.
An elderly Iranian couple have been refused leave to remain in Britain, despite having four children, 11 grandchildren and a great-grandchild who are all British citizens.

83-year-old Mozaffar Saberi and 73-year-old Rezvan Habibimarand bought a flat in Edinburgh in the late 1970s and have spent time in the UK on visitor visas ever since.

The couple also help to care for their severely autistic grandson in order to help their daughter, an NHS nurse who is a single mother.

After a visit in 2012 Mr Saberi and Ms Habibimarand applied to stay in Britain on human rights grounds.

That application and a second subsequent one were both rejected by the Home Office.

The couple have a large British family (Navid Saberi)

The couple are now appealing the decision, with the case due to be heard in the Home Office appeals system on 25 February.

It is very very stressful, said Navid Saberi, the pairs son.

They are elderly and not really keeping well and on top of their health problems.

It is a psychological effect, not knowing what is around the corner and what is going to happen in the future.

The prospect of leaving three generations of children, grandchildren and a great-grandchild and going back to Iran has not been easy for them.

The couple (7th and 8th from right) at a family wedding (Navid Saberi)

He added: They have got nobody in Iran. It is just beyond belief.

Mr Saberi also said that his parents had a strong emotional bond with their grandson and that could have a detrimental effect on him if they have to leave the country.

John Vassiliou, partner at McGill & Co which is handling the case, said: Mr Saberi is in his 80s, his wife is in her 70s. If they go back to Iran its difficult for British citizens to visit Iran, they cant just fly over as if they were going to Spain or France.

The couple (7th and 8th from right) at a family wedding (Navid Saberi)

They are showing lots of signs of old age physically and mentally and they just want to be with their family, he added.

If they go back to Iran they will be two old people living alone whereas here they are living in Edinburgh with all their family around them.

A Home Office spokesman said: All UK visa applications are considered on their individual merits, on the basis of the evidence available and in line with UK immigration rules.

Ian Murray, Labour MP for Edinburgh South, has voiced his support for the family.

He tweeted: Im working with the family & their lawyers to try & persuade the Home Secretary to do the decent thing.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

More than 3,000 people have also signed a petition on change.org calling on the Home Office to allow the couple to stay in the UK, which was set up by the couples grandaughter Tanya Kinnear.

This is our family, she wrote.

We depend on them and they depend on us. If they are deported, we will never see them again.

Additional reporting by agencies
Detectives have charged a teenager with the murder of 14-year-old Jaden Moodie in London.

Ayoub Majdouline, 18, was charged with murder after he was arrested on Saturday morning.

Mr Majdouline, of no fixed address but from Wembley, northwest London, where he was arrested, will appear at Thames Magistrates Court on Monday, Scotland Yard said.

A spokesman added: Detectives from the homicide and major crime command are continuing to investigate Jadens murder and would appeal for anyone with information, who has yet to come forward, to call police.

Jaden was stabbed to death on 8 January in Leyton, east London, after a group of five men in a black Mercedes rammed him off a moped, police believe.

Three of the men are thought to have got out of the vehicle before Jaden was knifed, then all five suspects fled in the car.

In an appeal for witnesses on Saturday, Detective Chief Inspector Chris Soole, who leads the inquiry, said: We have a number of enquiries that we are pursuing, however, we cannot solve this alone, we need the public to help us.

Due to the location and time of the attack we know there are a number of people out there who either witnessed the incident or who have information about this heinous crime and we would like to hear from them.

I firmly believe that someone out there knows the people who are responsible for Jadens murder.

PA
Investigators still havent determined what started the Tuesday night blaze, which quickly engulfed the building that was housing Copper Penny Tanning and tenants in top floor apartments. All the buildings occupants were safely evacuated, but a Hobart police officer crashed his squad car en route to the scene and was hospitalized.
If you wait long enough, what is admired will be relegated to historys dustbin, wrote Ada Louise Huxtable, and if you wait even longer, it will be rescued and restored.

That cycle has repeated more than once for Paul Rudolph (1918-1997), one of the most celebrated architects of the 1960s, whose reputation keeps oscillating between fame and neglect. His hulking Yale Art and Architecture Building in New Haven, Connecticut, completed in 1963, put Brutalism on the map in the United States; his houses, with boggling layouts, were the height of Johnson-era chic.

Solid and light: interior details of the house Rudolph designed for Frederick Deering (Alamy)

Then his star fell, and clients and critics dismissed his hard-edge slabs for postmodern wackiness. By this century, his buildings were most often in the news when facing the wrecking ball. But time is the best critic. Brutalism is back in vogue, and Rudolph, born a hundred years ago in October, is back in the matte lucite frame.

A pair of exhibitions now on view in Manhattan offers a lesson in the vagaries of architectural taste and a reintroduction to a master of solid and light. The show Paul Rudolph: The Personal Laboratory, until 30 December, concentrates on the architects residences, which is fitting given the location: the top floors of the Modulightor Building, a townhouse he built toward the end of his life on East 58th Street, which houses a light-fixtures firm he co-founded.

Natural habitat: Rudolphs house in New York at 23 Beekman place

Downtown at the Centre for Architecture, the smaller exhibition Paul Rudolph: The Hong Kong Journey, until 9 March, looks at the architects work from the 1980s, when he found new opportunities in Asia.

The Midtown show is especially illuminating. Rudolph made his name with residential architecture in Sarasota, Florida, and by the 1960s he had become the go-to builder for tony townhouses in Manhattan and the suburbs. If you only know Rudolph for his large-scale work, you might be surprised by these houses, which arrayed domestic life with a choreographers precision. Rudolphs favorite trick was to use risers, stages, runways and pits to create dozens of interlocking spaces in a single interior. These fluid arrangements blurred private spaces into communal ones and mashed narrow passageways against vertiginous expanses.

Rudolphs name has been synonymous for so long with Brutalisms solidity that we forget how camp his architecture was

Rudolph employed these porous volumes best at his own home at 23 Beekman Place  New Yorks ultimate party house. Cantilevered over the FDR Drive, the quadruplex apartment has few walls inside; instead, variable floor heights produce 27 interior levels that encourage visitors to preen and goggle. The surfaces are chrome, Formica, green plastic, white sheepskin. The thrusting terraces have views of Roosevelt Island and the Queensboro Bridge. Just as dramatic are the plunging views inside, from the apartments treacherous catwalks and banister-free floating staircases. (Pity the cleaner who nearly broke her neck wiping down the Plexiglas walkways.)

These spaces, and the multilevel interior of the Modulightor penthouse, provide a corrective to the view of Rudolph as a Brutalist heavyweight, a maker of buildings as severe as his military haircut.

Communal space: the Modulightor Building on East 58th Street

That reputation derives largely from a few familiar early civic structures, above all the Yale building, which he designed after becoming the dean of the universitys architecture school. The structures bush-hammered concrete walls call to mind wide-wale beige corduroy  if corduroy could make you bleed when rubbing your hand across it  but it also had freer touches, like plush vermilion carpets and nautilus shells embedded in the walls. After a fire gutted the Yale building in 1969, it became, in Huxtables phrase, possibly the periods most conspicuously reviled modernist structure. (The building, reopening in 2008 after a major renovation, has been renamed Rudolph Hall.)

Stomping grounds: Sarasota High School in Florida (Alamy)

In his later years, the architect found a more receptive clientele in Singapore, Jakarta and Hong Kong  the latter being the focus of the current show at the Centre for Architecture. Rudolphs Bond Centre in Hong Kong, now known as the Lippo Centre, makes use of prefab glass panels rather than concrete expanses, but its multilevel lobby breaks the towers mass into human-scale zones for meeting and mingling. (Hong Kong Island, with its dense urban fabric punctured by outdoor elevators and elevated passageways, must have seemed a paradise to him.) The show also includes an unbuilt house on Victoria Peak whose thrusting volumes of staggered boxes are less Brutalist than Bond villain.

Indeed Rudolphs name has been synonymous for so long with Brutalisms solidity that we forget how camp his architecture was. At Yale, Rudolph impaled Ionic capitals on dainty little pikes, like olives on cocktail skewers. The revelers inside the fashion designer Halstons townhouse at 101 East 63rd Street, yours today for $24m (18.6m), had to traverse one of Rudolphs arch catwalks to reach the white leather couches fit for Studio 54. At Beekman Place, the shower had a clear glass floor affording a sotto-in-su titillation to the guest room below.

Breaking it up: the Lippo Centre in Hong Kong (Alamy)

Rudolphs architecture was solid and monumental on the outside, but behind closed doors it winked and ogled. He would surely be gratified by his return to prominence at age 100, but I suspect he would wonder at some of todays Brutalist fanboys  the ones who slaver over Instagram views of past utopias and prefer their architecture crumbling and empty. Behind the thick concrete, his buildings were meant for lusting as well as looking, and make sense only when filled with bodies.

 New York Times
It might be a little too bold to suggest the makers of Call the Midwife (BBC1) possess the powers of precognition, but theres something oddly fortuitous about this weeks offering from the BBC drama series. After British politics suffered one of its most exhausting weeks in recent memory, Call the Midwife has swept in with the television equivalent of a thick blanket and a cup of cocoa, quieting the discord, at least for an hour, so we can have a breather and recharge.

The second episode provides two narratives that dance around a similar theme: that Britain, when it puts its mind to it, has all the powers it needs to be a place of unity and neighbourly generosity. Firstly, we have the Aidoo family  newly made British citizens with a second child on the way. When Flora (Jessica Kennedy) suffers complications from her pregnancy, there are devastating consequences for the family.

But when the possibility of returning to Ghana is mooted, Flora's husband Joel (Ekow Quartey) says, defiantly, Home is where our dreams are; for now those dreams are here.

Meanwhile, Miss Melgrove (Annette Crosbie), an elderly, secretive woman, has become a hoarder in need of Marie Kondo charged up with the powers of Mary Poppins.

However, as her story unfolds, we must ask the far more difficult question of what it means when one can no longer live self-sufficiently, and how it can feel to realise your only choice is to ask for the help of others.

The year is 1964, an era which brought new energy to medicine and, on a wider scale, a sense of change in the air. Numerous characters discuss the new faces of the neighbourhood, thanks to a small influx of immigrants into the area, with the Aidoo family among them.s

Yet, such relief is there to wander through this world for a moment, where the talk is of hospitality rather than hostility, as Dr Turner (Stephen McGann) shares his frustration that his medical textbooks no longer reflect the population he serves.

Or to see Lucille (Leonie Elliott) treat Miss Melgrove with such compassion when society so often turns its back on the elderly and in need.

10 novels to help you beat the Brexit blues Show all 10 1 /10 10 novels to help you beat the Brexit blues 10 novels to help you beat the Brexit blues Lucky Jim Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis 10 novels to help you beat the Brexit blues Mansfield Park Mansfield Park by Jane Austen 10 novels to help you beat the Brexit blues Diary of a Provincial Lady Diary of a Provincial Lady by EM Delafield 10 novels to help you beat the Brexit blues Tales of the City Tales of the City: the Seventies and Eighties gay bible, by Armistead Maupin 10 novels to help you beat the Brexit blues The Humans The Humans, Matt Haig 10 novels to help you beat the Brexit blues The Mating Season The Mating Season by PG Wodehouse 10 novels to help you beat the Brexit blues Not Working Not Working by Lisa Owens 10 novels to help you beat the Brexit blues A Gentleman in Moscow A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles 10 novels to help you beat the Brexit blues Cold Comfort Farm Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons 10 novels to help you beat the Brexit blues Adrian Mole, The Prostrate Years Adrian Mole, The Prostrate Years by Sue Townsend



Although theres much to be said about how determinedly the show swerves around the harsh realities of racism and economic inequality, theres a different mentality at work here. Its not a portrait of what Britain was, but what Britain could be  if we had the courage to be kind.

While Call the Midwife has always been guilty of moments of cloying sentimentalism, its self-aware enough to know that the duty of being televisions comfort blanket means knowing what people need comfort from. Sometimes that means tackling the hard subjects with a deliberately naive sense of optimism. It seems like we could all do with a break from the real world.
President Trump at a Naturalization Ceremony

Washington, DC - Remarks by President Trump at a Naturalization Ceremony:

THE PRESIDENT: I might begin my saying that, to the best of our knowledge  it goes back a long way  this is the first such swearing-in that weve ever had in the great Oval Office. So thats a pretty big honor right there. Thats pretty good. Now, they may find something back 100 years ago, I dont know. But we looked and we couldnt find it. So...

Please, sit down. Please.

Secretary Nielsen, thank you very much. I really appreciate it. And I am truly thrilled to welcome the five newest members of our great American family. Thats what you are  an American family. Thank you. (Applause.)

You are now official United States citizens. You have just earned the most prized possession anywhere in the world. We know that. There is no higher honor or greater privilege than becoming an American citizen. Our whole nation embraces you with open arms and joyful hearts. And I know that you will treasure this day forever. And its my honor to be with you, and well say that.

Each of you worked hard for this moment. You followed the rules, upheld our laws, and contributed to the strength and success and vitality of our nation. Now each of you stands here today, before your proud and beaming families  look at those families, huh?  in the Oval Office of the White House. A very special place. I look, and sometimes they say, Wow, this is it. Right? The Oval Office. So, congratulations.

Id like to share a few brief words about each of our new citizens.

Estabraq Adel Al Sayyad came with her husband to the United States  please. Thats a good idea. I wasnt going to do that, but I like that. Please. (Laughter.) Thats very nice. With her husband to the United States from Iraq in 2013. She is the proud mother of two children and is expecting a third. Since coming to America, she has become a teachers assistant in our public schools  doing a fantastic job, I might add  preparing the next generation of young Americans to make the most of this magnificent country that she, too, now enjoys. And I want to just congratulate you, Estabraq. Thank you. (Applause.)

Matthew Hemsley is from the United Kingdom. Thank you, Matthew. He is an Anglican pastor who came to the United States in 2006 and earned a masters degree from Gordon Conwell Seminary in North Carolina. A fine place. His grandmother was an American citizen whose ancestors first came to North America in 1637  that means you beat us  (laughter)  you beat all of us  as part of the Plymouth Colony. Now the Hemsley family history to the United States is renewed, and the next chapter of their American story begins. Matthew, its an honor. Great luck. Great luck. (Applause.)

Yook Young Choi is from South Korea and came to the United States in 1992 to pursue a masters degree. She earned a PhD from the University of Maryland and is now a professor at Azusa Pacific University. Her husband teaches statistics at George Mason, and  its a great school too, by the way  and they are proud parents of two sons. I want to congratulate you, and youre going to have a great time. Great time. Thank you very much. We really appreciate it. (Applause.) Appreciate you being a member of the family. Thank you.

Robert Castle is from Jamaica, and he immigrated to the United States in 2009 as the husband of a then-active duty service member of the United States Army. Robert is a warehouse supervisor  a strong guy, a smart guy  and they have a beautiful four-year-old son who was born here in the United States. Robert, congratulations. Thank you. (Applause.)

Marcelo Ramos Ramirez is from Bolivia and has a beautiful, lawful permanent resident of the United States, and has been since 2013. He is the co-owner of a staffing company with his son Marcio. The business is thriving. Hes doing really well. And its expanding in all different ways. He says, I know that in the [United States] you can achieve anything that you want, and I am a perfect example. In another words, hes making a lot of money. (Laughter.) Marcelo, thank you very much. (Applause.)

Youre all at the beginning of a new and extraordinary adventure. With the rights and freedoms you enjoy as Americans, there is nothing you cannot achieve.

But citizenship is also a profound responsibility. Each year, over 700,000 new Americans take the oath and allegiance, and inherit a legacy of liberty and justice that generations of Americans fought and died to secure.

By taking this oath, you have forged a sacred bond with this nation, its traditions, its culture, and its values. This heritage is now yours to protect, promote, and pass down to the next generation and to the next wave of newcomers to our shores. Our history is now your history. Our traditions are now your traditions. And our Constitution is now yours to safeguard, celebrate, and cherish.

As Americans, and American citizens, we are bound together in love, and loyalty, and friendship, and affection. We must look out for each other, care for each other, and always act in the best interests of our nation and all citizens living here today. We love each other. Were proud of each other.

The beauty and majesty of citizenship is that it draws no distinctions of race, or class, or faith, or gender or background. No matter where our story begins, whether we are the first generation or the tenth generation, we are all equal. We are one team and one people proudly saluting one great American flag.

Again, I want to congratulate you and welcome you to the family. Its a family. Its a beautiful family. Its a family doing very well. Were setting records economically. Our economy is the hottest in the world, and its continuing, and continuing upward.

Our unemployment is the best its been in more than 50 years. And for certain individuals, its the best its ever been, historically. It will probably soon be now for everybody. Its an honor to have you. God bless you. God bless America. Congratulations. (Applause.) Thank you.
Imperial Valley News Center

Presidential Proclamation on the National Sanctity of Human Life Day, 2019

Washington, DC - Today marks the 46th year since the United States Supreme Courts decision in Roe v. Wade. On this day, National Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, we mourn the lives cut short, and the tremendous promise lost, as a result of abortion. As a Nation, we must resolve to protect innocent human life at every stage.

As President, I am committed to defending the Right to Life. During my first week in office, I reinstated the Mexico City Policy, which prevents foreign aid from being used to fund or support the global abortion industry. We are also working to end the abhorrent practice of elective late-term abortion, a practice allowed in only seven countries around the world.

At home, we have issued a proposed regulation to implement the Title X prohibition on funding programs that include abortion as a method of family planning. I am supporting the effort in the United States Senate to make permanent the Hyde Amendment, which has been added year after year to spending bills and prevents taxpayer funding for abortion. And I have explicitly informed the Congress that I will veto any legislation that weakens existing Federal protections for human life.

My Administration has repeatedly demonstrated its respect for human life and conscience at all stages. We have finalized conscience exemptions from the contraceptive mandate to protect employers like Little Sisters of the Poor from being forced to choose between violating their religious beliefs and shutting their doors. We also increased the child tax credit, making it financially easier for mothers to care for their children after birth, while supporting the loving choices of adoption and foster care.

As the opioid crisis severely affects our country, especially women and babies, we are redoubling our efforts to help children born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. And we must do everything within our power to protect the sanctity of life for the most vulnerable and defenseless among us, including people with disabilities. Americans with disabilities like Down syndrome are an inspiration, and their example of joy and perseverance enriches our lives.

Our Constitution and our laws contain many protections for innocent life, and I have worked hard for the confirmation and appointment of judges  including two outstanding Supreme Court justices  committed to the rule of law.

We commend the pro-life movement for the tremendous efforts it has made to prevent the deaths of innocent unborn children, including through the annual March for Life. For more than 46 years, courageous and faithful citizens, many from college campuses and high schools across our country, have extended big hearts and hands of compassion to young women experiencing unexpected pregnancies. For decades, they have prayed passionately and stood tirelessly for the sanctity of life, speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves. We honor, too, the many men and women who share the precious gifts of life and family by adopting babies and children, welcoming them into their homes and hearts.

Today, we recommit ourselves to protecting innocent life every day and at every stage. We must continue to be a country that shows respect for the dignity and worth of every person at every stage of life.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 20, 2019, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. Today I call on the Congress to join me in protecting and defending the dignity of every human life, including those not yet born. I call on the American people to continue to care for women in unexpected pregnancies and to support adoption and foster care in a more meaningful way, so every child can have a loving home. And finally, I ask every citizen of this great Nation to listen to the sound of silence caused by a generation lost to us, and then to raise their voices for all those affected by abortion, both seen and unseen.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third.

DONALD J. TRUMP
The victims, who have not been identified, lived together on the second floor and were unconscious on the ground when firefighters arrived at the 1120 W. 145th St. building about 7 a.m. Saturday, East Chicago Fire Chief Anthony Serna.
Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation2@journalnet.com for help creating one.
We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation@idahopress.com for help creating one.
As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content.

When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to.

After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS!

OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK

The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those.
Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print.

Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition.

If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create.
All the news. All the time.

FACT CHECK See inaccurate information in this story? Tell us here.
One day last fall, while working the intake division at the Harris County District Attorneys Office, I received a call from a largely minority elementary school in Houston. On the other end of the line I was stunned to hear an Houston Independent School District police officers request: I am calling to ask you to accept charges on a 7-year-old boy I have in handcuffs right now.

You cant be serious, I thought, but the hostility in the officers voice was palpable. While I was attempting to restrain him, he elbowed me in the stomach and that is assault of a public servant, he said.

After gathering my disbelief, I asked what happened, learning more about the child  a boy of average height and build for his age, with a smart mouth, a student who gave teachers a very hard time but had no history of violent behavior  and about the HISD officer. The latter was a man wearing protective gear underneath his uniform who sustained no marks or bruises from the incident. I informed the officer that, based on the facts, the child had not committed assault of a public servant  a third degree felony  and that the charges were declined.

From my years working as an assistant district attorney, I knew this type of call was the norm and my response the exception. As I reflect on the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I cant help but consider his vision for racial, social, and economic justice, and where our criminal justice system falls short. Realizing that vision demands we discuss the current state of the Harris County criminal justice system, starting with the most powerful actor  the district attorneys office.

My interaction with the HISD officer is one of many stories that constitute the beginning of the school-to-prison pipeline, which is part of a perverse system where the most vulnerable in our community are entangled in a web designed to suffocate the poor and ethnic minorities.

As both a woman of color and former county prosecutor, I have a rare perspective on the inner workings of this institution  beyond the administrations superficial campaign platforms and into the depths where the promises made to our community lay broken. Internally, the office still consists of archaic mechanisms that exploit and target our most vulnerable communities. On any given day you can enter a court to see a disproportionate number of black and brown people. They are often shackled and chained, reminiscent of scenes from Amistad or Roots , or of chattel slavery in America.

When thinking about criminal justice, we think murder, carjackings, home invasions, rape, and robbery. We dont typically think about the bulk of cases prosecuted  crimes such as shoplifting, criminal trespass or ones in which mental illness, drug addiction, or homelessness are leading factors. We must stop focusing prosecutors resources on these insufficient and insignificant nonviolent misdemeanor offenses that lead to jails and courts flooded with people of color and the poor. This is more than just an issue of race, it is the criminalization of poverty which has created our societys vast inequities. It is the New Jim Crow. It is a renewal of the Black Codes that continue to devastate communities under the guise of progress.

The Center for Justice Research at Texas Southern University reports that nearly 100,000 Harris County citizens are processed into jail before conviction. Hispanics and Blacks make up 77 percent of that population, while not being afforded the same opportunities as their white counterparts. Conversely, while only 29 percent of Hispanics and blacks receive pretrial intervention, non-Hispanic whites disproportionately account for 74 percent of that favorable outcome.

In light of those facts, it seems appropriate that our community thoroughly review the individuals we are electing and ask the important questions. Do their actions match their progressive talk? How do they connect with these most vulnerable and affected communities? Are they so far removed from these individuals they oversee that they cannot possibly relate to those who are suffering most? We must demand leaders who will fight back and represent us.

We must elect people like newcomer Judge Darrell Jordan, who made national headlines when he testified against the county  and against 15 more experienced judges  in the federal suit claiming using a cash bail system that detains poor defendants for low level, nonviolent offenses violates the Constitution. It was a practice that the county has spent $9 million taxpayer dollars defending.

Alternatively, we have elected officials such as District Attorney Kim Ogg, who despite railing against the abuses in the cash bail system as a candidate has as DA directed her prosecutors to seek high cash bonds in many cases involving low-level, nonviolent offenses, according to an emailed directive as reported by theappeal.org.

Under the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 2.01, the primary duty of a prosecutor is not to convict, but to see that justice is done. In Harris County it is no secret that prosecutors are encouraged to make plea offers in the face of trial. Is the DAs Office pursuing justice or fueling a plea mill? If we instead operate the District Attorney's Office as an unbiased third party that acts as a guardian of public trust, we will see tangible systemic changes. As shown by the recent historic election of ethnic minority men and women as judges, the people desire real change. They desire true reformers willing to accept risks and who are not tied to this brutal system.

In conclusion, on this very special day we must remember that it is important to hold our elected officials accountable for their promises and demand action on behalf of the many rather than the few. Otherwise, as indicated by King, the injustice here will be a threat to justice everywhere. In Harris County, we are at the tip of the spear of this nations vast criminal justice system. And let us make Kings words ring true when he said the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.
Unless you work in finance, youve probably never heard of John Bogle. But if you have a retirement account, you nonetheless owe him a large debt of gratitude.

Bogle, who died Wednesday at age 89, was responsible for one of the most remarkable financial innovations in modern history: the index fund, a low-cost mutual fund that doesnt try to actively manage investor money but simply buys stocks or bonds in proportion to their representation in a target index, such as the S&P 500.

Bogle didnt invent the idea  that credit should go to Nobel prize-winning economist Paul A. Samuelson  but Vanguard, the company Bogle founded, turned an academic subject into a financial product available to ordinary consumers.

Before Bogle, the best option those investors had was a mutual fund, run by a manager who chose individual investments. On average, it turned out, those actively managed mutual funds actually underperform the broader market, once the various costs of all that management activity, such as trading fees and managerial salaries, have been taken into account.

Vanguard promised something different: The company wouldnt try to manage your money but would simply buy whatever was in a broad market index. You couldnt outperform the market, but you couldnt underperform it either, and you could save a bundle on fees. This was a much better deal, which is why index funds now hold more than 17 percent of the U.S. stock market.

Yet revolutions, even benign ones, have a way of devouring their children. You see, there is a marvelous paradox about financial markets: Investment strategies frequently work only because most people believe they dont.

Say you have a strategy that will reliably generate returns higher than the S&P 500, with less risk. Thats great news ... until someone notices all that money youre making and tries to copy you. Soon a legion of imitators is bidding up the prices of the assets you want to buy, competing your excess returns down to nothing.

In the case of index funds, the problem isnt that too many index funds bid up the prices of the underlying stocks; its that an index fund strategy implicitly assumes someones out there figuring out what those prices should be. However useless active managers might be to their clients, theyre still doing the market a valuable service, ensuring that stock market prices bear some relationship, however imperfect, with whats going on at publicly traded companies. Without that work, indexing could become a lot riskier.

As his invention grew in market share, even Bogle began to wonder if that wasnt a problem, not because of the potential for pricing anomalies but for the effect that it would have on corporate governance. Bogle noted in The Wall Street Journal last year that just three companies dominate index funds, collectively controlling 81 percent of index fund assets; Vanguard alone controls 51 percent. If the popularity of index funds keeps rising, a handful of investment managers could end up with a controlling share of most of the major companies in the United States.

Its hard to say exactly what would happen next, but two worrying possibilities immediately present themselves. The first is business as usual. The passive managers of index funds dont earn enough in fees to justify spending time on corporate oversight, so theyve generally left that to active managers. As active management declines, that might leave corporate managers free to get up to all sorts of mischief  especially since the rules of indexing mean that investors wont sell unless you run things so badly that the company implodes and drops out of the index.

But it could be even worse if index fund managers did decide to get more involved, because their supervision might look far different from the supervision traditionally practiced by activist shareholders.

An individual shareholder with stock in an automaker wants that company competing hard against all other automakers. But what if a handful of index funds owned controlling shares of all the automakers? Wouldnt it be more relaxing for everyone to stop competing so hard on price and quality?

That kind of corporate power isnt good for consumers, or for America  even though indexing remains by far the best option for individual investors.

And so the man who simplified finance for ordinary people has left us an extraordinarily complicated legacy: The product he invented is so very good that it might eventually become really bad. And the bigger it gets, the more likely it is to be destroyed by its own success.

McArdle is a Washington Post columnist.
Metro recently released a draft $7.5 billion 2040 transit plan theyve labeled A Plus (the previous Plan A plus some additions). Unfortunately its more like a B- when it comes to addressing Houstons real transportation needs over the next two decades. The plan has some wonderful, cost-effective local and express bus improvements  including busrapid transit at less than one-third the cost per mile of light rail  but continues to throw mountains of good money after bad on new light rail extensions.

The A+ plan proposes to add 20 miles of new light rail for $2.45 billion, or a third of the overall plans cost, to serve only 18,900 trips per day. That means were spending $130,000 per daily trip..

The two redundant light rail routes to Hobby airport will serve a trivial 7,200 boardings per day at a projected cost of a quarter-million dollars per daily boarding, totaling $1.8 billion or around $129 million per mile.

Why is the ridership estimate so low? It might have something to do with the fact that light rail averages 13 miles per hour  so slow that it would take almost an hour to get from Hobby Airport to Downtown. The smarter plan would instead rely upon the far cheaper and faster express lane bus rapid transit service like Bush Intercontinental Airport is getting.

Unfortunately, we're already all too familiar with low ridership on light rail. The $1.4 billion Green and Purple lines have dismally low patronage.

The Green Line had only 5,077 weekday boardings and the Purple Line had only 7,416 weekday boardings. For comparison, the Red Line along Main Street has 53,412 weekday boardings, and the Katy Freeway near Beltway 8 served 366,000 vehicles carrying a half-million people per day in 2017.

Beyond the wasteful inefficiency, rail is also at significant risk of technological obsolescence as autonomous vehicles and shared-ride services like Uber, Lyft and Googles Waymo continue to evolve. The impact of new technology on public transit is unknown, but it could be hugely disruptive, potentially reducing demand for traditional public transit. Thats why we need a plan which is adaptable to whatever the future may bring.

For future planning purposes and MetroNext, it really does not matter if autonomous vehicles become available in 5 years or decades in the future. Anything built in the MetroNext plan can be expected to be in service to the year 2100 and beyond. MetroNext needs to be ready for autonomous transit, if and when it comes. The plan also needs to maximize mobility benefits of transit investments if autonomous transit is slow to develop or has a minimal impact. Practically, that means concrete guideways with rubber-tired vehicles than can evolve as the technology does.

Bus rapid transit guideways substantially reduces risk of obsolescence, since concrete can accommodate the potential autonomous transit vehicles of the future. But we also need to be cautious with bus rapid transit: Yes, it is much less expensive than light rail  but $42 million per mile is still not cheap, and its no bargain if it causes traffic chaos at intersections.

Thats why Metro should start with completing the Uptown BRT, then optimize it, and study its impact and effectiveness before building more of it. Thats especially so with he University line along Richmond that will cross several congested intersections and multiple key thoroughfares in Midtown. For some routes, improved traditional bus service may be the better option.

For some of the proposed bus rapid transit routes, improved traditional bus service may be the better option since its good enough, less disruptive and far less expensive, especially on Gessner where the planned $793 million bus rapid transit line replaces an existing bus route which has only 6,879 boardings per day.

So how should Metro redeploy that $2.45 billion light rail budget instead? They should focus on three priorities:

1) Faster commutes: MetroNext makes substantial regional express improvements to the HOV lane network, including two-way service and service between job centers, but it is still too downtown-centric and fails to provide regional service from all areas to all major job centers. The Texas Medical Center, Greenway Plaza, Galleria area, Westchase and the Energy Corridor all get express service only from limited parts of town, some of which require time-consuming transfers.

The Houston Galveston Area Council predicts jobs will continue to become increasingly dispersed, with less than 17 percent of the regions jobs inside the 610 Loop by 2045.

Metro, in partnership with the state and county, needs to serve more of the other 83 percent with interconnected express lanes stitching together the entire region. We dont need more high-capacity transit, but instead need more routes that can be operated affordably to more destinations with low rider counts at high service levels. The major economic risk is that more employers will give up on being in Houstons congested core and move to the outer suburbs like ExxonMobil did, draining our tax base and vitality.

2) Equity: LINK Houston recently released a report estimating almost a million Houstonians need better basic bus service. The MetroNext plan calls for 241 miles of BOOST network bus service, which provides more frequent buses, better reliability and sheltered stops for the bargain cost of only $53 million. Why not dramatically expand that to more of the city?

3) Increased ridership and reduced congestion: To buck the national trend of shrinking transit ridership, Metro needs to go big and eliminate fares entirely. Metros revenue is mostly sales tax, with just 11.1 percent of its operating revenues coming from the farebox.

Instead of spending nearly half of the new $2.45 billion transit plan on light rail, Metro could provide free fares for the next 20 years. In fact, it would actually cost less than that because of the internal cost savings from no longer having to collect, process and enforce fares. Free rides makes boarding and trips faster, and it would mean more riders and less congestion - a win whether you ride transit or not. As a bonus, Houston would get a substantial boost to our national reputation as well.

Additionally, Metro could use the savings to improve the rider experience with more shelters and better sidewalks, making Houston more pedestrian-friendly in the process.

Metro is planning a multi-billion-dollar bond referendum in 2019. Whatever gets passed is likely to shape Houston transportation for better or worse for decades to come amid rapid technological change. Its a plan we really need to get right. I encourage every Houstonian to get involved through the MetroNext website and public meetings to help make it a truly A+ plan.
School bands and families will march today in parades alongside civil rights heroes and aspiring activists. Corporate spokespeople will talk about diversity and nondiscrimination. Politicians will quote  and probably misquote  the man we are supposed to be honoring: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

No doubt the broad spectrum of U.S. politics will be united in echoing Kings dream of a society where people are judged on the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. The true continuation of Kings work, however, doesnt happen today.

It happens when activists take to the streets to protest a criminal justice system that unfairly burdens the poor.

It happens when workers strike and agitate for better wages.

It happens when public school teachers ask why the federal government can write a blank check for a space force but teachers have to rely on GoFundMe to buy classroom supplies.

It happens when a Black Lives Matter protest makes someone feel uncomfortable.

People often like to think of King as a shining beacon of a peaceful civil rights movement  a universally respected advocate for a moral arc that inevitably bends toward justice.

Thats not how he was seen at the time. Kings activism may have earned him a Nobel Peace Prize and successfully brought national attention to the cruel and violent racism  in the Jim Crow South and elsewhere. It also angered many fellow Americans. Almost two-thirds of the nation had an unfavorable opinion of King according to a 1966 Gallup poll. His final speech in Houston was opposed by many here, including the Forward Times  a local black newspaper  which didnt agree with his position against the Vietnam War.

That history often goes forgotten in todays retelling of the civil rights movement. Harvard professor Cornel West, who spoke at Prairie View A&M University on Friday, has referred to it as the Santa Clausification of King. The radical aspects have been stripped away and instead were left with a smiling, benevolent figure who offers us the gift of a more just society.

But justice doesnt come neatly packaged with a bow. It isnt handed down from on high. The powerful never give up their power willingly. Justice must be demanded.This is a fact that King knew well.

In his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, King noted that the biggest challenge he faced wasnt the KKK or other racist groups. It was the kindly white moderates who preferred an absence of tension to the presence of true peace.

Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will, King wrote. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.

Consider those words today, and question whether were truly following in Kings mission or merely offering lukewarm acceptance.
The caller also advised that a second subject jumped in to try and rescue the first subject and they were both struggling, the statement said. While fire units were responding, we were advised that one subject was out of the water and in need of medical attention.
As Texans continue to recuperate from Hurricane Harvey, some federal funding appears to be helping certain communities recover more than others.

A new report by CityLab found that Harvey aid is shortchanging cities with black, working-class residents hurt by the storm, leading to racial disparities in recovery funding.

"Across Southeast Texas, residents in a handful of small, white, affluent towns stand to reap far more Harvey recovery funds than those just a few miles away, in far more populous but poorer majority-minority cities," the report detailed.

The problematic distribution, per the report, has to do with how some federal recovery money trickles down to local county and city governments without taking into account the size of a town's population or the severity of the storm's impact.

As a result, small towns receiving recovery grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban get more money than they need while larger cities get shortchanged. And since larger cities in the area have a larger minority population, the flawed distribution creates a racial disparity in Harvey aid for white and black residents living along the gulf coast.

RELATED: Saturday is final day to comment on local Harvey recovery housing plans

For example, in Port Arthur where some 50,000 residents were affected, the city received $4.1 million in Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery funding from HUD, which works out to about $84 per affected person.

In majority-white Taylor Landing, 15 miles away from Port Arthur, Harvey affected 22 resident and the town received $1.3 million, or about $60,000 per person from the same recovery grant program.

"The three cities [Orange, Port Arthur, and Beaumont] with the highest black populations are also the three cities with the very lowest funding," a fair housing and disaster-recovery researcher told CityLab. "And we know that those cities had a lot of people who were impacted who were extremely low income."

The CityLab study focused on only one program of federal recovery funding in three of Texas' 16 Harvey-affected counties, and its author notes that not all Harvey aid programs may suffer from similar racial disparities.

Fernando Ramirez covers Texas news and politics. Read him on our breaking news site and on our subscriber site. | Fernando.ramirez@chron.com | @fernramirez93




In Texas first legislative session post Hurricane Harvey, lawmakers have filed bills aimed at better alerting homeowners to their flood risk, lessening the damage of future storms and lowering disaster victims tax bills.

Whether these or similar proposals pass, a key question confronting lawmakers is whether to allocate cash for disaster recovery and prevention from Texas so-called rainy day fund, which is projected to reach $15 billion at the end of the coming biennium if not touched.

A routine Senate bill providing supplemental funding for the 2018-2019 biennium proposes to draw $1.2 billion from the Economic Stabilization Fund to cover various state agencies Harvey expenses. The bill also includes seven placeholder allocations to several agencies, with appropriations for Harvey costs to be filled in later.

The bill makes no mention of state support for flood mitigation projects along the Gulf Coast, but lawmakers from both parties and chambers said there is broad agreement that such an allocation will be made. A spokesman for Gov. Greg Abbott said he has made clear that money from the fund will be spent to aid recovery.

Now is the time. This would be an excellent opportunity to harden our infrastructure, pull hundreds of Texans out of the floodplains, said Rep. Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont. With the loss of life and the loss of business activity and loss of revenue from a flood, we could spend a few billion on the front end or $20 billion to $30 billion on the back end of the next flood.

Many lawmakers have filed bills with the next disaster in mind.

Phelan and Rep. Sarah Davis, R-Houston, have filed separate bills to create funds to lend or grant to local governments for flood mitigation projects.

Rep. Armando Walle and Sen. Borris Miles, both Houston Democrats, want to form a task force to study flood control needs in Harris County and prepare a report by 2021. Rep. Dan Huberty, R-Houston, wants to form a Lake Houston Watershed Commission to improve flood control communication and planning.

Sen. Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville, hopes to let local governments, with state approval, adopt housing recovery plans that can be deployed immediately if a disaster occurs. Miles also has filed a bill that would have the state secure standing contracts for all the services necessary to build or repair housing and infrastructure after a disaster.

After the damage

Other bills target property taxes. Davis and Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, have filed companion bills that would force damaged properties to be reappraised after a disaster so homeowners arent taxed as if their gutted homes are in mint condition.

A similar proposal from Rep. Victoria Neave, D-Dallas, would prevent homes made uninhabitable from paying a higher tax bill for five years. Rep. Hugh Shine, R-Temple, has filed a bill to give storm victims tax exemptions that vary depending on the severity of damage.

Huberty has filed several bills related to sand mining. Experts agree that sedimentation of the San Jacinto River and Lake Houston reduced the capacity of those waterways to hold floodwaters during Harvey; sand mining industry leaders dispute that the prevalence of sand mining along the river was to blame.

Regardless, Huberty wants the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to post best practices for sand mining on its website, and he proposes hiking the fines on unregistered sand mining operations as well as on registered ones that violate state rules.

Other bills seek to improve residents awareness of their flood risk. Rep. Will Metcalf, R-Conroe, wants to create an alert system to notify residents if a release of water from a dam may put lives or property at risk. Rep. Mary Ann Perez, D-Houston, wants commercial and residential insurers to clearly state in their policies that flood damage is not covered.

With the devastation around west Houstons Addicks and Barker reservoirs in mind, Huffman filed a bill to require that homebuyers be given a written notice stating whether the seller knows if the property is partly or wholly in a 100-year or 500-year floodplain, flood pool, reservoir or within 5 miles downstream of a reservoir and has flooded or may flood in a catastrophic storm.

Unlike most reservoirs, which form lakes, Addicks and Barker are dry until heavy rains, when water builds up behind earthen dams. Government and private engineers knew for decades that the acreage at risk of inundation in a severe storm was larger than what the government owned, but officials repeatedly judged that a storm that big was unlikely to occur and took no action.

Of the roughly 30,000 homes in the reservoirs flood pools when Harvey hit, at least 9,000 flooded; many are now suing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Many homeowners had no idea they were at risk, as there is no federal law, state law, flood insurance rule or mortgage lender requirement to alert them.

John Breen didnt know his home, which took on a few inches of water during Harvey, was in a flood pool when he purchased it nine years ago.

Fresh off having his roof punctured by a tree during Hurricane Ike, Breen said being notified that the Twin Lakes neighborhood was in the Addicks reservoir flood pool may have affected his decision.

My assumption was that it was probably a safe zone because it had been approved for construction, he said. Knowing what we went through with Ike, even though it was different type of storm, with Harvey, it would have been nice to know. Knowledge is always useful. In that case, we felt like we didnt have all the right information.

Allocating the money

Many homeowners did know they were downstream of the dams, Huffman said, but could not imagine government officials knowingly flooding their homes, as occurred during Harvey when the Army Corps of Engineers  fearing uncontrolled flows around the dams back edges could erode them  opened the reservoirs floodgates.

Even before many of these bills get a hearing, lawmakers said, they may hash out an issue of more impact: using the rainy day fund for flood projects.

I dont have any doubt that were going to put some money into flood mitigation, said Walle, the Houston Democrat. At this point its, No. 1, the amount, and No. 2, where are we going to put those resources?

One idea Gulf Coast officials have pushed is for the state to provide the local match required to draw down Federal Emergency Management Agency funds, both the 10 percent match required with the program that helps replace flooded police cruisers and repair damaged community centers and the 25 percent match required when tackling flood mitigation projects.

In Houston alone, recovery czar Steve Costello estimated that the citys local match could total $300 million. Mayor Sylvester Turner said Gulf Coast leaders would be seeking a couple of billion dollars or more, not only for their matches but for projects federal assistance may not cover.

If we didnt have to supply that (match) locally, said Harris County Flood Control District executive director Russ Poppe, we have projects we could put that on right now and not miss a beat.

Another proposal, Poppe said, is for the state to set aside funds to enable a faster response after the next storm, with state coffers being reimbursed once federal disaster funds arrive. Local governments could buy out repeatedly flooded homes within weeks, for instance, rather than approaching homeowners after federal funds arrive, when many have already finished repairs.

One hurdle in these talks is that it is still unclear  and may remain so throughout the 140-day legislative session  what role federal aid will play in recovery.

Still waiting

Most cities and counties applications for $1.1 billion in statewide FEMA mitigation funds are still pending; Houston has had no applications approved, and the only funds released to the Flood Control District have been for home buyouts. The Department of Housing and Urban Development also is months behind in publishing rules outlining how an additional $4.7 billion in mitigation money headed to Texas can be used, let alone releasing those funds.

There are a lot of unanswered questions, said Huffman, the Houston Republican. As we await final numbers and final decisions at the federal level and a decision on which projects are going to be the top priorities, it will be difficult to make decisions in this short time frame that we have on allocations of large sums of money. Thats the challenge.

Rep. John Zerwas, R-Katy, who chaired the House Appropriations Committee last session, echoed that.

We dont want to necessarily pay for things we know is ultimately a federal responsibility and then have them end up saying, You obviously dont need it, so well put the money elsewhere, Zerwas said. But at the same time, youve got to weigh the fact that theres a several-month hurricane season, and it comes whether you like it or not.
A suspected drunken driver is facing a second charge after a two-car wreck in the Greater East End that injured four people, including a 5-year-old girl.

While the three older victims were not seriously injured in the Sunday morning wreck, the child ended up with traumatic brain injuries and was rushed into surgery.

Afterward, Israel Lugo was initially charged with one count of intoxication assault, according to prosecutor Sean Teare, Vehicular Crimes Division chief in the Harris County District Attorney's Office.

A second charge of intoxication assault was later added for the front passenger's injuries, Teare said Monday morning.

As of Monday afternoon, the 5-year-old girl was "fighting for her life" at a local hospital, said Ebony Fleming, a spokeswoman for the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Another female passenger has "more severe injuries than we first understood," Fleming added.

Authorities have not yet released the names of the victims.

FATAL WRECK: Driver killed when Corvette wraps around tree in Third Ward

It was just after 1 a.m. when a driver along Harrisburg near 75th spotted a red Chevy pickup driving erratically and swerving out of the lane, authorities said.

When the truck approached a red light, the man behind the wheel allegedly sped on through without hitting the brakes, according to the witnesses in the vehicle behind. The truck T-boned a black Cadillac headed north on 75th, injuring all four of the people inside.

Two adults in the front seat and a 15-year-old in the back seat were hurt, but the injuries are not currently considered life-threatening, Teare said Sunday.

"We're monitoring and we're going to reassess in the next day or so," he said, "whether anything rises to a serious bodily injury which would warrant another charge."

It's unclear how most of the victims were related, but Teare said the injured girl's mother was one of the two adults in the front seat.

Following the wreck, witnesses identified 34-year-old Lugo as the driver of the red Chevy and determined that he'd allegedly been drinking. Neither he nor his wife - who was sitting in the front passenger seat - were injured.

"From evidence we collected at the scene we have identified a location where we believe they were drinking," Teare said. "We have begun to go confirm that and depending on what the surveillance footage shows, there may be an additional charge for someone over-serving Mr. Lugo before he got behind the wheel."

The driver is believed to have been at Time Out #1 Sportsbar on Fuqua Street in southeast Houston prior to the crash, said Dane Schiller, a spokesman for the Harris County Sheriff's Office. The bar has a previous violation from 2015 for selling or delivering an alcoholic beverage to an intoxicated person, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission records show.

Time Out #1 Sportsbar declined to comment on Sunday's crash.

Lugo is currently being held in the Houston city lock-up, according to online records. He does not appear to have a local criminal history.

Stephen Tucker Paulsen contributed to this report.
Sixty years ago this month, a passenger train, running 20 minutes late, raced through the northwest section of Harris County en route to Dallas. Daylight was fast fading that evening on Jan. 16.

The Rock Island's "Texas Rocket" had been in service since 1937, shuffling Houston travelers to and from Dallas/Fort Worth and points north. The sleek, stainless steel trains were the first diesel-powered passenger trains used by the railroad.

The train had barely passed the crossing at Jackrabbit Road -- FM 1960 today, just east of Willowbrook Mall -- when a truck driven by Ray A. Dawson of Dallas broadsided the second diesel engine powering the train.

Dawson was thrown from the cab and crushed under the 16 tons of reinforcing steel he was transporting to Dallas.

And with that, he became the sixth person in two years to die at what was then called the "Dead Man's Crossing."

As you might have read before, this wasn't the only dangerous stretch of road in Harris County to get saddled with a macabre nickname. Near Pasadena, the La Porte Road crossing over Sims Bayou became so notorious in the 1930s for its fatal crashes that the bridge there came to be known as "The Kiss of Death" bridge.

As Dawson's truck slammed into the train, a wall of flames erupted as the truck's fuel tank ruptured.

"Passengers were knocked in every direction," Edward Taylor told Houston Chronicle reporter Zarko Franks. "Children were screaming and we were all looking for windows to escape."

Dallas banker J. Willis Gunn noted that Dawson remained trapped under the steel as passengers fled the train.

"It's a disgrace he wasn't freed sooner," he told Franks. "Five emergency vehicles came up and not one had a spade or a shovel."

Twenty-six on board the 11-car train were injured.

Days later, on Jan. 19, 1959, the Chronicle reported that a warning signal would be installed at that crossing. A concrete base for the signal was already in place at the time of the crash.

Today, the nickname has faded, but trains still pass through the busy crossing.
Six months after the arrival of Drake's Scorpion album and the viral "In My Feelings" challenge sparked by Instagram comedian Shiggy, Oprah has at long last delivered on her own rendition of the challenge, sort of.

It was in a new clip that her magazine's Instagram page gave fans a glimpse behind-the-scenes at a shoot for the publication's February issue. Over the speakers plays the Drake smash in question as Oprah flexes her own dance moves while smiling for the camera.

In the caption below the video is a challenge to Champagne Papi to reconsider a change to the track's lyrics: "#Drake, we think its time to remix #InMyFeelings to, 'Op-rah, do you love me? Are you riding?' Check out our stories to go behind the scenes of our February cover shoot!"

While the request would be a reach for anyone else, we wouldn't be too surprised if Drake obliged one of these days. It isn't the first time that Oprah magazine's Instagram has shown love to artists in the hip-hop community either, chiming in on the movements surrounding the Internet's biggest stars. Earlier this year, they gave a nod to Cardi B's Invasion of Privacy debut and even uploaded a clip of Oprah singing along to Lil Duval's infectious "Smile" lyrics.
Nick Cannon was asked to bear down on the hypotheticals concerning a streetfight with Kanye West. Although Nick Cannon assures Raq Rants' host Raquel Harper that he has no intention of engaging Kanye West in a physical altercation, the Wild 'n Out star insisted nonetheless that his rapper-peer is overmatched, pointing to his personal gym as further evidence of a physical advantage.

It should be noted, Nick Cannon and Kanye West are reportedly on good terms after squashing their disagreement over Kim Kardashian. Back in September, Kanye West took offense to Nick Cannon talking about his wife's body in an interview with VladTV. Nick Cannon told Vlad he wished to exorcise a few "things that were not sitting right" with his spirit, including the godforsaken speech about Kim's body. The rest is history.

Within the same Raq Rants segment, host Raquel Harper asked Nick Cannon to predict a winner in a Kanye West vs. Drake streetfight. Much to Hunter's surprise, Cannon sided with Kanye West on one condition: a motivated fighter can overcompensate for a difference in weight.

Drake is clearly more imposing than Kanye on a physical level. However, Nick Cannon did insist upon a little history before changing his focus. His assertion: had Diddy slapped Kanye West as he allegedly did Drake in 2014, the outcome of their prospective fight would be a helluva lot different. By the looks of it, Nick Cannon doesn't mind playing the jester for a few bucks, even at the risk of upsetting yet another manic episode, from whomever it may concern - this time and last.
800 N. Michigan Ave., No. 4601, Chicago: $4,795,000 | Listed: May 8, 2021



This three-bedroom home has four bathrooms, one half-bath, oversized windows and views of Lake Michigan and the city skyline. The living room features natural herringbone floors, a soft barrel ceiling, cove lighting, custom window treatments and a fireplace. Custom sliding doors lead to the dining room, which has an imported chandelier. The kitchen is outfitted with top-quality appliances and an island with seating. A butlers pantry with a built-in wine refrigerator doubles as a bar for entertaining, and a built-in desk in the family room offers the flexibility to work from home. There are three bedrooms, including a spacious primary suite with dual baths, a dressing room, and a walk-in closet. A laundry room and two garage spaces complete this home.



Agent: Jennifer Ames of Engel & Volkers, 312-440-7525



*Some listing photos are virtually staged, meaning they have been digitally altered to represent different furnishing or decorating options.



To feature your luxury listing of $800,000 or more in Chicago Tribunes Dream Homes, send listing information and high-res photos to ctc-realestate@chicagotribune.com.



Join our Chicago Dream Homes Facebook group for more luxury listings and real estate news.
Cardi B has upped her political output in recent weeks. The BX rapper weighed in with the Government Shutdown that occurred when Congress failed to reach a compromise on worker's benefits. "Soo many people under my comments talking about I shouldnt talk politics ,I dont know what Im talking about , Im dumb ! Well I know a little something something," Cardi wrote on Instagram as a response to her critics - those who question her credibility in assuming a political mantle.

Cardi B would eventually witness her "Government Shutdown" rant remixed into a hilarious banger of a song. But even at that, Cardi showed little sign of backing down from the symposium, as she continued her ranting well into the night (Saturday). Then following the issuance of an anti-Trump Tweet, Fox's right-wing pundit Tomi Lahren joined in, at the first sign of a rubber match. "Looks like @iamcardib is the latest genius political mind to endorse the Democrats," she mockingly Tweeted at Cardi - in the guise of an objective reporter.

Incidentally, Cardi B wasn't having any of it. "Leave me alone I will dog walk you," she affirmed, forcing Lahren to concede defeat, but not before taking a parting shot as she signed out. "Im sure you would. Still doesnt make your political rambling any less moronic," Lahren wrote in closing.

But in the end, Cardi would have the last laugh all to herself - her longwinded tweet addressing both systematic racism and blind patriotism, standing taller than the rest. All before the commencement of Sunday mass, I might add.
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.



You should upgrade or use an You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser
Bloomington, IN (47401)

Today

Considerable clouds early. Some decrease in clouds later in the day. A stray severe thunderstorm is possible. High around 95F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening becoming more widespread overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 71F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Click here to find out where to get a COVID-19 vaccine or test.

To find out how many local residents have been vaccinated for COVID-19, click here. Use the map to find numbers for individual counties.

Find detailed statistics about COVID-19 tests, cases and deaths by county and for the state as a whole on the Indiana State Department of Health's online dashboard.
Lima, OH (45805)

Today

A round of scattered showers and storms possible early. Scattered severe storms develop later in the day. Severe storms possible with damaging winds the greatest concern. High 88F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms. Low near 70F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph.
By 2011, Cassidy estimated she painted eight or nine portraits that were donated to the families of the fallen officers, and that same year she was awarded the Mayor Richard J. Daley Medal of Honor for her volunteer efforts. It also led to more requests for portraits from across the country, most of which she cant do because, as much as I feel for those who are grieving, I still have to make a living.
Chinese travellers are expected to make nearly 3 billion trips including 73 million journeys by air during the 40-day Spring Festival or Chinese New Year (CNY) travel rush beginning from Monday.

The Year of the Pig in the Chinese lunar calendar begins February 5.

Simply put  the biggest annual internal migration of people in the world will see hundreds of millions of Chinese citizens on the move, mostly to travel back to their hometowns to spend the new year with family.

Then, at the end of the week-long celebrations between February 4 and 10 and in the days to follow, they will return to their cities and towns of work.

Big cities like Beijing and Shanghai will empty out as migrant workers return home and government offices and affiliated institutions will shut down for more than a week starting first week of February.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the countrys top planning body, shared some more mind-boggling numbers: The number of road trips is projected to reach some 2.46 billion, a 0.8 percent drop from last year, while train trips are likely to top 413 million during the period, up 8.3 percent year-on-year.

About 2.99 billion trips are expected to be made during the 2019 Spring Festival travel rush between Monday and March 1, with rail and air travel gaining significantly, NDRC officials said.

Air travel will likely see some 73 million trips, surging 12 percent, while boat trips are predicted to hit 43 million, about the same as last year, officials added.

In addition to the normal amount of 15,600 flights a day, the Civil Aviation Administration of China plans to schedule a total of 35,000 more flights during the travel rush, Dong Zhiyi, deputy head of the administration told state media.

There are no parallels of this kind of travel rush in the world; in terms of numbers, the ongoing Kumbh mela in Prayagraj in India where 120 million are expected to gather in the coming weeks possibly comes close.

A large number of Chinese will also go abroad during the holidays.

Over 400 million Chinese will travel during the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year, among them nearly 7 million will travel abroad, official news agency, Xinhua, quoted Ctrip, a Shanghai-based online travel agency as saying earlier this month.

The Ctrip report said people from over 100 Chinese cities had booked to travel to nearly 500 destinations across over 90 countries and regions.

Thailand, Japan, Indonesia and Singapore are among the most popular destinations while Nordic countries, the United Arab Emirates and Spain have seen the fastest growth of Chinese visitors, the report said.

Its also about the revenue  massive revenues  that the holiday generates.

Last year, the commerce ministry said retail and catering sectors posted sales of 926 billion yuan ($146 billion) during the holiday period, an increase of 10.2 percent from the year-ago holiday.

The Chinese also travelled more during year last years holidays, with tourism revenue rising 12.6 percent to 475 billion yuan or $ 75 billion), a Xinhua report said last year, citing the China National Tourism Administration.
A huge explosion near a military intelligence office in Damascus Sunday left a number of dead and wounded, a war monitor said, after state TV reported early indications suggested a terrorist act.

The explosion took place near a security branch in the south of the city. There are some people killed and injured but we could not verify the toll immediately, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told AFP.

It was unclear if the blast was caused by a bomb that was planted or a suicide attack, according to the monitor, which relies on a network of sources inside the country.

It said that shooting followed the explosion.

Syrian state television earlier reported that a blast had been heard around the southern highway in Damascus.

First reports suggest a terrorist act, the broadcaster said.

The state outlet did not provide any more details on the incident.

Syria is locked in a civil war that has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests in 2011 spiralled into full conflict.

With key military backing from Russia, President Bashar al-Assads forces have retaken large parts of Syria from rebels and jihadists, and now control almost two-thirds of the country.

The Syrian regime in May reclaimed a final scrap of territory held by the Islamic State group in southern Damascus, cementing total control over the capital for the first time in six years.

Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said that Sundays blast appeared to be the first attack in Damascus in over a year.
US president Donald Trump on Saturday sought to break the stalemate that has shut down the federal government partially for 30 days now with a proposals that was rejected by Democrats as a non-starter even before he had spelt it out in a speech he had teased the day before as a major announcement coming.

The president proposed a three-year reprieve from deportation for 700,000 people brought to the US as children, protected thus far by the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and those with Temporary Protection Status (TPS) for $5.7 billion for a wall/barrier along the southern border. He also proposed funding for hiring more officers and immigration judges and for legal ports of entry.

This is a common-sense compromise both parties should embrace, Trump said, and aded that it should break the logjam and provide Congress with a path forward.

Republicans have embraced it, and the partys senate leadership has said it will put the proposal to vote.

Also read | Donald Trump vows announcement on border as talks remain stalled

But Democrats, who had not been involved in the negotiations and discussion that went into the making of the proposal, rejected it even before the presidents address. Calling his proposal a non-starter, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement, initial reports make clear that his proposal is a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives, each of which is unacceptable.

The key problem, she pointed out, was the lack of a permanent solution to the situation of Dreamers - as DACA recipients are also called - and those with TPS.

Democrats plan to put to vote a set of bills of their own in the House of Representatives next week to fund the shuttered governments departments and end the shutdown.

They plan to put an additional $1 billion funding for border security - in addition to the $1.3 billion already made - but not for a wall or a barrier, which Pelosi has called immoral.

To Trumps grief, even some conservatives, including Ann Coulter, an influential commentator, have dismissed his plan calling it, derisively as amnestying illegal immigrants, the DACA and TPS recipients, mischaracterizing the three-year reprieve as path to citizenship. And their voices matter.

Trump pays attention to what they say. He pulled out of an earlier deal after agreeing to it due to pushback from these commentators who are holding him to his campaign promise of building a wall to stop illegal immigrants at the southern border, which had became a rallying cry for his supporters.

Also read | Why no focus on meetings with Modi, Abe, asks Trump to report he hid details of Putin interactions
After suffering a major defeat in parliament on the EU withdrawal agreement last week, Prime Minister Theresa is due to present her Plan B on Monday, as the March 29 exit date draws near and rebel MPs plot new amendments and motions.

Downing Street cautioned the MPs not to try to frustrate the Brexit process by tabling amendments and motions that would, in effect, delay or lead to the UK not leaving the EU at all. Conservative and Labour MPs are due to table new motions on Monday.

Mays Plan B statement will also be subject to amendments before being put to a vote in the House of Commons on January 29. Unless the discredited agreement is brought back with changes incorporating the views of the rebels, it is unlikely to be passed.

Leading Brexiteer Liam Fox, who is also secretary for international trade, on Sunday accused MPs opposed to Brexit of trying to, in effect, steal Brexit: Youve got a Leave population and a Remain Parliament. Parliament has not got the right to hijack the Brexit process.

What we are now getting are some of those who were always absolutely opposed to the result of the referendum, trying to hijack BrexitOn this point, Parliament subcontracted its sovereignty on the issue of whether we stayed in the European Union or not to the people of this country, he told BBC.

Fox warned that, if the 2016 referendum result to leave the EU were not honoured, the consequences politically would be astronomical.

According to Labours shadow Brexit secretary, any withdrawal agreement is likely to require the controversial backstop for Ireland-Northern Ireland. He believes a renegotiation with Brussels was unlikely in the time before March 29.

At this stage any deal probably does require a backstop and weve got to recognise that. There are problems with this backstop and we have got to recognise that but because we are in this stage of the exercise, nearly two years in, the chances now of a deal that doesnt have a backstop are very, very slim.

May and her ministers have been meeting MPs to seek views on the way forward. However, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has refused to join the talks unless May rules out the possibility of leaving the EU without an agreement  considered the worst-case scenario.
Police in the US state of Oregon have charged a white man with hate crimes for brutally assaulting a Sikh employee at a convenience store on Monday for refusing to sell him cigarette rolling papers without seeing his identity papers.

Andrew Ramsey, 24, had assaulted Harwinder Dodd, the store clerk, for his religion, according to court documents cited by local media outlets.One of the charges is intimidation in the second degree, a misdemeanour hate crime.

We believe it (the attack) had to do with the workers ethnic background and possible religious beliefs, said Lt. Treven Upkes of the Salem Police Department, according to a local TV network KATU 2.

Ramsey had pulled on Dodds beard, punched him in the face, threw him to the ground and kicked him, before others in the store, including Justin Brecht, an Oregon state legislative aide and former Marine, intervened to pull aside the alleged assailant and held him till police officer arrived to take him into custody.

Sikhs have been targets of an increasing number of hate crimes, with offences ranging from verbal slurs to physical assaults of the kind suffered by Dodd to murder and mass killings such as the 2012 massacre of 6 Sikh men and women by a white supremacists at Gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.

There were 24 incidents of hate-crimes against Sikhs in 2017, according to the FBIs 2018 annual report,, which marked a 243% increase in anti-Sikh hate crimes over 2016, noted Sikh Coalition, an advocacy group, which says the number is far higher in reality. Due to systemic underreporting, there remains a significant gap between FBI hate crime data and the reality on the ground for Sikhs and other minority communities across the United States.

In the incident in Oregon, Brecht told Fox 12, a local TV network, that he saw Ramsey arguing with the store clerk. He wanted to buy rolling papers for cigarettes, but Dodd wanted to see an ID first.

Ramey was just yelling, trying to fight, Brecht said to Fox 12. And when asked to leave, he attacked Dodd.

He started pulling on (Dodds) beard and just started punching him in the face, and he pulled him to the ground and started kicking him.

Brecht saw Dodd bleeding, he had gotten punched quite a bit in the face, and kicked on the ground and thrown to the ground very brutally. It was very serious.

The assailant also threw a shoe at Dodd, according to police, and tried to grab his turban.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached properties worth Rs 16.4 crore in Mumbai and Pune, belonging to televangelist Zakir Naik , who has been accused of inciting youth to take up terror activities.

The total value of the attachment in the case, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), has now reached Rs 50.49 crore, the agency said.

The agency identified the properties as Fatima Heights and Aafiyah Heights in the city, an unknown project in Bhandup, and Engracia in Pune.

Zakir Naik used Rs 17.65 crore for purchase of properties from builders  Salim Kodia partner in M/s MK Enterprises, Munaf Vadgama, partner in M/s Aafiyah Realtors, Sameer Khan, partner in M/s Pacific Orient Genesis Associates, Musa Lakdawala partner of M/s Lakdawala and Yash Associates in their projects Fatima Heights, Aafiyah Heights, Engracia and in a project at Bhandup, Mumbai, said the agency.

In order to disguise the origin of funds and real ownership of properties, the initial payment made from Naiks account was refunded and diverted to the accounts of his wife, son and niece and re-routed again for the purpose of making bookings in the name of family members rather than Naik. This has been revealed from the money trail established by ED, it said.

ED initiated investigation in the case on the basis of a chargesheet filed by National Investigation Agency (NIA) before the court of special judge, NIA, Mumbai against Naik and others.

ED, quoting the chargesheet filed by NIA, stated that Naik deliberately and maliciously insulted the religious beliefs of Hindus, Christians and non-Wahabi Muslims, particularly Shia, Sufi and Barelwis, with intention of outraging their religious feelings.

Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) and M/s Harmony Media have been instrumental in maximum circulation of such incriminating speeches. For such activities, the accused was receiving funds from IRF as well as other unknown sources, the agency added.

Last year, India made a request for the extradition of Naik, who was given permanent residency status by the previous Malaysian government led by Najib Razak. Although India has an extradition treaty with Malaysia, its current Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said in July his government will look at all factors before deciding on Naiks case.
Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his the Mahagathbandhan (grand opposition alliance) is against the people remark, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu Saturday said the opposition leaders were not bonded labourers who would dance to the PMs tune.

Asked to comment on Modis criticism of the opposition alliance at a meeting in Silvassa on Saturday, Banerjee said, He (Modi) is not the Nawab and we are not his slaves that we will dance to his tunes.

We are free citizens of this country. He wants us to be his servants, but we are not. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who was present at the tea party hosted by Banerjee after the united opposition rally at Brigade Parade Ground, said, We are only the servants of people of this country.

Read: Bachao, bachao, bachao: Modi mimics Opposition unity rally in Kolkata

Asked to comment on Modis remark that the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal was afraid of the BJP, Banerjee said, The BJP is scared to face people of the state. Modi will get a befitting reply in the coming elections for making such comments. Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi called for a one-on-one fight with the BJP in every constituency in the forthcoming general elections.

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav said BJP is anti-people and dividing the people by spreading hatred.

In Uttar Pradesh, they (BJP) are sowing the seeds of hatred among the people on the basis of religion and caste, he said.

National Conference leader Farooq Abdulah said the Constitution of the country was under threat.

Besides Naidu, Singhvi, Yadav, Satish Mishra of BSP, Abdullah, former Arunachal CM Gegong Apang, Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani and Patidar leader Hardik Patel were present at the tea party.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday took pot shots at the United India Rally that was organised by TMC chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday.

Addressing booth workers of five different cities via video conferencing, PM Modi said that the alliance seen in Kolkata was a unique one.

Theyve formed alliances with each other. Weve formed alliance with 125 crore countrymen. Which alliance is stronger? Most leaders at that stage in Kolkata were either sons of influential people or were trying to set up their own children. Theyve dhanshakti, weve janshakti, he said.

Ye mahagathbandhan ek anokha bandhan hai. Ye bandhan to, naamdaaro ka bandhan hai. Ye bandhan to bhai-bhativaaj ka, bhrashtachaar ka, ghotalon ka, nakaaratmakta ka, asthirta ka, asamaanta ka bandhan hai. Ye ek adbhut sangam hai. (This alliance is a unique one. It is an alliance of the rich, an alliance of uncle and nephew, an alliance of the corrupt, of scams, of negativity, of instability, of inequality), he said.

Jis manch se ye log desh aur loktantra ko bachane ki baat keh rahe the, usi manch par ek neta ne Bofors ghotale ki yaad dila di. Aakhir sacchai kab tak chupti hai. Kabhi na kabhi to sach bahar aa hi jaata hai, jo kal Kolkata mein hua. (From the same stage where all these people were talking about saving democracy, on that same stage, one leader reminded us of the Bofors scandal. The truth has to come out sooner or later, and that is what happened in Kolkata), PM Modi said.

Saying that his party and his governments work had given sleepless nights to the opposition, he said that the opposition had already started making excuses for their defeat in the 2019 elections.

EVM is being made villain. Its natural that every political party wants to win the polls, but its worrisome when some parties take public for granted. They consider public stupid and so keep changing colours, Modi said.

Also watch: Hows the Josh? PM Modi asks Bollywood fraternity

PM Modis reference was to the remarks made by former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah who had likened the EVM machines to a thief at the United India rally in Kolkatas Parade Ground on Saturday.

EVM is a chor machine. We should meet the Election Commission of India and the President to urge them to stop the use of EVMs, Abdullah said at the rally organised by the Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

Also read: Modi govt past its expiry date, says Mamata Banerjee, hosts mega opposition rally

Defending his governments decision to bring in the 10 per cent quota bill for the economically weak, he said that he had been criticised for having brought in the Bill at this point.

If our determination to provide 10 per cent reservation wasnt strong, the opposition wouldnt have lost its sleep, that is why they are now spreading rumours, he said.

Reiterating something that he has said earlier as well, PM Modi said that if his government had brought the bill earlier, they (the opposition) would have said that it was brought in ahead of the recently concluded elections in five states.

I want to ask all those people who are saying that we brought in the 10 per cent reservation bill ahead of the elections, when is there not an election in the country?, Modi said.

Also read: BJP says grand alliances sole agenda is to defeat Modi

Criticising the previous governments in Maharashtra, he said that in their rule of 60-65 years, they had only managed to bring 32 lakh hectares of land under agriculture.

In the past three years, we have increased that area from 32 lakh hectares to 40 lakh hectares, he said.

Listing his governments achievements, he said that earlier India used to be counted as a weak economy.

Today India is known as the fastest growing economy in the world, Modi said.

Earlier, headlines around the world used to talk about scams in India, today they talk about economic development and the governments schemes, Modi said.
DMK chief MK Stalin, who had proposed the name of Congress president Rahul Gandhi for the next prime minister at a party rally in Chennai last month, on Sunday defended not doing so at the mega opposition rally, called by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Saturday.

Yes I had proposed Rahul Gandhis name, in Chennais DMK rally, as the next PM. It is very funny that when I said this, media asked me why you said this but yesterday when I did not say this the same media is saying that why you did not say this? he told media persons, reported ANI news agency.

Explaining his reasons, he said that he had pitched for Gandhi in Chennai as it is the wish and aspiration of the people in Tamil Nadu.

But in West Bengal, they (the opposition leaders) have decided to finalise this after the election. It is their wish, he added.

Stalins call for Gandhi as the prime minister after the 2019 polls as he has the ability to defeat the fascist BJP came at a rally in Chennai on December 16 last year as senior opposition leaders gathered for the unveiling of a statue of late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi at the party office, Anna Arivalayam.

However, at the United India rally, he had not touched on the issue of the leadership proposed anti-BJP alliance and like other leaders, pitched for removing Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

He also said the elections will be akin to the second freedom struggle for people of India to fight against the radical Hinduism of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Though the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is keen on finalising a seat sharing deal in the Grand Alliance (GA) in the coming week, its major ally Congress is not as eager to stamp the deal before the proposed February 3 rally of Rahul Gandhi, which the party has planned as a show of strength.

Partys entire machinery is primed to make the rally an exceptional event. This is a matter of highest priority at the moment. We are concentrating on ensuring its success, said Prem Chandra Mishra, MLC and AICC media panellist, declining to comment any further.

According to sources, Lalu Prasad-led RJD wants Congress to fight seats proportionate to the number of constituencies contested by it as an ally in 2015 assembly polls. And as one Lok Sabha seat usually comprises six assembly constituencies, the maximum number of seats coming Congresss way, under this formula, would not be more than seven.

After the UP development, where SP-BSP struck a deal with an equal number of seat share and leaving the Congress high and dry, the Congress camp is wary of the wily RJD chief, who, despite being an old and trusted ally, has been miserly in parting of seats. In 2004, RJD handed a raw deal to the Congress, giving it only four seats. In 2009, Congress contested alone while in 2014, Congress, in alliance with RJD contested 12 seats.

Also Read | Former BJP MP from Bihar quits party, says Rahul Gandhis popularity growing

Bihar Congress president Madan Mohan Jha does not see any deliberate design in the seat sharing deal spilling over to February, as against the deadline of January. Preliminary meetings will start. Our common aim is to defeat the NDA. Nothing much should be read even if the deadline gets exceeded by a day or two. Things will be settled amicably, Jha said.

RJD national vice-president Shivanand Tiwary also ruled out any stalemate in the GA over seat sharing.Kharmas is over. Allow one-two rounds to take place. Things will be settled.

Former chief minister and Hindustani Awaam Morcha chief Jitan Ram Manjhi said, We are waiting for BJP-JD (U) to name their respective seats and candidates. There is no hitch in GA.

Much before JD (U)-BJP equal seat share deal in December 2018, Congress had laid bare its intent in October to raise its stake in the GA and bat for 20-20 formula, hinting that it was ready to accommodate remaining allies in its quota of seats. However, Upendra Kushwaha-led RLSPs entry in the GA fold has queered the whole calculation.

You May Also Like | Deal done, NDA makes most of dahi chura feast, shows unity of JDU, BJP & LJP

Congress insiders say that the party has been subjected to criticism on its organisational strength and support base for long and, now, it wants to ride the success in three state assembly polls as a sign of its turnaround at the February 3 rally in state capital.

Postponing the seat finalisation deal till February will also keep all aspirants for 2019 polls on their toes, besides helping the party to use the rallys success for bargaining a better deal in the alliance. Other than Kushwaha, no leader has backed Rahul Gandhis prime ministerial candidature.
Hundreds of women took to the streets of downtown Geneva on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019, despite the snow and cold.

(Mike Mantucca/The Beacon-News)
Hong Kong: Edward Yau to visit Switzerland

Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Edward Yau will attend the World Trade Organization (WTO) Informal Ministerial Gathering and meetings and events held during the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, from January 22 to 26.

Mr Yau will speak at a panel discussion entitled "Building the Belt & Road and sharing the benefits of the economic globalisation" at the Belt & Road Forum hosted by Tsinghua University, International Cooperation Center of the National Development & Reform Commission, United Nations Industrial Development Organization and United Nations Institute for Training & Research, and co-organised by the Commerce & Economic Development Bureau.

He will meet other trade ministers and business leaders attending the events to discuss issues relating to forging closer economic and trade ties. He will also join part of Chief Executive Carrie Lams visit programme.

Held on the margins of the WEF on January 25, the WTO Informal Ministerial Gathering provides an opportunity for participating ministers to discuss the latest global trade developments and brainstorm ways to advance the trade agenda and preserve the relevance and credibility of the multilateral trading system.

Before the Informal Ministerial Gathering, Mr Yau will attend the Informal Ministerial Meeting on Electronic Commerce to explore with other ministers on how WTO negotiations can capture opportunities offered by electronic commerce for all WTO Members.

In his absence, Under Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Bernard Chan will be Acting Secretary.

This story has been published on: 2019-01-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
The battle-lines for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections became clearer on Saturday with 18 opposition parties coming together for a rally in Kolkata with one unifying goal: defeating the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. But, this may not translate into a national pre-poll alliance, even though some state-level opposition coalitions are taking shape.

In Uttar Pradesh, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) have announced a pact for Lok Sabha polls keeping the Congress out thereby making the contest triangular.

BSP chief Mayawati made it clear she was a proponent of an anti-BJP, anti-Congress alliance, an idea also floated by Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao who skipped Saturdays rally. In Telangana, the so-called grand alliance of the Congress, Telugu Desam Party, Community Party of India and Telangana Jana Samiti may not fructify for the Lok Sabha polls after their poor performance in the recently assembly polls.

Also Read | Bachao, bachao, bachao: Modi mimics Opposition unity rally in Kolkata

In West Bengal too, the chances of an alliance of all anti-BJP parties appears bleak. The Congress is keen to contest the Lok Sabha polls with the CPI(M) led Left Front  Trinamools arch-rivals who made their position clear by skipping Banerjees meeting. If the Congress allies with the TMC in Bengal, we will be politically finished, said a senior Congress leader on Saturday, asking not to be named.

In Bihar, the grand alliance led by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress is likely to keep out SP and the BSP -- though most opposition parties have an in-principle understanding, a pact similar to what they have in Jharkhand.

In Maharashtra, the opposition alliance is only between the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress. The Congress is likely to contest Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the three states it won from the BJP in 2018 assembly polls, alone.

Also Read | Mamata uses rhetoric, hyperbole to underscore Opposition unity, attack Modi regime

Political analysts termed the oppositions rally as a landmark show of unity but were unsure whether it will translate into a larger coalition. Most of them said the opposition needs a common manifesto, as suggested by former prime minister H D Deve Gowda at the rally, to convince voters.

Former Presidency College principal Amal Mukhopadhyay said as of now the opposition does not have an acceptable cohesive leader who can keep all of them together.

(With inputs from bureaus in Kolkata, Ranchi, Patna and Hyderabad)
Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Sunday asked Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief, Mayawati, to join hands with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

He cited internal contradictions and insisted the BSPs alliance with Samajwadi Party (SP), which was announced on January 12 for the national polls this summer, will not last long.

Athawale, whose Republican Party of India (RPI) is a part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre, said reports from various parts of Uttar Pradesh suggested SP and BSP supporters were unhappy with the alliance.

Mayawati became Uttar Pradesh chief minister thrice with the BJPs support. The BSP cadre knows well that the alliance with the SP will not give desired electoral gains in the Lok Sabha polls. Instead of the SP, Mayawati should again join hands with the BJP, he said.

He condemned BJP lawmaker Sadhna Singhs derogatory remarks accusing Mayawati of selling her dignity in exchange for power, saying leaders should make political rather than personal attacks. The remark will benefit the BSP in polls, he said.

Athawale referred to the BJPs loss in last years Lok Sabha by-polls in Gorakhpur, Phulpur, and Kairana in the face of a combined opposition and added the party lost by a small margin. In the Lok Sabha polls, people will vote for [Prime Minister] Narendra Modi and the NDA will defeat the BSP-SP alliance, he said.

Athawale said the RPI has requested BJP president Amit Shah to allot it three Lok Sabha seats in UP, where the BJP won 71 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats in 2014, to mobilise Dalits in support of the NDA. RPI is seen to have support among Dalits even as the BSP has a strong base within the community. In the 2014 Lok Sabha and 2017 state polls , the BJP got about 14% Dalit votes.

A political analyst and Dalit ideologue RK Gautam said,  The BSP and SP are considered archrivals...after the BSP chief Mayawati break the alliance with SP in 1995...The leaders of the BSP-SP alliance will have to work hard to gel the respective cadre before the Lok Sabha election... the BJP will try to take benefit of the ideological differences.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi traded barbs over the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on Sunday in remarks triggered by a rally of leaders from 18 opposition parties that vowed to oust the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government from power.

Modi criticised the proposed grand alliance of opposition parties for the general elections, saying the mahagathbandhan was a grouping of corruption, scams, negativity and instability.

The Opposition has dhanshakti (money power), we have janshakti (peoples power), he said while addressing the BJPs booth-level workers from five cities through his app.

On Saturday, 23 political leaders cutting across regional and ideological barriers staged a massive show of strength at Kolkatas Brigade Parade Ground, with about 500,000 people attending the rally spearheaded by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee. Shortly after the rally, Modi took a dig at the opposition leaders and said they are so afraid of us that they have gathered parties from across the country and are crying bachao, bachao, bachao.

Gandhi responded to Modis remark in a tweet on Sunday: Your Highness, The cries for help are the cries of millions of unemployed youth; of farmers in distress; of oppressed Dalits & Adivasis; of persecuted minorities; of small businessmen in ruin; begging to be freed from your tyranny & incompetence. In 100 days they will be free.

United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and the Congress president did not attend Saturdays Kolkata rally but the partys leader Mallikarjun Kharge was present at the event and read out a message by Sonia Gandhi that said the gathering was an important attempt to galvanise leaders to fight the arrogant and divisive Modi government.

The opposition leaders also demanded the use of ballot papers instead of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the general elections over questions of tampering.

In his address to BJP workers, Modi said the Opposition was vilifying EVMs as an excuse because it expected a defeat in the forthcoming elections.

The PM also said the Centres decision to provide quota to the economically weaker sections from the general category in education and government jobs was giving sleepless nights to political rivals. After researching the Constitution, we made 10% reservation for the economically weaker section. They (the Opposition) have not done anything about social injustice. When we did it, they were caught napping, he said.

When the government took a historical step for the larger good of the people, it was natural for them to oppose it, he added.

Answering the question of a BJP worker, Modi said that while the Oppositions alliance was with political parties, the BJP tied up with the dreams of 125 crore Indians and their hopes and aspirations.

Those who were on the dais in Kolkata were either the son or daughter of a big person or who wanted to make his son or daughter big in politics, he said.

Opposition leaders Mamata Banerjee and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Chandrababu Naidu said on Saturday they were not bonded labourers of Modi. He (Modi) is not the nawab and we are not his slaves that we will dance to his tunes, Banerjee said.

We are free citizens of this country. He wants us to be his servants, but we are not, Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu said. Both leaders were present at the Opposition rally in Kolkata.

Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit said the BJPs plan to build its election campaign around Modi in the national capital will not work in the Lok Sabha elections as he did not do anything for the city in the last four-and-half years. The BJP is in a difficult situation, Dikshit, who recently took charge as the Delhi chief of the Congress, said.

(With inputs from PTI)
Aam Aadmi Party convenor and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah and said that the BJP needs to be defeated in the upcoming elections.

Amit Shah and Modi have ruined the country. They have poisoned the hearts of the people. If they come to power again they will divide the country. They will not let the Constitution survive, Kejriwal said while interacting with media persons at the Sangrur railway station in Punjab ahead of addressing a rally in the state.

Speaking to the media persons, he said the people of Punjab are unhappy and disillusioned with the Akalis and the Congress and that they want a change.

Punjabs people are unhappy with the Akali Dal and the Congress. These two parties have not fulfilled any of their promises and the people of the state are unhappy with them, he said.

The Aam Aadmi Party will contest all seats in the Lok Sabha elections. We will announce the names of our candidates in 10-12 days and will win maximum seats, Kejriwal said.

Also read: Modi govt past its expiry date, says Mamata Banerjee, hosts mega opposition rally

When asked about the AAPs plans for Punjab, he said that the party intended to bring the Delhi model to Punjab.

We will implement the Delhi model in Punjab. The kind of good work we have done in Delhi, well bring that to Punjab also, he said.

Responding to a question about Saturdays United India rally in Kolkata, he said that all the anti-BJP forces had got together there.

All the anti-BJP forces had got together at the rally. The whole country wants to defeat them. All the parties that are against the BJP had got together at Kolkata, and have decided to defeat the BJP, he said.

On Saturday, addressing the United India rally organised by Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Kejriwal had said that the country would disintegrate if the BJP returned to power in the next general elections.

Also read: Will choose next PM together: At Mamata Banerjee rally in Kolkata, Opposition vows to oust Modi govt

What Pakistan could not achieve in 70 years since Indias independence, Narendra Modi and Amit Shah have achieved in five years, Kejriwal said at the rally.

Among the other leaders who were present at the massive rally in Kolkata on Saturday were former prime minister and Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) chief H D Deve Gowda and is son and Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumarasway, former Maharashtra CM and ex-Union minister Sharad Pawar and former Arunachal Pradesh CM Gegong Apang and Omar Abdullah of the National Conference Party and his father Farooq Abdullah.

BJPs rebel leader Shatrughan Sinha and Yashwant Sinha were also present along with Arun Shourie.

In her speech at the rally, Mamata Banerjee said that 23 parties have taken part in the rally. The Modi government is past its expiry date, she said. She ended her speech with BJP hatao, desh bachao and Jai Hind, Vande Mataram.
Twenty-nine alleged criminals have been shot in their legs at almost identical spots, between the knees and ankles, in Uttar Pradeshs Kanpur over the last four months. HT has seen the medical reports and photographs in connection with 24 such cases.

A police officer familiar with the matter said alleged criminals are now being shot below their abdomens, preferably in the legs, under a new tactic that has come to be known as so-called halfencounters. The tactic appears to have been adopted to counter criticism that the police have faced over a spate of alleged extrajudicial killing of criminals since 2017.

Shooting below abdomen is part of the standard operating procedure adopted in situations wherein criminals may be shooting at police. Activists say it is difficult to determine whether the half-encounters have been even carried in non-threatening situations as most of these incidents have taken place between midnight and 4am.

An alleged criminal was last week taken to a pre-decided point marked with crime scene, do not cross warning tapes in Kanpur before he was shot at and taken to a hospital in the middle of the night, according to another police officer aware of the incident.

Gautam Buddh Nagar tops the list of the so-called half-encounters with 120 such cases. Most of them have been mostly reported in the last few months, according to police officers aware of these incidents. Meerut has the highest number of half-encounters  255  among police zones. Meerut district accounted for 79 half-encounters while 66 such cases were reported from Ghaziabad, Allahabad, Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, and Agra.

A police constable shot dead Apple manager Vivek Tiwari in Lucknow in October.

The killing was the latest in a series of extrajudicial killings, which prompted calls for police reform. A month before Tiwaris killing, police had in September invited journalists to film a shootout with two armed men, who were later shot dead in Aligarh.

Scores of alleged criminals have been killed since Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath launched a zero-tolerance fight against criminals after taking office in March 2017.

Top police officers refused to speak on the record, but said on condition of anonymity that they were trying to discourage tactics like half-encounters. Such tactics of dealing with alleged criminals seem to be gaining currency, they added. This has robbed the crime-fighting efforts of their seriousness. The Uttar Pradesh police are becoming a laughing stock, said an inspector-general rank officer, who did not wish to be named.

The crackdown on alleged criminals has raised questions particularly since many of them having been killed in an identical fashion in the states 24 districts. The police have taken flak for the contents of First Information Reports (FIRs) filed in such cases, their timing and the setting of the shootouts. The FIRs have been found to be strikingly similar in all such cases.

NGO Rihai Manch examined the FIRs and took the matter to the NHRC regarding 17 alleged extrajudicial killing cases. Rajeev Yadav, the NGOs convener, said the circumstances, the settings, and FIRs strengthen suspicions that they were indeed extrajudicial killings. The half encounters, which are suddenly happening across the state, are staged, he said.

The National Human Rights Commissions decision in May to investigate 17 killings put the police on the defensive. The Supreme Court, too, agreed on January 14 to examine in detail on the earliest possible date a plea seeking a court-monitored probe into the alleged extrajudicial killings.

Officials said district police chiefs became wary after this development and the full-encounter [extra-judicial killing] rate dropped in the state. And soon half-encounters were resorted to, they added.

The police leadership is well aware of this fact. It nullifies the well-thought-out strategy of arresting hardened criminals. The police superintendents are being given the necessary guidelines to keep their personnel under check, said a police officer.

Former police inspector general Vijay Shankar Singh said no matter what the thought process is at the top, the men in the field find half-encounters an easy way to appease their bosses. He added that this negated the legal trouble that a full-encounter could bring.

A Ghaziabad-based rights activist, Rajiv Sharma, said such half-encounters have a high rate because they help prevent an outcry. Any hardened criminal considers himself lucky to have a bullet in a leg rather than in the head. So, he or his family never challenges a half-encounter. In a half-encounter, the policemen do not face the inquiries that they do in a full-encounter, he said. Also such encounters give out the message that police are acting tough.

Inspector general (Allahabad) Mohit Agarwal insisted the priority is always to arrest alleged criminals without causing any physical harm. Many times, criminals open fire on policemen, causing a gunfight, he said. Not only criminals but even policemen have also received injuries in encounters.

Opposition Samajwadi Party lawmaker, Sunil Singh Sajan, called the half-encounters a charade. Everyone knows encounters are part of the state policy and the chief minister himself has been seen encouraging policemen with the thok do [kill them] line.
The second Defence Industrial Corridor -- connecting Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Coimbatore and Tiruchirappalli -- was inaugurated on Sunday by defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The corridor is expected to attract investments worth Rs 3,123 crore, as per the ministry of defence.

The Corridors overlap with existing defence public sector companies, and aim to bolster defence manufacturing in India.

The first Defence Industrial Corridor was thrown open in Uttar Pradesh last year. Typically comprising small, medium and big industries, the specialised corridors are expected to provide a base to boost manufacturing of indigenous defence equipment in India.

India topped the list of arms importer accounting for 13 % of the trade in weapons platform between 2012-2018, according to data released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Although the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government has been focusing on indigenous manufacturing, the results have not been encouraging.

International defence manufacturing giants like Lockheed Martin and others announced their plans to set up units in the corridor. However, a majority of the commitments to invest have come from defence public sector companies like the Bharat Electronics and Bharat Earth Movers limited.

The Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) announced plans to invest about Rs 2,305 crore in Tamil Nadu
Rajasthan police is going to set up a shelter home to protect love birds who face conflict from parents after marrying against their wishes, additional director general of police (ADGP) (Civil Rights) Janga Srinivas Rao, said.

The police will also launch a helpline to provide immediate assistance to the couples in case they danger from anyone against their marriage. The Police Headquarter (PHQ) has directed all district heads to set up helplines in compliance with a court order.

Acting upon Rajasthan High Courts direction, DGP Civil Rights Rao has prepared a detailed draft to ensure the safety of the runaway couples fearing threat to life and retaliation from hostile parents.

ADG Rao also directed all police range and district heads to appoint a senior most lady police officer at every district headquarter and police station as a nodal officer to assist the couples.

Sources said DGP Kapil Garg had suggested in the court to set up a shelter home for such couples. Sources said the court had requested the DGP to be present while hearing a criminal petition between Bajrang Lal Sharma, a resident of Koliwara, Jaipur, and the State of Rajasthan.
Bharatiya Janata Partys MLA from Mughal Sarai Sadhana Singh was at the centre of a huge controversy after she attacked BSP supremo Mayawati at a rally in her constituency.

In her remarks, the UP MLA referred to Mayawati as a person worse than a eunuch.

Addressing the rally, she referred to an incident that took place in 1995 in which Mayawati, along with several other BSP leaders, was attacked by Samajwadi Party workers. The incident had led to years of animosity between the SP and the BSP. Singh said that a woman who had undergone a chirharan (disrobing) is now compromising with the perpetrators and accused her of selling her dignity for power. She is worse than a eunuch, Sadhana Singh said.

She has no sense of self-respect. She was almost molested. In history, when Draupadi was molested, she vowed revenge. But this woman, she almost lost everything, but has still sold her dignity for the sake of power. We condemn Mayawatiji. She is a blot on womankind. A woman who gulped down insults for comfort and power is a blot on womankind, Singh said.

Sadhana Singhs remarks come close on the heels of the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party coming together in an alliance in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections.

WATCH |Sadhana Singhs comment on BSP chief Mayawati

#WATCH:BJP MLA Sadhna Singh says about BSP chief Mayawati, "jis din mahila ka blouse, petticoat, saari phat jaaye, wo mahila na satta ke liye aage aati hai. Usko pure desh ki mahila kalankit maanti hai.Wo to kinnar se bhi jyada badtar hai, kyunki wo to na nar hai, na mahila hai." pic.twitter.com/w3Cdizd8eR  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 19, 2019

Also read | Will choose next PM together: At Mamata Banerjee rally in Kolkata, Opposition vows to oust Modi govt

Reacting to Sadhana Singhs remarks, BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra said that Singh was mentally ill.

The language used by BJP leader Sadhana Singh against our party President Mayawati shows the level of the BJP. This shows that BJP is disappointed and frustrated with the SP-BSP alliance. They have no strength to win even a single seat in Uttar Pradesh. The level of language shows their mental illness. Such people should be admitted to the mental hospital of Agra or Bareli. The people of this country this time will show BJP its real place. They have lost their mental balance in fear of losing the election in Uttar Pradesh, Mishra said.

WATCH | She is mentally ill: BSP on BJP MLAs eunuch remark on Mayawati

Sadhana Singhs remarks also drew sharp criticism from the BSP ally Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav who took to Twitter and said that Singhs remarks were an insult to all women.

BJPs Mughalsarai MLAs objectionable remarks for Mayawati are grossly condemnable. This only shows the BJPs political and moral bankruptcy and frustration of BJP. This is an insult to all the women of the country, Akhilesh wrote.

Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi also reacted to Singhs statement on Twitter and said that it is disturbing to hear a lady speak in such a derogatory way about another lady.

One may have differences on issues and ideas but it disturbing: -That this lady represents the ruling party in UP-BJP (not surprising) -To hear a lady speak in such a derogatory way about another lady -To see people in the audience cheering such words, Chaturvedi tweeted.

Also read | Bachao, bachao, bachao: Modi mimics Opposition unity rally in Kolkata
Alleging that the resort where Congress legislators were staying fearing poaching owes Rs 982 crores to the Karnataka government as a penalty in a land encroachment case, the state BJP Saturday asked the Congress leaders to collect the amount and use it to waive farm loans.

Eagleton resort owe GOK Rs 998 crore Penalty amount in land encroachment case.Now that Congress Party will spend time in resort we request Maryada Purushothama Sri.@siddaramaiah,@DKShivakumar &@dineshgrao to collect this money while u return U can use it for farmer loan waiver, Karnataka BJP said in a tweet, citing media reports.

Eagleton resort owe GOK 998cr Penalty amount in land encroachment case.



Now that Congress Party will spend time in resort we request Maryada Purushothama Sri. @siddaramaiah, @DKShivakumar & @dineshgrao to collect this money while u return



U can use it for farmer loan waiver pic.twitter.com/bAZLbtJU3L  BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) January 19, 2019

After the crucial legislature party meeting on Friday, the Congress had shifted all its MLAs to Eagleton Resort to escape allegedly from the BJPs onslaught.

Recently, during the assembly session at Belagavi district, replying to a question raised by JD(S) leader A T Ramaswamy, Revenue Minister R V Deshpande had said the state government will take all measures to collect Rs 982 crores from the resort for encroaching upon 77 acres of government land.

Member of Parliament from Bengaluru (rural) D K Suresh, who was reportedly overseeing the stay of the MLAs at the resort, told reporters that the encroachment case was before the court and the facilities were not being provided for free.

During the Siddaramaiah government itself, about 20 acre was got released and taken position after measurement. It (the case) was before the court. The resort will not provide us facilities for free, he said in response to a question on the issue.

He said the party will pay the money and submit a payment bill if anybody wants it to do that.

It was at this very resort that the Income Tax department had conducted raids on senior Congress leader and minister D K Shivakumar in 2017, when he was hosting 44 Gujarat MLAs to prevent the BJP from allegedly poaching them during the Rajya Sabha polls in that state.
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has condemned the arrest and detention of Manipuri journalist Kishore Chandra Wangkhem in Imphal under the National Security Act (NSA ) last month.

This is another attempt to use the state machinery to silence dissent. Over the past few months, we have witnessed the BJP governments design to trample on constitutional rights of the people of Manipur, Gandhi said in his letter to the journalist.

Wangkhem (39), who was an anchor with a local channel in Imphal, was sentenced to one-year detention under the NSA in December, nearly a month after he was taken into custody on November 27 for allegedly targeting the BJP government in the state and in the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a Facebook post.

It is unfortunate that regressive forces continue to unleash violence with impunity, while those who seek accountability from the state are being jailed. Fascist forces have not only attempted to destroy the idea of India but attack anyone who challenges their distorted narrative, the Congress chief wrote while promising to extend support to the jailed scribe.

Wangkhems wife Elangbam Ranjita, an occupational therapist said the letter was handed over to her by TN Haokip, the president of Congress Manipur unit on Friday. He also offered her support from the party.

I want to thank Rahul Gandhi that he wrote this letter and stood up against this injustice. It was unexpected. Its not about a political party but he took a stand on humanitarian ground, Ranjita said.

 How can anyone slap NSA for merely expressing ones views? she asked.

The Manipur government had earlier said that Wangkhem was initially detained on November 27, to prevent him from acting in any matter prejudicial to the security of the state and maintenance of public order after a Facebook video that showed him criticising Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Prime Minister Modi.

In the video, the journalist reportedly described the chief minister a puppet of Modi and criticized RSS for organising a function meant to mark the birth anniversary of Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi. Wangkhem insisted that the Rani of Jhansi had nothing to do with Manipur.

Last month, members of the media fraternity across the country rallied their support behind j Wangkhem condemning his arrest and detention.
Isaiah Moss scored a season-high 21 points and Luka Garza added 20 for the Hawkeyes (16-3, 5-3 Big Ten), who shot 34 of 50 from the field to set a record for Carver-Hawkeye Arena. They hit 12 of their first 14 3-point attempts and 15 overall to blow past the young but talented Fighting Illini (5-13, 1-6).
Rajasthan chief minster Ashok Gehlot on Saturday issued a strict order to the officials to stop sale of liquor after 8 pm at all shops in the state.

Those caught selling liquor after 8 pm should be penalised; their shops should be sealed and licence should be cancelled, he ordered the Excise Department officials.

Addressing a meeting of senior officials at the Chief Ministers Office (CMO), he said: In 2008, our government had initiated similar policy to check sale of liquor in state after 8 pm which gave a positive message to the society.

It was also revealed in the meeting that many shopkeepers are charging higher amount than the Maximum Selling Price (MSP) quoted on bottles. Gehlot directed to take strict actions against them as well.

He also ordered the officials to stop illegal transportation of liquor in the state.
Jammu and Kashmirs former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday alleged that Muslim tribal communities like Gujjars and Bakerwals are being evicted from their homes in Jammu in these winter months and harassed in the name of bovine smuggling under the governors administration.

She said that Muslims are feeling vulnerable in Jammu and also accused fanatic elements of selectively targeting the community there.

Addressing a press conference at her residence, Mehbooba Mufti said that, as chief minister, she had issued an order saying there will be no harassment of Gujjars and Bakerwals till the time the forest act was enacted which would have stopped their harassment in the name of clearing encroachments.

We were hopeful of same treatment from the governor-led administration so that no one will be harassed. But unfortunately, under the nose of the governor, this time there is selective targeting of Gujjars and Bakerwals, she said.

Mehbooba Mufti, who is the Peoples Democratic Party president, said that after her PDP-BJP government fell last year, dozens of families of these communities selectively got notices in July to vacate their homes and then after December, also many families were being evicted from their homes in the name of clearing encroachments.

When I was in Jammu, I went to governor and briefed him about it. He assured me that for the time being they wont be disturbed, particularly there will be no harassment in winter months. But unfortunately excesses are happening with these people. As you know, these people raise goats and sheep and they are being harassed in the name of bovine smuggling as well, she said.

Mehbooba Mufti said that there have been some forces in Jammu who did criminal acts, in a reference to the rape and murder of 8-year-old tribal girl, as they want to scare Muslims so that they leave.

The land rates of areas where Muslims are living are being increased. All the areas where Muslims are living, they are being brought under municipalities so that the constructions are made difficult. The Muslims of Jammu are being openly threatened that we will create 1947-like situation, she said.

She said that Jammu has been a confluence of multiple cultures for the past many decades but accused some fanatic elements of targeting the amity prevalent in the region.

There are some fanatic elements in Jammu like Ek Jhuth Maha Adiveshan, Save Jammu Crusade; they are organizing programmes claiming that these Muslims and tribals are outsiders. But in reality, the Gujjars-Bakerwals are the original resident of this area who have been living before 1947 . If anybody are the original residents of Jammu, it is the Gujjars-Bakerwals, she said.

I have already said that there is ghettoisation of minorities across the country and they are being separated. We wont let this happen in Jammu and Kashmir.

If the governors administration doesnt take care of this fragile situation, it can have serious consequences, not only for Jammu but also for Kashmir. In the past we have seen when something happens here, it affects Jammu and if something happens there, it affects the situation here. The situation could go out of control, she said.

She said that the Gujjar-Bakerwal community is the most loyal and has protected the country in all situations.
East Jaintia Hills district Deputy Commissioner FM Dopth has asked families of the trapped miners from West Garo Hills to come to the site of the accident in an effort to identify a body spotted by the Navys Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) on Wednesday, a spokesperson of the East Jaintia Hills district administration said today.

The spokesperson reiterated that while efforts were on to retrieve the body, there is a risk of the body disintegrating. Rescuers had said how parts of the unidentified body disintegrated as the ROV attempted to pull it out on Wednesday.

Earlier on Thursday, representatives of five families from Chirang in Assam and East Jaintia Hills had met the DC. The representative of the families from Chirang told the DC that they want the body to be pulled out as they are Muslims and needed to bury the body or part of it even if it disintegrates

Meanwhile, superintendent of police (SP) of East Jaintia Hills district Sylvester Nongtynger said they are investigating claims by family of Kuti Miya, a miner from Hojai in Assam, that he too is trapped in the mine.

His brother Aminul Uddin, who also worked in the mine till December 7, said Miya is also trapped. The claim was confirmed by Sayeb Ali, who managed to survive when the mine flooded on December 13. He said to travelled to the site of the accident on December 14 and gave details of his brother to the district administration.

This would take the number of trapped miners to 16 even as Ali claimed there is one more from Nepal who is trapped inside.

Its difficult to know the exact number since the district administration has not been able to get to the Sardar, who was managing the mine operations and knows the details of the people who were working there, said a NDRF official who is part of the joint rescue team.

This NDRF official said since a decision to retrieve the dead body has not been taken yet, one of the Navys ROV is still attached to the spotted dead body in the rat hole. Till the body is pulled out, the ROV cannot enter this particular rat hole and look for the other miners.

The Navy had pulled out the ROV after spotting the dead body on Wednesday. It took many hours to spot it again, a rescuer claimed.

The Navy, meanwhile, continues to scan another rat hole with its second ROV. Its a maze of tunnels as you enter the rat hole. They branch out every ten feet. Its not easy to do it without someone who has worked there, said the NDRF official.

Hopes of any survivors more than a month after the mine flooded have receded. State government officials also suggested that that rescue operation is still under way only because of the Supreme Court order. The matter will be heard again on Monday.
Manoj Thackeray, a BJP leader from Balwadi in Madhya Pradeshs Barwai, was found dead in a field early in the morning on Sunday.

Balwadi is about 160 km from Indore.

His body was found in a field in Warla Police Stations limits. Manoj Thackeray had left home for a morning walk early today.

The police have found a blood-stained rock from the crime site and believe that Manoj Thackeray was killed with that rock. We are investigating the matter, ASP Balwadi said.

Further details are awaited.

Thackeray is the second BJP leader to be killed in a week in Madhya Pradesh after Prahlad Bandhwar was shot dead on January 17 in Mandsaur.

Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan alleged that was a conspiracy behind the murder and demanded a probe by the CBI. .

Former MP CM SS Chouhan: Govt is taking this lightly. There seems to be a larger conspiracy behind this (BJP leader killed in Mandsaur). I demand a CBI inquiry. BJP leader was killed in Barwani, I warn the govt that they stop such incidents otherwise BJP will come out on streets. https://t.co/e7v2qS0WdV  ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2019
Can government agencies including the Enforcement Directorate (ED) confiscate former liquor baron Vijay Mallyas properties, is the question doing rounds ever since the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court declared him a fugitive economic offender.

But legal eagles opine that a lengthy procedure, including another round of court hearings, await before the agencies can confiscate and auction Mallyas properties.

The court will be considering the say of all the parties and stakeholders involved in confiscating of the properties, said an ED official privy to the investigation, adding that these parties are likely to include joint-owners and share- holders.

Read | No intention to return: Court on declaring Mallya fugitive economic offender

ED sources stated that in the scenario of confiscation of properties, the court is likely to look if the deals are legitimate and that they are not covert transactions to hide the money trail or to hide the real ownership of the property. The unencumbered properties that are free of any debt and financial liabilities are likely to be confiscated first. People who have interest in Mallyas properties may cry foul before the court, added the ED official, who said, A list of properties and the list of persons who may have interest have already been submitted in the court.

A host of entities have filed applications to intervene in the proceedings, before any order was passed to confiscate properties worth 4,234.84 crore belonging to the beleaguered businessman. The entities include his stepmother Ritu Mallya, Heineken NV and the official liquidator appointed by the Karnataka high court (HC), among others.

Mallyas stepmother, through her lawyer Annapurna Bordoloi, filed an intervention application, claiming the ED had falsely attached 17% of shares of two companies that belonged to her. She has sought to be heard before the ED confiscates it.

Also Read | 27 defaulting businessmen, economic offenders fled India in last five years

The official liquidator appointed by the Karnataka HC, too, approached the PMLA court. The liquidator was appointed to take over United Breweries Holdings Limited (UBHL), after a single-judge bench of the Karnataka HC passed the order to wind up UBHL in 2017. This was done to recover the money owed to banks and others.

There will be banks which will say that there are secured interest and it will not be an easy process, said advocate Abad Ponda.

Advocate Shamsher Garud said, As per the provisions of financial laws including The Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Securities Interest Act, 2002 (also known as the SARFAESI Act), the secured lenders have the first charge not withstanding anything in any other statute. So unless those proceedings are over and if any property is unencumbered free, then perhaps (ED) can attach and auction.

On January 5, Mallya became the first Indian businessman to be declared a fugitive economic offender by a PMLA court.
An umbrella organisation of Hindu outfits on Sunday vowed to defeat any attempts to dilute the age-old custom of preventing the entry of women and girls in the menstruating age into Keralas Sabarimala Temple.

The Sabarimala Karma Samiti (SKS) said it will continue the struggle against the dilution until its gets justice as the umbrella group organized a meeting of the temples devotees in Thiruvananthapuram. The meeting coincided with the end of the annual pilgrimage to the hill temple.

Spiritual leader Mata Amritanandmai, who was the chief guest at the gathering, called temples pillars of India civilisation. Every temple has its own customs and traditions. It is the duty of believers to uphold these customs. If customs are flouted, our culture will suffer, said Amritanandmai.

The ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI (M) criticised Amritanandmais presence at the meet. It was not proper on the part of Amma [Amritanandmai] to attend such a meet, said state CPI (M) secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.

Messages of another spiritual leader, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, and Pejawar Mutt chief (NAME) and others were read out at the meet.

Former Kerala police chief, T P Senkumar, who spoke at the event, alleged there were concerted attempts to denigrate the temples divinity. He accused the state government of not presenting the Sabarimala case in the apex court properly.

The Supreme Court had in September ordered the end of the ban on women and girls in the menstruating age group from entering the temple. But the temple has refused to abide by the ruling and devotees have since blocked subsequent attempts of women in the 15 to 50 age group to visit the shrine.

The SKS claimed over 0.2 million devotees attended the meeting against the ruling while 200 religious organisations supported it.

According to the trust, which controls the temple, there has been a 30% dip in the number of pilgrims, who have visited the temple since the Supreme Court ruling sparked a series of protests. The revenue generated at the shrine has decreased by Rs 96.55 crore compared to the previous season, the trust added.

Hindu groups have justified the ban on women in the 10 to 50 age group, citing the celibate nature of the temples presiding deity, Lord Ayyappa.

The states Left Democratic Front government has said it is determined to uphold the courts verdict. On January 2, two women in their 40s became the first in the menstruating age group to worship at the shrine. A violent shutdown followed the next day in protest.

The BJP, which is trying to make inroads into Kerala and has backed protests against the Supreme Court ruling, has separately announced an end of its month-long agitation over it.
Liked the turban the Prime Minister sported at a recent event? Or the shawl he was gifted? Well, heres your opportunity to own them.

The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in New Delhi may this month auction gifts and mementos received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the proceeds from the auction will be used for a noble cause, according to Union culture minister Mahesh Sharma.

Proceeds of the auction will go to Namami Gange, a mission undertaken by the Union Government for conservation and rejuvenation of the Ganga river.

The more than 1,800 items on offer include paintings, photographs, pagadis(turbans), shawls, sculptures and other gifts given to the Prime Minister.

There will be a physical auction that can spread over two days followed by an e-sale of three days.

NGMA, which functions under the ministry of culture, maintains galleries for permanent display and also organises special exhibitions of art. In October last year, NGMA had organised an exhibition of the gifts given to Modi.

We have proposed to have an auction of the gift items presented to our Prime Minster by the various individuals and organisations in the country. The money collected will go for a noble cause. Our plan is to have the auction within next 10-15 days, minister Sharma said.

A similar auction was held in Gujarat in 2015 with the proceeds going to Namami Gange.

The reserve price of most items is Rs 500. A website featuring the gifts is likely to go live soon.

This is a great initiative. More importantly, the money will be used for a noble cause, said Siddhartha Tagore director, Art Deal Auction House.
The Congress on Sunday issued notices to four lawmakers in Karnataka over their absence from a legislature party meeting two days earlier. The meeting was called as a show of strength against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)s alleged attempt to topple the Congresss coalition government with the Janata Dal (Secular) or JD (S).

The four include Ramesh Jarkiholi, who was dropped from the state cabinet in December,

B Nagendra, Umesh Jadhav, and Mahesh Kumatahalli, news agency Press Trust of India (PTI) quoted unnamed Congress sources as saying.

The absence of the four poses no immediate threat to the government. The JDS-Congress combine has 118 lawmakers in the 224-member Karnataka assembly. It is well above the majority mark  113.

In the notice to Jarkiholi, Congress legislative party leader, Siddaramaiah has asked him to explain reports that he was joining the BJP. He has been asked about his visits to Delhi and Mumbai to meet BJP leaders and why he has not rejected these reports.Your conduct suggests that you will voluntarily quit from the membership of the Indian National Congress. You have got elected as a legislator on Congress symbol and cannot quit as party member under the Constitution, PTI quoted the notice as saying.

Siddaramaiah had issued notices to all party lawmakers ahead of the Friday meeting. He had warned that their absence would be viewed seriously and action initiated according to the anti-defection law.

As many as 76 Congress lawmakers attended the meet. They were shifted to a resort on Bengaluru outskirts to counter BJPs alleged moves to lure them to topple the government.

The BJP legislators, who were sent to a luxury hotel in Gurgaon also over poaching fears, returned to Karnataka on Saturday.

Congress lawmaker hospitalised

One of the Congress lawmakers camping at the resort over poaching fears was hospitalisation on Sunday, according to a party leader. Anand Singh, the lawmaker from Vijayanagara, was admitted to a private hospital.

Karnataka minister C Puttarangashetty, who is also staying at the resort, said there were heated arguments between Singh and JN Ganesh, the lawmaker from Kampli, even during the second Congress legislative party meeting on Saturday.

They were at it in the meeting and it appeared to have carried on into the night. I could hear raised voices near my room, but I cannot say for certain that there was physical violence, Puttarangashetty said.

Congress leader and minister D K Shivakumar denied that the two lawmakers had fought.

The Ballari MLAs [Singh, Ganesh, minister E Tukaram, and LBP Bheema Naik] and I had gone for a reception and held a meeting about the district before returning here. Singh has gone to attend a wedding. But you [the media] are speculating that there was a fight, he said. Wait for another hour or two, he will return and tell you what happened. He denied reports of a fight or violence. Nothing has happened.

BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa claimed there had been a drunken brawl. Siddaramiah has to answer for this. Police should immediately launch an investigation and it is shameful that in spite of a murderous assault, no case has been registered.

Singhs wife, Lakshmi, said she was worried for her husband but had been informed that everything was alright.

(With PTI inputs)
Ahead of Congress president Rahul Gandhis visit to Odisha on January 25, turbulence continues to rock the grand old party with the state unit expelling former union minister Srikant Jena and another Dalit leader from Koraput late Saturday evening on charges of anti-party activities.

In a statement issued by the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) disciplinary committee, senior leader Anant Sethi said the former union minister and former Koraput MLA Krushna Chandra Sagaria have been expelled for their continuous anti-party comments.

Both Jena and Sagaria have been expelled from the party as per the approval of the All India Congress Committee, Sethi said in a statement.

Ever since he was removed as chairman of OPCC manifesto committee in December last year, Jena has been sharply critical of State PCC chief Niranjan Patnaik. Soon after his removal, he resigned from all party posts. The Congress has to take a decision on whether it wants to do politics with the help of the Patnaik family or whether it is with 94 per cent of the people of Odisha. I will travel to the villages of the state and unmask these corrupt leaders, Jena had said last month. The former minister had lost the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Balasore seat.

Last month, while on dharna demanding waiver of farm loans, Jena had said Naveen Patnaiks Kalia scheme will be a burden for State Government which has not collected Rs 50,000 crore from mining mafia in an indirect reference to PCC chief. Niranjan Patnaiks extended family were named in the Odisha mining scam. Jena had also created a stir in the party demanding that Congress declare a Dalit face as the partys chief ministerial candidate for the 2019 assembly elections.

Sagaria, also expelled along with Jena, was the lone Dalit MLA of the Congress in the party. He had quit from the post of general secretary of the Odisha PCC in October, after he was removed from the post of chief of partys Dalit cell. Two days ago he had openly challenged PCC chief saying no one can deprive him of party ticket in 2019 polls.

The Congress is in dire straits in Odisha with its working president Naba Kishore Das and tribal MLA Jogesh Singh resigning from the party to join BJD last week. At least six more sitting MLAs are likely to quit and join the BJD.

With just 16 seats in 2014 Assembly polls, Congress recorded its worst-ever performance in its electoral history winning just 25.7 per cent of the votes polled. Had it secured 2 less seats, it would have even forefeited the right to get the Leader of Opposition status in the Assembly. Following the defections of Naba Kishore Das and Jogesh Sing and the expulsion of Sagaria, its strength in the House has come down to 13.

In the 2017 panchayat polls, The Congress its vote share slumped to less than 20 per cent as the party conceded the main opposition tag to the BJP.
In a bid to enhance the logistical efficiency on Indias highway network, the transport ministry is planning a network of 35 multi-modal logistics parks which will account for 50% of the road freight in the country, according to a ministry proposal.

India has a total road network of 5.6 million km. National highways account for 2.3% of this with a total length of 131,326 km, state highways account for 144,961 km and other roads 5.3 million km. National highways cater to more than 40% of the road traffic.

The transport ministry, in a review meeting with the 15th Finance Commission on Wednesday, said that a draft policy on the development of the multi-modal logistics parks envisioned to be key production and consumption centres has been prepared and shared with the department of commerce.

Setting up of Multi-Modal Logistics Parks (MMLPs) part of transport ministrys Logistics Efficiency Enhancement Program (LEEP) are aimed to improve the countrys logistics sector by lowering overall freight costs, reducing vehicular pollution and congestion, and cutting warehousing costs.

Of the 35 identified locations, 24 are situated on the national corridors planned to be taken up for development in the Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase-I, the ministry noted in its presentation, a copy of which has been accessed by HT. It added work on the detailed project reports (DPRs) for seven locations - Nagpur, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Surat, Sangrur and Jogighopa (Guwahati) - has begun.

The role of ministry of road transport and highways is to assist the states for the preparation of DPRs for logistics parks, the provision of road connectivity to the Multi-Modal Logistics Parks (MMLPs), the identification of potential locations, and to co-ordinate with the ministries of railways and shipping for connectivity to other modes like rail and inland waterways, the ministry told finance commission.

In 2017, 33 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed with state governments of Assam, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Gujarat, Container Corporation of India Ltd (Concor), Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), Port Trusts, National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFFCCIL) and private entities such as Ascendas on initiatives to improve state of logistics worth Rs 2 lakh crore, the ministry noted.

This is a good initiative but just an idea as of now and it remains unclear on how it will help reduce logistics cost. Isolated projects such as the construction of the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) will go a long way in bringing down congestion and directly impacting cost, Shubham Jain,Vice President, ICRA Limited.

This comes in the backdrop of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) governments plans of setting up multi-modal terminal hubs along the national waterways as part of the part of the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP,) a Rs 5,369 crore World Bank-aided project on the Ganga aimed at augmenting the navigational capacity of the Varanasi to Haldia stretch of the river. HT reported in October that the governments plan to set up a multi-modal terminal that provides rail, road and waterways connectivity in Varanasi has run into trouble because of places of worship on the land.
Procurement: The way it is structured forces the city to pay for materials and services at higher than market rates. One way to combat that is to free the citys buyer to engage in direct negotiations with vendors, including auctions, to select the best product or service at the best price, similar to the way a consumer shops for a product. This gives the buyer the power to negotiate for a lower price. I know you are thinking the bid process is supposed to do that. It does not. If procurement is properly reformed, the city could easily save hundreds of millions of dollars a year.
An inebriated Bihar policeman, who had arrived at his wedding venue at a village under Kahalgaon subdivision in Bihars Bhagalpur, was told off by his would-be bride on Thursday night.

The constable, Uday Rajak, posted in Nalanda, was later arrested under anti-liquor Act. Sale, consumption and storage of liquor is banned in Bihar since April 5, 2016.

Eyewitnesses said the girl refused to marry Uday after she came to know that her fiance was drunk and the barat party had indulged in brawl with some members in an inebriated condition.

Despite persuasion by family members of bridegroom that she would not face any problem in future, she stuck to her decision. The girl refused to marry Uday saying it wont be possible for her to spend life with a man who was in a habit of consuming liquor.

The marriage of the girl was scheduled to be solemnised with Uday, son of Rajkishore Rajak, a resident of village Pain under Sultanganj block in Bhagalpur district, on Thursday.

However, when the barat party, comprising more than 50 members, arrived at the wedding venue, a brawl erupted between members of bride and some drunk members of bridegroom party over playing music by DJ and dancing.

A few relatives of the bride, including her maternal uncle, uncle and maternal grandfather, sustained injury in the quarrel.

Assistant superintendent of police (ASP), Kahalgaon, Dilnawaz Ahmad, said father of the girl lodged an FIR with Kahalgaon police station on Friday against bridegroom in this regard.

Ahmad said a case was lodged under Sections 341, 323, 504, 188, 290, and 34 of IPC besides Section 37(C) of Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2018.

He said after breath analyser test confirmed that Uday was drunk, he was arrested on Friday. Following his production in a court on Saturday, he was forwarded to jail on judicial remand, he added.
From a high of 39,090 in 2010-11 to a low of 16,550 in 2016-17, there has been a steady downward spiral of Indian students coming to the UK, but for the first time in recent years, the number is on the upswing: 19,750 in 2017-18, including first-year students.

Figures released on Thursday by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show that the UK is still not the most preferred choice of Indian students, but the perception that the country does not welcome international students may be shifting slowly.

Indian and other non-European Union (EU) students typically pay at least three times the fees applicable to UK or EU students. Several research reports have been published in recent years on the multi-billion-pound contribution to the UK economy by international students.

HESA figures show that China sent more students to the UK than any other country. In 2017-18; one-third of all non-EU students were from China: 1,06,530.

Student numbers from India declined from 39,090 in 2010/11 to 16,550 in 2016/17. In 2017/18, for the first time this rose to 19,750, the same level it had been at in 2013/14, HESA said.

Immigration statistics published by the Home Office in November 2018, which compare the year ending September 2018 with the year ending September 2017, also noted a rise in sponsored study visas granted to Indian nationals (up 33% to 18,735), it added.

The new figures suggest that the increase in Indian student numbers is at the postgraduate level. The largest drop was for vocational courses, mainly due to the closure of several bogus colleges, which had been recruiting non-EU students for non-academic purposes.

A major reason for Indian students staying away from UK in recent years has been the closure in 2012 of the post-study work visa, which was popular among self-financing students. It is unlikely to be reintroduced anytime soon, but the restriction has been eased somewhat.

A visa pilot programme running at 27 universities allows Indian and other non-EU students more time to find employment after completing their studies, while another relaxation will allow taking up employment after course completion, without waiting for the degrees to be awarded.

International students are increasingly on the agenda of Britains exit from the EU. According to the new system to come into effect from 2021, international students at the postgraduate and undergraduate levels will be able to stay for six months after completing their courses to find work. Those completing PhD will have a year to do so.

We will also allow for students studying at bachelors level or above to be able to apply to switch into the skilled workers route up to three months before the end of their course in the UK, and from outside of the UK for two years after their graduation, a white paper released in December said. There have been growing demands that international students not be counted as immigrants after official reports belied claims that many non-EU students do not return home after completing their studies. Prime Minister Theresa May has so far rejected such demands.
A 74-year-old Sikh model, Pritam Singh, has made it to the massive billboards at Times Square in New York, making his community and Indians proud all over the world. He can be seen endorsing Dollar Shave Club, a California-based company that deals in the mens grooming products, reported American Bazaar Online.

Pritam, who lives in Northridge, California, appears in the companys new commercial for beard oil and according to the reports, the company chose a Sikh over any other person to show the diversity in the country. Beard oil because for some people beards are religion, reads the tagline for the commercial.

Pritam didnt believe when he saw his picture on billboards at Times Square. I was informed about this by a friend who lives in New York City and was passing by Times Square, Pritam was quoted by American Bazaar Online as saying.

An actor and a part of Screen Actors Guild for many years, Pritam shot for the commercial in Universal City, California, sometime ago, but was unaware that his portrait would be put up at Times Square, reported American Bazaar Online.

Pritam came to America from Patiala in 1983. After initial years of struggle, he set up a real estate business.

He has also played small roles in movies including Hancock, Sleeper Cell, Princess Diaries, Spider-Man (2002) and Naked Gun. It is gratifying to see my dad on the iconic billboard, said his son Amandeep who too is an aspiring actor and has appeared in a Greys Anatomy episode.
Central government jobs and services which come up from February onwards will have to implement the 10% quota for economically weaker sections (EWS), the Union ministry of personnel, grievances and pensions has notified.

An order passed by the ministry refers to an office memorandum of the social justice ministry, which mentions the Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Act 2019, that provides 10% reservation to the EWS category in jobs as well as educational institutions. Persons who are not covered under the existing scheme of reservations and whose family income is below Rs 8 lakh are identified as EWS for the benefit of reservation, the ministry said.

Family for this purpose will include the person seeking the reservation benefit, her or his parents, siblings aged below 18, spouse, and children below the age of 18. It is hereby notified that 10% reservation would be provided for the EWS in central government posts and services and would be effective in respect of all direct recruitment vacancies to be notified or after 01.02.2019, the ministry order says.
Fridays chaos at the Delhi airport, when hundreds of flights were held up due to dense fog, was due to airlines failing to decide the sequence in which the flights should depart after visibility improved, air traffic officials said. They said the airlines did not prioritise which flight will go first after visibility improved, leading to confusion, with every pilot calling the Air Traffic Control (ATC) for permission to take off.

At least 600 flights were hit at the Indira Gandhi International Airport Friday morning after the years worst spell of fog yet as well as restrictions for Republic Day rehearsals forced flight operations to be suspended during peak hours, leading to a cascading impact on schedules, which lasted at least 7-8 hours.

Officials said Saturday lack of coordination worsened delays and forced many passengers to wait inside aircraft.

Normally, the process to clear backlog involves airlines communicating to airport authorities which of their flights must be sequenced first. For instance, if five different airlines had 10 flights each to depart and there were only four slots, they were unable to tell us which four will go first. Passengers of all 10 flights were asked to board instead, an (ATC) official, not authorised to speak to the media, said.

While most airlines have systems and pilots for handling low visibility conditions, using the CAT3B technology, landings and take-offs are suspended when visibility drops below 75 metre. The visibility between 5:30am and 9:30am was below 75 metre but once it improved, we didnt receive any sequence and every pilot was calling us, requesting to depart. By the time things were sorted, restrictions for R-Day began. The airlines should prepare a list of flights they want to depart first, in advance, a second ATC official said. Restrictions for R-Day rehearsals were in place from 10:35am to 12:15pm.

Also Read | Security tightened at IGI ahead of Republic Day, CISF advises flyers to arrive early

According to a Vistara spokesperson, almost all of their captains and a majority of first officers are qualified to operate in CAT-IIIB conditions. 100% of our morning departures and arrivals are planned with LVTO and CAT3B crew capability, and we extend this to night operations too. We witnessed major disruptions on January 3 and 18, primarily because weather deterioration, and airspace closure for R-Day. However, none of our flights were diverted and very few were cancelled, the spokesperson added.

A Jet Airways spokesperson said, Nearly three-quarters of all Jet Airways pilots are trained to operate under various CAT conditions, especially CAT two and three. The airline has a centralised operations centre, where dedicated planning teams track and study network-wide weather forecasts. Their intelligence is integrated into daily operations of the airline.

Air Asia India spokesperson said, Timely updates on the schedule are sent to guests in regard to fog related delays. Anticipatory delay messages are sent to guests followed by actual revised departure timings.

A GoAir spokesperson said the air carrier creates a roster keeping fog conditions in mind. So, all our pilots operating in those sectors are CAT III compliant. We do time to time announcements through SMS and social media channels, the spokesperson said. IndiGo and Spicejet did not respond to email queries .

Also Read | Fog hit 400 flights at IGI airport on Thursday, affected operations for 2 hours

An official from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the countrys civil aviation regulator, said it might step in to review procedures. We had a meeting with airlines, airport operators and ATC before fog season but confusion seems to persist. We will review the situation again, the official said.

Experts said all the three stakeholders need to coordinate better. Airlines ask passengers to board so that they can blame the ATC for delay. Airlines do not prioritise flights and the ATC should decide and let airlines know, Mark Martin, CEO of a Dubai-based aviation consulting firm, who was stuck in an aircraft for two hours, said.
Five luxury cars have been reported as missing from an automobile workshop in Nangloi in Delhi. The police have registered a case and an investigation is underway.

Several teams have been formed to recover the missing vehicles.

The incident assumes significance considering that the vehicles have been reported missing just days before the Republic Day and when security in the national capital is at an all-time high.

The missing cars include a Force Gurkha, a Volkswagen Polo, a Ford Ecosport, a Mitsubishi Pajero and a Honda Amaze.

The workshop owner said he got a call from his employee on Wednesday to inform about the incident. I got a call from a helper on Wednesday morning about this. The keys of the stolen vehicles were kept on the Pajeros dashboard, he told ANI.

DCP (outer) told news agency ANI that several teams had been formed to recover the cars.

Force Gurkha and Volkswagen Polo belonged to a man living next to the workshop who used to park his vehicles at there.
An enduring narrative that has built up in the run up to the 2019 parliamentary elections has been on the return of the relevance of regional parties which found themselves in the cold in 2014 and, to a lesser extent, in 2009.

Thats true to some extent, but it overstates the case and ignores several nuances.

The seat share (number of seats won as a proportion of all seats in the Lok Sabha) of all parties other than the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2014 was the lowest since 1991, at 40%. Still, it was almost the same as it was in 2009 (40.7%) and 1998 (40.5%). That, and the fact that there has been no clear trend in the seat share of these parties since 1984, is telling. Their seat shares have ranged from a low of 23.2% in 1984 to a high of 48% just five years later, in 1989. Conclusion: 2014 and 2009 were outliers in statistical terms, but not by much.

Interestingly, the vote share of these parties in 2014 (49.2%) was the fourth highest since 1984 (there were nine elections between 1984 and 2014, both end years included). The highest was in 2009 when it was 52.6%. Again, there has been no clear trend in the vote share of these parties since 1984 that has ranged from a low of 43.5 to a high of 52.6. Conclusion: enough people voted for the regional parties in the parliamentary elections in 2014 and 2009.

It is interesting, though, that these parties saw their highest vote share, 52.6%, in a year (2009) when they saw among their lowest seat shares (40.7%). Conclusion: 2009, which saw the formation of a government in which the regional parties were more relevant and enjoyed significant power, was actually more of an aberration than 2014, which saw the formation of a government where the regional parties have almost no powers.

Strike rates present a clearer picture. As a group, regional parties usually have a lower strike rate  this is simply the seat share percentage by vote share percentage to show the efficiency with which a party is able to convert seats into votes  than the BJP in all elections starting 1989. They have a strike share higher than the Congress in 1989, 1999, and, of course, 2014, when the Congress strike rate was an abysmal 0.4. In 1996, the strike rate of these parties (.87) was almost the same as the Congress (0.9). To close the loop, the Congress registered its second lowest strike rate since 2014 in 1999 (0.7).

On the face of it, these numbers would seem to suggest a part-adversarial and part-symbiotic relationship between the Congress and these parties. Both 1989 and 1996 saw a coalition of so-called Third Front governments. But when the Congress strike rate fell sharply, as it did in 1999 and 2014, the BJP formed the government.

The numbers also highlight a characteristic of the BJPs performance that is well known. The differentiation the BJP has managed to achieve as a party underlies these numbers as well; its strike rate is an indication of two things: it knows its areas of strengths and focuses on them; and its traditional support base is more loyal than that of most other parties. To be sure  and this is also known  it is only recently that the BJP has started contesting as many seats as the Congress across India.

Two axioms fit the pattern of these numbers.

The first is on how political parties evolve and grow. As a party grows, its appeal increases, from one caste- or class- group to a broad coalition of caste- and class-groups. As this happens, it encroaches on, and if it is strong enough, takes over the turf of smaller regional parties. The resultant electoral jostling results, in many cases, in some sort of equilibrium, although in others, one side wins and the other is consigned to irrelevance. The Congress in Tamil Nadu and Bihar is a good example of that. As is the BJP, which grew from next to nothing in 1984 to part of an anti-Congress coalition (from the outside) to the head of such a coalition itself to the dominant force in Indian politics.

The BJP had become the dominant party across all states by the middle of 2018, with its appeal growing beyond its traditional base. In 2014, it achieved this by simply eating into the Congress share of seats. Between then and the middle of 2018, it continued to win elections, and in these, it ate into the share of regional parties as well. Indeed, in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, it and not the Congress will be the main opponent of the Biju Janata Dal and the Trinamool Congress in Odisha and West Bengal. This is true for the assembly elections too.

The second is simple maths. In a three-cornered race in a first-past-the-post system such as Indias, the regional parties will stay relevant only if there isnt too much gap between the other two groupings or parties  in terms of seat share, and strike rate. In 2014, there was.

The axioms and the BJPs pole position (at least till late 2018 and, perhaps, even now to some degree) explain why the Congress needs the regional parties and, more importantly, why the regional parties need the Congress.

letters@hindustantimes.com
Rahul Gandhis recent admission that hes changed his position on the Sabarimala issue and can now see validity in both arguments raises an interesting question: is he being honest or simply politically convenient if not lazy? The truth is I know several other people who also find it difficult to take a firm stand on one or other side of this debate. In a sense thats true of me as well.

The Supreme Courts position is that this is an issue of individual rights and its unconstitutional to bar women between the ages of 10 and 50 from entering the temple. As Justice Chandrachud put it: The right of a denomination must be balanced with the individual rights of each of its members. It would be impossible to conceive of the preservation of liberal constitutional values while at the same time allowing group rights to defy those values.

If courts can intervene and lift the bar on female entry into the Haji Ali Dargah or the Shani Shingnapur temple in Maharashtra, it would be inconsistent not to do the same in Sabarimala. More importantly, ours is not an age that will accept differences in rights on grounds of gender. The curtain of history has fallen, firmly and irrevocably, on such thinking.

However, there is another viewpoint. Belief and tradition are intrinsic parts of faith and theyre not easily susceptible to rational scrutiny. After all, women cannot become priests in the Catholic Church nor do they pray alongside men in Sunni mosques. More pertinently, there are several Hindu temples where the entry of men is either not allowed or restricted. There are at least three in Kerala but they also exist in Assam, Bihar, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. So why cant Sabarimala maintain a tradition it believes is intrinsic to its deitys status as a naishtika brahmachari (eternal celibate)?

Now the answer to two further questions might help determine whether inability or unwillingness to take a clear stand on these two views is a reflection of honest thinking or political convenience and laziness.

First, how well established is the tradition that bars the entry of women? There are credible reports that suggest it only stretches back to the middle of the last century. TKA Nair, the former principal secretary to Dr Manmohan Singh, says his mother visited the temple whilst she was still having children. The Maharani of Travancore visited in 1939-40 when she was in her 40s. And a 1991 judgment of the Kerala High Court mentions that the Tantri confirmed that the temple permitted women during non-pilgrimage periods. So how hallowed and unbreakable is this tradition if its of relatively recent origin?

Perhaps the second question is more pertinent. Do we, as a liberal progressive society, have a moral duty to re-evaluate traditions and practices in the light of what we deem to be progressive and correct? If the answer is yes, then, surely, barring women of menstruating age is no longer acceptable. Like old and now repealed laws on adultery and homosexuality, the bar on women must give way to modern morality and thinking.

As youve perhaps spotted, I can see the argument on both sides but I dont believe they have equal validity. Even if I only do so by a somewhat tortuous process, I would eventually decide in favour of the Supreme Courts position. We need to keep moving forward. If we accept Sabarimala as a unique exclusion, we will, in fact, be stepping back in time.

Karan Thapar is the author of Devils Advocate: The Untold Story

The views expressed are personal
As you probably know, one of the triggers for the great revolt of 1857 (or the First War of Independence or the Mutiny, depending on your perspective) was a story that spread across India. According to those who claimed to be in the know, the British army had coated cartridges with animal fat. Soldiers had to bite off the covering of the cartridges to use them. This meant that they ended up eating bits of the animal fat.

But, or so went the story, the fat came from cows and pigs. So soldiers were now required to consume beef fat and pork fat. This offended both Hindus and Muslims and led to revolts in army units.

The British said that no pig or cow fat was used and that the story was just a rumour. But when it comes to the politicisation of food, facts often count for less than perceptions. (And it is entirely possible that the Brits were lying, anyway!) Much of todays so-called food history tends to be only about perception. Truth seems to matter less and less.

Ancient texts such as The Arthashastra contain many references to meat eating

In fact, I am beginning to believe that, at no point since 1857, has food been as politicised as it is today. The renewed furore about beef eating is mostly political. The battle between khichri and biryani is really not about rice dishes at all. It is about so-called Hindu foods and Muslim foods. And the debate is prolonged only for political reasons.

In the popular imagination, a certain caricature of Indian food habits persists. According to this version, good Hindus were always vegetarians. Meat eating was a great sin. Beef eating was an even greater sin. Then, along came the Mughals. They promoted meat eating. They took their biryanis all over India and contaminated the pure vegetarian Indian tradition.

By prosecuting those who eat beef and by honouring vegetarianism, we are told, our country is going back to ancient Indian traditions. We are restoring this great Hindu nation to a time when gods walked the earth and peace ruled the land.

India was never a vegetarian country. The view that ancient Hindus were all vegetarians is nothing but a myth

The problem with this caricature is that almost every single fact in it is wrong.

First of all, India was never a vegetarian country. Whether you went North or South in ancient India, the kings usually ate meat. (So did the gods in our epics.) Ancient Indian rulers did not just eat meat or chicken. They ate tortoises, deer, peacocks and other birds and animals.

Khichri became popular not because of our devotion to vegetarian cuisine, but because it was cheap and easy to cook (Shutterstock)

Even during the Indus Valley Civilisation, one of the worlds oldest urban civilisations dating back to 3,000 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, animals were raised and slaughtered for food. During the Vedic period, non-vegetarianism was common. Even Ayurveda, which we regard now as a purely Hindu vegetarian phenomenon, advocated remedies based on meat.

The popularity of vegetarianism came from the Jain, rather than Hindu, tradition. Even the Buddha (who came after Mahavir and the founding of Jainism) did not insist on vegetarianism. (Indians are always shocked to discover that the Dalai Lama eats meat; he ate beef till his doctors told him to go easy on red meat.) Ancient texts such as The Arthashastra contain many references to meat eating.

Indians are often shocked to find out that the Dalai Lama eats meat (Shutterstock)

So, the view that ancient Hindus were all vegetarians is a myth.

What about the Mughals, the subject of much demonisation these days? Well, almost everything that you will read on many popular Internet sites about the Mughals is wrong.

First of all, they did not call themselves the Mughals. That name was given to them centuries later by British historians on the grounds that Baburs mother may have descended from Genghis Khan. Babur himself would have been horrified to have been called a Mongol or a Mughal.

Keeping in mind Hindu sensitivities about the cow, Emperor Akbar banned its slaughter

Secondly, the Mughals did not arrive in India, defeat valiant Hindu kings and then establish a beef-eating, tyrannical dynasty. There had been Muslim rulers in India for centuries. Babur defeated the Delhi Sultanate, a Muslim kingdom and not some perfect embodiment of Ram Rajya.

Thirdly, the Mughals did not turn a peace-loving, grass-grazing, meat-abjuring populace into non-vegetarians. Not only were the Muslim kings before the arrival of the Mughals non-vegetarians, but so were many Hindus.

If anything, the Mughals were actually less keen on meat than many Hindu kings had been. Many Mughal Kings and nobles would give up meat before battles. And the Emperor Akbar developed such a distaste for meat that he became virtually vegetarian in later life. Keeping in mind medieval (but not necessarily ancient) Hindu sensitivities about the cow, he actually banned cow slaughter. He drank only Ganga jal.

Opinions vary on when the biryani was invented, but there is no doubt that it is an entirely Indian dish (iStock)

Many of these practices were continued by his son Jahangir and his grandson Shah Jahan, both of whom were vegetarian on certain days of the week and continued to impose Akbars ban on cow slaughter. (They also drank Ganga jal.)

So yes, the Mughals were non-vegetarians. But then so were many Hindus. And the so-called Mughlai cuisine served in restaurants today does the Mughals a great injustice. Most of the recipes and many of the dishes have nothing to do with the Mughal court.

Which brings us to the whole khichri versus biryani debate. In todays crude popular parlance, khichri is truly Hindu whereas biryani is some Middle-Eastern dish brought to India by the Mughals.

This is nonsense.

Khichri is Indian but it is not, and never was, purely Hindu. Indians of all religions ate it (Buddhists, Jains and even Muslims). Nor was there only one type of khichri.

In medieval India, any dish that combined grain and lentils came to be called khichri. So there were hundreds of variations.

Shah Jahan was vegetarian on some days of the week

Lets take the example of one variation that delighted the Emperor Humayun and the Shah of Persia. One of Persias great claims to fame is that it says it invented an early version of the pulao and sent it around the world. It became pilaf in Turkey, paella in Spain and risotto in Italy. But even the Persians will concede that they borrowed one great rice dish from India.

When Humayun lost his throne, he spent 15 years in exile. He spent much of that period in Persia seeking the help of the Shah. During this period, his cooks taught the Shahs local cooks how to make khichri. This variation used peas and delighted the Shah.

When Humayun reclaimed his throne, this North Indian variation of khichri became a staple of the Mughal court until Jahangir (Humayuns grandson) found a new kind of khichri while travelling through Gujarat. This khichri was made from millets not rice and it soon became the Emperors favourite dish (though the court cooks used more ghee than the Gujarati original). And it was cooked in the palace kitchen nearly every day.

Mughlai dishes served today have nothing to do with the Mughal court

Why was khichri so popular all over India? Not because of our devotion to vegetarian cuisine. It was a one pot meal that used dal (one of the defining characteristics of Indian cuisine through the ages) and any local grain that was available (not just rice). People ate it mainly because it was cheap and easy to cook. During wars, when soldiers would cook their own food, there would often be hundreds of fires lit before a battle as each solider made his own khichri.

Most khichris were vegetarian because even non-vegetarian Indians found meat too expensive. (This was as true of the rest of the world, even England under say, Henry VIII, where the nobles consumed all kinds of animals while the peasantry could not afford much meat.)

Which takes us to biryani. Did it descend from the pulao? Probably, but it had to be wetter, more heavily spiced, was usually assembled (the meat and rice were first cooked separately in most biryanis, whereas everything was cooked together in a pulao) and it was a main dish, whereas a pulao was a side dish.

Opinions vary on when it was invented (one popular version gives the credit to Akbars cooks; others say it was created a century before) but there is no doubt that it is an entirely Indian dish.

So dont believe all the currently popular lies about pure vegetarians and evil beef-eating invaders. There is no all-Hindu khichri nor any invader biryani. The history of Indian food is too complex for simple stereotypes. And our cuisine is too great for its history to be twisted to suit the needs of todays political debates.

Politicians will come and go. But Indias many wonderful cuisines will outlast them all.

From HT Brunch, January 20, 2019

Follow us on twitter.com/HTBrunch

Connect with us on facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunch
Its a nippy Wednesday noon and I am standing outside designer Manish Aroras store in Delhis hip Dhan Mill Compound, gazing at his signature heart motifs on the store front. His white-and-gold ambassador is parked beside me, glistening in the winter sun. Its gleaming inside as well: the seats are upholstered in quirky bright glittery motifs and theres a giant heart on the drivers seat.

Inside Manishs cabin, his work table is a bright pink, holding at this moment a gold ashtray and a box with mini-hearts. The designers unabashed love for bold, vibrant hues percolates not just his design but also his personality, belongings and surroundings. Pink and gold are his religion.

Its this bold and colourful design aesthetic that captured the attention of the French Vogue editors and landed Manish an invitation to the 2007 Paris Fashion Week. Since then, hes been showcasing the Manish Arora Paris collections biannually, and became the first Indian designer to head a French luxury label  Paco Rabanne. More recently, he became the first Indian designer to be awarded the Chevalier de la Legion dHonneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour), the highest French civilian distinction in 2016.

The man lives life larger than most people can even imagine, and shares with us the stories behind his many loves.

Love for Paris

Manish first visited Paris on the invitation of a friend (Rohit Chawla)

Manish first visited Paris on the invitation of a friend after he made his first India Fashion Week collection, sharing a tiny apartment with three people, and sleeping on a mattress beneath the dining table.

The unusualness of his sleeping arrangements did not prevent him from falling head over heels in love with Paris  not because of its much-vaunted style, but because the city allowed him to be himself.

Being in a place where sexuality is not an issue was a very big deal for me, says Manish. It was very liberating.

A huge party animal at the time, Manish seldom met his hostess, Catherine Levy. Shed go to work in the morning and Id be coming back home then, and by the time she was back, Id be out again. We didnt have that much communication but we really liked each other, says Manish.

Every morning I go to office like its my last day on this planet, or it is the biggest party in town!

Catherine became a great friend, and now makes all the jewellery for his collections. No wonder: it was she who tried to break him into the Paris fashion scene by getting him to meet Sarah Andelman, the owner of Colette, the most iconic shop in France.

I looked like a freak, wearing a lungi with a bomber jacket, chuckles Manish. I folded all my samples in my handbag and went to meet Sarah. No work came from that meeting, but that was my first trip to Paris!

Love for bling

Manish attributes his love for bling to his Punjabi roots and love for glam Hindi movies of the 80s (Rohit Chawla)

Combine his Punjabi roots with a childhood spent in Indias Tinseltown, Mumbai, and its easy to decode Manishs love for bling. He was so obsessed with Bollywood that he collected all the film magazines of the 1980s and still has hundreds of copies stored at his mothers place in Mumbai.

More than anything else, the visual appeal of Bollywood  the whole over-the-topness of the movie sets, the song dramatisations, appealed to me, says Manish. I think thats what reflects in my work.

He still remembers Rekhas glam avatar from Khoon Bhari Maang (1988). I went wow, seeing that kind of over-the-top fashion! It was unforgettable, he says.

Love for colours

Manish had no idea he had an eye for colour till he first displayed his collections in London and the media began highlighting a certain Indian designer and his love for colour.

I come from a country where women wear reds and blues and greens all together unknowingly and still look amazing. I think thats where I get it from, says Manish.

His memory works photographically, he says, and when you work, these images and colours kind of spill out, he explains.

Love for buddies

Theres a saying: Family you are born with, but friends you can choose. And thats what I have earned in my life, says Manish.

This is why he makes certain to live in the same neighbourhoods as they do, so he can simply stroll to their homes when he needs them or they need him.

Human beings are not supposed to be monogamous, right? There arent many people who are happy being monogamous

As an only child, friends have always been important to Manish. When he moved to Delhi at 17 to study at NIFT, having his life revolve around his friends was a natural progression.

I was one of the youngest, with batch mates like Rajesh Pratap Singh, Namrata Joshipura, and Payal Pratap Singh, recalls Manish. These are the friends I made then, and they are still very close to me.

Love for clothes

Manishs designs reflect his personal style, which means that his idea of office wear is most other peoples idea of what to wear to carnivals.

Every morning I come to office like its my last day on this planet, or it is the biggest party in town, he says. And then he claims he takes just 10 minutes to get dressed, because I know exactly what Im going to wear for the day.

I love myself so much that I want to come across like that to myself. I dont dress for others!

His style philosophy is simple: I love myself so much that I want to come across like that to myself. I dont dress for others, he says. Clothes are his catnip and he will buy anything he likes irrespective of prices and brands.

Love for accessories

The only car Manish can recognise and therefore loves is the now-no-longer-produced Ambassador (Rohit Chawla)

You cant miss the rings on Manishs fingers (at least one of which is heart-shaped), and his statement glasses. Accessories turn him on, so since he cant find enough quirky trimmings in the markets, he manufactures them himself.

People really go crazy with accessories, but with clothes they are a little more conservative, says Manish. Thats where I can go all out and still be bought, because you can make a crazy bag, an over-the-top bag, and people will readily experiment with it.

Love for pets

Manish is the proud parent of four-month-old Dilbar, a pup who not only has a heart in his name, but also one on his forehead.

He has an actual heart on his forehead! exclaims Manish. He was adopted by my assistants friend, but when he started distracting their child, they wanted to put him back on the street, so I took him.

Love for cars (actually, one particular car)

The only car Manish can recognise and therefore loves is the now-no-longer-produced Ambassador. Thats because hes terrible at differentiating between vehicles: he only knows cars as small, medium, or large.

They [my family] should know that if Im not married at age 46, there must be something!

So the good old Amby makes Manishs engine run  the one parked outside his store now is his third. I love my Ambassador, declares Manish. Its a beautiful design, its comfortable and you feel very safe in it. You need something like a tank on Delhi roads and this is just that!

Love for burgers

He flits between Delhi, Paris and London, which exposes him to connoisseur-level food, but Manish loves McDonalds. I dont know what they put in it, but there is something... he says.

Love for family

Manishs immediate family consists of his mother and himself. However, the two often participate in get-togethers with their extended family, and if he is where they are for even two hours, he makes sure to visit and they make sure to feed him all his favourites.

They also make sure to keep up the Indian family tradition and ask Manish when he plans to marry, which makes him laugh. They should know that if Im not married by age 46, there must be something, he chuckles. Still, they have to ask as though if they didnt ask, they would feel bad for themselves.

Love for lovers

In the Swarovski museum in Vienna, theres a room designed by Manish where visitors are supposed to write a message of love on the wall. The first to write on it was, of course, Manish himself. I wrote that I have so much love to give that one is not enough, he says. And thats my story of love. Ive had long relationships in the past, yet Ive always had more love to give.

His longest relationship lasted 12 years. His lover, an Italian, often visited Delhi to work on the production side of fashion. I met him in Delhi, and when I started showing in Paris and London, it was perfect, says Manish. Wed be together every month, but over the years we grew apart.

I find men who know more than me very attractive. It is a very good turn on

The two are still friends, because Manish believes one can have one relationship, but can still love many. Human beings are not supposed to be monogamous, right? And we are not, he says. We are just pretending to be, or we are suffering monogamy. There arent many people who are happy being monogamous.

He is always attracted to people he can look up to. I find men who know more than me very attractive. It excites me and is a very good turn on. But such men are so difficult to find now because I am so experienced myself!

Join the conversation using #ManishAroraLoves

Follow @LubnaSalim1234 on Twitter

From HT Brunch, January 20, 2019

Follow us on twitter.com/HTBrunch

Connect with us on facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunch
Shri Rajput Karni Sena, the outfit which famously led a movement against Sanjay Leela Bhansalis magnum opus Padmaavat, has claimed the outfit is not involved in the protests against Kangana Ranauts Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi.

Denying reports about the outfit opposing the period drama, its national spokesperson and ex-major Dr Himanshu said Shri Rajput Karni Senas name is being used for vested interests. We are not opposing Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi till we dont have anything substantial from the family, region or the community, Himanshu told IANS over the phone.

These people, I believe, are using the name of Karni Sena for their own vested interests and they are bringing disrepute to Karni Sena and to the historical characters, he added.

Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi captures the life story of Rani Laxmibai and her fight against the British. Kangana plays the lead role in the film, produced by Zee Studios in association with Kamal Jain and Nishant Pitti, and releasing on January 25.

According to reports, the Maharashtra wing of the Karni Sena protested against the film on Thursday alleging that the period drama alludes to Rani Laxmibais relationship with a British officer. The reports also said Karni Sena is opposed to the film showing the queen dancing to a special number, saying it is against tradition. They asked the makers of the film to show them the movie before its release.

Himanshu says we disown and completely dissociate ourselves from all such claims. Supposedly, the family has a problem. They can come to us and if they seek support from us and have a valid reason (we will take it in consideration)... I was in Jhansi recently and nobody said anything of this nature, Himanshu said.

He continued: Our approach is very clear, if the family, community or the region approaches us or the historians have some reservations... supposedly, they approach us and we are convinced with the logic of that, we will take a stand. But we will cross the bridge when the river comes. Himanshu says this is the official stand of Karni Sena.

First and foremost, we should be clear which Karni Sena (has protested). Anybody who pops up and says I am Karni Sena, cannot be Karni Sena.

Also read: Alia Bhatt looks gorgeous as a bride in leaked photo from Kalank, her dance number online too

Also read: Shah Rukhs daughter Suhana Khan spends time in pool with friends and a furry fan. See video

Asked if he thinks the outfits name is being used for vested interests, Himanshu said: Yes. In the case of Padmaavat, some people became Karni Sena members. They were prominent faces on TV claiming to be from Karni Sena. But in the last 12 years, we didnt even see them once. They bring a bad name to us.

He says the objection should either come from the family or the historians as in the case of Padmaavat.

Recalling the whole stir around Padmaavat, based on 16th century poet Malik Muhammad Jayasis poem Padmavat, Himanshu said: The family had reservations and they were not consulted... We had reached out to the government, the states and the censor board as well. We went to almost every Chief Minister and 11 CMs gave it to us in writing that they had reservations about the movie.

Either the protests should be proper, or it should have some substance. Protests just for the sake and somebody running the shop in the name of the Karni Sena is objectionable from our side and it should be discouraged from the media side also.

Padmaavat, starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor, was caught in a row in 2017 after protests from Shri Rajput Karni Sena which contended that it distorts historical facts and dents the pride of the Rajput community.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Kangana Rananut dismissed reports that the producer of Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, Kamal Jain, has suffered a paralytic stroke, saying he is fine and on road to recovery. The film, starring Kangana Ranaut in the lead role as Rani Laxmibai, is scheduled to release on January 25 over the Republic Day weekend. Kamal Jain has co-produced the film with Zee Studios and Kairos Kontent Studios.

He is doing fine. The reports are misleading. He fell sick last week and is on his way to recovery. I am in touch with him everyday. Request everyone to please stop backing sensational reports, Kangana said in a message to Times Now.

Reports earlier said the producer has been put on a ventilator after Jain had tweeted about his condition. Dear friends, this certainly is not the best time to be in hospital. Hope to get well soon and enjoy the success of our collective dream & hardwork. My best wishes to all,  adding, I will be back as soon as possible, till then Ill be with you in spirit and soul, he added in his tweet.

Dear friends, this certainly is not the best time to be in hospital. Hope to get well soon and enjoy the success of our collective dream & hardwork. My best wishes to all pic.twitter.com/VnYLYxXlJc  Kamal Jain (@KamalJain_TheKJ) January 19, 2019

Manikarnika has been through a lot of controversies. The film was to be directed by south Indian filmmaker Krish who left it midway amid speculation that Kangana was not happy with the way it had shaped up; actor Sonu Sood followed suit. Kangana then took on directorial duties and shares credits for the film with Krish.

Also read: Kangana Ranaut warns Karni Sena, says if harassed, I will destroy each one of them

Manikarnika will be released in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. It stars Ankita Lokhande, Jisshu Sengupta, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub and Danny Denzongpa. President Ram Nath Kovind watched it on Friday at a special screening at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Read Kamal Jains message to Team Manikarnika

Certainly not the best time to be in the hospital and not being able to be in the middle of hard work bearing fruits.

Missing the team of Manikarnika, Kangana Ranaut, Prasoon ji, Vijeyandra ji, Shankar Ehsan Loy, Ankita, Mishti and others in the final leg of promotions.

Special thanks to Punit sir without his absolute faith in all of us, we would not have been here

I will be back as soon as possible, till then Ill be with you in spirit and soul.

I reserve my special thanks to very important pillar Shariq and Team Zee Studios who have been at it to ensure the film reaches everywhere.

Guys we worked so hard for 2 years to realise this dream and to make Manikarnika the blockbuster it deserves to be made as.

I hope we all get to enjoy the success of our collective dream, honesty and hard work. Jai Hind!
Actor Ayushmann Khurrana is currently spending quality time with wife Tahira Kashyap, who has been giving breast cancer a tough fight. Basking in the success of his two back-to-back blockbusters Andhadhun and Badhaai Ho, the actor has been on Tahiras side as she finished her chemotherapy sessions. The writer and mother have been sporting her bald look with pride and was in her confident avatar as she partied with Ayushmann and brother-in-law Aparshakti Khurrana at their friends birthday party.

The couple shared a few pictures and videos from the funfilled birthday party on their Instagram stories. Ayushmann and Tahira posed in style for the camera and Ayushmann shared the picture with the caption, Posers and lovers. He also shared a small video of her chatting with the guests and captioned it, Look at this hottie across the table.

Pictures shared by Ayushmann Khurrana on Instagram.

Meanwhile, Tahira also gave a glimpse of the party on her Instagram stories which is flooded with inspiring messages she received from friends and well wishers.

Pictures shared by Tahira Kashyap on her Instagram.

Tahira had ditched the wig a few days ago and had introduced her bald avatar on Instagram with the caption, Hello world! Thats a new me with the old self! Was getting tired of the extensions, so this is how it is and its so liberating in every sense of the word, so much so that I dont have to duck the shower while bathing or while picking up the soap! I never thought I would go bald, was stretching my time with the good ol cap for too long. But this feels so good #breastcancerawareness #baldisbeautiful#selflovenomatterwhat.

Also read:Alia Bhatt looks gorgeous as a bride in leaked photo from Kalank, her dance number online too

Also read: Shah Rukhs daughter Suhana Khan spends time in pool with friends and a furry fan. See video

Several Bollywood actors had praised the writer for putting up a powerful front in her fight against cancer. While Ayushmann called her Hottie in the comments section, Deepika Padukone had called her HOT and Twinkle Khanna called her super cool.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
On a hazy morning last year, 73-year-old Parshuram Sharma, who runs a music institute in Meerut, was fixing the strings of his guitar when Anadi Shubhanand, author and owner of Mumbai-based publishing house, Sooraj Pocket Books, sent him a friend request on Facebook. They exchanged mobile numbers. Over the phone call that followed, Shubhanand asked Sharma how much time he would take to write a horror novel. Sharma, or Pandit ji, as he is popularly known among his students, couldnt believe his ears. In the 1970s and 80s when the publication of pulp fiction was at its peak and Meerut city  70 km northeast of Delhi  was its hub, a young Sharma had written more than 50 horror novels, originals, translations and adaptations. He gave up writing 14 years ago because of the slump in the pulp publishing sector.

I thought Shubhanand was joking. My understanding was that the market was finished long back. To my surprise, he told me that people still routinely search for pocket books on e-commerce portals. It was music to my ears, says Sharma in his deep baritone.

Shubhanands publishing house is one among many that is giving a fresh lease of life to desi pulp fiction through online sales and ebooks  and this includes horror novels. Though crime has always been the highest-selling genre within pulp, Manesh Jain of Meeruts Ravi Pocket Books, a big name in pulp, says that novels about the supernatural and paranormal also always sold well. Today, ebooks and online sales combine the ease of Net shopping with the nostalgic appeal of popular yesteryear authors. They gain from the fact that railway stations, bus stops and neighbourhood bookstores are no longer the biggest sales points of the books. Sanjay Chawla, proprietor of Meeruts Chawla Book Depot, which traded in pulp fiction, says, That era is over. People at railway stations and in trains are now hooked to their mobile phones.

Says Minakshi Thakur, publisher, language division, Westland, Pulp fiction, you could say, has been pulled from the fringes to mainstream publishing. The genre in English is extremely popular in the West, and theres no reason why our writers in the languages shouldnt have been given the respect and shelf space they deserve. We should give due credit to Daily Hunt (news and local language content application) that changed the decline in the industry of pulp writing six-seven years ago. They actively converted print books, old and new, to e-books and made them available at extremely affordable prices.

Amazon too offers popular horror titles in Hindi along with translations. Self-publishing regional language platforms such as Pratilipi and MatruBharti encourage established as well as new authors. Ravi Pocket Books has developed a mobile app for e-books and that includes horror.

Jaisalmer-based FlyDreams Publishers trades in online books, and has six horror titles in its bouquet.

When Shubhanand started his publishing firm five years ago, he took the digital route because traditional distributors didnt show interest. For credibility, he wanted to associate himself with established authors. Getting a popular horror writer like Parshuram Sharma on board was a big value-add for my brand. I plan to rope in more writers who were famous decades ago but are out of work now, says Shubhanand.

Since their phone chat, Shubhanand has republished three of Sharmas horror novels from the 70s  Agiya Betal, Khoon Barsega and Korey Kaagaz Ka Qatl.

Back in his music school in Meerut, Sharma is fighting writers block. He is supposed to write a new novel for Shubhanand, tentatively titled Darr Lagta Hai.

When he was in his prime, writing came naturally to him, just like talking. He would finish at least one novel a month. Now, its different. Ideas dont come. He has been buying time to write his next.

He confesses, Earlier, we could easily fool people. Not anymore. I could show a volcano explosion wherever I wanted. Now, the reader can figure out whether volcano exists on the mentioned location or not, he says.

He has the basic plot with him though  a real-life incident at RK Studio, Mumbai. Sharma was in Mumbai during 1994-2004 as part of the writers groups which penned multiple thriller and horror shows for TV, including Aahat and Thriller At 10. One of his friends, the personal assistant of a yesteryear superstar, told him that a room in the RK Studio was haunted. Thats the basic idea I want to develop, he says.

Writing horror is also challenging for Sharma because the story and details have to first scare him. Else, it is not worth pursuing. I cant expect my readers to feel a certain way if I dont feel the same way, he says.

Many stories that are passed on through generations in Sharmas village in Uttarakhands Pauri Garhwal district have made it to his novels. The author claims that Agiya Betaal, his most popular horror title, is based on an incident he and his friends witnessed around 40 years ago when they were passing by some woods in Pauri Garhwal. He recounts, It was like a circle of fire which would break into fragments and rejoin again and again.

Whether Sharma believes in the supernatural or not is irrelevant, he says. My logic is simple. If something has a name, it means that it exists and has a history. We dont imagine a being or phenomenon and name it. Do we?

ABID ALI RIZVI: SPINNING SUSPENSE

Last year, Meerut-based author and translator Abid Ali Rizvi wrote an anthology of stories titled Bhoot Pret Ki Kahaniyan  his first original horror work. He describes it as his return gift to Hindi pulp literature. I have so many stories in me that it will take me a lifetime to put them all out, says Rizvi, 77.

Rizvi, who has a Masters in Hindi, shifted to Meerut in 1974. He did English-to-Hindi translations of best-selling horror novels such as Dracula. He worked with three of the biggest publishing houses of Meerut: Dheeraj, Ravi and Maruti, all of which were run by the same family.

Before Rizvi made Meerut his home, he quit his job as a school teacher in Hamirpur (Uttar Pradesh) to join Nikhat Publications, Allahabad. Mujtaba Hussain Rizvi, who used the pen-name Ibn e Sayeed, was the author of Tilismi Duniya (Realm of Sorcery), a series published by Nikhat. I used to take dictation of those stories from Ibn e Sayeed, recalls Rizvi.

Rizvi has a Masters in Hindi. He translated four novels of a popular Pakistani horror series, Inka. He is working on his next horror novel for Ravi Pocket Books, Meerut. (Sanjeev Verma/HT PHOTO)

It took Rizvi four years to lose interest in taking dictation from Ibn e Sayeed. He shifted to Delhi. Kartar Singh (aka Raj Bharti), who had a stellar career as a horror pulp fiction writer in that era, got him assignments. Ghost stories continued to haunt Rizvi. Once in two months, I would write a pocket book on the occult, he says.

But after arriving in Meerut, he did translations, ghost writing and editing. His translation of four novels of the Inka series  a suspense/horror series originally written by Pakistani author Anwar Siddiqui  consolidated his position in Hindi pulp. Inka is the story of a supernatural creature who takes the form of a 6-inch woman who lives on the head of her master Jameel Ahmed Khan.

During the early 1990s, more than 20 publishing houses in Meerut shut shop. Rizvi had to live on his savings. Everyone was washed away in that flood. No one survived the slump, he says. But now he is writing again. He sees content as an elaborate buffet. TV and social media offer regular meals. I serve snacks, he says.

RAJ BHARTI: THE KING OF DREAD

Kartar Singh was addicted to writing. It wasnt about any kind of love of writing. It gave him a sense of completion  writing in the wee hours, visualising his characters while drinking more tea than his entire seven-member family in Delhis West Patel Nagar could in a day. He used to go in a trance when he wrote. Just himself in a world only he knew, Saroj Kanta remembers her husband who died in 2009.

Which is why no one questioned Singh when he quit his job with the Employees Provident Fund Organisation in 1978 to make a career out of writing Hindi pulp fiction, or when he took four pen-names to write novels in different genres, or when he gave up writing anything else but horror  he churned out 46 horror novels as Raj Bharti in four years.

Bharti became Hindi pulp literatures dominant horror writer with a cult following. When an author passes away, readers make peace with it. But Bharti ji was different. I still get at least one inquiry every week from a reader who cites Bhartis example to demand new horror novels, says Manesh Jain, owner of Ravi Pocket Books, Meerut, which published all of Bhartis horror novels. I tell them that we are working on something. But I know there will never be another Raj Bharti.

Raj Bharti who died in 2009, was one of the pen names of Kartar Singh, under which he wrote almost 100 horror novels. He was the most successful writer of this genre. (HT PHOTO)

The late author mashed up ideas from mythology, true crime, the paranormal and supernatural, sci-fi, horror and folklore to create a world of ghosts, spirits, exorcism and cannibalism.

Mayaavi Pretaatma is the story of a good spirit in disguise who is out to take revenge. Swaaha, one of Bhartis most successful novels from 1992, is about a girl who finds herself caught in a supernatural world peopled by evil spirits. Chudail is the story of a witch who wants salvation.

Whereas horror novels by other writers sold 5-7,000 copies, Raj Bhartis would often touch 10-15,000 copies, says Jain.
Donald Trump enters 2019 locked in a fierce political battle with the new House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, a fight he will lose. He cant force Democrats to apportion money for a wall between the United States and Mexico, but influential conservatives in media threaten to punish him if he retreats. Hell eventually find a way to surrender while declaring victory. And then his year will become even more complicated.

Trumps 2019 to-do list is formidable, even by presidential standards. He must help restore confidence in the US economy after three months of the worst US stock market meltdown in many years, and he must accomplish this at a time when global economic growth is beginning to look soft.

He must reassure the world that the US and China are not on a course toward endless trade conflict or a Cold War scale military confrontation while addressing the genuine security concerns of those who believe China continues to take advantage of the US, its companies, and its workers.

He will need to show real progress toward denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula by persuading North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un that he cant get something for nothing. He must persuade critics that the vague promises made last year in Singapore hold promise without allowing Kim to continue with clandestine nuclear development.

He needs to deliver the promised withdrawal of US troops from Syria without appearing to cede power and influence in the Middle East to Russia and Iran  and without leaving Kurds and other allies at the mercy of Turkeys Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his military. More importantly, he must execute this retreat without losing whatever confidence the US Defense Department still has in his leadership.

He must begin to prepare for re-election. With low approval ratings, growing doubts among his core supporters, and after a loss of historic scale in Novembers midterm elections, he must discourage any Republican from challenging him for the partys nomination, and he must find a way to break the momentum that Democrats now enjoy.

The obstacles he faces are daunting. Chinas Xi Jinping cant be seen to buckle under Trumps pressure, and Chinas political and economic system gives the Chinese leader formidable weapons with which to limit damage to Chinas economy. Russias Vladimir Putin can treat Trump as a compromised figure, and Europeans who have long called for less reliance on US protections now have the best case for their plans theyve ever had. The cost of partnership with Trump is rising for leaders of countries who can afford to ignore him, and an America First foreign policy driven by Trumps capricious personality makes the benefits less clear.

Then there are the domestic challenges. Trump was elected in part because he had no experience in government. In that sense, he was the embodiment of change. The downside for Trump is that he is still unsure how government actually works. Not so for Pelosi, who is as experienced, savvy, and ruthless an adversary as the president could expect to face.

The party Pelosi leads now has real power for the first time since Trump was elected president, and Democrats intend to use that power to subject him to a level of scrutiny Trump has never experienced. They will subpoena both documents and members of his administration to testify under oath on any number of sensitive subjects, and Trumps patience, poise, and self confidence will be tested as never before.

Then there is Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who will continue to lead investigations into nearly every aspect of Trumps public life  his business history, his personal indiscretions, his presidential campaign, his White House, his associates, and even his family. Whether weeks or months away, the report of his findings will shake Washington like nothing weve seen in at least a generation.

The greatest risk for Trump is that Republicans  voters and lawmakers  decide they can no longer afford his leadership. The daily outrages reported by the press and repeated by incredulous Democrats wont sway Trumps most loyal supporters or their elected representatives. But if Trump comes to be seen as a loser  because foreign leaders are ignoring him, Democrats are thwarting his plans, the economy is turning, and especially if polls begin to signal he cant win  there is a risk they will abandon him.

Were still some distance from that point. Those who underestimate Trumps political instincts are making a mistake. There have been few figures in American public life who better understand the sources of fear and anger that drive his most reliable followers, and Democrats may well nominate a presidential candidate that pushes Republicans back toward Trump, whatever their misgivings.

But 2019 is sure to be the most challenging year of Donald Trumps life.

Ian Bremmer is the president of Eurasia Group and author of Us vs. Them: The Failure of Globalism.

The views expressed are personal
RALEIGH  Consider this scenario. A couple of years before a politician is elected to his current job, he signs a lease agreement worth as much as $1 million with a large private company. Later, the CEO of the company gives the politician a large campaign contribution.

After taking office, the politician is confronted with a thorny regulatory issue in which the private company expresses a strong interest. The CEO of the company asks the politician to intervene, to take his side over that of another large business. The politician appears to do so. When subsequently pressed by reporters, the CEO denies asking the politician to intervene, and representatives for the politician deny linking the CEOs request to the thorny regulatory issue. Both denials conflict with written evidence to the contrary.

Would this scenario concern you? If I told you that the politician in question was North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, the thorny regulatory issue was a water-quality permit for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP), and the company in question as Strata Solar, one of the states largest renewable-energy firms, would that heighten or lessen your concern?
Percent changes in the communities were calculated by comparing the old cumulative values of the properties in each community to the new values.

The new property values do not represent tax rates.

The county and municipal governments determine tax rates during the budgeting process. The new values will be used to determine tax payments according to the rates the governments set.

The numbers themselves are not yet final. Factors including changes to property maps, property improvements in the 2019 tax year and the appeals process could all change the numbers, Fowler said.

Property owners who dispute the value of their property will have a chance to have their concerns addressed in an appeals process.

Appeals will first start informally.

From there, property owners can go to the Board of Equalization and Review. The appeals process proceeds to the North Carolina Tax Commission and then the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

Revaluation notices were mailed earlier this month, and contain information on the appeals process.

For more information on revaluation, call the Catawba County Revaluation Office at 828-465-8998.

Kevin Griffin is the City of Hickory reporter at the Hickory Daily Record.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Uniontown, PA (15401)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun in the morning followed by cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 84F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. Low 67F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
St. Joseph, MI (49085)

Today

Rain showers early with some sunshine later in the day. High 82F. SSW winds shifting to NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy with late night showers or thunderstorms. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
Matthew Umstead

mumstead@herald-mail.com

MARTINSBURG, W.Va.  A handful of Eastern Panhandle lawmakers formally called on the state Division of Highways last week to update its study on the cost and benefits of extending a four-lane form of W.Va. 9 from Martinsburg to Berkeley Springs while bypassing Hedgesville, W.Va.

Introduced on Thursday, House Concurrent Resolution 8 is sponsored by Republican Dels. Larry D. Kump, Tom Bibby, S. Marshall Wilson, Eric Householder and John Hardy.

Passage of concurrent resolutions introduced in the House or State Senate require adoption by both chambers of the Legislature. The first regular 60-day session of the 84th Legislature ends on March 9.

HCR 8 notes that "increased intrastate travel will promote tourism, reduce traffic congestion, increase safety and promote economic growth within the state" and specifically asks the DOH commissioner to update a previously conducted preliminary engineering study and report findings, conclusions and recommendations to lawmakers no later than Jan. 1, 2020.

Kump, whose house district includes portions of Morgan and Berkeley counties, is the resolution's lead sponsor.

The introduction of the resolution comes after Berkeley and Morgan county leaders as well as Hedgesville municipal officials called on state transportation officials last month to make improvements to W.Va. 9, citing increasing congestion and safety concerns.

The Hedgesville Town Council voted last month in support of a bypass around the small Berkeley County municipality, where residents experience congested traffic conditions on W.Va. 9 as the road winds through the community of about 300 residents.

Berkeley County Council members told West Virginia Transportation Secretary Tom Smith in a Dec. 20 letter that the traffic congestion "has resulted in hazardous traveling for school buses servicing the Hedgesville (W.Va.) school campuses, as well as commuters traveling to and from their homes.

Meanwhile in the State Senate, Eastern Panhandle state Sens. Patricia Rucker, John Unger and Craig Blair signed on as sponsors a concurrent resolution that urges Congress to pass fully funded, long-term surface transportation and infrastructure funding measures that address the nations crucial infrastructure needs.

Introduced on Friday, Senate Concurrent Resolution 11 notes that the Mountain State faces "unique challenges maintaining its infrastructure, including bridges and roads, due in part to its topography, location, industries, and population."

The resolution also asserts that a recent infrastructure report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers found that 17.3 percent of West Virginias 1,247 bridges are structurally deficient and 19 percent of West Virginias 38,770 miles of public roads are in poor condition.
Julie E. Greene

julieg@herald-mail.com

HARPERS FERRY, W.Va.  The American Red Cross was called to assist a Bakerton, W.Va., homeowner after a chimney fire gutted his home Saturday night, Bakerton Fire Chief J. Smith said.

No one was injured in the blaze, Smith said Sunday.

The fire at 148 Maple Ave. was reported Saturday at 9:44 p.m. by the homeowner, Smith said.

With a fire going in his wood stove, the homeowner walked into the kitchen to find it full of smoke. He then went to the back side of the house, saw fire and called 911, Smith said.

It took him a few minutes before he realized what was going on, Smith said.

About 30 firefighters from West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia battled heavy fire conditions for an hour or so before being able to bring the fire under control, Smith said.

Voids in the walls made it hard for firefighters to keep up with the spreading fire, said Smith, who estimated the home was built in the 1940s or 1950s, and was remodeled over the years.

Firefighters also dealt with rain and sleet while battling the blaze.

With the fire in a rural area, tanker trucks were filled at the Potomac River, less than a mile away, to carry water to the scene, Smith said.

The wood-frame home was a total loss, with the fire gutting the inside, he said.

Its wintertime, and we really do stress that people have chimneys and fireplaces inspected, he said. Make sure smoke detectors are working.

Smith didnt know Sunday afternoon whether the house had working smoke detectors.

The last unit cleared the scene Sunday at about 1:20 a.m.

Jefferson County, W.Va., fire companies assisting at the scene included Blue Ridge Mountain, Citizens, Friendship, Independent and Shepherdstown. Also assisting were units from Washington County in Maryland and Loudoun County in Virginia.

Bakerton is between Harpers Ferry and Shepherdstown.
The Herald-Mail

As Hogan takes oath, questions arise about life after governor role

Gov. Larry Hogan, the first Republican governor to win re-election in Maryland since the 1950s, had not yet stepped to the podium for his second inauguration Wednesday before speculation on his next move was rampant.

The attention to national politics in his inaugural address, not to mention the presence of Jeb Bush, only added to it.

So it was no surprise when he was asked at the first news conference of his new term whether he wanted to run for president.

He didnt say yes, but he didnt exactly say no.

As chairman-elect of the National Governors Association, Hogan reiterated that he naturally would be more visible nationally. He also said there was nothing in his speech that was politically new.

Ive been saying those same things for at least a decade, he said.

I just got sworn in  so Im gonna focus on that for right now, he added. I have no further interest at this point in time. Im not ready to make any announcements today, lets put it that way.

Asked whether he would serve out his four-year term, he said thats certainly the plan  but you never know what might happen.

To stand or not to stand

As members the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra brass quartet played Marylands state song during Hogans inauguration ceremony Wednesday, there was some confusion among the dignitaries on the stage over whether they should stand.

A handful rose to their feet, but quickly sat back down when it was obvious that most were content to keep their seats.

Maryland, My Maryland, written at the outset of the Civil War to encourage the state to secede from the Union, has survived several attempts to remove it and its anti-Union, Northern scum lyrics as the state song. In fact, a bill already has been introduced this year to take up the matter again.

Ironically, as workers tested the sound system Tuesday for the following days ceremony, it was an unofficial state song of neighboring West Virginia that was wafting around State Circle  Country Roads.

Haddaway-Riccio appointed to DNR post

Hogan ended the week by appointing his deputy chief of staff, Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, as secretary of the Department of Natural Resources.

Haddaway-Riccio has served on Hogans staff since 2015. Before that, she served three terms in the Maryland House of Delegates. Her appointment is effective in February.

She was appointed to replace current Secretary Mark Belton, who is returning to his former post as Charles County administrator.

 Compiled by Tamela Baker
Marcus Frejo, a member of the Pawnee and Seminole tribes who is also known as Chief Quese Imc, said he had been a part of the march and was among a small group of people remaining after the rally when the boisterous students began chanting slogans such as "Make America great" and then began doing the haka, a traditional Maori dance.
Provo, UT (84601)

Today

Mostly clear this evening then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Mostly clear this evening then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable.
With Trump so intent on reinforcing his own ego and bolstering the narrow group of dead-enders, his behavior alienates more and more voters who arent in his core group of supporters. Pelosi, meanwhile, voices sympathy for those Trump is hurting and concern for the countrys safety. Were not paying people that keep us safe: the [Transportation Security Administration] agents who stop bombs from coming on to planes; the FBI agents who track down terrorists in our country; the [Drug Enforcement Administration] agents who stop the flow of drugs into our country; and the immigration officials who patrol the border, she said at a news conference. This senseless shutdown is inflicting great pain on every part of our country. Every day the impact spreads, reaching the lives of hardworking Americans in every corner of the country.
ABINGDON, Va.  While incarcerated in the confines of the Birmingham City Jail during the height of the civil rights movement in 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. took an available newspaper and wrote an open letter in the margins.

I came across your recent statement calling our present activities unwise and untimely, King wrote. Seldom, if ever, do I pause to answer criticism of my work and ideas.  But since I feel that you are men of genuine good will and your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I would like to answer your statement in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms.

Residents gathered in Abingdon on Saturday afternoon along Main Street to discuss Kings legacy  ahead of Mondays birthday celebration  and the contents of the writing, often simply called the Letter from the Birmingham Jail.

King was born on Jan. 15, 1929, but in 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation pronouncing the third Monday of January a federal holiday in the United States to recognize the civil rights icon.

Each year, the Appalachian Peace Education Center organizes a march and ceremony in Abingdon to remember King and his efforts to bring racial equality to America.

Linda Modica, the organizations president, said the goal is to reflect upon Kings work as citizens seek further racial equality and civil rights in 2019 and beyond. APEC also discusses environmental and military issues that may have an effect on civil rights. Modica noted that environmental issues often occur in poorer communities.

For 32 years, APEC has been working toward equality in the Southern Appalachians, hosting a King event in Abingdon, Modica said.

Saturdays events began with a brief gathering at Charles Wesley United Methodist Church. From there, dozens of residents walked up Main Street in the rain and sang hymns along the way. Dennis Hill led the march, which concluded at the entrance to Abingdon United Methodist Church, where a special service was held in the sanctuary.

Jerry Jones and Clara Bristol led the service.

Jones noted that he often sees empty pews during church services, but on Saturday, the sanctuary was full. People from around the region attended the service, which featured people of all ages and races.

Modica said APEC began planning the event back in the fall of 2018 and reached out to students in Washington County, Virginia. Students were asked to write an essay about various points in Kings letter from jail. Four students, including one from each of the high schools, were selected to speak Saturday and read the essays.

In his letter, King explained that he was in Birmingham to participate in a nonviolent direct action program for an affiliate of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, for which he was president.

But more basically, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here, King wrote. Just as the prophets of the eighth century B.C. left their villages and carried their thus saith the Lord far beyond the boundaries of their home towns, and just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco-Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town.

King said he could not sit idly by in Atlanta, where he resided, and not be concerned about what was happening in Birmingham.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, King wrote. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial outside agitator idea, King wrote.

In any nonviolent campaign, King said there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices are alive, negotiation, self-purifications and direct action.

King wrote that Birmingham is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the country.

Its ugly record of police brutality is known in every section of the country, he wrote.

After attempting to negotiate, King said there was no alternative except for preparing for direct action.

King was arrested and sent to jail because he and others were protesting the treatment of blacks in Birmingham. A court ordered that King could not hold protests in the city.

Throughout Saturdays service, participants spoke about Kings letter and why he and others were seeking racial equality in Birmingham and elsewhere. Participants also sang songs such as We Shall Overcome and Amazing Grace.

Ainsley Dunning, a student at John S. Battle High School, wrote about Kings reference to fighting a degenerating sense of nobodiness.

Dr. King worked tirelessly to remind us, not of our differences, but of our similarities, Dunning said. We may wear different skins, but all of us are fundamentally equal. We all love, we all cry, we all smile.

Understanding must be a priority, she said.

In order to create a world of equality and love, Dunning said people must overcome differences and replace them with acceptance.

Other winning essays were written by Makenna Castle of Abingdon High School, Heather Wakefield of Patrick Henry High School and Josh Harris of Holston High School.

The event, titled Together Arm in Arm; Speaking out, Taking a Stand, concluded as participants held hands to sing.

APEC members and the community have the grace to plan a reverent but joyful celebration of the legacy and life of King, Modica said.

APEC believes the arc of the moral universe is long, but it does bend toward justice, Modica said. But, she notes, there are often kinks in the arc.

Events such as Saturdays service are just a part of APECs efforts to help remove those kinks, she said.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Anderson, IN (46016)

Today

Variably cloudy with showers and thunderstorms likely. Some thunderstorms may be severe in the afternoon. Damaging winds with some storms. High 93F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. Low 69F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Shane Ragsdale, formerly of Greenville, beloved son of Sheila June Winters and father Sariah Vanderwal-Ragsdale, passed away May 31, 2021 in the ICU of Hilo Hawaii hospital of pneumonia. Hi memorial service was held June 12, in Makapala, Hawaii. His fellowship on Earth will be missed; antici
Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email customercare@heraldandnews.com for help creating one.
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
Free access for current print subscribers

As a home delivery subscriber, you get free unlimited digital access to premium content on HenryHerald.com, including local news, local sports, obituaries, legal notices, local features, and the e-edition.

All you need is your print subscription account number and your last name.

Don't know your subscription number? Email access@henryherald.com with your delivery address.

Activate your account now.
Politico profile describes Meadows as 'Trump whisperer" and 'go-to guy'

U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows continues to enjoy broad influence with President Trump despite being passed over for the White House chief of staff job, Politico reports.

In a story under the headline "Mark Meadows, Trump whisperer," the website describes Meadows as the president's "go-to guy," a close ally who talks on the phone frequently with Trump and serves to enforce the conservative hard-line positions that the Freedom Caucus stands for. Meadows and Trump speak several times a day on some days and sometimes for an hour.

"The result is that a three-term congressman little known outside the Beltway has earned an outsized influence on shaping the direction of the Trump administration  and the country," the report said. "Meadows has the presidents ear on any number of topics, from immigration and border security to criminal justice and international affairs. And hes used that access to push Trump toward stances aligned with the rapidly ascendant House Freedom Caucus, the hard-line conservative and libertarian caucus founded in 2015 that Meadows chairs.

"In other words, Meadows  who many people, even those in D.C., probably couldnt pick out of a lineup  might be one of the countrys most powerful lawmakers."

The story traces Meadows' close relationship with Trump to the presidential campaign when Meadows, one of the first members of Congress to endorse him, became "the de facto chairman of Trumps operation in North Carolina." While other congressional leaders were putting distance between themselves and Trump when the Access Hollywood tape broke, Meadows and his wife, Debbie, sprang to his defense.

Debbie was on a bus with Christian women on Billy Bush Saturday, which was basically the acid test for hardcore Trump supporters," a Trump campaign official told Politico. "She and Mark were at the barricades with us.
Editor: I just wanted to say how beautiful your bridge is and it was world famous 
Some call it a fee, others a tax, but in a matter of weeks it will all be in the past.
Published on 2019/01/20 | Source

Minjoo Party lawmaker Park Young-sun (center) and Korean Americans celebrate in New York on Tuesday as the state legislature designates a day honoring Korea's March 1 Independence Movement. /Yonhap

Advertisement

The state of New York has decided to honor Korea's March 1 Independence Movement and female independence fighter Yu Gwan-sun to mark the centennial of the resistance against Japanese colonial rule in Korea.

The state's Senate and Assembly on Tuesday adopted a resolution designating a memorial day for the movement in a unanimous vote.

It was tabled by assemblymen Ron Kim, a Korean American, and Edward Brown and senators Toby Ann Stavisky and John Liu in the two houses. Despite attempts by Japan to throw a spanner in the works, the proponents insisted that the movement contributed to the promotion of human rights in the world.

In a statement, the state legislature commended Yu, who studied at what is now known as Ewha Girls' High School in Seoul, for her leadership and said she refused to betray her comrades even though she was tortured and her parents were killed by Japanese police.

Read this article in Korean
By William Schwartz | Published on 2019/01/19

The opening scene, with its emphasis on a cool-looking Ford Mustang and Lee Si-young sporting a very attractive red dress, gives "No Mercy - 2019" a rather voyeuristic feel. But that only that lasts up until the point she finally engages someone in conversation. It doesn't end up going well for the guy under the car. And so the purpose of the film is quickly established. In-ae may look pretty, but she's not here to make friends.

Advertisement

"No Mercy - 2019" is, from a social commentary perspective, a bitterly cynical movie. Where "Unstoppable" at least featured the police as a token physical presence, here they're reduced to a single unhelpful phone call. Backstory to the effect of how In-ae was only just released from prison initially seems to explain how In-ae's younger sister Eun-hye (played by Park Se-wan) fell in with the wrong crowd. But further flashbacks flesh out the reason why In-ae went to jail as In-ae herself inches closer to the final villain.

As narrative storytelling goes "No Mercy - 2019" leads us along through the use of bread crumbs. In-ae starts with the last person she knows must have seen Eun-hye and goes to the next person the mentally challenged high school student was handed off to. Interestingly enough, while Eun-hye makes one obvious boneheaded decision, for the most part she has a decent survival instinct. Unfortunately, survival instincts are of limited usefulness when nearby people are content to just let horrible crimes play out in front of them rather than get involved.

Hence the bone crushing. In-ae is a practitioner of Korean Special Forces Martial Arts. The name sounds a lot less ridiculous in Korean. The purpose of such training is to disable opponents in close combat, and this is what the many fights in "No Mercy - 2019" amount to. In-ae's superior technique is up against brute force- the longer the fight lasts, the worse she does, because all In-ae needs to win is a single decisive blow.

While In-ae doesn't kill most of the men she runs into, this is more a matter of practicality than restraint. She's just in a hurry. And that frenetic tone is what sustains "No Mercy - 2019" for its steady and efficient ninety minute runtime. Director Lim Kyeong-taek does not mess around here. This movie is tightly edited, and we can always tells at a glance what kind of scumbag In-ae's going to come across next through brief, effective exposition.

One goon in particular stands out for showing uncharacteristic remorse rather than rationalization as regards his despicable immoral behavior. This too, goes to the film's greater moral point. Institutions can't be trusted. They would sooner bully an honorable man into doing evil deeds than behave with any sense of basic decency. The grand tour "No Mercy - 2019" gives us of South Korea's nasty underworld and its connection to the upper one is critical to the film's proferred sense of satisfaction. The bad guys have to die- even if the fate of the sisters remains ominously ambiguous by the end.

Review by William Schwartz

"No Mercy - 2019" is directed by Lim Kyeong-taek, and features Lee Si-young, Park Se-wan, Lee Joon-hyuk and Choi Jin-ho.
By William Schwartz | Published on 2019/01/19

With "My Teacher, Mr. Kim" writer/director Jang Gyu-sung sends a love letter to South Korea's dying rural communities. There's no creature comforts, and hardly any people. But then that's the main positive. Mr. Kim (played by Cha Seung-won) has an elementary school class in Seoul filled with a generic morass of indistinguishable children. Mr. Kim is a slacker at heart, and with so many teachers also floating around campus, who's going to notice a single guy not taking his job seriously?

Advertisement

Upon predictably being noticed, Mr. Kim ends up having far greater intimacy with the population of the village than he ever did with anyone in Seoul simply because there aren't as many of them to keep track of. Shameless in Seoul, Mr. Kim reluctantly has to at least pretend to be a serious teacher out in the mountains because child and adult alike look at him with such mighty expectations in their eyes. They're too guileless to detect Mr. Kim's selfish motives.

Yet these characters are never depicted as being particularly naive. Rather, they're just focused. In the sixteen years since "My Teacher, Mr. Kim" was first released, South Korea's educational system has taken a beating. Reforms intended to crack down on the sinister culture Mr. Kim represents have created a dreadful environment where students study solely for the sake of getting a job, and are frequently stressed to the breaking point in the name of fairness.

What makes the rural environment in "My Teacher, Mr. Kim" so refreshing is that we see many people, adults included, who find learning helpful for its own sake. Do they want to know more about the world? Sure- but they're still kids who enjoy kicking a ball around, and go to school for the social life as well as the educational one. Mr. Kim's main adjustment curve is in how everyone in this area sincerely respects educational institutions instead of just seeing them as a tedious mandatory chore.

A comedy by nature, this contrast is where most of the humor in "My Teacher, Mr. Kim" comes from. Immediate slapstick courtesy of Mr. Kim's generally unpleasant personality is the source of the movie's direct jokes. But longer subtler gags deliberately play on genre themes. For a significant portion Mr. Kim tries to play the role of inspirational teacher- and while this sort of works, the obvious irony at play is that Mr. Kim keeps trying to hype up Seoul as the land of dreams. Consider what Mr. Kim did back when he lived there. Do you think he was living the dream life?

"My Teacher, Mr. Kim" never gets that saccharine, though, because Mr. Kim himself is not that reflective a character to begin with. The message he learns by the end is a fairly universal one- that it's better to have a job where you feel like you have a purpose than it is to scam your way into some arbitrary number driven metric of success. That's a fairly anachronistic take in today's economy, which fittingly enough, also makes it very relevant.

Review by William Schwartz

"My Teacher, Mr. Kim" is directed by Jang Gyu-sung, and features Cha Seung-won, Byun Hee-bong, Sung Ji-ru and Lee Jae-eung.
By Panos Kotzathanasis | Published on 2019/01/19

Korean martial arts films are not exactly a common tendency for the country's cinema. But when one someone deals with the genre, as Lee Seung-won-III does here in his debut, well, the result is extremely generic, to say the least. Let us take things from the beginning, though.

Advertisement

The minimal script goes as this. In the near future, dangerous, death row criminals are sent to Sura, a prison island, where law is nowhere to be found and violence is everywhere. In this setting, however, there is a man who rules, the notorious Carlos Kun. Kim Yool, a cop whose family was murdered by Kun, arrives voluntarily in the island, in order to exact revenge. However, during his arrival, he meets political prisoner Mali and her daughter, and actually joins (in a way) a band of misfits led by Bau, that try to survive in the island without being subjects to Carlos.

A script that just exists to provide a background for the action is actually the "rule" for the genre, but Lee Seung-won-III went a bit overboard, as his work is actually a collage of various fights rather than an actual movie. Even in that regard though, the narrative is filled with cliches and "copy-paste" from other famous action movies. In that fashion, the prison-island is a direct reference to "Battle Royale", the woman with the bow a parallel to "Hunger Games", the theme of the one-man killing minions in order to reach the boss much reminiscent of "The Raid", and so on. There is also a comic-relief character in Bau, and, of course, a child, all elements that are met in countless films of the category.

On the other hand, the action aspect is quite good, with the various battles being violent, gory, and highlighting the abilities of Bruce Khan as Kim Yool, Park Hee-soon as Carlos Kuhn, Ahn Gap-yong as Two Swords, and a number of other stuntmen. The fact that the characters Bruce has to face differ much in appearance and fighting style is also a plus, although at times the film functions as a video game in that regard. Among the many fights, the one between the two bow ladies, the one with Carlos's number two and Two Swords, and the final one, are the ones that stand out. A little more beating suffered by the protagonist would be an asset, but obviously, realism of any kind is not the main objective here.

Bruce Khan is impressive in the action scenes, but the fact remains that he cannot act at all, with him retaining the same expression and composure almost for the whole duration of the film. Kim In-kwon as Bau gives the best performance in the film, although do not expect anything spectacular.

"Revenger" is barely a film, but it can definitely satisfy people that enjoy pure, violent action, and video game aesthetics.

Review by Panos Kotzathanasis

Facebook

"Revenger" is directed by Lee Seung-won-III, and features Bruce Khan, Park Hee-soon, Yoon Jin-seo and Kim In-kwon.

Watch on Netflix






Haiti - Politic : Follow-up of the mapping project for the management and prevention of natural risks





This week, the Directorate of Regional Planning, Local and Regional Development of the Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation (MPCE) received the 4th meeting of the Monitoring Committee of the Natural Hazard Mapping Project, Flooding, land movement and soil degradation.



Representatives of the European Union, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Ministry Staff and other government agencies took part in this meeting with the aim of producing multi-hazard maps which will be used for the management and prevention of natural hazards.



For the moment this project is supported by the UNDP through a financing of the European Union for the departments of North-West and Artibonite (Gros Morne). It aims to reduce the impact of natural disasters in these regions and especially on the livelihoods of the population, through a reorientation of land use, based on the consideration of natural hazards and environmental and economic potential. of these spaces.



Remember that this project is the realization of the concern of the government, with the support of the UNDP, to develop a national methodology for the reduction of natural risks in Haiti, while raising awareness and strengthening local actors for its application in the projects of spatial planning and urban development.



See also :

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-25138-icihaiti-geosciences-workshop-on-multi-hazard-mapping-for-master-s-students.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23718-haiti-france-ird-sets-up-new-scientific-partnerships-in-haiti.html



HL/ HaitiLibre


















A mid-level restaurant, like Chilis, Red Robin or Panera.

Light industry to keep jobs in the area.

More retail so we don't have to go to Tucson.

Better and more mass transit options.

All of the above.

Vote

View Results




Have any questions? Please give us a call at 520-625-5511
Phone makers are not immune to memes - just look at how many brands tweeted out photos of eggs. Another meme popular right now is the "10-year challenge" - posting a photo of yourself from 2009 and from today. Let's see how far phones have come.

Note: we're using popular phones from 2018 as brands haven't had much time to release 2019 models.

Samsung's Galaxy brand turns 10 this year. It all started with the Samsung I7500 Galaxy - look at how the brand has grown. Literally, Samsung Galaxy Note9 is massive compared to its forefather. The Notes are largely responsible for the huge increase in size of modern smartphones.



Samsung I7500 Galaxy  Samsung Galaxy Note9

Back in 2012 Sony bought out Ericsson's shares in the join company. So, the lineage of modern Sony phones is unbroken. While we wanted to highlight the Satio and its monster 12MP camera, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 was the more popular model. Sony was into angular designs back then, a preference it kept as late as the XZ1. The XZ2 and the Sony Xperia XZ3 switch to a more rounded design language.



Sony Ericsson Xperia X10  Sony Xperia XZ3

Apple always had its own style when it comes to screens. The Apple iPhone 3GS was using a 3:2 rectangular screen while the most recent Apple iPhone XS Max has a 19.5:9 screen with rounded corners and a notch. In that time, iOS has grown much as has iTunes. The device that made iTunes popular in the first place, however, is no longer with us. Rumor has it that the iPod may be making a comeback, though.



Apple iPhone 3GS  Apple iPhone XS Max

Counterclockwise articles will mention the HTC HD2 as often as possible. It had one of the largest screens of its day in a fairly compact body. And its capable, hacker-friendly hardware kept it around for many years. The HTC U12+ is a great phone in its own right, but it didn't get anywhere near the same level of recognition as its forebearer.



HTC HD2  HTC U12+

Motorola was a major player in the early Android world. The Motorola MILESTONE (also sold under the DROID brand) was still holding on to its hardware QWERTY keyboard in 2009. You can recreate that on the Motorola Moto Z3 with a MotoMod if you want to go back in time.



Motorola MILESTONE  Motorola Moto Z3

The LG Prada is the first smartphone with an all-touch design and a capacitive screen. But it's from 2008, so let's look at the LG KM900 Arena instead. It boasted Dolby Mobile sounds and impressive audio quality. The LG V40 ThinQ follows in the multimedia traditions established by those early LGs, but instead of 3D cube UIs it tries for a more professional look.



LG KM900 Arena  LG V40 ThinQ

Huawei wasn't as well known back then, but it unveiled its first Android at the MWC 2009, the Huawei U8220. Looking at its 3.15MP camera we could hardly have guessed that the company will create photography powerhouses like the Huawei Mate 20 Pro.



Huawei U8220  Huawei Mate 20 Pro

Finally, a couple of brands that live on, though not quite at the same company. That said, many of HMD's executive team were around when the Nokia N97 was unveiled with its hardware QWERTY keyboard. The Nokia 8.1 is quite different, a modern all-touch smartphone, but it wants to live up to the legacy of old Nokia, just like the N97 paid tribute to the 9110 Communicator.



Nokia N97  Nokia 8.1 (Nokia X7)

Like Nokia, BlackBerry the company (formerly RIM) is still, but BB-branded phones are made by another company (TCL in this case). Still, look at the BlackBerry Bold 9700 and the BlackBerry KEY2 side by side. The screen grew taller, but the phone is still defined by the trademark keyboard.



BlackBerry Bold 9700  BlackBerry KEY2

Some of the brands that are popular today are not featured here - Xiaomi, Oppo and others got their start after 2009. The ones on this list are the survivors, the ones that have lived through good times and bad times and didn't quit (well, the last two aside). They've been shaping the mobile phone world for over a decade and we hope they will be around for another such article 10 years from now.
While the ministry is not new, it has been on hiatus for a few years.

During its original launch, Julian, herself the adoptive mother of seven special needs children, and McGathy saw the effort draw about 50 families from as far as Lynchburg, Virginia.

Those families were able to network with one another and establish friendships between both kids and adults.

I hope to provide special needs families an environment where they can worship without feeling different, Julian said.

The parents can either stay with their child or adult with special needs, or can attend the regular services while knowing their loved ones are in a safe place being watched and interacted with.

Her teaching plans include Bible studies, crafts, movies and listening to hymns that relate to the Bible at a level the group can understand, Julian said.

And Julian wants to offer a curriculum the groups can participate in without being made fun of or feeling different, she said.

Having seven special needs adopted kids and young adults, I know how it feels to be afraid to go out sometimes, not knowing when our autistic child may blurt out the wrong thing or have a tantrum, Julian said.
EDEN  Police say they have recovered several electronic anti-cheating devices from a local sweepstakes operation and thereby remedied static that has for months disabled key fobs, locks and ignitions of cars parked nearby.

Officers last week removed the gizmos, designed to prevent sweepstakes players from using cell phones and other electronic devices to manipulate gaming machine software, from Lucky Day Sweepstakes at 736 S. Van Buren Road, said Eden Police Lt. David Lamberth on Wednesday.

For now, investigators are referring to the gadgets they disconnected from the video game parlors popular fish game tables as anti-cheating devices until they are able to confirm the implements are indeed jammers commonly used for the purpose.

Lucky Day is cooperating with us. They did not give us any problems, Lamberth said of the removal effort.

Prior to the removal, police and owners of El Parral Mexican Restaurant next door at 734 S. Van Buren Road had received scores of complaints from the public.

Restaurant customers, including police officers, said they were consistently unable to use their remote key fobs, lock and ignition systems when parked close to Lucky Day.
MillerCoors countered Pabsts offer with a $750 million price tag, several reports indicate.

The bottom line is that its pretty obvious if you put it all together that MillerCoors really didnt have much interest in selling that property until after the lawsuit had settled with Pabst, Dougherty said. The best thing now is we got it in the hands of people that want to do something with it and our job is to work with them so we can facilitate that.

Dougherty said he is optimistic about the site and its potential in the future. He added that he has felt a sense of relief knowing that ownership  including D.H. Griffin, which is one of the partners  is working to do everything in their power to get find a willing purchaser.

They want to bring jobs here, Dougherty said. They think its a great asset and the other side is there is another 500 acres that could be developed separately if they chose to go that route.

The longtime city official told RockinghamNow that managing partners havent suggested the option is something they plan to do, but that an engineering firm believes there is a 500-acre portion that could be developed into prime industrial acres.
DHHS and North Carolina has a general statute (130A-152) that requires immunizations for children from birth through elementary school.

Some children even are sent home from school if they do not get these vaccines.

My question is: Who monitors all the various contagious diseases that the illegals are bringing to our United States? Are there procedures for making this determination?

Rules that apply to the citizens of our United States should apply to everyone coming into our country. No exceptions.

Jim Harris

Stoneville
RALEIGH  Milton Friedman once observed that nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program.

To be sure, spending bills or regulations initially sold as limited responses to specific conditions often take on a life of their own. They create constituencies that receive funds or protection from the program and thus have a strong interest in converting the temporary into the permanent.

But these constituencies need not always win. Citizens who desire to control the size and scope of government have some tools at their disposal to defeat the special interests. Some are constitutional, such as spending limitations and referendum requirements for public debt. Others are statutory.

A good example of the latter is North Carolinas regulatory-sunset law. Enacted in 2013, it subjects every rule on the books to a 10-year lifespan. If the administrative agency responsible for the rule fails to review the regulation within the time allotted, or concludes that its costs exceed any continuing benefits, the regulation goes away.

On the other hand, if the agency concludes that the rule remains relevant and cost-beneficial, it stays in force. If such a rule has attracted public comments over the preceding two years, then it must be go back through the regulatory process for re-adoption.
Our friends at Websters define heresy as any opinion opposed to established views. Consider a hypothetical example: I could say, for instance, that I think too many people go to college.

Actually, thats not hypothetical; I firmly believe it. I realize that my view is contrary to prevailing opinion, and that some of you will denounce me as a heretic, or one who professes a heresy.

Thats fine. But what if the established view  the belief that practically every high school graduate should go to college, and indeed must go to college to succeed  is incorrect?

Lets begin with the anecdotal evidence, which abounds. I know several married couples composed of one spouse with a college degree and the other without. In many of those couples, the spouse without a degree is more successful, financially speaking, than the spouse with a degree.

You probably know couples like that, too. Im sure youve also encountered plenty of waiters and waitresses who have college degrees, but who have not been able to find jobs in their chosen fields.

For decades, we have been led to believe that the individual with a degree will almost always be more successful (meaning, will make more money) than the individual without.
Housing: A Prescription for Healthy Communities  how housing impacts our health  is a growing topic of discussion in health transformation and the theme of Housing Summit 2019. Lets look at actions we can take:

1) As we age or experience mobility challenges, our housing may no longer fit our needs for accessibility and safety; we may risk injuries from falling and become isolated in our own homes.

Prescription: Aging gracefully. Community Housing Solutions and Triad Healthcare Network are partnering to modify homes and medical protocols to the specific needs of each homeowner to improve health. As part of a national research study, this Greensboro partnership is proving the benefits of the integrated approach.

2) As housing conditions deteriorate, mold and pests and fire hazards and lead dust threaten our health.
Marcus Frejo, a member of the Pawnee and Seminole tribes who is also known as Chief Quese Imc, said he had been a part of the march and was among a small group of people remaining after the rally when the boisterous students began chanting slogans such as "make America great" and then began doing the haka, a traditional Maori dance. In a phone interview, Frejo told The Associated Press he felt they were mocking the dance.

One 11-minute video of the confrontation shows the Haka dance and students loudly chanting before Phillips and Frejo approached them.

Frejo said he joined Phillips to defuse the situation, singing the anthem from the American Indian Movement with both men beating out the tempo on hand drums.

Although he feared a mob mentality that could turn ugly, Frejo said he was at peace singing despite the scorn. He briefly felt something special happen as they repeatedly sang the tune.

"They went from mocking us and laughing at us to singing with us. I heard it three times," Frejo said. "That spirit moved through us, that drum, and it slowly started to move through some of those youths."

Eventually a calm fell over the group of students and they broke up and walked away.
RAEFORD  Authorities in a North Carolina county say a high school student is dead, and they're seeking information about what happened.

The Hoke County Sheriff's Office announced on its Facebook page that deputies were sent Saturday morning to the southern part of the county, where the agency says neighbors found 17-year old Jon-Marvin Revels Jacobs.

The sheriff's office says the Hoke County High School student had left a party and was walking home when gunfire occurred. Investigators say Jacobs' upper body had severe trauma from a gunshot.

Hoke detectives were chasing leads in the case late Saturday.
Prices for fish table jammers are listed online from about $1,000 to $3,000 apiece.

While jammer use is considered by cyber experts to be a violation of federal law, Eden police are working with the Federal Communications Commission to determine if devices we recovered meet the criteria to be considered a jamming device, Lamberth said.

After the FCC investigation, Eden police will know if they should charge Lucky Day with a crime.

The operation of fish table games is legal in North Carolina because it is considered different from gambling, based on simple luck, and deemed instead a game of skill and dexterity.

Customers who wish to park at the Mexican restaurant can now rest assured the electronic interference has stopped, according to Lamberth, who explained police tested their own vehicles remote key fobs and lock systems after removing the signal blockades and pronounced the problem solved.

Once those devices were removed, weve not had any more reports of (key) remotes not working, Lamberth said.
Brenda Jans Darling, 45, has another reason she sometimes fails to take her chemotherapy medication on time: Shes a working mother of two juggling recovery with a daily onslaught of activities.

Darling, a sixth-grade math teacher in Minnesota, said she initially agreed to partake in a digital medicine pilot program about three months ago because she thought it sounded interesting. What she quickly discovered, she said, was that she enjoyed seeing her health data like her sleep and activity levels tracked on an app. She also found that information useful, comparing it to a medical Fitbit.

What she finds most useful, however, is knowing she no longer needs to count her medication to ensure she hasnt missed a dose at the end of a busy two-week medication cycle.

Ill be having breakfast and one kid needs a permission slip signed and the other one needs something else and  while all thats going on  Im trying to make sure I took the right number of pills at the right time of day, Darling said. Life happens, right, and it can be tough to keep track of everything.
In addition, the report cards found that in Guilford County and many other school districts, black students were roughly 4.3 times more likely to receive a short-term suspension than white students.

The rate was dramatically higher in 17 districts, including 13.9 times more likely in Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools, 9.7 times more likely in Durham Public Schools, 7.5 times more likely in Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools and 6.8 times more likely in Wake County schools.

Nicholson said in an interview that its not a case of black students misbehaving more than white students. She said that some white teachers, who make up 79 percent of the states teachers, are letting white students slide for the same behavior that theyd discipline a black student for doing.

Nicholson pointed to studies, such as those done by N.C. State, that showed that teachers viewed student behavior differently based on a students race.

But Terry Stoops, vice president of research for the John Locke Foundation, cautioned against assuming bias on the part of teachers.
Im sorry, the attendant said in a not-sorry tone. We cant serve you any more.

The woman then fell asleep on my shoulder.

I could have handled that situation differently, experts say. The steps for defusing disagreements involving alcohol on planes are identical to those for defusing any conflict. First, ask the passenger to slow down on the drinking. You can hint at that by saying: Could I get you a glass of water? I hear alcohol dehydrates you on a plane. (Thats true, but it also is a better way of bringing up the topic of someones excessive drinking than saying, Youre drinking too much!) If that doesnt work, ask a flight attendant if you can sit somewhere else. (Not an option for me, as it was a full flight.)

Finally, talk to a crew member privately about the passengers behavior. At the very least, they can cut the drunk passenger off, which will make the rest of the flight a little more bearable.

And if you find yourself in a situation like Wolkins? You may, which is why you should pack a change of clothes and a package of baby wipes for your next flight. Even if you dont have a baby.

With spring break just ahead, this may be a good time for U.S. carriers to consider following their Middle Eastern competitors by either limiting or eliminating the alcohol served on board. It would significantly reduce the number of in-flight confrontations and make flying safer for everyone. Dont laugh. For decades, the idea of a smoke-free flight was unthinkable. Now no one can imagine someone lighting up on board.

Elliott is a consumer advocate, journalist and co-founder of the advocacy group Travelers United.
Photo: @ADT

Police are warning people after a group of individuals went door-to-door posing as security firm employees.

Richmond RCMP is investigating after suspicious activity in the Hamilton area where multiple residents had people posing as representatives from ADT come to their door.

The individuals were allegedly asking homeowners about their security systems and in some cases attempted to gain access inside the residence.

People need to be wary. If someone supposedly representing a company shows up unexpectedly at your house, soliciting personal information, do not tell them anything and definitely do not allow them inside, says Cpl. Adriana Peralta.

Police learned about the incidents after residents posted the experience on social media.

Richmond RCMP met with representatives from ADT who said the people who were going door-to-door were not associated with their company.

Any suspicious activity should be reported to police immediately.
New owners of Greensboro's historic mansion featured on the TV show "Hoarders" have not abandoned their efforts to turn part of it into a bed-and-breakfast. They have appealed the zoning commission's denial of the needed permit.
Photo: The Canadian Press Sheila Malcolmson

B.C.'s minority New Democrat government faces a crucial popularity test this month in a byelection in one of its traditionally safe constituencies where the outcome could threaten Premier John Horgan's one-seat hold on power.

Voters in Nanaimo, who have elected New Democrats in 13 of the last 15 provincial elections, are heading to the polls Jan. 30 to replace Leonard Krog, the five-term NDP member of the legislature who resigned his seat last year after being elected mayor of the Vancouver Island city.

Krog's vacancy at the legislature makes the tight seat count even more tenuous for the New Democrats, who formed government in 2017 by reaching a partnership agreement with the three members of the Green party.

Six candidates are in the race: former federal New Democrat MP Sheila Malcolmson, the Green's Michele Ney, Liberal Tony Harris, Conservative Justin Greenwood, the Vancouver Island Party's Robin Richardson and Libertarian Bill Walker.

There are 40 New Democrats, three Greens, 42 Liberals, one Independent and one vacancy in the 87 seat legislature.

If the Liberals win, the legislature will be at a 43-43 tie, with Speaker Darryl Plecas  a former Liberal who now sits as an Independent  forced to cast tie-breaking votes.

An NDP win would preserve the minority government's status.

Prof. Mark Blackell, who teaches Liberal Studies at Nanaimo's Vancouver Island University, said the city is known as an NDP stronghold, but the name recognition of the Liberal, Harris, and the Green's Ney will challenge Malcolmson and the NDP.

"Nanaimo has undergone gradual changes in the past several decades due to a changing economy, one that has become more service-oriented, and due to people moving here, often to retire and, more recently, younger people from the Lower Mainland to find more reasonable housing," he said.

"While many who have settled, especially from Alberta, bring more conservative or B.C. Liberal Party allegiances, there has also been a growth in Green party support, largely in the younger population."

Harris, the Liberal candidate, said every candidate is aware of the high stakes in the byelection, but it's also an opportunity for the often neglected city to garner well-deserved attention.

Nanaimo, located on the east coast of Vancouver Island about 110 kilometres northeast of Victoria, is a port city with coal mining and forestry roots. More than 90,000 people live in the city.

Harris said Nanaimo has been left out of the political picture for too long.

"We certainly need to have a more comprehensive vision to allow whatever party is in power to figure out how to advance the interests of Nanaimo," he said.

Green candidate Michele Ney is the daughter of former Nanaimo mayor Frank Ney. Frank Ney served as Nanaimo's mayor for 21 years. He was also elected to the B.C. legislature for one term.

A bronze statue of Frank Ney stands in downtown Nanaimo and the flamboyant businessman was known for bringing thousands of tourists to the city with its famed bathtub races.

"Apples don't fall far from the tree," said Michele Ney. "I have a vision for Nanaimo. I have this vision where we're going to be a leader in a clean economy."

The NDP's Malcolmson said her team is deeply aware of what's at stake for the government, but she's focused on the riding.

"Talking with people on the doorstep is where I get my best advice and my best read on the actions of John Horgan's government so far," she said. "It's the real deal what you hear on the door steps."

Malcolmson, who resigned her federal seat as Nanaimo's MP to run provincially, said she's hearing from people with concerns about health care, child care and education.

"On the doorstep, I'd say it's also the sense of urgency of how the Liberals let housing prices get so out of control. How they let the homelessness crisis spiral in Nanaimo," said Malcolmson who lives on nearby Gabriola Island.

Richardson, an economist and a former Conservative MP from Ontario when Joe Clark was prime minister, said he wants Vancouver Island to become Canada's 11th province.

"We would be 100 times better off as a province than a region," said the candidate running for the Vancouver Island Party.

He also said if he wins the byelection he would hold the balance of power in the legislature.

Walker, the Libertarian, said he's campaigning for individual rights and freedoms and "freedom from government oppression."

The Conservative candidate could not be reached for comment.
Photo: The Canadian Press

In a bid to break the shutdown stalemate, President Donald Trump on Saturday offered to extend temporary protections for young people brought to the U.S. illegally as children and those fleeing disaster zones in exchange for his long-promised border wall. But while Trump cast the move as a "common-sense compromise," Democrats were quick to dismiss it at a "non-starter."

With polls showing a majority of Americans blaming him and Republicans for the impasse, Trump said from the White House that he was there "to break the logjam and provide Congress with a path forward to end the government shutdown and solve the crisis on the southern border."

Hoping to put pressure on Democrats, the White House billed the announcement as a major step forward. But Trump did not budge on his $5.7 billion demand for the wall and, in essence, offered to temporarily roll-back some of his own hawkish immigration actions  actions that have been blocked by federal courts.

Following a week marked by his pointed clashes with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, it was not clear if Trump's offer would lead to serious steps to reopen the government, shut for a record 29 days. Trump's move came as hundreds of thousands of federal workers go without paychecks, with many enduring financial hardship. Many public services are unavailable to Americans during the closure.

Democrats dismissed Trump's proposal even before his formal remarks. Pelosi said the expected offer was nothing more than "a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives" and that the effort could not pass the House

"What is original in the President's proposal is not good. What is good in the proposal is not original," she later tweeted.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also panned the proposal as "more hostage taking," saying that it was Trump who had "single-handedly" imperiled the future of the immigrants he proposed to help.

The New York Democrat said there is only "one way out" of the shutdown. "Open up the government, Mr. President, and then Democrats and Republicans can have a civil discussion and come up with bipartisan solutions." he said.

Democrats had made their own move late Friday to try to break the impasse when they pledged to provide hundreds of millions of dollars more for border security. But Trump, who has yet to acknowledge that offer, laid out his own plan, which officials said had been in the works for days.

Seeking to cast the plan as a bipartisan way forward, Trump said Saturday he was incorporating ideas from "rank-and-file" Democrats, as top Democrats made clear they had not been consulted. He also said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would bring the legislation to a vote this week, though Democrats appeared likely to block it. McConnell had previously stated that no vote should be held in the Senate until Trump and Democrats agreed on a bill.

Trump's plan seems to stand little chance of getting the 60 votes needed in the Senate. Chris Coons of Delaware, a Democrat the White House has looked to as a possible partner on immigration negotiations, said he will not support it. And Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, another key centrist, said she would study the detail plan but did not commit to vote for it.

She added of the shutdown: "This needs to end now."
Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation@skagitpublishing.com for help creating one.
Writer: It's time to end the shutdown

To the editor:

The 800,000 federal employees not getting paid and working for free is affecting us more than any illegal immigrants crossing the southern border.

The TSA agents who protect us are calling out sick and the ones who do show up for work dont have their hearts in their job, thus affecting our safety in the air. The men and women of the Coast Guard feel the same way, Im sure. I wouldnt work for free, would you? If you are forced, would you put your heart and soul into the job? I think not.

Basic government functions like inspecting the national food supply for disease have been reduced, and food aid will run out soon and people on food stamps are at jeopardy of losing their support soon.

But President Trump believes the few illegal immigrants who cross our southern border are more of a danger. I dont think so. Fifty-eight percent of all Americans oppose this wall. Trump also said he can feel the furloughed, unpaid workers pain. What a complete lie.
Annie Marie Giles Washington was born to Annie Lou and Samuel R. Giles on June 15, 1939, in Danville, Virginia. She passed away peacefully on January 8, 2019, in the presence of nephew, Earl Nelson and his wife, Tanya. Annie Marie attended elementary through high school in Danville. She graduated from the Langston High School in 1958 and then enrolled in Hampton Institute from where she received her Bachelor's Degree in 1962. While attending college Annie worked in the Atlantic City Hotels as a Chambermaid. One summer she met her future husband, Walter Washington. They married in 1964, and then made a home in Atlantic City. Once in Atlantic City, Annie joined Union Baptist Temple. During her more than 50 years as a member of Union Baptist she participated in the; Senior and Mass Choirs, Pastor's Aid and Hospitality Ministries. After School Tutorial Program and served as the head of the Trustee Board. Mrs. Washington was a teacher. Her first teaching position in Atlantic City was with Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America (OIC) from 1972 until 1974. Then, in 1974, Annie joined the Atlantic City High School faculty as an English Teacher. For 26 years she taught English and punctuation skills to hundreds of 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students. In 1990, she was recognized by the New Jersey Governor as an outstanding educator. She retired in 2000. Annie was active in the Children Cultural Arts Foundation and the Golden Circle of South Jersey Inc. Her activities within both of these organizations afforded travel opportunities to travel around the world. She leaves to cherish her memories a son, Walter Charles Washington Jr. of California; siblings, Samuel Giles and Mable Doggett, and a host of other family and friends. She was predeceased by her parents, husband; and daughter, Caroline D. Washington. Funeral services will be conducted on Saturday, January 19, 2019, at 1 p.m. from the Chapel of Fisher and Watkins Funeral Home with Pastor Edward L. Pope, Eulogist. Interment will follow at Greenwood Cemtery, in Pleasantville, N.J. Online condolences may be sent to www.fisherandwatkinsfuneralhome.com. Fisher and Watkins Funeral Home is assisting the local arrangement for the Washington family.
Photo: Contributed

A jury has found two men guilty of manslaughter in the high-profile shooting death of a Winnipeg woman inside a home that was then set on fire.

Christopher Brass and Jason Meilleur were charged after Jeanenne Fontaine was killed in March 2017.

She was the cousin of Tina Fontaine, a teenager whose body was found three years earlier in the Red River, and whose death fuelled calls for a national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Another man, Malcolm Mitchell, pleaded guilty to shooting Jeanenne Fontaine last month and was sentenced to life in prison for second-degree murder.

The Crown had argued that Brass and Meilleur should be convicted of manslaughter because they went to the home with Mitchell and were planning to rob Fontaine and her boyfriend when the shooting happened.

The Crown said the three went to collect on a drug debt  about $90 worth of methamphetamine  and Brass and Meilleur should have known the situation would turn violent because Mitchell was armed with both a gun and a knife.

Defence lawyers did not present evidence during the trial, but said during closing arguments that the Crown had failed to prove that a robbery was being committed. A cellphone and other valuables were left untouched.

They also pointed to witness testimony that Mitchell was alone with Fontaine in a bedroom when he shot her. Brass and Meilleur were elsewhere in the house. Mitchell then started the fire.

The killing was the latest in a series of hardships for the Fontaine family.

A relative testified that Jeanenne, who was 29, only started taking meth after her cousin Tina's body was pulled from the Red River in 2014.

The 15-year-old's body had been wrapped in a duvet cover and weighed down with rocks. The man accused in her death, Raymond Cormier, was acquitted last year.

Tina Fontaine had also spiralled downward after a family tragedy. Her father, Eugene Fontaine, was beaten to death in 2011. Two men pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Victim impact statements at their trial noted that Tina had a happy childhood but was unable to cope with her father's death, got into trouble, and drifted away from the people closest to her.

Brass is already serving life sentences for the first-degree murder of Daniel Dipaolo, who was found dead in Regina home in April 2017, and for a second-degree murder conviction in the shooting death of Bryer Prysianzniuk-Settee in Winnipeg in February of that same year.
He gave a little ironic laugh. Fixing it was an extra expense this year.

A few yards away, the forest line around the creek open up to some of Harris pastures. That portion of his pastures has been flooded for months. The water was about 8.5 inches high at one point.

It hasnt really ever dried out since the hurricane, he said.

But Harris considered himself lucky. Some farmers had lost thousands of dollars of product during the power outages because the tobacco couldnt be dried properly, while others had their fences completely washed away.

Most soybean farmers have yet to get the second wave of their crop out of the ground.

By this point, Barts said, They rotted in the pod, matured during all of that moisture.

The extension agent said soybean farmers will probably see about 10 to 15 percent yield loss on average. Wheat production is also expected to face a large loss, near 30 percent, which will affect the cost of feeding animals.

On the cattle end of the operation, Harris said the wet weather posed a health hazard to the animals. The wet ground could cause their hooves to rot, and all the moisture could lead to more sickness or respiration problems.
An inmate died in the Danville City Jail on Saturday morning, authorities reported.

Danville Sheriff Mike Mondul identified the inmate as Raymond Lea Massey, 53, of Danville. Massey was jailed on Feb. 27 after being convicted of carnal knowledge of a minor between ages 13 and 15 on June 26. He was serving a sentence of two-and-a-half years.

Authorities were first summoned that Massey  who had notable health issues, Mondul reported  needed medical help at about 6:30 a.m. Saturday by another inmate.

A jail nurse assessed him and administered his morning medication, Mondul wrote in a news release.

At that time he was alert and talking to the nurse.

When the nurse checked on him again at 7:15 a.m., he needed emergency medical attention, Mondul reported.

Emergency responders were called via 911 and the Danville Live Saving Crew arrived at 7:26 a.m., according to the news release. He stopped breathing while being loaded into the ambulance, Mondul reported.

A deputy and emergency workers began CPR while Massey was being transported to the hospital.

He was pronounced dead at the hospital at 7:54 a.m., Mondul reported.
Russia warns Israel against more Syria strikes

Iran Press TV

Sat Jan 19, 2019 09:37AM

Russia has warned Israel against carrying out airstrikes near the Damascus International Airport in the Syrian capital.

Moscow said it would not tolerate further airstrikes in the area as it is seeking to renovate the airport, the London-based al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper reported on Friday, citing Russian sources. The Russians said the air raids were prompting airlines that want to resume Syria operations to reconsider their decision.

Israel frequently strikes the Syrian territory, attacking military targets belonging to Syria and its allies, which have been assisting Damascus' war on foreign-backed terrorist groups. Observers view the attacks as a means of propping up the Takfiri terror groups that have suffered crushing defeat recently.

Last September, a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft with 15 servicemen on board was downed by Syria's S-200 missile launchers, which were at the time responding to a wave of Israeli strikes on state institutions in the western Syrian Latakia Province. Moscow held Israel responsible, saying the regime's pilots had intentionally used the Russian plane as cover to conduct air raids, effectively putting it in the crosshairs of the Syrian air defenses.

Russia stopped coordinating its airborne operations over Syria with Israel after the incident, and upgraded Syria's defenses with its S-300 missile systems.

On October 4 last year, Israeli Regional Cooperation Minister Tzachi Hanegbi roundly rejected the idea that Syria's acquisition of the equipment would trouble Tel Aviv. "The operational abilities of the air force are such that those (S-300) batteries really do not constrain the air force's abilities to act," he told Israel's Army Radio.

A day later, however, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin told Russia's Sputnik news agency that Russia hoped the Israeli regime would exercise "good judgment" on Moscow's delivery of the missile system to the Syrian government as it will be followed by "additional steps.""
Syria urges Security Council to stop US-led strikes on civilian infrastructure

Iran Press TV

Sat Jan 19, 2019 05:44PM

The Syrian government has called on the United Nations Security Council to put an end to airstrikes being carried out by the US-led coalition purportedly fighting the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group, saying the aerial assaults are targeting civilian and critical infrastructure in the Arab country.

The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, in two separate letters addressed to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the rotating president of the Security Council, Francisco Antonio Cortorreal, on Saturday, censured the latest US-led coalition strikes against al-Baghuz al-Tahtani village in the eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr, saying the US-led warplanes had targeted dozens of families, who were fleeing from areas controlled by Daesh.

Local sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Syria's official news agency SANA on Friday that 20 people were killed when US-led warplanes bombarded residential buildings in the village.

"This new crime is in line with the criminal acts that the US-led coalition is perpetrating systematically and on a daily basis against Syrian people, and in flagrant violation of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The activities of this alliance are illegal as it has been formed outside the UN framework. Such acts have only contributed to the expansion of extremist terrorist organizations, especially Daesh. Cooperation and coordination between these terrorist groups and this alliance has been documented in numerous letters that Syrian Arab Republic has sent to the Security Council," the letters pointed out.

The ministry then condemned in the strongest terms the US-led coalition's continued attacks against Syrian people and the conflict-plagued country's critical infrastructure, energy facilities and public and private property.

It also called on the UN Security Council to shoulder its responsibilities as regards to the establishment of international peace and security, and put an immediate halt to its crimes against humanity that were being carried out by this "rogue" coalition against Syrian civilians and infrastructure.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry demanded that the Council take necessary measures to set an international mechanism to punish the perpetrators of such crimes.
IS Vows More Attacks on Manbij

By Jeff Seldin January 18, 2019

The Islamic State terror group is promising to keep targeting U.S. and U.S.-backed forces in the northern Syrian town of Manbij, where a suicide attack this week killed four Americans and five coalition soldiers.

The claim, published in IS's most recent online newsletter, Naba, comes as U.S. defense and intelligence officials are questioning whether the terror organization's security and intelligence networks run deeper and remain more intact than previously thought.

"The Attacks of the Mujahedeen Will Continue in Manbij Until Sharia Governance Returns," the newsletter proclaimed, according to a translation by the SITE Intelligence Group.

IS "began executing attacks against the apostates months ago," it added, citing an interview with an IS fighter who is part of one of several "security detachments operating in the area."

Previous targets included coalition-backed military and intelligence officials, the newsletter claimed, along with several unsuccessful attempts to attack U.S. forces.

"ISIS remains an adaptive and dangerous adversary," a senior U.S. counterterrorism official told VOA, using an acronym for the group.

And while IS's claim of responsibility for Wednesday's attack in Manbij has yet to be confirmed, "we believe the claim is authentic," the official said, calling the attack "very typical" of IS insurgent activities.

Detail, coordination demonstrated

A key concern for some officials and analysts are the levels of detail and coordination demonstrated in the Manbij attack.

"There were several photos, videos and detailed discussions identifying the coalition aircraft posted on social media immediately after the attack," said Jade Parker, a former counterterrorism analyst in support of U.S. military activities.

"This may present an enduring challenge for the coalition in countering the insurgents because Islamic State intelligence capabilities, in particular, prolong the group's ability to target individuals perceived as threats to the survival of their terrorist organization," she added.

The IS newsletter, Naba, itself detailed how the group's fighters or informants have been watching U.S. forces at their bases around Manbij, noting how and when they move, and how they interact with members of the coalition-backed Syrian Democratic Forces.

And the IS suicide bomber struck just as the U.S. patrol approached a restaurant known to have been frequented by the American forces.

Just as troubling to former officials is that all this took place in an area that was liberated from IS more than two years ago.

"Manbij should have been a showcase of how stability comes back and ISIS can be contained and defeated, and it's not," former U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford said during a conference call on U.S. Syria policy.

"These ethnic tensions that I've talked about, the economic grievances ... will always give ISIS a recruiting base," he said.

Sleeper cells

The most recent U.S. estimates have put the overall number of IS fighters in Syria at 13,000 to 14,500, many of them outside areas controlled by U.S.-backed forces. U.S. military officials have also said many IS fighters have been content to lie low, hiding in remote areas or as part of sleeper cells, waiting until the opportune moment to activate and strike.

The attack Wednesday in Manbij appears to have been one of those moments.

Defense officials Friday identified three of the Americans killed in the attack as Army Green Beret Chief Warrant Officer Jonathan Farmer, 37; Navy Chief Cryptologic Technician Shannon Kent, 35; and Defense Intelligence Agency operations support specialist Scott Wirtz, 42.

A fourth American, civilian contractor Ghadir Taher, also was killed, her company, Valiant Integrated Services, confirmed.

Taher's family told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution the 27-year-old had emigrated to the U.S. from Syria as a child and was working there as an interpreter.

"As Wednesday's attack demonstrates, ISIS remains a threat," acting chief Pentagon spokesman Charles Summers Jr. said Friday. "We will continue to hit the remnants of ISIS hard to destroy any residual networks and ensure its enduring defeat."

Equipment withdrawal

The Pentagon has already begun pulling some equipment from Syria as part of a withdrawal announced by U.S. President Donald Trump last month.

But Summers insisted that despite the mandate to get the 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria back home, there was no timetable for their return.

"The withdrawal is based on operational conditions on the ground, including conversations with our allies and partners," he said, adding that the number of troops in Syria "will fluctuate during this process."

But critics of the Trump administration have complained that any withdrawal will be more complicated given the president's announcement that U.S. forces will be returning home.

"His recent choices, unfortunately, are already giving the Islamic State  and other American adversaries  new life," Brett McGurk, former U.S. envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat IS, wrote in an op-ed in The Washington Post Friday.

"The Islamic State and other extremist groups will fill the void opened by our departure, regenerating their capacity to threaten our friends in Europe  as they did throughout 2016  and ultimately our own homeland," he added.
Militia Fighting in Tripoli Leaves 13 Killed, 52 Injured  Health Ministry

Sputnik News

06:37 19.01.2019

TRIPOLI (Sputnik)  At least 13 people were killed and 52 others injured in violent clashes between local armed groups, which erupted in the Libyan capital of Tripoli earlier this week, the Libyan Health Ministry said in a statement shared with Sputnik.

"The number of people killed in the clashes, which erupted last Wednesday, grew to 13 people while 52 people, including women and children, have been injured," the statement read.

The fighting between rival groups  militias from Tripoli and 7th Brigade from the nearby town of Tarhunah  have recently intensified.

Both groups were active in the area in August, which brought multiple casualties. In order to settle the crisis, a ceasefire deal between them was reached under the UN auspices in September. However, the clashes subsequently continued.

The fractured country of Libya has been lingering in a state of turmoil since the overthrow and killing of Muammar Gaddafi in a 2011 NATO-backed political revolt. The eastern part of the country is governed by the parliament, backed by the Libyan National Army (LNA) and located in Tobruk. The UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), headed by Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj, operates in the country's west and is headquartered in Tripoli.

 Sputnik
Iraqi Hashd al-Sha'abi forces kill, injure dozens of Daesh terrorists in Syria

Iran Press TV

Sat Jan 19, 2019 01:32PM

Iraqi pro-government fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) have carried out a counter-terrorism operation in Syria's eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr, killing and injuring dozens of terrorists from the Daesh Takfiri group in the process.

The commander of the volunteer forces  better known by the Arabic name Hashd al-Sha'abi  in western Anbar, Qassim Mosleh, said 35 Daesh extremists were eliminated or sustained injuries as Iraqi forces pounded their positions in the village of al- Susah.

Mosleh went on to say that three militant commanders, identified by the noms de guerre Abu Wadah, Abu Hamza and Abu Fatoum, were killed in the offensive.

On December 31, 2018, Iraqi military aircraft pounded a strategic position of Daesh terrorists in Syria's Dayr al-Zawr, after Syrians President Bashar al-Assad allowed Iraqi fighter jets to conduct airstrikes against the extremists in Syria.

The media bureau of Iraq's Joint Operations Command announced in a statement that Iraqi F-16 fighter jets had bombed and destroyed a two-story building on the outskirts of the village of Susah and killed 30 Daesh commanders as they were holding a meeting.

The statement added that the aerial assault was carried out following close surveillance by the Iraqi Intelligence Service.

The development came a day after a high-ranking Iraqi official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Russia's RT Arabic television news network that Iraqi warplanes would be able to enter the Syrian airspace and bombard Daesh sites under Assad's directives.

The Iraqi official, however, highlighted that the Syrian president had demanded that the Baghdad government inform Syrian authorities before launching any aerial raid.

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 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 that year.

Daesh began a terror campaign in Iraq in 2014, overrunning vast swathes in lightning attacks.
Iraqi artillery attack kill, injure 35 ISIS forces

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Jan 19, IRNA -- Commander of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) for Al-Anbar operation announced that the artillery units' attacks on ISIS positions have killed or injured 35 terrorists.

According to PMF website, Qassem Mosleh said after receiving exact information, the artillery units were able to target a group of ISIS terrorists who planned to attack PMF forces.

He added that some of ISIS ringleaders were also killed in this attack.

He went on to say that situation is under the control and PMF forces are monitoring enemies' moves.

Iraq in coordination with Syrian government has recently started air, mortar and Katyusha attacks on ISIS positions.

Earlier in an operation aiming at eradicating terrorism, the Iraqi F-16 jetfighters bombarded a Daesh (ISIS) gathering attended by 30 commanders of the terrorist group in Syria.

It is worth mentioning that Iraqi jetfighters have the permission to use the Syrian airspace to bomb Daesh positions.

9376**1424
Iran unveils domestically-built radar near Pakistan border

Iran Press TV

Sat Jan 19, 2019 11:22AM

Iran has unveiled a domestically-built radar in the city of Zahedan near the border with Pakistan.

The inauguration ceremony was held in the capital of Sistan and Baluchestan Province by Brigadier General Alireza Sabahi-Fard, the commander of the Iranian Army's Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base, Fars News Agency reported on Saturday.

The radar, manufactured by Khatam al-Anbiya's experts, was rendered operational at Vahdat-e-Birak radar site in the city of Zahedan.

The inauguration came ahead of the fortieth anniversary of the victory of the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Sabahi-Fard, who was conducting an inspection of the missile and radar units based in the country's east, praised the sensitive electronic surveillance site as well as the level of their operational readiness against enemies' threats.

Recently, the Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base's deputy commander, Brigadier General Alireza Elhami told IRNA said the Islamic Republic was enhancing the range and altitude covered by its radars as well as the precision of the equipment's performance. He said the country will soon unveil its achievements in the area.

The commander has also said the country's experts were developing radars that will be capable of tracking satellites travelling in the orbits close to the Earth's surface.

The border with Pakistan has witnessed many security incidents over the past two years that have claimed the lives of the countries' border guards on several occasions.

Last October, 12 Iranian border guards were kidnapped by members of the Jaish ul-Adl terrorist group, which were based on the Pakistani soil. Five of them have been released so far.

In April 2017, 11 of the border guards were killed in an ambush claimed by Jaish ul-Adl near the town of Mirjaveh in Sistan and Baluchestan. The assailants escaped into Pakistan immediately after the attack.

Iran and Pakistan have vowed to enhance both internal control and defensive cooperation towards confronting instances of border infringement resulting in such incidents.
Photo: Cindy Rhyason

A town hall meeting on gun control drew more than 200 residents on Saturday  as well as the police.

North Okanagan-Shuswap Conservative MP Mel Arnold hosted the meeting at Vernon's Prestige Inn. He was joined by Calgary MP Michelle Rempell. A uniformed RCMP member watched from the audience.

Arnold, who has previously called the federal government's Bill C-71 "a back-door gun registry," assured attendees that he is, first and foremost, a strong supporter for improving public safety.

However, his party has issues with the amendment to the Firearms Act.

Rempell asserted that the bill penalizes people that are not the problem.

Bill C-71 has passed through three readings in Parliament, and is now sitting with the Senate.

Following the information session, the floor was opened up for questions. More than a dozen people lined up to express their concern. The most repeated was the fear that law-abiding citizens will encounter more difficulty in purchasing legal guns.

It wasnt all anti-Bill C71, however. A lone voice queried if this has become merely a "wedge issue."

A health worker expressed concern for the safety of those in her industry.

Arnold reiterated he supports firearm regulations that are in the best interest of public safety, and reducing firearm violence and criminality.

"We are all focused on that in the interest of public safety," he said.

Vernon-Monashee MLA Eric Foster and Vernon Coun. Scott Anderson, interim leader of the BC Conservative Party, also attended the meeting.

 by Cindy Rhyason
'Yellow Vest' protesters rally in France despite Macron's outreach

Iran Press TV

Sat Jan 19, 2019 06:02PM

Hundreds of "Yellow Vest" demonstrators have convened in the French capital, Paris, and several other cities for the tenth consecutive weekend of anti-government protests despite a national debate launched this week by President Emmanuel Macron aimed at relieving the discontent.

In the capital on Saturday, demonstrators gathered at the Champs Elysees and the Invalides esplanade, home to Napoleon's tomb, near the Assemblee Nationale lower house of parliament and the Eiffel Tower.

At the Invalides, demonstrators were carrying a banner that read, "Citizens in danger." They marched at the front line of the rally and held coffin-shaped blackboards in memory of those who lost their lives in previous demonstrations.

Reports said the government had deployed 5,000 police forces around the capital, particularly near government buildings and the Champs-Elysees, the stage of recent violence. Some 80,000 police also fanned out across the country.

The rallies on Saturday were organized primarily to pay homage to the 10 people killed in protest-related traffic accidents and hundreds of others who have been injured since the movement began on November 17 and quickly morphed into a wholesale revolt against economic woes and Macron himself.

Since then, thousands of demonstrators wearing yellow vests have been gathering in major French cities to protest Macron's controversial fuel tax hike, which he later dropped, and the high cost of living in France.

Protesters have criticized police forces for their use of rubber projectiles that have left dozens of people injured.

Analysts believe that the tax and salary concessions that Macron offered to the protesters in December have brought relative calm.

But according to numerous polls conducted after Macron canceled his planned fuel-tax hike on December 10, about half of the public believes his concessions were not meaningful enough and that the movement should continue.

The French president is currently facing an array of demands ranging from the re-introduction of France's wealth tax, called the ISF, on the richest people in the country, to the implementation of popular elections that allow citizens to propose new laws.

Earlier this week, Macron initiated his three-month-long debate during meetings with mayors and local officials. The debate consists of a number of meetings organized by ordinary citizens, associations and elected officials to empower the French to voice their views regarding economy and democracy.

The European country is currently on high alert due to the threat of terrorism, with the latest attack conducted on December 11, during which five people lost their lives by the bullets of a gunman at a Christmas market in Strasbourg.

Since the onset of the movement, more than 1,500 people have been injured. Fifty of the injury cases were serious. Thousands more have been arrested by security forces.
US, N Korea Officials Hold First 'Productive' High-Level Meeting - State Dept

Sputnik News

03:04 19.01.2019(updated 03:49 19.01.2019)

Since the historic meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un in June, the denuclearization talks have reportedly stalled, with Pyongyang demanding immediate sanctions relief and Washington urging North Korea to take more steps to dismantle its nuclear infrastructure.

The US State Department said in a press release on Friday that US and North Korean officials held a productive working level meeting after talks between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Vice Chairman Kim Yong Chol.

"The Secretary [Pompeo], Special Representative [Stephen] Biegun, and Vice Chairman Kim discussed efforts to make progress on the commitments President [Donald] Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un made at their summit in Singapore," the release said on Friday after the meeting in Washington. "At the conclusion of the Secretary's meeting with Vice Chairman Kim, the two sides held a productive first meeting at the working level", the release said.

The State Department also said that US Special Envoy on North Korea Stephen Biegun will participate in an international conference hosted by the Swedish government from January 19 to 22.

Trump has been considering a second summit with Kim Jong Un to speed up denuclearization. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement on Friday that Trump will hold his second summit with Kim "near the end of February".

The situation on the Korean Peninsula has improved since the beginning of last year. During this time, North Korean leader and South Korean President Moon Jae In have held several meetings, while Kim even had a summit with Trump in Singapore. This meeting yielded an agreement stipulating that Pyongyang would make efforts to promote the complete denuclearization of the peninsula in exchange for the United States and South Korea freezing their military drills, as well as the potential removal of US sanctions.

Acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said Thursday during the rollout of the 2019 Missile Defense Review that the missile capabilities of North Korea "remain a significant concern".

Last year, The Washington Post reported, citing officials familiar with the matter, that US intelligence had seen signs of the construction of new missiles in North Korea. In particular, the report said that satellite photos and other evidence showed that work was underway on at least one or possibly two liquid-fueled ICBMs at a research facility in Sanumdong.

In December, the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported that the North Korean military had tested telemetry equipment used for tracking launched intercontinental ballistic missiles. The outlet said that the telemetry tests are an integral part of North Korea's nuclear program development.

Pyongyang reportedly conducted its latest missile launch in November 2017. Last year, Kim announced that the country would suspend its ICBM launches and missile tests ahead of the summits with Moon and Trump.

 Sputnik
White House says 2nd Trump-Kim summit to happen "near the end of February"

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:53, January 19, 2019

The White House said Friday that the second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), "will take place near the end of February."

The announcement was made after Trump wrapped up a meeting in the Oval Office with Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of the DPRK's ruling Korean Workers' Party Central Committee.

"President Donald J. Trump met with Kim Yong Chol for an hour and half, to discuss denuclearization and a second summit, which will take place near the end of February," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement.

"The President looks forward to meeting with Chairman Kim at a place to be announced at a later date," she said.

The meeting between Trump and Kim Jong Un, if held as scheduled, will be the two leaders' second face-to-face encounter following their landmark summit in Singapore last June. Both sides have said they look forward to such a meeting.

Kim Jong Un said during his recent trip to China that his country will "make efforts for the second summit between DPRK and U.S. leaders to achieve results that will be welcomed by the international community."

Trump said on Jan. 2 that the two countries will set up a leaders' summit. "We'll probably now have another meeting. He'd like to meet, I'd like to meet. We'll set that up, we'll be setting that up in the not-too-distant future," Trump told reporters at the White House.

Traveling on a commercial plane, Kim Yong Chol arrived at Washington's Dulles International Airport on Thursday night and was greeted there by Stephen Biegun, the U.S. special representative for the DPRK, according to the Republic of Korea's Yonhap news agency.

Earlier Friday, Kim Yong Chol held talks with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Biegun at a hotel in Washington.

"Secretary Pompeo and Special Representative Steve Biegun had a good discussion this morning with DPRK Vice Chairman Kim Yong Chol on efforts to make progress on the commitments President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un made at their summit in Singapore," U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Robert Palladino said in a statement.
China firmly opposes Pentagon report hyping up "China threat"

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 10:13, January 19, 2019

China on Friday expressed strong dissatisfaction with and firm opposition to a U.S. missile defense report's hyping up "China threat."

The report, Missile Defense Review, unveiled Thursday at the Pentagon, was the first update to the U.S. missile defense policy since its 2010 version.

The report, with a cold war mentality and outdated concepts such as the zero-sum game, has ignored the peace and development theme of the times and exaggerated geopolitical confrontation and great-power competition with groundless hyping up of "China threat," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying.

"The U.S. side's move is not constructive at all," Hua said, adding that it will jeopardize regional peace and security, impede the process of international nuclear disarmament, trigger arms races, and undermine global strategic balance and stability.

China always champions solving the missile proliferation through political and diplomatic means and opposes pursuing own interests at the price of other countries' security and interests, the spokesperson said.

Saying China is firmly committed to the path of peaceful development and a national defense policy that is defensive in nature, Hua stressed that China always exercises utmost restraint in developing its strategic forces "with no intention to pose a threat to any country, including the United States."

"We urge the U.S. side to abandon the cold war mentality, maintain global and regional peace with a responsible attitude and take concrete actions to safeguard international peace and stability," Hua said.
Chinese naval escort fleet pays friendly visit to Philippines

People's Daily Online

(People's Daily Online) 11:12, January 19, 2019

The 30th escort task group of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy arrived in the Philippines Thursday for a five-day friendly visit.

More than 200 people from the Chinese Embassy and Chinese-invested organizations, as well as overseas Chinese greeted the fleet when it arrived. Tan Qingsheng, Minister-Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines was also in the greeting group.

Commodore Wilfredo Burgunio, deputy commander of the Philippine fleet, and other officials attended the welcoming ceremony.

During the visit, the Chinese fleet commander will pay courtesy visits to the Philippines' senior naval officers, hold an on ship reception, organize a tour aboard the ships, and engage in other activities with their Philippine naval counterparts.

The PLA Navy has visited the Philippines multiple times and docked in Manila, the largest port city of the country.
Brazil's Authorities Show Suspicious Funds Transfers to President's Son Account

Sputnik News

16:07 19.01.2019

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Brazilian financial authorities have identified suspicious money transfers into an account of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's son in 2017, the Globo news outlet reported Saturday, citing the country's Council for Financial Activities Control.

According to the outlet, in 2017, 48 cash transfers of 2,000 reals ($500) each one, were made to the account of president's son Flavio Bolsonaro. In total, 96,000 reals (about $26,000) were credited to his account in five days.

The money came through ATMs located in the building of the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro. The news outlet reported that the council still did not identify who made those cash deposits, but suggested that it might be an attempt to hide a source of funds.

Earlier in the week, the Brazilian Supreme Court has halted an investigation in suspicious payments to Flavio's former driver Fabricio Queiroz, who had some 1.2 million reals (more than $300,000) on his account in 2016-2017. This decision has been made at the request of Flavio.

 Sputnik
Russian Space Corporation Ready to Design New Super Heavy Rocket  Director

Sputnik News

02:04 20.01.2019(updated 02:05 20.01.2019)

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia's space industry corporation Roscosmos is ready to design a new super heavy-lift rocket launcher, its director announced Saturday.

Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Roscosmos posted photos from a meeting at the agency's leading research institute for machine-building (Tsniimash) near Moscow, where the announcement was made.

"Space industry design and production bureaus have confirmed they are ready to implement the project to create a super heavy-lift carrier rocket," Rogozin tweeted.

A Roscosmos spokesperson told Sputnik last month that the rocket concept would be presented to the Russian government by January 15. The new rocket will be called Yenisei.

Earlier Russia's space agency has proposed the creation of a constellation of remote sensing satellites dubbed the Sovereign's Eye ('Gosudarevo Oko').

"Today, we have presented a new project, which I consider extremely promisingOn December 27, with the successful launch from the Vostochny Cosmodrome, we strengthened the constellation of Earth remote sensing satellites. We are now proposing a project called 'Sovereign's Eye', which would allow us to see the dynamics of any changes on Earth," Rogozin said, speaking to reporters on 18 December.

The Sovereign's Eye network would be aimed at improving the monitoring capabilities of civilian agencies, including Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations, and could assist in areas of the economy including agriculture and energy production.

 Sputnik
US Reconnaissance Office Announces Launch Date of New Spy Satellite

Sputnik News

02:47 19.01.2019

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - A United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket is slated to send the newest US spy satellite into orbit from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Saturday, the National Reconnaissance Office announced in a press release.

"Weather forecasters from the Air Force's 30th Weather Squadron predict a 70 percent chance of favorable conditions for launch.The only concern for a launch weather rule violation will be winds", the release stated on Friday.

United Launch Alliance will provide a live webcast of Saturday's countdown and the 11:05 a.m. launch (22:05 GMT), ending the broadcast when the rocket jettisons the payload fairing about 6 minutes after liftoff, the release said.

The launch of the Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle with a US military reconnaissance satellite was previously called off seven seconds before launch on 8 December without explanations.

The US Defense Department has recently unveiled a new plan (MDR) to strengthen and expand country's missile defense capabilities on land, sea and in space amid fears of sparking an alleged nuclear crisis with Russia and China.

US Vice President Mike Pence reminded at the press conference on thursday that the US president has taken decisive action to extend US dominance on land, at sea, in air, and in cyberspace.

The Vice President reminded the audience that Trump has called for the establishment of a sixth branch the US Armed Forces to ensure American dominance in space.

According to the document, the United States will explore space-based interceptors as a means of engaging with offensive missiles in their boost phase in order to boost its missile defense capabilities. The new review also pushes for developing a layer of space-based sensors that will enhance US capabilities to detect and track more complex missile threats.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Friday that the US Missile Defense Review leads to the revival of the Reagan-era Star Wars program at a higher technological level.

 Sputnik
Russia Mulling Sovereign's Eye Satellite Network to Watch 'Any Process on Earth'

Sputnik News

15:03 19.01.2019(updated 15:08 19.01.2019)

Russia launched over two dozen satellites into space last year, and had some 146 civilian and military satellites orbiting the planet as of mid-2018, according to UN figures.

Russia's space agency is proposing the creation of a constellation of remote sensing satellites dubbed the Sovereign's Eye ('Gosudarevo Oko'), Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin has announced.

"Today, we have presented a new project, which I consider extremely promisingOn December 27, with the successful launch from the Vostochny Cosmodrome, we strengthened the constellation of Earth remote sensing satellites. We are now proposing a project called 'Sovereign's Eye', which would allow us to see the dynamics of any changes on Earth," Rogozin said, speaking to reporters on Friday.

According to Rogozin, the project could make an important contribution to Russia's Digital Economy initiative, a national development strategy aimed at improving the functioning of regulatory organs and educational institutions, as well as cybersecurity, research, and IT infrastructure.

The Sovereign's Eye network would be aimed at improving the monitoring capabilities of civilian agencies, including Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations, and could assist in areas of the economy including agriculture and energy production.

For example, Rogozin noted that the Ministry of Emergency Situations could use the system to quickly deploy firefighting aircraft to within 25 square meters of a fire. For agriculture, meanwhile, the satellite network would monitor existing arable lands.

Furthermore, Sovereign's Eye would enable the monitoring of major infrastructure projects, according to Rogozin. "This would assist authorities tremendously. All buildings and changes to infrastructure will be visible from space," he said.

"We will offer Gazprom, Rosneft, Lukoil, Russneft and others the ability to remotely control the facilities which they build, whether inside Russia or abroad," the official said.

The Sovereign's Eye system would allow for digital monitoring from a variety of angles, to determine, "for example, the depth of a pit, the depth of a mine or some other changes in a piece of infrastructure," Rogozin said.

Russia launched two Canopus-V remote sensing satellites from Vostochny Cosmodrome in December. By 2020, Russia's group of remote sensing satellites is expected to include at least 15 satellites, including six Canopus-Vs, which are capable of highly detailed remote sensing.

Operating in sun-synchronous orbit and navigating with the help of GLONASS and GPS, the Canopus-V operates at an altitude of about 510 km, and is equipped with a precision multi-spectral camera with a broad spectral range. The satellite was jointly developed by the Russian Scientific Research Institute of Electromechanics and Surrey Satellite Technology, a UK-based company.

 Sputnik
Russia successfully test fires anti-satellite missile system: US intelligence report

Iran Press TV

Sat Jan 19, 2019 06:46AM

Russia has successfully test-fired an anti-satellite missile system that is reportedly capable of disrupting US navigation and communications satellites.

Citing two people with direct knowledge of a classified US intelligence report, CNBC reported on Friday that the system, dubbed PL-19 Nudol, was put to the test twice last year.

The most recent test of the system came on December 23, when the anti-satellite missile flew for 17 minutes before successfully splashing down in its target area 1,864 miles away, CNBC wrote.

The successful launch was the seventh overall test of the system, according to one of the sources who was speaking on condition of anonymity.

The new missile system is capable of targeting communication and imagery satellites in low Earth orbit, according to another unnamed source.

Space wars

The revelation came shortly after US President Donald Trump personally unveiled the first overhaul of US missile defense doctrine in nearly a decade, which made establishing a space force as a a new branch of the US military a priority.

"Russia is developing a diverse suite of anti-satellite capabilities, including ground-launched missiles and directed-energy weapons, and continues to launch 'experimental' satellites that conduct sophisticated on-orbit activities to advance counter-space capabilities," the missile defense review stated.

The new plan called for developing space-based alarm systems to detect incoming missiles and space-based weapons that could intercept incoming threats among a series of other steps to defend the US mainland.

"Our goal is simple: To ensure we can detect and destroy any missile launched against the United States  anywhere, anytime, anyplace," Trump said as he unveiled the review at the Pentagon..

To achieve that objective, the plan called for investments in space-based sensors that could better detect and track incoming missiles.

Russia's foreign ministry warned that Trump's new missile strategy would unleash a dangerous arms race in space.

The Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the strategy as an "irresponsible" act which "gives the green light to the prospect of basing missile strike capabilities in space."

This was not the first time Russia was warning the US against sparking an arms race. Moscow issued a similar warning against triggering a nuclear arms race last year, when the Trump administration said it decided to leave a landmark Cold War-era nuclear arms control treaty with Moscow.

The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), which was signed towards the end of Cold War in 1987 by then US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, bans developing new land-based missiles with ranges between 310 and 3,420 miles.

Trump cited Russia's "violations" of the deal as the reason behind the plan to exit the INF.

Washington said last month it would withdraw from the treaty within 60 days if Moscow did not dismantle missiles that the US claims breach the deal.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in December that his country could easily develop and deploy land-based intermediate-range missiles if the United States proceeds with Trump's threats withdraw from the treaty.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A solemn procession. A long salute. A chaplain's prayer.

President Donald Trump travelled to Delaware's Dover Air Force Base on Saturday to pay his respects to the returning remains of four Americans who were killed this week in a suicide bomb attack in Syria.

The bombing, which was the deadliest assault on U.S. troops in Syria since American forces moved into the country in 2015, came as Trump prepares to pull U.S. troops out of Syria. And it underscored the threat still posed by Islamic State militants, even as Trump has claimed the group's defeat.

The president stood solemnly and saluted the remains of civilian Scott A. Wirtz of St. Louis, Missouri, as his body was carried from a C-17 military aircraft into a waiting van on a bitterly cold, wind-whipped tarmac.

Earlier, he, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and acting Secretary of Defence Patrick Shanahan accompanied a small group of Army and Navy officers as they walked up the plane's cargo ramp, where a chaplain said a prayer.

Wirtz and the three other Americans  Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jonathan R. Farmer, Navy Chief Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive) Shannon M. Kent and an unnamed civilian contractor  were killed in a suicide bombing Wednesday in the northern Syrian town of Manbij. Wirtz had been assigned to the Defence Intelligence Agency as an operations support specialist.

The three other transfers were conducted privately, with the president observing. He also spent time with the families of those killed.

Trump told reporters as he left the White House on Saturday that meeting the relatives of the country's fallen heroes "might be the toughest thing" he has to do as president. In discussing his withdrawal decision, Trump has repeatedly referenced how much he dislikes making calls and writing letters to the families of those killed while serving overseas.

The trip was not listed on the president's public schedule that was released Friday night, but he tweeted the news in the morning.

"Will be leaving for Dover to be with the families of 4 very special people who lost their lives in service to our Country!" he wrote.

The visit came during a budget fight that has consumed Washington for the past month, shuttering parts of the federal government and leaving hundreds of thousands of workers without pay. Raising the stakes in his dispute with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the president on Thursday abruptly cancelled her military flight, hours before she and a congressional delegation were to depart for Afghanistan on a previously undisclosed visit to U.S. troops.

Trump delivered a speech later Saturday in which he offered to extend temporary protections for young people brought to the U.S. illegally as children in exchange for billions for his long-stalled border wall. But while Trump cast the move as a "common-sense compromise," Democrats were quick to dismiss it at a "non-starter."

Trump has made one other visit to Dover during his presidency, soon after taking office. On Feb. 1, 2017, Trump honoured the returning remains of a U.S. Navy SEAL killed in a raid in Yemen. Chief Special Warfare Operator William "Ryan" Owens, a 36-year-old from Peoria, Illinois, was the first known U.S. combat casualty of Trump's presidency.

In a Dec. 19 tweet announcing the withdrawal from Syria, Trump declared, "We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency." He said the troops would begin coming home "now." That plan triggered immediate pushback from military leaders and led to the resignation of Defence Secretary Jim Mattis.

Over the past month, Trump and others have appeared to adjust the timeline, and U.S. officials have suggested it will likely take several months to safely withdraw the approximately 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria.

A leading U.S. voice on foreign policy and close ally of the president, Sen. Lindsey Graham, said during a visit Saturday to Turkey that an American withdrawal from Syria that had not been thought through would lead to "chaos" and "an Iraq on steroids." Graham, R-S.C., urged Trump not to get out without a plan and said the goal of destroying Islamic State militants in Syria had not yet been accomplished.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for Wednesday's attack in Manbij, which killed 19 people, including the four Americans.

Trump said before arriving in Dover that IS has lost almost all its territory but "that doesn't mean you're not going to have somebody around." He also said "we can be pulling back but we've been hitting ISIS very hard over the last three weeks ... and it's moving along very well."

Manbij is the main town on the westernmost edge of Syrian territory held by the U.S.-backed Syrian Kurds, running along the border with Turkey. Mixed Kurdish-Arab Syrian forces liberated Manbij from IS in 2016 with help from the U.S.-led coalition.

But Kurdish control of the town infuriated Turkey, which views the main U.S. Kurdish ally, the YPG militia, as "terrorists" linked to Kurdish insurgents on its own soil.

Trump reinforced his withdrawal decision during a meeting with about a half-dozen GOP senators late Wednesday at the White House.

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who was at the meeting, told reporters on a conference call that the president remained "steadfast" in his decision not to stay in Syria, or Afghanistan, "forever." But the senator did not disclose the latest thinking on the withdrawal timeline.

Paul said Trump told the group, "We're not going to continue the way we've done it."
US missile defense plan reveals illusion disguised as safety net

Global Times

Source:Global Times Published: 2019/1/18 7:41:46

US President Donald Trump laid out his administration's Missile Defense Review during a speech at the Pentagon on Thursday local time, declaring the US will develop a more advanced defense system to counter hypersonic and cruise missile threats from competitors and adversaries.

Trump also said the US will do whatever it takes "to ensure that we can detect and destroy any missile launched against the United States anywhere, anytime, any place."

The Missile Defense Review makes clear the system will be aimed at protecting the US against existing threats from North Korea and Iran, and countering advanced weaponry developed by Russia and China.

Today, US missile defense systems have a greater presence in many countries and regions. Chinese and Russian targets are within its range, a vital component of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system found in neighboring countries. Additionally, the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System (aka Sea-Based Midcourse) is connected to THAAD, helping to make it even more efficient.

Analysts have said that the US defense systems can act as a form of insurance against small-scale missile attacks from North Korea and Iran, but their Achilles' heel will be revealed when confronted with dense missile strikes from China or Russia. The development of Chinese and Russian hypersonic missiles will be a threat for US defense systems.

Since the beginning, when "Star Wars" was launched during the Reagan era, the US government has focused on developing anti-missile defense systems at various degrees of importance. Throughout, the project has functioned as a form of psychological deterrence while having a political influence in creating closer alliances with deploying nations.

Missile defense and other systems are the modern equivalents to spears and shields. While technological progress is balanced, with the development of technology interception, offensive tactics have grown simultaneously. Attack missiles are flexible and can travel unexpectedly, unlike a defense mechanism, which will always win favor in any competition.

The purpose behind this latest US defense upgrade is to eliminate the possibility of mutually assured destruction, a Cold War-era principle followed tacitly by nuclear weapon states. It is to make itself the only country with nuclear capabilities that could destroy a nation while simultaneously making itself immune from foreign nuclear weapon strikes. Overall, it would give the US a unique strategic advantage against adversarial threats.

For the US, whether missile interception is successful or not, is not the main priority. Instead, it looks forward to garnering diplomatic advantages through the deployment of the system. Since intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) loaded with nuclear warheads have the capability to annihilate civilization, the US is aware its missile defense systems will never be used.

Domestic approval, foreign sentiments, and the effect such a plan would have on Trump's approval ratings are the real questions to consider.

Should Washington actually follow through, no other power in the world would be able to stop it. The US has already threatened to withdraw from the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. In paradoxical US fashion, they accuse China of developing an advanced missile program while preparing to release a new missile defense plan of its own. Thursday's announcement serves as a declaration that the US is now leading a missile defense systems race.

However, there is practically zero hope the US could ever become an entirely secure nation, one that would possess the freedom to attack major powers like Russia and China. Security is meant to be interrelated among all nations, and it cannot belong solely to the US at the expense of other countries. Regardless of budget, the US will never be satisfied with "security hegemony," an unprecedented goal that has never been attained throughout human civilization. The US will remain at a great distance from this goal.

The widening chasm that exists between the US and the world is not rooted in their technological advances as they would like for everyone to think, but can be found within its lack of sincerity when it comes to making positive contributions or easing global tension.

US missile defense systems are nothing more than attempts at keeping up appearances. They provide Washington the chance to flex their muscles on the global stage. This latest missile defense system will neither discourage Russia or China, nor benefit the US in negotiations with North Korea and Iran. It seems the real purpose of any US missile defense system is nothing more than a tool used by White House leaders to help fool the American public.
Trump Shutdown Deal Proposal: Relief for 'Dreamers', Increased Border Security

Sputnik News

00:24 20.01.2019(updated 00:59 20.01.2019)

US President Donald Trump made a statement on Saturday in a bid to end the partial US government shutdown, proposing a 3-year legislative relief for the so-called Dreamer immigrants that could protect them from deportation. The US president also offered protections for immigrants who hold temporary protected status.

Ahead of Trump's major Saturday announcement on the nation's longest government shutdown, CNN has reported, citing sources, that the US president would allow Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients  who came to the country as children  also known as "dreamers"  and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) visa holders to remain in the United States.

Describing the US immigration system on Saturday as "badly broken", Trump said: "I am here today to break the logjam and provide Congress with a path forward to end the government shutdown and solve the crisis along the southern border".

Shortly before Trump's statement, the top Democrat in the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, said in a statement that the president's offer was "unacceptable" because it did not "represent a good-faith effort to restore certainty to people's lives".

Earlier on Saturday, Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, said he could not support Trump's offer. "First, President Trump and Senate majority leader McConnell must open the government today", Durbin said in a statement, cited by Reuters.

"Second, I cannot support the proposed offer as reported and do not believe it can pass the Senate. Third, I am ready to sit down at any time after the government is opened and work to resolve all outstanding issues", Durbin said, quoted by Reuters.

In his Saturday speech, Trump also proposed increased funding for border security, stressing that he seeks a path to end the government shutdown stalemate. In particular, Trump proposed adding 2,750 more border agents and reiterated his request for some $5.7bln to build a much-promised barrier on the southern US border.

Trump previously hinted that he would declare a national emergency in order to secure funds to build a wall along the border with Mexico, but followed up by stating that he would prefer to reach a deal with Congress.

The shutdown was caused by a standoff between Trump and the Democrats over the president's demand for funds to build a wall along the southern US border with Mexico. Trump is asking Congress to approve $5.7 billion to build the wall, but Democrats refuse to provide funds for the barrier.

The impasse has left the US federal government partially closed for a record 29 days.

 Sputnik
Trump Proposes Immigration Deal in Bid to End Shutdown

By Steve Herman January 19, 2019

In a bid to end the monthlong partial shutdown of the U.S. government, President Donald Trump on Saturday offered Democrats compromises on his hard-line immigration policies, but they were knocked down by the opposition party even before he spoke.

"We hope they will offer their enthusiastic support, and I think many will," Trump said of the Democrats. "The radical left can never control our borders. I will never let it happen."

In his remarks, broadcast live from the White House Diplomatic Reception Room, Trump called for 2,750 more federal agents for immigration control and $5.7 billion for a steel barrier covering 370 kilometers (230 miles) of the border with Mexico.

"It is time to reclaim our future from the extreme voices who fear compromise and demand open borders," Trump said. "That is why I am here today to break the logjam."

Pair of programs

Trump offered compromises on two programs his administration has targeted for elimination: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for immigrants from some Latin American and African nations.

The bipartisan Bridge Act would allow 740,000 immigrants who came to the United States illegally as children, often referred to as Dreamers, to keep their work permits and hold off deportations for three more years if their permits have been revoked.

That plan has been strongly opposed by some prominent conservative commentators.

Shortly before Trump spoke, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the offer a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives that were "unacceptable" and said the president's proposal was "not a good-faith effort."

"It is unlikely that any one of these provisions alone would pass the House, and taken together, they are a nonstarter. For one thing, this proposal does not include the permanent solution for the Dreamers and TPS recipients that our country needs and supports," Pelosi added in her statement.

U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu, a Democrat from California, tweeted: "We will never allow a shutdown as a negotiating tactic. Need to reopen government first."

U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, an Alabama Republican, chastised his Democratic Party colleagues in the House for rejecting Trump's proposal even before the president announced it, saying Trump "keeps trying to negotiate and Democrats just keep saying no."

Trump said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, would bring his proposed legislation to the floor next week in order to "immediately reopen our federal government."

The president made his announcement shortly after he attended a naturalization ceremony in the Oval Office for five new American citizens, highlighting his support for legal immigration.

Trump's proposal reportedly stems from a Thursday night meeting involving his son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner; Vice President Mike Pence; and McConnell to craft an outline for legislation that could win sufficient approval from opposition lawmakers.

McConnell has resisted any immigration-related bills being introduced in the Senate that the president would not agree to sign in advance.

'Time to make a law'

In a statement released after Trump's speech, McConnell said, "Everyone has made their point  now it's time to make a law. I intend to move to this legislation this week."

There had been speculation Trump might declare the situation on the southern border a national emergency, giving him a face-saving way to end the government shutdown that could prove both politically and economically costly, while maintaining the backing of his core supporters.

Later, several top administration officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, Trump son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner and acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, spoke with a small group of reporters at the White House.

Mulvaney cautioned that while declaring a national emergency "is still a tool that is available to the president," it is not the preferred route.

The president faces pressure from his conservative base not to compromise on immigration issues. Some influential commentators, who are hard-liners on border security, have warned Trump that trading amnesty for wall funding could cost him re-election in 2020 because he would lose support.

Pence denied the criticisms, saying, "This is not an amnesty bill." He said the proposal was for a three-year reprieve for DACA recipients and would not grant citizenship or permanent residency to any of the immigrants affected.

Trump has repeatedly insisted he needs $5.7 billion in taxpayer funding to extend a wall along the U.S. southern border with Mexico.

The Democrats, who control the House but not the Senate, have offered more than $1 billion in new money for border security, but none specifically for a wall. Democratic sources say the money will be included in a packet of spending bills the House will consider next week  $524 million to improve ports of entry and $563 million to hire more immigration judges.

The impasse over the wall and the record-long government shutdown also led to a dispute between Trump and Pelosi over her plans to travel to Afghanistan.

'Very irresponsible'

Pelosi accused the White House on Friday of leaking information about her planned trip to fly commercially to Afghanistan after Trump denied Pelosi the use of a military plane for the trip.

Pelosi said it was "very irresponsible on the part of the president" to release details about her sensitive travel plans, which the State Department said significantly increased the security threat on the ground.

The White House denied leaking Pelosi's flight plans.

Trump on Thursday had revoked the use of a military plane for Pelosi and Democratic members of Congress for their planned trip to Afghanistan to visit U.S. troops and to Brussels to take with NATO leaders. In a letter to the speaker, the president said that "in light of the 800,000 great American workers not receiving pay [as a result of the shutdown], I am sure you would agree that postponing this public relations event is totally appropriate."

A spokesperson for Pelosi's office said the trip would have provided "critical national security and intelligence briefings" as well as served as an opportunity for Pelosi to thank the troops.

The president's letter did not directly address Pelosi's call Wednesday for Trump to delay his scheduled Jan. 29 State of the Union address until government funding was restored and the shutdown ended.

VOA's Katherine Gypson contributed to this report.
Saudi-Led Coalition Airstrikes Pound Yemeni Capital - Reports

Sputnik News

03:25 20.01.2019

DOHA (Sputnik) - The Saudi-led Arab coalition has conducted a series of airstrikes against the positions of the Houthis Ansar Allah militants in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, local media reported on Saturday.

The attacks on the Houthis' positions, in particular, drone launch sites in Sanaa, were a response to the attack on al-Anad military base in Lahj province last week, where many high-ranking officers of the Yemeni army and security services were killed during the military parade, Saudi broadcaster Al Ekhbariya reported, citing the coalition's statement. Earlier, the Houthis confirmed they were responsible for the drone attack on al-Anad base.

A few hours before the attack, the coalition and the government of Yemen appealed to Yemenis asking them to stay away from the positions of the Houthis, the statement says.

According to the Al Arabiya broadcaster, the Houthis' positions in the northwestern part of Sanaa have been stricken. In particular, the coalition attacked a training camp, as well as a division of the Houthis missile defense system and al-Dulaimi military air base, from where drones had been launched to attack the positions of the Yemeni pro-government forces. In addition, the president's house, where the training camp was located, was subjected to airstrikes.

At the same time, Houthis-controlled broadcaster Almasirah reported that the coalition aircraft had stricken a food factory in the north of Sanaa, adding that residential buildings were damaged as a result of the attack. Houthis government stressed that strikes on the residential areas of Sanaa, where there are a lot of civilians and internally displaced persons, violated international humanitarian law.

Yemen has been locked in a conflict between the government forces led by President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi and the Houthi rebels. The Saudi-led coalition has been conducting strikes against the Houthis at Hadi's request since March 2015.

The intense fighting in Yemen resulted in one of the worst humanitarian crises, with millions of people in the country suffering from hunger and lack of health care.

 Sputnik
UNHCR Calls on Cameroon to Halt Forcible Returns of Nigerian Refugees

By Lisa Schlein January 19, 2019

The UN refugee agency says it is shocked by reports that Cameroonian authorities have forcibly returned some 9,000 Nigerian refugees who fled across the border earlier in the week in search of safety from militant attacks.

The sudden mass exodus of thousands of Nigerian refugees into Cameroon followed attacks by Boko Haram militants in the small border town of Rann in Nigeria's Borno State on Monday.

The militants reportedly targeted military installations, civilian and humanitarian facilities. The United Nations reports the market and shelters housing thousands of internally displaced people in Rann were burned down by the attackers. At least 14 people are reported killed.

UN refugee spokesman, Babar Baloch, tells VOA Cameroon's expulsion of the thousands of Nigerian refugees fleeing for their lives was totally unexpected and distressing.

"It is really alarming for us to see desperate people who have just arrived in Cameroon seeking safety in this remote part and then for them to be ending up back into a situation of danger is extremely worrying," said Baloch.

Baloch says the UNHCR and its partners were making preparations to provide humanitarian aid to the newly arriving refugees when they heard the refugees were being summarily expelled.

"It is unexpected because there were no indications. We were already in touch with the Cameroonian authorities in terms of how to take care of the newly arrived refugees and then we found out reports that they may have been sent back," said Baloch.

Baloch says there are concerns for the possibly precarious situation of another 6,000 Nigerian refugees who fled to Cameroon several weeks ago.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi is appealing to Cameroon to continue its open-door policy toward those seeking refuge. He is calling for an immediate halt to any more returns. He says Cameroon must ensure compliance with its obligations under national and international law to protect refugees in fear of their lives.
Scores of Somali Militants Killed in Fighting, Airstrike

By Mohamed Olad Hassan January 19, 2019

U.S. and Somali military officials said Saturday that scores of al-Qaida-affiliated fighters had been killed during an attack on a government military base near Somalia's southern port city of Kismayo.

The militants launched a surprise dawn attack Saturday at the base near Bula Gudud village, 50 kilometers north of Kismayo, starting with triple suicide blasts. Scores of heavily armed militants then stormed the base from all directions, Somali officials told VOA.

"The terrorists have attacked the base with suicide blasts, and fierce fighting occurred. We defeated them and forced them to flee, killing at least 70 militants during the attack and an airstrike that followed," Abdinur Ibrahim, regional security spokesman, told VOA.

U.S. officials said Saturday that 52 al-Shabab militants had been killed in the retaliatory airstrike following the initial attack. The airstrike targeted a site in Somalia's Middle Juba region and no civilians were killed or injured, according to a U.S. Africa Command press release.

The armed group claimed responsibility for the military base attack and said 41 Somali soldiers had been killed in the incident.

"Our fighters started the attack by detonating a huge car bomb inside the base and then the suicide infantry followed to eliminate the soldiers who survived from the blast. Forty-one soldiers from the apostate government were killed," a pro-al-Shabab website claimed.

Medical sources at the Kismayo hospital said the bodies of eight Somali soldiers and 19 others who were injured were brought to the hospital.

Multiple military sources familiar with the attack told VOA militants outnumbered government soldiers in the base and briefly took it over, seizing some weapons and military supplies before military reinforcements countered the offensive.

Defensive airstrike

About an hour after the militants left the base, an airstrike carried out by unidentified foreign forces supporting the Somali military killed more than 60 militants. At least two missiles hit the militants driving away in a military truck and two Toyota pickup truck they seized from the base, officials said.

"On their way back, after the defeat in the battle for the military base, an airstrike hit the militants, killing all those in three vehicles, estimated to have been more than 60," a Somali military official familiar with the airstrike told VOA on the condition of anonymity.

Both the militants' claim and that of the Somali military could not be independently verified due to the remoteness of the area. But to support their claim, the Jubbaland regional administration released graphic photos showing completely burned military transport vehicles and body parts that were strewn on and around them.

The U.S. military recently increased its periodic airstrikes in Somalia to help the U.N.-backed government in its fight against al-Shabab and Islamic State.

Last June, a U.S. soldier was killed and four other soldiers were wounded in a firefight against al-Shabab militants near the same base attacked Saturday by the militants.

Alexander Conrad, 26, of Chandler, Ariz., and his wounded fellow soldiers were fighting alongside about 800 troops from the Somali National Security Forces and Kenyan Defense Forces when they were hit with mortars and small-arms fire.

Saturday's militant attack came days after al-Shabab struck a Nairobi hotel and killed at least 21 people, including an American citizen.

Kenya has military personnel in the southern part of Somalia where they are fighting terrorists under the African Union's mission.

Khadar Hared contributed to this report from Nairobi.
Colombia Asks Cuba to Arrest ELN Leaders

By VOA News January 19, 2019

Following a deadly suicide truck bombing on a police academy near Bogota, the president of Colombia has called on Cuba to arrest 10 commanders of the Colombian ELN rebel group who are in Havana.

Ivan Duque said late Friday he is asking Cuba to "capture the terrorists who are inside its territory and hand them over to Colombian police." He said no ideology could justify the cruelty of Thursday's attack.

"It's clear to all of Colombia that the ELN has no true desire for peace," Duque said Friday in a televised address.

Cuba responds

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, said in a statement, that Cuba "will act with strict respect for the Protocols of Dialogue and Peace signed by the Government and the ELN, including the Protocol In Case of a Rupture in Negotiations."

The ELN commanders have been in Cuba following stalled peace talks there with Colombia.

Colombian authorities say Jose Aldemar Rojas, a one-armed ELN explosives expert, carried out the attack that killed 21 people and wounded dozens more. Officials say Rojas died in the attack.

"This was an operation that has been planned for the past 10 months," said Defense Minister Guillermo Botero.

Largest rebel group

The ELN has not claimed responsibility for the attack.

The rebel group, however, has increased attacks on police since peace talks in Cuba stalled when the rebels refused to heed the government's demand to free all hostages.

ELN is now the country's largest armed rebel group since FARC disbanded and turned into a political party as part of a peace deal with the government.

Despite a long history of guerrilla violence in Colombia, major terrorist bombings in the country have been rare.
US Says It Seeks to Address 'Legitimate Concerns' in Afghan Conflict

By Ayaz Gul January 19, 2019

The United States said Saturday that it was determined to address "legitimate concerns" of all sides in the conflict in Afghanistan to achieve peace.

Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. special envoy for Afghan reconciliation, tweeted the pledge from neighboring Pakistan, where officials are trying to arrange and host the next round of talks with representatives of the Afghan Taliban.

The insurgent group has been reluctant to send its envoys to the dialogue since its last meeting with Khalilzad's team in the United Arab Emirates a month ago. Representatives from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the host country also attended that meeting.

The Taliban has since accused the U.S. team of backing away from holding discussions on key insurgent demands for all American and NATO troops to leave the country to allow Afghans to resolve political differences themselves.

Washington has been pushing the Taliban to open direct talks with the Afghan government, but insurgents have refused to do so, rejecting Kabul as an "American puppet."

"To achieve peace, we are ready to address legitimate concerns of all Afghan sides in a process that ensures Afghan independence and sovereignty, and accounts for legitimate interests of regional states," Khalilzad said.

He called for insurgents to agree to a cease-fire, and warned that U.S. troops would hit back if they came under attack from the Taliban.

"Urgent that fighting end. But pursuing peace still means we fight as needed," the U.S. envoy underscored in his messages via Twitter.

Pakistan promotes dialogue

Pakistan said it was trying to facilitate U.S.-Taliban discussions, hoping the dialogue would lead to an intra-Afghan peace process. Islamabad has long been accused of sheltering and covertly helping Taliban rebels orchestrate attacks inside Afghanistan. Pakistani leaders reject the charges.

"The solution to the Afghan issue is not possible without intra-Afghan dialogue, and Pakistan considers it vital for the restoration of peace in the entire region," Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told local media Saturday.

Washington opened direct peace talks with the Taliban last summer to promote a political settlement to the war. Since then, media reports have said U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a plan to pull out nearly half of the 14,000 American troops stationed in Afghanistan in the coming weeks.

The reported plans have worried critics, who say the move will encourage the Taliban to continue its military campaign rather than negotiate a political settlement to the 17-year-old war.
US-Led Coalition: Militia Didn't Stop Iraq Survey

By Rikar Hussein January 19, 2019

The U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State (IS) Friday denied it was blocked by Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) from conducting a military inspection in Iraq's Anbar province near the Syrian border.

In an email to VOA, the U.S.-led international coalition's Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) said the operation in western Anbar earlier this week was coordinated with the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and the purpose of it was to survey Iraqi border security posts with Syria as a part of the ongoing effort to defeat IS.

"This survey was planned, coordinated and conducted with the ISF, and occurred without incident," CJTF-OIR told VOA.

"Coalition forces and the ISF work together to secure the borders of Iraq, protecting the people of Iraq and supporting security that ensures the lasting defeat of ISIS," it added, using an acronym for the militant group.

The response from the coalition comes as Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in a statement Tuesday said it prevented the U.S. forces with the anti-IS coalition from carrying out a "suspicious reconnaissance" operation on the Iraqi border with Syria.

"The Anbar command of the Mobilization Forces prevented the American forces from completing the survey, forcing them to return to their base and not to approach the units of Popular Mobilization Forces," Qasem Musleh, the PMF field operations commander in Anbar, said in the statement.

Musleh accused the U.S. of violating Iraqi sovereignty, claiming the U.S.-led coalition collected "dangerous" information about the Iraqi border patrol, the number of combat points, the quantity of ammunition, the type of weaponry and the number of personnel present at each border point.

"American provocations have come to reveal secret information about our troops stationed at the border," he said, adding, "This information reveals the secret of the forces stationed there, making it easy to target."

Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF)

The PMF is an umbrella organization of several Shiite militias formed in 2014 after the Iraqi army fled the area following IS attacks. The group includes U.S. terror-designated militias, such as Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq and the Badr organization, and Iranian-friendly parties such as the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq.

Empowered by Iran, the group played a key role in driving U.S.-backed Kurdish peshmerga forces out of Kirkuk and other disputed territories in northern Iraq following a Kurdish referendum for independence in late 2017.

U.S. officials in the past have stated the group works as a regional proxy to Iran and is increasingly threatening and provoking American troops in Iraq and Syria.

An assessment of the U.S. anti-IS operations by the Pentagon's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) last November warned that the PMF's increased military and political power, along with their willingness to act independently of the Iraqi security forces, could further Iran's influence in Iraq.

The Pentagon report said the Iranian proxies continued their threatening rhetoric against the U.S. presence in Iraq. It added Iran-backed militias were likely behind two attacks targeting U.S. facilities in Iraq last September, including mortar attacks that targeted Baghdad's Green Zone and landed near the U.S. embassy, and rocket attacks that targeted the Basra Airport, near the U.S. consulate.

The mortar fire on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad then prompted the White House's National Security Council to ask the Pentagon for plans to attack Iran, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

The U.S. consulate in Basra has been closed since Sept. 28, when U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the U.S. would be relocating diplomatic personnel from the city following increasing threats from Iran and Iran-backed militia.

National security correspondent Jeff Seldin contributed to this report.
Former Afghan Prime Minister Hekmatyar to Join Presidential Race 2019 - Reports

Sputnik News

17:33 19.01.2019

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Former Afghan prime minister, warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar on Saturday announced that he will run in the country's presidential elections in July 2019, Afghanistan's 1TV channel reported.

The channel reported, citing Hekmatyar, that the former insurgent would run for the presidency as an independent candidate.

Hekmatyar noted that the current Afghan government was a reason for the continuing war in the country, and the system must be changed in a peaceful way.

On December 30, the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan announced that the country's presidential election, initially scheduled for April 20, would be pushed back to July 20 due to the problems the country faced during the parliamentary elections in October 2018 and the preparation of talks on a peace agreement with the Taliban radical movement.

In September 2016, the Afghan government signed a peace agreement with Hekmatyar's Hezb-e Islam faction, which has waged a violent insurgency against the government for the past 15 years. Since 2001 Hezb-e Islami has launched attacks on both US and Afghan forces.

Hekmatyar headed a notorious opposition faction against the Afghan government during the 1979-1989 civil war. He served as prime minister in the mujahideen government when another civil war raged from 1992 to 1996, before defecting to help the Taliban take over the country. Rights groups claim he is responsible for torturing and murdering scores of civilians including Soviet troops.

 Sputnik
Chelsea Powrie

The countdown is on at the Penticton Regional Hospital with a new countdown clock unveiled Saturday morning to chronicle the last 100 days before the new David E. Kampe tower is officially open.

"We're very excited to see the doors opening on April 29," said regional hospital board chair Petra Veintimilla. "Being able to have a countdown clock to actually see how soon the opening date is, we're certain that is going to create a lot of excitement for residents throughout the region."

The six-storey tower will include a new ambulatory care centre and 84 private, single-care patient rooms. The new countdown clock will reside in the lobby of the main hospital entrance, ticking down the days, hours, minutes and seconds to the tower's opening.

Its namesake, David Kampe, was in attendance at the Saturday morning unveiling of the clock. He was personally thanked by Penticton mayor John Vassilaki for his philanthropy.

Vassilaki said the hospital expansion raises the bar for what residents of the region can expect from their healthcare.

"When we talk about building a livable community, a quality of two important amenities immediately come to mind, and that is education and healthcare," Vassilaki said.

The South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation has been fundraising for years to reach a $20 million goal for the tower, and is now just $1.5 million away from that goal.
Russian Navy Monitoring US Destroyer in Black Sea  Control Center

Sputnik News

22:04 19.01.2019(updated 22:26 19.01.2019)

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia's Black Sea Fleet is currently keeping tabs on a US missile destroyer that arrived in the maritime on Saturday, the national defense control center said.

"Black Sea Fleet forces began following the USS Donald Cook guided-missile destroyer after it entered the Black Sea," the statement reads.

The US missile destroyer is being shadowed by Russia's Pytlivy frigate and tracked using electronic and technical surveillance capabilities, the center added.

The United States' 6th Fleet commander, Vice Adm. Lisa Franchetti, noted that Russian warships have been "professional " in their interactions with US Navy vessels over the past year during encounters in the Baltic, Black and Mediterranean Seas.

"I've been here about ten months now, and we do get a chance to see them operate in the Baltic, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea. By and large, all those interactions have been professional," Franchetti said in an interview with Defense News published Monday.

"We operate in international waters. The Russians are operating in international waters. My expectation of my forces and the Russian forces is that they are going to be safe and professional," Franchetti said. All navies have a right and responsibility to act professionally at sea, Franchetti added.

The United States  a NATO founding member  has steadily increased its presence in the Black Sea region over the past year, with military exercises for the bloc held in Black Sea waters and US warships frequently entering the area. Russian authorities have repeatedly condemned NATO actions as provocative, adding that they threaten an increased military risk in the region.

 Sputnik
Special Counsel Makes Rare Statement Casting Doubt On Cohen Report

By RFE/RL January 19, 2019

Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office has disputed a report in BuzzFeed News that U.S. President Donald Trump directed his former lawyer to lie to Congress about a real estate project in Moscow as Congressional Democrats vowed to investigate allegations.

In a first for the Mueller investigation, the Special Counsel's Office commented on a media report, saying in a January 18 statement that the allegations, based on two unnamed law enforcement sources, were not "accurate."

"BuzzFeed's description of specific statements to the Special Counsel's Office, and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohen's Congressional testimony are not accurate," Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller's office, said in the statement, though he did not say the entire article was wrong.

BuzzFeed said in a statement that it was standing by its reporting and urged the Special Counsel "to make clear what he's disputing."

The White House has called the allegations "categorically false," but leading Democrat lawmakers said the possibility the report is true was a "concern of the greatest magnitude" and would seek an inquiry into the matter.

"These allegations may prove unfounded, but, if true, they would constitute both the subornation of perjury as well as obstruction of justice," California Republican Adam Schiff, House intelligence committee chairman, said in a statement.

"We will do what's necessary to find out if it's true," he added.

BuzzFeed News reported on January 17 that Trump told Cohen to lie to Congress about negotiations over the Moscow project during the 2016 campaign.

The report, which quotes the two law enforcement officials "with direct knowledge of the investigation" into the project, has not been independently confirmed.

The allegations put Trump further at risk in an investigation that has already resulted in convictions of or guilty pleas from four former campaign aides, including ex-campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

Trump tweeted that Cohen was "lying to reduce his jail time," although Cohen has already been sentenced to three years for a number of political and financial crimes that came to light through the Special Counsel investigation by Robert Mueller.

Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, said in a statement that any suggestion that Trump told Cohen to lie is "categorically false."

Some Senate Intelligence Committee investigators have said they hope to ask Cohen about the BuzzFeed report when he testifies behind closed doors in February, Reuters reported.

With reporting by Reuters, AP and CNN

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/mueller-cohen-buzzfeed-report- statement-casting-doubt/29718803.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.
Hundreds Protest In Sakhalin Against Any Transfer Of Nearby Kurile Islands

By Siberia Desk, RFE/RL's Russian Service January 19, 2019

Hundreds have demonstrated on Sakhalin in Russia's Far East to protest against any potential transfer to Japan of any of the islands from the disputed Kurile chain.

Some 300 people turned out for the unsanctioned event on January 19 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the regional administrative center.

One demonstrator was hauled off by police after the event and held for two hours before being released with a citation for violating public order.

It's the latest in a string of similar actions on Sakhalin.

It comes amid efforts by Moscow and Tokyo to resolve a decades-long dispute over the islands, known in Russia as the Southern Kuriles and in Japan as the Northern Territories.

The islands were captured by Soviet troops in the last days of World War II. Failure to resolve the dispute has blocked the countries from signing a peace treaty to formally end the hostilities.

In November, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Foreign Minister Shinzo Abe agreed to accelerate negotiations based on a 1956 Soviet proposal to return the two less populated islands, Shikotan and a group of islets called Habomai.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on January 14 that the two countries still have "substantial disagreements" despite some progress in bringing their positions closer.

Lavrov also warned not to expect progress toward an agreement unless Japan first recognizes Russian sovereignty over the Pacific island chain.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/hundreds-protest- in-sakhalin-against-any-transfer-of-nearby -kurile-islands/29719149.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.
US should replace Syria troops with private contractors: Blackwater founder

Iran Press TV

Sat Jan 19, 2019 06:33AM

The founder of an infamous private military company says American troops in Syria could be replaced with mercenaries after a planned drawdown ordered by US President Donald Trump.

In an interview with Fox Business, Erik Prince, who founded Blackwater now called Academi, welcomed Trump's Syria pullout decision, adding, however, that the US allies should not be abandoned in the war-torn country.

"The United States doesn't have a long-term strategic obligation to stay in Syria. But, I also think it's not a good idea to abandon our allies," he said.

Trump announced the plan to withdraw American forces from Syria last month amid preparations by Turkey to launch an operation against US-backed Kurdish militants in northern Syria.

His abrupt move sparked concern among officials in Washington, prompting Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to step down in protest.

The planned pullout also raised worries among the anti-Damascus Kurds operating in northern Syria and left them feeling abandoned by Washington.

Prince, a former Navy Seal, argued that using private contractors would allow Trump to end "forever wars" and protect US allies against what he called Iranian military advisors and Syrian army soldiers.

"American history is filled with public and private partnerships, of places that the private sector can fill those gaps, where a very expensive military probably shouldn't be," he said.

"If there is not some kind of robust capability to defend from a ground invasion from the very conventional power that the Iranians and the Syrians have, our allies there will be smashed," he added.

Blackwater, which was founded in 1997, received hundreds of millions of dollars in US government contracts during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The company found notoriety for a 2007 scandal in which four of its guards killed 14 Iraq civilians in Baghdad. Iraq banned Blackwater from operating in the country in 2009.

Recently, Blackwater published a full-page ad in the print issue of Recoil magazine reading, "We are coming."

"The Recoil ad suggests Blackwater is making a resurgence on its own, but it was not clear in what form," said Military Times newspaper.

Back in August 2017, Prince advised the Trump administration to deploy Western mercenaries to Afghanistan.

At that time, Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that Prince's initiative "proposes a way for the US to achieve its goals, by reducing the conflict's visibility and allowing the long-term commitment."

"This was the U.S. strategy in Colombia, long-term support for the local forces conducted almost entirely through contractors," he told Forbes magazine.

Last month, Trump ordered the Pentagon to prepare the withdrawal of up to half of the roughly 14,000 US troops in Afghanistan.
Taliban deny agreeing to talks with US in Pakistan as Khalilzad visits Islamabad

Iran Press TV

Sat Jan 19, 2019 08:29AM

The Taliban have rejected reports of upcoming talks with the United States in Pakistan, after local media claimed a meeting in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad was in prospect.

The reports came after US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad arrived in Islamabad on Thursday and met with Pakistani officials, including Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Local media report also claimed that Islamabad had invited a delegation of over 10 Taliban leaders to attend the talks with Khalilzad on Saturday and Sunday.

"We wanted to make it clear that we will not hold any meeting with Zalmay Khalilzad in Islamabad," Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid was quoted as saying by Reuters on Saturday.

A senior Taliban leader also reiterated that the group "would never hold any meeting with the Afghan government as we know that they are not capable of addressing our demands."

The US says any settlement in Afghanistan must be between the government in Kabul and the Taliban.

The Taliban, however, have so far refused to deal directly with the government in Kabul, which they consider as "illegitimate."

Last month, Islamabad said it had arranged a meeting between Khalilzad and the Taliban leaders in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The "US-Taliban reconciliation talks" produced "tangible results that are positive for all parties concerned," Emirate News Agency, also known as WAM, said at the time.

The Taliban issued a statement late last year, demanding the lifting of international sanctions against its leaders, the release of prisoners and the recognition of its office in Qatar.

The militants also view the presence of foreign forces, including those of the US, in Afghanistan as the main obstacle to peace. They have said they are open to negotiations on issues such as mutual recognition with the Afghan government, constitutional changes and women's rights.

Kabul, on the other hand, is strongly opposed to any recognition of the Qatar office, which was established at the request of Washington in 2013 to "facilitate peace talks."

The Taliban's five-year rule over at least three quarters of Afghanistan came to an end in the wake of a US-led invasion in 2001, but 17 years on, the militant group continues to challenge the government and thousands of foreign troops remaining on Afghan soil.
In Serbia, Putin blasts West's destabilizing moves in Balkans

Iran Press TV

Sat Jan 19, 2019 10:34AM

Russian President Vladimir Putin has censured Western countries and their allies in the NATO military alliance for actively seeking to destabilize the Balkans.

Putin made the remarks as he visited Serbia in a trip aimed at cementing ties with the Balkan country, which seeks to become a member of the European Union (EU).

Following his arrival to a jubilant red-carpet welcome in Belgrade on Thursday, Putin insisted on his intent to back moves to maintain calm in the neighboring region, a day after accusing the West of undermining the Balkans through efforts to expand membership in the US-led military alliance.

"Russia, like Serbia, is interested in a situation in the Balkans remaining stable and not dangerous," Putin said during a joint press conference with his Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vucic, who praised the growing partnership between the two sides.

He said Western countries had made efforts to secure their dominance in the Balkans by absorbing Montenegro into NATO and also seeking to bring Macedonia into the Western military alliance.

"The policy of the United States and certain Western countries aimed to foster their dominance in the region constitutes a major destabilizing factor," Putin said in an interview with two Serbian dailies published last Wednesday.

The Russian president further said then that in Macedonia "last year, the process of adoption of constitutional amendments, renaming of the country, and revision of fundamentals of the Macedonian national identity was launched in the Republic of Macedonia for the purpose of accelerating its inclusion in NATO."

He pointed out that while the West leads wrong policies in the Balkans, Russia "knows and understands the complexity of the Balkans and history of the region."

Putin also underlined that Moscow "has always viewed (the Balkans) as a space for constructive cooperation. So Russia has many friends here today, and the strategic partner Serbia holds a special place."

"In 2017, Montenegro was drawn into NATO in disregard of the opinion of half of its population," he added. "They did not dare to hold a relevant referendum. The country is going through a period of political instability as a result."

Despite Moscow's strong opposition, Montenegro joined NATO in 2017 while Macedonia is trying to settle its name dispute with Greece in order to join the alliance.

Prior to his visit, the Russian president  who is leading a powerful delegation in a bid to cement ties with Serbia  also pledged to continue expanding military and technical collaborations with the Balkan nation and condemned the EU's handling of breakaway Kosovo.

Putin had expressed surprise at the EU's "passive" reaction when Kosovo announced in December it was transforming its 4,000-strong Kosovo Security force into a regular army, especially since Serbs in the partially-recognized republic view it as a direct threat to their security.

Despite its efforts to join the European Union, Serbia remains a close Russian ally, and about 21 deals are due to be signed between the two countries, including on energy and defense.

Putin was cited in press reports as describing Serbia as "Russia's strategic partner," further pointing out that Moscow respects the Serbian decisions about its future ties with the EU and, unlike the West, it does not try to force Belgrade to choose between Russia and the Europeans.

His stopover also came amid the long-running EU-led talks to normalize ties between Serbia and Kosovo, which have proved unsuccessful and appear to be stalled.

Speaking during the visit, Vucic emphasized that "Without Russia... it is clear that there will be no solution" over Kosovo.

Putin's visit was celebrated on the streets of Belgrade by tens of thousands of Serbs, who marched through the streets of the nation's capital.
CNO visits Japan, Strengthens Alliance

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS190118-08

Release Date: 1/18/2019 7:31:00 PM

From Chief of Naval Operations Public Affairs

TOKYO (NNS) -- Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. John Richardson visited Japan, Jan. 17 - 18, to engage with forward-deployed Sailors, meet with senior Japanese leaders and reaffirm the U.S. Navy's commitment to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific Region.

Richardson's visit began in Fleet Activities (FLEACT) Yokosuka where he held several small-group discussion with Sailors on the waterfront to listen to their feedback and address the Navy's return to great power competition.

"If we can win this competition without firing a shot, then that's the best war we'll win," said Richardson. "But history shows that it doesn't go that way, unless you're really ready to win. So that's what we need to do. We need to get ready in every way to win this fight."

Richardson then traveled to Tokyo where he met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and discussed broadening and strengthening global maritime awareness and access with Japan and the region.

Richardson also met with Japan's Minister for Foreign Affairs Taro Kono, Japanese Vice Minister of Defense Kenji Harada, Chief of Staff of Joint Japan Staff Adm. Katsutoshi Kawano, and Chief of Maritime Staff of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Adm. Yutaka Murakawa.

During each senior leader engagement, Richardson reaffirmed the U.S. Navy's commitment to strengthening the U.S. and Japan alliance and maritime partnership.

Richardson also presented Murakawa with a the Legion of Merit, on behalf of the Secretary of Defense, for his dedicated service in expanding the partnership between the U.S. Navy and JMSDF.

"Every time I have the pleasure of visiting Japan, we arrive with a very, very strong relationship, and we depart with an even stronger relationship," said Richardson. "That does not happen by accident. That only occurs by virtue of visionary leadership."

A Trilateral agreement between the U.S., Japan, and Great Britain was signed in October 2016 to solidify the combined cooperation to increased global maritime commitment to a free and open flow of commerce on the sea.

The U.S. Navy and JMSDF routinely conducts bilateral maritime exercises and operate together to promote security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
USS Donald Cook en route to the Black Sea

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS190119-01

Release Date: 1/19/2019 5:08:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ford Williams,

DARDANELLES STRAIT - (NNS) -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) began its north-bound transit of the Dardanelles Strait, en route to the Black Sea Jan. 19, 2019, to conduct maritime security operations and enhance regional maritime stability, combined readiness and naval capability with our NATO allies and partners in the region.

The U.S. Navy routinely operates in the Black Sea consistent with the Montreux Convention and international law.

"The United States and the U.S. Navy continue to stand alongside our allies in defense of shared regional interests and maritime stability," said Cmdr. Matthew J. Powel, commanding officer of Donald Cook. "Our arrival into the Black Sea will showcase the Navy's interoperability in pursuit of common security objectives, enabling us to respond effectively to future crises or deterring aggression."

In 2018, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Ross (DDG 71), USS Carney (DDG 64) and USS Porter (DDG 78), the Blue Ridge-class command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20), the Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) with embarked elements of the 26th MEU, and the Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Carson City (T-EPF 7) all conducted operations in the Black Sea.

Donald Cook, forward-deployed at Naval Station Rota, Spain, is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe.

U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.
Greeks Plan Massive Rally to Protest Deal With Macedonia

By VOA News January 18, 2019

Demonstrators in Greece are planning a massive rally Sunday to protest a deal that would normalize Greek relations with Macedonia.

Greeks have been divided over the deal, in which Macedonia will change its name to the Republic of North Macedonia and Greece will drop its objections to the Balkan country's joining NATO and the European Union.

The U.S. State Department said in a tweet Friday that Sunday's demonstration in Athens is expected to draw 150,000 or more participants.

Greek identity

Greek protesters say Macedonia's new name represents an attempt to appropriate Greek identity and cultural heritage. Macedonia is the name of Greece's northern province made famous by Alexander the Great's conquests.

Opposition to the deal is particularly strong in the Greek province of Macedonia, where many people have put up posters urging local lawmakers to vote against the agreement.

A nationwide poll in Greece this week found that 70 percent of respondents oppose the deal.

The agreement has caused Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to lose his four-year coalition in parliament after his nationalist allies defected to protest the deal. Following the upheaval, Tsipras narrowly won a confidence vote in parliament Wednesday.

Tsipras has called for a televised debate on the planned name deal with Macedonia before parliament votes on the agreement.

The Greek prime minister and his Macedonian counterpart, Zoran Zaev, brokered the compromise in June to end a 27-year name dispute between the two neighbors.

Macedonia approves

Last week, Macedonia's parliament approved a constitutional revision to change the country's name. The agreement has also caused protests in Macedonia, with critics there saying the government gave up too much in the deal.

Tsipras has argued the Macedonia deal will bolster stability in Europe's Balkan region. European Union countries have also strongly backed the deal.
Iran rejects reports on Germany-based military spy

Iran Press TV

Sat Jan 19, 2019 10:11PM

Iran has strongly rejected reports in the German media suggesting it hired a German-Afghan dual national to spy on the German military, saying the claims are part of a wider effort to undermine good relations between Tehran and Europe.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said late on Saturday that there were no links whatsoever between the person in question and the Islamic Republic, adding that such claims were not surprising at all considering all the efforts to disrupt Tehran's ties with Europe following United States' one-sided violation of an international nuclear agreement with Iran.

"We are not surprised by this news which comes amid unjust security accusations raised by those who seek to sabotage relations between Iran and Europe at this important and sensitive stage," said Qassemi.

The senior Iranian diplomat added that there are people who would not spare any effort to strain "old and historic relations" between Iran and many European countries, especially those who are signatories to the landmark nuclear deal signed in July 2015 between Iran and six world powers, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The reaction comes days after unconfirmed reports in the German media suggested that a 50-year-old Afghan-German dual national who worked for the German military had been arrested on suspicion of transferring sensitive military data to Tehran.

Germany's federal prosecutor's office said on Tuesday that Abdul Hamid S. had been remanded in custody pending an investigation.

The German defense ministry did not confirm the report although it said it was aware of the espionage case involving a member of the military.

The reports come following a decision by the European Union to add the names of two Iranians and an Iranian intelligence unit to its terrorist list. Iran has strongly condemned the move, saying it has been based on fake claims that Tehran was seeking to carry out terrorist operation on European soil.

Iranian authorities believe the renewed wave of accusations against Tehran is directly linked to a move by US President Donald Trump in May last year to pull out of the JCPOA. They say those accusations are meant to heap more pressure on European signatories to the JCPOA, namely Britain, Germany and France, as they try to preserve the deal through offering special financial mechanisms that could protect trade with Tehran from US sanctions.
Im a father of a family of five, and we do a big shop at Costco two or three times a month. The amount of grocery items and produce has really improved and increased over the last few years, and its great value to feed a family. I would be less likely to go if it was on the Westside. More likely to do some bigger-volume shops at Superstore. I try to cross the bridge as little as possible.

Has there been any thought to the traffic this will cause on and around the bridge? Highway 97 is bad enough. It seems we will now extend this traffic to the bridge and across. If anything, we should be looking for a Costco location away from the highway.

Pete Guarasci

I come from the north side of town. Were pretty big Costco shoppers, but I wont go across the bridge to shop there as often as theres too much traffic. It will lose 90 perc ent of our business.

Kim Arnold

Big mistake! The majority of people in Kelowna and north of Kelowna avoid using the bridge unless absolutely necessary. It will certainly cause many to lessen their visits and deter those from the northern end of our valley, merely adding to our traffic woes already being experienced. The city certainly blew it big time in turning Costco away.

Eric Rentiers

I believe closing the store to open one across the bridge will only increase traffic in West Kelowna. I live in Rutland and drive past Costco each day, and the traffic is always busier near the mall and Costco. In a few more years, they will realize they need a second Costco on this side of the bridge and will have to replace the one that already exists. I recommend leaving the one that exists now and build a second Costco in West Kelowna!

S. Steele

The City of Kelowna dropped the ball on this one. There is no good reason why the store was not allowed to be built by the airport. The fact that it didnt fit into their plan does not make sense  it would look better than the current pile of dirt and sand that was to have been terminated many years ago. This mayor and council need to shake their heads.

Roger Tellier

Costco will do what it feels is best for the store financially, and that is that. As a Costco member who lives in Vernon, I am disappointed they are moving. I am not likely to fight heavy traffic through downtown Kelowna and then the bridge bottleneck just to go to Costco. People in the South Okanagan will benefit, but Costco will lose many customers from the north end of the valley. Ideally, Costco would consider another outlet in the North Okanagan, but that is their decision.

Berk Shaw

Slack reporting without any official proof. I had to call my husband who works there and ask if any word came down officially, and he said no, its fake news. Maybe your reporter did find some sleazeball who gave him the inside scoop, but its irresponsible to try to do so without Costco or WFNs official word. Every Costco employee is waiting to hear. Personally, I hope they do not move. The bridge traffic is already bad.

Ellen Cardinal

I am in favour of Costco moving. It will alleviate the traffic issues off Banks Road. It will also alleviate traffic issues getting on and off of Highway 97. I am really hoping it will move.

Harold Bert

I dont think I will be as steady a Costco shopper as I am right now. Perhaps somebody should suggest to them to survey their shoppers, particularly those who already travel an hour plus to shop at Costco from Vernon, Salmon Arm, etc.

Joe Ferreiro

If they want to open a second store, then the Westside one would make sense. When a new store is opened and there is no second store, moving to the Westside will have a major impact on people having to cross the bridge. It seems there are enough problems with the one bridge that Kelowna has, and to add even more traffic on it with the possibility of even more accidents, it just does not make sense.

Brett Russell

I think it's long overdue and makes way more sense considering that the Westside is closer to the South Okanagan and more central. Many residents there cross the border to get groceries, as it's closer to them. Don't we want to keep the money in Canada? Im really hoping that if one is built here, they implement an express lane. It could really help with traffic in Kelowna.

Maureen Bailey

I dont no why they couldnt have two stores. There are enough people to support them. I dont think we will be joining the new one it will be too far away, and crossing the bridge doesnt work. I think it is a big mistake. Im sure it will be busy, but they could have double that

Janis Bartels

Surprising that Kelowna council isnt bending over backwards to get Costco to stay in Kelowna. We know folks in Revelstoke, Salmon Arm, Sicamous, and Vernon who will now go to Kamloops Costco rather than travel through town and across the bridge. The site out by the airport is a great location for it. What about the land next to the Baptist church across the street from the funeral parlour?

Stephen Horton
The shutdown is harming public lands and those who use them
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7, Redmi Note 7 Pro and Redmi Go likely coming soon to India News oi-Abhinaya Prabhu Xiaomis Redmi sub-brand could launch a few models in India this quarter.

Xiaomi recently made some interesting announcements. The company announced the Redmi brand as a separate entity. In addition to this, it also launched the first smartphone under this brand - the Redmi Note 7 featuring a whopping 48MP camera at its rear. This device is already available on sale in China and is expected to be launched in the global markets soon.

A recent report by MySmartPrice claims that the Indian launch of this smartphone will happen soon. The report citing a trusted source confirms that a slew of Xiaomi smartphones - the Redmi Note 7, Redmi Note 7 Pro and Redmi Go will be launched in India in the first quarter of this year.

Notably, the Redmi Note 7 Pro is expected to be an upgraded variant of the Redmi Note 7. It is also expected to arrive with a similar 48MP primary rear camera sensor as the recent offering. There are claims that this device will be announced in China next month. Besides this, we have already come across reports regarding a budget smartphone - the Xiaomi Redmi Go. This is believed to be the first Android Go smartphone to be launched by the company.

Given that the company has been consistent in launching the Redmi lineup of smartphones in India, we can expect these upcoming models to be launched within a few weeks of their announcement.

Expected pricing in India

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 was launched in three storage configurations - 3GB+32GB, 4GB+64GB and 6GB+64GB. These variants of the Redmi Note 7 is priced at 999 yuan (approx. Rs. 10,000), 1199 yuan (approx. Rs. 12,000) and 1399 yuan (approx. Rs. 14,000) respectively. We can expect the Redmi Go and Redmi Note 7 Pro to also be launched in the country with affordable pricing.

Going by the recent reports, the Redmi Note 7 Pro is expected to be unveiled early next month in two variants. The base variant with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage is likely to be priced at 1499 yuan (approx. Rs. 15,000). So, we can expect it to be priced under Rs. 15,000 in India. Talking about the Redmi Go, this smartphone is likely to be priced under Rs. 5,000.

Best Mobiles in India
Perhaps some folks want to help, but dont know where to start. For young people, an event like the Roar of the Lions is a good place. For adults, service clubs like the Lions, the Kiwanis and the Rotary are always looking for new members. A local church, whether you are a member of the church or not, is also a good place to start.


Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
Corvallis Womens March organizer Brandy Fortson was the final speaker at the rally before Saturdays march.

Fortson, who identifies as nonbinary, told a story about losing a newborn child in 2008, just days after a very complicated delivery. Fortson said the medical bills from the delivery caused so much stress that it led to a divorce.

People who have experienced medical trauma should not also have to experience financial trauma, Forston said, and called on the attendees of the rally to pressure politicians to support Medicare for all.

Fortson was one of eight speakers at the 2019 Corvallis Womens March and Rally, which was one of hundreds held across the country. The events marked the third anniversary of the original women's marches held the weekend after President Donald Trump was inaugurated.

Other issues addressed in Corvallis included violence against indigenous women, how much transgender people have sacrificed for progressive causes without recognition, the retaliation a speaker experienced after speaking at last years rally and the need for progressives to take more revolutionary action.

The Gazette-Times counted more than 500 people at the event, which started at Corvallis Central Park and ended with a march through downtown streets.
Say what you will about Trump as president, but he understands how to campaign and rally support. And hes been campaigning for re-election from the minute he was elected the first time. Hes also incredibly well-funded, with a war chest of $100 million or more, and Trump has the support of the Republican National Committee.
Galveston, TX (77553)

Today

Generally sunny despite a few afternoon clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 91F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds from time to time. Low near 80F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph.




Have any questions? Please give us a call at 907-352-2250
Gunpowder and siege cannons breached the defenses of Constantinople in 1453, heralding the end of protective masonry structures. But clever Italian engineers of the Renaissance developed the Star fort configuration of extended bastions for cannons, delaying the inevitable end of walled cities.

After the French Revolution, physical structures were replaced by virtual walls: standing armies, mass conscription, sea power, and in the 20th century, air power.

Still, our modern age witnessed two effective physical barriers: The Berlin Wall, a hated symbol of the last stage of the Cold War; and the Israeli wall separating it from Palestinian territories, a symbol of unfulfilled hopes for peace in the Middle East. Both achieved their aims of preventing unwanted ingress and egress.

Some say walls are immoral. Others aver they are un-American. But according to our president, there have been 4,000 murders attributed to illegal aliens in the last two years.
Or consider the actions of Roberto Carlos Flores Sibrian, now serving 238 years in prison for the rape of a King George County woman on Halloween 2017. After ramming his SUV into her vehicle, he savagely attacked her for two hours after dragging her into a ditch along State Route 3. Local prosecutors called it one of the worst rapes in Stafford County history.

During Trumps call, he reminded participants that some illegals are part of the drug cartels that also victimize our communities by illegally smuggling in fentanyl and heroin. He stated that heroin alone is the cause of 300 individuals dying each week in the U.S.

Frankly, the debate centers on who pays for the added security Trump seeks at the border after he initially indicated that Mexico would finance the wall. Democrats dont want to give the administration any political successes prior to the 2020 election.

But Quinonez, who spoke to Trump directly on the issue, still suggests that taxes on remittances remains the way to go.
With about 7.5 percent of agents calling out of work nationwide, the maximum standard wait time at the airport Monday was 36 minutes  longer than the national average of a half-hour, the agency said. The maximum TSA Pre-Check wait time was 13 minutes.
Brian Hasty, who works in the U.S. Environment Protection Agencys water resources division, said his office would normally be organizing week-long training sessions for water sampling that it will conduct around the country this summer.

Now that hes not working and getting a paycheck, the Stafford County resident and his wife Eryn and their two young daughters arent going out to eat as much and are forgoing trips to the movies on weekends.

Were trying to find alternatives, Hasty said. Were all reading more and finding things to do around the house and eating at home more, which may be a good thing.

He said that he and his wife have savings, as well as income from her job as a data analyst for VCU Health in Richmond.

Were OK for time being, but if this continues for a month or two, well have to push off bills or take out small loans to tide us over, Hasty said. Weve discussed those options.

Robert Berry of Spotsylvania County is an auditor specialist for U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, a job that includes checking for mismanagement and fraud. Being on furlough he said, is like were on vacation without any money.
Is it just me, or is the recent overdose of rain, snow and gloom nudging us all closer to raw nerves?

I enjoy a rainy or snowy weekend afternoon as much as the next guy, especially the permission is bestows to veg out because theres nothing meaningful you can accomplish outside.

But all the drip, drip, drip, gloom, gloom gloom, here comes more snow and doom! has me saying enough is enough, and its wreaking a specific sort of havoc in our house.

Like many older homes, moisture has been finding ways into our basement, where it provides one of the key components for the growth of mold. Thats all too real in our house right now, as we have a mold remediation company working to rid us of all sorts of icky, sneeze-inducing growths that have been thriving in our basement.

To get rid of it and hopefully keep it from coming back, a wall had to come down and an entire room was sealed off with a plastic door as air scrubbers and dryers followed mold treatments on walls, ceilings and the removal of carpet. The installation of an industrial-sized dehumidifier is set to follow.

We cant blame all the mold down there on this years wet fall and early winter, but the moisture and humidity they delivered have certainly worsened the problem.
Michael & Son is offering furloughed federal employees up to 6 months of no payments on plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling repairs. "Our call center and financing department has been flooded with calls from area federal employees these last couple of weeks. We have customers who have been recently furloughed that can't keep up with payments on their projects and have families to take care of. We're telling them take care of your family first. We'll worry about everything else after the shutdown. In the meantime, we also don't want area residents neglecting the safety and comfort of their home's so we came up with an offer that allows them to not have to make a payment up to 6 months for any of their service needs" said Basim Mansour, proud son and owner of Michael & Son.
The more Badger finds out about the nonprofit program, the more she likes it.

It just makes you feel really secure, she said, adding that she knows her children mean well, but shes not ready to move. I didnt think it was fair of me to make them worry, either, but if I can do this, it makes all of us happy.

Thats the purpose of the village movement, an effort that makes it possible for seniors to stay independent longer. The movement started in Boston more than 15 years ago and has developed into an organization called the Village to Village Network with more than 200 programs nationwide and another 150 in the works.

LOWLINC started offering services in 2016, two years after residents Mary-Jane Atwater, Jeff Flynn and Joe Sakole began talking about ways to bring such a program to their community. Atwater was involved with a similar program in Alexandria, and Flynn often heard from residents who simply couldnt keep up with home maintenance as they got older.

I knew where they were coming from when they said they dont want to move, Flynn said. Ive lived here forever and I love it. I dont want to move, either.
Im one of the lucky ones, she said. I havent seen much improvement in two years, but Im managing it. Most people get much worse.

But what about kids who are in and out of the hospital? If Byers wondered why things happened to her, what must it be like for those half her age?

She created a nonprofit foundation called Knock BackLet Fly to offer them a cure, at least for boredom while confined to hospital beds. Twice, shes raised donations and brought together community groups to fill 240 boxes with crafts and activities, squeezable stress balls and huggable stuffed animals. Shes delivered the boxes to Childrens Hospital of Richmond at VCU.

The biggest response to her project came at Ferry Farm Elementary School, where her mother, Cathy Byers, is a fourth-grade teacher. In June, Alexis Byers watched students gather in the cafeteria, under the gaze of the schools mascot, an eagle. Eagerly, they sifted through stacks of puzzles and coloring books and baskets of spotted or striped animals, picking color-coordinated items.

It was so amazing to see how excited the kids were about it, Byers said. That was the moment I realized, Maybe this is the reason I was given the disease in the first place. Maybe this is my purpose.
The shutting down of some 25 percent of the federal government was triggered by Trump's demand for $5.7 billion to build more than 200 miles of new wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Pelosi has called the wall "immoral," and Democrats are refusing to offer more than $1.3 billion, maintaining existing funding levels for border barriers and fences. Democrats also frequently point out that Trump long claimed that Mexico would pay for the wall.
We welcome your letters and columns!

Use the button below to send us your thoughts.

Remember:

Letters must include your real name, town of residence and daytime phone number, which we use for verification. We do not accept anonymous letters or letters written under a pseudonym. Letters should be no more than about 400 words. Those of no more than 200 to 300 words are more likely to be published.

Submit
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
UNION COUNTY, SC (FOX Carolina)- The Union County Sheriff's Office says that it arrested two suspects that are accused of attempted murder and murder for shooting incidents that occurred in 2015, according to a release.
Thirty people lined up in the parking lot of a Giant grocery store in Alexandria, Virginia, before the food bank for federal workers opened at 9 a.m. Some waited more than an hour. More than a tenth of the food was gone in the first five minutes.

"Hi there. Potatoes, carrots and onions," a volunteer for the Capital Area Food Bank repeated as she handed out bags of produce to federal employees.

As the longest government shutdown in U.S. history enters its second month, many of the roughly 800,000 workers affected nationwide are scrambling to make ends meets as they brace for a second missed paycheck. Some find themselves turning to charity for the first time.

Across the Washington region, hundreds turned to Capital Area Food Bank pop-up markets Saturday morning for canned goods and fresh vegetables.

"For many, many years, I sent in donations to the Capital Area Food Bank," one older woman told a volunteer as she picked up food. "This is the first time I've had to ask for help."

Many were similarly in disbelief that they needed help to put food on the plate despite having good jobs.

"You are talking to two senior management employees here," said Kim Harmon, a Commerce Department employee who came with her husband, Kevin James, who works for the National Park Service. "This is pretty humiliating."

The couple, who have worked for the federal government for nearly 30 years and have been recalled to work without pay, said the timing of the shutdown was especially bad, coming after the holidays, with many already having drawn down their savings for gifts and charitable donations.

"It's the first pay period after Christmas," said Kim Harmon, 47. "How do they put an undue hardship after the holidays? How are you going to give us Christmas Eve off, but not our first full paycheck for paying our mortgage and everything else?"

The Capital Area Food Bank - a longtime organization serving the Washington region's needy - has set up pop-up markets for federal workers in light of the shutdown. The initial demand was overwhelming.

"Last week we prepared for 250 people at each site, and we were just deluged. Food ran out in the first hour," said Radha Muthiah, executive director of the Capital Area Food Bank. "It's still an experiment because we don't typically do these pop ups."

On Saturday, her organization gave food to 1,140 federal workers across eight sites and none of the sites ran out of food, falling well short of their overall capacity. Officials believe workers are utilizing other nonprofit groups and charities who are also donating food.

But Muthiah said the food bank will face challenges keeping up if the shutdown continues through mid-February because more federal workers will run through their savings and SNAP recipients will start running out of their federal benefits to buy food.

The shutdown is a result of a stalemate between Congress and President Donald Trump, who is insisting that the federal spending plan include billions for a wall on the southern border, which is opposed by Democrats who control the House.

The president is expected to announce a new offer to Democrats during a Saturday afternoon address from the White House, which several food bank visitors said they were anxiously awaiting in hopes for a path out of the shutdown.

Bennita Dillard-Brown, a 55-year-old Jutice Department employee, said she was hopeful for an end to the shutdown but is resigned to them being an unfortunate downside to working for the federal government.

"In September, I started putting money away because that's when you first start hearing about the budget and the possibility of a shutdown," said Dillard-Brown, who planned to share food from the food bank with her co-workers. "It's a little sad, but I've been through shutdowns. But it never came to this before."

Mike Hoover, a Treasury Department employee, came to the food bank as a volunteer to help package produce and distribute food. He said he and his wife, who also works for the federal government, haven't yet struggled financially, but he understands that many others are in a precarious position.

"I remember how it was when I was first starting out, working paycheck to paycheck and getting your checking amount down to $4 and wondering if you'll make it," said Hoover, a federal worker since 1990.

Some workers said they were torn about seeking charity.

"I was thinking about the people with kids, and the older workers. I wanted to let people in a worse situation go first. Now I'm like. 'I'm one of those,'" said Sigrid Lane, a paralegal with the Justice Department who has applied for unemployment benefits. "My checking account is at zero. Without food, I don't know what I'll do."

Lane has worked for the federal government for a decade, drawn to the promise of steady work. But the havoc of shutdowns and the downtime of furlough has prompted her to start applying for other jobs.

"At the time it was the stability, the benefits and the retirement, but now you can work in private industry anywhere and get the same benefits," said Lane, 51.

As one man left with his arms filled with food, volunteer Tony Harris waved goodbye.

"Hopefully we won't see you again," Harris chuckled.

"Hopefully not," the federal worker said with a grin.

"But we're here," Harris said. "If you still need it."

First published in The Washington Post
Please either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
Two of the biggest Canadian marijuana producers announced important new deals last week. Aurora Cannabis (NASDAQ:ACB) said on Monday that it was buying privately held Whistler Medical Marijuana for up to 175 million Canadian dollars (around US$132 million), including potential milestone payments. Later in the day, Canopy Growth (NASDAQ:CGC) announced that it would invest up to US$150 million in hemp operations in New York state.

These deals had similar price tags and were announced on the same day, but that's about all they had in common. And the differences between Canopy's and Aurora's investments show why one of these marijuana stocks is a much better pick for investors right now than the other.

Aurora's acquisition

Whistler Medical Marijuana is one of the "blessed eight" group of Canadian cannabis producers to receive initial licenses for growing medical cannabis. The company's organic cannabis products have a great reputation in the market. And, unlike Aurora Cannabis, Whistler claims a strong track record of profitability.

Investors cheered Aurora's acquisition of Whistler, with Aurora's share price jumping on news of the deal. Aurora Cannabis CEO Terry Booth said that his company plans to leverage its distribution channels in Canada and in international markets to increase the market reach for Whistler's premium organic cannabis brands.

All of this sounds great. But what exactly does Aurora get in return for its $132 million investment?

Whistler's production capacity is puny. Even after the completion of its second facility later this year, the company will be able to grow only around 5,000 kilograms per year. That's nearly a rounding error for Aurora's projected production capacity of more than 500,000 kilograms annually.

Let's look at the acquisition in another way. Aurora is paying $26.4 per gram for Whistler's annual production capacity. Can the company make that much selling Whistler's brands? Sure, Whistler's organic cannabis products command a premium price in the marketplace of 50% or so higher than other brands. But based on Aurora's own average selling price per gram, that premium isn't nearly high enough to justify what the company is paying for Whistler.

Then there's the matter of how Aurora Cannabis is paying for Whistler. It's an all-stock transaction. Using its stock to fund a dizzying number of deals has been Aurora's standard operating procedure. But those shares have to come from somewhere.

Aurora Cannabis has issued new shares like crazy. As a result, dilution has taken a huge toll on the price of existing Aurora shares. In 2018, for example, Aurora's share price dropped 35% while its market cap jumped nearly 55%.

Canopy's expansion

Check out the latest Canopy Growth earnings call transcript.

Meanwhile, Canopy Growth made an agreement to expand into the U.S. The company won a license to process and produce hemp in New York. Canopy is building a Hemp Industrial Park with large-scale production capabilities that can produce "tons of hemp extract on an annual basis," according to the company.

Canopy Growth was able to pull off this deal thanks to the passage of the Farm Bill in December 2018. This legislation legalized hemp in the U.S. The Farm Bill defined hemp as cannabis that contains very low levels of psychoactive compound THC.

The potential market for hemp-based cannabidiol (CBD) products in the U.S. dwarfs that of the entire Canadian marijuana market. Cannabis market research company Brightfield Group projects that U.S. hemp-based CBD product sales could reach $22 billion by 2022. By comparison, the Canadian marijuana market, including both medical and recreational cannabis sales, will probably total less than $6 billion in four years, according to projections from ArcView Market Research and BDS Analytics.

It's also important to note that Canopy Growth forged some key political relationships with its U.S. hemp deal. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (D.-NY) praised Canopy's establishment of the Hemp Industrial Park. Canopy also likely built some ties with New York governor Andrew Cuomo, who is pushing for the legalization of recreational marijuana in his state.

And Canopy Growth isn't using its stock to fund the expansion into the U.S. The company said that the deal is "another example of the strategic advantage" that it has as a result of the $4 billion investment made by major alcoholic beverage company Constellation Brands. Canopy is exactly right. Its relationship with Constellation and the cash received from the transaction gives it a key advantage over its peers.

A clear winner

Aurora bought a great company. But it appears to have spent too much for a deal that is arguably as much show as it is substance. On the other hand, Canopy Growth is investing around the same amount of money on a project that positions it to compete in a huge market.

Canopy Growth's stock performance has trounced Aurora's in 2018 and so far in 2019. The latest deals by the two companies provide some clues as to why that's the case. Canopy remains the clear winner over Aurora Cannabis.
The Vanguard Group has been a pioneer in the rise of indexing as an investing strategy. Starting out with Jack Bogle's Vanguard 500 Index Fund in 1976, the fund giant has seen explosive growth in assets under management, offering dozens of index mutual funds and becoming one of the leaders in the field. As exchange-traded funds became more popular, Vanguard entered that market as well, and it's become one of the biggest providers of ETFs in the industry.

Investors have entrusted trillions of dollars to Vanguard through its mutual funds and ETFs, and a huge portion of the ETF assets that Vanguard has under management is concentrated in just a handful of funds. Below, we'll reveal the five top Vanguard ETFs and provide a look into what has made them so popular.

The top Vanguard ETFs for 2019

ETF Assets Under Management Vanguard Total Stock Market (NYSEMKT:VTI) $100.1 billion Vanguard S&P 500 (NYSEMKT:VOO) $95.1 billion Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets (NYSEMKT:VEA) $68 billion Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets (NYSEMKT:VWO) $57.9 billion Vanguard Value (NYSEMKT:VTV) $43.4 billion

The great debate on buying U.S. stocks

Vanguard's top two ETFs are both designed to help investors get immediate exposure to the U.S. stock market. Yet the two funds take a different tack at doing so, revealing the divide among investors about the best way to invest in domestic stocks.

On one hand, Vanguard Total Stock Market has been a leading ETF in the fund company's arsenal for a long time. The ETF offers the widest possible array of investment holdings that include U.S. companies of all sizes, ranging from some of the biggest companies in the world to some of the smallest up-and-coming companies listed on public stock exchanges. Because of its market-cap weighting, the bulk of Vanguard Total Stock Market's assets are large-cap stocks. But almost 25% of the fund is invested in mid-cap, small-cap, and micro-cap stocks. Those smaller groups have historically been more volatile than their large-cap counterparts, but they've also had better long-term performance, and so Vanguard Total Stock Market hopes to outperform a portfolio solely composed of large-cap stocks.

On the other hand, Vanguard S&P 500 has a simple objective: match the return of the popular S&P 500 index. That makes it purely a large-cap fund, and its low expense ratio means that Vanguard S&P 500 has come extremely close to meeting its goal of providing exactly the long-term return of its benchmark.

Neither ETF has been able to declare final victory. Over the past five years, the S&P 500 fund has had the better return, but when you look back a full decade, it's Total Stock Market that's been the winner. Investors can expect that debate to continue well into the future.

The other great debate on buying international stocks

There's also a similar difference of opinion when it comes to investing internationally. Some investors prefer investing in countries that have well-developed economies, as they tend to be more stable. Others prefer the high-growth opportunities in emerging markets. Vanguard has an ETF for each of these groups, and lately, it's been the developed-market fund that's been more popular.

It's easy to understand the difference between these funds just by looking at exactly where they invest. Developed Markets has its top allocations to Japan, the U.K., France, Canada, and Germany, with a host of other European and former British Commonwealth countries representing most of the remainder of the fund's assets. Emerging Markets is concentrated in China, Taiwan, India, and Brazil, with South Africa joining other smaller economies across the globe.

Neither fund has performed well lately, with both sporting double-digit percentage losses over the past year. Challenging conditions across the globe have weighed on international stocks. When you look back 10 years, the emerging markets ETF has done a bit better, but both have badly lagged U.S. stocks. That explains much of why their assets under management are so far behind what Vanguard's two U.S.-focused ETFs have brought in.

Banking on value

Finally, Vanguard's No. 5 ETF is an interesting choice. Vanguard Value concentrates on those stocks that are less expensive from the perspective of earnings-based valuations, even though they typically have slower growth rates. That's a philosophy that sits well with relatively conservative investors, and that matches well with the profile that many Vanguard customers have.

What makes Vanguard Value's appearance noteworthy is that value stocks have generally underperformed growth stocks over the past decade. Vanguard's corresponding growth stock ETF has seen average annual performance that's more than 2 percentage points higher over that span. Nevertheless, investors have seen solid returns from the value ETF, and they think that those stocks are well-poised to outperform when growth stocks finally succumb to cyclical downturns.

Do these ETFs belong in your portfolio?

The interesting thing about this list of top Vanguard ETFs is that you could make a well-diversified portfolio solely by selecting from among these five choices. Given the size of the ETFs, many Vanguard customers have come to the same conclusion.

Check out all our earnings call transcripts.
 Unlimited website access 24/7

 Unlimited e-Edition access 24/7

 The best local, regional and national news in sports, politics, business and more!

With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime.
Can you recognize a Baltimore landmark from a small detail? It's a small detail from a local bridge.
By Amanda Becker WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Women marched in hundreds of U.S.

By Amanda Becker

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Women marched in hundreds of U.S. cities and overseas on Saturday to mark the second anniversary of demonstrations that drew millions of protesters to the streets the day after Republican President Donald Trump's inauguration in January 2017.

Women's March, a national nonprofit organization that evolved from the initial Washington march, again hosted its main event in Washington, with hundreds of "sister" marches in other cities.

March On, a separate grassroots coalition that also grew from the original march, coordinated hundreds of marches in cities such as Boston, Houston, Baltimore and Denver.

Leaders of both groups said they would use this year's marches to push policy related to raising the minimum wage, access to reproductive and healthcare and voting rights, among other issues. They are aiming to mobilize women to vote ahead of the 2020 elections, when Trump is expected to be the Republican nominee for president.

"There is definitely huge, huge focus on the 2020 elections," said March On's Natalie Sanchez, an organizer of the 2017 Boston Women's March who is also with March Forward Massachusetts, which organized Saturday's march there.

Sarah Sportman, a 40-year-old archeologist from Connecticut, said she came to Washington to protest Trump's presidency and march for protecting the environment and immigration rights.

"I just don't like the direction our country is going in and I think that we can do a lot better," she said.

Activists say the marches were also a chance to celebrate the gains made in the 2018 elections, which saw more women elected to the U.S. Congress than ever before.

The newly elected women - nearly all Democrats - include the first Muslim women and first Native American women in Congress, as well as the first black women to represent their states in New England. Many cited Trump's presidency among the reasons they decided to run for office.

As the political movement that grew out of hundreds of loosely affiliated marches in 2017 has grown, divisions have emerged.

In some cities, like New York and Washington, there were more than one march or demonstration due to criticism that some Women's March leaders are anti-Semitic - a charge those leaders have sought to dispel in recent interviews and statements.

The marches also have been criticized as being unwelcoming to conservative women, who may support Trump's presidency and oppose abortion rights. The "March for Life" by anti-abortion campaigners was in Washington on Friday, attended by Vice President Mike Pence.

Leaders of Women's March and March On say there is a role for everyone.

"We are all part of the same movement, regardless of any divisiveness or any drama that goes on," Sanchez said.

(Reporting By Amanda Becker; Editing by Colleen Jenkins, Marguerita Choy and Daniel Wallis)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Saturday said that he will take up legislation on Trump's immigration plan next week, in exchange for funding of the border wall that would end the nearly month-long partial government shutdown.

Washington: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Saturday said that he will take up legislation on Trump's immigration plan next week, in exchange for funding of the border wall that would end the nearly month-long partial government shutdown.

"I intend to move to this legislation this week. With bipartisan cooperation, the Senate can send a bill to the House quickly so that they can take action as well," McConnell was quoted by The Hill as saying.

During the address at the White House, Trump proposed extending protections for roughly 700,000 "Dreamers", the children of illegal migrants brought into the US, under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme for three years.

He floated a three-year extension of protections for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders in exchange for $5.7 billion in funding for the wall.

In response, McConnell underlined that Trump's border-immigration plan is a "compromise" that included "priorities from both sides of the aisle," as per the report. "This bill takes a bipartisan approach to re-opening the closed portions of the federal government. It pairs the border security investment that our nation needs with additional immigration measures that both Democrat and Republican members of Congress believe are necessary."

The Senate Majority Leader's move to bring a bill comes days after he repeatedly obstructed House-passed bills that would have ended the shutdown. However, the bills did not include additional funding for the border wall.

Prior to the address and responding to reports on Trump's decision to offer temporary relief to undocumented migrants residing in the US in exchange for wall funding, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that the move to reopen the government was a "non-starter".

"Democrats were hopeful that the President was finally willing to re-open the government and proceed with a much-need discussion to protect the border. Unfortunately, initial reports make clear that his proposal is a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives, each of which is unacceptable and in total, do not represent a good faith effort to restore certainty to people's lives," Pelosi was quoted by The Hill as saying.

"It is unlikely that any one of these provisions alone would pass the House, and taken together, they are a non-starter," she added.

The shutdown, that has now entered its 29th day, was triggered on 22 December, 2018 by a lack of consensus between Democratic lawmakers and the US president on the $5.7 billion funding for the wall on the border with Mexico, which was one of Trump's electoral promises.

The ongoing partial government shutdown is the longest in the history of the US. Roughly a quarter of the government is closed and an estimated 800,000 federal workers have been adversely affected by the lapse in funding, who are either furloughed or working without any pay.
By Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump will propose a deal on Saturday meant to end a 29-day partial government shutdown, offering a compromise with Democrats on immigration but sticking to his demand for funding for a border wall, a source familiar with his plan said. In a speech to be delivered from the White House, Trump will continue to demand $5.7 billion in wall funding, but also offer backing for legislation to protect young undocumented immigrants known as Dreamers,' as well as temporary protected status (TPS) holders, the source said, confirming a report by Axios. Vice President Mike Pence, White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and a senior White House adviser, have been instrumental in crafting the deal, the source said.

By Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump will propose a deal on Saturday meant to end a 29-day partial government shutdown, offering a compromise with Democrats on immigration but sticking to his demand for funding for a border wall, a source familiar with his plan said.

In a speech to be delivered from the White House, Trump will continue to demand $5.7 billion in wall funding, but also offer backing for legislation to protect young undocumented immigrants known as Dreamers," as well as temporary protected status (TPS) holders, the source said, confirming a report by Axios.

Vice President Mike Pence, White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and a senior White House adviser, have been instrumental in crafting the deal, the source said.

Trump is to make the announcement in a 4 p.m. EST (2100 GMT) speech.

The source said Trump does not plan to declare a national emergency along the U.S.-Mexico border, a step he threatened to take earlier in his struggle with Congress over the shutdown triggered by his wall-funding ultimatum.

Declaration of an emergency would allow Trump to bypass Congress to pay for a border wall, although such a step would likely prompt a legal challenge over constitutional powers from congressional Democrats.

Trump is under pressure to end the shutdown with Americans increasingly blaming him for refusing to sign spending bills that would provide paychecks for 800,000 federal workers who have been idled or working without pay for nearly a month, the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

Trump told reporters on the White House South Lawn on Saturday he has no personal feud with House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top U.S. Democrat. She and other Democrats oppose the wall, calling it too expensive, ineffective and immoral.

"Whether its personal or not, its not personal for me," Trump said. "Shes under total control of the radical left. I think thats a very bad thing for her. I think its a very bad thing for the Democrats."

Trump also said he was concerned about a new wave of immigrants moving north through Mexico toward the U.S. border.

"Im disappointed that Mexico is not stopping them. I mean, Mexico seems unfortunately powerless to stop them," he said. "If we had a wall, we wouldn't have a problem."

The "Dreamers," who are mostly Latin American, are protected from deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The program protects certain people who illegally entered the country as children, providing about 700,000 immigrants with work permits, but no path to citizenship.

Former Democratic President Barack Obama put DACA in place in 2012 through an executive order. The Trump administration announced in September 2017 it would rescind DACA, but the policy remains in effect under a court order.

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is given to nationals from designated countries affected by armed conflict or natural disaster. TPS holders are permitted to work and live in the U.S. for limited times.

The Trump administration has shown a deep skepticism toward the temporary protected status program and has moved to revoke the special status afforded to thousands of immigrants from El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras and other nations.

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Additional reporting by Jan Wolfe; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Leslie Adler)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he was grateful to Special Counsel Robert Mueller for a statement disputing a BuzzFeed News report that Trump directed his former lawyer to lie to Congress about a Moscow real estate deal. 'I appreciate the special counsel coming out with a statement last night

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he was grateful to Special Counsel Robert Mueller for a statement disputing a BuzzFeed News report that Trump directed his former lawyer to lie to Congress about a Moscow real estate deal.

"I appreciate the special counsel coming out with a statement last night. I think it was very appropriate that they did so," Trump told reporters at the White House. "I think that the BuzzFeed piece was a disgrace to our country. It was a disgrace to journalism."

The statement by Mueller's office on Friday evening disputed key elements of the BuzzFeed report.

(Reporting by Steve Holland and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Daniel Wallis)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
A suspected car bomb exploded in the Northern Irish city of Londonderry, police said, with leading politicians alleging the blast was terror-related. The police tweeted a photograph of the scene outside a courthouse as it warned that evacuations were taking place due to a second suspect vehicle.

London: A suspected car bomb exploded in the Northern Irish city of Londonderry on Saturday, police said, with leading politicians alleging the blast was terror-related.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland tweeted a photograph of the scene outside a courthouse as it warned that evacuations were taking place due to a second suspect vehicle in the British province's second city.

"Police are in attendance at the scene of an incident in Derry/Londonderry city centre," the PSNI tweeted. "We would ask for patience and co-operation of the public and the business community as we carry out our initial investigations."

"Bishop Street closed. Stay away. Suspected car bomb," an earlier tweet said.

The force added on Facebook: "As far as we know no one injured. There is another car we are not happy about. There are ongoing necessary evacuations."

Politicians from all sides on the island of Ireland condemned the incident. Former Northern Irish first minister Arlene Foster, who heads the province's Democratic Unionist Party, referred to it as a "pointless act of terror", while the Republic of Ireland's foreign minister Simon Coveney called it a "car bomb terrorist attack".

The three decades of sectarian bloodshed in Northern Ireland, known as the Troubles, were largely brought to an end under the 1998 Good Friday peace accords. Car bomb attacks were responsible for some of the worst atrocities.

Foster, who leads the pro-British DUP, said: "This pointless act of terror must be condemned in the strongest terms. Only hurts the people of the city.

"Perpetrated by people with no regard for life."

She said the swift actions of the emergency services had helped ensure there were no fatalities or injuries.

Coveney, also Ireland's deputy prime minister, tweeted: "I utterly condemn the car bomb terrorist attack in Derry this evening. There is no place and no justification possible for such acts of terror, which seek to drag Northern Ireland back to violence and conflict."

Elisha McCallion, the local member of the British parliament from the Irish republican party Sinn Fein, condemned the bomb attack. "This incident has shocked the local community," she said in a statement.

"Thankfully, no one appears to have been injured.

"Derry is a city moving forward and no one wants this type of incident."
TRIPOLI (Reuters) - A freelance photographer who works for the Associated Press was killed in clashes between rival militias in the Libyan capital Tripoli, a government official and family said. Mohamed Ben Khalifa died of a random shell in the Libyan capital while covering the clashes. The fighting broke out this week, breaching a shaky ceasefire brokered by the United Nations in September.

TRIPOLI (Reuters) - A freelance photographer who works for the Associated Press was killed in clashes between rival militias in the Libyan capital Tripoli, a government official and family said.

Mohamed Ben Khalifa died of a random shell in the Libyan capital while covering the clashes.

The fighting broke out this week, breaching a shaky ceasefire brokered by the United Nations in September.

(Reporting by Ahmed Elumami and Ulf Laessing; Writing by Hesham Hajali; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Pawel Goraj GDANSK, Poland (Reuters) - Murdered Gdansk mayor Pawel Adamowicz's funeral drew tens of thousands of people in the Polish Baltic coast city on Saturday amid outrage over his murder six days ago.

By Pawel Goraj

GDANSK, Poland (Reuters) - Murdered Gdansk mayor Pawel Adamowicz's funeral drew tens of thousands of people in the Polish Baltic coast city on Saturday amid outrage over his murder six days ago.

Banners with black and white pictures of Adamowicz were draped over buildings as Polish politicians including former president Lech Walesa, who helped to overturn communism in Eastern Europe, joined a mass at St Mary's Basilica.

Council of Europe head Donald Tusk and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki also joined mourners who listened to the choir as they awaited the burial of Adamowicz's ashes.

Adamowicz, one of Poland's longest-serving mayors, was attacked on stage during one of Poland's biggest annual charity events and died the following day.

Broadcaster TVN24 said 3,500 mourners gathered inside the 500-year-old Gothic cathedral on Saturday, while others watched Gdansk archbishop Leszek Slawoj Glodz give family members rosaries and gifts sent by Pope Francis on huge screens.

"What happened on Sunday evening ... was perceived as a violent constant sound of a alarming bell, call for saving the conscience and changing the way of our living, political style," Glodz told mourners during the Mass.

The murder of a liberal critic of Poland's ruling party's anti-immigrant policies highlights the charged atmosphere in parts of eastern Europe where populist leaders have fanned nationalist sentiment.

As well as encouraging migrants to seek refuge in Gdansk, Adamowicz was known for backing a campaign to defend the rule of law against what activists consider efforts by the ruling conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party to increase political control over the judiciary and other bodies.

SOLIDARITY

On Friday, 53,000 people paid tribute to Adamowicz, who beat the PiS in October, while he lay in state in the museum of the Solidarity movement that helped to usurp communism in Poland.

Police said some 45,000 people had attended the funeral.

Polish authorities have arrested a 27-year-old former convict, named only as Stefan W., over the killing. He was freed last month after serving 5-1/2 years for attempted bank robbery.

The attacker accused the mayor's former party of putting him in prison, where he said he was tortured, at the event.

Authorities have detained at least 10 people in recent days over calls on social media to murder and other acts of aggression in the wake of Adamowicz's death.

Adamowicz was one of 11 Polish mayors targeted with fake death certificates by a far-right group called All-Polish Youth in 2017, after signing a declaration to welcome refugees in opposition to government policy.

Critics blame Poland's politicians for cranking up hate speech and support for the PiS party fell to 30 percent in the wake of Adamowicz's death, a poll conducted by Kantar Millward Brown showed, from 33 percent in November. The biggest opposition grouping Koalicja Obywatelska had 25 percent.

(Additional reporting in WARSAW by Pawel Florkiewicz; Editing by Alexander Smith)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) - The new leader of Bavaria's Christian Social Union (CSU) on Saturday promised an era of improved cooperation with Angela Merkel's conservative party, with whom they share power at a federal level, in a bid to win back disillusioned voters. With European elections in May and four German state votes this year, both the CSU and Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) want to draw a line under their bickering, especially on migrant policy, which nearly brought down the coalition last year. As expected, CSU delegates elected Markus Soeder to replace Horst Seehofer as their leader with an 87.4 percent majority at a party conference

MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) - The new leader of Bavaria's Christian Social Union (CSU) on Saturday promised an era of improved cooperation with Angela Merkel's conservative party, with whom they share power at a federal level, in a bid to win back disillusioned voters.

With European elections in May and four German state votes this year, both the CSU and Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) want to draw a line under their bickering, especially on migrant policy, which nearly brought down the coalition last year.

As expected, CSU delegates elected Markus Soeder to replace Horst Seehofer as their leader with an 87.4 percent majority at a party conference. He was the sole candidate.

"The conservatives should work with each other again instead of against each other, we should emphasise what we agree on rather than what we disagree on," Soeder, 52, told his party.

"It is time for a new show of strength from the CDU and CSU in Germany," he said, to loud applause.

The two parties form a parliamentary bloc in the Bundestag lower house and share power in Chancellor Merkel's coalition with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), but polls show they have lost support since the 2017 federal election.

Soeder took over from Seehofer - for years a thorn in Merkel's side - as premier of the powerful state of Bavaria last year but Seehofer remains federal interior minister.

Soeder has at times sought to woo right-wing voters from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) with tough rhetoric on migrant policy but he changed tack, attacking the AfD and striking a more centrist line, before a disastrous state vote in October.

Breaking the mould for a CSU leader in the mostly Catholic state, Soeder is a Protestant who drinks little alcohol. He is known for his extravagant costumes during the beer-fuelled carnival season which have included Shrek and Marilyn Monroe.

In the absence of the toxic relationship between Seehofer and Merkel - she relinquished her role as CDU party leader in December while remaining chancellor - the two parties could better cooperate, say commentators.

The CDU's new leader, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, has tried to build bridges. Areas of agreement include reducing some taxes and trying to find ways to help Germany's car industry whose reputation has been hit by the diesel emissions cheating scandal.

(Reporting by Joern Poltz; Writing by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
The RAB claimed that Mamunur Rashid Ripon is the top financier and weapon supplier of banned JMB, which carried out the attack on Dhaka's Holey Artisan Bakery, an upmarket cafe in Dhaka on 1 July, 2016 that killed 22 people.

Dhaka: A top Islamist extremist, who allegedly supplied arms, explosives and money to the militants who carried out the 2016 terror attack on a cafe in Bangladesh, has been arrested, police said on Sunday.

The militant was arrested from a bus in Gazipur city in the outskirts of the capital and has been identified as absconding Holey Artisan attack suspect Mamunur Rashid Ripon, said the police's elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).

"He was arrested around 1 am on Sunday aboard a bus travelling from Haluaghat to Dhaka," RAB spokesman Mufti Mahmud Khan was quoted as saying by bdnews24.

The RAB claimed that he is the top financier and weapon supplier of banned Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), which carried out the attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery, an upmarket cafe in Dhaka on 1 July, 2016 that killed 22 people, including a 19-year-old Indian girl.

According to investigators, 30-year-old Ripon "supplied money, arms, ammunition and explosives for the attack."

Eighteen foreigners were among those shot and hacked to death by five militants in the 10-hour standoff at the cafe before military commandos stormed the building and freed some two dozen other people.

According to Khan, Ripon was in possession of Tk 150,000 (Rs 1.27 lakh) at the time of his arrest. "He admitted that he was associated with the planning of the Holey Artisan cafe attack as he was quizzed in our custody, Khan said.

The official without elaboration said the RAB detectives simultaneously uncovered a militant plan to rescue from custody militants detained over the 2016 attack. "They (JMB) planned to snatch their detained fellows during their transportation to a Dhaka court from different jails for the trial in Trishal styler," he said.

JMB militants had snatched away three fellow operatives in northern Trishal sub-district on 23 February, 2014 after they ambushed a prison van and killed a policeman. On 23 July, 2018, two years after the incident, the police identified 21 people in connection with the attack.

Investigators said a total of 21 militants were involved in planning the assault but 13 of them were killed in subsequent anti-terrorism operations by security forces.

The government launched a nationwide crackdown against extremists immediately after the attack, killing nearly 100 alleged extremists in gunfights including several top JMB leaders. According to the investigation report, the attack was carried out by Neo-JMB militants after six months of planning. Six of the accused, Jahangir Alam alias Rajib Gandhi, Rakibul Hasan Regan, Rashedul Islam alias Rash, Sohel Mahfuz, Mizanur Rahman alias Baro Mizan and Hadisur Rahman Sagar, were brought to the court for the indictment.

Two other suspects, Shahidul Islam Khan and Ripon, were absconding at the time. The trial proceeded in their absence. The court issued warrants against them and ordered their property to be seized. The police Counter Terrorism Unit had previously said that they believed Khaled and Ripon had fled across the border to India.

According to the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009, those convicted under the law may be granted death sentences.
During his interaction with the party workers, Modi also showed them the video of an improvised version of the song Breathless sung by Shankar Mahadevan, with lyrics based on the Centre's schemes.

New Delhi: Terming the show of strength by the Opposition parties in Kolkata on Saturday as "an alliance among the corrupt," Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had "an alliance with 125 crore people" of the country.

"This 'Mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance of Opposition parties) is a unique type of alliance. This alliance is between the Naamdaars. This alliance is all about nepotism, corruption, scams, negativity, instability, and inequality. This is a very unique merger," said Modi while addressing the BJP's booth level workers of Maharashtra and Goa through video conference.

"They have formed an alliance with each other. We have formed an alliance with 125 crore countrymen. Which alliance do you think is stronger? Most leaders at that stage in Kolkata were either sons of the influential people or were trying to set their own children in politics. They have money power while we have people's support," he said.

Underscoring the importance of Mera Booth, Sabse Majboot, Modi asked the party workers to reach out to the voters with the popular schemes launched by his government.

"Prepare a list of the schemes launched by the Central government and Maharashtra government alphabetically. Like A for Ayushman Bharat, B for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, C for Clean Ganga Mission and so on, which can easily be recalled and remembered," said the prime minister.

Taking a potshot at the Opposition for their concern over the efficacy of electronic voting machines (EVMs), he said: "They have already started making excuses for their defeat in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. EVM is being made a villain. It is natural that every political party wants to win the polls, but is worrisome if some parties take the public for granted. They consider public stupid and keep changing their colours."

During his interaction with the party workers, Modi also showed them the video of an improvised version of the song Breathless sung by Shankar Mahadevan, with lyrics based on the Centre's schemes.

Modi urged the party cadres to make songs along these lines in local dialect to popularise the schemes being run by the Central and the state governments of the BJP.

"Make songs in local languages, describing all the schemes of the government, which I will tweet," he said, while lauding the spirit of ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and extended good wishes for his wellbeing.

"I pray that my dear friend Manohar ji, popular Chief Minister of Goa and architect of modern Goa recovers soon. He is working even in this condition and his passion towards work is inspirational for us," said Modi.
Mufti, however, dismissed Governor's claims that her party was not ready for elections, saying, 'We are always ready for elections.

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday alleged that Muslim and minority communities in Jammu and Kashmir are being subjected to abuse and injustice.

"Governor Satya Pal Malik-led administration must handle the fragile situation carefully. Otherwise, the repercussion will be dangerous for the entire state," said Jammu and Kashmir's former chief minister, while addressing a press conference in Srinagar.

"We are seeing a ghettoisation of minorities in the entire state. It is a big concern. This was one of the reasons why we joined hands with the BJP," she said.

"When the BJP got a big mandate, the minorities, especially the Muslim, had a feeling of insecurity. They thought what will the BJP do with us? We not only sided with the BJP, but also formed a separate Tribal Ministry to protect their interests," she said.

Mufti said that she expected that things would get better for the minorities under the Governor's rule, but "unfortunately, the Gujjar Bakarwals are being selectively targeted, right under the Governor's nose."

Mufti said that in July 2018, after the fall of the BJP-PDP government in the state, dozens of families were sent notices to vacate their homes, and, many more were told to leave their homes in December, 2018 in the name of encroachment.

"I spoke to the Governor. He assured me that no one will touch them, but unfortunately, that is not happening. You know they are cattle farmers. They rear sheep and goats. They are being harassed in the name of smuggling," said Mufti.

"The Muslims in Jammu feel very vulnerable. I was hoping that after the assurances by the Governor it will not continue. We believe that if the Governor's administration does not take control of this fragile situation, the repercussions will be dangerous not only for Jammu but for Kashmir as well," Mufti said.

When asked about the potential challenge from the BJP in the next Assembly elections, which, according to media reports, the Centre may hold along with the Lok Sabha polls, Mufti said: "It is their decision on how many seats they want to contest and what they want to do. It is up to them."

In reply to a question about the granting of Union Territory status to Ladakh, Mufti said, "We are not against the granting of Union Territory status to Ladakh. We just want that other areas in Jammu like Rajouri, Poonch and so on are also remote and they should also be given the same treatment. "

Mufti, however, dismissed Governor's claims that her party was not ready for elections, saying, "We are always ready for elections."
Over 20 Opposition parties may have gotten together at a rally to project unity, but the issue of prime ministerial candidate remains a sticky one as various parties are pitting their own leaders for the coveted post.

New Delhi: Over 20 non-BJP parties may have gotten together at a rally to project unity, but the issue of prime ministerial candidate remains a sticky one as various parties are pitting their own leaders for the coveted post. While Congress is pushing for Rahul Gandhi, BSP wants Mayawati.

Speaking to ANI, Congress' PL Punia asserted that people's hopes rest on Rahul for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. "I am confident, that in 2019, people will show their confidence in Rahul Gandhi ji and he will form the government."

The 73-year-old-Congress leader also trained guns at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asserting that he will be defeated in the upcoming elections. "It is time for the Prime Minister to go, he should leave the office with modesty (Aapke jaane ka waqt aa gaya hai, aaram se mariyada ke saath chale jaiyee)."

He further claimed that the BJP is afraid of the United Opposition and is using objectionable language while slamming the rival political quarter at various rallies. "Why are they afraid of the Opposition getting united. Yesterday, they were only 22 parties who got together on stage. If one looks closely, BJP at present has formed an alliance with as many as 42 parties in several states. They are worried and scared after yesterdays mega rally."

"At a mega rally, we all have decided that Modi government should not come to power for the second time. People have shown their support for the Congress in three states. People are no more in favour of the BJP. People knew that Acche din lies," Punia said.

Meanwhile, BSP's Sudhindra Bhadoria projected Mayawati as the next head of the state, asserting that she will make efforts to uplift the poor, scheduled castes, Muslims and women in society. "Dalits, poor, Muslims and women want that a person who can represent them should be the head. The party leaders of the BJP dream and desire that Mayawati should come forward and must take the lead. However, the final decision will be taken by the various political quarters after the elections," Bhadoria added.

The TMC-led rally on Saturday saw a number of key opposition leaders come together in a major show of unity. At the rally, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee had said that instead of deciding upon the prime ministerial candidate, all the anti-BJP parties should first be united.

"The question of a Prime Ministerial candidate was not important right now and that they would collectively decide about it after the elections. Sometimes they ask who will be their leader. We have many leaders. Everyone among us is a leader, a worker, and an organiser," she had said.

Echoing a similar stance, National Conference (NC) leader Farooq Abdullah, who was also present at the rally, said Oppos ition leaders must not give thought to their individual prospects of becoming the next Prime Minister, rather fight collectively against the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

"The leaders must not think about their chances of becoming the rime minister, which will be decided afterwards. As of now, we all should collectively concentrate on fighting the elections together so as to defeat the BJP and save democracy and the nation," Abdullah had said."
Former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan tweeted Sunday that the incident in Madhya Pradesh was 'a matter of grave concern that BJP leaders are being killed'.

Barwani (Madhya Pardesh): A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader was found dead in Barwani district of Madhya Pradesh Sunday morning, with the police suspecting that he was murdered.

The death of Manoj Thakre (48) came to light three days after another BJP leader was shot dead in Mandsaur, prompting the party to claim that its leaders were being targeted.

Balwani, where Thakre's body was found, is around 100 km from the district headquarters.

"The body had injury marks on the face and around the neck," said district Superintendent of Police YD Bhutia.

"He had gone out for morning walk in hazy weather. Local police got the information around 6.40 am that a body had been spotted, and within two minutes they reached the spot," the SP said.

"Prima facie it appeared that Thakre was killed by unknown persons," she said.

A Special Investigation Team headed by an additional superintendent of police has been formed to investigate the killing, she said.

"We have picked up some people and are questioning them," Bhutia added.

Former state minister and BJP leader Antar Singh Arya's son Vikas told reporters that the killing was fall-out of a "political rivalry", but did not elaborate.

On Saturday, the BJP had submitted petitions to officials in every district seeking improvement in the law and order situation, claiming it had deteriorated under the newly-elected Congress government.

Prahlad Bandhawar, chairman of the Mandsaur Municipal Council, was shot dead Thursday. According to the police, one Manish Bairagi allegedly shot him over a financial dispute.

Former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan tweeted Sunday that it was "a matter of grave concern that BJP leaders are being killed".

"Congress is taking it lightly and seeking to make a cruel joke of the incidents," Chouhan said, pointing out that Thakre, a popular BJP mandal president, was killed in the very district to which home minister Bala Bachchan belongs.

Bachchan could not be contacted for reaction.
Former Jammu and Kashmir finance minister Altaf Bukhari, who was expelled by the PDP on Saturday, said he was happy over the party's decision. He said power and position have never been an allurement for him as the history bears testimony to that fact.

Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir finance minister Altaf Bukhari, who was expelled by the PDP on Saturday, said he was happy over the party's decision.

"It has been a long association with PDP, especially with its founder Late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. My association with this party has been enriching in many ways. It not only gave me a chance to work for my constituency but provided me with an opportunity to contribute my bit in the development across the nook and corner of the state," Bukhari said in a statement in Srinagar.

He said power and position have never been an allurement for him "as the history bears testimony to that fact".

"During my journey of active politics, I have witnessed agreements and disagreements, gratification and obstructions, brewing resentment and misguided notions. I also got a chance to witness the downfall of so-called popular leaders and rise of those who were hitherto unknown in the arena of politics," he said.

Bukhari said while he was happy over the party's decision, "the reasons given for my expulsion are debatable".

"I am also equally happy for this decision of the party as my conscience is clean and I never compromised on my principles. I wish the Jammu and Kashmir PDP all the very best," he said.
If symbolically, Sita, being the daughter of the earth, is in tune with the power of nature, then Ram embodies the laws of the city or civilization, everything that opposes Sitas power  natural, emotional and free flowing

In Chitra Banerjee Divakarunis Forest of Enchantments, Sita, at Maharishi Valmikis insistence, sits in her thatched hut at the sages ashram and armed with a quill, a bottle of red ink and palm leaves, sets about writing her tale, and the tale of the clamoring, whispering and tentative voices rising within her. Thus begins Divakarunis Sitayan, a story of courage, sacrifice and forgiveness. The authors latest work, a retelling of the epic Ramayana is narrated by Sita and follows her story from her childhood in Mithila, to her brief sojourn in Ayodhya, the subsequent exile and her trials after she is kidnapped by Ravana, the king of Lanka.

This marks Divakarunis second novel that tackles the women of the great epics of the Ramayana and Mahabharata. In 2008, it was The Palace of Illusions that gave a voice to Draupadis fierce spirit, her flagrant disregard for preset traditions and her desire to claim her destiny. Divakarunis Panchaali, of the Palace of Illusions, is a passionate, belligerent queen, whose tangled, matted hair gleam like the flames of vengeance she rose from, but her Sita, the daughter of the earth, is quite the contrast. Demure and mild-mannered, she is simple, level-headed, yet emerges stern and decisive in the face of turmoil.

The author, who teaches creative writing at the University of Houston in Texas, breathes new life into many of these age-old characters such as Draupadi, Sita, Keikeyi, Mandodari and Subhadra through her writing, narrating stories of women caught in the vortex of politics, war, cosmic plays and magic. It is particularly important to re-examine characters such as Sita and Draupadi because they are already part of our national consciousness, but often they have been interpreted through a patriarchal lens. It is important now to see them cleanly and newly without that filter, Divakaruni says.

And, despite being a novelist in her own right, she seldom wavers from the original plot of the stories in her retelling. Her interest lies, she says, not in changing plot but in the analysis of character.

What were Sita and Draupadi feeling and thinking at certain powerful moments of their life? What were their motives for things they did? What might they have said in private moments with their dearest ones?

It is crucial to keep writing about these characters who were instrumental in turning the tide of each of these stories, and see them, she adds, as timeless women whom we, as modern women, can relate to and learn from.

A strong, alluring and mysterious woman is central to every one of the authors works, including Mistress of Spices, Queen of Dreams and Sister of My Heart, which are set in the 20th and 21st century. Even as their journeys vary, one aspect that stays uniform is their insight that transcends the world of consciousness. Having had such glimpses through the course of her own life, Divakaruni continues to be fascinated by these different levels of experience and depicts them often in her books.

Sita has a number of visions in Forest of Enchantments, and some of them are extremely important in giving her an understanding of herself  as well as Ram and Ravana  as cosmic beings.

Divakaruni explains, I believe there are many layers to our existence, and many of the things we learn about life (especially the cosmic aspect of life) occur in dimensions other than our waking state.

The author is among many prolific writers whose take on mythology enables the modern reader to look at the same characters with varied perspectives. The situations in these epics, she notes, have great value even in current times. They are much deeper than many of the stories set in contemporary times. Perhaps we all hunger for the magical worlds and powers they depict. And the larger than life characters.

Of Draupadi, Sita  and Ram

That there would be comparisons between the way the author nurtured Draupadi and Sita was perhaps inevitable. Divakaruni concedes that she too would compare the two in the initial stages of this novel, desirous of making Sita more like Draupadi because she loved how outspoken Draupadi is, how defiant and how she rushes headlong into situations (in The Palace of Illusions).

However, researching and analysing characters of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, the author realised that Sita was very different. And I had to focus on her specialness  she has a kindness and sweetness to her, but she speaks up whenever it is needed, she admitted.

Describing the moment when Sita lifts up the Bow of Shiva, one that none of her suitors had been able to, she elaborates that Sita does so when she is alone and no one knows of it. She is very strong in her quiet way, but she doesnt make a big deal of it.

Early on in Forest of Enchantments, Sita is taught an important lesson: what she cannot cure, she must endure. And it is her special power, Divakaruni points out, that helps her endure through her terrible tortured year in Lanka. It adapts to its circumstances and overcomes obstacles  much as a tree might grow. Quiet, but strong.

Once I started to embrace that difference, it helped me write Forest of Enchantments in a way that would showcase this power.

The titles of both of Divakarunis novels are special. They denote something particularly significant to the two women. For Draupadi, it was her palace of illusions, the Maya sabha, which she and her husbands could call home, away from the conspiracies of Hastinapur and the cold, hard walls of Drupads palace. For Sita, the forest beckoned her. Divakaruni explains that her moments of great transformation come when she is in the forest. That is where she is the happiest with Ram, the most anguished with Ravana, and the strongest as the mother of Lav and Kush.

Symbolically, Sita, being the daughter of the earth, is in tune with the power of nature. Her power is natural, emotional, free-flowing  quite different from Ram, who embodies the laws of the city or civilisation.

Conflicted between his private desires as husband and lover and his public values and duties as a monarch, Ram, Divakaruni says, was a difficult character to write, because he was the reason for so much of Sitas anguish. But as the author probed into his identity, it struck her that he too was a highly nuanced and complex character. When he does things that hurt Sita, she concedes, they hurt him just as much. The author attempts to explore this complexity even in her quest to write Sita.

As readers savour every page of this story, Divakaruni, for her part, has already started on her next novel, a historical work set in colonial times, focusing on a strong woman who fought against the British. No surprise there, I guess! she admits but for now, chooses to keep the identity of her protagonist a secret.

Forest of Enchantments, now available in bookstores is published by Harper Collins.
The Supreme Court judges ruled that the State could regulate, but not prohibit

The tradition and culture of the dance bar originated in Mumbai, particularly the area around Mumbai Central. Similar (and larger) places exist in the suburbs of the city and outside of Mumbai, but they originated in that area. The tradition may have to do with the public performance called Lavani, which is unique to Maharashtra. The format of the places is similar. Small groups of men, and sometimes their families, sit on tables facing a small open area where half a dozen women dance to Hindi songs. The women are fully dressed.

The waiters serve alcohol, and even soft drinks are priced at the same level as beer. The women who are dancing are sometimes showered with currency notes by men who leave their table and go to the open area. The men are discouraged from touching the women, and there are a few bouncers who regulate what is going on. There is probably a simple system for working out how the money that has been thrown is distributed and who gets what, though I do not know what it is. The women do not reach out or collect the fallen notes; someone else does that.

Dance bars usually have multiple areas and the ones on the higher floors are reserved for clients willing to pay more money for privacy. The dancing women move from one area to the next after a few songs, unless there is someone who is paying a lot of money for someone particular to remain. I went to one place many years ago out of curiosity when I was editing a newspaper in Mumbai and I did not find the experience unpleasant. Similar places exist in other parts of the world, for example in Thailand and Japan.

However, these places have not faced the anger of the State as in India. In Mumbai, under the Congress government of Vilasrao Deshmukh, dance bars were first banned around 15 years ago. This happened at the insistence of then home minister RR Patil, who was from a village and did not like the ways of the big city. His particular objection was to women working at night and claimed he was doing it to protect them. The bar dancers, who were aware of the politics around their issue, protested to him, but he did not listen.

Dance bars went underground after this, though the famous ones in Central Mumbai had to shut down or change the nature of their work, because they were operating legally. The constituency affected by the ban was not big, and the public at large does not sympathise with them, and so the political parties kept figuring out ways to keep the ban going. This changed with the Supreme Court this week saying the ban was illegal: that the State could regulate, but not prohibit. In particular, I was interested in the language the judges used. They said a practice which may not be immoral by societal standards cannot be thrust upon society as immoral by the State with its own notion of morality and thereby exercise 'social control' and that standards of morality in a society change with the passage of time.

The court said the ban on alcohol at the dance bars was totally disproportionate, unreasonable and arbitrary, and the requirement for a licensee to be of good character was too vague. It also said the government could not insist on CCTVs to regulate the places because this was a violation of privacy. The court upheld the ban on throwing or showering coins, currency notes, etc that could lead to any untoward incident but said handing over of the notes to the dancers personally is not inappropriate. I find this strange because showering of money on individuals is an Indian tradition and happens even at weddings.

Overall, the judgment is very liberal and it will be interesting to see what sort of places will come up in Mumbai because of it. The court rejected the requirement for a monthly salary, saying this would restrict the womens option of performing at more than one bar. Many of us will not like the fact that places like dance bars exist, because we see them as in some way corrupting the society and a bad influence. We are convinced that what goes on is morally wrong and the women are exploited, though we do not ask the women participating in this if they enjoy their work or are proud of it.

Whether we like it or not, whether we see it this way or not, social progress is linked to morality and particularly how we view women. This is why conservative nations that avoid difficult debates are usually ones which are the last to make progress. The same instinct that thinks women should remain at home and not at the workplace, objects to dance bars. That is why, even if it makes many uncomfortable, what India has allowed through this judgment is absolutely the right thing.
Rahul said, 'Your Highness, The cries for help are the cries of millions of unemployed youth; of farmers in distress; of oppressed Dalits and Adivasis; begging to be freed from your tyranny and incompetence. In 100 days they will be free.'

New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi on Sunday vowed that within 100 days, all unemployed youth, oppressed farmers and other neglected people will be freed from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government's "tyranny and incompetence."

The Congress president's comments were in reply to Modi's "Bachao, Bachao" remark on the anti-BJP rally held in Kolkata.

Taking to his Twitter handle, Rahul said, "Your Highness, The cries for help are the cries of millions of unemployed youth; of farmers in distress; of oppressed Dalits and Adivasis; of persecuted minorities; of small businessmen in ruin; begging to be freed from your tyranny and incompetence. In 100 days, they will be free."

On Saturday, Modi criticised the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-organised rally in Kolkata. While questioning the basis of their unity, the prime minister said that participants of the rally just wanted to save themselves.

"They have all gathered there and are shouting 'Bachao, Bachao, Bachao'," Modi said.

It is noteworthy that Rahul along with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi skipped the mega rally, which was attended by Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, DMK president MK Stalin, National Conference supremo Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, BSP leader Satish Mishra and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh among others.
Javadekar added that in the next three months, the BJP would reach out to each and every booth in the country, to showcase the work done by the NDA government in the last four-and-a-half years.

Pune: Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday said there was no alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that there would be "anarchy" in his absence.

Taking a dig at the Opposition rally organised by Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Saturday, Javadekar said the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls would be fought on issues like - whether people want a mazboot (strong) or a majboor (weak) government.

"Looking at Saturday's rally in Kolkata, where all the Opposition parties came together, it was evident that all these parties want to drive out Modi, but who is the alternative?

"They cannot present an alternative, so the condition in the country is like if there is no Modi, there will be anarchy," the Union human resource development minister told reporters in Pune.

Referring to the coalition rules of IK Gujral, Chandrashekhar and HD Deve Gowda in the past, he said people suffered during the days of those "weak governments", while on the other hand, the public had seen the benefits of a "strong and policy-driven" government led by Modi.

"Therefore, people will choose between a mazboot and a majboor government," he added.

Javadekar said the Kolkata rally showed the nervousness of the Opposition parties as they did not form any committee to draft a manifesto or a common minimum programme, but formed a panel on electronic voting machines (EVMs).

"It shows that they are already looking for an excuse for their possible defeat and it shows their nervousness," he said.

The Congress and the other Opposition parties wanted a majboor government so that they could indulge in corruption, Javadekar alleged.

"Whereas people want a mazboot government like the Modi government, which is eliminating corruption in the system and not sparing those involved in corruption," he said.

Javadekar expressed confidence that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would get more seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, as compared to 2014, and that its vote share would also increase.

The saffron party had won 282 of the total 543 seats in the 2014 general election.

"When I say the BJP will surpass the 282 number in the upcoming Lok Sabha, the reason for that is the party's tally in West Bengal, Odisha and the north-eastern states will go up," Javadekar said.

The saffron party had launched several campaigns ahead of the polls to reach out to people, he pointed out.

"We are going to run a campaign - mera ghar BJP ka ghar - in the coming days, under which those who support the party and want to vote for it will hoist the party flag atop their houses," the Union minister said.

He added that in the next three months, the BJP would reach out to each and every booth in the country, to showcase the work done by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the last four-and-a-half years and expose the Opposition's "hollow politics".

Asked about the 10 percent general category quota and its implementation, Javadekar said his department had directed all the educational institutes, including the IITs, IIMs and the central universities, to implement the quota from the coming academic year.

"A similar order has been sent to all the state governments for the implementation of the quota. We have also given a formula on how to implement the 10 percent reservation without (affecting) the other categories' quota," he added.
Even as nearly 20 died in separate incidents over the past few weeks while illegally mining coal in Meghalaya, similar operations continue to endanger lives in Madhya Pradesh.

Panna/Bhopal: No lessons seem to have been learnt from the Meghalaya coal mine tragedy. Even as nearly 20 died in separate incidents over the past few weeks while illegally mining coal in the northeastern state, similar operations  for coals sparkling derivative  continue to endanger lives in Madhya Pradesh.

Manor, a small village 15 kilometres from the district headquarters of Panna, Indias only diamond-producing region, bears witness to the heavy price paid for mining the coveted stones. On entering the village, one would be hard-pressed to find a man above the age of 45. Yousuf Beg, an activist with Prithvi Trust and a resident of Panna, said Manor is called the village of widows.

Last year, Shyamiya Gond, Pyarelal Gond and Sukhnandi Gond of the nearby Bador village, Ram Das from Gadhi village, and Balram Singh, Kishor Singh and Lal Singh from Madaiyan died while mining for diamonds. Local activists said they had been suffering from silicosis, a lung disease caused by inhalation of crystalline silica dust.

They arent the only casualties: when villagers begin remembering departed loved ones, the toll mounts steadily. However, as per government data, only four miners succumbed to silicosis, as they didnt get proper treatment in hospital.

The dark side of diamonds

Manor is just one example of the damage illegal mining has caused in Panna. This region has Indias only mechanised diamond mine at Majhgawan, operated by the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC). In the 2017-2018 financial year, around 40,000 diamonds were produced from this mine where over 10,000 miners are employed.

Apart from this, the government or local administration leases out 8 by 8 metre plots of private or revenue land to prospective miners in the rest of the district. While these mines are legal, thousands more are likely illegally operating on forestland. But putting aside the legalities, labourers at private mines bear the brunt of low wages, lack of safety equipment and are burdened by debt.

Local activist Ravi Kant Patha, said, Contractors employ labourers on a commission basis to avoid paying them daily. If a team finds diamonds, the contractor or head of the illegal mine gives the miners a share. In the absence of worthwhile employment opportunities, these labourers have no option but to work for 12 to 14 hours for days on end without wages. Thats how they fall in the debt trap.

Earlier, mining would be done only during the monsoon, as a lot of water is needed to wash the diamonds. However, these days, labourers have to around the year, and make use of water from borewells for the washing. Workers need to dig open pits and collect small stones, and later, wash them twice or thrice to remove all the soil and clay. During the digging, they end up inhaling copious amounts of silica through the dust, and contract silicosis.

Locals from several villages in this region are facing serious health issues: In some, almost all men suffer from TB or silicosis; in others, most women are anemic; and in all, underweight children are the norm. Beg lamented, Its not just the miners; even their families are in a perilous situation. Recently, we got admitted to hospital a number of underweight children from the families of miners.

Buried under government apathy

Illegal diamond mining coupled with lack of awareness and social security is also leading to a high illiteracy rate. Many labourers bring their children to the mining sites, and as a result, the kids miss school.

According to data from the 2011 census, the literacy rate of Manor village was 49.88 percent, significantly lower than Madhya Pradesh's literacy rate of 69.32 percent. Pathak laid the blame for this sorry situation squarely on diamond and sandstone mining. The problem of unemployment in this region is humongous. Hence, most villagers head to the mines, illegal or legal, work long hours without safety equipment and subsequently fall prey to illness, he said.

While the government provides compensation for registered miners suffering from silicosis, Pathak alleged that the process of determining silicosis patients is flawed. He said, Compensation was released for only four labourers last year. There may be over 500 others in the district who suffer from silicosis.

However, the district administration claimed it has identified over 100 labourers, and the process of providing monthly compensation has already begun. But activists ask: What about the unregistered thousands who work in illegal mines?

These mine contractors are so powerful that labourers are afraid of speaking up. One labourer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the contractor pays him daily, but many others are debt-ridden.

Those working in the only State-operated mine fare no better. They lack social security and basic amenities, including safety equipment. However, the NDMC, in its annual report claimed it provides proper safety equipment to labourers and it has well-equipped hospitals with medical teams available around the clock.

Rakesh Malviya, a Bhopal-based social activist who visited the diamond mines of Panna recently, said, The socio-economic condition of these families is so bad that they are forced to work for hours without eating. I have seen pregnant women working in those mines without stopping for sustenance. Migration is another problem in the region. Those unable to make ends meet through mining are leaving their hometowns for Delhi and Bhopal.

Healthcare initiatives alone not enough

Social researcher Amulya Nidhi, who conducted a case study for Jan Swasthya Abhiyan in Madhya Pradesh, said, Recent estimates from India suggest over three million workers are exposed to silica dust, and another 8.5 million working on construction sites are exposed to quartz dust. According to government data, around 8,000 people are suffering from silicosis in Madhya Pradesh. In pursuance of a Supreme Court order, in 2010 the National Human Rights Commission passed an order asking the Madhya Pradesh government to rehabilitate the ailing.

On high levels of anemia among women and children, District Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr LK Tiwari said, We are taking a proactive approach to eliminate the health problems faced by women. There is enough awareness; the real problem is poverty and unemployment. The health department is undertaking several initiatives such as regular check-ups for anemia, and a Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre to combat chronic malnutrition. We have also launched a dedicated programme for silicosis patients, who are examined by nodal officer Dr DK Gupta every Tuesday at the district hospital. We have provided cards to all patients so that they can avail of free treatment."

We are providing the requisite healthcare, but precautionary measures are necessary to protect labourers from disease. The mining department gives a lease to private companies. At the time of agreement, the government should require strict safety norms, in addition to routine check-ups organised by the companies. Panna collector Manoj Khatri declined to comment upon the reports of illegal mining. It seems breaking the local contractors' stranglehold will be no easy task for the authorities.

Manish Chandra Mishra is a Bhopal-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com
Police were called to the 1800 block of N. Fulton Ave. on Friday for a report of gunshots. When officers arrived, they found Dodd with gunshot wounds to his body.
The Supreme Court has struck down the attempts of the state government of Maharashtra to shut down dance bars.

The Supreme Court has struck down the attempts of the state government of Maharashtra to shut down dance bars. This is not the first time that the courts have ruled against the state. For the past ten years, the government has tried to shut down dance bars on the grounds of morality, law and order and corrupting the values of the state. Each time, the courts have stepped in and have rapped the state government for such moves.

Instead of stepping back, the state has tried to create new laws (each struck down by the courts). It has sought to put in cameras within the dance bars (also struck down by the courts). It has tried to put policemen inside the bars (also dismissed by the courts). The state has now begun working on ways to take down the details of customers visiting such dance bars. It also wants, according to media reports, to introduce an ordinance to side-step the ruling of the apex court. This is no different from this state not only declaring prostitution illegal, but also creating rules to arrest any customer attempting to strike a deal with a prostitute.

Thus, the police has created two vulnerable sets of people. The first is the prostitute. The second is a softer target  the customer. This, too, is moral policing of the most shameful kind, as will be explained below. And the police are known to pocket bribes from both sets of vulnerable people.

In fact, if one goes back to the past ten years, the state has spent more legislative time on discussing ways to shut down dance bars than on ways to ameliorate the lot of hapless farmers, or penalise cooperatives that have sought to leech off farmers. It has considered farmer deaths to be less important than dance bars. This is a distorted sense of priorities. It is a waste of taxpayers money. And it is a specious form of morality.

Why specious?

Ask any psychologist. He/she will tell you that sexual crimes increase when simple ways of finding legal expression of sexual desires are denied to people. In fact, the worlds largest institute on paedophilia (headquartered in Germany) believes that almost 70 percent of paedophiliacs exist because they could not find a natural expression for their sexual urges. Hence, they turned to deviant ways of expressing them.

Mumbai is home to a very large migrant population. A large number of men from this population are without even their respective families, or the privacy of a room to themselves. Do you expect this population to practise celibacy or abstention? If natural outlets  like prostitution and dance bars  are not allowed to them, expect to see the state witness a surge in sexual crimes.

If you do not believe this claim, just take a look at the statistics compiled by the NCRB. Its 2015 annual report shows how Maharashtra had the highest registered sexual offences from among all states in India. Maharashtra accounted for 16,989 crimes registered under the IPC compared to the national total of 1,20,750 (see chart below). There can be no better proof of the moral hypocrisy practised by the state.

Then, take a look at data provided in the NCRB report for 2016. It will show you (see chart below) that Maharashtra ranks second among states in India with the highest number of sexual crimes against children. And it wants to take action againss dance bars and prostitution? How absurd and crass can it get?

Prostitution thrives...so do pimps and policemen

Prostitution is one profession in India, especially in Maharashtra, where the biggest beneficiaries are policemen and pimps. They are the ones who prey on this profession, and end up earning more than the prostitute herself. And if popular wisdom is to be believed, a percentage of such earnings go to finance politics.

Maharashtra boasts of trying to become another Singapore. But it should also look at how Singapore has legalised prostitution. As a senior government official told this author, We know that we have a large migrant worker population. If we do not provide them legal outlets for sexuality, we will have illegal outlets.

So what does Singapore do? It categorises prostitutes into those catering to customers belonging to the upper class, middle class and economically poorer classes, respectively. Each cluster of prostitutes in allowed to work from specified areas. This way, the country ensures that there is less of tension between girls catering to different classes of workers. As the government official put it, legalising this profession ensures that we control crime; we also ensure that all the girls undergo periodic medical checks and thus protect the health of both the sex worker and the client. Maybe, Maharashtra should start emulating Singapore by first amending its sex-related laws.

As one reliable source puts it, India has at least 8.6 lakh female sex workers (FSWs) and Andhra Pradesh has the maximum 1.56 lakh practising the trade. Maharashtra is not far behind with 85,416 FSWs. Some of these numbers can be corroborated from a reply to an RTI application filed by Delhi resident Ved Pal, in which the health and family ministry said that the estimate of female sex workers is based on a mapping study undertaken in 2009. About 19 percent of sex workers were unregistered, though this could be a lot larger.

Total number of registered female sex workers (FSWs) is 6.96 lakh as per information from state AIDS control societies. This number is based on the line listing of targeted interventions in the states and it may change as per the new registrations, the ministry said in its reply. Obviously, the unregistered numbers could be much larger.

Want to see how illegal migration, police grease dance bars and prostitution cohabit? Just go to Mira Road on the outskirts of Mumbai. Just travel from the eastern part of the station to the highway. See the dance bars functioning there with impunity. And prostitution. Most of the illegal immigrants dwell there. Of course, the police raid a bar or two to show that they are doing their job. Yes, they 'rescue' some girls. Locals sniggler when you use the word 'rescue'. They know what that means. And yes, the ones that do not pay up in time the amounts demanded are also raided. It is exploitation of vulnerability in the name of morality.

They have learnt the fine art from their political masters.

The author is a senior journalist.
After ordering tanneries in the Unnao-Kanpur cluster to shut operations between December and March, the Uttar Pradesh government recently extended its order.

Prayagraj: After ordering tanneries in the Unnao-Kanpur cluster to shut operations between December and March, the Uttar Pradesh government recently extended its order to other industrial units, including textile and paper mills, slaughterhouses and distilleries, in the western region of the state, in a bid to ensure that clean water fit for bathing flows in the river Ganga ahead of the Ardh Kumbh Mela, being held at Prayagraj from 15 January to 4 March.

The order may be a sigh of relief for the sadhus and pilgrims thronging the Ardh Kumbh 2019 for a holy dip, but it has left in distress those depending on these industrial units for a living, including both the owners and the workers. With the sugarcane crushing season around the corner, the distilleries are bound to suffer huge losses, which will eventually pass down to the farmers, as well.

Cleaning the Ganga has been a top priority of the BJP government that floated the Namami Gange project in 2014 with a budget of Rs 20,000 crore and a deadline of 2019, which has now been extended to 2020. The National Green Tribunal, in its 6 August, 2018, order mentioned that according to information submitted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), only five out of 70 monitoring points across the stretch of the river have water fit for drinking, and only seven points had water fit for bathing. The NGT had asked the CPCB and UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) to display through digital boards the water quality information at every 100 km on the course of Ganga between Gaumukh and Ganga Sagar.

In the same order, the NGT also pointed out the high discharge of chromium as effluent in the Ganga near Jajmau and Kanpur. Unable to improve the efficiency in effluent treatment in this belt where tanneries have been a source of severe pollutants, the state government found it better to shut the units until the Ardh Kumbh gets over.

Distilleries around Bijnor, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Hapur and Ghaziabad have stopped functioning after the UP government passed an order in November and followed that with a roster issued in January this year for some industrial units in Meerut and Baghpat.

According to the roster, the industries have to shut operations on 12, 13, 14 and 21 January. Later, the shut down dates in February are 1 to 4, 10 to 12, 19, 23 to 28, and 4 March.

According to regional officer of PCB for Meerut region, RK Tyagi, the industries have to shut down as per this roster only. Failure to follow the roster will draw severe consequences, Tyagi says.

Punished for following rules?

Rajesh Kumar, chief general manager at Simbhali Sugar Ltd, Hapur, believes the three-month shutdown is enough to cripple the industries in the belt. He says that being asked to stop operations, despite having followed all pollution control norms, such as setting up 24x7 live cameras in industrial units and implementing Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD), has left industrialists dejected.

As per the norms of the UP government, licences  particularly Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate  would only be issued to industrial units that install live cameras and share their IP address with the concerned government authority in order to maintain transparency. The underlying idea behind such a step is to keep an eye on units that fail to follow pollution controlling norms.

Kumar says that during the crushing season, the immediate product to be looked after is the molasses, which is used in distilleries. Imagine what will we do when molasses cannot be taken into production.

He says that all sugar industries, as per an agreement with the government, supply ethanol to oil companies on a daily basis. Failing to do so attracts a penalty of around 10 percent per day. As per government guidelines, oil companies blend this ethanol with petrol.

With the sugar industry already under distress, the temporary shutdown is expected to affect the production of liquor and oil as well, leading to revenue loss that would run into crores.

A senior employee at a Muzaffarnagar-based distillery, seeking anonymity, says only those industrial units that have been found releasing pollutants into the Ganga should be asked to close down.

We are already following every norm and have invested crores (of rupees) on Zero Liquid Discharge. This order is only a harassment. Our question is does the municipal corporation follow these rules, do individuals not pollute? Everyone knows what is happening and who is doing it. There are other areas to focus on if pollution is to be curbed, why only industry? he says.

ZLD is an advanced water treatment process which purifies and recycles the wastewater collected after an industrial process, leaving zero liquid waste behind.

Loss of workforce

Chander, a transport and labour contractor, in Daurala, Meerut, foresees hard times ahead for the workforce in these industrial units.

Sugar industry involves seasonal work and hires workforce accordingly. There are both types of labourers  those on contract and those on rolls. Those on payroll are financially safe to some extent but what about the contractual ones? They are paid as per the work they do, says Chander.

He adds that the transport industry is bound to suffer losses similarly as the demand for tankers and trucks is high during the crushing season. No production for next couple of months implies there would be no demand for tankers as well, he says.

According to TU Khan, the chief environmental officer with the UPPCB, the order to shut the operations of industrial units has been passed by concerned departments and the PCB is keeping a proper check on its implementation. Our sewage treatment plants are working at full capacity and are enough to tackle the waste coming out of industrial units, but there are many units who had in the past discharged their waste directly into the Ganga river, says Khan.

A senior officer of the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam says that the STPs in Jajmau, Hapur and Ghaziabad are working efficiently. The Jajmau STP was not completely operational until a while ago, but funds were released for its repair, he adds.

Tanneries too bear the brunt

Hafizur Rahman, the president of Small Tanneries Association (Jajmau), says that the government order will leave thousands of workers without food and other basic needs.

Our tanneries are closed since 18 November. We opened it for a week in first week of January when the officers told us that we can operate up to 50 percent capacity but we were asked to close our units again. This decision is killing our industry and we do not know how we are going to survive. I would blame the Jal Nigam for this as they are not able to treat the waste water and it is because of them that thousands of workers are suffering, alleges Rahman.

Lucknow-based economist OP Tiwari believes the ban on industrial units will have an adverse effect on industrial production. The decision may result in reduction in the GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product) which is bound to impact the national income as well, since the economy of UP occupies a major chunk in countrys economy, says Tiwari.

Adding that the order will affect the livelihood of daily wagers who work in these industries, Tiwari says, The process of development does not necessarily incorporate only economic prosperity in terms of industrial output. So, thinking about the environment is also an important factor and we should not forget that Ganga is the lifeline of this country and also a matter of faith, so cleaning it is the responsibility of the government.

Anwaral Haq, president of the Uttar Pradesh Leather Industries Association, says the blanket ban on tanneries is taking a toll on the lives of over four lakh workers engaged in these units and many who have left Kanpur-Unnao in search of employment may not even return. The major cause of concern is that foreign buyers who relied for supplies from us are now looking at other avenues, especially our neighboring countries.

(Authors are Lucknow - based freelance writers and a members of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters.)
Jammu and Kashmir authorities have issued a diktat to state government employees to be present during Republic Day celebrations in Jammu and Srinagar, adding that failure to attend the events would count as 'dereliction of duty'.

Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik has issued a diktat to state government employees to be present during Republic Day celebrations, adding that failing to attend the events would count as "dereliction of duty" and "disobedience of government instructions".

"All government officers and officials posted at Jammu and Srinagar are required to attend the celebrations, as part of their official duty," the order dated 15 January read. "It is the duty of every government servant to attend the Republic Day function, which marks an important turning point in the history of the nation."

The government also directed all top officials of the state, such as administrative secretaries and heads of departments, to ensure that their staff stations at Srinagar and Jammu attend the functions.

However, Governor Satya Pal Malik's order was not well received by political parties in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Nationalism can never be dictated. There should be 'will' for such events not forced diktats. This clears how things happen and are happening in the 'integral' part. Patriotism can't be enforced it should be inherent, tweeted Peoples Democratic Party leader Waheed Ur Rehman.

Independent MLA and leader of the regional Awami Itehad Party Engineer Rashid said the order was "unconstitutional" and that nationalism cannot be imposed on government staff, TimesNow reported.

BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav, on the other hand said only "separatists" were opposed to the order, and that parties were trying to politicise the matter as the elections are around the corner.

"In the valley, there are politicians and certain parties who say something else when in power and side with separatists when out of power," he claimed, according to TimesNow.

In its diktat, the administration has given the responsibility of transportation to 26 January functions to the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation Limited and Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation.

The official Republic Day celebrations will take place at the University of Jammu, where the governor will preside over the event, and at the Sher-i-Kashmir stadium in Srinagar.

With inputs from PTI
Indian nationals travelling to Bhutan need to have either an Indian passport with minimum validity of six months or a voter identity card issued by the Election Commission of India.

New Delhi: Aadhaar cards are now valid travel documents for Indians under 15 and over 65 travelling to Nepal and Bhutan, according to a Home Ministry communique.

Indians other than those in the two age brackets will not be able to use Aadhaar to travel to the two neighbouring countries, for which no visas are needed, clarified the communique issued recently.

"Indian citizens going to Nepal and Bhutan don't need a visa if they have a valid passport, a photo identity card issued by the government of India or an election ID card issued by the Election Commission," it added.

Earlier, persons over 65 and under 15 could show their PAN card, driving licence, Central Government Health Service (CGHS) card or ration card, but not the Aadhaar, to prove their identity and visit the two countries.

"The Aadhaar card has now been added to the list," explained a senior Home Ministry official.

"Now, persons in the age group of over 65 years and below 15 years have been allowed to use Aadhaar as a valid travel document," the official told PTI.

Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). It is being made mandatory for using a host of government services.

Giving details, the official said a certificate of registration issued by the Embassy of India, Kathmandu, to Indian nationals is not an acceptable travel document for travelling between India and Nepal.

"However, the emergency certificate and identity certificate issued by the Indian Embassy in Nepal will be valid for single journey for travelling back to India," he said, citing the communique.

"Teens between 15 to 18 years will be allowed to travel between India and Nepal on the basis of an identity certificate issued by the principal of their school in a prescribed form," the officer said.

In case of a family (like husband, wife, minor children and parents) travelling together, all persons will not be required to carry relevant documents (such as a passport or an election ID) if one of the adult members has valid travel papers, he said.

However, the other family members must have some proof of their identity with a photograph and their relationship as a family, such as a CGHS card, ration card, a driving licence or an ID card issued by school/college, the official explained.

Indian nationals travelling to Bhutan need to have either an Indian passport with minimum validity of six months or a voter identity card issued by the Election Commission of India.

Bhutan, which shares borders with the Indian states of Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal, has about 60,000 Indian nationals, employed mostly in the hydroelectric power and construction industry.

In addition, between 8,000 and 10,000 daily workers enter and exit Bhutan everyday in border towns.

"About six lakh Indians live in Nepal," according to data by the Ministry of External Affairs.

These include businesspersons and traders who have been living in Nepal for a long time, professionals (doctors, engineers, IT personnel) and labourers (including seasonal/migratory) in the construction sector, it said.

Nepal shares a border of over 1,850 km with five Indian states  Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
The unanswered questions on who exactly is responsible for which changes echo hollow in the chambers of establishment media houses.

BJP's bid to polarise populace, aided by silent and complicit media, has left Indian democracy in disarray

Any entity or individual (whether it is a journalist, academic, political activist or ordinary citizen) that opposes the authoritarian, communal, casteist or neoliberal tendencies of the central government is branded anti-national in order to manufacture public consent, discredit the contents of their critique and suppress the like-mindedness that might emerge in society.

The unanswered questions on who exactly is responsible for which changes echo hollow in the chambers of establishment media houses. There is indeed a war on the India we used to know, but the media is silent on whom exactly is waging it.

SC verdict on Maharashtra dance bars may disturb many, but challenging notions of morality essential for progress

In Mumbai, under the Congress government of Vilasrao Deshmukh, dance bars were first banned around 15 years ago. This happened at the insistence of then home minister RR Patil, who was from a village and did not like the ways of the big city. His particular objection was to women working at night and claimed he was doing it to protect them. The bar dancers, who were aware of the politics around their issue, protested to him, but he did not listen.

Dance bars went underground after this, though the famous ones in Central Mumbai had to shut down or change the nature of their work, because they were operating legally.

Meghalaya mining tragedy lessons go unheeded in MP as labourers face death and disease in quest for diamonds

Manor, a small village 15 kilometres from the district headquarters of Panna, Indias only diamond-producing region, bears witness to the heavy price paid for mining the coveted stones. On entering the village, one would be hard-pressed to find a man above the age of 45. Yousuf Beg, an activist with Prithvi Trust and a resident of Panna, said Manor is called the village of widows.

Manor is just one example of the damage illegal mining has caused in Panna. This region has Indias only mechanised diamond mine at Majhgawan, operated by the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC).

Pahlaj Nihalani on being 'kicked out' of CBFC and reuniting with Govinda for Rangeela Raja

Pahlaj Nihalani is one of the last bastions of single producers whose worlds are far removed from the much in-vogue corporate functioning. He believes that corporates believe in projects, as opposed to films, with big stars as their final objective. Instead of one person, 50 people do the same job in a corporate set up. Individual producers cant afford that. It all boils down to public funding and thus, they have no hesitation in spending money on stars and their films. Individual producers think about the story first and then actors follow," he says.

Australian Open 2019: Two years after harrowing knife attack, Petra Kvitova gets back to her physics-defying power tennis

It didn't matter how cleanly Anisimova struck the ball or how hard she served; whatever she did, Kvitova was ready on the other side of the net, waiting to hit even harder.

More strikingly, she didn't put a foot wrong with her serve. She got a staggering 86% of first serves in, which is a particularly outlandish stat because Kvitova is not the kind of player who'll just roll the serve in. She aims for the lines at all times and hits with pace too, which actually makes her serve a bit of an unreliable weapon; she can get free points off it when it lands in, but it doesn't always land in.
Accusing the Opposition of spreading misinformation in the Rafale deal, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday speculated whether the parties were becoming pawns in corporate rivalry and whether the procurement of 36 fighter jets was being 'sabotaged'.

Nirmala Sitharaman slams Opposition over Rafale

Accusing the Opposition of spreading misinformation in the Rafale deal, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday speculated whether the parties were becoming pawns in corporate rivalry and whether the procurement of 36 fighter jets was being "sabotaged".

"I want every strand of this debate to be explained, as much as it can be, without any of us playing into the hands of international corporate warfare. None of us should play party to any corporate warfare. We cannot become pawns in the hands of the corporate giants to constantly bully the government, to constantly throw misinformation at the public, to misinform the public," she said.

Her attack on the Opposition parties comes a day after a newspaper report claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to buy 36 Rafale jets, instead of 126 as negotiated by the previous UPA government, was taken while bypassing mandated procedures, pushing the price of each aircraft by 41.42 percent.

Narendra Modi hits out at TMC-led rally, says grand alliance is 'against people'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit out at the TMC-led Opposition rally in Kolkata and their proposed grand alliance, saying it was a combine of those whom he had prevented from looting India and it was not against him but the people of the country.

He took a dig at West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, saying the BJP had only one MLA in her state but still they are so afraid of us that they are saying bachao (save us).

The grand alliance is not against Narendra Modi but the people of India, Modi said at a public function at Silvassa, the capital of the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, after laying the foundation stone for a medical college

'Our protest over Sabarimala failed': BJP to end indefinite fast today

The BJP is expected to lead a massive rally in Trivandrum over the Sabarimala issue on Sunday, while the party admitted that its "fight" to "protect the faith" of devotees on the Sabarimala issue was "not entirely successful". The party has been spearheading the agitation against the Kerala government's decision to implement the Supreme Court order allowing entry of women of all age groups into the shrine of Lord Ayyappa.

Speaking at the venue of the protest, state BJP president PS Sreedharan Pillai said the party would end the indefinite fast on Sunday. "There were notable achievements during certain phases of the agitation, but our fight to protect the faith was not entirely successful," he said. "Even though we were unable to achieve 100 percent success, we were able to garner more public support due to the blessings of Lord Ayyappa," Pillai said at the protest venue in front of the Secretariat.

The protest lost steam at a point of time when the saffron party was unable to field known leaders to take part in the indefinite relay fast. The fast was started by party general secretary AN Radhakrishnan followed by CK Padmanabhan and Shobha Surendran, among others.

Super Wolf Blood Moon on 20 January

The "Super Wolf Blood Moon" will take place on the night of 20 January. This is the only total lunar eclipse of the year, but India will not be able to witness it. India may not be in the right half of the world to catch a glimpse, but there is a live stream that you can watch.

The total lunar eclipse will begin at 11.41 pm ET on 20 January (10.11 am IST on 21 January) and last an hour and 2 minutes.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manoj Thackeray was found dead on Sunday, less than a week after Mandsaur Municipal Corporation president Prahlad Bandhwar was shot dead.

Barwani: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manoj Thackeray was found dead on Sunday, less than a week after Mandsaur Municipal Corporation president Prahlad Bandhwar was shot dead. Thackeray, an MLA from Balwadi, was found dead in a field in the Warla police station limits. He had gone for a morning walk.

Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accused the newly-formed Congress government of failing to act on their promise of change. He said, Congress used to talk of change but what change is this? Murders have started here, there was one in Indore, then in Mandsaur where a BJP leader was killed, now another BJP leader killed in Barwani. Criminals are fearless today. Law and order has completely collapsed

He added, Government is taking this lightly. There seems to be a larger conspiracy behind this (BJP leader killed in Mandsaur). I demand a CBI inquiry. A BJP leader was killed in Barwani, I warn the government that they stop such incidents otherwise BJP will come out on streets.

In Mandsaur, Bandhwar was shot on Thursday in the Nai Abaadi area. He died on the spot. A day after the incident, Manish Bairagi, BJP worker, was arrested in Rajasthan's Pratapgarh in relation to the death of Bandhwar.
Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Sunday claimed that misinformation was being spread about the Citizenship Bill.

Guwahati: Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Sunday claimed that misinformation was being spread about the Citizenship Bill and asserted that interests of indigenous people will not be harmed.

Even as protests continued at many places across the state, Sonowal appealed to all those opposing the controversial bill to support the Centre's "pragmatic steps" for implementing the Clause-6 of the Assam Accord.

Sadou Asam Karmachari Parishad, the recognised body representing government employees, extended its full support to the ongoing agitation led by the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) against the bill and warned that the Centre will solely be responsible for any untoward situation due to the protests.

During a function to inaugurate the newly-established branch of Auniati Satra at Bandardewa in Lakhimpur district, Sonowal said that a misinformation campaign was being unleashed by certain organisations on the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

"While people pay utmost respect to movements led by the non-violent values of Mahatma Gandhi, misinformation always lends negative impact in society and such campaigns are always discarded by people," he said.

Trying to alleviate fears among the Assamese people, he explained that even if the bill was enacted as law, no one will get citizenship automatically, as one has to apply to the concerned district's deputy commissioner, who will then review and forward it to a competent authority to make the applicant an Indian national.

Talking about the recent high-power committee set up by the Centre, Sonowal said: "Though several governments came to power in the state as well as the Centre after the signing of Assam Accord in 1985, no government made any tangible effort to implement Clause 6 of the Accord, safeguarding the constitutional, legislative, administrative interests of the indigenous people."

"The present central government has for the first time taken pragmatic steps for implementation of Clause 6 by constituting a high-level committee and also taking steps for granting ST status to six communities of the state."

These efforts will go a long way in protecting the interests of the indigenous people of the state, he said.

Protests against the bill took place at various places in the state with the All Maran Students' Union holding an economic blockade for all vehicles for Arunachal Pradesh, and organising a bike rally at Makum.

Black flags were shown to Congress MP Sushmita Dev for her reported move to support the bill, which favours Hindus coming from Bangladesh.

The bill, passed by the Lok Sabha on 8 January, seeks to provide Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after six years of residence in India, even if they do not possess any document.

Massive protests broke out across the state and other parts of the northeast after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in Silchar on January 4 that the controversial bill would be passed as soon as possible in Parliament.
Kejriwal said: 'The country is fed up with the governance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. The entire nation and anti-BJP forces want to defeat them.'

Sangrur (Punjab): Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced that his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would contest on all 13 seats in Punjab in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

"AAP will contest on all Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. The people of Punjab were upset with Akali Dal and now even the Congress has failed to fulfil all their promises. We will work in Punjab the same way we worked in Delhi," he told media persons in Sangrur.

"The country is fed up with the governance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. If they will come to power again in 2019, then they will divide the nation. The entire nation and anti-BJP forces want to defeat them," Kejriwal said.

During his visit, Kejriwal addressed a rally in Barnala town.

Earlier while talking to ANI, AAP leader Gopal Rai said that the party would contest the Lok Sabha elections all alone in Delhi, Punjab and Haryana.

"Our party will contest the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana alone. For Congress, their arrogance is bigger than the national interest, which is visible from the recent statements of Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and Sheila Dikshit," Rai said.

Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had earlier dismissed the need for the Congress to ally with the AAP in Punjab but had asserted that the final decision would be taken by the Congress high command.

"Till now there is no question of Congress allying with the AAP as the party does not have its presence in Punjab," Singh had said after an informal meeting with Congress president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi recently.
The Union Budget is the most comprehenseive report of the government's finance in which revenues from all sources and outlays for all activities are consolidated.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will unveil the interim budget for 2019-20 on 1 February 2019. The full-fledged Union Budget for the next fiscal will be presented by the new government.

This will be the sixth consecutive budget to be presented by Jaitley.

The Union Budget is the most comprehenseive report of the government's finance in which revenues from all sources and outlays for all activities are consolidated. The budget also contains estimates of the Government's accounts for the next fiscal year called budgeted Estimates.

"Since the general election of the Lok Sabha is likely to be held in April/May, 2019, this year the central government will likely present the interim budget 2019-20 on 1st Feb, 2019. After the presentation of interim Budget 2019-20, it is proposed to seek a vote on account to cover the government's requirement of funds for the first four months (April to July) of the next financial year (excluding expenditure on New Service items)," the Finance Ministry said in a statement.

This will be the last budget of the current BJP-led NDA government before the General Elections.

The interim budget is a vote-on-account. It is a grant made in advance by Parliament for expenditure for a part of the next financial year. It is a complete set of accounts, including both expenditure and receipts, like a full budget.

The last interim budget was presented on 17 February 2014 by the then finance minister P Chidambaram.

Earlier, the Budget was presented at the end of February. The Narendra Modi-led government scrapped this colonial-era tradition.

Another tradition that has been done away by the government is the separate announcement of the Railway Budget. Ending a nearly century-old practice of having a separate budget for railways, from 2016 the government merged it with the general budget to be presented by finance minister Jaitley on 1 February.

Jaitley became the first one finance minister to present a combined Union Budget in 2017.

The budget being presented earlier in February allows for the funds budgeted to be allocated to ministries from the start of the financial year beginning April. It also gives government departments more leeway to spend as well as allow companies time to adapt to business and taxation plans.

Know the Budget

Seeking to educate the general public about the budgetary process, the finance ministry started a series on Twitter last week providing definitions of various terms used in the budget.

The 'Know Your Budget' series, which explains the importance of Union Budget and its making, would continue for about a fortnight.

Direct and indirect taxes

Taxes are the most looked forward to in the budget. Speculation is on whether there would be regular tax cuts but then, uncertainty is the leitmotif, said Madhavan Narayanan in an earlier piece in Firstpost. There is too much up in the air out there as the NDA gets set to present the Budget for 2019-20, but this much is clear, fiscal deficit measurement is only for the academically inclined. The big one to watch out for would be how much the exchequer bets on the Ayushman Bharat scheme to bring affordable health insurance for the masses and do something to correct its anti-farmer image painted by Opposition parties.

Now, there are direct and indirect taxes. Direct taxes are the one that fall directly on individuals and corporations. For example, income tax, corporate tax, etc. Indirect taxes are imposed on good and services. They are paid by consumers when they buy goods and services. These include excise duty, customs duty, etc

Revenue Budget: Do you know about Revenue Budget and what does it comprise of?#Budget2019 pic.twitter.com/UKPwicBUBd  Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) January 16, 2019

In the last 12 interim budgets since Independence, outgoing governments have held-back from announcing big schemes in order to make it easier for the incoming government to pass the full budget.

Not just Vote-on-Account, hints Jaitley

On 17 January, Jaitley said the government could break with convention and make the 1 February exercise more significant than a vote-on-account. He was speaking through video conferencing at CNBC-TV18s Indian Business Leader awards. Jaitley is currently undergoing treatment in New York.

"The convention has always been that the election year budget normally is an interim budget and ordinarily there should be no reason why we should move away from that convention. But then the larger interest of the economy always dictates what goes into the interim budget and that is something which cannot be discussed or disclosed at this stage," said a report quoting Jaitley.

Jaitley hinted at a farm relief package in the interim budget. He underlined that there have been precedents of interim budgets containing major policy announcements to tackle an urgent situation. "Our farmers have increased productivity and we have moved into a surplus area. Management of the surplus is constituting a challenge for us for the last several years.. The prices have fallen," he said.

The fall in food prices in the last few months indicated the poor income farmers are making, Jaitley said.

"Situations like calamity, drought, stress..(spending to tackle them) can't be considered as populist expenditure," he said, exuding confidence that markets can distinguish between a populist measure and something driven by a compelling situation.

Stating that the government has notched up success in many areas but is also facing challenges, he said some of them need urgent action.

"Some of those challenges really can't afford to wait. Therefore, obviously, there will be a necessity to address some of them. It has happened in the past. Therefore, we intend working within the parameters of the conventions that exist," he said.

Jaitley, however, refrained from shedding more light on the government's plans ahead of the budget.

The government has been moving on "a glide path" on the fiscal consolidation front, unless some "unsual situation" demanded something, he said.

It can be noted that as per the data available till November, the government has already breached its budgeted fiscal deficit target of 3.3 percent. Economists have raised fear that the government may announce populist measures ahead of elections, which may lead to a higher fiscal deficit.

--With inputs from agencies

Follow full coverage of Union Budget 2019-20 here

To keep watching Indias No. 1 English Business News Channel  CNBC-TV18, call your Cable or DTH Operator and ask for the Colors Family Pack (inclusive of 24 channels), available for Rs. 35/- per month, or subscribe to the channel for Rs. 4/- per day.

To keep watching the Leader in Global Market & Business News  CNBC-TV18 Prime HD, call your Cable or DTH Operator and ask for the Colors Family HD Pack (inclusive of 25 channels), available for Rs. 50/- per month, or subscribe to the channel for Rs. 1/- per day.
Followers of Siddganga Swamiji have been praying for his recovery. Amidst his struggle for survival, several prominent personalities have come forward to demand one of the most prestigious awards for the religious figure. Just a day ago, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, told the media, "I had recommended Bharat Ratna for Swami in 2006 itself for his good work. If necessary, we will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to grant the award to Swami,". And now, Pailwaan actor Kichha Sudeep has extended his support to Siddaganga Swamiji calling him a true "Bharata Ratna".

The actor who was present at the Gold Craft Gym inauguration took time to talk about Siddganga Swamiji, saying, "Rarely r sch great human born,dedicating their entire life to people n society. One sch rare soul is Dr.ShivKumar Swamiji.. his contribution towards the society n people are incomparable. Long live sch great souls. A true "Bharata Ratna". Hope this wish of many comes true."

MOST READ : All's Well Between Sruthi Hariharan & Arjun Sarja After #MeToo Controversy? To Act With Chiranjeevi

Also, Upendra's forthcoming film I Love You's audio release has been postponed due to Swamiji's ill health. Thousands and hundreds of his followers have been gathering outside the mutt in Tumakuru wishing for Swamiji's speedy recovery.
Gov. Jim Justice, somewhat belatedly, has come around to admit that the states vaccination effort has hit a wall and that, at its current pace, we will not reach herd immunity anytime soon.
The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike.

We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve.
EDITORS NOTE: Its rare, but sometimes circumstances align, and a reporter comes face-to-face with an important and timely story with a personal connection.

This is one of those rare times.

For this story the Sun Times was able to get an exclusive interview with a member of the party that was evacuated by helicopter from the Bob Marshall Wilderness last Tuesday, June 19th.

Ive known Megan Repass for about four years. I had never met her in person, but we had spoken over the years about a farm my sister and I own near Nashville, Tennessee.

About the 11th of June, I received a message from Megan that she was heading to Montana.

She flew into Great Falls on Friday the 16th, and we decided to meet for a beer. We met at the Cowboy Bar and Museum in Great Falls. I had never been there, and I thought it was a unique spot for a person visiting the Treasure State for the first time.

After a couple of beers, we went our separate ways, with the possibility to meet again before Megan would return to Tennessee.

Megan was in Montana with colleagues from Onsite, a Tennessee company where she works. More about that later.

As the new week started and the wet weather settled in, I thought Megan and her party might be seeing better weather in the wilderness. I assumed everything was fine.

On Tuesday, the UPS driver showed up with a load of boxes  the 2018 Augusta American Legion Rodeo programs that the Sun Times had published. In passing, I told the driver that I would be taking the boxes to Augusta on Wednesday.

Augusta is closed, the driver said. All roads into and out of Augusta were shut down due to flooding at that time. Later that day I headed to Simms to see how high the Sun River was. On the bridge across the Sun River I ran into a measuring crew from USGS. They did not sound optimistic about the river.

Tuesday evening, I was at home when a simple text came up on my phone, something to the effect of I wanted to let you know Im safe. I was one of those evaced [evacuated] out. The text was from Megan.

Over the next few days Megan visited other parts of the state: Babb, Glacier National Park, Bozeman and, of course, Great Falls.

On Friday afternoon we returned to the Cowboy Bar and Museum for this interview.

Megan Repass grew up in the small Ohio town of Haskins. She describes the town as Like Augusta, but smaller. Teeny, with no stoplight, one bar and one church. Now 32 years old, Megan left Haskins at age 19 when she came west to attend National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in Lander, Wyoming. She would take her semester with NOLS in the southwest.

At NOLS, Megan studied wilderness expedition to become a guide. After graduating from NOLS, she went back to school at Bowling Green State University where she earned her bachelors degree in Environmental Education (outdoor recreation and recreation management). Things like outdoor tourism, Megan told the Sun Times.

After Bowling Green, she worked in outdoor education, traveling all over, but spending a lot of time taking kids canoeing, hiking and backpacking in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

In 2008, Megan returned to Wyoming where she worked as a horsepacker, packing out of the Wind River Range  the Tetons  at Boulder, Wyoming.

The west is in my blood, says Megan. And the mountains are in my blood. Ive been going to the mountains of Vermont, the Green Mountains and the White Mountains since I was a kid. My grandfather was from Vermont.

In 2012 Megan moved to Tennessee to attend grad school at Lipscomb University, earning her masters degree in psychology. She settled into a small community on the outskirts of Nashville, Kingston Springs. According to Megan, Augusta reminded her of Kingston Springs, even though the Tennessee town is larger, with about 2,800 residents. Its still a small town  one bar, three churches it has the same feel as Augusta. She said that, like Augusta, people are moving from the larger cities to Kingston Springs. But, she says, there is still that core of the community. The people who have been there generationally love and accept those who have transplanted in, who are like-minded and hard working.

Megan works for a company, Onsite, based in Cumberland Furnace, Tennessee. She went to work for Onsite one year ago. Megans venture into The Bob was work related, and she told the Sun Times that she begged for this trip.

Megan is the Director of Equine Therapy and Director of Adventure Therapy for Onsite. She is also Program Director for Milestones, a treatment facility for trauma at Onsite.

Onsite is a company, according to Megan, that provides workshops for individuals, companies and groups for emotional wellness in lots of different areas. Milestones, she says, is a 30  90 day residential treatment facility for adults with trauma. The most resilient people in the world come to Milestones.

The group that came with Megan to Montana was an Onsite workshop. Onsite has had a long relationship with Augustas Mills Outfitters. Onsite has been coming out here every summer for more than 20 years doing a program in the Bob [Marshall Wilderness] for people who are seeking some emotional growth by stepping into an environment that they can learn from the mountains, the horses just disconnect from society for a while and focus on themselves.

Megan assumed that Montana would be like Wyoming. I was so wrong.

Megan has guided youth, young adults and adults into the backcountry for ten years. She is very familiar with this kind of trip.

I asked her how, if she was - before her visit - asked to close her eyes and describe the picture she sees  how her mind would paint Montana, she thought for a moment. Cold. Mountains. Large ranches. No bull. Show up with your resiliency. Thats how I would have described Montana. Megan continued, Be ready for an environment where the weather can change at any moment. The heritage and the culture here are so deeply rooted.

But what about the people? Grit. Tough.

Recalling her mental picture of Montana as cold, I ask if it was cold up in the wilderness. Mountain cold? No. But when youre soaked to the bone, no matter what rain gear you have on, at night, its hard to stay warm, to stop shivering.

They left the trailhead at about noon on Sunday, and Megan describes the weather as they headed into the wilderness as a sometimes hard rain; sometimes sleeting... cold and miserable. She said that every single person in the group was so appreciative to be in Montana, despite the nasty weather, we were all smiling.

So, compared to her mental picture, did Montana deliver? A thousand times over. And the people in Montana in Augusta? The people delivered in a way I did not expect. She said Montana people were salt of the earth, deeply rooted in their heritage and culture; no BS, hardworking they will show up and do anything for you, no questions asked. Thats just their way of life.

There is a video, first posted by the Helena Independent-Record, taken by a camera mounted on the Two Bear Air helicopter that evacuated the Onsite party and took them to Augusta. I asked Megan if she was one of the ones in the scene, with a small group standing outside of a tent as the chopper searched for a suitable landing spot. No, she tells me. Megan was in the flooded camps kitchen, keeping the fire going in the stove. We knew that Amy and Tucker (Mills) were going to be staying behind.

Asked about the clients taking photos with the cell phone cameras of the helicopter hovering over them, Megan said that there was, of course, no cell service in the wilderness, so everyone had conserved their phone batteries, using them to shoot photos. But, as Megan described it, the densest fog hid the Rocky Mountain scenery from the party. You couldnt see 100 yards in front of you. Sure, said Megan, everyone has seen a helicopter, but there is a big difference between seeing a helicopter and being picked up by one in the middle of a flash flood.

She said a lot of credit goes to Two Bear Air. The landing zone was tiny and flooded. And the ground was moving. It was like the pilot threaded a needle to put the chopper down for the evac. Megan stressed how great the folks at Two Bear Air were. They came to get us when no one else would, and there was no charge for their service.

Was there any sense of panic? No, said Megan. Zero. Tucker and Amy know what they are doing. We made the decision  you always make the decision to evac  before youre unsafe. The decision we made was the right one. She said that right up until they boarded the helicopter, everyone had smiles on their faces, were working hard, and keeping the fire going. Our group of people were more than incredible  they were always able to find the beauty amongst all circumstances.

The party had moved their camp repeatedly, trying to stay above the growing river. Even though the camp was washed out, Megan said that lives were never in danger.

Did Megan and the party see things that, if the weather had been clear, that they might not have noticed? We didnt see the mountains of Montana, but we saw the heart of Montana in Tucker and Amy. We saw what this state represents. She said she did see vegetation and wildflowers that we might not have noticed under better conditions.

How about wildlife? No. They [the wildlife] were all smart as crap. They were hunkered down, saying its pouring, man. Still, Megan said that she did see a chipmunk and a squirrel (jokingly), and heard a bird she had never heard before, which she was grateful for.

The weather that shrouded their views, Megan believes, caused the group to focus more on their horses on their ride to camp. A horse that is born and raised and worked in the mountains is different than any other horse you will ride. They have a different mindset; they are more surefooted, more grounded. Its kinda like going into their world for a second, and its an honor to be in their world.

This was the seventh trip for the other two Onsite staff, and their clients all had some level of riding experience. But, said Megan, that doesnt matter much when you go back with someone like Tucker or Amy. As Megan explains it, the Mills pair a horse with the rider, picking the right horse for the rider, considering the riders experience and ability.

Asked if the party was sad as the Montana adventure came to an end under the spinning blades of a helicopter, Megan said the attitude as the abbreviated visit came to an end was gratitude. Immense gratitude for Tucker and Amy; for Two Bear Air, for the people of Augusta. For people like Amys parents  it was her dad that came and picked us up when the helicopter landed at Augusta and drove through floodwaters to get us to a hotel.

Was there disappointment? No, more like appreciation and acceptance, that it turned out exactly the way it was supposed to turn out. Its one of those things  you get exactly what you came to get, but it didnt play out exactly the way you thought you were going to get it. Megan said the clients are eager to come back, of course they want to see the peaks and ride more. Onsites an incredible company, and we will arrange something for them to do in the future.

With all that happened, I asked Megan if she was able to spend much time in Augusta. Yes, I spent some time there before we headed out, and when we returned. I was there yesterday [Thursday], helping Tucker and Amy unload the gear they brought out for us. That was so kind of them to do that. And she and her party were able to meet the people of Augusta, and under the worse possible conditions, see the best  not just in Augusta or Montana, but in humanity: We were evaced out Tuesday morning. There were four groups  four rides. I was on the last one. The first group went to the diner in Augusta, Mels Diner, and it was flooded. The people there were so sweet, they did everything they could to feed us warm food. But the cook had to leave, her home was flooding, so one of our facilitators jumped in to help finish cooking the eggs and we served ourselves.

Even the local deputy helped put everyones mind at ease. When we got off the helicopter the deputy was there to pick us up. It was pretty disheartening, as we approached Augusta in the chopper you see the town and all this water as far as you can see; you see the rivers converging, and the roads flooding. Its scary to be taken out of the mountains and into a town thats flooding. But the deputy picked us up in his truck. We were laughing and happy, and this deputy was so calm and level-headed. He told us, Well, yall might be stuck here. I dont know if you can get out. I was like WHAT?, and the deputy said, Dont worry, Ill be stuck here, too. That calmed me. Just so grounded.

Megan continued, Amys parents, Mark and Renee, God Bless them. Mark picked us up in his SUV and drove through water he probably shouldnt have, but he knew that we needed to be with the rest of our group. I think we were one of the last cars to leave Augusta.

With her background, I take the opportunity to tell Megan about the wounded veterans that visit Augusta, and how just being in the shadow of the Rockies seems to have a healing power. I ask her what it is about this spot that seems so therapeutic? It has more obvious creation that has never been tainted by man. The wilderness provides an environment for you to be surrounded by something that was created by a power greater than yourself and everything in the wilderness has a purpose. And where youre surrounded by things that have a purpose, and youre in an environment where everything is working the way that it should, it naturally helps you believe that you have a purpose, despite your circumstances. The wilderness changes with grace, and we can, too.

After getting dried out, Megan made use of her time in Montana and visited Many Glacier, Babb, Great Falls and Bozeman. But did any of them touch her soul like Augusta? No, the town of Augusta stopped what they were doing to put visitors first. Not many towns would do that.

As we wrap up the interview, I ask Megan if she has any final thoughts. Tucker and Amy are the most professional and experienced guides Ive ever been with. I trust them with my life. I cant wait to come back. Every decision was made correctly and ahead of time so that we never got into a place of danger.

Its hard for me to leave. I dont want to get on the plane tomorrow.

I want to stay.

This article appeared in the June 28, 2018 edition of The Fairfield Sun Times. The story was later uploaded to our newly designed website.
ResMed Inc. develops, manufactures, distributes, and markets medical devices and cloud-based software applications that diagnose, treat, and manage respiratory disorders comprising sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, neuromuscular disease, and other chronic diseases. The company operates in two segments, Sleep and Respiratory Care, and Software as a Service. It offers various products and solutions for a range of respiratory disorders, including technologies to be applied in medical and consumer products, ventilation devices, diagnostic products, mask systems for use in the hospital and home, headgear and other accessories, dental devices, portable oxygen concentrators, and cloud-based software informatics solutions to manage patient outcomes, as well as provides customer and business processes. The company also provides U-Sleep, which enables automated patient coaching through a text, email, or interactive voice phone call; AirView that enables remote monitoring, over-the-air trouble shooting, and changing of device settings; and myAir, a patient engagement application that offers sleep data and a daily score based on their previous night's data, as well as connectivity module and propeller solutions. In addition, it provides business management software and services to out-of-hospital providers, home medical equipment, pharmacy, home infusion, orthotics, and prosthetics; and HEALTHCAREfirst and MatrixCare solutions. The company markets its products to sleep clinics, home healthcare dealers, patients, hospitals, physicians, and third-party payers through a network of distributors and direct sales force in approximately 140 countries. ResMed Inc. was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

Read More
The following companies are subsidiares of Zimmer Biomet: Abbott Spine, Beijing Montagne Medical Device Co. Ltd., Beijing Montagne Medical Device Co. Ltd., BioMet, Biomet 3i Australia Pty. Ltd., Biomet 3i Belgium N.V., Biomet 3i Benelux Holdings N.V., Biomet 3i Dental Iberica SL, Biomet 3i LLC, Biomet 3i Mexico S.A. de C.V., Biomet 3i Netherlands B.V., Biomet 3i Nordic AB, Biomet 3i Portugal Lda, Biomet 3i Switzerland GmbH, Biomet 3i Turkey, Biomet 3i UK Ltd., Biomet 3i do Brasil Comercio de Aparelhos Medicos Ltda., Biomet Acquisitions (Unlimited), Biomet Argentina SA, Biomet Australia Pty. Ltd., Biomet Biologics LLC, Biomet Brazil Medical Device Ltda., Biomet C.V., Biomet CV Holdings LLC, Biomet Cementing Technologies AB, Biomet Chile SA, Biomet China Co. Ltd., Biomet Deutschland GmbH, Biomet Deutschland Holding GmbH, Biomet Fair Lawn LLC, Biomet Finance US LLC, Biomet France Sarl, Biomet Global Supply Chain Center B.V., Biomet Healthcare Management GmbH, Biomet Holdings B.V., Biomet Hong Kong CBT Ltd., Biomet Hong Kong Holding Ltd., Biomet Hong Kong No. 1 Ltd., Biomet Inc., Biomet Insurance Ltd., Biomet International Inc., Biomet International Orthopedics LLC, Biomet Leasing Inc., Biomet Manufacturing LLC, Biomet Mexico S.A. de C.V., Biomet Microfixation B.V., Biomet Orthopedics LLC, Biomet Orthopedics Puerto Rico Inc., Biomet Spain Orthopaedics S.L., Biomet Sports Medicine LLC, Biomet Trauma LLC, Biomet U.S. Reconstruction LLC, Biomet UK Healthcare Ltd., Biomet UK Ltd., CD Diagnostics, CD Diagnostics Inc., CD Laboratories Inc., Cayenne Medical, Cayenne Medical Inc., CelgenTek Innovations Corporation, Centerpulse Ltd, Changzhou Biomet Medical Devices Co. Ltd., Citra Labs LLC, Clinical Graphics, Compression Therapy Concepts Inc., Compression Therapy Products, D.S. Comp Ltd., Dornoch Medical Systems, Dornoch Medical Systems Inc., EBI Holdings LLC, EBI LLC, EBI Medical Systems LLC, EBI Patient Care Inc., ETEX Corporation, ETEX Holdings Inc., Electro-Biology LLC, Endius, Espanormed S.L., Etex, ExtraOrtho, Hakuho Company Ltd., IC Guided Surgery SRL, Implant Concierge LLC, Implant Innovations Holdings LLC, Implex, InnoVision Inc., Interpore Cross International LLC, JERDS Luxembourg Holding Sarl, Kirschner Medical Corporation, Knee Creations, LDR Brasil Comercio Importacao e Exportacao Ltda., LDR Holding, LDR Medical Hong Kong (branch), LDR Medical S.A.S., LVB Acquisition Inc., Lanx Puerto Rico LLC , Lanx Srl, Medical Compression Systems Inc., Medtech SA, Medtech SAS, Medtech Surgical GmbH, Medtech Surgical Inc., NORMED Medizin-Technik GmbH, ORTHOsoft ULC, Ortho Transmission, Orthopaedic Advantage LLC, Ospol Participacoes Ltda., Representaciones Zimmer Inc. S. de R.L. de C.V., Respondwell, SM Re Ltd., Scandimed Holding AB, Shanghai Biomet Business Consulting Co. Ltd., Synvasive Technology, Synvasive Technology Inc., ZB COOP C.V., ZB COOP LLC, ZB Cayman (Asia) Holding Ltd., ZB Cayman Island CBT 2 Ltd., ZB Dental India Private Limited, ZB EMEA 1 LP, ZB EMEA Finance UK 1 Ltd., ZB EMEA Finance UK 2 Ltd., ZB EMEA Finance UK 3 Ltd., ZB EMEA US UK LLC, ZB Hong Kong CBT 2 Ltd., ZB Hong Kong Holding Ltd., ZB Hong Kong Ltd., ZB Manufacturing LLC, ZB UK Group Holdings Limited, ZH2LX Barbados Branch (branch), Zfx, Zfx GmbH, Zfx Innovation GmbH, Zhejiang Biomet Medical Products Co. Ltd., Zimmer (Shanghai) Medical International Trading Co. Ltd., Zimmer Asia (HK) Ltd., Zimmer Australia Holding Pty. Ltd., Zimmer Biomet (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Zimmer Biomet Asel Alarabiya Limited Company, Zimmer Biomet Asia Holding B.V., Zimmer Biomet Asia Holdings Pte. Ltd., Zimmer Biomet Austria GmbH, Zimmer Biomet BVBA, Zimmer Biomet CBT, Zimmer Biomet CBT 2, Zimmer Biomet CMF and Thoracic LLC, Zimmer Biomet Canada Inc., Zimmer Biomet Centroamerica SA, Zimmer Biomet Comp Ltd., Zimmer Biomet Denmark ApS, Zimmer Biomet Dental Canada Inc., Zimmer Biomet Dental K.K., Zimmer Biomet Deutschland GmbH, Zimmer Biomet Distribution LLC, Zimmer Biomet Finance Srl, Zimmer Biomet Finance US Holding Inc., Zimmer Biomet Finland Oy, Zimmer Biomet France Holdings SAS, Zimmer Biomet France SAS, Zimmer Biomet GK, Zimmer Biomet Global Holdings Switzerland GmbH, Zimmer Biomet Hellas SA, Zimmer Biomet Ireland Limited, Zimmer Biomet Italia Srl, Zimmer Biomet Korea Ltd., Zimmer Biomet Nederland B.V., Zimmer Biomet New Zealand Company, Zimmer Biomet Norway AS, Zimmer Biomet OUS Holdings AG, Zimmer Biomet Polska Sp. z.o.o, Zimmer Biomet Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Zimmer Biomet Pty. Ltd., Zimmer Biomet Romania S.R.L., Zimmer Biomet South Africa (Pty) Ltd., Zimmer Biomet Spain S.L., Zimmer Biomet Spine Inc., Zimmer Biomet Sweden AB, Zimmer Biomet Taiwan Co. Ltd., Zimmer Biomet UK Ltd., Zimmer Biomet US 2 Holding Inc., Zimmer CBT I Holding Inc., Zimmer CBT II Holding Inc., Zimmer CEP USA Holding Co., Zimmer CEP USA Inc., Zimmer CIS Ltd., Zimmer CV Inc., Zimmer Caribe LLC, Zimmer Cayman Islands Holding Co. Ltd., Zimmer Co-op Holdings LLC, Zimmer Colombia SAS, Zimmer Czech sro, Zimmer Dental (Shanghai) Medical Device Co. Ltd., Zimmer Dental Chile Spa, Zimmer Dental GmbH, Zimmer Dental Inc., Zimmer Dental Italy Srl, Zimmer Dental Ltd., Zimmer Dental SAS, Zimmer Finance Ireland, Zimmer France Manufacturing Sarl, Zimmer Germany Holdings GmbH, Zimmer GmbH, Zimmer GmbH Euro IP Branch (branch), Zimmer GmbH Winterthur Branch (branch), Zimmer Gulf FZ LLC, Zimmer Inc., Zimmer India Private Ltd., Zimmer International Logistics GmbH, Zimmer Investments LLC, Zimmer Knee Creations Inc., Zimmer Luxembourg II Sarl, Zimmer Luxembourg Sarl, Zimmer Manufacturing B.V., Zimmer Manufacturing B.V. (branch), Zimmer Medical Malaysia SDN BHD, Zimmer Netherlands Cooperatief U.A., Zimmer Orthobiologics Inc., Zimmer Orthopedics Manufacturing Limited, Zimmer Production Inc., Zimmer Pte. Ltd., Zimmer Slovakia sro, Zimmer Southeast Florida LLC, Zimmer Spine Next Inc., Zimmer Spine SAS, Zimmer Surgical, Zimmer Surgical Inc., Zimmer Surgical SA, Zimmer Switzerland Holdings LLC, Zimmer Switzerland Manufacturing GmbH, Zimmer Tibbi Cihazlar Sanayi ve Ticaret AS, Zimmer Trabecular Metal Technology Inc., Zimmer Trustee Ltd., Zimmer UK Limited, Zimmer US Inc., and Zimmer do Brasil Comercio Ltda..
Wall Street analysts have given iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
Nomura Holdings, Inc. provides various financial services to individuals, corporations, financial institutions, governments, and governmental agencies worldwide. It operates through three segments: Retail, Asset Management, and Wholesale. The Retail segment offers various financial products and investment services for individuals and corporations. As of March 31, 2020, this segment operated a network of 128 branches. The Asset Management segment engages in the development and management of investment trusts; and provision of investment advisory services for pension funds and other institutional clients. The Wholesale segment is involved in the research, sale, trading, agency execution, and market-making of fixed income and equity-related products. It also engages in underwriting various securities and other financial instruments, such as various classes of shares, convertible and exchangeable securities, investment grade and high yield debts, sovereign and emerging market debts, structured securities, and other securities; arranging private placements, as well as other capital raising activities; and the provision of financial advisory services on business transactions comprising mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, spin-offs, capital structuring, corporate defense activities, leveraged buyouts, and risk solutions. In addition, this segment offers various financial instruments. The company was formerly known as The Nomura Securities Co., Ltd. and changed its name to Nomura Holdings, Inc. in October 2001. Nomura Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1925 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

Read More
 American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved.

326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at [email protected]m | (844) 978-6257

MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security.



Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information



 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. As a bonus to opt-ing into our email newsletters, you will also get a free subscription to the Liberty Through Wealth e-newsletter. You can opt out at any time.
The superstructure of a sportfishing vessel on the Morehead City waterfront sits idle during the slow winter season. (Dylan Ray photo)
Birthday wishes

Call 281-422-8302 or email david.bloom@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun.

Happy Birthday Wishes
The following companies are subsidiares of Ashland Global: 565 Corporation, ASH GP INC., ASHLAND SPECIALTY CHEMICAL (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD., ASHLAND SPECIALTY CHEMICALS (MALAYSIA) SDN.BHD, Adams Drive Totowa L.L.C., Alera Property Holdings LLC, Alera Technologies Inc., Alix Technologies LLC, Aloe Vemera S.P.R de R.L. de C.V., Ash (Gibraltar) One Limited, Ash B CIS 1 Limited, Ash B CIS 2 Limited, Ash B1 Limited, Ash B2 Limited, Ash B3 Limited, Ash B4 Limited, Ash B5 Limited, Ash CIS Canada Corp., Ash CIS Canada Holdings B.V., Ash CIS GmbH, Ash Global Holding Three GmbH, Ash Global Holdings Two B.V., Ash Junior Global Holding One LLC, Ash Junior Global Holding Two LLC, Ash Swiss Holding Two GmbH, AshLux Three S.a r.l., AshOne C. V., Ashland (Australasia) Pty. Limited, Ashland (Changzhou) Advanced Chemical Co. Ltd., Ashland (Changzhou) Specialty Chemical Co. Ltd, Ashland (China) Holdings Co. Ltd., Ashland (Gibraltar) One Holding Inc., Ashland (Thailand) Co. Ltd, Ashland Argentina S.R.L., Ashland CZ s.r.o., Ashland Canada Corp./Corporation Ashland Canada, Ashland Canada Holdings B. V., Ashland Chemco Inc., Ashland Chemical De Mexico S.A. De C.V., Ashland Chemical Hispania S. L., Ashland Chemical Trading (Shanghai) Company Limited, Ashland Chemicals (Nanjing) Company Limited, Ashland Colombia S.A.S., Ashland Comercio de Especialidades Quimicas do Brasil Ltda., Ashland Danmark ApS, Ashland Eastern Markets LLC, Ashland Ethanol Inc., Ashland Finance Limited, Ashland Finland Oy, Ashland France SAS, Ashland Global Holdings One C.V., Ashland India Private Limited, Ashland Industria de Ingredientes do Brasil Ltda., Ashland Industries Deutschland GmbH, Ashland Industries Europe GmbH, Ashland Industries France SAS, Ashland Industries Italia S.r.l., Ashland Industries Nederland B.V., Ashland Industries UK Limited, Ashland International Holdings LLC, Ashland Italia S.r.l., Ashland Japan Ltd., Ashland Korea Limited, Ashland LLC, Ashland Licensing and Intellectual Property LLC, Ashland ME Holdings Inc., Ashland Mexico Holdings One LLC, Ashland Mexico Holdings Two LLC, Ashland Nigeria Exploration Unlimited, Ashland Oil (Nigeria) Company Unlimited, Ashland Oil Inc., Ashland Pacific Pty. Ltd., Ashland Participacoes Ltda., Ashland Pharmachem International Holdings LLC, Ashland Polimeros do Brasil S.A., Ashland Services B. V., Ashland Services Mexico S.A. de C.V., Ashland Singapore Pte. Ltd., Ashland Specialties Austria GmbH, Ashland Specialties Belgium BVBA, Ashland Specialties France S.a.r.l., Ashland Specialties Hispania S.L., Ashland Specialties Holding C.V., Ashland Specialties Ireland Limited, Ashland Specialties Poland Sp. z o.o., Ashland Specialties Sverige AB, Ashland Specialties UK Limited, Ashland Specialty Chemical Korea Co. Ltd., Ashland Specialty Ingredients G.P., Ashland Technologies GmbH, Ashland-Alaskan Limited, Ashland-Plasticos De Portugal Lda., Ashmont Insurance Company Inc., Ashprop Two LLC, Avoca LLC, Avoele S.A. de C.V., Belleville Realty Corp., Bluegrass Insurance Company Limited, CLTA LLC, CVG Capital III LLC, Carol Clifton Inc., Clevedon Sp. z o.o., Curtis Bay Insurance Co. Ltd, East Bay Realty Services Inc., Ever Success Overseas Limited, FRJ Inc., Fospur, Hercofina, Hercules, Hercules Holding BV BVBA, Hercules Holding II Limited, Hercules Hydrocarbon Holdings Inc., Hercules International Limited LLC, Hercules Investment ApS, Hercules Investments Netherlands B.V., Hercules Islands Corporation, Hercules LLC, Hercules Paper Holdings Inc., Hercules Trading (Shanghai) Company Limited, ISP (Belgium) International N. V., ISP Alginates Inc., ISP Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd, ISP Biochema Schwaben GmbH, ISP Canada Corp., ISP Capital LLC, ISP Chemco LLC, ISP Chemical Products LLC, ISP Chemicals LLC, ISP Environmental Services Inc., ISP France Holding SARL, ISP France Marketing SARL, ISP Freetown Fine Chemicals Inc., ISP Freight Services N. V., ISP Global Operations (Barbados) Inc., ISP Global Technologies Deutschland Unterstutzungskasse GmbH, ISP Global Technologies Inc., ISP Global Technologies LLC, ISP HC Limited, ISP Holdings (U.K.) Ltd., ISP Hungary Holdings Limited Liability Company, ISP International Corp., ISP Investments LLC, ISP Lima LLC, ISP Luxembourg Canada S.a.r.l., ISP Management Company Inc., ISP Marl GmbH, ISP Marl Holdings GmbH, ISP Microcaps (U.K.) Limited, ISP Pharma Systems LLC, ISP Real Estate Company Inc., ISP Singapore Holding LLC, ISP Technologies Inc., ISP Technologies LLC, International Specialty Holdings LLC, International Specialty Products, International Specialty Products (India) Private Limited, International Specialty Products Funding Corporation, International Specialty Products Inc., Jiangmen Ashland Chemicals Company Limited, Nanjing Clear Environment Protection, Northwest Coatings, Oil Can Henrys, PT Ashland Asia, PT ISP Chemicals Indonesia, Pakistan Gum Industries (Private) Limited, Pharmachem Laboratories, Pharmachem Laboratories LLC, Pharmachem Laboratories Utah LLC, Prince Street Paterson LLC, Progiven S.A.S., Proprietary Nutritionals LLC, Ralop S. de R.L. de C.V., Saudi Industrial Resins Co. Ltd. (Polyester), Shanghai Ashland Industrial Trading Co. Ltd., St Croix Petrochemical Corp, Taiwan Ashland Co. Ltd., Techwax Limited, Vemera S. de R.L. de C.V., and WSP LLC.
Wall Street analysts have given Columbine Valley Resources 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 Columbine Valley Resources wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
Wall Street analysts have given Direxion Daily South Korea Bull 3X Shares 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 Direxion Daily South Korea Bull 3X Shares wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
Versum Materials, Inc. develops, manufactures, transports, and handles specialty materials for the semiconductor and display industries in the United States, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Europe, and rest of Asia. The company operates through two segments, Materials, and Delivery Systems and Services (DS&S). The Materials segment provides specialty chemicals and materials used in semiconductors, as well as specialty gases used in the semiconductor manufacturing process, including high purity process materials for deposition, metallization, chamber cleaning, and etching; chemicals mechanical planarization slurries; organosilanes; organometallics and liquid dopants for thin film deposition; and formulated chemical products for post-etch cleaning primarily for the manufacture of silicon and compound semiconductors, and thin film transistor liquid crystal displays. The DS&S segment develops, designs, manufactures, and sells bulk gas, specialty gas, and specialty chemical cabinets and systems, which are used to manage the delivery of key materials into the semiconductor manufacturing process; and flow and temperature control systems and analytical systems to capture data. It is also involved in the project management for installation and startup of the gas and chemical delivery systems, and inventory management; and provision of spare parts, equipment upgrades, equipment maintenance, and training services. In addition, this segment offers on-site services to assist customers in managing the inventory of gases and chemicals comprising ordering, product changes and monitoring, quality assurance, operation of delivery systems, and managing the bulk gas and specialty gas operations. Versum Materials, Inc. was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona.

Read More
CryoLife, Inc. manufactures, processes, and distributes medical devices and implantable human tissues worldwide. It offers BioGlue, a polymer consisting of bovine blood protein and an agent for cross-linking proteins for cardiac, vascular, pulmonary, and general surgical applications; On-X prosthetic aortic and mitral heart valve, and On-X ascending aortic prosthesis; cardiac preservation services; PhotoFix, a bovine pericardial patch; and E-vita OPEN PLUS and E-vita OPEN NEO, a hybrid stent graft system. The company also provides E-xtra DESIGN ENGINEERING products for the treatment of aortic vascular diseases; E-nside, an off-the-shelf stent graft for the treatment of thoraco-abdominal disease; E-vita THORACIC 3G for the endovascular treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysms; E-nya, a thoracic stent graft system for the minimally invasive repair of lesions of the descending aorta; E-ventus BX, a balloon-expandable peripheral stent graft for the endovascular treatment of renal and pelvic arteries; E-liac to treat aneurysmal iliac arteries, and aneurysmal iliac side branches; and E-tegra, an abdominal aortic aneurysms stent graft system. In addition, it offers synthetic vascular grafts for use in open aortic and peripheral vascular surgical procedures; PerClot, an absorbable powdered hemostat for use in surgical procedures; and cardiac laser therapy products, such as SolarGen 2100s Console and SoloGrip III disposable handpieces. Further, the company sells CryoVein femoral vein and CryoArtery femoral artery vascular preservation services; CarbonAid CO2 diffusion catheters and Chord-X ePTFE sutures for mitral chordal replacement; and ascyrus medical dissection stents, as well as offers pyrolytic carbon coating services to other medical device manufacturers. The company serves physicians, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities, as well as cardiac, vascular, thoracic, and general surgeons. CryoLife, Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Read More
I want us to know if we have more frequent use of guns in crimes. I want to know if we have more fatal outcomes when a shooting occurs. I want to know about the mental health relationship so often mentioned. I am going to ask the police chief to create a annual report of those numbers.
The winter storm packed less of a punch than anticipated, but still left thousands of Connecticut residents in the dark and a fallen tree killed an Eversource worker on Sunday. In other news, Stratford community members are wondering what to do with the property where the Shakespeare theater stood and Hearst Connecticut Media examined the gruesome underground world of dogfighting in the state.

Here are eight stories you may have missed this weekend:

Winter storm knocks out power to thousands

Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media

The first winter storm of the year produced less snow than originally predicted, but icy conditions wreaked plenty of havoc. The storm brought down trees and power lines, causing outages for thousands statewide and even killed an Eversource worker in Middletown.

What will rise from Shakespeare theaters ashes?

Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media file photo

As investigators sift through the scorched rubble where the iconic Shakespeare theater in Stratford stood to determine how it burned to the ground last weekend, the community is considering what to do with the 14-acre waterfront property.

Dogfighting still a blood sport in Connecticut

Peter Hvizdak

More than 100 charges have been filed in Connecticut in the past decade for dogfighting, an illegal "blood" sport that usually includes gambling on the winner. The mauled dogs often end up in shelters, while some are killed by their owners when they are no longer useful for fighting.

Colin McEnroe: Neds nice triumphs, but pink squirrels only get you so far

Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media

Gov. Ned Lamont reminds new Hearst Connecticut Media columnist Colin McEnroe of an old Yale classmate. McEnroe says the good-natured Lamont may appear weak to some.

Womens March: Frustration has not faded

Kathy Willens / Associated Press

Despite dwindling turnout for the third annual Womens March, Connecticut participation remained strong with some traveling to New York and others gathering in Hartford on Saturday.

Barbara Dalio takes holistic approach to educational philanthropy

Hearst Connecticut Media file photo

Barbara Dalio  whose foundation has contributed about $65 million to public education programs in Connecticut and whose husband is the states richest man  can often be overlooked in a room with flashier dignitaries as she listens to figure out how she can help the next cause.

Danbury shooting puts spotlight on intolerance, white supremacy

Contributed Photo / ST

Experts say hate speech gains that have been made in the mainstream may be empowering racists like the armed man killed this month by Danbury police.

CTs lagging population growth a ticking time bomb for congressional seat

Pete Marovich / Getty Images

Connecticuts inability to keep up with the countrys population growth could have political consequences.
A Connecticut artist mimicked a well-known Banksy painting at the Womens March in New York City on Saturday.

Jessica Ewud, a Connecticut artist known as Rags the Artist, was spotted clutching a red baloon while wearing a white dress prior to the removal of barricades by New York Police Department personnel for the launch of the march.

I wanted to bring this piece of art to life, Ewud said in a prepared statement.

In Banksys original artwork, a girl is reaching out to a red balloon.

Though art can be interpreted in many ways, Ewuds take was on hope being within reach. She said her recreation was meant to show that women should never lose hope.

We should never let things fly away that are in our reach, she said. We must hold on with everything weve got and stay strong.

When asked if Ewud knew Banksy, she declined to comment.
GREENWICH  Barbara McKee, a Realtor and office manager with Houlihan Lawrence in Greenwich, has been elected as the 2019 Region 1 vice president for the Connecticut Realtors, which is the states association of real estate professionals.

A Greenwich resident, McKee has been an active member of both CTR and the Greenwich Association of Realtors since 1992.

She also serves as a CTR director and sits on the Executive and Risk Reduction Committees.

Locally, McKee served as president of the GAR in 2011, 2012, and 2013. She was named 2014 GAR Realtor of the Year.

Connecticut Realtors is a statewide trade association representing nearly 17,000 real estate professionals engaged in all aspects of real estate in Connecticut.

 

A number of local students were named to the Deans List for the fall 2018 semester at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven.

The honored students are Julia Conti, Matheus Haddad de Lima and Connor Redahan of Greenwich; Shara Mae Acob of Cos Cob; and Emilie Johnson and Amanda Rosabella of Riverside.

 

Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., has honored a number of Greenwich-area students with placement the on Dean's List in Fall 2018. This status is granted to students who earned a scholastic average of 3.6 or better while carrying at least 12 hours of regularly graded courses.

The honored local students are: Taylor Bogaty of Old Greenwich; Kylie Ginsberg of Old Greenwich; Robert Lanni of Greenwich; Hetty Mcmillan of Old Greenwich; Alexis Raskin of Greenwich; John Schinto of Riverside; Alexander Schuler of Old Greenwich; and Isabel Steinthal of Greenwich.

 

A total of 10 students from the Greenwich area were named to the Dean's List at Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., for the 2018 fall semester.

The honored students are: Madeleine Fargis of Greenwich, a junior majoring in history; Julia Booth of Greenwich, a senior majoring in environmental studies; Hannah Honan of Greenwich, a senior majoring in art history; Sarah Stinebaugh of Old Greenwich, a senior majoring in biology; and Lucas Mangold of Old Greenwich, a junior majoring in geosciences.

Also, Henry Golden of Old Greenwich, a junior majoring in mathematics; Margaret Pierce of Greenwich, a junior majoring in environmental studies; Caitlin Stern of Greenwich, a sophomore; Konstantin Tokarr of Greenwich, a senior majoring in American studies; and Madeleine Howe of Greenwich, a first-year student.

To be named to the Dean's List, a student must have carried throughout the semester a course load of four or more graded credits with an average of 3.5 or above.
TRIP REPORT

INDEX

Written by Atanas Alkov





This is my first genuine EX-YU trip report, meaning that both the origin and destination, as well as the airline, were all from EX-YU. I'm reviewing Croatia Airlines' Zagreb - Skopje route with Croatia Airlines, flight number 366.





The ticket price was 170 euros with hand luggage only. The load factor was 66% in business and 95% in economy.





I flew from Zagreb Airport's new terminal for the first time and I can say I like the architecture of the building. It is true that it has some unused spaces, but future growth will probably take care of that. To be honest, I was expecting more shops and restaurants and I think the lighting in the airside departures area could be better.









While I was waiting for my flight, there was a Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul operated with an A321 with a light load that evening. Not to my surprise, the majority of passengers were Asian. People in Zagreb told me that Asian tourists spend almost nothing aside from what they pay as part of their package. That made me realise why a 45kg Asian lady was eating like a waterpolo player at breakfast in my hotel.





Our flight was operated by a Dash 8, so boarding was done from the ground level gates and with a short bus ride. The last three flights out of Zagreb that evening were to Belgrade, Sarajevo and Skopje. The waiting area on the ground level has three gates and a small duty free stand. Air Serbia flight to Belgrade had only eighteen passengers and the Croatia Airlines flight to Sarajevo was not much better.









Prior to entering the aircraft, all larger bags were put on a cart, then in the cargo hold, and you had to pick it up after landing.









The flight was uneventful and the Dashenka named Dalmacija landed in Skopje in 1 hour and 7 minutes. Shortly after departure, all passengers were served a savoury snack and drinks. I ordered marasca juice, my usual when flying Croatia Airlines.









Overall, I can say it was a nice flight. My impression is that Skopje is doing well for Croatia Airlines and that Dash 8 is perfect for the slow months.

Share your travel experience by submitting a trip report to exyu@exyuaviation.com
I live in Southtown and I am a pastor at Travis Park United Methodist Church downtown, so I have seen the fast proliferation of scooters and bikes operated by companies such as Bird, Lime, Razor and, now, Ubers JUMP Scooter.

I have used the scooters and found them helpful. But lately, as thousands more scooters have hit the streets, they have started to block sidewalks and are dumped in piles near intersections.

This limits walkability, especially for those with special needs, and makes the simple act of walking on a sidewalk unsafe when pedestrians are forced to share the limited space they have with high-speed scooters.

They disturb our businesses by clogging entrances and make the city less presentable to tourists.

Scooters (and the multimillion dollar corporations behind them) have been allowed to flourish, with the city seemingly turning a blind eye to violations of its own pilot program. But it has been proactive in penalizing its most vulnerable citizens for the similar crime of occupying public space.

You might be asking, Pastor, why the heck do you care about the abundance of scooters or blocking sidewalks? Stay in your lane!

Well, it has to do with my job. Apart from occasional preaching and leading the dialogue group Pub Theology, most of my ministry centers on those who are homeless, the working poor and migrants. Many of my homeless and/or hungry friends hang around our church and other churches nearby because of hospitality. They are safe places of sanctuary. Places of worship, including our historic missions, were founded on such principles. And the same argument is made against the homeless: they disturb our businesses and make the city less presentable to tourists.

A few years ago, the city redeveloped Travis Park to create a more safe, accessible, creative park for locals and tourists. The city did a great job and should be commended. There are still homeless people around the area. This can be uncomfortable for people walking near the park or church, when many homeless people are lined up outside for services to receive warm meals, showers, health clinics, Bible studies, and prayer sessions.

The line was not a problem when our church was used as a day center, but was forced to close after Haven for Hope opened and grant money was redirected. However, most problems arise when they loiter outside on church property and leave belongings visible from the sidewalk.

Dont get me wrong, any activity such as drug use, profanity, abuse, and urinating in public like Ozzy Osbourne is unacceptable and citations or arrests should be implemented. This should apply to anyone; a drunk tourist, the homeless, the rich, or even a crazy pastor.

Just a few days ago, leaders from the city, SAPD and other downtown stakeholders met with the churchs lay leaders, head pastor, and members of Corazon Ministries. They informed the church that items such as sleeping bags, luggage, and other items homeless people might use near sidewalks would be swept away and the owner of the items would be cited for camping or other city code violations and given a court date.

Most of the time, the citation results in a fine or community service. This code is enforced even if the items and sleeping bags are on church property but in plain view of the sidewalk.

I understand the code. The law is the law. There are sometimes good reasons for it. My issue is not the rules themselves (although some should be adapted) but how they are applied and how it harms the homeless.

After the meeting, our church agreed to honor all city codes and inform our street friends to follow the rules. We also offered to alter some of our services to the homeless and try to find storage and safer places for them to rest especially during bad weather. We truly want to be good neighbors. Good neighbors to our homeless friends, good neighbors to our local businesses and hotels, and good neighbors to tourists and local visitors to the River Walk.

As a church, we are called to love all of our neighbors and even our enemies. I guess we can blame the words of Jesus for that action.

I found it ironic that at the same time the meeting took place, at the same street corner in dispute (Travis St. and Navarro), there were a dozen scooters in the road and blocking the sidewalks, making the area disrespectful and pedestrian travel uncomfortable.

Sounds like a similar problem to me.

Later, I took pictures of scooters owned by JUMP and others blocking the intersection on Houston Street near my church. I guess thats why Uber calls their scooters JUMP  because you have to literally jump over the scooters to keep walking on the sidewalk.

So how can the city, which claims to be a City of Compassion, have such an urgency to fine and cite the homeless and downtrodden and not urgently cite scattered scooters companies that have more resources?

Sure, many of us fear the homeless (usually for wrong reasons) more than a fallen scooter. I get that and would love to talk about that more. But my point is about fairness, compassion, and being a good neighbor.

Travis Park UMC will work hard to be a good neighbor to keep the campus clean and free from trash and abandoned items left by the homeless and drunk partygoers coming back from the River Walk or Fiesta. But I am calling for the city and SAPD to do their part to keep scooter companies and other businesses accountable for the cleanliness and safety of our streets, including the safety of riders and downtown pedestrians.

Citing the homeless for camping or other various city code violations does nothing to solve the problem of homelessness or the homeless issue that exists in every major U.S. city.

Yes, we have Haven for Hope but it is not the only solution or model to decrease homelessness. We have great SAPD H.O.P.E. officers who care for the homeless, but the program has only a few officers to work the entire city. Citations might clean up a few sacred streets for tourists, but all it really does is create more poverty and hardship for our unhoused neighbors.

I appreciate District 1 Councilman Roberto Trevinos insightful op-ed in the Express News about his solutions to tackle the issue of scooter use in downtown and his hope for a city-owned trailer shower for the homeless. His ideas have great value and more City Council members and our mayor need to do more to hold these scooter companies to the same standard they hold the homeless, working poor, and our friends on the street near Travis Park.

Maybe the scooter companies can contribute to programs such as Housing First so we can get the homeless inside safe housing first rather than waste money on sometimes ineffective social services. If we can be creative, fair to all concerned, and be a better neighbor, then maybe we can be the compassionate city we so boldly proclaim.

Until we begin to cite scooter companies more often for misplaced and disruptive scooters (which make millions off riders) and until we fine riders for breaking sidewalk rules and riding dangerously, we should stop citing the homeless  who have almost nothing to their name.

And heres another controversial idea: Lets provide the homeless with valuable resources that can change their lives and make our streets more open, clean and hospitable.

Rev. Gavin Rogers is the associate pastor at Travis Park United Methodist Church and the founder of the interfaith community group Pub Theology San Antonio. He is a native Texan and is a graduate of The Divinity School at Duke University. His writings can be found at www.40daysofhaven.com and www.facebook.com/PubTheologySA Twitter @gavinrogers
Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, whose vast West Texas district runs along the Mexican border for 800 miles, has ripped President Donald Trumps plan for a border wall that could cost up to $15 billion.

Congress will move legislation this year providing funds to build a wall along the Mexican boundary, Republican leaders said Thursday. But they would not say how they'd prevent the massive project from worsening federal deficits, and were meeting resistance from GOP lawmakers.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg launched his campaign for re-election Saturday, highlighting strides made toward a more equitable city and asking voters for another term to build on those efforts.

Speaking in the parking lot of Alamo Stadium, with the downtown skyline behind him, Nirenberg told a crowd of more than 150 supporters that he and his administration are building a city of the future.

We are truly building a city you deserve  and in some cases, literally, he said, referencing the construction cranes visible over his shoulder. Those cranes mean growth, they mean jobs, they mean prosperity.

During his first term, Nirenberg has made affordable housing and climate action priorities and launched ConnectSA, to develop a transportation plan for the citys future.

In the last year, the city has shifted funding toward historically underserved areas, using an equity lens rather than dividing money equally among council districts.

For the first time in our citys history, were confronting the challenges of the past by allocating services and infrastructure based on need and impact, Nirenberg said Saturday. Equity, you see, is a process and a value.

He pointed to the Mayors Housing Policy Report as an accomplishment of his first term, and said he wants San Antonio to continue to embrace revitalization while preventing displacement. Nirenberg also pitched a plan in the works with the Alamo Colleges to expand access to higher education and workforce training.

Its up to us to stay the course, he said.

Wayne Alexander, vice chairman of the Southwest Research Institute, praised Nirenberg for making it very clear that San Antonio is open for business. As the city grows rapidly, with another 1 million people expected to live here by 2040, we have got to have sustained, inclusive, intelligent and determined leadership for our city to thrive, he said.

Nirenbergs wife, Erika Prosper Nirenberg, alluded to adversity he has faced in the last two years, praising the big vision and incremental wins accomplished despite challenges including an assault on our city charter.

Throughout his first term, the mayor has been locked in a dispute between the city and the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association over health benefits and other contract terms. The union brought that dispute to the polls this fall, putting three amendments to the citys charter on the ballot that supporters said would give more power to citizens.

Voters passed two of the amendments: one that capped the city managers salary and term length and another that gives the union unilateral ability to decide to enter into binding arbitration with the city.

Nirenberg campaigned against all three propositions, and has been a vocal supporter of City Manager Sheryl Sculley. Though the salary cap and term limits did not apply to Sculley, who announced her upcoming retirement less than a month after the election, the proposition was seen by many as a referendum on her pay and management, and underscored a riff between residents and many city and community leaders who supported her.

And though he vowed to make decisions in the bright light of public scrutiny when he announced his campaign in 2017, he also came under fire for a lack of transparency when the council determined in closed session not to bid to host the 2020 Republican National Convention.

Nirenberg was first elected to City Council in 2013, after winning the District 8 seat in a runoff. He held the seat for two terms before beating incumbent mayor Ivy Taylor and Bexar County Democratic Party Chairman Manuel Medina in 2017.

That race was the first time since the 1990s that San Antonios incumbent mayor faced serious opposition in a bid for re-election.

Councilman Greg Brockhouse is expected to challenge Nirenberg, but has not yet announced his intentions. The deadline for mayoral candidates to file to run is Feb. 15.

LTeitz@express-news.net
San Antonio stargazers are preparing for a total lunar eclipse late Sunday  an opportunity to see Earths shadow project a deep, dark reddish tint on the moon.

Some articles about Sundays eclipse have dubbed the celestial event a super blood wolf moon, a reference to the moons orbital proximity to Earth; the crimson hue from sunlight filtered through Earths atmosphere and onto the lunar surface; and a Farmers Almanac moniker for a full moon in January, when wolves would howl on winter nights.

The Scobee Education Center at San Antonio College will host one of at least two admission-free eclipse-watch parties, with telescopes placed atop the parking garage by the center at 1819 N. Main Ave. Parking will be available in Lot 16 next to the garage at the watch party, set for 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

On ExpressNews.com: Supermoon, blood moon, blue moon come in one night

Michelle Risse, planetarium coordinator at the center, said the next total eclipse to be seen in San Antonio is expected in May 2021.

What makes this so unique in comparison with other events is that its occurring when people are out and can see it, rather than at 3 a.m. Its also the night before a holiday  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Risse said.

The total eclipse, when the moon is obscured by Earths shadow as Earth passes between the sun and moon, is expected about 9:30 to 10 p.m. Food trucks, Lego robots and other childrens activities will be provided, Risse said. Guests are encouraged to dress warmly and bring folding chairs. Temperatures in the 40s and a clear sky are forecast, according to the National Weather Service.

Total lunar eclipse What: Earth will pass between the sun and moon, casting a shadow with deepening orange and red hues on the lunar surface. When: About 8:30 to 11:30 p.m., with a peak at about 9:30 to 10 p.m. Where: Free watch parties are planned at SAC's Scobee Education Center near downtown, and at McAllister Park on the Northeast Side. Forecast: Clear sky with temperatures in the 40s, light south winds. See More Collapse

On ExpressNews.com: Hundreds gather at SAC to see lunar eclipse

The San Antonio League of Sidewalk Astronomers, or SALSA, will hold a free Dark Side of the Moon watch party, near the dog park at McAllister Park, off the Wurzbach Parkway entrance. The group, which collects annual membership dues of $25 per person or $35 per family for access to publications, lectures and online resources, will play Pink Floyds Dark Side of the Moon album during the eclipse, expected to begin shortly after 8:30 p.m.

Bryan Tobias, manager of UTSAs Curtis Vaughan Observatory and co-founder of the 10-year-old group, dismisses terms such super, blood and wolf as eclipse hype. But he said it will be a lunar event worth seeing. SALSA has about 30 active members, from scientists to industrial workers and homemakers, who are interested in the night sky.

Youll see a very bright moon turn very dark red. The weather looks like its going to be real good, Tobias said.

More information about the group and its star party etiquette, including use of red LED flashlights to maintain proper night vision, is posted on its website, salsa-astro.com.

Scott Huddleston 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. | shuddleston@express-news.net | Twitter: @shuddlestonSA
Exactly four weeks since the longest government shutdown in U.S. history began, King came to Annapolis to offer hope and some signed comics to those who needed it. King, a California native and Washington, D.C., resident, worked in counterterrorism for the CIA for seven years before quitting his job to write for DC Comics in 2009.
Nate Davis remembers watching the first Martin Luther King Jr. March when it was a dozen people walking along New Braunfels Avenue more than 50 years ago.

It was led by the late Rev. Raymond R.A. Callies Sr., who started the informal march in 1968 to draw attention to improvements needed on the East Side as well as to honor the slain civil rights leader.

Driving a red truck, Callies led his children and other youngsters along a route every year throughout the 1970s.

Today, the march draws upwards of 100,000 participants, sometimes twice that when the weather is good and issues are top of mind, making it possibly the largest such event in the nation.

Washington, D.C., cites several thousand for its MLK Day marches; Atlanta touts over a thousand for its MLK Day Peace Walk.

Its a somewhat odd distinction for a city whose population is just 7 percent African American  8.5 percent, if you count all of Bexar County  but organizers cite numerous reasons for the huge turnout.

Its just the uniqueness of San Antonio, said Davis, chairman of the citys MLK Commission. We have a small African American population and look at what were producing.

That tells you that were in a good city that believes in the legacy and teachings of Dr. King and trying to keep it alive.

Mario Salas, a retired professor, civil rights advocate and former San Antonio city councilman, said the answer to why San Antonio holds King in such high honor is complex.

Theres a large number of Hispanics who joined the cause long ago, recognizing that King was working toward equal rights for everyone, he said.

He noted the migration of people from northern cities who were more liberal, tending to support Kings message. Then there are all the black families living in the suburbs, and the number of diverse military members stationed at area bases who decide to stay here with their families when they retire. All of whom are inherent supporters of a march in Kings honor.

Salas also pointed out that, historically, discrimination against black and brown in San Antonio was brought violence at times but there werent the deadly bombings and brutal mob attacks that were seen across the South in the 1950s and 1960s.

You cant say the city doesnt have a racial past, but it was more subdued than in other cities, Salas said. The Rev. Claude Black carried on a civil rights struggle and civil rights activities that paid off. Its a multitude of reasons why the march has been so successful.

The beginning

In addition to leading the annual march for King through the East Side, Callies raised funds to build a plaza and erect a statue of King at New Braunfels and Houston streets. Its noteworthy that the statue erected in 1981 was created by artist Jose Torres, the son of Mexican immigrants. The pastor raised money for the artwork by collecting pennies and nickles in red coffee cans presented by kids on street corners.

Kings birthday became a federal holiday in 1983 with then-President Ronald Reagans signature. In 1987, the San Antonio march became an official city event under the leadership of then-mayor Henry Cisneros, who started the first MLK Commission. It has grown dramatically under the commissions guidance.

Cisneros organizing and persuasive skills helped set a strong foundation for the future of the event. He called on all sectors of the community: public, private, government. Schools, families, college sororities and fraternities, churches, civic groups, nonprofits, all kinds of corporate groups including USAA and H-E-B, joined in the effort to honor and continue to promote Kings message of inclusiveness.

Exact numbers are hard to come by  participants dont have to register; anyone can join in the march  but the MLK Commission and San Antonio Police Department estimate there were 200,000 people in the 2016 and 2017 marches.

The vision came from that gentleman and the diligence of past and present volunteers, Davis said, praising Callies initial efforts.

As the years have gone on, different groups have joined the march to promote goals that align with Kings dream.

This year for example, the Coalition for the Woolworth Building will be walking in the march under their own banner. They have taken to social media to encourage supporters of the downtown building across from the Alamo to participate in the march.

San Antonios Woolworth Building is where the first peaceful integration of a lunch counter took place in 1960.

Located at Alamo and Houston streets, the building could be demolished to make way for an Alamo museum and expanded Alamo Plaza.

Saving the building as a symbol of the citys civil rights legacy is the goal of the grassroots group made up of the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center, San Antonio Conservation Society and the San Antonio African American Community Archive & Museum, among others.

Organizers see the march as a perfect fit for their efforts.

Salas said because of the buildings historical event, its too valuable to tear down. If the coalition is unable to save the building then the city would have to give the community an ironclad contract of an exhibit at Alamo Plaza on the African American presence, he said, which would include the desegregation of lunch counters at the Woolworth Building.

When you tell history, you should tell the good, the bad, and the ugly, Salas said.

Another major factor in the thriving MLK March is the buy-in by local corporations.

Sonia Quirino Canales, diversity and inclusion manager at H-E-B, said its been an honor for the companys partners  as people who work at the H-E-B are known  to volunteer and take part in the march for the past 15 years.

She said 350 partners are signed up for this years march.

Every year they carry letters that spell out their theme: We Believe.

They go because they want to go. They made an individual concerted decision to go with that spirit of H-E-B, she said. And march for everything that Dr. King stood for. Its just a small way to show our commitment to diversity in the community.

We believe we will get to a point in society where we will all be included and everyone will be respecting diversity, Canales said.

The 2019 March

Events start early Monday, with a worship program at 8 a.m. in the parking lot of the MLK Academy, 3501 MLK Dr. The program will include traditional and contemporary music, spoken word performances and keynote speaker Apostle T. E. Booker.

The march begins at 10 a.m. at the MLK Academy and ends at Pittman-Sullivan Park, 1101 Iowa, where the commemorative program will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

This years keynote speaker is journalist and activist Shaun King, recognized as an advocate for justice and fundraiser for victims of discrimination and brutality.

Via will offer free transportation service to the march between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. at two locations: Freeman Coliseum, 3201 E. Houston St. (Lot 1) and St. Philips College, 1801 Martin Luther King Dr. (Lot 22 at Montana and Mittman streets.)

Buses will provide return service to pick-up locations between noon and 3 p.m. at Pittman-Sullivan Park, 1101 Iowa St.

For more information on MLK Day service call 210-362-2020 or go to www.VIAinfo.net.

Vincent T. Davis is a reporter in the Greater San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | vtdavis@express-news.net | Twitter: @vincentdavis
On Saturday morning, 19-year-old Kae Roemershauser felt proud as she stood in a crowd at San Fernando Cathedral to hear messages about equality and justice from a diverse group of women.

Roemershauser, a politics and law major at the University of Texas at San Antonio, was one of more than 250 people who attended the 2019 San Antonio Womens March & Rally.

President of the Ignite National UTSA chapter, Roemershauser had accompanied several members of the student-led organization Women in Leadership. Crowd members held posters with messages such as Respect our existence or expect our resistance. Her sign read, There is political power in every young woman.

We may be few, but were not any less mighty, Roemershauser said. We came out to support all of our sisters who are here, understanding that political power doesnt look like one woman.

For two hours, the crowd encircled speakers at the front of the cathedral, cheering as they spoke about inclusion among all women. The San Antonio chapter of the Womens March sponsored the event, which featured issues that included Black Lives Matter, undocumented immigrants, climate change, health care, Palestinian womens rights and transgender rights.

This was the third year that San Antonio and dozens of other cities hosted protest rallies around the country. The movement began Jan. 21, 2017, when thousands of women, men and transgender women, of different races and religions, assembled to protest the election of President Donald Trump and voice their concern for womens rights. Saturdays march in San Antonio was postponed and will be held March 2 at Milam Park in honor of International Womens Day.

Rally organizer Sofia Sepulveda said its not enough for people to show up for the march; they should also support the causes. She said the local chapter and the Womens March in Washington are sister marchers but independent of the national leadership that has faced claims of anti-Semitism.

Its about the issues that intersect each other, Sepulveda said. We want to show that everything matters.

The rally began with a blessing by Gloria Pacheco Hernandez, 58, of the Tehuan Band of Mission Indians. Fellow members Lupe Guerrero, her husband, Roy, and Amador Osio played a selection called the Drum Song.

Its an honor to be an original San Antonian promoting women, Hernandez said. Women are the balance, and without our energy, things can become pretty unbalanced.

Her husband, Epifanio Hernandez, 57, held a wood bowl smoldering with sage to cleanse the area. He said women too often are unheard and not respected.

Stephanie Nichols sign said Equality 4 All, on behalf of women of color who are victims of pimps, sex traffickers and predators.

Were sending a terrible message that young brown women dont matter, said Nichols, 41. We do have a voice and we do matter.

Hernando Arce, 49, said he was going to work when he saw the rally. He pulled out his phone while wearing his Make America Great Again hat and started recording the crowd with his camera.

I find it ironic that people who believe in abortion are rallying in front of a sacred church, he said into his phone. I dont know if Im going to post this or keep it in my archives.

Rally organizer Denise Hernandez followed him.

Yeah, Im following you because Im an organizer and we dont need you antagonizing people, said Hernandez, 27.

Arce said he was exercising his First Amendment rights like everyone else at the march. He believes that President Donald Trumps border wall would solve issues such as drugs, human trafficking and high murder rates. Hernandez said she expected people with opposing views to show up, but it still upset her. Arce left without incident.

I think he, like his president, may need a lot of attention to feed their ego, she said, because they dont have anything inside of them to sustain who they are as people.

John Q. Pardini, 71, held a sign with one word, Enough. He said it was his statement about the mistreatment of women and political unrest in the nation.

Women have been disregarded for millennia, Pardini said. You should never be afraid of a strong woman. Shes the one who makes you better.

Vincent T. Davis is a reporter in the Greater San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | vtdavis@express-news.net | Twitter: @vincentdavis
A forgery artist and master of disguise for the CIA, Tony Mendez once transformed a black agent and an Asian diplomat into a pair of white business executives, using masks that gave them an uncanny resemblance to the movie stars Victor Mature and Rex Harrison. On another occasion, he devised an oversize "jack-in-the-box" - a spring-loaded mannequin - that enabled a CIA source to sneak out of his car while a dummy popped up in his place.

Mendez, a 25-year veteran of the spy agency, was effectively in the business of geopolitical theater. Pulling techniques from magicians, movie makeup artists and even the television show "Mission: Impossible," he changed one person into another, transforming agents into characters with backstories, costumes and documents that helped them evade detection and avoid capture in foreign countries.

Appropriately for a man whose career seemed drawn from a Hollywood thriller, his greatest triumph hinged on a bogus sci-fi film, a sham production office in Los Angeles and a fake location-scouting expedition to Iran. Disguising himself as an Irish filmmaker, Mendez successfully smuggled six State Department employees out of Tehran during the 1979-1981 Iran hostage crisis, passing them off as a Canadian movie crew in a daring mission that formed the basis of the Oscar-winning movie "Argo" (2012).

Mendez, who was portrayed by actor-director Ben Affleck in the film, was 78 when he died Jan. 19 at an assisted-living center in Frederick, Maryland. He had Parkinson's disease, said his wife, fellow CIA veteran Jonna Mendez.

A painter of impressionistic landscapes and outdoor scenes, Mendez was working as a draftsman when he was recruited by the CIA in 1965, and ran an art studio after he retired. "I've always considered myself to be an artist first," he once said, looking back on his career, "and for 25 years I was a pretty good spy."

After stints in Laos, India and the Soviet Union, he was serving as the CIA's chief of disguise when the U.S. Embassy in Tehran was seized by a militant Iranian student group on Nov. 4, 1979. The attack came months after the Islamic revolution forced out the country's leader, the Western-backed shah, and replaced him with the hard-line cleric Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Sixty-six Americans, including six CIA officers, were taken hostage, while six other U.S. diplomats managed to evade capture and took shelter in the homes of two Canadians, ambassador Ken Taylor and embassy official John Sheardown.

In the 444 days that followed, the hostage crisis drew unflagging news coverage, crippled Jimmy Carter's presidency and resulted in the deaths of eight service members during a failed rescue mission in the Iranian desert. Mendez completed his rescue operation Jan. 28, 1980, but it took one more year before the last 52 hostages were released, on the day of Ronald Reagan's inauguration in January 1981.

- - -

The idea for the "Canadian caper," as Mendez's mission came to be known, was born out of desperation. A specialist in "exfiltration," the art of whisking people out of harm's way, Mendez initially worked on a plan to free the American hostages by exchanging them for a dead body double of the shah, who was being treated for cancer in the United States.

That plan was nixed by the White House, according to a Wired magazine account by Joshuah Bearman, and when Mendez was promoted to chief of the agency's Authentication Branch in December 1979, his efforts shifted to rescuing the six Canadian "houseguests," as the American diplomats were euphemistically called. Their very existence was kept hidden from the public in an effort to protect them from the Iranians.

While one Canadian minister suggested the diplomats head for the Turkish border, possibly on bicycles, only a departure through the air seemed viable. Mendez just needed to settle on a story that would enable the escapees to board a plane. Schemes centered on teachers, crop inspectors and oil technicians all seemed flawed. So Mendez decided to "reverse the rules and create a distraction."

"A cover should be bland, as uninteresting as possible, so the casual observer, or the not-so-casual immigration official, doesn't probe too deeply," he wrote in a 1999 memoir, "Master of Disguise." His solution, the film gambit, was the opposite of bland - an idea so bold, he believed, that Iran would never consider that it might be fake.

Mendez called his friend John Chambers, a makeup artist who had won an honorary Oscar for his work on "Planet of the Apes," gave Spock his pointy ears and had assisted the CIA on old assignments. With another makeup artist, Bob Sidell, who later worked on "E.T.," they opened a production office in Los Angeles; created business cards for their fictional company, Studio Six Productions; and developed backstories and career histories for the six escapees.

Mendez and Chambers named their purported science-fiction film project "Argo," for the raunchy punchline to a knock-knock joke and in a sly nod to the mythological ship that Jason used to retrieve the Golden Fleece. Advertisements in Variety and the Hollywood Reporter promoted the film as a "cosmic conflagration."

With a Canadian passport in hand, Mendez flew to Tehran on Jan. 25, under the name Kevin Costa Harkins. (He chose an Irish identity, he later said, because the Irish are "nonthreatening" and "ubiquitous around the world.") Supported by a second CIA agent known as Julio, he spent a few days preparing the six diplomats, teaching them their new identities - including as a cameraman and set designer - and preparing them for potential interrogations at the airport.

Before dawn on Jan. 28, they headed to Tehran Mehrabad International Airport for an early Swissair flight to Zurich. After being delayed for an hour because of a mechanical problem, the flight took off and cleared Iranian airspace, leading Mendez to celebrate by ordering a bloody mary and delivering a toast: "We're home free."

The diplomats returned to a heroes' welcome in the United States, where Canadian flags were flown from town halls, and billboards reading "Thank you, Canada" cropped up around the country. Mendez met with Carter in the Oval Office and received the Intelligence Star, one of the CIA's highest honors. But his and the CIA's role in the rescue operation was concealed until 1997, when Mendez was honored as one of 50 "trailblazers" who shaped the agency's first 50 years.

- - -

Antonio Joseph Mendez was born in Eureka, Nevada, on Nov. 15, 1940, to a mixed-heritage family (Italian, Mexican, Welsh) that he later credited with helping him blend in around the world. He was 3 when his father died in a copper-mining accident; his mother worked several jobs.

The family had little money, and Tony contributed by digging up bat guano in caves, loading it onto a toy wagon and selling it to his Mormon neighbors as fertilizer, $1 per gunny sack. He sometimes dated his covert operations experience to an incident in which he posed as a girl to gain entrance to a couples-only school dance.

Mendez graduated from high school in Denver and, unable to cover tuition, quit the University of Colorado after one year. He was an illustrator at Martin Marietta, drawing parts for an intercontinental ballistic missile, when he saw a help-wanted ad in a newspaper: "Artists to Work Overseas - U.S. Navy Civilians." Consumed by wanderlust, he went to interview and was handed a CIA recruitment guide.

Mendez retired in 1990 with a rank equivalent to that of a two-star general. He wrote several memoirs including "The Master of Disguise," co-authored with Malcolm McConnell. The book, along with Bearman's article in Wired, served as the source material for "Argo," which won the Oscar for best picture. (It took some liberties with the facts, Mendez said, including adding a chase scene and writing out two of his children.)

Mendez's first wife, Karen, died of lung cancer in 1986. In 1991 he married Jonna Hiestand, an expert on clandestine photography who also served as the CIA's chief of disguise. In addition to his wife of Reston, Virginia, who confirmed his death, survivors include two children from his first marriage, Amanda Mendez of Smithsburg, Maryland, and sculptor Toby Mendez of Knoxville, Maryland; a son from his second marriage, Jesse Mendez of Charleston, West Virginia; several sisters; and two grandchildren. He was predeceased by a son from his first marriage, Ian Mendez.

Makeup, Mendez often said, was typically one of the easier parts of developing a disguise. Behavioral tics needed to be adjusted, credible backstories invented.

"There are occasions when you're getting ready to put your name on the hotel ledger," he told The Washington Post in 2000. "You've got reservations made for you in [an] alias. You've just flown 10 hours. There's that moment when you put the pen down and you think, 'Oh, jeez, what's my name?' "

"Once you go into the netherworld like that, by yourself," he added, "it's like going into another dimension. It's like being a time traveler. How do you get back?"
- Manufacturing output prints largest gain in 10 months

- Consumer sentiment declines sharply as myriad factors weigh

- USD set to record first gains against EUR in five weeks

December Manufacturing Output Surges, Consumer Sentiment Hits Two-Year Low

The US Dollar (USD) exchange rates firmed through Friday trading following a run of disappointing sessions in the wake of pared Fed rate expectations as US manufacturing output figures from the Federal Reserve printed the highest gain in 10 months for December.

The release prompted a sharp decline in the Pound-to-Dollar exchange rate, sending the FX pair to a fresh session low of $1.29, down from Thursday sessions multi-week high of $1.30010.

The Euro (EUR) already weakened by poor Eurozone data came under increased pressure from the Greenback, prompting a sharp decline in the EUR to USD exchange rate to $1.13667, a fresh weekly low.

Commenting on the Euro-Dollar pairing, Timothy Grad, head of macro strategy at London-based SSGA, commented With the market consensus being short dollar at the start of the year, some of the expectations are being unwound especially in light of the tepid European economic data.

Delving into the details of the latest release, industrial production rose by 0.3% in December compared to November which also printed an increase (0.4%). From a quarterly perspective, Q4 saw industrial production increase 3.8% versus the same 2017 quarter. Manufacturing output, the real upside surprise, spiked by 1.1%, the largest gain since February 2018 and distinctly higher than economist median projections for a 0.3% increase. Compared with December 2017, total industrial production picked up by 4%.

While near-term effects from the release saw the US Dollar (USD) extend gains against peers, the spike in manufacturing output is expected to be unsustainable given new order inflows received by factories slumped in December to their lowest level since August 2016, indicating the current spike may be due to fulfilled back-orders.

A fading impact of 2018s $1.5 trillion is also expected to negatively impact industrial and manufacturing figures going forward as business reallocate capital to cover (relatively) elevated tax costs. Moderating growth in China and Europe coupled with a relatively stronger US Dollar (USD) are also expected to curb exports, especially if global economic conditions continue to deteriorate.

Elsewhere, the University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey printed distinctly negative. The survey of consumer sentiment printed a sharp 7.7% decline to 90.7, down from 98.3 and pushing the measure further into pessimistic territory. Consumer assessments of current economic conditions also ticked down, dropping 5.3% to (a still positive) 110.0. The index of consumer expectations showed the sharpest decline, dropping 10% to 78.3, from Decembers 87.0 printing, indicating elevated concerns over personal consumption expenditures in the months ahead.

Supplementary commentary from chief economist, Richard Curtin, highlighted several key factors dragging on consumer optimism. He wrote, The loss was due to a host of issues including the partial government shutdown, the impact of tariffs, instabilities in financial markets, the global slowdown, and the lack of clarity about monetary policies.

Curtin added, While the January falloff in optimism is certainly consistent with a slowdown in the pace of growth, it does not yet indicate the start of a sustained downturn in economic activity... Evolving job and wage prospects, which were slightly weaker in early January, are critical to extending the current expansion.

Nevertheless, market impact has certainly reflected optimism over the manufacturing output release as opposed to the negative implications of the consumer sentiment survey, lending to the possibility of USD-paired FX rates overshooting. As it stands, the US Dollar looks set to record its first weekly gains against the Euro (EUR) in five weeks.
UPDATE: As a new week of trading got underway the Pound Sterling to US Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate was left trading in the region of $1.2865.

With no significant data releases for either the US or the UK on the cards today, Brexit and PM Theresa Mays Plan B will continue driving movement in GBP.

Lloyds have provided the following GBP/USD forecast: Fridays sharp reversal from 1.30 has developed bearish near-term chart patterns, but a breakdown through support around 1.2845 is needed to add conviction

of a deeper retracement. 1.2765 is minor support ahead of 1.2700-1.2660, which is the last main area ahead of the 1.2440 previous lows. Intra-day resistance lies in the 1.2900-1.2925 area. Back through 1.3000 would alleviate the current downside risks and

suggest a further push towards range highs in the 1.3170-1.3300 region.

UPDATE: The Pound-to-Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate tumbled sharply at the beginning of Mondays European session after edging higher overnight with the pair trading at $1.284, down 0.23% from the daily open.

The Greenback rally into the European session saw the Euro-Dollar rate retreat from a session high of above $1.139.

The Euro US Dollar exchange rate however remained up 0.12% for the session thus far following modest Asian-session gains.

Commenting, FX strategist, Junichi Ishikawa of IG Securities (Tokya), said The dollar index is clearly on a recovery track. The currency was stuck in a downtrend at the start of January but is now being bought back against its peers such as the yen, euro, pound and the Aussie.

He added, Whether the current risk on supporting the dollar can continue will likely depend on how U.S. corporate earnings turn out. The United States and China falling out again over trade issues and volatile U.S. politics still remain the main potential risk factors.

The US Dollar (USD) remains sensitive to fluctuating risk appetite while the Pound Sterling (GBP) continues to see x-rates dictated by Brexit developments. Therein, Mondays session will see the government table proposals over the way ahead for Brexit, with this a potential trigger for volatile price action.

Exchange Rates UK Research team take a look at the week-ahead for GBP/USD and roundup the latest institutional FX forecasts for the pair.

Pound Sterling (GBP) Exchange Rates Bolstered by Brexit

The recent uptrend in the Pound (GBP) continued last week, with the UK currency climbing to a new two-month high against the US Dollar, despite the uncertainty caused by Parliaments rejection of Theresa Mays Brexit deal.

While the vote was widely expected to result in MPs rejecting the defeat, the subsequent rally in Sterling took many economists aback, as they forecasted such an outcome would lead to greater uncertainty and drag on GBP exchange rates.

Many analysts attributed the Pounds strength in the wake of the vote to speculation that a no-deal Brexit was more unlikely and the increased chances that Brexit may be delayed to allow for a second referendum.

Stephane Barbier de la Serre, Strategist at Makor Capital Markets suggested: A most uncertain outcome though (both in the immediate future and down the road) and that may be the rationale behind GBPs impressive resilience after a short-lived fall in the immediate aftermath of the vote. But another much more fundamental reason could be that the odds of a second referendum have now objectively dramatically increased. Arguably, we may not go there in a straight line but, mutatis mutandis, keep buying dips on GBP and British domestic companies with a domestic bias.

However the Pound fell back from its best levels at the end of the week as the UKs latest retail sales came in below expectations, as sales growth plummeted from 1.3% to -0.9% in December as consumers shifted their Christmas shopping to earlier in the year to take advantage of the Black Friday sales.

US Dollar (USD) Exchange Rates Stall as Government Shutdown Drags on the US Economy

At the same time, the US Dollar (USD) stumbled against the Pound (GBP) last week, amid rising concerns that the US economy is being negatively impacted by the ongoing government shutdown.

This followed revised forecasts from the White Houses Council of Economic Advisers which admitted that the shutdown is having a greater impact on the US economy than previously thought, with some external analysts even forecasting it could lead to a contraction in GDP in the first quarter.

Ian Shepherdson, Chief Economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics explained: The economy could easily stall in the first quarter, and then the question is what happens in the second. The longer [the Government Shutdown] goes on, the longer it takes to recover.

However helping to trim the US Dollars losses last week was a broad fall in market risk appetite, with the Greenback gaining against many of its other peers thanks to a corresponding pick-up in safe-haven demand.

GBP/USD Exchange Rate Forecast: Sterlings Fortunes to Remain Tied to Brexit?

Looking ahead, movement in the Pound US Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate is highly likely to remain driven by Brexit developments this week as the UK government attempts to create a Plan B that will be accepted by both Parliament and the EU.

This will be no easy task for Theresa May and is likely to prompt some volatility in Sterling, although should the PM hints towards a possible delay to Brexit to provide her government with more time to broker a new deal then we may see the Pound move sharply higher.

Also potentially influencing movement in GBP exchange rates this week may be the release of the UKs latest employment figures on Tuesday, with Sterling potentially finding some support if wage growth remained solid in December as forecast.

Meanwhile US economic data remains thin on the ground this week as the ongoing US government shutdown continues to disrupt the release of official figures.

In the absence of any notable data, the main catalyst for movement in the US Dollar is likely to be market risk sentiment, with USD exchange rates likely to weaken if safe-haven demand in capped by rising risk appetite.

Institutional Analysis Roundup Jan 21

Scotiabank

Technical analysts at Scotiabank suggest any near-term prospects for a move higher in the pound-to-dollar exchange rate are unlikely to persist:

"Sterling squeezed higher yesterday to reach the 1.30 point briefly  the first time the GBP has traded at these sorts of levels since mid-November. We remain completely unimpressed with the state of play in the Brexit talks, however, and we are dubious that the GBPs modest rally can extend. PM May has made it clear that she will cede little ground on her Brexit plan while opponents are showing little sign of being willing to ease their position. We continue to worry that a no-deal Brexit looms as a much more significant risk for the UK than GBP pricing currently reflects."
Manbij op to start at right time: Turkish defense chief

Turkey's counter-terror operation in Manbij, Syria and east of Euphrates will start when right time comes, says Hulusi Akar

Turkeys counter-terrorist operation in Manbij, Syria will start at the right time, Turkeys defense minister said on Sunday.

PREPARATIONS COMPLETED

The current Syrian problem areas are Manbij and east of the Euphrates; our plans, preparations and logistics are completed.

"The operations in Manbij and east of the Euphrates will start when the right time comes, said Hulusi Akar in Hatay, southern Turkey, marking the first anniversary of the start of Turkeys Operation Olive Branch.

Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Gen. Yasar Guler and other commanders accompanied Akar on a visit to a commando team involved in the counter-terrorist operation.

ONLY TARGETS DEASH AND YPG

We have no problems with our Kurdish brothers or Arab brothers in Syria and Iraq. Our only targets are the terrorist Daesh and PKK/YPG," added Akar.

We will never allow a terrorist state or terror corridor at our southern border. We will continue to fight with terrorists until they all neutralized, he said.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also spoke with Akar and the commando team in a video call.

Erdogan stressed that Turkey's fight against terrorism will continue without hesitation in Syria's Afrin, Jarabulus, and Al-Bab regions.

A mission east of the Euphrates River, which Turkeys leadership has been suggesting for months, would follow two successful cross-border Turkish operations into Syria since 2016 -- Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch -- both meant to eradicate the presence of YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists near Turkeys borders.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women and children. The YPG is its Syrian branch.
Greece: Thousands protest Macedonia name change deal

Parliament set to vote Friday on deal changing Macedonia's name, and dropping Athens blocking its NATO, EU membership

Days ahead of a parliament vote, thousands rallied in central Athens on Sunday to protest an agreement that would rename neighboring Macedonia to the Republic of North Macedonia.

Some 2,000 police officers were deployed around the Greek Parliament building and surrounding streets, while police also used drones to get a complete view of Syntagma Square.

Though police estimates of attendance of around 60,000 fell below expectations, throngs of people gathered to chant slogans against the name deal while demanding the government hold a referendum on the issue.

We stand here united, one protestor shouted, adding: We demand the government let our voice be heard, we want a referendum on the name deal.

According to police sources, 326 chartered buses came to central Athens from all over Greece to protest the deal, signed last June by the leaders of Greece and Macedonia.

At least five police officers, as well as some protesters, were injured in incidents in front of the Greek Parliament building, while earlier a group of hooded protesters trying to storm the building were repelled by riot police using tear gas.

Parliament is set to debate the agreement this week and vote on it this Friday.

In June, the Macedonian and Greek governments signed the Prespa Agreement, which requires Macedonia to change its name and Greece to drop its objection to Macedonia joining NATO and the European Union.

Macedonia was founded in 1991 and was admitted to the UN in 1993 but was accepted under the name the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia due to Greeces objection to the name Macedonia, which it claims as its own.

Many countries, including Turkey, recognize Macedonia under its present name.
The services celebrating the life of Johnny Rains Jr., 55, of Enid, will be held Monday June 21 in the Brown-Cumming Funeral Home Chapel with burial in the Banner Cemetery. Condolences may be shared at www.Brown-Cummings.com.
I am a retired Naval Officer and small business owner, outside of my work at the News & Eagle. My wife Tammy and I enjoy serving together at church and attending Gaslight and ESO. We have two daughters, three dogs and little free time.

Follow James Neal | Religion/Health Reporter Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
Church service to mark Manx link to Holocaust

A service will be held on the Island next weekend to commemorate victims of the holocaust.

The 2019 Holocaust Memorial Commemoration will take place at St Mary of the Isle Church on Hill Street in Douglas from 3pm on Sunday 27th January.

The event is described as multi-generational, multi ethnic and multi denominational, remembering men, women and children who have died in various holocausts throughout history.

The Government, who has organised the service, says it is its duty to bring people together to commemorate injustices and to educate the young.

Chief Minister Howard Quayle will be among those to give a reading at the service.

Camps during WW2 were located in Douglas, Onchan, Peel, Port Erin, Port St Mary and Ramsey.

Holocaust Memorial Day is held in January each year to mark the date when the camps at Auschwitz in Nazi-occupied Poland were liberated in 1945.
We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription.
AP Photo/Maria DanilovaGuzel Yakhina's grandmother was a little girl when Soviet agents burst into her home and deported the whole family to the frozen woods of Siberia. Decades later, she shared those memories with her granddaughter, telling her of immense suffering and death, but also of resilience. Those stories are now the basis for Yakhina's best-selling debut novel, "Zuleikha."
Saturday, January 19, 2019 at 4:03PM

Noted leaker Evan Blass has published leaked images of what could be the Samsung Galaxy S10 models. Above we see, from left to right, the Samsung Galaxy S10E, S10, and S10+ with their back and their front shown.

The Samsung Galaxy S10E seems to be sporting dual cameras in the same fashion as the S9 models. The more premium S10 and S10+ look to have a triple camera array displayed in the rear. Featuring the Snapdragon 855 processor and ither 6GB or 8GB of RAM with storage ranging from 128GB to 512GB, the Galaxy S10 line should offer plenty of specs and features to satisfy Samsung fans looking for an upgrade.

Samsung plans to launch this device and possibly their foldable smartphone at an Unpacked event on February 20th.

Source: NeoWin.Net
Where are the best places to shop? Who gives the best haircut? Who cooks the best burger? Join our readers in selecting the "Best of Windham."

Make your picks!
While the amount of tasks is impressive, the varying nature of them stuns as well. In addition to the nine tasks listed above, Houston County Road and Bridge staffers also completed the following tasks from October 2017 to September 2018:

>> Completed 1,202 work orders

>> Issued 95 utility permits

>> Issued 66 building permits

>> Demolished a home in Cottonwood

>> Resurfaced a parking lot for the Town of Cottonwood

>> Rebuilt the retaining wall and improved the Houston County Courthouse parking lot

>> Finished the Adkinson Road drainage project, which took almost a year to complete

Crews and staffers at Houston County Road and Bridge should be applauded for their service, especially since this list is not exhaustive.

Cops with a cause: Speaking of impressive numbers that need to be commended, the Dothan Police Department raised $33,344 for Childrens Hospital of Alabama through its No Shave November fundraiser campaign.
In Alabama, judicial posts are elected, and there are plenty of arguments against that process. It means that those who oversee the courts must not only spend time campaigning for re-election, but raising money to run their campaigns. Thats fraught with danger, as political contributions from those who may have business before a judge can create the perception of potential impropriety.

Theres another danger  partisanship, which, in a perfect world, would have no place on the benches of our states courts. Unlike the executive and legislative branches, the judicial branch should be free of partisan influence and beholden only to the law.

A judges role is as an impartial arbiter, ensuring that the rules of the judiciary are followed and that the law is fairly applied in cases before the court, civil or criminal. Yet in Alabama, judges are seated through partisan elections, from local district court judgeships to the state Supreme Court.

Alabama, a deeply conservative state, usually elects Republicans to public office, with few exceptions. Every justice on the Alabama Supreme Court is Republican. Their political affiliation should remain separate from their work on the court, which demands the absence of political bias.
Klondyke Gospel Music Center, located between Newton and Ozark at 3885 Highway 123 S., will host The Watsons of Cottondale on Jan. 26. Music starts at 7 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, contact Ron Jeffers, president and concert coordinator, at 334-797-9862.

Grimes Gospel Lighthouse, 1512 County Road 25, Grimes, will host the Conrad Family of Dothan, Jan. 26; Jerry Brown of Dothan, Feb. 2; Shelia Smith Trio of Cottondale, Florida, Feb. 9; local talent, Feb. 16; and Scott Fowler of Luverne, Feb. 23. Music starts at 7 p.m. A love offering will be taken. Call 334-983-4654 or 334-714-4658 for more information.

New Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 2627 Kinsey Road, Dothan, will hold its annual Deacon and Deaconess Day on Jan. 27 with services at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The theme will be Servants Heart. The Rev. Ezekiel Harvey of Headland will be the 11 a.m. speaker and the Rev. Truman Williams of Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church in Ashford will speak during the 2:30 p.m. service. A lunch will be served following the morning service.


Thank you for reading! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.
We continue pondering the horseshoes/no horseshoes controversy between cowboy hosses and Indian ponies, while awaiting an explanation why Matt Dillon wears his holster tied down in the opening scenes of some black and white Gunsmoke episodes and loose on others.

By actual count, Matthew got shot in his left arm seven times in the last week, ruined that many shirts but somehow managed to find identical replacements every time Doc Adams tended to him.

History tells us doctors offices in bygone eras were often in the rear of drugstores, but on Gunsmoke, Docs office was a flight of outside stairs atop a store on Dodges Front Street.

In Enterprise, the second floor of whats now Weevil 101, once held offices for doctors, lawyers but no Indian chiefs. Yarbrough and Cassady, attorneys at law, Dr. Capps and Dr. A.E. Lee, somebody said, were among those who conducted business there.
| BY Kim Shaw |

The long awaited summer campaign for Australian Lamb has launched  calling for Australia and New Zealand to come together over a lamb meal.

Building on the brand platform Share the Lamb, the integrated campaign via The Monkeys sets out to extend the rosemary sprig to our neighbouring nation and bridge the divide over something everyone can agree on  lamb.

The campaign launches with the new long-form spot directed by Tim Bullock, which takes us back to 1900 when Australias first Prime Minister, Edmund Barton, is finalising the Constitution Act and makes New Zealand part of The Commonwealth. This actual historical moment then inspires two modern day Aussie politicians to connect both countries again.

The stage is then set for both nations to come together over a lamb barbecue, amongst a huge floating party in the middle of the Tasman Sea. The comical spot celebrates the best of both nations and joins us together in New Australia-land.

Says Graeme Yardy, Domestic Market Manager at MLA: The good-humoured rivalry between Australia and New Zealand is something that underpins both countries cultures. As a brand, Australian Lamb is famous for settling differences and promoting unity, so we thought it was the perfect opportunity to bring both nations together over some tasty Aussie lamb.

Adds Executive Creative Director at The Monkeys, Vince Lagana: Lamb has always been about uniting Australians around what makes our country the greatest, but in recent times we seem to have lost our way. Whereas our Kiwi neighbours, under the leadership of Jacinda, are progressing nicely.

True to tradition we always claim the best of New Zealand  but this time, with the help of a little lamb chop, we want to go one step further and claim the entire nation to form New Australia-land. Edmund Barton almost made it happen in 1900. In 2019 we want to make it a reality. In this fun natured, tongue-in-cheek campaign everyone winsexcept maybe the All Blacks.

The spot will air on TV and will be pushed out across digital, social and radio from today, while PR will celebrate the coming together of both nations in earned media. Media partners, Nova Network and Junkee will support the campaign across multiple channels, encouraging both nations to unite as New Australia-land.

Nova Networks Fitzy & Wippa will help bring the campaign to life through a series of activations, culminating in an event to celebrate New Australia-land and bring both nations together over a summer lamb lunch. Digital partners Junkee will integrate the campaign onto their site by capturing video and editorial content of Aussies and New Zealanders coming together over lamb.

In-store, product-focused point-of-sale will deliver meal inspiration, focusing on the variety of different lamb cuts and cuisines. While, Trans-Tasman recipes developed by Daniel Wilson, will underpin the campaign and inspire Aussies to cook and share a lamb meal together.

Creative Agency  The Monkeys

Co-founder & Group Chief Creative Officer  Scott Nowell

Executive Creative Director  Vince Lagana

Creative Director  Scott Dettrick

Senior Art Director  Scott Zuliani

Senior Copywriter  Tim Pashen

Copywriter  Pierce Thomson

Head of Planning  Michael Hogg

Connections Strategist  David Toussaint

Head of Production  Thea Carone

Senior Producer  Kaija Wall

Producer  Sally Lankshear

Group Content Director  Ciaran Miller-Stubbs

Content Director  Anna Willis

Senior Content Manager  Victoria Zourkas

Content Manager  Will Davies

Production Company  Scoundrel

Director  Tim Bullock

Executive Producer  Adrian Shapiro

Producer  Kate Gooden

DoP  Daniel Ardilley

Post Production

Editor  Adam Wills

Post Productions/VFX  Blockhead

Audio Production  Song Zu

Colourist  BE Colour

Media Agency  UM

Senior Client Director  Tim Rogers

Senior Partnerships Manager  Jenny Lam

Partnerships Manager  Anna Cox

Connections Strategist  Charlotte Berry

Connections Designer Director  Jonny Day

Senior Connections Designer  Alice Davidson

Partnerships Trader  Yasmin Sherif

PR Agency  One Green Bean

MLA  Chief Marketing Officer  Lisa Sharp

MLA  Domestic Market Manager  Graeme Yardy
Highlights:

Samsung will unveil its Galaxy S10 series of phones on February 20 but an image leaks their design ahead of launch.

An image tweeted by Evan Blass reveals three phones that are said to the Galaxy S10E, S10, and the S10+.

The next Samsung flagships are set to be announced at the Unpacked event next month on February 20th in San Francisco. Tipped to be named the Galaxy S10, a new leak by noted tipster Evan Blass has given us a good look at the 2019 lineup. The leaked image shows three separate Galaxy S10 variants, in line with previous information revealed via leaks and rumours. However, its not the entire lineup expected from Samsung at the event. Notably missing is the foldable phone that Samsung has been teasing for a while now.

The leaked image shows three smartphones that the leakster names Galaxy S10E, Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+. The Galaxy S10E is the light-weight S10 expected from the company, but earlier reports claimed the variant will be named Galaxy S10 Lite. The stripped-down version has the heart rate sensor missing from below the flash unit on the back. It has a physical fingerprint sensor rear-mounted, indicating it will skip on the in-display fingerprint sensor as well. What it will have is the curved Super AMOLED display, hole-punch front camera and dual cameras.

The Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy S10+ are expected to come with triple-cameras on the back and other new bells and whistles. In the leaked image which shows the three variants encased, the Galaxy S10E is on the left, the S10 in the middle and the S10+ on the right.

Samsung is also planning to launch a 5G variant of the Galaxy S10, and is expected to sport a larger battery and more powerful hardware. And lastly, theres the foldable phone that the company have showed behind-closed-doors during its development. Its apparently ready for commercial usage and will be launched alongside the other flagships.

Theres a lot riding for Samsung this year after the Galaxy S9 reported poor sales in 2018. The company also faced a sharp drop in profits in the holiday quarter of 2018, but this year is expected to unveil a new design, and new technologies which Samsung hopes will bring back the users once again.

Related Reads:

Samsung Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+ design leaked in full

Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, Galaxy Fold battery capacities leaked
5 Bollywood Actors Who Opened Up About Feeling Underappreciated

Despite all its glam and glitter, Bollywood can surely be a tough place to navigate especially for actors. It is not easy to stay put in the race for years on end. While hard work and talent is a major chunk of the process, there are other things like luck and networking that also contributes massively in an actor becoming a star. In fact, in so many cases a good actor never becomes a big star.

While some chose to accept their fate and stay quiet, some decided to call things out in the open. Here are 5 actors of Bollywood who feel underappreciated by the industry.

Shahid Kapoor

With stellar performances like Haider, Udta Punjab Shahid Kapoor is one of the most talented actors in Bollywood. Even though he has been an A-lister, Shahid thinks he has been underrated as an actor. He said, I agree when others say I am underrated as an actor...When you give super-hit films then only you are considered as a good actor. At least that is how it is there in our industry. I think you need to be successful to be appreciated.

Arshad Warsi

Recently, while talking about his new film Fraud Saiyaan, Arshad Warsi said, Unfortunately, in the profession of acting, acting is the least important thing and that's the sad part. He has also previously stated that Jolly LLB 2 would have still been a 100 crore hit if he and Boman Irani were in it instead of Akshay Kumar, which clearly proves that he feels that he has not got his due in Bollywood.

Vivek Oberoi

One of the most unfortunate actors in Bollywood, things have truly been difficult for Vivek. In an interview he said, It was like a fatwa issued against me from the powers that be. Even if I gave a hit, work wouldn't follow. Shootout at Lokhandwala became a huge hit but I sat at home for a year after that. He was obviously referring to the whole Salman Khan mishap and did not let Viveks career be what it had the potential to become.

Ratna Pathak Shah

In 2017, Ratna Pathak Shah became the hottest topic of discussion due to her masturbation scene in Lipstick Under My Burkha. In an interview when asked about lack of good roles for women in Bollywood, Ratna Pathak Shah said that people used to come to Naseeruddin Shah with film offers and talked to him about it was difficult to find a good actress these days. She said that even though she would be serving them tea and snacks, no one considered her for good roles despite being a good actor with a solid theatre background.

Pooja Bhatt

With films like Sadak and Dil Hai Ki Maanta Nahi, Pooja Bhatt was almost on the verge of superstardom, but things did not go as planned. In an interview, she said, I could not be arm candy to a hero. When I would ask, Mera role kya hai? they would say, You are Akshay Kumars heroine. I would persist, But what is my role? And they would dub me as a badtameez. They would be upset I had a brain, I had an opinion and that I thought of myself as Mahesh Bhatts daughter. Hindi film heroines were meant to be seen and not heard.
SALT LAKE CITY  What if the state of Utah  instead of Utah families  picked up the cost of curricular fees charged to parents of public school students in grades 7-12?

Rep. Adam Robertson, R-Provo, is working on legislation that would cover the costs of textbooks, lockers, registration and general fees through the weighted pupil unit, or WPU, a basic funding unit for public education in Utah.

"I think we need to fund this fully so education is provided for all curricular activities at no charge as the original intent of the Utah State Constitution," said Robertson, addressing the finance committee of the Utah State Board of Education on Friday.

Robertson said his proposal, still in draft form, would not impact activity fees. Taxpayers shouldn't be expected to pick up cost of his daughter's band trips to St. George, Las Vegas or Disneyland, for example, he said.

The state's founders believed Utah has a moral obligation to give the rising generation "a solid, good education," he said.

Policymakers should abide by the intent of the Utah Constitution, which says "public elementary and secondary schools shall be free."

Robertson, the father of eight children who attend schools from elementary school to college, said his family has paid a lot of school fees over the years.

"When we go to sign up for classes at registration time, it's alarming how much we pay in fees. People who come from out of state are shocked that in Utah, even if you have no extracurricular activities, nothing special, you still pay a lot of money in fees. I know people who save up year-round just to pay for those fees," he said.

"I'm pushing we have this come through the WPU. This gives the LEAs (local education agencies) maximum flexibility," Robertson said.

The proposal has been discussed in the House Republicans caucus and "we have pretty good support," he said.

"The only pushback is the funding."

Robertson said legislative fiscal analysts are still working through the costs of the proposal. One estimate put it at $34 million annually or $125 per secondary student, but business administrators for local school districts who attended Friday's meeting said far more funding would be needed to cover costs.

Rep. Karianne Lisonbee, R-Clearfield, who served on the school fees task force convened by the State School Board last year, also has legislation in the works.

Much of it dovetails a proposed State School Board rule now in its fifth draft. The board rule also will address school fundraising.

Lisonbee's proposal requires that the State School Board withhold funds from a school district or charter school board that does not comply with school fee laws and regulations.

Her proposal also calls for greater transparency from school districts and charter boards on school fees and maximum fee amounts.

While the State School Board rule and legislation will be considered later this year, state board members and Lisonbee agree that it may be necessary to implement changes in the 2020-21 school year to give schools time to study and train secondary school leaders on the changes.

A number of school district business administrators attended Friday's meeting to discuss concerns about the proposed state board rule.

"We know we have to implement (new policies). We want to get it right," said Todd Hauber, business administrator of the Park City School District.

Hauber asked the committee to keep in mind that schools rely on fees as a funding source.

"We will acknowledge that these are a funding source for schools in the state of Utah. A user fee concept is not foreign. It's not an odd thing. It happens in government at many levels in many ways. So we're hoping this isn't an effort that will push us to the point of eliminating fees," Hauber said.

In 2018, two audits found equity and accountability concerns over Utah schools' handling of school fees.

The legislative audit "found widespread and varied violations of state law by the Utah State Board of Education, school districts, high schools and charter schools." The audit said oversight and control of fees are week at the state and local level. It also found that fees may be an obstacle to school participation.

An internal Utah State Board of Education audit released earlier this year found Utah public schools' failure to comply with school fee and fee waiver policies has resulted in an "unreasonable system of fees, which jeopardizes equal opportunity for all students  based on their ability to pay."
SALT LAKE CITY  A nationally televised presentation of a border security compromise proposal Saturday from President Donald Trump was met with mixed results, including from Utah's congressional delegation.

The president offered to extend temporary protections for young people brought to the U.S. illegally as children and those fleeing disaster zones in exchange for his long-promised border wall. But while Trump cast the move as a "common-sense compromise," Democrats were quick to dismiss it at a "non-starter."

The Republican members of Utah's federal delegation roundly supported the President's proposal. Utah's lone Democrat in the House, Rep. Ben McAdams, saw the president's pitch as at least a sign of movement toward compromise, but not the solution.

Though Trump presented his proposal while McAdams was still speaking with constituents, and he noted he hadn't had a chance to review the details, he said he'd still like to see government reopened while negotiations continue on border security and immigration issues.

"We've got American people who are suffering during this negotiation," McAdams said. "I don't think we should continue making the American people pay the price of that while we negotiate. I'm not saying I won't sit down and negotiate until the government is open, but we should open the government and have this negotiation on a parallel track."

McAdams also highlighted his desire to see a permanent, rather than short-term, solution for so-called Dreamers, as well as comprehensive immigration reform.

Other members of the state's federal delegation weighed-in with statements or social media postings in response to the Trump proposal.

 Rep. Rob Bishop: "I like it. Let's vote."

 Rep. John Curtis: "The President has made a reasonable, good-faith offer, and I hope my Democratic colleagues will give it the fair consideration it deserves. No compromise is perfect, but we all can agree on the importance of ending this shutdown."

 Sen. Mike Lee: "It is very good to hear that we will be voting on a solution to end the government shutdown and secure the border this week. I look forward to reading the legislation and being able to offer amendments if they are needed."

 Sen. Mitt Romney: "(President Trump) has put forth a reasonable, good faith proposal that will reopen the government and help secure the border. I look forward to voting for it and will work to encourage my Republican and Democratic colleagues to do the same."

 Rep. Chris Stewart: "The President put forward a very reasonable proposal that would secure our southern border and provide much needed humanitarian relief as well as relief for our Dreamers. He has tried to compromise with the Democrats, but they rejected his offer before they even heard it. It's time they came to the table and negotiated in good faith."
WEST VALLEY CITY  A member of the Utah National Guard died Saturday while swimming laps at a public pool.

Corey Holmgren, 35, was swimming laps while his wife recorded him with her phone about 2:30 p.m. at the West Valley Family Fitness Center, 5415 W. 3100 South, when he went under the water and did not surface, West Valley City Fire Battalion Chief Jeff Fox said.

"The lifeguards were right on it, they jumped in there and pulled him out," Fox said.

Lifeguards attempted to revive Holmgren using CPR and a defibrillator, while an emergency crew stationed across the street arrived in less than 3 minutes to help, Fox said.

After about 25 minutes of CPR, Holmgren was taken to a local hospital where lifesaving efforts were attempted for another 30 minutes, according to Fox. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Major David Gibb of the Utah Army National Guard confirmed Saturday that Holmgren was a soldier with the state's military at the time of his death. Additional information is expected to be released Sunday.

Fox said Holmgren was healthy and had no history of medical problems. With such a quick emergency response, Fox said "usually this is not the outcome, it's very unfortunate."

The West Valley Family Fitness Center posted on its Facebook page Saturday evening that its pools would be closed through the weekend "due to unforeseen circumstances." Pools at the facility will re-open at 5 a.m. Monday, according to the post.

Correction: In an earlier version, police identified the man who died as a former member of the military. Corey Holmgren was a current member in the Utah Army National Guard at the time of his death.
Last year was Utahs driest on record. As commissioner of the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, or UDAF, I should be filled with doom and gloom. But Im not. In fact, not even close.

My husband, Bob, and I are fifth-generation ranchers. Bobs grandfather ran Palomino horses on our land in Box Elder County in the late 1800s. Over several generations our land has produced many things, including our current cattle operation. Weve lived through economic trials, natural disasters and much more. But we keep working.

Our life in agriculture isnt much different than other farmers and ranchers. As a unified body, weve enjoyed prosperity and an enviable lifestyle. We also know something of hardship, loss and fears. Our best response to all of it is work, because  it works.

Today, I want to share whats working in Utah agriculture  the source of my optimism.

Lets begin with the drought. Utah is prone to extremes in weather. Its documented that indigenous tribes in Utah adapted to these conditions for thousands of years, moving between farming and hunting. Weve experienced five floods since 1952, and six multi-year droughts since the 1890s, two of which were 12 years.

But heres the good news: Were innovating and adapting. Farmers and ranchers are using funds to improve water quality and purchase technology that strategically delivers this precious resource at optimal moments and with pin-point precision. Well continue to experience droughts, but we are getting better and better at managing and conserving what we have.

In 2018, Utah farmers and ranchers faced some new economic challenges. While international trade deals are still in negotiation, we are hearing of progress with Canada, Mexico and other new and emerging markets.

But were also seeing producers in Utah pushing back on outside competition, getting traction in overseas markets and by expanding and diversifying their product lines. Last year, UDAF, helped connect 35 Utah companies with overseas trade partners.

Agritourism and farmers markets are booming in our state. Corn mazes, petting zoos and other farm experiences are taking the edge off financial challenges, evening out the highs and lows of farm income. Consumers are also showing a clear preference for locally sourced fruits and vegetables, showing up in droves to purchase better-quality food.

Growers are successfully introducing new varieties of fruits and vegetables and tilling new ground, previously thought to be less fertile. Last year, Utah State University researchers made progress on a fungicide that treats wheat blight, a disease that has cost the industry billions of dollars over the years. Our invasive species program is carefully monitoring and preventing the spread of insects that would compromise our entire ecosystem.

Because the window to sell some produce is small, food waste is an issue. Yet many large institutions (hospitals, schools and business cafeterias) in Utah import food from outside the state for convenience. To correct this, UDAF is actively convening legislators, producers and other community representatives to create a statewide food hub. Utah is one of only a few states without one, but the concept will merge and connect small producers with large institutions.

Utah is also on the cutting edge of high-tech agriculture. For example, dairies are embracing robotics for feeding and milking, lowering labor costs and increasing production. One of our tomato producers is operating a massive indoor greenhouse in Mona that enables year-round production. Farmers and ranchers are inventing and using laser, drone and GPS technology to perform all kinds of tasks designed to save money and boost revenue.

Overall, agriculture in Utah accounts for 15.1 percent of the states total economic output, generating $21.2 billion annually and employing more than the top three employers combined. We rank second in the country in tart cherry and wool production, and fifth in sheep livestock and safflower production. We are recognized nationally for our chocolate and cheese industries, and are successfully exporting dozens of other foods and commodities in growing numbers.

Yes, Utah agriculture has its share of challenges  we always have. But you can see why I am optimistic. Our agriculture producers are at their core what we all aspire to be. They are innovators, yes, but more central than that, they are honest and know how to work.
Our national government is in chaos, with part of it shut down; Congress is in gridlock, the opposing parties incapable of doing much more than shout insults at each other; and both parties are contributing to a massive national debt. By contrast, Utah state and local governments are models of effectiveness, collaboration and fiscal responsibility.

Why is governance at Utah state and local levels so much better than the federal level?

Pignanelli: "Congress is like a homeowners association. You love your neighbors individually, but when they get together, dysfunction results."  Congressman John Curtis (R-Utah)

The great restaurants, fun bars and interesting museums in Washington, D.C., are important distractions that prevent my fall into insanity when facing the void of coherency and commonsense that plagues the Capital.

Interactions with members of Congress are enjoyable, but their aggregate lack of direction is infuriating. Over the years, especially on plane rides home, I ponder why more is accomplished by states  especially Utah.

Of course, the volume of information and issues is much less on a local level, thereby providing flexibility. Massive missives from special-interest groups have more weight on a national level, thus preventing discernible action on matters. State lawmakers are constantly interacting with constituents, diminishing the consequences of a public affairs campaign. Also, local officials possess an urgency to resolve issues that impact day-to-day lives, whereas national problems are usually indirect and prompt kicking the can attitudes. Studies document that part-time legislatures are exceptionally efficient, suggesting restricting politicians deliberations produces results. (No surprise there.)

Of course, our nations capital has always been a source of frustration. This explains why Congress hired its own private distillers during Prohibition.

Webb: Without adherence to basic constitutional principles, the long-term trajectory of government is overspending and overregulation. In Utah, most of us endorse limited government and low taxes. We have citizen policymakers who spend most of their time in regular jobs, living with the laws they create.

Utah has instituted strong financial and fiscal controls that sustain budgetary discipline and restraint. These controls include a constitutional balanced budget mandate, sensible policies that limit debt and appropriations growth, rapid debt payment, control of long-term liabilities like pensions, high reserve fund levels, and adherence to generally accepted accounting principles. Utah budgets properly for long-term maintenance of roads, parks and other assets. Governance in Utah is also characterized by collaboration and bipartisanship.

By contrast, the federal government is a disaster. It borrows wildly, not just for large capital projects, but for day-to-day operations. It doesnt account for real costs, especially future unfunded liabilities. It plays shell games with revenue. Its parks are falling apart. The country is $21 trillion in debt. Congress cant even pass annual budgets  hence the shutdown. And Republicans, Democrats and the president fight like banty roosters.

Why are most individual members of Congress (including Utahs congressional delegation) smart, capable and reasonable, but Congress as a whole is a dumpster fire?

Pignanelli: Utah is home to the Franklin Day Planner, the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" and cutting-edge organizational productivity programs. The awards our state and local governments garner for quality management are too numerous to inventory. State residents are practical, hard-working task-oriented people who demand the same of our elected officials. These demeanors, regardless of party affiliation, are often reflected in those we send to the Capitol.

Oh, that the rest of the country was blessed like us.

Webb: Sometimes good people can overcome a bad system. But not in the case of Congress  its too dysfunctional. Most members of Congress are well-meaning people. But they cant overcome the hyper-partisanship and political machinations.

Little gets done in the U.S. Senate because of the filibuster. Despite holding a majority, Republicans can seldom get to the 60 votes needed to pass anything. Thank goodness the filibuster doesnt apply to judicial appointments, or the federal judiciary would be decimated. Congress is so dysfunctional that even when a party has a majority, it cant govern.

Are there solutions to the mess at the federal level?

Pignanelli: Lobbyists pervade the national and state capitals, often incurring blame for dysfunction. But since none can vote on legislation, the responsibility belongs elsewhere. Because the country is enduring a massive political and technological transformation, Congress will continue to be problematic. Over time more politicians will understand and master social media. There will be greater clarity on Americas role in the global economy and on social mores. Then  maybe  Congress will be less partisan and more efficient. (At least that's the hope)

Webb: The solutions are structural. Eliminate the filibuster. Impose term limits. The biggest structural fix would be to restore balanced federalism. Not all states are as responsible as Utah is, but almost all are better than the federal government. So, a large part of the solution is to devolve much of what the federal government does to the states, which function, for the most part, more sensibly and effectively. Let the federal government perform its constitutional duties. Let the states do the rest. The country would enjoy much improved governance.
Only four months have passed since I posed the question, in this column, of whether lawmakers would have the guts to change an initiative passed by voters. That seems like such an innocent time, now.

Back then, the question centered on Proposition 2, the initiative to legalize medical marijuana. I supported efforts to change it, which the Legislature did in a December special session only weeks after voters passed it.

Now, the question is whether lawmakers also should change propositions 3 and 4, which, respectively, expand Medicaid coverage, under Obamacare, to about 150,000 low-income people, and set up a commission to recommend how to draw political boundaries to avoid gerrymandering. Both also passed.

With the 2019 legislative session set to start in a matter of days, talk is swirling. A bill to change Medicaid expansion is being written. Some want to sue to challenge the boundary commission.

Doing either would be a terrible idea.

You ask, Evensen, how could you support rewriting Proposition 2 and oppose rewriting the other ones? Isnt that, uh, inconsistent? (Im imagining you are too polite to use other words.)

The answer is, no.

Several weeks before Election Day, the main parties for and against Proposition 2 met and hammered out a compromise that rewrote the initiative to allow for medical marijuana while still satisfying the demands of those who worried it would lead to a de-facto legalization of recreational marijuana.

It was too late to change the ballots, so voters had no choice but to vote on the original proposition, which they approved. But when lawmakers met to change what voters had done, they were acting with the support of major players on both sides.

Thats not the case with either Proposition 3 or 4.

Before going further, I need to restate my general skepticism about citizen initiatives.

As I wrote back in September, normal lawmaking is done by folks who are elected to take the time to study issues and represent the needs and wishes of their constituents. They hold hearings, make compromises and propose amendments. This process tends to chip off the sharp edges of any new law, taking multiple viewpoints into account.

Only 21 states allow initiatives for the purpose of writing laws. They require only the proper number of signatures and a majority vote to become law. People get to say yes or no. They cant vote, Maybe, but only if we change this or that. Frankly, many voters dont understand the nuances involved.

And yet there are times when the publics representatives consistently ignore the peoples desires. That seems to be the case with both Medicaid expansion and the drawing of political boundaries.

If Utah is going to allow citizen initiatives (lawmakers, generally, have hated them since voters put them in the state constitution shortly after the turn of the 20th century), then these ought to mean something.

On Medicaid expansion, some lawmakers say the 0.15 percent sales tax increase it provides for is not enough to fund the cost. Legislative leadership seems to support a plan that would cover people who earn less than the federal poverty level, rather than those who earn up to 138 percent of it, as called for in the proposition.

I understand their desires to be good stewards of public funds, but theyre missing the point. Voters wanted the full expansion and indicated a willingness to pay more taxes to get it. The proper thing would be for lawmakers to increase the sales tax to match the costs.

The boundary commission initiative, meanwhile, poses a political challenge.

The proposition, after all, still gives state lawmakers the last word. They just have to provide a reason as to why they would change a recommendation from the boundary commission.

While lawmakers may not confront this until after the 2020 Census, they wont be able to change what voters passed without effectively arguing both in favor of gerrymandering and against transparency  not the stuff of effective campaign slogans.

Utah is one of only a handful of states that impose no limits on how the Legislature may alter a voter-approved law. That kind of nimbleness is an important safeguard against the potential mischief of direct democracy, but it should be used with extreme caution.

The initiative process is filled with flaws and pitfalls, but as long as it remains in the state constitution, it deserves respect. Mess with that too eagerly and you mess with public trust, which would be fraught with consequences of its own.
| BY Kim Shaw |

Dentsu Aegis Network has appointed Henry Tajer to the role of chief executive officer Australia and New Zealand, following an extensive global executive search.

Tajer has more than two decades of experience spanning media, creative and digital services, and joins the group after a short stint at Amazon, where he held the role of Managing Director, Media Services.

Previous international leadership roles include Global CEO at IPG Mediabrands and APAC President at Universal McCann.

Says DAN APAC CEO, Nick Waters: I am delighted to bring Henry into the group. We have a large and diverse business across Australia and New Zealand which requires the high calibre leadership that Henry will provide.

An exceptional operator, Henrys appointment will reinforce our leadership position as we enable our clients and staff to navigate the complexities of a rapidly changing market.

Says Tajer: Im really excited to join Dentsu Aegis Network and team. The opportunity to be part of a diverse, progressive and agile organisation like DAN was one I couldnt resist.

I cant wait to get to know the team and work with our clients to enjoy shared success moving forward. The Australian advertising market is one of the most exciting in the world. I feel very lucky to be a part of it.
Media Borough is now backing away from a move to rezone the property of the Broomall Lake Country Club.
FAITH-BASED SAFETY SUMMIT

Keepin' the faith - & safety - focus of session in Glen Mills
Transit

How to get around in Delco this week
In reference to the North Star, Caesar tells Cassius in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: I could well be moved if I were as you; if I could pray to move, prayers would move me; but I am constant as the North Star..."

The Supreme Court in its judicial pronouncements is viewed like the North Star. In the case of 36 Rafale aircraft purchase order, the court declined to interfere with the deal. Apparently, the judgement was in sync with the Wednesbury Principle of reasonableness.

However, Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie and Prashant Bhushan moved the Supreme Court for a review of the judgement calling it flawed as it was largely based on an unsigned note given by the government in a sealed envelope.

Rafale is one of the finest multirole fighter aircraft available in the international arena. The cutting-edge technology of Rafale would give the Indian Air Force (IAF) the much-needed punch to safeguard the security of our air space.

With China setting up production of its frontline fighter aircraft in Pakistan, the likelihood of its gaining access to Pakistans airbases for future military operations is well on the cards. This further amplifies the need for advanced fighter aircraft by the IAF.

The key issues that have docked the Rafale deal are the purchase of 36 aircraft against the earlier projections of 126, pricing and selection of the Indian offset partner.

Acquisition of Rafale is not the first defence deal that has rocked the country. In the past, many defence deals such as Bofors, Coffingate, Scorpene class submarines, Agusta Westland helicopters among others were known to have been riddled with corruption.

Stephen D Morris, a professor of politics in the University of Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa, US, writes that political corruption is the illegitimate use of public power to benefit a private interest.

Lack of transparency in political funding is a key factor of corruption in India. The BJP government came to power in 2014 on the agenda to remove corruption. Though it has made some headway in this regard, it has done little to bring transparency in political funding.

The kick-backs received from the defence acquisitions have been a major source of political/individual funding to run Pork Barrel politics. Pork Barrel is a metaphor for the appropriation of government spending to benefit constituents of politicians/ political parties to garner votes.

India is not exclusive in this regard. In the US, Pork Barrel money link extends back to the American civil war era when Abraham Lincoln gave contracts to the northern businessmen in exchange of campaign support. By the 20th century, it became a regular feature of the US governments wasteful spending.

In the 2014 budget, more than $90 million was allocated for tanks upgrade that supposedly the US Army didnt need. In 2017, Sau Paulo newspapers estimated that President Temers Pork Barrel politics could cost Brazil nearly $10 billion.

The international arms bazaar is flush with Pork Barrel funds being siphoned off to political parties or leaders. The current international arms trade is valued at $100 billion. Andrew Feinstein, a South African politician, in his book The Shadow World: Inside the Global Arms Trade has given enough evidence on corruption in arms deals.

Selection of offset partners is a well-known modus operandi for this purpose.

Despite being the second largest army in the world, our arms industry continues to languish. Our ordnance factories and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have failed to deliver. Their success is limited to Agni, Prithvi missiles and some other equipment.

The failures/delays are far too many which include Kaveri engine for fighter aircraft, INSAS (Indian Small Arms Systems), guns and a host of other military hardware. The DRDO and the ordnance factories have largely been acting as middlemen for the import of defence equipment rather than being the centre of excellence for developing futuristic defence technology.

Between 2008 and 2017, India spent nearly $100 billion in defence acquisition of which 65 to 70% went into import of defence hardware. The original DPP (Defence Procurement Procedure) of 2005 has been revamped six times.

It was the DPP of 2013 that defined the key objectives of the offset policy. These were: leverage capital acquisitions to develop defence industry, foster development of international competitive enterprises and augment capacity for research, design and development of defence equipment. Despite these policy enunciations, India has achieved little in this regard.

Lets believe that the price per aircraft negotiated by the government in the current Rafale deal for the fast track supply of 36 aircraft is lower than the previous quote for 126 fighters. The controversy related to the selection of the offset partner.

Make in India

The offset is of the tune of Rs 30,000 crore. Former French president Francoise Hollande has stated that there was little choice but for Anil Ambanis company, Reliance Defence, as the offset partner. The NDA government on its part has asserted that it had no role in the selection of the offset partner and it was entirely the manufacturers decision.

The government has advocated the Make in India philosophy to propel our industry. The amendments made to DPP/offset policy in 2016 and 2018 were aimed to make India self-reliant in defence equipment.

Shouldnt the government have spelt out the criteria for offset partner with proven credentials, both technically and financially, if it is serious in making India self-reliant in defence equipment production?

Despite the offset policy and technology transfer being in vogue for many years, India continues to be the largest defence importer. China and India were in the same league till the late nineties.

Today, China is amongst the five largest exporters of defence equipment. To pave way for defence production in India, we need better transparency in defence deals, selection of offset partners and accountability of DRDO and ordnance factories.
That's the question uppermost in everybodys mind  both who want to see him win a second term and those who want him to go. Even a year ago, neither side doubted that the 2019 Lok Sabha election had already been decided  in his favour. But since then, much has changed. New political equations have emerged. Modi himself has lost the sheen, the BJP its confidence and three key elections in the Hindi heartland. As Modi himself admitted to his party workers, he can no longer be expected to change the partys fortunes single-handedly.

The nations mood has changed. DH correspondents across the country make an assessment of that mood. This assessment is not based on any large-scale opinion poll or survey and does not claim to be making accurate predictions that will hold three months down the line. And to be sure, Modi still has tricks up his sleeve as recent announcements and political moves have shown, and a vast and deep party organisation to bank on. This is an assessment  AS ON TODAY - based on reporters instincts, anecdotal evidence and off-the-record conversations with key political figures and analysts across the country. Read on

UTTAR PRADESH

SP-BSP pact a big challenge for BJP

The BJP, which swept the 2014 Lok Sabha polls by winning 71 of the 80 seats, may find the going tough in the 2019 elections after the alliance between two arch rivals the SP and the BSP.

The challenge ahead for the BJP could be gauged from the fact that even in 2014, when the saffron party was riding a Modi wave, the combined vote share of the SP and BSP was more than the former in 41 seats. The BJP had secured 42% votes in 2014 while SP and BSP, togother, secured a little more than 41% votes.

In the 2017 Assembly polls also, which was again swept by the BJP (it won 325 of 403 seats), the SP and BSP had together polled more votes than the saffron party in 47 LS seats.

What may further add to the BJPs woes is the decision of some smaller, caste-based outfits like RLD, Peace Party and Nishad Party to join the alliance. BJP has pinned its hopes on reservation for economically weaker sections of the upper castes and division of secular votes after Congress exclusion from the SP-BSP alliance.

Sanjay Pandey

BIHAR

Grand alliance spells trouble for NDA

The NDA had performed exceedingly well in Bihar in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, winning 31 of the states 40 seats. There were two prime reasons for this: One, the Modi wave; two, the BJP benefited from the triangular contest. The BJP-led NDA was pitted against the JD(U)-Left and RJD-Congress combine. But 2019 polls will be different.

Political equations have changed, and it will be a straight contest between BJP-led NDA and the RJD-led Mahagatbandhan (Grand Alliance).

If the Mahagatbandhan manages to stitch a formidable alliance and finalise seat-sharing in time, then the NDA will find it tough to win more than 15 seats in Bihar. The scenario will be the reverse if the Mahagatbandhan crumbles before polls.

Abhay Kumar

KARNATAKA

Despite resort politics, coalition still in control

A formidable challenge awaits the BJP as the Congress and the JD(S) will contest as allies this time for the 28 seats that are at stake.

The BJP had won 17, Congress 9 and JD(S) two in 2014. As against this, the Congress-JD(S) combine is likely to bag 18-20 seats, reducing the BJP to 8-10.

In the May 2018 Assembly polls, the Congress-JD(S) combine had established a lead over the BJP in six of the 17 seats that the latter had won in 2014. This, notwithstanding the current turmoil with resort politics taking the sheen off the ruling coalition.

The Congress is upbeat with its impressive performance in the Assembly polls in the Hindi heartland states and believes that its strength, along with that of the JD(S), besides the Karnataka governments flagship farm loan waiver programme that will cost Rs 43,000 crore, will ensure a rich electoral harvest.

Vijesh Kamath



G Parameshwara and H D Kumaraswamy. DH Photo



TELANGANA

TRS playing field

With the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) holds sway, there seems to be little space for any other party, including the Congress. As for the BJP, Hyderabad is unlikely to prove to be its Bhagyanagar.

In 2014, even at the height of the Modi wave, the BJP could win only one out of the 17 seats in the state. In the recent Assembly elections, the saffron party contested in 118 seats out of 119, and lost deposits in 103. It won only one seat. In the absence of the Modi wave and any other emotive issue that could sway voters in Telangana, it is difficult to see the BJP doing any better.

The TRS is likely to win 12-15 seats, AIMIM 1, and the BJP could retain its tally of 1. TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao is banking on this likely tally as he continues his efforts to lead the formation of a non-BJP, non-Congress federal front, which could then bargain with either national party for a bigger say at the Centre. If the federal front does not take shape, it is widely expected that Rao will ally with the BJP post-election and add his might to the BJPs kitty.

JBS Umanadh

PUNJAB

Captains knock expected

The Congress has a distinct advantage over its adversaries, the SAD-BJP combine and the AAP. Even at the height of the Modi wave in 2014, the Congress won three seats and AAP four while the BJP won six. Congress gained one more in the Gurdaspur LS by-poll in 2017.

The same year, the Congress won the Assembly polls and returned to power in the state, increasing its vote share and lead comfortably in several parliamentary segments. In fact, until December 2018 when the party won the Hindi heartland polls, Punjab was one of the two major states the Congress was in power. The party also won the recent panchayat polls with a thumping majority.

While AAP is in melt-down in the state, Shiromani Akali Dal, too, is losing its senior leaders. Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has increased the partys footprint sizeably both in rural and the Panthak vote bank. Moreover, the farm loan waiver and the war on drugs are set to benefit the Congress. It is on track to win at least 8-9 of Punjabs 13 LS seats.

Gautam Dheer

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Still on top

This is one state where the BJP has more or less maintained its sheen from 2014 when it won all four LS seats. Since then, it has also wrested power from the Congress in 2017. The BJP has some advantages. The Congress continues to pay for its internal squabbling.

It is bogged down by differences between former CM Virbhadra Singh and the state Congress chief (until recently) Sukhwinder Sukhu. The BJP is far better placed. The BJPs good showing over the last one year has placed the party comfortably ahead. The Congress could still wrest one or two seats if it can set its house in order.

Gautam Dheer

DELHI

It's all in BJPs hands

The BJP had won all seven LS seats in Delhi in 2014 with a 46.63% vote share, but with no Modi wave around this time, can it repeat the performance? The BJP itself is not sure, but it hopes that it will not do too badly.

An internal survey had shown that four of its sitting MPs are not so popular anymore. The talked-about AAP-Congress tie-up hasnt happened. While the top leaders of the two parties know they can decimate the BJP if they joined hands, their local leaders are not keen. Both parties are now reconciled to fighting the BJP separately. Arvind Kejriwal has said votes for Congress would only help BJP as anti-Modi votes split.



Arvind Kejriwal. PTI Photo



The AAP, which had polled 33.08% of the votes in 2014, hopes to win at least five seats, but for Congress (15.22% votes in 2014), with the veteran Sheila Dikshit back in the saddle, it is a battle for survival.

Shemin Joy

HARYANA

It's advantage Cong

The BJP won 7 seats in 2014 (Congress 1, INLD 2) and months later swept the Assembly polls for the first time on its own. The graph and performance of the party have since been on a downhill journey and now faces immense anti-incumbency. The ministers and MPs are vocal against the first time MLA, and a non-Jat to boot, Manohar Lal Khattar, whom Modi chose for chief ministership.

The resentment of the dominant Jat community against the BJP is palpable and the governments failure to act against the perpetrators of the bloody 2016 Jat agitation has left the non-Jat communities unhappy. The state has witnessed a complete breakdown of law and order on several occasions.The party is likely to lose seats but the Opposition is not in great shape either.

The Chautala-led Opposition party, INLD, has split, leading to a division in Jat votes. The Congress is grappling with infighting, but the BJPs self-goals, lack of governance are expected to consolidate votes in its favour. The Congress is expected to win 4-6 seats in the state.

Gautam Dheer

RAJASTHAN

Congs big chance

The Congress may have won the Rajasthan Assembly polls in December - it barely did so - winning 99 of the 199 seats, falling one short of simple majority. Still, it was a great comeback for the party under the leadership of Sachin Pilot after having sunk to just 21 seats in 2013. The BJP, on the other hand, fell from 163 seats to 73. It must remember that the Rajasthan voters anger was directed at then CM Vasundhara Raje and not Modi.

In the absence of the Modi wave of 2014, that farmers anger could be enough to dent the BJPs tally. In 2014, the BJP had won 23 of the states 25 seats, and the Congress two.

But now, the Congress has a real chance to close that gap, provided it does a few things: stop the infighting and get the ticket distribution right; fulfil the poll promises of loan waiver and stipend to the unemployed quickly and on a scale that inspires trust in the party. If it does, it could well look at wresting half the seats from the BJP.

Tabeenah Anjum

MAHARASHTRA

Contest wide open

In 2014, the BJP and Shiv Sena fought together as a saffron alliance and won 40 seats (22 BJP, 18 SS). The Congress-NCP combine won seven.

However, both coalitions broke ahead of the Assembly polls the same year. Now, the Congress and NCP have teamed together again, but the Shiv Sena is playing tough with the BJP. By all accounts, the Sena is likely to go it alone this time. For the BJP, though it has swept most local bodies elections in the hinterland in the last four years.

Issues like drought, resentment among farmers, spiralling prices and lack of jobs mean that it is going to face a double anti-incumbency  due to both Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Modi. The Ram temple issue is unlikely to work here. The new 10% quota could help the BJP win over the Maratha community.

Mrityunjay Bose



Devendra Fadnavis. PTI Photo



ANDHRA PRADESH

It's neck and neck

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in undivided Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidus TDP, which had opposed the division of the state and had allied with the Narendra Modi-led BJP, had topped with 16 seats and K Chandrasekhar Raos TRS, which was the spearhead of the Telangana movement won 11; Jagan Reddys YSRCP had bagged 9; Asaduddin Owaisis AIMIM, Congress and the BJP had won 1, 2 and 3 seats, respectively.

In 2019, the divided Andhra Pradesh has 25 LS seats and Telangana 17; the TDP has walked out of the BJP-led NDA over the issue of Special Category status, and its main rival is the YSRCP.

Apart from facing anti-incumbency in the state, Naidus Mahakutami with Congress and CPI for Assembly elections in Telangana also bombed. After that experience, TDP is unlikely to have an alliance with Congress in AP. The other player is Pawan Kalyans Jana Sena, which is expected to rake in votes in areas dominated by the Kapu community.

While the TDP is still expected to lead the pack with 10-12 seats, the YSRCP, with gains in the coastal region, is likely to at least slightly improve its tally, perhaps match the TDPs. It remains to be seen how YSRCPs ties with the TRS shapes up and affects it.

JBS Umanadh

MADHYA PRADESH

The honeymoon continues

Cashing in on the Modi wave, the BJP won 27 of the 29 seats in 2014 and polled a staggering 54% of votes compared to the 34.9% of the Congress which won the remaining two seats.

In the Assembly elections held in December 2018, Congress which won the polls - established lead in 18, leaving the rest to the BJP.

Voters political honeymoon with the Congress-led Kamal Nath government is unlikely to be over till the coming Lok Sabha polls. The Congress may win between 18 and 22 seats and the BJP may have to remain satisfied at 7-11 seats.

Rakesh Dixit

ODISHA

Still BJDs fortress

As many as 21 Lok Sabha seats are up for grabs in Odisha where the Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal has an iron grip on power.

Along with the Lok Sabha election, Patnaik will also seek a fifth term as chief minister as Assembly polls are held simultaneously. Over the past 19 years, Patnaik has managed to keep his personal image intact despite several BJD leaders involvement in corruption cases.

The Congress and BJP have been relegated to the fringes of the political spectrum. In 2014, the BJD won 20 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats defying the Modi wave that had engulfed the country. The BJP won the lone seat while the Congress drew a blank. In the Assembly polls, BJD won 114 out of the 147 seats.

However, Patnaik may not be able to repeat the same performance in 2019 but would continue to be the undisputed leader of the state with some reduced strength.

The buzz about Prime Minister Narendra Modi contesting from Puri Lok Sabha seat is also expected to have a limited impact. The BJD has been equidistant from both the BJP and the Congress but may align with the former if the need arises.

Sagar Kulkarni



Naveen Patnaik



GUJARAT

No more a clean sweep

After the Congress gave the BJP a tough fight in the 2017 Assembly elections, improving its tally to 77 seats and restricting the BJP to 99 seats, the BJP is going all out to maintain its 2014 Lok Sabha position in Modis home state  26 out of 26. The ruling partys election in-charge and senior BJP leader Om Prakash Mathur has assured party men that it would indeed sweep all 26 seats this time, too.

Interestingly, caste polarisation cost the BJP many seats in the 2017 Assembly polls, when the Patidars and Dalits turned away from the party. The 10% quota for upper castes, of which Gujarat has already announced implementation, could help the party regain Patidar support. To ensure the continued support of the core Hindutva vote base, BJP chief Amit Shah recently met sadhus and the RSS chief in Rajkot to discuss the Ram temple issue and is said to have assured them that the temple would be built in Ayodhya.

Tabeenah Anjum

TAMIL NADU

Swinging DMKs way

In Tamil Nadu, with 39 LS seats, and Puducherry with 1 seat, the alliances are still unclear. But as things stand today, the DMK-Congress-Left combine seems to have a headway due to anti-incumbency factor against both the AIADMK government in the state and the BJP government at the Centre, specifically an anti-Modi sentiment.

The DMK-Congress-Left combine is arithmetically strong and has a clear edge over both AIADMK and also if it allies with BJP, which has hardly any base in the state. The AIADMK is vertically split, its government is hugely unpopular and does not have the charisma of J Jayalalithaa to garner votes. On the other side, the DMK has a strong leader in MK Stalin and the party has projected Rahul Gandhi as its prime ministerial nominee.

In 2014, the AIADMK had won 37 seats, BJP 1 and PMK 1. In 2019, the DMK combine could win 35-39 seats, leaving AIADMK with 0-4. In neighbouring Puducherry, too, the Congress-DMK combine has an edge. The BJP has no base here, and that of its ally NR Congress, which won the lone seat in 2014, is eroding.

ETB Sivapriyan

WEST BENGAL

Didi dominates

The BJP is trying its best (or worst) to raise the Hindutva temperature in Bengal, but the state is unlikely to see much change in terms of seats. This is because Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees popularity continues as it was. The Trinamool Congress is expected to bag 30-38 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state (34 in 2014). The BJP is expected to come a close second in many of the 42 LS seats, and win in 2-3. The CPM, which ruled Bengal for 34 years, is unlikely to see any gains in the LS polls as is evident from its poor performance in the recent bypolls, where the BJP pushed it to third place. The CPM may still win 2-3 seats; Congress tally is likely to come down to two (from four in 2014), with the party confined to Murshidabad and Malda.

Soumya Das



Mamata Banerjee. PTI Photo



NORTHEASTERN STATES

BJP will consolidate position

Barring Mizoram, the BJP either leads the coalition governments or is part of them in all other Northeastern states. The partys surge since 2014 in Christian majority regions has been surprising. The strong protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, however, points to the BJP losing some of the gains.

Still, with 14 seats in Assam, the BJP, which won 7 in 2014, believes the Bill will actually help it get the maximum of the nearly 20% Bengali Hindu vote and consolidate its grip over the states Hindutva voters. Also, the lack of strong leadership in Congress and possible division of the nearly 30% Muslim votes amongst the Congress, AGP and Badruddin Ajmals AIUDF could help the BJP. Its tally might increase to 10 in Assam, eating into the Congress and AIUDF.

In Tripura and Manipur, the BJPs chances are better as the state governments are just a year old and anti-incumbency is yet to build up. It could win the four seats between them, and also the two seats in Arunachal Pradesh. In Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland, its regional allies will do the job, bringing three of the four seats between them while the Congress struggles due to leadership issues.

Sumir Karmakar

JAMMU AND KASHMIR

PDPs loss is NCs gain

In the 2014 polls, the PDP won all three seats in the Valley while the BJP won two seats in Jammu and the lone Ladakh seat. However, 2019 may prove entirely different for both the parties.

The PDP-BJP coalition ruled the state, the government was unpopular and because of this, both the parties may not perform well in the LS polls.

The Congress and National Conference would gain from this. There is all likelihood that the PDP may lose all three seats to its arch-rival NC while the Congress may wrest back Ladakh and one of the two Jammu seats from the BJP.

The saffron partys chances of winning have shrunk and may win the Jammu seat only.

Zulfikar Majid

KERALA

No Sabarimala effect

Except in a couple of seats, the LS polls may not see much changes in the political equation in Kerala, despite the storm over the entry of women of all ages into the Sabarimala shrine.

The Congress-led UDF won 12 seats as against eight of the CPM-led LDF, now ruling coalition of the state.

There was not much difference in vote share  42% of UDF to 41 of LDF. The BJP, which drew a blank in 2014, may hope to win Thiruvananthapuram if at all the temple issue has any impact on the electorate. If the rehabilitation issue after the deadly floods has any impact, then LDF may lose one or two seats.

Arjun Raghunath

JHARKHAND

Its grand alliance again

Jharkhand has always been considered a BJP stronghold  be it in undivided Bihar or after bifurcation of the state in 2000, but not this time.

In 2014, the BJP won 12 of the 14 seats. The regional JMM won the other two. Besides Modis appeal, BJP won largely because the Opposition votes were split in a multi-cornered contest.

The scenario is the opposite in 2019, with JMM, RJD, Congress and JVM joining hands to form a Mahagatbandhan. In a straight contest, the saffron camp should be satisfied if it retains even three seats.

Abhay Kumar

CHHATTISGARH

Cong will turn tables

After a resounding win in the Assembly elections in December last year, the Congress is sitting pretty. The party, which won only one out of 11 (rest 10 went to BJP) in 2014 will, in all probability, turn the tables on the BJP and may get at least 6-7 seats.

In the Assembly polls, it had established a lead in seven LS seats. The party is poised to do well in the Maoist-hit Bastar area as it has taken up pro-tribal programmes.

It is likely to do well in urban areas, too, taking off from the Assembly wins in these areas.

Rakesh Dixit

UTTARAKHAND

BJP sitting pretty

With the Congress still in disarray following large scale defections two years ago, the BJP appears to be sitting pretty.

The BJP had won all five seats in 2014 and again swept the 2017 Assembly polls by winning 57 of 70 seats. The BJP maintained its winning streak in the mayoral polls early last year by grabbing five of the seven seats. The Congress won only two. Almost the entire the top leadership of the state Congress, including former chief minister Vijay Bahuguna, had defected to BJP before the Assembly polls.

Barring the Hardwar LS seat, where the Congress, in alliance with SP may give a fight, the saffron party seems to enjoy an edge over its rivals.

Sanjay Pandey

GOA AND DAMAN AND DIU

BJPs domination to continue

Goas two LS seats are currently held by the BJP. Going by the trend, it appears it will retain both seats. In South Goa, BJPs vote share was 48%, in North Goa 58%. The BJPs stalwart in Goa is Chief Minister Manohar Parikkar. His failing health is a major concern for the party. The BJP has also held Daman and Diu Union territory Lok Sabha seat since 2009. Its MP, Lalubhai Patel, has a strong base and is likely to retain the seat.

Mrityunjay Bose

CHANDIGARH UT

On the backfoot

The Union Territory of Chandigarh is predominantly an urban seat, now represented by the BJPs actor-politician Kiron Kher. The Congress also enjoys sizeable support. Civic issues remain dominant in deciding voter preferences. The BJP is ridden with factionalism that may cost the party dear. The voters arent too pleased with the BJPs performance. Being an urban seat, GST and demonetisation will impact votes.

Gautam Dheer

SIKKIM

Chamling is supreme

Sikkim with its lone Lok Sabha seat is unlikely to see any major changes and the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) is going to retain the seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The SDF supremo and the longest serving Chief Minister in the country Pawan Chamling has ensured that the BJP does not get any foothold in the state.

Gautam Dheer
Tel Aviv: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday released a video accusing the media and left-wing opponents of pressuring the attorney general to indict him, ahead of April polls.

Police have recommended Netanyahu's indictment in three separate corruption investigations and the attorney general is expected to announce his decision on whether to charge the prime minister in the weeks or months ahead.

"For three years the Left and the media have been pushing the attorney general to file charges at any price," read a message at the start of a short video posted on Twitter by Netanyahu.

The video then showed footage of protesters brandishing placards calling for Netanyahu to be jailed during demonstrations outside the home of Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit. "Will they succeed?" a closing message said.

The video sparked criticism from political opponents. The justice ministry insisted to the Israeli media that the attorney general would not be influenced in his decision.

Polls show Netanyahu is likely to win the April 9 elections despite the investigations hanging over him, but a move to indict him pending a hearing could shake up the campaign.

If the attorney general announces his intention to indict the prime minister, Netanyahu gets a final chance to defend himself in a hearing before the charges are filed. The premier says he has no intention of resigning if called in for such a hearing before the vote.
Vatican City: Pope Francis will make his first trip to Panama on Wednesday for a gathering of more than 150,000 young Catholics from across the globe at the World Youth Day festival.

The 82-year-old pope will use the major event on the Catholic calendar to address the problems of poverty, corruption and migration in his native Latin America, church officials said.

"Our youth, particularly in Central America, need opportunities," said Panama Archbishop Jose Domingo Ulloa. Often, their "hard reality" was a choice between emigration or "falling into the clutches of drug traffickers," said Ulloa, in Rome for a preparatory visit.

It will be Francis' third World Youth Day event, having presided over the gathering in Rio de Janeiro shortly after his election as pope in 2013 and again in Krakow, Poland in 2016. In Poland, he challenged conservative governments in Central and Eastern Europe to soften their resistance to migrants seeking refuge from conflict in the Middle East.

In a similar way, he is expected in Panama to stand up for migrants from El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras who make up the majority of those traveling in caravans to the US border, despite the opposition of President Donald Trump and the American right.

"Many of the young people who are participating in the WYD are immigrants themselves," Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti said. Hundreds of thousands of Central Americans cross the border into Mexico every year, heading north in search of a better life.

Millions more have fled economic collapse and political repression in Venezuela, straining social services in neighboring countries.

"The recent image of migrant caravans from Central America, with all their suffering, will be very much in mind," said Ulloa. In an advance message to the event, Francis said many young people, both believers and non-believers, had "a strength that can change the world."

On Friday, he said in a separate video message to the World Indigenous Youth gathering in Soloy, Panama, to hold on to their cultures and roots by fighting marginalization, exclusion, waste and impoverishment.

"Return to native cultures. Take care of the roots, because from the roots comes the strength that will make you grow, prosper and bear fruit," he told hundreds of young indigenous Catholics who will join the WYD gathering next week.

Fighting poverty will be a key theme. Extreme poverty in Latin America hit its highest level for nine years in 2017, according to a report by the UN's Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. It said more than 10 percent of Latin Americans -- 62 million people -- were living in "extreme poverty." The Argentine pontiff lands in Panama on Wednesday after a 13-hour flight from Rome to begin his seventh trip to his native Latin America.

"The pope wants to get closer to young people, to those who are suffering, to send a message of hope," said Gisotti. His last visit to the region, to Peru and Chile a year ago, was overshadowed by protests over the cover-up by church authorities of pedophile priests.

"It's a subject which is generating a lot of attention in the church," said Gisotti, who said the pope had "no plans to meet with victims" during his visit to Panama. The pope will break away from the celebrations on Friday to visit a juvenile detention center in Pacora, outside Panama City. It was Francis' personal wish to do the side visit, the spokesman said.

"That's something that came from the pope's heart," according to Gisotti. He will also visit a center for young people with AIDS on the last day of his trip. It is the first time Francis has visited Panama as pope, in what will be the 26th trip of his papacy, taking in 40 countries. John Paul II visited the tiny Central American country for a day during a regional tour in 1983.
A medic at the hospital in nearby Damaturu confirmed that the bodies of six soldiers were taken to the morgue. (Photo:File)

Kano: Six Nigerian soldiers were killed and 14 injured when Boko Haram jihadists raided a village near the army chief's family home, security and hospital sources said Saturday.

The jihadists attacked an army position overnight Thursday in Kamuya, a village in the northeastern state of Borno near the home of army chief of staff Tukur Yusuf Buratai's mother, the sources said.

"We lost six soldiers in the fight and 14 others sustained various degrees of injuries," an army officer said. "The terrorists also suffered heavy losses," the officer added without giving figures.

A medic at the hospital in nearby Damaturu confirmed that the bodies of six soldiers were taken to the morgue on Friday. Four military vehicles were also seized by the jihadists while two others were destroyed, said the military source who asked not to be identified because he was not authorised to speak about the incident.

Security sources initially told AFP that troops had fought off the militants in a three-hour battle during which the jihadists failed to overrun the post. It was not known which Boko Haram faction was behind the attack, although the IS-affiliated Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) is known to operate in the area.

Kamuya was hit twice by Boko Haram in December 2015, not long after Buratai, a lieutenant general, was appointed chief of army staff. The latest attack came days after Boko Haram overran a military base in the town of Rann, near the border with Cameroon, forcing thousands of civilians to flee.

Fourteen people, including three soldiers, were said to have been killed in that attack, and aid workers said buildings used by humanitarian organisations had been burned to the ground.

The UN's humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, said Friday that the attacks -- and others like it -- were having a "devastating impact" on civilians and the relief effort.

Around 1.8 million people are still homeless because of the insurgency, which began in 2009 and has killed more than 27,000.
The iPhone maker said that it would no longer stock the iPhone 7 and 8 at its 15 retail outlets in Germany

Apple Inc has been ordered by a German court to stop using part of a press release claiming all iPhones would be available in the country through carriers and resellers, a copy of the ruling seen by Reuters showed.

The iPhone maker was banned from selling the iPhone 7 and 8 models in Germany in December following a patent dispute with Qualcomm Inc.

Qualcomm on Thursday obtained the preliminary injunction stopping Apple from using a statement that it released to the press in response to the December ruling.

At the time, the iPhone maker said that it would no longer stock the iPhone 7 and 8 at its 15 retail outlets in Germany but those models would remain available to customers through more than 4,300 carriers and resellers across Germany.

The press release ... is misleading as it contains statements that are at least potentially deceptive about the availability of the goods, namely the iPhones affected by the ruling, a three-judge panel wrote in the latest ruling.

The judges said Apples press release gives consumers and retailers the false impression of unlimited availability of the phones.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment on Friday. Qualcomm said the order speaks for itself.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
The university decided on Jan. 8 that it will not pursue new funding opportunities with Huawei or related companies.

Oxford University says it is suspending research grants and funding donations from Huawei amid growing security concerns about the Chinese telecom giant.

Its another setback for Huaweis image in Europe, an important market for the company, which has been effectively blocked in the US over concerns its technology poses a cybersecurity risk. Its now facing increasing scrutiny in Europe, where it is expected it to play a major role in building new fifth-generation mobile networks.

The university decided on Jan. 8 that it will not pursue new funding opportunities with Huawei or related companies, it said in a statement Thursday.

The decision, which applies to both funding of research contracts and philanthropic donations, was made in the light of public concerns raised in recent months surrounding the companys UK partnerships.

Two existing research projects worth a combined 692,000 pounds (USD 895,000) will continue, it said.

We hope these matters can be resolved shortly and note Huaweis own willingness to reassure governments about its role and activities, the university said.

Huawei said it was not informed of this decision and awaits the universitys full explanation.

Britains defense secretary and its intelligence chief both voiced concerns last month about Huaweis involvement in the countrys rollout of 5G networks.

Huaweis troubles are expanding elsewhere in Europe. The company fired its sales director in Poland last week after authorities there arrested him on charges of spying for China. The Czech Republic has warned against using Huawei equipment because of security fears and Norway is rethinking the companys role in its telecom networks.

Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei said in a rare interview this week that his company would never share secrets about its customers and their communications networks. Rens daughter, who is also the companys chief financial officer, is fighting a US request that she be extradited from Canada on charges related to Iran sanctions violations.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
During the analysis, the researchers realized that these samples used by Rocke group adopted new code to uninstall five different cloud security protection and monitoring products from compromised Linux servers.

Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 recently captured and investigated new samples of the Linux coin mining malware used by the Rocke group. The family was suspected to be developed by the Iron cybercrime group and its also associated with the Xbash malware reported on last month. The threat actor Rocke was originally revealed by Talos in August of 2018 and many remarkable behaviors were disclosed in their blog post.

During the analysis, the researchers realized that these samples used by Rocke group adopted new code to uninstall five different cloud security protection and monitoring products from compromised Linux servers. In the analysis, these attacks did not compromise these security products: rather, the attacks first gained full administrative control over the hosts and then abused that full administrative control to uninstall these products in the same way a legitimate administrator would.

These products were developed by Tencent Cloud and Alibaba Cloud (Aliyun), the two leading cloud providers in China that are expanding their business globally. To the best of knowledge, this is the first malware family that developed the unique capability to target and remove cloud security products. This also highlights a new challenge for products in the Cloud Workload Protection Platforms market defined by Gartner.

The Coin Miner used by Rocke Group

The threat actor Rocke was first reported by Cisco Talos in late July 2018. The ultimate goal of this threat is to mine Monero cryptocurrency in compromised Linux machines.

To deliver the malware to the victim machines, Rocke group exploits vulnerabilities in Apache Struts 2, Oracle WebLogic and Adobe ColdFusion. For example, by exploiting Oracle WebLogic vulnerability CVE-2017-10271 in Linux shown in Figure 1, a compromised Linux victim machine downloads backdoor 0720.bin and opens a shell.

Cloud Workload Protection Platforms

According to Gartner, Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPPs) are the agent- based workload-centric security protection solutions. To mitigate the impact of

malware intrusion in public cloud infrastructure, cloud service providers develop their own CWPPs as the server security operation & management products.

For example, Tencent Cloud offers Tencent Host Security with various security protection services. According to its Product Overview document, Tencent Host Security provides key security features like trojan detection and removal based on machine learning, password cracking alert, logging activity audit, vulnerability management and asset management.

Alibaba Cloud (Aliyun) also offers cloud security product called Threat Detection Service Alibaba Cloud Threat Detection Service provides security services like malware scanning and removal, vulnerability management, log analysis and threat analysis based on big data.

Third-party cybersecurity companies also provide CWPPs. For instance, Trend Micro, Symantec and Microsoft have their own cloud security products for public cloud infrastructure. As with all security products, adversaries inevitably work to evade these systems to be able to achieve their ultimate goals.

Evading detection from Cloud Workload Protection Platforms

In response to agent-based Cloud Workload Protection Platforms from cloud service providers, malware used by Rocke group gradually develops the capability to evade detection before exhibiting any malicious behaviors. To be more specific, the malware uninstalls cloud security products by Alibaba Cloud and Tencent Cloud.

In the early version of the malware used by Rocke, it only attempts to kill Tencent Cloud Monitor process

Realizing that killing cloud monitor service alone is not enough to evade detection by agent-based cloud security products, the malware authors continue developing more effective methods to evade detection by killing more agent-based cloud security services.

The Tencent Cloud and Alibaba Cloud official websites provide documents to guide users about how to uninstall their cloud security products. The document for uninstalling Alibaba Threat Detection Service

The malware used by Rocke group follows the uninstallation procedure provided by Alibaba Cloud and Tencent Cloud as well as some random blog posts on the Internet. The key uninstall function.

After agent-based cloud security and monitor products are uninstalled, the malware used by Rocke group begins to exhibit malicious behaviors. It is believe this unique evasion behavior will be the new trend for malwares which target at public cloud infrastructure.

Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 has been cooperated with Tencent Cloud and Alibaba Cloud to address the malware evasion problem and its C2 infrastructure. Additionally, the malicious C2 domains are identified by the PAN-DB URL Filtering.

Conclusion

Public cloud infrastructure is one of the main targets for cybercrime group. Realizing the existing cloud monitor and security products may detect the possible malware intrusion, malware authors continue to create new evasion technologies to avoid being detected by cloud security product.

The variant of the malware used by Rocke group is an example that demonstrates that the agent-based cloud security solution may not be enough to prevent evasive malware targeted at public cloud infrastructure.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
Ren Zhengfei spoke in a rare meeting with foreign reporters as Huawei Technologies Ltd. tries to protect its access to global telecom carriers.

The founder of Chinas Huawei, the worlds biggest supplier of network gear to phone and internet companies, says his company would not share secrets about its customers and their communication networks.

Ren Zhengfei spoke in a rare meeting with foreign reporters as Huawei Technologies Ltd. tries to protect its access to global telecom carriers that are investing heavily in next-generation technology.

His comments were the 74-year-old former military engineers most direct public response to accusations his company is controlled by the ruling Communist Party or is required to facilitate Chinese spying.

Huawei is Chinas first global tech brand. The United States, Australia, Japan and some other governments have imposed curbs on use of its technology over such concerns.

We would definitely say no to such a request, said Ren when asked how the company would respond to a government demand for confidential information about a foreign buyer of its telecom technology.

Ren said neither he nor the company have ever received a government request for improper information about anyone.

Asked whether Huawei would challenge such an order in court, Ren chuckled and said it would be up to Chinese authorities to file litigation.

Huawei is facing heightened scrutiny as phone carriers prepare to roll out fifth-generation technology in which Huawei is a leading competitor. 5G is designed to support a vast expansion of networks to serve medical devices, self-driving cars and other technology. That increases the cost of potential security failures and has prompted governments increasingly to treat telecoms communications networks as strategic assets.

The companys image suffered a new blow last week when Polish authorities announced one of its Chinese employees was arrested on spying charges. Huawei announced it fired the employee and said the allegations had nothing to do with the company.

Ren is the father of Huaweis chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, who was arrested Dec. 1 in Canada on US charges related to possible violations of trade sanctions on Iran.

Ren said he couldnt discuss Mengs case while it still was before a court. But he said Huawei obeys the law, including export restrictions, wherever it operates.

Ren expressed gratitude to Canadian justice officials for their treatment of Meng, who was released on bail and is staying in a house in Vancouver. He also expressed thanks to her fellow jail inmates prior to her release for treating her kindly.

After all the evidence is made public, we will rely on the justice system, he said. We are sure there will be a just conclusion to this matter.

Two Canadians were arrested by Chinese authorities on national security charges, prompting suggestions abroad they might be hostages to secure Mengs release. On Monday, a Chinese court announced another Canadian had been sentenced to death in a drug case after he was ordered retried.

Asked how he felt that Huawei was linked to accusations Beijing took hostages, Ren said he saw no connection between the Canadians and Mengs case.

Dressed in a blue sport coat and an open-necked light blue shirt, Ren was jovial and animated during the two hour and 20 minute meeting.

Ren said he became a Communist Party member in the early 1980s after the state press published reports about his development of a measuring tool for an engineering project. Earlier, he couldnt join because his father was deemed a capitalist roader, but the party was trying to promote young, technologically capable people after the violent, ultra-radical Cultural Revolution in 1976.

Ren founded Huawei in 1987 to sell imported telecom switching gear to Chinese phone companies after the PLA disbanded his engineering unit, according to the company.

Despite his party membership, Huawei makes decisions based on its customers needs, Ren said.

I dont see a close connection between my personal political beliefs and our commercial decisions, he said.

Huaweis US market evaporated in 2012 after a congressional panel said the company and its smaller Chinese rival, ZTE Corp., were security risks and urged phone companies to avoid them.

But Huawei passed Swedens LM Ericsson to become the biggest supplier of network gear and its smartphone brand displaced Apple Inc. last year as the No. 2 global seller behind Samsung.

The company forecasts last years revenue will exceed USD 100 billion for the first time. Ren said this years target is USD 125 billion.

Huawei says it is employee-owned. Ren said no government entity or any other investor who isnt a current or former employee owns one cent of Huawei shares.

Ren said Huawei has no research cooperation with Chinas Peoples Liberation Army and no dedicated unit for military sales and he knew of no PLA purchases of civilian technology.

Ren said the security concerns have yet to have a significant effect on Huaweis business. The company has signed 5G contracts with 30 carriers and has shipped 25,000 base stations, he said.

Huawei has plenty of opportunities even if it faces higher barriers in some markets, he said.

If we are not allowed to sell in certain markets, we will have a smaller operation, he said. So long as we can feed our employees, we are satisfied.

Ren defended Huaweis decision to remain privately held  a status that has fueled questions about its intentions and who controls it. He said that helped to preserve its long-term focus on customer service and product development.

Publicly owned companies care more about a beautiful balance sheet while Huawei is focused on a strong industry structure, he said.

Capital tends to be greedy.

Ren also warned against allowing security concerns to divide the globe into isolated markets with incompatible technology standards  a scenario some people have suggested might result from US-Chinese tensions.

Arbitrarily dividing the world into two technology camps can only harm the interests of all society, he said.

Asked about President Donald Trumps suggestion on Twitter that he might intervene in Mengs case if that facilitated a resolution of Washingtons tariff battle with Beijing, Ren said he would wait to see whether Trump takes action.

As for President Trump as president, I still believe he is a great president, Ren said. He said Trump was elected to cut taxes, which he believed was beneficial for American industry.

However, he said, If companies are getting frightened by the detention of certain individuals, then investors might be scared away, and that is not in the interests of the United States.

Ren said he didnt believe Huawei would face US penalties similar to those that nearly drove smaller Chinese rival ZTE Corp. out of business. Washington barred ZTE from buying American technology over its exports to Iran and North Korea but restored access after the company paid a USD 1 billion fine, replaced its executive team and installed US-selected compliance monitors.

What happened to ZTE, I dont believe will happen to Huawei, said Ren. However, he said, if it did happen to Huawei, I dont believe the impact would be very significant. I believe telecom operators would continue to trust Huawei.

Ren said Huawei doesnt want Beijing to retaliate for foreign restrictions by hampering market access for Apple Inc. and other rivals.

In spite of setbacks in some countries, we are still supportive of China becoming a more open country.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
Coursera, the global online learning leader, announced the launch of their health verticala broad portfolio of health content from the worlds top universities curated specifically to help address the acute shortage of skilled workers in the health industry and meet the demands of a digital health economy. The 100 new courses, 30 new specialisations, and two public health-focused masters degrees will provide learners with the skills they need to enter high demand jobs, particularly related to Health Informatics, Healthcare Management, and Public Health.

The healthcare industryand the worldis undergoing a fundamental shift. Changes in demographic factors, an aging world population, an increase in the incidence of chronic diseases, and a resurgence of untreatable infectious diseases, mean that traditional healthcare systems are under significant pressure to provide costly care to a growing number of people. At the same time, new opportunities for personalised care driven by genetics, genomics, immunotherapy, and integrative therapies are beginning to change the skills required to power the modern health system.

With this rapidly growing need for health services, the demand for workers in the healthcare sector is already outpacing other industries and expected to skyrocket in the coming decade. McKinsey estimates that healthcare-related jobs could grow by 80 million to 130 million by 2030 globally. These changes will create demand across a broad range of occupations, including Informatics Nurse Specialists, Clinical Analysts, Bioinformatics Scientists, Hospital Administrators, NGO Workers, Researchers, Community Health Coordinators, Policymakers, Home Health Aides, Personal Care Aides, and Nursing Assistants in many countries.

As per a study by the Indian Journal of Public Health, India needs about 2.07 million doctors to achieve the World Health Organisation-directed doctor-population ratio of 1:1,000 by 2030. India is also short of 1.94 million nurses, according to data from the Indian Nursing Council (INC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). There is an immediate need to transform the training system of healthcare professionals, especially in ancillary profiles such as nurses, assistants, technicians, which many of the new courses directly address as part of this launch.

Coursera and top-ranked partners in healthincluding Columbia University, Emory University, Imperial College London, Johns Hopkins University, University of Colorado, University of Michigan and University of Minnesota are committed to making high-quality content and healthcare education more widely accessible. The new portfolio of content which includes Specialisations focused on Biostatistics, Population Health Management, Nursing Informatics, and Social Welfare Policy is designed to develop or supplement knowledge for those already working in the healthcare space or to provide a path to a career in healthcare.

Coursera has a long history of democratising access to education. It has equipped millions around the world with the knowledge and skills required to enter sought-after careers in business, technology, and data science. By making cutting-edge health education accessible, Coursera and top-ranked health institutions are once again acting on a shared commitment of equipping people around the world with skills they need to advance their careers and impact their communities.

The new Specialisations will roll-out through 2019 and will be available for a subscription range of USD 39 to USD 79 per month. The two health-focused masters degrees from Michigan and Imperial are accepting applications in January.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
The forum highlighted the need of forward-looking policies and a proactive government to play a role in the development of smart cities and villages,

The 6th edition of India m2m + iot Forum 2019, the national forum on machine-to-machine (m2m) and internet of things (iot) focused on applications of these disruptive technologies in smart cities and villages space was concluded on 15th January after 2 days of enthralling series of Panel discussions, Keynote addresses, Technology show at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The forum was jointly organised by the Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (DMS, IIT - Delhi), FI Media (Future Internet and Electronic Media - a prestigious project of the European Union) and India m2m + iot Forum.

The forum highlighted the need of forward-looking policies and a proactive government to play a role in the development of smart cities and villages on the bedrock of JAM Trinity which has 1bn bank accounts (Jan Dhan) + 1bn Aadhaar + 1bn mobile broadband users, already organised for the technological revolution in this space, thus, Capitalising the connected World with the help of modern & niche technologies like 5G, GIS, IoT, m2m and others. Likewise, the governments effort to connect 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats with BharatNet project was discussed to leverage the smart villages concept in India.

5G vision for India was also one of the major highlights of the 2-day forum, as 5G technology has the potential for ushering a major societal transformation in India by enabling a rapid expansion of the role of information technology across manufacturing, education, healthcare, agriculture, finance and social sectors. The panelists voiced that India must embrace this opportunity by deploying 5G networks early, efficiently, and pervasively as well as emerge as a significant innovator and technology supplier at the global level. Emphasis should be placed on 5G touching the lives of rural and weaker economic segments so as to make it a truly inclusive technology.

The attraction of the forum was, Technology Show  by FIWARE Foundation member companies namely  NEC Technology India, APInf, MobilePedia and Smart Cities Lab Ltd where they demonstrated the OPEN SOURCE PLATFORM designed and developed by the FIWARE FOUNDATION a market-ready open source software, combining components that enable the connection to IoT with Context Information Management and Big Data services in the Cloud.

The forum also hosted a dedicated session on 'India-EU Dialogue on ICT for Smart Cities' which was organised by the prestigious project, namely, India-EU ICT Collaboration Standardisation of the Delegation of European Union to India, highlighting the absolute need for Leveraging Standards for Smart Cities, which brought together key stakeholders and smart city officials.

Participants from across the globe got the opportunity to meet Stellapps Technologies  an end-to-end dairy technology solutions company  the first of its kind in India, Sensorise  an IOT Services and Solutions company, Phoenix Robotix  a network-IoT and Big data company, Sensable  an IoT company offering end-to-end smart solutions using artificial intelligence and machine learning, C-DOT  an autonomous Telecom R&D Centre of Department of Telecommunications (DOT), Government of India  showcasing Common Service Platform for m2m communications on oneM2M specifications.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
The US is looking at putting a layer of sensors in space to more quickly detect enemy missiles when they are launched.

The Trump administration will roll out a new strategy Thursday for a more aggressive space-based missile defence system to protect against existing threats from North Korea and Iran and counter advanced weapon systems being developed by Russia and China.

Details about the administrations Missile Defense Review  the first compiled since 2010  are expected to be released during President Donald Trumps visit to the Pentagon with top members of his administration.

The new review concludes that in order to adequately protect America, the Pentagon must expand defence technologies in space and use those systems to more quickly detect, track and ultimately defeat incoming missiles.

Recognising the potential concerns surrounding any perceived weaponisation of space, the strategy pushes for studies. No testing is mandated, and no final decisions have been made.

Specifically, the US is looking at putting a layer of sensors in space to more quickly detect enemy missiles when they are launched, according to a senior administration official, who briefed reporters Wednesday. The US sees space as a critical area for advanced, next-generation capabilities to stay ahead of the threats, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose details of the review before it was released.

The administration also plans to study the idea of basing interceptors in space, so the US can strike incoming enemy missiles during the first minutes of flight when the booster engines are still burning.

Congress, which ordered this review, already has directed the Pentagon to push harder on this boost-phase approach, but officials want to study the feasibility of the idea and explore ways it could be done.

The new strategy is aimed at better defending the US against potential adversaries, such as Russia and China, who have been developing and fielding a much more expansive range of advanced offensive missiles that could threaten America and its allies. The threat is not only coming from a traditional cruise and ballistic missiles, but also from hypersonic weapons.

For example, Russian President Vladimir Putin unveiled new strategic weapons he claims cant be intercepted. One is a hypersonic glide vehicle, which could fly 20 times faster than the speed of sound and make sharp manoeuvres to avoid being detected by missile defence systems.

Developments in hypersonic propulsion will revolutionise warfare by providing the ability to strike targets more quickly, at greater distances, and with greater firepower, Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, told Congress last year. China is also developing increasingly sophisticated ballistic missile warheads and hypersonic glide vehicles in an attempt to counter ballistic missile defence systems.

Current US missile defence weapons are based on land and aboard ships. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have both emphasised space-based capabilities as the next step of missile defence.

Senior administration officials earlier signalled their interest in developing and deploying more effective means of detecting and tracking missiles with a constellation of satellites in space that can, for example, use advanced sensors to follow the full path of a hostile missile so that an anti-missile weapon can be directed into its flight path.

Any expansion of the scope and cost of missile defences would compete with other defence priorities, including the billions of extra dollars the Trump administration has committed to spending on a new generation of nuclear weapons. An expansion also would have important implications for American diplomacy, given long-standing Russian hostility to even the most rudimentary US missile defences and Chinas worry that longer-range US missile defences in Asia could undermine Chinese national security.

Asked about the implications for Trumps efforts to improve relations with Russia and strike better trade relations with China, the administration official said that the US defence capabilities are purely defensive and that the US has been very upfront with Moscow and Beijing about its missile defence posture.

The release of the strategy was postponed last year for unexplained reasons, though it came as Trump was trying to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons.

While the US continues to pursue peace with North Korea, Pyongyang has made threats of nuclear missile attacks against the US and its allies in the past and has worked to improve its ballistic missile technology. It is still considered a serious threat to America. Iran, meanwhile, has continued to develop more sophisticated ballistic missiles, increasing their numbers and their capabilities.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
The lack of political will alone is to blame for the Lokpal appointment delay. The Lokpal Act became law five years ago (January 16, 2014), and still an independent anti-corruption watchdog isnt in place. Last week, the Supreme Court pushed the Centre in the right direction, setting a deadline for shortlisting names by February-end by the search committee. The BJP and Congress have been dragging their feet over meetings of the search panel to zero in on a suitable candidate to take charge of receiving complaints and investigating corruption among public servants, both politicians and bureaucrats.

Anna Hazare, the indefatigable campaigner for a Lokpal, has announced he will again be going on a fast from January 30 to press for the appointment of a Lokpal. As long as the BJP was in the Opposition, it was a keen campaigner for a Lokpal and many parties backed the social activists high-profile India Against Corruption movement. But in power, it has shown extreme reluctance to set in motion the appointment and has even put obstacles in the path of setting up a proper infrastructure to get an apolitical ombudsman-type of investigator in place. The wrangling over a place for the representative of the Congress should be seen only as an excuse to put off the appointment. Now that the Supreme Court has set a deadline, will the committee swing into action in earnest and shortlist candidates for the Lokpals post?
The mega-rally of the Opposition parties hosted by Trinamul Congress supremo and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee at Kolkatas historic Brigade Parade Ground was a truly massive affair, and calls to mind some of the epoch-making rallies of the past. But does it presage the crafting of history? This question is likely to trouble not just the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but also the opponents of the present government.

The turnout was humungous. Among the participants that were drawn to the magnum-sized event were all the parties that have opposed the Narendra Modi government from the beginning, partly out of ideological compulsions and partly due to the governments ineptness and persistent failures. The exception was the Left Front. This was probably because the Trinamul Congress, which had ousted it from power in West Bengal over seven years ago, was the shows host. In the larger scheme of things, however, the absence of the Left has limited meaning as the ideology and political play of this bloc cant be anything but anti-BJP in the present circumstances.

On the other-hand, the Telugu Desam Party, a long-time BJP ally that recently severed its links with the saffron party, was a prominent participant. Its leader and Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu has been the moving spirit in coordinating the Opposition parties. In contrast, Telangana CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who had worked to establish a Federal Front of regional parties along with Ms Banerjee, was not on the scene.

Prominent BJP dissidents Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie and film personality Shatrughan Sinha, all three Cabinet ministers in the first BJP-led government of late Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, not only participated in a high-profile manner but were scathing in their observations, especially the actor-politician who publicly praised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and copied the latters slogan of chowkidar chor hai (the guard is in fact the thief).

The political message was that the major parties at the rally would lead the anti-BJP charge in their respective areas of influence, with none being placed on a pedestal. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge read out a strong message of support from Sonia Gandhi, which exhorted that even if there was no meeting (of) hearts, the participants should hold hands. This was a pithy remark which acknowledged the reality  and pointed to the gap that still needs to be filled on the Opposition side.

If Sonia and Rahul Gandhi too were present (presumably they skipped as Ms Banerjee had not attended a Congress-organised event in New Delhi), the Kolkata rally may have borne comparison with the massive show held in early 1977 in opposition to then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi after the Emergency was suspended and the Opposition leaders freed from jail. Their coming together had led to the Janata Party government.
Its not a Third Front. The United India Alliance that came into being on January 19 at Kolkatas Brigade Parade Ground is a partnership of experienced, though not as yet mature, regional parties armed with a purpose, the defeat of the idea that the Bharatiya Janata Party represents.

The rally was a historic moment, with a long past. It was not a panicky response of the political class to a dominant and disliked national party with dreams of becoming a hegemonic power. It was a planned event of 23 parties, including the Congress, where 30 leaders spoke about defending democracy, the secular character of the country and protecting the Constitution from being subverted, rescuing diversity from the BJPs homogenising drive. It was also a line where for the first time there were no parties representing the Left. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) was missing, as were its partners.

The purpose was to announce the alliance as a nearly formed fighting machine against the BJP. The purpose was not to hint at who would be the face of the alliance; Mamata Banerjee played host and facilitator, but she was very controlled about not signalling her possible ambitions to be Prime Minister. What was apparent was the regional parties and the Congress had worked to create the moment, through a series of meetings, with photo ops and undoubtedly innumerable conversations off camera and off the record.

The alliance sends out two equally powerful signals  it challenges the BJPs idea of a strong Centre controlling the states, because the United India Alliance stands for strong states controlling the Centre to defend secularism, diversity and democracy from the grassroots. The collective and individual experience of the leadership that was lined up at the rally  23 parties and 30 speakers, upends the BJPs argument that the UIA is a headless khichri with too many cooks and no leader. It was a sly reminder that Narendra Modi was once upon a time a chief minister, whose success was big enough to make him a poster boy for the BJP-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and project him as the Prime Minister in 2014.

The message was strong and convincing enough to provoke Narendra Modi to react to it almost immediately, declaring it an alliance against the BJP for the simple purpose of protecting the leaders from the various investigations into their corruption.

Coalitions have been formed to defeat the dominant party at the Centre since 1977. Then it was the Congress, in 1996 it was the first BJP government led by Atal Behari Vajpayee. Uncertainty made each of those experiments unsuccessful, because there were two strong sentiments that worked within the coalition. There was suspicion and rivalry between parties that remained unresolved even as they joined up to form the coalition. And there was a hangover that the leader of the coalition had to be a statesman, with vast experience and sophistication. Hence in 1996, the prime ministership was offered to Jyoti Basu, not once, but twice.

The United India Alliances message and its model of states and the Centre as equal partners in governance and policy-making is a departure from the idea of a Third Front, where the focus was on the coalition being neither BJP nor Congress, but an alternative. This new venture is different. It is an assertion by the states of their proximity to the people and the challenges of governance that they tackle. In the past, the narrative of government was all about top down governance, in which the states implemented the policies, schemes and programmes of the Centre; regional parties with limited experience were inadequate to govern at the Centre; and that their leaders had a narrow vision in contrast to the national parties.

Two decisions from the alliance indicate that much work had been done in the background before the formal launch. The announcement that there will be a Common Minimum Programme drafting committee and a four-member team, headed by Abhishek Manu Singhvi of the Congress, to draft a note on EVMs as an unsatisfactory tool for voting, chor machine in Farooq Abdullahs words, suggests that the 23 parties had progressed way beyond the optics of the rally and the hand-holding exercise that has become mandatory after the swearing-in of the H.D. Kumaraswamy government in Bengaluru.

The alliance at its moment of birth seems cohesive and coherent. It has certainly rattled the BJP. The uncertainties of resolving the nitty-gritty bits like how will the problem of one candidate for one constituency be tackled in places where there are multiple and equally vehement claimants. It is not easy to imagine that in every constituency where a consensus alliance candidate is nominated all the votes from all hitherto rival parties will be neatly transferred. That is not how it really works in politics. There is nothing elegant about political dynamics at the grassroots.

With a little over two months to go for the 2019 general election to get under way, there must be as much speculation within the alliance as there is in the BJP and among voters on who will lead it, should the alliance win? There were voices in Kolkata that clearly called for Mamata Banerjee to lead the alliance as Prime Minister. West Bengals tigress, as Arun Shourie described her, was far more circumspect; she played the role of a facilitator to the hilt, which subtly underlined her qualifications for leading a multi-party government.

In many ways, the Kolkata rally was like a regional round in an intensely fought contest. In this one, Mamata Banerjee was the favourite. In subsequent such rallies which were suggested in other parts of the country, the favourites will no doubt be other leaders. The underlying assumption is that the Congress Party would not be in a position to assume the leadership. It would be hard to believe that all such scenarios have not been imagined and are not being negotiated.
Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday informed the members of the Legislative Assembly that he had told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Aarogyasri is a better health scheme than the Prime Ministers Ayushman Bharath.

While replying to a debate on the thanksgiving motion to Governor E.S.L. Narasimhans speech to the joint session, Mr Rao praised the late Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, the chief minister of the erstwhile combined state of Andhra Pradesh, for introducing such a great health scheme for poor people.

He said that he had never hesitated to accept the good things done by those who may have been opponents of his party.

He disclosed to the House that the Prime Minister always complained that Telangana state had not accepted the Centres Ayushman Bharath scheme.

I explained to the Prime Minister that Arogyasri was much better than the Ayushman Bharath and we are continuing the scheme as it is even after the formation of Telangana state, and we will continue it and will also make it better in future, he said.

The Chief Ministers appreciation of Aarogyasri gains significance in the backdrop of the talks between YSR Congress chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, son of Dr Rajasekhar Reddy, and the TRS, in connection with Mr Raos idea of forging a non-Congress, non-BJP Federal Front at the national level.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao inspects the site where he will perform five-day Maharudra Sahita Sahasra Chandi Maha Yagam from Monday at his farm house in Erravalli.

Hyderabad: In the Assembly on Sunday, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao declared that Rs 24,000 crore of farmers loans would be waived and promised disbursing of increased sums under Asara and Rythu Bandhu will begin from the next financial year.

Replying to the debate on the thanksgiving motion to Governor E.S.L. Narasimhans speech to the joint session, the chief minister criticised the former Congress government of ignoring land surveys.

I promise all farmers that we will complete cleansing of land records through a comprehensive rectification to ensure total transparency. Till now, we have handed over land passbooks to 54 lakh farmers. The Dharani website for the updating of land records will also become functional from the next financial year.

The Congress had neglected the farmers for decades, but his government is supporting farmers with the Rythu Bandhu scheme which is a torch bearer for the country, Mr Rao said.

So far 6,062 families of farmers in the state have received `303 crore as insurance claim, he said.

He refuted allegations of the Congress that the Kanti Velugu initiative of his government has resulted in the loss of vision in a lot of people.

I want to make it clear that we havent undertaken eye surgeries so far under the scheme; we will start doing it soon. It is completely wrong that some people lost their eye sights. So far, we conducted eye tests of 1.32 lakh people of the state.

He said the Governors speech was great and did not agree with the Congress that it was bereft of details. It is not a budget speech. The Governors speech reflects only the broader perspectives.

He said that the state government was providing the double bedroom houses to the poor with 100 per cent subsidy.

Asserting the need of resolving the Podu Lands issue, the Chief Minister said that at the same time it was also necessary to protect forests and greenery, otherwise people will soon be forced to buy oxygen to breathe.

He warned that his government would curb smuggling of teakwood with an iron fist. Some 459 smugglers have been identified and will be booked under the PD Act, he said.

In the coming years, we will provide water to 1.25 crore acres of land through various new irrigation projects which will help all farmers. We will also ensure that all damaged roads are repaired in the coming days as our priorities are irrigation, agriculture, welfare and roads.

He alleged that the Central government had not responded to around 500 applications requesting more funds for the scheme despite the recommendation of Niti Aayog of sanctioning of `24,000 crore to the state for irrigation projects. He said, There is no single rupee of the Centre in the KCR Kits scheme.

He declared that his government will introduce vote on account budget in view of the general election this year.
Hyderabad: MIM MLA Ahmed bin Abdullah Balala said in the Assembly that the party would support the TRS during the Lok Sabha elections as well. The TRS will win 16 seats and the MIM one. No other party in the state will win a Lok Sabha seat, he said during the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governors address.

In remarks aimed both at the Opposition as well as party cadre, Mr Balala said, The BJP and the Congress alleged that the MIM is with the TRS. Yes, we are. We are with the TRS for the welfare of the people and the development of the state.

He said BJP chief Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and joker from Uttar Pradesh (UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath) had failed to dislodge the MIM. Congress president Rahul Gandhi couldnt get 1,500 people at Charminar, and had failed similarly. Mr Gandhi called us the B team of the BJP. What were we when we supported the Congress, Mr Balala asked.

He said AP-origin voters settled in Telangana had rejected Chandrudu (AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu). He looted Telangana and went away. There is definitely a need for a non-Congress non-BJP government at the Centre, he said.

BJP MLA T. Raja Singh objected, saying, It is a motion of thanks to the Governors address and some people are talking politics here. There are some MLAs who belong to a party that will touch the feet of the Chief Minister always.
The powerhouse of a hydel project coming up across Iruvazhinjippuzha near Kodancheri in Kozhikode which was washed off in the floods. (File pic)

KOZHIKODE: The unchecked construction spree in the name of tourism and hydel power projects in the Western Ghats region has resulted in killing many rivers originating from the Ghats and also caused a series of landslides in the high-ranges of the district during last monsoon. Six hydel projects, majority in the private sector, are coming up in a 5-kilometer distance of the river Iruvazhinjippuzha, wreaking havoc in the region, according to environmentalists.

Talking to DC on the necessity of a serious campaign against the destruction of Western Ghats region of the district, T.V. Rajan of Kerala Nadisamraskhana Samithy said that one project was completed two years back while other five projects are at different phases of construction. But in the last torrential rains and flash floods costly power generators were washed away. "In the Kodanchery panchayat the entire stretches of green cover along the river banks in the project sites were destroyed beyond restoration", he pointed out.

Hinting at the magnitude of environmental destruction, Mr Rajan said that the ecosystem of the sensitive zones was damaged as the granite for construction work in the sites was sourced from the river bed and from the banks. "Mining on the river bed violating all norms and regulations left the region prone to landslides", he added.

The environmental activists lament that even though complaints were submitted to the district collector so far no steps were taken. This is happening while there is an order of the directorate of panchayats that river banks and rivers should be surveyed and demarcated. The Supreme Court also had directed against fencing of river banks and converting them into project sites barring the entry of public.

The greens demanded a scientific study in the region with the help of Geological Survey of India and Centre for Earth Science Studies (CESS) to assess the impact of such projects on environment.

The river Chaliyar, the lifeline of the district, is under threat from the hydel projects as all are coming up in Iruvazhinjippuzha, one of its major tributaries.

The Cochin International Airports Limited (CIAL) was given rights for for running hydel power projects in the river basin for 33 years' lease. The power house of the Pathankayam Hydel project of Minar group aims at generating 4 megawatt power diverting the Iruvazhinjippuzha.

As per guidelines there should be a gap of at least 4 kilometers between two such hydel projects, which was violated here, it was pointed out.


BORDERLAND BEAT

The Most Extensive and Reliable Source of Information Related to the Mexican Drugs Cartels.

You will not find this level of coverage anywhere else, join us!





Send information, pictures or videos, you remain 100% anonymous.

Envia fotos, videos, notas, enlaces o informacion todo 100% Anonimo.





General Mail Box: borderlandbeat@gmail.com





Want to be a contributor or citizen reporter for

Borderland Beat?

We love to have you in our team, send us an email!





WARNING:

Posts may contain strong violent material, discretion is advised.





COMMENTS:

We do not publish all comments, and we do not publish comments immediately.




If the autos are found without meters, they would be fined around Rs 2,000 and the vehicles would be sealed. (Representational Image)

Hyderabad: Autorickshaws in the city are charging rates as per their own sweet will, ignoring a 2014 government order that makes fares designated by digital meters mandatory in autos.

According to the order, the minimum fare for 1.6 km is Rs 20, but the autos charge Rs 30. And the minimum fare goes up to around Rs 50 in thoroughfare areas like hospitals and railways stations.

There are no fixed auto fares, says Ms Anitha Kumari, a resident. They charge as per their wish. I was asked `50 for going from Secunderabad Railway Station to Parade Grounds Metro station, which is barely a half a kilometer.

At times, these autos take undue advantage of people in dire need at places like government hospitals, said another resident on the condition of anonymity. They are demanding exorbitant amounts, depending on the patients condition. This is unfair.

Road Transport Authority officials did not agree with the complaints.

Though most autos already have meters installed, the drivers are reluctant to use them.

Motor vehicle inspectors keep checking vehicles for permit and fitness violations.

If the autos are found without meters, they would be fined around Rs 2,000 and the vehicles would be sealed.

But the auto unions had a grouse. The government has not increased fares in the past four years and our livelihood is dependent on the fare, said an auto driver. Fuel prices have gone up by around Rs 40. It will be difficult for us to survive if we charge meter rates. In any case, few people hail autos these days. We are facing competition from cab aggregators as well.
Hyderabad: The info you give out at shopping malls could be used to scam you later, a senior Hyderabad police official has said.

It is best to avoid giving personal details at public places like malls or shopping complexes. Salespersons usually take down these details in order to pass on information about holiday packages or gift offers. Several offers will be made to you, but one should be very careful with what information is being given, additional DCP, Commissioners Task Force, Mr S. Chaitanya Kumar, said. Remember that there is no legal recourse if you lose your money in this fashion.

He went on to say that the mall authorities might not even be aware of these salespersons, as they are dressed in casuals like other customers and approach only gullible targets.

Uttam Pandey, a techie working at Madhapur, shared an experience his mother had. My mother was at a mall the other day. A girl sweet-talked her into sharing her contact details for some lucky draw and offers, Uttam said. The next day someone called her up to say she had won free gifts, which were worth more than my monthly salary. He told her this was not a scam and asked her to come as a couple and collect it. Mom handed it over to me. When I probed, they said, Malls do this for publicity and to build patronage. You will get a dinner set and some shopping vouchers. You dont have to spend a single rupee.

On probing further, he realised that the number from which they had received the call was marked as spam by several users. He realised they would eventually have been reeled onto some scheme and made to pay a hefty amount.

Last June, the Cyber Crime Police of Hyderabad nabbed a gang of three from Okhla Industrial Area for looting money from innocent people with the lure of fake offers and prize money. One person was made to shell out a whopping Rs 88 lakh. The person said he received a call from one Rahil Kapoor Shop Cherries Marketing Pvt Ltd, offering gift items like a laptop and cell phone and a trip to Turkey for two persons for an amount of Rs 2.5 lakh, after he gave out his number unmindfully at a shopping centre.

Any details you share with these frauds can compromise your personal and financial information, said an official from Cyber Crimes Hyderabad. Moreover, payments once made to these accounts cannot be retrieved or reversed, and you may be cheated of your hard-earned money. He also asked netizens not to fall for phone calls advertising gifts and offers and to report such calls to the Cyber Crime Police Station for necessary action.
Pudukkotai: In the largest ever jallikattu (bull-taming) held this season so far to create a world record at Viralimalai near Pudukkottai on Sunday, two visitors were unfortunately gored to death and at least 40 bull-tamers were injured.

The jallikattu was earlier flagged off by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and the event was organised by the State Health minister, Dr C Vijayabaskar organised it.

Flagging off the event, Mr. Palaniswami said the Viralimalai jallikattu would join the league of world-famous jallikattus hosted at Alanganallur in Madurai district. Todays event was being held in accordance with the stipulated guidelines, he said.

The Health minister who usually pitches for Ammankulam Pattamaraathan temple as the venue in Viralimalai for holding a jallikattu every year, sought to create a world record this year in terms of number of bulls participating at one place.

Accordingly, in this event, 1,353 bulls and 424 bull-tamers participated in the mega jallikattu held for about nine hours continuously from 8 am today.

A two-member team including a woman from World Kings-World Records Union, London came and after recording the whole days event and analyzing it, declared it as the largest jallikattu on date with the participation of 1,353 bulls creating a world record. The London team presented a certificate in this regard to Dr Vijayabaskar.

Deputy Chief Minister, O. Pannerselvam and state ministers, Dindigul C. Sreenivasan, R. Kamaraj, R. B. Udhayakumar, Vellamandi Natarajan and Mrs.Valarmathi, among others graced the inaugural.

The deceased were identified as A. Ramu (35) of Periyampatti, Pudukkottai and L. Sathishkumar of Allur near Tiruchy. All the injured bull-tamers were treated at the special medical camp at the venue itself.
New Delhi: With the high-powered selection committee all set to meet on January 24 to appoint the new CBI director, Mr Y.C. Modi, who is currently holding the post of National Investigation Agency chief, has emerged as the strong contender for the post.

The high-powered selection committee that will meet on Thursday to appoint the new CBI director is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, Mr Mallikarjun Kharge, and the Chief Justice of India (or his representative) as its two other members. The government had proposed the meeting on January 21 earlier, while Mr Kharge wanted it to be held on either January 24 or 25.

A 1984-batch officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, Y.C. Modi has over 33 years of experience. He has also served in the CBI for several years. In his two stints there, in 2002-2010 and 2015-2017, Mr Modi handled special crimes and economic offences as well as anti-corruption cases, said a source.

The source said that Y.C. Modis long service in the CBI and knowledge about the functioning of the agency is the biggest advantage for him.

A source further added, A total of 17 officers of four batches  1982 to 1985  are eligible for the post of CBI director, out of which six officers have been shortlisted by the department of personnel and training. Modi seems to be the frontrunner for the post.

Earlier, Mr Kharge had written to the Prime Minister demanding early holding of the meeting of the high-powered committee to appoint a regular CBI director. Mr Kharge had alleged the government was scared of a CBI led by an independent director. Barely two days after the Supreme Court reinstated Alok Verma, he was removed as CBI director on charges of corruption and dereliction of duty, in an unprecedented action in the investigative agencys 55-year history. There were eight charges against Mr Verma in the CVC report.
Tiruchy: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is fulfilling the dreams of former Chief Ministers: M.G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa in taking the State on a growth trajectory, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Sunday.

Minister (Vellamandi) Natarajan said that Puratchi Thalaivar MGR and Ammas dreams of developing Tiruchy must be fulfilled. I would like to say something about that. From MGRs period and Ammas period, after asking around a lot to the Central Governments, now it is only Modi who is fulfilling those dreams today, she said while addressing the gathering at the inaugural of projects for TN Defence Industrial Corridor.

She said the Modi government acknowledges the fact that the people of Tamil Nadu are enterprising businessmen. She also emphasised that the Defence Expo, which was never taken out of New Delhi except once in Goa, was brought to Tamil Nadu by Mr. Modi. Despite being in power for only five years now, the BJP government has brought defence corridor to the State with the co-operation of the TN government, she said.

The Defence Industrial Corridor in Tiruchy is the second (the other being Uttar Pradesh) in the country and was announced in the 2018 Union budget. The Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor, also called the Tamil Nadu Defence Production Quad, will include Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Coimbatore and Tiruchi. These nodal cities have defence ecosystem in the form of OFBs, vendors working with Defence PSUs, and other allied industries.

Investments worth Rs 3,123 cr announced:

Investments worth about Rs.3,123 crore by the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), Defence public sector units and private sector companies like TVS group, Data Patterns, Alpha Designs and Aerospace Engineers, were announced as part of the launch of the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched a series of projects in the corridor at Tiruchy in the presence of State Industry Minister M. C. Sampath. Development of this corridor will not only help in accelerated growth and regional industry agglomeration, but will also facilitate a well-planned and efficient industrial base which will lead to increased defence production in the country and the region. This will also help the industry to integrate with the global supply chain of defence manufacturing, she said.

Large conglomerates like Lockheed Martin and LMW have also announced their intentions to invest in the corridors, says a government press release.

At a function in Tiruchy, the Defence Research Development Organisation handed over the model of Arjun Mark-1A to the Director-General Ordnance Factories. This tank is much superior to the earlier version in terms of fire power, mobility and protection features, the release said. Sitharaman also launched the CODISSIA Defence Innovation and Incubation Centre to support the MSMEs, start-ups and existing industries in their endeavour to expand and contribute significantly for defence indigenisation and other areas.
Bengaluru: Not even a month has passed since the New Year began and already Bellandur Lake caught fire, while smoke engulfed Varthur Lake on Sunday. The exact cause of the fire was not known, but it is suspected that miscreants have lit garbage piles around the lakes.

Mr Jagadish Reddy, a lake activist, said that the fire was noticed at three different spots in the lake.

Mr Reddy said, The fire brigade was not helpful at all as they had not come prepared. Our request to call in Civil Defence or NDRF fell on deaf ears. Almost 20 acres of flora & fauna is charred. This is the breeding season for many of birds and serpents and this is a big loss to our eco-system.

Residents of nearby apartments complained that big plumes of smoke engulfed their flats around 2.30 pm on Sunday.

In March 2017, smoke from the Varthur Lake had taken the residents by surprise. It was later found that garbage was burnt at the inlet of the lake.

Meanwhile, the BDA has set a new deadline for the completion of a waste weir at Varthur. According to sources, the development authority has further delayed the project till April due to unknown reasons.

Exactly a year ago, Bellandur Lake caught fire and the army was deployed to douse the flames.
Bhopal: Barely 36 hours after a senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader was shot dead in Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh, another prominent party activist was brutally killed in Barwani district in the state on Sunday.

Incidentally, the two slain BJP leaders hailed from Malwa-Nimar region in Madhya Pradesh where BJP has put up a surprisingly good show in the November 28 assembly elections, bringing the party on the verge of retaining power in the state.

Body of Manoj Thakere (40), a local BJP leader, was found with his head crushed apparently with a boulder in an agriculture land close to his village, Balwadi, in Barwani district on Sunday morning.

He had gone on morning walk, but did not return. His body was later found in an agriculture plot. He had deep injury marks in his face. His head seemed to have been crushed with a boulder. It appears more than one assailant were involved in his murder, Warla police station in-charge Dinesh Kushwaha said.

Probe was on into the incident, he added. The deceased BJP leader was a loyalist of former minister Antar Singh Arya.

The ghastly killing of Thakere comes barely 36 hours after the murder of senior BJP leader and Mandsaur Nagar Palika chairman Pralhad Bandhwar.

Former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan who expressed serious concern over killing of two BJP leaders in a span of 48 hours, said the contention that Bandhwar was killed for a paltry Rs 25,000 was unacceptable. We demand a CBI probe into the killings of the two BJP leaders, he said.
Cultural minister A.K. Balan presents Ammannur award to theatre artiste Prasanna during the inaugural function of 11th International Theatre Festival of Kerala in Thrissur on Sunday.(DC)

Thrissur: The 11th edition of the International Theatre Festival of Kerala (ITFoK) began here on Sunday evening by staging the Sri Lankan play Bitter Nectar (Thiththa Kahata) at the Regional Theatre.

The play depicted the life and sufferings of the plantation workers who were forcefully taken to the island nation by the British from Tamil Nadu during the colonial time.

The play is directed by Rasaiah Loganathan. Cultural Minister A.K. Balan inaugurated the show and handed over the Ammannur Madhava Chakyar Award to well-known theatre person from Karnataka, Prasanna.

The ITFoK this year will be a low profile event with minimum celebrations in view of the floods that hit the state last August.

Sangeetha Nataka Akade-mi Chairperson KPAC Lali-tha along with education minister C. Raveendranath were also present. Instead of 33 plays which were staged last year, only 13 plays will be performed this year, organisers said.

Midsummer Night's Dream and Iranian adaptation of the play by William Shakespeare is one among the major attractions of the fest and works for the setting up the stage for the play to be first staged on January 25 has already begun, they added.

Plays from Vietnam, Italy, Malaysia, will also be staged at the fest.

There will seven Indian plays including those from Kerala. In place of a budget of Rs2.2 crore last year, the fest is conducted with just Rs 95 lakh this year , secretary of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi N Radhakrishnan said.

Forty percent of the tickets have been reserved online and the remaining will be sold through the counters at the venue.
Around 12 crore people are expected to visit the Kumbh between now and Maha Shivratri on March 4, when the Mela will come to a close on Maha Shivratri day. (Photo: PTI)

Prayagraj (Allahabad): The mega Kumbh Mela, which began on January 15 and will continue till March 4, is expected to generate a revenue of Rs 1.2 lakh crore for Uttar Pradesh, says apex industry body Confederation of Indian Industry.

Although the Kumbh Mela is spiritual and religious in nature, the economic activities associated with it generate employment for over six lakh workers across various sectors, CII said in a report.

The Uttar Pradesh government has allocated Rs 4,200 crore for the 50-day Kumbh Mela this time, which is over thrice the budget of the Maha Kumbh in 2013, making the mega pilgrimage perhaps the costliest ever. The hospitality sector aims at employing 250,000 people, airlines and airports around 150,000 and tour operators around 45,000. The employment numbers in eco-tourism and medical tourism are being estimated at 85,000, says a CII study.

Apart from this there will be around 55,000 new jobs in the unorganized sector comprising of tour guides, taxi drivers, interpreters, volunteers etc. This will lead to increase income levels for government agencies and individual traders.

Attracting a massive number of foreign tourists from various countries like Australia, UK, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, New Zealand, Mauritius, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, the Kumbh is a festival of the world.

"The 'mela' is expected to generate a revenue of Rs 1,200 billion for Uttar Pradesh, the state where it is being held, while neighbouring states like Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh will also benefit from the enhanced revenue generation with a large number of national and foreign tourists expected to explore other destinations. The Uttar Pradesh government has allocated a hefty amount of Rs 4,200 crore for the Kumbh Mela held in Allahabad, which has become the costliest pilgrimage till date.

"The UP government has allocated Rs 4,200 crore for 2019 Kumbh Mela. The previous state government had spent around Rs 1,300 crore for the Maha Kumbh, which was held in 2013," state Finance Minister Rajesh Agarwal told PTI.

The area of Kumbh Mela has also been doubled to 3,200 hectares as compared to 1,600 hectares in the previous melas.

The Kumbh is a unique and massive gathering of both rural and urban population and also has a huge dispersal factor as people travel long distances across the country. In order to house this multitude, authorities have erected a mini-city of more than 4,000 tents. The city is being lit by installing over 40,000 LED lights, say local authorities.

Overhauling of key infrastructure is being done, including upgrading nine railways stations and construction of a new airport terminal in Allahabad. The setting up of this new city in the huge Mela area involves 250 km roads and 22 pontoon bridges, which will make it the largest temporary city in the world.

The Kumbh, a sacred Hindu pilgrimage, is thus expected to generate direct and indirect business activities, the fruits of which would hopefully benefit the economy not only of Uttar Pradesh but that of India as a whole, the CII document says.

The Kumbh at Sangam city Prayagraj, as Allahabad is now known, dates back to a hoary past, whose first mention of was made some 2,000 years ago by the Chinese traveler Hsuan Tsang who visited India during the reign on King Harshvardhana.

Based on a complex astrological calculation, the alignment of the stars determines the time and place of the Kumbh' in one of the following four river-sites: Haridwar, Prayagraj, Nasik and Ujjain. It is a celebration of an ancient tradition  a dip in the holy waters where the mythical Saraswati, Ganga and Yamuna meet.

These riverside festivals and the city that springs up around them are attended by millions, making the Kumbh Mela' the largest religious gathering, perhaps the oldest, and the largest temporary city in the world. Learned seers believe that a dip in the waters would endow an individual with religious merit. Masses of devotees gather on the riverbank to attain spiritual enlightenment, some in the belief that doing so will lead them worldly success, others simply to purify their souls.

The Kumbh Mela gets its worldwide reputation as a mega-event not only because of the sheer number of people who attend the fair but also for a widespread display of cultural traits of a nation, which is bound by ties of faith and traditions.

Around 12 crore people are expected to visit the Kumbh between now and Maha Shivratri on March 4, when the Mela will come to a close on Maha Shivratri day.

The first "Shahi Snan' (royal bath) of Kumbh on January 15 drew a record crowd of 2.25 crore devotees, said Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who has been meticulously supervising minute details personally to make the event "Divya Kumbh, Bhavya Kumbh".
Congress moved 76 of its 80 lawmakers to Eagleton resort on Friday after the legislature party meeting amid fears of poaching by the BJP. (Photo: ANI)

Mumbai: Karnataka Congress lawmaker Anand Singh was admitted to a hospital, reportedly after a fight with party colleague on Saturday evening at the Eagleton resort, a day after the party moved its MLAs there.

According to media reports, MLA J N Ganesh allegedly hit Anand Singh on his head with a bottle, following which Singh was taken to a hospital. However, the Congress party has denied the reports and said that Singh was admitted to the hospital due to chest pain.

Senior leader D K Shivakumar termed the reports of a brawl as fake news. His brother, D K Suresh  who was at the hospital  said that Singh was admitted to the hospital as he suffered chest pain.

I don't know about the fight. Anand Singh is admitted in hospital due to chest pain. There are no injuries or anything. His parents are here at the hospital. Other issues are just speculations, D K Suresh said.

Karnatka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara expressed ignorance about a reported fight between the lawmakers saying, I've seen that only through media. I was there till 8o clock yesterday (Saturday). I don't know what has happened but I will let you know. Once I come out, I'll definitely let you know.

He, however, said a legislator has been hospitalised owing to his illness.

When one of our colleagues isn't well, if it's true, naturally somebody would've gone to see him. I don't know who the person is. I'm just responding to your question, Parameshwara told reporters.

Meanwhile, the BJP ridiculed the Congress party over the issue.

What more proof do we need to tell all is not well within Congress..



Congress MLA's in Eagleton resort indulged in physical fight & 1 MLA is admitted. How long will congress be in denial mode & blame BJP for all their differences?



When political party is lame, it loves to blame pic.twitter.com/4IWSr5xUWi  BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) January 20, 2019

It's unfortunate that @KPCCPresident was unable to stop the fight in Eagleton resort. We hope Anand Singh is being treated and we pray for his speedy recovery. Unfortunately @dineshgrao can't even blame BJP now, MLA's were locked up under his watch at Eagleton. Whats ur excuse now? another tweer read.

The party also alleged that Congress MLA's fear for life under HDK government and asked former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and Dinesh G Rao suspend the lawmaker responsible for the attack on Anand Singh to uphold constitutional values.

Refuting BJPs allegations, D K Shivakumar had said, There is no fight. You saw all of them coming together, going together. It's fake news. Entire Congress party is united. I am confident that even those who couldn't attend CLP will come to Congress.

BJP MLA R Ashok accused Shivakumar and Suresh of telling lies and asked doctors of Apollo hospital to give a clarification.

D K Shivakumar and D K Suresh are confusing people by telling lies. Doctors of Apollo Hospital should come out and give clarification about whether Anand Singh is admitted for chest pain treatment or for something else. Police should file a suo-motu case and investigate, he said.

Congress moved 76 of its 80 lawmakers to Eagleton resort on Friday after the legislature party meeting. This came amid fears of poaching by the BJP.

Karnataka has been witnessing political drama since last week after the Congress accused BJP of launching Operation Lotus 2.0 aimed at toppling the coalition government. However, BJP has been consistently denying all these allegations.

Earlier, there were reports that five Congress MLAs were missing; however, two of them, including Anand Singh, came back shortly.

At the CLP meet, four of Congress lawmakers were missing, thereby fuelling rumours of them quitting the government and joining the opposition.
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao made it very clear that after irrigation projects, the top priority will be accorded to roads and highways. (Photo: File | PTI)

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Saturday vowed to make Telangana roads "shine like a mirror".

The chief minister, in a review meeting held at Hyderabad's Pragathi Bhavan to discuss the current condition of state roads, directed concerned officers to complete the task in the next two years.

The chief minister made it very clear that after irrigation projects, the top priority will be accorded to roads and highways. He further instructed that including the newly formed village panchayats, the entire 12,751 village panchayats in the state should be provided with BT road facility.

He also directed the R&B officials to assess the existing conditions of the roads in the state and prepare a plan accordingly. Following the assessment, a budget will be allocated for the same.

Hon'ble CM has reviewed the condition of State roads at Pragathi Bhavan today. He has asked the Dept. to take up repairs, extensions of roads and bridges wherever necessary and convene a state-level conference for officials from E-in-C to AE for planning the works.  Telangana CMO (@TelanganaCMO) January 19, 2019

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, in the meeting, said several roads and bridges in the state need to be repaired. He also asked his ministers to constantly monitor the progress of road repair work.

In the meeting, Rao also instructed the officials to immediately pay compensation to farmers who lost their land in the construction of canals in Kaleswaram project.
59-year-old VK Sasikala is currently serving a four-year jail term after being convicted in disproportionate asset case. (Photo: File)

Mumbai: A Right to Information (RTI) query has revealed that V K Sasikala, who was a close aide of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, has been provided VIP facilities in jail, including five rooms, a private cook and unrestricted access to visitors.

The 59-year-old is currently serving a four-year jail term after being convicted in disproportionate asset case.

RTI activist Narasimha Murthy, who had filed the query, said that rules were violated to allow Sasikala enjoy VIP facilities at the Parappana Agrahara Central Jail.

Murthy said that women convicts, who were staying in four of the rooms, were "sent out" and all five rooms were given to V K Sasikala when she reached the jail on till February 14, 2017.

There's no provision for cooking food in prison but jail authorities deputed one convict to cook for Sasikala. In her case, the system was ignored. People used to come in groups, go to her room directly and stay for three to four hours, the RTI activist added.

D Roopa, the then deputy inspector general of prisons, had first raised the issue on July 13, 2017. She claimed that Sasikala and her associates were given preferential treatment in the prison for an alleged bribe of Rs 2 crore.

Soon after, the Karnataka government ordered a probe into the allegations. Roopa flagged the issue in a report to her superior, DGP (Prisons) H S Sathyanarayana Rao. The then Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced a "high-level probe" into the allegations.

Roopa named retired DGP Sathyanarayana Rao for giving preferential treatment to Jayalalithaas aide. Roopa was later transferred to the traffic section and Rao was asked to go on leave.

Retired IAS Officer Vinay Kumar, who investigated the allegations since then, confirmed that rules were indeed broken. The report of the panel he headed said that Sasikala and her aides received many facilities.

When Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, who was the then home minister, was asked to comment on these reports, he said, I don't think so.
The Gummidipoondi SIPCOT police registered a case and sent the bodies to the Ponneri government hospital for post-mortem.

Chennai: Three men were brutally murdered by an eight-member gang in full public view near their residential area in Gummidipoondi on Saturday night, the police said.

Past enmity could be the motive, since two of the dead were involved in a murder a year ago, the police said, adding that a search was on for the assailants.

The police said, R. Aakash, 18, a resident of Ma Po Si Nagar at Gummidipoondi, was a polytechnic college drop-out. On Saturday night, Aakash and S. Vimal, 21, from Thirukulam street in Gummidipoondi and S. Sathish, 26, from Thideer Nagar in Tondiarpet, were walking towards Aakash's Ma Po Si Nagar home.

Around 8 pm, when the three were near their house, an eight-member gang, their faces covered, charged at them with knives and iron rods.

Eyewitnesses said the three men tried to flee, but the gang chased and stabbed them, killing them on the spot. Residents then alerted the police.

The Gummidipoondi SIPCOT police registered a case and sent the bodies to the Ponneri government hospital for post-mortem.

Preliminary investigations show that Vimal and Sathish were involved in the murder of Shahjahan on January 8 last year.

"We suspect they were murdered to avenge that murder. Five special teams have been formed to nab the suspects," said the police officer. Further investigations are on.
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription and are still unable to access our content, please link your digital account to your print subscription If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
Wind gusts of up to 30 mph were expected to diminish Monday night, so despite the low temperatures it wont feel as cold as it did Sunday night. Forecasters said it would reach a wind chill of as low as minus 3 Monday night in Maryland. In Baltimore City the temperature was expected to reach 31 with winds of only 6 mph and a wind chill that could be as low as 0.
Now that the Virginia Board of Pharmacy has announced the five companies that will be permitted to dispense medical marijuana, I feel it is time for the University of Virginia Medical Center to follow the path of the Cleveland Clinic. As a physician, I feel UVa has a moral duty to its patients and staff to promote, explain and practice evidence-based medicine.

In a letter posted on its "Health Essentials" blog, the Cleveland Clinic stated emphatically that its physicians will not be recommending medical marijuana to its patients. Their logic was based in science  not politics: "In the world of healthcare, a medication is a drug that has endured extensive clinical trials, public hearings and approval by the FDA. Medications are tested for safety and efficacy. They are closely regulated, from production to distribution. They are accurately dosed, down to the milligram. Medical marijuana is none of those things."

It is important for patients to understand that are products already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (including three derived from the cannabis plant) for all of the conditions medical marijuana is purported to help.

I believe UVa has a duty as a public institution to stand up to the many commercial interests who are more than happy to put profit over people  just like the opioid producers did years ago.
In the spirit of Charlottesville City Councilor Wes Bellamy wishing to change the name of Preston Avenue in remembrance of a Confederate general to Preston Avenue in remembrance of a long-time teacher from the African-American community, I'd like to suggest that all of the city streets should be renamed. This is 2019. Out with the old and in with the new!

Certainly, we need to start with a blue ribbon panel to study all of the possibilities and permutations, but I believe creativity is essential. I wish to make a few suggestions to get the ball rolling:

I propose that Cherry Avenue be renamed Cherry Avenue in honor of the favored fruit to top a sundae.

I propose that North Avenue be renamed North Avenue in honor of Kim Kardashian's daughter, North West.

I propose that 3rd Street be renamed 3rd Street in honor of my third-grade class. I really loved that year!

I'm pretty sure that I could rename all of the streets myself, but, in fairness, I'd like to leave something for the City Council to do between bickering among themselves.
Virginias latest redistricting tangle continues to kink. And it will be weeks, if not months, before we can hope for the knots to be smoothed out.

A House of Delegates voting map that created oddly shaped districts near Richmond, Petersburg and Hampton Roads is under legal challenge. Opponents say the districts were drawn by a Republican majority in a way that served to dilute black voting strength. GOP lawmakers contend otherwise, saying the districts were the best that could be achieved when a range of factors were taken into account.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a Republican request to delay redrawing the maps, as ordered by an earlier court decision.

That order was imposed last year by the panel of three federal district judges who heard the original lawsuit.

Republicans appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. And, they sought to halt the redistricting that had been mandated by the lower court, until the U.S. high court could hear the appeal.

That case is expected to come before the high court sometime in the spring  hence the potential delay of months until the dispute can be settled.

The Supreme Courts decision means that redistricting work must continue.
As for the bad, Northam's first year shows he has not seen the last of a continuing Green revolt within the Democratic Party.

Northam has had little success quelling environmentalists, having accommodated Dominion Energy on legislation, briefly slowed in 2018 by House Democrats, that allows the electric monopoly to keep more of its profits and by removing from a state board that will regulate the company's new natural gas pipeline two members who oppose it as a source of air pollution.

Even fulfilling his highest responsibility as governor, ensuring public safety, proved occasionally bitter for Northam, who, if only because he's a physician, is risk-averse.

Ahead of Hurricane Florence, Northam ordered an evacuation of coastal Virginia and the administration hired a Texas emergency-services company at a cost of $31 million to open three shelters inland to house and feed nearly 6,000 people for a week. When the storm pivoted south, the evacuation order was dropped. Only 52 people used the shelters.

The big bill became a big political headache, with Republican senators suggesting that the state, though it can recover most of the money from the federal government, had still been gouged.
Development of the 13-acre site will be in three phases with phase one scheduled to begin soon with phase two estimated to be completed in mid-2022.
Sanctions relief for Russian companies. Voting 57 for and 42 against, the Senate on Jan. 16 failed to reach 60 votes needed to advance a Democratic-sponsored measure (SJ Res 2) that sought to retain U.S. economic sanctions on the corporate domain of Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska. This upheld a deal soon to take effect in which the Treasury Department will remove the sanctions in return for Deripaska giving up majority interests in three firms he controls. In addition, the vote rendered as symbolic a House move (above) to nullify the sanctions deal. Deripaska is an ally of Putin and onetime business associate of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
He said learning the power of no is an important lesson for young women, especially. Hes even instilling that lesson in his young daughter.

Were teaching her from infancy that if I say no, even my mom and dad dont cross that line, he said.

Saying no and embracing it carries over to professional success, he told the audience.

All you have at 25 is your willingness to walk away, he said. Youre not taking anything from anybody.

Odom, who won a Tony and Grammy for his work in Hamilton, published a memoir in 2018 titled, Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher and Never Stop Learning.

Odom wrote in his book that he wished he had more opportunities to fail. Ryan followed up for advice on how to help his students fail.

Id make all those classes pass/fail, he said.  A whole lot of learning is stopped by the ego wrapped around the grades.  Make it about experiences. Those grades [are] going to be behind you before you know it.
The burning questions they asked were not about condoms or abortion or which STDs are curable, but about the new social interactions that, as burgeoning adults, they are beginning to face. They wanted to know: What if you like someone but they like your friend? And: When do you know how/if to kiss someone? And: How do I tell someone Im asexual without being awkward? And: What if someone is following you around school and you dont like it?
STANARDSVILLE  Airbnb rentals in Greene County brought in approximately 8,500 guests and $1.1 million in host income, according to a 2018 report, ranking Greene in the top 10 out of 40 counties in Virginia.

Airbnb is the worlds leading community-driven hospitality company and allows users to offer or book lodging. Airbnbs website shows more than 100 results in and around Greene. There are approximately 10,200 people in Virginia who share their homes through the service.

About three years ago, the countys director of economic development and tourism, Alan Yost, worked to change ordinances to make it easier for residents to offer their homes as an Airbnb rental.

Currently, those zoned A1 or C1 can list an Airbnb by right. Last year, the ordinance was changed again to allow those zoned R1 to offer an Airbnb rental with a special-use permit.

The whole purpose was to make it easier for people to get the approval to have the Airbnb, but also for the county to be able to collect the taxes, which is important. As well, if there is a problem with the Airbnb, were aware of them and we can keep track of them from that standpoint, Yost said.
Ingredion Incorporated, together with its subsidiaries, produces and sells starches and sweeteners for various industries. It operates through four segments: North America; South America; Asia Pacific; and Europe, Middle East, and Africa. The company offers sweetener products comprising glucose syrups, high maltose syrups, high fructose corn syrups, caramel colors, dextrose, polyols, maltodextrins, and glucose syrup solids, as well as food-grade and industrial starches, biomaterials, and nutrition ingredients. It also provides edible corn oil; refined corn oil to packers of cooking oil and to producers of margarine, salad dressings, shortening, mayonnaise, and other foods; and corn gluten feed used as protein feed for chickens, pet food, and aquaculture, as well as fruit and vegetable products, such as concentrates, purees and essences, pulse proteins, and hydrocolloids systems and blends. The company's products are derived primarily from processing corn and other starch-based materials, such as tapioca, potato, and rice. It serves food, beverage, paper and corrugating products, brewing, pharmaceutical, textile, and personal care industries, as well as animal feed markets. The company was formerly known as Corn Products International, Inc. and changed its name to Ingredion Incorporated in June 2012. Ingredion Incorporated was founded in 1906 and is headquartered in Westchester, Illinois.

Read More
"Her upbeat style and energy inspired many of us. She managed Gannett politics with a smile, always determined to get things done despite daily distractions. She showed the rest of us how to focus on good stories and ignore the rest," said Tom Curley, a former president and publisher of USA Today and senior vice president of its parent, Gannett Co. Curley later was AP's president and CEO.
Precision Drilling Corporation, an oilfield services company, provides oil and natural gas drilling and related products and services in North America and the Middle East. The company operates in two segments, Contract Drilling Services, and Completion and Production Services. The Contract Drilling Services segment offers onshore well drilling services to exploration and production companies in the oil and natural gas industry. This segment's services include land drilling, directional drilling, and turnkey drilling; and procurement and distribution of oilfield supplies, as well as manufacture, sale, and repair of drilling equipment. As of December 31, 2020, it operated 227 land drilling rigs, including 109 in Canada; 105 in the United States; 6 in Kuwait; 4 in Saudi Arabia; 2 in the Kurdistan region of Iraq; and 1 in the country of Georgia. The Completion and Production Services segment provides service rigs for well completion, workover, abandonment, maintenance, and re-entry preparation services; wellsite accommodations; oilfield surface equipment rentals; and camp and catering services to oil and natural gas exploration and production companies. This segment operated 123 well completion and workover service rigs, including 113 in Canada and 10 in the United States. It also had approximately 1,400 oilfield rental items, including surface storage, small-flow wastewater treatment, power generation, and solids control equipment; 113 wellsite accommodation units; 966 drill camp beds; 822 base camp beds; and three kitchen diners in Canada. Precision Drilling Corporation was incorporated in 1951 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Read More
Papillon Resources Limited (Papillon) is engaged in the exploration and development of resource projects located in Mali. The Company has joint venture interests in a portfolio of gold tenements (granted licences and applications) in western and southern Mali. The Company's primary focus continued to be the advancement of the Fekola Project (Fekola or Project) located in south western Mali adjacent to the border with Senegal. Papillon completed its pre-feasibility study (PFS) for the project. The Company's subsidiaries include Mali Goldfields SARL, Songhoi Resources SARL, Bamagold SARL, Waraba Resources SARL, PIR Mali SARL, Papillon Exploration (AUS), Papillon Mining (AUS), Papillon Exploration (UK) and Papillon Mining (UK).

Read More
Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio has been a strong member of my executive team since day one and has a proven track record of working to protect Marylands environment, Hogan said in the release. I know that Jeannie will be instrumental in ensuring that we continue to build on our incredible progress in preserving our states precious natural resources.
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.

Read More
BancorpSouth Bank provides commercial banking and financial services to individuals and small-to-medium size businesses. The company operates through Banking Services Group, Mortgage, Insurance Agencies, Wealth Management, and General Corporate and Other segments. It accepts various deposit products, including interest and noninterest bearing demand deposits, and saving and other time deposits. The company also provides commercial loans, including term loans, lines of credit, equipment and receivable financing, and agricultural loans; a range of short-to-medium term secured and unsecured commercial loans to businesses for working capital, business expansion, and the purchase of equipment and machinery; and construction loans to real estate developers for the acquisition, development, and construction of residential subdivisions. In addition, it offers fixed and adjustable rate residential mortgage loans secured by owner-occupied property; construction loans; second mortgage loans; and home equity lines of credit, as well as non-residential consumer loans that consist of automobile, recreation vehicle, boat, personal, and deposit account secured loans, as well as issues credit cards. Further, the company operates as an agent for the sale of commercial lines of insurance; and offers a line of property and casualty, life, health, and employee benefits products and services. Additionally, it provides credit related products, trust and investment management, asset management, retirement and savings solutions, and estate planning and annuity products. As of March 4, 2021, the company operated through 305 full-service branch locations, as well mortgage, insurance, and loan production offices in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas; and an insurance location in Illinois. The company was formerly known as BancorpSouth, Inc. and changed its name to BancorpSouth Bank in October 2017. BancorpSouth Bank was founded in 1876 and is headquartered in Tupelo, Mississippi.

Read More
Wall Street analysts have given Invesco Financial Preferred ETF a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but Invesco Financial Preferred ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
QIAGEN N.V. provides sample to insight solutions that transform biological materials into molecular insights worldwide. The company offers primary sample technology consumables, such as nucleic stabilization and purification kits designed for primary sample materials, manual and automated processing for genotyping, gene expression, and viral and bacterial analysis, as well as silica membranes and magnetic bead technologies; secondary sample technology consumables, including kits and components for purification of nucleic acids from secondary sample materials; and instruments for nucleic acid purification and accessories. It also provides interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) for TB testing, and assays for post-transplant testing and viral load monitoring; assays for analysis of genomic variants, such as mutations, insertions, deletions, and fusions; and assays for prenatal testing and detection of sexually transmitted diseases and HPV; and sample to insight instruments, including one-step molecular analysis of hard-to-diagnose syndromes, and integrated PCR testing. The company offers PCR consumables, such as quantitative PCR, reverse transcription and combinations kits for analysis of gene expression, genotyping and gene regulation instruments and technologies; human ID and forensics assay consumables, including STR assays for human ID, and assays for food contamination; PCR instruments consist of digital PCR solutions; and developed and configured OEM consumables. It offers predefined and custom NGS gene panels, library prep kits and components, whole genome amplification, etc.; bioinformatics solutions; and custom laboratory and genomic services. It serves molecular diagnostics, academia, pharmaceutical, and applied testing customers. The company has collaboration agreements with Amgen Inc.; CLIA-certified laboratories; NuProbe Global; and Personal Genome Diagnostics Inc. The company was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Venlo, the Netherlands.

Read More
I want us to know if we have more frequent use of guns in crimes. I want to know if we have more fatal outcomes when a shooting occurs. I want to know about the mental health relationship so often mentioned.
Telecom Italia S.p.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides fixed and mobile telecommunications services in Europe, South America, and the Mediterranean Basin. The company operates through Domestic, Brazil, and Other Operations segments. It offers fixed and mobile voice and Internet, and public telephony services, as well as products managed and developed for individuals and families; and voice, data, and Internet services and products, and information and communications technology solutions for small and medium-size enterprises, small offices/home offices, the public sector, large accounts, and enterprises in the fixed and mobile telecommunications markets. The company also manages and develops a portfolio of regulated and unregulated wholesale services for fixed and mobile telecommunications operators; provision of infrastructure for housing radio transmission equipment of mobile telephone networks; and development, engineering, building, and operation of network infrastructures, information technology (IT), real estate properties, and plant engineering. In addition, it engages in customer care, operating credit support, loyalty, and retention activities; and staff functions and other support activities. Further, the company offers office products and services for IT sector. The company was founded in 1908 and is headquartered in Rome, Italy.

Read More
The following companies are subsidiares of Pearson: AEL (S) PTE Limited, ATI Professional Development LLC, Addison Wesley Longman Inc., Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers Inc., Aldwych Finance Limited, Americas Choice Inc., Atkey Finance Limited, Author Solutions, Axis Finance Inc., CAMSAWUSA Inc., CTI Education Group (Pty) Limited, Camsaw Inc., Casapsi Livraria e Editora Ltda, Centro Cultural Americano Franquias e Comercio Ltda., Century Consultants Ltd., Certiport, Certiport China Co Ltd, Certiport China Holding LLC, Certiport Inc., Cogmed Systems AB, Connections Academy of Arkansas LLC, Connections Academy of Florida LLC, Connections Academy of Iowa LLC, Connections Academy of Maine LLC, Connections Academy of Maryland LLC, Connections Academy of Minnesota LLC, Connections Academy of Missouri LLC, Connections Academy of Nevada LLC, Connections Academy of New Jersey LLC, Connections Academy of New Mexico LLC, Connections Academy of New York LLC, Connections Academy of Oregon LLC, Connections Academy of Pennsylvania LLC, Connections Academy of Tennessee LLC, Connections Academy of Texas LLC, Connections Education Inc., Connections Education LLC, Connections Education of Florida LLC, Dominie Press Inc., Dorian Finance Limited, Dorling Kindersley Australasia Pty Limited, EBNT Canada Holdings ULC, EBNT Holdings Limited, EBNT USA Holdings Inc., Edexcel Limited, Edexcel South Africa Pty Ltd, Education Development International plc, Education Resources (Cyprus) Limited, Educational Management Group Inc., Educational Publishers LLP, Embanet ULC, Embanet-Compass Knowledge Group Inc., EmbanetCompass, Embankment Finance Limited, English Language Learning and Instruction System Inc., Escape Studios Limited, FBH Inc., Falstaff Holdco Inc., Falstaff Inc., GED Domains LLC, GED Testing Service LLC, George (Shanghai) Commercial Information Consulting Co. Ltd, Global Education, Global George I Limited, Global George II Limited, GlobalEnglish, Globe Fearon Inc., Guangzhou Crescent Software Co. Ltd, Heinemann Education Botswana (Publishers) (Proprietary) Limited, Heinemann Publishers (Pty) Ltd, INTELLIPRO INC., Icodeon Limited, IndiaCan Education Private Limited, Integral 7 Inc., Integrated Analytics LLC, J M Solucoes Exportacao e Importacao Ltda, K12 Learning Services LLC, Kagiso Education Pty Ltd, Knowledge Analysis Technologies LLC, LCCI International Qualifications (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., LCCIEB Training Consultancy. Ltd, Learning Catalytics, LessonLab Inc., Lignum Oil Company, Linx Brasil Distribuidora Ltda., Longman (Malawi) Limited, Longman Australasia Pty Ltd, Longman Group(Overseas Holdings)Limited, Longman Indochina Acquisition L.L.C., Longman Kenya Limited, Longman Mocambique Ltda, Longman Romania S.R.L., Longman Swaziland (Pty) Limited, Longman Tanzania Limited, Longman Zambia Educational Publishers Pty Ltd, Longman Zambia Limited, Longman Zimbabwe (Private) Ltd, Longmaned Ecuador S.A., Major123 Limited, Maskew Miller Longman (Pty) Limited, MeasureUp LLC, Modern Curriculum Inc., Multi Holding, Multi Treinamento e Editora Ltda, NCS Information Technology Services (Beijing) Co Ltd, NCS Pearson Inc., NCS Pearson Pty Ltd, NCS Pearson Puerto Rico Inc., National Computer Systems Japan Co. Ltd, Ordinate Corporation, PN Holdings Inc., PT Efficient English Services, Pearson (Beijing) Management Consulting Co. Ltd., Pearson (Guizhou) Education Technology Co. Ltd., Pearson Affordable Learning Fund Limited, Pearson America LLC, Pearson Amsterdam B.V., Pearson Australia Finance Unlimited, Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd, Pearson Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, Pearson Australia Pty Ltd, Pearson Benelux B.V., Pearson Books Limited, Pearson Brazil Finance Limited, Pearson Business Services Inc., Pearson Canada Assessment Inc., Pearson Canada Finance Unlimited, Pearson Canada Holdings Inc, Pearson Canada Inc., Pearson Central Europe Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Pearson College Limited, Pearson DBC Holdings Inc., Pearson Desarrollo y Capacitacion Profesional Chile Limitada, Pearson Deutschland GmbH, Pearson Digital Learning Puerto Rico Inc., Pearson Dollar Finance Two Limited, Pearson Dollar Finance plc, Pearson Educacion SA, Pearson Educacion de Chile Limitada, Pearson Educacion de Colombia S A S, Pearson Educacion de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pearson Educacion de Panama SA, Pearson Educacion de Peru S.A., Pearson Education (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Pearson Education Achievement Solutions (RF) (Pty) Limited, Pearson Education Africa (Pty) Ltd, Pearson Education Asia Limited, Pearson Education Botswana (Proprietary) Limited, Pearson Education Hellas SA, Pearson Education Holdings Limited, Pearson Education Inc., Pearson Education Indochina Limited, Pearson Education Investments Limited, Pearson Education Korea Limited, Pearson Education Limited, Pearson Education Namibia (Pty) Limited, Pearson Education Publishing Limited, Pearson Education S.A., Pearson Education SA, Pearson Education South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Pearson Education South Asia Pte. Ltd., Pearson Education Taiwan Ltd, Pearson Education do Brasil S.A, Pearson Educational Measurement Canada Inc., Pearson Educational Publishers LLC, Pearson Egitim Cozumleri Tikaret Limited Sirketi, Pearson Falstaff (Holdings) Inc., Pearson Falstaff Holdco LLC, Pearson France, Pearson Funding Five plc, Pearson Funding Four plc, Pearson Funding Two Limited, Pearson Holdings Inc., Pearson Holdings Southern Africa (Pty) Limited, Pearson IOKI Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Pearson India Education Services Private Limited, Pearson India Support Services Private Limited, Pearson Institute of Higher Education, Pearson International Finance Limited, Pearson Investment Holdings Inc., Pearson Italia S.p.A, Pearson Japan KK, Pearson Lanka (Private) Limited, Pearson Learning China (HK) Limited, Pearson Lesotho (Pty) Ltd, Pearson Loan Finance No. 3 Limited, Pearson Loan Finance No. 4 Limited, Pearson Loan Finance No.2 Unlimited, Pearson Loan Finance Unlimited, Pearson Longman Uganda Limited, Pearson Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Pearson Management Services Limited, Pearson Management Services Philippines Inc., Pearson Maryland Inc., Pearson Netherlands B.V., Pearson Netherlands Holdings B.V., Pearson Nominees Limited, Pearson Online Tutoring LLC, Pearson Overseas Holdings Limited, Pearson PEM P.R. Inc., Pearson PRH Holdings Limited, Pearson Pension Nominees Limited, Pearson Pension Property Fund Limited, Pearson Pension Trustee Limited, Pearson Pension Trustee Services Limited, Pearson Professional Assessments Limited, Pearson Real Estate Holdings Inc., Pearson Real Estate Holdings Limited, Pearson Schweiz AG, Pearson Services Limited, Pearson Shared Services Limited, Pearson South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Pearson Strand Finance Limited, Pearson Sweden AB, Pearson VUE Philippines Inc., Pearson in Practice Holdings Limited, Pearson in Practice Skills Based Learning Limited, Pearson in Practice Technology Limited, Penguin Capital LLC, Phumelela Publishers (Pty) Ltd, ProctorCam Inc., Reading Property Holdings LLC, Rebus Planning Associates Inc., Reston Publishing Company Inc., Rycade Capital Corporation, Shanghai AWL Education Software Ltd, Silver Burdett Ginn Inc., Skylight Training and Publishing Inc., Smarthinking Inc., Sound Holdings Inc., Spear Insurance Company Limited, Stark Verlag GmbH, Sunnykey International Holdings Limited (BVI), TQ Catalis Limited, TQ Clapham Limited, TQ Education and Training Limited, TQ Global Limited, TQ Group Limited, TQ Holdings Limited, The Financial Times (I) Pvt Ltd, The Learning Edge International pty Ltd, The Waite Group Inc, Trio Parent Holdings LLC, US Learning Services LLC, USLS Holdings LLC, Virtual Nerd, Vue Testing Services Israel Ltd, Vue Testing Services Korea Limited, Wall Street Institute Kft., Williams Education GmbH, eCollege.com, and Editions Du Renouveau Pedagogique Inc..
Wall Street analysts have given General Steel 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 General Steel wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
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.

Read More
Matador Resources Company, an independent energy company, engages in the exploration, development, production, and acquisition of oil and natural gas resources in the United States. It operates in two segments, Exploration and Production; and Midstream. The company primarily holds interests in the Wolfcamp and Bone Spring plays in the Delaware Basin in Southeast New Mexico and West Texas. It also operates the Eagle Ford shale play in South Texas; and the Haynesville shale and Cotton Valley plays in Northwest Louisiana. In addition, the company conducts midstream operations in support of its exploration, development, and production operations; provides natural gas processing and oil transportation services; and offers oil, natural gas, and salt water gathering services, as well as salt water disposal services to third parties. As of December 31, 2020, its estimated total proved oil and natural gas reserves were 270.3 million barrels of oil equivalent, including 159.9 million stock tank barrels of oil and 662.3 billion cubic feet of natural gas. The company was formerly known as Matador Holdco, Inc. and changed its name to Matador Resources Company in August 2011. Matador Resources Company was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

Read More
First Quantum Minerals Ltd. engages in the exploration, development, and production of mineral properties. It primarily explores for copper, nickel, pyrite, gold, silver, and zinc ores, as well as produces acid. The company holds 100% interests in the Ravensthorpe nickel and cobalt mine in Australia; the Sentinel copper project in North Western Province of Zambia; the Las Cruces copper mine in Spain; the Guelb Moghrein copper-gold mine in Mauritania; the PyhAsalmi copper, pyrite, zinc mine in Finland; and the Aayeli copper-zinc mine in Turkey. It also holds an 80% interest in the Kansanshi copper-gold mine and copper smelter in Zambia; and a 90% interest in the Cobre Panama project located in Panama. In addition, the company has interests in copper, gold, and molybdenum projects at various stages of development located in Argentina, Peru, and Zambia. The company was formerly known as First Quantum Ventures Ltd. and changed its name to First Quantum Minerals Ltd. in July 1996. First Quantum Minerals Ltd. was incorporated in 1983 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

Read More
16 hours ago

| June 17th | 2021 8:38 AM

Does Nike (NYSE: NKE) Have What It Takes To Get Back Running Again

For a company whose shares powered to new highs on what felt like a daily basis for much of last year, Nike (NYSE: NKE) has surprised many with its sluggish performance in the first half of 2021. Their shares are trading down more than 10% from the most recent all time high that they tagged at the end of December. In the grand scheme of things, this
 American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved.

326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at [email protected]beat.com | (844) 978-6257

MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security.



Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information



 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. As a bonus to opt-ing into our email newsletters, you will also get a free subscription to the Liberty Through Wealth e-newsletter. You can opt out at any time.
Kodal Minerals Plc engages in the exploration and evaluation of mineral resources in the United Kingdom and West Africa. The company explores for lithium and gold deposits. Its flagship project is the Bougouni Lithium project located in southern Mali. The company holds 100% interest in the Bougouni West lithium project, which covers an area of 200 square kilometers located in southern Mali; and holds 100% interest in the Nangalasso project located in southern Mali, the SLAM Project located in Mali, the Dabakala project located in central Cote d'Ivoire, and the Korhogo project located in north central CAte d'Ivoire. Kodal Minerals Plc was incorporated in 2010 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.

Read More
First Data Corporation provides commerce enabled technology and solutions for merchants, financial institutions, and card issuers in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates through three segments: Global Business Solutions, Global Financial Solutions, and Network & Security Solutions. The Global Business Solutions segment provides solutions to merchants, such as retail point of sale merchant acquiring, e-commerce, and mobile payment services, as well as cloud based point of sale operating system that include a marketplace for proprietary and third party applications. The Global Finance Solutions segment provides technology solutions for bank and non-bank issuers, such as credit, retail private label, commercial card, and loan processing, as well as licensed financial software systems; suite of account services that include card personalization and embossing, customer communications, and professional services; and call center solutions and back office processing. The Network & Security Solutions segment offers EFT network, stored value network, and security and fraud solutions, as well as other value added solutions to its clients in GBS and GFS segments, smaller financial institutions, and other enterprise clients. First Data Corporation was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Read More
Exploring new destinations and old linkages, experiencing luxury and adventure, Indians are redefining wanderlust and how. By Team Viva

Travel, the very word conjures up images of golden sand beaches, towering mountains and exotic locales. But then it is no longer about tick marking the must-visits at a destination. The concept is changing and evolving. People want to experience adventure activities that a place can offer specific to the place. There is also bleisure (leisure on business trips), which is an ideal way for workaholics to balance work with some leisure or bachelorettes at fancy locales where the brides/grooms can spend some quality time with their friends.

ACTIVITY-BASED

Experts say that the rise of recreation activities during holidays is the most noticeable trend. Through these people make the most of their vacations even if they travel for short breaks. Not surprisingly, the travel companies are viewing it as new opportunities.

They believe that there has been a growth in travellers who are inclined towards new experiences and adventures rather than simply strolling through the markets during their vacation. This in turn has translated into an increase in the average spending. Amd keeping this factor in mind, travel portals are making sure to act as catalyst in encouraging the adventure options for their travellers. For instance, Avis India has come up with self-drive options even in foreign countries to ease the journey. Cleartrip, on the other hand, has partnered with the Hong Kong-based adventure park Klook and is offering packages for activities. Travel company, Tirun is associating with many Indian chefs to offer more elaborated Indian cuisines even outside the country.

We have noticed that Australia and New Zealand have a beautiful coastline that can only be accessed through the medium of a cruise. Keeping this in mind, a cruise will be launched to cater to this market and its rising demand, says Naresh Rawal, vice president, sales & marketing, Asia Pacific, Genting Cruise Lines.

INTERNATIONAL IN FOCUS

Experts have also observed a rise in international travels among Indian travellers during the past one year, and believe that they're bound to rise even more.

According to a report by the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), India will account for 50 million outbound tourists by 2020, which is twice the current figures. The average expenditure by Indian outbound travellers on short-haul trips will be about $857 or Rs 61,065 per trip per person, and long-haul trips will be about $1,687 or Rs 1,20,207.

ROAD LESS-TRAVELLED

Karan Anand, head, relationships, Cox & Kings, says that among international destinations, Northern Europe is becoming the prime travel region for Indian travellers with many less-travelled spots like Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland and Morocco securing a place in their travel maps. Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Laos and South Korea are also luring Indian travellers. In terms of romantic destinations or spots for the newly-weds, the Reunion Island in France is emerging as the ideal vacation spot. In Asia where people were typically travelling to Hong Kong and Malaysia, now they have extended their horizons to Vietnam and Cambodia. Tanzania and Zanzibar in Africa are also the new hotspots.

Vishal Kejriwal, ceo and co-founder of Taxidio also echoes similar observations. People are shifting from West Europe to East and Central parts of the continent. Malta, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro are trending the most, says Kejriwal.

Overall among international travel spots, Rawal says, McLeod islands in Thailand and Southern islands of Japan  Miyakojima and Naha  are now being picked up as hot new destinations specifically in Asia.

There has been yet another pattern observed for the travellers who dont step out very frequently or are first-time travellers. Anand says, First-time travellers usually pick conventional destinations or the ones that are not very new to peoples knowledge. It is specifically the segment of experienced travellers who look for newer destinations, be it personal vacation with family and friends or for business travel.

EXPLORING OLD ROADS

While going to unknown destinations is a must-do, exploring back in time is also the way to go. The old Silk Route is an experience that the traveller wants to undertake. Central Asian countries are like Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and more are reviving the old linkages and the industries associated to it. Florian Sengstschmid, CEO of Azerbaijan Tourism Board, says, Travelling from Baku, the capital, you can go to the other end of the country along this ancient road. There are many houses that still use the old methods for printing on silk or even the way they use metals. An intrepid and curious traveller with the help of a local guide can have an enriching experience.

BLEISURE

If looking at it categorically, Middle-East countries like Qatar and Oman have become top picks for MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) due to a rise in work or business trips, says Anand.

It is also corroborated by a report by Forbes which says that 87 per cent of business travellers are likely to mix business and leisure on the same trip. However, the irony is that 92 per cent of respondents still admitted to doing some work on dedicated leisure vacations, while 56 per cent of travellers with children included family on business trips.

LUXURY ON CALL

Domestically, the demand for luxury and boutique resorts at serene locations is on rise. Travellers are taking more interest in desert camps, participation in local activities/ festivals, culinary trails and private small group journeys. This is why our packages for TUTC camps in Sangam Niwas (Prayagraj-Kumbh Mela), Jaagir Lodge (Dudhwa), Kohima camp (Nagaland- Hornbill festival) and Ladakh, city walks of Trip 360 and culinary quest through Tour to Feasts journeys are getting extremely popular among the travellers.

BONDING OVER BACHELORETTES

According to Kejriwal, there has been a growing trend in bachelors and bachelorette parties internationally. Spots like Spain, London, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Prague and Budapest are the ones that these groups head to. And for destination weddings, places like Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia are more convenient for people keeping the budget in consideration as it offers great facilities in minimum expenditure.

Anand has also observed a similar pattern in terms of destination weddings, Tropical spots such as Bali, Phuket, Krabi and Koh Samui, Langkawi and Pangkor island and islands in the Maldives fit the wedding budget perfectly. Boracay, Da Nang and Nha Trang are also emerging as wedding destinations gradually. Those having higher budgets also go for exotic locations in US, Europe and Australia.

A growing trend that has been observed over the past one year  is the rise of the solo traveller. People who travel alone have a tight budget so they prefer hostels or zostels. However, they explore the city in a very native way, says Kejriwal.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti alleged on Sunday that the Gujjar and Bakerwal communities were being "selectively targeted" in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir and warned that if the issue was not addressed by the Governor S P Malik-led administration, the consequences would be "dangerous".

"Unfortunately, under the governor's nose, there is selective targeting of Gujjars and Bakerwals in Jammu and the governor's administration is not taking note of it," Mehbooba told a press conference here.

The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said she had raised the matter with the governor after some houses of Gujjars and Bakerwals were "selectively" served eviction notices in the name of encroachment, immediately after the PDP-BJP government in the state collapsed in June last year.

"The governor gave me an assurance that those (houses) will not be touched, especially in the winter months. (But) they are being harassed in the name of encroachment and also in the name of bovine smuggling," she said.

The People's Democratic Party (PDP) president also alleged that the Muslims living in the Jammu region were being threatened of a 1947-like situation, when communal riots had taken place.

"The rates of the areas where Muslims live are being increased. Muslim areas are being brought under the municipality so that construction (of houses) is made difficult.

"Similarly, Muslims living in Jammu are being threatened of a 1947-like situation. There are some fanatic elements who are organising programmes to threaten Muslims, especially those from the Gujjar and Bakerwal communities, who are the oldest residents of the Jammu region," she said.

Stating that the Muslims of Jammu were feeling vulnerable, Mehbooba said she had hoped that after the governor's assurance, such things would stop.

"If the governor's administration does not handle the fragile situation, then its consequences would be dangerous for the state," she added.

Without naming anyone, Mehbooba said there were some powers in Jammu that were trying to instill a sense of fear among the minorities -- like in the case of alleged rape of a minor Bakerwal girl in Kathua last year.

Asked about the governor's recent remarks that except the PDP, all other parties were ready for Assembly polls in the state, Mehbooba said "we are ready for elections anytime".

Responding to a question on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary Ram Madhav's statement that the saffron party had identified places for separate townships for Kashmiri Pandits, the PDP chief said her party would not allow "ghettoisation of minorities" in the state.
The Yogi Adityanath government is all set to create a record by holding its next Cabinet meeting at the tent city in Kumbh Mela Area in Prayagraj.

The meeting is likely to be held on January 29. All Cabinet ministers have been asked to attend the meeting.

First, the ministers will take a holy dip at the Sangam and then take part in the Cabinet meeting in the Kumbh City, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said.

He said that several important decisions would be taken in the meeting and probably it would be the first time that the Cabinet meeting would be held out of Lucknow and particularly in the Kumbh Mela Area.

The Yogi government generally holds Cabinet meetings on Tuesdays, barring some exceptions when it was held on other days like this week when the Cabinet met on Friday to approve 10 per cent reservation for the upper caste poor. However, there is less possibility of holding the Cabinet meeting next week due to the Chief Ministers busy schedule at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas programmes in Varanasi.

The Cabinet meeting at Prayagraj would be important one as several important policy decisions would be taken by the state government.
The BJP on Sunday alleged that Srikant Jena was ousted from the Congress because of a secret agreement between the Congress and the BJD that protects interest of mining mafias for their political gains.

The Congress-BJD secret deal for protection of mining mafia has become a big problem for the State. A Tamil Nadu trader has become very active in the State with support of an officer, alleged BJP vice-president Samir Mohanty.

He alleged that the Tamil Nadu trader has been a partner of mining owners belonging to the Congress party.

The Congress has become very weak in Odisha. The BJP is now emerging as an alternative party to form Government in the State. The Congress is now under the grip of a mining owner. The BJD has an MP, who is also a mining owner. Hence, Srikant Jena was ousted from the Congress by the joint efforts of the Congress and the BJD in order to protect the mining owners, he alleged further.

Meanwhile, BJD spokesperson and MP Pratap Deb said Srikant Jenas allegation is baseless. Jena has no consistency in his statements. Earlier, he had claimed that BJD was the B team of the BJP. After suspension from Congress, now he is saying that there is nexus between the Congress and the BJD. He changes his stand every six months.
Opposition parties and even Bharatiya Janata Party allies have condemned the derogatory statement of ruling party MLA Sadhana Singh against Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati.

Republican Party of India leader and Union Minister Ram Das Athawale took a serious note of the BJP MLAs derogatory remark against Mayawati.

Our party is with BJP but we dont agree with disrespectful remarks against Mayawati. She is a strong lady of our Dalit community and a good administrator. I would have definitely taken action if it was someone from our party, Athawale said here on Sunday.

Athawale is the president of Republican Party of India (RPI), which is an alliance partner of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

Action should be taken against such leaders to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future he said.

Appalled by the statement, BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra slammed BJP MLA Sadhana Singh as mentally ill.

This shows the BJPs level, and their disappointment and frustration with the BSP-SP alliance. They do not have strength to win even a single seat in Uttar Pradesh. The level of language shows their mental illness. Such people should be admitted to the mental hospital in Agra or Bareilly. They have lost their mental balance in fear of losing the election in Uttar Pradesh, he said.

BSPs foe-turned-ally, Samajwadi Party, also condemned the statement.

The kind of words used for Mayawati by BJPs woman MLA from Mughalsarai is highly objectionable. I condemn the statement. The BJP has become completely bankrupt when it comes to morals. They are just frustrated. The statement is an insult to the women of the country, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said.

UP Congress president Raj Babbar also condemned the statement of the BJP MLA saying there can never be any place for such language in public life.

He said the conduct of the MLA was against the dignity of women and it had dealt a severe blow to the Indian culture and traditions.

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognisance of the objectionable statement made by BJP MLA Sadhana Singh about BSP chief Mayawati. The NCW will be sending a notice to Sadhna Singh regarding the statement in question, official sources here said.

Earlier, in July 2016, BJP leader Dayashanker Singh was expelled from the party for making a derogatory remark against Mayawati during the previous SP regime.

To counter the BSP, the BJP later brought Dayashankar Singhs wife Swati Singh, into politics and she contested the 2017 UP assembly election and won. She is presently a minister in the Yogi Adityanath government. The expulsion of Dayashankar Singh was also revoked but he is yet to be rehabilitated in the party organisation.
Vendors Day observed in city

Bhubaneswar: The Rajadhani Vending Zone Mahasangha observed the National Vendors Day here on Sunday under the chairmanship of Mahasangha general secretary Ashok Kumar Nayak. Chief guest former Corporator Sheikh Nizamuddin said the vending zones of the city are the role model of the country and many people from across the country laud these vending. Social activist Sanatan Behera, SN Rout, Prasant Kumar Mishra also spoke on the occasion.

BBSR Tamil Sangam celebrates Pongal

Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Tamil Sangam celebrated Pongal here recently in which Tamils from different districts participated and enjoyed the week-long programmes. On the concluding day, different competitions like painting and dance were held among children and housewives. Different cultural programmes were also held. Sangam president S Duraiswamy awarded the winners of the competitions. The programmes were coordinated by Sangam general secretary TN Ansari.

Nalco annual flower show inaugurated

Bhubaneswar: A two-day annual Nalco flower and vegetable show Basant Pushpa Pradarshani at Nalco Nagar here was inaugurated on Sunday. Nalco CMD Dr TK Chand inaugurating the flower show appreciated the efforts by the companys horticulture department and participants. As many as 10 institutions including the OMC, KIIT University and CV Raman College and 55 individuals are participating in the show.

IMI holds blood donation camp

Bhubaneswar: The IMI Bhubaneswar in association with the Odisha Blood Bank, Capital Hospital conducted a blood donation camp here on Sunday. People from in and around the college donated blood. Faculty and students actively participated in the camp and also donated blood.

FIITJEE admission test on Feb 3

Bhubaneswar: The FIITJEE would conduct admission test on February 3 to gauge the aptitude and potential of students to qualify JEE Advanced, JEE Main and various other competitive examinations. The test is an opportunity for students of Class-V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X and XI to join a FIITJEE classroom and integrated school programme. The last date to register for the test is January 31 and for offline registration, students can collect the paper application form from the nearest FIITJEE centre. To register online, students can visit www.fiitjeelogin.com.
A 33-year-old man, the alleged kingpin of a racket involved in trafficking Nepali girls to Gulf Countries, was arrested by a team of Special Cell of the Delhi Police on Saturday, near ISBT Kashmere Gate. The accused had a reward of Rs 1lakh for his arrest and was wanted in a case, wherein, 16 Nepali girls were rescued by Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) from Munirka Village in July, 2018.

According to police, the accused identified as Lopsang Lama (33), originally hailing from East Nepals Okhal Doonga district, was born in Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh and presently residing at Wazirabad in Delhi. His father is an ex-serviceman, retired from Assam Rifle, police said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said the accused was wanted in a case of July, 2018, wherein 16 Nepali girls were confined in a rented by Lama and his associates for about 20-22 days.

They were allegedly being trafficked to various Gulf Countries, through illegal means on the pretext of giving them different jobs. He had taken away their Passports and other documents, so that the girls could be forced to stay, the DCP revealed.

Subsequently, a case under appropriate sections of the Indian Penal Code was registered at Vasant Vihar Police Station and a reward of Rs 1 lakh was declared by Amulya Patnaik, Delhi Police Commissioner, for his arrest.

During investigation, the rescued girls told police that Lopsang Lama had trafficked five Nepali girls to Kuwait and two girls to Iraq during the period of 15 days, prior to their rescue. The accused absconded and had fled to Nepal border, police said.

On Saturday, information was received by Assistant Sub Inspector Devendra Kumar that Lama would be arriving near ISBT Kashmere Gate to meet his associate. A trap was laid and at about 7.20 pm, a person was spotted coming from Buddhist Monastery side, said the DCP.

However, on seeing the police team, the accused reportedly fled towards Kudasiya bank of Yamuna River and jumped into the river. Following which, Constable Manoj Tyagi, ASI Devendra Kumar and Constable Mohit fished the accused out, he said. Lama confessed to his involvement with the case registered at Vasant Vihar police station.

During sustained interrogation, lama disclosed that he along with his brother-in-law and other associates were running human trafficking racket by sending Nepali girls to various Gulf countries.

He received commission every girl he trafficked. The girls who were trafficked were also sexually exploited. Since the trafficking of girls is banned in Nepal he used to bring the girls under the garb of providing jobs in India. The girls were confined to a house in order to avoid law enforcing agencies, the DCP said.

After the case in Vasant Vihar police station, he fled to Sanauli on the Indo-Nepal border and laid low for some months. He came to Delhi again and made his new hideout at Wazirabad and was planning to start human trafficking racket afresh, said the DCP, adding that they are further investigating the matter to arrest Lamas associates.
Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday announced steps to improve the functioning of schools that included the creation of the post of Vice Principal in all senior secondary schools in the State.

He also announced that the nomenclature of post graduate teachers (PGT) posted in schools would be changed to lecturer and a notification in this regard would be issued soon.

The Chief Minister made these announcements while addressing the 4th regional seminar of the Himachal Pradesh Teachers Union at Gondpur Banhera in Una district.

While laying stress on value added education, the Chief Minister said that education without value was disastrous both for the society.

He said that it becomes the duty of the teachers to inculcate high moral values in the students for a strong and vibrant society. The teachers should educate the students regarding our culture, tradition so that he or she feels proud of their rich culture and history, he said.

Thakur said that despite being a small State, Himachal Pradesh has been adjudged as the best State in education amongst the big States of the country and the credit for this goes to the teachers besides better policies of the State Government.

He said our country was once known as Vishava Guru and the tradition of Guru-Shishya was acclaimed by one and all but it was unfortunate that this tradition was slowly vanishing.

He urged the teachers to once again work collectively to regain this lost glory.

The Chief Minister said that teachers should also come forward to check increasing tendency of cheating among the students during examinations.

The teachers should imbibe the value of morality among the students so that they themselves say no to cheating. The teachers should set an example by their conduct and character, he said.

The Chief Minister further said that the present State Government has recently completed one year in office and this one year has been a period full of several major initiatives and many developmental endeavours.

He also announced to open Atal Adarsh Aavasiya Vidyalaya at Gehra Palata in Kutlehar area of the district.

Thakur also announced that Rs 20 lakh, Rs 15 lakh, Rs 10 lakh, and Rs 15 lakh for construction of buildings of Senior Secondary Schools at Mubarkarpur, Bedhara, Ghanaian and BO office building respectively.
Congress high command to take a final call soon on appointment of new Chhattisgarh state party chief, said Congress general secretary and party in-charge for state PL Punia on Sunday.

Punia arrived in Raipur on Sunday afternoon on a two-day visit to Chhattisgarh.

Speaking to media persons at Raipurs Swami Vivekanand Airport, Punia took a jibe on Bharatiya Janata Party leaders for mocking the grand alliance. There are only 22 parties allied in the grand alliance while on the other hand the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is an ally of 46 parties, he remarked.

Commenting on reservations for weaker sections of general category, Punia denied that Congress government would delay its execution in Congress ruled states.

Earlier a grand welcome was accorded to Punia on his arrival at the airport.

Raipur Mayor Pramod Dubeys supporters also raised slogans in favour of Dubey demanding Lok Sabha ticket for him from Raipur constituency for the upcoming general elections.

Sources say that Punia will play a key role in short-listing party candidates for states all 11 Lok Sabha seats as he was instrumental in scripting a stunning win in state assembly for the party in Chhattisgarh just two months ago.
Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Sunday requested Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to intervene and expedite completion of Punjab Agro Industries Corporation Limited (PAIC) mega food park at Ludhiana so that it could be inaugurated in the next fortnight.

Harsimrat, in a letter to the Chief Minister, said that work on PAICs mega food park at Ladhowal in Ludhiana had been delayed inordinately and that officials should be directed to complete the balance work at the earliest to add value to farm produce and create much needed job opportunities for youth.

She said that a review meeting, taken by her at the park site on January 11, had revealed that PAIC had not been able to come out with a tender for spiral freezer and dehydration line for seven months and that the same had been tendered two days before her visit.

This is the first park of the ministry of food processing industry in which a private unit will come up even before the park becomes operational, she said adding that no progress was being made despite the fact that she had held regular meetings to monitor the work and even kept the Chief Minister posted about the same.

Rs 117 crore project, which had received a grant of Rs 50 crore from the Centre, was supposed to be ready by June 2018. This delay is not only causing a loss to the States farm economy, but also harming job prospects of youth, she added.
Police arrested five cadres of New Sastra Peoples Morcha (NSPM), a left wing extremist group, from Mundro Biharo forest area on Sunday.

Giridih SP, Surendra Kumar Jha informed the Pioneer that the five extremists were all suspected to be involved in levy collection from local contractors and were also accused of organizing a deadly attack on a contractor, Surendra Mahto, in 2018.

The arrests were made from a hill near Mundro village under the Bagodar police station limits by a joint team of Special Investigation Team (SIT) and local police stations.

On getting a tip-off, the security forces had intensified the patrolling in the interior forests of the LWE-hit districts to apprehend the lower-rung cadres, who have been planning to target the local contractors for collecting levy, said SDPO Jit Wahan Oraon.

Acting on information about the presence of extremists, the joint team launched an operation from the Giridih towards Mundro Biharo forest, located around 30 km from the headquarters and apprehended the ultras, the police official added.

All of them, identified as Rajesh Mandal, Sachin Mandal, Nageshwar Mahto, Santosh Kumar, and Saukat Ansari- were allegedly involved in levy collection. Police also seized two rifles of 315 bore, one pistol of 303 bore, 22 pieces gelatin, 20 pieces detonators, uniforms, mobiles sets and two motorbikes from their possession.
To put pressure on the State Government to fulfil their longstanding demands of price, pension and prestige, farmers under the banner of the Nabanirman Krushak Sangathan (NKS) will hold a massive rally here on February 6.

Thousands of farmers from across the State will join a convention in th city on February 6 to begin the second phase of agitation against the lackadaisical attitude of the State Government in increasing paddy MSP to Rs 2,930 per quintal and making a pension provision of Rs 5,000 for farmers. The protest will continue for an indefinite period till our demands are fulfilled, said NKS national convenor Akshaya Kumar.

Kumar said the State Government is playing a blame game with the Centre forgetting its own responsibility towards farmers. Like Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana and other scemes, the State could have challenged the Centre by adopting an own scheme to hike paddy MSP to Rs 2,930 per quintal of paddy. Instead, it made a farce holding a demonstration in Delhi to demand increase in MSP to Rs 2,930, alleged Kumar.

He said the Government has also tried to divert the peoples demand for waiving farm loans by implementing KALIA scheme. This scheme would not help farmers much, he said.

Kumar said 36 lakh farmer will benefit if the State Government adopts a pension scheme for them and there would be a annual burden of Rs 21,600 crore on the State exchequer for execution of the scheme
One of the leaders of Narmada Bachao Andolan, Medha Patkar has said that all organisations, big and small that are fighting to save the Ganga river shall have to come together on one platform to ensure the unbridled flow and purity of waters of the Ganga river. A national campaign shall be launched to achieve this. She said that the dedication of ascetic Brahmchari Atmabodhanand for the Ganga will not go in vain. She also said that a campaign shall be launched at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi through which dialogue shall be made with the Government of India on the issue of Ganga conservation .

Medha Patkar said this while addressing the gathering at the two-day seminar held at Matri Sadan in Jagjeetpur in Haridwar. Targeting the central government Patkar said that despite the sacrifice of lives by two ascetics in Haridwar there has been no action from the state of Central Government which appear to be in slumber. The government has not taken any initiative for talks with Atmabodhanand who is on hunger strike for the past 88 days. During the two days seminar many eminent people from across the country have gathered including noted columnist Bharat Jhunjhunwala, Ram Singh, Prakash Nautiyal ,Snigdha Tiwari, Nirmala Pandey, Vijay Verma, Pallavi Joshi, Gilbert Kolankar and others.

Preparations for a big campaign for Ganga conservation are underway at Matri Sadan Ashram which would be led by Patkar. Observers opine that this clearly indicates that the fight for Narmada and Ganga are now on the same platform and hundreds of Ganga lovers from across the country will fight on both legal and physical fronts.

The struggle is not going to remain confined to one Ashram only but will be a country wide movement. A team is being prepared with legal advisors, writers, scientists, environmentalists and social media experts to strengthen the movement. At the same time attempts are also being made to involve many youths with this crusade
Unveiling the state of former minister late Purushottam Lal Kaushik, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday announced that the Mahasamund District Hospital will be named after him.

He was addressing as chief guest on occasion of unveiling of statue and dedication ceremony of Chandrahu Public School building at Mahasamund district.

The farmers of district handed over Rs 4.50 lakh cheque for Chief Minister Relief Fund to provide assistance to the needy. Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Chaya Verma presided over the function.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister said, To put state in the list of developed states, one has to save the rural culture. Government is committed to fulfill the promises made. After 18 years of state formation, for first time, government of villagers, farmers and poor has been formed.

Listing out promises made, he said, Paddy is procured at rate of Rs 2500 per quintal and farmers loan of Rs 6100 crore has been waived off while efforts of liquor prohibition will be made effective after holding discussion with all communities.

On January 26, during special Gram Sabha (meeting), the Panchayat vacant plots should be earmarked for Gautan (resting place for cattle) and grazing grounds. The dung would be utilized for generation of bio-gas. It would also generate employment to local residents.
The Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested a 24-year-old man accused of supplying illegal arms on Saturday from Delhis Dwarka area. The accused allegedly arrived in Delhi on Saturday to deliver a consignment of weapons to a member of the notorious Gogi gang.

Police were able to recover 20 sophisticated 0.32 bore country made pistols and 12 spare magazines with his arrest. According to police, the accused identified as Mohammad Musa, resident of Shamli District, Uttar Pradesh, has previously been involved in three cases of attempt to murder, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and Arms Act.

Incidents of using sophisticated firearms have increased in the area of Delhi and its Neighbouring cities in various criminal activities and that illegal arms used in these crimes are being supplied by arms suppliers from Kairana, UP. Therefore, a team of Head Constable Surender Kumar and Constable Sonu Sharma was deputed to develop the information about the suppliers, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav stated.

On Saturday, information was received Mohammad Musa would arrive with a big consignment of illegal firearms to deliver the same to a receiver in Dwarka.

Subsequently, a trap was laid and at about 7 pm, he was spotted with two bags and arrested. On checking his bags, 20 sophisticated country made pistols of 0.32 bore along with 12 spare magazines were recovered. Accordingly, case under section of appropriate law was registered at Special Cell police station, New Delhi, said the DCP.

During sustained interrogation, the accused Musa reportedly told police that he procured weapons from an arms dealer in Sandwa, Madhya Pradesh. In order to hoodwink the law enforcing agencies he travelled by his car and sometimes he commuted by train to ferry the weapons. He bought the weapon for Rs 8000 and sold it for Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000. He further disclosed that he was arrested by Sharanpur police in a gun supply case in the year 2017, DCP revealed.
As many as 11 coal mines belonging to Coal India Limited (CIL) in Jharkhand and West Bengal have been identified for the exploration and commercial production of Coal Bed Methane (CBM).

CIL and ONGC will work together on the project. After extraction of CBM, coal would be mined from the sites. It will reduce the chances of accidents inside the coal mines, an official informed.

There are huge stocks of CBM reserves in Jharia, North Karnpura, Bokaro and Raniganj. The Jharia block is estimated to hold 85 billion cubic meters of gas reserves, North Karanpura 62 billion cubic meters, Bokaro 45 billion cubic meters and Raniganj North 43 billion cubic meters, he said.

Besides these, ONGC will develop some other coal blocks belonging to SAIL and others for the exploration and commercial production of CBM. ONGC is on the move to erect the countrys biggest Coal Bed Methane (CBM) project at Bokaro with an investment of Rs 823 crore to produce natural gas from coal seams of its Bokaro block in the current fiscal, said an official of ONGC CBM Division Bokaro.

For this ONGC is working towards erecting a technical laboratory for exploration and commercial production of CBM gas at Balidih in Bokaro, he said.

The lab will be set up with an estimated investment of Rs 175 crore.

The Jharkhand Industrial Area Development Authority-JIADA has allotted 13 acres of land near Dalmia Cement Plant at Balidih Industrial Area for the purpose, informed Manoj Jaiswal Secretary JIADA (earlier known as BIADA).

Meanwhile, under Coal Mines Methane (CMM) Project, Bharat Cocking Coal Limited (BCCL) is eyeing to erect a 2 MW Power plant. With an estimated investment of Rs 60 Crore, this unit is proposed to come up at Munidih in Dhanbad.

Recently, a meeting was held at Munidih between BC Nayak, Nodal Officer and General Manager of CBM Project ONGC, GM Project and Planning of CMPDI along with other ONGC and CIL officials for floating the tender for the erection of Methane Gas Plant.

Jharkhand is endowed with huge coal resource having high CBM potential. Plenty of non-conventional natural gas reserves are available in the state. The approximate CBM resource of Jharkhand is 240 Billion Cubic Metres (BCM) which can lead to the production of CBM for next 25 years, said an official of ONGC CBM division Bokaro.
As its attempts to keep its flock together, the Congress on Sunday sent showcause notices to four of its MLAs who skipped the legislature party meeting on Friday even as a Congress MLA Anand Singh was hospitalised after he and JN Ganesh, both from Bellary district, had a heated argument and came to blows on late Saturday night at the resort where the party MLAs are herded together.

In its notices, the party sought to know why action should not be taken against them under the anti-defection law for not attending the Fridays legislature party meeting that was a show of strength against BJPs alleged bid to dislodge the ruling coalition.

The MLAs who skipped the meetings are: Ramesh Jarkiholi, who was dropped as Minister in the recent Cabinet rejig, B Nagendra, Umesh Jadhav and Mahesh Kumatahalli, the Congress sources said.

Meanwhile, Anand was hospitalised after he was allegedly hit on the head with a bottle by JN Ganesh, another MLA from Kampli in Bellary district. The brawl took place at the resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru where they were housed fearing poaching after the CLP meeting on Friday.

The Congress denied the reports but many leaders bee-lined to hospital to visit Anand, who is a mining baron from Bellary district. He was also arrested in the illegal mining related cases.

A Minister Zameer Ahammed Khan confirmed that there was a skirmish between three friends and Anand had a minor injury to his eye.

I have visited Anand Singh at the hospital. He is fine and will be discharged soon. It was a friendly fight between three friends and he (Anand) had a minor injury.

Congress strongman DK Shivakumar and his MP brother DK Suresh denied any such fight had taken place at the resort and said he (Anand) was hospitalised due to chest pain. DK Suresh visited Anand at the hospital.

The two reportedly had an argument over allegation that Ganesh was trying to defect to the BJP, reports said. However, senior Congress leaders denied the reports.

I dont know about the fight. Anand is admitted in hospital due to chest pain. There are no injuries or anything. His parents are here at the hospital. Other issues are just speculation, Suresh said.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara also downplayed reports of adverse events at the resort. When one of our colleagues isnt well, if its true, naturally somebody wouldve gone to see him. I dont know who the person is.

Another senior Congress leader and chairman of the coordination committee Siddaramaiah said he heard about the brawl but yet to get full information about the incident. He said, I have heard about the news but yet to confirm it. I am away from Bengaluru. I will get the full information and comment on it.

In view of the embarrassing incident, Karnataka Congress in-charge Venugopal is rushing to Bengaluru to douse the fire.

The jittery Congress fearing poaching by the BJP has moved all its 74 MLAs to Eagleton Resort and the infighting has caused a major damage to the efforts of the party to keep its flock together.

The Opposition BJP was quick to react and wanted a criminal case filed against the MLA who has assaulted Anand.

The BJP tweeted, What more proof do we need to tell all is not well within the Congress. Congress MLAs in Eagleton Resort indulged in physical fight & 1 MLA is admitted. How long will Congress be in denial mode & blame BJP for all their differences? When political party is lame, it loves to blame.

Another tweet read, Its unfortunate that @KPCCPresident was unable to stop the fight in Eagleton resort. We hope Anand Singh is being treated & we pray for his speedy recovery. Unfortunately @dineshgrao cant even blame BJP now, MLAs were locked up under his watch at Eagleton. Whats your excuse now?

Senior BJP leader and MLA R Ashok slammed the incident and called it shameful. He said, Congress party is known for goondaism and its shameful to the entire polity.

Another BJP leader and spokesperson S Prakash described the incident as Congress culture and said, The incident has made political class bow down their heads in shame. They should explain to the people of the State. Police should file a case.
Tilting at each other using extreme expletives seems to be the rule of the day. When accusations fly sharp, logic is the first casualty

The current social environment in India has some distinguishing characteristics. It is a high decibel environment. Whether it is the television chat show or the public opinion leaders in action, the pitch is high, the language is sharp and moderation is conspicuous by its absence.Tilting at each other using extreme expletives and incoherent logic seems to be the rule of the day. This cannot be a sensible way of either individual of social discourse. When accusations fly sharp, logic is the first casualty. So the subject or the topic becomes irrelevant and aggression becomes paramount. It is becoming commonplace with some to say that our institutions are under attack. The question automatically arises: From which quarter?

Consider the case of the Supreme Court, which is the ultimate custodian of collective morality. Not so long ago the Chief Justice of India (CJI) was being threatened with impeachment. This is a grave matter on more than one score. Since 1947, there has never been a case where there was a threat held out of impeaching any constitutional authority. Then came the judgement over the number of days that would be granted for voting in the Karnataka Assembly to prove ones majority. The Supreme Court judge, under the chairmanship of the then CJI, decided to close the matter by reducing the number of days given by the Governor of Karnataka to prove majority to 48 hours. The rest is history.

The purpose of these remarks is not to comment on the judgement of the Governor or the wisdom of the Supreme Court bench. The focus of this narrative is merely to highlight the strangely quiet way in which, after this judgement, the proponents of the impeachment of the Supreme Court Chief Justice in the Rajya Sabha allowed the matter to lapse. To the layman, there are only two options in drawing a conclusion. One is that the proponents of the impeachment had a sudden change of heart and the overlap of the timing with the vote of confidence in the Karnataka Vidhan Sabha was a coincidence. The second option is that the movement for impeachment was essentially a political act aimed at warning the Chief Justice to behave himself as seen by some. Once the key player read the message that was delivered, the select Opposition did not find it necessary to push through their demands. It stretches the imagination to talk of the first option at face value. The protagonists of the impeachment move are sharp people with good legal mind and great ability at marshalling a given argument. They acted deliberately and buried the hatchet, when the Chief Justice was interpreted as serving their purpose. If the latter was the case, as seems likely, the damage done to the institution of justice is something to ponder about. If this was an isolated case, not too much need be made of it beyond a point.

However, the story goes on. The statutes have it that the Director of CBI will be appointed on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, Chief justice of India and the leader of the biggest Opposition party in the Lok Sabha. Nearly two years ago, Alok Verma was appointed as the Director. The leader of the biggest Opposition party at that point of time put in a note of dissent. Around 23 months later when circumstances led to the consideration of removing him, the matter came up for discussion to the same committee. The committee deemed it desirable that the serving director should quit. The same person in the committee, who had given a note of dissent at the time of the appointment, said Verma should not be sent away. In this case, too, two possibilities are there. First, the similarity in two notes of dissent is coincidental. Second, the notes of dissents were dissent for the sake of dissent. It is for anyone to judge what this kind of behaviour indicates.

Several other examples can be cited but this collective indication of damage to institutions cant do anyone any good. Never the less juggernaut rolls on. The Prime Minister of the country has been called a chor more than once by the president of a major national party. It has been repeated over and over again. If indeed the Prime Minister is a chor, then he should have been proceeded against in Parliament. Name-calling may be yet another novel way of strengthening the institution devised by this particular person but that is not how public institutions are normally built. In this case, the options of interpretation-coincidence or otherwise, raised in other two instances above, are not available. Alas, the apparent observation seems to be: There is more to map on how institutions get destroyed.

(The writer is a well-known management consultant)
It would be wrong to blame it all on Trump. Turkey's President Recep Tayyib Erdogan is much better informed than the US President and probably a lot smarter too, but he is just as impulsive, just as ruthless, just as much a bringer of chaos

Where America retreats, chaos follows, said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Cairo last week. Its not the sort of remark youd expect from an American diplomat only three weeks after President Donald Trump declared that US troops were pulling out of Syria. Is it possible that behind Pompeos severe and even pompous exterior there lurks a secret ironist?

Probably not. Pompeo truly believes (like many American evangelical Christians) that the United States is engaged in a struggle of good against evil in the Middle East. It is a never-ending struggle  until the Rapture, he said three years ago.

He may just be angry at Trump, in a passive-aggressive way, for abandoning Syria to the (evil) Iranian and Russian forces that back Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian dictator.

At any rate, Pompeo is right about the chaos that will follow, but it would be wrong to blame it all on Trump. Turkeys President Recep Tayyib Erdogan is much better informed than the American President and probably a lot smarter too, but he is just as impulsive, just as ruthless, just as much a bringer of chaos.

It was Erdogan, in a telephone conversation in mid-December, who persuaded Trump that pulling all the US troops out of Syria would be a good idea. Turkey would be happy to take the strain instead.

Trump has always opposed Americas endless Middle Eastern wars, so he swallowed Erdogans suggestion hook, line and sinker and tweeted his decision to pull the US troops out without discussing it with anybody. Only later did the remaining grown-ups in the White House explain to him that Erdogan planned to subjugate or kill Americas main allies in Syria, the Kurds.

To his credit, Trump hated the idea of betraying the Syrian Kurds, whose militia, the Peoples Protection Units (YPG), suffered thousands of deaths while helping US forces to defeat the fanatical jihadis of Islamic State.

Trump still wanted to bring the US troops home, but now he had one condition. The Turks must promise not to invade north-eastern Syria and crush the YPG as soon as the US troops leave.

Erdogan replied that nothing Trump said or did could stop him from destroying these Kurdish terrorists (who have never attacked Turkey). At which point, on Monday past, Donald Trump tweeted that the United States will devastate Turkey economically if they hit Kurds.

All clear so far? Good.

Youd never guess, from the story thus far, that the United States and Turkey have been close allies for the past half-century but the alliance is fading fast. Erdogan has been playing his own hand in the Middle East and playing it quite badly.

The Sultan, as his admirers call him, wants to secure his own one-man rule and re-Islamise Turkey, which had evolved into a secular and democratic republic over the past 80 years. He also wants to promote Sunni Islam throughout the region. The two goals are not fully compatible, so he shifts position a lot.

When the revolt in Syria broke out in 2011 during the Arab spring, Erdogan supported it because Bashar al-Assads regime is dominated by Alawites, a Shia Muslim sect. He kept the border open and let supplies and recruits flow into the rebels, including even the Islamic State extremists.

When Russia intervened militarily to save Assad in 2015, Erdogan was so angry that he even had the Turkish air force ambush and shoot down a Russian bomber. But he was almost equally angry with the United States, which had made an alliance with the Kurds of northern Syria to fight against Islamic State.

The Kurds gradually choked off the aid coming in to Islamic State from Turkey, and IS has now lost almost all its territory. So Erdogan told Trump he could bring the US troops home now, and Trump believed him.

But what Erdogan actually wants to do is crush the Syrian Kurds, which he can do once the US troops leave.

Erdogan thinks the Syrian Kurds are allied with the Turkish Kurds, who make up one-fifth of Turkeys population, live just across the border from Syria and are currently at war with Erdogans regime. (Thats why he calls them terrorists.)

The weird thing is that four years ago Erdogan was on the brink of making peace with the Kurds. There was a ceasefire, the Turkish Kurds were no longer demanding independence and he was negotiating a compromise settlement that enhanced Kurdish rights within Turkey.

But then he lost a parliamentary election in 2015, mainly because the Kurds stopped voting for him. So he re-opened the war against the Kurds, wrapped himself in the Turkish flag, and won the next election on an ultra-nationalist platform.

All Kurds are now the enemy, they are all terrorists, and they must be crushed.

Given Erdogans ruthlessness and Trumps volatility, I have no idea how all this works out. Badly, I suspect.

But I actually admire Trumps refusal to betray his allies, once he realised what Erdogan was up to. You dont see that much in the Middle East.

Of course, it probably wont last.

(The writer is an independent journalist)
The UPA created the policy of allowing foreign defence manufacturers to decide their partners for fulfilling offset obligations. Why is it having a problem with Dassault's selection then?

The debate surrounding the purchase of 36 Rafale jets by the Modi Government from Dassault Aviation has one critical element that needs to be mentioned. It was an emergency purchase necessitated by the dwindling fleet of the IAF, massive fleet augmentation by both Pakistan and China in the last decade and negotiations between Dassault and HAL over production of Rafale in India reaching a dead end. The 36 fighters or two squadrons, one each for the western and eastern fronts, are expected to contain the downslide of the IAF fleet even as negotiations continue for bigger deals.

Why 36 and not 126: An emergency purchase cannot be of the entire quantity but of the bare minimum requirement and thus the order was for 36 and not 126. Also, as mentioned by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, there is enough precedence of India opting for two squadrons initially while acquiring new platforms as was the case with acquisition of MiG-29, MiG-23 and Mirage-2000s in the 1980s and then going forward for follow-on acquisition of more platforms once IAF was reasonably acclimatised itself with the platform.

Government in process of acquiring 229 combat craft in total: Further, the decision of the Modi Government to purchase 36 Rafale jets was complemented with RFP sent by IAF to HAL for an additional 83 LCA in Mark 1A configuration. Likewise, an RFI has also been issued for acquisition of 110 combat craft to be made in India by a shortlisted global aerospace manufacturer under the strategic partnership model. Therefore, India is in the process of acquisition of 229 combat craft for IAF in total. This nixes the false argument that Government is only buying 36 craft.

Why Rafale: Dassault Rafale was shortlisted for IAF during the UPA era. Spread over several months, IAF had already conducted extensive technical and flight evaluations, based on more than 600 parameters. Thus, purchasing Rafale by the Modi Government made sense. Just because of stalled negotiations between HAL and Dassault, it would have made no sense if the NDA Government had chosen some other jet or started the process all over again.

What went wrong with HAL: In fact, negotiations between HAL and Dassault reaching a dead-end had little to do with the quality of Rafale and more to do with the refusal of Dassault to agree to the humongous man-hour quoted by HAL (2.7 times more than what Dassault needs to make a Rafale) for the deal, and also, the refusal of Dassault to guarantee the quality of production if the jets were to be built by HAL in India. Under the MMRCA project, HAL was supposed to manufacture 108 planes in India while 18 were to be procured in fly-away condition from Dassaults factory. This was eventually scrapped.

Incidentally, Dassaults complaints about HALs production quality has precedence too. In 2015, Boeing had walked out of a contract with HAL for construction of weapons bay doors for P8I Poseidon aircraft due to alleged poor quality of production by HAL. Before that, WikiLeaks released a confidential cable sent by former US Ambassador to India Timothy Roemer in which he wrote, The potential for HAL to successfully partner with US firms on a truly advanced aircraft remains untested and suspect.

On the issue of why 36 Rafales ordered by the Modi Government are not being manufactured in India, the UPA should first answer why its purchase of aircraft like C-17, C-130J and P-8I Poseidon happened as off-the-shelf purchases from abroad instead of them being manufactured in India by HAL. If the rationale then was justified that the quantum was too small for licence production in India, the same logic applies now too for 36 Rafale.

Myth surrounding CCS approval: A dubious allegation that has often been made by Opposition parties is that the Modi Government went ahead and announced the deal without necessary approval of the Cabinet Committee of Security or CCS. For the uninitiated, as per Defence Procurement Procedure, CCS approval is needed just before signing of the final contract with equipment manufacturer for a deal, and not before that. Incidentally, when Prime Minister Modi announced in France in April 2015 that India would acquire 36 Dassault Rafale in fly-away condition from France, it was a mere Statement of Intent which does not need CCS approval. This was followed by intense negotiation on pricing over several months by the Contract Negotiation Committee. As per reports, the CCS approval was given in August 2016 followed by signing of the final contract in September 2016, which is absolutely in tune with laid down rules.

Myth of Rs 520 crore price: During his speech in Lok Sabha in July 2018, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had stated that UPA had negotiated a price of Rs 520 core for each Rafale combat jet. One should ask Congress if this includes the cost of missiles, avionics, spares and training. If yes, then where is the documentary evidence? If not, then what was UPA negotiating for Rs 520 crore? Why could it not conclude the deal with Dassault even then?

In reality, for Rs 520 crore in the present day, one would not even get the chassis of a Rafale jet, leave alone a battle-proven, combat capable aircraft armed with missiles and avionics. In the battlefield, a fighter jet without requisite weapon systems, cutting edge avionics and spares is comparable to a bullock cart which may be good enough for air show acrobatics but not good enough for fighting wars and winning them.

As per reports, the Rafales ordered by Modi Government would be armed with Scalp cruise missiles with a 500 km range, air-to-air missiles like Meteor with around 100 km range, Thales made Spectra Electronic Warfare Suite, RBE2 AESA radar and Thales Airborne Reconnaissance Observation System, namely AREOS. There are also reports of specific enhancements (possibly to carry Brahmos) to be made on Rafales for India. All these cost money. Therefore, in addition to the price of the basic craft negotiated by Modi Government for Rs 670 crore a piece (compared to Rs 737 Crore of UPA for the basic craft) the rest of the cost can be justifiably attributed to weapon systems and avionics.

Additionally, the current deal for 36 Rafales also has an unprecedented 50 per cent offset and local sourcing clause, which means that Dassault and its tier-1 vendors would have to invest back around Rs 30,000 crore in developing aerospace capabilities in India through joint ventures with Indian companies, source components from them and thus eventually help Indian companies become part of the global aerospace supply chain.

The irrationality of Rs 520 crore claim: The irrationality of the Rs 520 crore price quoted by Rahul Gandhi can be proved by the fact that for a basic platform of LCA MK 1A, HAL is quoting a price of Rs 463 crore a piece, which does not even include cost of logistics or weapon systems. Does it then make sense if it is claimed that a weapon and avionics-laced fifth generation Rafale (which is a generation ahead of the LCA MK1A), would be made available to India for a mere Rs 520 crore? If in 2011, UPA could spend $3.9 billion for upgradation of 25-year-old Mirage 2000s of IAF wherein it agreed to pay $2.4 billion to Dassault for upgradation, an additional $1 billion for complementary weapons and another $500 million more for developing a facility for HAL to get them modernised here with Dassaults support, then one wonders on what ground Rahul Gandhi expects an armed Rafale to cost a mere Rs 520 crore a piece in 2016.

Truth about offset: Perhaps the biggest misinformation that has been spread systematically is that the Anil Ambani Group has replaced HAL in the Rafale deal and that Ambanis company would be getting Rs 30,000 crore of contracts. First, Reliance Defence has not replaced HAL. Rafales being procured by the Modi Government would be built in France and not in India. Therefore, there is no question of them being made by Reliance. Second, of the Rs 30,000 crore worth of offset and local component sourcing obligation of Dassault and its tier-1 vendors, namely Safran and Thales, the biggest beneficiary is DRDO.

Recently, a television channel graphically explained how DRDO would get Rs 9000 crore worth of offset benefits through collaboration with Safran, which would help it in reviving the stalled Kaveri engine programme. The remaining Rs 21,000 crore worth of offset obligations are to be split among around 90 odd companies which are proposed offset partners of Dassault, Thales and Safran. Out of those 90 companies, Reliance has one joint venture each with Thales and Dassault. The list also includes other companies like the state-owned BEL, Samtel, HCL, Mahindra Aerostructures, L&T, IBM India, TCS, Tata Advanced Systems, Godrej & Boyce and Wipro Infrastructure Engineering to name a few. As per media reports, the total offset contracts accruing to Reliance Defence may be just over three per cent of the Rs 30,000-crore offsets in the offing.

Incidentally, it was during the UPA era that a policy decision was institutionalised which stated, The OEM/vendor/Tier-I sub-vendor will be free to select the Indian offset partner for implementing the offset obligation, provided the IOP has not been barred from doing business by the Ministry of Defence. This is as per Section 4.3 of the Defence Procurement Procedure-Revision of Defence Offset Guidelines, approved by the Ministry of Defence on July 23, 2012. In other words, it was the UPA which created the policy of allowing the foreign defence manufacturers to decide their Indian partners for offset obligation fulfilment. If Rahul Gandhi had no problem with this policy during the UPA era, one wonders why he has a problem with Dassaults selection of offset partners now?

(The writer is a New Delhi-based strategic affairs analyst)
BEIRUT (AP) - The Latest on the conflict in Syria (all times local):

9:55 p.m.

The Syrian opposition says the new U.N. special envoy for Syria has met with officials from the High Negotiations Committee.

HNC said Geir Pedersen and opposition officials discussed "all points that could lead to a political solution."

It released a photo of Nasr al-Hariri, who heads the committee that represents the opposition at U.N. peace talks, during his meeting with Pedersen in Saudi Arabia.

HNC said it is ready to "interact positively" with the new envoy.

Pedersen's meeting with the opposition comes after he met government officials in Damascus earlier this week where he described his talks as "constructive."

Pedersen, the veteran Norwegian diplomat, took over from Staffan de Mistura, who stepped down for family reasons after four years and four months of unsuccessful peace efforts.

___

6:50 p.m.

Syria's state news agency and a war monitor say an airstrike in the country's east on the last area held by the Islamic State group has killed at least 20 people.

SANA said 20 people were killed in the airstrike on the IS-held village of Baghouz.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 23 people were killed in the strike, including 10 IS members.

Both outlets blamed the U.S.-led coalition that has been providing air cover to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in their months-long offensive to capture the area from extremists near the Iraqi border.

The SDF has intensified its offensive over the past weeks on the IS-held area.

___

5 p.m.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has met with U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham to discuss the situation in Syria as the United States prepares to withdraw troops.

Graham, a prominent voice on foreign affairs in the U.S., met with Erdogan and other Turkish officials Friday for talks that were also expected to include a proposal for the creation of a "safe zone" in northeast Syria.

The visit comes days after a suicide bombing, claimed by Islamic State militants, killed two U.S. service members and two American civilians in the northeastern town of Manbij.

Graham has said he is concerned that U.S. President Donald Trump's withdrawal announcement had emboldened Islamic State militants and created dangerous uncertainty for American allies.

___

4:50 p.m.

Syrian opposition activists say an explosion outside an office belonging to an al-Qaida-linked group in the country's northwestern has killed at least 11 people.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Smart news agency, an activist collective, said the blast occurred Friday on the southern edge of the rebel-held city of Idlib.

The blast comes a week after members of the al-Qaida-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Arabic for Levant Liberation Committee, or HTS, took over control of Idlib province and the surrounding countryside after forcing rival insurgents to accept a deal for a civil administration run by HTS in their areas.

The Observatory said 11 people were killed in the blast, including seven HTS members. Smart said 12 people were killed, many of them militants.
Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu restored diplomatic ties between their countries in what the latter called a "historic" move

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the majority-Muslim nation of Chad Sunday for what he called a "historic" trip, as the two countries restored diplomatic ties after a decades-long break.

The Israeli leader said it was the start of a push to restore his country's standing in the Islamic world.

Netanyahu and Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno have "announced the renewal of diplomatic relations between Chad and Israel", a statement from the Israeli premier's office said, shortly after he arrived in N'djamena.

Netanyahu on Twitter called the announcement "a historic moment".

Ties between Israel and Chad were broken in 1972 at the height of Arab-Israeli tensions.

Pressure from Muslim African nations, accentuated by the Arab-Israeli wars of 1967 and 1973, led a number of African states to sever relations with the Jewish state.

But in recent years, Israel has held out the prospect of cooperation in fields ranging from security to technology to agriculture, to improve ties on the continent.

"Israel is making inroads into the Islamic world. This is the result of considerable effort in recent years," Netanhyahu's office said.

"We are making history and we are turning Israel into a rising global power."

Netanyahu's one-day visit follows Deby's November trip to Israel.

Netanyahu is seeking re-election in April 9 polls. He also risks being indicted in corruption investigations in the coming weeks.

In comments to journalists after his meeting with Deby, Netanyahu said this was his fourth visit to Africa in the past two years.

Deby said that despite the renewal of ties with Israel, "Chad remains attached to the peace process between Israel and Palestine."

Both sides should prioritise dialogue and negotiation towards a lasting peace "in conformity with United Nations resolutions", he added.

Deby and Netanyahu signed defence and security cooperation agreements

The two leaders signed defence and security cooperation agreements Sunday, but no details were released to the media.

They have in the past declined to comment on whether their talks have included arms deals.

But Chadian security sources say the country has acquired Israeli equipment to help battle rebels in the country's north.

Chad is also one of several African states engaged in Western-backed operations against Boko Haram and Islamic State group jihadists.

It forms part of the G5 force fighting jihadist fighters in the Sahel region, along with Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Burkina Faso.

Deby is one of Africa's longest-serving leaders.

He took over the arid, impoverished nation in 1990 and won a disputed fifth term in April 2016 to lead the country of some 15 million people.
She is no wallflower when it comes to her fashion sense.

And while Iggy Azalea, 28, stepped out in a camouflage ensemble on Sunday night during Paris Fashion Week, she certainly didn't blend in with the crowd.

There was no hiding the rapper's famous curves as she paraded around in a skintight army-inspired bodysuit while attending the Alyx show with her boyfriend Playboi Carti.

Can't hide those curves! Iggy Azalea wore a skintight camouflage bodysuit and harness as she attended the Alyx show at Paris Fashion Week on Sunday evening

Going strong: The Australian rapper was joined by her boyfriend of a few months, Playboi Carti

Why so glum? The songstress could barely raise a smile during the outing

Iggy put a kinky spin on her all-in-one, teaming her the outfit with a leather harness and thigh high boots.

Meanwhile, 22-year-old fellow rapper and producer Playboi Carti looked dapper in a pair of black trousers featuring white stripes down the sides, a white shirt and a leather blazer.

Iggy and Playboi Carti went Instagram official in September by sharing a photo of themselves cuddling on a sofa.

Leading the way: Iggy grabbed her boyfriend's hand and lead the way to the couple's awaiting car

Strapped in: The Fancy star's harness was strapped around her front and back

After confirming their relationship, the couple faced criticism from fans for their five-year age gap, but Iggy was quick to defend the romance.

In response to one negative comment, the Mo Bounce rapper wrote: 'He just turned 23, he's five years younger than I am.

'Is that unusual to you? Because almost everyone I know isn't the exact age as the person they date.

Kinky: Iggy put a kinky spin on her all-in-one, teaming her bodysuit with a leather harness and thigh high boots

Concerned: The blonde singer had a serious look on her face as she left the show

Leather-clad: The couple were coordinating in her leather boots and his leather jacket

Having a giggle: The couple shared a giggle in the back of their Rolls Royce ride

'You all act like he's some little kid that just left school or I'm some old ass woman. We are both in our twenties, get off my nuts.'

Meanwhile, Iggy (real name Amethyst Kelly) is enjoying her newfound independence after parting ways with major music label, Island Records.

Last month, she claimed on Twitter to have signed a new '$2.7million deal' that included her owning the rights to her back catalogue.

Keeping warm: The singer later covered up in a puffer jacket

Another star who turned out for the fashion show was singer Madison Beer.

The teen sensation, 19, was suitably stylish for the evening out.

She donned a black coat and a white crop top that showed off her abdomen, pairing it with black trousers and white, patterned trainers.

Accessorising with a silver wristwatch, Madison let her brunette locks hang loose down her shoulders.

Attendee: Another star who turned out for the fashion show was singer Madison Beer

Glamour: The teen sensation, 19, was suitably stylish for the evening out

Last year, Madison travelled around the world on As She Pleases Tour, which she wrapped up in Washington DC on May 20.

She kicked off the global tour in Milan, Italy on March 11 before traveling around the rest of Europe and then all over the United States.

The starlet has an EP called As She Pleases with several hit singles to her name, including Say It To My Face, Home With You and Dead.
With his eyes bulging and the waxed tips of his moustache quivering like radio antennae, Battery Sergeant Major Bryn Shut Up Williams dominates the parade ground.

Right, lovely boys, move yourselves, move yourselves, left-right-left-right! Shoulders back! SHUT UP!

Windsor Davies, the star of hit Seventies sitcom It Aint Half Hot Mum, died last week, aged 88  but dont hold your breath waiting for the Beeb to screen any of the classic episodes in celebration of his life.

Though the series ran for seven years on prime-time BBC1, drawing audiences of up to 17 million, the Corporation prefers to pretend it never existed.

Windsor Davies, the star of hit Seventies sitcom It Aint Half Hot Mum, died last week  but dont hold your breath waiting for the Beeb to screen any of the classic episodes

The show, set in the tropics of India and Burma, followed the adventures of a Royal Artillery Concert Party during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry with David Croft, and was loosely based on Perrys wartime experiences  as was the pairs other huge TV success, Dads Army, which is still repeated weekly on BBC2.

It Aint Half Hot Mum laughed at everything: the corniest gags, class, the Army and the war. But most of all it laughed at the things we are no longer permitted to joke about  especially race and homosexuality.

It was not politically incorrect: it simply refused to accept that there was anything out-of-bounds when it came to laughter.

Most Britons under 40, born after the shows heyday (it first aired in 1974), will not understand this. Chattering millennials will never grasp what was so rib-achingly funny about It Aint Half Hot Mum.

Todays comedy is all about saying the right thing, mocking people who think differently  especially in politics. Rigid rules are enforced about what we are allowed to find amusing. To chuckle at a foreign accent or a fey walk would be regarded as a hate crime at New Broadcasting House.

Watch BBC2s current affairs panel game Mock The Week and youll notice its teams are carefully selected to represent a balance of ethnic and sexual diversity, regardless of whether the contestants are actually talented comics. And the one thing they agree on is that the Tories are fair game to have as much ordure heaped on them as possible.

Melvin Hayes (right) and Windsor Davies were stars of the British comedy classic It Ain't Half Hot Mum

Now compare that with a clip of It Aint Half Hot Mum. Ethnic and sexual diversity? It had that, but not in a way which Left-wing humour inspectors deem acceptable today.

Windsor Daviess sergeant-major was the reluctant babysitter for a troupe of gang show minstrels behind the lines in Asia, defending the British Empire against the Japanese. The men were a mixed bunch of entertainers, but uniformly rotten soldiers.

Their one desire was to avoid being sent to the front line. And the sarges deepest wish was to see them all under fire, dodging shrapnel and giving the enemy what-for  the one sure way of making real men of them.

There was Gunner Lofty Sugden, played by Don Estelle, who stood 4ft 9in in his socks and had the voice of a choirboy. There was university educated Mr Lah-di-Dah Gunner Graham (John Clegg), always correcting the sergeant-majors grammar.

It Aint Half Hot Mum laughed at everything: the corniest gags, class, the Army and the war

Most of all there was Bombardier Beaumont, known to all as Gloria, a female impersonator who regarded herself off and onstage as all woman. Gloria, played by the marvellous Melvyn Hayes, was cheerfully accepted by the rest of the gang  except BSM Williams, whose veins started popping at the first sight of her false eyelashes (not to mention her other falsies).

To the throwback sergeant-major, they were all a bunch of orrible poofs and he told them so, screaming the word in their faces. His leathery lack of feeling was often made clear with faux sympathy: Oh dear. How sad. Never mind.

Windsor Davies once joked that It Aint Half Hot Mum was the saviour of his career: It saved me from being a great actor. He had Leonard Rossiter to thank for that: the Rising Damp star turned the part down.

Born in Canning Town, East London, in 1930, Davies was brought up in Ogmore, South Wales and worked as a teacher and a miner before enrolling on a drama course aged 31. He was constantly busy with numerous bit-parts in the likes of Z Cars, Dixon Of Dock Green and General Hospital, but comedy was a new departure for him.

It Aint Half Hot Mum led to Never The Twain, a sitcom opposite Donald Sinden, in which they played rival antiques dealers. That ran for ten years from 1981.

He will always be remembered, though, as the despotic Royal Artillery sergeant-major, perpetually on the point of explosion.

But if his character imagined he was in charge of the camp, he was sadly mistaken: that power was held by the Indian bearer or odd-job man, Rangi Ram.

Rangi spoke with the most exaggerated accent. Worse still, from a modern perspective, he was played by a white man wearing tan make-up  though the actor Michael Bates was part Indian, spoke Urdu and had been a captain in the Gurkhas.

It Aint Half Hot Mum belonged to the era when everything was fair game for laughs. By being affectionate and never cruel, the show was able to send up effeminate theatrical types, and mock the thick-witted homophobia of Windsor Daviess character at the same time.

Where are they now? Tributes have poured in following the news Windsor Davies (third left) passed away. His co-stars include Melvyn Hayes (far left) and Michael Bates (front centre). The show was first broadcast in BBC One in 1974 and ran over 56 episodes before ending in 1981

Davies (centre) is pictured on set with co-stars Don Estelle (fourth right), Mervyn Hayes (second right) and George Layton (fifth right). The show was first aired on BBC One in 1974

And the show managed to have its cake and eat it in other ways, too. The Indian characters had more wit and brains than the British officers ... but they also sounded silly. The gang shows were dreadful  but they were also really important for the morale of our troops.

This show saw both sides, and thats precisely what 21st-century Britain can no longer do.

The twin perceptions of homophobia and racism are enough to ensure that It Aint Half Hot Mum has not been repeated for many years. It sometimes feels less that Auntie is embarrassed of having made the show (it was of its time, after all), more that BBC executives are ashamed of viewers who would like to enjoy it again.

Its no reflection on the quality of It Aint Half Hot Mum. Modern po-faced moralising can affect the most popular shows. Even the long-running cartoon The Simpsons, which has long prided itself on satirising anything in range, has been obliged to quietly retire the shopkeeper Apu, apparently because he has a marked Indian accent. Critics accused the character of racist misrepresentation of South Asians.

Windsor Davies, who passed away last week, on the set of It Ain't Half Hot Mum in the early 1980s (left) and in 1994 (right). Tributes to the late London-born actor have poured in

Windsor Davies (pictured on set in 1976) played Sergeant Major Williams in It Ain't Half Hot Mum, and died last week at the age of 88. The London-born Welsh actor went on to have a number one hit with the novelty track Whispering Grass with his sitcom co-star Don Estelle

And creators of the scabrous cartoon Family Guy said at the weekend they will phase out jokes about gays and lesbians.

Such is the nature of the present age that equal opportunities are upheld in everything but comedy.

This attitude would not only be baffling to earlier generations, but downright dangerous. Remember that It Aint Half Hot Mum was based on real-life experiences, and that cheesy gang shows were a vital way of keeping up the spirits of troops fighting in desperate conditions in the jungles of Burma.

Future stars including Stanley Baxter and Kenneth Williams learned their craft from Rangoon to Singapore, high-kicking for loud, lairy combat units who laughed themselves sick.

Try telling an artillery gunner in a malarial swamp that he shouldnt laugh at a comic with shoe polish on his face, sending up the native accents. His attitude would be, What are you going to do, shoot me? The enemy are already trying to do that.

Today, comedy is not about survival any more, so it has become a way of signalling social membership and political virtue.

But every time a pious luvvie protests that we mustnt joke about something, Sergeant-Major Williamss voice echoes back across the parade ground...

Oh dear. How sad. Never mind.
She split from Jersey Shore's Ronnie Ortiz-Magro after yet another fight over the holidays.

And Jen Harley made her first appearance in public since their dramatic kick off and break up, on Saturday.

The 31-year-old reality television star took the plunge in a revealing top as she was spotted wining and dining at Hamptons in Las Vegas with a gal pal.

Taking the plunge: Jen Harley made her first appearance in public since their dramatic kick off and break up, on Saturday

The busty beauty - who shares nine-month old daughter Ariana Sky Magro with Ortiz-Magro - was joined by local TV host Heather Marianna.

Jen seemed to brush off recent dramas as she showed Ronnie what he was missing in a sexy black suit which straight at the buttons.

A patron reportedly overheard Harley FaceTiming with Ortiz-Magro, despite the recent battery charges that were allegedly filed by him.

Girlie night out: The busty beauty (R) - who shares nine-month old daughter Ariana Sky Magro with Ortiz-Magro - was joined by local TV host Heather Marianna (L) and the restaurant owner

The drama between Ronnie and Jen has been intensified when the couple split once again following a blow-out fight on New Year's Eve.

The couple reportedly got into a physical fight at the Hustler Club in Las Vegas around 2 a.m. on January 1.

Us Weekly confirmed that Ronnie filed a battery report against his ex after she allegedly threw a glass ashtray at him during their dispute.

In security footage from the venue, the reality star is seen a few minutes before midnight, wiping away blood from his nose with a tissue in the video obtained by TMZ.

Family matters: Magro shares nine-month-old daughter Ariana with Harley

Drama: The couple have a daughter but don't seem to get along with each other

The video doesn't show the actual attack, but sources claim Jen 'allegedly nailed him with an ashtray.'

They called it quits again following the NYE outing.

'Ronnie and Jen got into a fight on New Years Eve. They broke up before New Years Eve, got back together right before then and got in a big fight on Monday night,' an insider told Us. 'Theyre currently broken up. But its the same story every time: They are together, they fight, they break up and then get back together.'

The Famously Single alum reportedly hesitated to contact the authorities because 'he did not know what would happen to his 9 month-old daughter', Ariana, whom he shares with Harley, according to the publication.
She starred in the 2016 Christian drama Miracles From Heaven. And Jennifer Garner had her eye on the divine when she was spotted this Sunday heading off to church in Los Angeles.

The 46-year-old brought back 1950s chic in a knee-length navy skirt and a striped white and blue top as she arrived at services.

The movie icon was also joined by her ex husband Ben Affleck. They finalized their divorce in October.

On good terms: Ben Affleck joined Jennifer Garner at church in LA on Sunday

Taking notes: The 13 Going On 30 actress was writing something down in her date book

Tradition: She had her eye on the divine when she was spotted this Sunday heading off to church in Los Angeles

She accessorized with a silver diamond-stitched purse tucked under one arm, giving herself some extra stature with sky-high navy heels.

The brunette bombshell, who shares three children with her ex Ben Affleck, went for a minimal makeup look and wore her wavy hair down.

On New Year's Eve, Jennifer posted a snapshot of herself holding a firecracker and wrote a touching caption looking back on her past twelvemonth.

Regular churchgoer: The 46-year-old brought back 1950s chic in a knee-length navy skirt and a striped white and blue top as she arrived at services

'I am grateful for all of the friendship, health, silliness and growth (even painful) of 2018,' wrote the Alias star.

The frequent churchgoer added: 'I am prayerfully grateful for my children and family. Please, more of the same next year, for all of us.'

Jennifer married Affleck in 2005 and they split in 2015, but they waited until April 2017 to file for divorce, leading to rumors in the interim that they would reunite.

So chic: She accessorized with a silver diamond-stitched purse tucked under one arm, giving herself some extra stature with sky-high navy heels

The mother of three is now reportedly dating the hunky businessman John Miller, the CEO of the company CaliGroup, Us Weekly reported.

Her upcoming film releases include Wonder Park, an animated movie out this March with a voice cast that includes Kenan Thompson, Mila Kunis and Ken Jeong.

She is also going to be in Yes Day, an adaptation of the children's book of the same name about parents who accede to all their children's requests for one day yearly.

Good daddy: Ben gave his second-born child Violet a kiss on her head

That college look: The Argo director wore a blue blazer over a denim shirt with khakis
She's been keeping busy with her TV and film projects, set for release in the coming months.

But Uma Thurman, 48, enjoyed some down time from her busy schedule as she arrived at Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport with her daughter Maya Hawke, 20, in France on Saturday evening.

The Kill Bill actress displayed her naturally radiant complexion as she went make-up free at the terminal while puffing on a cigarette.

Casual: Uma Thurman enjoyed some down time from her busy schedule as she arrived at Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport with her daughter Maya Hawke in France on Saturday evening

Opting for comfort, the screen star sported a chic wool coat, black skinny jeans and trendy knee-high boots.

With her tresses swept into a tousled bun, Uma kept accessories to a minimum as she wore a pair of square-framed reading glasses.

The Dangerous Liaisons star joined Stranger Things actress Maya, who wrapped up against the chilly climes of the fashion capital in a checked longline coat and black scarf.

Low-key: The Kill Bill actress, 48, displayed her naturally radiant complexion as she went make-up free at the terminal while puffing on a cigarette

Boasting a glowing visage, the brunette also went make-up free for the casual appearance.

Uma shares the Little Women star and son Levon, 16, with ex-husband Ethan Hawke, and six-year-old daughter Luna with ex-fiance Arpad Busson.

In an interview with LOVE magazine in October, the actress discussed going public with the abuse at the hands of Quentin Tarantino and disgraced movie mogul, Harvey Weinstein.

Family first: Uma shares Little Women actress Maya, 20, and son Levon, 16, with ex-husband Ethan Hawke, and six-year-old daughter Luna with ex-fiance Arpad Busson

'Just the whole thing was a pain in the a**. I knew it had to be done on my terms. But it was difficult to have people act like this was some great big shock when what had happened was relatively common knowledge.

'All my friends knew. It was nothing I had ever hidden. And all of a sudden, in this climate, people cared. I feel that women have a right to address their own experiences on their own terms, that was what it was about,' she stated.

Uma's new film The House That Jack Built, a horror-comedy from director Lars Von Trier, was released on December 14 and is available for streaming and screening in select theatres.
She finalized a custody agreement in December after a lengthy battle following the dissolution of her marriage to Brad Pitt in 2016.

And Angelina Jolie looked to be in great spirits as she stepped out for a bit of shopping with her son Pax in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon.

The 43-year-old actress donned a Salvatore Ferragamo reversible cape with a black skirt amid reports that Pitt has been dating Charlize Theron for one month, according to The Sun.

Out and about: Angelina Jolie looked to be in great spirits as she stepped out for a bit of shopping with her son Pax in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon

Angelina looked stylish as she took to the streets with her son Pax strolling right by her side.

She added a pair of slouchy black boots to her monochrome ensemble and carried a black purse across her shoulder.

Jolie sported a pair of black sunglasses and wore her chestnut-hued hair straight past her shoulders.

Pax looked comfortable in a black-and-white houndstooth jacket paired with a white shirt and jeans.

Fashion: The 43-year-old actress donned a Salvatore Ferragamo reversible cape with a black skirt amid reports that Pitt has been dating Charlize Theron for one month, according to The Sun

Family: Angelina looked stylish as she took to the streets with her son Pax strolling by her side

According to a 2017 report from RadarOnline, Theron and Brad's estranged wife Angelina Jolie have been 'feuding for years' over film roles and can't stand each other.

The site claimed at the time that Jolie was 'stalling on committing to a Bride Of Frankenstein remake' just to irk the blonde beauty.

In 2017 Universal Pictures introduced its Dark Universe, a Marvel-type of movie crossover family, starting with Tom Cruises The Mummy reboot, and scheduled to include some of historys most famous horror monsters, including The Invisible Man, starring Johnny Depp, Dr Jekyll with Russell Crowe, and Frankensteins Monster with Javier Bardem, it was claimed at the time.

Shop til you drop: She added a pair of slouchy black boots to her monochrome ensemble and carried a black purse across her shoulder

Stylish: Jolie sported a pair of black sunglasses and wore her chestnut-hued hair straight past her shoulders

Just the two of us: Pax looked comfortable in a black-and-white houndstooth jacket paired with a white shirt and jeans

Mommy and me: Angelina spent some quality time with Pax, one of her six children

Then Jolie was 'courted' for the Bride Of Frankenstein, it was alleged, and Theron was the 'runner-up.'

Radar claimed Angie was 'stringing Theron along, refusing to commit to the project, and denying the star the opportunity to accept other roles, as she awaits a decision.'

The Radar source also said, 'Angie hasnt made a deal with Universal to do their next monster flick, but the offers still on the table. She could use the $20m paycheck. She seems to enjoy sticking it to Charlize, who wanted to do this film and is convinced Angie stepped in to take it off her.'

The site added they had a 'turf war for years.'

Secure: Pax stayed close to his mother's side as they ran errands in Los Angeles on Sunday

Foes? Brad Pitt is dating Charlize Theron, it was claimed by The Sun on Saturday. And it seems like there may be some background when it comes to his estranged wife Angelina Jolie

This man gets a lot of A-list ladies: Pitt attends Breitling Squadona Mission event on November in China

The example made by the site was how Theron was considered for a part in the remake of Murder On The Orient Express, which Jolie at first turned down, but then wanted. Turns out neither accepted a role for the film, which was later taken by Michelle Pfeiffer.

Jolie also starred in The Tourist after Theron turned it down, according to Collider.

'The hate fest between these two started a long time ago and just wont stop,' the insider told Radar. 'Its as though directors are getting a buzz out of playing them against each other, by dangling a script to both of them then leaving them to b**** and slug it out.'

Date night? Theron went to a Roma screening at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood on January 12. Here she is posed with Yalitza Aparicio, Director Alfonso Cuaron and Diego Luna

There he is: That same night Pitt was at an If Beale Street Could Talk screening, where he posed with Blanca Blanco. Later he went to see Charlize at the Roma event inside the Chateau

She is a Roma fan too: Jolie supported Alfonso on January 5 in West Hollywood

Now Theron is romancing Jolie's estranged husband Pitt, 55, The Sun claimed.

They were introduced by her ex-fiance Sean Penn, it was alleged by the publication. 'The new lovebirds were all over each over at a showbiz function last week,' a source claimed.

That function was a showing of the movie Roma at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood on January 12 (interestingly, Jolie attended a Roma event on January 5).

Theron was at the party and Pitt came later after a screening of his movie If Beale Street Could Talk, where he posed with Blanca Blanco.

'Brad came over to Chateau afterwards, changed his outfit and joined Charlize in a corner of the bar,' said the insider.

The way they were: Angie and Brad with Zahara, 13, Shiloh, 12, 10-year-olds Vivienne and Knox, Maddox, 16, and Pax, 14, in 2013

'She was on a vodka cocktail while he stuck to mineral water,' noted the source.

He stopped drinking alcohol after his split from Jolie.

'They were ridiculously touchy-feely and his arm was around her back. At one point he winked at her,' said the eyewitness.

'Brad seemed in a really good place  they both looked really happy,' added the source.

The one who left him: Pitt is still working through his divorce Angelina Jolie, with whom he co-parents six children. Seen in 2014

The power couple started dating around Christmas, it was claimed, and they spend a lot of time at his Los Feliz, California mansion, though it was noted she has has yet to meet his kids Zahara, 13, Shiloh, 12, 10-year-olds Vivienne and Knox, Maddox, 16, and Pax, 14.

Theron has two adopted children: August and Jackson.

'They have been casually seeing each other for nearly a month now.

Theyve been friends for some time  ironically through Sean  but things have developed,' said the insider.

Reps for the actors have been contacted by DailyMail.com.

Though Charlize and Brad have never worked together on a film, she has co-starred with his best friend Matt Damon in a movie: 2000's The Legend Of Bagger Vance.

Charlize was last linked to Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgard of Big Little Lies fame.

Pitt's last known romantic partner is Jolie, though there have been numerous reports he is dating ex-wife Jennifer Aniston, all of which have been denied.
He reunited with the panel for the new series earlier this week as host Ant McPartlin returned to work following a ten month break.

And David Walliams, 47, embraced his hilarious persona as he and fellow judge Simon Cowell, 57, arrived on the red carpet for the Britain's Got Talent photocall at London's Palladium theatre on Sunday evening.

In his true comedic fashion, the Little Britain star caught the eye in a bedazzled Union Jack number, featuring a statement vest top and matching shorts.

Making a statement: David Walliams, 47,embraced his hilarious persona as he and Simon Cowell, 57, arrived the Britain's Got Talent photocall at London's Palladium theatre on Sunday

The TV personality took his look up a notch as he complemented his outfit with matching trainers and a helmet.

Simon maintained his signature style sense as he wrapped up in a padded jacket, light-wash flare jeans and all-black sunglasses.

The pair appeared to be in high spirits as they shared a warm hug during their time on the red carpet.

Wow: In his true comedic fashion, the Little Britain star caught the eye in a bedazzled Union Jack number, featuring a statement vest top and matching shorts

Turning heads: The TV personality took his look up a notch as he complemented his outfit with matching trainers and a helmet

Off they go: David and Simon, 57, were joined by hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, both 43, as well as fellow judges Amanda Holden, 47, and Alesha Dixon, 40, who all arrived on the carpet on bikes

Giddy: The pair appeared to be in high spirits as they shared a warm hug during their time on the red carpet

Proving to be in good company, David and Simon were joined by hosts Ant and Declan Donnelly, both 43, as well as fellow judges Amanda Holden, 47, and Alesha Dixon, 40, who all arrived on the carpet on bikes.

While viewers are no strangers to Simon and David's hilarious quips and banter, the comedian seemed to take it to the next level earlier this week in a video posted on Amanda's Instagram account.

A clip showed David down on one knee proposing to the music mogul, and triumphantly screamed 'he said yes' to the crowd as Simon gestured 'no.'

Good looking out! Ant and Dec ensured David didn't suffer from a wardrobe malfunction as they covered his manhood region with their hands

Squad goals: David with the panel for the new series earlier this week as presenter Ant returned to work following a ten month break

The clip then showed David planting a kiss on Simon sending the audience wild, and Amanda wrote in the caption 'Indecent proposal.'

The pair seemed to be close throughout the day as Simon also sat on David's lap during one of the auditions, though this did seem to be in response to a terrifying clown perched on the desk.

This new series has also marked Ant's return to work after a ten-month break. The presenter had taken a hiatus from work commitments following his drink-drive arrest in March.
They hit to red carpet with a bang as they arrived on a pair of bicycles.

And Amanda Holden, 47, and Alesha Dixon, 40, looked glamorous as ever as they attended the Britain's Got Talent auditions at the London Palladium on Sunday.

The judges arrived in style to the venue, taking to the red carpet on bicycles with presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly.

Glamour: Amanda Holden, 47, and Alesha Dixon, 40, looked glamorous as ever as they attended the Britain's Got Talent auditions at the London Palladium on Sunday

Amanda turned-heads on the red carpet, donning a flowing, golden dress for the occasion.

The actress appeared in high spirits at the event, twirling the garment which featured a turned up collar and a large, matching belt around the waist.

Sporting a pleated design, the gown also featured a dipped hemline with Amanda adding height to her frame in a pair of peach, strappy heels.

Styling her blonde locks into an updo, the Wild At Heart star accessorised with a pair of hooped earrings.

Fashion: The judges arrived in style to the venue, taking to the red carpet on bicycles

Style: Amanda turned-heads on the red carpet, donning a flowing, golden dress for the occasion

Radiant: The actress appeared in high spirits at the event, twirling the garment which featured a turned up collar and a large, matching belt around the waist

Amanda sported a more practical look earlier in the evening when she arrived with her fellow judges on a bicycle.

She donned a figure-hugging black blazer with a plunging neckline and matching fitted trousers.

Her tresses tied in a ponytail, Amanda wore black leather gloves while proudly carrying her Union Jack helmet.

Alesha added a pop of colour to proceedings with her ensemble.

Showstopper: Sporting a pleated design, the gown featured a dipped hemline, with Amanda adding height to her frame in a pair of peach, strappy heels

Twirl: Styling her blonde locks into an updo, the Wild At Heart star accessorised with a pair of hooped earrings

The former Mis-Teeq star wore a monochome, printed bomber jacket and high-waisted, lilac trousers.

Opting for a casual look, the hitmaker wore box-fresh white trainers and completed the look with large hooped earrings.

The new series has marked Ant McPartlin's return to work after a ten-month break. The presenter had taken a hiatus from work commitments followking his drink-drive arrest in March.

Pair: Amanda sported a more practical look earlier in the evening when she arrived her fellow judges on a bicycl

In what was his second post of the duo since their reunion on Friday, David posted a snap of Ant and Dec as they showed some of their cheekiest expressions for the camera.

Following Ant's break Dec presented last year's Britain's Got Talent live shows, but this year the pair are back together, to the delight of fans.

Ant admitted he was 'really really emotional' to the crowd as he embraced Dec on Friday, earning a standing ovation from the audience as they kicked off the auditions.
She rose to fame with her wild antics on MTV's Jersey Shore.

But Deena Cortese is a family woman now and uploaded a heartwarming Instagram album Sunday of her newborn son CJ Buckner.

Deena, 32, put up two photos of the cute-as-a-button baby boy resting peacefully on his father Christopher Buckner's chest.

Full of affection: Deena Cortese is a family woman now and uploaded a heartwarming Instagram album Sunday of her newborn son CJ Buckner

The proud mother of one captioned that her baby was 'My heart,' adding an emoji of a heart and then one of a smiling face.

Deena and Chris dated for years, even appearing on the VH1 reality series Couples Therapy to iron out their differences in 2014.

The dynamic duo finally got engaged in 2016 before tying the knot near the end of 2017 in the bride's hometown of New Egypt, New Jersey.

Heartwarming: Deena, 32, put up two photos of the cute-as-a-button baby boy resting peacefully on his father Christopher Buckner's chest

Several of her old Jersey Shore castmates were there to celebrate her special day, including Jenni 'JWoww' Farley and Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi, E! News reports.

Some of the Jersey Shore gentlemen were there as well, including Vinny Guadagnino, Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino and DJ Pauly D.

Deena wrote on Instagram this month that: 'Christopher John Buckner (CJ) born January 5th at 4:41 pm at a whopping 20.5 inches..6 Lb 8.5 ounces'.

Family history: The baby's parents got engaged in 2016 before tying the knot near the end of 2017 in the bride's hometown of New Egypt, New Jersey

The reality star, who shared that her labor lasted 'a tough two days,' has been posting regular Instagram snapshots of her little pride and joy since.

Apparently, the baby came not a moment too soon - Deena posted just before New Year's that 'mommy and daddy are super ready to meet him.'

This Saturday, she uploaded a bathroom mirror selfie album of her svelte post-baby body a mere '2 weeks since giving birth to my little man'.
Ashley Martson has been discharged from the hospital after her kidney scare.

'I Just wanted to say thank you to everyone for your donations, prayers and support. Im home and starting to slowly recover,' she wrote on Instagram Saturday.

The 90 Day Fiance star, 32, was hospitalized last Sunday after collapsing at her home, after suffering acute kidney failure due to complications of Lupus.

Full of thanks: Ashley Martson has been discharged from the hospital after her kidney scare

Ashley, who had a GoFundMe set up, wrote on Instagram: 'I am taking the campaign down as the amount of money raised was plenty to cover unexpected medical costs and loss of income. Im hopeful I can return to work in a few weeks.'

She continued: 'I am so thankful for your help and kind hearts you guys are truly a blessing and I will forever be grateful for each of you. All the cards and care packages sent made me smile and tear up at the same time.'

Ashley shared: 'Sometimes I loose faith in humanity but you all reminded me that there still is kind and compassionate people in this world. Thank you again from the Bottom of my heart'.

The blonde continued: 'I will continue to be open about my battle with lupus and if you dont like it or feel Im seeking attention then kindly unfollow. This disease is horrible and I want everyone that is going through it to know theyre not alone'.

For the fans: Fans had been kept in the loop via a Tuesday 'update' on Ashley's official Instagram saying 'There is a chance she can go home tomorrow'

Fans had been kept in the loop via a Tuesday 'update' on Ashley's official Instagram page which read, 'There is a chance [Ashley] can go home tomorrow and be looked after by home health care nurses.'

Ashley also posted pictures of flowers she had received from TLC, the network for whom she works.

A note accompanying the flowers read 'We are all praying for you and your family during this trying time. Keep fighting.'

'With love, your TLC family.'

Beautiful bouquet: Martson, 32, also posted pictures of flowers she had received from TLC, the network for whom she works

Touching: A note accompanying the flowers read 'We are all preying for you and your family during this trying time. Keep fighting.'

The TLC star captioned the post, 'A big thank you to @tlc for these beautiful flowers. They definitely brightened my day [HEART EMOJI] #tlc #family #thankyou'.

After being rushed to hospital, Ashley posted a photo of herself on Instagram that shows her passed out in a hospital bed with IVs running through her arms.

'I'm sorry if this photo offends anyone but I will not hide that Im sick,' an obviously emotional Ashley captioned the Monday snap.

Health crisis: Ashley Martson was rushed to a hospital on Sunday after collapsing at her home with kidney failure due to complications of Lupus

'If I can help one person with lupus then posting this is worth it.'

She then went on to explain the seriousness of her health crisis.

'I was found unresponsive this morning at my home. The Ambulance took me to the hospital where it was found that I am in acute kidney failure due to lupus. I will begin dialysis shortly.'

'I will not let this beat me. I know I'm strong enough to battle through this, not just for myself but for my kids.'

Emotional admission: The TV personality shared a lengthy note to her fans and followers

Long battle: The reality TV star was also hospitalized in December due to her Lupus

The television personality added: 'I will be transferred to another hospital this evening that is better equipped. Please pray for myself and my family as I know its going to be a very tough road ahead for all of us. Thank you for your continuous support and prayers.'

She ended her message by asking fans and her 160,000 followers not to write any negative comments on her post because 'Im already scared and I dont need to be kicked while Im already down.'

The Pennsylvania native was also hospitalized with complications from her Lupus this past December, according to Us Weekly.

At the time, she shared a picture of her in the hospital with the hashtag: #lupussucks.'

Strong voice: 'I will not let this beat me. I know I'm strong enough to battle through this, not just for myself but for my kid,' Martson said in her message

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that when it becomes hyperactive it attacks tissues that includes kidneys, heart, skin, joints, blood cells and lungs.

This is the same disease that has afflicted Selena Gomez. The young star eventually needed a kidney transplant in 2017, but she has looked remarkably healthy since the operation.

Ashley joined the cast of 90 Day Fiance with new husband Jay Smith in season six last year.
Brad Pitt has been dating Charlize Theron for one month, it was claimed by The Sun on Saturday.

But the union might come with some complications.

According to a 2017 report from RadarOnline, Theron and Brad's estranged wife Angelina Jolie have been 'feuding for years' over film roles and can't stand each other.

Foes? Brad Pitt is dating Charlize Theron, it was claimed by The Sun on Saturday. And it seems like there may be some background when it comes to his estranged wife Angelina Jolie

This man gets a lot of A-list ladies: Pitt attends Breitling Squadona Mission event on November in China

The site claimed at the time that Jolie was 'stalling on committing to a Bride Of Frankenstein remake' just to irk the blonde beauty.

In 2017 Universal Pictures introduced its Dark Universe, a Marvel-type of movie crossover family, starting with Tom Cruises The Mummy reboot, and scheduled to include some of historys most famous horror monsters, including The Invisible Man, starring Johnny Depp, Dr Jekyll with Russell Crowe, and Frankensteins Monster with Javier Bardem, it was claimed at the time.

Then Jolie was 'courted' for the Bride Of Frankenstein, it was alleged, and Theron was the 'runner-up.'

Radar claimed Angie was 'stringing Theron along, refusing to commit to the project, and denying the star the opportunity to accept other roles, as she awaits a decision.'

The Radar source also said, 'Angie hasnt made a deal with Universal to do their next monster flick, but the offers still on the table. She could use the $20m paycheck. She seems to enjoy sticking it to Charlize, who wanted to do this film and is convinced Angie stepped in to take it off her.'

New love for 2019? Single dad Pitt is dating Theron, according to The Sun

The site added they had a 'turf war for years.'

The example made by the site was how Theron was considered for a part in the remake of Murder On The Orient Express, which Jolie at first turned down, but then wanted. Turns out neither accepted a role for the film, which was later taken by Michelle Pfeiffer.

Jolie also starred in The Tourist after Theron turned it down, according to Collider.

'The hate fest between these two started a long time ago and just wont stop,' the insider told Radar. 'Its as though directors are getting a buzz out of playing them against each other, by dangling a script to both of them then leaving them to b**** and slug it out.'

Date night? Theron went to a Roma screening at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood on January 12. Here she is posed with Yalitza Aparicio, Director Alfonso Cuaron and Diego Luna

There he is: That same night Pitt was at an If Beale Street Could Talk screening, where he posed with Blanca Blanco. Later he went to see Charlize at the Roma event inside the Chateau

She is a Roma fan too: Jolie supported Alfonso on January 5 in West Hollywood

Now Theron is romancing Jolie's estranged husband Pitt, 55, The Sun claimed.

They were introduced by her ex-fiance Sean Penn, it was alleged by the publication. 'The new lovebirds were all over each over at a showbiz function last week,' a source claimed.

That function was a showing of the movie Roma at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood on January 12 (interestingly, Jolie attended a Roma event on January 5).

Theron was at the party and Pitt came later after a screening of his movie If Beale Street Could Talk, where he posed with Blanca Blanco.

'Brad came over to Chateau afterwards, changed his outfit and joined Charlize in a corner of the bar,' said the insider.

The way they were: Angie and Brad with Zahara, 13, Shiloh, 12, 10-year-olds Vivienne and Knox, Maddox, 16, and Pax, 14, in 2013

'She was on a vodka cocktail while he stuck to mineral water,' noted the source.

He stopped drinking alcohol after his split from Jolie.

'They were ridiculously touchy-feely and his arm was around her back. At one point he winked at her,' said the eyewitness.

'Brad seemed in a really good place  they both looked really happy,' added the source.

The one who left him: Pitt is still working through his divorce Angelina Jolie, with whom he co-parents six children. Seen in 2014

The power couple started dating around Christmas, it was claimed, and they spend a lot of time at his Los Feliz, California mansion, though it was noted she has has yet to meet his kids Zahara, 13, Shiloh, 12, 10-year-olds Vivienne and Knox, Maddox, 16, and Pax, 14.

Theron has two adopted children: August and Jackson.

'They have been casually seeing each other for nearly a month now.

Theyve been friends for some time  ironically through Sean  but things have developed,' said the insider.

Reps for the actors have been contacted by DailyMail.com.

Though Charlize and Brad have never worked together on a film, she has co-starred with his best friend Matt Damon in a movie: 2000's The Legend Of Bagger Vance.

Charlize was last linked to Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgard of Big Little Lies fame.

Pitt's last known romantic partner is Jolie, though there have been numerous reports he is dating ex-wife Jennifer Aniston, all of which have been denied.
She's not afraid to stand out from the crowd and is a fan of a quirky ensemble.

And Bella Thorne, 21, proved it runs in the family when she stepped out with her older sister Dani, 26, at the launch party for the new On The Record Speakeasy and Club at Park MGM in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday night.

The star joined forces with her lookalike sibling on the red carpet, putting on a strong sartorial display.

Joining forces: Bella Thorne, 21, stepped out with her older sister Dani, 26, at the launch party for the new On The Record Speakeasy and Club at Park MGM in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday night

Bella dared to bare in a revealing dress with a red printed skirt and a plunging black neckline as she cosied up to her boyfriend Mod Sun.

The top section of the garment left little to the imagination and was set off with glittering layered jewellery.

The former Disney starlet completed her look with a black silk kimono and a pair of red strappy heels.

Looking good: Bella dared to bare in a revealing dress with a red printed skirt and a plunging black neckline

Bling: The top section of the garment left little to the imagination and was set off with glittering layered jewellery

She carried her essentials in a contrasting red and black bag, embellished with a cute pom pom.

Her sister Dani appeared to have inherited the same quirky sense of style, rocking multi-coloured neon hair and matching make-up.

She donned a glamorous black dress with a sheer panel at the bust and a daring thigh-high splits.

Seeing double: Her sister Dani appeared to have inherited the same quirky sense of style, rocking multi-coloured neon hair and matching make-up

Finishing touches: The former Disney starlet completed her look with a black silk kimono and a pair of red strappy heels

Chic details: She carried her essentials in a contrasting red and black bag, embellished with a cute pom pom

Dani pulled her look together with a pair of white platform trainers, giving the attire a casual twist.

The girls are extremely close and even got matching tattoos in 2017 to cement their bond.

In a nod to their striking resemblance, the pair got the words 'If lost, find twin' on their feet.

'I know so many people that are not close to their siblings at all. I'm so f*cking lucky to have literally the coolest "twin" sister in the world,' Bella told Paper magazine.

Tomboy style: Dani pulled her look together with a pair of white platform trainers, giving the attire a casual twist
She donned an opulent black gown for the 2019 Producers Guild Awards earlier in the night.

But Kate Beckinsale turned heads as she hit the red carpet in a white one-shouldered minidress by Misha Collection for the On The Record bash thrown by nightlife impresarios Mark and Jonnie Houston in Las Vegas on Saturday.

Joined by a stylish Rumer Willis, the actress, 45, looked the epitome of glamour in her glitzy ensemble for the club launch.

Glamour queen: Kate Beckinsale turned heads as she hit the red carpet in a white one-shouldered minidress by Misha Collection for the On The Record bash in Las Vegas on Saturday

Kate showed off her slender figure and lithe limbs in the thigh-grazing mini and cinched in her waist with a thick belt.

The Click star oozed confidence as she strutted down the red carpet with a pair of metallic kitten heels and decided to forego jewellery to allow the dress to take centre-stage.

She styled her brunette hair in a high ponytail and accentuated her sun-kissed tan with a brown smoky eye, blush-swept cheeks and a pink lip.

Leading ladies: Joined by a stylish Rumer Willis (R), the actress, 45, looked the epitome of glamour in a one-shoulder white minidress

Leggy: Kate showed off her slender figure and lithe limbs in the thigh-grazing mini and cinched in her waist with a thick belt

Gorgeous: She styled her brunette hair in a high ponytail and accentuated her sun-kissed tan with a brown smoky eye, blush-swept cheeks and a pink lip

Bringing the wow factor! Kate had changed out of her opulent black gown she wore to attend attend the Producers Guild Of America Awards earlier in the evening (pictured)

Rumer, 30, meanwhile, flashed a hint of cleavage in a busty figure-hugging yellow midi dress.

The slinky evening ensemble featured a plunging neckline and cut-out keyhole design at the bust.

She paired the look with a crocodile print black bag and matching stilettos. The American beauty wore her raven bob in a sleek straight centre-parting and finished off the look with gold hoop earrings.

Stunning: Rumer, 30, meanwhile, flashed a hint of cleavage in a busty figure-hugging yellow midi dress

Figure-hugging: The slinky evening ensemble featured a plunging neckline and cut-out keyhole design at the bust

Sisters Bella and Dani Thorne put on a daring fashion display in their skin-flashing ensembles.

Bella, 21, flaunted her ample cleavage in a plunging lycra top, which she tucked into a red patterned skirt, while Dani, 26, rocked a black patterned bodysuit with a sheer overlay.

Kate's red carpet appearance comes amid filming her new Amazon TV series The Widow about a woman who has cut herself off from her previous life.

Eye-catching: Sisters Bella and Dani Thorne put on a daring fashion display in their skin-flashing ensembles

Busty: Bella, 21, flaunted her ample cleavage in a plunging lycra top, which she tucked into a red patterned skirt

All eyes on her: She opted for a minimal make-up look and shrugged a leather jacket over her shoulder

Racy: Dani, 26, rocked a black patterned bodysuit with a sheer overlay

Fun: Dani paired the look with white platform trainers and multi-coloured hair

Working it: The sisters posed up a storm on the red carpet before heading to the bash

The mother-of-one, who raises daughter Lily, 19, with her ex Michael Sheen, is presently single after her husband of 14 years, director Ken Wiseman, filed for divorced in 2016.

But after seeing her 'late' husband on the news, she is will stop at nothing until she uncovers truth about her past.

The series has begun production in South Africa, Wales and Rotterdam.

It will premiere on ITV before featuring an Amazon Prime Original in the US and on Amazon Prime Video.

Chic: Ireland Baldwin cut a stylish figure in an oversized coat and ripped denim jeans
He is set to rear his 'ugly, criminal head' in Weatherfield.

But killer Clayton Hibbs will play the unlikely hero in an upcoming episode of Coronation Street as he saves his mum Shona from a shovel-wielding Cormac Macca.

In scenes set to air on the soap, a bruised and battered Clayton, (Callum Harrison) tussles with Macca at his father Dane's graveside, after being released from prison to attend the funeral.

Drama at the graveside: Clayton Hibbs will play the unlikely hero in an upcoming episode of Coronation Street as he saves his mum Shona from a shovel-wielding Cormac Macca

Shooting the scenes on Saturday, Clayton walked alongside his father's coffin as the procession made its way to through the graveyard.

However, an argument soon ensues, with Macca (Gareth Berliner) brandishing the shovel used to dig Dane's grave at Shona (Julia Goulding).

Standing in the way, Clayton confronts Macca before he is handcuffed and dragged away by prison security officers.

Solemn: Shooting the scenes on Saturday, Clayton walked alongside his father's coffin as the procession made its way to through the graveyard

Fight: In scenes set to air on the soap, a bruised and battered Clayton, (Callum Harrison) tussles with Macca at his father Dane's graveside

The character is currently in jail for the murder of Kylie Platt - David's late wife - but it seems trouble behind bars sends him to hospital.

Fans of the show might be baffled to see the character back, given that he was last seen being sentenced to 15 years behind bars, for the murder of Kylie.

Clayton and Shona last shared the screen in 2017, when she was seen visiting him prison.

However, an argument soon ensues, with Macca (Gareth Berliner) brandishing the shovel used to dig Dane's grave at Shona (Julia Goulding)

It's also rumoured that Clayton will use his mother in a plot to smuggle drugs into prison as well.

Corrie boss Iain MacLeod previously said: 'We've got a story where Clayton will rear his ugly, criminal head.'

He told Digital Spy: 'He throws a massive spanner in the works for David and he tries to embroil Shona in a plot to smuggle drugs into prison. It becomes a story about Shona and her son and throws into question David and Shona's relationship.

'Clayton has been locked up and it provides the biggest challenge to David and Shona's relationship since the Josh story.'
He's gearing up to perform in his musical extravaganza The Man. The Music. The Show.

And Hugh Jackman was spotted arriving in Japan on Sunday, where he was met by a crowd of excited fans clamoring for autographs.

The 50-year-old actor was in high spirits as he touched down at Narita International Airport to a warm welcome.

Popular: Hugh Jackman was spotted arriving in Japan on Sunday, where he was met by a crowd of excited fans clamoring for autographs

Hugh was casually clad in a grey tweed coat and blue chinos, set off with suede lace-up shoes by Tod's.

The star was happy to stop and chat to fans, posing for pictures and signing autographs.

Taking to his social media, Hugh shared a video of himself addressing his Japanese fans.

Speaking directly to the camera, he enthused: 'I'm very, very excited! I'm sitting in the airport lounge, ready to come to Japan, one of my favourite places in the world. I love you all, cant wait to see you.'

Warm reception from fans: The star was happy to stop and chat to fans, posing for pictures and signing autographs

Dapper chap: Hugh was casually clad in a grey tweed coat and blue chinos, set off with suede lace-up shoes by Tod's

Chat: Taking to his social media, Hugh shared a video of himself addressing his Japanese fans

Last week, Hugh revealed his wish to be in the Guinness Book of Records thanks to his numerous appearances as X-men character Wolverine.

The star has made a name for himself by playing the superhero character nine times over 17 years.

Making an appearance on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show, he explained: 'My dream as a kid, both my brother and I, was to be in the Guinness Book of Records one day.

Hopes: Last week, Hugh revealed his wish to be in the Guinness Book of Records thanks to his numerous appearances as X-men character Wolverine

'We tried to stay up and play badminton for 48 hours, we tried to flip coins off our elbow, and I just realised maybe Im there now, I dont know.'

When the presenter, 48, told him that he was 'there now', Hugh jokingly asked: 'If you could reach out to the Guinness people that would be awesome.'

The actor first appeared as the clawed mutant in X-Men in 2000, and also had three solo films, with his final outing as the character in 2017's Logan.

Iconic: The actor first played the clawed mutant in X-Men in 2000, and had three solo films

Final curtain: Hugh's final outing as the character was in 2017's Logan

While the actor has insisted that he will not return to the character, he and Ryan Reynolds have been engaging in a hilarious back-and-forth Twitter 'feud' about Hugh appearing in a Deadpool and Wolverine crossover movie.

Ryan, who is close friends with Hugh, has been persistent in trying to persuade him, even creating a hilarious smear campaign against him during promotions for Hugh's new film The Front Runner.'

In his typical humorous tongue, Ryan previously cheekily quipped: 'I continue to do press for Hugh Jackman to comeback. God knows he's just been failing constantly since Wolverine.'

Good pals: While Hugh has insisted that he will not return, he and Ryan Reynolds have been engaging in a funny back-and-forth Twitter 'feud' about a Deadpool/Wolverine crossover film

Wolverine makes a cameo appearance in Deadpool 2 but The X Men star didn't film any new scenes for the movie.

The clip comes from X-Men: Origins  Wolverine which is the 2009 movie where Ryan made his debut as an ill-fated version of Deadpool.

In November, during an appearance on Sunday Today, Hugh said of his actor pal: 'Ryan is relentless. He keeps coming back to me in all these ways, shapes and forms.

'I just said, "You know, I just dont think the world really wants to see Deadpool with Wolverine." Maybe a cameo from Deadpool? I just think it runs over it, for Deadpool.'

Turning him down: In November, Hugh said of his response to Ryan: 'I just said, "You know, I just dont think the world really wants to see Deadpool with Wolverine"

Hugh is currently set to embark on a world tour titled The Man, The Music, The Show. and he told Zoe that he's 'even more excited' than fans for the event.

He explained: 'This show has been developing over eight years but obviously The Greatest Showman kind of put it over the edge, and yes therell be songs from Greatest Showman.

'Im just so blown away by the support weve had in the UK and Ireland Im just cannot wait to get there, Im missing [it] every day.

'Im taking a little break from dancing and singing to talk to you Zoe but thats it, apart from that Im prepping and I cant just wait to show the show to everyone.'
She announced her engagement to art gallery manager, Sam Palmer last month.

And Petra Ecclestone and her new fiance looked in the throes of love as they headed to Catch in West Hollywood on Saturday.

The billionaire heiress, 30, put on a busty display in a leopard print catsuit, while Sam cut a dapper figure in a grey blazer for their romantic dinner date.

Loved-up: Petra Ecclestone and her new fiance Sam Palmer looked in the throes of love as they headed to Catch in West Hollywood on Saturday

Petra showcased her ample cleavage in the figure-hugging animal print jumpsuit, which featured a plunging neckline.

She shrugged a denim jacket over her shoulders and added a boost to her height with a pair of brown suede ankle boots.

Clutching a tan cross-body bag, the socialite styled her blonde locks in soft curls and amped up the glamour with a bronzed make-up look and pink curls.

Killer curves: The billionaire heiress, 30, put on a busty display in a leopard print catsuit, while Sam cut a dapper figure in a grey blazer for their romantic dinner date

Sam, meanwhile, paired his tailored blazer with a navy jumper and denim jeans.

The Maddox art gallery manager recently posted a sweet tribute to the socialite after exclusively announcing the couple's engagement to MailOnline.

He told his followers Petra accepting his proposal was one of his personal highlights of 2018.

As the former electrician delighted over the news, Petra's Formula 1 tycoon father, Bernie Ecclestone, 88, seemed less impressed, saying he 'doesn't know what the hurry is' - just 14 months on from his daughter's explosive divorce.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: 'I told her I dont know what the hurry is I dont understand the reason.'

The businessman's reaction stood in stark contrast to Sam's words.

The vintage car dealer wrote: 'A personal thank you to everyone that made opening Maddox Gallery Los Angeles possible.

'I hope everyone had as an amazing year as us and that 2019 brings lots of love,health and happiness to all.

'My personal highlights have been opening the gallery in LA with the woman I love and her agreeing to marry me  Here is to a fantastic 2019.'

Petra and Sam announced their engagement on New Year's Eve after one year of dating, and just 14 months on from her acrimonious divorce from James Stunt, with whom she shares three children.
Saturday Night Live returned for it's first show of 2019.

And Pete Davidson shouted out 'I didn't mention her once!' at the end of his segment on Weekend Update as he appeared to reference his ex Ariana Grande.

Pete has been know to publicly talk about his split with the pop superstar on the NBC sketch show as well as his recent stand up comedy routines.

Shout out: Pete Davidson shouted out 'I didn't mention her once!' at the end of his segment on Weekend Update as he appeared to reference his ex Ariana Grande on latest SNL

He also addressed his harrowing 'suicide' message he posted in December for the first time during his segment on Weekend Update with the help of fellow comedian John Mulaney.

John explained that he was teaching Pete that 'you can have a life in comedy that is not insane,' to which Pete joked: 'After observing Johns life, I publicly threatened suicide.'

Pete was referring to his Instagram post after he broke up with Ariana Grande that read: 'I really don't want to be on this earth anymore. I'm doing my best to stay here for you but I actually don't know how much longer I can last. All I've ever tried to do was help people. Just remember I told you so.' He ended it with a heart emoji.

Following the comment, the New York Police Department sent an officer to SNL's studios in Manhattan to ensure the star was present and not in distress, according to the New York Times.

Word of mouth: Pete has been know to publicly talk about his split with the pop superstar on the NBC sketch show as well as his recent stand up comedy routines; (pictured August)

Addressing: He also addressed his harrowing 'suicide' message he posted in December for the first time during his segment on Weekend Update with the help of fellow comedian John Mulaney

Meanwhile, Rachel Brosnahan took over the hosting duties as Greta Van Fleet was the musical guest.

The show opened with a parody of Deal Or No Deal called Government Shutdown Edition with Steve Harvey hosting instead of Howie Mandel.

Steve explains to the first contestant President Donald Trump - played by Alec Baldwin - that they called him on stage as he can only understand a deal via 'a TV game show with women holding briefcases'.

New year: Rachel Brosnahan took over the hosting duties as Greta Van Fleet was the musical guest for the first episode of Saturday Night Live in 2019

Nancy Pelosis - played by Kate McKinnon - offers him the border wall for '$1 billion and Trump has to call Nancy "his mother"'.

Chuck Schumer offers Trump $15 and a pastrami on rye sandwich.

Cardi B offers him 'schmoney' as embattled Congressman Steve King offers 'Whites'.

Cold open: The show opened with a parody of Deal Or No Deal called Government Shutdown Edition with Steve Harvey hosting instead of Howie Mandel

Man-splaining: Steve explains to the first contestant President Donald Trump - played by Alec Baldwin - that they called him on stage as he can only understand a deal via 'a TV game show with women holding briefcases'

During her opening monologue, Brosnahan is joined by Cecily Strong to discuss 'having fun' in 2019... even though there's a government shut down, a teacher's strike, and Brexit.

A newscast regarding a earthquake in Northern California where the reporter interviews survivors from the Change Of Name office.

A string of hilariously embarrassing names are then listed including Holden Tudiks.

Bodak: Cardi B offered him 'schmoney'

Giving it all: Chuck Schumer offers Trump $15 and a pastrami on rye sandwich

A commercial parody about a portable urn called Leave Me Alurn is introduced.

The fake urn is used so unknown men won't bother women with small talk. And also can be used as a phone charger.

The tag line was 'Kills small talk. dead'

Puns are funny: A newscast regarding a earthquake in Northern California where the reporter interviews survivors from the Change Of Name office

Laugh riot:A string of hilariously embarrassing names are then listed including Holden Tudiks

Millennial Millions was a game show parody featuring Rachel versus Pete Davidson as millennials trying to defeat baby boomers.

The baby boomers get to complain about how difficult their life is with money and houses as the millenials can't interrupt.

The Raunchiest Miss Rita is a parody of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel as Leslie Jones is a potty-mouthed stand up comedian.

Fake out: A commercial parody about a portable urn called Leave Me Alurn is introduced

Leave 'em alone: The fake urn is used so unknown men won't bother women with small talk. And also can be used as a phone charger

Greta Van Fleet performed their electrifying number Black Smoke Rising.

Elizabeth Warren - played by McKinnon - stopped by the Weekend Update to explain her decision for a run at the presidency in 2020.

Pete Davidson appeared to talk about the movie The Mule with John Mulaney. Apparently they thought it was an awful movie where Clint Eastwood is 90-years-old driving Mexican drugs across the border and has two three-ways.

Game show: Millennial Millions was a game show parody featuring Rachel versus Pete Davidson as millennials trying to defeat baby boomers

Raunchy: The Raunchiest Miss Rita is a parody of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel as Leslie Jones is a potty-mouthed stand up comedian

Classic rock: Greta Van Fleet performed their electrifying number Black Smoke Rising

Leslie hosts her own talk show Tabitha and has a new book called The Obedient Husband.

She shows clips of her husband looking ashamed after doing things that dogs do in and look guilty in viral videos.

A commercial parody of The Gilette 'toxic masculinity' ad is given a new spin as The Kool-Aid Man has gone too far.

A group of perspective Mattel employees are interviewed to help the social media campaign for Barbie's boyfriend Ken.

Job interview: A group of perspective Mattel employees are interviewed to help the social media campaign for Barbie's boyfriend Ken
They became engaged not long after announcing their surprise romance.

So it was no surprise Ashley Iaconetti and her fiance Jared Haibon could hardly keep their hands off of each other.

Ashley, 30, and Jared, 30, packed on the PDA during a beach volleyball game in Cancun, Mexico on Saturday with fellow Bachelor alums, Evan Bass and Carly Waddell.

Pucker up! Ashley Iaconetti and her fiance Jared Haibon could hardly keep their hands off of each other during a round of beach volleyball in Cancun, Mexico on Saturday

Ashley couldn't have looked happier as she shared a smooch with her other half after flinging her arms around his neck.

Jared pulled her in close, before playfully dipping her towards the sand.

Cameras were rolling as the couple locked lips in between rounds of volleyball.

Ashley was dressed for the beach day in a black bikini, summery floral print trousers, and ponytail.

Kisses: Ashley couldn't have looked happier as she shared a smooch with her other half after flinging her arms around his neck

Beso me: The couple shared a passionate kiss during their Cancun beach day

Catching some rays: Iaconetti showed off her bikini body as she walked barefoot on the sand

Shall we dance? Jared playfully dipped his other half

Jared kept it casual for his day in the sun in a black tank top and matching shorts with neon palm trees.

In between their PDA session, the couple made time for a round of beach volleyball with Carly and Evan.

The reality vets all looked to be having the time of their life as they caught rays and played a round of volleyball together.

It was nearly four years ago Ashley and Jared first met in Mexico.

Double the fun: Bachelor alums Evan Bass and Carly Waddell joined in the fun

Soaking up the usn: The reality vets all looked to be having the time of their life as they caught rays and played a round of volleyball together

Having a ball: Iaconetti lunged towards the airborne volleyball

The couple met on the set of Bachelor In Paradise back in 2015 and Ashley developed feelings for Jared but it wasn't exactly mutual.

They had a bit of a complicated relationship and Ashley then moved on to date Canadian Bachelor In Paradise contsetant Kevin Wendt in December 2017.

Ashley split with Kevin in March of this year before rekindling her romance with Jared in May. They announced their engagement in July.

Good game: Haibon spiked the ball as a camera rolled

Will they or won't they? The couple met on the set of Bachelor In Paradise back in 2015 and Ashley developed feelings for Jared but it wasn't exactly mutual
It is, without a doubt, all about family right now for Pierce Brosnan.

Fresh off his trip to London, where he spent time with his 85-year old old mother, the veteran actor was spotted in sunny Southern California on Saturday with his son Dylan and his girlfriend.

And from the looks of that big beaming smile, the one-time James Bond star loved every minute of his afternoon with the 22-year old model/musician.

Family time: Pierce Brosnan enjoyed time with his son Dylan and his lady friend in Malibu

The 65-year old looked at ease as he walked side by side with the young couple in Malibu, dressed in navy blue pants.

Keeping with his casual ensemble, he wore a charcoal t-shirt, a simple but stylish black zipper-jacket and a pair of black slip-on sneakers.

Despite wearing dark sunglasses, his chiseled jawline and handsome good looks were on full display when he flashed a smile towards a photographer.

Loving it: The 65-year old actor couldn't hide his joy with that big beaming smile

Always handsome: The James Bond alum looked casually cool in a black jacket and navy pants

Always the gentleman, Dylan held hands with his female companion for much of their stroll alongside his dad.

And as always, he showed off his funky style in a pair of black jeans, a Stroh's t-shirt and brown suede boots, while rocking his dark brown shoulder-length hair with a slight right part.

His lady friend went with baggy black capri pants, a black crop top and white sneakers.

Looks and talent: The 6ft 5in Dylan Brosnan is a model and musician

Pierce has been married to Dylan's mother, Keely Shaye Smith, since 2001. They also share 17-year old son, Paris, together.

The Mama Mia! star also has a stepson Christopher Brosnan, 46, whom he adopted when after he married his late first wife Cassandra Harris, and son Sean Brosnan, 35, from that same marriage.

His stepdaughter Charlotte, whom he also adopted, died from ovarian cancer in 2013 at the age of 41.

The Irish-born star still has a fledgling career in Hollywood, starring in three films in 2018: Spinning Man, Mama Mia!: Here We Go Again and Final Score.

He currently has three new films that are either completed or in post-production that include: The King's Daughter, The Medusa and Across The River and Into The Trees.
He was tipped for Oscar glory after starring in The Front Runner, a film which centres upon US politician Gary Hart's infamous 1988 sex scandal.

But while Hugh Jackman's portrayal of the former presidential candidate may be critically acclaimed, the actor admits he was nervous about facing Gary, 82, in real life.

'I've never played anyone alive before so I was pretty nervous about it. I have to admit. Meeting Gary was nerve-racking,' he told The Sunday Telegraph this weekend.

'I've never played anyone alive before!' Hugh Jackman, 50, has admitted he was nervous to meet Gary Hart in person after portraying his political sex scandal in new movie The Front Runner. Pictured: Hugh Jackman playing Gary Hart

'Part of me was very nervous to play him because this was a very difficult time in his life,' Hugh confessed, explaining that he feared the movie may bring back painful memories for the senator.

'I was worried what it might be like for him to publicly relive it,' the Wolverine star said.

Luckily, Hugh's fears didn't come to fruition as Gary has well and truly moved on with his life, having recently celebrated his 60-year wedding anniversary.

Political play: Jackman portrays Colorado Senator Gary Hart who was considered the frontrunner for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination. Pictured: Hugh Jackman playing Gary Hart

Yacht-zee: Hart dropped out of the race amidst reports of extramarital affairs, including one with campaign aide and model Donna Rice. Pictured: Gary Hart and Donna Rice in the Bahamas in early 1987

Colorado Senator Gary Hart was considered the frontrunner for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination.

However, an extramarital affair sidelined his bid in what was considered the first time tabloid journalism and political journalism merged.

While the film was touted as Oscar bait, it did not receive any Golden Globe nominations and was bested by films such as A Star is Born and Bohemian Rhapsody.

Seen on the stump: Gary first ran in the Democrat presidential primary in 1984, but lost to Walter Mondale, who himself lost to incumbent Ronald Reagan in an historic landslide

Meanwhile, Hugh is gearing up to embark on a world tour titled The Man, The Music, The Show.

Appearing on NBC's Today Show, Hugh said: 'I've done it in Australia and now I'm going to go around the world. I'm going to cities all over America, we're going to Europe, we're going to the UK, we're going back to Australia.'

'I'm singing, I'm dancing, I'm telling stories,' he declared.
She's been in a challenging relationship with Tristan Thompson since 2016.

And Khloe Kardashian may have given another clue on where their love stands as she opened up during a cosmetics launch with her BFF Malika Haqq.

Speaking about her bond with Malika and how it's a plus to have a good friend during a break up to E News, the 37-year-old said: 'I think a lot of best friends can relate, especially when someone is going through a breakup or whatever. People always make this huge emphasis on Valentines Day, but you have each other.'

'You dont always need a man to enjoy Valentines Day,' she added.



Strong being single: 'You dont always need a man to enjoy Valentines Day,' Khloe Kardashian said on Saturday; (pictured Sunday)

The Good American jeans co-founder welcomed daughter True Thompson on April 12, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio with Tristan, 27.

Two days prior to Khloe giving birth, Tristan's cheating scandal came to light, exclusively revealed by Dailymail.com.

He was seen kissing strip club worker Lani Blair before heading to a hotel with her in New York City.

Despite the scandal, Khloe and Tristan remained a couple; they spent Halloween, Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve together.

History: She's been in a challenging relationship with Tristan Thompson since 2016; (pictured January)

And baby makes three: The Good American jeans co-founder welcomed daughter True Thompson on April 12, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio with Tristan

'Tristan is trying everything he can to regain her trust, but Khloe is spending more time in L.A. because True has so many family members and such a support system there, a source revealed to Us Weekly.

'Regaining Khloes trust is going to take time,' the insider added.

'Tristan is a great father, but its not yet clear if they can fully rebuild what they had. The extent of what Tristan did is still setting in. She hasnt gotten over it yet. '

'They are not going to get engaged anytime soon,' said the source. 'The focus right now is on whatever is best for True.'
She is known for her stunning street style.

And as the sun finally returned to southern California on Saturday Emma Roberts did not disappoint when she was seen stopping off for an iced beverage with a pal in West Hollywood.

The 27-year-old niece of Julia Roberts was a blonde bombshell in a frilly white blouse with lace accents and a sheer decolletage.

Street style icon: Emma Roberts (right) did not disappoint when she was seen stopping off for an iced beverage with a pal in West Hollywood this Saturday

Emma, who is the daughter of The Pope Of Greenwich Village star Eric Roberts, tucked her blouse into a pair of high-waisted jeans.

She complemented her top with a pair of white high-heeled boots, shielding her eyes from the California rays with cat-eye sunglasses.

The upstate, New York native, who has played the iconic character Nancy Drew, was seen carrying a large paper shopping bag from Urth Cafe.

Hoofing it: The 27-year-old niece of Julia Roberts was a blonde bombshell in a frilly white blouse with lace accents and a sheer decolletage

So chic: Emma, who is the daughter of The Pope Of Greenwich Village star Eric Roberts, tucked her blouse into a pair of high-waisted jeans

Emma is engaged to Evan Peters, whom she has had a tumultuous on-off relationship with since they first became an item in 2012.

In 2013, she was arrested for domestic violence in Vancouver but quickly released since Evan declined to press charges, according to TMZ.

Their representatives jointly told People shortly thereafter: 'It was an unfortunate incident and misunderstanding. Ms. Roberts was released after questioning and the couple are working together to move past it.'

On the move: She complemented her top with a pair of white high-heeled boots, shielding her eyes from the California rays with cat-eye sunglasses

Only the best: The upstate, New York native, who has played the iconic character Nancy Drew, was seen carrying a large paper shopping bag from Urth Cafe

Emma's upcoming movies include Paradise Hills, a boarding school fantasy thriller also starring Awkwafina, Eiza Gonzalez and Milla Jovovich.

She is also a voice actress in next May's UglyDolls movie, joining a cast that includes Janelle Monae, Nick Jonas, Kelly Clarkson, Blake Shelton, Wanda Sykes, Gabriel Iglesias, Pitbull, Charlie XCX and Bebe Rexha.

Additionally, Emma will star in an movie of Vera Brosgol's graphic novel Anya's Ghost, directed by Dan Mazer, who helmed Dirty Grandpa.
Emmerdale star Adam Thomas has admitted he 'can't wait' to return to the soap a year after quitting his role as Adam Barton.

The soap star, 30, told The Mirror he would be open to offers for him to reprise his role on the show, and joked he has 'nothing going on' after working as an estate agent last year.

Adam departed Emmerdale in early 2018 after nine years in the role, but as his character is currently on the run for a crime he didn't commit, the door has remained open for his return.

Coming back? Emmerdale star Adam Thomas has admitted he 'can't wait' to return to the soap a year after quitting his role as Adam Barton

He said: 'I can't wait to get back to Emmerdale, to be honest,' before joking: 'There's nothing going on for me.'

Due to the nature of his exit storyline, Adam also revealed that the door had been left open for him to come back to the show, and is now ready to return after several other acting roles.

'I've been speaking to a few of the cast and there's been talks about me coming back but I've not heard anything just yet, so we'll just have to wait and see,' he added.

Since leaving Emmerdale Adam landed a role in Nativity: The Musical over the festive season, and is also set to appear in the BBC drama Pitching In later this year, which will also reunite him with his I'm A Celebrity campmate Larry Lamb.

Gone: The soap star, 30, told The Mirror he would be open to reprising his role as Adam Barton (above) a year after he was last seen on the show

It was also reported in September that Adam had taken on a job as a sales executive at his friends property company, but he clarified on Instagram that this was just a steady income between acting jobs.

He wrote on Instagram: 'Yes I am working in the property industry in between jobs because as a jobbing actor you can be out of work... thats just the nature of the business...I havent nor will I ever turn my back on acting ...but I have a family to support and will carry on doing so...whether it be acting or otherwise.'

Adam married his long-term girlfriend Caroline Daly in August 2017, and the couple are parents to son Teddy, four, and daughter Elsie-Rose, eight months.

Ventures: Since quitting Emmerdale Adam has appeared in Nativity: The Musical, and also worked as a sales executive for his friend's property company

Family time: Adam married his long-term girlfriend Caroline Daly in August 2017, and the couple are parents to son Teddy, four, and daughter Elsie-Rose, eight months (above in May)

Fans last saw Adam Barton in the Emmerdale village in January 2018, when he was forced to go on the run after confessing to Emma Barton's murder.

Of course this was all to protect his mum Moira - the real culprit - and thanks to some help from Cain and Aaron Dingle, Adam managed to escape prison, but had to say goodbye to his family and board a cargo ship bound for France.

But Aaron has been in secret contact with Adam since his departure, leaving many fans hoping that he would return to the village one day.

Adam also won a legion of new fans in 2016 when he appeared on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here - finishing in third place.
Brad Pitt is reportedly dating another Hollywood A-lister over two years after he split from his Oscar-winner wife Angelina Jolie.

The 55-year-old Allied actor is seeing Charlize Theron, 43, according to The Sun.

They were introduced by her ex-fiance Sean Penn, it was alleged by the publication. 'The new lovebirds were all over each over at a showbiz function last week,' a source claimed.

New love? Brad Pitt is dating another Hollywood A-lister over two years after he split from Oscar winner Angelina Jolie. The Allied actor is seeing Charlize Theron, according to The Sun

One of Hollywood's hottest: Theron arrives for the 24th Critics' Choice Awards at Barker Hangar Santa Monica airport on January 13

That function was a showing of the movie Roma at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood on January 12.

Theron was at the party and Pitt came later after a screening of his movie If Beale Street Could Talk, where he posed with Blanca Blanco.

'Brad came over to Chateau afterwards, changed his outfit and joined Charlize in a corner of the bar,' said the insider.

Date night? Theron went to a Roma screening at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood on January 12. Here she is posed with Yalitza Aparicio, Director Alfonso Cuaron and Diego Luna

There he is: That same night Pitt was at an If Beale Street Could Talk screening, where he posed with Blanca Blanco. Later he went to see Charlize at the Roma event inside the Chateau

'She was on a vodka cocktail while he stuck to mineral water,' noted the source.

He stopped drinking alcohol after his split from Jolie.

'They were ridiculously touchy-feely and his arm was around her back. At one point he winked at her,' said the eyewitness.

'Brad seemed in a really good place  they both looked really happy,' added the source.

The one who left him: Pitt is still working through his divorce Angelina Jolie, with whom he co-parents six children. Seen in 2015

The power couple started dating around Christmas, it was claimed, and they spend a lot of time at his Los Feliz, California mansion, though it was noted she has has yet to meet his kids Zahara, 13, Shiloh, 12, 10-year-olds Vivienne and Knox, Maddox, 16, and Pax, 14.

Theron has two adopted children: August and Jackson.

'They have been casually seeing each other for nearly a month now.

Theyve been friends for some time  ironically through Sean  but things have developed,' said the insider.

Two pretty: Charlize was last seen with Nicole Kidman at the Critics Choice Awards on January 13

Reps for the actors have been contacted by DailyMail.com.

Though Charlize and Brad have never worked together on a film, she has co-starred with his best friend Matt Damon in a movie: 2000's The Legend Of Bagger Vance.

Charlize was last linked to Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgard of Big Little Lies fame.

Pitt's last known romantic partner is Jolie, though there have been numerous reports he is dating ex-wife Jennifer Aniston, all of which have been denied.
Britain's Got Talent judges were giving fans an inside look at their second day of filming on Saturday, as they posted a slew of snaps from the auditions in London.

Among them were a hilarious video which saw Simon Cowell and David Walliams shared a cheeky smooch and a snap of Alesha Dixon inviting her five-year-old daughter Azura on to the judging panel.

It comes after the BGT panel were finally reunited on Friday as host Ant McPartlin returned to work following a ten month break.

Squad goals: Britain's Got Talent's judges were giving fans an inside look at their second day of filming on Saturday, as posted a slew of snaps from the auditions in London

In one group snap, the panel all looked to be in great spirits as they arrived for another day of filming at the London Palladium, with Amanda Holden putting on a chic display in a satin yellow shirt dress.

Meanwhile Alesha was once again flashing her abs in a pink bralet and matching trousers, which boasted a quirky triple waistband.

Viewers are no stranger to Simon and David's hilarious quips and banter, but the Little Britain star seemed to take it to the next level in a video posted on Amanda's Instagram.

Will you marry me? In on video posted by Amanda Holden, David Walliams was down on one knee 'proposing' to Simon Cowell

YES! As David jumped up and shouted 'he said yes!' to the audience, Simon could be seen gesturing with a 'no'

Great: The pair are infamous for their on-stage quips and banter, with David always referring to him as 'my Simon'

Cheeky smacker: David then grabbed Simon and planted a massive kiss on his lips, sending the crowd wild

We love it! The judges had been documenting the second day of auditions across social media

A clip showed David down on one knee proposing to the music mogul, and triumphantly screamed 'he said yes' to the crowd as Simon gestured 'no.'

The clip then showed David planting a kiss on Simon sending the audience wild, and Amanda wrote in the caption 'Indecent proposal.'

The pair seemed to be close throughout the day as Simon also sat on David's lap during one of the auditions, though this did seem to be in response to a terrifying clown perched on the desk.

The funny snap was simple captioned 'clowning around.'

Terrifying: The pair seemed to be close throughout the day as Simon also sat on David's lap during one of the auditions

Meanwhile Alesha Dixon made the day a family affair, revealing she had invited her daughter Azura along to sit on the panel with her.

In one snap the five-year-old was proudly perched on her mum's lap as they sat at the judges table, and Alesha captioned the post: 'Come to work with mama day!'

Alesha's other post also showed little Azura sitting in her chair backstage in the makeup room, as the stars got back to work filming the long-awaited new series.

Mother-daughter day: Meanwhile Alesha Dixon made the day a family affair, revealing she had invited her daughter Azura along to sit on the panel with her

Cute: Alesha's other post also showed little Azura sitting in her chair backstage in the makeup room, as the stars got back to work filming the long-awaited new series

This new series has also marked Ant McPartlin's return to work after a ten-month break. The presenter had taken a hiatus from work commitments followking his drink-drive arrest in March.

In what was his second post of the duo since their reunion on Friday, David posted a snap of Ant and Dec as they showed some of their cheekiest expressions for the camera.

Following Ant's break Dec presented last year's Britain's Got Talent live shows, but this year the pair are back together, to the delight of fans.

Ant admitted he was 'really really emotional' to the crowd as he embraced Dec on Friday, earning a standing ovation from the audience as they kicked off the auditions.

Dynamic: David also posted a snap of Ant and Dec sporting their cheekiest expressions, marking the pair's first reunion since Ant's drink-drive arrest in March
He captured Sophie Monk's heart on The Bachelorette, before they split in late 2017.

And on Saturday, Stu Laundry shared a throwback photo which left fans comparing him to Hollywood actor, Zan Efron, 31.

Taking to Instagram, the 46-year-old shared a side-by-side before and after photo as part of the 10-year challenge, although his before photo appeared to be from more than 10 years ago.

'You look like Zac Efron!' Fans liken Sophie Monk's ex-boyfriend Stu Laundy (left) to High School Musical star in a throwback photo for the 10-year challenge. Pictured right, Zan on May 3, 2014 in New York City

His followers were quick to point out that the younger picture of Stu resembled High School Musical actor, Zac.

Bachelor in Paradise star Megan Marx noticed the striking resemblance and wrote: 'Zac Efron! What!'

Another fan wrote: 'Zac Efron look alike back then,' while another agreed, writing: 'Mmm yes a young Zac Efron xx.'

Flashback: Taking to Instagram , the 46-year-old shared a side-by-side before and after photo as part of the 10-year challenge, although his before photo appeared to be from more than 10 years ago

Stu captioned the adorable snap: 'My bad, I've got this now....' in reference to his previous attempts to do the challenge using baby photos.

It comes after the pub baron shut down claims he is romantically involved with Triple M Grill Team producer, Jana Hocking, 30, earlier this week.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday, Stu vehemently denied he's dating the former Bachelor producer by stating: 'Jana Hocking is way too smart to date me.

'She is way too smart to date me!' It comes after the pub baron shut down claims he is romantically involved with Triple M Grill Team producer, Jana Hocking (left), 30

'I'm in Paris (France) on a theological pilgrimage so dating would be hard right now.'

Later on Tuesday, Jana, who resides in the Harbour City, responded to the romance whispers and said: 'Haha no, adore Stu but no longer dating.'

Earlier on Tuesday a source told Daily Mail Australia, Stu has allegedly been 'dating' Jana ever since he appeared on her High Heels And Hangovers podcast in November last year.

Over: Sophie (left) announced her split from Stu Laundy in January last year although they are believed to have split a month prior, months after they found love on The Bachelorette

'Stu Laundy is dating Jana Hocking. They've been dating since he appeared on her podcast back in November 2018,' the insider claimed.

Meanwhile, Sophie Monk recently confessed she's finally found true happiness with boyfriend, Joshua Gross after several failed relationships.

In October last year, during an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Sophie admitted the pair will wed as soon as Joshua's divorce from his ex-wife is finalised.
The future of Today's new-look panel may already be in jeopardy.

According to The Daily Telegraph on Sunday, network bosses were left 'genuinely concerned' about the program's future after it debuted with a week of nightmare ratings that trailed behind that of rival show Sunrise.

'They had two things working for them  all the press and the noise of a relaunch,' a Nine insider reportedly told the publication on Sunday.

Bad start: Network bosses were left 'genuinely concerned' about Today's future after it debuted with a week of nightmare ratings, according to The Daily Telegraph. Pictured: Deborah Knight and Georgie Gardner

'Also (Nine) expected a big curiosity factor with an all-new team. However that didn't materialise at all. In fact, it was DOA (dead on arrival),' the insider said.

According to the insider, Nine's problems are being exacerbated by an increase in information leaks by disgruntled employees at the network.

'There are a few too many people within the network who actually want this to fail. And that's a terrible position for Nine to be in,' the source claimed.

'There are a few too many people within the network who actually want this to fail': That's not very nice! According to the insider, Nine's problems are being exacerbated by an increase in information leaks by disgruntled employees at the network. Pictured (left to right): Brooke Boney, Tony Jones, Deborah Knight, Georgie Gardner and Tom Steinfort

When contacted for comment on claims made by The Daily Telegraph, a Nine spokesperson said: 'Those claims are rubbish. Those assertions are not true.'

Overall, Today earned an average of just 211,000 in week one, a whopping 61,000 less than Sunrise's rating, the Daily Telegraph has reported.

Following the controversial axing of former host Karl Stefanovic in December, Today's much-anticipated relaunch with Deborah Knight and Georgie Gardner debuted on Monday with disappointing ratings.

Fizzling out already? Overall, Today earned an average of just 211,000 in week one, a whopping 61,000 less than Sunrise's rating, the Daily Telegraph has reported. Pictured: Deborah Knight and Georgie Gardner

The program was smashed that day by Channel Seven rival Sunrise, with Today drawing in a paltry 197,000 viewers, compared to Sunrise's 266,000.

Tuesday saw another disappointing result, with Sunrise increasing its lead even further, drawing 275,000 viewers compared to the Today show's 202,000 viewers.

The outcome was described by Newscorp as Today's 'lowest in 10 years'.
A terminally ill Marvel fan will get to watch an early screening of the new Avengers: Endgame film after getting Chris Hemsworth's attention with his emotional appeal.

The 33-year-old Australian fan, known only as Alexander, revealed his dying wish was to get a sneak peek at the final movie as he is battling liver cancer, mouth cancer and bone marrow failure and has just months left to live.

His impassioned campaign soon went viral and reportedly led to Chris being contacted - prompting Disney to get in touch with Alexander to discuss when he can see the film.

Good news! A terminally ill Marvel fan, known only as Alexander (L), will get to watch an early screening of the new Avengers: Endgame film after getting Chris Hemsworth's (R) attention with his emotional appeal

Alexander suffers from the rare genetic condition, Fanconi Anemia, which is likely to prove fatal before the Avengers: Infinity War sequel premieres on April 24.

He took to the Marvel studios subreddit on January 5 with a post entitled 'Dying Before April: My Endgame'.

He wrote: 'Liver cancer, mouth cancer, bone marrow failure. Will probably be dead before April. I've heard of people getting early screenings before.

'I'm not a child or anyone with a particularly tragic story. Just a normal guy. I'm 33, lost my sister three years ago to the same rare genetic disease it turns out I have too.

Appeal: The 33-year-old Australian revealed his dying wish was to get a sneak peek at the final movie as he is battling liver cancer, mouth cancer and bone marrow failure and has just months left to live

Devastating: Alexander suffers from the rare genetic condition, Fanconi Anemia, which is likely to prove fatal before the Avengers: Infinity War sequel premieres on April 24

'I'll leave behind a devoted girlfriend and an adopted greyhound. I thought I'd make it to April at least but my bone marrow is toast. Any suggestions?'

Thousands rallied behind the Avengers fan, with many contacting the Reddit accounts of directors Anthony and Joe Russo and spreading the hashtag '#Avengers4Alexander.'

As support grew for Alexander's case, he explained that a friend of friend called Chris Hemsworth on his behalf.

'I've had messages from people hinting that Marvel higher ups are aware of me and are preparing something,' he wrote.

Tragic: He took to the Marvel studios subreddit on January 5 with a post entitled 'Dying Before April: My Endgame'

Exciting: Thousands rallied behind the Avengers fan, with many contacting the Reddit accounts of directors Anthony and Joe Russo and spreading the hashtag '#Avengers4Alexander'

'Also, because Australia is a small place, turns out I know a guy who knows a guy who is chums with Chris Hemsworth. I think they called him tonight on my behalf.'

And soon it was good news for the movie buff, as he revealed that Disney, the company that owns Marvel has reached out to him to 'discuss options'.

'Disney have reached out and we are discussing options. I cried when I read their email. It's everything I hoped for and I owe it to all of you,' Alexander penned.

He added: 'A few commenters have offered financial support. I've told them that money isn't my problem, just time. Instead I'd like to direct you to donate money for research into my genetic disease, Fanconi Anemia.'

Alexander lived a disease-free life until 2017, when he developed mouth cancer which led to much of his jaw being amputated.

Friends in high places: As support grew for Alexander's case, he explained that a friend of friend called Chris Hemsworth on his behalf and soon Disney bosses got in touch with him to 'discuss options' for an early screening

He then got bone marrow cancer and liver cancer in 2018, when he was told he only had a year at most to live.

Discussing the devastating news, he told the Sunday Telegraph: 'I often wonder what my life would have been like had I known from the age of 13 that my expected lifespan was only 30 to 35.

'I think that would have been a huge psychological burden to bear, and the pressure to make every day count hard to ignore.'

He added that he was overwhelmed with the support from strangers, saying: 'The messages of support have propped me up. I'm so used to trolls on the internet that I'd forgotten how much kindness there is in the world.'

You can donate money for research into Fanconi Anemia here.
Keith Lemon has revealed he found a suspicious item in a brown paper bag at Kerry Katona's house.

The comedian, 45, and the reality star, 38, teamed up to film an early episode of Keith's show, Through The Keyhole, where he went snooping through her things.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain, the TV star told how he found a 'massage thing' in the bag.

Back in the day: Keith Lemon, 45, and Kerry Katona, 38, teamed up to film an early episode of Keith's show, Through The Keyhole, where he went snooping through her things

He said: 'What's really interesting, the question I always get is, "What is the weirdest thing I've ever found?"

'And the weirdest thing I've ever found, it was a brown paper bag and the contents was what I thought was Dracula mask, it definitely had teeth, and some sort of massage thing.

Although he wouldn't say what the item was, Keith hinted at it's X-rated nature.

He said: 'I won't elaborate on that because it's too early in the morning, but when I say a massage thing, you know what I mean.

Keith said: 'The weirdest thing I've ever found, it was a brown paper bag and the contents was what I thought was Dracula mask, it definitely had teeth, and some sort of massage thing'

'One of those and it's more specifically for the ladies.'

Host Ben Shephard was eager to know who the celebrity in question was.

Keith revealed: 'It was Kerry Katona! I thought I shouldn't say but it was in the pilot of Through the Keyhole.'

Kerry is currently working hard on her fitness, having recently shed two stone.

Chuckle: Speaking to hosts Ben Shephard and Kate Garraway, he said: 'I won't elaborate on that because it's too early in the morning, but when I say a massage thing, you know what I mean'

Keith revealed: 'It was Kerry Katona! I thought I shouldn't say but it was in the pilot of Through the Keyhole'

While she did confess to having a 'sh*t load' of liposuction and a mini tummy tuck to kick start her new look, she has since been relying on her own perseverance to hone her body further.

Speaking to OK! magazine about her new routine, Kerry revealed the lengths she goes to to maintain her efforts, as she said: 'I get up at about 5.30am, before anybody else, and do some yoga  thats helping to tone me.'

She revealed that cutting out alcohol has had a huge impact on her new look too.

Meanwhile, Kerry's appearance in Marbella comes as she has been confirmed for the new series of E4 dating show Celebs Go Dating.

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV.
Once hellraiser-in-chief she is now teetotal, so it was no surprise that Kate Moss had a muted 45th birthday last week.

She sat down to a civilised dinner at The Dorchester before heading to Paris Fashion Week where she was spotted yesterday, in a demure black jacket and skirt.

Maybe Kate has handed over the party princess crown to half-sister Lottie. She turned up for her 21st birthday on Friday night in a hot little red dress, right, for a raucous party at Chelsea haunts Alberts and Raffles with 20 friends.

Kate Moss (left) has been replaced as the ultimate party girl by her half-sister Lottie Moss (right)

In his PJs by 8...the new life of rock hellraiser Townshend

He was the first musician to smash up a guitar on stage, he was arrested by the police for trashing a hotel room in Canada and cautioned for passing out drunk in a Soho doorway. But life has become a little less rock n roll for The Whos Pete Townshend.

The 73-year-old guitarists wife Rachel Fuller reveals: If were not working, were in our pyjamas by 8pm.

Musicians Rachel Fuller (left) and Pete Townshend (right) said they walk their dogs on Saturdays

Our average Friday night involves watching something like Father Brown on TV in our pyjamas, surrounded by our dogs. We have four, and on Saturdays we walk them in Richmond Park.

One of the dogs was rescued from Antigua, where the couple, below, have a holiday home, and it now enjoys life in their West London mansion.

Rachel, 45, is a classically trained musician and has written an album, Animal Requiem, dedicated to loved and lost pets. It will be performed on January 31 at St Jamess Church, Piccadilly.
Bern is one of Switzerlands oldest and prettiest cities, where you can bathe in the River Aare, sample absinthe and hunt for Emmental cheese on an electric bike, all against the backdrop of some of the most majestic Alpine peaks. Theres even a museum of mountains to explore in the Swiss capital.

Not only that, Albert Einstein, perhaps the 20th Centurys greatest mind, devised his theory of relativity in an apartment in the Old Town.

And there are bears, real ones. Bern has kept bears, the citys symbol, since 1513. None has enjoyed better care and greater comfort than the current generation  Finn, Bjork and daughter Ursina  in their new enclosure.

Medieval marvel: The Old Town with the 300ft cathedral spire in the background

Day one - Morning

Bern may be small but its Old Town (Altstadt) is one of the most distinguished medieval districts in Europe. Two surviving features set it apart. One is the network of 15th Century arcades, made in the gorgeous brown sandstone they use locally. The other feature is the 100 or so elaborately and colourfully decorated fountains, built around 1550. Weigh up these wonders over a coffee at Coffee Fellows (coffee-fellows.com) on Barenplatz, where they serve ten types of bagel.

Public transport is excellent  show your hotel booking for free train travel into the city from Bern airport. Visitors can also travel free on public transport with the Bern Ticket, which hotels give to guests (bern.com/en/detail/bern-ticket-free-on-public-transport).

A good spot for lunch is Altes Tram Depot in Grosser Muristalden (altestramdepot.ch), where they brew their own beer in copper vats. Do try the Swiss pasta (spatzle).

Afternoon

After lunch, walk along the banks of the River Aare  the river runs from the glaciers in the Bernese Oberland. And feel free to join the locals, even in winter, diving into the water from the Schonausteg Bridge, or from the steps by the Marzili public pool.

From another site, Lorraine Bad, you can drift with the current and take in the main sites, including the triple-domed Parliament Building, home of the Swiss federal government. Some people even swim home, keeping their things in waterproof packs. Afterwards, head for the Paul Klee Museum (zpk.org), which holds the worlds most important collection of works by this Swiss artist. The museum was designed by Renzo Piano, architect of Londons Shard. There is a good cafe here for afternoon tea. If Picasso is more to your taste, the nearby Bern Art Gallery (kunstmuseumbern.ch) has works by the artist.

If you fancy a sundowner, head to the 2,400ft peak Gurten. Take tram No 9 to Wabern-Gurtenbahn, then the funicular railway to the top (free with the Bern Ticket). Order a drink in the observation tower and soak up the views.

A dreamy setting for a meal is Schwellenmaetteli (schwellenmaetteli.ch). You dine on a deck looking back towards the Old Town.

The grandest overnight stay must be the opulent Schweizerhof (schweizerhofbern.ch), where rooms cost from 346 a night.

Day Two - Morning

Charming: Trams glide past some of the citys famous arcades

Start the day at the apartment on Kramgasse (einstein-bern.ch) where Einstein developed his theory of relativity. Many of old Berns star turns are nearby. They include the Cathedral, which is celebrated for its 300ft spire and 13th Century stained-glass, and the ancient Prison Tower (Kafigturm).

The Zytglogge Clock Tower dates from 1405 and crowds gather on the hour to see the model figures parade. The Natural History Museum (nmbe.ch) is famous for its dioramas of animal habitats. And the Swiss Alpine Museum (alpinesmuseum.ch) is worth a visit thanks to its displays on the Alps and other mountains of the world.

The bears live in their new enclosure, Barenpark (Bear Park), on a slope rising from the Aare.

Afternoon

If the weather is good, savour the surrounding countryside on the Emmental Cheese Route. Take the Burgdorf train (23 minutes) from the main station, and hire a bike or electric bike. During the tour, you will see traditional and modern ways of making the cheese.

Back in Bern, the two main shopping streets are Kramgasse and Gerechtigkeitsgasse in the Old Town. Shops in the cellars under many of the old houses are another of the citys charms.

A novel stop for an early evening drink might be Matte Brennerei (mattebrennerei.ch) on Muhlenplatz. Staff distil their own absinthe, using locally grown wormwood.

One of the bears at Barenpark

If you want a glamorous dining experience of Bernese specialities, try Kornhauskeller (kornhaus-bern.ch) in an impressive, vaulted space. A Bernese Platter (ham, bacon, spare ribs, pork, sauerkraut, beans and potatoes is 27.45.

The top choice for city views and fondue is the veranda at Rosengarten (rosengarten.be.) Dont miss the Alpine Herbs fondue (24.74)

For a special meal, book the Schongrun, (restaurants-schoengruen.ch/en/) and try goats cheese ravioli with quince, hazelnut and romanesco (26.70).
Advertisement

Skywatchers gearing up to catch a glimpse of a 'super blood wolf moon' will need to rise early tomorrow - but the spectacular eclipse may be ruined by clouds.

Cloudy weather threatens to block the view of the eclipse in Britain when the moon turns a striking colour of red.

It is set to be the last total eclipse until 2029 - where the Earth passes between the sun and the moon - provided that the sky remains clear on Monday morning.

And spectators will need to rise early, with the best view set to happen at 5.12am GMT in the UK when the moon will appear its most red.

Cloudy weather threatens to blocked the view of the 'super blood wolf moon' in Britain when the moon turns a striking colour of red

If the skies are clear, the eclipse will be visible in North and South America, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, Portugal and the French and Spanish coasts

The Wolf Moon Rising Above Ely Cathedral on Sunday). The first Full Moon of the year is named after howling wolves

The clearest views in the UK are likely to be across the far south east, or over many northern and western parts, the Met Office said.

The optimum viewing time is around 5.12am, with the maximum eclipse coming as the moon is completely submerged within the Earth's shadow.

Astronomers are particularly interested in this year's blood moon, which will hang in skies above the northern hemisphere, as it is the last of its kind for two years.

'We're going into this unusual lull in total lunar eclipses over the next couple of years,' explained Tom Kerss, an astronomer from the Royal Observatory Greenwich.

The 'Blood Moon' rises behind Roker lighthouse, Sunderland

Super Blood Wolf Moon rises over the cross of the orthodox church Holy Mary Perybleptos in the city of Ohrid, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

The 'Blood Moon' rises behind The City and St Paul's Cathedral in London ahead of its eclipse in the early morning, viewed from Hungerford Bridge on the River Thames

'So this is a really good one to catch as it's going to be a long time before you catch another one like this, we will have other lunar eclipses, we just won't have anything quite as spectacular until May 2021.'

Weather permitting, the total lunar eclipse should be visible from the UK for a reasonable amount of time.

The eclipse is set to begin at 2.36am on Monday January 21, though observers are unlikely to see anything until much later in the morning, with the best time around 5.12am.

'The moon will be red between about 4.40am and about 6.45am, so it's actually more than an hour that you have to observe this blood moon phenomenon where the moon is totally eclipsed,' Mr Kerss said.

The Royal Museums Greenwich will also host a Facebook Live event from 4am, where viewers can watch as events unfold.

A total lunar eclipse is set to take place in the early hours of Monday morning, garnishing a reddish colour to the lunar surface, at which stage it will be a blood moon

The 'Blood Moon' rises behind Roker lighthouse, Sunderland

Total lunar eclipse is set to take place in the early hours of Monday morning, garnishing a reddish colour to the lunar surface

A full moon rises over Rosarito Reservoir on January 20, 2019 near Oropesa, in Toledo province, Spain

A full moon rises over Rosarito Reservoir on January 20, 2019 near Oropesa, in Toledo province, Spain. Overnight in the northern hemisphere a phenomenon called a super blood wolf moon should appear in certain areas

A blood moon last occurred in July 2018, though clouds largely obscured the celestial phenomenon in the UK.

The entire eclipse will last around five hours finishing up at 7.48am GMT and can be watched in parts of Europe, America and Africa.

Spectators around the world can expect to see a trio of celestial events intertwine to create a spectacular total lunar eclipse in the coming days.

The first full moon of the year is known as the Wolf Moon.

When the Earth's shadow completely blankets the moon, this causes its surface to turn red as it enters the planet's shade, known as a Blood Moon.

'This one is particularly good,' said Rice University astrophysicist Patrick Hartigan.

'It not only is a supermoon and it's a total eclipse, but the total eclipse also lasts pretty long.

'It's about an hour.'

Scroll down for video

US SET FOR ECLIPSE VIEWING PARTIES In the U.S., the eclipse will begin relatively early Sunday evening, making it easier for children to stay up and enjoy the show. In Pennsylvania, the York County Astronomical Society has invited the public to peer through its observatory's telescopes for a close-up look. In Los Angeles, Griffith Observatory said it was anticipating 'extremely large crowds,' and its website will live-stream a telescopic view of the eclipse. Advertisement

The moon will also be slightly closer to the Earth, causing it to appear brighter than usual, dubbed a Super Moon.

These unique factors, when combined, result in a 'Super Blood Wolf Moon'.

The eclipse should be visible in North and South America, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, Portugal and the French and Spanish coasts.

In the U.S., the eclipse will begin relatively early Sunday evening, making it easier for children to stay up and enjoy the show.

Plus the next day is a federal holiday, with most schools closed.

But the weather forecast for much of the U.S. doesn't look good.

Parents 'can keep their kids up maybe a little bit later,' said, Hartigan, who will catch the lunar extravaganza from Houston.

'It's just a wonderful thing for the whole family to see because it's fairly rare to have all these things kind of come together at the same time.'

The rest of Europe, as well as Africa, will be able to see a partial view of the eclipse, while Asia, Australia and New Zealand will miss the spectacle.

This will be the last time that sky watchers in the UK will be able to experience a total lunar eclipse until 2029.

Sometimes the eclipsed Moon is a deep red colour, almost disappearing from view, and sometimes it can be quite bright. This February 1, 2018, image shows a blood moon rising behind St Paul's Cathedral (file photo)

HOW TO WATCH THE ECLIPSE The rest of Europe, as well as Africa, will be able to see a partial view of the eclipse, while Asia, Australia and New Zealand will miss the spectacle. This will be the last time that sky watchers in the UK will be able to experience a total lunar eclipse until 2029 The whole eclipse starts Sunday night or early Monday, depending on location , and will take about three hours. It begins with the partial phase around 10:34 p.m. EST Sunday. That's when Earth's shadow will begin to nip at the moon. Totality - when Earth's shadow completely blankets the moon - will last 62 minutes, beginning at 11:41 p.m. EST Sunday. If the skies are clear, the entire eclipse will be visible in North and South America, as well as Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, Portugal and the French and Spanish coasts. Advertisement

Spectators can expect the Moon to begin to darken slowly before turning red as it becomes completely caught in Earth's shade.

Dr Mark Birkinshaw, a professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics at the University of Bristol, told MailOnline that the phenomenon is the same reason the sun appears a dark shade of red when it sits low in the sky.

Spectators around the world can expect to see a 'Super Blood Wolf Moon' lunar eclipse which will happen next week. The eclipse should be visible in North and South America, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, Portugal and the French and Spanish coasts (file photo). The Empire State building is seen as a full moon rises behind the building in New York, United States on January 31, 2018.

The super blood wold moon pictured behind tree branches in North London

The 'Blood Moon' rises behind The City and St Paul's Cathedral in London ahead of its eclipse in the early morning, viewed from Hungerford Bridge on the River Thames in London

'The light that passes through the Earth's atmosphere hits the Moon and then gets reflected back to us, and it will be red,' he said The entire eclipse lasts for more than five hours, ending at 7:48 am.

The peak of the eclipse will occur at approximately 5:12am GMT for viewers in the UK.

The total eclipse is set to last just over an hour, with the partial eclipse visible for almost four hours.

The first full moon of the year is known as the Wolf Moon. When the Earth's shadow completely blankets the moon, this causes its surface to turn red as it enters the planet's shade, known as a Blood Moon. This graphic shows what people around the world can expect to see

North America is in the best position to view a total lunar eclipse for years. It will pass over the continent late on Sunday night, just before the stroke of midnight. The Super Blood Moon rises over buildings in Beijing last year (file photo)

Mathematically, the longest a lunar eclipse could ever last one hour and 47 minutes.

This is the period of totality, where the moon lies entirely in the Earth's full shadow, known as its umbra, causing it to appear red.

North America is in the best position to view a total lunar eclipse for years.

It will pass over the continent late on Sunday night, just before the stroke of midnight.

The entire eclipse lasts for more than five hours, ending at 7:48 am GMT for viewers in the UK. The peak of the eclipse will occur at approximately 5:12am GMT and it will be widely viewable across the western hemisphere (pictured)

From start to finish, the umbral lunar eclipse will last just over three and-a-half hours, with totality accounting for roughly an hour of this time, according to EarthSky. This is when the moon sits in the shadow of our planet, taking on a reddish hue as a result of light scattering

BEST TIME TO SEE THE BLOOD MOON TONIGHT Maximum eclipse will be visible at these times in our capital cities: Adelaide: 8.48pm. Melbourne: 9.18pm Sydney: 9.18pm Brisbane: 9.18pm Hobart: 9.18pm Canberra: 9.18pm Darwin: 8.48pm Perth: 7.18pm The moon will also be slightly closer to the Earth, causing it to appear brighter than usual, dubbed a Super Moon. These unique factors, when combined, result in a 'Super Blood Wolf Moon'. This graphic shows how a lunar eclipse occurs Advertisement

In January, the full moon is also sometimes known as the wolf moon or great spirit moon.

In the UK, the Moon will be above the horizon throughout the eclipse, although from southeast the sun will have risen as it comes to an end.

No equipment is needed to view the event, with the naked eye more than enough to watch the impressive celestial event.

Unlike a solar eclipse, where the moon crosses the path of the sun, it is perfectly safe to look directly at the lunar eclipse.

Americans will be able to watch the start of the eclipse on Sunday evening.

In the Eastern US, the Moon will be even higher, from south Florida it will be almost directly overhead at mid-totality and from New York at mid-eclipse the Moon will be 70-degrees high.

The UK falls slightly outside of the ideal viewing range, meaning people will have to stay up late or wake up very early to see it.

Some parts of the very edge of western Africa will be able to catch a glimpse of the event, while the rest of Europa and Asia will only get to see a partial eclipse towards the end.

HOW TO TAKE A PICTURES OF THE MOON ON ANDROID HANDSETS Android users have similar options available to them as those on iOS, with a choice between the built in camera app and third party software. Here's a step by step-guide for the two methods: Taking a picture of the moon on Android's in-built camera: Each version of Android may be slightly different, as the operating system can be customised by individual handset manufacturers, so instructions may vary. 1 - Turn off the flash in the camera app. The flash will only light up nearby objects and bounce light back into the lens, which could ruin your shot. Tap the flash icon on the side or top of the screen and make sure to select the lightning bolt in a circle with a line going through it  depicting the flash as off 2 - You'll need to zoom in for the best results. If you need to make the moon more prominent in your image, touch the screen using two fingers and use the spread gesture to zoom in or the pinch gesture to zoom out. However, this will reduce the quality of your image, so it is not advisable to overdo it. My attempt at capturing the Wolf Moon last night, these are taken with my phone. Who wants to by me a real camera? #WolfMoon #moon #supermoon #Maine @StormHour @WGME @CharlieWGME @mainetoday pic.twitter.com/31lmhRSWN7  Jan Jensen (@jandavisjensen) January 2, 2018 3 - Many Android phones have a manual mode to drill-down and customise the camera settings. Open the camera app and then tap the three vertical lines icon in the top left corner, then tap manual. 4 - On the left hand-side of the camera interface, you will see a JPG icon. Tap on it and it will switch to RAW JPG. This will allow corrections to be made to the image while keeping a high-quality image after it has been taken. 5 - Change the Exposure Value by tapping the EV option on screen and selecting a low exposure. 6 - Select the ISO option and choose a value of between 80 and 100. 7 - Increase the shutter speed, using the S option on screen, and choose the longest option. This will keep the shutter open for longer, so ensuring the camera is still while the photo is being taken is crucial . 8 - Once you're happy with the way your image appears on the screen, click the circular capture button at the bottom of the app. Using a third-party app to enhance your image: 1 - Go to the Google Play and download a relevant app. Adobe's Lightroom app, which is available for iPhone, lets you enhance photos once they have been taken and get the most out of your Android's camera. 2 - Open the Lightroom App and click on the camera icon in the bottom right hand corner, if you want to use its inbuilt camera. Alternatively, jump to step 7 to alter images taken with the inbuilt Android app. 3 - Make sure sure the File Format is set to DNG rather than JPG. This is an uncompressed raw format, similar to those used by professional photographers, which captures far greater detail. Adobe's Lightroom app, which is also available for iPhone, lets you enhance photos once they have been taken and get the most out of your Android's camera 4 - Reduce the exposure by swiping left with your finger on the image, until the moon looks grey instead of white. If you take this too far, you can increase the exposure by swiping right. 5 - Make sure your flash is turned off by clicking on the lightning icon in the top right hand corner and selecting off. 6 - Once you are happy with the way your image appears on the screen, click the circular capture button at the bottom of the app. 7 - Edit your image within the Lightroom app, which uses technology from Adobe Photoshop to enhance your pictures. This includes increasing clarity and zooming in on an image once it has been taken. To edit your image, click the X button on the camera window, then select the image you wish to edit. A range of tools are then available at the bottom of the screen. Advertisement

During the eclipse, the Moon will still be visible, but in a shade of red which is why a lunar eclipse is often called a 'Blood Moon.'

The red colour is due to the same phenomenon that causes sunsets to appear pink, orange or red.

'A little bit of sunlight is refracted by the Earth's atmosphere and reaches the Moon, bending around the edges of the Earth,' Walter Freeman, an assistant teaching professor at Syracuse University's physics department, told AFP on January 14.

'This small amount of red light still illuminates the Moon enough for us to see it. Instead of being bright and white, the Moon will be very dim and red, 10,000 or so times dimmer than usual.'

Lunar eclipses always happen at a full Moon as this is when it moves behind the Earth and into line with the Earth and Sun.

During the eclipse, the Moon will still be visible, but in a shade of red which is why a lunar eclipse is often called a 'Blood Moon'. Pictured: The Super Blue Blood Moon sets over downtown Los Angeles last year (file photo)

HOW TO TAKE A PICTURE OF THE MOON ON YOUR IPHONE There are two main ways you can take images on your iPhone  with the built-in camera software, or via a third-party camera app from the App Store. You will get the best results using a separate app, but there are some specific settings you need for both. Using a night-photography app: 1 - Go to the app store and download a night photography app. For iPhone NightCap Pro app is recommended. 2 - Start by reducing ISO, which impacts how sensitive your cameras sensor is to light. To do this, launch the Nightcap app and slide your finger downwards on the left hand side of the screen. Set it the ISO to the minimum of 25 to 64, depending on the model of iPhone. You will get the best results using a separate app for iPhone. Go to the app store and download a night photography app, like NightCap Pro 3 - Adjust your exposure by sliding your finger up and down on the right side of the screen to adjust brightness, until the moon looks grey instead of white. 4 - Set your focus to 100 (infinity). This usually happens automatically, but if not slide your finger to the right in the bottom half of the screen to adjust it manually. 5 - Once you are happy with the way your image appears on the screen, click the circular shutter button at the bottom of the app to take a shot. @newburyastro @VirtualAstro @NightCapApp @WessexWeather @JonMitchellITV @StormHour #supermoon #halo from Scunthorpe pic.twitter.com/gcmvsOAkog  andy stones (@andy_stones) December 3, 2017 Using the iPhone's inbuilt camera: 1 - Turn off the flash. This will only illuminate nearby objects which could ruin your image. To do so, tap the lightning bolt image from the top of the camera app and tap the word 'Off'. The iPhone 8 and iPhone X now feature enhanced capabilities in low light conditions, to ensure vivid colours are preserved even in the dark. 2 - Zoom in. If you need to make the moon more prominent in your image, now is the time to do this. Pinch on the display with two fingers to zoom in and out. Digital zooms will reduce the quality of your image, so it is not advisable to use more than 2x zoom. iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X will let you zoom in with an optical zoom rather than digital zoom, which will provide better results. 3 - Lock the focus on your subject by tapping and holding the screen where the moon appears. This will bring up the square autofocus lock box. 4 - Change the image's exposure by using the sun logo slider on the right hand side of the autofocus lock box. This will prevent the moon from appearing blurry in your images. 5 - Once you are happy with the way your image appears on the screen, click the circular capture button at the bottom of the app. It's best to do this remotely if possible, for instance, via the volume buttons on your headphones, to avoid any shaking from your finger. @newburyastro @NightCapApp @IridiumComm iridium 75 satellite flare -6.6 mag #flarewell pic.twitter.com/ASCtEHyv0n  andy stones (@andy_stones) November 25, 2017 Advertisement
The NHS is being forced to treat hundreds of Britons who have gone abroad for black-market kidney transplants which go wrong.

Patients have returned with serious health problems including HIV and at least one has died from complications caused by the poor treatment overseas.

Many are driven to use the booming 1billion global transplant tourism trade because of the shortage of available organs in the UK.

There are 5,000 people on the waiting list for a new kidney and one patient dies a day during the average three-year wait.

Thousands of people are said to be currently on the waiting list to receive a new kidney in the UK

Nurses and doctors say that, despite their attempts to stop patients illegally buying kidneys abroad, many regard it as a quicker option.

A Daily Mail investigation into transplant tourism discovered:

- A kingpin international organ trafficker based in Nepal who sells kidneys to Britons in packages costing 30,000;

- A British woman whose brother died after contracting hepatitis C from a kidney op abroad says she knows of at least 20 other friends and family who had gone overseas to get one;

- NHS staff are having to use hard-hitting brochures to scare off patients thinking of buying a kidney abroad;

- Brokers for overseas clinics are routinely using Facebook to target potential customers in the UK;

- Poorly educated donors are tricked into thinking their kidney will grow back.

The World Health Organisation estimates there are 10,000 black market organ operations a year worldwide.

A woman known as Mina,30, who sold one of her kidneys to a british man by posing as his wife

Up to one in ten transplants results from human trafficking, which has become one of the worlds most lucrative criminal activities.

The booming trade from Britain is likely only to increase, with the NHS warning that the number in need of a transplant is expected to rise steeply due to an ageing population and increase in people with kidney failure.

Around three million Britons have chronic kidney disease, with the biggest causes uncontrolled diabetes and high blood pressure. It contributes to 45,000 early deaths every year.

NHS figures show almost 400 UK residents have received follow-up support after a transplant abroad over the past 16 years. But medics say the true number is likely to be higher because most are advised by brokers not to tell the NHS what they have done.

Lisa Burnapp, lead nurse for living donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said NHS staff faced a challenging battle to stop Britons going abroad.

She said: Ultimately you cant stop people doing it, but you can warn them what they are getting into.

Theres a significant risk in it. Very often they do come back with infections and theres also long-term implications.

Its a challenge to stop it because some people ultimately dont want to wait for a transplant. They see it as an easier and quicker option to go abroad.

NHS staff are using a hard-hitting brochure urging patients thinking of buying a kidney abroad to Stop.

Illustrated with a stark traffic sign, it warns of the dangers of paying for an organ which is illegal in almost all countries in the world.

It warns of very high rates of infection and death adding: The donor may not have been properly screened. Kidneys taken from executed prisoners are also sometimes sold.

Fiona Loud, of Kidney Care UK, said: We have learnt of people coming back to the UK who have had to be treated for all sorts of terrible diseases including HIV because it has not been done properly.

Brokers also use Facebook to prey on people who need a transplant. You can understand how people waiting for a kidney for many years get desperate, but buying kidneys overseas is absolutely not the way to do it.

Its based on exploitation and human misery. The only winner is the broker.

One such broker is Prem Bajgai, who was jailed in Nepal for organ trafficking in 2013, after developing a highly organised smuggling racket that involved doctors, health officials, lawyers, forgers and human traffickers. The Mail has discovered that since his release in 2016 he is back in business and tapping into a growing market from the UK.

In a series of clandestine meetings in Kathmandu, he boasted of selling five kidneys to Britons in the past two years.

After getting donors from the poorest parts of Nepal, he arranges for British patients to go to India where he has good connections with staff at major private hospitals in Calcutta and Delhi.

Bajgai  who sold his own wifes kidney before marrying her  said widespread destitution in Nepal meant he had thousands of willing donors.

The Mail discovered he abandons most as soon as their kidneys are removed, paying them a fraction of the 1,000 he has promised  if anything at all.

Many donors develop serious health issues years after the operations. One is wheelchair-bound for life after selling his kidney for 200 aged 16.

The Council of Europe warned in a recent report that the booming transplant tourism trade is now worth up to 1billion a year and said that trafficking in human beings for the purpose of organ removal and trafficking in human organs are real and growing problems all over the world.

Officials in Pakistan have told of numerous cases of foreigners from rich Arab and Western countries including Britain going there to buy illegal kidneys despite recent crackdowns.

A study by NHS Consultants identified 40 patients in the West Midlands alone who travelled to buy kidneys in Pakistan, India and the Philippines.

Vassilios Papalois, professor of transplantation surgery at Imperial College London, has described seeing several patients who have needed treatment after transplants overseas including a married father in his 20s who went deaf because of complications.

Briton caught hepatitis C as he waited for surgery Tragedy: Salesman Asif Chohan A British salesman died after contracting hepatitis C while trying to buy a kidney in Pakistan for 20,000. Asif Chohan had suffered kidney problems since he was four and a previous transplant had not worked long-term. His sister Yasmin Ghurki, 49, said: The waiting list on the NHS was five years minimum. Asif just wanted a life and felt he couldnt wait as hed been ill for so long. He was determined to go. Mr Chohan, from Manchester, contacted a middleman in Pakistan after another family member also bought a new kidney there. He flew to a clinic in Lahore. Mrs Ghurki said: In Britain when Asif had dialysis we were not allowed in the room to keep it hygienic but in Pakistan it was dirtier and families ate in the rooms. Asif caught hepatitis C and we had to bring him home. She believes it was because staff did not clean dialysis machines properly and a previous patient had the disease. Back in Britain, Mr Chohan needed treatment from the NHS for the disease and later developed pneumonia, dying from complications in 2013, aged just 36. Mrs Ghurki said: We all totally regretted trying to buy a kidney. Asif told me before his death It was not the right thing to have done  the universe is telling me something. She insisted: It is an evil trade preying on the poor. We agreed to buy a kidney for 20,000 but Im sure the donor wouldnt have got more than 1,000. Its a massive trade  I know up to 20 people in Britain as well as Germany who have bought kidneys. Advertisement

The 5ft gangster who's a giant in 1bn worldwide transplant trade

He stands at under 5ft tall, but Prem Bajgai is a giant in the global organ trafficking trade.

The softly spoken gangster  once told he was too small to sell his own kidney  masterminds a racket involving doctors, lawyers, forgers and people smugglers to peddle them across three continents.

Now, after being released from a three-year jail term for an earlier organ trafficking scheme, he is selling kidneys to British patients, and says the market is booming.

He flies patients to Nepal and India and pays off politicians, government officials and doctors to perform illegal transplants in private hospitals.

Bajgal and his wife, whose kidney he sold on the black market

In the last two years he has sold five kidneys to Britons, charging 30,000 a time. To avoid detection, white and black recipients pose as the spouse of their Nepalese donor and Asian recipients become their siblings using fake IDs.

From his family home hidden down a warren of back alleys in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu, Bajgai sat beside his wife  whose kidney he sold before marrying her  and proudly described to undercover reporters the scale of his network. Nobody can buy a kidney in this country without me, he boasted. I can show you 2,000 donors. Donors are no problem. I am the kingpin. And without a trace of irony, he declared: I save lives.

Police, anti-trafficking campaigners and victims tell a very different story  one of poorly educated donors being tricked into selling their kidneys, not being paid and, in many cases, falling ill from complications from the surgery. Three or four have died as a result of giving a kidney.

For Bajgai, they are simply commodities. At another meeting in a 35-a-night guesthouse, two potential donors looked on anxiously as he gave his sales pitch. He told the reporters  who were posing as potential buyers for a sick relative  they must speak only to him. I have these two guys, but I am the one who takes the decision whatever we do.

Tragedy of teen duped by kingpin He was a trusting 16-year-old who dreamed that selling a kidney would pay for him to become a pop star. Niroz Sunar was lured by organ trafficker Prem Bajgai who promised him 1,000 enough to pay for a video and album to launch his career. Instead the teenager received just 200 and was later struck down by a disease though lack of aftercare which left him in a wheelchair for life. He currently lives in a shack in a remote Nepalese hillside village. Mr Sunar, 27, said: When I think about the future I want to cry. If I saw the trafficker again I would cut his kidney out with a knife. He had left school at 13 and took a job as a labourer in Kathmandu, where he played keyboards and sang in his spare time. He was approached by Bajgai who convinced him to donate a kidney. Mr Sunar said: He promised me 1,000. All I could think of was becoming a musician. He spent a week in hospital after the transplant but got just 200 and a phone. He later fell into a coma and awoke permanently paralysed. Mr Sunar said: To any British people thinking of getting a transplant illegally, I say Look at me  is this really what you want to happen to someone? Advertisement

He recruits most donors from the Kavre area outside Kathmandu, where he grew up, and is candid about their motivations. They are doing it because of poverty. If they had money do you think theyd be selling kidneys? They have no life, no future without money. A 32-year-old mother of two children who works as a labourer sat fidgeting nervously through the meeting and raised concerns with Bajgai when she heard she would have to travel from Nepal to India for the operation, saying: Who will look after me there?

Bajgai si lenced her, declaring: If I say shes ready, shes ready. When asked, he insisted donors would have no problem after the transplant. Six days after the operation, they can go home, he said. Ten days recuperation and the donor will be running around. After that, we no longer know them.

A second potential donor, an unemployed bus conductor with twin girls aged two, looked on horrified as he used his hand to make a crude analogy.

Ive got five fingers. If I cut one off does that mean I cant use my hand? Thats what happens to the donor. Cut off his finger, and after a while hell get used to it. Bajgai promises donors around 1,000. But in most cases he pays them no more than 200  sometimes even nothing  and wont take their calls afterwards.

Selling a kidney is illegal in India and Nepal and tighter restrictions were recently brought in. But Bajgai has worked out ways round them.

On every deal, he pays a forger and corrupt lawyer to create false papers and identities for both the donor and recipient.

Bajgai charges 30,000 for a kidney swap, including surgeons fees and aftercare, which requires patients to make frequent trips back to India.

For women it is an extra 6,000, he explained, because hush money must be paid to the donors husband.

At his home his wife, a former nurse, showed off her scar after her husband sold her kidney 14 years ago. Bajgai proudly described how he later proposed and the couple now have two sons.

But amid all the boasting, there is constant fear. During three meetings, he repeatedly stressed the need for secrecy.

He said: Do not tell anybody. Not just the UK doctor  you wont be able to reveal you had a transplant to anybody. Friends, family, no one. Dont tell anybody and then youll have no worries.
The mother and baby involved in a terrifying car collision with Prince Philip on Thursday are 'lucky to be alive', according to their family.

A relative revealed that teacher Ellie Townsend, 28, was left 'very shaken' after the Duke of Edinburgh's Land Rover crashed into her Kia near the Queen's Sandringham estate in Norfolk.

Mrs Townsend's mother Deborah, 58, added that the family do not blame the Duke of Edinburgh, 97, for the crash and they are focusing on getting through the 'traumatic ordeal.'

The family's words came as royal courtiers finally got a goodwill message to the car crash victims last night  three days late.

Ellie Townsend (pictured right) was left 'very shaken' after the Duke of Edinburgh's Land Rover crashed into her Kia near the Queen's Sandringham estate in Norfolk

Prince Philip was spotted behind the wheel of a new Land Rover- days after his car crash

Prince Philip was 'conscious but very shocked and shaken' after a dramatic crash near his Sandringham Estate last week

The relative told The Sun: 'She's just still very shaken and wants to spend time with her son and husband Shaun. The pair of them are lucky to be alive.'

This picture shows mother Ellie Townsend, 28, who was left 'very shaken' after a crash involving her and Prince Philip

Amid mounting anger at Prince Philip's failure to apologise to the two women injured, Buckingham Palace said contact had at last been made.

After a farcical failure to get in touch last week, the Queen's private office scrambled to make amends over the weekend by trying to call the victims, yet was still unable to confirm if the duke had actually apologised.

The women and a nine-month-old baby survived when 97-year-old Philip drove into the path of their car on Thursday, sending his Land Rover somersaulting.

Emma Fairweather, whose wrist was broken in the horror smash, said on Sunday: 'I'm lucky to be alive and he hasn't even said sorry. It has been such a traumatic and painful time and I would have expected more of the Royal Family.'

She also revealed that she is considering a personal injury claim, after being told she 'could face two months off work', according to the Sunday Mirror.

The duke took delivery of a new Land Rover less than 24 hours after the crash, and on Saturday he was back behind the wheel. Astonishingly, he was not wearing a seatbelt, earning him a rebuke from police.

Last night the Daily Mirror reported that it was Mary Morrison, the Queen's lady-in-waiting, who contacted Miss Fairweather. The paper said the 81-year-old left a message stating: 'Hello, I'm ringing from Sandringham House.

'The Queen has asked me to telephone you to pass on her warmest good wishes following the accident and Her Majesty is very eager to know how you are and hope that everything is going as well as can be expected.

'We're all thinking of you very much at Sandringham and I'll try you at a later date. Unfortunately I've got to go out quite shortly but I hope all is well as can be expected for you. Thank you very much indeed. Goodbye.'

Miss Fairweather told the Mirror: 'While it's nice the Queen has seen it may be appropriate to ask one of her staff to contact me and wish me well, she wasn't involved in the accident.

'I'm still quite surprised that Prince Philip hasn't felt he wants to contact me and inquire as to how I am. The door is absolutely still open for him to reach out.'

Emma Fairweather, 46, (pictured today) was involved in the road traffic incident collision with HRH Prince Philip, who she claims pulled out in front of them

The Daily Mail can reveal that Miss Fairweather came under huge pressure to 'keep quiet' after the crash, being urged 'more than ten times' to be discreet by police.

A friend said: 'She said the main objective seemed to be to keep her quiet, and keep her out of the way of the media.'

A turning point came on Friday after the palace issued a statement claiming 'well-wishes' had been 'exchanged'. The friend said: 'Things were being said that just weren't true.

'She is very loyal to the Royal Family but she had genuinely imagined that just a little bit more consideration could have been shown towards her.'

Miss Fairweather, who turned 46 yesterday, told the Sunday Mirror: 'I love the royals but I've been ignored and rejected and I'm in a lot of pain. It would mean the world to me if Prince Philip said sorry but I have no idea if he's sorry at all.'

Royal sources said a 'goodwill message' had been passed through a police liaison officer on Friday.

But Miss Fairweather, a support worker and mother of two, said the message  'The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh would like to be remembered to you'  was 'not an apology or even a well-wish'.

Less than 24 hours after the crash a new replacement Land Rover Freelander is delivered for the Duke of Edinburgh at Sandringham today - suggesting he may not give up driving just yet

On Saturday, members of the Queen's private office made several attempts to contact them personally but were unsuccessful.

After further attempts yesterday, Miss Fairweather was finally reached last night. The palace said: 'A full message of support was sent to both the driver and passenger.'

Miss Fairweather was the passenger in the Kia being driven by her 28-year-old friend, whose baby boy was strapped in the back seat.

On the A149 near Sandringham, the duke  who later said he had been dazzled by the low afternoon sun  pulled out of a side road and they struck his Land Rover side-on.

His armoured Freelander spun, flipped and careered across the carriageway, while the mangled Kia flew into a hedge.

Miss Fairweather, of King's Lynn, Norfolk, said that she 'couldn't stop screaming' as the collision unfolded 'in slow motion'.

She remembers shouting: 'Get the baby out!' as a man came to help them, but after the boy was rescued, everyone concentrated on the other car because it was on its side.

After she saw Philip had a new car delivered less than 24 hours after the crash, she said: 'This has upset me.'

She added it was 'disgusting' to see him driving without a seatbelt on Saturday.

The Kia driver, who is married and lives locally but has not been named, suffered cuts to her knee.

Police confirmed they had carried out an eyesight test on Philip on Saturday morning, which he had passed.

Amid growing anger on social media, Isabel Dick wrote on Twitter: 'If a 97-year-old crashed into William and Kate's car with their baby in it, how long would it take Parliament to rush through new laws about older drivers?'

Still not buckling up Ma'am?

The Queen did not wear a seatbelt again yesterday as she was driven in her Bentley to a service at St Peter's church at Wolferton on the Sandringham estate.

Photographs show that the car is fitted with belts, but she has never been known to wear one while travelling to church.

Yesterday the Queen was also seen without a seatbelt as she was driven to church

The 92-year-old's journey from Sandringham House involved crossing the busy A149 road where her husband crashed last week.

But it is believed that her chauffeur avoided using the junction at Babingley where the accident happened. The Queen, who did not buckle up when she drove her Range Rover on Friday, has been criticised by safety campaigners for her failure to strap herself in.
In the twilight of her remarkable reign, the Queen could be forgiven for sitting back with a quiet smile of satisfaction.

Still basking in the glow of the euphoria generated by her Diamond Jubilee and 90th birthday celebrations, her dynasty is in a remarkably good place after the tumultuous events of the 1990s, which saw the family tainted by divorce and tragedy.

The frankly bizarre handling of events of the last few days has proved, however, that when it comes to the Royal Family, public opinion should never be taken for granted.

When it emerged on Thursday that the 97-year-old Duke had been involved in what was blandly described as a road traffic accident  but thankfully was not injured  many smiled conspiratorially at the idea that the doughty Duke of Hazard was up to his old tricks again.

Prince Philip has been spotted behind the wheel of his brand new Land Rover today just two days after flipping his car in a horror crash

But as the potentially horrific nature of the accident began to take shape, the Palaces attempts to play down the incident began to look rather questionable.

Indeed, after eye-witnesses and police revealed the dramatic nature of the accident  two women hurt, one with a broken wrist, and a nine month-old baby lucky to escape unharmed  the seriousness of Philips decision to carry on driving at 97 began to be called into question.

Surely we can console ourselves that Philip, heard calling himself a fool after being pulled from the wreckage of his Land Rover and expressing concern for those involved, has learnt his lesson?

On Friday  less than 24 hours later  a replacement Land Rover was delivered to Sandringham.

Hours later, the Queen was photographed driving on a public road without her seat belt on.

The following day, Philip himself, back in the saddle, so to speak, was given a warning by police for the very same offence.

The overturned SUV that was bring driven by 97-year-old Prince Philip after the crash

The sense of astonishment has been genuinely palpable.

On social media, 24 hour television and radio phone-ins, Royal watchers were talking of little else.

Inexcusable, reckless, arrogant, Please tell him to stop driving before he kills someone and I have so much respect for the Queen, but this is terrible are just three of the hundreds of messages I have received via Twitter.

Yesterday the elder passenger in the other car, Emma Fairweather, poured fuel on the PR fire when she claimed that she has yet to receive any kind of apology, bar a somewhat clunkily-worded message via the police that the Queen and her husband wanted to offer their well-wishes.

One senior royal source insisted to me yesterday that the household had, in fact, made numerous attempts to contact the victims, both via the police on Friday and in person on Saturday  and even continued to try yesterday, so far unsuccessfully.

So why has the normally sure-footed Royal Household got it so badly wrong? Royal insiders  both past and present  insist the issue lies with the duke himself.

A caustic character (albeit one far more sensitive and caring than his image belies), Philip will take advice from no-one.

Members of staff he would once have listened to, such as his respected former private secretary Miles Hunt-Davis, and Dick Griffin, his delightful, no-nonsense old school former police chief, are either dead or long retired.

Current right-hand man, Archie Miller-Bakewell, was sniffily described to me yesterday as charming, old school, Establishment  and completely wet.

A source said: Dick was an old-style copper and, along with Brigadier Hunt-Davis, was the only person able to stand up to the Duke.

He would have taken the dukes keys away from him rather than let him drive, and Miles was just about the only person, aside from his wife, that could have made him realise was a damn fool he has been.

Most of the day-to-day work concerning anything to do with the princes private affairs is dealt with by the deputy master of the household and equerry to the Queen, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Richards, an immensely capable man  but not one in a position to tell the duke whats what.

When I asked one former senior courtier yesterday why Philip would have been insistent on getting back behind the wheel just hours after causing such carnage, they snorted: Hes such a difficult, belligerent man and has always been intent on pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable.

'Most of the time it is harmless and often actually welcome. Hes a fiercely intelligent, enquiring individual, even now, who has actually been a huge force for good when it comes to modernising the Royal Family.

'But then something like this happens, which just brings out the worst of him.

Another courtier added: The thing about the royal family is that they live in a traffic-free world. Think about it. Whenever they go out in car, whether it be in a convoy or driving themselves, the roads are cleared for them.

They dont normally have to face the hazards that the rest of us do. It gives them a sense of entitlement and invincibility. Add that to the dukes age and stubbornness, its a potentially dangerous combination.

Asked whether Philip has ever passed his driving test  a question that Buckingham Palace has so far been unable to answer  they explained that many royals, especially the older ones, had simply been taught by police protection officers on their private estates,  but could not confirm whether that was the case for the duke.

They did, however, express the opinion that it wouldnt have been surprising if Philip had headed out without any police officers with him, recounting numerous stories of how the Queens husband would drive his Scotland Yard team frantic with worry after stubbornly heading off on his own.

No-one, by the way, even attempted to defend the Queen and her husbands decision to drive without their seat belts, let alone in the aftermath of such a serious accident  over which the duke could yet be prosecuted.

The royal mantra of never complain, never explain  which has been their trusted stock in trade for so many decades  has never looked so out of place.
While growing up in a semi in a small town near Liverpool, becoming a shepherd was not an obvious career choice.

Indeed, Hannah Jackson had not so much as set foot on a farm until she was 20.

Six years on, however, she has been hailed the new face of farming after abandoning life as a townie to pursue her dream of working as a shepherd.

Miss Jackson, who was runner-up in last years Young Farmer of the Year competition, now lives in the village of Croglin with her boyfriend Mike, a former Royal Marine who works in the RAF. She is pictured with one of her three sheepdogs

Miss Jackson  known as the Red Shepherdess thanks to her flame-red hair  moved to the Cumbrian hills five years ago and is already regarded as one of Britains best young farmers.

The 26-year-old has bought her own farm and looks after 120 sheep with the help of her border collies Fraser, Storm and Butch. She also has two highland cattle, some goats, pigs and chickens.

And she helps farm cattle and sheep belonging to other farmers so looks after many hundreds of animals in total.

She also has two highland cattle, some goats, pigs and chickens. And she helps farm cattle and sheep belonging to other farmers so looks after many hundreds of animals in total

She is currently appearing in Channel 4 reality show SAS: Who Dares Wins, which puts contestants through the services gruelling selection process, and has impressed viewers with her formidable fitness, gained from running around after sheep in the Pennine Hills.

Miss Jackson is pictured above with her sisters. She is currently appearing in Channel 4 reality show SAS: Who Dares Wins, which puts contestants through the services gruelling selection process

Miss Jackson, who grew up in Bebington, five miles from Liverpool, said: Most farmers have had it in their families for generations. I was a proper city girl, a red-haired Scouser who had never been on a farm before and was used to the hustle and bustle of city life. I had always loved animals and my family used to call me Dr Dolittle but I knew nothing about farming.

When I was 20 we went on a family holiday to the Lake District, where I saw a lamb being born. It was like a light bulb moment, I decided then that was what I wanted to do.

After graduating from Liverpool John Moores University, she deferred her place on a masters course in marine biology to beg sheep farmers for experience. Eventually one agreed to take me on for a weeks work experience  I ended up staying there for nine months, she said.

She was given sheepdog Fraser, her best friend, for her 21st birthday and was soon offered jobs across the country after impressing farmers with her enthusiasm and natural talent.

Someone told me you cant turn a Scouser into a shepherd. But not coming from a traditional farming background means Ive been able to look outside the box, she said.

It has been a challenge coming into a male-dominated industry. Ive worked hard to get rid of the stigma.

There have been times people said some sheep were too big for me, but Id just pick them up by their horns and turn them around to prove them wrong.

I wake up every day and love my job, even when its 5am and pouring with rain.

Miss Jackson grew up in Bebington, five miles from Liverpool, pictured above. The 26-year-old has bought her own farm and looks after 120 sheep with the help of her border collies Fraser, Storm and Butch

Miss Jackson, who was runner-up in last years Young Farmer of the Year competition, now lives in the village of Croglin with her boyfriend Mike, a former Royal Marine who works in the RAF.

She is among the first women on SAS: Who Dares Wins, in which contestants take on tough military-style challenges.

She said: It was the hardest thing Ive ever done mentally and physically, but were proving that women are just as tough as the men.
The Syrian refugee who was allegedly waterboarded by a school bully is taking legal action against Facebook over claims he attacked English girls.

Lawyers acting for 16-year-old Jamal are preparing to sue the internet giant for allowing English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson to peddle false accusations about him on its site.

In a highly unusual case, Facebook stands accused of allowing Robinson to make a series of poisonous rants about Jamal because the far-Right activists popularity makes the company money. The boys legal team says the social media company was fully aware of the reckless and pernicious nature of Robinsons videos and has profited from defamation.

Syrian refugee Jamal, 16, was 'waterboarded' by a school bully and is now set to take legal action against Facebook

They have also launched legal proceedings against Robinson for falsely claiming that Jamal attacked three girls and a boy.

Two months ago, shocking footage emerged of Jamal being headbutted and dragged to the ground by the neck before his attacker threatens to drown him by pouring a bottle of water over his face as fellow pupils at Almondbury Community School, just outside Huddersfield, cheer.

Theresa May said she was horrified by the callous attack on the refugee who had sought sanctuary from the horrors of war-torn Syria. But Robinson, who was made a political adviser to Ukip days earlier, poured scorn on the sympathy shown to Jamal.

Just hours after the video of the attack spread across the internet, Robinson claimed Jamal, then 15, was not innocent and had previously terrorised other classmates.

In one Facebook video, Robinson, 36, said: A young girl was beaten badly by Muslim girls. While those Muslim girls were beating her up, Jamal was involved in kicking and biting her. She was bitten, she was black and blue.

He added: Hes not innocent and he violently attacks young English girls at school. He beat the s*** out of an English kid.

In the disturbing footage, the attacker threatens to drown him by pouring a bottle of water over his face as fellow pupils at Almondbury Community School, just outside Huddersfield, cheer

Robinson even told his 1 million followers on Facebook that the case went to court, but a spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said they were not aware of any such reports, and Robinson later admitted he had been duped.

But by then the videos had been watched more than a million times. Some of the footage can still be found online.

In an exclusive interview with the Mail, Jamal said: I felt scared that people would think wrong about me because I hit girls when I didnt. I was scared because I feared people would attack me more because they would be believing in what Tommy Robinson said about me.

In his Facebook post, Robinson claimed Jamal had attacked three English girls

I cannot go to my school any more and there are people who hang around outside my house and video me on their phones. They call me little rat if I go outside. One of my neighbours threatened me outside my house just yesterday.

Jamals solicitor, Tasnime Akunjee, of Farooq Bajwa and Co Solicitors in London, is also preparing a legal case against Facebook for allowing the videos to be shared on its site. He said: Facebook was fully aware of the reckless and pernicious nature of Robinsons posts.

But it looks like Facebook has given him a special status. He was treated differently than the normal Facebook user. They have made editorial decisions about his posts and therefore became responsible and are in partnership with him.

Mr Akunjee said the special treatment seems to be financially driven and went against their regulations over defamatory content.

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, lives in a six-bedroom 950,000 house in a quaint Bedfordshire village. The gated property is registered in the name of his wife, Jenna Lennon, who he married in 2011 after a decade together. They have three children.

In January 2014, Robinson was jailed for mortgage fraud. He served six months in prison while a confiscation order required him to pay 125,000.

Jamal's legal team has accused Facebook of allowing Robinson to make a series of poisonous rants about Jamal because the far-Right activists popularity makes the company money

Robinson has deleted some of the videos about Jamal, saying: I have been completely had, how embarrassing, man.

After Jamal was attacked, more than 10,000 people donated about 150,000 to help relocate the boy and his family to a house outside Huddersfield.

The family will receive the money when they find a suitable house. None of the funds will be used for legal battles against Facebook or Robinson.

Jamals legal team has set up a crowdfunding website. To donate, click here
Melania Trump on Sunday posted a sweet photo her and President Donald Trump dancing at one of their inaugural balls in honor of their two-year anniversary of being in the White House.

'It has been an unforgettable two years in the @whitehouse. I am honored to serve this great nation!,' she wrote.

The President retweeted his wife on Sunday evening saying: 'A truly great First Lady who doesn't get the credit she deserves!'

Their anniversary fell on Day 30 of the partial government shutdown, the longest in American history.

Trump also retweeted Vice President Mike Pence who wrote: 'Honored to serve as @POTUS Trumps Vice President these past two years, working to deliver historic results for the American people - an economic boom, rolling back red tape, rebuilding our military & restoring American leadership on the world stage. PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT!'

Melania Trump tweeted a sweet pic of her and the president's anniversary

President Trump tweeted a video of his two years in office

President Trump and first lady Melania Trump at the inaugural parade

Trump took the oath of office on the Capitol stairs on Jan. 20, 2017.

He posted a video highlight reel of his first two years in the Oval Office, which included footage of his inauguration, images of him boarding Marine One, speaking at rallies, signing legislation, and addressing the United Nations.

The first couple had nothing on their public schedule Sunday but both were active on social media.

Melania Trump left for Florida on Thursday to spend the the long Martin Luther King holiday weekend at Mar-a-Lago. The president is at the White House.

The first lady posted a photo of her dancing with the president, wearing the white Herve Pierre gown she wore to the inaugural balls, which is now in the Smithsonian.

The president, in particular, railed against Democrats for rejecting his proposal to reopen the government.

Trump outlined a plan to end the government shutdown on Saturday, offering congressional Democrats three years of legislative relief for 700,000 DACA recipients  including protection from deportation  and an extension of legal residence for people living in the country under 'Temporary Protective Status' designations.

The President retweeted his wife on Sunday evening saying: 'A truly great First Lady who doesn't get the credit she deserves!'

Trump also retweeted Vice President Mike Pence who wrote: 'Honored to serve as @POTUS Trumps Vice President these past two years'

Trump shared a number of retweets on Sunday evening addressing his accomplishments

Congressional Democrats rejected it even before he had a chance to formally propose it.

As his presidency hits its mid-mark, Trump is still waiting the findings from special counsel Robert Mueller's probe of Russia's role in the 2016 election as he struggles to fulfill his signature campaign promise: building a border wall.

Trump's inauguration was marked by his administration's controversial claim that more people attended his than Barack Obama's.

Then-press secretary Sean Spicer, in his first briefing for the media, stated the inauguration "was the largest audience ever to witness an inauguration, period, both in person and around the globe" and accused the media of reporting false crowd estimates.

Photos comparisons cast doubt on Spicer's claims.

A combination of photos taken at the National Mall shows the crowds attending the inauguration ceremonies to swear in U.S. President Donald Trump at 12:01pm (left) on January 20, 2017 and President Barack Obama (right) sometime between 12:07pm and 12:26pm on January 20, 2009

Trump taking the oath of office with Melania and Barron at his side

The president and first lady at the inaugural ball

Barack and Michelle Obama welcome Donald and Melania Trump to the White House on Jan. 2, 2017

The first couple had nothing on their public schedule for Sunday; Melania flew to Florida Thursday for the long weekend and Trump is at the White House

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said Spicer used 'alternative facts' in his crowd estimate.

The Trump inauguration has been in the news as of late after reports donors ponied up a record $107 million for the event, including $10,000 for makeup for 20 aides, $30,000 in per diem payments to dozens of contract staff members, in addition to their fully covered hotel rooms, room service orders, plane tickets and taxi rides, including some to drop off laundry, the New York Times reported.

The bill from the Trump International Hotel was more than $1.5 million.

Sunday also marks the 10th anniversary of Obama's first inauguration.
Advertisement

Barnaby Joyce has been spotted stepping out with his girlfriend Vikki Campion after the couple announced they are expecting a second son.

Mr Joyce, 51, resigned from his position as Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader after news broke of his affair with ex-staffer Ms Campion, 33, in February.

Ms Campion gave birth to their son Sebastian in April, and on Sunday she revealed she is pregnant again.

Mr Joyce and Ms Campion were spotted enjoying a break on the New South Wales coast last week.

The casually-dressed couple were seen leaving a popular cafe with their nine-month-old son. Ms Campion showed off her baby bump while Mr Joyce was wearing his signature Akubra hat.

Their second son - due in June - will be named Thomas after Mr Joyce's grandfather, and will be given the middle name Timothy to honour the politician's late brother.

Scroll down for video

Barnaby Joyce has been spotted stepping out with his girlfriend Vikki Campion after the couple revealed they are expecting a second son

Mr Joyce, 51, resigned from his position as Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader after news broke of his affair with ex-staffer Ms Campion, 33, in February

Ms Campion gave birth to their son Sebastian in April, and on Sunday it was revealed she is pregnant again

Mr Joyce and Ms Campion were spotted enjoying a break on the New South Wales coast last week

The pregnancy has reportedly left Mr Joyce's daughters fuming as it has reopened old wounds for the family he left behind.

'The girls are rightly furious about their father's latest baby news,' a friend of the Joyces told the Courier Mail.

The friend said Ms Joyce and the five children she shares with Barnaby were recovering from what was an embarrassing ordeal.

'[Ms Joyce is] back working full time and spends every waking hour being the best mum she can for the girls. It has been a humiliating journey for the five of them but she's incredibly resilient,' the friend said.

Ms Campion showed off her baby bump while Mr Joyce was wearing his signature Akubra hat

The casually-dressed couple were seen leaving a popular cafe with their nine-month-old son

Their second son - due in June - will be named Thomas after Mr Joyce's grandfather, and will be given the middle name Timothy to honour the politician's late brother

Timothy Joyce, 42, died in June last year after suffering from cancer, and his death had a devastating impact on brother Barnaby.

Mr Joyce said the pregnancy was a 'great blessing' and he was 'really happy'.

'We're actually having another child called Tom, so there you go,' he said at a fundraiser on Sunday.

Mr Joyce said the pregnancy was a 'great blessing' and he was 'really happy'. 'We're actually having another child called Tom, so there you go,' he said at a fundraiser on Sunday

Mr Joyce was forced to step down as Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the National party after details of his affair with Ms Campion were revealed

Ms Campion's father Peter said he and his wife Tracey were delighted at the pregnancy, despite his strong words when the scandal first broke.

'Australia needs more strong, patriotic young men,' he told the Cairns Post.

Mr Campion said he was pleased Mr Joyce ignored former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's 'bizarre bonk ban' stopping politicians from having sex with their staff.

'It's just weird when 1960s swingers get all puritanical in their dotage. The ban on employing wives as staff is dreadfully anti-women,' he said.

A family friend said Ms Joyce and the five children she shares with Barnaby were recovering from what was an embarrassing ordeal
Rochelle Pryor, from Perth, took her own life after a cry for help on social media

A 14-year-old Aboriginal girl posted a cry for help on social media before she took her own life just hours later.

Rochelle Pryor, from Perth, wrote: 'Once I'm gone, the bullying and the racism will stop.'

Only one friend replied and later that night her father Geoffrey found her unconscious in her bedroom.

The schoolgirl died in hospital nine days later on January 10, making her the fifth Aboriginal girl to take her own life in the past two weeks.

Her sister Kyanne described her as 'sweet, happy and funny' but said she was worried that her friends had 'turned against her' and said she was being bullied.

'She was really upset by it,' Kyanne, 17, told The Australian. 'There was racism involved - a lot of the time it was just random people who don't realise what they're saying.'

In August, Rochelle was involved in an altercation outside the school gates and came home with cuts on her legs.

Her mother said after that she didn't want to go in to school anymore and her mental health went downhill.

Friends paid tribute to the youngster, who loved animals and one day dreamed of going to university.

The schoolgirl died in hospital nine days after her cry for help on January 10, making her the fifth Aboriginal girl to commit suicide in the past two weeks (file image)

One fellow student wrote on Instagram: 'My vision is so blurry from my tears  come back please.

'The last day we were talking about what colour you should dye your hair and you were thinking about blue or purple.

'If I knew that was your last day, I would do anything to stop you. I remember telling you whenever you weren't in the right mindset I would repeat telling you 'I'm always here for you'.'

Aboriginal suicide crisis: A timeline JANUARY 3: Girl, 15, from Western Australia self-harms in Queensland and dies two days later. JANUARY 4: Girl, 12, kills herself in Western Australia. JANUARY 6: Girl, 14, takes her own life in the Northern Territory. JANUARY 10: Girl, 15, dies from suicide in Perth. January 11: Girl, 12, kills herself in a community near Adelaide. Advertisement

The recent wave of suicides affecting the Aboriginal community include three cases in Western Australia, one in Queensland and one in South Australia.

In addition, a 12-year-old boy was treated in hospital in Brisbane after a suicide attempt.

The five most recent cases began on January 3 when a 15-year-old from Western Australia who was visiting relatives in Queensland was admitted to hospital after self harming. She died two days later as a result of her injuries.

On January 4, in South Hedland in Western Australia, a 12-year-old girl took her own life, while two days later on January 6, a 14-year-old girl in the Kimberley region of the Northern Territory also died from suicide.

Head of the Federal Government's indigenous critical response team Gerry Georgatos said that poverty was a major factor in the deaths but that sexual assaults were behind one-third of cases.

Indigenous lawyer Hannah McGlade, who has advised the UN High Commission for Human Rights in Geneva, said there is a clear link between child sexual assault, family violence, and the high levels of indigenous girls and women who were taking their own lives.

'Last year the UN highlighted the level of violence against indigenous women and girls in Australia and called for a specific national action plan,' Dr McGlade told The Australian.

'The people funded to provide suicide prevention plans are not properly addressing the level of sexual violence suffered by our women and girls.'

If you need help call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or www.lifeline.org.au. Kids Helpline - 1800 55 1800.
A student accused of taunting a Native American veteran at a rally claim one of their African-American friends was racially abused at the same event.

Nathan Phillips, 64, was singing the American Indian Movement song of unity near Friday's March for Life when he was surrounded by the teens who he claimed were chanting 'build that wall, build that wall'.

Philips said he felt threatened by the teens and that they suddenly swarmed around him as he and other activists were wrapping up the march and preparing to leave the Lincoln Memorial.

Some protesters (pictured) at the March for Life Rally on Saturday racially abused students from Covington Catholic School who were at the same event

The protester shouts 'Get out n****r at an African-American student (right) a number of times

The encounter took place at an anti-abortion March for Life rally in the capital on Friday.

But footage emerged of another group of protesters shouting obscenities and racist abuse at a black teenager from Covington Catholic school in Kentucky. Some of the protesters were African-American.

A student posted a link to footage of four or five African-American protesters shouting at the students and some obscenities which were bleeped out.

In response one of the students shouts back 'Woah, that's racist.'

One of the men shouts at the student: 'When you get old enough they're gonna steal your organs.'

He then seemingly shouts at the African - American student from Covington County: 'Get out n****r, get out, have you seen the movie?'

A student can be heard shouting back: 'Why are you being mean?'

The man shouting racist slurs was referring to Get Out, a racially-charged horror movie which tells the story of a young black man who meets the family of his white girlfriend.

In a letter posted on Twitter by a priest named Fr. Jim Sichko, the unnamed student said that his friend who came face to face with Philips as Philips stood singing and beating his drum, now faces expulsion for 'a crime he didn't commit.'

He claimed his school attends the March for Life rally in D.C. every year and they had been asked to meet at the Lincoln Memorial at 5.30pm.

The students from Covington County school had been told to gather at the Lincoln Memorial

As an all-male school he said the group like to get 'hyped up', adding that their cheer name section is Colonel Crazies.

The student wrote: ' After that initial occurrence [with Philips], we were then verbally assaulted by four or five African-American men who called us 'f*****s' and berated one of our African-American students for being friends with us.

'The truth needs to come out. A great injustice has been done, and it is our duty to see that the truth prevails.

The protester made reference to the 2017 horror movie Get Out when he racially abused a young African American student from Covington County School

'Additionally, Mr. Philips has a history of claiming racial harassment. I am by no means disparaging his credibility, but this should be taken note of.'

It is unclear to which religious group the men belonged, but they could be heard quoting passages from the Old Testament.

Meanwhile, the mother of the student seen standing face to face from Nathan Philips claimed 'black Muslims' had been harassing the group of supporters from the private, all-male Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky.

A student from the school wrote a letter to say they hadn't physically or verbally abused anyone

In an email to the news website heavy.com, she wrote: 'Did you hear the names of the people were calling these boys? It was shameful.

'Did you witness the black Muslims yelling profanities and video taping to get something to further your narrative of hatred??.

'Did you know that this man came up to this one boy and drummed in his face?.'

The apparent intimidation of Mr Phillips, meanwhile, has prompted a torrent of outrage.

In another video Phillips can be seen approaching the students as they stood around chanting

Democratic congresswoman Deb Haaland, a member of New Mexicos Laguna Pueblo tribe, tweeted that the students had shown 'blatant hate, disrespect, and intolerance.'

Covington Catholic High and the Diocese of Covington released a statement Saturday condemning the student's action.

It said: 'We condemn the actions of the Covington Catholic High School students towards Nathan Phillips specifically, and Native Americans in general, Jan. 18, after the March for Life, in Washington, D.C.,].

'We extend our deepest apologies to Mr. Phillips. This behavior is opposed to the Churchs teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person.

'The matter is being investigated and we will take appropriate action, up to and including expulsion.'
Londoners are taking so much cocaine that the class A drug can be found in the River Thames - and it's making the eels hyperactive.

Cocaine from users' urine has been detected in increasing quantities, research from the Thames monitoring station near the Houses of Parliament has shown.

The drug should be removed from the capital's water supply by treatment and dilution, however, the research has shown that the system is failing and the constant detection of cocaine could affect wildlife.

Londoners are taking so much cocaine that the class A drug can be found in the River Thames - and it's making the eels hyperactive. Cocaine from users' urine has been detected in increasing quantities research from the Thames monitoring station near the Houses of Parliament has shown (file image)

The drug should be removed from the capital's water supply by treatment and dilution, however, the research has shown that the system is failing and the constant detection of cocaine could affect wildlife (file image)

Eels migrate up the Thames every year between April and October, but face many hazards and obstacles and are regarded as critically endangered.

They are usually found close to the estuary, travelling as far as Greenwich. The class A drug found in the water affects their behaviour and makes them more erratic.

Downpours that overwhelm waste plant systems and carry sewage into the river added to the phenomena, the research said.

'Increases in caffeine, cocaine and benzoylecgonine [a metabolite] were observed 24 hours after sewer overflow events,' King's College London researchers told The Sunday Times' Science editor Jonathan Leake.

It comes as cocaine use is on the rise throughout the UK, bringing with it a grisly death toll.

Last year the spike in deaths from cocaine use - which has almost quadrupled in seven years - was revealed.

There were 432 deaths related to the drug in England and Wales in 2017, compared with 371 the previous year and 112 in 2011, figures from the Office for National Statistics reveal.

Eels migrate up the Thames every year between April and October, but face many hazards and obstacles and are regarded as critically endangered. They are usually found close to the estuary, travelling as far as Greenwich. The class A drug found in the water affects their behaviour and makes them more erratic (file image)

The drug should be removed from the capital's water supply by treatment and dilution, however, the research has shown that the system is failing and the constant detection of cocaine could affect wildlife (file image)

The number of deaths from the drug increased for the sixth year running, with 7.5 deaths per million population last year.

The UK has a higher rate of cocaine use than anywhere else in Europe, with 9.7 per cent of people having reported using the drug.

Powdered cocaine is the second most used drug in Britain after cannabis, with 875,000 people reporting having used it in the last year.

One possible reason for the rise in deaths is that the purity of street cocaine across Europe has increased every year from 2010, according to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction.

Production in nations such as Colombia has also increased.

'We've seen a year-on-year increase in the purity of cocaine,' Dr Prun Bijral, medical director at charity Change Grow Live, said.

'And so we're seeing an increased demand, an increased availability and a reduced price.'




Advertisement

An ultimate island escape awaits in the Amazon for one lucky buyer.

The stunning 27-acre private island has hit the market for $850,000, according to Private Islands Inc.

Amazon Resort Island was designed by an Italian architect on Mamori Lake, south of Manaus, Brazil.

The breathtaking residence, which was built in 2004, consists of two sections divided by a veranda.

An ultimate island escape awaits in the Amazon for one lucky buyer. The stunning 27-acre private island has hit the market for $850,000, according to Private Islands Inc

Amazon Resort Island was designed by an Italian architect on Mamori Lake, south of Manaus, Brazil

The breathtaking residence consists of two sections divided by a veranda

From 1940 to 1975, the island produced perfumes essences from rosewood to be exported to France and was known as Ilha da Usina (Factory Island). The stunning property also features a pool (pictured)

One section includes a large sitting room, the master bedroom with a private bathroom, the maid's bedroom with a private bath and a laundry area. The home also features a pool.

The second section features a brick home with four suite bedrooms with their own private bathrooms.

According to Private Islands Inc, the advantage of the home is its 'wooden structure that the current owners have kept intact due to the high quality of the material which is practically indestructible'.

The home also features a kitchen, restaurant and one bath for guests. It comes with a coin laundry facility as well.

Located on the back of the island are simpler wood and straw structures which can be reached by a pathway leading to them, which is where the generator is found.

The home is also undergoing construction to build a pathway around the island for ecological viewing.

One section includes a large sitting room, the master bedroom with a private bathroom, the maid's bedroom with a private bath and a laundry area

The second section features a brick home with four suite bedrooms with their own private bathrooms

The home also features a kitchen, restaurant and one bath for guests. It comes with a coin laundry facility as well. Pictured is one of the bedrooms of the residence

A wooden deck is located at the front of the island to received boats and guests.

Parts of the area are covered with a straw dome that allows it to be used as a meeting point for sunsets, breakfast or a bar.

According to Private Islands Inc, the Amazon Resort Island is considered an important historical site.

Between 1940 to 1975, the island produced perfumes essences from rosewood to be exported to France and was known as Factory Island.

From 1975 to 1984 the island entered a long rest and the vegetation quickly destroyed the factory.

The home is also undergoing construction to build a pathway around the island for ecological viewing

A wooden deck (pictured) is located at the front of the island to received boats and guests

Mamori Lake is noteworthy for sport fishing activities and peacock is the most important
Arrogant surgeons who bully patients and staff should attend 'ego classes' or be banned from the operating table, a group of leading Scottish doctors have said.

Simon Paterson-Brown, former chairman of the patient safety board at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSE), and colleagues said that the personality and 'poor behaviour' of some surgeons was affecting patient survival rates.

Mr Paterson-Brown is among several influential medics who believe surgeons should attend courses to hone non-technical skills, such as decision-making, communication, leadership and 'situation awareness'.

Former chairman of the patient safety board at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSE) Simon Paterson-Brown, said that the personality of some surgeons was affecting survival rates

In a letter submitted to the British Medical Journal (BMJ), they maintained that if surgeons could not be educated to improve behaviour, they should be 'removed from the clinical frontline'.

The letter was sent in response to a paper that appeared in the journal about the harmful effects of egos in the operating theatre.

Paterson-Brown said his research in this area revealed that surgeons who attracted higher numbers of complaints from patients and staff tended to have more complications on the operating table.

He said: 'There are surgeons who have poor leadership skills and who bully and harass other staff. It happens in Scotland, as it does in every other country.

'But we are addressing it in Scotland by providing courses to help teach surgeons how to behave better because we know that it improves mortality rates.

'Surely now is the time to address these issues once and for all?'

He added that the most arrogant surgeons were unlikely to attend anti-ego classes, meaning NHS bosses should intervene.

Paterson-Brown, an Edinburgh-based surgeon, has called for the classes along with George Youngson, emeritus professor of paediatric surgery at Aberdeen university, Forth Valley-based surgeon Craig McIlhenny, director of the faculty of surgical trainers at the RCSE, and Rhona Flin, emeritus professor of psychology at Aberdeen university.

Leading medics have now submitted a letter to the British Medical Journal (BMJ) asking that those surgeons who could not improve their behaviour be 'removed from the clinical frontline'

In their letter to the BMJ, the doctors state: 'The effects of surgical egos and poor behaviour on teamwork, clinical performance, and patient outcomes have been recognised for some time but are often poorly understood and very poorly managed.

'While action must be taken to educate and, if possible, rescue the 'poor' performers, sometimes they actually may need to be removed from the clinical frontline; often a difficult and painful process for all concerned.'

Other signatories of the letter included Nikki Maran, a consultant anaesthetist at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, and Steve Yule, an associate professor at Harvard university,

Examples of ego-driven behaviour were cited in a paper published by the journal in November.

They included transplant surgeon Simon Bramhall, who was convicted of assault last January for branding his initials on patients' livers during operations at Queen Elizabeth hospital in Birmingham.

A judge described his actions as 'conduct born of professional arrogance of such magnitude that it strayed into criminal behaviour'.

In 2013, Sam Eljamel, the former head of neurosurgery at NHS Tayside, was suspended after an investigation by the Royal College of Surgeons claimed he often 'rushed' through surgery and had 'bullied' colleagues.

In one case he removed a patient's tear gland instead of a brain tumour.

Last May Scottish surgeon Ian Paterson was jailed for 15 years for carrying out unnecessary breast operations on ten patients.

His trial at Nottingham crown court heard harrowing evidence from the nine women and one man who were treated in the private sector between 1997 and 2011 at Little Aston and Parkway hospitals in the West Midlands

A study of personality traits among UK healthcare professionals in 2015 found surgeons had significantly higher levels of narcissism.

Other research has found greater numbers of disruptive behaviours and patient complaints among surgeons than non-surgeons, which could be the result of more arrogant attitudes.
Vice President Mike Pence conceded the White House may not have enough votes in the Senate to advance President Donald Trump's deal to end the shutdown.

Republicans have a 53-seat majority in the upper chamber and need seven Democrats to vote yes in order to move the president's deal on the path to passage.

'We'll see,' Pence said on 'Fox News Sunday' when asked if they would get the votes needed.

Congress returns to Washington D.C. on Tuesday, after the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

Vice President Mike Pence conceded the White House may not have enough votes in the Senate to advance President Donald Trump's deal to end the shutdown

Vice President Mike Pence said 'we'll see' if Republicans get seven Democrats to join them in Senate to move the deal forward

The vice president also pushed back against concerns from conservatives Trump was offering amnesty to illegal immigrants with his offer.

'It's not amnesty,' he said.

'There's no pathway to citizenship. There's no permanent status here at all, which is what amnesty contemplates. What is this is, is a good faith effort to address the issue, bring relief to DACA recipients,' he added.

Trump outlined a plan to end the government shutdown on Saturday, offering congressional Democrats three years of legislative relief for 700,000 DACA recipients  including protection from deportation  and an extension of legal residence for people living in the country under 'Temporary Protective Status' designations.

The president said his compromise will provide the 'best chance in a very long time at real bipartisan immigration reform' in the U.S. Congress.

The president also offered $800 million in urgent humanitarian assistance and 75 new immigration teams to reduce the court backlog of 900,000 cases, which he called an 'impossible nightmare' in his late-afternoon remarks.

DACA refers to the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which offered a no-deportation guarantee to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants whose parents brought them into the U.S. as minors.

TPS is a Justice Department program that grants residency and work permits to people from 10 countries affected by natural disasters or brutal armed conflicts. They include El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, Syria, Sudan, South Sudan and Yemen.

Democratic congressional leaders on Saturday dismissed Trump's offer even before he made his remarks at the White House, rejecting it based off news reports' of what he was going to propose to end the 30-day partial government shutdown.

The president on Saturday also took fire from his right flank, which complained his deal offered amnesty for illegals.

'Trump proposes amnesty. We voted for Trump and got Jeb!,' conservative author Ann Coulter complained on Twitter Saturday.

'100 miles of border wall in exchange for amnestying millions of illegals. So if we grant citizenship to a BILLION foreigners, maybe we can finally get a full border wall,' she added.

James Carafano, a national security expert at the Trump-supporting Heritage Foundation, said in a statement Saturday, that Trump 'should be applauded' for pursuing an end to the government shutdown and better border security.

'However, including amnesty in the new proposal is not the way to do it. Amnesty encourages further illegal immigration, incentivizes the tragedy of human trafficking, and undermines our citizens' confidence in the rule of law,' he argued.

It was the complaints of Coulter, Rush Limbaugh and other prominent voices on the right that prompted Trump's demand for full funding for his border wall in any appropriations bill funding the government.

Democrats rejected that request leading to the partial government shutdown that began on Dec. 22.

Vice President Mike Pence pushed back against concerns from conservatives Trump was offering amnesty to illegal immigrants: 'It's not amnesty'

TRUMP'S IMMIGRATION OFFER The president offered Democrats in Congress an immigration reform package on January 19, including some items from their wish-list. In exchange, he wants money to continue construction of a border wall that he has promised consistently since early 2015. The White House's proposal includes: $5.7 billion for a 'steel barrier system' along the U.S.-Mexico border

a three-year deportation reprieve for DACA recipients

a three-year extension of Temporary Protected Status for more than 300,000 people whose nations experienced disasters and war

$805 million for new technology, scanners, training, dogs and related staff to detect narcotics and guns

$800 million for humanitarian assistance and temporary housing

$782 million to hire 2,750 new border agents and other personnel

$563 million for immigration courts including 75 new 'immigration judge teams' Advertisement

Republicans have a 53 seat majority in the Senate

Negotiations are now stuck between the $5.7 billion Trump wants and the $1.3 billion Democrats have offered for border security.

Pence said the president would listen to proposals to amend his deal.

'We recognize the legislative process is a process of give and take. The Democrats want to bring amendments or recommendations forward. I know the president will give them due consideration, but the president is absolutely determined to build a steel barrier on the southern border in the 10 priority areas that the Department of Homeland Security said that we need a physical barrier. It's roughly two hundred and thirty four miles. It's not from sea to sea. It's two hundred thirty four miles of additional steel barrier,' he said on CBS' "Face the Nation."
At the Angelus, Pope Francis recalls the terrorist attack in Bogota and the drowning of 170 migrants off Libya and the Alboran Sea. "We speak to the Mother so that She speaks to her Son. And Jesus will surprise us ". In the next days the pontiff will be in Panama, for the 22nd WYD from 22nd to 27th. The new "Click to Pray" app of the Apostolate of Prayer. Greetings for the Italian Friends of Raoul Follereau Association and the Hansenians.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "Today I have two pains in my heart: Colombia and the Mediterranean": Pope Francis began after today's Angelus with pilgrims in St. Peter's Square, recalling the attack on December 17 in Bogota , in the national police school, where 21 people died and over 68 were injured. Added to it were the tragedies that took place in the Mediterranean Sea yesterday and a few days ago, where 117 and 53 migrants from Libya and the Western Mediterranean were shipwrecked respectively. The first occurred off the Libyan coast; only three people admitted to the island of Lampedusa were saved. The second shipwreck occurred in the Alboran Sea, where only one survivor who is recovered in Morocco.

Speaking of the attack in Colombia, and assuring his "closeness to the Colombian people", the pope said: "I pray for the victims and their families, and I continue to pray for the path of peace in Colombia".

Recalling the 170 victims of the two shipwrecks, Francis commented: "They were looking for a future for their lives. Perhaps victims of human traffickers. We pray for them, for those who have responsibility for what happened ". And after a short silence, he recited a Hail Mary together with the pilgrims.

Previously the pontiff had paused to comment on the Gospel of today's Mass, which recounts the Miracle of Cana, the water that is changed into wine by Jesus, after Mary realizes that at the wedding banquet "they have no more wine" . The Pope dwelled on the figure of Mary. "I would like to emphasize an experience that so many of us have had. When we are in difficult situations, with problems we do not know how to solve, when we lack joy ... We have to go to Our Lady and say: The wine is finished, we have no more wine. And She will go to Jesus to say: Look at this, look at this: they have no wine. And then she will come back to us saying: Whatever he tells you, do it .... We speak to the Mother so that She speaks to the Son. And Jesus will surprise us ".

"May the Holy Virgin - he concluded - help us to follow his invitation:" Whatever he tells you, do it ", so that we can fully open ourselves to Jesus, recognizing in everyday life the signs of his vivifying presence".

After the Marian prayer, and appeals for Colombia and the drowned migrants in the Mediterranean, Pope Francis recalled that in a few days he will leave for Panama, where World Youth Day will take place from 22 to 27 January. Often interrupted by the shouts of young people - also Panamanians - present in the crowd of pilgrims, he said: "I ask you to pray for this very beautiful and important event in the journey of the Church".

He also announced that this week the Message for the World Day of Social Communications will be published , "which this year contains a reflection on the communities of the network and the human community", on the internet and social media as "a resource of our time" ".

At this point, at his side, he introduced the Jesuit priest Frederic Fornos, of the Apostolate of Prayer, to present the official platform of the Pope's World Prayer Network, linked to an app called "Click To Pray". "Here - said the Pope, pointing to a point on a tablet - I will insert the intentions and requests for prayer for the Church's mission. I especially invite you young people to download the Click To Pray app, continuing to pray with me the Rosary for Peace, especially during the World Youth Day in Panama ".

Finally, he made two calls for the International Day of Education, marked by the UN for January 24, and for the Italian Friends of Raoul Follereau Association, in favor of those suffering Hansens disease, addressing "a special greeting ... to people suffering from leprosy, as well as those close to them on the path of human and social care and redemption".
A family that runs a Sydney newsagency is accused of masterminding the theft of more than $1million worth of baby formula and exporting it overseas.

The latest arrest came on Saturday when a 31-year-old man was detained at Sydney Airport after he arrived on a flight from China.

His parents, Lie and Wueqi Ke, as well as his sister Xiaoyu, 29 were previously charged over their alleged roles in the syndicate.

A family that runs a Sydney newsagency is accused of masterminding the t heft of more than $1million worth of baby formula and exporting it overseas

The latest arrest came on Saturday when a 31-year-old man, named by The Daily Telegraph as Jian Feng Ke, was detained at Sydney Airport after he arrived on a flight from China

The 31-year-old, named by the Daily Telegraph as Jian Feng Ke, was charged with dealing with the proceeds of crime and participating in a criminal group.

He was granted bail before he unsuccessfully applied to have a curfew lifted so he could continue to work at the Carlingford newsagency in the city's north-west, the paper reported.

In August, investigators from Strike Force Dungv raided two homes in Carlingford and seized 4,000 tins of baby formula, large quantities of vitamins, and manuka honey; all of which were allegedly stolen.

They also seized more than $215,000 in cash, allegedly the proceeds of crime.

In August, investigators from Strike Force Dungv raided two homes in Carlingford and seized 4,000 tins of baby formula

A 48-year-old woman and a 35-year-old man were charged at that time and remain before the courts. Another man, 53, was arrested on December 19 and a 29-year-old woman on January 4.

Police will allege in court that the two men and woman were part of an organised syndicate receiving more than $1 million worth of stolen products, including baby formula and health supplements, which were then on-sold overseas.

Robbery and Serious Crime Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Daniel Doherty, praised the work of Strike Force Dungv investigators.

'This has been a meticulous investigation, with detectives now putting five people before the courts and disrupting a well-coordinated theft syndicate,' Det Supt Doherty said.

'Police will continue to pursue those who seek to make a quick buck at the disadvantage of others and will always strive to stamp out unscrupulous activity.'

Investigations under Strike Force Dungv continue.

Robbery and Serious Crime Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Daniel Doherty, praised the work of Strike Force Dungv investigators
Women can now take the contraceptive pill every day of the month, according to new clinical guidelines.

According to the new guidance from the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH), the body responsible for setting safe prescription guidelines in the UK, there is no health benefit in taking the historic seven-day break that was previously prescribed.

Scientists have added that taking the pill with fewer breaks may even help reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies.

However the new guidelines do state there are still some health risks associated with using combined hormonal contraception.

The new guidance from the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) has said women can take the contraceptive pill every day of the month

Professor of Family Planning and Reproductive Health at University College London John Guillebaud dismissed the way the pill has been taken for the past 60 years.

The professor has performed around 5000 vasectomies using the favoured and improved No-scalpel technique and has also co-authored more than 300 publications.

WHAT IS THE COMBINED PILL? The combined oral contraceptive pill is usually just called 'the pill'. It contains the female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone and works by preventing the ovaries from releasing eggs each month - meaning sperm cannot fertilise them. The pill is usually taken every day for three weeks then stopped for a week to allow the woman's period to happen because the womb lining still thickens even if an egg is not released. The pill is over 99 per cent effective if used properly, meaning fewer than one in 100 women using it will get pregnant. There is no evidence that the pill makes women gain weight, but it carries a very low risk of causing blood clots or cervical cancer. The pill does not protect against sexually transmitted infections. Source: NHS Advertisement

As well as studying and performing procedures for women, he has also been involved in looking into a non-hormonal male pill.

The male pill would give men a semen-free orgasm.

He told The Sunday Telegraph: 'The gynaecologist John Rock devised [the break] because he hoped that the Pope would accept the pill and make it acceptable for Catholics to use.'

The pioneering Dr John Rock, who was the first scientist to fertilise a human egg in a test tube, was a monumental force in the development of the revolutionary contraceptive pill.

The revolutionary drug was approved by the FDA in 1960 and introduced to the British public in 1961.

Through his work with Dr. Gregory Pincus, Dr. M. C. Chang and Selzo Garcia, the American doctor was a key player in the clinical tests conducted on inhibiting ovulation in women and in the creation of the pill.

A devout Roman Catholic who attended mass every morning, Dr Rock also urged leaders of the Catholic church and then Pope John XXIII to accept the pill- insisting the drug was safe to use.

After Pope John XXIII died the matter then passed to Pope Paul VI.

In 1968, the Pope confirmed a ban on Roman Catholics using contraceptives.

Speaking about the pill, Dr Rock had said: 'I believe the new pills to be completely physiological and therefore in accord with nature. Their use is completely moral.'

He also wrote the acclaimed book 'The Time has Come' which urged church leaders to change their perspective on contraceptives.

In an annual Royal College of General Practitioners conference in 2017 Professor Guillebaud had shared his support for offering the pill every day of the year.

He added: 'How could it be that for 60 years we have been taking the pill in a sub-optimal way because of this desire to please the Pope?'

The new Nice-approved guidelines will now see leaflets informing women on the effectiveness of taking combined hormonal contraception being given out by the Family Planning Association.

If the guidelines are followed, medical experts can expect to see the contraceptive pill more widely available across the country.

The combined oral contraceptive pill, more commonly referred to as 'the pill', works by preventing the ovaries from releasing an egg during ovulation.

As well as preventing the release of an egg, the drug also thickens the mucus at the neck of the womb and thins the lining of the womb making it difficult for a sperm to penetrate or a fertilised egg to implant.

It is 99 per cent effective in preventing pregnancy if taken correctly.

After Pope John XXIII (left) died it came to Pope Paul VI (right) to express his thoughts on the matter. In 1968 he confirmed a ban on the use of contraceptives by Roman Catholics

Scientists added that taking the pill with fewer breaks may even help reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies
Mark Leo Gregory Gago, 42, killed his parents, his girlfriend and their nine-month-old daughter in Woodburn, Oregon on Saturday night before deputies shot him

A rural Oregon man killed four members of his family at the home they shared and was shot dead by police as he tried to kill an eight-year-old girl.

Mark Leo Gregory Gago, 42, killed his parents, his girlfriend and their nine-month-old daughter on Saturday night before deputies shot him.

Deputies arrived at the home in Woodburn, Oregon and found a 'horrific' scene, according to Clackamas County Sheriff's office.

Sheriff's Sergeant Brian Jensen said the victims were not shot dead and they are investigating what was used to kill them.

'We're not sure what was used at this time. I've been told that there were numerous weapons, swords, things of that nature in the residence,' he said.

'The investigators are trying to determine what exactly was used to kill each person.'

Neighbors said one of the weapons used was an axe but authorities have not confirmed that.

The sheriff's office identified the victims as nine-month-old Olivia Gago, his 31-year-old girlfriend Shaina Sweitzer and his parents Jerry Bremer, 66, and Pamela Bremer, 64.

Gago was attempting to kill his girlfriend's eight-year-old daughter when he was killed, according to the sheriff's office.

Gago (pictured left) killed his nine-month-old daughter Olivia Lynn Rose Gago (left and right). Gago was attempting to kill his girlfriend's eight-year-old girl when police arrived

He also killed his 31-year-old girlfriend Shaina E. Sweitzer (pictured with Gago) and his parents Jerry William Bremer, 66 and Pamela Denise Bremer, 64

The home where the horrific murders occurred is in the 32000 block of South Barlow Road. It is about 20 miles south of Portland and northeast of the city of Woodburn

Video courtesy of KOIN

Two family members survived the attack and were taken to nearby hospital with injuries that do not appear to be life threatening.

They are believed to be the eight-year-old girl and a roommate who was also living at the home.

No deputies were injured.

Authorities said they were investigating the incident as one of 'extreme domestic violence'.

The home is about 20 miles south of Portland and northeast of the city of Woodburn.

The sheriff's office took an emergency call from a resident of a home at about 10.15pm on Saturday. The caller described a violent and hectic scene, Jensen said.

He added that arriving deputies found a 'horrific' situation.

'It was described as violent and a pretty hectic scene was being described to our call takers deputies found deceased adult female outside the residence,' Jensen said.

A neighbor told KOIN 6 News she did not hear anything Saturday night.

However, she got email from the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office telling her about the homicides.

Mark Leo Gregory Gago, 42, killed four family members at the house before being shot dead by police as he tried to kill a little girl

Authorities said they were investigating the incident as one of 'extreme domestic violence'

Authorities said they were investigating the incident as one of 'extreme domestic violence.'

She said she's lived in her house for more than 30 years, adding: 'They've been there equally as long.'

The neighbor said she knows of the family who lives at that house, but 'hasn't had many interactions with them over the years.'

She was 'shocked' when she heard the news. A neighbor who did not want to be identified said one of the two survivors of the quadruple homicide ran to his house, bleeding.

He claimed that she told him Gago attacked her in her sleep with a weapon. She said she fought him off and escaped, saying that she believed he was high on something.

He told KGW News: 'She was yelling that she had been attacked and we needed to call 911.

'My daughter was walking across the yard and she ran into the house and called me.

'I went and talked to her and let her into the property and called 911.

'She had some injuries on her arms, injuries to her torso. She said I didn't see them but she was bleeding a little bit.'

Asked did she know what happened, the neighbor responded: 'She said she was asleep in her bed and Mark woke her up by attacking her.

'She wrestled with him, got the weapon away from him. She said it was like an axe- type thing, described as a splitting ball for firewood.'
Advertisement

At least 60,000 protesters clashed with riot police in Athens today, using poles, smoke bombs and even Molotov cocktails during demonstrations against a controversial name change deal with Macedonia.

The deal, which the Greek parliament is due to ratify in days, will see Greece's neighbour be renamed the Republic of North Macedonia, following a 28-year dispute.

The name Macedonia is a sensitive issue for many Greeks, who believe that it implies their neighbour has a claim on the Greek province of the same name.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has been accused of making 'too many concessions' over his championing of the landmark agreement, and barely survived a vote of no confidence last week.

Scuffles broke out after about 30 masked youths tried to force the closure of the parliament building, with riot police responding by using volleys of tear gas to disperse the seething mob.

Thousands of demonstrators hold Greek flags during a rally outside parliament in Athens today as they protested against a name change deal with Macedonia

Greece's Parliament is to vote this coming week on whether to ratify the agreement that will rename its northern neighbour North Macedonia

Protesters clash with riot police during a rally held today against the controversial deal, which could end a 27-year dispute

A protester attacks a riot policeman with a wooden pole during the bad tempered demonstration, damaging his riot shield

Protesters hurled paint bombs and smoke grenades at riot police, who were out in force to try and beat back the angry demonstrators

A priest reacts as he holds a cracked icon depicting the Virgin Mary holding the Christ child during today's demonstration

Police estimates put the number of demonstrators at 60,000, while organisers said 100,000 people had arrived for the rally.

Hundreds of buses brought demonstrators to Athens, with several coming from the region of northern Greece also called Macedonia.

At least 25 police officers were injured and seven people arrested, police said.

A first aid station said two protesters were hospitalised with breathing difficulties.

Some masked protesters also set upon journalists at the scene, smashing the equipment of photographers and cameramen, according to an AFP reporter.

Hundreds of buses brought demonstrators to Athens, with several coming from the region of northern Greece also called Macedonia

Police officers form a line as protesters approach them during a demonstration against the agreement in Athens today

A molotov cocktail explodes next to Greek riot police during today's bad tempered clashes with angry protesters

At least 25 police officers were injured and seven people arrested, police said, with two protesters hospitalised with breathing difficulties

While many of the violent clashes involved younger protesters, people of all ages took to the streets to express their discontent

Police estimates put the number of demonstrators at 60,000, while organisers said 100,000 people had arrived for the rally

According to the government 'the incidents were provoked by extremists, members of the Golden Dawn, who attempted to enter parliament'.

'They attacked police with bits of wood and clubs, sending dozens of wounded to the hospital,' said a statement from Prime Minister Tsipras.

A wide range of Greek political parties, from the far-right Golden Dawn to the Socialists, oppose the accord to rename Macedonia the Republic of North Macedonia.

But it could nonetheless be approved by the required 151 deputies in the 300-seat parliament in the coming days.

Years of tense negotiations finally brought the agreement last June between Greece's left-wing Prime Minister and his Macedonian counterpart.

The dispute dates back to 1991 and the break-up of Yugoslavia after Macedonia adopted its name when it became an independent nation.

Protesters clash with police in front of the Greek parliament as they were fought back in their attempts to shut the legislature down

A wide range of Greek political parties, from the far-right Golden Dawn to the Socialists, oppose the accord but it could still be passed later this week

A priest covers his face to avoid inhaling tear gas as he joins protesters waving Greece flags in a day of demonstrations in Athens today

Demonstrators, one holding the Greek flag, are seen in a cloud of tear gas next to the flag with the star of Vergina, the emblem of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia

Riot police could be seen working hard to beat back the protesters, with several of them being arrested by officers amid the carnage

Protesters are against the deal because they believe that any use of the name Macedonia in the neighboring country's name is a usurpation of ancient Greek heritage and implies territorial claims on Greece.

Among the people who addressed the protest were former conservative Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, a member of the Mount Athos monastic community and a Greek-American former politician, Chris Spirou, once a member of New Hampshire's House of Representatives.

In northern Greece, farmers temporarily blocked the highway leading to the Macedonian border in solidarity. It later reopened.

About 300 anarchists staged a counter-demonstration Sunday. Police erected barriers to prevent clashes. After their otherwise peaceful rally, anarchists burned a car with official license plates.

Protesters crumple to the floor as riot police - wearing gas masks- release tear gas in an attempt to beat them back in Athens

A cleric holds up an icon as protesters react near the Greek Parliament during today's demonstration which involved thousands
Advertisement

This is the shocking moment a terrified parent with her child in a pushchair runs through a violent Yellow Vest protest as riot cops fire tear gas at unruly protesters.

The horrifying footage, captured in the southern French city of Montpelier on Saturday just before 7 pm local time, showed the woman shows tear gas being fired by riot police towards the protesters.

A crowd of people start to run but the parent falls with the child in the pushchair to the ground. Moments later another person sprints away from the scene, carrying the entire pushchair, presumably to protect the infant from the effects of tear gas.

It's unclear whether the parent and child were attending the protest or whether they'd simply been caught up in the action.

A short time after the incident with the child, riot police can be seen in the video charging the protesters and letting off more tear gas. The filmer of the video said he believed the child was around two years old.

The woman could be seen falling over as the band of protesters fled from incoming tear gas grenades in one of the city's shopping arcades

Heroic bystanders rushed back into the gas to pick up the mother after she fell and carry the pushchair away to safety

It comes as 84,000 anti-government Yellow Vests demonstrated all over France for the 10th weekend in a row.

Protesters threw firecrackers, bottles and stones at police who used tear gas, water cannon, flash ball guns and baton charges to push them back at Les Invalides, where the body of the former French emperor and military leader lies in a sarcophagus underneath a golden dome.

According to official figures, the biggest demonstration on Saturday occurred in the southern city of Toulouse, where around 10,000 people took part. The demonstration turned violent as evening fell, as protesters vandalised a bank and other shops.

Eight people were injured and there were 23 arrests.

There were also disturbances in Bordeaux, Lyon and Marseille, while the local government building was attacked in Angers, northwest of Paris.

Plumes of smoke wafted through the streets as dozens of people protested against the government for the 10th weekend in a row

Protesters wearing yellow vests are seen behind a fire as they attend a demonstration of the 'yellow vests' movement in Angers, France

Riot police officer take position in front of the Invalides dome after a yellow vest demonstration, which is near to where Napoleon is buried

Firefighters douse flames outside a regional branch of the Banque de France (Bank of France) following clashes between protesters and gendarmes in Angers

The chaotic scenes came as 84,000 anti-government Yellow Vests demonstrated all over France for the 10th weekend in a row

A police officer walks by a fire at the scene of a demonstration by the 'yellow vests' in Angers, following another weekend of carnage all over the country

Police stand near a fire burning in the road during an anti-government demonstration by Yellow Vests in Bordeaux

In Paris, some demonstrators carried mock coffins symbolising the 10 people who have died during the protests, mainly due to accidents when demonstrators blocked roads.

Macron has launched a series of national debates to help quell public discontent and restore his standing.

However, Angers member of parliament Matthieu Orphelin, a member of Macron's ruling 'Le Republique En Marche!' party, said he would cancel talks with members of the Yellow Vest movement in light of the trouble in Angers.

'It fills me with fury to see our beautiful town attacked in this way, in particular the damage caused to symbols of the Republic,' Orphelin said in a statement.

A firefighter tries to extinguish a fire during the demonstration in Angers, one of several to take place all over France today

A protester hold a placard reading RIC, the acronym for Citizen's Initiated Referendum, near a fire facing police in Bordeaux

French riot police restrain a yellow vests protester before taking them into custody during a demonstration in Paris today

The protester, who was arrested, was restrained by several riot police officers and could be seen protecting their head on the ground

French yellow vests protester climbs a post during yesterday's demonstration around Invalides Square in Paris

An injured yellow vests protester lies on the ground during demonstration against deteriorating economic conditions around Invalides Square in Paris

Yesterday's ugly scenes came on the 10th Saturday in a row of violence that now routinely reduces the capital city to a war zone

The Vests have been protesting since November 17 and, despite a range of concessions by President Macron they continue to call for him to step down

By 5pm Saturday there had been around 30 arrests in the Paris areas, many of them of suspected rioters carrying potential weapons

'There are hundreds of CRS riot police and gendarmes engaged, and they are being attacked,' said an officer at the scene at Les Invalides.

'Thousands of demonstrators are in the area, and some are becoming very violent indeed. Everything is being done to protect Les Invalides.'

In previous weeks national monuments including the Arc de Triomphe itself have been vandalised during disturbances caused by the Yellow Vests, who are named after the high visibility motoring jackets they wear.

Saturday's ugly scenes came on the 10th weekend in a row of violence that now routinely reduces the capital city to a war zone.

There were 5,000 police and gendarmes standing by for trouble in the French capital, and it started in the later afternoon when a march reached Les Invalides.

'Macron Resign', the crowd chanted, as they called for President Emmanuel Macron to resign, throwing bottles and any other missiles they could find.

Within minutes huge white clouds of tear gas were smothering the area, covering rioters, as well as tourists..

By 5pm there had been around 30 arrests in the Paris areas, many of them of suspected rioters carrying potential weapons.

Large parts of the Champs had been blocked off using armoured cares and water cannons, but the Yellow Vests still appeared in large numbers.

The Arc de Triomphe was severely vandalised and had graffiti sprayed all over it on December 1st causing a national outcry.

Mr Macron has since pledged that any attempt to damage it will be treated with the 'most severe action possible.'

There were 5,000 police and gendarmes standing by for trouble in the French capital, and it started in the later afternoon when a march reached Les Invalides

This protester, wearing a Scream mask, vandalises a vehicle during another day of passionate yellow vests protesting in Paris

The Yellow Vests have said that their protests would continue indefinitely as they campaign for even more concessions

A man waves a French flag on January 19, 2019 in Paris during a demonstration called by the yellow vests

'Street medics' give assistance to injured protesters on January 19, 2019 in Paris during a demonstration called by the yellow vests

A police officer aims after a yellow vest march. In previous weeks national monuments including the Arc de Triomphe itself have been vandalised during disturbances caused by the Yellow Vests

There were similar demonstrations other French cities and towns yesterday, as more than 50,000 police and gendarmes were mobilised nationwide.

The Vests have been protesting since November 17 and, despite a range of concessions by President Macron including scrapping green taxes of diesel and petrol, continue to call for him to step down.

Protestors have been joined by extremists from the far Right and the ultra-Left, as well as anarchists intent on causing as much damage as possible.

Crisis-ridden Mr Macron has not only climbed down on imposing green surcharges, but increased the national minimum wage by seven per sent, and scrapped tax on bonuses.

But the Yellow Vests said their protests would continue indefinitely as they campaign for even more concessions.

The independent Mr Macron, leader of the Republic On The Move party, won the French presidential election in a landslide in 2017, but he is now dubbed the 'President of the Rich' with polls showing his popularity rating down to just 18 per cent.

A car is destroyed during the rioting in Paris by masked thugs, some of whom are wearing yellow vests
Anthony Cormier, the Buzzfeed reporter behind the bombshell story alleging President Donald Trump ordered his then-personal attorney Michael Cohen to lie to Congress, is standing behind the report, claiming 'this is going to be borne out. This story is accurate.'

Cormier and Buzzfeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith were on CNN's 'Reliable Sources' Sunday morning and stood by their sources and their reporting even after Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office released a statement disputing the story.

'I have further confirmation this is right and stand our ground. Our reporting is going to be borne out to be accurate. And we are 100 percent behind it,' Cormier said.

'The same sources we used in the story are standing behind it and so are we,' he added.

Buzzfeed reporter Anthony Cormier and editor-in-chief Ben Smith stand behind their bombshell story

The two told CNN's 'Reliable Sources' their story will be borne out as accurate

He declined to name the two sources that told him of Trump's instructions to Cohen to lie to Congress about when the negotiations for Trump Tower Moscow had ended.

According to Buzzfeed, Mueller first discovered that Trump told Cohen to lie to Congress via evidence from internal company emails, text messages, and witnesses from the Trump Organization. Buzzfeeed also reported that Cohen later confirmed it during his own interviews with the special counsel.

'I'm not going to talk about my sources,' Cormier said. 'Rudy Giuliani signaled there would be a leak investigation. This is a really significant matter and in order to protect our sources and not put them in any risk, we're not going to talk about the sourcing.'

'Our sources are solid,' he added.

After the story was published, Mueller's office, which has been tight-lipped about its investigation of Russia's role in the 2016 election and whether Trump's campaign colluded with Moscow, issued an extraordinary statement denying the bombshell report.

'BuzzFeed's description of specific statements to the Special Counsel's Office, and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohen's Congressional testimony are not accurate,' Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller's office, said.

Mueller's team rarely issues statements in response to news stories.

Smith argued they don't exactly what part of the story Mueller's team is disputing.

'We are eager to understand which characterizations Mueller is talking about there, and obviously we take that incredibly seriously,' Smith said.

CNN's Brian Stelter pressed Cormier on his certainty of his sources.

'What if the sources are just wrong?,' Stelter asked.

'They're not,' Cormier replied.

'Not intentionally,' Stelter pressed. 'Not trying to hurt you but what if they're wrong?'

Cormier remained firm in his belief in them: 'They're not. They're not. I'm confident.'

Smith stepped in to defend the reporting.

'This is obviously the highest stakes,' he said. 'There is no source like Robert Mueller. There aren't other government officials who say, when this is wrong and we're going to say how and why, this would produce the sort of reaction you're bringing here.'

He added: 'It's a very high-stakes version of a sorry we're all familiar with. You say, how is it wrong? They won't tell you. All you can do is continue to report.'

President Trump called the story a 'disgrace

Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office made the extraordinary move of issuing a statement refuting Buzzfeed's story

Michael Cohen, President Trump's former personal attorney, pled guilty to lying to Congress last year about the timeline involving talks of a Trump Tower Moscow

Stelter also revealed the email Jason Leopold, the co-author of the story, sent to Peter Carr, the Justice Department staffer who is the spokesperson for Mueller's team, before they published, asking him to comment on the story.

'This is first e-mail from Jason Leopold, co-author of the story, sent to the special counsel's office at 1:50 P.M. on Thursday. It says, 'Anthony and I have a story coming up stated Cohen was directed by Trump to lie. Assume no comment from you but just wanted to check. Best, Jason,'' Stelter read.

He then turned to Smith: 'Ben, to me, this is a shocking casual way to ask for comment for such a serious story. To you think that was an appropriate and sufficient way to ask for comment?'

'Peter - the spokesman for the special counsel - told The Washington Post yesterday or people close to him on background - if we had asked differently, he would have given us more information,' he said. 'We were reaching out to get information. That's why you reach out. That's why you reach out hours and hours before the story published. I don't think if you got an e-mail from Jason Leopold saying, hey, we're working on a story whose substance is that you were involved in an incredibly high-stakes and incredibly shocking thing, that you would say, no, that's not a big deal. I think that we stated the heart of the story there.'

Stelter pressed him on the brevity of the email: 'Come on, one paragraph? There's a dereliction of duty to send three sentences.'

'I think that it has not been our experience that the special counsel is forthcoming with information,' Smith said.

'Carr has now said he would have responded in more detail if he had more detail,' he added. 'He could have said that two minutes later. He could have said, that's quite a statement. Tell me more.'

He noted: 'That is the correspondence we've had with him over the last two years as we have broken huge stories about his office.'

Giuliani slammed Buzzfeed for its report President Trump ordered Cohen to lie: 'They should be sued. They should be under investigation,' he told CNN

Giuliani told NBC he was '100 percent certain' that Trump never asked Cohen to lie

Cormier also put the onus on the Justice Department.

'Mr. Carr is a lovely spokesperson, we know him, we've dealt with him in the past on a number of occasions. It's never been my experience to get any signal, wave off, any go ahead from the special counsel's office through that spokesperson,' he said.

'It's not the first time we've dealt with him. Certainly will probably not be the last,' he added.

Trump and his team slammed the report, which was published late Thursday evening.

Rudy Giuliani, the president's personal attorney, said he was '100 percent' confident Trump did not order Cohen to lie.

'To answer your question, categorically, I can tell you his counsel to Michael Cohen throughout that entire period was, 'Tell the truth.' We thought he was telling the truth. I still believe he may have been telling the truth when he testified before Congress. But in any event, his lawyers thought that, our lawyers thought that and the president thought that at the time,' he said Sunday on NBC's 'Meet the Press.'

Cohen, in November of last year, admitted he lied to Congress about how long conversations took place about building a Trump Tower Moscow. He previously said talks about the Moscow project ended in January 2016 but it was later revealed the conversations went up through at least June 2016, at which point Trump had locked up the GOP nomination.

Giuliani praised Mueller's office for releasing a rare statement refuting the Buzzfeed story.

'To their credit, the Justice Department and the Special Counsel's Office said that the story was inaccurate. And the inaccuracy is that there's no evidence that the president told him to lie,' Giuliani said on NBC.

The former New York City mayor also went on the attack against the news outlet and said Buzzfeed should be sued. He also cautioned the media to be careful in its reporting on the special counsel's probe.

'They should be sued. They should be under investigation,' he told CNN's 'State of the Union' on Sunday.

'You've got a hysteria in the media that interprets everything against Donald Trump,' he added. 'You all should be careful.'

'They bought a totally phony story,' he said of Buzzfeed.

Trump called the story a 'disgrace.'

'I think that the BuzzFeed piece was a disgrace to our country. It was a disgrace to journalism, and I think also that the coverage by the mainstream media was disgraceful, and I think it's going to take a long time for the mainstream media to recover its credibility,' the president said Saturday. 'It's lost tremendous credibility. And believe me, that hurts me when I see that.'

Vice President Mike Pence said on 'Fox News Sunday' that the media is obsessed with attacking the president.

'I think what it says more about is the obsession of many in the national media to attack this president for any reason, for any allegation, for any report in the media,' Pence said.
Advertisement

Encapsulating the lives of those in the nation through compelling imagery, the British Life Photography Awards showcases the work of both amateur and professional photographers across the country.

Celebrating the state of nation at the turn of the year, the awards, now in its fourth year, are a chance for artists to capture the spirit of British life.

Overall winner of the British Life Photographer 2018 was Amy Bateman's 'Lambing Intensive Care, Croft Foot Farm, Cumbria' which captured a candid shot of small flock during lambing season.

Among the winners was Jenifer Bunnett with her simple yet stunning image of a rainbow along the chalk hills of East Sussex in 'Seven Sisters Rainbow, Cuckmere Haven, Sussex' and Amit Lennon with his picture of the much-loved comedian and presenter Frank Skinner holding a mug.

Also among the winners was Simon Sharp's thought provoking 'Fishermans Wives and Daughters, Hull' that captured the wives of fishermen living in the East Yorkshire city and the constant fear they faced with losing a loved one at sea.

Among the other categories at the British Life Photography Awards 2018 was Street Life, Brits on Holidays, Urban Life and Historic Britain.

An exhibition of the stunning photographs will be on show at Mall Galleries in London from February 18-23 before it goes on tour to Banbury, Leyburn and Glastonbury.

Overall winner of the British Life Photographer 2018 was Amy Bateman with her 'Lambing Intensive Care, Croft Foot Farm, Cumbria'. Ms Bateman, who was able to capture rural life in Cumbria, used a tripod and a timer to try and capture the small flock during lambing season

The winner of the British Weather category was Jenifer Bunnett with her 'Seven Sisters Rainbow, Cuckmere Haven, Sussex.' The simple yet stunning image captures a distant rainbow along the chalk hills of the East Sussex coastline

Also among the winners was Simon Sharp's 'Fishermans Wives and Daughters, Hull'. Mr Sharp, who won in the Documentary Series category, was able to capture candid shots of the women living in the East Yorkshire city and the constant fear they faced with losing a loved one at sea

Also among Mr Sharp's images of 'Fishermans Wives and Daughters, Hull' were those of women showing the courage and strength they had to keep while their husbands and fathers were at sea

Mr Sharp was able to capture the persistent strength that the wives of fishermen in Hull had to keep in raising a family while their husbands were away

Winner of the Portraiture category was Amit Lennon with his picture of the much-loved comedian and presenter Frank Skinner holding a mug

Winner of the 'Life at Work' category was Edmond Terakopian with his 'Love Your Job'. The black and white image shows a man with a briefcase walking along a street in the pouring rain on his way to work

In this heartwarming picture titled 'Barbara; Rons Late Romance, Musical Museum in Brentford' photographer David Yeo was able to capture the simple joy of being with the one you love. Mr Yeo was the winner of the 'Brits on Holidays' category

The winner of the 'Historic Britain' category was Mike Dugdale with his 'Dover Girls 1967, Eastern Docks, Dover, Kent.' The simple yet beautiful black and white image shows young children near the South East port

Winner of the 'Urban Life' category at the British Life Photography Awards was Simon Hadleigh-Sparks with his 'Living The View  St Pauls.' The photograph captures people dining outside St Paul's cathedral in London

In his 'Separation in Togetherness, Oxford Circus, London' photographer Roza Vulf was able to capture commuters together and separated and the hustle and bustle of London city in the 'Street Life' category
The Kentucky teenagers who were filmed mocking a Native American demonstrator and Vietnam war veteran could face expulsion from their Catholic high school, a spokesperson has said.

The Diocese of Covington and Covington Catholic High School condemned the actions of the students and vehemently apologized to Nathan Phillips, in a statement on Saturday.

'This behavior is opposed to the Churchs teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person,' the statement read.

'The matter is being investigated and we will take appropriate action, up to and including expulsion.'

The Indigenous Peoples March in Washington on Friday coincided with the March for Life, which drew thousands of anti-abortion protesters

The 64-year-old was singing the American Indian Movement song of unity near Friday's March for Life when he was surrounded by a group of teens, who he claimed were chanting 'build that wall, build that wall'.

Footage of the encounter subsequently went viral, leading to an outcry on social media for the boys involved to be properly reprimanded.

Philips said he felt threatened by the teens when they suddenly swarmed around him as he and other activists were preparing to leave the Lincoln Memorial.

He told told The Washington Post: 'It was getting ugly, and I was thinking: "Ive got to find myself an exit out of this situation and finish my song at the Lincoln Memorial."

'I started going that way, and that guy in the hat stood in my way and we were at an impasse. He just blocked my way and wouldnt allow me to retreat.'

Phillips said he noticed tensions beginning to escalate when the teens and other apparent participants from the nearby March for Life rally began taunting the dispersing indigenous crowd.

A few people in the March for Life crowd began to chant 'Build that wall, build that wall,' he said.

A number of the students in the footage were wearing Make America Great Again hats

Some of the students were also wearing clothing with Covington logos

However a student from the school who was with the group claimed it was Philips who approached the students for a 'publicity stunt'. He said Philips had a history of 'claiming racial harassment.'

In a letter posted on Twitter by a priest named Fr. Jim Sichko, the unnamed student said that his friend who came face-to-face with Philips as Philips stood singing and beating his drum, now faces expulsion for 'a crime he didn't commit.'

AThe student wrote: ' After that initial occurrence [with Philips], we were then verbally assaulted by four or five African-American men who called us 'f*****s' and berated one of our African-American students for being friends with us.

'The truth needs to come out. A great injustice has been done, and it is our duty to see that the truth prevails.

Philips said he kept singing and thinking about his wife, Shoshana, who died of bone marrow cancer nearly four years ago, and the various threats that face indigenous communities.

He said he was left shaken by the incident on Friday. He added: 'I'm still trying to process what happened. Im feeling a little bit overwhelmed.'

He said he hopes the teens will find a lesson in all of the negative attention generated by the videos.

'That energy could be turned into feeding the people, cleaning up our communities and figuring out what else we can do.'

Nathan Phillips (pictured) said he heard people chanting 'build that wall'

Phillips, an Omaha tribe elder who fought in the Vietnam War and now lives in Michigan, has long been active in the indigenous rights movement.

A co-founder of the Native Youth Alliance cultural and education group, he shows up to Arlington National Cemetery every Veterans Day with a peace pipe to pay tribute to Native Americans who served in the U.S. military.

'My job has always been taking care of the fire, to keep the prayers going,' Phillips said.

Philips said he saw only angry faces around him and knew that he was in a dangerous situation.

He told CNN: 'All of a sudden all of that anger and wanting to have the freedom to rip me apart. That was scary.

'This young fella put himself in front of me and wouldn't move. If I took another step I would be putting myself into his space.'

The school (pictured) condemned the treatment of Philips and issued him an apology on Saturday, insisting the students' actions went against their religious principals

The life-long activist told CNN the teens were doing the opposite of what their hats suggested: they weren't making America great again

The boys in the video were identified as high school students visiting from Kentucky.

In a statement, the Indigenous Peoples Movement, which organized Fridays march, called the incident 'emblematic of our discourse in Trumps America.'

'It clearly demonstrates the validity of our concerns about the marginalization and disrespect of Indigenous peoples, and it shows that traditional knowledge is being ignored by those who should listen most closely,' Darren Thompson, an organizer for the group, said.
His boss claimed he didn't like the tone of an email sent pointing out he would have to arrange care for his terminally ill wife to make an unscheduled meeting

r Ferguson was unfairly sacked from his 350,000 a year job on his first day

Duncan Ferguson was dismissed from his 350,000 a year job on his first day after Lancer was taken over by Astrea Asset Management whose sole director was Mustafa Kheriba, from Abu Dhabi

A director of a company that managed the Royal Family of Abu Dhabi's 5.5bn London property portfolio was unfairly sacked after pointing out that to make an unscheduled meeting he would have to arrange care for his terminally ill wife.

Duncan Ferguson's Abu Dhabi boss said he didn't like the tone of the email, claiming it was 'defiant' and decided to sack Mr Ferguson shortly after the meeting took place.

Mr Ferguson was a director of Lancer Asset Management that had managed the Berkeley Square Estate that comprised a prime portfolio in Mayfair, Knightsbridge, Oxford Street and Kensington Palace Mansions, dubbed Britain's most expensive street.

In the 16 years they had managed the current 140 properties it, it had grown from 325 million to its current value of 5.5 billion.

The Estate's properties include the iconic posh Annabel's nightclub and the Clermont club and casino founded in 1962 by John Aspinall with original members including five dukes, five marquesses, almost twenty earls and two cabinet ministers.

Over the years it became a haunt for the rich and famous including the likes of Peter Sellers, Lord Lucan, the Duke of Devonshire, James Goldsmith and Kerry Packer.

Mr Ferguson was dismissed from his 350,000 a year job on his first day after Lancer was taken over by Astrea Asset Management whose sole director was Mustafa Kheriba, from Abu Dhabi.

The Estate's properties include the iconic posh Annabel's nightclub and the Clermont club and casino founded in 1962 by John Aspinall with original members including five dukes, five marquesses, almost twenty earls and two cabinet ministers

Although he was not down to work that day, he was called in by CEO Giles Easter and had to rearrange care for his wife who was dying from ovarian cancer and had just weeks to live.

But his email was read by Mr Kheriba, who said he did not like its tone and claimed it indicated defiance.

Ruling that he was unfairly dismissed, Employment Judge Sarah Goodman said: 'Duncan Ferguson was invited to meet Giles Easter at the office on 29 September when no one else would be working.

'His wife was now dying of ovarian cancer, and his reply involved explaining he had to rearrange his wife's care to make the meeting, as he thought he would not be at work that day.

'Mustafa Kheriba, seeing this, said he did not like his tone.

'He explained to the tribunal he meant he thought it was not the right way to respond to a supervisor's summons to a meeting, and indicated defiance.

'In the view of the tribunal the email about care arrangements is businesslike, appropriate and compliant, nor does it seem Giles Easter read it any other way.

'Mr Kheriba's reading was a cultural misunderstanding, but not without significance if Mustafa Kheriba was involved in the decision to dismiss.'

The tribunal was told that following the meeting in which Mr Ferguson was described by Mr Easter as 'aggressive, negative and confrontational' and following a discussion with Mr Kheriba and the lawyers they decided to dismiss him.

Mr Kheriba reported to Mr Jassim al-Seddiqi of the Abu Dhabi Financial Group, which owned Astrea.

Employment Judge Goodman said: 'Duncan Ferguson told him (Mr Easter) of the history of bad blood with Mr al-Seddiqi, and that 11 staff would transfer from Lancer.

'He concluded with 'welcome to the viper's nest', and reported to his co-directors he had been 'blunt'.

'Mr Easter recalls being pressed to say whether ADFG owned Astrea, because 'the staff wouldn't want to learn they were working for ISIS'.'

Of Lancer's four directors, two of them, Byron Pull and Andrew Lax were not transferred to the new company and CEO John Kevill was sacked after his transfer but before he started after all the directors were accused of changing their contracts to give themselves 'golden parachutes', 15 percent pay rises and 50 percent bonuses after being told of the transfer.

Although Mr Ferguson was implicated in this, Astrea transferred him on the basis that they needed someone with his intimate knowledge of the estate.

Employment Judge Goodman added: 'Any complicity by Mr Ferguson was not blameworthy; it would have been clear he was a follower, not a leader, ether in the contracts, or in the withholding of information to the owner, not did the recorded discussions show him speaking contemptuously of the owner of Astrea.'

Other claims for disability and part-time work discrimination by Mr Ferguson failed.

Properties in the Royal Family of Abu Dhabi's 5.5bn Berkeley Square estate include the iconic Clermont club and casino which was visited by the likes of Lord Lucan, left, and Peter Sellers, right

In a meeting with Mr Easter another director of Lancer, CEO John Kevill vented his anger at 'the Arabs', saying: '55 years ago they were sitting on a rock, pointing over some goats and picking their nose.* Now they being the richest guys in the world within two generations', and 'honesty is a tradable commodity and saving face is more important than honesty.'

Although he also won his unfair dismissal case, the tribunal ruled that he get no award due to his remarks and his obstruction of the handover and reworking of his contract which left him earning 575,000 a year.

Employment Judge Goodman ruled: 'The fourth claimant (Kevill) was unfairly dismissed. Any compensation for unfair dismissal is reduced by 100% for conduct.

'His conduct as an employee was so substantially bad that a 100% reduction in award is appropriate.'

The two other directors, Byron Pull and Andrew Lax failed in their claims for unfair dismissal after the Abu Dhabi Royal Family omitted them from a list of employees they wanted transferred to Astrea in the first place.

Astrea was ordered to pay three week's pay to each of the claimants for failing to inform Lancer of the transfer arrangements.

A remedy hearing will be heard in February. Bonuses and termination payments under the new contracts were ruled void.
President Donald Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani left open Sunday the possibility that Trump and former personal attorney Michael Cohen might have discussed Cohen's congressional testimony.

But, he added, 'so what' if he did?

Giuliani, in an appearance on CNN, said he did not know if Trump had discussed with Cohen a 2017 congressional interview at which Cohen has admitted lying about a Trump Tower real estate project in Moscow.

He also acknowledged in a separate interview with NBC that conversations about that project stretched throughout 2016, including possibly up until October or November of that year.

President Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani left open Sunday the possibility that Trump and former personal attorney Michael Cohen might have discussed Cohen's congressional testimony

The question arose in light of a Buzzfeed News report from last week that said Trump had instructed Cohen to lie to Congress and that Cohen relayed that to special counsel Robert Mueller's team of investigators.

Mueller's office took the unusual step of issuing a statement disputing the story but Buzzfeed said it stands by its reporting.

Giuliani said on interviews with CNN and NBC News that Trump never directed Cohen to lie to lawmakers.

But on CNN he acknowledged the possibility that Trump and Cohen might have discussed Cohen's testimony, saying that while he had no knowledge of such a conversation, he wasn't ruling it out.

'I don't know if it happened or didn't happen,' Giuliani said, later adding, 'And so what if he talked to him about it?'

Giuliani's suggestion to NBC that dialogue about the Trump Tower project could have stretched into the fall of 2016 extends the timeline well beyond what the president has publicly acknowledged.

Cohen pleaded guilty to lying to Congress by saying that he had abandoned the project in January 2016 even though prosecutors say he actually continued pursuing it into that June.

Giuliani, in an appearance on CNN, said he did not know if Trump had discussed with Cohen (pictured in 2018) a 2017 congressional interview at which Cohen has admitted lying about a Trump Tower real estate project in Moscow

Giuliani said on NBC's 'Meet The Press' that Trump could recall having conversations with Cohen about the project throughout 2016, though there 'weren't a lot of them.'

'The president also remembers - yeah, probably up - could be up to as far as October, November,' Giuliani said.

'Our answers cover until the election. So anytime during that period they could've talked about it. But the president's recollection of it is that the, the thing had petered out quite a bit.'

Giuliani made a similar comment last month on ABC News when he suggested that the president knew that Cohen was pursuing the project into 2016.

'According to the answer that he gave, it would have covered all the way up to - covered up to November, 2016. Said he had conversations with him but the president didn't hide this,' Giuliani said.

Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat and chairman of the House intelligence committee, said the panel planned to investigate why Cohen made false statements to Congress and determine what exactly Cohen and Trump might have discussed about his testimony.

'Congress has a has a fundamental interest in two things first in getting to the bottom of why a witness came before us and lied and who else was knowledgeable that this was a lie,' Schiff said on CBS' 'Face the Nation.'
Police have recommended Netanyahu's indictment in three separate corruption investigations.

Tel Aviv: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday released a video accusing the media and left-wing opponents of pressuring the attorney general to indict him, ahead of April polls.

Police have recommended Netanyahu's indictment in three separate corruption investigations and the attorney general is expected to announce his decision on whether to charge the prime minister in the weeks or months ahead.

"For three years the Left and the media have been pushing the attorney general to file charges at any price," read a message at the start of a short video posted on Twitter by Netanyahu.

The video then showed footage of protesters brandishing placards calling for Netanyahu to be jailed during demonstrations outside the home of Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit. "Will they succeed?" a closing message said.

The video sparked criticism from political opponents. The justice ministry insisted to the Israeli media that the attorney general would not be influenced in his decision.

Polls show Netanyahu is likely to win the April 9 elections despite the investigations hanging over him, but a move to indict him pending a hearing could shake up the campaign.

If the attorney general announces his intention to indict the prime minister, Netanyahu gets a final chance to defend himself in a hearing before the charges are filed. The premier says he has no intention of resigning if called in for such a hearing before the vote.
French authorities have put up a 10-foot wall at a petrol station in Calais to stop migrants using the lorries as a way to get to Britain.

The barrier has been installed at a Total petrol station in the French port city which had become a magnet for people smugglers.

The traffickers had been using it to get hundreds of people on to lorries heading for the town's ferry port, where boats head for England every day.

'The construction of the wall is explained by the presence of migrants and people smugglers on this site,' said local prefect Fabien Sudry.

French authorities have put up a 10-foot wall at a petrol station in Calais to stop migrants using the lorries as a way to get to Britain

He said it was a place where criminals 'meet and take advantage of this station near the port to get migrants on to trucks.'

It is believed to be the first time that an entire wall aimed at stopping migration to Britain has been built alongside a problem area at such short notice.

Local paper Nord Littoral posted a picture of the new wall on its Twitter site, showing two migrants next to it.

It has already caused controversy, with local charity workers saying it followed the example of President Donald Trump, who has lobbied for a wall on the Mexican border.

'The wall is ugly and of course divisive,' said Caroline, a charity worker who is based in the town, and who asked to be referred to by her first name only.

'This is very political - it aims to show desperate people that they are not welcome here, and that more and more walls and police will be used to keep them out. If you oppose such policies, you can get into a lot of trouble.'

A crane installs the barrier at a Total petrol station near the French ferry port, which had become a magnet for people smugglers

A spokesman for Total confirmed that the wall was built at the request of the Calais prefecture to 'protect customers, staff and migrants.'

Mainly young men from countries such as Afghanistan and Syria are regularly seen trying to get aboard lorries and other vehicles heading to Britain, either by ferry or via trains going through the Channel Tunnel.

There are currently around 600 migrants in the town, but numbers are well down on 2016, when the so-called Jungle camp was destroyed.

This illegal settlement on the edge of Calais was full of around 8,000 men, women and children at one point - the vast majority wanting to claim asylum in Britain.

The French insist that security is improving all the time, with the British paying a large part of the cost.
President Donald Trump on Sunday finally offered a response to Speaker Nancy Pelosi's request he not give the State of the Union address if the government is shutdown but the fate of the speech is to be determined as the president merely said: 'I'll get back to you soon.'

The president tweeted his response to the speaker after he spent the morning criticizing Democrats for rejecting his deal to reopen the government and, in particular, went after Pelosi - including on the state of her district.

'Nancy, I am still thinking about the State of the Union speech, there are so many options - including doing it as per your written offer (made during the Shutdown, security is no problem), and my written acceptance. While a contract is a contract, Ill get back to you soon!,' he wrote.

President Donald Trump tweeted a partial response to Speaker Pelosi's suggestion he postpone the State of Union address if the government is shutdown

Speaker Nancy Pelosi marched in the San Francisco Women's March on Saturday

The White House has not formally responded to Pelosi's request that Trump postpone his joint address to Congress until after the government reopens.

Pelosi spokesperson Drew Hammill tweeted a response to the president, noting they never received the White House acceptance on their original offer: 'To be clear, the Speakers Office never received a written acceptance from the President.'

Pelosi originally sent an invitation to Trump on Jan. 3 - the day she became speaker - to give his State of the Union address on Jan. 29.

Sunday offered a teaser but no hint as to what Trump may ultimately do.

The White House is entertaining the idea of asking Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to formally invite President Trump to give it in Senate chamber instead.

Earlier in the morning President Trump attacked Pelosi for being too 'petrified' of the liberals in her party to make a deal and said the city she represents - San Francisco, a bastion of liberalism - is dirty.

'Nancy Pelosi has behaved so irrationally & has gone so far to the left that she has now officially become a Radical Democrat. She is so petrified of the lefties in her party that she has lost control...And by the way, clean up the streets in San Francisco, they are disgusting!,' he wrote.

Trump outlined a plan to end the government shutdown on Saturday, offering congressional Democrats three years of legislative relief for 700,000 DACA recipients  including protection from deportation  and an extension of legal residence for people living in the country under 'Temporary Protective Status' designations.

Democrats rejected his offer and House Democrats plan to pass six bills this week to reopen the government.

Relations between the president and the speaker, who is second in line for the presidency, have disintegrated as the partial government shutdown has dragged on.

Sunday marked day 30 as 800,000 federal workers prepare to to go a second time this coming week without a paycheck.

On Thursday, Trump cancelled Pelosi's government-funded official trip to see U.S. troops as he slapped back at her for a request that he postpone his State of the Union address.

Pelosi has been scheduled to visit Brussels and Afghanistan with other lawmakers.

The president said in his note to Pelosi that he was remanding her plane 'due to the shutdown'  a throwback to her request a day before that he delay his State of the Union speech until after the government reopens.

A White House official insisted that the president was not exacting revenge on the Democratic leader, however, for calling on him to deliver his speech to Congress at a later date or from the White House.

Relations between the president and the speaker have disintegrated as the partial government shutdown has dragged on

Trump offered no hint of what he may do for the Jan. 29 State of the Union address

He also suggested Speaker Pelosi clean up her district

Pelosi's spokesman tweeted they never got a 'written acceptance' to their offer

It came off as retaliatory, nonetheless.

Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill did not comment on the politics surrounding Trump's request but noted in tweets that the trip to Afghanistan 'included a required stop in Brussels for pilot rest' that the House speaker planned to fill with NATO and U.S. military meetings.

'The purpose of the trip was to express appreciation & thanks to our men & women in uniform for their service & dedication, & to obtain critical national security & intelligence briefings from those on the front lines,' Hammill said.

Hammill pointed out that Trump traveled to Iraq on Christmas Day amid the shutdown to visit the troops. A delegation of congressional Republicans was also allowed to travel abroad, he argued.

On Wednesday, Pelosi cited 'security concerns' amid the government shutdown that has lasted longer than any other federal closure in history.

She asked him to wait to speak to a Joint Session of Congress until the dispute that limits the functionality of the Department of Homeland Security has been resolved.

She wrote in her letter that no president has ever delivered a State of the Union speech in the midst of a shutdown.

'This requires hundreds of people working on the logistics and on the security of it,' she told reporters at the Capitol. 'Most of those people are either furloughed or are victims of the president's shutdown.'

Trump delivered his State of the Union address on January 30, 2018, speaking to a packed House chamber where every seat was filled and the galleries were at capacity

Pelosi argued that the January 29th date she originally invited Trump to address the nation wasn't sacred, constitutionally demanded or even the president's birthday.

'The date of the State of Union is not a sacred date, it's not constitutionally required, it's not the president's birthday. It's not anything. It's the date we agreed to. And it could be a week later if government is open,' she said at a press conference in the U.S. Capitol building on Thursday.
Mr Ortalo-Magne is receiving 501,000 to run London Business School

Francois Ortalo-Magne became the first university chief to be paid more than 500,000 a year - but he is still claiming for items as low in value as 1, it has been revealed.

In 2017 he broke the pay barrier with his bumper salary but while he earns more than most can ever dream of, and has free accomodation thrown in, he has not been shy about his company expenses.

The London Business school boss has claimed for a 1.90 bag of chocolate almonds, a 1.25 antibacterial gel and a 10 drink described as a '222 detox', according to receipts released after a freedom of information request.

He even charged for a 1 bag of salt and vinegar crisps from Marks & Spencer, The Times revealed.

In 12 months he has travelled to the USA and Hong Kong, among other places, with flights costing thousands of pounds.

His wife Sondra accompanied him on a trip to Dubai - and her flights were 20,000 - but the University said she was travelling in her capacity as a 'volunteer'.

He has also been generous with staff, the expenses revealed after he billed for a 332 meal for a party for seven colleagues at the Ivy in St Johns Wood, north London.

Students at the University pay 82,000 to study for an MBA.

Without air fare his expenses for 12 months were 8,637.

French-born Mr Ortalo-Magne has spent most of his academic career in the US, joining the London Business School in August last year from Wisconsin School of Business  an institution ranked just 71st in the world in one MBA course ranking.

The news of his huge salary caused outrage, last year, with the Taxpayers Alliance calling it 'unjustifiable'.

Mr Ortalo-Magnes pay deal, which includes salary, benefits and pension, breaks the previous record of 444,000 awarded to Sir David Eastwood, vice-chancellor at Birmingham University.
Ivory Washington, 40 (pictured) was arrested on Tuesday and charged with possession of an explosive or incendiary material with intent and is in jail in lieu of a $25,000-cash bond

An Iowa man allegedly built a real bomb inside a sushi restaurant to prove no one would report his behavior.

Police say Ivory Washington, 40, was sitting at a booth at Akebono 515 in Des Moines on Tuesday evening when he built the explosive device, reported the Des Moines Register.

Restaurant owner Nam Tram said he and other employees saw Washington acting strangely but they just ignored it.

In fact, Tram told the newspaper that when he saw Washington testing various wall outlets, he thought the customer was just charging his phone.

'He said his motive was frustration that people in our society don't care about safety,' Des Moines police Sgt Paul Parizek told the Register.

'And he was making a point that he could construct a device in public without anyone calling the police.'

Washington may have been right because police were called to the restaurant at 6.40pm by Washington himself.

He initially told police that the IED was fake, but testing from a bomb squad confirmed it to be real.

'The device was an operable improvised explosive device. It would have detonated had he chosen to do so, and the potential of an accidental detonation existed as the device could have exploded if exposed to static electricity,' Sgt Parizek told MUNCHIES.

'Following their diagnostic testing, the Des Moines Police Department Bomb Squad did detonate a sample of the explosive from the device. The device was legit.'

Parizek said Washington told them he tried the same thing in a suburb earlier in a day but no one called police on him.

Washington allegedly built a real bomb inside Akebono 515 (pictured) in Des Moines, Iowa, to prove no one would report his behavior. Police responded around 6.40pm after Washington called 911 on himself

If the device had detonated, anyone within a 25-foot radius could have been injured and within 10 feet could have been killed, according to authorities.

Washington is currently being held at the Polk County Jail on a $25,000 cash bond.

He has been charged with possession of an explosive or incendiary material with intent. His next court date is set for January 25.

Sgt Parizek said this situation is a perfect example of why the public should call if they notice suspicious activity.

'Give us a call, because had this device gone off in that restaurant, anybody [who] was inside of that restaurant would have been injured,' he told KCCI.

Tram told the news station that he did not close his restaurant on Tuesday despite the incident and has no future plans to do so.
The legislation is named after murder victim Clare Wood (pictured) who was unaware that her killer had harassed another woman

People will be able to check whether their partners have been domestic abusers under new legistlation.

Clare's Law - which is named after a mother who was murdered by her ex - is set to be unveiled tomorrow.

Prime Minister Theresa May will announce the move as part of a host of legal reforms, The Sun on Sunday reports.

George Appleton, 40, strangled 36-year-old Clare Wood, from Salford, and set her on fire after they met online.

Ms Wood was oblivious to the fact that he'd served a three-year prison sentence for harassing another woman.

The reform that bears her name can be used by both sexes and encompasses 'economic' as well as physical abuse.

Economic abuse is when abusers use money or access to transport to control their victim.

The law also makes way for the appointment of a domestic abuse commissioner and victim support.

Prime Minister Theresa May (pictured arriving at church this morning with her husband, Philip) will unveil Clare's Law tomorrow

Mrs May says that the reforms 'leave no stone unturned' in providing protection for an estimated two million victims.

Also included in the package is the assurance that domestic abuse victims will no longer face cross-examination by their abusers in family courts.

Appleton (pictured) murdered his victim after she met him online

The new legislation will introduce the first statutory Government definition of domestic abuse to specifically include economic abuse and controlling and manipulative non-physical abuse.

It will also establish domestic abuse protection notices and protection orders that place restrictions on the actions of offenders.

The Home Office has published a report into the economic and social cost of domestic abuse, which reveals the crime cost England and Wales 66 billion in 2016-17.

According to the research, the vast majority of this cost (47 billion) was a result of the physical and emotional harm of domestic abuse but it also includes other factors such as cost to health services (2.3 billion), police (1.3 billion) and victim services (724 million).

Minister for Crime, Safeguarding and Vulnerability Victoria Atkins said: 'I have heard absolutely heartbreaking accounts of victims whose lives have been ripped apart because of physical, emotional or economic abuse they have suffered by someone close to them.

'The draft domestic abuse Bill recognises the complex nature of these horrific crimes and puts the needs of victims and their families at the forefront.

'This Government is absolutely committed to shining a light on domestic abuse to ensure this hidden crime does not remain in the shadows.'

Justice Secretary David Gauke said: 'Domestic abuse destroys lives and warrants some of the strongest measures at our disposal to deter offenders and protect victims.

Justice Secretary David Gauke (pictured outside Parliament) has said the legislation features 'some of the strongest measures at our disposal'

'That is why we are barring abusers from cross-examining their victims in the family courts - a practice which can cause immense distress and amount to a continuation of abuse - and giving courts greater powers, including new protection orders, to tackle this hideous crime.'

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, responding to the Bill's publication, said: 'On average two women a week are killed by a current or former partner. Survivors of domestic violence have been made to wait too long for this Bill.

Clare's Law: how you can ask police if your partner is an abuser The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) is often called Clares Law after the landmark case that led to it. Clares Law gives any member of the public the right to ask the police if their partner may pose a risk to them. A member of the public can also make enquiries into the partner of a close friend or family member. To apply you must go to a police station in person, and discuss your concerns and situation with a police officer or staff member. Police and partner agencies will then carry out a range of checks. If these reveal a record of abusive offences, or suggest a risk of violence or abuse, they will consider sharing this information. The disclosure will usually be made in person, to the person at risk, at a time and place agreed in advance to be safe. SOURCE: MPS Advertisement

'If the Tories are serious about combating domestic violence, then there should be long term funding commitments to ensure sufficient resources are available for abuse survivors.'

Sandra Horley, chief executive of the charity Refuge, said: 'Refuge welcomes the draft Bill announced by the Government today.

'Refuge staff deal with the human misery of domestic violence every day. The cost to women and children's lives is devastating.

'But now the immense cost to the taxpayer has been laid bare, too. Domestic violence is truly everybody's business.

'This Bill represents a once in a generation opportunity to address domestic violence but in order to do so we must ensure its aspirations are matched by adequate resource.

'We will continue to work closely with the Government to ensure the final Bill meets the needs of the women and children we support.'

Katie Ghose, chief executive of Women's Aid, said: 'That domestic abuse costs society 66 billion a year and the lives of on average two women a week in England and Wales should be a wake-up call for us all.

'Now is the time to bring it out into the spotlight and address the impact of domestic abuse properly once and for all.'

She added: 'We look forward to working with the government, our member services and survivors themselves to make sure survivors have the resources and support they need, as well as address the root causes of domestic abuse so that every woman and child can live free from fear and abuse.'

Ms Ghose said the domestic abuse bill has the potential to create 'a step change in the national response, to create a more effective approach to tackling domestic abuse; sustainable funding for our life-saving network of specialist support services must be at the centre of this if we are to make a real difference to survivors' lives'.
A father has told of how his six-year-old son let out 'bone-chilling screams of terror, fear and pain' after he was set upon by four dingoes on a family camping trip.

The Schipanski family-of-four had been on their way up a coastal beach on Queensland's Fraser Island on Saturday at 5.30pm when Michael Schipanski was attacked by the wild dogs.

The young boy was taken by air ambulance to Hervey Bay Hospital on the mainland, where he underwent cleaning surgery - after suffering puncture wounds to both his legs.

An afternoon swim almost ended tragedy for one boy on Fraser Island on Saturday

Mark Schipanski said he pulled his son from the dogs' jaws, before chasing off the pack and taking his son to the tiny town of Eurong.

His father Mark told The Courier-Mail their family holiday from Cairns took a terrifying turn in just ten seconds when his son tried to run up the sand dune.

'I heard him screaming bone-chilling screams of terror and fear and pain, and turned around and saw him set upon and dragged down by this pack of dingoes,' he said.

'I hate to think what might have happened if they got to his head or throat.'

The father said he pulled his son from the dogs' jaws, before chasing off the pack and taking his son to the tiny town of Eurong.

The six-year-old boy was returning with his family to Wongai campsite on the island o when he was attacked by the dogs - who are a protected species on Fraser Island.

Mr Schipanski said he thinks the dingoes attacked his son because they had already been in their campsite looking for food, and the site of the young boy running towards their food source would have angered them.

Emergency services were called to the scene at around 6pm.

'The family had finished swimming when the young boy said he wanted to race up a sand dune,' RACQ LifeFlight Rescue aircrewman Dan Leggat said.

'Unfortunately, when he got to the top, there was a pack of four dingoes.

The young boy was airlifted to hospital after he was attacked by a pack of wild dingoes

Paramedics treated and stabilised the boy to be transported by the Bundaberg-based RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter.

Queensland Ambulance said the patient was conscious and alert before he was flown to Hervey Bay Hospital in a stable condition.

'Wildlife authorities recognise that Fraser Island dingoes may become the purest strain of dingo on the eastern Australian seaboard and perhaps Australia-wide,' the Queensland Department of Environment and Science website states.

Saturday night's incident was the seventh dingo attack at the popular tourist spot in the last 20 years.

One attack resulted in the death of nine-year-old Clinton Gage in 2001.

His death sparked the culling of 31 dingoes and caused an outcry among residents.

There have been seven dingo attacks on Fraser Island in the last 20 years, including one death

Clinton's death was the first fatal dingo attack since the disappearance of nine-week-old baby girl Azaria Chamberlain at Uluru in 1980.

Her mother Lindy Chamberlain was initially convicted and jailed over her daughter's death but was later cleared.

The last dingo attack on the island was of two women in 2014.

'On Fraser Island, they have become used to tourists as tourists tend to feed them. This has led to dingoes lurking around camping areas,' one woman commented on Facebook on Sunday.

The latest attack has prompted a plea from local dingo conservation groups for parents to keep a watchful eye on their children at all times when visiting the heritage listed island.

The boy was returning to his family's campsite on Fraser Island (pictured) when he was bitten

'This dingo can be saved by placing elsewhere. Where were the parents, where were rangers to stop interaction,' Fraser Island Dingo Conservation Action posted on its Facebook page.

Save Fraser Island Dingoes Inc added: 'This is not the way we want to start the new year. Small children and dingoes should not be in close proximity, now we have an injured child and the fate of the animal is in the hands of the authorities!'

The last dingo attack in Australia was in Western Australia last July, where a woman required major surgery.
Rescuers frantic efforts to reach a two-year-old boy who fell into a deep well have been hampered by difficult terrain.

Officials announced on Friday that they were just 10 feet away from digging out a deep chunk in the hillside to create a shaft parallel to the one Julen Rosello is thought trapped in.

Rescuers had hoped the drilling would take around 15 hours - but the race against time to save Julen has been slowed by an unexpected rocky patch.

There has been no contact made with Julen who fell into the 250ft waterhole last Sunday in the countryside of northeast of Malaga.

First pictures of two-year-old Julen Rosello, the Spanish boy who fell down a 15 inch wide bore hole at a countryside property near Malaga

Rescuers frantic efforts to reach a two-year-old boy who fell into a deep well have been hampered by difficult terrain

Drilling work at the area where Julen, fell into a deep well six days ago close to the private estate, in Totalan, southern Spain

Rescuers hope to find him at a depth of 236 feet, where a soil blockage has hampered efforts to save him, and are holding out belief that he may be stuck in a separate hole underneath.

Police drone pictures yesterday showed the magnitude of the massive operation to reach Julen.

Nearly half a dozen mechanical diggers were scooping up earth on the barren hillside above the tiny hole the youngster fell down, in the race against time to reach Julen.

The birds-eye view offered by the drone also shows the hustle and bustle of the rescue teams and vehicles further down the hillside near the tented village forming the field response unit.

Rescue workers continue efforts to find toddler Julen Rosello, who fell down a narrow, 100-metre-deep borehole last Sunday

One of the drilling machines, described as the most powerful in Spain, was taken off a job on a motorway near Madrid so it could be used in the rescue operation.

Stage three of the operation will involve mine rescue experts flown in from northern Spain earlier this week digging out a 13-foot-long horizontal tunnel by hand from the point the drills reach to the 10-inch-wide borehole Julen is in.

The miners are expected to start their dig around 250ft down the new tunnel, the same depth as a blockage of sand, earth and rocks Julen is thought to be trapped in or under.

The rescue operation is now focusing on the constructing of a vertical tunnel running parallel to the borehole after work on a horizontal tunnel faced technical difficulties

A special capsule capable of supporting the weight of two people and oxygen equipment has been created so Julen can be brought out alive if he survives what is set to be at least seven days underground.

Police and private sector experts involved in the extraordinary operation say they are still clinging to the hope the youngster is surviving in an air pocket with water and they can pull off what would undoubtedly be one of the most spectacular rescues of all time.

Thousands of well-wishers from around the world have also lent their support by posting pictures of their hands on social media alongside the hashtag: 'MimanoaJulen' which in English translates literally as 'MyHandtoJulen' and messages of encouragement.

A massive rescue operation is underway in a race to reach the two-year-old boy, who has been missing for five days

Julen's devastated parents Jose Rosello and Vicky Garcia, 29, are now staying at a house lent to them by a Good Samaritan after being asked to leave the hillside where they spent most of the past five days for their own safety.

The property is near the town of Totalan and close to the scene of the ongoing operation a half-hour drive north east of the Costa del Sol capital of Malaga where the couple are from.

The massive rescue operation swung into motion last Sunday afternoon after Julen plunged down a tiny 350ft borehole as his dad prepared a lunchtime paella on family-owned land.

Engineer Angel Garcia, in charge of the rescue operation, talks to the press about the building of a vertical tunnel to reach toddler Julen Rosello

The hole was made by a prospector at the request of Jose's cousin's boyfriend to search for water.

The prospector has told police he complied with the law by sealing the hole after it was made but Julen's family say it had simply been covered with stones that weren't properly laid.

Recalling the moment he realised Julen had disappeared down the borehole as he prepared lunch with friends and relatives including a cousin, Jose told a Spanish TV programme earlier this week: 'I was putting some more wood on for the fire and ran towards him.

This is the first footage of the inside of the 240ft stretch of tunnel separating rescuers from the two-year-old boy

'My cousin was a bit nearer and threw herself on the ground as I reached the orifice.

'He had already gone. I heard him cry at first but then I didn't hear him cry anymore.' In an interview with Malaga-based paper Sur he added: 'My wife went to phone into work to let them know she wasn't going.

'She was with Julen and asked me to keep an eye on him as she made the call. He was only a few feet away.

'I went to get a couple of logs for the fire for the paella and he began to run.

'We saw how he fell down the hole, my cousin more than me because she was closer.' Julen's brother Oliver died aged three two years ago after suffering a heart attack thought to be linked to a congenital heart defect.

The boys' gran Reme Garcia has been asking Oliver to protect his little brother from Heaven in heart-wrenching messages posted on social media.

Angel Garcia, the engineer leading the search and rescue teams who is updating journalists on progress every day from the scene, told reporters yesterday/on Friday: 'Right now it's as if Julen was the child of us all.

'If your child was there you'd do everything you could to look for him, wouldn't you!! Well, we're doing everything we can too.'
A Native American veteran who was surrounded and taunted by Kentucky students wearing Make America Great Again hats at a rally in Washington D.C. said he wanted to escape as 'things were getting ugly.'

Nathan Phillips, 64, was singing the American Indian Movement song of unity near Friday's March for Life when he was surrounded by the teens who he claimed were chanting 'build that wall, build that wall'.

Footage of the encounter subsequently went viral, with many condemning the boys' actions.

Philips said he felt threatened by the teens and that they suddenly swarmed around him as he and other activists were wrapping up the march and preparing to leave the Lincoln Memorial.

Kentucky students wearing MAGA hats appeared to mock a Native American man and wouldn't let him move forward

Nathan Philips (pictured) said he felt intimated and shaken after encountering the youths who appeared angry and wouldn't let him pass through

Philips said he saw only angry faces around him and knew that he was in a dangerous situation

He told told The Washington Post: 'It was getting ugly, and I was thinking: "Ive got to find myself an exit out of this situation and finish my song at the Lincoln Memorial."

'I started going that way, and that guy in the hat stood in my way and we were at an impasse. He just blocked my way and wouldnt allow me to retreat.'

Phillips said he noticed tensions beginning to escalate when the teens and other apparent participants from the nearby March for Life rally began taunting the dispersing indigenous crowd.

A few people in the March for Life crowd began to chant 'Build that wall, build that wall,' he said.

Philips said he kept singing and thinking about his wife, Shoshana, who died of bone marrow cancer nearly four years ago, and the various threats that face indigenous communities.

He said he was left shaken by the incident on Friday. He added: 'I'm still trying to process what happened. Im feeling a little bit overwhelmed.'

He said he hopes the teens will find a lesson in all of the negative attention generated by the videos.

'That energy could be turned into feeding the people, cleaning up our communities and figuring out what else we can do.

The Indigenous Peoples March in Washington on Friday coincided with the March for Life, which drew thousands of anti-abortion protesters

A number of the students in the footage were wearing Make America Great Again hats

Some of the students were also wearing clothing with Covington logos

Nathan Phillips, the man in the video, said he heard people chanting 'build that wall'

Phillips, an Omaha tribe elder who fought in the Vietnam War and now lives in Michigan, has long been active in the indigenous rights movement.

'My job has always been taking care of the fire, to keep the prayers going,' Phillips said.

Philips said he saw only angry faces around him and knew that he was in a dangerous situation.

He told CNN: 'All of a sudden all of that anger and wanting to have the freedom to rip me apart. That was scary.

'This young fella put himself in front of me and wouldn't move. If I took another step I would be putting myself into his space.'

The boys in the video were identified as high school students visiting from Kentucky.

A student from the school who was with the group claimed it was Philips who approached the students for a 'publicity stunt'. He said Philips had a history of 'claiming racial harassment.'

Philips said he felt threatened by the teens and that they suddenly swarmed around him as he and other activists were wrapping up the march and preparing to leave

In a letter posted on Twitter by a priest named Fr. Jim Sichko, the unnamed student said that his friend who came face-to-face with Philips as Philips stood singing and beating his drum, now faces expulsion for 'a crime he didn't commit.'

He claimed his school attends the March for Life rally in D.C. every year and they had been asked to meet at the Lincoln Memorial at 5.30pm.

Covington Catholic High and the Diocese of Covington released a statement Saturday condemning the student's action.

It said: 'We condemn the actions of the Covington Catholic High School students towards Nathan Phillips specifically, and Native Americans in general, Jan. 18, after the March for Life, in Washington, D.C.,].

'We extend our deepest apologies to Mr. Phillips. This behavior is opposed to the Churchs teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person.

'The matter is being investigated and we will take appropriate action, up to and including expulsion.'

In a statement, the Indigenous Peoples Movement, which organized Fridays march, called the incident 'emblematic of our discourse in Trumps America.'

'It clearly demonstrates the validity of our concerns about the marginalization and disrespect of Indigenous peoples, and it shows that traditional knowledge is being ignored by those who should listen most closely,' Darren Thompson, an organizer for the group, said.

Congresswoman Deb Haaland tweeted that the footage was 'heartbreaking'

After the incident Congresswoman Deb Haaland tweeted: 'This Veteran put his life on the line for our country.

'The students' display of blatant hate, disrespect, and intolerance is a signal of how common decency has decayed under this administration. Heartbreaking.'

State Rep. Ruth Buffalo, a North Dakota state lawmaker and member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, said she was saddened to see students showing disrespect to an elder at what was supposed to be a celebration of all cultures.

'The behavior shown in that video is just a snapshot of what indigenous people have faced and are continuing to face,' Buffalo said.

She said she hoped it would lead to some kind of meeting with the students to provide education on issues facing Native Americans.
Eight UN peacekeepers have been killed in an attack on their base in northern Mali.

The assault was launched early Sunday at the Aguelhok base 125 miles north of Kidal, near the border with Algeria.

'According to a new toll, still provisional, at least eight peacekeepers have been killed,' a source from the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali said.

Mahamat Saleh Annadif, the UN's special representative for Mali, condemned the attack in a statement.

'Peacekeepers of the MINUSMA force at Aguelhok fought off a sophisticated attack by assailants who arrived on several armed vehicles,' he said.

The 'cowardly' attack, he added, 'illustrates the determination of the terrorists to sow chaos.

This is not the first time that peacekeepers from MINUSMA (United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali) have been targetted

'It demands a robust, immediate and concerted response from all forces to destroy the peril of terrorism in the Sahel.'

A diplomat in northern Mali told AFP that several of the attackers had also been killed.

The UN spokesman in Mali condemned what he described as a vile and cowardly attack and called for a 'robust' response.

An attack at the same base last April killed two peacekeepers and left several others wounded.

More than 13,000 peacekeepers are deployed in Mali as part of a UN mission that was established after Islamist militias seized northern Mali in 2012. They were pushed backed by French troops in 2013.

A peace agreement signed in 2015 by the Bamako government and armed groups was aimed at restoring stability to Mali following a brief Islamist takeover in the north.

But the accord has failed to stop violence by Islamist militants, who have also staged attacks in neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

Earlier this month, both France and the United States criticised the authorities in Mali for their failure to stem the worsening violence.

Map of Mali locating attack on UN peacekeepers

On January 16, France threatened to push for more targeted sanctions to be imposed on Mali after hearing a UN official report on worsening violence in the West African country.

And Washington renewed its warning that it would push for changes to the peacekeeping mission in Mali, possibly a major drawdown, if there was no progress.

In August, a panel of experts said in a report to the UN Security Council that inter-communal conflicts in the region were exacerbating existing tensions from clashes between jihadists groups and international and Malian forces.

On Sunday, France's Defence Minister Florence Parly told French radio that the G5 Sahel anti-jihadist force in the region was in the process of resuming operations.

They were suspended after an attack on their headquarters in mid 2018. The countries working in the G5 force comprise Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad.
Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump's personal attorney, said the president's only counsel to Michael Cohen in regards to his congressional testimony was 'tell the truth.'

Giuliani went on the Sunday morning public affairs show to slam a bombshell Buzzfeed report that claimed Trump ordered his then-personal attorney to lie to Congress about the extent of his involvement in the Moscow Trump Tower deal.

The former New York City mayor said he was '100 percent' confident that Trump never asked Cohen to lie.

Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump's personal attorney, said the president's only counsel to Michael Cohen in regards to his congressional testimony was 'tell the truth.'

Giuliani slammed Buzzfeed for its report President Trump ordered Cohen to lie

'Are you 100 percent confident that the president never once asked Michael Cohen to do anything but tell the truth to Congress?,' NBC's Chuck Todd asked Giuliani during his appearance on 'Meet the Press.'

'100 percent certain of that,' Giuliani replied.

'To answer your question, categorically, I can tell you his counsel to Michael Cohen throughout that entire period was, 'Tell the truth.' We thought he was telling the truth. I still believe he may have been telling the truth when he testified before Congress. But in any event, his lawyers thought that, our lawyers thought that and the president thought that at the time,' he added.

He made the same claim on CNN's 'State of the Union.'

'As far as I know, President Trump did not have discussions with him. Certainly no discussions with him in which he told him or counseled him to lie. If he had any discussions with him, they'd be about the version of the events that Michael Cohen gave them which they all believe was true,' he told CNN.

CNN's Jake Tapper challenged Giuliani about Trump discussing Cohen's testimony with him.

It's 'perfectly normal,' Giuliani said in response.

'So what if he talked to him,' he added.

But Giuliani also conceded conversations between Trump and Cohen about a Trump Tower Moscow happened through the 2016 election, which is a longer time period that originally claimed by the Trump team.

'It's our understanding that it, that they went on throughout 2016, not a lot of them, but there were conversations, can't be sure of the exact date, but the president can remember having conversations with him about it,' he said on 'Meet the Press.'

'Throughout 2016,' Todd clarified.

'Yeah. Probably up to, could be up to as far as October, November. Our answers cover until the election,' Giuliani responded. 'So anytime during that period they could have talked about it, but the president's recollection of it is the thing had petered out quite a bit. They sent a letter of intent in. They didn't even know where to send it, they knew so little about it. They finally got it straightened out and then they abandoned the project. And that's about as much as he can remember of it because remember, 2015, 2016, he's running against 16 people for president of the United States. And I know that, I was with him like for five months. All his concentration was 100% on running for president.'

Vice President Mike Pence said on 'Fox News Sunday' that the media is obsessed with attacking the president.

'I think what it says more about is the obsession of many in the national media to attack this president for any reason, for any allegation, for any report in the media,' Pence said.

Cohen, in November of last year, admitted he lied to Congress about how long conversations took place about building a Trump Tower Moscow. He previously said talks about the Moscow project ended in January 2016 but it was later revealed the conversations went up through at least June 2016, at which point Trump had locked up the GOP nomination.

Buzzfeed's report claims Trump 'ordered' Cohen to lie about the timeline.

'Two sources have told BuzzFeed News that Cohen also told the special counsel that after the election, the president personally instructed him to lie - by claiming that negotiations ended months earlier than they actually did - in order to obscure Trump's involvement,' the bombshell story claimed.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office, which has been tight-lipped about its investigation of Russia's role in the 2016 election and whether Trump's campaign colluded with Moscow, issued an extraordinary statement denying the bombshell report.

'BuzzFeed's description of specific statements to the Special Counsel's Office, and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohen's Congressional testimony are not accurate,' Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller's office, said.

Mueller's team rarely issues statements in response to news stories.

Giuliani praised Mueller's office for releasing a rare statement refuting the Buzzfeed story.

'To their credit, the Justice Department and the Special Counsel's Office said that the story was inaccurate. And the inaccuracy is that there's no evidence that the president told him to lie,' Giuliani said on NBC.

The former New York City mayor also went on the attack against the news outlet and said Buzzfeed should be sued. He also cautioned the media to be careful in its reporting on the special counsel's probe.

'They should be sued. They should be under investigation,' he told CNN's 'State of the Union' on Sunday.

'You've got a hysteria in the media that interprets everything against Donald Trump,' he added. 'You all should be careful.'

'They bought a totally phony story,' he said of Buzzfeed.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office made the extraordinary move of issuing a statement refuting Buzzfeed's story

Michael Cohen, President Trump's former personal attorney, pled guilty to lying to Congress last year about the timeline involving talks of a Trump Tower Moscow

'They went with it because they are the same ones who published the Steele dossier when no one else would do it,' Giuliani added.

During the 2016 election, Buzzfeed published the unverified dossier written by former British spy Christopher Steele, that claimed Moscow had blackmail material on Trump.

Trump has repeatedly denied this.

The unverified 'Steele' dossier was compiled on behalf of Fusion GPS, which was the firm hired to conduct opposition research through a law firm that had done work for The Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton.

It was the dossier that claimed the Russians had information on Trump that could be used to blackmail him, including an allegation - which Trump has denied - that he hired 'a number of prostitutes to perform a 'golden showers' (urination) show in front of him' when he was in Moscow for the 2013 Miss Universe pageant.

Other media outlets had the dossier but held off on publishing due to their inability to verify its authenticity.

The president and the White House slammed Buzzfeed for its report.

Trump called it a 'disgrace.'

'I think that the BuzzFeed piece was a disgrace to our country. It was a disgrace to journalism, and I think also that the coverage by the mainstream media was disgraceful, and I think it's going to take a long time for the mainstream media to recover its credibility,' the president said Saturday. 'It's lost tremendous credibility. And believe me, that hurts me when I see that.'

Buzzfeed also reported Thursday night that the president and his oldest children Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. received regular updates about the development, even as Trump repeatedly claimed he had no business in Russia.

The report claims Trump also wanted to visit Russia during his presidential campaign to personally meet with Vladimir Putin and launch talks about building the tower, which he hoped could make him $300 million in profits.

'Make it happen,' the unnamed sources claim Trump told Cohen about the meeting.

Giuliani slammed Buzzfeed for its report President Trump ordered Cohen to lie: 'They should be sued. They should be under investigation,' he told CNN

Giuliani told NBC he was '100 percent certain' that Trump never asked Cohen to lie

Buzzfeed's Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith tweeted Friday after the release of the special counsel's statement: 'In response to the statement tonight from the Special Counsel's spokesman: We stand by our reporting and the sources who informed it, and we urge the Special Counsel to make clear what he's disputing.'

Cohen pleaded guilty to lying to Congress in November, admitting he didn't tell the truth about the Moscow real estate deal's timeline. He testified that the project he pursued on Trump's behalf was abandoned by the time of the Iowa Caucuses in January 2016; that would be consistent with Trump's 'political messaging.'

Special Counsel Robert Mueller later filed documents revealing Cohen said he discussed the proposal with Trump on multiple occasions and with members of the president's family, later in the year  even after Trump became the Republican nominee for president.

Cohen said he lied out of loyalty to Trump.

'I made these misstatements to be consistent with Individual 1's political messaging and out of loyalty to Individual 1,' Cohen said at his plea hearing late last year.

'Individual 1' is Mueller's name for Trump in the investigation.

Cohen, who sources said was put in charge of the project, also acknowledged he considered traveling to Moscow to discuss the project.

Not long after the Buzzfeed report was published, a chorus of Democrats called for a congressional investigation.

'This stunning Trump Tower Moscow story establishes a clear case of Obstruction of Justice, a felony,' wrote California Rep Ted Lieu. 'I've lost count now how many times @realDonaldTrump has engaged in Obstruction of Justice.'

'Oh, fyi the first Article of Impeachment for Richard Nixon was Obstruction of Justice,' he added.

'If the @Buzzfeed story is true, President Trump must resign or be impeached,' declared Texas Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro, a member of the House Intelligence Committee.

Rep. Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said they will 'do what's necessary to find out if it's true'.

'The allegation that the President of the United States may have suborned perjury before our committee in an effort to curtail the investigation and cover up his business dealings with Russia is among the most serious to date,' he tweeted.
The message is loud and clear. China will do anything and everything possible to take on foreigners, to take China forward.



With the coming of 2019, there has begun a Beijing-directed media blitzkrieg in India: effective Friday, January 4, with the introduction of an English edition of China Daily Global Weekly. Imported in India for distribution by a Mumbai-based landline-numbered outfit (without a postal address), thereby starting a determined India-based publicity operations division of the 21st century government of the Communist Party of China. All for public (or publicity?) diplomacy! Is this the Clausewitz style of fighting? That war is the continuation of political intercourse by other means!

Is this the much-vaunted, indirect strategy of Chinas perception management? Through catchy words like people-to-people contacts, deftly deployed through a monopoly political partys compulsive mouthpiece? Is the China Daily Global Weekly intended to impress the gullible and naive and impressionable people of India and modify their opinion about China? As the vast majority of Indians, including the highly-educated and intellectuals par excellence, have simply either forgiven, or in their collective wisdom forgotten Chinas myriad shenanigans in South Asia!

Interestingly, only two countries, one of which is India, are in the imported list, the other one being Brunei. Besides the full-scale media centre in Hong Kong, New York, Nairobi and London, the Chinese daily is also being printed in Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, South Korea, South Africa, Spain and Turkey. Truly an operation of a multinational corporation, to spread the message of the aspiring superpower that now desires to enter the business of mind-setting, of friends and foes alike (maybe more foes, less friends)! The very first edition has set the tone and agenda. That Chinas time has come. Come what may, as a new form of global relations takes shape, thunders Wang Yi, the redoubtable state councillor and foreign minister, in the first edition of China Daily Global Weekly: 2019, marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China, is also crucial for meeting the first centenary goal... (of) ushering in a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

The message is there loud and clear. China will do anything and everything possible, or otherwise, to take on foreigners, to take China forward to fulfil its economic goals. The deeper integration of China and the world will be unstoppable, writes Wang. But who initiates and integrates whom? China or the world? What exactly does integration mean? Does China gobble up the small and the weak for the deeper integration with the world? Or do the weak and small submit to China to be integrated for their soul  physically, financially and politically? Like Xinjiang, Xizang, the South China Sea and the Sea of Japan, Jammu and Kashmir (Aksai Chin in the northeast and Gilgit-Baltistan in northwest) and the targeted Taiwan?

Wangs desire for shared benefits, and mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries, however, gets comprehensively diluted by the words: while firmly safeguarding our legitimate interests. It appears that legitimate is one-way traffic, applicable only to Chinese interests. By implication, all non-Chinese interests can be anything but legitimate.

Chinas mention of the United States, for a change, is marked with some deference, clearly owing to the ongoing bilateral trade dispute and discussion. In the 40th anniversary of our diplomatic relations with the US, we will advance China-US relations defined by coordination, cooperation and stability, and strive for no conflict, no-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation. Mark the words: China is seeking coordination and cooperation. Is this now an act of desperation? These words have been used twice in the 35-word sentence. China doesnt want confrontation and wants to win at all costs, it points out.

Interestingly, and not surprisingly, India simply doesnt figure in the Chinese scheme of things. Wang doesnt consider India even worth a footnote; being acutely aware of Indias perceived fear psychosis which refuses to go away. Chinas tricksters appear to be deeply embedded in the psyche of Indias ruling class. Paranoia and phobia over China just refuses to die down. Hence the words: We will strengthen practical cooperation with neighbouring countries and other developing countries to deepen our shared interests. India stands at par with other developing countries, and China seeks practical cooperation. That means most cooperation with neighbouring countries are impractical, and thus not feasible and not even worth looking at. Why doesnt then India join the Belt and Road Initiative  the signature project launched by Beijing supremo Xi Jinping? Why defy the new emperor of China, specially as China will host the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation this year?

The message becomes louder and sterner. We will approach hotspot issues in a Chinese way, and play our due role by proposing solutions to international and regional flashpoints to serve the well-being of people in the relevant regions. Approach hotspot issues in a Chinese way? All other ways, thus, are unacceptable, and to be thrown away, if not in tune with the Chinese way.

All these will be done in the relevant regions. What does relevant mean? Relevant for whom? For the region, the participants or the Chinese? Thats the Chinese puzzle. Especially for the neighbourhood of China wherein lies the maximum number of hotspots from Chinas point of view. And Chinese views and problems are actual views and real problems. The rest simply dont matter. See the hotspot issues in the relevant regions: Pakistan (terror); Sri Lanka (debt); Afghanistan (war); India (territory and trade); Nepal (conquest); Maldives (base). Myanmar (port); Bangladesh (funding); Asean (monopoly); Central Asia (resources); Japan (islands); Bhutan (penetration); Indian Ocean (command, control); Tibet (religion); Xinjiang (revolt); Taiwan (renegade); the United States (technology); Europe (markets); Africa (imperialism) and South America (backdoor entry).

But these need to be pre-addressed through the media with a global reach to tell the story of China. Thus, not too long ago, in the last week of November 2018, an eminent Indian journalist, earlier a China correspondent of a New Delhi-based journal, had this to say: China is buying good press across the world. A headline in the government-run China Dailys Beijing edition read: Visiting journalists give glowing report. Nothing unusual really where the state controls the media. But it was unusual because the journalists were from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Southeast Asia and Africa.

They were all part of a unique Chinese experiment that may be Beijings most successful and least-known attempt to better shape the world medias reporting on China. This initiative coincides with two major Chinese government objectives: the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013 and President Xis call in 2016 to tell Chinas story better to the world.

Chinas pincer media movement has begun to spread disinformation, misinformation, propaganda and wrong information  to create an impression, leading to perception management. One through the China Daily across the globe, and now in India. The second through money; buying the media from a foreign land. Can India counter this effectively? If not, let India be prepared to face a hostile and harmful situation created by the Han Chinese embedded deep inside Hindustan.

The writer is an alumnus of the National Defence College and the author of the recently-published book China in India. The views expressed here are personal.
The parents of two young children who became infected with measles during a trip to Sri Lanka earlier this month refused to vaccinate them.

The family returned to Australia this week, prompting urgent calls from health authorities for anyone who may have come into contact with them to be on the lookout for symptoms.

The family returned to Sydney from Sri Lanka on flight QF229 on January 11 via Singapore before catching the train from the airport to Meadowbank.

The parents of two young children who became infected with measles during a trip to Sri Lanka earlier this month refused to vaccinate the (stock image)

NSW Health was notified about the two children on Friday, bringing the total number of cases reported in Sydney in the last three weeks to eight.

World Health Organisation statistics reveal that about 110,000 children were killed by measles in 2017.

Australia has successfully eliminated live strains of the measles virus thanks to a thorough program of vaccinations, however, occasional cases do occur which are usually caught overseas.

'If you develop symptoms please call ahead to your GP so that you do not wait in the waiting room with other patients,' Dr Vicky Sheppeard, Director Communicable Diseases Branch told Sky News.

Currently measles outbreaks in popular tourist destinations mean the risk for catching the virus and importing it back into the country is high so tourists should ensure they are vaccinated, Dr Sheppeard said.

Measles symptoms include a fever, sore eyes, and a cough in the initial stages of the infection.

After a few days a blotchy and itchy red rash will appear on the face and this will quickly spread all over the body.

In NSW in 2017, about 95 per cent of all children aged five were vaccinated for measles, making it one of the highest vaccinations rates in the world.
A shopkeeper fed up with thieving locals has been captured on CCTV detaining a boy fleeing with a bottle of soft drink - moments before angry relatives trashed his business in retaliation.

The Iranian owner, 41, caught the nine-year-old shoplifting for the second time in two days and allegedly dragged him by the arm across the store.

He apparently tried to steal a bottle of Coke before the manager allegedly locked him in the storeroom as a 'citizen's arrest'.

He called police to the IGA in Kelmscott, Perth, on December 30 - but a group of the child's relatives arrived first.

CCTV video showed up to a dozen people attacking the owner, hurling rocks and goods, ripping stock off the shelves, and helping themselves to cigarettes (pictured)

CCTV video showed up to a dozen people attacking the owner, hurling rocks and goods, ripping stock off the shelves, and helping themselves to cigarettes.

The owner was punched in the head twice, while a worker was hit with debris and stunned customers got out of the way.

Meanwhile, the boy, who was only locked up for 7.5 minutes, cut his head, hand and arm trying to smash a window to escape the office.

His uncle previoulsy told Yahoo7 News: 'It's still upsetting the family, because this poor little kid here went to hospital, the ambulance took him to the hospital, he was bleeding from the head down.'

'Over one Coke, that's bad, doing that for one Coke,' he said.

The boy's mother told Daily Mail Australia he was dragged around the store and bashed against walls before being locked in the store room at the back.

The Iranian owner, 41, caught the nine-year-old shoplifting for the second time in two days and dragged him by the arm across the store

His cousins ran home to alert adults about what had happened.

The boy was eventually freed after his aunt rushed to the store and demanded he be allowed to leave.

He was later taken to hospital where his injury was treated. His mother said the boy has been left traumatised.

'He was crying. He's been wetting the bed, he never, ever wets the bed.'

The shopkeeper, who fled Iran 18 months ago for a better life, now stands charged with assault and deprivation of liberty.

Lawyer John Hammond said the owner would plead not guilty and argued that store owners need more power to deal with shoplifters.

The boy (pictured), 9, had been at the store in Perth's southwest with a couple of other children last weekend when the incident happened

He locked the boy in the office as a 'citizen's arrest' and called police to the IGA in Kelmscott, Perth, on December 30 - but a mob of the child's relatives arrived first

'My client's shop is getting regularly robbed, he's regularly copping tirades of abuse from customers and he's had enough,' he told 9 News.

The IGA owner's insurer also won't pay the more than $2,000 damage bill because of the pending charges.

A GoFundMe page to help pay for the manager's legal fees has raised just under $3,000.

None of the family members have been arrested or charged.

A spokeswoman for the supermarket refused to comment, saying it was now a matter for police.
Father Peter Conniffe (pictured), formerly priest at Our Lady of Dolours in Salford, wrote a grovelling letter to the victim claiming he had 'deep regret'

A priest who was awarded an OBE by the Queen has begged for forgiveness in a letter to a woman he had 'sexual activity' with when she was a teenager.

Father Peter Conniffe, formerly priest at Our Lady of Dolours in Salford, wrote a grovelling letter to the victim claiming he had 'deep regret'.

She claims Fr Conniffe's sexual behavior towards her lasted 10 years and had a devastating impact on her life causing 'flashbacks'.

But despite his apology, the woman, now in her 50s, says she still feels 'angry' about what happened.

Fr Conniffe was investigated by police after the woman - who met him after going to confession as a schoolgirl - made a complaint of historic sexual abuse.

The case was not pursued to criminal action, and Fr Conniffe denies 'any accusation of sexual assault'.

However, the woman has been compensated by the religious order he belongs to, the Servite Order.

In the letter Fr Conniffe, who was once honoured by the Queen, wrote asking for forgiveness 'for all and any sexual activity towards you which I may have thought consensual, but which has come to be deemed non-consensual and abusive'.

The letter begins: 'I write to acknowledge all that you have stated about my involvement in your life.

In the letter Fr Conniffe, who was once honoured by the Queen, wrote asking for forgiveness from the woman

'Please accept my sincere apologies and deep regret for any harm I have caused you. I ask your forgiveness and hope this apology will help to free you from the distress you have suffered because of my actions.'

Fr Conniffe goes on to apologise for his 'inappropriate involvement in your life' adding: 'You reported my involvement with you as an abuse of power, both by my forceful personality and as a senior person in a role of trust and responsibility.

'I ask for your forgiveness for this and for my failure to live up to the demanding requirements of a priest's consecration and service.'

Following an investigation by the Roman Catholic church, the priest has stepped down from duties at Our Lady's and from his role as chair of governors at St Philip's RC Primary School.

Fr Conniffe has now had his access restricted by the church's safeguarding body who recommend that he is not alone with 'children or vulnerable adults'

The woman, who has asked to remain anonymous, reported Fr Conniffe's conduct towards her as a teenager and young woman in the late 70s and 80s to the church.

She says she first came into contact with him when she was an 'impressionable' schoolgirl.

The woman, who has asked to remain anonymous, reported Fr Conniffe's conduct towards her as a teenager and young woman in the late 70s and 80s to the church

She said: 'He was very charismatic and personable. I was an impressionable teenager. I started going to see him for confession.

'I really looked up to him. I thought he was a really charismatic priest. You could talk to him really easily.'

She says Fr Conniffe's sexual behaviour towards her lasted for about 10 years and caused her to become 'very ill'.

She said: 'When I was in my early 30s I started having flashbacks'.

'I became quite ill. I don't know if it was a breakdown, but I was very, very ill. I was under mental health services and started having psychotherapy. It lasted for about four and a half years and it really helped - it kind of put it to bed.

'But then I started having flashbacks again and went back into counselling. That was the trigger [for reporting what had happened].

'I wrote to the church and said I was reporting something I should have reported years ago.'

Fr Paul Addison, the senior priest in the Servite Order, also wrote to the woman - to apologise for the ways she 'had been wronged in sexual behaviour towards you as a teenager and young adult'.

He said Fr Conniffe 'crossed boundaries continually in ways that are deemed seriously unacceptable'.

'I have no difficulty stating that this is something that should never have happened by an adult in a position of responsibility', Father Addison added.

Following the woman's complaint to church the matter was referred to Greater Manchester Police.

That triggered a year-long investigation, before it was concluded that the case didn't meet the threshold for prosecution.

The woman then instructed law firm Slater and Gordon to begin a civil action against the church. In December she agreed an out-of-court settlement.

She's now released the letters at the centre of the case because she wants to make sure 'no-one else is put at risk'.

She said: 'I feel that he's got away with it. He has duped so many people for so many years.

'He is looked up to, but he has led this awful life that has affected my life.

'I still go to church but I'm finding it more and more difficult.

'I just feel totally cynical about the church. It has not caused me to question my faith, but it's certainly caused me to question my faith in the Catholic church.

'I do not want revenge, but I feel the parish should know.

'It's in the public interest that this is made public so no-one else is put at risk. I also want transparency and honesty from the church.

'I am a strong person and I have always been determined that I am not going to let this win. I think I just became totally determined to see it through - and that's what I'm doing.

'It was never about money - it was about acknowledgement.'

Fr Peter Conniffe was awarded an OBE in 1999 for services to housing. He served for around 40 years, until late last year when the Catholic church's Westminster Safeguarding Service concluded its investigation.

When the local paper visited the church priory they were told Fr Conniffe was on 'sabbatical' and no longer lives there.

It is understood he's not been carrying out duties at the church since October 2018 and also stood down from his role on the school governing body at the same time.

The Westminster Safeguarding Service made number of recommendations.

A letter outlining the recommendations, states the church must 'take whatever action is necessary to restrict any future ministry undertaken by Fr PC such that he does not have unsupervised access to children or vulnerable adults'.

The letter, dated October 19, 2018, also recommends Fr Conniffe undertakes a 'specialist programme of therapeutic intervention' and is 'subject to a safeguarding plan'.

Fr Conniffe declined to comment, but the Servite Order issued a statement on his behalf.

A spokesperson said: 'There is no place for abuse of any kind in the church and the order takes all allegations seriously.

'When the allegations came to light, the order and Fr Conniffe cooperated fully with a GMP police investigation.

'No charges were brought following that investigation.

'The order and Fr Conniffe have offered sincere and unreserved apology for all failures in standards that caused any distress or trauma.

'Fr Conniffe rejects any accusation of sexual assault.

'The order has agreed a personal injury settlement and support package in this case.

'We regret any failure to live up to appropriate standards by our members, we always cooperate with the strict policies and norms for safeguarding now in force throughout the Catholic Church.'

Richard Scorer, a specialist abuse lawyer at law firm Slater and Gordon, said: 'This was an appalling abuse of position and power over a vulnerable young woman.

'This priest knew that his behaviour was utterly wrong and yet it continued for several years.

'His letter of apology fails to acknowledge the full extent of his actions and this only serves to show that he either won't or does not fully understand their seriousness and the impact on my client who has to live with what he has done to her for the rest of her life.'
A man is in custody after allegedly throwing a woman from a first floor balcony during a domestic incident.

Authorities rushed to a unit block on Morehead Street in Sydney's inner-city suburb Redfern about 9.25pm on Sunday.

The woman in her 30s was thrown from the balcony following a domestic incident with a 45-year-old man, police said.

Authorities rushed to a unit block on Morehead Street in Sydney's inner-city suburb Redfern about 9.25pm on Sunday

She was rushed to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in a stable condition with fractures.

A short while later police arrested a 45-year-old man in a unit in the same building.

He was taken to Redfern Police Station where he is currently assisting police with inquiries.

A crime scene has been established in the area.
President Donald Trump accused Democrats of playing presidential politics with their rejection of his offer to end the government shutdown and he attacked Speaker Nancy Pelosi of being too 'petrified' of the liberals in her party to make a deal.

The president indicated his upcoming reelection bid is on his mind Sunday morning with a series of early morning tweets attacking the left while reassuring his base that amnesty for illegals is not on the table.

'Nancy Pelosi and some of the Democrats turned down my offer yesterday before I even got up to speak. They don't see crime & drugs, they only see 2020 - which they are not going to win. Best economy! They should do the right thing for the Country & allow people to go back to work,' he wrote.

President Trump slammed Democrats for rejecting his plan to end the government shutdown in a series of Sunday tweets that jabbed at liberals while reassuring his conservative base

Trump accused Speaker Nancy Pelosi, seen here walking in the Women's March in San Francisco, of being too 'petrified' of the liberals in her party to make a deal

Trump indicated his reelection bid was on his mind in his series of early morning tweets

He also pushed back against conservatives who complained his deal gave illegal immigrants a get-out-of-jail free card.

'No, Amnesty is not a part of my offer. It is a 3 year extension of DACA. Amnesty will be used only on a much bigger deal, whether on immigration or something else. Likewise there will be no big push to remove the 11,000,000 plus people who are here illegally-but be careful Nancy!,' he added.

And he got in one last jab at Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the city she represents - San Francisco, a symbol of liberalism.

'Nancy Pelosi has behaved so irrationally & has gone so far to the left that she has now officially become a Radical Democrat. She is so petrified of the 'lefties' in her party that she has lost control...And by the way, clean up the streets in San Francisco, they are disgusting!,' he wrote.

Democratic congressional leaders on Saturday dismissed Trump's offer even before he made his remarks at the White House, rejecting it based off news reports' of what he was going to propose to end the 30-day partial government shutdown.

'Democrats were hopeful that the President was finally willing to re-open government and proceed with a much-needed discussion to protect the border,' Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement.

She claimed Trump's offer is a 'non-starter' that would not pass the House.

'This proposal does not include the permanent solution for the Dreamers and TPS recipients that our country needs and supports,' she added.

House Democrats plan to offer a set of six appropriation bills next week to fund the government.

Trump, meanwhile, also took fire from his right flank, which complained his deal offered amnesty for illegals.

'Trump proposes amnesty. We voted for Trump and got Jeb!,' conservative author Ann Coulter complained on Twitter Saturday.

'100 miles of border wall in exchange for amnestying millions of illegals. So if we grant citizenship to a BILLION foreigners, maybe we can finally get a full border wall,' she added.

Trump billed his 13-minute speech Saturday as a major step forward in ending the four-week-old government shutdown but that depends on how Democrats in Congress interpret it

TRUMP'S IMMIGRATION OFFER The president offered Democrats in Congress an immigration reform package on January 19, including some items from their wish-list. In exchange, he wants money to continue construction of a border wall that he has promised consistently since early 2015. The White House's proposal includes: $5.7 billion for a 'steel barrier system' along the U.S.-Mexico border

a three-year deportation reprieve for DACA recipients

a three-year extension of Temporary Protected Status for more than 300,000 people whose nations experienced disasters and war

$805 million for new technology, scanners, training, dogs and related staff to detect narcotics and guns

$800 million for humanitarian assistance and temporary housing

$782 million to hire 2,750 new border agents and other personnel

$563 million for immigration courts including 75 new 'immigration judge teams' Advertisement

James Carafano, a national security expert at the Trump-supporting Heritage Foundation, said in a statement Saturday, that Trump 'should be applauded' for pursuing an end to the government shutdown and better border security.

'However, including amnesty in the new proposal is not the way to do it. Amnesty encourages further illegal immigration, incentivizes the tragedy of human trafficking, and undermines our citizens' confidence in the rule of law,' he argued.

It was the complaints of Coulter, Rush Limbaugh and other prominent voices on the right that prompted Trump's demand for full funding for his border wall in any appropriations bill funding the government.

Democrats rejected that request leading to the partial government shutdown that began on Dec. 22.

Trump spent much of Sunday morning tweeting about his wall, the deal he offered Democrats, and claimed Hispanics support his work.

'Dont forget, we are building and renovating big sections of Wall right now. Moving quickly, and will cost far less than previous politicians thought possible. Building, after all, is what I do best, even when money is not readily available!,' he wrote.

'Wow, just heard that my poll numbers with Hispanics has gone up 19%, to 50%. That is because they know the Border issue better than anyone, and they want Security, which can only be gotten with a Wall,' he noted.

An NPR/PBS/Marist poll in January showed the president with a 50 percent approval rate among Latinos.

Negotiations are now stuck between the $5.7 billion Trump wants and the $1.3 billion Democrats have offered for border security.

Trump spent much of Sunday morning tweeting about his wall, the deal he offered Democrats, and claimed Hispanics support his work

Trump outlined a plan to end the government shutdown on Saturday, offering congressional Democrats three years of legislative relief for 700,000 DACA recipients  including protection from deportation  and an extension of legal residence for people living in the country under 'Temporary Protective Status' designations.

'It is time to reclaim our future from the extreme voices,' he said of liberals he's been haranguing for months over their alleged support for open borders. ''The radical left can never control our borders,' he later said.

In a slap at Pelosi, he declared: 'Walls are not immoral. In fact, they are the opposite of immoral.'

Trump said his compromise will provide the 'best chance in a very long time at real bipartisan immigration reform' in the U.S. Congress.

The president also offered $800 million in urgent humanitarian assistance and 75 new immigration teams to reduce the court backlog of 900,000 cases, which he called an 'impossible nightmare' in his late-afternoon remarks.

DACA refers to the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which offered a no-deportation guarantee to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants whose parents brought them into the U.S. as minors.

TPS is a Justice Department program that grants residency and work permits to people from 10 countries affected by natural disasters or brutal armed conflicts. They include El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, Syria, Sudan, South Sudan and Yemen.

The Trump administration moved last year to end TPS status for Salvadorans and Hondurans, ending two decades of protected status. Both groups would gain extensions under the proposal the White House offered Saturday.

Salvadorans comprise the largest group, more than 268,000. Hondurans were offered the programs benefits after Hurricane Mitch struck the Central American country in 1998. Protection for Haitians is scheduled to end later this year.

Vice President Mike Pence told reporters on Saturday that the president is not offering 'amnesty' to TPS recipients or Dreamers, because their protections will end in three years, as liberals opposing the plan have complained.

'This is not an amnesty bill,' the former Indiana lawmaker said.
A woman trying to sell a Gucci belt online to pay her bills fell victim to scammers

A woman has suffered horrific injuries after the skin on her feet, legs and arms was ripped off during a Gumtree sale that went horribly wrong.

Alex, 22, fell victim to two teenage scammers who attempted to rob her after she posted a Gucci belt for sale online.

The thieves arrived at her house in Coolbellup, a suburb of Perth, at 7.30pm on Saturday night, but had no intention of giving Ms Elliot the $290 she asked for.

Her feet were shredded by the gravel and she suffered severe wounds on her legs and arms. She was hospitalised for two days following the ordeal

Alex (pictured), 22, fell victim to two teenage scammers who attempted to rob her after she posted a Gucci belt for sale online

Alex let the scammers into her house, but a neighbour's security cameras captured the pair fleeing the property with the Gucci belt in hand 10 minutes later.

One of the thieves was chased into a nearby park by her boyfriend David. According to police, the boy was just 15-years-old, Perth Now reported.

The other thief jumped into the getaway car as Alex grabbed onto the vehicle in an attempt to stop him driving away with the belt.

However, the young man continued to drive, catching Alex's feet underneath the vehicle.

He continued to drive for an excruciating 250m with Alex hanging from the side of the car.

In video footage, she can be seen clinging on for dear life as the driver tries to shake her off by swerving and mounting kerbs.

A woman has suffered horrific injuries after the skin on her feet, legs and arms was ripped off during a Gumtree sale that went horribly wrong (pictured)

He continued to drive for an excruciating 250m with Alex hanging from the side of the car (pictured)

Her feet were shredded by the gravel and she suffered severe wounds to her legs and arms. She was hospitalised for two days following the ordeal.

'I heard a bang and her screaming and I knew then something bad had happened,' witness Tianna said.

'I had to call the police and get an ambulance here as quick as I could.'

According to police, the incident was one of five similar crimes across Perth between 3pm and 7pm.

All of the incidents involved men arriving at properties to buy items advertised on Gumtree, before making off with the stolen items without paying.

Authorities are now investigating whether the incidents are linked.

The getaway driver remains at large and police are warning Gumtree users to meet buyers in public places and not to give out private addresses.

Alex has since set up a GoFundMe page, saying: 'I was trying to sell my Gucci belt to pay for bills but now I'm in hospital unable to work.'

She added the ordeal has left her with an extra ambulance bill to pay.
Advertisement

The remains of six unknown Jews, including a child, murdered in Auschwitz-Birkenau during the Holocaust were finally buried at a Jewish cemetery today after spending decades in a museum archive.

London's Imperial War Museum (IWM) made the decision to return them to the Jewish community after deciding it was 'no longer right' to hold them after they were sent by an anonymous donor 22 years ago.

The museum initially declined the remains, believed to have been collected by a Holocaust survivor, but the mysterious collector sent them anyway.

The hoards of survivors, around 50 of the 1,200 people in attendance, and well-wishers came off the back of an appeal for people to attend the service of the unknown people in the first public funeral for Shoah victims in Britain.

A pathologist surveyed the bones and ash in 2005 but was unable to identify any of them, or their gender.

Coffin with remains of six unknown Jews murdered at Auschwitz, is buried at United Synagogue's New Cemetery in Bushey

The ashes and bone fragments were buried at the United Synagogue's New Cemetery in Bushey, Hertfordshire, at 11am after a symbolic service.

'We don't know who you are, we don't know if you're male or female, we don't know which country you're from, but one thing we do know; you were a Jewish and brutally murdered,' Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis began by saying.

'You were let down badly at the time and now your remains have somehow come to the UK. And we have the opportunity of granting you the dignity and honour of a funeral service.'

IWM houses facilities to store human tissue which it is legally able to do, and said it 'cared' for the six people for the last 22 years.

They were originally sent to IWM from Auschwitz in 1997 with a number of other items relating to the Holocaust.

The museum had the ashes scientifically examined and discovered they were those of five adults and a child.

'Something like this is very unusual for us,' said James Bulgin from the IWM.

'It's not something we'd choose to hold here, it's not something we'd ever choose to display, we wouldn't use it for research, so there's no reason to hold it indefinitely. But the decision, to know what was the right thing to do, was very difficult.

'We have no idea who these people were, but they were human beings with hopes and dreams and lives of their own and what happened to them was nothing to do with them, they had no control over it.

A group of survivors of the Holocaust throw earth onto the coffin with the remains of six unknown Jews murdered at Auschwitz

'The least we can do is afford them the utmost dignity and respect that they were never given in life.'

They were buried in a coffin with earth from Israel. Rabbi Mirvis, who ran prayers at the service, said the symbolism of the remains was enormous.

'We find exceptional poignancy in the fact that there are six souls that we are burying,' he said.

'Each one stands for one million souls who perished. And interestingly enough there were just under five million who were adults and just over one million who were children.'

The group of survivors of the Holocaust wheel a covered coffin with the remains of six unknown Jews murdered at Auschwitz

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis added: 'There were six million individuals who were so brutally murdered and not accorded the dignity of a funeral.'

The war museum contacted the office of the Chief Rabbi and Auschwitz Museum for their advice at the end of last year on what to do with the remains before it was decided that the Jewish community would provide a 'dignified and appropriate Jewish burial,' according to Michael Goldstein, President of the United Synagogue.

The remains of five adults and a child will be laid to rest after decades in the Imperial War Museum's archives

After a stocktaking of its Holocaust material last year, the museum decided that the ash remains should be returned to the Jewish community

He added: 'I have officiated at so many funerals. Did I ever imagine that the day would come on which I'd officiate at a funeral of victims of the Holocaust? No, never.

'After all, it's about 75 years have passed. They were stripped of their dignity, both in life and in death. And we will now have an opportunity to accord them appropriate dignity with a funeral.'

Speaking of the rise of anti-Semitism in recent years in both the UK and around the world, Mr Mirvis said: 'The souls of those whom we're burying are crying out to us and everybody around the world - please remember what happened to us at a time when not only did people mercilessly murder us but the world turned their back on us.

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, who conducted the service, said in an interview with BBC Radio 4: 'There hasn't before been a funeral in the UK of victims of the Holocaust'

'And therefore where anti-Semitism is flourishing, it has to be checked and combated.'

The news comes atfer Prince of Wales sening his 'most heartfelt condolences' to the Jewish community ahead of the burial.

In a letter to the Chief Rabbi seen by The JC, Prince Charles said: 'As patron of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, I just wanted to write and say how moved I was to hear about the arrangements being made to provide dignified and final rest to six victims of the Holocaust.

'It appears that, tragically, we will never know their names, the family and community who nurtured them, nor the kind of lives they lived before their imprisonment and murder.

'Yet we can say with certainty, that, along with millions of other victims of the Shoah, they were denied their very humanity.'

A wider Holocaust memorial will be built around the grave site.
Dr Jane Barton (pictured) was blamed for prescribing painkillers which shortened the lives of 450 people at a Hampshire hospital

The doctor at the centre of the Hampshire hospital scandal should be prosecuted after she was linked to hundreds of deaths, a retired police officer has said.

Dr Jane Barton has faced calls for criminal charges after an inquiry blamed her for prescribing opioid painkillers which shortened the lives of 450 people.

Ex-Assistant Chief Constable Steve Watts, who investigated some of the deaths at Gosport War Memorial Hospital, said there was enough evidence to bring a prosecution.

Mr Watts led an inquiry into Gosport deaths in 2002, which did not lead to any charges, but a new police probe could launch a prosecution.

Speaking to the BBC's Panorama programme he said there was an 'overriding public interest' in taking the case to court.

He said: 'I recall talking to the prosecutors and saying that this will end up in a public inquiry and eventually I think the matter will go before a court.

'I think it's strong enough now, I think it was strong enough then, and I think there was an overriding public interest in doing so.'

Dr Barton's prescriptions earned her the nickname 'Dr Opiate' but she has denied any wrongdoing. She reportedly declined to comment on the latest claims.

In the programme on Monday night nurses will say they 'got to the stage that every time Dr Barton came to the annexe, I would think to myself who's going to die now?'.

Patients appeared to be receiving opioids even when they were not in pain, nurses recalled.

Mr Watts led an inquiry into the deaths in 2002 but no charges were brought at the time.

The later Gosport Independent Panel investigation, led by the Bishop of Liverpool, said there was a 'disregard for human life and a culture of shortening lives of a large number of patients' at the hospital.

A new police probe is being led by Nick Downing but it has not yet been announced whether any charges will be brought.

The panel found that, over a 12-year period as clinical assistant, Dr Barton was 'responsible for the practice of prescribing which prevailed on the wards'.

Dr Barton's prescriptions at Gosport War Memorial Hospital in Hampshire (pictured) earned her the nickname 'Dr Opiate' but she has denied any wrongdoing

'The lives of over 450 people were shortened as a direct result of the pattern of prescribing and administering opioids that had become the norm at the hospital,' the report said.

In 2010, the GMC ruled that Dr Barton, who has since retired, was guilty of multiple instances of professional misconduct relating to 12 patients who died at the hospital.

The inquiry, led by the former bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Rev James Jones, did not ascribe criminal or civil liability for the deaths.

In a statement last year Dr Barton's family said: 'Jane would like to thank her family, friends, colleagues, former patients and many others for their continued support and loyalty through this protracted inquiry.

'She has always maintained that she was a hard working doctor doing her best for her patients in a very inadequately resourced part of the health service.

'We ask that our privacy is respected at this difficult time, she will be making no comment.'
More than 450 men were given free bionic penises by the NHS last year when they failed to respond to Viagra.

Many of the 458 men who received the 8,000 surgery were cancer survivors and patients with type 1 diabetes who had been affected by their illnesses.

The average age of recipients in 2017/18 was 57, with around 70 patients in their 30s and 40s having the operation, reports the Sun.

Dr Geoff Hackett, former president of the British Society of Sexual Medicine, said: 'The penile prostheses work quite well. Most men are pretty pleased with the results.'

Many of the 458 men who received the 8,000 surgery were cancer survivors and patients with type 1 diabetes who had been affected by their illnesses (file picture)

He added that many of the men given the bionic penis had tried other remedies and this was their last treatment to try.

Penile prosthesis implantation involves the surgical insertion of a rod or cylinder inside the penis.

This can be a malleable rod or an inflatable hydraulic system which can allow the penis to become rigid.

A prosthesis is a final treatment option for end stage erectile dysfunction.

NHS England estimate 1 in 10 men in the UK has a problem related to having sex.

An NHS spokesman told the Sun: 'Ministers have agreed that from April, NHS England should commission the surgery as it is clinically efficient.'

At the moment the operation is only available in some commissioning groups.

In June Andrew Wardle successfully underwent the final stage of a 50,000 penile implant operation at University College Hospital London.

Doctors told Andrew, 46, he must wait six weeks before having sex with his long-term girlfriend Fedra Fabian.

Andrew Wardle, 46, pictured on a trip to Amsterdam with his girlfriend Fedra Fabian, had a penile implant operation at University College Hospital London in June

A diagram shows how Andrew underwent the third stage of his 50,000 phalloplasty  or penile implant  at University College London's Hospital in June this year

Surgeons in London used skin from Andrew's arm and took nerves from his back and other places in his body to give his bionic penis sensation.

He had a 'three-week erection' after the surgery was finally completed, so all the new skin could be properly stretched.

Andrew, from Manchester was born with bladder exstrophy, a rare birth defect that means the organ formed on the outside of his body.

Although he has one testicle, the one-in-20-million condition meant Andrew was born without a penis.
Gilberto Mercedes, 42 (pictured), an off-duty NYPD officer stationed in The Bronx was arrested for allegedly trying to sell a bag of pot for $25 - to whom is unclear - and a bottle of vodka to an NYPD informant who is 19 years old

An off-duty New York City police officer has been arrested for allegedly trying to sell marijuana.

Police say Gilberto Mercedes, 42, was taken into custody at The Neighborhood Liquor Store in Brooklyn around 5.30pm on Friday for trying to sell a bag of pot for $25, reported the New York Post.

It is currently unclear to whom he was trying to sell the cannabis.

The officer also allegedly tried to sell a bottle of vodka to an NYPD informant who is 19 years old.

Mercedes, who works for the 48th Precinct in The Bronx, was charged with criminal sale and possession of marijuana, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal possession of a weapon.

Authorities say they found a firearm with its serial number scratched off behind the counter, reported the New York Daily News.

Records from Empire Center show Mercedes made $116,904 with the police department last year.

According to the Post, he has been suspended without pay.

Mercedes was arraigned on Saturday at Kings Criminal Court in The Bronx.

His attorney, Patrick Brackley, says his client does own or work at The Neighborhood Liquor store and that he didn't know about the firearm.

Mercedes was charged with criminal sale and possession of marijuana, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal possession of a weapon. Pictured: The Neighborhood Liquor Store in Brooklyn

'[The gun] was not his weapon and he had no knowledge of its presence,' Brackley said, according to the Post and Daily News.

Judge James McCormack ordered Mercedes' bond to be set at $10,000. The officer is next scheduled to appear in court on Thursday, January 24.

Mercedes's father, Cruz Mercedes, insisted to the New York Post that the charges were false.

'It's shocking,' he told the newspaper through a Spanish translator. 'He is not guilty. They have to let him go free. He wouldn't do such a thing.'

The father also told the Post that his son is divorced, lives in The Bronx and has three children.

'He is a calm kid. Everybody on the block likes, everybody gets along with him. He is a good kid,' Cruz said.
The 82-year-old pope will use the major event on the Catholic calendar to address the problems of poverty, corruption and migration.

Vatican City: Pope Francis will make his first trip to Panama on Wednesday for a gathering of more than 150,000 young Catholics from across the globe at the World Youth Day festival.

The 82-year-old pope will use the major event on the Catholic calendar to address the problems of poverty, corruption and migration in his native Latin America, church officials said.

"Our youth, particularly in Central America, need opportunities," said Panama Archbishop Jose Domingo Ulloa. Often, their "hard reality" was a choice between emigration or "falling into the clutches of drug traffickers," said Ulloa, in Rome for a preparatory visit.

It will be Francis' third World Youth Day event, having presided over the gathering in Rio de Janeiro shortly after his election as pope in 2013 and again in Krakow, Poland in 2016. In Poland, he challenged conservative governments in Central and Eastern Europe to soften their resistance to migrants seeking refuge from conflict in the Middle East.

In a similar way, he is expected in Panama to stand up for migrants from El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras who make up the majority of those traveling in caravans to the US border, despite the opposition of President Donald Trump and the American right.

"Many of the young people who are participating in the WYD are immigrants themselves," Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti said. Hundreds of thousands of Central Americans cross the border into Mexico every year, heading north in search of a better life.

Millions more have fled economic collapse and political repression in Venezuela, straining social services in neighboring countries.

"The recent image of migrant caravans from Central America, with all their suffering, will be very much in mind," said Ulloa. In an advance message to the event, Francis said many young people, both believers and non-believers, had "a strength that can change the world."

On Friday, he said in a separate video message to the World Indigenous Youth gathering in Soloy, Panama, to hold on to their cultures and roots by fighting marginalization, exclusion, waste and impoverishment.

"Return to native cultures. Take care of the roots, because from the roots comes the strength that will make you grow, prosper and bear fruit," he told hundreds of young indigenous Catholics who will join the WYD gathering next week.

Fighting poverty will be a key theme. Extreme poverty in Latin America hit its highest level for nine years in 2017, according to a report by the UN's Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. It said more than 10 percent of Latin Americans -- 62 million people -- were living in "extreme poverty." The Argentine pontiff lands in Panama on Wednesday after a 13-hour flight from Rome to begin his seventh trip to his native Latin America.

"The pope wants to get closer to young people, to those who are suffering, to send a message of hope," said Gisotti. His last visit to the region, to Peru and Chile a year ago, was overshadowed by protests over the cover-up by church authorities of pedophile priests.

"It's a subject which is generating a lot of attention in the church," said Gisotti, who said the pope had "no plans to meet with victims" during his visit to Panama. The pope will break away from the celebrations on Friday to visit a juvenile detention center in Pacora, outside Panama City. It was Francis' personal wish to do the side visit, the spokesman said.

"That's something that came from the pope's heart," according to Gisotti. He will also visit a center for young people with AIDS on the last day of his trip. It is the first time Francis has visited Panama as pope, in what will be the 26th trip of his papacy, taking in 40 countries. John Paul II visited the tiny Central American country for a day during a regional tour in 1983.
The boyfriend of a Texas mother found shot dead with her two daughters has been unfairly named a person of interest by authorities, according to his lawyer.

Charles Wheeler, 31, claims he found the bodies of Nichol Olsen, 37, and her two daughters Alexa Montez, 16, and London Bribiescas, 10, when he returned to his $1million home in Anaqua Springs Ranch the morning of January 10.

The Bexar County Medical Examiner ruled the girls' deaths as murders but Nichol's as a suicide.

However, police have yet to accept that ruling, as Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar says the investigation is ongoing.

No suspects have been named, but Salazar says there are several persons of interest, including Wheeler.

The homeowner's attorney Mark Stevens condemned that label, calling it 'imprecise and misleading'.

'There is no definition in the law of a person of interest. It means absolutely nothing, Stevens told KTSA. 'It just serves to frankly, slander a name by innuendo.'

Charles Wheeler, 31, claims he found the bodies of his girlfriend Nichol Olsen (pictured together) and her two daughters shot dead when he returned to his home in Anaqua Springs Ranch, Texas, on the morning of January 10. Wheeler's attorney is speaking out against authorities who've named him a 'person of interest' despite the medical examiner's ruling Nichol killed herself

Olsen (left) and her daughters London Bribiescas, 10, and Alexa Montez, 16, (right) were living in Wheeler's $1million residence, where the shocking scene was discovered earlier this month

Stevens said he was surprised that investigators aren't accepting the medical examiner's ruling.

'That's pretty surprising because Ill bet the medical examiner knows a good deal more about that sort of thing than the sheriff does,' he said.

In earlier interviews, Salazar explained his department's position, saying: 'It would be irresponsible for us to rely solely upon what the M.E. says without some sort of other corroborating evidence.'

He added: 'We can't just say: "Oh, well then she must've been the one that did this to these two little girls." We still have to go out and find out who it was that killed these two young ladies.

No suspects have been formally named, but Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar says there are several persons of interest, including Wheeler (above)

'Our investigation may concur with the medical examiner,' the sheriff said. 'Or we may find something through the course of our investigation that may change that finding all together. At this point, it's just too early to tell.'

KTSA also asked Stevens where his client was at the time of the shootings, to which he responded: 'Im not going to tell you what his side of the story is because I dont want this case tried in the media. Unfortunately, thats already started.'

Authorities revealed last week that Wheeler and Olson fought on the night of her death, and that the 31-year-old spent the night at a relative's house out of town after the argument.

Friends of the couple have reportedly told investigators that theirs was 'not the happiest of relationships'.

Stevens has asked the public not to jump to conclusions and demonize his client, who he said did not commit the crime.

An aerial view of Wheeler's impressive home in Anaqua Springs Ranch is seen above

Authorities revealed last week that Wheeler and Olson fought the night before she was found dead and that he spent the night at a relative's house out of town after the argument

Stevens has asked the public not to jump to conclusions and demonize his client, who he said did not commit the crime and should not have been named as a person of interest

Explaining why investigators have not accepted the medical examiner's ruling, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar (above) said: 'It would be irresponsible for us to rely solely upon what the M.E. says without some sort of other corroborating evidence'

The police aren't the only ones questioning the medical examiner's ruling.

Olsen's ex-husband and the father to Alexa, Carlos Montez, spoke out last week, saying he knows that she would not have done anything to harm her two girls.

Carlos told Khou 11 that Olsen was a 'good mother' and she 'could not have done this'. He said he wants 'the truth to come out'.

'Even to this day, our relationship as ex-spouses was great,' he said. 'We never fought or argued when it came to Alexa. I never doubted her choices as a mother. She always made great decisions.

'We all have our suspicions and what we suspect, but I'm not going to blatantly say what I think. But I can know and say Nichol could not have done this.

'The home she was living in, we just feel it wasn't a great place for our children to have been loved.'

Alexa's father Carlos Montez said Olsen would not have done anything to harm her two girls

Both girls were shot in the head and London, left, also sustained a wounded to the neck. Alexa, right, was a high school cheerleader and London was in the fifth grade

Friends of the mother-of-three told DailyMail.com: 'Nichol was a loving mother who cared deeply for her children. They were her entire world, and there was nothing she was more proud of than her kids.'

They have started a GoFundMe page called Searching For The Truth.

Before her marriage to Carlos, she was briefly married to James William Nobles. The pair have 22-year-old son together.

She did not marry London's father, Hector Bribiescas. He has not commented publicly since his daughter's death.

For confidential support call the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255
Sajid Javid faced renewed criticism over his handling of the migrant crisis yesterday after three more boats crossed the Channel.

At least 16 suspected migrants arrived in open dinghies  raising questions about how effective Britains response has been.

The Home Secretary declared the crossings a major incident last month after 139 migrants were caught over Christmas.

He vowed to escalate patrols in the Channel, which has the worlds busiest shipping lanes.

But last night there was still no sign of the two extra Border Force patrol boats he promised, three weeks after they were ordered back from the Mediterranean.

At least 16 suspected migrants arrived in open dinghies (pictured)  raising questions about how effective Britains response has been

The suspected migrants (pictured, left) are thought to have a child among their number and were dragged to Dover by Border Force officials (right)

Three more boats crossed the Channel (one pictured right) as Sajid Javid faced renewed criticism over his handling of the migrant crisis yesterday

Sajid Javid (pictured) faced renewed criticism over his handling of the migrant crisis yesterday after three more boats crossed the Channel

HMC Seeker remained docked in Gibraltar, and according to the ships locator beacon HMC Protector was in Malta.

Meanwhile plans for aerial surveillance were said to have been scrapped as unnecessary  leaving one Royal Navy ship and four civilian ships to patrol Britains coastline unaided.

Dover MP Charlie Elphicke said he would demand answers from Mr Javid during Home Office Questions in Parliament today. He said: The Home Secretary pledged to bring the two cutters that were cruising in the Mediterranean back to protect our borders.

They dont appear to have moved far and we need to know when they will be arriving in the English Channel.

This deflated dinghy was discovered in Folkestone, Kent, just 10 miles away from Dover this morning

The best way to stop these crossings would be for migrants and traffickers to know they wont succeed in entering the UK.

'Round-the-clock aerial surveillance would ensure the French authorities were alerted to any small craft leaving the French coast, so they can pick them up and return them safely to France.

There have been repeated warnings that deaths are inevitable if migrants continue to make the dangerous Channel crossing in small dinghies with low-powered engines.

Witnesses said the latest arrivals were suffering from the cold after seven hours at sea in sub-zero temperatures.

Border Force workers (right) brought the suspected migrants ashore and they can be seen here boarding the larger vessel (left)

David Warren, 71, invited six freezing and bedraggled men into his home in Kingsdown, near Dover, after spotting them on the beach next to an abandoned dinghy.

He said they spoke almost no English, appeared to be in their 30s, and waited in his house until Border Force officials arrived.

Other witnesses said a Border Force cutter could be seen in the distance as the men landed just after dawn, but failed to intercept them.

Local Harry Paice, who spotted the men on the beach, said: What a ludicrous situation that immigrants can speed across the Channel under the eyes of our patrol vessel.

We are totally at the mercy of the people smugglers. Its about time the Government got a grip.

The six men who landed at Kingsdown later told Border Force officials they were Iranian and Iraqi.

A second abandoned dinghy was found near Folkestone and two men went to the towns police station, saying they were from Iran.

Border Force intercepted a third boat after it was spotted by fishermen, and escorted it into Dover. Photographs showed eight people on board, including at least one child, who were also said to be Iranian.

All 16 suspected migrants from the three crossings have been handed over to immigration officials for interview.

The Mail revealed earlier this month that the Home Secretary had signed off a 20,000-a-day bill for the use of HMS Mersey to patrol Britains coastline until the extra Border Force cutters arrive back.

Border Force officials are pictured at the scene in Dover, Kent, this morning after migrants were brought ashore when fisherman spotted them in the Channel

HMC Seeker was expected in the English Channel by the end of the month, but the 140ft-long cutter has been moored at the Queensway Quay in Gibraltar since mid-December.

HMC Protector was in the Aegean when she was recalled and has since been moored in Valletta, Malta, according to her locator beacon.

French authorities said Britain had agreed to pay for drones to patrol the coast of France and was committed to helping to police the border.

Funding for the drones and other security measures was pledged a year ago when the UK promised a further 44.5million for fencing, CCTV and detection technology in Calais and other ports.

Despite the high-profile closure of the so-called Jungle camp in Calais, migrants have remained in makeshift camps along the north coast of France.

Migrants arrived in the UK this morning after the Border Force (pictured in Dover) brought them ashore

Traffickers have hidden lifejackets and outboard engines at beaches between Calais and Boulogne in readiness for more Channel crossings. Official sources claim no migrants have died during the Channel crossings.

But Gerard Barron, president of the Boulogne lifeboat society, said earlier this month that he believed dozens may have died already but their deaths went unreported because currents swept their bodies up into the North Sea.

French authorities have built a 10ft wall in Calais to stop migrants getting to Britain.

The barrier has gone up next to a petrol station that had become a magnet for people smugglers. Migrants were using the area to try to hide on UK-bound lorries.
Advertisement

The Queen failed to wear a seatbelt for the second time as she was driven to church this morning just days after her husband Prince Philip crashed his Land Rover near the royal estate at Sandringham.

She and Philip, 97, were both spotted driving without seatbelts this week despite the Duke of Edinburgh's horror smash on Thursday.

But the Queen appeared to go without a belt for the second time in 48 hours as she was chauffeured to the service in a black Bentley today.

The 92-year-old monarch wore a light brown coat and hat decorated with feathers as she headed to the service at St Peter's church in Wolferton, without her recovering husband.

Her son Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, joined his mother at the service near the estate in Norfolk where the royal family celebrated Christmas last month.

The Queen failed to wear a seatbelt for the second time in 48 hours as she was chauffeured to the church service in a black Bentley today

Royal passenger: The Queen arrives at St Peter's church in the back of a car after both she and her husband were seen apparently driving without a seatbelt this week

Queen Elizabeth II attends a service at St Peter's church in Wolferton this morning just days after her husband's crash

The Queen (left) wrapped up warm for today's church service, while her son Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, joined his mother at the church near the Sandringham estate where the royal family spent Christmas together

The church is just over a two-mile drive from Sandringham House, and dozens of well-wishers gathered behind a rope fence to see her arrive.

The Queen was spotted driving her Range Rover without a seatbelt on Friday a day after Prince Philip's crash, little more than a mile from the scene of her husband's accident.

Police have spoken to the Duke after he was pictured driving a new Land Rover alone and without a belt just 48 hours after his crash.

A Norfolk Constabulary spokeswoman said the force was aware of the pictures of Philip driving and that 'suitable words of advice have been given to the driver'.

She learned to drive with the Army in 1945, before she became Queen, and does not need a licence.

Under UK law it is compulsory to wear a seatbelt if there is one fitted but the Queen is immune from any civil or criminal proceedings.

Buckingham Palace insisted earlier this week that the monarch was careful to ensure she privately complied with the law.

The crash on Thursday afternoon happened as Philip's Freelander pulled out of a side road on to a stretch of the A149 and collided with a Kia.

The Queen was spotted driving her Range Rover without a seatbelt on Friday a day after Prince Philip's crash, little more than a mile from the scene of her husband's accident

The Queen waves from the back of the Bentley as it drives her away from church following the Sunday morning service

Prince Andrew and the Queen wave as they head back to Sandringham after attending church on Sunday morning

The Queen speaks to a clergyman (left) and smiles outside the church (right) as she attends the Sunday morning service

One of the Queen's aides opens the door for her while a clergyman waits to greet her after the monarch was driven to the church service near Sandringham on Sunday morning

Prince Andrew was later pictured driving on a public road near Sandringham on Sunday afternoon - it is unclear if he was wearing a seatbelt

The 28-year-old Kia driver injured her knee while a passenger broke her wrist but Buckingham Palace said tonight that Philip had suffered 'no injuries of concern'.

The 45-year-old passenger was named today as Emma Fairweather, who broke her wrist, and claimed no-one from the Royal Family has contacted her to offer an apology.

Ms Fairweather described how she 'couldn't stop screaming' after the crash and said she had 'no idea if he's sorry at all'.

Buckingham Palace had said the Duke exchanged 'well wishes' with the driver and passenger but Ms Fairweather said she had received no such contact.

Barrister Roy Warne pulled Prince Philip from the wreckage of his Land Rover and said the royal told officers he had been 'dazzled by the sun' before the collision at 2.45pm on Thursday.

The Duke of Edinburgh, 97, could be seen driving his new car on his own without a seatbelt into the main entrance gate to the Sandringham estate on Saturday afternoon

The Queen and Philip, 97, were both spotted apparently driving without seatbelts this week despite the Duke of Edinburgh's horror crash (pictured) which saw the Land Rover flip on its side

The Duke reportedly said 'I'm such a fool' as he was pulled from his wrecked car on Thursday after it flipped on its side from the impact in the crash in Norfolk.

He appeared to be travelling without a police protection officer, individuals who guard all senior members of the Royal Family when at public and private events.

The 97-year-old passed a police eyesight test on Saturday morning as the investigation into Thursday's crash continues.

Nick Freeman, the lawyer dubbed Mr Loophole, has said the duke could be prosecuted for driving without due care and attention if he was deemed to have made a mistake.

But he added: 'If the sun was so low and right in your eyes, sometimes it's impossible to see, and that may well have been the case, and that would afford him a defence.'

The duke, who retired from public duties in 2017 but remains active, could also avoid prosecution by surrendering his licence, according to the lawyer known for representing celebrity clients like David Beckham.
Sharon Agar-Hutty (pictured) who chased her ex-partner in the street with a five-inch kitchen knife has been spared jail

A charity volunteer who chased her ex-partner in the street with a five-inch kitchen knife has been spared jail because of the work she does.

Sharon Agar-Hutty, 52 believed that Christopher Parry had stolen 380 from her, a court heard.

She argued with him over the cash in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire and then chased him with the knife

Agar-Hutty, was sentenced to eight months in prison suspended for 12 months after pleading guilty to threatening Mr Parry with a blade on the afternoon of July 21 last year.

Judge Sylvia de Bertodano spared her jail at Warwick Crown Court as he said she was of 'previous good character' and 'volunteered for a charity'.

He said: 'You believed he had taken some money.

'I don't know if he had or not, but your response to that was to chase after him, and the very serious mistake you made was to take with you a kitchen knife.'

She was handed a suspended sentence - despite new guidelines requiring immediate imprisonment for the offence.

Mr Parry received minor stab wounds to his chest and hand, but there was no evidence that Agar-Hutty caused his injuries.

Witnesses said Agar-Hutty, of Wellesbourne, Warwickshire, had been chasing Mr Parry holding a kitchen knife with a five-inch blade in her right hand.

They argued and she had lunged towards him, the court heard.

But Mr Parry would not co-operate with the police or make a complaint about the incident.

He also refused police access to his medical records.

As a result, Judge de Bertodano said Agar-Hutty could not be said to have caused the injuries.

Sentencing Agar-Hutty, Judge de Bertodano told her: 'If you take a knife to an argument to frighten someone, you take a very serious risk of injuring them much, much more seriously than you ever intended to.

'You are a woman of good character, you have spent your adult life giving up your time volunteering as a charity worker.

'You are of exemplary good character in every other respect.

'I am persuaded, just, that an immediate sentence is not appropriate.'

The court heard, following her arrest, Agar-Hutty explained that she had been in a relationship with Mr Parry and, although it had ended, he had visited her home that week.

She had been given 380 in cash to cover the cost of a repair to her car - but the money had disappeared from her home, and she believed Mr Parry had taken it.

Agar-Hutty, was sentenced to eight months in prison suspended for 12 months after pleading guilty to threatening Mr Parry with a blade.

She told the police she got really angry and upset, and decided to go to look for him to get the money back.

She told police she knew he would not admit it, so she took the knife to make him scared.

She drove to Stratford and saw him in Arden Street.

He came over, and she got the knife and got out of the car.

She told police she put the knife out in front of her to scare him while grabbing at his bag with her other hand as he was trying to get the knife off her.

She said she did not lunge at him. She accepted she was wrong to take the knife out.

Judge de Bertodano pointed out that sentencing guidelines stipulated a mandatory minimum sentence of six months immediate imprisonment 'unless it would be unjust to do so'.

Jonathan Coode, defending, said: 'The new guidelines were brought in, no doubt, because of gangland violence in London.'

The judge responded: 'But they also apply in Stratford-upon-Avon.'

Mr Coode said: 'We are dealing with a 52-year-old charity worker of previous good character. I would ask you to consider whether this is an exceptional case.'

He pointed out that the conviction means Agar-Hutty may no longer be able to continue the work she does with two or three charities.

He said: 'If she goes to prison, there is no chance at all of her keeping any of her work.'

Of the incident, he said she and Mr Parry had become close because of her charity work, and although their relationship ended, they had remained friends.

There had been a crash in which someone else was to blame for damage to her car.

She had paid for the repair with her credit card before the person responsible repaid her in cash.

He added: 'It became clear Mr Parry had taken it, and she called the police - who I am sorry to say were extremely unhelpful, and she went to look for him and very stupidly took a knife with her.'
The actions of an Argentinian bishop who allegedly sexually abused his Catholic students, took naked selfies and performed sex acts in public was known to the Vatican, it has emerged.

Pope Francis accepted Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta's resignation in August 2017, after priests in a remote northern Argentine diocese complained about his behaviour.

Other colleagues also reported allegations of abuses of power and sexual harassment of adult seminarians, said former vicar of the same parish Juan Jose Manzano.

The new reports undermine Vatican claims that allegations of sexual abuse were only made a few months ago.

The scandal over Zanchetta, 54, is the latest in a series of cases that cast Francis and the Catholic hierarchy in a bad light over their handling of sexual abuses within the church.

Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta was accused of misconduct with seminarians, his former vicar general said, undermining Vatican claims that allegations of sexual abuse were only made a few months ago

Francis has summoned church leaders to a summit next month to chart the course forward for the universal church, but his own actions in individual cases are increasingly in the spotlight.

The pope's decision to allow Zanchetta to resign quietly, and then promote him to the No. 2 position in one of the Vatican's most sensitive offices, has raised questions again about whether Francis turned a blind eye to misconduct of his allies and dismissed allegations against them as ideological attacks.

Manzano, Oran's vicar general under Zanchetta who is now a parish priest, said he was one of the diocesan officials who raised the alarm about his boss in 2015 and sent the digital selfies to the Vatican.

Pope Francis accepted Zanchetta's resignation in August 2017, after priests in the remote northern Argentine diocese of Oran complained about his authoritarian rule

He said he made the complaints: 'When the situation was much more serious, not just because there had been a question about sexual abuses, but because the diocese was increasingly heading into the abyss.'

Adding: 'In 2015, we just sent a 'digital support' with selfie photos of the previous bishop in obscene or out of place behavior that seemed inappropriate and dangerous,' he told reporters afterwards in an email.

'It was an alarm that we made to the Holy See via some friendly bishops. The nunciature didn't intervene directly, but the Holy Father summoned Zanchetta and he justified himself saying that his cellphone had been hacked, and that there were people who were out to damage the image of the pope.'

While other colleagues reported to the Vatican alleging abuses of power, inappropriate behavior and sexual harassment of adult seminarians, said the former vicar, the Rev. Juan Jose Manzano

Francis had named Zanchetta to Oran, a humble city some 1,025 miles northwest of Buenos Aires in Salta province, in 2013 in one of his first Argentine bishop appointments as pope.

He knew Zanchetta well; Zanchetta had been the executive undersecretary of the Argentine bishops conference, which the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio headed for two successive terms, from 2005-2011.

And by all indications, they were close. Manzano said Bergoglio had been Zanchetta's confessor and treated him as a 'spiritual son.'

All of which could explain why Francis named him to Oran despite complaints about alleged abuses of power when Zanchetta was in charge of economic affairs in his home diocese of Quilmes, which is in the ecclesial province of Buenos Aires which Bergoglio headed.

(A girl stands outside the Church ' San Cayetano' in Oran, Argentina) The Rev. Juan Jose Manzano of the church said he was one of the three priests who made a second complaint about Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta to the Vatican's embassy in Buenos Aires in 2017

Earlier this month, the Vatican confirmed that the new bishop of Oran had opened a preliminary canonical investigation into Zanchetta for alleged sexual abuse.

But Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti stressed in a January 3 statement that the abuse allegations had only emerged at the end of 2018, after Zanchetta's resignation and nearly a year after Francis created the new position for him as 'assessor' of the Vatican's financial management office.

At the time of his resignation, Zanchetta had only asked Francis to let him leave Oran because he had difficult relations with its priests and was 'unable to govern the clergy,' Gisotti said in the statement.

'At the time of his resignation there were accusations against him of authoritarianism, but there were no accusations of sexual abuse against him,' the statement said.

A plaque with the image of Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta is seen outside the cathedral in Oran, Argentina, on Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019. Earlier in January, the Vatican confirmed that the new bishop of Oran had opened a canonical investigation into Zanchetta for alleged sexual abuses

Manzano said the Vatican had information about sexually inappropriate behavior starting in 2015, with the naked selfies, and reports of alleged misconduct and harassment in May or June of 2017, though he noted they didn't constitute formal canonical complaints.

After the 2015 report, Francis summoned Zanchetta to Rome, Manzano said. He returned to Argentina 'improved, to the point that no one even investigated how those photos got to Rome.'

But as the months passed, Zanchetta 'became more aggressive and took impulsive decisions, manipulating facts, people, influences to reach his goals.'

(Oran city, Argentina) Pope Francis accepted Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta's resignation in August 2017 after priests in this remote northern Argentine diocese rebelled under his authoritarian rule

Manzano said Zanchetta started coming to the seminary at all hours, drinking with the seminarians and bringing a seminarian with him whenever he visited a parish, sometimes without asking permission of the rector.

'The rector tried to keep the students in order, being present when the bishop appeared, but the monsignor looked for ways to avoid his attention and to discredit him in front of the young guys,'

Manzano told reporters in an email. 'The bad feeling was aggravated when some of them left the seminary. It was then that the rector investigated and warned of harassment and inappropriate behavior.'

In May or June 2017, Manzano, the rector and another priest presented their concerns to the No. 2 in the Buenos Aires nunciature, Monsignor Vincenzo Turturro, 'who moved it forward fabulously,' Manzano said.

(A man prays during a Mass in Oran, Argentina) The Vatican received information in 2015 and 2017 that former Bishop of Oran Gustavo Zanchetta, close to Pope Francis, had taken naked selfies, exhibited 'obscene' behavior and had been accused of sexually abusing seminarians

Manzano said he reported about Zanchetta's alleged abuses of power with the clergy, while the rector reported about the alleged sexual abuses in the seminary. Manzano said he didn't know the details of the alleged abuses, but he ruled out any acts of rape.

The pope summoned Zanchetta again in July 2017. Returning home, Zanchetta announced his resignation in a July 29 statement saying he needed immediate treatment for a health problem.

Zanchetta spent time in Corrientes before leaving for Spain, where he is believed to have met with one of Francis' spiritual guides, the Rev. German Arana, a Jesuit to whom Francis had sent another problematic bishop, the Chilean Juan Barros.

Zanchetta largely disappeared from public view until the Vatican, in an official announcement December 19, 2017, said Francis had named him to the new position of 'assessor' in APSA, a key administrative department which manages the Holy See's real estate and financial holdings.

(A motorcycle drives past the seminary building in Oran, Argentina)

Zanchetta has not publicly responded to the allegations against him. The Vatican has not provided information when asked, other than to say he is not working while the investigation takes its course.

Manzano defended Francis' handling of the case, saying the pope himself should be considered a victim of Zanchetta's 'manipulation.'

'There was never any intent to hide anything. There was never any intent of the Holy Father to defend him against anything,' Manzano said.

He denied there was any contradiction in the Vatican's Jan. 3 statement, distinguishing between a report about alleged sexual abuse and a formal complaint.

The current bishop of Oran, Bishop Luis Antonio Scozzina, declined to speak to reporters on camera, saying he wanted to keep silent until the investigation was in the hands of the Holy See.

(People sit outside the Cathedral in Oran, Argentina)

He has issued a statement urging victims to come forward and provide testimony. But he told reporters he didn't want to create a media circus that might compromise the rights of both victims and accused.

A catechist in the diocese said church leaders had told staff and volunteers not to speak to the media about the allegations at the seminary.

The mother of one seminarian said her son had told her that the allegations of sexual misconduct involving some of his colleagues in the seminary were true. 'Unfortunately yes, he told me when I asked him about this,' she said, speaking on condition of anonymity to protect her son.

The scandal, which was first reported by The Tribune newspaper of Salta, has taken its toll in Oran, a deeply conservative community near the Bolivian border.

'I feel a great pain, because as a Christian how can we let these things take place?' asked retiree Hector Jimenez. Teacher Gianina del Valle Chein said the Vatican should have treated Zanchetta like 'like any normal person who did something, and not hide him, take him away to somewhere else so that he can keep doing the same thing.'
A passing motorist who witnesses Prince Philip's horror crash and ran to his aid has been dubbed a hero by his granddaughter, named Queenie.

Glen Watson helped pull the Duke of Edinburgh, 97, from the wreckage of his Land Rover after he flipped it on its side following a collision with a Kia close to Sandringham.

Queenie, 9, has nothing but praise for her grandfather, calling him a 'hero'.

The schoolgirl from Norwich told Eveningnews24: 'My nanny text me saying grandad had helped Prince Philip.'

Glen Watson, 58, helped to pull Prince Philip out of his car after the crash in Sandringham, with his granddaughter Queenie Powell, 9

'I ran downstairs saying 'mum mum!' and showed her the text.

'He is kind, funny and caring and he is a hero in my eyes.'

Her grandfather, who works as a sales rep, was travelling between Kings Lynn and Heacham on the A149 when he noticed the 'chaotic' scene of the wreckage caused by the smash on Thursday.

The 58-year-old said he didn't realise the man in the Range Rover was the Duke of Edinburgh to begin with.

He added: 'It was chaotic, a hell of an accident. Once I looked inside the car I could see he wasnt seriously hurt.

The wreckage of the smash on Thursday which left a mother-of-two with a broken wrist

Mr Watson, who lives with Queenie and her family, said he spent about 15 minutes at the scene

'He was shaking and just said "get me out".'

The 58-year-old noticed that one of Philip's legs was stuck underneath the steering wheel and he and two police officers had to free it to get him out of the vehicle.

Mr Watson, who lives with Queenie and her family, said he spent about 15 minutes at the scene and left soon after paramedics arrived.

He added that emergency services responders made a ring around the Prince and 'ushered him away.'

Duke of Edinburgh driving his Land Rover on the Sandringham Estate two days after his crash

As a salesman, Mr Watson said he sees a lot of accidents due to the high amount of travelling he does, but he described this one as 'quite a bad one'.

He pointed out that Philip's heavy Land Rover 'must have taken quite a hit' to be left in the state it was.

He also commended Philip's resilience, saying: 'To be fair to him [Prince Philip], for a man his age to be able to walk after that, he is a tough man. Im amazed everyone walked away unscathed.'

The scene near to the Sandringham Estate where the Duke of Edinburgh was involved in a road accident while driving

Prince Philip's car near Sandringham on Thursday shortly after the crash with a Kia

The crash left a mother-of-two with a broken wrist.

Emma Fairweather, 46, - a passenger in the Kia - said she was 'lucky to be alive' after the incident.

She was travelling with her 28-year-old friend whose nine-month-old baby was also in the car.

The child was unhurt along with her friend but Ms Fairweather bemoaned the fact that she is yet to receive an apology from the Prince, despite the fact that Palace representatives have said there's been correspondence between the two parties.

Amazingly, Prince Philip was pictured driving a new Land Rover just 48 hours after the dramatic crash.

He also appeared to not have a seatbelt on, promting an official warning from police.

The 97-year-old also appeared to have been driving off road, with debris stuck to the under side of his vehicle.
Advertisement

Lord of the Rings and Hobbit fans can live like Bilbo Baggins in these quirky hobbit houses built into the hillside for 175 a night.

Bagend and The Burrow were painstakingly hand-crafted by father Ian, 63, and son Lewis Keir, 32, on their family land in Perthshire, Scotland.

The immense project took more than a year to complete but the finished result is two beautifully handmade holiday lets that JRR Tolkien would be proud of.

The hobbit houses are a luxurious off-grid option for glamping enthusiasts complete with iconic round doors with grass-covered roofs.

Bagend and The Burrow (pictured) were built into the hillside and hand-crafted by father and son Ian, 63, and Lewis Keir, 32, on their family land in Perthshire, Scotland

An entrance to one of the holiday lets. The project was a huge amount of work but the finished result is two beautifully handmade holiday lets that JRR Tolkien would be proud of

The Hobbit houses at Craighead, the Keir family's home near Dunblane, are a luxurious off-grid option for glamping enthusiasts

They have beautiful hand-carved fittings and furniture, a bath or shower and hand-carved sinks as well as eco-friendly composting toilets

The properties, which look almost identical to the fictional cottages found in the Shire in Middle-earth, have woodburning stoves and gas hobs as well as a fire pit outside.

They have beautiful hand-carved fittings and furniture, a bath or shower and hand-carved sinks as well as eco-friendly composting toilets.

Mr Keir decided a couple of years ago that he wanted to build the bespoke cottages despite none of the family having seen the films or read the books.

A visit to Hobbiton in New Zealand inspired the plans and after brushing up on Lord of the Rings knowledge the family began handcrafting the unusual builds.

The project took an immense amount of work, with the properties having to be dug into the ground. Father and son made all the stonework and woodwork by hand, which took about a year to complete.

The properties, which look almost identical to the fictional cottages found in the Shire in Middle-earth, have woodburning stoves and gas hobs (pictured) as well as a fire pit outside

The quirky houses have beautiful furniture complete with an outdoor area. Mr Keir decided a couple of years ago that he wanted to build the bespoke cottages

Mr Keir and his wife Heather now run the holiday let business full time while their son has taken over the family joinery business.

Mrs Keir, 61, said: 'We bought Craighead, a traditional Scottish farmhouse, 30 years ago as our family home where Ian could also run his joinery business from.

'We raised our three children here and it wasn't until about 2010 that we started thinking about having holiday cottages on the land.

'Ian loves building quirky things, he's the one with the vision, but we've always loved the outdoors and camping.

'We have been very particular about how we want them so all our holiday cottages are bespoke and a bit different and they are all in their own part of the grounds so people staying don't have to talk to anyone else if they don't want to.

Iconic round windows found in JRR Tolkien's fictional books are a main feature. The project took an immense amount of work, with the properties having to be dug into the ground

The houses are built into the land and have beautiful surroundings. Mr Keir and his wife Heather now run the holiday let business full time

Stonework on the cottage took over a year to make. The family say the Hobbit houses took were a huge investment

Each cottage has a bed, a wood-burning stove and a bath. the family say the landscape is similar to New Zealand where the movies were filmed

'We had some land at the bottom of our grounds and one day Ian just decided it lent itself to a couple of proper hobbit houses.

'I suppose it was a bit of a weird decision as we had never seen the films or read the books.

'We had the plans approved while we were in New Zealand and had visited Hobbiton.

'It was a massive job, they had to be dug into the ground, the walls retained and then all the stonework and woodwork was done by hand.

The family say the Hobbit houses took were a huge investment but that the end result was worth it.

Mrs Keir said: 'They handmade the sinks, windows, doors. It was hard work.

'It took a huge effort and a big investment but we think they're fabulous and we've had some wonderful reviews so far, people love them.

'We are lucky that we have the perfect backdrop. The landscape is very similar to New Zealand and it's a lovely setting with lots of wildlife.

'It's a great place to get away for peace and quiet and we have 360-degree views of the hills.'

The Hobbit Howfs cost 175 a night and have a minimum two-night stay. Visit craigheadhowf.co.uk to find out more.
Parents could be fined 1,000 per child if they take pupils out of school for term-time holidays.

Balladen Community Primary School in Rossendale, Lancashire, warned parents in a letter home that the Conservative-run county council was planning to hike the penalty.

The fine would be more than eight times greater than the 120 fixed penalty notice currently imposed on parents seeking to take advantage of cheaper holiday rates in term time.

Lancashire County Council has handed out more of the holiday penalties than any other local authority, The Sunday Times reported.

Parents at Balladen Community Primary School (pictured) in Rossendale, Lancashire, were warned the county council is planning to impose 1,000 fines for term-time holidays

The letter said: 'Lancashire County Council are currently trialling a new system for dealing with unauthorised holidays and breaks during term time.

'This involves an increase in the financial penalty to parents of up to 1000 per parent per child rather than the current fixed penalty notice of 120 per parent per child.

'This system is still at the pilot stage but please be aware this may come in to effect at some stage.'

Holidays were not 'exceptional circumstances' which would allow leave to be granted, the letter said.

The council's cabinet member for schools said the local authority was 'considering any possible action to reduce unauthorised absences'.

The UK government website warns that councils can fine parents 60 for unauthorised absence, rising to 120 if it is not paid after 21 days.

In 2017 Jon Platt, pictured with his wife Sally outside the Supreme Court, lost a legal battle after taking his daughter out of school to go to Disney

Last year it was reported that almost four million school days had been lost in one academic year to unauthorised holidays.

In 2017 a father lost a long-running court battle after challenging a 120 fine for taking his seven-year-old daughter to Disney World in Florida.

Jon Platt said at the time: 'He said at the time: 'You're the child's parents. You should be able to make that decision without the state coming along and saying you're wrong about that.'

The High Court ruled that he was not acting unlawfully because his daughter had a good overall attendance record of more than 90 per cent.

But the Supreme Court later overturned that ruling, saying 'regular' attendance meant 'in accordance with the rules prescribed by the school'.

The ruling means mothers and fathers should not take their child out of lessons at any point without the headteacher's approval.
A spate of five drug-related deaths at music festivals across Australia has led to new guidelines being established for festival organisers.

Music festival owners could face a year in jail and a $110,000 fine if they do not meet certain requirements, including obtaining a special license, and providing enough on-site paramedics, quiet areas and water for revellers.

The guidelines were established as early toxicology reports obtained by 7 News revealed the pills taken by five revellers contained levels of MDMA and Ecstasy, as claimed.

Music festival owners could face a year in jail and a $110,000 fine if they do not meet certain new requirements

Festival organisers could be personally punished if they fail to provide adequate medical personnel during their events

The new guidelines have been introduced by NSW Health with the aim of curbing drug overdoses after five young people died in just four months at various music events across the country, the Daily Telegraph reported.

They will roll out on March 1.

Festival organisers could be personally punished if they fail to provide adequate medical personnel during their events.

A lack of chill-out zones and water stations would also breach the NSW liquor act.

The maximum penalty festival owners can receive is one year in jail and fines of up to $44,000 for individuals and $110,000 for corporations.

Authorities will also have the ability to arrest organisers if they breach the guidelines before the event takes place.

Alex Ross-King, 19, died from a suspected drug overdose at Sydney's FOMO festival on January 12.

Her death brought renewed calls for pill testing, including from Ms Ross King's own family.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has previously expressed her skepticism on the effectiveness of pill testing, saying: 'If there was a way in which we could ensure that lives were saved through pill testing we would consider it - but there is no evidence provided to the government on that.'

Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Sydney this weekend to advocate for pill testing at music festivals

The protesters danced and marched their way from Town Hall to Hyde Park on Saturday

They held up placards reading: 'Just test the dam (sic) pills!' and 'Pill testing saves lives'

Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Sydney this weekend to advocate for safe testing at music festivals.

The protesters danced and marched their way from Town Hall to Hyde Park on Saturday in a bid to pressure the New South Wales government.

They held up placards reading: 'Just test the dam (sic) pills!' and 'Pill testing saves lives'.

Josh Tam, 22, died after taking an unknown substance at Lost Paradise festival in Gosford, New South Wales, on December 29.

Alex Ross-King, 19, (pictured) died from a suspected drug overdose at Sydney's FOMO festival on January 12

Josh Tam, 22, (pictured) died after taking an unknown substance at Lost Paradise festival in Gosford, New South Wales on December 29

Callum Brosnan, 19, (pictured) from Baulkham Hills, was found in a 'distressed state' at the Knockout Games of Destiny Dance Party at Sydney Olympic Park in Homebush, Sydney

Callum Brosnan, 19, from Baulkham Hills, was found in a 'distressed state' at the Knockout Games of Destiny Dance Party at Sydney Olympic Park in Homebush, Sydney.

He was admitted to Concord Hospital with a suspected drug overdose just before 1.30am on Sunday, December 9 and died little more than three hours later.

The deaths of revellers Joseph Phan, 23, and Diana Nguyen, 21, at Defqon. 1. music festival on September 15 shocked the country and threw the future of the popular Sydney festival into doubt.
The White House on Friday confirmed that the second Trump-Kim meeting would occur next month.

Washington: US President Donald Trump will meet for the second time with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un around the end of February, the White House said Friday, after a top general from Pyongyang paid a rare visit to Washington.

Vice-chairman Kim Yong Chol, a right-hand man to the North Korean strongman, met the embattled President at the White House for an unusually long 90 minutes as the countries seek a denuclearisation accord that could ease decades of hostility.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said that Mr Trump  who has opined that he and Kim Jong Un fell in love after last years landmark first summit  would again meet the North Korean leader near the end of February at a location that has been decided.

We picked a country, Mr Trump told reporters, without giving more details.

A Vietnamese government told AFP that logistical preparations were under way to host the encounter, most likely in the capital Hanoi or coastal city of Danang.
Harry Potter continued to work magic last year by making an astonishing 33million from internet purchases.

And JK Rowling has cashed in on almost 5million from royalties, the Sunday Mirror reveals.

The author has regularly topped the charts as one of Britain's highest paid celebrities and is now worth an astonishing 77million.

JK Rowling has cashed in on almost 5million from royalties from e-books of Harry Potter

Her firm Pottermore Ltd, which handles all income form digital and audio versions of the best selling books and screenplays, is continuing to make sales despite a fall in revenue.

JK Rowling celebrated a better year than expected despite a revenue fall from more than 40million in 2017.

Accounts from Companies House revealed that revenue 'outperformed expectations thanks to a strong sales performance of the Harry Potter eBooks and digital audiobooks'.

In 2017, a surge in internet sales was due to the hugely successful launch of the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child script, the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them screen-play and the Hogwarts Library Digital audiobook.

Money made from hard copies of the seven Harry Potter books is paid into a separate firm Collections Agency Ltd which had 46million in 2017.

In 2017, a surge in internet sales was due to the hugely successful launch of the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child script, the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them screen-play (pictured)
Advertisement

Snow, hail and rain are set to sweep across the country this week as Britain braces itself for freezing temperatures expected to dominate well into February.

This morning saw a huge contrast in conditions for the east and west of the UK, with the latter hitting highs of 44.6F (7C) and the former freezing at -6C (21.2F). Wintry showers will hit London and the south-east in the coming days, with sleet expected in the capital.

Today the western reaches of Scotland as well as Northern Ireland had snow and the cold is set to spread in a south-easterly direction today, sparing only the east of England, which will have bright spells throughout.

But tonight it will be close to freezing across the entire country, bringing a frosty start tomorrow, which will be wet and windy the north of England as well as the Scottish Highlands.

Pictured: The first signs of snow in the Lake District as frost covers the summit of Loughrigg Fell and fog fills the surrounding valleys while Britain braces for even colder conditions

Beach goers hit the seaside in Brighton, East Sussex, in their warm coats, scarves and woolen hats as cold temperatures sweep across the country

The country kicked off today with a split in temperatures across the UK, with the east plummeting to -6C and as high as 44.6F (7C) in western reaches

The Met Office has warned that the only portion of the country to escape today's miserable conditions will be the east of England, which should remain dry

These brave swimmers decided to brace themselves against the cold temperatures this morning by taking a dip in the sea at the coast of Brighton

Two swimmers make their way back to the shore following a brief dip in Brighton despite today's cold temperatures as the UK looks set to suffer freezing conditions well into February

This morning Norfolk had temperatures as low as -6C as deer are pictured at Sandringham where the day got off to a frosty start today

It was a frosty start in Sandringham, Norfolk, this morning (pictured) but temperatures are set to improve in the east of England throughout today before conditio ns continue to plummet later today across the country

That rain and wind will push in a south-easterly direction as we head into Tuesday, when snow is expected to hit the northern reaches of both Scotland and England.

Wintry showers on Wednesday will bring hail, sleet and snow to the north-west of the UK. Temperatures were set to plunge heading into the weekend, but the expected cold snap from the east will briefly give way to warmer conditions from the Atlantic.

Despite an overall improvement in temperatures heading into Thursday and Friday, the cold snap will materialise as January approaches its end - with lows of -10C.

The Met Office's chief meteorologist Andy Page said: 'On Monday and early Tuesday, a band of heavier rain, hill snow and strong winds will move quickly south across the UK, followed by wintry showers for the middle of the week.

Temperatures in the western reaches of the UK were far more pleasant than the chilly east. Pictured: This morning's sunrise at Shipstal Beach in Dorset

Pictured: The mild weather at first light this morning at Arne in Dorset, where temperatures and conditions will worsen throughout the day

'Some of the showers will be heavy bringing a mixture of rain, hail, sleet and snow, most frequently across parts of the north and west.

'There are then strong signals for a change to northeasterly winds towards the end of next week. As we go through the rest of the month and into February the longer-range outlook indicates it will remain cold and possibly very cold for a time.'

The Met Office has revealed that the country could be facing freezing temperatures which will drag on for weeks, threatening even more disruption to commuters across the UK.

In Darley Dale, Derbyshire, a Mini fell victim to the poor weather conditions yesterday and was left abandoned next to a gate covered in snow.

Three days of bitter cold in the Highlands has frozen Loch Fleet (pictured) as the wintry weather is set to continue sweeping across the country

The cold conditions that have frozen Loch Fleet (pictured) are set to spread across the country with a cold snap that last well into February

A foggy and frosty start to the day in Granchester, Cambridge, where rowers braved the biting conditions this morning as temperatures look set to worsen in coming weeks

Pictured: First light at Granchester, Cambridge, where early risers were greeted by frosty temperatures and a low-hanging mist this morning

The frigid weather comes from a sudden stratospheric warming event at the end of December, causing temperatures to rapidly rise in the atmosphere, leaving open the possibility of an extended cold period.

Temperatures sunk as low as -9C (16F) in parts of northern Scotland as the weekend began, while in the South conditions hovered a few degrees above freezing.

A cold front sweeping in from the North West on Sunday morning will bring fresh dustings of hill snow for the Highlands and Grampians in Scotland, and then the Pennines in northern England and Snowdonia in Wales as it sinks south, he added.

Mr McGivern said: 'The cold weather is here to stay for now, and there could be more significant cold and disruptive snow at times through next week. Still a lot of uncertainty, so we're keeping a keen eye on that here at the Met Office.'

Public Health England suggested that during the cold snap, people should look in on elderly neighbours and relatives.

Dr Emer O'Connell of PHE said: 'Experience shows us that every winter thousands of people are seriously affected and even die from illnesses linked to the cold. Protecting yourself from the cold may seem like common sense but many people do not manage to keep themselves warm

'If you know someone at risk, someone over 65, anyone with dementia or a heart and lung condition, or a young child, check up on them and see if theres anything you can do to help. All of us should be heating our homes to at least 18C, keeping up to date with weather forecasts and planning our days around them - simple steps can really help protect against the cold.'
This is the shocking moment a child mimics her parents after they were detained by police and climbs barefoot out of a pickup truck and walks with her hands raised towards armed officers.

The startling video shows several officers with their guns raised towards a black pick up as a man walks towards them arms raised and another man static with his arms raised.

Tallahassee Police were arresting shoplifting suspects Chad M. Bom and James W. McMullen in a busy parking lot outside a department store in the Florida state capital.

They were armed with pistols and rifles due to reports the suspects were armed.

The child, 2, then clambers out of the side door of the truck with no shoes or socks on and approaches the police who keep their guns raised.

The video shot by a passer-by caused a stir online, prompting the police to release two further body cam clips that show that they worked to get the 2-year-old and a further, younger child to their mother.

Tallahassee police added that they were so heavily armed because staff at the store who reported the culprits said they were armed.

Video shot by a passer-by caused a stir online, prompting the police to release two further body cam clips to show how they dealt with the child

Police found a pellet gun in the back of the pick up truck.

'She's trying to get out but she can't because she's little,' said the person filming the video. 'She is out. Oh, she's holding her hands up. Oh my God, look at that. Oh my God.'

'They're still holding the gun at the baby,' says one viewer. The other disputes. 'No, they're holding the gun at the car.'

Police allowed a woman, reported to be the child's mother, to hold her and the other child as they dealt with the situation.

The child, 2, clambers out of the side door of the pick up truck with no shoes or socks on

Footage from 10 body cameras was reviewed said TPD Chief Michael DeLeo, report the Tallahassee Democrat.

He said officers were surprised when the little girl popped out of the truck and approached them and ask their detainee are there any other adults in the car.

In the body cam footage the man reportedly replies: 'No sir,' the man replies. 'Just my 2-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son.'

Tallahassee Police were arresting shoplifting suspects Chad M. Bom and James W. McMullen

The officer tries to coax the girl to come to him, and her mother who was on the scene, and allows the man to join in an attempt to get her away from the pickup truck.

A second video shows the mother retrieiving the second child from the truck.

'The body camera footage shows the officers' concern for the children and their compassion as they permitted the mother to care for the children,' DeLeo said.

'The mom, who is a suspect, asks an officer to hold her 2-year-old as she retrieves the infant from a car seat.'

'I am proud of how officers handled the situation, how they adapted when they became aware of the children, the level of concern and compassion they showed to the family.'
A big game hunter suddenly tried to strangle his wife an hour before shooting two police officers then turning the gun on himself.

Eric Newman, 74, gunned down Sergeant Mark Johnston and Senior Constable Helen McMurtrie as they approached his home on Friday night.

The pair were responding to a call for help from his wife Lesley, who claimed he began throttling her without warning as she was getting ready for bed.

Eric Newman (right) and his wife Lesley (left). Newman shot two police officers before killing himself, police say

Ms Newman (centre) and her sister Kim Blythe (right) stand with other family as they recall what happened the night Newman shot two police and then himself

'I was ready for bed and I don't know what happened, I just don't know what happened,' she told reporters on Sunday.

The 59-year-old broke free and told her disabled daughter to call triple-0 before the pair fled the house in Glen Innes, NSW, about 9.50pm.

Ms Newman's sister Kim Blythe, who lives nearby, soon arrived and tried to reason with Newman as he stood on his balcony.

However, she realised he was holding a rifle while staring into space 'like there was nothing there' and retreated as paramedics treated her sister.

'Two hours before we were talking, we were laughing, everything was normal,' Ms Blythe said on Sunday.

A neighbour said the pair were big game hunters who had been on several trips to Africa and had several animal skins in their house

Several other photos show the pair's house decorated with animal trophies including a zebra skin, a stuffed bear and animal heads

'We don't know what has caused it, its just unbelievable. We don't know what the best thing is.

'We understand now, people who have been through it before, what's the reason why? We just don't know.'

Sergeant Johnston and Senior Constable McMurtrie arrived at 10.50pm and approached the house with their guns drawn.

Newman fired one shot from the balcony with his 303 centerfire rifle, hitting Senior Constable McMurtrie and spraying her partner's face with shrapnel.

A rookie cop with just a few weeks on the job dashed over to her fallen colleagues and dragged Senior Constable McMurtrie to safety.

Police believe Newman, who retired from trophy hunting 10 years ago, pointed his rifle at the officers before turning it on himself

Ms Newman broke free and told her disabled daughter (pictured centre with her parents) to call triple-0 before the pair fled the house

Newman went inside the house and another gunshot was heard. He was found dead of a self-inflicted wound soon after.

'I thank everyone for being supportive and being there for us. I have been praying for [the officers] all the time and I thank god,' Ms Newman said.

Both officers were flown to Gold Coast Hospital, where they remained on Sunday.

Senior Constable McMurtrie was placed in a coma due to swelling in her neck and may require further surgery. She is in a serious but stable condition.

Sergeant Johnston had surgery to remove the bullet fragments and is in a stable condition. He is about to celebrate the birth of his sixth child.

Sergeant Mark Johnston (pictured) and his partner Senior Constable Helen McMurtrie were shot while attending a domestic incident in Glen Innes, northern New South Wales

Sergeant Mark Johnston (with his wife) was airlifted to hospital after he was targeted with a rifle in Glen Innes, northern New South Wales

Senior Constable McMurtrie was placed in a coma due to swelling in her neck and may require further surgery. She is in a serious but stable condition

A neighbour told the Daily Telegraph Newman and his wife were big game hunters who had been on several trips to Africa and had several animal skins in their house.

'He was a keen trophy hunter and had a lot of taxidermy in his house  giraffes, bears, you name it,' the neighbour said.

A photo shared by Lesley on her personal Facebook page shows the pair with a giraffe they had just killed. A rifle can be seen nearby.

Several other photos show the pair's house decorated with animal trophies including a zebra skin, a stuffed bear and animal heads.

Friends of the couple estimate they have 20 to 30 guns in their home.
This is the heart-stopping moment a schoolgirl is almost mowed down by a double decker bus.

The driver of the bus manages to hit the brakes just in time to save the girl from serious injury.

The dramatic incident happened on Thursday at 3.49pm on Didsbury Road in Stockport, Greater Manchester.

As the footage begins the girl emerges from behind queuing traffic as she crosses the opposite side of the road slowly wandering into the path of the bus.

The school girl came perilously close to being hit by the vehicle at around 4 pm on Thursday

She reaches the traffic island in the middle of the road and didn't stop or look at oncoming traffic.

The driver slammed on the brakes and four-seconds later the bus that was travelling at 40 kmph came to a stop and the girl briefly disappears from view.

Passengers can be heard gasping in horror, and children waiting to get off at the next stop were thrown forward.

A second later the girl comes back in view, unscathed and seemingly unshaken by her near-death experience and carries on walking.

Once on the pavement, the shock of her ordeal hits home as a passenger witnessed her laughing nervously.

Reaction to video from Facebook users was mixed. Some accused driver of being slow to react

The 47-year-old driver from Middleton, Greater Manchester recently started wearing a body camera to record his journeys after a member of public accused him of swearing.

Posting the video on Facebook group 'Bad drivers caught on dashcam' he wrote: 'Trying to stop an 8 tonne vehicle is not easy.'

The reaction from members was mixed. Some accused him of being slow to react and lacking basic hazard perception, however others said both were at fault.

Nidge Fawfrop said: 'Hazard perception springs to mind.'

Rob Beedle commented: 'At 5-6 seconds it obvious that the pedestrian isn't taking any notice.

The 47-year-old driver from Greater Manchester recently started wearing a body camera

'No braking till much later. I'd say sh*t driving and a sh*t pedestrian.'

Shane Heron reacted: 'I would do this, you should of done this oh shut up, he managed to stop didn't he?

'Always quick to judge the driver when you've probably never been in the situation.' yourselves.'

Edmund King, AA president said: 'This incident shows that drivers need to fully concentrate all all times and expect the unexpected. If driving near a school when children are going in or out drivers should slow down and try to preempt pedestrian movements.

'Often pedestrians with ear phones or headphones on just step out as they can't hear the traffic although that does not appear to be the case here.'

The Highway Code states that: 'Children should be taught the Green Cross Code and should not be allowed out alone until they can understand and use it properly.

'The age when they can do this is different for each child.

'Many children cannot judge how fast vehicles are going or how far away they are.

'Children learn by example, so parents and carers should always use the Code in full when out with their children.

'They are responsible for deciding at what age children can use it safely by themselves.'
Barnaby Joyce has opened up about the arrival of his second child with his former staffer Vikki Campion.

The former deputy prime minister confirmed at a fundraising event on Sunday he is expecting another son with Ms Campion, who will be called Thomas, in June.

The ex-Nationals leader, 51, is believed to have broken the news to both the Joyce and Campion families, including his estranged wife Natalie and their four daughters.

Scroll down for video

Barnaby Joyce has opened up about the arrival of his second child with his former staffer Vikki Campion (pictured together with first child Sebastian)

The former deputy prime minister confirmed at a fundraising event on Sunday he is expecting another son with Ms Campion, who will be called Thomas, in June (pictured with Sebastian)

His daughters are furious, friends have revealed, but Mr Joyce took on a different tone when speaking to Channel 7.

'I'm really happy - it's a great blessing,' he said.

Mr Joyce and Ms Campion's impending arrival has reopened old wounds for the family he left behind.

A close friend said the new baby will be named Thomas after Mr Joyce's grandfather.

'The girls are rightly furious about their father's latest baby news,' the friend said.

The baby is expected to be born when the couple's first son Sebastian will be 14 months old.

The friend said Mr Joyce's first wife Natalie had battled through the love child scandal and has never been stronger.

'She's back working full time and spends every waking hour being the best mum she can for the girls. It has been a humiliating journey for the five of them but she's incredibly resilient,' the friend said.

Mr Joyce and Ms Campion's impending arrival has reopened old wounds for the family he left behind

'I'm really happy - it's a great blessing,' Mr Joyce said on Sunday (pictured)

In the wake of the news, Opposition leader Bill Shorten congratulated Mr Joyce and his family.

'That's entirely a personal matter for them and I congratulate them. Whenever a child is to be born it is good news,' Mr Shorten told reporters in Queensland on Sunday.

Mr Morrison gave a more clipped response to the announcement - simply saying 'congratulations'.

The prime minister was pre-occupied over the weekend - after women's minister Kelly Megan O'Dwyer announced she would be stepping down.

She said her desire to spend more time with her family drove her decision.

The former Nationals leader, 51, broke the news to both the Joyce and Campion families, including estranged wife Natalie (pictured left) and their four daughters (right to left: Odette, 16, Bridgette, 21, Julia, 20 and Caroline, 19)

Mr Joyce, who currently sits on the backbench, is rumoured to be preparing for a political comeback, while also campaigning to end a rule preventing partners from working for parliamentarians.

Nationals leader Michael McCormack, meanwhile, has lost support from colleagues following the 'sugar baby' scandal and revelations he knew about the incident before the story broke - according to The Herald Sun.

Ms Campion may push Mr Joyce to go on the campaign trail in a bid to regain her old role as political adviser, according to the friend.

Following weeks of speculation among party insiders, Barnaby Joyce (pictured) finally confirmed the news

'There is a real concern he may take Vikki on the campaign trail, which could really backfire and be the last nail in his political career,' the friend said.

Mr Joyce's political career took a hit when news of his relationship with Ms Campion broke, leading him to resign from his role as Deputy Prime Minister in February 2018.

Sebastian was born on April 16 after the couple's relationship went public in February, but the pair have since tried to keep their son out of the public eye.

Mr Joyce appears to have taken to his renewed role as a father figure, sharing a picture on Twitter of him washing his son on Christmas Eve.

'Bathing Seb and staring out window. Happy Birthday Jesus!' Mr Joyce wrote.

Mr Joyce and Ms Campion told their side of the love affair in June in a tell-all interview with Seven Night where they earned $150,000 - which went into a trust fund for their new baby son.

Ms Campion revealed she considered terminating the pregnancy but ultimately decided to keep the child, while Mr Joyce is opposed to abortion.

'Boy, man you caused me some problems,' Mr Joyce said of his baby son Sebastian during the interview.

'But it's all worth it. I just want him to be that little boy in the country.'

The couple revealed their relationship became romantic in late 2016 after becoming close while working together.

In April, Mr Joyce has said there were 'peculiar circumstances' surrounding the birth of his son, but his main focus is now being the 'best dad' he can be.

Following the affair, ex-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull introduced a ban on MPs having romantic or sexual relationships with their staffers.

Mr Joyce's political career took a hit when the love child scandal broke, leading to him resigning from his role as Deputy Prime Minister in February 2018 (pictured Mr Joyce and Ms Campion centre)

Mr Joyce admitted to 'living a lie' by continuing his public relationship with his wife while secretly being involved with Ms Campion.

The pair christened Sebastian in September, with images showing the pair lovingly holding their son out the front of Saints Mary & Joseph Catholic Cathedral in the northern NSW town of Armidale.

But Mr Joyce's daughters weren't in attendance for their stepbrother's big day.

Mr Joyce and his daughters have had a rocky relationship since the ex-National Party leader's highly-publicised affair tore his family apart.

Ms Campion said she considered getting an abortion but ultimately decided to keep the child

The Joyce girls, Bridgette, 21, Julia, 20, Caroline, 18, and Odette, 15, were reportedly 'disgusted' by the $150,000 tell-all television interview with in June.

The interview reportedly created a further rift within the family that was torn apart over the affair.

In an interview with Women's Weekly in June, Ms Joyce said she was 'proud she stood up' to Ms Campion at his Tamworth electorate office last March.

'I was very measured. I didn't raise my voice. She and Barney were smoking outside. He bolted when he saw me,' Ms Joyce said.

'I turned to her and said, ''My husband is out of bounds, off-limits, he's a married man with four children'', and then I called her a home-wrecking wh***. It was not one of my finer moments but, looking back, I'm proud I stood up to her.'
Theresa May is finalising her Plan B for Brexit tonight as her Trade Secretary warned Remain MPs they cannot 'hijack' Parliament to 'steal' the 2016 referendum result.

The Prime Minister has spoken to her Cabinet by conference call as she prepares for a crucial day tomorrow when she must set out her next steps.

Because her Brexit deal was crushed by 230 votes on Tuesday Mrs May must now table a new motion in Parliament - and MPs can attempt to re-write the plans.

It means tomorrow's move by the PM will set the stage for a new showdown in the Commons on January 29 when MPs will vote on a series of Brexit plans.

One possible that emerged today was a bilateral treaty with Ireland about keeping open the Irish border - intended to replace the backstop plan in the current divorce deal loathed by Brexiteers. Dublin has already said no.

Ahead of Mrs May's statement to MPs tomorrow, it emerged several groups of Remain rebels want to use the votes to suspend the normal rules of Parliament and force through new laws to prevent a no deal Brexit.

The procedural manoeuvres prompted Liam Fox to warn the rebels against any attempt to 'hijack the Brexit process'.

It was even claimed today the Prime Minister could offer to resign as soon as May to win over Brexiteers to her deal under ideas from her top aide Gavin Barwell.

Mrs May has not signed up to the timetable but amid revolt over her deal before Christmas did accept she would quit ahead of the 2022 election.

Trade Secretary Liam Fox (pictured today on the Marr show) warned Remain MPs they could no 'steal Brexit from the people' today amid plots for Parliament to seize control of negotiations

Theresa May (pictured with husband Philip attending church today) could offer to resign as soon as May to get Brexit deal through Parliament under plans being promoted by her chief of staff, it was claimed today

Dr Fox told the BBC's Andrew Marr: 'You've got a leave population and a remain Parliament, Parliament has not got the right to hijack the Brexit process because Parliament said to the people of this country we make a contract with you, you will make the decision and we will honour it.

'What we are now getting is some of those who always absolutely opposed the result of the referendum trying to hijack Brexit and in fact steal the result from the people.'

Dr Fox added: 'It can't have it back they (Parliament) said we cannot or will not make a decision on this, you the British people will make the decision.'

The Cabinet minister said the political consequences of going back on the referendum result would be 'astronomical'.

Dr Fox hinted the Government could back the idea of a side deal with Ireland to resolve the backstop question that has deadlocked negotiations and is hated by Brexiteers.

Downing Street slams plan by MPs to seize control of Brexit Downing Street hit out at moves by rebel MPs to rewrite the Commons rule book in an attempt to derail Britain's withdrawal from the EU. The two groups of MPs are said to be planning to table amendments to enable backbench MPs to take control of the business of the House to frustrate Theresa May's Brexit plans. One group led by Tory former minister Nick Boles and the senior Labour MP Yvette Cooper is attempting to block a no-deal Brexit - something Mrs May strongly opposes. However The Sunday Times reported that a second group led by the former attorney general Dominic Grieve wants to go further and suspend the Article 50 withdrawal process. Downing Street described the moves as 'extremely concerning' and said they underlined the need for MPs who supported Brexit to vote for it in the House. 'The British public voted to leave the European Union and it is vital that elected politicians deliver upon that verdict,' a No 10 spokeswoman said. 'Any attempt to remove the Government's power to meet the legal conditions of an orderly exit at this moment of historic significance is extremely concerning. 'This news should serve as a reminder to those MPs who want to deliver Brexit that they need to vote for it - otherwise there is a danger that Parliament could stop Brexit.' Advertisement

He told Marr he was in favour of 'a different mechanism' to resolve the Irish border question and said he wanted to 'explore ways' to achieve that with the Irish government and EU.

Ireland has already rejected the idea, Sky News reported today.

Dr Fox admitted not all of the EU's existing trade deals would be ready for exit day.

He said: 'They're not ready and signed but they're well in train, actually there are 37 agreements, only 34 of which are in operation, and if you add Australia and New Zealand mutual recognition, you would get back to 36.

'We signed the first of those on Friday, we sign another one next week and we hope to sign the Switzerland deal, which is the most important of all of those particular agreements, within the next few weeks.

'These total agreements represent about 11.6% of our total trade, the bottom 21 of them represent about point eight of 1%, so there are a relatively small number.

'The top five of those represent about three quarters of that total and we're confident that we will be able to get those agreements over the line.'

A source told the Sunday Times, the idea of the Prime Minister offering to quit in May or June was being discussed by her team.

It would allow for an orderly Brexit and give time for a Tory leadership contest - but end hopes of Mrs May shaping a post-Brexit legacy.

The source said: 'The response came back that while the chief herself had not thought about it, the team around her had.'

Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab also warned against extending Article 50 today.

He told Sky News' Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme, said: 'If there's an attempt to reverse the referendum, stop Brexit altogether I think that would cut across not only the democratic mandate, the biggest in history we had.

'I think also if you look at current public opinion and how it's shifted by two to one as I said people want us to respect the referendum.'

Warning 'we can't let the EU bully us or call the shots', Mr Raab went on to say that to break the deadlock with Brussels the negotiating team should be changed.

The idea has been proposed by Gavin Barwell (left with Michael Gove in Downing Street on Thursday), Mrs May's top aide, and been discussed with at least two Cabinet ministers

What is the Irish border backstop and why do Tory MPs hate it? The so-called Irish border backstop is one of the most controversial parts of the PM's Brexit deal. This is what it means: What is the backstop? The backstop was invented to meet promises to keep open the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland even if there is no comprehensive UK-EU trade deal. The divorce deal says it will kick in automatically at the end of the Brexit transition if that deal is not in place. If effectively keeps the UK in a customs union with the EU and Northern Ireland in both the customs union and single market. This means many EU laws will keep being imposed on the UK and there can be no new trade deals. It also means regulatory checks on some goods crossing the Irish Sea. Why have Ireland and the EU demanded it? Because Britain demanded to leave the EU customs union and single market, the EU said it needed guarantees people and goods circulating inside met EU rules. This is covered by the Brexit transition, which effectively maintains current rules, and can in theory be done in the comprehensive EU-UK trade deal. But the EU said there had to be a backstop to cover what happens in any gap between transition and final deal. Why do critics hate it? Because Britain cannot decide when to leave the backstop. Getting out - even if there is a trade deal - can only happen if both sides agree people and goods can freely cross the border. Brexiteers fear the EU will unreasonably demand the backstop continues so EU law continues to apply in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland MPs also hate the regulatory border in the Irish Sea, insisting it unreasonably carves up the United Kingdom. What concessions did Britain get in negotiating it? During the negotiations, Britain persuaded Brussels the backstop should apply to the whole UK and not just Northern Ireland. Importantly, this prevents a customs border down the Irish Sea - even if some goods still need to be checked. The Government said this means Britain gets many of the benefits of EU membership after transition without all of the commitments - meaning Brussels will be eager to end the backstop. It also got promises the EU will act in 'good faith' during the future trade talks and use its 'best endeavours' to finalise a deal - promises it says can be enforced in court. What did the legal advice say about it? Attorney General Geoffrey Cox said even with the EU promises, if a trade deal cannot be reached the backstop could last forever. This would leave Britain stuck in a Brexit limbo, living under EU rules it had no say in writing and no way to unilaterally end it. Advertisement

He said: 'For all the great work the civil servants have done, I think to close this deal it needs to be politically led and driven so taken into control of the politicians.'

On the attempts to get the EU to drop backstop demand - which Brexiteers say Mrs May has failed to do personally - Mr Raab added: 'I raised it in July with Michel Barnier who accepted then that the backstop would have to be short.

'Unfortunately I think after that we didn't follow up and I argued very strongly that we should do.'

Earlier, Dr Fox wrote in the Sunday Telegraph today that those on the opposite side of the debate must not cancel Brexit.

He adopted Mrs May's warning that last week's devastating defeat of the deal must move on and the Rebels must 'tell us what they do want'.

Dr Fox said: 'Failure to deliver Brexit would produce a yawning gap between Parliament and people, a schism in our political system with unknowable consequences.

'The reaction of the Question Time audience could become a political tsunami. It is time for MPs to deliver on the promises they made.

'It is a matter of honour and a matter of duty.'

Amid the warnings, a senior Cabinet minister told the Sunday Express Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd, justice secretary David Gauke and Business Secretary Greg Clark back a second referendum

The minister said: 'They would do anything to stop Brexit.'

The minister added: 'The fear is that Labour will pivot to supporting a second referendum.

The minister also accused Brexiteers of 'overplaying their hand' and warned that the likelihood is that Parliament and the Government will 'go for something softer'.

The minister went on: 'I think if there is a majority view in the Cabinet it is that we commit to a customs union of some sort and I suspect that is where we will end up.

'The Cabinet in some ways reflects the party over not being clear which way to go except we don't have any [Brexiteer] hardliners any more. Penny [Mordaunt] and Andrea [Leadsom] are much more pragmatic Brexiteers.

'We have legislation which will have to go through and that can be amended to stop no deal and to have a second referendum.'

Labour MP Rupa Huq, a supporter of the Best for Britain campaign, said: 'The Prime Minister can make the ultimate sacrifice if she wants but it won't make her bad Brexit deal any better.

'At the moment she is in office and not in power. But I do have to say the idea that her Chief of Staff is running round telling the cabinet, half of whom are openly plotting to take her job, that she has go is just awful. It looks like the ultimate betrayal.

'This plotting shows why we need to go back to the people.'

Downing Street hit out at moves by rebel MPs to rewrite the Commons rule book in an attempt to derail Britain's withdrawal from the EU.

The two groups of MPs are said to be planning to table amendments to enable backbench MPs to take control of the business of the House to frustrate Theresa May's Brexit plans.

Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab (pictured today on Sky News) warned against extending Article 50 process amid the current deadlock

One group led by Tory former minister Nick Boles and the senior Labour MP Yvette Cooper is attempting to block a no-deal Brexit - something Mrs May strongly opposes.

However The Sunday Times reported that a second group led by the former attorney general Dominic Grieve wants to go further and suspend the Article 50 withdrawal process.

Downing Street described the moves as 'extremely concerning' and said they underlined the need for MPs who supported Brexit to vote for it in the House.

'The British public voted to leave the European Union and it is vital that elected politicians deliver upon that verdict,' a No 10 spokeswoman said.

'Any attempt to remove the Government's power to meet the legal conditions of an orderly exit at this moment of historic significance is extremely concerning.

'This news should serve as a reminder to those MPs who want to deliver Brexit that they need to vote for it - otherwise there is a danger that Parliament could stop Brexit.'
A man has been charged with murdering an Aboriginal man who was found stabbed to death inside his home.

Robert Charles Frescon, 33, was found by his sister with stab wounds to his neck about 3pm on Friday at his flat in Brisbane.

Two days later, a 21-year-old man from the Gold Coast was arrested and on Sunday afternoon charged with murder.

Robert Charles Frescon (pictured) was found in his Kelvin Grove apartment in Brisbane with a stab wound to his neck, sparking a murder investigation

The 33-year-old 'proud Indigenous man' is believed to have died some time between 10pm on Thursday night and Friday afternoon

Detective Acting Inspector Chris Toohey said the two men knew each other but would not comment on a motive as investigations were ongoing.

A post-mortem confirmed Mr Frescon died from the wounds to his neck but what he was stabbed with was still being investigated.

The 'proud Indigenous man' was believed to have died sometime between 10pm on Thursday night and Friday afternoon.

His devastated sister is reportedly in the care of family members who are helping her cope with what she saw.

Mr Frescon's devastated sister is reportedly in the care of family members who are helping her cope with what she saw

Detective Acting Inspector Christopher Toohey said: 'Obviously it was extremely upsetting for her.'

'We've got processes in place to assist her now and she's with other family to assist her after visiting the home,' he said.

She was allegedly in shock when she came across her brother's body, and a neighbour was required to call emergency services to the apartment on Hunter Street, The Courier Mail reported.

Mr Frescon worked for Link Up Queensland - an organisation dedicated to reuniting Indigenous family members.

Police were called to a house (pictured) in Kelvin Grove at 3pm after the 33-year-old's sister discovered his body

He often travelled around the country for his work and loved his job.

Forensic officers spent hours at the scene combing through evidence and are investigating the area surrounding Mr Frescon's home.

'At this time police are treating this death as homicide, and are appealing for assistance of any of the public with information in relation to Robert's movements yesterday or over the last few days to contact police,' Det Insp Toohey said.

'Police also seek assistance from the public who heard or saw anything around Hunter Street from 10:00pm Thursday to Friday afternoon.'

The alleged killer will face Brisbane Magistrate's Court on Monday morning.
The sister of slain Israeli student Aiia Maasarwe has opened up about the devastating moment she learned her sister had been allegedly raped and murdered - as police reveal a lucky break led to the accused killer's arrest.

Noor Maasarwe said her 21-year-old sister often feared for her life and never felt safe while walking home on the stretch of road where her body was found in the northern Melbourne suburb of Bundoora on Wednesday.

The road was dimly lit and every night Aiia called her older sister as she walked home, Noor said.

Noor broke down on Sunday as she described Aiia as a beautiful soul who always put a smile on people's faces.

The sister of slain Israeli student Aiia Maasarwe (pictured) recalled details of the chilling phone call they shared minutes before her alleged rape and murder

Noor (pictured) broke down on Sunday as she described Aiia as a beautiful soul who always put a smile on people's faces

Police arrested Codey Herrmann (pictured), 20, on Friday morning after manhunt for the alleged killer

Ruba Maasarwe (left) the sister of murdered Israeli student Aiia Maasarwe (right) has detailed the chilling FaceTime call they shared before she was allegedly raped and murdered - which cut off to the sound of 'yelling and shouting'

She told Nine News she found out the 21-year-old had allegedly been killed on the news.

'I [saw] in the news that they found a body. They didn't say who it was,' Noor said.

'But it matches all the details. It was on the same road. Everything. I was just praying that it's not her.

'But then I saw the shoes and her phone ... and I was sure it was her.'

Aiia was on the phone with her other sister, Ruba Maasarwe, when she was allegedly attacked.

Ruba has since revealed details of their late-night call.

'We spoke on the phone on FaceTime. We spoke about the stand-up comedy she saw and when we would next meet,' Ruba told Israeli TV station Channel 13.

'Suddenly I heard her scream. I heard vehicles in the background of the call like there was a phone on the floor.

'There was no sign during the conversation of the horror about to happen.

'I heard her screaming and screaming and then the call was cut off.'

Ruba Maasarwe's recounting of her late-night safety call came after homeless rapper Codey Herrmann (pictured), 20, faced court on Saturday charged with killing her sister

Ms Maasarwe had spent the night at a comedy club before boarding the 86 tram from Bourke Street, heading to her home in Bundoora. She left the tram around midnight. Her body was discovered in scrub, nearby, the next day

Noor Maasarwe said her 21-year-old sister often feared for her life and never felt safe while walking home on the stretch of road where her body was found

Aiia's body was found half-naked near the Polaris Shopping Centre on Wednesday morning after she was allegedly attacked while walking home the night before.

The 21-year-old had moved to Melbourne on a one-year exchange program to study at La Trobe University.

Aspiring rapper Codey Herrmann, 20, faced court charged with the alleged rape and murder of the Israeli exchange student.

Herrmann was arrested after the 'outstanding' work of a Melbourne police officer who recognised a distinctive hat and T-shirt from the scene of the death.

Early in the investigation police released images of clothing they believed was left behind - a '1986' cap and two-toned grey t-shirt.

A local leading senior constable remembered he stopped a man allegedly wearing the exact clothing four days earlier, The Age reported.

Within an hour, the officer and a senior detective found and arrested Herrmann.

Without the lucky break it is unlikely an arrest would have been made so soon, due to Victorian laws on DNA sampling.

Proposed legislation changing the laws stalled in the Upper House due to Victoria's state election in November.

The legislation would have enabled police to collect DNA from every arrest, helping them to quickly identify offenders.

However, current laws only allow DNA samples to be taken on conviction and by court order.

If the police officer had not recognised Herrmann's alleged clothing, he may not have been caught as quickly.

Hundreds of people gathered in the northern Melbourne suburb of Bundoora on Sunday as a tribute to the 21-year-old

A makeshift memorial was set up where her body was found on Main Drive with flowers and candles laid by members of the public

Ms Maasarwe's father Saaed was also at the tribute where he thanked many for their attendance

A vigil service was held outside the same centre where her body was found on Sunday, during which hundreds of people stood in solidarity with her father, Saaed.

A makeshift memorial was set up where her body was found on Main Drive, covered in flowers and notes for the Israeli student.

The Facebook page for the event pleaded attendees to come with a 'peaceful mindset'.

'This Sunday we ask you to come and pay respect, ensure we peacefully make it quite clear this kind of act and violent behaviours of others will no longer be tolerated with our or any other community,' read the description for the event.

Meanwhile, thousands gathered in Israel, pleading for Ms Maasarwe's body to be brought home.

At the same time as Aiia's memorial, thousands of people also took to the streets of Sydney for the annual Women's March.

Protesters gathered in the CBD as a symbol of change and solidarity, drawing awareness to the issue of violence against women.

The March started in 2017 in response to Donald Trump becoming president and has become an annual event ever since.

Protesters gathered in the CBD as a symbol of change and solidarity, drawing awareness to the issue of violence against women

Several thousand people have marched through Sydney's streets, demanding they be made safe for women following the murder of Aiia Masaarwe

The March started in 2017 in response to Donald Trump becoming president and has become an annual event ever since

Women's March Sydney lead organiser Megan Date said they are trying to continue the momentum of the first two years.

'We're focusing this year on the crisis of violence against women and girls. We'll be supporting the Safe State initiative, which is a list of 49 policy recommendations to address and end family and domestic violence in New South Wales, developed by front line workers and experts,' Ms Date said in a statement.

She said that the group feel the number - 69 - of women who died at the hands of their male partner in 2018 is unacceptable.

'We want more attention on this issue from our community and political leaders. One death is one too many,' she said.

This year's Women's march Sydney began in Hyde Park at 11.30am and finished at Belmore Park.
Natalie Portman, 37, said that her reasoning for not attending the Genesis Award ceremony was so as not to appear as endorsing Benjamin Netanyahu

Roseanne Barr has called actress Natalie Portman 'repulsive' after she skipped an award ceremony in Israel last year.

Barr, 66, who was promoting her upcoming trip to Israel in an interview with Israel's Hayom newspaper called the 37-year-old Oscar-winning actress 'repulsive' for declining to accept an award in the Jewish state last April.

'It was really sickening, I find her repulsive,' Barr said of Portman. 'She was raised in incredible privilege of safety in the Jewish state and knows nothing about anti-Semitism.'

Last April, Portman refused to collect her Genesis Prize - known as the 'Jewish Nobel' - in Jerusalem in April because Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be there.

Portman said she 'didn't want to be seen endorsing' him in the wake of violence at the Gaza border, but her decision caused a stir in Israel and the US.

Roseanne Barr called the Black Swan star 'a complete hypocrite who grew up in safety and privilege'

At the time of the controversy, Portman said: 'I chose not to attend because I did not want to appear as endorsing Benjamin Netanyahu, who was to be giving a speech at the ceremony.'

She also said that 'the mistreatment of those suffering from today's atrocities is simply not in line with my Jewish values,' adding: 'Because I care about Israel, I must stand up against violence, corruption, inequality, and abuse of power.'

One Israeli politician, Oren Hazan from the Likud party, branded it 'complete craziness' that she was awarded the prize in the first place and called for her citizenship to be revoked during the subsequent uproar.

He accused her of 'cynically' using her birthplace to further her career and said she had 'no real connection to the State' after leaving for the USA aged four.

Barr went on: 'She's the darling of the left here, the Jewish left in Hollywood, she is a complete hypocrite who grew up in safety and privilege, like I said before, and knows nothing about what she speaks of.'

Barr, meanwhile, who was fired by ABC from the reboot of her hit sitcom, claims she was the victim of antisemitism.

The comedian was fired by ABC in May just a day after she posted a racist tweet about Valerie Jarrett, a former adviser in the Obama administration.

In an interview lasst week, Barr said the executives at ABC treated her unfairly because she is Jewish and supports Israel.

'I chose not to attend because I did not want to appear as endorsing Benjamin Netanyahu, who was to be giving a speech at the ceremony,'Portman said

Barr will arrive in Israel at the end of the month along with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, as a guest of his World Values Network organization, and will speak at the Israeli Knesset against the boycott, divest and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.

The BDS campaign promotes boycotting Israel and its products until the Jewish state removes settlements from the West Bank.

The Genesis prize, launched in 2013, is awarded to 'extraordinary individuals who serve as an inspiration to the next generation of Jews,' according to foundation's website.

Recipients contribute their winnings to causes of their choice, and Portman has said she intended to dedicate the money to programmes advancing women's equality.

Born in Jerusalem to a doctor father and an artist mother, Portman won a best actress Oscar for 2010's psychological ballet thriller 'Black Swan'.
The firings follow a series of high-profile executive departures from Snap.

An outside investigation found that Snaps head of global security, Francis Racioppi, fired the contractor after their relationship ended. (Photo: AP)

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Snap recently fired two executives after one allegedly had an inappropriate relationship with a contract worker.

The newspaper says an outside investigation found that Snaps head of global security, Francis Racioppi, fired the contractor after their relationship ended. The Journal attributed the news to unnamed people familiar with the matter. Racioppi and his superior, the head of human resources, were asked to leave the company following the investigation.

The firings follow a series of high-profile executive departures from Snap. Finance chief Tim Stone left earlier this week after less than a year at the company.

Los Angeles-based Snap Inc. had no comment on the Journal report. The two executives couldnt be reached for comment. The Journal quoted Racioppi denying wrongdoing.
Tony Mendez, the spy who inspired the 2012 thriller movie Argo, passed away Saturday after a battle with Parkinson's disease. he is seen here in a photo from the 80s

Tony Mendez, the spy who inspired the 2012 thriller movie Argo, passed away Saturday after a battle with Parkinson's disease. He was 78 years old.

The 25-year CIA veteran smuggled six State Department employees out of Tehran during the 1979-1981 hostages crisis in Iran by pretending his was an Irish filmmaker with a crew from Canada and it served as an Oscar-winning plot for the Ben Affleck motion picture.

Mendez left behind his wife Jonna Mendez, a former chief of disguise for the CIA where she worked for 27 years. They married in 1991 and their son Jesse was born in 1993 when she retired.

Former spy Tony Mendez died Saturday after a battle with Parkinson's disease. His work inspired the 2012 film Argo starring Ben Affleck

Director-actor Affleck paid tribute to the late Mendez on the day he died.

'Tony Mendez was a true American hero. He was a man of extraordinary grace, decency, humility and kindness,' Affleck posted on Twitter. 'He never sought the spotlight for his actions, he merely sought to serve his country. I'm so proud to have worked for him and to have told one of his stories. #RIPTonyMendez.'

The endeavor had been life or death: Iran had undergone a revolution  kicking out the American-backed shah and installing Ayatollah Khomeini as the Supreme Leader of the now Islamic Republic.

The film is about how Mendez smuggled six State Department employees out of Tehran during the 1979-1981 hostage crisis in Iran by posing as an Irish filmmaker with his crew

Affleck paid tribute to Mendez in a tweet calling him 'a true American hero'

On November 4, 1979, militants had taken over the US Embassy in Tehran, and the six had fled to the Canadian Embassy.

Mendez 'created the false documents and the disguises that a CIA officer posing as a businessman smuggled into revolutionary Iran and delivered to the Canadian Embassy, where the six were hiding,' according to a September 19, 1997 New York Times article by Tim Weiner.

After Mendez received an award in 1997, George Tenet, then the director of the CIA, called Mendez and said he wanted him to tell the story of the rescue of the six.

'Tony said it's classified, we can't tell that story. Tenet said tell the story Tony. The public never hears good stories about CIA so let's just release this one good story,' Jonna Mendez, his wife, told DailyMail.com last December about the conversation.

Jonna Mendez is shown above next to her disguise case at the International Spy Museum in Washington DC. She was at the CIA for 27 years

'Then the Argo story kind of bubbled back up and they decided they were going to make a movie out of it,' Jonna said.

'Tony wasn't going to write a book about it because it'd been chapter nine in the first book, but when it was going to be a real movie, he said let's get the facts on paper because it, you know, will be fiddled with on film. That is what happened with Argo.'

In the 2002 book Spy Dust: Two Masters of Disguise Reveal the Tools and Operations that Helped Win the Cold War, Tony and Jonna Mendez chronicle how they eventually got together as they took on the KGB in the late 1980s.

Together and separately, Mendez and Tony have written several books, including Tony's book with Matt Baglio Argo: How the CIA and Hollywood Pulled Off the Most Audacious Rescue in History.

The couple's latest book, The Moscow Rules, will be out in May. Both are founding board members for the International Spy Museum.
A woman has been charged with aggravated assault after two people were stabbed in Adelaide's CBD.

Emergency services were called to the street entrance of the Ibis Hotel on Grenfell Street at around 9.45am on Sunday following reports of a stabbing.

The victims, a 33-year-old woman and a 38-year-old woman, have been treated for non-life threatening injuries at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, according to South Australia police.

Scroll down for video

A woman has been charged with aggravated assault after two people were stabbed in Adelaide's CBD

The 33-year-old Adelaide woman, who was known to them, was arrested without incident when she handed herself in Hindley St Police Station just after 10 am.

SA Police Inspector Cameron Devey said police initially received reports of a woman who was attacked but later on found that two women had been assaulted.

'We can assure the community that there is no other risk to any other members of the public and that we've got the matter in hand,' SA Police Inspector Cameron Devey told ABC.

The woman has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault that causes harm.

It is believed she will be refused bail in court, according to SA police.

She is set to appear in Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday.

Grenfell street was temporarily closed but has now reopened to all traffic.
Two friends who committed suicide in a pact at a Manhattan hotel have been identified.

Friends of 33-year-old David Koenig and Ellen O'Meara, 30, said that the two were destined to share the same end.

'Their friends were very upset, but not surprised,' a police officer explained to the New York Post.

'It's almost as if from the first day these two people met, they knew they were going to die together.' The two met a year ago.

Friends of 33-year-old David Koenig and Ellen O'Meara, 30, said that the two were destined to share the same end

The pair were found dead at 7pm Thursday night by the cleaning woman.

One of the last text that Koenig sent to the percussionist of their band 'Cesspool' said that he wouldn't be at practice, a source said.

And someone claiming to be a friend of O'Meara's knocked on her neighbor's door and said: 'My friend, I'm worried about her.'

'She was very private,' added neighbor Katherine Zeppelin, 54. 'She never had any friends over. Never saw any men at all.'

The two were staying in a room on the 18th floor of the Yotel Hotel on 10th Avenue in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan.

The two were staying in a room on the 18th floor of the Yotel Hotel on 10th Avenue in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan

The two were found with nitrous oxide canisters near the bed

They left behind a note saying 'Don't look behind the curtain. We're dead. This is for you,' along with several $20 bills for the hotel staffer who was to find their bodies, the New York Post reports.

The book by Geo Stone, is described on Amazon as a 'brave, compassionate, and ethical study examines the methods, unforeseen results, and other alternatives to suicide'

The cleaning woman reportedly found that the doorway was blocked by a plastic sheet upon entering the room on Thursday.

She could not see beyond the sheet hunt by the entrance into the room but found the grim note and cash tip taped to the sheet.

Despite the instruction not to look, she found the guests dead, lying in bed with a plastic bag over both of their heads.

The bag had plastic tubes leading to two nitrous oxide canisters, according to the report.

Also found in the room were a signed suicide note explaining the the pair's intent to kill themselves and with the last will and testament of the man and woman.

The book 'Suicide and Attempted Suicide: Methods and Consequences' by Geo Stone, was found under the bed, according to the Post, with the section on suffocation bookmarked.

For confidential help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or click here
Renovations on the Supreme Court have halted after a medium declared the building is haunted by a dead judge's spirit.

The unnamed psychic medium told building firm Hansen Yuncken former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sir George Murray is not impressed with plans to redesign the Adelaide courtroom where he spent 26 years.

Hansen Yuncken hired the woman at their own expense after a spate of incidents, including a fire extinguisher and chairs being moved around the courtrooms.

The unnamed psychic medium told building firm Hansen Yuncken former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sir George Murray (pictured) is not impressed with plans to redesign the Adelaide courtroom where he spent 26 years

Poll DO YOU BELIEVE IN GHOSTS? YES NO DO YOU BELIEVE IN GHOSTS? YES 102 votes

NO 61 votes Now share your opinion





While no changes to the $31million redevelopment have been approved as yet, the building firm is allegedly in talks as to whether they should rearrange the floor plan of the courtrooms to 'appease the ghost,' The Advertiser reported.

Sir George Murray's grievances, she claimed, stemmed from the rearrangement of the position of the bench where judges sat.

A Hansen Yuncken spokesman said the medium was drawn to courtroom number 11 in particular.

'She looked at the site plan, felt a presence on the plan and then realised that was where the issue was. The medium went down to the room and felt a presence there.

'Apparently she spoke to what she called the 'spirit', which was a Supreme Court Judge, Sir George Murray, who was a little bit annoyed that the layout of his courtroom had changed so he has been causing a little bit of mayhem.'

Renovations on the Supreme Court in Adelaide have halted after a medium declared the building is haunted by a dead judge's spirit

The spokesman went on to say while he couldn't confirm any changes to the layout of the room had been made, he did say the company cared about its staff's well-being and safety.

'There might be a little bit of a design change to keep the judge happy. There may well be some things to accommodate his, shall we say, temper.'

Sir George was South Australia's highest ranking judge for 26 years and 29 days, right up until his death in 1942 at 78-years-old.

Government officials, including Attorney-General Vickie Chapman and State Courts Administrator, Julie-Anne Burgess remain adamant the development is right on track.
Ebony Roby, 25, was arrested Saturday and charged with child endangerment

A Missouri woman was charged with first-degree child endangerment on Saturday after her two-year-old son fell from her car, was hit by a truck and died.

It remains unclear how little Elijah Roby was ejected from the vehicle in St Louis County on Friday afternoon.

Immediately following the incident, mother Ebony Roby put the boy back inside the motor, drove to a Shell gas station on Lucas and Hunt and called 911.

The Jennings Station Road (near Interstate 70) incident was reported at 4.48pm and the child was rushed to hospital in critical condition.

Sergeant Shawn McGuire told KMOX News Friday night: 'The driver of the vehicle remained on scene. They're cooperating with investigators. Detectives are trying to piece together the scene, while trying to interview as many witnesses as possible.'

However the boy didn't make it.

The parent was behind bars Saturday after cooperating with the St Louis County Police Department.

She was placed on $50,000 bond as the Bureau of Crimes Against Persons investigated, KMOV reported.

Roby's school friend posted on a GoFundMe page said up to raise $10,000 for the family, showing sympathy for the detained woman.

Her son Elijah Roby, two, died after he fell out of her car a Friday and was hit by a truck

Tarisha Warren posted: 'I went to school went ebony and I swear I feel this to my heart shouldn't no mother have to go through this!

'Things happen  God I ask you to give this mother and her family the strength for this tragic lost I'm a mother myself jah jah . I made my donations and wish I could of given more for baby Eliajah.'

Family member Patrabean Edwards set up the crowdfunding page and called it a 'tragic loss'.

The Missouri woman picked him up from the Jennings Station Road (near Interstate 70), drove him to a gas station on Lucas and Hunt and called 911

She was placed on $50,000 bond as the Bureau of Crimes Against Persons investigated

Edwards said Elijah had half a dozen other siblings but its not clear if they all belong to his mother Ebony.

'Our 2 year old nephew Elijah Roby, whose life had barely began, was loss in an accident,' Edwards wrote.

'He leaves behind his grieving mother , father, several sisters and brothers and Family who are in need of your help with funeral arrangements and supporting the future needs of his 6 other siblings. We greatly appreciate anything u can give, even a prayer. We love you all and Thank you.'
Alec Baldwin returned as President Donald Trump who plays the reality game show Deal or No Deal with Democrats in order to end the partial federal shutdown on the first Saturday Night Live of 2019.

The special government shutdown edition of the popular game show is usually hosted in real life by Howie Mandel, but SNL had Steve Harvey, portrayed hilariously by Kenan Thompson, step in.

Harvey joked that Mandel wasnt available to host because he had contracted ebola after shaking someones hand.

Alec Baldwin (right) returned as President Trump who plays the reality game show Deal or No Deal with Democrats in order to end the partial federal shutdown on a brand new episode of Saturday Night Live. Steve Harvey, portrayed hilariously by Kenan Thompson, is seen left

Harvey pitches in for Howie Mandel, who had contracted 'ebola' for 'shaking someone's hand'

Harvey then joked about about spending two hours waiting on line at airport security in Atlanta because TSA agents thought I was smuggling extra teeth in my mouth. He then introduces Trump

I want $5billion for my big border wall, and in exchange I'll extend DACA, and I'll release the kids from cages so they can be, you know, free-range kids, the President says

In the cold open, Davidson's 'briefcase' is a box from White Castle. This past week, Trump hosted Clemson football players at the White House. But because of the government shutdown, the event wasn't catered, so Trump bought the players fast food

In real life, Mandel suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder that manifests as a crippling, anxiety-producing fear of germs.

Harvey then joked about about spending two hours waiting on line at airport security in Atlanta because TSA agents thought I was smuggling extra teeth in my mouth.

He then introduces Trump.

All right, now earlier today you went on TV, and you told the American people that you want to make a deal, Harvey says to Trump.

That's right, Steve, the President said.

Trump is then asked to play Deal or No Deal with other players - the members of Congress with whom he has to negotiate the end of the federal shutdown

Kate McKinnon introduces her portrayal of a power-hungry, devious Nancy Pelosi

When Harvey asks Pelosi how she's feeling tonight, she replies: 'Me? Just normal. Not like drunk on my own power or anything.'

When Harvey asks Pelosi to open her briefcase, the note inside reads: '$1billion, and you say Nancy is my mommy.'

SNL compared Pelosi and Trump to 'two grandparents fighting over the thermostat'

All right, so we decided to do this in the only format that you can understand - a TV game show with women holding briefcases, Harvey says.

Alright now in your briefcase here, you've got the deal that Congress offered you in December, Harvey says.

And I said no deal, the President says.

Yeah. Nobody's excited about that. player. What was your counter-offer today? Harvey asks.

I want $5billion for my big border wall, and in exchange I'll extend DACA, and I'll release the kids from cages so they can be, you know, free-range kids, the President says.

Trump is then asked to play Deal or No Deal with other players - the members of Congress with whom he has to negotiate the end of the federal shutdown.

The SNL audience is introduced to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, played by Kate McKinnon.

Trump refers to her as 'Fancy Nancy Pe-loser.'

'I'm still working on the nickname,' the President says.

When Harvey asks Pelosi how she's feeling tonight, she replies: 'Me? Just normal. Not like drunk on my own power or anything.'

Harvey then asks Trump to pick another contestant. 'I'll take that older Jewish woman on case four,' Trump says, pointing to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer

Schumer is often criticized by liberals as being too willing to make deals with Republicans. He is seen above on SNL offering Trump 'whatever you want'

Schumer is then told to switch gears and 'project strength' by Pelosi

So he offers Trump '$15 and pastrami on rye' in exchange for ending the government shutdown

When Harvey mentions to Pelosi that she rejected Trump's offer to end the shutdown, she replied sarcastically: 'Which is a shame because I hate saying no to you, Mr. Trump.'

In real life, Trump offered to end the shutdown by offering protections for DACA recipients in exchange for funding for his border wall. That offer was rejected.

When Harvey asks Pelosi to open her briefcase, the note inside reads: '$1billion, and you say Nancy is my mommy.'

Harvey replies: 'Okay, $1billion for border security. That's a lot of money.'

'Yeah, but it's not $5billion, and I need $5billion because that's the first random number I said,' Trump said.

'No deal.'

Pelosi then confronts the President, telling him: 'If the government's shut down you can't do the State of the Union.

'It's for security reasons, not because I'm vindictive or anything,' she says sarcastically.

Trump replies: 'I can't do the State of the Union, then guess what. You're not flying to Afghanistan.'

In real life, Pelosi delayed the State of the Union, which was scheduled for January 29, citing 'security concerns' in light of the shutdown.

Trump retaliated by canceling a trip in which a Congressional delegation led by Pelosi was scheduled to visit Europe and Afghanistan.

On SNL, Pelosi, feigning outrage, says: 'Oh, no! I can't go on my vacation to a war zone? What will I do?'

Harvey says that the Pelosi-Trump dispute was like 'watching two grandparents fighting over the thermostat.'

Harvey then asks Trump to pick the next contestant, which turns out to be Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. McConnell is portrayed by cast member Beck Bennett

On the show, McConnell is seen hiding behind his briefcase. In real life, McConnell has been criticized for refusing to enter the fray and deferring to Trump in the government shutdown

McConnell is then seen doing the 'Bird Box challenge' - a reference to the hugely popular Netflix film starring Sandra Bullock

Harvey then asks Trump to pick another contestant.

'I'll take that older Jewish woman on case four,' Trump says, pointing to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Schumer is regularly portrayed on SNL by cast member Alex Moffat.

When Harvey mentions to Trump that the 'older Jewish woman' is Schumer, the New York Senator replies: 'Oh, that's okay. You know, I'm very happy for any attention.'

Harvey then asks Schumer to reveal his offer.

'My offer is, whatever you want,' Schumer says.

Schumer has often been criticized by liberals as being too willing to compromise with Republicans.

Schumer, correcting himself, says: 'We're not doing that anymore. I'm not caving like that.'

Schumer vows that he would start 'projecting strength.'

Harvey then reads two 'sponsorships' - mock ads that make fun of the government shutdown. 'Green beef. Shouldn't be green, but ain't nobody at the FDA there to inspect it,' Harvey says

An image then flashes on the screen of 'an old lady in inner tube way out in the ocean.' Harvey says: 'Coast guard will be back soon. Hang in there, Beth'

Harvey then asks Trump which charity he is playing for, to which he replies: 'Habitat for Hannity.' Hannity is a reference to Fox News host Sean Hannity, the staunchly pro-Trump conservative

'I'm going to put on my fiery red cheetahs,' Schumer says, replacing his glasses.

'And my offer is $15, and a pastrami on rye.'

Harvey then asks Trump if he accepts.

'Any time you choose no deal, a half a million federal employees work another day without getting paid,' Harvey tells Trump.

To which Trump replies: 'Cool story bro. No deal.'

Harvey then reads two 'sponsorships' - mock ads that make fun of the government shutdown.

'Green beef. Shouldn't be green, but ain't nobody at the FDA there to inspect it,' Harvey says.

An image then flashes on the screen of 'an old lady in inner tube way out in the ocean.'

'Coast guard will be back soon,' Harvey says. 'Hang in there, Beth.'

Harvey then asks Trump to pick the next contestant, which turns out to be Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

McConnell is portrayed by cast member Beck Bennett.

On the show, McConnell is seen hiding behind his briefcase. In real life, McConnell has been criticized for refusing to enter the fray and deferring to Trump in the government shutdown.

Harvey says: 'You can't just disappear in the middle of this.'

Harvey encourages McConnell to 'poke your head back out your shell.'

'We got a nice little juicy piece of lettuce for you,' Harvey says, a reference to the popular internet meme in which McConnell is frequently mocked as looking like a turtle.

Harvey then asks Trump to pick a new contestant. He ends up picking House Rep. Maxine Waters, played by Leslie Jones. After Trump repeats the insult that Waters is a 'very low IQ person,' she replies: 'I can now subpoena your tax returns whenever I want.'

Trump is then asked to pick another contestant - Cardi B. Only it turns out that the woman really is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York Democrat who was recently elected to the House. Ocasio-Cortez is played on SNL by cast member Melissa Villasenor

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, who is played by cast member Chris Redd, also makes an appearance. Booker is spoofed for being too focused on his presidential ambitions, as he is rumored to seeking the nomination in 2020

Iowa Republican Congressman Steve King's offer to Trump on SNL is 'whites' - a reference to statements made in defense of white nationalism

Harvey then calls on the other contestants, including Cardi B, who is portrayed by cast member Ego Nwodim

'He ain't going to be helping much, Mr. President,' Harvey says of McConnell.

Harvey then asks Trump which charity he is playing for, to which he replies: 'Habitat for Hannity.'

Hannity is a reference to Fox News host Sean Hannity, the staunchly pro-Trump conservative.

Trump jokes on SNL that he wants to help Hannity 'build a second beach house.'

'Habitat for Hannity' is a play on Habitat for Humanity, which in real life is a charity that builds houses for the poor.

Harvey then asks Trump to pick a new contestant. He ends up picking House Rep. Maxine Waters, played by Leslie Jones.

After Trump repeats the insult that Waters is a 'very low IQ person,' she replies: 'I can now subpoena your tax returns whenever I want.'

Finally, the segment ends with Trump accepting the offer of 'hamberders' from a Clemson football player, played by cast member Pete Davidson

This was Davidson's first role in an SNL skit since he posted a disturbing message on social media indicating he was thinking of committing suicide

In real life, Waters is now chair of the House Banking Committee thanks to the Democrats taking over the House of Representatives.

On the show, after Waters threatens Trump, the President replies that she's a 'true genius and beautiful.'

'That's what I thought, mother,' Waters said as she is cut off before she can finish the profane word.

Trump is then asked to pick another contestant - Cardi B. Only it turns out that the woman really is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York Democrat who was recently elected to the House.

Ocasio-Cortez is played on SNL by cast member Melissa Villasenor.

'Thats OK, Steve,' she says.

'Trump and the GOP are just terrified of me cause Im under 100 and I understand how to use Instagram.'

Harvey then calls on the other contestants, including Cardi B, who is portrayed by cast member Ego Nwodim.

When Cardi B opens the briefcase, the note says: 'This ain't my business, but sh-money.'

'Shmoney' is a term used by Cardi B and others. It usually connotes money that is paid under the table.

In real life, Cardi B made news this week by posting a video on social media blasting Trump and Republicans for the government shutdown.

The video went viral and made Cardi B a hero among anti-Trump Americans.

McConnell is then seen doing the 'Bird Box challenge' - a reference to the hugely popular Netflix film starring Sandra Bullock.

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, who is played by cast member Chris Redd, also makes an appearance, as does Republican Congressman Steve King.

Booker is spoofed for being too focused on his presidential ambitions, as he is rumored to seeking the nomination in 2020.

King's offer to Trump on SNL is 'whites' - a reference to statements made in defense of white nationalism.

Finally, the segment ends with Trump accepting the offer of 'hamberders' from a Clemson football player, played by cast member Pete Davidson.

McKinnon had a busy night playing politicians. She appeared on Weekend Update as Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren

'Am I likable? Probably not,' she says on SNL. 'Neither is a prostate exam. You need one or you die.'

In real life, Warren announced that she was forming an exploratory committee, a prelude to her officially launching her candidacy for president

This was Davidson's first role in an SNL skit since he posted a disturbing message on social media indicating he was thinking of committing suicide.

In the cold open, Davidson's 'briefcase' is a box from White Castle.

This past week, Trump hosted Clemson football players at the White House.

But because of the government shutdown, the event wasn't catered, so Trump bought the players fast food.

'What? You are ending the shut down for a hamberder,' Harvey asks Trump after the Clemson player unveils what's inside.

Trump misspelled 'hamburger' on Twitter when talking about the Clemson players' visit.

Later on the show, Colin Jost and Michael Che hosted another edition of Weekend Update, which included a few digs at Trump.

McKinnon had a busy night playing politicians. She appeared on Weekend Update as Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren.

In real life, Warren announced that she was forming an exploratory committee, a prelude to her officially launching her candidacy for president.

The announcement triggered discussion of whether Warren was 'likable.'

'Am I likable? Probably not,' she says on SNL.

'Neither is a prostate exam. You need one or you die.

'This country needs a finger up its caboose. You might like it.

'Bend over, America, and let mama Warren get to work.'
Unruly British tourists who have captivated New Zealand with their uncouth behaviour left a hotel room in disarray on Saturday morning, with towels, red bull cans and spaghetti strewn around the accommodation.

The cleaner at the motel said it took her 'hours' to clean the room, which was allegedly left stinking of 'kid's poo'.

Pictures seen by Daily Mail Australia showed Red Bull cans scattered on the floor, towels bunched up in the shower and under a desk and cigarette butts covering the ground out the front.

'It was really messy, and it smelt like kids poo,' the cleaner said.

The behaviour of the tourists (pictured speaking to police after causing a scene) has sparked anger in New Zealand

The family, who denied being 'gypsies', earlier said they were going to cut their holiday short after denying they were responsible for the series of incidents

'I had to open all the windows, and I told to my boss to leave them open as well as the door, so it could air out.'

She claimed most of the damage was done to the floor, with spaghetti found around the bed, and in the second room the group had booked.

'I had to scrub it with a brush,' the woman said. 'I was supposed to finish at 12pm but I finished at 3pm because of the brushing.

'I think they were dirty people, we had to wash everything.'

One room was missing teaspoons, forks, a bowl and a wine glass, though the owner was hesitant to claim they were stolen, only noting they were no longer in the room.

Pictures showed cans and bottles of toiletry items were left dumped on the shower floor, perhaps an indication of a hasty exit.

The cleaner said she thinks the family, who are believed to be travellers from England, were fighting on the morning, as she heard shouting from one room to another.

Despite multiple requests to pack up and check out when their booking ended, the family were defiant and stayed out the front of their unkempt rooms, smoking.

The group also allegedly scammed restaurants to avoid paying, left rubbish on beaches, sworn at locals and destroyed the apartment they were staying in during their visit

When they did eventually leave, in a car they had hidden behind a church nearby, staff at the motel claim they threw a can out the window on their way out.

The hotel confirmed that the family did pay for their room, which was booked under the name 'Eileen', but had told the business there would be four adults and two children staying.

When the family spoke with Daily Mail Australia on Saturday, there were at least seven people present over the age of 15 and two young children.

Staff said their behaviour was nothing short of disrespectful  especially after they had complained about their treatment in New Zealand.

'If you want people to respect you, you must respect the people, and the county, and the environment,' one person said.

A staff member at Travelodge told Daily Mail Australia on the weekend an email had been sent to them, and she believed other hotels in the Wellington CBD area, asking them to 'be aware' that the family had arrived.

The group, believed to be from Liverpool in the UK, have also allegedly scammed restaurants to avoid paying, left rubbish on beaches, sworn at locals and destroyed the apartment they were staying in during their visit.
Petrol stations have employed a sneaky tactic to dupe customers into using their services even if they are far more expensive than other fuel providers.

FuelWatch is a government-run service that provides Australians with live and rolling updates on the cheapest locations for fuel in each state.

But some petrol companies, most recently Caltex and United, have been found to be cheating the system by dropping some stores prices while raising others.

Some petrol companies, most recently Caltex and United have been found to be cheating the system by dropping some stores prices while raising others

Some petrol companies, most recently Caltex and United have been found to be cheating the system by dropping some stores prices while raising others

Caltex was caught out appearing to drop their prices at a number of stations in Perth's metropolitan area in order to grab headlines for being the region's cheapest fuel locations, PerthNow reported.

In the meantime, prices are hiked up at other stores. This can lead to unwitting customers being hoodwinked into purchasing petrol from these stations and believing they're getting the same deal they were alerted to via FuelWatch.

'FuelWatch is aware of a pricing strategy employed by some of the brands where they price a few of their sites throughout the metropolitan area at well below the daily average,' FuelWatch coordinator Kyle Huynh said.

'The purpose of this strategy is to have their brand feature in the media and on FuelWatch as the cheapest for that day, instilling an association of low prices with their brands.'

Petrol stations have employed a sneaky tactic to dupe customers into using their services even if they are far more expensive than other fuel providers

FuelWatch is a government-run service that provides people in every state across Australia live and rolling updates on the cheapest locations for fuel in each state

United fuel stations was also caught out doing the exact same thing in Perth a week ago.

According to the app, customers could purchase fuel from select United store for 107.1c a litre, but most stores were selling at an average of 112.2c a litre.

Mr Huynh said the strategy is employed by most brands, if not all of them.

A Woolworths fuel spokesman said the company doesn't follow any intentional pricing strategy of the sort.

'We monitor local prices regularly and focus on ensuring we deliver competitive prices and great service to our customers.'

'As required by WA law, our prices are published daily so our customers have full transparency on local fuel prices before they go to fill up,' the spokesman said.
Sarma Melngailis only found out Jeffrey Lichtman was married after her racy texts with drug lord El Chapo's lawyer were leaked.

It emerged a week ago that Jeffrey Lichtman may not be able to visit his own client in jail and the Brooklyn US Attorney's Office could launch an investigation into Lichtman's texts.

But convicted restaurateur Melngailis said she didn't know the 53-year-old had a wife and two children.

Sarma Melngailis, pictured in a Brooklyn court with Jeffrey Lichtman in June 2017, said 'it just hurts a bit' that she wasn't told he had a wife and two children when they were intimate

Defense attorney Jeffrey Lichtman's may not be able to visit El Chapo in jail after he discussed El Chapo in texts to former restaurateur Sarma Melngailis

She told the New York Post that 'it just hurts a bit' after apparently being deceived. According to the publication, Melngailis did not ask Litchman if he was married until after they had sex.

'Separated since December,' he told her in a May 19, 2017, text. The pair allegedly started sending messages of a sexual nature in February 2017. Lichtman's wife later revealed they had never separated and she had no knowledge of the affair.

Melngailis, 46, rose to popularity when her two Manhattan vegan eateries - Lucky Duck restaurant and Pure Food & Wine - became foodie sensations in the city.

Dubbed the 'Vegan Bernie Madoff' was jailed for more than three months in 2017 after she confessed to stealing more than $1million from her former workers and investors.

Melngailis acknowledged that her responses to the lawyer weren't as keen as his but that's because she's a 'bad sexter'.

On May 2, just days before Melngailis' plea deal, Lichtman sent her a text alluding to a previous dalliance. 'I loved being in you,' he wrote.

Sarma Melngailis allegedly had a 15-month affair with Lichtman while he was her attorney. She admitted her sexts were awkward and that she felt 'uncomfortable'

Melngailis replied: 'And see how you lucked out: I didn't go all praying mantis and kill and eat you after. For that would have only been self-defeating.'

'You felt perfect. Like it fit perfectly. Do you want that again,' he wrote days later.

'Yes I do,' Melngailis answered.

In her new interview she admitted: 'I personally feel uncomfortable saying things. My responses tended to be awkwardly formal or some type of joke.'

The 46-year-old said when she found out she was going back to Rikers Island jail, she felt worse for Lichtman

The restaurateur claimed they 'will always be friends' and remembers how 'he smelled good' during their alleged 15-month affair.

The blonde bombshell said she'd experienced plenty of inappropriate behavior from others in the past but said Lichtman was 'totally different'.

'I really appreciated that he treated me like I'm equal, I'm smart, I'm direct, I'm honest. This is something we're working on together,' she gushed to The Post.

In fact, she felt so strongly for him that she felt bad for him when she was sent to Rikers Island jail.

'When I found out I was going to be going back to Rikers, I almost felt worse for him because I felt like he was taking it really hard,' she said. 'My going away was painful for him, too. It has to be hard if you care about somebody.'

But in an explosive message the day before her plea deal, the texts continued as Lichtman told his client that he would want to have sex with her while she was on her nightly Ambien.

'I would be in favor of that,' Melngailis said. 'They make me kind of rag dollish.'

'Perfect,' he replied.

A veteran federal defense lawyer said it is likely the Federal Bureau of Prisons could get involved as well because of Lichtman's texts

Just two days after she pleaded guilty to charges of grand larceny, criminal tax fraud, and a scheme to defraud, Lichtman sent his client this sex-fueled text.

'Do you want to belong to me? Will it be ok if some days I just use your body so that I can [orgasm]?' he wrote.

Lichtman later told Melngailis that he was 'swooning' for her while they were in court together.

'I wanted you to feel my shoulder rubbing up against yoursI need to eat you,' Lichtman continued.

In one May exchange, Melngailis reassured Lichtman that she hadn't told anyone about their affair.

'I expected you to keep this between us,' he responded. 'Look. You know how important you are to me.'

'I wanted you to feel my shoulder rubbing up against yoursI need to eat you,' Lichtman told her in one text. He is pictured right outside Brooklyn Federal Court in 2017

It's no wonder she felt close to the lawyer; Lichtman confided in Melngailis on March 16, 2017: 'Is it bad that I'm hiring a belly dancer to be Chapo's daily visitor?'

In addition to messages about their affair, Lichtman also texted Melngailis about her former defense lawyer Sheila Tendy.

He claimed that Tendy was 'obsessed with sexual abuse', telling Melngailis: 'That's why I wasn't looking at her when sitting next to her on the bench. I didn't want to be accused of rape'.

After the texts referring to El Chapo were leaked, it wasn't the first time the drug lord's team has gotten in trouble with Judge Brian Cogan.

Last month Cogan forbade two members of the defense team from bringing cellphones into court for an entire year after prosecutors claimed they were using the phones to help El Chapo secretly text his wife Emma Coronel Aispuro.

Melngailis alleged Louis CK told her he never swore that I was clean' when she accused him of giving her an STD. He allegedly told her she should've made him wear a condom

She also spoke about Alec Baldwin whom she says she broke up with but never slept with because she was intimate with another man at the same time

Melngailis also shared with The Post, an email said to be from Louis CK who allegedly told her he 'never swore that I was clean' when she accused him of possibly giving her an STD.

'I should have worn a condom, you should have made me, we should have a lot of things,' the written response included.

She claims to still be friends will the comedian too and said the disgraced star that she knows from growing up in Massachusetts is 'the only guy who has ever picked up my dog's poop'.

It was not the same for Alec Baldwin whom she says she broke up with but never slept with because she was intimate with another man at the same time.

They dated but she put the relationship fizzling out down to her not wanting children. She said she has no desire to marry again after splitting with her co-conspirator husband Anthony Strangis.

Prior to her new interview, Lichtman said in a statement that his affair with Melngailis is a 'deeply personal matter' that he is 'going to try to deal with privately'.

'My life and behavior have not always been perfect - as I think we can all say - but I'm proud of my legal work in this case and on behalf of all the clients I've represented for the past 28 years,' he added.

'My personal feelings have never impacted my professional work or the results that I have achieved.'

Meanwhile, Melngailis claimed that someone 'criminally accessed' her devices and 'took copies of existing and deleted materials'.

'I immediately filed a police report and sought protections, which were violated,' she added.

'I'm personally mortified that this person who very much wants to hurt me has successfully done so and worse in the form of this collateral damage to Jeffrey.'
A teenager was arrested on suspicion of murder yesterday by detectives investigating the killing of Jaden Moodie, the boy rammed off a motor scooter and stabbed to death.

Jaden, 14, became the latest young victim of knife crime in London on January 9, in what detectives believe was a targeted attack.

He died in the street after a black Mercedes B-class carrying five men careered into him in a street in Leyton, East London. Three of the occupants jumped out and stabbed him.

Jaden, 14, became the latest young victim of knife crime in London on January 9, in what detectives believe was a targeted attack [File photo]

Yesterday, Scotland Yard said an 18-year-old man had been arrested in Wembley, North-West London, on suspicion of murder.

Detective Chief Inspector Chris Soole, who is leading the investigation, said: Although one man has been arrested in connection with this murder, we remain fully focused on locating and arresting others connected to this deadly attack. Our efforts to bring them to justice continues.

Jadens family has insisted he had no link to gangs but one picture on social media showed him posing on a moped while giving a gun salute. In another, he flashed a wad of 50 notes.

The area where he died is notorious for gangs, and members recruit teenagers to deal or move drugs.

Det Ch Insp Soole added: Due to the location and time of the attack, we know there are people out there who either witnessed the incident or who have information about this heinous crime and we would like to hear from them. I understand that some people may have reservations about contacting the police, but please be assured that any information provided will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Jadens family are being fully supported.
The institute has been gathering data from fishing communities of different areas to determine the exact cause of mass occurrence of the triggerfish.

Mumbai: Fishery experts have raised concerns with the state regarding the unusual sighting of jellyfish at the Sindhudurg coast and triggerfish in the waters of the west coast. They have sought extensive research on the matter stating that it could lead to the loss of the native and big fish at the affected sites.

The local fishermen from the Sindhudurg district approached the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) regarding the occurrence of jellyfish in large numbers since last 15 days in the waters of Vengurla taluka.

Experts examining this phenomenon stated that two species of jellyfish have been observed: Chrysoara and Cephea.

This is a rare occurrence when jellyfish are seen in such large quantity in five to 10 metres of depth in water. The jellyfish are getting trapped in the nets rather than small fish, which has also hampered the fishing activities for the community, said Swapnil Tandel, former senior researcher at CMFRI.

When Mr Tandel visited the site a fortnight ago, he stated that the fishing yield included 20 per cent of mackerel against 80 per cent of jellyfish in the net.

Jellyfish feed on small fish eggs and fish larvae, which could strict the growth of fishes in that area. As such, the big commercial fishes that feed on small fishes would also leave the area due to the absence of food, Mr Tandel added.

Meanwhile, the recent occurrence of triggerfish, also known as Odonus Niger, in bulk on the Maharashtra coasts has led to decline in commercial fish in Mumbai, as per experts.

Triggerfish have also been witnessed in bulk across Mumbais and Palghars water. While the phenomenon started becoming regular since last October, it is occurring now in abundance. It started from Malvani region and is now moving northwards in the state. This could be due to the change in water currents, said Ajay Nakhwa, a scientist at the CMFRI.

The institute has been gathering data from fishing communities of different areas to determine the exact cause of mass occurrence of the triggerfish.
The Bahamian restaurant owner who was forced to pay staff out of her own pocket after Fyre Fest organizers failed to pay her, has launched a GoFundMe hoping to 'appeal for help' after she was left in a 'big hole.'

Maryann Rolle, owner of the Exuma Point Bar and Grille, launched the fundraising effort because her life was forever changed by the disastrous 2017 festival.

'It has been an unforgettable experience catering to the organizers of Fyre Festival,' she said on the post. 'Back in April 2017 I pushed myself to the limits catering no less than a 1000 meals per day.

Scroll down for videos

Maryann Rolle, owner of the Exuma Point Bar and Grille, launched the fundraising effort because her life was forever changed by the disastrous 2017 festival

Rolle shared that during the hectic festivities, her team delivered various meals throughout the day from Exuma Point to Coco Plum Beach and Roker's Point. She also detailed how the organizers of the festival also stayed at the rooms at Exuma Point and enjoyed multiple meals there, as well.

Rolle shared that during the hectic festivities, her team delivered various meals throughout the day from Exuma Point (pictured) to Coco Plum Beach and Roker's Point

The woman claimed to have used $50,000 of her personal savings to pay her staff after Billy McFarland and Fyre Fest organizers failed to pay her

She continued: 'As I make this plea its hard to believe and embarrassing to admit that I was not paidI was left in a big hole! My life was changed forever, and my credit was ruined by Fyre Fest.

Rolle's heartbreaking story was highlighted in Netflix's Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened

'My only resource today is to appeal for help.

'There is an old saying that goes bad publicity is better than no publicity and I pray that whoever reads this plea is able to assist.'

The GoFundMe campaign is currently trending and while it has raised more than $68K, it will probably reach its $123,000 goal in a matter of fays.

Rolle's heartbreaking story was highlighted in Netflix's Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened.

Both the documentary and Hulu's Fyre Fraud mention that Billy McFarland's careless actions and dealings surrounding the festival had tremendous impact on the people on the island and their economy.

In the documentary, Rolle said: I had ten people working with me directly. They were just preparing food all day and all night, 24 hours.

I had to pay all those people. I went through about $50,000 of my savings that I could have had. They just wiped it out, and never looked back.'

Both the documentary and Hulu's Fyre Fraud mention that Billy McFarland's careless actions and dealings surrounding the festival had tremendous impact on the people on the island and their economy. McFarland pictured with Ja Rule

Many people sympathized with Rolle's story and wanted to know how they could help the woman.

Gabrielle Bluestone, an EP for the Netflix documentary, shared the GoFundMe on her Twitter.

'For those of you asking how to help Maryann Rolle, the Bahamian woman who spent $50,000 of her savings to feed the local laborers who worked on the Fyre Festival, she has an official gofundme page,' said Bluestone.

A federal judge sentenced the creator of the highly publicized, failed Fyre Festival in the Bahamas to a six-year prison term in October 2018.

Gabrielle Bluestone, an EP for the Netflix documentary, shared the GoFundMe on her Twitter

McFarland, 27, pleaded guilty earlier last year to charges related to swindling investors in the 2017 Fyre Festival in the Bahamas out of $26 million, in addition to cheating customers out of over $100,000 in a ticket scam.

McFarland's sentence was imposed collectively for all of the following, according to a statement released by the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York:

One count of wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud investors in Fyre Festival; one count of wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud a ticket vendor for the Fyre Festival; one count of wire fraud, in connection with his operation of a separate sham ticket scheme in which he purported to sell tickets to exclusive events; one count of bank fraud for writing a check with the name and account number of one of his employees without authorization; and one count of making false statements to a federal law enforcement agent in which McFarland, among other things, falsely denied the wire fraud and bank fraud conduct to which he pled guilty.

The Fyre Festival was a concert that was heavily promoted by McFarland as scheduled to take place over two weekends in April and May of 2017, but hopeful concert-goers arrived to no such event.

Following his guilty plea for the Fyre fraud scheme in March, McFarland pleaded guilty to additional fraud crimes in July, including a $100,000 scheme where he sold fake tickets to the Met Gala, Emmy Awards and a Cleveland Cavaliers game that included a lunch with Lebron James

A federal judge sentenced the creator of the highly publicized, failed Fyre Festival in the Bahamas to a six-year prison term in October 2018
Martin Selmayr is known as the monster of Brussels

He is known as the monster of Brussels  and if the buzz on the diplomatic circuit is correct, he could soon be moving his lair to Margaret Thatchers former HQ.

With just weeks to go until the UK is supposed to leave the EU, Brussels is preparing to appoint its first ambassador to London.

And British diplomats fear that the EU is about to appoint Martin Selmayr, the European Commissions secretary-general.

The pugnacious right-hand man to EU president Jean-Claude Juncker would operate with full diplomatic powers from the EUs London base  in the Smith Square building which was the Tory partys HQ under Thatcher.

Selmayr  whose grandfather Josef was a Lieutenant Colonel on Hitlers General Staff in the Balkans and served a four-year prison sentence for war crimes would have a critical role implementing Brexit, when the UK instantly becomes the EUs third-largest trading partner.

President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker (left) talking with his cabinet chief Martin Selmayr (right)

The 47-year-old has been branded a poisonous, merciless, ruthless, manipulative bully  and the fervent federalist believes that Brexit should be made as painful as possible for Britain to discourage other EU countries from deserting.

A senior diplomatic source said: The move makes perfect sense because once Juncker leaves later this year, Selmayr is likely to have his wings clipped there. London will be a plum job and the close attention hes paid to the job spec has been noticed.

A European Commission spokesman said: The appointment of a Head of Delegation will follow the usual recruitment procedure.
More than 100 migrants including a pregnant woman and a two-month-old baby were feared dead last night after their flimsy inflatable rubber dinghy capsized in the Mediterranean.

According to three survivors who were rescued 40 miles off the Libyan coast, 120 migrants in total had set off from the village of Garabulli, near Tripoli, on Thursday night.

The survivors, who were flown by an Italian naval helicopter to the island of Lampedusa, 100 miles south-west of Malta, said their dinghy took on water just hours after leaving Libya en route to Italy.

International Organisation for Migration (IOM) spokesman Flavio Di Giacomo said last night: They told us there were 120 when they left. After ten to 11 hours at sea (the boat) started sinking and people started drowning.

More than 100 migrants were feared dead last night after their flimsy inflatable rubber dinghy capsized in the Mediterranean

Ten women including a pregnant girl were aboard and two children, one of whom was only two months old.

He added that a third of the migrants on board were Sudanese and the others came from West African countries.

An Italian military plane first spotted the sinking dinghy as it struggled in rough waters, and threw two safety rafts before having to retreat due to a lack of fuel.

A helicopter dispatched from a naval ship then rescued the three people, who were suffering from severe hypothermia and skin burns and were taken to hospital on Lampedusa.

During this operation at least three bodies were seen in the water who appeared to be dead, said Rear Admiral Fabio Agostini of the Italian navy.

The navy alerted Libyan authorities who coordinated rescue operations, ordering a merchant ship to rush to where the dinghy had sunk  although rescue efforts proved fruitless.

According to IOM figures, the number of migrants who arrived in Europe by sea in the first 16 days of 2019 totalled 4,216, almost all by sea, compared with 2,365 in the same period of 2018.

The UNHCR, the UNs refugee agency, said that at least 170 people have died or have gone missing while crossing the Mediterranean this year. (Stock image)

The UNHCR, the UNs refugee agency, said that at least 170 people have died or have gone missing while crossing the Mediterranean this year, including 53 people who died crossing the Alboran Sea in the Western Mediterranean.

Last year, 2,262 people lost their lives trying to reach Europe across the Mediterranean, according to the UNHCR.

Despite the cold weather, migrants are continuing to arrive in Italy through the Mediterranean by boat. On Thursday night, a vessel carrying 57 Bangladeshis arrived on Lampedusa from Libya, said the IOM.

On Friday, Italys Interior Minister Matteo Salvini wrote on Facebook: As long as European ports will remain open... sea-traffickers will continue to do business and kill people.

Since Italys populist government came to power in June, Salvini, leader of the anti-migrant Northern League party, has closed Italian ports to humanitarian vessels.

The tragedy of the Mediterranean cannot be allowed to continue, said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

He added: We cannot turn a blind eye to the high numbers of people dying on Europes doorstep.

No effort should be spared, or prevented, from saving lives in distress at sea.
just four months after the death of his wife of 62 years

Windsor Davies, best known as the splenetic, bawling sergeant major in It Ain't Half Hot Mum, has died at the age of 88, just four months after the death of his wife of 62 years.

The actor, who delivered a series of memorable catchphrases in his eardrum-shattering military scream, passed away on Thursday at his home in France, his family announced yesterday.

His daughter Jane, one of his five children, said the loss of her father and her mother Eluned would 'leave a very large and very close family who will all remember them with love, laughter and gratitude'.

Windsor Davies, best known as the splenetic, bawling sergeant major in It Ain't Half Hot Mum, has died at the age of 88

Actor Windsor Davies and Donald Sinden in the British sitcom 'Never The Twain'

The actor delivered a series of memorable catchphrases in his eardrum-shattering military scream

Davies enjoyed success on film, television and stage, but he will be best remembered as Tudor Williams, a politically incorrect Battery Sergeant Major struggling to train a chaotic gang of British Army concert performers in India during the last months of the Second World War.

The hit BBC sitcom ran for eight series between 1974 and 1981. Forty-five years on, catchphrases including 'Shuutt up!!' and 'Oh dear. How sad.

Never mind' live on, though others like 'Bunch of poofs'  directed at the entire concert party  are now unbroadcastable.

In an interview, Davies once described the show as 'my saviour', joking that it had 'saved me from being a great actor'.

As his surviving co-stars praised his generosity and professionalism, the BBC last night said there were 'currently no plans' to repeat any episodes as a tribute to Davies.

Melvyn Hayes, who played Gunner 'Gloria' Beaumont, said: 'To work with him was a pleasure, a sheer delight because he was so generous in his work.

'You couldn't buy him a drink because you'd go into a public house and they'd say, 'Windsor has put some money behind the counter for you.'

He was nothing like the character he played. He was charming, quietly spoken, gentle.'

Writing on Twitter, Jeffrey Holland, who played a soldier in the sitcom before finding greater fame in Hi-de-Hi!, said: 'So sad to hear of the passing of my old mate Windsor Davies. A lovely man and a true professional who will be sorely missed.'

Windsor Davies with his wife Eluned and three of his five children in 1962

Windsor Davies (pictured in Vanity Fair) enjoyed success on film, television and stage

Due to complaints that the sitcom is racist, sexist and homophobic, It Ain't Half Hot Mum is never repeated, a decision that troubled co-creator Jimmy Perry  who also co-wrote Dad's Army  who described the ban as 'a shame'.

Comedy writer David Quantick said viewers had warmed to Sergeant Major Williams because memories of shouting Army officers were still fresh for those who had served in the Second World War and completed National Service.

'Even in the 1970s I think that he was an outrageous and extreme character,' he said. 'The character was very loose with his terminology but that's how sergeant majors talked.

They were bullies who wanted to strip you down. I think even at the time there was an element of, 'Oh my God, you can't say that'.'

TV critic Roger Lewis said that the ban on repeats had cost the sitcom's stars a small fortune and fostered some resentment.

'People like Don Estelle [who played Gunner 'Lofty' Sugden] were very bitter about this, not least because the stars of Dad's Army... grew very wealthy on the repeat fees,' he said.

'I don't agree with the timidity of the people who make these kinds of decisions. It's like banning the Carry On movies.

'You have to remember the 1960s and 1970s were a historical era and that's how things were back then.'

Born in Canning Town, East London, to Welsh parents, Davies moved to a village near Bridgend when he was ten. After school, he worked in a factory, coalmine and school as a teacher. He also completed national service in Libya and Egypt with the East Surrey Regiment between 1950-1952.

After taking a drama course, he was persuaded by his wife Eluned, whom he married in 1957, to build a career as an actor

After It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Davies enjoyed success as antiques dealer Oliver Smallbridge in the ITV sitcom Never The Twain opposite Donald Sinden.

He also topped the charts with Estelle in 1975 with the novelty track Whispering Grass, which sold more than one million copies. He later appeared in the 1998 BBC mini-series Vanity Fair.

Comedy actress Vicki Michelle, who toured with Davies in the 1990s, said: 'There are lots of people who are liked, but very few who are loved, and he was loved by the whole nation.

'He was this big man with the booming voice, with such personality and presence. He had a huge heart. Ordinary members of the public used to just come up to him and ask for a cuddle.'

SHUUTT UP! But how many of those catchphrases would survive today?

-Shuutt up!  yelled at Char Wallah Muhammad [Dino Shafeek] as he tried to play Land of Hope and Glory at the end of each episode.

-La-de-dah Gunner Graham  to the university-educated soldier played by John Clegg.

-You lovely boy  to Gunner Parky Nigel Parkins [Christopher Mitchell], whom Williams (right) suspects is his illegitimate son.

-Oh dear, how sad, never mind  whenever misfortune struck the group of performers under Tudor Williamss control.

-Sing Lofty, sing  rallying cry to co-star Don Estelle in their 1975 no.1 hit Whispering Grass, which sold a million copies.

And to modern ears, the most problematic of them all...

-Bunch of poofs  term of abuse for the concert party.
Theresa May's local police force is to let off wife-beaters with a caution  despite the Prime Minister promising a crackdown on domestic violence tomorrow.

Thames Valley Police have been told they can now hand out conditional cautions instead of taking suspects to court.

Officers in Reading will be allowed to spare suspects prosecution or even a criminal record if they agree to go on a course to address their relationship and behavioural issues.

The force, which covers Mrs Mays Maidenhead constituency, is one of five in England secretly allowed to go against the Crown Prosecution Services standard guidance.

Prime Minister Theresa May (pictured last week at Downing Street) promised a crackdown on wife beaters

Thames Valley Police won approval for the pilot scheme last October, along with West Midlands and Avon & Somerset. Dorset and Northamptonshire have recently been given the go-ahead from the Director of Public Prosecutions, Max Hill.

The controversial move threatens to overshadow the Prime Ministers announcement tomorrow of a new Bill aimed at helping victims and catching perpetrators, as well as setting up a new Domestic Abuse Commissioner.

Last night, Harry Fletcher of the Victims Rights Campaign told this newspaper: Cautions for offences of domestic violence are highly controversial. In my experience just one offence is unusual, the norm is a pattern of repeat behaviour.

A caution could lead to a fall in comprehensive police investigations and put victims at risk of further harm. This feels like cost-cutting, which will be to the detriment of predominantly female victims.

Thames Valley Police is one of five forces in England allowed to contravene CPS guidance

Thames Valley Police said: Conditional cautions will be issued to a selection of people arrested on suspicion of lower-level domestic offences.

... and young thugs go free Young criminals will escape punishment if they agree to change their behaviour in a radical experiment critics have branded soft justice. Suspects in low level crimes such as shoplifting, vandalism and drugs possession can avoid prosecution by signing a behavioural contract. They must take responsibility for what they have done, make amends and agree to tackle the causes of their offending. A pilot scheme is running in North London and more are planned around the country. But Susan Hall, of the London City Hall police committee, said: This is yet further evidence the Mayor is going soft on criminals at a time when violent crime in London is rocketing. Advertisement

This results in those at risk of continued offending receiving a caution  with the condition they complete a 12-session programme to address their relationship and behavioural issues. If they do not complete the programme, they will face prosecution in relation to the incident.

The centrepiece of tomorrows Domestic Abuse Bill will be a pledge to fulfil Clares Law reforms by forcing police to reveal an individuals violent past if their partners request it.

The proposal  named after Clare Wood, 36, who was murdered by an ex-boyfriend with a violent past  will complete plans Mrs May began as Home Secretary which were first highlighted by The Mail on Sunday.

When she unveils the Bill she will say: Throughout my political career, I have worked to bring an end to domestic abuse and support survivors as they take the brave decision to leave their abuser and rebuild their lives.

We know, from the harrowing experiences of victims and their families that there is still more to do to stamp out this life-shattering crime and the Domestic Abuse Bill will lead the way in bringing about the changes we need to achieve this.

It represents a step-change in our approach.

Officials say domestic abuse in England and Wales affected two million adults in 2016/17.
Theresa May and ministers will declare a 'critical incident' and Whitehall will 'be required work 24/7'

Ministers will declare a critical incident, Whitehall will be required to work 24/7 and the Governments emergency council Cobra will meet in the event of a No Deal Brexit, according to a secret document from Britains equivalent of the FBI.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) briefing seen by The Mail on Sunday reveals how it will play a significant role should the country crash out of Europe without a deal in place.

The document confirms officials are planning for possible public disorder and shortages of food and fuel after March 29, the date when the UK is due to leave the EU.

The NCA told staff: A No Deal exit is likely to result in significant short-term disruption across the country, which may manifest simultaneously across multiple areas and geographic locations.

It would bring a range of challenges for the agency including: a changing threat picture, a complete loss of access to EU tools, major disruption at ports (with additional customs checks required) and uncertainty about border arrangements between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

This direct disruption to the agency, alongside wider potential impacts such as transport blockages, fuel and food shortages and protests/public disorder, could impact on officers both personally and professionally.

The NCA is working out minimum staffing levels for April and is stopping staff taking any further annual leave, but may also have to fast-track a significant increase in recruitment of new officers.

This direct disruption to the agency, alongside wider potential impacts such as transport blockages, fuel and food shortages and protests/public disorder, could impact on officers both personally and professionally said the document

Bosses said they recognise the need for staff to take time off and the impact restrictions will have on their families, but insisted: We also need to ensure that business areas are staffed appropriately, operational activity can be conducted, and that the agency can respond to any threats or situations that occur as a result of a No Deal exit.

Steve Bond, head of the NCOA union for NCA officers, has told his members it does not support the leave restrictions. He told bosses the plans were unnecessarily blunt and will have arbitrary impact on NCOA members whether or not they were required to provide additional resilience.

Chief constables discussed the possible impact of Brexit at a summit last week but so far only two forces, North Yorkshire and Kent, have implemented annual leave restrictions around March 29.
A nine-month old baby stunned doctors after he survived 25 heart attacks in a single day - believed to be the most ever suffered in 24 hours by one person in the UK.

Theo Fry, now 19 months old, has had 30 cardiac arrests in total and has also been through 17 operations - all before his first birthday.

He was originally rushed to Alder Hey hospital in Liverpool after suffering from blood poisoning with his mother saying that 'everyone expected him to die'.

The baby was eventually diagnosed with an interrupted aortic arch, which meant his heart, which also had two holes in it, couldn't pump blood around his body.

After seeming to recover following his first operation, Theo returned to hospital where he suffered the repeated heart attacks in January 2017.

Theo Fry has had 30 cardiac arrests in total and has also been through 17 operations - all before his first birthday

Brave Theo has fought back to health, however, to the astonishment of doctors.

His terrible ordeal started at just eight days of age in May 2017, with his parents saying that the symptoms came on suddenly.

Mother Fauve Syers, 30, explained how Theo was suddenly sleepy and alarmingly turned blue and grey.

After ringing an NHS helpline, Theo was taken to Salford Royal Hospital but a team of 40 doctors were left baffled by his condition.

Pictured with his father Steven Fry, 35, and his mother Fauve Syers, 30, the now 19-month old boy made an incredibly recovery from his heart attacks

Brave baby Theo even suffered 25 heart attacks in just one day - thought to be the most suffered by anyone in the UK in 24 hours

Fauve and Theo's father Steven Fry, 35, were told that their son was in critical condition, although medics didn't know what was wrong with him.

Eventually, they were told that Theo had heart failure and needed an operation - or he would die.

Fave said she went into shock and Theo was then rushed to Alder Hey where, four days later, he had his first open heart surgery.

Speaking to the Mirror, Steven added: 'We were told if we hadn't called 111 that night, Theo wouldn't have woken up next morning.'

The constant attacks he suffered on January 31 prompted Theo's surgeon Dr Ramana Dhannapuneni to operate

As he was operated on, he suffered a heart attack and then suffered another one as he spent three months in Alder Hey.

Theo even contracted sepsis but the baby was able to  yet he battled through and was sent home in July 2017.

However, there was worse to come as he went back in to hospital a few months later with a dangerously high heart rate.

On December 21, he had another cardiac arrest and his heart stopped beaten for 12 minutes.

Dr Ramana Dhannapuneni admitted the operation was a risk but he discovered the issue and saw that Theo's left ventricle was covered in scar tissue

He was able to open the ventricle and Theo made a swift recovery, leaving the ICU just two days later

Over Christmas and January, he suffered two more heart attacks before the night of January 31 where he suffered 25 cardiac arrests in 24 hours.

His mother said: 'He had 25 cardiac arrests in 24 hours.

'It was horrific. He was having attack after attack. I knew he couldn't take much more. Every time it happened, nurses would buzz for the arrest team. He had the most buzzers pressed overnight in intensive care anyone can remember.

'I watched the resus team working on him with every chest compression, thinking, ''Oh my god, please don't let this be his last breath''.'

The constant attacks prompted Theo's surgeon Dr Ramana Dhannapuneni to operate.

The doctor admitted Theo may not survive but also said that the baby would die if the procedure didn't take place.

Father Steven revealed how their initial phone call to the NHS helpline saved Theo, as he would've died overnight otherwise

Thankfully, Dr Ramana discovered the issue and saw that Theo's left ventricle was covered in scar tissue, which stopped it working.

He was able to open it up and Theo immediately made a recovery, leaving the ICU just two days later.

One year on, Theo is all smiles with his cheeky, happy grin a regular sight.

His mother added: 'Everyone who sees him says how happy he is,' says Fauve. 'It's incredible what he's been through. He's so strong.'

The surgeon who saved Theo described his recovery as being incredible.

Dr Ramana Dhannapuneni said: 'Theo suffered the most arrests in 24 hours I have heard of  it is very rare and unusual. We had to operate immediately, as he wouldn't have survived much longer.

'It was very risky. It could have gone either way. But he pulled through and his recovery was amazing. The difference in him is incredible.'
Cops working on the unsolved murder of two girls killed on Indiana train tracks are looking into a man arrested on suspicion of child molestation after the public likened his mugshot to the sketch of the killer.

Charles Andrew Eldridge, 46, was taken into custody on suspicion of child molestation on January 8 after he was caught trying to have sex with a minor in an undercover sting where the Randolph County Sheriffs Department posed as a 13-year-old girl.

After his detainment in Union City, his mugshot drew comparisons to an earlier sketch of Abby Williams and Libby German's killer.

The Delphi multi-agency investigative team working on the double murder case have confirmed that they are looking into Eldridge's arrest.

Eldridge reportedly told law enforcement he had sexual encounters with another minor younger than 13 on multiple occasions, Fox 59 reported.

The bodies of Williams, 13, and German, 14, were found were found on the Delphi Historic Trail half a mile upstream from the abandoned Monon High Bridge in Indiana February 14, 2017. It was a day after they were last seen. Libby had posted a series of photos from the bridge on her SnapChat on February 13.

Scroll down for video

Charles Eldridge (left), 46, was taken into custody in January in Union City. His mugshot was compared to a sketch (right) of the man suspected of killing two Indiana girls

Bodies of Abby Williams, 13, (left) and Libby German, 14, (right) were found in Delphi February 14, 2017, a day after they were last seen

Eldridge was arrested around 116 miles from where the teenagers were found dead.

Chief Public Information Officer for the Indiana State Police said: 'Many similar tips and arrests of other persons alleged to be connected to the Delphi murders occur with some frequency.'

Captain Dave Bursten noted that comparisons come from people 'in and outside of Indiana' all the time.

'We know its hard for the public and media to resist posting side-by-side comparisons on social media of people who are alleged to have committed heinous crimes and also resemble the sketch of the Delphi murder suspect,' he said in a release published by WNDU.

'The only positive result from these actions is it keeps this open investigation in the mind of the public.'

Authorities said they do not speak specifically about the ongoing case. However the Captain promised: 'When an arrest is made of a suspect identified by the multi-agency investigative team as the alleged perpetrator of the Delphi Murders, rest assured, we will let everyone know.'

The girls were found on the Delphi Historic Trail half a mile upstream from the abandoned Monon High Bridge in Indiana February 14, 2017. It was a day after they were last seen

Eldridge has been charged with two counts of child molestation, one count of attempted child molestation, and one count of child solicitation.

By last February police had about 11,000 leads from a tip line.

The reward fund for information that will catch the killer was more than $200,000.

Police had released an audio recording of a man's voice saying 'down the hill' - which was captured by Libby on her phone

A core team of 15 law enforcement were working on the case locally, including the FBI.

The team coordinate with law enforcement across the country, whenever a tip is called in from outside of Indiana.

At times, it has appeared that police were on the verge of a breakthrough, like when investigators traveled to Colorado in 2017 to interview 'person of interest' Daniel Nations.

Police have since said they are not actively investigating the alleged sex offender in connection with the murders.

When the girls failed to show up to meet a family member for a ride home, a nightmare began for two families.

Libby and Abby were eighth graders at Delphi Community Middle School when they were killed.

Both girls played softball and were gearing up for spring practices before they died.

Police had released an audio recording of a man's voice saying 'down the hill' - which was captured by Libby on her phone. Police hailed the teen a hero for recording the potentially crucial evidence.

When the girls failed to show up to meet a family member for a ride home, a nightmare began for two families. Pictured is the family of Liberty German

Sgt Kim Riley of the Indiana State Police (right) and Sheriff Toby Leazenby Carroll County Sheriff's Department (pictured February 2018). 11,000 tips had come in by last February

In July 2017, an FBI composite sketch of the suspect was released. The person depicted is described as a white male between 5'6" and 5'10", weighing 180 to 220lb, with reddish-brown hair.

The murders shook Delphi, a small town of 2,877 people set amid farm fields of the Hoosier heartland, around an hour from Indianapolis.

Anyone with information about the suspect, please call the Delphi Homicide Investigation tip line at 844-459-5786. Information can also be reported by calling the Indiana State Police at (800) 382-7537, or the Carroll County Sheriff's Department at (765) 564-2413 or emailed to abbyandlibbytip@cacoshrf.com
Jacob Rees-Mogg (pictured left) with his 11-year-old son Peter (right), dressed in the red breeches, who served drinks

A spur of the moment champagne soiree at the 5.6 million Westminster townhouse of Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg was compared to something out of The Great Gatsby as the party host was missing for most of the evening.

Just moments after inflicting a thundering defeat on Theresa Mays EU deal on Tuesday evening, the Brexit stalwart invited dozens of Tory colleagues to his home just 300 yards from the House of Commons to raise a glass, but they ended up raiding his kitchen.

And like F. Scott Fitzgeralds lavish anti-hero, who throws parties for his guests but stays mysteriously out of view, the North East Somerset MP was across the road at the BBCs television studios giving interviews.

Instead it fell to Mr Rees-Moggs 11-year-old son Peter, dressed in the red breeches of his 15,000-a-year London prep school, to serve 45 bottles of Bollinger to jubilant MPs.

Invitations to the bash were sent via a WhatsApp messaging group for Leave-backing MPs, with the Whos Who of the Tory Right including former Cabinet Ministers Boris Johnson, Iain Duncan Smith and John Whittingdale  attending.

The Mail on Sunday understands that as the champagne flowed, hungry guests raided the Rees-Mogg family fridge and even emptied his biscuit tin.

A source said: Labours Kate Hoey [a Leave supporter], who was invited for all her hard work on Brexit, led the charge as people got a bit peckish and a bit more p****d and discovered a stash of digestives.

Another MP present said the good stuff was flowing at the six-bedroom, Grade-II listed home that Mr Rees Mogg purchased with a mortgage from the Queens bank Coutts & Co last year.

Mr Rees-Mogg insisted it was a meeting with drinks, adding: We were chatting about what happened and having a drink at the same time.

Jacob Rees-Mogg talks with an anti-Brexit protester outside the Houses of Parliament ahead of a vote on Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal

As The Mail on Sunday revealed last May, Mr Rees-Moggs Tory critics suspected that he would use the five-storey mansion as his own No 10 in the heart of Westminster in order to further his suspected leadership ambitions.

But he insisted he bought the 18th Century building because I have six children. Meanwhile, Tory Remainers were in similarly jubilant spirits, gathering on the House of Commons Terrace for their own celebration after the result sent shockwaves through Downing Street.

Pro-EU ringleader Dominic Grieve was seen sharing a pint of beer with Labour MPs after 118 Tory Brexiteers and Remainers united to give Mrs May the largest ever defeat for a government in parliamentary history, voting down her deal by 432 votes to 202.
Jeff Bezos was back in Los Angeles on Friday, marking the first time the Amazon CEO had been seen in public since announcing his split from wife MacKenzie.

The world's richest man flew down from Seattle for the Living Legends of Aviation Awards Gala, where he was one of the evening's honorees.

Photos from the event show Bezos posing with guests including John Travolta and Harrison Ford inside the Beverly Hilton ballroom.

There was no sign however of Bezos' wedding ring or his chopper-chartering mistress Lauren Sanchez, who were both on-hand two weeks earlier when the Amazon CEO hosted a Golden Globe Awards after party at the same venue.

Bezos was quick to flee the City of Angels, with flight records obtained by DailyMail.com showing that the billionaire jetted back to Seattle early Saturday.

DailyMail.com has also obtained a photo posted just two days before the new year that shows Bezos and his estranged wife MacKenzie enjoying dinner with a group of friends.

Ten days later, the pair announced their split.

Scroll down for video

Date night: Jeff Bezos is seen with his wife MacKenzie at a restaurant in Aspen in a photo posted just days before the two announced their split (above)

Bald eagles: On Friday, Bezos made his first public appearance almost two weeks after he and MacKenzie announced their split at the Living Legends of Aviation Awards Gala (above with John Travolta but without his wedding ring on Friday)

Kenn Ricci, Principal of Directional Aviation, presented the Kenn Ricci Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award to Bezos Friday

Three's company: He was not wearing his wedding band and did not take along his mistress Lauren Sanchez to the event, despite the fact that she is a licensed helicopter pilot (Bezos with Sanchez and her husband Patrick Whitesell in 2016)

Bezos had already made waves over the New Year's holiday after video emerged of him rising a horse into Kemo Sabe, a popular Aspen retailer.

He was joined on that outing by his brother Mark.

Bezos frequently vacations with his entire family, and in 2017 was seen in Italy with Mark, sister Christina, their spouses and his mother and stepfather.

A loved-up Bezos was also seen kissing wife Mackenzie on that trip as they strolled through the Campo dei Fiori Market.

It is unclear if he and MacKenzie are still living together in Seattle, where the couple have raised their three sons and daughter.

There is certainly plenty of space for the couple, who purchased two adjoining properties just outside the city in Medina, where their neighbors include the likes of Bill Gates and Costco co-founder Jeffrey Brotman.

Bezos first purchased two homes on 5.3 acres of land in 1998 for $10 million, then dropped an estimated $53 million to pick up the plot next door in 2010..

The couple also owns a $23 million townhouse in Washington DC, a $13 million apartment compound on Central park West in Manhattan, a Beverly Hills villa that Bezos picked up in 2007 for $24.5 million and a 30,000-acre ranch in Texas.

Rocket man: One of the paintings of Bezos and hs giant rocket that was on display at the Aviation Awards on Friday (above)

Ginuwine guy: Bezos was in Aspen with his family to celebrate the new year, and had been seen horseback riding into a local retailer (Bezos above)

Saddling up: Bezos' brother Mark was alo seen on horseback in Aspen (above)

Sanchez and Bezos appeared to have spent a good deal of time together at that massive ranch in Texas over the holidays according to flight records obtained by DailyMail.com.

An aircraft registered to Sanchez's company flew to the Van Horn area just before Thanksgiving, remaining there for five days before heading back to California.

That same aircraft then returned to Van Horn just before Christmas on December 16, staying in the area for five days before returning to Santa Monica.

Sanchez is still living with her husband Patrick Whitesell at their $15.8 million Beverly hills compound.

The couple also own a $6.2 million home on Merer Island in Washington, which is how they came to know Bezos.
Congress confident of emerging as single largest party in Opposition block.

New Delhi: The one clear message that came out from West Bengal Mamata Banerjees mega Opposition rally on Saturday was that the Trinamul Congress chief was ready for the most coveted office in national politics  the Prime Minister.

As Ms Banerjee led the charge with her slogan Delhi Chalo, she was flanked by virtually all top Opposition leaders. However, missing in action were Congress president Rahul Gandhi and BSP chief Mayawati, the other two most probable PM faces of the Opposition conglomerate she had managed to assemble on the dais.

Though both had sent senior leaders to represent their parties, their absence spoke out loud.

The more than 20 top Opposition leaders on the dais, which included stalwarts like NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and DMKs M.K. Stalin, reiterated the oft repeated position that the prime ministerial face would be decided later and the one point agenda was now to defeat the Modi-led BJP government.

This along with the stand that any PM candidate would be decided post polls based on what each party brings to the table has been the cornerstone of Opposition agenda to fight the BJP juggernaut. This position, however, gives an edge to the Congress, which as of now is the only party with a national presence.

As a TDP MP succinctly puts it: If we are talking about numbers then the maximum Lok Sabha seats Ms Banerjee can hope to win are all the 42 in West Bengal.

Another MP, this time from the Congress itself, who did not wish to be named told this newspaper: What is sure is that we will not get a repeat 44 Lok Sabha seats in this election and people should not forget that.

While the Congress is confident of doing better and emerging at least as the single largest party in the Opposition block, many other regional parties have also thrown in their lot with it.

DMK chief Stalin was the first to officially propose the name of Congress president Rahul as the prime ministerial face of the Opposition and TDP chief Naidu has also said publicly that the Congress needed to take over the leadership role.

A senior Opposition leader, who has been in the thick of coalition building in the past, says the question is whether it would be a repeat of 1996 when the Congress backed a minority government or of 2004 when smaller parties backed a Congress-led government.

The sense of the Congress leadership this time, however, seems to be that all parties should participate in government for the sake of stability going by the experience of both 1996 and 2004 experiments. However, going by the Karnataka experiment, the party might be willing to take a backseat as far as the PM post is concerned.

Whether TMC chief Mamata Banerjee is able to fulfil her national aspirations in this new political climate remains to be seen.
Richard Tutt doesn't look like a tyrant. Friendly and affable, he speaks calmly and quietly rather than bellowing like a drill sergeant.

Yet it wasn't long ago that the head teacher felt the full force of a backlash from parents who set up a Facebook campaign to pillory his efforts to improve discipline at a failing school.

He was even accused of turning Magna Academy in Poole, Dorset, into a 'concentration camp'  an accusation he admits marked the lowest point in his battle to transform it.

Headmaster Richard Tutt poses with some of the pupils at Manga Academy in Poole, Dorset. According to Mr Tutt, Ofsted's verdict  and its new guidance  should embolden heads trying to halt the plague of low-level disruption endemic in some schools

The 48-year-old inherited a school in crisis and in special measures. In a damning report in 2012, Ofsted inspectors described how 'low-level disruptive behaviour' was contributing to poor teaching that resulted in pupils making progress in only a third of lessons.

In the previous year, fewer than half of pupils gained five GCSEs at grade A to C.

The school  then called Ashdown Technology College  had such a poor reputation that parents would 'literally do anything' to avoid sending their children there, and the 1,200-capacity school was less than half full.

Remarkably, Magna is today rated 'outstanding' and following a recent unannounced inspection, Ofsted described Mr Tutt's strict regime as the 'bedrock of its high standards'.

The intention was to ensure that pupils had  and could be seen to have  all the correct equipment and pencil cases contained nothing else that could distract from lessons. On the day of its introduction, 40 pupils were placed in isolation for failing to adhere precisely to the rules

Last week, in an apparent admission of the importance of classroom discipline, the education regulator announced that from September, schools with badly behaved pupils would be marked down by inspectors.

In addition to Magna's new name and 15 million of investment, its remarkable transformation was driven by the introduction of tough new rules, enforced with an iron fist.

On Mr Tutt's first day in 2013, 200 children who had been given a new uniform free of charge by the school were removed from class for breaching his blizzard of tough regulations setting out precisely what could and could not be worn, and exactly how each item of clothing should be worn.

The uniform policy stipulated, for example, that pupils could not leave the top button of a shirt undone, push up the sleeves of their blazer or wear coloured or patterned socks.

A 'zero-tolerance focus' also applied to equipment, including the requirement for each child to have a see-through plastic pencil case measuring 30cm long.

The Manga Academy in Poole is pictured above. Helping children to 'dare to dream' is what motivates Mr Tutt. He failed his 11-plus and attended a secondary modern, but later became the first in his family to go to university, studying economics at Manchester

The intention was to ensure that pupils had  and could be seen to have  all the correct equipment and pencil cases contained nothing else that could distract from lessons.

On the day of its introduction, 40 pupils were placed in isolation for failing to adhere precisely to the rules.

A 'silent transition' policy that banned children from speaking in corridors as they moved between classes also came into effect, as did an insistence that poorly behaved pupils stand up in assembly to apologise to their peers for disrupting their learning.

Pupils found with mobile phones not only had them confiscated, but also withheld for a week. Equally controversial was a requirement that parents of excluded children come into school on their first day back, sit with them in lessons and supervise them at break-time.

The tough regime and the vigour of its enforcement prompted some families to hit back. Mr Tutt faced a tide of criticism on social media, with claims that children were cowed by a 'climate of fear' and 'heavy-handedness'. Some withdrew their sons and daughters.

The uniform policy stipulated, for example, that pupils could not leave the top button of a shirt undone, push up the sleeves of their blazer or wear coloured or patterned socks. A 'zero-tolerance focus' also applied to equipment, including the requirement for each child to have a see-through plastic pencil case measuring 30cm long

'When the criticism used these kind of comparisons and it got personal, it was hard to deal with,' says Mr Tutt, a father of two secondary- age children who attend a different school. 'In some ways I had gone out on a limb. I could have easily lost my job at certain points.

'But I knew it was the right thing to do if these children were going to get the education they need and deserve. And I knew also there were lots of parents, that silent majority, who were supportive of what I was trying to do.'

He was right. As well as Ofsted's official stamp of approval, the school's overwhelmingly white, working-class intake of pupils  who arrive with primary test results significantly below the national average  now make such good progress that Magna is in the top one per cent of schools nationally.

Last year, 48 per cent of pupils gained the new high-level pass Grade 5  or above in GCSE English and maths, compared to the national average of 39 per cent. Mr Tutt says a strong, consistent behaviour policy is key.

A 'silent transition' policy that banned children from speaking in corridors as they moved between classes also came into effect, as did an insistence that poorly behaved pupils stand up in assembly to apologise to their peers for disrupting their learning

As The Mail on Sunday witnessed last week, it has resulted in lessons where teachers stand at the front of the class and children listen.

Doors are left open because there is no need to close them against the usual babble or the sound of teachers shouting to be heard above it.

Even when pupils crowd around the front desk in the science lab to watch an experiment, the atmosphere is calm and relaxed. In a history lesson about church reform, when a pupil struggles to pronounce the name of an archbishop, no one sniggers.

Instead, the teacher simply repeats the name and asks the whole class to chant it three or four times because, as one of the school's mantras goes: 'Excellence is a habit: it needs routine and practice.'

During the lunch break, children chat and laugh as they walk along the corridors (the silent transition rules apply only between lessons), but there is no shouting, no swaggering and no pushing.

One girl holds the door open because, as the sign on it reminds her, it is the polite thing to do.

When Zach Best, 12, visited Magna's bright, spacious building while choosing a secondary school, he put it top of his list. 'You know when you go somewhere and you just know it's the place for you? That's what it felt like,' he says.

Magna is in a borough that has two grammar schools and they attract many of the area's brightest pupils. It makes Magna's progress all the more impressive. 'Not many secondary moderns thrive in the way we have,' says Mr Tutt

Pupils appear unfazed by the strict rules. 'With the pencil case thing, if you have forgotten something you're meant to have, you go to the office and they give you supplies. You don't instantly get a punishment,' explains Jade Dupont, 14.

'I'm not scared of forgetting anything. I love Magna. I'm really enjoying it and I know my education will help me get where I want.'

Helping children to 'dare to dream' is what motivates Mr Tutt. He failed his 11-plus and attended a secondary modern, but later became the first in his family to go to university, studying economics at Manchester.

His own father left school at 14, becoming a baker before joining the RAF during National Service.

'I come from a completely blue-collar background,' says Mr Tutt, who was born and raised in North London. 'My dad wanted me to do well and do everything I wanted to do and supported me. I went to a tough school but I did well out of it.'

He was a deputy head in Hertfordshire when he was offered the headship of Magna. 'It ticked all the boxes,' says Mr Tutt. 'I thought, 'This is why you came in to teaching. I know I can make a difference.' '

Standards in coastal schools throughout England are a particular problem.

Figures from Ofsted last summer showed nearly half of secondaries with a high proportion of white working-class pupils in the most deprived parts of the country were substandard.

By contrast, fewer than a fifth of schools with similar levels of disadvantaged pupils from ethnic minorities were rated inadequate or requiring improvement.

Magna is in a borough that has two grammar schools and they attract many of the area's brightest pupils. It makes Magna's progress all the more impressive.

'Not many secondary moderns thrive in the way we have,' says Mr Tutt.

'We have a mantra that we are a grammar school for all. A high-quality curriculum for all children, no matter what their starting point, and to make that a lever of social justice. I want children to have a full, rounded education and give them exposure to the cultural capital they will need to go forward.

'Many of these children will be the first generation in their family to go to university.'

Reflecting on Ofsted's praise, he adds: 'Unless you have a grip on behaviour, you cannot do anything else, you can't move forward. Discipline brings freedom  kids just want to get on in a safe environment without fear of ridicule if they get things wrong.

'We've basically eliminated low-level disruption, or where it does occur on rare occasions, there is a certainty about what is going to happen. There is certainty about homework and about after-school detentions. We are very clear about it. We are inflexible about it.'

The school  then called Ashdown Technology College  had such a poor reputation that parents would 'literally do anything' to avoid sending their children there. Remarkably, Magna is today rated 'outstanding' and following a recent unannounced inspection, Ofsted described Mr Tutt's strict regime as the 'bedrock of its high standards'

Far from being put off by the regime or by job adverts that advise teachers not to apply if they 'want to be every student's best friend', staff are positive because of the order it brings and the freedom to teach unfettered by ill-discipline.

Mr Tutt's approach also releases teachers from dealing with parents who complain when their children get in trouble. Heads of year and support staff, including a former policewoman, deal with parents, detentions and manning the centre where children who misbehave are sent to. A full-time counsellor and an educational social worker ensure vulnerable youngsters are supported.

'Heads need to create an environment and system that means they can teach free from disruption,' Mr Tutt says.

It is a successful formula that resonates more widely than the school gates. One local shopkeeper says: 'The change in behaviour has been remarkable. The students seem completely different now.'

Parents are voting with their feet. From the low of 542 pupils when Mr Tutt took over, the intake now stands at 850. Oversubscribed for the past three years, it will soon reach its capacity of 1,200.

Only last week, a child who had been withdrawn by parents who thought the regime 'too much' returned after experiencing poor behaviour elsewhere.

According to Mr Tutt, Ofsted's verdict  and its new guidance  should embolden heads trying to halt the plague of low-level disruption endemic in some schools.

He was a deputy head in Hertfordshire when he was offered the headship of Magna. 'It ticked all the boxes,' says Mr Tutt. 'I thought, 'This is why you came in to teaching. I know I can make a difference'

The move certainly challenges the view held by some in teaching that, in the modern world, children should not be expected to sit quietly and listen, that coming from a difficult background is an excuse for bad behaviour, and that teachers who fail to make lessons 'fun' deserve what they get.

It is a view with which Mr Tutt has little sympathy. 'I think that the new framework will help schools like Magna and people who want to replicate it,' he says.

'Actually it takes real bravery to do what we've done and a lot of people have seen our journey and want to know how it's done.

'Low-level disruption needs to be tackled, no matter how unpopular it makes you in the short term. Heads need to be resilient. You might think, 'Why would I want to stick my head above the parapet and do what I think is right only to get shot down by some angry parents?', but kids only have one chance in school and you have to get it right.'

As the school week finished on Friday, form tutors stood at the door to shake the hand of every pupil and wish them a 'good weekend'. It is a novel, simple gesture which produces smiles all round.

'This is about building self-respect,' says Mr Tutt. 'Public school kids are well used to shaking hands with people, looking them in the eye, having that confidence. We want our children to have that too. Warmth and discipline are not mutually exclusive.'
House of Commons Speaker John Bercow is considering abandoning plans to step down this summer after Cabinet ministers threatened to deny him a peerage because of his alleged Brexit 'bias'.

Friends told The Observer that he was now 'seriously reflecting' on whether to stay on - possibly until 2022.

It follows reported briefings last week by the government that someone who had 'cheated centuries of procedure' should not expect to be elevated to the House of Lords.

House of Commons Speaker John Bercow speaks at the conclusion of the debate ahead of a vote on the Prime Minister's Brexit deal in the House of Commons last week

Peerages for the Speaker are normally automatic, but the relationship between Bercow and the government has been tense ever since he permitted an amendment by Tory MP Dominic Grieve earlier this month.

When restarting the Brexit debate the government had to set the rules and timetable for it.

This is called the 'Business of the House' motion, and cannot normally be amended by MPs.

Why was John Bercow a controversial Speaker? A 'Boll**** to Brexit' sticker can be clearly seen in photographs of Mr Bercow's black 4x4, which has a personalised numberplate Brexit bias: John Bercow has revealed publicly that he voted for Remain in 2016, fuelling claims by Brexiteers that he tried to frustrate Brexit in the Commons. The claims were fuelled by an anti-Brexit sticker being spotted in a black Land Rover parked outside Mr Bercow's Commons home - he has insisted the car and sticker belongs to his wife. Brexiteers were also furious when he refused to accept an amendment that sought to rule out a second referendum on Brexit. It added to complaints through much of the time since the referendum that he sought to boost pro-EU supporters such as Dominic Grieve and Ken Clarke at the expense of Brexiteers. Bullying claims: John Bercow was hit by a number of bullying claims. He was said to have subjected staff to angry outbursts for years, mocking junior officials and leaving staff 'terrified'. A former private secretary, Kate Emms, said she was left with PTSD after working for him. And earlier this year Lord Lisvane, clerk of the House of Commons from 2011 to 2014, filed an official bullying complaint against him. Other allegations of bullying emerged shortly after, with Lieutenant General David Leakey, a former Black Rod, revealing he was filing his own complaint of 'intimidation and unacceptable behaviour' by Mr Bercow. Mr Bercow denied all the allegations. His wife Sally: Sally Bercow has courted controversy since her husband was first elected. She infamously posed in a sheet for a magazine interview soon after Mr Bercow was first elected and she took part in Celebrity Big Brother. A public Labour supporter, Mrs Bercow's political views led to claims she undermined the Speaker's independence. In 2015 it emerged Sally had an affair with Mr Bercow's cousin Alan - even leading the couple to move into the family home in Battersea while the Speaker stayed in his grace-and-favour apartment in Parliament. Expenses: Mr Bercow faced persistent criticism of his official expenses, which included lavish bills for chauffeur-driven cars, trips abroad and entertaining foreign dignitaries. Mr Bercow and his family lived rent-free in an opulent apartment at Parliament, where the taxpayer footed a 109 a month bill for the Arsenal fan's Sky subscription. Bias against the Tories: Conservative ministers and MPs long-complained Mr Bercow favours Labour. He repeatedly hauled ministers to the Commons to answer Urgent Questions and Emergency Debates - far more often than has historically been the case. Before the 2019 General Election, he tore up the Commons rulebook to allow backbenchers to seize control of the agenda and pass a law delaying Brexit. He also frequently reprimanded ministers, often sarcastically, and his behaviour prompted the Cameron Government to launch a near-unprecedented attempt to remove him in 2015. Mr Bercow provoked further fury by speaking out against Donald Trump and Brexit in defiance of protocol demanding he be impartial. Advertisement

But Bercow selected Grieve's amendment, which some some Tory MPs thought was in breach of how House rules have been interpreted in the past- making his enemies think he is acting unilaterally to frustrate Brexit by changing the rules.

A Downing Street spokesman confirmed that in Theresa May's view 'there is no such thing as an automatic peerage.'

Despite finding himself unpopular with certain Tory MPs and the government, the speaker of the House has found fans online for his non-nonsense approach to keeping MPs in line.

While politicians debated Theresa May's Brexit deal and Jeremy Corbyn's no-confidence motion last week, the silver-haired and foghorn-voiced Speaker of the House was ever-present, most commonly found bellowing 'ORR-DEEERRRR!' at his assorted colleagues.

And although some MPs may be short of enthusiasm for the 55-year-old former Conservative, the same cannot be said for many social media users and foreign news organisations.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation published a video to Twitter on Wednesday, titled 'British Parliament's House Speaker is not to be trifled with', which highlights some of his most thunderous and pithy pronouncements.

'Sitting in the newsroom today and hearing that voice, I thought someone in the control room decided they'd rather watch a 'Pirates Of The Caribbean' movie than news,' wrote one CBC News editor in response.

Similarly, a video of Mr Bercow published by German news programme Tagesschau has been watched more than 300,000 times on Twitter, with one Spanish user admiring his general demeanour for being 'hard, accurate, authentic and dangerous'.

His choice in ties has also brought attention, particularly the geometric rainbow neckwear on show on Tuesday.

'Bercow has the air of a man who's been dragged out of the kitchen by his wife to break up an argument between their rowdy teenagers, but he's been home from work for a few hours and has already knocked back half a bottle of Chardonnay,' replied one Twitter user.

Elsewhere, the wide variety of facial expressions the Speaker employs to cajole MPs into submission was compared to 'the four stages of a night out'.

On Reddit, Mr Bercow's sharp choice of words was garnering the most applause, with one Redditor describing his role as 'functionally the same as that of a secondary school teacher'.

Others, as is often the case, were just there to crack jokes.

'John, what's your favourite 80s band? New ORDERRRRR!' wrote one Redditor.

'Of course New ORDERRRRRR was formed by members of Joy DIVISIOOOOON,' replied another, quoting Mr Bercow's cry on Tuesday, when the house was divided, which was so loud it overloaded microphones in the Commons.
New Question Time host Fiona Bruce has been accused of suggesting that Diane Abbott only got her job as Shadow Home Secretary because she had been Jeremy Corbyns lover in the 1970s.

Five members of the studio audience publicly accused the presenter of making an inappropriate joke before the programme on Thursday night.

Labour last night submitted an official complaint to the BBC about Ms Abbotts treatment on the show, where she clashed repeatedly with Ms Bruce.

Fiona Bruce is pictured with Dianne Abbott on Question Time. She has been accused of suggesting that Diane Abbott only got her job as Shadow Home Secretary because she had been Jeremy Corbyns lover in the 1970s

Politicians accused the Corporation of bias and of ill-treating Britains first black female MP, saying Ms Bruce interrupted her more than other members of the panel.

On social media, witnesses claimed that Ms Bruce made the controversial remarks about Ms Abbott as she warmed up the audience two hours before filming began at Derby Roundhouse.

On Twitter, Khalil Akbar said: Fiona Bruce came out aloneand did seem to single out DA with inappropriate comment about her closeness to JC both politically and (cough cough) that made most of [the audience] laugh at DAs expense.

He said that while not directly racist, Ms Bruce, 54, had appeared to be trying to hype up the audience with derogatory comments.

Another audience member, Alison Martin, insisted that Miss Bruce was not whipping up hate, but had used some humour at her [Ms Abbotts] expense which would have been better left unsaid.

Jyoti Wilkinson, who works for Labour MP Chris Williamson, reported that Ms Bruce said of Ms Abbott: You might think shes only in the Shadow Cabinet because of her relationship with Jeremy Corbyn.

Jane Butler, who said she was also present, agreed that the audience was not whipped up against Ms Abbott, adding: They made what I thought was an inappropriate joke but that was about it.

Another Twitter user added: Fiona Bruce basically made fun of Diane Abbott in the briefing and proceeded to do the same during the show. How is this presenter impartiality?

On social media, witnesses claimed that Ms Bruce made the controversial remarks about Ms Abbott, above, as she warmed up the audience two hours before filming began at Derby Roundhouse

The row threatens to derail a broadly positive reaction to Ms Bruces stewardship of the BBCs flagship political programme after taking over from David Dimbleby two weeks ago. It will also reignite claims from supporters of Mr Corbyn that the BBC is biased against Labour.

Confirming that Labour had submitted a formal protest, a spokesman for Ms Abbott: We are appalled by the treatment.

It was clear that a hostile atmosphere was whipped up, propped up by reports of inappropriate and sexist commentary in the audience warm-up.

Analysis of the programme shows that the only black woman on the panel was jeered at and interrupted more times than any other panellist, including by the chair herself. The media must stop legitimising mistreatment, bias and abuse against Ms Abbott as a black woman in public life.

Dan Carden, Labour MP for Liverpool Walton, said: The toxic atmosphere against Diane in Question Time was whipped up at the BBC and perpetuated by its presenter. The BBC must own up and make amends.

New Question Time host Fiona Bruce has been accused of suggesting that Diane Abbott, pictured above, only got her job as Shadow Home Secretary because she had been Jeremy Corbyns lover in the 1970s [File photo]

Neither the BBC nor Miss Bruces agent would last night confirm or deny her alleged remarks.

In a statement, the BBC said: We are sorry to hear Diane Abbotts concerns and we have contacted her team to reassure them that reports circulating on social media are inaccurate and misleading.

Diane is a regular and important contributor to the programme. We firmly reject claims that any of the panel was treated unfairly, either before or during the recording.

However, the BBC accepted that Ms Bruce should have corrected a claim made during the show that Labour was six points behind the Tories in the opinion polls, when surveys suggest the parties are tied.
She says 'the one thing I want to do more than anything now is hold my sons hand properly'

It is an extraordinary moment to watch. Hesitantly at first, but slowly gaining in confidence, Corinne Hutton begins to wiggle her fingers, a beaming smile spreading across her face.

It is nothing less than momentous given that, two days earlier, she had no hands at all.

Last week, she became one of a tiny group of people in the UK to benefit from a pioneering double hand transplant.

Last week, Corinne Hutton, 48, became one of a tiny group of people in the UK to benefit from a pioneering double hand transplant. It is undoubtedly an incredible feat for medical science that such complex surgery is possible

It had been five long years since the catastrophic day Corinne, 48, lost her hands and feet to sepsis; five years of prosthetics and pain during which she has had to overhaul her entire life. In truth, she is lucky to be alive at all.

But today, the results of the painstaking, 12-hour procedure at Leeds General Infirmary, which involved four teams of highly specialised surgeons, are already astonishing the doctors  and, indeed, their patient.

Corinne can barely stop staring at her new hands with wonder. Its all been worth it, she says, tearfully. Even now, with all the pains, aches, the medication, the lack of sleep. I cant stop looking at them. Theyre absolutely fantastic.

She had to undergo extensive screening to assess her psychological and physical suitability to face the demanding surgery. Only a small number of amputees are accepted as potential recipients  and it was Corinnes positive attitude which flagged her as ideal

But the one thing I want to do more than anything now is hold my sons hand properly.

Since he was four, hes had to hold whats been left of my hands. Hes ten now and he might not be very keen on the idea of holding his mums hand, but Im going to do it anyway  because I havent been able to do it for so long.

It is undoubtedly an incredible feat for medical science that such complex surgery is possible.

It has not been an easy journey. Former graphic designer Corinne has not only had to come to terms with life as a quadruple amputee, but endured an additional personal tragedy when her marriage fell apart along the way.

Her husband left, unable it seems to cope with her disabilities and, when asked if he has been in touch to congratulate her on the operation, she simply shakes her head.

Still, her sense of determination has not diminished. She has raised her young son as a single parent and channelled her energies into launching her own charity for amputees, Finding Your Feet.

In an extraordinary display of human endeavour, she also climbed Mount Kilimanjaro last October using prosthetic limbs.

Today, however, her thoughts are with the family of the 51-year-old donor whose hands have given her life fresh hope. Remarkably, thanks to the skills of the surgeons and the team which matches donors to patients, they already feel like her own.

But she is keenly aware that her happy story of success is the result of another familys tragedy.

I hope her family can take some comfort and consolation from the fact that her hands will change my life, she says.

Corinne and her son Rory are pictured before this month's surgery. She said: But the one thing I want to do more than anything now is hold my sons hand properly. Since he was four, hes had to hold whats been left of my hands. Hes ten now and he might not be very keen on the idea of holding his mums hand, but Im going to do it anyway  because I havent been able to do it for so long'

The familys personal loss is horrendous, the worst thing in the world, but I will be forever filled with gratitude. These hands are destined for great things. Indeed, Corinne is lucky to be alive at all.

In June 2013, the 48-year-old, from Lochwinnoch, near Glasgow, had been in otherwise good health when she developed a persistent, hacking cough, and was prescribed antibiotics.

But after feeling increasingly unwell, she went to A&E at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, where she collapsed and spent three weeks in a medically induced coma, suffering from pneumonia.

At one point, her chances of survival were just five per cent.

Her hands and feet turned black and, when she came round, she was devastated to learn that she would became a quadruple amputee.

But from the beginning, there was hope that her hands, at least, could be replaced.

Two leading plastic surgeons, Professor Simon Kay at Leeds, who performed the UKs first single hand transplant in 2012, and Professor Andrew Hart in Glasgow, who amputated her hands and feet, agreed she was an ideal candidate for transplant surgery.

She had to undergo extensive screening to assess her psychological and physical suitability to face the demanding surgery. Only a small number of amputees are accepted as potential recipients  and it was Corinnes positive attitude which flagged her as ideal.

Those waiting for a limb, however, face even greater problems than those requiring an organ. Donor and patient must be the same gender and ethnicity, with the same skin type and tone. The hands must also be the same size as the ones which have been lost.

Corinnes case posed further complexities in that she received 25 different blood transfusions during her battle with sepsis, which left her with a wide range of different antibodies in her system.

To get by, she was fitted with a bionic glove to tackle complicated tasks such as hair brushing and making a cup of tea. The call to confirm a match could come at any time and a hospital bag was always packed and waiting.

But it was crushing to endure regular false alarms  when her surgical team thought they had a donor but they turned out not to be a suitable match.

Former graphic designer Corinne has not only had to come to terms with life as a quadruple amputee, but endured an additional personal tragedy when her marriage fell apart along the way. Her husband left, unable it seems to cope with her disabilities and, when asked if he has been in touch to congratulate her on the operation, she simply shakes her head

Corinne said: Im a positive person but I had started to think it would never happen to me. In the beginning, my heart raced when I got the phone call, thinking it was all about to happen but then there were 12 false alarms that I knew about and another eight that the hospital team didnt tell me about.

It was agonising when the first double hand transplant took place in July 2016  on another patient. Chris King, 58, from Doncaster, lost both hands in a work accident. There have been two further doubles since, including the UKs first woman, Tanya Jackson, 42, from Hull.

Having lost both hands and her left arm to sepsis, the mother-of-three put herself forward for the operation after watching a TV documentary on Corinnes case.

I saw other people getting the surgery and, while I was happy for them, I was starting to think after five years that maybe I should just be happy with my lot, continues Corinne.

I thought, Do I really want to go through this again and start from scratch? I had begun setting myself up for disappointment. I loathed my stumps but, together with my bionic glove and my prosthetic legs, Id become completely self-sufficient. For me, getting new hands was always the difference between being able to use buttons and zips or hold my sons hand or run my fingers through his hair.

In the end, I had no option but to leave it to fate.

It was during this long, frustrating period that her marriage also ended. Corinne admits it was never a marriage made in heaven.

But her deep anger at the collapse of her relationship and feelings of rejection as she struggled to rebuild her life and her confidence, clearly still hurt. There is little she wants to say on the matter. While her son Rory maintains a good relationship with his father, her own dealings with her ex remain distant.

In an extraordinary display of human endeavour, she also climbed Mount Kilimanjaro last October using prosthetic limbs. Today, however, her thoughts are with the family of the 51-year-old donor whose hands have given her life fresh hope

The call that would change her life came on the evening of Monday January 7. The team at Leeds told her they believed they had a possible match and advised her to stand by. At first, I tried not to believe it, she says. But this time they seemed pretty certain. I was at home with Rory and I said, Mummy might be getting new hands after all.

When the call came that it was happening and an ambulance was on its way for me, we all kicked into automatic pilot. Silly things go through your head, though. I made sure I emptied the washing machine and put notes everywhere with instructions for things I hadnt had time to do, like return parcels.

Corinne made the 240-mile journey alone, leaving Rory with her brother. By the time she arrived at Leeds General Infirmary at 3.30am, a team of 12 surgeons  led by Prof Kay  was beginning to assemble, including one from Lyon, in France.

They would only find out in theatre how viable Corinnes own wrists and nerve endings were, which would affect how much of the donors own limbs they used. But the team were excited and the general atmosphere was amazing, Corinne recalls.

The surgery began at 1pm on January 8 and finished in the early hours of the following morning.

When Corinne woke, her stumps had gone, replaced by a pair of new hands and wrists, after the surgeons decided the scar tissue in her own wrists was too great.

It was absolutely phenomenal. Looking at them for the first time, I was full of wonder. Theyve done a wonderful job and the fact I have the donors wrists too means Im already able to move my fingers.

It had been five long years since the catastrophic day Corinne, 48, lost her hands and feet to sepsis; five years of prosthetics and pain during which she has had to overhaul her entire life. In truth, she is lucky to be alive at all

There were emotional moments.

I remember my brother saying, Look, youve got hands! and I was like I do! Ive got hands! I didnt instantly think, Theyre not mine.

But thats the whole point of the psychological counselling. The idea is you wake up and eventually, or so I thought, you come round to the idea that theyre yours. If they looked wrong, that wouldnt work. But I loved them straight away.

The level of expertise involved throughout the entire process was breathtaking, as Corinne learned.

As two teams  one for each hand  opened up my wrists, two retrieval teams were working on the donor. Speed is of the essence as, unlike organs which can be kept for some hours, hands begin to die the minute circulation stops. Professor Hart, who removed my original hands, had tucked a lot of the nerves away to preserve them, which meant they could make very long joins and weave things like tendons all through which makes them much stronger than a joint, so they are delighted with that.

She adds, with a laugh: I did remember to say goodbye to my stumps and I now feel a bit bad that I was so dismissive of them.

I will always be grateful to them but these are so much better. What Ive got essentially is two perfect hands on two perfect arms.

There is still the chance, despite taking immunosuppressant drugs for the rest of her life, that her body could reject the new appendages. If that happens, they may have to be removed.

But so far, her recovery has been more successful than even the doctors had hoped. On day two, she wiggled her fingers. Corinne puts it partially down to being advised, following her amputation, to frequently imagine she could play piano.

She hasnt ever played the instrument but  mentally, at least  shes now a concert pianist.

The point was to keep the muscles and tendons in my arms in good shape, she explains. You have to imagine moving every individual finger  even though you just have a stump. I could feel every single nerve and I was made to work at that.

Corinne is pictured with her son Rory when she first contracted sepsis. In June 2013, the 48-year-old, from Lochwinnoch, near Glasgow, had been in otherwise good health when she developed a persistent, hacking cough, and was prescribed antibiotics. But after feeling increasingly unwell, she went to A&E at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, where she collapsed and spent three weeks in a medically induced coma, suffering from pneumonia

I do wonder if the fact Ive been able to wiggle my fingers already is because of it. I did it religiously. I never could play piano but in my head Im now great at it.

Moving the fingers feels as you would expect but Im having to really concentrate. Hopefully, eventually, it will just become normal muscle memory.

Corinne will receive physiotherapy three times a week to build dexterity, but sensation may take another 18 months.

She has already experienced occasional shooting pain through her hands but this is a normal reaction of the tendons adjusting to their new systems.

A physiotherapist, massaging her fingers as we chat, remarks that Corinnes new digits would look lovely with a wedding ring. Ive tried it, Corinne quips dryly. I liked being married but unfortunately he didnt feel the same.

Later this week she will return home to be reunited with son Rory, who has spoken to her excitedly every day over FaceTime.

Tearfully, Corinne says: He wants to see Im all right. Apart from that, life goes on as normal for him. Ive held up my new hands to show him and hes very taken with them but then, like any ten-year-old, he quickly loses interest and goes off to do something else.

She also hopes, at some point, to be able to meet the family of the woman whose hands she now calls her own. The womans major organs have also gone on to save the lives of others around the country.

She plans to write a letter, not only to her donors family but to the specialist organ donation nurses whose job it is to persuade families to consider the commitment.

I will thank the nurses for persevering and not giving up on me. Recipients are not told anything about the donor but I would like to meet her family one day, even hold their hands if they will allow it.

The donor family might never want to know but, if I could, I would like to tell them face to face that I will make this hand transplant worthwhile.

As long as they know Im full of gratitude and Ive made my vow to put their loved ones hands to great use, Im happy with that.
A New Jersey woman is claiming a luxury Manhattan menswear store forced her to use her 'sexuality' to sell clothes - and then fired her because she was a Muslim.

Aiza Ejaz, 27, had been hired in August 2017 as the operations manager for Arisoho, a trendy Soho store which sells Italian casual wear.

Ejaz claims that when her Jewish boss, Moshe Ben Ari hired her for the $60,000 position, he was unaware that she was Pakistani or that she was Muslim, according to the lawsuit.

Aiza Ejaz, 27, had been hired in as the operations manager for Arisoho, a trendy Soho store which sells Italian casual wear but claims she was fired when her boss learned she was Muslim

One co-worker told Ejaz that they were shocked she had been hired by Moshe Ben Ari. He's so Jewish  he really doesn't like Muslim people,' the person is alleged to have said

Ejaz says that she was then instructed to 'use her sexuality to lure men into the store,' that sells $800 cashmere turtlenecks and $2,400 leather jackets.

According to the suit seen by the New York Post. Ari allegedly explained to her that he used attractive staffers as 'bait.'

A store manager the divulged to Ejaz how she was 'shocked Ari was kind enough to hire you considering you're Muslim  he's so Jewish  he really doesn't like Muslim people,' according to the court papers.

The papers then go on to state how Ari, upon learning Ejaz was a Pakistani Muslim 'walked away in disgust' as other workers were discussing their backgrounds.

The court papers also allege how things came to a heated climax when Ari told Ejaz directly: 'I hate Pakistani people and I don't like f***ing Muslim people  especially Muslim women.'

The trendy Arisoho store in New York's trendy Soho sells $800 cashmere turtlenecks and $2,400 leather jackets

Ejaz complained to the store retail director and was fired the following day.

According to the suit, the store manager claimed 'she was not a good fit', although the store manager had previously agreed that with Ejaz's comment that Ari was 'racist and sexist.'

Ejaz attorney Johnmark Cohen told the Post that 'things took a wrong turn' once Ari found out his client was 'a Muslim woman from Pakistan.'

The suit seeks unspecified damages.
Since taking over as Defence Secretary, Gavin Williamson has prided himself on the robust stance he has adopted towards Vladimir Putins Russia.

But now he risks flushing his reputation as a statesman down the pan in his battle with the Kremlin after visitors spotted a roll of lavatory paper adorned with Mr Putins face in his MoD office. Under the presidents image, Russian letters spell out a highly offensive insult.

The move is unlikely to amuse Moscow, which has been locked in a war of words with Mr Williamson since the Novichok poisonings in Salisbury last year. At the time, Mr Williamson attracted widespread mockery by limply saying that Russia should go away and shut up.

Lavatory humour: Putin loo roll is pictured at a bathroom in Ukraine

And last week he warned the East not to mess with Britain, after declaring that the RAFs new fleet of F-35B Lightning II stealth jets were operational.

Similar products have been on sale in Crimea - which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014 - and brandished by members of the regions non-Russian minority.

Mr Williamson, a former Chief Whip, has caused consternation in Westminster before with his idiosyncratic behaviour. He used to keep a tarantula called Cronus in his whips office  but it was barred from moving to the MoD because a member of his staff has arachnophobia.

Last month, The Mail on Sunday revealed that Mr Williamson had been overheard plotting a Tory leadership bid in The Colony Grill in Londons Mayfair.

Party sources said that they had heard him boasting about his links with the DUP and how he could outmanoeuvre Jeremy Hunt and Sajid Javid at the next contest.

And last year this newspaper revealed that Mr Williamson had boasted he would break Theresa May if she did not boost funding for the Armed Forces. His battles with Philip Hammonds Treasury over the issue led to the Chancellors friends dubbing him Private Pike.

Laughing it off: Mr Williamson is said to have a good sense of humour and the toilet paper was 'a gift in jest' but the Kremlin refused to be drawn on the claim

Announcing the F-35Bs last week, Mr Williamson said that it would send a strong message to Russia: It means dont mess with us, because we have the capability and we have the people, and we have the will to always defend ourselves.

A source close to the Defence Secretary confirmed that the Putin toilet roll was in his private office at the MoD, and said that Mr Williamson had acquired it as a light-hearted present from someone. They added: It was a gift in jest. Everyone knows that Gavin has a very good sense of humour.

A Kremlin spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.
A Serbian accused of killing dozens of innocent people in a brutal Croatian massacre has been discovered to be living in Sydney for 27 years now.

Zoran Tadic, 59, was charged with war crimes by Croatian police for the murder of 43 people, including thirty civilians.

Investigators said Mr Tadic has been living in Sydney since gaining residency in August 1992 with the assistance of Serbian officials, according to the Australian.

The massacre occurred in 1991 in the Croatian village of Skabrnja, according to Croatian police.

Zoran Tadic, 59, (centre) accused of killing dozens of innocent people in a brutal Croatian massacre has been discovered to be living in Sydney for 27 years now

Zoran Tadic (top centre), 59, was charged with war crimes by Croatian police for the murder of 43 people, which comprised of 30 civilians and 13 soldiers

Mr Tadic, then aged 32, is accused of directly being involved in rounding up 30 people, which included 20 men and 10 women aged between 23 and 88.

Mr Tadic and his men, followed by tanks and armed convoys, entered the village at around 7.30 am in November 1991, where investigators say they 'broke the resistance of the defenders and then mass destroyed residential, commercial and sanctuary facilities'.

Police said these people were killed with shots to the head, neck and chest and were physically abused prior to their deaths.

Soldiers who defended the Croatian village had their ears hacked off as a form of torture.

The killings are commemorated in a state ceremony every year.

Croatian police have filed an official charge request against Mr Tadic to the State Attorney in Split, Croatia.

Investigators from the War Crimes Unit in Zadar said they have officially charged Mr Tadic with war crimes under the Geneva Convention including criminal offences against civilians and crimes against prisoners of war.

Investigators said they have officially charged Mr Tadic with war crimes under the Geneva Convention including criminal offences against civilians and crimes against prisoners of war

After the massacre, investigators said Mr Tadic was promoted to Chief of State Security of the Benkovac Territorial Defense and was also given housing in Benkovac, Croatia, before eventually moving to Australia.

Police have yet to request assistance for Mr Tadic's arrest.

'It is still too early to talk about extradition request, or Mr Tadics exact whereabouts,' Croatian police spokesperson Ivana Grbin said.
Simmering tension between Theresa May and Sajid Javid (above) boiled over as the Prime Minister summoned Cabinet Ministers to her private study at No 10 on Friday

Simmering tension between Theresa May and Sajid Javid boiled over as the Prime Minister summoned Cabinet Ministers to her private study at No 10 on Friday to help crack her Brexit conundrum.

The Mail on Sunday has learnt an incredibly frosty Prime Minister silenced her Home Secretary in what Cabinet colleagues saw as a stinging rebuke for months of leadership plotting and policy rows.

A Cabinet source said: She gave Javid incredibly short shrift, cutting him dead with a thank you for your contribution, Home Secretary when he was trying to get a word in.

The pair have privately clashed since Mr Javid took over the reins at Mrs Mays former department, with relations hitting a new low after he was forced to rush home from a luxury break in South Africa last month to deal with the migrant crisis in the English Channel.

Mrs May hosted Cabinet Ministers who are supportive of a hard Brexit  four in person and three on the phone  on Friday afternoon after promising to listen to her party after her thumping Commons Brexit defeat last week.

The pair have privately clashed since Mr Javid (left) took over the reins at Mrs Mays (right) former department

She moved to reassure her worried Ministers that she was not preparing to call a second referendum or pivot towards a permanent customs union relationship with Brussels that would render the UK unable to do free trade deals with other countries.

She told those present her objective is to find a solution that our colleagues and the DUP can unite around rather than rely on Labour votes.

Softening on customs is a key ask for the Labour Party to back Mrs Mays exit deal but Brexiteer backbenchers have warned the PM she faces a Corn Laws-style split if she pursues that course.

They are referring to the great backbench 19th Century rebellion over free trade that left the Tories out of power for 30 years.

Mrs May gave Javid (above) 'incredibly short shrift, cutting him dead with a thank you for your contribution, Home Secretary'

Their concerns were echoed by many members of the Cabinet present, despite the pivot being supported by Chancellor Philip Hammond and Business Secretary Greg Clark.

Before the meeting, Jeremy Hunt, Geoffrey Cox, Sajid Javid, Penny Mordaunt, Chris Grayling and Liam Fox plotted in Andrea Leadsoms vast Commons office to prepare for the Downing Street showdown.

The Ministers had previously met as a part of a Brexit Pizza Club first revealed by The Mail on Sunday, but have since been nicknamed the alternative Cabinet.

And in a phone call ahead of the showdown it was decided that Mr Hunt would open the talks as he currently has the best relationship with the PM.

Prime Minister May with Sajid Javid to her immediate left and Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Michael Gove to her immediate right

However, the unity quickly collapsed after Transport boss Chris Grayling urged the Prime Minister to seek more reassurances on the hated backstop clause of the EU Withdrawal Agreement that forced Tory MPs to vote down the deal last week.

Mr Javid and Mrs Leadsom both hit back that the time for warm words is over and more legally binding concrete changes from Brussels would be required if Mrs May is ever going to get her deal through the Commons.

Backbench Tory MPs in the European Research Group of hardline Brexiteers have also urged Mrs May to return to Brussels as soon as this week and demand changes to the backstop protocol.

They are promising they would compromise and vote for her deal if she succeeds in finding a legally binding exit mechanism from the insurance option that would see Britain tied to EU customs rules indefinitely.

Last night Tom Watson sparked fresh Shadow Cabinet civil war by saying Jeremy Corbyn is obligated to take part in Brexit crisis talks with the PM that the Labour leader has so far shunned.
Hovering six feet above the ground then effortlessly whizzing round a military assault course in a matter of seconds  this is Britains first flying soldier.

With two mini jet engines strapped to each arm, Richard Browning looks like comic superhero Iron Man but he is, in fact, a member of the elite Royal Marines.

Wearing the Corps famous green beret, Richard, 39, wowed an audience of top brass who assembled at a high-security training base to conduct a close-up assessment of his rocket-propelled flying suit.

Richard Browning (left and right), 39, wowed an audience of top brass at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines at Lympstone, Devon, as flew across an assault course on a rocket-propelled flying suit

With two mini jet engines strapped to each arm, Mr Browning looked like comic superhero Iron Man

The Royal Marine lifted-off from a launch pad before gliding gracefully at 30mph to the start of an assault course

As they looked on, Richard fired up his 1,000 horsepower engines, causing a thunderous roar.

Stepping backwards from a launch pad on a trailer, he lifted-off before gliding gracefully at 30mph to the start of an assault course.

He then touched down in front of a water jump, sending up a huge plume of vapour before setting off again, effortlessly scaling an 8ft wall and gently landing on it to show how deftly he could control his flight.

He then completed his remarkable flying display by zipping back up a hill towards the group of dignitaries, who spontaneously burst into applause as he hovered in front of them.

The demonstration last week took place at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines at Lympstone, Devon, where Richard trained as a Marine recruit.

During the footage, he was spotted navigating himself over a wall as stunned spectators watched on

Mr Browning's padded exoskeleton suit incorporates five kerosene-fuelled micro-turbine engines

After completing his remarkable flying display he was congratulated by military top brass

His display allowed defence chiefs to assess various military uses for the revolutionary device that Richard himself invented.

Last night, in an exclusive interview, Royal Marines reservist Richard said it could be used for Special Forces operations.

He said: If you wish to move Special Forces troops around nimbly, especially over water, this is a good capability. Theres also potential for evacuating people or moving soldiers into or out of difficult situations, for example if you need to land a soldier on the deck of a ship.

Its kind of obvious that theres potential for a military application and that is what the Royal Marines would be interested in. The demonstration made very clear what the suit is capable of.

The 40-year-old father-of-two from Salisbury, Wiltshire, has also received offers of interest from US Special Forces for his flying suit, which he invented after giving up his day job as a commodities broker for BP.

He is tweaking the machinery in order to extend the flying time of between four to nine minutes depending on how fast he goes, and its top speed, which is 32mph.

The suit resembles the one worn by Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr as Marvel film superhero Iron Man.

Weighing just 59lbs, it is powered by five miniature jet engines, one on the fliers back and two on each arm. The electronic technology that controls the engines is contained inside padded material on the wearers chest.

Richard also carries a fuel tank and usually wears a helmet which contains a holographic display system giving him information about his speed and position in the air, again just like Iron Man.

The suit is fireproof and padded to offer protection should he fall to earth.

Richard controls his speed and direction of flight simply by moving his arms a few inches, a method which has taken a lot of practice.

He said: This is an entirely different way of manoeuvring a human through the sky. Trying to control the thrust with each arm is really hard. It is like riding a bike  you fall off a lot at first.
Sonia Gandhi and her son, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, decided to give the rally a miss.

Kolkata: Sending wishes to Mamata Banerjee for organising United India rally, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi termed the rally an important attempt to galvanise leaders across the political spectrum against the BJP.

Mrs Gandhi and her son, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, decided to give the rally a miss, but had sent party leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Abhishek Manu Singhvi in a show of solidarity to the gathering

Mr Kharge read out Mrs Gandhis message to start his address. The upcoming Lok Sabha election will not be an ordinary one. This will be an election to restore the nations faith in democracy, defend our secular ethos and our heritage and defeat the forces that are trying to subotage the Constitution of India. This rally marks an important attempt to galvanise leaders across the political spectrum to fight the arrogant and divisive Modi government. I wish it all the success, Mrs Gandhi said in her message

Mr Kharge also said that his party president Rahul would raise issues relating to Rafale, farmers' distress, unemployment, demonetisation and interference into autonomous bodies like CBI by the Modi government in the budget session of Parliament.

Qouting Sonia, Mr Kharge said, As envelope of crisis looms on our farmers to our borders, the youth are jobless. Rice and jute farmers are in distress and fishermen are in deep loss. The country at large is under immense strain. Economically, our citizens have been squeezed. Politically, our institutions have been undermined and socially our pluralistic fabric stands vitiated.

As Mr Kharge completed his address, Ms Banerjee told him, Khargeji, I am thankful to Soniaji that she and Rahulji sent you alongwith Abhishekji. You delivered such an important speech besides calling upon all to work together.
Hundreds of people have taken to Sydney's streets to show support for pill testing at raves and music festivals after a spate of drug-related deaths.

Protesters danced and marched their way from Town Hall to Hyde Park on Saturday, in a bid to pressure the New South Wales government to allow the practice.

They held up placards reading: 'Just test the damn pills!' and 'Pill testing saves lives'.

A protester holds a sign in support of pill testing during the Reclaim The Streets Rally through central Sydney. Five have died in Sydney since September.

Hundreds of people have taken to Sydney's streets to show support for pill testing at raves and music festivals after a spate of drug-related deaths

Protesters danced and marched their way from Town Hall to Hyde Park on Saturday, in a bid to pressure the New South Wales government to allow the practice

Despite the repeated tragedies in recent months, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has rejected calls to introduce pill testing, stating there is 'not enough evidence' to show it can save lives

The march took place a week after Alex Ross-King, 19, died in hospital after a suspected overdose while attending the FOMO festival at Parramatta Park.

She is one of five people who have died after taking drugs at music festivals in New South Wales since September.

Despite the repeated tragedies in recent months, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has rejected calls to introduce pill testing, stating there is 'not enough evidence' to show it can save lives.

A coalition of groups, including Keep Sydney Open and Unharm, organised the event this weekend

'The failed war on drugs has killed our friends, family and others in our community for decades while politicians and police have wilfully ignored the mounting evidence that zero-tolerance drug policing does not work,' organisers said in a statement

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) disagree, pointing out a heavy police presence and sniffer dogs isn't deterring revellers from taking illegal drugs at dance festivals.

A coalition of groups, including Keep Sydney Open and Unharm, organised the event this weekend.

'The failed war on drugs has killed our friends, family and others in our community for decades while politicians and police have wilfully ignored the mounting evidence that zero-tolerance drug policing does not work,' organisers said in a statement.

A number of politicians, including Greens leader Richard Di Natale, joined the campaign for a harm minimisation approach

'How many more young people need to pay with their lives before we put in place pill testing, which we know saves lives?' Senator Di Natale said

A number of politicians, including Greens leader Richard Di Natale, joined the campaign for a harm minimisation approach.

Pill testing involves users anonymously submitting samples for forensic analysis and feedback on the purity and composition of their drugs so they can make an informed decision on whether or not to take them.

'How many more young people need to pay with their lives before we put in place pill testing, which we know saves lives?' Senator Di Natale said.

Independent MP Kerryn Phelps, who is a GP and former president of the Australian Medical Association, also addressed the crowd to promote a policy change - a day after a prominent group of doctors came out in support of pill testing trials.

Alex Ross-King (pictured) died at FOMO festival at Parramatta from a suspected drug overdose

Joshua Tam (pictured left) died after attending the Lost Paradise music festival on the NSW central coast. Diana Nguyen (pictured right) died from a suspected drug overdose after attending the Defqon.1 music festival in NSW

Callum Brosnan (pictured left) and Joseph Pham (pictured right) both died after suspected drug overdose at festivals late last year

The RACP, which represents more than 17,000 physicians and paediatricians, sent an open letter to Ms Berejiklian and her counterparts urging them to follow the lead of the Australian Capital Territory.

'Ideally, we would all like young people and the wider public not to use drugs illicitly, however, the reality is that they do in large numbers and the moral message to abstain from taking drugs is not getting through,' Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones said on Friday.

They now join the Australian Medical Association and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, who are also urging governments to adopt pill testing.

Independent MP Kerryn Phelps, who is a GP and former president of the Australian Medical Association, also addressed the crowd to promote a policy change - a day after a prominent group of doctors came out in support of pill testing trials

The RACP, which represents more than 17,000 physicians and paediatricians, sent an open letter to Ms Berejiklian and her counterparts urging them to follow the lead of the Australian Capital Territory
A 38-year-old man has been charged with flying a drone near Heathrow Airport days after a scare at Gatwick grounded more than 1,000 flights.

George Rusu allegedly used a drone on a field near the runway at Heathrow, Britain's busiest airport, on Christmas Eve.

The alleged incident happened just three days after Gatwick fully reopened on December 21 following three days of chaos affecting some 140,000 passengers.

File photo of a British Airways jet coming into land at Heathrow Airport in London, Rusu has been charged with flying a drone near the runway on Christmas Eve

Rusu, of Hillingdon, will appear at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

He is charged with flying a 'small unmanned aircraft without permission of air traffic control', according to court documents.

On Wednesday December 19 drone sightings at Gatwick airport caused chaos for passengers heading off on their Christmas holidays.

The unmanned craft caused tens of thousands of passengers serious delays until the airport could be reopened on the Friday evening.

Since the mayhem at Gatwick, Heathrow airport was shut down on January 8 with flights halted for almost 90 minutes when a drone was spotted around 5pm.

Nobody has yet been charged with either the Gatwick incident last month or the Heathrow incident earlier this month, Rusu is not connected with either incident.
A young man has been arrested at Sydney Airport after trying to meet with an underage girl he allegedly sent sexually explicit messages to.

The 25-year-old was arrested by officers from Strike Force Trawler, with assistance of Australian Border Force and Australian Federal Police at Sydney Airport on January 16.

The man was flying back into Australia from the United States.

The 25-year-old was arrested by officers from Strike Force Trawler, with assistance of Australian Border Force and Australian Federal Police at Sydney Airport on January 16

'Police will allege in court that the man engaged in sexually explicit conversations with a 15-year-old girl on various social networking and messaging applications,' NSW Police said.

'He also requested and received videos and images of the child that are deemed to be child exploitation material.'

Police arrested the Quakers Hill man following a lead from Queensland police who were monitoring multiple social media sites.

His possessions were also seized including mobile phones, a computer, a laptop and electronic storage devices.

The man was taken to Mascot Police station and was charged with use carriage service to solicit child pornography.

He was granted strict conditional bail and is due to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday January 31, 2019.
The sole male was business reporter Joe Miller, covering trade after Brexit

Last Sunday's lunchtime anchored by Carole Walker and featured three women

It was once a male-dominated bastion, and even as recently as last year was lambasted for sexism and unequal pay.

But now women have conquered BBC News to such an extent that hardly a single male reporter features in bulletins throughout an entire day.

An analysis of the three main bulletins on BBC1 last Sunday reveals that men appeared just once in each show. By contrast, 12 different female reporters featured a total of 18 times.

Last Sunday's lunchtime edition was anchored by Carole Walker and featured three women reporters

Political reporter Susana Mendonca (left) reports on Brexit at 1.01pm followed by business reporter Joe Miller (right) on trade after Brexit

At 1.06pm North of England correspondent Fiona Trott at the scene of a hit-and-run crash in Manchester. At 1.07pm is Kathryn Stanczyszyn reporting on weather in Europe

5.30pm: Mishal Husain is the 'walk and talk' presenter for the early-evening show

Chief political correspondent Vicki Young (left) reports on Brexit at 5.32pm followed by Fiona Trott (right) back on the scene of the Manchester crash at 5.36pm

5.38pm: Scotland reporter Katie Hunter in Glasgow, reporting on an investigation into Alex Salmond

Insiders say male news reporters are being sidelined so air time can be given to their female counterparts.

One female reporter, who asked not to be named, said: 'I think there is an ongoing shift to use women more widely. Five years ago we dubbed the BBC1 bulletin 'The Men at Ten'. You wouldn't see a single female reporting.'

Last Sunday, the lunchtime edition was anchored by Carole Walker and featured three women reporters  political correspondent Susana Mendonca on Brexit, North of England correspondent Fiona Trott reporting on a hit-and-run accident in Manchester, and Kathryn Stanczyszyn covering the extreme weather across Europe.

The sole male was business reporter Joe Miller, covering Brexit.

Radio 4 Today presenter Mishal Husain fronted the 5.30pm programme, with chief political correspondent Vicky Young reporting on Brexit, Katie Hunter on Scottish politics, foreign correspondent Bethany Bell on the weather in Europe, and Karthi Gnanasegaram rounding up the sport, while Trott again reported on the crash.

At 5.40pm US reporter David Willis (left) covers the government shutdown followed by Bethany Bell (centre) braving Europe's extreme weather at 5.42pm. At 5.45pm presenter Karthi Gnanasegaram sums up the sport stories

10pm: Star of Radio 4's Today programme, Ms Husain is back on screen, this time for the late evening bulletin

10.12pm: Wrapped up against the cold, Bethany Bell is back to report on the snowfall in Europe

North America editor Jon Sopel (left) outside the White House at 10.14pm followed by Nawal Al-Maghafi (right) reporting on ceasefire in Yemen at 10.16pm

10.18pm: Another round-up of the day's sport from Karthi Gnanasegaram...and finally, it's good night

LA-based reporter David Willis covering the US government shutdown was the only man on screen.

Husain returned for the 10pm news, which again featured Young, Trott, Bell and Gnanasegaram.

They were joined by Europe editor Katya Adler, Scotland editor Sarah Smith, and Nawal Al-maghafi reporting on the ceasefire in Yemen. North America Editor Jon Sopel was the sole male.

The BBC found itself at the centre of an explosive row last year after China Editor Carrie Gracie quit in protest over gender pay differences. Since then, the Corporation has been putting women into some of its biggest jobs.

Fiona Bruce has replaced David Dimbleby on Question Time and Zoe Ball has taken the Radio 2 breakfast slot from Chris Evans.

But some say the pendulum has swung too far. Sam Taylor, editor of The Lady magazine, said: 'The BBC may have somehow swallowed the politically correct pill and got it stuck in its throat.'

A BBC spokesman said: 'It wasn't a bid to boost female profiles. It was just the way it worked with the stories around that day.'
Staff members working for one company in Jiminy Massachusetts can be absolutely sure snow days are not one of the perks of the job after a memo was posted on a notice board warning employees it's business as usual during heavy snowfall forecast Saturday and Sunday.

A photo pinned on a notice board addressed to 'All Employers' tells workers to make alternate plans to get to work over the weekend, 'if your vehicle can not handle snow.'

In a reference to the popularity of Jiminy Peak, a mid-sized ski resort in Hancock, Massachusetts, the memo makes it clear there'll be no ducking out of the job because of the white stuff, 'if thousands of skiers can make it to Jiminy, so can you.'

A memo was posted on a notice board at a company in Jiminy Massachusetts warning employees it's business as usual during heavy snowfall forecast for the weekend

The note goes on to say even if a State Of Emergency is declared, employees are still required to report to duty.

And in case any worker is in doubt of what is expected of them, the notice reads, all in caps, 'WE ARE EXEMPT FROM THIS ORDER,' adding that a couple of thousand guests who will trapped in Jiminy, will need staff to see to their needs if a State of Emergency is declared and a travel ban put in place.

However, 'medical, utility and hospitality services will be allowed to travel.'

'If thousands of skiers can make it to Jiminy, (pictured above) so can you,' the note reads

It doesn't look as though there will be any home comforts on offer for staff looking to stay at Jiminy overnight. 'There are NO accommodations available. Not even a pillow or a blanket,' the notice states.

'You may use Fisher (after 9:00) or Clark if you like, which reads like a tongue in cheek offer to use two co-workers as a substitute for bedding.

In the unlikely event any worker has failed to get the message, the note ends, 'Any questions? See Mark.'

It's unknown if anyone chose to question him.
A university was last night accused of using 'sinister' surveillance technology to track students and check what websites they are looking at.

Northampton University vice-chancellor Nick Petford told a conference in London last week that its new Waterside campus 'pretty much knows what you're doing 24/7' thanks to its use of new technology.

Prof Petford said that the IT system at the campus could even draw 'heat maps' of where groups were congregating, based on which buildings students had accessed with their ID cards.

Northampton University was last night accused of using 'sinister' surveillance technology

He also explained that the attendance of overseas students at lectures was being monitored to check if they were obeying their visa requirements, and how the university kept an eye on every website visited by both staff and students in case they were accessing extremist material.

Prof Petford told the Data Matters conference that on the first day of spring term Facebook was the most visited site at the university with 200,000 hits.

Next most popular were video-sharing platform YouTube and Chinese instant messaging service Tencent QQ.

Prof Petford claimed its new Waterside campus pretty much knows what youre doing 24/7, according to specialist news service Research Professional.

He said that data has told the university that students were mainly worried about their toasters not working, campus security and transport to lectures.

But last night Silkie Carlo, director of civil liberties group Big Brother Watch, told The Mail on Sunday: 'This sinister surveillance campus is the horrifying result of institutionalising counter-terrorism and border control policies into public education.

'Universities are supposed to be environments for freedom, exploration and learning, not security zones where students are constantly monitored.'

Northampton University Vice-chancellor Nick Petford told a conference that its new Waterside campus 'pretty much knows what you're doing 24/7'

The University and College Union, the higher education trade union, said: 'The insidious use of big data to monitor staff and students on campus risks creating a culture of mistrust.'

A spokesman for the university said that the Waterside campus did not monitor which individuals accessed particular websites, nor did it look at social media feeds.

He also denied that website data would be sent to Prevent, the Government's counter-radicalisation programme.
Disgraced businessman Christopher Skase (pictured) penned tell-all memoirs while locked away in a Spanish prison, but they were never published due to damning content

Disgraced businessman Christopher Skase penned tell-all memoirs while locked away in a Spanish prison, but they were never published due to damning content.

The former owner of Network Seven and Mirage resorts boasted of his champagne and burger night with Hollywood star Raquel Welch, heart-to-heart with the late Whitney Houston and even compared his persecution to that of OJ Simpson.

Skase's stepdaughter Amanda Larkins stood by her father's side throughout his run-ins with the law, and has since spoken with The Herald Sun in an attempt to clear the Australian entrepreneur's name.

Skase's book, 'Postcard from Majorca - Nightmare in Paradise' was the family's best kept secret for many years.

Publishers refused to touch it out of fear it would become a legal minefield, and that those Skase mentioned - and often criticised - would sue.

New excerpts detail Skase's alleged friendship with John Farnham, and how Whitney Houston (pictured) complained to him about rumours she was a lesbian

He partied away the night with Raquel Welch (pictured), according to another excerpt

New excerpts detail Skase's alleged friendship with John Farnham, and how Whitney Houston complained to him about rumours she was a lesbian.

In turn, he told her that plenty of people were convinced that he was gay.

He partied away the night with Raquel Welch, according to another excerpt.

The Hollywood starlet and Skase allegedly drank champagne and ate burgers on one occasion.

Skase never admitted guilt for his charges, including allegations he defrauded millions of dollars.

In fact, he described the media coverage of his case as comparative to the treatment of OJ Simpson, who at the time was charged with murdering his wife and her friend.

Skase described the media coverage of his case as comparative to the treatment of OJ Simpson, who at the time was charged with murdering his wife and her friend

Ms Larkins says her father wasn't to blame for his actions, in which many labeled him a scoundrel, thief and a liar.

She and her husband Tony instead say her father was nothing more than a product of the times.

'It was the '80s, it was huge or nothing. It was only if you had a shot that you could fall, so who else was going to fall, we'll never have an era like it again. It was a time of taking huge chances in business and making huge money.'

Skase's $3.3 billion fortune came to fruition out of a $15,000 investment.

Skase's book, Postcard from Majorca - Nightmare in Paradise was the family's best kept secret for many years

But a failed business venture where he tried to buy Hollywood's Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) led to the collapse of his empire and eventual bankruptcy.

He fled to Majorca in Spain, where he fought a decade-long battle to avoid extradition to Australia to face fraud charges.

He claimed he was too sick to travel back to the country, and was often spotted hooked up to a ventilator.

By 2001, Skase was dead.

The 52-year-old died from the lung disease that had crippled him for years.

Ms Larkins and Tony still believe the Australian government at the time handled his case poorly.

'They killed him,' Tony said.
Hawaii authorities have detained a man who was seen in a viral video swiping a 95-year-old's wallet while he was in Chinatown.

Lupo Fernandez's granddaughter shared a video on Twitter on Thursday morning showing a man robbing her 95-year-old grandfather on Wednesday at the Oahu Market.

'IF ANYONE KNOWS OR HAVE SEEN THIS GUY BEFORE PLEASE LMK! THE ELDERLY MAN IN THE VIDEO IS MY GRANDPA!' said user @_Caseeeyx3. 'THIS GUY BETTER HOPE HPD FINDS HIM BEFORE MY FAMILY DOES!'

Lupo Fernandez's granddaughter shared a video on Twitter on Thursday morning showing a man robbing her 95-year-old grandfather on Wednesday at the Oahu Market

Video shows the man - dressed in all black - casing Fernandez as he counts his money at a stall

Video shows the man - dressed in all black - casing Fernandez as he counts his money at a stall.

The thief can be seen pacing back and forth before he eventually takes Fernandez's wallet and flees the scene.

According to @_Caseeeyx3, the particular market where the robbery occurred is frequented by the elderly at that time of the day.

She added that Fernandez's family wasn't concerned about the money but moreso about the engraved wallet that contained pictures.

The Kalihi man - who speaks hardly any English - had about $40 inside his wallet but also had his ID, bus pass, and pictures of his family that included some of his late wife.

The thief can be seen pacing back and forth before he eventually takes Fernandez's wallet and flees the scene

According to @_Caseeeyx3, the particular market where the robbery occurred is frequented by the elderly at that time of the day

Police identified the man as 49-year-old Remik Ungeni on Friday and he was eventually detained later that day, KHON 2 reports. Ungeni was charged with fourth degree theft.

The video going viral helped prompt police to open up an investigation and tips shared throughout the comments helped with the identification of the suspect.

Police identified the man as 49-year-old Remik Ungeni on Friday and he was eventually detained later that day. Ungeni was charged with fourth degree theft.

Hawaii News Now reports that Ungeni frequents the area and has two previous convictions.

And while Ferndandez's family is ecstatic that he wasn't physically hurt, they do worry that he may no longer be able to enjoy the same level of independence that he once possessed.

'I was so sad and I couldn't sleep last night thinking about it. It was heartbreaking. I don't want anybody else to do this again,' said the man's daughter, who did not wish to be identified.

Sgt. Chris Kim of Honolulu Crimestoppers stressed the importance of keeping an eye out on one's surroundings.

'That male's actions were clearly suspicious, him pacing back and forth you could tell something was up,' asserted Kim. 'Just be aware of your surroundings. If possible, have a family member go out with you to run these errands.'

@_Caseeeyx3 shared on Twitter that the wallet has not been recovered yet.

'As of right now my grandpa did not get his wallet back,' she said. 'But were thankful this a**hole is in prison!'
tephen Corcoran, 51, of Morris Plains, is already serving a seven year sentence for child pornography and will now serve an additional three

A former Boy Scouts leader from New Jersey has been sentenced to 10 years in state prison after admitting to sexually assaulting three boy scouts in the 1990s.

Stephen Corcoran, 51, of Morris Plains, pled guilty to four counts of sexual assault in August 2018 for separate acts of sexual penetration between 1997 and 1999.

'The Defendant held a trusted leadership role in his community and chose to abuse his power by hurting innocent children,' Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp said. 'The past cannot be changed, however we hope that this sentence brings some closure to the victims.'

Corcoran was charged in 2012 with abusing two of the scouts, and indicted in 2013 on charges of abusing all three.

Corcoran is already serving a seven year prison sentence after being convicted in 2017 on 11 charges in a separate child pornography case.

Victims, which include Chris Malcolm, pictured, said they were abused between 1997 and 99

Corcoran pled guilty back in August to four counts of sexual assault after being accused by three of his former scouts. The victims said they were abused between 1997 and 1999

Those charges came after a witness said that he was 18-years-old when Corcoran showed him the images of what he characterized as middle-school aged boys.

This latest sentence of ten years will run concurrent to the seven-year sentence he was handed in 2017.

The case first came to light in 2011, when a former boy scout came forward telling police he had been sexually assaulted by Corcoran when he was a juvenile.

Upon further investigation it was revealed showed two additional former boy scouts also said they were sexually assaulted by Corcoran in the 90s.

One of the victims told of a course abuse that occurred over several years.

'Every interaction he had with me and my family was for his ultimate goal of molesting me,' explained Christopher Malcolm, now 35, speaking to reporters in August 2017. 'He wasn't there to be my friend. He was there for his own sexual desires'

The ex-scout troop members alleged in a 2012 lawsuit filed against the Boy Scouts that Corcoran began grooming them for sexual abuse when they were aged just 11 and 12.

Years later he molested them at his home and on camping trips to locations that included a scout camp in Bergen County.

In 2018, the former scouts settled the sexual assault case where they sought to hold the organization responsible for allowing Corcoran to serve as a troop leader.

The former scouts' attorney, Bruce Nagel of Roseland-based Nagel Rice, told NJ Advance Media last year that the amount of the settlements were confidential, but that his clients were 'very pleased' with the outcome.

One of those who was abused, Chris Malcolm, 37, told Fox 5 how he struggles to sleep, suffers from anxiety, and battles anger resulting from five years and hundreds of incidents of sexual abuse committed against him by Scoutmaster Corcoran.

The victims later sued the Boy Scouts of America organization, saying the abuse had a serious effect on their adult lives.

'As soon as everything around me becomes quiet, my mind just fills up again with anxiety and thoughts of the past,' Malcolm said at a press conference. 'He made a point to integrate himself into my family, my friends to make it as normal as possible.'

'Corcoran actually pointed me out in one of our trips to the other adults and said: 'Hey, I'll take care of this kid. You guys don't have to worry about him,'' Malcolm said.

'The Boy Scouts of America is outraged there have been times when Scouts were abused and we sincerely apologize to victims and their families,' the BSA wrote in a statement. 'Nothing is more important than the safety of our youth members and we consider youth protection our top priority.'
A Minnesota woman has been charged after horrifying dashcam video has captured the moment a toddler who was still strapped into her car seat flew out of a moving vehicle after her mother failed to properly fasten the seat.

Maimuna Kunow Hassan, 40, was charged with child endangerment, a gross misdemeanor charge, permit violation which is a misdemeanor charge, and a petty misdemeanor charge for child passenger restraint not fastened.

The details were revealed in a Thursday criminal complaint from Blue Earth County following the incident where a two-year-old girl toppled out of the rear left door of the car as her mother - who only had an instructional permit - veered around a corner in Mankato on Monday.

Scroll down for video

Maimuna Kunow Hassan, 40, was charged with child endangerment and permit violation on Thursday after a video showed her child fall from a vehicle in Minnesota before she drove off and left the little girl in the middle of the road

Despite the Honda Civic - which had another secured child seat inside - slowing to close the door before taking off again, it took 20 minutes for the woman to return to the scene.

After driving five blocks down the road and parking up, she and another child walked back to the spot.

'The defendant went up to the child occupied in the car seat and hugged the child,' the complaint reads. It adds that the woman and second child were 'crying and upset'.

For child endangerment the woman could spend up to one year in jail and be charged with a $3,000 fine. The other two charges could see her incarcerated for up to 90 days behind bars or a $1,000 fine or both. In total she faces 15 months and $5,000 in fines.

Hassan is scheduled to appear in court February 14. She told law enforcement through friends who translated, that the little girl must have opened the car door herself before she tumbled out.

But the Star Tribune reports a police inspection showed the car door was latched and not fully closed. The child's car seat was also missing a strap to secure it to the vehicle and her chest straps were not fastened.

The video showed the girl, who dressed in a pink jacket and gray tights, falling from car as it slowly veered around a bend in the road

The seat miraculously landed on its side and the girl did not appear to hit the ground. The mother's car appeared to brake after she fell from the car despite having a green signal

When law enforcement arrived the victim was sitting unbuckled inside a witness' vehicle.

The shocking incident was captured on Chad Cheddar Mock's dashcam as he was driving behind the mother's car at about 11.45am. It has been viewed more than 1.2million times on Facebook.

'I couldnt believe what I was seeing at first,' Mock wrote on Facebook. 'If it didnt happen in front of me, Id never believed it.'

It showed the girl, who dressed in a pink jacket and gray tights, falling from car as it slowly veered around a bend in the road.

The seat miraculously landed on its side and the girl did not appear to hit the ground.

Chad Cheddar Mock, who captured the incident on his dashcam, jumped out of his car to try and flag down the mother as she drove off

The driver stopped traffic so he could safely carry the child off the road in her car seat

The car braked momentarily at the traffic lights a few feet away despite having a green signal.

When the door of the car was shut, the car drove off and left the little girl in the middle of the road.

Mock was captured on his dashcam jumping out of his own vehicle and trying to wave down the mother.

He stopped traffic so he could safely carry the child off the road in her car seat.

First responders examined the little girl and found that she had not been injured in the ordeal.
Cong fast regaining its lost ground in the national capital: Ex-CM

New Delhi: Three-time chief minister and newly appointed Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit on Sunday said BJPs plan to build its election campaign around Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital will not work at all unlike 2014, as he has not done anything for the city in the last four-and-half years and people will vent their anger in the upcoming polls.

She said that Congress was fast regaining its lost ground in the national capital, and ruled out any possibility of an electoral understanding with the AAP for the Lok Sabha polls, calling the party as very unreliable.

In an interview to PTI, she also said respect for party chief Rahul Gandhi among leaders and workers in the Congress increased significantly after the Congress electoral victories in politically crucial states of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

The Congress people now have lot of respect for Rahul Gandhi. We found in him a leader who is responsive and is also taking by and large correct decisions. So we are very confident of performing well in the coming Lok Sabha election. Congress will do much better, she said.

The 80-year old Congress veteran did not give a direct reply when asked whether the party will storm back to power but asserted that people of India will teach BJP a lesson for its wrongdoings.

I will not be able to say at this point whether Congress will be able to come to power. No body expected us to win the three states in the recent assembly polls. Congress is a sober party. We understand politics. We do not want to show off. We are confident of a good show, she said.

The Congress drew blank in 2014 Lok Sabha polls in Delhi while the BJP had won all the seven seats. The BJP had projected Mr Modi as face of its campaign in Delhi in 2014 polls.

The Modi factor will not work at all this time. He has not done a single thing for Delhi. People are waiting to vent their anger (against him). BJP is in a difficult situation, Ms Dikshit said.

In a stinging attack on the Modi government, she said it has piled up miseries of the common man through measures like demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax (GST) besides trying to polarise society in the name of religion.

Asked about AAPs announcement on Friday that it will not have any tie up with the Congress in Delhi, Haryana and Punjab, Ms Dikshit suggested that it was her party which took the call of going it alone in Delhi.

I have said it many times. There was no question of alliance with AAP. I have had this feeling all along. I must say that when AAP is concerned, we do not have same kind of thinking. My experience with them is that they are unreliable, she said.

On whether there is possibility of a review of the decision, Ms Dikshit, who was the chief minister of Delhi between 1998 and 2013, ruled out such a possibility.

I do not think so, she said, adding, We are aiming for all the seven seats.

Asked whether Rahul Gandhi should be the natural choice for prime ministership if the proposed grand alliance of the opposition parties have the numbers after the polls, Dikshit evaded a direct reply.

I would not like to comment on it. It has not happened as yet. Obviously, we as Congress workers would like to see Rahul Gandhi in that position, she said.

On Sonia Gandhis role in the Congress, Ms Dikshit said she will act as a guiding light for all of us.
Houston police are investigating the deaths of three people who were fatally shot during an alleged home invasion in the eastern part of the city on Saturday morning.

Two others who also are alleged to have taken part in the home invasion were wounded.

The homeowner shot the five men who allegedly tried to break into the home just before 1am, police told KTRK-TV.

One man was found dead in front of the home and at least one wounded man fled the scene by foot, authorities said.

A Houston police officer is seen taking a man under arrest after an alleged home invasion which results in a shootout early Saturday morning

The yellow markings indicate shell casings, dozens of which were found by investigators at the scene

The above image shows an SUV which was the getaway car. It crashed into a pole not far from the home, police said

The others left in an SUV, according to KPRC-TV.

As the SUV tried to get away, it crashed head first into a pole not far from the home, investigators said.

When police reached the SUV, officers found a dead man inside.

Another man fled the car on foot, collapsed down the street, and was later pronounced dead, police said.

One man was found dead in front of the home and at least one wounded man fled the scene by foot, authorities said

Another man who fled the scene on foot was found not far from the home with a gunshot wound to the leg, according to officers.

Police said they found several dozen shell casings just outside the home indicating that there was a shootout.

A neighbor told KPRC-TV he saw two men with large guns enter the home as the SUV pulled up, so he went inside to take cover.

He then heard gunshots.
A man who allegedly shot two police officers has been revealed as a big game trophy hunter who travelled to Africa killing animals to bring back as trophies.

Eric Newman targeted Sergeant Mark Johnston and his partner Senior Constable Helen McMurtrie after they responded to reports of a domestic incident on Friday night at a house in Glen Innes, northern New South Wales.

A neighbour spoke to Daily Telegraph and said Newman, 74, and his wife Lesley, 59, were big game hunters who had been on several trips to Africa and had several animal skins in their house.

Eric Newman (right) and his wife Lesley (left). Newman shot two police officers before killing himself, police say

A neighbour said the pair were big game hunters who had been on several trips to Africa and had several animal skins in their house

Several other photos show the pair's house decorated with animal trophies including a zebra skin, a stuffed bear and animal heads

'He was a keen trophy hunter and had a lot of taxidermy in his house  giraffes, bears, you name it,' the neighbour said.

A photo shared by Lesley on her personal Facebook page shows the pair with a giraffe they had just killed. A rifle can be seen nearby.

Several other photos show the pair's house decorated with animal trophies including a zebra skin, a stuffed bear and animal heads.

Friends of the couple estimate they had 20 to 30 guns in their home, the publication reported.

'He was a keen trophy hunter and had a lot of taxidermy in his house  giraffes, bears, you name it,' the neighbour said

Police believe Newman, who retired from trophy hunting 10 years ago, pointed his rifle at the officers before turning it on himself

Police believe Newman, who retired from trophy hunting 10 years ago, pointed his rifle at the officers before turning it on himself.

His body was found at the scene.

Sgt Johnston is in a stable condition but Snr Const. McMurtrie, who was shot in the throat, has been put into a coma by doctors.

McMurtrie now faces a fight for her life in Gold Coast Hospital.

Sergeant Mark Johnston (pictured) and his partner Senior Constable Helen McMurtrie were shot while attending a domestic incident in Glen Innes, northern New South Wales

Sergeant Mark Johnston (with his wife) was airlifted to hospital after he was targeted with a rifle in Glen Innes, northern New South Wales

The officers were called to a house in the small town at 9.50pm on Friday.

They spoke to Newman and after the discussion they were shot at in the street with a 303 centerfire rifle.

The pair, with the help of an unharmed third colleague, escaped and gave each other first aid before paramedics arrived.

His wife Lesley, was found nearby with minor injuries after she begged neighbours for help.

Neighbour Daryl Craig heard the terrifying incident. He told the Daily Telegraph: 'I had just gone to bed and I heard 'Put the gun down, put the gun down'.

'I heard a bang and then another bang.'

He said he looked out of the window and saw officers 'dragging one of their coppers towards their car'.

Sgt Johnston suffered a gunshot wound to the face and is expected to recover

Assistant Commissioner McKechnie said in a press conference on Saturday: 'Our female officer has undergone some surgery and is currently receiving further medical treatment in relation to that very serious injury.'

'We hope and pray she makes a full recovery. There is certainly a road ahead for her in that regard.'

'We're very mindful we could have lost two officers here in that incident,' he said.

'The whole police family wishes them a speedy recovery.'

NSW Police Acting Commissioner Gary Worboys said the incident is now part of a critical incident investigation.

Both officers were airlifted to Gold Coast Hospital (pictured is the helicopter) in a stable condition, with the female officer said to be serious

'I want to offer my support and well wishes to these three brave officers, their families and colleagues on behalf of the entire police force,' Mr Worboys said.

'As an organisation, we are rallying around the officers and providing any support they need to assist in their recovery and we look forward to welcoming them back to work when they are ready.'

'Incidents like this highlight the very real dangers of policing and I thank everyone in the community for their support and well wishes,' he said.

'We will continue to support the officers and their families throughout their recovery.'
The body of a man who was fatally stabbed has been found in his unit by his sister.

The young woman rushed to the home of Robert Charles Frescon after he failed to show up to work.

She found Mr Frescon in his Kelvin Grove apartment in Brisbane with a stab wound to his neck, sparking a murder investigation.

The 33-year-old 'proud Indigenous man' is believed to have died sometime between 10pm on Thursday night and Friday afternoon.

Robert Charles Frescon (pictured) was found in his Kelvin Grove apartment in Brisbane with a stab wound to his neck, sparking a murder investigation

The 33-year-old 'proud Indigenous man' is believed to have died some time between 10pm on Thursday night and Friday afternoon

His devastated sister is reportedly in the care of family members who are helping her cope with what she saw.

Detective Acting Inspector Christopher Toohey said: 'Obviously it was extremely upsetting for her.'

'We've got processes in place to assist her now and she's with other family to assist her after visiting the home,' he said.

She was allegedly in shock when she came across her brother's body, and a neighbour was required to call emergency services to the apartment on Hunter Street, The Courier Mail reported.

Mr Frescon's devastated sister is reportedly in the care of family members who are helping her cope with what she saw

Mr Frescon worked for Link Up Queensland - an organisation dedicated to reuniting Indigenous family members.

He often travelled around the country for his work and loved his job.

Forensic officers spent hours at the scene combing through evidence and are investigating the area surrounding Mr Frescon's home.

'At this time police are treating this death as homicide, and are appealing for assistance of any of the public with information in relation to Robert's movements yesterday or over the last few days to contact police,' Det Insp Toohey said.

Police were called to a house (pictured) in Kelvin Grove at 3pm after the 33-year-old's sister discovered his body

'Police also seek assistance from the public who heard or saw anything around Hunter Street from 10:00pm Thursday to Friday afternoon.'

Queensland Police said in a statement: 'Investigators have interviewed a number of people and all efforts are being made to identify the exact events leading up to the death.

Those with any information should contact Policelink on 131 444 or call Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000.
A Connecticut man has been arrested after police say he broke into the home of a woman who woke up to find a naked stranger on top of her.

Police said the incident happened in the middle of the night when the woman awoke to find a man sucking on her chest in her house on Vine Street, Bridgeport, as reported by The Connecticut Post.

She realized the man was not her husband, who was asleep in the bed next to her, and screamed at which point the naked man jumped off the bed.

The woman then discovered that her genital area was coated in baby shampoo, police said.

A man has been arrested after 'he broke into the home of a woman who woke up to find a naked stranger on top of her' in a house on Vine Street, Bridgeport, Connecticut (pictured above)

She woke her husband who chased the naked intruder out of the house and down the street before losing him.

Hiram Heredia, 35, who's homeless, was charged Friday with home invasion, fourth-degree sexual assault and attempted fourth-degree sexual assault.

When officers arrived at the home they found a wallet containing Heredia's Connecticut identification card and his Social Security card.

Heredia was detained on $300,000 bail.
A former New Jersey community college honors student was sentenced to 33 years in prison on Friday for the death of a marijuana dealer.

According to The Asbury Park Press, 21-year-old Raquel Garajau, a former student at Brookdale Community College, was convicted of first-degree felony murder and will have to serve 30 years before being eligible for parole.

Prosecutors say she and her 22-year-old boyfriend, Joseph Villani, plotted to kill Trupal Patel, 29, to steal and sell his marijuana stash.

Patel was shot at his home in Ocean Township and his body was found in Shark River Park in Wall Township in February 2017.

The defense argued Garajau was a young woman in love who may have helped her boyfriend clean up the crime scene, but didn't help plan the robbery or murder.

Raquel Garajau, 21 (left) a former student at Brookdale Community College, was sentenced to 33 years in prison on Friday for the death of a marijuana dealer. Prosecutors say she and her 22-year-old boyfriend, Joseph Villani (right), plotted to kill Trupal Patel, 29, to steal and sell his marijuana stash

Patel (pictured) was shot at his home in Ocean Township and his body was found in Shark River Park in Wall Township in February 2017

Villani pleaded guilty earlier this month to aggravated manslaughter, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, disturbing human remains and witness tampering.

At his sentencing on March 21, he could face up to 40 years in prison.

Although Villani earlier insisted that Garajau had no role in the killing, he said she helped plan the robbery and discussed cleaning up the crime scene afterward.

Garajau was also found guilty on 15 other charges including conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit theft of marijuana, theft of marijuana, conspiracy to commit theft of cash, theft of cash, weapons offenses, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, tampering with evidence, hindering apprehension of herself and Villani, and tampering with a witness, according to New Jersey 101.5.

She told Superior Court Judge Joseph Oxley that she maintains her innocence and 'had no knowledge' that Patel would be killed.

Under questioning from the judge, she denied having known that Villani would have a gun when he robbed Patel.

'I am not the person that I am being perceived to be, and I didn't do the things I am accused of,' the former graphic arts student and law firm intern said.

Prosecutors presented witnesses, recorded telephone conversations and numerous text messages suggesting her involvement in drug dealing, setting up the robbery and trying to cover up the crimes.

Garajau (pictured in court on November 29, 2017) maintained her innocence and said she didn't know Patel would be killed. But text messages show her telling Villani to clean the bullets, bleach everything, move Patel's car and throw his belongings in the ocean

Villani (pictured in court on November 29, 2017) pleaded guilty earlier this month to aggravated manslaughter, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, disturbing human remains and witness tampering

They said Garajau sent messages telling Villani to clean the bullets, bleach everything, move the dead man's car and throw the victim's belongings in the ocean.

One text read: 'Babe you need to move that car it's too important. Like ASAP. People will start noticing he's not answering.'

Another said: 'Facetime me please when you are done' followed by 'I love you.'

'I'm not sure why anybody would be worried about cleaning the bullets unless they were intended to be used,' said Oxley.

'I believe this was cold and calculated, and planned over a period of time.'

He also added that he believes Garajau was 'intimately involved' in planning the events that led to Patel's death and had shown no remorse for them.

Assistant Monmouth County Prosecutor Melanie Falco said that although Patel was a marijuana dealer, he was also 'a good friend to many', reported the Park Press.

She said that after Patel was killed, Garajau and Villani bought a diamond ring and a Playstation 4 with money they stole from him.

'It is truly astounding the heartlessness that occurred after Trupal Patel was killed,' Falco said.

According to New Jersey 101.5, a friend of Villani who helped dump Patel's body was granted immunity for testifying against Garajau.
A Florida mayor is resigning due to inappropriate texting 'with an adult woman'.

Gulf Breeze Mayor David Landfair resigned on Friday, The Pensacola News-Journal reported.

Landfair had just been sworn in as the mayor of the northwest Florida city in December.

In his resignation letter, Landfair said he had made a mistake and had engaged in 'inappropriate texting with an adult woman.'

Gulf Breeze Mayor David Landfair resigned on Friday. In his resignation letter, Landfair said he had made a mistake and had engaged in 'inappropriate texting with an adult woman'

Landfair had just been sworn in as the mayor of the northwest Florida city in December

He did not go into details about the texts.

Landfair said he had caused 'embarrassment' for his family and friends and that he did not want to spend his term 'defending my texting.'

Landfair had been a city councilman for eight years before he was elected as mayor in November.

The former mayor wrote in his letter that 'life does not always go as planned.'

'I have caused embarrassment to my family, friends and supporters, and I do not wish to spend my term as mayor defending my texting or dragging the City into discussion that distracts from issues and projects of greater importance,' Landfair wrote.

Landfair said he had caused 'embarrassment' for his family and friends and that he did not want to spend his term 'defending my texting.'

The letter concluded: 'This was my mistake. My family and I appreciate your prayers and your respect for our privacy at this time.'

City Councilman Tom Naile called Landfair's resignation 'unexpected'.

Naile said the former Mayor cited 'personal reasons' for stepping down.

'He called each of us (on the City Council) and then submitted his resignation letter via email to the city manager,' Naile said.

Landfair is a veteran of the United States Air Force. He is seen above (left) in January 2013 with Torrey Williams, an Air Force enlistee

Landfair will be succeeded by Mayor Pro Tem Cherry Fitch, WEAR-TV reported.

Landfair is a veteran of the United States Air Force, according to Stars and Stripes.

His father, Bob Landfair, served in the Navy.
Donald Trumps hopes of securing six more years in the White House are being boosted as Democrats stage a Jeremy Corbyn-style lurch to the Left, a new poll reveals.

Exactly two years after being sworn in, the controversial US President is also said to have retained the backing of his core supporters.

But the findings  by polling expert and ex-Tory Party deputy chairman Lord Ashcroft  come just as Mr Trump is embroiled in a fresh row over his alleged links to Moscow.

Exactly two years after being sworn in, the controversial US President (Donald Trump is pictured on Saturday) is said to have retained the backing of his core supporters

The findings  by polling expert and ex-Tory Party deputy chairman Lord Ashcroft  come just as Mr Trump is embroiled in a fresh row over his alleged links to Moscow. Pictured is an anti-Trump protester last year

He angrily denied claims by news site Buzzfeed that he had instructed his long-time lawyer Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about plans to build a Trump Tower in the Russian capital.

To mark the halfway point of Mr Trumps current term in the White House, Lord Ashcroft today releases new research on American public opinion. It exposes starkly divided views, with critics seeing the Mr Trump as an erratic, chauvinistic President embarrassing America on the world stage.

Polling expert and ex-Tory Party deputy chairman Lord Ashcroft has found that the US President has retained the backing of his core supporters

But Lord Ashcrofts research also reveals that the Donald has largely met or even surpassed the expectations of many of the people who voted for him at the 2016 election.

They point to a thriving economy, stoked by tax cuts and deregulation, as well as two conservative appointments to the US Supreme Court and a tough line on illegal immigration and border security.

The Half-Time research, which includes surveys of 15,000 Americans since last years mid-term elections, also shows a Left-ward switch by the rival Democrat Party, which could have bearing on Mr Trumps re-election chances.

Lord Ashcroft says that most Democrats now want the party to adopt more liberal, progressive candidates than more moderate, centrist ones. He writes that focus groups have revealed moderate voters saying they have been driven Left-ward in reaction to Trump. The findings will strike a chord with moderate Labour MPs who claim the move Left under Mr Corbyn makes it hard for their party to be elected.

LORD ASHCROFT: Young Democrats blinded by their hatred of the Donald risk picking a presidential candidate so Left-wing that all they will guarantee is six more years of Trump

It is two years today since Donald Trump entered the White House. That means we are exactly halfway between the last presidential inauguration and the next one; whether it also proves to be the halfway point in his presidency remains to be seen. Does President Trump have two years left in office  or six?

As my research has found over the past two years, those who voted for him positively, rather than as the only way of avoiding a President Hillary Clinton, remain solidly behind him.

They point to a thriving economy stoked by tax cuts and deregulation, two conservative appointments to the Supreme Court, a newly combative approach to international affairs, a willingness to reshape global trade deals in the interests of American jobs, and a tough line on immigration and border security.

It is two years today since Donald Trump (pictured on Saturday) entered the White House. That means we are exactly halfway between the last presidential inauguration and the next one

As Lord Ashcroft's research has found over the past two years, those who voted for him positively, rather than as the only way of avoiding a President Hillary Clinton, remain solidly behind him

They like that he continues to say exactly what he (and often, they) think, and the outrage this causes in some quarters only adds to their enjoyment. And if his statements sometimes fall foul of the fact-checkers, they see him as honest in what they regard as the more important sense that he is authentic and has set about doing the things he said he would: rare enough traits in an elected official.

After years of feeling ignored or even despised by the political class, believing a President is speaking and acting for them is an almost exhilarating experience.

And if some Trump voters view his personal ethics with distaste and wish he would calm down on Twitter, they decided at the election that other things mattered more, and this still holds true.

Those who did not support Trump think he has been every bit as bad as they expected, and worse: they see a divisive, erratic, chauvinistic President embarrassing America on the world stage. Not only that, they seem to become more riled and determined by the month.

But despite the well-documented polarisation of American society, not everyone falls into one of those two camps.

Those who did not support Trump think he has been every bit as bad as they expected, and worse. A protester is seen during a demonstration against the Trump administration in Los Angeles, California

Those who voted for Trump as the lesser of two evils are less supportive than those who were enthusiasts from the outset. The same is true of those who backed the President having voted for Barack Obama in 2012  a group who helped Trump to his tiny but crucial winning margins in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin around which he built his victory.

And especially in prosperous suburbs, enough Republicans stayed at home or switched sides in last years mid-term elections to give the Democrats control of the House of Representatives.

Meanwhile, stock market reversals at the end of 2018 are a reminder that support built on a booming economy can be precarious.

This clearly represents a huge opportunity for Trumps opponents. But for all the encouragement they take from his historically low approval ratings, the nations view of the President is only half the story. The other half  the identity of his opponent, and the platform and message he or she adopts  will be decided by millions of Democrats in a five-month series of elections beginning early next year.

With around 30 potential candidates, this campaign is only just getting under way.

But my latest research, published today, shows what these voters are thinking.

Most Democrats would rather see their party adopt more liberal, progressive candidates than more moderate, centrist ones  and the more committed they are to the party, the more likely they are to feel this way.

Our analysis identifies ten distinct segments of the electorate. Of the three predominantly Democratic groups, the young, educated and affluent Cosmopolitan Activists are by far the most likely to get involved in campaigns and  crucially  vote in the Democratic primaries.

With around 30 potential candidates, this presidential campaign is only just getting under way. Donald Trump is pictured speaking outside the White House on Saturday

Seven in ten say they are liberal and nearly one in six say they are socialists.

The group has doubled in size in the past two years at the expense of our other two Democrat-leaning segments  Mainstream Liberals and more socially conservative Blue-Collar Democrats.

This tallies with what we hear in focus groups, where previously moderate voters have been driven Leftwards in reaction to Trump and all his works.

The perpetual horror at the Presidents words and deeds, especially on social media, has produced an expanding class of radicalised activists for whom the antidote to Trumpism is not moderation and consensus but can only be found on the Left. They overwhelmingly want to see a liberal progressive as their partys nominee in 2020.

Uncommitted voters in the middle, meanwhile, prefer a centrist candidate, and the Republicans in play  such as those who switched from Obama to Trump in the rustbelt, moderates who stayed at home or voted grudgingly to stop Hillary, and reluctant Trumpers who backed the Democrats last November but would still put themselves on the centre-right  would take some convincing to elect someone the most radical Democrats have chosen in their own image.

Already, some Democrats are wrestling with the trade-off between a candidate they can celebrate and a candidate who can win. Their decision will determine who delivers the next inaugural address on Capitol Hill two years from today.

l Half-Time: American Public Opinion Midway Through Trumps (First?) Term is published this week by Biteback.

George Bush delivers pizza to unpaid Secret Service agents as pressure mounts on Donald Trump to end US government shutdown

Donald Trump was last night under mounting pressure to end the US government shutdown as former President George W. Bush released a photograph of himself delivering pizzas to unpaid Secret Service agents.

About 800,000 government workers have gone without pay during the shutdown, which is entering its 30th day today.

Writing beside the image on social media, Mr Bush, who makes no secret of his dislike for Mr Trump, said: Laura Bush and I are grateful to our Secret Service personnel and the thousands of federal employees working hard for our country without a paycheck.

President George W. Bush released a photograph of himself delivering pizzas to unpaid Secret Service agents last night

He added: Its time for leaders on both sides to put politics aside, come together, and end this shutdown.

Mr Trump ordered the move after the Democrat-controlled Congress refused his demand for 3.9 billion to fund a border wall between the United States and Mexico.

Some unpaid workers have even set up online pages to raise money to buy food.

A solemn Mr Trump last night met the coffins of four US citizens, including a Navy Seal, who were killed during an IS suicide bombing in Syria on Wednesday.

He later returned to the White House to prepare for a rare Saturday address from the Oval Office. Reports claimed he would offer legal protection for dreamers  undocumented immigrants brought to the US illegally as children.
It is two years today since Donald Trump entered the White House. That means we are exactly halfway between the last presidential inauguration and the next one; whether it also proves to be the halfway point in his presidency remains to be seen. Does President Trump have two years left in office  or six?

As my research has found over the past two years, those who voted for him positively, rather than as the only way of avoiding a President Hillary Clinton, remain solidly behind him.

They point to a thriving economy stoked by tax cuts and deregulation, two conservative appointments to the Supreme Court, a newly combative approach to international affairs, a willingness to reshape global trade deals in the interests of American jobs, and a tough line on immigration and border security.

President Donald Trump pictured arriving back at the White House on Saturday before his government shutdown address where he will give Democrats his new offer

Those who did not support Trump think he has been every bit as bad as they expected, and worse. A protester is seen during a demonstration against the Trump administration in Los Angeles, California

They like that he continues to say exactly what he (and often, they) think, and the outrage this causes in some quarters only adds to their enjoyment. And if his statements sometimes fall foul of the fact-checkers, they see him as honest in what they regard as the more important sense that he is authentic and has set about doing the things he said he would: rare enough traits in an elected official.

After years of feeling ignored or even despised by the political class, believing a President is speaking and acting for them is an almost exhilarating experience.

And if some Trump voters view his personal ethics with distaste and wish he would calm down on Twitter, they decided at the election that other things mattered more, and this still holds true.

Those who did not support Trump think he has been every bit as bad as they expected, and worse: they see a divisive, erratic, chauvinistic President embarrassing America on the world stage. Not only that, they seem to become more riled and determined by the month.

Polling expert and ex-Tory Party deputy chairman Lord Ashcroft has found that the US President has retained the backing of his core supporters

But despite the well-documented polarisation of American society, not everyone falls into one of those two camps.

Those who voted for Trump as the lesser of two evils are less supportive than those who were enthusiasts from the outset. The same is true of those who backed the President having voted for Barack Obama in 2012  a group who helped Trump to his tiny but crucial winning margins in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin around which he built his victory.

And especially in prosperous suburbs, enough Republicans stayed at home or switched sides in last years mid-term elections to give the Democrats control of the House of Representatives.

Meanwhile, stock market reversals at the end of 2018 are a reminder that support built on a booming economy can be precarious.

This clearly represents a huge opportunity for Trumps opponents. But for all the encouragement they take from his historically low approval ratings, the nations view of the President is only half the story. The other half  the identity of his opponent, and the platform and message he or she adopts  will be decided by millions of Democrats in a five-month series of elections beginning early next year.

With around 30 potential candidates, this campaign is only just getting under way.

But my latest research, published today, shows what these voters are thinking.

Most Democrats would rather see their party adopt more liberal, progressive candidates than more moderate, centrist ones  and the more committed they are to the party, the more likely they are to feel this way.

It is two years today since Donald Trump (pictured on Saturday) entered the White House. That means we are exactly halfway between the last presidential inauguration and the next one

As Lord Ashcroft's research has found over the past two years, those who voted for him positively, rather than as the only way of avoiding a President Hillary Clinton, remain solidly behind him

Our analysis identifies ten distinct segments of the electorate. Of the three predominantly Democratic groups, the young, educated and affluent Cosmopolitan Activists are by far the most likely to get involved in campaigns and  crucially  vote in the Democratic primaries.

Seven in ten say they are liberal and nearly one in six say they are socialists.

The group has doubled in size in the past two years at the expense of our other two Democrat-leaning segments  Mainstream Liberals and more socially conservative Blue-Collar Democrats.

This tallies with what we hear in focus groups, where previously moderate voters have been driven Leftwards in reaction to Trump and all his works.

The perpetual horror at the Presidents words and deeds, especially on social media, has produced an expanding class of radicalised activists for whom the antidote to Trumpism is not moderation and consensus but can only be found on the Left. They overwhelmingly want to see a liberal progressive as their partys nominee in 2020.

Uncommitted voters in the middle, meanwhile, prefer a centrist candidate, and the Republicans in play  such as those who switched from Obama to Trump in the rustbelt, moderates who stayed at home or voted grudgingly to stop Hillary, and reluctant Trumpers who backed the Democrats last November but would still put themselves on the centre-right  would take some convincing to elect someone the most radical Democrats have chosen in their own image.

Already, some Democrats are wrestling with the trade-off between a candidate they can celebrate and a candidate who can win. Their decision will determine who delivers the next inaugural address on Capitol Hill two years from today.
he merino wool sweaters, which cost 70, form an important part of the submariners image

They can only don the traditional knitwear when at sea under current Navy rules

When Navy chiefs asked submariners what would improve their morale, higher pay and better equipment topped the list.

But the sailors also suggested a cheaper option likely to catch the eye of top brass: allowing them to wear their classic white roll-neck jumpers more often.

At the moment, crews can only don the traditional knitwear when at sea, but the sailors want the rules relaxed so they can wear the sweaters on shore, too.

The crew of HMS Tuna are pictured after a mission in 1943 wearing rollneck jumpers. A modern survey of submariners, designed to tackle high turnover, suggested the rules on wearing the jumpers should be relaxed

And the items could even be treated as trophies, handed out to recruits after they pass their submarine training.

The merino wool sweaters, which cost 70, form an important part of the submariners image, not least because of their appearance in heroic war movies such as the 1955 classic Above Us The Waves starring John Mills.

Submariners suggested the rules be relaxed when quizzed as part of an internal report designed to tackle high turnover among the 5,000 members of the so-called Silent Service, which has traditionally been attributed to the isolation of spending up to 90 days at a time below the surface.

The senior officer who compiled the report, a Commander Grey, said: The traditional wearing of white jumpers is perhaps seen as more popular for the submariner and its wider use is encouraged.

He suggests that senior officers should amend regulations to permit the regular wearing of white submariner jumpers within naval bases.

Every submariner should be given a jumper on completion of their basic submarine qualification, along with their Dolphins  the coveted lapel badge they earn.

Cdr Greys report, based on three months of research and originally classified as sensitive, was released by the Ministry of Defence following a Freedom of Information request.

It suggests a number of measures to help stem the loss of personnel, including cash bonuses, tax-free pay for secret missions, better meals, handing out more medals and hiring cleaners to take out rubbish after long underwater missions.

The jumpers were also worn in heroic war films, including Above Us The Waves. At the moment, crews can only don the traditional knitwear when at sea, but the sailors want the rules relaxed so they can wear the sweaters on shore, too

Crews were also critical of their salaries, especially when compared with MPs pay hikes.

The standard one per cent pay rise is always accompanied by an increase in accommodation or meal costs, the report states. Placed alongside the higher pay rises of politicians, the negative impact on morale is clear.

It is unknown which, if any, recommendations the MoD will adopt.

Cdr Grey was asked to look into personnel turnover after previously investigating the sex and cocaine scandals aboard the nuclear-armed sub HMS Vigilant in 2017.

Its skipper, Commander Stuart Armstrong, was relieved of duty after it emerged that he had slept with a female subordinate, and that nine members of his crew had been caught taking cocaine.

Although Cdr Greys report was released by the MoD and labelled Official, the Royal Navy last night claimed: This is part of an unofficial and unauthorised study and it would be inappropriate to comment.
A federal judge has found four women guilty of entering a national wildlife refuge without a permit as they sought to place food and water in the Arizona desert for migrants.

US Magistrate Judge Bernardo Velasco's ruling Friday marked the first conviction against humanitarian aid volunteers in a decade.

The volunteers include Natalie Hoffman, Oona Holcomb, Madeline Huse and Zaachila Orozco-McCormick.

The four, who were found guilty of misdemeanors in the recent case, were volunteers for No More Deaths, which said in a statement the group had been providing life-saving aid to migrants.

A federal judge has found Natalie Hoffman, Oona Holcomb, Madeline Huse and Zaachila Orozco-McCormick guilty of entering a wildlife refuge to give food and water (file image) to migrants in Arizona

The four, who were found guilty of misdemeanors in the recent case, were volunteers for No More Deaths, which said in a statement the group had been providing life-saving aid (file image) to migrants

Hoffman was found guilty of operating a vehicle inside Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, entering the federally protected area without a permit, and leaving water jugs and cans of beans there in August 2017.

The others were found guilty of entering without a permit and leaving behind personal property.

Velasco wrote in his three-page order that the defendants 'did not get an access permit, they did not remain on the designated roads, and they left water, food, and crates in the Refuge'.

According to Velasco, No More Deaths 'failed' to warn the women about the consequences of violating the refuge's regulations.

He said the women had acted 'in the mistaken belief' that a worst-case scenario for them would have been to get a citation or barred from the refuge.

During their three-day trial, McCormick said she the work was almost 'sacred'.

During their three-day trial, McCormick said she the work was almost 'sacred'. She said the refuge was 'like being [in] a graveyard,' because of the number of migrant (file image) deaths that had taken place there

According to AZ Central, she said the refuge was 'like being [in] a graveyard,' because of the number of migrant deaths that had taken place there.

Five other volunteers with No More Deaths face unrelated charges for similar activities on Cabeza Prieta.

Their trials are scheduled to begin in the next two months.

The women's conviction is the first against humanitarian aid volunteers along the US-Mexico border since 2009.

That year, a another No More Deaths volunteer was found guilty of littering for dropping off water jugs at the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge.
Thackeray, an MLA from Barwani, was found dead in a field in Warla police station limits. He had gone for a morning walk today.

Barwani (Madhya Pradesh): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manoj Thackeray was found dead in Barwani on Sunday, less than a week after Mandsaur Municipal Corporation president Prahlad Bandhwar was killed.

Thackeray, an MLA from Barwani, was found dead in a field in Warla police station limits. He had gone for a morning walk today.

The police said that a blood-stained rock was found from the crime site.

He (Manoj Thackeray) had gone for his routine morning walk. A blood-stained rock has been found from the crime site. Speculation is that he was killed with that rock. An investigation is being done, said Barwanis additional superintendent of police.

Former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accused the ruling Congress government of failing to maintain law and order in the state.

Congress used to talk of change but what change is this? Murders have started here, there was one in Indore, then in Mandsaur where a BJP leader was killed, another BJP leader killed in Barwani. Criminals are fearless today. Law and order completely collapsed, he said.

Chouhan further hinted at a larger conspiracy behind the recent killings of BJP leaders in Madhya Pradesh and warned the Congress government of protests if killings are not stopped.

Government is taking this lightly. There seems to be a larger conspiracy behind this (BJP leader killed in Mandsaur). I demand a CBI inquiry. BJP leader was killed in Barwani, I warn the government that they stop such incidents otherwise BJP will come out on streets, he said.

On Thursday, Bandhwar was shot at in Nai Abaadi of Mandsaur. He died on the spot.

A day after the incident, Manish Bairagi, a BJP worker, was arrested in Rajasthan's Pratapgarh in connection to the death of Bandhwar.
A South Korean envoy will join talks between the North and the United States in Sweden, as Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un prepare for a second summit.

The three countries' diplomats are gathering at an unannounced location in Stockholm amid growing efforts to end the Korean nuclear stand-off.

South Korea's Lee Do-Hoon will join Stephen Biegun, who is Washington's envoy in Pyongyang, and North Korean minister Choe Son Hui for the talks, The Local reported.

A diplomatic source said the purpose of the meeting was to take steps forward in the relations between U.S. and North Korea after discussions 'ground to a halt'.

Swedish police guard the location where representatives of the United States, North Korea and South Korea are believed to be holding a meeting

Police have blocked off a snow-covered area near a conference centre, amid reports a former deputy chief of the UN was at the facility.

The meeting, which is due to last over the weekend, has been planned in secret for months.

Sweden's foreign minister and the country's envoy to Korea are also said to be sitting in on the talks.

The White House said on Friday that President Trump would hold a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in late February.

Trump and Kim met in Singapore in June last year in the first ever meeting between the two countries' heads of government.

Kim made vague commitments to work toward the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula but has yet to take what Washington sees as concrete steps.

Critics of U.S. efforts say the first summit boosted Kim's international stature with little progress on the nuclear stand-off to show for it.

Earlier this month, Trump defended the stuttering progress on North Korea by saying that Pyongyang had stopped its missile and bomb testing.

Trump has not said where the second summit will be held, but Vietnam has been considered a leading candidate.

Police have blocked off a snow-covered area near a conference centre in Stockholm (pictured), amid reports a former deputy chief of the UN was at the facility
Thousands of locals have signed a petition to remove a phallic sculpture erected in Byron Bay that is supposed to look like the area's iconic lighthouse.

The sculpture, which locals have dubbed the 'seaside shaft', was approved at a cost of $55,000 last year and was constructed just before Christmas.

Byron Bay councillor Jan Hackett, who was on the panel that approved the project, has said it differs substantially from the proposed design and a petition calling for its removal has gained more than 2,000 signatures.

Thousands of locals have signed a petition to remove a phallic sculpture erected in Byron Bay that is supposed to look like the area's iconic lighthouse

The 12-metre-high sculpture, by Melbourne based artist Corey Thomas, is made up of thousands of aluminium birds and is supposed to represent the silhouette of the lighthouse.

'We didn't get what we ordered,' Ms Hackett told the ABC.

'I had a vision from the concept drawings and discussions with the artist of what we could expect and what I've seen is nothing like those concept drawings. From most angles you can't tell what it's supposed to be.'

She said the artist should have been in regular communication with council as they produced the design documentation, prototypes, and engineering specifications.

'But that period didn't happen  we had the beginning and then no communication between the panel and the artist until the work was on its way up.'

She also said the budget of $55,000 was not adequate to expect something on a grand scale like they had envisioned and many locals have said on social media that the money would have been better spent on fixing the potholes throughout the town.

The original artist's impression of what the sculpture was supposed to look like

Byron Bay Mayor Simon Richardson said that the experience has been hard for the artist considering the budget and time constraints and his portfolio of work is generally strong.

He also hit out at locals who yelled comments at the artist as he was installing the work at the town's entrance saying that the behaviour was an embarrassment to the community.

The artist has not spoken publicly about the work since the sculpture was erected but he said he may do so at a later date.
Jamie King, 39, (left) who has appeared in hit shows Mad Men, The Tudors and CSI:Miami, had told the High Court he had lost a role in the Oscar winning film Dunkirk because of the trauma of watching his five day old son die. But his claim against RUH Bath NHS Foundation Trust was dismissed by the judge who ruled that even if Mr King had won the part in Dunkirk, it was far from certain that it would propel him to stardom. Mr King said he suffered post-traumatic stress disorder caused by seeing his critically ill son Benjamin in intensive care shortly after his birth. His wife, Canadian actor Tamara Podemski, (together, right) has previously won undisclosed compensation from RUH Bath NHS Foundation Trust which admitted liability for their son's death in May 2016. Benjamin was born - by emergency caesarean section - at the RUH, but died five days later from severe brain damage having been starved of oxygen in the womb. Ms Podemski had been due to have a caesarean procedure at the hospital the previous day but it was postponed. An investigation into the incident found that postponing the operation was the incorrect decision.
Pension savers need to be extra vigilant as fraudsters circle the market.

A fresh warning comes from the Insolvency Service, which says it has shut down 24 companies found to be guilty of pension abuse since 2015.

Around 3,750 victims are known to have been hit, including individuals and businesses who lost a combined 202 million.

The Insolvency Service is part of the Department for Business, which investigates and winds up companies where there is evidence of misconduct  and can disqualify directors.

Shocking: Around 3,750 victims are known to have been hit, including individuals and businesses who lost a combined 202 million

It has released the latest update in a bid to highlight the dangers of transferring pension money into scams.

From the 24 companies wound up, eight directors were disqualified for a combined 57 years.

Included in the list are directors of two pension companies found to be negligent in their role as trustees. The trustees failed to ensure pension schemes were run properly according to the law and exposed members funds to higher risk.

Consumer Minister and Conservative MP Kelly Tolhurst says: If you are approached to make an investment from your pension, always do your homework and seek independent advice. If you think you are a victim, report it to Action Fraud or visit the Scam-Smart website for further help.

Meanwhile, Alistair McQueen, head of savings and retirement at insurer Aviva, says: There is no room for complacency. We may spend 40 years saving, so we should spend more than 40 minutes considering our options at retirement.

The warnings come too late for Maria McCulloch, who turns 65 this year and had planned to retire  until she lost 65,000 of her savings in a pension scam.

Maria, who lives in Ayrshire, south of Glasgow, had wanted to consolidate three different pension pots into one.

An unexpected phone call back in 2012 suggesting she could do just that  and transfer her retirement funds to a new scheme  seemed like good timing. She was even visited at home by the introducer  a man who seemed utterly genuine.

Be warned: Common tactics used by scammers to reel in victims are to cold-call, offer free pension reviews, lie about their expertise and promise sky-high rates of return

Later she was told her money, which was invested in storage units, had bombed. The company then offered her an alternative deal through Fast Pensions.

It reassured her she would still end up with 80,000 at retirement and she was visited at home again by an independent consultant who charged her a 1,000 set-up fee.

Later on she was alerted by Revenue & Customs about an unpaid tax bill, at which point details of the pension scam unravelled. She says: I received a stack of paperwork before transferring my savings into Fast Pensions and it looked legitimate.

I even asked a friend what they thought and they agreed it looked fine.

Maria adds: My head is still spinning. I trusted people I shouldnt have and I now want to help raise awareness to stop this happening to anyone else.

She relayed her experience to national fraud reporting centre Action Fraud.

The information she provided helped the Insolvency Service to get Fast Pensions and five other related firms wound up by the courts last year.

It is not yet known if she will be able to recover any of her 65,000.

Common tactics used by scammers to reel in victims are to cold-call, offer free pension reviews, lie about their expertise and promise sky-high rates of return  the likes of which are not available anywhere else.

Cold-calling about pensions has now been banned  making it clear that people should not accept advice from anyone contacting them out of the blue.

Avivas McQueen adds: If you receive an unsolicited contact about your pension, hang up the phone, delete the email or dump the text. It is now illegal to make such contact.
A corrupt stockbroker exposed by The Mail on Sunday has been jailed for a second time after he took part in a further investment scam while already under scrutiny for an earlier fraud.

Stephen Todd, 37, of Tower Hamlets in East London, headed Hamilton Bentley and Partners, an investment firm I warned against in 2007.

It illegally ran a scheme marketing plots of land that had no planning permission for development.

Corrupt: Todd set up his own stockbroking firm, White Square Investments. It collapsed in 2009 and he later agreed not to act as a company director for at least ten years

Despite this, Todd was allowed to set up his own fully authorised stockbroking firm, White Square Investments.

It collapsed in 2009 and he later agreed not to act as a company director for at least ten years.

He broke this agreement by secretly controlling IPR Capital Limited, which marketed investments in a South American gold mine, despite not owning mining rights. The company failed in 2015 with liabilities of 10 million.

Last May, after a lengthy and complex investigation by the Metropolitan Police, Todd was convicted of fraud and offering unlicensed investment deals.

He was jailed for seven years, but reporting was banned because he was awaiting trial for a separate scam involving The Commodities Link Limited.

This offered investments in rare earth metals that are used in industry, but there was no two-way market for ordinary investors.

The company was investigated by Surrey Police after a tip-off from a bank manager who became suspicious when an elderly customer asked to transfer 100,000 to the fraudsters. Police found that The Commodities Link raked in over 800,000 from its victims.

At Kingston Crown Court, Todd admitted being part of a conspiracy to commit fraud. He has now been sentenced to a further year in jail after he completes his existing sentence.

Todd is still authorised by the watchdog Financial Conduct Authority as a financial adviser, though he is listed on its public register as currently inactive.

Six others in the rare earth metals fraud were jailed for up to five years, including Darren Flood, 40, of Hertford, who faces 30 months in prison.

Flood was married to Victoria Beckhams sister and used the Beckham connection to suggest the scam was legitimate.

Detective Inspector Matthew Durkin, of Surrey Police, said: This company tried to appear professional and legitimate to the outside world, but all they were is professional criminals  thieves in suits.
Dividends soared by 5.1 per cent to 99.8billion in 2018, according to Link Asset Services

Investors in UK companies pocketed almost 100billion in payouts last year, the highest level in almost a decade.

Dividends soared by 5.1 per cent to 99.8billion in 2018, according to Link Asset Services, amid soaring company profits and a slump in the pound.

Excluding special dividends, shareholder payouts rose 8.7 per cent to 95.9billion.

Lucky Strike and Dunhill owner British American Tobacco made the single largest contribution to growth during the period, with the mining sector accounting for most of the increase.

Lenders also did well, marked by the Royal Bank of Scotlands first dividend since the financial crash a decade ago.
Success: Michael Spencer had a bumper year after buyers splashed out on high volumes of expensive wines

A wine merchant backed by Tory Party donor Michael Spencer had a bumper year after buyers splashed out on high volumes of expensive Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne.

BI Wines & Spirits offers investors rare vintages through a LiveTrade selling platform.

A 12-bottle case of Chateau Haut Brion 1989 sold on the online platform increased in value by 37 per cent from 17,150 in January to 23,500 in December.

More recent vintages also attracted investment buyers who snapped up Chateau Haut Brion 2015 at 450 a bottle and a case of 12 bottles of Chateau Lafite 2014 at 4,900.

Gary Boom, managing director at BI, said: Whilst the spread of purchases was broad, there was a noticeable focus on what might be deemed the very best.

Buyers are taking a long-term view and securing their share of top wines from back vintages before they become too scarce.

Gulp: Sales at BI increased 8 per cent to 95 million in its fifth consecutive year of growth

Spencer, founder of City trading giant Icap and former Conservative Party treasurer, is chairman of BI.

Sales increased 8 per cent to 95 million in its fifth consecutive year of growth. Pre-tax profits are estimated to be in the region of 3.5 million in 2018 compared with 2.3 million the year before.

Trading platform sales rose 17 per cent to 39 million.
Insight: Alex Edmans of Gresham College

Complex bonus plans should be scrapped and replaced with long-term share schemes for both directors and staff, a top academic will say this week.

This would remove opaque target driven payouts and tie chief executives and staff to the long-term success of a firm  even after their departure.

Alex Edmans, of Londons Gresham College, who has advised the Government, will explain on Wednesday how bosses end up being rewarded for achieving internal targets even if a firms fortunes slide.

The solution is to extend the horizon of a chief executives equity so that it is locked up for many years, he has said.

This requires the lock-up to extend beyond their departure so they plan for succession and undertake investments even if they wont fully pay off until after they have left, he added.

Edmans has been asked by the Government to conduct studies, including the effect of firms buying back their own shares.

He said data suggests chief executives cut investment and focus on hitting short-term earnings targets as their departure approaches.

And he advocates extending long-term share schemes to staff to improve performance.
Millions of passengers who suffer the misery of flight delays are failing to claim compensation that is rightfully theirs  even though it is easy to do.

Ignorance of their rights, an aversion to bureaucracy and an expectation that any complaint will be dismissed outright, contribute to the apathy.

Under tough European legislation  regulation EU261  airlines must pay passengers compensation of up to 600 (530) each following a prolonged delay or when a flight is cancelled at short notice.

Persist: Experts urge victims to demand payment and not give up even if airlines reject a claim

Experts urge victims to demand payment and not to give up even if airlines reject a claim.

Flight disruption has marred the travel plans of millions across Europe over the past 12 months with more than 230,000 flights delayed or cancelled thanks to pilot shortages, staff industrial action and weather problems such as the Beast from the East.

Paloma Salmeron, air passenger rights expert at claims firm AirHelp, believes the situation is only set to get worse. #

She says: The current Brexit limbo, combined with an increase in flights, is likely to cause even more havoc in European airspace.

Figures from the two independent UK passenger dispute resolution services and industry body the Civil Aviation Authority, indicate that many passengers are being fobbed off when they first claim.

For example, analysis of figures from April to June 2018, the most recent available, show passengers of Norwegian Airlines who were initially turned down for compensation by the carrier went on to win payouts in 491 out of 526 cases.

About 2,490 complaints of the 2,710 made about Ryanair delays were also upheld.

Specialist claims lawyer Bott & Co, which charges a fee for its services if successful, says many airlines routinely drag out complaints and only agree a payment if passengers eventually issue court proceedings.

Looking at its own cases, the firm found the worst offender to be holiday giant TUI, formerly Thomson Airways.

Some 70 per cent of TUIs claims via Bott are forced down the court route. EasyJet comes in second place, with passengers issuing court proceedings 45 per cent of the time, followed closely by Virgin Atlantic.

Rights of redress

The EU261 compensation rules apply only to passengers who faced a delay on a flight that left from Europe or was via a European airline.

If the waiting time was up to two hours, there is no cash compensation but the airline should provide meals and drinks and free access to email or phone.

For long delays an airline should provide overnight accommodation.

Compensation will not be paid for a delay or cancellation if it is due to extraordinary circumstances  for example, dangerous weather conditions. But if the fault is the airlines  including a technical problem with the plane  any payment will depend on the delay and distance of the flight.

Millions of passengers who suffer the misery of flight delays are failing to claim compensation that is rightfully theirs  even though it is easy to do

Short-haul passengers should receive 250 in compensation if their flight is delayed more than three hours. Long-haul travellers should get 300 if the plane lands between three or four hours late or around 600 if the arrival at the destination is any later.

QUICK MONEY-SAVER: TRAVEL MONEY Heading abroad? Make sure you sidestep hefty bank fees on your holiday spending. Most credit and debit cards will charge hefty fees of around 3 per cent for foreign transactions, with extra charges for withdrawing cash abroad. There are several current accounts and credit cards which offer reduced fees or waive overseas charges altogether. Alternatively you could consider a prepaid currency card. FairFX is offering This is Money and MailOnline readers a free MasterCard prepaid card, which usually costs 9.95. For more help deciding on the best method for you, check out our guide here.

If any stopover on an EU airline is delayed by more than three hours a claim is valid, even if the delay happens outside the EU.

If a flight is cancelled, passengers are entitled to a new flight or a refund, and in some cases compensation on top.

If the cancellation happens within two weeks of the planned departure, fixed compensation of between 125 and 600 should be paid.

The amount paid depends on the flight distance and how much earlier or later the replacement flight delivers them at their destination than originally scheduled.

Even someone who opts for a refund of the original ticket and then does not travel (rather than taking the rerouted flight) can claim compensation based on the new flight timings.

To receive compensation the cancellation must have been the airlines fault. There will be no compensation for passengers given more than two weeks notice. When a flight is delayed (but not cancelled) by five hours or more passengers can also demand a refund  though they are then unlikely to get the fixed compensation that would otherwise be due.

Someone flying with a non-EU airline, say United Airlines from New York to London, does not have the same right to compensation under European rules.

The airline tricks

Claiming compensation should be pain free but some airlines make it a long-haul process

Claiming compensation should be pain free but some airlines make it a long-haul process.

Martyn James, of complaints service Resolver, says: Bureaucracy is the biggest killer of complaints. Some airlines make it tricky to find out how to make a claim on their website. Others drag things out by demanding details they already hold.

He describes easyJets form as unfriendly, adding: You have to ensure your telephone number is in international format, + 44 not 0 before the rest of the number, or the form will be rejected.

AirHelp, which charges a fee for processing successful claims, has assessed airlines own claims performance. This is based on the number of times claims are wrongly rejected or ignored and the time taken to both process and pay a claim.

It found the most customer friendly among UK and Irish carriers are Flybe, City Jet and British Airways (all scoring more than 8 out of 10).

Not far behind are Virgin Atlantic, Thomas Cook and Aer Lingus. But near the bottom are Jet2.com (3.8), Ryanair (3.3) and easyJet (1.3).

Even when a claim is accepted by an airline, payments can be delayed. Resolvers James says: We have known delays of months, even more than a year.

AirHelp also found, from separate research, that 86 per cent of travellers had no clue about their compensation rights with many complaining that airlines did not inform them of what they could claim.

It also reveals half of delayed passengers do not file a claim.

Although any claim can technically be made up to six years after the event, it is sensible to act quickly. The Government has promised to protect travellers rights after Brexit.

Vix Davies should have been furious when her recent Norwegian Air flight to Alicante was cancelled just two hours before take-off. But quick thinking by her and travel companions meant they found a replacement flight and pocketed hundreds of pounds in compensation.

London-based media communications executive Vix says: We got the text from Norwegian Air saying the flight was cancelled.

One of us had already travelled from Wales to London and I was already in a taxi. We hastily conversed on WhatsApp and decided to book a British Airways flight departing half an hour later than the original.

At the airport we did an online search for a template letter to make a claim and then found the correct email address on Norwegian Airs website and sent our claims off in a few minutes.

The airline responded quickly and within a couple of weeks had transferred 250 (223) compensation each.

Vix says: The trip, including the hastily rebooked flights, only came to around 200 each so we actually had our holiday paid for.

How to claim

First apply via the airlines website  though some request paperwork by post.

Alternatively use a free complaints tool such as that offered by website Resolver, but not all airlines accept claims this way.

If a claim is turned down, consider a dispute resolution service. For example, Alternative Dispute Resolution for Aviation (AviationADR) covers Norwegian, Wizz Air, KLM and Virgin Atlantic.

Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) covers BA, easyJet and Thomas Cook.

Complaints about Ryanair, of which there are many following the recent strike disruption, are now handled by the CAA. The authority is taking legal action against the airline for rejecting claims.

You will need a deadlock letter from the airline which confirms it will not act on the complaint. If the claim ultimately fails, CEDR will charge 25 whereas AviationADR makes no charge.

You can find details of the schemes through the Civil Aviation Authoritys website at caa.co.uk. Failing this route, there is the option of legal action via the small claims court.

For a claim of up to 300 this costs 25 online (35 for paper forms).
Prices for five-star hotels around the world have been almost cut in half in some destinations annually this winter, research shows.

Many people looking to head on a more luxurious holiday may believe five-star hotels were out of their price range - but according to Skyscanner data, it could be more affordable than first thought.

Amsterdam has been found as the destination that had the biggest drop in luxury prices annually, falling 42 per cent.

Cheap: Five-star hotel prices in Amsterdam have seen the biggest drop year-on-year at 42%

The average five-star hotel in the Netherlands' capital dropped from 449 to just 260.

Those looking long-haul can grab sizeable reductions including an average 23 per cent price drop in five-star hotels in the Cuban capital of Havana.

Hotel prices in the city reduced from an average 312 in 2017 to 241 in 2018.

Venice, Italy was the third destination that had the biggest drop in luxury prices, down 22 per cent from 422 to 330 a night.

Palma de Mallorca, the Balearic Islands saw another huge price drop of 20 per cent whilst Tokyo, Japan also had a fall of 16 per cent.

Other destinations that saw a substantial reduction in price include Dubai, Los Angeles and Sydney, Australia.

On average, Britons are willing to spend 811.20 for a winter holiday abroad, according to research by WeSwap.

The currency exchange platform asked more than 2,000 people how much they are spending or willing to spend on a winter holiday.

TOP TEN POPULAR DESTINATIONS WITH BIGGEST PRICE DROP FOR FIVE STAR HOTELS Destination 2017 Average

Price 5-star hotel per night 2018 Average

Price 5-star hotel per night Percentage price drop Amsterdam, North Holland 449.00 260.00 -42% Havana, Cuba 312.00 241.00 -23% Venice, Italy 422.00 330.00 -22% Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands 267.00 214.00 -20% Tokyo, Japan 397.00 334.00 -16% Bang Tao Beach, Thailand 169.00 149.00 -12% Sydney, New South Wales 232.00 207.00 -11% Los Angeles, California 492.00 454.00 -8% Dubai, UAE 191.00 177.00 -7% Source: Skyscanner

It found that millennials would spend less than the national average, at 599.30 per person, whilst those over 55 years old would be willing to spend far more at 977.90.

A further 26 per cent of those surveyed said they would spend 1,000 or more for their winter trip overseas.

Those who are looking for a trip away this winter season are in luck as Skyscanner has revealed some of the cheapest five-star hotels across the globe for February and March.

This includes a five-star hotel in Venice for just 38 per person, per night with flights as cheap as 29 return in February.

It also found five-star accommodation in Dubai for only 44 per person with flights coming in as little as 282 for a return in March.

Fall: Havana had five-star hotel price reductions of 23% year-on-year, falling from 312 to 241

Skyscanner has found flights to Venice for as little as 29 return & five star hotels for just 38

You could be staying in a five star hotel in Havana for 48.50 a night, with return flights at 622 per person for a return.

Tokyo also has some great offers with five star accommodation available from 45 per night and return flights from 582 this February.

Lisa Tyndall, senior growth manager at Skyscanner, said: 'The luxury of a five-star hotel might seem like a distant dream for some travellers, but according to our data, that dream could become a reality.

'We have found a number of popular destinations which have seen average price drops of up to 42 per cent year-on-year on their five-star hotels.

'Our current hotel deals are also showing rooms available from as little as 38 a night, when staying in Venice, proving that travellers really can enjoy luxury for less in 2019.'
PM Modi on Sunday dismissed 'mahagathbandhan' as an alliance of corruption, negativity and instability.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was addressing BJP's booth-level workers from Lok Sabha constituencies of Kolhapur, Hatkanangle, Madha and Satara in Maharashtra and South Goa through video-conference. (Photo: Twitter | @BJP4India)

Margao (Goa): Unfazed by the Opposition's show of unity at a rally in Kolkata, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday dismissed it as an alliance of corruption, negativity and instability, saying while those parties have "money power", the BJP has "people's power".

He also said that seats in educational institutes will be increased to implement the 10 per cent general category quota.

PM Modi was addressing BJP's booth-level workers from Lok Sabha constituencies of Kolhapur, Hatkanangle, Madha and Satara in Maharashtra and South Goa through video-conference.

Leaders from over a dozen opposition parties gathered in Kolkata on Saturday and vowed to put up a united fight in the coming Lok Sabha elections and oust PM Modi from power. Several opposition leaders at the rally demanded the use of ballot papers instead of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) which, they said, were the source of "all sorts of malpractices".

The Prime Minister said the Opposition was staring at a defeat in forthcoming elections and looking for excuses ahead of their impending loss and thus, were vilifying EVMs.

"You must have seen that one of the leaders who was sharing the dais recalled the Bofors scam. Truth cannot be kept hidden. The Opposition's mahagathbandhan is an alliance of capitalists, corruption, scams, negativity and instability," he said.

"The Opposition has 'dhanshakti' (money power), we have 'janshakti' (people's power)," he added.

Replying on the query from a booth worker in Kolhapur, PM Modi said while the Opposition alliance is with political parties, "our alliance is with the dreams of 125 crore Indians and their hopes and aspirations". "Those who were on the dais in Kolkata were either son or daughter of a big person or who wanted to make his son or daughter big in politics," he alleged.

Those who never believed in democracy within their parties were now talking about democracy from a public platform, he said, taking a dig at the Opposition's rally. He said such people do not have faith in any institution and are busy defaming constitutional authorities.

"We get worried when some groups take people for granted. They think people are fools. That is why they don't leave any stone unturned to change their colour... I would like to repeat, this is a dangerous game for the country and a thing to worry about," PM Modi commented.

"While on one hand they are busy saving or nurturing their own families, we are busy developing a nation. Our country is our family... Those who start violence against the people contesting against them even at panchayat level are now singing songs of protecting democracy," he said.

The Prime Minister said the Centre's decision to provide quota to the economically weaker sections from the general category in education and government jobs has given "sleepless nights" to the Opposition.

"If our decision had no strength, then these people would not have had sleepless nights. They have to get down in the field to spread lies and rumours. This means we have done right work and worked for the country," he said.

Seeking to allay concerns about lack of seats in educational institutes to accommodate the new quota provision, he said, "I would like to assure that we will increase 10 per cent seats in every educational institution so that despite reservation, everyone will get an opportunity."

He said the government would ensure that no one faced injustice and that the quota for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes remain intact. "But with (the new) 10 per cent reservation, new opportunities have been opened up," the PM asserted.

The government has worked rising above the political interests. "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas has been the focus of our style of functioning," he said.

He said the BJP had taken such a "historic step" that if any party had to make such a move without researching the Constitution, he would have himself criticised it.

"After researching the Constitution, we made 10 per cent reservation for the economically weaker section. They (opposition) have not done anything for social injustice. When we did it, they were caught napping," he said.

These people are still "unconscious". When the government has taken a historical step for the larger good of people, it is natural for them to oppose, he said.

"Those who say that I took the decision keeping polls in mind, I want to ask them, when do we not have elections in the country," the PM questioned.

He said if he had to take the decision three months ago, then people would have claimed he did it keeping in mind elections in five states. "If I did it before, they would have said I did it for the Karnataka elections, before that they would have said I did it to get benefit in Gujarat elections," the PM noted.

Before starting the interaction with people of Goa, pm Modi wished ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar a speedy recovery and called him the "architect of modern Goa".

"I would like to wish my good friend and Goa's popular CM and architect of modern Goa, Manohar Parrikar, a speedy recovery. The way he has been working and his zeal towards work has been an inspiration for a party worker like me," he said.

Appealing BJP workers to strengthen the booths, PM Modi said the party has given respect to the word 'worker'. "Due to earlier governments, the image of a worker was that of a 'dalal' (middleman). But, the image of BJP workers is that of 'maa Bharati ke lal' (patriots)," he added.
Theresa May is not planning to attend Davos this year  and if she were to turn up at this week's jaw-fest, she might not want to be reminded of the speech she made at the gathering two years ago.

Then, she lectured her audience on how Brexit had given the UK a 'unique opportunity' to step up to a 'new leadership role' as the strongest champion in the world for business, free markets and free trade.

She was, she declared, speaking as the Prime Minister of 'a country that faces the future with confidence.'

No show: If Theresa May were to turn up at Davos she might not want to be reminded of the speech she made at the gathering two years ago

It hardly needs saying that it doesn't feel like that now, with businesses in despair at the utter chaos in Westminster and millions of ordinary people seething in disgust at the self-serving antics of politicians.

Mrs May herself commands admiration for her fortitude and integrity, and she probably won't miss Davos, which doesn't seem her scene. The earnest round of conferences are, for many delegates, an alibi for shameless sucking up and showing off.

It's just as much a networking event and recruitment fair for chief executives, as it is a forum for solving the pressing economic issues of the day, as it purports to be.

Mrs May is not the only high profile absentee. Indeed, the list of people who are not expected to show up  Donald Trump, President Xi Jinping of China and French president Emmanuel Macron  is at least as significant as those who are: an eclectic mix including David Attenborough, Prince William, the musician will.i.am and illusionist David Blaine.

It's become a staple to attack Davos for its elitism, but it is losing relevance, as the high profile no-shows suggest.

The grand Davos belief in globalisation is facing a profound populist challenge.

Emboldened by the election of Trump and by Brexit, populist parties are gathering strength in Europe. In the face of this turbulence, the Davos get-together looks and sounds hopelessly out of touch.

The World Economic Forum, which organises the event, has this year fixed upon the theme of 'Globalization 4.0: Shaping a New Architecture in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.' What? That piece of gobbledegook, which would have most normal people scratching their heads, sums up the problem.

It isn't just that Davos Man  another long running sore is the under-representation of women  doesn't really understand quite why citizens are so disaffected, or how deep the disillusionment runs. It is that he has no idea even how to communicate in a language ordinary people can understand.

Globalisation has held sway since the fall of communism in the 1980s. It has lifted millions out of poverty, but at the same time it has rattled workers in developed countries, who have seen their job security and wages undermined by competition from developing markets.

Their anxiety is compounded by new technology capable of taking over tasks, or even entire jobs that are carried out by humans.

The result has been a backlash against the elite, a return to protectionism and a deep dive in nostalgia for a mythical time when America, Britain or wherever were truly 'great'. The assembled brainpower at Davos should be able to make useful contributions. Instead, the gathering has become a byword for the absurdity and narcissism of the elite.
Although John Sheffield is a financial adviser whose specialist subject on quiz Mastermind would be pensions, he has no doubt as to what a Labour Government led by Corbyn would do to the country. Ruin it.

He says this after sitting through last Wednesdays BBC documentary on the rise of Hugo Chavez, former President of Venezuela who died in 2013.

The programme charts Chavezs rise to power by promising wealth distribution to both the young and disenfranchised  and then pointedly the countrys plunge into economic meltdown as his policies (continued by his successor) disastrously unwound, leaving many Venezuelans starving and eating from dustbins.

Hugo Chavez, former President of Venezuela who died in 2013

Sheffield, a director of AIS Pensions, told Wealth: Chavez was almost a messiah in the eyes of the young.

'What fascinated me was to see Corbyn on screen shouting his praises and putting his policies up as a beacon of light.

Yet former devoted Chavez supporters are now poverty stricken, rioting in the streets and being shot at.

He says: I understand that the young see the inequalities in the world and view big business, sometimes rightly so, as the enemy.

I admire their desire to change the world for the better. But The Hugo Chavez Story should be essential viewing for all Corbyn supporters. Generous promises made out of power can result in rack and ruin.

Revolution In Ruins: The Hugo Chavez Story can be viewed on BBC iPlayer.
Kyle Gibbon, 18, was sectioned under mental health laws  and 13 years later he is still locked up in an infamous maximum-security psychiatric hospital in Scotland

When Kyle Gibbon left school, the local authority suggested the 18-year-old with autism and mild learning disabilities should spend six weeks in an assessment unit to determine his needs for living in the community.

Yet within days, Kyle, who had committed no crime, was sectioned under mental health laws without his familys knowledge  and 13 years later he is still locked up in an infamous maximum-security psychiatric hospital in Scotland alongside killers and rapists.

His family say he has been beaten, bullied, locked in solitary confinement, forcibly injected with powerful drugs and frequently restrained.

He even needed 45 staples and two metal plates inserted in his arm after it was broken in a struggle with staff.

I blame myself, said his tearful mother Tracey.

I thought I was helping him by letting him go to that unit and listening to experts, but I put the noose around his neck. I have to live with this for the rest of my life.

Kyles story is horrifying. A Freedom of Information request revealed he is one of nine people with autism and learning disabilities inside Carstairs, also known as State Hospital.

The Mail on Sunday has exposed how hundreds more people with autism and learning disabilities are being held in secretive psychiatric units, often in distressing and violent conditions that intensify their mental stresses.

The shocking exposures have sparked four official inquiries in England. Yet as Tracey begs for her sons freedom, this latest case shows how the scandal has spilled into Scotland too.

Kyle was one of three children. He enjoyed a happy childhood near Aberdeen despite struggling to hold down school places.

During his teenage years, he thrived at a residential school in Cumbria, routinely taking flights on his own from his home near Aberdeen.

The stress caused by leaving this school was compounded by the death of his father  a tragedy that came just weeks after his favourite teacher passed away.

So when local officials suggested Kyle attend an assessment and treatment unit in Dundee, Tracey accepted.

They said it would be for six weeks. I thought I was doing the right thing to help get him the best possible support, she said.

But when I went to visit after his first two weeks, they said I could not take Kyle out since they had put a section order on him. He was crying, but they said they would call the police if I removed him. I was absolutely hysterical.

A Freedom of Information request revealed Kyle is one of nine people with autism and learning disabilities inside Carstairs, also known as State Hospital

He was held in the privately run centre for two years. These units are supposed to keep people for short assessment periods over a few months, yet the average stay for people with autism and learning disabilities is five and a half years.

Tracey says he was repeatedly beaten and violently restrained and was once left with bruising on his face. She also claimed he was heavily sedated and bullied by mocking staff.

Finally he was moved to a hospital in Aberdeen, where he was prepared for release.

A national charity helped find him a flat with support staff and Kyle enjoyed trips to the cinema and dinners with his family while he helped furnish his prospective home.

His mother claimed everything changed before he moved into the flat after a young psychiatrist intervened and said Kyle could not leave the hospital.

He was kept in a tiny room for three months, drugged and injected all the time, said Tracey, 55, a former caterer on offshore oil rigs.

They put his food on the floor like an animal.

225 patients are restrained by 'chemical cosh' in just one month Youngsters with autism and learning disabilities are being violently restrained and given chemical coshes in secretive NHS-funded psychiatric units, new figures reveal. A shocking 2,700 instances of restraint on 4,970 people with autism and learning disabilities were recorded in the units in just one month. Children and teenagers are most likely to face restrictive intervention. Among all age groups there were 285 instances of prone restraint, a brutal face-down method due to have been phased out five years ago. There were also 195 cases of seclusion and segregation, and 225 of chemical restraint, with patients forcibly injected with sedatives. The figures from last October were released last week by NHS Digital and analysed by Chris Hatton, professor of disability at Lancaster University. This is shocking, said Prof Hatton. This data shows a lot of people being held and restraint is used all too readily. The figures do not cover seven of the most controversial private operators. Health Secretary Matt Hancock ordered the Care Quality Commission to probe restraint and solitary confinement after The Mail on Sunday exposed widespread abuse. Advertisement

Then they did an assessment when he was drugged out of his face and the doctor said he tried to assault her. But he has never been violent.

The next thing, two members of staff drove him down to Carstairs  and that was nine years ago.

Tracey added: Its horrible, utterly horrible, what has happened to him yet no one seems to listen. He has been abused, assaulted, endlessly restrained and kept in a cell with nothing to do.

His arm snapped after it was twisted up his back during a scuffle with staff.

Then Kyle was convicted over an assault on a staff member, an episode that occurred in 2016 in which he was once again being restrained.

On another occasion, a notorious rapist made him beg for forgiveness on his hands and knees for not passing the sugar bowl quickly enough.

Tracey is distraught and said the impact had devastated her entire family, with her younger son unable to bear seeing his big brother in such a place.

It is barbaric  he has a life sentence simply for the crime of having learning disabilities, she said.

She was left even more disturbed after her last seven-hour round-trip to visit Kyle at Christmas. He has bald patches on his head after starting to pull out hair in distress, Tracey said. He says he wants to die, so now I live in fear of that call.

Many of those locked up do not even have families to fight for their freedom. Yet in England, Health Secretary Matt Hancock is backtracking on pledges to empty secure units of such patients.

And in Scotland, it has emerged more than half the under-18s sectioned under mental health laws have an autistic spectrum disorder.

This is a heartbreaking story, said Alexander Burnett, a Tory MSP who has taken up the case. Kyle is held with some of Scotlands most dangerous criminals. He should be reassessed and allowed to return home.

Mr Burnett added that since raising the case, he had been approached by many more families in similar positions. This simply should not be allowed to continue.

The mother of another Scottish teenager sectioned last year said she was left terrified after seeing her severely autistic son brutally held face-down by five adults soon after he was locked up in a secure unit and then forcibly injected with drugs.

The first time I saw him there he was dribbling and could not lift his head, she said. Now he is so scared he lies on the ground when he hears alarms or footsteps.

Carstairs declined to comment on Kyles case on the grounds of patient confidentiality.
There is no way to beat the summer heat than a cool ice-cream.

And Australia's gelato franchise Gelatissimo have created a new flavour with another iconic brand - Bundaberg Ginger Beer - for you to enjoy.

The gelato flavour, made using Bundaberg Ginger Beer, is only available for a limited time across the country.

Gelatissimo Gelato have created a new flavour with another iconic brand - Bundaberg Ginger Beer - for you to enjoy beach-side

'Absolutely perfect to have in the middle of summer,' the gelato store said.

'Whether you're currently trapped at work during this Aussie heatwave, putting a shrimp on the barbie or tanning away at the beach, a scoop (or two) of this flavour is guaranteed to bring about a soothing relief.'

People could not contain their excitement over the new sweet treat.

Taking to Facebook, one friend said to another: 'Ice-cream date when you get back?'

'Looks great,' another social media user wrote.

'Ice-cream date?' People could not contain their excitement over the new sweet treat

'I'd love to try that flavour on a hot day!'

Another said: 'Think we need to go down this weekend for another ginger beer Gelatissimo.'

This isn't the first time that Gelatissimo have paired with a drink label to bring Australians a new ice-cream flavour.

Late last year they also released a limited-edition Frose sorbet, until while stocks last.

Another iconic pairing! This isn't the first time that Gelatissimo have paired with a drink label to bring Australians a new ice-cream flavour

Celebrating summer with a perfect blend of wine and an icy treat, the refreshing light pink sorbet is made with Chandon Sparkling Brut Rose and Australian-grown strawberries.

The Bundaberg Ginger Beer gelato is available for a limited time only.
Last week, Prince Harry revealed he meditates every day. But why has the Duke of Sussex found his Zen?

On Saturday, in an extract from his new book, an influential Buddhist explained how a mindful approach can help you live a happier life. And in this second part  on Blue Monday  HAEMIN SUNIM reveals how it can even make your life better when things dont go your way...

Failure is bound to happen...but its OK

The first failure is always incredibly painful. And most of us are rarely prepared for it. But only when we fail do we realize we did not have a back up plan. Especially for those who put all their effort into achieving a goal only to come up short, the future can seem bleak.

Prince Harry recently revealed that he had turned to meditation to help him deal with the stresses of royal life

Failure is bound to happen again and again throughout our lives. And there will be countless plans that wont turn out as we hoped. In other words, failure is a very common experience, even though it may not feel that way.

It is important not to beat ourselves up or consider our lives a big failure. Instead, we should accept things didnt work out this time, and look carefully at where we went wrong.

Each time we fail, we can learn from our mistakes and become a little bit wiser and more prudent.

Just because you failed to achieve your goal, it does not mean all your efforts were in vain.

Failure is meaningful, teaching you new things. No one can tell the sum of a life until it has come to its end.

You have not screwed up your life just because you screwed up an exam. Nor is your life a failure just because your business failed.

When you have had a negative experience, be wary of thoughts that make it seem worse than it is.

Dont try to climb higher than you can go before youre ready. You will get there step by step.

We find the best approach through trial and error.

If you allow yourself to be shaken, the world will shake you all the harder. Be like the rock, which is not easily moved by other peoples praise or criticism.

Learn the art of forgiveness

In each of our lives, there will be someone who does something which seems absolutely unforgivable. We know we ought to forgive them for our own sake, rather than remain filled with hatred and rage, but thats easier said than done.

When someone has told awful lies about us, we should try not to forgive the person too quickly. The first step to healing a deep emotional wound is to recognize and accept our feelings for what they are: burning rage and hatred.

It can be a problem if the memory keeps rising up even after years have passed, leaving us trapped like a hamster on a wheel, unable to move on from the pain.

Kate, William, Meghan and Harry stand together as they wait to see off Britain's Queen Elizabeth II after attending the Royal Family's traditional Christmas Day church service

The more we remember how the pain came about, the more we come to despise ourselves for not having stood up for ourselves. As our mind dwells on the past, we fail to notice what the present moment is offering us and cannot fully enjoy our lives.

Even though our mind resolves to forgive, our heart stays stubbornly closed. Worse, because no one ever taught us the practical steps to be able to forgive someone, there is an unbridgeable gulf between head and heart, and this becomes yet another source of distress.

One reason forgiveness is so hard is that our heart does not listen to our mind. We dont know how to connect the two.

Sometimes we try to deny or suppress the rage and hatred, hoping theyll go, but they always come back.

Rage and hatred function as the conduit through which the minds decision to forgive reaches the heart.

Without identifying with the emotions, observe them in a detached yet caring way. Like a mother looking at her child, we can observe our emotions attentively and compassionately. If we continue to do this, something unexpected happens. Like a layer of an onion skin peeling off, the inner landscape of our emotions begins to reveal itself.

Try to look deeply and understand their pain. If they were happy, its unlikely they would have done such a thing to us. See what lies beneath their unhappiness.

Do not excuse the wrongs that were done to us, but untie the knot of our own emotions, which are holding us back and preventing us from living a full life. In other words, we try to forgive not for the sake of the aggressor but to free ourselves from the past.

Strategies to beat the blues

Its only to be expected that we will feel depressed at some point, when confronted with ageing, illness and death.

Whenever feelings of depression have taken hold, Ive examined my mind and discovered that what triggered and kept feeding it were my own repetitive thoughts.

Depending on what kinds of thoughts we have, they have huge bearing on our emotional lives. A positive thought produces a positive feeling, a negative thought leads to a negative feeling.

If we dont keep throwing the firewood of depressing thoughts into our minds furnace, the depressed feeling remains a visitor, disappearing with the thought. So if we want to understand feelings of depression, we must first understand the thoughts that give rise to them.

Thoughts are our perspectives on the external and internal situations we call our lives. According to scientists, people have up to 17,000 thoughts in a day; many tend to be similar and those that recur most frequently have to do with memories.

We become habituated to thinking about the same episodes over and over again. The problem is that for the most part, we are often lost in our thoughts and remain unaware of them.

Although thoughts are produced by our minds, they have the power to determine our emotional lives, frequently against our will. Moreover, since thoughts tend to operate on a subconscious level, we cannot easily distinguish between those that reflect objective reality and those that reflect our subjective opinions.

When a depressing thought comes to you, remember that it is only a single, passing cloud in the big sky of your mind.

Many psychological problems come about because we confuse our evanescent thoughts with ourselves. But thoughts are only fleeting responses to circumstances, which are constantly changing.

When we step back and observe a depressing thought, we can see how insignificant it is. And if we leave it alone rather than engage with it, it disappears or changes shape.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex on their official 16-day Autumn tour visiting cities in Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand back in October

If we attach ourselves to the thought and identify with it, rather than perceiving it as separate from ourselves, then we let it linger and end up falling into the swamp of depression.

If your depression is triggered by negative comments about you by people who dont know you well, you should understand that though it sounds as if theyre talking about you, their words say more about their own negative psychological state than they do about you.

Although you can hope that such people become happier and less mean-spirited, you cant hold yourself responsible for their negative state of mind. If you dont give them your attention, they cant hold so much power over you.

keep in mind that most thoughts are personal opinions based on our limited experience. They change as the situation does. So if you catch yourself having negative thoughts, rather than thinking too seriously about them, turn your attention to the present moment and breathe. Its always helpful to focus on breathing, because it always happens in the present.

When you feel your breath moving in and out of your body, your mind relaxes, and the tension in your body eases. And when your mind arrives at the here and now, your thoughts naturally stop.

In fact, try setting this article down and breathing deeply for just one minute. Remember that an easy way to release your mind from the trap of negative thoughts and feelings is to focus on the present moment through your breathing.

We all experience depression at some point. When you do, notice that the fuel for depressed feelings is negative thoughts. If we keep feeding the feeling with those thoughts, it grows stronger and stays longer. Shift your attention to your body and breathe deeply. As the mind clears, so will the feeling.

Dont trust negative thoughts, especially when times are hard.

When youre in pain, it feels as if the pain will always be with you; when you fail, it feels as if youll never pick yourself up again; when youve experienced loss, it feels as if the wound will never heal.

Even the person who looks like he has it all is living in a hell of his own. We all face challenges others cant imagine. Remember appearances arent everything.

Often the real cause of depression is not sadness but anger. Although you were angry, you had to hold your anger in. Then you felt weak for having been stepped on like a doormat. Your anger ended up attacking you instead of the person who made you angry. If you are suffering from depression, consider whether you are suppressing anger.

One way to overcome feelings of emptiness, irritation, or depression is to perform a small act of kindness for somebody else. Try saying to yourself: Even though Im busy, today I will treat someone else with kindness.

Find happiness not in financial or business success, but by spending time with friends and loved ones. When youve achieved your professional goals, you end up setting new and higher ones, making you feel you still dont have enough. Happiness then becomes a mirage. Time with friends brings us happiness not in the future but now.

When the world knocks you down, get back up and keep on walking. Even if the pain makes you cry, even if you want to die of embarrassment, just carry on. As you keep on walking, things will get better. As you keep on walking, things will be forgotten. You are a brave soul, choosing to grow through pain. I am rooting for you!

Extracted from Love For Imperfect Things: How to Accept Yourself In A World Striving For Perfection, by Haemin Sunim, published by Penguin Life on January 24 at 9.99.  Haemin Sunim 2019.

To order a copy for 7.99 (20 per cent discount) call 0844 571 0640 or go to www.mailshop.co.uk/books. Offer valid until 26/1/19, P&P free on orders over 15. Spend 30 on books and get FREE premium delivery.
When Virginia Bates set off for a fashion party in Paris on December 1st last year, she had no idea of the trauma ahead.

By the end of that fateful Saturday, this 75-year-old London fashion icon and grandmother of four had been trampled to the ground, kicked and beaten, during the yellow vest riots in Paris. She almost lost an eye when her head was sliced open, and suffered a shattered shoulder as she was knocked down by a stampede of protestors.

Shes still understandably fragile when we meet at her home in Chiswick, West London. Shes had surgery on her left shoulder and her arm is in a sling. The stitches above her right eye have gone, but only yesterday her doctor discovered her right knee was also fractured during the attack.

Ive been walking on it for a month, she marvels. They cant strap up the knee because she would lose mobility, so shes been warned not to trip or fall as it heals naturally.

Virginia Bates, 75, (pictured) recounts her experience of being attacked in the Paris riots last year whilst on her way to a fashion party

For a stylish woman, youthfully slender with a chic blonde bob, she has little care for her present appearance. She cant wear make-up and is living in pyjamas and leggings because theyre the easiest things to pull on with one hand.

Im just lucky to be alive, she tells me, making Earl Grey tea for us in the basement kitchen. My surgeon cant believe how quickly Im healing. Were good stock, us Sixties gals!

Virginia, a former actress, is best known as the queen of vintage. In between acting jobs  she was in a Hammer House of Horror films as well as Stanley Kubricks A Clockwork Orange  she picked up Victorian beaded dresses, Edwardian coats and antique furnishings for a song.

Her famous shop, Virginia Antiques in West London, which ran from 1971 to 2013, attracted the likes of Helena Christensen, John Galliano and Donna Karan. When she finally closed the doors, she moved her treasures to her London home, but still sells pieces to private customers.

She has no intention of retiring. Last September, she staged a Follies-style fashion show for Transatlantic Fashion Week aboard the Queen Mary 2.

Three days before the Paris attack, she was attending a party to celebrate British fashion held by Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, at Buckingham Palace. The night before, she was at Claridges for a party hosted by Vogue editor Edward Enninful.

And yet the episode in Paris has undoubtedly knocked her confidence.

Im just so jumpy, she sighs, and admits shes considering trauma therapy. Fiercely independent, she has lived alone since her husband, actor Ralph Bates (best known for playing villainous George Warleggan in the original series of Poldark) died of pancreatic cancer in 1991.

Self-pity doesnt suit her, she insists, but she feels more vulnerable.The things that upset me are the things that trigger the memory, like fireworks going off on New Years Eve. I found myself weeping into my pillow. But I know I cant control that: I just have to get over it.

Virginia begun walking through the disorder in Paris (pictured) when her taxi was unable to reach her hotel

Virginia arrived in Paris by train at 1.50pm as the third weekend of protests was taking a grip. She says there was no warning from Eurostar to passengers that they were entering a danger zone.

Her plan was to drop off her luggage at the Hotel Raphael in the 16th arrondissement, the area sandwiched between the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower, run some errands and then go to an early evening event, a small party on the eve of the big dinner the following evening.

I hadnt really wanted to go, she admits. Sometimes I get that 5 oclock moment, when I think: Do I really want to do that? But I know that if I do, it will be good for me. I push myself because going anywhere at my age, on my own, is quite tough. And this was Paris! she chuckles.

Her taxi driver warned her some of the roads were closed off around the Arc de Triomphe but didnt seem to realise the scale of the disorder that evening.

Protests against fuel tax had erupted in November when people across France donned gilets jaunes (yellow vests) to disrupt traffic, but these quickly grew into more general discontent aimed at President Macron. By the time Virginia visited, Paris was in the grip of serious violence. After 25 minutes, I was in a war zone, she says.

When the taxi couldnt reach her hotel, she got out and started walking, unaware this was taking her deeper into streets where protests were turning very nasty.

When I got out of the car, I saw some of the yellow jackets and people on the ground. I dont know if they were beating them up. I was just frozen in disbelief.

Virginia (pictured after she was attacked) was thumped to the ground and as she lay dazed a thief tried to steal her handbag

I could see smoke ahead and I thought: That must be cars on fire. Its probably naive of me, Id obviously followed the protests on the news, but I hadnt realised other opportunists were joining in.

They just wanted to make trouble  nothing to do with the protests.

She had never seen this kind of anger, this hunger for violence. They were ripping up scaffolding and railings that go around trees and throwing them at cars and blowing the cars up.

Suddenly the tear gas started. I couldnt see where I was going, my eyes were streaming, and it was in my throat. I was thinking: Right, Im in trouble now.

She knew she looked out of place in her cashmere coat and black Alaia skirt, ready for drinks.

Im dressed for fashionable Paris. I stick out a mile. Ive got my embroidered leather bag and my wheelie suitcase.

I cant move my forehead. Great! Ill never need Botox

Im the only woman in sight. Its all men. Theyre carrying poles and chucking them in the shops. The irony of her early Hammer House fame isnt lost on her.

Ive been in horror films, covered in blood, where youre running or being chased, or being murdered. But this was  out of control.

She made urgent phone calls to her actress daughter Daisy in London and the people she was meeting in Paris to explain where she was. It was a wide street, but I couldnt see any of the road signs, just a McDonalds on the other side, she recalls.

Back in London, Daisy was out with her children, aged nine and five, in the car. Virginia told her she was scared  The first time ever in my life Ive said that  but that shed be all right.

Yet the next thing she was flying, as someone smashed her from behind.

I remember being thumped on the back onto the ground. She was lying dazed when a thief tried to take her bag.

Virginia was able to keep hold of her bad with help from someone else who kicked the assailant off her

Im face-down, with one of the handles of my bag over my shoulder, and someone tried to grab the other handle.

The thief dragged her along the rubble-strewn street. Some primitive instinct told her she wasnt going to let go.

My life is in that bag. My passport, euros, credit card, my door key, diary. And my little bit of Mac lipstick that they dont make anymore. I cant lose that.

You sort of go potty, she smiles. Its a feeling many woman will understand. And actually I did manage to hang onto my bag.

Another person helped her to kick the assailant off.

There was one kind person. But in that moment of victory, she realised blood was pouring from her head.

Later a plastic surgeon told her: This wasnt just pavement  this was something really sharp you fell on.

She passed out with the pain and people trampled over her; Later, I found footprints on my black skirt.

Its incredibly shocking that both her assailant and the thief felt they could attack a 75-year-old grandmother. Did they think she was much younger?

I dont know. Perhaps from behind I could have looked like a 30-year-old with blonde hair. But I was a woman, she says, still shocked. I was a woman.

Paramedics took her in an ambulance to a street triage unit. I asked where we were going and they said Avenue de Wagram, and I recognised that because thats where John [Galliano] used to have his shows.

Virginia recalls seeing a man with his teeth in a dish and another with his leg hanging out

In big cities like Paris and London, when theres a bombing or a big catastrophe, they have areas where theyll have a pop-up casualty, she explains.

Because suddenly, at the end of this little alley, there were floor to ceiling medical supplies with staff pulling out wrapped-up hypodermics and bandages. We were outside, with cobbles on the ground, it was freezing cold.

Virginia wasnt the only person hurt. This guy sitting next to me, was bending over putting some of his teeth into a dish. There was a man with his leg hanging out. And another guy was naked apart from a plastic bag over his bits. He had three armed police around him, so he was a bit of a villain.

She was bandaged and taken to hospital by ambulance, where nurses were running through blood-spattered corridors. The pain in her shoulder was excruciating and she passed out while being X-rayed.

Ten stitches were put in the gash above her eye with no anaesthetic. Her French deserted her. When the guy was stitching me up, I was just going: Gentil, monsieur, gentil. Excusez moi, gentil.

In fact, Monsieur was anything but gentil. She thought the first needle that went in was just going to anaesthetise her.

This ghastly man was absolutely brutal. As he wiped the blood pouring down my face, he was pulling it.

Virginia (pictured) had surgery on her shoulder and a number of stitches above her eye, she may never be able to move her forehead again

The next day, heavily bandaged, she took the Eurostar to London. Back home she retreated to bed. Daisy arranged carers for her but they drove me nuts and spoke to me as if I was 110. Oh youre doing so well today, love, Im so proud of you, she mimics.

I wanted to say: Do you know where I was three nights ago  Buckingham Palace!

Four days later she was admitted to the Edward VII Hospital in Marylebone, where she had shoulder surgery.

Doctors were also alarmed by Virginias infected head wound, and the thick, primitive stitches.

They really botched up my face in Paris. My English surgeon said: My God this is shocking. We dont see this kind of work any more. This is what you see on a battlefield. So they had to redo the stitches.

Today, the stitches are gone, but the sharp object on the pavement went into her bone. Im still numb on my head and forehead. And I may not be able to move my forehead. Which is kind of great in a way, because Ill never need Botox, she says dryly. Thats always a plus.

Black humour is her style. Shes known painful times: Ralphs death at 51 came just six weeks after his diagnosis. But again, she refused to let it crush her spirit, and instead set up the Ralph Bates Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund in his name.

Will she go back to Paris? Yes, but there is a side of me that is always going to be a bit anxious.

Her goal is to get her injured shoulder back into her vintage Paul Poiret coat for an exhibition of Stephen Joness hats (she owns several) at Brightons Royal Pavilion in February.

We dont want this all to be about the bloody accident, do we? she says, momentarily stern. I dont want to be a moaner. Its about being a survivor.
WHAT TO DO

Nadya Fairweather recommends resistance band cross-body extension exercises for banishing bingo wings

To banish bingo wings, try resistance band cross-body extension, says Nadya Fairweather (u-shape.co.uk). Using a band with handles, loop one handle around your left foot and stand on it, feet wide apart. Hold the other handle in your left hand at shoulder height, with your elbow lower than your wrist. With a punching action, push the handle across your body and up to the sky, going towards the right until your arm is fully extended. Return to the start point. Do it 12-15 times, then switch the handles to the right foot and right hand and repeat. Aim for three to four sets.

WHAT TO EAT

If you want to tone your upper arms, Shona Wilkinson (shonawilkinson.com) recommends the following foods. Kiwis are high in Vitamin C: we need this for collagen production  a loss of which results in loose skin.

Garlic is high in sulphur, which can also enhance collagen synthesis. It has the added benefit of helping prevent the breakdown of collagen fibres, so will help keep skin tight. Oysters are a great source of selenium and zinc. These can help to boost your skins elastin content, plus they are rich in anti-oxidants.

WHAT TO WEAR
Two premature twins born the size of an iPhone have defied the odds to make it home after two months in hospital.

Jayden and Gene Lester-Green were born three months early weighing just over 2 lbs each when mother Lisa Worman, 31, went into labour at just 27 weeks.

Both twins battled breathing difficulties due to underdeveloped lungs and Gene was diagnosed with a heart murmur and bleed on the brain.

But the two brothers have finally been discharged after more than 60 days in hospital, to the delight of parents Lisa and Wesley Lester-Green, 39.

Jayden and Gene Lester-Green were born three months early weighing just over 2 lbs each when mother Lisa Worman, 31, went into labour at just 27 weeks (pictured: one of the twins recovering in hospital)

Both twins battled breathing difficulties due to underdeveloped lungs and Gene was diagnosed with a heart murmur and bleed on the brain (pictured: one of the twin boys hooked up to wires)

Mum Lisa Worman and dad Wesley Lester-Green. Their twins, who were no bigger than an iPhone when they were born three months prematurely, have defied the odds to make it home after spending over two months in hospital

Dental nurse Lisa, from Croydon, London, said: 'It's the best feeling in the world to have them home. There were times when we couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel.

'When they were newborns they were so small that they were about the same size as an iPhone. But they're such fighters and we're now settling into normal family life.'

Lisa's pregnancy had been plain sailing until she woke one night and noticed unusual discharge and had an uneasy feeling.

Trusting her intuition, she took herself to Princess Royal in Orpington for a late-night check-up.

A scan revealed that the fluid was amniotic, meaning that her waters had broken at just 27 weeks, a full ten weeks before most twins would ideally arrive.

Gene and Jayden with their mother Lisa. The two brothers have finally discharged after more than 60 days in hospital, to the delight of parents Lisa and Wesley Lester-Green, 39

One of the newborns in hospital. Lisa's pregnancy had been plain sailing until she woke one night and noticed unusual discharge and had an uneasy feeling

The small local hospital didn't have the capacity to look after such small babies so she was blue-lighted in an ambulance to St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London.

Lisa said: 'Once we got to the next hospital, I was terrified, I knew it was too early for them to arrive. There were five or six different consultants and specialists all crowded around my bed.

'I tried to stay calm but it was hard, especially with the doctors using complex terminology right over my head- I felt totally out of my depth.'

The emergency caesarean was a success and Jayden and Gene were born at 10.38pm and 10.39pm respectively on October 20 2018.

Lisa and Wesley in hospital. The proud mum said: 'My two boys were such fighters. It did feel like hell at times but I knew they'd pull through in the end'

Jayden and Gene were born at 10.38pm and 10.39pm respectively on October 20 2018, but the youngsters faced weeks in intensive care (pictured with mum Sarah)

Welsey's hand next to one of the twin boys in hospital. Speaking about their birth by c-section, mum Lisa said: 'It was very surreal waking up with them gone, knowing they weren't in my tummy any longer but not knowing how they'd come out or where they were'

The little boys were whisked away to an intensive care baby unit - meaning that neither Wesley, a security consultant, or Lisa got to see their boys until 24 hours later.

Lisa said: 'I remember thinking before I went in for the caesarean 'please let me wake up to two babies' I was terrified something would go wrong for one of them.

'It was very surreal waking up with them gone, knowing they weren't in my tummy any longer but not knowing how they'd come out or where they were.

'We didn't actually get to see or hold them until the next day as they were so poorly. When we finally laid eyes on them, they looked tiny and so ill, it took a while to sink in that they were actually mine. It had all been so surreal.

One of the twins in hospital after they were born prematurely. Their parents set up a GoFundMe page for the twins which raised an incredible 4,000 in just two weeks

The twin boys transferred to Croydon University Hospital, closer to home, on November 10 2018, and were able to come home just in time for Christmas

'They were all wrapped up in plastic bags and had wires all over the place. Their skin was transparent - it was horrible.'

Over the next four weeks Lisa and Wesley stayed by the boys' side in hospital, with Wesley refusing to leave his family and instead resting on a chair.

He said: 'I hated the idea that Lisa and the babies would be alone so I just stayed the whole time.

'When I needed clean clothes I'd just pop to Primark. It was a really difficult time but we were so thankful to the friends and family that rallied round us.

'We set up a GoFundMe page for the twins which raised an incredible 4,000 in just two weeks.

Gene and Jayden home in time for Christmas. Mum Lisa said: 'It's the best feeling in the world to have them home. There were times when we couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel'

'And my two boys were such fighters. It did feel like hell at times but I knew they'd pull through in the end.'

They were transferred to Croydon University Hospital, closer to home, on November 10 2018.

Lisa said: 'It was such a whirlwind of emotions. They'd get better but then worse again. It was a very scary time.

'Getting them nearer home felt like a massive milestone for us, it also meant that Wesley and I could nip home for food, rest and changes of clothes a lot more easily.'

And eventually, after more than two months, the babies were healthy enough to make it home.

The little boys sleeping side by side. Mum Lisa said: 'They had literally spent no time together since the womb so we've been gradually letting them get to know each other again'

The brothers are now bonding, after being separated for so long in hospital. Mum Lisa said: 'We wouldn't change them for the world especially after they've fought so hard to be here'

Speaking about her twin boys, mum Lisa said: 'Gene is definitely the louder one but also is a bit more chilled out whereas Jayden is a bit naughtier and bit more stroppy'

The brothers are now bonding, after being separated for so long in hospital in separate cots.

Lisa said: 'They had literally spent no time together since the womb so we've been gradually letting them get to know each other again.

'At first they weren't really sure and would nudge each other out the way but they seem to be getting used to it and will now move about so their heads are touching.

'It's very cute. Gene is definitely the louder one but also is a bit more chilled out whereas Jayden is a bit naughtier and bit more stroppy.

'But we wouldn't change them for the world especially after they've fought so hard to be here.'
Russell Brand has admitted he hasn't spent more than 24 hours looking after his two small children and leaves a large part of parenting to his wife because he has a 'romantic, reflective, religious world view' and is too sensitive to change nappies.

Brand admitted that he had never looked after his daughters, Mabel, two, and Peggy, six months, for more than a day because wife Laura Gallacher is better suited to the role and said he focuses more on his daughter's 'beauty and grace',

'She wouldn't go away for 24 hours, Laura,' Brand said of his wife in an interview with the Sunday Times. 'She respects and cares for their safety too much. Yes, I'm very, very focused on the mystical connotations of Mabel's beauty and grace. Not so good on the nappies and making sure that they eat food,' he added.

Russell Brand, seen last October, has praised the #MeToo movement, but admitted he has no regrets about his Lothario past, as he leaves his wild days behind him and embraces his new life in a quite Oxford village

The Essex-born Lothario, who previously bragged about bedding five women a day, said: 'When I looked after Mabel on her own, she dropped two social classes in an hour. In no time at all we're in a coffee shop, she's just got a nappy on and she's covered in stuff because I'm not willing to fight any of the battles.

'Laura's able to sustain and maintain domesticity in a way that's astonishing. I didn't have much experience of how to organise domesticity. I do whatever I'm told.'

He added: 'Laura does all of it. It turns out that she is extremely well versed in the nuances and complexities of child-rearing. Me, I am dedicated to it, devoted to it, but I am still surprised when it's like 'Oh my God this is f****** really hard and it's so exhausting.'

The former MTV presenter admits a voice in his head helps him avoid cheating on wife of two years Laura Gallacher, seen right in London in November

Elsewhere in the interview, Brand has praised the #MeToo movement, but admitted he has no regrets about his Lothario past.

He shunned the limelight three years ago and now lives a quiet life in Oxford but admits he still has moments of sexual temptation.

The former MTV presenter spoke about how his transformation from wild child to a yoga-loving spiritual has helped him maintain his calm new lifestyle in a quiet Oxfordshire village.

And when he does get tempted by someone 'attractive', Russell, who married presenter Kirsty Gallacher's 31-year-old sister Laura in 2017, says a voice in his head tells him not to 'risk ruining his whole life'.

At height of his fame Russell reportedly had sex with up to five women a day before going to sex rehab.

Speaking in 2010, shortly after his wedding to ex wife Katy Perry, he admitted of his single days: 'I was having sex with different women three, four, five times a day. In Ireland, nine in one evening.'

But speaking in the frank interview this weekend, he praised the #MeToo movement, adding: 'No [I don't regret my past]. I just feel it [the movement] is a really positive change. It's a sign of real awakening'.

And talking about his own shift in attitude towards sex and marriage, he added: 'When I think 'oh that person is attractive', the next thought is 'yes but if you ever did anything, you realise it would destroy your whole life'. There's that voice in my head now'.

At height of his fame, Russell reportedly had sex with up to five women a day before going to sex rehab- and even boasted about bedding nine women in one evening in Ireland (seen in 2006)

Russell also admitted he had forgiven his father for taking him to a brothel at the age of 17 and paying for prostitutes to have sex with him, revealing: 'It's not a cool thing to do with a young person. But I also understand it'.

And Russell admitted his new role as a parent had grounded him, but admitted that he has yet to spend more than 24 hours looking after Mabel, 2, and six-month-old Peggy alone.

Praising wife Laura for her parenting skills, he revealed Peggy's crying quickly makes him feel 'inept'.

Speaking in the frank interview this weekend, he praised the #MeToo movement, adding: 'No [I don't regret my past]. I just feel it [the movement] is a really positive change. It's a sign of real awakening'. (seen in 2017)

Revealing his protective side, he added of his daughters having playdates: 'There is nothing playful about a playdate. It's an unrestrained, unmanaged dangerous experiement that places my precious perfect girls in the company of anonymous, unvetted potential a***holes'.

Russell's transformation comes after years of wild partying which saw him boast about his philandering ways.

In 2010 he appeared to have turned over a new leaf when he married popstar Katy Perry, but the pair divorced just two years later.

Shortly after their extravagant wedding in India, which saw 21 camels, elephants and horses reportedly form part of the wedding procession, Katy addressed his womanising ways.

'He's made no secret of what his life was like before me, but that's then and this is the future,' she said at the time.

'He's cheated in the past but he knows how good he has it with me and I know he'd never do anything to jeopardise that. I trust him 100 per cent.'
Jameela Jamil has accused an Avon advert of 'body shaming' women in a furious Twitter rant.

The TV presenter turned actress, 32, complained about a series of adverts on Saturday promoting a skincare range called Body Proof, designed to reduce cellulite.

One of the #NakedProof campaign images showed a woman in her underwear, with a slogan that read: 'Dimples are cute on your face (not on your thighs)'.

Responding to the advert, Jameela tweeted: 'And yet EVERYONE has dimples on their thighs, I do, you do, and the CLOWNS at @Avon_UK certainly do.

'Stop shaming women about age, gravity and cellulite. They're inevitable, completely normal things. To make us fear them and try to "fix" them, is to literally set us up for failure.'

An image from Avon's new Body Proof campaign shows a woman dancing in her underwear with the title 'buh-buh' cellulite and promising to 'see dramatic' results in just 4 weeks'

Jameela Jamil (pictured in California earlier this month) complained about a series of adverts on Saturday which advertised a skincare range called Body Proof designed to reduce cellulite

Actress Jameela Jamil has called out an Avon advert on Twitter for body shaming women, with her tweet (pictured) liked and retweeted thousands of times on the social media site

Jamil's twitter followers liked and retweeted the comments thousands of times, while many thanked her for calling out the campaign publicly.

One image saw a woman dancing in her underwear with the caption 'buh-bye cellulite' and promising users would 'see dramatic results in just four weeks.'

A third advert read 'every body is beautiful', and went on to claim that their products reduced cellulite, firmed skin and softened stretch marks.

The Good Place star carried on criticising the adverts by tweeting: 'Every body is beautiful, unless they have any "flaws" I guess. What a gross abuse of the body positive movement.

'I want you all to look out for this constant manipulation. Once you see it, you can't unsee it. It's everywhere. You are constantly being manipulated to self hate.'

One of the adverts which Jameela called out said: 'Dimples are cute on your face (not on your thighs)'. Avon have responded to the star's tweets and promised to stop using the campaign

She went on to say why she thoughts these sorts of adverts were so wrong. 'Shame on @AvonInsider and any publication that allows this sort of abusive advertising.

'My timeline is full of women saying adverts like these are why they are afraid to be naked in front of lovers, or to wear a swimsuit. You are being robbed of your money and self esteem.'

Replying to her tweet, one fan wrote: 'Can you get a time machine and tell that to 11 year old me? Thank you for doing this work.'

Another tweeted: 'I love you so much for always calling this stuff out. It's SO important to realise that any company that profits off of you disliking your body will never ever be body positive no matter what they say in their marketing.

Jameela tweeted Avon to complain about the body shaming adverts. She said: 'My timeline is full of women saying adverts like these are why women are afraid to be naked'

'This implies she can only feel confident and powerful once her legs have less cellulite and stretch marks. Complete fail. Self-love is free! Thank you for calling them out!'

Avon UK quickly replied, claiming no responsibility for the campaign: 'Hi Jameela, Naked Proof is not an Avon UK Campaign and will not be featured in any of our materials. We are looking into this further.'

While Avon US, who were responsible for the advert wrote: 'Hi Jameela, we intended this to be light hearted and fun, but we realize we missed the mark. We've removed this messaging from all marketing materials.

'We support our community in loving their bodies and feeling confident in their own skin.'

Jamil (pictured in Beverly Hills earlier this month) regularly calls out weight loss teas, adverts which have been photoshopped or airbrushed and other body shaming adverts

Avon UK and Avon USA responded to the actress' Twitter tirade, saying that their advertising 'missed the mark' and promising the campaign would 'not be featured in any of our materials'

Fans were quick to agree with the actress - thanking her for calling out such a big brand on social media, with one saying she wished her 11-year-old self could have seen it

This isn't the first campaign that Jamil has publicly criticised; the 32-year-old regularly calls out weight loss teas, as well as adverts that have been photoshopped or airbrushed.

The actress, who is currently starring in The Good Place alongside Ted Danson and Kristen Bell, also runs Instragram account @i_weigh - a body positivity movement, which has over 300,000 followers.

The account shares posts from women who talk about their self worth. Instead of worrying about how much they weigh - they weigh themselves by what they have achieved in their lives.
Akhilesh Yadav also sought to give a reply to the BJP questioning the Opposition parties about their prime ministerial candidate.

Kolkata: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav Saturday said the coming together of the SP and the BSP has led to a wave of happiness in the country and left a worried BJP to hold meeting after meeting to devise a strategy to win even one seat in Uttar Pradesh.

Speaking at a mega opposition rally here, Mr Yadav also sought to give a reply to the BJP questioning the Opposition parties about their prime ministerial candidate.

They ask, who is PM candidate of opposition parties... We say people will decide the PM candidate from our side. But from their side, this name (Narendra Modi) has disappointed the country, who is your another name? Mr Yadav said. He said while Opposition parties have entered into alliance with the common people, the BJP has forged ties with the CBI and the ED.

The SP chief sat on the dais next to BSP general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra, who was participating in the rally as a representative of his party chief Mayawati.

Mr Yadav said the people across the country were celebrating the arrival of the New Year and this happiness will increase manifold when they will have a new Prime Minister.
tress and weight problems are among worries most likely to be discussed

A third of those in the study said it was easier sharing matters with workmates

Report found 46 per cent find it easier discussing their health with colleagues

Half of British workers admit they share health fears and sex problems with colleagues before talking to their loved ones, a new study reveals.

Stress, sleep, anxiety and weight problems are among the worries most likely to be discussed in the office before being brought up at home.

The report found 46 per cent of employees find it easier discussing their health with colleagues, with those in media, marketing and IT most willing to share their problems.

Half of British workers admit stress, sleep, anxiety and weight problems are among the worries most likely to be discussed in the office before being brought up at home

The report found that 46 per cent of employees would rather discuss their problems with work mates

A third of those quizzed say they find it easier sharing sensitive matters with workmates as they are less likely to worry.

Dr Petra Simic, of Bupa Health Clinics, which conducted the research, said: Its good news that people are opening up about their wellbeing with colleagues and that were not shying away from common concerns such as stress and anxiety.
It is being hailed as the most shocking play to open in London since Hair and has had people queuing before 4am for tickets.

A broadsheet newspaper declared on Friday: This S&M play is just the shock tepid theatre needs brutal and unsparing.

So much so that at a preview performance last week, an elderly woman in the audience fainted and had to be carried out by a young actor, who said: It was sexually explicit and violent from the start and if you are not about that life, it might come across as shocking.

Cate Blanchett and Stephen Dillane in When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other

Ever since, the theatre has taken to sending emails to audience members warning them what to expect.

As if that wasnt drama enough, the play stars Cate Blanchett, one of my absolute favourite actresses, as well as Game Of Thrones actor Stephen Dillane.

So I couldnt have been more intrigued to catch a preview of When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other, which officially opens at the National Theatre on Wednesday.

Tickets were so in demand, despite costing 50, they could only be obtained by a lottery and the entire run is sold out.

I only grabbed a ticket by queuing on Friday afternoon for a last-minute return.

Sadly, I quickly realised the play, being staged at the Nationals tiny Dorfman Theatre, should really be called When We Have Sufficiently Tortured The Poor Audience.

Tickets for the show starring the A-list actor (pictured in October) are available via ballot only, given the high demand

Its pretty much a two-hander between Blanchett and Dillane and is set inside a garage, complete with Audi. There are strip lights and mess and a very large actress who utters groundbreaking insights into obesity along the lines of, Im only fat because Im poor. She officiates at the wedding of Blanchett, who is clearly insane, to Dillane, who plays a part I can only describe as cantankerous old git.

There is no plot to speak of. The couple argue all the time  in the lead-up to the wedding, in the front seats of the car. We can only suppose that Blanchett has suggested he consult a map.

Early on, Dillane gratuitously attacks her with a scalpel, bloodying her face. He smacks her exposed rump. She retaliates by strutting around in a corset, displaying a Pilates-honed body only native to Beverly Hills.

She has been lauded as brave for portraying messy sex and violence; Id say shes spent so many years strutting her stuff on the red carpet, shes brainwashed.

There is a nod to modern times when the actors swap genders. But this cant disguise the fact were in thrall to Neanderthal values. Blanchett actually utters the line: Id rather be raped than bored.

Her part is curiously weak, too: unlike Liz Taylor, who gives as good as she gets to Richard Burton or Paul Newman, Blanchett capitulates quickly and is seen to crawl on the floor when told to do so. If I wanted to see a supplicant, Id pop down the road to Stringfellows. No one in the audience gasps or faints. Only one woman walks out, quite early on. She doesnt seem upset, shes probably just realised its two hours long, with no interval, and that she has a hungry cat. Thats how tedious it is.

There is only one sharp line. The Man is telling a long anecdote about how he bought a punnet of cherries. The couple argue. He says: I thought you found talking attractive. Yes, she shoots back, but then you go on talking.

The National Theatre has sent an email to ticket holders warning them about the show

The only thing I learn is that women and men are equally ghastly. That we push each others buttons and dont know when to stop. Blanchett is mesmerising: her face is all angles, she delivers lines like bullets, but even so I feel betrayed.

There is no tension, no surprise. I long for Noel Cowards repressed dialogue in Brief Encounter  thats a part Id love Blanchett to inhabit.

Its very hard to infer, so easy to shock and I expect more from the National. This play manages to be both nasty and comical: in the final scene, Blanchett gets hold of a sex toy, straps it on, and proceeds to have sex with her co-star as his trousers and the curtain drop, causing much tittering.

There is no standing ovation, but also no boos.

I wonder if Im the philistine, so I corner theatre-goers afterwards. A woman from Brixton tells me: I think I need the weekend to process it. When I ask what the play is trying to say, another tells me: I will have to think about that.

Melissa Favors-Oliver, 19, from New Jersey, says: I was expecting it to be way more controversial because of what weve read I was expecting to be more shocked.

Far from Crowd passes out at orgy, as Fridays headlines proclaimed, the women I speak to want to be more challenged because, frankly, weve seen it all before.

'When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other' is based on Samuel Richardsons novel, Pamela

This play doesnt explore new ground, or explain old ground. We see the female stars buttocks, but the male actor here retains his dignity throughout.

Elissa, a soignee audience member, tells me: I think its very anti-women. I wasnt expecting that  its a big mistake. Id have walked out had I not been seated at the front.

Blanchett said in a recent interview she is aware some people might be enraged, some perplexed, some people excited.

Only the second of those three ambitions is achieved.

You know what I find shocking? The fact the young actor, Samuel Tucker, the one who assisted the fainting woman, explains the play thus: For all women out there [Blanchett is saying] even when you are 49 you can be all-powerful and sexy.

Is that what its about? And if it is, then WOMEN ALREADY KNOW THIS! We dont need to spend 50 quid to find this out.

What planet are these intellectuals on, believing theyre giving us something avant-garde, when all they are really doing is pandering to the idea that unless youre 20, you cannot possibly enjoy sex, and that youre no longer attractive, even if you look like Cate Blanchett.
Statement hair clips have been quietly making waves in the fashion world for the past few months, but they're set to be even bigger in 2019.

Celebrities including Holly Willoughby have been wearing oversized sparkly slides in their hair in recent weeks to add a playful touch to an otherwise simple look.

The TV presenter, 37, was quick to catch onto the catwalk-ready trend, sporting a 'Jungle is massive' clip during her stint on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! last year, but stars including Kendall Jenner and Alexa Chung have since jumped on board.

Celebrity hair stylist James Johnson says hair clips are a hit with clients as they are an 'easy way of transforming a simple boring do into a statement look'.

Celebrities including Holly Willoughby have been wearing over-sized sparkly slides in their hair to add a playful touch to any look. Pictured, at the I'm A Celebrity wrap party last year

Style maven Alexa Chung has also be spotted wearing the trend. She posted a picture of her donning pearl hair slides in a recent Instagram snap

When it comes to trying this style at home, James said it's important to know your hair type.

He said: 'Everyone wants thick luscious locks, but being real and knowing your hair type will help you find the right accessory.

'For finer hair opt for lighter pieces such as sliding grips, and for thicker hair, perhaps heavy jewellery can be more fitting.'

He added: 'When deciding where to place the piece, think outside the box. Sometimes off-centre and placing items on the side can help pull the whole look together.

'This gives the eye different places to view and work around, helping the look flow.'

Holly's hair slides were from London based occasion brand Tilly Thomas Lux and it was another look that was a hit with her fans, with one commenting on the post 'These are amazing'.

Supermodel Kendall Jenner has also been spotted adding statement clips to jazz up her look (pictured in London leaving an Adidas Originals party)

Another fan: Actress Caitriona Balfe sported two sleek slides on the red carpet at this year's Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills (as seen on the red carpet earlier this month)

Other celebrities who have already jumped on board the hair grip trend include Irish actress Caitriona Balfe, who donned two sleek slides on the red carpet at this year's Golden Globe Awards.

Fashionista Alexa Chung has been wearing the look for a while, posting a picture of her wearing a selection of pearl hair slides in her slicked back look.

Love Island star Cara De La Hoyde also wore two simple clips on the slide of her sleek locks.

Hollyoaks star Chelsee Healey is also a fan of the trend. She wore a sparkly 'damn' clip in her hair - and took this sultry snap shared on Instagram

Love Island star Cara De La Hoyde wore two simple gold slides in her hair to complement her sparkly dress for a recent Instagram snap

However James emphasised the importance of choosing a clip that suits your personal style, rather than just following celebrity trends.

He told Femail: 'When looking for your perfect accessory its important you pick the right one that suits your image. Be sure to opt for an added piece that compliments the look not distracts the look.'

For a more 'undone' look, cheap kirby grips work just as well, according to James.

James added: 'Don't be shy at leaving your hair grips on show. Add more in and let them be exposed. Perhaps contrast them to your hair colour for added depth.'
Last week I spoke to two distinguished Conservative MPs about what they thought would happen in the wake of the evisceration of the Prime Ministers Brexit deal by the House of Commons.

One was openly opposed to Theresa Mays plan, the other a reluctant but loyal supporter. Were on the brink of serious civil unrest, said the rebel, gesturing to his colleagues going about their daily business in Parliaments Portcullis House. Look at them. Theyre all sitting around here like nothings happening.

The loyalist was even more direct. I know what Im doing. Im going to go out and start stocking up on tins and loading my shotgun. I backed Brexit, and if we dont deliver it, theyre going to come for us.

They will. But they will have to free themselves first. This morning, the British people are being held hostage  bound and gagged by the so-called red lines of their own elected representatives.

A distinguished Conservative MP who rebelled against Theresa May's Brexit plan said: 'Were on the brink of serious civil unrest'

From the Prime Minister to the Leader of the Opposition, Cabinet to Shadow Cabinet, hard-core Brexiteers to implacable Remainers, all are complicit in this act of constitutional terrorism. Give us what we want, they are demanding, or youll never see your country again.

Unfortunately, they are no clearer in deciding what they want than they were two and half years ago when this whole process started.

Mrs Mays response to finding herself at the bottom of the deepest hole in UK parliamentary history has  inevitably  been to keep digging. Requests to aides for insight into the way forward are met with shrugs, blank stares and a monosyllabic rehash of the Chequers principles.

Ministers are no longer even attempting to sell those. The priority of most senior members of the Cabinet I spoke to was to kill off any prospect of a drift towards a Customs Union. At least five indicated to me they regarded it as a resigning offence. That line is so red, its bleeding, said one.

For many Labour MPs, the focus is now on ruling out a No Deal scenario, although none are clear on a practical way of actually securing that. For others, the time has finally arrived to call their leaders bluff on a second referendum.

Well be putting down an amendment to the vote on January 29, one Labour backbencher explained. And that will be the moment Jeremy Corbyn has to take a decision. If he doesnt, then were into tuition fees territory  a reference to the policy which destroyed Lib Dem support after 2010.

One Labour backbencher revealed that the time is coming for leader Jeremy Corbyn to decide whether he will support a second referendum or not

Everyone has a view  and a seemingly different view  on what should happen next. Or, more specifically, what should not happen next, given the emphasis now is almost exclusively on finding a way of ruling out options, rather than ruling them in. Everyone, that is, save for the voters.

Each statement by Remainers and Leavers is currently being prefaced with the same stale phrasing about respecting the will of the people. But the reality is the people are not being respected. They are being exploited and dismissed as expendable human collateral.

Campaigners for a second referendum have had the momentum over recent months. They have done an excellent job of unpicking the more bombastic claims of the Leavers, and exploiting their internal divisions over their preferred Brexit model.

But they cannot avoid a single, simple truth. On June 23, 2016, the people voted to leave the EU. What sort of Brexit they voted for is open to debate. As is the manner of implementing their decision.

But what cannot be claimed by anyone with any genuine respect for parliamentary democracy  or indeed, by anyone in possession of a scintilla of basic logic  is that when a majority of the electorate voted to leave the EU, they were actually instructing their politicians to find a way of staying in the European Union. The hard-core Brexiteers have done an equally admirable job of marshalling popular discontent towards Mrs Mays deal. Their betrayal narrative has been skilfully constructed. But again, there are truths they must now confront.

When people voted to Leave, they were not motivated by a passionate desire to negotiate trade deals with Australia. Or fury at the prospect of continuing ECJ jurisdiction over European rules on livestock transfer. Or the burning, but entirely hypothetical, injustice of a Northern Ireland backstop.

Like their Remain opponents, Brexiteers are now supplanting the popular will for personal ideology. And by doing so they are placing the entire Brexit project at risk. Like the US officer quoted after the Vietnam battle of Ben Tre, they have seemingly decided they must destroy the village to save the village.

This nihilistic self-destruction has to stop. Our MPs have to drop their arbitrary and contradictory red lines, and instead allow themselves to be guided by the red lines of those they were elected to serve.

There are only two of them. Brexit was not, as popularly perceived, some out-of-the-blue event. The mounting discontent of the British people manifested itself in the 900,000 votes cast for the BNP in the 2009 European elections. And again in the four million votes cast for Ukip in 2014. And then again in the 17 million votes cast for Brexit two years later.

Stronger controls on immigration, and a desire for an ending of free movement, represent the publics red line No 1. Red line No 2 is to leave. Thats it. Just leave the European Union. Get out. In a way that allows independent control of our borders, and delivers on the instruction of the British people.

MPS have to stop attempting to second and third guess that instruction. Or even worse, trying to force the voters to reverse that instruction at the point of a political gun.

Last week we learnt that almost all major primary government legislation is being pulled by Ministers for fear of it being sabotaged. At the same time, the Army is being prepared for full mobilisation in the event of No Deal.

In 2019, the UK is now being terrorised by its own parliamentarians. Rather than reach a compromise, they would see their country burn.

When will they understand? What will it take for them to finally realise there will be no more chances? That the referendum of 2016 was the final opportunity for them to show the voters they have listened, and they have learnt.

The people are being held hostage. But they will not be bound indefinitely. And when they free themselves, there will be hell to pay.

Michael Gove's bravura speech in last weeks confidence motion debate won plaudits from Tory backbenchers. But it wasnt just Goves colleagues who were impressed. Did you see Michaels speech? asked former Labour Minister Frank Field, who now sits as an independent. It was magnificent. They should put him in charge of the Brexit negotiations. Judging from the feedback from the Commons on Tuesday evening, some Conservative MPs may be drawing up plans to do precisely that.

SDP eyes startling Commons comeback

IT IS almost 40 years since Shirley Williams stunned Westminster by winning the Crosby by-election for the newly formed Social Democratic Party. Now I understand the SDP are plotting to land a new body-blow on the establishment parties.

Im told former Ukip MEP Patrick OFlynn has informed friends he is contemplating standing for the party in Peterborough if, as expected, a by-election is called in the wake of Labour MP Fiona Onasanyas conviction for perverting the course of justice. Says an ally: Patrick is preparing to stand on a Brexit betrayal platform. People have been demanding a second referendum, so hes going to turn the by-election into a referendum on Labour and the Tories, and their attempt to sabotage Brexit.

There has also been speculation that Nigel Farage could be contemplating a return to the political front line to exploit the Brexit crisis. Could this be the moment the SDP finally does break the mould of British politics?

Veteran Shakespearean actor Derek Jacobi was spotted in the Strangers Bar at the Commons on Wednesday. You know why hes in here? one MP joked. Hes come to pick up some tips from Geoffrey Cox.
Is anyone in Britain, apart from the drug-abusing community, genuinely outraged when British citizens are punished abroad for drug offences more severely than they would be here?

I am astonished that Her Majestys Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Jeremy Hunt, has personally raised the case of Ye Ming Yuen, now in a Singapore prison for drug trafficking, and likely to be flogged.

In fact, I was so amazed that I checked with the Foreign Office to see if it was true. And yes it is. Mr Hunt brought up the matter with his Singaporean opposite number, Vivian Balakrishnan.

Mr Yuens offences include two counts of drug trafficking involving more than two ounces of marijuana and half an ounce of crystal meth.

Jeremy Hunt, has personally raised the case of Ye Ming Yuen, now in a Singapore prison for drug trafficking, and likely to be flogged

As far as I know, nobody is questioning his guilt. If they were, it would be another matter. But they arent.

Mr Yuen, as we are frequently told, was highly educated at an expensive school. He cannot possibly have been ignorant of Singapores stern penal code.

By going there and doing what he did he waived the protections of his British passport.

Yet he gets the direct attention of a senior Cabinet member, and is discussed at a high-level ministerial meeting with an important countrys government. Surely this sort of thing should be reserved for genuine cases of oppression and injustice?

Consular help is one thing. Active government intervention at the top level is quite another.

What is it, exactly, that we object to? On paper, Britains Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 is in some ways tougher than Singapores law, as it sets a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and an unlimited fine for Mr Yuens trafficking in crystal meth.

For marijuana supply, the maximum British sentence is 14 years.

There are pretty stiff penalties for possession too. But, hypnotised by the propaganda of Big Dopes slimy hidden persuaders (and gosh, they are slimy.

Mr Yuens offences include two counts of drug trafficking involving more than two ounces of marijuana and half an ounce of crystal meth

I have met a lot of them), the police and the courts have quietly decided to ignore the law and do next to nothing.

As it happens, I dislike the Singapore state. I think it is a narrow despotism, which lacks crucial freedoms. I do not swoon at its supposed achievements and I am against corporal punishment of prisoners.

Criminals, as we know, are very much in favour of such punishment and use it against those who transgress gang codes. But we should not sink to their level.

The issue is a broader one. I suspect that a very large number of British people would whoop with joy if we started caning drug criminals and locking them up in bare concrete cells.

Far too many of our police-free neighbourhoods stink of dope. Its users, mentally ill and often violent and armed with knives, roam about, menacing and unchecked.

In fact, I fear that 40 years of failure by our criminal justice system may one day lead to demands for a strong despotic state here, like Singapores.

That is why I keep pointing out that the free, democratic, law-governed nations of Japan and South Korea enforce their drug laws as we used to do 50 years ago.

This is not because they are culturally different but because they are still run by serious educated people, as we once were. And, as a result, they have much lower levels of drug use.

But when I say this, the legalisers pretend they have not heard me and ignore it, or mutter racist comments about Japans supposedly different culture.

They are so set on their greedy project that they dont care how much damage they do to our society to get it. Be warned.

The only end of the chaos we are now creating will be a despotism that makes Singapore look like Toytown. And therell be no Jeremy Hunt to come and bail you out.

A classic too gentle for this brutal age

Thoughtful and witty: Robert Redford in The Old Man And The Gun

Robert Redfords neglected new (and probably last) film about an elderly bank robber, The Old Man And The Gun, is agreeably slow, thoughtful, witty, moving and worrying.

Its worrying because its quite closely based on an astonishing true story, and it actually makes you sympathise with a thief, not something Id expect to feel.

Given how immoral so much of Hollywood now is, I dont think thats why the movie is so hard to find in cinemas. I think its because its too gentle.

Vital lesson I learned on a rollercoaster

We have been so safe here for so long that we have a silly belief that nothing can really go wrong.

This is basically childish. I well recall my brother and I, aged about 11 and 13, persuading my long-suffering father to accompany us on a rollercoaster ride at a South Coast beach resort.

My father, who had seen all kinds of horrors on the Russian convoys in the 1940s, and hated heights, reluctantly agreed.

We could see he thought the contraption was highly dangerous. My brother and I were quite sure that nothing could go wrong. He wasnt so convinced and we laughed at that, especially afterwards when we walked away unscathed.

A few years later, a boy, about the same age as I was then, was horribly and permanently injured when that very rollercoaster went very wrong.

I recall seeing it in the paper and feeling very sorry indeed for my bumptious overconfidence.

It was a small lesson in the folly of British smugness. The next was much bigger.

As I watched the dying convulsions of the Soviet system, while living in 1990s Moscow, I mainly felt exhilarated at the end of an evil regime.

But then I saw the sad queues outside the banks, of people no different from me, blameless for the misdeeds of their rulers. Their life savings had vanished overnight.

And soon after that I began to see those people selling their possessions by the roadside, simply to live, and to hear of people losing jobs they had held for decades, and being forced out of homes they had thought safe.

Catastrophe had happened to them. But it had not been the end of everything in some great explosion of flame and smoke. They had survived it.

They had to carry on living reduced, pinched lives as the ghosts of their former selves. Think it cant happen here? Our oblivious MPs, who act as if leaving the EU is a game, think it cant. What if they are mistaken?

Such a lot of gush about Brampton Manor, the state school in deprived East London where 41 students have been offered places at Oxbridge.

Its all about self-belief, apparently. Twaddle. The secret is tough academic selection, illegal at 11 or 13 but legal at 15.

The school website states: Our Sixth Form is heavily oversubscribed. Selection is based on academic achievement.

That means a minimum grade 7 at GCSE (9 is the top) in all subjects they intend to study at A-level, and a very high average in all grades.

It warns: Where courses are oversubscribed, the best grades will prevail and significantly higher grades may be required in order to secure a place.

This sort of selection works, but by the time it kicks in, at 15, many bright children from poor homes have already given up.

Thats why we need a national system of selective state grammar schools at 11 or 13. Why cant anyone in power see this?

If you want to comment on Peter Hitchens, click here
Of all the many colourful scenes and events surrounding the tumultuous defeat of the Prime Minister's Brexit deal last Tuesday, one image stays with me more than any other  and for all the wrong reasons.

It is the mental picture of senior hard-Brexiteers including John Redwood, Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg triumphantly swilling glasses of Bollinger champagne as they celebrate the part they played in destroying the compromise agreement with the EU that Theresa May had so painfully negotiated.

Not only did Redwood, Johnson, Rees-Mogg and other like-minded MPs play a major role in inflicting the biggest parliamentary defeat on their own Government in modern times, they have done huge damage to the prospect of getting any meaningful Brexit at all.

Brexit wrecker? Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg MP comes under fire for throwing a lavish party following the Prime Minister's defeat on the Brexit vote last Tuesday night

So to host an ostentatious celebration party, as Rees-Mogg did that evening, will feel like a slap in the face to millions of ordinary people, who will be asking themselves what these MPs were playing at.

Most voters cannot afford champagne, let alone agreeable 5 million homes round the corner from the Palace of Westminster, like Mr Rees-Mogg. They badly need a change in fortune for this nation and believe passionately that leaving the EU is the right way forward. I am no great fan of Mrs May's deal. In fact, I hate the many compromises it makes. But I'm also not a fan of shooting myself in the foot.

Had the Prime Minister's deal passed, we would be guaranteed to be leaving the EU on March 29  a decisive step in the history of this nation.

Yet now it has been blown apart. And it is the likes of Johnson, Redwood, Rees-Mogg and other MPs in the European Research Group who are at least partly to blame. They are in danger of becoming the true wrecking crew of Brexit because of their refusal to compromise.

And with Mrs May's proposals defeated so comprehensively, I see little alternative to extending Article 50  the mechanism for leaving  beyond March 29 and remaining in the EU for some time to come.

Working class voters will surely be outraged at this continuing Brexit betrayal. When 17.4 million people decided they wanted to leave the EU, it was  at least in part a howl of rage against the 'Establishment' and those they see as champagne-swilling elites.

Many callers to my LBC radio show last week said if the Government doesn't deliver on the referendum result, they will not only refuse to support the Conservatives, they will never bother to vote again, such is the disillusion. Even a substantial proportion of Remain voters acknowledge that if democracy is to mean anything, we must leave.

Deal or no deal: Former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is claimed to have put the chance of a meaningful Brexit in jeopardy by being one of the MPs who inflicted the biggest Commons defeat on their own Government in modern times

So what are we to make of Boris Johnson's dramatic insinuation that there is an 'Establishment conspiracy to thwart Brexit' and that a nefarious 'dark state' is up to mischief? It is preposterous, in my view, the more so given Mr Johnson's own role in destroying the only viable way forward. His behaviour could be described as self-indulgent at the very least. He failed to shine as Foreign Secretary, and since his badly calculated resignation in July, he has resembled an injured buffalo licking its wounds, wallowing in self-pity.

He writes weekly newspaper columns railing against the Government's Brexit policy, yet seems unable to articulate a coherent alternative beyond hackneyed soundbites and wishful thinking.

Yes, he can find the collective G-spot of Conservative Party activists, but in his six months out of office he has wasted his time. He should have formulated a real post- Brexit vision and how to achieve it. Instead, all we see are headlines about his post-marital love life.

When Mrs May is eventually replaced  and that surely can't be too far away  Britain will need a serious politician to lead us through some very serious times. Boris Johnson has so far failed to show us he can be that man.

Over the past two days, the Prime Minister has been meeting other parties and senior MPs, trying to find a way through the log-jam. But she apparently says little that isn't contained in the briefing paper in front of her. The mantras are all-too familiar.

Brexit doubt: Veteran Eurosceptic Sir John Redwood has been accused of Brexit betrayal

Her advisers and her de facto deputy, David Lidington, are the ones who actually engage with those ranged on the other side of the table. Although still desperate to deliver the Brexit that people voted for, I'm sorry to say that Mrs May seems incapable of any original thought and still has a bunker mentality. She has that in common with Jeremy Corbyn. Both are in danger of being sidelined by people who believe replacing them is the only way to guide their parties through the rapids of Brexit.

There is just one faint chink of light for the Prime Minister.

I understand the Democratic Unionists, her Northern Irish allies who have been blocking the deal, have drawn up plans to send her back to Brussels with the support of Parliament in the hope of putting a time limit on the hated Irish 'backstop' (which could see us tied to Europe indefinitely).

Would Brussels bend? If so, it could completely change the dynamic in the House and help free the Westminster blockage. It's worth a try.

Mr Rees-Mogg's conciliatory article in today's Mail on Sunday at least raises the hope he will bring the Brexiteers closer to No 10.

Something, somewhere will certainly have to give if the country is to avoid leaving the EU on March 29 without a deal. That is why an extension of Article 50 is becoming ever more likely, as is a Norway-style arrangement in which Britain leaves the EU but remains in the single market, and perhaps also a form of a customs union.

Fighting on: Prime Minister Theresa May is battling to keep her Brexit plan alive

Like most of those who voted to leave all aspects of the EU, I would regard any such arrangement as a gross betrayal by a Prime Minister and a Government who have handled the Brexit negotiations with all the skill of Eddie the Eagle careering down a ski jump.

But there's little point obsessing about past mistakes. We are 68 days from leaving the EU. Let's hope someone, somehow, takes back control and shows real leadership.

Tuesday night's Bollinger party at Jacob Rees-Mogg's home was a real Animal Farm moment  when the pigs who staged the revolution against their human overlords in the George Orwell novel finally start behaving like the human beings themselves. Famously, they are indistinguishable.

Johnson, Redwood and Rees-Mogg are supposed to be the strongest cheerleaders for Brexit, but now they are prime suspects in the case of Ordinary People v The Elite. They are in danger of betraying the cause they promised to support.

For two years they have affected to represent the interests of ordinary men and women in their fight with the Establishment. But it looked very different on Tuesday night.
Sunbury, PA (17801)

Today

Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 82F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Rain showers in the evening with scattered thunderstorms arriving overnight. Low 64F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
John Abraham speaks about the importance of supporting social causes, his tough cop look and upcoming films.

It is no secret that the muscled actor will be sporting a bristling moustache in his upcoming film, Batla House, in which he will be playing decorated cop, DCP Sanjeev Kumar Yadav. The film, directed by Nikkhil Advani is being shot at blitzkrieg speed, with only one big schedule left to conquer before it is ready for release. Since it is based on the actual Batla House encounter case that took place in 2008, the actor has taken extra care to look the part. Compliment him for his stout moustache that gives him an edgier look from his otherwise boy-next-door image and he quips, Thank you for saying that I look sexy. However, everybody looking at my moustache feels scared and they feel I will arrest them as I look like a cop.

While the actor is excited about this film, is also working on his next film Romeo Akbar Walter (RAW), in which he is rumoured to play eight different roles. When asked if this is true, the actor chooses to refrain from divulging too much information. He says, Raw is going forward in a fantastic manner, but theres still time, it will be out only in April.

John has also found himself busy promoting a social cause thats close to his heart and one that he has been asscoiated with for over a decade. The actor has been a part of the NGO, Habitat For Humanity for the last 12 years, which works towards providing homes to the lesser privileged and building proper sanitation systems for them. Indias housing crisis is conspicuous through its pavements and streets where people can be found living under bridges, train tracks, highways and even crammed in crowded slums. No matter what financial background we come from, all human beings deserve to live under the roof of a home.

At a recent meet-and-greet session, the actor was all praise for the painstaking effort of school children involved in the Rupee for Change initiative of the NGO. Though the actor is known for playing the tough and resilient hero in most of his films like Force 2, Parmanu and Satyameva Jayate, he tells us who he thinks the real heroes are. Referring to these children, who have managed to collect huge funds for the cause, he says, They have collected over five crore rupees and built four lakh homes already, but we want to build more homes for the poor. I ask everyone to support any cause that helps the society to grow, he urged and adds, Heroes are not guys with huge muscles. These students are the real heroes. The initiative calls on students from different schools to lend their support to the cause of building homes and sanitation units for low-income families in different parts of the country. This not only gives students an opportunity to do something for the community, but also internalises the values of social contribution, compassion, and generosity among them.



The actor was introduced to Habitat through a school friend over a decade ago when he built his first house in Lonavala in the year 2005. Since then, the actor has helped build over 100 homes across the country and believes that, homeless people do not want money but support from people to uplift themselves.

John stresses that this initiative is more important to him than any film premiere hes ever been to as it carries more power to enforce change. With around 56 million homeless people in the country today, it is impossible to turn a deaf ear to the cries for help. He says, We have to make homes for the homeless. Building sanitation facilities for them too is of utmost importance. So many people do not have a toilet to go to, they do not have a proper place to have showers, he rues.

John also wants his fellow Bollywood stars to join this movement and hopes they would come forward saying, They are very nice people. Such good causes happen through agents and it happens through people like us.
Ashland, KY (41101)

Today

Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High around 90F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms in the evening, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. Low 69F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
The following items are based on information provided by officials in law enforcement and the criminal justice system.
WOODSTOCK, N.Y.  An estimated 800 women, men and children walked, sang and danced along Mill Hill and Rock City roads Saturday in the third annual Woodstock Womens March.

The crowd gathered at the Woodstock Playhouse, and the march kicked off promptly at 11 a.m., led by a float carrying an oompah-style band. Tall, brightly colored puppets followed, dancing above the crowd on long poles held by about 10 people.

- Advertisement -

There was a smattering of pink pussy hats, made famous in 2017 at the first Womens Marches held in Washington, Woodstock and places around the world the day after President Donald Trumps inauguration. The hats were a reaction to some of Trumps comments about women before and during his presidential campaign.

As they marched up Mill Hill Road, participants in Saturday's march chanted This is what Democracy looks like, Love, not hate, makes America great, and Hey, hey, ho, ho, racism has got to go. They carried handmade signs with a variety of slogans, among them, Make America Moral Again, One Immigrant Nation Under God, and My Body, My Standard, My Choice.

Among the signs were ones reading Ulster Strong, the campaign slogan of Democrat Pat Courtney Strong in her bid to the next Ulster County executive. Strong spoke during a rally at Andy Lee Field on Rock City Road after the march. Pat Ryan, another Democratic candidate for county executive, also participated in the march and spoke at the rally.

Woodstock Police Chief Clayton Keefe estimated the crowd at 800. He said the turnout was a bit smaller than last year and speculated that some marchers may have been deterred by the approaching snowstorm.

Its still a pretty good crowd for a small town, Keefe said.

The 2017 march drew thousands of people to Woodstock.

Saturday's march in Washington drew about 100,000 people, according to The Associated Press.

Ulster County Democratic Commissioner of Elections Ashley Dittus drew cheers Saturday in Woodstock when she said, When this movement started, all the cynics and naysayers didnt imagine we would be here today. They thought this was a flash-in-the-pan, knee-jerk reaction to the [2016] election. Well, here we are two years later, and we are still fighting, except now we have something to show for it. One hundred and thirteen women now serve in the House and the Senate.

Ulster County's new sheriff, Juan Figueroa, was cheered at the end of the rally by the small but hearty crowd that remained.

If it wasnt for you, I would not be standing here," he said. "... I believe in everything that youre fighting for today. ... I know your strength is in numbers and unity.

Angela Cohen, a Woodstock resident, and three other women dressed as handmaids in red robes, like characters in the novel and TV series "The Handmaids Tale," about a totalitarian regime in what used to be part of the United States. Cohen said she was at the march because we can see the signs of where were heading toward that same end.

Cohen said she was pleased to see so many men at Saturdays march, and people of all ages. Its very good for the soul, she said.

Cohens sentiment was echoed by Grace Jones of Woodstock, whose sign read, Im here and Im not going anywhere.

Jeff Beals, of Woodstock, who ran unsuccessfully last year for the Democratic nomination in New York's 19th Congressional District, said the march was an event he wouldnt miss.

Its become a tradition to remind the world that whats going on now isnt normal, Beals said.

Sue Rosenberg of Saugerties said she wants to be part of the movement to make change in this country ... around women, around race, around big important structural changes that have to happen in order for there to be equity.

Speaker Liz Abzug, of Brooklyn, daughter of the late U.S. Rep. Bella Abzug, a congressional firebrand and womens rights pioneer, fired up the Woodstock crowd and encouraged them to keep up the fight.

We show up and work our asses off. We vote. We win, Abzug said.
featured

Kingston

City Hall roof work to be done by end of month
The ocean isnt going to wait for us. While we try to decide whether its something we need to worry about, sea levels will keep rising. All the regulations we try to pass arent going to stop that.

We could, though, try to mitigate the worst effects of it. In the meantime, there are sweeping water views to be had.

The South End of Bridgeport, to name one place at the front line of this issue, over the years has had developers positively drooling.

Circa 2006, the neighborhood looked poised for a wave of high-rise apartments and condos. Plans were in the works for luxury towers at the former Remington Shaver plant at the end of Main Street. There was an eight-story luxury complex proposed at the site of Contys Restaurant nearby. A 13-story high-rise was slated for Waldmere Avenue.

All this was within a few blocks in a neighborhood starved for development  one that has a beautiful oceanfront park and a university campus, but also a few power plants and a lot of mostly abandoned industrial infrastructure. Its not a place known for luxury housing.

And 13 years later, almost none of what was planned has been built.

A crippling global real estate meltdown was no help. And Bridgeport has something less than a sterling reputation when it comes to big developments. But a more serious problem was less visible.

The South End, at least the part of it that attracts dreams of big-ticket developments, is in a flood plain. This was clear enough during Hurricane Sandy, when homes many blocks inland were inundated with floodwaters.

At one point that might have been considered a one-off event, but it should be clear by now that severe storms are getting more common, and more devastating. Were seeing 100-year storms every three or four years, sometimes more often.

Not only is flooding not going away, its going to get much worse in coming decades. There are steps we could take to try to survive the worst of global climate change, but it wont be cheap, and we cant even get the federal government to agree that its actually happening.

The state, at least, felt the need to do something, requiring several years ago a series of fixes before work could start on South End developments. Most important  or burdensome, depending on your point of view  the state said all developments in a flood zone that make use of state money must include whats called dry egress, or a pathway at a level higher than the flood zone that would allow for evacuation.

Every major project in the neighborhood requires some kind of state funding. The area is filled with old factories that need to be cleaned up, and cleanup money mostly comes from the state.

Bridgeport did well to get around this problem, winning $50 million in federal funds that will cover those infrastructure needs. A just-released plan shows how its going to be spent, and it looks like it will open the way for the kind of development that has long been envisioned.

Its not going to stop a rising ocean. But people continue to love living by the water, so other people will find a way to build there.

Theres no reason the South End should miss out on what other coastal areas get. And its good that the nearby Steelpointe Harbor has raised itself high above previous flood levels. Not too far away, New York City looks like its going to spend $1.5 billion to elevate East River Park out of flood danger.

Meanwhile, there are 2,000 miles of U.S. coastline just on the Atlantic side, a large portion of which is packed with pricey development.

Where will the money come to shore up all that? In North Carolina, the state passed a law basically ordering officials to pay no attention to rising sea levels.

If youre thinking long term, maybe the South End is a better bet than the Outer Banks.

hbailey@hearstmediact.com
When it comes to who should get credit for denuclearization talks with North Korea, South Korean leader Moon Jae-in has specifically pointed the finger toward one man.

"President Trump should win the Nobel Peace Prize," Moon told reporters last April, in one of many moments of flattery toward the U.S. leader.

A new poll, however, shows that many South Koreans would not agree. According to the survey, conducted in late December by Hankook Research for the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, only 31 percent of South Koreans thought that Trump had a greater impact than Moon on bringing North Korea to the table for denuclearization talks.

Comparatively, almost 6 out of 10 said that Moon had a greater impact on talks than Trump did; a further 5 percent said they had an equal impact.

The poll was released as there is renewed activity on denuclearization talks between the United States and North Korea, after months of relative inaction. Former North Korean spy chief Kim Yong Chol is in Washington, D.C., on Friday, and it is widely expected that the United States may soon announce a second summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The hope is that a second summit might kick-start the practical side of North Korean denuclearization and clear the impasse that has taken hold since Trump met with Kim in Singapore last June, amid a number of separate inter-Korean summits between Moon and Kim.

"North Korea knows it needs to take clear denuclearization steps to see international sanctions lifted, and I think the United States also realizes that reciprocal measures are needed to match these North Korean denuclearization steps," Moon said in an annual news conference on Jan. 10.

Moon, a representative of the left-leaning Democratic Party, won an election in 2017 after the previous conservative government was forced from power due to a corruption and influence-peddling scandal. Even before he was elected, Moon had made clear he thought there was a way forward for U.S.- North Korea talks.

"I believe President Trump is more reasonable than he is generally perceived," Moon told The Washington Post just days before he won the election. "I am for that kind of pragmatic approach to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue."

The Chicago Council poll showed relatively little confidence among South Koreans that either world leaders' negotiating abilities would actually lead North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons: 52 percent said they had little or no confidence in Moon's ability on this front, while 53 percent said the same of Trump.

In general, supporters of Moon's leftist government were more positive about both Trump and Moon, while supporters of the conservative Liberty Korea Party were more skeptical. More than three-quarters of all South Koreans thought that the sanctions on North Korea were what had brought Kim to the negotiating table.

There were some notable areas of optimism. Forty-two percent of South Koreans thought that the national security situation in the country had gotten better compared to four years ago, compared to 30 percent who thought it was the same and 23 percent who thought it had gotten worse. Another poll conducted last year by the Asan Institute had found 60 percent of the country approved of Moon's policy toward North Korea.

Perhaps because of this, South Koreans' own desire for nuclear weapons appears to have dipped to 54 percent in favor, compared to 43 percent opposed. Older polls have put the percentage of South Koreans who want nuclear weapons slightly higher, with as much as two-thirds in favor.

Despite Trump's sometimes critical talk about the alliance with South Korea - criticizing the nature of the military alliance with the country and delaying off joint exercises last year - most Koreans seem comfortable with the state of their partnership. A plurality of 36 percent credited the alliance in general for stopping a wide-scale North Korean attack in last 10 years, while 65 percent said they thought that the United States would defend South Korea in such an attack.

Such confidence may be earned. A separate poll conducted in 2017 by the Chicago Council found that 62 percent of Americans supported the use of U.S. troops if North Korea invaded South Korea - the first time since 1990 that a majority favored backing South Korea in this way.

Hankook Research conducted the poll Dec. 26 and 27. The sample size was 1,000 South Koreans who were 19 and older. They were contacted on landline phones. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
Bridgeports Department of Public Facilities, the department with a heart of gold, or, at least, a heart of scrap metal, now finds itself under the scrutiny of the FBI.

It is not likely that this investigation is going to end in a major takedown, as occurred the last time the bureau took an interest in the goings on at Bridgeport City Hall.

That, of course, was in 2003 and no less than the mayor at that time  Joseph P. Ganim  was taken down on multiple counts of corruption.

Here, the feds are looking  for the moment  at the sale of scrap metal by some entrepreneurially inclined employees of the Public Facilities department.

The cash that changed hands, its been reported, is around $35,000. Small potatoes, you might say, particularly for the FBI to get involved.

As to the heart of gold reference, at one point the departments director, John K. Ricci, described a departmental sunshine fund that scattered petty cash around for things like birthday cakes, contributions to food pantries and Toys for Tots, and so on.

Small potatoes, sure. But as history has shown, when you start digging up small potatoes, you just never know what you might find.

The FBI has long had something of a sour taste in its mouth about Bridgeport. It dates back to at least 1981 when the late Bridgeport Police Superintendent Joseph A. Walsh turned the tables on the agency when it tried to entrap Walsh with a bribe offered by an FBI informant.

More News News FBI takes over Bridgeport scrap metal probe

One of Walshs favorite sayings was You dont get clues from choir boys. He was wired into a network of rascals, politicians  probably some choir boys, too  at every level of city life. Hed been tipped to the FBI caper and ended up arresting the informant, pulling his pants down and exposing the wire the feds had put on him.

It was a bad day for the FBI. When they came back two decades later, there may have been a little extra zeal in their efforts.

Sometimes, the FBI does not want you know that it is around. They sometimes like to work on the down low.

Many years ago, for instance, I walked past a downtown Bridgeport restaurant and saw a special agent I knew working behind the counter in an apron.

We looked at each other  and I left.

Other times, they feel its good to let people know that they are around.

In the interlocking directorate that is the Democratic Party in Bridgeport, everyone knows everyone. Its not easy for a city employee to step forward with an allegation.

So, in the current case, as happened in the investigation into the first Ganim administration, a credible anonymous letter set things in motion. And once an investigation gets into motion, it can pick up momentum.

A city employee with the nom-de-pen of Fragger was a steady source of encouragement  and information  with letters sent to the Connecticut Post and the feds over a period of months while the investigation proceeded.

Cases of public corruption interest the FBI because, for one thing, a city like Bridgeport receives federal money and the agency takes seriously any violation of the public trust.

So it may be small potatoes and a few people will get in trouble and the FBI will move on.

But stay tuned.

Michael J. Daly is retired editor of the editorial page of the Connecticut Post. Email: Mike.Daly@hearstmediact.com.
MILFORD  Florence Chicos started knitting and crocheting when she was just a child. Her mother taught her and her siblings, even her brother. On Saturday, Chicos joined hundreds of other people around the state knitting and crocheting red hats that will be distributed to babies born in Connecticut hospitals in February.

The program that Chicos and nearly a dozen other women at Carriage Green in Milford, a Benchmark assisted living community, were participating in Saturday is called Little Hats, Big Hearts, which celebrates American Heart Month and helps raise awareness for congenital heart defects. According to the American Heart Association, which organized the program in connection with the Childrens Heart Foundation, congenital heart defects are the most common type of birth defect in the country.

Twenty-seven hospitals in Connecticut are participating in the Little Hats program, from Bridgeport Hospital, to Danbury Hospital and Yale New Haven Hospital. Every baby born at one of the hospitals in February will receive one of the little red hats made by volunteers.

In 2018, more than 200,000 hats were distributed through the program.

Some of the volunteers are personally connected to this program, either having a child who was born with a congenital heart defect or in loving memory of those lost to heart defects and heart disease, states an AHA press release.

Congenital heart defects are structural problems with the heart present at birth.

They result when a mishap occurs during heart development soon after conception and often before the mother is aware that she is pregnant, according to the AHA. Defects range in severity from simple problems, such as holes between chambers of the heart, to very severe malformations, such as complete absence of one or more chambers or valves.

The ladies knitting and crocheting in Milford Saturday didnt have personal connections to the cause, but they are accustomed to tapping their skills to help out the community.

Joan Callendrillo, retired preschool director at St. Marys School in Milford, sat beside her mother, Marie Montemarano, who lives at Carriage Green.

Callendrillo has knitted hats for babies before, including for Milfords St. Marys Church mission to Haiti program, thanks to a skill taught to her as a child by her aunt.

Doris Quagliani, executive director of Carriage Green, said the residents and staff at Carriage Green often unite for a cause.

Our mission is to elevate the human connection and keep everyone connected to what matters most, Quagliani said, not just as it relates to our own residents, families and associates inside the community but also fostering strong relations outside of the community too.

Toni Ann McKane, programming director at Carriage Green, said the goal is to create 100 hats by Feb. 1, which will be added to those made at other Benchmark properties, and at all the other locations and households pitching in for the cause.

By about 2 p.m. Saturday, Chicos had made about six hats: Some she knitted, some she crocheted, and she was helping Pauline Boyum, another Carriage Green resident, get started on the hat pattern.

Like Chicos and Boyum, the ladies here have been practicing this craft since they were children. Vera Overchuck, for example, grew up in the Walnut Beach section of Milford. An older woman living there at the time gathered a group of neighborhood girls then about 10 and 12 years old and taught them to crochet.

I thought it would be a nice thing to do in the summer, sitting on the beach, Overchuck said.

The others told similar stories about learning to knit or crochet from a mother or a loving aunt, and they talked about all the hats, slippers, sweaters and blankets they created over the years.

Its a relaxing pastime, Overchuck said. She and the others agreed that today its even easier to learn, thanks to Youtube.

And with their lifelong skills, most of them could finish a hat in an hour, adding to the effort to raise awareness about congenital heart defects.

The American Heart Association is committed to raising awareness for congenital heart defects, and helping children live stronger lives through education, research and public policies.

In fact, the organization's funding for pediatric cardiac research is second only to the federal government, the AHA states.

For more information about the Little Hats, Big Heart program, people can go to heart.org/littlehatsbighearts.

Jill K. Dion, Milford Mirror Editor, 203-402-2315, editor@milfordmirror.com Twitter@Milfordmirror Milfordmirror.com
BRIDGEPORT  Several local residents could some generosity from their neighbors to get through the winter.

For the 10th consecutive year, the Connecticut Post partnered with United Way, a nonprofit organization focused on charitable fundraising and support, to provide stories of people in the community who need financial help to help them get through the holidays and the winter months.

Donations are made to The Giving Fund, a philanthropic partnership between United Way, LifeBridge of Bridgeport and the Post. Online donations can be made at https://bit.ly/2UWVaFx.

As of 1 p.m. Jan. 9, 127 Connecticut Post readers donated $23,799 to the cases shared from Thanksgiving 2018 through Jan. 3. The needs were fully met for the following cases: 001, 010, 017, 019, 021, 024, 027, 030, 034, 037, 043, 045, 051, 055 and 060.

All cases for this season can be found at www.ctpost.com/ givingfund. Names have been changed to protect the privacy of those asking for help.

Over seven weeks, a total of $29,220 was asked for in the Connecticut Post cases. The following cases are from week five and were initially published in the paper on Dec. 27, 2018.

WEEK SIX

Ken  Case 052

Kens family is struggling to keep their fridge full. His mother cares for him and her four other children and is struggling to make ends meet this winter. A gift of $500 would help them afford some groceries.

Kyle  Case 053

Kyle needs some new clothes. Hes a senior at Fairfield Wheeler and has endured a lot of bullying because he often has to wear dirty clothes. A gift of $500 would help him buy some clothes and some hygiene and grooming products.

Sofia  Case 054

Sofias family need clothes. The single mother of two was recently laid off from her job and forced to move into a shelter in Bridgeport. A gift of $400 would help Sofia and her children replace some of the items they had to leave behind.

Sidney  Case 056

Sidney needs to catch up on basic expenses. The Bridgeport resident suffers from serious asthma, as does one of her daughters, forcing her to take days off work sometimes. A gift of $350 would help her cover some basic expenses this winter.

Minnie  Case 057

Minnie is trying to help her family pay off some bills. The 15-year-old has been helping her mom pay for some bills with her paychecks from a temporary job that ended in mid-December. A gift of $500 would help Minnies family cover their utility bill through the winter.

Jan  Case 058

Jans home was nearly destroyed by fire. The widowed father of four children newly purchased a house in January and it was almost completely destroyed in a fire. He used most of his savings to repair the house. A gift of $500 would cover the cost of gas for him and his family this winter.

Lucy  Case 059

Lucys car needs repairing. The single mother of two kids works full-time and drives for Uber part-time. Her vehicle was hit by a driver without insurance late last year, leaving it in need of repairs. A gift of $350 would cover her car repair bills.
To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. Please click here to learn how.
Looking for a fine dining experience along with an evening of music? Saturday, Feb. 16, Lifeline Children and Family Services is hosting its Love is in the Air show. All proceeds will go to support the auxiliary programs of Lifeline Children and Family Services. All donations will be tax deductible.
David Langham Horace, 44, passed away June 9, 2021 in Lufkin. Viewing will be held on Friday, June 18, 2021 at Emanuel Funeral Home of Crockett from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Funeral will be held on Saturday, June 19, 2021 at Antioch Baptist Church in Pennington at 12 p.m. with burial to follow in A
CORNWALL, Ontario  Cornwall firefighters were called to action on the St. Lawrence River at 7:40 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 19 when a male was reportedly stuck in his boat.

Platoon Chief Jody Dewar explained that the male was crossing the St. Lawrence River from his home on Pilon Island when the wind pushed him off course. The male was unable to walk on the ice safely and became stranded approximately 150 ft. from shore.

Our guys went out and brought him back in, said Chief Dewar.

A full platoon of firefighters assisted with the water rescue. Police and paramedic personnel were also on the scene. The male was reportedly feeling cold but suffered no health effects.

Chief Dewar explained that a rescue event like this has not occurred locally in quite some time. In the past, firefighters have rescued individuals who have fallen in the water in freezing temperatures.

Chief Pierre Voisine announced on Twitter that he was extremely proud of the firefighters in their rescue mission. Chief Dewar was also feeling fortunate for the safe operation.

The male is reportedly staying with a relative until it is safe for him to cross to his home again.

At the time of rescue, Environment Canada reported that the temperature in Cornwall was -23 Celsius with a wind chill of -33 Celsius. An extreme cold warning and winter storm warning have been in effect since Friday, Jan. 18.
100%

Website lvbp.meridiano.com.ve uses latest and advanced technologies like: JQuery. It supports HTTPS. The main html page has a size of 45872 bytes (44.80 kb uncompressed).

This CoolSocial report was updated on 2019-09-30, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.
100%

Website keylogger.org uses latest and advanced technologies like: JQuery and Boostrap. It supports HTTPS. The main html page has a size of 30307 bytes (29.60 kb uncompressed).

This CoolSocial report was updated on 2019-09-17, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.
We are analyzing the site. Please wait a few seconds..
95%

Website 4songs.pk uses latest and advanced technologies. It supports HTTPS. The main html page has a size of .

This CoolSocial report was updated on 2020-07-13, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.
In 1979, before Sinn Fein became an electoral force in Northern Ireland, Fermanagh and South Tyrone was represented in the Commons by an independent Republican, Frank Maguire. He was only an occasional attender  he ran Franks Bar, a pub in public house in Lisnaskea  but, that year, he made all the difference.

This infrequent Commons voter, inclined to abstentionism in the Irish Republican tradition, travelled to Westminster for a no-confidence debate in Jim Callaghans Government to abstain in person. Callaghan lost by 311 votes to 310. The scene for the Thatcher years was set.

Today, as Wesminsters rumour mill grinds out speculation about a coming general election, it is well worth casting an eye at Maguires successors today  the eight oddly-assorted independents who hold Theresa Mays fate in their hands in the event of tight votes, and could decide a no confidence motion one way or another.

Eight is not a large number  but big enough, it seems, to include no fewer than seven categories, five of them related to Labour.

Lets go through them one by one in the manner that a Conservative Whip might.

OMara voted against the Government last week both on the Brexit meaningful vote and the no-confidence vote. This suggests that he will continue to vote with Labour. Though one cannot be quite sure.

Hopkins voted in the same way. But he is a committed Brexiteer. Might he be persuaded in future at least to abstain on key future votes?

Lloyd voted with the Government last week on the Brexit meaningful vote but against it in the no-confidence vote. Since his policy reason for leaving the Liberal Democrats is that he believes the referendum result should be honoured, might he too be persuaded in future at least to abstain on key future votes?

Field also voted with the Government on the meaningful vote but against the Government in the no-confidence vote. Can he persuaded in any future confidence vote at least to abstain?

Lewis voted against the Government on the meaningful vote and abstained in the no-confidence vote. That suggests that he would do the same in future no confidence votes, which would leave the combined opposition one down .

. Woodcock also voted against the Government on the meaningful vote and abstained in the no-confidence vote. He made a speech strongly critical of Jeremy Corbyn in the debate on the latter. Again, that suggests that he would do the same in future no confidence votes, which would leave the combined opposition two down .

. A by-election is due in Onasanyas constituency, since she has been found guilty of perverting the course of justice and she is unlikely to turn up to future votes. She abstained last week both on the meaningful vote and the no-confidence vote, which suggests that the combined opposition is three down .

. During the Tony Blair and Gordon Brown years, Hermon tended to vote with Labour. She left the Ulster Unionists when they went into formal alliance with the Conservatives for the 2010 election. However, she abhors Jeremy Corbyn. And she is a dedicated Remainer in a province in which the Remain cause is associated less with a second referendum than the Prime Ministers deal. This helps to explain why she is the only independent who voted with the Government on both the meaningful vote and the no confidence motion. That takes the combined opposition four down and puts the Government one up  if this voting pattern continues, which there is reason to think it will.

Were ConservativeHome the Tory Whips, we would, rightly or wrongly, have special hopes of Woodcock, and to a lesser extent of Field, Lewis, Hopkins and Lloyd, probably in that order. The third may be hoping for readmittance to Labour which would complicate the picture.
Steven Edginton: The BBCs Question Time last week. Abbott was the victim of her own rudeness  not of racism. As I saw at first-hand.

Steven Edginton is the Chief Digital Strategist at Leave Means Leave.

Diane Abbott had a shocker on BBC Question Time last week  so shes slapped the corporation with a formal complaint. The Shadow Home Secretary claims that the most plausible explanation for the way the audience reacted to her woeful performance is the colour of her skin. So she is crying racism  accusing the programme of legitimising mistreatment, bias and abuse. And Im calling her out.

I was with Abbott throughout the evening in question, and I did not see or hear a single thing to support her knee-jerk allegations. What I did observe was an extremely haughty, discourteous individual who behaved as if she were superior to everybody else. Her attitude towards me personally was shocking  and appears to offer an insight into the deep-seated prejudices of the current Labour leadership.

On air, on what was only Fiona Bruces second appearance as Question Times new presenter, Abbott floundered about, struggling to defend her partys increasingly bewildering position on Brexit. Thats understandable. Off air, she was offhand to the point of rudeness, failing to extend even the most basic of courtesies to others involved in the show. It was embarrassing to watch.

From the moment Jeremy Corbyns old ally boarded the 16.47 train from London St Pancras to Derby, she seemed to be in a funk. I was travelling with Isabel Oakeshott, the political journalist and commentator, who has been supporting me in my career since I was 17.

The last few years have been a great journey in politics, and after various short-term jobs, including at the Taxpayers Alliance, I am about to join the cross-party Brexit campaign group Leave Means Leave as their Chief Digital Strategist.

I first contacted Isabel three years ago when I was 16, and still at state school, asking if I could interview her for my YouTube channel, Politics UK. Soon after, she offered to mentor me, and I have since accompanied her to Question Time on four or five occasions. She is always nervous before the show, and likes my help. I enjoy going because I get to meet some of the most interesting characters in politics, who always have fascinating stories to tell.

Its also an opportunity to find new interviewees from across the political divide for my channel. I am careful not to get in anyones way  almost everyone is anxious before the show  but the atmosphere among fellow panellists en route to the venue and in the Green Room is always friendly, and if there is a good moment to introduce myself to some of the politicians and researchers, I take it.

Alastair Campbell, Lord Winston, Armando Iannucci, Emily Thornberry, the Apprentices Claude Littner and the many others I have spoken to before and after the show have all treated me with warmth and courtesy. Six weeks after I met him in a makeshift Green Room in Putney, Tony Blairs former spin doctor and I met at Kings Cross, where he generously gave me half an hour of his time to talk about Brexit for my YouTube channel. What a contrast with Abbott, who struggled even to muster an ill-tempered hello.

My opportunity to introduce myself to the Shadow Home Secretary came sooner than I anticipated last Thursday, when Isabel and I found ourselves sitting almost next to her on the train taking us to the show in Derby. As we boarded, she and Isabel exchanged basic pleasantries, before settling down to their preparations.

When Isabel stepped out of the carriage to make a telephone call, I took the chance to say hello to Abbott. Im Steven Edginton, I work for Isabel, I said tentatively.

I know you work for Isabel, she sniffed disdainfully  and stuffed on her headphones. She clearly wanted nothing to do with me.

Doubtless she was preoccupied: certainly, she was making plenty of notes. But this went beyond being busy and distracted. Abbott was openly hostile and continued to be so for the rest of the journey. She went out of her way to ignore me, physically turning her back on me on the platform as we alighted, and avoiding all small talk.

When I asked her whether her job was stressful at the moment with all the political chaos, she scoffed back, saying: I get paid to do it. The only explanation I could come up with was that, based on the way I look and sound, and my association with Isabel, she mistakenly assumed I was just another privileged Tory public school boy, to whom she did not need to bother giving the time of day. It set the tone for her attitude to others throughout the evening, from her aggressive talk to the hand gesture at Isabel which viewers would have seen in the first few minutes of the show to her haughty demeanour to other panellist and their staff.

Abbotts complaint to the BBC begins with claims that the audience were whipped up against her before the show was recorded. Based on what seems to be nothing more than hearsay from a couple of Corybnistas in the audience, she whines that during rehearsals, someone mentioned her youthful romance with Corbyn 40 years ago. Well knock me down with a feather. How very dare they!

Maybe they did; maybe they didnt  but neither Abbott nor her researcher can possibly know, because they were not there. They were a long way from the auditorium at that point, in the Green Room, with all the other panellists. Any impropriety, by Fiona Bruce or anyone else, is vehemently denied by the very professional BBC Question Time team, which in any case cannot be expected to gag the audience.

During the show itself, Bruce was tough but polite and entirely even handed. Neither Isabel nor Rory Stewart, the Prisons Minister, escaped mockery and heckling from the audience. They smiled and sucked it up, as par for the course on that particular show.

Abbott has some fine qualities: she has dedicated half a lifetime to public service; she is brave, and has to put up with piles of abuse. She is a talented communicator, which is why she is in such demand from broadcasters. She is an old hand at Question Time, and knows what it involves. This is called being held to account by ordinary voters  and if you put yourself forward for the experience on live TV, sometimes you get a roughing up.

Those who falsely cry racism to cover up failure or inadequacy discredit themselves and do a terrible disservice to the cause. Abbott, of all people, should know this. Perhaps she should consider her own prejudices  and what instant class-based judgements she makes of someone like me.

Anyone can have an off day. Screwing up in the intense gladiatorial arena of a prime time television show after one of the most extraordinary weeks in British politics is quite understandable. Blaming everyone but yourself is lame, but perhaps not an unnatural reaction to feelings of public humiliation. What is unforgivable is crying racism, when there is nothing whatsoever to support such a claim.

It wouldnt have mattered whether Abbotts skin was black, white or the colours of the rainbow: she would have been mocked for trying and failing to defend the indefensible. She knew it; the audience knew it; and they reacted with the derision that her partys cynical, incoherent and opportunistic Brexit policy merits. If thats racism, then Im a jellybean.
May to offer bilateral treaty to Ireland to avoid backstop and hard border

Here are all the alternative routes ahead  Sunday Telegraph

As she sides with Smith and Lewis, over Barwell

 The revelations came as the prime ministers plan B to salvage her Brexit deal can be disclosed. She wants to offer a bilateral treaty to Ireland that would remove the hated backstop from the EU withdrawal treaty and prevent a hard border by other means. Aides think that would decontaminate her deal so it could be supported by the DUP and Tory Eurosceptics. Her chief of staff, Gavin Barwell, has told two cabinet ministers that if it falters, the prime minister might have to offer to stand down in the month of May in a bid to drum up more support for her deal. With her future hanging by a thread, a senior civil servant warned last night: The government could collapse. She has nowhere left to go. May will tomorrow table a neutral motion and give both a written and an oral statement to the Commons about her next moves.  The Sunday Times

May will this week outline plans  including an attempt to turn the Irish backstop, opposed by Brexiteers, into a standalone treaty with Ireland unconnected with Brexit  designed to win over her Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) allies and the hard Brexiteers of the European Research Group under Jacob Rees-Mogg. In so doing she has sided with her party chairman Brandon Lewis and her chief whip Julian Smith against her closest aide, chief of staff Gavin Barwell, who was encouraging May to edge towards permanent membership of a customs union in order to drum up support from Labour MPs. A cabinet minister said: Gavin would like to be able to find a way to get more opposition support. Lewis and Smith have warned that this course of action would destroy the Tory party. Insiders say Barwell and May have been at loggerheads and Barwells deputy JoJo Penn, in turn, is at daggers drawn with the chief whip. A senior Tory said: Its Julian against Gavin. Julian is telling her, Youre going to split the party if you go with this. Gavin is saying, Youre going to need something else. If parliament votes for a customs union, that gives you a way out.  An MP who recently witnessed a stand-off between Barwell and Smith in a Commons corridor, said: It was not a pleasant conversation. They were like a couple of stags facing each other.  The Sunday Times

>Today: ToryDiary: The independent MPs who could hold Mays fate in their hands

And EU diplomats claim she made unchanged demands to European leaders after losing vote

But Merkel promises to help  Sunday Telegraph

Meanwhile, alternative plans surface, including Clerk of Bills secret plot with Grieve to suspend Article 50

After Mrs May lost the Meaningful Vote on Tuesday, Tory MPs who previously voted against her agreement rallied against Jeremy Corbyn and helped her to defeat his motion of No Confidence by 325 to 306 votes. EU ambassadors agreed that Mrs May should go back to the drawing board completely and seek a cross-party agreement in the UK before returning to Brussels for new talks. Three days of cross-party meetings ensued, in which the Mr Corbyn refused to meet with the Prime Minister until no deal had been taken off the table, with Labour believing a permanent customs union is the best approach to a new deal. But news reports claim Mrs May left EU leaders dumbfounded through a series of phone calls  by demanding the same Brexit deal as the one voted down by her own cabinet on Tuesday. Senior EU sources claim Mrs Mays stance was greeted with incredulity after she held a phone call with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday night  and reportedly made no changes to her demands. A source told the Daily Telegraph: It was the same old story  the same set of demands  all unchanged despite the defeat.  Sunday Express

Theresa Mays government is facing meltdown today as The Sunday Times reveals how a senior House of Commons official helped rebel MPs who are plotting to derail Brexit. Leaked emails obtained by this newspaper show that Dominic Grieve, the former attorney-general, has been in secret communications with Colin Lee, the clerk of bills, with the explicit intention of suspending Britains departure from the European Union. Lee drew up three versions of the plan for Grieve  each of which would overturn centuries of parliamentary precedent  and then swore him to secrecy. MPs will tomorrow unveil their plan to hijack the agenda of the Commons to suspend article 50, the mechanism by which the UK is leaving the EU.  The Sunday Times

Fox: It is time to deliver

Sometimes you are so involved with the detail of something you cant see what is important. When a Question Time audience seemed to cheer the prospect of no deal, they were reminding Westminster of something too many are missing. When MPs voted to hold the referendum, they made a contract with voters. They said you make the decision and we will abide by it. They confirmed it at the election when 80% of those elected promised to honour the result with Conservatives committed to leaving the customs union and the single market. It is time to deliver. The government believes that the best Brexit is delivered by negotiating a deal with the European Union so that we honour the outcome of the referendum while ensuring the least disruption to both sides as we do so.  Sunday Telegraph

>Yesterday:

Corbyn is poised to back proposal for extension in case of no deal

Jeremy Corbyn is poised to back a plan to block a no-deal Brexit as pressure builds within Labour and the trade unions for a delay to Britains EU departure. It is understood that the leader and his shadow cabinet team are preparing to support a proposal that would force Theresa May to request an extension to Britains EU membership should no Brexit deal be agreed by early March. The plan would need the endorsement of the Labour frontbench to have a chance of being passed when the next round of critical votes takes place next week. While no final decision has been taken, senior figures said the move was in line with Corbyns demand that May take a no-deal Brexit off the table. The deliberations come with the Brexit options narrowing for Labours leadership amid an internal battle over whether it should back a second referendum. Having tried and failed to secure an election, figures in the party say the choice is now between a Norway-style soft Brexit, which would effectively have to include free-movement rules, and another public vote.  Observer

But he could lose up to 100,000 members  The Sun on Sunday

Starmer presses him about for another referendum  Observer

Siddiq gives birth  The Sunday Times

Comment:

Heres what they should do  Dave Prentis, Observer

Editorial:

Heres why his members are leaving  The Sun on Sunday

>Today: Steven Edginton in Comment: The BBCs Question Time last week. Abbott was the victim of her own rudeness  not of racism. As I saw at first-hand.

And Scottish sector leaders echo Major in calling for Brexit pause

Leaders in the business, trades union, charity and higher education sectors are behind calls to pause what promises to be the biggest economic change in the UK in over 70 years. Their call, which is echoed by the SNP, Scottish Liberal Democrats and the Greens, comes as the Prime Minister plans to unveil her Brexit plan B to MPs tomorrow. Under the terms of the 2007 Lisbon Treaty, the UK is scheduled to leave the EU on March 29, two years after Theresa May invoked the so-called Article 50 which sets a time limit on negotiations. However, with Parliament rejecting the withdrawal plan presented by Theresa May, the prospect of the UK coming out of the 28-member bloc without a deal grows by the day.  Herald

More Parliament

Sinn Fein MP criticises suspected car bomb explosion outside Londonderry court

The PSNI in Londonderry have warned people to stay away from the citys courthouse after an apparent car bomb explosion. The PSNI sent out the warning via social media, telling people to stay away from Bishop Street Within while they investigate the suspected explosion. They also posted a photograph of what appears to be a vehicle on fire. A PSNI statement said: We would ask for patience and co-operation of the public and the business community as we carry out our initial investigations. Sinn Fein MLA, Elisha McCallion condemned the incident. The Foyle MP said: This incident has shocked the local community. In particular, there are many elderly residents who live in the area who have been alarmed by this incident.  News Letter

Beatings and killings in Zimbabwe as regime tries to block news

News in Brief

Dont expect a customs union  James Forsyth, Spectator

Can community wealth building help Hartlepool?  Anoosh Chakelian, New Statesman

On the shutdown  Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker

Is cosmopsychism just a mental idea?  Philip Goff, Aeon

Hundreds of people, including children as young as 10, have been killed or beaten in Zimbabwe in recent days in a crackdown the regime has tried to hide by shutting down the internet and deporting foreign journalists. The violence comes as the countrys president heads to the economic summit in Davos by private jet tomorrow to brush shoulders with the rich and powerful in his quest for international recognition and investment in his bankrupt nation. Last week civil society groups, led by the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, wrote to the EU accusing President Emmerson Mnangagwa of using murder of unarmed civilians as a tool to retain power.  The Sunday Times
Danville, IL (61832)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Long lines are seen at a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security checkpoint at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport amid the partial federal government shutdown, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., January 18, 2019.

The TSA officers are among the some 420,000 government employees who have been deemed essential, and have been ordered to work during the shutdown. That group also includes air traffic controllers.

The TSA said unscheduled absences on Saturday reached 10 percent of its 51,000 officers, compared with 3 percent a year ago. Many agents are calling out of work because of financial hardship, the TSA said. On the 31st day of the partial government shutdown, airport screeners have been without regular pay for four weeks.

A record number of airport security screeners, who are working unpaid amid a partial government shutdown, called out sick on Sunday, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said Monday.

The TSA has been calling in officers that usually help with staffing shortages during natural disasters to compensate for a rise in the absences of airport screeners.

Members of TSA's National Deployment Force have been sent to several major airports, including at Newark Liberty International airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, said agency spokesman James Gregory.

Last week, security lines in Atlanta topped an hour due to the shortage of screeners. Atlanta, the world's busiest airport is bracing for an surge in visitors when it hosts the Super Bowl on February 3.

Some federal airport personnel, working without paychecks, are facing financial strains during the standoff between the White House and Congress. On Saturday, President Donald Trump offered some legal protections for undocumented immigrants in exchange for funding for his proposed border wall in order to end the shutdown, but Democrats rejected the proposal. It suggests the impasse is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon, and could worsen the strains at airports.

The shutdown, now in its 31st day and the longest ever, has been playing out across the U.S. travel industry, where staffing shortages have led to longer airport security lines and delays in government approval for new aircraft and routes.

Gregory declined to say how many officers it was sending to other airports, but told CNBC in an email that "there are limited resources available, and our ability to reinforce airports with National Deployment Officers is becoming more difficult."

These officers are usually sent in to help cover at airports if local screeners' homes are hit by natural disasters like hurricanes and wildfires, Gregory added.

Still, most security wait times are within TSA standards. Nearly all of the 1.78 million people TSA screened on Sunday waited less than 30 minutes on Sunday, though some airports reported longer than usual wait times, the agency said Monday.

A shortage of screeners due to "excessive callouts" prompted the closure of a security checkpoint at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on Saturday afternoon, according to the agency. The weekend's main travel headaches came from a powerful winter storm that grounded more than 2,000 flights.

Some furloughed government employees have been ordered to report back to work, even though they are still not receiving paychecks. Last week, the Federal Aviation Administration said it was calling back to work more than 3,000 aviation inspectors and engineers.

Airports, airlines and local businesses have been offering free meals to the unpaid TSA officers and other government employees working without a paycheck. Local community members have shown up at some airports with food and other donations. American Airlines' credit union is offering 1 percent loans of $1,200 or the amount of a single net paycheck to airport security workers.

CNBC's Angelica Lavito contributed to this report.
Following the reports in March, the FTC launched an investigation into the company's data practices. Now, the FTC is reportedly considering a imposing a "record-setting fine" against the social media company.

The public backlash really erupted last year when Facebook was accused of misusing its users' personal information, amid after reports found political consultant agency Cambridge Analytica tapped millions of Facebook users without their explicit consent.

"At Facebook, these last few years have been difficult," she said, speaking at the DLD conference in Munich. "We need to stop abuse more quickly and we need to do better to protect people's data. We have acknowledged our mistakes."

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg acknowledged on Sunday that the embattled social media giant "understands the deep responsibilities we have," as it strives to earn back users' trust following months of controversies over user privacy protection and data sharing.

On Sunday, Sandberg outlined five things Facebook is doing as it "reflects and learns." Those steps include: Investing in safety and security; protecting against election interference; cracking down on fake accounts and fake information; making sure people feel like they control their own information; and increasing transparency at Facebook, she said.

Regarding election interference, Sandberg said Facebook continues to remove pages on its platform that have "inauthentic behavior" and that the company will be using tactics like this in the upcoming elections to the European Parliament. She said Facebook is blocking more than 1 million "fake accounts" every day. And she said Facebook has "dramatically cut down on the information apps can access" from users.

"Speaking for Mark [Zuckerberg], for myself and for everyone at Facebook, we are more determined than ever to keep people safe. And we are taking strong actions to do it," she said, referring to the company's founder and CEO.

Just last month, Facebook released the findings of a civil rights audit led by Laura Murphy, a former director of the ACLU Legislative Office. In those findings, Murphy highlighted particular areas of concern on the social media platform, including voter suppression, advertising targeting and diversity among Facebook's own employees.

CNBC also reported earlier this month, after speaking with more than a dozen former Facebook employees, how the social media company's leadership and its performance review system has created a culture where any dissent is discouraged.

"We have to [take action] because so many people use technology for good," Sandberg said on Sunday, adding that Facebook is one of the largest job creation platforms in the world. She said Facebook is "far from done."

Facebook shares have fallen about 16 percent over the past 12 months.
A powerful Delta 4-Heavy rocket carrying a U.S. spy satellite lifts off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Calif., Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019.

A Delta IV-Heavy rocket carrying a U.S. government spy satellite finally launched into orbit Saturday from California. Technical glitches and unfavorable weather had forced the mission to be nixed several times since early December.

United Launch Alliance, a partnership between Lockheed Martin and Boeing, said in a statement that the three-booster rocket was carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office and launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County at 11:10 am local time. The NRO agency is responsible for U.S. intelligence satellites.

The outer boosters of the rocket separated about four minutes into flight, followed by a successful ignition of the central booster. As is customary with classified payloads, ULA webcast the liftoff only until the aerodynamic fairing covering the payload was discarded.

The launch of the top-secret national security payload had been scrubbed several times since last year due to technical problems and unfavorable weather, including ground winds.

The lift off from the base northwest of Los Angeles took place just days after a series of storms pounded the Central California region with heavy rain and wind.

There were mostly clear skies Saturday that allowed people to see the rocket's contrails from southern and central parts of California, including Los Angeles.

https://twitter.com/Gwen_Hernandez/status/1086729394981240832

https://twitter.com/ludusu/status/1086770539597783040

"Congratulations to our team and mission partners for successfully delivering this critical asset to support national security missions," Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of government and commercial programs said in a release.

According to ULA, the mission  NROL-71  is the company's 132nd successful launch since it was formed in December 2006. Details of the mission were not provided.

The 233-foot-tall Delta IV rocket is the heaviest vehicle in ULA's fleet and can produce more than 2.1 million pounds of thrust and is powered by Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-68A main engines. The rocket, which weighs about 1.6 million pounds when fully fueled, uses Aerojet's RL10B-2 propulsion system to power its second stage.

A hydrogen leak in one of the engines was blamed for a scrubbed launch of the mission Dec. 19. A launch scheduled for Dec. 8 also was called off for technical reasons.

ULA said its next scheduled launch is for the Air Force and involves a Delta IV rocket. The launch of the mission, WGS-10, is scheduled for March 13 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

-The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump looks on during a discussion after delivering his speech during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting on January 26, 2018 in Davos, eastern Switzerland. /

President Donald Trump and his cabinet are skipping out on Davos this week, but he'll still be the biggest presence at the annual gathering of the world's richest and most powerful people.

Whether it's the U.S.-China trade dispute, Trump's reported wish to withdraw from NATO, or the government shutdown threatening the world's biggest economy, it'll be hard to avoid discussing Trump at the World Economic Forum's meeting in the Swiss ski town of Davos.

"Donald Trump will be a predominant voice at Davos regardless of whether he's there," Tom Nides, a Morgan Stanley vice chairman and former deputy secretary of State, said in an interview.

"The most important thing people are worried about globally is the U.S.-China trade relationship and the health of the global economy," Nides said. "The reality is, the U.S. is a massive player in all conversations around Davos, and because Donald Trump has decided to be relatively controversial, that increases the likelihood that the conversations in the hallways are about Donald Trump."

As 2019 begins, uncertainty is the only certainty. Trump, in the midpoint of his term, is grappling with showdowns at home and abroad, and repercussions are being felt around the world. His games of brinkmanship top the list of potential risks, along with Brexit, that could cripple economic growth.

Anxiety about the end of the old world order is sure to be on the minds of the Davos set  a list of attendees including billionaires Bill Gates, Ray Dalio and George Soros  a group who have been huge beneficiaries of the stability of the previous era.

"The American order is over, and we don't know what the next order will be yet," said Ian Bremmer, founder of consultancy Eurasia Group. "It's a much more dangerous, chaotic period we are entering, and what people attending Davos need to think about is how to ensure resilience given the coming shocks."

When Trump attended Davos last year to articulate his "America First" worldview and boast about the virility of the U.S. economy, he had a surging stock market and recent corporate tax cut to crow about. "America is open for business, and we are competitive once again," he told the Davos crowd in 2018.

Now, with swaths of the U.S. government literally closed and 800,000 federal employees going without pay, economists are increasingly alarmed at the fallout, saying that if it persists, the longest shutdown in history could wipe out economic growth.
Clinton, IA (52732)

Today

A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Beachwood, OH (44122)

Today

Showers in the morning, then a period of strong thunderstorms in the afternoon. Damaging winds with some storms. High 82F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely in the evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms later on. A few storms may be severe. Low 66F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Beachwood, OH (44122)

Today

Showers in the morning, then a period of strong thunderstorms in the afternoon. Damaging winds with some storms. High 81F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely in the evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms later on. A few storms may be severe. Low near 65F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
In An Iliad  an OBIE and Lortel Award-winning play conceived not long after the United States invaded Iraq and produced off-Broadway in 2012  playwrights Lisa Peterson and Denis OHare offer a compressed, contemporized and intensely compelling take on Homers nearly 3000-year-old epic poem The Iliad.

The 100-minute, one-act play draws on Robert Fagles accessible translation of the original work. It is made even more accessible by the highly theatrical, direct-address storytelling performed by a single actor portraying a veteran chronicler of the decade-long Trojan War and a single on-stage musician on double bass.

Together, The Poet and his musical muse weave tales of domination and destruction  the defiance that drives Achilles, the killing of his best friend Patroclus, the conflicts that hound Hector, and Priam's journey to beg for the body of his son, among them  and bring 54 characters, mostly male, to life. And death.

Devout wives grieving the loss of husbands, heartbroken mothers lamenting the death of sons, powerless sex slaves and woefully misguided goddesses. These are the women who reside in the periphery of Homers classic story.

Despite its self-effacing title and relatively short run time  we are told by The Poet that Homers original tale took three to four days to tell  An Iliad is no The Iliad-lite. The intense source material, its exalted and abundant verbiage, and even a little Greek are still very much in evidence, albeit told through a modern prism that offers contemporary examples to help explain antiquated references in much the same way that Homer used simile in his storytelling.

And, in this Cleveland Play House incarnation, the story is told by women.

Directed by Andrew Carlson and Tarah Flanagan, Flanagan herself plays The Poet and cellist Eva Rose Scholz-Carlson serves as her barefooted muse. This production is essentially a reproduction  a staging guided by the same directors and employing the same players who performed this similarly designed work at Minnesotas Great River Shakespeare Festival in 2017 and at several other venues since. Still, it is a welcome and worthy addition to this seasons CPH offerings.

And a woman as The Poet is a game changer.

As was the case with Laura Welsh Bergs portrayal of the titular character in Great Lakes Theaters most recent production of Hamlet, casting Flanagan in a role written for a man more effectively channels the extreme emotions penned by the playwright and more vividly depicts the vulnerabilities of the storys characters, both God and man, than if told by a man. In addition to highlighting the heroism and horrors of warfare, a distraught and occasionally overwhelmed woman narrator seems to underscore the misogyny that goes hand in hand with that enterprise.

Flanagans passionate devotion to this piece of performance art  which requires immense physicality when enacting brutal battle scenes and extraordinary stamina to sustain a state of perpetual motion  is awe-inspiring. She also possesses a steel-trap memory best displayed in the lengthy recitation of an exhaustive, centuries-spanning chronological list of warfare, ending with Syria. And her skills at storytelling are mesmerizing.

Scenic designer Ian Stillman and lighting designer Michael Boll are called upon to perform only light lifting here, for this productions sparse staging  a ladder on a bare stage against a grey concrete backdrop and only minor shifts in illumination  is built to place all eyes at all times on Flanagan, who earns our undivided attention. And yet, more isolating lighting  like that employed in the off-Broadway production  would have added to the drama without detracting from the performance.

The use of a cello rather than the double bass used in most productions of this work gives a crisper edge to the accompaniment and provides a larger complement of higher frequencies and a more intense vibrato. All this, along with Scholz-Carlsons intriguing playing and striking presence, adds layers to this productions theatricality and helps sidestep the recitative tedium that can set in during even distilled versions of ancient poetry.

This production of An Iliad is, in so many ways, a master class in making canonical literary work riveting and relevant to todays theatergoers.

Bob Abelman covers professional theater and cultural arts for the Cleveland Jewish News. Follow Bob at Facebook.com/BobAbelman3 or visit cjn.org/Abelman. 2018 Ohio AP Media Editors best columnist.
For roughly 40 years, since Ohio's lieutenant governors stopped being state Senate president, the lieutenant governorship has been a job in search of duties, besides any assignments a governor may make -- or of course the significant duty of succeeding that governor should he or she die or resign.

The last governor to die in office was Democratic Gov. John Pattison in 1906. The last resignation was Republican Gov. George V. Voinovich's, at the end of his second term in 1998, to become a U.S. senator.

In 1983, the late Myrl Shoemaker, elected with Gov. Richard F. Celeste, was the first Ohio lieutenant governor to lead an agency, as director of Natural Resources.

Today, Ohio's lieutenant governor is suburban Columbus Republican Jon Husted, Gov. Mike DeWine's running mate, whose assignment will be to lead the Office of InnovateOhio.

The General Assembly, in its lame-duck December session, among other things approved pay raises for elected officials. Senate Bill 296 set the governor's salary at $154,248 and the lieutenant governor's at $113,947. Or is it $176,426? The answer is, "It depends," thanks to muddled legislation that can keep Ohioans in the dark about the lieutenant governor's pay.

Plainly put, $113,947 is the lieutenant governor's default salary. But in creating InnovateOhio within DeWine's office, SB 296 also set the salary of InnovateOhio's director at $176,426.

Because Husted will direct InnovateOhio, he'll be entitled to a $176,426 salary, not the lieutenant governor's $113,947 salary. Got that? If you bring a volume of the Ohio Revised Code with you into the voting booth, you might.

True, InnovateOhio grew out of a key DeWine-Husted campaign plank, with the potentially important mission of galvanizing private technology talents to upgrade state operations and efficiencies and also to make Ohio more welcoming for high-tech firms and entrepreneurs.

True also, these alternative salaries for Ohio's lieutenant governors are customary and legal. Shoemaker was paid as director of Natural Resources, not as lieutenant governor. Similarly, Gov. John Kasich's lieutenant governor, suburban Akron Republican Mary Taylor, when she ran Ohio's Insurance Department, was paid that job's salary ($150,405 a year) -- not $78,041, the lieutenant governor's annual salary at the time.

Nonetheless, all the legalese wrapped around a lieutenant governor's pay is anything but transparent.

To serve voters, Ohio needs to set one clearly defined salary for its lieutenant governors that reflects the expectation of their ancillary roles.

About our editorials: Editorials express the view of the editorial board of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer -- the senior leadership and editorial-writing staff. As is traditional, editorials are unsigned and intended to be seen as the voice of the news organization.

Have something to say about this topic?

* Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication.

* Email general questions about our editorial board or comments on this editorial to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com.

* Use the comments to share your thoughts. Then, stay informed when readers reply to your comments by using the "Follow" option at the top of the comments, & look for updates via the small blue bell in the lower right as you look at more stories on cleveland.com.
CLEVELAND -- On Wednesday, the editorial board of The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com called for the institution of a state oversight process for police certification and discipline. The need for an independent oversight entity is clear. The current process of arbitration does not adequately protect the public from rogue officers.

The point I would like to make is that we on the editorial board, an outside group of civilians, should not be the only ones calling for change. There are voices that are missing from this conversation. Voices that I think would be much more impactful in changing the conversation about policing.

These voices belong to those officers who are doing the right thing every day. The self-described good guys (and women). The ones who believe that what cops do is more than a job -- it is a calling. The ones who enrolled in the police academy because they wanted to make the world a better place.

Eric Foster is a columnist for The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com.

These are the ones who work side-by-side with officers who they know should not be patrolling the streets with a flashlight, let alone a handgun. These are the ones who ashamedly witness uses of excessive force. These are the ones who cringe at stops made without reasonable suspicion or probable cause. These are the ones who are conflicted when the police union fights to keep these bad officers on the job.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, in effect, Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

So my appeal to the good guys? Stop being silent. Your voices matter. They matter more than you know.

Good police, like the public, have a vested interest in removing bad police from their posts. They, like the public, suffer the consequences of bad policing. Bad police damage the reputation of police as a whole. Each story about police misconduct is another crack in the foundation upon which good policing is built -- the foundation of trust.

Police are endowed with immense legal authority. From what we have seen, they have a legal license to kill. But the good ones know that legal authority can never completely eradicate the necessity to cultivate an interpersonal relationship with the public. For police to effectively do their job, the public has to trust that those who have been given so much authority are capable of wisely deciding when, where, and how, to best use that authority. When stories of police abuse of that authority spread, and the public expresses outrage, if there is no companion police outrage, that trust is eroded.

So please, good guys (and women), speak up. Call for the immediate removal of your peers who abuse their authority. Call for the institution of an independent oversight agency. Call for your fellow good police to do the same. It is the only way to combat the daily stream of articles and videos of police officers doing everything but protecting and serving.

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. also said, A time comes when silence is betrayal. It is time for you to choose: Whom do you serve -- your fellow officers or the public?

Eric Foster, a community member of the editorial board of The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com, is a lawyer in private practice and personal bailiff in Cleveland Housing Court. The views expressed are his own.

*************

Have something to say about this topic? Use the comments to share your thoughts. Then, stay informed when readers reply to your comments by using the Follow option at the top of the comments, and look for updates via the small blue bell in the lower right as you look at more stories on cleveland.com.
NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio -- Business break-in, Lorain Road: A woman called police at about 10 p.m. Jan. 3 to report a break-in taking place at the Gyro George restaurant.

Police surrounded the building, found glass in a front door broken out, and captured a suspect as he ran out the rear of the building. He was wearing a backpack containing a hammer, pry bar, two security lights, several scratch-off lottery tickets, and paperwork from pawn shops. No cash was found in the bags. Two security lights had been removed from outside the building.

Police arrested the suspect for breaking and entering.

Felony theft, Great Northern Mall: Police responded at about 7:30 p.m. Jan. 5 to a report of a shoplifting incident at Macy's department store involving a man who had run outside and escaped in a car.

Police stopped a car matching the description on Country Club Boulevard. They discovered more than $1,100 in suspected stolen merchandise in plain view inside the car.

Police charged the suspected male shoplifter and the woman driver with felony theft.

Shoplifting, Lorain Road: Police responded at 1:54 a.m. Jan. 3 to the Giant Eagle parking lot regarding a suspected shoplifter.

When officers arrived, employees in the parking lot pointed to a man they identified as a suspect. One of the employees said she had seen the man stuff some chicken thighs under his coat and leave the store without paying for them.

The suspect told police he was hungry. Police charged him with petty theft and told him not to return to the store.

Possession of marijuana, Interstate 480: Police stopped a car about 9:30 p.m. Jan. 6 for speeding after officers determined that the car was traveling at 75 mph in a 60 mph zone.

The windows also were tinted darker than allowed by state law, and police could smell marijuana inside the car. They recovered a small bag of pot.

Police charged the driver with speeding, illegal window tint and possession of marijuana.

To comment on this story, visit Saturday's crime and courts comment section.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  If local craft beers are your thing, you live in the right place. There are breweries located all around.

Were kicking off 2019 Clevelands Best contests with Northeast Ohios Best Brewery. The contest started on Wednesday when we first put out a call for your nominations. We have 50 breweries nominated thus far and this is your last chance to make sure your choice makes the list. The deadline to nominate is Jan. 20 at noon. You can nominate your favorite brewery in the form below. Its fast and easy to fill out.

Which Northeast Ohio brewery do you think is the best? The brewery must have at least one brick and mortar location within our seven-county coverage area of Cuyahoga, Lorain, Medina, Lake, Geauga, Portage and Summit counties.

We want to hear from you and why you feel this local beer stands out and is your pick.

All you have to do is fill out this quick nomination form.

How the contest will work:

Nominations will be accepted until Jan. 20 at noon.

Readers will then vote in an online poll to determine the finalists. You will be able to vote in the poll hourly from Jan. 22 until Jan. 29 at 9 a.m.

The finalists will be visited by Clevelands Best reporters Brenda Cain and Yadi Rodriguez, as well as cleveland.coms judging panel.

The panel of beer experts will do the taste tests during two weeks in February to determine the winner and the final standings.

Youre invited to join us on our pub crawls, but please bring a designated driver. Well publish our schedule of visits on Feb. 4.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  The staff of the legislative watchdog that monitors the Ohio prison system is so depleted that it uses interns to evaluate the states correctional facilities, authorities said.

The administrative staff of the Correctional Institution Inspection Committee has just one full-time employee. Five years ago, it had six: a director and five inspectors with backgrounds in the criminal justice system.

Because of the shortage of employees, the staff has struggled to meet its most crucial role: to write and disseminate reports to legislators and the public on the states 27 prisons and three juvenile facilities, according to interviews and a review of records.

The latest prison inspection reports were placed online in 2017. Five years ago, the reports were posted online within a month of a prisons inspection.

There are serious issues within the corrections system in Ohio, and people should be concerned that there is no oversight, Joanna Saul, the former director of the agency, told The Plain Dealer.

Ohio prison spending

Critics say the shrinking of the staff is disturbing, as it offered a critical eye on a prison system that spent nearly $1.8 billion in 2018. The committee is the only group in Ohio that performs inspections and examines the issues that deal with inmates and the conditions inside the facilities walls, such as healthcare, use of force and violence, and writes reports on the issues.

The Ohio Inspector Generals office examines prisons in a separate manner, investigating complaints of fraud and misuse of state resources. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigates major crimes.

State lawmakers are expected to assign members to the bipartisan committee from the House and Senate this week, a move that some say will determine the panels future  whether it exists with a single staff member or as the aggressive unit of the past.

Senior Republican leaders in the House and Senate declined to comment until the assignments are handed out. Some Democrats who have served on the committee, did not return messages seeking comment.

A shadow of the past

State legislators in 1977 formed a committee of both houses to provide an unbiased account of the workings of the prison system.

The committee was not created in response to a crisis. Instead, then-Rep. C.J. McLin Jr., a Dayton Democrat, pushed for a permanent legislative panel that would be proactive and preventative, according to the committees website.

Today, the committees staff is a shadow of the unit that produced in-depth reports on contraband, gang violence, illegal drugs, prison workers overtime and other issues.

For example, in a 1991 report, the unit highlighted serious problems at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville. It cited severe overcrowding and understaffing among prison personnel, issues that came up two years later when a riot there killed nine prisoners and one officer.

Its an incredibly important function to monitor the states prison system, said Greta Johnson, a former member of the House who served on the committee from January 2015 through March 2017 as a Democrat from Akron. While there are incredible interns working at the statehouse, the inspection of prisons should be done by legislators and paid staff.

Attorneys Alice and Staughton Lynd have worked for more than 20 years as advocates for inmates and echoed Johnsons comments. The Lynds are known for their role in fighting the state in the early 2000s over confinement conditions at the Ohio State Penitentiary near Youngstown.

The purpose of the Correctional Institution Inspection Committee, as defined by Ohio law, includes maintaining a continuing program of inspection of each state correctional institution and improving the condition and operation of the states prisons, the Lynds said in an email.

To have inexperienced interns investigating and evaluating what is going on in Ohio prisons is not what the statute requires.

The staff usually has two or three interns, who are unpaid and typically in their early 20s. They are pursuing college degrees and have interests in corrections. They usually stay on for months at a time, as there is no time frame that they must follow.

In the past, their duties have included collecting and analyzing complaints from inmates and assisting on research. Because of the shortage of staff, those duties have increased to include working on inspections.

A fight over access

The committee began spiraling in May 2016, when its then-director, Saul, resigned amid what she called pressure from Republicans in the General Assembly who chafed over her attempts to gain access to medical and mental health information. It was the latest in a series of scrapes between Saul and with legislators over documents and information.

Saul, in a late-night email to the Ohio Senate before she resigned, wrote: We have 50,000 people incarcerated, and someone should be asking questions on what happens to the people in those facilities.

In the email, she stressed that the states prison system was the sixth largest in the country and needed someone  even a staff of just six people  to actually go into prisons, inquire into issues such as use of force, medical care, mental health, the grievance procedure, food services, etc., and objectively report on them to the legislature.

Do you not think your constituents deserve that? she wrote.

John Fortney, a Senate aide, said lawmakers believed that Saul had gone beyond the scope of the committees bounds when she sought various information.

Some members of the House and Senate were prepared to silence the agency by reducing the inspections and shuttering the staff. They dropped that fight after Saul agreed to resign after six years on the job.

Nearly 18 months after Sauls resignation, the chairman of the committee, Cliff Hite, a Republican from Findlay, resigned from the Senate in October 2017 after a legislative staff member complained that Hite had repeatedly propositioned her for sex.

Once Hite left office, the committees meetings stopped. Hite declined to discuss the committee or its dealings with Saul.

Johnson, the former House member from Akron, said the panel met only two or three times in the more than two years she was on the committee, an indication she said of the indifference of some members.

Today, Saul is the prison ombudsman for the state of Washington.

This has been troubling

Doug Green, a House Republican from Southwest Ohio, resurrected the meetings in November after he was appointed interim chairman.

Green said he hopes to bring accountability to the committee. He acknowledged the work of the interns working on the inspections.

As you might imagine, this has been troubling for me, Green said. People can go above and beyond for a while, but to do that with one employee is unrealistic.

Green said inspection reports of correctional facilities are up to date. He said, however, that the staff has been unable to provide the courtesy of placing the reports online.

He said he speaks frequently with Charlotte Adams, the only full-time employee of the staff. Adams holds the title of senior research analyst. She declined to comment, referring questions to Greens office. She has been the staffs sole employee for several months.

Adams, 52, has a deep background in corrections, serving as an administrator in the Ohio prison system for nearly 20 years, according to interviews and published reports. She oversees inspections and creates reports for the legislature. Most importantly, she maintains communication with legislators.

The staff has a budget of $447,000, which is slightly less than the $460,000 that Saul had when she served as director in 2016, records show. The office today, however, spends a fraction of the budgeted amount. Its largest expense appears to be Adams salary. She earned $51,130 last year.

A prison spokeswoman declined to comment, referring questions on the committee to Green.

Critics said the prison system, as well as legislators, should embrace a strong oversight.

Things break down, said Tim Young, the states public defender. Were human. We mess things up. Any good business wants to know where things break.

Good government is the same way. The inspection committee is there to make everyone safer, both the employees and the inmates. This isnt a namby-pamby exercise to just do. Its to ensure safety.



Just The Facts

What is the Correctional Institution Inspection Committee?

The bipartisan Ohio legislative panel monitors the states 27 adult prisons and three juvenile facilities.

Here are details about the committees work and its structure:

Makeup: The committee is made up of eight members, four from the Ohio House and Senate. It also has an administrative staff to conduct prison inspections and write reports to legislators and the public on the inspections, as well as on issues affecting inmates and prison staff. In the past, the in-depth reports have focused on food service, contraband, gang violence and medical care. The committees also staff takes complaints from inmates on conditions in prisons.

Prisons: The committee oversees 27 adult prisons: Allen-Oakwood, Belmont, Chillicothe, Correctional Reception Center, Dayton, Franklin Medical Center, Grafton, Lebanon, London, Lorain, Madison, Mansfield, Marion, Noble, Northeast Re-Integration, Ohio Reformatory for Women, Ohio State Penitentiary, Pickaway, Richland, Ross, Southeastern, Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, Toledo, Trumbull, Warren, North Central Correctional Complex and Lake Erie Correctional.

Juvenile facilities: The committee oversees three juvenile facilities: Circleville, Cuyahoga Hills and Indian River.

History: The committee formed in 1977 when then-Rep. C.J. McLin of Dayton deemed it vital to have a legislative watchdog that would oversee the prison system.

By the numbers: The Ohio prison system spent nearly $1.8 billion last year. It had 49,255 inmates in December.

Source: State public records, the Correctional Institution Inspection Committee, prison reports.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Last Sunday night, a 25-year-old Cleveland woman called 9-1-1 and, through her screams, told the dispatcher shed stabbed Joshua Noble in self-defense after hed choked her. He was rushed to MetroHealth but died within an hour of the call. He was 33.

Police noted that an earring had been ripped from her left earlobe and a slight redness on her neck. The weapon was a kitchen knife. Because she had yet to be charged, I am not naming her.

Like the murder of Aisha Fraser in November, killed by her ex-husband Lance Mason who had savagely beaten her years before, experts say we should have seen this one coming.

According to police reports, about a week before Thanksgiving in 2016, Joshua dragged the mother of his children from a house in Brook Park at gunpoint where shed been staying with their daughters, ages 4 years and 6 months, after a split.

Joshua pounded on the front door, demanding to see her. People inside told him to go away, but he kept on coming, breaking the door and forcing his way in with a Colt .380.

With his little girls nearby, he pointed the gun in the face of the boyfriend of a woman who lived there. Witnesses say he smelled strongly of booze.

Joshua grabbed her and hustled her outside. He only let her go when he realized someone had called the cops.

A charge of domestic violence  a misdemeanor  was dropped as part of a plea deal.

The felony burglary charge stuck, as did aggravated menacing and child endangering, both misdemeanors. Judge Joseph Russo gave him probation, with three months of home detention, an ankle bracelet to monitor his movements and work privileges. A $1,000 fine was suspended.

Probation, the judge wrote in the court record, . . . will not demean the seriousness of the offense.

But of course it did.

Tell me who walks into a bank and holds a gun on people and walks out with probation? asks Nancy Grigsby, director of the Ohio Domestic Violence Networks Legal Assistance Program. Nobody does! What were saying is, when you do this to women and when you do this your family, its a different crime for some reason.

Courts set community norms, she continues. And they tell everybody  the kids in that house, the survivor and the perpetrator  what is normal and acceptable in Cleveland.

Light sentences tell abusers that nothing theyve done is so terrible to merit imprisonment  or even a fine.

And women? What they learn, says Grigsby, is, There is no help for me here. . . I am on my own. 

Most of the time, its women who wind up dead at the hands of their batterers.

Of 91 domestic violence fatalities in Ohio from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018, 42 were women killed by abusive men. Three more female victims were also tracked  two girls, aged 4 and 1 -- and the adult step-daughter of a batterer who got in the way.

Three cops lost their lives in the same year, trying to help.

Twenty-two batterers killed themselves. A handful of others were killed by those coming to a womans aid

Five of the dead men were killed by women the Ohio Domestic Violence Networks Family Systems Advocacy Director Jo Simonsen believes were likely acting in self-defense. One woman was not charged. The rest are awaiting trial or have been sentenced to long prison terms, including a teen in Lima who claimed shed killed her sex trafficker. Shes doing 10 years. A Cleveland woman got 18 years to life.

In a sixth case, a 17-year-old boy claimed he was fending off a lethal attack and protecting his mother and brother when he shot his step-father, a man with a documented history of domestic violence and assault convictions. Hes facing trial as an adult for murder.

When asked about delivering what amounts to a wrist slap to Noble in 2016, Darren Toms, a spokesman for the court, responded that Noble was a low-level offender and that victims in 2016 requested that he not be given prison time.

As experts will tell you, women in abusive relationships often balk when it comes to punishing their mates, and Joshuas ex-girlfriend was no different. After telling police on the scene she feared for her life and the lives of her kids, weeks later, she wrote a statement to the court saying that shed provoked him. Hed made a bad decision. No one was hurt. It was just a misunderstanding. . .

Putting the onus for prosecution on a vulnerable victim is a misguided idea, says Grigsby.

The criminal justice system has an independent authority and responsibility to respond to crime, manage crime and reduce crime.

If a bank teller says she thinks we should go easy on the guy who tried to rob her, we dont send him home with an ankle bracelet and call it a day.

Four years before he killed her, Lance Mason shattered Aishas Frasers face, bit and strangled her in front of their two girls.

When police arrested him, they found weapons, including assault rifles and a bullet proof vest.

Sentenced to two years in prison, he was out in nine months.

One hundred people a year are dying in Ohio and in almost all of those cases, there were opportunities that were missed, says Grigsby.

If we do nothing, we leave battered women with little choice: Kill or be killed. Thats not justice. Thats a tragedy.
Grace Louise Archer, age 90, a resident of Aurora, Colorado, a former resident of Chillicothe, Missouri, passed away on Wednesday, June 2, 2021, at Shalom Park, Aurora, Colorado. Grace was born the daughter of Maurice P. Martin, Sr., and Margaret (O'Connor) Martin on October 10, 1930, in Chi
Editor's note: with the death of Nathan Glazer on January 19, 2019, we have lost the last of a group of public intellectuals who reshaped how we think about whether domestic social programs actually work. Along with his fellow former leftists Irving Kristol and Daniel Bell, Glazer, through the pathbreaking journal The Public Interest, introduced constructive skepticism of public policy based on an understanding of sociology, history, and politics. A founding member of the City Journal editorial board, Glazer died at his home in Cambridge, Mass. at the age of 95. This article on his work was published in 2011.

The Obama administration is entering a field not cultivated on a major scale since the 1960s: social policy. Unlike safety-net entitlements, such as health insurance and cash welfare, social policyor social engineering, to use the more critical termuses government action to try to change and improve people and their neighborhoods. For instance, the Obama administrations Promise Neighborhoods are supposed to replicate, in 21 cities, what the Harlem Childrens Zone has done in Manhattanto create plans to provide cradle-to-career services that improve the educational achievement and healthy development of children, as a White House press release modestly puts it. The administrations Social Innovation Fund seeks to promote youth development, economic opportunity or healthy futures by identifying dozens of small private programsin areas like job training, nutrition, exercise, and after-school reading and math helpand using federal dollars to expand them to additional sites and cities.

These initiatives bring to mind the Great Society years, when the federal government, trying to improve citizens from coast to coast, decided to do it by enormously expanding smaller, more localized nonprofit programs. The theory was that this approach would avoid the faceless bureaucratism that characterized government-run enterprises. The Model Cities project, for example, was born when Lyndon Johnson decided to add three zeroes, as Ford Foundation executive Paul Ylvisaker once told me, to a Ford program called Gray Areas, in which citizen boards would somehow use foundation funds to reverse the decline of poor neighborhoods. Other Great Society projects that tried to implement social policy through new or existing nonprofit organizations included Head Start, which sought to improve early-childhood education, and Community Action Programs, which offered a variety of services, including job training, adult literacy, and nutrition education.

President Obamas revival of an ambitious social policy agenda makes this a good time to reexamine the work of one of the most brilliant critics of the first wave: Nathan Glazer, now 88, a Harvard sociologist and one of the last of the founding generation of neoconservatives (a term often applied to him, though he has never really embraced it). In his bluntly titled 1988 book, The Limits of Social Policy, Glazer examined two decades worth of programs and reached a sobering conclusion: Against the view that to every problem there is a solution, I came to believe that we can have only partial and less than wholly satisfying answers to the social problems in question. Whereas the prevailing wisdom was that social policies would make steady progress in nibbling away at the agenda of problems set by the forces of industrialization and urbanization, I came to believe that although social policy had ameliorated some of the problems we had inherited, it had also given rise to other problems no less grave in their effect on human happiness.

What gave that conclusion special power was the intellectual journey that Glazer took to reach it. Well after his days as a student Trotskyite at the CCNY of the 1940s, Glazers work displayed the hallmarks of cultural liberalism. He first came to prominence as a junior coauthor of David Riesmans landmark sociological analysis of 1950s America, The Lonely Crowda book that coined the terms inner-directed and other-directed and was understood as critical of the eras purported conformity.

In 1963, the future neocon published his own landmark study, Beyond the Melting Pot (with Daniel Patrick Moynihan as his junior coauthor), which argued that the broader American identity hadnt swamped the individual ethnic identities of New Yorks Jews, Italians, Irish, Negroes, and Puerto Ricans. The book laid the groundwork for a multicultural view of American society; indeed, the left-liberal journalist Richard Rovere called it perhaps the most perceptive inquiry into American minorities ever made. So if, as Martin Peretz has famously suggested, neoconservatism is a conversation with liberalism, Glazer has held that conversation not just with other intellectuals but with himself.

But even in Beyond the Melting Pot, one can detect traces of a scholar willing to question traditional liberal assumptions. In his chapter on New Yorks blacks, Glazer wrote that

the rate of illegitimacy among Negroes is about fourteen or fifteen times that among whites. . . . Broken homes and illegitimacy do not necessarily mean poor upbringing and emotional problems. But they mean it more often when the mother is forced to work, . . . when the father is incapable of contributing to support, . . . when fathers and mothers refuse to accept responsibility for and resent their children, as Negro parents, overwhelmed by difficulties, so often do. . . . All this cannot be irrelevant to the academic performance of Negro children, and indeed it is relevant to a much wider range of problems than educational ones alone. In particular, it is probably the Negro boy who suffers in this situation. . . . It is pointless to ignore the fact that the concentration of problems in the Negro community is exceptional, and that prejudice, low income, poor education explain only so much.

These were farsighted observations, offered at a time when discussions of poverty, such as Michael Harringtons The Other America, tended simplistically to blame it on the inherent injustice of the American economic system. Glazer had established a framework for understanding the problems of the poora framework that, like much of his later work, emphasized the fundamental importance of the family.

Glazer also employed a relatively new method: supporting his arguments with data from social scientists evaluations of public programs. Such evaluations were themselves relatively new. The Urban Institute, whose self-described mission is to bridge the gap between the lonely scholar in search of truth and the decision-maker in search of progress, wasnt founded until 1968. Other major contrarians who critiqued progressivism took very different approaches: Jane Jacobs, whose Death and Life of Great American Cities was based, in good part, on her own observations; Edward Banfield, whose pathbreaking neoconservative critique of emerging urban policy, The Unheavenly City, was statistically informed but relied more on his own logic and common sense than on program evaluations; and Irving Kristol, who was more essayist and political philosopher than social scientist.

Glazer, by contrast, immersed himself in social science. Take a chapter in The Limits of Social Policy called Education, Training and Poverty: What Worked? In that chapter, Glazer reviews the social-science literature on 18 social programs, from the Job Corps to Head Start, from Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to the School Breakfast program, as well as a meta-evaluation based on 42 studies of early-childhood education programs. His conclusions arent polemical, but they are withering nonetheless. At least some of the states known for high expenditure on education and social needs have shown remarkably poor records. After having done badly in schooling, we do not do well at making up for the failure through work-training programs, though we have certainly tried. And crucially: The evaluations of specific programs that were available during the first ten years after the launching of the [War on Poverty] confirmed the verdict: nothing worked, and, in particular, nothing that one did in education worked.

Glazer would become particularly prominent in the debate over race-based affirmative action, though in this case his opposition began not with data but with values. In his 1975 book Affirmative Discrimination, he wrote that we must reestablish the simple and clear understanding that rights attach to the individual, not the group, and that public policy must be exercised without distinction of race, color, or national origin. The view may have been shaped by Beyond the Melting Pot; Glazer clearly hoped that blacks would follow the other ethnic groups about which he and Moynihan had written, taking the path from modest occupations to the professions and the middle class.

But once again (and even more so in the 1987 edition of Affirmative Discrimination), Glazer turned to social-science research, this time highlighting what would become an almost cliched hallmark of social policy: unintended consequences. He closely parsed the evidence, much of which compared hiring in firms covered by affirmative action (such as federal contractors with contracts worth more than $50,000 and more than 50 employees) with hiring in firms not required to develop race-related hiring goals. A RAND Corporation report called Closing the Gap: Forty Years of Economic Progress for Blacks had concluded that affirmative action had at best . . . marginally altered black wage gains. Glazer quoted RANDs finding that affirmative action appeared to have attracted blacks to employers covered by its rulesleading less to improved black employment than to a radical reshuffling of black jobs in the labor force. . . . Black employment in the non-covered sector plummeted.

Such reliance on data and research would become the calling card of The Public Interest, the great neoconservative journal that Glazer coedited with Kristol for three decades after the departure of founding coeditor Daniel Bell. As James Q. Wilson has observed, it was a periodical predicated on the theory that it is a good idea to know more about proposed or enacted policies than can be inferred from an ideology or extracted from journalism. Head Start, for instance, may have a catchy name linked to a cause thats virtually impossible to oppose, but that doesnt mean that its effective in helping disadvantaged preschoolers get ready to learn.

The news about social policy, its worth noting, hasnt improved. A recent report by Isabel Sawhill and Jon Baron for the Coalition for Evidence-Based Policyan organization very much in the Glazer traditionobserved that yet another negative evaluation of Head Start (it has almost no effect on childrens cognitive, social-emotional, or health outcomes at the end of 1st grade) was the 10th instance since 1990 in which an entire federal social program has been evaluated using the scientific gold standard method of randomly assigning individuals to a program or control group. Nine of those evaluations found weak or no positive effects.

What makes Glazer so relevant today isnt merely his close reading of social-science data. One could well conclude, after all, that poor program evaluations merely highlight the need for better programsthat we should learn from our mistakes and keep tweaking. Glazers criticisms go a crucial step further: his doubt that social policies can succeed is rooted in a faith in traditional institutions that can only be called conservative.

A Glazer essay in the very first issue of The Public Interest, Paradoxes of American Poverty, signaled skepticism about the grandiosity of social policy, wherein radicals, liberals and even some conservatives call for a social and psychological revolution, requiring us to develop a completely different attitude to the casualties of industrial society, an attitude capable of reaching them and remaking them as human beings rather than simply providing better care. Glazer was especially concerned that such efforts tended to focus on individuals. We seem incapable of thinking in family terms, he wrote, despite the fact that familial loyalties were what allowed impoverished countriesfar, far poorer than our ownto manage with almost no system of public welfare at all.

This emerges as a key Glazer theme: that social policy must be evaluated not just in terms of its own stated goals but also in terms of its effects on a society rich in family and community institutions that serve as a foundation for happiness and achievement. Any social policy, he writes in Limits, must be judged against the simple reality that every piece of social policy substitutes for some traditional arrangement, whether good or bad, a new arrangement in which public authorities take over, at least in part, the role of the family, of the ethnic and neighborhood group, of voluntary associations. In doing so, Glazer continues, social policy weakens the position of these traditional agents and further encourages needy people to depend on the government for help rather than on the traditional structures. This is the basic force behind the ever growing demand for more social programs and their frequent failure to satisfy our hopes.

Glazer goes further still, asserting that the breakdown of traditional modes of behavior is the chief cause of our social problems. This means that it might often be better for government not to get involved in social policy at all. I am increasingly convinced, he writes, that some important part of the solution to our social problems lies in traditional practices and traditional restraints. Since the past is not recoverable, what guidance can this possibly give? It gives two forms of guidance: first, it counsels hesitation in the development of social policies that sanction the abandonment of traditional practices. Such a view recalls Moynihans much-maligned observation that benign neglect might help poor blacks more than the War on Poverty did. But Glazer also offers an alternative: Second, and perhaps more helpful, it suggests that the creation and building of new traditions, or new versions of old traditions, must be taken more seriously as a requirement of social policy itself.

The Glazerian status quo antethe sometimes informal institutions that we replace at our perilincludes the unplanned city and the architecture that it spawns. This interest is far from unrelated to Glazers unease with social policy; in fact, he understands urban planning as an aspect of such policy. In 2007, Glazer, who had served briefly in a federal housing agency back in the early 1960s, published From a Cause to a Style: Modernist Architectures Encounter with the American City. Modernist buildings began as a utopian cause, Glazer pointed outindeed, as social policy crafted by technocratic elites for the benefit of the working class. Glazer candidly remembers seeing a photo of a dozen blocks of tenements that had been razed to make way for housing projects: I recall, as a social-minded, and socialist, youth, looking at this picture, proud at what had been done, worried about how long it would take to clear away the surrounding sea of slums. But those tenements that survived, he continues, are now often more desirable not only to poor people but to middle-class people too. Glazer cites the East Harlem brownstones of his youth: No one has ever had a good word for this nondesign, this simple adaptation to market needsuntil we started destroying it. Then we discovered that the brownstones could provide good living quarters; . . . that the tenements, once the severe overcrowding was remedied, . . . also provided good living space.

These observations lead Glazer to questions that transcend architecture and again arrive at social policy. Why is it that the sophisticated intelligence of socially minded architects and planners didnt produce satisfactory environments for those with the least choice? Even worse: why is it . . . that environments built by commercial builders, trying to simply make a profit as best they could, so often beat out architects environments in terms of appeal to ordinary people? For Glazer, the architects and planners failure reflects their distance from, even lack of interest in, the lives and desires of those of modest means. He quotes Norman Denniss 1970 study of Sunderland, a city in England: As Edmund Burke said in another connection, the high level of satisfaction in areas like [the ones scheduled to be torn down] is the result of a choice not of one day or one set of people. . . . It is made by the peculiar circumstances, occasion, tempers, dispositions and moral, civil, and social habitudes of the people which disclose themselves only in a long period of time. 

Just as families and buildings risk harm from social policy, so too do nonprofit social-services organizations. In The Limits of Social Policy, Glazer makes clear that the sort of marriage between government and nonprofits that the Obama White House is pursuing may fundamentally change what makes the helping organizations of civil society so great. As an example, he points to the Meals on Wheels programs that bring food to elderly shut-ins. These programs were effective and cheap back when local charities ran them on their own. They are small, they rely on volunteers to cook and deliver the meals (often using their own cars and their own gasoline), they are sponsored by churches and other voluntary organizations, they depend on local contributions for the cost of food and whatever paid staff they use, they generally charge for the meals but provide them free for those who cannot afford to pay. All in all, a useful and economic service.

But then Congress voted to provide federal assistance to the programs. The result was a host of potential difficulties, including requirements that each service must provide more than one hundred meals daily, that they provide auxiliary social services to meals recipients, that they cooperate with area-wide comprehensive planning services for the elderly, that they train their staffs and send them to seminars provided by the Administration on Aging, . . . that they have full-time directors. Glazers concluding reflection can be applied to other programs as well: When one realizes that meals-on-wheels programs are small, use volunteers, are unacquainted with elaborate paperwork and regulations involved in qualifying for federal assistance, one sees the difficulties they will have in satisfying government regulations and in also remaining who they are. Governments seemingly benign endeavor to extend the reach of local social programs, then, is deeply hazardous.

It would be an oversimplification of Glazers work to say that he rules out the possibility of government programs improving the lives of the poor. As he put it in Joseph Dormans brilliant 1998 documentary Arguing the World: [When] I look at policies that are trying to improve welfare, I think you must keep on trying even if you have not had great success.

But when pressed about which policies are most worth trying, Glazer is apt to emphasize those that support the traditional familyincluding a male wage earneras the building block of upward mobility and community stability. Thats why he continues to underscore that the policy prescription of Moynihans groundbreaking 1965 report, The Negro Family: The Case for National Action, was a jobs program to provide work for black fathers and increase the likelihood of marriage and family formation. Glazer remains rueful that the uproar over the candid reportwhich clearly built on Beyond the Melting Pot and which he advised Moynihan about during long walks in Central Parkprevented the adoption of that prescription. As Glazer tells me now: I think then it would have worked. But . . . a lot has happened. There have been drug epidemics. There have been different kinds of social programs. . . . Theres been an undermining of those Southern black migrations to the North. In the early sixties, it was still a working migration, a migration of people who came to work. And now it is a population that has been affected by 40 years of programs and environments which have created a permanent, large workless population.

His focus on drawing the workless into work leads him to support some policies to which contemporary conservatives object, notably a European-style health-insurance system and the legislation commonly known as Obamacare. As Glazer sees it, the reform, by extending Medicaid to people more prosperous than those it currently covers, removes a disincentive to work harder and make more money. Our jobs for poor people are on the whole made very unattractive, he says. Compare that to Europe, where it isnt only immigrants who do poor jobs and where those jobs are much more attractive. Theyre more attractive because they include things like vacations. They include health care. The jobs dont include it, but health care comes anyway.

So Glazer remains open to government-sponsored social-insurance schemesbecause of his belief in work as a foundation for family life. Americans, he notes in The Limits of Social Policy, like to see government benefits assisting their own hard efforts, rather than simply maintaining others in failure. (See The Urban Crisis After 40 Years: An interview with Nathan Glazer.)

In the late 1990s, Glazer toyed with the idea that blacks exceptional situationan abiding preoccupation of his careermight mean that affirmative action and similar efforts were unavoidable.

That change of heart briefly made him a liberal hero. But in his most recent writing, he has returned to the view that there is no substitute for upward mobility achieved through hard work and solid families. In the July 2010 issue of The American Interest, he wrote: I believe the view is spreading that the improvement of the black condition must depend in greater degree on the work of blacks themselves. . . . Complex as it is, to frame a self-help policy narrative based on what is generally understood as the American immigrant path may be the best choice available: acceptance of how hard it is to get ahead in America, but recognition that ones efforts can and often will succeed. That approach, after all, does have the merit of being largely true.

Thats an insight to which our first African-American president should pay close attention as he tests again the limits of social policy.

Photo: KRIS SNIBBE/HARVARD STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Take a drive down West Cardinal Street until you get to the spot where all the trees have been cut down on either side and a wide brown swath 
UPDATE:

Elroy Jefferson was a 53-year-old black man who died January 19 from a gunshot wound at 7201 Hallshire Dr., Houston.

ORIGINAL STORY:

One man is dead and another is in the hospital after being shot in a disturbance about 8:30 p.m. Saturday in northeast Houston.

Houston police said an unknown suspect or suspects shot the two men outside of an apartment complex near Crofton and Hallshire.

One man was in a white pickup truck and the other was a pedestrian who have been an innocent bystander, said Detective John Pickett with HPD homicide.

"One was on foot. He appeared to be just walking around and got shot from the gunfire," Pickett said.

The detective said police were reviewing nearby surveillance video and waiting on test results from crime scene investigators.

If you have any information regarding this case, call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
Constable Sherman Eagleton said that the 20 minutes that he was allotted was not enough time.

He had to boil down two years of initiatives into less than half an hour.

Eagleton, the Harris County Precinct 3 Constable, spent the most time on the development of a Crime Interdiction Unit during his talk at the Crosby-Huffman Chamber of Commerces luncheon on Jan. 17.

A member of the unit announced that in the year and a half that it has been operative, they have made 240 arrests, seized three pounds of marijuana, 145 pounds of meth, and 45 pounds of heroin.

That was just something that was real dear to me, Eagleton said. I grew up in the precinct (in the Crosby/Barrett Station Area), and those were things that I knew were a problem that has existed for years. So I decided I want to do something about it.

Eagleton also talked about a program that checks in on elderly people and people with disabilities.

He said the precinct has hired 21 additional deputies in a restructuring at no added expense to taxpayers.

With all this stuff going on, if you dont get out and let the people know whats going on, youre not showing them that we do care about the community. And we are making sure that the community is a safe place to get out and enjoy yourself. The guys have been working very hard and Im proud of every one of them.

Eagleton mentioned that the Texas Police Chiefs Association gave Precinct 3 its Recognized Law Enforcement Agency Award for going above and beyond basic requirements. Harris County Precinct 3 is the fourth constables office in the state of Texas to receive this recognition.

Our goal is to improve quality of life in our community, Eagleton summarized.

Representatives from the Harris County Sheriffs Office were also present.

One of the things we look forward to doing is establishing relationships, said Jacqueline Fortune, Director of Community Services for the sheriffs office. The only way we can fight crime is to come together as a community, and I feel that this community out here and this area is very important, not only to the constables office but to the sheriffs office as well. I know that Sheriff Ed Gonzalez is very passionate about having the community involved. We want to involve not only our community members, but our chambers of commerce and businesses.

elliott.lapin@hearst.com
Jason Momoa, the superhero star from Aquaman, will return to San Antonio for the 2019 Celebrity Fan Fest, according to a news release from PMX events.

Momoa, who was in the Alamo City for the inaugural festival last year, will be back this year's event, which will run between June 14 and 16. He will be joined by other celebrities who will be announced in the coming weeks.
A Galveston hospital will be treating patients who were burned in a deadly pipeline explosion Friday in a small town in Mexico.

A spokesman for Shriners Hospital for Children in Galveston confirmed that the hospital would be receiving patients injured in the massive fireball that has so far killed at least 73 people and injured 74 others.

"We are in communication with the Consulate General of Mexico in Houston and with the Michou y Mau Foundation in Mexico regarding the victims of this explosion," said Mel Bower, a spokesman for Shriners Hospital for Children. "Hospitals in Mexico are triaging and treating the children and adults burned in this accident. Shriners Hospitals for Children will be receiving patients who need our care."

NIGHTMARE OF ASH: Death toll climbs in Mexico pipeline blast

The Associated Press reported that the explosion was caused by a leak in an illegal pipeline tap in the small town of Tlahuelilpan, about 62 miles north of Mexico City.

Fuel theft gangs have reportedly drilled illegal taps into oil pipelines 12,581 times in the first 10 months of 2018, an average of about 42 per day. Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said that fuel thieves have stolen more than $3 billion worth of fuel in the last year to sell on the black market.

Shriners Hospital for Children has ample experience treating international burn victims. In June, the hospital airlifted seven severely burned patients from a volcano explosion in Guatemala that would benefit from its state-of-the-art facility in Galveston.

The hospital has a multidisciplinary burn unit that includes surgery, treatment, rehabilitation and psychological support.

Nick Powell covers Galveston County for the Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter and send him tips at nick.powell@chron.com
A bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers is seeking to strengthen the ties of the U.S. energy sector to Mexico even as the political battle over the border wall partially shut down the federal government.

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, has filed House Resolution 132, which seeks to boost U.S. funding for the North American Development Bank, or NADBank, and give the binational financial institution authority to fund cross-border natural gas pipelines and natural gas-fired power plants.

Created shortly after the North American Free Trade Agreement took effect in 1994, NADBank is jointly funded by the United States and Mexico to finance public works such as water, sewer and transportation systems. Given the level of oil and natural gas development taking place in the Eagle Ford Shale of South Texas and Permian Basin of West Texas, Cuellar contends that adding natural gas projects to the banks portfolio is logical.

As Texas continues to be a world leader in natural gas production, it is imperative that we find ways to meet surging global demand, Cuellar said in a statement. The North American Development Bank has been a cost-effective investment for American taxpayers and has helped fund various environmental and water infrastructure projects on our southern border.

Cuellar has found allies among three border congressmen who are co-sponsoring the bill: Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes; Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville; and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Edinburg. Hurd, whose district stretches from San Antonio to the suburbs of El Paso and includes hundreds of miles along the border, explained that NADBank has already financed numerous projects in his district, but adding natural gas would support further development.

Supply and demand

NADBank has a proven record of stimulating local economies by bringing together public and private entities and funding projects, Hurd said in a statement. With the current energy boom in West Texas, NADBank has an unprecedented opportunity to leverage their experience in a thriving sector that will result allow investments to have a tremendous impact across the 23rd District of Texas.

Headquartered in San Antonio, NADBank has provided $2.42 billion in loans and grants over the last 24 years for 167 projects, including wind and solar energy developments. Most of the solar and wind projects generate electricity for customers on their respective sides of the border, but that is changing.

In 2014, for example, NADBank agreed to provide a $39.1 million loan for the Energia Sierra Juarez Wind Farm in Baja California, which supplies electricity to San Diego Gas & Electric on the American side of the border.

At the same time, Mexicos appetite for natural gas has grown significantly over the past few years as it switches its power plants from coal and oil to cleaner-burning natural gas. Facing sagging domestic production, Mexico has turned to United States, where shale drilling has produced record volumes of natural gas. U.S. natural gas exports to Mexico have more than tripled since 2012 with customers south of the border now importing more than 6 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, according to the U.S. Energy Department.

Over the past few years, Mexico's Federal Electricity Commission issued a number of contracts that have boosted the number of cross-border natural gas pipelines to feed power plants. Operators such as Kinder Morgan, Enbridge, NET Midstream and Howard Energy Partners have all built natural gas pipelines to destinations in Mexico. Cuellar believes that giving NADBank the authority to fund natural gas projects will further strengthen those cross-border business ties.

These projects will continue to boost cross-border energy distribution and energy security between the United States and Mexico, Cuellar said.

sergio.chapa@chron.com

twitter.com/sergiochapa
Why al-Shabaab targets Kenya, and what can be done to stop attacks

Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the terror attack in Nairobi in which scores of people were killed and injured. The question the terror attack raises is why the group continues to target Kenya. Brendon J Cannon, from the Institute of International & Civil Security at Khalifa University, and Martin Plaut, from the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the School of Advanced Study, share their thoughts.

What is Al-Shabaab?

Brendon Cannon: Al-Shabaab is an Islamist terror group formed in Somalia in the first decade of this century. Its original leadership was affiliated with Al-Qaeda, having trained and fought in Afghanistan.

Al-Shabaab was originally dedicated to removing foreign influence from Somalia and bringing a strict form of Islamic governance to the country. At the height of its power, around 2008-2010, it controlled the capital, Mogadishu, and a sizeable territory south and west of the capital, including the ports of Merca and Kismayo.

Initially, al-Shabaab was a fairly hierarchical organisation and one, that despite ideological and tactical differences, was largely consolidated under Ahmed Abdi Godane aka Mukhtar Abu Zubair, the leader of the group when it attacked Westgate in 2013.

After his death in 2014, al-Shabaab has reportedly fragmented. This may partially explain the atomised group's twin focus of attacks on both Somalia and Kenya. That is, Kenyan fighters trained by and loosely affiliated with al-Shabaab appear to be responsible for at least some of the attacks perpetrated in Kenya, particularly in the country's northeast.

What's its motive for attacking Kenya?

Brendon Cannon: The group began attacking targets outside Somalia in 2007. Its first attack on Kenyan soil was in 2008. The Kenyan government responded with force. In 2011, to "protect national security", the country's defence forces entered southern Somalia to create a buffer zone between al-Shabaab held territories and Kenya. In the process, the Kenyan forces captured the port of Kismayo and quickly joined troops from the African Union Mission in Somalia in battling al-Shabaab.

Al-Shabaab publicly states its attacks are in retaliation to the Kenya Defence Force's incursion in Somalia. It also justifies them for nebulous reasons associated with international jihad.

But it's also motivated to attack Kenya because of the benefits vis-a-vis recruitment and fundraising that are a partial byproduct of international press coverage. That is, front page news of the group's attacks in Kenya inadvertently provides an outlet for al-Shabaab to showcase its attacks with few filters and to exploit such media stories in its own propaganda. The results of the deadly carnage often serve as prime recruiting tools in terms of foot soldiers and funding.

It also launches attacks because it can. The group has been able to exploit the absence of a strong government in Somalia and the 682 kilometre long porous border between it and Kenya for a number of years.

Since 2011 the group has lost territory in Somalia. Nevertheless, it continues to maintain the capabilities and is intent on inflicting significant damage in Somalia and Kenya. The attacks in Somalia have typically been small-scale, targeting the military and police. There have been some large incidents. For example in 2017 at least 300 people were killed when a truck packed with explosives detonated in the centre of Mogadishu.

Martin Plaut: The Kenyan invasion of Somalia in 2011 was undertaken for understandable reasons. But the decision to go ahead was taken against the advice of its international friends  including the US and its neighbour Ethiopia. The Kenyan army has attempted to establish Jubaland, partitioning the regions of Gedo, Lower Juba and Middle Juba from the rest of Somalia. It has met with little success.

This attempt to prevent al-Shabaab from establishing itself on the Kenyan border has become a mission too far, posing questions about how long it can be sustained and at what cost.

Why Kenya more than other frontline states?

Brendon Cannon: As highlighted in one of my recent articles, Kenya is attacked far more than Ethiopia or other eastern African states. This is because of highly rational reasons that are based on cost-benefit analyses and the presence of ample opportunities.

Kenya has high international visibility and its relatively free and independent media widely publicises terrorist attacks. Another factor is that Kenya has developed a lucrative tourist sector which provides soft targets.

Additional advantages are that there are a high number of Kenyan-born fighters within the group's ranks that possess local knowledge. This has helped al-Shabaab perform attacks and maintain terror cells in Kenya. An expanding democratic space and high levels of corruption also mean that the group is able to exploit the country's governance weaknesses when it comes to security.

All these variables help al-Shabaab plan and execute terrorist acts while fulfilling the group's quest to survive by maintaining relevance.

What is your assessment of Kenya's immediate response?

Brendon Cannon Reports on the latest incident are still fragmented. But, it seems that in terms of security there has been some progress since the Garissa University attack in 2015 and the attack on the Westgate Mall in 2013.

The response of Kenyan security forces, particularly the General Service Unit  a paramilitary wing in the National Police Service of Kenya  seem to have been timely and relatively effective.

The sad truth is that coordinated attacks  replete with suicide bombers, as well as heavily armed and motivated terrorists against relatively soft targets  are extremely difficult to thwart. No matter how professional and robust the security.

Martin Plaut: As Murithi Mutiga, of the International Crisis Group, has pointed out, previous attacks have seen Kenyan reprisals against its Muslim population. The authorities responded with blanket arrests of Muslims and indiscriminate crackdowns aimed at ethnic Somalis. This inflamed tensions and made matters worse. It's vitally important that this mistake isn't repeated. Only by uniting can Kenyans defeat the threat posed by these terrorist attacks.

What can Kenya do to address this menace?

Brendon Cannon: As terrible as this attack is, it's worth noting that major commercial areas and tourist hubs have largely avoided attacks by al-Shabaab since 2013 - until yesterday. This is all the more surprising because elements within al-Shabaab remain motivated and possess the capabilities to continue attacking Kenya.

I question the rationale of some politicians who advocate the Kenyan Defence Force's withdrawal from Somalia as a way for Kenya to avoid attacks. After all, al-Shabaab attacked Kenya multiple times prior to 2011 when the KDF entered Somalia.

Moving forward, Kenya must attempt to tighten border control mechanisms, broadcast state power throughout the entire Kenyan landmass and re-energise its fight against al-Shabaab in Somalia: a fight that has slowed significantly since 2015.

This is a Herculean task and one that Kenya's government and security professionals, given the nature and type of threat, should be commended for doing quite well since 2013.

Martin Plaut: Kenyans need to be patient and tolerant  to build links between their communities and to face the threat together. At the same time there needs to be a serious reassessment of Kenya's role inside Somalia. There is little indication that al-Shabaab can be defeated by outside powers, even if it can be weakened.

The Somali government has failed repeatedly, most recently in preventing Mukhtar Robow, the former spokesman for al-Shabaab, from participating in elections. When the manner in which Robow was treated and was raised by the United Nation's chief representative, Nicholas Haysom, he was declared persona non-grata, effectively expelling him from Somalia.

Brendon J. Cannon, Assistant Professor of International Security, Institute of International & Civil Security (IICS), Khalifa University and Martin Plaut, Senior Research Fellow, Horn of Africa and Southern Africa, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, School of Advanced Study This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
'We have a strong bond,' say Catholic and Anglican leaders in England

Catholic and Anglican leaders in England have expressed their ongoing commitment to dialogue after meeting for their biennial conference last week.

The Archbishop of Birmingham, the Most Rev Bernard Longley said the meeting in Leicester, held over January 16 and 17, 'highlighted how very far we have come in our fraternal discussions in the past 50 years'.

'We have a strong bond, we are dealing with the same problems which we must continue to tackle in our different ways and support each other in our love for Christ and His flock,' he said.

'This meeting has been frank and realistic. I am both encouraged and strengthened by this sincere dialogue and our friendship as brothers and sisters in Christ. We journey onwards in hope - we have so much in common - in this drama of redemption.'

In total, 27 Anglican bishops and 27 Catholic bishops attended the conference to pray and reflect together on areas of disagreement as well as opportunities for collaboration at a regional and national level.

Those in attendance included the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, and the leader of the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby.

The delegates also spent some time reflecting on Walking Together On The Way, the most recent document to have been issued by the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) last July.

Walking Together On the Way was underpinned by the idea of 'receptive learning' in which the two Churches acknowledge the presence of the Holy Spirit in the other and recognise areas of mutual learning.

ARCIC members Dr Paula Gooder and Professor Paul Murray led the bishops in the time of reflection during which they considered the life of their global communions and the differences and similiarities between the Church structures.

In addition to ongoing Anglican-Catholic dialogue, the two Churches discussed matters of importance to the nation, including the UK's relationship with the EU which has been made uncertain by Brexit.

Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, Bishop of Ripon, welcomed the opportunity to meet with Catholic leaders: 'This 24 hour period has been a highly stimulating and honest time of sharing: prayer, fellowship, laughter and mutual support.

'I would like to think that the body of Christ has been enriched by this time and look forward to other opportunities to engage together.'

The meeting ended the day before Christians around the world kicked off the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on January 18, which this year takes as its inspiration Deuteronomy 16:18-20, 'Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue...'
Poorest will be hurt the most by climate change, says Bishop of Dudley

The Bishop of Dudley has warned that the world's poorest people stand to lose the most as a result of climate change after the World Economic Forum (WEF) said it was the greatest threat facing the world.

While the latest risk report from the WEF includes geopolitical and economic challenges, it is the third year in a row that climate change has topped the list of dangers to the planet.

In its latest report, the WEF said that 'extreme weather' resulting from climate change was the greatest risk to the world at present, but even second and third place are given over to other climate change challenges - specifically, the failure of mitigation and the threat of natural disasters.

Bishop Graham Usher, who is a member of the Church of England's Environmental Working Group, said the report was 'significant' as he warned that those living in the most deprived areas were set to bear the brunt of climate change.

'It is significant that the threats posed by climate change have been recognised by the world's top economic experts,' he said.

'While this report serves to strengthen calls for urgent action to protect and sustain God's creation, it also highlights the peril of inactivity and delay, which particularly places the economically poorest people in our world at risk of devastating consequences.'

Last October, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) made a 'final call' for urgent action to stop global temperatures rising above 1.5C.

Scientists warned in the IPCC report that if the world stays on its current trajectory of a 3C increase in temperatures, it will cause a catastrophic rise in the global sea levels and threaten staple food crops.

At the time, the Bishop of Salisbury, the Rt Rev Nicholas Holtam, urged the UK government to commit to a target of net zero emissions by 2050, saying that the danger posed by climate change was now 'critical'.

'Extreme weather events happen with increasing frequency, and the poorest are most vulnerable to the impact of climate change which affects us all,' he said.

'For Christians, striving to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustaining and renewing the life of the earth is at the heart of what we believe. We have a narrow window now to act if we are to protect God's creation for generations to come  as individuals, communities and as a global family.'
How to break free from the feeling of 'if only'

The widest river in the world is not the Mississippi, Amazon, or Nile. The widest river on earth is a body of water called If Only.

Throngs of people stand on its banks and cast longing eyes over the waters. They long to cross but can't seem to find the ferry. They are convinced the If Only River separates them from the good life.

If only I were thinner, I'd have the good life.

If only I were richer, I'd have the good life.

If only the kids would come. If only the kids were gone. If only I could leave home, move home, get married, get divorced.

If only my skin were clear of pimples, my calendar free of people, my profession immune to layoffs, then I would have the good life.

The If Only River.

This Thanksgiving, are you standing on its shore? Does it seem that the good life is always one if only away? One purchase away? One promotion away? One election, transition, or romance away?

If so, then we've traced your anxiety back to one of its sources. You're in a hurry to cross the river and worried that you never will. Consequently, you work long hours, borrow more money, take on new projects, and pile on more responsibilities. Stress. Debt. Short nights. Long days. All part of the ticket cost to the land of the good life, right?

Not exactly, opined the Apostle Paul. The good life begins, not when circumstances change, but when our attitude toward them does. Look again at his antidote for anxiety. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6).

Paul embedded two essential words into the verse that deserve special attention: with thanksgiving. Sprinkled among the phrases of Help me... Please give me... Won't you show me... are two wonderful words Thank you.

Gratitude is a mindful awareness of the benefits of life. It is the greatest of virtues. Studies have linked the emotion with a variety of positive effects. Grateful people tend to be more empathetic and forgiving of others. People who keep a gratitude journal are more likely to have a positive outlook on life. Grateful individuals demonstrate less envy, materialism and self-comparison. Thankfulness improves self-esteem, enhances relationships, quality of sleep, and longevity.

If it came in pill form, gratitude would be deemed the miracle cure. It's no wonder, then, that, God's anxiety therapy includes a large, delightful dollop of gratitude.

Gratitude leads us off the river bank of "if only" and escorts us into the fertile valley of "already." The anxious heart says, "Lord, if only I had this, that, or the other, I'd be ok." The grateful heart says, "Oh, look! You've already given me this, that, and the other. Thank you, God."

On Thanksgiving, as you gather around a table with friends and family, instead of looking at what you don't have, look at your blessings.

Do you see any friends? Family? Do you see any grace from God? Love of God? Do you see any gifts? Abilities or talents? Skills?

As you look at your blessings, take note of what happens. Anxiety grabs his bags and slips out the back door. Worry refuses to share the heart with gratitude. One heartfelt "thank you" will suck the oxygen out of worry's world. So say it often. Focus more on what you do have and less on what you don't.

Years ago I lived on a houseboat that was docked on the Miami River in Miami, Florida. The level of the river would rise and fall with the tide. It rocked back and forth with the river traffic. But though the level changed and the boat rocked, it never drifted. Why? Because the boat was securely anchored.

What about you?

Anchor your heart to the character of God. Your boat will rock. Moods will come and go. Situations will fluctuate and change. But will you be left adrift on the Atlantic of despair? No, for you have found a contentment that endures the storm.

No more if only. It is the petri dish in which anxiety thrives. Replace your if only with already. Look what you already have. Treat each anxious thought with a grateful one and prepare yourself for a new day of joy.

This article originally appeared on MaxLucado.com and is re-published here with permission
How dare Karen Pence be a Christian!

How utterly brazen. How shameless. How bigoted. How inexcusable and unjustifiable. The wife of the Vice President of the United States is a committed Christian who  perish the thought  teaches at a Christian school. What has become of our nation?

Worse still, this Christian school actually holds to Christian principles.

Is there a more serious crime she could have committed?

Of course the nation is outraged. This is a frontal assault on one of today's most sacred political cows. Religious faith (specifically, Bible-based, Christian faith) can have no connection with the public square. We must have freedom from religion  that is, from religion that has any real connection to the Bible.

Had Karen Pence been a liberal (or, "progressive") Christian, there would be no problem.

So-called progressive Christianity has exchanged the values of the world for the values of the Word. That's why the world  meaning, secular society, worldly society  loves progressive Christianity.

As Jesus said to His disciples, "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you" (John 15:18-19).

But because Mrs. Pence helps out at a school with biblically-Christian standards, there has been a near-hysterical breakdown in the media.

The FRC's Tony Perkins cited these headlines in a January 17 email:

"Karen Pence teaching art at school that bans gay students, parents" (CNN)

"Vice-president's wife, Karen Pence to teach at anti-LGBT school" (BBC News)

"Karen Pence Is Teaching at Christian School That Bars L.G.B.T. Students and Teachers" (NY Times)

In reality, as Perkins explains, "The truth is that Karen, like other Christians faithful to the Bible, believes sexual conduct outside of the marriage of a man and woman is contrary to God's plan. This attack on Mrs. Pence is more evidence of the growing intolerance, if not outright hostility toward biblical truth and those who live by that truth, especially those who hold positions in the public square. The message being sent is quite clear: (1) Biblical faith and adherence must be checked at the door of public service (which is a reverse religious test), and (2) Those who hold to these 'antiquated' views should be relegated to the margins of society."

He is not exaggerating.

Writing from the perspective of an Orthodox Jew (and with typical sarcasm), Ben Shapiro tweeted, "BREAKING: Pence's wife is working for a Christian school that requires that Christian students pledge to abide by Christian standards of sin that have not changed in 2,000 years."

Oh, the horror!

Matt Walsh, the conservative Catholic blogger, said this: "The Left is once again shocked to learn that the Pences are Christian. It seems they learn this fact anew every few months or so and are freshly outraged every time it dawns on them. The epiphany happened again this week when Mike Pence's wife, Karen, got a job at a Christian private school. This has elicited many outraged headlines across the mainstream media, and many shocked and appalled tweets and so on."

He continues, "Of course, the stated reason for the outrage is not that Karen Pence, a Christian, is working for Immanuel Christian School, a Christian school, but that the school bans openly gay teachers and does not admit openly gay students. It also prohibits all other forms of sexually immoral conduct, including premarital sex. Teachers are required to officially affirm the Biblical position on all of these subjects."

In other words, in keeping with clear biblical principles, principles which have never been questioned until recently (in the aftermath of the sexual revolution), practicing homosexuals are considered immoral. As such, they are prohibited from teaching at a Christian school or studying at a Christian school. (As Walsh notes, the same holds true for other, willful forms of conduct that violate God's standards.)

Is this really news? Is it that big of a shock? Just because the world has changed, does that mean God's Word has changed? Just because many professing "Christians" have decided that they know better than the Scriptures, does that mean that the Lord now follows human opinion? Seriously?

And here's another shocker. If this was a traditional Muslim school, non-Muslims would be banned. And heterosexual teens who were having sex would be banned.

And if this was a traditional Jewish school, Christian kids would not be permitted to study there, nor would kids who were getting drunk and doing drugs.

Or perhaps that's not so shocking.

After all, we expect traditional Muslims to be, well, traditional Muslims.

And we expect traditional Jews to be, well, traditional Jews.

And I'm not so sure there would be outrage if the spouse of a Muslim political leader in America taught at a traditional Muslim school. Or the spouse of a Jewish political leader at a traditional Jewish school.

The outrage is over any connection between the historic Christian faith  the dominant, oppressive religion of America!  and the public square. Such a connection must be severed at once.

That's why the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) is furious with incoming governor Bill Lee and the state of Tennessee. He dares to have a Christian worship service on the day of his inauguration!

The FFRF wrote to him, "As a private citizen you may, of course, attend any religious functions you like. But the federal and state constitutions dictate that you as governor may not insert religious rituals into government-sponsored events, including your inauguration."

So Lee, who defeated his Democrat opponent by a whopping 20 percentage points (59 to 39 percent), and who campaigned openly as a committed Christian, must now keep his faith out of the public square.

Yes, as this foundation so plainly states, the goal is freedom from religion.

Thank God that Karen Pence and Bill Lee didn't get the memo.

And thank God that our Founders didn't get it either.

In the famous words of John Adams, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

We do not check that morality and that religion at the door when we are elected to public office, nor do our family members.

Mrs. Pence, we are with you!

This article originally appeared on Ask Dr Michael Brown and is re-published here with permission
'Fund the wall and give us DACA,' say evangelical leaders after Trump offers deal to end government shutdown

Evangelical leaders in the US are urging the Democrats to consider Donald Trump's DACA offer to end the government shutdown.

After weeks of stalemate, Trump offered to extend protections for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals - children who were brought to the US illegally and face deportation, also known as Dreamers.

In exchange for $5.7bn to build his promised wall along the border with Mexico, they would be given protection from deportation for three years and permits to work.

In a White House speech on Saturday, Trump said he wanted to 'break the logjam' with Congress, which has left hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed without pay since December 22 - the longest federal government shutdown in US history.

'Both sides in Washington must simply come together,' he said, before adding that 'walls are not immoral, in fact they are the opposite of immoral because they will save many lives'.

Democrats have already signalled that they will reject the offer. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said it was a 'non-starter' and a 'compilation of several previously rejected initiatives, each of which is unacceptable and in total, do not represent a good faith effort to restore certainty to people's lives'.

Rev Samuel Rodriguez, the leader of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), expressed support for the offer but not without some caveats as he said that a permanent solution was needed for Dreamers rather than a 'temporary fix'.

'While we commend the spirit of the president's latest effort to end the government shutdown, we at the NHCLC must continue to insist upon a permanent DACA solution for a permanent wall,' he said.

'A temporary fix will only prolong an already untenable situation and kick the can still further down the road. A practice that has proved counterproductive, ineffective and inhumane for more than three decades, and in fact, led to the current crisis in the first place. We can and we must do better.

'While this offer falls short, we also applaud the president and recognize that it represents progress and forward momentum.

'We strongly urge the Democratic leadership in Congress to swiftly propose a counteroffer that both secures the futures of America's Dreamers and secures our southern border at the same time.

'As we've already publicly declared during this shutdown: Fund the wall and give us DACA.'

Jentezen Franklin, the senior pastor Free Chapel, in Gainesville, Georgia, also said he wanted Republicans and Democrats to 'build the wall and give us DACA' as he called on both parties to 'stop political posturing'.

'Today, President Trump has gone way beyond halfway in agreeing to extend deportation protections to Dreamers for three years,' he said.

'He also placed in his proposal many ideas originally proposed by Democrats, showing that he is listening. The president just wants common sense protection on the southern border that includes a barrier and humanitarian support, something everybody said they wanted just a few years ago.

'It's time to stop the political posturing and support the president's proposal for common sense protection and humanitarian aid.'
Facebook bringing in new rules to govern how employees can talk about religion

A new rulebook is reportedly coming into force at Facebook to govern the way workers at the company can discuss religion and politics.

Business Insider said the details of the policy were contained in a leaked memo from the social media platform's chief technology officer Mike Schroepfer.

The new rules apparently forbid employees from trying to change other workers' religious or political beliefs, use harassing speech or bully others.

Mr Schroepfer is reported to have said in the internal memo, sent on Monday, that 'a set of ground rules for open and respectful communication at work, and a central moderation model' had been developed by the company.

The rules largely regulate how staff at the company can use Workplace, Facebook's app for employees to connect, collaborate on projects and keep up to date with company goings-on.

'We're keeping it simple with three main guidelines: Don't insult, bully, or antagonize others,' he is claimed to have said.

'Don't try to change someone's politics or religion. Don't break our rules about harassing speech and expression.'

Facebook spokesman Anthony Harrison insisted in a statement to Business Insider that the rules were not intended to stifle 'openness' or creativity within the company but rather to ensure that internal communication is 'respectful'.

Reported posts will be looked at by a trained moderator, Mr Schroepfer added in the memo, although he did not disclose details of what actions would be taken if a post was determined to have been disrespectful.

'These guidelines apply to all work communications including Workplace, email, chat, tasks, posters, whiteboards, chalkboards, and face-to-face,' Mr Schroepfer wrote.

'Since Workplace is where most of these discussions happen, we are investing engineering resources there.

'We are making it easier to report posts and comments, and those reports will go straight to a trained moderator who'll moderate as needed. We're also developing more tools to help proactively.'

Facebook's workplace culture came under the spotlight last year when one of its former engineers, Brian Amerige, started an internal message group called FB'ers for Political Diversity.

Amerige, a conservative who later left the company, complained of a 'political monoculture that's intolerant of different views'.

According to the Independent, over a hundred employees joined the group.
Christians worldwide urged to sign letter thanking family of Muslim man who died saving churchgoers

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Christians around the world are being urged to sign a letter to the loved ones of a Muslim police officer who sacrificed his life to save hundreds of churchgoers in Egypt.

Persecution watchdog group International Christian Concern published the letter online Wednesday, addressed to the family of Major Mustafa Abid, who was killed on duty on Jan. 5.

Abid, along with other officers, was responding to a bomb discovered on the roof of the Virgin Mary and Father Seifin Church in Nasr City, near Cairo, when it detonated and killed him, injuring three others.

The incident took place a day before the Coptic Christian Christmas Eve, and as International Christian Concern noted, fears are that hundreds of Christians, including children, would have been killed if the expositions had gone off as planned.

By signing onto this letter, I wish to express my highest praise, deepest gratitude, and heartfelt sympathy for your injuries and loss incurred while following your conscience and your duty on Jan. 5, 2019. Your actions ensured that hundreds of Egyptian men, women, and children were not unjustly murdered during a deadly attack on the Virgin Mary and Father Seifin Church," begins the letter which is also addressed to members of the bomb squad.

"I wish to thank the members of the bomb squad and various police officers who put themselves in danger for the sake of others. I pray for complete healing for all who were injured. I also join in mourning with the family of Major Mustafa Abid and express my heartfelt sorrow for your tragic loss, it continues.

The Bible says, Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends. I believe that Major Abids actions demonstrated that kind of love, and I honor him for it.

In a press release, International Christian Concern said it's rare that advocates for the persecuted Church have the opportunity to thank those who go against the status quo and risk their reputations, livelihoods, and in this case their lives, to protect Christians.

The actions of Major Abid, General Mansour, the other members of the Nasr City bomb squad, as well as Imam Askar, give us such an opportunity, International Christian Concern said.

If they had not moved quickly, the roof of the church would surely have collapsed from the force of the explosion, resulting in a massive number of deaths of Christians at the church and Muslims attending the mosque next door.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi meanwhile observed a moment of silence for Abid at the inauguration of the countrys biggest cathedral, the Nativity of Christ, on the Coptic Christmas Eve on Jan. 6.

Sisi insisted that all Egyptians are united against terror.

"We are one and we will continue to be one," Sisi said as he celebrated the opening of the nearby Al-Fattah Al-Alim mosque.

"This moment is very important in our history," he added, reflecting on the joint opening of the two houses of worship.
Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Virtue signaling is becoming Americas favorite pastime. It doesnt take action, just a large ad budget to show the world you believe in something trendy.

Gillette, maker of razors that tear my face apart, has embraced the #MeToo movement and launched an ad to tell menall mento be better. Never mind Gillettes parent company, Procter & Gamble (P&G), has funded toxic masculinity on networks that reek of it like MTV and BET. Ten years ago P&G executives wanted to know from the public if they should act morally and withdraw their ad dollars from those two networks which are still drenched in sex, violence and profanity. They needed a poll to see if they should act responsibly?

The constant attacks on men (straight men) is deliberate and dangerous. While social reengineers want to pretend that women and men are interchangeable, nothing goads a fake feminist (and her allied corporate entities) like masculinity. Toxic feminism sees men as the enemy. It sees all men as abusers. It constantly imagines a world without them. In todays warped sense of feminism, men can do no right, and women can do no wrong.

One of the most destructive forms of (actual) toxic masculinity is when men reject their responsibilities as fathers, abandoning the life they helped to create. Toxic masculinity is doing nothing to stop the most defenseless from being bullied and killed by the leading source of toxic feminismPlanned Parenthood. Not to mention, the majority of abortionistswho profit by reducing humans to mere objectshave always beenmen. Yet P&G (headquartered in Cincinnati) funds, through the Greater Cincinnati Foundation it co-founded, the violence of abortion. In the latest reported year, P&G empowered Planned Parenthoods abortion business with $333,665 in donations; thats $315,815 to Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio and another $17,850 to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. (Go to 2ndvote.com to find out where corporate America funnels its charitable money). It also gave a massive $865,225 to another population control entity, Population Services International, which heavily pushes abortion in poor countries.

People might argue, but they also fund good organizations like the Salvation Army, schools, museums and World Vision. If someone offered you a plate of delicious food, but 3% of it was tainted with toxic sewage, would you be praising the meal? No amount of beneficence makes up for the fact that you help fund the destruction of innocent human beings. What if just one of their recipients were the KKK? Would anyone argue that it doesnt matter? Considering Planned Parenthood kills more black lives in 2 weeks than the KKK did in a century, it should matter. (FYI: Planned Parenthoods founder, boasted in her autobiography about speaking at a KKK meeting, and many others like it. One of her most prominent Birth Control Leaguewhich was renamed Planned ParenthoodBoard members, Lothrop Stoddard, was an exalted cyclops in the KKK. His deeply racist 1921 book, The Rising Tide of Color Against White World Supremacy, inspired the wretched NAZIS. So, theres that.)

In an effort to push a false sense of gender equality, Procter & Gamble makes the claim in a 2017 ad: Households dont care who head them. Well, ad agencies may affirm that, but reality doesnt. Those in poverty care. According to the US Census Bureau, only 5.6% of households with intact families (married mother and father) are below the poverty line. Among householders headed by a single father, 13.1% are below the poverty line. Single-mother led homes are five times more likely to be in poverty than intact married homes and twice as likely as single-father households, with 26.6% below the poverty line.

Im all about real equality, from conception until death. As a father of two fearless princess warriors, I pray I show them every day that a man can be masculine, protective, loving, encouraging, vulnerable and unthreatened by a brilliant and strong women (their mama is exactly that). Im tired of progressives thinking they have to demonize men in order to elevate women. We have no choice but to coexist. Literally, neither of us can exist without the other.

In a #TalkAboutBias ad P&G created to talk about race, it showed its own bias. In an ad where black parents are discussing racism with their children over several decades, fathers are only seen, not heard. Its a world where men, apparently, have nothing to offer.

In a day and age when social justice warriors talk about the marginalized, they marginalize. When progressives talk about ending abuse, they abuse. When corporations give lip service to equality, they oftenlike P&Gfund the most violent form of inequality.

So, Gillette, #TheBestMenCanBe is far beyond your political hashtag. Can some men do better? Absolutely. Can some women do better? Absolutely. There are many men who protect the vulnerable, who teach their children that bullying is for the weak, who treat women with respect, who impart integrity and spiritual character, and dont fit the stereotype youre foisting onto all men. There are things more toxic than (leftist) societal perceptions of acceptable masculinity. And we see it in the nearly 1 million killed a year by an industry supported by your donations. Or, does that truth cut like a razor?

Originally posted at TheRadianceFoundation.org.
Trump's DACA-border deal dismissed by Democrats, gets mixed reactions from Christian leaders

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

President Trump's new deal to extend DACA protections in exchange for border security was swiftly rejected by Democrats and has received mixed reactions from Christian leaders.

The proposal outlined by the president at the White House Saturday  just minutes after he held a Naturalization Ceremony in the Oval Office for five new American citizens and their families  includes a three-year extension of former President Obamas temporary DACA protections for current recipients. DACA extensions would cover 700,000 people who are now 38 years old and younger who were brought to the U.S. illegally when they were teenagers or young children. They would receive Social Security numbers, work permits, and be protected from deportation.

Similarly, Trumps proposal would extend Temporary Protected Status to 300,000 immigrants whose protected status is set to expire.

Trump did not relent on his request for $5.7 billion from Congress for a steel slat barrier between portions of the U.S. and Mexico border, emphasizing that it would "not be a 2,000 mile concrete structure from sea to sea."

"Much of the border is already protected by natural barriers, such as mountains and water. We already have many miles of barrier including 115 miles that we are building or are under contract," he said. "Our request will add another 230 miles this year in the areas our border agents most urgently need."

The plan, which Trump said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., would take to the Senate for a vote next week, would need 60 votes to pass, meaning Republicans need the support of seven Democrats to pass the measure.

With bipartisan cooperation, the Senate can send a bill to the House quickly so that they can take action as well, McConnell said in a statement after Trumps announcement. The situation for furloughed employees isnt getting any brighter and the crisis at the border isnt improved by show votes. But the presidents plan is a path toward addressing both issues quickly.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., however, has signaled that hes unwilling to compromise and plans to block the bill, despite having supported border barriers under past administrations.

"Offering some protections back in exchange for the wall is not a compromise but more hostage taking," Schumer said in a statement Saturday.

As politicians continue to debate issues of border security, earlier this week Border Patrol agents apprehended over 400 illegal immigrants in Yuma, Arizona, who were burrowing under a border fence. Most were from Guatemala, said National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd, who was in contact with a Border Patrol agent in Yuma. Its the largest [single group] Ive ever heard of [entering the U.S.], said Judd, according to Fox News affiliate in San Diego, California.

Highlighting the dangerous trek economic migrants make in an attempt to enter the U.S. illegally, Trump cited in his speech a 2017 report released by the humanitarian aid organization Doctors Without Borders, which said that more than 30 percent of women are sexually assaulted along the journey.

Information released by the White House added: The number of families and unaccompanied children crossing the border illegally has grown dramatically in recent months. This past December, Border Patrol apprehended 32,284 families and unaccompanied children. Just six months prior, Border Patrol apprehended only 13,164 families and unaccompanied children.

In response to Trumps plan, the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, whos among the administrations evangelical advisers, said he wants a permanent DACA solution for a permanent wall.

A temporary fix will only prolong an already untenable situation and kick the can still further down the road, said Rodriguez, whos also president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. The governments inability to compromise on a solution for more than three decades, he said, has led to the current crisis in the first place.

While this offer falls short, we also applaud the president and recognize that it represents progress and forward momentum. We strongly urge the Democratic leadership in Congress to swiftly propose a counteroffer that both secures the futures of Americas Dreamers and secures our southern border at the same time, Rodriguez added.

Pastor Jentezen Franklin, the senior pastor of Free Chapel, a multi-campus church with locations nationwide, is supportive of the presidents proposal.

Franklin, who along with other faith leaders met with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence last week to discuss DACA and border security, said: President Trump has gone way beyond halfway in agreeing to extend deportation protections to Dreamers for three years. He also placed in his proposal many ideas originally proposed by Democrats, showing that he is listening. The president just wants common sense protection on the southern border that includes a barrier and humanitarian support, something everybody said they wanted just a few years ago.

The stalemate over border security measures led to the partial government shutdown which is entering its second month. Before the shutdown Trump asked the Office of Management and Budget to make "this event as painless as possible, according to Wall Street Journal opinion columnist Kimberly Strassel, but 800,000 federal employees as well as government contractors have been affected.

The total number of undocumented immigrants living in the United States isnt known, but a research study released last September estimates that it could be as high a 22.1 million, essentially double the current widely accepted estimate.

Some of those whove been demanding stronger border security and deportations of illegal immigrants are Angel Families whose loved ones were murdered by those who were in the U.S. illegally.

One group of Angel Moms went to the U.S. Capitol earlier this week and specifically went to House Speaker Nancy Pelosis office. Pelosi, a Democrat from California, had already declined to meet with the mothers, but her office offered to let them leave a voicemail, one mother told Fox News last week.

In response to Trumps proposal on Saturday, Pelosi said: Its unlikely that any one of these provisions alone would pass the House, and taken together, they are a non-starter.

Rep. Julian Castro of Texas, who last week launched his campaign as a Democrat candidate for president in 2020, also declined to meet with the parents of Jared Vargas, a college student who was murdered in San Antonio by an illegal immigrant.

While Democrats have suggested they wont vote for Trumps proposal, some conservative commentators were also opposed to Trumps plan.

Trump proposes amnesty. We voted for Trump and got Jeb!, Ann Coulter, who's said shes a one issue voter  immigration  wrote on Twitter where she added: "100 miles of border wall in exchange for amnestying millions of illegals. So if we grant citizenship to a BILLION foreigners, maybe we can finally get a full border wall."

Author and Fox News commentator Michelle Malkin wrote on Twitter, "Fact: The TPS program under Bush and Obama was an amnesty bonanza and public safety/health threat."

Pence, however, told reporters at the White House Saturday: There is no amnesty in the presidents plan and there is no pathway to citizenship.
Steven Curtis Chapman, wife share how trip to Haiti inspired them to adopt kids from China

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Contemporary Christian music star Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife, Mary Beth, shared how a journey to Haiti led them to adopt children from China.

The Chapmans were interviewed by Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention at the Evangelicals for Life event in Virginia Thursday.

Mary Beth talked about how they were inspired to adopt after she and her then 11-year-old daughter, Emily, took a mission trip to Haiti in 1997 through Compassion International.

It was one of the first times she and I had gone to a Third World country to see the extreme need all across the country. She came back with this burning desire to make a difference, Mary Beth recalled.

[She said] Mom, we are so blessed here in the United States, what would it look like? We have room at our table  this is an 11-year-old  we have room at our table. Why would we not change the life for one of these children?

Although Steven was supportive of the idea, Mary Beth noted that she was hesitant at first, but explained that God did begin to change my heart a little bit at a time.

Steven and Mary Beth both talked about how passionate Emily was for them to adopt, with her leaving letters on their pillows about the issue.

Mary Beth explained that their focus shifted from Haiti to China when they began working toward adoption with Bethany Christian Services.

At the time in the late '90s, early 2000s, they had a really strong program in the country of China, Mary Beth said.

The Chapmans adopted three children from China, the process of which Steven attributed to a mixture of Emily and her determination as well as what God does and how He shows up.

What we found out in our case and over and over we hear this story that the laughter of God, the delight when we show up in these places and that God is inviting us in to that, Steven said.

Moore, himself an adoptive parent, talked with them about the challenges of adoption and how while initially he used to spend a good deal of time trying to persuade people to adopt, now I find myself doing as much persuading couples not to adopt.

Look, Gods not called everybody to adoption, Moore warned, If you think this is easy or if you think this is somehow going to fix your marriage or whatever it is, thats not what the child is for.

Moore described adoption as a hard thing that is worth it. The Chapmans agreed, with Mary Beth calling adoption gloriously hard.

Maybe some of you in the audience today, you stepped into adoption, you really felt like love is enough, Mary Beth said.

And, ultimately, love is enough, but we think that its going to go well  [but] it wasnt enough for us just to say, were going to help you with your adoption. Because these special circumstances with children from hard places, children that have indeed suffered some trauma, really need much more than that.

The Chapmans also talked about their charity Show Hope, which was founded in 2003 and is based in Franklin, Tennessee, with the goal of providing assistance to adoptive families.

The Chapmans remarks came as part of the annual multiday Evangelicals for Life event, which was held at McLean Bible Churchs Vienna, Virginia, campus Jan. 16-18.

The Bible tells us that every human being has dignity and worth. From the tiniest unborn life to the elderly at the end of life, from immigrants and refugees to those trafficked against their will, all life is precious to God, stated the events website.

Imagine what it would look like for Christians to come alongside the most vulnerable and to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves.

In addition to the Chapmans, other scheduled speakers included: SBC President J.D. Greear; McLean Bible Church Pastor David Platt; Makazi Institute President and co-founder Karen Ellis; former Obama campaign staffer Michael Wear; World Reliefs Advocacy and Policy Vice President Jenny Yang; Anacostia River Church Pastor Thabiti Anyabwile; and ERLC Director of Policy Studies Andrew Walker.

The multiday event was being held in conjunction with the annual March for Life, a pro-life demonstration at National Mall that takes place on or around the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling Roe v. Wade.
Jamal Bryants New Birth gives furloughed workers $300, works with Atlanta supermarkets to do more

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia, recently came together to provide approximately $300 each to 28 federal workers from their congregation affected by the ongoing partial government shutdown, Pastor Jamal Bryant said.

This has been the longest period in our nations history of the government being closed. Last Sunday, we blessed the furloughed workers of New Birth and impromptu we raised an offering for 28 of them and gave all of them $300 apiece  a small drop in the bucket, Bryant first revealed in a Facebook Live broadcast Friday.

Our prayers are overwhelmingly sent to the 800,000 people who are furloughed. Who are working tirelessly, sacrificing their time, their energy and their intellect and are not receiving any compensation, he added.

A CNN report noted that as the impasse over ending the shutdown drags on, the Trump administration has been designating more of the federal government "essential," or excepted from the furlough, which gets government employees back to work but without a paycheck.

Barely a month since taking over the helm of the 10,000-member church however, Bryant said he prayed that legislators will have an epiphany about how the partial shutdown is affecting workers. He further noted that his church is working with supermarkets in Atlanta to assist furloughed workers.

This week we are moving tirelessly with the area supermarkets in Atlanta, that they will provide for us grocery stipends, for those who are being furloughed so that their families and their children, dependent parents, might still be able to eat, Bryant said.

Speaking Wednesday with WSBTV, Bryant said it is during times of crisis such as the shutdown, the church needs step in to help.

When the government shuts down is when the church needs to be wide open, Bryant said.

In video from the Jan. 6, event where he called up emotional furloughed workers, he said that he was left sleepless by the shutdown and that God told him he need to do something to help.

"I ain't waiting on the Democrats or the Republicans," Bryant said.

He then asked members to dig in their pockets and give to those not getting paid.

"I was absolutely blown away. I've only been in here a month. I had no idea that compassion was this high in Atlanta," Bryant told WSBTV.

Saturday, Trump offered a temporary extension of DACA in exchange for border wall funding to end the shutdown. Christian leaders had mixed reactions to the proposal.

Many faith-based organizations and churches have been stepping up to assist furloughed workers in recent days.

On Tuesday, vocal Christian family values advocate and New Orleans Saints tight end Benjamin Watson urged Trump to find a more efficient way to negotiate for funding for his controversial border wall without making American families collateral damage in his fight for it.

American families should not be collateral damage in an internal war over funding for a border wall. Whatever the final conclusion, as our commander in chief, I implore the president to consider those most impacted by this partial shutdown. There must be a more efficient way, Watson tweeted to his almost 95,000 followers on Tuesday night.
Harvest Bible Chapel-Naples pastor fired amid fallout over James MacDonald sabbatical, scrutiny

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

The pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel's location in Naples, Florida has been fired after he refused to allow James MacDonald, the longtime pastor of the Chicago-area megachurch, to preach there during his recently announced "indefinite sabbatical."

In an email to members of HBC-Naples, Thursday, John Secrest, the church pastor, said he disagreed with the decision that the Chicago-based HBC elders made recently with the announcement that MacDonald would be taking an indefinite sabbatical amid scrutiny of the church yet would preach occasionally at HBC-Naples through the winter months.

Secrest explained Thursday that he wrote the elders, asking them to reverse this decision but they refused. The Naples site was originally planted in 2016 as an independent church but partnered with Harvest Chicago in February of 2018, becoming its eighth location.

Secrest also requested that the Florida church return to local autonomy, ending the partnership agreement. The Harvest-Naples pastor maintained he was unaware of a lengthy investigation into HBC regarding the alleged abusive behavior of MacDonald, a culture of fear and intimidation at the church, and suspicious financial activities involving various ministry entities.

"The good intentions of our ministry partnership with Harvest Chicago have been overshadowed by these developments. Furthermore, when we entered into this agreement there was not a disclosure of the investigative reporting which led to a lawsuit and the resulting fallout," Secrest wrote.

"I am grieved over my own failure of leadership to not stand firm in objections I raised during the process of making this agreement. I allowed my fear of man and my own insecurities to compromise my responsibility to protect our church. Please forgive me."

Harvest Bible Chapel terminated Secrest Friday.

"Despite great efforts and reasoning, John has chosen not to yield to the consensus of our local leadership team or the elders of Harvest Bible Chapel. Conversations with John over the last few months, culminating this week, have made it clear that he no longer desires to work for Harvest Bible Chapel," the elders said in a message to HBC-Naples members.

"Because of his continued unwillingness to yield to the direction of the elders and the insubordinate email he recently sent counter to the elder direction, it became clear that he should not continue in his role," they said.

The latest developments come on the heels of MacDonald and the church dropping a defamation lawsuit earlier this month that they had filed last fall against Julie Roys, who in December published an eight-month-long investigative report called "Hard Times at Harvest" in World magazine. The lawsuit was also against two former HBC members, along with their wives, who since 2012 had been blogging critically about MacDonald and the church on a site called The Elephant's Debt.

As The Christian Post reported Thursday, amid heightened scrutiny of the ministry HBC elders initiated a "peacemaking process" in order to begin mending relationships and reviewing its management procedures.

"I am grieved that people I love have been hurt by me in ways they felt they could not express to me directly and have not been able to resolve. I blame only myself for this and want to devote my entire energy to understanding and addressing these recurring patterns," MacDonald said in an addendum to the elder's announcement of the peacemaking process.

Thus far, both Roys and the Elephant's Debt bloggers have both independently stated that they are unmoved by HBC's latest actions and MacDonald's words, believing that before any real peace can occur sincere repentance, public apologies, and resignations must happen.
Black 'genocide': Christian leaders call on HHS to abolish Office of Population Affairs

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

WASHINGTON  Black Christian pastors, doctors and lawyers are calling on the Department of Health and Human Services to abolish its Office of Population Affairs, an entity that they say is responsible for funding contraceptive programs that are partly responsible for a genocide in their communities.

In the aftermath of the 2019 March for Life, dozens gathered at Emmanuel Church of God in Christ in Southeast D.C. Friday evening for the Sudden Uprising conference to speak out against abortion and to call for an end to federal birth control and contraceptive funding that they argue has helped reduce the African-American population to below replacement level.

The conference was held to introduce a new report outlining the history of federal Title X family planning funding and its ties to the eugenics movement.

The document is critical of the federal governments complicity in funding contraceptive programs that were more concerned about population control than the side effects, diseases or damage to womens reproductive system associated with the forms of contraception being given to women by clinics.

The report was produced by The Douglass Leadership Institute, a D.C.-based national education and public policy nonprofit dedicated to issues of life, free market principles and limited government, in conjunction with the Georgia-based Restoration Project and the National Black Pro-Life Coalition.

The reports target is the HHS Office of Population Affairs, which is housed in the HHS Office of Public Health and Science. The office was created in 1970 during the term of President Richard Nixon to administer Title X funding, which was created to provide access to contraceptive services, supplies, and information to all who want and need them.

In 2018, the office administered $286,479,000 in Title X appropriated funds.

The reality many policymakers do not want to face is that the contraceptive methods that are most effective in preventing pregnancy  and thus pushed aggressively by many Title X-funded clinics  also increase womens risk of both contracting dangerous or even fatal STDs and facing long-term fertility challenges, the report reads.

This report will demonstrate that when faced with the choice between lower birthrates and womens health, the Office of Population Affairs has consistently chosen policies and programs which prioritize the reduction of poor and minority birth rates over the reproductive health of poor and minority women.

The report comes as fertility in the United States is nearing its historic low, while sexually transmitted disease infection rates are reaching record highs.

While fertility is decreasing across the board in the U.S., the decline in fertility for racial minority women has seen greater decline than white women. Data has shown that black women are twice as likely to face infertility as white women.

This is not the recipe for public health and economic growth that America was promised with the creation of the OPA and Title X, the report asserts. It is well past time to rethink the model of federally funded family planning and begin anew with an outlook that truly prioritizes public health.

The report criticizes the OPAs push to fund birth control clinics that provide long-acting reversible contraception like intrauterine devices, contraceptive implants and contraceptive injections.

The use of LARCs and permanent sterilization are strongly encouraged by both Medicaid and the OPA through innocuous sounding quality measures. These metrics measure the quality of the services they provide solely on the basis of preventing pregnancy, without regard to negative side effects, disease prevention or reproductive system damage, reads the report.

In other words, according to both Medicaid and the OPA, a method of contraception is considered of high quality (and therefore encouraged and incentivized for use) if it prevents a woman or girl from becoming pregnant, even if it also leaves her permanently sterile, ill from side effects, or deformed or dead from an STD.

As Planned Parenthood and other abortion organizations are highly active in African-American and racial minority communities, the trend in lower birth rates has not been associated with an improvement in reproductive health as STD rates remain high across the board and notably worse among low-income and minorities.

Although Title X funding cant legally be used to perform abortions, the report objects to the fact that tens of millions of dollars each year go to clinics affiliated with the nations largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood.

Although in theory Planned Parenthood does not use Title X funds for abortion as method of family planning, it performs abortions in the same facilities that receive Title X funds for family planning services, the report stresses. Someone who pays the rent on a massage parlor that is also a brothel cannot reasonably say that he does not fund prostitution.

The report was handed over to the Trump administration, which has been sympathetic to pro-life causes and has strived to fulfill campaign promises to the pro-life community.

The left is talking about how they should abolish [Immigration and Customs Enforcement]. If the left can go so far as to say we can abolish ICE, I think people of conscience and minority people should reconsider Title X and OPA, Douglass Leadership Institute founder Rev. Dean Nelson told The Christian Post. Maybe we should rethink that. I would like to see them abolish the OPA because of its eugenic roots and because of the fact that we are below replacement level in the black community. It is almost like Margaret Sangers vision coming to pass.
David Platt: Christians cannot remain silent in 'evil' world that 'devalues' children

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

In a world of evil that devalues children, obedience to the Great Commission will lead Christians to "treasure the sanctity of human life and refuse to stay silent in the face of abortion, Pastor David Platt said ahead of the March for Life.

Platt, teaching pastor at McLean Bible Church in Vienna, Virginia, told those gathered at the Evangelicals for Life event Wednesday night that the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20  Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations  directly relates to the sanctity of life.

"For into a world that devalues children," Jesus gave the commission for Christians to make disciples, baptizing and teaching them, Platt said. "The Great Commission was clearly and definitively not a call to sit back and stay silent in a world of evil."

Jesus, the pastor said, commanded His followers "to run to need, not away from it; to engage a world in need, not to turn a deaf ear to it. And when one has a proper view of the Great Commission, they automatically start to value life.

"The first and most fundamental way we can work for the unborn is through the proclamation of the Gospel to see hearts changed to want what God wants," Platt said. "The power of the Gospel message in and of itself possesses a dynamic charge that detonates the heart's desire for abortion."

Through baptism, "God has uniquely designed and equipped the church to care for children and their mothers, he added.

But the sanctity of life doesnt begin and end with the unborn, Platt contended, adding that the Great Commission compels Christians to "decry all forms of oppression, exploitation and see the least of these  immigrants, refugees, and slaves  as created in Gods image.

Evangelicals for Life, held at McLean Bible Church, is a three-day conference sponsored by the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission and The North American Mission Board.

The Bible tells us that every human being has dignity and worth, reads the event description. From the tiniest unborn life to the elderly at the end of life, from immigrants and refugees to those trafficked against their will, all life is precious to God. Imagine what it would look like for Christians to come alongside the most vulnerable and to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves.

The ERLC and Focus on the Family launched EFL three years ago to help motivate Christians to participate in the March for Life, held every year on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade in Washington, D.C.

In addition to Platt, event speakers include Russell Moore, J.D. Grear, Kristen K. Waggoner, and more, with music from Steven Curtis Chapman and Keith and Kristyn Getty.
Churches worldwide observe Week of Prayer for Christian Unity,' focus on Deuteronomy 16:20

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Churches worldwide are planning to observe the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity starting on Friday to promote ecumenical practices.

First started in the early 1900s, the Week of Prayer takes place Jan. 18-25, between the feasts of St. Peter and St. Paul on the liturgical calendar.

It features worship materials, such as liturgy, developed in cooperation between the International Committee of the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

The Garrison, New York-based Graymoor Ecumenical and Interreligious Institute helps to develop, publish, and disseminate these materials for use in North America and has done so since 1968.

Fr. Tom Orians, SA, associate director of the institute, told The Christian Post that this years theme is "Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, taken from Deuteronomy 16:20.

This years theme, which finds its origins in Deuteronomy, was chosen for its powerful message of promoting truth, equality and unity, Orians said.

It was prepared by a group of representatives from different parts of Indonesia, including the Communion of Churches in Indonesia and the Indonesian Catholic Bishops Conference who felt it spoke powerfully to their situation and needs, and recognized this common need throughout the world.

Orians also noted that this year orders are increasing substantially for the materials used by churches observing the Week of Prayer.

We can say that hundreds of churches from the diverse Christian community across North America are participating this year, among them those from the Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, and Catholic traditions, Orians added.

By annually observing the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Christians around the world move toward the fulfillment of Jesus' prayer at the Last Supper that they all may be one.

Margaret Rose, Deputy for Ecumenical and Interfaith Collaboration with The Episcopal Church, told CP that the denomination has always been deeply involved in the Week of Prayer, seeing in it the hope of the unity of the Church.

What we have done in the last few years is that we always, from the churchwide office, send out resources for ecumenical officers and to all the dioceses and churches in the hope that they will do some of these prayers, do some of the scripture study, said Rose.

Our job is to be a bridge for the resources that are offered to make sure that our people know about that in terms of prayer and liturgy.

Rose also told CP that churches have been known to engage in diverse ways of observing the Week of Prayer, including not only joint church services but also volunteer projects.

I think more recently, theres been a sense that our unity is often made even deeper by the relationships we have with one another, continued Rose.

And so oftentimes there will be places that will say lets build a habit house together, lets work together on a soup kitchen. So that its something that actually sends people outside the walls of the churches.
The British Royal Family is known for their poise and their decorum. However, throughout the years, there have been a few royals who have walked to the beat of their own drums. Queen Elizabeth IIs younger sister, Princess Margaret was an outspoken party girl who used her net worth to do whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted.

Known as the original wild child of the British royals  Princess Margret adored the spotlight, and she resented the attention that her big sister received as the queen. Just like the rest of the royal family, the late princess was extremely wealthy, and she loved to indulge in the most extravagant things in life. Check out her net worth and learn who the princess left her fortune to when she passed away.

What was Princess Margarets net worth before she died?

According to Daily Mail, Princess Margaret began amassing her fortune in 1943 when she was just 13 years old. Dame Margaret Greville left her 20,000. She also received massive inheritances when Queen Mary died, and when her father, King George VI passed away.

At the time of her death, she had around 10 million in art and furniture, 5 million in investments, 2 million in jewelry, and 3 million in wedding gifts. Princess Margarets total net worth at the time of her death was 20 million.

The princess almost gave up her money and title

Though the princess adored her titles and her money, there was a time when she nearly gave it all up. When she was 17 years old Princess Margaret began secretly seeing Captain Peter Townsend who was 16 years her senior and married with children. Though the Captain eventually did divorce and the pair went public with their romance, they were forbidden by Parliament to marry.

If she and Townsend went against Parliament, Princess Margaret was told she would lose her royal privileges, money and would have to leave England for at least five years.

Who did Princess Margaret leave her fortune to?

When Princess Margaret passed away, she left her entire fortune to her two children, Lord Linley and Lady Sarah. As Daily Mail explained, A spokesman for Lord Linley confirmed yesterday that the princesss estate was worth 7,700,176, on which inheritance tax was payable at 40 percent. Cash and property left after tax would amount to about 4.5 million.

After their mothers death, the siblings auctioned off 800 of her personal items for around 5 million. Lord Linley also sold the seven-bedroom Caribbean house his mother gave him in 1999 for a reported 1.5 million.

How did Princess Margaret die?

Princess Margarets death was very sad. Though she was 71 when she passed away on February 9, 2002. Towards the end of her life, Princess Margaret dealt with some severe health issues. She had two strokes, pneumonia, and an operation to remove a portion of her left lung. She offered suffered a horrendous accident in her bathtub that left her so severely scalded that she was unable to walk without assistance. She died after suffering a third stroke.

Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook!
Rep. Chuck Fleischmann issued the following statement in response to President Trumps proposal to reopen the government:

If Democrats are serious about reopening the government, if they are truly concerned about the federal workers who are going without pay, and if they really want to ensure that illegal drugs and dangerous criminals do not continue to come across our southern border, then they will listen to the proposal put forth by President Trump and come to the negotiating table.

This plan addresses the immediate crisis at our southern border and offers much-needed relief to the 800,000 federal workers going without pay. The opportunity is there for Democrats to work with President Trump, reopen the government, and be a part of the border security solution.

Senator David Perdue (R-GA) said, President Trump again spoke directly to the American people about the national security crisis at our southern border. The President has listened to both sides and is still willing to compromise. All members of Congress should take this proposal seriously. However, some Senate Democrats' rejection of the proposal before even hearing the details underscores how desperately they want to keep making immigration a political issue rather than working toward a real bipartisan solution that could reopen the government.
Five people were arrested during a Women's Rally in Chattanooga on Saturday.

They were charged with obstructing a highway.

They included Virginia Marie Moss, 57, of 981 Fairmount Ave. and Alaina Kailyn Cobb, 32, of 3615 Highland Terrace Dr.

Also arrested was William Boyd Nix, 49, of 901 Siskin Dr. and Joel Ryan Willis, 52, of 5700 Roper St., East Ridge.

Jean-Marie Lawrence, who was in charge of the event, said the organizers had planned only a rally and not a march because of the cost. She said it would have cost around $5,000 to pay for police officers and other charges.

She said those taking part were told that a march would not be sanctioned and that traffic laws should be obeyed.

She said the city last year provided funding assistance for the march, but said it could not help this year.

Ms. Lawrence is confined to a wheelchair and uses a respirator so she was unable to attend during the rainy day.

Chattanooga Police said those charged refused to move out of the roadway that was open to vehicle traffic. The arrests were made near the intersection of Market Street and First Street.

Police said, "All arrested were participating in the Chattanooga Women's March and posed a danger to themselves, other pedestrians, drivers, and police who were in the area."

"The organizers of the Chattanooga Women's March stated that the 2019 event would be a rally in the park only and would not be doing the march portion of the event. The organizers did not obtain a permit to march. Therefore the roads, including Market Street, remained open to vehicles and when marchers entered the roadway. Marchers were given multiple verbal commands by CPD Officers to continue their march on the sidewalk. The arrested individuals refused or ignored officer's safety directions as they walked along the entire length of the Market Street Bridge. Once they exited the bridge, police were forced to remove some of the individuals from the roadway and place them under arrest. At that time, others who were previously non-compliant moved to the sidewalks and observed designated traffic signals."

Police Chief David Roddy said, "Chattanooga Police Officers were forced to take action in order to prevent anyone from being injured or worse today. The Chattanooga Police Department supports community members who stand for things they care about, but it needs to be done in a way that does not pose a significant safety risk to the participants and others in and traveling through the area."




Lt. Governor Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge)said Saturday, following the inauguration of Governor Bill Lee by joint convention of the Tennessee General Assembly, that the new governor will continue the state's recent success.



"Despite the weather in Nashville, today was a beautiful day in Tennessee. The inauguration of Bill Lee gave this state something not seen before in modern political history, the succession of one Republican governor to another.

"The first eight years of unified Republican government have been remarkably successful. The next eight will be even more so. In Governor Bill Lee, we have a leader who will solidify our established foundation of success and continue to build upward.

"As he criss-crossed this state visiting all 95 counties twice, Bill Lee inspired all our citizens to continue to believe in Tennessee. His vision for our state will extend our prosperity across the grand divisions and throughout our population.

"Bill Lee is the right governor at the right time. Together, we will take what is already very good and make it great. I look forward to working with him to keep Tennessee on the right track."

Governor Lee said, "Thank you, Tennessee, for entrusting me with this incredible honor. I am humbled by your support, and I look forward to what the next four years have in store."

After the event at the War Memorial Auditorium before the General Assembly and other guests, Governor Lee said, "It was a tremendous way to start the morning at our faith service. Thank you to Michael W. Smith, Darrell Waltrip, Scott Hamilton, Mike Fisher and everyone who joined us for helping us kick off the special day.
Do you have an athlete in mind that contributes to the team or sport, holds sportsmanship and team spirit, has epic playmaker moments and/or in general makes the the sports fun? If yes, please make your nominations for our edition of Athlete Spotlight.

CLICK TO NOMINATE
* Username This is the name that will be used to identify you within the system. Choose wisely!

* First name

* Last name Your real name will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more!

* Email Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. We won't share it with anyone else.

* Password Create a password that only you will remember. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address.


remaining of

Thank you for reading! This is your last free article before you will be asked to subscribe.

Already have a paid subscription? Sign in
news, latest-news

At the end of a bumpy eight-hour jeep ride to south-west Uganda, women wait eagerly on the grass outside the hospital for the arrival of a group of Brisbane surgeons. Many have been camping outside for days, waiting for a bed to free up inside. These women are outcasts, suffering the pain and humiliation of horrific gynaecological conditions. One has been bed-bound for three years. Witchcraft is blamed for the condition of others. The plight of these women has inspired one of Brisbanes most respected gynaecologists, Barbara Hall, to give up her thriving practice six years ago to become a volunteer surgeon in Africa. Her husband John Taylor, a retired general practitioner, has joined his wife as her surgical assistant. Some of their patients have endured days of obstructed labour without medical help which has left them with holes leaking urine and sometimes faeces, known as an obstetric fistula. These are rarely seen in Western nations since the end of the 19th century. If you have an obstructed labour in Australia, it is not a problem because you just have a caesarean and everyone is fine but if you are out in the bush somewhere and cant get access to medical care, they labour for three or four days, Dr Hall said. The babies are usually stillborn. Other women suffer from a prolapse, where their uterus has fallen out of their vagina and is dangling between their legs. Dr Hall has fixed about 400 prolapses since she began visiting Uganda in 2013. The team has done more than 1000 operations in that time. "Not only is a prolapse uncomfortable and disfiguring, but a lot of the women think they have been struck by witchcraft and quite often their husbands think they are turning into a man and leave them," she said. They are very socially ostracised. Dr Hall and Dr Taylor have teamed up with long-serving Brisbane volunteer doctors Hannah Krause and Judith Goh to help these women. I couldnt retire and do nothing and I knew Judith was doing this in Africa, so we thought it would be a very rewarding thing for us to do, Dr Hall said. The team operate at St Pauls Health Centre in Kasese, eight hours from Ugandas capital, and Kagando Hospital, an old leprosy hospital about 40 kilometres out of Kasese. Dr Hall and Dr Taylor have visited Uganda 10 times since 2013. They pay for their airfares and accommodation to perform life-changing surgery on women who often cant even afford a bar of soap. It is pretty incredible. You get over there and treat these women and they are just so incredibly thankful for absolutely anything you do for them," Dr Hall said. But performing surgery in rural Uganda does present significant challenges never faced in the private hospitals of Brisbane, according to Dr Hall. For starters, they often have to operate with battery powered head torches because the power cuts out all the time. The volunteers decided to pay for a generator. And when the local council turns the water off without warning to conserve supplies, the surgeons have to scrub using buckets out the back of the hospital. It is pretty confronting. It really is the third world, Dr Hall said. We are eight hours away from the capital Kampala, so it is very, very rural. The power goes out multiple times a day. We stay at the hospital guest house and we didnt have power for at least half of the time we are there. The Brisbane doctors have just arrived home after another trip to Uganda. Two paraplegic women  one with prolapse and one with a fistula  were among more than 100 patients treated during the visit. One patient had dragged herself along the ground to the ward, the other was carried in by her daughters. She had been lying immobilised on a mattress for three years - "never seeing the light of day, or breathing fresh air". Apart from relieving their gynaecological problems, the Brisbane team found two wheelchairs to boost women's independence. The volunteer group also pays the hospital for every operation they perform to cover patient transfer, staff and a cook. The cost is almost $350 for every prolapse and about $415 for every fistula operation. There is no kitchen at the hospital, so if you are a patient there, your relatives have to bring food in to feed you. When we are there we pay for a cook," she said. "These people have absolutely nothing, a lot of them spend hours getting to the hospital on the back of a boda boda, which is kind of like a motorbike. "They will sit outside the hospital grounds for three days waiting for you to get there and operate on them. It is just incredible." To donate head to www.hada.org.au/donation/medical-training-in-africa-asia

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/2e87c96d-19af-466e-8aeb-52d4bc67bc4c/r0_79_1280_802_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
news, latest-news

Official Visitors at the Bimberi Youth Justice Centre have persistently raised concerns young people are spending too long on remand without a sentence. They say it is having a negative affect on the detainees' mental health. Official Visitors act as an oversight body of government institutions such as detention facilities to ensure people, in this case children, are receiving adequate care from the territory. In three reports between April and September last year, released under freedom of information laws, Official Visitors Tracey Whetnall and Narelle Hargreaves noted their concerns children on remand were experiencing "a lag" in having their matters finalised. As at January 17 there were 13 young people detained at Bimberi Youth Justice Centre, with eight of those on remand, a Community Services Directorate spokeswoman advised. Speaking to the Sunday Canberra Times, Ms Hargreaves said in her experience regularly visiting the centre, young people on remand tended to be unsettled and had voiced their concerns to her. "I get the feeling, once they have a sentence, they just settle down a bit," Ms Hargreaves said. "They know when they're going to get out of Bimberi." She said it was different for those on remand. "Sometimes I feel very sorry for them, they're just waiting there. They don't know what's going to happen to them. "They feel they're in limbo." Ms Hargreaves said she and her colleagues understood there were often unavoidable hold ups in court processes, but she hoped young people would be dealt with as soon as possible. She said some juveniles were held on remand for months. Minister for Children, Youth and Families Rachel Stephen-Smith said the Children and Young People Act required juveniles only be detained as a last resort and for the minimum time necessary. Ms Stephen-Smith advised detainees on remand were generally housed separately from those who were sentenced, but the two groups attended educational programs and socialised together. She said ultimately decisions regarding remand were a matter for the courts. ACT Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker said she held concerns over the amount of time young people spent on remand, both in custody and on bail. "It is generally recognised that it is preferable to keep children and young people in the criminal justice system for no longer than necessary," the chief magistrate said. "That said, there is no fixed time frame, nor can there be." Ms Walker said varying seriousness of charges faced by young people, a young person's right to access legal advice and a number of processes such as reports from youth and health services created necessary, although undesirable, delays. She said young people were remanded in custody only where absolutely necessary and at times it could be in their own best interest. The chief magistrate has been vocal in calls for more magistrates in the ACT to increase the court's capability to deal with the territory's current workload. She said this was another factor, but not the only one, leading to delays in the children's court. Limited resourcing to police, Legal Aid, Child and Youth Protection Services and other agencies were all, in part, responsible for the current situation. Ms Stephen-Smith said young people on remand and those with sentences received continuous and individualised support at the youth justice centre. Each detainee has a case manager and have access to the on-site school along with specialist services and visits from the Official Visitors and Children and Young People Commissioner. There were 2065 family and friend visits recorded at the centre in 2017/18.

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/dbea1ce8-bd59-470c-be32-d389518bbe74/r0_230_4256_2635_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
comment, editorial

The royal commission into aged care officially opened on Friday, just one day after horrifying revelations of physical and chemical restraints used on dementia patients in some nursing homes. The royal commission will investigate the quality of aged care provided in residential and home aged care to elderly Australians, but will also include young Australians with disabilities living in residential aged care settings. As was the case in the royal commission into institutional abuse, Australians should be bracing themselves for many months of distressing first-hand accounts, this time of how elderly people are treated in aged care facilities. Commissioner Richard Tracey said at the opening of the inquiry that the royal commission was a once in a lifetime opportunity for the nation to create a better system that aligned with community expectations. The hallmark of a civilised society is how it treats its most vulnerable people and our elderly are often amongst our most physically, emotionally and financially vulnerable, he said. Inevitably, the commission will highlight that depressingly often, as was the case with residents being restrained, mistreatment is due to lack of funding and of proper staffing to deal with high-needs patients. There are also desperate and fearful family members and disgruntled staff to take into account, as the commission is set to lift the lid on a sector that causes many of us to instinctively look the other way. Although many of us dont want to admit it, Australias stricken aged care sector is a symbol of how modern society treats its elders. While most aged care providers are committed to high-level care, one of the main focuses of the commission will be on whether nursing homes are unnecessarily turning elderly residents into zombies amid high rates of sedative medication use. Linked to this will be accounts of neglect and abuse, as residents steadily lose agency, and staff and managers are just as rapidly forced to make difficult choices around limited resources. The commission will also force us to confront uncomfortable truths about the value of life for a person reaching the end of it, in a society that has evolved to value independence, and a move away from familial care. One of the core problems is the lack of trained staff to provide care, in what has become an undervalued profession. Couple with that is a profound sense of guilt and fear on behalf of many families who have been confronted by the realities of substandard care for their loved ones. Some say the commission is too late for what is a sector in crisis; for too long, advocates have lobbied for lasting change, only to be confronted with bandaid solutions in the face of inertia or misplaced confidence in outdated regulations and legislation. But we should also be prepared to take the government at face value, when it announced the commission last year. This an opportunity for real reform with positive outcomes; if it takes some serious soul-searching on how we as a society treat our elders, then so be it.

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/e113a134-bbe8-4d8f-918c-f4149b1a6055/r0_46_900_554_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
news, latest-news

"Have you got a car? You'll need one, mate. Canberra's a car city." It was almost a year ago, at the end of a job interview with The Canberra Times, that the all-important question was asked. It had been a few years since I had got behind the wheel for the daily commute to the office. I was living in Manchester, making use of trams, trains and the busiest bus route in Europe. Before that, my feet were my vehicle in Wellington. If it rained, there was a reliable bus at the ready. Canberra's a different kettle of fish. Few people have access to an efficient public transport route to work, so most of us have no choice but to jump behind the wheel. And boy, aren't we paying for it. On Tuesday this week, the average price of unleaded petrol in Hobart dropped below the price in Canberra, making the national capital the most expensive capital city in Australia to fill up. We were paying an average of 144.1 per litre that morning; a whopping 32.2 per litre more than drivers in Adelaide, a city full of independent service stations. Perth, at the peak of its weekly price cycle, was still 8.4 per litre cheaper. A day earlier, at the low point of the cycle, drivers there were paying 29.9 per litre less than Canberrans. Western Australia's petrol prices are exactly what Canberra's are not: predictable and transparent. Prices reach their low point every Monday before rising sharply the next day. Everyone knows this. It's been this way since 2015. Before that, the cycle was the same. The price hike simply happened on a different day. The certainty around prices in the west is no accident. According to an Australian Consumer and Competition Commission report released last month, "the consistency of price cycles in Perth has likely been influenced by the WA FuelWatch scheme". The same report reveals that by buying at the low point of the weekly cycle rather than the peak, Perth drivers can save up to $520 a year. FuelWatch is the system the ACT government should be looking at to address Canberra's stubbornly high petrol prices. While price cycles are the product of competitive markets and the level of competition needed in Canberra to create one may never exist, the transparency and certainty that FuelWatch provides in Western Australia is achievable here. By requiring fuel retailers to set their prices for the next day at 2pm each afternoon, without knowing what their competitors are charging, service station owners immediately have an incentive to set the lowest possible price. If they don't, they risk pricing themselves out of the market for a day, with FuelWatch requiring that prices come into effect at 6am and remain the same for 24 hours. Everyone knows the prices; they're publicly available online. As FuelWatch co-ordinator Kyle Huynh told me, "they learn very quickly that if they're not competitive, they'll have no sales". That's not just true of petrol sales, but also the food, drinks and other convenience store items drivers snap up while paying for their fuel. In the past few weeks, I've spoken to drivers who are sick of avoiding paying for petrol in the ACT, holding out for cheaper fuel across the border in NSW. I've heard from the National Roads and Motorists' Association, which wants the ACT to introduce real-time price monitoring like NSW and Queensland. That idea is worthy of consideration, but the benefits of Western Australia's FuelWatch are too good to ignore without at least investigating the cost to set up and run such a scheme. In 2001, when FuelWatch was introduced in the west, the ACT government failed to act on an Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission inquiry that recommended the introduction of a public information system to track petrol price movements. Nearly 18 years on, the time has come to do this and end our pain at the pump.

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/835b0837-35a7-4fee-a29c-884900e3aff8/r0_77_1999_1206_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
Become A Subscriber

A subscription opens up access to all our online content, including: our interactive E-Edition, a full archive of modern stories, exclusive and expanded online offerings, photo galleries from Caledonian-Record journalists, video reports from our media partners, extensive international, national and regional reporting by the Associated Press, and a wide variety of feature content.
Microsoft India Saturday announced the launch of a new e-commerce platform here for handloom weavers under its Project ReWeave, as part of its philanthropic initiative.

The e-commerce platform would help connect artisans to the buyers directly enabling them to expand to newer customers and markets, a press release from Microsoft said.

Also Read: CM Palaniswami unveils TN start-up policy; aiming 1 lakh jobs, 5,000 firms

A new e-commerce website hosts signature collections created by the weaver communities, showcase traditional designs and products created from natural dyes, the release said.

The e-marketplace would help sell to a broad set of customers, support weavers in increasing their income and earning a sustainable livelihood while also reviving traditional forgotten Indian art, it said.

Microsoft, in association with the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), has also curated a special curriculum in 'CAD and Colour for Handloom Weaving' to provide digital training in handloom design, it said.

At a ceremony hosted at NIFT, the first batch of 100 handloom weavers was awarded certificates for successful design course completion, the release said.

Telangana Principal Secretary, Industries and IT Jayesh Ranjan said in the release that "Working with global technology leaders like Microsoft has enabled us to bring technology to the doorsteps of our large weaver communities in the remotest districts of Telangana."

These initiatives like e-commerce marketplace and design training would ensure weaver communities sustain themselves and provide livelihood to artisans, the release said.

This also is a practical solution to motivate the younger generation of weavers to continue with their traditions and not divert into other professions, it said.

On the initiative, managing director of Microsoft India (R&D) Anil Bhansali said, With the introduction of our new e-commerce platform, digital empowerment centres and the new design curriculum, the weavers will be able to build on the rich handloom heritage of India and also reach out to a wider customer base."

Also Read: India has potential to be $5 trillion economy in 7-8 years: Suresh Prabhu

Also Read: Trade deal could very well happen with China, says Donald Trump

Also Read: State Bank of India raises $1.25 billion from overseas market
Czech Republic Prime Minister Andrej Babis Saturday said his country is ready to step up Indo-Czech cooperation in defence and other sectors, and its defence minister will visit Bengaluru next month to attend Aero India.

Interacting with reporters on the sidelines of an event at the Czech Embassy here, he also hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "charismatic leader" with a "vision".

Also Read: CM Palaniswami unveils TN start-up policy; aiming 1 lakh jobs, 5,000 firms

Babis was on an official visit to India from January 17-19. He led a Czech delegation at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2019, with the Czech Republic as a partner country.

The two leaders also held a bilateral meeting on Friday on the sidelines of the Summit. The entire gamut of bilateral relations including important global and regional issues of mutual interest was discussed during the talks, officials said.

"We discussed concretely, defence cooperation, Tatra (trucks), Skoda, our investments, the possibility of a direct airline service between Delhi and Prague, tourism and other areas of cooperation," he said Saturday when asked what the two prime ministers discussed.

Czech car maker Skoda Auto and Volkswagen Group India on Saturday inaugurated a new technology centre at its Chakan manufacturing plant in Pune as part of its 2.0 India project.

Babis attended the programme and also inaugurated a Center for European Studies at Symbiosis University in Pune.

On defence cooperation, he said, "We are ready to increase our defence cooperation in passive radars and other things... Our defence minister will visit India next month to participate in Aero India event in Bengaluru."

Aero India 2019 will be held in Bengaluru from February 20 to 24 and the defence exhibition will see the participation of top fighter-jet manufacturers, defence equipment makers and companies related to the sector.

On bilateral ties, Babis said, "Both countries have a long history of cooperation. Old Czech brands like Skoda and Bata symbolise that tie. A lot of Indians think Bata is an Indian firm, which shows the deep connect."

He also pitched for extending cooperation in the education sector through a students exchange programme.

Addressing a gathering at a reception held at the embassy in the evening, the Czech prime minister described his visit as "fantastic".

"We are looking forward to co-operating with Indian companies, universities, thinking about the exchange of students. It was a great visit, and I leave with a lot of pleasant memories," he said.

Babis also unveiled a book on the journey of Ideal Jawa and Yezdi motorcycle brand in India, whose history is linked to the original motorcycle manufacturer Jawa which was founded in the then Czechoslovakia in 1929.

Also Read: India has potential to be $5 trillion economy in 7-8 years: Suresh Prabhu

Also Read: Trade deal could very well happen with China, says Donald Trump

Also Read: State Bank of India raises $1.25 billion from overseas market
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has reacted strongly against reports crying foul over show cause notices to several Mumbai-based small businesses in cases of TDS default. The authority over direct taxes clarified in a statement on Sunday that the Mumbai Income Tax TDS Office had issued prosecution show cause notices only in cases where it was required. The CBDT retaliated that certain "vested interests" were misleading the media to avoid action against themselves.

"Certain news items that appeared in a section of media regarding enmasse issue of prosecution notices to small companies for TDS default are completely misleading and full of factual inaccuracies. Mumbai Income Tax TDS office has issued prosecution show cause notices only in a limited number of big cases where more than Rs 5 lakh of tax was collected as TDS from employees etc and yet the same was not deposited with the Income Tax Department in time," the CBDT said in the statement.

"Having deducted tax from employees and other taxpayers and not depositing the same in time in the government treasury is an offence punishable under the law. It also affects interest of the employees from whose salary the tax has been deducted by the unscrupulous employers who have not deposited the same in time in the government treasury," CBDT further added.

If a company does not deposit the TDS it has collected on time, its employees become ineligible for claiming credit of the tax deducted when they file their own tax returns.

ALSO READ:Angel tax: New DIPP notification has nothing to cheer about

Certain media reports earlier today alleged the authority of sending prosecution notices to small taxpayers over minor violations, threatening them with legal action under punitive provisions of the Income Tax Act. The reports suggested that the number of taxpayers who have received such notices run in thousands over the course of 2018.

In response, CBDT said that the only 50 prosecution notices have been issued by the Mumbai I-T TDS Office in major cases over the past one month. "Out of these, in 80 per cent of the cases, the TDS tax default is above Rs 10 lakh and in 10 per cent cases TDS default is between Rs 5 to Rs 10 lakh. In the remaining 10 per cent cases, TDS default is of more than Rs 1 crore as detected in the survey," the authority said.

CBDT also informed that prosecutions have been launched against four major business houses that collected more than Rs 50 crore of TDS but did not deposit with the government on time.

Only 1,400 prosecutions have been filed so far in the country for various offences under the I-T Act during this financial year, CBDT further said.

ALSO READ:Govt tweaks I-T Act to give start-up investors relief from Angel Tax

Here's the complete statement by the CBDT:

Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) today said that certain news items that appeared in a section of media regarding enmasse issue of prosecution notices to small companies for TDS default are completely misleading and full of factual inaccuracies. CBDT clarified that Mumbai Income Tax TDS office has issued prosecution show cause notices only in a limited number of big cases where more than Rs. 5 lakh of tax was collected as TDS from employees etc and yet the same was not deposited with the Income Tax Department in time.

CBDT said that some defaulter companies and vested interests are deliberately misleading the media to thwart action against themselves. Having deducted tax from employees and other taxpayers and not depositing the same in time in the government treasury is an offence punishable under the law. It also affects interest of the employees from whose salary the tax has been deducted by the unscrupulous employers who have not deposited the same in time in the government treasury. If the TDS is not deposited in time, the employee would be ineligible for claiming credit of the tax deducted when he files his own return.

CBDT stated that in last one month only in 50 big cases prosecution notices have been issued by Mumbai IT TDS office. Out of these, in 80% of the cases the TDS tax default is above Rs. 10 lakh and in 10 % cases TDS default is between Rs. 5 to Rs. 10 lakh. In the remaining 10% cases, TDS default is of more than Rs. 1 crore as detected in the survey. Prosecutions have also recently been launched against 4 big business houses where more than Rs 50 crore of tax was collected by them from the tax payers and yet not deposited with the Government in time. But such legal and rightful action is being unfortunately projected in the media by the vested interests as if the department is going overboard to harass small employers.

It would be pertinent to note that in a country of 130 crore people where around 6 crore returns are filed every year, only a total of 1400 prosecutions have been filed so far for various offences under the Income Tax Act during this financial year. This, by any stretch of imagination, cannot be termed as mass harassment by the income tax department. Therefore, to say that prosecution notices enmasse have been sent to taxpayers for minor defaults is completely incorrect and misleading, CBDT added.

ALSO READ:Prolonged Angel Tax woes could derail Startup India forever, start-up founders warn PM Modi

Edited by Vivek Punj
By Neha Dasgupta and Krishna N. DasNEW DELHI (Reuters) - The government has sacked two executives of the state-run Punjab National Bank (PNB) for allegedly failing to prevent a $2 billion fraud, two sources said on Sunday, nearly a year after the country's biggest bank scam came to light and also dragged the government into the controversy.The firing of the two executive directors, whom the CBI have accused of breaching the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines, is the first instance of sacking of the bank's employees since it said that billionaire diamond jeweller Nirav Modi and his uncle ...
The rich and powerful from across the globe will flock to this ski resort town on the Swiss Alps for five days beginning Monday to discuss what's ailing the world amid fears of the global economy sleepwalking into a crisis, with more than 100 CEOs from India expected to be in attendance.

While ongoing political and economic issues in their respective countries have already led to several top leaders, including the US President Donald Trump, Britain's Theresa May, France's Emmanuel Macron and Russia's Vladimir Putin, deciding to stay away from this annual jamboree, many participants believe their absence has further underlined the need for an immediate brain-storming over the imminent risks faced by the world.

Those expected to attend include German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Swiss President Ueli Maurer, Japan's Shinzo Abe, Italy's Giuseppe Conte and Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu among more than 30 heads of state/government, as also CEOs of global corporations, central bankers, economists, civil society leaders, media heads, celebrities and heads of international organisations like IMF, WTO, OECD and World Bank, among more than 3,000 participants.

From India, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as also his cabinet colleague Dharmendra Pradhan have dropped out and so has Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The political leaders from India attending the event include Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu, Andhra Pradesh minister Lokesh Nara and Punjab minister Manpreet Badal.

There are a number of Indian corporate honchos among the registered participants, including Gautam Adani, Mukesh Ambani (with wife Nita and children Akash and Isha), Sanjiv Bajaj, N Chandrasekaran, Sajjan Jindal, Anand Mahindra, Sunil Mittal, Nandan Nilekani, Salil Parekh, Azim Premji and son Rishad, Ravi Ruia and Ajay Singh.

Celebrity film producer and director Karan Johar, as also former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, New Development Bank President K V Kamath and IMF Chief Economist Gita Gopinath are also expected to be there.

Microsoft's Indian-origin CEO Satya Nadella will be among the co-chairs of the 2019 edition of this annual congregation of world leaders from January 21-25.

He would be joined by six young leaders under the age of 30 as co-chairs -- Basima Abdulrahman from Iraq, Juan David Aristizabal from Colombia, Sweden's Noura Berrouba, Julia Luscombe from the US, Mohammed Hassan Mohamud from Kenya and Japan's Akira Sakano.

The theme of the event would be 'Globalization 4.0: Shaping a Global Architecture in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution', which would have several India-focussed sessions. Besides, India's political scenario may hog the limelight, with the event taking place ahead of the national elections.

According to Geneva-based WEF, which describes itself as a public-private partnership for international cooperation, the leaders at this annual summit would discuss how globalisation can work as well as identify new models for peace, inclusiveness and sustainability, while the top agenda would also include climate change and international governance.

Some of the key issues likely to be deliberated upon include top global risks identified by the WEF in its annual pre-Davos survey, including rising geopolitical and geoeconomic tensions.

The WEF has warned that worsening international relations are hindering a collective will to tackle these concerns. The report also flagged massive incidents of data fraud and large-scale cyber attacks among the biggest risks in terms of likelihood, while it also listed increasing polarisation of societies and growing wealth disparity among the key concerns.

The report, based on a survey of nearly 1,000 experts and decision-makers from across the world, said that nine out of ten respondents expect the economy to worsen due to rising geopolitical tensions.

"This fourth wave of globalisation needs to be human-centred, inclusive and sustainable. We are entering a period of profound global instability brought on by the technological disruption of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the realignment of geo-economics and geopolitical forces," WEF's Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab said.

"We need principals from all stakeholder groups in Davos to summon the imagination and commitment necessary to tackle it," he added.

There would be more than 350 official sessions during the five-day event and the meeting will host over 900 civil society and 1,700 business leaders.

The event would also be attended by CEOs of a large number of MNCs, including Adidas, Rio Tinto, Embraer, AXA, Societe Generale, Total, Allianz, Bayer, Deutsche Bank, Lufthansa, KPMG, Siemens, Generali, Hitachi, Nomura, Sumitomo, IKEA, Royal Dutch Shell, Telenor, Alibaba, Credit Suisse, Nestle, Novartis, UBS, Barclays, BP, Standard Chartered, Unilever, Bank of America, Cargill, Citi, Cisco, Dell, IBM, Morgan Stanley, PepsiCo, Pfizer, Coca-Cola and Visa.

Besides the official sessions, industry body CII and several other Indian groups have also lined up their own meetings on the sidelines.

At a session on emerging markets outlook, discussions would be about whether policy makers are equipped to avert a hard economic landing with highly-leveraged emerging market economies feeling the pinch from growing protectionism and tightening monetary conditions in the US.

Another session would focus on 'India and the World', which would cover the country's emergence as a compelling growth story and the questions being raised about its long-term sustainability due to a falling rupee, volatile external financial markets, worsening current account deficit and stress in the banking sector.

One official session would discuss India's consumer markets and how its lessons can be applied to other fast-growth economies.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Thousands of protesters have marched in Australia calling for an end to violence against women, days after the murder of an Israeli student in Melbourne.

Demonstrators called for streets to be made safe for women after the body of 21-year-old Aiia Maasarwe was found in bushes near a tram stop on Wednesday.

Maasarwe was speaking to her sister on the phone when she was attacked while on her way home from a comedy show.

The weekend rallies -- held in Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra -- are part of the Women's March campaign, first held in January 2017 in the United States and around the world.

During Sunday's march, campaigners held banners with the words "I'm here for Aiia" and "stop violence against women".

"I'm marching for the women who can't," protester Samantha Nolan-Smith told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation at the rally in the nation's capital Canberra.

"I'm thinking particularly of the death that happened this week and so many other women who have suffered from violence and who are dead." A 20-year-old man was charged with Maasarwe's murder on Saturday.

Thousands of women joined demonstrations worldwide, though turnout appeared far short of marches in earlier years.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
When Flt Lt Srikant Sharma will lead the 144-strong India Air Force contingent on Rajpath on January 26, he will not only fulfil his own dream to march down the ceremonial boulevard during the Republic Day parade, but also redeem wishes of his father, who wanted to join the armed forces.

The 26-year-old IAF officer, brimming with pride, says the "eyes of the country will be on us too when the contingent walks past the president, but the honour also fills me with humility".

Sharma, who hails from Jaipur and has been an NCC cadet, shared that this achievement is also a nod to his father's dream of serving in the armed forces.

"I have seen the R-Day parade on TV and my brother had led a contingent of an Army regiment last year. And now I will be at the helm for the IAF contingent. So, my dad will have seen both his sons as leaders," he told PTI.

The IAF officer said he was ecstatic about leading the contingent, but "my father will be more delighted".

"He (father) wanted to join the armed forces and had also given the entrance examination. But, as fate would have it, this was around 1984 and due to some contingencies back then the interview could not take place. So, this honour feels special, as it will also be a fulfilment of his dream in a way," Sharma said.

"Getting into the armed forces was a dream come true and this opportunity to lead the contingent is an "icing on the cake," he said.

Flt Lt Pankaj Choudhary and Flying Officers Ragi Ramachandran and Vikas Yadav will be in the vanguard of the contingent led by Sharma, the IAF said.

Ramachandran, the only woman fronting the contingent, said it was a "moment of great pride" that also "inspires great humility in me" given the prestige the Republic Day celebrations hold for one and all.

But preparing for the parade has not been easy, though armed forces regimen prepare them well, the officers concurred.

"We would have to wake up at 3 AM for rehearsals at Rajpath. We would initially do some warm-ups to shrug off the morning cold and then do the marching. On January 26, we will have to walk all the way to the Red Fort, so we have to built stamina, but the enthusiasm and spirit is running high," he said.

An IAF marching band will be ahead of the contingent when they walk down the Rajpath.

"On the first day, it was quite difficult to match the steps with the beats as we have to march in a synchronised way. We used to see on TV and it looked so easy, but it takes a lot of hard work to perfect the steps," Sharma said.

Asked if they faced any issue due to morning haze and darkness in early hours, the IAF officer said, "At times, halogen lights were used as visibility would be poor due to fog. But it is all worth it, the pride of being part of the Republic Day parade that feeling is exceptional," he said.

Asked which all planes he has flown, Sharma said, "Super Dimona, PC-7, Kiran MK III, Hawk and Sukhoi Su-30".

The IAF will also showcase a host of air defence capabilities of the country during the Republic Day celebrations here, including a 'vic' formation of An-32 aircraft, whose lead plane will be flying using a mix of traditional and biofuel for the first time during the parade.

The end of the parade will be marked by a single Sukhoi aircraft Su-30 MKI of the IAF performing the signature 'vertical charlie' in the air.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu Sunday urged the world community to come together to address the "pressing issues" of terrorism, climate change and corruption.

Speaking at the valedictory ceremony of the ninth edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit here, VP Naidu said these issues need to be addressed for ensuring peace, prosperity and the partnership of individuals in the inclusive growth story.

"The entire world must be peaceful. Peace is the prerequisite for progress. I would like to tell the entire world community from this forum of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit that three important challenges are there before the humanity, before the world...One of them is terror. Terror has no religion. It is the enemy of humanity. It has to be rooted out totally by all countries coming together. That is the need of the hour," he said.

The vice president also urged the world community to work together to ensure that the effect of climate change is minimised.

"We must all come together, work together to take care, to see that the climate change effect is minimised, and we all take proactive steps to face the challenge of climate change," he said and praised the "solar alliance" initiative.

International Solar Alliance is an alliance of more than 121 countries initiated by India, most of them being sunshine countries, which lie either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.

Speaking on corruption, VP Naidu said that that practice "eats" into the vitals of our system, and is a big challenge world-wide.

He also appealed to the world community to come together "to exchange information about illegal bank accounts of different countries and have treaties on economic fugitives who loot and cheat the countries".

"If the world has to be peaceful, prosperous, and see inclusive growth of everybody becoming the partner in the development stories, they must all come together on these three major issues. And I hope everybody concerned should apply their mind and give a serious thought to these three things," he said.

VP Naidu said India's growth in the last 15 years is not limited to industry alone, but was also witnessed in the fields of agriculture, infrastructure, rural development, and IT services.

He said India was trying to go beyond the trade and investment and hoping to develop "long-lasting bonds between nations that will cement the seeds of trust and cooperation".

"This will be paramount to identifying solutions to issues in the economic, social and cultural sphere, especially in today's world which is much heterogeneous," he said, adding that initiatives like the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit are endeavours in the same direction.

India's growth is supported by "progressive and long-term reforms, sound financial acumen and the impetus given to building a robust infrastructure", the VP said.

"The reforms taken up by the government in the past few years have made India the top destination for investments in the world," he said.

"In fact, this is the right time for foreign investors to tap the huge potential offered by India in various sectors from real estate to healthcare. India is the bright spot in the world's economy today," he said.

The vice president also hailed States vying to attract investment by organising similar summits and said "unless States become strong, the country cannot become strong and unless the country becomes strong, the world cannot become strong".

Earlier in the day, he visited the Statue of Unity of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the tallest such monument in the world, at Kavadia in Narmada district.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Telecom operator Vodafone Idea has sought two-years moratorium on annual spectrum payment of about Rs 10,000 crore, citing high debt levels and stress on the balance sheet.

"The Department of Telecom has received representation from Vodafone Idea for 2-years additional moratorium on spectrum payment that they procured in auction. The request is being examined and it has to be scrutinised and considered by other departments/ministries in the government before taking any decision," a senior government official told PTI.

The amount to be paid by Vodafone Idea is estimated to be around Rs 10,000 core this year.

When contacted, Vodafone Idea spokesperson said: "The telecom industry is critical to fulfilling the Digital aspirations of 1.3 billion Indians. Hence, it is important for it to be financially robust with multiple operators that can offer choice to citizens, ensure healthy competition and that national assets like spectrum are valued correctly. However, India's telecom industry is currently suffering considerable financial stress and this has been extensively reported in the media".

Vodafone and Idea have participated in five auctions that were held in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016 before merging their mobile business. In five auctions, Vodafone alone had acquired spectrum worth Rs 79,343 crore, which is highest in terms of value compared to bids made by any other operator. Idea too had purchased spectrum worth Rs 63,597 crore in those auctions.

After completion of merger on August 31, 2018, the spectrum payment liability is now on Vodafone Idea.

Vodafone spokesperson said in November and December 2018, the industry wrote to the government seeking urgent measures to improve its cash flow, reduce costs and regain financial strength to ensure the long-term health of the sector.

"One specific request was for the government to defer some spectrum payment obligations. Vodafone Idea supports these industry requests," the spokesperson said.

The government in March last year enhanced number of annual installments for spectrum payment from 10 to 16 years to provide relief to the sector, which is reeling under the debt of around 7.8 lakh crore.

Telecom operators body Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) in November again approached DoT secretary Aruna Sundararajan to seek additional 2-year moratorium on payment of installments of spectrum won in auction and interest charges imposed on installments.

Similar request was submitted by industry chamber Assocham in December.

Industry bodies said that the sector has lost 42 per cent revenue from sales of telecom services on quarterly basis between April-June 2016 and July-September 2018. They said the debt level on four mobile operators is at around Rs 5 lakh crore, with 60 per cent of the liability is from spectrum payment obligations.

They mentioned that spectrum prices discovered in 2014 to 2016 were at "world's highest spectrum auction prices", which were not the real value of the radiowaves.

According to other sources in the government, while demanding relief, industry players have said that it is tough time for sustainability of business in the present situation and is a serious cause of concern as it has potential to expose Indian banks and financial institutions to high level of bad loans.

Vodafone Idea spokesperson said that the company remains optimistic about its future and the long-term outlook for the market.

"Our integration programme is ahead of plan and we expect to accrue synergy benefits two years ahead of our original expectations. Furthermore, Vodafone Idea has announced its intention to raise up to Rs 250 billion of equity capital and both promoter shareholders have indicated that they would contribute up to Rs 182 billion," the spokesperson said.

In addition, Vodafone Idea is progressing the sale of non-core tower and fibre assets to further increase financial flexibility, the spokesperson added.

"All these capital raising initiatives will make the company stronger and any questions about its (Vodafone Idea) survival in the absence of the relief that has been sought from the government by the industry are totally unfounded and malicious," the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, Vodafone Idea Ltd in a regulatory filing said the board meeting will be held on January 23 to consider and approve a proposal for raising funds, including through rights issue, qualified institutions placement, preferential allotment or any other mode.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu Sunday visited the Statue of Unity dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Narmada district of Gujarat.

He also visited the house of the first Union home minister of India and his memorial at Karamsad town in Anand district.

The vice president was in Gujarat to attend the closing ceremony of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in Gandhinagar Sunday.

After visiting the Statue of Unity, the tallest statue in the world, VP Naidu said it is a "befitting memorial to Sardar Patel".

The 182-metre tall statue was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October last year.

"My heart is filled with emotions and pride. Now, we have a great structure that symbolises the great legacy of Sardar Patel," the vice president said.

Lauding PM Modi "for taking up the initiative to build the State of Unity", the VP said he had always felt that a due recognition was not given to Sardar Patel in the past.

The vice president said that all Indians, particularly the youth, should visit the statue to draw inspiration and know the history.

"It was the responsibility of every citizen who owes allegiance to the Constitution of India to do everything to uphold the unity of our country," the vice president said.

Later in the evening, VP Naidu visited Karamsad, the home town of Sardar Patel.

"Visited the house of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Karamsad today where he spent his childhood in the care of his mother Laad Ba and father Jhaverbhai Patel," Naidu wrote on his Facebook wall.

"Inspite of many Congress committees recommending his name for president of congress party, he politely refused following the advice of Mahatma Gandhi that incident shows that he was never after power," he stated.

The vice president also visited the memorial built in the memory of Sardar Patel and his brother Vithalbhai Patel near Karamsad town.

The memorial is managed by Sardar Patel Trust.

VP Naidu donated Rs 5 lakh to the trust during the visit.

"Made a humble contribution of Rs 5 lakhs to Sardar Patel Trust in Karamsad, Gujarat for propagation of Sardar Patel's ideas and ideals," he tweeted.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
https://www.aish.com/ci/s/Martin-Luther-King-Quotes-about-Israel-and-Jews.html

Stirring calls to live up to our potential and to look at others with fairness and warmth.

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of Americas most eloquent voices for civil rights, for humanity and for peace. Here are memorable quotes about Jews and Israel that contain Kings stirring calls to live up to our potential and to look at others with fairness and warmth.

Jews and African-Americans:

When King was invited to address the American Jewish Committee convention in 1958, he noted the great similarities between Jews and African Americans, who both experienced hatred and prejudice and who worked to overcome that hatred:

My people were brought to America in chains. Your people were driven here to escape the chains fashioned for them in Europe. Our unity is born of our common struggle for centuries, not only to rid ourselves of bondage, but to make oppression of any people by others an impossibility.

Anti-Semitism and racism:

There are Hitlers loose in America today, both in high and low places As the tensions and bewilderment of economic problems become more severe, history(s) scapegoats, the Jews, will be joined by new scapegoats, the Negroes. The Hitlers will seek to divert peoples minds and turn their frustration and anger to the helpless, to the outnumbered. Then whether the Negro and Jew shall live in peace will depend upon how firmly they resist, how effectively they reach the minds of the decent Americans to halt this deadly diversion. (May 14, 1958 address to the National Biennial Convention of the American Jewish Congress)

Probably more than any other ethnic group, the Jewish community has been sympathetic and has stood as an ally to the Negro in his struggle for justice. (March 26, 1968 address to the 68th annual convention of the Rabbinical Assembly)

Learning from Jewish history:

Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself. The Bible tells the thrilling story of how Moses stood in the Pharaohs court centuries ago and cried, Let my people go. This is a kind of opening chapter in a continuing story. The present struggle in our country is a later chapter in the same unfolding story. Something within has reminded the Negro of his birthright of freedom, and something without has reminded him that it can be gained. (Letter from a Birmingham Jail, 1963)

It was illegal to aid and comfort a Jew in Hitlers Germany. But I am sure that if I had lived in Germany during that time, I would have aided and comforted my Jewish brothers even though it was illegal. (Letter from a Birmingham Jail, 1963)

Zionism and Anti-Semitism:

On October 27, 1967, just a few months after the Six Day War, King had dinner with students from Harvard University in Boston. Professor Seymour Martin Lipset was present and recalls how one of the students criticized Zionists. King was incensed, saying Dont talk like that! - and continuing:

When people criticize Zionists, they mean Jews. Youre talking anti-Semitism!

The following year, just days before his tragic murder, King addressed an annual Jewish assembly and explained his pro-Israel feelings at greater length. He explained that Israel and Arab states had different conceptions of what constitutes peace. Arab states are consumed with inequality and require fundamental changes in their societies before they can feel secure. Israel, in contrast, desires only secure borders and for the world to recognize its right to exist.

Peace for Israel means security, and we must stand with all of our might to protect its right to exist, its territorial integrity and the right to use whatever sea lanes it needs. I see Israel, and never mind saying it, as one of the great outposts of democracy in the world, and a marvelous example of what can be done, how desert land can be transformed into an oasis of brotherhood and democracy. Peace for Israel means security and that security must be a reality. (March 26, 1968 address to the 68th annual convention of the Rabbinical Assembly)

Fighting for Soviet Jews:

On December 11, 1966, King addressed 50,000 people in 32 states at demonstrations for Soviet Jews via a telephone hookup. His eloquent words reminded the crowds that they all had a vital responsibility to work to help their fellow Jews who were trapped in the Soviet Union. Here are three quotes from that stirring speech:

We cannot sit complacently by the wayside while our Jewish brothers in the Soviet Union face the possible extinction of their cultural and spiritual life. Those that sit at rest, while others take pains, are tender turtles and buy their quite with disgrace.

The denial of human rights anywhere is a threat to the affirmation of human rights everywhere.

Jewish history and culture are a part of everyones heritage, whether he be Jewish, Christian or Muslim.

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968 at the age of 39. His stirring words continue to live on, inspiring us to work towards his vision of a world without hatred, without prejudice. His palpable affection and respect for Israel and the Jewish people can inspire us today.
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Sunday said 28,360 Memorandums of Understanding were signed during the Global Summit 2019 and it was expected to generate over 21 lakh jobs.

Rupani, however, did not specify the amount of that would come into the state by way of these MOUs.

Speaking at the concluding session of the ninth edition of the three-day Global Summit 2019, Rupani said the event had seen the realisation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision as "several big ticket investments (were) placed and committed, which will bring in jobs."



"Gujarat has become the gateway to the world and it has become an ideal platform for everyone. The summit has also become a platform for social upliftment rather than only for business and trade," he said.

"A total of 28,360 MoUs were signed which will bring in over 21 lakh employment to the state," Rupani said.

He said Gujarat has become a preferred destination after 2003 when Narendra Modi as the state CM decided to organise the Summit every two year.

"Not many business houses participated in the first summit in 2003. The PM's vision has been fully realised in this 9th summit. This event has also become an ideal platform for knowledge sharing and networking," Rupani said in his address.

He claimed the summit gave a platform to be globally competitive.

Gujarat Deputy CM Nitin Patel, addressing the media later, said out of total 28,360 MOUs signed, maximum number of 21,889 were connected to the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector.

He informed that 408 MoUs were signed in agro and food processing, 548 in power and gas, 1,516 in urban development, 977 in mineral based projects, 197 in engineering and auto and the remaining in other sectors.

Patel also said these MoUs would generate 21 lakh jobs in Gujarat but refused to reveal the quantum of they would attract.

"The figures of investment are not that important. We are still calculating it. But the important thing is these MoUs would lead to employment generation and boost economic activity," Patel told reporters.

At the event's inauguration function, held in the presence of PM Modi, several captains of industry had made announcements regarding projects they intended to start in Gujarat.

Terming the summit a success, Patel said over 42,000 national and international delegates participated in the three-day event.
British police said they have given "suitable words of advice" to Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth, after the 97-year-old was spotted driving without a seat belt, two days after the Duke miraculously escaped unhurt in a terrifying accident that injured two women in another car.

The Duke of Edinburgh has been pictured back behind the wheel of a new Land Rover on Saturday afternoon on the Sandringham estate, the royal family's Norfolk retreat near to which the Thursday's accident took place, the Telegraph reported.

The Duke was given "suitable words of advice" by Norfolk Police after the pictures were published in newspapers.

On Thursday, Philip escaped a crash when a Tata Motors' Land Rover he was driving flipped onto its side after a collision with another car carrying two women and a nine-month-old baby.

The Duke was unharmed but the two women in the Kia hatchback were injured in the accident. The old baby who was in the back seat of car was uninjured. It was suggested that the royal was dazzled by sunlight at a T-junction and his vehicle hit the Kia.

Though Philip was unhurt, the accident stirred up a debate in the UK about old age and driving and raised questions over the duke still driving himself on public roads.

Philip, who formally retired from public life in 2017, has been seen behind the wheels on numerous occasions over the decade.

Meanwhile, Emma Fairweather, who broke her wrist in the crash, has told the Mirror newspaper that the duke has not apologised.

A Palace spokesman has said contact was made with the occupants of the car to exchange "well-wishes".

Fairweather, who was a passenger in the car being driven by her friend, said: "I'm lucky to be alive and he hasn't even said sorry."



"It has been such a traumatic and painful time and I would have expected more of the Royal Family," she added.

She said she had not heard from the royal household but had got a call from a police family liaison officer.

"The message he passed on didn't even make sense. He said, 'The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh would like to be remembered to you,'" she said.

"That's not an apology or even a well-wish."



Buckingham Palace said on Saturday that a "full message of support was sent to both the driver and the passenger".

At present, there is no upper age limit for driving in the UK. However, a person's driving licence expires once he or she reaches the age of 70.

If the licence expires and they fail to renew it, then they legally are not allowed to drive. But if they apply for a renewal they may continue.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
British Prime Minister Theresa May's Downing Street office said Sunday that reported plots for parliament to seize control from the government over were "extremely concerning".

Downing Street blasted reported moves by lawmakers seeking to rewrite the rules of the House of Commons in an attempt to take control of the business of the lower chamber in order to frustrate May's plans. Groups of MPs are planning to table such amendments this week, newspapers reported Sunday.

"The British public voted to leave the European Union and it is vital that elected politicians deliver upon that verdict," a Downing Street spokeswoman said.

"Any attempt to remove the government's power to meet the legal conditions of an orderly exit at this moment of historic significance is extremely concerning.

"This news should serve as a reminder to those MPs who want to deliver that they need to vote for it -- otherwise there is a danger that parliament could stop Brexit." May is due to spell out to lawmakers on Monday what her plans are now for Brexit following MPs' overwhelming rejection of the divorce deal agreed between London and Brussels.

Lawmakers are set to table a series of various Brexit amendments this week to test their support in the Commons.

May was due to hold a conference call with senior ministers to update them on her talks with other political parties in the wake of last week's landslide vote.

Trade Secretary Liam Fox warned of a "political tsunami" if MPs fail to deliver on the 2016 referendum vote to leave the EU.

He also slammed people calling for May to rule out a no-deal Brexit -- a key demand of the Labour main opposition -- saying the "most stupid thing possible" in a negotiation is to "give away your strongest card".

"Failure to deliver Brexit would produce a yawning gap between parliament and the people, a schism in our political system with unknowable consequences," Fox, a senior pro-Brexit cabinet minister, wrote in The Sunday Telegraph newspaper.

"It is time for MPs to deliver on the promises they made. It is a matter of honour and a matter of duty.
US President had conversations about a proposed project to build a in throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, far later than previously acknowledged, his lawyer said Sunday.

Trump's conversations with his then personal lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, who was spearheading the negotiations in Moscow, continued throughout the year until October or November 2016, Rudy Giuliani said.

"It's our understanding that they went on throughout 2016 -- there weren't a lot of them, but there were conversations," the former New York mayor said on NBC's "Meet the Press."



"Can't be sure the exact dates, but the president can remember having conversations with him about it," he said.

Cohen, who was sentenced to three years in prison for an assortment of felonies, has pleaded guilty to lying to Congress in 2017 when he testified that the negotiations had ended by January of 2016.

In fact, he later admitted, they had gone on much longer, until June of 2016, when Trump had become the presumptive nominee of the Republican party.

The latest disclosure extends that timeline right up to the presidential elections in November.

The project has been a subject of scrutiny because Trump had denied any business dealings with the Russians.

He has since acknowledged that Cohen pursued a deal with the Russians well into 2016, but has insisted there was nothing wrong with seeking business opportunities while running for office.

Giuliani said Trump had fully answered questions about the project put to him by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Mueller is investigating whether the Trump campaign colluded with a Russian effort to sway the 2016 elections in the Republican's favour, as well as possible obstruction by the president.

Giuliani portrayed Trump's role in the negotiations as that of a passive participant who was too busy running for president to pay much attention to it.

"It was Michael Cohen driving the project," he told CNN in a separate interview on its "State of the Union" show.

Candidate Trump, he said, was "tied up 18 hours a day with that (the campaign). If he could devote a minute a day to this, it would be a lot. A minute here, a minute there.

"Your recollection of that is not going to be as strong. The guy running it is going to remember it," he said.

Cohen is scheduled to testify before the House Oversight Committee on February 7.
Leading US Senator Lindsey Graham vowed Sunday to urge President Donald Trump to meet Imran Khan to boost Washington's Afghanistan peace efforts, calling the Pakistani prime minister an "agent of change".

The Republican -- an influential ally of Trump -- made the comments in Islamabad after meeting with the Pakistani leader, saying Khan was a "new partner" who could potentially help with a peace deal in Afghanistan.

"I'm going to urge him (Trump) to meet with the prime minister as soon as practical," Graham told reporters, saying he believed Khan and Trump would "hit if off" because they have "similar personalities".

"Prime Minister Khan is the agent of change that I've been looking for," he added.

Ties between Washington and Islamabad have soured recently, with US officials repeatedly accusing Pakistan of turning a blind eye to or even collaborating with the Afghan Taliban, which launch attacks in Afghanistan from alleged havens along the border between the two countries.

Trump has repeatedly lashed out at Pakistan's alleged duplicity, saying late last year that Islamabad does not do "a damn thing" for the US.

Khan has been equally critical of Trump, saying before 2018's election in Pakistan that a potential meeting with the US president would be a "bitter pill" to swallow.

The US lawmaker's trip to Pakistan comes as American officials have held several rounds of talks with Taliban representatives. Graham said a meeting between the two leaders was vital to carve out a potential deal in Afghanistan.

"They actually need to meet and come up with a agenda that will push a resolution to the war in Afghanistan," the senator added.

Graham -- once a potent critic of Trump -- has transformed in recent months into an ardent defender and influential ally of the president.

The senator's arrival also overlapped with an ongoing trip by US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who has been shuttling around the region for months to build support for the peace initiative.

Khalilzad was in Kabul last week and then flew to Pakistan were he also met with the prime minister Friday as reports in Pakistan suggested Islamabad was open to hosting the next round of talks with the insurgents.

The Taliban, however, have threatened to suspend the fledgling peace efforts, accusing Washington of changing the agenda of the talks and "unilaterally" adding new subjects.

Graham's trip also comes after US officials announced in December that Trump intends to withdraw as many as half of the 14,000 US troops deployed in Afghanistan.

The meetings are the latest in a flurry of diplomatic efforts aimed at bringing the Taliban to the table for negotiations with the Afghan government on ending the conflict which began with the US invasion in 2001.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A top Islamist extremist, who allegedly supplied arms, explosives and money to the militants who carried out 2016 terror attack on a cafe in Bangladesh, has been arrested, police said on Sunday.

The militant was arrested from a bus in Gazipur city in the outskirts of the capital and has been identified as absconding Holey Artisan attack suspect Mamunur Rashid Ripon, said the police's elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).

"He was arrested around 1 am on Sunday aboard a bus travelling from Haluaghat to Dhaka," RAB spokesman Mufti Mahmud Khan was quoted as saying by the bdnews24.

The RAB claimed that he is the top financier and weapon supplier of banned Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), which carried out the the attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery, an upmarket cafe in Dhaka on July 1, 2016 that killed 22 people, including a 19-year-old Indian girl.

According to investigators, 30-year-old Ripon supplied money, arms, ammunition and explosives for the attack."



Eighteen foreigners were among those shot and hacked to death by five militants in the 10-hour standoff at the cafe before military commandos stormed the building and freed some two dozen other people.

According to Khan, Ripon was in possession of Tk 150,000 (Rs 1.27 lakh) at the time of his arrest.

"He admitted that he was associated with the planning of the Holey Artisan caf attack as he was quizzed in our custody, Khan said.

The official without elaboration said the RAB detectives simultaneously uncovered a militant plan to rescue from custody millitants detained over the 2016 attack.

They (JMB) planned to snatch their detained fellows during their transportation to a Dhaka court from different jails for the trial in Trishal styler, he said.

JMB militants had snatched away three fellow operatives in northern Trishal sub-district on February 23, 2014 after they ambushed a prison van and killed a policeman.

On July 23, 2018, two years after the incident, the police identified 21 people in connection with the attack.

Investigators said a total of 21 militants were involved in planning the assault but 13 of them were killed in subsequent anti-terrorism operations by security forces.

The government launched a nationwide crackdown against extremists immediately after the attack, killing nearly 100 alleged extremists in gunfights including several top JMB leaders.

According to the investigation report, the attack was carried out by Neo-JMB militants after six months of planning. Six of the accused, Jahangir Alam alias Rajib Gandhi, Rakibul Hasan Regan, Rashedul Islam alias Rash, Sohel Mahfuz, Mizanur Rahman alias Baro Mizan and Hadisur Rahman Sagar, were brought to the court for the indictment.

Two other suspects, Shahidul Islam Khan and Ripon, were absconding at the time.

The trial proceeded in their absence. The court issued warrants against them and ordered their property to be seized.

The police Counter Terrorism Unit had previously said that they believed Khaled and Ripon had fled across the border to India.

According to the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009, those convicted under the law may be granted death sentences.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Tamil Nadu woman, whose name figured in Kerala government's list of 51 women of menstrual age who visited the Sabarimala shrine, on Sunday said she was 62 and not 48, as mentioned in the affidavit submitted before the Supreme Court.

Chandira Sundaram, a resident of Tiruvannamalai -- about 190 kilometers from here, said her name was wrongly included in the list of women below 50 years of age who visited the hill shrine after the Supreme Court removed the bar on their entry.

She said her year of birth was mentioned as 1970 in her Aadhaar card by mistake, apparently indicating that it may be the reason for inclusion of her name in the list.

In an interview to a Tamil channel, Sundaram said she has been undertaking the pilgrimage to Sabarimala ever since she turned 54.

"Now I am 62 and for the past eight years I have been visiting the Sabarimala temple," she said.

She added that police helped her climb the sacred 18 steps of the shrine.

The Kerala government submitted the affidavit with the names of 51 women to the apex court on Friday saying they had entered the Sabarimala temple through an online process during the annual pilgrimage season.

The affidavit triggered a controversy with many alleging discrepancies with regard to age of those named in the list.

The son of a woman from Goa claimed that his mother's age was 52 and not 43, as mentioned in the list. A Tamil Nadu man said his name was also included in the list.

The BJP, the Sabarimala Karma Samiti and the Pandalam royal family, associated with the Lord Ayyappa temple, also hit out at the Kerala government.

The shrine's two-month-long pilgrimage season, which witnessed unprecedented protests by frenzied devotees over the entry of young women, concluded on Sunday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A grand "jallikattu" (bull-taming) event held here Sunday entered the world record for the maximum number of bulls released into the sporting arena which was over 1,300 and almost double than the previous record.

The bull taming sporting event, coordinated by Tamil Nadu Health Minister C Vijayabaskar at Viralimalai near here saw the participation of 1,354 bulls and 424 tamers.

Two of the participants were killed in the event while 31 men including some spectators were injured, according to the district police.

"The number of 1,354 bulls that participated was almost double (than the previous record) of 647 two years ago and it is an amazing record for Tamil Nadu," a Worldkings World Records Union representative said.

Although about 2,000 bulls were originally scheduled to be released into the sprawling sporting arena, it could not be completed owing to paucity of time, the organisers said.

"It was the highest number of bulls in a single day," Vijayabaskar said and added that he was happy to have coordinated the sport of valour of the Tamil people.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami hailed 'Jallikattu' as a symbol of the valour and courage of the Tamil people.

Successful bull tamers and owners of bulls that could not be tamed were showered with gifts.

On January 17, a spectator died of heart attack during the bull taming sport of Jallikattu which was held at Alanganallur in Madurai district.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Sunday said the state achieved major growth in the last four-and-half years though it had an "unfavourable government" headed by the BJP at the Centre.

"Though there is an unfavourable government at the Centre.. Why I have to say this, though I am a responsible Chief Minister, I have to say this..

The BJP government is there at the Centre.. Did not give even a single rupee extra to us. We gave 500 representations (to the Centre)," he claimed.

The NITI Ayog recommended to the Centre to give Rs 24,000 crore to the Mission Kakatiya (rejuvenation of tanks) and Mission Bhagiradha (drinking water supply scheme), but the central government did not give "even Rs 24," he said.

"Except devolution (of) funds as (state's) share in Central taxes as per the Constitution, an additional rupee did not come.

That means, we had an unfavourable government at the Centre during the last four-and-half years. Not a favourable government.. Still we achieved this growth," he said in the Assembly responding to the motion of thanks to Governor's address (to the joint session of legislature).

Claiming that Telangana was number one in the country in terms of growth, he said, "We said in Governor's speech yesterday. Consistently for four years, our growth was 17.17 per cent.

Fifth year is going on now. Now, our growth as per own resources is 29.93 per cent."



The state is at the top in GST collections also, he added.

On Telangana opting out of the NDA government's 'Ayushman Bharat' health scheme, Rao said the 'Arogya Sri' scheme being implemented since undivided Andhra Pradesh days has been a much better one.

"Prime Minister ji and I had discussed it twice or thrice .. Whenever I go, he gives me a paper..

the first sentence is Telangana did not join Ayushman Bharat scheme.. They asked all states to join. We did not join because, there is a disadvantage," he said.

The 'Arogya Sri' scheme introduced by late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy when he was the Chief Minister in undivided Andhra Pradesh, was "many times better than the Ayushman Bharat introduced by the Centre," he said.

Touching upon a number of issues, the TRS leader also said the Centre has substantially sanctioned development of national highways in the state.

Noting that his government would fulfill all the promises made by TRS during the assembly polls in letter and spirit, Rao said the farm loan waiver would be implemented and modalities were being worked out.

On double bedroom housing scheme for the poor, he said it was being implemented in a transparent manner.

The government would provide financial assistance for construction of house for those who owned house sites, he said.

Referring to Congress MLA Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy's comments on implementation of various welfare schemes, Rao said the government would 100 per cent implement what it promised.

All the benefits promised to people such as hike in social security pensions would be implemented from the next financial year.

During the debate on motion of thanks to Governor's address, AIMIM MLA Ahmed Bin Abdullah Balala took exception to the attack on his party during recent poll campaign by leaders of Congress and BJP.

He appealed to the government on the proposed Islamic Centre and certain special development funds.

When BJP MLA T Raja Singh sought know about the central share in the 'KCR kit' scheme, Rao in his reply said it was being implemented with state funds alone.

The House was adjourned sine die after the conclusion of the debate.

Meanwhile, condemning the Chief Minsiter's remarks that there has been an unfavourable government at the Centre, state BJP Chief K Laxman said the NDA government provided funds to the state like no other government did.

"KCR was a minister in the UPA government.. The 13th Finance Commission alloted Rs 16,000 crore to Telangana region during the 10 years of UPA regime.. is it not true that the Narendra Modi government allocated Rs 1.15 lakh crore?" Laxman asked in a statement.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday said the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's statue in Gujarat, known as the Statue of Unity, was a way of correcting the imbalance in presenting the historical narrative of India, which justified the amount spent on it.

Naidu visited the 182-metre-tall statue in Kevadiya in Gujarat's Narmada district and said only a partial account of Patel's role and contributions in the freedom struggle was documented.

"This Statue of Unity is a firm reminder of the vision, courage, capabilities and contributions of Sardar Patel in the making of modern India. In the true sense, it is a way of correcting the imbalance in presenting the historical narrative of our country," Naidu was quoted in a statement issued by the vice president's office.

Justifying the money spent on the statue, Naidu said given the significance of the structure, "the amount spent on erecting it was worth it and it is a priceless investment".

He also complimented Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his initiative to build the statue and said it should serve as a reminder to uphold unity among all Indians.

Known as the "Iron Man", Patel was the country's first deputy prime minister and home minister.

Citing a letter written by Patel to Jawaharlal Nehru, the country's first prime minister, in which he had cautioned about the threat from China, Naidu said the situation after the 1962 Sino-India war could have been different if Patel's words had been heeded.

"We all know that one of our neighbours waged war against us in 1962 and its result. Had Sardar's concerns been taken seriously, the situation could have been different. All other issues raised by Sardar Patel still remain relevant," he said.

Underlining the importance of the unification of the erstwhile princely states after Independence, Naidu said getting freedom from the British was a milestone in the country's modern history, but the integration of the 565 self-governed states that existed at the time of Independence was another equally important milestone.

"Without Patel and his vision and resolve, many of these 565 princely states would have preferred and remained as independent countries. Had this happened, the map of India would have been vastly different from what we have today," he said.

The people of India would forever remain grateful to Patel for realising his dream and vision of consolidating the country with a steely resolve, Naidu said.

"For this act of courage and determination, Patel is rightly called the 'Iron Man of India'," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
East Valley legislators and their counterparts will be back at work Monday, Jan. 14, as a new session begins with speeches from the governor and other state officials.
Only a small number Bangladeshi nationals are likely to be benefitted from the Citizenship Amendment Bill, as less than 200 people from the neighbouring country have so far availed the Long Term Visa (LTV) regime introduced in 2015, a senior Home Ministry official said.

The majority of those who are likely to apply for Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Bill will be from Pakistan, as nearly 35,000 of such people have got LTVs so far.

"The number of LTVs issued by the Union Home Ministry to Bangladeshi nationals from 2011 to January 8, 2019, is just 187, while total LTVs issued to Pakistani nationals during the same period is 34,817,"the official told PTI.

Those who will apply for Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Bill must fulfil similar criteria of LTVs.

"There cannot be too many Bangladeshis applying for the Indian nationality under the proposed new law. Otherwise, they would have already taken the LTVs for which criteria are the same," the official said.

Of the 187 LTVs granted to Bangladeshi nationals, only two were given in 2018, three in 2017, 50 LTVs were given in 2016, 26 LTVs were issued in 2015, 74 in 2014, 27 in 2012 and four in 2011.

No LTV was issued to any Bangladeshi national in 2013.

Of the total Pakistani nationals given LTVs between January 1, 2015 to January 14, 2019, as many as 15,107 have been living in Rajasthan, 1,560 are living in Gujarat, 1,444 are living in Madhya Pradesh, 599 are staying in Maharashtra, 581 in Delhi, 342 in Chhattisgarh and 101 in Uttar Pradesh.

According to the Citizenship Amendment Bill this year, Indian nationality will be given to persecuted persons belonging to minority communities, namely, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, who have been living in the country for six years instead of current 11 years.

This is applicable to those who have come to India till December 31, 2014.

The eligibility criteria for LTVs include: People belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhism, Jain, Parsi and Christian from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan coming to India on short-term visa, provide a copy of passport, a copy of visa and residential permit, photograph and indemnity bond from the Indian guarantor, besides others.

A large section of people and 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.

There have been sporadic protests against the BIll in the region ever since it was introduced and passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh had already said the Bill will apply to all the states and the Union Territories and the beneficiaries can reside anywhere in 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 the government of India is committed to give all help to the state government and people of Assam," Singh had said.

The Home Ministry sources said the ministry is considering a proposal to provide incentives to those people who want to settle anywhere in India, except the Northeast.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Sikh man has been brutally assaulted in an alleged hate crime by a white man who pulled his beard, kicked and punched him in the face at a store in the US, the latest such incident in the country.

Harwinder Singh Dodd, who was working at a convenience store in the US State of Oregon, was racially targeted on Monday by a 24-year-old Andrew Ramsey.

Ramsey targeted Dodd because of his perception of the employee's religion, FOX 12 TV reported, citing a court document.

Ramsey wanted rolling papers for cigarettes, but did not have an ID and the clerk would not sell them to him, Justin Brecht, a legislative policy adviser in the Oregon State Capitol and a former combat Marine, was quoted as saying by the report.

When Dodd asked Ramsey to leave, he attacked him by pulling his beard, punching him in the face, pulling him to the ground and kicking him, Brecht said, adding that they held Ramsey down until officers got there, the report said.

"He was bleeding, he had gotten punched quite a bit in the face, and kicked on the ground and thrown to the ground very brutally. It was very serious."



Ramsey has been charged with a hate crime, assault, police said, adding that he threw his shoe at Dodd and tried to steal his head covering.

He was also charged with assault in the fourth degree, disorderly conduct and criminal trespass.

Hate crimes increased by 40 per cent in Oregon from 2016 to 2017, according to the FBI.

In August 2018, in about a week, two sikh men were brutally assaulted in the US State of California that raised concerns over increasing incidents of hate crimes in the country.

Last year, the South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) published a report documenting a 45 per cent increase in hate violence and rhetoric against Indians, Sikhs, and South Asian Americans from the year prior.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Central Zoo Authority (CZA), the statutory authority to regulate zoos across the country, has blamed the Ministry for not acting on those responsible for "shocking" irregularities in Delhi zoo, according to official documents.

In an affidavit filed on January 8 before the Delhi High Court, it said that certain officers of the zoo, who had pointed out the irregularities, appear to have been harassed as they were dragged as accused in the said illegalities raised by them only.

"The recent happenings in the national zoological park (also known as Delhi zoo), as has come to the knowledge of the Central Zoo Authority, is shocking and it is not imaginable and acceptable in any zoo in the country, not to think of it in wild dream, also it should be happening in the national zoo of the country, which is identified as national centre of excellence," CZA said in the affidavit.

The affidavit was filed in response to a public interest litigation moved by green activist Ajay Dubey, seeking a probe either by the Central Bureau of Investigation or any other competent agency on alleged illegalities in the Delhi zoo pointed out by him.

Acting on Dubey's complaint, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had in August 2017 constituted a committee to look into the matter.

The CZA submitted that the probe panel did not get the cooperation from the zoo officers and employees.

"Rather, the attitude of defiance and non-cooperation observed on the part of the officers and employees was shocking and they did not cooperate...," it said in the affidavit.

Somehow, the inquiry was conducted and its findings were submitted to the ministry in April last year, the affidavit said.

The inquiry found that monitor lizards were illegally caught (from outside) and released in the cell of the animal (inside the zoo).

"Based on the documentary evidence, it has been found that the death of many animals in the zoo was suppressed by the national zoological park authorities. The dead animals have been subsequently replaced with illegally captured animals," the CZA said.

It said eight tortoises (unidentified species) and three red sand boa snakes were missing from the zoo.

"The records pertaining to captive animals of the zoo have been manipulated," the inquiry report had said, according to the affidavit.

The Central Zoo Authority, based on records available and complaints filed time to time, observed irregularities in the national zoological park, it said.

The same were brought to the knowledge of the authorities in the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, government of India through series of letters, the affidavit said.

The CZA conveyed these findings to the ministry for appropriate action.

"However, no corrective action appears to be taken against the responsible for irregularities observed in the National Zoological Park, it said, adding that the court may pass further orders as it may seem fit in the given circumstances of the case.

The habitats of wildlife are under severe pressure and therefore the zoos have not only to sustain their own populations but also augment the depleting populations of endangered species in the wild, the CZA suggesting that the zoos need to do more to add to wildlife.

"There is a need for the central government to take immediate corrective step to check irregularities in Delhi zoo," Dubey said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ousted AIADMK leader V K Sasikala was given special treatment in a prison here, where she is serving imprisonment in a corruption case, according to the report by an inquiry committee that went into allegations by a senior police official, an RTI query has revealed.

The 295-page report confirmed then DIG (Prisons) D Roopa's claims in July 2017 that Sasikala was given preferential treatment and a separate kitchen functioned for her at the Parappana Agrahara Central Jailhere, RTI activist Narasimha Murthy said.

"I have accessed the 295 pages report through an RTI query. The report confirms that Sasikala was given special treatment in the jail," he told PTI here.

The reply was furnished by M R Shobha, Public Relations Officer of the Home Department.

The then Siddaramaiah government had ordered an inquiry by retired IAS officer Vinay Kumar to probe the allegations made by Roopa after the issue snowballed.

In a report submitted on July 12 to DGP (Prisons) H N Sathyanarayana Rao, Roopa had said there was "a talk" that Rs two crore had exchanged hands to give preferential treatment for Sasikala and there were allegations against him also, charge rejected by him.

The issue had caused embarrassment to the then Congress government led by Siddaramaiah which ordered the transfer of Roopa and Rao after both sparred in public.

Sasikala is lodged at Parappana Agrahara central prison here ever since her conviction by the Supreme Court in February, 2017 in the disproportionate assets case along with her two relatives V N Sudhakaran and Elavarasi, all serving a 4-year jail term.

Kumar had submitted his report to the government on November 17, 2017 but its contents were not made public.

The report, a copy of which is available with PTI, said Sasikala, close aide of late Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa, was allowed to wear her personal clothes and cook. A pressure cooker and spices were found in her prison cell.

It also said there was separate visitors' room for her and the corridor in the jail was barricaded for her.

Sasikala was provided five cells, despite no threat to her life as per intelligence reports, the report said.

The inquiry committee report said Sasikala enjoyed free movement within the prison which was corroborated by video clips. One of the videos showed Sasikala and co-convict Elavarasi going out of the female barrack with a bag in hand, it said.

The videos were submitted to the commission by Roopa along with other CCTV footage from inside the prison.

The report also found that, as per the CCTV footage, Sasikala met with a person in white shirt and white pants for over four hours on June 11, 2017.

According to the prison register, the person is A. Ashokan, her advocate. However, while it was mentioned in the register that she met with him for only 45 minutes the maximum time that a prisoner can spend with a visitor, the CCTV evidence that showed she met him for several hours.

The Daily Report (submitted by the chief superintendent of the prison for July 11, 2017) also showed that Elavarasi on that day had seven visitors, but the total time spent by her was recorded as 45 minutes from 2 pm.

"This can only be explained as deliberate misreporting on the part of the concerned prison officials to escape falling within the prohibition of Rule 601 of the Karnataka Prison Manual 1978. In other words, it is a case of falsification of records, the report noted.

It also found two other similar manipulation of visitor timings.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
South Africa on Sunday congratulated Felix Tshisekedi on becoming president-elect of DR Congo following a Constitutional Court ruling, despite the African Union and EU warning of doubts over the country's disputed election result.

"President Cyril Ramaphosa has congratulated Mr Felix Tshisekedi Tshilombo," the presidency said in a statement, calling for "all parties and all stakeholders in the DRC to respect the decision of the Constitutional Court".

"President Ramaphosa also congratulated the people of DRC for conducting peaceful elections and commended them for exercising great restraint and staying calm when waiting for the Constitutional Court to make a determination," it added.

"Now that the highest Court in the land has ruled, all the people of Congo and all stakeholders are urged to accept the outcome of the Court and move on to consolidate democracy and preserve peace, stability and security."



Announcing the final results of the much-delayed poll, the Democratic Republic of Congo's top court threw out a challenge by runner-up Martin Fayulu in an overnight announcement.

It declared Tshisekedi the winner, paving the way for him to take over from the country's longtime leader Joseph Kabila, 47.

The disputed result has raised fears of fresh bloodshed in the vast and volatile central African nation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a prominent US Supreme Court Justice, is set to enter the universe of "The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part" - as a minifigure.

USA Today released a photo which shows the figurine of the 85-year-old Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court as part of the movie.

Director of the movie Mike Mitchell said the bizarreness of Ginsburg being part of the LEGO world was the very reason why they thought she should be included.

"These movies are so full of surprises. And we were thinking, 'Who's the last person you would think to see in a Lego film as a minifig?' Ruth Bader Ginsburg!



"And we're all huge fans. It made us laugh to think of having her enter this world," Mitchell told the publication.

Ginsburg also gave her blessing to the move but she would apparently not voice star in the film.

The director said the team reached out to her office to ask permission to use her image.

"She said, 'Of course, I'd love to be a Lego figure. That would be cool'," Mitchell said.

"The LEGO Movie 2" has two siblings playing with their LEGO play sets, prompting a battle between Bricksburg and aliens from the Systar System, which is ruled by Queen Watevra Wa'Nabi (played by Tiffany Haddish).

Ginsburg's figure is said to make an appearance within the little sister's realm.

When Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) is abducted, Master Builder Emmett (Chris Pratt) and his brick buds set out on a mission to confront the enemies.

The film is slated to hit the screens February 8.

Ginsburg's life and struggles at the Supreme Court were immortalised on celluloid through her biopic "On the Basis of Sex", which released last year.

Felicity Jones played Ginsburg in the Mimi Leder-directed legal drama.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sukalo spent 45 days in jail sleeping on the bathroom floor but, she says, that was not the worst pain she endured in prison.

A member of the Gond tribe, largely found in central India, she had to eat food infested with insects, drink contaminated water and share space with other women she did not know.

Sukalo had to suffer the trauma daily for one and a half months because she was against an irrigation project in Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh.

The Kanhar irrigation project was conceived more than 30 years ago, and was taken up in 2014. It, however, soon landed in trouble. In April 2015, there were violent protests by villagers who feared displacement and contamination of their source of water.

"We were targeted because we spoke against powerful people. I knew I was in jail because of this movement (against the project)," said Sukalo, now 51.

Recalling her days in prison, she said, "The food was infested with insects. Our drinking water was dirty; I survived by eating an apple every day."



She said the inhuman treatment meted out to her in Mirzapur jail changed her as a person. On Friday, she was among several women who gathered in the national capital to demand better living condition in prisons for women.

Soni Sori, a teacher, who became the symbol of resistance against brutal custodial torture, also attended the gathering in Delhi. Sori, who was arrested in 2011 and charged with acting as a Maoist conduit, accused police of often subjecting her to electric shocks to extract a confession.

"I wonder what gave me the endurance to bear it all," she said.

"Most inmates were ill and received little medical care. The food in the jail was infested with worms and insects. We resolved to go on hunger strike and threatened to produce the food in court. Only then were many of us made to oversee the kitchen," Sori said.

She said the situation in women prison was worse.

"We were made to clean the common toilets daily. Under-trials going through such things in jail is illegal. Adivasi prisoners are almost always the most vulnerable," she said.

Anjum Zamarud Habib, an activist from Kashmir, was jailed and booked under POTA in 2003. Habib said she was verbally stripped by police and had to face very hostile attitude.

"Getting a paper and pen was a struggle. Jail culture has rules and regulations of its own. There are customs one needs to follow and if you resist you are brutally abused," she said.

Another issue flagged by these women was over-crowding.

Sori said over 600 women reside in a prison with a capacity for 250.

"Due to a lack of space, many of us would just have space to sit and not even to lie down," she said.

Roma Malik, an activist fighting for the rights of women living in prisons, said there is a kind of hierarchy one has to follow in jail.

"These women are fighting on many fronts. The irony is: they are invisible to most people, and that is why not enough attention is paid to their suffering," she said.

"Over-crowding is another very big issue. It can lead to rioting and fights among prisoners. And that is what commonly seen too," she said.

Prominent lawyer Vrinda Grover said there is a need for a movement to improve jail conditions and focus should be given to political prisoners. "Special attention needs to be given to those women who are targeted because of their human rights activism."



Human rights activist Uma Chakravorty echoed Grover, saying the movement would need participation from all sectors and not just the civil society.

Human rights organisation Amnesty International has expressed concern on the condition of political prisoners in the country. Its report showed India has the maximum acceptance of torture as a means of interrogation.

"About 74 per cent respondents in India feel that torture can sometimes be justi?ed to gain information that may protect the public," it said.

Despite being a signatory to the United Nations' Convention Against Torture, 1997, India has not ratified the convention so far, since ratification required an enabling legislation to reflect the definition and punishment for 'torture'.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Amid political turbulence in Karnataka, Congress MLA Byrathi Suresh has courted a fresh controversy after media reports of former chief minister Siddaramaiah receiving a luxury car from him surfaced.

Denying the reports, Congress leader and minister D K Shivakumar said Siddaramaiah has not been gifted Mercedes-Benz car by Suresh, but it had been given for his travelling purposes.

"There is no gift or anything. We sometimes take our friends' vehicle to travel. There is no issue. Is there any record that he has received a gift or anything? Nothing, no record," he said.

In June last year, Siddaramaiah was in the eye of a controversy after the then minister K J George allegedly gifted him a Toyota Land Cruiser with fuel coupons for a year.

George, then, had deflected the charges by saying that he had lent the vehicle as Siddaramaiah was uncomfortable travelling long distances in an Innova.

Earlier in February 2016, Siddaramaiah had been mired in controversy over a Rs 70 lakh worth diamond-studded Hublot watch gifted to him.

He later handed over the watch to then Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa amid uproar in the assembly, declaring it a state asset. Both the opposition BJP and JD(S) members had staged a dharna in the well of the House.

Countering the allegations, Siddaramaiah had said that the pre-owned "HUBLOT BIG BANG-301-M" wrist watch was presented to him by his Dubai-based NRI friend Dr Girish Chandra Varma as a personal gift.

Siddaramiah also said Varma had no official dealings with the government of Karnataka or its organisations.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Amid the political turbulence in Karnataka, former chief minister and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah found himself in a fresh controversy after media reports emerged that he had been "gifted" a Mercedes-Benz car by his party legislator.

The car claimed to be worth over Rs 1.5 crore was allegedly "gifted" by Byrathi Suresh, an agriculturist-cum industrialist and a realtor who is one of the richest politicians in Karnataka.

Suresh had declared assets of Rs 416 crore in the affidavit filed by him for the 2017 May assembly polls.

Latching on to the reports, the state BJP questioned Siddaramaiah and accused him of having "made enough and more money" during his "10 per cent government".

The 10 per cent barb refers to alleged commission that the party claimed used to be paid during Siddaramaiah's chief ministership.

"Congress MLA Byrathi Suresh gifts Sri @siddaramaiah a Mercedes-Benz car worth 1.5 crore.Wears spectacle costing 2 Lakh. Wore 80 lakh worth hublot watch. Siddaramaiah vere looks like you have made enough & more money during your 10% govt, " the state BJP tweeted.

Refuting media reports, Congress leader and minister D K Shivakumar said Siddaramaiah has not been gifted the car by Suresh, but given for his traveling purposes.

"There is no gift or anything. We sometimes take our friends' vehicle to travel. There is no issue. Is there any record that he has received a gift or anything? Nothing, no record," he said.

In June 2018 also, Siddaramaiah was at the vortex of controversy after the then minister K J George allegedly gifted him Toyota Land Cruiser with fuel coupons for a year.

George, then, had deflected the charges by saying that he had lent the vehicle as Siddaramaiah was uncomfortable traveling long distances in his Innova car.

Earlier in February 2016, Siddaramaiah had been mired in controversy over a Rs 70 lakh worth diamond-studded Hublot watch gifted to him.

Siddaramaiah later handed over the watch to the then assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa amid an uproar in the House, declaring it a state asset.

Both opposition BJP and JDS members had staged a dharna in the well of the House then.

Countering the allegations, Siddaramaiah had said the pre-owned "HUBLOT BIG BANG-301-M" wrist watch was presented to him by his Dubai-based NRI friend Dr Girish Chandra Varma in July last at Bengaluru as a personal gift.

Siddaramiah also said Varma had no official dealings with Government of Karnataka or its organisations.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has directed state officials to release agriculture power connections in phases to one lakh farmers by June.

He also asked them to expedite works to provide electricity through solar in far-flung areas of the state.

At a meeting with senior officials of the energy department on Saturday night, the chief minister gave directions to the officials to ensure there was no power cut for the consumers of domestic use from 7.00 am to 11.00 am and from 6.00 pm to 10.00 pm.

Energy Minister B D kalla and senior officials discussed with Gehlot the issues of energy sector in the state.

In another meeting, the chief minister asked the officials of public health and engineering to prepare advance plans for water supply during summer months.

Chief Secretary D B Gupta and other officers were present in the meeting, according to a release issued on Sunday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actors change their weight and look to become a character in a movie, but Soumitra Chatterjee had to alter his hand writing style to suit the profile of his character in Satyajit Ray's 1964 classic 'Charulata'.

Ray also explained to him the evolution of Bengali script before shooting of the award-winning film began, Chatterjee, a Dadasaheb Phalke award winner, said.

"When Manikda (as Ray was called by his friends) told me I would have to change my hand writing suiting the profile of the character of 'Amal' in the film, I was initially taken aback. He said there will be shots of me scribbling and writing on paper. Those will be close shots and hence there remained very little scope for camera tricks," the actor said at a programme held here recently.

"Under his tutelage, I used to buy reams of papers and practise. After several months, I could change my hand writing style. Perhaps I am the only actor in the world to have gone through such an experience," he said.

Chatterjee, who acted in as many as 14 Ray movies, revealed this, when asked about his fondness for sketching and calligraphy at the programme where his first book on paintings and annotations was launched.

"Manikda then taught me the evolution of Bengali script. What it had been and what it was now, how the words changed over the years, what was the role of Rabindranath Tagore and later writers in changing Bengali scripts," said Chatterjee, also a veteran stage performer.

The legendary actor, who turned 84 Saturday, said he had done more than 300 films in the over five-decade long career, but barring one or two occasions, he did not have any serious argument with any of his directors.

"I often wonder when I read about this actor having major show down with that director in newspapers, or hear about such incidents. I wonder why should this happen," he said.

Describing director as the 'spearhead' of a film, he said actor and director are collaborators and not rivals.

Recalling that at the beginning of his career, he used to research about the possible background of a character he would portray in a film, Chatterjee said, "I still try to understand the surroundings and social and economic standing of any character I portray. In my earlier days I used to prepare the family tree of my character."



Chatterjee, whose book of paintings 'Chhobi o Chhaya' was released on Tuesday, said, "I am not a professional painter. But I had come in close contact with many painters in my student days and used to see paintings in exhibitions."



Inspired by Rabindranath Tagore, whose paintings had encouraged him, Chatterjee said, "I used to be inspired by his history of doodle, I liked the way he sketched figures.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Accusing the Congress of trying to secure votes of dalits in the name of B R Ambedkar, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh Sunday said the new law guaranteeing 10 per cent quota for the poor among the general category was in tune with Modi government's commitment to ensure development of all sections.

The Constitutional amendment to provide the 10 per cent quota in government jobs and higher education to the Economically Weaker Secions (EWS) among the general category received assent of President Ram Nath Kovind January 12.

Some sections of the society have opposed this provision saying it has violated the Constitution which doesn't recognise economic backwardness as the criterion for reservation.

Addressing a public rallyhere on the concluding day of the national convention of BJP's scheduled Caste (SC) cell, Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the new reservation to realise Dalit icon Ambedkar's dream of the egalitarian society.

"Babasaheb Ambedkar had talked about liberty, equality and fraternity. He enshrined reservation in Constitution to ensure equality and the quota facility was provided for people who were economically and socially backward. Ambedkar's dream was to ensure equality," Singh said.

The home minister further said those people who could not get benefits of reservation, and those among them who are economically backward who could contribute in the development of the country, should also get reservation.

"With this objective, the prime minister provided 10 per cent reservation to fulfil the goal of 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas'," Singh said.

Attacking Congress, the senior BJP leader said India became the fastest growing economy in the world in just 55 months under PM Modi, which he said is the "truth" accepted by economists across the world.

"The situation will become totally clear if you compare 55 years of work by the successive Congress governments to the work done by Modi government in the last 55 months," he said.

He said in a group of ten nations, the Indian economy has jumped to the sixth slot from previous ninth rank in the last four-and-a-half years.

Singh said India will leave behind Russia, the USA and China to be among the top three nations by 2030, and its credit goes to the prime minister.

Singh said many political powers are trying to mislead the dalit community.

"The Congress tried to get Dalit votes by invoking Babasaheb Ambedkar's name. However, it is the Modi government which has proved that they are the only one who revere Babasaheb Ambedkar," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A catholic priest has been arrested in Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh for allegedly abetting the suicide of a 17-year-old girl, the police said Sunday.

The accused was identified as Father Prakash Damor (33).

The suicide note of the girl, who allegedly hanged herself at her house on January 4, stated that Damor was pressurising her to marry him, said inspector Kailash Chauhan of Ranapur police station.

"We arrested him under IPC section 306 (abetment of suicide) and also under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act Tuesday (January 15)," Chauhan said.

The accused had first met the girl at a missionary school where she was studying in Class 11, the police officer said.

Damor was produced before a court the same day and was remanded in judicial custody.

Jhabua Catholic Diocese spokesperson Father Rockey Shah said the Church stands with the girl's family in their grief, but Damor was booked without proper investigation.

"We want an in-depth inquiry so that the real culprit is arrested," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Presidency University Vice Chancellor Anuradha Lohia on Sunday urged a section of agitating students to immediately withdraw their stir against a disciplinary action by the varsity.

Lohia met the seven students, who have been fasting since Friday to protest the December 19 notification by Presidency authorities to suspend three students for locking the gate of the university in September, during the agitation regarding accommodation at the Hindu Hostel.

"This is not the way. Please withdraw your fast immediately," the VC, who came to the varsity to attend the 202nd Founders' Day programme, told the agitating students.

The seven protesting students include the three facing suspension.

One of the agitating students, Ujan, said the VC had wanted the three to offer an "unconditional apology" but "we cannot do that".

Lohia had earlier reduced the suspension period from one year to six months "considering their career prospects".

A university official said the authorities are upset with the students taking the path of agitation on the founders' day programme, which hosted eminent invitees.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The government is set to install prepaid smart meters in all households across the state in the next four to five years, an official said.

During the last two to three years, the state, on an experimental basis, has installed the smart meters in 6,000 to 7,000 government quarters, he said.

Now, the initiative will be extended to other parts of the state, he said.

The idea behind installing prepaid meters is to check power theft and minimise the aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses of the distribution companies, which is expected to be around 28 per cent in 2018-19, he added.

North and south power distribution companies cater to the needs of power supply to more than 1.3 crore consumers in the state.

"We have already started installing prepaid meters for agriculture feeders. We are going with a proposal to the government for converting all the meters into prepaid smart meters over a period of four to five years. Perhaps, will be the first state to do it," the chairman-cum-managing director of Bihar State Power Holding Company Ltd, Pratyaya Amrit, told PTI on Saturday.

Initially, prepaid meters will be installed in 1.5 lakh households, he said.

"After we get to know how the meters are responding, we will gradually install them in all households, in a phase-wise manner," he said.

In future, it will be mandatory for all consumers to have such meters in their houses, Amrit, who is also the Principal Secretary of Bihar's Energy Department, said.

Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL), a joint venture of PSUs under the Ministry of Power have signed an MOU with two power distribution companies of the state to install 20 lakh smart meters in the state in next two years.

An EESL official, on condition of anonymity, said people can opt for either prepaid or postpaid meters.

The postpaid meters can easily be converted into prepaid ones, he added.

"But much depends upon the decision of power distribution companies on the kind of meters - prepaid and postpaid - they want to install, he said, adding, "the end goal is to install prepaid meters in all the households".

Explaining the benefits of having a prepaid metering system, officials said that installation of prepaid meters will eliminate delay in bill delivery and disconnection.

The prepaid meter can be recharged through apps or portals of power distribution companies, the EESL official said.
Pope Francis will make his first trip to Panama on Wednesday for a gathering of more than 150,000 young Catholics from across the globe at the World Youth Day festival.

The 82-year-old pope will use the major event on the Catholic calendar to address the problems of poverty, corruption and migration in his native Latin America, church officials said.

"Our youth, particularly in Central America, need opportunities," said Panama Archbishop Jose Domingo Ulloa.

Often, their "hard reality" was a choice between emigration or "falling into the clutches of drug traffickers," said Ulloa, in Rome for a preparatory visit.

It will be Francis' third World Youth Day event, having presided over the gathering in Rio de Janeiro shortly after his election as pope in 2013 and again in Krakow, Poland in 2016.

In Poland, he challenged conservative governments in Central and Eastern Europe to soften their resistance to migrants seeking refuge from conflict in the Middle East.

In a similar way, he is expected in Panama to stand up for migrants from El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras who make up the majority of those traveling in caravans to the US border, despite the opposition of President Donald Trump and the American right.

"Many of the young people who are participating in the WYD are immigrants themselves," Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti said.

Hundreds of thousands of Central Americans cross the border into Mexico every year, heading north in search of a better life. Millions more have fled economic collapse and political repression in Venezuela, straining social services in neighboring countries.

"The recent image of migrant caravans from Central America, with all their suffering, will be very much in mind," said Ulloa.

In an advance message to the event, Francis said many young people, both believers and non-believers, had "a strength that can change the world."



On Friday, he said in a separate video message to the World Indigenous Youth gathering in Soloy, Panama, to hold on to their cultures and roots by fighting marginalization, exclusion, waste and impoverishment.

"Return to native cultures. Take care of the roots, because from the roots comes the strength that will make you grow, prosper and bear fruit," he told hundreds of young indigenous Catholics who will join the WYD gathering next week.

Fighting poverty will be a key theme. Extreme poverty in Latin America hit its highest level for nine years in 2017, according to a report by the UN's Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

It said more than 10 percent of Latin Americans -- 62 million people -- were living in "extreme poverty." The Argentine pontiff lands in Panama on Wednesday after a 13-hour flight from Rome to begin his seventh trip to his native Latin America.

"The pope wants to get closer to young people, to those who are suffering, to send a message of hope," said Gisotti.

His last visit to the region, to Peru and Chile a year ago, was overshadowed by protests over the cover-up by church authorities of pedophile priests.

"It's a subject which is generating a lot of attention in the church," said Gisotti, who said the pope had "no plans to meet with victims" during his visit to Panama.

The pope will break away from the celebrations on Friday to visit a juvenile detention center in Pacora, outside Panama City. It was Francis' personal wish to do the side visit, the spokesman said.

"That's something that came from the pope's heart," according to Gisotti. He will also visit a center for young people with AIDS on the last day of his trip.

It is the first time Francis has visited Panama as pope, in what will be the 26th trip of his papacy, taking in 40 countries. John Paul II visited the tiny Central American country for a day during a regional tour in 1983.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), also known as Ayushman Bharat, has benefited more than 8.9 lakh people since its launch last year, NITI Aayog member V K Paul said here Sunday.

Paul, who is also the Chairman of Board of Governors, Medical Council of India, was speaking at the first convocation of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhopal.

Earlier, in the first week of December, Ayushman Bharat Mission CEO Indu Bhushan had put the figure of beneficiaries at over 4.6 lakh in the first ten weeks.

"More than 8.9 lakh people have already availed benefits of PMJAY, the world's largest public health programme launched on September 23 last year," Paul said.

He also urged the AIIMS graduates to serve in the country instead of going abroad.

Faculty members and other staff at an institution bearing the AIIMS brand require dedication of going beyond "9 to 5" working hours, Paul said.

"Even professors should be available late night for patient care if required," he stated.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi of "trying to strangulate



the democratically-elected government" of V Narayanasamy in the Union Territory.

Wasnik made the allegation while speaking at a party programme "Project Shakti" here.

The Congress leader attacked Bedi in a not-so-veiled reference to her as "his (prime minister's) representative occupying constitutional position".

"Puducherry has been making spectacular progress in economic development under the Congress rule," said Wasnik adding no other state in the country can match the scale of progress being made by Puducherry.

"The prime minister and his representative in constitutional position here are unfortunately trying to strangulate the democratically-elected government in the Union Territory and create problems in its smooth working," he said.

Stating that the aspirations of the youth, farmers, women and the workers in Puducherry were being trampled upon by the Centre, the AICC general secretary, who is also in -charge of the Congress party affairs in Puducherry said, "No Congress worker should tolerate what Narendra Modi and his representative in Puducherry are doing."



"We should take this message to every person and register our protest to the fullest extent," he added.

Wasnik said Narendra Modi cannot dare say here that the Gujarat model should be followed for development.

"The days of the Narendra Modi government are numbered. What happened in recent state assembly polls in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh would also happen in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls," he claimed.

The Congress leader said Narendra Modi in 2014 had been making tall claims about the Gujarat model for progress and development.

"But the Gujarat model is no model at all now. Because in Gujarat itself farmers, scheduled castes and tribes, OBCs, youths besides even those in the privileged sector have come to the streets to stage their protest," he said.

Wasnik claimed that Gujarat was no longer a peaceful state and so, Narendra Modi cannot dare say he would implement Gujarat model in the country.

Alleging that the prime minister has failed in controlling prices, ensuring safety for women and protecting farmers, he said, "Each and every institution, including the RBI, CBI, Enforcement Directorate and Central Vigilance Commission is under threat in his regime."



Urging the Congress workers to propagate the message of the "Modi government's failure", he asked them to ensure that "the Congress stages a comeback under the stewardship of Rahul Gandhi at the Centre".

Wasnik also made a fervent appeal to party workers that the sole Lok Sabha seat in Puducherry is won by the Congress in the upcoming general elections.

Lauding the "Project Shakti" as a "revolutionary initiative of Congress president Rahul Gandhi", he said the project is aimed at ensuring direct interaction with party men with the leadership and to get their feedback on various crucial issues.

In his address, AICC Data Analytics Department's chief Praveen Chakravathy highlighted special features of the project.

Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, who too spoke on the occasion, said Puducherry's demand for statehood would soon become a reality as the Centre would have a Congress government with Rahul Gandhi as prime minister after the next Lok Sabha polls.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led high-powered panel on CBI chief will meet on Thursday and discuss probable names for the coveted post.

The panel meeting will be attended by Chief Justice of India Rajan Gogoi or his nominee and Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, officials said.

Among the officers whose name would be discussed at the meeting are J K Sharma and Parminder Rai from the 1982 batch -- the senior most but lacking experience in the CBI.

Rai, a Haryana-cadre officer who is set to retire on January 31, 2019, is Director General, State Vigilance Bureau, which makes him eligible for the post, the officials said.

Special Secretary (Internal Security), Home Ministry, Rina Mitra of the 1983-batch is another contender. She served in the CBI for five years and had a long tenure in Madhya Pradesh state vigilance where she handled serious corruption cases.

Mitra headed the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, an organisation tasked to combat organized wildlife crime, in its early years, they said, adding that if chosen, she would become the first woman chief of the CBI.

Current chief of National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Sciences Javeed Ahmed, a 1984-batch IPS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, has served the CBI for 13 years -- starting as an SP to DIG from 1994 to 2002 and as joint director from 2009-14, they said.

He could not be promoted to post of Additional Director, CBI, as the then Home Secretary Anil Goswami had not cleared the empanelment file of the entire 1984-batch IPS officers till his term came to an end, they said.

Goswami was forced to resign for trying to stall the arrest of a former Union minister in a case, they said.

Ahmed was posted as Uttar Pradesh DGP and he led many initiatives like Twitter outreach campaign, UP100 and special help line for women.

Closely following him in terms of experience is O P Galhotra, former Rajasthan DGP, who has served in the agency for 11 years -- as an SP from 1996-2000 and as a Joint Director from 2008-15, the officials said.

H C Awasthy, Galhotra's batchmate from the UP cadre, also served in the agency for over eight years, they said.

Director General, National Investigation Agency, Y C Modi, a 1984-batch IPS officer of Assam-Meghalaya cadre, is a favourite in the race to the top post in the CBI.

Y C Modi was part of the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team which probed the 2002 riots in Gujarat from 2010 to 2012. The SIT had cleared Narendra Modi who was then the chief minister of the state.

Y C Modi was also part of the CBI team that probed the murder of former Gujarat minister Haren Pandya and arrested 12 accused. But the evidence was rejected by the Gujarat High Court which acquitted all the accused, they said.

Director General of CISF Rajesh Ranjan, a 1984-batch Bihar cadre officer, has served in the agency for nearly five years and also in Interpol.

He was never inducted into the CBI after 2011 as there were "vigilance issues", the officials said.

BSF Director General Rajni Kant Mishra, a 1984-batch officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre is also being considered a frontrunner for the post of the CBI Director, they said.

He is retiring in August, 2019 and had served for nearly five years in the agency.

Another contender DG Indo-Tibetan Border Police S S Deshwal has five years' experience of working in the CBI, they said.

Arun Kumar, a 1985-batch officer of the UP cadre, who led the first CBI team that probed the Aarushi case, is also in the race.

The report prepared by him indicting three servants of the Talwars in the Aarushi-Hemraj murder case was rejected by the then CBI chief Ashwani Kumar as he was not convinced by the evidence.

Other contenders from the 1985-batch include Rishi Raj Singh and Loknath Behera from Kerala cadre who have around 6 and 10 years' of experience in the CBI respectively.

Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik has also been shortlisted but he lacks experience in the agency, the officials said adding that experience in the vigilance unit of the state compensates it.

The selection panel would meet Thursday to find a replacement for Alok Verma was removed as the CBI director on Januray 10, three weeks before he was to demit his office.

A 1979-batch IPS officer, Verma was locked in a bitter tussle with agency's Special Director Rakesh Asthana, a 1984-batch IPS officer.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot Sunday demanded a white paper from the Union government on its works in the country during its tenure.

Pilot, also the Pradesh Congress Committee chief, raised the demand while talking to reporters here in the city. He had visited Jodhpur to attend a programme Turning the Tide, organized by Young President Organisation of India.

"The Modi government should release a white paper on its works in the country in 5 years of its tenure," said Pilot adding that this government has done the job of only scaring various sections of the society and damaging constitutional institutions of the country.

About the new Congress government in the state, Pilot said his government was currently engaged in bridging the gap between the people and the government.

Rahul Gandhi had said the gap between the government and the people should end. It's the people's government in the state now and we have started working towards making people-friendly policies after the discussion with all concerned, Pilot said.

The state deputy chief minister said his government has started working for "ending" the economic crisis faced by farmers and providing opportunities to the youths.

About the upcoming general elections, Pilot said all the preparations have been done and the party candidates for the Lok Sabha constituencies would be announced before soon.

He exuded confidence that the Congress would sweep all 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sangam -- the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati -- will bask under the full moon on Monday on the occasion of Paush Purnima, which will mark the second auspicious bath of Kumbh.

The Purnima or full moon day will also mark the beginning of Kalpwas at Kumbh Mela.

Elaborating on the significance of Paush Purnima, Shankarcharya Adhokshanand said, "Paush Purnima is a significant day for the Hindus which falls on the full moon day of Paush in the Hindu calendar. On this day, devotees from different parts of the country assemble at Sangam to take a holy dip."



He added that this day marks the commencement of Kalpwas (the period of austerity).

"Even Krishna had said that in the months of Hindu calendar, he represent the month of Paush," he said.

Trilokinath Singh, a Lucknow-based astrologer, who regularly visits Allahabad said, "Apart from the religious and spiritual significance of Paush Purnima, the day also marks a gradual decline in the intensity of cold weather. A full moon day is always auspicious, and taking dip in the Ganga river on this day is definitely good. It is believed that such an act will help the person to relieve all the sins."



Singh also said that at some places, Paush Purnima is also celebrated as 'Shakambari Jayanti' and on this day, Goddess Shakambari (an incarnation of Goddess Durga) is worshipped with utmost devotion.

Prior to Paush Purnima, devotees had taken the first dip in this year's Kumbh on Makar Sankranti (January 15).

After Paush Purnima, there will be four major bathing festivals left in the Kumbh 2019. These are Mauni Amavasya (February 4), Basant Panchami (February 10), Maghi Purnima (February 19) and Mahashivratri (March 4).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A medical emergency and a mechanical problem left passengers on a United Airlines flight stuck for more than 13 hours on the frigid tarmac of a Canadian airport in the plane's barely heated interior, the CBC network reported.

United Flight 179 had taken off late Saturday from Newark, New Jersey en route to Hong Kong with some 250 passengers on board.

When a passenger suffered a medical emergency the plane made an emergency landing in Goose Bay airport in Newfoundland and Labrador province, on Canada's east coast, the airline told CBC.

But after paramedics evacuated the passenger and took him to hospital, the plane was unable to take off -- reportedly because bitterly cold temperatures (-30 centigrade, or -22 Fahrenheit) had caused a door to freeze.

With no customs officers on duty overnight, passengers were forced to stay on board, many shivering under the thin blankets handed out by flight attendants.

With little communication about what was going on, and with food and water running short some 10 hours into the ordeal, officials finally arrived to deliver supplies from the Tim Hortons fast-food chain known in Canada for its coffee and doughnuts.

A replacement plane arrived only after a 13-hour wait, passengers said. One of them, Sonjay Dutt, reached by phone, said the plane was underheated and that the arrival of the food and coffee was not enough to appease increasingly angry passengers.

Much of eastern Canada, as well as the US northeast, has been suffering through a glacial cold spell, with heavy snowfalls that have led to scores of flight cancellations.

At the end of the United ordeal, passenger Dutt doubtless summed up the feeling of many when he tweeted that "it's been a long long long long day.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistani troops Sunday violated ceasefire by firing at Indian posts along the International Border and Line of Control (LoC) in Kathua and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

However, no casualty was reported on the Indian side in the firing, which was retaliated effectively and strongly by the forces, they said.

Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing on border outposts of the BSF in Hiranagar sector around 11 am, the officials said, adding it was retaliated and the exchange of fire lasted for a brief period.

This was the third time in the past six days that Pakistan violated ceasefire in this sector. Last Tuesday, a Border Security Force or BSF official was killed when he was hit by a Pakistani sniper from across the border.

Pakistani troops also fired on Indian army positions and the villages along the LoC in Naushera sector of Rajouri district from 1pm to 3pm, the officials said.

They said several mortar shells from across the border hit the forest area but there was no report of any damage.

Besides the International Border, the Pakistani troops have been violating ceasefire along the LoC in the twin districts of Rajouri and Poonch almost on a daily basis since the beginning of the year.

While an Army porter was killed in the Pakistani firing on January 11, two Army personnel, including a major, lost their lives in an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion on the same day along the LoC in Rajouri district.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistani authorities on Sunday admitted that three of the four ISIS "terrorists" who were killed in an encounter with police in Punjab province were "innocent" even as 16 personnel involved in the shootout have been arrested.

"Police have arrested 16 personnel of counter terrorism department (CTD), and a premier intelligence agency allegedly involved in the encounter that took place in Sahiwal district, 200 kms from Lahore on Saturday. An FIR has also been instituted against them," Punjab Law Minister Basharat Raja told a conference.

Raja said the officer who was leading the operation has been suspended from service.

Khalil, a resident of Lahore, his wife, their 13-year-old daughter and their neighbour Zeeshan, were on their way to a wedding in Burewala when they were shot dead by police in Zeeshan's car in the Qadirabad area on Saturday morning.

The CTD in a statement however said that Zeeshan was an active member of the Islamic State terror group and a phone call was intercepted from Afghanistan in which an ISIS commander had directed other members of the network to hide after the killing of Zeeshan.

The couple's three minor children in the car however survived. Their minor son sustained a bullet injury while their two daughters were unhurt.

Following the killings, the CTD claimed to have shot dead four ISIS "terrorists" including two women in what it said was an "intelligence-based operation".

On Sunday, the CTD declared Khalil and his family as "innocent", saying "neither Khalil nor his family members knew that Zeeshan was an ISIS terrorist who supplied ammunition to other members of his network".

It said Zeeshan offered a lift to Khalil and his family to Burewala only to transport ammunition and explosives.

"Police usually do not check a vehicle with women and children," the CTD said, adding that the first shot was fired by Zeeshan when his car was intercepted by the police. In the return of fire Zeeshan and the three others were killed.

The killing of the three innocents sent shock waves across the country as Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed grief.

"The CTD did a great job in the fight against terrorism but everyone must be accountable before the law," Khan said Twitter.

"As soon as the joint investigation team's report comes, swift action will be taken. The government's priority is protection of all its citizens," Khan said.

The Punjab government has said it will look after the surviving children of Khalil.

The CTD said that Zeeshan was also involved in the killing of three ISI intelligence officers in Multan, a police officer in Faisalabad and in the kidnappings of American national Warren Weinstein and Ali Haider Gilani, son of former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

The Opposition has condemned the killings and demanded the government bring the culprits to justice.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After markets like China and the UK, Indian hospitality chain OYO is looking at further expanding its international footprint with its foray into the Philippines, according to sources.

The SoftBank-backed company, which ventured into international markets in 2016, already has a presence in the UK, the UAE, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Nepal.

OYO has already onboarded 10 properties and talks are on to add more locations at a quick pace, two people familiar with the company's plans said.

It intends to expand the number aggressively to tap into the USD 5 billion opportunity in Philippines market, one of the persons said.

E-mails sent to the company did not elicit any response.

OYO CEO India and South Asia Aditya Ghosh, in an interview to PTI, had said the company is working on a roadmap for 1-million (10 lakh) room inventory over the next two years from the existing count of over 4.5 lakh. The company aims to further expand this to 2.5 million rooms by 2023.

This, he said, will help OYO to become the "world's top player from number three now".

At present, OYO has over 13,000 franchised and leased hotels, and over 4.5 lakh rooms, adding over 64,000 rooms every month, globally. In India, it has over 8,700 leased and franchised hotels, and more than 1.64 lakh rooms.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Opposition parties have united out of "fear" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity and their togetherness is not going to last, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said Sunday.

He was speaking on the sidelines of a seminar on investment opportunities organised by the Haryana government as part of the 9th edition of Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit.

"This (opposition) unity is not going to last. They have united out of fear of Narendra Modi's popularity and the country's growing position in the world. This (opposition unity) is going to make no difference to the people," Khattar claimed.

"They (opposition parties) had looted the country for several years. They have united as they are not getting the opportunity to loot the country," Khattar added.

He was responding to a query on the Trinamool Congress-led mega opposition rally, titled 'United India Rally', held in the Brigade Grounds in Kolkata on Saturday.

He also mocked the opposition parties' lack of a leader acceptable to all constituents, and claimed it was a "baraat' (marriage procession) without a groom.

Speaking on economic issues, Khattar said his state was looking at investments and added that it had climbed up the ladder as far as ease of doing business rankings were concerned.

He said Haryana was now third on the ease of business ranking.

"We want to make use of Haryana's locational advantage to bring in investments. We took steps to make clearances and licences simple, from which people have benefited,"he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The BJP Sunday alleged the leaders who attended the mega opposition rally in Kolkata were "dealers" facing corruption cases and all of them aspired to become the prime minister.

In a scathing attack on the proposed grand alliance, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra described it as a brigade promoting corruption, dynasty, appeasement and casteism.

It is not about 'Mahagatbandhan' (grand alliance) and they have made a mockery of the Prime Minister's chair as they all want to sit on it, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said.

Referring to West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee's rally on Saturday, Patra said the battle for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections had begun.

The irony is, the battle is between confusion and clarity. The BJP has both leadership as well as achievements to showcase while the so called opposition alliance has nothing but a dais of confusion from the rooftop of which they are shouting, he said.

The opposition did not have any leader or any policy, he said, adding already the 'Mahagatbandhan' has failed in Telangana, where the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Congress came together for the December 7, 2018 assembly polls and lost.

He claimed that the people will not accept the 'Mahagatbandhan'.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was working for the upliftment of the poor, farmers, women, youth and Dalits as part of the 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' mission, he said.

"The 2019 Lok Sabha polls is between 'The Leader vs The Dealers'. Modi is the leader of the country who wants to take the country forward... we have the leader at one end we have the dealers at the other end," he said.

"The dealers have been dealing with various corruption cases. We saw assembly of corrupt of the country yesterday," Patra added.

The BJP leader further said the speed and the scale of development work under Modi was "phenomenal" and the country was marching ahead in terms of economic prosperity.

Be it Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati or the Congress leaders, they all were facing different corruption cases and were trying to save themselves through the alliance, Patra said.

The BJP leader claimed that corruption had reached its expiry date under the Modi government and therefore, the opposition leaders were crying foul.

He also attacked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, saying five years ago he used to call Congress, SP, BSP and RJD leaders thieves but had now joined them.

Targeting Banerjee, Patra alleged political murders were taking place under the TMC rule in West Bengal and the opposition led by Banerjee was talking about saving democracy at the rally.

He claimed that since the Congress had come to power in Madhya Pradesh, BJP leaders were being murdered.

Patra also targeted All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi for allegedly "dividing the country" and indulging in " of religion".

Owaisi has to stop dividing the country in the name of religion. His party, despite having a single MP, claims that the voice of democracy is being muzzled but he keeps on using foul language against the PM and the BJP, Patra said.

On the quota for economically backward classes, he said that like Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, all states should implement the 10 per cent reservation in state government jobs and education for the economically weaker sections (EWS) in the general category.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An Indian man is among eight persons arrested from different parts of Nepal on Sunday for possessing contraband drugs, police said here.

The man identified as Rajesh Mahato, a resident of Sonbarsa area in Bihar, was arrested from Malangawa town in Nepal's Sarlahi district during a security check.

Police also arrested a teenaged boy and a woman from Kathmandu, both of whom run pharmacies, for possessing contraband drugs.

In a similar incident, police arrested a man from Parsa district near NepalIndia border and recovered contraband drugs from his possession while he was returning from India.

Meanwhile, three people were arrested from Itahari area in Sunsari district and an 18-year-old boy was arrested from Malangawa area in Sarlahi district for possessing contraband drugs.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Exuding confidence that the BJP would return to power at the Centre after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, senior party leader Ram Madhav Sunday said none in the Opposition has the "courage and caliber" to challenge Prime Miniser Narendra Modi.

There is no reason for the people to dislodge Modi from the chair there is no one in the Opposition camp having the calibre and courage to challenge the prime minister and the BJP, the party general secretary told reporters here.

He said the BJP would repeat its 2014 performance in 2019 too and would emerge winner with more seats than its present tally along with its NDA coalition partners.

Madhav said the BJP has already started its poll preparation amid "enthusiastic and dedicated" participation by its workers under the guidance of its president Amit Shah.

"Even if the entire Opposition comes together, they will not be able to win as the BJP enjoys the support of the people across the country, he said.

Dubbing the Saturday's Opposition rally in Kolkata as coming together of corrupt faces to save themselves from the clutches of the government, Madhav said they are trying to get united under various coalitions and are forming second and third fronts.

Let them try the work of the government will speak out for itself," said Madhav.

He said the government's performance is evident from not only the unprecedent developmental works in the country, but also by an array of 129, target-specific schemes of the Centre for the poor, backward, schedule caste, schedule tribe and minorities besides the historic 10 per cent reservation for the poor in government jobs and educational institutions.

The BJP general secretary asserted that the opposition leaders are flocking together to protect their vested interests and shield themselves from the anti-corruption crusade launched by Modi.

"The faces on the podium during yesterday's rally made it clear that all the corrupt leaders and dynasty rulers have come together. This is allowed in democracy and we are ready as Modi's visionary leadership and development-focused polices will help the party win the elections, he said.

Referring to the Opposition's Kolkata rally, Madhav said the opposition leaders themselves admitted that they have come together but have no programme to run a coherent government.

They are themselves admitting it and it is clear that they do not have any programme as our leaders pointed out that they did not have the flag and agenda. There only agenda is to oust Modi government and save themselves from its crusade against corruption, he said.

He said an important opportunity is coming before the people and the BJP is sure that they will vote for Modi's visionary and development-oriented policies and a stable government."



"They will reject hotchpotch and unstable dispensation without vision and programme for the country and only having six people standing in a queue for the post of prime minister, he said.

Replying to a question on National Conference president Farooq Abdullah's statement dubbing EVM as chor machine, Madhav said, "I don't want to react to him.I want to ask the Congress leadership in MP, Chattisgarh and Rajasthan if they agree with Abdullah because they won the elections in these states recently. Let them first answer and then let us see.

On VHP leader Alok Kumar's statement that the outfit will extend support to the Congress if it includes construction of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya in its manifesto, he said, If the Congress is ready, it should come forward and tell the government that we all will build the Ram temple together.

The country knows the character of the Congress. The people who are opposing early decision on the temple issue belongs to the Congress Kapil Sibal - he is the one who is asking the Supreme Court not to give its verdict on the issue, he said.

On Farooq Abdullah's criticism on the BJP's failure in bringing women reservation bill for reservation of seats for women in legislatures across the country, Madhav said at the podium, there were 20 leaders of different parties.

He added that let them all unanimously adopt a resolution in favour of having reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies and tell the government so after which the BJP-led NDA government would enact the law "within two minutes".

On West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's charges that the Centre is misusing the CBI, the BJP leader said she used to dub the CBI as the "Congress Bureau of Investigation" when the Congress was in power.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Marshall High School to Hold Remembrance Ceremony

By WestKyStar & Marshall County Schools

On January 23, 2018, sixteen-year-old Gabriel Parker opened fire at the school, killing two classmates, Bailey Holt and Preston Cope. He's facing two counts of murder and 14 counts of 1st degree assault in connection with the shooting.

Superintendent Trent Lovett told West Kentucky Star the students wanted the day to be, "as close to a normal day as possible," so it will begin as close to 8 am as possible, which is when classes typically start. He said the larger crowd and security checks may push the start time back by 15-20 minutes.

After that, Lovett said students will attend classes through lunch time, and then there are several other activities planned. He said the students can choose which ones to attend.

"We'll have some somber activities and then we'll have some uplifting activities, because different people are at different stages of their healing, so we tried to meet as many needs as possible and then the students can choose which activity they choose to attend," Lovett said.

Only students and parents will be allowed to attend the event at the school. No media will be allowed on the campus starting Monday. A community event will be held at Mike Miller Park on Wednesday evening.

DRAFFENVILLE - Administrators and staff at Marshall County High School have scheduled a remembrance ceremony on Wednesday for students and their families, marking the 1-year anniversary of the tragic shooting that claimed two lives and injured over a dozen others.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Chad on Sunday for what he called a "historic" trip, during which diplomatic ties with the African state were expected to be renewed.

"I am now leaving on another historic and important breakthrough, to Chad, a huge Muslim country bordering Libya and Sudan," he told reporters before boarding the plane at the Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv.

"There will be big news," Netanyahu said, hinting at the formal resumption of diplomatic relations between the countries that Chad had cut in 1972.

His office later confirmed he had landed and was meeting with Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno in N'Djamena.

Netanyahu has sought to improve ties with countries in the Arab and Muslim world and said he expected more such diplomatic breakthroughs soon.

"There will be more countries," said Netanyahu, who is seeking re-election in April 9 polls while also facing the possibility of being indicted in corruption investigations in the coming weeks.

The one-day visit follows Deby's November trip to Israel.

The two leaders at the time declined to comment on whether their talks have included arms deals.

Chadian security sources say the country has acquired Israeli equipment to help battle rebels in the country's north.

Chad is also one of several African states engaged in Western-backed operations against Boko Haram and Islamic State group jihadists.

Pressure from Muslim African nations, accentuated by the Arab-Israeli wars of 1967 and 1973, led a number of African states to sever relations with the Jewish state.

But in recent years, Israel has held out the prospect of cooperation in fields ranging from security to technology to agriculture, to improve ties on the continent.

Deby is one of Africa's longest-serving leaders.

He took over the arid, impoverished nation in 1990 and won a disputed fifth term in April 2016 to lead the country of some 15 million people.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nepal has received 32 per cent more remittances in the first five months of the current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period last year, despite nearly 40 per cent decrease in the number of people going abroad for foreign employment.

The remittances sent by the Nepalis working abroad reached Rs 376.59 billion, even though the number of labourers abroad declined by around 40 per cent in the first five month of the current fiscal year, a report published by the Central Bank of Nepal said.

In the first five months of the current fiscal year, 92,931 Nepalis left for foreign employment compared to 155,381 labourers who left the country in the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.

Industry experts attributed factors such as inclusion of remittance sent from South Korea through formal channels and appreciation of the US dollar against the Nepalese Rupee.

Earlier, Nepalis working in South Korea used to send back money through informal channels. But these days, they are using formal channels and the remittance received is included in the national statistics, Suman Pokharel, CEO of IME Remit, a leading remittance service provider in the country, said.

Government's effective crackdown of illegal channels like hundi, through which a significant chunk of remittance was being sent to the country, also contributed to the surge in remittances, the Kathmandu Post reported.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NASA is set to collaboratively work with China's space agency for Moon exploration, in a bid to prepare for setting up a human colony on the lunar surface, as well as future missions to deep space.

The US space agency held discussions with the China National Space Administration (CNSA) last month to explore the possibility of observing a signature of the landing plume of their lunar lander, Chang'e 4, which landed on the Moon earlier this month.

As NASA works toward its plan to sustainably return to the Moon, it will be critical to collaborate with both commercial and international partners along the way, the US space agency said.

This approach will enable human expansion across the solar system and bring back to Earth new knowledge and opportunities, it said.

NASA's robotic lunar surface missions, which will begin as early as 2020, will focus on scientific understanding of lunar resources, and prepare the lunar surface for a sustained human presence, to include the use of lunar oxygen and hydrogen for future lunar vehicles.

The lunar surface may also serve as a crucial training ground and technology demonstration test site where we will prepare for future human missions to Mars and other destinations, NASA said.

Since the beginning of its mission, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has imaged objects impacting the surface of the moon.

For a number of reasons, NASA was not able to phase LRO's orbit to be at the optimal location during the landing, however NASA was still interested in possibly detecting the plume well after the landing.

Science gathered about how lunar dust is ejected upwards during a spacecraft's landing could inform future missions and how they arrive on the lunar surface.

Since the Chinese landing, LRO instruments have been collecting data that are currently being analysed. LRO is expected to image the Chang'e 4 landing site on January 31 in a manner similar to what was done on Chang'e 3.

NASA and CNSA have agreed that any significant findings resulting from this coordination activity will be shared with the global research community at the 56th session of the Scientific and Technology Subcommittee meeting of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space meeting in Vienna, Austria, in February this year.

All NASA data associated with this activity are publicly available. In accordance with Administration and Congressional guidance, NASA's cooperation with China is transparent, reciprocal and mutually beneficial, the US space agency said.

Such observations are of interest scientifically since they allow NASA to test and constrain models used to understand how water and other volatiles may be transported to the permanently shadowed craters near the lunar poles.

In the coming months, the first Israeli spacecraft will land on the Moon, and partnership with NASA has helped make this possible.

NASA will not only help with observations from LRO and communications support during the mission, but has also developed a laser retroreflector that will fly onboard the Israeli lander.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three-time chief minister and newly appointed Delhi president Sunday said BJP's plan to build its election campaign around Prime Minister in the national capital will not work at all unlike 2014, as he has not done "anything" for the city in the last four-and-half years and people will vent their anger in the upcoming polls.

She said that was fast regaining its lost ground in the national capital, and ruled out any possibility of an electoral understanding with the AAP for the Lok Sabha polls, calling the party as "very unreliable".

In an interview to PTI, she also said respect for party chief Rahul Gandhi among leaders and workers in the increased significantly after the Congress' electoral victories in politically crucial states of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

"The Congress people now have lot of respect for Rahul Gandhi. We found in him a leader who is responsive and is also taking by and large correct decisions. So we are very confident of performing well in the coming Lok Sabha election. Congress will do much better," she said.

The 80-year old Congress veteran did not give a direct reply when asked whether the party will storm back to power but asserted that people of India will teach BJP a lesson for its wrongdoings.

"I will not be able to say at this point whether Congress will be able to come to power. No body expected us to win the three states in the recent assembly polls. Congress is a sober party. We understand politics. We do not want to show off. We are confident of a good show," she said.

The Congress drew blank in 2014 Lok Sabha polls in Delhi while the BJP had won all the seven seats. The BJP had projected Modi as face of its campaign in Delhi in 2014 polls.

"The Modi factor will not work at all this time. He has not done a single thing for Delhi. People are waiting to vent their anger (against him). BJP is in a difficult situation," Dikshit said.

In a stinging attack on the Modi government, she said it has piled up miseries of the common man through measures like demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax (GST) besides trying to "polarise society" in the name of religion.

Asked about AAP's announcement on Friday that it will not have any tie up with the Congress in Delhi, Haryana and Punjab, Dikshit suggested that it was her party which took the call of going it alone in Delhi.

"I have said it many times. There was no question of alliance with AAP. I have had this feeling all along. I must say that when AAP is concerned, we do not have same kind of thinking. My experience with them is that they are unreliable," she said.

On whether there is possibility of a review of the decision, Dikshit, who was the chief minister of Delhi between 1998 and 2013, ruled out such a possibility.

"I do not think so," she said, adding, "We are aiming for all the seven seats."



Asked whether Rahul Gandhi should be the natural choice for prime ministership if the proposed grand alliance of the opposition parties have the numbers after the polls, Dikshit evaded a direct reply.

"I would not like to comment on it. It has not happened as yet. Obviously, we as Congress workers would like to see Rahul Gandhi in that position," she said.

On Sonia Gandhi's role in the Congress, Dikshit said she will act as a "guiding light for all of us".

About Congress' prospect in seven parliamentary seats in Delhi, Dikshit said there has been a surge in the party's support base due to poor governance by the Aam Aadmi Party and anti-people policies of the NDA dispensation.

"Our workers are totally pumped up. We are fast regaining our lost ground. Congress is on a path of resurgence. We are determined to ensure that we perform well in the upcoming elections," she said.

When asked about factionalism in Delhi Congress, Dikshit said her priority was to bring all sections together and put up a spirited fight.

"I have never seen so many people wanting to become Congress member. People are now wanting Congress to come back to power," she said.
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sunday claimed that misinformation was being spread about the and asserted that interests of indigenous people will not be harmed.

Even as protests continued at many places across the state, appealed to all those opposing the controversial bill to support the Centre's "pragmatic steps" for implementing the Clause-6 of the Accord.

Sadou Asam Karmachari Parishad, the recognised body representing government employees, extended its full support to the ongoing agitation led by the All Students' Union (AASU) against the bill and warned that the Centre will solely be responsible for any untoward situation due to the protests.

During a function to inaugurate the newly-established branch of Auniati Satra at Bandardewa in Lakhimpur district, said that a misinformation campaign was being unleashed by certain organisations on the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

"While people pay utmost respect to movements led by the non violent values of Mahatma Gandhi, misinformation always lends negative impact in society and such campaigns are always discarded by people," he said.

Trying to alleviate fears among the Assamese people, he explained that even if the bill was enacted as law, no one will get citizenship automatically, as one has to apply to the concerned district's deputy commissioner, who will then review and forward it to a competent authority to make the applicant an Indian

Talking about the recent high-power committee set up by the Centre, Sonowal said: "Though several governments came to power in the state as well as the Centre after the signing of Assam Accord in 1985, no government made any tangible effort to implement Clause 6 of the Accord, safeguarding the constitutional, legislative, administrative interests of the indigenous people."



"The present central government has for the first time taken pragmatic steps for implementation of Clause 6 by constituting a high-level committee and also taking steps for granting ST status to six communities of the state."



These efforts will go a long way in protecting the interests of the indigenous people of the state, he said.

Protests against the bill took place at various places in the state with the All Maran Students' Union holding an economic blockade for all vehicles for Arunachal Pradesh, and organising a bike rally at Makum.

Black flags were shown to MP Sushmita Dev for her reported move to support the bill, which favours Hindus coming from Bangladesh.

The bill, passed by the Lok Sabha on January 8, seeks to provide Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after six years of residence in India, even if they do not possess any document.

Massive protests broke out across the state and other parts of the northeast after Prime Minister announced in Silchar on January 4 that the controversial bill would be passed as soon as possible in Parliament.
A minor girl was allegedly gang raped in Hojai district of Assam and five people have been arrested in this connection, police said on Sunday.

The girl, a student of Class 8, was lured by the five persons on Friday evening when she went to attend a function at her village in Ejaarbari, where they allegedly raped her, a senior police officer said.

After registering a case at Kaki police station, police launched a manhunt and nabbed all the accused, who hail from the same village.

They have been sent to judicial custody, police added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As Prime Minister Theresa May prepared her next move in Britain's deadlocked Brexit battle, a senior opposition politician said Sunday that it's unlikely the UK will leave the European Union as scheduled on March 29.

A government minister, however, warned that failure to deliver on Brexit would betray voters and unleash a "political tsunami." May is due to present Parliament with a revised Brexit plan on Monday, after the divorce deal she had struck the EU was rejected by lawmakers last week.

With just over two months until Britain is due to leave the bloc, some members of Parliament are pushing for the UK to delay its departure until the country's divided politicians can agree on a way forward.

Labour Party Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer said "it's inevitable" Britain will have to ask the EU to extend the two-year countdown to exit that ends on March 29.

"The 29th of March is 68 days away," Starmer told the BBC. "We are absolutely not prepared for it. It would be catastrophic." Britain's political impasse over Brexit is fueling concerns that the country may crash out of the EU on March 29 with no agreement in place to cushion the shock.

That could see tariffs imposed on goods moving between Britain and the EU, sparking logjams at ports and shortages of essential supplies. Many economists expect Britain to plunge into recession if there is a "no-deal" Brexit.

May's government is split between ministers who think a disorderly departure must be avoided at all costs, and Brexit-backers who believe it would be preferable to delaying or reversing Brexit.

Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab, who quit the government in opposition to May's agreement with the EU, said a no-deal Brexit would have "short-term risks," but they would be "manageable."



International Trade Secretary Liam Fox wrote in the Sunday Telegraph that "failure to deliver Brexit would produce a yawning gap between Parliament and the people, a schism in our political system with unknowable consequences." He said public anger could trigger "a political tsunami."



May has spent the days since her deal was thrown out meeting government and opposition lawmakers in an attempt to find a compromise. But the talks have produced few signs that May plans to make radical changes to her deal, or to lift her insistence that Brexit means leaving the EU's single market and customs union.

Fox said one possible solution could be to strike a deal with the Irish government guaranteeing there would be no border controls between EU member Ireland and the UK's Northern Ireland.

He said that could ease concerns about the deal's most contentious measure an insurance policy known as the "backstop" that would keep Britain in an EU customs union to maintain an open Irish border after Brexit. Pro-Brexit lawmakers worry that Britain could be trapped indefinitely in the arrangement, bound to EU trade rules and unable to strike new deals around the world.

Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney, however, tweeted that the Irish government was committed to the entire withdrawal deal, "including the backstop." British lawmakers who want a softer Brexit are preparing to try to amend May's plans in a Jan. 29 debate, and to use parliamentary rules to try to prevent a no-deal Brexit and take control of the exit process.

Conservative lawmaker Nicky Morgan said she and several opposition colleagues planned to introduce a bill to ensure "that if the prime minister can't get an agreement approved by the House of Commons by the end of February," the UK will ask the EU to postpone its departure date "so that we can build a consensus and get ourselves more prepared for Brexit. " Delaying Brexit would require approval from the 27 other EU nations.

Starmer said there was a roadblock in the way of a solution to the Brexit crisis, "and that roadblock is the prime minister." "Her mind is closed," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor Matthew Broderick is set to make his West End debut in an original play by "Manchester by the Sea" writer-director Kenneth Lonergan.

Titled "The Starry Messenger", the play will see Broderick returning to the role of Mark Williams, which he first performed in an off-Broadway production for the New Group in 2009.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the play is described as a "bittersweet comic-drama" that follows an astronomer at New York City's planetarium who grows distant from his job and wife due to a desire to explore his infinite connection to the vastness of the universe.

It also features "Downton Abbey" actor Elizabeth McGovern.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A government delegation, led by Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, will attend the (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, from January 21 to 26.

Additional Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan and Invest Rajat Agarwal will be accompanying Badal at the yearly gathering that brings together leaders, top executives of global companies and some of the most prominent faces in the world of business.

The agenda includes brainstorming on global topics and issues ranging from food security, healthcare, road safety, to shaping the future of mobility, and technology. The discussions help define the world's top priorities and shape global industry and regional agendas.

At the event, Badal will speak at multiple sessions such as 'Country Strategy Dialogue for India', 'Discussion around strengthening Global Food Systems', 'Global Road Safety Initiatives and Road Safety Partnerships for India' and ' Innovation: Towards a New Leadership Agenda for Action'.

These sessions offer a great opportunity to mark Punjab's presence at the global level and lend its voice on world issues, said an official spokesman.

The delegation shall also be engaging in one-on-one meetings with global leaders including Chris Johnson, of (Asia, Oceania and Africa), Christoph Wolff, Head of WEF (Mobility Industry and System Initiatives), Magesvaran Suranjan, of Proctor and Gamble (Asia-Pacific, India, and Africa) and Teresa Carlson, vice- of Worldwide Public Sector at (web services) to discuss investment opportunities and pilot projects that could be undertaken in

Punjab has, over the past two years, undertaken a number of measures to improve the investment climate in the state, the spokesman said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Delhi Police's Special Cell has arrested a 24-year-old man in Dwarka for allegedly supplying illegal weapons to criminals, officials said Sunday.

The accused, identified as Mohammad Musa, a resident of Shamli district in Uttar Pradesh, they said.

Musa was previously involved in three cases of attempt to murder, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the Arms Act of Uttar Pradesh, police said.

On January 19, police received information that Musa would come to deliver a big consignment of illegal firearms to a receiver in area of Pappankalan, Sector-2 in Dwarka, Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) said.

Subsequently, a trap was laid and at about 7 pm Musa was apprehended with two bags, he said.

Twenty sophisticated countrymade pistols along with 12 spare magazines were recovered from his possession, Yadav added.

Interrogation revealed that Musa used to procure the weapons from arms dealer in Sandwa, Madhya Pradesh, the DCP said.

To avoid suspicion, Musa travelled by his car and sometimes preferred to commute by train to supply the weapons. He usually purchased the weapon for Rs 8,000 and sold it for Rs 25,000 to 30,000, he said.

Investigations also revealed that he was arrested by Saharanpur police in a gun supply case in 2017, he added.

In 2015, he joined hands with his distant relative, Arif who was a supplier of illegal arms. Since then, Musa has supplied more than 200 pistols to criminals of Meerut, Saharanpur and National Capital Region, Yadav said.

On January 14, Musa along with his brother Soyab Khan, had come to Faridabad to supply arms to criminals, but his brother was arrested along with nine pistols, he said.

Musa had 15 pistols at that time. But he managed to escape from police while they arrested his brother, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US has delivered its advanced Javelin and TOW anti-tank missile systems to the Kurdish Self-Defence Forces (YPG), based in the in northern Syrian city of Manbij, the Turkish newspaper Yeni Akit cited sources as saying, Sputnik reports.

The sources claimed that right now, Turkey's special forces are trying to track these systems, as the YPG is "preparing a trap for Turkish tanks which are ready to enter Manbij".

The reported developments come after Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar reiterated during his meeting with Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Turkey's call on the US to promptly withdraw the US-backed YPG forces from Manbij.
A 33-year-old man, carrying a cash reward of Rs one lakh on his head, was arrested for allegedly involving in trafficking Nepalese girls to the Gulf countries on the pretext of giving them jobs, police said Sunday.

The accused, identified as Lopsang Lama, resided at Wazirabad and hails from Okhal Doonga district in east Nepal, they said.

According to police, Lama was involved in trafficking of Nepalese girls. On July 25 last year, a team of Delhi Commission for Women rescued 16 Nepalese girls from a house in Munirka village. A case was registered at Vasant Vihar police station in this regard.

Investigation revealed that the rescued girls were confined in a rented house of Lama and his associates for about 20-22 days, Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) said.

They were planning to send these girls to the Gulf countries through illegal means on the pretext of giving them various job offers. Lama had also taken their passports and other documents so that the girls could be forced to stay here, he said.

Later, the rescued girls told police that Lama had trafficked five Nepalese girls to Kuwait and two to Iraq, he added.

On Saturday, a trap was laid at the spot after police received information that Lama would come to meet his associate near ISBT Kashmere Gate, the DCP said.

At about 7.20 pm, Lama was spotted coming from Buddhist Monastery side. On seeing police, he ran towards Kudasiya bank of the Yamuna river in a bid to escape. However, when chased by a police team, he jumped into the river, he said.

When caught, he confessed his involvement in the alleged case, he added.

During interrogation, Lama disclosed that he along with his brother-in-law and other associates were running a racket of human trafficking by sending Nepalese girls to various Gulf countries such as Kuwait, Dubai and Iraq, the officer said.

The girls who were trafficked were also sexually exploited, he added.

He used to lure girls by promising them jobs in India and then confine them to a house here in order to avoid law enforcing agencies, he said.

After the Nepalese girls were rescued, Lama fled to Sanauli and stayed there for a few months. Later, he came to Delhi again and stayed at his hideout in Wazirabad and had plans to resume the human trafficking racket, he added.

Until now, Lama has managed to send around 25-30 Nepalese girls to various Gulf countries, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Firing a fresh salvo at the BJP leadership and the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, disgruntled party leader Shatrughan Sinha on Sunday said the rally at Kolkata where he shared the stage with a host of opposition leaders was aimed at "saving Indian democracy from being ruined".

The actor-turned-politician and Patna Sahib MP, who had rankled the party by his presence at the rally and speaking about "tanashahi" (dictatorship) prevailing under the leadership of Modi and Amit Shah as against "lokshahi" (democracy) that characterized the Atal-Advani era, sought to twist the knife with a couple of tweets.

"What an amazing gathering and what a mammoth audience that came together in Bengal in lakhsto listen to and support this spontaneous show of solidarity in favour of a change parivartan!" exclaimed Sinha in his first tweet about the public meet which was organized by West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee.

Leaders of 22 opposition parties came together at a mega rally on Saturday and declared they will put up a united fight to oust the Narendra Modi government which has "passed its expiry date".

"Kudos to our sister, the great lady of Bengal, the fiery Mamata di, who needs to be roundly complimented for bringing together one of the largest congregations of the strongest and most influential political minds and leaders from all corners of the country on the same stage under a common causeof saving the Indian democracy from being ruined," Sinha said in the second tweet.

Top leaders of anti-NDA parties in addition to former Union ministers Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie attacked the Modi government on issues like demonetization, faulty implementation of GST and the controversy surrounding the Rafale deal at the rally.

At a press conference in the national capital, BJP national spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said the party has taken "cognizance" of Sinha's presence at the opposition meet.

The actor-turned-politician has been critical of the party leadership for quite some time, terming it as a "one-man show and two-man army" besides sharing the stage with people opposed to the regime on a number of occasions.

Party insiders say the leadership has refrained from taking any disciplinary action against the disgruntled MP - who has slim chances of being reconsidered for a ticket in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls - since it could benefit the outspoken actor-turned-politician, who is known for his gift of the gab.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A major blaze broke out early Sunday at a garment store in the southern part of the city's Gariahat area, gutting goods worth lakhs and destroying multiple shops next to the building, a senior official of the fire department said.

At least 19 fire tenders have been pressed into service to douse the fire that was noticed around 1am at Traders Assembly building, he told PTI.

Nobody was injured in the fire, the cause of which was suspected to a transformer blast, the official said.

"At the moment, the fire has been brought under control. Our men are fighting tooth and nail to douse it. We are yet to find out the exact reason behind the blaze, but preliminary findings show that transformer blast might have led to it," the fire department official added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Casting apprehensions on the agenda of the grand alliance stitched together by opposition parties, Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav on Sunday said the 'Mahagathbandhan' is a "big joke" and filled with "hollow people" with no ideology.

He said all the leaders in the grand alliance, who are portraying themselves as anti-BJP or anti-Modi (Prime Minister Narendra Modi), were equally anti-democracy and corrupt.

"There was a huge gathering (in Kolkata). But, where is the ideology? What is your agenda. There was no discussion on that. You had no talks on the problems the farmers are facing, and on unemployment. I believe this coalition lacks vision," Yadav told PTI.

The politician-activist was referring to Saturday's mega rally organised by the Trinamool Congress in Kolkata, where leaders from over a dozen opposition parties came together, vowing to put up a united fight in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and oust Modi from power.

"They are saying that Narendra Modi is anti-democracy, but what about (West Bengal Chief Minister) Mamata Banerjee? She is also the same. She has not allowed the panchayat elections to take place peacefully. She does not allow the opposition to host any rally here. You are carrying out rowdyism in your state.

"And (NCP leader) Sharad Pawar, (SP chief) Akhilesh Yadav and (BSP chief) Mayawati all are claiming of saving the country from corruption. This is a big joke. This grand alliance is full of hollow people," he said.

Yadav said the grand alliance is only an opposition but not an alternative to the BJP government at the Centre.

"The country at the moment requires an alternate government instead of opposition. I think national is under threat," he said.

The former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader wondered where were the leaders of the 'Mahagathbandhan' in the last five years, when there were many incidents of farmer suicides and movements organised by unemployed youths.

"These politicians were sitting in Parliament all these years, while the struggles were led by farmers, youths and dalit organisations. They are the ones who fought on the streets. We need to form their (farmers, youths) coalition," he said.

Yadav said his party is focusing on coming up with an alternative of a strong opposition by the people against the government.

"People have to build up a strong opposition against the current government, which can be sustained for a long time. We are trying to build that alternative. We need a coalition of social movement," he said.

Launching Swaraj India's '#iCan19' - Indian Citizens' Action for Nation, 2019 - an initiative for citizens to intervene in electoral politics, Yadav said he is hopeful that his party would have an effect on the electoral process.

"We have no capacity of fighting hundreds of seats. We would make a very limited intervention in a select few seats... That is our effort," Yadav added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Unfazed by the Opposition's show of unity at a rally in Kolkata, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday dismissed it as an alliance of corruption, negativity and instability, saying while those parties have "money power", the BJP has "people's power".

He also said that seats in educational institutes will be increased to implement the 10 per cent general category quota.

Modi was addressing BJP's booth-level workers from Lok Sabha constituencies of Kolhapur, Hatkanangle, Madha and Satara in Maharashtra and South Goa through video-conference.

Leaders from over a dozen opposition parties gathered in Kolkata on Saturday and vowed to put up a united fight in the coming Lok Sabha elections and oust Modi from power.

Several opposition leaders at the rally demanded the use of ballot papers instead of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) which, they said, were the source of "all sorts of malpractices".

Modi said the Opposition was staring at a defeat in forthcoming elections and looking for excuses ahead of their impending loss and thus, were vilifying EVMs.

"You must have seen that one of the leaders who was sharing the dais recalled the Bofors scam. Truth cannot be kept hidden. The Opposition's mahagathbandhan is an alliance of capitalists, corruption, scams, negativity and instability," he said.

"The Opposition has 'dhanshakti' (money power), we have 'janshakti' (people's power)," he added.

Replying on the query from a booth worker in Kolhapur, Modi said while the Opposition alliance is with political parties, "our alliance is with the dreams of 125 crore Indians and their hopes and aspirations".

"Those who were on the dais in Kolkata were either son or daughter of a big person or who wanted to make his son or daughter big in politics," he alleged.

Those who never believed in democracy within their parties were now talking about democracy from a public platform, he said, taking a dig at the Opposition's rally.

He said such people do not have faith in any institution and are busy defaming constitutional authorities.

"We get worried when some groups take people for granted. They think people are fools. That is why they don't leave any stone unturned to change their colour... I would like to repeat, this is a dangerous game for the country and a thing to worry about," Modi commented.

"While on one hand they are busy saving or nurturing their own families, we are busy developing a nation. Our country is our family... Those who start violence against the person contesting against them even at panchayat level, are now singing songs of protecting democracy," he said.

Modi said the Centre's decision to provide quota to the economically weaker sections from the general category in education and government jobs has given "sleepless nights" to the Opposition.

"If our decision had no strength, then these people would not have had sleepless nights. They have to get down in the field to spread lies and rumours. This means we have done right work and worked for the country," he said.

Seeking to allay concerns about lack of seats in educational institutes to accommodate the new quota provision, he said, "I would like to assure that we will increase 10 per cent seats in every educational institution so that despite reservation, everyone will get an opportunity."



He said the government would ensure that no one faced injustice and that the quota for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes remain intact.

"But with (the new) 10 per cent reservation, new opportunities have been opened up," the PM asserted.

The government has worked rising above the political interests. "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas has been the focus of our style of functioning," he said.

He said the BJP had taken such a "historic step" that if any party had to make such a move without researching the Constitution, he would have himself criticised it.

"After researching the Constitution, we made 10 per cent reservation for the economically weaker section. They (opposition) have not done anything for social injustice. When we did it, they were caught napping," he said.

These people are still "unconscious". When the government has taken a historical step for the larger good of people, it is natural for them to oppose, he said.

"Those who say that I took the decision keeping polls in mind, I want to ask them, when do we not have elections in the country," the PM questioned.

He said if he had to take the decision three months ago, then people would have claimed he did it keeping in mind elections in five states.

"If I did it before, they would have said I did it for the Karnataka elections, before that they would have said I did it to get benefit in Gujarat elections," the PM noted.

Before starting the interaction with people of Goa, Modi wished ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar a speedy recovery and called him the "architect of modern Goa".

"I would like to wish my good friend and Goa's popular CM and architect of modern Goa, Manohar Parrikar, a speedy recovery. The way he has been working and his zeal towards work has been an inspiration for a party worker like me," he said.

Appealing BJP workers to strengthen the booths, Modi said the party has given respect to the word 'worker'.

"Due to earlier governments, the image of a worker was that of a 'dalal' (middleman). But, the image of BJP workers is that of 'maa Bharati ke lal' (patriots)," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A leader was found dead in Barwani district of Sunday morning, with the police suspecting that he was murdered.

The death of Manoj Thakre (48) came to light three days after another leader was shot dead in Mandsaur, prompting the party to claim that its leaders were being targeted.

Balwadi, where Thakre's body was found, is around 100 km from the district headquarters.

"The body had injury marks on the face and around the neck," said district Superintendent of Police Y D Bhutia.

"He had gone out for morning walk in hazy weather. Local police got the information around 6.40 am that a body had been spotted, and within two minutes they reached the spot," the SP said.

Prima facie it appeared that Thakre was killed by unknown persons, she said.

A Special Investigation Team headed by an additional superintendent of police has been formed to investigate the killing, she said.

"We have picked up some people and are questioning them," Bhutia added.

Former state minister and leader Antar Singh Arya's son Vikas told reporters that the killing was fall-out of a "political rivalry", but did not elaborate.

On Saturday, the BJP had submitted petitions to officials in every district seeking improvement in the law and order situation, claiming it had deteriorated under the newly-elected government.

Prahlad Bandhawar, chairman of the Mandsaur Municipal Council, was shot dead Thursday. According to the police, one Manish Bairagi allegedly shot him over a financial dispute.

Former chief minister tweeted Sunday that it was "a matter of grave concern that BJP leaders are being killed".

" is taking it lightly and seeking to make a cruel joke of the incidents," Chouhan said, pointing out that Thakre, a popular BJP mandal president, was killed in the very district to which home minister Bala Bachchan belongs.

Bachchan could not be contacted for reaction.
A Maharashtra court has sentenced a superintendent of police (SP)-rank officer and another person to life imprisonment in a 2009 kidnapping and extortion case.

Jalgaon sessions judge P Y Ladekar convicted Manoj Lohar, who is presently posted at the Home Guard Department in Mumbai in a senior administrative position, and his relative Dheeraj Yevle on January 16.

The court pronounced the sentence on Saturday and also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 each on the duo.

Lohar and Yevle were convicted under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 342 (wrongful confinement), 346 (wrongful confinement in secret), 364-A (kidnapping for ransom), 385 (putting person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

According to the prosecution, Lohar had in 2009 forcibly kept the then zilla parishad member, Uttam Mahajan, confined at his office at Chalisgaon in Jalgaon district of North Maharashtra and two other places for two days in a bid to extort Rs 25 lakh from him.

He was at that time posted as additional SP of Chalisgaon.

Mahajan was picked up by police sub-inspector Vishwasrao Nimbalkar and brought to Lohar's office on June 30, 2009.

Lohar had threatened to expose some illegal doings by Mahajan at the educational institutes run by the latter and demanded Rs 25 lakh from him.

He kept Mahajan confined first at his office and then at co-accused Yevle's residence from June 30 to July 1, 2009.

Mahajan was released on July 2 after his son Manoj Mahajan contacted the then Jalgaon SP for help.

A case was registered against Lohar and Yevle on July 16, 2009 and the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) conducted a probe into it.

Lohar was arrested in June 2012 and later released on bail.

While Nimbalkar was also an accused in the case, the court acquitted him for want of evidence.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Several steps are being taken to achieve 8-10 per cent growth in leather exports in the next two years, an industry body said, underlining the importance of the sector in earning foreign exchange.

Council for Leather Exports (CLE) is planning buyer-seller meets in different countries and participation in global trade fairs to achieve the target, its chairman P R Aqeel Ahmed said.

According to him, this labour intensive sector has huge potential to earn foreign exchange for the country and create jobs for youth.

"Currently, our exports are around $6 billion. I am targeting 8-10 per cent growth in the next two years and for this we have planned several steps. Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu has assured full support to achieve this target," Ahmed told PTI.

He said as many as ten buyer-seller meets are planned in the US, Japan, Latin America, and Russia.

The council members will participate in all major leather trade fairs in counties such as Italy, Germany, Australia and the US.

The commerce minister has announced Rs 2,600 crore package for the to boost exports and the disbursal of the money would now start for upgrading infrastructure and other things, Ahmed said.

"These incentives would help us in attracting investments, push production and create new jobs," he said.

Ahmed said the council would also work in exploring new markets in Africa and Latin America.

"Peru and Chile hold huge export potential. We are taking our players there to meet businesses of these countries," the chairman said.

Seeking government intervention to address the challenges being faced by the sector, he said unavailability of timely and affordable credit is an important issue which needs urgent attention for the segment.

Besides, there is a need to focus on research and development of new technologies and attracting foreign investments to push the growth of the sector, he added.

"Leather is the sector where we import raw material worth about USD 600 million per year and using that we export products worth about USD 6 billion. This means there is a huge value addition potential in the sector," he said.

Currently, Europe accounts for about 70 per cent of leather exports from India. The sector employs about 42 lakh people.
The ongoing Kumbh here has created a wave of excitement among schoolchildren, who say they are impressed with preparation being done for devotees in India and abroad.

The Kumbh Mela commenced on January 15 on Makar Sankranti, which was the first bathing day, and will end on Mahashivratri on March 4.

Apratim Neogy, a student of class 7, said, "I witnessed the arrival of delegates from various countries recently in the city. I was a part of the human chain formed by the school children here, while welcoming the foreign delegates. It was a very exciting and memorable experience to welcome the foreign guests in our city."



Neogy, who has an interest in art and painting, said the wall paintings done (under the campaign Paint My City) has given a new dimension to Sangam city, which was earlier synonymous with encroached roads.

"I also called up my great-grandmother (who stays in the city) on a couple of occasions to know the mythological stories pertaining to the Kumbh," the class 7 student said.

Hiten Mandhyan, who is also a student, was impressed with the arrival of foreign delegates in the Sangam city.

"The glimpse of foreign guests arriving here was a pleasant sight to see," he said.

Anupriye Singh, a student of class 11 said, the colour combination used in painting the city in and around the Civil Lines locality has been eye-catching.

"It was also nice to see that encroached roads were freed of encroachment by the government agencies. The steel roundabouts have given a new look to the city," Singh said.

He also said the murals and a host of other statues and artefacts installed at various have really been nice.

"The statue of Lord Krishna along with Radha sitting on a jhoola (swing) next to a railway bridge near Johnstonganj crossing has been catching eyeballs," he said



A teacher at one of the schools here, Rumela Neogy, when contacted said, "As a teacher, I feel that it has been a nice learning curve for the students, who are exploring various aspects of this mega event, which is bringing forth the cultural and spiritual heritage of the country."She added that the transformation of the city for the largest religious gathering has been phenomenal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Having been elbowed out by the more utilitarian plastic and paper cups over the years at railway stations, 'kulhads' which were introduced by former railway minister Lalu Prasad 15 years ago are all set to make a comeback at catering units.

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has instructed caterers at Varanasi and Rae Bareli stations to use terracotta-made 'kulhads', glasses and plates, according to a circular issued by the board to the chief commercial managers of Northern Railway and the North Eastern Railway.

The move will not only give passengers a refreshing experience but also provide a huge market for local potters who are struggling to make ends meet, officials said.

"Zonal railways and the IRCTC are advised to take necessary action to ensure use of locally produced, environmentally savvy terracotta products like 'kulhads', glasses and plates for serving items to passengers through all static units at Varanasi and Rae Bareli railway stations with immediate effect so that local terracotta product manufacturers could easily market their products," the circular stated.

The proposal had come in December last year from the chairman of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) who had written a letter to Goyal, suggesting that these two stations be used to generate employment for potters around the area.

"We have been giving potters electric wheels which have increased their productivity from making 100 cups to around 600 cups a day. It was important to give them a market to sell their wares and generate income. With the railways agreeing to our proposal, lakhs of potters have now got a readymade market," KVIC Chairman V K Saxena told PTI.

"It's a win for all. The entire community is thankful to the railways and hopefully we can do this across its network eventually," he said, adding that he is expecting the daily production of pottery to reach 2.5 lakh to meet the demands of these two stations.

Under the Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana, the government has been distributing electric wheels to potters to increase their productivity.

In Varanasi, the prime minister's parliamentary constituency, around 300 such wheels have been distributed with 1,000 more in the pipeline.

In Rae Bareli, the parliamentary constituency of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, 100 have been distributed with 700 more to be given out.

Over all, the KVIC will distribute around 6,000 electric wheels across the country this year, Saxena said.

In 2004, Lalu Prasad had introduced 'kulhads' to boost the dying pottery industry and also give passengers a taste of eco-friendly cups. He had made it clear that hot beverages should be served only in 'kulhads'.

Though no specific allocation was made for 'kulhads' in the rail budget, railway officials said it was included in the target of sundry other earnings, placed at Rs 1,072 crore.

However, efforts of the railways did not get much traction from both passengers and vendors who complained about the poor quality of earthen cups.

At most stations, paper and plastic cups are used to serve beverages. But with the present government batting for the green and eco-friendly 'Made in India' produce, 'kulhads' could have a longer innings this time, the officials said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
On Sunday, January 20, Azerbaijani embassy in Russia hosted an event to commemorate 132 victims of the Black January tragedy - massacre of Bakus residents, perpetrated by the Soviet army at the country's Central Committee orders. As correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza reports, at the beginning of this event, press release of the diplomatic mission was read out, reminding participants of the event about details of tragedy that occurred on the night of January 19 to January 20, 1990.

"January 20, 1990 is a date that will forever be remembered by Azerbaijani people as the Day of Sorrow. On this day, which entered the history of Azerbaijan as Black January, Soviet leadership, which was losing control over situation in the country, decided to commit a crime against peaceful population Baku, which took to streets and squares to protest against aggressive actions of Armenia. This led to bloody events, as a result of which hundreds of innocent people were killed and injured. Children, women, old people, people with disabilities, representatives of various nationalities and professions were among the dead," according to press release of the Azerbaijani Embassy in the Russian Federation.

"Honorable sons and daughters of Azerbaijan sacrificed their own lives for sovereignty and independence of modern Azerbaijan. 29 years have passed, but Azerbaijani people remember that tragic night and deeply disdain those who committed this act of violence. Every year on January 20 Azerbaijani citizens go to the Alley of Shahids to pay tribute to innocent victims of this tragedy," press release said.

Azerbaijani Ambassador in Russia Polad Bulbuloglu said: "Dear friends, dear compatriots, I'm very grateful that today so many people have come to our embassy in Moscow, in the Russian Federation. I would like to emphasize that we don't identify today's democratic Russia with those who were responsible for what happened in the Soviet Union, because there are people who want to use this rethoric, but I would like to stress once again that neither Azerbaijani people, nor Azerbaijani government and our President think that today's democratic Russia

should be blamed for what happened under totalitarian regime of the Soviet Union."

He also noted that Azerbaijani people will never forget their martyrs. I dont want to retell the entire story, you all know it perfectly. They attacked civilians, shot people who weren't guilty of anything. It was scary, it was incomprehensible, it was hard to believe something like that is happening, because when the country begins to crush its citizens with tanks, such country can't exist for too long. Perhaps that's why the Soviet Union collapsed very soon after this. This was the point of no return. People understood that it was impossible to live in such a country," he noted.

On the night of January 19-20, 1990, 147 people were killed, 744 were injured and 841 were illegally arrested after Soviet troops entered Baku. The Soviet troops also destroyed 200 apartments and houses, as well as private and public property.

As Trend recalls, the January 20 tragedy brought huge losses and death of innocent people. But it also demonstrated the spirit and pride of Azerbaijani nation, which couldn't stand the betrayal of the criminal empire led by Mikhail Gorbachev. Azerbaijanis gained the independence they were dreaming of, and the country achieved sovereignty. Despite that many years have passed since those bloody days, Azerbaijanis remember the dreadful night that took many innocent lives and marks the anniversary of the January 20 tragedy every year. January 20 is immortalized in the memory of Azerbaijani nation as a Day of the Nationwide Sorrow.
The Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) that provides free from kindergarten to post-graduation to 50,000 tribal students in Odisha, on Sunday said it would run similar centres in other states and Bangladesh.

A KISS centre for poor children is expected to start functioning at Kolkata from next year, it's founder Achyuta Samanta said here Sunday.

The KISS has entered into an agreement with a Kolkata based NGO to run the centre for 1000 poor children in the metropolis from the academic session of 2020, he said.

Bhumi Pujan has already taken place at Joka area and construction going on at a faster pace.

Declared a Deemed to be University by the Union Human Resource Development ministry in August last year, the KISS would start a centre near Ranchi in Jharkhand from 2020.

Jharkhand cabinet has already approved 28 acre of land for the KISS campus, Samanta, a Rajya Sabha member from the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) said.

The KISS that runs a centre for 600 street children in Delhi also has plans to open such centres in Bihar and Chattissgarh, he said.

To a question, Samanta said he has met Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar twice and is waiting for his government to provide land for hte KISS centre.

The institute also has plans to start two KISS centres in Bangladesh.

One will come up for girls of class 1 to 10 in Jassore and another for boys at Dhaka, he added.

The Jassore centre will be set up in partnership with an NGO and the Dhaka centre with a private university of Bangladesh, he said adding both the centres are expected to start from 2020.

Founded in Bhubaneswar in 1992-93 to wean away tribals from naxal influence in Odisha, the KISS has 27,000 students and 23,000 of its alumni stay in its facilities.

"The KISS provides poor tribal students free food, lodging and from KG to PG. We also provide them jobs after completion of education," Samanta said.

Asked about sourcing of funds to run such a mammoth institution, Samanta said a portion it comes from the turnover of the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), another institute set up by Samanta, and contribution from employees, sale of products made by KISS students of vocational courses and donation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A minor girl, who was allegedly kidnapped a couple months ago from Thanamandi area of Rajouri district, has been rescued by a special police team in Uttarakhand, officials said Sunday.

The accused Reyaz Ahmad, of Moman Kote village in Reasi district, was arrested and put behind the bars at Thanamandi Police Station, an official said, adding the victim was admitted in a hospital in Rajouri district.

"A couple of months ago, the girl's family lodged a complaint in Thanamandi area of Rajouri district, alleging Ahmad had kidnapped their girl," a police spokesman said.

A case was registered and raids were conducted in Srinagar, Jammu, Reasi and other places but all efforts went in vain, he said.

"Three days ago, we received reliable information that the girl and her kidnapper were in Chamba district of Uttarakhand. A special team was constituted and found the girl and arrested the accused," he said.

He said the rescued girl was admitted in Rajouri District Hospital for medical aid.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A month after the Delhi High Court ordered the forthwith release of former Youth Congress leader Sushil Kumar Sharma, who had served over 23 years in prison for the murder of his wife Naina Sahni in 1995, the convict in the Jessica Lal murder case has moved the court, seeking the same relief.

The high court had, on December 21 last year, ordered Sushil Sharma's premature release after quashing the recommendations of the Sentence Review Board (SRB), which had rejected his plea to be set free after over two decades of incarceration.

Seeking a similar relief, Siddhartha Vashishta, also known as Manu Sharma, who was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of model Jessica Lal in 1999, has moved the high court.

The matter is likely to be heard on Monday by Justice Najmi Waziri.

Manu Sharma (43), in his plea filed through advocate Amit Sahni, has sought setting aside of the October 4, 2018 SRB recommendation, rejecting his plea, as well as the December 7, 2018 order of the Delhi government, upholding the board's view.

The convict has contended that the reports received from several authorities, including the prison, police and social welfare department of the Delhi government, have recommended his premature release from prison.

According to Manu Sharma's petition, he has served 15 years in jail without remission and over 20 years with remission and therefore, he is eligible for grant of premature release.

Remission is part of a sentence, which is granted to an accused after assessing his behaviour and conduct during his stay in jail and the period of interim bail or parole or furlough. A remission is added to the sentence undergone by a prisoner in jail.

The petition also contends that the high court had, in a PIL on August 3 last year, directed the SRB to strictly act according to its July 16, 2004 order, which had laid down the eligibility criteria for the premature release of a prisoner.

Manu Sharma has claimed that he satisfied the eligibility conditions laid down in the said order, but the board, on October 4 last, had declined to grant him the relief "without giving any cogent reasons", despite several reports favouring his plea for release.

He has also alleged that the SRB proceedings were not conducted in a fair and impartial manner and were liable to be set aside.

He has also claimed that the SRB "acted in a biased, unfair and illegal manner" while rejecting his plea for premature release.

Manu Sharma, son of former Union minister Venod Sharma, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the high court in December, 2006 for killing Lal.

The trial court had acquitted him, but the Delhi High Court had reversed the order and the Supreme Court had upheld his life sentence in April, 2010.

Lal was shot dead by Manu Sharma after she had refused to serve him liquor at the Tamarind Court restaurant owned by socialite Bina Ramani at Qutub Colonnade in south Delhi's Mehrauli area on the night of April 30, 1999.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Janata Dal (United) Sunday said it would vote against the controversial Citizenship Bill when it is tabled in the Rajya Sabha, notwithstanding the party's alliance with the BJP.

The party's national general secretary and chief spokesman K C Tyagi said this while criticising the Congress for staging a walkout from the Lok Sabha when the bill was being put to vote, saying it was a "farce" and "tantamount to support".

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8, seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims 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.

A large section of the people and several organisations in the northeast have opposed the bill saying it would nullify the provisions of the Assam Accord of 1985, which fixed March 24, 1971, as the cut-off date for deportation of illegal immigrants irrespective of religion.

Tyagi was speaking to reporters after a meeting of the party's national office bearers here at the residence of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who heads the JD(U).

Poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor, who joined the party in September last year and was elevated to the post of national vice-president a few weeks later, was among those who attended the meeting chaired by Kumar.

"The national office-bearers of the party reaffirmed the commitment to the legacy of socialist movement and to our old stand on issues like Ram temple, Article 370 and uniform civil code," Tyagi said.

"As far as the new citizenship bill concerning Assam is concerned, we condemn the attitude and behaviour of the Congress when the bill was put to vote in the Lok Sabha," he added.

Staging a walkout is tantamount to support and it is our apprehension that the Congress, by enacting a farce, wants to support the bill. We are going to oppose it when it comes before the Rajya Sabha, Tyagi said further.

The stance of JD(U) assumes significance in the backdrop of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), its ally in Bihar, facing the heat on the issue in Assam where it is in power and has lost the support of its former ally Asom Gana Parishad following differences on the matter.

The JD(U) leader also said a party delegation, which would comprise Kishor and himself, among others, would soon visit Assam to take stock of the ramifications of the legislation.

Tyagi further said that the JD(U) will hold its national executive meeting here in the last week of February.

"State president Vashishtha Narayan Singh has been assigned the task of deciding candidates for the seats which our party will be contesting in the Lok Sabha polls," he said.

"He will be assisted by Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan and Vijendra Yadav, both of whom have headed the state unit in the past," he added.

The JD(U) is slated to contest 17 out of 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state, as per the arrangement it has reached with alliance partners BJP and Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).

Pavan Varma, another JD(U) national general secretary present at the meeting, said, "Our differences with the BJP on controversial issues is on principles and do not in any way violate coalition 'dharma'."



"We do not think it would lead to any misgivings as we have taken our stand on each of these issues after informing the BJP beforehand," he said.

Replying to a query, he said the party was confident that the constituents of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will finalise the seats to be contested by each party by the end of February, before the poll schedule is announced.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Yuvraj and Sultan, the two most-sought-after bulls from Haryana, will be the major attraction at the national fair of animals to be held in Jalna in Maharashtra next month, a state minister said Sunday.

Minister of State for Dairy Development Arjun Khotkar told reporters that the exchange of cattle will boost breeding potential of milch animals.

Animals like horses, goats, donkeys, camels, elephants, cows, bulls, buffaloes and various species of birds would be exhibited and sold by traders at the fair, to be held on 100-acre land in New Modha area, during February 2-4.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray will attend the inaugural event, apart from state ministers.

Khotkar said the state government has allotted Rs 5 crore towards preparation of the gathering.

Yuvraj and Sultan have been the major attractions at various animal fairs in the country.

Owners of the two bulls claim that they produce high quality semen which is sought after by farmers for breeding their cattle to boost dairy business.

The semen of the two bulls reportedly costs more than a lakh per ejaculation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former journalist and BJP spokesperson Prem Shukla Sunday wondered if the Shiv Sena is "hobnobbing" with top Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, whom the party patriarch late Bal Thackeray wanted to oust from for "looting" the country.

Addressing reporters here, Shukla, who had served as the editor of the Sena's Hindi tabloid "Dophar Ka Saamana" before joining the BJP in 2016, said the "panchak" or quintet of the leaders also comprised Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra, her husband Robert Vadra and Ahmad Patel, Treasurer of the Congress.

Shukla's remarks came amid uncertainty over prospects of an alliance between the Sena and the BJP for upcoming Lok Sabha and Maharashtra assembly elections, and amid growing perception that the Uddhav Thackeray-led party is going soft on the Congress chief while criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi relentlessly.

"I clearly recall Balasaheb Thackeray's last speech at Sena's 'Viajayadashmi' rally at Shivaji Park in 2012 wherein he had said that this 'Panchak' (the gang of five) which has ruined the life of the common people and looted the country, needs to be ousted from

"I fail to understand why the party (Sena) wants to bring them back....", the BJP national spokesperson said while replying to a query whether Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray was warming up to Congress ahead of elections.

The Sena had last year announced that it would contest future elections on its own.

Listing out achievements of Modi government, Shukla said the country has listed a "quantum jump" in every field in the last four-and-a-half years of BJP rule.

"Now PM Modiji has ensured that each 'paisa' of a Rupee reaches the intended beneficiaries unlike during the erstwhile tenure of prime minister Rajiv Gandhi who had himself admitted that when one rupee is released from Delhi, only 10 'paisa' reaches to the targeted persons," Shukla said.

He said the Central government is executing 129 welfare schemes in different part of the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 'peace calender' was released here on Sunday to send out a message of peace amid strain in bilateral ties between India and Pakistan.

Many people, including Army veterans, youths and school students, gathered here to release the 'peace calendar', an initiative of the 'Aaghaz-e-Dosti' organisation that works to foster people-to-people relations between India and Pakistan through its voluntary network of people.

The calendar features paintings of school students from India and Pakistan on the theme of peace. Six paintings from each country were selected for being published in the form of calendar.

Sudheendra Kulkarni, a writer and former aide of the late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, told the gathering that the young generation is the hope for both countries.

He recalled how the initiatives such as start of bus, train and trade services across borders brought happiness to people and hence more such steps should be taken.

Major General (retired) T K Kaul, the executive president of India Pakistan Soldiers Initiative for Peace, talked about how there are veterans in both countries who advocate peace.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW), which selects children for the National Bravery Awards every year, on Sunday denied the charges of financial embezzlement made against it by the Women and Child Development Ministry.

ICCW have been organising the Bravery Awards, but recently the financial integrity of the NGO was questioned by the Delhi High Court during hearings on a writ petition.

Following this, the government dissociated itself from the NGO and revamped the scheme of national awards for children to include the awards for bravery as well and rechristened it as Pradhan Mantri National Children Awards.

The ICCW, in a statement, said "it vehemently denies the false, motivated and mischievous allegations made in the writ petitions (in Delhi High Court against it)".

"The Delhi High Court is presently examining the merits of such allegations, and has not reached any final conclusion in this regard. The matter is sub judice. ICCW is fully committed to vindicating its name by participating in the proceedings before the court," the ICCW statement said.

ICCW President Gita Siddhartha said it does not understand on what grounds the FIR was filed against it.

The FIR has been registered by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, which was funding the ICCW for the National Creche Scheme as well as the National Bravery Awards.

"On examination of audited accounts of the ICCW, it has been ascertained that the ICCW has not refunded the unspent balance of Rs 5,44,002 for the year 2015-16 and Rs 83,99,852 and Rs 2,19,70,197 for the years 2014-15 and 2015-16 respectively," the ministry said on Thursday.

"In view of the findings of the internal inquiry committee and the fact that ICCW has failed to refund the unspent balance available with them and their downstream entities on accounts of grants under the National Creche Scheme, the ministry was forced to file an FIR against the ICCW for embezzlement of funds," it added.

Reacting to it, the ICCW said it is fully committed to vindicate its name by participating in the proceedings before the court. It pointed out that the court has permitted ICCW to continue its activities.

"Creches to provide early child care services to children between 0-6 years was run by ICCW since forty years up to December, 2016. During the period ICCW ran the programme, the Ministry of WCD would release the grant very late, invariably after 3 to 6 months," the ICCW said in a statement.

It said, to augment this delay, ICCW has spent its own resources. "Every year, some unspent balances are available with our 32 State / U.T. Councils who ran the programme in 435 districts of India. This unspent balance is adjusted in the next year's grant. This has been the practice for 40 years and has never previously ever been brought into question."



ICCW, as required has submitted the detailed statement of the unspent balances duly audited to be recovered when the ministry release the grant for 2016-17, the statement said.

"Further, it may be noted that the government took a policy decision to de-centralize the Creche programme to State Governments for implementation in December 2016. However, by that date, State Councils had incurred expenditure of approximately Rs. 48 crores for which the MWCD has failed to make payment to ICCW/State Councils till date," the NGO said.

This failure continues despite the court's order for such dues to be cleared within a period of four weeks. The position is abundantly clear that the ministry that has to reimburse Rs 48 crores for the 5,000 creches run by ICCW. This together with interest at 10 per cent per annum amounts to Rs. 50 crores approx that MWCD owes to the Indian Council for Child Welfare, it said.

"Furthermore, no alternate structure been put into place by most State Governments to continue providing early childhood care for our underprivileged children. As such, lakhs of our children are uncared and unprotected, without a mid-day meal, thousands of poor workers unpaid and lakhs of mothers who are unable to go to work due to the absence of creche facilities," it said.

Reacting to media reports on 21 children selected by it for Bravery Awards have been left in lurch, Siddhartha said they have sent the names of the children to the Prime Minister's Office but have not heard from it yet. "The ICCW has been handling the National Bravery Awards since 1957 and over 900 children have so far been presented with the awards."



The ICCW said it is happy that the ministry in their children's awards has added a category for bravery too.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hollywood star Nicole Kidman says she ''played it safe'' with her career in the past but now always looks for roles that will challenge her.

The actor said she is happy to make ''spontaneous and random'' decisions now, reported Contactmusic.

''I think maybe I played it a little safe in the past, and went for the work I thought I was meant to do, which spoke to the idea of what and who an actress is supposed to be. But, for the most part, I've followed my spirit, which motivates me to go against the grain.

''I'm completely spontaneous and random in my decisions. Never let it be said that I don't have diverse taste. I love jumping into the deep end. Why not? That's my favourite saying, I think it has such potential and choice, why not?'' Kidman told Psychologies magazine.

The actor said life experiences have made her a better performer and she is happy to find her footing as a character actor.

"I've been doing this since I was 14, more than 35 years working is quite a number to say out loud. It's gratifying and comforting because I have a deep well of emotion that only comes with life experience and I can call on that, call on those memories I didn't have when I was in my 20s.

''I am a character actor, which was my goal. I wasn't educated at drama school with the aim of being a movie star," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
His films may be one of the most money minting releases, but when it comes to choosing a story Aamir Khan follows his heart and the business aspect does not come into consideration.

The 53-year-old superstar, who made some unusual choices in his close to three-decade-long career, made experimental cinema mainstream by giving hits like "Sarfarosh", "Lagaan", "Dil Chahta Hai", "Rang De Basanti", "Taare Zameen Par", "3 Idiots", "Dangal" and "Secret Superstar".

"As a creative person, I have always followed my heart and worked on films that have touched and moved me. And these are often films that are considered risky by the market and when these films get accepted by people it gives me lot of strength and confidence. Also, it reinforces the belief I have in storytelling and creativity," Aamir told PTI.

The actor was speaking on the sidelines of the inauguration of the National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday.

Aamir praised the initiative by the government.

"I am a student of cinema and a lover of history. I am glad this museum has started. I am keen to look at it all through. I have a fascination for creative people, like who started the film industry and who made all these silent films, talkies, black and white and colour films. Whenever there is a book on any film personality I always buy, I like to read about that time."



On the work front, there have been reports that Aamir will be part of an Osho biopic, based on spiritual guru Rajneesh but there is no official announcement from the actor on his upcoming films.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kaln rejected the accusations of former U.S. special presidential envoy against Turkey, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

Your analysis is flawed. Your accusations against Turkey are complete nonsense, only a repetition of PKK propaganda, Kaln said in a Twitter post on Jan. 19.

Brett McGurk, who served as special envoy for the U.S.-led coalition against Daesh for three years, resigned last December following U.S. President Donald Trumps decision to pull troops from Syria.

McGurk shared his Washington Post article titled Trump said he beat ISIS. Instead, hes giving it new life" on Twitter night on Jan. 18, urging Trump "to reverse orders to withdraw and reassess".

Regarding McGurk's anti-Turkey discourse in the article, Kaln tweeted, "Turkey has saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of Syrian Arabs, Kurds, Assyrians and others."

"You want to give new life to PKK. Wont happen, Kaln wrote.

Turkey's Ambassador in Washington Serdar Klc also took Twitter to react to McGurks remarks.

One should have a nerve to accuse others for the challenges in Syria, when actually he is the one who has mislead the consecutive US Administrations and created these problems for all of us. His welcome departure will help us prevent further disasters in Syria, Klc wrote on Twitter.
Klaus Schwab, who founded the World Economic Forum (WEF), has said his childhood during World War II inspired him to build an organisation that would make the world a better place.

His foundation, which hosts many of the world's most powerful, famous and wealthy people at its annual meeting in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, has clearly made an impact.

But questions have grown about whether the organisation is meeting its declared goal of "improving the state of the world", with resentment rising against the pro-business Davos agenda, and voters turning instead to populist leaders.

One persistent criticism is that WEF meetings, including this week's main annual gathering in Davos, have simply created a safe space for the corporate world to lobby governments without oversight.

Schwab was not available for an interview with AFP but the WEF's managing director, Adrian Monck, said in an email that the organisation "subscribes to the highest standards of governance".

Schwab, born in Ravensburg, Germany, in 1938, was a little-known business professor at the University of Geneva when in 1971 he founded the WEF's precursor, the European Management Forum.

He later broadened the conclave by inviting US business leaders, assembling a prestigious Rolodex as he turned the gathering into a showcase for networking and exchange of ideas.

In a 2018 book, two Stockholm University professors chronicled the WEF's evolution, as over time politicians joined the business executives in Davos to give the forum the air of a United Nations, with a few celebrities thrown in.

"Against the backdrop of what is perceived to be malfunctioning global governance institutions and stalled international policymaking, the WEF presents itself as offering an alternative," Christina Garsten and Adrienne Sorbom write in "Discreet Power: How the World Economic Forum Shapes Market Agendas".

Over the years, success has bred success for the WEF as many of the world's movers and shakers vie to rub shoulders in the Swiss Alps at panel discussions and apres-ski socialising. Newer regional meetings have joined the Davos calendar.

The WEF's "fragile authority" relies on proving "that if you want to be part of the global nobility, then you have to be here," Sorbom told AFP.

She said the organisation appears to offer something lacking in other international bodies: a venue where the heads of business and government can meet "and possibly come up with some good ideas". But it has "troublesome aspects", she added.

With dozens of heads of state and government coming to Davos each year, the WEF can be seen as a body "without a legal mandate to influence global governance yet with an ambition to do so", Garsten and Sorbom write.

Oliver Classen of the Swiss NGO Public Eye, which has spearheaded protests and other campaigns to counter the Davos meeting, said the WEF has always been "fully dependent" on the 1,000 companies that support the foundation.

Membership to the Forum ranges from the equivalent of USD 60,000 (53,000 euros) to USD 600,000, fees that allow company representatives to attend Davos and other meetings throughout the year.

"Schwab seems to have a firm belief that making people talk to each other is an objective that justifies pretty much everything," Classen said. "What he does not realise is that... when the large majority of those people have commercial interests then it is about deal-striking and nothing else."



Monck, however, said that for the WEF, "multi-stakeholder engagement... means respecting the opinions and interests of others".

The Davos meeting reportedly faced an existential threat in the early 2000s after sustained protests stretched the patience of the local community. In response, Schwab opened the meeting to more civil society groups while widening media access to an event that had previously been mostly held behind closed doors.

That move was not "voluntary", said Christian Dorer, the editor-in-chief of Swiss media group Blick, who recently had rare access to Schwab for a profile.

Schwab "realised he had to, otherwise the Forum would be dead," Dorer told AFP, also saying that the WEF founder had changed over the years.

"He was really only attached to the business world, and now he is much more open." Sorbom said her research showed an organisation that tolerated some dissent, up to a point.

"You can voice criticism, but if you are too critical, then you are out, unless you are Bono," she said.

Monck told AFP that if the principle of multi-stakeholder engagement is "not one you can sign up to, then the Forum is not the best platform for your engagement".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Food Processing minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal Sunday urged Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to intervene and expedite completion of PAIC's mega food park in Ludhiana.

In a letter to Singh, she said work on the Punjab Agro Industries Corporation mega food park at Ladhowal in Ludhiana was "delayed inordinately" and that officials should be directed to complete the balance work at the earliest to add value to farm produce and create much-needed job opportunities for youth.

Badal stated in her letter that a review meeting taken by her at the park site on January 11 had revealed that PAIC had not been able to come out with a tender for spiral freezer and dehydration line for seven months and that the same had been tendered two days before her visit.

"This is the first park of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries in which a private unit will come up even before the park becomes operational," the Bathinda MP wrote.

She said no progress was being made despite the fact that she had held regular meetings to monitor the work and even kept the chief minister posted about the same.

Badal said similarly the organisation took six months to decide it needed to change the components of the dehydration line.

Harsimrat said the Rs 117 crore project, which had received a grant of Rs 50 crore from the Centre, was supposed to be ready by June last year.

He said this delay was not only causing a loss to the state's farm economy, but also harming job prospects of youth.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The measure for 10 per cent general category quota will boost the BJP-led NDA's vote share by 10 per cent, paving the way for Narendra Modi's re-election as prime minister, Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan said Sunday, asserting that people will reject the opposition's proposed grand alliance due to its inherent contradiction and instability.

The BJP ally and Lok Janshakti Party president said the Modi government's priority to long-term development policies over "populist" programmes may have caused at times some resentment in a section of society but people will vote for the prime minister's "strong and stable" leadership in Lok Sabha elections.

He, however, hinted that the government will come out with a bevy of schemes in the run up to the election, saying that the ruling alliance has learnt its lessons from its loss in the recent state elections and that there are many arrows in the quiver of Prime Minister Modi.

The BJP lost power to Congress in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan in December.

"Some months are still left for the polls. The government will shoot one arrow after another. What will also weigh the most on people's mind is who will be the opposition's choice as prime minister. Whether the next government will be stable or temporary. People will prefer a strong, stable government to a weak, unstable government, leading to Modi's victory," he told PTI in an interview.

He also sounded upbeat about the political fallout of the constitutional amendment to give 10 per cent reservation in education and jobs for the general category poor.

"Let me tell you. This 10 per cent quota will lead to a rise of 10 per cent in our vote share," the Dalit leader, who has long been a strong votary for quota for the general category poor, said.

In Bihar, parties like Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal will find it difficult to open their account after opposing the bill, he said, adding that the NDA will repeat its 2014 feat of winning more than 70 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh.

In 2014, the NDA won 336 of the total 543 seats in Lok Sabha, with the BJP bagging a majority on its own by emerging victorious in 282 seats. Paswan's party won six seats.

Asked about the likely voting trend among Dalits, who are a crucial vote bank in almost all states, as many Dalit groups have often attacked the Modi government over a host of issues, Paswan said the prime minister is seen by them as someone who has worked for them and that it will help the ruling alliance.

Paswan, however, lamented that had the NDA run a campaign among Dalits and tribals after the government passed a bill last year to nullify a Supreme Court order that had allegedly weakened a law on atrocities against these communities, then it would have drawn political mileage.

Statement by BJP leaders, including then Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, to placate caste groups protesting against the Union government's decision meant that the Dalits backing it did not hit the road in the support of the exercise, he said.

"What is however clear is that Dalits now know that Modi is not anti-Dalit as used to be projected. He strengthened the law on atrocities against them and has done so much for highlighting the legacy of Bhim Rao Ambedkar. A majority of them will support him during the polls," he said.

Besides taking measures for Dalits, the government also granted constitutional status to the Other Backward Classes commission and has now given 10 per cent quota to the general category poor, he said, adding that it has touched all sections of society in its term.

Taking potshots at the opposition, the Bihar leader said it is full of contradictions and many regional parties have not made their stand clear on the prime ministerial candidate from the Congress which, he noted, is the only real national party in the anti-BJP camp.

The RJD is with the Congress is Bihar and is backing in UP the Samajwadi Party-BSP alliance, which has kept the Congress out, he said, highlighting the "conflict and contradiction" among these parties.

With several opposition leaders like BSP's Mayawati and Trinamool Congress' Mamata Banerjee, seen to be nursing prime ministerial ambitions, Paswan said the Congress has a history of "destabilising" governments run by other parties as he referred to short tenures of former prime ministers H D Devegowda, I K Gujral, Chandra Shekhar and V P Singh among others.

"Any government of opposition parties will be weak and temporary," he said.

Paswan was an ally of the Congress before he joined hands with the BJP in 2014 and has served in a number of governments headed by the Janata Dal, Congress and the BJP since 1989.

The Modi government, he said, has stressed on the long-term development measures by focusing on providing housing, toilet, electricity, bank account and loan facilities to the poor.

The country's prestige abroad has also gone up by many notches due to the prime minister's focus on international relations, he said. "This was not the case even during the rule of Nehru (India's first PM)," he claimed.

Asked about the perception of the government among minorities, especially Muslims, he said stray comments by some BJP leaders at times send "negative message" but added that there should be no doubt that the Modi government has worked for all sections of society.

Paswan also reiterated his stand on the Ram temple issue that the matter should be solved either through a judicial order or agreement among different parties in the dispute.

The LJP president has announced that he will not fight the upcoming Lok Sabha poll, expected to be held in April-May, and is set to be sent to Rajya Sabha by the ruling alliance. His party will contest six of the 40 seats in Bihar.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Foreign investors have pulled out more than Rs 4,000 crore from the Indian capital markets so far in January, highlighting their cautious stance towards the country.

This comes following a collective net inflow of over Rs 17,000 crore in the capital markets -- both equity and debt -- by Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) during November and December.

Prior to that, they had pulled out a massive Rs 38,905 crore in October.

According to data available with the depositories, FPIs withdrew a net amount of Rs 3,987 crore from equities and a net sum of Rs 53 crore from the debt market, taking the total outflow to Rs 4,040 crore during January 1-18.

Market experts believe that FPIs are continuing with their 'wait and watch' approach towards India.

Going ahead, the focus would be on the budget, progress on the economic growth front and general elections, they added.

Other factors such as movement in crude prices and currency as well as US-China trade relations will also play a role in FPI flows, they added.

Harsh Jain, COO at Groww, an online MF investment platform, said 2019 is likely to see a lot of volatility because of the rate hikes and dollar instability, but the Indian markets may be able to weather the storm.

"India offers better investment opportunities due to consistent growth, supportive global factors and attract valuations. We should expect positive inflow in coming months," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A day after his expulsion from the Congress, former Union minister Srikant Jena on Sunday said he would expose AICC president Rahul Gandhi to such an extent that he would "not show his face in public" again.

Jena, along with former Koraput MLA Krushna Chandra Sagaria, was expelled from the primary membership of the Congress for anti-party activities by the Odisha unit of the party, following recommendations from the All India Congress Committee (AICC).

"I understand that Rahul Gandhi is visiting Odisha on January 25. I will expose him on that day so that he will not be able show his face in public," Jena told a press conference here.

He, however, did not divulge the details of his proposed "maha-khulasa" (disclosure) against the Congress chief.

Peeved over his expulsion from the Congress, Jena said, "Rahul Gandhi has made it clear that he will remain with the mining mafia. The OPCC leadership, which was once with Utkalmani Gopabandhu Dash, has now come to the hands of the mining mafia. Though I have drawn Rahul Gandhi's attention several times in this regard, he preferred to remain with the mining mafia."



Freedom fighter Gopabandhu Dash is referred to as "Odisha's Gandhi", who earned the sobriquet "Utkalmani" (jewel of Utkal or Odisha) for his tremendous contribution as a social worker, reformer, political activist, journalist, poet and essayist.

Jena alleged that Gandhi had also decided that the governance of Odisha should remain with the Patnaik family, for which he had announced a "grand alliance" with Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik.

Stating that he had not indulged in any anti-party activities, Jena said he could not fit as a member of the Congress because he was not "accumulating properties" from the loot of mines.

In a letter to Gandhi on December 9, 2018, Jena had said: "I can understand why our PCC president, Niranjan Patnaik, is strongly opposed to illegal mining as an issue given that his family is directly involved in it. They have been charged the highest penalties for illegal mining, amounting to over Rs 2,000 crore last year.

"On top of this, Niranjan Patnaik has filed an affidavit in the Orissa High Court (in a case dating back to 1985) that he used to give bribes to a mining official for his mining business."



Jena also vowed to end the "Patnaik family politics" in Odisha.

"From now on, I will wage my relentless fight against the unholy nexus between Rahul Gandhi and (Chief Minister) Naveen Patnaik in Odisha," he said.

Jena added that he would expose the complicity of the BJD government in the state with the mining mafia.

Replying to Jena's allegations, Niranjan Patnaik said, "Those indulging in indiscipline have no place in the Congress."



Slamming the state Congress chief, Jena said he (Niranjan) was a habitual bribe-giver and had also received a stricture from the Orissa High Court.

"Despite being aware of this, Rahul Gandhi entrusted the party's state leadership with him and created an opportunity for the Congress for an unholy nexus with the mining mafia in Odisha," he added.

Meanwhile, state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vice-president Samir Mohanty said Jena's ouster from the Congress proved that the party was being run by the mining mafia.

BJD spokesperson PK Deb, however, rejected Jena's allegation, saying, "There is no consistency in Jena's statements as he had earlier claimed that the BJD was the 'B' team of the BJP.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Exporters body FIEO has sought immediate intervention of the government and RBI to resolve issues related to payment mechanism for Iran and flow of credit to push shipments.

Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) President Ganesh Kumar Gupta said that a clarity is required on product coverage under rupee payment mechanism to Iran.

"Exporters have pointed out that UCO bank branches are not clear about products, which can be exported under such mechanism. The main problem is related to Engineering and Chemical products," Gupta told PTI.

He said that the understanding of trade is that if the end use of product is not under the sanctioned list, or exports is not to the Iranian government, it should be allowed for exports under the Rupee Trade Mechanism.

"A clarification will help exporters to take such orders and push for quantum jump in our exports to Iran," he said.

He also said that banks have expressed their inability to handle documents of exporters for shipments to Central Asian countries, if there is a reference to Bandar Abbas as a transit port in Iran.

"This has affected the movement of cargo through INSTC which Government of India is promoting as an alternative route being time and cost effective," he said.

It is requested that directives to banks be issued for handling of documents properly for transit goods through Iran, where the combined transport bill of landing shows the destination to be Afghanistan/Russia/ Central Asia or any other non-restricted countries, he said.

It is expected that a meeting of bankers and exporters is soon being convened by the Finance Ministry to address some of the concerns.

Talking about flow of credit to export sector, he said that the recent data of the RBI for August, 2018 shows a decline of over 50 per cent in export credit as compared to the corresponding month in 2017.

"MSME exporters are the worst sufferer and the lack of credit equally affects our export performance," he said.

He added that there is a need for increasing the flow of credit to export sector by encouraging banks and also ensuring online filing, processing and monitoring of export credit.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a surprising turn of events, three persons summoned as accused in a money laundering case also involving journalist Upender Rai, Saturday walked free from a Delhi court without even securing bail.

As per law, if an accused is not arrested by the prosecuting agency during probe, he will have to secure bail from the court on his first appearance before it on summons.

If the court refuses to grant bail, the accused will have to go to judicial custody.

The accused Narendra Kumar Rai, Rajesh Mathur and Yogender Pal Gupta were summoned as accused by the court after filing of a charge sheet by the Enforcement Directorate in the case.

However, after they appeared before Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Syal Saturday and moved bail applications, ED's special public prosecutor Rajiv Awasthi told the court that there was no need of bail since they were not arrested during the investigation.

The ED took contradictory stands before the court with Awasthi saying there was no need to secure bail, whereas ED's other SPP, Nitesh Rana, submitting that all the accused persons be send to judicial custody till the bail is granted or accused can leave the court only after interim bail.

Rana insisted that the bail was not only required rather the agency would oppose their applications.

The court, thereafter, noted the submission made by the counsel from both the sides and let the accused go.

ED, meanwhile, opposed the bail application of journalist Upendra Rai, the main accused in the case which relates to alleged extortion and dubious financial transactions.

Advocate A R Aditya, appearing for the agency, told the court that the accused may influence witnesses and hamper the probe if released on bail.

In his application, the Delhi-based scribe claimed he was not required for further custodial interrogation and no purpose will be served by keeping him in custody.

ED told the court that Rai had extorted money from various persons, claiming he had information against them as he was a journalist and that thousands of crore of rupees were extorted.

The agency also told the court that Rai was influential and he may destroy evidence and flee from justice if he comes out of jail.

The journalist was arrested on June 8 last year by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at the Tihar jail here, moments after he secured bail in a Central Bureau of Investigation case related to alleged extortion and dubious financial transactions.

He was arrested by the CBI on May 3 for allegedly indulging in dubious financial transactions, getting an airport access pass made by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) by furnishing false information, alleged extortion and manipulation of an Income Tax Department case against a Mumbai-based businessman.

However, he recently secured bail from the Delhi High Court in the CBI case.

The ED had registered a money laundering case against him based on the CBI FIR.

Rai has denied before the court all allegations levelled against him.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Don't think 'mama' has become weak, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who lost power in the recent Assembly elections, asserted Sunday and claimed the BJP will win at least 27 out of the 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

Congress may have formed government in the state but it could fall "anytime as it lacks majority", Chouhan, who is also called 'mama' or uncle, said at 'Yuva Vijay Sankalp Maharally' of Delhi BJP's Yuva Morcha.

"Don't think mama has become weak. I promise you that we will win at least 27 seats, as we did in 2014, out of the 29 Lok Sabha seats, in the coming elections," said the senior BJP leader.

Hitting out at Congress government in Madhya Pradesh, Chouhan claimed BJP could also have formed a "lame" government too but it decided it would do so only with a grand majority.

Chouhan also mocked the gathering of opposition leaders at Saturday's Kolkata rally as "bhanumati ka kunaba" (marriage of convenience), saying there was no unanimity over a common leader among the parties planning the 'mahagathbandhan'.

"Its like a wedding without a groom. On the other hand we have a leader in the form of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lead us in the battle ground," he said.

The 'Yuva Vijay Sankalp Maharally' was the fifth of a series of big rallies held by the Delhi BJP in the last two months, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

However, the event saw a not so whelming attendance. Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari warned from the stage that it would be investigated who were the persons leaving the venue during speeches of the leaders.

Delhi BJP Yuva Morcha president Sunil Yadav claimed the event was attended by over 20,000 persons.

"People were coming and going but the chairs were full," he said.

The Yuva Morcha had planned to torch 40-feet effigies of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal but the plan was shelved in view of poor air quality in the city, Yadav said.

The rally was attended by many senior BJP leaders including Union minister Vijay Goel who attacked Kejriwal, alleging that his government in Delhi has "destroyed" the city.

Jaibhan Pawaiya, Lok Sabha election co-incharge of Delhi BJP, asked students to sharpen their arguments to face the challenge of being mocked on the slogan of "Achhe Din" by the opponents and counter it with achievements of the Modi government.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Today, Azerbaijan commemorates the 29th anniversary of the January 20 tragedy, Trend reports.

January 20 is a day that went down in history of Azerbaijan's fight for independence and territorial integrity.

On January 20, 1990, the Soviet army forces entered Baku to suppress the masses protesting the USSR-supported Armenian aggression based on territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

The result was an unprecedented tragedy for Azerbaijan. Valiant sons and daughters of Azerbaijan put the countrys freedom, honor and dignity above everything else, sacrificed their lives and became martyrs.

On the night of January 19-20, 1990, 147 people were killed, 744 were injured and 841 were illegally arrested after Soviet troops entered Baku. The Soviet troops also destroyed 200 apartments and houses, as well as private and public property.

The January 20 tragedy brought huge losses and death of innocent people. But it also demonstrated the spirit and pride of Azerbaijani nation, which couldn't stand the betrayal of the criminal empire led by Mikhail Gorbachev.

Azerbaijanis gained the independence they were dreaming of, and the country achieved sovereignty.



Despite that many years have passed since those bloody days, Azerbaijanis remember the dreadful night that took many innocent lives and marks the anniversary of the January 20 tragedy every year.

January 20 is immortalized in the memory of Azerbaijani nation as a Day of the Nationwide Sorrow.
DMK chief M K Stalin Sunday claimed that Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam held a 'yagna' at his office in the Secretariat here and objected to it saying Fort St George was common to people of all religions.

Stalin, addressing a wedding ceremony here claimed that the yagna performed by Pannerselvam early Sunday may have been done to get the "Chief Minsiter's post."



The ruling AIADMK, however, was quick to dismiss the claim as a rumour spread by the DMK with an intention of dividing an united party.

The DMK top leader said Panneerselvam should answer why he held the 'yagna' at Fort St George that houses the Secretariat.

"How can you hold it at Fort St George, what right do you have? it is a place common to people of all religions," he said.

Noting that he would not have objected if the yagna had been performed either at the Deputy Chief Minister's residence or a temple, Stalin said the premises of Fort St George belonged to the government and people of all faiths.

Dismissing Stalin's claim as a rumour Senior AIADMK leader D Jayakumar asked, "who saw the conduct of the yagna ? what is the evidence for it ? Stalin's 'yagna,' claim is both unauthentic and a rumour."



He accused the DMK of spreading such a rumour with the backing of TTV Dhinakaran-led Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam.

"Enemy's enemy is your friend...they are Dhinakaran and DMK..it is a conspiracy by both of them."



The AIADMK government is committed to the welfare of all sections of the people including the minorities, he said and accused the DMK of hatching some conspiracy "every day," to dislodge his party-led government and such efforts will not succeed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A day before Paush Purnima, the second auspicious bathing day during the Kumbh, all roads led virtually to the 'Sangam' the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati as devotees from across the country thronged the city.

Security personnel from the UP police department and central para-military forces kept a tight vigil at Prayagraj railway station, civil lines bus station and other areas frequented by the visitors.

"Our main focus is to ensure absolutely a safe and secure Kumbh, and we will leave no stone unturned," Uttar Pradesh Additional DG (Law and Order) Anand Kumar said.

An estimated 20 lakh devotees are likely to take the bath Monday. Prior to Paush Purnima, devotees had taken the first dip in this year's Kumbh on Makar Sankranti.

Kumar said steps have been taken to ensure a peaceful and organised Kumbh Mela.

"This includes deployment of forces and use of technology. We will ensure that everyone coming to the Kumbh is taken care of. We are making efforts to ensure that Kumbh 2019 is the safest Kumbh ever," he said.

Paush Purnima also marks the beginning of Kalpwas, the period of austerity.

"Paush Purnima is a significant day for Hindus and falls during full moon in the month of Paush according to the Hindu calendar. On this day, devotees from different parts of the country assemble at Sangam to take a holy dip," said Swami Adhokshjanand Deo Tirth.

"Even Lord Krishna had said that he represents the month of Paush," he said.

After the Paush Purnima bath, there will be four more major bathing dates during the Kumbh. These are Mauni Amavasya (February 4), Basant Panchami (February 10), Maghi Purnima (February 19) and Mahashivratri (March 4).

The Uttar Pradesh police has said the security would be three-tier for the Kumbh Mela, the largest congregation in the world, spread over 3,200 hectares of land in the Sangam city.

"The whole region has been demarcated into nine zones and 20 sectors with the deployment of over 20,000 police personnel, 6,000 home guards, 40 police stations, 58 outposts, 40 fire stations, 80 companies of central force and 20 companies of PAC," Director General of Police OP Singh has said.

Anti-Terrorist Squad commandos, anti-sabotage commandos with snipers, bomb disposal units, sniffer dog squads and intelligence units have also been deployed, Singh said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Delhi Police head constable, who was injured after being hit by an unidentified vehicle, has succumbed to his injuries, the police said Sunday.

Rajpal Kasana, posted in Special Cell, was fighting for life at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Trauma Centre since January 14 when his motorcycle was hit from behind while chasing an arms smuggler, they said.

A resident of Ghaziabad, Kasana breathed his last on Saturday, they added.

"On Monday at around 3 pm, we had got a tip off that an arms supplier would be coming to RK Puram from Ghazipur via ISBT Sarai Kale Khan and Barapullah road. A team was formed that included Kasana," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwaha.

"Kasana and Mohit Panwar were on their motorcycle when they spotted the suspect on the Barapullah road and gave chase, however, another vehicle hit their motorcycle from behind and fled," he added.

Kasana received severe head injuries and along with Panwar was taken to AIIMS.

The head constable had joined Delhi police in 1998 and was transferred to the Special Cell in 2006.

He played a vital role in the arrest of Salli Khan, a criminal from Mewat and his seven associates in 2013 following which he was promoted as head constable.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An alleged rape victim and her husband, who have temporarily shifted here from Jammu and Kashmir apprehending threat to their lives, have been given protection by the Delhi High Court.

The high court was informed by the couple that personal circumstances forced them to leave their native place and made serious allegations against some police officials and political workers.

The couple claimed that the woman was allegedly physically assaulted and raped and the man was kept in detention for several days by the Jammu and Kashmir police and now he was out on bail.

The court directed the concerned DCP of Delhi Police to look into the matter and forthwith provide protection to the couple and that their address shall not be disclosed to any other person except the government counsel.

"The petitioners' (couple) residence in the NCT of Delhi shall not be disturbed, except by due process of law and with prior intimation to this court," Justice Najmi Waziri said.

The couple said they had approached the Jammu and Kashmir High Court in September 2018 seeking protection and the court had directed the state to look into the matter of providing protection to the petitioners.

However, they claimed that no protection was accorded to them and they apprehend a grave threat to their life, limb and liberty and were constrained to temporarily shift to Delhi.

The Delhi High Court directed the concerned DCP to look into the matter and forthwith provide due protection to the couple and asked the police officials to give their numbers to them so that they can reach out for help in case of any exigency.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress president Rahul Gandhi hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday over his "bachao, bachao" swipe at the Opposition, saying the cries of help were of people "begging" to be freed from "your tyranny and incompetence".

Gandhi's attack came a day after Modi, taking a dig at the Opposition rally organised by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata, said the BJP had only one MLA in West Bengal, "but still they are so afraid of us, because we follow the path of truth, that they have gathered parties from across the country and are crying 'bachao , bachao, bachao' (save us)".

"Your Highness, The cries for help are the cries of millions of unemployed youth; of farmers in distress; of oppressed Dalits & Adivasis; of persecuted minorities; of small businessmen in ruin; begging to be freed from your tyranny & incompetence. In 100 days they will be free," Gandhi said in a tweet.

On a day when several opposition parties came together on a common platform in Kolkata, Modi had hit out at their proposed "Mahagathbandhan" (Grand Alliance), saying it was a combine of those who were angry at his stringent action against corruption as they had been stopped from looting public money.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After a gap of almost six years, counting of bird species began at the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) from Sunday, with avid bird watchers from Delhi, Bareilly and Lucknow arriving here.

Ramesh Kumar Pandey, field director of the DTR, told PTI that in 2013, the bird counting had been conducted which had established Dudhwa as an excellent home to various species of birds.

Bird watchers under the aegis of Katarniaghat Foundation (KGF) and Rohilkhand Nature Club (RNC) would visit various locations at the DTR and gather visuals of bird species for further analysis and listing, Pandey said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 37-year-old contractual sanitation worker suffocated to death after he got trapped inside an underground drain while cleaning it in north Delhi's Wazirabad area on Sunday, police said.

Officials of Wazirabad police station were informed about the incident around 3 pm, they added.

The sanitation worker has been identified as Kishan, a resident of Shri Ram JJ cluster, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Nupur Prasad said.

Teams of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Delhi Fire Services were deployed to locate the body, police said.

The body has been pulled out, they said.

Investigations revealed that Kishan, along with several other workers, was hired by a contractor to clean the Wazirabad drain.

A case under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code has been registered at Wazirabad police station and efforts are on to trace the contractor, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis alleged Sunday that the Congress and NCP, when in power, did not provide land in Mumbai for a memorial of Dr B R Ambedkar.

Speaking at the national convention of the BJP's Scheduled Caste Morcha here, Fadnavis came down heavily upon the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party.

"These leaders made so many memorials for their forefathers but Congress leaders could not give land for the father of Indian Constitution (Ambedkar)," he said.

"Because their eyes were set on the Indu Mill land and its FSI (floor space index, for commercial development), like they captured other (textile) mill lands in Mumbai," Fadnavis alleged.

Dalit organisations had been long demanding the land of the defunct Indu Mill -- which was with National Textile Corporation -- for the Ambedkar memorial.

"Congress, NCP and other political parties which ask for votes in the name of Babasaheb Ambedkar did not give an inch of Indu Mill land for the memorial when they were in power in the Centre and Maharashtra," Fadnavis claimed.

"When Narendra Modi government came to power, I met prime minister Modi and told him of the demand.

"And Modi immediately called the textile minister and said the Maharashtra government should get the land in three days," Fadnavis said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The is "best equipped" to lead the opposition's charge against the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said Sunday, asserting that the grand old party will have to handle its leadership role with "large-heartedness" and accommodate regional parties.

Yadav also hailed the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance in Uttar Pradesh and emphasised that his "courtesy call" meetings with and Mayawati post the tie-up should not be construed as a "pressure tactic" aimed at the

In an exclusive interview to PTI, the Rashtriya Janata Dal leader said since is India's oldest and and currently the second-biggest political party having a pan-India presence, it is in a very strong position to win maximum number of seats among the opposition parties.

In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, among the prospective opposition grand alliance parties, the Congress had won 44 seats, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress won 34, the won five, while the RJD had bagged four seats.

"I don't find anything wrong if the Congress plays a pivotal role in forming the alliance or taking the leadership role of the alliance into the elections. But having said that, they have to accept that each state has different ground realities," Yadav said.

The Congress, being the party with acceptance and maximum footprint in the opposition, is "undoubtedly best equipped" to lead the opposition's charge against the Bharatiya Janata Party or the Democratic Alliance, the former Bihar deputy chief minister asserted.

"However, the Congress will have to handle their leadership role with large-heartedness and play a proactive role by accommodating regional parties with their agenda.

"In states where Congress don't have a robust base, it must allow regional outfits to occupy the frontal-attack position against the BJP," Yadav said, emphasising that regional parties have a greater ability to transfer votes.

The concentration is on winnability, hence the coalition must be decided state-wise and seat wise, said the 29-year-old son of former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad.

Every party will have to compromise or lend space to other parties depending on the situation in a particular state for forming a winning alliance, Yadav said while replying to a question on whether the Congress has to be more giving to regional parties to strengthen the opposition coalition.

Asked if leaving out the Congress from the SP-BSP tie-up will impact the opposition's level coalition, he said the people of India feel they have been "duped badly" and have made up their mind to get rid of propagandists for their own well-being.

The people are wise enough to understand which fighting block can be their best bet to defeat the BJP, he said.

On whether the SP and BSP will be a part of the mahagathbandhan' in Bihar, the RJD leader said principally all opposition parties are together against the BJP-led alliance.

"You don't always need seats to contest to prove that you are part of an alliance. Sometimes lending unconditional support works wonders for sending the message across to the electorate.

"It is true that the SP and the BSP aren't main political parties of Bihar, but we have high regard for them and their We have seen that SP-BSP alliance has decided not to field their candidates in Amethi and Raebareli," Yadav said.

Once arch-rivals, the SP and the BSP announced this month their tie-up in UP for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, sharing 38 seats each and keeping the Congress out of the alliance.

Tejashwi Yadav's remarks come amid hectic efforts by the opposition to forge a strong alliance to take on the BJP in the general election.

Leaders from several opposition parties, including Yadav, came together Saturday, vowing at a mega rally in Kolkata to put up a united fight in the coming polls and oust Prime Minister Narendra Modi from power.

Prime Minister Modi had earlier hit out at the Mahagatbandhan for the polls, saying it was an "unholy alliance" of various political parties for "personal survival". The BJP has also slammed the SP-BSP tie-up in UP.

Yadav also hit out at those dubbing his meeting with SP chief and BSP supremo Mayawati in Lucknow as a pressure tactic aimed at the Congress, saying his family always had close ties with the two leaders and the meetings were courtesy calls.

Akhilesh ji is part of our extended family and 'behen' Mayawati ji always had cordial relations with us. When she resigned from Rajya Sabha, my father publicly said RJD would always be ready to send her to Rajya Sabha if she agrees, Tejashwi Yadav said.

Even last year during RS elections in Bihar, I called her to request her again to enter Rajya Sabha with RJD backing. So my courtesy calls to them shouldn't be construed as a pressure tactic, he said.

As far as Bihar is concerned, irrespective of the number of MLAs in the assembly or being part of the government or opposition, everyone knows RJD is the biggest party, he said.

It is RJD's fear that has kept the BJP and Janata Dal (United) together, he claimed.

Everyone knows RJD brings major portion of the electorate support to the table in Bihar and no one denies that, he asserted.

On BJP terming the SP-BSP tie-up an opportunistic alliance, Yadav hit out at the saffron party saying when it has tie-ups, it calls it "smart politicking", and asked what should its coalition of about 40 parties be called.
In an ugly turn to the ongoing political drama in Karnataka, a Congress MLA has been hospitalised after being allegedly injured during a brawl with a party lawmaker, who is reportedly under the BJP radar, at a resort on the city outskirts.

The incident occurred late Saturday night at the resort where the Congress MLAs are hunkered down since Friday in a move to keep the flock together against alleged bid to topple the ruling coalition by BJP, according to Congress sources.

Hospet MLA Anand Singh was admitted to a private hospital after he and Kampli legislator J N Ganesh, both from Ballari district, had a heated argument and came to blows, they said.

Singh had "a black eye and suffered blunt injuries," according to sources at the hospital where he is undergoing treatment.

He had also complained of uneasiness in the chest but was now in the ward and "fine", they added.

Ganesh is among the disgruntled Congress MLAs who was reportedly in touch with other dissidents in the party, planning to switch to the BJP.

"It was personal, district related. They are all together in the business. The scuffle has nothing to do with They come from the same district and have business relations. It (the fight) is something related to that. It has nothing to do with politics," said Congress spokesperson and former Nizamabad MP Madhu Goud Yakshi.

The two MLAs had dinner together in his presence and everything was cordial but after he left the place the fight broke out, Yakshi told PTI.

When contacted, the Bidadi police under whose jurisdiction the resort is located, said they have not received any complaint as of now.

A posse of policemen have been deployed in front of the hospital with no visitor being allowed.

"We have not been allowed inside the hospital," Raghunath, a Congress MLA, said.

In a dig at the Congress, BJP tweeted, "It's unfortunate that @KPCCPresident was unable to stop the fight in Eagleton resort. We hope Anand Singh is being treated & we pray for his speedy recovery.

"Unfortunately @dineshgrao can't even blame BJP now, MLA's were locked up under his watch at Eagleton. Whats ur excuse now?" it said.

Senior minister D K Shivakumar, however, brushed aside reports that Singh had been assaulted and claimed all the Congress MLAs were united.

"Someone has misled. There was no fracas. There was no incident of smashing of bottle (on Singh's head). It is all fake Everyone is together. The entire Congress is united," he said.

Congress Lok Sabha member and brother of Shivakumar, D K Suresh said Singh was undergoing treatment for stomach ache and denied any assault had happened.

State senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister R Ashok asked the Congress to produce Singh before the media and said police should initiate legal action in the case.

"Why is it that the Police have not taken any action in this incident?. I demand that the Congress should produce Singh before the media. I suspect that the Congress is making efforts to cover up the case," he alleged.

A day after chinks in the ruling coalition was exposed with four MLAs skipping the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meet, the Congress Friday swiftly moved all its MLAs to the resort keeping them on leash to "escape" the BJP's alleged "onslaught" to woo its MLAs with money and other allurements.

Former chief minister and BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa, however, Saturday said his party would not destabilise the JDS-Congress government.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Autonomy that Crimea gained after a referendum held on January 20, 1991 helped the region combat Ukraines aggressive policy and contributed to its reunification with Russia, Crimean leader Sergey Aksyonov said, TASS reports.

At Crimeas first referendum in the history of the Soviet Union, more than 93% of its citizens approved of the creation of the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. After the plebiscite, the peninsula gained autonomy as part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. However, the region regards this referendum as the first step towards reunification with Russia.

"This is a milestone date in Crimeas modern history. On January 20, 1991 the peninsulas peoples during the referendum on the state and legal status of Crimea unanimously voted for the restoration of Crimeas autonomy as part of the renewed Soviet Union. To a large extent, this autonomous status helped us combat aggressive Ukrainization [policy of increasing the usage of the Ukrainian language and promoting Ukrainian culture] and remain part of the Russian world, preserve stability and accord. And ultimately, to return home leaving behind the Ice Age of Ukraines annexation," Aksyonov said in a statement on occasion of the Republics Day.

Aksyonov noted that despite the outcome of the referendum, Crimean citizens had to live for a quarter of century in economic recession, being separated from Russia and experiencing constant interethnic tensions.
Former Karnataka deputy chief minister and BJP leader K S Eshwarappa has said the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in the state would fall due to internal bickering and his party would form the government.

The present political turbulence is because of the internal bickering in the Congress and their leaders have been needlessly levelling allegations against the BJP, he said.

"There actually is no need for the BJP to indulge in Operation Kamala to topple the Congress-JD(S) coalition government," Eshwarappa told reporters after arriving at the Bengaluru airport late Saturday night.

"All our 104 MLAs are together, unlike the Congress where four to five of their MLAs are going to desert, which could further precipitate confusion and culminate in the fall of the government...and the BJP will form the government," he added.

Former deputy chief minister R Ashoka, who also arrived along with Eshwarappa from Gurgaon, said the present coalition government does not deserve to rule the state as it has failed to govern properly for the past seven months.

Another BJP MLA Kumar Bangarappa said the Congress-JD(S) government is certain to fall because the Congress has no faith in its MLAs remaining with it and hence they have been whisked away to a resort on the city outskirts.

"Hundred per cent this government will fall. There is no doubt about it, because what is the necessity for the Congress to whisk its MLAs away to a resort? They can well be left free as we are being left free by our leadership. The Congress is afraid of losing its MLAs," he added.

The Congress Friday had swiftly moved all its MLAs to the resort on the city outskirts keeping them on leash to "escape" the BJP's alleged "onslaught" to woo its MLAs with money and other allurements.

Another BJP MLA Raju Gowda said some of the MLAs, including himself, had learnt the art of playing resort from Chief Minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The wife of Karnataka Congress MLA Anand Singh, who had to be hospitalised after being injured in an alleged brawl with party legislator J N Ganesh, Sunday threatened to take legal action against the errant MLA.

"If it is true that Ganesh beat up my husband, my children and I will not keep quiet and will take legal action against him," Laxmi Singh told a section of media from Mumbai.

She is currently in Mumbai to attend a relative's wedding and is expected to return to Bengaluru soon.

Anand Singh was hospitalised after he and Ganesh, both from Ballari district, had a heated argument and came to blows late last night at the resort where the party MLAs are herded together amid the BJP's alleged poaching attempt, according to sources.

Asked if she has been informed that Ganesh provoked Singh, Laxmi said, "I do not know whether Ganesh provoked my husband, but can anybody try to kill somebody for provocation? Is it right?"



Asked if there was a scuffle between Ganesh and Singh in the recent past, she said, "No, they are good friends. Yes, my husband told me that in the last Congress Legislature Party meeting, there was a heated exchange with (legislator) Bheema Naik. Other than that he did not tell me anything."



Replying to another query, Laxmi said she does not know when Singh would be discharged from the hospital.

"My relatives, including my brothers, who are at the hospital, said my husband is in pain," she said.

"I have made several calls, but I was told he was sleeping. Nobody is telling me the exact account of my husband's condition," she said, adding that her son had spoken to Minister D K Shivakumar, who said Singh was fine.

Singh was admitted to a private hospital.

Singh had "a black eye and suffered blunt injuries" and also complained of uneasiness in the chest, hospital sources said.

Ganesh is among the disgruntled Congress MLAs who was reportedly in touch with other dissidents in the party and was on BJP's radar in its alleged toppling game.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hitting out at the DMK over the Kodanadu estate break-in case issue, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswamy today claimed it was the opposition party lawyers who helped two of the accused to get bail.

Addressing a public meeting organised here in connection with the 102nd birth day celebration of AIADMK founder late M G Ramachandran, he also charged DMK president M K Stalin with trying to unseat him and occupy the chief minister's post.

"His (Stalin's) dream to become chief minister after unseating me will not be realised," he asserted.

While Stalin was trying to link him with the robbery gang, it was only the DMK lawyers who were helping the gang members get bail in court, Palaniswami said.

He was referring to two suspects in the case, K V Sayan and Valayar Manoj, getting bail from a Chennai court last week after being arrested in connection with a video footage in which they had allegedly linked him to the break-in by a 10-member gang at the Kodanad estate in April 2017.

Palanisami had already rejected the allegations, but the DMK has urged the state governor to direct the chief minister to resign to facilitate a fair probe.

Referring to Stalin's attack on the BJP calling it a fascist and autocratic party, Palaniswami sought to know how the DMK had entered into alliance with BJP earlier.

During the AIADMK rule of MGR and then Jayalalithaa, the state had made several achievements in various sectors, including the power, health and infrastructure, he said.

"We are now ruling for more than two years. We are also giving good governance. But Stalin is spreading rumours against the government as he somehow wanted to become the chief minister," Palaniswami added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Women vendors of temporary market in the main business centre here, staged a sit-in against the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 on Sunday.

Women vendors of Khwairamban Bazaar demanded resignation of MPs and MLAs who were supporting the controversial bill.

Protests were also held at different places of the state by students, women and civil society organisations at Keisampat Thokchom Leikai, Keisamthong To Leirak, Singjamei Bazar, Kakwa Bazar in Imphal West district, Nambol in Bishnupur district, Kakching Bazaar in Kakching district and at Yairipok Bazaar in Thoubal district.

A joint meeting convened by six student organisations -- All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU), Manipur Students' Federation (MSF), Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM), Kangleipak Students' Association (KSA), Students' Union of Kangleipak (SUK) and Apunba Ireipakki Maheiroi Sinpanglup (AIMS) -- along with general public and other Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) were held at the Centenary Hall of Manipur University.

The agitators demanded withdrawal of the bill and urged all the Members of Rajya Sabha to oppose it.

They also demanded special session of Manipur state Assembly on or before January 30 to take a resolution against the bill and called for a united struggle by all the political parties and CSOs against the bill.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8, seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims 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.

The bill is now pending clearance from the upper house of the Parliament.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Traders' body CAIT Sunday said it has decided to launch a nation-wide campaign in order to establish the importance of trading community in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) is launching a national campaign 'One Nation-One Trader-Ten Votes' beginning February 1 to establish the importance of trading community in polls, the association secretary general Praveen Khandelwal said in a statement.

The Lok Sabha elections are likely to be held in April-May this year.

As part of the campaign, it said, special teams of local trade associations in each city affiliated with the association will contact traders in their respective area and will make them aware of the importance of traders in national economy and urge them to cast their vote on the whip by CAIT.

"The Lok Sabha poll is an opportunity to underline our importance in Indian economy and we are gearing ourselves for the cause," he said.

There are about 7 crore small businesses providing livelihood and employment to about 45 crore people in the country, it claimed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Industry body PHD Chamber Sunday said it expects further reforms in agriculture sector and rationalisation of direct taxes in the forthcoming interim Budget.

"The last five budgets of the present government have focused on each and every segment of the economy. Going ahead, we look forward to continuation of the dynamic reforms in the forthcoming budget also," PHD Chamber said in a statement.

The last Budget of the government is expected to be presented before the Parliament on February 1.

Consistent indirect tax revenue growth along with reduction in GST rates by the government indicates that the tax base is widening and economic activity is rapidly expanding in India, it said.

At this juncture, the economy needs further bold measures to boost the investment environment and to trigger demand growth to the next level, it added.

Time has come to rationalise the direct taxes starting from reduction in Corporate Tax to a level of 25 per cent for all corporate tax payers, without any turnover criteria, it said, adding that this will provide a boost to economic growth and would result in widening of the Direct Tax net, enhance collections and promote compliance further.

It also suggested that income up to Rs 3.5 lakh should be considered for tax exemption, instead of the present Rs 2.5 lakh and the maximum personal income tax rate should be towards 25 per cent to increase the personal disposable income which will boost demand in the economy.

The maximum marginal slab should also be raised to Rs 15 lakh instead of Rs 10 lakh, it added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A New Jersey-based "community restaurant" owned by Rock legend Jon Bon Jovi is set to open its doors on Monday to furloughed federal workers since the US government shutdown.

The shutdown -- the longest in the US history -- completed a month on Sunday.

Lending its support to the workers and their families, JBJ Soul Kitchen made the announcement on its Facebook page.

Bon Jovi co-owns JBJ Soul Kitchen with his wife Dorothea and they are joining hands with the Murphy Family Foundation, run by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and his wife's philanthropic organisation for the cause.

"The JBJ Soul Kitchen and The Murphy Family Foundation would like to announce that the Soul Kitchen in Red Bank, New Jersey will be open on January 21 from 12:00 - 2:00 pm to provide meals for furloughed Federal workers and their families.

"In line with our mission, Federal workers are encouraged to join us for a delicious meal and to learn about additional support and resources available in our community..." the post read.

They couple also released a statement said Soul Kitchen was founded with the idea to ensure that anyone struggling with food insecurity had a place to go.

"This Monday, we will be open for lunch as a way to create a place of support and resources for furloughed federal workers, many of whom are our friends and neighbors," Bon Jovi and his wife said in a statement as quoted by NBC New York.

"We are thrilled to work together with Phil and Tammy Murphy on this endeavor, and this Monday we look forward to giving back in honor of Dr Martin Luther King Jr," they added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A bomb blast hit the capital of war-torn Syria on Sunday and a "terrorist" was arrested, state media said, in a rare attack in the city that has been largely insulated from violence.

A Britain-based war monitor said a "huge explosion" near a military intelligence office in southern Damascus had left a number of people dead and wounded.

State agency SANA said that a "bomb blast" had caused an explosion "without leaving any victims".

"There is confirmation of reports that a terrorist has been arrested," it said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor told AFP that "the explosion took place near a security branch in the south of the city".

"There are some people killed and injured but we could not verify the toll immediately," it said.

It was unclear if the blast was caused by a bomb that was planted or a suicide attack, according to the monitor, which relies on a network of sources inside the country.

It said that shooting followed the explosion.

Syria is locked in a civil war that has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests in 2011 spiralled into full conflict.

Damascus has been largely spared the worst of the violence during the country's brutal nearly eight-year war, but several bomb attacks have shaken the city.

Another bombing Sunday killed three people and wounded nine others in the northern Syrian city of Afrin on the first anniversary of a Turkish offensive on the Kurdish-majority region, the Observatory said.

With key military backing from Russia, President Bashar al-Assad's forces have retaken large parts of Syria from rebels and jihadists, and now control almost two-thirds of the country.

The Syrian regime in May reclaimed a final scrap of territory held by the Islamic State group in southern Damascus, cementing total control over the capital for the first time in six years.

Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said that Sunday's blast appeared to be the first attack in Damascus since a car bomb over a year ago that caused no casualties.

The city has been hit repeatedly by bloody bombings throughout Syria's devastating conflict.

In March 2017 a double suicide attack claimed by Al-Qaeda's former affiliate in the country killed 74 people, including dozens of Iranian pilgrims visiting religious sites in the historic Old City.

That was followed a few days later by bombings claimed by the Islamic State group at a courthouse and restaurant that killed 32 people.

One of the most high-profile attacks in the capital saw a bomb kill Assad's brother-in-law Assef Shawkat, a top security official, and the minister of defence at a command centre in July 2012.

Since regime forces reclaimed control of the Damascus and surrounding regions security forces have removed many of the security checkpoints that dotted the city.

Government troops have largely pushed remaining rebel and jihadist forces into the northwestern province of Idlib, while IS holds a few dwindling pockets of territory.

The Afrin blast was the result of a bomb placed in a bus in the centre of the city, according to the Observatory.

Turkish troops and allied rebel groups seized the Afrin region from Kurdish forces in March last year after a two-month air and ground offensive.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A bomb blast in a bus killed three civilians Sunday in the northern Syrian city of Afrin on the first anniversary of a Turkish attack on the Kurdish-majority region, a war monitor said.

Nine other people, including fighters, were killed in the explosion, said the head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Turkish troops and allied rebel groups seized the Afrin region from Kurdish forces in March last year after a two-month air and ground offensive.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP general secretary Ram Madhav on Sunday said while his party would most likely go it alone in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, it would form a "stable government with some friends" in the state after the polls.

He said his party would contest all seats in the state.

"There is the least possibility of a pre-poll alliance with any party for the assembly elections in the state. The BJP will emerge (as) the largest party after the elections and will give a stable government to the people with some friends," Madhav told reporters here.

Due to the special circumstances in the state, "we have no hesitation in joining hands with others" to form the government, he said.

Talking about the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) erstwhile ruling alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he said, "After elections we formed an alliance, but today again the BJP is going it alone in the elections."



The BJP leader said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kick start the party's campaign for upcoming parliamentary and assembly polls in the state during his visit on February 3.

"While the parliamentary elections are scheduled for April-May, the BJP is ready for the assembly polls in the state as well. It is up to the Election Commission to decide whether the two polls are held together or separately," Madhav said.

The Election Commission had in November last said fresh elections in Jammu and Kashmir would be held within the next six months. The state is currently under President's rule.

Madhav dismissed allegations that the BJP did not favour assembly polls in the state.

"There is no truth in the rumours being spread that the BJP is not in favour of early assembly polls in the state," he said.

He claimed some other parties wanted the polls to be deferred as they feared losing.

Asked about the PDP expelling former minister Altaf Bukhari, Madhav said,"I don't want to talk about internal matters of another political party, but I must underscore one point here that he is the same leader who was projected as the chief minister of the combined opposition when they (PDP, Congress and National Conference) were trying to form the government in the state just a couple of months ago."



Speaking about rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, Madhav said the BJP has prepared a roadmap for the community's return and rehabilitation and it will be implemented only when the situation in the Valley turns conducive.

"We had identified land at five places in the Valley for pandit townships..but due to various reasons, it could not materialize, the biggest being the prevailing security situation in the Valley," he said.

The BJP leader said the party was bound by its promise to Kashmiri Pandits and when the situation improves, it will take the community's leadership into confidence and move forward.

Asked about the problems being faced by West Pakistan refugees in getting the benefits of a rehabilitation package announced by the Centre, Madhav said every attempt will be made to address any difficulty faced by the community.

"We will ensure that the refugees get relief and will look into the procedure to make it easy for them as we did in the case of displaced people from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A US effort to build pressure against Irans influence in the Middle East is facing a setback after ministers from several European Union members opted out of the summit organised by Washington in Poland. As The National reports, the meeting  due to take place in Warsaw on February 13-14  will focus on stability and security in the Middle East and on countering Irans destabilising influence in the region.

But since US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announcement during his tour of the Middle East, a number of EU representatives have said they will skip the summit, co-hosted by Poland and the US. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said she will not take part in what her officials privately describe as an anti-Iran conference, according to Iranian and US media reports.

France is also unlikely to send its foreign minister, according to European diplomats. Luxembourgs foreign minister said he would miss the event because of a prior arrangement. The UK and Germany have not yet taken any official positions.

The European Union is at loggerheads with the US over the 2015 Iran nuclear deal as it seeks to retain economic ties with Tehran despite renewed US sanctions. Mr Trumps decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal in May 2018 and to reimpose sanctions including on Irans oil sector  is part of a proclaimed effort by Washington to curb Tehrans military presence in the Middle East, which the US accuses of causes tensions and promoting terrorism.

Iranian officials have denounced Poland for hosting a meeting hostile to Iran and warned that Tehran could reciprocate. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Friday criticised Poland for hosting the meeting by writing on Twitter: Polish Govt cant wash the shame: while Iran saved Poles in WWII, it now hosts desperate anti-Iran circus.

Mr Zarifs comments made reference to Irans role in hosting over 100,000 Polish refugees during the Second World War. An official at the ministry of culture said that plans to screen a Polish Film Week in Iran would be cancelled if the summit plans will go ahead.

Iranian Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri said the summit was being held because US sanctions had failed to bring Iran to its knees. Irans national news agency IRNA reported that Iran expressed its discontent to Polands Charge dAffaires Wojciech Unolt, demanding that Warsaw not go along with the hostile move. A statement quoting an unnamed Iranian said that Iran will resort to unspecified counter-action toward Poland should the summit go ahead.

Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz rejected Iranian criticism and said he hoped the conference will provide a new platform for international dialogue and allow the US and European Union to find common ground on Iran. Poland supports the EU efforts to preserve its nuclear agreement with Iran, but Mr Czaputowicz said the deal alone will not prevent Iran from destabilising the region.

The summit was announced by Mr Pompeo during a Middle Eastern tour earlier this month. He said the objectives include changing the behaviour of Iran, which Washington accuses of destabilising the region. We will gather around a number of different topics ... fighting ISIS is part of that ... and address how we can get the Islamic Republic of Iran to behave like a normal nation, Mr Pompeo told reporters.

Tehran denies the accusations and says US military presence is to blame for tensions in the Middle East.
RTHK: Diocese sorry for teens' taunts at native American

A US diocese has apologised and vowed to take action after videos emerged showing boys from a Catholic private school mocking an elderly Native American man at a rally in Washington, triggering widespread criticism.

The incident occurred on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Friday when the annual anti-abortion March for Life coincided with a rally by indigenous communities calling for their rights to be respected.

In footage captured on multiple phone camera videos that swept social media on Saturday, a student from Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky wearing a Make America Great Again hat is seen smirking as he stands extremely close to Nathan Phillips, a Native American Vietnam war veteran, who beats a traditional drum while chanting.

Other teenagers, many also wearing clothing bearing President Donald Trump's political slogan jeered, jumped and appeared to mock the man.

The Diocese of Covington and Covington Catholic High School issued a statement rebuking the pupils after their displays drew widespread derision.

"We extend our deepest apologies to Mr Phillips," they said. "This behavior is opposed to the Church's teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person. The matter is being investigated and we will take appropriate action, up to and including expulsion."

Kaya Taitano, a witness to the incident, was quoted by CNN as saying Phillips had decided to intervene with a "healing prayer" when the school teenagers got into a verbal altercation with a group of African American youths who had been preaching about the Bible nearby.

An emotional Phillips gave his reaction in a separate video. "I heard them saying, 'Build that wall, build that wall.' We're not supposed to have walls here, we never did.

"I wish I could see that energy of that young mass of young men...into making this country really, really, great. Helping those that are hungry." (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2019-01-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
The BJP Sunday said DMK president M K Stalin could not reiterate his 'Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for Prime Minister pitch' in the Opposition rally at Kolkata and it showed that he has diverged from his avowed stand.

Stalin, however, said he continued to be firm in his stand of "Rahul for PM."



"Stalin said Rahul Gandhi will be the PM candidate in Chennai. He could not say so at Kolkata," BJP Tamil Nadu unit president Tamilisai Soundararajan said here adding such contradictions outlined the contours of the Opposition front.

Later, speaking to reporters in Madurai, the BJP leader said, "had Stalin been consistent in his stand why did not he say that he proposed Rahul Gandhi for the post Prime Minister at the mega Kolkatta rally attended by over 20 parties."



Apparently blaming Stalin for diverging from his previous stand of supporting Rahul Gandhi for the post of Prime Minister she said, such deviation showed "his hesitancy and obstacles."Unlike the undercurrent of incohesion in the Opposition ranks, her party led front was clear that "to save the nation, Narendra Modi should return as the Prime Minister."The DMK chief said he proposed Rahul Gandhi's name at his party held event here whereas the Kolkata rally saw the convergence of several Opposition parties who had decided to pick the PM nominee post Lok Sabha election in keeping with the unique political scenarios in their respective States.

"It was a DMK held event where we had every right and we proposed Rahul Gandhi since people of Tamil Nadu expected and what is wrong in it," asked Stalin addressing a function.

Affirming that Rahul Gandhi would be the next Prime Minister, Stalin said "wait and see if it happens or not," and added that no leader at the Opposition rally had questioned him for backing the Congress chief for the top post.

Viduthalai Chiruthailgal Katchi chief Thol Thirumavalavan said the Kolkata rally was only an initiative aimed at bringing together "secular parties against the BJP and it was not an event to declare the Prime Minister candidate of the Opposition.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An MLA from the ruling BJP in Uttar Pradesh Sunday came under severe criticism from allies and opposition leaders for calling BSP chief Mayawati a "blot on womankind" and "worse than a transgender".

The Mughalsarai MLA made the controversial remarks at a rally on Saturday while referring to the infamous incident when Mayawati was assaulted by Samajwadi Party workers in a Lucknow guest house in 1995.

"Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati sold her dignity for power and joined hands with those who disrespected her... She is a blot on womankind. Cannot say if she can be counted among men or women, she is worse than a transgender person," Singh alleged.

Condemning her remarks, Union minister and Republican Party of India president Ramdas Athawale told a presser in Lucknow on Sunday that such personal comments should not be made.

Bahunjan Samaj Party (BSP) leader S C Misra said on Twitter BJP leaders have "lost their mental balance after the BSP-SP tie-up" which, he said, threatened to rock the ruling party's boat.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav also denounced the BJP MLA for using derogatory remarks against Mayawati.

"The remark smacks of desperation and nervousness among BJP leaders and is an affront to all women," he tweeted.

Earlier in the day, the National Commission for Women said it would formally issue a notice to Singh seeking an explanation from her.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An MLA from the ruling BJP in Uttar Pradesh Sunday came under strident criticism from allies and opposition leaders for calling BSP chief Mayawati a "blot on womankind" and "worse than a transgender".

The Mughalsarai MLA made the controversial remarks at a rally on Saturday while referring to the infamous incident when Mayawati was assaulted by Samajwadi Party workers in a Lucknow guest house in 1995.

The National Commission for Women said it would formally issue a notice to Singh seeking an explanation from her.

"Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati sold her dignity for power and joined hands with those who disrespected her... She is a blot on womankind. Cannot say if she can be counted among men or women, she is worse than a transgender person," Singh alleged.

Condemning her remarks, Union minister and Republican Party of India president Ramdas Athawale told a presser in Lucknow on Sunday that such personal comments should not be made.

Bahunjan Samaj Party (BSP) leader S C Misra said on Twitter BJP leaders have "lost their mental balance after the BSP-SP tie-up" which, he said, threatened to rock the ruling party's boat.

Misra termed Sadhana Singh "mentally ill".

The language used by Sadhana Singh against our party president shows the level of the BJP... their mental illness. Such people should be admitted to the mental hospital in Agra or Bareilly. They (BJP) have lost their mental balance due to the fear of losing the election in UP, Misra said.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav also denounced the BJP MLA for using derogatory remarks against Mayawati. "The remark smacks of desperation and nervousness among BJP leaders and is an affront to all women," he tweeted.

The Congress, cold-shouldered by Mayawati and Yadav for in UP, described the lawmaker's comments as "disturbing".

"One may have differences on issues and ideas but it disturbing: That this lady represents the ruling party in UP-BJP (not surprising). To hear a lady speak in such a derogatory way about another lady... To see people in the audience cheering such words," Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi tweeted.

This is not the first time that a BJP leader has made objectionable remarks against Mayawati. In 2016, senior UP BJP leader Dayashankar Singh was expelled for using "filthy language" against the BSP chief. His wife Swati Singh, who defended him at that time, is now a minister in theYogi Adityanath-led BJP government in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The BJP suffered a setback in Andhra Pradesh Sunday as one of its four MLAs resigned from his Assembly membership and the party.

Akula Satyanarayana, MLA from Rajamahendravaram (Urban) constituency said he sent-in his resignation letter to Assembly Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao.

He also sent another letter to BJP state president Kanna Lakshmi Narayana stating that he was quitting the party as well.

Later, Satyanarayana issued a statement to the media here announcing his resignation, but did not specify any reasons for his action.

A doctor, who was elected to the Assembly for the first time in 2014, said he would join the Jana Sena Party of actor Pawan Kalyan on Monday.

Satyanarayana was one of the four MLAs to have been elected on behalf of the BJP, which fought the 2014 election in alliance with the TDP.

He had been staying away from party affairs for some time now, reportedly disgruntled that the BJP did not honour its promises made to the state post-bifurcation.

Sources close to him said Satyanarayana would speak out after formally joining the Jana Sena.

Meanwhile, speculation is rife in political circles that another BJP MLA P Vishnu Kumar Raju from Visakhapatnam North was also ready to leave the BJP.

While he is non-committal on which party he may join upon quitting the BJP, Raju has reportedly been telling his close friends that he will contest the upcoming Assembly election again from Visakhapatnam North constituency.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After courting controversy over her remarks against BSP supremo Mayawati, BJP MLA Sadhana Singh Sunday issued an apology, clarifying that she did not mean to hurt anyone.

Singh, a legislator from Uttar Pradesh's Mughalsarai had Saturday called the (BSP) chief a "blot on womankind" and "worse than a transgender".

"I had no such intention to hurt anyone.... I regret what I said. I just shared a woman's pain, and didn't want to insult anyone," Singh said in a statement after her comments drew flak from from allies and opposition leaders.

The BJP lawmaker made the controversial remarks at a rally while referring to the infamous incident when was assaulted by workers in a Lucknow guest house in 1995.

"I just wanted to remind her (Mayawati) about the help extended by BJP leaders in 1995 to her," the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader added.

Singh's apology came immediately after a complaint was lodged against her at the Baburi Police Station by a BSP leader who sought that she be booked under the SC/ST Act.

"A complaint was received from BSP leader Ram Chandra Gautam. We have not registered an FIR yet but an investigation will be done," a police officer said.

"We will analyse the video footage of the rally and after that a decision will be taken on whether an FIR should be filed against her (Singh)," the officer added.
A Bangladeshi father dubbed "Tree Man" for the bark-like growths on his body returned to hospital on Sunday after his condition worsened, he told AFP.

Abul Bajandar has had 25 surgeries since 2016 to remove the growths from his hands and feet at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Doctors were on the verge of declaring their treatment a success before a sudden relapse prompted Bajandar to flee the clinic in May without notifying staff.

But on Sunday he was readmitted to the hospital after his condition deteriorated, with the growths now covering almost the entirety of his hands and feet, the 28-year-old said.

"I made a mistake by leaving the hospital. I sought alternative treatment but could not find any. I now I understand I should have stayed and continued the treatment here," Bajandar said.

Samanta Lal Sen, a plastic surgeon at the hospital, said doctors would resume treatment "very soon", adding the growths had spread to other parts of his body.

"I requested Bajandar to return as soon as possible. Now we have to start from the very beginning. We'll have to conduct more surgeries," Sen told AFP.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had promised free treatment for Bajandar after his plight captured the sympathies of the country.

He lived in the hospital's expensive private cabin with his wife and daughter for nearly two years during his first round of treatment treatment.

The father of one suffers from epidermodysplasia verruciformis, an extremely rare genetic condition also known as "tree-man syndrome".

Sen said that fewer than half a dozen people worldwide have the disease.

His hospital also treated a young Bangladeshi girl suffering from the condition in 2017.

Doctors declared her surgery a success, but her father later said the growths had returned in even greater numbers, prompting the family to halt treatment and return to their village.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gunmen killed at least eight Chadian UN peacekeepers in an attack Sunday on one of their bases in northern Mali, said a source close to the MINUSMA force.

"According to a new toll, still provisional, at least eight peacekeepers have been killed," the source said.

The attacked happened early Sunday at the Aguelhok base 200 kilometres (125 miles) north of Kidal, the source added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former President Pranab Mukherjee Sunday stressed on the need for creating a conducive atmosphere to attract brightest of the bright into teaching, research and innovation.

"There are 767 universities in the country and is expanding. There is a huge development of physical infrastructure in higher ... But I regret to point out that the quality of education, which we are providing in our our institutions of higher education, are not upto the world standard," Mukherjee said.

"We will have to create a conducive atmosphere in which brightest of the bright come to the teaching, research and innvoation.... Our future progress will depend increasingly on our ability to innovate, to devise efficient processes for the industrial sector and better solutions for governance," Mukherjee said.

He was addressing the annual convocation of the Patna University.

Stating that IIT graduates will be found at top places in international organisations, he said they were not required to advance promotion of product of mercantile company.

He asked, "How many of them (IITians) are engaged in teaching and basic research?"



Mukherjee remembered his association with Patna University saying that he had come here in 1984 as finance minister to participate in PU's convocation ceremony.

"I can say without doubt that Patna University as a collective has played a significant role in the spread of education, especially higher education, research and innovation," he said.

Mukherjee said the university has a remarkable list of nation builders as its alumni that included Dr Sachidanand Sinha, Jai Prakash Narayan, Ramdhari Singh Dinkar and Dr B C Roy.

Stating that the Eastern region consistently fuelled the growth engines of modern India, he referred to a KPMG report that said Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand and Assam are expected to contribute at least 25 per cent of the country's GDP by 2035.

Bihar Governor and Chancellor of the university Lalji Tandon exhorted students to become the agents of change and make their country proud by increasing the quality of higher

Mukherjee gave away Gold medals and degrees to 38 toppers of various subjects besides giving Ph.D degrees to 54 research scholar for their successful completion.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Taliban suicide bomber killed at least seven security guards Sunday after targeting the convoy of an Afghan governor, officials said, in the latest violence to rock the war-torn country.

The attacker rammed a vehicle full of explosives into the convoy of Anwar Ishaqzai, the governor of central Logar province, who was travelling with his provincial intelligence chief on the highway connecting the region to the capital Kabul.

"Fortunately, both officials escaped unhurt. But the attack has left eight people dead, all bodyguards of the governor," provincial police spokesman Shahpoor Ahmadzai told AFP, adding that seven people were wounded by the blast.

Abdul Wali Wakil -- a member of the Logar provincial council -- confirmed the incident but said seven people were killed.

The Taliban, who have been waging a 17-year war against the Western-backed Afghan government, claimed responsibility for the attack.

The bombing comes days after the Taliban struck a fortified foreign compound in Kabul with a truck bomb, killing at least four people -- including a US and an Indian national -- and wounding more than 100 others.

Fights between security forces and Taliban militants have continued to intensify across the country during the frigid Afghan winter, which traditionally experiences a lull in fighting.

The defence ministry announced Sunday that over 40 Taliban insurgents were killed during airstrikes and ground operations in the last 24 hours.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Sunday inaugurated the 'Assam Start Up the Nest' initiative to facilitate growth of at least 1,000 start-ups over the next five years.

The initiative is a state-owned incubator for the start-up ventures, which seeks to augment the business environment by promoting idea generation to start-up companies and help them establish and accelerate growth and success.

Sonowal said that Act East Policy has given impetus to the trade and business in the state and through it the state would become the gateway and business hub of South East Asia.

The incubation centre, which is set up by the state government under Assam Start-up Policy 2017 with technical expertise from IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, aims to facilitate the growth of at least 1,000 new start-ups over the next five years, he added.

"It also seeks to attract funding opportunities to the tune of USD 250 million for state start-ups and incubators while establishing itself as a centre of excellence in the start-up ecosystem," Sonowal said.

The start-up entrepreneurs will also get the networking opportunities for funding their projects, while dedicated mentorship and capacity enhancement trainings will be provided at the incubation centre.

Sonowal said that Rs 12,000 crore has been invested in Assam out of the total Rs 79,000 crore committed last year during the 'Advantage Assam' investment summit, which saw the signing of 240 pacts and this start-up incubation centre is one of the results of the summit.

Assam Industry and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said the incubation centre will provide platform for the young entrepreneurs with brilliant ideas to achieve greater things and generate employment.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nissan, a leading automotive company, recently showcased Nissan Energy, a part of the companys Nissan Intelligent Integration, at the CES trade show which was held in Las Vegas, US.



Nissan Energy is part of the companys vision of a connected world where new developments in battery technology and power generation enable homes and vehicles to better harness and power each other, said a company statement.



At the CES Nissan display, visitors relaxed and sipped on a freshly-brewed macchiato topped with their self-portrait crafted from foam while watching Nissan Energy in action, it said.



The barista station ran purely off a Nissan Leaf, demonstrating Nissan Intelligent Mobility, the companys vision for changing how cars are powered, driven and integrated into society, it added.



Nissan Energy will establish new standards for connecting vehicles to energy systems, impacting every aspect of the customers lives and business energy needs.



Under Nissan Energy, there are three key initiatives: Nissan Energy Supply, Nissan Energy Share and Nissan Energy Storage.



These will allow electric cars to connect to energy systems to charge their batteries, power homes and businesses, or feed energy back into power grids. Nissan will also develop new ways to repurpose electric car batteries.



The CES display is just one example of Nissan Energy that the public can experience. At the Nissan Global Headquarters Gallery in Yokohama, Japan, visitors can tour a Nissan Energy Home.



Featuring solar panels and a Nissan Leaf powering the display, the house lets visitors experience a vehicle-to-home system that promotes the latest technology in storing, sharing and repurposing energy. Several rooms demonstrate power distribution from the Leaf to the homes electrical system and appliances, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
The art of novel is to make visible what is otherwise invisible, noted Norwegian author Hanne Orstavik has said, asserting that fiction has the power to be a ray of hope in the time of hopelessness and despair.

Orstavik, 49, has written more than a dozen novels and her work is known for its profound investigation into language and form. Translated into 26 languages, she has received a host of awards, including the prestigious Dobloug Prize given annually by the Swedish Academy.

The Scandinavian writer will speak at this year's Jaipur Literature Festival which commences on January 24.

"Fiction is sharing. It is making visible what we do not see. To be willing and able to see is the first step for change. Fiction has the power to be a ray of hope in the time of hopelessness and despair...The reality of the novel allows inner images to become visible," Orstavik told PTI.

"Novelists may no longer be very visible, their influence may have waned, but they remain important as they open inner landscapes through language and give us access to depths and immensity," she said.

Orstavik said the purpose of reading a book was to get disturbed and not distracted.

She said her "challenge" as a writer was to be truthful and be as "deeply exploring" as possible.

"I love novels because they are so flexible. It is fascinating how a character can be first invented and given life, allowing inner images to become visible...To me, all art forms are part of the same world of imagery, they are just different ways of access," she said.

Orstavik said the sheer scale of violence, poverty, stupidity and extremism in many parts of the world scared her.

Expressig her concern over the growing violence across the globe, she said, "The world should be a place of sharing and care. Why is it not so? Why do we let fear rule".

Describing India as a "continuous motion", Orstavik said she was struck by the country's diversity and plurality.

"I have this image of India as continuous motion. India for me is Gandhi, It's about diversity, colours, chaos, generosity and acceptance. A warm and different country from the chilly, scattered place i come from," she said.

Born in 1969 in Tana, the furthermost north of Norway, Orstavik's first novel published in the US titled "Love" was shortlisted for the National Book Awards in the Translated Literature category.

She will also participate in a session at the 12th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival which has a special emphasis on science, genetics, astronomy and artificial intelligence.

Biologist and Nobel laureate Venki Ramakrishnan will deliver the keynote address of the five-day long festival and will also participate in a session to deliberate on his scientific voyage.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Army Chief General Bipin Rawat Sunday stressed the need to focus on incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data computing into the Armed forces' system, saying the northern adversary of the country (China) was spending "huge money" on this technology.

Addressing the valedictory function of the National Conference on 'Self Reliance in Defence Manufacturing' here, he also said rapid advances in technology necessitated incorporation of the industrial sector into defence manufacturing.

"Apart from guns and rifles, we will see lot of non contact warfare happening. Future wars are going to be fought in cyber domain," he said.

It was important to start understanding the relevance of AI and Big Data computing and how to incorporate this in into the defence system, he said. "Our adversary on the northern border (China) is spending huge amounts of money on Artificial Intelligence and cyber warfare. We cannot be left behind.

It is time for us to also focus on AI and on Big Data Analytics rather than just keeping it confined to mere definitions," the army chief noted.

He further said the defence forces needed equipment that were capable of deep viewing adversaries' territories.

"This equipment could either be based on satellites... which fortunately we have some but are not adequate to keep continuous surveillance and other means like drones, unarmed vehicles, remotely piloted vehicles.. this is the need of the hour."



There was a need for a battle field management system, which would enable the commander to incorporate and integrate all the information that was available and hencetechnology becomes very important, he pointed out.

Noting that the Centre was opening two Defence industrial corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, he said, "rather than becoming an import industry we should become export oriented based on case-to-case because we do not want our technology to fall into our adversaries' hands."



He also said there were some countries which were willing to share technology with India and the industry needs to partner with some of the foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers and see how best they incorporate technology and "we get manufacturing within our country."Emphasising the importance of preparedness for furure dimensions of warfare, General Rawat said the Indian armed forces have to be prepared whether it was defence of borders, combating proxy wars, terrorism, insurgencies or other internal security disturbances.

"We have to understand that we have disputed land borders on our northern frontiers, partially unsettled borders on our western sector. So, we don't see peace on the horizon anywhere in the near future."



Therefore the armed forces have to be ever prepared by imbibing new technologies, keeping pace with the advancements in warfare, he said.

Observing that India imported approximately 60 per cent of itsdefence needs--weapons, equipment and ammunition, Rawat said, "The time has come to start looking at inwards because whatever we have imported has come with huge costs... we cannot be import-dependent continuously."



Underscoring the need to revitalise the productivity of DPSUs, he said it has to be done by increasing the participation of private industry and then give impetus to R&D.

He said DRDO alone cannot take on all the R&D projects that are required by the defence services.

"Time is now apt to augment private sector with enabling provisions and facilities," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The African Union has postponed sending a delegation to the DR Congo over the country's disputed presidential election after the Constitutional Court declared Felix Tshisekedi the victor, an AU spokeswoman said Sunday.

"All I can confirm at this time is that the trip has been postponed. We will release a statement shortly," said Ebba Kalando, spokeswoman for the head of the AU Commission, Chadian Moussa Faki.

This comment comes after an AU source earlier had said the pan-African organisation was cancelling its trip to Democratic Republic of Congo.

At a summit on Thursday, AU leaders had cited "serious doubts" about the election figures and called for the announcement of the final results to be delayed.

The European Union concurred with the AU assessment, a spokeswoman had said.

But the 16-nation Southern African Development Community congratulated Felix Tshisekedi, a longtime opposition leader, on Sunday for being declared president-elect and called for a peaceful handover of power.

The AU mission to Kinshasa, to be led by Faki and AU chairman Paul Kagame, the Rwandan president, had originally been set for Monday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Asian College of Journalism has instituted awards to recognise the best works of investigative journalism produced for Indian readers and viewers to promote journalism in public interest.

The awards, to be given out by the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ) with the support of the Media Development Foundation, are being instituted to act as a catalyst and inspire more journalists, editors and newsrooms to pursue investigative work, and contribute to public interest, a statement issued by the ACJ said.

The award for print and digital media will comprise a trophy, citation and a cash prize of Rs 2,00,000.

Investigative journalism, for the purpose of the award, will be one which exposes wrongdoing and which has public interest in mind, the statement said.

It will cover a wide variety of journalistic investigation including of abuse of public office, environmental degradation, human rights violation, financial fraud, corporate mismanagement, gender-related violence, political apathy, war crimes, civic neglect and much more, it said.

The judging criteria will include the nature of the investigation, its impact and the extent of the public interest involved.

The entries for the awards should have been published in India and can be made for print, and digital and multimedia portals.

The entries can be made for work appearing in any language, as long as an English language translation is provided for judging purposes, the statement said.

Both organisations or individuals can apply, based on the nature of the work and the number of persons involved.

Only journalistic work that was published from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2018, will be considered.

The deadline for the nominations is February 25, 2019, after which the final shortlist will be announced.

The winners will be presented the awards on May 3 in Chennai at the ACJ Convocation Ceremony.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Thirty one Rohingya Muslims are literally in no-man's land, holed up behind the barbed wire fencing along the Bangladesh border in Tripura since Friday, while a blame-game is on between the border guards of the two countries over their refuge.

The Border Security Force (BSF) officials said six men, nine women and 16 children were detained by the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) and are behind the fencing at Rayermura in West Tripura district, about 15 km from here.

While the BGB asserted that the Rohingyas came from India, the BSF denied the claim. Both the sides have met twice since Saturday but failed to make any headway to resolve the issue.

"They are stranded between the international border and the barbed wire fencing for last 48 hours. They tried to enter Indian territory from Bangladesh side and we stopped them," BSF Deputy Inspector General C L Belwa told PTI Sunday.

The barbed wire fencing has been erected 300 feet into the Indian side from the international border.

"We are supplying water and other basic needs from our own resources to the Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds since last night," the DIG said.

Despite The BGB stressing that the Rohingyas were from India, the BSF said there was no tell-tale sign of breach of fence on the Indian side.

The BSF has also offered the BGB to join a survey on the Indian side to identify any sign of breach in fencing.

Around 8.30 pm on Friday, BGB Commanding Officer Lt Col Gomal Kabir had called up BSF Commandant Ratnesh Kumar to inform him that they had detained 31 Rohingyas at the border.

"BGB commanding officer insisted that the BSF take those Rohingyas inside the Indo-Bangladesh border fencing. Commanding Officer BGB also alleged that BSF have been pushing Rohingyas into Bangladesh territory," Belwa told reporters.

"We were expecting that BGB will contact us for a flag meeting. But they did not contact us, rather we contacted them and yesterday 12 o'clock, an officer level meeting was conducted at zero line," Belwa said.

He said the BSF offered BGB officials to come and survey the Indian side to see if there is any breach of the barbed wire fence.

However, the BGB authorities declined the offer and stuck to their demand that the BSF must take the Rohingyas into the Indian territory. A Battalion Commander level meeting was held at the Zero Line at 11 am on Sunday.

"The BGB battalion commander was of the same view that Rohingyas came from Indian side. We have denied their allegations and said there is no tell-tale sign of breach of fence on Indian side," BSF DIG Belwa said.

He added that the Rohingyas might have come from the other side (Bangladesh).

Twelve and 62 Rohingyas were apprehended in Tripura in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

In October 2017, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had ordered all state governments to identify and monitor Rohingya refugees.

It said the Centre viewed infiltration of Rohingyas from Rakhine state of Myanmar into Indian territory as a burden on the country's resources and it aggravated security challenges to the country.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims, described by the UN as the most persecuted minority in the world, fled their homes in 2017 to escape an alleged crackdown by the Myanmarese military.

Many of them reached India via Bangladesh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Claiming the strong leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi "strikes extreme fear" in his opponents, senior BJP leader and Uttar Pradesh minister Sidharth Nath Singh said Sunday that the 2019 parliamentary election would be a fight between the 56-inch chest and the 'khichdi' coalition of opposition parties.

He took a dig at the opposition's show of unity at a rally in Kolkata on Saturday and said the 'khichdi' alliance was of "selfishness and corruption".

"Prime Minister Modi strikes extreme fear in his opponents who are forming 'khichdi' alliance to challenge him, but the BJP will crush all alliances," Singh told a press conference here, a day after the Kolkata rally organised by West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, in which leaders of around 20 opposition parties took part.

Noting that several opposition leaders had prime ministerial ambitions, Singh said they should decide among themselves who will be the prime minister on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Taking a swipe at Congress president Rahul Gandhi, the BJP leader said he should be the prime minister on Saturdays and Sundays since that is all he "can manage".

Singh said that the opposition parties were getting united only to defeat Modi and did not have any "future roadmap for the development of the country".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two workers were killed and four others suffered injuries on Sunday after a cable car of the under-construction Jammu ropeway project crashed during a mock rescue drill, days before it was likely to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, officials said.

The crash took place due to some technical snag near the Mahamaya temple this evening, a police official said.

The executing agency was conducting a mock rescue drill and due to imbalance, one of the trolleys carrying six workers fell down.

One of them, 45-year-old Rakesh Kumar from Bihar, died on the spot.

The rest five -- Hari Krishan (45), Manjeet Singh (32) and Lovely of West Bengal, Ravinder (30) of Uttar Pradesh, and Engineer Balkirat Singh (32) of Jammu -- were rushed to the Government Medical College hospital where Krishan died later, they said.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik ordered a magisterial inquiry into the accident and announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs five lakh to the next of kin of those killed.

He also directed the divisional administration to provide free medical treatment to the injured, an official spokesman said.

On the instructions of the Governor, Advisor Khurshid Ahmed Ganai and Chief Secretary B V R Subramanyam visited the injured in the hospital late this evening.

The Chief Secretary also visited the accident site and took stock of the situation, the spokesman said.

The Jammu ropeway project, planned to boost tourism in the winter capital, is likely to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 3.

The 1.66-km-long cable car project has two phases, first from Bahu Fort to Mahamaya Park and second from Mahamaya to Peer Kho over the Tawi river, with a total length of 1,118 metres.

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Farooq Abdullah and Vice President Omar Abdullah expressed anguish and grief over the death of two persons in the incident, describing it as most "tragic and unfortunate".

They conveyed their condolences to the bereaved families, prayed for peace to the departed souls and wished speedy recovery to the injured, a spokesman of the party said.

In a separate statement, National Conference Provincial President, Jammu, Devender Singh Rana sought a judicial inquiry by a sitting high court judge into the incident.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gunmen killed 10 Chadian peacekeepers and injured at least 25 others in an attack on a UN camp in northern Mali on Sunday, one of the deadliest strikes against the UN mission in the West African country.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned what he described as a "complex attack" on the camp in Aguelhok, in Kidal region and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

"Ten peacekeepers from Chad were killed and at least 25 injured," said a statement from UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

The gunmen struck early Sunday at the Aguelhok base 200 kilometres north of Kidal and towards the border with Algeria, according to a source close to the MINUSMA mission.

"MINUSMA forces responded robustly and a number of assailants were killed," Dujarric said, without specifying the toll.

Mahamat Saleh Annadif, the UN envoy for Mali, condemned what he called a "vile and criminal" attack.

"Peacekeepers of the MINUSMA force at Aguelhok fought off a sophisticated attack by assailants who arrived on several armed vehicles," he said in a statement.

The attack "illustrates the determination of the terrorists to sow chaos. "It demands a robust, immediate and concerted response from all forces to destroy the peril of terrorism in the Sahel.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NCLT matters not for civil court The Supreme Court has emphasised that the jurisdiction of the civil court is completely barred in matters that are now in the dominion of the National Company Law Tribunal. The court stated so in the judgment in the case, Shashi Prakash vs NEPC Micon, which arose before the Company Act was amended to create the tribunal.

The dispute was over the transfer of shares. The Madras High Court had held that the Company Law Board would not have jurisdiction in the matter and as there are serious differences over the title, the matter should be relegated to ...
Leading organisations in the Middle Easts digital world will interact with key decision makers in both the private and the public sector at the sixth edition of the Internet of Things 2019, which will be held in Dubai, UAE, next month.



The event will be held on February 20 and 21, at the Armani Hotel Dubai.



On board are partners that include Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA), Samsung and Careem, said a statement.



Engineer Muammar Al Katheeri, executive vice president of engineering and smart city at DSOA, said: The event is an ideal platform to discuss the business relevance of technology with our professional peers.



We are currently in the final stages of delivering Silicon Park, Dubais first smart city project that fully implements the smart city concept and leverages the latest AI and IOT technologies. The project has been designed in compliance with Dubai Governments strategic direction on smart cities that focuses on six pillars: life, society, mobility, economy, governance, and environment, he said.



We are excited to share with the participants of the event our efforts at supporting the digital transformation in Dubai through Silicon Park and other pilot projects that are currently underway in collaboration with different public and private sector entities, he added.



Magnus Olsson, co-founder and chief experience officer of the regions only tech Unicorn Careem, said: We are the technology platform for a region of over 600 million people  from Morocco to Pakistan, Turkey to Sudan. And through our technology, we are empowering people to realise their full social and economic potential.



We hope to communicate our future vision for the industry in the upcoming IoT Middle East 2019, he added.



According to Mohammed Gharaibeh, head of enterprise, Mobile Business at Samsung Gulf Electronics, said: Our companys intelligent ecosystem of interconnected devices is built on a legacy of delivering meaningful innovation to enrich customers lives.



As a key proponent for redefining connectivity, we have embraced IoT as a key pillar towards driving the companys vision of creating seamlessly connected experiences at home, in the office and on-the-go, he said.



The event provides a fundamental platform for exploring the endless possibilities of this vibrant technology, and we are thrilled to play a role in transforming and shaping the future of the regions IoT landscape, he added.



The IoT Middle East 2019 focuses on the business aspects of digital transformation sweeping across industries, changing business models, opening up new services and highlighting disruptive new entrants.



Johan Ehrstrom, chief executive officer of IoT Middle East 2019, said: Our event is designed for 400 C-level cross industry attendees. This year, our speakers will again highlight success stories of increasing company revenue while reducing costs, provide case studies, objective insights, real-world scenarios, networking and newly introduced workshops scheduled for the second day in the same venue.



The agenda is hence built to give participants the most objective and accurate predictions on business, technology- and organisation transformation, highlighting how to generate business out of Internet of Things with AI, blockchain and other core technologies empowering it, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
In August 2016, the chief executive officer (CEO) of a large bank celebrated the arrival of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), the new bankruptcy law of India. The jubilant boss of the bank, laden with a mound of bad assets, asked one of his colleagues how many days it would take to settle a bad loan under the new law.

The bankers response was 1,800 days, 10 times the law actually stipulated! Needless to say that this cynicism was not appreciated. By now, looking at the progress of the single-window insolvency and bankruptcy resolution process which is expected to minimise the ...
Continuing its attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "enriching his crony" in the Rafale deal, the Congress on Sunday demanded to know why Defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was "ousted" from the deal despite having a work-share with Rafale maker Dassault Aviation.

Citing media reports as well as a tweet by Dassault confirming the work-share agreement, Congress spokesperson Priyanaka Chaturvedi also targeted Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman who has accused the opposition of trying to "sabotage" the deal and "becoming pawns in corporate warfare".

"By bringing the argument about corporate warfare, Defence Minister seals and stamps the Congress party's charge that Rs 30,000 crore offset contract and Rs 1 lakh crore lifecycle cost contract was given to Modi's crony.

"In this process, 75-year-old PSU HAL lost out to a company that was started just 12 days after the deal announcement," Chaturvedi told the media here.

She demanded the Modi government to disclose the "compulsion" behind its decision to "snatch" 108 Rafale contract from HAL,despite having a work-share agreement with Dassault.

"Why did Modi government reject the Air Force's need and demand for 126 fighter aircraft (7 squadrons) and decide to buy only 36 aircraft (2 squadrons)? What was the obligation under which government squandered transfer of technology," asked the Congress leader.

Chaturvedi also accused Sitharaman of "lying to parliament" about offset partners in the deal.

"Sitharaman stated that she cannot divulge the offset partners in the deal, but the fact is that on October 28, 2017, the French Defence Minister met Sitharaman and went to Nagpur to attend stone-laying of Dassault-Reliance JV with her cabinet colleagues and Maharashtra chief Minister

"Why did she (Sitharaman) lie to the Parliament? What brief is she holding and to guard which corporate entity," asked Chaturvedi.

--IANS

and/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President of the Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW), which selects children for the National Bravery Awards every year, on Sunday said the NGO has nothing to do with the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD).

The NGO, which has been selecting children for the bravery awards since 1957, came under fire after the WCD Ministry lodged an FIR against it for misusing government-allocated funds.

According to the Ministry, the NGO has been misusing government-allocated funds and failed to refund the unspent balance of more than Rs 30,914,051 for the years (2014-16).

"I don't know on what grounds WCD has filed an FIR. They have never communicated with us related to unutilised funds. Even our awards have nothing to do with the Ministry," President Gita Siddhartha told IANS.

"We don't have the FIR, neither have we seen it. We have not even been called to the police station. Unless we see the copy of the FIR, we cannot comment on how we will proceed with the case," she added.

Earlier, following a writ petition in the Delhi High Court which alleged that ICCW had been violating the rules for utilising government funds, a three-member committee under the WCD Ministry was formed to determine if the funds were "siphoned off or misutilised".

The Ministry observed "that there has been a systemic failure as far as checks and balances regarding utilization of the funds provided by the government is concerned".

Following this, the court ordered that it would consider if further investigation was necessary or any other proceedings are required to be initiated against the ICCW.

Following the petition, the Centre dissociated itself from the ICCW. In 2018, bravery was included as an additional component in the Pradhan Mantri National Children Awards.

"The kids selected by us deserve to be awarded for their bravery. They are at no fault so we will give away the award if the government does not," Siddhartha said.

Following the FIR, Delhi Governor Anil Baijal cancelled a function regarding felicitation of the children by the ICCW which was scheduled on January 18.

"We were given no reason for cancelling the event. Nobody informed us properly that the event was getting cancelled," Siddhartha stated.

--IANS

som/mag/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Punjab State Vigilance Bureau (VB) has nabbed a head constable while accepting bribe of Rs 50,000 after honey trapping a person in Jalandhar, a spokesman said here on Sunday.

The head constable, Raja Singh, who is posted in Kapurthala, was nabbed redhanded on a complaint by Baljit Singh, reader to Judicial Magistrate Ludhiana, the spokesman said.

"The complainant has approached the VB and informed that he came into contact with a woman known as Gurvinder Kaur through Facebook, who called him at a flat of her associate Narinder Kaur at Guru Gobind Singh Avenue, Jalandhar on December 29. Head constable Raja Singh raided that flat and threatened him (complainant) to register a case under Immoral Traffic Act," he said.

"The complainant alleged that the accused police man demanded Rs 2 lakh for not taking any action against him and the deal was struck at Rs 1 lakh. The accused woman was also pressuring the complainant to deliver the promised amount to police officer," the spokesman added.

After verifying his information, the VB team laid a trap and the accused head constable was arrested on the spot accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000 as a first installment from the complainant.

The VB has registered a case under Prevention of Corruption Act against the accused head constable and his two women associates.

--IANS

js/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With an eye on political moderates, President Donald Trump has offered to bargain temporary status for nearly a million illegal immigrants for the $5.7 million he wants in the budget for his border wall, but the deal to end the partial government shutdown was shot down by the Democratic Party leadership.

After swearing-in a group of immigrants as citizens at the Oval Office on Saturday, he said he would give a three-year reprieve from deportation for 700,000 young people who were brought into the US as children and 300,000 illegal immigrants from Nepal and certain other countries that have faced natural disasters or violent upheavals.

He also promised to pursue immigration reforms after the shutdown crisis was resolved and hold weekly bipartisan meetings to fashion "a great product, a product we can be proud of".

Democrat leaders have ruled out any compromise and insist on an end to the shutdown before there can be negotiations.

Even before he spoke, Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected any proposal he would make saying they would be a "non-starter".

The Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the proposals "ineffective and one-sided" and accused him of taking the one million as hostages.

The government remained paralysed except for its vital functions as the partial government shutdown that entered its 30th day on Sunday with most government employees going without their paychecks since January 11 and nearly 800,000 of them on temporary layoff.

Trump has demanded that the budget should include $5.7 billion for his border barrier, which the Democrats, who control the House of Representatives, have refused. Because of the stalemate there is no budget and no money for most government operations.

His first formal offer of concessions was aimed at the moderates in both parties who were looking for a path to compromise.

"It is time to reclaim our future from the extreme voices who fear compromise and demand open borders," he said.

Some in his own party have also opposed his proposal citing the offer to extend temporary protection to some illegal immigrants.

Trump offered a scaled-down vision of the border wall that he had promised in his election campaign, saying, "This is not a 2,000 mile concrete structure from sea to sea. These are steel barriers in high priority locations."

Temporary permission to say legally in the US that was given to the 700,000 young people, dubbed "Dreamers" for their pursuit of the American Dream, expired in March and the Trump administration did not renew it.

Another programme to allow people from certain countries affected by violence or natural calamities like the Nepal earthquake to stay on in the US is not being renewed.

Democrats said that since Trump had ended these programmes offering to reinstate them was not a compromise. "Offering some protections back in exchange for the wall is not a compromise but more hostage-taking," Schumer said.

Trump also said that he would introduce a system for people to apply for asylum in their Central American home countries, instead of coming to border and either applying for asylum or entering the US illegally.

About 7,000 Central Americans who came in a caravan through Mexico are camped in squalor at the border trying to enter US, straining the resources of their host towns and another caravan is on its way.

He described it as a "humanitarian and security crises".

Trump cast his efforts end illegal immigration as a compassionate effort, saying it would end the exploitation of migrants, especially women and children, by the smugglers who have been known to attack and rape them.

As for the US, he said the end to illegal immigration would prevent wages being depressed, the public services being strained and criminals entering the country. He mentioned an Indian-American police Corporal Ronil Singh, who was killed the day after Christmas in California by an illegal immigrant.

He also said the border barrier would stop the drugs being smuggled across the border.

If there is a compromise, "we can start the border project of remaking our immigration system for the 21st century", Trump said.

He has said earlier that he wants to introduce a merit-based immigration system similar to those of Canada and Australia that could benefit Indian professionals who have to wait as many as 10 years to get their green cards.

Two weeks ago, he had tweeted, that those on temporary professional H1-B visas "can rest assured that changes are soon coming" that will put them on "a potential path to citizenship".

A master of marketing, Trump evoked the imagery of patriotism and the traditions of welcoming legal immigrants.

He went in the morning to an air force base to solemnly receive the bodies of four Americans killed by the Islamic State terrorists in Syria last week. One of the victims was a Syrian-American woman.

And just before his speech he held a ceremony for a group of green card-holders that included a Muslim woman wearing a head cover to formally become US citizens.

On the other side, thousands participated in the Women's March in Washington and elsewhere that protested Trump's immigration policies in addition to demanding protection of women's rights.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in <mailto:arul.l@ians.in> and followed on Twitter @arulouis)

--IANS

al/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump has set out new plans on his Mexican wall project to try to end a partial government shutdown lasting more than four weeks.

One of his "compromises" was on so-called Dreamers -- who entered the US illegally when young. He still wants $5.7 billion to fund the wall, the BBC reported on Saturday.

Democrats have refused to fund it and ahead of the speech had already rejected the expected concessions.

The shutdown, the longest in history, has affected 800,000 federal workers.

The President started by saying the US had a proud history of welcoming migrants, but that the system had been "badly broken for a very long time".

He said he was "here to break the logjam and provide Congress with a path forward to end the government shutdown".

He again spelled out his reasons for building the wall and stressed it was not a continuous structure, just one of steel barriers in high-priority areas. But the demand for $5.7 billion to fund it remains.

The two new ideas concerned the Dreamers and Temporary Protection Status (TPS) holders.

There are some 700,000 Dreamers, who were young when they entered the US with their parents illegally,

The Dreamers are currently protected from deportation under a programme that allows them to work but not get citizenship. It is a programme Trump has been trying to rescind.

But he said he would extend protection for Dreamers for another three years, allowing them continued access to work permits.

He said he would also extend the visas for TPS holders for three years. More than 300,000 people from countries affected by war or disasters are allowed to work in the US under TPS, another system Trump has opposed.

There were other proposals, including $800 million in urgent humanitarian assistance, 2,750 more border agents and security officials and 75 new immigration judge teams. Certainly, the latter conforms largely with Democrat suggestions.

The President said his proposals were "reasonable with lots of compromise" and would "build trust and goodwill".

--IANS

pgh/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in Washington D.C. and in nearly 300 other US cities in the third annual Women's March to protest against the policies of President Donald Trump and to stand up for women's rights.

Organisers had hoped to see hundreds of thousands of attendees, the kind of turnout that made the first march held a day after Trump was sworn in as President on January 20, 2017, a seminal moment in the protest movement, reports The Washington Post.

But Saturday's march appeared to attract only thousands, mirroring lower turnout at marches in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Philadelphia and other cities.

The main event kicked off at Freedom Plaza near the White House, where the organisers set up a stage and the along Pennsylvania Avenue, which connects the White House to the Capitol.

Many participants wore pink wool hats and carried posters with the most varied messages, such as "Take care of your own uterus", "We demand equality for all", and "Without Hermione, Harry (Potter) would have died in Book 1", among others.

Saturday's event came a day after Women's March leaders unveiled a 10-prong political platform that the group says will outline "realistically achievable" priorities, such as raising the federal minimum wage, addressing reproductive rights and violence against women and passing the long-dormant Equal Rights Amendment.

The march however, has stirred controversy due to links between some organisers and Louis Farrakhan, the Nation of Islam leader who has compared Jewish people to termites and called them "the mother and father of apartheid", reports the Guardian.

Tamika Mallory, a Women's March co-chair, was criticised after she posted a photo on Instagram of herself and Farrakhan, calling him "the GOAT" which stands for "greatest of all time".

Mallory has since said she does not agree with all of Farrakhan's statements but refused to condemn him.

Another incident that caused controversy is when Vanessa Wruble, an original Women's March organiser, in December claimed Mallory and Carmen Perez, a co-president, made antisemitic comments in a meeting.

Teresa Shook, who founded the march, has called for the co-chairs to resign because they have "allowed antisemitism, anti-LBGTQIA sentiment and hateful, racist rhetoric to become a part of the platform by their refusal to separate themselves from groups that espouse these racist, hateful beliefs".

Rival events were also held in New York and Philadelphia, due to rifts within the movement, with organisers deciding not to hold a march at all in Chicago.

--IANS

ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Syrian air defences intercepted a fresh Israeli missile strike targeting the areas in southern Syria on Sunday, the media reported.

The Israeli strike targeted areas in the surroundings of the capital Damascus in southern Syria, Xinhua reported citing SANA news agency.

The report mentioned that all Israeli missiles were destroyed before reaching their targets.

It is the latest in a string of Israeli missile strikes targeting military bases in Syria.

Last week, Israel carried out missile strikes on military bases around the capital Damascus.

The Syrian army said its air defences intercepted most of the missiles, adding that only a warehouse in the Damascus international airport was damaged.

On December 25, 2018, Israeli warplanes fired missiles on Syrian military depots in the western countryside of Damascus from the Lebanese airspace.

In September 2018, Russia equipped the Syrian forces with the S-300 air defence missile system, but reports said the advanced system has not been used yet.

--IANS

pgh/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Products and services from Sweden's Museum of Failure are being showcased in Shanghai, with the exhibition scheduled to last two months.

Founded by Swedish psychologist Samuel West in 2017, the museum houses more than 100 failed products and services, including Coca-Cola's coffee-flavoured soda, Apple's Newton MessagePad, Colgate's frozen lasagna, a bottle of green ketchup and a pen specially designed for women, reports Xinhua news agency.

This is the museum's first exhibition in Asia.

"I was so tired of reading and hearing the same boring success stories, they are all alike," West said.

"It is in the failures we find the interesting stories that we can learn from. Innovation and progress require the acceptance of failure."

For entering China, the exhibition has been given a new name in Chinese, Cheng Gong Zhi Mu, which means "the mother of success", as the old saying goes, "failure is the mother of success".

The exhibition will tour more Chinese cities later.

--IANS

ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Age of Information that set in with the success of IT revolution some three decades ago pushed the world economy and cross-border human interactions up in a transformational manner and established globalisation as a new reality.

It has facilitated a phenomenal rise of businesses in terms of both products and services and created many positive socio-political trends. There is a new level of global competitiveness in business that is good for customers and a new kind of power of communication in the hands of citizens that forced transparency of governance, making it difficult for dictators to politically survive for long.

It is the destructive side of the use of cyber space, however, that is beginning to show up more and more -- at the level of individuals, organisations and nations -- and clearly converting even the social media into a weapon of perception management, political combat and proxy wars.

In India, the Twitter campaign that was designed to show that the Modi regime had created an atmosphere of intolerance towards the minorities, the orchestrated criticism of the government for creating a 'surveillance state' following an order of the MHA authorising the Intelligence agencies to scan any computer resource for reasons connected to national security and the escalation of the Pakistani ISI's proxy war against India through the clandestine use of social media for radicalising Muslim youth in Kashmir and elsewhere, illustrate this point.

It is a welcome feature of the new age we live in that leaders of the government and those in the opposition take to social media for reaching out to the people to explain their stand on issues of the day.

US President Donald Trump uses Twitter to an amazing degree for announcing his foreign and domestic policies and issuing rejoinders to his critics. This is also now a part of electoral that depends heavily on perception management.

In India, political propaganda is being made on social media even in disregard of the prohibitory provisions of the IT Act -- now under adjudication -- that punished calls for violence, inflammatory pronouncements having the potential of creating communal disharmony and statements insulting the national flag. Though the dividing line between what is gross and abusive on the one hand and suave and convincing on the other, has thinned out as far as the political discourse is concerned, use of the power of social media has now become a significant factor in India's electoral battles -- resort to 'fake news' notwithstanding.

The concept of influencing the will or behaviour of adversaries is not new and is now being practised with full vigour across the world because it is a low-cost option also for targeting masses or voters in an election. Citizens are now increasingly impacted to shape the outcome of elections and to pressure their governments to change policies.

Social media is a means of raising the people's voice, which is fine, but more often than not, it is now used as a tool for motivated campaigns of vested interests within or outside of the country. The Indian government has been compelled, in recent times, to have close scrutiny of the NGOs suspected of precisely doing this and examine their funding and links to safeguard national security and integrity.

In technical terms, the aggregated data, when processed through advanced algorithms can reveal significant material for perception management. 'Influence operations' exploit emotional vulnerabilities. Political parties, and even external forces, use social media platforms for circulation of misinformation and even fake videos to create apprehensions, manipulate perceptions and mould public opinion.

Parties are now going beyond the old practice of 'bribing' voters to use technology of data firms and services on hire for targeting communities on social media so as to tilt voting behaviour in their favour. They use analysis to decide what the focal points of their campaign should be.

Cyber-enabled operations are now an integral part of Information Warfare. A planned effort to use technologies and devices is made not only to steal the target's data for monetisation, which is a part of competitive business today, but also for pursuing hostile missions such as degrading the target's systems to deny the advantage of information to the latter and planting manipulated information to elicit a particular response on selected issues.

There are increasing incidents of data breaches in India. Some three million records were stolen, lost or exposed in the country in 2017 -- a whopping increase over what happened in 2016 while in 2018 millions of records were believed to have been compromised in the Aadhaar breach alone.

There are large leakages of data from MNCs. Cambridge Analytica was suspected of having harnessed data of millions of Facebook users, of which Indians were a significant segment. The firm reportedly leveraged them for political campaigns. Its parent company reportedly had links with British Intelligence agencies. Similarly, Microsoft is said to have routinely shared the financial details of Indian bank customers with Intelligence agencies in the US - the Reserve Bank of India had reportedly flagged this breach.

Information Warfare has moved towards its combat version -- cyber warfare -- which, in turn, is fast getting integrated with general warfare. Cyber operations are now set to play a decisive role in a military combat. The US has elevated its Cyber Command to the status of what is called the Unified Combatant Command. China has created a Strategic Support Force to provide necessary support to the Chinese Armed Forces during war and protecting Chinese interests in cyber space during non-war periods. Russia has special forces for information warfare. Artificial Intelligence-based cyber weapons are being developed by major powers with the result that Information Warfare is becoming Intelligence Warfare, adding to its surprise element.

In India, strong laws protect the Right to Privacy in the use of social media. The public does not realise, however, that entering cyber space is like being on a public thoroughfare or in a public park where you are completely visible and have no right to demand that people did not see what you were indulging in.

On social media, you should not do what you are not supposed to do -- there would be a legal deterrent in place. The government is also tightening the law for service providers to deter them from passing on personal data for commercialisation. In the Indian context CERT-IN has reported a very large increase in cyber attacks in recent months - more than half of which originated from China and Pakistan.

India's security set-up is seized of the threat posed to our national security by Islamic radicals who are being indoctrinated on social media and the sleeper cells of terrorists who are being funded and logistically supported by their master minds from across our borders through layered communications on line.

In short, social media is as much a tool of progress for the law abiding as it is a weapon of proxy war for our adversaries. Preparing for warfare outside of the battlefield is the new challenge for the nation.

(The writer is a former Director Intelligence Bureau)

--IANS

pathak/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Renowned hospital Moorfields Private will be at Arab Health 2019, taking place in Dubai from January 28-31, to showcase its range of world-leading eye treatments and diagnostics, which are provided at its London-based facilities, including in the Harley Street area.



Moorfields Private is part of the world-renowned Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, which has expanded its genetics services as part of efforts to improve access to testing, counselling and clinical trials for UK and global patients and families with inherited eye disease.



The genetics service, which is the largest and most comprehensive in Europe, runs as a standalone service to encompass all patients with a possible genetic cause of their condition. It has access to the latest technology and world-leading consultants that specialise in inherited eye diseases.



Inherited eye disease is caused by a change in a persons genetic code. This may result in a genetic disorder passed on to a child by their parents. Genetic changes can cause rare disease and also common eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma in combination with environmental factors.



Moorfields genetics service provides testing and counselling for patients and families. It may be carried out to diagnose a particular eye disease, assess if someone is a carrier of a certain genetic mutation or to help work out the chances of a person developing a particular condition.



Dr Mariya Moosajee, a consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields Private and a visiting consultant to Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai and Abu Dhabi, explained that Moorfields are currently undergoing a revolution in genetic diagnosis.



She said: For the first time, we are now able to perform a genetic test which allows us to read all three billion letters of our genetic code. This is helping us to diagnose rare blinding diseases and identify some of the associated clinical risk factors associated with them. We are excited to be at Arab Health to highlight the work we are doing around genetic technology in a bid to help families across the Middle East who may be affected by inherited eye disease.



In addition to its ground-breaking genetics services, Moorfields Private offers the most comprehensive range of eye care services to private patients in the UK and is renowned for treating the most complex cases in both adults and children. Their highly trained consultant eye surgeons also offer patients the latest vision correction procedures and cosmetic eye treatments.



To find out more about the full range of eye care services available at Moorfields Private, visit the team on the Harley Street Medical Area stand hall 7 stand E30 at Arab Health 2019. - TradeArabia News Service


Lt General Zameer Uddin Shah (retd), whose explosive memoir "The Sarkari Mussalman" created a storm in 2018, said on Sunday that the SIT report that cleared then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's name is a "cover up" of the 2002 riots in the state.

"The Army was not given logistical support by the Gujarat administration when we arrived. It took them more than 24 crucial hours when hundreds of lives were lost to provide us with vehicles, guides and other logistical support.

"The SIT report contradicts everything that I have written in my memoir but let me make this very clear. I was never called by the SIT to present my version of events. I had submitted a detailed report in 2002 itself," Shah, a decorated Army veteran who was sent to Gujarat to quell the 2002 riots, said during a panel discussion on his book at the closing day of Apeejay Kolkata Literature Festival.

He reiterated that he had written the 'Gospel truth', adding that the sequence of events had been recorded in the "war diaries" of the Army.

The memoir, published by Konark Publishers, has courted much controversy over its portions relating to the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Shah said in his memoir that after about 3,000 troops landed at the Ahmedabad airfield by 7 a.m. on March 1, 2002, they had to wait for over a day to receive transport and other logistical support from the state government in order to fan out to the cities and towns which were engulfed in violence.

This delay, he said, happened despite a direct request by him to Modi at 2 a.m. on March 1 in Gandhinagar, in the presence of Union Defence Minister George Fernandes.

The Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigative Team (SIT) report, which cleared Modi's name, had concluded that there was no delay "in requisition and deployment of the Army", based on testimony of Ashok Narayan, the Additional Chief Secretary (Home).

Shah's version of events has been backed by then Army chief Gen S. Padmanabhan.

The SIT was headed by R.K. Raghvan, now ambassador to Cyprus. IANS Questions sent to him and his attache at the embassy have not been answered so far.

Shah was speaking at a session "Jai Hind! For flag and Country" at the closing day of the 10th edition of the Apeejay Kolkata Literaty Festival.

--IANS

ss/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Producer Sandip Ssingh through his Legend Global Studio has signed a Rs. 177 crore Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gujarat government at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2019 here.

The MoU was signed on Sunday in the presence of Ssingh and Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.

"This is a wonderful beginning to encourage more and more producers to collaborate and shoot their films in Gujarat. We have the right infrastructure for such kind of collaborations to happen," Rupani said in a statement.

"Sandip Ssingh has made extremely good films like 'Mary Kom' and 'Sarbjit' in the past. We hope that this Rs.177 crore MoU brings more such collaborations to the state," he added.

Ssingh said that the "MoU is a wonderful association for Legend Global Studio for all our projects".

"The infrastructure, road network and ease of recceing and shooting in Gujarat makes it a wonderful place for filmmakers to come where they know that the cooperation from the government is complete. I think this is the beginning of not just me but a lot of filmmakers from Bollywood coming to Gujarat," added the producer.

At the moment, Ssingh is busy with "PM Narendra Modi", a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Vivek Oberoi will play Modi on the big screen.

--IANS

sug/dc/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Russia's Black Sea fleet is closely monitoring a US missile destroyer in the sea, the Russian National Defense Control Center has said.

"Units of the Black Sea Fleet started tracking the USS Donald Cook, a guided missile destroyer, immediately after it entered the Black Sea," the center was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency on Saturday.

The US vessel entered the Black Sea at 8.50 p.m. (Moscow time), Xinhua reported citing the center.

The Pytlivy guard ship is watching actions of the US ship, using electronic and technical surveillance means during the whole period of the ship's presence in the fleet's responsibility zone, it said.

According to existing regulations, the US warship, which belongs to a country without a Black Sea coastline, is not allowed to stay in the sea longer than 21 days, the center was quoted by Tass news agency as saying.

Earlier on the day, the US Navy said that the ship started heading into the Black Sea to conduct maritime security operations.

Russia started inspecting commercial ships sailing through the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait after inaugurating a bridge over the strait.

On November 25, Russia seized three Ukrainian naval ships and 24 sailors on board attempting to sail through the Kerch Strait from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov.

--IANS

pgh/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The "BJP hatao" campaign of opposition parties got a major boost at the Kolkata rally convened by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee but the idea of a "mahagathbandhan (grand alliance)" continues to be a challenge over the absence of a common face to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

The grand event of opposition unity, barely three months before the Lok Sabha polls, had its incongruities. Congress President Rahul Gandhi and BSP chief Mayawati skipped it even as they sent their nominees, apparently not wanting to put any doubt on their own claims to prime ministership in the post-poll scenario.

The event was not attended by the Left parties, Banerjee's rivals in West Bengal, Biju Janata Dal, the Telangana Rasthra Samithi and YSR Congress Party.

Some of the parties which shared the platform will be fighting against each other in the Lok Sabha elections - the Congress against the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi and Congress against the Bahujan Samaj Party-Samajwadi Party combine in crucial Uttar Pradesh.

There is no clarity yet if the Congress party will ally with Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal. The Left will leave no stone unturned to defeat the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. The Congress and Left will battle it out in Kerala.

But as a platform, the Kolkata rally sent important signals that the opposition parties are willing to cooperate and coordinate to the largest extent possible against the Modi government and that they will have no hesitation in forging an alliance in the post-poll scenario to keep the BJP out.

All the issues in the opposition's quiver, including the Rafale deal, demonetisation, "flawed" implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), unemployment, job losses and farm distress, "attack" on institutions, "misuse" of investigative agencies and apprehension over misuse of electronic voting machines (EVMs) were raised at the meeting and virtually spelt out the opposition's narrative in the run-up to the general elections.

The opposition's challenge makes re-election tougher for Modi, who has already started attacking the grand alliance and is pitching the election as a "people versus mahagathbandhan" battle.

The poll arithmetic in terms of alliances such as that between the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh will also make the going tough for the BJP.

A doughty campaigner, Modi is also potraying the opposition parties as greedy for power, pointing out that their only agenda is to remove him and come to power for their "selfish" ends while he is constantly working for welfare of the people.

The Modi government is also making course corrections following election losses in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

The show of unity at Kolkata has augmented the opposition challenge in the Lok Sabha elections and the opposition parties are expected to follow with some more such shows of strength in other parts of the country in the coming weeks.

--IANS

ps/vsc/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former Union Minister Srikant Jena on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the Congress alleging a secret nexus between Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

The barb against the Congress leadership came hours after he along with former MLA Krushna Chandra Sagaria was expelled for anti-party activities.

"Rahul Gandhi has decided that the governance of Odisha will remain under the Patnaik families for which he has announced an alliance between the Congress and the BJD president Naveen Patnaik," said Jena.

He said the Odisha Congress was being controlled by 'mining mafia' and Rahul Gandhi was hand in gloves to protect the mafia.

Jena said he will work to free the people from the misrule of the mining mafia and Patnaik families, who have ruled the state for decades.

"It was not the Congress' culture to protect the mining mafia. But for the first time, Rahul Gandhi, who has taken charge of party leadership, has taken the decision to protect the mafia," said Jena.

He also painted Odisha Pradesh Congress President Niranjan Patnaik as a 'habitual liar'.

"Despite being aware of this, Rahul entrusted the state party leadership to him and created an opportunity for an unholy nexus with the mining mafia in Odisha," said the former Minister.

Former MLA Krushna Chandra Sagaria, who was also expelled from the party, attacked the Congress.

"I am not involved in any type of anti-party activity. I had demanded the removal of Narasingha Mishra from the post of Leader of Opposition as he has direct links with third floor (Chief Minister's Office). Mishra wants his son to join the BJD," said Sagaria.

--IANS

cd/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor R. Madhavan will be taking over the whole directing duties on "Rocketry - The Nambi Effect" after Ananth Mahadevan had to leave the project due to "unavoidable circumstances".

Earlier, Madhavan was co-directing the film, based on the life of scientist and aerospace engineer S. Nambi Narayanan, with Mahadevan. It marks directorial debut of Madhavan, who also essays the role of the protagonist in the film.

"Ananth Mahadevan is an extremely talented filmmaker. However, owing to unavoidable circumstances and certain pressing commitments he could no longer direct 'Rocketry - The Nambi Effect'," Madhavan said in a statement.

"Rocketry is close to my heart for many reasons. The film is shaping up well and I can't wait to tell the incredible story of Nambi Narayanan to the world," he added.

As a senior official at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Narayanan was in-charge of the cryogenics division. In 1994, he was falsely charged with espionage and arrested. The charges against him were dismissed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 1996, and the Supreme Court declared him not guilty in 1998.

According to informed sources, the movie is ahead of schedule with major portions already shot in all three languages -- Hindi, English and Tamil. It is shot extensively across India, Princeton, Scotland, France and Russia.

The film is slated for a release later this year.

--IANS

sug/pgh/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Iranians demonstrated outside the Swiss embassy in Tehran on Sunday to protest against the detention of an Iranian-American journalist in Washington.

The protesters chanted "Free Marzieh Hashemi" and demanded that the US authorities immediately release the journalist who works for Iran's Press TV, reports Xinhua news agency.

Hashemi, who has been living in Iran for years, was detained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at the airport in St. Louis, Missouri, on January 13 while making a family visit.

A federal US court order confirmed on Friday that she had been arrested on a "material witness" warrant and had not been accused of any crime.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif described Hashemi's arrest as politically motivated.

After diplomatic relations between Iran and the US were severed in 1979, Washington appointed Switzerland to protect its interests in Tehran.

--IANS

ksk/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistani authorities on Sunday launched an investigation into the death of four people who were allegedly shot dead by counter-terrorism police in a shootout.

Witnesses and survivors of the incident have denied claims by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) that the victims, including three of the same family, were terrorists, reports Efe news.

"While the CTD has done a great job in the fight against terrorism, everyone must be accountable before the law. As soon as JIT (Joint Investigation Team) report comes, swift action will be taken. The government's priority is protection of all its citizens," Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a tweet.

The incident took place on Saturday in Punjab province's Sahiwal region, when CTD officers had opened fire at a vehicle and killed a man, his wife and their daughter, along with a family friend.

Two minors, who were also in the vehicle, sustained injuries.

"The terrorists fired at the CTD officials following which a shootout ensued. Once the firing stopped, four people were found dead, reportedly as a result of firing by their own accomplices," a CTD statement had said.

Following the incident, Khan took to Twitter to express his anguish and shock over the incident.

"Still shocked at seeing the traumatised children who saw their parents shot before their eyes. Any parent would be shocked as they would think of their own children in such a traumatic situation. These children will now be fully looked after by the state as its responsibility," he wrote.

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has ordered the arrests of the officials involved in the shootout.

--IANS

ksk/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday attacked the opposition, saying they were coming together fearing defeat against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

"Fearing defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, they all are coming together after looking at the massive support towards Modi," Chouhan said while addressing party workers at the Vijay Sankalp rally at the Ramlila Maidan here.

Hitting out at the opposition parties for not being able to decide on a prime ministerial candidate, Chouhan said: "The opposition is unable to decide their candidate as everyone has a different opinion on it. In the south, people want Rahul Gandhi's government, Bengal wants Mamata Banerjee as Prime Minister whereas in Uttar Pradesh, people want Mayawati. There is no decision."

Taking a jibe at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, he said he was born in by opposing the Congress.

Chouhan said 22 opposition parties have come together as Modi has taken a tough stand on issues of corruption and also formed a special investigation team to look into the black money issue.

"Due to his tough stand on corruption and the black money, the corrupt people are calling the watchman (Modi) a thief. But the entire world knows who are thieves," he said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said the Prime Minister has taken the country to newer heights globally in the last four and a half years. "Modi has increased the respect of the country globally, wherever he goes people chant his name. Modi is god for poor, he is the identity of new India and he is the respect for India."

Asking the people to compare Modi with the 22 opposition party leaders, he said: "Is there any comparison between Modi and the 22 opposition party leaders? It is the beginning of the electoral battle, our leader has been decided but their leader has not yet been decided."

Recalling the surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Army across the border on the terror launch pads, Chouhan said: "Earlier, US and Israel used to carry out surgical strikes against their enemies. But now India under Modi's leadership is also capable of carrying out surgical strikes against terror."

Accusing the opposition of doing vote bank over the illegal refugees residing in the country, he demanded: "Should illegal refugees be sent back to their countries or not?"

Hitting out at the opposition, he said: "For their vote they did not want them to be sent back. But our government has decided to send them back."

He also said that the coming Lok Sabha elections are between a "nationalist and development-oriented government versus the unity of the opposition which wants to destroy the country".

Terming the Congress-led government in Madhya Pradesh as being handicapped, he questioned how long it will function.

"In the recently held Assembly elections, a very surprising thing happened in Madhya Pradesh. The BJP got more votes but the Congress got more seats," he said, adding that in terms of Lok Sabha parliamentary constituencies, the BJP was leading in 17 out of 29 seats.

"Yet they are short of a majority government. This government is a handicapped government. I don't know for how long it will function," he said.

Vowing that the BJP will again win more than 27 seats in Madhya Pradesh, the former Chief Minister said: "In 2014 elections, the BJP won 27 out of 29 seats. Right now looking at the vote percentage we are leading on 17.

"But I can assure you that we are going to win 27 seats again and will try to win all the 29 seats," Chouhan added.

--IANS

aks/mag/bg

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A new age which requires new tools. The realities that the digital and social embrace has brought about makes one's position tenuous if you don't engage with it. The new rules of engagement are rigorous and involve technological interface.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi realised this as soon as he took over. The genius of Amit Shah's style of soldiering and combat is to get down and dirty by engaging directly with party workers or karyakartas, map and track the voters and essentially get deep down into the concentric circle so that you know the voters and workers backwards and forwards.

Furthermore, the granularity involves bringing the voter to the polling booth. And this two-fold activity has been mastered with great acumen by Shah and his workers, who have used Prime Minister Narendra Modi's larger-than-life persona of a Hindu Hridya Samrat with great precision and potency.

In a copycat model, the Congress went deeper and deeper into the giant concentric circle called India to connect with the voters. A booth programme was launched with the focus on voters and workers to ensure optimisation of resources.

The Congress understands that BJP President Amit Shah is a pioneer in this format. He is considered a disruptor in this art of warfare for he has taken the Big Leader and his Big Messaging to new levels. The recent state elections thus was the crucible of combat where the Congress tested its new modules and models and came out unscathed in at least three Hindu heartland states.

The new model, christened Operation Shakti, is now working seamlessly across the land. For Amit Shah and former investment banker Praveen Chakravarthy, who handles the data analytics for the Congress party, the battle will now be fought across the 200,000 polling booths in a scientific data-heavy hitting manner.

For the most part, elections are going local and what the TV did historically, the social media did in 2014 and beyond. Considered repugnant by the old guard in the Congress till recently, the proof of concept through the use of digital embrace and data analytics in the three northern and middle Indian states has changed the mindsets in 24 Akbar Road.

An example of this granularity is say a visit live through the Congress War Room to Bher village in Rajasthan where there are only 2,146 voters, a mere two booths, 321 households with nine Rams, three Chandras and one Mohd. Their family incomes, number of members, mobile numbers etc were quickly collated and then disseminated. Similarly, in Nagaur, again in Rajasthan, similar mapping was done for the assembly polls.

It was found that there are 26 per cent Muslims, 19 per cent Jats, 17 per cent SC, 10 per cent Brahmins and 10 per cent Mahajans. Names and numbers were collated and thrown into the big capsule, phone calls were made directly to many by Rahul Gandhi himself, a connection was attempted to be established. Caste calculus and its formal decoding began. After an ignominious obliteration in poll after poll since the 2014 hustings, 'Operation Shakti' was launched eight months ago.

Former Goldman Sachs Wall Street banker Praveen Chakravarty, who worked with Nandan Nilekani in the past in UIADI and then in Dr Manmohan Singh's PMO, emerged as the new centrifuge in Gandhi's strategic plan. A data scientist, Wharton-educated 'Chucky', as he is known, understood that old-style electioneering was dead.

As soon as Rahul Gandhi was appointed Congress President in November 2017, he roped in Chucky and by the time the Congress Plenary took place in March the following year, Chucky was on the Economic Resolution Drafting Committee.

Immediately thereafter, Operation Shakti was launched as a pilot project to connect with workers and voters and invigorate and educate them on the bipolarity of and the need for a refurbished Congress which had cut the umbilical cord with its own tendentious and dark past.

The people were reminded that the Congress was the Big Tent, an amorphous body which could absorb one and all, and could be viewed as an all inclusive organisation. Now designated Chairman of the Data Analytics Department, Chucky is the instrumentality that Rahul Gandhi is using as a battering ram to unobtrusively enter people's homes.

(More to come on Monday)

--IANS

vsc/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dewan Architects + Engineers, a leading player in the regional architectural and engineering design sector, has for the 10th consecutive year received top honours from the prestigious UK industry publication Building Design Magazine.



The Big List, which profiles the world's largest architectural practices, is part of an annual survey commissioned by Building Design (BD), a publication widely recognized as architects' number one destination for news, comment and opinion of more than 2,000 firms worldwide, which are evaluated and ranked based on presence in the sector and region, as well as on the number of architects employed.



Every year BD surveys the world's biggest architecture practices to create a report that is one of the most respected annual publications in the industry.



Coming in at number 45, this is the second consecutive year that Dewan Architects + Engineers features in the top 50 of the list.



As one of the region's leading architectural and engineering consulting firms, Dewan Architects + Engineers is recognised not only for being one of the largest architecture and engineering practises in the Middle East  with key markets in UAE, Saudi Arabia and Iraq  but also for its extensive work in Europe and Africa, where it is working on hospitality and education projects including hotels for the Kempinski group in Ivory Coast and the Republic of Congo.



On the key achievement, Mohamed Al Assam, the founder and chairman of Dewan Architects + Engineers, who recently scooped the the impressive seventh position on the Middle East Architect Power List 2019, said: "We are thrilled to receive this recognition for our continued contribution to the architect and engineering industry both within the Middle East and further afield."



In order for our industry to thrive  especially when moving into new territories  architecture must be dexterous, compliant and, above all, imaginative. We believe that Dewan Architects + Engineers is amply fulfilling this brief, and it is always a good feeling when other industry professionals recognise this, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Actress Nina Dobrev almost became a lion's meal during her trip to South Africa.

"The Vampire Diaries" star was thrilled to see big cats in the wild safari but getting up close to one lion gave the actress and her friends a bit of a scare, reports aceshowbiz.com.

"I've always wanted to go to South Africa. It was fun and the safari part of it was the best part. There were elephants drinking out of our pool, we saw leopards, and at one point a lion actually charged at us!" Dobrev told news show "Extra".

But the lion was no match for her guide, who came to her rescue.

"The lion opened its mouth and tried to attack us, and our guide was like a real-life Indiana Jones and roared back at him and scared the lion off... (That is) the closest I've been to death so far in my life, and I've done some crazy s**t," she added.

Dobrev returned from South Africa to celebrate her 30th birthday on January 9 with a wild festival-themed party thrown for her by her "xXx: Return of Xander Cage" co-star Vin Diesel.

--IANS

dc/sim/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
For a person who has had her own ups and downs in the government - from being the HRD minister when Narendra Modi became Prime Minister to being shifted to the less fancied textiles ministry - she appears to have emerged as BJP's swordarm to take on the Opposition, mainly the Congress, to convey the party's viewpoint on raging controversies.

Of late, Irani is the chosen spokesperson to attack the Congress as she is seen to be combative, quick-witted, sharp and articulate.

Irani, who challenged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in his Amethi bastion in the last Lok Sabha election, is never at a loss for words and has been at the forefront of the BJP's attack on allegations pertaining to members of the Nehru-Gandhi family.

With the Congress persistently raking up the controversial Rafale deal, she has articulated the party's viewpoint on several occasions.

She was fielded by the BJP on Friday to counter former Finance Minister P. Chidambarm's attack on the BJP following a newspaper report over the deal to purchase fighter jets from France.

Earlier in the week, she took on Rahul Gandhi after he sought to mock Prime Minister Narendra Modi over receiving the Philip Kotler Presidential award.

While Gandhi had said sarcastically that the award was so famous that it had no jury and had never been given out before, she hit back saying late Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were honoured with Bharat Ratna during Congress regimes by their own governments.

'The allegation had been made by a person whose illustrious family decided to confer the 'Bharat Ratna' on themselves,' she said.

During the debate in the Lok Sabha in the winter session on the triple talaq bill, an important issue for the BJP, the party fielded Irani as one of its key speakers.

She also hit out at Rahul Gandhi during the debate on the Rafale deal over his claim that Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had 'lied' and Modi was an 'incompetent man'.

When the Congress attacked BJP chief Amit Shah over the alleged 16,000-fold increase in its turnover of a company linked to his son, the BJP fielded Irani to defend him.

She was among first leaders to attack Rahul Gandhi over reports of his rising popularity on Twitter.

Irani, who was then the Information and Broadcasting Minister, took to Twitter, suggesting that the retweets were from fake accounts abroad.

She has articulated the BJP's viewpoint on all issues raised by the opposition including demonetisation, jobs and the problem of farmers.

Irani, who is the youngest member in the Modi cabinet, continues to visit Amethi and is likely to again challenge Gandhi in the electoral fray.

She made arrangements for sending senior citizens from Amethi to the Kumbh earlier this month. She keeps the party cadre in the parliamentary constituency motivated by keeping in touch with them.

Irani, who joined BJP In 2003 and entered Rajya Sabha in 2011, got a big elevation when she was appointed Human Resource Development minister soon after the formation of the BJP-led government in 2014.

Almost immediately afterwards, was in the midst of a controversy over an incident at a famous apparel store in Goa during a party conclave that attracted unnecessary attention. She was dropped from the National Executive and shifted from the HRD after her controversial statement during a raging row over the death of Rohit Vemula, a Dalit scholar of Hyderabad University.

She was shifted to the Textiles ministry in 2016 that led to speculation that her influence within the party had waned. There was similar speculation when she was moved out of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry after almost a year.

But all that speculation has proved to be unfounded. Irani has been, and continues to be, the key face of the party articulating its viewpoint and taking the battle to the opposition camp.

'Her journey so far has been very inspirational and she has worked hard. She has never refrained from struggle and has taken the plunge whenever asked to. She is a fighter. She has a very good command over language and there is clarity in her thoughts. Her moving ahead is also an inspiration for other women,' Vijaya Rahatkar, chief of the BJP's women's wing, told IANS.

Irani, who joined after working in television serials, took on Congress heavyweight Kapil Sibal in the Chandni Chowk seat in 2004 Lok Sabha polls and lost. She has served the party in various capacities, including as BJP national secretary and president of the BJP's Mahila Morcha.

'She is a firebrand leader with very good political acumen. She has had a long journey and has kept improving. She has proved herself in all the positions she has held,' party leader Vinay Katiyar said.

--IANS

bns-ps/vsc

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Working President Alok Kumar on Sunday said his statement that his organisation would consider backing the Congress in the Lok Sabha polls if it includes the construction of Ram temple in its manifesto was over-stretched.

"This is nothing but an overstretching of my statement," Kumar told IANS soon after a row erupted over his reported remarks. "Neither are we considering to support the Congress nor will we do so in future."

The VHP leader also said that there was less possibility of bringing a legislation for building a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya during the present dispensation.

Kumar on Saturday reportedly said in Prayagraj that if the Congress includes the construction of Ram temple in its election manifesto, the VHP might think about backing the party.

Clarifying, Kumar said the VHP wants a "broad political consensus" on the Ram temple issue.

"We want all political parties to support this issue. Whoever will support it, we will welcome. But it does not mean that the VHP will support any political party in the election," he said.

He told reporters in Prayagraj that the Congress must remove restrictions on 'swamyasewaks' joining the party.

"One doesn't become a Brahmin by just wearing janeau," Kumar said, while referring to Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

--IANS

bns/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah will break up the country if they return to power in the 2019 general elections.

"Agar inki desh mein dobara sarkar aa gayi 2019 mein, toh yeh desh ke tukde tukde kar dengey (If they return to power in the 2019 elections, they will break up the country)," Kejriwal told the media in Sangrur town in Punjab, around 130 km from here.

Kejriwal said that people in the country wanted to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha polls.

"The country is fed up with the five year rule of Modi and Amit Shah. They have destroyed this country in five years. They have poisoned the minds of people," the Delhi Chief Minister said.

"The whole country wants to defeat them. Leaders of all parties have got together and urged people to defeat them (BJP) in the elections," Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal, who was accompanied by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and AAP Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia, reached Sangrur by train.

After meeting party leaders from Punjab, Kejriwal left for Barnala town by road to launch the party's campaign for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

--IANS

js/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The death toll from a devastating oil pipeline blast in Mexico has increased to 73, officials said.

The toll was confirmed to the media by Hidalgo Governor Omar Fayad on Saturday evening, reports Efe news.

Accompanied by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Fayad said that there were 74 injured, who were receiving treatments at hospitals in Hidalgo, Mexico City, Queretaro and Guanajuato.

The governor announced that some of the injured will be transferred in the next few hours to a specialised burns medical centre in Galveston, Texas.

It is believed that the blast occurred after the pipeline was ruptured by suspected oil thieves in the town of Tlahuelilpan, in Hidalgo state, on Friday night.

The pipeline went ablaze at around 7 p.m., when dozens of people were scrambling around a leak spot to collect fuel in the presence of the armed forces.

TV footage showed large flames and people at the scene with severe burns as well as what appeared to be smouldering corpses scattered on the ground near the blaze.

Raul Arroyo, Hidalgo state prosecutor, said of the 73 victims, only nine have been identified so far.

Authorities said that the pipeline transported the highly flammable octane gasoline which facilitated the explosion, although the exact cause of the blast was still being ascertained.

Residents in the immediate vicinity of the pipeline, which runs from the cities of Tuxpan to Tula, have been evacuated, state oil company Pemex said.

President Obrador, who visited Tlahuelilpan on Saturday, said pipelines will be monitored to avoid fuel theft, CNN reported.

"To guarantee that there are no fuel shortages, it has been fundamental the participation of the armed forces, the military, marines and federal police," he said.

"If necessary, we will re-enforce the surveillance strategy. Another method will be the increase of fuel transportation capacity."

The explosion comes as gas stations in several Mexican states and the country's capital have been running dry for nearly two weeks.

The Obrador administration closed key pipelines in an effort to crack down on fuel theft, which the Mexican leader said cost the country an estimated $3 billion last year.

--IANS

ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh told representatives of the North East Students Organisation (NESO) on Sunday that his government opposes the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 in the present form.

S. Prakash, Secretary of NESO who led a NESO team to meet Biren Singh, said the Chief Minister assured them that the Manipur government opposed the bill unless there was a clause to protect the indigenous people in the region.

Biren Singh also reportedly said that in the forthcoming meeting between the Chief Ministers of the region and the central leaders he will register the objections and urge them to give assent to the Manipur Peoples (Protection) Bill, 2018.

NESO has been organising agitations throughout the northeastern region protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016.

--IANS

il/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi" producer Kamal Jain has been hospitalized in Mumbai, and an aide said on Sunday that he is suffering from throat and chest infection.

Vikesh Kumar, communication head at Jain's production house Kairos Kontent Studios, denied that Jain was in a critical condition after reportedly suffering a paralytic stroke.

"He is okay. He is suffering from throat infection and chest infection. He took a lot of stress with all the ongoing work for the film. But the infection is under control now and he will get discharged from the hospital in two-three days," Vikesh told IANS.

Asked about reports that Jain's condition was critical, he said: "People say a lot of things. That's not the case for sure."

Jain also took to Twitter to share his disappointment of not being able to join his film's team in promotional activities.

"Certainly not the best time to be in the hospital and not being able to be in the middle of hard work bearing fruits. Missing the team of 'Manikarnika...' -- Kangana Ranaut, Prasoonji, Vijeyandraji, Shankar Ehsan Loy, Ankita, Mishti and others in the final leg of promotions," he posted.

"I will be back as soon as possible, till then I'll be with you in spirit and soul... Guys, we worked so hard for two years to realise this dream and to make 'Manikarnika...' the blockbuster it deserves to be made as. I hope we all get to enjoy the success of our collective dream, honesty and hard work," added the producer.

"Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi" captures the life story of Rani Laxmibai. Kangana will be bringing her life alive on the big screen. Produced by Zee Studios in association with Jain and Nishant Pitti, the movie is slated to release on January 25.

--IANS

sug/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee's 'United India' rally at the Brigade Parade Ground, the Left parties are trying hard to make their February 3 rally at the same venue a success ahead of Lok Sabha elections, a state leader said on Sunday.

Taunting the rally organised by the ruling party in West Bengal as "an insult" to the historic ground, CPI (M) State Secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra said the turnout in their rally to protest against the "anti-people" steps by the Narendra Modi government would be a record and that they would recover the pride of the ground.

"The Trinamool rally on Saturday was an insult to the Brigade Parade Ground. The turnout at our Brigade rally on February 3 will be bigger than that of Trinamool and upcoming BJP rally (which was scheduled to be held on February 9) together," Mishra said.

"We will recover the pride of the Brigade on February 3," he said at a march in Hooghly district.

As many as 23 political parties, including the Congress and major regional parties such as the SP, BSP and DMK came together on Saturday at the mega rally to throw the gauntlet at Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the run-up to the coming general election.

Mishra said the CPI(M) has been striving to assemble anti-BJP parties to remove the Modi government at the Centre and in the state, and has called upon both anti-BJP and anti-Trinamool parties to come together.

The Left leaders have been organising several meetings and rallies across districts and appealing to supporters and activists to attend the meeting.

The state leadership of the party has urged party cadre and supporters to send their views and memories of earlier Left Front rallies held at the Brigade Parade Ground.

Tagged as #PeoplesBrigade in the Facebook post, the party leaders have exhorted workers to send photos of posters, graphics and campaign programmes in their locality through WhatsApp, Facebook or Twitter.

--IANS

bdc/ssp/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The second All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) project in Bihar which is scheduled to be set up in Darbhanga district is getting delayed owing to trouble in finalising land.

"We had finalised the land, but it is clashing with a heritage building. The location is not good and the state has been given the responsibility to find another slot for AIIMS," said a senior official in the Health and Family Welfare Ministry.

Sources said the project was proposed in the 2015-16 Union Budget and the Centre had reminded the state to find some more alternative locations of around 200 acres along with requisite infrastructure.

"For the moment, it is the state's responsibility to find an alternative land. All the other AIIMSs, as promised by the government, are approved. Only the one in Darbhanga is pending. The state may find another place in the same district or in any other district as per their choice," the official added.

Earlier this month, the Cabinet cleared three more AIIMS - two in Jammu and Kashmir and one in Gujarat.

Apart from these, the government has already given its nod for AIIMS in Rae Bareli (U.P.), Nagpur (Maharashtra), Kalyani (West Bengal) and Mangalagiri in Guntur (A.P.), Gorakhpur (U.P.), Bathinda (Punjab), Guwahati (Assam), Bilaspur (Himachal Pradesh), Madurai (Tamil Nadu), Bibi Nagar (Telangana) and Deoghar (Jharkhand).

Six new AIIMS have already been made open for public service which are in Bhopal(Madhya Pradesh), Bhubaneswar (Odisha), Jodhpur (Rajasthan), Patna (Bihar), Raipur (Chhattisgarh) and Rishikesh (Uttarakhand).

--IANS

som/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Karnataka Congress legislator Anand Singh was hospitalised on Sunday after an alleged brawl with other party MLA while staying at a resort in Bengaluru, a party leader said.

"Anand Singh was taken to hospital after there was a friendly fight between few MLAs at the resort. Everything is all right and Anand is taking rest at the hospital," state's Food and Civil Supplies Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan told the media.

Singh is a legislator from Vijayanagara Assembly segment in Ballari district. He was shifted to a private hospital in the city centre.

The details of the attack on Singh were, however, not disclosed by the party leaders.

Earlier in the day, party leaders, including D.K. Shivakumar, however, denied any such attack on Singh.

The state unit BJP alleged that Congress MLAs "fear for life" under Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy government.

"Congress MLAs fear for life under HDK government. Siddaramaiah preaches everyone about Constitutional values, we demand (Congress state unit president) Dinesh Gundu Rao and Siddaramaiah to immediately suspend their party MLA responsible for the attack on Anand Singh," the party tweeted.

The southern state's Congress legislators have been residing at a private resort on the city outskirts since Friday night, after a party meeting was chaired by Siddaramaiah at the state legislature building Vidhana Soudha, as a show of legislators' strength.

The party's senior leaders and MLAs at the resort have been holding discussions over the alleged poaching attempts by the Bharatiya Janata Party and preparing for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections in April-May, the state Congress said.

--IANS

bha/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The world's first commercial hyperloop system, which is set to open in Abu Dhabi in 2020, will cost between $20 million to $40 million per kilometre, said Bibop Gresta, chairman of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies.



In an exclusive interview with the Emirates News Agency Wam, Gresta announced that Abu Dhabi's Hyperloop capsule has left the assembly facility in Spain to Toulouse, France, where it will be tested and optimised, adding that this first-of-its kind project in the world "can recoup the investment in 8 to 15 years".



The first phase of the project involves construction of 10 km out of a 150-km system between Abu Dhabi and Dubai and is set to be ready next year.



In April 2018, HyperloopTT signed a memorandum of understanding with Abu Dhabi's Aldar Properties, which, when executed, will allow for the creation of a new Hyperloop TT centre including, a full-scale commercial Hyperloop system, an Hyperloop R&D Advanced Mobility Centre, a Demonstration & Visitor Centre, and an Innovation Hub.



The proposed HTT site within Aldars Seih Al Sderieh landbank is also conveniently located on the border of the Emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, close to the Expo 2020 site and Al Maktoum International Airport.



"It was a far-fetched dream, but we are all excited now that its a dream coming true in the UAE in 2020," Gresta said.



"Basically, the Abu Dhabi Hyperloop system is right now past the feasibility study. We have already completed the study after we partnered with Aldar Properties last year. It will be the first commercial Hyperloop line in the world."



"Today were announcing that the capsule has already left the assembly facility in Spain, and is on its way to Toulouse, France, where we have a prototype track. As soon as it arrives in Toulouse, it will be put in a tube and then they will test the system with the first passenger."



"The capsule will be assembled and optimised in Toulouse, prior to use in the Emirates with the goal of eventually connecting Abu Dhabi to Al Ain and Dubai at unprecedented speeds, safely, efficiently, and sustainably," he added.



The cutting-edge technology uses electro-magnetic levitation engineering to carry pods at 1,123 km/h. In other words, it is expected to reduce travel times between the emirates from hours to minutes.



"Hyperloop can quickly become profitable. It presents the ability to build a mass transit system that would not require government subsidies," Gresta added.



"An average cost generically comes between $20 million (Dh73 million) to $40 million (Dh147 million) per kilometre," Gresta said. "When you build it in the desert, it is different from building it in Switzerland. However, the second question we need to ask is how long does it take to recoup the investment? This is a topical question because no one transportation system on the ground recoups its investments. They always need subsidy."



"But in Hyprloop, we can recoup the investment in 8 to 15 years; it will be paying for itself and then it will be generating profits for the country. So it is not only fast but also very efficient."



"The Hyperloop system would have a low cost of implementation, as compared to other high speed transportation methods. It is a simpler, lighter weight, and less energy-intensive system," he added.



"In regions where road and railway infrastructure is scarce, Hyperloop can be a leap over 20th century technology directly into the 21st century. In regions with developed infrastructure, Hyperloop can easily integrate and complement current and future road and rail networks," the chairman of the California-based company stressed.



Asked about the issue of safety, Gresta noted, "Hyperloop is primarily built on pylons, using best practices from civil engineering, including seismic design and ability to withstand thermal expansion. Also, it is completely automated with advanced technologies that only require monitoring from humans. The system is electrically powered, with no need for fuel on board, and is protected from the environment."



"We have developed tiered emergency plans and redundant escape procedures and systems in the event of any incident. The HyperloopTTs system was deemed 'feasible and insurable' by the worlds largest reinsurance company Munich RE," Gresta concluded.
Indian missions in the United States and Canada have sought security arrangements from local police and authorities as separatist pro-Khalistan group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) has given a call for disrupting the flag hoisting ceremony at the 70th Republic Day function.

Sources have told IANS that security has been sought for official functions to be held across cities in the United States and Canada. A large number of people of Indian origin are settled in both countries.

In the United States, R-Day functions have been planned in Washington, New York, Houston, San Francisco, Chicago and Atlanta.

Similar functions have been planned in Ottawa, Vancouver and Toronto in Canada. Toronto and Vancourver have a large Indian diaspora, especially from Punjab and the Sikh community.

In a statement issued from its New York headquarters through its legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the SFJ said that it will honour the pro-Khalistan Sikhs who will foil the hoisting of Indian Tricolor during the Republic Day celebrations.

The SFJ is considered a Sikh separatist group by intelligence agencies which is demanding the creation of Khalistan (land of the pure) as a separate territory for Sikhs.

In recent years, the SFJ has increased its separatist activities in United States, Canada and Britain.

In December last year, the SFJ put up separatist posters and hoardings of 'Referendum 2020' in Pakistan when Indian pilgrims went to Nankana Sahib town to celebrate the 549th birth anniversary of Sikhism's founder, Guru Nanak Dev.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who is very vocal in criticising the SFJ and its activities, had ordered a crackdown on the outfit amid "complaints by people of deliberate attempts to vitiate the state's atmosphere".

(Jaideep Sarin can be reached at jaideep.s@ians.in)

--IANS

js/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Many Indian expatriate groups in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have missed the deadline to suggest changes to New Delhi's new draft Immigration Act which is slated to end on Sunday, the media reported.

The new draft bill will replace the Immigration Act of 1983.

The Indian government had invited public feedback for the new draft law that proposes mandatory registration of Indians going abroad for work; setting up of an Emigration Management Authority to ensure the welfare and protection of emigrants; and strict regulations and penalties to prevent illegal recruitment, exploitation and human trafficking.

A.K. Beeran Kutty, President of the Kerala Social Centre (KSC), told The Khaleej Times that he came to know about the draft bill just three days ago.

"The (Indian) government should have circulated it through official channels and diplomatic missions. None of us even knew about the tweet put out by the Ministry of External Affairs seeking comments. I think we lost an opportunity to study the draft bill carefully and raise our concerns," Kutty said.

India Social and Cultural Centre (ISC) President Ramesh Panicker echoed similar concerns, saying: "Not everybody is on Twitter. An important draft bill like this should have been made public through official channels. We got the circular from the embassy just two days ago. Though I have circulated it among our members, there wasn't enough time.

"I hope the government will postpone the deadline and allot more time for the to give their feedback," he told The Khaleej Times.

Panicker added that he would raise the issue at the 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, which will begin in Varanasi on January 21.

Bindu Suresh Chettur, a lawyer based in Dubai, said she hoped the government would extend the deadline.

"It is an important bill that affects the and hence expat organisations should have the chance to get involved."

--IANS

ksk/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ridiculing the proposed grand alliance of opposition parties, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Sunday asserted the country in the next 100 days will be free of his "tyranny and incompetence".

"Your Highness, the cries for help are the cries of millions of unemployed youth; of farmers in distress; of oppressed Dalits and Adivasis; of persecuted minorities; of small businessmen in ruin; begging to be freed from your tyranny & incompetence.

"In 100 days they will be free," tweeted Gandhi in response to Modi assertions that the 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) was a grouping of corrupt, negativity and instability.

"Today, the entire opposition has come together and is shouting 'bachao, bachao, bachao'," Modi had said referring to 23 political parties coming together for 'oust Modi' campaign on Saturday at a mega rally in Kolkata organised by West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee.

--IANS

and/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mahatma Gandhi's secularism was much more than just a religious yearning and he was successful in forging Hindu-Muslim unity, a panel of historians and political scientists said here on Sunday.

"I would like to say that Gandhi in the last few years of his life tried to make sure that India's political leadership is committed to secularism. This is something that is not generally realised," said Rajmohan Gandhi, biographer-cum-grandson of the leader, during a discussion on Gandhi's Secularism at the 10th edition of Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival (AKLF).

His latest book was 'Why Gandhi Still Matters: An Appraisal of the Mahatma's Legacy'.

Rajmohan Gandhi, biographer of Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, mentioned that if one reads carefully the history of the last few months of 1947, he would see there was a possibility of India becoming a Hindu state and Pakistan, an Islamic state.

"At that time Gandhi played an active role in getting a clear written political commitment. It was not just his religious yearnings," said.

Speaking about an incident when Gandhi was asked about rampant violence, his grandson said: "He preached 'fear not-hate not', but Gandhi had mentioned that 'fear not' became popular while the latter did not".

But consciously people knew that by acting on the feelings of ill-will or malice, one would do great harm to Indian society, he said.

Speaking about Gandhi's religious yearnings, political scientist Tridip Suhrud said "Ishwar Allah Tero Naam" is actually Bengal's gift, as young Manu Gandhi (Gandhi's grand niece) was visiting Noakhali when these words were added to 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram'( Hindu religious song). Gandhi told her that the lines must be included whenever this prayer is sung.

"It is not denial of God, it is about deep faith. To think of Gandhi minus his quest for religion would be to forget the most vital part of him. His life's long quest was to see God face-to-face. The idea of secularism is very differently constituted; it is constituted by 'samabhava'. This word is all about equality and equitability," Suhrud said.

Regarding Gandhi's take on religion in politics, historian-cum-grandnephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Sugata Bose said: "We have to understand he was describing non-violence, non-cooperation as a struggle of religion against irreligion. He was not in favour of separating the domains of religion and politics".

Bose said that like many of his contemporaries in the early 20th century, Gandhi believed that if religion is taken completely out of politics, it might be like evacuating it of any sense of ethics.

Also, he was very successful in forging Hindu-Muslim unity. His closest political compatriots were Shaukat Ali and Mohammad Ali.

Pointing how Gandhi evolved with time, Bose said: "In the early 1920s he would not dine with the Ali brothers and that he was also not in favour of inter-marriage. But by 1940s, he honestly mentioned that now he is in favour of inter-marriage and also approved inter-dining".

While writing papers on Gandhi, Bose found that though Gandhi failed to prevent Partition, in the months after independence he chided Congress leaders saying 'India does not belong to majority community and minorities have equal rights".

--IANS

bnd/ssp

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Facing condemnation from political opponents and the National Commission for Women (NCW) taking cognisance of the issue, BJP MLA Sadhana Singh on Sunday apologised for her disparaging remarks against Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati.

Singh, who represents Mughalsarai in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, at a rally on Saturday had called Mayawati "worse than a transgender" and accused her of being an "opportunist" for aligning with once arch rival Samajwadi Party (SP).

"The day a woman's blouse, petticoat and saree are torn, she comes forward to participate in She is a disgrace to the nation's women. She is worse than a kinnar (transgender), because she is neither a man nor a woman," Singh had said in her address, the video of which has gone viral.

Facing flak, Singh issued a statement saying she did not intend to insult anyone.

"During my address, I did not intend to insult anyone. I only intended to highlight the June 2 1995 incident and remind (Mayawati) about how the BJP had helped her at that time. If my words have hurt anyone, I express my regret," Singh said in the statement.

She referred to the 1995 incident when SP leaders had allegedly attempted to assault Mayawati at the VVIP guesthouse in Lucknow after she had withdrawn support to the then Mulayam Singh Yadav-led SP government in Uttar Pradesh.

Besides the NCW issuing a notice seeking her explanation, Singh came under intense attack from the opposition, including the Congress and SP.

"Such derogatory statements are unbecoming of a leader and are highly condemnable. The NCW has taken suo motu cognisance and will be sending a notice to Sadhana Singh tomorrow," said NCW chief Rekha Sharma.

Condemning the remarks, Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi said: "One may have differences on issues and ideas, but it is disturbing that this woman represents the ruling party in UP.

"It is disturbing to hear a woman speak in such a derogatory way about another woman and to see people in the audience cheering such words," she added.

In his remarks, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said Singh's words reflected the BJP's "political bankruptcy" and indicated its nervousness over the SP-BSP alliance.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav demanded booking Singh under the SC And ST (Prevention Of Atrocities) Act.

"BJP MLA Sadhana Singh should be booked under SC/ST Act. Mayawati Ji represents not only the women of this country, but also the Dalits, Bahujan and downtrodden sections of India. Any disrespect to her will not be tolerated by us," tweeted Tejashwi Yadav.

BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra said Singh's words reflected "mental illness."

--IANS

som-and/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Sunday said that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 is not applicable to Nagaland as the state stands protected under the provisions of Article 371(A) and the Inner Line Permit.

He said the state cabinet which met on January 18 discussed the Bill and re-iterated the earlier decisions adopted by the Cabinet on June 5, 2018 and January 7, 2019.

"The cabinet was of the unequivocal view that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is not applicable to Nagaland and we stand protected under the provisions of Article 371 (A) and the Inner Line Permit (ILP) as per Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, (BEFR) of 1873, affirmed under Clause 16 of the 16 Point Agreement," Rio said in a statement.

Moreover, he said the Cabinet decided to adopt a resolution re-affirming all provisions of Article 371(A) and to strengthen the implementation of the ILP as per the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) of 1873 that will also be taken up in the upcoming Nagaland Assembly session.

"The Cabinet also decided to refer the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill to the Standing Committee on Article 371(A) under the Nagaland Assembly to examine the issue in its entirety," Rio said.

The Cabinet decided to further appeal to the Indian government to have wider consultations with all northeastern states to ensure that the rights of the indigenous people were fully protected.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which has triggered massive protests in the northeastern states, was passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8.

The Bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 to grant Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who entered India before December 31, 2014.

--IANS

rrk/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Delhi government-run hospitals, which serve not only the local population but also the neighbouring states, are struggling with a chronic shortage of doctors and are making recruitments on contract or ad-hoc basis to tackle the crunch.

While in Centre-run hospitals like AIIMS, Safdarjung and Ram Manohar Lohia, doctors have the benefit of practising till the age of 70, under extension of service and on a contractual basis after retirement, no such scheme is yet to be implemented in the hospitals run by the Delhi government which face about a 30 per cent shortage of doctors, officials said.

"Out of the total sanctioned posts of 4,644 doctors, about 1,400 posts are vacant," an official of the Delhi Health Department told IANS on the condition of anonymity.

The official admitted that the services are being affected due to this shortage.

"The functioning is obviously being affected. If we have more doctors, the work can be done in a better and effective way. The posts are filled up by the Central Government through UPSC and through this procedure, recruitment of about 350 doctors is underway," the official said.

The procedure of appointing doctors, which is done through the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), is complex and takes a lot of time. The doctors first have to clear the test conducted by the UPSC followed by an interview.

"The test results are published after six to nine months. Then comes the interview part and the whole process takes around a year to complete," a senior official in the Delhi government's Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), told IANS.

Explaining the reasons for the shortage, the official said many doctors, after completing their MBBS, opt for further studies or prefer joining the private healthcare sector due to its higher pay scale.

"All this is affecting the doctor-patient ratio in Delhi hospitals," the DGHS official said adding, however, hospitals themselves can hire certain categories of doctors on an ad-hoc and contractual basis.

Speaking about the requirements, another Health official said the system is complex. "Some doctors are General Duties Medical Officers, some are non-teaching specialists, some are teaching specialists. The process of recruitment is on and we will have these people in place soon."

"There are 37 hospitals under the Delhi government, some of them are operated by societies. The hospitals running by societies function in a different manner. They hire doctors for themselves. They have done that in past years, they will do it again, as and when required," the official added.

Will the contractual system of hiring be extended to the Delhi government hospitals?

"The hiring of doctors on a contractual basis was approved last year in the Centre-run hospitals. However, the states are not obliged to follow it since they have their different process of hiring," said a senior official in the Central Health and Family Welfare Ministry.

The Delhi health official informed that, unlike the Centre, nothing has been made official on similar lines in Delhi to deal with the doctor crisis.

"The Central government, to cope with the vacancies for multiple positions in different hospitals run by it, has approved the policy of appointing retired doctors on contractual basis up to the age of 70. In Delhi, doctors work till the age of 65 and we are considering to raise the age of working of doctors, we are thinking about this proposal," the Delhi Health official said.

Last year, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had ordered that all the posts must be filled on contract basis till the permanent hiring process is completed through several government agencies.

"Shortage of medical staff has always been an issue with the Delhi hospitals. While the UPSC is already following the appointment process, the Delhi government-run hospitals can appoint certain category of doctors on a contractual basis by advertising.

"Most of them hire doctors, as and when required, on a contractual basis. The recruitment process is underway in a number of hospitals," the Delhi Health official further added.

This month, the UPSC announced vacancies for the post of 'General Duty Medical Officer' under the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Delhi.

As per the notification, UPSC has invited applications for as many as 327 posts out of which 13 posts are reserved for physically challenged persons, 63 for SC and 28 for ST category with a pay scale ranging from Rs 15,600 to Rs 39,100 along with other allowances.

"Candidates shall work in the dispensaries and hospitals of the Government of NCT (National Capital Territory) of Delhi and shall be primarily handling patients of various types in these hospitals and dispensaries for medical care. However, they can also be entrusted with other work, including administrative and other related work, as per exigencies of the Public Service," the notification stated.

Health care infrastructure and services in Delhi are being provided by a number of agencies apart from the Delhi government.

The three civic bodies, the NDMC and Delhi Cantonment Board, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare through its network of hospitals and other specialised institutions, the ministries of railways, defence and labour, and various Central government undertakings are also serving the people in the national capital.

In addition, the private sector is also contributing to providing health care services in Delhi along with Non-Profit Organisations and Charitable Institutions.

(Somrita Ghosh and Nivedita Singh can be contacted at somrita.g@ians.in and nivedita.singh@ians.in)

--IANS

som-nks/vsc/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday came down heavily on opposition alliance, saying they have started making excuses for their inevitable defeat in 2019 Lok Sabha polls by questioning EVMs.

The Prime Minister's attack come during his interaction with booth-level BJP workers from Lok Sabah constituencies of Hatkanangale, Kolhapur, Madha, Satara in Maharashtra and South Goa.

"They have now started making excuses for their inevitable defeat (in 2019 Lok Sabha polls). The EVMs are being made the villain," Modi said.

His attack came in the wake of opposition party's renewed demand for scrapping Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and a return to ballot papers.

Twenty-three political parties, including the Congress, came together for the "United India" rally at the Kolkata's historic Brigade Parade Ground on Saturday. Some leaders interacted with the media demanding scrapping of the EVM process.

The parties also decided to form a four-member committee comprising Akhilesh Yadav (SP), Satish Chandra Mishra (BSP), Abhishek Singhvi (Congress) and Arivind Kejriwal (AAP) to deal with the issue.

Hitting out at the opposition parties, Modi said they have no faith in constitutional institutions and this was the reason why they were busy maligning these institutions.

"It is obvious that every political party wants to win elections, but the major concern is that they take people for granted. They think people are fools. This is a dangerous game. Its a matter of concern.

"They do not even think before maligning Constitutional institutions. They do not have faith in any of the institutions. For long, they ruined the country and today they are busy maligning our institutions," he said.

The opposition parties have been accusing the Modi government of ruining the institutions such as the CBI, RBI, CVC and other constitutional bodies.

--IANS

bns/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
American rock star Jon Bon Jovi's restaurant has announced that will be serving free meals on Monday to federal employees who have been furloughed or working without pay, during the ongoing partial government shutdown.

"In line with our mission, federal workers are encouraged to join us for a delicious meal and to learn about additional support and resources available in our community," JBJ Soul Kitchen posted on Facebook on Saturday.

The lunch will be served at the restaurant's New Jersey outlet.

"Since founding the Soul Kitchen, we wanted to ensure that anyone struggling with food insecurity had a place to go," Bon Jovi and his wife said in a joint statement to NBC New York on Saturday.

"This Monday, we will be open for lunch as a way to create a place of support and resources for furloughed federal workers, many of whom are our friends and neighbours."

JBJ Soul Kitchen, a "community restaurant" lets patrons pay a suggested donation or volunteer at the restaurant to pay for meals. The restaurant has served over 94,000 meals at its two locations, according to its website.

Roughly 800,000 federal employees have been furloughed since a quarter of the government was shut down on December 22.

--IANS

ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The significance that North had in the BJP's 2014 general election strategy, probably it will be what will be in the 2019 general election. And while was the epicenter of 2014 general election, it may be Puri or Kolkata in 2019.

North India, to be precise the Hindi heartland, will continue to be the region which the BJP would look at to get the highest number of its candidates elected from. But as it almost reached the highhest possible in the state in 2014, even in the most favorable political circumstances it would be difficult for it to repeat this performance.

In 2014, the political scenario was favourable for the BJP and the NDA. There was a strong sentiment against the throughout the country; there was no third front or any kind of understanding between the regional parties even at the state level. In such a scenario, the BJP-led NDA could convincingly present itself as the alternative to the and the Further, as the BJP had a strong base in North India, it could leverage this political opportunity here.

In 2019, the BJP doesn't have a similar advantage, and whatever anti-incumbency exists is aimed at it alone. The Congress, after losing several elections since 2014, has made an excellent comeback in the last one year. This is evident in its recent wins in the three important Hindi heartland states.

The third front, which has been discussed for long, may finally take form now. So, there is likelihood of three political fronts in the 2019 election. However, there seems to be an understanding being developed among the opposition parties across the two fronts to ensure a one-on-one contest with NDA wherever possible. And it will definitely impact BJP's 2019 prospects to some extent, more so in the North

In western India as well, the BJP touched the ceiling in 2014, and with a fragile partner in and the being is better shape in than it has been in the last 20 years, the best it can expect in this region is to reach closer to its 2014 numbers.

In the south, apart from Karnataka, the BJP has increased its footprint to a little extent only in and it can expect to win one or two seats here. In Karnataka, unlike in 2014, the BJP will have to face a united Congress and Janata Dal-Secular alliance, and in this scenario, the BJP might be aiming to just retain its 2014 numbers.

In Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu, it is still not considered a political force.

So, the only regions where it can look to add numbers and compensate for likely losses in northern and western India is the northeast and eastern India. Till a few years back, northeast India, except Tripura, was a strong bastion of the Congress and was a stronghold of the Communists. In the last four years, the BJP has done a tremendous job there. It has strengthened itself at the ground and has uprooted the Congress and the Communists.

The northeast always had a feeling of being ignored at the level. Now, probably for the first time in several decades, there is a sense of being valued by the government in The has started many big ticket projects for the development of this region and a few of these have been completed on a priority basis. The BJP must be looking to reap the benefits of its hard work in thne region and win the majority of seats here with its alliance partners in 2019.

Eastern India, which includes Odisha, West Bengal, and Jharkhand, constitutes 117 parliamentary seats. In 2014, the NDA had won 46 seats here, and the BJP's number was 37, but the majority of these wins were from and Out of 63 seats in and Odisha, BJP/NDA had won just three seats. The Congress party has not been able to revive itself in this region and is considered only a marginal force. The regional parties are strong and there will be a direct contest between the BJP/NDA and the regional parties.

In Bihar, in 2014, the BJP had won 22 seats, and the NDA tally was 31. It was a triangular contest which had benefited the NDA. With major realignments since then, 2019 will be a direct contest between the and the NDA, and NDA must be aiming to at least retain its numbers.

In Jharkhand, out of 14 seats, BJP had won 12 with two going to JMM. The current BJP government in the state is the only one set to complete its term and has no corruption charges. The BJP must be looking to retain its position here here as well.

Now let's look at Odisha, which is strategically very important for the BJP's 2019 plans. It has been a stronghold of Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal (BJD), who has been ruling the state for last 19 years.

In 2014, the BJD had won 20 out of 21 seats and one seat had gone to BJP. The 2019 elections will be the first in the last 19 years when the BJD will be facing anti-incumbency. Many people in the state feel that the BJD being in power for such a long time is deeply entrenched in the system, resulting in favouritism and corruption at every level. There is resentment in the BJD more than ever. Some senior leaders have left the party. The Congress, which had once ruled the state for a long time, has become a distant third player. So, there is an opportunity for the BJP, which has worked hard in last few years and has established itself as the main opposition party in the state.

There is lot of talk in the media about Narendra Modi contesting the 2019 general election from Puri, a city which is considered of Odisha's religious capital. The historic Lord Jagannath temple in Puri is the centre of devotion for millions of Hindus not only in but in the adjoining states as well.

Narendra Modi contesting from Puri may create enthusiasm in the party in and adjoining states -- quite equal to what he had been able to generate in and north India in 2014. The BJP must be looking forward to taking advantage of the anti-incumbency against the BJD government and the popularity of Narendra Modi to win seats in the state.

West Bengal, which sends 42 MPs to Parliament, is another state in eastern India which the BJP must be looking at for bigger gains in 2019. The BJP has been very aggressive here in recent years and has left behind the Congress and the CP-M to establish itself as the main opposition party in the state. The local BJP leaders have been picking each and every opportunity to attack the Trinamool Congress and Mamta Banerjee in an effort to gain ground. Many political pundits believe what Himanta Biswa Sarma has done for BJP in Assam, Mukul Roy can do in

is high on BJP's agenda and this is crucial for its 2019 plans. Therefore, in case Modi doesn't contest from Puri, there is high possibility that may contest from Kolkata, and it may dramatically change the political atmosphere in the state and impact its prospects in the adjoining states as well.

If the "Look East" strategy works for BJP, it can compensate for likely losses elsewhere -- and with some parties joining the NDA post-poll, it should achieve a comfortable majority in 2019.
Seven strategic initiatives in the fields of services and financial markets, tourism, aviation, entrepreneurship, customs and security, were announced at the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Saudi-Emirati Coordination Council in Abu Dhabi.



The initiatives have hailed by a number of UAE and Saudi ministers as a translation of the integrated vision held by the two countries towards the central importance of further consolidating trade and socio-economic relations between the two sisterly countries, reported Emirates news agency Wam.



The ministers are members of the Executive Committee of the Saudi-Emirati Coordination Council who convened in Abu Dhabi today with the participation of all 16 members from both sides to follow up on the execution of the joint initiatives outlined in the Strategy of Resolve.



"The UAE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are two major economic powers, with their economies valued at more than $1.2 trillion," said Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy.



"The two countries are launching the largest urban and tourism developments in the Arab region and their cooperation is resulting in unlocking a considerable investment value, producing more than 25 projects in a number of essential sectors, and tapping myriad job opportunities, not only for their nationals, but for all Arab youth as well," he added.



Dr Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said the Saudi-Emirati Coordination Council lays down a new basis for Arab diplomacy that efficiently addresses critical and fundamental issues.



He underscored the significant role assumed by the Council at the global scene, politically, economically and socially.



"The Arab world is going through a watershed in its history during which it is facing myriad challenges, the survival of which entails that the two countries adopt an integrated vision toward regional developments. We should not look back on the past. Today Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are spearheading a major transition in the region and all parties concerned should support their efforts to ensure remarkable progress and development in the region," he added.



For his part, Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education, said the Saudi-Emirati Coordination Council has laid down the first joint Arab initiative to consolidate vocational education, hailing the Council's youth-centric education and training efforts.



"We have ambitious projects in the education sector in both countries that will provide vocational training opportunities, from which large segments of the two countries' youth will benefit," the minister added.



Dr Sultan bin Ahmad Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State, underlined the longstanding relations binding the two countries across all economic and social fields.



"The two countries boast significant achievements and share same ambitions. They are working together across different fields, including the media domain to counter fanatic ideologies and terrorism," said Al Jaber.



"The UAE and Saudi Arabia are leading the region at the energy level. There are several initiatives to ramp up cooperation in the field of renewables to increase their contribution to the energy mix in the two countries. The UAE is also collaborating with Saudi Arabia in the field of Oil and Gas, with Adnoc and Aramco cooperating together in the downstream industry in order to unlock value and utilise the growing global demand for petrochemicals.



"The UAE is among the Kingdom's top global partners and its first regional partner. Trade exchanges between the two countries grew 20 per cent, which is equivalent to SR14.6 billion ($3.88 billion), during 2017," the minister said, highlighting the large number of ongoing and future projects and initiatives between the two sides to propel economic cooperation.
Employees of the Assam government have come in support of protests against the Citizenship Amendments Bill 2016.

The employees, under the banner of Sadou Asom Karmachari Parishad (SAKP), on Sunday decided to hold a three-hour sit in demonstration on January 30 across the state.

SAKP General Secretary Fakhruddin Ahmed said a resolution to this effect was adopted at a meeting held at Tamulpur on Sunday.

The SAKP has around four lakh members who are the employees of the Assam government. The sit in demonstration by the four lakh employees on January 30 implies that the administration will come to a standstill for three hours that day.

"The SAKP had taken active part during the Assam Movement against the illegal foreigners. Out of the total 860 martyrs of the movement, 68 were government employees and members of the SAKP," Ahmed said.

--IANS

ah/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The 10th edition of three-day Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival reaches its culmination on Sunday after hosting dozens of sessions addressed by key writers, historians and public intellectuals from India and abroad.

The annual event that began on Friday saw wide ranging themes and issues, including the current socio-political situation in the country, responsible journalism, mythology, history and #MeToo movement, being discussed at several venues spread along the iconic Park Street here.

"It is clear that during the Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival, Kolkata becomes a literary magnet. AKLF is the only literary festival in the country created by a bookstore, the nearly 100-year-old Iconic Oxford Bookstore. The people of the city are interested in books and reading a variety of genres ranging from classics to Pulitzer Prize winning titles and this was very evident from the audience and their interaction with authors at the festival," Priti Paul, Director of Apeejay Surrendra group, which organises the festival, told IANS.

Paul, herself a bookworm, said the festival arose from the deep love of books and literature.

"It is not only about meeting authors and book signings, it's about using literature and books for education, exposure and ideas and that's exactly what we saw at the Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival," she added.

Top Indian authors such as Devdutt Pattanaik, David Davidar, Jerry Pinto, Shashi Tharoor, Shobha De, Saikat Majumdar and Paro Anand, among others, participated in the festival.

On the sidelines, it also hosted a series of events, targeting a young audience. The festival delegates from India and abroad were also made witness to the timeless traditions of Bengal through specially curated dinners on the sidelines.

Tagoreana, a dinner hosted on Saturday at The Park Hotel here, for instance, was themed after the Nobel Prize winning writer Rabindra Nath Tagore. Award winning chefs were looped in to recreate rare dishes for the special occasion.

The evening saw a get together of authors, diplomats, actors and eminent media personalities enjoying a splendid menu comprising Aloo Makha Kurkuri, Kosha Mangsho Bakhlawa, Holy Basil Chingri Malai Curry, Aaloo Lal Saag, Posto Chenna Dalna, Kolkata Style Mutton Biriyani and many more.

A number of workshops on creative writing and illustrative arts along with poetry reading sessions were also organised in and around the venues.

--IANS

ss/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Incumbent Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on Sunday registered with the Election Commission to contest the presidential poll slated for July 20.

"Our objective is to have a strong government... Only a strong government can overcome the prolonged 40 year-old crisis and can ensure justice in society to stabilise peace and security," the President said in a speech after registering his candidacy.

A total of 14 politicians including Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, former National Security Advisor Mohammad Hanif Atmar and former warlord Gulbudin Hekmatyar are in the fray, reports Xinhua news agency.

Hekmatyar, who was also the country's Prime Minister from 1992 to 1996, is believed to be responsible for the killing of tens of thousands of civilians in Kabul during the 1990s civil war and was nicknamed the "Butcher of Kabul".

The election was initially scheduled to take place on April 20.

--IANS

ksk/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Despite a virtual split in the leadership of its Punjab unit, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will contest all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, party leader Arvind Kejriwal announced on Sunday.

Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal arrived in Punjab on Sunday to launch the party's election campaign for the Lok Sabha polls with a rally in Barnala town.

"People want a change. They are fed up with the Modi government. The BJP will lose in the Lok Sabha elections," Kejriwal told the media in Sangrur, around 130 km from here.

Kejriwal met senior leaders of the AAP Punjab unit, including MP Bhagwant Mann, leader of opposition Harpal Cheema and legislator Aman Arora.

The AAP has already announced the names of five candidates for Lok Sabha seat in October. These seats are Sangrur, Faridkot, Hoshiarpur, Amritsar and Anandpur Sahib.

Two AAP MPs from Punjab, Dharamvira Gandhi and Harinder Khalsa, who were suspended from the AAP in August 2015 for taking on the AAP leadership, have not been named as party candidates so far. Their suspension has also not been revoked.

The AAP has retained two sitting MPs: Bhagwant Mann (Sangrur) and Sadhu Singh (Faridkot).

The AAP had won four Lok Sabha seats in Punjab in the 2014 general elections. AAP candidates in 2014 had put up a good fight in other constituencies also. The party could not win a single Lok Sabha seat anywhere else in the country in that election.

There are 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. The Congress is in power in the state since March 2017.

The AAP, which showed a lot of promise as a third alternative in Punjab against the traditional political rivals Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (SAD-BJP) alliance, has been in a disarray in the past over two years with infighting and a virtual rebellion by its leadership.

Legislators Sukhpal Singh Khaira, H.S. Phoolka and Baldev Singh have quit the party. Phoolka has resigned as MLA also.

--IANS

js/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least nine people were killed and 15 injured on Sunday in a car bomb blast targeting the convoy of an Afghan governor in Logar province, police said.

A Taliban militant detonated his explosives laden car at 10.30 a.m. near the vehicles that were escorting Logar province Governor Anwar Eshaqzai and Amir Jan Nasiri, the provincial Intelligence Agency Chief, a senior police official told Efe news.

"Fortunately the governor and intelligence agency chief were not harmed," he said.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid in an emailed statement claimed responsibility for the attack.

Logar is of strategic importance to the rebels as it lies just 75 kms from Kabul and the Taliban are known to be active in major parts of the province.

--IANS

ksk/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A head-on collision between two buses on the Oruro-Potosi highway in Bolivia has left at least 22 people dead and more than 30 others injured, police said.

The accident occurred on Saturday on the highway around 40 km from the city of Challapata, Romulo Delgado, commander general of the police, told reporters.

The injured have been taken to hospitals in Challapata and Oruro city. The incident was under investigation, Xinhua reported citing the police officer.

According to preliminary police report, the accident could have been caused due to excessive speed and one of the buses may have crossed into the oncoming lane, in addition that rain and fog could have obstructed the drivers' vision.

--IANS

pgh/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rahul Gandhi on Sunday vowed that within 100 days, all unemployed youth, oppressed farmers and other neglected people will be freed from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government's "tyranny and incompetence."

The Congress president's comments were in reply to Modi's "Bachao, Bachao" remark on the anti-BJP rally held in Kolkata.

Taking to his Twitter handle, Rahul said, "Your Highness, The cries for help are the cries of millions of unemployed youth; of farmers in distress; of oppressed Dalits & Adivasis; of persecuted minorities; of small businessmen in ruin; begging to be freed from your tyranny & incompetence. In 100 days they will be free."

On Saturday, Modi slammed the TMC-organised rally in Kolkata. While questioning the basis of their unity, Prime Minister said that participants of the rally just wanted to save themselves.

"They have all gathered there and are shouting 'Bachao, Bachao, Bachao'," Modi said.

It is noteworthy that Rahul Gandhi along with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi skipped the mega rally, which was attended by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, DMK president MK Stalin, Conference supremo Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, BSP leader Satish Misra and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh among others.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking initiative for the construction of the "grand monument" dedicated in remembrance of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Addressing the media while visiting the Statue of Unity, the Vice President said: "I am delighted and very emotional right now. I have been a fan of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel ji's since my childhood days. I have always thought that a great man like him has not been given enough recognition."

"Through the years, I became a legislator, an MP, a Minister, but I have always had the same feeling that something must be done. Today, our Prime Minister Narendra Modi took initiative and made this grand monument in Patel ji's remembrance. I cannot describe the emotions I am currently feeling in words," the Vice President said.

He later addressed the valedictory ceremony of the ninth edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in Gandhinagar.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US on Saturday said that more than 50 al-Shabaab terrorists were killed in an airstrike near Jilib, Middle Juba Region of Somalia.

The al-Shabaab is a Somali-based terror group that is affiliated to al-Qaeda.

The US Africa Command, that oversees the country's military operations on the continent, said that the airstrike was conducted "in response to an attack by a large group of al-Shabaab militants against Somali National Army Forces" on January 19, CNN reported.

The military command stated that the airstrike killed 52 terrorists and no civilians died or injured in the airstrike.

The number of airstrikes have risen ever since US President Donald Trump in March 2017 directed the military forces to conduct precision strikes targeting al-Shabaab in an effort to support the Somali government in its fight against terrorism. Before the decision was made, the US military conducted airstrikes only in self-defence of advisers on the ground, as per the report.

The al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for a terror attack at a luxurious hotel complex in Nairobi on January 15 that claimed 21 lives.

Between 2016 to 2018, the US military carried out 97 precision airstrikes against the terror group.

There are around 3,000 to 7,000 al-Shabaab terrorists and about 70 to 250 Islamic State terrorists in Somalia as of August 2018, according to a data by the US Department of Defence.

About 500 US troops are stationed in the East African nation, primarily in advisory roles.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
United States President Donald Trump on Saturday outlined his plans in a bid to end the nearly month-long partial government shutdown by offering temporary protections for undocumented migrants in exchange for the funding for his proposed border wall on the US-Mexico border.

In a televised speech from the White House, Trump hinted at extending protections for roughly 700,000 'Dreamers', the children of illegal migrants brought into the US, under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme for three years.

He floated a three-year extension of protections for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders in exchange for $5.7 billion funding for the wall, The Hill reported.

The TPS is a system where people, whose families have been affected by war or disasters are allowed to live and work in the US. Interestingly, Trump has been vocal against the TPS and DACA programmes, asserting that non-Americans were "taking away" potential jobs from Americans.

"Both sides (Republicans and Democrats) in Washington must simply come together, listen to each other, put down their armour, build trust, reach across the aisle, and find solutions," Trump said.

Defending his decision for building the wall, Trump asserted that there is a "humanitarian and security crisis" on the border with Mexico, adding that a lack of border control provided a "very wide and open gateway" for criminals to enter the US.

"There is a humanitarian and security crisis on our southern border that requires urgent action. Illegal immigration reduces wages and strains public services. The lack of border control provides a gateway, a very wide and open gateway, for criminals and gang members to enter the United States," he elucidated.

Accusing the Democrats of ignoring border security, Trump said that he wanted to "break the logjam" and provide the Congress with a "path forward" to end the shutdown and the crisis on the US-Mexico border.

"I am here to break the logjam and provide Congress with a path forward to end the government shutdown and solve the crisis on our Southern Border. If we are successful in this effort, we will then have the best chance in a very long time at real, bipartisan immigration reform," said Trump, while urging the Democrats to leave aside and support him in building the border wall.

Describing his proposals as "straightforward and reasonable," Trump reiterated the Democrats' support for the wall, terming it a "common sense" with "lots of compromise."

The shutdown, that has now entered its 29th day, was triggered on December 22 last year by a lack of consensus between Democratic lawmakers and the US President on the $5.7 billion funding for the wall on the border with Mexico, which was one of Trump's electoral promises.

The ongoing partial government shutdown is the longest in the history of the US.

Roughly a quarter of the government is closed and an estimated 800,000 federal workers have been adversely affected by the lapse in funding, who are either furloughed or working without any pay.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Syria has condemned the continued attacks of the US-led coalition on civilians here.

Syrian Foreign and Expatriates Ministry sent letters to the UN Secretary-General and the President of the UN Security Council on Saturday about the new crime committed by warplanes of the international coalition in al-Baghouz Foqani village, reported Sana News Agency.

Syria also stated that the nation has incurred a great loss due to attacks causing damage to infrastructure, economic, service, oil and gas facilities and to public and private properties.

The ministry further referred to the crimes as "systematic and behavioural," stating that the US-led coalition has violated sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic under exposed pretexts.

The war-torn nation emphasised that the coalition which was formed illegally and outside the jurisdiction of the UN Security Council has strengthened the terrorist groups and have increased cooperation and coordination among them.

The letters stressed that activities of the coalition, which was illegally formed outside the jurisdiction of the UN Security Council, have strengthened the extremist terrorist groups, on top of which are Daesh and Jabhat al-Nusra, and increased cooperation and coordination among them.

Syria asked the Security Council to take its responsibilities in the maintenance of international peace and security and immediately work to stop the daily series of war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by countries of the coalition against the civilians.

In the letter, the ministry also demanded the UN agency to take necessary measures to set an international mechanism to bring perpetrators to justice and create a work plan to compensate the victims of these attacks.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Eight people were killed and 10 others injured in a suicide attack targeting a convoy of Logar governor and the provincial NDS chief on Sunday in Mohammad Agha district of the province.

Tolo News quoted Nasir Ghairat, member of Logar Provincial Council as saying, "Casualties are feared but the governor and the provincial NDS chief have survived the attack."

According to unconfirmed reports, as many as seven of the governor's bodyguards have been injured, however, the provincial security officials have refrained from commenting about the matter.

Taliban has claimed that responsibility for the suicide attack.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi on Sunday came down heavily on Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman over the Rafale deal and said that she is the "most defenceless minister in India."

Defence Minister Sitharaman in a seminar on Saturday said: "I want this debate on Rafale deal without any of us playing in the hands of international corporate warfare. None of us should become a party to any corporate warfare. We cannot become pawns in the hands of the corporate giants' warfare to question the government and throw misinformation to the public."

Responding to Defence Minister Sitharaman's statement, Chaturvedi on Sunday told media here, "The Defence Minister in her recent statement has conclusively proven that this is a government of the suited-booted, for suited-booted and by the suited-booted."

"She has proven that corporate interests for this government are way more important than nation's interests. That seems to have become the mantra for the entire Modi governance. It is always going to be the suited-booted friends over the nation," she said.

Chaturvedi said: "Sitharaman today comes across as the most defenceless minister of India who is protecting, serving and defending the interests of the government and their corporate friends."

She also asked: "What was the compulsion to snatch 108 Rafale contract fighter jets that would have come to the HAL through the transfer of technology, from HAL and continuing to lie in the Parliament that the there was absolutely no work share agreement?"

"However, if you go through the Twitter feed of Dassault Aviation, it categorically states that there was a work share agreement signed between HAL and Dassault. Also, HAL had signed this contract on March 13, 2014, which was worth Rs 36,000 crore. While lying in the Parliament whose interests was the Defence Minister defending," she further asked.

Chaturvedi further questioned, "Why it is that transfer of technology was denied to HAL?" She further claimed that "14 days after the Rafale deal was signed, Reliance Defence got the incorporation licence."

The Congress leader added: "It was given to them on April 24, 2015, which is 14 days after the announcement of the purchase deal. The licence was given by the Commerce Ministry, which was helmed by Nirmala Sitharaman at that point in time. Whose commercial interests were being served by the Commerce Ministry?"

Meanwhile, Chaturvedi said that the BJP is trying to "destabilise an elected government in Karnataka."

Talking to ANI, she said, "People are watching how BJP is trying to collapse the Karnataka government through money and power."

Prime Minister Modi earlier on Sunday termed the show of strength by opposition parties in Kolkata as "an alliance among the corrupt."

"This 'Mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance of opposition parties) is a unique type of alliance. This alliance is between the 'Naamdaars.' This alliance is all about nepotism, corruption, scams, negativity, instability, and inequality. This is a very unique merger," said Prime Minister Modi while addressing the BJP's booth level workers of Maharashtra and Goa through video conference.

When asked about the same, Chaturvedi said, "See who is speaking all this? Who actually is the most corrupt in the country today.They themselves have promoted nepotism. It looks funny when they make such statements.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday wrote letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan, suggesting measures to be taken up by the two countries "to preserve the sanctity of Kartarpur Sahib and Dera Baba Nanak Gurudwara Sahib."

"Baba Nanak's corridor has brought together people and nations, leading us into times of shared peace and prosperity. The sacredness and serenity of Kartarpur Sahib and Dera Baba Nanak Gurdwara Sahib await the footfalls of our pilgrims," he stated in the letter.

"Yet precisely our footfalls have the power to erode the history, architecture, and ecology of these sites. We who revere most their pristine landscape and terrain must tread lightly to avoid disfigurement in the name of commercialisation and tourist comforts," Sidhu stated in the letter.

The Punjab Minister suggested that new concrete structures should not be built in and around the revered sites and that no historical structure should be altered. He further said that personal transport must be barred, and pilgrim's movement should be regulated.

Sidhu further stated that local lands could be used for the cultivation of organic food, which can be used to serve 'langar' for the pilgrims, and drink water "sustainably" from the waters of Baba Nanak's well.

His other suggestions included proper waste disposal systems, encouraging the use of local and traditional artifacts at nearby 'bazaars' refraining from 'shopping complexes' that sell fast-food or utilise plastic wares, and promotion of folk art.

"Baba Nanak's corridor opens the way to a sacred pilgrimage. We have a duty to devote ourselves to its future as well as its past," Sidhu said in the letter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Sunday criticised Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu for violating protocols and writing letters directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani PM Imran Khan.

Speaking to ANI, SAD leader Daljeet Singh Cheema said, "As far as Kartarpur corridor is concerned, each and every Sikh wants that Kartarpur corridor should be completed at the earliest, Sidhu also wants the same, so we agree with him on that. But the way he is writing letters to Pakistan Prime Minister and Indian Prime Minister is little weird".

The former Punjab Education Minister said that being a cabinet minister, Sidhu is obliged to follow certain protocols, adding that if he has some suggestions, he should first write to the Chief Minister of the state, who will write about the matter to the Prime Minister, who will then take the issue forward at an international level.

"But it seems that Sidhu does not have the habit of following protocols and he is more interested in sending his message to the media to show that he is the only person who is concerned about the Kartarpur corridor. It is not a good thing to violate the protocols," Cheema said.

Meanwhile, Congress leader and president of the party's Punjab-unit Sunil Jakhar defended Sidhu's move and said that the latter wrote in both nations' interests.

"His letter is related to environment and to preserve the heritage and ecology of both the countries. He gave a wonderful suggestion of banning private mode of transport, I think no government will have any objection in implementing Sidhu's suggestions," Jakhar told ANI.

Earlier in the day, Sidhu wrote letters to Prime Ministers of both India and Pakistan, suggesting measures to be taken up by the two countries "to preserve the sanctity of Kartarpur Sahib and Dera Baba Nanak Gurudwara Sahib."

He suggested banning of new concrete structures around the revered sites and altering of any historical structure, barring personal transport, cultivation of food for langar on local lands, proper waste disposal systems, encouraging the use of local and traditional artifacts at nearby 'bazaars' refraining from 'shopping complexes' that sell fast-food or utilise plastic wares, and promotion of folk art.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has condemned the derogatory remarks on Mayawati made by a BJP lawmaker Sadhana Singh and called the leader of the BSP as a 'strong lady' from the Dalit community.

Speaking to ANI, the Union minister and Republican Party chief said, "Mayawati is a strong lady from the Dalit community and is also a good administrator. Any derogatory comments against her are condemnable."

"Though my party support the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the alliance but any such statements are condemnable," Athwale said in response to a reporter's question.

Addressing a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Chanduali on Saturday, Sadhana, a BJP MLA from Mughalsarai, said: "I don't think Uttar Pradesh's former Chief Minister is a woman or a man. She doesn't understand the concept of dignity. Draupadi was a victim of sexual misconduct. She vowed to get revenge. That was a self-respecting woman. Look at this woman. Everything was looted from her, despite which she sold all her dignity to get power."

"I take this opportunity to condemn Mayawati, who calls herself a woman. She is a shame on the entire womankind. BJP leaders saved her dignity, and she sold it for the sake of her comfort and power. Women from the entire country condemn her," Sadhana added.

Former MP and vice-president of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), Jayant Chaudhary tweeted, "Such statements from the Mughalsarai MLA represents the small thinking of senior BJP leaders. It depicts by the perspective of society by the party.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Even as pressure mounts on the government to construct the Ram temple in Ayodhya, a replica of the temple is proving to be a crowdpuller at the ongoing Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.

Ram temple has been a major talking point ahead of the Lok Sabha elections this year with many Hindu seers and saints, who thronged Kumbh and other saffron outfits still demanding for the construction of the Ram temple at the disputed site at the earliest.

Narendra Giri, President of Akhada Parishad said, "BJP is not interested in constructing Ram Temple as they want to keep this issue alive for election. After Kumbh Mela, all saints will meet in Ayodhya and construction of Ram Temple will start."

Meanwhile the nine foot tall temple model constructed out of mango wood and plywood is installed at the VHP Pandal in sector 14 of the Mela is drawing visitors at the religious fair.

International working president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Alok Kumar told ANI, 'We have travelled across the whole country with this model. It is our determination to build the temple where Rama was born.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress President Rahul Gandhi has started showing "some signs of maturity", feels BJP MP Saroj Pandey, who had earlier described him as "mandh-buddhi (dim-wit)".

Pandey, who is a Rajya Sabha MP from Chhattisgarh, made the comment while responding to a question from a journalist here last evening.

"He (Rahul) has started showing some signs of maturity," she said when asked to comment on recent political moves of the Congress President.

"We have seen how the Congress party used the Vyapam scam in the past as a political strategy. However, this did not work out, as we all saw. It is clear that the BJP is not involved in any kind of corruption. So now the Opposition is trying to rake up the Rafale scam instead," the BJP leader said.

In June last year, Pandey had alleged that Rahul was "mandh buddhi" after he claimed that the founder of Coca-Cola once sold 'shikanji' (lemonade).

"The kind of things he (Rahul) says is surprising. He is definitely trying to learn but there is an age to learn. A person who learns after the age of 40 cannot be called learned. Such a person is called mandh buddhi," Pandey had said at a public address in Durg.

Commenting on the TMC-led anti-BJP rally held in Kolkata on Saturday, Pandey slammed it, saying it was astonishing to see political factions with opposing ideologies coming together under one roof.

"Mamata (Banerjee) is not able to save democracy in her own state, it was shocking to see her lead the rally. The Opposition in West Bengal is being oppressed by the TMC government, so much so that they did not even let us hold Rath Yatra. These parties are coming together to defeat one man (Prime Minister). This goes to show the might of the BJP," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Islamabad [Pakistan], Jan 20 (ANI): They gathered on January 5, in Germany, in Cologne, and again on January 12 in Tank in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to commemorate the first anniversary of Naqibullah Mehsud's death.

It was to emphasize their determination to seek justice in a non-violent way for all the thousands and thousands of victims of the so-called anti-terrorist strategies carried out by the Pakistani government.

And, as happened throughout this year marked by protests against Islamabad, the Pakistani press could not or did not want to report the story.

The news, as happens more and more often in Pakistan, travels almost exclusively via the social media and tells the story of a country increasingly torn by discrimination and violence against most of its citizens.

Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen, leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), reiterates once more the requests of his fellow citizens.

The movement, born only a year ago, has grown and is growing bigger every day, taking to the streets, and gathering more people every day.

Pashtuns, obviously, but not the only people of different ethnicities and backgrounds that for months have been protesting against the government of Islamabad and, above all, against the real government of the country -- the Army.

The Pakistan Army is guilty of adopting against the ethnic Pashtun citizens the same strategies adopted over the years towards other ethnic and cultural groups -- exploitation of local resources to the advantage of the dominant Punjab, cultural colonization, radicalization of religious and social institutions.

This recipe led in the past to the birth of Bangladesh in 1971, and to the fifth separatist insurrection still going on in Balochistan.

In Sindh, it has led to the creation of political parties and ethnic-nationalist movements.

The history of Pashtuns is complex and closely intertwined with the history of occupations and regimes that took place in Afghanistan.

Border regions have been used from time to time as training camps and nurseries for jihadi, as battlefields for war-like actions against the 'bad' Taliban, as safe heavens for the 'good' Taliban', as factories for fake documents in order to send ISI spies to Afghanistan.

The local population has been suffering for years in silence. The community members have seen not only their houses, their markets and their villages crumble under the mortar shells of Pakistani Army, but also their social and cultural structures disappear.

The desperate attempts of Islamabad to convince the West of its "good faith", setting the region on fire, targeting mainly innocent civilians after relocating elsewhere their so-called "strategic assets", forced entire communities to flee their land and their houses.

But in addition to being devastated and looted, the Pashtuns began to undergo also through a systematic ethnic record throughout the rest of the country, and to be discriminated accordingly.

"We have been sacrificed for years on the altar of so-called strategic interests because of terrorist groups authorized to operate on our land. Our villages have been bombed and our people have been forced to abandon their homes in the name of counter-terrorism operations. Thousands of young people have been illegally detained or have simply disappeared.

"Many of our tribal leaders, many religious, political and student leaders have simply been murdered. The state has totally failed to prosecute those guilty of these crimes in the Fairies and neighboring regions inhabited by the Pashtuns, such as the Khyber Pakhtunhwa and Balochistan," says Manzoor Pashteen.

So, even in other regions of their own country, Pashtuns have been and are target of continuous discriminations and humiliations.

The inhabitants of Waziristan have been forced to use the so-called 'Watan' identity cards, which discriminate the bearer on the basis of ethnic and regional affiliation.

They are special identity cards, which must be approved and released by intelligence agencies and which make their owners subject to abuse and discrimination in the name of national security.

Any kind of people, political opponents, ordinary citizens, activists and intellectuals began to disappear or be killed in pretentious gunfire even though they never owned a weapon.

The ongoing protest started last February, when Naqeebullah Mehsud, an aspiring model with vague aspirations as a human rights activist, was killed in a false gunfight with the police.

It was the classic drop: for three days, hundreds of people staged a protest sit in Islamabad to seek justice, and thus the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement was born, which is now expanding across the border into Afghanistan.

The PTM accuses the army of using the tribal areas to hide the Haqqani and the plethora of 'good' jihadi in the pay of the secret services and to make the local population live in a climate of pure terror.

And on April 8th, through a Facebook page called 'Justice for Pashtun', tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Peshawar to protest against the army, the government and the Punjabi domination.

Even in Lahore, precisely the land with a majority of Punjabis, eight thousand people gathered, arranged by Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen enthusiastically compared by many to Che Guevara.

Pashteen is a local Che, who instead bears a black hat with red embroidery.

Like Che, he is very young and studies medicine but, unlike the legendary Commander, he does not believe in armed struggle.

Pashteen is a convinced pacifist, and believes in democratic protest.

"We only ask to know where the thousands of missing persons have left without a trace. We want to know what happened to our people and, if among those taken from the services or by the police there are criminals, we want them to be tried in a court.

"We want a commission that investigates the extra-judicial killings committed by the State: from the secret services, from the army and from all the other organisms that have tortured and killed civilians of Pashtun ethnicity ".

For the moment, the State has responded in its own way, as it has been doing for years in Balochistan.

It has forbidden demonstrations, is arresting or using violence against anyone who supports the PTM and in recent months, nine activists have disappeared.

Even the shops that sold Pashteen-like hats were closed, and the sellers arrested.

All this has been happening for months now, in the face of deafening silence of the local press that, apart from a few stunted reports on a couple of English-language newspapers by definition 'untouchable', was ordered not to pass the articles of journalists or commentators that they took up the subject.

Because criticizing the army in Pakistan is a dangerous exercise, especially when, as the PTM does, the State is accused of playing a double game in the so-called fight against terrorism.

The same accusations, in fact, the West has been raising with Islamabad for years. Accusations to which, as usual, Islamabad first responded by accusing the Pashtuns of being supported by 'foreign agitators' and later releasing a handful of activists.

The PTM has not stopped, and will not stop, say its leaders, until justice is done.

Islamabad is playing with the fire. The government makes some concessions but continues to censor newspapers and televisions regarding the Pashtun protests, arrests the leaders of the PTM, prevents them from leaving the tribal areas and even puts them on the 'no-fly' list.

The number of people who took to the streets in the past days, however, tells a different story. A story from which Islamabad apparently has learned nothing at all.

A similar peaceful movement for human and civil rights, launched by the inhabitants of the then East Pakistan who were victims of the same kind of abuse, was forcibly suppressed and finally led to the birth of Bangladesh.

If the government and the Army force Pashtuns to abandon their peaceful protests and to join the armed resistance that operates, for example, in Balochistan, the consequences for Pakistan could be devastating and divide once again the country.

(Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are strictly those of the author).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The much-touted grand alliance of opposition parties will lose the match either by hitting the wicket on its own or will throw a no-ball without a captain on the pitch of the coming General Elections, said Union Minister and senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Sunday.

"This alliance (of opposition parties) doesn't have a captain. It will hit the wicket on its own or throw a no ball on the pitch of coming Lok Sabha elections in 2019. They know very well know that they are competing against the captain (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) who has made India proud all over the world," Naqvi told ANI here.

"The opposition parties do not have any guidance or policy. They only want to remove Prime Minister Modi and sit on the chair. They all want to be the captain of their ship. They all are expired leaders and are expired items," added Naqvi.

Echoing similar views, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, "Our leader Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the most popular face across the world."

"The Opposition's alliance has done full preparations, but they say that they will announce later who will be their Prime Ministerial candidate. They have just joined hands. Their hearts are still apart. This is an alliance of opportunist people."

BJP's Anil Jain said: "This opportunist and unnatural alliance cannot beat Prime Minister Modi and our party chief Amit Shah. The country stands with Prime Minister Modi. It is tough to say that this alliance will make a way to the people's heart."

However, the Opposition parties have claimed that the people of India stand tall with them and have decided to go against the BJP in the coming General Elections.

"There are multiple efforts going on in the country. There is a common understanding among the secular democratic political parties that it is imperative that all should work together and see that BJP is defeated in the interest of the country and its future," CPI leader D Raja told ANI.

"If the BJP is not defeated, the Constitution will be attacked. The progress of the nation will adversely be impacted. It is the need of the situation to defeat the BJP," added Raja.

Congress' Pramod Tiwari said: "We have clearly said that our main motive is to defeat Prime Minister Modi in favour of the nation and after the General Election we will talk about our Prime Minister. Frustration can be seen on his face today."

Aam Aadmi Party's Raghav Chadha said: "Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah are dangerous for this nation and democracy. It is, therefore, our responsibility to defeat them and save democracy."

Top leaders of as many as 20 parties on Saturday joined Kolkata rally organised by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee where they stressed the need for working unitedly to defeat the BJP in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Among those important leaders who attended the rally were Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president MK Stalin, Conference supremo Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Satish Misra, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh and his son Jayant Chowdhary.

Interestingly, former Union Finance Minister and BJP dissident Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie, Shatrughan Sinha, Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel, former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Gegong Apang, former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, and Gujarat independent MLA and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani also attended the anti-BJP rally.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) President M K Stalin who had proposed Congress chief Rahul Gandhi as a prime ministerial candiadate for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, on Sunday said there was nothing wrong with the suggestion as he was merely expressing the wishes of the people of Tamil Nady.

Addressing a rally in Chennai, the DMK President said, "Yes, I did propose the name of Rahul Gandhi as the next PM candidate in the DMK rally. What is wrong with it? It was the wishes of the people of Tamil Nadu."

Stalin also attacked the media for finding fault with him for not reiterating his prime ministerial endorsement at the recent united Opposition rally in Kolkata.

"When I made the suggestion at the DMK meeting the media repeatedly asked me why I had done it. Yesterday, when I addressed a rally in West Bengal and did not take Rahul's name in the rally, the same media asks me why I did not ," Stalin said.

Asked about the sentiment of the people in West Bengal about the name of their chief minister coming up as a possible prime ministerial candidate, the Tamil leader said, "The people of West Bengal have decided to take a decision on it after the elections."

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief while addressing a rally in December last year claimed that if Congress president Rahul Gandhi became the Prime Minister he can provide a stable government.

Stalin's statement comes at a time when various political parties have come together ahead of 2019 general elections to defeat the ruling BJP government.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vishva Hindu Parishad's (VHP) international working president Alok Kumar on Sunday said that the Hindu outfit is not going to support Congress or any other political party.

The statement comes after media reports suggested that the VHP would support Congress if the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya is on the party's election manifesto.

In this regard, Kumar told ANI: "In the last few days we have met various MPs of different parties to seek their support on Ram Janmabhoomi legislation. We will request all political parties to include support to the Ram Janmabhoomi issue in their manifesto and the parties who do it, we will welcome and thank them. But, it does not mean we will support the parties. Not the least, Congress."

Kumar had reportedly said earlier that if the Congress party includes the construction of Ram Mandir in its election manifesto, they may consider backing the party. However, he clarified that the outfit had no inclination towards the Congress. "We would prefer that this matter becomes a matter of consensus," he added.

The construction of a Ram temple has gained momentum in the recent past, with elections around the corner. A number of organisations and political parties have been mounting pressure on the Centre to initiate construction of the temple in Ayodhya- the birthplace of Lord Ram.

On January 2, Kumar had said Hindus could not wait "till eternity" for a court decision on the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The Supreme Court recently fixed January 29 as the next date for hearing in the case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Saturday vowed to make Telangana roads "shine like a mirror".

The chief minister in a review meeting held here at Pragathi Bhavan to discuss the current condition of state roads, directed concerned officers to complete the task in next two years.

The Chief Minister made it very clear that after irrigation projects, the top priority will be accorded to roads and highways. He further instructed that including the newly formed village Panchayats, the entire 12,751 village Panchayats in the state should be provided with BT road facility.

He also directed the R&B officials to assess the existing conditions of the roads in the state and prepare a plan accordingly. Following the assessment a budget will be allocated for the same.

The Chief Minister in the meeting underlined that several roads and bridges in the state need to be repaired. He also asked his ministers to constantly monitor the progress of road repair work.

In the meeting, the Chief Minister also instructed the officials to immediately pay the compensation to the farmers who lost their land in the construction of Canals of Kaleswaram Project.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Himachal Pradesh Cabinet has decided to implement 'compensation scheme for women victims/survivors of sexual assault/other crimes-2018' to provide compensation to the women who had suffered loss, injury, as may be, as a result of the offence committed and thus required rehabilitation.

The decision was announced in a meeting held on Saturday under the chairmanship of state Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur. Apart from this, many other decisions were also taken in the cabinet meeting.

Under this scheme, the amount of compensation would be provided to the victims under Women Victims Compensation Fund as decided by the State Legal Services Authority or District legal Authority. The compensation to the affected women to be provided ranges between Rs. two lakh to Rs. 10 lakh keeping the gravity of the crime.

The Cabinet has also decided to create new Division and Sub-Division of Irrigation and Public Health Department at Chontra in Mandi district along with creation and filling up of requisite posts.

It gave the approval to open one new Sub-Division and one new Section of Irrigation and Public Health Department at Shaat in Kullu district along-with creation and filling up of requisite posts.

It gave its nod to extend the validity period of Letter of Intent (LOI) and licenses BWH-2 and D-2A for setting up of a distillery at village Bhangla, Tehsil Nalagarh, district Solan in favour of M/s Kala Amb Distillery and Brewery Pvt. Ltd.

The Cabinet gave its approval to fill up 28 posts of Junior Office Assistant (IT) in the office of Deputy Commissioner, Sirmaur on a contract basis.

It decided to fill up four posts of Civil Judges in the establishment of Himachal Pradesh High Court through direct recruitment from Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission.

The Cabinet also gave its ex-post facto sanction to fill up eight posts of Block Development Officers in Rural Development Department through direct recruitment.

It decided to create and fill up five posts of Associate Professors and one post of Junior Resident in Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar Government Medical College, Nahan in district Sirmaur for the smooth functioning of the college.

The Cabinet decided to fill up eight posts of various categories in Directorate of Energy through direct recruitment on contract basis.

The Cabinet also decided to declare Kotkhai Utsav of Shimla district, Mata Mansa Devi Mela of Dharampur in Solan district, Lohri Mela of Gram Panchayat Piplu in Dharampur of Mandi district as District level Fairs.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress leader D K Suresh on Sunday refuted reports of a fight between Karnataka Congress MLAs Anand Singh and J N Ganesh even as he confirmed that Singh was hospitalised with chest pain.

"I don't know about the fight, Anand Singh is admitted in hospital due to chest pain. There are no injuries or anything. His parents are here at the hospital. Other issues are just speculations," he told ANI here.

Media reports suggested a quarrel took place last night between Singh and Ganesh after which Singh was reportedly taken to the hospital for treatment.

Earlier in the day, Congress leader DK Shivakumar also rubbished as "fake news" reports of the fight between the two leaders.

Meanwhile, BJP MLA R Ashok said D K Shivakumar and D K Suresh were confusing people with lies.

"Doctors of Apollo Hospital should come out and clarify whether Anand Singh has been admitted for chest pain treatment or for something else. Police should file a suo-motu case and investigate, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Localities in southern Philippines are all set to vote for a historic proposal on Monday that would provide greater autonomy to the region.

South China Morning Post reported on Sunday that Monday's referendum will provide those residing in the autonomous region in Muslim majority Mindanao, also known as Bangsamoro, with more funding and a bigger revenue share, along with the full control of its resources, ending a decades-long conflict in the between locals and the Philippines government.

Few officials from the Philippine government seemed to oppose the referendum and the new political entity that would take control of the region soon.

Insurgency has been plaguing the region since the past four decades, claiming lives of thousands of people and restricting the economic development of the region, which is rich in mineral deposits worth approximately USD 300 billion.

Head of Bangsamoro's investment board, Ishak Mastura, was quoted as saying, "The approval of this law will signal peace, and hopefully, the Bangsamoro can hitch on the coming Mindanao boom in investments."

Meanwhile, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has promised to adapt new economic provisions in the constitution of the region once the vote has been passed.

"Your approval of this law will not only serve as an expression of your desire to end more than half a century of armed struggle in the region," Duterte said.

"It will also serve as a testament to your determination to bring genuine peace and development in Muslim Mindanao," the President added.

According to Anadolu news agency reports, around three million people are expected to vote on the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) under high-security provisions in Cotabato City, the regional centre of Muslim Mindanao.

A second round of voting for the referendum is slated to take place on February 6.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Srikant Jena, who was recently expelled from the primary membership of the Congress, has accused party president Rahul Gandhi of surrendering himself before the Patnaik family and mining mafias in Odisha.

Jena has also claimed that he would expose Gandhi scion to such an extent that the latter would "not be able to show his face in public".

"I am glad that I am relieved from the responsibility of remaining in the Congress party. I had written many letters to Rahul Gandhi asking whether he will stand with Patnaik brothers and mining mafias or with the people of Odisha," Jena told a press conference.

Annoyed over his expulsion from the Congress, Jena said: "Rahul Gandhi chose to stand with mining mafias and Patnaik brothers. This is not expulsion, I had already written a letter requesting him to accept my proposition or else relieve me from the party. I wanted to expose him but he has exposed himself."

This came after Jena, along with former Koraput MLA Krushna Chandra Sagaria, was expelled from the primary membership of the Congress for alleged "anti-party activities" by the Odisha unit of the Congress, following recommendations from the All India Congress Committee (AICC).

Jena has also claimed that Rahul had also decided that the governance of Odisha should remain with the Patnaik family.

Continuing his tirade against the Congress president, Jena warned: "I will campaign everywhere and I will expose their secrets. This is just the beginning. On January 25, I will give certain facts. The full country will know what Rahul Gandhi is and what he is protecting.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Sunday asked the country's Home Ministry to work towards eradicating drug abuse, terrorism, militancy and the 'black disease' of corruption spread by the military dictators who ruled the country in the past.

"If we want to develop the country, we have to free it from drug abuse, terrorism, militancy and corruption... I ask the officials working in this ministry (Home Ministry) to give special attention to these matters," Dhaka Tribune quoted the Bangladesh Prime Minister.

Targeting previous governments, Hasina said corruption had begun to spread as a "black disease" in society during the reign of the military dictators.

Addressing a views-exchange meeting during her visit to the Home Ministry, Hasina also asked the ministry to use modern technologies to curb crimes and apprehend criminals.

Pointing out that traffic congestions were becoming a major issue in the country, the Prime Minister suggested that people should use footbridges or underpasses and obey traffic rules to avoid traffic accidents. She directed the police to ensure traffic rules are followed.

On January 12, Hasina was sworn in as Prime Minister of Bangladesh for a third consecutive term and her fourth overall. This follows the victory in elections to the 11th parliament which was held on December 29 last year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Democrats rejected United States President Donald Trump's offer to provide temporary protection to migrants.

Rejecting the proposal that includes millions of dollars for humanitarian aid and drug detection technology, Democrats called on Trump to reopen the government before negotiations on immigration could begin, reported CNN.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has been negotiating the reopening of the government along with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, said that it was "a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives, each of which is unacceptable and in total, do not represent a good faith effort to restore certainty to people's lives."

Calling the provisions for the migrants a 'non-starter', Pelosi said in a statement, "It is unlikely that any one of these provisions alone would pass the House, and taken together, they are a non-starter. For one thing, this proposal does not include the permanent solution for the Dreamers and TPS recipients that our country needs and supports."

Schumer stated that Trump's offer was not really an offer at all.

Referring to the move as 'hostage taking', Schumer, in a statement said, "It was the President who single-handedly took away DACA and TPS protections in the first place -- offering some protections back in exchange for the wall is not a compromise but more hostage taking."

On Saturday, Trump outlined his plans in a bid to end the nearly month-long partial government shutdown by offering temporary protections for undocumented migrants in exchange for the funding for his proposed border wall on the US-Mexico border.

In a televised speech from the White House, Trump hinted at extending protections for roughly 700,000 'Dreamers', the children of illegal migrants brought into the US, under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme for three years.

He floated a three-year extension of protections for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders in exchange for 5.7 billion USD funding for the wall, The Hill reported.

The TPS is a system where people, whose families have been affected by war or disasters and are allowed to live and work in the US. Interestingly, Trump has been vocal against the TPS and DACA programmes, asserting that non-Americans were "taking away" potential jobs from Americans.

The shutdown, that has now entered its 29th day, was triggered on December 22 last year by a lack of consensus between Democratic lawmakers and the US President on the USD 5.7 billion funding for the wall on the border with Mexico, which was one of Trump's electoral promises.

The ongoing partial government shutdown is the longest in the history of the US.

Roughly a quarter of the government is closed and an estimated 800,000 federal workers have been adversely affected by the lapse in funding, who are either furloughed or working without any pay.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Sunday filed a criminal complaint against BJP lawmaker Sadhana Singh for her objectionable remarks about former UP chief minister Mayawati.

The complaint was filed at Baburi police station in Chandauli district of the state by Ram Chandra Gautam who is in-charge of Varanasi and Azamgarh zone of the party.

In his complaint, Gautam alleged that Sadhana who belongs to the general class while addressing a public meeting used "foul language" against BSP chief and former chief minister Mayawati knowing that she belongs to the Scheduled Caste.

"Singh made her remarks with intent to cause hurt to Mayawati. The BJP lawmaker said that she could not decide that whether Mayawati is a man or a woman," he said in the complaint. Gautam also submitted a recording of Singh's speech along with his plaint.

"I would request the police to file a case against MLA Sadhana Singh under the relevant section of Indian Penal Code (IPC)," said Gautam.

However, BJP MLA Sadhana Singh on Sunday expressed regrets for calling BSP chief a "eunuch," stating that she did not intend to insult anyone.

Singh on Sunday issued a press release in Hindi, which roughly translates as, "Recently, the speech given by me was not intended to insult anyone, but to remind how the BJP had helped Mayawati in the Guest House case on June 2, 1995. "I didn't want to insult her. I would like to apologise if my words have hurt anyone," she said.

On Saturday, Sadhana Singh had alleged that Mayawati sold her dignity in exchange for power.

"I don't think Uttar Pradesh's former Chief Minister is a woman or a man. She doesn't understand the concept of dignity. Draupadi was a victim of sexual misconduct. She vowed to get revenge. That was a self-respecting woman. Look at this woman. Everything was looted from her, despite which she sold all her dignity to get power," Sadhana had said at a public rally in Chandrauli on Saturday.

"I take this opportunity to condemn Mayawati, who calls herself a woman. She is a shame on the entire womankind. BJP leaders saved her dignity, and she sold it for the sake of her comfort and power. Women from the entire country condemn her," Sadhana added.

Her comment drew flak from the BSP and its new ally Samajwadi Party (SP) amongst others.

The Commission for Women had also said that it would issue a notice to Sadhana Singh regarding her comments.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Constitutional Court here on Sunday declared Felix Tshisekedi, leader of the main opposition party, as the newly elected President of the country, rejecting claims of rigging and fraud by runner-up candidate Martin Fayulu, who declared himself to be the country's "only legitimate president."

Al Jazeera quoted that Fayulu's party workers as saying that outgoing President Joseph Kabila had made backroom deals to announce the election results in favour of the opposition.

Meanwhile, Fayulu has urged his supporters to demonstrate a peaceful protest on the streets of the Congolese capital, stating that the Constitutional Court has announced false elections results.

"It is no secret ... that you have elected me president," Fayulu was quoted as saying.

"I consider myself the only legitimate president of the Democratic Republic of Congo. I call on the Congolese people not to recognise someone who would take on that role illegitimately, nor to obey the orders coming from him," he added.

However, after the Court announced its decision on Sunday, Tshisekedi claimed that the poll results secure victory for the nation.

"It is Congo that won," said Tshisekedi, while addressing the media after the poll results were announced.

"It is not the victory of one camp against another. I am engaged in a campaign to reconcile all Congolese. ... The Congo that we are going to form will not be a Congo of division, hatred or tribalism. It will be a reconciled Congo, a strong Congo that will be focused on development, peace, and security," the newly-elected President further added to his statement.

Presidential elections in Congo took place on December 30 last year, after a long time span of 17 years. Joseph Kabila who had held the Presidential post for so long was held accountable by the opposition forces who claimed that he delayed the voting in order to extend his term in the office.

In earlier circumstances, Presidential polls were postponed twice, especially after the Independent National Election Commission (CENI) of Congo cancelled last year's December 23 vote in three cities, including Beni, Butembo, and Yumbi, after voting machines were burnt in a massive fire in one of the main warehouses in Kinshasa.

The Congolese election commission blamed ethnic violence and increasing Ebola cases as the major causes for posting elections in the three eastern states of Congo.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Chinese embassy in Stockholm condemned media reports that suggested that Sweden's ties with Beijing posed security threats to the country and termed the accusation by media totally "unjustified" and "deliberately hyped".

According to SCMP, a few days back, Swedish media reported that the agreements to establish a controversial satellite station in the country's north had been signed with the Chinese military.

To clarify, the embassy released a statement saying, "Such claims, without any factual support, are deliberately hyped up fabrications. They are totally irresponsible,"

The embassy also stated that accusations about China's "control" over telecommunications networks and infrastructure were "unjustified".

The tension between Sweden and China has been escalating for the last six months. Till now, China has issued two travel warning to its citizens about the risks of visiting Sweden. The first travel warning was issued on September 23 and expired on December 22, but it has been renewed and extended until March 22 because of "the security situation in Sweden".

Relations between the two sides further deteriorated after a group of Chinese tourists were removed from a Swedish hotel by police in September 2018.

However, Sweden is not the only country to scrutinize technology ties with China. Recently, Chinese technology giant Huawei has been barred from providing equipment for fifth-generation wireless networks in countries including the US, Japan, and Australia.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hours after calling off its hunger strike, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday said it will continue its protest over the Sabarimala temple issue.

Speaking to ANI, Kerala BJP state president PS Sreedharan Pillai said his party will resume its agitation again over the issue.

"After the hunger protest, BJP will begin the next level of agitation on the Sabarimala issue. The party will begin an interaction drive with people for the next two weeks as part of the agitation," he said.

The statement from Pillai came just a few hours after Mahila Morcha, the women wing of the BJP ended their 14 days hunger strike .

The BJP is demanding withdrawal of prohibitory orders at the Sabarimala shrine and cancellation of cases charged against party leaders, who participated in the protests and strikes. They are also demanding stringent action against those officers for allegedly manhandled devotees while on a pilgrimage.

A couple of weeks ago, violent protests also broke out across Kerala after Bindu Ammini and Kanaka Durga climbed the Sabarimala temple. Protesters blocked highways and forced closure of shops and markets located in various parts of the region.

On 28 September 2018, the Supreme Court had lifted the ban on entry of women of age group between 10 to 50 years into the Sabarimala shrine.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP legislator Sadhana Singh from Mughalsarai town in Uttar Pradesh's Chandauli district, who is under Opposition fire for her offensive remarks targeting Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief, has a total of seven criminal cases, including rioting pending in court against her.

An affidavit submitted by her to the returning officer during Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh mentions seven criminal cases against her. These include rioting, wrongful restraint, endangering life and personal safety of others and the use of assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duties.

On January 19, Singh had accused Mayawati of "selling her dignity for power" and alleged that Mayawati was a "blot on womankind".

"I don't think Uttar Pradesh's former Chief Minister is a woman or a man. She doesn't understand the concept of dignity. Draupadi was a victim of sexual misconduct. She vowed to get revenge. That was a self-respecting woman. Look at this woman. Everything was looted from her, despite which she sold all her dignity to get power," Sadhana had said at a public rally in Chandrauli on Saturday.

On Sunday she issued a press release expressing regret for her remarks on the BSP chief and said she did not intend to insult anyone.

Sadhna Singh on Sunday issued a press release in Hindi, which roughly translates as, "Recently, the speech given by me was not intended to insult anyone, but to remind how the BJP had helped Mayawati in the Guest House case on June 2, 1995. BJP MLA Sadhana Singh apologises for her 'eunuch' remark about Mayawati.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Sadhana Singh on Sunday expressed regrets for calling BSP chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati a "eunuch." Singh said that she did not intend to insult anyone.

Sadhna Singh on Sunday issued a press release in Hindi, which roughly translates as, "Recently, the speech given by me was not intended to insult anyone, but to remind how the BJP had helped Mayawati in the Guest House case on June 2, 1995.

"I didn't want to insult her. I would like to apologise if my words have hurt anyone," she said.

On Saturday, Sadhana Singh had alleged that Mayawati sold her dignity in exchange for power.

"I don't think Uttar Pradesh's former Chief Minister is a woman or a man. She doesn't understand the concept of dignity. Draupadi was a victim of sexual misconduct. She vowed to get revenge. That was a self-respecting woman. Look at this woman. Everything was looted from her, despite which she sold all her dignity to get power," Sadhana had said at a public rally in Chandrauli on Saturday.

"I take this opportunity to condemn Mayawati, who calls herself a woman. She is a shame on the entire womankind. BJP leaders saved her dignity, and she sold it for the sake of her comfort and power. Women from the entire country condemn her," Sadhana added.

Her comment drew flak from the BSP and its new ally Samajwadi Party (SP) amongst others.

The Commission for Women had also said that it would issue a notice to Sadhana Singh regarding her comments.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Terming the show of strength by opposition parties in Kolkata on Saturday as "an alliance among the corrupt," Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the BJP had "an alliance with 125 crore people" of the country.

"This 'Mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance of opposition parties) is a unique type of alliance. This alliance is between the 'Naamdaars.' This alliance is all about nepotism, corruption, scams, negativity, instability, and inequality. This is a very unique merger," said Prime Minister Modi while addressing the BJP's booth level workers of Maharashtra and Goa through video conference.

"They have formed an alliance with each other. We have formed an alliance with 125 crore countrymen. Which alliance do you think is stronger? Most leaders at that stage in Kolkata were either sons of the influential people or were trying to set their own children in politcis. They have money power while we have people's support," he said.

Underscoring the importance of 'Mera Booth, Sabse Majboot' moto, Prime Minister Modi asked the party workers to reach out to the voters with the popular schemes launched by his government.

"Prepare a list of the schemes launched by the Central government and Maharashtra government alphabetically. Like A for Ayushman Bharat, B for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, C for Clean Ganga Mission and so on, which can easily be recalled and remembered," said Prime Minister Modi.

Taking a potshot at the opposition parties for their concern over the efficacy of electronic voting machines (EVMs), he said: "They have already started making excuses for their defeat in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. EVM is being made a villain. It is natural that every political party wants to win the polls, but is worrisome if some parties take the public for granted. They consider public stupid and keep changing their colours."

During his interaction with the party workers, Prime Minister Modi also showed them the video of an improvised version of the song 'Breathless' sung by Shankar Mahadevan, with lyrics based on the Centre's schemes.

Prime Minister Modi urged the party cadres to make songs along these lines in local dialect to popularise the schemes being run by the Central and the state governments of the BJP.

"Make songs in local languages, describing all the schemes of the government, which I will tweet," he said, while lauding the spirit of ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and extended good wishes for his wellbeing.

"I pray that my dear friend Manohar ji, popular Chief Minister of Goa and architect of modern Goa recovers soon. He is working even in this condition and his passion towards work is inspirational for us," said Prime Minister Modi.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav on Sunday said it is "laughable" that the BJP is trying to create an issue out of his "slip of tongue" remark at a rally in Kolkata, where he said that the country was looted via the Bofors deal, which was signed by the Congress government in 1986.

Speaking to ANI, Yadav said: "It is laughable. I was actually quoting N Ram's (senior journalist) report in The Hindu. The story is about the Rafale deal. Now if they start making issues out of a slip of tongue, then imagine their helplessness."

During the mega rally of opposition parties in Kolkata on Saturday, the former Member of Rajya Sabha attempted to attack the BJP on the controversial Rafale deal, but, instead said, "Robbery was committed in the Bofors deal."

In an interaction with BJP workers in Maharashtra and Goa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the irony in the mention of the Bofors scandal from a platform where the 'Mahagathbandhan' leaders had gathered to talk about saving the country and democracy.

The BJP was also quick to take a potshot at Yadav for the faux pas. Taking to its official Twitter handle, the party posted a video of his blunder with the caption, "Thank you Sharad ji for having the courage to speak about Bofors!"

In reply to Modi's "excuses" comment on the four-member opposition committee on EVMs, Yadav said: "The matter of EVM is controversial. There is now a misconception regarding EVMs among the people."

"There are no EVMs anywhere else in the world. This is a serious issue. It is not right if they politicise the issue. The opposition parties have certain doubts regarding the EVMs. So the Election Commission should clear those doubts in a fair manner," he said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said that a four-member committee had been formed to clarify the opposition parties' stand the on EVMs in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, SP president Akhilesh Yadav, BSP leader Satish Mishra, and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, are the members of this committee.

When asked about BJP MLA Sadhana Singh's comments about BSP supremo Mayawati, Yadav said: "Whatever you want to say, it can be said by using a decent language. The people who use this kind of language, damage themselves more than others."

BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh's Mughalsarai constituency, Sadhana Singh on Saturday courted controversy by saying that she doesn't think BSP supremo Mayawati is either a woman or a man, adding that the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister sold her dignity in exchange for power.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The BSF on Sunday said that the 31 refugees apprehended from the 'zero line' between India and Bangladesh's border near Tripura's Rayemura were "pushed" by the Border Guards (BGB).

On January 18, BSF troops posted at the border observed 'suspicious movement' from the territory. Later, the BGB made a telephone call and confirmed the activity, discovering a group of refugees, BSF DIG Brajesh Kumar told ANI. A total of six men, nine women, and 16 children were found trying to enter into India.

The BGB alleged that the Rohingyas were "pushed by the BSF," into their territory.

"We alerted our troops and next morning approached the BGB to hold a flag meeting. The meeting was held on January 19. They said that there were 31 Rohingyas and claimed they were pushed by the BSF towards Bangladesh," Brajesh told ANI.

Refuting the BGB's claims, the BSF asked them to identify lapses in the Indian side of the fence and show the place from where the crossing might have happened.

"But they could not justify their allegations. They only keep harping that if they are on the Indian side, the BSF should take care of it. In fact, we later came to know that these people were apprehended by the BGB on their side," he said.

"It is not known from where they were apprehended, but after apprehending them, they snatched their documents and pushed them about 40-50-metre into the Indian territory from the zero line," Brajesh said.

"We also asked them if they crossed from India to Bangladesh, how are their ID cards with them (BGB)? It indicates they were brought by the BGB," the BSF DIG added.

Two flag meetings between the BSF and the BGB have been conducted, including a Commander-level meeting held in the area today. Another higher-level meeting will be held on Monday to pursue action towards resolving the issue.

The BSF has been providing food and water to the refugees on humanitarian grounds.

Replying to questions regarding a potential standoff between the BGB and the BSF over the issue, he said, "BSF and BGB have a very cordial, friendly relation. We have regular interaction with them, and there was no such issue in the past, we are in touch with them and we will amicably solve this.
A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a ride in the K-9 Vajra howitzer, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said the Army would get a fleet of 10 more Howitzers in the next one month.

The K-9 Vajra is one of the two new howitzers to have been inducted into the Army after a gap of more than 30 years in the shadow of the Bofors gun scandal.

"The induction of the gun into the Army was a big achievement after a gap of 30 years... in the next month, the Army will receive a new batch of these guns," Defence Minister Sitharaman said in reply to an ANI query.

This is one of the fastest deals in terms of the time taken.

Larsen & Toubro had won Rs 4,500 crore contract to supply 100 units of the K9 Vajra-T 155 mm/52 calibre Tracked Self-Propelled gun systems to the Indian Army in 2017.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the Armoured Systems Complex of Larsen and Toubro in Gujarat, the first private facility in the country where the K9 Vajra self-propelled Howitzer guns will be manufactured.

Larsen & Toubro had in 2017 won the Rs 4,500-crore contract from the Ministry of Defence to supply 100 units of K9 Vajra-T 155 mm/52 calibre tracked self-propelled gun systems to the Indian Army under the Centre's 'Make in India' initiative.

"I congratulate the entire team of Larsen & Toubro for building the state-of-the-art K-9 Vajra Self Propelled Howitzer. This is a significant contribution towards India's defence sector and protecting the country," Prime Minister Modi tweeted.

"Boosting 'Make in India' in the defence sector is our endeavour. I am glad that the private sector too is supporting this pursuit and making a valuable contribution," he had said in another tweet.

The other gun to have been inducted into the Army was the M-777 ultralight howitzer which has been imported from the US.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced that his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would contest on all 13 seats in Punjab in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

"AAP will contest on all Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. The people of Punjab were upset with Akali Dal and now even the Congress has failed to fulfill all their promises. We will work in Punjab the same way we worked in Delhi," he told media persons here.

"The country is fed up with the governance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. If they will come to power again in 2019, then they will divide the nation. The entire nation and anti-BJP forces want to defeat them," Kejriwal said.

During his visit, Kejriwal addressed a rally in Barnala town.

Earlier while talking to ANI, AAP leader Gopal Rai said that the party would contest the Lok Sabha elections all alone in Delhi, Punjab and Haryana.

"Our party will contest the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana alone. For Congress, their arrogance is bigger than the interest, which is visible from the recent statements of Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and Sheila Dikshit," Rai said.

Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had earlier dismissed the need for the Congress to ally with the AAP in Punjab but had asserted that the final decision would be taken by the Congress high command.

"Till now there is no question of Congress allying with the AAP as the party does not have its presence in Punjab," Singh had said after an informal meeting with Congress president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi recently.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two labourers lost their lives on Sunday in a mishap during the trial of Jammu Gondola ropeway at Mahamaya.

Governor Satya Pal Malik expressed his grief over the loss of lives and announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of the deceased. He also directed the Divisional Administration to provide free-of-cost medical treatment to those who were injured in the mishap.

The Governor has also ordered a magisterial inquiry to ascertain the cause of the incident.

Meanwhile, on the instructions of the Governor, Advisor Khurshid Ahmed Ganai, and Chief Secretary B V R Subramanyam visited the injured in the hospital late on Sunday evening and wished them a speedy recovery.

The Chief Secretary also visited the accident site and took stock of the situation. He directed the police to sanitise the entire area to prevent any further mishap.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Since May 2018, one headline has flashed on and off prime-time debates  Modi vs All.

Its followed by fervent questioning: Why are all the parties huddling into a grand conspiracy to bring down a lone Narendra Modi? Now that the prime minister has embarked on his 100-rallies-in-100-days programme, we can be sure that we will hear more of the Modi vs All claim  both from the man himself, and from the media bandwagon. But is there any truth to that picture in the first place? Will it really be Modi vs All across the country in the coming ...
Of the total 28,360 MoUs signed during the summit, up from 25,578 MoUs in the previous 2017 edition, about 77 per cent of them at 21889 came from MSMEs at the three-day VGGS 2019. As with the previous summit in 2017, this time too, the Gujarat government stayed away from immediately announcing the value of total investment commitment on the last day of ...

Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.



Digital Editor
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman rapped the Congress partys criticism of the governments statements on the Rafale plane deal with France. "Have you heard the responses in Parliament? I don't have proof that they heard it.

As far as I know, they were flying paper planes, some were taking photos and shouting when the finance minister was giving the response. Then how do you say you are not satisfied with the replies?" she asked when reporters referred to the Congress allegations. "You can wake up those who are sleeping but not those who are ...
Defence Minister on Sunday inaugurated the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor in the Tiruchirapalli district of Tamil Nadu, with various private and public sector industries announcing an investment of around Rs 3100 crores.

The Defence Minister spoke about various initiatives for the industry to engage with armed forces and co-create the best in defence technologies through the flagship 'Make in India' program.

She stated that development of these corridors will not only help in accelerated growth and regional industry agglomeration but will also facilitate a well-planned and efficient industrial base which will boost defence production .

This will be the country's second defence industrial corridor after the first one was launched in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh August last year.

Both the corridors were announced in the last Union Budget as part of measures to build an indigenous defence production ecosystem.

The Tamil Nadu corridor has six nodes at Trichy, Salem, Hosur, Kovai, Madurai and Chennai. It is expected to be a specialised facility hub in precision centred, aero component manufacturing. (ANI)

Several products of OFB, HAL, and BEL were also released at the event. DRDO handed over to Director General Ordnance Factories a superior model of Arjun Mark-1A tank

The highlight of the event was investment announcements of over Rs 3,100 crores by the OFB, DPSUs and private sector put together. Many global conglomerates like Lockheed Martin also announced their intentions to invest in the corridor.

The Defence Minister also launched the "CODISSIA Defence Innovation and Incubation Centre" to support the MSMEs, Start-Ups and existing industries in their endeavour to expand and contribute significantly for defence indigenisation and other areas.

Speaking about the importance of Tamil Nadu as a defence hub, Secretary Defence Production Ajay Kumar said important equipment of the AWACS programme is designed and developed in Tamil Nadu.

He said India should follow the path of China, which became the third largest exporter of military equipment from being the largest importer a few years ago.

Three defence related MoUs will be signed in Sitharaman's presence today and the minister will later inaugurate the Coimbatore Defence Innovation hub, by video conferencing from Trichy.
Over 4,000 were allegedly chased away by Navy personnel when they were fishing near Neduntheevu in the island nation's waters, a association leader said here Sunday.

The from this island town who put out to sea in over 590 mechanised boats on Saturday were catching fish near Neduntheevu when the Lankan navy men came to the spot and drove them away, Rameswaram Fishermen Association president P Sesuraja said.

One fisherman was injured when the navy men threw stones at the Tamil Nadu fishermen, he alleged.

He also charged the Lankan navy men with snapping the fishing nets of 10 boats and taking away the GPS equipment from 20 boats.

The fishermen had to return to the shore without a catch, Sesuraja said.

Meanwhile, a team of fishermen from Pudukottai and Nagapattinam is in to retrieve nine boats seized by the island nation's navy some time ago.

On December 29, 2018, over 3,000 fishermen from the state were allegedly chased away by Lankan Navy personnel for fishing near Katchatheevu.
MLAs have returned to the state from where they were lodged in a private resort for the past a few days.

State B S Yeddyurappa had asked all 104 party MLAs to return and they flew back to the state late Saturday night, MLC Lehar Singh said.

"Some of them have directly flown back to their constituencies and others including former deputy chief ministers R Ashoka and K S Eshwarappa returned to Bengaluru," he said.

With the on tenterhooks to keep its numbers intact, the party's MLAs are remaining sequestered in a resort on the city outskirts fearing a poaching bid by BJP.

Yeddyurappa had said BJP would not destabilise Karnataka's ruling coalition.

"Let the Congress-JD(S) leaders not have any doubt about it," he said, after chinks in the ruling coalition were exposed when four MLAs skipped the Legislature Party meet on Friday.

As the fissures became evident, the on Friday swiftly moved all its MLAs to the resort in a bid to "escape" the BJP's alleged bid to woo its MLAs.

Top Congress sources had said Friday that at least eight party MLAs have "committed" themselves to BJP. The BJP also announced that a seven-member team led by Yeddyurappa would tour drought-hit districts from Monday.

CLP had welcomed Yeddyurappa's decision to call back all BJP MLAs and asked him to "walk the talk" on not trying to destabilise the ruling coalition.

"I welcome Yeddyurappa's decision to call back the BJP legislators from and send them to monitor the drought management in the state," he said in a tweet in Kannada.

Congress minister D K Shivakumar said he was in touch with all the MLAs.

Asked about senior ministers resigning to accommodate disgruntled legislators in the cabinet, he said, "I have voluntarily offered (to resign)...in the interest of the party. If my leaders want, I'm ready.
The world is still celebrating the historic landing of Chinas Change-4 on the far side of the moon on January 3. This week, China announced its plans to follow up with three more lunar missions, laying the groundwork for a lunar base.

Colonising the Moon, and beyond, has always being a human aspiration. Technological advancements, and the discovery of a considerable source of water close to the lunar poles, has made this idea even more appealing. But how close is China to actually achieving this goal? If we focus on the technology currently available, China ...
The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) has said that the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) should not hear any third party, other than the applicant who has taken a company to the NCLT and the company which is the corporate debtor itself, at the time of the admission of a case. We may observe that except the applicant (financial creditor) and the corporate debtor, there is no requirement of hearing a third party including the intervenor at the stage of admission, the NCLAT said.

IDBI Bank had moved the NCLAT against the repeated adjournments in NCLT Kolkata ...
The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option.
Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.



Digital Editor
Latest News MyState brings back former broker chief as General Manager Banking Former broker chief will take over as new General Manager Banking

Understanding long-term interest rates in the US and Australia Is this a bubble, as Burry says, or sustainable growth?

A lender has announced its joint CEO will leave the company, creating a structure with just a single CEO.

Resimac, formed from both RESIMAC and Homeloans in December, made the announcement on Friday.

Mary Ploughman, who has been at the company for 16 years, was thanked for her service.

The other joint CEO Scott McWilliam will now take on the role of solo CEO, effective Friday (18 January).

McWilliam joined the Resimac group in 2016 at the time of the RESIMAC and Homeloans merger.

Having previously led the ASX-listed Homeloans Limited as CEO for five years, the ASX announcement about the restructure said McWilliam had wide-ranging and strong relationships across the Australian mortgage and debt markets.

The single CEO structure comes less than two months after the two brands became one.

In an interview with Australian Broker at the time of the merger announcement, McWilliam said it was a natural evolution.

He added that the merger and renaming to Resimac meant the group could diversify, whereas the Homeloans name had made it sound like they only did one thing.

The new Resimac group was expected to have a mortgage book of more than $12 billion and more than 50,000 customers.
London: The University of Oxford chancellor has warned of national security risks when academics collaborate with China.

Aerial view of the Oxford University City Credit:SHUTTERSTOCK

Lord Patten, who was the last British governor of Hong Kong, said there should be a point of contact in the Government for university chiefs to turn to if they are concerned about a particular project.

Joint academic research projects in the field of humanities as well as the sciences could be pose security risks, he added.

"If the Government has anxieties about a company, then it should be possible for a university - if it is being offered research collaboration with that company - to ask somewhere in Government what's happening," Lord Patten told the foreign affairs select committee.
Rome: Three survivors of a rubber dinghy that sank in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Libya say up to 117 other migrants were aboard at the time, a UN migration official said.

It appeared to be the latest tragedy on the dangerous central Mediterranean route from North Africa to Europe.

Flavio Di Giacomo of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) told Italian state TV on Saturday that "unfortunately about 120" migrants were reported by survivors to have been on the overloaded smugglers' dinghy when it was launched from Libyan shores on Thursday evening.

A migrant rescued from the Mediterranean Sea in December. Credit:AP

"After a few hours, it began sinking and people began drowning," Di Giacomo said.
London: German Chancellor Angela Merkel has begun to engage more directly with the Brexit process, having long calls with British Prime Minister Theresa May and other EU leaders, including the Irish Taoiseach.

Brexit has been reduced to a shambles, with Britain's Parliament unable to agree to the terms of exit and no single party, group or faction having the numbers to successfully push through an alternative. May is due to report back to the parliament on Monday on how she plans to proceed.

I will work until the very last day to get a solution with a deal for Britains exit from the EU and I will work towards having the best relationship, Merkel said at a conservative party event on Saturday in the German northern city of Rostock.

Merkel said Germany respected Britains decision to leave, but added: We have a responsibility to shape a divorce process so that people dont shake their heads at us in 50 years time and say why werent they in a position to make a compromise?
Mogadishu: The US military launched an air strike in Somalia on Saturday, killing 52 Islamists who had attacked a Somali military base earlier in the day, it said.

The air strike targeted al-Shabaab fighters who had rammed into the military base near Jilib, 370 kilometres south-west of the capital Mogadishu using a suicide car bomb, military officials in the state of Jubbaland told Reuters.

Pictures taken at the scene after the strike showed a large burnt-out flatbed truck surrounded by charred bodies.

Mourners grieve as they prepare to pray over the bodies of victims killed in Tuesday's attack on a luxury hotel and shopping complex in Nairobi. Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack. Credit:AP

Other pictures appeared to show a car rigged with explosives that had not detonated at the Bar Sanguni forward operating base, which had come under al-Shabaab attack.
Is it just me or is Australia Day starting to take on a state-mandated vibe? Scott Morrison, our most recent cab off the prime ministerial rank, has not just scraped the bottom of the barrel with his attempt to impose himself on our national day, he has dived through it and come out the other side.

He emerges, with shards of broken cooperage on his head, to tell us that he will maintain standards on citizenship, without making any sort of case for how, exactly, weve been letting them go.

The Aussie throngs wear thongs, but not to your citizenship ceremony, please. Credit:Andy Zakeli

Having failed to gain support for its proposed citizenship reforms (remember those?), the government is now picking on the littlest guy it can find to make an unsubtle point about its robust patriotism. That little guy is the local councils that run citizenship ceremonies, effectively on behalf of the Commonwealth.

In recent years a handful of local councils have elected not to have citizenship ceremonies on January 26, out of respect for indigenous Australians, many of whom dont regard the day as worthy of jubilant celebration.
Gaps in services for the Jervis Bay Territory are leaving the remote community worse off, with people on bail and even a body left stranded in Canberra due to the bizarre arrangements.

The ACT government provides child protection, schools, courts and even driver's licences to the 400 or so residents of the Jervis Bay Territory over 200 kilometres away, as part of a legacy deal with the Commonwealth.

The ACT government is contracted to provide services to the Indigenous community of Wreck Bay, on the south coast of New South Wales, through a legacy arrangement with the Commonwealth. Credit:Michael Dawes

But a new report obtained under freedom of information showed that holes in the service agreement are having a negative effect on the predominantly Indigenous population, with confusion about who was responsible for what - sometimes among the agencies themselves.

The report, commissioned by the ACT and handed to the government last May, found Jervis Bay residents were having to travel to Canberra for simple court matters "with sometimes perverse outcomes".
In February, Texans experienced forced rolling and extended blackouts ordered by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas as demand for electricity spiked during a winter storm. On Monday, ERCOT took precaution to avoid blackouts by urging Texans to conserve power through Friday as summer temperatures continue to rise. Approximately 12,000 megawatts of generation were offline Monday, and ERCOT officials said the outages were unexpected. Are you satisfied with ERCOTs oversight of the states electric grid?

You voted:
The ACT government has ignored calls to immediately overhaul the city's ratings system to help ease the burden of rising rates on Canberra's apartment owners, owners say, but it will review the system in the next two years.

The government's response to last year's Assembly committee inquiry into the effects of the recent changes to rates for unit owners was tabled out of session in the Assembly on Thursday.

Greens Leader Shane Rattenbury and Labor Chief Minister Andrew Barr have stopped short of changing the controversial unit ratings system. Credit:Katie Burgess

It shows the government has no plans to immediately overhaul the territory's rates and land tax system to ease the rising financial burden on unit owners, despite calls for such from the bipartisan committee and affected unit owners.

The government has promised to publicly review the system and is considering whether any such changes may be needed in either the 2019-20 or 2020-21 budget, and intends to announce the new policy settings for the third five-year period of its 20-year tax reforms in 2022-23.
The family of an international student killed in Melbourne's north have called for a permanent memorial to her "big heart", sense of adventure and, above all, her love.

Saeed Maasarwe pays tribute to his daughter, Aiia, at a public memorial in Bundoora. Credit:Luis Ascui

Hundreds of mourners gathered again outside Polaris shopping centre in Bundoora on Sunday to honour the life of Aiia Maasarwe, who was raped and murdered in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The death has prompted an international outpouring of grief, with vigils in both Melbourne and Israel and a tram filled with floral tributes retracing her final journey on Friday night.

But speaking in Bundoora on Sunday, Aiia's family asked that she be remembered not for the brutality of her death, but the way in which she had lived her life.
Police have resumed the search for a man who is believed to have fallen into the Brisbane River and gone under.

Water police boats and divers returned to the river at first light on Monday morning, more than 36 hours after 34-year-old Matt Jarvis was reported missing.

Water police boats and divers returned to the Brisbane River on Monday to search for Matt Jarvis. Credit:Jocelyn Garcia

Friends say they saw Mr Jarvis' arm in the water before he went under and never resurfaced.

Acting Inspector Teena Rolls said Mr Jarvis was drinking with a group at the barbecue area at the bottom of the Kangaroo Point cliffs when he walked off towards the water's edge about 7.45pm on Saturday.
Mr Speziali said news of the liquidation of Areva Solar KCP in November had forced him to lay off seven workers and the litigation had reduced his business overall by about a third. In good times, the company employed about 60. He said his experience should be a wake-up call for Australian businesses contracting with overseas companies on public projects such as the $50 billion submarine procurement. Hermes Speziali, the managing director of Nortask. Im just hoping that  they dont deliver themselves up for the same sort of medicine that I have been dished out, he said. How far up does it go, where does the buck stop? asked Mr Speziali.

Because obviously somebody does know what has happened here and it has been a catastrophe certainly from three years ago onwards, it has been nothing short of a catastrophe. Since 2017, the unused mirrors from the solar boost project have sat in neat rows at Kogan Creek power station. They had been intended to provide the coal-fired facility with superheated steam in a clean, green boost to its output that could have powered 5000 homes. Loading CS Energy said it now owned the equipment left over from the Solar Boost project, including the mirrors. It said it planned to safely dispose of the equipment and recycle (it) wherever possible. CS Energy acting chief executive Darren Busine said the company had devoted considerable time and effort into exploring how we could reuse the equipment since the project was cancelled in 2016.

Prior to 2017, Areva Solar had stored 3000 of the reflectors at a farm on the Warrego Highway owned by the Speziali family where Nortask is based. Nortask claimed in court it also had lucrative agreements with Areva Solar to move the mirrors to Kogan Creek - but ultimately did not do the work. Mr Speziali said the decision to move the mirrors to the power station after the cancellation of the project had been an exercise in futility. That is just, pardon the French, taking the piss out of the people of Australia, the genuine people who pay tax in Australia, he said. Fancy moving it from here to over there so that now, theyve got to scrap them over there. It cost millions for that exercise, millions. CS Energy said it was neither a party to, nor privy to, commercial arrangements between Areva and its subcontractors for the transportation of the solar reflectors to CS Energys Solar Boost site in 2016.

In early 2015, Areva Solar KCP had tried to transfer ownership of the mirrors to Nortask, but Mr Speziali refused the offer after his research established they were just a liability, with the only option to scrap the mirrors at a cost of about $2 million. We tried every avenue. We had people from overseas visiting the premises having a look at it and they couldnt make use (of them). Even if there was a neutral worth, you know, take em away, charge me nothing - that was never the case. It was always a negative. In the Supreme Court, Nortask sued Areva Solar for unpaid rent, trespass and lost profits, telling the court Areva Solar KCP had initially told Nortask it wanted to store the reflectors for just a few months, then failed to collect them for three years. In June, the Supreme Court in Brisbane ordered Areva Solar KCP to pay Nortask $600,000 plus legal costs. Nortask estimates it has spent a total of more than $1 million on the case.

Areva Solar KCP launched an appeal, still due to be heard in March, racking up further costs for both sides. But in November the company put itself into voluntary liquidation. Company documents show Areva Solar KCP had $61 million in paid-up capital when it was formed in 2011. In 2016, Nortask tried through the Supreme Court to force Areva Solar KCP to provide security against future legal costs, arguing that Areva was impecunious, had no assets in Australia and was planning to leave the country entirely. Areva Solar KCP told the Supreme Court in October 2016 it had paid up capital in many millions of dollars and there was no cogent evidence (it) would  be unable or unwilling to pay any judgment obtained by the plaintiff. The court accepted Arevas arguments and imposed no requirement on it to maintain assets in Australia.

Against its assets of $5700 in cash, Areva Solar KCP has debts of $850,000, most of it owed to Nortask, along with a debt of $275,000 to the solar companys immediate parent company, Areva Solar Pty Ltd, liquidators reports show. The liquidator, Philip Campbell-Wilson of Sydney insolvency firm Grant Thornton, said he was investigating the activities of Areva Solar KCP and its directors and trying to establish exactly when the company became insolvent. He said Areva Solar KCPs parent in the US, Areva Solar Inc, had been co-operating with requests for documents but his investigations were still at an early stage. Former Areva Solar manager Ian Canham told the Brisbane Times in 2017 the solar boost project had been blighted by management incompetence and planning failures, exacerbated by Areva Solars disparate chain of command, with decision-makers spread across Australia, the US and France. The Supreme Court heard this year that Areva had tried to prevent Mr Canham from giving evidence in the Nortask case.

Mr Canham told the court he had received correspondence from Areva through its solicitors threatening to put a financial penalty on me for giving evidence,. In her September 2018 judgment, Justice Ann Lyons said Mr Canham had been particularly honest and forthright in exposing some of the failures in the Areva systems and processes at the time. I note that Areva took steps to prevent Canham giving evidence in this trial in circumstances where he had refused to sign a confidentiality agreement, she wrote in the judgment. I accept Canhams evidence that he received a letter from Arevas then solicitors  stating that he could suffer financial consequences for giving evidence. That such a letter was sent is a matter of serious concern. Justice Lyons found Mr Speziali to be a canny and astute businessman.
A police officer who was shot in the neck in the New England town of Glen Innes on Friday night may require further surgery and remains in an induced coma on Sunday night, a police spokesman said.

Nine News reported on Sunday that doctors at Gold Coast University Hospital had removed almost all of the bullet fragments from her throat.

"The bullet missed her artery by a millimetre," her father Barry McMurtrie said on Saturday.

Senior Constable Helen McMurtrie was attending a domestic violence incident when she and Sergreant Mark Johnston were shot by 74-year-old Eric John Newman. The single shot is believed to have hit Constable McMurtrie's neck, with shrapnel then injuring Sergeant Johnston's face.
Cancer June 22-July 22 This is one of those introverted days, when you just don't feel like putting on a brave face and going out to do battle with the world. And why should you? You have plenty to focus on at home, such as nurturing yourself and your sweetie, or fortifying your finances and other personal systems. You actually welcome slow, simple days like this one. You know from experience that with a little effort, your daily life could be even sweeter than it already is. Leo July 23-August 22

You're creative and dedicated at the same time. That's a wonderful combination, especially in times like this, when you know you're poised at a new beginning. Today is all about integrating new elements into your career, your home life or your love life, while still staying faithful to the original. Artists, scientists and entrepreneurs are sure to have defy everyone's expectations, as they start a new, charmed cycle of life. Virgo August 23-September 22 You've been around the block a time or two, and you know how the world works. So you can afford to be at least a little romantic today. Warm, lighthearted energy is blowing through your life like a sweet little breeze. Follow its scent; it'll lead you straight to someone special. Or, if you're going solo right now, treat yourself to dinner and a movie. It's good to take yourself out on a date. Sometimes, your own company is the best there is. Libra

September 23-October 22 Whatever might be going on in your life -- a heavy workload, a budding romance, a hectic travelling schedule -- don't compare your situation to anyone else's, no matter how sorely you're tempted. You're going your way, and everyone else is going theirs. Of course, that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to connect with some of them. This is a great time to hook up with friends, have a date, or go to a party. The main point is, if you go at your own pace today, you'll get somewhere. Scorpio October 23  November 22 Are you coming across as a know-it-all? If people rebel against your attempts at controlling them, focus on why you're pretending to be in charge. Maybe, deep down, you're feeling vulnerable. Ah-ha! Now, there's a thought. If you have a close friend or intimate partner you can open up to, now would be a good time to get vulnerable. If you talk out your feelings, you're likely to realise they're just that -- feelings, and not a reflection of reality.

Sagittarius November 23-December 20 Today brings energy, movement, learning and teaching. A friendship or love affair could blossom or move to an exciting new level. You'll explore these inner realms with zest and vigour. Enjoy being both the master and the student. This heady mixture of giving and receiving feels absolutely wonderful now, but be mindful of the first impression you make on others. Tact is still appreciated, even in moments of great passion. After all, a hearty appetite shouldn't eclipse good manners. Capricorn December 21-January 19

You're feeling disgruntled. A close relationship seems a little rocky now, and you're in no mood to adjust your behaviour in deference to someone else. But inflexibility only hurts you in the long run. Relationships are about both people involved, so if you're stubbornly clinging to your own viewpoint, you're sending the message that you don't care about the other person's feelings. Try a different tack, like smiling and charming your way out of this. It's sure to be more effective. Aquarius January 20-February 18 You've slipped into an impersonal mood and it's cooling off your close connections. Maybe you just feel like being on your own today. Maybe you think you can get more done if you fly solo. Either way, it's okay, but you know you're going to have to engage sooner or later. So why not do so now? A warm bond is so much more fun than aloof, distance. Instead of pushing people away, remember why you like them so much. Pisces
Ad category back in Logies

Australian television's night of nights, the TV Week Logie Awards, will add a category this year recognising most popular television commercial. The move essentially dusts off an award first given out at the sixth annual Logies back in 1962 and retired at the 20th Logies in 1978. The most decorated ads over the years were for Coca Cola, which won five Logies between 1964 and 1977, plus a win for the Coca Cola-owned Fanta in 1972. Other winners included Alka Seltzer, Minties, Winfield Cigarettes and Uncle Sam deodorant. The last winner, in 1978, was Export Cola.

Three shows win public funding

The content funding body Screen Australia has announced it will invest in three major television productions, including Hungry Ghosts, a supernatural thriller set in Melbourne's Vietnamese community, an adaptation of Michael Robotham's novel The Secret She Keeps and the Nine Network's reboot of Halifax f.p., which is to be titled Halifax: Retribution. Hungry Ghosts comes from Matchbox Productions and will be distributed internationally by NBC Universal, Halifax: Retribution will be produced by Roger Simpson and Louisa Kors for Nine, and The Secret She Keeps will be produced for the Ten Network by Helen Bowden and Paul Watters.
Supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths have joined other corporate heavyweights, including Bluescope, signalling they would not be able to use trucks to replace trains to ship their goods if a $200 million deal between freight giants Pacific National and Aurizon hampered access to rail services in Queensland.

The complicated deal will see Aurizon sell its terminal at Acacia Ridge in Brisbane, which transfers freight from road to rail and vice versa, to Pacific National.

Aurizon is pushing a sale of its facility Credit:Glenn Hunt

The transaction has sparked a court challenge from the competition watchdog which argues it would give Pacific National an effective monopoly on the handling of rail freight into the north of Queensland which has to come off standard gauge tracks to the south and onto the narrow gauge North Coast Line.

In a twist since the deal was first announced, Aurizon has sold its loss-making intermodal businesses to Linfox in a move that was not opposed by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
Two people have been killed and 22 others injured in a large blaze that broke out in the French ski resort of Courchevel, officials said.

Authorities in the Savoie region said the blaze started at 4.30am local time this morning in a building housing seasonal workers in the heart of the Alpine town.
Wasps 19 Leinster 37

Leinster have brought the curtain down on the Heineken Champions Cup pool stages with the easiest of victories away to Wasps on Sunday afternoon that confirms for them an all-Irish home quarter-final against Ulster at the end of March.

Munster, with the lowest points total of the five pool winners, will travel to Edinburgh in the last eight and the PRO14 will, in total, bring five sides to the continental table come the last eight: the three provinces, Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors.

France provide two contenders in Racing 92 and Toulouse, who will face each other. Saracens alone will represent England, hosting Glasgow in their quarter-final.

Saracens (1st seed) v Glasgow Warriors (8th), Allianz Park

Racing 92 (2nd) v Toulouse (7th), Paris La Defense Arena

Leinster Rugby (3rd) v Ulster Rugby (6th), Aviva Stadium

Edinburgh Rugby (4th) v Munster Rugby (5th), BT Murrayfield

Leinster rounded their pool campaign off on a cold and dreary day in Coventry with a routine win against a Wasps side that had long ago lost its way in Europe and for whom this was tantamount to no more than an irritating box to kick.

The visitors suffered a minor blip beforehand when Jack Conan was ruled out with a shoulder injury but that, at least, offered Sean O'Brien the chance to start a match that would mark his first appearance since breaking an arm playing for Ireland against Argentina last November.

Another subplot was the presence of Robbie Henshaw in midfield for his return from a hamstring injury that had threatened his Six Nations involvement. Both were heavily involved as Leinster turned the screw in the first period.

Dai Young's side offered next to nothing for long, long spells.

It was into the 21st-minute of a long and mundane first-half before the English side managed an attack and a route into the Leinster 22. It came to nothing, as did all their half-hearted efforts in a first-half that left them 20-0 down at the break.

Leinster did as they pleased, playing solid and mostly safe but well-executed rugby that amounted to little other than a physical training session in front of a half-empty Ricoh Arena. Tries from Garry Ringrose and Sean Cronin were claimed with a by-the-numbers simplicity.

Credit to Wasps who offered some more steel and bite on the restart and managed to finally manufacture the sort of pressure in the Leinster 22 that eventually led to big Nathan Hughes barrelling over O'Brien and the line for a converted try after 53 minutes.

O'Brien departed a few minutes later, a well-needed hour or so under his belt, and Leinster extinguished any outlandish hint of a comeback shortly after with another try from Cronin, and it came again from a lineout and maul.

So, so easy.

The last 20 minutes were academic  you could argue the first 60 had been too - with Leinster guaranteed of their place as third-highest qualifier regardless of whether they managed a fourth try and the bonus match point that would accompany it.

They did, as it happens, Noel Reid doing the honours with ten minutes to go not long after after the entire Leinster defensive line had been caught napping by Dan Robson when the Wasps scrum-half scuttled over for five points from the base of a ruck.

Marcus Watson had the last major say of the afternoon with a smart finish down Leinster's right wing with a handful of minutes to go. Face saved on the part of the locals in front of a 16,002 crowd. Job done for Leinster.

Wasps: R Miller; J Bassett, M Campagnaro, G Lovobalavu, E Daly; L Sopoaga, D Robson; Z Zhvania, T Cruse, J Cooper-Woolley; J Launchbury, W Rowlands; B Morris, N Carr, N Hughes. Replacements: C Matthews for Launchbury (HIA, 10); B Harris for Zhvania (56); W Stuart for Cooper-Woolley (58); A Johnson for Hughes (60); B Searle for Sopoaga and M Watson for Miller (both 65); C Hampson for Robson (71); J Gaskell for Rowlands (72).

Leinster: J Larmour; A Byrne, G Ringrose, R Henshaw, D Kearney; R Byrne, J Gibson-Park; J McGrath, S Cronin, T Furlong; D Toner, J Ryan; R Ruddock, J van der Flier, S O'Brien. Replacements: C Healy for McGrath (45); A Porter for Furlong and S Fardy for Toner (both 54); M Deegan for O'Brien (56);

R O'Loughlin for Henshaw (62); N Reid for R Byrne (HIA, 66); J Tracy for Cronin (66); H O'Sullivan for Gibson-Park (74).

Referee: M Adamson (Scotland).
A ceremony will take place today to mark the anniversary of the Soloheadbeg Ambush in Co Tipperary.

On January 21, 1919, two RIC policemen were killed by members of the Third Tipperary Brigade of the IRA.

A wanted poster for Dan Breen who, with Sean Treacy, shot dead Seamus Alex McDonnell of the Royal Irish Constabulary in an ambush at Soloheadbeg.

The attack is commonly cited as the event that started the War of Independence.

A mass of remembrance will be celebrated by the Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, Kieran O'Reilly, this morning at Solohead church.

The formal commemoration will then be held at the Solohead Memorial in Solohead Cross, where Culture Minister Josepha Madigan will lay a wreath in remembrance of all who suffered and died during the struggle for independence.

Minister Madigan said: "It is very fitting that the significance of what happened in Soloheadbeg a century ago is remembered with a respectful, community-led commemoration, supported by Tipperary County Council and the State.

"I commend the efforts and commitment of the Solohead Parish Centenary Commemoration Committee and the Third Tipperary Brigade Old IRA Commemoration Committee who have ensured that today's ceremony is authentic, appropriate, inclusive and meaningful.

"This thoughtful and sensitive approach to the remembrance of the events that took place here, a century ago, will undoubtedly help to promote a mature and considerate reflection on their significance and legacy," she said.
Update January 21, 2019 - 1.20pm: Sarah Reilly has been located safe and well today.

January 20, 2019 - 6.31pm: Gardai are looking for the public's help in finding a 14-year-old girl missing from Dublin.

Sarah Reilly is missing from her home at Woodpark, Ballinteer since Thursday, January 17.

She's described as 5 foot 5 inches, with long straight brown hair and blue eyes.

She was last seen wearing a black jacket, black and grey jeans and purple runners.

She is known to frequent Dublin city centre.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dundrum Garda Station on 01 666 5600.
If this country does not get a grip on runaway capital costs, we can wave goodbye to any notion of a truly sustained economic recovery, writes Kyran Fitzgerald.

The childrens hospital fiasco has exposed the naivety of people who would be considered as experts in their field.

Real questions must be posed about the tender process in such projects and about the competence of contractors.

The counter argument is that there has been a failure to put in place proper guidelines aimed at ensuring that considerations of cost are prioritised.

Who drafted the legal documentation? Are provisions not supposed to be in place to tackle the matter of unexplained overruns?

The Government has unveiled an ambitious series of investment programmes aimed at eliminating some of the deficits in our infrastructure, but all of this will amount to the construction of fancy castles in the air if the basics of detailed planning are not grasped.

We can have all the funding in the world in place, but if the people arent there to put the bricks in place we are simply going nowhere.

The country has sleepwalked into a situation where we now have a 'manpower' crisis in an industry which, ironically, was on its knees a short few years ago.

In 2015, less than one half of builders identified staff shortages as a problem. The equivalent figure today is 86%, according to a recent survey carried out by two Dublin Institute of Technology academics for the Construction Industry Federation.

The authors, Eoghan O Murchadha and Dr Roisin Murphy, highlighted in particular a dramatic downturn in applications for apprenticeships in so-called 'wet trades' such as bricklaying, plastering, tiling and decorating. The decline has continued even as the industry has embarked on a sustained recovery of more than five years duration.

The DIT survey figures are stark. In 2006, 300 people registered for apprenticeships as plasterers, 161 as painter and decorators, 679 as bricklayers and 43 as floor and wall tilers.

The equivalent figures for 2017 were 30 as plasterers, 45 as painters/decorators, 65 as bricklayers, with zero yes, no one- registering as apprentice tilers.

The DIT/CIF report recommends that the Government introduces a grant system aimed at firms which engage apprentices in trades identified as suffering from dire shortages along with zero rating for employer PRSI for the firms taking on such apprentices.

A 'collaborative forum', aimed at marketing the industry as a viable career choice, is also called for.

The industry must, itself, put its own house in order. Many have earned a poor reputation as employers. The structure of the industry and the chain of responsibility needs to be looked at. There needs to be more collaboration between firms along with rationalisation.

In a departing interview, the outgoing CIF President, Dominic Doherty, himself a housebuilder of long standing, outlined some of the challenges faced by his industry. Profit margins in the sector, at 1%-1.5%, are too low to support the levels of innovation now required.

While the major cities are performing well, it is a different story as far as building in the regions is concerned.

"The replacement cost of buildings in the regions is way above their market value," he said.

Mr Doherty correctly argues that the capital programme should be implemented in a phased structured way so that people with construction skills based overseas can be satisfied that they will have sustainable careers of at least 5-10 years duration should they decide to return.

"These individuals need to have confidence that the National Development Plan will be delivered," he said.

With justification, he argues for a concerted State response.

"We dont have a single line Minister for the construction sector so we often have to visit up to six different ministers to discuss construction topics. We need a plan around training. In the schools, the sole focus seems to be on students going to third level. That needs to change."

He insists that the career path offered by apprenticeships is "very good," with many of the top engineering executives having started out as apprentices.

Schools and college careers officers need to be won around, however.

The problem is not confined to Ireland. Shortages of construction skills have reached acute proportions in London where the citys mayor, Sadiq Khan,has launched a plan aimed at tackling the problem.

In the past five years, take up of apprenticeships have halved. Many cite low pay and poor career development prospects.

Across Europe, demographics - in the form of an ageing population - are increasingly dictating matters.

Almost one third of Londons construction workforce is from the rest of the EU and many are returning home to increasingly prosperous economies.

The truth is that construction is facing a new crisis. Gone is the inactivity prevalent during the downturn.

We are, however, living with the longer term effects of the crash. Many young people  faced with other lucrative alternative job offers  simply do not have confidence in the sector.

The truth is that the construction skills crisis will be with us for a long time to come whatever the response of those in the industry and in Government.
Moving away from the apocalypse now unfolding in the British houses of parliament, there are reasons for business to be hopeful that 2019 may work out better than expected, writes John Whelan.

The first glimmers of hope emerged last week across the Atlantic with a cooling off in sabre rattling by the US against the second largest global economy China.

Steven Mnuchin, the US Treasury Secretary, indicated he would scale back tariffs on Chinese goods in return for authorities, there, indicating they would ramp-up purchases of soya beans and other agricultural products as well as a wide range of industrial goods from the US.

US Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin.

More important for European and Irish businesses was the announcement, on Friday, by the European Commission that they were prepared to eliminate all tariffs on trade with the US, in a new free trade deal.

Cecilia Malmstrom, the EU trade commissioner, said Europe wanted to work towards a zero trade tariff deal on industrial goods with the US, something which would have wide implications for many business sectors.

The European motor industry will be particularly affected, as currently it is protected by a 10% import tariff on all cars imported from the US. Whereas the US only charges a 2.5% import duty on European cars entering America.

The US is the number one destination for the EU auto trade, with 40bn worth of cars heading across the Atlantic each year.

The move by the European Commission comes in response to the threat by Donald Trump to introduce penal import duties on European cars, unless the EU buys more goods from the US and reduces the trade imbalance.

Irelands agri-food companies will be watching with concern the relentless push by the US negotiators to get free access to the European and Irish markets for their beef.

However, Cecelia Malmstrom emphasised that while Europe was ready to reduce all tariffs on industrial goods, there was no scope for including foodstuffs in the proposed trade expansion deal.

Nevertheless, as soya beans have garnered special mention on many occasions by Donald Trump, the EU committed to further increase imports of American soya beans, rendering the US the main supplier of soya beans to the EU.

The Irish Farmers' Association will be particularly happy with the EU stance, so far, in the negotiations.

Tariffs on transatlantic trade in industrial goods are already low, averaging 4% for goods entering the EU and 3% for goods to the US. The elimination of these tariffs, small and all as they are, would still be beneficial to Irish traders of industrial goods, given the enormous volume of trade between the two economies.

But, of even more importance to Irish traders will be the proposed agreement on regulatory convergence. This will reduce the red tape and bureaucracy around such products as medical devices and pharmaceuticals which are two of the biggest exports from Ireland to the US.

The expected reduction and removal of these non-tariff barriers will be of benefit to both the large US corporations who have manufacturing facilities here, but also the wide range of smaller indigenous companies, who struggle with the two-year plus process of getting approval for sale of their products into the market.

The European Commission must now give the green light to the proposals by the 27 EU member states before negotiations can formally begin with the US.

It is hard to say, given Mr Trumps bluster and unpredictable negotiating style, if an agreement can genuinely be concluded.

It may follow the route seen where US trade negotiators have managed to agree potential deals with China, only to have them rejected by Mr Trump himself and impose further tariffs. Cutting trade barriers to zero would be an extraordinarily complex political challenge on both sides of the Atlantic.

John Whelan is managing partner of international trade consultancy The Linkage-Partnership.
CALGARY - A lawsuit filed by a former firefighter and paramedic against Syncrude Canada claims the oilsands giant wrongfully denied him benefits and fired him after he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder related to his job.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/1/2019 (879 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Former Syyncrude firefighter Michael Swan and his service dog Jack in Calgary, Alta., Monday, Jan. 14, 2019. A lawsuit filed by a former firefighter and paramedic against Syncrude Canada claims the oilsands giant wrongfully denied him benefits and fired him after he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder related to his job. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

CALGARY - A lawsuit filed by a former firefighter and paramedic against Syncrude Canada claims the oilsands giant wrongfully denied him benefits and fired him after he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder related to his job.

Mike Swan is seeking damages for lost compensation and benefits, improper paycheque deductions and in lieu of reasonable notice, says a statement of claim filed Dec. 19 in Alberta Court of Queen's Bench.

The suit is also asking for "moral or aggravated damages for bad faith throughout the employment relationship" as well as punitive damages.

Swan has also complained to the Alberta Human Rights Commission.

The allegations against Syncrude have not been proven in court and the company has not yet filed a statement of defence.

Swan, 44, began working for Syncrude in 2002 as a heavy equipment operator at its vast mining operation north of Fort McMurray, Alta. In 2007, he joined the company's fire department, which sometimes responds to calls in the surrounding community.

"I was really good at it and loved it," Swan said in an interview, a black lab named Jack who he's training to be a service dog, at his feet.

Swan said his PTSD built up over time and there was no single event that triggered it. On the job he had to deal with anything from injuries and illnesses to an explosion on site, he said.

He said his adrenaline would ramp up every time and it was like flipping on a light.

"But if you flip that switch that many times, it gets stuck on and you're always at that level of agitation or awareness."

Swan was on his day off in Kelowna, B.C., in May 2016 when he got a call from work telling him to get back to Fort McMurray, where a fierce wildfire was rapidly spreading.

Unbeknownst to him at the time, his PTSD was in full force.

Swan was assigned to watch over a pharmacist who stayed behind during the city-wide evacuation to fill prescriptions. Swan said he would have been better off keeping busy fighting the blaze.

"I remember feeling like I was vibrating, like there was nothing worse to me than not actually fighting the fire, and sitting in that parking lot just breathing smoke in."

Swan said the tipping point was when his then-fiancee left him, telling him she never knew what would set him off. His captain found him crying by an ambulance at work and suggested he get help through a company program.

"It was useless. They wanted me to eat a salad and get some sleep."

His own psychologist, saying he'd likely had it for years, diagnosed Swan with severe PTSD in March 2017.

At first, Swan thought he'd be back on the job after a few weeks.

But the following May, his psychologist recommended he get full-time treatment, so he went off work.

The statement of claim says Swan received the proper benefits and compensation until October 2017, when a mix-up at the Workers' Compensation Board led to him losing a week of benefits and top-up pay.

Then, in February of 2018, Syncrude told Swan he had to return to work within a week, even though his care team and the WCB did not think he was ready, the lawsuit claims. The statement of claim alleges his benefits and top-up payments were again suspended and improper deductions were made from his paycheque.

The suit is seeking a declaration that Syncrude's actions amounted to constructive dismissal.

Syncrude fired Swan on Sept. 20 in what the lawsuit claims was wrongful dismissal.

Company spokesman Will Gibson declined to comment on Swan's specific case, but said "Syncrude values and supports its employees."

Swan said his disputes with Syncrude have worsened his mental health at a time when he should have been focused on getting better.

He said he'll never work as a firefighter or paramedic again because of his condition and he's exploring retraining options through the WCB.

The ordeal has ruined him financially, he added. His sister, with whom he's been living in Calgary, has set up a GoFundMe page to help with legal and medical bills.

"Think about every mental-health campaign that's going on right now. What are they telling us? Put your hand up. Ask for help," he said.

"I asked for help. I'm still asking for help."
HALIFAX - Mohammed Zuraibi Alzoabi may have hoped to quietly disappear from his sexual assault trial in Cape Breton, never to be seen or heard from again in Canada.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/1/2019 (879 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Ottawa is shown on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018. Mohammed Zuraibi Alzoabi may have hoped to quietly disappear from his sexual assault trial in Cape Breton, never to be seen or heard from again in Canada. Instead, the 28-year-old man is attracting national attention from lawyers and advocates for victims of sexual crimes for who are arguing measures must be taken to ensure this kind of escape from justice procedures stop occurring. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

HALIFAX - Mohammed Zuraibi Alzoabi may have hoped to quietly disappear from his sexual assault trial in Cape Breton, never to be seen or heard from again in Canada.

Instead, the 28-year-old man is attracting national attention from lawyers and advocates for sex-crime victims who are arguing measures must be taken to prevent this kind of escape from justice procedures.

In addition, there's pressure emerging on Ottawa to officially investigate what role the Saudi embassy played in his disappearance  just the latest in what appears to be a series of mysterious departures by Saudis accused of serious crimes in North America.

Little is known of Alzoabi's whereabouts, other than a brief note from a sheriff on Dec. 8 citing his lawyer saying he "fled the country sometime ago."

But how did he disappear? Police had seized the former Cape Breton University student's passport, expecting that would keep him in the country for his criminal trial in early January.

Lee Cohen, one of Halifax's most experienced immigration lawyers, has said the likeliest scenario is that Alzoabi managed to obtain special travel documents from the embassy. Cohen says obtaining falsified or forged travel documents is also a possibility, but these documents are difficult to find.

The embassy doesn't respond to emails and calls requesting comment. However, the Crown prosecution service indicates it has clearly has been involved with Alzoabi in the past.

Prosecutors say the embassy posted $37,500 of Alzoabi's bail last year in relation to the alleged sexual assault, criminal harassment, assault and forcible confinement of a woman in incidents alleged to have occurred between Aug. 1, 2015, and March 26, 2017.

Alzoabi is also facing separate charges of dangerous driving and assault with a car in a December 2015 incident involving a Cape Breton man, and he has over 36 violations of motor vehicle regulations, with thousands of dollars in fines assessed.

Helen Morrison, executive director of the Cape Breton Transition House, said Alzoabi's departure has been frustrating for advocates for victims of sexual violence on the island.

"This should be looked into. It's an instance of the victim being let down ... This victim came forward, which is difficult to do," she said in a telephone interview.

"The message sent to victims out there is that if you're powerful enough and you have enough money, you can elude and you can get away with very serious crimes."

Meanwhile, Peter Edelmann, a British Columbia-based immigration lawyer, said the case could have future implications for whether other Saudis receive bail.

"I would note that if the Saudi (or any other) embassy develops a habit of issuing travel documents to individuals whose passports have been surrendered to the court, the surrender of passports for nationals of that country will eventually become a less meaningful indicator for the court," he wrote in an email.

"A strategy of undermining court orders by an embassy might backfire by pushing the court to impose stricter conditions or not release nationals of that country at all in some cases if the surrender of a passport is meaningless."

Robert Currie, a professor of law at Dalhousie University in Halifax, has called the case "a flagrant violation" of Canada's sovereignity.

It's the second time he's found himself commenting on this kind of case in the past 11 years.

In January 2007, a Saudi national charged with sexually assaulting two youths slipped out of Canada and returned to his home country, raising questions about how he left without his passport.

The Canadian Press reported at the time that Taher Ali Al-Saba, 19, was due to appear in Nova Scotia Supreme Court that month but failed to show up after being reported missing in August.

Police contacted the Saudi Embassy in Ottawa and were informed Al-Saba had returned to the Middle Eastern country, possibly in August.

He had been facing two counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual interference involving a person under the age of 14. The complainants, a boy and a girl, were from the same family.

Meanwhile, in the United States, there have been similar incidents in recent years.

The Oregonian newspaper has reported recently on the flight last year of Abdulrahman Sameer Noorah, a Portland, Oregon, community college student who jumped bail in the hit-and-run death of a 15-year-old Portland girl and apparently fled the United States.

The news site reported it has found criminal cases involving at least five other Saudis who vanished before they faced trial or completed their jail sentence in the state. They include two accused rapists, a pair of suspected hit-and-run drivers and one man with child porn on his computer.

Currie says national governments and the courts are going to have to act to prevent these kinds of incidents from continuing.

Ottawa should investigate, and consider an official protest if there's evidence of embassy involvement, he said.

It remains unclear just what, if anything, Ottawa plans to do.

In a brief comment to reporters Thursday, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said officials were "looking into" the case.

Meanwhile, the existing controls at the border to prevent people who are on trial from leaving vary, depending on what information the Canada Border Services Agency has received, said Edelmann.

He's heard of instances of RCMP and CBSA officials being tipped off and actually boarding planes to arrest foreign nationals attempting to flee the country.

A spokesman for the CBSA, Allan Donovan, says it won't comment on whether it knows if Alzoabi left the country, based on airline boarding manifests.

However, Donovan said in an email that with the coming into force of Bill C-21 in December, Canada will have the authority to collect basic biographic information on all travellers who leave the country by land and by air.

Regulations are being developed to enable the application of the bill, with the agency's website saying there will be electronic passenger manifests received directly from the airlines that its agents can view.

Until then, the agency says it doesn't "systematically collect exist information" for people boarding planes for foreign destinations.

However, Richard Kurland, an immigration lawyer based in Vancouver, says he thinks it's just a matter of common sense, and he believes existing enforcement could have noticed a departure like Alzoabi's.

"The embassy-issued travel document is not a 'regular' passport, so the airline can get a CBSA person to verify the document," he wrote in an email.

"The CBSA person checks the computer and bingo! The person is caught in the act, in the departure lounge, attempting to breach bail conditions. He'll go from airport detention to downtown lock-up."

Follow (at)mtuttoncporg on Twitter.
NANAIMO, B.C. - British Columbia's minority New Democrat government faces a crucial popularity test this month in a byelection in one of its traditionally safe constituencies where the outcome could threaten Premier John Horgan's one-seat hold on power.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/1/2019 (879 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NDP MP Sheila Malcolmson speaks with the media about her private members bill regarding abandoned vessels, in Ottawa on Thursday, November 30, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

NANAIMO, B.C. - British Columbia's minority New Democrat government faces a crucial popularity test this month in a byelection in one of its traditionally safe constituencies where the outcome could threaten Premier John Horgan's one-seat hold on power.

Voters in Nanaimo, who have elected New Democrats in 13 of the last 15 provincial elections, are heading to the polls Jan. 30 to replace Leonard Krog, the five-term NDP member of the legislature who resigned his seat last year after being elected mayor of the Vancouver Island city.

Krog's vacancy at the legislature makes the tight seat count even more tenuous for the New Democrats, who formed government in 2017 by reaching a partnership agreement with the three members of the Green party.

Six candidates are in the race: former federal New Democrat MP Sheila Malcolmson, the Green's Michele Ney, Liberal Tony Harris, Conservative Justin Greenwood, the Vancouver Island Party's Robin Richardson and Libertarian Bill Walker.

There are 40 New Democrats, three Greens, 42 Liberals, one Independent and one vacancy in the 87 seat legislature.

If the Liberals win, the legislature will be at a 43-43 tie, with Speaker Darryl Plecas  a former Liberal who now sits as an Independent  forced to cast tie-breaking votes.

An NDP win would preserve the minority government's status.

Prof. Mark Blackell, who teaches Liberal Studies at Nanaimo's Vancouver Island University, said the city is known as an NDP stronghold, but the name recognition of the Liberal, Harris, and the Green's Ney will challenge Malcolmson and the NDP.

"Nanaimo has undergone gradual changes in the past several decades due to a changing economy, one that has become more service-oriented, and due to people moving here, often to retire and, more recently, younger people from the Lower Mainland to find more reasonable housing," he said.

"While many who have settled, especially from Alberta, bring more conservative or B.C. Liberal Party allegiances, there has also been a growth in Green party support, largely in the younger population."

Harris, the Liberal candidate, said every candidate is aware of the high stakes in the byelection, but it's also an opportunity for the often neglected city to garner well-deserved attention.

Nanaimo, located on the east coast of Vancouver Island about 110 kilometres northeast of Victoria, is a port city with coal mining and forestry roots. More than 90,000 people live in the city.

Harris said Nanaimo has been left out of the political picture for too long.

"We certainly need to have a more comprehensive vision to allow whatever party is in power to figure out how to advance the interests of Nanaimo," he said.

He acknowledged the riding did not receive enough attention from the former Liberal government, but said the NDP also didn't pay enough attention to Nanaimo, keeping Krog out of Horgan's cabinet.

"That's just sort of the metaphor for the attitude towards Nanaimo," he said. "We can be overlooked. We can be taken for granted and we'll just continue marching on."

But Harris, a sixth-generation resident, said he represents the resilient spirit of the city and he wants to bring bold change to Nanaimo.

Green candidate Michele Ney said her roots in Nanaimo are as deep as Harris's and her vision also looks to the city's potential.

She is one of former Nanaimo mayor Frank Ney's 11 children.

Frank Ney served as Nanaimo's mayor for 21 years. He was also elected to the B.C. legislature for one term.

A bronze statue of Frank Ney stands in downtown Nanaimo and the flamboyant businessman was known for bringing thousands of tourists to the city with its famed bathtub races.

"Apples don't fall far from the tree," said Michele Ney. "I have a vision for Nanaimo. I have this vision where we're going to be a leader in a clean economy."

Ney said she can't escape her father's legacy and much of her time door knocking during the campaign is spent reminiscing about her father.

"He was always talking to people no matter who they were," she said. "If there was such a thing as Green in his lifetime or if he was still alive today, he would be voting Green."

The NDP's Malcolmson said her team is deeply aware of what's at stake for the government, but she's focused on the riding.

"Talking with people on the doorstep is where I get my best advice and my best read on the actions of John Horgan's government so far," she said. "It's the real deal what you hear on the door steps."

Malcolmson, who resigned her federal seat as Nanaimo's MP to run provincially, said she's hearing from people with concerns about health care, child care and education.

"On the doorstep, I'd say it's also the sense of urgency of how the Liberals let housing prices get so out of control. How they let the homelessness crisis spiral in Nanaimo," said Malcolmson who lives on nearby Gabriola Island.

Richardson, an economist and a former Conservative MP from Ontario when Joe Clark was prime minister, said he wants Vancouver Island to become Canada's 11th province.

"We would be 100 times better off as a province than a region," said the candidate running for the Vancouver Island Party.

He also said if he wins the byelection he would hold the balance of power in the legislature.

Walker, the Libertarian, said he's campaigning for individual rights and freedoms and "freedom from government oppression."

The Conservative candidate could not be reached for comment.
Submit your letter to the editor for publication in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. Letters should be no more than 300 words and must include the writer's first and last name (no initials), home address and daytime phone number.

Submit
PR Newswire

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, January 20, 2019

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, January 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

Torry Harris Business Solutions (THBS), a global leader in integration, full life-cycle API management and digital transformation, announced that they have been named a 'Strong Performer' in The Forrester Wave: API Management Solutions, Q4 2018. Forrester says, "Overall, the reference customers provided by Torry Harris Business Solutions are very satisfied with both vendor and product."

Forrester, in its Wave report notes that:

According to Shuba Sridhar, Vice President - Strategic Initiatives, Torry Harris Business Solutions, "Digital Transformation is about automated integration. Done right, APIs & API Management are a means to succeed with automated integration. Glad that THBS has been recognized in the API Management space. Automating integration has been the core focus area of the company for more than two decades!"

A complimentary copy of The Forrester Wave: API Management Solutions can be downloaded HERE.

About THBS

Torry Harris Business Solutions is a multinational provider of business, technology and IT consulting services. It specializes in the areas of Integration, Platform Services, Full life-cycle API Management and Digital Transformation Services. THBS has been appraised at level 5 of the CMMI Institute's Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI Level 5). The company has been assessed and certified for ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001 & ISO 26001. THBS is also compliant with Payment Card Industry's Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). The company has its offshore development centres in Bangalore & Gurgaon (India). It has offices in Bristol (UK), New Jersey (USA), Dubai (UAE), Dublin (Ireland), Munich (Germany), Paris (France) and Vienna (Austria).

Visit https://www.thbs.com/ to know more about the company, its services & products.

Media Contact: Diganta Kumar Barooah [email protected] +91-80-41827200 Torry Harris Business Solutions

SOURCE Torry Harris Business Solutions
Reciba en su email: noticias de ultima hora, analisis tecnicos o el cierre de mercado

Email no valido Nombre requerido Recibira las informaciones mas relevantes del dia en tiempo real Que informacion desea recibir? Noticias de Ultima hora Boletin Cierre de Mercado Boletin analisis tecnico Boletin Fundsnews Debe seleccionar un tipo de boletin Acepto la Politica de privacidad Debe aceptar la politica de privacidad Responsable EMPRESAS DEL GRUPO WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Finalidad La remision de informacion, novedades y promociones Establecimiento o mantenimiento de Relaciones Comerciales. Legitimacion Consentimiento del interesado. Interes legitimo en el desarrollo de la relacion comercial Destinatario Empresas del Grupo WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Derechos Acceso, rectificacion, supresion, limitacion, oposicion y portabilidad Informacion adicional Politica de Privacidad de nuestra pagina Web + INFORMACION
SIGN UP TO GET BLACKLISTED NEWS DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR INBOX Enter your email address:




Call ahead to confirm events. Due to COVID-19, many events have been canceled but hosting organizations might not have updated their entries.

Email Blast Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Daily News Headlines & Events Email Blast Would you like to receive a digest of each day's headlines & events from The Daily News by email? Signup today! The Amplifier Headlines & Events Email Blast Would you like to receive a weekly digest of headlines & events from The Amplifier by email? Signup today! Daily News Hosted Events The Daily News is a proud host of community enrichment events. Join our Daily News Events mailing list to learn about the next event we are planning. Sign up now. Manage your lists
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Submit
Bangladeshi authorities said Sunday they had arrested a fugitive suspected of overseeing efforts to supply cash and weapons that militants used in perpetrating a massacre at a Dhaka cafe in July 2016  the deadliest terror attack in the nations history.

Ripon confessed under interrogation to those alleged activities as well as taking part in meetings in early 2016 at which the Neo-JMB militant group plotted its siege of the Holey Artisan Bakery, RAB officials said. Ripon was one of two suspected Neo JMB members who were on the run but had been formally charged with six suspects in custody, when they went on trial in late November in connection with the cafe attack.

The elite counter-terrorist Rapid Action Battalion caught the suspect, identified as 30-year-old Mohammad Mamunur Rashid Ripon, while he was travelling north of Dhaka the day before, authorities said.

He was arrested Saturday from a bus near the Board Bazar area in Gazipur, RAB spokesman Mufti Mahmud Khan told a press conference in Dhaka on Sunday.

During interrogation he confessed to playing a role in the Holey Artisan attack. He provided arms, ammunition and money for the attack, he said, specifying that Ripon had raised 3.9 million taka (U.S. $46,830) for the plot and collected cash, weaponry and ammunition from inside neighboring India.

[A] number of militant attacks took place under his supervision, the spokesman added, without elaborating.

Ripon was carrying a diary, four drafts of maps, and 150,000 taka (U.S. $1,801) in cash at the time of his arrest, RAB said.

He was trying to reorganize the Neo JMB ... During the primary interrogation, he informed us that they were planning to snatch the accused persons in the style some accused militants were snatched in 2014, Khan said.

He was referring to an alleged plot to help militants break out of jail or police custody that emulated a daring jail break carried out five years ago, when militants ambushed a prison van and freed its inmate-occupants.

On Sunday, Ripon was produced before the Dhaka Metropolitan Court, which granted RAB a remand to hold him for five days of questioning, Anisur Rahman, a deputy commissioner in charge of prosecution at the Chief Metropolitan Magistrates court, told BenarNews.

In a written statement based on the suspects alleged confession, RAB said Ripon had attended a secret meeting in mid-2015 between two frontline Neo JMB leaders, Tamim Chowdhury and Sarwar Jahan. Both men were killed in a brutal anti-terror crackdown by Bangladeshi authorities that followed the overnight siege at the cafe, during which 20 hostages were slaughtered.

In April 2016, Ripon led a Neo-JMB team that went to India to collect money, arms and ammunition for the Holey Artisan plot, RAB said.

Ripon supplied three AK-22 rifles, pistols and grenades used in the attack, the RAB spokesman said, adding that the suspect also attended a meeting in February 2016, when the decision to carry out the plot was finalized.

A Bangladeshi policeman stands guard in front of the building that once housed the Holey Artisan Bakery, on the first anniversary of a deadly hostage crisis at the upscale restaurant in Dhaka, July 1, 2017. [AP]

Eight suspects left

On Nov. 26, 2018, Ripon and seven other suspected Neo-JMB militants were indicted on charges of conspiring and aiding in a deadly terrorist act in connection with the overnight attack at the bakery that led to the killings of 29 people. Six of the defendants already in custody all pleaded not guilty to the charges when they went on trial that day.

An eighth defendant, Shariful Islam (alias Khalid), remains at-large, authorities said.

The Islamic State (IS) extremist group claimed that five of its Bengali members carried out the attack, in which they used machetes to hack hostages to death.

Bangladeshi authorities, however, have since denied that IS or any other foreign terrorist network was behind the attack. They have blamed it on Neo JMB, a faction of a home-grown militant group, Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh.

The 20 hostages who died in the massacre included nine Italians, seven Japanese, one Indian and three Bangladeshis. Two policemen and two cafe workers were killed in the attack along with the five militants, who died when security forces raided the cafe in breaking the siege.

Altogether 21 suspects were named in a charge-sheet that police submitted earlier in 2018 before the trial began in November, but only eight of the suspects remained alive.

Apart from those eight, the charge-sheet listed the five dead gunmen who carried out the attack. Another eight suspected Neo JMB members were killed during the crackdown launched by Bangladesh in the months that followed the cafe siege. These included Tamim Chowdhury, a Bangladeshi-born Canadian national who allegedly masterminded the terror plot.

Last February, the U.S. State Department declared Neo-JMB a Specially Designated Global Terrorist organization. The designation allows Washington to block assets that members of the group affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) may have in U.S. jurisdictions, and bars American citizens from undertaking financial transactions with the Bangladeshi militant group.
A molotov cocktail explodes next to Greek riot police during clashes after a rally in Athens (Yorgos Karahalis/AP)

Protesters clashed with police outside the parliament in Athens during a rally that drew tens of thousands of people against the Greece-Macedonia name deal.

At least 25 officers were injured and seven people arrested, police said.

Demonstrators threw rocks, flares, firebombs, paint and other objects at riot police, who responded with repeated volleys of tear gas.

Expand Close Demonstrators clash with Greek riot police (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Demonstrators clash with Greek riot police (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP)

Some protesters jumped over a fence and tried to scale the steps but officers chased them back down.

One man draped in a Greek flag attacked police with a large stick, while others swung big flags on wooden poles and struck officers.

People attending the rally said large clouds of tear gas led many to abandon the protest.

The square in front of parliament had nearly emptied out by early evening, though small groups of protesters continued to clash with officers.

Expand Close A demonstrator uses the Greek flag to battle riot police (Yorgos Karahalis/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A demonstrator uses the Greek flag to battle riot police (Yorgos Karahalis/AP)

Greeces parliament is expected to start a debate Monday on ratifying the deal and vote on it by Friday.

Macedonias parliament has already approved it, agreeing the country would go by the name North Macedonia.

Macedonia and Greece struck the deal in June to end a decades-long dispute over the name, which Greece says harbours territorial claims on its northern province of the same name.

Protesters are against the deal because they believe any use of the name Macedonia in the neighbouring countrys name is a usurpation of ancient Greek heritage and implies territorial claims on Greece.

Expand Close Greek riot police chases demonstrators (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Greek riot police chases demonstrators (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP)

A statement from the office of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras blamed extremist elements and members of Golden Dawn  an extreme-right, anti-immigrant party  for the clashes on Sunday.

It said: In our democracy, citizens free expression is an inalienable right, even for those who want to abolish democracy  it is also the duty and obligation of those of us who do believe not to allow them. Lets isolate and condemn them.

Police said in a statement that officers had been attacked by organised groups of individuals with special ferocity, (using) rocks, iron bars, wooden clubs, firebombs, etc.  police forces acted according to operational plans and orders, showed restraint and professionalism and, using the appropriate methods, repelled the attacks.

Protest organisers said they hoped to attract more than 600,000 people. Police released an official estimate of 60,000.

Expand Close Protesters wave Greek flags outside parliament in Athens (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Protesters wave Greek flags outside parliament in Athens (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP)

While organisers said about 3,000 buses would travel from northern Greece alone, police said a total of 327 had arrived from across the country Sunday afternoon.

Among the people who addressed the protest were former conservative Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, a member of the Mount Athos monastic community and a Greek-American former politician, Chris Spirou, who was once a member of New Hampshires House of Representatives.

In northern Greece, farmers temporarily blocked the highway leading to the Macedonian border in solidarity. It later reopened.

About 300 anarchists staged a counter-demonstration on Sunday. Police erected barriers to prevent clashes.

After their otherwise peaceful rally, anarchists burned a car with official licence plates.
The couple are facing removal from the UK after the Home Office refused their application (Yui Mok/PA)

Thousands of people have signed a petition against the removal of an Iranian couple whose family all live in the UK.

Mozaffar Saberi, 83, and Rezvan Habibimarand, 73, bought a flat in Edinburgh in the late 1970s and have four children, 11 grandchildren and a great-grandchild who are all British citizens.

The couple spent time in the UK on visitor visas over the years but after visiting in November 2012 they made an application to remain on human rights grounds which was refused by the Home Office.

A second application was also refused and they are now appealing against the decision, with the case due to be heard on February 25.

They have got nobody in Iran. It is just beyond beliefNavid Saberi, son

The couple are distressed at the prospect of being separated from their family who all live in Edinburgh.

Their son Navid Saberi said: It is very very stressful. They are elderly and not really keeping well and on top of their health problems it is a psychological effect, not knowing what is around the corner and what is going to happen in the future.

The prospect of leaving three generations of children, grandchildren and a great-grandchild and going back to Iran has not been easy for them.

He added: They have got nobody in Iran. It is just beyond belief.

The couple also look after their severely autistic grandson who is non-verbal in order to help their daughter, an NHS nurse who is a single mother.

Mr Saberi said his parents have a strong emotional bond with the boy and it could have a detrimental effect on him if they have to leave the country.

John Vassiliou, partner at McGill & Co which is handling the case, said: Mr Saberi is in his 80s, his wife is in her 70s. If they go back to Iran its difficult for British citizens to visit Iran, they cant just fly over as if they were going to Spain or France.

They are showing lots of signs of old age physically and mentally and they just want to be with their family. If they go back to Iran they will be alone.

They are very distressed by the whole process.

If they go back to Iran they will be two old people living alone whereas here they are living in Edinburgh with all their family around them.

Their family are all here and that social aspect and emotional support that they get here will disappear if they go back to Iran.

More than 3,000 people have signed a petition on change.org calling on the Home Office to allow the couple to stay in the UK.

Ian Murray, Labour MP for Edinburgh South, has voiced his support for the family.

Itas a very sad case. The main issue seems to be the change of Home Office rules in 2013 by the now Prime Minister. Iam working with the family & their lawyers to try & persuade the Home Secretary to do the decent thing. Although the word adecencya seems to be banned in his dept. https://t.co/KFswKt7COO  Ian Murray MP (@IanMurrayMP) January 18, 2019

He tweeted: Im working with the family & their lawyers to try & persuade the Home Secretary to do the decent thing.

A Home Office spokesman said: All UK visa applications are considered on their individual merits, on the basis of the evidence available and in line with UK immigration rules.
Prime Minister Theresa May is calling members of her Cabinet to update them on Brexit talks (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Theresa May is to hold a conference call with senior ministers as she prepares to tell MPs how she intends to proceed following the defeat of her Brexit plan.

Downing Street said she would speak to members of the Cabinet on Sunday and is expected to update them on her talks with other political parties.

The move comes as the pro-Brexit International Trade Secretary Liam Fox warned of a political tsunami if the Government fails to deliver on the 2016 referendum vote.

Expand Close International Trade Secretary Liam Fox has said the Government must deliver on the vote to leave the EU (Victoria Jones/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp International Trade Secretary Liam Fox has said the Government must deliver on the vote to leave the EU (Victoria Jones/PA)

He also hit out at ministers calling for Mrs May to rule out a no-deal Brexit, saying the most stupid thing possible in a negotiation is to give away your strongest card.

Writing in The Sunday Telegraph, Dr Fox said: Failure to deliver Brexit would produce a yawning gap between Parliament and the people, a schism in our political system with unknowable consequences.

The reaction of the Question Time audience could become a political tsunami. It is time for MPs to deliver on the promises they made. It is a matter of honour and a matter of duty.
Detectives have charged a teenager with the murder of 14-year-old Jaden Moodie.

Ayoub Majdouline, 18, was charged with murder after he was arrested on Saturday morning.

Majdouline, of no fixed address but from Wembley, north-west London, where he was arrested, will appear at Thames Magistrates Court on Monday, Scotland Yard said.

A spokesman added: Detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command are continuing to investigate Jadens murder and would appeal for anyone with information, who has yet to come forward, to call police.

Jaden was stabbed to death on January 8 in Leyton, east London, after a group of five men in a black Mercedes rammed him off a moped, police believe.

Expand Close Jaden was killed in Leyton, east London, on January 8 (Met Police/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Jaden was killed in Leyton, east London, on January 8 (Met Police/PA)

Three of the men are thought to have got out of the vehicle before Jaden was knifed, then all five suspects fled in the car.

In an appeal for witnesses on Saturday, Detective Chief Inspector Chris Soole, who leads the inquiry, said: We have a number of inquiries that we are pursuing, however, we cannot solve this alone, we need the public to help us.

Due to the location and time of the attack we know there are a number of people out there who either witnessed the incident or who have information about this heinous crime and we would like to hear from them.

I firmly believe that someone out there knows the people who are responsible for Jadens murder.
A teenage girl was the first person to help Novichok poisoning victims Sergei and Yulia Skripral, it has emerged.

Abigail McCourt was with her family when she saw the 66-year-old ex-KGB spy and his daughter collapsed on a bench at The Maltings shopping centre in Salisbury on the afternoon of March 5 last year.

The 16-year-old thought Mr Skripral had suffered a heart attack and alerted her mother Alison, who is an Army colonel and chief nursing officer, and they went to administer first aid.

RECOGNITION: Abigal McCourt has spoken about her involvement in helping Sergei and Yulia Skripal after they were poisoned with novichok for the very first timehttps://t.co/AE2BB1V7SZ  GHRSalisbury (@GHR_Salisbury) January 20, 2019

It was my brothers birthday and we were out celebrating, and we were coming home and I saw them on the bench, Abigail, who learnt first aid at school, told Salisbury-based radio station Spire FM.

At this point people were still walking past and I dont think anyone had really noticed them.

I told my mum because I thought he was having a heart attack. We went over and it developed from there.

We went home and the next day I was talking to some of my friends about it, and at break someone Snapchatted me and said, Is this the thing you were talking about?, and I was OK, wow.

I was a bit shocked, to be honest, because I dont think I was expecting near that to have happened. I needed to phone my mum and see if she was OK. It was a bit surreal.

Expand Close Yulia Skripal (Dylan Martinez/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Yulia Skripal (Dylan Martinez/PA)

Abigail, who had to undergo hospital tests to see if she had been contaminated by the deadly nerve agent, was speaking after winning a Spire FM Local Hero Award.

Abigail, who was nominated by her mother, said she put her first aid training to good use and believed she made a difference.

It just all helped and I did make a massive difference, I think, because the woman wasnt breathing at the time we found her, said the teenager from Larkhill, Wiltshire.

If someone is in trouble you have got to do something, and I dont think you really question it at all.

I know shed do it all again if required to do so, which makes me immensely proud to be her motherAlison McCourt

Ms McCourt told the radio station she was immensely proud of her daughter.

I just think she has been incredibly brave at the time to rush in. Shes trained in first aid and is in the cadet force at school, and she would never walk on by even if it was obvious it was dangerous, she said.

I know shed do it all again if required to do so, which makes me immensely proud to be her mother.

Investigators believe the Skripals first came into contact with the poison when it was sprayed on the door handle of the former spys home in Salisbury.

Mr Skripal and his daughter survived the attack, which Prime Minister Theresa May said had almost certainly been approved by the Russian state.

Expand Close Dawn Sturgess (Metropolitan Police/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Dawn Sturgess (Metropolitan Police/PA)

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 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.

Expand Close Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov (Metropolitan Police/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov (Metropolitan Police/PA)

Evidence gathered by intelligence agencies led the Government to conclude that the men were officers with 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.
Police are hunting two men after a woman was robbed at an ATM.

The woman, 33, had just withdrawn money from the cashpoint outside the Scotmid on Restalrig Road South in Edinburgh when one of two men who had been standing nearby came up and threatened her.

He stole a two-figure sum of money from her before running off in the direction of Sleigh Drive.

The second man, who did not speak to the woman, headed off in the same direction shortly afterwards.

APPEAL AFTER WOMAN ROBBED AT ATM IN #RESTALRIG



Detectives are appealing for your help as part of an ongoing investigation into a robbery, which took place shortly before 6pm on Saturday 19th January.



Read the full appeal - https://t.co/4VujuR392p pic.twitter.com/7ZkcYFAXAc  EdinburghPolice (@EdinburghPolice) January 20, 2019

Police are appealing for information about the incident which happened at about 5.55pm on Saturday.

Detective Sergeant Iona Cory of Gayfield CID said: This was a despicable incident which saw a woman on her own targeted as she withdrew money from a cashpoint.

This is being treated with the utmost seriousness and a robust investigation is currently under way to trace these men, supported by local officers who will be conducting increased high visibility patrols in this area for the coming days.

The area was busy with pedestrians and motorists at the time and, as part of our ongoing inquiries, Id ask anyone who may have witnessed this, anyone who may have seen the men in the area, or any motorists who captured them on dashcam footage, to get in touch with us as soon as possible.

Both of the men are described as white, 5ft 9in to 10ins tall, of slim to medium build and wearing dark clothing.

The first man had his lower face covered and was wearing bright white trainers, while the second man had white flashes on his shoes and wore dark brown/tan-coloured gloves.

Anyone with information can contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 2933 of January 19, or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where anonymity can be maintained.
Leading Cabinet Brexiteer Liam Fox has lashed out at moves by MPs to rewrite the Commons rulebook in an attempt to hijack Britains withdrawal from the EU.

The International Trade Secretary angrily accused backbenchers of trying to steal Brexit from the British people who voted to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum.

At least two cross-party groups of MPs are planning to table amendments to enable backbenchers to take control of the business of the House to delay or frustrate Theresa Mays Brexit plans.

One group including senior Labour MP Yvette Cooper and Tory former minister Nick Boles is backing a bill to suspend the Article 50 withdrawal process if there is no new deal with Brussels by the end of February.

A second, led by former attorney general Dominic Grieve, has tabled an amendment to enable backbenchers to choose to debate and vote on Brexit issues, one day a week  breaking with the convention that the Government controls the parliamentary timetable.

Expand Close Dominic Grieve (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Dominic Grieve (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Dr Fox warned that the political consequences if Parliament went back on the referendum result would be astronomical.

Youve got a Leave population and a Remain Parliament, he told BBC Ones The Andrew Marr Show.

Parliament has not got the right to hijack the Brexit process because Parliament said to the people of this country, We make a contract with you, you will make the decision and we will honour it.

What we are now getting is some of those who always absolutely opposed the result of the referendum trying to hijack Brexit and in fact steal the result from the people.

Downing Street described the moves as extremely concerning and said they underlined the need for MPs who supported Brexit to vote for it in the House.

However Labour MP Hilary Benn, who chairs the Commons Brexit committee and is backing the Cooper-Boles plan, rejected claims that MPs were behaving unconstitutionally.

Expand Close Hilary Benn (Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Hilary Benn (Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA)

MPs doing their job are not plotters, they are trying to sort out the mess the Prime Minister has created, he told The Andrew Marr Show.

We are facing a national crisis and there are many MPs in the House of Commons whose first priority is to ensure that we do not leave without a deal.

Mr Grieve said he wanted to use the debating time controlled by backbenchers to enable the House to indicate what sort of Brexit it would support.

My intention is not to stop Brexit. My intention has always been to try to ensure that the Government is forced to listen to what the majority view of the House of Commons is on this, he told BBC Radio 4s Broadcasting House.

Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp (PA Graphics)

The row erupted as Mrs May was preparing to brief Cabinet ministers on her talks with other party leaders and senior MPs following the crushing defeat of her Brexit deal last week in the Commons.

Dr Fox said one way to break the deadlock could be an agreement with the Irish Government on an alternative mechanism to the backstop, intended to ensure there is no hard border with Northern Ireland, which is a key stumbling block for many MPs.

Im not asking them to change their position. We actually agree that no matter what, there should be an agreement that ensures that theres no hard border between the United Kingdom and Ireland, he said.

The question is can we achieve what the Irish Government wants and what we want by a different mechanism?

Earlier however, Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney reiterated that Dublin remained committed to the Withdrawal Agreement in its entirety, including the backstop.

For the record, Taoiseach & I have always been on the same page on #Brexit & we remain united & focused on protecting Ireland. That includes continued support for the EU/UK agreed WA in full, including the Backstop as negotiated. @RTENewsNow https://t.co/ljmSBtvuNz  Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) January 20, 2019

The Irish Governments commitment to the entire Withdrawal Agreement is absolute  including the backstop, he wrote on Twitter.

The Prime Minister, who is spending the weekend at her official country retreat at Chequers, is due to make a statement to MPs on Monday setting out how she intends to proceed with Brexit after the tumultuous events of last week.

She will also table a neutral motion  which is expected to attract a flurry of amendments from MPs  which will be debated and put to a vote on January 29.

Expand Close David Lammy (David Mirzoeff/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp David Lammy (David Mirzoeff/PA)

Meanwhile, Labour backbencher David Lammy has warned his partys leader Jeremy Corbyn he risks a historic split comparable to the SDP breakaway in the 1980s unless he backs a second referendum.

There is a small group in our party who are so frustrated, who have so much grievance, the fear is that they are going to go off and form another party, he told Ridge On Sunday.

I personally reject that. But the danger is that, just like 1983, a new party built around a relationship with Europe keeps the Labour Party out of power for a generation.
Alex Neil MSP said the health bnoard needs to need to clarify the situation (Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament)

A former Scottish health secretary has called for an inquiry into the deaths of two patients after they contracted a fungal infection linked to pigeon droppings at a hospital.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGCC) has launched its own probe into the deaths at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.

The health board said they are still investigating the cause of one patients death, but previously said the second affected, who was elderly, died of an unrelated matter.

Alex Neil MSPs calls for an independent inquiry come as it emerged the infections were discovered in December, with filters brought in on January 10 to deal with the issue.

I think there has to be an outside inquiryAlex Neil

He told BBC Scotland: I think there has to be an outside inquiry by experts to find why this happened in the first place, secondly how it has been handled by the health board and, thirdly, what precautions need to be taken for the future.

There are confusing messages coming out of the health board so they need to clarify the situation and do so as a matter of urgency.

The infection is caused by inhaling the fungus Cryptococcus, primarily found in soil and pigeon droppings.

NHSGCC said a likely source was found in a non-public area away from wards and the droppings were removed.

The health board said a small number of child and adult patients who are vulnerable to the infection are receiving medication and this has proved effective.

Expand Close The health board said they were unable to comment any further on the two cases (NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The health board said they were unable to comment any further on the two cases (NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde)

The health board has installed portable HEPA filter units in specific areas, which filter the air continuously.

NHSGCC said that, during the course of investigations, a separate issue arose with the sealant in some of the shower rooms.

Repairs are under way and the maintenance team is working to fix the issue as quickly as possible with minimum disruption, it said.

The health board added that, as a further precaution, a specific group of patients are being moved within the hospital due to their clinical diagnosis and ongoing treatment.

A spokesman said: The investigation remains ongoing into the cause of two isolated cases of Cryptococcus at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital

The organism is harmless to the vast majority of people and rarely causes disease in humans.
Derek Mackay said the UK Government must take a no-deal Brexit off the table (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Brexit-related uncertainty is a major concern for Scottish businesses, according to a new report.

Businesses and trade associations consulted in the EY study highlighted the risks Brexit posed to their competitiveness, profitability and, in some cases, their viability.

They also warned of the risk of higher consumer prices, particularly for food, drink and energy, from short-term currency risks and from tariffs and border disruptions.

Two-thirds of the 80 participants were not confident that the UK would secure a Brexit deal by March.

This report demonstrates the costs to Scotland of a Brexit we did not vote for and demonstrates why a no-deal Brexit must immediately be taken off the table by the UK GovernmentDerek Mackay

Almost a fifth (18%) of businesses said they did not feel ready for Brexit at all, although the majority (74%) said that they had taken steps to prepare.

Only 8% said they felt fully ready for Brexit.

Scotlands Finance and Economy Secretary Derek Mackay called on the UK Government to rule out a no-deal Brexit which he said would have devastating consequences.

He said: This report demonstrates the costs to Scotland of a Brexit we did not vote for and demonstrates why a no-deal Brexit must immediately be taken off the table by the UK Government.

It captures the authentic voice of Scottish business and offers further evidence of the severe and disproportionate impacts that a no-deal outcome would have in Scotland.

Many businesses highlighted the risks to their competitiveness and profitability, some were worried about future viability and a number are already reporting negative impacts on investment, the costs associated with planning for Brexit and recruitment of staff.

On top of the damage it is clearly causing to Scottish businesses, Brexit, in whatever form, will cost jobs, make people poorer, damage our society and undermine the democratic decision of the people of Scotland to remain in the European Union.

The UK Government must now take urgent steps to rule out a no-deal Brexit, which threatens to have devastating consequences for jobs, businesses and communities, extend the Article 50 process and hold a second referendum on EU membership.

Businesses also raised concerns that Brexit would reduce access to talent at all wage and skill levels, with the food and drink, financial services, life sciences and creative sectors particularly affected.

They are also concerned that tariffs and non-tariff barriers will disrupt the frictionless and tariff-free movement of goods between Scotland and the EU.

The report states: Tariffs and non-tariff barriers will clearly make it harder for Scottish businesses to trade with the EU, and will likely reduce the volume of trade.

The sectors that appear most vulnerable include food and drink, chemicals, life sciences and other manufacturing sectors.

Impacts are likely to be felt quickly, although longer term there may be opportunities to explore alternative international markets and rebuild domestic supply chains.

A UK Government spokeswoman said: It is not enough to assert that you dont want no-deal, you have to put forward an alternative.

The best way to avoid no-deal is for MPs to vote for the deal negotiated with the EU and delivering that deal remains our priority.
The first shots of Irelands war of independence have been commemorated a century on where they were fired.

The Soloheadbeg Ambush took place in Co Tipperary on January 21 1919.

Royal Irish Constabulary officers James McDonnell and Patrick OConnell were killed by members of the Third Tipperary Brigade of the IRA in the incident close to Limerick Junction.

On Sunday, almost 100 years later, relatives of all involved and those who died, gathered together to mark the date.

Laying a wreath on behalf of the Government at the site of the Soloheadbeg Ambush Memorial, in remembrance of all who suffered and who lost their lives during the struggle for Independence.

Suaimhneas sAoraA dA n-anamacha uile pic.twitter.com/v5ZRsuNscF  aiJosepha Madigan TD a (@josephamadigan) January 20, 2019

A mass of remembrance was celebrated by the Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, Kieran OReilly, at Solohead church.

A formal commemoration followed at the Soloheadbeg Ambush Memorial during which Culture Minister Josepha Madigan laid a wreath on behalf of the government.

Ms Madigan said it was a great honour to be at Soloheadbeg, and described it as a deeply moving event.

aWe are no longer at war with our past. A We can commemorate it in its entirety. A We can honour all those who fought, without forgetting those who died, because we live in an Irish RepublicA thatA cherishes all its political traditions. a

Speaking at #Soloheadbeg pic.twitter.com/f4g1F6pMkd  aiJosepha Madigan TD a (@josephamadigan) January 20, 2019

We are no longer at war with our past, she told those gathered.

We can commemorate it in its entirety.

We can honour all those who fought, without forgetting those who died, because we live in an Irish Republic that cherishes all its political traditions.

Expand Close The Mansion House in Dublin will host an event to mark the centenary of the first sitting of Dail Eireann (Brian Lawless/PA Wire) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The Mansion House in Dublin will host an event to mark the centenary of the first sitting of Dail Eireann (Brian Lawless/PA Wire)

Monday will also mark the centenary of the first sitting of Dail Eireann.

An event will take place at the Mansion House in Dublin, where it the first sitting took place on January 21 1919 to mark the 100th anniversary.

Irish President Michael D Higgins will deliver the keynote address.

The Irish war of independence raged for two years until 1921, after which the southern 26 counties of Ireland became independent of the United Kingdom.

The Irish Free State was established in 1922 as a result of the Anglo-Irish Treaty.

Ireland went on to become a Republic in 1949.
An SDLP MLA has been widely criticised after posting on social media "not even the appalling behaviour of the Brits towards Ireland justifies this" following the car bomb attack in Londonderry.

East Londonderry MLA John Dallat posted the comment on his personal Twitter and Facebook accounts shortly after a car bomb exploded outside a court house on Bishop Street in the city.

Read More

He has since said the reference to "Brits" referred to the British government and "no-one else."

The post on Facebook read: "Whoever put that bomb in Derry has just stabbed their own people in the back same as before. Not even the appalling behaviour of the Brits towards Ireland can justify this."

Expand Close SDLP MLA John Dallat posted the message on his Facebook account. / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp SDLP MLA John Dallat posted the message on his Facebook account.

He also posted on Twitter: "On John Hume's birthday the bombers have yet again stabbed him in the back in his native city. They are a shame and a disgrace. Not even the appalling behaviour of the Brits towards Ireland justifies this."

Expand Close SDLP MLA John Dallat posted the message on his Twitter account. / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp SDLP MLA John Dallat posted the message on his Twitter account.

Mr Dallat told the Belfast Telegraph his comments related to the "current political crisis" around Brexit and the harm that he believes will be done to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland by the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

He said: "I said this because I suspect that those who planted the bomb may have had this in mind and I condemn them without any qualification whatsoever."

He added: "If anyone feels offended I regret that and in hindsight my posting could have been better framed given the misinterpretation and the subsequent abuse posted on social media.

"The term Brit in my vocabulary is an abbreviation for British and nothing more. It is used every day without question and that is how it should be."

Expand Close No-one was injured in the attack (PSNI) Press Association Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp No-one was injured in the attack (PSNI)

Referring to Northern Ireland's violent past, the MLA said: "It was wrong in the past and any attempt to reintroduce it will have the same appalling effects and we all know what that is. I would dread if anything I said would contribute in any way to that. The truth is my posting was intended to convey the very opposite."

UUP councillor Richard Holmes praised the condemnation of the bombing "from all sides" but said that the "party line seems to have been lost" on Mr Dallat.

He said: "Whilst Brits may have positive connotations in other parts of the world, here in Northern Ireland it has always been used in derogatory language by republicans towards Northern Ireland unionists and other UK citizens.

Politicians need to be careful of their language and qualifying acts of terrorism whilst belittling communities with words couched in hatred does nothing to heal divisions nor build a society fit for our children.

"Im disappointed that an MLA of John Dallats standing has resorted to such crass commentary.

Expand Close Forensic officers at the scene of last nights van bomb attack on Derry Court house. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Forensic officers at the scene of last nights van bomb attack on Derry Court house. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press

Mr Dallat's comments have also been slammed on social media.

One user wrote: "And I used to think John Dallat was the reasonable face of nationalism. As someone said, the mask slipped. Shame on your narrow mindedness John."

Another said: "The Brits? Words fail me. You are talking about over 1/2 (half) of the population of Northern Ireland. When did the SDLP become the old Sinn Fein?"

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton has said the PSNI believes the attack was carried out by dissident republican group the New IRA.

The bomb exploded at 8.09pm on Saturday. No injuries have been reported.

Two men have been arrested and our currently in custody.
Forensic investigators at the scene of a car bomb blast on Bishop Street in Londonderry.

Politicians from across the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland have condemned a car bomb attack on Londonderry court house.

The blast has also been criticised by politicians from across Northern Irelands political divide.

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said he believes the dissident republican group known as the New IRA was responsible for the explosion on Bishop Street on Saturday evening.

Northern Ireland Secretary of State Karen Bradley welcomed the widespread condemnation and said the bombers will not be allowed to hold the region back.

This attempt to disrupt progress in Northern Ireland has rightly been met with utter condemnation from all parts of the community, she said.

Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp (PA Graphics)

The small number of people responsible have absolutely nothing to offer Northern Irelands future and will not prevail.

Our voices across the political spectrum are united.

This is intolerable violence and we want to look forward and build a peaceful future for all in Northern Ireland.

Thank you to the PSNI and emergency services who are working so hard to keep people safe and secure.

This was an appalling, reckless & cynical act of terror. Violence to achieve political objectives has been rejected by the people of this island again and again. The Government condemns it in the strongest possible terms @RTENewsNow https://t.co/QK5XP8Esmy  Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) January 20, 2019

The Republic of Irelands Premier Leo Varadkar said his government condemns the incident in the strongest possible terms.

This was an appalling, reckless and cynical act of terror, he tweeted.

Violence to achieve political objectives has been rejected by the people of this island again and again.

The Taoiseach added: I also want to acknowledge the good work and prompt response of the PSNI who prevented further harm.

Democratic Unionist leader Arlene Foster described the attack as a pointless act of terror.

This pointless act of terror must be condemned in the strongest terms. Only hurts the people of the City.

Perpetrated by people with no regard for life.

Grateful to our emergency services for their swift actions which helped ensure there have been no fatalities or injuries. https://t.co/IMJ7Dn9rAa  Arlene Foster #WeWillMeetAgain (@ArleneFosterUK) January 19, 2019

This pointless act of terror must be condemned in the strongest terms. Only hurts the people of the City. Perpetrated by people with no regard for life, she tweeted on Saturday evening.

Grateful to our emergency services for their swift actions which helped ensure there have been no fatalities or injuries.

Sinn Fein president Mary-Lou McDonald said it was a mindless and outrageous attack on (the) people of Derry, while her party colleague and Foyle MP Elisha McCallion said the incident had shocked the local community.

Let's show our support to the city centre today in the wake of last night's reckless attack.



Show the world that Derry is open for business, those who did it don't represent anyone! #NotInMyName #Derry pic.twitter.com/b4BcLImP0c  Elisha McCallion (@ElishaMcC_SF) January 20, 2019

Derry is a city moving forward and no one wants this type of incident. It is not representative of the city, she said.

I would encourage anyone with information about this incident to bring it to the police.

Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann described the attack as an act of cowardice.

There was no excuse for it during the Troubles and there`s no excuse for it now, he said.

Saturday nights attack in Londonderry city centre was an act of cowardice.

The people of Derry are resolutely opposed to this. You represent no-one. Stop it now. https://t.co/fW3tftshNZ  Colum Eastwood (@columeastwood) January 19, 2019

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood, who is an MLA in Foyle, added: The people of Derry are resolutely opposed to this. You represent no-one. Stop it now.

Alliance leader Naomi Long also expressed disgust.

It is absolutely sickening that there are still people willing to bring violence to our streets and risk peoples lives and livelihoods, she said.

Those behind this have no excuse and no support for their actions.

Neither have they anything to offer beyond their desire to cause death and destruction.
Detectives investigating the car bomb explosion outside a court house in Londonderry have arrested two further people in connection with the attack.

A PSNI spokesperson said the men, aged 34 and 42, were arrested in the city on Sunday evening.

Two other men, arrested on Sunday morning, remain in police custody.

The arrests come after police released dramatic CCTV of the moment the suspected New IRA car bomb exploded on Bishop Street last night.

The PSNI released the footage on social media. The series of tweets shows the vehicle being driven to the courthouse, the driver running away from the car, and then the car exploding.

Read More

Police have also released footage of a group of young people walking past the car just minutes before it exploded.

Police have said that at around 7.55pm on Saturday night officers on patrol in Bishop Street spotted the suspicious vehicle.

The officers were making checks when information was received that a device had been left at the court house.

Expand Close A bomb exploded inside a car at the courthouse on Saturday night. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A bomb exploded inside a car at the courthouse on Saturday night. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press

A delivery man was hijacked at around 6pm by at least two armed men and was then held at a house.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Forensic officers at the scene of last nights van bomb attack on Derry Court house. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press A bomb exploded inside a car at the courthouse on Saturday night. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Forensic officers at the scene of last nights van bomb attack on Derry Court house. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Police at the scene of a car bomb on Bishop Street in Derry on January 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The scene outside Derry Court House on Bishop Street following a bomb explosion. Picture by Press Eye / Lorcan Doherty Lorcan Doherty Saturday 19th January 2019 Picture by Press Eye / Lorcan Doherty The scene outside Derry Court House on Bishop Street following a bomb explosion. Lorcan Doherty Saturday 19th January 2019 Picture by Press Eye / Lorcan Doherty The scene outside Derry Court House on Bishop Street following a bomb explosion. Lorcan Doherty The scene of a suspected car bomb on Bishop Street in Londonderry. Steven McAuley/PA Wire PA The scene of a suspected car bomb on Bishop Street in Londonderry. Steven McAuley/PA Wire PA Police at the scene of a car bomb on Bishop Street in Derry on January 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Police at the scene of a car bomb on Bishop Street in Derry on January 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Police at the scene of a car bomb on Bishop Street in Derry on January 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Forensic officers at the scene of last nights van bomb attack on Derry Court house. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press

A bomb was then put in the car and driven to the court house.

A bomb warning phone call was made to the West Midlands Samaritans who then informed West Midlands Police who in turn passed the information to the PSNI.

The PSNI managed to evacuate the surrounding area within 30 minutes of the car being left outside the court house.

Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Hamilton said on Sunday morning that the PSNI has made two arrests in connection with the incident and that the New IRA was the main line of inquiry. Both men are in their twenties.

Police release CCTV footage of car stopping outside courthouse on Bishops Street in Derry/Londonderry last night. pic.twitter.com/CLfXEyip4c  Police Derry City and Strabane (@PSNIDCSDistrict) January 20, 2019

"Fortunately it didn't kill anybody and it didn't cause widespread damage," ACC Hamilton continued.

"It was a significant attempt to kill people in this community. This bomb was placed in a car and left here for the people of this community and the local police service to deal with.

"The local community and police service acted bravely.

"It detonated just as we were leaving the area. By good grace, local people weren't killed.

"We had people socialising in the area, in the hotels, and this bomb was being moved through an area with people's homes nearby.

"It was a highly crude device," he continued.

"This was a callous act, a deliberate act against the people of Derry.

"It was a deliberate attempt to harm people."

Police release CCTV footage of driver running away from car outside courthouse on Bishops Street in Derry/Londonderry last night. pic.twitter.com/0nXw7qzDt9  Police Derry City and Strabane (@PSNIDCSDistrict) January 20, 2019

In a statement released on Sunday morning ACC Hamilton said: "We moved immediately to begin evacuating people from nearby buildings including hundreds of hotel guests, 150 people from the Masonic Hall and a large number of children from a church youth club."

Northern Ireland Secretary of State Karen Bradley has said those behind the bomb attack will not prevail.

"This attempt to disrupt progress in Northern Ireland has rightly been met with utter condemnation from all parts of the community," she said.

"The small number of people responsible have absolutely nothing to offer Northern Ireland's future and will not prevail.

"Our voices across the political spectrum are united. This is intolerable violence and we want to look forward and build a peaceful future for all in Northern Ireland.

"Thank you to the PSNI and emergency services who are working so hard to keep people safe and secure."

Expand Close Police at the scene of a car bomb on Bishop Street in Derry on January 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Police at the scene of a car bomb on Bishop Street in Derry on January 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Colin Neill, chief executive of Hospitality Ulster, said a number of businesses affected by the attack had opened as normal on Sunday.

"We are a resilient bunch in the hospitality sector and this incident last night will not deter us from opening today and getting on with the job," he said.

"We have been in touch with many of the businesses impacted by the situation in Bishop Street and the surrounding area and they have bounced back straightaway, opening for business with normal trading hours and welcoming visitors and tourists back to the city."
The scene of a suspected car bomb on Bishop Street in Londonderry. (Steven McAuley/PA Wire)

Four men have been arrested over the New IRAs car bomb attack on Londonderry court house.

The blast came shortly after 8pm on Saturday when a vehicle exploded on Bishop Street.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said it was fortunate that no-one was killed or injured.

Dramatic CCTV footage of the incident released by police has revealed how a group of people had walked past the car containing the bomb just minutes before the explosion.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA was their main line of inquiry.

Two men in their 20s were arrested in the city in the early hours of Sunday by detectives investigating the explosion.

Later two men, aged 34 and 42 years were arrested in the city.

On Sunday evening, all four were being held in police custody.

Expand Close PSNI Superintendent Gordon McCalmont (centre left) and Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton speak to the media near the scene of a car bomb blast on Bishop Street in Londonderry (Niall Carson/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp PSNI Superintendent Gordon McCalmont (centre left) and Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton speak to the media near the scene of a car bomb blast on Bishop Street in Londonderry (Niall Carson/PA)

Our main line of inquiry is against the New IRA, Mr Hamilton said.

The New IRA, like most dissident republican groups in Northern Ireland, is small, largely unrepresentative, and determined to drag people back to somewhere they dont want to be.

Mr Hamilton detailed how a pizza delivery driver was hijacked on Saturday evening, and his car packed with explosives before being left outside the court house on Bishop Street in Derry.

We believe that some time after 6pm last night (Saturday), in the Quarry Street area of Derry, a pizza delivery driver was hijacked, he said.

He had his Ford Fusion car taken off him by at least two armed men.

Detectives investigating last night's explosion outside Bishop Street courthouse in Derry/Londonderry have arrested a further two men. The men aged 34 and 42 were arrested in the city this evening.  Police Derry City and Strabane (@PSNIDCSDistrict) January 20, 2019

Between then and 7.23pm, a bomb was put in that car, driven at least half a mile to outside the court house on Bishop Street and around three minutes later a phone call went in to the Samaritans in West Midlands in England, which was then passed to West Midlands Police who then contacted us.

In the intervening minutes we had already found the car and started to evacuate the area. At around 8.09pm, the bomb detonated.

Fortunately it didnt kill anybody and fortunately it didnt cause widespread damage, but clearly it was a very significant attempt to kill people in the local community.

He added they got everyone evacuated just in time.

The bomb detonated just as we were leaving the area and it is only by good grace that local people were not killed, he said.

Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp (PA Graphics)

Those evacuated from nearby buildings included hundreds of hotel guests, 150 people from the Masonic Hall and a large number of children from a church youth club.

The attack has been condemned by politicians across the Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Expand Close Nobody was injured in the explosion (PSNI/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Nobody was injured in the explosion (PSNI/PA)

Mr Hamilton said the attack was unbelievably reckless.

Thankfully the attackers failed to kill or injure any members the local community out socialising and enjoying the best of what the city has to offer, he said.

The people responsible for this attack have shown no regard for the community or local businesses.

They care little about the damage to the area and the disruption they have caused.

STATEMENT: The Secretary of State thanks @PoliceServiceNI and emergency services, and says voices across the political spectrum in are united against intolerable violence in Northern Ireland. pic.twitter.com/79hKZjIWBO  Northern Ireland Office (@NIOgov) January 20, 2019

Secretary of State Karen Bradley said those responsible would not be permitted to disrupt progress in Northern Ireland.

The small number of people responsible have absolutely nothing to offer Northern Irelands future and will not prevail, she said.

Our voices across the political spectrum are united.

This is intolerable violence and we want to look forward and build a peaceful future for all in Northern Ireland.

Thank you to the PSNI and emergency services who are working so hard to keep people safe and secure.

This was an appalling, reckless & cynical act of terror. Violence to achieve political objectives has been rejected by the people of this island again and again. The Government condemns it in the strongest possible terms @RTENewsNow https://t.co/QK5XP8Esmy  Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) January 20, 2019

Irelands Premier Leo Varadkar described it as an appalling, reckless and cynical act of terror.

The Bishop of Derry and Raphoe Ken Good said the attack was an act of utter recklessness which showed a callous disregard for the lives and safety of local citizens and visitors alike.

It defies belief that anyone would place a bomb on a city centre street, early on a Saturday evening, so close to peoples homes, churches, a hotel, sheltered accommodation, nearby pubs and a large car park.

St Columbs Cathedral and St Augustines Church, where a group of young people had been meeting yesterday evening, have both had to cancel their Sunday morning services while the police carry out a follow-up security operation, he said.

I am extremely thankful that no one was injured, or worse, as a result of last nights explosion.

The attack was wrong. It is indefensible. It should never be repeated.

The time has long since passed when such violence should have been consigned to history.

The mayor of Derry John Boyle challenged those responsible to explain themselves.

Expand Close John Boyle condemned the attack (Steven McAuley/PA Wire) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp John Boyle condemned the attack (Steven McAuley/PA Wire)

I would actually like to ask the people responsible for this what it actually was that they thought they were going to achieve.

It achieves nothing, it didnt achieve anything in the past, it didnt achieve anything right now, the SDLP mayor said.

This is the past and it has to stay in the past. We dont want to see any more of it.

Alternative arrangements have been put in place for cases that had been due to be heard at the Courthouse in Bishop Street.

Crown Court trials with juries have been adjourned until Tuesday while all other Crown Court business, non-trial and jury business, will be dealt with at Coleraine Courthouse on Monday.

Magistrates court business will be dealt with at Strabane Court No 1, and County Court equity business will be dealt with at Strabane Court No 2 on Monday.
Screengrab from CCTV footage issued by the PSNI showing a car bomb exploding outside the court house on Bishop Street in Londonderry shortly after 8pm on Saturday

Police have released dramatic footage showing the moment a car bomb exploded outside Londonderry Courthouse.

The footage shows a group of young people walking past the vehicle just minutes before it exploded.

Police release CCTV footage of car stopping outside courthouse on Bishops Street in Derry/Londonderry last night. pic.twitter.com/CLfXEyip4c  Police Derry City and Strabane (@PSNIDCSDistrict) January 20, 2019

The Police Service of Northern Ireland released four clips via Twitter on Sunday following the blast on Saturday evening.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton described the bomb as a crude device and the attack as unbelievably reckless.

Dissident republican group the New IRA is suspected to be behind the attack.

The first clip shows the Ford Fusion car, which was hijacked from a pizza delivery driver earlier that evening, being driven to the courthouse in Bishop Street.

Police release CCTV footage of a group of young people walking past car outside courthouse on Bishops Street in Derry/Londonderry last night. pic.twitter.com/DL0hnfX8Xj  Police Derry City and Strabane (@PSNIDCSDistrict) January 20, 2019

The second clip shows a figure running away from the vehicle after parking it.

The third shows a large group of young people walking past the vehicle, as well as another car driving past.

Police release CCTV footage of explosion outside courthouse on Bishops Street in Derry/Londonderry last night. pic.twitter.com/tqzqBdCZnv  Police Derry City and Strabane (@PSNIDCSDistrict) January 20, 2019

The final clip shows the dramatic moment the car exploded in a flash of light and debris being flung from the burning wreckage.

Mr Hamilton described the bomb attack as a very significant attempt to kill people.

Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp (PA Graphics)

Fortunately it didnt kill anybody and fortunately it didnt cause widespread damage but clearly it was a very significant attempt to kill people in the local community, he said.

He added they got everyone evacuated just in time.

The bomb detonated just as we were leaving the area and it is only by good grace that local people were not killed, he added.
Forensic investigators at the scene of the car bomb blast (Niall Carson/PA)

The dissident republican group the New IRA is suspected of being behind a car bomb attack in Londonderry.

The attack came shortly after 8pm on Saturday when a vehicle exploded on Bishop Street.

Police and army bomb experts remain at the scene.

Police Service of Northern Ireland Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA was their main line of inquiry.

Two men in their 20s were arrested in the city in the early hours of Sunday by detectives investigating the explosion.

Our main line of inquiry is against the New IRA, Mr Hamilton said.

The New IRA, like most dissident republican groups in Northern Ireland, is small, largely unrepresentative, and determined to drag people back to somewhere they dont want to be.

Mr Hamilton detailed how a pizza delivery driver was hijacked on Saturday evening, and his car packed with explosives before being left outside the court house on Bishop Street in Derry.

We believe that some time after 6pm last night (Saturday), in the Quarry Street area of Derry, a pizza delivery driver was hijacked, he said.

He had his Ford Fusion car taken off him by at least two armed men.

Two men, both in their twenties, have been arrested by detectives investigating explosion outside Bishop Street courthouse in Derry/Londonderry.  Police Service NI (@PoliceServiceNI) January 20, 2019

Between then and 7.23pm, a bomb was put in that car, driven at least half a mile to outside the court house on Bishop Street and around three minutes later a phone call went in to the Samaritans in West Midlands in England, which was then passed to West Midlands Police who then contacted us.

In the intervening minutes we had already found the car and started to evacuate the area. At around 8.09pm, the bomb detonated.

Fortunately it didnt kill anybody and fortunately it didnt cause widespread damage, but clearly it was a very significant attempt to kill people in the local community.

He added they got everyone evacuated just in time.

The bomb detonated just as we were leaving the area and it is only by good grace that local people were not killed, he said.

Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp (PA Graphics)

Those evacuated from nearby buildings included hundreds of hotel guests, 150 people from the Masonic Hall and a large number of children from a church youth club.

Earlier fears of a secondary device have been ruled out.

No-one was injured in the attack, which has been condemned by politicians across Northern Irelands divide.

Expand Close Nobody was injured in the explosion (PSNI/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Nobody was injured in the explosion (PSNI/PA)

Mr Hamilton condemned the attack as unbelievably reckless.

Thankfully the attackers failed to kill or injure any members the local community out socialising and enjoying the best of what the city has to offer, he said.

The people responsible for this attack have shown no regard for the community or local businesses. They care little about the damage to the area and the disruption they have caused.

A number of church services in the area have been cancelled due to the ongoing security operation.

STATEMENT: The Secretary of State thanks @PoliceServiceNI and emergency services, and says voices across the political spectrum in are united against intolerable violence in Northern Ireland. pic.twitter.com/79hKZjIWBO  Northern Ireland Office (@NIOgov) January 20, 2019

Secretary of State Karen Bradley said those responsible would not be permitted to disrupt progress in Northern Ireland.

The small number of people responsible have absolutely nothing to offer Northern Irelands future and will not prevail, she said.

Our voices across the political spectrum are united. This is intolerable violence and we want to look forward and build a peaceful future for all in Northern Ireland.

Thank you to the PSNI and emergency services who are working so hard to keep people safe and secure.

The Bishop of Derry and Raphoe Ken Good has described the bomb attack as an act of utter recklessness which showed a callous disregard for the lives and safety of local citizens and visitors alike.

It defies belief that anyone would place a bomb on a city centre street, early on a Saturday evening, so close to peoples homes, churches, a hotel, sheltered accommodation, nearby pubs and a large car park. St Columbs Cathedral and St Augustines Church  where a group of young people had been meeting yesterday evening  have both had to cancel their Sunday morning services while the police carry out a follow-up security operation, he said.

I am extremely thankful that no one was injured  or worse  as a result of last nights explosion.

The people responsible for the attack must be reminded that their methods have been rejected not only by the vast majority of people in this community but by an overwhelming majority of people on this island.

The attack was wrong. It is indefensible. It should never be repeated. The time has long since passed when such violence should have been consigned to history.

The mayor of Derry John Boyle challenged those responsible to explain themselves.

Expand Close John Boyle condemned the attack (Steven McAuley/PA Wire) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp John Boyle condemned the attack (Steven McAuley/PA Wire)

I would actually like to ask the people responsible for this what it actually was that they thought they were going to achieve. It achieves nothing, it didnt achieve anything in the past, it didnt achieve anything right now, the SDLP mayor said.

This is the past and it has to stay in the past. We dont want to see any more of it.

Colin Neill, chief executive of Hospitality Ulster, said a number of businesses affected by the attack had opened as normal on Sunday.

We are a resilient bunch in the hospitality sector and this incident last night will not deter us from opening today and getting on with the job, he said.

We have been in touch with many of the businesses impacted by the situation in Bishop Street and the surrounding area and they have bounced back straightaway, opening for business with normal trading hours and welcoming visitors and tourists back to the city.

Alternative arrangements have been put in place for cases that had been due to be heard at the Courthouse in Bishop Street.

Crown Court trials with juries have been adjourned until Tuesday while all other Crown Court business  non-trial and jury business  will be dealt with at Coleraine Courthouse on Monday.

Magistrates court business will be dealt with at Strabane Court No 1, and County Court equity business will be dealt with at Strabane Court No 2 on Monday.
Claire Magill watches her daughters Thea (left) and Avery at the Donegall Road Methodist Complex, Belfast, run by Southcity Resource and Development Centre (Liam McBurney/PA)

A childcare group which helped catapult parents into education and well-paid jobs faces closure if funding is not renewed because of the Stormont impasse.

Voluntary groups across the country await a decision from Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley on next years budget and the timing for its announcement will be decided by her.

Staff at the Southcity Resource and Development centre in Belfast fear redundancy by April unless their state contract to provide services is extended.

Their support helped mother-of-four Laura Magill, 36, obtain a first-class honours degree. She is a paediatric nurse at a Belfast hospital and is buying a house.

She said: The kids are benefiting, I have benefited, and I think that other people in this community would benefit if funding was there and for the future, not just month to month, for the years to come.

I just think it is a brilliant programme and the Government should support it a wee bit more or give more security in their funding.

The Southcity centre was established in 1993 to address social and economic problems facing a relatively deprived part of the city.

We would just like someone in Government to make a decision instead of living month to month and waiting on resources, to plan for the future of children and and communitiesSouthcity centre manager Bob Stoker

Claire Magill, 34, also a mother of four, is hoping to return to education.

She would love her youngster, Avery, to go to the Donegall Road group.

She added: In this area growing up, all my life, there has never really been anything around here for anyone.

Out of the whole area this is the best thing that the area has for working parents and non-working parents so it would be an absolute disgrace if they never got any funding and this was not to exist any more, because this is a big help.

Expand Close The Southcity centre was established in 1993 to address social and economic problems facing a relatively-deprived part of the city (Liam McBurney/PA). PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The Southcity centre was established in 1993 to address social and economic problems facing a relatively-deprived part of the city (Liam McBurney/PA).

The Department for Communities funds organisations like Southcity using a neighbourhood renewal programme.

It said: Final funding decisions can only be made once departmental budgets have been set for this and other departments.

In the meantime the Department through its Neighbourhood Renewal teams will continue to work closely with delivery partners in the weeks ahead.

Bob Stoker, development manager at the centre, said staff had been put on protective redundancy notice on a regular basis because of the uncertainty.

We would just like someone in Government to make a decision instead of living month to month and waiting on resources, to plan for the future of children and and communities.

The money is available, it is just that there is no one seems to be willing to make a decision to allocate the resources to local groups right across the whole of Northern Ireland.

DUP Assembly Member for South Belfast Christopher Stalford said services delivered by community and voluntary organisations in neighbourhood renewal areas had a positive impact upon education, training and empowering community groups to improve local neighbourhoods.

A Department of Finance spokesman said: The Department will continue to work with the NIO (Northern Ireland Office) so that the budget can be set as soon as possible.
Police at the scene of a car bomb on Bishop Street in Derry on January 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Police at the scene of a car bomb on Bishop Street in Derry on January 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Police at the scene of a car bomb on Bishop Street in Derry on January 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The scene of a suspected car bomb on Bishop Street in Londonderry. Steven McAuley/PA Wire

The scene of a suspected car bomb on Bishop Street in Londonderry. Steven McAuley/PA Wire

Saturday 19th January 2019 Picture by Press Eye / Lorcan Doherty The scene outside Derry Court House on Bishop Street following a bomb explosion.

Saturday 19th January 2019 Picture by Press Eye / Lorcan Doherty The scene outside Derry Court House on Bishop Street following a bomb explosion.

Police at the scene of a car bomb on Bishop Street in Derry on January 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The scene outside Derry Court House on Bishop Street following a bomb explosion. Picture by Press Eye / Lorcan Doherty

There has been widespread condemnation after a suspected car bomb exploded in Londonderry city centre on Saturday night.

Police were on the scene when the device went off outside the courthouse on Bishop Street shortly after 8pm. They tweeted a picture of the car on fire after the blast, urging people to "stay away".

It is understood officers were only given a 15 minute warning to evacuated the area before the car bomb went off.

Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud explosion in the area. It's understood the vehicle was hijacked from a delivery driver before it was abandoned outside the courthouse.

In a statement on Facebook, police in Derry said there were no reports of any injuries.

They said a second suspicious car they were concerned about "has been checked". "We are now just dealing with an extensive crime scene," they said.

A hotel and a number of bars and houses were evacuated.

The people of Derry are resolutely opposed to this. You represent no-one. Stop it now. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood

A PSNI spokesperson said: "Police are in attendance at the scene of an incident in Derry/Londonderry city centre. We would ask for patience and co-operation of the public and the business community as we carry out our initial investigations."

The @mayordcsdc John Boyle says that the city is shocked and saddened at tonightas explosion pic.twitter.com/Ze5dcnpODz  Leona O'Neill (@LeonaONeill1) January 19, 2019

DUP leader Arlene Foster said: "This pointless act of terror must be condemned in the strongest terms."

She said the attack had been "perpetrated by people with no regard for life".

"Grateful to our emergency services for their swift actions which helped ensure there have been no fatalities or injuries," she tweeted.

Expand Close Police at the scene of a car bomb on Bishop Street in Derry on January 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Police at the scene of a car bomb on Bishop Street in Derry on January 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Earlier DUP MLA Gary Middleton tweeted: "PSNI have confirmed there were no injuries in the serious incident at Bishop Street. Vehicle hijacked with explosion outside courthouse. Disgraceful act of terrorism."

The smouldering remains of what looks like a transit van outside Derryas court house in Bishop Street. Bars and clubs in the area have all been evacuated pic.twitter.com/ouINZRat7w  Leona O'Neill (@LeonaONeill1) January 19, 2019

Condemning the bomb attack, Sinn Fein MP Elisha McCallion said: There are many elderly residents who live in the area who have been alarmed by this incident.

Thankfully no one appears to have been injured in this incident.

Derry is a city moving forward and no one wants this type of incident. It is not representative of the city.

I would encourage anyone with information about this incident to bring it to the police.

Expand Close Police at the scene of a car bomb on Bishop Street in Derry on January 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Police at the scene of a car bomb on Bishop Street in Derry on January 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan said: "Whoever is responsible for this explosion outside Bishop Street Courthouse in Derry clearly hasn't got the message that the people of Derry do not want this on our streets.

"We are trying to move Derry forward and will not let anyone drag us back to the dark days of the past."

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long has also voiced her concern about the incident on Twitter, describing it as very disturbing news.

UUP councillor Derek Hussey said: Those who carried out this act had no thought for the safety and well-being of fellow citizens, much less the hard pressed economy and the impact this will have on the citys businesses, nor the impression given to visitors to our area."

In a statement, Secretary of State Karen Bradley said: "I am concerned at the reports coming from Londonderry and am being kept informed by the PSNI. I urge anyone with any information to contact the police or Crimestoppers.

The area remains sealed off.

Bishop Street Closed



STAY AWAY



Suspected Car Bomb pic.twitter.com/S3cFu3zy0i  Police Derry City and Strabane (@PSNIDCSDistrict) January 19, 2019
Regina Moctezuma came to the Houston Womens March alone on Saturday, excited to attend the progressive demonstration for the first time.

I just feel like its my duty to be here, the 18-year-old said shortly before the march set off from the Buffalo Bayou visitor center. People deserve to be equal. It doesnt matter  gender, race.

Moctezumas parents both live outside the United States: When she was a child, her mother was deported to Guatemala, and her dad was later unable to re-enter the U.S. after leaving to visit Mexico. So it was the hardline immigration stance taken by President Donald Trumps administration that persuaded Moctezuma to turn out Saturday.

IN WASHINGTON: A scaled-down, but still angry Women's March returns

Pinned to her jacket was a button playing off a comment directed by then-candidate Trump toward Hillary Clinton. Nasty Women Get S- Done, the button read.

That message all but summed up the attitude of thousands of pink hat-wearing, sign-hoisting feminists who, even amid a biting wind, assembled for the third straight year to march in downtown Houston Saturday, largely to protest the current presidential administration.

With an unmistakable public enemy No. 1  Trump  the march brought out people concerned about a slew of issues aside from womens rights, including climate change, immigration and voting rights, most of which protesters linked to the president.

We need to make sure that were doing stuff that lets everybody have a voice and a vote, said Todd Litton, who was working the crowd to gather signatures in support of an independent redistricting commission to draw legislative and congressional districts.

In November, Litton lost the election for Texas gerrymandered 2nd Congressional District to Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw.

Nearby, Roxanne Taylor, a 68-year-old Katy resident, was holding a sign that read, Families Belong Together.

Immigrants have been a huge part of our nations success and I believe immigrants should continue to be a huge part of our nations success, Taylor said. I would like our immigration laws to be reformed to encourage more immigration, not less.

Still, for all the other topics, the marchs focus on womens rights and empowerment was evident. Protesters raised signs with messages including: Empowered Women Empower Women, Girls Just Want to Have Fundamental Rights, and UGH! Where do I even START?

Lauren Harris, 23, stood in front of the Buffalo Bayou visitor center early Saturday with a sign that read, Black women are 3-4 times more likely to die during childbirth than women of any other race! We deserve much better.

Im just very happy to see so much support here in Houston, so many diverse people here with diverse ideas, said Harris, who studies maternal health at the UTHealth School of Public Health. Its very comforting that I dont have to basically hide things that I believe in. All I want is health equity across all spectrums.

Despite robust turnout from Houston residents, the national Womens March movement has experienced a new level of tumult this year, with members of the National Womens March Inc. facing charges of anti-semitism. An organizer received backlash for participating in an event hosted by Louis Farrakhan, the Nation of Islam leader known for his anti-semitic comments.

On the steps of City Hall, where the brief march ended with a series of speeches and performances, Houston Women March On board member Robin Paoli put some separation between the local group and its national counterpart.

You may have seen questions about racism, bigotry, anti-semitism in the Womens March, she said. Heres what I want you to know. This global movement is not defined by one or two people, whether theyre in (Washington,) D.C. or wherever the heck they are.

We win by being united and loving our neighbors, she added. Thats it, right there.

After, Abbie Kamin, an associate regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, criticized what she called a stunning failure and an outright refusal by national march leadership to denounce anti-semitism and repudiate bigotry.

For Jewish people, the lesson of thousands of years of murderous persecution is that there can be no justice if we do not speak out, said Kamin, who is Jewish. There can be no justice if we do not speak out for other people.

For now, Paoli said, Houston Women March On plans to continue holding the annual march.

As long as there is a system of injustice, were going to keep encouraging and registering voters and encouraging them to find causes and candidates to support, she said. And we will continue to march and continue to register voters until theres justice.

jasper.scherer@chron.com

twitter.com/jaspscherer
JASPER  Heavy rains and high winds lashed an already swollen Sam Rayburn Reservoir on Saturday, leading to lowland flooding and treacherous driving conditions.

At least six scheduled fishing tournaments were canceled as water levels reached 174.7 feet, just shy of the reservoir's 175.1 foot record. Highway crews periodically closed the Texas 147 bridge that spans the popular lake to clear debris deposited by white-capped waves over the roadway.

Jasper County Judge Mark W. Allen issued a disaster declaration Friday ahead of the latest round of rain, stating that conditions called for "extraordinary measures be taken to protect life, as well as to protect or rehabilitate property."

The declaration also clears the way for flooded property owners to apply for disaster assistance.

There were no immediate reports of widespread flooding of homes or businesses Saturday, but the rising water and white caps led one marina worker to observe that the reservoir more closely resembled an ocean than a lake.

"We are still working, but we had to walk through knee-high water to get to the office," said Bailey Newcomb, an office worker at the Sam Rayburn Marina Resort near the dam.

"The U.S. Corps (of Engineers) told us if the water gets over the spillway our whole area will be underwater. Right now I'd say there is less than a foot before that happens."

RELATED: Neches claims elderly man; wife was stranded for 2 days

The National Weather Service said after the rains stopped that high winds were still pushing water into low-lying areas. Things quieted down, but weather officials said there could be more flooding next week as more rain is expected upstream.

"We have seen photos of flooding in the area," the Weather Service's Tim Humphrey said. But he added that no flood warnings or watches had been issued for the area.

High water is not an altogether unfamiliar sight at the Sam Rayburn Marina, where flooding in 2015 resulted in a damaged seawall, destroyed docks and the loss of more than 70 trees.

"I just got word that our docks just broke loose and I don't know if I can get enough money a second time to get them replaced," marina owner Jeffrey Cunningham said by telephone. "I was told about one-third of our park is underwater.

"It's sad that this keeps happening, with Rita (a 2005 hurricane) and in 2015 and now today."

Andrea Whitney reported from Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Erica Apodaca reported from Beaumont.
A Santa Fe veterinarian accused of rape and battery in Louisiana has had his license temporarily suspended.

Todd Michael Glover, 37, who owns and operates the Animal Hospital of Santa Fe, was arrested Dec. 26 at his residence in Hitchcock. Glover was charged with one count of first-degree rape and three counts of sexual battery in the 33rd Judicial District Court in Allen Parish.

Paul Darrow, Glover's attorney, said his client plans on appealing the decision by the Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners to get a hearing on the matter.

"In the meantime, he can still own and operate the vet clinic, he just can't treat any animals or prescribe during the suspension, which we're fully complying with," Darrow said.

Glover waived his right to an extradition hearing and was taken to Louisiana on Dec. 28.

On Jan. 2, the 33rd Judicial District Court set Glover's bail at $90,000. Glover posted bail and was released by the Allen Parish Sheriff's Office.

No court has been set in the case. The matter is still being investigated jointly by the Coushatta Tribal Police Department in Louisiana and the Texas Department of Public Safety through the Texas Rangers.

Darrow said Glover recently passed a voluntary polygraph test administered by the Texas Rangers.

"At this point we know very little about the allegations," Darrow said. "We look forward to our day in court and the truth coming out."

Nick Powell covers Galveston County for the Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter and send him tips at nick.powell@chron.com
3 1 of 3 Harris County Constable, Precinct 4 Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Harris County Constable, Precinct 4 Show More Show Less 3 of 3





A man suspected of stealing a car has been arrested after a high-speed chase with Harris County constables led to a crash in northwest Houston Saturday.

Deputies with Harris County Constable Mark Herman's office conducted a traffic stop on a stolen vehicle in the 5000 block of FM 2920. The driver refused to stop, and led deputies on a chase before the driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed in the 9700 block of Hufsmith Road, authorities said.
Stay up to date on COVID-19

Get Breaking News

Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox.
On the daytime show "Dr. Phil," a former FBI profiler said she believes one person killed Micah Holsonbake and was involved in the disappearan
By the numbers

19,726

The number of people 65 and older in Kern County estimated to have Alzheimers disease in 2030, an 85 percent increase over 10,645 people in 2015.

840,000

The number of California residents 65 and older estimated to have Alzheimers in 2025, a nearly 30 percent increase over 650,000 in 2018.

16 million

The number of Americans expected to have Alzheimers in 2050.

6

Alzheimers is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. and third in California.

15,065

The number of deaths from Alzheimers disease in California in 2015, the latest numbers available.

1.1 trillion

The estimated cost to treat Alzheimers and other dementia-related illnesses by 2050, a significant increase from $277 billion in 2018.

Source: Alzheimers Association
Contact The Californians Robert Price at 661-395-7399, rprice@bakersfield.com or on Twitter: @stubblebuzz. His column appears on Sundays, Wednesdays and Saturdays; the views expressed are his own.
House Democrats are pushing forward with legislation to beef up security at the borders without funding for the wall demanded by President Donald Trump, a move bound to intensify the standoff over a partial government shutdown heading into its fifth week.
FILE - In this May 29, 2008, file photo, colorful murals line the walls at the Indian Health Services clinic at San Xavier Health complex just south of Tucson, Ariz. About 120,000 Arizona residents who receive Medicaid benefits will have to get a job, do community service or temporarily lose health coverage. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved the state's plan Friday, Jan.18, 2019. The Trump administration has urged states to consider changes to their Medicaid programs to encourage work and independence. Others say it unfairly targets the working class. (Greg Bryan/Arizona Daily Star via AP, File)
By Trend

The Turkish troops, deployed in Syrias Afrin, opened fire on Friday at the YPG in response to the latters fire from the city of Tall Rifat, the Turkish Defense Ministry said in a statement, Trend reported citing Sputnik.

"Units of the Turkish Armed Forces, deployed in Afrin, gave a relevant response to the attack by YPG terrorists from Tall Rifat," the statement said.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Romania and other EU countries on Friday to follow Washingtons lead and move their embassies to the disputed city of Jerusalem, Trend reports referring to The Times of Israel.

Netanyahu made the call during talks in Jerusalem with Romanian Prime Minister, Viorica Dancila, who took this month over the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union.

I hope you will act to stop the bad resolutions against Israel in the EU, and also of course to move your embassy and other embassies to Jerusalem, Netanyahu told Dancila in comments relayed by the Israeli premiers office. We wait for you in Jerusalem.

Last year the Romanian government, supported by the speaker of its parliament, adopted a draft proposal to move the countrys embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

That came after US President Donald Trump recognized the city as capital of Israel in May and moved Washingtons embassy there, breaking with decades of diplomatic convention that the final status of the city should be the outcome of peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.

But Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, who has frequently clashed with the government, opposed the Romanian move in the absence of an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, and called for Dancilas resignation.

During a visit to Jerusalem in April 2018, Dancila said she favored moving the embassy but had insufficient domestic support to do so.

Guatemala was the first country to follow in Americas footsteps, and Brazils far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who took office on January 1, has said his country will also move its embassy to Jerusalem.

In December, Australia recognized west Jerusalem as Israels capital, but said it would not shift its embassy from Tel Aviv until a peace settlement is signed.

The status of the city, holy to Muslims, Christians, and Jews is one of the thorniest of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel claims Jerusalem as its undivided capital, while Palestinians view Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem as theirs.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Saudi Arabias Ministry of Health clarified on Wednesday expecting mothers rights when it comes to childbirth procedures and medical intervention, Trend reports referring to Al Arabiya.

In a post on their official Twitter account using the hashtag You Have The Right To, the ministry listed eight cases where the women could make their own decisions without the consent of a guardian. This includes their right to know the state of pregnancy, the gestational age and the expected date of birth, as well as the expected method of delivery.

The ministry also said that it is up to the expecting mother if she would like someone to accompany her at the birth, whether it be a family member or friends, as long as the hospital room can accommodate them. They also said that the presence of the companion should not violate the privacy of others who are giving birth.

They also announced that is within pregnant womens rights not to cut the perineum at birth, unless it is necessary and after oral consent, as well as after all information and options have been provided to the expecting mother.

This comes as part of the ministrys efforts to engage the community and raise awareness about health issues and procedures in the kingdom.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Siemens and Alstoms plan to create a European rail champion to take on a Chinese rival has failed to win over EU antitrust regulators despite German and French backing, people familiar with the matter said on Friday, Trend reported citing Reuters.

The EU veto, to be announced early next month, could push Siemens to float its own in-house rail technology division, called Siemens Mobility, while keeping a stake.

The rail merger deal would have created the worlds second largest rail company with combined revenues of around 15 billion euros ($17.05 billion), roughly half the size of Chinas state-owned CRRC Corp Ltd (601766.SS) but twice the size of Canadas Bombardier (BBDb.TO).

Germany and France support the deal, saying it would help secure the competitiveness of the European rail industry. However, European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager has said Europe cannot build industrial champions by undermining competition.

Her veto could spur the two countries to step up efforts to modify the blocs competition rules, among the most powerful in the world, to take into account unfettered non-EU rivals and U.S. tech giants, although it will not be an easy battle.

German conglomerate Siemens has already offered to license parts of its high-speed train business and sell parts of its signaling operations after the European Commission voiced concerns.

Siemens had initially offered to share its high-speed train technology, which allows trains to travel faster than 250 kilometers per hour, for five years with third parties.

The EU competition enforcer, however, wanted a longer duration, a demand which the company rejected. Siemens Velaro is the worlds fastest high-speed train.

There were also competition concerns regarding the companies market power in rolling stock and signaling. The Commission - which has rejected an imminent Chinese threat in the rail industry - Siemens and Alstom all declined to comment.

The deal triggered criticism from the German cartel office, Britains CMA competition watchdog and its counterparts in the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain, which say concessions from the companies fell short.

The regulators expressed concerns about the supply of very high-speed rolling stock for trains such as the Eurostar which links the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Alstom unions have also dismissed the Chinese threat.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he had a very good meeting with North Koreas nuclear envoy Kim Yong Chol and the two sides had made a lot of progress, Trend reports citing Reuters.

The White House announced after Fridays talks that Trump would hold a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in late February but will maintain economic sanctions onPyongyang.

Kim Jong Un is looking forward to it, Trump told reporters at the White House. Weve made a lot of progress.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

This is the first time China exported its commodities via land to Iran through the Central Asian country of Kazakhstan to be later sent by sea, Trend reports citing IRNA.

The first cargo shipment sent from the far-eastern China has made its way to Iran through Kazakhstan.

The cargo that includes bicycle and industrial machinery parts, wallpaper, brake pads, among other items, was sent from the Ningbo Port in the East China Sea on December 18. It was put on freight trains towards the Khorgos on the border with Kazakhstan.

The shipment continued its journey through the Kazakh territory via raidroad to Port of Aktau on the eastern bank of the Caspean Sea. From there, it was loaded into 42 containers on Diba bulk carrier heading for the Caspin Port in Anzali Free Zone.

This is the first cargo that arrives in from the eastern-most part of China through the Kazakhstan corridor. Previous shipments used to be sent via the Indian Ocean arriving at the southern Iranian Port of Bandar Abbas in the Persian Gulf.

Ningbo is a city in the northeast of Jijiang Province of China, 25 kilometers east of the Sea of China as one of the most important industrial and commercial ports of the country. It is considered as a small sample of Shanghai in the Chinese economy and its port has been ranked second in terms of operational capability in commercial shipments.

The capacity of the multi-modal transit route is estimated to be at 10 million tons of cargo. It also cuts short both the distance and the costs incurred.

Anzali is Iran's only free zone in the north and connects the country to the Commeanwealth of Independent States (CIS), Russia and other Caspean Sea nations.

'This is a great opportunity for Iran,' Said Mostafa Salari, governor of the norther Iranian Gilan Province, who received the ship accompanied by local officials and some lawmakers.

'The Caspian Port in Anzali is exempt from the problems that southern coasts are facing,' added Salari, referring to the difficulties in port use and other maritime services that have been caused by renewed US sanctions on Iran when Donald Trump Administration walked out of the 2015 international nuclear treaty with Iran.

The Caspea Sea is shared by Russia, Kazakhistan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, all of which have reiterated their support for the nuclear deal in the face of the unilateral US sanctions that went into effect last November.

The Iranian official siad he hopes cargo transit through this new route increases so Tehran can upgrade its foreing trade.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

The case of a blogger is exaggerated and used against Azerbaijan, the Chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Deputy Executive Secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party Mubariz Gurbanli said commenting on the artificially created problem around blogger Mehman Huseynov, Trend reports on Jan. 20.

Gurbanli, referring to the latest resolution of the European Parliament, noted that out of 751 members only 30 took part in the discussions.

"And when you watch the speeches, you see that these people cannot read even what they have written. Probably, the text was given to them 10 minutes before their speech. These people are not aware of the issue, which once again shows that all this is rigged. This does not affect Azerbaijan. Because Azerbaijan has no obligations before the European Parliament. We are not a member of the European Parliament," he said.

He added that in general, the European Parliament has adopted hundreds of resolutions, which are a manifestation of double standards not only in relation to Azerbaijan, but also to other countries.

"If the European Parliament is looking for a problem, then the problem is in themselves. They should pay attention to ongoing events in European countries, where human rights are still violated," he added.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

The heroism of the Azerbaijani people on January 20 became an example for the Turkic world, Professor Naciye Selin Senocak, the head of the cultural diplomacy department at the Institute for European Studies in Brussels, told Trend.

She underlined that the Azerbaijani people were defenseless.

"On Jan. 20, the Soviet authorities wanted to deprive the Azerbaijani people of their independence by resorting to bloody reprisals," she said.

Senocak noted that on Jan. 20 a bloody tragedy occurred, about which the whole world, including the West, was silent.

"Despite all this, the tragedy of January 20 became a heroic page in the history of the Azerbaijani people," she added.

She also noted that presently, about 20 percent of Azerbaijani lands are under Armenian occupation.

"Until the OSCE and the UN act decisively on the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenia will ignore the world community and continue its occupation policy," Senocak said.

She noted that the successful state policy of President Ilham Aliyev has turned Azerbaijan into a bright star of Eurasia.

"The main reason that the world turns a blind eye to the Armenian occupation is that it wants to prevent Azerbaijan from becoming a regional power," Senocak said.

On January 20, 1990, the Soviet army forces entered Baku to suppress the masses protesting the USSR-supported Armenian aggression based on territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

The result was an unprecedented tragedy for Azerbaijan. Valiant sons and daughters of Azerbaijan put the country's freedom, honor and dignity above everything else, sacrificed their lives and became martyrs.

The January 20 tragedy brought huge losses and death of innocent people. But it also demonstrated the spirit and pride of Azerbaijani nation, which couldnt stand the betrayal of the criminal empire led by Mikhail Gorbachev.

Azerbaijanis gained the independence they were dreaming of, and the country achieved sovereignty.



Despite that many years have passed since those bloody days, Azerbaijanis remember the dreadful night that took many innocent lives and marks the anniversary of the January 20 tragedy every year.

January 20 is immortalized in the memory of Azerbaijani nation as a Day of the Nationwide Sorrow.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

On January 20  the National Day of Mourning in Azerbaijan the leadership and military personnel of the Ministry of Defense of the Azerbaijan Republic visited the Alley of Martyrs, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said, Trend reports.

The servicemen paid tribute to the memory of our citizens who sacrificed their lives for the freedom and independence of the Motherland and laid flowers on their graves, said the message.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and first lady Mehriban Aliyeva have paid tribute to the victims of the 20 January tragedy on the National Mourning Day.

President Ilham Aliyev laid a wreath at the "Eternal Flame" memorial.

The Defense Ministrys military orchestra played the national anthem of Azerbaijan.

Participants in the commemorative ceremony included state and government officials, heads of religious communities, ambassadors of foreign countries to Azerbaijan, and representatives of international organizations.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

The events that took place on the night of January 20, 1990 were aimed at breaking the spirit of the Azerbaijani people and hindering their struggle for independence, Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of Azerbaijans National Academy of Sciences, MP, Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor Govhar Bakhshaliyeva told Trend.

She noted that these tragic events became a heroism page in the history of the Azerbaijani people.

On that night, the Azerbaijani people rose to fight for their independence and freedom, she said. The unarmed Azerbaijani people, confronting the military armed to the teeth, demonstrated selflessness and heroism.

She stressed that the January 20 tragedy was a planned armed aggression of an empire against the Azerbaijani people.

Hundreds of people were killed, injured and illegally arrested in those bloody events, Bakhshaliyeva said.

She added that the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev was beside the Azerbaijani people at that time as well.

It was thanks to his efforts that the whole world learned about this bloodshed, said Bakhshaliyeva.

The Azerbaijani people never forgot and never forgets their heroes, she said.

January 20 is a day that went down in history of Azerbaijan's fight for independence and territorial integrity.

On January 20, 1990, the Soviet army forces entered Baku to suppress the masses protesting the USSR-supported Armenian aggression based on territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

The result was an unprecedented tragedy for Azerbaijan. Valiant sons and daughters of Azerbaijan put the country's freedom, honor and dignity above everything else, sacrificed their lives and became martyrs.

The January 20 tragedy brought huge losses and death of innocent people. But it also demonstrated the spirit and pride of Azerbaijani nation, which couldn't stand the betrayal of the criminal empire led by Mikhail Gorbachev.

Azerbaijanis gained the independence they were dreaming of, and the country achieved sovereignty.



Despite that many years have passed since those bloody days, Azerbaijanis remember the dreadful night that took many innocent lives and marks the anniversary of the January 20 tragedy every year.

January 20 is immortalized in the memory of Azerbaijani nation as a Day of the Nationwide Sorrow.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Zimbabwe has a strong interest in the experience of Azerbaijan in the proper organization of governance, the conduct of independent policies based on national interests and also in the country's experience in economic and social reforms, Azerbaijani MP Tahir Rzayev told Trend, commenting on the visit of the Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa to the country.

The MP noted that Azerbaijans effective management in the mining industry, ensuring transparency of revenues from the non-oil sector, well-considered investment in other sectors of the economy, development of the non-oil sector, transport infrastructure and agriculture, achievement of 100 percent literacy and success in other areas are recognized as an interesting experience.

Rzayev added that the Zimbabwean president had chosen Azerbaijan, Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan for his overseas tour.

"These countries have been chosen to exchange experience, explore new opportunities for economic and trade cooperation, and make investments, given the fact that they have the highest rates in the CIS," he said.

He underlined that Azerbaijan will chair the Non-Aligned Movement in 2019-2022, in which Zimbabwe is also actively involved.

Rzayev added that the number of countries willing to cooperate with Azerbaijan, which is reliable, worthy and responsible participant in international relations, is growing.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Electric trains will run from Makhachkala, Dagestan (federal subject of the Russian Federation) to the border with Azerbaijan, Trend reports via Russian media.

The relevant agreement was reached during the meeting held in the government of Dagestan Republic under the leadership of First Deputy Chairman Gadzhimagomed Huseynov.

The meeting's agenda included discussions on draft cooperation agreement between the Republic of Dagestan and Russian Railways in the field of modernization and reconstruction of railway infrastructure in Dagestan.

The contract envisages passenger transportation in three directions: Makhachkala - Khasavyurt (one pair), Makhachkala - Derbent (two pairs), Makhachkala - the border with Azerbaijan (two pairs).

Moreover, the meeting participants agreed to run additional train pairs in the directions of Makhachkala - Khasavyurt and Derbent - the border with Azerbaijan in the near future.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 26 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Jan. 20, Trend reports.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
A protest by tens of thousands of people in Athens against the government's deal to rename the country's northern neighbor to the Republic North Macedonia turned violent on Sunday after protesters threw stones and fireworks at police, who responded with tear gas, BBC reports.

Details: This comes as the Greek Parliament is expected to vote this week on ratifying the agreement for the name change  paving the way for Macedonia's admission into NATO and the European Union. Greek nationalists have long opposed the name "Macedonia" for its northern neighbor, claiming it implied territorial claims to a Greek province of the same name. The Macedonian Parliament ratified the agreement this month.
Rudy Giuliani told Chuck Todd on NBC's "Meet the Press" that President Trump "can remember having conversations" with Michael Cohen about Trump Tower Moscow right up until the election  as late as November 2016.

One big quote: "No. It's our understanding that it, that [talks] went on throughout 2016, not a lot of them, ... but the president can remember having conversations with [Cohen] about it. ... Probably up to, could be up to as far as October, November."

Between the lines: Giulianis rounds on Sunday morning TV related to the BuzzFeed report over the weekend that Trump directed Cohen to lie to Congress about a deal to build a Trump Tower in Moscow.

The report cites "two federal law enforcement officials involved in an investigation of the matter.

In a rare response, special counsel Robert Mueller's office claimed the story was inaccurate.

Giuliani to Chuck Todd: I can tell you his counsel to Michael Cohen throughout that entire period was, Tell the truth. We thought he was telling the truth. I still believe he may have been telling the truth when he testified before Congress."

A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted.

Full exchange below

Todd: Well you just said there, you said the president is not sure when talked ended. You, I'm guessing you had to answer this question in written form by Mr. Mueller. So right, it's your understanding it ended when? In January, as Michael Cohen incorrectly testified to?

Giuliani: No. It's our understanding that it, that they went on throughout 2016, not a lot of them, but there were conversations, can't be sure of the exact date, but the president can remember having conversations with him about it. The president also remembers 

Todd: Throughout 2016?

Giuliani: Yeah. Probably up to, could be up to as far as October, November. Our answers cover until the election. So anytime during that period they could have talked about it, but the president's recollection of it is the thing had petered out quite a bit. They sent a letter of intent in. They didn't even know where to send it, they knew so little about it. They finally got it straightened out and then they abandoned the project. And that's about as much as he can remember of it because remember, 2015, 2016, he's running against 16 people for president of the United States. And I know that, I was with him like for five months. All his concentration was 100% on running for president.

Go deeper: A reckoning for political journalism
A cluster of attempted digital robberies at West African financial institutions appear to have been imitating the North Korea-linked Lazarus Group's run of heists, according to Symantec.

Why it matters: Lazarus, internationally notorious for the Sony hack and the WannaCry malware, is currently very active stealing funds to support the Kim Jong-un regime. The Symantec finding is fascinating as an example of how attacks trickle down from nations to more common criminals.

The big picture: "It seems like after the high public profile of the North Korea thefts, these hackers took those tactics," said Jon DiMaggio, a senior threat intelligence analyst at Symantec.

Details:

The Lazarus group has utilized the SWIFT system , which banks use to request money from one another, in several high-profile thefts, but the attacks Symantec documented did not.

which banks use to request money from one another, in several high-profile thefts, but the attacks Symantec documented did not. What they did use were a similar set of tools to what Lazarus used to set up those attacks, as outlined in a 2017 alert.

Symantec did not want to publicly specify the exact tools that were used.

Background: This isn't the first time DiMaggio said he had seen hackers influenced by a high-profile Lazarus attack. After the group's most famous heist, the theft of $81 million from the central bank of Bangladesh, a separate criminal group added SWIFT fraud to their toolkit.

Symantec's report outlined four different techniques of attacks currently being used in Africa that may represent more than one criminal group.

The first, the one flagged as similar to the SWIFT heists, targeted firms in Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea.

All four clusters used a mix of easily purchasable malware and "living off the land" techniques  avoiding detection using as much software already on victims' computers during the break-in as possible.

The other groups of attacks spanned Ivory Coast, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cameroon.

Historically, West African financial groups have not been common targets for hackers, according to the Symantec report. DiMaggio believes that a softer regulatory structure may have made African banks a tempting target.

The bottom line: DiMaggio stressed that IT staff globally have to become more accustomed to looking for living-off-the-land attacks that don't appear to create suspicious network traffic. "You have to look at legitimate traffic," he said. "You can't just wait for a warning screen to flash red."
In unveiling the Trump administrations new Africa strategy last month, national security adviser John Bolton cast Chinese financial and military activity in Djibouti as a threat to U.S. interests in the Horn of Africa. He cited concerns about Djibouti's mounting debt burden to China and China's potential to take over a strategically located port, along with its establishment of a military base near U.S. base Camp Lemonnier.

The big picture: Djibouti has enjoyed a four-decade relationship with China, and in the past few years, this relationship has become more instrumental in Djibouti's development. China holds 77% of Djiboutis debt, largely because of Vision Djibouti 2035, the country's agenda to become a logistics and commercial hub for continental trade and spur medium-term growth of 10% per year.

By the numbers: Djibouti has used much of its Chinese financing to immediately fill critical infrastructure gaps. Many high-profile projects have been financed by China Eximbank loans in recent years:

The Djibouti portion of the EthiopiaDjibouti Railway ($492 million in 2013), a 446-mile line connecting Addis Ababa to Djibouti.

The Ethiopia-Djiobuti Water Pipeline ($322 million in 2013), a 63-mile pipeline from Hadagalla to Djibouti to supply safe drinking water to locals.

The Doraleh Multipurpose Port ($294 million in 2016), which connects to the EthiopiaDjibouti Railway to handle shipments of containers.

The Djibouti International Free Trade Zone ($150 million in 2015), financed by China Merchants Holdings.

Taken together, this flurry of infrastructure projects resembles Chinas development of its own cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen, home to industrial zones, ports and rail-based transit systems that spurred maritime trade.

The bottom line: If these projects increase productivity and economic opportunity, that may assuage some concerns about the debt burden; if not, Djiboutis economic goodwill toward China may end sooner than expected, an outcome that would validate U.S. fears about regional stability.

Janet Eom is a research associate at the China-Africa Research Initiative at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.
Its going to be a chilly 45 degrees in normally balmy Savannah, Georgia on Monday (near freezing overnight) so you can understand why those with access to the latest Gulfstream business jet might want to get out of town. But you might be surprised to learn that they flew to the very source of the nasty cold snap thats gripping much of North America. Test pilots and engineers from Gulfstream Aerospace hopped on a G500 test aircraft on Saturday and flew to Timmins, Ontario (population 10,000), hometown of country music star Shania Twain and frequently one of the coldest places on the planet. When they landed, it was about 30 degrees below zero. A few hours later it was -40 so it was perfect for their mission.

Whether they lost the coin toss, drew the short straws or simply wanted to see the Shania Twain Centre, (actually demolished three years ago to make way for an open pit gold mine), the crew will spend a few days making sure the G500s systems will function in case someone needs to go to someplace like Timmins to, say, check on their gold mine. The local airport manager snapped some photos of the gleaming state-of-the-art bizjet, which is parked on the ramp inviting natures cold wrath and sent them to the local community Web site mytimminsnow.comoperated by the local radio station, Moose FM. Most of Canada is under an extreme cold warning for the next day or so and assuming Timmins isnt miraculously spared the crew will be lighting up the avionics and cranking the engines at a crisp -41, not including the wind chill. The window is short, however. By Tuesday it will be about 0 in Timmins. Then, again, it will be in the low 70s in Savannah.
Yes applied offshore in immiAccount for de facto partner so it showed (300,309/100,820/801)

We thought doing on own would work. We had registered to get married while I was in Australia but needed celebrant and once found waiting period then my visitor visa expired so had to leave Australia.

Our home is in the outback so any agency or office was 8 hours away and Brisbane is 14 hours away. We tried contacting while on phone to immigration ask questions but on hold finally after numerous tries, then an hour later when finally got threw was told to yes leave Australia apply from Canada for another visitor visa then come back and we should get visa from Australia. Life happened my partner had a heart attack and by time he was recuperating I had to leave Australia again.

We realize now we made mistakes not understanding the rules or what we needed to do. Yes we recommend using an agency doing it on your own very hard understanding and communication with anyone.

My Australian partner is now appealing something about merits review to AAT within 70 days.
Support local journalism

Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution.
You are the owner of this article.
Of custody and crypto The normally staid world of custody banking is now having to embrace the wild child of global assets: cryptocurrency. And this is happening just as bitcoin, the poster child of cryptocurrency, seesawed from US$30,000 one week to $40,000 the next, shedding then recovering 30% of its value. Some bitcoin bulls are talking of $100,000 by year-end
Misha Tsiganov, Playing With The Wind (Criss Cross)

Pianist Tsiganov won the All-Russia Jazz Competition in 1990 and came to the US from St. Petersbug, Russia, to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to New York in 1993 and has been a busy member of the citys jazz community ever since, working with a wide variety of musicians including Wynton Marsalis and others in the Jazz At Lincoln Center orbit and a number of artists in New Yorks Latin scene.

The sidemen on his third album for Criss Cross are a fellow Russian, trumpeter Alex Sipiagin, tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake, bassist Matt Brewer and drummer Dan Weiss. Tsiganovs penchant for Wayne Shorter compositions is reflected in Virgo and Witch Hunt, Shorter pieces that by now may as well be called jazz standards. Tsiganovs fleet soloing on both is impressive. He reaches into his Russian heritage for the folk song To Ne Veter Vetku Klonit (No, Its Not A Branch Bowing To The Wind.) Whatever the traditional rhythmic treatment of the piece may be in his homeland, Tsiganov has made it a metric fiesta involving 3/4/, 7/4 and 5/4 time signatures. The arrangement results in all of that flowing naturally and encouraging logical, however adventurous, solos from all hands. Sipiagins solo is particularly daring, incorporating astonishing fluidity and a stratospheric climax. The album ends with Ray Nobles The Very Thought Of You, taken in slow 4/4 time with, according to quote from Tsiganov in the liner notes, no mixed meters, no rhythmic tricks, a lot of new chords. Its a peaceful ending to a stimulating album.

Randy Brecker & Mats Holmquist Together with UMO Jazz Orchestra (MAMA)

Trumpeter Brecker teams with the powerful Finnish big band the UMO Jazz Orchestra and Mats Holmquist, a star arranger since he was graduated from the University of North Texas, where he got his second masters degree in composition in 1991. He already had one from from the Royal College Of Music in Stockholm. Holmquist is a major figure in modern Scandinavian music. The album contain ingenious, demanding original compositions by Holmquist. It also has his arrangements of three Chick Corea pieces and new works based on standard songs including Victor Youngs Stella By Starlight and Jerome Kerns All The Things You Are. Holmquists reworking of the Kern song is listed as All My Things and described by Holmquist as a conceptual piece. Some concept.

Here is a video version, taped in concert at around the time of the studio recording.

Brecker was the trumpet soloist. The soprano saxophone solo was by Ville Vannemaa. We should mention that the audio recording has several piano solos by Seppo Kantonen, playing at his customary high level. If you are curious about the UMO Jazz Orchestra but unfamiliar with it, here is a list of its members:

Woodwinds: Ville Vannemaa, Mikko Makinen, Teemu Salminen, Max Zenger, Pertti Pavivinen. Trumpets: Teemu Mattsson, Timo Paasonen, Mikko Pettinen, Tero Saarti. Trombones: Heikki Tuhkanen, Mikko Mustonen, Juho Vilijanen, Mikael Lanbacka. piano, Seppo Kantonen; bass, Juho Kivivuori; drums; guitar, Mikel Ulferg.




Have any questions? Please give us a call at 541-889-5387
Yvonne Mintz is editor and publisher of The Facts. She has worked at the paper since 1997, first as a reporter, then as senior reporter and city editor before becoming managing editor in 2004.

Follow Yvonne Mintz Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
Owosso, MI (48867)

Today

Rain showers early with some sunshine later in the day. High around 85F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

A few clouds from time to time. Low 63F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Purchase an online subscription to our website for $7.99 a month with automatic renewal. Each online subscription gives you full access to all of our newspaper websites and mobile applications. To cancel you may contact Customer Service @ 256-235-9253 or email JPAYNE@ANNISTONSTAR.COM



For a limited time, for NEW SUBSCRIBERS ONLY a NEW ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION is just $59.99 for the first year. Existing customers do not qualify for the specials!



After the first year, well automatically renew your subscription to continue your access at the regular price of $69.99 per year. Please note *Your Subscription will Automatically Renew unless you contact Customer Service To Cancel*


Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Over the last week, we saw two news stories that should cause a lot of indigestion for deans in journalism schools.

Back in December 2017, ABC News suspended Brian Ross for "breaking" a story that turned out to be wrong about President Trump. Ross thought he got Trump, but the truth got the newsman!

First, the New York Times published a headline about President Trump working for Russia. Unfortunately, those who actually read the story found that the text did not support the dramatic headline.

BuzzFeed ran another juicy headline about President Trump. The allegation this time was that Mr. Trump had told Michael Cohen to lie to Congress.

As expected, it caused an uproar, from Democrats to news people saying that "if true," then we got impeachment around the corner. Reserve your seats, because impeachment proceedings are coming, and very soon.

Once again, the story fell apart.

What does it mean? Professor Dershowitz nailed it with this post:

As soon as I read the explosive BuzzFeed News report alleging there was evidence that President Trump had directed his former attorney Michael Cohen to lie to Congress, I was very suspicious. Even before the Office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller issued a statement Friday night saying that the BuzzFeed account was "not accurate," I wrote an op-ed for the New York Daily News raising questions about whether there was actually credible evidence that Trump suborned perjury or obstructed justice by telling Cohen to lie to lawmakers. It seemed obvious that there were no smoking gun emails containing any such direction from the president. Nor would there be eyewitnesses to any such alleged conversation.

Like the professor, I was skeptical about the story.

In fact, I was invited on Friday afternoon to record a Sunday "news review" and expressed my skepticism about the story. My exact words were "let's wait and see where this goes."

I did not have to wait that long. The story was a dud in a few hours.

Over the years, I've met a lot of good newsmen and newswomen. They take their jobs seriously and do their best to research the facts.

I wonder how those serious news people feel after the New York Times' headline and BuzzFeed!

Who is going to win the next "Brian Ross Award"? Stay tuned!

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
Trump changes his negotiating style with latest proposal

Lost in the hullabaloo over the government shutdown is a notable change in President Trump's negotiating style and tactics. Trump has cultivated a reputation as a dealmaker in the business world and the Democrats / Never Trumpers / Establishment Republicans have gone to great lengths to shatter this image. Business deals at the highest level are usually negotiated one-on-one, with fully accredited principals working out deals which they then later impose on their minions. Serious business negotiations are usually conducted in private with the terms not revealed until the deal is struck. In the political world, principals rarely have such authority over their bases. So political negotiations are often conducted with significant public disclosures along the way to shift public opinion in favor of the impending deal.

President Trump's early deal-making with Democratic and Republican opponents was conducted behind closed doors and was notable for its lack of success. Democratic and Never Trump principals couldn't or wouldn't deliver their bases. Even when Trump thought he had a deal agreed to, it usually went off the rails. Trump has taken a different tack in the current government shutdown, starting with the infamous December 11th White House sit-down with Representative Pelosi and Senator Schumer. He kept the press in the room, despite their proven hostility. Then he delivered his very first televised Oval Office address on the border wall and immigration to explain the issues behind the shutdown on January 8th. Now Trump has issued a shutdown resolution proposal directly to the public on January 19th. screen grab Trump appears to be taking his issues directly to the Democratic base, and the American public, for the first time. The people who are not his Twitter followers. Will it work? That will depend upon the degree of intransigence which has developed in the Democratic base. Even so, it is worth a shot. The change in tactics is certainly Trump's response to the 2018 midterm election outcome. He has probably also carefully considered the furor created by the Brexit deal negotiated behind closed doors by British Prime Minister Theresa May. Give Trump credit where credit is due. He is actually a very supple thinker quite unlike the hidebound neanderthal caricature peddled by the hostile media. Now we will find out whether the Democratic base has any flexibility.
The report by Oil Change International said that the United States is set to "unleash the world's largest burst" of carbon emissions from new oil and gas development if it goes ahead with its plans to expand drilling. "At precisely the time in which the world must begin rapidly decarbonizing to avoid runaway climate disaster, the United States is moving further and faster than any other country to expand oil and gas extraction," the report said.

Let the unleashing begin! You would think "moving further and faster than any other country" in producing oil would be cause for a celebration of national pride.

Uh uh.

The United States became the world's largest oil producer last year, surpassing Russia and Saudi Arabia. America's oil output has more than doubled over the past decade, mostly thanks to the huge shale oil boom. The International Energy Agency said Friday that US oil output soared by more than 2 million barrels per day in 2018, the biggest jump ever recorded by any country. The agency, which monitors energy markets trends for the world's richest nations, said the growth will continue this year.

Again, isn't that cause for a celebration? At least it's worth an "atta boy." US oil output is making energy cheaper for poor people. What's wrong with that?

The report by Oil Change International said that existing oil and gas fields and coal mines already contain enough carbon to push the world beyond the goals of the Paris Agreement. "Stopping new projects alone will not be enough to keep warming well below" 2 degrees Celsius, it said. "To limit catastrophic climate change, governments must manage the decline of the fossil fuel industry, and do so over the next few decades," it added.

I would love to drive an electric car, have my home powered by solar energy, and live the wonderful green life we're all destined to live - just as soon as an electric car is made as well and operates as efficiently as a gas powered car and solar energy can be made as cheaply and reliably as oil or gas powered electricity.

But that day is not today. Or anytime soon, for that matter. Meanwhile, the drilling itself does not cause climate change, so drill, baby drill.
The world has been challenged by Iran for at least four decades on various issues such as illegal nuclear program; exporting terrorism; and, more important to the international community, "the deteriorating human rights situation."

Since President Trump moved to the White House, the U.S. policy on Iran has shifted significantly from Obama's passive approach to a firm and effective stance.

How can the world expect a totalitarian state to take international responsibility while critics of the status quo are met with daily executions.

The Iranian people started 2018 with protests in more than 100 cities across the country. At least 30 were killed and thousands were arrested during this nationwide uprising.

For a rare moment, disregarded Iranian voices were echoed in the U.N. Security Council by former U.S. ambassador Nikkei Haley as she repeated Iranians' anti-regime chants during a meeting.

The authors of Dear God Please Bring Freedom to Iran, a book written by human rights activists Mr. Randy Noble and Ms. Mehnoush Bakhtiari, believe that only the collapse of the ruling regime can save the Iranian people. Mr. Noble says Democrats and the liberal media are so obsessed with hating President Trump's policies toward Iran, while, unlike Obama, he is standing up for the Iranian people.

"The book's goal is to raise awareness of the suffering of the Iranian people," added Mr. Noble.

The book tells the stories of the victims of human rights violations in Iran. These atrocities, rarely reported by the press, are just the tip of the iceberg of the regime's brutality. Unknown political and religious prisoners in Iran have suffered much more than the rare cases that are reported in the bylines.

Take for example the case of Saeed Masouri, an Iranian political prisoner imprisoned since 2001, serving a life sentence for supporting and cooperating with the opposition Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK). A Google search on his name quickly reveals the bitter fact that mainstream media are not interested in such cases.

In December last year, an Iranian political activist, Vahid Sayadi Nasiri, arrested and jailed for his messages on social media, died after spending 60 days on hunger strike. Before his death, the world hardly knew him.

Ms. Bakhtiari believes that the U.S. administration has supported Iranians. However, she puts her finger on a crucial fact and says "despite imposed sanctions, the ruling regime still oppresses people."

Even though sanctions have restricted the ruling regime's financial sources, they have yet to affect the theocracy's ability to create an intimidating atmosphere in the society.

Today, many Iranians believe that the interests of the Iranian people and of the U.S. are aligned.

Facts do not speak for themselves; they provide us with opportunities to calculate and decide whether taking action is necessary. Secretary Pompeo fathoms this and seeks appropriate ways to listen to the Iranian people. During his recent tour in the Middle East, Secretary Pompeo made clear that the U.S. top priority is to hold Iran's regime to account and to empower the nation's suffering people.

"Our effort is to make sure that the Iranian people get control of their capital," he said.

On Thursday, the State Department ran a campaign on social media to engage directly with the Iranian people in this regard. Secretary Pompeo was questioned and called on various issues, most of which echoed the legitimate demand of the Iranian people to get rid of the theocracy.

Iranian activists reiterated what the leader of the Iranian resistance movement, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, recently said on Twitter following Secretary Pompeo's remarks in Cairo.

Designation of the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) and the Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) as terrorist entities, referring the dossier of human rights violations in Iran to the U.N. Security Council and recognition of representation by the resistance movement, were the steps supported by most activists during the social campaign.

Now Secretary Pompeo knows what Iranians expect. The future will show whether he is willing to implement them.
Nothing scares the left more than the prospect of Trump filling another seat on the SCOTUS with a young, fire-breathing constitutionalist who would join with Alito, Thomas, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh to form a conservative bloc for the ages.

Mueller, the wall impasse, the shutdown, the "postponement" of the SOTU  all are skirmishes in the undeclared war on President Trump waged by Democrats, the Deep State, and the compliant media. A decisive battle will be enjoined if Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies or resigns this year.

Pelosi and Schumer are praying that Justice Ginsburg survives and remains on the bench until January 1, 2020, when their concern for her well-being ceases. They know that Senate majority leader McConnell could not persuade his entire caucus to abandon the principle he championed in 2016 that a nomination to the Supreme Court in a presidential election year is inappropriate.

Here's how it may go if RBG vacates the bench or the Earth soon, as seems likely: Pelosi will immediately schedule a vote to launch a formal impeachment inquiry, pre-empting the president's announcement of his choice to fill Ginsburg's seat. It will pass along partisan lines, swamping other news. Next, the House Judiciary Committee (Jerrold Nadler, chair) will draw up charges against the president. Eventually, the committee will vote out articles of impeachment. At some point after this, the entire House votes on the articles. Trump is impeached.

With President Clinton, it took about five months for the entire process to play out, ending with a vote of "not guilty." Depending on when the ball drops, Democrats have two ways to work the Trump hit job for an even more extended time and for maximum effect:

Slow-walk the process leading to the full House impeachment vote. The longer it takes to get there, the longer Trump remains under a cloud and, in some eyes, delegitimized. Pelosi will be in no hurry get the matter to the Senate, where McConnell would schedule the trial as soon as possible to end the nightmare.

Fast-track the full House vote on impeachment  and hope, as I said in an earlier post, the public conflates impeachment with conviction.

Either way, Democrats and their media allies will flood the country with impeachment fare and string it out. Likely, four or five Republican senators turn jellyfish and inform McConnell they will not support Trump's nominee to the SCOTUS while the president is in legal limbo.

Everyone knows that the Senate will not convict. And that's fine with the prescient among Trump's enemies. They want a weakened adversary in the Oval Office, not President Pence. If Schumer and Pelosi can keep the circus going into 2020, they believe that Trump's ability to govern will be curtailed and perhaps, if they're lucky, his spirit broken.

As Carville  or "Serpenthead," as he is known to political herpetologists  might say, "when the hunt's done and the moon's come over the bayou, our dogs'll lie down by the fire where Trump's simmerin' in the stewpot with the mudbugs."

You get the gist.

Steve Grammatico is the author of You Hear Me, Barack? PC-Free Conservative Satire. He blogs at You Hear Me, Barack? A Repository of Conservative Satire.
This law provided for 600 miles of secure fencing along our southern border. Most Democrats voted in favor of that law. Today, many of these same Democrats have said President Trump's call for a border wall is immoral and a waste of money. The hypocrisy is stunning. These same Democrats claim to be in favor of border security and even voted for it in the past. Yet they would rather keep the government partially shut down than provide a modest five billion dollars for a border barrier.

In the grand scheme of a federal budget, the 5.7 billion dollars President Trump has requested is a pittance. In fact, he should have asked for a lot more. But Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer would rather keep the government shut down than provide this modest amount of funding for border security.

Let's be clear. This isn't about saving the taxpayer's money. Pelosi and Schumer have not become fiscal conservatives overnight. And this isn't about whether a border barrier is effective or not  they've already voted for border barriers in the past. This is about politics, plain and simple. They know that if President Trump gets a border barrier of some sort, a "wall," it makes him harder to defeat in 2020. They also know that if they give in and provide any money for the wall, it will enrage their leftist base.

The question is, will a border wall work? The answer is yes and no. A border wall in and of itself is definitely not enough. In order to fully and permanently secure our southern border, we must have an "all of the above" approach. We need more border patrol agents on the ground, more technology, more detention beds, more immigration judges, and we also need better interior enforcement. We need to pass a national E-Verify law that would punish employers who hire illegal aliens. We also need to pass Kate's Law  named after Kate Steinle, who was killed by an illegal alien who had been previously deported five times  which would punish illegal aliens who re-enter the country after being deported.

And yes, in addition to all of that, we need a "wall." Border barriers work. Call it a fence. Call it a wall. Call it a barrier. Call it whatever you want, but if we're actually serious about securing our southern border once and for all, it's absolutely necessary as part of an overall border security package.

Dozens of countries all over the world have border walls. In Israel, suicide bombings were practically a weekly occurrence. Once Israel built a border wall along the West Bank, suicide bombings decreased substantially. Today, you'd be hard pressed to hear of any suicide bombings in Israel at all. After the migrant crisis in Europe in 2015-2016, Hungary also built a wall and had similar results. Today, you will not find any illegal migrants in Hungary. India too is building a fence along large portions of its border with Bangladesh.

Why is it that so many countries have built, or are building, border walls? Simple: They work.

Unfortunately, both parties have failed the American people when it comes to border security. For their part, Republicans had full control of all of Congress for two years, yet they did virtually nothing to get money for a border barrier. And why should they? There is a wealthy corporate wing of the Republican Party that wishes to exploit cheap immigrant labor, so those people did nothing to get a wall built. And what about the Democrats? They're the worst of hypocrites, opposing the very thing they claim to support, the very thing they voted for in the past. They'd rather play politics with our nation's security and our citizens' safety.

It's time for both parties to get serious about our nation's border security. President Trump is right. Build the damn wall!

Timothy Rosen is a practicing attorney and college professor from New York. He is the author of 101 Ways to Save America. You can follow him on Twitter @RosenIsRight.
And the flimsiness of their asylum claims lies not just in their statements of wanting 'a better life' in the U.S., but in their disdain for a generous benefit package that Mexico has ready to offer them. According to Agence France-Press :

Caravan migrants aren't exactly living up to their early billing, supposedly this time coming to seek asylum in Mexico. Actually, they're coming here .

Mexican authorities are urging the migrants to cross the border legally and offering expedited "visitor cards" that let them work and access basic health care in Mexico. So far, 969 migrants from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua have been registered under the program and given bracelets that they can exchange for visitor cards in five days. But hundreds more migrants ignored the offer and crossed illegally, not content to wait in the park where the caravan has camped out in the border city of Tecun Uman, Guatemala. "A lot of us aren't interested in waiting five days. Our goal is to reach the United States," said Alma Mendoza, a nurse and single mother making the trip with her three children. "We don't have food, much less money. We want to reach our destination," she told AFP.

Want it, want it now. With few marketable skills, little education, no English language, and no cultural values compatible with wealth creation - such as getting married before having the baby - it seems that what these people want is someone with a big wallet to take care of them, and the U.S. fills the bill nicely.

Which doesn't exactly support any claim to asylum.

The fact that few were deported on the last caravan also made these migrants less likely to accept the Mexican offer and try their luck in Mexico. According to the Washington Post:

The majority of those who went with the October caravan were not deported, [a Honduran NGO worker] said. So that sends the message back to the countries of origin, and people say, Lets go too because they wont deport us. 

Yet the Mexicans told many in the U.S. press that entry for the new caravan (unlike the last one) would be orderly, legal (with migrants presenting papers or getting turned back), visa-oriented, and carry a big prooffered packages of benefits - from jobs, to free medical care, to freedom from worry about being repatriated - and all they had to do was sign up, take a bracelet, and wait for a mere five days.

And that just wasn't good enough for a lot of them.

Which raises questions about 'first country of refuge' and 'safe country of refuge' in international law, which calls on refugees to accept the first country of refuge. The generous offer from Mexico suggests that Mexico is trying to be a first country of refuge and offer the migrants a safe space. Yet if these migrants don't want that, why should any of their asylum requests be honored here? Mexico offered refuge to every one of the migrants, and at least some are turning up their noses at it.

That would make this caravan more of a country-shopping expedition, a hunt for the best bargain, than a true effort to claim asylum. How any judge in the U.S. could accept such people, as apparently some are doing, suggests a failure to recognize international law. One hopes that this time it will be obvious enough that the situation is now different.
Iran's record of meddling and hostile espionage against the West is more significant than most people are aware of.

The German newspaper, Suddeutsche Zeitung on Wednesday, Jan. 16, citing the DPA news agency, called an Iranian alleged to be a spy in the German army "a spy among spies."

The newspaper wrote that the detained Iranian suspect was an agent of the mullah regime, acting as a member of the German military's electronic battle battalion, based in Rhineland-Palatinate.

This battalions experts listen to "hostile talks" from enemy communications, disrupt activities of the enemys transmitters, and protect the radio communications in the German army.

The alleged spy, Abdulhamid S., a 50-year-old Afghan citizen, has been collaborating with the German army in the "Language Assessment" department as an advisor on culture and people.

The newspaper wrote that he was responsible for "language assessment," itself, including translation of information collected from his mission site.

It should be noted that one day earlier, Der Spiegel wrote on its website that the detainee had access to "sensitive information" including information on the mission of the German forces in Afghanistan, and had cooperated with Iran's intelligence services several years ago.

Suddeutsche Zeitung wrote that signs of the Iranian regime's espionage in the German army were obtained in 2017.

Afterwards, Abdulhamid S. was at the center of attention as a suspect and under surveillance until Dec. 6, 2018 when an order was issued for his arrest. On Jan. 16, he was sent to the federal court of Germany, where his case would be reviewed.

Meanwhile, according to the German Homeland Security Organization, Irans intelligence agencies are also focused on "spying and fighting opposition forces inside and outside the country," and the mullah regimes Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) is playing a key role in this regard. In addition, the Iranian regimes Homeland Security Organization has time and again emphasized its "continued interest in gathering information on foreign policy and security" by the MOIS.

The activities of the Iranian intelligence in Europe have long been a concern of the German security agencies. Several cases of the regimes attempts to assassinate their opponents in Europe are still open.

The Iranian regimes intelligence ministry is responsible for "spying and fighting opposition forces inside and outside Iran," according to the German Homeland Security Organization.

Meanwhile, in the German Bundestag (federal parliament), opposition parties issued an alert following the arrest of the Iranian regimes suspected spy in the German army.

"If it is confirmed that one of the forces of the German army has provided many years of sensitive information to Iran's intelligence services, it must be clarified why his activities have not been discovered all these years," said Stephan Thomae, a liberal MP and an internal affairs expert in the German Bundestag

He demanded an explanation from the German military to a parliamentary committee responsible for controlling the activities of intelligence agencies and special events, including espionage cases. Thomae is a member of this parliamentary committee.

Due to his work in the German army, the detained spy, Abdulhamid S., did have access to important information, including the deployment of German forces in Afghanistan and possibly in other areas of importance for German security services.

Suddeutsche Zeitung wrote that the German army had been operating in Afghanistan since 2001. They began a complementary mission to rebuild and train Afghan security forces after completing the NATO mission in Afghanistan in 2014. The number of troops deployed in Afghanistan is currently fewer than 1,300 soldiers.

The case of spying for the Iranian regime in the German army has certainly undermined the German Ministry of Defense, and brought political opponents out. Due to the follow-up of the opposition representatives in the German legislature, a commission of inquiry was set up in the Bundestag on Jan. 16, to examine some military advisory contracts. Some of these contracts, according to the German Audit Office, had a high cost for taxpayers and were criticized because the way they were signed between the Ministry of Defense and the consulting services was not transparent.

What it shows is that Iran will go to extraordinary lengths to spy on and undermine the West. The Germans are sorting it out now, but this won't be the last we hear of such illegal activity.
While she might have thought otherwise, the power of the commander-in-chief is far greater than that of the speaker of the House, and the humiliating way this was brought home to the congressional equivalent of Maerose Prizzi (h/t Michael Walsh) was something. She anticipated that she and her posse of cronies and their families (reports of a ninety-some entourage in all) would hop a military plane for a free trip to Brussels, Afghanistan, and Egypt, doubtless with fawning media coverage, leaving the president to sit alone in the White House hoping fruitlessly theyd toddle in there to negotiate an end to the shutdown. Reports vary as to whether she was on the tarmac or on her way there when the president cancelled the flight as incompatible during a shutdown when federal workers were not being paid and illegal aliens were continuing to invade.

Saturday was National Popcorn Day, but Ive been nibbling on popcorn all week as Nancy Pelosi learned a lesson about presidential power and the media was gut checked by the special prosecutor. I havent had this much fun since election night 2016.

The president twisted the knife, suggesting she was free to fly commercial, which served as a reminder of the enormous tab she ran up on such flights the last time she was speaker. She thought she had the upper hand in this. She learned she certainly didnt, and was last seen at Reagan Airport, with one aide and a single security agent, heading out of town to somewhere on a commercial flight. The president cancelled his own trip to Davos and required other similar travel on military airplanes be made only at the approval of the secretary of defense until there is a budget he can sign that provides for a secure border barrier.

This may well have been a tit-for-tat response to Pelosis claim that the president should postpone his State of the Union address because the House chambers in which such things normally occur could not provide adequate security, something the Secret Service decried as untrue. Nevertheless, nothing could have better revealed the speakers callous disregard for the unpaid government workers who vote overwhelmingly Democrat or for the others whose lives have been disrupted by the shutdown and the inadequate security at our southern border. Or the superior power of the commander-in-chief.

Shortly after this, the flimsy publication BuzzFeed, which earlier had printed now debunked scandalous dossier fabrications, carried a sensational account by two reporters, one of whom was Jason Leopold, a known fabulist.

Those with hearts of stone will remember Jason Leopold from his days as a "Rove to be indicted" fantasist back in May 2006. Yeah, it all went to hell for Leopold and the only detail I remember was their changing of Rove's imminent arrest from "24 hours" to "24 business hours". I've never seen that term before or since, but it was a fun marker in the "Is there anything a hopeless partisan won't believe?" debate.

It claimed that Michael Cohen testified that Donald Trump had directed him to lie about a real-estate project in Russia.

For 12 hours the major media hyped the story, along with assertions by them and by Democrats that now they had him, that this was surely the basis for impeachment. Ronna McDaniel put together a montage of the frenzied coverage of the bombshell. Grabien did, too. Among the gems are these:

CBS Newss Paula Reid said: "If this 'BuzzFeed' news report is true, that the special counsel has evidence beyond just Michael Cohen's testimony, that the president directed his former personal attorney to lie to Congress, then we are likely on our way to possible impeachment proceedings. Because this, this is black and white. CNNs Jim Sciutto said: "No reaction this morning from President Trump to a report that ties him directly to the very same offense for which the House of Representatives moved to impeach Richard Nixon and two decades later Bill Clinton... The key offense at issue here is what is known as suborning or encouraging perjury, witness tampering, obstruction of justice." MSNBC contributor Jill Wine Banks said: I think this is the kind of evidence that could influence Republicans as well as Democrats to act faster. Because they are the ones who got lied to, and the public got lied to. There were also evidence of Nixon lying to the public as grounds for impeachment. And so while absolutely these are impeachment offenses and should be looked at for that, and we in Watergate decided that the best approach was the political one of impeachment, it didnt mean that the crimes that were committed werent also subject to being indicted." The Washington Posts Eugene Robinson said:  ROBINSON: Its not just Cohen raising his hand and saying , you know, I know this thing. Theres actual evidence backing it up. That's -- that is a huge deal. We are talking subornation of perjury. You know, we're talking -- were -- we're deep in the realm now of credibly impeachable offenses. There is no excuse for this. And there is no way to talk you way out of this. If this is true the president's in deep trouble.

CNN and MSNBC alone made almost 200 references in 12 hours to the BuzzFeed story.

The fun and games were soon over. In an unprecedented move, Special Counsel Muellers office said the story was untrue.

Were the press, which peddled this bunk -- which they certainly knew was nonsense but failed to anticipate Muellers response -- chastened? Not really.

Don Surber fisked the after-incident tweets of Washington Post reporter Aaron Blake, tweet-by-tweet, and concluded:

OK, now my reply.



The BuzzFeed story was false.



BuzzFeed stories throughout the Trump presidency have been false.



No real journalist would have gone with the story. "According to BuzzFeed" does not let reporters off the hook because they vouched for BuzzFeed by basing stories on its reporting.



Blake needs to apologize. Blake needs to decide if he is a reporter or a pundit. If the former, he needs to keep his opinions to himself, get all sides of the story, and treat them with equal respect.



If he chooses to be a pundit, he needs to use the 24 Hour Rule in commenting on news that makes President Trump look bad because those cigars keep exploding on Blake and all of Trump's enemies in the press.

An even more savage analysis of todays journalism was that of the trenchant David Burge (Iowahawk): News there's a BuzzFeed Pulitzer in here somewhere.

Meanwhile, theres some big real news that the major media studiously avoid -- like what appears to be a major rounding-up of crooks in Illinois. (Ed Burke, a fifty-year alderman, was just indicted for extortion.) The latest arrest is of a DEA agent charged with conspiring to traffic guns and drugs with an international gang.

Just maybe, the extravagant salaries of the big-time news readers can be slashed, the money saved used to hire reporters who can do a better job on covering the the fine paid by Skadden Arps for failing to register under FARA when representing Ukrainian interests than did Bloomberg.
The Man-State Paradigm

The American founding fathers viewed individual freedom as the cornerstone of the new American state. At the same time, they understood freedom within the framework of the relationship between a state and a man (by analogy with the fact that religion is the relationship between God and man). This human-state paradigm formed the basis of the new state (although the founding fathers did not use this term). They correctly noticed that the higher the state's role in a person's life, the less individual freedom a person has, and vice versa: the smaller the state's role in a person's life, the higher the individual freedom. This postulate of the classical liberalism of the eighteenth century in the twenty-first century began to be called conservatism, and for some unimaginable reason, neo-Marxism began to be called liberalism even though it has nothing to do with liberalism.

By the 20th century, this idea was formalized, and the level of taxation became one of the tools in the assessment of the state system. This (formal) approach allows us to compare the state structures of even different eras. At the same time, we are talking about total taxes in all their manifestations (taxes, fines, administrative fees, "voluntary" donations, confiscations, bribes, racketeering, etc.)  that is, everything that is one way or another withdrawn from citizens by the state. Countries with low taxes are countries with a small government apparatus and, as a result, with great individual freedom. These are right-wing countries to which most of the developed capitalist countries belonged at a certain stage of their development. Countries with high taxes are countries with a low level of individual freedom  left-wing countries. These are countries with a vast and omnipotent state apparatus, which, unlike right-wing countries, have a strong predisposition toward totalitarianism and tyranny. Therefore, without exception, all countries that have chosen the left (socialist) path of development ultimately fall into one or another form of totalitarianism. Examples are the Third Reich (the nominal level of taxation exceeded 90%) and the USSR (the level of taxes is estimated at 90-95%). Every rule has its exceptions. For example, Fascist Italy had a relatively low (for the leftist country) level of taxes, but Mussolini found another, equally effective mechanism of total state control: syndicalism (also known as Italian corporatism). The owners of enterprises, workers, and their trade unions of each separate industry forcibly united into syndicates, which became the main administrative unit of the state under the total control of the latter. Mussolini's methods found their followers in America  the economic policy of Franklin Roosevelt (the National Recovery Administration was the American version of Italian corporatism) and Barack Obama's attempts at leftist reforms (General Motors reorganization and implementation of Obamacare) were based on the syndicalist idea. The idea of the superiority of individual freedom and individual good over the public good is the mechanism that led to the transformation of the backward colonies of North America into the mighty United States of America. At the same time, the dynamics of the development of political parties in our country is much more complicated, and the one-dimensional scale of the man-state does not sufficiently correspond to modern realities. However, if we take not one, but two variables into consideration  not only the level of taxes, but also the size of the federal government  then a two-dimensional political matrix of Washington will appear. This matrix consists of four cells: High Taxation

Big Government

(Democrats) High Taxation

Small Government

(?) Low Taxation

Big Government

(Republicans) Low Taxation

Small Government

(Conservatives) In the upper left corner is the Democratic Party of the USA  the left-wing party, which advocates high taxes and a massive government (that is, a large state budget relative to the country's economy). Their opposite (in the lower right corner) is conservatives, whose political position is based on low taxes and a small government. Only these two ideologies of the four presented in the matrix are internally consistent. The internal logic of these ideologies is clear: a big government requires massive taxes (Democrats), and lower taxes are needed to maintain a small government (conservatives). The other two ideologies carry internal contradictions that do not allow these ideologies to hope for any long-term existence. One of these parties  the party of high taxes and a small government  never came to power in America, and, as far as it is known, such a party never has come to power anywhere in the world. High taxes and a small government are incompatible with each other. Such a party does not even have a name (indicated by a question mark in the matrix). The party that comes to power on this platform will not be able to avoid the temptation and will necessarily move to the left (to the place now occupied by the Democratic Party). Another party with contradictory ideology is the Republican Party. Its official ideology is also nonsense. The desire to set low taxes is incompatible with the desire of a large government. A big government needs a lot of money, so Republican ideology is made possible primarily by borrowing money from future generations of Americans. In this, the Republican Party is in the same positions as the Democratic Party. As a result, over the past eight years (when the Republicans had a majority in the House of Representatives), the U.S. national debt increased by almost 8 trillion dollars. Of these, $6 trillion in debt was acquired under Obama and $2 trillion under Trump. In other words, $1 trillion dollars a year (that is, a little less than $2 million per minute) is the price of supporting the incoherent Republican ideology. The Democratic Party of the USA is also a full-fledged accomplice of the Republicans in withdrawing money from future generations of Americans. That is why there are rumors that these two parties, alternately coming to power in America, are actually factions of the same party  a Uniparty. This is not the case, but the above matrix shows on what grounds the rumors about the Uniparty are based. If the Democratic Party is almost monolithic in its ideology (disagreements within the party can be based only on varying degrees of leftism  from moderate left to left radicals), then the Republican Party consists of several factions. One of them is the conservatives (represented by the Freedom Caucus). There are also other, less formal factions we know, such as the "moderate Republicans" faction and the "Republicans in name only" (RINO) faction. The last faction represents the left wing of the party, which is a source of major internal contradictions, since, by the above matrix, it is indistinguishable from the Democrats. The 2018 midterm elections were held under the banner of "purge the moderates." Both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party have practically gotten rid of them. The Democrats noticeably moved to the left, and the Republicans noticeably moved to the right. The process of the hijacking of the Democratic Party by neo-Marxists, which lasted more than 100 years, had been fully completed, but the parallel process of taking over its Republican Party host by conservatives has not yet reached its end point. The current level of political polarization does not allow us to hope for any compromises. The struggle for the country's sovereignty (meaning the political confrontation over the wall on the border with Mexico) and the putsch of the American intelligence community against Trump are only the beginning episodes in the life of an "uncompromising" Washington. If the history of the USSR, Fascist Italy, National Socialist Germany, Cuba, Venezuela, and other leftist countries teaches us anything, it is that these regimes are viable for just one or two, maximum three generations. We know that the Utopian left's ideology, however attractive it may be, is a losing ideology. The fact that Trump became president of the United States is part of the process of promoting conservatives for leadership within the Republican Party. Trump is the leading indicator of the creative destruction of the contradictory Republican political structure. Gary Gindler, Ph.D. is a conservative blogger at Gary Gindler Chronicles. Follow him on Twitter.
Late past year, Philips chief executive, Frans van Houten told the Independent newspaper that Philips would have to rethink its manufacturing footprint in Britain if the United Kingdom were to leave the European customs union.

The plan involves closing the Philips factory in Glemsford in the southern county of Suffolk, with the loss of 430 jobs, in 2020.

While most would see the move as bad, the BBC Radio 6 Music DJ claimed this was "good news" because it showed Philips still had faith in the UK.

In October, van Houten said a customs union between the United Kingdom and the EU was "a minimum" requirement for a negotiated Brexit.

The Dutch health-tech company will move much of its Glemsford, Suffolk-based production plant to Drachten in the Netherlands, as part of its efforts to cut plants from roughly 50 to about 30 globally, Philips said Thursday in a statement.

According to the EY (formerly known as Ernst & Young) Financial Services Brexit Tracker, as of January 2019, 36%, or 80 out of 222 of the companies they monitored, had "publicly confirmed, or stated their intentions, to move some of their operations and/or staff from the United Kingdom to Europe".

The company says many products made in Glemsford were intended for export therefore the company has been forced to manage the "potential impact of various ongoing geopolitical challenges, including uncertainties and possible obstructions that may affect its manufacturing operations".

Philips now employs a total of 1,500 people in the United Kingdom and sources indicated investment would continue in its other interests, including its development operations.

Neil Mesher, chief executive of Philips UK & Ireland said the decision had been made "after careful consideration" and that the firm would work with the staff affected. "The UK is an important market for us, and we will continue to invest in our commercial organization and innovation programs in the country".
Nancy Pelosi has appointed Ilhan Omar to the House Foreign Relations Committee. Omar is viciously anti-Israel and is in favor of the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement. Omar has long been a harsh critic of Israel. In fact, in 2012  just "a few days after Gaza-based Hamas terrorists had launched more than 150 deadly rockets into the Jewish state, prompting an Israeli military response  she tweeted that 'the apartheid Israeli regime' had 'hypnotized the world' in order to conceal its own 'evil doings.'"

It is really time for the liberal American Jewish Democrat to acknowledge that blatant anti-Semitism has infected the Democratic Party.

In fact, the only apartheid in the Middle East comes from Arab countries and is clearly documented by Muslim reporter Khaled Abu Toameh, who regularly highlights the Arab apartheid against Palestinians.

Furthermore, "in 2016, Omar stated that she was in favor of completely divesting the University of Minnesota of its Israel bonds. The following year, she opposed a bill designed to counter economic boycotts targeting the Jewish state." In addition, "in 2018, Omar ran for the U.S. House of Representatives seat formerly held by Keith Ellison. Her campaign was supported by ... the Hamas-linked Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which held three fundraising events on Omar's behalf[.]"

Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy asserts that "the Democratic Party is increasingly anti-Israel and flirts, to be charitable, with anti-Semitism. Today we see the latest evidence of the character of what Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez calls the 'New party.'"

Omar is not an anomaly. To wit, the Palestinian Rashida Tlaib is another newly elected Democrat who harbors intense hatred for Jews and Israel. Like Omar, Tlaib supports the BDS movement. Moreover,

[S]upporters of Tlaib's congressional bid included J Street, Michael Moore, and Linda Sarsour[.] By August 2018, Tlaib had raised more than $30,000 from Islamists affiliated with CAIR, MPAC, MSA, and MAS [all offshoots of the Muslim Brotherhood]. After Tlaib narrowly won the Democratic primary on August 7, she draped herself in a Palestinian flag while celebrating with her supporters. In her victory speech, she promised to 'fight back against every racist and oppressive structure that needs to be dismantled.'

This is code for dismembering America and Israel and any Western country that wants to maintain basic freedoms.

If she is to be judged by the company she keeps, it should be noted that "CAIR founder and CEO Nihad Awad congratulated Tlaib on her historic victory of becoming the first Muslim and Palestinian woman in the U.S. Congress." Moreover, "[a] notable attendee at Tlaib's swearing-in ceremony was the executive director and co-founder of Al-Awda, Abbas Hamideh, who has repeatedly: (a) stated his belief that 'Israel does not have a right to exist'; (b) equated Zionism with Nazism and the genocidal ideology of ISIS; and (c) voiced support for Hezbollah and its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, whom he regards as 'the most honorable Arab-Muslim leader of our lifetime.' Following the swearing-in ceremony, Hamideh posted to his Twitter account a photo of himself and Tlaib holding up a large painting of the newly elected congresswoman. He also attended a private dinner with Tlaib, her family, and a number of her friends and activists."

Not surprisingly, "[t]he press ... has not showed much interest in reporting on the attitude of either [woman] toward Jews." David Harsanyi writes, "Tlaib ... wants to cut aid to the Jewish state because supporting it 'doesn't fit the values of our country.'"

Let's be frank. It doesn't support the values of a jihadist-loving individual who seeks to demolish fundamental American values. Harsanyi further explains:

The writer David Steinberg identified 105 news stories written in the immediate aftermath of Omar's victory, and not a single one mentioned her belief that Jewry possessed mind-control abilities or that Israel was 'evil.' No one called on the Democratic party to distance itself from this rhetoric. Now, it isn't inherently anti-Semitic to be critical of Israeli political leadership or policies. ... But Omar used a well-worn anti-Semitic trope about the preternatural ability of a nefarious Jewish cabal to deceive the world. ... Omar had a chance to retract, or at least refine, her statement. Instead, she doubled down. 'These accusations [of anti-Semitism] are without merit,' she claimed, blaming Jewish Islamophobia for the backlash. Omar even wants the U.S. to normalize relations with the Holocaust-denying terror-state of Iran[.] ... Omar's defenders will claim she's anti-Israel, not anti-Jewish. 'Anti-Zionism has been the preferred justification for hatred of Jews in institutions of education and within progressive activism for a long time. Now it's coming for politics. Democrats can either [refuse to accept it], or they can remain silent.'

It has become clear that many American Jews have substituted liberalism for their religion, and, as Raymond Domanico writes, "American Jews are fervent proselytizers for every "ism"  feminism, environmentalism, pacifism, redistributionism[.] It's not just that Jews can't distinguish their political friends from their enemies, or that Jews consistently promote non-Jewish values. Far worse, this reflex liberalism compels them to take positions adverse to their best interests."

But the handwriting has been on the wall, unconcealed and unashamed. There are Congressional representatives who are working to undermine the country and in the process use the powerful and dangerous prejudice of anti-Semitism. There is no disputing this; their words and their associations speak for themselves.

Ari Lieberman asks, "[W]hy have Democrats remained silent? Why have they not issued a full-throated condemnation of Tlaib's vile comments?" He maintains:

First, many Democrats suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome, which prevents them from assessing serious matters, such as anti-Semitism, in rational terms. Tlaib is anti-Semitic to her core but because she is a Trump hater, she's given a free pass. Second, fear is a powerful motivator and is effective at curbing dissent. Many within the Democratic Party are fearful of speaking their minds and challenging the new up and coming but still relatively small socialist contingent within the Democratic Party. The fascist left has been successful in drowning out voices of moderation. Finally, the Democratic Party itself is metastasizing into an anti-Semitic body much the same way that Britain's Labour Party has. The British Labour Party, taking its cues from its party boss, Jeremy Corbyn, is rife with Judeophobia and hatred of Israel.

Daniel Jonah Goldhagen in The Devil that Never Dies wrote that "anti-Semitic expression has exploded in volume and intensity. It has done so with classical tropes and with new ones, in long familiar forums and in recently invented ones."

So a shift has begun that does not bode well. Until the rank and file among Jewish Americans calls out the anti-Semitism of the Democratic Party, things will not improve, since clearly, the Democratic Party leadership remains mute and indifferent.

Jews of all stripes should recall that in April of 2014, Investor's Business Daily described how the "radical Muslim Brotherhood has built the framework for a political party in America that seeks to turn Muslims into an Islamist voting bloc." Consequently, "'Muslim voters have the potential to be swing voters in 2016,' said Nihad Awad in launching the benign-sounding U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations, (USCMO) whose membership reads like a Who's Who of Brotherhood front groups. USCMO also aims to elect Islamists in Washington, with the ultimate objective of 'institutionalizing policies' favorable to Islamists  that is, Shariah law."

Ilhan Omar and Rashid Tlaib's elections are no mere happenstance. Their success results from carefully coordinated steps "to wage a 'civilization jihad' against America" that explicitly calls for infiltrating the U.S. political system and "destroying [it] from within."

Eileen can be reached at middlemarch18@gmail.com.
A World Tour of Chicanery and Stupidity

In one of his essays, Henry James asserted that goodness is apt to be weak, that folly is apt to be defiant, that imbeciles are in great places. His aphorism is fitting when considering modern figures on the chessboard of political and social events across the globe, in the Congo; in Norway; in Moscow; at Oxford University; and in Washington, D.C. You may have heard of a special counsel investigation headed by Robert S. Mueller, set up on May 17, 2017 to examine possible links or "collusion" between the presidential campaign in 2016 of Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin and Russian government officials. At this point, it cannot be said to be the glow that lights a star on the brink of political sagacity. After an inquiry of more than a year and a half, it remains to be seen whether the conclusion will provide evidence of any "collusion," or whether the whole operation was a witch hunt or a partisan hoax.

But whatever the verdict, and whatever the commentary on the U.S. election, and the time and resources spent on it, it is important to make clear that it is not the only example of an inquiry based on the implicit thesis that the election was carried out in questionable conditions or that it occurred in the context of intimidation, improper behavior, delays in processing of data, vote-buying, voting machines not working accurately, former political leaders being arrested or forced to flee the country, or premature deaths. Nor did it take place in a country that has 16,000 U.N. peacekeepers, but where the political authorities refused this international logistical support to ensure a free and fair election. All this has happened in the country that in June 1960 became independent from Belgian control and the personal fiefdom of King Leopold II, who had plundered the country. In 1997, it became the oddly named Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and it held a presidential election on December 30, 2018. In spite of its name, the regime is not a model of democratic rule, though there are nominally more than 50 political parties in a country in political transition toward a partly presidential system. More properly, it is an example of longtime corrupt political leadership and a leading family involved in privately held family business enterprises, which control the production of minerals and diamonds and dominate many enterprises, banks, hotels, travel agencies, and night clubs. The DRC is the largest country, 905,000 square miles, in sub-Sahara and has a population of 81 million. It is a mineral-rich country, the world's largest miner, about two thirds of the global total of cobalt, essential for smartphones and electric car batteries, and a large producer of copper as well as gold and diamonds. It is also a country with a high rate of illiteracy and ethnic violence, plus a civil war, 1997-2002, that killed 5 million. The election on December 30, 2018 was supposed to signify the first democratic transfer of political power in the 59 years of independence. The longtime ruler Joseph Kabila had been in power 2001-2018 but was barred from seeking a third term. Three major candidates competed: Martin Fayulu , former ExxonMobil manager for 20 years and businessman who became a full-time politician in 2006 and leads the Engagement for Citizenship and Development party, formed in 2009; Felix Tshisekedi, leader of the largest opposition party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress party, Congo's oldest party; and Emmanuel Shadary, former interior minister and protege of Kabila. The present leader, Kabila, is alleged to have supported Shadary, but when he realized that his candidate could not win, he changed his tactics and made a deal with Tshisekedi. The official report by Kabila's administration was that Tshisekedi had won with 7.0 million votes to Fayulu's 6.3 million and Shadary's 4.3 million. But objective unofficial reports, especially by the Catholic Church, which deployed 40,000 election monitors, and other groups suggested that this was untrue and that Fayulu had won by a large margin, 59.4% to 19%. On January 17, 2018, the African Union, set up in 2002, with 53 members, based in Ethiopia, which has both a decision-making assembly of heads of state or government and a representative parliament, demanded that the DRC suspend announcement of the final result of the presidential election, since there were serious doubts about the accuracy of the official provisional results. But a day later, on January 18, 2019, the DRC refused to suspend final results, and the dilemma continues. The DRC Constitutional Court is expected to give the final answer. However, the Southern African Development Community, an intergovernmental group of 16 African countries, welcomed the release of and refused to criticize the official provisional result. In hypocritical mode, that community could not refrain from being critical of the West for being critical of the provisional result and "disrespecting" the sovereignty of the DRC. Hypocrisy and foolish political and social behavior are manifest not only in the Congo, but elsewhere as the narrative of three ladies, different in capabilities, professions, and development, shows. In January 2019, Norway provided evidence of this by featuring a glamorous and influential former model turned physician and founder of Eat Foundation. This lady, now a billionaire, named Gunhild Stordalen, proposes to save the planet by people reducing meat consumption, limiting their intake to small beef burgers and quarter-chicken breasts, seven ounces of fruit, about the same amount of vegetables, two slices of whole meal toast, and half a pint of milk. The immediate problem with this policy of other people eating less and thus saving the environment is that Stordalen jets in her private plane all over the world, in excursions to Costa Rica, Mexico, and the Antibes, a substantial contribution to air traffic pollution. Then there is the intriguing case of a glamorous 21-year-old Belarusian model, named Anastasia Vashukevich, apparently interested in international fame, who claims she has proof, in audio recordings of a Russian billionaire, of Russian support for the Trump presidential campaign. In January 2019, she was deported from Thailand, where she was giving a sex training course for tourists in Pattaya, a city resort where sex seems the main profession, but was detained in a Moscow airport. Her major claim to fame appears to be that she was the mistress of Oleg Deripaska, well known Russian oligarch, whose associates include Paul Manafort, and Yevgeny Prigozhia, personal chef of Russian president Vladimir Putin. No doubt, this young lady is enticing in various ways, but nevertheless, it is improbable that Deripaska, the billionaire whose business empire is estimated at $5.3 billion, and the owner of valuable property in Washington, D.C., and is said to be close to Putin, is unlikely to be a bit player in the Mueller Russian saga, though Deripaska was sanctioned in April 2018 when his three companies, one a major aluminum company, were put on the U.S. sanction list. And there is foolishness in higher education. In a statement that can illustrate unconscious inverted snobbery, and concern with social circles that may be spinning too fast for her, Baroness Royall, president of Somerville College, Oxford, since 2017, Labor politician who was made a life peer in 2014 and became Labor leader in the House of Lords, has contributed to "demystifying" Oxford. The lady may not a be a tramp, but she does not go to Oxford in ermines and pearls. Royall is concerned in particular with changing the culture at Somerville and in general widening access to Oxford of applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds and state schools, rather than from elite private schools, and making it a college more welcome to all. One of the assumptions of a university education was that it widens the horizons of students and introduces them to new tastes, including food. For Royall, octopus is not to be counted. After receiving a complaint from a first-year student, Royall asked the college chef to take octopus terrine off the menu. Gourmets recognize that the cephalopod dish is delicious, but Royall believes that it is not quite right for everyone because it might upset disadvantaged students and should be replaced with a less exotic dish. Critics of this fashionable outlook position may justifiably ask, do not university heads have bigger fish to fry? Everyone, irrespective of social class and level of culture, except perhaps demanding snowflakes, loves fish and chips and even Yorkshire pudding. Yet those familiar with the glories of "less exotic" British fare might not welcome possible alternatives to octopus: spotted dick, made with suet and dried fruit and often served with custard; bubble and squeak; jellied eels; or toad in the hole. The best that can be said at present of the snowflakes at Somerville is that they are not yet compiling a list of grievances, a cahier de doleances by the people, which, in fact was used to challenge the existing regime, similar to that compiled in spring of 1789, that heralded more extreme events. Surely Royall, in spite of her fashionable anti-elitism, is not the modern reincarnation of Delacroix's 1832 painting "Liberty Leading the People."
JERUSALEM | President of Al-Quds University Professor Imad Abu Kishek received in his office at the universitys main campus the Representative of the Republic of Singapore, Mr. Hawazi Daipi, who visited the university to learn about its history and programs, and explore the possibility of cooperation between AQU and universities in Singapore.

Professor Abu Kishek briefed the visitor about of the universitys faculties and programs and the multifaceted initiatives that AQU leads, particularly the social initiatives and programs in the Old City of Jerusalem.

In speaking about the academic and research cooperation agreements the university has forged with universities and research centers around the globe, Professor Abu Kishek said the university looks at the Singaporean model of development with admiration, and hopes to build bilateral cooperation ties between both parties, including experience exchanges.

Mr. Daipi, for his part, praised the achievements of Al-Quds University, wishing its community further progress in serving knowledge and learning in Palestine and globally. He pledged to work on linking AQU with higher education institutions in Singapore to collaborate in scientific and research fields of mutual interest.

The Singaporean Representative also expressed his aspiration to enhance the bilateral relations between Palestine and Singapore and to build further bridges of cooperation between the peoples of both countries.

Al-Quds University enjoys an extensive network of international relations, represented in the several joint programs and partnerships, which it has built with European, American and Asian bodies. These partnerships are a part of the strategy to boost scientific knowledge and expand research through cooperation in different scientific fields.
Cholo Abdi Abdullah denied US charge that he trained as a pilot in the Philippines upon the direction of al-Shabaab.
About the show

A weekly programme that examines and dissects the worlds media, how they operate and the stories they cover. Watch The Listening Post every Saturday at 0830GMT
At the meeting, the ministers adopted a joint statement affirming the determination to fully enforce the CPTPP in support of trade liberalisation, setting high and fair standards for trading activities in the 21st century as well as fostering economic growth and bringing about benefits to both people and enterprises.They also approved four important decisions, covering the CPTPP Commissions operation mechanism; the process, procedures and conditions for consideration and admission of new members; the process and procedures of the arbitral tribunal related to state-to-state settlement of disputes; and a code of conduct for arbitrators related to the settlement of disputes between an investor and a state.In his opening remarks, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe affirmed that the member states are determined to do their utmost to ensure the CPTPP plays a leading role in trade liberalisation in the context of rising protectionism.He said that the CPTPP remains open for any nation and territory which wants to join a high-quality agreement.In an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency (VNA) correspondents in Tokyo, Minister Tran Tuan Anh said that commitments are being implemented in an active, serious and full manner in the initial phase thanks to thorough preparations of the member states.He voiced his belief that they will enforce the agreement effectively to bring about practical benefits to both people and enterprises.According to him, three challenges facing Vietnam are pressure during the enforcement process; increasing competitiveness and capital in not only goods but also services; and measures to bring into full play opportunities brought by the CPTPP.Koichi Ishikawa, a professor from the Institute of Asian Studies under the Asia University, said that the deal will help increase Vietnams exports of garments and textiles, footwear, farm produce, seafood and food to other member states.He noted that the countrys supporting industry will face several difficulties, as Vietnam depends much on imported machines and equipment.The CPTPP officially came into force on December 30, 2018 in Mexico, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, Canada, and Australia, the first six countries to ratify the pact. The agreement took effect in Vietnam on January 14, 2019.The pact was signed by 11 member states, namely Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam in March 2018.This is one of the most comprehensive trade deals ever concluded and strips 98 percent of tariffs for the 11 countries with a combined GDP of more than 13.8 trillion USD and close to 500 million consumers. The CPTPP forms the third biggest economic bloc in the world, only after the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the European Union (EU).

VNA
A country with its own recent history of migration could soon find itself at the centre of Europes refugee crisis.
President Donald Trump has referred to US Senator Elizabeth Warren as Pocahontas at a ceremony to honour Native Americans who helped win World War II on Monday.

You were here long before any of us were here. Although we have a representative in Congress who they say was here a long time ago. They call her Pocahontas, Trump said to the code talkers, Native Americans who used their languages such as Navajo, Choctaw and Seminole to transmit sensitive military plans that US enemies could not translate.

Though the term code talkers is most closely associated with the Navajo men honoured on Monday for their service in World War II, Native Americans of various tribes were instrumental in securing US victories in both world wars through the use of their languages.

{articleGUID}

Pocahontas is a reference to a teenage Native American who, according to historical anecdote, saved the life of one of the first English colonists in present-day Virginia.

{articleGUID}

Pocahontas story is popular in the US, especially after Disney produced a 1995 animated film based on historical legend.

Trump has used the name to disparage Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts known for her consumer protection policies. Warren claimed in the past that she was 1/32 Cherokee, though this was based on stories told to her by her parents and grandparents.

Warren was a professor at Harvard Law School and was counted as a Native American by former spokesperson Mike Chmura when asked about the lack of diversity in the schools faculty.

Goofy Elizabeth Warren, sometimes referred to as Pocahontas, pretended to be a Native American in order to advance her career. Very racist! Trump tweeted in 2016.

Trump last used the term to describe Warren on November 3, a few days into National Native American Heritage Month.

The use of Pocahontas is controversial among Native Americans, some of whom think Disneys portrayal and use of the historical figure are degrading.

Al Jazeera contacted the Cherokee Nation for comment on Trumps use of the term in front of the Native American veterans, but requests were not immediately returned.
The regional elections in Andalusia last December put an end to 36 years of uninterrupted socialist rule in the most populous region of Spain and laid the foundation for a new right-wing coalition that includes a racist, homophobic and anti-immigration party: Vox (voice, Latin).

Founded in 2013 by Santiago Abascal  a 42-year-old Basque who prides himself on traditions such as bullfighting, hunting and carrying a Smith and Wesson gun  Vox is now part of the countrys political establishment after winning nearly 11 percent of the vote and 12 seats in the regional election. Its plan for the region is called the reconquest of Spain, alluding to the Reconquista period, when Christian kingdoms reclaimed Muslim-held territory across the Iberian peninsula in the middle ages.

The partys nationwide goal is to transform Spains current system of devolved regional power into a single government and parliament for all of Spain. Their slogans, similar to those of other right-wing populist parties across the West, are Espana primero and Los espanoles primero, that is, Spain first, Spaniards first. Steve Bannon has obviously endorsed them.

After several weeks of intense negotiations, the two major parties of Spain  the conservative Popular Party and centre-right, pro-business Ciudadanos (Citizens party), which obtained 20 and 18 percent of the vote respectively  reached an agreement with Abascal that will make the Andalusian regional government the most radical not only in Spain but also among other European nations already under right-wing nationalist rule.

Like the Northern League in Italy, the National Rally in France and the Alternative for Germany, Vox also wants to shut down mosques, erect walls and deport immigrants. While the partys political and economic proposals are similar to those of other extreme parties throughout Europe, they include another alarming feature: hate for gender equality movements.

Vox, like Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro, denounces gender ideology as a threat to heteronormative, Christian, and white family values. According to the party programme, men and woman are already equal and so there is no need for specials laws against domestic violence to protect womens rights. Measures to fight gender violence are ideological and discriminatory against men. These measures  introduced by the Socialist Party government of Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero in 2004 to crack down on gender-based violence  offer free legal aid and established special courts for victims.

Although these measures are still necessary  at least 47 women in Spain were killed by their partners or ex-partners last year  Vox believes the problem lies in false accusations that ruin mens lives and that the media ignores. This is probably why Abascal often picks fights with journalists. In Spains recent democracy, as writer and journalist Cristina Fallaras pointed out, there hasnt been an open, institutional, and belligerent discourse against woman and their rights. It has now arrived [with Vox].

But Vox wants not only to repeal these gender measures, but also to eliminate subsidised feminist groups, create a Ministry of the Family and introduce an organic law protecting the natural family, which shall be recognised as an institution that came before the State. While they also seek to abolish laws protecting abortion and gay marriage, their goal, as veteran Spanish feminist Ana Maria Perez del Campo said, is to stop in the advance of womens rights. It should not come as a surprise that their regional leader, Francisco Serrano, a former judge, was suspended by the Supreme Court after altering visitation arrangements in a custody case in favour of the father without calling the mother to the hearing. As a radical opponent of feminism, Serrano considers himself a victim of gender-based jihadism.

But why has this radical right-wing party now emerged in Spain?

Last summer, the leader of Spains opposition Socialist Party (PSOE), Pedro Sanchez, managed to pass a vote of no confidence, forcing Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to resign. When Sanchez replaced Rajoy as Spains prime minister a day after the no-confidence vote, his government was seen by many as a fresh beginning for the country. Rajoy was removed because of widespread corruption allegations targeting his party and also for his inability to confront the Catalan crisis. The shameful repression that took place during the Catalan referendum and the imprisonment of several independent politicians and activists were signs that Rajoy and the Popular Party had lost all credibility.

In the eight months following Rajoys ousting, Sanchez, with the support of Podemos, not only re-established dialogue with the Catalan regional government, but also addressed many social needs of Spaniards. After years of austerity measures, the PSOE increased the minimum wage and state pensions and also began a process to exhume Francos remains from the Valley of the Fallen memorial site.

While Sanchezs government is off to a good start, it did not yet resolve all of Spains deep-rooted problems, such as high levels of unemployment. Moreover, the progressive stance of the new government  which boasts the highest proportion of female cabinet members in the world  unsettled many conservatives in the country. Angered by issues like the new governments approach to the Catalan crisis and Francos exhumation, many right-wing voters in Spain became disillusioned with the mainstream political parties on the right, and started to look for more radical alternatives.

It needs to be noted that since the restoration of democracy in 1975 until three years ago, the Popular Party had managed to contain all far-right votes in Spain. But in 2015, Ciudadanos, a new centre-right party from Catalonia, emerged as an alternative to the PP. Its leader, Albert Rivera, a 38-year-old Catalan, is not only committed to traditional liberal values, but also radically opposed to the Catalan independence cause. In the last national elections, Ciudadanos obtained 14 percent of the vote, and, according to the latest survey, it might double this result in the next.

Many in Spain believed the rise of the Ciudadanos would split the conservative vote, weakening the far right and the PP in the process, but this has not proved to be the case. As seen in the aftermath of the Andalusian elections, Ciudadanos chose to join forces not only with the PP, but also with a much more radical group like Vox  even though Rivera and other members of his party are uncomfortable with many of Voxs platforms, they agreed to form a government in Andalusia with Juan Manuel Moreno (PP) as the president. Talks to repeat this alliance at a national level have already begun.

Reaction to feminist movement

The Catalan crisis, the exhumation of Francos remains and the high unemployment levels undoubtedly played an important role in the rise of Vox. But the increasing public support for the far-right party cannot be explained through these parameters only.

The recent achievements of Spains feminist movement, which last March managed to mobilise over five million women in massive street protests across the country demanding gender equality, also contributed significantly to the partys new-found success.

As stated in a new feminist manifesto signed last week by hundreds of feminist associations, Vox has declared war to women and seek to turn them into slaves at the service of men. While the Socialist government, as well as other progressive forces, must remain vigilant towards Voxs far-right ideology, only feminist activists and organisations can save Spain from the patriarchal obsession with the so-called natural order and the politics of hate that it incubates.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
* Username

This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely!
Danny Markstein.

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

David Sher is Co-Founder of AmSher Compassionate Collections and past Chairman of Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce, ONB, and CAP.

Let's turn Birmingham around. Click here to sign up for newsletter. There's power in numbers. (Opt out at any time)

Today's guest blogger is Danny Markstein . If you'd like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

Over the years - and especially recently - there has been a lot of conversation about branding Birmingham. Many other cities have engaged in processes to develop, launch and maintain their brands - with wildly varying levels of success.

Ask folks who live in Austin how positively the "Keep Austin Weird" campaign has impacted them, their businesses and their employers. When done well, residents, business entities, educational institutions and other organizations are engaged in the process and, therefore, buy into the creation and execution of the city's brand, ultimately empowering the entire community.

But this conversation is about much more - branding Birmingham is critical to the advancement of our community. That said, there is only one way to do it properly, and to our community's maximum benefit. The process must be just that - a process - one that is thoughtful, strategic and yields a fruitful outcome.

If we're going to "brand" Birmingham, we must leverage our existing assets

In Birmingham, our healthcare and education institutions have led the way for decades. They must continue to do so, while making it possible for others to lead, too. Leveraging UAB and the medical community to attract and retain talent, particularly related to biotech and biomedical companies, absolutely is critical to our long-term success. We simply cannot grow without our established leading businesses' and organizations' influence and support.

Further positioning UAB, Samford, Birmingham Southern and Miles College as our leading local institutions is a critical step, but it isn't possible if we cannot position Birmingham's brand as an asset they can use to attract students, faculty and investment.

Properly resourcing our primary and high school education professionals today to prepare tomorrow's workforce for college and/or trade schools is an absolute minimum requirement for our community.

If we're going to "brand" Birmingham, we have to prepare our future assets

If we collectively desire to work towards building Birmingham into a city for the next century and generations to come, we must begin to work towards this reality immediately. Birmingham must have a brand that supports this reality - we must develop and position our workforce to be capable of succeeding in the jobs in which a leading city requires its people to perform.

This is one area where Birmingham currently is lacking - meaning that, without calculated effort, our brand will be an empty promise. Simply put, to be successful, we must get better at developing our workforce.

Our team recently was fortunate to work with Alabama Possible, Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA), Central Six AlabamaWorks!, Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, Innovate Birmingham, Jefferson State Community College, United Way of Central Alabama and UAB to launch the Building (it) Together campaign.

The premise of the campaign is a report that this coalition commissioned by Burning Glass Technologies to assess the seven-county region's workforce. The report cited our community's heavy concentration in low-skilled occupations as a liability that, if unaddressed, will have serious repercussions for us all.

The skills gap between our current workforce and the jobs that are available in Birmingham only will continue to widen as we progress into the 22nd century. If we want our city to be the benchmark for others, we must ensure our workforce matches the brand our city develops.

In order to emerge as the progressive community we often talk about and aspire to in Birmingham, and if we are to accomplish that which we are capable of achieving, we must cultivate and retain local talent, recruit new talent to our community, impact the global market and continuously develop our children, college students and workforce for the future.

Too often we are playing catch up. Too often an excuse suffices for inaction or poor results. To be a leading city in the 22nd century, this must cease to be the case.

If we're going to "brand" Birmingham, we must take the appropriate actions

Success will require working together to build a brand that makes a promise we want to - and are able to - deliver. We must continue to attract entrepreneurs and tech. We must continue to fund and connect the business community, the pre-K through 12th grade community, our two- and four-year colleges, and our economic development community.

Incredible work is happening within all of those areas, but too often our work is siloed and misaligned. We fail to achieve scale when we don't work together.

That said, signs of our successes clearly are evident. The Innovation Depot, Innovate Birmingham and Velocity Accelerator are just the tips of the spear, supported by established businesses ranging from Regions and Protective, to more recent successes like Shipt. We must support and leverage our innovative economic drivers like UAB and Southern Research.

These disparate organizations engage in an increasing number of pitch competitions critical to our continued success - consider the impacts of Alabama Launchpad, Rise of the Rest and Bronze Valley, and what they are doing for our city and state.

In addition, more organizations, such as the Alabama Capital Network and the Alabama Futures Fund, need to continue to evolve, and new funds, like UAB's recently launched Innovation Fund, need to be developed.

These organizations and the activities in which they engage are critical if we are to attract and retain top entrepreneurial talent, and to enable leadership development and mentorship for young professionals and emerging founders and business leaders.

Perhaps more challenging but equally important, we must find ways to compete for and attract larger companies to bring their operations to Birmingham. We need to prioritize the successful recruitment of investments from advanced manufacturing, information technology and life sciences companies.

Ideally, we would bring corporate headquarters and key operating entities to our community - this obviously is a huge win every time it happens - but we need to be realistic about what is possible given the necessary investment of time and resources to pursue these opportunities.

If we're going to "brand" Birmingham, its people must participate in the process

In my opinion, an effort of this magnitude requires a leader - a convening entity or organization that brings disparate groups together in ways that are inclusive of our population of residents, communities, government structures and corporate citizens.

I believe that this process should be led by the City of Birmingham, with the broad support, backing of and participation from local and state officials, educators and the business and nonprofit communities.

With that structure and support in place, each and every resident of our community must have the opportunity for his or her voice to be heard. Birmingham is more than a few city blocks or a couple of suburbs, and all its citizens need to be represented properly.

As we love to say in our office, "People support what they help to create." If Birmingham is to position itself as a leading city for the 22nd century, it must create that role today and commit to achieving all that it can.

The stakes are too high to fail to do this the right way. To be sure, there is much hard work to be done, but it's time for Birmingham to begin the process properly and position itself for the many successes yet to come.

Danny Markstein is co-founder and managing director of Markstein, a Birmingham-based marketing communications agency whose mission is to provide empowering leadership and measurable creative strategies that deliver positive outcomes related to business challenges and opportunities.
Strong storms on Saturday sparked tornadoes across the state, and at least one city is reporting damage.

The National Weather Service in Birmingham said they are reviewing damage reports out of Wetumpka in Elmore County. The agency tweeted, Damage looks pretty significant in the downtown area," and said they will send a survey team to the area on Sunday.

Damage reports from the National Weather Service described Highway 14 as impassable. There have been several reports of structural damage with injuries, but no details on the severity of injuries was listed.

Gov. Kay Ivey issued a statement on social media around 5 p.m. Saturday. She said she was working to gather more details and has deployed the Alabama Emergency Management Agency to assist in Elmore County. Please be advised of current weather advisories and stay away from damaged areas for your safety, the tweeted.

There are several reports of severe damage in Wetumpka & surrounding areas. Were working to gather more details & have deployed @AlabamaEMA folks to assist in Elmore County. Please be advised of current weather advisories and stay away from damaged areas for your safety.  Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) January 19, 2019

Thinking about the people in and around #Wetumpka affected by the devastating tornado. Thank you to local law enforcement and first responders on the scene. https://t.co/JWFJuhVJkc  Richard Shelby (@SenShelby) January 20, 2019

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency also issued a statement on Twitter and said state troopers are on the ground and in the air to assist with the aftermath of tornado that hit Wetumpka.

The Elmore County Commission released a statement and said the Elmore County Emergency Management Agency and county first responders are assisting the city of Wetumpka. Citizens are urged to stay clear of downtown Wetumpka and areas affected along the track of the storm. Unnecessary travel is hindering emergency personnel from clearing roadways of downed power lines, trees, and debris, the statement said.

Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin has issued a 6 p.m. curfew for the city, according to the commission.

The remains of the damaged historic First Presbyterian Church in Wetumpka, Ala., is seen after a possible tornado on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019. (Mickey Welsh/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP)AP

Damage reports from the NWS said First Presbyterian Church in Wetumpka was destroyed, and there was also damage to Wetumpka First Baptist Church. The weather service showed reports of damage to multiple structures, vehicles, and at least one mobile home. Power lines also collapsed onto an occupied car, the reports said.

According to the Opelika Historic Preservation Society, the historic First Presbyterian Church was built in 1856 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth said on social media, My thoughts and prayers are with all those impacted by the tornado in Elmore County today, and my office stands ready to assist in whatever ways we are able.

State Sen. Clyde Chambliss Jr. offered a prayer on Twitter. He posted, Lord, please help those in Wetumpka that are affected by the tornado. Keep our first responders safe as well. Amen.

BREAKING: Our first look at Wetumpka FBC, were told the new wing is destroyed. Credit: Thad Hankins #alwx @wsfa12news pic.twitter.com/czTBda29iS  Jenn Horton (@JennWSFA) January 19, 2019

@spann Its funny. I left my hometown Wetumpka to chase a tornado, that tornado died, and a new one formed far east of me and hit Wetumpka. #ALWX pic.twitter.com/XmiuNhuiCG  Tyler Burton (@TylerEricBurton) January 20, 2019

Wetumpka High School is open as a storm shelter.

Most of Alabama is at risk for strong and severe storms through Saturday evening as a cold front moves through the state. The strongest storms could contain wind gusts up to 60 mph, and forecasters said a few tornadoes were possible. North, central and parts of south Alabama are under a wind advisory throughout Saturday, which may be extended into Sunday.

Colder air will settle in behind the storms, with a few snow flurries possible in some parts of the state late Saturday.

The Central Alabama Community Foundation has established the Wetumpka Tornado Relief fund, where all donations will go to disaster relief. For more information on how to donate, click here.

.@tuscaloosacity is thinking of our friends in Wetumpka tonight as they respond to this afternoon's tornado. Mayor Willis and his team will effectively guide his community forward  Walt Maddox (@WaltMaddox) January 19, 2019

More tornado damage Wetumpka Alabama pic.twitter.com/j0e2sN9Ovq  Sammy Randolph (@sammy_randolph) January 19, 2019

Tornado damage at Wetumpka pic.twitter.com/czoamM0T7R  James Spann (@spann) January 19, 2019

Unfortunately in Calhoun County, we know all too well about the effects of severe weather. Please join me in sending thoughts and prayers to everyone in Wetumpka tonight. https://t.co/Puyxerozbv  Del Marsh (@SenatorDelMarsh) January 20, 2019

This post will be updated.
Was the storm that did significant damage in Wetumpka on Saturday afternoon a tornado?

And how strong was it?

Those are questions that could be answered on Sunday.

The National Weather Service in Birmingham said it will send two survey teams to south-central Alabama to look at damage from storms on Saturday, several of which had tornado warnings on them.

The most significant was in Wetumpka, where injuries and major damage were reported earlier today.

One NWS team will look at damage in Elmore County, where Wetumpka is located.

A second team will visit Dallas, Autauga and Coosa counties.

The survey teams will take a look at the damage in those areas and determine if it was caused by a tornado.

If it is a tornado it will be given a rating on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, which runs from EF0 to EF5.

The weather service said because of the number of potential tracks it could take more than one day to finish all the surveys.
As Wetumpka began the first full day of recovery after a destructive storm that struck the heart of the city on Saturday, people expressed thanks the outcome wasnt much worse.

Corp. Sean Blackburn, public information officer for the Wetumpka Police Department, said this morning there were no deaths and no major injuries despite massive property damage. He said crews spent all night and this morning checking damaged homes, businesses and vehicles and found nobody trapped or badly hurt.

Its nothing short of miraculous in my opinion," Blackburn said. "It is truly amazing that nobody was injured and nobody was killed and were just so thankful and grateful for that.

Blackburn said he did not have an exact count on injuries but said they were mostly confined to scrapes and bumps from debris.

Among the structures that suffered heavy damage were First Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church, the Wetumpka Police Department and the Fain senior center, as well as homes.

Congregants from the First Presbyterian Church met this morning at the Wetumpka Depot Players Community Theater because the storm destroyed much of their church, built in 1856.

Pastor Jonathan Yarboro told the members they had ample reason to be thankful despite the property loss, particularly since the storm struck on Saturday and the church happened to be empty, even though he said the sanctuary is always open for prayer. Yarboro said there was less left of the nursery than any other part of the church.

If you happen to be searching for a reason to be blessed, thats enough, Yarboro said.

Blackburn said roads remain closed in west Wetumpka, where most of the damage occurred. Volunteers are asked to register at the Elmore County Department of Human Resources, which is just north of the county judicial complex, across U.S. 231 from Julia Tutwiler Prison.

Blackburn said those wanting to donate supplies can drop them off at Wetumpka High School.

At the First Presbyterian Service at the community theater, Yarboro said every other church in the community reached out and invited the First Presbyterian congregation to worship in their churches today. The pastor said the historic church has been a beacon for the community. He said the storm did not take away the churchs role as a spiritual beacon.

I know that youve already felt the incredible outpouring of love that our sisters and brothers, not only in this community, but every single person thats heard what happened, has already begun to shower upon us, Yarboro told the congregants. And thats going to continue.

Blackburn said the citys cleanup effort is experiencing the same positive response.

Its really great to live in a community that pulls together like this just to help us rebuild at this time," Blackburn said.

Blackburn asked for patience from residents, including those dealing with damage to their homes and businesses. .

Wetumpka has always been a strong community, Blackburn said. "And something like this, although it is seemingly devastating to a lot of property, its nothing that we cant bounce back from. Its just going to take a little bit of time and a lot of hard work, both of which Wetumpka has.

Marcia Anderson of Eclectic, who said she has been a member of the First Presbyterian Church for 49 years, said she was heartbroken by the destruction but said the congregation will carry on.

We have to remember that the church itself was just a material building, Anderson said. However, it was very historical. And well deal with that as we go.

As for the fact that nobody was hurt even though the church was destroyed, Anderson said, Gods in control. And I just feel like during the whole situation, he was taking care of the congregation.

Sherry Cone was working at the H&K Food Mart on Highway 14 when the tornado struck shortly before 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Sirens going off, everybody was panicking, everybody was trying to get somewhere," Cone said.

Cone said she directed customers to the stores back cooler, where she said about 20 people rode out the storm.

The store is a little north of downtown, where the tornado swept through, and did not even lose power, Cone said.
U.S. Sen. Doug Jones commended President Trump on Saturday for offering to extend deportation protections for some illegal immigrants who arrived in the country as children, indicating it could be a shift that could lead to the end of the partial government shutdown.

Trump addressed the nation Saturday afternoon, unveiling his proposal at the same time that Jones was conducting a town hall meeting at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Jones told a capacity crowd of more than 300 people that he was basing his comments on the early reports of what Trump would say in his address. Those early reports  outlining a three-year protection program for some illegal immigrants in exchange for the $5.7 billion in border wall funding the president has sought  matched what Trump said in his White House speech.

Trump made his offer as the partial government shutdown  the longest in U.S. history -- approaches one month.

What Im seeing is a hopeful sign, said Jones, a Democrat from Birmingham elected in 2017.

The protections under the Deferred Actions for Childhood Arrivals  better known as DACA  is something the president said he would never do, Jones said. So Im seeing some movement there.

In lauding Trumps gesture, Jones said, The president is demonstrating that he, in good faith, will talk about border security in a bigger issue. And the House Democrats, who have been just as entrenched  saying nothing until we reopen the government  are saying, OK, we want to talk, too, in good faith.

Lets take that for what it is  good faith on everyones part.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., issued a statement Saturday afternoon saying that Trumps proposals do not represent a good faith effort to restore certainty to peoples lives and a non-starter.

As Jones said, though, Pelosi said on Twitter that House Democrats will vote next week to add additional border security funding for ports of entry, advanced technology for scanning vehicles for drugs & immigration judges.

What is original in the Presidents proposal is not good. What is good in the proposal is not original. Democrats will vote next week to add additional border security funding for ports of entry, advanced technology for scanning vehicles for drugs & immigration judges.  Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 19, 2019

Jones attracted a captive audience on a rainy afternoon in the Alabama city that has absorbed the brunt of the government shutdown pain. There are about 5,500 federal employees across the state without funding with about half of those working at Huntsvilles Marshall Space Flight Center.

The shutdown is in its 29th day.

Jones received applause at several points through the event, beginning with him saying that federal employees should not be held as hostages during the negotiations.

Jones took questions from the audience for more than an hour, spanning an array of topics from how should Americans deal with misinformation coming from the highest level of government to federal aid for sewer systems in rural areas.

The running theme, though, was the shutdown.

Jones said he agreed that improvements in border security were needed but that there were solutions beyond a wall that was a central campaign promise for Trump. The senator also told the audience that Mexico was not going to pay for the wall, as Trump frequently said on the campaign stump.

Among the questions for Jones was about Trumps suggestion to declare a national emergency to secure border wall funding without the approval of Congress. Jones displayed a chart for the audience that showed southwest border apprehensions peaked around the turn of the century at more than 1.6 million in a year to about 400,000 or less over the last four years.

My view is that this is not a national emergency, Jones said. Its a problem that weve got to deal with but weve got a lot of problems weve got to deal with.

That drew another round of applause from the audience.

The issue for border security is not a wall, Jones said at another point. Its really not. Its whats going to be the best effective way to spend your money to try to secure the borders the best we can.

As examples, the senator said the use of sensors or drones could be effective.

If someone wants to call that a wall, fine, Jones said. Because thats what were talking about. We havent seen a plan. One of my biggest complaints during this whole shutdown with the president saying he wants the money is, look, you want money  you want my taxpayer money  just show me a plan. Show me what youre talking about and lets talk about it and lets let the experts talk about whats good and whats bad and what works and what doesnt work.

Jones also referred to media reports over the past 24 hours of migrants entering the U.S. by digging under a border fence.

The issue for border security is not a wall, Jones said. Its really not. Its whats going to be the best effective way to spend your money to try to secure the borders the best we can.

As he wrapped up the event, Jones returned to Trumps latest proposal.

Im not here to dog the president at all, he said. Im really not. I think today he is showing a crack in the armor. Hes been very strong about not moving on anything and I think weve seen a crack there. And thats a crack of optimism. So lets try to keep this glass half-full and lets get you people back to work.
Developers paid more than $3 million for 2.6 acres on Little Lagoon at 1570 West Beach Blvd., in Gulf Shores, and plan to build West Side Cottages there, according to Realtors. David Milstead of Bellator Commercial Real Estate handled the entire transaction. The property is just east of Lagoon Pass Park and the bridge. West Side Cottages will feature 43 single-family homes built to gold fortified standards with prices starting at $399,000, according to Stephen Harrison of Re/Max of Gulf Shores. The Harrison Team is marketing the project which is already under way. Beach access will be provided via a city boardwalk along Little Lagoon. The two-story cottages will include two-, three- and four-bedroom plans with parking underneath each house.

F45 Fitness has leased 3,300 square feet at 1501 U.S. 98 in Daphne, according to Colby Herrington of Herrington Realty, who represented the retail center. The fitness gym will be located between Verizon and 2 Sisters Panini. Pratt Thomas of Merrill P. Thomas Company represented the tenant.

DDS Dentures + Implants Solutions has leased 4,560 square feet of retail space in Spanish Fort Town Center on Bass Pro Drive in Spanish Fort, according to Angie McArthur of Stirling Properties, who represented the landlord. The company has locations in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. This marks the first retail location in Alabama.

At least 39 acres at 16150 Beasley Road in west Foley will be offered for sale at a live auction on March 9 at 10 a.m., according to Coastal Auction Company. The property will be sold in several tracts, including a house with 2.5 acres. For more information go coastalauction.com or call 800 669-5717.

Notables: Sperry, a men, women's and kid's shoes and accessories store, will open soon in the Tanger Outlets on Ala. 59 in Foley. Sperry is known for its original boat shoe. Kayden's Candy Factory has relocated to a larger space at 25241 Perdido Beach Blvd., in Orange Beach, near the Walmart Neighborhood Market.
If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE).
Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier?

Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop.

Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News

Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time.

Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up!

Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.  When Randy Graham decided to serve a term as president of the Illinois Specialty Growers Association, he had a goal in mind to do everything he could to help restore Extension services to growers in the state.

Extension atrophied to a critical level, he said of the University of Illinois program that had employed as many as 100 agricultural specialists in its prime, but had diminished to about 15.

He knew how important such agricultural specialists had been in developing Curtis Orchard in Champaign.

Grahams father-in-law, Paul Curtis, was looking for a way to make a small farm effective enough to support his family. Growing corn and soybeans wasnt enough in 1977. So he and his wife planted 700 apple trees on 3 acres.

The stick-like young trees didnt look like they needed much care, so they planted another 1,700, Graham said.

They soon learned that those saplings needed a lot of care and expertise, which the newbies didnt have. They found it through Extension, Graham said.

Going into 2018, he was discouraged by how the organization that did so much for his business was fading away without funding.

His was among the happiest faces at the Illinois Specialty Crops, Agritourism and Organic Conference on Jan. 10, when Kim Kidwell, Dean of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois, spoke about her vision of Extension in the future.

She is very passionate about rebuilding Extension in Illinois and making it into a model system in the nation. She has assembled a very passionate group of like-minded people who help her accomplish this, said Graham, who is one of those people.
Kathmandu, Nepal: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is leaving for Davos of Switzerland today evening leading a Nepali delegate to participate in the conference on Annual World Economic Forum.

Prime Minister will participate in the conference on Annual World Economic Forum from January 22 to 25 Switzerland. During his stay in Switzerland, he is scheduled to hold meetings with world leaders.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister Oli will speak during the two sessions titled "Strategic Outlook on South Asia" and "Shaping the Future of Democracy.

Prime Minister Oli will be accompanied by his spouse Radhikar Shakya, Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada, Foreign Secretary Shankar Das Bairagi, Chief Political Advisor to Oli Bishnu Rimal, Foreign Relations Advisor Rajan Bhattarai and among other officials of different ministries.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is looking for California residents to assist in the disaster recovery effort in the aftermath of the Camp, Hill and Woolsey Wildfires in Butte, Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

California residents who wish to apply for a job with FEMA should create a profile at USAjobs.gov. Many jobs will be opening in the coming weeks and months. Jobs will be posted for seven days only. Search key words: "FEMA Local Hire" and location: "California."

FEMA officials suggest visiting the USAJOBS site often to view the most jobs available at any given time.

Some of the jobs needed include: Engineer, Floodplain Management Specialist, Geospatial Information Systems Specialist, Administrative Support Assistant, Insurance Specialist, Emergency Management Specialist, Equal Rights Advisor, Customer Service Representative, Analysts, Voluntary Agency Liaison, Resource Manager, Media Relations Specialist, Digital

Communications Specialist, Mass Care Specialist, Applicant Services Specialist, Housing Coordinator and Reports Writer.

It is FEMA's policy to provide equal opportunity to all employees and applicants in every aspect of their employment and working conditions. FEMA supports the concept of affirmative employment to ensure that personnel policies and practices provides equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information or retaliation/reprisal.

Those hired will join a recovery team already in place, composed of local and federal workers, voluntary agencies, and community organizations. Through temporary local employees, FEMA gains valuable community insights, provides jobs, and allows Californians to be on the front lines working in assisting in the state's recovery.

FEMA's mission: Helping people before, during, and after disasters

All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD). Multilingual operators are available.
Celebrity

As they are driving and playing a knife with no vision, there are high possibilities that these people will injure themselves while doing the challenge.

Jan 20, 2019

AceShowbiz - The massive popularity of Netflix's new original movie "Bird Box" has generated a new viral challenge based on the movie. People have been posting videos of themselves doing activities while being blindfolded, just like what Sandra Bullock's character does in the movie. While some opt to do rather easy stuff, some others take the challenge to a new level and do more dangerous activities with no vision.

Seeing how the dangerous the challenge could be, Netflix issued a warning urging people to stop doing the challenge out of safety reason. "Can't believe I have to say this, but: PLEASE DO NOT HURT YOURSELVES WITH THIS BIRD BOX CHALLENGE," so the statement read. "We don't know how this started, and we appreciate the love, but Boy and Girl have just one wish for 2019 and it is that you not end up in the hospital due to memes."

Despite the streaming giant's warning, some people apparently still attempted to do the challenge and endangered not only themselves, but the people around them. Below are some examples of the most dangerous things that people did for the "Bird Box" challenge. Please don't try this at home.

1. Playing Game of Life and Death on Train Tracks Ben Phillips, a YouTube personality, posted a video of his friend Elliot Giles putting on a blindfold while walking on train tracks. He could be heard shouting to his friend that a train was coming, but Giles remained on the tracks while the sound of an oncoming train and a warning bell could be heard. Police have launched an investigation into the matter, saying that the action "is illegal and a criminal act."

2. Turning House Into a Go-Kart Circuit There were some ways to have fun inside your house, but riding a go-kart blindfolded was definitely not one of them. In a video which surfaced online, one boy was seen roaming around his house on a go-kart, but he put a blindfold on his eyes. Can you guess what happened to the kid? He kept bumping on the furniture and almost made a lamp fall on his head. This could be really dangerous because there were sharp objects inside the home. What if a knife ends up landing on his head?

3. Let's Make Fire Blindfolded! One YouTube star named Sage Halsey attempted to do the infamous challenge while going on a camp. She posted a clip which showed her walking around the woods and attempting to make a fire blindfolded. While it could be dangerous as there were possibilities of her falling into the lake or making mistakes when she tried to make the fire, it was a relief that she got a friend who could guide her.

4. Don't Invite Toddler to Join the Challenge! Sandra Bullock's character might have asked her children to wear the blindfold in the movie, but that doesn't necessarily mean you can also ask your children to do the same. A Twitter user who goes by the name Fire Made Flesh posted on the site a video of a man doing the challenge with his children in the kitchen. While the clip seemed normal at first, it turned rather horrifying when the toddler hit the wall really hard because the man wasn't able to guide her. She probably had mild concussion thanks to that. Y'all doing this #Birdbox Challenge? pic.twitter.com/Yjx86Ex55f  FireMadeFlesh (@FleshFire) December 27, 2018

5. Playing a Knife Blindfolded While most people usually get cautious when playing with knife, this man decided to show off some knife tricks with no vision. A video has surfaced online showing a man playing the knife game blindfolded. Sporting a shiny green bra, the man was seen placing the palm of his hand down on a table with fingers apart, before moving a knife between his fingers back and forth, trying not to hit his fingers. Luckily for him, he succeeded.

6. Deemed Dangerous, Jake Paul's 24-Hour 'Bird Box' Challenge Video Is Removed Jake Paul caused controversy when he shared on YouTube his own "Bird Box" challenge video, which saw him blindfolding himself for 24 hours along with his friend George Janko. People were quick to slam him because they were seen in the video driving car and navigating a busy street blindfolded without anyone guiding them. Following the backlash, the video was removed from the video-sharing site.

7. Catching Alligators With No Vision Gaton wrestler, Jason McDonald, and his crew took the "Bird Box" challenge to another level, catching alligators blindfolded. As seen in a YouTube video, one man put his hands above the water in an attempt to search for a crocodile, except that he had a blindfold covering his eyes which made it even scarier. Once he got his hands on the alligator, the animal started shaking fiercely to break free from him. It was really fortunate that none of them was bitten by the animal.

8. This Is What Happens When You Drive Blindfolded It didn't take too long for a 17-year-old teenager from Utah to veer into the oncoming traffic when she attempted to do the challenge and drove with her eyes covered. Pulling a beanie hat over her eyes, the female driver reportedly struck a passenger car, hit a light pole and a concrete barrier. Luckily, no one was injured during the accident. She was with a 16-year-old boy during the time of the accident.
ABC TV

After the 'Grace and Frankie' star states why she believes every single citizen of the United States needs a wall, the 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' host admits she makes him nervous for a bit.

Jan 18, 2019

AceShowbiz - Jane Fonda made Jimmy Kimmel "nervous" during a TV interview on Wednesday night (Januray 16) after she called for a wall to be built in the United States.

The veteran actress and activist made an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" alongside her "Grace and Frankie" co-star Lily Tomlin to promote the upcoming fifth season of the Netflix show.

However, the conversation quickly turned to politics, with Fonda taking the floor and stating, "Every single citizen of the United States, we need a wall."

After taking a long pause, she continued, "A good wall that keeps the White House away from the (Robert) Mueller investigation. We have every single right to know what the result of that investigation is. And if there's some law that gives someone the right to edit the results, we have to change the law. And we have to do everything we can do."

Kimmel laughed and then confessed that he thought Fonda was about to show support for U.S. President Donald Trump's controversial plan to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border.

"I got nervous for a second," he sighed.

It appears that Fonda, 81, is concerned that President Trump's nominee for the next attorney general, William Barr, may not release the full results of special counsel Mueller's final report into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and other matters. Barr has indicated that the findings will be made public and vowed that he will allow Mueller to complete his investigation.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Hundreds participated in Saturday mornings annual MLK Jr. March down the avenue named in his honor.

Many carried photos of the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and signs bearing his famous quotations as the peaceful procession traveled toward Civic Plaza Downtown.

The march concluded with a commemoration ceremony at the plaza.

The national holiday celebrating Kings birth is Monday.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

Grant Chapel AME Church will host its 23rd Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Breakfast in Albuquerque starting at 8 a.m.

A luncheon hosted by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of New Mexico in Rio Rancho will begin at noon.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

SANTA FE, N.M.  By now youve heard of, and may have even tried, kombucha as an alcoholic alternative to beer with healthy attributes. Well, theres a new jun in town, so to speak, as the newly opened Leaf & Hive sets out to advance the evolution of drinking with its honeybrew products made from honey and their own herbal blend of green tea thats been inoculated with authentic jun.

Jun is way more popular in California and Oregon, said Andrew Lucas, who along with his brother Fred opened what they call their brew lab on Mercantile Road last week. Not too many people out here know about it.

For those new to the fermented tea scene, here are the basics: Kombucha is made from black tea and sugar; jun is green tea with honey. Jun is sometimes called the champagne of kombucha.

But Jun has a separate culture  or scoby, otherwise known as symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast  for the fermentation process.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

An air of mystery has always surrounded jun, which is pronounced as written, rhyming with sun.

Believed by some to have originated in northern China and Tibet thousands of years ago, little is known of the history of the jun culture. What is known is that similar to kombucha, jun is swiftly growing as a popular probiotic drink capable of providing a buzz appreciated by the recreational drinker.

Fred Lucas says that through a double-fermenting process, a glass of their original flower- or ginger-flavored honeybrews contains between 5 percent and 7 percent alcohol by volume. They also plan to introduce some seasonal brews and are experimenting with a mushroom stout. They tout themselves as the definition of artisanal brewing, letting their passion and creativity be their guide.

With a background in nutrition consulting and natural food production, Fred has been brewing beverages from jun for about eight years. Andrew joined in a few years ago, and, like a lot of amateur brewers, they were concocting the effervescent tonic from their home, which was then in Bakersfield, Calif.

At one point, they came to a crossroads. Do they brew it to be marketed as a health tonic or an alcoholic beverage?

After a single fermentation, their batches produced a beverage that came out to be about 1.5 percent or 2 percent alcohol by volume, which is like no mans land for a drink, Andrew said. It was either try to get it under one-half of a percent or try to get the alcohol up.

They chose the latter. A second round of fermentation and some modifications to the recipe, and we started bottling it guerrilla style, Andrew said.

The brothers refined their process and moved to Santa Fe  a second home to them, they say, as their father was a designer of Southwestern-style jewelry and made frequent trips to New Mexico.

They brought some of their honeybrew to a party and through mutual friends met Chris Gonzales, also a California native, whose family moved to Los Alamos when he was in high school.

We realized that he had experience that we didnt have and skills that translated really well to what we were doing, Andrew said of Gonzales, who had a decades worth of brewing experience at Santa Fe Brewing. He was really integral in scaling the production process.

It was having things specifically made and repurposing things, Gonzales said of his role in helping getting things started.

Asked how making beverages from jun differs from brewing beer and kumbucha, Gonzales said it mostly comes down to ingredients.

Jun is a completely different culture than kombucha. And we use honey, while kombucha is made with refined sugar, he said.

Both jun and kombucha brews are billed as healthy beverages.

Itll get your gut straight, Andrew said, highlighting the probiotic qualities.

It also provides a better buzz, they say, for those who drink for the intoxicating effect.

Its a different, more unique kind of buzz. Its light and uplifting. Not so heavy, like a beer buzz, he said.

And if you drink enough of it, the next day, theres not so much of a hangover, Gonzales added. Probably because of all the healthy stuff in it.

Leaf & Hive had a soft opening at their place on Jan. 12. Its located at 1208 Mercantile Road, about two blocks from Meow Wolf.

Aided by the popularity of that groups The House of Eternal Return interactive art installation, that part of town has sprouted several brewing establishments. Duel Brewing, Second Street Brewerys Rufina taproom, and Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery (the former Club Alegria) have all popped up around a part of town some people are starting to call the Siler Rufina Nexus, named for the intersection of those two streets.

Thats where Curtis comes in, Andrew said of Curtis Carney, another member of the Leaf & Hive operation. Hes been working to develop the Leaf & Hives programming.

Were trying to build up the arts and music, and hes really helped us with that, Andrew said.

A three-piece jazz band played at the soft opening. Andrew said they hope to attract a wide variety of musical genres to the brew lab.

Whoever we can fit on stage, he said.

Theyre also talking about hosting pre-parties in advance of shows at Meow Wolf and art exhibits.

Gonzales said they dont consider Duel, Second Street and Tumbleroot drinking establishments to be competition.

We all know each other. Everybody is a little different, so were not really stepping on any toes, he said.

Right now, Leaf & Hive is just serving its products at the Mercantile Street location. Andrew said a next step will be to bottle it and keg it to increase distribution.

Thats still a little bit down the road, Andrew said.

In addition to their own honeybrews, Leaf & Hive also serves New Mexico craft beers. They currently have Santa Fe Brewings 7K IPA, Sandia Hard Cider and Bosque Brewings Elephants on Parade on tap.

Leaf & Hive is open from 3 to 10 p.m. daily.

Leaf & Hive Brew Lab

1208 Mercantile Drive, Suite A

HOURS: 3 to 10 p.m. daily.

INFO: www.leafandhive.com
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

Copyright  2019 Albuquerque Journal

Santa Fe school principal Vickie Sewing was concerned about teacher Gary Gregors behavior toward some of his young female students and believed that he might do the same thing again.

But Gregor was allowed to resign from the Santa Fe Public Schools and received a neutral recommendation that didnt mention any allegations of wrongdoing.

That meant other school districts werent warned that Gregor had been accused of sexually assaulting two students while he was teaching fourth grade at Agua Fria Elementary in 2004.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

Sewing, Agua Fria Elementary Schools principal at the time, said in a deposition years later that she believed the neutral recommendation was unethical because of what her investigation into Gregors alleged misconduct revealed.

Yet Sewing did not contact law enforcement about the alleged abuse, nor did anyone else from Santa Fe Public Schools. Santa Fe police confirm they have no record of any report about Gregor.

The Santa Fe school superintendent at the time, Gloria Rendon, says she was following legal advice when she OKd the neutral recommendation for Gregor.

And she said in a lawsuit deposition that museum docents should have reported Gregor to police, after spotting inappropriate behavior with girls by Gregor on a school field trip.

Sewing is a defendant in an October 2018 federal civil rights lawsuit, along with Gregor and the Santa Fe school district, that claims she and the district were negligent for failing to report Gregors misconduct to police and the state child welfare agency, the Children, Youth and Families Department.

Allegations in the suit include that, in 2004, Gregor kept one girl alone in the classroom during lunch or recess and rubbed her leg, partially or fully undressed her and took pictures of her with a disposable camera.

The suit also says Gregor, who practiced acupuncture, gave a girl at Agua Fria Elementary shots by injecting her with a needle while she had a band around her arm. He told her the shots would make her beautiful and smart. Gregor eventually began fully undressing the girl during the injections, the suit maintains.

In the now voluminous legal and administrative proceedings over Gregors tenure at Santa Fe public schools, one major issue is that a state law on child abuse does not specifically require schools to report abuse of students by teachers to law enforcement.

The reporting requirement in the New Mexico Abuse and Neglect Act applies to allegations of abuse by parents and guardians, not teachers. A federal judge cited the loophole in dismissing the Santa Fe school district from an earlier civil lawsuit over Gregors treatment of his students.

An effort to extend the reporting requirement to teacher abuse failed in 2017 when it couldnt get on the agenda for a 30-day, budget-focused legislative session.

Without a criminal investigation and Gregors trade-off with Santa Fe Public Schools over his departure  instead of being fired, he resigned and got the neutral recommendation  Gregor moved on to jobs teaching in the Espanola school district.

He did receive a reprimand from the state Public Education Department for what he did in Santa Fe, but only after he was hired in Espanola.

It turns out, Sewings concerns about Gregors potential for wrongdoing down the line were apparently valid.

Last month, Gregor, 62, was convicted on 12 counts of criminal sexual penetration of a minor, criminal sexual contact of a minor and kidnapping. He was charged with repeatedly abusing two female fourth-grade students at Fairview Elementary in Espanola during the 2007-08 school year and now faces up to 168 years in prison.

And Espanola Public Schools has also paid more than $9 million to settle civil lawsuits over alleged abuse of his grade-school female students there.

In 2017, Attorney General Hector Balderas decided to initiate criminal proceedings against Gregor for his alleged abuse of students more than a decade ago. Gregor has also been charged with abusing a third Fairview Elementary student a decade ago.

That case went to trial last week. On Thursday, the jury told District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer that it could not reach a unanimous verdict on one count of criminal sexual contact of a minor, a female second-grade student during the 2006-07 school year. Balderas says he will retry the case.

Balderas has also charged Gregor with sexually abusing two girls during his teaching tenure in Santa Fe, at Agua Fria Elementary in 2004. Gregor is expected to go to trial for those counts later this year.

Santa Fe allegations

Records show that Santa Fe school officials did conduct a significant investigation of Gregor in 2004.

It started when docents at the Santa Fe Museum of International Folk Art told Sewing that two blonde girls were sitting on Gregors lap and holding his hand during a field trip.

Gregor was eventually placed on leave, and documents obtained by the Journal indicate that Santa Fe Public Schools was ready to go through a termination proceeding.

But administrators eventually allowed him to voluntarily resign and receive the neutral recommendation, even after new evidence emerged. In a discussion led by a Santa Fe Rape Crisis Center employee, students described how they felt Gregors erection when they sat on his lap.

To this day, then-SFPS Superintendent Rendon still believes Sewing reported Gregor to police. She also said she still believes it was the duty of the Folk Art Museum docents to report Gregor.

In a January 2015 deposition, attorney Cammie Nichols  who represents Gregors former students in several civil lawsuits  asked principal Sewing how she felt about the neutral recommendation given to Gregor when he left the Santa Fe schools.

According to a transcript of the deposition, Nichols asked:

As you sit here today, how do you feel about Mr. Gregor getting a neutral recommendation from the Santa Fe district?

I think its bad policy, Sewing said.

Q. Why is that?

A. I think its unethical.

Q. Because of what the investigation revealed?

A. Yes.

Nichols also asked: And what about what was discovered during the investigation made it, in your opinion as an educator, unethical to give Mr. Gregor a neutral recommendation?

A. I would have probably been concerned that he would do it again.

Q. If he was hired as a teacher at another school?

A. Yes.

Sewing also said in the deposition that she felt Gregors grooming behavior perhaps would lead to something more, and agreed that the something more could include sexual abuse.

Docents report

Sewings investigation began after a Folk Art Museum docent reported about the field trip in an email: During this time we observed very inappropriate behavior of Mr. - and several young girls in the class, the docent wrote. There was a lot of touching and sitting closely side by side.  I have been a teacher for 30 years and a docent for five years. During my career I have been involved in countless field trips. At no time have I ever seen a teacher behave in such an unprofessional manner.

Sewing later interviewed museum docents and got more information about what they saw Gregor doing.

In our conversation she (a docent) related to me that two blonde girls were hanging on and hugging a male teacher, Sewing wrote. The girls and Dr. Gregor were constantly touching each other and it was troubling to see. Gregor was often referred to as Dr. Gregor by students and others because he practiced acupuncture.

Sewing and SFPS human resources specialist Angela Dawson then interviewed all the girls in Gregors class, as well as three boys.

Based on the interviews of the students, I had serious concerns about Dr. Gregors ability to set boundaries and maintain a professional relationship with his students, Sewing wrote.  While touching does not seem to constitute child abuse or criminal sexual contact or a more serious sexual act, I clearly feel Dr. Gregor does not understand boundaries and how to appropriate (sic) interact with his students, particularly the girls.  the sitting on his lap and tickling goes well beyond appropriate physical interactions between a teacher and a 4th-grade student.

I believe this may well be grooming behavior on the part of Dr. Gregor.

Gregor was immediately placed on leave and was served a notice of discharge in early March 2004.

The Rape Crisis Centers Helen Nakdimen met with Gregors students in April 2004 and shared her findings with Sewing in a written report.

Students told Nakdimen that he would tickle girls as they sat on his lap and that they felt his boner, his thing was sticking up, nasty!  Nakdimen wrote.

Sewing wrote in her report that Gregor agreed to voluntarily resign after this information came out.

SFPS was prepared to have the due process discharge hearing as requested by Dr. Gregor when the Rape Crisis Center report came to light, Sewing wrote. Dr. Gregor then changed his mind  and agreed to resign from his position with the Santa Fe Public Schools.

Sewing recently referred questions to her lawyer, Jerry Walz. Walz referred questions to Albuquerque attorney Desiree Gurule. Walz said he represented Sewing in a separate matter. A message to Gurule was not returned by the Journals deadline.

Not the districts job

Dawson, the Santa Fe schools human resources official, said at a 2010 state Public Education Department hearing to revoke Gregors teaching license that the police werent called because school district officials felt it wasnt their job to determine if there should be criminal charges. They followed the districts lawyers advice to give Gregor a neutral recommendation, Dawson said.

As an employer, we are not required to determine if something criminal happened, Dawson said at the PED hearing. And so we spoke with our legal counsel, and we did what we were advised to do.

The name of the attorney who made the recommendation is not part of the hearing documents, and the Journal was unable to verify who the attorney was last week.

In a 2015 deposition for civil ligation focusing on Gregor, former SFPS superintendent Rendon was asked: Did you have any qualms about allowing Mr. Gregor to have a neutral recommendation?

She responded: I think I always had qualms about following the advice of counsel because I didnt know  I  I wasnt completely aware of all of the aspects of the law to be able to do anything different. She was also asked if she felt the need to keep kids in other school districts safe.

Q. But as an  as an educator, as somebody who always wanted to be a teacher, were you concerned about the students in other districts?

A. Well, Im always going to be concerned about  about other students. But my first obligation was to the students in Santa Fe.

Previous litigation

Sewing, SFPS and Rendon had previously been sued in 2014 over the same allegations involving Gregor at Agua Fria Elementary, along with school officials in Espanola. But a judge dropped the Santa Fe defendants from the case because the New Mexico Abuse and Neglect Act requires school officials to report abuse only by a parent or guardian, not a teacher.

It would appear, therefore, that this statute mandates the reporting of parental abuse or neglect, not abuse by a school employee, federal Judge Steven C. Yarbrough wrote in an October 2014 order.

Then-state Sen. Howie Morales, now the newly installed lieutenant governor, introduced a bill in last years legislative session that would have required abuse committed by someone who isnt the childs parent to be reported.

Its unclear if a similar bill will be introduced this year. Morales could not be reached for comment last week.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

SANTA TERESA  Lt. Gov. Howie Morales visited Lordsburg on Friday for a briefing from the Border Patrol about conditions on the border as the governor continues deliberating whether to withdraw National Guard troops from the region.

When making a decision like this, its important to the governor to have all the information she requested, Morales said after the briefing and tour in Lordsburg, which were not open to media.

Nine months after members of the New Mexico National Guard were deployed to the border, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is considering withdrawing or reducing the number of troops assigned.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

The governors predecessor, Gov. Susana Martinez, sent New Mexicos National Guard to the border last April at the request of President Donald Trump, who said he needed the troops until a border wall could be constructed.

During her visit to the border on Jan. 11, Lujan Grisham said it was time for a review to determine if the New Mexico Guard is needed now.

Currently, 118 men and women are assigned to the border in New Mexico with 94 from the New Mexico National Guard and the rest from other states. In all, about 2,100 National Guard troops are stationed along the entire United States-Mexico border serving in a support role. They do not apprehend people illegally crossing the border or smugglers. Border Patrol is responsible for law enforcement.

Our intent here is to be able to free up any of the Customs and Border Protection personnel, said Col. Jamison Herrera, director of the joint staff for the New Mexico National Guard.

The presence of troops permits Border Patrol agents to focus on enforcement while guard members take care of other duties that support agents in the field, he said.

For instance, New Mexico National Guard mechanics help maintain the Border Patrols fleet of vehicles. Guard members also help CBP officers at the Santa Teresa port of entry with cargo inspections by unloading trucks.

Members of the guard with specialized training perform firearms qualifications for Border Patrol agents, who, like other law enforcement officers, are required to undergo periodic tests.

The guard also provides air support for the Border Patrol.

In the event that they are aware of major movements, they can request assistance from our helicopters, and we can actually transport agents on site to do their job, Herrera said.

The enhanced mobility serves as a force multiplier, according to officials with the Border Patrols El Paso sector, which includes all of New Mexico.

Together with units from Arkansas and Kentucky, New Mexico National Guard helicopter crews have been patrolling vast areas of the border from Santa Teresa to Lordsburg, the Border Patrol noted in a statement provided to the Journal. This expands our situational awareness and allows us to cover much more ground than we would be able to using our own assets.

Southern New Mexico has become a hot spot for human smugglers moving large groups of Central Americans up to the remote Antelope Wells area.

A group of 247 migrants turned themselves in to Border Patrol agents on Wednesday after midnight. The next night agents encountered 115 migrants in the same area. Most are parents with children and unaccompanied minors from Central America seeking asylum.

Morales was scheduled to tour Antelope Wells with the Border Patrol, but the helicopter flight was grounded because of high winds.

They did show some video of large groups that are coming through, so we did get to see that, Morales said.

The lieutenant governors Lordsburg briefing comes a week after he accompanied the governor on a border tour of Sunland Park and Santa Teresa. The visit was in response to a letter sent by Hidalgo County commissioners as an urgent request for assistance in southwestern New Mexico.

According to the letter, the county is in dire need of resources and reinforcements, because of the spike in the number of migrants crossing the border in the Antelope Wells area.

Border Patrol agents, they need more resources, cameras, planes and more agents, but thats primarily the responsibility of the federal government, Morales said.

During Fridays visit to Lordsburg, Morales also heard from New Mexico National Guard members about their role in the area.

The relationship between the National Guard and Border Patrol dates back decades. Both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama temporarily deployed National Guard troops to the border.

In announcing her review of the current deployment during her visit last week, Lujan Grisham expressed gratitude for the men and women serving on the border.

As I expected, the National Guard and the Border Patrol agents are working exceptionally hard to meet their obligations, she said. There is no question about the professionalism and the dedication of all of our public servants.

The governor said she will base her decision on whether to keep the guard on the border on data she has requested from CBP, including year-to-year comparisons of drug seizures and illegal crossings.

Morales said that, so far, the governor has not been able to get that data.

Its a little challenging when you have the government shut down, he said.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

In 2017, Sen. Dianne Feinstein was criticized  fairly, in my view  for implying that a judicial nominee couldnt serve fairly as a federal judge because she was a devout Catholic and the dogma lives loudly within you. Now, Feinsteins fellow Democrat from California, Sen. Kamala Harris, is also being accused of Catholic-bashing because of questions she posed to another judicial nominee.

Some of the pushback is coming from inside the Democratic House. Without mentioning any names, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) has criticized other Democrats for suggesting that Brian C. Buescher, a nominee for a district judgeship in Nebraska, is disqualified because of his Catholicism and his membership in the Knights of Columbus. Both Harris and Gabbards fellow Hawaii Democrat, Sen. Mazie Hirono, have homed in on Bueschers membership in the Knights.

In an opinion column in The Hill, Gabbard wrote: The party that worked so hard to convince people that Catholics and Knights of Columbus like (1928 presidential candidate) Al Smith and John F. Kennedy could be both good Catholics and good public servants shows an alarming disregard of its own history in making such attacks today.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

This is overstating the case. As with Feinsteins clumsy questioning of Amy Coney Barrett, now a judge on the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, its a reach to accuse Harris and Hirono of old-fashioned anti-Catholicism because of the written questions they posed to Buescher. But both senators displayed a cluelessness about Catholic culture that could easily come across as hostility.

In her questions, Harris noted that Buescher had been a member since 1993 of the all-male Catholic fraternal organization the Knights of Columbus. (By definition, a fraternal organization is all-male.) She asked the nominee: Were you aware that the Knights of Columbus opposed a womans right to choose when you joined the organization? and Were you aware that the Knights of Columbus opposed marriage equality when you joined the organization?

The Knights of Columbus, sometimes described as the Catholic answer to the Masons, does oppose abortion and same-sex marriage, as does the Catholic Church generally (including the liberal Pope Francis). But its not primarily a political organization, as Harris questions implied. Its a fraternal and charitable organization that also offers insurance plans.

In her questions, Hirono said that the Knights had taken extreme positions, including support for Californias Proposition 8 outlawing same-sex marriage. Hirono asked if Buescher would promise to resign from the Knights to avoid any appearance of bias and recuse himself from cases in which the group has taken a position.

Buescher deftly responded to the senators questions. He told Harris that I joined the Knights of Columbus when I was 18 years old and have been a member ever since. My membership has involved participation in charitable and community events in local Catholic parishes. I do not recall if I was aware whether the Knights of Columbus had taken a position on the abortion issue when I joined at the age of 18.

Buescher also said he would rule impartially and faithfully apply judicial precedent, including on abortion and same-sex marriage.

Harris and Hirono are free not to take these assurances at face value, and the fact that Buescher ran for state attorney general in Nebraska as a pro-life candidate may give them further pause. A judge who as a private lawyer or political candidate fervently opposed abortion shouldnt allow his beliefs to affect how he rules in abortion cases. If a senator has reason to think a nominee is incapable of separating his religious beliefs from his judicial duties, by all means she should vote against confirmation.

But its unfair to presume that mere membership in the Knights of Columbus  or the Catholic Church  makes a judicial nominee biased. And the idea that a teenager joined a venerable Catholic fraternal group in order to sabotage reproductive rights or same-sex marriage is bizarre. (Buescher joined the Knights 19 years before an evolved President Barack Obama announced that he supported same-sex marriage.)

Harris is weighing a run for the presidency. She may find that the aspersions she cast on the all-male Knights of Columbus will cost her votes with Catholics who dont see it as a sinister organization.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

As Sen. Elizabeth Warren campaigns for a 2020 presidential run, she reminds me of some long-standing issues about racial identification.

Warren, whom President Donald Trump has pejoratively labeled Pocahontas for claiming she has American Indian heritage, took a DNA test to prove it. When the results showed she has hardly any, she was criticized for falsely claiming Native ancestry. Some speculate this may hurt her presidential aspirations.

Warrens predicament points up the historical, legal and cultural arbitrariness of racial categories. For example, if Warren had proclaimed she had even one African ancestor, she would be defined as black legally and socially in most of the U.S. Thats because our nation uses the one-drop rule, or hypodescent, as the definition of who is black.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

As white slave-owners realized they would benefit by including their offspring with enslaved African women as nonwhite, the legal and social definition of who is black became anyone with even one black ancestor.

The rule has been used in court repeatedly. One of the most famous cases involved Susie Guillory Phipps, a Louisiana woman who presumed she and all her ancestors were white, yet when she tried to get a passport, she discovered that she was listed as black on her birth certificate. According to The New York Times, because she had a black ancestor  an enslaved woman, 222 years back in her family history  she was black.

The 2016 movie Free State of Jones is based partly on the case of Davis Knight, who in the late 1940s in Mississippi, was convicted of the crime of miscegenation for having a white wife. Generations of his family lived as white people, although one of their ancestors had been a freed black woman. Their case was documented in an article by scholar Victoria Bynum.

Warren, who is from Oklahoma, a state with a large Native population, learned, like many black people, that some time in the past, her family has indigenous ancestry without any documentation of exactly when that happened.

Here is where I see similarities between Warrens situation and that of many black people. After all, we African-Americans could not document specifically all our ancestors in slavery; but we know they existed.

I have heard stories of indigenous ancestry in my family all my life, most often involving the Choctaws. But, like Warren, when I had my DNA ancestry tests done, only one would say there was a probability that 1 percent of my genes come from Native Americans. Does this mean family stories have been debunked? Not necessarily. There are limits to how far back these tests can trace  only about five to seven generations  and they are less reliable for non-white customers.

The truth is, throughout the history of this country, race has been manipulated and defined to the disadvantage of both black and indigenous people. My attempts at empathy with others have opened my mind to connections that could be.

Warren has not used her Native heritage to defraud anyone or take advantage of affirmative action programs. The way for her to deal with racism is not to prove that she is indigenous or a member of any other race, but to decry the racism in the epithets used against her and others. This is especially important for someone who is running for president of a diverse nation.

Starita Smith is an award-winning writer, editor and sociologist based in Irving, Texas. This column was written for the Progressive Media Project, which is run by The Progressive magazine and distributed by Tribune News Service.
TLAHUELILPAN, Jan 20: At least 73 people were killed after a pipeline ruptured by suspected fuel thieves exploded in central Mexico, authorities said on Saturday, as President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador defended the army despite its failure to clear the site before the blast.

Forensic experts filled body bags with charred human remains in the field where the explosion occurred on Friday evening by the town of Tlahuelilpan in the state of Hidalgo, in one of the deadliest incidents to hit Mexicos troubled oil infrastructure in years.

One witness described how an almost festive atmosphere among hundreds of local residents filling containers with spilled fuel turned to horror as the blast scattered the crowd in all directions, incinerating clothing and inflicting severe burns.

A number of people at the scene told Reuters that local shortages in gasoline supply since Lopez Obrador launched a drive to stamp out fuel theft had encouraged the rush to the gushing pipeline.

Everyone came to see if they could get a bit of gasoline for their car, there isnt any in the gas stations, said farmer Isaias Garcia, 50. Garcia was at the site with two neighbours, but waited in the car some distance away.

Some people came out burning and screaming, he added.

To root out the theft, Lopez Obrador in late December ordered pipelines to be closed. But that led to shortages in central Mexico, including Hidalgo, where local media this week said more than half of the gas stations were at times shut.

Hidalgo Governor Omar Fayad said 73 people were killed and 74 people injured in the explosion, which happened as residents scrambled to get buckets and drums to a gush at the pipeline that authorities said rose up to 23 feet (7 meters) high.

Fayad said the condition of many of the injured was deteriorating, and that some had burns on much of their body. Some of the most badly injured minors could be moved for medical attention in Galveston, Texas, he added.

Hidalgo Attorney General Raul Arroyo said 54 bodies were so badly burned that they could take a long time to identify.

The crackdown on fuel theft has become a litmus test of Lopez Obradors drive to tackle corruption in Mexico - and to stop illegal taps draining billions of dollars from the heavily-indebted state oil firm Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex).

Video on social media showed people filling buckets from the pipeline during daylight hours in the presence of the armed forces before the blast.

But Lopez Obrador, who vowed to continue the crackdown on theft, defended the army in the face of questions about why soldiers failed to prevent the tragedy.

Were not going to fight fire with fire, the veteran leftist said. We think that people are good, honest, and if weve reached these extremes ... its because they were abandoned.

In the aftermath, soldiers and other military personnel guarded the cordoned-off area that was littered with half-burned shoes, clothes and containers.

More than 100 people gathered at a local cultural centre on Saturday afternoon, hoping to get information about loved ones who disappeared. Officials posted information about DNA tests for identification and a list of people taken to hospital.

LIKE A PARTY

Lopez Obrador said the army had been right to avoid a confrontation due to the large number of people seeking to make off with a trove of free fuel - a few litres of which are worth more than the daily minimum wage in Mexico.

Blaming previous governments for neglecting the population, he said the priority was to eradicate the social problems and lack of opportunities that had made people risk their lives. He rejected suggestions the incident was linked to his policy.

Still, Lopez Obrador had vowed to tighten security in sensitive sections of the oil infrastructure, and the ruptured pipeline was only a few miles away from a major oil refinery.

Pemexs Chief Executive Octavio Romero told reporters that there had been 10 illegal fuel taps in the same municipality in the last three months alone. Neither he nor the president said exactly when the valves to the pipeline were closed.

Relatives of victims stood huddled together, some of them crying, after the massive blast. Much of the rush to siphon off fuel and the chaos of the explosion was captured on mobile phones and began quickly circulating on social media.

Mexican media published graphic pictures of victims from the blast site covered in burns and shorn of their clothes.

Local journalist Veronica Jimenez, 46, arrived at the scene before the explosion where she said there were more than 300 people with containers to collect fuel.

I saw families: mother, father, children, she told Reuters. It was like a party...for a moment you could even hear how happy people were.

When the blast hit, people ran in different directions, pleading for help, some burned and without clothing, she said.

Some peoples skin came off...it was very ugly, horrible, people screamed and cried, she said. They shouted the names of their husbands, brothers, their family members.

Grief-stricken family members blocked access to the field for over half an hour, saying they would not let funeral service vehicles pass until they were told where the dead were being taken.

Lopez Obrador has said his decision to close pipelines has greatly reduced fuel theft, but the death toll has raised questions about potentially unintended consequences.

There was a gasoline shortage, people one way or another wanted to be able to move around, said local farmer Ernesto Sierra, 44. Some even came with their bean pots.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

Hear that Mr. Anderson? That is the sound of inevitability.

 Agent Smith to Keanu Reeves in the hit movie The Matrix

Agent Smith was referring to an onrushing train, but he could just as well have been talking about the prospect of legalized recreational marijuana in New Mexico  at some point. Despite the fact it is illegal under federal law, 10 states have taken the step to legalize pot, and a strong majority of New Mexicans favored it the last time the Journal queried voter sentiment in a poll.

Legislation sponsored by Rep. Javier Martinez and Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino, both Albuquerque Democrats, was being drawn up before the 2019 session began. In fact, progressives in the Legislature are almost giddy about the prospect of pushing an incredibly sweeping marijuana legalization package through the current session, given strong majorities in both houses and a Democrat in the governors mansion.

But that would be a mistake.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

This is a serious issue, as shown by the numerous concerns brought up in Journal investigative reporter Mike Gallaghers five-part series, Legal pot or not? It is especially so for a state that already has major crime and drunken driving problems. It deserves a thoughtful approach and a year of study by a bipartisan group appointed by the governor and legislative leaders  rather than something cobbled together in a 60-day session with a heavy dose of last-minute horse trading.

It will be up to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham  who on the campaign trail said she would only support legalized marijuana legislation with important caveats  and a handful of Senate Democrats to put the brakes on this train and make sure anything New Mexico does addresses major policy issues. For example:

How, exactly, do we deal with drugged driving in a state thats in the top echelon of the DWI fatality lists? While some new tests are being developed, we have no equivalent to the Breathalyzer used to detect driving under the influence of alcohol. And if we push ahead without such a test, it will require significant money and training for officers to become drug recognition experts.

What about employers rights to run a drug-free workplace? Rather than allowing an employer to discipline someone for flunking the marijuana standard on a drug test, proposed legislation sets an incredibly difficult standard in which the employer would have to prove impairment that interfered with job function. Thats not the case in Colorado, where marijuana is legal but the courts have upheld an employers right to maintain a drug-free workplace.

How do we protect the medical marijuana program, with its 68,000 enrolled patients, from price spikes and product shortages when recreational marijuana is legal 24/7?

Do we really want to make legalized marijuana a new economic pillar with a store on every corner  especially in areas where crime is already high? Legislative sponsors would, by giving low-income people preference for licensing to grow and/or sell.

How do counties and municipalities opt out? And if they opt in, how do they write zoning rules for growing and selling? There are restrictions on liquor sales near churches and schools. Should the same apply to marijuana? Should people be able to smoke in public? Should we allow smoke shops where people can take the drug acquired elsewhere and smoke it?

Do we seriously want people on probation and parole to have the specific right to use marijuana? In most cases, they are prohibited from using alcohol  for good reason.

How much tax revenue would legalized sales actually generate for the state? While raising revenue shouldnt be the goal, lets try to get a better handle on it. And while were at it, decide where that money should go.

How do we deal with the underground market where people grow it here and smuggle it to states where it isnt legal? Thats not a mom-and-pop deal. Its a criminal enterprise. Marijuana, both for medical and recreational uses, is still illegal at the federal level.

And kids? How do we restrict access of something so ubiquitous when it comes to young people, whose brains are still developing? How do we package and label it, especially the edibles, so consumers know how much is safe and it isnt passed around in school halls?

What about finally examining the effects on the mental capacity of long-time users? The federal government has blocked research to determine the benefits and side effects of marijuana. A study based on research conducted in part at the Mind Research Network at the University of New Mexico found chronic marijuana use causes significant abnormalities in brain function and structure and may lower IQ.

Who has oversight? Should regulation be in the state Department of Public Safety or Regulation and Licensing?

What sponsors are proposing isnt simply decriminalization, for which a good argument can be made. This ambitious proposal almost treats legalized marijuana as a cure for the states problems and a social justice panacea to boot. Theres no question there is plenty that has to be worked out on the front end of any recreational pot program before tackling things like court records, but if and when that time comes, lawmakers should focus on leveling the playing field for defendants, not erasing history.

A bipartisan task force that could come up with model legislation  which then would be subject to an up or down vote and amendments  should try to address these and other questions. Lujan Grisham was instrumental in the rollout of the states now-mature medical marijuana program when she was secretary of the Department of Health and understands the importance of doing it right the first time.

There will never be unanimity on the basic question of whether New Mexico should legalize recreational marijuana, and there are strong arguments on both sides. States that have approved it range from Vermont, where people are allowed to grow their own but there is no legal framework for sales and distribution, to Colorado, Oregon and California, which are still trying to address problems, many which stem from rolling out a program before thinking it through.

There are plenty of lessons to be learned, and there is no good reason not to step back and try to digest the experiences elsewhere. This is an excellent chance for Lujan Grisham, who holds the trump card in the form of a veto, to make sure New Mexico has done its homework and is on the right track.

When it comes to allowing New Mexicans to light up for fun, lets avoid getting hit by that train.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

FRANKFORT, Ky.  A diocese in Kentucky apologized Saturday after videos emerged showing students from a Catholic boys high school mocking Native Americans outside the Lincoln Memorial after a rally in Washington.

The Indigenous Peoples March in Washington on Friday coincided with the March for Life, which drew thousands of anti-abortion protesters, including a group from Covington Catholic High School in Park Hills.

Videos circulating online show a youth staring at and standing extremely close to Nathan Phillips, a 64-year-old Native American man singing and playing a drum.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

Other students, some wearing Covington clothing and many wearing Make America Great Again hats and sweat shirts, surrounded them, chanting, laughing and jeering.

In a joint statement , the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington and Covington Catholic High School apologized to Phillips. Officials said they are investigating and will take appropriate action, up to and including expulsion.

We extend our deepest apologies to Mr. Phillips, the statement read. This behavior is opposed to the Churchs teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person.

According to the Indian Country Today website, Phillips is an Omaha elder and Vietnam veteran who holds an annual ceremony honoring Native American veterans at Arlington National Cemetery.

Marcus Frejo, a member of the Pawnee and Seminole tribes who is also known as Chief Quese Imc, said he had been a part of the march and was among a small group of people remaining after the rally when the boisterous students began chanting slogans such as Make America great and then began doing the haka, a traditional Maori dance.

In a phone interview, Frejo told The Associated Press he felt they were mocking the dance and also heckling a couple of black men nearby. He approached the group with Phillips to defuse the situation, joining him in singing the anthem from the American Indian Movement and beating out the tempo on hand drums.

Although he feared a mob mentality that could turn ugly, Frejo said he was at peace singing among the scorn and he briefly felt something special happen as they repeatedly sang the tune.

They went from mocking us and laughing at us to singing with us. I heard it three times, Frejo said. That spirit moved through us, that drum, and it slowly started to move through some of those youths.

Eventually a calm fell over the group of students and they broke up and walked away.

When I was there singing, I heard them saying Build that wall, build that wall,' Phillips said, as he wiped away tears in a video posted on Instagram. This is indigenous lands. Were not supposed to have walls here. We never did.

He told The Washington Post that while he was drumming, he thought about his wife, Shoshana, who died of bone marrow cancer nearly four years ago, and the threats that indigenous communities around the world are facing.

I felt like the spirit was talking through me, Phillips said.

State Rep. Ruth Buffalo, a North Dakota state lawmaker and member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, said she was saddened to see students showing disrespect to an elder who is also a U.S. military veteran at what was supposed to be a celebration of all cultures.

The behavior shown in that video is just a snapshot of what indigenous people have faced and are continuing to face, Buffalo said.

She said she hoped it would lead to some kind of meeting with the students to provide education on issues facing Native Americans.

The videos prompted a torrent of outrage online. Actress and activist Alyssa Milano tweeted that the footage brought me to tears, while actor Chris Evans tweeted that the students actions were appalling and shameful.

U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland, D-New Mexico, who is a member of the Pueblo of Laguna and had been at the rally earlier in the day, used Twitter to sharply criticize what she called a heartbreaking display of blatant hate, disrespect, and intolerance.

Haaland, who is also Catholic, told The Associated Press she was particularly saddened to see the boys mocking an elder, who is revered in Native American culture. She placed some of the blame on President Donald Trump, who has used Indian names like Pocahontas as an insult.

It is sad that we have a president who uses Native American womens names as racial slurs and thats an example that these kids are clearly following considering the fact that they had their Make America Great Again hats on, Haaland said. Hes really brought out the worst in people.

___

Melley reported from Los Angeles.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Edge-pushing violinist Colin Jacobsen and his conductor brother, Eric, hope to bridge some musical boundaries at the Lensic Performing Arts Center next weekend.

A regular in Yo-Yo Mas famed Silk Road Ensemble, Colin has performed in Santa Fe with his string quartet Brooklyn Rider multiple times. The concert marks Erics Santa Fe Pro Musica debut.

The brothers will open the program with Jessie Montgomerys tone poem Records From a Vanishing City. The piece reflects the composers recollections of the music surrounding her as she grew up on Manhattans Lower East Side in the 1980s and 1990s.

We grew up with Jessie in New York, Eric said. We ended up playing classical music together.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

It speaks to reminiscence, he continued. A lot of it is from growing up in the Lower East Side when the arts community was so diverse. She soaked up Latin jazz, alternative rock, classical music and Caribbean dance music. All these things came together.

Montgomery dedicated her piece to James Rose, who hosted neighborhood parties serenaded by a vast jazz record collection.

Today the area is becoming gentrified.

The rents are much higher than it was when there was a grass-roots community of artists there, Colin said.

The program combines Montgomerys 2016 opus with Mozarts 1775 Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major, K 219, the Turkish Concerto, and Beethovens Symphony No. 7, written in 1811-12.

Colin penned his own cadenza or solo passage for the piece.

Its a great way of digesting all the materials Mozart presents, the Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient said. It was the practice in Mozarts time and now less so.

The concerto echoes Mozarts operas with its themes reflecting specific characters.

Anything Turkish was fashionable at the time.

It was on the doorstep of Vienna, Colin said. It was exoticism. The Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman Empire boundaries were constantly shifting. They injected a certain kind of color to the music.

The program will close with Beethovens Symphony No. 7, one of the pillars of classical music.

No one is better at taking you to the depths of despair and the heights of ecstasy than Beethoven, he said. Having a cathartic experience is part of what made Beethoven tick.

Originally suspected of being a product of drunkenness, the seventh is a masterpiece intoxicated with poetry and genius, wrote 1915 Nobel Prize winner Romain Rolland. Composer Richard Wagner called it the apotheosis of the dance.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Mention the Revolutionary War and most of us blink to George Washington and the 13 colonies as quickly as a film frame.

New Mexico has long been absent from those history books, although soldiers from Santa Fes Presidio helped fund the American Revolution. Pesos and Patriots, a new community exhibit at the Albuquerque Museum, aims to correct that omission.

Most people I talk to have no idea that Spain helped with the American Revolution, said Nancy Adams Bennett, regent of the Charles Dibrell Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

As citizens loyal to the Spanish crown, New Mexico residents donated supplies, arms and aid to the rebels fighting the British. The exhibit includes arms, uniforms, coins, images and maps woven with the stories of the men and women who responded to an edict from King Carlos III of Spain.

Spain sent cannons, muskets, tents, grenades, bayonets, uniforms, musket balls and gunpowder, Bennett said. The colonies had no gunpowder plants at all.

Before Spain formally declared war on Britain in 1779, it funneled arms and equipment to the American colonists through their French allies.

King Carlos III of Spain sought the opportunity to regain land Spain lost to England in 1773. Spain agreed to join France as an ally and covertly shipped arms, munitions, cattle, uniforms, medicine, blankets and money to the American colonies, using France as the go-between. Visitor-General Jose de Galvez, Spanish secretary of the Indies, and his nephew, Count Bernardo de Galvez, provided secret aid to the American cause by allowing guns, ammunition and tons of supplies to be shipped up the Mississippi to patriot forces in the north.

In New Mexico, Presidio soldiers, mayors and citizens donated pesos to help fund the American cause. The Presidio was a combined fort and mission on what is now Santa Fes Plaza. In 1780, New Mexicans donated 3,677 pesos in what was known as a donativo, according to community curator Henrietta Martinez Christmas.

They also helped fund the siege at Yorktown, Bennett said.

The last major land battle of the war, the 1781 victory culminated with the surrender of British Lt. Gen. Charles Cornwallis, prompting the British government to negotiate an end to the bloodshed.

At the time, a peso possessed about the same silver content as a dollar coin, Christmas added. The contribution came when cash was scarce and soldiers never knew if they would be paid in full.

Everybody in the Presidio donated money, Bennett said. They would have escorted them from Santa Fe to Mexico, guarding the horses and guarding them from Indian raids.

By 1848 these donations came full circle as the soldiers descendants became U.S. citizens.

A lot of people dont have any idea that Spain helped with the American Revolution, Bennett said. I think it was because it was kind of underground. Our chapter of the DAR has more members of Spanish ancestry than any other chapter in the country.

If you go

WHAT: Pesos and Patriots

WHEN: Opens Saturday, Jan. 26. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday through May 19WHERE: Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain NWHOW MUCH: New Mexico residents $5 adults; $4 seniors; $3 children at 243-7255. Free Sundays 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and on the first Wednesday of the month from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and on the third Thursday of the month from 5-8:30 p.m.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  When Eddy Mardis arrived in Tucumcari 13 years ago to teach a farrier science program at Mesalands Community College, he had no idea he would one day be instructing Mesalands students in the art of creating exquisitely engraved spurs, horse bits, belt buckles, pendants and bracelets.

Mardis, 60, grew up on a farm and ranch in Muleshoe, Texas, earned degrees in animal science and secondary education at West Texas State University (now West Texas State A&M), competed in calf and team roping in rodeos and became a journeyman horseshoer.

With that resume, he was perfectly suited to teach farrier (horseshoeing) science at Mesalands.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

But about eight years ago, he saw a man doing some engraving, got interested and gave it a go himself. Turns out he was good at it.

After I had been engraving for about a year, I had people who had been doing it 20 years asking me questions, Mardis said during a phone interview from Mesalands. It was just a gift I had inside of me that I didnt even know about.

Now people are selling spurs, bits and buckles created by Mardis on the East Coast and the West Coast, and he is an instructor in cowboy arts/Western silversmithing and fabrication at Mesalands, which just this semester started offering an associate of applied science degree in the program.

There is a market for the spurs, for the bits, for all kinds of Western paraphernalia, Mardis said. There is a big market for knife engraving, a huge demand for gun engravers.

Math and spur-making

Founded in 1979 as Tucumcari Area Vocational School, Mesalands has an enrollment today of about 1,200, including on-site and off-campus students. The school started offering a spur-making class about eight years ago.

It evolved into more classes and eventually became a full-fledged program, Mardis said. Ive got 18 students in the fabricating class and 10 taking the engraving glass.

Until this semester, which started last week, Mesalands offered only certificate-level classes in cowboy arts, silversmithing and fabrication. But most of the students in the certificate programs wanted a degree, so the school created a two-year associate of applied science curriculum for cowboy arts. That means students seeking the degree take classes in their first year that include English composition and basic algebra as well as beginning spur making and engraving I. Second-year classes include public speaking and a science course as well as bit design and fabrication.

Education is always of value, Mardis said. You never know whats going to come on in later life. Students can get higher pay with an associate degree. They can go and get a four-year degree.

A good fit

Shyla Curry, 26, is on target to be the first student to complete the associate degree in cowboy arts at Mesalands.

She grew up between Amarillo and Canyon in Texas. Her family was in the cattle business but she herself displayed a creative side and did not live the day-to-day ranching life.

I was a writing major, an art major, a film major, she said. I went to the University of New Mexico for four years and walked out of there without a degree.

While trying to get her life on track, Curry realized that she admired the Western lifestyle and cowboy culture and figured shed be happy doing something that combined that with her creative abilities. Her mother discovered the cowboy arts program at Mesalands.

The hands-on aspect of the program is a really good fit for me, she said. And Eddy encourages us and helps us a lot.

Curry concedes she found engraving a challenge at the start.

I got a little discouraged because I thought since I had always been able to draw and paint that would translate into the engraving, she said. But I kept with it and picked it up fairly quickly.

Now, Curry is selling belt buckles she creates in five or six hours for $275 to $350, depending upon the intricacy required. She recently designed and built a buckle in recognition of New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. She also does pendants for necklaces and slides for scarves.

Paying your way

Cowboy arts student Wyatt Bishop, 21, grew up in Tucumcari, the son of a father who has a handmade-boot business in the town. He especially likes making spurs, which seems appropriate for someone who was raised around boots.

I really like the fabrication end of (cowboy arts), and I think spurs have the most in-depth fabrication, Bishop said. I took to fabrication quickly because I knew how to do welding from shop classes in high school.

Bishop sells spur sets he makes in three or four days for $400. His buckles, made in two or three days, start at $125.

This is probably one of the few programs in the world in which you can pay your way through college by selling what you make, Mardis said.

When she finishes at Mesalands, Curry intends to settle near Amarillo and use her cowboy arts talents to make a living.

I have direction in life now and a potential career, she said.

But Bishop, who is studying animal science as well as cowboy arts at Mesalands, said his spur and buckle-making will be a sideline occupation.

I really like having a steady paycheck, he said. Id like to get into ag marketing, working for a feedlot or being a cattle buyer.

Mardis said skills acquired in cowboy arts can be employed in other kinds of works.

There is a huge need for blue-collar skills  welding, soldering, milling, working a lathe  acquired in making spurs, he said. What we are really all about is teaching those skills. Students can go to work at an airplane factory, any kind of fabricating company.

But they can make some pretty fancy buckles, bits and spurs, too.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  New Mexico has arguably received limited acknowledgment of its multiple, key roles in the United States mid-19th century expansionist policy known as Manifest Destiny. Proponents of the policy claimed the U.S. was destined to be a nation that stretched all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

A recently published book contends that New Mexico, though a borderland, had strategic roles in issues related to the policy.

The book is Coast-to-Coast Empire  Manifest Destiny and the New Mexico Borderlands by William S. Kiser. The book discusses at length such issues as:

 The continued U.S. military presence in New Mexico beginning with the occupation of Santa Fe (then part of Mexican territory) at the start of the Mexican-American War.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

 The fighting and pacification of New Mexicos Indian tribes and the decisions about where to establish reservations in the vast, newly annexed territory.

 The frontier capitalism of American merchants carrying goods over the Santa Fe Trail. They invigorated two-way trade with northern Mexico and the New Mexico Territory.

In the 1820s, U.S. Sen. Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri, Kiser writes, began to pressure Congress to approve funding for a national highway between Missouri and Santa Fe.  He also introduced a bill to finance the survey and improvement of a new international wagon road  Bentons ideas may have previewed the mid-20th century interstate highway system.

 The divisive sectional dispute over slavery. In the early Civil War, the Confederacy invaded New Mexico because it had long coveted the territory  and California  as potential slave states. Union troops in New Mexico eventually beat back the invading Confederates from Texas. A complicating factor was New Mexicos long experience with its own forms of enslavement  debt peonage and Indian captivity.

The book is largely focused on the period from the 1820s through the end of the Civil War.

Kiser is assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University-San Antonio and director of its Global Borders and Borderlands History Program.

New Mexico may have been a distant desert borderland, but Kiser shows how valuable it was as a piece of the political, economic and geographic puzzle in testing what some American politicians believed was the inevitability of Manifest Destiny.

Coast-to-Coast Empire is Kisers fourth book dealing with 19th century New Mexico history. It incorporates some of the topics found in his previous books. Those books were Turmoil on the Rio Grande: History of the Mesilla Valley, 1846-1865, Dragoons in Apacheland: Conquest and Resistance in Southern New Mexico, 1846-1861, and Borderlands of Slavery: The Struggle Over Captivity and Peonage in the American Southwest. Borderlands won the 2018 New Mexico Historical Societys Gaspar Perez de Villagra Award.

Kisers next book will be about Civil War intrigue along the whole U.S.-Mexican border. Union diplomats urged Mexican officials to block the Confederacy from operating on Mexican soil.

Kiser, born and raised in Las Cruces, became interested in New Mexico history as a youngster. He and his dad visited historical sites around the state.

When I was 10 or 11, my mom took me to the NMSU library where I read scholarly books about the states history. Other kids were reading Harry Potter, he said in a phone interview.

Kiser said his lifelong love of history dovetailed with his aspirations to be a college professor.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

If for some reason you ever find yourself in Bibury, an extremely small village in England, please look for my purse.

Thats where I left it hanging in a small public restroom, only to return soon after to find it gone  along with credit cards, cash, drivers license, cell phone and glasses.

Not only was I missing key pieces of my identity, but I also couldnt see.

So now I know what its like to be a victim.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

Two points: I was fortunate that my passport was stashed with other family members in a separate location and therefore was not stolen but unfortunate in that Bibury is so small it doesnt have a police presence where I could report the theft.

In fact, when I did so at a much larger location later in the day, the first officer I spoke with it had never heard of Bibury. Like I said, its really small.

Losing your identity in a foreign place can be scary, especially if theres a language barrier, but there are some easy ways to protect yourself beforehand and to clean up the mess afterward.

Many of them are the same steps youd take whether traveling abroad or domestically  carry only the credit cards you need and password-protect your phone, for example  with the key exception of this: youll have to contact the U.S. embassy or consulate if your passport is swiped, says Mark Medley, head of ID Theft Resolutions of Albuquerque. Thats because youll need documents to get home. Staff there also can provide help with police reporting, especially if there is a language barrier.

That embassy contact info can be among the numbers you jot down ahead of time on an old-school handwritten list to take along with you, says Eva Velasquez, president and CEO of the national Identity Theft Resource Center. Also list phone numbers to call your credit card companies and bank, state motor vehicle division, insurance company and perhaps an emergency contact at home who can send you money if necessary, she said. (Note: make sure your emergency person knows where and when youre going. Otherwise, they might delete your email or text, assuming youre just another annoying scammer claiming to be a desperate relative in a foreign country.)

You will need to cancel your credit cards as soon as possible, of course, to ensure the thief doesnt have a chance to make your trip even more expensive than it already is.

The Identity Theft Resource Center offers a handy free app for all of this, where you can get phone numbers for major credit companies and other institutions, checklists for steps to take when you suffer a theft and even a live chat option to get more help. The app, available at the app store or Google Play, will log all your calls so you can keep a record of where and when you report the theft, and it includes a place to take notes about your efforts.

Lets say you survive all that and make it home in one piece.

Velasquez recommends you now take the extra step of freezing your credit, especially if your Social Security number is compromised. But, regardless, its just a good practice and its free now.

If you have any kind of identity protection with Equifax or the other major companies, report the theft there as well because its good for them to know that youre at an increased risk, Velasquez said. Also, file an affidavit with the Federal Trade Commission, even if you also have made out a police report. Its documentation in the States that this has happened to you, Velasquez said.

Ellen Marks is assistant business editor at the Albuquerque Journal. Contact her at emarks@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3842 if you are aware of what sounds like a scam. To report a scam to law enforcement, contact the New Mexico Consumer Protection Division toll-free at 1-844-255-9210.
Here are the 5 best Amazon deals you can get this weekend
Staff reports

Aberdeen News

Meet the new boss: South Dakota has a new governor.

It was a historic moment as our state officially swore in its first female governor, Kristi Noem.

However, this sense of history may have felt muted for some of us, which is the feeling you may have gotten when someone whos been a political household name in this state for eight years and who hails from the party thats controlled the executive branch for 40 years is elected governor  its more like same as the old boss, in a way.

That being said, Noems inaugural speech Jan. 5 touched on numerous familiar themes, but one point in particular has a lot of possibilities.

She said people have asked her how she wanted her governorship to someday be remembered. To that end, when this is all over, she said, I want to be a governor for the next generation.

She elaborated,  ... whether its tackling the meth crisis that is hurting so many families and children, strengthening our schools and revitalizing civics in the classroom, keeping taxes and regulation low, or creating more habitat for wildlife so that our hunting traditions can be passed on  the north star that I want to follow with each decision I make as governor is the impact on the next generation. How does this policy, this legislation, this program, impact the next generation of South Dakotans?

This represents a broad  and potentially ambitious  vision.

For instance, the drug problems in this state stretch beyond meth. Opioids are becoming an increasing issue, as well. Also, do we deal with these problems by getting those addicted more help, or do we make even tougher laws that emphasize incarceration over treatment? This debate may be looming shortly in Pierre.

Another issue facing the next generation is economic opportunity in this state. This, too, is quite expansive. Its not simply about making sure there are good-paying jobs that will either attract young people to this state or that will keep them here. Its also about finding enough workers so that the next generation of entrepreneurs can actually make a go of it with their ideas. South Dakota is blessed with low unemployment, but thats also come to mean its cursed with a lack of workers for so many open jobs, including openings in the Yankton area. If we dont have the workers, how can we grow economically? Thats a critical issue everywhere, and the Noem administration needs to start addressing it as soon as possible.

Certainly, education is important to the next generation, which is on the front lines of this issue. This matter ranges from addressing teacher pay and teacher shortages to determining whether the notion of state-funded preschool education should be considered a practical investment. (Heres a hint: yes.) If the next generation is a priority, this issue is arguably where it all starts.

The situation on the states Native American reservations must be confronted head-on. Poverty and drugs are rampant, and it often seems that hope is just a worn-out myth. Working with the next generation in mind includes helping the current generations on tribal lands and reversing this destructive cycle as much as possible.

There are other issues  ranging from the rising suicide rate and climate change to highway infrastructure and high-speed internet access  that will also impact the next generation. These cannot be forgotten.

The fact that Noem mentions the impact on the next generation as the legacy she hopes to forge is not unimportant. It sets a higher bar than many people (including, perhaps, the new governor herself) might realize.

Heres hoping her vision is more than rhetorical and that her governorship lives up to that promising vow.
Michelle Alexander in The New York Times:

Bahia Amawi, an American speech pathologist of Palestinian descent, was recently terminated for refusing to sign a contract that contains an anti-boycott pledge stating that she does not, and will not, participate in boycotting the State of Israel. In November, Marc Lamont Hill was fired from CNN for giving a speech in support of Palestinian rights that was grossly misinterpreted as expressing support for violence. Canary Mission continues to pose a serious threat to student activists. And just over a week ago, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute in Alabama, apparently under pressure mainly from segments of the Jewish community and others, rescinded an honor it bestowed upon the civil rights icon Angela Davis, who has been a vocal critic of Israels treatment of Palestinians and supports B.D.S.

But that attack backfired. Within 48 hours, academics and activists had mobilized in response. The mayor of Birmingham, Randall Woodfin, as well as the Birmingham School Board and the City Council, expressed outrage at the institutes decision. The council unanimously passed a resolution in Davis honor, and an alternative event is being organized to celebrate her decades-long commitment to liberation for all. I cannot say for certain that King would applaud Birmingham for its zealous defense of Angela Daviss solidarity with Palestinian people. But I do. In this new year, I aim to speak with greater courage and conviction about injustices beyond our borders, particularly those that are funded by our government, and stand in solidarity with struggles for democracy and freedom. My conscience leaves me no other choice.

More here.
Leila McNeill in Smithsonian:

On the morning of June 10, 1898, Alice Lee marched into the all-male Anatomical Society meeting at Trinity College in Dublin and pulled out a measuring instrument. She then began to take stock of all 35 of the consenting society members heads. Lee ranked their skulls from largest to smallest to find thatlo and beholdsome of the most well-regarded intellects in their field turned out to possess rather small, unremarkable skulls. This posed a problem, since these anatomists believed that cranial capacity determined intelligence. There were two possibilities: Either these men werent as smart as they thought they were, or the size of their skulls had nothing to do with their intelligence.

In fact, Lee would write in her thesis, a number of the most capable men fall into the last nine, and J. Kollman, one of the ablest living anthropologists, has absolutely the smallest skull capacity! Though only a doctoral student when she launched into her study of male and female intellectual difference, Lees study proved the most sophisticated criticism of cranium science to date, according to historian Cynthia Eagle Russet. Within a decade of publishing her findings in 1900, the field of craniologyand with it, the days of measuring skulls to interpret supposed biological human differencewould be no more. Ironically, Lee used craniologists own tools to cast doubt on the techniques they employed to argue their superiority to women, as well as to other races. In doing so, she waded into one of the most hotly debated social issues of her day: womans place in society.

More here.
Border wall

ERINN CRANE

WATERLOO  How many homeowners do you know who currently make the first line of defense of his or her home as a wall around their property? Basically no one. Most of us now protect our home with inexpensive technology like alarms and cameras. These methods are a much more efficient use of funds than a huge physical barrier on a large area of land.

This is the common sense behind not supporting Trumps border wall. There is no one who does not agree security needs to be tightened at the border and points of entry. So why not be efficient and use technology? Also, most illegal immigration comes from overstayed visas. Lets concentrate on the real problem instead of creating an implausible solution to divide this nation further.

Trump had two years in which to try and get his border wall. It would have been much easier before now. Hes pushing this agenda now to divide us further. This is a game to him now. Hes desperate for control that is slipping away. If you support him, think clearly on the rationale behind such support. Does it really make sense anymore?

How politics work

JANICE NOLTING
Initial criticism of Trump claimed he was abandoning the Kurds to potential destruction by the Turks. Two assurances from National Security Advisor John Bolton provide some comfort. He announced that before withdrawal, ISIS would be eliminated and American-allied Kurds would be protected. Of course, Turkish cooperation in shielding their Kurdish enemy from destruction is doubtful. Nevertheless, the big question now seems to be whether its wise to remove all military forces from Syria, even if those pre-conditions are met.

Ive always avoided transactions that seem too complex to be understood. Perhaps that influenced Trumps sooner-or-later decision for Syrian withdrawal. Or, maybe its because only a small number of troops are involved, and other military personnel will remain in Iraq. Perhaps Trump feels that, long-term, he needs Turkish cooperation more than an unlimited commitment to the Kurds and that future Turkish/Russian cooperation in the region will help prevent future ISIS-like uprisings.

While some consider Trumps pull-out an impetuous decision, maybe we can find some sense in it.
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:

Home Regional News East
For example, there once was a political candidate who said, 212 times, the United States would build a wall along the Mexico-U.S. border and Mexico will pay for it. Now, that same person says he never said that.

Once a person starts to lie and continues to lie daily, all trust has been lost, and in the case of Donald J. Trump, by the people he represents  you, me and the vast majority of Americans who truly care about the welfare of our country.

Whats the ripple effect of losing trust in Americas Pinocchio-in-chief? Maybe of most importance is Americas 198 trading allies and partners, which took 70 years to build a trusting relationship with, are now purposely transferring their trade to other countries. Likewise, China, Russia and India are aggressively pursuing our heretofore allies for trading purposes. These endeavors will hurt Americas small businesses, corporations, employees, stockholders, citizens, stock market investors and retirees where it hurts, in their respective pocket books.
Sen. Chuck Grassley may be the singularly most important reason why the GOP gained seats in the Senate last November. Democrats and their base were unhinged during the Supreme Court confirmation hearings. Sen. Grassley was calm and measured. The left was disrespectful and angry. He was respectful to all of the witnesses and offered them every courtesy. After it became clear a couple of them had misled the committee, he did his duty by referring their testimony over to the Department of Justice.

Americans were paying attention. They saw through the media maelstrom. Without raising his voice, the senior senator from Iowa disarmed the opponents of now Justice Kavanaugh and pushed him across the finish line. Three Democrat incumbent senators went down after turning their backs to common sense and aligning themselves with the unhinged.

Having been an observer of Chuck Grassley for his entire political career, permit me to share a couple of observations. First, he has what we call in fly-over country horse sense. He is at his core decent. Second, he has amazing political instincts. He has an innate sense of what average Americans are concerned about.
But shes concerned how the amendment will be worded. To her, the best approach would be to say felons are eligible to have voting rights restored when they have completed their sentence and no longer are under the supervision of the Corrections Department.

Some lawmakers believe voting rights should not be available until restitution is completed. That would be problematic, Wolfe said.

People who sometimes for no fault of their own are only making minimum wage  cant ever pay their restitution, Wolfe said. Why should they be denied the right to vote if theyve done everything else?

Allowing felons who have completed their sentences to vote allows them to be full members of their community, advocates say.

Thats whats behind the proposal from Reynolds, who shared the story of a man who had his voting rights restored.

He said, I cant even begin to tell you the dignity that I felt because I had gotten my life back, to be able to go in and vote,  said Reynolds, who believes she got a second chance when she chose sobriety after her second drunken driving arrest 19 years ago.
Gillibrand initially positioned herself more in line with the conservative House district she represented before 2009, when she replaced Hillary Clinton as New Yorks junior senator.

Gillibrand was asked to explain the change during a gathering of party activists in Sioux City at the private home of a prominent Democrat. Gillibrand told the roughly two dozen guests that after she had become a senator, she met with the family and friends of a teenage girl who had been shot and killed in Brooklyn. I had just felt convicted that I had done the wrong thing by opposing gun control, she said. And if Im unwilling to fight for her family, Im not doing my job.

On immigration, she has now called for retooling the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

Likewise, she was asked why she was the first public advocate for former Minnesota Sen. Al Franken to resign. Gillibrand has faced withering criticism from Democrats who said Franken, who resigned his seat in December 2017 after allegations by women that he had groped them, had done far less than what other men have been accused of doing, chiefly President Donald Trump, though the president has denied all allegations of sexual impropriety.
For the most part, the museum does a fair job of explaining the agency's metamorphosis. However, it downplays the corruption and mismanagement of its early days, and its role in discriminating against Mexican-Americans along the border that federal courts were forced to halt thanks to various challenges.

For example, in 1992 a federal judge ruled that the U.S. Border Patrol had violated the rights of Mexican-American students at Bowie High School in El Paso by repeatedly stopping them to ask about citizenship status. The border patrol was forced to change some of its tactics and focus on aggressive patrols along the El Paso area, focusing migrants to change their routes to the more unforgiving Arizona desert.

There also are some surprises.

Documents and photos illustrate the role the U.S. Border Patrol played in the Civil Rights Movement. In 1962, for example, Attorney General Robert Kennedy requested that 300 border patrol agents come to support U.S. Marshals working to ensure that black student James Meredith be allowed to enroll at the previously segregated University of Mississippi. Violence ensued, and 77 Border Patrol agents were injured.

A wall honors agents killed in the line of duty. In the early days, most of those agents were white. By the 1990s, most of those killed were Hispanic.

The U.S. Border Patrol Museum receives no federal funding and operates on donations. It's an excellent introduction to an agency that remains little known to most Americans, beyond soundbites and quick images on cable news.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
EAGLE GROVE  Ron Prestage admits he is a bit nervous about the opening of his companys hog processing plant, scheduled for March 4.

We had originally planned to start next week, but things got delayed for a variety of reasons, he said. The technology in this plant is incredible, so there are still some things we need to do before we can get rolling.

The Prestage Foods plant, located near Eagle Grove, will add an additional 10,000 pigs per day in capacity for Midwestern producers, or roughly 50,000 per week.

Prestage said with a faster line speed, that capacity could grow to 12,000 hogs processed per day.

We have told our contractors that we will start taking hogs the first week of March, he said. We are doing that even though it means taking our own hogs to other markets. The contracted pigs are our priority.

The north central Iowa plant will eventually employ between 400 and 450 people, Prestage said. He said 50 to 60 have already been hired and will oversee production.

Im scared to death when it comes to labor, Prestage said. We are trying to hire a secure and stable labor force, and Im confident we can get that labor to start the plant. We just need to be able to keep it.
President Trump's US Government has been shut down for nearly four weeks now over the political impasse that exists between President Trump and the Democrats over securing the necessary funds for his proposed border walls. On January 16, 2019, the UK Parliament voted against Prime Minister May's Brexit deal. In 2018, Aun San Suu Kyi was stripped of some honors she has spent her lifetime garnering information over the shoddy way her government handled the Rohingya debacle.

The burning issue: Immigration

All these political storms have one burning issue at their center: Immigration!

President Trump believes his border walls will prevent criminals and drug peddlers from crossing into the United States. He is even prepared to try and barter for it with the Dreamers, CNBC reports. The Brexiters think that unregulated, massive immigration from the other parts of Europe has made life difficult for ordinary Britons who have to fight for socioeconomic resources with the immigrants, many of whom are illegal. And the upheavals in Myanmar's Rakhine State was sparked by an attempt by the Aun San Suu Kyi-led government to reverse centuries-old migration and settlement structure of the Rohingya people, who have long occupied the area.

Immigration and nation-building

Former Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull once said, "anyone who thinks it's smart to cut immigration is sentencing Australia to poverty." Turnbull's traditional view of immigration is closely connected to nation-building.

At least, that has been the primary reason many nations open their borders for talented immigrants to flock in. The fact remains that no nation can stand on its own; every country requires some level of foreign expertise to fill up some shortfall in domestic skills and manpower. And if managed well, with great but flexible policies, immigration is a win-win program for both the immigrants and the countries welcoming them.

The rise in conservative immigration

However, populism, promoted among the political class, is largely responsible for the flame of conservative immigration that is burning from one country to another. With their verbal pyrotechnics, it doesn't take long for those anti-immigration politicians to pit their citizens against the immigrants among them.

It is a matter of giving a "dog a bad name so that you can easily hang it!".

If unchecked, there are dangerous consequences associated with the over-nationalistic drive; it is similar to shutting doors on both the talented and unskilful workforce. It can also lead to massive unrest and social disorderliness. Take, for instance, Europe's perennial struggle with the influx of refugees has left some dent on the continent's rule of law and social accountability.

In Libya, some unfortunate African migrants have found themselves in the most uncomfortable circumstances as the locals mounted a resistance against those using their country as a passageway to Europe. Some of these migrants have been beaten, sold as slaves, or even have their internal organs harvested and sold in the black market.

One thing is very clear: Conservative immigration is anti-social and unproductive. In the words of the former Australian Prime Minister, a nation that practices conservative immigration may be prepping itself for poverty, culturally and economically.
By Amanda Ferguson

LONDONDERRY, Northern Ireland (Reuters) - Four men were arrested on Sunday over a car bomb attack in Northern Ireland's Londonderry and police are looking into whether the New IRA militant group was responsible, officers said.

Two men in their twenties were detained hours after the explosion on Saturday evening outside the city's courthouse. Two other men aged 34 and 42 were arrested in the city later on Sunday. No one was injured by the blast.

"Fortunately it didn't kill anybody but clearly it was a very significant attempt to kill people here in this community," Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton told a news conference.

Hamilton said the main focus of the investigation was on the New IRA - one of a small number of groups opposed to a 1998 peace deal that largely ended three decades of violence in the British-run province. They have carried out sporadic attacks in recent years.

Police in Northern Ireland and European Union member Ireland have warned that a return to a hard border between the two after Brexit, complete with customs and other checks, could be a target for militant groups.

Politicians from all sides - including Sinn Fein, the former political wing of the nationalist Irish Republican Army - condemned the explosion.

"SHAME ON YOU"

"Shame on you. Shame on you and stop," said Mary Lou McDonald, leader of Sinn Fein, which signed the peace agreement. She told BBC Northern Ireland the blast was an "outrageous attack".

The Northern Ireland police force said it was given only minutes to evacuate children and hundreds of hotel guests before the explosion of what they described as a highly unstable, crude device that could have detonated at any time.

Officers spotted a suspicious vehicle at the scene at about 1955 GMT, then received a warning five minutes later that a device had been left there, the force said.

"We moved immediately to begin evacuating people from nearby buildings including hundreds of hotel guests, 150 people from the Masonic Hall and a large number of children from a church youth club," Hamilton said earlier.

Story continues

The pizza delivery vehicle was destroyed by the blast ten minutes after that. The van had been hijacked nearby by two armed men around two hours earlier, police said.

CCTV footage released by police showed the driver running from the vehicle after leaving it outside the courthouse.

Hamilton said he thought the attack marked a continuation of militants' campaigns, rather than an escalation.

The last fatal attack involving a car bomb was carried out in 2016 by the New IRA when a prison officer was fatally injured by a device left under his van in Belfast.

About 3,600 people were killed in the conflict that was fought between mainly Protestant unionists who want Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom and predominantly Catholic nationalists.

"There is no doubt that in terms of the Brexit element, there will be a section within our communities who will want to exploit that and use that to further their own objectives but I wouldn't put that as the sole purpose," Gary Middleton, a local Democratic Unionist Party member of Northern Ireland's devolved government, told Reuters.

(Writing by Padraic Halpin in Dublin; Editing by Dale Hudson and Andew Heavens)
Politicians from across the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland have condemned a car bomb attack on Londonderry court house.

The blast has also been criticised by politicians from across Northern Irelands political divide.

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said he believes the dissident republican group known as the New IRA was responsible for the explosion on Bishop Street on Saturday evening.

Northern Ireland Secretary of State Karen Bradley welcomed the widespread condemnation and said the bombers will not be allowed to hold the region back.

This attempt to disrupt progress in Northern Ireland has rightly been met with utter condemnation from all parts of the community, she said.

(PA Graphics)

The small number of people responsible have absolutely nothing to offer Northern Irelands future and will not prevail.

Our voices across the political spectrum are united.

This is intolerable violence and we want to look forward and build a peaceful future for all in Northern Ireland.

Thank you to the PSNI and emergency services who are working so hard to keep people safe and secure.

To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so.

The Republic of Irelands Premier Leo Varadkar said his government condemns the incident in the strongest possible terms.

This was an appalling, reckless and cynical act of terror, he tweeted.

Violence to achieve political objectives has been rejected by the people of this island again and again.

The Taoiseach added: I also want to acknowledge the good work and prompt response of the PSNI who prevented further harm.

Democratic Unionist leader Arlene Foster described the attack as a pointless act of terror.

To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so.

This pointless act of terror must be condemned in the strongest terms. Only hurts the people of the City. Perpetrated by people with no regard for life, she tweeted on Saturday evening.

Grateful to our emergency services for their swift actions which helped ensure there have been no fatalities or injuries.

Story continues

Sinn Fein president Mary-Lou McDonald said it was a mindless and outrageous attack on (the) people of Derry, while her party colleague and Foyle MP Elisha McCallion said the incident had shocked the local community.

To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so.

Derry is a city moving forward and no one wants this type of incident. It is not representative of the city, she said.

I would encourage anyone with information about this incident to bring it to the police.

Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann described the attack as an act of cowardice.

There was no excuse for it during the Troubles and there`s no excuse for it now, he said.

Saturday nights attack in Londonderry city centre was an act of cowardice.

To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood, who is an MLA in Foyle, added: The people of Derry are resolutely opposed to this. You represent no-one. Stop it now.

Alliance leader Naomi Long also expressed disgust.

It is absolutely sickening that there are still people willing to bring violence to our streets and risk peoples lives and livelihoods, she said.

Those behind this have no excuse and no support for their actions.

Neither have they anything to offer beyond their desire to cause death and destruction.
France is pushing for a merger between Renault and Nissan, according to Japanese media, following the arrest of the former Nissan chairman, Carlos Ghosn, whom Paris also wants replaced as Renault ... 64-year-old Ghosn headed the powerful Nissan-Mitsubishi-Renault alliance before his arrest in November on charges of financial misconduct. Kyodo news reported Sunday that a delegation including Martin Vial  a Renault director designated by the French government  made the merger request at talks with Japanese officials in Tokyo. The French government is the biggest shareholder in Renault with a stake of more than 15 percent, while Renault owns 43.4 percent of the Japanese carmaker Nissan with voting rights. A merger between the two is favoured by French President Emmanuel Macron, Kyodo said. The business daily Nikkei said Nissan was opposed to the merger as it would give Paris greater sway over the Japanese carmaker. According to Nikkei, the delegation also said Renault wants to name Nissan's next chairman  a post that has remained vacant since Ghosn was ousted on his arrest in November. Stability But the reports appear to contradict comments made by France's economy minister, Bruno Le Maire. He told Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD) newspaper: "A shareholder rebalancing, a change in cross-shareholdings between Renault and Nissan is not on the table. Macron held talks last month with Shinzo Abe, the Japanese prime minister, on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina. They agreed to ensure a stable relationship within the three-way alliance, which also includes Japan's Mitsubishi Motors. Last week, Renault said it had launched the search for a successor to Ghosn, after a Tokyo court quashed his appeal for bail as he faces three charges of financial misconduct. Le Maire said in his interview with JDD: "The principle of the presumption of innocence must apply to Ghosn ... there are also the interests of Renault and of the alliance. "A business of this scale needs solid and stable governance," he added.

France is pushing for a merger between Renault and Nissan, according to Japanese media, following the arrest of the former Nissan chairman, Carlos Ghosn, whom Paris also wants replaced as Renault ...

64-year-old Ghosn headed the powerful Nissan-Mitsubishi-Renault alliance before his arrest in November on charges of financial misconduct.

Kyodo news reported Sunday that a delegation including Martin Vial  a Renault director designated by the French government  made the merger request at talks with Japanese officials in Tokyo.

The French government is the biggest shareholder in Renault with a stake of more than 15 percent, while Renault owns 43.4 percent of the Japanese carmaker Nissan with voting rights.

A merger between the two is favoured by French President Emmanuel Macron, Kyodo said.

The business daily Nikkei said Nissan was opposed to the merger as it would give Paris greater sway over the Japanese carmaker.

According to Nikkei, the delegation also said Renault wants to name Nissan's next chairman  a post that has remained vacant since Ghosn was ousted on his arrest in November.

Stability

But the reports appear to contradict comments made by France's economy minister, Bruno Le Maire. He told Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD) newspaper: "A shareholder rebalancing, a change in cross-shareholdings between Renault and Nissan is not on the table.

Macron held talks last month with Shinzo Abe, the Japanese prime minister, on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina. They agreed to ensure a stable relationship within the three-way alliance, which also includes Japan's Mitsubishi Motors.

Last week, Renault said it had launched the search for a successor to Ghosn, after a Tokyo court quashed his appeal for bail as he faces three charges of financial misconduct.

Le Maire said in his interview with JDD: "The principle of the presumption of innocence must apply to Ghosn ... there are also the interests of Renault and of the alliance.

"A business of this scale needs solid and stable governance," he added.


Japan never fails to surprise the world with their advanced technology and highly advance thinking. A country which was once severely destroyed by one of the worst Tsunami still works on producing technology which no other country can think of.

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) has launched a rocket carrying an artificial satellite which will produce an Artificial meteor shower. This will be the world first artificial meteor satellite if the mission succeed.

Know about the satellite

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is a Japanese Aerospace and Space Agency just like NASA of USA and ISRO of India.

JAXA provides scientific research, launching of a satellite, moon exploration, technological development etc. The satellite was launch by Epsilon-4 Rocket from Uchinoura space centre.

This will be the fourth Epsilon rocket to be launched and the first time to launch more than one satellite at a time. The rocket will be launching seven nanosatellites. The nanosatellite was launched so as to produce the first-ever artificial celestial show by early 2020 over the Hiroshima.

The satellite was launched for an initial experiment for the so-called "shooting star on-demand". The satellite was developed by ALE (Astro Live Experiences) Co Ltd, one of the Start-ups which is based in Tokyo. Lina Okajima chief Executive of ALE in one of the news conference last year told about the project of shooting stars which can be delivered all over the world.

The process of producing the meteor shower

The main aim of the micro-satellite is to produce a tiny ball that glows brightly, and when it came in contact with the atmosphere, it mimics like that of the shooting stars simulating a meteor shower in the space. The process of producing such simulation is called Plasma Emission.

Once the tiny ball is released in the space, it will automatically burn up to ashes so that no risk is posed to the people.

The glow will be so much bright that it will be seen even through the light-polluted Tokyo city. The tiny ball is expected to shine for several seconds before being completely burned up. Apart from this tiny ball, the ALE is also looking forward to introducing disused satellites so that it will produce even brighter glows.

The world will witness if the mission goes well

By 2020 if the said mission succeeds and goes well then the people all around the world will be able to witness worldwide meteor shower show. ALE is working along with the local government official, Scientists, and Engineers. Although the satellite was successfully launched the company did not disclose the exact amount being spent on the mission.
In November last year, two Humboldt Penguins were stolen from a Nottinghamshire zoo. On Wednesday this week, police officers recovered the pair in Strelley Village, West Nottingham after they received a tipoff. A man had bought the penguins from the thief, believing they had been rescued.

The Penguins have now been safely returned to the unnamed zoo and are reportedly well. Police arrested a 23-year-old man on suspicion of theft and burglary, however, he has since been released while investigations continue.

Nottinghamshire Police recover penguins

The pair of Penguins was retrieved in Strelley Village, after Reece Oliver, 27, had tipped the police off to the penguins that were in his care. Oliver said he had purchased the penguins in good faith, shortly after Christmas. He said when he bought the Humboldt Penguins, they were in a poor condition and he had to spend over 1,000 on medication and veterinary bills to get them well.

However, later he checked the Humboldt Penguins' microchips against a zoo database and realised the pair had been stolen.

Oliver immediately contacted the police. On Friday, Nottinghamshire Police arrested the 23-year-old man allegedly responsible for the theft.

Purchaser of Humboldt penguins speaks up

As reported by the Nottingham Post, Oliver works as a show jumper but also cares for several exotic animals in his home. Reportedly after the news broke, people were gathering outside his door, yelling abuse and calling him Penguin thief. He wanted to speak out about this abuse, saying he is being victimised, and that if it wasnt for him, the Penguins would never have been returned to the zoo.

Police find pair of missing Humboldt penguins weeks after they were taken from zoo https://t.co/uID1JJ7nWN pic.twitter.com/D990lhKLxC  #UK #Business & #Sports #News (@UKBizTweet) January 19, 2019

Oliver explained that the birds had been in ill health when he bought them and said he had given the birds veterinary treatment. It was only when he checked the Penguins microchips with a friend who runs a zoo that he found out they were stolen.

Oliver then contacted the zoo, which has not been identified and also called the police to inform them. He stressed that he is involved in conservation and rescue of animals.

Nottinghamshire Police and a case for the books

As reported by The Guardian, the investigation into the missing birds was run by Sgt Andrew Browning and PC Paul Toon. Browning said this case was one for the books and definitely a story to tell the grandchildren one day, as they didnt believe they would actually go to Strelley Village and collect the Penguins. He went on to say this was an unusual case and when he took the pair into custody, it made everyone laugh. Browning added that the case was an off-the-wall find.

Humboldt Penguins originate from South America and reportedly you do not require a Dangerous Wild Animal License to keep the birds. However, you do need a zoo licence to keep the animals if you put them on display to the public for more than one week each year.


News investigator Mark Llewellyn will front a two part doco Murder, Lies & Alibis, delving into the murder of podiatrist and businessman Phillip Vasyli.

Vasyli was found stabbed to death in the couples multi-million-dollar mansion in the Bahamas in 2015.

His wife Donna was sentenced to 20 years for his murder but in a shock development in 2017 a judge overturned her conviction and ordered a retrial.

Mark Llewellyn says: This is a nail-biting investigation with more twists and turns than a Shakespearean tragedy. The stories we discovered have never been heard until now. At every turn these gripping first-hand accounts brought us closer to the truth.

The extraordinary and exclusive inside story of the murder of Australian businessman Phillip Vasyli, stabbed to death on the patio of his paradise island luxury mansion, is a story of fabulous wealth, infidelity, secret recordings, betrayal, death threats and uncontrollable rage.

The handsome podiatrist, who grew up in Sydneys western suburbs to build a $600 million fortune with his glamorous wife Donna, was knifed in the neck from behind by a callous killer who then stood and watched him bleed to death.

The full story behind this 2015 murder, which made worldwide headlines, is revealed for the first time in cutting-edge new documentary crime series, Murder, Lies & Alibis, screening over two powerful nights on Monday, February 4 and Tuesday, February 5 at 9pm on Nine and 9Now.

The gripping must see first episode contains bombshell new evidence that blows the case wide open. Episode two builds to a sensational climax that uncovers the dramatic secret, which provides a totally new motive for the high stakes murder.

Phillip Vasylis blonde socialite wife of 35 years was found guilty of murdering him at their oceanside dream home on billionaires row in the Bahamas. After serving five months of a 20-year jail sentence Donna Vasyli is currently on bail waiting to find out if she will have to face another jury after her conviction was ruled unsafe and quashed.

Police remain adamant it is an open and shut case and the 58-year-old grandmother is the killer but if the Privy Council, the Commonwealths highest court, rules she has no case to answer she will win her freedom and become one of Australias wealthiest widows.

Donna, who passionately maintains her innocence, chose not to give evidence at her trial but Murder, Lies & Alibis presents jaw dropping recordings and messages from her in which she lifts the lid on her toxic marriage and rages at her philandering husband and his new lovers.

Murder, Lies & Alibis investigates who else, if not Donna, could have got close enough to super fit Phillip Vasyli, a martial arts champion, to deliver the fatal blow?

Award winning journalist Mark Llewellyn, Nines Creative Director for News and Current Affairs, travels half way around the world with a team of experienced investigators in pursuit of the truth. Despite being warned off, they go to Nassau and gain access to the high security gated estate where the Vasylis lived in luxury overlooking one of the most beautiful and exclusive beaches on the planet.

Its a rock star lifestyle of private jets, super yachts, Lamborghinis and outrageous parties. They track down Phillip Vasylis closest friends at the time of his death and get their startling new evidence on the record. Sunnie Heng, the woman Phillip Vasyli was divorcing Donna to be with, breaks her silence for the first time to reveal everything the court didnt get to hear.

Murder, Lies & Alibis will dissect the most infamous criminal cases in a tenacious, and confronting format. Its true crime like youve never seen before, with each episode uniquely recounted through the eyes of the key players: victims, survivors, families and friends, and in some cases, the prime suspects themselves.

Amended: Monday, February 4 and Monday, February 11 at 9pm on Nine.

Related
"This airfield was built to support the H4 oil pumping station of the MosulHaifa oil pipeline built by the Iraq Petroleum Company between 1932 and 1934 in the Emirate of Transjordan at that time a protectorate of the British Empire. The airfield was used by the RAF during World War Two as the Advanced Headquarters for operations against the rebels in Iraq during the Anglo-Iraqi War. The Airbase is now operated by the Royal Jordanian Air Force.[1]

Between November 2014 and January 2015, the United States began positioning MQ-9 Reaper UAVs at the base.[1]

The base also houses AH-1F Cobras, believed to be from the 10th and 12th Squadrons of the Royal Jordanian Air Force, and a Cessna 208B Caravan from the 15th Squadron. wiki

-------------

As air bases go in the ME this is an old one. It was probably originally a highway landing strip built by the RAF during the British mandates in Palestine, Transjordan and Iraq. It was built along the line of the Iraq Petroleum Company pipeline and road from Kirkuk to Haifa. The town is a few kilometers south of the air base. It has an official name but in my time out there the Jordanian beduin just called it "ashfour," (H4).

This base has been much improved and expanded since 9/11 with American money. IMO this is probably the base that Trump referred to last week when he said he would move a lot of the SOF people to an airbase outside Syria. It is a good operating location, protected by the excellent Jordanian military and within easy operating range of Syria 80 kilometers away.

Combined with the US forces at al-asad airbase in Iraq (where Trump visited) and the artillery and road blocking positions that I posted on as linked, this would IMO constitute a viable base situation in that part of the ME for continued CT operations rather than the Neo-imperialism of the neocons both in and out of uniform.

I took a delegation of West Point cadets to Jordan during the time I taught there. We visited Qasr Burqa , a Roman Army auxiliary cohort fort about 20 kilometers NW of "ashfour." We had a Jordanian Badia (desert) policeman with us and a sergeant from the USDAO in Amman. It is a lovely place with a little lake that is a stop on the Russia to Africa flyway for migratory birds. They come there in millions, ducks, ducks everywhere. Sir John Bagot Glubb told me (RIP) that he spent many happy times at Qasr Burqa. pl

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H-4_Air_Base

https://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2018/12/httpswwwalmasdarnewscomarticleus-builds-two-military-bases-along-syrian-border-map.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirkuk%E2%80%93Haifa_oil_pipeline
A number of Vietnamese passengers of American Airlines have got stranded in Macau and Hong Kong transit airports collectively for two days while awaiting an arrangement between the airline and its counterparts.

One of the flyers, Nguyen Manh Nghia, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Saturday night that the AA125 flight that left Texas, where the largest hub of American Airlines is situated, was scheduled to arrive at Hong Kong International Airport as a stopover at 5:35 pm on January 17 before traveling to Ho Chi Minh City.

But the major United States airlines plane failed to land in Hong Kong due to fog after a 17-hour-long flight from Texas Dallas and instead had to touch down at Macau International Airport, about 61 kilometers away as the crow flies.

The rerouting caused at least 70 Vietnamese flyers on the flight (some estimates put the number at 130) to stay overnight at the Macau airport from 6:00 pm on January 17 to 2:00 pm the following day, Nghia said.

This happened although a number of solutions were proposed to bring the passengers back to Hong Kong on time for a flight to Vietnam, the passenger said.

Having no transit visas for Macau, most of the affected passengers stayed in the plane multiple hours straight before being able to get through airport security, Nghia added.

Over 70 affected flyers, also because of carrying no such visas, could not use hotel services arranged by American Airlines, according to a worker at the Macau airport.

The passengers would receive meal tickets but no cushions and blankets as the flight crew had gone to a hotel for a rest and the airport was unavailable, the worker added.

A representative from the airlines customer care division said it had no information about the next flight and asked the passengers to contact its staff in person.

After spending a night in Macau, the Vietnamese passengers were transported to the originally intended stopover, the Hong Kong International Airport, where they were told to board a plane to neighboring Taiwan to go home.

But only some of them were carried as planned, while the others had to wait in Hong Kong.

And these people might stay there until Sunday morning, passenger Nghia said.

American Airlines said as the Vietnamese passenger group was divided, some fliers were expected to land at airports near Ho Chi Minh Citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport, their ultimate destination, such as those in the Vietnamese central metropolis of Da Nang and Cambodia.

This was because airline had yet to make an arrangement, the American transport service company explained.

Vietnamese passengers of American Airlines have a meal at Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong. Photo: Tuoi Tre

One of the passengers in Hong Kong, Hong Hoa, said many of her fellow flyers had suffered a lot, especially women taking care of their babies.

They had used up all the diapers but knew no way to buy more, she said.

Another passenger, Ngoc Dieu, said the customers were handed HK$90 (US$11.5) each to cover their meal cost but many chipped in to purchase more delicious food sold at over HK$100 ($13).

Many of the passengers said they required American Airlines to give an explanation, clearer information and better meal and accommodation services, given the wait by around 100 customers.

Vietnamese flyers of American Airlines are seen at Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong. Video: Tuoi Tre

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Here are todays leading news stories:

Politics:

-- During the second session of Vietnams Socio-Economic Subcommittee in Hanoi on Saturday, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc urged the early completion of plans and strategies for national development for the 2020-25 period and proper preparations for the 13th National Party Congress.

Society

-- An employee of a gold shop in the central city of Hoi An, who was previously found stealing 14.3kg of gold from the store, has handed over another 12.4 kilograms of gold, raising the total amount to 26.7 kilograms, officers confirmed on Saturday.

-- Three people were killed and another injured in two road crashes involving trailer trucks along National Highway 9 in the north-central province of Quang Tri on Saturday.

-- Police in the northern province of Bac Ninh are working to identify the people who recently damaged nearly 200 peach trees grown by 11 local households, causing heavy losses ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.

-- A Ford Escape crashed into multiple vehicles along a street in Hanoi on Saturday afternoon, killing an elderly woman who was a street vendor and injuring four other people.

-- Officials in the northern province of Quang Ninh confirmed on Saturday they had arrested and initiated legal proceedings against a 31-year-old man for stealing more than 1,250 detonators used in mining of a local company

-- Authorities in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa on Saturday issued a decision to end hotel construction of a local firm on the Chong and Do Islets, which are famous destinations in the resort city of Nha Trang, due to many violations.

Business

-- Many people in Vietnam have voiced their complaints after multiple express delivery services failed to deliver their shipments on time or to the correct addresses, as demand for these services skyrocket ahead of the Lunar New Year festival.

Education

-- Twelfth-grade students from provinces and cities across southern Vietnam gathered at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology on Sunday morning to attend an education and career fair organized by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

Sports

-- Vietnam will compete against Jordan in the Round of 16 of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates at 6:00 pm on Sunday (Vietnam time). The game will be broadcast live on VTV6 Channel.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
Visitors flocked to a competition in the central Vietnamese city of Hoi An on January 12 and 13 to watch farmers deftly shape kumquats  a home decoration believed to bring good fortune during the Lunar New Year holiday.

Hats on, selected artisans and growers exhibited their skills of fashioning kumquats during a contest in Cam Ha Commune, located next to the citys eponymous ancient town.

They nimbly used scissors to trim branches and tidied them with strings attached to the waist.

Unkempt kumquats were transformed into tidy trees in various shapes, such as the S letter or a fountain.

Awards went to competitors who had created the most beautiful kumquats within five minutes.

A man shapes a kumquat at a festive event in Hoi An, central Vietnam, January 2019. Photo: Ba Dung

A man shapes a kumquat at a festive event in Hoi An, central Vietnam, January 2019. Photo: Ba Dung

The shaping competition was part of the annual festive event held by the municipal administration in its effort to develop the cottage industry of growing kumquats in Cam Ha Commune, where over 65 percent of the residents cultivate the trees, a citrus plant with edible fruit that resembles an orange.

It came as an early celebration in the run-up to the week-long Lunar New Year, which starts at the beginning of February this year.

The commune specializes in taking care of kumquats, known in Vietnamese as tac or quat, all year round and sells the trees only during the last weeks of the lunar year.

Nearly 70,000 pots of kumquats are averagely sold every year, collectively providing farmers with VND40 billion (US$1.7 million), according to Mai Kim Phuong, chairman of the areas government.

Many farmers have become rich from the business, Phuong added.

Kumquats are seen at a market in Hoi An, central Vietnam, January 2019. Photo: Ba Dung

During these days when festive mood is in the air, kumquats of different sizes are being displayed for sale at the communes Cam Ha Market.

They fetch VND200,000 ($9) to VND70 million ($3,010) apiece and most are priced at VND1-3 million ($43-129).

A kumquat farm in Hoi An, central Vietnam, January 2019. Video: Le Trung

A kumquat farm in Hoi An, central Vietnam, January 2019. Photo: Le Trung

Ripe kumquat fruits are pictured at a farm in Hoi An, central Vietnam, January 2019. Photo: Le Trung

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
BANGKOK -- Rival groups held demonstrations in Thailands capital on Saturday, with hundreds of people demanding quick elections to end military rule and a much smaller group of pro-junta supporters saying it was too soon for a vote.

The competing protests were tiny compared to those that paralyzed Bangkok in 2014 before the army seized power in the name of ending instability, but were an indication of the tensions in the run-up to a long-delayed ballot.

No date has been set for an election which was first promised for 2015 and most recently postponed from Feb. 24.

Hundreds joined a demonstration calling for elections on March 10.

Were calling for elections as soon as possible, activist Sirawith Seritiwa told the crowd.

The junta has said the most recent election delay is because of scheduling difficulties with planning for the coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn in early May - although it has said it still wants the ballot held before those ceremonies.

The Election Commission of Thailand has given March 10 or March 24 as possible polling dates, but no date has been set and a royal decree must be issued before it can be.

Some 1 km (0.6 miles) from the demonstration calling for elections, around 30 counter-protesters gathered with placards at the Democracy Monument. They said they were not opposed to a ballot, but national unity must come first.

We can wait for elections, the groups leader, Jathurun Bunbenjara, told reporters. We dont agree with protests that create chaos... We want to see Thais come together and hold an auspicious and great coronation.

Thailands longstanding political divide is between strongly royalist and pro-military conservatives and red shirt populists linked to exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra who have won every election since 2001.

Despite measures by the junta to entrench the ruling generals hold on power after any election, opinion polls have shown that Thaksins supporters remain politically strong.

Activist Sirawith denied that the group intended to create chaos ahead of the coronation - saying that holding elections earlier would reduce that danger.

It will be the first Thai coronation in living memory. The kings revered late father ruled for more than 70 years until his death in 2016.
I frequently travel to neighbouring countries, having lived in or spent extended periods of time in Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines before coming back to Vietnam almost three years ago.

Laugh all you want, but I honestly put the banh mi sandwich right at the top of the list of things I miss while abroad. Its one of those little gems we all take for granted, like ATM machines, grandmothers, and elevators, but when we dont have them we really miss them.

Fried bread, greasy sausages and bacon, and donuts just dont cut it for me in the morning. The banh mi is a fantastic food weapon  delicious, nutritious, fresh, found almost anywhere at any time  especially when you need one most, and its cheap.

I cant wait to wrap my mouth around my breakfast banh mi  the girl down the street makes a wicked version: two fried eggs (op la), a couple of dollops of pate, pickled vegetables, a slice of cucumber, and cilantro, all swathed in butter and soy sauce.

Out of this world!

Only Cambodia and Laos have equivalents to the banh mi and both pale in comparison to the Vietnamese version, starting with the quality and freshness of the baguette itself as well as the various meats and condiments.

A two-egg banh mi sandwich

Banh mi in Vietnam is practically a national treasure  its a perfect example of just-in-time production and distribution, guaranteeing a fresh sandwich every time. Just walk 100 meters in any direction in a city in Vietnam and youre likely to come across a banh mi vendor armed with fresh baguettes.

Next up is a good cup of coffee at a fair price. In most of the countries listed above the common version is the sachet of 3 in 1 with fake sugar, cream, and  I suppose  fake coffee. It sure doesnt taste genuine to me. Its so bad Id rather skip it completely. The only option is coffee from some global megacompany which I refuse to drink as a matter of principle.

Vietnam has one of the top coffee cultures in the world and some of the best brews anywhere, and its easy to find a great coffee for US$0.50. Similar to the banh mi situation, just take a look in each direction on any street in any city and youre bound to find several cafes.

This is a critical point because Vietnam stands pretty much alone in coffee production in Asia, with Indonesia and Malaysia getting honorable mention because they also produce impressive blends, but usually at prices several times more expensive than Vietnam. Thailand is also making some waves in this space but Vietnam has the edge in experience.

In Vietnam you can choose from all qualities, serving styles, and classes of cafe  reminiscent of Europe in that sense. Dont want to spend a lot of money? The 50 cent brews are just great. Feeling flush? You can spend 10 times that in a classy cafe featuring live music, beautiful atmosphere, and top-notch service.

Nearly all Vietnamese coffee is produced with robusta beans, so the taste is full and rich and absolutely heavenly when mixed with condensed milk.

So there you go with two daily must-haves: good coffee and a hearty breakfast or snack at a decent price.

Ca phe sua da  Vietnamese milky iced coffee

A spring in their step

I always miss the energy and hustle of the Vietnamese when Im away. The people in general all over Southeast Asia are very accommodating and want to deliver quality service and a warm welcome.

Walk into a business in one of the countries I frequent in the region and youll notice the employees are there all right, but not exactly on fire with desire. Going through the motions, friendly yet passive.

The Vietnamese clearly stand out among their peers, working quickly and efficiently, serving customers with a sense of urgency, and usually tallying up numbers in their heads where others need a calculator and plenty of time.

The Vietnamese style can be brisk compared to their neighbours, but I prefer that to a lack of energy and efficiency any day. People here are in a hurry to improve and advance, make money and get ahead, and make up for lost time.

One of the reasons is that Vietnam has not been taken over by global concerns, so the entrepreneur still rules, so many of the shopkeepers and service people own the business that youre dealing with.

And Vietnamese customers are demanding, its true. People walk into a business and expect to be served immediately, often calling (yelling?) out their request upon entering the business.

Many times when Im abroad and go into a convenience store the staff will ask for small bills because they forgot to load up on change. The staff spend all day asking, Do you have small money?, instead of doing a bit of planning.

Shopkeepers often wait until stock goes to zero before realizing that they need to order more of an item. I see completely empty shelves often when I go abroad, but very rarely in Vietnam.

Never a bad meal

God, how I miss Vietnamese food when Im abroad! It is the healthiest around in my opinion with an abundance of fresh vegetables and relatively few fried foods.

Add value for money to the equation and Vietnam blows the competition from everywhere in the region right out of the water, no question about it. Whether its a humble bowl of soup or a meal fit for a king, the effort is made. No corners are cut  for example fresh condiments are served up with the meal every time.

The selection in Vietnam is unparalleled  literally thousands of dishes that cover the whole spectrum of ingredients and tastes, and the prices range from the simplest and cheapest to some really fine dining.

On another recent trip to Thailand I enjoyed the food, but not the prices, which were pretty much double for the equivalent in Vietnam. Thats not important to the passing tourist but it is to the foreigner who spends all or most time in a country.

How about a beer in Indonesia? Even on competition-tough Bali the lowest price is almost double that of Vietnam.

Daily hassles

Several places I go to such as the Philippines or Bali have an oversupply of eager vendors who approach us offering everything from illegal drugs to taxi service to trinkets for sale. I dont dare slow down or stop on the street in either place or Ill be approached within moments.

You want lady? Massage? Transport? Viagra? Souvenirs? Ugh, it goes on all day long, never stops.

In Vietnam nobody hassles me about anything, but everyone seems ready when I do need something.

So many simple daily transactions are hassles in other countries, such as buying a SIM card, which should be a simple exchange. Need a visa? Some neighbouring countries are very simple to deal with, others a nightmare of bureaucracy and inefficiency, not to mention corruption.

Never happens in Vietnam, at least not to me nor my circle of friends.

What dont I miss when abroad?

Thats an easy one!

I dont miss having to look in eight different directions when I walk down the road, motorbikes flying in every direction and abandoned all over the sidewalks.

But its no big deal. Living abroad is all about the entire package, not one thing or another. Either the place rings your chimes or it doesnt, and if it does, you put up with the things you dont like.

And Vietnam definitely rings my chimes.
Vietnam raked in the worlds sixth-largest ecommerce revenue in 2018, according to online statistics portal Statista.

With 49.8 million customers on electronic shopping sites, the Southeast Asian countrys online sales revenue last year was $2.26 billion, up 29.4 percent compared to the previous year, Statista said.

The last quarter of 2018 witnessed dramatic changes that dictated the final positions of domestic ecommerce players for the entire year as the sites introduced large, long sales offers.

Shopee topped Vietnams online shop list in terms of total web visits, with 123.2 million visits.

It was followed by Tiki while Lazada came third and The Gioi Di Dong (Mobile World) and Sendo ranked fourth and fifth respectively.

The domestic companies of Tiki, The Gioi Di Dong and Sendo were amongst Southeast Asias top ten highest-traffic ecommerce sites, according to meta-search website iPrice Group and web analytics website SimilarWeb.

Large investments were poured into ecommerce service firms in Vietnam last year.

Tiki received VND122 billion ($5.2 million) from home Internet-and-technology company VNG and a reported $44 million from Chinese online retailer JD.com.

Meanwhile Sendo secured $51million from eight investors, especially Tokyo-based SBI Holdings, which represents a competitive edge in the countrys ecommerce industry, driving its 22-percent growth in 2018 and eliminating several major players.

It seemed that Vietnam had not tapped the full potential of its online shopping market as 53 percent of its population used the Internet, and nearly 50 million possessed smartphones.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
OPINION: "No, I am not and we are not 'over sensitive.' Anti-Semitism is real, hurtful and malicious. Sometimes it is subtle, sometimes flagrant. It affects more of us than anyone would want to admit," writes Rabbi Emeritus Robert Eisen.
The district wont be able to make many of these suggested cost-saving fixes right now, though, because of its existing financial strife, according to board President Mark Stegeman.

A lot of this stuff is probably never going to turn into a board item, Stegeman said.

He added that though he thinks the enrollment decline is one of TUSDs most alarming issues, hearing the task forces recommendations and findings is not an urgent concern at the moment. He said this is a presentation thats been done before without avail, in a lot of ways.

Ill be more impressed with actions to deal with specific problems weve known for years, Stegeman said. He said the board does need to pay more attention to enrollment-decline-related issues in the coming months.

In a broad sense, the board hasnt paid enough attention to enrollment loss over the years. The lack of action is  frustrating.

Board members Adelita Grijalva, Rachael Sedgwick, Kristel Foster and Leila Counts did not respond to emails for comment from the Arizona Daily Star about the Enrollment Task Force.

The board was originally scheduled to hear the task forces presentation at its Nov. 12 meeting, but it got pushed to the next regular meeting in December. Then it got pushed to the first regular meeting of the year in January, where it was again postponed. Stegeman said he assumes the item will come up again on the Jan. 31 special meeting agenda.

Contact reporter Brenna Bailey at bbailey@tucson.com or 520-573-4279 . On Twitter: @brennanonymous

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Southern Arizona Democratic lawmakers balked at President Trumps offer to give temporary legal status for dreamers in exchange for $5.7 billion in federal funding for his border wall.

Some of the strongest pushback came from the two Democrats whose congressional districts represent the roughly 370 miles of Arizona-Mexico border.

Todays compromise is the same old recycled rhetoric, lies, and backtracking that weve come to expect from Donald Trump, Rep. Raul Grijalva said. Once again, he used his presidential pulpit to falsely characterize the borderlands as dens of crime and horror while refusing to acknowledge the role his policies have played in creating the humanitarian crisis we see at the border today.

Grijalva, whose district spans from Nogales to the California border, said the man known for the Art of the Deal failed to live up to his reputation with his address Saturday, offering a half-baked solution to Congress.

Throughout his entire presidency, Trump has repeatedly demonstrated his inability to negotiate in good faith. Time and time again, hes used dreamers, TPS (Temporary Protected Status) recipients, and families seeking asylum as pawns in a sick game to get his ridiculous wall for his shrinking base, Grijalva said.
Each of the glass straws, which are made in a warehouse near Armory Park, feature detailed designs including "Tucson cares" and business logos.
A new bill that aims to eliminate gun-free zones across the state has gained significant traction in the Wyoming Legislature. Senate File 75 would give the Legislature the power to regulate firearms and override local rulings.

While measures to loosen firearms regulations certainly align with a conservative ideology, measures that aim to reduce local autonomy do not. Typically, Wyoming legislators dont like it when the federal government tells them what to do, but in this instance they are pushing their views on local governments. This seems hypocritical.

This board has historically opposed any legislation aiming to allow firearms on school campuses, including arming teachers. We have also supported the states current ruling which gives local school districts the right to choose for themselves.

Every community throughout Wyoming is different. And so how each town chooses to regulate guns in public spaces should be left up to the local leaders that local residents have elected. It shouldnt be up to our state Legislature to make sweeping changes that override local input.

The legislation wouldnt preempt private property rights  businesses would maintain authority to regulate guns as they choose. Similarly, federal government buildings and courthouses would continue to be gun-free zones.
That questionable political intrigue then sparked hot debate and dozens of amendments in the House. The bill language became so convoluted that no one really understood what the bill did. It squeaked through the House, and at the last minute of the session the Senate hastily concurred, many admitting they did not know what the amended bill really did. In the end, Governor Mead thankfully vetoed bill because it was poorly written and would have had unintended consequences. The override attempt failed, but this unnecessary legislation consumed valuable time and energy.

Last March, when the Legislative Management Council rejected crimes against critical infrastructure as an interim legislative topic, we thought that was the end of this bad legislation.

But that didnt stop the sponsors of the original bill from putting a little lipstick on the pig and calling it HB-10. The bills proponents purport to have worked out the bugs from last year, but it doesnt change the fact that this is duplicative, unnecessary legislation that threatens our most basic constitutional rights and seeks to protect the energy industry and big corporations above all else. This is not the Wyoming way.
The constitutional amendment  officially SJ9  would require bond costs be equalized across districts so that the needed mill levy does not exceed what the mill levy would be if the district had the state average per person assess valuation, according to the bill.

The proposal would also allow the Legislature to appropriate funds to relieve hardship.

Last year, Scotts bill made it out of the Senate but failed to move past the Houses Education Committee, which has for years been resistant  as is the House at large  to cuts and to shifting the system back to the pre-Campbell era.

Scott said he believed it would be difficult for the bill to go the distance this year, citing the education communitys opposition. Messages left for Brian Farmer, of the Wyoming School Board Association, and Kathy Vetter, of the Wyoming Education Association, were not immediately returned Friday.

It is a solution weve got to take seriously, and I havent seen anybody else propose a solution, the senator said. Were going to have to do something. This is a sensible and fair way to do it. The current system, when we were rolling in money, I suppose we could afford it, but it was pure pork barrel.
Wyoming works to balance world-class wildlife and world-class fossil fuel economies. Technological advances aid in this effort, as do responsible management prescriptions for development and wildlife conservation. The latest BLM plan for greater sage grouse management tips that scale, removing the certainty of long-term survivability of the bird and land management practices that conserve sage grouse habitat.

The easiest way to avoid habitat fragmentation is to simply lease and develop oil and gas outside of priority sage grouse habitat. Legally, when a lease is sold, the buyer must have intent to develop that lease. With the increased leasing in 2018 and over 1.2 million acres of sage grouse habitat slated for oil and gas leasing in the first two lease sales of 2019, the potential for a large amount of development activity is likely. Even with the Cowboy States executive order, core sage grouse habitat could easily see the 5% habitat disturbance threshold. Avoiding errors and chances for loss of sage grouse means prioritizing leasing outside of important habitat.
DeMaret Kirtley was as far from Kaycee as he'd ever been, in a South Korean city pressed between the mountains and the Sea of Japan. But as he
CHEYENNE  Wyomings new auditor must provide certain state expenditure and vendor documents within the next 30 days or become part of a lawsuit, a nonprofit group said Friday.

Adam Andrzejewski, chief executive of the group American Transparency, made the ultimatum during the first meeting of a state financial transparency group convened by Wyomings new governor.

Andrzejewski, whose website posts state and local agency spending information as a public service, has been trying to get the records since 2015 and wants to add the auditor to a lawsuit pressing for the information if she fails to fulfill the request.

Wyoming is one of the last few states that hasnt fully complied with American Transparencys requests.

The seven-person panel includes Gov. Mark Gordon and State Auditor Kristi Racines, both of whom appeared willing to cooperate with Illinois-based American Transparency, also known as openthebooks.com.

Racines said a lawsuit filed by the nonprofit and another group in July prevented her from saying much about the situation but providing the records is what I will be working on.

Gordon said he is committed to financial transparency.
When the uranium industry suffers, small communities near uranium mining operations in places like Converse County suffer.

Thats how Sen. Brian Boner, R-Douglas, views it anyway. Boner is one of the supporters of a proposal to zero out some taxes for uranium and insulate mines, and miners, in Wyoming that are being hammered by international competition. The industry has been in a low price environment for years, due to a flooded market of cheap-to-mine uranium from other countries.

Whats being proposed in House Bill 139 is that Wyoming exempt uranium from severance taxes until 2034 in a bid similar to one proposed by the uranium industry two years ago.

The measure wouldnt fully exempt uranium producers from paying the severance tax. It would create a scale for taxes depending on how much money uranium is going for on the open market.

The new normal of uranium prices  sub-$30 per pound  would be exempt. Between $30 and about $36 per pound, the severance tax would be 1 percent. Every additional $5 in value for a pound of uranium would add another percent to the severance tax until $50 per pound of U308 is reached. From then on the severance tax would be 4 percent.
After her adventures in Chicago, she returned to Lusk, where she and her family had lived for 20 years and began serving as the staff chaplain at the Wyoming Womens Center. In 2011, The Unitarian Universal Community of Casper hired her as its part-time minister.

Caps 4 Kids Jan. 23

Caps 4 Kids wishes to thank all who have donated yarn which enabled the group to knit and crochet stocking caps to warm the heads of kids of all ages. Through your generosity, over 1,200 hats were distributed to schools, the homeless, cancer victims and many other groups. Should your organization be in need of head covering, please let the group know.

Now it is time to start working on caps for this year. The group meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month at the main Senior Center, 1831 East 4th Street, starting at 12:30 p.m. The next meeting will be Wednesday, January 23. All who knit or crochet are welcome to stitch and chat for a few hours. An ample supply of yarn is available, in a multitude of colors, to use. There are also a variety of patterns available use one of your own.

Should you need additional information, please contact the Senior Center at 265-4678. They will take a message for one of the group to get in touch with you.

Red Hats lunch at Shogun
Most people enjoy travelling, but expenses are an issue for a majority among them. That makes destinations where cheap food and accommodation are available a favourite among tourists. India offers several such scenic spots where tasty cuisine and shopping options are available at a low cost.



Travelling by train to these places is the first step to save money. Avoiding luxury for the stay and meals would help reduce expenses further.

Landsdowne

It is a little-known hill station in Uttarakhand blessed with amazing scenery. There are numerous attractions in Landsdowne, including Bulla Tal lake, war memorial, Kalagarh wildlife sanctuary and long walkways.

Accommodation costing less than Rs 1000 per day is available in plenty here and shacks selling food and restaurants having a menu of moderate rates are numerous in the town.

Parvati Valley

It is a stunning valley in Himachal Pradesh that would make a visitor wonder whether heaven had not descended on earth. Parvati Valley draws travellers as it is easily accessible and offers cheap stay and food options. The biggest attraction of the place is the rural life. A number of villages dot the valley, adding to its beauty.

Trekking is available to Kheerganga, where a refreshing bath in the hot springs would energize travellers.

Snow-clad mountains and extreme cold challenge adventure seekers in Parvati Valley, while the night-long parties attract people who enjoy a good life.

Stay options are available from Rs 150, while a room with all facilities would be charged a mere Rs 500-600. Most of the restaurants in Parvati Valley serve food at moderate rates and a four-day visit would cause a total expense of around Rs 5,000.

Goa

Everyone loves Goa, which witnesses the most number of tourist arrivals in India, flaunts very beautiful beaches and parties all the time. It is also a place where one can enjoy with minimum expenses if proper planning is carried out. The smartest way to move around Goa is hiring a scooter. It is not only the easiest means of transport but also the cheapest; a days rent starts from Rs 250. The ancient cathedrals of Goa and the magic of the sea cast their spell on every traveller to the destination.

Before starting the trip to Goa, decide on the place of stay according to the budget - rooms are offered starting at Rs 500.

Restaurants like Anandasramam and Anjuna biriyani palace offer delicacies at affordable rates.

Mcleodganj

Also known as 'Little Lhasa,' Mcleodganj is located in Himachal Pradesh. Regular visitors to the place attest that it is the ideal holiday destination. It is also well-connected and has places of stay at moderate rates. A visit to any eatery in the town won't burn a hole in the pockets.

Attractions in Mcleodganj include Bhagsunag waterfall, Buddhist monasteries and an opportunity to meet Dalai Lama.

By availing the facility for Triund trekking, a night can be spent on the open hill top at Rs 500. The scenery of the hills in Mcleodganj is indescribable.

Room rates start from Rs 500 but other stay options are available from Rs 300. Good food at moderate charges is offered by restaurants like Tibetan mandala cafe, Common ground cafe, Mcleo restaurant and Green Hotel.

Pondicherry

Bicycles are the best means of transportation to enjoy the French architectural marvels in Pondicherry. By renting a bicycle, significant savings can be made.

However, accommodation and food are relatively expensive in Pondicherry, but by making intelligent choices money can be saved. Popular sights in the union territory include Arabindo Ashram and Auroville, while Le cafe and Seagulls restaurant are good eating spots.
The majority of miners who have been on strike in Romania since 11 January have agreed to go to back to work after winning wage rises, the country's energy ministry said on Thursday.

The strike has sparked fears of power shortages after one of Romania's main electricity plants began shutting down on Thursday due to insufficient coal supplies.

But workers in seven of the ten mines where wildcat strikes had been taking place "have agreed to return to work," the ministry said after negotiations.

However, unions sounded a more cautious note about the agreement, which will see workers' net salaries -- on average 500 euros -- rise by 137 euros (585 lei) a month.

The agreement also includes an annual holiday bonus of 300 euros.

"Some of the miners are disappointed because they had asked for a raise of 220 euros a month," union official Nicu Bunoaica told AFP, emphasising that the deal still had to be scrutinised by workers at each of the ten mines.

Around 7,000 miners in total have been on strike in the CEO Oltenia combine in the south of the country.

As a result, the first of three units at one of Romania's main electricity plants was shut down overnight, operator Transelectrica said in a statement.

To make up for possible shortages, Bucharest has increased electricity imports in recent days but at prices well above those of local power producers.

Prime Minister Viorica Dancila had called the situation "very serious" while Energy Minister Anton Anton said the current strike had added to existing doubts about CEO Oltenia's profitability.

"If work doesn't restart today (Thursday), it would be hard for me to say what the combine's future would be," Anton said.

CEO Oltenia generates around 30 percent of Romania's electricity needs but ran up losses of around one billion lei (213 million euros) in 2018 as coal mining becomes less profitable.

Romania, which joined the European Union in 2007, has promised Brussels it will gradually close its coal mines and turn to non-polluting sources of energy.

But in recent years, Bucharest has asked to postpone the closures in order to limit lay-offs of miners.
The advice, based on official information from the Luxembourgish government, specifically targets British nationals living in Luxembourg.

The Luxembourgish government has published information for British citizens living in Luxembourg, outlining their rights and what to expect depending on whether or not the withdrawal agreement is approved. That is, whether the UK leaves the EU with or without a deal.

Thus far this information has only been published in French (links below) but an English version will be available soon, at least of the Guichet page on the subject. In the meanwhile, the British embassy has published the below translation of key points:

Full post

You can read the full post on the British Embassy's Facebook page, where you can also contact the embassy directly with any questions. For those that do not have Facebook, the post reads as follows:

"The Luxembourg government has now published its guidance for British Nationals for our EU Exit in a deal and no deal scenario.

[translated from original text]

If the Withdrawal Agreement is approved by the UK and the EU, those covered by it will keep the same right to remain in Luxembourg as EU citizens and their family members, and will keep these rights after the end of the implementation period. The right to remain is only valid in Luxembourg.

Permanent residency is available after five years living in Luxembourg. It can only be withdrawn for reasons of public security or after five years continuous absence from Luxembourg.

Those covered by the Withdrawal Agreement will receive a new residency card before the end of the transition period, which will be issued in a phased manner. Existing residency documents remain valid until the new card is issued, and no specific demarche needs to be made to replace the existing document. Further details will be published on guichet.lu.

Nothing will change on social security rights up to the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020. Further information will be provided after this date.

Those covered by the Withdrawal Agreement and their family members will keep the same rights as EU citizens in Luxembourg in the following areas:

- Access to the Luxembourg job market, including public sector jobs

- Financial support for higher education

- Recognition of academic and professional qualifications

If the Withdrawal Agreement is not approved, British nationals living in Luxembourg on 29 March 2019 and those who arrive afterwards, will be considered as third country nationals.

This does not apply to the following categories of British nationals:

- Those who have a second nationality which is from the EU or EEA, will have the rights from their second nationality

- Those whose residency is based on their status as a diplomat, working for the EU institutions or an international organisation, for example holders of a titre de legitimation. Those people will keep their status as long as they fulfil the necessary conditions, and do not need to get a new residency card.

Residency Rights: after 29 March 2019, British nationals living in Luxembourg will need to apply for a titre de sejour as a third country national. Those British nationals already living in Luxembourg on 29 March 2019 will be able to continue using their existing residency card as proof of residence until 30 March 2020. After this date, they will need to have a third country titre de sejour and will need to apply for one before 31 December 2019. The Luxembourg government is looking to facilitate this procedure. Further information on the application procedure will be published later on guichet.lu.

British nationals arriving in Luxembourg after 29 March 2019, who wish to reside in Luxembourg, will need to follow the existing Third Country National registration procedure by applying for a residency permit before entering Luxembourg, and can only reside in Luxembourg once their application has been approved.

Social security rights for British nationals in the event of a No Deal will be governed by Luxembourgish social security legislation which covers all those working in Luxembourg regardless of nationality. Family allowances for those working in Luxembourg will be maintained provided the child(ren) live in Luxembourg.

Other rights: Access to the job market will be kept for British nationals who reside in Luxembourg and were in professional employment in Luxembourg on 29 March 2019. British nationals arriving in Luxembourg after 29 March 2019 will need a titre de sejour to work. British nationals will no longer be eligible to apply for employment by the Luxembourg state; some exceptions may be possible via Luxembourgs budget law which allows for the occasional recruitment of Third Country Nationals for state functions if needed. Those already employed by the Luxembourg state will maintain their jobs. British nationals who work in Luxembourg but live outside it can continue to do so, but will need to get a specific permit on which further detail will be made available.

British nationals seeking recognition of academic and professional qualifications will have to prove they have a residence permit.

Financial support for higher education will be limited to those British national students who have long-term residency status."
The mega Kumbh Mela, which began on January 15 and will continue till March 4, is expected to generate a revenue of Rs 1.2 lakh crore for Uttar Pradesh, says apex industry body Confederation of Indian Industry.

Although the Kumbh Mela is spiritual and religious in nature, the economic activities associated with it generate employment for over six lakh workers across various sectors, CII said in a report.

Also Read: Fiscal deficit of 3.3% is just a number, can go up to 3.55%: party colleagues, advisors comfort FM Arun Jaitley

The Uttar Pradesh government has allocated Rs 4,200 crore for the 50-day Kumbh Mela this time, which is over thrice the budget of the Maha Kumbh in 2013, making the mega pilgrimage perhaps the costliest ever.

The hospitality sector aims at employing 2,50,000 people, airlines and airports around 1,50,000 and tour operators around 45,000. The employment numbers in eco-tourism and medical tourism are being estimated at 85,000, says a CII study.

Apart from this, there will be around 55,000 new jobs in the unorganized sector comprising of tour guides, taxi drivers, interpreters, volunteers etc.

This will lead to increase in income levels for government agencies and individual traders.

Attracting a massive number of foreign tourists from various countries like Australia, UK, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, New Zealand, Mauritius, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, the Kumbh is a festival of the world.

"The 'mela' is expected to generate a revenue of Rs 1.2 lakh crore for Uttar Pradesh, the state where it is being held, while neighbouring states like Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh will also benefit from the enhanced revenue generation with a large number of national and foreign tourists expected to explore other destinations.

The Uttar Pradesh government has allocated a hefty amount of Rs 4,200 crore for the Kumbh Mela held in Allahabad, which has become the costliest pilgrimage till date.

"The UP government has allocated Rs 4,200 crore for 2019 Kumbh Mela. The previous state government had spent around Rs 1,300 crore for the Maha Kumbh, which was held in 2013," state Finance Minister Rajesh Agarwal told PTI.

The area of Kumbh Mela has also been doubled to 3,200 hectares as compared to 1,600 hectares in the previous melas.

The Kumbh is a unique and massive gathering of both rural and urban population and also has a huge dispersal factor as people travel long distances across the country.

In order to house this multitude, authorities have erected a mini-city of more than 4,000 tents. The city is being lit by installing over 40,000 LED lights, say local authorities.

Overhauling of key infrastructure is being done, including upgrading nine railways stations and construction of a new airport terminal in Allahabad.

The setting up of this new city in the huge Mela area involves 250 km of roads and 22 pontoon bridges, which will make it the largest temporary city in the world.

The Kumbh, a sacred Hindu pilgrimage, is thus expected to generate direct and indirect business activities, the fruits of which would hopefully benefit the economy not only of Uttar Pradesh but that of India as a whole, the CII document says.

The Kumbh at Sangam city Prayagraj, as Allahabad is now known, dates back to a hoary past, and was first mentioned around 2,000 years ago in accounts of the Chinese tourist Hsuan Tsang who visited India during the reign on King Harshvardhana.

Based on a complex astrological calculation, the alignment of the stars determines the time and place of the Kumbh in one of the following four river-cities: Haridwar, Prayagraj, Nasik and Ujjain.

It is the celebration of an ancient tradition of taking a dip in the holy waters originating from the confluence of the mythical Saraswati, Ganga and Yamuna rivers.

These riverside festivals and the city that springs up around them are attended by millions, making the Kumbh Mela the largest religious gathering, perhaps the oldest, and the largest temporary city in the world.

Learned seers believe that a dip in the waters would endow an individual with religious merit.

Masses of devotees gather on the riverbank to attain spiritual enlightenment, some in the belief that doing so will lead them worldly success, others simply to purify their souls.

The Kumbh Mela gets its worldwide reputation as a mega-event not only because of the sheer number of people who attend the fair but also for a widespread display of cultural traits of a nation, which is bound by ties of faith and traditions.

Around 12 crore people are expected to visit the Kumbh between now and Maha Shivratri on March 4, when the Mela will come to a close on Maha Shivratri day.

The first "Shahi Snan' (royal bath) of Kumbh on January 15 drew a record crowd of 2.25 crore devotees, said Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who has been meticulously supervising minute details personally to make the event "Divya Kumbh, Bhavya Kumbh".

Also Read: India has potential to be $5 trillion economy in 7-8 years: Suresh Prabhu
Hello everyone, it is Tuesday 22 January and the weather will be a mix of the sunny and the snowy. A bit like the fast and the furious, but bright & cold.

Meteolux has placed the whole country on yellow alert due to (very) cold temperatures between -5 and -9 degrees, these are forecast until at least 10am.

Once the morning mists have loosened their grasp the sky will remain cloudy with patchy sunshine.

Though reasonably bright, maximum temperatures will be around 0 degrees in the afternoon.

As the evening draws in, the clouds will reform with a vengeance, and light snowfall is expected in the evening and throughout the night.

Traffic checks



The police have announced four traffic checks to be carried out on Tuesday.

Two in the morning:

On the Rue Nic Welter in Mersch

On the Route d'Esch in Sanem

Two in the afternoon:

On the Route de Thionville in Alzingen

On the Haaptstrooss in Rippweiler

Have a great Monday and be careful on those icy roads!

Get your local weather forecast from our weather page.

For more information on traffic in the Grand Duchy, visit our traffic page, which includes motorway webcams.

To ensure you don't miss out on the latest Luxembourg news, consider downloading our smartphone app, available for both Android and iOS.
Coquille, OR (97420)

Today

Partly cloudy skies. Low around 50F. N winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low around 50F. N winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph.
South Carolina's leaders have pledged this is the year to address public education, with recruiting and retaining teachers at the top of the agenda for improvement.

Democrats have long complained from their minority position in the General Assembly that Republicans are not serious about education. But this year the GOP leadership in both houses and Republican Gov. Henry McMaster are out front in proposing action.

The latest report from the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement shows the scope of the problem the state has with teachers.

At the beginning of the 2018-19 school year, districts reported more teachers leaving, more vacancies and more teachers hired to fill those vacancies compared to last year. Approximately 7,300 teachers did not return to their positions for this school year -- an increase of nearly 10 percent.

Twenty-seven percent of the teachers reportedly went to teach in another S.C. public school district, leaving more than 5,300 teachers no longer teaching in any S.C. public school.
DENMARK -- Voorhees College will celebrate the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during a special all-college assembly program at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 24 in Massachusetts Hall.

This years keynote speaker will be Sen. Darrell Jackson, businessman, civil rights advocate, author, and former commissioner of Richland County School District 1.

Jackson is the founder and owner of Sunrise Enterprise of Columbia, which was founded in 1986. It is South Carolinas oldest African-American-owned public relations firm, which specializes in marketing and consulting. Additionally, he is the pastor of Bible Way Church of Atlas Road in Columbia.

He is also the author of A World of Possibilities, an inspirational book designed to unleash the power of possibility within every individual.

Jackson served as commissioner for Richland County School District 1 from 1990-1992. In November 1992, he was elected to the South Carolina Senate, becoming at the time the states youngest African-American senator ever elected. Currently, Jackson continues to serve in the South Carolina Senate (District 21), where he represents Richland County.
For the first time in its 29-year history, the South Carolina Rural Summit will be held in Orangeburg County.

Orangeburg County Council Chairman Johnnie Wright said he is happy and thrilled the summit will be hosted by the county.

"That means a lot of people are looking at Orangeburg County," Wright said. "I think we have a chance by hosting this to really show what we have, what we are doing to make a difference."

Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical Colleges Roquemore Auditorium will be the site for the summit. The summit will begin at 9 a.m. on Monday, March 4 and run through Tuesday, March 5 at 12:30 p.m.

"It is a big deal," Orangeburg County Development Commission Executive Director Gregg Robinson said.

He said Orangeburgs selection is a testament to the growth the county has seen over the past few years and how it is being proactive in tackling the issues facing our community.

"No one is perfect," he said. "We are trying to establish a game plan to address issues that make us better in smaller, bite-size pieces so we can improve and ultimately win more manufacturing projects and win more commercial, housing and retail.
Rep. James E. Clyburn, United States Congressman representing South Carolinas 6th District, will be the keynote speaker for a special Founders Day observance marking the 153rd anniversary of Trinity United Methodist Church in Orangeburg. The celebratory program and dinner will also mark the kick-off of a capital campaign in support of a major structure restoration initiative.

Trinity United Methodist Church was established in 1866. The original structure was built by freed slaves. Since then, the church has been a beacon in the Greater Orangeburg community and has been a haven and meeting place at the center of some of the regions most historic events. At the height of the civil rights movement, Trinity was host to prominent African American figures such as Roy Wilkins, Thurgood Marshall and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Trinity United Methodist Church is more than just a historic landmark for the town of Orangeburg, Senior Pastor Mack C. McClam said. Trinity is a place where many of our citizens have sought and received solace and support in almost every aspect of their lives. We are honored that Congressman Clyburn has agreed to come and address our citizens. Just as the church marks its history, it is fitting that our Congressman, himself a history maker in American politics, and an advocate for historic preservation, share his testimony as a public servant with our people.
NORTH  Mayor Patty Carson at North Town Council's Jaunary meeting reminded voters that the special election to fill the North Town Council seat vacated when Jeff Washington resigned will be held Tuesday, Jan. 29.

Polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

In other business:

Nine bicycles were donated to Dover Elementary School students at Christmas, it was announced. North Police Department Chief Lin Shirer, Lt. Curtis Mizell, Lt. Dwayne Duckson and Lt. Anita Chestnut combined their efforts to make the donation possible, it was noted.

Councilman Daniel Jackson and the members of the Christmas at the North Pole Committee were acknowledged for donating several large Christmas decorations to the town through fundraising efforts.

Jackson said the Christmas at the North Pole Committee accomplished a lot, but they were not able to have the Christmas parade or the Christmas at the North Pole Festival on Dec. 8 or the rescheduled parade re-themed for New Years Eve on Dec. 30 due to inclement weather.

We are planning to have something in the spring of this year for the vendors, he said.

The police chief reported there were 48 traffic offenses and 17 non-traffic and criminal offenses in December.

Councilwoman Deborah Cook commended the police department and the Christmas at the North Pole Committee for all of their charitable work.

Following executive session, council approved a motion to remove Bridget Pou from the town's Planning Commission due to her lack of attendance at meetings and failure to renew mandatory continuing education certification.

Contact the writer: rbaxley37@gmail.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Rhodes is the author of five novels for middle-grade children, including Ghost Boys, a New York Times bestseller and #1 Kids' Indie Best Pick. The story centers on Jerome, a black youth who is killed by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real threat. As a ghost, Jerome observes the devastation that's been unleashed on his family and community in the wake of what they see as an unjust and brutal killing. He soon meets another ghost: Emmett Till, a boy from a very different time but with similar circumstances. Together, they embark on a journey towards recognizing how historical racism may have led to the events that ended Jerome's life.
Award-winning novelist Jewell Parker Rhodes will be coming to Claflin University as part of Claflins Lyceum Series on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019.

Rhodes is the author of the middle-grade books "Ghost Boys," "Towers Falling" and the Louisiana Girls Trilogy: "Ninth Ward," "Sugar" and "Bayou Magic." Her adult fiction books include: "Voodoo Dreams," "Magic City," "Douglass Women," "Season," "Moon" and "Hurricane." Her nonfiction books include: "Free Within Ourselves: Fiction Lessons for Black Authors," "The African American Guide to Writing" and Publishing Nonfiction" and "Porch Stories: A Grandmothers Guide to Happiness."

In addition to her evening event at Claflin on Feb. 5, Rhodes will also be attending one additional event with students from the local Orangeburg community.

Dr. Belinda Wheeler, associate professor of English and member of Claflins Lyceum committee, said, We are delighted to bring Jewell to Claflin and the wider Orangeburg community this February. Jewell is a good friend of mine, and it has always been my dream to bring her to our lovely campus.

For general information about Claflins Lyceum Series, contact Dr. Peggy S. Ratliff at 803-535-5233 or email pratliff@claflin.edu.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Chief Minister K Palaniswami Saturday unveiled a start-up policy that aims to nurture 5,000 technology startups in Tamil Nadu and further strengthen infrastructure in identified thrust areas including 'Software as a Service'.

The mission aims at about 1,00,000 high skilled job creation, direct and indirect, in the startup ecosystem and will give priority to women-led startups and provide special care to differently-abled and transgenders.

Also Read: Microsoft's Project ReWeave helps handloom weavers to sell products online

As per the policy, State will set up Tamil Nadu Startup Fund of Rs 250 crore to be managed by a professional financial agency such as SIDBI and startups will get priority in allotment of plots in government-run industrial estates.

Also, a Tamil Nadu Startup Seed Grant Fund of Rs 50 crore with an allotment of Rs 5 crore in the first year is set to be created in partnership with financial institutions and universities for supporting early-stage financing requirements of startups in the form of grants.

The TNSSGF would also provide funding for Idea-to-PoC (Proof of Concept) stages which are pre-startup activities and also provide revolving fund up to a maximum of Rs 50 lakh to academic, institutional and private technology business.

Software as a Service, Information Technology, Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, agriculture, renewable energy, climate change, fintech, textile, are among the identified thrust areas where support infrastructure will be established and existing mechanisms will be strengthened.

Also Read: India has potential to be $5 trillion economy in 7-8 years: Suresh Prabhu

To promote startups, the existing labour laws and technical norms will be simplified and self-certification is to be accepted "where there are no technical regulations need to be compiled such as EPFO, ESIC, minimum wages, bonus, gratuity."

The policy aims at providing adequate incentives and resources to startups, facilitators, mentors and investors to promote startup culture in the State.

"To create, support and nurture a vibrant startup ecosystem in Tamil Nadu resulting in innovation and entrepreneurship driven employment and economic growth, facilitating creation of at least 5,000 startups including 10 global high growth startups by 2023," is the policy mission according to the government.

Palaniswami unveiled the Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Policy (2018-2023) at the Secretariat and its vision is to make the state a global innovation hub and the most preferred destination for startups by 2023.

The policy complements the Tamil Nadu Vision 2023's -unveiled by late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa-goal of attaining a GSDP growth at a sustained pace of 11 per cent per annum for the coming years.

Also Read: State Bank of India raises $1.25 billion from overseas market

As per the policy, 5000 technology startups and 10 global high growth startups developing innovative technology solution for high social impact in sectors like sanitation, food, clean energy, healthcare, and education will be encouraged.

Entrepreneurship Development and Innovation Institute, an autonomous government body will be the nodal agency to promote startups and a TN Startup and Innovation Council to be headed by the Chief Secretary will be set up to review and guide the startup mission.

Also Read: Czech Republic ready to step up Indo-Czech cooperation in defence, other sectors: PM Andrej Babis

Also Read: Trade deal could very well happen with China, says Donald Trump
The gesture is fantastic. A night of fellowship with friends will provide a brief reprieve from the worries and stress associated with not receiving a paycheck.

The need for the gesture is maddening. When you think of the individual staff members who are undergoing hardship for a senseless political fight  it makes your blood boil. The most egregious thing? The shutdown has nothing to do with Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge or its umbrella agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

It is about vanity. It is about political leverage. The employees of Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge and the Shawnee National Forest are nothing more than pawns.

Even more maddening, the issue could be resolved easily.

Both the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate have passed resolutions that would keep the government running while the sticking point  a border wall between the United States and Mexico  is negotiated. Unfortunately, the House bill, identical to the Senates, was passed by a Democratic house, so Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell wont bring it to a vote.

The House has also passed bills that would re-open areas of the government, excluding the Department of Homeland Security, but again, no action is being taken.

Viewed from a distance, these actions are mind-boggling and confounding. Viewed the context of seeing friends and colleagues suffer as the result of this political inertia  it borders on criminal.

LES WINKELER is the outdoors writer for The Southern Illinoisan. Contact him at les.winkeler@thesouthern.com, or call 618-351-5088 / On Twitter @LesWinkeler.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
As the partial government shutdown drags on, its effects are being felt acutely by some of the most vulnerable Illinoisans.

Land of Lincoln Legal Aid provides free civil legal services to low-income individuals in 65 counties in Illinois. Some of Land of Lincolns clients are federal workers who are deeply impacted by this shutdown.

For example, Ramona Wilson (not her real name) and her three kids are a family who have been assisted by us in the past and who achieved financial stability as a result, but who are at risk of homelessness if the shutdown continues. You see, Ms. Wilson works at a federal agency. She started as a seasonal contract worker and didnt earn a lot, particularly for a family of four. We helped her with a bankruptcy to prevent her limited income from being garnished by a creditor. After her bankruptcy was finished, Ms. Wilson was debt-free and hired as a full-time employee at the federal agency.

As a result, she no longer qualified for our assistance.
The Real Jackie Kennedy Her style and grace were legendary, and her image came to define the 1960s. She captured the hearts of world leaders, fashion icons and people all over the planet, who knew her as Jackie Kennedy, Jacqueline Onassis, or simply Jackie O. But who was the real Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis? Take our quiz and find out. Take The Quiz 
The area known as Egypt is so different from the rest of the state that I eventually published a book highlighting that fact, The State of Southern Illinois: An Illustrated History, published by the SIU Press in 2012. While researching that book and the fluorspar mines in southeastern Illinois, I noticed that the mines and miners were usually represented by only one photothat of an underground drilling machine and an operator with his back to the reader.

I felt it was time for a more detailed pictorial record of this industry that had flourished on both sides of the Ohio River from the mid-1880s to 1995.

2. Where was fluorspar mined in this region? How is/was it used?

Fluorspar was mined principally in the Illinois counties of Hardin and Pope and in the Kentucky counties of Crittenden and Livingston. All four counties front on the Ohio River, which provided an inexpensive means to transport the mineral to market. The explorer Henry Rowe Schoolcraft may have been the first to spot Illinois fluorspar outcrops near Cave in Rock in 1818 on a trip down the Ohio. The Kentucky industry dates to 1835-1836 when President Andrew Jackson became co-owner of a mine a few miles south of the Ohio in Kentucky. Jackson was hoping to find silver or galena, the mineral whose processing yields lead for bullets.
Robert Keith has been appointed to fill a vacancy on the Pinckneyville Community Hospital board.

Keith will be filling the seat left open by Dave Pirsein, who resigned after 15 years of service to the Pinckneyville Community Hospital District.

We are glad to have Bob join our Board, Randall W. Dauby, CEO of Pinckneyville Community Hospital, said in a news release. His financial background and past work experiences will be a valuable asset for the District.

Keith, who is currently the vice president and CFO at First National Bank in Pinckneyville, said he looks forward to serving with the men and women, many of which whom I personally know and admire, on the Board.

Keith is a lifelong resident of Pinckneyville. He and his wife, Gayle, have two sons and six grandchildren.

 The Southern

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The following companies are subsidiares of The Procter & Gamble: "Procter & Gamble Services" LLC, "Procter & Gamble" LLC, Agile Pursuits, Agile Pursuits Franchising, Arbora, Arbora & Ausonia, Arborinvest, Billie, Braun (Shanghai) Co., Braun GmbH, Braun-Gillette Immobilien GmbH & Co. KG, Celtic Insurance Company, Compania Procter & Gamble Mexico, Compania Quimica S.A., Corporativo Procter & Gamble, Cosmetic Products Pty. Ltd., Detergent Products B.V., Detergent Products SARL, Detergenti S.A., Eurocos Cosmetic GmbH, FPG Oleochemicals Sdn. Bhd., Fameccanica Data S.p.A., Fameccanica Industria e Comercio Do Brasil LTDA., Fameccanica Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Fater S.p.A., Fountain Square Music Publishing Co., Gillette (China) Ltd., Gillette (Shanghai) Ltd., Gillette Aesop Ltd., Gillette Australia Pty. Ltd., Gillette Canada Holdings, Gillette Commercial Operations North America, Gillette Diversified Operations Pvt. Ltd., Gillette Egypt S.A.E., Gillette Group UK Ltd, Gillette Gruppe Deutschland GmbH & Co. oHG, Gillette Holding Company LLC, Gillette Holding GmbH, Gillette India Limited, Gillette Industries Ltd., Gillette International B.V., Gillette Latin America Holding B.V., Gillette Management LLC, Gillette Nova Scotia Company, Gillette Pakistan Limited, Gillette Poland International Sp. z.o.o., Gillette Poland S.A., Gillette U.K. Limited, Gillette del Uruguay, Giorgio Beverly Hills Inc., Hyginett KFT, Industries Marocaines Modernes SA, LLC "Procter & Gamble Novomoskovsk", LLL "Procter & Gamble Distributorskaya Compania", Laboratorios Vicks, Liberty Street Music Publishing Company, Limited Liability Company 'Procter & Gamble Trading Ukraine', Limited Liability Company with foreign investments Procter & and Gamble Ukraine, MDVIP, MERCK KGAA NPV, Marcvenca Inversiones, Modern Industries Company - Dammam, Modern Products Company - Jeddah, New Chapter, New Chapter Canada Inc., Olay LLC, Oral-B Laboratories, P&G Distribution Morocco SAS, P&G Hair Care Holding, P&G Industrial Peru S.R.L., P&G Innovation Godo Kaisha, P&G Israel M.D.O. Ltd., P&G K.K., P&G Northeast Asia Pte. Ltd., P&G Prestige Godo Kaisha, P&G Prestige Service GmbH, P&G South African Trading (Pty.) Ltd., PGT Health Care (Zhejiang) Limited, PGT Healthcare LLP, PPI ZAO, PT Procter & Gamble Home Products Indonesia, PT Procter & Gamble Operations Indonesia, Phase II Holdings Corporation, Procter & Gamble (Chengdu) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (China) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (China) Sales Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble (East Africa) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Egypt) Manufacturing Company, Procter & Gamble (Enterprise Fund) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Consumer Products Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Enterprise Management Service Company Limited, Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Health & Beauty Care) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Jiangsu) Ltd. China, Procter & Gamble (L&CP) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Procter & Gamble (Manufacturing) Ireland Limited, Procter & Gamble (Shanghai) International Trade Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Acquisition GmbH, Procter & Gamble Administration GmbH, Procter & Gamble Algeria EURL, Procter & Gamble Amazon Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Amiens S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Argentina SRL, Procter & Gamble Asia Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Australia Proprietary Limited, Procter & Gamble Azerbaijan Services LLC, Procter & Gamble Bangladesh Private Ltd., Procter & Gamble Blois S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Brazil Holdings B.V., Procter & Gamble Bulgaria EOOD, Procter & Gamble Business Services Canada Company, Procter & Gamble Canada Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Chile , Procter & Gamble Chile Limitada, Procter & Gamble Colombia Ltda., Procter & Gamble Commercial LLC, Procter & Gamble Commercial de Cuba S.A., Procter & Gamble Czech Republic s.r.o., Procter & Gamble DS Polska Sp. z o.o., Procter & Gamble Danmark ApS, Procter & Gamble Detergent (Beijing) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Deuttschland GmbH, Procter & Gamble Distributing (Philippines) Inc., Procter & Gamble Distributing New Zealand Limited, Procter & Gamble Distribution Company (Europe) BVBA, Procter & Gamble Distribution S.R.L., Procter & Gamble Eastern Europe, Procter & Gamble Ecuador Cia. 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. KG, Procter & Gamble Gulf FZE, Procter & Gamble Hair Care, Procter & Gamble Hellas Ltd., Procter & Gamble Holding (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Holding France S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Holding GmbH, Procter & Gamble Holding S.r.l., Procter & Gamble Holdings (UK) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Home Products Private Limited, Procter & Gamble Hong Kong Limited, Procter & Gamble Hungary Wholesale Trading Partnership (KKT), Procter & Gamble Hygiene & Health Care Limited, Procter & Gamble Inc., Procter & Gamble India Holdings, Procter & Gamble Indochina Limited Company, Procter & Gamble Industrial - 2012 C.A., Procter & Gamble Industrial Colombia Ltda., Procter & Gamble Industrial S.C.A., Procter & Gamble Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Costa Rica, Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Guatemala, Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Panama, Procter & Gamble International Operations Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble International Operations SA, Procter & Gamble International Operations SA-ROHQ, Procter & Gamble International S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Investment Company (UK) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Investment GmbH, Procter & Gamble Italia, Procter & Gamble Japan K.K., Procter & Gamble Kazakhstan Distribution LLP, Procter & Gamble Kazakhstan LLP, Procter & Gamble Korea, Procter & Gamble Korea S&D Co., Procter & Gamble Lanka Private Ltd. Sri Lanka, Procter & Gamble Leasing LLC, Procter & Gamble Levant S.A.L., Procter & Gamble Limited, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Belgium N.V., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Berlin GmbH, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing GmbH, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing SA (Pty) Ltd, Procter & Gamble Marketing Romania SRL, Procter & Gamble Marketing and Services doo, Procter & Gamble Maroc SA, Procter & Gamble Mataro, Procter & Gamble Mexico Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Mexico Inc., Procter & Gamble Middle East FZE, Procter & Gamble Nederland B.V., Procter & Gamble Netherlands Investments B.V., Procter & Gamble Netherlands Services B.V., Procter & Gamble Nigeria Limited, Procter & Gamble Nordic, Procter & Gamble Norge AS, Procter & Gamble Operations Polska Sp. z o.o., Procter & Gamble Overseas India B.V., Procter & Gamble Overseas Ltd., Procter & Gamble Pakistan (Private) Limited, Procter & Gamble Partnership LLP, Procter & Gamble Peru S.R.L., Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals France SAS, Procter & Gamble Philippines, Procter & Gamble Polska Sp. z o.o, Procter & Gamble Portugal - Produtos De Consumo, Procter & Gamble Product Supply (U.K.) Limited U.K., Procter & Gamble Production GmbH, Procter & Gamble Productions, Procter & Gamble Productos de Consumo, Procter & Gamble RHD, Procter & Gamble RSC Regional Service Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble Retail Services BVBA, Procter & Gamble S.r.l., Procter & Gamble SA (Pty) Ltd, Procter & Gamble Satis ve Dagitim Ltd. Sti., Procter & Gamble Seine S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Service GmbH, Procter & Gamble Services (Switzerland) SA, Procter & Gamble Services Company N.V., Procter & Gamble Services Ltd., Procter & Gamble Share Incentive Plan Trustee Ltd., Procter & Gamble South America Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Spol. s.r.o. (Ltd.), Procter & Gamble Sports and Social Club Ltd., Procter & Gamble Sverige AB, Procter & Gamble Switzerland SARL, Procter & Gamble Taiwan Limited, Procter & Gamble Taiwan Sales Company Limited, Procter & Gamble Technical Centres Limited, Procter & Gamble Technology (Beijing) Co., Procter & Gamble Trading (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Tuketim Mallari Sanayii A.S., Procter & Gamble UK, Procter & Gamble UK Group Holdings Ltd, Procter & Gamble UK Parent Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble Universal Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Verwaltungs GmbH, Procter & Gamble Vietnam, Procter & Gamble d.o.o. za trgovinu, Procter & Gamble de Venezuela S.C.A., Procter & Gamble de Venezuela S.R.L., Procter & Gamble do Brasil S/A, Procter & Gamble do Brazil, Procter & Gamble do Nordeste S/A, Procter & Gamble-Rakona s.r.o., Progam Realty & Development Corporation, Redmond Products, Richardson-Vicks Real Estate Inc., Richardson-Vicks do Brasil Quimica e Farmaceutica Ltda, Riverfront Music Publishing Co., Rosemount LLC, SPD Development Company Limited, SPD Swiss Precision Diagnostics GmbH, Scannon S.A.S., Series Acquisition B.V., Shulton, Surfac S.R.L., Sycamore Productions, TAOS - FL, TAOS Retail, Tambrands Inc., Temple Trees Impex & Investment Private Limited, The Art of Shaving - FL, The Dover Wipes Company, The Gillette Company, The Gillette Company LLC, The Gillette co., The Procter & Gamble Distributing LLC, The Procter & Gamble GBS Company, The Procter & Gamble Global Finance Company, The Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Company, The Procter & Gamble Paper Products Company, The Procter & Gamble U.S. Business Services Company, This is L., US CD LLC, Vidal Sassoon (Shanghai) Academy, Vidal Sassoon Co., WEBA Betriebsrenten-Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Walker & Company Brands, and iMFLUX Inc..
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor on Sunday, taking a step forward to boost indigenous production of defence equipment.

Total investments worth over Rs 3,038 crore in this defence corridor were announced during the inauguration. A majority of the investments would come from PSUs as Ordnance Factory Board, Bharat Electronics Limited and Bharat Dynamics Limited committed to invest Rs 2,305 crore, Rs 140.5 crore and Rs 150 crore, respectively.

Private companies TVS, Data Patterns and Alpha Designs would make investments of Rs 50 crore, Rs 75 crore and Rs 100 crore, respectively.

Lockheed Martin, one of the global security giants, also announced its intention to invest in the corridor.

The Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor also called the Tamil Nadu Defence Production Quad as the nodal cities form a quadrilateral with one of them at the centre includes Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Coimbatore and Tiruchirappalli as nodes.

"The response from the local industry to this defence corridor has been amazing. They even wanted to extend this corridor up to Palakkad but we had to tell them that it would currently consist of these five nodes (cities) only," Sitharaman said.

The minister said development of these defence corridors will facilitate a well-planned and efficient industrial base that will lead to increased defence production in the country.

The idea behind setting up defence industrial corridors is to ensure connectivity among various defence industrial units.

The five nodal cities have existing defence ecosystem in the form of ordnance factory boards, vendors working with defence PSUs, and other allied industries.

The Sunday meeting in Tiruchirappalli was attended by over 500 industry representatives. Several ministers and senior officials of the Tamil Nadu government, senior Defence Ministry officials and executives from defence PSUs were present at the event.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, in his Budget speech on February 2 last year, had announced that two defence industrial production corridors will be set up in the country to promote domestic industry base.

The government has envisaged building corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

On August 11 last year, the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor was launched at Aligarh with announced investments of Rs 3,732 crore.

ALSO READ:Sun Pharma tax management issue: All eyes on SEBI's decision that could impact India Inc at large

ALSO READ:FPIs pull out Rs 4,000 crore in January with focus on Budget 2019, General Elections
Bancolombia S. A. provides various banking products and services to individual and corporate customers in Colombia, Panama, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. The company operates through nine segments: Banking Colombia, Banking Panama, Banking El Salvador, Banking Guatemala, Trust, Investment Banking, Brokerage, International Banking, and All Other. It offers checking and savings accounts, fixed term deposits, and investment products; trade financing, loans funded by domestic development banks, working capital loans, credit cards, personal and vehicle loans, payroll loans, and overdrafts; financial support to real estate developers and mortgages for individuals and companies; and financial and operating leasing services. The company also provides hedging instruments, including futures, forwards, options, and swaps; and brokerage, investment advisory, and private banking services, including selling and distributing equities, futures, foreign currencies, fixed income securities, mutual funds, and structured products. In addition, it offers cash management services; foreign currency transaction services; life, auto, commercial, and homeowner's insurance products; and online and computer banking services. Further, the company provides investment banking services comprising project and acquisition finance, debt and equity capital markets, principal investments, M&A, restructurings, and structured financing; money market accounts, mutual and pension funds, private equity funds, payment trust, custody, and corporate trust; and digital banking platform, transportation, securities brokerage, maintenance and remodeling, advertising and marketing, and outsourcing services, as well as credit cards. As of December 31, 2020, it operated 1,057 branches; 18,631 banking correspondents; 535 PAMs; 215 kiosks in El Salvador and 137 in Colombia; and 6,124 automatic teller machines. Bancolombia S.A. was incorporated in 1945 and is headquartered in MedellAn, Colombia.

Read More
Wall Street analysts have given iShares MSCI Sweden ETF a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but iShares MSCI Sweden ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
15 hours ago

| June 17th | 2021 8:38 AM

Does Nike (NYSE: NKE) Have What It Takes To Get Back Running Again

For a company whose shares powered to new highs on what felt like a daily basis for much of last year, Nike (NYSE: NKE) has surprised many with its sluggish performance in the first half of 2021. Their shares are trading down more than 10% from the most recent all time high that they tagged at the end of December. In the grand scheme of things, this
 American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved.

326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at [email protected] | (844) 978-6257

MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security.



Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information



 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. As a bonus to opt-ing into our email newsletters, you will also get a free subscription to the Liberty Through Wealth e-newsletter. You can opt out at any time.
South Hills (15301)

Today

Cloudy. A stray severe thunderstorm is possible. High 83F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. Low 67F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Morocco thwarted 89,000 illegal migration attempts to Europe in 2018 as the country became the main gate for migrants willing to risk their lives in the Mediterranean sea to reach Europe, the National Observatory for Migration said.

The North African country, a migrants destination itself, became a main gate for Europe after Italy pushed for tighter control of embarkations from Libya and after the closure of the Balkan route with the EU-Turkey deal.

Eighty percent of the illegal migrants stopped by Morocco were foreigners while 229 trafficking networks were busted last year, the Observatory, an offshoot of the Interior ministry, said in a report.

During the same year, Morocco rescued 29,715 irregular migrants at sea while 5,608 chose to voluntary return to their home countries, the report said.

Morocco has already received 30 million from the EU, which said it will transfer this year another 110 million to help the North African country tackle illegal migration.

According to figures released by the International Organization for Migration, 111,558 migrants crossed the Mediterranean last year. About 50 percent of them made their way through the west.

Last year, over 2,242 irregular migrants died on migratory routes in the Mediterranean, including 769 using the western Mediterranean route, the IOM said.
Chase will turn off these fees for you and refund any fees youve already been charged, she said.

The support were offering mirrors what we do for victims of hurricanes, wildfires and other situations that put our customers in need of some relief and leeway from us, she said.

The bank is asking customers with a loan who are impacted by the shutdown to also call the hotline.

Since we dont know who these particular customers are, they would need to call us to get this kind of assistance, she added.

Wexler said the phone lines are staffed by people focused just on this, who can help our customers avoid harm that might come from missing their paycheck.

As an example, if you have a mortgage with Chase, specialists working the lines are empowered to do things such as let you miss your mortgage payment until you get paid. They can also waive or refund any late fees and suppress reporting to the credit bureaus.
WASHINGTON  It was William P. Barrs confirmation hearing. But it was Robert S. Mueller IIIs affirmation hearing.

President Trump had nominated Barr to be his new attorney general to shield him from Muellers hoax of a rigged witch hunt. But Barr spent much of his seven-hour confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday lavishing praise on his future boss tormentor. And Republicans, for the most part, didnt defend Trump  and occasionally joined in the Mueller veneration.

None of this guarantees that Mueller will be able to complete his work unhindered, or that Americans will ever know what work he did. Ominously, Barr, while promising as much transparency as I can consistent with the law, suggested he might try to bury the special counsels report by treating it as confidential and releasing only certain information himself.

Still, Muellers de facto affirmation hearing should be of concern to Trump as the president tries to discredit whatever the special prosecutor comes up with in the coming weeks or months. Just about everybody but Trump regards Mueller as an upstanding man doing honest work. Even Trumps potential new attorney general.
Luxmores monthly rent for the Lake City apartment is $1,395, according to court records. Her Section 8 voucher, issued by the Seattle Housing Authority, covers all of that but $2, which Luxmore must pay, in addition to utilities.

She said she wrote a money order for both charges for December and doesnt know why it was not received.

Apartment property manager Ballard Realty Inc. issued a notice to Luxmore on Dec. 12, warning her she had three days to pay the $2 or else vacate; the filing also said she owed $100 in utility bills. Luxmore said the notice was posted on the door of her neighbor, who she said was out of town at the time.

The property manager, on behalf of the apartment owner, then filed a complaint for unlawful detainer against Luxmore on Dec. 28, putting the eviction proceedings in motion.

Luxmore has since paid the $4 owed in rent for December and January, according to her attorney. But because she did not pay within three days of the initial notice, the company is legally within its right to pursue eviction.
A Portland man who was detained and released by police in 2017 after driving through a crowd of people opposing a right-wing groups rally in Vancouver faces charges in the case.

A review hearing was held Tuesday in the case against Billy Wilson, 33. Wilson is accused of reckless driving and reckless endangering in Clark County District Court, Washington court records show.

The Clark County Prosecuting Attorneys Office filed charges against Wilson in February 2018, five months after he allegedly drove into a crowd of people opposing a Patriot Prayer protest.

He wasnt arrested at the scene. Vancouver police said in 2017 that officers didnt have enough evidence to arrest him. The prosecuting attorneys office later reviewed the case and pursued charges. A trial date hasnt yet been set.

The 2017 altercation came after two Patriot Prayer rallies, one in Vancouver and another in downtown Portland, that both drew counter-protests. Two people were arrested in Vancouver in incidents unrelated to the pickup, and seven people were arrested in Portland.
Holly Pruett founded the Death Talk Project and PDX Death Cafe. She was inspired by the experience she had following the death of her father. He asked that she not host a funeral, leaving her to decide how best to memorialize his death. It made her realize, she said, few people have meaningful conversations around whats become a very taboo subject.

This is really part of our birthright as humans that we experience death; that we experience each others deaths, she said. Its something we should and can talk about  our questions, our fears, our longings, all these things as they relate to our dying or death.

Theres no set agenda or required topics, and no ones going to try to sell you the hottest new technology in coffin-making. Death Cafes international website describes the gatherings simply as somewhere to drink tea, eat cake and discuss death.

Lori Stevens, one of the co-chairs of PDX Death Cafe and a Vancouver resident, said the goal is to give people a safe, nurturing and, sometimes, humorous space to talk about death. Ironically, Stevens notes shes never felt more alive than she does after leaving a Death Cafe. People have a way of bringing warmth and a sense of humor to difficult conversations.
His reason for marching: My mom, my mother-in-law, my wife, my sister. Supporting them and supporting women.

The Womens March began as a worldwide protest the day after Trumps inauguration in 2017. It was the largest single-day protest in U.S. history, according to estimates by political scientists at the Universities of Connecticut and Denver, and in the two years since the movement has focused on advocacy for legislative change on issues like reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights and healthcare reform. Longviews march this year and last year was organized by Lower Columbia Indivisibles, the local branch of an anti-Trump movement started in 2016, along with the Cowlitz County Democratic Women and the Cowlitz County Democrats.

The national Womens March Inc. movement has faced controversy over its founders associations with Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam who has been criticized for making racist, homophobic, and anti-Semitic statements. The National Womens March has denounced those views, and many local and statewide marches have separated from the national movement in response to this controversy.

Rutherford said the Longview march isnt associated with the national march, and she hasnt made the controversies of the national group a part of the Lower Columbia Indivisibles march.

For us, we havent gotten involved with that, Rutherford said. Thats not one of our sticking points at all. I cant tell you anything about what goes on back east, because Im concerned about what goes on in my community.  Im of an age where Ive seen and done a lot. I know theres a lot more to do to empower women.

Love 12 Funny 11 Wow 1 Sad 2 Angry 3

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Rich Wood, spokesperson for the state teachers union, said educators support dropping the bond threshold. For them, it means eliminating the barriers districts face when improving school safety, he said.

Its an outdated requirement when we look at the needs students have today.  We need to have safe, modernized school facilities and school buildings for our students, Wood said. If the ceiling is caving in on them and its moldy or wet or cold  then thats a problem. Students need to be safe so they can focus on learning.

Zorn shared a similar sentiment, noting that the district has a responsibility to take care of what we have, in terms of buildings.

To fill those needs, we have that bond option. And if we are able to get those passed, then we are able to provide much better facilities for our kids, Zorn said.

Earning two-thirds support of the House and the Senate is a pretty high bar, and previous bills like this have failed to meet, Takko said. But he has greater hope this year that the amendment might pass because the proposal has won support across the aisle.

I was told there is Republican support, which is usually where the lack of support was (before), Takko said.

Middle ground
July 23, 1915  Jan. 16, 2019

Virgie Hurst lreland, long-time resident of Longview, transitioned peacefully Jan. 16, 2019, at the age of 103.

She was born July 23, 1915, on a homestead near American Falls, Idaho, to Selena Blanche (Holt) and Henry Lee Hurst. Her parents, hearing of the planned city of Longview, moved here in 1923.

Mrs. Ireland graduated from R.A. Long High School in 1933, the first class to graduate students attending five years in the new school as the eighth grade was moved from Kessler to the high school.

She was an usherette at the Columbia Theatre during her high school years, witnessing the change over from silent films to the talkies. She remembered the night the Columbia Theatre sign changed to all neon lighting.

During the war years she was employed at the Umatilla Ordnance Depot working on the busiest switchboard in the state of Oregon at that time.

She was employed as credit manager at the Columbia River Mercantile and assistant to the chief accountant, Burnell Carnine of the PUD. She then became credit manager and bookkeeper of McCall-McDonald, Mobil Oil distributors, until her retirement in 1971.
The Plano Police Department's 2018 Racial Profiling report shows consistency and equality among all drivers of all races and ethnicities.
You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
From the Corps to the core: Former Marine bringing Pilates to the masses
A slew of North America harness track were forced to cancel their cards of live racing on Saturday (Jan. 19) due to winter conditions.

A list of releases from the tracks that cancelled appears below.

 Woodbine Mohawk Park

 Yonkers Raceway

 Northfield Park

 Miami Valley Raceway
Maritime sensation Sock It Away will make his 2019 debut later this month, with a new trainer and at a new location after being sent to the U.S. to race as an older horse.

Sock It Away was a neck away from a perfect 21-for-21 sophomore season, winning 20 races in 2018 -- more than any other three-year-old in harness racing last year regardless of gait or gender. Now four, the gelded son of Pang Shui - Someone Like You will tackle tougher competition on the U.S. eastern seaboard for owner Reg MacPherson, who contemplated a number of options for his prized pupil but decided that Yonkers Raceway would be the right fit.

"The money is pretty good down at Yonkers and the competition for him in Ontario would be fairly stiff because of the money he has on his card," MacPherson told Trot Insider. "He likes the half-mile track, he proved that. That track should suit him."

MacPherson also feels that trainer Andrew Harris will be a good fit for Sock It Away, and has entrusted the Canadian expat with the conditioning duties.

"I have a friend in Toronto that recommended Andrew," MacPherson continued. "From what I can gather, he seems to be a pretty good guy; I've talked to him on the phone a handful of times, and he's very interested in the horse.

"When I phoned Andrew about this horse he said 'I know a little about that horse, yeah'..and after we hung up, I guess he did a little research on him and then phoned [Sock It Away's regular driver] Marc Campbell, a friend of his. The question he asked Marc was 'what's this horse like?' and Marc said 'he's one of the best horses I ever drove'. So that's when Andrew got really interested in him."

Sock It Away arrived in New Jersey on Friday, allowing Harris to finally obtain some hands-on familiarity with the latest addition to his stable based out of Allentown's White Birch Farm.

"Hes a gorgeous well built animal," reported Harris. "Its an interesting case because he will start at the lowest class at Yonkers, so has a real shot to build momentum."

Momentum is something MacPherson, a retired trucking company owner-operator, knows might not be as easy for Sock It Away to find as he did during his sophomore season where he banked $85,190 and took a mark of 1:54 at Charlottetown.

"I know sending him away he's going to have good competition," said MacPherson. "Talking to Andrew, he said he should do well down there...You hate to see him go but at the same time you don't keep him around here to look at him. It will be interesting."

Most of Maritime harness racing will be interested in seeing how Sock It Away fares stateside. For some, it might also be a welcome break as a horse that not only knocked off both stakes and open rivals last year is no longer a threat...at least, for the time being.

"We'll wait and see," replied MacPherson when asked if Sock It Away would be returning to the Island. "We know at some point if he stays healthy and we still own him, we'd definitely like to see him come back here. It might not be this year, who knows. We'll see how he does, lots of things can happen."

While lots of things can happen, one thing MacPherson can literally count on is Sock It Away winning some form of hardware at this year's PEISHOA Awards Banquet. Sock It Away could give MacPherson his third Maritime Horse of the Year trophy this decade after winning previously with Saulsbrook Alana (2013) and Dixieland Band (2016). Both of those champions were also developed by MacPherson's longtime partner in racing, trainer Kevin MacLean.

"He's good around horses. He's an old-fashioned trainer, he's had horses all his life and he's done well with them, We've had good success."

If all goes well, MacPherson expects to see Sock It Away racing at Yonkers by the end of the month.

"We didn't quit jogging him, we jogged him every day and so Andrew suggested we give him a training mile down here, so on our own track Wednesday or Thursday, he gets there Friday [yesterday], and if everything goes well he'll train him again Tuesday and race him a week from Monday. But we'll leave it up to him.

"He's a nice colt and I'm lucky to have him."
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.




Robert Gilpin, R.I.P. - The Washington Post : His greatest book was written in 1981, but the main theory in it is perhaps more trenchant now...
At a time when he is facing increased pressure from the longest government shutdown in history, President Donald Trump tapped into one of his favorite tools in his trollbox early Sunday morning: mocking the concept of global warming because its cold out. Be careful and try staying in your house, Trump wrote on Twitter Sunday morning. Large parts of the Country are suffering from tremendous amounts of snow and near record setting cold. Amazing how big this system is. Wouldnt be bad to have a little of that good old fashioned Global Warming right now!

Advertisement

Be careful and try staying in your house. Large parts of the Country are suffering from tremendous amounts of snow and near record setting cold. Amazing how big this system is. Wouldnt be bad to have a little of that good old fashioned Global Warming right now!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2019

Advertisement

Advertisement

This is hardly the first time the president cast doubt on the existence of global warming due to the weather. In late November, he suggested record cold weather meant global warming isnt real. Brutal and Extended Cold Blast could shatter ALL RECORDS, he wrote. Whatever happened to Global Warming?

Advertisement

Brutal and Extended Cold Blast could shatter ALL RECORDS - Whatever happened to Global Warming?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2018

He had made a similar statement in late 2017, saying that perhaps we could use a little bit of that good old Global Warming because it could be the COLDEST New Years Eve on record.

Advertisement

In the East, it could be the COLDEST New Years Eve on record. Perhaps we could use a little bit of that good old Global Warming that our Country, but not other countries, was going to pay TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS to protect against. Bundle up!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 29, 2017

The president has a long history of denying climate change and it seems that access to the best scientific minds in the country hasnt managed to change that. Before becoming president he once claimed global warming was created by and for the Chinese to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive. He later said that was a joke.

Advertisement

The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 6, 2012

In an interview with 60 Minutes, Trump said he didnt think climate change is a hoax but did say he wasnt sure it was manmade. I think somethings happening. Somethings changing and itll change back again, he said. I dont think its a hoax. I think theres probably a difference. But I dont know that its manmade. I will say this: I dont want to give trillions and trillions of dollars. I dont want to lose millions and millions of jobs.

Advertisement

Advertisement

. @LesleyRStahl : Do you still think that climate change is a hoax?



Pres. Trump: Look, I think somethings happening, somethings changing, and itll change back againhttps://t.co/EVT05KB0UY. @60Minutes pic.twitter.com/VbHTsJDGfn  CBS News (@CBSNews) October 15, 2018

If Trump actually cared about the difference between weather and climate he could peruse NASAs website that has a page dedicated to explaining just that issue. The Union of Concerned Scientists also has a page explaining why cold weather doesnt mean global warming isnt real: Even though the planet is getting warmer, cold weather still happens in winter or at very high elevations or high latitudes year-round. Northern hemisphere winter weather patterns are a complex interplay between the upper atmosphere conditions over polar regions and mid-latitude conditions over the oceans and on land.
Nathan Phillips, the Native American elder who was mocked and harassed by teenagers wearing Make America Great Again hats in Washington on Friday, says the whole thing started when he tried to defuse an escalating argument. Phillips told the Detroit Free Press the teenagers, who appear to be from Covington Catholic High School, got upset by four people who were with a group known as the Black Hebrew Israelites. The group of Catholic students kept growing and they made the displeasure at what they were hearing, which, at least according to videos posted online, included some disgusting homophobic rhetoric, very evident.

Advertisement

They were in the process of attacking these four black individuals, Phillips told the Detroit Free Press. I was there and I was witnessing all of this  As this kept on going on and escalating, it just got to a point where you do something or you walk away, you know? You see something that is wrong and youre faced with that choice of right or wrong. Phillips acknowledges some of the members of the Black Hebrew Israelites group were also saying some harsh things and one even spit in the direction of the students. So I put myself in between that, between a rock and hard place, he said.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Phillips said he quickly realized the situation was much more tense than he had anticipated. There was that moment when I realized Ive put myself between beast and prey, Phillips said. These young men were beastly and these old black individuals was their prey, and I stood in between them and so they needed their pounds of flesh and they were looking at me for that.

Advertisement

Speaking to the Washington Post, Phillips said he realized he needed to get out. It was getting ugly, and I was thinking: Ive got to find myself an exit out of this situation and finish my song at the Lincoln Memorial, Phillips said. I started going that way, and that guy in the hat stood in my way, and we were at an impasse. He just blocked my way and wouldnt allow me to retreat.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Phillips spoke as some tried to change the narrative, sharing longer videos of the incident to somehow say that Phillips elder was deliberately trying to provoke the teenagers. In an email to a local network, a student says they were simply cheering to pass time while they were waiting for their ride. In the midst of our cheers, we were approached by a group of adults led by Nathan Phillips with Phillips beating his drum, the student wrote. They forced their way into the center of our group. We initially thought this was a cultural display since he was beating along to our cheers and so we clapped to the beat. The student also improbably claims that the white student who stood in front of Phillips with a smug look on his face was simply standing where he was, smiling and enjoying the experience. A mother of one of the students reportedly wrote an email to Heavy.com, saying they had been harassed by black Muslims.

Advertisement

Covington Catholic student bothering elder man yet here is evidence of the man approaching them during their school cheer not disturbing anyone. Doesnt make sense pic.twitter.com/SRYRJOIoKf  Maria Judy (@mariajudy_) January 19, 2019

Advertisement
A video clip of a white teenager harassing a Native American elder instantly became one of the most viscerally enraging images of an era that has offered no shortage of them.

In the clip, captured after the Indigenous Peoples March in Washington on Friday, an elderly Native American man beats a drum and quietly sings, and a small group of activists and allies can be seen in the crowd behind him.* Perhaps 18 inches in front of him, a white teenager in a Make America Great Again hat makes eye contact and smirks. A much larger crowd of teenagersmostly male, mostly white, many wearing MAGA hatshoots with delight at the wordless confrontation. The encounter was captured from multiple angles and circulated widely on YouTube and social media, generating widespread disgust.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The elder is Nathan Phillips, a former Marine Corps Reserve member who holds an annual ceremony honoring Native veterans at Arlington National Cemetery.* The boy has yet to be identified, but he was visiting Washington with a group from Covington Catholic High School, an all-boys college preparatory school in northern Kentucky. The group was in Washington to attend the March for Life, an annual anti-abortion rally that attracts tens of thousands of demonstrators, including many groups of young people from churches and private schools. The events stated ideal is a world where the beauty and dignity of every human life are valued and protected. (The Diocese of Covington and Covington Catholic High School issued a statement on Saturday apologizing to Phillips and Native Americans in general, and said it is investigating punishments that may include expulsion.)

Advertisement

The encounter between the teenager and the older man didnt end in violence. They apparently didnt even exchange words. Why, then, did this unexploded grenade of a moment read as so fundamentally disturbingand spread so quickly? Theres the ahistorical idiocy of wearing a Make America Great Again hat while harassing a veteran, of course. Theres the physical contrast between the young white punk and the Native elder, and between the teens cruelty and Phillips calm. And theres the crowd of hooting MAGA teens ringing the central conflict, bouncing along to the drumbeat with a mix of giddiness and scorn. (In a video posted to Instagram, a teary Phillips said he heard them chanting build that wall.) Cameras are everywhere in the crowd. The boys know theyre being recordedsome of them are even seen capturing the moment themselvesbut either their homosocial glee is too orgiastic to be dampened by the instinct for self-protection, or they dont think anyone who matters to them will care. (And yes: Where are the adults?)

Advertisement

Advertisement

The context is key to the clashs virality, too. It took place just days after President Trump made light of the 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee to mock Sen. Elizabeth Warren, whom he often refers to by the racist nickname Pocahontas. More broadly, it takes place in an era in which chanting the presidents name has become a tool of racial intimidation.

But I think the real reason the clip has spread is simpler: Its the kids face. The face of self-satisfaction and certitude, of edginess expressed as cruelty. The face remains almost completely still as his peers hoot in awed delight at his bravado. The face is both punchable and untouchable. Many observers recognized it right away.

Advertisement

One reason that video is cutting so deep today: The smug, fixed, chilly smile. That's not a teenager out of control. It's the familiar gleam of a zealot. Never in the history of this country has that look portended anything but bad news.  Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) January 20, 2019

Advertisement

I honestly haven't stopped thinking about that MAGA kid all day - in part because I think so many of us have been on the receiving end of the face he was making: a smug, untouchable, entitled 'fuck you'.  Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) January 19, 2019

Advertisement

The face is in this photo of a clutch of white young men crowding around a single black man at a lunch counter sit-in in Virginia in the 1960s, and in many other images of jeering white men from that era. The face is the rows of Wisconsin high school boys flashing Nazi salutes in a prom picture last year. The face is Brett Kavanaughthen a student at an all-boys Catholic prep schooldrunkenly laughing as he allegedly held down Christine Blasey Ford. Anyone who knew the popular white boys in high school recognized it: the confident gaze, the eyes twinkling with menace, the smirk. The face of a boy who is not as smart as he thinks he is, but is exactly as powerful. The face that sneers, What? Im just standing here, if you flinch or cry or lash out. The face knows that no matter how you react, it wins.
Rudy Giuliani didnt do his client any favors Sunday, acknowledging on CNN that it was possible President Donald Trump spoke with Michael Cohen before his testimony to Congress. In discussing a BuzzFeed story that claims Trump told his longtime personal lawyer to lie about negotiations on a deal to build a Trump Tower in Moscow, Giuliani said he had no knowledge of any talks. But that doesnt mean it didnt happen, although Giuliani did categorically deny Trump told Cohen to lie.

Advertisement

As far as I know, President Trump did not have discussions with him, certainly had no discussions with him in which he told him or counseled him to lie, Giuliani said. If he had any discussions with him, theyd be about the version of the events that Michael Cohen gave them, which they all believed was true. I believed it was true. I still believe it may be true, because, unlike these people who want to just believe him, I believe Michael Cohen is a serial liar.

Advertisement

Advertisement

.@RudyGiuliani: As far as I know, President Trump did not have discussions  in which he told (Michael Cohen) or counseled him to lie. If he had any discussions with him, they'd be about the version of events that Michael Cohen gave them, which they all believed was true. pic.twitter.com/1c1NBnrZ7c  State of the Union (@CNNSotu) January 20, 2019

Advertisement

CNNs Jake Tapper went back on that point and pressed Giuliani on what seemed like an admission that Trump and Cohen may have spoken. Giuliani shrugged off the question as irrelevant, saying it would be perfectly normal. When Tapper pressed further, Giuliani got a bit defensive. I dont know if it happened or didnt happen. And it might be attorney-client-privileged if it happened, where I cant acknowledge it, he said. But I have no knowledge that he spoke to him. But Im telling you, I wasnt there then. When Tapper pressed the issue, Giuliani finally said: So what if he talked to him about it?

I dont know if it happened or if it didnt happen.  I have no knowledge if he spoke to him, Giuliani says on whether President Trump and Michael Cohen discussed Cohens congressional testimony, before adding, So what if he talked to him about it?" #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/KDnPDsHVIn  CNN (@CNN) January 20, 2019

Advertisement

Many people immediately expressed exasperation that a former prosecutor would think such an action would be perfectly normal. One of those critics was George Conway, the husband of White House counselor Kellyanne Conway and frequent Trump critic on social media. Perfectly normal? Conway tweeted. Its perfectly insane for witnesses in or subjects of a criminal investigation to be discussing testimony.

Perfectly normal? Its perfectly insane for witnesses in or subjects of a criminal investigation to be discussing testimony. https://t.co/FlNP2GC2TZ  George Conway (@gtconway3d) January 20, 2019

Advertisement

Advertisement

Conway then wrote that he was trying to imagine what the reaction of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York in 1988 would have been to this perfectly normal assertionand just cant.
I write today to condemn The Journal for its involvement in the besmirching of Iowa Rep. Steve King.

Mr. King is not a racist. He was intentionally misquoted by The New York Times, one of the most disreputable newspapers ever to be in circulation. Mr. King has corrected their record, explained that he was misquoted, and the smearing of his name has continued apace.

The Journal has done its part in maligning Mr. King at every turn. The Journal is owned by Warren Buffett. It is no surprise to me that The Journal behaves solely as an opinion paper balanced only by the parroting of the official line. It is why our only newspaper is failing. How dare you allow Mr. King to be unfairly called a racist, and by extension his supporters racist, then sit some guy in the grocery store begging me to buy your yellow journalism?

The Sioux City Journals smearing of King (E.g.: he holds up this district to ridicule) is an attempt to lead its readers away from the fact that this smear against our representative in Congress has led to our voice being stripped from some very important committees. If The Journal doesnt support the people of the 4th District having a voice on these committees, then The Journal doesnt support the 4th District  its own audience.
Steve King doesnt know how to apologize for not knowing when white supremacist became an epithet without incorrectly pointing out that Nazis were socialists so that he could incorrectly suggest that leftists were also socialists and therefore no better than Nazis.

We are all ignorant of the things that we do not know. Steve Kings problem is that he knows so little. Like President Trump, who opined that we need more immigrants from Norway, Steve is apparently unaware that Norway is a highly socialistic country, as is Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands; all countries with thriving democracies and thriving economies.
Two party national partisan politics are destroying this country in three main ways. First, how can Chuck Schumer not vote for a wall that he and President Obama said was needed on videotape years ago? How can President Trump ignore the plight of government workers who aren't getting paychecks? The worst is Nancy Pelosi calling the wall immoral and then ignoring the deaths of American citizens and law enforcement personnel and their families' grief at the hands of criminal illegal aliens. That is immoral.

American voters need a constitutional amendment of a vote of no confidence somewhat like the British have that would give us the right to remove these worthless political children for a time out on that and other stalemates so cooler heads could solve the problem. America needs a wall.

Secondly, the national debt is at $22 trillion. We are at the point of not being able to pay just the interest on that debt. When that happens, then the whole economic system breaks down with the poor being hurt the worst.

Third, the Democrats are worried about Russia election meddling? That is nothing compared to their liberal national media cohorts trying to steer this country to the left by their very biased reporting against Trump and proven common sense principles. That is seditious meddling.
WASHINGTON -- Half or a quarter of the way through this interesting experiment with an incessantly splenetic presidency, much of the nation has become accustomed to daily mortifications. Or has lost its capacity for embarrassment, which is even worse.

If the country's condition is calibrated simply by economic data -- if, that is, America is nothing but an economy -- then the state of the union is good. Except that after two years of unified government under the party that formerly claimed to care about fiscal facts and rectitude, the nation faces a $1 trillion deficit during brisk growth and full employment. Unless the president has forever banished business cycles -- if he has, his modesty would not have prevented him from mentioning it -- the next recession will begin with gargantuan deficits, which will be instructive.

The president has kept his promise not to address the unsustainable trajectory of the entitlement state (about the coming unpleasant reckoning, he says: "Yeah, but I won't be here"), and his party's congressional caucuses have elevated subservience to him into a political philosophy. The Republican-controlled Senate -- the world's most overrated deliberative body -- will not deliberate about, much less pass, legislation the president does not favor. The evident theory is that it would be lese-majeste for the Senate to express independent judgments.
"We extend our deepest apologies to Mr. Phillips," the statement read. "This behavior is opposed to the Church's teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person."

According to the "Indian Country Today" website, Phillips is an Omaha elder and Vietnam veteran who holds an annual ceremony honoring Native American veterans at Arlington National Cemetery. He is a member of the Omaha Tribe, headquartered in Macy.

Marcus Frejo, a member of the Pawnee and Seminole tribes who is also known as Chief Quese Imc, said he had been a part of the march and was among a small group of people remaining after the rally when the boisterous students began chanting slogans such as "Make America great" and then began doing the haka, a traditional Maori dance.

In a phone interview, Frejo told The Associated Press he felt they were mocking the dance and also heckling a couple of black men nearby. He approached the group with Phillips to defuse the situation, joining him in singing the anthem from the American Indian Movement and beating out the tempo on hand drums.

Although he feared a mob mentality that could turn ugly, Frejo said he was at peace singing among the scorn and he briefly felt something special happen as they repeatedly sang the tune.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}
"Sioux City is pretty unique with the industries they have. They have to adjust for that, and wastewater doesn't adjust very fast," he said. "We always strive for zero violations, but things happen."

Simms said the city's additional steps have prevented a repeat of the actions of Schwarte, former plant superintendent Jay Niday and potentially others.

No other individuals have been charged, though court documents and a 2015 DNR investigation show that Niday and four other unnamed plant workers were involved. Simms said he did not know if those four workers were still at the plant, and he did not want to speculate on the actions that occurred before he was hired.

The DNR found that Schwarte and others were raising chlorine levels on days that samples were taken so that the city would meet permit guidelines and then lowered the chlorine to minimal levels on other days. Schwarte and Niday were fired, and both surrendered their state wastewater treatment licenses.

In June 2016, the Iowa Environmental Protection Commission referred the DNR's case against the city to the Iowa Attorney General's office for consideration of civil penalties higher than the DNR, whose penalties are capped by state law at $10,000.

The city's attorney has maintained that Schwarte's intent to plead guilty is not proof of wrongdoing by other city employees or officials, and it doesn't mean that the city could be subject to civil penalties handed down by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Because of the ongoing partial federal government shutdown, the EPA and U.S. Attorney's Office have suspended media communications as nonessential functions and those offices could not comment on whether fines or criminal charges against other plant workers are anticipated.

Copyright 2018 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
SIOUX CITY -- Prince Hydraulics, a Sioux City manufacturer of cylinders, pumps, valves and accessories for nearly 80 years, told employees Friday that they were terminated immediately and that the plant is closing down.

Shannon Stucker, a Midwest grand lodge representative with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW), said on Saturday that the union was taken by surprise by the sudden closure of the plant, 4600 S Lewis Blvd. IAMAW represented most of the employees at the plant.

The closure of the plant will eliminate roughly 40 positions.

"They pulled all employees into a meeting at about 2 o'clock and informed them that they were closing the plant indefinitely," Stucker said. As he understands, Prince employees were told to pack their things and leave the building that day.

Officials with Prince Manufacturing Corporation (the owner of Prince Hydraulics) declined to tell IAMAW why they're closing the plant. Production at the facility is expected to move to another Prince facility, though Stucker said Prince did not specify which facility.

Employees were not forewarned of the closure, and they weren't told whether they would get severance pay or retraining opportunities.
Sioux City

Kip Lennon, 64, of Sioux City, died unexpectedly Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018.

A memorial gathering will be noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 27, at El Fredo Pizza, 523 W. 19th St., in Sioux City. Arrangements are under the direction of Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel.

Kip was a devoted daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and loyalist to all of her many friends.

Kip is survived by her husband, John; children, Jessica Borg, Libby (Jake) Bouma, and Fred (JoAnn) Lennon; grandchildren, Grayson Bouma age, 3, and Riley Lennon, age 2; siblings, Jim Grego and Ted Grego; and nieces, nephews, other relatives, and many friends.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Siouxland Humane Society.
"Back in day, wigs looked like wigs," she remarked. "They were stiff and artificial."

Zenk said today's wigs -- which are made with either real or synthetic hair -- are much more natural and user-friendly.

And what about the ladies who want hair that comes in all the colors of the rainbow? Well, Zenk has pieces that run the gamut -- red, pink, purple, blue, green, you name it.

"Men have it easier than the ladies," she said. "Men can keep their hair short or, even, shave it off entirely and be stylish. Women need to work it a bit when it comes to style. Plus we like variety."

This means Zenk doesn't see her clientele as being limited to African-American women.

"It doesn't matter who you are or what color skin you have, woman want to look good," she said. "Colorful hair extensions are not a fad. It is now considered an accessory no different than a piece of jewelry."

If Zenk sounds like a fashion authority, it's because she is one.

"I know these products because I use these products," she explained with a laugh.

Zenk, who worked for Sioux Honey Association Co-Op for more than 21 years, had always wanted to be her own boss.
More important, the Hammans' book gave Cheskey a chance to set the record straight five decades after the crimes were committed.

"The Fryer boys were all given life sentences in prison," Hamman said. "In some ways, (Cheskey), a victim, also felt like she was given a life sentence."

The Hammans revisit the story in the recently released "Gitchie Girl Uncovered," which goes into more detail about the elite team of investigators who caught the killers, In addition, the Hammans followed up with family members of the slain boys as well as offering an update on Cheskey, who is now a 58-year-old grandmother.

Why did you want to revisit the Gitchie Manitou Murders?

"Because there were so many of the stories that we left out of the initial book. We wanted to get into the minds of the investigators and really focus on the hours leading up to the crimes."

I know you've called the murders something out of a horror movie. But in other ways, this case is also a morality tale, right?
As for national parks, about two-thirds remain open but have limited services, so visitors shouldn't expect the same level of sanitation or monitoring that is customary. While there is no one to collect entrance fees, likewise there is no one to pump out toilets, empty trash or intervene in case of interpersonal disputes or wildlife encounters. All National Parks Service (NPS) personnel (except firefighters monitoring active burns or watch areas and essential leadership at headquarters) have been furloughed.

The Department of Interior has authorized individual parks to dip into their entrance and recreation fees to help pay for essential/emergency services during the shutdown, although the use of these funds will likely slow down maintenance projects by months or years as a result.

While this closure of national parks is an annoyance to Americans planning a visit, it's also an economic problem. The nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) reports that NPS has lost upwards of $5 million in entrance fee revenue since the shutdown began, while local businesses and concession operators dependent upon servicing park visitors are also losing out on much-needed income.

Despite closures at the EPA, the NPS and other agencies related to the environment, the federal push to open up more land and offshore waters to fossil fuel extraction continues unabated. According to The Guardian, the Interior Department hasn't slowed down efforts to issue permits for oil drilling on federal land and in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska's Arctic. "While he's closed the government to the American people, Trump has hung up an 'open for business' sign for corporate polluters," reports Melinda Pierce, legislative director at the nonprofit Sierra Club.

(c)2019 E/The Environmental Magazine Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Meanwhile, he enjoys the depth of some of Riverdales plots. I prefer to be in the heavy material, he says. Its the first time Ive been on a television series where I havent had 80-hour weeks.

The job is a joy. Ive always said, They dont pay me to act. They pay me to do press. I prefer what we do on the set to (publicity events), but theyre just part of it. The fortunate thing is people are actually watching and actually care. If they didnt, what would be the point? Im all for art for arts sake but we are in a world where things need to be consumed to be appreciated.

Although work eats up a lot of his time, Ulrich has had a chance to binge shows like Westworld and This is Us. The latter does a really good job of humanizing a lot of things we take for granted. The casting and the whole plotline are fascinating to me.

Riverdale wins his familys approval, too. They love Riverdale, he says of his children. And they appreciate the close nature dad enjoys with the cast.

Shot in Vancouver, Riverdale is among the top-rated series with teens. Its elaborate mysteries (and adult themes) add to the mystique.

Ulrich, however, stays more grounded. Instead of reading new books, hes re-reading old ones and listening to songs from some of his favorite bands. Music from Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nirvana are always on my headset, he says. Theres something emotional about them, a rawness that works for F.P. They help me get in the mood before going on set.

Copyright 2018 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0

Staying in? We've got you covered Get the recommendations on what's streaming now, games you'll love, TV news and more with our weekly Home Entertainment newsletter! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
In 2012, LifeServe in Sioux City moved to a new $1 million complex at 3220 Line Drive.

The LifeServe building in Des Moines is just a few blocks from the Iowa Capitol, in a former bank with two old vaults that are too expensive to remove. The safes are used as an employee break room and a supply storage room.

Sime, the president and CEO, said she's spent a lot of time looking at everything through the lens of what must be taxed: the beige chairs used by blood donors; the needles handled by staff; the clear bags where blood is stored; the computer monitors where critical data is kept to track where the blood is headed. Even the cookies and water bottles given to donors will become part of a new spreadsheet.

The laboratory on one side of the building, where donated blood is tested to make sure it's healthy, adds to the list: the tubes, the trays, the gloves used by staff.

Down the hall, a 24/7 crew of employees takes orders from hospitals. The employees use barcode scanners to tag blood bags for distribution. A large nearby monitor keeps track of volunteer and paid drivers heading in every direction of the state.
Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa broke off a foreign tour Sunday, saying he wanted his country "calm, stable and working again" as criticism grew over a brutal crackdown in response to protests. Mnangagwa appeared to take a more conciliatory approach than his spokesman George Charamba, who said the crackdown was "just a foretaste of things to come", as allegations mount up of shootings, beatings and abductions of opposition figures, activists and ordinary people. The security forces' operation has underlined fears of a return to the violent repression of Robert Mugabe, who was ousted from power by the military 14 months ago. At least 12 people were killed and 78 treated for gunshot injuries over the last week, according to the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, which recorded more than 240 incidents of assault and torture. The UN has criticised the government reaction to the protests, which were triggered by a sharp hike in fuel prices. Mnangagwa, who was seeking much-needed foreign investment on the tour, announced his return on Twitter, scrapping plans to attend the Davos summit of world leaders this week. "In light of the economic situation, I will be returning home after a highly productive week of bilateral trade and investment meetings," he said. "The first priority is to get Zimbabwe calm, stable and working again." He was in Kazakhstan on Sunday after travelling to Russia last Monday and then heading to Belarus and Azerbaijan. - Economic collapse - Violent demonstrations erupted across Zimbabwe on January 14 after Mnangagwa announced petrol prices would more than double in a country that suffers daily shortages of banknotes, fuel, food and medicine. He flew to Russia soon after making that announcement in a televised address to the nation. Since last Monday, about 700 people have been arrested, the internet has been temporarily shut down twice, and social media remain largely blocked. The United Nations human rights office on Friday urged Harare to "stop the crackdown" and voiced alarm over the security forces' "excessive use of force" which included reports of them using live ammunition. It called on Zimbabwe's government "to find ways of engaging with the population about their legitimate grievances". The army and police held a joint press conference late Saturday to deny any misconduct, saying some assailants raiding homes were wearing official uniforms to pose as security personnel. Mnangagwa, 76, had pledged a fresh start for the country when he came to power in November 2017 after Mugabe was toppled, ending 37 years in office that were marked by authoritarian rule and economic collapse. But Zimbabweans have seen little evidence of the promised economic revival or increased political freedoms. - Fresh start derailed - Charamba, who was also Mugabe's spokesman, added "the state must deal with" the MDC opposition party and trade unions, which he said had "unleashed" the violence. Charamba accused MDC leader Nelson Chamisa of seeking to win power "on the blood of the Zimbabwean people" by trying to overturn Mnangagwa's July election victory. "The MDC and its affiliate organisations will be held fully accountable for the violence and the looting," Charamba, who is travelling with Mnangagwa, told the Sunday News. Chamisa tweeted on Friday that his party was "committed to peace in solving the challenges that triggered the turmoil". "Our country is going through one of its worst moments. My thoughts are with the victims of violence," he added. South Africa, where hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans have fled to seek work over the last 20 years, said Sunday that it was working to assist its neighbour, without giving details. "If the situation is not attended to, the current economic challenges can derail the political and economic progress the country has made since the election of the new president," South African foreign minister Lindiwe Sisulu said.
Living in Singapore can be a very tiring, stressful affair when youre stuck with more than 5 million people in one of the most expensive countries in the world.

So it comes as no surprise when a man was spotted taking a break in a Singapore train the only way he knows how: with a can of local Tiger Beer.

The act was spotted by Facebook user Batumalai SK, who posted a video of the man in the act on the Singapore Taxi Driver Facebook group page (quite an odd choice of a page to post this to, but ok sure) on Saturday.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

According to the Facebook user, the photo was reportedly taken at Yew Tee MRT Station, with the user spotting the man drinking from his can of Tiger Beer both on the train platform and inside the train itself.

In the video, the man is seen pictured in a state of ennui: as he puts on his headphones (maybe listening to the Hokkien classic Ai Piah Cia Eh Ya), he holds out the can of beer in a moment of reflection, possibly reminiscing days gone by.

He then brings the can to his lips and takes a contemplative second before he takes a big swig of beer from the can  all while commuters are watching him from the sidelines.

Obviously, were taking a big gulp of humor out of this scenario (and if you cant take it, then maybe this isnt for you), but it must be noted that consuming food and beverages in trains is illegal in Singapore, with a fine of $500 for errant commuters.

While we certainly hope this is not some stunt by Tiger Beer, there clearly is time for Tiger Time as the popular saying goes and these commenters think so too:

(Photo: Facebook screengrab)

This article, WATCH: Man takes a happy hour break in Singapore train, openly sips from can of Tiger Beer, originally appeared on Coconuts, Asia's leading alternative media company. For more Coconuts stories, you can download our app, sign up for our newsletters, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Anti-government protesters faced down tear gas as they marched through the streets of Omdurman, Sudan on Sunday, January 20.

Sundays protest was one of hundreds railing against rising prices and calling for the resignation of President Omar Al-Bashir since December 19, according to Al Jazeera.

As hundreds of Sudanese have taken to the streets in the past month, security forces have responded to the demonstrations with force, using tear gas and live ammunition to break up protests. The Sudanese government estimates 26 have been killed, but human rights groups have placed the number at 55.

This video, recorded during a march in Omdurman, shows heavy use of tear gas to disperse protesters. Credit: Madthar via Storyful
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Arab states at an economic summit in Beirut called on world powers on Sunday to step up efforts to enable Syrian refugees to return home.

The United Nations says that 5.6 million Syrian refugees live in five neighboring countries - Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq - and it is not yet safe for them to return.

Since conflict broke out in Syria in 2011, more than 1 million people have fled across the border to Lebanon, where aid agencies say most live in extreme poverty.

Lebanese officials have called for refugees to go home after Syria's President Bashar al-Assad reclaimed most of the country with Russian and Iranian help.

"We call on the international community to take its responsibility to curb the misery," Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said, reading a statement which the summit agreed.

It asked for a doubling of efforts "to strengthen favourable conditions for the displaced and refugees to return in line with international law".

Divisions among Arab states over Syria, and internal disputes in Lebanon, have overshadowed the summit even before it began, with several leaders staying away.

A key point of contention has been whether to bring Syria back into the Arab League, more than seven years after its membership was suspended.

Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah, which has helped Assad's military defeat rebels and militants, wants rapprochement with Damascus. Its critics oppose this, insisting the United Nations must oversee any repatriations.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun, a political ally of Hezbollah, had called earlier at the summit for safe refugee returns "without tying that to reaching a political solution".

He also proposed the creation of an Arab bank for reconstruction and development "to help all affected Arab states overcome adversity and contribute to their sustainable economic growth".

Under deals Hezbollah has helped to broker, tens of thousands of refugees have left Lebanon for Syria in the past year - a drop in the ocean compared with the scale of the refugee crisis.

Story continues

Rights groups have warned against forced returns while a Syrian peace deal remains elusive, and refugees often say they fear conscription into the army.

Lebanese leaders had hoped to reach a deal to form a new government before the summit after months of political gridlock. But talks have failed amid fears for the Lebanese economy.

Several hundred people protested in the streets of Beirut on Sunday, blaming politicians for growing economic troubles.

(Reporting by Ellen Francis and Laila Bassam in Beirut, Maher Chmaytelli in Dubai; editing by John Stonestreet and David Goodman)
Japanese media reported Sunday that France wants a merger between Renault and Nissan following the arrest of former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn, but according to France's economy minister changing the current set-up is "not on the table". Ghosn headed a powerful alliance between Nissan, Mitsubishi and Renault before his arrest in November on charges of financial misconduct. A delegation including Martin Vial -- a Renault director designated by the French government -- made the merger request at talks with Japanese officials in Tokyo, Kyodo News reported, citing sources close to the matter. The French government is the biggest shareholder in Renault with a stake of more than 15 percent, while Renault owns 43.4 percent of the Japanese carmaker Nissan with voting rights. A merger between the two is favoured by French President Emmanuel Macron, Kyodo said. Japanese business daily Nikkei also reported the merger request by the French delegation, saying Nissan had been opposed to giving Paris greater sway over the Japanese carmaker. According to Nikkei, the delegation also said Renault wants to name Nissan's next chairman -- a post that has remained vacant since Ghosn was ousted on his arrest in November. But the reports appear to contradict comments French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire made to Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD) newspaper, published Sunday. "A shareholder rebalancing, a change in cross-shareholdings between Renault and Nissan is not on the table," he told the French weekly. Contacted by AFP, a French economy ministry spokesman had no comment to make on the Japanese media reports. - A 'stable relationship' - Macron last month held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina, at which they only agreed to ensure a stable relationship within the three-way alliance, which also includes Japan's Mitsubishi Motors. Abe reportedly stressed the importance of all three companies "maintaining their stable relationship" at the summit talk. But the Japanese premier reportedly also said the fate of the group should be decided by "private businesses" and "governments should not commit to how the alliance should operate going forward", according to a senior government official quoted by Kyodo. Last week, Renault said it had launched the search for a successor to Ghosn, after a Tokyo court quashed his appeal for bail as he faces three charges of financial misconduct. But Le Maire also said in his interview with the JDD newspaper: "The principle of the presumption of innocence must apply" to Ghosn. But over and above Ghosn's case, "there are also the interests of Renault and of the alliance", he added. "A business of this scale needs solid and stable governance." The French government has called for a board meeting to pick Ghosn's successor. Nissan, which holds a 15-percent stake in Renault, is widely seen as hoping to reduce the influence of the French partner on its management and review the alliance to make it more equitable.
When Starbucks came to China two decades ago it promised to open a new store every 15 hours. Now a homegrown rival, Luckin Coffee, plans to build a high tech-driven shop every three and a half hours to dethrone the US giant. The Chinese upstart is burning through millions of dollars to lure customers with steep discounts, challenging Starbucks' dominance by targeting office workers and students who prefer to have their java on-the-go or delivered to their doorstep. While Starbucks and British rival Costa Coffee offer lounging spaces for people to work or meet friends, most Luckin outlets are more like "delivery kitchens". The shops are no bigger than a studio apartment, with no tables, display counters or even cash registers because all payments are made using mobile phones. Luckin's no-frills approach means consumers pay about a third less for a cup compared to other global brands. A tall-sized latte costs 31 yuan (around $5) at Starbucks, but only 24 yuan at Luckin. Customers who walk into one of Luckin's blue-and-white outlets need only spend a few minutes there -- to scan a code and pay for their coffee that has been pre-ordered through the company's smartphone app. "I like the convenience, there are no long queues, or having to sit alone while your coffee is brewed," said Yu Qian, a financial analyst in Beijing. "The coffee itself is a little sweeter, more like the sweet milk tea that is popular in China". Luckin's aggressive strategy mirrors tactics used by other Chinese startups that have dislodged Western brands from one of the world's top consumer markets. "The big advantage for us of having pickup stores versus the big stores is that in terms of rental costs, we pay significantly less than our competitors," Luckin's chief strategy officer, Reinout Schakel, told AFP. After only a year in business, the company announced plans earlier this month to open 2,500 outlets by the end of the year, which would push its total store strength to 4,500. By comparison, Starbucks has some 3,600 stores across the country. - Playing catch-up - The US behemoth has an 80 percent stake in China's $3.4 billion coffee shop market, according to research group Euromonitor. But Schakel sees room for growth. Chinese consumers currently drink just four to five cups of coffee per year, compared to about 300 cups in neighbouring Japan or South Korea, which were also traditionally tea drinking markets, he said. China is Starbucks' fastest-growing and second biggest market after the United States. Its Reserve Roastery in Shanghai, which opened in late 2017, is the company's biggest store in the world. But it was a latecomer to China's huge food delivery industry. The Seattle-based company partnered with Chinese e-commerce firm Alibaba's delivery service ele.me only after Luckin started eating into its market share in July. "Our delivery service today covers more than 2,000 stores across 30 cities, within three months of its launch," Derek Ng, communications director for Starbucks China, told AFP. Competition has also prompted Starbucks to focus on its more upmarket Reserve brand of rarer coffees from around the world, said Hu Yuwan, an analyst at Daxue Consulting in Shanghai. But the US chain has recently started doing discounts, Hu said, adding the coffee rivalry reminded her of the discount wars between Uber and its local rival Didi Chuxing, which later dislodged the American ride-hailing giant from the Chinese market. Schakel -- who is also Luckin's chief financial officer -- says the startup can afford to burn money to grab market share over the next few years. "Are we competing with Starbucks? Probably to some extent. We don't care whether the demand is coming from new coffee drinkers or from Starbucks coffee drinkers," he said. - China's first coffee unicorn - Luckin's caffeine-fuelled expansion has been funded by investors including Centurium Capital, a private equity fund founded by the former China head of Warburg Pincus, and GIC, Singapore's sovereign wealth fund. The company raised about $400 million in two rounds of funding last year and says it has been valued at $2.2 billion, making it the first coffee unicorn to come out of China. Schakel declined to comment on rumours that Luckin was seeking a listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange. But China's landscape is littered with start-ups that have gone belly-up after bleeding money on discounts and aggressive advertising. "Am I worried whether we are going to go down that path? Absolutely not," Schakel said. "Even if we sell our products at a discount at the right scale (it can) be profitable".
Political and religious leaders in Myanmars Kachin state have hit back at apparent efforts by Beijing to breathe new life into a controversial China-funded dam project as the Southeast Asian nation comes under fire from the West over its treatment of the Rohingya Muslims.

In a joint statement released on Monday, three ethnic Kachin political parties said they were seeking the permanent suspension of the US$3.6 billion Myitsone Dam project, which has been on hold since 2011 but had been slated for completion this year.

This is the peoples desire. We wont change our policy on the Myitsone hydropower dam, Gumgrawng Awng Hkam, chairman of the Kachin Democratic Party, told Myanmars Network Media Group.

Construction of the Myitsone dam should never be allowed.

The backlash from community leaders came after the Chinese embassy in Myanmar said local people in Kachin, as well as political and religious leaders there, had a positive attitude towards the dam, which is the largest of several Beijing-backed energy and mining projects approved by the military government before 2011.

It also underscores the dilemma China faces as it seeks to extend its geopolitical influence over its neighbours through infrastructure and investment.

In December, during a visit to Kachin  a mountainous area bordering China where civil war has been raging for years  Chinas ambassador to Myanmar Hong Liang said the Myitsone project was crucial for both Beijing and Naypyidaw, and that any further delays could hamper bilateral relations.

Chinese companies top dirty list of complicit firms in Myanmar

One of the difficulties facing China-Myanmar cooperation is the issue of Myitsone hydropower project, which has been on hold for seven years, he was quoted as saying in a statement published on the embassys Facebook page.

If this issue fails to be resolved  it will seriously hurt the confidence of Chinese entrepreneurs to invest in Myanmar, it said, adding that the two sides should find an acceptable solution as soon as possible.

Story continues

Last week, in a Facebook video of his visit to the Yeywa Dam, another China-backed hydropower plant on the Myitnge River and currently the countrys largest, Hong said Myanmar needed more dams as a shortage of power was damaging its economy.

The Chinese embassys statement came after The Irrawaddy News Magazine reported that during Hongs visit to Myiyktina, the capital of Kachin, he had been bossy towards local leaders, urging them to back the Myitsone dam  which he said had the support of Aung San Suu Kyi  and telling not to fraternise with Western diplomats, who were also visiting.

Reverend Hkalam Samson, the president of the Kachin Baptist Convention, who was one of six local leaders to meet Hong, was quoted by local media as saying that despite Hongs comments he had not changed his mind and was still against the dam.

Sitting at the confluence of the Mali and NMai rivers, the Myitsone Dam is the largest of seven planned along the Irrawaddy, Mali Hka and NMai Hka rivers in Myanmar. It is also the first to span the Irrawaddy, which is regarded as the cradle of civilisation for Myanmars ethnic Burman majority.

In September 2011, then president Thein Sein announced the suspension of the project, which had been initiated before he took office, saying it was against the will of the people.

Although the government set up a commission to evaluate the project, little progress was made and it stalled.

Its suspension was seen by many as a shift away from Myanmars close ties with China  nurtured over decades of military rule  in favour of rekindled links with the West.

The suspension of Myitsone was a symbolic event for bilateral ties, which I think marked the normalisation of Myanmars relations with the West and changed China-Myanmar ties, said Fan Hongwei, a professor at Xiamen Universitys Research School of Southeast Asian Studies.

But that changed again after Western nations imposed sanctions on Myanmar in the wake of its brutal clearance operation in Rakhine state, which saw indiscriminate killing, rape and the destruction of whole communities as more than 700,000 Rohingya people were driven out of the country and over the border into Bangladesh.

After 2011, the public sentiment towards Beijing was negative and deep  no one had a good word to say about China and the government was trying to keep its distance, Fan said

But that is changing, especially as the people of Myanmar make their own judgments on how China and the West responded to the Rohingya crisis. Beijings latest moves are more obvious and being closely watched by the media.

This article China faces backlash as it bids to rekindle stalled US$3.6 billion Myitsone Dam project first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019.

More from South China Morning Post:
Bangladesh has arrested a suspected Islamist extremist who supplied weapons and explosives for a 2016 siege that killed 22 hostages, a top police official said Sunday. Eighteen foreigners were among those shot and hacked to death in the 10-hour standoff at the Holey Artisan Bakery, an upmarket cafe in Dhaka, before military commandos stormed the building and freed some two dozen other people. Mamunur Rashid was a key "decision-maker" in Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), a banned homegrown Islamist militant outfit blamed for the attack. The 30-year-old was arrested while travelling on a bus outside the capital Dhaka, said Mufti Mahmud Khan, a spokesman for the elite Rapid Action Battalion. Rashid "supplied money, arms, ammunition and explosives for the attack," Khan told reporters. "He hid in a neighbouring country and tried to reorganise the group. They were also planning to rescue their accomplices from custody." A former computer operator and Islamic seminary student, Rashid also provided logistical support to Islamists involved in several deadly attacks on religious minorities in the country's north, Khan said. A court in Dhaka last month put eight militants on trial over the cafe attack. Khan said Rashid was one of the two men charged in absentia, while the other six were already in custody. The Holey Artisan Bakery siege fuelled fears over violent Islamist groups in the Muslim-majority nation of 165 million people. The government also launched a nationwide crackdown against extremists immediately after the attack, killing nearly 100 alleged extremists in gunfights including several top JMB leaders. The attack marked a violent escalation from a spate of high-profile murders in the country since 2013, with extremists targeting Bangladeshi atheist writers, rights activists, gays, foreigners and religious minorities. Bangladesh last week banned the release of a film based on the cafe attack, saying it would tarnish the country's image.
Aloysius Pang, 28, was taking part in Exercise Thunder Warrior, at the Waiouru Training Area in New Zealand when the injury occurred. (PHOTO: Facebook / NoonTalk.Aloysius)

Singaporean actor Aloysius Pang was seriously injured on Saturday (19 January) during a Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) training exercise in New Zealand.

The 28-year-old had been participating in the Exercise Thunder Warrior at the Waiouru Training Area as an Operationally Ready National Serviceman when the incident took place at around 2.05pm (Singapore time).

Pang, who holds the rank of Corporal First Class and serves as an armament technician in the 268th Battalion Singapore Artillery, was hurt while carrying out repair works on a Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer, said a Ministry of Defence (Mindef) statement issued on Sunday.

He was transferred to the Battalion Casualty Station at 2.25pm where he was assessed and stabilised before being evacuated to Waiouru Camp Medical Centre at 2.50pm. At 4.50pm, Pang was transported by helicopter to Waikato Hospital in the city of Hamilton.

CFC (NS) Pang was conscious throughout the evacuation and arrived at the hospital at (6pm, Singapore time) where he underwent surgery, which was completed at (11.40pm), said Mindef.

He is now being monitored in the high dependency unit.

The ministry added that an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident.

Actors mother travelling to New Zealand

Separately, Pangs artist management agency  NoonTalk Media  confirmed the incident on its Facebook page. It added that the actors mother is travelling to New Zealand and that it is in close communication with Mindef.

We will provide updates on Aloysius condition when we have more information, it said.

Last year, two full-time national servicemen died following training incidents.

In November, 22-year-old Private Liu Kai was killed after a Bionix armoured fighting vehicle reversed into the Land Rover he was operating during an exercise at the Jalan Murai training area.

Earlier, on 30 April, Corporal First Class Dave Lee died two weeks after being admitted to Changi General Hospital for heatstroke. The 19-year-old had completed an 8km fast march in Bedok Camp on 18 April and later showed signs of heat injury, which led him to be hospitalised.

Story continues

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Related stories:

Full-time national serviceman dies in vehicular incident in training

SAF captain charged over death of NSF Dave Lee

7 things we know about actor Aloysius Pang
About 300 people from Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China have lost a total of 400 million yuan (US$59 million) after plans for a huge shopping mall in nearby Zhuhai allegedly fell through.

The investors were sold shop space by developer Zhaohong Shengshi Industrial Company, which had started to build a 690,000 sq ft shopping centre in the citys Xiangzhou district.

According to the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (FTU), which has been helping about 30 local victims, the developer used a separate company to persuade buyers to part with their money.

The subsidiary allegedly had them sign a rental agreement by promising lucrative returns. But many claimed they had received little.

The union said the Hong Kong victims had been cheated out of 20 million yuan all together.

Since the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, real estate agents and other companies have been actively trying to persuade Hong Kong buyers to invest in commercial property, promising a high profit. But unfortunately many end up falling into a trap, said Poon Chi-fai, director of the Zhongshan branch of the FTUs mainland service centre.

Poon said the buyers had no way of getting their cash back because the project had fallen through, while the subsidiary they signed the agreement with was a shell corporation  a firm with no significant assets used as a front to obtain financing or evade tax.

Poon said the union had also been dealing with victims from nine other similar property schemes in the Guangdong cities of Zhuhai, Zhongshan and Jiangmen.

Such cases were a growing phenomenon in southern China, he said, with foreign investors keen to cash in on property projects in an effort to ride growth expected from the governments Greater Bay Area scheme. Beijing wants to link Hong Kong, Macau and nine nearby Guangdong cities into an economic and innovation hub to rival Silicon Valley in the United States.

One victim, who only gave his name as Wilson, said he was facing losses of more than 650,000 yuan after buying a shop unit for 690,000 yuan in 2014.

Story continues

They promised me I would receive 50 per cent of what I invested back in five years time. But I only received the first annual payment in 2017, and I havent gotten any more money since, the 42-year-old said.

The mall was supposed to open its doors to customers by 2015, but construction was halted and photos show only a concrete frame has been built.

The developer told us they did not have any money and were dealing with financing problems. Weve been chasing them, but they just keep dragging it out, Wilson said.

The companys general manager, Gan Xianmiao, did not deny the episode when contacted by the Post, but would only say the matter was being handled by the relevant authorities.



Meetings are being held. Im not in a position to comment on this, Gan said.

The union said the case did not constitute a scam, but victims claimed the developers intention was to flee with their money and that it had violated their contracts.

It urged the Hong Kong government to liaise with mainland authorities on how to better prevent investment scams, and to raise awareness given the lack of knowledge of mainland laws.

This article 300 investors, including 30 from Hong Kong, lose 400 million yuan as mega Zhuhai mall project stalls first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019.
 SCOTUS back in action with a number of criminal cases up for oral argument | Main | Special counsel Mueller subjects yet another low-level, non-violent offender to federal sentencing 

February 20, 2018

Dissenting from denial of cert, Justice Thomas complains Second Amendment has become "constitutional orphan"

The Supreme Court this morning issued this order list which is mostly full of denials of cert, but this lengthy opinion by Justice Thomas dissenting from the denial of certiorari in a case challenging Californias 10-day waiting period for firearms seems likely to garner plenty of attention. Justice Thomas's dissent covers a lot of ground; I will leave it to others to dissect the Second Amendment particulars and be content here to quote from his closing complaints about Second Amendment jurisprudence since Heller:

The Ninth Circuits deviation from ordinary principles of law is unfortunate, though not surprising. Its dismissive treatment of petitioners challenge is emblematic of a larger trend. As I have previously explained, the lower courts are resisting this Courts decisions in Heller and McDonald and are failing to protect the Second Amendment to the same extent that they protect other constitutional rights. See Friedman v. Highland Park, 577 U. S. ___, ___ (2015) (THOMAS, J., dissenting from denial of certiorari) (slip op., at 1); Jackson v. City and County of San Francisco, 576 U. S. ___, ___ (2015) (THOMAS, J., dissenting from denial of certiorari) (slip op., at 1). This double standard is apparent from other cases where the Ninth Circuit applies heightened scrutiny. The Ninth Circuit invalidated an Arizona law, for example, partly because it delayed women seeking an abortion. Planned Parenthood Arizona, Inc. v. Humble, 753 F. 3d 905, 917 (2014). The court found it important there, but not here, that the State presented no evidence whatsoever that the law furthers [its] interest and no evidence that [its alleged danger] exists or has ever [occurred]. Id., at 914915. Similarly, the Ninth Circuit struck down a countys 5-day waiting period for nude-dancing licenses because it unreasonably prevent[ed] a dancer from exercising first amendment rights while an application [was] pending. Kev, Inc. v. Kitsap County, 793 F. 2d 1053, 1060 (1986). The Ninth Circuit found it dispositive there, but not here, that the county failed to demonstrate a need for [the] five-day delay period. Ibid. In another case, the Ninth Circuit held that laws embracing traditional marriage failed heightened scrutiny because the States presented no evidence other than speculation and conclusory assertions to support them. Latta v. Otter, 771 F. 3d 456, 476 (2014). While those laws reflected the wisdom of thousands of years of human history in every society known to have populated the planet, Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U. S. ___, ___ (2015) (ROBERTS, C. J., dissenting) (slip op., at 25), they faced a much tougher time in the Ninth Circuit than Californias new and unusual waiting period for firearms. In the Ninth Circuit, it seems, rights that have no basis in the Constitution receive greater protection than the Second Amendment, which is enumerated in the text. Our continued refusal to hear Second Amendment cases only enables this kind of defiance. We have not heard argument in a Second Amendment case for nearly eight years. Peruta v. California, 582 U. S. ___, ___ (2017) (THOMAS, J., dissenting from denial of certiorari) (slip op., at 7). And we have not clarified the standard for assessing Second Amendment claims for almost 10. Meanwhile, in this Term alone, we have granted review in at least five cases involving the First Amendment and four cases involving the Fourth Amendmenteven though our jurisprudence is much more developed for those rights. If this case involved one of the Courts more favored rights, I sincerely doubt we would have denied certiorari.... The Court would take these cases because abortion, speech, and the Fourth Amendment are three of its favored rights. The right to keep and bear arms is apparently this Courts constitutional orphan. And the lower courts seem to have gotten the message. Nearly eight years ago, this Court declared that the Second Amendment is not a second-class right, subject to an entirely different body of rules than the other Bill of Rights guarantees. McDonald, 561 U. S., at 780 (plurality opinion). By refusing to review decisions like the one below, we undermine that declaration. Because I still believe that the Second Amendment cannot be singled out for special  and specially unfavorable  treatment, id., at 778779 (majority opinion), I respectfully dissent from the denial of certiorari.

Even absent last week's horrific mass shooting in Florida, this opinion by Justice Thomas would be sure to get plenty of attention. And with debates over gun control seemingly now reaching a new pitch, this opinion adds an extra notable dimension to the developing discourse.

Though obviously not a sentencing case, I wanted to flag this dissent to (1) highlight the significant fact that Justice Thomas did not convince any of his colleagues to join his dissent, and thus (2) suggest this analogy: Justice Thomas is to constitutional limits on gun control laws as Justice Breyer is to constitutional limits on death penalty laws.

Justice Breyer has explained in various dissents why he thinks the Supreme Court should take up and consider further limits on capital punishment, but he has not succeeded over time to get additional Justices to join his campaign. Similarly, Justice Thomas is starting to make a habit of explaining why he thinks the Supreme Court should take up and consider further limits on gun control, but he has not succeeded over time to get additional Justices to join his campaign.

February 20, 2018 at 10:27 AM | Permalink

Comments

Hard to listen to anything Thomas says. Like Trump, he's a sexual predator.



Huffington Post

OPINION

02/19/2018 05:48 pm ET

Clarence Thomas Sexually Harassed Me. Yes, He Should Be Impeached.

Angela Wright-Shannon

Guest Writer

JONATHAN ERNST / REUTERS

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

The impeachment of Clarence Thomas is a pipe dream. In this fantasy, Justice Thomas is actually brought to justice, removed for lying under oath during his Senate confirmation hearing. The pipe dream, which is gathering steam thanks to Jill Abramsons exploration of Thomas lies in New York Magazine this week, is as realistic as the one where President Trump is impeached for bragging about sexually assaulting women.

I would know. In 1991, I was a metro editor at The Charlotte Observer, lobbying to become a columnist, when I was subpoenaed to testify at Thomas confirmation hearings after a colleague leaked word to Sen. Joe Biden that I was writing a column about my experiences working with Thomas. The column, though not intended for publication at the time, expressed my conviction that Anita Hill was telling the truth about Thomas  who, as Hills boss, allegedly tried to date her and engage in lengthy conversations about sex and pornography. I believed Hill because I had experienced similar behavior from him: He had repeatedly pressured me to date him and inquired about my breast size.

Members of the Senate confirmation committee immediately went on the attack after learning of me and my willingness to testify. I was characterized as a revengeful, foul-mouthed incompetent seizing an opportunity to strike back at the boss who had fired her. Never mind that I was happily ensconced as an editor at the Observer, a job for which Thomas himself had provided a recommendation. He had praised my performance as director of Public Affairs at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and admitted that he owed me an apology.

Witness the Me Too movement, and the speed with which mighty men have fallen based solely on the word of their white women accusers.

None of that mattered: The wagons had circled. It was obvious that nothing that I had to say would matter to the men on the Senate confirmation panel. I long ago lost real hope for justice and vindication. All those men were white, and the women who accused Thomas were all African-American. Its easy to imagine the hearings ending in a very different outcome if the accusers had been white.

How do you remove sexual predators from office when all attempts to prevent their ascension in the first place failed? And, when the accusers are women of color, justice is not just delayed; its often denied outright. Even Anita Hills sophisticated demeanor and impressive standing as a professor of law didnt shield her from being labeled a little bit nutty, and a little bit slutty. Thats been the cultural narrative about African-American women throughout history.

Subscribe to The Morning Email.

Wake up to the day's most important news.



Because of fallacious stereotypes about the sexuality of African-American women, the people who rape and sexually harass us have often gone unpunished. Consider the case of Recy Taylor, who died in December three days before her 98th birthday. In 1944, Taylor was raped by six white men in Alabama, and threatened against speaking up. She didnt keep silent, and even though her attackers confessed, two all-white, all-male grand juries declined to indict them. Former Oklahoma City patrol officer Daniel Holtzclaw sexually assaulted more than a dozen African-American women between December 2013 and June 2014, before one brave woman spoke up and he was brought to trial. Despite the testimony of 13 women, it took the jury 40 hours to reach a guilty verdict.

Given the general lack of empathy for black female victims of sexual assault and harassment, it may help that a white woman has now accused Thomas of sexual harassment  after he joined the bench. Moira Smith is an attorney from Alaska who accused Thomas of groping her repeatedly during a dinner 20 years ago. If there is a remote possibility of getting Thomas impeached, it may lie with her.

Normally, white women dont have to wage the same credibility battles facing black sexual assault victims; they arent assigned culpability for their own victimization. Witness the Me Too movement, and the speed with which mighty men have fallen based solely on the word of their white women accusers.

Four African-American women, including me, were willing to join professor Hill and testify about Thomas behavior. We all were denied a voice. Professor Hill and I were maligned by Thomas supporters, on the Senate panel and in his personal circle, in an attempt to coerce us into silence. But I wasnt afraid to speak then, and Im not afraid to speak now. Other women have since come forth, including Thomas ex-girlfriend Lillian McEwen, an African-American woman who surfaced in 2011 and confirmed that Thomas had a penchant for porn and behaved inappropriately with women at work. I confess to harboring a bit of resentment for all of the people, men and women, who I know had first-hand knowledge of Thomas behavior back in 1991, and who chose not to speak up at a pivotal moment. But I also understand why they chose to keep silent, given the vitriolic nature of the hearing. No one who went up against Thomas and the white men on that committee would have walked away unscathed.

Its highly unlikely that Thomas will be impeached, but we can hope. The Me Too movement has underscored the depth and breadth of sexual harassment in our society. Finally, women are being heard and believed. Not only are women no longer willing to be silent, but men are being put on notice that their time is up.

We can hope that the Congressional balance of power shifts this election year, and that predators like Thomas, and even Trump, will be removed from power. Maybe its not just a pipe dream that two of the most powerful men in the country  a Supreme Court justice and the president  would have to answer for the many ways they have mistreated women.



Angela Wright is a freelance journalist living in Charlotte, North Carolina, and a senior facilitator with The OpEd Project. She is the uncalled witness from the Anita Hill/Clarence Thomas confirmation hearing.



Posted by: anon21 | Feb 20, 2018 11:02:43 AM

Justice Gorsuch joined Thomas at the end of last term to flag that he too thinks the Supreme Court has not done enough to take 2A cases.

Thomas has a point -- SCOTUS simply has shown no desire to take cases in this area, even Alito not publicly dissenting except in one mostly forgotten case involving a stun gun that SCOTUS disposed of in a per curiam way. In that case, SCOTUS said the MA Supreme Court dismissed a claim too broadly, Alito thinking they should have more substantively honored the 2A instead of the narrow opinion. SCOTUS did take a case involving firearms during which Thomas actually spoke during oral argument. He dissented in the opinion along with Sotomayor, who did not join his 2A remarks.

The comparison to Breyer is true only up to a point. Breyer has had company at times with RBG & Sotomayor writing dissents too, Kagan joining dissents a few times. And, at times a majority of justices do find some specific death penalty case worth taking, at least staying things for a bit. The 2A does not get even that treatment.

Posted by: Joe | Feb 20, 2018 11:40:01 AM

"The Ninth Circuits deviation from ordinary principles of law is unfortunate, though not surprising"

Reminds me of the old joke: "Your Honors, I come before the court today to appeal a decision by the Ninth Circuit Court. And I have additional arguments in my favor as well ..."

But coming from a SCOTUS associate justice ...

Posted by: Kent G. Budge | Feb 20, 2018 12:53:47 PM

The Supreme Court in a per curiam quickly overturned a 6CA opinion today. This analysis is five years old, but think it still is relevant:

http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/a_sixth_sense_6th_circuit_has_surpassed_the_9th_as_the_most_reversed_appeal

The Ninth Circuit is a particularly large circuit with strong ideologically minded judges from both sides. It is not surprising there are a significant number of cases where justices believe they went beyond a reasonable position. Notable here only one did.

Posted by: Joe | Feb 20, 2018 1:07:54 PM

Well, anon21, you've definitely convinced me of one thing with your post: you're a moon-barking kook.

Posted by: MarkJ | Feb 20, 2018 1:13:24 PM

I don't think his analogy to abortion cases is entirely fair. The biggest difference is there are legal scrutiny standards to apply in those cases. Heller explicitly declined to adopt any scrutiny standard when it comes to the Second Amendment. I think it would be reasonable for Justice Thomas to say that the Court made a mistake in doing that and should redress their mistake, but it's not at all hypocritical for the Ninth Circuit to strike down laws requiring heightened scrutiny in one case while affirming them in cases where the Supreme Court was silent on that issue.

Posted by: Erik M | Feb 20, 2018 1:40:42 PM

MarkJ, not so fast labelling anon21 a "moon-barking kook." Consider the recent article in New York Magazine--too long to print fully here, but here's the first part:

"Do You Believe Her Now?

Its time to reexamine the evidence that Clarence Thomas lied to get onto the Supreme Court  and to talk seriously about impeachment.

By Jill Abramson

Anita Hill and Clarence Thomas testifying before the Senate in 1991. Paul Hosefros/The New York Times/Redux (Hill); Jose R. Lopez/The New York Times/Redux (Rhomas)

February 18, 2018 9:00 pm

On the same fall night in 2016 that the infamous Access Hollywood tape featuring Donald Trump bragging about sexual assault was made public by the Washington Post and dominated the news, an Alaska attorney, Moira Smith, wrote on Facebook about her own experiences as a victim of sexual misconduct in 1999.

At the age of 24, I found out Id be attending a dinner at my bosss house with Justice Clarence Thomas, she began her post, referring to the U.S. Supreme Court justice who was famously accused of sexually harassing Anita Hill, a woman who had worked for him at two federal agencies, including the EEOC, the federal sexual-harassment watchdog.

I was so incredibly excited to meet him, rough confirmation hearings notwithstanding, Smith continued. He was charming in many ways  giant, booming laugh, charismatic, approachable. But to my complete shock, he groped me while I was setting the table, suggesting I should sit right next to him. When I feebly explained Id been assigned to the other table, he groped again  Are you sure? I said I was and proceeded to keep my distance. Smith had been silent for 17 years but, infuriated by the Grab em by the pussy utterings of a presidential candidate, could keep quiet no more.

Tipped to the post by a Maryland legal source who knew Smith, Marcia Coyle, a highly regarded and scrupulously nonideological Supreme Court reporter for The National Law Journal, wrote a detailed story about Smiths allegation of butt-squeezing, which included corroboration from Smiths roommates at the time of the dinner and from her former husband. Coyles story, which Thomas denied, was published October 27, 2016. If you missed it, thats because this news was immediately buried by a much bigger story  the James Comey letter reopening the Hillary Clinton email probe.

Smith, who has since resumed her life as a lawyer and isnt doing any further interviews about Thomas, was on the early edge of #MeToo. Too early, perhaps: In the crescendo of recent sexual-harassment revelations, Thomass name has been surprisingly muted.

Perhaps that is a reflection of the conservative movements reluctance, going back decades, to inspect the rot in its power structure, even as its pundits and leaders have faced allegations of sexual misconduct. (Liberals of the present era  possibly in contrast to those of, say, the Bill Clinton era  have been much more ready to cast out from power alleged offenders, like Al Franken.)

But that relative quiet about Justice Thomas was striking to me. After all, the Hill-Thomas conflagration was the first moment in American history when we collectively, truly grappled with sexual harassment. For my generation, it was the equivalent of the Hiss-Chambers case, a divisive national argument about whom to believe in a pitched political and ideological battle, this one with an overlay of sex and race. The situation has seemed un-reopenable, having been tried at the highest level and shut down with the narrow 1991 Senate vote to confirm Thomas, after hearings that focused largely on Hill.

But its well worth inspecting, in part as a case study, in how womens voices were silenced at the time by both Republicans and Democrats and as an illustration of whats changed  and hasnt  in the past 27 years (or even the last year). After all, its difficult to imagine Democrats, not to mention the media, being so tentative about such claims against a nominated justice today. Its also worth looking closely at, because, as Smiths account and my reporting since indicates, Thomass inappropriate behavior  talking about porn in the office, commenting on the bodies of the women he worked with  was more wide-ranging than was apparent during the sensational Senate hearings, with their strange Coke-can details.

But, most of all, because Thomas, as a crucial vote on the Supreme Court, holds incredible power over womens rights, workplace, reproductive, and otherwise. His worldview, with its consistent objectification of women, is the one thats shaping the contours of whats possible for women in America today, more than that of just about any man alive, save for his fellow justices.

And given the evidence thats come out in the years since, its also time to raise the possibility of impeachment. Not because he watched porn on his own time, of course. Not because he talked about it with a female colleague  although our understanding of the real workplace harm that kind of sexual harassment does to women has evolved dramatically in the years since, thanks in no small part to those very hearings. Nor is it even because he routinely violated the norms of good workplace behavior, in a way that seemed especially at odds with the elevated office he was seeking. Its because of the lies he told, repeatedly and under oath, saying he had never talked to Hill about porn or to other women who worked with him about risque subject matter.

Lying is, for lawyers, a cardinal sin. State disciplinary committees regularly institute proceedings against lawyers for knowingly lying in court, with punishments that can include disbarment. Since 1989, three federal judges have been impeached and forced from office for charges that include lying. The idea of someone so flagrantly telling untruths to ascend to the highest legal position in the U.S. remains shocking, in addition to its being illegal. (Thomas, through a spokesperson, declined to comment on a detailed list of queries.)

Thomass lies not only undermined Hill but also isolated her. It was her word versus his  when it could have been her word, plus several other womens, which would have made for a different media narrative and a different calculation for senators. As the present moment has taught us, women who come forward alongside other women are more likely to be believed (unfair as that might be). There were four women who wanted to testify, or would have if subpoenaed, to corroborate aspects of Hills story. My new reporting shows that there is at least one more who didnt come forward. Their Me Too voices were silenced."



Posted by: Sam the prosecutor | Feb 20, 2018 2:01:47 PM

Coordinated hit-pieces against Thomas digging up he said-she said allegations from 30 years ago.

sad and pathetic

Posted by: skeptic | Feb 20, 2018 2:40:02 PM

Jill Abramson? Are you kidding?

Posted by: SVT | Feb 20, 2018 2:59:49 PM

Leftists against Clarence Thomas have certainly demonstrated their ability to cut and paste lies. But can they think of original ones? No, that would require original thought.

Posted by: Ingot9455 | Feb 20, 2018 3:20:38 PM

Ingot 9455, Cutting and pasting is not such a bad idea, depending on what you cut and paste. Say what you will, that Thomas was the cruelest judge by far was recognized back in 1992 as this "cut and paste" from the New York Times editorial illustrates:

"The Youngest, Cruelest Justice

Published: February 27, 1992

"Only four months after taking his oath as a Justice, Clarence Thomas finds himself rebuked by a seven-member majority of the Rehnquist Court [Hudson v. McMillian, 503 U.S. 1 (1992)}, for disregarding humane standards of decency. The withering reprimand, included in the Supreme Court's majority opinion in a prison case Tuesday, is this:

To deny, as the dissent does, the difference between punching a prisoner in the face and serving him unappetizing food is to ignore the concepts of dignity, civilized standards, humanity, and decency that animate the Eighth Amendment.

The Eighth Amendment forbids cruel and unusual punishments. Only Justices Thomas and Antonin Scalia refused to apply it to the case of Keith Hudson, a Louisiana prisoner who was shackled and beaten by two guards while their supervisor watched, warning them only against having "too much fun."

The two dissenters likened the case to prisoner gripes about inconveniences behind bars. They contended that since the prisoner suffered only a split lip, loosened teeth and a broken dental plate, he had no constitutional complaint. They chided Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's majority opinion for turning the Bill of Rights into "a national code of prison regulation."

The seven Justices are joined by prison reformers, human rights groups and the Bush Administration's Department of Justice in recognizing that this case turned on "contemporary standards of decency." They know it is indisputably cruel when prison guards add brutally and recklessly to legally prescribed punishment. They know it is up to the courts to make sure such conduct remains unusual as well.

The Thomas dissent would be alarming coming from any justice. Coming from him, it rings also with crashing disappointment.

He is, for one thing, the youngest Justice. He might well serve until the year 2030 or beyond. Although his voting record now is identical only to that of Justice Scalia, he could attract enough support from future appointees to move the Court still further to the right.

A second disappointment concerns hope. Justice Thomas rose from poverty and discrimination in Pin Point, Ga., and his nomination won support from prominent people sure he would bring to the Court the understanding bred of hardship. Indeed, he testified poignantly about watching busloads of prisoners from his window. "I say to myself almost every day, there but for the grace of God go I," he told senators eager to believe him. As a Justice, Clarence Thomas doesn't talk that way anymore.



Posted by: Sam the prosecutor | Feb 20, 2018 3:36:57 PM

Post a comment
Bulgaria has extradited a Russian hacker that was indicted by a US court for mounting a sophisticated hacking scheme to the United States.

According to the Russian embassy in Washington, the Russian hacker Alexander Zhukov was extradited on January 18. The Russian embassy has chosen to disclose the news on the VK social network, the Russian version of Facebook. The hacker is currently held in a jail in Brooklyn, New York.

Employees of the Consulate General in New York will visit him in jail soon, the embassy said.

Zhukov is accused of being involved in a sophisticated ad fraud scheme that leverages advertising and malware to compromise computer networks.

In November, law enforcement and private firms such as Google and WhiteOps took down one of the largest and most sophisticated digital ad-fraud campaign , tracked as Dubbed 3ve, that infected over 1.7 million computers to carry out advertising frauds.

The name 3ve is derived from a set of three distinct sub-operations using unique measures to avoid detection, and each of them was built around different architectures with different components.

3ve has been active since at least 2014 and experts observed a peak in its activity in 2017. It has been estimated that the campaign allowed its operators to earn more than $30 million, people involved in the ad-fraud campaign are all from Eastern Europe.

The United States Department of Justice indicted 8 individuals from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine, one of them is Zhukov.

Operators used a broad range of technique to monetize their efforts, they created fake versions of both websites and used their own botnet to simulate visitors activities , then offered ad spaces to advertisers, and Border Gateway Protocol hijacking for traffic redirection. Crooks also used malicious code to generate fake clicks over online ads and earn money.

The size of the infrastructure involved in the 3ve ad-fraud campaign is very huge, according to the experts, fraudsters infected 1.7 million computers with malware, attackers used thousands of servers and more than 10,000 counterfeit websites to impersonate legitimate web publishers.

The experts discovered that crooks used over 60,000 accounts selling ad inventory generating a record of 3 to 12 billion of daily ad bid requests.

Zhukov, aka Nastra, was arrested in Bulgaria, where he had lived since 2010, in November.

According to Kommersant newspaper, which claims to have spoken with a friend of Zhukov, the hacker stood out on the dark web for the selective way he chose his jobs, staying away from credit-card theft or child pornography. reported the AFP.

Zhukov was earning about $20,000 per month on his fake ad-view contracts, but was exposed after a conflict with his US client, Kommersant said.

Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs  Zhukov, ad fraud)
Education Reporter

Mathew Burciaga is a Santa Maria Times reporter who covers education, agriculture and public safety. Prior to joining the Times, Mathew ran a 114-year-old community newspaper in Wyoming. He owns more than 40 pairs of crazy socks from across the globe.
Shirley Contreras lives in Orcutt and writes for the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society. She can be contacted at 623-8193 or at shirleycontreras2@yahoo.com. Her book, The Good Years, a selection of stories shes written for the Santa Maria Times since 1991, is on sale at the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society, 616 S. Broadway.
Submit an Obituary

Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. Obituaries submitted by family members are also accepted pending proper verification of the death.

Submit an Obituary
As the government shutdown drags into its 28th day over the $5-billion border wall, Federal workers are still showing up to work even though theyre not getting paid, and to prevent a breaking point, Trump has signed a new bill into law guaranteeing back pay for those federal employees who are taking a hit. Perhaps it will be enough to stave off a walk-out for anyone who is feeling less patriotic than usual.

Some 800,000 federal workers did not receive paychecks that would have gone out last Friday, while around a dozen Republican and Democratic lawmakers have pledged to donate their salaries or simply refuse them during the shutdown. Which runs in contrast to other names that have come up on the pay issue, while both sides trade barbs.

For instance, Trump recently questioned why Speaker Nancy Pelosi is getting paid during the shutdown, and he was criticized himself earlier this month for planning to raise pay for Pence and a few others at a time when hundreds of thousands of federal employees are in trouble.

Unlike the federal employees, the rest of the country working for the private sector at least is going about its business as usual, wondering when the next shoe will drop in the Democrats-vs-Trump tit-for-tat.

And not all federal employees have been so generous with their unpaid work time. An increasing number of Transportation Security Agency (TSA) workers have called in sick, and airports in Houston and Miami shut down terminal checkpoints over the weekend. Still, the TSA says its not impacting safety and security, though they must also realize that such a statement suggests that those employees were possibly redundant, then, in the security equation. Related: How Tech Is Decentralizing The Energy Industry

The head of the U.S. Secret Service R.D. "Tex" Alles warned employees that financial stress can lead to depression and anxiety. "Keep an eye out for warning signs of trouble," Alles wrote in a memo seen by Reuters.

Federal courts, which are not controlled by the administration, said that court offices will run out of money January 25which means that after that point, essential staff will have to work for no pay.

Food and Drug Administration hadn't been inspecting food since the partial shutdown began but announced earlier this week that inspectors would return, without pay, to start inspections again, so presumably, people should feel secure enough to buy things like eggs, or any sort of fruit and vegetables.

Meanwhile, the Democrat-held House has passed a series of bills in recent days to individually reopen several agencies, including the departments of Treasury, Interior and Housing and Urban Development, and the Environmental Protection Agency. But there is no concrete indication as to when that might be. For its all being held hostage to meetings that go nowhere.

The end game might be in site when masses of TSA employees stage a walkout. That would cripple U.S. air travel and likely provided impetus to shutdown talks, even more so if it messes up the Super Bowl. But legally, unpaid federal workers are prohibited from striking in protest of a government shutdown. Theyd technically have to all call in sick. Otherwise, they could be criminally prosecuted at worst, and banned from ever holding a government job again, at best.

So its not exactly patriotism thats keeping unpaid federal workers at workits the lack of an alternative in the face of potential criminal punishment.

By Charles Benavidez for Safehaven.com

More Top Reads From Safehaven.com
Blog Archive June 2021 (40) May 2021 (63) April 2021 (75) March 2021 (73) February 2021 (61) January 2021 (69) December 2020 (62) November 2020 (62) October 2020 (70) September 2020 (51) August 2020 (52) July 2020 (60) June 2020 (57) May 2020 (79) April 2020 (56) March 2020 (52) February 2020 (50) January 2020 (69) December 2019 (58) November 2019 (64) October 2019 (44) September 2019 (49) August 2019 (71) July 2019 (71) June 2019 (71) May 2019 (67) April 2019 (74) March 2019 (85) February 2019 (64) January 2019 (73) December 2018 (66) November 2018 (81) October 2018 (87) September 2018 (66) August 2018 (76) July 2018 (84) June 2018 (86) May 2018 (64) April 2018 (83) March 2018 (78) February 2018 (69) January 2018 (69) December 2017 (82) November 2017 (87) October 2017 (89) September 2017 (77) August 2017 (75) July 2017 (76) June 2017 (90) May 2017 (86) April 2017 (59) March 2017 (61) February 2017 (82) January 2017 (92) December 2016 (90) November 2016 (80) October 2016 (75) September 2016 (95) August 2016 (104) July 2016 (93) June 2016 (96) May 2016 (98) April 2016 (99) March 2016 (113) February 2016 (82) January 2016 (98) December 2015 (113) November 2015 (94) October 2015 (93) September 2015 (98) August 2015 (97) July 2015 (105) June 2015 (103) May 2015 (95) April 2015 (100) March 2015 (102) February 2015 (93) January 2015 (114) December 2014 (110) November 2014 (103) October 2014 (105) September 2014 (96) August 2014 (96) July 2014 (112) June 2014 (119) May 2014 (109) April 2014 (116) March 2014 (117) February 2014 (109) January 2014 (116) December 2013 (117) November 2013 (121) October 2013 (125) September 2013 (93) August 2013 (115) July 2013 (110) June 2013 (102) May 2013 (115) April 2013 (113) March 2013 (119) February 2013 (108) January 2013 (119) December 2012 (132) November 2012 (115) October 2012 (121) September 2012 (115) August 2012 (124) July 2012 (102) June 2012 (121) May 2012 (121) April 2012 (127) March 2012 (130) February 2012 (112) January 2012 (131) December 2011 (129) November 2011 (118) October 2011 (118) September 2011 (110) August 2011 (138) July 2011 (146) June 2011 (139) May 2011 (144) April 2011 (127) March 2011 (140) February 2011 (116) January 2011 (134) December 2010 (133) November 2010 (136) October 2010 (148) September 2010 (128) August 2010 (155) July 2010 (129) June 2010 (138) May 2010 (152) April 2010 (161) March 2010 (119) February 2010 (149) January 2010 (155) December 2009 (177) November 2009 (171) October 2009 (176) September 2009 (159) August 2009 (156) July 2009 (170) June 2009 (157) May 2009 (185) April 2009 (179) March 2009 (183) February 2009 (170) January 2009 (181) December 2008 (189) November 2008 (183) October 2008 (164) September 2008 (164) August 2008 (177) July 2008 (179) June 2008 (170) May 2008 (191) April 2008 (175) March 2008 (195) February 2008 (162) January 2008 (188) December 2007 (187) November 2007 (189) October 2007 (194) September 2007 (156) August 2007 (194) July 2007 (163) June 2007 (176) May 2007 (190) April 2007 (177) March 2007 (192) February 2007 (165) January 2007 (170) December 2006 (182) November 2006 (177) October 2006 (185) September 2006 (180) August 2006 (156) July 2006 (160) June 2006 (177) May 2006 (173) April 2006 (157) March 2006 (158) February 2006 (146) January 2006 (144) December 2005 (135) November 2005 (138) October 2005 (128) September 2005 (141) August 2005 (136) July 2005 (133) June 2005 (119) May 2005 (143) April 2005 (52)
Since suicide touched the family of Kimmo Virtaneva, Ph.D., a scientist who works in the genomics group at Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML), Dr. Virtaneva and others at RML have come together to help raise awareness about mental illnesses and to share the latest research and resources with RML and more broadly with the Bitterroot Valley. Because RML is part of the National Institutes of Health, its staff naturally reached out to research colleagues at the National Institute of Mental Health, where Maryland Pao, M.D., is the clinical director.

Upon hearing about the tragedy that touched RML  and Montanas history of high suicide rates  Dr. Pao was invited to visit Hamilton to meet with area mental health providers and speak about the latest research. The event with Dr. Pao will take place on Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Hamilton Performing Arts Center (PAC), 327 Fairgrounds Road.

Her talk, Changing the Stigma: Understanding and Living with Mental Illness, is free and intended for a general audience. The presentation is part of the RML community outreach series, which typically draws more than 200 people. RML, an infectious-disease research facility, is part of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the NIH.
We have never documented a disease outbreak in these sheep, she said. We dont know if they have ever been sick. They are a remote herd that many people never see unless they are up there hunting.

In other areas of the state, bighorn sheep herds have experienced large die-offs. The native sheep are susceptible to diseases carried by domestic sheep.

The Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association and Montana Wild Sheep Foundation paid for the collars.

Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife President Bob Driggers said the two organizations have been working together over the last two years to get the study in place.

We want to do what we can in helping to get a little bit of history on this herd of bighorn sheep, Driggers said. We want to find out if they stay there all winter or do they migrate. We would like to have a better idea on how many there are and if we are losing many to predators.

There were way more down there than I expected to see, Driggers said. Ive heard people talking about seeing them behind the dam and up Blue Joint, but I didnt realize that they were on the east side, too.

Driggers said he spotted six rams last fall at the 22 or 23 mile marker while hunting mule deer in the area.
Shame on us for enabling Trump

For Donald Trump, everyone whose view is not in concert with his own is the evil enemy, trash to be nicknamed, ridiculed, insulted and demeaned. Compromise is not in his vocabulary. Respect for others is not his style. His fraudulent personal and business misdeeds have cost him millions. His 6,000 fact-checked lies are an egregious, mind-blowing record of over-nourished ego. One truth we grant him: being able to stand on a Manhattan street, shoot someone, and not lose a single vote.

Shame on him.

It seems that South Dakota's representatives in Congress are not troubled by the president's made-up statistics, obvious lies sold as truth, and truth called "fake news." We hear not a word of outrage about mindless, divisive, and toxic malevolent behavior. We dare not ask if these "party before country" representatives would be among bystanders across that Manhattan street, witnesses of the senseless slaughter, yet supportive to the end.

If so, shame on them.

Regardless of party, all South Dakotans should declare unwillingness to support those standing blindly with Mr. Trump, a president whose behavior is antithetical to our most treasured values.

But this won't happen. Shame on us.
Trucks stop by weekly to deliver safe drinking water  5 gallons per person  enough to cook and to sip. An alphabet soup of toxic chemicals mixed in with the tap water turns showers into sealed-mouth ordeals.

A few hundred affected residents have been essentially trapped  transformed into economic refugees  because pollution has made their homes unsaleable.

And this is in Box Elder, not Anbar Province.

The recent revelation that firefighting foams used at Ellsworth Air Force Base over decades has contaminated local groundwater is more than an inconvenience to affected residents. The Air Force should do everything necessary to make things right.

Familiarity with the snail-like pace of federal bureaucracy dims hopes for a quick resolution. The Air Force can neutralize threats in Syria in minutes, but addressing contamination on American soil sometimes takes longer than winning wars.
We sat down by the creek, cut up the watermelon with our fishing knives and enjoyed one of the finest meals I can remember. The watermelon was delicious, but even to this day I feel guilty about the way we acquired it.

The other thing that still bothers me was quite different. I was 17 years old and had just landed in Osaka, Japan. I went downtown with several shipmates, hit a bar or two and then I decided to head back to the ship. I saw a Japanese man standing by a rickshaw and so I hailed him and climbed on board.

That little Japanese man soon became a beast of burden as it was his back and foot power that hauled me down the streets of Osaka. It bothered me that this man, dark like me, was substituting himself as a horse to haul me to my destination. Although the trip to the dock was only about 300 yen, I gave him 1,000 yen, and he bowed in gratitude. It made me even more ashamed.

I must say that from then on, for the rest of my tour in the Far East, I never again rode in a rickshaw.
The wage data for South Dakota looks bad overall but may obscure just how tough things are in some specific areas.

Low wages and high housing costs force many workers in the tourism town of Custer to struggle financially or find creative ways to get by, said Mayor Corbin Herman.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Herman said there is little local governments can do to raise salaries, but he is working to lower rents and the overall cost of living in the town of about 2,000 people.

You cant pay somebody $70,000 a year to flip burgers, but you still need the worker and that worker still needs a place to live, Herman said. The employees get a little bit more creative; maybe four or five will live in small house or rent a trailer home outside town to make ends meet.

As is common elsewhere in South Dakota, poor pay levels in Custer are often accompanied by a lack of benefits for workers, Herman said.

I would be doubtful that theres a lot of health insurance and retirement options out there for them, he said. I feel bad for the people who are living at that level.

Workforce development
Ravnsborg also said he'd like to work on prevention by sending his staff into schools to educate them about the dangers of meth. He said treatment options need to be expanded, and in order to re-wire the brain, they may need to be six- or 12-month long programs, not a 30-day program.

Looking ahead

Vargo fell short of endorsing SB 19 but said he would support a bill that was part of an overall effort to examine SB 70.

We have not lived up to the promise of reinvestment" and there are "very few resources" for pre-trial and probation services, he said.

"If you dont lock them up and dont give them the tools to change, how can people be surprised that more people are using drugs, he asked.

"If we can get people off of meth, out of the system," it will save money in the long run, Vargo said. "If we haven't done something to get them away from the drug, we haven't solved the problem, weve just kicked the can down the road.

He said the law's sanction grid, which addresses punishment for probation violations, needs to be looked at. He said the issue isn't just if people are sent to prison during their first arrest, but whether they eventually go to prison.
This item is available in full to subscribers.

Attention subscribers

We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.

If you are a digital subscriber with an active subscription, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you've not yet logged in to your account on this new site.

If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free website account by clicking here.

Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

While the ban was in force throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s in Dakota Territory and then South Dakota, newspapers in the territory and state commonly reported arrests and convictions for carrying concealed weapons. As late as 1934, an annual report by the police chief of Rapid City showed three arrests for the crime.

The wording of the ban passed by the Territorial Legislature in 1864-65 was little altered during many of the years it remained in effect. The original law said, Every person who carries concealed about his person any description of fire-arms, being loaded or partly loaded or any sharp or dangerous weapon such as is usually employed in attack or defense of the person, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Licenses allowed

The crime of carrying a concealed weapon remained a misdemeanor until 1917, when the South Dakota Legislature increased it to a felony. The change was signed into law by then-Gov. Peter Norbeck, a Republican who had told lawmakers he wanted legislation to deal with trouble caused by migrant harvest workers  a group he described as the floating element which comes into South Dakota in such large numbers in the fall of the year.
This letter is in a response to Ruth Johnson's very misguided reply (Jan. 13) to Mr. Justin Scotts article (Jan. 1) concerning the Iowa Senate's continued refusal to sponsor him to give a humanist/atheist invocation.

Most distressing are Johnson's views of atheists, as she states: "...we are reaping the 'rewards' of atheistic views: Murder, lying, coveting others property"

Wow. What an outright evil and bigoted thing to say to a whole group of hard working, very loving, thoughtful, caring, and scientific-minded people. Atheists are firefighters, police officers, nurses, doctors, athletes, bus drivers, students, scientists and every type of everyday people you can come across who are as equally concerned about their thriving community. An atheist myself, I have served and protected my community as a law enforcement officer for over 27 years.

Johnson likely doesnt know the fact the most countries with large atheist populations (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Switzerland) rank highest in the world as being the happiest, healthiest, and the most generous.

These are amazing, wonderful, stable, vibrant countries with low crime rates.
Democrats in power voted for a border wall until Donald Trump became president. Now they are adamantly against it.

They are furious about this government (but not Obamas) separating children temporarily from their parents illegally in our country, but they do not care about families permanently torn apart by illegals driving drunk, joining gangs and shooting police and innocent civilians.

Children are dragged here illegally, having never seen a doctor, bringing diseases not seen in decades.

Thousands of pregnant women cross the border to give birth to their babies in American hospitals, with the costs running into the thousands of dollars per birth with no complications. If the child suffers heart defects, Down syndrome, autism or any other problems, the costs increase with long term care into the millions of dollars. All footed by the American taxpayer.

Democrats rail against the opioid epidemic, but ignore the fact that 90 percent of illegal drugs are coming over the border. Human trafficking is an outrage for Democrats, but not those in danger by Mexican coyotes. Democrats are enabling Mexican cartels to distribute drugs and human traffic across our border.
The president also called for money for a wall, which he sought to describe in softer terms. There also were other elements, but these were the main points.

Democrats, who dont trust Trump, rejected the proposal. They dont like that only temporary protection is being offered, and they said they already have rejected similar ideas from the White House. They also note it is Trump who is trying to remove protections for the Dreamers and the people in the TPS program in the first place.

We dont know if this is just another public relations move by the White House or not. But a deal requires trust. And the president clearly was trying to bypass Democratic leaders on Saturday. That doesn't build trust. He also said McConnell would be offering his proposal in the Senate this week.

Frankly, our hope is that congressional leaders will put their heads together and, themselves, come up with a proposal to end this shutdown.

Maybe there are seeds of a compromise in the White House plan. The idea of trading money for stiffer border security in exchange for real protection for Dreamers and those in the TPS program has been floated by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, as well as by others. But there has to be trust to come to an agreement. And we believe, at this point, that must be forged in Congress.
Subcommittee meetings were not always public; the rules being ditched by Senate Republicans in some committees were put on the books in the mid-2000s. But with the requirement that they be open to the public, subcommittee hearings have become the stage of the legislative process that features the most public participation.

When a bill is working its way through the Legislature, the subcommittee meetings are where any interest group, lobbyist or individual from the public can attend and express their feelings to lawmakers.

By the time a bill reaches the next step, the full committee meeting, the public can't weigh in. The bill is debated only among legislators.

Eliminating that public subcommittee meeting would remove a crucial step in the legislative process. It would remove the ability for the public to offer support for or express concern over a bill, and it would hamper the ability of reporters to provide a complete picture of the debate around a piece of legislation.

Senate Republicans insisted that will not happen, because its not their intention and because the Senate rules still require public subcommittee meetings.

Axne on Agriculture Committee
We are the first generation to feel the sting of climate change, and we are the last generation that can do something about it.

The Democratic Party must nominate a candidate who will put fighting climate change at the top of the agenda. And that's why I'm seriously considering running for president.

The science is clear. We have a short period of time to act. And whether we shrink from this challenge, or rise to it, is the biggest question we face, as a nation and as a people.

It is also our chance to realize the greatest economic opportunity of this century: to create millions of good-paying jobs building a future run on clean energy.

For millions of Americans, climate change is no longer just a chart or a graph. It's the smoke on our tongues from massive wildfires. It's the floodwater invading our homes, and record-breaking hurricanes and heat waves.

Confronting this change has been the driving force of my time in public life. About a decade ago, I co-wrote a book about the need to transform our economy to one run on clean energy and the need for a national Apollo mission-style project to take on this herculean task.
As a member of Congress, I took an oath to protect our country against all enemies  both foreign and domestic. Its a responsibility I take seriously. Thats why its so important to get the truth out there about the border security debate happening in Washington.

Right now, the federal government is being held hostage over $5.7 billion for a border wall. The same border wall the president promised Mexico would pay for more than 200 times on the campaign trail. In fact, President Trump said Mexico would deliver "a one-time payment of $5-10 billion" for the wall. But now, here we are weeks into a government shutdown because the president is asking taxpayers to foot the bill.

As a leader of the House Democrats, Ive helped pass legislation to open our government, including billions of dollars in border security measures that actually work. We also need 21st century solutions to address the 21st century challenges we face, which is why weve proposed a four-point plan based off of recommendations from national security experts:
The talk will be given by Jacob Bancks, an associate professor of music composition and theory at Augustana College, Rock Island, and a composer.

One of the problems with the superstition is that it isn't exactly correct. While Mahler and Beethoven died after their ninth major works, other composers are lumped into that category via oversimplification and error.

"It was Mahler's friend and admirer Arnold Schoenberg ... who gave the most poetic explanation for the so-called 'curse' after Mahler's death," Bancks wrote in an email.

"He basically said that any great artist who writes nine symphonies gets too close to the great truth of the supernatural world, and has to die shortly after."

If one believes in the supernatural and some kind of hereafter, this can give one pause. Shivers, actually.

"It seems that the Ninth is a limit," according to an elaboration I found online for the "curse."

"He who wants to go beyond it must pass away. It seems as if something might be imparted to us in the Tenth which we ought not yet to know, for which we are not ready. Those who have written a Ninth stood too close to the hereafter."
The kerfuffle over the alleged loss of passport data beganas many controversies do these daysas a post on the social media platform Twitter.

In response to a query, Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. tweeted on Jan. 9 that some passport holders needed to present their birth certificates when renewing their travel documents because the previous contractor, a French company, had made off with [the] data when their contract was prematurely terminated and a new deal was cut with APO Production Unit, a state-owned company. Because previous contractor got pissed when terminated it made off with data, Locsin wrote in his post. We did nothing about it or couldn't because we were in the wrong. It won't happen again. Passports pose national security issues and cannot be kept back by private entities. Data belongs to the state. Locsin also suggested that corruption and kickbacks were behind the awarding of a new contract, which as far as we can tell, was done in 2015. Locsins early tweets triggered reactions that were hardly unexpected. First, the National Privacy Commission immediately announced that it would investigate the loss of passport datawhich many in the media misreported as a data breach. To be clear, there was no data breach or hacking involved. If we were to take Secretary Locsin at his word, the previous contractor who already had acccess to all that data simply made off with it. Opposition senators were quick to pounce on the issue, too, saying the Department of Foreign Affairs had a lot of explaining to do and taking the Duterte administration to task for gross incompetence as evidenced by its inability to safeguard private, personal data.But several days later, Secretary Locsin corrected himself, saying the French contractor had not taken any data after all, but had simply made it inaccessible and that from henceforth, no birth certificate was needed because an old passport was enough ID for a renewal. Data is not run-away-able but made inaccessible, Locsin tweeted on Jan. 15. Access denied. But APO assured me they were able to access but not much use and parts corrupted. APO agrees with me that old passports are best evidence of identity and join me in despising those who don't agree with me. The Senate may yet investigate the passport mess, but we suggest it do so, not to uncover any alleged data breachbecause it is now apparent there wasnt one. Rather, we suggest the senators examine why the original passport contract was terminated and if there was, as Secretary Locsin suggests, any corruption involved. Opposition senators, in particular, should find it instructive that the new contract was awarded in 2015 by the previous Liberal Party administration with which most of them were allied. What lessons might we derive from all this? One lesson certainly is not to jump to any conclusions before all the facts are in hand. Opposition Senator Riza Hontiveros knee-jerk reaction was to blame the Duterte administration, even though the facts indicate that the problem began with its predecessor, the Aquino administration, with which she is closely allied. A second, and no less important lesson, is that public officials need to exercise some caution and get their facts straight before they post potentially damaging half-truths on social media. We are all for transparency in government, but public officials need to rein in their Twitter thumbs and get all the facts, and not impulsively blast out tweets off the top of their heads.
Injured Clinton firefighter Adam Cain has been moved from the intensive care unit at University Hospitals, Iowa City.

Clinton Fire Department Battalion Chief Joel Atkinson confirmed Saturday that Cains condition has improved enough for the 23-year-old to be moved out of intensive care.

It is not yet known when Cain will be able to leave the hospital. He has been a member of the Clinton Fire Department for almost two years.

Cain was severely injured Jan. 5 in an explosion that occurred while he and other Clinton firefighters were battling a fire in silo at the ADM Grain Facility in Clinton.

Clinton Fire Department Lt. Eric Hosette, a 12-year veteran who also served as chief of the Charlotte Volunteer Fire Department, was killed in the explosion.

The fire and explosion remain under investigation.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
A good Martin Luther King Jr. Day to all. Do you have the day off? If not, carry on, but bundle up. It's a cold one out there this morning.
In November, the Chamber hired Julie Jindrich as its director of business intelligence. Tallman said shes tasked with using data analytics to attract businesses, generate leads and better connect the Quad-Cities to the national and international market.

In addition, a new website for the Chamber should launch this spring, which Tallman said will include tools to help staff better analyze data.

"Economic development used to be this effort that wasn't scientific. You'd go to a trade show in hopes of meeting someone on the floor, or set meetings with manufacturers and try to sell the region," Rumler said. "But now we need to be smart with these new resources. This will help us see who is already looking at us, identify targets and send them information before we go meet with them."

Also, the Chamber received part of a $2.4 million U.S. Department of Defense grant to develop a Supply Chain Mapping Tool, an online platform providing users with data related to the supply chain in the region.

In 2015, the federal government awarded the first phase of a $5.5 million grant to the Quad-Cities Chamber, the University of Illinois and other regions. The local funds are applied to the Quad-Cities Manufacturing and Innovation Hub, aimed at growing the manufacturing and defense sectors.
Weve long known, havent we, that federal bureaucrats increasingly run the American show. But did we expect an FBI investigation that stepped out of bounds to see if our president was a Russian agent? Such a heinous crime, if true, could obviously spell his end, but such a probe is a slur on democracy.

As a matter of separation of powers, Congress can do it, yes, but the FBI needs actual hard evidence of a crime to proceed. Otherwise, what we have on our hands is an agency that can search out pretty much any soul it wants whenever it wants, the sort of thing you get in tyrannies. If you dislike a leader, someone whose politics you find threatening, for instance, then search here, there and everywhere for something foul.

According to the New York Times, which broke the story, the instigating factor was President Donald Trump firing FBI director James Comey.

This was seen as just maybe obstruction of justice, a means of ending any further explorations of Russia interference with the 2016 presidential election. But, first off, the president had the right to fire the guy. Second, the Department of Justice itself said he deserved as much for one haughty transgression after another. Third, the investigation continued. Nothing was obstructed.
As noted in last weeks column, the controversy about President Donald Trumps proposed wall along the border with Mexico can be summarized in one word: politics.

This week, lets take politics out of the equation and ask what a commonsense approach to border security might entail.

Lets start with what we would like to accomplish.

To keep it as simple as possible, lets go with just two objectives (though others could be added to the list): curtailing the smuggling of heroin and other deadly illicit drugs into our country, and preventing people from illegally entering our country.

While both are very serious problems, the first problem  smuggling heroin and other deadly drugs into our country  is arguably the more serious of the two because it results in the death of tens of thousands of Americans every year. In 2017, more than 72,000 Americans died as a result of drug overdoses. Thats almost twice as many deaths as there were on our nations highways. Thats more Americans than died during the entire war in Vietnam.

Of the more than 72,000 Americans who died as a result of drug overdoses in 2017, 29,000 of the deaths involved fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, and 16,000 involved heroin.
(When I joined the Illinois Senate in 1973, a conservative Republican colleague sat me down to explain that no responsible legislator fails to vote for passage of appropriation bills: We have our fights on amendments, but never on final passage.

(That sound advice has not held since Gingrich demonstrated that blind obstinacy, regardless of the public cost, could be used as a weapon.)

Of course, this does nothing to satisfy the President Donald Trumps ego, or assuage his fear of being chastised by his brain trust: Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, and others in the Great Vacancy of Fox Cable.

I am not certain that those trolling him can be stopped or that Stephen Miller, the blank-eyed advisor who cannot quell his long, personal distaste for Latinos, will lose his baleful influence.

If Trump really wanted his wall, he could have had it during the last session of Congress. All he had to do was make it the price for signing the disastrous tax gift to the wealthy. The all-Republican legislature would have served it up on a platter.

But now he is fixated on a monument. After all, the Emperor Hadrian got his wall, why not Trump?
Please register or log in to keep reading

Stay logged in to skip the surveys.
WHATS NEW: At a special meeting of the whole meeting Friday night, the Blue Stem proposal was discussed. The firm has focused on a solar farm at the villages sewage treatment facility, and says the energy savings could be 84 percent, but on learning the villages extra property may be needed if the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency required an expansion, they have asked whether the village wants to complete the study. Trustees said Friday they do want final numbers in the study. even though the land thats been farmed for some 30 years out there is important. Their proposal would pretty much take the whole center of that parcel out of use, said village administrator Steve Brown.
The governor is proposing a 2 percent increase in spending, which the Empire Center says is closer to 3 percent, but still fairly modest considering the Democrats reputation for spending.

The good news for upstate is Cuomos push to make the 2 percent property tax cap  first passed in 2011  permanent. While the Democratic leadership in the Senate has endorsed a permanent tax cap, the Assembly leadership has not committed. We expect the governor will work it out.

We do believe the governor should rethink his cuts to the states aid and incentives for municipalities program. On paper, the cuts appear modest  just $59 million statewide  but considering that most towns and villages have already adopted budgets for this year, that is simply not fair.

Considering how tight budgets are for most towns  were seeing a lot of this lately  even a few thousand dollars is a hardship.

We could go on and on about unfunded state mandates local municipalities have been asked to pay for years, but at this juncture, it is clear Albany does not have ears.
"It is comforting to know that there are men and women who have taken their job and mission to heart."

I was appointed by President Duterte as chairman and resident representative in Taiwan. His marching orders were very clear to me as I embarked on the mission at hand: Look after and ensure the welfare of overseas Filipino workers on the island. Luckily for us at the Manila Economic and Cultural Office, the living and working conditions of our overseas workers in Taiwan are way better than in other parts of the world. This may also be attributed to the host governments pro-active approach in handling cases involving foreign workers. Yet unfortunate events still strike our kababayans here from time to time, sometimes of their own doing, perhaps brought about by an inability to balance wants versus needs, and their longing for family back home. Everyday, our Assistance to Nationals section processes OFW problems ranging from complaints against usurers and queridas to overstaying workers who wishes to surrender to Taiwan authorities and finally go home. Also common are cases of workers getting ill or getting involved in work-related accidents. The more serious stuff come once in a while when disasters, such as earthquakes and factory fires, strike. Also in the frontlines to address this range of cases involving our workers are the people from the Department of Labor and Employment and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, who are on call, day and night, to respond to our kababayans woes. Led by labor officer and lawyer Cesar Chavez of Davao and chief welfare officer Dayang Dayang Sittie Kaushar Jaafar, a native of southernmost Tawi-Tawi, both veterans in working with OFWs in the Middle East, these agencies work hand in hand with MECOs ATN officers in providing the required labor, legal and even financial assistance to distressed OFWs in northern Taiwan.If not for rules against divulging details of the cases involving OFWs, I could have further illustrated how these frontliners dedicate their time and hard work, even outside of their prescribed working hours, to the service. They travel far and wide across the more populous cities and counties of Taiwan seeking to reach out to as many OFWs as possible, educating them on the many ways by which our government can help them, and bringing these services closer to our kababayans. Jaafar particularly strikes me with her motherly, or sisterly to some, approach in extending help to Filipinos in Taiwan, specially those who need medical care assistance and emotional guidance. Though born to a powerful political family and Sama royalty, her dedication to the plight of distressed OFWs is admirable. * * * Meanwhile, outside the MECO offices, another woman is passionately engaged in helping Filipinos in Taiwan. Dr. Juliet Montano Tsai, a Batanguena who married an overseas Chinese from Hong Kong and later based themselves in Taiwan, was recently recognized by no less than President Duterte for her contributions to the well-being of our OFWs. Dr. Tsai has dedicated her family medicine practice almost exclusively for Filipino OFWs who seek medical treatment in a clinic in Banqiao district during the past three decades. Consultations with her are particularly helpful given the language barrier between OFWs and most doctors in Taiwan. Dr. Tsai was also able to convince the owner of the polyclinic where she practices to bring down the consultation fee from NT$150 to just NT$80. Big hospitals in Taipei charge as much as NT$380 per consultation. Of course, here in Taiwan, the medicines the doctor prescribes come free with that 80 Taiwan dollars (about P135 only) consultation fee.
Kathleen Phalen-Tomaselli reporter - Washington County Follow Kathleen Phalen-Tomaselli Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been closed since the end of December, and that means local farmers do not have access to the services of county Farm Service Agencies.

Farmers who have loans, their loan payments are not being processed, said David Holck, executive director of the Washington County FSA, who has been furloughed from his job. And farmer loan applications cant get processed.

Holck said the deadline for Market Facilitation Program money was Jan. 15, but Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue extended the deadlines because of the federal government shutdown.

The MFP program, through the USDA, offers farmers financial relief from the burden that international tariffs have placed on their business. Government funding for farms is tied directly to a producers actual level of production, but with the USDA closed, farmers cant get production certified, a necessary part of the MFP application.

They will extend the deadline by the number of days we are out, said Holck, who has been out of work for nearly a month because of the shutdown.

Holck explained that not all Washington County farms apply for FSA loans, but for those who do, its getting close to spring planting and some farmers will not have the money they need to plant.
U.S. Sen Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and state Sen. Betty Little, R-Queensbury, joined local politicians at the site on Dec. 14 to showcase a rail transfer station that would deliver grain to local dairy farms. Out of respect for Webb and not wanting to trespass on her property, Kingsbury Town Supervisor Dana Hogan did not attend that event.

Webb said she didnt think the event was handled well because she was not asked about crossing her property.

Right of way to former GE dewatering site still in limbo KINGSBURY  Town Supervisor Dana Hogan chose not to attend a press conference with U.S. Sen.

She said Thursday that she was glad the matter is settled. Shell continue farming there, and her farming neighbors, too, are still allowed use of the road, she said.

While one string has been tied up, a lawsuit between WCC and the town of Fort Edward still remains. WCC stopped paying its property taxes and sued the town for a reduced assessment. It argued that because there was no revenue-generating businesses at the site that it could not pay its taxes.

The Town Board had an executive session about the matter at its meeting Jan. 14, but no action was taken after.

WCC spokesman John Davidson did not immediately return The Post-Stars request for comment Thursday.

Reporter Gwendolyn Craig can be reached at (518) 742-3238 or gcraig@poststar.com. Follow her on Twitter @gwendolynnn1.

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Cameras were also placed at the front of the cage so Nye, Allen and others could monitor which birds were eating.

When the young birds started to fledge, sometimes theyd land right in the marshland. They hadnt quite figured out how to fly back up to the cage, and Nye said part of the work became slogging through the swamp to retrieve eagles.

The birds were banded, so when they did finally fly the coop, the DEC could keep track of where they went. Some died, but the program had one of its first major breakthroughs in 1980, when a new nesting pair was discovered in Watertown, about 84 miles from Montezuma. Both birds were banded.

They were the first eaglets we released in 1976, Nye said. We were just ecstatic about that. This is phenomenal. They actually set up a nest and had young. That was like a huge shot in the arm. We said, This can work. This is no longer an experiment. This can work.

Over five years, Nye said they released 23 eaglets from the hacking cage. In 1981, they added more hacking towers around the state, including a tower in the Adirondacks.

The program hit another milestone in 1988, when New York officially had 10 pairs that had settled down to nest. Nye said that was their signal to stop hacking and let nature take its course.
January is a rough month. It is a new beginning, which I can appreciate. However, it is cold, dark and gloomy for the most part. I start my work day in the dark and end it just the same. As I have gotten older, I have lost my love for the snow and cold. So, I make the best of it by finding things to do inside. And if I have to venture out, you can bet I am saving money on something. Let me share with you the items you should be focused on buying during the month of January.

Linens: Many major retailers celebrate January sale comebacks with huge white sales. White sales date back to 1878, when a department store named John Wanamaker & Co. in Philadelphia discounted white sheets to bring customers into the store to drum up business after the holidays. The sale continued each year in hopes of customers stocking up yearly with new towels and sheets with the new year. Since then, all colors of linens have been included in the sales, but the sales are still held for the same exact reason.

Holiday clearance: You can still find up to 90 percent off some items in your local stores. Yes, the pile is much smaller, and the selection is getting slim, but as you are looking, get creative. If there are red gift bags or bows, buy them and use them for Valentines Day, which is within a month. Think outside of the box. It is a great way to save a bundle.
"The literature in the field is replete with accounts of individuals who have taken their own lives or attempted to do so because their gender dysphoria was not properly assessed and treated . . ." according to the filing.
They are stationed in the housing units, and they stay with the same group, rather than rotating as they used to do. They've had training in counseling, particularly focused on helping youth deal with trauma, which recent studies suggest is a key factor when young people get into trouble.
She grew up in a military family, and joined Girl Scouts as a Brownie when her family lived in Japan. When they moved to California, she joined a troop, and then in Virginia Beach became part of Troop 301. Her parents Michelle and Raymond Kimmel reside in Birchwood. She has also been leader for Brownies and Daisy Girl Scouts.
"It has taught my children leadership and given them connections to each other and the community through so many service projects," she said. "And it has given me a group of women, who share the same core family values, that I can turn to for friendship, support, advice or networking; it's been wonderful."
"It's time for the US federal government to shut the agency down for good."

The Department of Homeland Security has issued an advisory for anyone planning to travel to the Philippines due to flight security issues at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila. The advisory was issued last month after Homeland Security reached the conclusion that the airport does not maintain and carry out effective security consistent with the security standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization. That means all airlines issuing tickets for travel between the US and Manila must now notify passengers in writing of the warning and it must be displayed prominently at all US airports that provide regularly scheduled service to Manila. Transportation Security Administration representatives have been working with the Philippine government to help airport and transportation authorities bring the airport up to international security standards, and will continue to help them fix the problems and assess security measures. Are they really? The US government continues to be shut down. As news outlets and Democratic politicians used reports regarding TSA employees calling in sick to work to scare the country into thinking they were no longer safe, another story popped up claiming that a passenger carried a firearm through a TSA security checkpoint in Atlanta. When she arrived in Japan, the traveler alerted the Delta Air Lines flight crew. Without naming the passenger, the TSA said she was fully cooperative with authorities. Adding that the security breach happened because officials did not follow standard procedures. In a statement, officials also claimed that this lapse had nothing to do with the government shutdown. The Atlanta checkpoint lane was fully staffed, TSA officials said, adding that national callout rate for January 2 was the same as last years when no shutdown was in place.Despite the agencys statement, outlets did not shy away from reinforcing the idea that the shutdown has, indeed, affected the agency. Painting a grim picture, these reports recounted how TSA staff are working without pay or on furlough during the government shutdown without mentioning that government employees who are furloughed are still getting their paychecks and that even if the pay is behind, government officials are still being paid more than the US taxpayers footing the bill. Worse yet, most outlets completely ignored the TSAs own history of incompetence, as the agency always struggled to detect weapons and even explosives since its inception following the Sept. 11 attacks. Perhaps, what all these reports were trying to do was to make Americans feel like the TSA truly is essential, despite the countless ways its been proven that the agency has actually made traveling less safe than before when private security firms were hired by the airlines.Unfortunately, with lines getting longer and workers apparently lowering security standards to get passengers through security more quickly, its almost as if the government shutdown made it easier for any supporter of the agency to justify keeping them around. When President George W. Bush proudly announced airport security had become a federal responsibility, he failed to list the many problems that would cause travelers in the long run. With the shutdown in place, were once again reminded that the TSA costs US taxpayers a pretty penny while doing little to keep us safe. With a $7.5-billion budget, the TSA has proven time and again that it fails to detect potential threats while also claiming that its successes should remain secret. The terrorists that the agency does catch, it claims, must remain nameless and the stories of bravery coming from the agency must remain under wraps. But theres zero evidence the agency has actually stopped an actual attack, and its existence is based largely on the idea that they are needed to prevent another 9/11. With airports that switched to private security claiming they couldnt be happier with the service, especially under the government shutdown, unions representing TSA workers parrot the same old claims, saying airports that choose to go private are just being greedy and that traveler safety should be the governments job. Still, the TSA has made traveling less safe, both because it fails to meet its own standards and because its very existence made travelers switch from flying to driving. And as we all know, youre at a greater risk of dying from car crashes than flying accidents. In order to bring travelers back to the skies and stop with the incredible waste of US taxpayers dollars, its time for the US federal government to shut the TSA down for good.
"I really did not have any difficulties with the woodworking. It came very naturally to me. I had worked on models before," he said. I had to do some icing, which I found to be a problem, but it all came together. We had a good group."
Witnesses did not seem to mind because they could scrounge the killing field for shoes or clothes. They could also get work by digging the graves. Some villagers walked on top of the bodies to press them down and make room for more.
Carlos Ghosn, the ousted former Nissan boss detained in Tokyo on charges of financial misconduct, on Monday vowed to remain in Japan if granted bail and again proclaimed his innocence. Tokyo District Court will later Monday consider the 64-year-old's latest petition for bail but has already rejected Ghosn's previous applications, judging him a flight risk who might seek to destroy evidence. "As the court considers my bail application, I want to emphasise that I will reside in Japan and respect any and all bail conditions the Court concludes are warranted," Ghosn said in a statement released by his US-based representatives. He vowed to attend any subsequent trial "not only because I am legally obligated to do so, but because I am eager to finally have the opportunity to defend myself." "I am not guilty of the charges against me and I look forward to defending my reputation in the courtroom," concluded the statement. Ghosn stands charged of three counts of financial misconduct and even his lead lawyer has said he is unlikely to be granted bail until a trial takes place -- which could take six months. The Franco-Lebanese-Brazilian executive said he has been in his Tokyo detention cell for 64 days "with no release in sight." His stunning arrest on November 19 as his private jet arrived at Haneda Airport shocked the business world and the twists and turns of his case have gripped Japan since. Since then, he has been kept in custody in northern Tokyo and has only been since in public once, in a dramatic court appearance where a much thinner executive pleaded his innocence in a packed courtroom. His wife Carole has appealed to Human Rights Watch, claiming he is being held in "harsh" conditions and subjected to round-the-clock interrogations intended to extract a confession. - 'Solid, stable, sustainable governance' - Ghosn's arrest represented a sudden fall from grace for a once-revered tycoon widely credited with turning Nissan around from the verge of bankruptcy. Nissan immediately ousted him as chairman after the arrest, as did Mitsubishi Motors, the other Japanese firm in the three-way alliance with Renault. Late Sunday, Nissan held an inaugural meeting of a special committee designed to improve governance in the wake of the scandal. The head of the committee, Seiichiro Nishioka, said the problem was "an excessive concentration of authority in the hands of a single person." The charges against Ghosn are that he under-declared his income in official documents to shareholders over an eight-year period -- in an apparent bid to dodge accusations he was overpaid. In addition, prosecutors have formally charged him with involvement in a complex scheme they say was designed to make Nissan pay for personal investment losses sustained in the financial crisis of 2008. Ghosn's arrest has thrown into question the future of the three-way alliance he forged between Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors and Renault, which has come under pressure in his absence. French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire on Sunday denied talk of a potential merger between Renault and Nissan, despite reports in the Japanese media that Paris was pushing for that outcome. "The subject is not on the table today. What is on the table today is the governance of Renault," he told journalists during a visit to Cairo. "The most important thing for us is to have solid, stable, sustainable governance for Renault," said Le Maire.
Jihadist gunmen killed 10 Chadian peacekeepers and injured at least 25 others in an attack on a UN camp in northern Mali on Sunday, one of the deadliest strikes against the UN mission in the West African country. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was "in reaction" to the visit to Chad by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to the Mauritanian Al-Akhbar news agency, which regularly receives statements from this jihadist group. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned what he described as a "complex attack" on the camp in Aguelhok, in Kidal region and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. "Ten peacekeepers from Chad were killed and at least 25 injured," said a statement from UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric. The gunmen struck early Sunday at the Aguelhok base 200 kilometres (125 miles) north of Kidal and towards the border with Algeria, according to a source close to the MINUSMA mission. "MINUSMA forces responded robustly and a number of assailants were killed," Dujarric said, without specifying the toll. Mahamat Saleh Annadif, the UN envoy for Mali, condemned what he called a "vile and criminal" attack. "Peacekeepers of the MINUSMA force at Aguelhok fought off a sophisticated attack by assailants who arrived on several armed vehicles," he said in a statement. The attack "illustrates the determination of the terrorists to sow chaos. "It demands a robust, immediate and concerted response from all forces to destroy the peril of terrorism in the Sahel." - Mali Islamist violence - On Sunday, France's Defence Minister Florence Parly told French radio that the G5 Sahel anti-jihadist force in the region was resuming its operations. They were suspended after an attack on their headquarters in mid-2018. The G5 force comprises contingents from Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad. An attack at the same base last April killed two peacekeepers and left several others wounded. In October 2014, nine troops of a Nigerian contingent were killed in the northeast. Some 13,000 peacekeepers are deployed in Mali as part of a UN mission. It was established after Islamist militias seized the north of the country in 2012. They were pushed back by French troops in 2013. A peace agreement signed in 2015 by the Bamako government and armed groups was aimed at restoring stability to Mali. But the accord has failed to stop violence by Islamist militants, who have also staged attacks in neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger. Earlier this month, both France and the United States criticised the authorities in Mali for their failure to stem the worsening violence. On January 16, France threatened to push for more targeted sanctions to be imposed on Mali after hearing a UN official report on worsening violence in the West African country. Washington renewed its warning that it would push for changes to the peacekeeping mission in Mali, possibly a major drawdown, if there was no progress. In August, a panel of experts said in a report to the UN Security Council that inter-communal conflicts in the region were exacerbating existing tensions from clashes between jihadist groups and international and Malian forces.
From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As...
As you can tell, this blog is totally screwed. Im really sorry about this but its totally out of my control. Until it gets fixed, Im blogging over at my...
About Me Oscar Bartoli Washington, DC, United States Avvocato, giornalista pubblicista, collabora con molti media italiani. Risiede negli Stati Uniti dal 1994 e vive tra Washington D.C., Los Angeles e Bangalore (India). Consigliere comunale per il Partito Liberale a Palazzo Vecchio (Firenze) porta ancora addosso i segni delle percosse che i 'compagni' comunisti di allora gli hanno dato per essere andato a parlare nelle piazze dove comandava solo il PCI. Ha lavorato per molti anni nel gruppo SMI,leader europeo nel settore metalli non ferrosi, successivamente nell'IRI come responsabile dei contatti con i media e in seguito direttore IRI USA. Ha insegnato per dieci anni alla scuola di giornalismo della Luiss e per due anni alla Catholic University di Washington DC. Tiene un corso sulla comunicazione nel Master di Relazioni Internazionali dello IULM di Milano. Rotariano da decenni ha contribuito a creare due Club a Roma, e' stato presidente del Cassia Romana ed attualmente fa parte del Washington Rotary Club. Da giovane, per pagarsi gli studi ma, soprattutto, perche' gli piaceva, ha lavorato come chitarrista - cantante suonando nelle case del popolo, circoli cattolici, night clubs, radio e televisione. View my complete profile

Da non perdere "Lei non sa chi sono io" Oscar Bartoli- Prefazione Romano Prodi- Editore Ciuffa



"Ed anche questa e' America", di Oscar Bartoli - prefazione Walter Veltroni Editore Luiss University Press



"Mezzogiorno di Fuoco: duello all'ultimo spot" di Oscar Bartoli - Editore goWare



"W.D.C (sotto traccia)" di Oscar Bartoli, Editore Luca Betti





"DC Undercover"

(Scarith Books/New Academia Publishing 2013)







"Massoneria@FQA-Elogio dell'Informazione e della Comunicazione" di Stefano Bisi e Oscar Bartoli. Editore Luca Betti





Potus-Sutop (Leo Rasco-Oscar Bartoli) Kindle Amazon

Blog Archive
There is no respite for Libya on its bumpy road to recover crude oil production to the levels of 2011, when the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi plunged the country into a deep division between the east and west and an incessant strife for control over its vital oil industry.

A military operation launched this week could shape the fate of Libyas oil production and exports for months and possibly years to come. The outcome is highly uncertainits either boom or bust.

Barely a day had passed since the African OPEC member won exemption from the new OPEC+ production cuts in early December, when its largest oil field, Sharara, was shut down, after armed militia claiming attachment to the local Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG) seized control and demanded ransom to re-open it.

More than a month later, Sharara remains offline, and Libyas internationally recognized National Oil Corporation (NOC), which refuses to yield to ransom demands, says that Oil production will now only restart at Sharara after alternative security arrangements are put in place.

Shararas shutdown will result in daily production losses of 315,000 bpd, plus a loss of 73,000 bpd at the El Feel oil field because it depends on Sharara for electricity supply, NOC said last month, noting that the combined daily cost to the Libyan economy of this unnecessary shutdown is US$32.5 million.

In a new development this week, forces loyal to eastern strongman General Khalifa Haftar said that they had started a military operation to secure oil sites and facilities in Libyas south, where Sharara is located.

(Click to enlarge)

Haftar leads a self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) with a base in the eastern city of Benghazi. LNA is the main opponent of the UN-backed Libyan government based in the capital Tripoli in the west.

Haftar forces already control the four oil ports in the so-called Oil Crescent in the east and the major oil fields there. The possibility to take control over Sharara could not only give the eastern forces control over Libyas biggest oil fieldwhich had the capacity to pump 340,000 bpdbut could also put nearly all of Libyas oil industry in the hands of the eastern general.

This could lead to deeper divisions between the east and the institutions in the west and Tripoli and further complicate UN efforts to unify the fractured country. Haftars opponents could also fiercely oppose the eastern general taking control over Sharara, which could further undermine the security situation in Libya and around its key oil field. Related: U.S. Army Joins Race To Expand U.S. Oil Exports

At present, its not certain what Haftar would do if his forces secure the Sharara oil field. So this military operation is the wildest card for Libyan oil production and one of the wildest cards for global oil supply at a time when OPEC and allies are trying to clear the new glut with the production cut deal that began on January 1.

If Haftar manages to secure Sharara and the still operating Sharara-dependent El Feel oil field and hands them over to the internationally recognized NOC, this could lead to stabilization of Libyas oil production. But if the eastern general were to hand Sharara over to the parallel oil authority in the east not recognized internationallyas he did for a few weeks with the eastern oil ports in the summer of 2018then more blockades and supply disruptions could follow.

In June last year, Haftar recaptured the ports in the Oil Crescent in the east from armed groups after a week of fighting, and handed their control to the unrecognized oil company in the east. This resulted in a port closure that blocked 850,000 bpd of Libyas oilnearly all Libyan productionfrom being exported from the four ports for more than two weeks.

But a few weeks later, Haftar agreed to hand back control of the ports to the NOC. Production started to gradually recover and grow from as low as 664,000 bpd in July to 1.1 million bpd in November.

However, Libyas oil production and exports have been severely disrupted since early December, due to port closures courtesy of bad weather as well as the security incidents and issues at Sharara.

Related: Trade War Could Persist Unless China Caves

As a result, Libyas crude oil production in December plunged by 172,000 bpd from Novemberto 928,000 bpd from 1.1 million bpd, as per OPECs secondary sources in the cartels Monthly Oil Market Report released this week.

The drop in Libyas oil production last month was the second steepest decline among OPEC producers after Saudi Arabia, which cut production by 468,000 bpd from November to 10.553 million bpd in December.

But while Saudi Arabia is leading by example and cutting oil production as part of the new OPEC+ deal, Libyaexempted from cuts againsaw its production decline due to its unstable security situation.

The next few weeks will be crucial to where Libyan production will be heading in coming months. If Haftar takes control over the biggest oil field, he could either hand it over to NOC, thus possibly ensuring some stabilization, or he could try to hand it to the parallel eastern authorities, which could deepen divisions and possibly shut in more Libyan oil supply for a longer period of time.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Yes lord knows there are zero young people in the US so we shouldn't have anyone in Congress making decisions with young people in mind

Reply

Thread

Link

Don't you know that if you're not over 50, white or male you don't matter/exist?



Edited at 2019-01-20 09:51 pm (UTC)

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Can white people just shut up for the rest of the month? Like unless you're unlocking the government or something? Just SHUT UP



Edited at 2019-01-20 09:48 pm (UTC)

Reply

Thread

Link

fuck oooooooooooooooooooffffffffffffff

Reply

Thread

Link

I'm done listening to white, male "liberals". Seems like half of them are a nice sized pay check away from flipping anyway.

Reply

Thread

Link

God, theyre just fucking terrible.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

lol does he think writing the west wing makes him a political expert why would i care

Reply

Thread

Link

He's a white male!!!

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

hdu, he was a hack on The Newsroom too.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

The West Wing has garbage politics

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Maybe he should stop acting like an old person. Do old people ever do anything besides bitterly complaining about the people who are young and relevant?

Reply

Thread

Link

So we should listen to a guy who was a 24/7 cokehead up until 5 min. ago? He can take his condescension and perpetual sexism and shove them up his ass.

Reply

Thread

Link

exactly, lol



if he had his way, they would ACT old

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

lmao right, like what a dumb ass

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Ikr what would he have them do, live-blog Matlock and tweet their appreciation for the Golden Corral's Early Bird Special

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Think older, like Luby's Luann Platter

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

God forbid anyone young act their age rme.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

shut the fuck up aaron. and trans rights aren't a distraction. lol this self-important asshole. again, shut the fuck up aaron!!

Reply

Thread

Link

Cause being old and out of touch has worked so well so far!!



Dumb bitch.

Reply

Thread

Link

The reality of Aaron Sorkin is a horrible disappointment.

Reply

Thread

Link

Maybe, just maybe, actually turning out young people to vote starts with trying to connect with them and their concerns instead of being dismissive out-of-hand.



And maybe, just maybe, it says something that the Democrats succeed with candidates that connect to the youth vote and fail with ones that don't.

Reply

Thread

Link

He wrote The West Wing and The Social Network.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link
Washington, PA (15301)

Today

Cloudy. A stray severe thunderstorm is possible. High 83F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. Low 67F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
"We have seen the enemy, and it is us."

A non-government organization in the US described the Philippines as a war zone in disguise. Whether a valid description or not, the NGO claim somehow has a ring of truth in it, some local observers say. The short news runner below the main CNN Philippines coverage did not give enough details on the claim of the NGOnor its identity. Watching the daily news on TV and the major Manila dailies is enough to make us cringe and wish we can be evacuated to a safer place. The bloody war on drugs, the series of political killings and terrorist bombings taking the lives of innocent civilians are just some of the grisly headlines that seem to have become the new normal. These are occurrences not only in the present administration of President Rodrigo Duterte but go all the way back to the previous administrations. It would be a tribute to any president if he or she can stem this tide of lawlessness so the international community can see us as a stable country and not one where anarchy rules. We can expect political violence to rise in the run-up to the May 13 national and local elections. The Commission on Elections has listed several provinces as election hot spots even as Mindanao is under martial law which was extended for the third time.We cannot really blame the US-based NGO for getting the impression we are in a state of war, although internally. Who was it who said: We have seen the enemy, and it is us. But then I would suggest to that US-based NGO to look at America itself. While there are no political killings in the US, President Donald Trump has sown a deep political divide between Democrats and Republicans. Because he wanted to build a border wall between the US and Mexico, he has created an impasse in the passage of national appropriations. The Democrats do not want to allocate $5 billion for a wall that could be better spent for health and social services. Besides, Mexico is a friendly southern neighbor which has no intent to take over the United States. Trump, according to his critics, is fanning the flame of fear that illegal Mexicans are entering the US and taking over jobs meant for Americans. Because of the deadlock on the budget, the US itself has been on a shutdown for nearly a month now. Many federal employees are not being paid. To get over the hump and the partial government gridlock, Americans are paying for essential needs with their credit cards. But what will happen when their card credit runs out, and how will they pay for the interests on their charges? As anyone who uses his credit card knows, the interest charges can be overwhelming. They build up when not paid on time. Going back to the local scene, the stoppage of the South Korean shipbuilding firm Hanjins operation is a cause of concern. While the local banks do not seem worried about the loss of funds loaned to Hanjin, there are certain quarters which are worried that Hanjin might sell out to China its interests including its equipment and lease on Subic. Will the US allow its South Korean ally to give China a foothold on Subic? Recall that Subic, with its natural cove, was once the naval base of the American Seventh Fleet that made China think twice before it launched its aggressive expansionist move in the South China Sea. Moving into Subic and replacing the US brings Beijing a step closer to annexing the Philippines as a province of China. The jingoists in our midst would probably go saber-rattling and vow that they will fight to the end. But calmer heads say we cant fight China with its more modern military weapons and a million-member People Liberation Army. The alternative is to negotiate for peace and bilateral talks for a mutually beneficial joint exploration of the vast resources under the South China Sea. Both the Philippines and China, after all, need the potential oil, gas and mineral resources under the sea. The rich fishing ground of the South China Sea can be shared by Chinese and Filipino fishermen and theres no need for any one party to claim it as its own. The West Philippine Sea was declared by The Hague international tribunal as legally within the Philippines exclusive economic zone. Now, pray tell, who will enforce this international ruling? China knows that the US nor the United Nations cannot enforce The Hague ruling which Beijing considers as just a scrap of paper.
See China through Thomass eyes as he travels to and through the fourth largest country in the world! Find morein the free Nick Jr. App and everywhere you find Nick Jr.Catch the brand-newChinese New Year Special "Thomas and the Dragon"; "Seeing Is Believing", premiering Monday, February 4 at 9:30 a.m. ET/PT, only on Nick Jr. on Nickelodeon USA! In the episode, Thomas is tasked with delivering a dragon to a Chinese New Year celebration; Later, Thomas becomes inspired to embark on his own adventure around the island of Sodor!You will love riding the rails with Thomas and learning a little bit about the lifestyle and culture of the most populous place in the world, which belongs to the continent of Asia. Thomas loves to travel and this time hes choo-chooing around China, sharing kid-friendly facts about the land, animals, culture, and more. This video is perfect for parents who are interested in teaching their preschoolers about different countries. Watch and travel to the Great Wall, learn about one of the worlds longest rivers, and even learn about pandas and dragons! While in China, kids can meet Thomass new friendsHong-Mei, An An, Yin-Long, and Yong Bao! All aboard for a fun geography lesson taught by the locomotive your kids love!Watch full episodes of, weekdays on the Nick Jr. channel: http://nickjr.com/tvschedule/ Preschoolers can watch full episodes online, play games, and discover silly surprises in the free Nick Jr. App and at NickJr.com . Stream Nick Jr. for free in the Nick Jr. App on Roku and Apple TV or download full episodes for offline viewing on iTunes or Google Play.You can also download premium apps featuring your child's favorite Nick Jr. shows on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon, including Nick Jr. Draw and Play and Nick Jr. Lets Learn!
New York (AFP) - As organizers of the Women's March gear up for their third major day of protest on Saturday across the United States, there is one big question -- how many people will answer the call for a #WomensWave?

Two New Yorkers, who attended a sign-making workshop ahead of the big rally, talked to AFP about why they are marching again this year, despite controversies at the heart of the movement:

- 'Wake-up call' -

Sharon Lin, a doctor and mother of two, will march with her children on Saturday in the Big Apple.

She says she remains convinced of the need to show up, and not be a silent bystander in the middle of the political firestorm sparked two years ago when President Donald Trump took office.

That "wake-up call," as she calls it, prompted a major life change: she and her husband gave up their jobs and a home in "comfortable suburbia" in San Francisco in August for a new life in New York.

"We moved to New York so I could expose my kids to a more global environment," Lin told AFP -- a decision that was "directly linked to Trump."

While Lin believes that turnout will be lower on Saturday than in the past two years, perhaps because a record number of women were elected to Congress in the November midterms, she still thinks participation is key.

"I think the momentum needs to keep going, at least until the next election" in 2020, when Trump will face re-election, says Lin, who will act as a volunteer on Saturday to make sure the march goes off smoothly.

- Optimism despite divisions -

Round Three of the Women's March could see sagging enthusiasm, given the various issues that have tainted the movement in recent months.

Accusations of anti-Semitism have rattled the national movement's top brass, and despite repeated denials, a parallel group known as March On was created.

In New York, two rallies will take place in Manhattan, in separate neighborhoods -- which could impact attendance and weaken the message.

Story continues

Lin says the divisions don't really matter to her as the "original intent" is intact: "The masses coming together and saying, 'We don't like the way our country is going.'"

But Jean Laupus -- a 59-year-old self-described "concerned citizen" who wants to see better public schools and access to contraception -- fears the "schism" at the heart of the Women's March will be an issue.

"It is making people have to choose," she told AFP. However, she hopes to bridge the gap and make it to both rallies, proudly, in her pink "pussy hat" -- the de facto symbol of the movement.

She is also getting her signs ready for Saturday.

No matter how many people show up, both Lin and Laupus say they are optimistic about the future.

And they are particularly impressed with 29-year-old progressive New York lawmaker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.

"She represents a breath of fresh air but also a sense of humanity -- understanding more about people who represent a greater part of society," Laupus says.

For Lin, Trump is "giving us a gift: the doors are opening for women who would never thought of entering politics."
Stock market volatility be damned, people are still finding the money to spend on lavish cruises.

Norwegian Cruise Line Chief Financial Officer Mark Kempa told Yahoo Finance that booking trends have remained strong this year. Further, Kempa said ships are continuing to exert pricing power.

Kempa spoke to Yahoo Finance aboard the newly revamped Oceania Insignia. Norwegians sister brand, known for its more laid back country club atmosphere, is undergoing a $100 million remodeling of its older, though vital four ships to be done by 2020. The remodels will include new looks to staterooms and other areas on the ships.

The Insignia alone received a $30 million overhaul that was finished in a mere 16 days. A 180-day cruise on the Insignia could set a person back $40,000 to $200,000 depending on the amenities chosen.

Kempa said given the strong demand Norwegian is seeing on its Oceania ships, the revamps are likely to produce a high return on investment.

Despite the momentum into 2019 and plunge in fuel prices, Norwegian shares are down 19% over the past year. The S&P 500 has notched a 5% drop. Carnival Cruise Line shares are down 21% during that span.

Odds and ends

The owner of the Norwegian, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas brands saw third quarter earnings pop to $2.27 a share from $1.86 a year ago. Earnings outpaced the companys guidance by 7 cents as cruise goers spent more on board and were willing to pay a greater amount for a ticket. Total sales rose 12.5% from the prior year to $1.90 billion.

Executives lifted the top end of their full-year profit outlook several months ago. And they disclosed that ships were already 65% booked for 2019 at higher prices.

Brian Sozzi is an editor-at-large at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter @BrianSozzi

Read Yahoo Finances Exclusives:

Hasbro CEO: We will return to growth in 2019

Macys CEO: Mobile shopping is surging

Procter & Gamble CEO: We arent splitting up the company

Coca-Cola CEO: Why we arent getting into the alcohol business

Hershey CEO: We are having a game-changing year
WashingtonThousands of women marched Saturday in the US capital and across the country to convey a now-annual message opposing Donald Trump and supporting womens rights, but internal divisions appeared to steal some energy from the rallies. In Washington, demonstrators arriving by car, bus or subway converged on the citys Freedom Plaza and marched defiantly past the nearby Trump International Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue. Many wore pink pussy hats to protest Trumps demeaning comments about women. We need to stand up for women all over the world -- for races, gender, sexual orientation, said Ann Caroline, 27, herself wearing a pink hat. Some marchers carried posters portraying Trump as a Russian puppet. Others decried his comments about women or minority groups, while many demanded his impeachment. Just blocks away, the president spoke to reporters outside the White House before traveling briefly to Dover, Delaware for a ceremony to receive the remains of four Americans killed in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group in Syria. He made no public comment about the marches. As in earlier years, thousands of women joined demonstrations in cities across the United States, and around the world, though most turnouts appeared far short of the earlier womens events. In New York, several hundred people converged on Manhattans Foley Square, near the Brooklyn Bridge. Many more took part in a separate march in Central Park organized by women angered by what they saw as the anti-Semitism of one womens march leader. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the newly elected Democratic congresswoman who has emerged as a progressive favorite and a bugbear of conservatives, spoke at both New York rallies. Last year we brought the power to the polls, and this year we need to make sure that we translate that power into policy, she said at the Central Park rally, to loud cheers. That means we wont let anyone take our rights away. Among the protesters was Nydia Leaf, an energetic, pink-hatted 86-year-old taking part in her third womens march. She told AFP she would keep opposing Donald Trump and his policies. Look at what hes done at the border, look at the shutdown -- every year there is a new atrocity. In contrast to the 2017 march, which drew more than three million nationwide, and last years event, when hundreds of thousands rallied, Washington police said they expected perhaps 20,000 demonstrators this year.Fewer than 1,200 marched in Chicago, that citys Tribune reported. Internal divisions in Seattle resulted in three separate marches taking place, but police said only 4,000 to 5,000 people turned out, compared to an estimated 100,000 in 2017, the Seattle Times said. The original marches in January 2017 helped spark a rise in womens political activism, with a record 131 women serving in the new US Congress. Last year, many women were galvanized by the confirmation of conservative judge Brett Kavanaugh to the US Supreme Court, despite allegations that he committed sexual assault as a teen. Activists are also motivated by the fight over the Trump administrations policy -- since suspended -- of separating undocumented parents from children at the border with Mexico. But the movement has been riven by controversy, including allegations of anti-Semitism and poor accounting of funds, and weakened, no doubt, by a general sense of political exhaustion. The anti-Semitism controversy stems from march co-founder Tamika Mallorys ties to controversial Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and her failure to condemn disparaging remarks about Jews he made at an event she attended. Teresa Shook, the first woman to float the idea of a womens march, has called for the movements four co-presidents -- Mallory, Carmen Perez, Linda Sarsour and Bob Bland -- to resign. Sarsour pushed back, saying in a statement: The Womens March exists to fight bigotry and discrimination in all their forms -- including homophobia and anti-Semitism. Some progressive groups declined to take part in this years marches, and several Jewish women said they felt torn and opted to take part in separately organized rallies. For her part, Ann Caroline called the controversy heartbreaking, but added that to march for womens rights doesnt mean that I align myself with the founders values. Ocasio-Cortez told New York marchers that the November election meant the start of our advocacy. We just captured the House, she said, and now we got to show what we are going to do with it.
It's hard enough to earn our dollars, so the last thing we need or want is to have some of them stolen from us via one scam or another -- and there are a heck of a lot of scams out there.

Here's a review of three scams that could hurt you in three different parts of your financial life: taxes, health insurance, and online shopping. Get acquainted with them so that you won't fall victim to them.

Two hands are holding up a sign on which is printed the word "scam" with an exclamation mark.

Image source: Getty Images.

Tax scam: Fraudulent tax returns

The first scam to know about is going to be widespread in the next few months, because it relates to our taxes. It involves criminals filing tax returns in other people's names in order to claim and collect tax refunds.

A first step toward conducting this fraud is for the scammers to get your identifying information, such as your Social Security number and your address. There are various ways that scammers try to get this info, and a common one is simply calling you and asking you for it. If you're laughing and thinking that's silly, know that it works a lot, because the scammers are likely to claim that they're from the Social Security Administration (SAA) or perhaps the IRS. They'll be convincing, too, sometimes with your phone's caller ID feature cooperating, saying that a call is from the SAA or IRS.

The caller will explain that there's a problem -- possibly that someone has used your identity fraudulently (which, ironically, is just what they want to do). To clear it up, they'll want you to verify your Social Security number and other information. If you're reluctant, they may scare you into it, suggesting that you may have to go to court or that your Social Security number or your benefits may be canceled or some other terrible thing.

Here's what you need to know:

The Social Security Administration (and many other agencies and companies) will never call you asking for such information.

Caller ID is not always accurate. Scammers can employ fake numbers with fake identities.

Never give out your Social Security number or any other personal information to any stranger on the phone unless you're very sure who they are.

If you're in doubt, call the Social Security Administration yourself. You can call them at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

It's also smart to set up a my Social Security account with the SSA. Once you do, you'll be able to see the SSA's record of your earnings for your entire working life, as well as estimates of your future benefits. It can also prevent your falling victim to a scam, as some identity thieves are pretending to be various people, setting up my Social Security accounts for them, and then trying to steal their Social Security benefits or causing other headaches. To minimize hassles, set up your account before a scammer does so for you.

Story continues

Lots of yellow diamond-shaped danger signs are criss-crossed, each saying scam alert.

Image source: Getty Images.

Health insurance scam: Being sold a terrible policy

Next up is the field of health insurance. We all should, ideally, carry health insurance, and if you buy coverage through your state's health insurance exchange, you should be able to clearly see what coverage you're getting for your money. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, there have been certain minimum levels of coverage required, though efforts are underway in Washington to change that. Many people of modest means will find that they qualify for subsidies to help make policies affordable, too.

Still, you may be pitched on some healthcare coverage that's much less costly than you're paying or think you would pay elsewhere, often by someone going door to door or through a television commercial or mailed advertisement. It can be tempting, but these plans are often phony -- or, at most, cover very little or just offer some modest discounts on some out-of-pocket expenses. They're no substitute for robust, full-featured coverage. You may not even find out that a plan you buy is garbage until you're faced with some big bills that the policy doesn't cover.

Here's what to look out for:

Pushy salespeople: These bad "policies" are typically pushed upon people over the phone, in person, or through email. You're often told that it's urgent that you act now, as the deal will soon not be available.

Just like in the tax scam, the scammer may pretend to be from the government, a well-known insurance company, or some other entity you're likely to trust.

Just a phone number: Instead of offering lots of information and ways to contact the company, you'll often be given just a phone number.

Personal information: You'll often be asked for personal financial information, such as your bank account number or credit card number.

Joining the club: You may be told that you'll have to join a union or association to qualify for this great coverage. Look into that organization if you can. You should be provided with its name, street address (not a post office box), website, and more.

Here are some actions you can take if faced with the possibility of this health insurance scam:

Hang up: Just don't engage with the salesperson. Ignore it all.

Ask for the information in writing. Have them mail you all the details of the coverage -- and then read it (if you receive it). If you do receive literature and it looks all right, that's still not good enough. Check with your state insurance agency that oversees insurance provided in your area. Chances are, they can tell you if you've got a scam on your hands.

If the salesperson says they're representing a real insurance company, contact the company on your own to see if they really offer such a plan.

A good thing to remember is that if you're being pitched something that seems too good to be true, it probably is. Don't take chances with your health -- or your money.

A hand wearing a black glove is reaching out of a laptop and removing a credit card from a wallet.

Image source: Getty Images.

Online shopping scam: Fake retailers

That same bottom line -- not believing anything too good to be true -- applies to online shopping as well. There, too, you'll find scammers looking for victims. You might be facing a scam if you run across a simply amazing price for something you want to buy -- or if you find something that seems completely out of stock or unavailable elsewhere. When you try to buy it, it may never arrive, or what you receive may not be exactly what was advertised. And if you try to get a refund or replacement, your requests may fall on deaf ears.

The best way to avoid being scammed like that is to stick with major, well-known retailers. They're not going to be shady fly-by-night operations, and they'll have clearly articulated policies for dealing with problems and returns.

Still, not all small retailers are bad. Here are some ways that you can protect yourself if you're thinking of buying from a new-to-you retailer:

Do some research into the retailer. Look it up at the Better Business Bureau to see if there have been any or many grievances lodged about it. You can also check to see if it carries any seals of approval, such as the Better Business Bureau seal, the Norton Secured Seal, the McAfee Secured seal, or the TRUSTe Certified seal. (It's possible that a seal may be fraudulently displayed, though, so don't put too much stock in this alone. Remember, too, that various seals are attesting to different factors, such as the site's security features or its business record.)

Dig deeper if you can. You can look up the website to see who it belongs to and when it was registered. Looking up Amazon.com , for example, reveals that it's 8,841 days old (going back to October of 1994) and that the registrant is Amazon's legal department. Try looking the retailer up via a search engine, too, to see if you find people praising or griping about it.

Before buying anything, make sure you see that the site's URL has an "s" (for "secure") after the "http." There's no guarantee that the site offers as much security as you need (and many big-name companies have had their security compromised), but you should not proceed without that "s." Also make sure that the company's name or URL isn't too close to that of a known retailer. If they are, the company may be hoping you'll think it's the known retailer. Some, for example, might go by the name Norstrom's or JC Penny or BestBye. You get the idea.

Look for other clues on the retailer's website that suggest it's not professional. If you see poor writing, misspellings, and bad grammar, that's a bad sign. If there's no contact information showing a specific address where the company is based and how you can contact it, that's not promising, either. (Once you know where it's based, you may be able to look it up with the secretary of state there to see if it has a good or bad record.) If there's a phone number, try calling it to see who answers and how professional they seem.

Beware if you can't pay with a credit or debit card and instead you're required to wire money or pay with a prepaid gift card or cash. Such payment methods mean you may not be able to get your money back if you need to. Look up refund and return policies, too.

If you're tempted by a very low price, try taking it to another, more known retailer that matches or beats competitors' prices. If the known seller won't accept the low price you found, that could be because the unknown one is not a legitimate competitor.

Finally, if you fall victim to a shady e-commerce retailer, report the incident. You can file complaints with the Better Business Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission, and your state attorney general and/or secretary of state.

There are lots of scams out there. You can minimize your chance of being victimized by always being at least a little doubting, by doing research before purchasing things -- including health insurance -- from unknown sellers, and by never sharing your personal information with strangers you don't trust.

More From The Motley Fool

John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Selena Maranjian owns shares of Amazon. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
On the evening of Jan. 20 and early morning Jan. 21, the moon will undergo a total eclipse visible over all of the Americas. Today such a spectacle provides good opportunities to judge the clarity of our atmosphere based on the brightness and color of the eclipsed moon, to observe the Earth's shadow passing over prominent lunar craters, and to simply stare into the sky at a beautiful celestial show.

But eclipses in the ancient (and not so ancient) past often terrified onlookers, who viewed them as evil omens. Sometimes they were used as benchmarks to date historical events, and one eclipse helped to better understand a now well-known concept of meteorology.

Here's a look at famous lunar eclipses from days gone by. [Supermoon Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse: Complete Guide]

Death of Herod/Birth of Christ

In order to try and date the time of the birth of Christ, biblical scholars have tried first to date the death of King Herod, with whom the Wise Men consulted before their visitation with Jesus. According to the first century Jewish historian Titus Flavius Josephus, Herod was said to have died after an eclipse of the moon visible from Jerusalem ... and the birth of Jesus must have occurred before the death of Herod.

The eclipse is supposed to have happened before Passover, so it would seem logical that we must search for an eclipse of the moon before the end of March, some have theorized (though Passover can also start in April). From lists of eclipses there is one that occurred on March 13, 4 B.C., and many have cited that the birth of Christ must have preceded that time. But this eclipse occurred at 5:40 a.m. local time in Jerusalem and was only 36 percent partial. Would this eclipse have been a good benchmark for Josephus?

Perhaps Josephus was referring to a more dramatic event. In the after-midnight hours of Jan. 10, 1 B.C. there was a total eclipse of the moon. Totality was unusually long, lasting 1 hour and 39 minutes, and was widely visible throughout the Old World. In the December 1943 issue of Sky & Telescope magazine, Roy K. Marshall writes: "This eclipse is much more likely to have been observed. It is only a couple of months earlier in the year than the observance of Passover. Why could not the death of Herod have occurred in 1 B.C.?"

Story continues

To this day, attempts to date the death of King Herod continue to be rather contentious. Other researchers point toward other lunar eclipses to support their hypotheses.

Columbus' trick

On his fourth and final voyage to the New World, as the story goes, Columbus and his men were for a time marooned and hungry on the north coast of Jamaica in the West Indies. The inhabitants were tired of supplying food in exchange for little tin whistles and hawk's bells. But Columbus had brought with him a copy of the Almanach Perpetuum written by the Spanish astronomer Abraham Zacuto, which predicted a lunar eclipse for Feb. 29, 1504. Knowing this, three days earlier Columbus threatened the Jamaicans that he would take the moon away if they didn't cooperate with his expedition.

He wrote: "It began before sunset, so I could observe only the end of it, when the moon had just begun to return, and it must have been two and a half hours after sunset." The clear sky on the eclipse night exhibited what could only be interpreted by the Jamaicans as an inflamed (ruddy) and "angry" moon. When the frightened natives implored him to bring back the moon, the explorer stepped aside and pretended to pray. As the moon began to emerge from the Earth's dark shadow (the umbra), the grateful Jamaicans cheered and hurried away to bring food for the ill and starving men.

Columbus' exploitation of eclipse ignorance likely inspired Mark Twain to use an eclipse in his story "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court." The hero of the story avoided being burned at the stake by using a total eclipse of the sun to demonstrate his mystical powers. However, on the quoted date (June 21, A.D. 528) there was no solar eclipse at all; the moon was four days past full.

Ben Franklin's eclipse

Benjamin Franklin was an author, printer, politician, diplomat, inventor and scientist. He represented the unschooled original thinker and inventive genius so characteristic of many early Americans. Among his scientific interests was astronomy, and he no doubt was eagerly looking forward to the night of Nov. 1, 1743, when a total eclipse of the moon would be visible from his home city of Philadelphia. Totality would occur at a convenient hour, just after 9 o'clock in the evening, and it would last an unusually long 100 minutes.

Unfortunately, a spell of unsettled weather dashed his hopes and prevented him from observing the eclipse. From what we can gather, a full-fledged nor'easter, or possibly the remnants of a hurricane, blew in just before the eclipse was to get underway, complete with clouds and a heavy, windswept rain. Sometime later, Franklin received a letter from Boston  some sources say it came from a friend, others say it was from one of his brothers. The letter contained surprising news: The lunar eclipse was seen there in clear skies, and the stormy weather that blocked Franklin's view didn't arrive until after it finished. [How Benjamin Franklin Spread Science on 'Supernatural' Solar Eclipses]

Franklin was perplexed. He felt that because the winds in Philadelphia blew strongly from the northeast  in the direction of Boston  that this was where the storm originated. "This puzzled me," he wrote, "because the storm began with us so soon as to prevent an observation; and being a north-east storm, I imagined it must have begun rather sooner in places farther to the north-eastward than it did in Philadelphia."

Franklin began gathering weather observations from around Philadelphia and other locations and eventually determined the proper direction of movement for storm systems. In a letter in 1749 to clergyman Jared Eliot, Franklin pointed out that storms apparently occurred earlier in the region toward which the wind is blowing (a wind from the northeast is blowing toward the southwest) and began later for places in the direction from where the wind was emanating from. He later would write a treatise on the behavior of coastal storms along the Atlantic Seaboard. And to think it all began because he was deprived a view of a lunar eclipse!

Lawrence of Arabia

Thomas Edward Lawrence  better known today as Lawrence of Arabia  was a British adviser to the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire during World War I. According to his writings, his small force of 50 Bedouin warriors succeeded in overrunning Turkish fortifications because on the night of July 4t 1917, the defenders panicked at the sight of a total lunar eclipse. They clanged copper pots and fired their guns into the air rather than at their attackers, presumably to frighten whatever was consuming the moon. As it turned out, the Turkish soldiers had other grounds for worry, as an Islamic tradition holds that the Day of Judgment will be heralded by a lunar and solar eclipse in the month of Ramadan, during which Lawrence's eclipse occurred.

Kermit would love this....

And finally, in January 1972, in the Lao People's Democratic Republic, villagers fired shots in the air in an attempt to frighten the great frog that they believed was trying to swallow the moon, according to the March 1972 issue of Sky & Telescope. I guess we can call this a "ribbeting" occurrence.

Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine, the Farmers' Almanac and other publications, and he is also an on-camera meteorologist for Verizon FiOS1 News in New York's Lower Hudson Valley. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. Original article on Space.com.

Editor's Recommendations
Jerusalem (AFP) - The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said Sunday it was not aware of a reported plan by Israel to close its schools in east Jerusalem.

Israel's Hadashot television news reported on Saturday night that the country's national security council had taken a decision to close the schools starting next academic year.

It said the students would be absorbed by schools run by Israeli authorities.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office did not confirm the report to AFP.

The UN agency, known as UNRWA, said it "was not notified of any decision to close down schools it operates in east Jerusalem."

"We deliver services and maintain facilities in east Jerusalem since 1950 under our General Assembly mandate," it said in a statement.

"This mandate includes east Jerusalem as part of our operational area."

It added that Israel was party to commitments obligating it to protect the agency's operations in areas under its authority.

Israel has long pushed for UNRWA's closure, arguing it helps perpetuate the conflict with the Palestinians.

It criticises its method of classifying Palestinian refugees since their descendants are also eligible for the status.

US President Donald Trump's administration has supported Israel's stance by cutting aid.

The United States has traditionally been UNRWA's largest contributor, providing around $350 million (300 million euros) a year, but Trump has cancelled all support.

UNRWA's activities include providing education to some 2,359 students in east Jerusalem, which was occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed in moves never recognised by the international community.

More than 700,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled from their homes during the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation.

UNRWA supplies aid to more than three million of the five million eligible Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the Palestinian territories.
ANKARA, Jan 19 (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said on Saturday he hoped President Donald Trump would slow the U.S. withdrawal from Syria until Islamic State is destroyed, warning that, if not thought through, the pullout can create an "Iraq on steroids."

Speaking in Ankara, Graham also said he believed U.S. Chief of Staff Joseph Dunford was working on a plan with Turkey to move Kurdish YPG elements away from the Turkish border.

Trump announced last month that Islamic State had been defeated in Syria and he would pull U.S. forces out of the country.

The decision injected new uncertainty into the eight-year-long Syrian war and spurred a flurry of contacts over how a resulting security vacuum will be filled across northern and eastern Syria where the U.S. forces are stationed.

The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of 2011, nine years after the 2003 U.S-led invasion, left space for the rise of Islamic State militants, prompting the United States to intervene again.

A bomb attack this week claimed by the militant group killed two U.S. troops and two civilians working for the U.S. military in northern Syria, along with other civilians.

The attack in Manbij appeared to be the deadliest on U.S. forces in Syria since they deployed on the ground there in 2015. The town is controlled by a militia allied to U.S.-backed Kurdish forces.

It remains unclear when U.S. forces will leave northern Syria, where both Turkey and the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad are ready to fill the vacuum. The YPG militia allied to the fighters holding Manbij last month invited Assad into the area around the town to forestall a potential Turkish assault.

Erdogan said last week he had discussed a safe zone with Trump, which Turkey would set up inside Syria along their border.

"Here's the good news: General Dunford, I think, has a plan that he's working on with the Turkish military that can accomplish these objectives and they are to move the YPG elements away from Turkey," said Graham, adding heavy armaments should be taken from the Kurdish groups.

Story continues

Related: Before and after images show the U.S. strike on Syria

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Turkey says the YPG is a terrorist organization and an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Graham also said the political arm of the YPG was interlinked and interconnected with the PKK, which has waged a decades-long insurgency on Turkish soil.

"A withdrawal that does not outline the points I have made will not end the war against ISIS (Islamic State), it will start a new war," he said.

"This war will be a necessity by Turkey, to go into Syria and clear out armed elements that Turkey believes poses a threat to its sovereignty."

A Turkish official told Reuters that the United States should consider Turkey's priorities, not those of the YPG.

"After (Graham's) meetings in Turkey, (with) Erdogan and other officials, we hope the U.S. will understand more the situation," the official said. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Additional Reporting by Orhan Coskun; Writing by Sarah Dadouch; Editing by Ros Russell)
In another sign of the partial federal government shutdowns repercussions, the Transportation Security Administration closed a checkpoint at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, citing excessive callouts.

The announcement was made Saturday evening by both the airport and the agency, which advised travelers to arrive early for their flights.

Still, BWI said passengers wouldnt feel much of an impact.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

The checkpoint closure is further evidence of the strain placed on airports by the large number of callouts by security screeners forced to work without pay as essential staff while the government shutdown approaches its second month.

A recent TSA statement revealed unscheduled absences among staffers jumped to 7 percent across the country on Friday, compared with 3 percent on that date the year before.

The agency added that many employees are reporting that they are not able to report to work due to financial limitations.

Several airports, including Miami International Airport and George Bush International Airport in Houston, have had to close checkpoints during the shutdown because of TSA callouts.

While the TSA says the national average for wait times on standard lines is still normal, hovering around 30 minutes, a blizzard barreling down on the Midwest and Northeast is already making matters worse.

The winter storm, which is expected to continue through the weekend, has sent flight cancellations soaring, topping 2,500 on Saturday, according to FlightAware.com.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Donald Trump has implied he could launch a big push to deport millions of illegal immigrants if he does not get $5.6bn funding for his border wall, in a veiled threat to Democrats over the US government shutdown.

As the partial shutdown  triggered by the presidents failure to agree with Democrats a government funding bill if it does not contain money for a wall  entered its 30th day, he warned speaker Nancy Pelosi to be careful after she and Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer rejected compromises he had offered to end the stalemate.

In a live televised address on Saturday, Mr Trump had pitched extending protections to some undocumented migrants in return for funding for a wall on the US-Mexico border.

Democrats quickly rejected the proposal as a non-starter, with Ms Pelosi dismissing it as a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives, each of which is unacceptable.

Responding in a flurry of tweets on Sunday, the president launched a personal attack on Ms Pelosi and accused her party of playing politics over the wall ahead of the 2020 presidential election.

He wrote: Nancy Pelosi and some of the Democrats turned down my offer yesterday before I even got up to speak. They dont see crime & drugs, they only see 2020  which they are not going to win.

Nancy Pelosi has behaved so irrationally & has gone so far to the left that she has now officially become a Radical Democrat. She is so petrified of the lefties in her party that she has lost control.

In a churlish aside, the president also told the long-serving California representative: And by the way, clean up the streets in San Francisco, they are disgusting!

In a further tweet, apparently aimed at conservatives such as media commentator Ann Coulter and Tom Fitton, president of the right-wing activist group Judicial Watch, who had criticised his offer of extended protections for some young migrants, Mr Trump insisted he was not offering an amnesty to people who entered the country illegally.

Story continues

No, amnesty is not a part of my offer, It is a 3 year extension of DACA [Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals], he wrote. Amnesty will be used only on a much bigger deal, whether on immigration or something else.

The president also said there would be no big push to remove the 11,000,000 plus people who are here illegally, before adding: But be careful Nancy!

Responding to Mr Trumps posts, Ms Pelosi tweeted: 800,000 Americans are going without pay. Re-open the government, let workers get their paychecks and then we can discuss how we can come together to protect the border.

Mr Trump also said he was still thinking about the House speakers suggestion that he postpone his State of the Union address, scheduled for 29 January.

In a letter to the president on Wednesday, Ms Pelosi warned the prolonged shutdown would compromise security arrangements for the event. She called for him to reschedule the speech, deliver it from the Oval Office, or issue it in written form.

Mr Trump responded by refusing use of a military plane for a congressional delegation, including Ms Pelosi, that was due to visit Afghanistan.

More than 800,000 federal government workers are going unpaid during the shutdown, which entered its 30th day on Sunday.

Mr Trump had offered to extend protections for young migrants brought to the US illegally and for those who arrived as refugees, providing Democrats agreed to sign off funding for the border wall.

Mr Schumer described the proposal as hostage-taking, but Republican Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell called it a fair compromise and said he would call a vote in congress this week.
Donald Trump has cited San Antonio as proof that border walls make the US safer, despite the Texas city not having a border wall and being 150 miles from Mexico.

Everyone knows that walls work, claimed the president as he addressed reporters outside the White House. You look at different places, they put up a wall, no problem.

You look at San Antonio, you look at so many different places; they go from one of the most unsafe cities in the country to one of the safest cities, immediately, immediately. It works. We have to put them up, and we will put them up. We've got to."

Mr Trumps comments on Saturday were intended to justify his demand for $5.7bn to fund a US-Mexico border wall.

The president may have intended to refer to El Paso, a Texas border city he used as an example in a similar anecdote last week.

El Paso was one of the most dangerous cities in the country, Mr Trump claimed during a 14 January speech in New Orleans. A wall was put up. It went from being one of the most dangerous cities in the country to one of the safest cities in the country overnight.

The presidents depiction of El Pasos transformation is also inaccurate, however.

The city has never been one of the most dangerous in the US and already had one of the lowest crime rates among the countrys largest urban areas before construction of a 57-mile border fence began in 2008.

El Pasos violent crime rate was also lower in each of the three years before the fence was built than in each of the three years after it was finished, according to the Annenberg Public Policy Centres fact-checking website.

Mr Trumps reference to San Antonios non-existent wall came before a live televised address in which he offered expanded protections for some undocumented immigrants as a concession to Democrats in return for the $5.6bn.

House speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democrat Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer rejected the proposed trade-off, which the president had hoped could bring an end to a month-long federal government shutdown.

Ms Pelosi dismissed the offer as a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives, each of which is unacceptable and in total, do not represent a good faith effort to restore certainty to peoples lives.
Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump had conversations about a proposed project to build a Trump Tower in Moscow throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, far later than previously acknowledged, his lawyer said Sunday.

Trump's conversations with his then personal lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, who was spearheading the negotiations in Moscow, continued throughout the year until October or November 2016, Rudy Giuliani said.

"It's our understanding that they went on throughout 2016 -- there weren't a lot of them, but there were conversations," the former New York mayor said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

"Can't be sure the exact dates, but the president can remember having conversations with him about it," he said.

Cohen, who was sentenced to three years in prison for an assortment of felonies, has pleaded guilty to lying to Congress in 2017 when he testified that the negotiations had ended by January of 2016.

In fact, he later admitted, they had gone on much longer, until June of 2016, when Trump had become the presumptive nominee of the Republican party.

The latest disclosure extends that timeline right up to the presidential elections in November.

The Trump Tower project has been a subject of scrutiny because Trump had denied any business dealings with the Russians.

He has since acknowledged that Cohen pursued a deal with the Russians well into 2016, but has insisted there was nothing wrong with seeking business opportunities while running for office.

Giuliani said Trump had fully answered questions about the Trump Tower project put to him by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Mueller is investigating whether the Trump campaign colluded with a Russian effort to sway the 2016 elections in the Republican's favor, as well as possible obstruction by the president.

Giuliani portrayed Trump's role in the Moscow negotiations as that of a passive participant who was too busy running for president to pay much attention to it.

Story continues

"It was Michael Cohen driving the project," he told CNN in a separate interview on its "State of the Union" show.

Candidate Trump, he said, was "tied up 18 hours a day with that (the campaign). If he could devote a minute a day to this, it would be a lot. A minute here, a minute there.

"Your recollection of that is not going to be as strong. The guy running it is going to remember it," he said.

Cohen is scheduled to testify before the House Oversight Committee on February 7.
The Supreme Court will convene its committee tasked to monitor the implementation of its 2008 order to rehabilitate and revive Manila Bay, an official said Sunday. The committee on the Manila Bay cleanup should convene soon in accordance with the earlier resolution to strengthen the resolve to clean Manila Bay, high court spokesman and Court Administrator Midas Marquez said. Marquez made the disclosure after the Duterte administration laid down the plan to clean up the waterway to comply with the high courts decision. Marquez, who has been tapped as vice chairman of the committee, said the Court was expected to name a new head of the committee after its former chairman, Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr., retired from the judiciary in August last year. Velasco wrote the unanimous decision in the landmark writ of kalikasan case on Manila Bay. Marquez also welcomed the Duterte administrations reported plan to pursue the Manila Bay cleanup and abide by the high courts continuing mandamus, which required 13 government agencies led by the Environment department to implement a rehabilitation plan. The seven-year rehabilitation plan is good news to the Court because it appears complementary to the continuing mandamus it issued in 2008, Marquez said. The Manila Bay cleanup must really be a concerted effort by all concerned agencies in the three branches of government. Duterte had recently ordered the cleanup of Manila Bay and approved the Environment departments seven-year plan.He warned the hotels along Roxas Boulevard they would be closed if the regulators found they were dumping waste into Manila Bay. The latest effort to revive Manila Bay will cost the government about P47 billion, which the administration will reportedly get from the road users tax upon the abolition of the Road Board. The Environment department led the inter-agency task force assigned to oversee the cleanup in coming up with a plan that will be launched on Jan. 27 at the Manila Yacht Club. The plan to revive Manila Bay came after the successful six-month rehabilitation of the world-famous Boracay Island last year. In its decision in Dec. 2008, the High Court issued a continuing mandamus and ordered several government agencies to implement the rehabilitation of Manila Bay in the case filed by concerned citizens led by environmental lawyer and Ramon Magsaysay awardee Antonio Oposa Jr. Apart from Environment department, the order was also directed at the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Department of Education, Department of Health, Department of Agriculture, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Budget and Management, the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine National Police Maritime Group and the Department of the Interior and Local Government. The 36-page decision described the Manila Bay as a place with a proud historic past, once brimming with marine life and a spot for different recreation activities, but is now a dirty and slowly dying expanse because of the indifference of people and institutions.
Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump bitterly attacked top Democrat Nancy Pelosi on Sunday after she rejected a deal on immigration and the Mexico border wall that would end a 30-day-old government shutdown.

Pelosi, speaker of the House of Representatives, on Saturday called Trump's offer of temporary protections for about a million immigrants in return for $5.7 billion to fund the wall a "non-starter."

"Nancy Pelosi has behaved so irrationally & has gone so far to the left that she has now officially become a Radical Democrat," Trump tweeted. "She is so petrified of the 'lefties' in her party that she has lost control."

"...And by the way, clean up the streets in San Francisco, they are disgusting!" he added, in a seemingly gratuitous aside. Pelosi is from San Francisco.

The offer also was assailed by prominent anti-immigrant voices, which denounced it as tantamount to amnesty.

"No, Amnesty is not a part of my offer. It is a 3 year extension of DACA," Trump said in another tweet, referring to former president Barack Obama's program to shield undocumented immigrants who entered the country as children.

Besides the 700,000 immigrants already enrolled in the so-called DACA or "Dreamers" program, Trump's proposal would also extend to another 300,000 people who had been protected from deportation under another program.

He said that while there would be "no big push" to remove the 11 million people in the country illegally, he warned: 'but be careful, Nancy!"

Vice President Mike Pence, who has been leading the administration's contacts with members of Congress, said a bill with the president's proposal would be introduced in the Republican-controlled Senate as early as Tuesday.
TOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp <7203.T> and Panasonic Corp <6752.T> are set to launch a joint venture next year to produce batteries for electric vehicles (EV) in an effort to compete with Chinese rivals, a source familiar with the matter said.

The joint venture, to be owned 51 percent by Toyota and the rest by Panasonic, could also provide batteries to Toyota's EV technology partners Mazda Corp <7261.T> and Subaru Corp <7270.T>, the source said on Sunday.

The source declined to be identified because the talks on the joint venture are private.

A joint venture would build on the agreement that the pair announced in late 2017 on joint development of batteries with higher energy density in a prismatic cell arrangement.

Toyota and Panasonic each said the plan to set up a joint venture, first reported by the Nikkei business daily on Sunday, was not what they have publicly announced.

A Toyota spokesman said the two companies have been working on the battery partnership announced in 2017. Panasonic made the same comment in a statement.

Under a planned joint venture, Panasonic would shift most of its prismatic battery-related equipment and facilities in Japan and China to the joint venture, while those producing batteries for U.S. EV maker Tesla Inc <TSLA.O> will remain under the company, the source said.

Panasonic already makes prismatic batteries for Toyota, whereas for Tesla, it makes cylindrical batteries of a type similar to those used in laptops.

The two companies may announce the joint venture plan as early as this week, according to the source.

The battery joint venture will help Toyota achieve an annual sales target of around 1 million zero-emission battery EVs and fuel-cell vehicles (FCVs) by 2030.

It will also give Panasonic cost and scale advantages in battery production at a time when China's Contemporary Amperex Technology has grown to be on par with the long-time industry leader on the back of the rapidly growing home market.

(Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki and Maki Shiraki; Additional reporting by Takashi Umekawa; Editing by Michael Perry)
Islamabad (AFP) - Leading US Senator Lindsey Graham vowed Sunday to urge President Donald Trump to meet Imran Khan to boost Washington's Afghanistan peace efforts, calling the Pakistani prime minister an "agent of change".

The Republican -- an influential ally of Trump -- made the comments in Islamabad after meeting with the Pakistani leader, saying Khan was a "new partner" who could potentially help with a peace deal in Afghanistan.

"I'm going to urge him (Trump) to meet with the prime minister as soon as practical," Graham told reporters, saying he believed Khan and Trump would "hit if off" because they have "similar personalities".

"Prime Minister Khan is the agent of change that I've been looking for," he added.

Ties between Washington and Islamabad have soured recently, with US officials repeatedly accusing Pakistan of turning a blind eye to or even collaborating with the Afghan Taliban, which launch attacks in Afghanistan from alleged havens along the border between the two countries.

Trump has repeatedly lashed out at Pakistan's alleged duplicity, saying late last year that Islamabad does not do "a damn thing" for the US.

Khan has been equally critical of Trump, saying before 2018's election in Pakistan that a potential meeting with the US president would be a "bitter pill" to swallow.

The US lawmaker's trip to Pakistan comes as American officials have held several rounds of talks with Taliban representatives.

Graham said a meeting between the two leaders was vital to carve out a potential deal in Afghanistan.

"They actually need to meet and come up with a agenda that will push a resolution to the war in Afghanistan," the senator added.

Graham -- once a potent critic of Trump -- has transformed in recent months into an ardent defender and influential ally of the president.

The senator's arrival also overlapped with an ongoing trip by US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who has been shuttling around the region for months to build support for the peace initiative.

Story continues

Khalilzad was in Kabul last week and then flew to Pakistan were he also met with the prime minister Friday as news reports in Pakistan suggested Islamabad was open to hosting the next round of talks with the insurgents.

The Taliban, however, have threatened to suspend the fledgling peace efforts, accusing Washington of changing the agenda of the talks and "unilaterally" adding new subjects.

Graham's trip also comes after US officials announced in December that Trump intends to withdraw as many as half of the 14,000 US troops deployed in Afghanistan.

The meetings are the latest in a flurry of diplomatic efforts aimed at bringing the Taliban to the table for negotiations with the Afghan government on ending the conflict which began with the US invasion in 2001.
JERUSALEM (AP)  In an extraordinary statement, the Israeli military confirmed early Monday that it attacked Iranian military targets in Syria, hours after carrying out a rare daylight air raid near the Damascus International Airport.

The statement was issued hours after Israeli missile defenses intercepted an incoming missile over the Golan Heights in the wake of the airport raid.

"We have started striking Iranian Quds targets in Syrian territory," the military statement said. "We warn the Syrian Armed Forces against attempting to harm Israeli forces or territory."

Until now Israel has largely refrained from public admissions of its covert military operations in neighboring Syria, in order to avoid large-scale involvement in the eight-year civil war.

The Syrian military said Israel carried out intensive airstrikes with successive waves of guided missiles shortly after 1 a.m., but added that Syrian air defenses destroyed most of the missiles before they reached their targets.

On Sunday, Syrian state media said air defenses repelled an Israeli air raid near the international airport south of Damascus. State TV said Syria's air defenses "prevented" the attack from achieving its goals. It said Israel targeted six missiles on an area near Damascus International Airport, of which five were shot down and one diverted to nearby empty farmland.

Residents of the capital said they heard five explosions early Sunday afternoon, apparently the sound of air defenses firing into the air.

The Israeli military had initially declined to comment on the airstrike, though it said a rocket fired at the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights was intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome defense system.

Israeli warplanes have used Lebanon's airspace recently to strike deep inside Syria, including attacking a warehouse near Damascus International Airport earlier this month, according to Syrian state media.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently confirmed that Israel has struck hundreds of targets in Syria linked to Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah militant group, including a weapons facility two weeks ago. Iran and Hezbollah are allied with the Syrian government in the civil war.

Story continues

Two hours after the reports that Israel's Iron Dome intercepted a rocket fired toward the Golan Heights, Netanyahu, who currently is on a visit to Chad, said in a statement: "We have a defined policy: to harm Iranian entrenchment in Syria and to harm anyone who tries to harm us."

Earlier Sunday, a roadside bomb went off south of Damascus without causing casualties, state media reported. The SANA news agency said the blast targeted a military checkpoint on a main highway during rush hour.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which closely monitors Syria's war, said the bomb targeted the vehicle of a "security personality" that it did not identify. The Observatory's chief, Rami Abdurrahman, said it was unclear whether the individual was killed or wounded. "It was not a random act," he added.

Attacks have been rare in Damascus since Syrian government forces captured the last rebel-held neighborhoods and suburbs of the capital last year. Bombings have left hundreds dead over the course of the nearly eight-year civil war.

In the northern Syrian town of Afrin, a blast aboard a bus killed at least three people.

The attack came on the anniversary of a Turkish military operation that evicted Kurdish fighters from the town and displaced tens of thousands of its residents. The town now is under the control of Turkey-backed Syrian opposition fighters.

The Observatory said three people were killed and nine wounded in the explosion. The Syrian Civil Defense, an opposition-linked group known as the White Helmets, said that the blast killed "martyrs" and that others were wounded and rushed to hospitals.
BEIRUT/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Syrian military air defenses thwarted an Israeli attack on Sunday, shooting down seven missiles targeting an airport in southeastern Damascus, Russia's National Defense Control Center was cited by RIA news agency as saying. The attack, launched by four Israeli F-16 jets, did not damage the airport and there were no casualties, the control center was cited as saying. Syrian state media also reported the attack. "Our air defense systems thwarted ... an Israeli air aggression ... and prevented it from achieving any of its goals," a military source told state news agency SANA. It gave no further details. An Israeli military spokeswoman declined to comment. The Israeli military later said its Iron Dome interceptor system shot down a rocket fired at the northern part of the occupied Golan Heights on the Syria frontier. The military's statement did not immediately specify where the rocket was launched from. The northern Golan is also close to Lebanese territory. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged an Israeli attack last week on what he called an Iranian arms cache in Syria, where Tehran provides Damascus with vital support. He told his cabinet Israel had carried out "hundreds" of attacks over the past years of Syria's war to curtail Iran and its ally Lebanon's Hezbollah. Usually silent about its attacks on Iranian targets near its frontier, Israel has lifted the veil this month, a sign of confidence in a campaign waged amid occasional tensions with Syria's big-power backer Russia. (Reporting by Ellen Francis in Beirut, Dan Williams in Jerusalem and Polina Ivanova in Moscow; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
Damascus (AFP) - Syrian air defences on Sunday responded to Israeli air raids in the south of the country, state news agency SANA reported quoting a military source.

The air defence systems "prevented Israeli air strikes from achieving their objectives in the south" of the country, the report said without giving further details.

The head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor, Rami Abdel Rahman, said the region targeted was south of Damascus near the Kisweh area.

"Warehouses containing weapons for Syrian regime ally Hezbollah and Iranian fighters are located in that area," said Abdel Rahman, adding however it was not clear if they were hit in the Israeli strikes.

It comes a week after Israel carried out an air strike that it said targeted Iranian weapons in Syria.

The January 12 raids were confirmed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who said "warehouses containing Iranian weapons in the Damascus International airport" were hit.

It was a rare public confirmation by Israel of such attacks.

Netanyahu said Israel had attacked Iranian targets -- and those of its Lebanese ally Hezbollah -- in Syria hundreds of times.

Israel has pledged to prevent Iran entrenching itself militarily in Syria, where its arch foe Iran is backing President Bashar al-Assad's regime alongside Russia and Hezbollah.

SANA said earlier that last week's Israeli strikes were foiled and that the country's air defences had shot down Israeli missiles which were aimed at the international airport near Damascus.

"Only a ministry of transport warehouse at Damascus international airport was hit," SANA said at the time citing a military source.

The Observatory said those strikes were near the airport and the Kisweh region.
By Barbara Goldberg

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Look up into the night sky on Sunday and - if it is clear - you may witness the so-called "Super Blood Wolf Moon" total lunar eclipse, which will take a star turn across the continental United States during prime time for viewing.

The total eclipse, which will begin minutes before midnight on the East Coast (0500 GMT) and just before 9 p.m. in the West, will unfold on the day before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a national holiday when most Americans have no school or work.

That means even the youngest astronomy buffs may get to stay up late and attend one of many watch parties that have been organized from Florida to Oregon.

The total eclipse will last for about an hour, and the best viewing is from North and South America, according to National Geographic. Partial eclipses leading up to and following the total eclipse mean the entire event will last 3.5 hours.

Total lunar eclipses occur when the moon moves into perfect alignment with the sun and earth, giving it a copper-red or "blood" appearance to those watching from below.

"Amateur astronomy clubs are throwing parties because this is what they live for - to get entire families excited about our place in the universe by seeing the mechanics of the cosmos," said Andrew Fazekas, spokesman for Astronomers Without Borders.

In Pennsylvania, the York County Astronomical Society has invited the public to peer through its observatory's telescopes for a close-up look. In Los Angeles, Griffith Observatory said it was anticipating "extremely large crowds," and its website will live-stream a telescopic view of the eclipse.

COPPERY RED GLOW

A "super" moon occurs when the moon is especially close to earth, while a "wolf moon" is the traditional name for the full moon of January, when the howling of wolves was a sound that helped define winter, according to The Farmers Almanac.

In a total lunar eclipse, the moon never goes completely dark. Rather, it takes on a reddish glow from refracted light as the heavenly bodies move into position - hence the "blood moon" moniker. The more particulate or pollution in the atmosphere, the redder the moon appears.

Story continues

"All of the sunrises and sunsets around the world are simultaneously cast onto the surface of the moon," Fazekas said.

As many as 2.8 billion people may see this weekend's eclipse from the Western Hemisphere, Europe, West Africa and northernmost Russia, according to Space.com.

While total lunar eclipses are not especially rare, the 2019 version takes place early enough in the evening that it can be enjoyed by U.S. stargazers of all ages, said George Lomaga, a retired astronomy professor from Suffolk County Community College. He plans to attend an eclipse party at Hallock State Park Preserve on New York's Long Island.

There, astrophotographer Robert Farrell will demonstrate how to use a mobile phone to photograph celestial objects through a telescope so the spectacle can be shared online.

If skies are clear, the phenomenon can be seen with the naked eye and no protection is needed to safely enjoy the view, Griffith Observatory said.

Granted permission to stay up past his 8 p.m. bedtime, Gabriel Houging, 8, of Citrus Heights, California, is already dreaming of what he'll see.

"It's going to be a moon, but it's going to look like you painted it orange!" Houging said.

(Reporting by Barbara Goldberg in New York; editing by Frank McGurty and Rosalba O'Brien)
The Palace has ordered the Justice department to investigate the fatal ambush of a former assistant prosecutor in Cebu City, an official said Sunday. We are outraged by the brutal and brazen ambush of former Cebu City Assistant Prosecutor Mary Ann Castro, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement. He said the government had already ordered the Justice department, through the National Bureau of Investigation, to look into the case, identify the killers and arrest them. The Philippine National Police has likewise been directed to check into possible lapses, if any, considering the incident happened during an election gun ban, Panelo said. We assure everyone that justice will be served.The 50-year-old Castro was on her way home to Talisay City on Thursday night when a man on a motorcycle fired at her and hit her on the neck after tailing her. The Cebu City Police Office said Castro, who was assigned to Masbate City, was linked to Senior Police Officer 1 Adonis Dumpit, who was killed in an operation in June last year. In December 2017 the Justice department suspended Castro over the complaints filed by the family of her former husband, Leodegreco Sanchez. Even though Castros family members did not issue a statement over the incident, the Cebu City Police Office still formed a task force to investigate her death.
This dramatic dash-cam footage shows the moment a van thief ploughs into a village war memorial on Remembrance Day after a high-speed police chase.

Grant Gold drove sped away from officers at speeds of up to 90mph in a stolen Ford Transit van.

The 27-year-old nearly toppled the van as he negotiated roundabouts and bends at break-neck speed, narrowly avoiding other cars, mounting a pavement and even driving off-road to evade police.

But he eventually collided with another van and smashed into a war memorial, ending the chase in Marston Green, West Midlands.

Gold, 27, of Skye Close, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, was jailed for 22 months and banned from driving for three years at Birmingham Crown Court on January 11.

The dramatic footage shows the moment the stolen van ploughs into a war memorial following the high-speed police chase (Picture: SWNS)

He had stolen the Ford Transit from Lundy View, Kingshurst, Solihull, at 1pm on November 11.

Around three hours later, the van triggered an Automatic Number Plate Recognition camera, sparking a police chase through the outskirts of Birmingham.

MORE: Mum-of-two injured in crash involving Prince Philip says he is yet to apologise  as he is pictured back behind the wheel

MORE: Avalanche triggered to spectacular effect

Police dash-cam footage shows the chase along Bickenhill Parkway and through Marston Green  where Gold at one stage ploughed through a fence, over grassland and along a public footpath.

The pursuit came to a dramatic end when Gold collided with a smaller van in Station Road and veered into the villages war memorial.

Grant Gold, 27, of Skye Close, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, was jailed for 22 months and banned from driving for three years (Picture: SWNS)

He was arrested running away and went on to admit aggravated vehicle taking  encompassing dangerous driving  plus vehicle theft relating to a Ford Focus ST stolen by two accomplices from the NEC.

Investigating officer PC Sarah Harvey from Solihull Polices Investigation Team said: Gold placed many road users and pedestrians at risk due to the nature of his driving. Its lucky that no-one was seriously hurt or killed.

He admitted taking the van and dropping two unknown accomplices  who ran away from the crashed ST  at the NEC knowing they were intending to steal another car.

However, we suspect Gold is likely to have been responsible for other car thefts and I am sure well see a reduction in such offences with him behind bars.

Police are still trying to identify and find the two other offenders who made off.
This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

By Andrew Hay

(Reuters) - A Catholic school in Kentucky condemned a group of its students, many of whom wore "Make America Great Again" hats, after they were recorded harassing a Native American Vietnam veteran in a video that went viral on Saturday.

The students from private, all-male Covington Catholic High School in northern Kentucky were in Washington for an anti-abortion rally on Friday when they were filmed surrounding Nathan Phillips and mocking the Native American's singing and drumming.

One teen in particular is seen standing in front of Phillips, staring into his face with a smile. Fellow students, many in clothing bearing President Donald Trump's "MAGA" slogan, cheered him on and chanted, "build that wall, build that wall," Phillips said.

The footage was shared online by organizers of an indigenous peoples' march that also took place on Friday.

In a joint statement, the high school and Diocese of Covington condemned the actions of the students "towards Nathan Phillips specifically, and Native Americans in general."

"The matter is being investigated and we will take appropriate action, up to and including expulsion," the statement said.

In a separate video uploaded to social media, the 64-year-old Phillips, an elder of Nebraska's Omaha tribe, wiped away tears as he described the incident.

"I heard them saying 'build that wall, build that wall'. These are indigenous lands, we're not supposed to have walls," he said. "I wish I could see that energy of that young mass of young men, put that energy into making this country, really, really great, helping those that are hungry."

Phillips is a well-known Native American activist who was among those leading the Standing Rock protests in 2016-2017 against the construction of an oil pipeline in North Dakota.

He holds an annual ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery to honor Native American veterans, according to media reports.

Story continues

Phillips could not be reached for comment on Saturday.

Democratic U.S. Congresswoman Deb Haaland, a member of New Mexico's Laguna Pueblo tribe, said on Twitter that Phillips had risked his life for his country, and that the students showed "blatant hate, disrespect, and intolerance".

Covington Mayor Joe Meyer, a Democrat, said the "appalling" footage had rightly inspired "a tidal wave of condemnation" and that his town was now being linked with "intolerance and ethnic intimidation" because of the boys' actions.

"The videos being shared across the nation do NOT represent the core beliefs and values of this city," he said in a statement.

Alison Lundergan Grimes, the Democratic secretary of state for Kentucky, said the children were not solely to blame.

"I turn to the adults and administration that are charged with teaching them, and to others who are silently letting others promote this behavior," she said on Facebook.

(Reporting By Andrew Hay; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump's lawyer, said Sunday that he is "100 percent certain" that the president did not tell his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to lie to Congress, in response to a BuzzFeed News report that made that allegation.

"I knew from the very beginning it wasn't true," the former New York City mayor said in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press" when asked about the BuzzFeed story that was published Thursday.

The BuzzFeed report cited two unnamed federal law enforcement officials who said Trump directed Cohen to lie during his congressional testimony about the efforts to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Those efforts continued into the 2016 presidential campaign despite Trump's claims during the campaign that he had nothing to do with Russia. The report said there were documents and witnesses to support the allegation.

But special counsel Robert Mueller's office made a rare public statement denying the BuzzFeed report.

"BuzzFeeds description of specific statements to the Special Counsels Office, and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohens Congressional testimony are not accurate," said Peter Carr, the special counsel's spokesman.

"To their credit, the Justice Department and the special counsel's office said that the story was inaccurate," Giuliani said Sunday on "Meet the Press." "And the inaccuracy is that there's no evidence that the president told him to lie."

In an interview on CNN's State of the Union, Giuliani said BuzzFeed "should be sued" and "under investigation" for reporting that "the president of the United States counseled someone to lie," although he did not say what they should be investigated for. He also denounced the media "hysteria" that followed the report.

BuzzFeed has said they stand by their reporting despite the statement from Mueller's office.

Story continues

"My sources are solid. This reporting is accurate," Anthony Cormier, the BuzzFeed reporter who wrote the story with Jason Leopold, said Sunday on CNN's "Reliable Sources."

From Trump fixer to federal inmate: Timeline of Michael Cohen's role in Russia probe

More: President Trump denies Michael Cohen's claims of 'dirty deeds'

Giuliani said he could "categorically" say that Trump's "counsel to Michael Cohen throughout that entire period was, 'Tell the truth.' We thought he was telling the truth. I still believe he may have been telling the truth when he testified before Congress. But in any event, his lawyers thought that, our lawyers thought that, and the president thought that at the time."

When asked on "State of the Union" if he was admitting that Trump might have spoken to Cohen about his testimony, Giuliani said, "I don't know if it happened or didn't happen."

"And so what if he talked to him about it, if it's the truth?" Giuliani asked.

In December, when news broke that Cohen lied to Congress about the negotiations for the Trump Tower Moscow project, Giuliani said Trump told Mueller in his written answers to the special counsel that the talks might have continued all the way up until the 2016 election.

On Sunday, Giuliani added that Trump had conversations with Cohen about the "active proposal" on the projet "up to as far as October, November. Our answers cover until the election. So anytime during that period, they could've talked about it."

Giuliani said there "weren't a lot of them, but there were conversations. Can't be sure of the exact date. But the president can remember having conversations with him about it."

Although the president's attorney regularly attacks Cohen's credibility, Giuliani conceded on this issue that "Cohen would have a much better recollection of it than the president."

"It was much more important" to Cohen than Trump and it was Cohen's "sole mission" while Trump "was running for president of the United States," he explained. "So youve got to expect there's not going to be a great deal of concentration on a project that never went anywhere."

Giuliani also tried to clarify a statement he made last week on CNN in which he claimed that he "never said there was no collusion between the campaign" and Russia, despite numerous occasions where he and the president have said exactly that. In his previous statements, he meant there was no collusion "to my knowledge," he explained.

"So, if I'm saying there's no collusion on the campaign, of course, I don't know everyone on the campaign. To my knowledge, there's no collusion on the campaign," he said. "I probably didn't qualify it every time I said it."

When asked if he thought Trump has been "100 percent truthful" with him, Giuliani said, "Yes, absolutely."

"Probably since May I haven't learned any new facts except the few things that have come along," he said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rudy Giuliani says he is '100% certain' Trump did not tell Cohen to lie to Congress
Note: President Trump addressed the nation on Saturday to unveil a new proposal to fund border security and reopen the government. Here is the text of his speech.

Just a short time ago, I had the honor of presiding over the swearing-in of five new great American citizens. It was a beautiful ceremony and a moving reminder of our nation's proud history of welcoming legal immigrants are from all over the world into our national family. I told them that the beauty and majesty of citizenship is that it draws no distinctions of race or class or faith or gender, or background.

All Americans, whether first-generation or tenth generation are bound together in love and loyalty, friendship and affection. We are all equal. We are one team and one people probably saluting one American flag. We believe in a safe and lawful system of immigration, one that upholds our laws, our traditions and our most cherished values. Unfortunately, our immigration system has been badly broken for a very long time.

Over the decades, many presidents and many lawmakers have come and gone, and no real progress has been made on immigration. We are now living with the consequences -- and they are tragic -- brought about by decades of political stalemate, partisan gridlock and national neglect. There is a humanitarian and security crisis on our southern border that requires urgent action.

Thousands of children are being exploited by ruthless coyotes and vicious cartels and gangs. One in three women is sexually assaulted on the dangerous journey north. In fact, many loving mothers give their young daughters birth control pills for the long journey up to the United States because they know they may be raped or sexually accosted, or assaulted. Nearly 50 migrants a day are being referred for urgent medical care.

More: Democrats shoot down Trump's latest offer

Vast quantities of lethal narcotics are flooding through our border and into our communities, including meth, cocaine, heroin and fentanyl. Drugs kill 78,000 Americans a year and cost our society in excess of $700 billion. Heroin alone kills 300 Americans a week -- 90 percent of which comes across our southern border. We can stop heroin.

Story continues

Illegal immigration reduces wages and strains public services. The lack of border control provides a gateway -- and a very wide and open gateway -- for criminals and gang members to enter the United States, including the criminal aliens who murdered a brave California police officer only a day after Christmas. I've gotten to know and love angel moms, dads and family who lost loved ones to people illegally in our country. I want this to end. It's got to end now. These are not talking points. These are the heartbreaking realities that are hurting innocent, precious human beings every single day on both sides of the border.

More: DACA, DREAMers, TPS? Who are they

As a candidate for president, I promised I would fix this crisis, and I intend to keep that promise one way or the other. Our immigration system should be the subject of pride, not a source of shame as it is all over the world. Our immigration system should be the envy of the world, not a symbol of disunity and dysfunction.

The good news is, these problems can all be solved but only if we have the political courage to do what is just and what is right. Both sides in Washington must simply come together, listen to each other, put down their armor, build trust, reach across the aisle and find solutions. It is time to reclaim our future from the extreme voices who fear compromise and demand open borders, which means drugs pouring in, human trafficking and a lot of crime. That is why I'm here today to break the logjam and provide Congress with a path forward to end the government shutdown and solve the crisis on the southern border.

If we are successful in this effort, we will then have the best chance in a very long time at real, bipartisan immigration reform. And it won't stop here. It will keep going until we do it all. The proposal I will outline today is based on, first and foremost, on input from our border agents and homeland security professionals -- and professionals they are. They know what they're doing. It is a compassionate response to the ongoing tragedy on our southern border.

In recent weeks, we have met with large numbers of Democrat lawmakers to hear their ideas and suggestions. By incorporating the priorities of rank-and-file Democrats in our plan, we hope they will offer their enthusiastic support, and I think many will. This is a common-sense compromise both parties should embrace. The radical left can never control our borders. I will never let it happen. Walls are not immoral. In fact, they are the opposite of immoral because they will save many lives and stop drugs from pouring into our country.

Our plan includes the following: $800 million in urgent humanitarian assistance, $805 million for drug detection technology to help secure our ports of entry. An additional 2750 border agents and law enforcement professionals. 75 new immigration judge teams to reduce the court backlog of, believe it or not, almost 900,000 cases.

However, the whole concept of having lengthy trials for anyone who sets one foot in our country unlawfully must be changed by Congress. It is unsustainable. It is ridiculous. Few places in the world would even consider such a possible nightmare.

Our plan includes critical measures to protect migrant children from exploitation and abuse. This includes a new system to allow Central American minors to apply for asylum in their home countries and reform to promote family reunification for unaccompanied children, thousands of whom end up on our border doorstep.

To physically secure our builder, the plan includes $5.7 billion for a strategic deployment of physical barriers, or a wall. This is not a 2,000-mile concrete structure from sea to sea. These are steel barriers in high priority locations. Much of the border is already protected by natural barriers such as mountains and water. We already have many miles of barrier, including 115 miles that we are currently building or under contract. It will be done quickly. Our request will add another 230 miles this year in the areas our border agents most urgently need. It will have an unbelievable impact.

If we build a powerful and fully designed see-through steel barrier on our southern border, the crime rate and drug problem in our country would be quickly and greatly reduced. Some say it could be cut in half. Because these criminals, drug smugglers, gangs and traffickers do not stop at our border, they permeate throughout our country and they end up in some places where you'd least expect them. They go all through our country.

A steel barrier will help us stop illegal immigration while safely directing commerce to our lawful ports of entry. Many of these security ideas have been proposed by Democrats themselves and all of them have been supported by Democrats in the past, including a physical barrier, wall or fence.

Furthermore, in order to build the trust and goodwill necessary to begin real immigration reform, there are two more elements to my plan.

Number one is three years of legislative relief for 700,000 DACA recipients brought here unlawfully by their parents at a young age many years ago. This extension will give them access to work permits, social security numbers and protection from deportation, most importantly.

Secondly, our proposal provides a three-year extension of Temporary Protected Status or TPS. This means that 300,000 immigrants whose protected status is facing expiration will now have three more years of certainty so that Congress can work on a larger immigration deal, which everybody wants -- Republicans and Democrats. And our farmers and vineyards won't be affected because lawful and regulated entry into our country will be easy and consistent.

That is our plan. Border security, DACA, TPS and many other things. Straightforward, fair, reasonable and common sense, with lots of compromise. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has pledged to bring this bill to a vote this week in the United States Senate.

Our proposal is not intended to solve all of our immigration challenges. This plan solves the immediate crisis -- and it is a horrible crisis. It is a humanitarian crisis like we rarely see in our country. And it provides humanitarian relief, delivers real border security and immediately reopens our federal government. If we are successful in this effort, then we can start the broader project of remaking our immigration system for the 21st century.

Once the government is open -- and we have made a down payment on border security, and immigration reform starts to happen -- I plan to convene weekly, bipartisan meetings at the White House so we can do a finished product, a great product, a product that we can all be proud of having to do with that elusive immigration problem.

Whatever we do, I can promise you this: I will never forget that my first duty and ultimate loyalty is to you, the American people. Any reforms we make to our immigration system will be designed to improve your lives, make your communities safer, and make our nation more prosperous and secure for generations to come. Thank you and God bless America. Thank you.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Read President Trump's speech on his new offer to fund border security, reopen government
Prince Philip driving near Balmoral in September 2018 - PETER JOLLY NORTHPIX

The Duke of Edinburgh could be sent on a drivers awareness course, it has emerged, as police continue to investigate a crash which left two women hospitalised.

The Duke, 97, is understood to have no intention of giving up driving, having been photographed on public roads driving a new car less than 48 hours after the accident.

He is understood to be complying with a Norfolk Police investigation, which will see him interviewed about what happened.

Two women, aged 45 and 28, will also be asked for their recollections of the accident, after their Kia Carens collided with the Dukes Land Rover Freelander on the A149 on Thursday.

Both police and palace have emphasised that the investigation will be conducted in the same way as any other traffic accident, despite one of the involved parties being married to the Queen.

That process would see him interviewed in the coming days, before police officers recommend whether to proceed with charging anyone involved.

The scene of the crash, on the A149 at Sandringham

The Duke has already passed an eye test as part of the investigation, celebrating by defiantly driving himself around the public roads near to Sandringham alone less than 48 hours after the accident.

He was caught on camera driving in dark glasses without wearing a seatbelt, in a gesture that has been criticised by onlookers.

A spokesman for Norfolk Police said: We are aware of the photograph.

Suitable words of advice have been given to the driver and this is in line with our standard response when being made aware of or receiving such images showing this type of offence.

The law states that drivers can be fined up to 500 if caught without a seatbelt.

The Duke of Edinburgh drives the Queen and Barack and Michelle Obama during their visit to Windsor Credit: Geoff Pugh

If the Duke was found to be at fault for the Sandringham accident, he could be charged with driving without due care and attention, which carries a maximum penalty of nine points on a driving record and a 5,000 fine.

It is thought unlikely that a prosecution would come to court.

A police source said yesterday that non-royal drivers involved in a similar collision would more likely be offered a drivers awareness course, with improving their motoring skills considered more in the public interest than a court case.

The Duke reportedly said "I'm such a fool" after being pulled from his wrecked Land Rover Freelander on Thursday after it flipped on its side following the collision with a Kia close to Sandringham. Witnesses claim he had told police at the scene he had been dazzled by the low sun at 2.45pm.

A spokesman for Norfolk Police said: As is standard procedure with injury collisions, the incident will be investigated and any appropriate action taken.
President Donald Trump should ignore friendly advice about alternative venues for the State of the Union address. Instead, he immediately should write House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) and remind her of her January 3 letter inviting him to present his second SOTU on January 29.

Citing supposed safety risks, Pelosi suggested Wednesday that this joint session of Congress be delayed until after the government shutdown. But DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen quickly contradicted Pelosi via Twitter: The Department of Homeland Security and the US Secret Service are fully prepared to support and secure the State of the Union.

So, President Trump should embrace SOTU as the ideal opportunity to make his case dramatically on the shutdown.

Standing before leaders in all three branches of the federal government, Trump will have at least an hour to explain the need for a wall to advance broader border security, the rule of law, and national security and to prevent crime and control deadly drugs. Trump repeatedly can point to his guests in the House gallery who will embody his points.

On the rule of law, Trump should identify a legal immigrant who patiently has awaited citizenship, such as my Russian friend who has spent 20 years and some $80,000 in legal fees to become an American. Trump should say: Its unfair for illegal aliens to cut the line ahead of these legal immigrants.

On national security, Trump should introduce the Border Patrol agent who arrested Mukhtar Ahmad and Muhammad Azeem just north of Tijuana in September 2015. Both of these Pakistani illegal aliens were on terrorist watch lists.

On fighting crime, Trump should welcome Reggie Singh, the bereaved brother of Newman, Calif., police corporal Ronil Singh. An illegal alien with a rap sheet fatally shot Singh just after Christmas night.

On narcotics interdiction, Trump should present conservative broadcaster Eric Bolling. His son, Eric Chase Bolling, 19, fatally overdosed on a Xanax pill laced with fentanyl in September 2017. Through last July 31, officials seized 1,357 pounds of this severely toxic opioid on the U.S.Mexico border.

Story continues

The president then should detail how he has stayed in Washington nearly nonstop, eager to compromise with Democrats. He should discuss his specific offers and concessions. Meanwhile, Pelosi jetted off to a posh resort in Kona, Hawaii. This week, congressional Democrats partied on the beach in Puerto Rico. Top Democrats have skipped negotiations, even as Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York relentlessly interrupted Secretary Nielsens classified border-security briefing. The Problem Solvers Caucus, mainly backbenchers, spoke with Trump on Wednesday. He should praise them, by name, thus isolating Pelosi from these members.

Trump should observe that yes, walls do work, as confirmed by a 98.1 percent drop in apprehensions at Yuma, Ariz., since a 2005 wall installation there. Trump should quote House majority leader Steny Hoyer (D., Md.). On Fox News Wednesday, Hoyer said about walls: Obviously, they work some places. This comment will erect a wall between Nancy and her chief deputy.

Congressional Republicans will cheer Trumps words and steel his national base. He will look powerful and presidential as GOP applause reinforces his message.

If Democrats also shout praise, they will bolster the president. This would show that, in fact, they share some positions.

But, more likely, if Democrats scowl, pout, boo, or hiss, they will show Americans that they really want zero borders. They really dont care about the rule of law. Theyre not concerned about national security. They have no interest in illegal-alien criminals, even when they murder Americans. And they dont give a damn about the tons of heroin, fentanyl, and other toxic drugs inundating the U.S.Mexico border.

Whatever Democrats do, President Trump wins.

All of this would unfold less than a fortnight hence, as two fresh caravans of uninvited illegal aliens march toward the border, making this emergency more urgent by the day. These parades of people, who couldnt be bothered with pesky U.S. visa applications, make it painfully obvious that America immediately needs a wall, fence, barrier, impediment, hindrance, obstacle, inconvenience, or whatever synonym soothes Democrats enough that they approve $5.7 billion for such border security.

So, Nancy, Trump should write Pelosi, thank you again for your kind invitation, which I gladly accepted two weeks ago. The Secret Service assures me that it will perform as exquisitely as ever. They will keep us all safe and sound during the State of the Union. See you and your colleagues on January 29, as agreed. Love, Donald.

Michael Malarkey furnished research for this piece.

More from National Review
President Donald Trump criticized congressional Democrats on Sunday for rejecting his latest proposal to reach an agreement on funding for his proposed barrier on the U.S.-Mexico border and end the partial government shutdown, saying they shot him down "before I even got up to speak."

The shutdown, now in its 30th day, began after Democrats refused to include more than $5 billion for the construction of a border wall in a funding bill. Trump has insisted he will not sign an appropriations measure that doesn't include money for a barrier, and Democrats have insisted they won't negotiate on border security until the full federal government is reopened.

Both sides had refused to budge, and talks to reach an agreement had stalled even before Trump delivered a national television address on Saturday. He proposed a deal to end the shutdown in which he would get $5.7 billion to build a barrier and funding for other measures to address illegal immigration at the southern border.

As part of his deal, he would grant three years of protection from deportation for undocumented people who were brought into the U.S. as children  often referred to as DREAMers, this group had been covered under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals  and for people granted Temporary Protected Status because of a crisis in their home countries.

'It's anyone's guess what happens next': Democrats shoot down Trump's plan to end shutdown

From concrete wall to steel fences: A timeline of Trump's evolving border barrier concept

Democrats declared the offer a "non-starter" before Trump even delivered his address, calling the proposal "a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives."

On Sunday, Trump accused Democrats of ignoring the drug trafficking and crime he believes a border barrier would stop because they are focused on defeating him in the 2020 election  "which they are not going to win," he added, enthusiastically citing the "Best economy!"

Story continues

"They should do the right thing for the Country & allow people to go back to work," Trump tweeted.

House Democrats have approved several measures to fund the government, but Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has not permitted them to come to the Senate floor for a vote because of the president's promise of a veto. McConnell does plan to introduce Trump's proposal in a Senate bill on Tuesday.

Vice President Mike Pence said it was "disappointing to see Speaker Pelosi reject the offer before the president gave his speech." But he expressed optimism that the situation might change when McConnell puts the measure forward for a vote.

"Democrats aren't going to accept that package," Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace told the vice president.

"Im not sure that's true, Chris," Pence replied. "Weve had a lot of dialogue."



When asked if he believed seven Senate Democrats would join with Republicans to pass the measure, Pence said, "Well, as the president often says, we'll see."

New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who has announced her plans to run against Trump in 2020, criticized McConnell for "not letting us vote on the things that could pass."

"I dont know why hes not standing up to President Trump and doing whats right," she said Sunday on ABC's "This Week."

Gillibrand  who in the past supported increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement funding and opposed amnesty for people in the country illegally  bristled at Trump's suggestion that Democrats don't care about border security and repeated her party's position that the president must reopen the government before any negotiations.

"If he really wants to work on comprehensive immigration reform, open the government and then sit down with Democratic leaders to actually work on the stuff that needs to get done," she said. "People need a pathway to citizenship."

"Thats something were willing to talk about," she continued. "But for President Trump to hold hostage public servants, its wrong."

Far-right conservative Ann Coulter accused Trump of proposing amnesty for people who entered the U.S. illegally with his offer of extending three-year protections to some immigrants.

"Trump proposes amnesty. We voted for Trump and got Jeb!" Coulter tweeted Saturday.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

"No, Amnesty is not a part of my offer," Trump tweeted in an apparent response to conservatives critics like Coulter. But he did leave the door open to amnesty as part of "a much bigger deal, whether on immigration or something else."

The president added a warning for Pelosi.

"Likewise there will be no big push to remove the 11,000,000 plus people who are here illegally  but be careful Nancy!" he tweeted, apparently implying such a crackdown was possible if the stalemate continues.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

"Nancy Pelosi has behaved so irrationally & has gone so far to the left that she has now officially become a Radical Democrat. She is so petrified of the 'lefties' in her party that she has lost control," Trump tweeted.

"And by the way, clean up the streets in San Francisco, they are disgusting!" he told the Bay Area Democrat.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Trump also addressed Pelosi's suggestion that he delay his State of the Union address because of security concerns sparked by the government shutdown. She also suggested he could deliver it from another location other than the House floor or that he could submit the address in writing, as was traditionally done in the past.

"Nancy, I am still thinking about the State of the Union speech, there are so many options  including doing it as per your written offer (made during the Shutdown, security is no problem), and my written acceptance," he tweeted. "While a contract is a contract, Ill get back to you soon!"

Contributing: David Jackson, Michael Collins and Christal Hayes

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Amnesty is not a part of my offer': Trump defends proposal from critics on left and right
THE Archdiocese of Cebu will host various events in 2021 to celebrate 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines, during which the Roman Catholic faithful expect the presence of Pope Francis, Archbishop Jose Palma said Sunday. He said the invitation had been sent to the Vatican for the leader of the 1.2-billion members of the Roman Catholic Church worldwide to visit the Philippines. Two years from now we will celebrate the 500th anniversary of the first baptism, the first mass, Palma said in his homily during the pontifical mass in honor of the Santo Nino de Cebu whose fiesta is celebrated on Jan. 20. If the Lord permits, lets pray for the possible visit of the Pope who has been invited to come. Lets pray for Gods mercy because this is an important anniversary of Santo Ninos arrival in Cebu. Palma said the Philippines is known to be the cradle of Christianity in Asia. He reminded the devotees about the significance of the finding of the miraculous image of Santo Nino on April 28, 1565, some 44 years after the arrival of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan on March 16, 1521. We know it as a fact that in 1521, when the Spaniards arrived, they baptized Queen Juana and the image of the Santo Nino was given, Palma said.Juana was the wife of King Humabon, the ruler of Cebu, when Magellan arrived. After 44 years, when the Agustinian missionaries arrived with Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in Cebu, the image was found unscathed in a scorched hut. The point is, we say that the Spaniards found the Santo Nino image, but the truth is, it was the Santo Nino who found us, the people in Islas de la Pilipinas, Palma said in his homily. The Cebu Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has set this years theme for the year of the youth as Filipino Youth in Mission: Beloved, Gifted, Empowered in preparation for the 2021 celebration, Palma said. He urged the faithful to pray for the celebration.
This file photo from 2015 shows the University of Oklahoma campus.

A University of Oklahoma sorority said it ousted a member who filmed a blackface video that outraged students across the school's sprawling campus, four years after a fraternity was kicked off campus after members chanted racial slurs in a video.

The latest video was shared on social media Friday, days before the Martin Luther King holiday. It showed one girl applying black paint to her face, then showing her hands to the camera before saying "I am a ..."

The word she uses is not clear, but the Black Student Association and others interpreted it as a racial slur. The girl filming her also appears briefly in the video.

"Our chapter condemns the racist, offensive and disgraceful conduct of the two women involved in the video," Delta Delta Delta chapter President London Moore said in a statement. "The woman who participated in, filmed and posted the video is no longer a member of our organization."

More: Native American: 'Mob mentality' in viral video was 'scary'

More: 'Blatant racism': Ky. high school apologizes after video

Earlier, school President James Gallogly said he was "saddened and offended" by the video.

We expect all of our students, staff and faculty to respect the diversity and cultural backgrounds of others, Gallogly said in a statement. These differences should not divide us but should strengthen our community.

Gallogly noted that the students have a right to free speech but added that the negative impact of such conduct cannot be underestimated. He said the students have offered to apologize but did not indicate whether the school would take action against them.

Taylor Wilson, president of the school's Black Student Association, called for a "zero tolerance policy" against racist speech to be added to the school's conduct policy. He also demanded an enhanced social and cultural curriculum, a more diverse faculty and staff and more financial support for African-American programs.

Story continues

"There is a violent and painful history concerning the usage of blackface and reducing black people to racist caricatures," Wilson said. "It is unfortunate for us to be in 2019 and this is still happening."

In 2015, members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon at Oklahoma were seen on a video chanting racial slurs against blacks and indicating that blacks would never be admitted to the fraternity's chapter in Norman. The chant also made reference to lynching.

Two students were expelled from the school, the SAE chapter was shut down, and the fraternity's national organization apologized.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Oklahoma sorority sister booted after posting blackface video
LOUISVILLE, Ky.  Ken Ham, the creationist founder of the Ark Encounter in Northern Kentucky, is sparring with a national group over whether public schools are legally allowed to visit his religious attractions.

Earlier this month the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which promotes the separation of church and state, sent letters to more than 1,000 public school districts in Kentucky and four other states saying that field trips to Ham's Ark Encounter and Creation Museum are unconstitutional.

The letters, sent Jan. 8, were prompted by Ham encouraging public schools to visit his theme park, which features a 510-foot-long model of Noah's Ark.

"It is unacceptable to expose a captive audience of impressionable students to the overtly religious atmosphere of Hams Christian theme parks," wrote Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker, co-presidents of the Wisconsin-based foundation.

Ham is the founder of Answers in Genesis, a Christian creationist ministry that runs the Ark Park in Williamstown and the Creation Museum in Petersburg. Creationists reject the teaching of evolution and believe the Earth was created in a few days about 6,000 years ago, based on the Bible's teachings in Genesis.

More: Visitation at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky falls below projections

More: What I learned from visiting Noah's Ark: Column

The Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter show dinosaurs and humans living alongside each other. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, dinosaurs went extinct nearly 65 million years before people appeared on Earth.

The same day the letters were sent, Ham fired back by offering free admission to any public schools that take students on official field trips to the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum.

"And if the FFRF dares threaten or bully a public school, we have access to expert constitutional law attorneys who will provide their services to the school, pro bono, even if that means going all the way to the US Supreme Court," Ham wrote in a blog post.

Story continues

A phone call to the Ark Encounter seeking comment was not immediately returned Friday night.

This isn't the first time Ham and the Freedom From Religion Foundation have gone head-to-head.

The foundation was one of several groups outraged when the theme park won more than $18 million in state tax incentives when it was being built in 2014. State officials tried to take the tax break away after learning the park would only hire Christians, but park officials sued in federal court and won.

After its first year, the Kentucky government cut the Ark Encounter a rebate check for $1.8 million.

The foundation's letter  sent to 1,273 public school districts in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia and Illinois  said Ham "has been clear about the proselytizing nature" of the attractions.

In a June 2018 blog post, Ham wrote "the whole purpose of building these attractions was evangelistic. ... We make no apology for the fact that AiG is an evangelistic, biblical-authority ministry."

Andrew Seidel, the foundation's director of strategic response, told the Courier Journal the group wants public schools "to understand that taking other people's children to an amusement park that is dedicated to proselytizing for Christianity" violates the First Amendment.

"I don't want to drag a public school district into court over this issue," Seidel said. "We're just trying to make sure they understand."

Several legal experts told the Courier Journal that courts, citing the Constitution's Establishment Clause in the First Amendment, have made clear that public schools cannot force religion on students.

However, the purpose of field trips to religious-themed places like the Ark Encounter is also key, experts said.

University of Louisville law professor Russell L. Weaver said if a field trip to the Ark Encounter is taken as part of a class on religion, and no attempts are made to convert students, then it may pass legally.

"Context, purpose and motive are all essential in evaluating whether something like this is an inappropriate endorsement of religion or not," added professor Steve Sanders, who teaches constitutional law at Indiana University.

Corey Shapiro, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky, said courts have also made clear that "public schools may not teach creationism or intelligent design  theories which the Ark Encounter espouses."

"A public school field trip to this establishment is an unconstitutional government promotion of religious beliefs, which have no place in our public schools, and improperly proselytizes to students," Shapiro said in a statement.

Seidel, with the Freedom From Religion Foundation, said it does not matter if such field trips are deemed "voluntary" or allow students to opt out, as courts have routinely rejected such arguments.

Seidel said the nonprofit has received complaints from parents and community members in the past about trips to the Ark Park and has stopped several local parks and recreation departments from taking publicly funded trips to the theme park.

At least one superintendent in Kentucky isn't fazed by either argument.

Rick Ross, superintendent of the Mason County School District, said while there have been no plans to visit the theme park, he's not intimidated by the foundation. Ross said he took the foundation's letter and put it in the trash.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

"The idea of an agency outside of the state threatening us more or less, it just doesn't sit well with me," Ross said.

Ross said feedback from parents and the school district's attorney "would be vital" in deciding on any field trip to the Ark Encounter or Creation Museum.

"The letter itself would not be enough to deter us, but we are a long way from approving any trip at all," Ross said. "We would have to make sure that the purpose of the trip is to educate, not indoctrinate."

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Noah's Ark theme park spars with advocacy group over visits by public school students
For years, Native American advocate Nathan Phillips of metro Detroit has been fighting for the rights of indigenous people.

On Friday, his battle gained national attention, as social media videos captured his standoff with a group of taunting Catholic school students in the nation's capital. The video of Phillips, peacefully drumming and singing, while surrounded by a hostile crowd illustrates the nation's political and racial tensions.

Speaking to the Free Press by phone, Phillips, 64, of Ypsilanti, explained what happened after 5 p.m. Friday during the Indigenous Peoples' March he was attending and spoke of his history working for the cause of Native American people.

He gave new details about an incident that sparked outrage and criticism from a range of groups.

More: 'Blatant racism': Ky. high school apologizes following backlash after video shows students surrounding indigenous marchers

Marine steps between "beast' and "prey"

Prior to what is seen on the now-viral video, Phillips said he was in Washington attending a Native American rally. Near the end of rally, he said he tried to keep the peace between a group of mostly white students attending a March for Life event, and a group of about four people with a religious group known as the Black Hebrew Israelites.

Phillips, a former Marine, said the incident started as a group of Catholic students from Kentucky were observing the Black Israelites talk, and started to get upset at their speeches. The Catholic group then got bigger and bigger, with more than 100 assembled at one point, he said.

"They witnessed these individuals on their soapbox saying what they had to say," Phillips said. "They didn't agree with it and got offended."

Then, things got heated.

"They were in the process of attacking these four black individuals," Phillip said. "I was there and I was witnessing all of this. ... As this kept on going on and escalating, it just got to a point where you do something or you walk away, you know? You see something that is wrong and you're faced with that choice of right or wrong."

Story continues

Phillips said some of the members of the Black Hebrew group were also acting up, "saying some harsh things" and that one member spit in the direction of the Catholic students. "So I put myself in between that, between a rock and hard place," he said.

But then, the crowd of mostly male students turned their anger toward Phillips.

"There was that moment when I realized I've put myself between beast and prey," Phillips said. "These young men were beastly and these old black individuals was their prey, and I stood in between them and so they needed their pounds of flesh and they were looking at me for that."

Covington Catholic was criticized on social media following a heated moment at an Indigenous Peoples march in Washington D.C. The school posted students were attending a March for Life on the same day as the incident.

The crowd of students, some of whom wore MAGA caps, mocked Native Americans while chanting "Build the Wall" and using derogatory language. The students had a "mob mentality" that "was scary. ... It was ugly, what these kids were involved in. It was racism. It was hatred. It was scary."

Speaking from his niece's home, Phillips said: "I'm a Marine Corps veteran, and I know what that mob mentality can be like. That's where it was at. It got to a point where they just needed something for them to ... just tear them apart. I mean, it was that ugly."

Phillips said he recalled "the looks in these young men's faces ... I mean, if you go back and look at the lynchings that was done (in America) ... and you'd see the faces on the people ... The glee and the hatred in their faces, that's what these faces looked like."

"When I took that drum and started singing, I placed myself in between these two factions of people. It wasn't a real conscious process, it was just what they call a spur of the moment."

Phillips said the blame for the incident is with the students' chaperones.

"If their own instructors, their own teachers, their own chaperones, would have handled the situation right from the beginning, it would never have happened," Phillips said. "I would have never been bothered with it."

More work is needed to heal racial strife

Born in Nebraska into the Omaha tribe, Phillips said he was 5 years old when he was "taken away from my family and put in foster care ... until I was 17."

Phillips said he grew up in an abusive home, started working on construction and lumber jobs, and then joined the Marines, serving in the Vietnam War.

He later moved to Washington, D.C., and became active with Native American issues. He's now with the Native Youth Alliance and also does work with Native American veterans.

Phillips said he moved to Michigan 10 years ago after his wife was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer. She was getting treatments at a university and died in 2015, he said.

That same year, Phillips said he was racially harassed by a group of students at Eastern Michigan University. Fox 2 Detroit reported on the incident at the time.

Phillips said he was walking by when he noticed students dressed up as Native Americans, saying they wanted to bring back the university's previous logo of an Native American tribe, the Hurons.

"I told them ... that was racist and they got upset with that," Phillips told the Free Press. "One of the students threw a full can of beer at me that was unopened and hit me with it, and the police did nothing. The school did nothing."

Phillips said he's concerned about the political climate that he said causes incidents like those he has experienced.

"It's like we need somebody to blame again for our failings," he said. "Our president is kind of ... feeding the fires of racism. Some of the things he's been saying have been divisive, the building of the wall. ... Why do we have to build a wall on the southern border and not the northern border?"

Phillips said the students who derided him Friday were motivated by fear of different people.

"The Black Israelites, they were saying some harsh things, but some of it was true, too," Phillips said. "These young, white American kids who were being taught in their Catholic school, their doctrine, their truth, and when they found out there's more truth out there than what they're being taught, they were offended, they were insulted, they were scared, and that's how they responded. One thing that I was taught in my Marine Corp training is that a scared man will kill you. And that's what these boys were. They were scared."

Phillips said the clash in Washington means "that we've got a lot of work to do" in educating people about Native Americans and racism.

At the same time, he said he's encouraged by how technology has allowed the message to be spread.

"Many people wouldn't be hearing what happened just yesterday" if it weren't for "these technological wonders. ... So we have a chance. ... I'm just really overwhelmed with the outpouring of support."

Follow Niraj Warikoo on Twitter @nwarikoo

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Native American veteran: 'Mob mentality' in students seen in viral video was 'scary'
The two leaders held their first meeting last June - AP

President Donald Trump and North Korean Kim Jong-un will hold a second historic summit in late February, the White House announced after fresh talks in Washington DC on Friday.

The White House announced the plan after Mr Trump spent 90 minutes meeting with North Korea's top negotiator Kim Yong-chol in the Oval Office.

The summit follows the first meeting between the two leaders in 2018 where they shook hands and agreed to work towards the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

The location of the meeting is yet to be set, but reports suggest Vietnam, Thailand and Hawaii are all under consideration.

Sarah Sanders, the White House press secretary, said: President Donald J Trump met with Kim Yong Chol for an hour and half, to discuss denuclearisation and a second summit, which will take place near the end of February. The President looks forward to meeting with Chairman Kim at a place to be announced at a later date.

Former spy chief Kim Yong-chol with America's chief diplomat Mike Pompeo Credit: Reuters

In Singapore last June, Mr Trump and Kim were seen laughing over lunch and the North Korean promised to blow up a nuclear test site.

However hopes for ending North Korea's nuclear weapons programme remained muted after the highly anticipated summit ended with a vague denuclearisation agreement and talks appeared to have stalled since then.

North Korea has pushed for harsh economic sanctions to be eased before it makes steps towards dismantling the bulk of its nuclear programme, while the US has insisted that denuclearisation must form the basis of any future progress.

A second summit is expected to focus on more specific aims. The North Korean leader met with China's Xi Jing-pin earlier this year in a sign the two were preparing for an upcoming meeting with the US.

Mike Pompeo escorts Kim Yong Chol into talks Credit: Reuters

Yesterday marked the second time Mr Trump has met with Kim Yong-chol - Pyongyangs lead negotiator with the United States and a hardline former spy chief travelled to the White House last year to deliver a letter from the North Korean leader.

Story continues

That meeting preceded the June summit in Singapore between the two leaders. It is believed that Mr Kim has brought a second letter for Mr Trump on this visit.

Earlier in the day Mr Kim held a 45-minute meeting with Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State, at a hotel in Washington.

The pair did not take questions from journalists but the accord was judged to be a success given Mr Kim's subsequent trip to the White House.
The mother of a high school student among the group filmed in confrontation with a Native American man after a rally in Washington DC has blamed black Muslims for the encounter.

The womans son was reportedly alongside several wearing Make America Great Again (Maga) hats who were criticised for apparently taunting Nathan Phillips, surrounding him and chanting build the wall, build the wall.

But she claimed black Muslims had been harassing the group from the private, all-male Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky who were said to be in the capital to attend the anti-abortion March for Life.

In an email to the news website heavy.com, the woman wrote: Did you hear the names of the people were calling these boys? It was shameful. Did you witness the black Muslims yelling profanities and video taping to get something to further your narrative of hatred??

Did you know that this man came up to this one boy and drummed in his face?

The site said the woman was not the mother of the boy featured most prominently in the footage, who has since identified himself as Nick Sandmann and released a lengthy statement denying that any intimidation or mocking took place.

The encounter happened following an anti-abortion March for Life rally in the capital on Friday. A video clip first surfaced that appeared to show the Covington students surrounding Mr Phillips and jeering him, with Mr Sandmann in particular standing directly in front of him and smiling. The school and its parent diocese issued a swift apology and said they would investigate.

We will take appropriate action, up to and including expulsion, a statement said. This behaviour is opposed to the Churchs teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person.

That clip of Mr Phillips, an elder of Nebraskas Omaha tribe and reportedly a Vietnam war veteran, was shared online by organisers of an indigenous peoples march that also took place on Friday.

However, a separate and much longer video showed how the children were subjected to a barrage of abuse including homophobic slurs and racially charged language by the group of black men mentioned by the students mother. The men, who claimed to be Hebrew Israelites according to the New York Times, argued aggressively with the students.

Story continues

Extended footage depicts the apparent leader of the religious group hurling homophobic slurs at the students. Thats Make America Great Again, a bunch of child-molesting f****ts, he is heard to say. Another member  who seems to be the person filming  is recorded calling the children dirty-ass crackers and racist bastards. Approaching the students, he continues loudly: Look at all these dusty-ass crackers with that racist garbage on.

The same video shows the moment Mr Phillips arrived at the scene of the confrontation, singing and playing a drum. The 64-year-old can be seen interposing himself between the two groups, before he is enveloped by the crowd.

Another separate clip appears to show further abuse directed at the boys. A man  not Mr Phillips  can be heard to say: You white people go back to Europe, this is not your land.

The apparent intimidation of Mr Phillips, meanwhile, has prompted a torrent of outrage. Actress and activist Alyssa Milano tweeted that the footage brought me to tears, while actor Chris Evans said the students actions were appalling and shameful.

Democratic congresswoman Deb Haaland, a member of New Mexicos Laguna Pueblo tribe, tweeted that the students had shown blatant hate, disrespect, and intolerance.

Ruth Buffalo, a North Dakota state lawmaker and member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation tribe, said she was saddened to see students showing disrespect to an elder who is also a military veteran.

The behaviour shown in that video is just a snapshot of what indigenous people have faced and are continuing to face, said Ms Buffalo.

Covington Catholic High School has since closed its Facebook page.

When I was there singing, I heard them saying, Build that wall, build that wall, Mr Phillips said, as he wiped away tears in a video later posted on Instagram. This is indigenous lands. Were not supposed to have walls here. We never did.

In an interview with the Detroit Free Press, Mr Phillips said he believed the Covington students were in the process of attacking the religious group, but video footage does not appear to bear out that claim.

In his statement, Mr Sandmann decried the outright lies he said had been propagated about his conduct.

He said that Mr Phillips had approached him, and that he believed he had defused the situation by remaining calm and not interacting physically with the older man.

He added: This is the first time in my life Ive ever encountered any sort of public protest, let alone this kind of confrontation or demonstration.

I was not intentionally making faces at [Mr Phillips]. I did smile at one point because I wanted him to know that I was not going to become angry, intimidated or be provoked into a larger confrontation.

Additional reporting by agencies

This story has been updated
A huge fire exploded at a pipeline leaking fuel in central Mexico on Friday, killing at least 20 people and badly burning 60 others as locals tried to collect the spilling gasoline in buckets, officials said.

The leak was caused by fuel thieves illegally tapping the pipeline in a small town in the state of Hidalgo, about 62 miles (100 kilometres) north of Mexico City, according to state oil company Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex.

Video footage showed dozens of residents near the town of Tlahuelilpan gathered to collect spilled fuel in buckets, garbage cans and other vessels. Fuel was seen spouting dozens of feet into the air from the tap. Footage then showed flames shooting high into the air and the pipeline ablaze.

Hidalgo Governor Omar Fayad said 20 people were killed immediately and 60 suffered burns in the blast at the duct that carries fuel -apparently gasoline - from the Gulf coast to the Mexico City area.

"Caring for the wounded is our top priority," Fayad wrote.

Pemex attributed the blaze to "the manipulation of an illegal tap."

Flames engulf an area after a ruptured fuel pipeline exploded, in the municipality of Tlahuelilpan, Hidalgo Credit: Reuters

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has declared an offensive against fuel theft, and on Friday he called on all branches of government to assist the victims.

Hidalgo state police said the leak was first reported at about 5pm local time.

"There was a report that residents were on the scene trying to obtain fuel," according to a police report. Two hours later, the pipeline burst into flames.

It is not the first time such an accident has occurred.

Mexican soldiers at a fire after a leaking gas pipeline triggered a blaze in Tlahuelilpan, Hidalgo state Credit: AFP

In December 2010, authorities blamed oil thieves for a pipeline explosion in a central Mexico near the capital that killed 28 people, including 13 children.

That blast burned people and scorched homes, affecting 5,000 residents in an area six miles (10 kilometres) wide in San Martin Texmelucan.

Lopez Obrador launched an offensive against the $3 billion per-year fuel theft industry after taking office Deember. 1. Thieves drilled about 12,581 illegal taps in the first 10 months of 2018 and the country has deployed 3,200 marines to guard pipelines and refineries.

The new administration has also shut down pipelines to detect and deter illegal taps, relying more on delivering fuel by tanker truck. But there aren't enough trucks, and long lines continued Wednesday at gas stations in several states.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Investigators in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives said on Friday they plan to examine whether U.S. President Donald Trump broke the law by directing his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, to lie to Congress about building a skyscraper in Moscow while he was running for president.

Leading Democrats in the House of Representatives said they would seek to verify a Buzzfeed News report that Trump told Cohen to lie to lawmakers who are examining whether his campaign worked with Russia to win the 2016 presidential election.

Buzzfeed, citing two unnamed law enforcement sources, said Cohen told investigators working for Special Counsel Robert Mueller that Trump had directed him to lie about the Moscow project. The report said Mueller's office learned of Trump's instructions to Cohen through internal Trump Organization emails, witness interviews, text messages and other documents, and that Cohen told prosecutors about the directive in an interview.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Trump said on Twitter that Cohen was lying in order to get less prison time while Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, said in an email statement, "Any suggestion ... that the president counseled his former lawyer Michael Cohen to lie is categorically false."

Mueller's office declined to comment.

Cohen, who once said he was so loyal to Trump that he would "take a bullet" for him, is scheduled to begin a three-year prison sentence in March after pleading guilty to charges that included lying to Congress.

If Trump did tell Cohen to lie, that would constitute criminal activity, said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, who said he would look into the matter.

"Directing a subordinate to lie to Congress is a federal crime," Nadler said on Twitter.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said the allegation that Trump may have directed Cohen to lie under oath "is among the most serious to date."

Story continues

"We will do what's necessary to find out if it's true," he said on Twitter.

Some Senate Intelligence Committee investigators hope to ask Cohen about the BuzzFeed report when he testifies behind closed doors in February, a committee source told Reuters.

He also will face questions about it in testimony before the House Oversight Committee on Feb. 7.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

NEW EXPOSURE

Legal experts say the allegation exposed Trump to a new level of risk in an investigation that has already resulted in convictions of or guilty pleas from four former campaign aides, including former campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

"It's a seismic event," Andy Wright, an associate White House counsel under former Democratic President Barack Obama, told Reuters.

Cohen adviser Lanny Davis declined to comment on the BuzzFeed report and said Cohen also would not comment. Cohen's lawyer, Guy Petrillo, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump denounced Cohen as a "rat" after he began cooperating with investigators while Cohen, whose duties included making payoffs to two women who had affairs with Trump, said on Thursday he regretted giving "my blind loyalty to a man who doesn't deserve it."

Directing or encouraging someone to lie under oath is a crime known as subornation of perjury but the report also raises questions about obstruction of justice and conspiracy.

William Barr, Trump's nominee to be attorney general, said at his confirmation hearing on Tuesday that a president would be committing obstruction if he directed a subordinate to lie under oath. A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment.

While the Justice Department has previously concluded that a sitting president cannot be charged while in office, such an allegation, if found true, could fuel impeachment proceedings in Congress.

"Suborning perjury has been a key part of earlier instances where the House has decided to move against a president in the extreme grounds of impeachment," Democratic Senator Tim Kaine told reporters.

Trump repeatedly has denied collusion with Russia and slammed Mueller's investigation as a "witch hunt." Russia also has rejected U.S. intelligence findings that Moscow interfered in U.S. politics in the 2016 election in an effort to boost Trump.

Trump said repeatedly during the presidential campaign that he had no ties or business dealings with Russia. Representatives for the Trump Organization did not respond to a request for comment on the BuzzFeed report.

Democrats, who took over the U.S. House of Representatives this month, have generally been cautious regarding any talk of impeachment to remove Trump from office although some rank-and-file members have pushed for such a resolution.

It would face an uphill battle in the Senate, where Trump's fellow Republicans have a majority.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's office had no comment on the BuzzFeed report but other Republicans said it raised troubling questions.

"Lying to Congress is a whole different issue, obviously, if there was direction to do that. But weve got to hear both sides of the story on this," Senator James Lankford told Reuters.

BuzzFeed on Thursday also reported that Cohen regularly updated Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. and his daughter Ivanka Trump, who is now a top White House adviser, about the Moscow project.

A spokesman for Abbe Lowell, a lawyer for Ivanka Trump, said she was minimally involved in the development. Representatives for Trump Jr., who has also testified previously before Congress, did not respond to a request for comment.

(Additional reporting by Nathan Layne, Mark Hosenball, Andy Sullivan and David Alexander; Writing by Andy Sullivan and Susan Heavey; Editing by Bill Trott)
One of the first big astronomical events of the year comes this weekend as the super wolf moon experiences a total lunar eclipse.

Canadian stargazers are in for a treat this Sunday with the first celestial showcase of the year  a lunar eclipse known as the Super Wolf Blood Moon. If it feels like theres been several special moon events in the past few years, youre right. So what sets this moon apart from a wolf moon, or a blood moon or a super moon? Dr. Ilana MacDonald, who works with the department of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Toronto, spoke to Yahoo Canada News about what to know ahead of this weekends Super Wolf Blood Moon.

What is a lunar eclipse?

A lunar eclipse happens when the earth is between the sun and the moon. This causes the earths shadow to gradually cover the moon, and then after a couple of hours, uncover it. When the moon is fully covered by the earths shadow, it is called totality. As the night progresses, the earths shadow will move off the moon, and the moon will be visible again.





What is a supermoon?

A supermoon happens when the moon is at the point when its closest to the earth in its orbit around it. As the moon is going around the earth, it doesnt have this perfectly circular orbit, MacDonald explains. That means sometimes its closer to the earth, sometimes its farther away. As of this weekend, the full moon will be slightly closer to the earth, making it appear larger than it would if it were father away in its orbit.

What is a blood moon?

A blood moon is the phenomenon when a moon is in total eclipse, appearing reddish in colour, as a result of being illuminated by sunlight thats been filtered and scattered by the earths atmosphere.

When you get a full lunar eclipse, the moon doesnt disappear, but has a reddish glow on it, MacDonald says. Depending on atmosphere conditions, it can either be a deep, dark red or more of an orange brown colour.

What is a wolf moon?

The first full moon of the year is dubbed a wolf moon, a name which traces back to Indigenous folklore.

When is the best time to watch the Super Wolf Blood Moon?

Story continues

The best place to watch the Super Wolf Blood moon is anywhere where the moon is visible, which entirely depends on whether the skies are clear or cloudy.

Because the moon is so bright you dont necessarily need to leave the city to see it, says McDonald. This most important thing is to make sure youre somewhere where theres no clouds, though theres no way to control that.

The lunar eclipse technically starts at 9:30 p.m. EST on Sunday, though it wont be visible until about 10:33 pm EST, which is when the partial eclipse begins. The total eclipse begins about an hour later, at 11:41 P.M EST. The whole thing will end at around 1:50 a.m. EST.

The next total lunar eclipse will take place on May 26, 2021.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Lucas P. Bersamin has called on all court judges to support his four-point reform agenda for the judiciary, which includes updating the Rules of Court, purging the bench of misfits and scalawags, initiating Bar reforms, and adopting legal clinics to enhance access to justice. During the testimonial dinner held in his honor by the Philippine Judges Association at Diamond Hotel on Thursday, Bersamin also exhorted all trial court judges to view criticism of our work and our actuation as the necessary scalpels that help us excise our actual faults and perceived fallibilities. According to him, while his tenure as chief magistrate is short, or 324 days to be exact, he is confident that his four-point agenda will come to fruition with all the help and support especially from the judges. As the Chief Justice, I have assumed the greatest responsibility ever to be placed on the frail shoulders of any active judge. And in that task, I must ensure that our courts and judges function efficiently and competently. But I am confident, that with the PJA fully behind me, I will not fail, he told the judges. The top magistrate reminded all judges about the qualities and characteristics that every judge, whether a member of the PJA or not, must haveintegrity, probity, and competence. He emphasized that they must stay humanmust act human in addition to these qualities that have qualified them to their judicial positions. I think that the foremost one, that you, as trial judges should exhibit and not leave in your homes each day as you go to work is humanity. No judge will be worth his or her title if he or she ignores or abandons his or her humanity at work, he said. The chief magistrate pointed out that he does not mean that their being human should mean that you act in your usual ways.You are now wearing the mantle of authority in your jurisdiction. And this often requires [you] to be stern and serious. You must convince the communities you serve that you are the visible representation of the law. For if the laws were to be obeyed, the judges that administer them must be credible and not ridiculous. As judges, we are unavoidably leaders whether we like it or not. As leaders, we must lead and not mislead, Bersamin said. Bersamin advised the trial court judges to never hate nor decry criticism of our work and our persons. We cannot be immune from the scrutiny of the people. It is their absolute right to do so no matter how criticism may be unjust or harsh or unfair, we should welcome it. We should view criticism of our work and our actuation as the necessary scalpels that help us excise our actual faults and perceived fallibilities. Criticism has a natural place in our scheme of things. It is our reminder of our own limitations. It opens our eyes to our shortcomings and mistakes which we do not correct without anyone telling us about. On the other hand, any degree of intolerance on criticism may lead us to become martinets, or worst, tyrants. But that we do not what to be for we could not be martinets or tyrants, he stressed. Likewise, the chief justice also underscored the importance of being humble, saying that No judge should accord too much self-esteem to himself or herself. He said that the lack of humility on the part of any person is always a sign of an inner weakness that is sought to be concealed from you by the appearance of pride and superiority. He stressed that humility makes us love our offices much more. He encouraged the judges to be dedicated to and conscious of our tasks and responsibilities. He thanked the PJA, saying that such recognition from the association, which he once belonged to when still a Regional Trial Court Judge in Quezon City, brings any other judge that high sense of validation of all the effort and time expended in the demanding task of adjudication of judicial disputes. Bersamin, the countrys 25th chief justice, noted that only a few trial judges have actually been appointed to the top SC post. Of the 24 other Chief Justices, the others who were trial judges like him were the late Chief Justices Ricardo M. Paras and Felix V. Makasiar, and retired Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno He also mentioned his predecessor Chief Justice Teresita J. Leonardo-de Castro who, as a justice of the Sandiganbayan, also took part in conducting trials
By Giselda Vagnoni

ROME (Reuters) - Telecom Italia (TIM) <TLIT.MI> has suffered a setback in its plan to assuage pressures for a separation of its prized network assets by placing them into a wholly owned subsidiary, as the industry regulator said it was opposed to the proposal.

TIM has been under pressure for years from Italian politicians, regulators and rivals to separate and upgrade its network, which analysts have valued at up to 15 billion euros ($17 billion).

Before being ousted in November former TIM chief Amos Genish set out a plan to spin off the network into a fully controlled separate company, but communications regulator AGCOM has given an initial thumbs down to the idea since TIM would continue to have significant power in the market.

In a document published on its website the watchdog said it was launching a 45-day public consultation on the plan, results of which would help it draw up a final decision in coming months.

A spokesman for TIM declined comment.

Italy's biggest phone group gives rivals such as Vodafone <VOD.L>, Wind and Fastweb <SCMN.S> access to its network infrastructure, but also competes with them when it sells its own telecom services to customers.

AGCOM said that under TIM's plan, by keeping control of the new company it would be in the position of being able to favor its own companies to the detriment of competitors.

Pressure on TIM to spin off its fixed access network intensified after French media group Vivendi <VIV.PA>, the Italian phone group's biggest shareholder with a 24 percent stake, named Genish at the helm of the group in September 2017 and began to exert greater influence, which upset the Italian government.

Since coming to power in June the government has placed the creation of a fast broadband network at the heart of its industrial policy and is drafting measures to help create one single network player for the country, which could combine TIM's network with that of smaller rival Open Fiber.

Story continues

TIM has also been caught since early last year in a battle between Vivendi and U.S. activist fund Elliott over how to revive the Italian company, which is saddled with 25 billion euros of debt.

TIM appointed Luigi Gubitosi as chief executive in November.

(Reporting by Giselda Vagnoni; Editing by David Holmes)
Jerusalem (AFP) - Israel and Chad have renewed diplomatic ties decades after they were ruptured, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday during a visit to the African state.

Netanyahu and Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno have "announced the renewal of diplomatic relations between Chad and Israel", a statement from the Israeli premier's office said.

Ties between Israel and the Muslim majority nation were broken in 1972.

"The two sides view the resumption of relations as the key to future cooperation for the benefit of both countries," the statement said.

Netanyahu on Twitter called the announcement "a historic moment".

The Israeli leader has sought to improve ties with countries in the Arab and Muslim world and said he expected more such diplomatic breakthroughs soon.

His one-day visit follows Deby's November trip to Israel.

The two leaders at the time declined to comment on whether their talks have included arms deals.

Chadian security sources say the country has acquired Israeli equipment to help battle rebels in the country's north.

Chad is also one of several African states engaged in Western-backed operations against Boko Haram and Islamic State group jihadists.

Pressure from Muslim African nations, accentuated by the Arab-Israeli wars of 1967 and 1973, led a number of African states to sever relations with the Jewish state.

But in recent years, Israel has held out the prospect of cooperation in fields ranging from security to technology to agriculture, to improve ties on the continent.

Deby is one of Africa's longest-serving leaders.

He took over the arid, impoverished nation in 1990 and won a disputed fifth term in April 2016 to lead the country of some 15 million people.
Tehran (AFP) - Dozens of women staged a protest in Tehran on Sunday calling for the release of an Iranian state TV journalist arrested in the United States.

The demonstrators waved pictures of Marzieh Hashemi at the rally in front of the Swiss Embassy which handles US interests in the Islamic republic.

US-born Hashemi, who works for Iran's English-language Press TV, was held on arrival at St Louis Lambert International Airport on January 13, according to family and friends cited by Press TV.

Hashemi, a Muslim convert who changed her name from Melanie Franklin, had reportedly been visiting her ill brother and other family members.

A US court on Friday confirmed the arrest, saying her testimony is required over an unspecified case but that she is not accused of a crime.

At a hearing in Washington, a judge ordered the partial unsealing of an order on Hashemi.

It said that Hashemi was arrested on "a material arrest warrant" and would be let go after she gave testimony to a grand jury investigating unspecified "violations of US criminal law".

The protesters in Tehran, including students and female members of the paramilitary Basij militia, shouted slogans such as "we are all Marzieh" and carried posters with the hashtag #FreeMarziehHashemi.

"We demand that she is immediately released and returned to her family in full health," demonstrator Minaeepour told AFP.

Iran's FM Javad Zarif on Thursday described the detention as a "political action" by the United States that "tramples on freedom of speech" and demanded she be set free.

Zarif said that since Hashemi was married to an Iranian she is considered as an Iranian national and "it is our duty to defend our citizens".
Wendell Minnick

Security,

The new proposal will push for the release of sixty-six F-16V Block 70 fighters, with an additional six aircraft to replace crashed F-16A/B Block 20s (seventy-two total aircraft).

Here's Why the F-35 Won't Be Coming to Taiwan

Key point: There are also suspicions in Taiwan that opposition to the sale of a fifth-generation fighter would be raised in Washington over secrecy issues, as mainland Chinese espionage on the island is rampant.

TAIPEI - Taiwans air force will cease campaigning for the F-35 Lightning stealth fighter aircraft and will, instead, reissue a request to the U.S. government for F-16 fighters.

(This first appeared several months ago.)

The new proposal will push for the release of sixty-six F-16V Block 70 fighters, with an additional six aircraft to replace crashed F-16A/B Block 20s (seventy-two total aircraft).

This is, in part, a resurrection of an abandoned effort to procure sixty-six F-16C/D Block 50/52s killed by the Obama administration due to Chinese pressure. Beijing had dubbed the sale of new F-16s to Taiwan a red line and has repeatedly threatened to invade the self-ruled island.

The new campaign will also request co-production and performance-based logistics (PBL) as part of the overall package. PBL would improve combat effectiveness by 80 percent, say Taiwan defense industry sources.

One source said PBL was a critical part of the packagewe must have it.

The package is consistent with Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wens indigenous defense industry policy that mandates local production of weapon systems that in the past were procured only from the United States. In part, the policy weens Taiwan away from dependency on the United States for weapon sales that are often influenced by Washingtons fickle relationship with Beijing.

Local sources also want the PBL to expand later to include Taiwans current F-16 upgrade effort. Taiwan procured 150 F-16A/B Block 20 fighters in the 1990s and is currently upgrading them to F-16V as part of the $5 billion Phoenix Rising Program.

Story continues

The PBL could later be expanded for the fleet of twenty C-130H Hercules cargo/transport aircraft and twelve P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, all Lockheed Martin products.

The air force is also upgrading its Indigenous Defense Fighters (IDF) under a program that will allow the IDF to carry more munitions and replace its radar and combat computer. Taiwan is down to 126 aircraft from the original 130 due to crashes. It was constructed in the 1990s by state-run Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) in Taichung, which is also participating in the F-16V upgrade program.

AIDC is currently manufacturing a new advanced jet trainer (AJT) to replace its ageing AT-3 and F-5 fighter trainers. The new AJT, expected to roll-out in late 2019, is loosely based on the IDF design. AIDC plans to build sixty-six aircraft with operational deployment in 2026.

The air force turned its back on pursuing the F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) fighter due to a recent Taiwan National Security Council report. It indicated the stealth fighter was too exorbitant and untested in real combat to be a pragmatic choice for Taiwan.

There are also suspicions in Taiwan that opposition to the sale of a fifth-generation fighter would be raised in Washington over secrecy issues, as mainland Chinese espionage on the island is rampant.

The STOVL option was originally considered a practical requirement due to Chinas vast arsenal of short-range ballistic missiles aimed at Taiwan. Military analysts in Taiwan and Washington predict that the air bases will be pummeled during the initial phase of a war.

However, Taiwan still needs an advanced fighter aircraft capability to maintain sovereignty and control of its air space, especially as China begins testing the islands air defense capabilities with fighter and bomber aircraft sorties that now circumnavigate the island.

Taiwan will also retire its ageing Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft due to high maintenance costs and to make room in the budget for new F-16s. Of the sixty fighters France sold Taiwan in the 1990s, fifty-six remain operational. We would like to resale the Mirage fighters to a third country, said one source.

Wendell Minnick is an author, commentator, journalist and speaker who has spent two decades covering military and security issues in Asia, including one book on intelligence and over 1,200 articles. From 2006-2016, Minnick served as the Asia Bureau Chief for Defense News, a Washington-based defence weekly newspaper.

Read full article
Asking the Coutinho question: Chelsea have reportedly been on contact with Barcelona

Chelsea could be about to seriously splash the cash if Sundays backpages are anything to go by.

Not only are they ready to chuck 270,000 at Gonzalo Higuain for each weeks work  they have also asked Barcelona what the state of play is with Philippe Coutinho.

The Express say the former Liverpool star, 26, is now on the Blues radar after Manchester United reportedly showed an interest.

READ MORE: Sarri questions Chelsea motivation after Arsenal surrender

READ MORE: Emery urges Arsenal to find balance after downing Chelsea

READ MORE: Guardiola keen to keep City rhythm and challenge on four fronts

Higuain, meanwhile, will become the clubs highest paid player ever when the 31-year-old joins on loan from Juventus next week, the Star on Sunday tell us.

But its not all good news for Chelsea. Marca claim Real Madrid are growing ever confident in their bid to sign Eden Hazard  and think they can get him for a lot less than the 100 million theyve been quoted.

Hazard warning: Real Madrid think they can get the Chelsea star on the cheap, reports in Spain suggest

Madrid is the likely next destination for striker Kylian Mbappe say AS, with doubts existing about his PSG future.

Manchester City are looking closely at Lyons Houssem Aouar as a successor to midfield enforcer Fernandinho, according to the Mirror.

But they also suggest the Premier League champions face a fight to keep Bernardo Silva out of the clutches of Real Madrid.

READ MORE: Huesca 0 Atletico Madrid 3: Dominant Atleti keep pressure on Barca

READ MORE: Lacazette and Koscielny fire Arsenal to rousing derby win over Chelsea

The Sun say Everton are plotting a 40 million bid for Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi to solve their goals issue.

The Telegraph report Jose Mourinho has rejected three job offers since getting the boot by Manchester United as he scoffed at retirement talk.
By David Morgan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump pursued a business deal to erect a tower bearing his name in Moscow throughout 2016, his attorney said on Sunday, raising new questions for congressional investigators looking into possible ties between the president and Russia.

Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani said he may have continued to pursue the project and had discussions about it with his former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, until as late as October or November 2016, when Trump was closing in on his election victory against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

"It's our understanding that they (the discussions) went on throughout 2016," Giuliani, a former New York City mayor, told NBC's "Meet the Press."

"Probably up to, could be up to as far as October, November," he said. "But the president's recollection of them is that the thing had petered out quite a bit."

The Moscow deal ultimately did not materialize but Giuliani's remarks suggest that Trump's discussions about the project with Cohen may have dragged on months longer than had been publicly known.

"That is news to me. And that is big news," Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, also said on "Meet the Press." "It's remarkable that we're two years after the fact and just discovering it today."

An investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election and possible collusion between Moscow and Trump's campaign has loomed large over the Trump presidency amid media reports of his team's connections with Russia.

On Friday, the office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller who leads the investigation took the rare step of disputing elements of a BuzzFeed News report that Trump directed Cohen to lie to Congress about the Moscow real estate deal.

Trump has denied the BuzzFeed article's claim and Giuliani backed him: "I can tell you his counsel to Michael Cohen throughout that entire period was: 'Tell the truth'."

Story continues

Trump has repeatedly condemned the Mueller probe as a "witch hunt" while denying any collusion with Moscow. Russia also denies any interference in the U.S. elections.

Warner, whose panel is conducting its own Russia probe, said the possibility that Trump pursued a business deal with Russia until as late as the 2016 election increases the need to know about his dealings as president with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

"That raises a whole host of questions that the American public needs an answer to and the Congress needs an answer to," Warner said.

Cohen pleaded guilty in November to charges he lied to Congress when he testified that the discussions ended in January 2016. Instead, Cohen said they actually continued until that June, after Trump had clinched the Republican nomination.

Cohen, who has been sentenced to three years in prison for lying to lawmakers, is expected to testify before the Democratic-led House Oversight Committee on Feb. 7. The House and Senate intelligence committees also want to hear from Cohen.

The president has provided written answers to questions from Mueller on the Moscow project, according to Giuliani.

"Our answers cover until the election. So any time during that period, they could have talked about it," he said.

(Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Jeffrey Benkoe)
War Is Boring

Security,

Its long been a goal of aerospace developers to eliminate moving control surfaces from airplanes. And it could change everything.

Forget the B-2 Bomber or F-35: Next Generation Stealth Might Be a Game-Changer

In 1975 John Kelly, a Boeing researcher, identified moving control surfaces as a major impediment to developing stealthy warplanes. Elimination of control surfaces is a consideration that should be examined for low-RCS designs, Kelly wrote in a company study.

The 12-foot-span, jet-propelled MAGMA drone could help BAE develop stealthier warplanes. Control surfaces account for a significant portion of an airplanes radar signature.

(This first appeared several years ago.)

Instead of rudders, ailerons and other conventional control surfaces, MAGMA relies on two new technologies for maneuverability. Wing circulation control takes air from the aircraft engine and blows it supersonically through the trailing edge of the wing to provide control for the aircraft, according to BAE Systems.

Fluidic thrust vectoring, meanwhile, uses blown air to deflect the exhaust, allowing for the direction of the aircraft to be changed.

Recommended: How North Korea Could Start a War

Recommended: This Is What Happens if America Nuked North Korea

Recommended: The Colt Python: The Best Revolver Ever Made?

These trials are an important step forward in our efforts to explore adaptable airframes, Bill Crowther, leader of the MAGMA project at The University of Manchester, said in a BAE Systems release. What we are seeking to do through this program is truly ground-breaking.

For its first flight, MAGMA featured two small vertical fins for stability. But the fins, themselves a significant source of radar reflectivity, could be temporary. Further flight trials are planned for the coming months to demonstrate the novel flight control technologies with the ultimate aim of flying the aircraft without any moving control surfaces or fins, BAE Systems stated.

Story continues

MAGMA is not BAE Systems first test of a UAV with no moving control surfaces. In 2010, the company  along with Cranfield University  tested the smaller Demon drone, which also used blown air for maneuverability. Demon was the result of a five-year, $8-million research initiative that BAE Systems launched in 2005. MAGMA represents a continuation of that work.

Its long been a goal of aerospace developers to eliminate moving control surfaces from airplanes. Besides boosting a planes radar cross-section, or RCS, moving surfaces are also heavy, complex and expensive to build.

In 1975 John Kelly, a Boeing researcher, identified moving control surfaces as a major impediment to developing stealthy warplanes. Elimination of control surfaces is a consideration that should be examined for low-RCS designs, Kelly wrote in a company study.

Kelly compared a smooth representational airframe to one with moving control surfaces. The smooth airframe possessed a radar cross-section of .1 square feet. By contrast, the airframe with moving surfaces reflected a radar cross-section of up to five square feet.

The flight-control systems on current stealth warplanes including the B-2, F-22 and F-35 reportedly feature low-observable modes that limit control surfaces movements in order to minimize radar reflectivity. With MAGMA, BAE Systems could be working toward aircraft designs with fewer, or no, moving surfaces  and thus much greater stealth.

This first appeared in WarIsBoring here.

Read full article
The Court of Appeals has denied the petition of Philippine Gaming Management Corp. seeking to overturn its decision that affirmed the right of an Australian firm to pursue its 50-year joint venture contract with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office for the supply of thermal paper to all lotto outlets in the country. In a two-page resolution, the CAs Special Fourteenth Division through Associate Justice Priscilla Baltazar-Padilla said that PGMC failed to offer new arguments that would warrant the setting aside of its decision issued on Sept. 17, 2018. The appellate court had denied the petition filed by PGMC seeking nullify the writ of preliminary injunction that the Regional Trial Court of Makati City issued in favor of TMA Australia PTY Ltd. and its local subsidiary TMA Group Philippines, Inc. The injunction stopped PGMC from performing any act which would violate or render ineffective TMAs right under the Contractual Joint Venture Agreement it entered into with PCSO in Dec. 4, 2009. Court records showed that following the signing of the agreement, the TMA spent $400 million to relocate its thermal manufacturing plant in the Philippines from China. TMA is the only thermal paper plant set up in the country using high-tech machinery in the production of thermal paper and other paper products while other local suppliers have to import thermal papers being utilized by government agencies, airlines and other private firms. However, the PCSO revoked the agreement through a resolution issued on April 15, 2011 after the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel found that the agreement was essentially a supply contract, which is void for being a ploy to circumvent Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act, particularly on bidding for government procurement supplies, and to evade the audit by the Commission on Audit. This prompted the TMA to seek relief from the trial court, which issued a writ or preliminary injunction against PCSOs revocation order of the CJVA on May 6, 2011.Subsequently, TMA informed PGMC of the existence of its agreement with PCSO and the pending civil case for specific performance as well the writ of preliminary injunction issued by the trial court. Despite this, PGMC entered into an interim agreement with PCSO where the latter would source its thermal paper and ticket requirements from the former, thus, affecting TMAs exclusive rights under the agreement. TMA filed another complaint, this time for tortious interference and injunction against PGMC. In an order issued on Oct. 18, 2017, the trial court granted TMAs application for preliminary injunction enjoining PGMC from entering into an interim agreement with PCSO with regard to the supply of thermal paper. The PGMC elevated the case to the CA, which subsequently ruled in favor of TMA. The CA held that TMA has a clear and unmistakable right to be protected that warranted the issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction by the lower court.
By CCN.com: Kevin Dowd is a Professor of Finance and Economics in the Business School at Durham University, Northeast England, and the co-author of the 2015 paper Bitcoin Will Bite the Dust, along with market analyst and author, Martin Hutchinson, for the libertarian Cato Institute in Washington DC.

CoinDesk published an op-ed by Dowd Monday, with the title, Bitcoin Will Still Bite The Dust, in which the libertarian finance and economics professor avers that Bitcoin is doomed to failure.

Well what he says exactly is that Bitcoin will bite the dust, and what he means by that is:

Bitcoin can not survive in the long run, and I still think that the long-run equilibrium price of bitcoin is zero. It just hasnt bitten the dust yet.

And technically he might be right, the same way John Maynard Keynes was right when he said:

In the long run we are all dead.

-John Maynard Keynes, Dead British Economist

John Maynard Keynes. Image from Wikipedia.

But before we take a look at the two reasons Professor Dowd gives for why Bitcoin will bite the dust, heres an excerpt about him from Wikipedia to give you an idea where hes coming from:

Dowds main subject of research is private money and free bankingmonetary and financial systems that operate without any government intervention and in the absence of any central bank. A related focus of his work is on central banking and other forms of state intervention into economies, most particularly, on deposit insurance, the lender of last resort and bank capital adequacy regulation. He has repeatedly called for the abolition of central banks and an end to state intervention in the financial system.

So here is an economist who would want Bitcoin to succeed, but doesnt think it will. Thats interesting. It makes me think he must have a pretty good argument that Bitcoin will fail.

Again, in the long run, whatever thats supposed to mean.

Story continues

Does Dowd have any claim more specific than Bitcoin will bite the dust in the long run?

If thousands of years from now when humanity is a space-faring, interstellar civilization in the year 40,750, if theyre not still using the very blockchain which began with the first Genesis block mined by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2009, then the ghost of Kevin Dowd can gloat his prediction was true. What use is a prediction like this? If hes so certain as to Bitcoins demise, will Professor Dowd be so bold as to make a forecast of roughly when Bitcoin will bite the dust?

Prof. Kevin Dowd lecturing. Image from Wikipedia.

The Two Reasons Why Prof. Kevin Dowd Says Bitcoin Will Bite The Dust

FIRST he claims Bitcoin is a natural monopoly:

To work as intended, the bitcoin system requires atomistic competition on the part of the miners who validate transactions blocks in their search for newly minted bitcoins. However, the mining industry is characterized by large economies of scale. Indeed, these economies of scale are so large that the industry is a natural monopoly. The problem is that atomistic competition and a natural monopoly are inconsistent: the built-in centralization tendencies of the natural monopoly mean that mining firms will become bigger and bigger  and eventually produce an actual monopoly unless the system collapses before then.

But this simply isnt true.

There are economies of scale involved in bitcoin mining, sure, but a lot of industries that arent monopolies have economies of scale. Bitcoin mining happens to be one of them.

Below is a pie chart of the market share of bitcoin miners in terms of hash rate distribution.

Hash rate is how many operations a bitcoin miners computer is doing in a period of time. The higher the hash rate, the greater the opportunity of solving a hash function (by generating random guesses until your computer finds the correct one), which qualifies you to certify the next block of transactions in the chain and receive a reward in bitcoin.

From Blockchain.com:

An estimation of hashrate distribution amongst the largest mining pools. The graph shows the market share of the most popular bitcoin mining pools. It should only be used as a rough estimate and for various reasons will not be 100% accurate. -Blockchain.com

Does that look like a monopoly to you?

Looks like some pretty healthy competition to me.

And miners themselves are just one major stakeholder in Bitcoin.

Theres also the individuals and businesses who hold bitcoin as savings or speculative investment, and who transact business with it.

There are the exchanges.

There are the wallet companies.

And there are the developers for all of these areas.

Its completely inaccurate to portray Bitcoin as a monopoly under someones central control when it is, in fact, a brilliantly envisioned, highly robust digital economic architecture with a manifold system of checks and balances built into it like the U.S. Constitution.

The Bitcoin blockchain architecture and the vast public digital ledger it has produced on its blockchain constitute the founding digital document of a new economic order based on old principles and new possibilities, and the network of people and computers that maintain it are the founding fathers of a promising establishment.

Which is part of my rebuttal to Prof. Dowds next contention:

SECOND he claims Bitcoin is an inferior product:

There is also the argument that the price of bitcoin must go to zero because an inferior product cannot survive long-term in the absence of regulatory barriers to entry. Imagine you have a market with no entry barriers. The first firm to enter the market has 100 percent of the market share, as bitcoin once did. Competitors then come along and make inroads into the market. Some of these offer products that are superior to the product produced by the first firm, not least because their producers have learned from some of the design flaws in the first firms product. And eventually superior rivals displace it completely and the market share of the first product goes to zero.

But its not.

Dowd contradicts himself here. First, he says Bitcoin will bite the dust because nobody can survive in the market without getting swallowed up by a bigger beast. Then he literally says Bitcoin will bite the dust because its too easy for people to get into the market and compete.

And both claims are false. The first claim is false because thats not whats actually happening. The market for bitcoin mining is an oligopoly, not a monopoly.

The second claim is false because Bitcoin is not an inferior product. Dowd is positing that competitors will find a second mover advantage that will prove fatal to Bitcoin, but the second mover doesnt always have the advantage.

And what weve found with Bitcoin, which has a market capitalization in excess of the rest of the planets cryptocurrencies combined, is a lot of first-mover advantages.

The fact that it came first makes it a very stable boat in the waters. It has the longest, strongest blockchain, and the most battle-hardened network with the most experience weathering bugs and attacks. The fact that it came first has been a major advantage to Bitcoin.

The mere fact of its sheer size gives Bitcoin the benefits of the network effect and makes it the most difficult target for a 51% attack. The old tropes about Bitcoin being outdated because it uses a lot of energy either miss the point of Bitcoin entirely, or are deliberately misrepresenting a difference of design philosophy as Bitcoin being outdated.

This is a network that uses energy and computation on purpose to create a qualified node. Thats part of what makes Bitcoin so solid. Characterizations of Bitcoin as outdated because of transaction volume also either miss the point of Bitcoin or are deliberately misrepresenting a difference of design philosophy as Bitcoin being outdated.

Perhaps Bitcoin isnt meant for that, but as equity for a store of value as savings, something for which fewer transactions are necessary, and which is highly valued and sought after by markets.

Or maybe second layer technologies will facilitate the use of Bitcoin for daily commerce in small amounts because an army of developers makes Bitcoin a superior product every day.

Video: CATOS 32ND ANNUAL MONETARY CONFERENCE (NOV 2014) brings leading scholars together and advocates for fundamental monetary reform to discuss:

 The bitcoin revolution and future of crypto-currencies

 How technology will drive further innovations so that private currencies become a reality

 The role of gold in a decentralized monetary regime

 The steps necessary to return to constitutional money based on the convertibility principle and free banking



The post The Finance Prof. Who Says Bitcoins Going to Bite The Dust Is Wrong appeared first on CCN.


The U.S. Food and Drug Administration may call back more furloughed workers to bolster the agency's inspection of high risk foods.

The FDA last week said it would restart inspections of high-risk foods that had been stopped due to the federal government shutdown, which began Dec. 22.

At the time, FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb said about 150 furloughed people recalled are mostly unpaid. Gottlieb updated the situation in a series of posts on Twitter Sunday saying, "More staff could be on the way depending on needs."

The FDA had called back about 100 investigators and 35 supervisors for high-risk food inspections in the U.S, Gottlieb said. That is in addition to FDA inspectors already assigned to high-risk inspections of products such as foreign food, he said.

"Taken together, it's smaller than our usual footprint. But were targeting the riskiest products to make sure that Americans remain protected," Gottlieb said.

More: Government shutdown: How it impacts what you eat from food safety to beer

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Among the foods the FDA considers high risk: seafood; dairy products, including soft and semi-soft cheeses; custard-filled bakery products; unpasteurized juices; fresh fruits and vegetables; spices; shell eggs; sandwiches; prepared salads; and infant formula, Gottlieb has said.

About one-third of the approximately 8,400 inspections the agency performs annually are routine surveillance inspections of high-risk food facilities, the commissioner said last week. Due to the shutdown, the agency stopped routine inspections of non-high-risk facilities, such as cookie and cracker bakeries. The FDA typically conducts about 160 domestic food inspections weekly and 31 percent of those would be considered high risk.

It's an improvement that more inspectors are on the job, says Bill Marler, a Seattle food safety attorney. But that is not a long-term solution, he says.

"Most Americans understand that people who are working now going without pay into over a month are going to have other things on my mind like 'Can I pay my rent?' and 'How do I pay for food?'" Marler said. "You dont have enough FDA inspectors to begin with. Even high-risk plants might never see an FDA inspector but once every couple years."

Story continues

While there have only been a few recalls so far in January "is that because there are fewer recalls or (is the FDA) just not putting them up on their web site because they dont have the people power to do it?" he said.

He likened the the situation to a tree falling in the woods without anyone to hear it. "If an outbreak happens and nobody is investigating it, did it happen or didnt it happen?" Marler said. "I am worried and I think consumers should be worried. I dont know what the political fix for this mess is other than putting everybody back to work."

Follow USA TODAY reporter Mike Snider on Twitter: @MikeSnider.



This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: FDA head: Agency may call back more food safety staff, currently out due to shutdown
By Jan Wolfe

(Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump laid out a proposal on Saturday to end a 29-day partial government shutdown, standing by his demand for $5.7 billion to build a barrier on the U.S.-Mexico border but offering some concessions to Democrats.

Some Democratic lawmakers have already called the proposal unacceptable, saying it trades temporary legal protections for some immigrants for an ineffective and costly border wall.

Here is what Trump proposed in his speech:

- $5.7 billion to add 230 miles (370 km) of steel barrier along the border.

- $805 million for drug detection technology and canine units.

- $800 million in humanitarian assistance for migrants.

- The hiring of an additional 2,750 border agents and other personnel.

- $563 million in funding for the immigration court system and the hiring of 75 new judges.

- Three years of legal protections for so-called "Dreamers," a group of about 700,000 immigrants who entered the country illegally as children.

Dreamers, who are mostly Hispanic young adults, were given authorization to work and protected from deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which Trump rescinded in 2017, but which remains in place under a court order.

- Three years of extended protections for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients, a group of about 300,000 nationals from designated countries affected by armed conflict, natural disaster, or other strife.

The Trump administration has shown a deep skepticism toward the TPS program and has moved to phase out the special status for immigrants from El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras and other nations.

(Reporting by Jan Wolfe; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Daniel Wallis)
MUNICH (Reuters) - Facebook has launched German initiatives to defend election integrity and examine the ethics of artificial intelligence (AI), its operations chief said on Sunday, seeking to convince skeptics it is serious about privacy and democracy. The world's largest social network had a tough 2018 as it was buffeted by revelations that UK consultancy Cambridge Analytica had improperly acquired data on millions of its U.S. users to target election advertising. Founder Mark Zuckerberg has been grilled by lawmakers on the data lapses and, according to newspaper reports, U.S. regulators are discussing fining Facebook for violating a binding agreement to protect the privacy of its users. "We are not the same company that we were in 2016 or even a year ago," Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg told the DLD Munich technology conference. "We have a fundamentally different approach to how we run our company today." In Germany, Facebook is relatively less popular among users than in other Western countries, partly due to privacy concerns dating back to its history of Nazi and Communist rule in the 20th century. Sandberg said Facebook had struck a new partnership with Germany's federal cyber-security office to help to uphold the integrity of elections and would also commit $7.5 million towards research into the ethics of (AI) at the Technical University in Munich. Facebook uses AI to spot and remove terrorist content and hate speech before it is reported to its 30,000 moderators, said Sandberg, adding it is also important to ensure that the technology is managed to prevent bias. "We have to get this right; this is too important," she said. (Reporting by Douglas Busvine; Editing by David Goodman)
CAIRO (Reuters) - A bomb exploded near a highway at the southern edge of Syria's capital Damascus on Sunday morning, state media reported. An attacker was arrested and no one was injured, state news agency SANA said. The head of the city's civil defense, Asef Hababe, told Reuters that military technicians had detonated a device. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitoring group, said the explosion was near a security post. Syria's war has killed hundreds of thousands of people, forced more than half its pre-war population from their homes and dragged in global powers. With Russian and Iranian help, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's military has beaten back rebels and Islamic State to restore control over most of the country. (Reporting by Nayera Abdallah; Editing by Michael Perry and Andrew Heavens)
Kinshasa (AFP) - African nations on Sunday began recognising Felix Tshisekedi as DR Congo's incoming president after the Constitutional Court upheld the vote results, rejecting claims by his main rival of an election stitch-up.

The 16-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) along with Kenya have congratulated Tshisekedi and called for a peaceful handover of power.

After the court dismissed runner-up Martin Fayulu's call for a recount as "absurd", Tshisekedi was declared the winner with 38.5 percent of the vote, paving the way for him to take over from the country's longtime leader Joseph Kabila.

The 55-year-old should be sworn into office on Tuesday, according to his entourage.

It would mark the first peaceful transfer of power from one president to another in the Democratic Republic of Congo since independence from Belgium in 1960.

The African Union, which had expressed "serious doubts" about the election figures, said on Sunday it has "taken note" of the court's ruling and postponed sending a high-level delegation to Kinshasa.

The dispute over the election has raised fears of fresh bloodshed in the vast and volatile central African nation, but calls by Fayulu to protest did not lead to large demonstrations.

"SADC calls upon all Congolese to accept the outcome, consolidate democracy and maintain a peaceful and stable environment," its chairman Hage Geingob, president of Namibia, said in a statement

"The SADC reiterates the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC,"

Hundreds of Tshisekedi's supporters celebrated by blowing whistles and horns near his party headquarters in the capital Kinshasa, where the atmosphere was otherwise calm on Sunday.

- Fayulu alleges 'coup' -

Fayulu has described the outcome as an "electoral coup".

He has alleged that Tshisekedi promised to protect Kabila's political and financial interests in return for helping to ensure his victory.

Story continues

"I ask the entire international community not to recognise a power that has neither legitimacy nor legal standing to represent the Congolese people," he said of Tshisekedi.

Tshisekedi called for unity, saying in a video message that "this is not a victory for one side or the other.

"The Congo we are going to build will not be a Congo of division, hate and tribalism -- it will be a Congo that is reconciled, a strong Congo, looking towards development, peace and security for all."

Tshisekedi's victory was provisionally announced earlier this month by the Independent National Election Commission (CENI) but was challenged both at home and abroad.

On Sunday, the Constitutional Court, which is made up of Kabila's allies, said Fayulu had failed to prove any inaccuracies in the figures. It described his call for a recount as "absurd".

But the influential Roman Catholic Church, which says it deployed 40,000 observers to monitor the poll, has dismissed the official outcome.

- Violent precedents -

Leader of the country's oldest and biggest opposition party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress, 55-year-old Tshisekedi has never held high office.

His late father Etienne Tshisekedi had contested Kabila's re-election in 2011.

There are concerns that political crisis that began when Kabila refused to step down at the end of his constitutional term in office two years ago could turn into a bloodbath.

The vast country suffered through two regional wars in 1996-97 and 1998-2003. The previous two elections, in 2006 and 2011, were marred by bloody clashes.

At a summit on Thursday, AU leaders had voiced "serious doubts" about the election figures, and initially planned to send its current chairman, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, to Kinshasa on Monday.

But DR Congo government spokesman Lambert Mende rejected the AU's concerns and said the new president would "probably" be sworn in Tuesday along with a new legislature -- dominated, according to official election results, by Kabila allies.

They are thus set to nominate the prime minister who will work alongside Tshisekedi.
This article is for investors who would like to improve their understanding of price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). Well show how you can use New Zealand King Salmon Investments Limiteds (NZSE:NZK) P/E ratio to inform your assessment of the investment opportunity. New Zealand King Salmon Investments has a P/E ratio of 18.17, based on the last twelve months. That corresponds to an earnings yield of approximately 5.5%.

See our latest analysis for New Zealand King Salmon Investments

Want to help shape the future of investing tools and platforms? Take the survey and be part of one of the most advanced studies of stock market investors to date.

How Do I Calculate A Price To Earnings Ratio?

The formula for P/E is:

Price to Earnings Ratio = Share Price  Earnings per Share (EPS)

Or for New Zealand King Salmon Investments:

P/E of 18.17 = NZ$2.18  NZ$0.12 (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2018.)

Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good?

A higher P/E ratio means that buyers have to pay a higher price for each NZ$1 the company has earned over the last year. That isnt necessarily good or bad, but a high P/E implies relatively high expectations of what a company can achieve in the future.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

Probably the most important factor in determining what P/E a company trades on is the earnings growth. When earnings grow, the E increases, over time. Therefore, even if you pay a high multiple of earnings now, that multiple will become lower in the future. A lower P/E should indicate the stock is cheap relative to others  and that may attract buyers.

New Zealand King Salmon Investmentss earnings per share fell by 25% in the last twelve months. But EPS is up 22% over the last 5 years.

How Does New Zealand King Salmon Investmentss P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?

We can get an indication of market expectations by looking at the P/E ratio. The image below shows that New Zealand King Salmon Investments has a P/E ratio that is roughly in line with the food industry average (17.6).

Story continues

NZSE:NZK PE PEG Gauge January 20th 19

New Zealand King Salmon Investmentss P/E tells us that market participants think its prospects are roughly in line with its industry. So if New Zealand King Salmon Investments actually outperforms its peers going forward, that should be a positive for the share price. Checking factors such as the tenure of the board and management could help you form your own view on if that will happen.

Dont Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits

Dont forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. That means it doesnt take debt or cash into account. In theory, a company can lower its future P/E ratio by using cash or debt to invest in growth.

Such expenditure might be good or bad, in the long term, but the point here is that the balance sheet is not reflected by this ratio.

Is Debt Impacting New Zealand King Salmon Investmentss P/E?

Since New Zealand King Salmon Investments holds net cash of NZ$2.9m, it can spend on growth, justifying a higher P/E ratio than otherwise.

The Bottom Line On New Zealand King Salmon Investmentss P/E Ratio

New Zealand King Salmon Investmentss P/E is 18.2 which is above average (16.3) in the NZ market. The recent drop in earnings per share might keep value investors away, but the relatively strong balance sheet will allow the company time to invest in growth. Clearly, the high P/E indicates shareholders think it will!

When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. People often underestimate remarkable growth  so investors can make money when fast growth is not fully appreciated. So this free report on the analyst consensus forecasts could help you make a master move on this stock.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E below 20.

To help readers see past the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements.



The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned. For errors that warrant correction please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
Paris (AFP) - Dior set out to redefine 21th-century tailoring on Friday in a show which summed up a Paris men's fashion week in which the suit has made a surprising comeback.

British-born designer Kim Jones drew inspiration from the French capital's heroic statuary to suggest that there was no better armour for the modern man than well-cut clothes.

His spectacular show in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower had models standing still like statues on a moving conveyer belt catwalk.

The mesmerising effect made it look as if they were gliding or skateboarding to a techno disco beat.

Jones, in only his second Paris show for the mythic French label since leaving Louis Vuitton, sent out a sleek, dark-hued riposte to the oversized trend that has dominated men's fashion for several seasons.

Big on blacks, greys and burnished silky browns, his suits and trousers were cut close to the body, with some given added panache with long scarfs worn like the sashes so beloved of 17th-century cavaliers.

Stylised utility vests worn over suits like bulletproof jackets gave some of his models the air of postmodern hussars.

"For me the suit and the tailored jacket are the key things which say Dior," Jones told AFP. "It is elegance, tailoring and couture.

"We have made the black suits cooler and a bit more fashion with new boots... and the scarves are inspired by a dress by Christian Dior (the label's founder) from 1952," he said.

- Streetwise luxury -

Leather trousers and mink and plasticised silk bomber jackets gave the whole thing a sheen of unapologetic streetwise luxury.

"We are taking utilitarian things and making them in fine fabrics," the designer added.

Jones also dotted his winter Dior Homme line with leopard print in another nod to the legacy of the house's founder, the feline, feminine feel softening the collection's hard edges.

But artworks commissioned from the cult Los Angeles punk artist Raymond Pettibon were the collection's main print motifs, principally his pouty, Lauren Bacall-esque rendering of the "Mona Lisa".

Story continues

Despite their punk provenance, Jones called the images "quite romantic".

And like the dog-loving Dior he also referenced his own Pomeranian pooch, Cookie, in his redesign of the label's classic saddlebags.

Dior had moved its show from Saturday to Friday to avoid the weekly "yellow vests" protests which have plagued the French capital most weekends for nearly two months.

The anti-government demonstrations often turn violent and Dior's flagship shop on the Champs Elysees was looted after a rally in November.

Other protesters scrawled "The people want (to wear) Dior" on its nearby headquarters.

Several other luxury brands have been targeted by the "yellow vests" activists, with boarded-up boutiques regularly scrawled with graffiti denouncing the rich.
Donald Trumps big announcement Saturday wouldnt be the first time the word compromise was used as a euphemism for the government. Stealing even more of your money to pay for both big corporate political parties wish lists and all their friends and corporate sponsors.

The big compromise is: Donald Trump gets to spend five billion dollars of not-his-money, on none-of-his-business, to solve not-the-taxpayers-problem.

And in exchange for that, he will give the DACA kids, and other immigrants who have temporary protected status by the federal government, a 3-year extension. Not to come swooping into their school where theyre studying, or some place where theyre working, with a group of armed police, to arrest them and confine them like you would the most violent criminal, and then transport them to some other country far away from their home and drop them off.

Whats the difference between that and a threat? Give me your money, or Ill take some police state measures on a broad group of people who arent hurting or threatening anybody.

U.S. immigration policy is exactly how the Soviet Union treated immigrants by the way.

In a paper for Law & Social Inquiry, the Journal of The American Bar Foundation (Spring 2012), Matthew A. Light writes for the abstract:

The migration policies of the former Soviet Union (or USSR) included a virtual abolition of emigration and immigration, an effective ban on private travel abroad, and pervasive bureaucratic controls on internal migration.

Communist countries are centrally planned societies, right? So from the communist point of view, the government should intervene in, control, and bureaucratize every aspect of humanity.

Whether its the number of workers in a certain industry (like when Mao Zedong forced so many Chinese farmers to go into steel production that the resulting famine killed 15 million people), or how many immigrants should be living in an area, communists want the bureau to decide.

Story continues

Thats why one of the Ten Planks of Communism in Karl Marxs Communist Manifesto is:

4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.

For the communist ideologue, the states prerogative to advance its agenda was the supreme consideration in a communist society, so no individual claim to fair treatment, or substantive due process, or liberty could be made against it. Thats why communisms a nightmare.

If you dont feel safe, thats what the Second Amendments for; its not Washingtons problem.

This idea that America is all one house and your own house has four walls, so why shouldnt America have a wall?that is communist thinking. This is not all one house.

Nearly everybody has their own home inside of walls that they are paying for. Individuals should be responsible for their own walls and for their own personal safety.

Thats what we have the Second Amendment for.

In America, youre allowed to take whatever measures you need to keep yourself safe, and thats guaranteed by the Second Amendment, and that guarantee has been upheld very firmly and even heavily strengthened in multiple Supreme Court decisions over the last decade.

So you are allowed to be armed to a degree in America that half the people here think it is insane, but I disagree with them vehemently. I think it would be insane in a world like ours not to allow people to be able to defend themselves.

Guns make people dangerous, and in the American experience, its a fundamental human right to be dangerous so you can defend yourself so that you probably wont have to.

If your neighborhoods not safe that is not the taxpayers problem, and that is none of the federal governments business. At most, its your states problem.

The Border Wall Is No Different Than Gun Control

In his announcement Saturday, Donald Trump said:

The lack of border control provides a gateway and a very wide and open gateway for criminals to enter the United States including the criminal aliens who murdered a brave California police officer only a day after Christmas.

This is no different from the progressive gun control activists, who want a broad legislative solution from Congress that disrupts the lives and liberty of millions of people in response to an individual act of violence. And this is foreign to the American way of thinking.

What made America great was its elevation of individual liberty as among its highest ideals, and along with that, the idea of individual responsibility.

This is a basic, foundational conservative principle.

Just because two guys were born in the same country, that doesnt mean either one is responsible for the others actions or liable to repeat them. There is no rational basis for treating someone like a criminal if they dont have their police state central planning bureau papers up to date, just because they were born in the same country as someone whos committed a violent crime.

But Donald Trump and these MAGA-hat wearing Wallitarians are infecting American conservatism and the Republican Party with ideas like class guilt, in which an entire arbitrary category of people (like bourgeoisie farmers, white people, or everybody who was born in a certain country) are held responsible for some kind of collective guilt.

At Least We Can Breathe a Sigh of Relief That Donald Trump Didnt Declare Martial Law

It is a relief that Donald Trump didnt go ahead and declare martial law within the borders of the United States like he was threatening he might do earlier this month.

To do so Trump would have had to use a law passed by Congress in 1976, the National Emergencies Act, a relic of Nixon era federal despotism among a number of such relics.

Taking this route, if the 1976 law itself wasnt challenged in the courts as unconstitutional, Donald Trump would have then carved $5 billion out of federal budgets to build more steel barriers in high priority locations without an earmark from Congress.

But it would also entail what is essentially an indefinite federal police state occupation within the borders of the great states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.

Source: Google Maps.

Which to me seems extremely un-American. It goes against our values and our national experience to live constantly under the shadow of a vast federal bureaucratic police state.

Immigration Expert Absolutely Kills Tucker Carlson On Live Television With Actual Facts About Immigration

You may want to watch the video below.

This is an op-ed.



The post Whats The Difference Between Trumps Immigration Compromise And a Communist Police State? appeared first on CCN.


Meralco PowerGen Corp. is now considering other development options for the 660-megawatt coal-fired power project of Redondo Peninsula Energy Inc. in Redondo Peninsula, Subic, Zambales, including converting it into a liquefied natural gas facility, officials said over the weekend. RP Energy, a joint venture among Meralco PowerGen, the power generation arm of Manila Electric Co., Therma Power Inc. of the Aboitiz Group and Taiwan Cogeneration International Corp., earlier put the development of the coal project on hold because of construction and power supply agreement issues. Without PSA, we have no recourse but to call them off and say we will now open our options not just with the Korean contractor, but in fact, were now looking at other options. It might be new technology, it might no longer CFB [circulating fluidized bed], Meralco PowerGen president Rogelio Singson said. If I were asked, I would only settle with ultra-supercritical. Second, were also considering LNG. Were in that stage, Singson said. Aboitiz Power chief operating officer Manny Rubio earlier said the project encountered unforeseen technical issues, specifically instability in one of the slopes. Shareholders [decided to put it]on hold position until we complete our technical assessment of what technology and when. In the meantime, we are holding off our site because there is value in the site  there is transmission connection nearby and SBMA approval, Singson said. Singson said RP Energy should come out with a decision within the first half of the year to proceed with the project. But in the meantime, were saying let this rainy season pass and see stability of the site Because the stability of the site is another challenge. Geology problem, there are landslides thats why we got delayed, he said. Singson said the site stability issue was being addressed to contain the landslide. Were addressing that. We dont want to be a violator of environmental disaster in that site In the meantime, were consulting experts in terms of whats the best solution to stabilize that. It will also depend on technologyDepending on the new technology, we will determine which sites are ideal, he said. Singson said the shareholders were looking at the economic viability of converting the project into LNG, which would also require new permitting process.[It] depends on economics and when to start. Theres also a limited window for new plants to be built. Were also looking at demand side, supply side and so on, he said. In general, were saying were open to changing the technology from the original 2x300 CFB, the official said. Meralco PowerGen chairman Manuel Pangilinan said there were many considerations that should be taken into account for converting RP Energys coal plant into LNG. Well, if we do convert into gas, it will be a customer of the terminal. The question is how do we transport the gas from the terminal in Batangas, Pangilinan said. Tanglawan Philippine LNG Inc., which has been given a notice to proceed for the construction of its LNG terminal, proposed to put up its facility in Batangas. I think were studying it. [Im] not really sure if its feasible. Now, if you build a big gas complex that is a complement to the Batangas situation, 3,000 MW capacity in Batangas, that justifies a terminal, Pangilinan said. He said Meralco PowerGen did not relay the conversion of the facility with other RP Energy stakeholders as were still doing our studies. We need to know whether that Subic plant is a go or no go, whatever fuel source we eventually adopt, he said. RP Energy is waiting for approval of its PSA with Meralco that is pending with the Energy Regulatory Commission. RP Energy signed a PSA with Meralco for a contracted capacity of 225 MW within a 20-year term on April 20, 2016. The PSA was filed for approval on April 29, 2016. Public hearings were subsequently held and were concluded on Jan. 6, 2017, but the application has yet to be approved.
The Daily Beast

Comedy CentralUnlike Jimmy Kimmel, The Daily Shows Jordan Klepper couldnt get the MyPillow guy to come to him. So he did what he does best and went to the MyPillow guy.In his latest field piece from MAGA world, the long-serving correspondent traveled to Mike Lindells free speech Woodstock in Wisconsin with the hope of interviewing some of the election truthers who are still holding out hope that Donald Trump will return to the White House this summer. He likely never could have imagined tha
By CCN.com: As the eurozone economy slows down and the European Central Bank (ECB) run out of ways to fuel the market, market strategist Russell Napier has said the euro may be in trouble.

Speaking to FT, the analyst firmly stated that the global monetary system is beginning to show serious vulnerabilities, noting that the demise of the euro may trigger the collapse of the existing financial system.

Why are Analysts Worried About the Euro?

Many major regions within the eurozone including the likes of Germany, France, and Italy have struggled to deal with a declining rate of overall growth and the weakening performance of large financial institutions.

Russel Napier wrote:

The key consequence of this collapse will be the destruction of the euro. The expected success of the far-right and far-left in the European parliamentary election in May this year augurs the beginning of the end for the currency union. Both extremes share a commitment to the return of sovereignty to their parliaments that is incompatible with a single currency

According to Napier, the likely approach of the ECB and the EU authorities to impose strict capital controls in the short-term may pose a negative effect on the long-term performance of the euro.

While tightened capital controls and the restriction on both individuals and businesses to send the euro outside of the eurozone may prevent the devaluation of the euro in the foreseeable future, it could also cause domestic companies to suffer.

Local companies with diversified portfolios or plans to expand outside of the eurozone are likely to run into difficulties and the inflow of capital from the U.S. and Asia into the European market could decrease.

Earlier this week, a report from The Economist revealed that Germany narrowly prevented a full-blown recession in 2018 with no signs of growth in the last quarter of 2018.

Some analysts believe that the eurozone will not face a devasting recession this year given that the eurozone economy is expected to grow by 1.5 percent by the four quarter of 2019.

Story continues

But, with the ECB struggling to find tools to stimulate the eurozone economy and domestic firms seeing weakness in many areas, the European economy could experience a gradual decline over the long run.

Felix Huefner, a UBS analyst, said:

Its not country- or sector-specific anymore. The weakness is widespread.

Related video:

What Will the Demise of the Euro Cause?

Whether the UK exists the European Union (EU) with a comprehensive Brexit deal or not, in an event in which the euro loses most of its momentum and the eurozone economy declines substantially in the next few years, the UK market could appeal to investors as a potentially safe haven.

The UK, where democracy and the rule of law will remain largely unchallenged, will become an attractive safe-haven investment for European investors facing increasingly authoritarian regimes and property sequestration on the mainland,

Napier added.

Throughout the past few weeks, the euro has demonstrated losses against both the Canadian dollar and the U.S. dollar, leading traders to fear for the short-term trend of the currency.



The post Is The Demise of Euro Inevitable? Analyst Says it Can Trigger a Devastating Collapse appeared first on CCN.


The Kentucky high school students seen in a video showing a confrontation between them and a Native American man at a march in Washington, D.C., could be expelled.

Covington Catholic High School and the Diocese of Covington said Saturday that they are investigating the incident that happened at the Indigenous Peoples March on Friday.

"We will take appropriate action, up to and including expulsion," the statement said.

The school and diocese apologized to the man in the video, identified as Vietnam veteran and Native American elder Nathan Phillips.

"We condemn the actions of the Covington Catholic High School students towards Nathan Phillips specifically, and Native Americans in general," the statement said. "... We extend our deepest apologies to Mr. Phillips. This behavior is opposed to the Churchs teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person."

More: 'Blatant racism': Ky. high school apologizes following backlash after video shows students surrounding indigenous marchers

More: Native American veteran: 'Mob mentality' in students seen in viral video was 'scary'

Covington Catholic is an all-boys private high school in Northern Kentucky.

The school has about 585 students and 42 teachers, according to the diocese. According to the school's website, it was founded in 1925, and 213 students attended the March for Life in 2017. The trip costs about $130 per student.

Backlash against the school was swift Saturday as the video went viral. It shows a young man wearing a "Make America Great Again" cap standing near Phillips, who is drumming, as other young men surrounding them cheer and chant.

March attendees told the USA TODAY Network that the Covington students surrounded, intimidated and chanted over Native Americans who were singing about indigenous peoples' strength and spirit.

But after short clips of the incident went viral this weekend, people started sharing full-length clips of the incident saying it shows that the students were provoked and that the man put himself in that position.

Story continues

In an interview with the Detroit Free Press, Phillips said the incident started as the students from Covington Catholic were observing a group of Black Israelites talk, and started to get upset at their speeches.

Phillips said some of the members of the Black Hebrew group were also acting up, "saying some harsh things" and that one member spit in the direction of the Catholic students.

"So I put myself in between that, between a rock and hard place," Phillips said.

As millions of people viewed videos of the incident circulating on social media, many expressed outrage over the boys' behavior.

Related: Stormy Daniels calls out 'disgusting punks' from Covington Catholic

Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes took to Twitter to condemn the incident. Grimes said she is "a proud alumnae" of a Catholic high school and called on Covington Catholic to "denounce this behavior."

"In spite of these horrific scenes, I refuse to shame and solely blame these children for this type of behavior," Grimes said. "Instead, I turn to the adults and administration that are charged with teaching them, and to those who are silently letting others promote this behavior. This is not the Kentucky we know and love."

News of the incident at the march did not surprise Angela Arnett-Garner, who said she is part Shawnee and who helped organize Kentucky's first Indigenous Peoples Day celebration in 2017, as well as the first Indigenous Peoples Day event in Louisville last year.

She pointed to the controversy over President Donald Trump calling Sen. Elizabeth Warren "Pocahontas" because the Massachusetts Democrat has claimed she has Native American ancestry.

"I'm not surprised at all," at this incident in D.C., Arnett-Garner said. "The racism in this country after Trump took office has just exploded. People feel like they're entitled to be racist and demonstrate their racist views."

State Senate Minority Leader Morgan McGarvey, a Louisville Democrat, tweeted the incident "is embarrassing and wrong."

"Yes, these kids should apologize and (hopefully) learn from this," McGarvey wrote. "However, we also can't excuse the leaders who normalize this conduct. We all should do better...especially on MLK weekend."

Contributing: Max Londberg and Sarah Brookbank, Cincinnati Enquirer

Follow Rachel Aretakis and Billy Kobin on Twitter: @raretakis and @Billy_Kobin

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Covington Catholic could expel students who taunted Native American man in viral video
A couple who fell to their deaths from a scenic overlook at Yosemite National Park in October were intoxicated, according to a report.

Meenakshi Moorthy, 30, and her husband, Vishnu Viswanath, 29, died of multiple injuries to the head, neck, chest and abdomen, sustained by a fall from a mountain, the Stanislaus County Coroners Office said, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

Both Moorthy and Viswanath were intoxicated with ethyl alcohol prior to death, but no drugs were present in their bodies according to the coroners report. Ethyl alcohol is found in alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine and hard liquor.

It remains unclear how intoxicated the pair was and how exactly they fell. Andrea Stewart, assistant Mariposa County coroner, told the Mercury News in an email that we can only conclude that they had consumed alcohol but it is unknown to what level of intoxication.

This photo obtained from Facebook posted on June 26, 2017, shows a selfie of Vishnu Viswanath, right, and his wife Meenakshi Moorthy at Skydive Santa Barbara in Lompoc, Calif.

More: Daredevil couple dies while taking Yosemite selfie, report says

Viswanath's brother, Jishnu Viswanath, told the Associated Press that the couple was in the process of taking a selfie before they fell more than 800 feet to their deaths. They had set up a tripod near the ledge of Taft Point, Viswanath said, and visitors found the camera the next morning and alerted officials.

The couple, who were Indian expats living in California, had a documented history of taking daring photos and posting them on a blog and Instagram page titled "Holidays and Happily Ever Afters."

In March, the couple posted one such photo of a Grand Canyon visit to their Instagram which has more than 26,000 followers.

The photo depicts Moorthy sitting on the ledge of the canyon and its caption acknowledges the danger: "A lot of us including yours truly is a fan of daredevilry attempts of standing at the edge of cliffs and skyscraper, but did you know that wind gusts can be FATAL??? Is our life just worth one photo??"

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Contributing: Joel Shannon, USA TODAY

Story continues

Follow N'dea Yancey-Bragg on Twitter: @NdeaYanceyBragg





This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Couple who fell to their deaths in Yosemite were intoxicated, report says




Saudi Arabian teen Rahaf Mohammed fled from her allegedly abusive and religiously oppressive family while on a trip to Kuwait earlier this month.

Mohammed has said that she faced physical violence, persecution, oppression and death threats in Saudi Arabia.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

She was granted legal asylum in Canada within days of barricading herself inside a Bangkok,

Thailand hotel room to avoid being forcibly taken back to her home country by her family, and has been here since Jan. 12.

Canadians, from political pundits to journalists to regular citizens to anonymous online trolls, have had some time to assess her case, and share their opinions online.

While social media helped Mohammed get here, the platform also gives voice to people who are critical of how the process unfolded.

Saudi Teen Rahaf Mohammed al-Qununs New Life in Canada

Sun columnist Lorne Gunter referred to Mohammed as a useful prop for Liberals in an article on Jan. 15.

Others, like Star columnist Thomas Walkom and Globe and Mail contributor H.A. Hellyer have argued that Mohammeds quick asylum approval exposes Canadas subjectivity in looking at refugees.

Muslim Canadians have criticized Mohammed, too. One woman filmed herself viciously insulting the teen for leaving her family and Saudi Arabia, where people have been executed for renouncing Islam.

Still, she has a large base of supporters, from the institutions and organizations that worked to bring her here, to scores of strangers offering support online.

In a blog entry on HuffPost Canada, Jerry Dias, national president of trade union Unifor, argued that Canadians should be inspired by Mohammeds efforts to remove herself from an oppressive and possibly dangerous situation, not condemn them.

What do you think? Let us know by responding to the poll above of have your say in the comments below.n
Beirut (AFP) - A bomb blast in a bus killed three civilians Sunday in the northern Syrian city of Afrin on the first anniversary of a Turkish attack on the Kurdish-majority region, a war monitor said.

Nine other people, including fighters, were wounded in the explosion, the head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdel Rahman, told AFP.

Turkish troops and allied rebel groups seized the Afrin region from Kurdish forces in March last year after a two-month air and ground offensive.

"The explosion is the result of a bomb that was placed in a bus in the centre of Afrin," Abdel Rahman said.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the blast, the second to rock Afrin since December 16 when a car bomb killed at least nine people, including five civilians, near a pro-Turkey rebel post in the city.

That explosion came after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to launch a new offensive against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in Syria.

Turkey accuses the YPG of being "terrorists", but the Kurdish militia also forms the backbone of a US-backed alliance fighting the Islamic State group in Syria.

Residents in the Kurdish-controlled city of Qamishli protested Sunday to mark the anniversary of the Turkish offensive on Afrin.

The border enclave had been part of the de facto semi-autonomous region Syria's Kurds have carved out in the country's northeast since 2011.

Thousands took to the streets holding photos of fallen Kurdish fighters and banners that read "no to Turkish occupation" and "it's time to free Afrin".

"We will not abandon Afrin... and we'll fight against any new invasion," added 50-year-old Bassam Moussa from Qamishli.

The YPG in a statement pledged to continue its "struggle" to retake Afrin from Turkey's "occupation".

In a conference call with Turkish troops who participated in last year's offensive, Erdogan on Sunday said "they will never dissuade us from continuing our fight in Afrin".

The Afrin offensive forced half of the enclave's 320,000 to flee, according to the UN, and most have not yet returned.
AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) partner on one of the hottest cancer drugs on the market, Imbruvica. But the two big drugmakers are rivals on several other fronts.

Both stocks have been popular with investors, especially those seeking solid dividends. AbbVie has outperformed J&J, delivering a total return nearly double that of J&J over the last five years. But which of these two stocks is the better buy now?

Man with hands on his hips looking at arrows drawn on a wall pointing left and right

Image source: Getty Images.

The case for AbbVie

Let's start with AbbVie's exceptionally attractive dividend. Its yield currently stands at 4.85%. AbbVie has increased its dividend payout by 168% since being spun off from parent Abbott Labs in 2013.

What enables AbbVie to deliver such a strong dividend? The company claims the world's top-selling drug with Humira. It co-markets blockbuster cancer drug Imbruvica with J&J in the U.S. and has exclusive rights to the drug outside of the U.S. AbbVie is also a leader in the hepatitis C market with Mavyret.

The big pharma company also has a couple of rising stars in its current lineup. Venclexta has already won Food and Drug Administration approvals in treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Orilissa is approved in managing pain associated with endometriosis. AbbVie hopes to secure additional indications for both drugs.

AbbVie's pipeline provides even more reasons to like the stock. Immunology drugs risankizumab and upadacitinib especially stand out. The drugs await FDA approval as treatments for psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis, respectively. AbbVie thinks that risankizumab and upadacitinib will combine to generate peak annual sales of more than $10 billion.

With its strong current lineup and promising pipeline, AbbVie should deliver double-digit earnings growth over the next several years. But the stock is relatively cheap, with shares trading at less than 10 times expected earnings. This attractive valuation is due primarily to investors' concerns about AbbVie's reliance on Humira, which faces competition from biosimilars in Europe already and will see biosimilar entrants in the U.S. market in 2023.

Story continues

However, AbbVie isn't worried about the threats to Humira. The company expects its other drugs and pipeline candidates will keep it in growth mode well into the next decade.

The case for Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson's dividend yield of 2.81% is also quite appealing. Even better, the company has increased its dividend for 56 consecutive years and is likely to keep that streak going.

"Healthcare giant" is probably the best way to describe Johnson & Johnson. The company claims the largest market cap among healthcare stocks. J&J isn't just a huge drugmaker; it also is a major consumer healthcare company and one of the world's largest medical device makers.

This broad scope of operations gives J&J significant competitive advantages. For example, it can bundle products and services from its various businesses to win new customers and keep existing customers.

Johnson & Johnson's primary growth driver is its pharmaceutical unit. Although sales for its top-selling drug Remicade are falling due to biosimilar competition, several of J&J's other products -- especially multiple myeloma drug Darzalex and Imbruvica -- continue to enjoy strong growth.

J&J's consumer segment also appears to be returning to solid growth. CEO Alex Gorsky said in October that the company is seeing "accelerated momentum" for its consumer healthcare business. In particular, J&J has enjoyed strong demand in the U.S. for its over-the-counter medications, beauty products, and baby care products.

While Johnson & Johnson might not deliver spectacularly high growth, the company should be able to continue to provide solid total returns to investors over the long run. J&J has also shown that it's willing to use its strong cash flow to make strategic acquisitions to fuel future growth.

Better buy

In my view, Johnson & Johnson is one of a select group of stocks that you can buy and hold practically forever. J&J was successful 100 years ago and will likely be successful 100 years from now and beyond. It's a solid stock for almost any portfolio.

Having said that, though, I think AbbVie is the better stock to buy right now. AbbVie has a higher dividend yield than J&J. It has stronger growth prospects. And it's valued more attractively. Buying either of these two stocks is a good idea, but if I could only buy one, I'd go with AbbVie.

More From The Motley Fool

Keith Speights owns shares of AbbVie. The Motley Fool owns shares of Johnson & Johnson and has the following options: short January 2019 $140 calls on Johnson & Johnson. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
(Reuters) - Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc has signed an agreement to allow extraction of lithium from its geothermal wells in California, a project that could offer U.S. carmakers and battery producers a secure supply of the metal, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.

The venture has been in talks to supply Tesla Inc with lithium, a component for batteries to power electric cars, the newspaper reported, citing people familiar with the company.

Berkshire Hathaway's geothermal wells could produce up to 90,000 tonnes of lithium a year worth $1.5 billion at current prices, the report said, citing a fundraising document.

"We see a lot of interest in getting North American supply as automakers start to get further into electric vehicles," the FT quoted Eric Besseling, a vice president at BHE Renewables, as saying.

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Co and Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside normal business hours.

(Reporting by Shubham Kalia in Bengaluru; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
WASHINGTON  Some people who tuned in to watch President Donald Trump's proposal on Saturday to end the 28-day government shutdown took issue with one particular line of the 13-minute address.

The president proposed a compromise: the $5.7 billion to build a wall along the southern border for temporary protections for undocumented immigrants, including children. He called the proposal "a common-sense compromise both parties can embrace."

"To physically secure our border, the plan includes $5.7 billion for a strategic deployment of physical barriers, or a wall," Trump said. "This is not a 2,000-mile concrete structure from sea to sea. These are steel barriers in high-priority locations."

Those at home took notice that Trump seemed to downplay the scope of his wall plan, which he has boasted about during campaign rallies. Many also noted the very public way Trump noted that the wall would not be made of concrete as he had promised and wouldn't extend the full length of the border.

"Not sea to sea, not paid for by Mexico, only steel slats. #Trump is walking back more than Michael Jackson," one Twitter user said after the speech.

Another chimed in, saying the president "finally acknowledged that the wall will not be from sea to sea or 1954 miles, because it is would be physically impossible given the terrain. The right will not be happy."

Trump's proposal also drew criticism from some hard-line conservatives, who argued it would encourage more illegal immigration.

"A Big Beautiful Concrete Border Wall will be a monument to the Rule of Law, the sovereignty of the USA, & @RealDonaldTrump," Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa., wrote on Twitter. "If DACA Amnesty is traded for $5.7 billion(1/5 of a wall), wouldnt be enough illegals left in America to trade for the remaining 4/5. NO AMNESTY 4 a wall!"

Conservative commentator Ann Coulter accused Trump of proposing "amnesty" for undocumented immigrants.

Story continues

"100 miles of border wall in exchange for amnestying millions of illegals," she tweeted. "So if we grant citizenship to a BILLION foreigners, maybe we can finally get a full border wall."

While the president's comments have changed significantly when it comes to what the wall will be made of and how much it will cost, Trump and his Cabinet have said multiple times that a wall would not stretch the entire length of the U.S.-Mexico border, which extends about 1,933 miles.

The New York Times, which tracked Trump's "evolving" remarks on his proposed border wall, noted that as far back as 2015, the president called for a wall extending about half the length of the border.

"As far as the wall is concerned, were going to build a wall. Were going to create a border. Were going to let people in, but theyre going to come in legally. Theyre going to come in legally," Trump said at a presidential debate in 2015, according to The Times. "And its something that can be done, and I get questioned about that. They built the Great Wall of China. Thats 13,000 miles. Here, we actually need 1,000 because we have natural barriers. So we need 1,000."

Already, 34 percent of the border has a wall or fence, about 654 miles. But other areas of the border without fencing would be difficult to enclose because of the Rio Grande and private property, which the government would have to seize, setting up years of legal challenges.

Contributing: Michael Collins

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Not a 2,000-mile concrete structure from sea to sea': Is Trump scaling back border wall plan?
Power retailer Manila Electric Co. is looking at investment opportunities in the electric vehicle manufacturing or assembly as a part of a long-term growth plans in the EV space, officials said. Meralco subsidiary eSakay Inc. launched on Friday its EV fleet that would soon ply one of Metro Manilas busiest commuting routes between the cities of Makati and Mandaluyong. Meralco chairman Manuel Pangilinan said investing in the assembly of e-Sakay jeepneys could be an option for Meralco We might investWe dont know yet which arm of Meralco, Pangilinan said, adding he was hoping the designer and distributor of the e-jeepneys could manufacture it in the Philippines. E-Sakays modern e-jeeps are 100-percent electric and emission free and compliant with PUV innovations for the convenience and safety of the riding public. They are equipped with side entrances, onboard Wi-Fi, an automated fare collection system, GPS tracking system, CCTV cameras, USB ports so passengers can charge their phones while traveling and others. Meralco tapped Star 8 Green Technology Corp. to supply the e-jeep units.E-Sakay chairman and Meralco senior vice president and head of customer retail services, corporate marketing and communications Al Panlilio said the company was studying how to promote EVs in the country. We should be able to build the charging station. The question is for you to propagate this you need supply of e-vehicles from tricycles, e-jeeps, e-bus and eventually private cars. Is there a way we can manufacture here? Panlilio said. So we have not started since we have a supplier at Star 8 and they are not the only ones How can we develop that space? How can we bring their manufacturing capability here in the Philippines. Thats what we are still discussing, he said. E-Sakay, incorporated in 2018, applied for and received provisional authority to operate 15 e-jeeps for the Buendia MRT Station-Mandaluyong City hall via Jupiter St. developmental route. Meralco has long been an advocate for the wider use of electric vehicles in the country with the EV shuttling service and electric bike sharing program at the Meralco Center in Ortigas. It soon became clear to us that electric vehicles were indeed a viable transport solution. Thats when we partnered with private companies, government institutions and now, public transport operators who expressed keen interest in utilizing EVs for their transport needs, said Panlilio
By Jibran Ahmad PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - The Afghan Taliban rejected reports in the Pakistani media that they were prepared to resume meetings with U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Islamabad and repeated their refusal to deal directly with the Afghan government. Pakistani newspapers and television stations reported that a meeting in Islamabad was in prospect following discussions between Khalilzad and Pakistani officials including Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday. Senior Taliban leaders said that regional powers including Pakistan had approached them and wanted them to meet the U.S. delegation in Islamabad and also include the Afghan government in the peace process but that the approaches had been rejected. "We wanted to make it clear that we will not hold any meeting with Zalmay Khalilzad in Islamabad," Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid in a statement. Talks between the two sides have stalled after the Taliban accused Khalilzad of straying from the agreed agenda and there is no clarity on when they may resume. "We have made it clear again and again that we would never hold any meeting with the Afghan government as we know that they are not capable of addressing our demands," said one senior Taliban leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The United States says any settlement in Afghanistan must be between the internationally recognized Afghan government and the Taliban, who have so far refused to talk to an administration they describe as an illegitimate puppet regime. The Taliban leader said peace talks with the U.S. delegation could resume if they were assured that only three issues would be discussed - a U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, an exchange of prisoners and lifting a ban on the movement of Taliban leaders. Khalilzad arrived in Islamabad on Thursday and met Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan as well as the Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and other officials. "The two sides reviewed developments post Abu Dhabi, in order to take the Afghan peace process forward," a foreign office statement said. An Afghan Taliban delegation had a round of talks last month with U.S. officials in Abu Dhabi. The statement didn't give any further details on the talks, but several local TV channels reported that Pakistan agreed to host the next round of talks between the Afghan Taliban and the United States in Islamabad. Khalilzad, an Afghan-born veteran U.S. diplomat who served as George W. Bush's ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq and the United Nations, was named by the Trump administration four months ago as a special envoy to negotiate peace. Washington has long been pushing Islamabad to lean on Taliban leaders, who it says are based in Pakistan, to bring them to the negotiating table. It often accuses the south Asian nation of covertly sheltering Taliban leaders, an accusation Islamabad vehemently denies. The United States, which had more than 100,000 troops in Afghanistan at its peak during the first term of former President Barack Obama, withdrew most of them in 2014 but still keeps around 14,000 there. (Additional reporting by Asif Shahzad; Editing by Michael Perry)
Posted by Mark Williams | January 19, 2019





By Richard Truesdell

Nothing in the automotive universe is more quintessentially American than a full-size pickup truck. The market is a hyper-competitive battlefield between Ford, Chevrolet, GMC and Ram (Toyota and Nissan are smaller niche players). This puts additional pressure on designers and engineers at each brand when introducing an all-new pickup, which is what the Chevrolet team faced when it introduced the all-new 2019 Silverado 1500.

Related: Ready for the Revolution: 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 First Drive

One of the criticisms leveled at the last-generation Chevy half ton was that it wasn't sufficiently different from the truck it replaced. And that's a dilemma when redesigning an iconic truck: It needs to be all-new while still showing a clear lineage to the previous generation.

So, when I had the opportunity to get up close with the new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, I jumped at it. The drive day started at the historic Barker Hanger at California's Santa Monica Airport. The former hangar now serves as an event venue. Seven new 2019 Silverados in various trim levels were lined up ala a Chevrolet "Real People" commercial. Our test 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country was equipped with the Z71 Off-Road Equipment Package that includes Rancho twin-tube shocks, electronic hill descent control, two-speed transfer case, skid plates, heavy-duty air filter, 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, dual exhausts on V-8-equipped models.

Here are the key takeaways from my drive.

Exterior

The visual changes to the exterior of the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 are evolutionary rather than revolutionary, dominated by the all-new front grille with functional air curtains. The bodywork is more sculpted than before, giving the truck a more refined look. The bed is 7 inches wider increasing payload capacity and giving the popular crew cab a welcome 3 inches of additional rear-seat legroom. The 2019 trucks weigh up to 450 pounds less than the previous versions due to increased use of lightweight, high-strength materials; that provides a small improvement in fuel economy over the 2018 models.

The 2019 Silverado 1500 can be had in eight trim levels: Work Truck, Custom, Custom Trail Boss, LT, RST, LT Trail Boss, LTZ and High Country. Six engines provide an array of permutations. I thought the High Country was well-trimmed, but it falls a bit short of the top trim levels offered by Ford and especially Ram. That might be due in part to sister division GMC offering an even more luxurious truck in the form of its Sierra Denali models.

Improvements in fuel economy come from new engines and new technology that improves efficiency across the board. A new turbocharged 2.7-liter inline-four-cylinder with stop-start technology becomes the new standard engine for LT and RST trims with an all-new light-duty 3.0-liter inline-six-cylinder coming later in 2019. Most noteworthy is Dynamic Fuel Management for the popular 5.3-liter and 6.2-liter V-8s. DFM allows the truck to run on one to eight cylinders; it's the next step up from Active Fuel Management, which employs operation of four or eight cylinders. DFM uses 17 different cylinder deactivation modes to maximize efficiency and mileage, making determinations up to 80 times per second. The biggest 6.2-liter V-8 is being offered with a new 10-speed automatic transmission co-developed with Ford.

So how does that affect fuel economy? The two-wheel-drive 2019 Silverado 1500 with the 5.3-liter V-8 and eight-speed transmission gets an EPA-estimated 17/23/19 mpg city/highway/combined; that's a 1 mpg improvement across the board over the 2018. The four-wheel-drive 2019 equipped with 6.2-liter V-8 and 10-speed transmission sees a 1 mpg city improvement over the 2018 equipped with the same engine and the eight-speed transmission. Opting for a turbocharged four-cylinder Silverado 1500  the first half-ton truck to offer a turbo four  nets 20/23/21 for 2WD and 19/22/20 for 4WD, according to the EPA.

Updated Interior

The interiors of the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 have been extensively updated. For those whose priority is towing capability, the new Silverado offers improved tech that simplifies hooking up a trailer. The available Advanced Trailering Package includes the Hitch Guidance with Hitch View that uses up to four cameras and the myChevrolet Trailering App (displayed on your smartphone or the Silverado's multimedia screen) and turns a two-person operation into a one-person job. The app also provides a comprehensive step-by-step checklist.

Maximum towing capacity for the 6.2-liter V-8 with DFM High Country I drove was 12,000 pounds (up 5 percent over 2018), while the max payload capacity for a 4x2 regular cab with the turbo four is 2,500 pounds (an 11 percent improvement over 2018).

Improved safety played a big part of the 2019 redesign, with Chevrolet adding several active safety features including a standard rear camera mirror and available head-up display, surround-vision view, safety alert driver's seat, lane change alert and lane keep assist with lane departure warning, low-speed forward automatic braking, forward collision alert, front pedestrian braking, lane change alert with blind side alert and rear cross-traffic alert.

Towing Ability

During the drive event, each Silverado was hooked up to a trailer bearing a Polaris all-terrain vehicle, a combination that weighed 6,000 pounds. Leaving Barker Hanger, we negotiated tight Santa Monica streets on our way to the more traffic-friendly lanes of the Pacific Coast Highway on our way to Calamigos Ranch in the Malibu foothills overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

The real test was running up Kanan Dunes Road from the PCH and guess what? My driving companion and I could hardly tell the 6,000-pound trailer was behind us. Going downhill, we did feel a small sense of push, but the brakes were more than up to the task. Chevrolet representatives told us the brakes are identical to those on a Chevrolet Silverado 2500. So, despite the larger size of the 2019 Silverado 1500, it has that elusive quality of driving "small," even when towing a trailer. Another nice touch: Chevrolet now puts a truck-specific label on the driver's door that provides that particular truck's maximum towing capacity, maximum payload, gross vehicle weight rating, gross combined weight rating, gross rear axle weight rating, maximum tongue weight and curb weight. That's everything you need to know to tow and haul safely.

Final Thoughts

In my all-too-short test drive to Malibu and back, I came away favorably impressed. It seems that Chevrolet stuck with refining the basics, responding to feedback from its customers, especially with regard to the half ton's trailer-towing abilities. The combination of the auto parking brake assist, stored trailer profiles, an industry-exclusive trailer theft alarm, trailer-tire temperature and pressure sensors, the towing label and a trailer light test accessed through the myChevrolet Trailering App are class-leading.

The 2019 Silverado 1500 looks clean and modern, and is instantly identifiable as a Chevrolet. Its improved interior approaches the class-leading Ram 1500 in many ways, while the variety of trim levels and cab configuration approaches those offered by the Ford F-Series.

Bottom line? The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 looks and feels new and fresh. In the hyper-competitive full-size pickup category, this is critical, but I wish they would have gone further. Most people understand brand loyalty is big among pickup owners, even to the degree that Nissan and Toyota have found it difficult to attract Ford, Ram, Chevrolet and GMC owners away from their favorites. So, Chevrolet may have trouble attracting owners of other brands because many of the changes to the 2019 model are simply evolutionary and that may not be enough for a large number of buyers to jump ship. That said, we like the focus on making towing easier and safer and that could attract a few Ford and Ram buyers if towing is their biggest purchase consideration. We'll see.

Cars.com photos by Richard Truesdell
































PLDT Inc. said it is supporting the governments common tower policy to hasten the development of new cellular towers nationwide. A number of these tower companies have approached us, and we said were willing to cooperate in respect to new towers, PLDT chairman and president Manuel Pangilinan said. The formula is flexible. If they are willing to sell to us after they build towers, were willing to buy them or just lease the towers, and tell us if they are going to lease them to other telcos. We need to know. Were willing to support, he said. The Department of Information and Communications Technology earlier signed separate memoranda of understanding with ISOC Infrastructures Inc., Singapores ISON ECP Tower Pte. Ltd., Nigerias IHS Towers, Malaysias Edotco Group and China Energy Engineering Corp. for the construction of cellular towers nationwide. The DICT said it would support the five companies in facilitating permits and right of way and provide other government support for infrastructure if they secure a contract with any of the telco operators. The DICT said it was opting for a market-driven approach in accelerating the build-up of more cell sites.Acting DICT Secretary Eliseo Rio said the Philippines, with less than 20,000 towers, had the smallest number of towers given its land area and population compared to its neighboring countries. The agency said the maximum rollout of one tower company would be 25,000 for a seven-year period. Each tower company is projected to invest $2 billion. The DICT said the Philippines would need at least around 50,000 cellular towers to have the proper coverage and provide adequate service to the Filipino consumers.
Afghan Taliban denied the publication of Pakistani media that they are ready to resume meetings with US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Islamabad, and reiterated their refusal to talk with the Afghan government, Reuters reported.

We wanted to make it clear that we will not hold any meeting with Zalmay Khalilzad in Islamabad, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid in a statement.

Talks between the two sides have stalled after the Taliban accused Khalilzad of straying from the agreed agenda.

We have made it clear again and again that we would never hold any meeting with the Afghan government as we know that they are not capable of addressing our demands, said senior Taliban leader.

According to the US side, any settlement in Afghanistan must be between the internationally recognized Afghan government and the Taliban, who have so far refused to talk to the administration, which they describe as an illegitimate puppet regime.

The Taliban leader said that peace talks with the US delegation could be resumed if they were confident that only three issues would be discussed - the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, the exchange of prisoners and the lifting of the ban on movement of Taliban leaders.
Not since Abraham Lincoln has a US president been treated so badly by the media, Donald Trump lamented in a series of Twitter rants before going to Delaware to honor the four Americans killed in Syria, RT reported.

Will be leaving for Dover to be with the families of four very special people who lost their lives in service to our Country, Trump wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

Two US troops, a civilian and a contractor were killed in a suicide bombing in the Kurdish-controlled northern Syrian city of Manbij on Wednesday. But the president had no intention to focus on his surprise visit to Dower Airforce Base in Delaware for too long.

His next Twitter post was dedicated to a completely different subject, as Trump cited former House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, who  according to him  said: There has been no president since Abraham Lincoln who has been treated worse or more unfairly by the media than your favorite President, me!

At the same time, he insisted that there has been no president who has accomplished more in his first two years in office!
Armenia 1st President delivers message to citizens

Armenia acting PM: Return of 15 Armenian POWs instills hope for major change in regional atmosphere

White House: Biden and Erdogan fail to find solution to S-400s issue

White House to consider possibility of Biden-Jinping talks

Gagik Tsarukyan: Armenia needs a professional army of contractual soldiers

Armenia 2nd President: If a soldier honors an MP sentenced for desertion, defeat in a war is inevitable

Armenia Parliament Speaker thanks people for supporting the authorities during difficult times

China's new embassy building in Armenia (an exclusive report)

Armenia acting PM: After the rally, I will go to a pre-election debate

Armenia's ArmEconomBank employees forced to attend ruling party's rally at Republic Square after work

"Armenia" bloc member: Whole state apparatus is trying to create impression that Pashinyan has supporters

"I Have the Honor" bloc's candidate for Armenia PM: To vote for current govt means to face loss of statehood

Razm.info: Azeri serviceman drowns in Al lakes of Karvachar

Armenia MFA's commentary on the declaration signed by the Presidents of Turkey and Azerbaijan

Turkey estimates total military resources of Azerbaijani and Turkish troops

Artsakh ex-PM: I call on worthy citizens of Armenia to vote for the "Armenia" bloc

Robert Kocharyan: Outgoing government speaks of the past

Azerbaijan trades Armenian POWs for mine maps, Putin and Biden meets in Geneva, Jun 17 digest

"Armenia" bloc holding campaign meeting in Sevan (LIVE)

Armenia National Democratic Axis party: We will not cooperate with former and current authorities in any format

Armed man attacks office of pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party in Turkey, 1 killed

Russian MFA: Armenian POWs' issue remains current

Zakharova: Russia sees need to demarcate and delineate Armenia-Azerbaijan borders as soon as possible

Karabakh: Remains of 3 more Armenian servicemen found in territories of Artsakh seized by Azerbaijan

Russia MFA Spokesperson on Erdogan's visit to Shushi

EU to provide support to electoral processes in Armenia

Dollar still losing value in Armenia

Eduard Sharmazanov: "I Have the Honor" bloc is not adversary of ex-PM Karen Karapetyan

Russia FM, OSCE Secretary General to discuss Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

Armenia President to OSCE PA election observation delegation: There is tension in political atmosphere

Erdogan: Russia positive toward creation of Zangezur corridor

"Armenia" bloc: Police apprehended our members without proper ground in Yeghvard

Armenia ombudsman addresses letter to acting PM, raises matter of submitting urgent complaint to ECHR

Armenia 2nd President and ex-PM Karen Karapetyan tour Gyumri

Why is Republican Party of Armenia member Eduard Sharmazanov not on electoral list for snap elections?

Armenia has new Commercial Attache to Iran

Armenia MOD, Military Police officers are instructed to attend acting PM's rally today in civilian clothes

Armenia 2nd President on linking him to withdrawal of Karabakh from negotiations process

Armenia former President Kocharyan: I am confident that investments will make $1bn in second year

Erdogan not ruling out establishment of Turkish military base in Azerbaijan

Teenager hurt in accident in Armenian village, supposedly hit by Armenia minister's car

"I Have the Honor" bloc of Armenia: National opposition will get 50% + 1 vote in snap parliamentary election 1st round

Armenias Pashinyan sends congratulatory message to Iceland PM

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Settlement of refugees from Azerbaijan-occupied regions can be solved by certificates

Armenia acting premier meets at government with ruling party board members

Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on acting PMs behavior: Probably $5bn promised by Aliyev not fully transferred

Armenia statistical service head on First Presidents statement: I have no information about 70,000 emigrants

Quake hits Armenia

Bright Armenia Party leader: Country is going according to March 1, 2008 scenario

Japan plans to start issuing vaccination passports soon

Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh

Missing soldiers relatives meeting with Armenia acting PM

3rd candidate dropped out of presidential race in Iran

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will do our best to meet people's expectations

MOD: Armenia, Russia defense chiefs discuss Armenian-Azerbaijani border situation

Netherlands FM: All Armenian POWs must be repatriated from Azerbaijan

96 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Azerbaijan is blackmailing Armenia: Zangezur corridor in exchange for Lachin corridor?

Donald Trump speaks on Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin's meeting in Geneva

Court session on demand to declare Armenia ruling party electoral list registration invalid to be held today

Trump announces holding large rally for first time since leaving office

Armenia dissolved legislature session not convened for 3rd time

Newspaper: Artsakh President taking steps to insure self after possible change of power in Armenia

Newspaper: Armenia authorities engaged in attempts to discredit real opposition

Spain man kills his mother, eats her remains

Armenia acting PM talks about demarcation and delimitation during campaign meeting in province

Biden snaps at CNN reporter who grilled him about Geneva summit with Putin

Armenian police barge into "Armenia" bloc's headquarters, demand to not tape acting PM's meeting

Armenia Investigative Committee: Number of missing servicemen, civilians is 275

Armenia 3rd President: Servicemen's Insurance Fund told Government in April that there were 1,064 missing servicemen

Armenia ombudsman: Azerbaijan soldiers stole cow, newborn calf from Gegharkunik Province village pasture shepherd

Armenia 2nd President meets with ex-PM Karen Karapetyan at end of visit to Gyumri (PHOTO)

2 Azerbaijani servicemen die in car accident in Lachin

US Embassy in Yerevan calls on its citizens to be alert

What did Putin gift Biden?

Biden calls meeting with Putin 'positive'

Biden says he doesn't think Putin wants a new Cold War

Putin: There's no problem that Russia and the US can't solve together

Biden gifts Putin pair of Aviator sunglasses

China citizens get vaccinated in Armenia

Armenia opposition party leader: Citizens attack office in Kapan, police brutally beat young people in Yeghegnadzor

Putin says Russia and US have agreed to reciprocally resend ambassadors

Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan is illegally keeping Armenian POWs to receive certain mine maps in exchange

Opposition Prosperous Armenia Party leader says border security is primary issue for Armenians

"I Have the Honor" bloc's candidate for Armenia PM and Serzh Sargsyan hold campaign meetings in Kotayk Province

Russia and US Presidents end talks in Geneva, Biden leaves Villa La Grange

Demonstrators demand condemnation of Azeri aggression against Armenia, Karabakh on heels of Putin-Biden meeting

"Armenia" bloc holding campaign meeting in Gyumri

Azerbaijan resumes trial against Armenian POWs, Erdogan visits Karabakhs Shushi, June 16 digest

"Armenia" bloc member: Law-enforcement bodies not taking action in response to acting PM's call for violence

Armenia deputy police chief says hammer that Pashinyan uses during campaign meetings is not a cold weapon

Putin-Biden narrow-format talks end in Geneva

One dollar falls below AMD 515 in Armenia

European Union agrees on additional sanctions against Belarus

Armenia village murder solved 6 months later

Government employees in Armenia's Vayk attending acting PM's campaign meeting during working hours

Resident of Armenia's Khoznavar village moves to Jermuk after not being able to raise cattle in grazing field

Police summon opposition Prosperous Armenia Party's MP candidate, launch criminal case

Armenia 2nd President: Government must take care of basic needs of all citizens

Bright Armenia Party leader says they are 3rd in big cities
In order to boost tourism sector in Bhutan, the National Assembly of Bhutan endorsed entry and exit of regional tourists through the border towns of Samdrup Jongkhar, Gelephu, Samtse, Nanglam and Panbang.

According to a report posted on the official website of the National Assembly of Bhutan on Friday, currently, regional tourists are not allowed to enter from other than Phuentsholing.

The decision has been taken after the Member from Dewathang-Gomdar constituency moved a motion to institute special and targeted measures to promote tourism for balanced regional development in the country.

The Members of the National Assembly said although tourism has benefited the country in terms of revenue and employment generation, only a handful of Dzongkhags have reaped the benefits.

The House agreed on the need to promote tourism and balanced regional development in the country and deliberated in details the advantages and risks of opening up additional entry and exit points for tourists.

The House passed the motion to introduce regulations for entry and exit of regional tourists though the border towns of Samdrup Jongkhar, Gelephu, Samtse, Nanglam and Panbang while ensuring security concerns by incorporating conditions that the tourists use Bhutanese vehicles and guides.

While the motion was passed with 40 Yes votes and 2 No votes and 1 abstain out of the 43 Members present and voting.

The Government is also likely to consider the entry and exit points through Lhamoizingkha and Jomotshangkha as well.

The House also endorsed opening of direct flights between Guwahati to Yongphula, Bumthang and Gelephu.

However, the Government will carry out consultations with relevant stakeholders such as the civil aviation authority and the airlines in this regard.
Like any catchy tune, the lyrics of the 1984 song I need a hero continue to play in my mind as I write this article. Bonnie Tylers haunting voice echoes the need for heroes and our willingness to wait for them until the end of the night. I believe that we need people who inspire us to be better in what we do and become inspirations to others too. In the midst of darkness, we need heroes who can show us the light. Oxford Dictionary defines a hero as one who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievement or noble qualities. For various reasons, some people name Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and Richard Branson as their present heroes in the business world. They cite their achievements and their being able to rise up from their failures. They use their successes to propel them to pursue more. Their insatiable desire to push the boundaries of possibilities and innovate to help address what society needs seem to distinguish them from the rest of mankind. One of my own heroes in business is Konosuke Matsushita, who is the founder of Panasonic (formerly Matsushita Electrical Industrial Co. Ltd.). In his biography, John Kotter (1998) writes about how Matsushitas entrepreneurial strategies and practices have differentiated him from others early in his business. He promoted strong customer orientation, willingness to take risk, innovative marketing and faith in his employees, which helped his enterprise grow rapidly and profitably. In fact, more than half a century before the publication of In Search of Excellence (1982), Matsushita has been using many of the practices that Peters and Waterman would describe. Matsushita believes in treating people as part of the family thats why serving customers better is the true purpose of enterprises. When he pursued ambitious plans to go global after World War II, he inculcated the kind of continuous improvement (kaizen) that is driven by humble hearts and open minds to keep his companies and employees from being arrogant. This culture appears to be one antidote to How the Mighty Fall (2009), a book written by Jim Collins. In the said book, Collins warns successful businesses against hubris. In the end, Matsushitas success is directly related to his actively responding to habitual self-reflection, as well as thoughtful awareness of societal realities. He has shown that gut-feel or intuition has a key role to play in making ventures successful amid unpredictable circumstances. He embodied what the ancient Icelandic called innsaaei, a term for intuition that aptly means to see within, seeking to know ones self better and learning from the world around. To see from the inside out, allows one to have a strong inner compass to navigate in this ever-changing world. Throughout his life, Matsushita has shown that despite not being highly educated, rich, charismatic, nor well connected, one can succeed and even become a role model. He even claims that You may be a well-educated, clever and virtuous person, but those qualities will not necessarily make you a successful businessman. You must give your best to each and every task you take on, and reflect on your performance with an honest and unprejudiced eye.With all his achievements, he has inspired a myriad of people from different walks of life to embrace his ideals and continue to be lifelong learners as they lead and grow in their respective fields of specialty. His philosophy compels us to consider that it is the job of business to serve society and that profit is just a reward for a job well done. This is why Matsushita believes that if business does not translate into profits, then it is a sort of crime against society since it is misusing the resources (i.e. capital, people, materials, etc.) made available to it. Such endowments could have been put to better use by other businesses or organizations. His life has inspired the next generation of businessmen to consider how serving society and doing a good job will be in the best interest of everyone. His legacy of steering Panasonic through turbulent times after WW2 and building not only the company but also the nation is nothing short of legendary, a heroic act. I wonder how many have tried to follow a similar path of heroism in our country similar to Matsushita. If you happen to know of a Filipino youth, 25-35 years old who has demonstrated exceptional leadership through initiatives in organizing and managing sustainable business or social enterprises or programs that make the lives of their community better, please nominate him or her for the Siklab Awarda national search for young Filipinos who have the potential to steer our nation forward. This initiative is spearheaded by the PHINMA Group in collaboration with the De La Salle Universitys Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business (RVRCOB) and JCI Manila. Simply visit this website tinyurl.com/siklabawardsnomination for details. We need to recognize young heroes to inspire our youth to be themselves a living business hero. Our national hero, Jose Rizal, did remind us that the youth is the hope of our future.
More than 100 bills have been introduced in the past year to deal with sexual harassment at work. Eleven states passed meaningful measures. And as most state legislatures opened for sessions this month, dozens more are on deck, according to the National Women's Law Center.

Speed is essential, Johnson is learning. Because in today's bananas news cycle, "the Me Too movement can peter out," she said. "It's already happening."

So she's racing from airport to airport and state capital, hoping to make progress within the tiny window that our ADHD culture allows. Most of last year focused on state legislatures cleaning house. Now, they're trying to use the momentum to pass laws that affect private employers and the toughest, most nuanced tool that harassers use to keep harassing and to keep their own jobs - the NDA, the nondisclosure agreement.

At least 16 states introduced bills last year to restrict NDAs. Those bills became law in Arizona, Maryland, New York, Tennessee, Vermont and Washington state.

In Maryland, the case against NDAs was especially urgent, given the scandal in Annapolis.

Maryland Del. Curtis Anderson, a Democrat, was removed from leadership positions as deputy whip and chairman of a subcommittee on criminal justice last summer.
Majorities in both countries have clear feelings: Most Americans oppose the government shutdown; most Britons do not want to leave the European Union without a deal in place. But the hard-bitten nationalism of some voters has driven both countries to a cliff's edge. Trump's decision to pander to his hard-line base has led him to embrace political brinkmanship. Neither May nor her chief opponent, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, is calling for the option many think would make the most sense - a second referendum - out of fear of the furious reaction from Brexiteers.

"Rarely have British and American politics seemed quite so synchronized as they do in the chilly dawn of 2019, three years after the victories of Brexit and Donald J. Trump upended the two nations' political establishments," wrote Ellen Barry and Mark Landler of the New York Times on Saturday. "The countries seem subject to a single ideological weather system - one that pits pro-globalization elites against a left-behind hinterland."

They point to the now-familiar story: The effects of the 2008 global financial crisis accentuated the divides between those in metropolitan centers and depressed post-industrial towns. Anger among the latter fueled both Trump and Brexit.
First my socks. I counted 40 pairs, 30 of which I NEVER wear, include one with non-slip glue dots on the bottom, a gift from Queen of the Valley. Being socks, only a few bring joy. But I had the room so I decided to keep all but one pair with worn elastic. I handed off three orphans to Cheryl, hoping she could find their matches.

My underwear drawer was equally boring. I already rotate. Everything went back in, folded the Courtney, not Kondo, way.

Next, my long-sleeve, collarless shirt and sweatshirt drawer. Not much going on here. Inspired by Kondo, I tossed an old jersey marred by paint splotches and a once-favorite sweatshirt with unsightly tar stains.

My most challenging drawer was next. It held my summer tops, mostly T-shirts. I had more than 40 of them jammed in there, including 17 from Turkey Trot races at Thanksgiving.

Many Turkey Trots had never been worn. Either too big or too buried. Other tees were too cool to put on lest they wear out. I speak of my Van Gogh Museum (Amsterdam), my OBX (North Carolina Outer Banks), my University of Iowa where my son once taught.

I assessed my tees for practically an hour, viewing each one as an old friend. What an impossible task, deciding which ones get to stay and which ones get the heave-ho.
Please log in to keep reading.

Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever.
Cathy Cameron, age 62, passed away with her loved ones by her side on Tuesday December 25, 2018. Born in Napa on August 8, 1956, Cathy spent most of her life in the valley. From her two marriages she had 3 beloved children that she raised with her second husband and the love of her life, Don, in Pope Valley. She was very outgoing and had a great rapport with people of all ages. She was always the life of the party, and her smile lit up the room. She was adventurous, kind, and generous. Her love of life was boundless. Above all, she deeply loved her family and friends.
Akufo-Addo can't even shower in presidential ...
The Sunday Times has reported that top ANC officials scored millions of rand from a failed broadband project for the Johannesburg metro.

The project is being investigated by police for fraud and corruption, while the US department of justice is also reportedly interested in the matter.

Ericsson and BEE partner CitiConnect Communications, which had three top ANC members as directors, are targets of the investigation.

The Sunday Times reported that the broadband project was set to cost R600 million and be completed in 2013.

As of January 2019, legal fees and audits have pushes to cost to R1.7 billion  and the network is not finished.

It was added that the project leaders bent over backwards to accommodate Ericsson and added millions to the project cost.

US investigation

A report on the broadband project given to the City of Johannesburg has called for it to contact the US department of justice to see if the alleged fraud falls under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba confirmed that he has met US officials to discuss the report.

This is in addition to the project being investigated by local authorities.

Minister

One of the top ANC officials who was a director of CitiConnect Communications was public service and administration minister Ayanda Dlodlo, stated the Sunday Times.

Dlodlo admitted to her role in the project, and said she had been led to believe it would benefit Umkhonto we Sizwe veterans.

Dlodlo also admitted that she made R3 million from selling shares in the company, but resigned from it when she joined parliament.

It was a lucrative deal which I wanted to be part of. It was not illegal, said Dlodo.

The latest report comes after the City of Johannesburg suspended a senior official after he refused to cooperate with forensic investigators looking into the Johannesburg Broadband Network Project in 2017.

This included the city inexplicably paying R1.3 billion for a 900km broadband network in 2015.

This came after the city cancelled its contract with CitiConnect Communications to build and run the network in 2014, after it failed to meet its obligations.

Now read: We need to stop using credit cards in South Africa
Mobile technology company Upstream announced earlier this month that it had detected a suspicious weather forecast application which was pre-installed on Alcatel smartphones.

The companys security platform, Secure-D, detected suspicious activity initiated by this application across multiple countries  most notably in Brazil and Malaysia, although South Africa was also affected.

The application was named Weather Forecast  World Weather Accurate Radar and was pre-installed on Alcatel Pixi 4 and A3 Max devices  in addition to being available for download on the Google Play Store.

The Alcatel smartphone brand is owned by Nokia and the devices in question are built by Chinese manufacturer TCL.

When Secure-D tested the application, it found that the app was collecting and transferring users personal data to servers in China.

Malicious behaviour

The information transferred to Chinese servers by the application included the users device ID, email address, and location.

In addition to this, the app also attempted ad fraud by loading pages with adverts and clicking on ads in the background.

This meant the app was actively attempting to subscribe users to premium content or WASP services without their consent.

The ad fraud activities were invisible to users, and as the malicious app came pre-installed on certain smartphones it affected a great number of Alcatel Pixi 4 and A3 Max owners.

Secure-D detected and blocked over three million fraudulent transaction attempts generated by the app across Brazil, Malaysia, Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Kuwait, and Tunisia.

Despite its malicious behaviour and background data usage, the app ranked among the top five weather apps in 30 countries, including in the UK and United States.

After Upstream released its report, the app was removed from the Google Play Store.

Data and airtime costs

The weather apps background activity, invisible to users, was reportedly consuming up to 250MB of their mobile data on a daily basis.

This could result in extreme data charges for South Africans, especially if local users did not have an active data bundle.

Considering Vodacoms out-of-bundle rate of R0.99 per MB, South Africans could be charged up to R250 a day if they had no active data bundle and their device had the malicious app installed.

The app also attempts ad fraud to subscribe users to WASP services, which can result in large amounts of airtime being depleted if successful.

MyBroadband covered similar issues occurring on MTNs network last year, which saw customers being subscribed to the operators WASP services through ad fraud, click-jacking, and MSISDN spoofing.

While South Africans with the Alcatel devices were most likely to be affected, anybody could have downloaded the application from the Google Play Store and fallen victim.

Overall, whether pre-installed on Alcatel devices or downloaded from Googles official Play Store, the application com.tct.weather has generated over 27 million transaction attempts across seven markets, Upstream said.

Had they not been blocked by Secure-D these transactions would have translated into $1.5 million in unwanted charges to users airtime.

TCL responds

Following questions sent to it, TCL said that its mobile application data is hosted in the United States  and any data sent to Chinese servers was unauthorised.

Our mobile application data is hosted on AWS servers within the US, the company said.

Any data shown to be sent to servers elsewhere would have been unauthorised and our teams are further investigating these claims.

We make every effort to keep the personal data of our customers secure and comply with legal requirements.

TCL added that all of the data collected from end users serves specific purposes relating to its products.

The company said that for the weather app in question, a users IMEI was collected to enable them to delete their data stored in the server.

We no longer collect IMEI info however, and will use the Android ID to allow for data deletion if this is requested, TCL stated.

We understand the need to remain vigilant with the security and privacy of our customers, which is why we have removed third-party SDK access from our mobile applications  with the exception of Google and other limited trusted and verified global partners  ensuring there is no fraudulent actions taken by any third-party who might try to use our SDK access in the future, the company said.

We have removed our weather app from the Google Play Store while our teams work on further investigating some of the concerns raised and while our partner validation process is also taking place.

TCL said it would provide an update when the app is available again.
Username: Password: or Register

Back to

Forum

Reply to

This post

Post New

Thread Thread Rating: 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average

1

2

3

4

5

THE LOST EMPIRE OF TARTARY, THE ARC OF THE COVENANT AND THE NEW WORLD ORDER CV

lop guest

User ID: 484812

01-20-2019 11:55 PM











Post: #1 THE LOST EMPIRE OF TARTARY, THE ARC OF THE COVENANT AND THE NEW WORLD ORDER

Advertisement

For the most part the citizens of this country were led by their own guidance of natural law honoring truth and integrity. They enjoyed a high standard of living and dwelt in harmony with nature.

They built the wonderous cathedrals of Europe and the enormous aqueducts in southern Europe and in Mexico. They constructed the Grand Canal in China and the Erie Canal in America. (Early immigrants to the USA were not capable of such a feat). They fashioned the fabulous outside arenas around the Mediterranean Sea. They erected the Coliseum in Rome and the magnificent temples in St. Petersburg Russia. They lived in luxuriant villas. They made ziggurats, star forts, dolmens and earthen mounds all of which utilized the Earths natural electric energy. They created exquisite statues and crafted golden ornaments.

They built the Great Wall in what is now China. Marco Polo who wrote an extensive and detailed account of Asia in the 13th and 14th centuries did not even mention a wall. And the Great Wall is not seen on any maps pre-dating the late 1600s. So most of its construction occurred in 1700s and it was built to keep the encroaching Chinese out of Tartaria. The openings on the wall are on the north side towards the former Tartary not on the south China facing side. It should be called the Great Wall of Tartaria.

There was a predecessor to Tartaria with an even more advanced culture. They built many pyramids of different kinds and megalithic temples. They even hewn temples out of solid rock such as the Ellora Caves in India and the colossal underground monolithic churches of Lalibela Ethiopia. They also created extensive underground tunnel systems carved through solid rock. They built the Serapeum of Saqqara in Egypt which strikes one as some type of suspended animation edifice.

In fact the further back in time you go the more advanced it gets. The monolithic stones are bigger and are cut with more precision. They do not require mortar. The earlier the structure the more incapable we are of replicating it.

Skeletons of giants are found all over the world. Remains of beings with elongated skulls. Graveyards of little people and horned human like entities have been unearthed.

At the same time there were many tribal people living simple lives. Each of them have their own rendition of gods, goddesses, angels and devils. They say that these beings not only walked the earth but they flew in the skies above us.

Now Tartary is not even mentioned. As if it never existed. As if this current system of wars has been going on for thousands of years.

Do we live in a virtual reality? Where true history is ignored and covered up? And a totally false narrative is taught. Where fantasies have replaced truth and everything is pushed way back to the remote past. Where older advanced structures are credited to local people who came later who have no idea how to build them. A virtual reality where even current events are staged and sold to the public in a deceiving manner.

If truth be told the time of Jesus was only about 1000 years ago. In the Middle Ages the i and J before numbers designated Jesus not the number one. For example i346 is 346 years after the time of Jesus. It is not 1346. This deception has been used to push recent history back an extra thousand years and to create an artificial dark age.

The civilizations of Egypt, Greece and Rome were approximately of the same time period as Jesus. Not only are they pushed way back into remote history, the extent of their empire and their greatness have been fabricated. In reality these empires emerged after the calamity of the Exodus catastrophe which was not very long before the time of Jesus.

The Exodus upheaval was caused by a shifting of the planetary bodies who were formerly at close quarters to our world. These are the gods, goddesses, angels and devils in myth and religion. The Saturn sun which was immobile in the northern skies drifted off to more outer areas of the Earth plane. The giants and others followed their true source of life to these outer domains.

Mars and Venus moved toward us. The Jubilee or the coming of the Great God at 49 or 50 year periods has its origin at the time when Mars would be at close approach to the Earth. Being plasma orbs and charged bodies these planets interacted electrically with the Earth causing an overload in the worldwide pyramid complex and the resulting explosions.

That is why pyramids all over the world are in such a state of ruin. Puma Punku which is part of the Tiahuanacu complex in Bolivia had interlocking megaliths of andesite and diorite. These are types of granite only surpassed in hardness by diamonds but they were somehow carved with laser like flatness. Now they are broken and scattered and some are blown to bits.

Tiahuanaco and Puma Punku is said to have been built by a simple local migrating tribe. This idea is used all over the world to dismiss and cover-up the ancient advanced cultures.

The road to power was a slow but steady one for the Jewish elite.

In the Old Testament it clearly states that the Israelites used the Arc of the Covenant as a weapon of war against the Amorites, Midianites and Philistines. It was probably what brought down the Walls of Jericho.

The Arc was an electrical capacitor composed of silver and brass alloys and gilded with gold. Its true purpose was to store and direct energy from the Earth to outside sources. But transporting it around was very dangerous and it caused people to become sick and die. It had a constant radiation but it also sent out electrical surges where many people were killed instantly. The ones who carried it had to wear protective clothing.

The electrical capacity of such an apparatus would be over 500 volts. Opposing armies would be defenseless against such a weapon.

The volume or cubic capacity of the empty coffer inside the Kings Chamber in the Great Pyramid of Giza is exactly the same volume as the Arc of the Covenant.

According to Egyptian tradition the Israelites plundered Egypt during the upheaval at the time of the Exodus. Could it be that they took the Arc out of the so called Kings Chamber in the Great Pyramid of Giza at this time?

The tribe of Israel also used religion as a means to get their foot in the door in the ruling affairs of foreign countries. A religious leader holds great power able to influence many simple minds who believe the leaders edicts are from God.

The Druids who held such sway in England were Jewish. So were the Jesuits. So have been all the Popes and the Mormon leaders. The reason why Jewish people look down upon Christians is because they know they invented the Christian religion. And the Jewish beliefs are just a rendition of the former appearances and interactions of planetary Gods predominantly Saturn and its moons, Mars and Venus in a totally foreign sky.

Books written in Tartary were rewritten. Much of the contents then were fabricated and interfused with traditional beliefs. They used Monks to accomplish this making them think they were doing Gods work. The burning of old books and the rewriting of them in order to change history is the real Reformation.

The Library of Alexandria in Egypt was purposely destroyed to limit knowledge.

Making deals with kings was a way they were able to get control of a countrys financial system. Once one controls the money supply and its allotments then they control the country. In this way righteous kings were replaced by insurgent kings who defrauded the people to take part in unjust wars. Just fake an event such as a murder, blame it on another country, add some patriotic and religious slogans, demonize the other country and wallah you have created a war. This has been going on for quite some time.

In the Middle Ages the spraying of viruses not only eliminated entire villages it caused the Black Plague which killed off over 70 million people in Europe and decimated Tartary also.

Disease was a favorite weapon used against the Tartarian kingdom.

In 1346 at the Siege of Kaffa in the Ukraine the Tartarians suffered an epidemic of plague brought on by the catapulting of viruses into the city.

It wasnt though until the 1490s that the Tartary kingdom began to collapse.

Fire was used to burn crops and create famine. Cities were intentionally burned such as London in 1666.

Genghis Khan was said to be a Mogul. Mogul is just a made-up name which is then associated with Mongolia. But Mongolians are simple peace loving Buddhists. What happened was Genghis Khan fought to restore the kingdom of Tartary and reclaim their land. His mounted warriors were called Tartars. He succeeded for awhile.

Napolean did not attack Russia rather they combined forces to conquer the remaining remnant of Tartary. Napolean himself said that History is a set of lies agreed upon.

The Gregorian Calendar was instituted at this time to force the common people to accept the new chronology.

Now Tartary, the worlds former global power is not even talked about. In fact it has been associated with hell and Genghis Khan is looked upon as an evil invader.

The peaceful kingdom of Tartaria was finally dissolved in 1775. Their presence and influence in America also came to an end. That is why the new powers rushed to claim the vast lands of America in 1776.

Many buildings in America demolished or still standing, said to be built by early pioneers or native people in America were in fact built by the Tartars.

Disease was also used against the native people in the Americas. It is estimated that 95% of them perished from disease especially smallpox. The vast empire of Tartary is a country that appears on ancient maps. It once covered most of Russia, China, Europe, Japan, India and Korea. It had a worldwide influence.For the most part the citizens of this country were led by their own guidance of natural law honoring truth and integrity. They enjoyed a high standard of living and dwelt in harmony with nature.They built the wonderous cathedrals of Europe and the enormous aqueducts in southern Europe and in Mexico. They constructed the Grand Canal in China and the Erie Canal in America. (Early immigrants to the USA were not capable of such a feat). They fashioned the fabulous outside arenas around the Mediterranean Sea. They erected the Coliseum in Rome and the magnificent temples in St. Petersburg Russia. They lived in luxuriant villas. They made ziggurats, star forts, dolmens and earthen mounds all of which utilized the Earths natural electric energy. They created exquisite statues and crafted golden ornaments.They built the Great Wall in what is now China. Marco Polo who wrote an extensive and detailed account of Asia in the 13th and 14th centuries did not even mention a wall. And the Great Wall is not seen on any maps pre-dating the late 1600s. So most of its construction occurred in 1700s and it was built to keep the encroaching Chinese out of Tartaria. The openings on the wall are on the north side towards the former Tartary not on the south China facing side. It should be called the Great Wall of Tartaria.There was a predecessor to Tartaria with an even more advanced culture. They built many pyramids of different kinds and megalithic temples. They even hewn temples out of solid rock such as the Ellora Caves in India and the colossal underground monolithic churches of Lalibela Ethiopia. They also created extensive underground tunnel systems carved through solid rock. They built the Serapeum of Saqqara in Egypt which strikes one as some type of suspended animation edifice.In fact the further back in time you go the more advanced it gets. The monolithic stones are bigger and are cut with more precision. They do not require mortar. The earlier the structure the more incapable we are of replicating it.Skeletons of giants are found all over the world. Remains of beings with elongated skulls. Graveyards of little people and horned human like entities have been unearthed.At the same time there were many tribal people living simple lives. Each of them have their own rendition of gods, goddesses, angels and devils. They say that these beings not only walked the earth but they flew in the skies above us.Now Tartary is not even mentioned. As if it never existed. As if this current system of wars has been going on for thousands of years.Do we live in a virtual reality? Where true history is ignored and covered up? And a totally false narrative is taught. Where fantasies have replaced truth and everything is pushed way back to the remote past. Where older advanced structures are credited to local people who came later who have no idea how to build them. A virtual reality where even current events are staged and sold to the public in a deceiving manner.If truth be told the time of Jesus was only about 1000 years ago. In the Middle Ages the i and J before numbers designated Jesus not the number one. For example i346 is 346 years after the time of Jesus. It is not 1346. This deception has been used to push recent history back an extra thousand years and to create an artificial dark age.The civilizations of Egypt, Greece and Rome were approximately of the same time period as Jesus. Not only are they pushed way back into remote history, the extent of their empire and their greatness have been fabricated. In reality these empires emerged after the calamity of the Exodus catastrophe which was not very long before the time of Jesus.The Exodus upheaval was caused by a shifting of the planetary bodies who were formerly at close quarters to our world. These are the gods, goddesses, angels and devils in myth and religion. The Saturn sun which was immobile in the northern skies drifted off to more outer areas of the Earth plane. The giants and others followed their true source of life to these outer domains.Mars and Venus moved toward us. The Jubilee or the coming of the Great God at 49 or 50 year periods has its origin at the time when Mars would be at close approach to the Earth. Being plasma orbs and charged bodies these planets interacted electrically with the Earth causing an overload in the worldwide pyramid complex and the resulting explosions.That is why pyramids all over the world are in such a state of ruin. Puma Punku which is part of the Tiahuanacu complex in Bolivia had interlocking megaliths of andesite and diorite. These are types of granite only surpassed in hardness by diamonds but they were somehow carved with laser like flatness. Now they are broken and scattered and some are blown to bits.Tiahuanaco and Puma Punku is said to have been built by a simple local migrating tribe. This idea is used all over the world to dismiss and cover-up the ancient advanced cultures.The road to power was a slow but steady one for the Jewish elite.In the Old Testament it clearly states that the Israelites used the Arc of the Covenant as a weapon of war against the Amorites, Midianites and Philistines. It was probably what brought down the Walls of Jericho.The Arc was an electrical capacitor composed of silver and brass alloys and gilded with gold. Its true purpose was to store and direct energy from the Earth to outside sources. But transporting it around was very dangerous and it caused people to become sick and die. It had a constant radiation but it also sent out electrical surges where many people were killed instantly. The ones who carried it had to wear protective clothing.The electrical capacity of such an apparatus would be over 500 volts. Opposing armies would be defenseless against such a weapon.The volume or cubic capacity of the empty coffer inside the Kings Chamber in the Great Pyramid of Giza is exactly the same volume as the Arc of the Covenant.According to Egyptian tradition the Israelites plundered Egypt during the upheaval at the time of the Exodus. Could it be that they took the Arc out of the so called Kings Chamber in the Great Pyramid of Giza at this time?The tribe of Israel also used religion as a means to get their foot in the door in the ruling affairs of foreign countries. A religious leader holds great power able to influence many simple minds who believe the leaders edicts are from God.The Druids who held such sway in England were Jewish. So were the Jesuits. So have been all the Popes and the Mormon leaders. The reason why Jewish people look down upon Christians is because they know they invented the Christian religion. And the Jewish beliefs are just a rendition of the former appearances and interactions of planetary Gods predominantly Saturn and its moons, Mars and Venus in a totally foreign sky.Books written in Tartary were rewritten. Much of the contents then were fabricated and interfused with traditional beliefs. They used Monks to accomplish this making them think they were doing Gods work. The burning of old books and the rewriting of them in order to change history is the real Reformation.The Library of Alexandria in Egypt was purposely destroyed to limit knowledge.Making deals with kings was a way they were able to get control of a countrys financial system. Once one controls the money supply and its allotments then they control the country. In this way righteous kings were replaced by insurgent kings who defrauded the people to take part in unjust wars. Just fake an event such as a murder, blame it on another country, add some patriotic and religious slogans, demonize the other country and wallah you have created a war. This has been going on for quite some time.In the Middle Ages the spraying of viruses not only eliminated entire villages it caused the Black Plague which killed off over 70 million people in Europe and decimated Tartary also.Disease was a favorite weapon used against the Tartarian kingdom.In 1346 at the Siege of Kaffa in the Ukraine the Tartarians suffered an epidemic of plague brought on by the catapulting of viruses into the city.It wasnt though until the 1490s that the Tartary kingdom began to collapse.Fire was used to burn crops and create famine. Cities were intentionally burned such as London in 1666.Genghis Khan was said to be a Mogul. Mogul is just a made-up name which is then associated with Mongolia. But Mongolians are simple peace loving Buddhists. What happened was Genghis Khan fought to restore the kingdom of Tartary and reclaim their land. His mounted warriors were called Tartars. He succeeded for awhile.Napolean did not attack Russia rather they combined forces to conquer the remaining remnant of Tartary. Napolean himself said that History is a set of lies agreed upon.The Gregorian Calendar was instituted at this time to force the common people to accept the new chronology.Now Tartary, the worlds former global power is not even talked about. In fact it has been associated with hell and Genghis Khan is looked upon as an evil invader.The peaceful kingdom of Tartaria was finally dissolved in 1775. Their presence and influence in America also came to an end. That is why the new powers rushed to claim the vast lands of America in 1776.Many buildings in America demolished or still standing, said to be built by early pioneers or native people in America were in fact built by the Tartars.Disease was also used against the native people in the Americas. It is estimated that 95% of them perished from disease especially smallpox. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 481809

01-21-2019 12:10 AM











Post: #2 RE: THE LOST EMPIRE OF TARTARY, THE ARC OF THE COVENANT AND THE NEW WORLD ORDER

CV Wrote: (01-20-2019 11:55 PM) The vast empire of Tartary is a country that appears on ancient maps. It once covered most of Russia, China, Europe, Japan, India and Korea. It had a worldwide influence.

For the most part the citizens of this country were led by their own guidance of natural law honoring truth and integrity. They enjoyed a high standard of living and dwelt in harmony with nature.

They built the wonderous cathedrals of Europe and the enormous aqueducts in southern Europe and in Mexico. They constructed the Grand Canal in China and the Erie Canal in America. (Early immigrants to the USA were not capable of such a feat). They fashioned the fabulous outside arenas around the Mediterranean Sea. They erected the Coliseum in Rome and the magnificent temples in St. Petersburg Russia. They lived in luxuriant villas. They made ziggurats, star forts, dolmens and earthen mounds all of which utilized the Earths natural electric energy. They created exquisite statues and crafted golden ornaments.

They built the Great Wall in what is now China. Marco Polo who wrote an extensive and detailed account of Asia in the 13th and 14th centuries did not even mention a wall. And the Great Wall is not seen on any maps pre-dating the late 1600s. So most of its construction occurred in 1700s and it was built to keep the encroaching Chinese out of Tartaria. The openings on the wall are on the north side towards the former Tartary not on the south China facing side. It should be called the Great Wall of Tartaria.

There was a predecessor to Tartaria with an even more advanced culture. They built many pyramids of different kinds and megalithic temples. They even hewn temples out of solid rock such as the Ellora Caves in India and the colossal underground monolithic churches of Lalibela Ethiopia. They also created extensive underground tunnel systems carved through solid rock. They built the Serapeum of Saqqara in Egypt which strikes one as some type of suspended animation edifice.

In fact the further back in time you go the more advanced it gets. The monolithic stones are bigger and are cut with more precision. They do not require mortar. The earlier the structure the more incapable we are of replicating it.

Skeletons of giants are found all over the world. Remains of beings with elongated skulls. Graveyards of little people and horned human like entities have been unearthed.

At the same time there were many tribal people living simple lives. Each of them have their own rendition of gods, goddesses, angels and devils. They say that these beings not only walked the earth but they flew in the skies above us.

Now Tartary is not even mentioned. As if it never existed. As if this current system of wars has been going on for thousands of years.

Do we live in a virtual reality? Where true history is ignored and covered up? And a totally false narrative is taught. Where fantasies have replaced truth and everything is pushed way back to the remote past. Where older advanced structures are credited to local people who came later who have no idea how to build them. A virtual reality where even current events are staged and sold to the public in a deceiving manner.

If truth be told the time of Jesus was only about 1000 years ago. In the Middle Ages the i and J before numbers designated Jesus not the number one. For example i346 is 346 years after the time of Jesus. It is not 1346. This deception has been used to push recent history back an extra thousand years and to create an artificial dark age.

The civilizations of Egypt, Greece and Rome were approximately of the same time period as Jesus. Not only are they pushed way back into remote history, the extent of their empire and their greatness have been fabricated. In reality these empires emerged after the calamity of the Exodus catastrophe which was not very long before the time of Jesus.

The Exodus upheaval was caused by a shifting of the planetary bodies who were formerly at close quarters to our world. These are the gods, goddesses, angels and devils in myth and religion. The Saturn sun which was immobile in the northern skies drifted off to more outer areas of the Earth plane. The giants and others followed their true source of life to these outer domains.

Mars and Venus moved toward us. The Jubilee or the coming of the Great God at 49 or 50 year periods has its origin at the time when Mars would be at close approach to the Earth. Being plasma orbs and charged bodies these planets interacted electrically with the Earth causing an overload in the worldwide pyramid complex and the resulting explosions.

That is why pyramids all over the world are in such a state of ruin. Puma Punku which is part of the Tiahuanacu complex in Bolivia had interlocking megaliths of andesite and diorite. These are types of granite only surpassed in hardness by diamonds but they were somehow carved with laser like flatness. Now they are broken and scattered and some are blown to bits.

Tiahuanaco and Puma Punku is said to have been built by a simple local migrating tribe. This idea is used all over the world to dismiss and cover-up the ancient advanced cultures.

The road to power was a slow but steady one for the Jewish elite.

In the Old Testament it clearly states that the Israelites used the Arc of the Covenant as a weapon of war against the Amorites, Midianites and Philistines. It was probably what brought down the Walls of Jericho.

The Arc was an electrical capacitor composed of silver and brass alloys and gilded with gold. Its true purpose was to store and direct energy from the Earth to outside sources. But transporting it around was very dangerous and it caused people to become sick and die. It had a constant radiation but it also sent out electrical surges where many people were killed instantly. The ones who carried it had to wear protective clothing.

The electrical capacity of such an apparatus would be over 500 volts. Opposing armies would be defenseless against such a weapon.

The volume or cubic capacity of the empty coffer inside the Kings Chamber in the Great Pyramid of Giza is exactly the same volume as the Arc of the Covenant.

According to Egyptian tradition the Israelites plundered Egypt during the upheaval at the time of the Exodus. Could it be that they took the Arc out of the so called Kings Chamber in the Great Pyramid of Giza at this time?

The tribe of Israel also used religion as a means to get their foot in the door in the ruling affairs of foreign countries. A religious leader holds great power able to influence many simple minds who believe the leaders edicts are from God.

The Druids who held such sway in England were Jewish. So were the Jesuits. So have been all the Popes and the Mormon leaders. The reason why Jewish people look down upon Christians is because they know they invented the Christian religion. And the Jewish beliefs are just a rendition of the former appearances and interactions of planetary Gods predominantly Saturn and its moons, Mars and Venus in a totally foreign sky.

Books written in Tartary were rewritten. Much of the contents then were fabricated and interfused with traditional beliefs. They used Monks to accomplish this making them think they were doing Gods work. The burning of old books and the rewriting of them in order to change history is the real Reformation.

The Library of Alexandria in Egypt was purposely destroyed to limit knowledge.

Making deals with kings was a way they were able to get control of a countrys financial system. Once one controls the money supply and its allotments then they control the country. In this way righteous kings were replaced by insurgent kings who defrauded the people to take part in unjust wars. Just fake an event such as a murder, blame it on another country, add some patriotic and religious slogans, demonize the other country and wallah you have created a war. This has been going on for quite some time.

In the Middle Ages the spraying of viruses not only eliminated entire villages it caused the Black Plague which killed off over 70 million people in Europe and decimated Tartary also.

Disease was a favorite weapon used against the Tartarian kingdom.

In 1346 at the Siege of Kaffa in the Ukraine the Tartarians suffered an epidemic of plague brought on by the catapulting of viruses into the city.

It wasnt though until the 1490s that the Tartary kingdom began to collapse.

Fire was used to burn crops and create famine. Cities were intentionally burned such as London in 1666.

Genghis Khan was said to be a Mogul. Mogul is just a made-up name which is then associated with Mongolia. But Mongolians are simple peace loving Buddhists. What happened was Genghis Khan fought to restore the kingdom of Tartary and reclaim their land. His mounted warriors were called Tartars. He succeeded for awhile.

Napolean did not attack Russia rather they combined forces to conquer the remaining remnant of Tartary. Napolean himself said that History is a set of lies agreed upon.

The Gregorian Calendar was instituted at this time to force the common people to accept the new chronology.

Now Tartary, the worlds former global power is not even talked about. In fact it has been associated with hell and Genghis Khan is looked upon as an evil invader.

The peaceful kingdom of Tartaria was finally dissolved in 1775. Their presence and influence in America also came to an end. That is why the new powers rushed to claim the vast lands of America in 1776.

Many buildings in America demolished or still standing, said to be built by early pioneers or native people in America were in fact built by the Tartars.

Disease was also used against the native people in the Americas. It is estimated that 95% of them perished from disease especially smallpox. They know.Shu it down. They know.Shu it down. Travel assistant

lop guest

User ID: 432965

01-21-2019 12:19 AM











Post: #3 RE: THE LOST EMPIRE OF TARTARY, THE ARC OF THE COVENANT AND THE NEW WORLD ORDER

Remember the ark retrieved from under mecca several years ago it was emitting plasma toppling Cranes etc.

Back to

Forum

Reply to

This post

Post New

Thread
















Important stuff you won't get from the liberal media! We do the surfing so you can be informed AND have a life!
Dunwell also advocated for bills to end the statute of limitations on child sex crimes and an ambitious bill to curb climate change by reducing carbon emissions and pushing transition to renewable energy.

Newly appointed Helena City Commissioner Kali Wicks shared a story from her hometown of Chester, where in 2012 a domestic abuser shot his wife before turning the gun on himself. Citing statistics, she called for legislation to allow removal of firearms in cases where someone has been deemed a danger to themselves or others.

The reality is were here in Montana, and here in Montana we respect the Second Amendment, she said. Most Montanans are responsible gun owners who use our guns for hunting and recreation, but that does not mean we in Montana cannot take sensible steps to develop smart gun policy.

Following Wicks was Aase Hahn with Helena Youth Against Gun Violence, who wants to see legislation passed that would penalize a gun owner if that gun is not secured and is used by someone else in a violent crime. Hahn cited other strong women as her inspiration to step into the public eye and take a stand.
Theres a woodpile next to most every house in Melrose, where the way into town is Trapper Creek Road and the loudest noises at night are from
Residents dont want to see any of that go away.

Andrea Schussler said she moved from Minnesota to Melrose three years ago. Theres a lot to love here, she said, like the mountains, clean air, and the Big Hole.

You can wade and fish in the river, and the water is clear, she said. The spirit here is open.

Janet Wagner said a clean and clear Big Hole was vital to Melroses survival.

If the river is not fishable, we dont have a hotel here, she said. We are absolutely on board with anything to keep the river healthy.

Sherida Holland said she was born and raised in Montana and her grandmother was born and raised in Melrose. Holland lived in New York state but came to Melrose off and on for five years to fix up a cabin. She finally moved into it last year.

She has a grown son who lives in upstate New York and a grown daughter in California.

I wanted a place for my kids to come back to and reclaim Montana in a way, she said. I think Montana is very beautiful.
In Pasadena (pass a downer, as wags called it), a suburb of Los Angeles, I had many sad encounters with the drug culture.

One June day I met a sad, beautiful, slow-talking lady who was going by my flat on the sidewalk. I cooked up and fed her a lunch of chicken cacciatore and she wept when she saw my snapshots of the peaceful Mission Valley. She looked to be 40, but was prematurely aged 10 years. My roommate found her a safer place to live in Banning but a month later her drughead boyfriend brutally murdered her. How heartbreaking!

A punk whod been placed in my art school ostensibly modeling for drawing sessions but really to sell cocaine to students, tossed me a wad of cocaine and he seemed crestfallen when I tossed it back.

At Bobs, Bobs Big Boy Restaurant, the local hangout, a pathetic kid with a scrambled mind described how his big brothers took him on a ride around Las Vegas, coercing him to smoke sherm stick, joints coated with angel dust, PCP, a terrible mind-bender.

A border patrolman said that contraband comes in via tunnels with ends concealed in buildings. The border wall is to go 100 feet below ground level to prevent this. Its worth the good ol Yankee try.

Lee Onishuk,

Missoula

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 0
I am extremely concerned about new proposed rules by the Department of Interior curtailing information access. Any regulation limiting access by the press or public to information held by a government office or department, is a direct contravention of the First Amendment to our Constitution.

As ones sworn to uphold our Constitution, it is therefore incumbent upon our senators and representatives to do their best to eliminate any such possibility. There are enough perils to our constitutional freedoms as it is, without government contribution.

It is up to our legislators to reject this last insult to the American people by a shamefully departing secretary of the Interior.

Tim Crawford,

Belgrade

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Barack Obama wins election in 2008 with the help of Putin's cyber attack. Then news comes out that 16 people in his campaign and cabinet members met with Russians, then lied about it. Later, five of these same people either plead guilty or were convicted of lying and conspiracy against the United States. Then, at every chance, Obama drops to his knees to kiss Putin's ring. In fact, it's so egregious the Federal Bureau of Investigation has to investigate possible treason. While all this is happening, all the Democrats are screaming "fake news."

I know that none of you Republicans would be screaming for impeachment, you would be screaming for a firing squad! What have you Republicans done to your party? Sad.

If you believe in the Constitution, you need to call U.S. Sen. Steve Daines' office at (202) 224-2651 and U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte at (202) 225-3211. Ask them if they are going to defend the Constitution or Donald Trump.

I would like to thank Daines for his vote on Yemen and his vote against dropping sanctions on Russia. This gives me some hope he will defend the Constitution. Gianforte, your silence is deafening!

Rick Wheeler,

Missoula

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 10 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines responded to my letter asking him to step in to end the government shutdown by saying he would refuse to accept his senatorial salary until the shutdown ended. This is a cheap gesture from someone who ranks among the wealthiest legislators (51st) with assets of $6.9 million.

Daines statement amounts to callous cruelty to those farmers and the poor who are going without badly needed support because of shutdown agencies and low-wage government workers and contractors. The wealthy Daines feels no pain as a consequence of his refusal to fund the government over a ridiculous campaign promise from Donald Trump.

Funding the government is his No. 1 responsibility as a federal legislator and since he wont do it, Montana need to elect someone in 2020 who will.

Sterling Miller,

Lolo

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 4 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1
UMs head of African American studies, Tobin Miller Shearer, explained in a video linked to the petition that "Of all the things you can and should do when white nationalists show up in your community, one of the most important is to make absolutely clear that you do not share their values."

Thats an important message for the off-campus community as well. Last week, neighborhoods around Missoula received unwanted flyers on their doorsteps from an anonymous distributor. The picture shows three men with extensive tattoos presumed to be of Hispanic descent, with text reading: Why is the Israel border wall moral but not for the USA? At the bottom, it includes phone numbers for the offices of Montanas U.S. Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines.

Apart from the obvious fear-mongering of the imagery, the flyer appears intended to stir up support for a southern border wall, which has been the subject of an ongoing stalemate between President Trump and House Democrats that has resulted in what is now the longest federal government shutdown in our nations history.
Unlike many other states where state lawmakers operate with little regard for citizen involvement, Montana has strong laws on transparency in the legislative process. Montanas Constitution guarantees every Montanan the right to know what our legislature is doing and the right to be heard in decision-making. Citizens can travel to Helena, testify at committee hearings and meet with their legislators in person. Alternatively, citizens can send letters, emails and phone messages to legislators that are delivered directly to legislators desks.

The Montana Legislature maintains a website (https://leg.mt.gov) that offers the opportunity to see the lawmaking process as it unfolds so that they can take an active role in letting legislators know how residents feel about proposed legislation. Live-stream broadcasts of floor sessions of both the House and the Senate and key committee hearings are available on the site. These live broadcasts are also archived so that Montanans can watch the proceedings at a more convenient time. The website has up-to-date text and status of all proposed bills, as well as a search function by which constituents can identify which legislators represent them and which legislators are on specific committees.
"I am troubled by the trend of inadequate responses to these types of situations, Tester wrote. We cannot hope to solve the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women epidemic if we do not address how law enforcement initially responds in these cases."

Hannas Act is awaiting its first committee hearing.

Education

Native legislators are also focused on education legislation this session. Windy Boy has drafted a number of bills aimed at preserving Indigenous languages in the state. HB 33 would extend the Indian Preservation Program that was enacted in 2013. Windy Boy said out of 7,000 enrolled members of his tribe, about 100 are fluent in Cree language.

If we see the loss of our Native languages, were going to see the extinction of that history from our land, Windy Boy said.

Meanwhile, Stewart Peregoy has introduced HB 18, which would increase a school districts funding to help teach English learners. It would create programs in schools for students who have low English proficiency. While this bill would help anyone learning English as a second language in Montana schools, Stewart Peregoy said the most concentrated need is on reservations.
A former chairman of the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council has been indicted for stealing nearly a quarter of a million dollars in federal funds.

Federal prosecutors allege that Willie Andrew Sharp embezzled $232,000 from $7 million that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded the Blackfeet to run their Head Start program from 2012 through 2014.

Sharp chaired the governing Tribal Business Council at the time, while his wife Denise served as personnel manager for the Head Start program.

The eight-page indictment claims that Sharp authorized, approved, and ensured others authorized and approved overtime at the Blackfeet Head Start Program, all while knowing such overtime to be materially false and fraudulent, in whole and in part.

All total, individuals at Blackfeet Head Start, including Denise L. Sharp  claimed more than 7,800 hours in overtime and received over $232,000.00 in federal funds from the Head Start Program in a 15-month timeframe.
The vigil, she noted, was the first completely Native American-led event in Montana. The event was sponsored by the Native American Law Students Association and supported by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and several student groups and nonprofits (while it took place on the same day as this years Womens March, it is not affiliated with that movement).

At the outset of the rally, as Theda New Breast held up a poster board with dozens of missing and murdered Native Americans, Small Rodriguez told the audience it is not only a moment of awareness. This is an (educational) moment. This is a moment where everyone will hear all of these stories, will hear policy, and it is up to you with what you choose to do to help stop this crisis.

The guests rounded the oval in silence, holding candles. Then, they stood in the drizzle for hours as family members of Loring and other women from throughout Montana recalled long, agonized searches, and police departments that showed little interest in their plight. They also discussed the need for greater resources, data and protocols for handling missing-persons cases in Indian Country.
American Red Cross Blood Drive

Staff Reviews

When you think of an almanac, what comes to mind? Weather forecasts? Crop planting dates? You will find none of these things in this spectacular softcover volume. What you will find is breath-taking full-page spreads from the greatest photographers in the nation, visually engaging maps and charts and fascinating facts that will amaze you. This book is packed with the most up-to-date information available about our world, from the depths of the oceans to the outer reaches of our galaxy. Each chapter is prefaced with a quiz page designed to whet your mental appetite. For instance, which of Earths climates do scientists consider to be the most similar to what they expect to find on other planets? What percentage of all the crops grown in the world today is used to feed livestock? Youll find the answers to these questions and much more inside this book.
Historically, newly elected politicians are given 100 days to settle into office and get to work before their actions and policies are pored over and dissected.

But it took Floridas new governor less than two weeks to set his agenda and offer a clear view of how he intends to govern.

During his first 10 days in office, Ron DeSantis led a shock-and-awe campaign across the state. He appointed two conservative state Supreme Court justices, visited a hurricane disaster zone (twice) and unveiled a sweeping environmental agenda in his first 48 hours alone.

On Friday, one day after announcing plans to overhaul the states medical marijuana regulations,he ordered the removal of Palm Beach County Elections chief Susan Bucher  the third politician hes suspended since being sworn into office on Jan. 8. And then he explained a decision to rescind nearly four dozen of his predecessors nominations to state boards.

Though hes barely had time to get settled, DeSantis is already carving out a reputation as a constitutionalist intent on fulfilling promises and crushing politicians who cross him. He has impressed even his critics and rallied the Republican party around him  all while departing notably from predecessor Rick Scott.

If you look at the campaign promises that we made, the expectation from every Floridian, regardless of whether they voted for us or not, was we were going to lead and we were going to act, Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nunez, who has so far played an unusually active role in what is traditionally a largely ceremonial post, said in an interview. Hes serious about getting things done. Its not just about campaign promises and rhetoric.

Read the rest here.
Traditional medicine stores are dying out in Taiwan due to a licensing law, despite remaining wildly popular

Traditional medicine store owner Gu Cheng-pu knows her dispensary can only stay open as long as her ailing father-in-law lives, their careers hostage to a quirk in Taiwanese law that is killing off the industry.

At the back of her shop in New Taipei City, Gu tips a plate of freshly cut Chinese liquorice roots into a wok of boiling honey, the first step in preparing one of her many traditional remedies.

"Chinese herbal medicine stores are a unique cultural icon," the 36-year-old explains. "They are not just a place where you come when you are sick to pick up medicine."

But shops like hers are dying outwith some 200 closing their doors every yeareven though traditional medicine remains wildly popular in Taiwan.

Authorities have not issued any new licenses since 1998 and those that exist cannot be passed down to younger generations.

Gu's father-in-law is the license owner but he recently suffered a stroke and she now fears the worst.

"If I am forced to close shop, the biggest regret for me other than losing our livelihood, is losing our tradition," she laments.

Red tape

The license shortage stems from an attempt by authorities in the 1990s to better regulate the largely artisanal industry and bring traditional remedies into the purview of the professional medical community.

The Materia Medica lists more than 1,500 different kinds of herbs used in Chinese medicine

By refusing to issue new licenses, authorities hoped professional doctors would offer traditional medicine options in a more regulated and scientific capacity.

"In Taiwan the simultaneous use of Western and Chinese medicine among the public is very prevalent and we need trained medical personnel to make sure they don't interact with harmful consequences," Chen Pin-chi, division chief of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy at the Health and Welfare Ministry, told AFP.

"We initially hoped that professionally trained Chinese medicine doctors or pharmacists might slowly take over the running of Chinese herbal stores," she added.

But things did not turn out as planned.

The lower pay and profits struggled to attract young doctors and pharmacists while patients kept going to the mom-and-pop dispensaries they trusted.

The average age of a traditional medicine store license holder is now 61 while the number of remaining stores has halved in the last 20 years to just 7,900.

Taiwan's approach contrasts with that of the China and Hong Kong where authorities have pushed policies to boost and export traditional medicine.

The average store might stock between 200 and 500 herbs, roots, animal parts and minerals

'Experience counts'

According to the Compendium of Materia Medica, the sixteenth-century text that is the lodestar for traditional practitioners, there are more than 1,500 different kinds of herbs used in Chinese medicine.

The average store might stock between 200 and 500 herbs, roots, animal parts and minerals355 of which are classified as medicine in Taiwan.

Traditional medicine also permeates Taiwan's cookingthe island's signature beef noodle soup dish usually contains at least eight herbal ingredientsmeaning ingredients are just as likely to go in the cooking pot as they are a tincture.

Lee Chia-ling, 42, has worked alongside her father in their family shop for more than 10 years, learning remedies from him.

"It was very hard work in the beginning," she said. "You need to get your hands dirty. Sorting, washing, chopping and slicing, lots of work goes into processing raw herbs and roots ready for use." she said.

"And even now, I am still learning new things from my father," she added.

Her father Lee Ching-chang, 69, said it takes three to five years to learn to distinguish the basic ingredients and how they react with each other.

Store owners fear that unless laws change there will be no Chinese herbal medicines stores left in Taiwan

"This is very much a profession where experience counts," said the older Lee, who entered the trade when he was 15 years old.

"If the government will not issue any new licenses then the second generation cannot carry on with the shop," he lamented.

The license shortage has prompted protests on the streets of Taipei and the government is in talks with industry leaders to try to find a way forward.

"The Health and Welfare Ministry is well aware of the urgency of the matter and is actively trying to seek a solution," Chen Ping-chi said.

"Hopefully we can come up with something soon that would allow Chinese herbal medicine shops to continue to be operated by the younger generation," she added.

Gu is painfully aware the last 20 years have produced no solution and fears a change to the law may come too late for her family.

"If this situation continues," she warned, "there won't be any Chinese herbal stores left in Taiwan."

 2019 AFP
No worries. Trump supporters say his behavior shows he is no creature of the swamp. Only insiders care if the president is short-sheeting his own team. At least Trump is willing to stand by a campaign promise, the Trump voter argues.

As the sage Henry Olsen of the Ethics and Public Policy Council put it, Trump is showing that he can resist political pressure. The shutdown has changed nothing.

The people that are with him are with him, quoth Olsen. The people that are against him are against him.

In a play to differentiate themselves, House Democrats engage in the charade of passing spending measures that have zero chance of being enacted to demonstrate that they at least are willing to do something. When they get tired of that ploy, they go to the Senate to demand McConnell put unpassable bills to a floor vote.

So yes, they are willing to do something  stunts.

Another stunt: Speaker Nancy Pelosis letter effectively telling Trump not to bother delivering a State of the Union address in the Capitol on Jan. 29 because of security concerns for a national special security event during a government shutdown. It helps if you forget she invited Trump after the shutdown began.
Numbers often tell a story.

Thats the case with Hurricane Michael  and really anything requiring complicated analysis.

So when it comes to figuring out population fluctuations caused by the hurricane, tracking the numbers is essential to figuring out the upcoming needs for things like education and services. For instance, business want to know how many people have left town already, and education officials are interested in the same information, albeit for different reasons.

Thankfully, a News Herald analysis has found that, at least so far, Bay County, Florida, has not seen a massive migration in the aftermath of the storm. You probably know or have heard of someone moving out of town and deciding to resettle elsewhere. The numbers support that, but they dont support the feared mass exodus that seemed eminent when the storm was plowing through Northwest Florida.

There is population churning, as Elizabeth Fussell told The News Heralds Katie Landeck, but Fussell, who studies population data, said that is normal following a destructive storm like Michael.
BOISE  Girl Scouts of Silver Sage have been selling Girl Scout Cookies for decades. For most customers, the sale is the one opportunity they can get their hands on a box of Thin Mints or Samoas. Unknown to many, there has always been an option for customers to donate a box of Girl Scout Cookies through the Cookies from the Heart program to the Idaho Foodbank to help those in need.

For the fourth consecutive year, Idaho dairy farm families are partnering with the Girl Scouts of Silver Sage to make that donation go one step further. For every box donated to the Cookies from the Heart program, dairy farmers from across Idaho will also donate $1  giving customers an opportunity to double the impact of their charitable contribution. A $5 purchase will provide a box of Girl Scout Cookies and help purchase milk by the Idaho Foodbank to help fight hunger in Idaho.

Over the past three years of this program, 23,621 boxes of cookies and $33,000 worth of milk have benefited the Idaho Food Bank. Customers can get all their favorites and make a donation through March 17. Just look for the cookie box decorated with cookies and milk. In addition to traditional sales, Girl Scouts of Silver Sage is also participating in the Digital Cookie Program, which allows girls to sell online. These customers can also take advantage of this double-donation opportunity. For more information, go to girlscouts-ssc.org to find where you can purchase a box of Cookies from the Heart.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
TWIN FALLS  Its a tradition for Twin Falls fourth-graders to visit the Idaho State Capitol in Boise, but one school is trying something different.

Pillar Falls Elementary School is the only elementary campus in the Twin Falls School District that isnt going to the Capitol this school year. Instead, educators are taking fourth-graders on three separate field trips they say better fit with content standards  specifically about early settlement in Idaho.

The fourth-grade team was really working on making sure their field trips were more educationally based, Twin Falls School District spokeswoman Eva Craner said, and more relevant to what students are learning.

Its not uncommon for schools to pursue different field trips instead of going to the Capitol, Craner said. Its a trial year, she added, and Pillar Falls educators will evaluate at the end of this school year how things went.

Pillar Falls Elementary, which opened in 2016, took fourth-graders to the Capitol the last two years. Teachers wanted different field trips this year and brought a proposal to school principal Nancy Murphy.

Their concern was meeting the learning objectives for fourth-grade, Murphy said, and they felt the new field trips align better with content standards.
Name: NICHOLAS LANCE RAY

Date of birth: 04/17/1983

Sex: Male

Height: 5 11

Weight: 160

Hair: Red

Eyes: Hazel

Race: White

Wanted for: PROBATION VIOLATION on the original charge of POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, a felony.

BOND: NO BOND

The Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office is asking that anyone having information, please call CRIME STOPPERS AT 208-343-COPS WHERE YOU CAN REMAIN ANONYMOUS AND MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CASH REWARD

Web tips can be made at www.343cops.com

Or download P3 Tips on your mobile phone.

The Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office is asking that anyone having information, please call 735-1911 or Crime Stoppers at 732-5387 where you can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward. Web tips can be made at www.343cops.com Or download P3 Tips on your mobile phone.

Love 0 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3
Three southern Idaho farmers will share their experiences on soil improvement practices at the upcoming Soil Health Workshop to be held in Burley on Wednesday, Feb. 6.

Brian Kossman raises sugar beets, beans, barley, corn and alfalfa on about 200 acres. He has been implementing several conservation practices in his farming operation and has been a quick source of information for local farmers and growers who want to learn about practices such as no-till farming. Kossman is involved in not only his own farming operation but serves as farm manager for Schaeffer Farms, where he also implements many of his innovative practices.

Kossmans approach to conservation is saving water, utilizing no-till practices for water penetration and soil erosion, and working to improve soil health by improving organic matter. He has maintained a leadership role with his church, scouting programs, and is currently chairman of the Minidoka Soil and Water Conservation District. In 2013, he was named a Cooperator of the Year by the Minidoka SWCD, and in 2016 he was made an honorary member of the Minico FFA. The Food Producers of Idaho spotlighted the Kossmans as a Featured Farm Family during the 2017 Twin Falls County Fair.
TWIN FALLS  The College of Southern Idaho Community Education Center will offer two improv classes from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, Feb. 5 through April 2 in Shields 107 and 108 on the CSI campus. The cost of the classes is $90 each.

"Improv I": Through simple but fun games, students will learn the fundamentals of improv which help with everything from team building to interpersonal relationships. Students will work on saying "Yes" to life's curveballs, accepting suggestions and trusting their instincts. No prior experience is required.

"Improv II": Students can fine-tune fundamentals learned in "Improv I" while learning how to focus on scene work, find the game and establish an emotional connection to character and ensemble. It is for those with prior improvisational comedy experience.

Instructors Steve Kaminski and Katie Neff are actors/improvisers/teachers who are both veterans of the Chicago/Los Angeles improv scenes and have both taught the art of improvisation and sketch comedy at Improv Olympic and the Second City for over 15 years.

To register, call 208-732-6442 or go to csi.edu/communityed or visit the CSI Community Education Center.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
IDAHO FALLS  An Idaho Falls man was found guilty by a jury Tuesday for aggravated battery.

Casey Harris Wheeless, 55, was arrested in February after he hit a man attempting to repossess his brothers car. Wheeless told police his wife woke him up after she saw two men near his brothers Chevrolet Tahoe.

Wheeless told police he thought the men were attempting to steal the car and went outside to confront them. The victims decided to leave without repossessing the car. They said they were attempting to explain that they were leaving when Wheeless entered the Tahoe and used it to ram their vehicle.

One of the men recorded with his cellphone as Wheeless hit his coworker with the vehicle, knocking him into a stack of wood. The victim had to be taken to the emergency room at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.

Wheeless is scheduled to be sentenced 9:30 a.m. March 4 in Bonneville County Courthouse. Aggravated battery is punishable with up to 15 years in prison.

Reporter Johnathan Hogan can be reached at 208-542-6746.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
I see the voters of Wisconsin have elected their superintendent of education to be the next governor. I suspect the state is in good hands.

Fifteen years ago, I helped to select teachers to be accepted into a Japanese program where U.S. school teachers spent three weeks visiting schools and meeting education personnel in Japan. The purpose was to strengthen the bonds between the United States and Japan. To be considered for the program, the teacher candidate had to submit a plan for "bringing Japan back to the classroom."

I had applications from Wisconsin and another northern state for which I was responsible, and read the 35 applications from the other state, first. I was impressed by their imagination and creativity. Then I read the applications from the teachers of Wisconsin. They were off the charts! They were so creative, functional and doable that I was stunned. I thought I did not read the other applications thoroughly enough, so I reread those from the other state.

No, that was not the case. It's just that the ones from the teachers of Wisconsin were from a different galaxy. I'm a K-12 educator, and two of my colleagues who worked at the University of Colorado at Boulder has a similar impression of the quality of the applications.
The state, for example, offers property tax credits that it doesnt fully pay out until a subsequent fiscal year. Under cash accounting, that liability doesnt hurt the states balance. Under GAAP accounting, it does.

So Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and the Republican-run Legislature should avoid a rush to spend that $588 million surplus. If the economy sours and tax collections slow, the state will be in a much weaker financial position than its cash-accounting numbers suggest.

Thats why private businesses use the stricter measures of GAAP accounting. And presumably it is why state leaders have long required local governments and school districts to budget using GAAP.

Whats good for thousands of smaller governments across Wisconsin should be good for the larger state government, too. Moving to GAAP accounting is the fiscally responsible thing to do. Yet for decades, the popularity of tax cuts and higher spending have led most politicians to deviate from a prudent path.

Former Gov. Scott Walker pledged to adopt GAAP accounting when he was seeking the governors job in 2010. The GAAP deficit has fallen from $3 billion when Walker took office to $1.25 billion now. Thats progress. Its the lowest GAAP deficit since 2001, according to the nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum.
Gov. Tony Evers plans to provide a pathway for the legalization of medical marijuana in his state budget and said he supports eventual full legalization.

Evers, speaking Tuesday to the Wisconsin Technology Council, said he plans to include a first step toward medical use in his upcoming budget and wants to explore ways to legalize recreational use that favor entrepreneurs and small businesses.

At the end of the day, do I favor legalization? Yes. Evers said. So we will likely have in our budget a first step around medical marijuana.

If a bill fully legalizing recreational marijuana were presented to him, Evers said, I personally would sign that bill.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Josh Kaul told a Milwaukee TV station he is open to allowing medical marijuana and will advocate for it with the Legislature.

Evers, as hes done on the campaign trail, said Tuesday he would support an advisory referendum to determine whether Wisconsinites approve legalizing marijuana in full.

Such a referendum would not have the force of law. Wisconsin does not allow voters to enact their own laws, as other states such as California do, without the Legislature approving it first through a bill.
HOUSE

SANCTIONS RELIEF FOR RUSSIAN COMPANIES: Voting 362 for and 53 against, the House on Thursday passed a measure (HJ Res 30) that would prevent the Treasury Department from lifting economic sanctions on aluminum and energy companies controlled by Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. But the Senate (below) voted to clear the way for Treasury to grant sanctions relief starting this month in return for Deripaska relinquishing majority stakes in the three firms. U.S. sanctions on his personal assets are to remain in force. Congress and President Trump imposed the sanctions to penalize the Kremlin and Putin-aligned oligarchs for actions including Russias interference in U.S. elections, military aggression in eastern Ukraine and seizure of Crimea. Deripaska was an associate of Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, who has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to banking and tax-fraud charges brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Deripaska reportedly remains under Muellers scrutiny. A yes vote was to retain sanctions on the Deripaska-controlled companies.
In the larger Design Gallery, the show Applique to Zardozi will be composed of pieces from the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection that illustrate techniques from around the world, arranged in alphabetical order  from applique, the art of applying smaller pieces of fabric to background pieces using needlework, to zardozi, a form of metal embroidery.

We wanted this show to be some of our showstopper gems, really phenomenal pieces that show these techniques. But those pieces get brought out a lot, Jenkinson said.

So it was a fun challenge to find pieces that are both showstopper and either havent been seen for a while or havent been seen at all on display.

It was fun to play with techniques, too, to challenge peoples assumptions about these techniques, she said.

Like with velvet, for example.

We have some traditional velvets, which people have seen. But then we have some Kasai velvets, which are a play on velvet. They are embroidered textiles made to look like velvet  palm-fiber textiles, which is a really cool and nontraditional velvet.
Rankings for hard-cover books sold in Southern California, as reported by selected book stores:

___

Nonfiction

"Becoming," by Michelle Obama (Crown: $32.35) The former first lady recounts her childhood in Chicago, meeting Barack and their years in the White House.

"The Library Book," by Susan Orlean (Simon & Schuster: $15) The story of the 1986 fire at the Los Angeles Public Library.

"Educated," by Tara Westover (Random House: $28) A young woman raised without schooling by survivalists describes her path to Cambridge University.

"Ninja Future," by Gary Shapiro (William Morrow: $25.99) How to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving world.

"The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up," by Marie Kondo (Ten Speed Press: $16.99) The cleaning guru's method to decluttering your home and simplifying your life.

"Brief Answers to the Big Questions," by Stephen Hawking (Bantam: $25) Final thoughts on the biggest questions facing humankind from the late scientist and mathematician.

"Gmorning, Gnight!" by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Random House: $22.) Illustrated affirmations from the creator of "Hamilton."
Have you had instances where you had to walk back an editorial, where you feel you got it wrong?

Only a couple that Ive apologized for. The most recent is probably a little frivolous, but the owner certainly didnt think so. I argued that Taco Bell on state street didnt really need a liquor license, and I thought I would take a slightly different approach, which was: Madison has an abundance of authentic Mexican restaurants, really good Mexican food. Why would anybody go to Taco Bell to begin with when youve got all these wonderful options? I got a call from the owner of that Taco Bell. He just reminded me of the number of people that he employs and the contributions that his business makes to the city. And it dawned on me I was basically telling people not to support a local business owner who was really contributing. And I did an editorial saying that was a little flip. We still dont think it needs a liquor license, but we dont mean to suggest you should not go to Taco Bell if you want to go to Taco Bell.

What was the other?
Ashim Malla and Suzy Karki made their six-year-long dream of owning a restaurant a reality in mid-October 2018. The Globe, on the corner of North Henry Street off State Street, serves fusion food from different countries on the Asian continent including Thai, Indian and Japanese.

Malla and Karki own the Triangle Market across the street. They have leased the space at 309 N. Henry St. that was previously Taqueria 3 Amigos and a hot dog place called Mad Dogs.

There are a lot of international students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Karki said. Theyre so far away from home and we want to bring home for them.

Restaurants run in Mallas family, which owns Dobhan and Himal Chuli. After taking a course in international cuisine as part of his training in culinary school at Madison College, Malla dedicated his menu to the globe.

I like the business aspect of a restaurant and I like eating and cooking, Malla said. Six years ago, I had the business plan ready. I had my menu ready five years ago. I have been working on my menu for a long time.


remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
New Zealand was the very first stop on our big trip, a trip that also took us to Australia, Japan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and South Africa over the course of five months.

The first month of that trip was truly unforgettable. We lived in our little campervans, which we nicknamed Honey and Poppet respectively, spending our weeks exploring New Zealands North and South Islands.

Its been two years since we visited, but my memories of New Zealand have not become less vivid with the passing of time. Ive managed to write a fair bit about our time in the country, but I recently went back to look at my photos of that trip. I realised that I still have so much more to share, and thats when I first had the idea for this post.

In my opinion, New Zealand is one of the most incredible countries on this planet. There are many reasons that contribute to this opinion but these are some: There are breath-taking landscapes, birdlife that needs to be seen to be believed and a local way of life that I cant help but envy even now.

Ive made no secret of the fact that I would love to live in New Zealand one day. But if anyone out there is contemplating a short-term visit to New Zealand, I hope my photos will help inspire you to go ahead and buy that plane ticket.

In no particular order, here are my favourite photos from our month in New Zealand.

1. Bright-Blue Water at Lake Ruataniwha

I have to start with a photo of a place that absolutely took my breath away when we visited. Believe it or not, but the colour of that water is even more vivid in real life. And its scenery like this that still makes me daydream about our time in New Zealand. Snow-capped mountains, open skies and lakes so bright that they make you question your own eyesight  these are just a few of the natural features we got to see on a daily basis.

This photo was taken at Lake Ruataniwha, but this isnt the only body of water possessing such an unusual colour but more on that later.

2. Hobbiton  the Most Beautiful Place in Middle Earth

How can we not talk about Hobbiton? The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, which was filmed all around New Zealand, played a big part in planting the first seed of the idea to explore the country for both Chris and I.

Hobbiton was one of the first activities we booked when we started planning our trip, and it was one of the best days weve ever had on any of our travels. We were scared that it wouldnt live up to our expectations, but it did  and then some!

All of the movie set tours are led by serious Lord of the Rings enthusiasts, who let visitors in on some of the trilogys filming secrets. We got to visit a host of well-known Hobbiton landmarks, like the Green Dragon and Bilbo Baggins home.

Read: Visiting Hobbiton, the Most Magical Place in Middle Earth

3. The View at Aucklands Sky Tower

New Zealand is known for its dramatic countryside scenery, but we loved discovering its cities too.

We flew in to Auckland, and spent our first few days making our way around the citys major sights. We visited museums, galleries, ate A LOT and even managed a little trip out to Waiheke Island. But one of our favourite stops had to be the Sky Tower.

Even though we visited on a cloudy day, we got to see 360-degree views over Auckland and the surrounding area. I had to include this image because its a little visual reminder that New Zealand is home to impressive cities, which are all worthy of a few days of exploration.

4. The Hole in the Rock, Bay of Islands

After spending a few days in Auckland, we picked up our campervan and drove all the way up to New Zealands Northland to explore the Bay of Islands. This area is so interesting for many reasons: visitors can go to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, where ground-breaking documents were signed that secured the rights of the Maori population. This regions towns are also home to buildings that date to the time of the first European settlements.

We decided to take a boat tour that allowed us to see why this part of New Zealand is called the Bay of Islands. We visited a number of small islands that day, but were transfixed by the appearance of the Hole in the Rock. Also known as Motu Kokako, this rocky island is most famous for the hole thats been created by the relentless action of waves and wind. If the conditions are just right, some boat cruises go right through this cavern. I remember going through and being astounded by the brightly coloured fish swimming just beneath the waters surface. If youre lucky, you may even get to see dolphins or whales during a boat cruise too.

5. Ancient Kauri Trees in Northland

New Zealands North Island is also home to the kauri, and one species of this tree can only be found in this part of the world. We took a drive to Waipoua Forest, which contains some of the biggest kauri trees in the country.

You can spend a few hours in the forest following walking trails. We visited renowned kauri trees including Tane Mahuta and Te Matua Ngahere. The latter has a width of 16 metres and its thought that these trees can live up to 2,000 years!

These trees are vulnerable to disease, though, and visitors are encouraged to clean their shoes when entering and leaving Waipoua Forest (there are clearly marked stations for this). Its important to respect these rules so that everyone gets to keep visiting these ancient giants for many years to come.

6. The Franz Josef Glacier

New Zealand is a country of extremes, playing host to dense forests as well as to vast fields of ice. The South Island has two glaciers that are popular to visit: Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier. If you feel the urge to splurge, helicopter tours take you right onto the glaciers for guided ice walks. Sadly, we were travelling on a tight budget, but that doesnt mean we didnt get to see the glaciers at all.

Instead, we opted for a walk in Westland Tai Poutini National Park, which took us right up to the edge of Franz Josef Glacier. It was amazing to see the characteristic blue-white of a glacier just in front of us and, one day, Id love to go back so that we can also have a chance to see it from above.

7. A Quintessential Queenstown Moment

One of the things I loved about New Zealand was that we were forced to switch to a slower pace of life. We had been living in London for years, and had very much inhabited a life dominated by the fast city pace. Even though we had a packed schedule for New Zealand, we never felt rushed.

There is something special about New Zealand, especially when camping or campervanning, where you have to take it easy in order to truly appreciate the surroundings. I caught someone who was doing the same in the above photograph, setting up a mini hammock so that they could settle in for a little while and enjoy the views around Queenstown.

8. Punakaiki Pancake Rocks

New Zealand is full of natural wonders, and one of these can be found on the west coast of South Island. These strange formations can be seen at Punakaiki Pancake Rocks.

Theres a coastal walking trail here that allows you to see the rocks from the best vantage points. The Pancake Rocks are named as such thanks to their appearance, where different layers of rock are pancaked on top of one other. This happened millions of years ago, when massive amounts of pressure were exerted on different levels of seabed sediments. Erosion then exposed these layers into what we see at the site today.

There are other marvels you can see here, such as blowholes, which are best appreciated during high tide. Speaking from experience, though, you may want to hide your camera when waiting for the blowholes to do their thing!

9. Vibrant Birdlife at Zealandia

This has to be one of my favourite stories from New Zealand. The country is home to so many types of flightless birds, with the kiwi arguably being the most celebrated of these. However, there are other birds to look out for too, like the takahe.

The takahe is a fascinating species. One of the reasons its so special, though, has to be because everyone thought it was extinct for about half a century! In 1948, this large blue bird was rediscovered in a remote area of the Fiordland region, and its population has been growing steadily ever since. We got to see two takahe when we visited Wellingtons Zealandia, which is a great place to visit if youre interested in learning more about New Zealands flora and fauna.

Read: How to Fall in Love with Wellington in 48 Hours

10. That Wanaka Tree

I cant omit this special place.

This lone tree is so popular that its gone on to earn its own social media hashtag (its #thatwanakatree if youre interested). Located a short walk away from Wanaka town centre, this curved willow tree has been photographed countless times. Its not difficult to see why; this is an extremely pristine setting.

That said, some people would do anything to get the ultimate photo but no one should use low tide (or any reason really) as an excuse to try and climb this tree. Like all of New Zealands nature, this trees best admired from a respectful distance.

11. Maori Carvings at Lake Taupo

This was such an awesome day. One morning, we ventured out onto Lake Taupo on a guided kayak tour and got to see Maori carvings up close.

The carvings were created in the 1970s by John Randall and Matahi Whakataka-Brightwell. The main carving depicts the face of Ngatoroirangi, a renowned Maori navigator, and each fern spiral represents a person from his family tree. Its another place that I would wholeheartedly recommend, and you can get out there by kayak, like we did, or on a boat tour from Taupo.

Read: Discovering Lake Taupos Maori Carvings

12. Waterfall in Tongariro National Park

I so wish that I could include photos of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing hike, but it was not meant to be for us! We attempted to do this hike on two different occasions, but the weather just didnt play along and the trail was closed to all walkers both times. I guess this is another reason to go back to New Zealand some day, but we made the most of our time in the area by exploring a tiny portion of Tongariro National Park.

Mangawhero Falls is a dramatic 28-metre waterfall. You need to take a short walk to view the waterfall, but, on a clear day, you can also get great views of Mount Ruapehu. There are many waterfalls scattered across New Zealand, and this particular one was used in the second Lord of the Rings film. Remember when Gollum was catching some tasty fish? That was filmed right here.

13. New Zealands Big Things

If youre like us and love finding something quirky to do, then youll be delighted to know that you can punctuate a road trip by tracking down New Zealands Big Things. And there are many of these, from the big gumboot of Taihape (pictured above) to the big takahe in Te Anau to the big apple at Waitomo.

We couldnt get to all of them in the end, but we worked some of these into our road trip itinerary when it made sense. Thankfully, many of the Big Things can be found at or en route to popular attractions. It may be a slightly different mode of sightseeing, but these definitely provide hilarious photo opportunities.

14. Queenstown from Up High

Oh, Queenstown. This South Island destination has so many wonderful memories attached to it.

It may be a small town, but there is so much to do both in the centre and the surrounding area. Our three days there were activity-driven, going from cliff jumping one afternoon to a morning of hurtling around a race track on a luge. The photo above was taken from Queenstowns Skyline, which has to be the best view over the town and nearby Lake Wakatipu.

Queenstown is busy all year round as, in winter, it transforms into a ski hub, with many visitors coming here to take on the slopes.

15. Rainbow Colours at Wai-O-Tapu

I could just leave this photo here with no explanation: the colour of that water alone warrants this spots inclusion in this list.

I took this photo at Wai-O-Tapu, a geothermal park near Rotorua. In terms of geothermal features, Wai-O-Tapu has them all: geysers, boiling mud pools and hot springs displaying a wide array of bright colours. Many of these can attribute their appearance to the presence of sulphur and I can confirm that, because of this, theres an intense smell that permeates any visit to Wai-O-Tapu.

The sulphuric smell notwithstanding, Wai-O-Tapu is a visual showcase of the forces that usually lie beneath the earths surface and it shouldnt be missed.

16. Marine Marvels at Kaikoura

New Zealand is known for its birdlife, but its marine life is just as plentiful.

And the seal above is a case in point. We pulled up to a little parking lot to stretch our legs on the way to Kaikoura when, very suddenly, I noticed that we werent alone. This seal was sitting on the rocks a few metres away, only politely curious about our presence. There is a large seal colony based along the coast near Kaikoura, but you can see all sorts of marine mammals in the waters off New Zealand, including whales and dolphins.

Many of my most memorable moments from our trip were those that were completely unplanned, like the chance encounter with this whiskered fellow.

17. The Mighty Huka Falls

Ive admitted elsewhere on this blog: Im not the bravest when it comes to water-based activities. But if you are more courageous than I am, then youll be delighted to know that there are many watersports opportunities in New Zealand.

Huka Falls near Lake Taupo is one such place, where a jetboat takes riders close to the base of the waterfall. What this image cant tell you is just how very loud Huka Falls really is, where almost a quarter of a million litres of water makes its way over the falls EVERY SECOND.

18. The Summit of Isthmus Peak

We had travelled to Wanaka so that we could climb Roys Peak only to find that this trail was closed due to the start of lambing season. Luckily, fate stepped in and brought us along to Isthmus Peak, which I still consider to be one of the most spectacular hikes Ive ever completed.

Whichever peak you decide to take on in New Zealand, I can guarantee that the scenery will more than make up for any challenging stages of the trail you may face along the way.

Read: On Top of the World at Isthmus Peak

19. The Mysterious Moeraki Boulders

We visited the Moeraki Boulders on a cloudy day, but the conditions only served to make them look that much more dramatic.

The rocks are located along the eastern coast of the South Island, and they really are as unusual as the photo suggests. These spherical rocks sit on an otherwise-smooth beach, looking as though theyve dropped out of the sky. Maori legend has it that the Moeraki Boulders are actually fossilised remnants of cargo from an ancient sailing canoe. On the other side of the spectrum, scientists call these rocks concretations, where the spheres were solidified over time and then exposed.

Regardless of which theory you like more, the rocks provide little surprises, as they appear in all sorts of sizes along this single section of beach. Some have even cracked open, and their shards display a fragile, crystal-like interior.

20. Milford Sound

The southern coastline of the South Island is riddled with fiords (as opposed to fjords, a spelling used in other parts of the world). Milford Sound is undoubtedly the most prominent of these fiords, attracting around 1 million visitors every single year.

A fiord is defined as a channel that has been carved out by glaciers. And, in this particular case, Milford Sound is the final result.

Since it can get rainy in this part of New Zealand, we seriously lucked out with the blue skies on the day we visited. As we stood at the front of the boat, I wished I had more eyes  there was so much detail to take in. The towering mountains, cascading waterfalls (two of which are present year round) and thick blankets of forest  Milford Sound is a magnificent sensory overload.

21. And Dolphin Visitors at Milford Sound

Hang on, were still at Milford Sound here.

Not only are the surroundings inspiring, but you can find other visitors too. I remember feeling so surprised when, following the cue of others around us, I looked down and saw a shape gliding under the water just ahead of the boat. Soon, it was joined by another, and we discovered that we had been joined by a pair of bottlenose dolphins. They swam with us for quite a long time, swimming on their sides to take a look up at us and showing off their effortless speed.

Dolphins are a common sighting in Milford Sound, and we also spotted a group of seals sunning themselves on some rocks. But, if youre really fortunate, you may even see whales swimming in this fiord on some days. This is another New Zealand spot that really shows off just how much marine diversity you might be able to see in a single afternoon.

22. Cathedral Cove in Coromandel

Coromandel was one of the last places we visited in New Zealand on our way back up to Auckland. Coromandel is a peninsula on the North Island, and theres a lot to see in this single area. Theres the famous Hot Water Beach, for example, where tourists flock at low tide to dig into the sand and create their own little hot tubs with the help of nearby thermal springs.

We decided to leave the campervan and go for a walk towards another well-known landmark: Cathedral Cove. If you look at the image above, you can see why this natural feature has gained this name. We walked through a cavern that peaked above us to create this unreal window unto a striking scene.

This place may look a little familiar, actually, as its been featured in a few music videos, as well as one of The Chronicles of Narnia films.

23. The Icy Beauty of Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park

I am kicking myself over the fact that I havent written about our day at Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park yet. I also struggled to pick only one photo from this place; each vantage point and perspective here is as staggering as the next.

We spent a day in the national park doing two different walking trails. There are plenty of different activities to do in the area, including walks, mountaineering, guided ski trips and mountain biking. Although this area has a total of 19 peaks measuring over 3,000 metres, its recommended that these are only tackled by experienced climbers as conditions can be challenging  and can change really quickly too.

We decided to do the Hooker Valley Track, a stunning three-hour walk that includes suspension bridges, alpine waters and an incomparable view of the Aoraki/Mount Cook peak (the highest mountain in New Zealand). Later that day, we ventured on a shorter one-hour walk to see the Tasman Glacier lake, which was filled, yet again, with water of the most surreal shade of milky blue.

24. An Immersion into Maori Culture

If you are going to New Zealand, I would wholeheartedly recommend learning as much about Maori culture as possible. The Maori were the first people to arrive in New Zealand, as early as 1250 AD. Through learning to understand and adapt to their new landscapes, conditions and unique creatures, a culture rich in legend and storytelling flourished in the centuries that followed.

There are many ways to learn more about Maori history and culture, but we knew that we wanted to experience something interactive. There are many such experiences in New Zealand, where participants get to do activities, see performances and enjoy a traditional Maori hangi feast.

Read: An Authentic Cultural Evening at Tamaki Maori Village

25. Thrill-Seeking at Shotover Canyon

Its pretty odd to look at this photo and think Yup, we threw ourselves off that platform right there, but this is exactly what happened.

For many, New Zealand is synonymous with adventure experiences. I have a lot of friends who had their first sky dive/cliff jump/bridge swing while in New Zealand. I admit that theres something contagious about this urge, as we ended up indulging multiple times too. The best thing about this, though, is that these activities all take place in the most eye-achingly picturesque places. So, yes, you end up doing something that makes your heart race but once the moment of terror passes, the scenery reminds you that you literally couldnt have chosen a better place to push the boundaries of that comfort zone of yours.

Read: A Day-Long Adrenaline Rush at Shotover Canyon

26. Mirror Lakes

This is another photo that combines all of my favourite features of a New Zealand landscape. You can find this spot en route to Milford Sound, in Fiordland National Park. These views can be seen on the aptly named Mirror Lakes Walk. Its a natural pit stop on a road trip, as the walk only takes ten minutes, but it has disproportionately great rewards for the time invested.

When the weather conditions are just right, the water functions as a mirror, reflecting the Earl Mountains and the sky on its surface. The water was so clear that we could see a massive, ghostly tree that had fallen in, creating a startling juxtaposition to the artwork-like reflection just above it.

If only all road trip breaks looked like this

27. Birds in Flight at Bay of Islands

This is one of the best photos I took in New Zealand, and it was a moment of pure chance.

I can still distinctly remember seeing these birds rising and wheeling along a coastline in the Bay of Islands. While it cant transmit the noise of this flock, I feel like this image captures the atmosphere of these sparsely inhabited (by humans, anyway) and rugged islands in this part of the country.

28. Sunset over Wanaka

Weve arrived at the last photo of this post, and it feels right to end with this pastel-hued sunset. While on the way to Wanaka, I caught only a glimpse of this view before asking Chris to pull over when he could.

This shot, with its bend in the road and the way that the landscape has just started to open up into a much-bigger canvas, really encapsulates the joy and surprise involved in any New Zealand trip. The truth is, we never knew what we would see on any given day, but I can tell you that it was always, always absolutely beautiful.

***

Have you been to New Zealand? Or is it on your travel bucket list? I would love to hear from you in the comments below.
Brown has proposed a $2 billion increase in education funding, which Larson said is a good start, but doesn't go far enough. "The Joint Committee on Student Success has made it clear that far more investment is needed, and as educators we know that our students need even more," he said.

A 'slush fund'?

Unions as a whole could receive some relief from a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling finding employers cannot demand dues from public employees on behalf of their unions. The decision found employees had the right to opt out of paying dues which went to fund initiatives of the workforce at large, such as wage negotiations.

Draft legislation introduced by Rep. Paul Holvey, D-Eugene, would attempt to fill the funding gap created by the high court's ruling. Rather than have money come directly from employees' checks, it would come from the employer. The money would be used to fund collective bargaining, not for political purposes, such as campaign contributions.

Mike Tedesco, general counsel for the Oregon School Employees Association, drafted the legislation. "Under the law of the state of Oregon, it's an unfair labor practice for a union not to represent everyone in the union, whether they are a member or not," he said.
I thought about it at first in terms of, All Im doing is changing seats. Then I saw there were two sides to every story, McHill said.

He said he is careful now to base his decisions on the law and the facts, not the parties involved. I dont care who wins anymore, he said.

Historically, circuit court judges in Oregon have a strong track record of being re-elected, so theres reason to believe that Kittson-McQatish and Wynhausen will be on the bench for many years to come.

McHill thinks that they could see even more video evidence and teleconference hearings, as technology improves and becomes more ingrained in law enforcement and the legal system.

Caseloads also continue to gradually increase, McHill said, adding that Linn County could absolutely use another full-time judge. The caseload increase is due to population trends as well as changes in the law that bring more scrutiny to juvenile hearings and other courtroom matters.

From 2013 to 2018, the total number of cases in Linn County has grown from 12,685 to 14,020, a jump of 10.5 percent, according to data provided by James Belshe, Linn County Circuit Court Trial Court Administrator. The low point in the time period was in 2016, when there were only 11,442 cases filed.
For many people who seek higher education in the United States, the common study period of two to four years is not enough. Luckily, graduate degree programs permit students to continue their education and become even more skilled in a given field.

The highest level of education offered by an American college or university is a doctoral degree, or Ph.D. In science, technology engineering and mathematics, or STEM fields, it takes about five years of additional study to earn a Ph.D. In humanities fields, like history or language, receiving a doctoral degree takes an average of seven years.

Doctoral degree programs are difficult and can be costly, but in the past they have been a path to a well-paying, meaningful career.

A new study, however, finds that the number of people seeking Ph.D.s has decreased. Experts say the structure of the American higher education system could be the cause.

Every year, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Education Department, and several other groups release a study on the number of research degrees earned in the U.S.

The most recent study showed that the number of doctoral degrees fell to 54,664 in 2017 from 54,862 the year before. This may only be one percent decrease. But, the authors of the study expressed concern over what the decrease may mean for the future.

Other nations, recognizing the contributions doctorate recipients make to economies and cultures, are investing heavily in doctoral education, they wrote. The worlds brightest students, including U.S. citizens, may go elsewhere for the doctoral degree, and they may begin careers elsewhere as well.

Some experts argue that the latest information does not show important changes in U.S. higher education. Robert Townsend is the director of the offices of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in Washington, DC. He said he would want to see several years of decreases before raising major concerns.

Although the overall number of doctoral degrees decreased, he noted that is mainly because of differences in STEM fields and the humanities. In fact, the number of STEM Ph.D.s increased. And as a growing number of people seek graduate degrees, many more companies are favoring those people for employment.

Yet Townsend noted that the path most doctoral degree-holders take, once they complete their education, is changing.

In the past, most doctoral students entered postdoctoral positions. In these positions, they would usually do research in their fields while also teaching. This has long been the first step toward being chosen for a tenured position, one in which a college or university offers a lifetime position for teaching and research.

Townsend said, in the case of the humanities, this has changed over the last 30 years. There has been a move away from the humanities fields towards STEM fields because of the belief that they lead to better paying jobs. As a result, colleges and universities are employing fewer humanities professors.

This can lead to more students reconsidering the long and costly road to a humanities Ph.D., Townsend added. And without a graduate degree, it may be harder for humanities students to demonstrate their abilities to employers outside of higher education.

We need to be doing a better job of helping our students understand that, as theyre getting a Ph.D., theyre not necessarily going to go into a career that will look like that of the person thats teaching them, he told VOA.

Most colleges and universities cover a large part of the costs for students seeking STEM doctorates. But that does not mean there is less risk involved in investing so much time in your education, said John Walsh. Walsh is a professor of public policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. He added that there are also some signs that STEM Ph.D.s may be losing their appeal, too.

Walsh co-authored a study released in December on the amount of time scientists worked on publishing academic research. It examined the work of over 100,000 scientists who published studies between 1900 and 2015. The study found that, on average, it took about 35 years for half of a group of scientists in the 1960s to reach a point where they were no longer publishing academic research. By comparison, in the 2010s, it took an average of five years, for half of a group of scientists to stop publishing.

The reason, Walsh said, was that many people are leaving research positions at colleges and universities. It is similar to the problem facing those in the humanities, said Walsh. There are fewer chances for growth.

He noted that many research projects are much larger than they were in the past. Yet these projects are still usually only led by one researcher, usually a tenured professor, and they are the ones who get the most recognition for the work.

The many post-doctoral researchers who help with these larger projects are highly skilled, Walsh said. However, they are less able to progress in their careers because they receive less attention. And their positions often only last for a few years. This means that they may have to move from project to project or even leave higher education completely.

We dont have good ways for recognizing people like that in universities, said Walsh. We dont have good ways of rewarding people who are very good at those supporting roles that might be very critical for the success of the project.

There have always been well-paying jobs for people with STEM Ph.D.s in private industry, he added. But failing to create special positions for researchers in higher education may push students away from seeking Ph.D.s in the first place. And having fewer academic researchers will harm the amount of important scientific discoveries coming from the United States.

Im Pete Musto. And Im Dorothy Gundy.

Pete Musto reported this story for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter Jr. was the editor. We want to hear from you. How common is it for people in your country to seek a doctoral degree? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_______________________________________________________________

Quiz

Quiz - US Doctoral Degrees May Be Losing Their Appeal Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

graduate degree  n. an official document and title given to someone who has successfully completed a series of classes at a college or university, such as a master's or doctor's degree, that they have earned only after completing a four year bachelors degree program

author(s)  n. a person who has written something

contribution(s)  n. something that is done to cause something to happen

recipient(s)  n. a person who receives something

favor(ing)  v. to show that you like or approve of someone more than others

tenured  adj. having the right to keep a job, especially the job of being a professor at a college or university, for as long as you want to have it

appeal  n. a quality that causes people to like someone or something

academic  adj. of or relating to schools and education

recognition  n. special attention or notice especially by the public for someone's work or actions

reward(ing)  v. to give money or another kind of payment to someone or something for something good that has been done

role(s)  n. a part that someone or something has in a particular activity or situation

critical  adj. extremely important


Hundreds of people gathered in Washington Friday for the first ever Indigenous Peoples March.

Marchers came from big cities and small towns across the United States and as far away as Australia. Many of them are indigenous activists. They work in support of native groups around the world.

Among other things, the protesters called attention to four main issues: environmental injustices; voter suppression; police abuse; and an end to trafficking of indigenous women.

Up to 2.5 billion people depend on indigenous and community lands, which make up more than half of the worlds land. But indigenous people own just 10 percent.

Campaigners said native people are fighting for land rights against governments, loggers and mining and agricultural companies.

Were in support of the aims of indigenous peoples from across the world  that is for our safety, health, the protection of our families and our water, for the protection of our lives, Rufus Kelly said. He is a member of the Nottoway Tribe of Virginia.

The event had several speakers, including elected officials. Attendees also led prayers, sang and performed traditional dances.

One speaker was Deb Haaland, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. As she stood in front of the Lincoln Memorial, Haaland shouted, Its a great day to be indigenous, isnt it!? She thanked the crowd for coming and said, This is Indian land.

Haaland is from New Mexico and a member of the Laguna pueblo tribe. She was one of the first of two Native American women elected to U.S. Congress.

At the march, Haaland noted that Native Americans had waited 240 years for a seat in Congress and now we have two, she said. So that means we are going to make some issues front and center.

Ruth Buffalo was another speaker at the march. She was recently elected as the first Native American Democrat in the North Dakota state legislature. Buffalo credited her win to local activists who helped register indigenous North Dakotans to vote.

Latoya, an indigenous activist from Australia, also spoke. She talked about police abuse against the countrys native population.

The Indigenous Peoples March opened Friday with a prayer in front of the U.S. Department of the Interior, which oversees the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs.

A prayer leader asked attendees to honor the ground beneath them, which was once indigenous land.

And feel through your feet through this hard surface and reach down underneath  theres soft earth, she said.

She asked native forefathers to bless the days activities.

Were standing here this morning in the footsteps of so many ancestors, she said.

The Indigenous Peoples March was the idea of the Indigenous Peoples Movement. The movement seeks to unify native people from North, South and Central America, the Pacific, Canada, and the Caribbean.

Im Alice Bryant.

Alice Bryant wrote this report for Learning English. It contains information from reports by Reuters news agency, VOAnews.com and other sources.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

indigenous  adj. a word referring to the native people of a place

trafficking  n. the act of illegally transporting people from one area to another, usually for forced labor or sexual exploitation

logger  n. a person or company whose job is to cut down trees for wood

bureau  n. a government department or part of a government department in the U.S.

bless  v. to make something or someone holy by saying a special prayer
Saturday, January 19, 2019

From the International Organization for Migration:

Over 117 vulnerable migrants are believed to have perished in the winter waters of the Mediterranean Sea on Friday marking the second tragedy in just two days and bringing the total number of migrant deaths on the Mediterranean Sea to 200 through nearly three weeks of the new year.



News of this second dramatic shipwreck arrived with the rescue of three survivors who were interviewed by IOM staff Saturday on the island of Lampedusa.



IOM Rome's Flavio Di GIacomo explained that on Friday the Italian navy brought to Lampedusa two Sudanese nationals who said they survived the sinking of an overloaded rubber boat that left Libya the previous day. A third survivor, from The Gambia, confirmed those details.



On Saturday IOM Staff working on the island spoke to the three men, who said that they were on a dinghy carrying 120 migrants, the majority coming from western African countries.



The three survivors reported about 40 Sudanese nationals also were on board, having left the Libyan

Port of Garabuli on Thursday night. The survivors said after about 10 hours at sea the dinghy started to take on water and many of its passengers drowned.



The three men managed to stay afloat for several hours before being spotted by an Italian Navy patrol plane some 50 miles off the Libyan coast. Subsequently, they were rescued by an Italian Navy helicopter and brought to Lampedusa.



The survivors explained that among the people drowned were ten women, one known to be pregnant, and two children, incuding a 2 month-old toddler.



This information comes less than 24 hours after news was confirmed of a shipwreck off the coast of Spain in which 53 African migrants are believed to have drowned. There was one surviving witness of that tragedy, which occurred the night of 17 January.



These were not the only rescue operations carried out in these last few days in the Mediterranean Sea, IOM Rome reported today.



The NGO ship Sea Watch rescued another 47 migrants while two days ago 68 migrants were rescued by the Italian Coast Guard and brought to Lampedusa. All of these migrants had left from Libya bound for Europe.



IOM Libya Saturday also reported at least two search and rescue missions carried out by Lybian units which returned dozens of men, women and children to shore. IOM is also seeking information on those survivors.



With these latest shipwreck events the death toll registered by IOM in January on the Mediterranean has now reached a total of 200.

bh

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/2019/01/170-missing-migrants-from-two-major-shipwrecks.html
Pacquiao Dominates in Retaining Title Against Broner

LAS VEGAS (AP)  Manny Pacquiao showed Saturday night hes still got plenty of fight for a fighter on the wrong side of 40.

Whether Pacquiaos dominating win over Adrien Broner gets him a rematch with Floyd Mayweather, though, is a question that will have to be answered another night.

With Mayweather watching from ringside, Pacquiao showed flashes of his old speed in winning a unanimous 12-round decision over Broner to easily defend his piece of the welterweight title. It was the 61st win of a remarkable career in which Pacquiao has won titles in eight weight classes.

ADVERTISEMENT

And it put to rest any thoughts of retirement after 24 years as a pro.

The Manny Pacquiao journey will still continue, Pacquiao said.

Fighting for the first time at the age of 40, the senator from the Philippines won a lopsided decision that was never in doubt before a crowd that roared at every punch he landed. The decision was never in doubt, but Pacquiao pressed the fight into the later rounds as he tried unsuccessfully to score a knockout.

Two judges favored Pacquiao by a 116-112 score, while the third had it 117-111. The AP scored it a shutout 120-108 for Pacquiao.

There were no knockdowns, but Pacquiao landed the heavier punches  and lots of them. He caught Broner in the seventh and ninth rounds with big left hands that sent him backward, while Broner spent most of the fight looking for one big counter that never came.

At the age of 40 I can still give my best, Pacquiao said.  Although I wanted to be aggressive more, my camp told me dont be careless and to counter him and wait for opportunities. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Both fighters were cautious late, as the fight slowed in the final two rounds.

Pacquiao, whose pro career stretches back 24 years, showed he still has the speed that carried him over his spectacular career. He also displayed some power, though he was never able to drop Broner.

Pacquiao was clearly the favorite of the crowd of 13,025, who gathered at the MGM Grand arena to see if the part-time fighter still had some fight in him. Turned out Pacquiao did, and then some as he pushed the attack against Broner.

Pacquiao was the aggressor from the opening bell, and he had to be because Broner threw only occasional punches in the opening rounds. Pacquiao attacked at will, winning round after round before the fight started to heat up in the middle rounds.

Broner, meanwhile, fought like he was merely trying to survive, despite being 11 years younger than his opponent. He was booed loudly as he raised his hands in victory and jumped on the corner ropes as if he had won.

I beat him, everybody out there knows I beat him, Broner said. I clearly won the last seven rounds.

Mayweather watched it all intently from his ringside seat, and was coy about possibly coming out of retirement for a reprise of the 2015 lackluster fight Mayweather won by decision over Pacquiao.

You keep asking me about Manny Pacquiao, Mayweather said during the fight. He needs to get past Adrien Broner first. And right now Im living a happy and healthy life.

Showtime announcer Jim Gray tried to get Mayweather to climb in the ring after the fight and discuss a possible bout with Pacquiao, but Mayweather demurred.

It was the first fight in the U.S. in two years for Pacquiao, who reunited with trainer Freddie Roach for a bout that would determine how much he had left at the age of 40.

Turns out he had plenty, in a fight that was entertaining even if it wasnt a classic.

Ringside punching stats showed Pacquiao landing 112 of 568 pounds. Broner threw only 295 punches and landed just 50.

Broner landed no more than eight punches in any round, and just one in the final round.
Excerpts and summaries of news stories from the former Intelligencer Journal, Lancaster New Era and Sunday News that focus on the events in the countys past that are noteworthy, newsworthy or just strange.

25 Years Ago: Lancaster County was experiencing a deep freeze that iced and closed roads, snarling traffic. Pennsylvania Power & Light instituted rolling blackouts in an effort to conserve energy. The blackouts were ended when the temperature crept above freezing for the first time in days. Wednesday, Jan. 19 was the coldest day ever in Lancaster County  the low temperature was recorded at -10 degrees. The Jan. 20, 1994, New Era had the story.

In the same edition, the record cold served as a spotlight for those who couldnt just huddle up at home until temperatures rose. The newspaper profiled farmers, police officers, fuel delivery drivers, mail and newspaper carriers and construction workers who shared their tips and tricks for staying warm on the job.

National Headline: McCartney confirms Beatles reunion at Rock Hall ceremony

50 Years Ago: In response to a weekend drug raid, law enforcement officers, medical professionals and the countys district attorney got together to answer questions from parents. They helped educate parents about dope and what to do if they suspected their child was using it. The Jan. 20, 1969, Intelligencer Journal had the story.

Also in that edition, it was reported that Pennsylvania Power & Light completed a $3.3 million expansion project. A new line was created and strung between stations at Safe Harbor and Akron. Carrying 220,000 volt transmissions, the line would help meet current and future power needs.

National Headline: Housing squabble // Dublin riot injures scores

75 Years Ago: The Jan. 20, 1944, Intelligencer Journal reported on a lantern explosion. The explosion and ensuing fire injured eight people in a farmhouse kitchen near Cramers Mill. Five of the injured were children of the farms owner, Clarence Weinhold. Three people were listed in critical condition. The kitchen and its contents were destroyed.

The same edition reported that the Slumbering Lodge of Groundhogs in Quarryville was gearing up for another year of activity. Charles F. Hess was chosen to fill the hibernating governor vacancy left by the death of George W. Hensel. The group rejected the membership proposal of the Duke of Windsor, saying He has enough on his hands right now.

National Headline: Central figure in Hopkins Letter case is located

100 Years Ago: Judge Charles issued a stark warning at the start of the January Criminal Court term, the Jan. 20, 1919, New Era reported. Knowing that crime and disorder tended to follow periods of war, he urged law-abiding citizens to be vigilant during this period of readjustment. He cautioned that none forget Obedience to the law is liberty.

That edition also reported that the members of the Lancaster County Bee Keepers Association agreed to endorse the countys Memorial Hall project. Members present unanimously decided that the hall would be a good way to honor soldiers in the world war. Members also selected delegates to the state beekeeping convention. A round-table discussion of beekeeping practices followed.

National Headline: Spartacans defeated at the polls, attempt to destroy ballot boxes
Dear President Donald Trump:

If you would like professionals in the CIA, FBI and special counsels office to stop asking if you could actually be a Russian asset, then please stop acting like a Russian asset.

Stop giving counterintelligence officials reasons to doubt you. Stop acting like someone who is being manipulated, blackmailed or otherwise controlled by a hostile foreign intelligence service.

Stop pretending Russia didnt engage in extensive cyber operations to help get you elected. Stop ignoring the senior national security experts you hired. Stop praising and cowering before Russian President Vladimir Putin. Stop trashing and firing the patriots who are investigating why you seem to be in the thrall of that former KGB agent. Stop disclosing classified information to Russian officials in the Oval Office. Tell your son-in-law it was wrong to seek a back channel to Moscow using Russian diplomatic facilities.

Stop hiding your communications with Putin from your own advisers. Stop trying to advance his geopolitical strategic interests by attempting to weaken European democracies and their leaders, by sowing rifts between allies and within your own country, by pulling 2,000 U.S. forces out of Syria and by lifting sanctions on Russians.

Please dont ever suggest again that the U.S. pull out of NATO. Such a move would be Putins ultimate victory.

Just so you know, American presidents dont do these sorts of things; heck, most presidents of former Soviet republics dont even do them. Maybe the counterintelligence officials have it all wrong, but please stop acting like a Russian asset.

Sincerely,

Patriotic Americans

The past is present

It is astonishing that many rational people  especially those familiar with counterintelligence operations  are seriously questioning whether the American president is under the control of a foreign power.

We should be grateful for their concern, however. Recall that a lack of critical thinking led to numerous national security disasters, including 9/11, and to three infamous counterintelligence cases: those of Eric Snowden, Robert Hanssen and Aldrich (Rick) Ames.

As a former military and intelligence officer, I am most struck by the parallels between what were seeing today and the Ames case.

In 2013, Eric Snowden, a former CIA and National Security Agency contractor, leaked highly classified Department of Defense and NSA files before fleeing the United States and ultimately getting asylum in Russia. Nevertheless, he does not appear to have been under the control of a hostile foreign service while he was stealing and leaking classified information.

Nor does Robert Hanssen. Hanssen worked for the FBI from 1976 to 2001, but for 22 of his 25 years he gave highly classified information to the Soviet Union and Russia. He collected from them more than $1.4 million, got several U.S. assets killed, caused enormous damage to the United States, and is serving multiple life sentences in one of the most secure prisons in the United States.

Interestingly, Hanssen kept his identity hidden from his Russian contacts; he initiated the communications with them; and he decided what he would steal and give to the Soviets and Russians. He was a traitor who is lucky to have escaped the death penalty, but he did not seem to have been controlled by the Russians.

On the other hand, Aldrich Ames  a 31-year veteran of the CIA from 1962 to 1993  seems to have been assessed, developed and handled by Soviet and Russian intelligence officers.

Like Donald Trump, Ames pursued the same career as his father  the Trumps in real estate and the Ames in the CIA.

Neither son  Ames or Trump  was as skilled as his father. Perhaps because they felt they didnt measure up, both sons had extramarital affairs with foreign women with expensive tastes.

Both faced financial pressures. What are such men to do? Their answer was to acquire as much money as possible to demonstrate their self-worth.

Ames didnt set out to be a traitor; traitors rarely do. He was being squeezed financially because of his affair and the resulting divorce, and he was looking for a way out.

Likewise, Trump surely didnt set out to be humiliated by Putin in front of the world. Unable to get loans from U.S. banks to shore up his flailing empire, he saw a solution in Deutsche Bank, now enmeshed in a money laundering investigation  and in Russians who reportedly sought to launder money through the Trump businesses. In Trumps view, perhaps, he was just selling real estate properties at inflated prices to Russian businessmen. It was a scheme to get money, nothing more. Or so Trump thought.

After Ames was arrested and imprisoned, he told U.S. investigators that he felt he was under extreme financial pressure and so in 1985 he devised a scam to get money from the KGB. It wasnt espionage, in his view  it was just a scam.

Nine years later, Ames was arrested after his scam evolved into a full- fledged asset-handler relationship that cost the lives of a dozen U.S. assets in Russia during the Cold War and compromised more than a hundred operations.

The ability to lie easily is essential to pulling off such a scam. So, too, is self-centeredness.

Money was the motivation, Ames told investigators. I dont believe that I was affecting the security of this country and the safety of its people.

Instead of apologizing for his treachery, Ames slammed the work of the CIA as a self-serving sham carried out by careerist bureaucrats who have managed to deceive several generations of American policymakers and the public about both the necessity and the value of their work.

It sounds familiar.

Like Ames, Trump lies easily and often. Like Ames, he seemed to have turned to Russians to extricate himself from financial problems and enrich himself.

Maybe a duck really isn't a duck, and maybe President Trump isnt a Russian asset. But he sure acts like one. And he certainly triggers memories of an infamous one.

Bryan T. Stinchfield, Ph.D., is a former Army officer who served in the U.S. intelligence community. He is an associate professor in the business, organizations and society department at Franklin & Marshall College.
Username: Password: or Register

Back to

Forum

Reply to

This post

Post New

Thread Thread Rating: 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average

1

2

3

4

5

Putin: Traditional Islam is an integral part of Russias spiritual life Putin is a shill

lop guest

User ID: 483304

01-20-2019 07:24 AM











Post: #1 Putin: Traditional Islam is an integral part of Russias spiritual life

Advertisement



Let me congratulate you fr om all my heart on the opening of Moscows rebuilt Cathedral Mosque. This is a big event for all Muslims in Russia.



One of Moscows oldest mosques stood on this historical site and has undergone reconstruction that now makes it the biggest in Europe. It was given a magnificent modern new look worthy of the capital of our united, multi-ethnic and multi-confessional country. This new mosque is worthy of Russia, in which, I want to stress, Islam, under our countrys law, is one of Russias traditional religions, with millions of our citizens counting themselves among its followers.



I want to thank everyone who took part in the work on this magnificent building and all of the Muslims in Russia and abroad who donated to this effort. We are grateful to the governments of Turkey and Kazakhstan for their contributions to the mosques reconstruction.



I am sure that the mosque will become a major spiritual centre for Muslims in Moscow and throughout Russia, providing education and spreading humanistic ideas and the true and authentic values of Islam. It will spread knowledge and spirituality and will help to unite the efforts of Muslims and people of other faiths too in common worthy causes. The Koran tells us to try to outdo each other in doing good.



Right from its creation, Russia has always been a multi-ethnic and multi-confessional country. This mutual enrichment of different cultures, traditions and religions has always been our countrys distinguishing feature and strength.



Moscows Muslim community, for example, emerged back in mediaeval times, and this is reflected in the Tatar roots of many of the capitals street names.



The traditions of enlightened Islam developed over many centuries in Russia. The fact that different peoples and religions live peacefully together in Russia is in large part thanks to the Muslim community, which has made a worthy contribution to preserving harmony in our society and has always strived to build relations within and between religions based on tolerance for each others faiths.



Today, traditional Islam is an integral part of Russias spiritual life. Islams humanist values, like the values of our other traditional religions, teach people compassion, justice and care for our loved ones. We place great value on these things.



The number of mosques and Islamic cultural centres has increased greatly in Russia over the last 20 years. Amazingly beautiful mosques have been built in Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Chechnya and other Russian regions. In 2003, our country became a permanent observer in the Organisation of the Islamic Conference. Thousands of pilgrims from Russia make the hajj, and the number of madrasas and schools attached to mosques has also increased greatly.



It is important to educate Muslim youth in traditional Islamic values and prevent attempts to impose on us world outlooks that are alien to us and have nothing to do with genuine Islam. Let me say that the authorities will continue to assist in reviving Russias system of Islamic theological schools and religious education.



As you know, I supported the Tatarstan authorities and the principal Muslim spiritual bodies on the issue of establishing the Bulgar Islamic Academy, thus reviving this ancient Russian Muslim centre of religion and learning.



Of course, we must continue expanding the network of Muslim cultural and educational centres. Their aim is to bring Muslims together, impart to them the spiritual, cultural and moral code inherent to traditional Islam in Russia, help to resolve common problems, and take part in youth education.



I note the big role that Muslims and above all their spiritual leaders play in strengthening interethnic and interfaith harmony. Their rejection and condemnation of all forms of fundamentalism and radicalism have made a major contribution to the fight against nationalism and religious extremism.



Work in this area is all the more important today, when we see attempts to cynically exploit religious feelings for political aims.



We see what is happening in the Middle East (this has been mentioned here today too), wh ere terrorists from the so-called Islamic State are compromising a great world religion, compromising Islam, sowing hatred, killing people, including clergy, and barbarically destroying monuments of world culture. Their ideology is built on lies and blatant distortions of Islam.



They are trying to recruit followers here in Russia too. Russias Muslim leaders are bravely and fearlessly using their own influence to resist this extremist propaganda. I want to express my tremendous respect for these people who carry out their work heroically and have suffered losses. I have no doubt that they will continue to educate the faithful in the spirit of humanism, compassion and justice.



Friends, this new mosque is opening as the Muslim community is about to celebrate the big holiday of Eid al-Adha. Let me congratulate all of Russias Muslims on this joyful holiday and wish you all goodness, happiness and prosperity.



I congratulate you on the mosques opening.



Source: kremlin.ru



https://www.muslim.ru/en/articles/137/13878/ President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Erdogan, Mr Abbas, members of the clergy, foreign guests, friends,Let me congratulate you fr om all my heart on the opening of Moscows rebuilt Cathedral Mosque. This is a big event for all Muslims in Russia.One of Moscows oldest mosques stood on this historical site and has undergone reconstruction that now makes it the biggest in Europe. It was given a magnificent modern new look worthy of the capital of our united, multi-ethnic and multi-confessional country. This new mosque is worthy of Russia, in which, I want to stress, Islam, under our countrys law, is one of Russias traditional religions, with millions of our citizens counting themselves among its followers.I want to thank everyone who took part in the work on this magnificent building and all of the Muslims in Russia and abroad who donated to this effort. We are grateful to the governments of Turkey and Kazakhstan for their contributions to the mosques reconstruction.I am sure that the mosque will become a major spiritual centre for Muslims in Moscow and throughout Russia, providing education and spreading humanistic ideas and the true and authentic values of Islam. It will spread knowledge and spirituality and will help to unite the efforts of Muslims and people of other faiths too in common worthy causes. The Koran tells us to try to outdo each other in doing good.Right from its creation, Russia has always been a multi-ethnic and multi-confessional country. This mutual enrichment of different cultures, traditions and religions has always been our countrys distinguishing feature and strength.Moscows Muslim community, for example, emerged back in mediaeval times, and this is reflected in the Tatar roots of many of the capitals street names.The traditions of enlightened Islam developed over many centuries in Russia. The fact that different peoples and religions live peacefully together in Russia is in large part thanks to the Muslim community, which has made a worthy contribution to preserving harmony in our society and has always strived to build relations within and between religions based on tolerance for each others faiths.Today, traditional Islam is an integral part of Russias spiritual life. Islams humanist values, like the values of our other traditional religions, teach people compassion, justice and care for our loved ones. We place great value on these things.The number of mosques and Islamic cultural centres has increased greatly in Russia over the last 20 years. Amazingly beautiful mosques have been built in Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Chechnya and other Russian regions. In 2003, our country became a permanent observer in the Organisation of the Islamic Conference. Thousands of pilgrims from Russia make the hajj, and the number of madrasas and schools attached to mosques has also increased greatly.It is important to educate Muslim youth in traditional Islamic values and prevent attempts to impose on us world outlooks that are alien to us and have nothing to do with genuine Islam. Let me say that the authorities will continue to assist in reviving Russias system of Islamic theological schools and religious education.As you know, I supported the Tatarstan authorities and the principal Muslim spiritual bodies on the issue of establishing the Bulgar Islamic Academy, thus reviving this ancient Russian Muslim centre of religion and learning.Of course, we must continue expanding the network of Muslim cultural and educational centres. Their aim is to bring Muslims together, impart to them the spiritual, cultural and moral code inherent to traditional Islam in Russia, help to resolve common problems, and take part in youth education.I note the big role that Muslims and above all their spiritual leaders play in strengthening interethnic and interfaith harmony. Their rejection and condemnation of all forms of fundamentalism and radicalism have made a major contribution to the fight against nationalism and religious extremism.Work in this area is all the more important today, when we see attempts to cynically exploit religious feelings for political aims.We see what is happening in the Middle East (this has been mentioned here today too), wh ere terrorists from the so-called Islamic State are compromising a great world religion, compromising Islam, sowing hatred, killing people, including clergy, and barbarically destroying monuments of world culture. Their ideology is built on lies and blatant distortions of Islam.They are trying to recruit followers here in Russia too. Russias Muslim leaders are bravely and fearlessly using their own influence to resist this extremist propaganda. I want to express my tremendous respect for these people who carry out their work heroically and have suffered losses. I have no doubt that they will continue to educate the faithful in the spirit of humanism, compassion and justice.Friends, this new mosque is opening as the Muslim community is about to celebrate the big holiday of Eid al-Adha. Let me congratulate all of Russias Muslims on this joyful holiday and wish you all goodness, happiness and prosperity.I congratulate you on the mosques opening.Source: kremlin.ru

Back to

Forum

Reply to

This post

Post New

Thread
















More than 44 years ago, I was a junior Foreign Service officer serving as vice consul in my second overseas assignment at the American Consulate General in Zagreb.

Zagreb is the capital of the Republic of Croatia, which then was one of the six constituent republics of the Socialist Federated Republic of Yugoslavia. It was a fascinating country and a challenging assignment in this communist but nonaligned country then still led by World War II partisan Marshall Josip Broz Tito.

Why the history lesson? It seems to me that history does have a way of repeating. Indeed, as Karl Marx famously wrote, history repeats itself first as tragedy, then as farce.

Shockingly scary

The Jan. 11 blockbuster headline reporting that the FBI actually opened a counterintelligence investigation into the president of the United States as a possible Russian agent would be highly humorous if it were not so shockingly scary. It is, in fact, the closest thing this country has come to a coup detat in 250 years.

And that brings me back to Yugoslavia circa 1974 at the time of Watergate.

Part of my job in Zagreb was to explain my country to the leaders of Croatia. That meant the society, the values and the foreign policy of the United States and how that related to their part of the world. The theory was that the better they knew and understood us, the more sympathetic they would be to our policies and ideals. Watergate was a real challenge in that regard.

To the people of the Balkans, however, Watergate could mean really only one thing: It was an ill-disguised coup detat by the opposition party designed to seize power from the party in power.

In their view, this constitutional crisis on the part of the Americans was just politics as usual. So President Richard Nixon covered up a connection to a burglary of the opposition party and lied about it  so what? That was pretty much the conventional wisdom among Croatias elites in government, the media and academia. Others went further to profess their disbelief that the Americans would even air such dirty laundry in public.

I used all my powers of persuasion and commanded the facts, but I could not convince my audience that such actions by the president were beyond the pale of American politics and a violation of our societal values.

I would like to think that, in the nearly half-century since then, the demise of communism and the rise of an independent and democratic nation of Croatia has put the views and values of Croatians a lot closer to those of mid-1970s Americans.

But in those intervening years have Americas own values become distorted? Can they no longer be relied on as they were in 1974? If indeed the FBI launched a formal national security investigation of the president of the United States as a possible Russian agent following the firing of FBI Director James Comey in May 2017, it would have been an unprecedented action. And it would have required at least the tacit cooperation of a host of senior-level officials of the law enforcement and intelligence services.

Is the story even true? We do not know this for certain since the story is based on anonymous sources leaking to The New York Times. Among those senior FBI and intelligence officials who, in my view, had to have been complicit were: FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, Associate Deputy Attorney General Bruce Ohr, FBI senior counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page. Only Ohr  somehow  remains in the employ of the federal government; McCabe and Strzok were terminated for cause and Page resigned. All have been criticized for exhibiting excessively partisan and unethical behavior.

Where is the proof?

What was the basis for this precedent-setting action? In the absence of any evidence to the contrary, it seems to be President Donald Trumps public assertion that he would like to get along with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trumps ill-advised joke in 2016 that Russia should hack Hillary Clintons emails and reveal what she was up to.

Or was the investigation spurred by the so-called Steele dossier, whose most controversial elements remain unproven?

Some have suggested it was simply FBI pals seeking revenge for the firing of Comey, so deep was the animus they had for Trump.

Clearly whatever the motivation for launching a national security investigation into Trumps relationship with Russia, one thing seems clear: Had that investigation unearthed any proof that Trump was working for Russia, the details of that proof would have been leaked to The New York Times by the same unethical officials who leaked the Jan. 11 story. And the headlines would have screamed Traitor.

So one can safely assume that there was nothing found by the investigation. The surest proof is that Trump is still in office.

The real question remains: Were law enforcement and intelligence officials able to instigate and pursue a lengthy national security investigation of the elected head of state without the knowledge and consent of any elected official of the United States government?

It appears that our elected officials knew nothing of this cabal, but unelected bureaucrats of the FBI and other agencies  as well as The New York Times  apparently were aware of it. That is the sort of coup detat that happens in small, unstable and fledgling countries, not the United States of America.

William P. Kiehl is a retired foreign service officer who served 35 years with the U.S. Information Agency and U.S. Department of State in Europe, Asia and Washington. He was also a diplomat-in-residence at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle. He resides in Lancaster County.
A winter storm arrived in Lancaster County Saturday later than expected and less potent than previously anticipated.

A winter storm warning issued Friday by the National Weather Service was canceled just after 2:30 p.m. Saturday and replaced with a winter weather advisory.

That advisory called for 1 to 4 inches of snow across south-central Pennsylvania beginning Saturday afternoon.

While snow  even moderate snow was predicted to fall in Lancaster, an expected quick turnover to rain was likely to prevent much of it from sticking.

The National Weather Services forecast from Lancaster Airport at 5 p.m. Saturday predicted little or no snow accumulation both Saturday night and Sunday morning.

The next weather event will be a blast of cold air coming early Sunday, according to a tweet by Eric Horst, a meteorologist with the Weather Information Center at Millersville University.

Temps will take a wild ride next 36hrs. Currently ~34, but  ~31 when precip arrives. Then a slow rise thru the 30s overnight, perhaps to ~40 by dawn. The Arctic front will move thru 9-10am (LanCo), so midday temps will  sharply into the 20s ...to single digits at overnight.  E. Horst, MU WIC (@MUweather) January 19, 2019

He calls for an Arctic front to move through Lancaster County starting at 9 a.m. that will bring temperatures down to the 20s by midday Sunday.

Temperatures will to continue its descent into the single digits along with wind gusts as high as 36 miles-per-hour Sunday night, according to several weather agencies.

The worst of the chilly weather is likely on Monday  Martin Luther King Day.

Lancaster may see a frigid high temperature of just 16 degrees that day, according to the National Weather Service.
Gregory Dow says he went to Kenya wanting to help children. He returned wanted on charges of harming them.

Together with his wife, Mary Rose, and their six children, Gregory Dow uprooted from life in Lancaster County in 2008 to open a home for needy and orphaned children in Boito, Kenya.

They sold their East Hempfield Township farm, packed their bags and waved farewell to friends, family and fellow church members.

Over the years, the home grew from a handful of children to more than 80 ranging from newborns to teens. Many of the children had diseases and were orphaned and uneducated.

But eventually, Gregory Dow  who has a prior sex-crime conviction in the U.S.  fled Kenya as authorities issued an arrest warrant, charging him with sexually assaulting children in his care.

His wife, captured as she tried to leave Kenya, was found guilty of cruelty to children for having girls implanted with birth-control devices. She paid a fine and left the country and the orphanage behind.

The Dows, back in Lancaster County, maintain their innocence. So does the pastor of an Elizabethtown church that had supported them, together claiming that the Dows Kenyan neighbors turned against them.

The orphanage they built as part of what they described as Gods will in 2008 is no more, the children they once promised to raise now scattered to other facilities and families.

And Kenyan authorities are looking to extradite 59-year-old Gregory Dow, who is a fugitive from justice.

A call to go

Gregory Dow moved to Lancaster County in 2000. He met Doug Lamb, owner of West Donegal Township-based Lamb Construction Co., whom he would work for until leaving for Kenya.

Gregory Dow married Mary Rose in January 2002, and they bought a Graystone Road farm in East Hempfield Township at the end of the year, according to county records.

They went to a missionary conference in 2006. Mary Rose Dow felt God was calling them to go to Africa, Gregory previously told LNP. He said he was hesitant at first but agreed.

They garnered support from their church, Life Gate Church in Elizabethtown. Lamb was also a pastor there.

In a 2016 interview, Lamb said he felt the Dows jumped into the deep end of the pool when they decided to open the orphanage. They had not run a large home or previously done missionary work, he said.

But they went. The Dows ran their orphanage from a yellow-walled building on a 1-acre plot of land in rural Bomet County, west of Nairobi.

Newsletter updates from the orphanage tell stories of young children, orphaned or living in inadequate homes, rescued and brought to the Dows home. Local villagers were hired to teach the children and take care of the property. Friends from the U.S. paid occasional visits.

Life began to be so hard

Conditions at the orphanage began to deteriorate in 2013, according to testimony at Mary Rose Dows trial and investigative files from Kenyan police. Thats when Gregory Dow started assaulting older girls at the home and began to beat the pupils, a 12-year-old girl said in victim testimony recorded by police in 2017.

The girl, who joined the home in 2011, testified that Gregory Dow was a wonderful man who treated us with fatherly love. He catered for every basic thing we needed such as food and clothing also.

Everything changed in 2013, she said in her testimony. Now life began to be so hard.

The 12-year-old along with several other girls, ages 12, 15 and 18, also told police that Mary Rose Dow took them to a medical center to have birth control implants placed in their arms, according to police documents.

One girl said Mary Rose Dow covered her ears to keep her from hearing what the doctors were saying before the procedure, according to police documents.

Months later in court, Mary Rose Dow would testify that she took the girls for their protection from promiscuity.

Wanted and fleeing

Kenyan police got involved after a few girls left the home in September 2017. At that time, there were more than 80 children living there.

The 12-year-old and a 15-year-old went to police Sept. 11, 2017, to file reports of sexual harassment by Gregory Dow, according to police reports. They told police he would summon girls and become upset if they refused his advances.

The next day investigators went to the orphanage, but the Dows were missing, according to a police report.

Investigators learned that Gregory Dow had fled Kenya and was spotted entering New York, according to investigation notes.

Kenyan police applied for an arrest warrant Sept. 14, 2017, and began extradition procedures to bring him back to Kenya to face criminal sexual-related charges, according to police records.

About 12 years before going to Kenya, Gregory Dow was convicted of a sex crime in Iowa.

He was charged with lascivious acts with a child in August 1996. The allegation stemmed from an incident several years earlier where he was accused of touching a 14-year-old girl. He pled guilty to a lesser assault charge and was sentenced to prison for a maximum of two years, court records show.

Gregory Dow did not spend time in prison but was on probation until November 1998, according to Iowas Department of Corrections and court records.

Based on Iowas sex-offender registry laws, Gregory Dow would have been required to register as an offender for the next 10 years, or until 2006.

Police would be able to ascertain if Gregory Dow registered as an offender or not when he moved to Pennsylvania, but that information is not public.

Dows maintain innocence

Gregory Dow, now living in Manheim, said in a phone interview that a former employee and the man the Dows purchased the land from for their orphanage came up with a scheme to get the property back.

They got a few rebellious teenage girls to lie, he said, adding that Kenyans are volatile people.

Its sad to say we live in a society where people are guilty until proven innocent, he said.

The Dows pastor defended the couple, claiming they are victims of an unexplainable uprising concocted by neighbors of the home.

It was a well-planned scheme to take the Dow home down, Lamb said in a phone interview.

He said he encouraged them early on in the process to find a missions agency to work with, but the Dows felt strongly about their conviction to go on their own.

When the home started, the children were young, and villagers appreciated the Dows care, Lamb said. But as the children got older, they became dissatisfied within the walls of the compound, he said.

The children were probably closeted a little too much, Lamb said. Greg and Mary Rose were concerned for their childrens safety.

By the time police got involved last year, it was too late, he said.

Adult Kenyans in the area thought there was cultlike inappropriate behavior at the compound, and people rioted outside the gates, Lamb said.

Lamb 1 It was a well-planned scheme to take the Dow home down." ~ Doug Lamb, pastor at Life Gate Church

The Dows didnt handle it quickly enough, and it mushroomed, he said. When someone is accused, we assume the worst.

Lamb acknowledged the sexual assault conviction levied against Gregory Dow in Iowa.

Im aware of it. Cant comment on it, he said, but added that the previous case doesnt prove the allegations in Kenya.

Gregory Dow said it was a long time ago and a special circumstance.

He said he stood before Life Gate Church and told his story.

Everyone who knew me knew about that before I went to Kenya, he said.

After both Dows were back in Lancaster County, they stayed at Life Gate Church for a few months but switched to a different church. Lamb said Life Gate no longer supports them financially.

I am in the 95th percentile that nothing happened, Lamb said.

It looks bad, leaving the country without facing that music, Lamb said. I believe (Greg Dow) is innocent, based on the facts.

Mary Rose on trial

Afraid for their lives, the Dows arranged to get out of Kenya as quickly as possible.

They split up for their flights. Gregory Dows flight was earlier than his wifes, and he escaped, Lamb said.

My life was in danger, and I knew it, Gregory Dow said. Four of the couples six children were with him. The other two had returned to the U.S. previously on their own.

Mary Rose Dow was captured in Nairobi and spent the next few months in jail waiting for trial.

Court records show Mary Rose Dow pled not guilty to two counts of cruelty to a child and two counts of failing to protect a child from sexual exploitation.

In her trial defense, she said they took good care of the children, rescuing them from bad living situations and alcoholic families.

On the birth control implants, she said, Some girls were promiscuous.

She also said her husband never molested the girls.

A judge convicted Mary Rose Dow on the two counts of cruelty based on the fact that the implants come with negative health side effects and were inserted without the girls consent. She was acquitted of the failure to protect charges because the judge said there was not enough evidence.

On Jan. 31, 2018, she was sentenced to one year in prison or to pay a fine of about $500 U.S. She paid the fine and returned to the U.S.

Lamb, who spent weeks in Kenya during Mary Rose Dows trial, said she was fined for getting immunizations for the girls. Asked specifically if they were birth control implants, Lamb said Mary Rose Dow wanted to protect the girls entering womanhood. He called it a difficult moral issue.

Gregory Dow said the implants were given to protect the girls from pregnancy at a young age.

She was well within her rights. She was the guardian, he said.

Support cut off

The Dows collected funds from Lancaster County churches, residents and organizations.

Elizabethtown-based Brittanys Hope was one of their biggest supporters before it learned of the allegations made against them, Mai-Lynn Sahd, the nonprofits executive director, said.

Brittanys Hope severed ties with the orphanage in September 2017 after learning about the allegations through an anonymous source, Sahd said.

She said the orphanage was registered and audited through the Kenyan government. Brittanys Hope is a granting organization, she said, and didnt have a role in the orphanages day-to-day operations.

To be frank, we as an organization do not care to know or want to discuss about Mary Rose and Greg, Sahd said. The children who were previously cared for by the home are, and always have been, Brittanys Hopes priority.

The Dows started accepting donations through Brittanys Hope at the end of 2013, according to a newsletter from the orphanage. The support was done at the suggestion of community members as well as Lamb, who was on the nonprofits board of directors, according to Sahd.

The Dows were asked to write quarterly reports on how the funds were being used, Sahd said. They used the funds for the childrens basic needs, health and education.

The Dows told LNP in 2016 that their annual budget was around $120,000. Sahd declined to say how much money her organization gave to the Dows over the years.

Mai Lynn 1 We did our due diligence. A bad seed can get into good work. How can you control that? ~ Mai Lynn Sahd, director of Brittany's Hope

Lamb was not invited to return to the board when members terms were renewed last fall, Sahd said.

We did our due diligence. A bad seed can get into good work. How can you control that? Sahd said. Theres a darkness inside we cant predict.

Brittanys Hope wasnt the only Lancaster County group connected with the children's home.

Salunga-based Eastern Mennonite Missions sent three short-term missionaries to Kenya in 2013. A spokeswoman from the organization told LNP it didnt support the Dows financially.

Lititz Moravian Church was mentioned in newsletters. It did not respond to requests for comment.

A GoFundMe donation page is still active for the Dows home, with the last donation made at the end of 2017.

Warrant for arrest

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Kenya confirmed an arrest warrant for Gregory Dow is still active.

The prosecutor handling the case plans to ask Kenyas attorney general for an international arrest warrant, according to the directorate.

The international warrant will be sent to the U.S. via diplomatic channels, the directorate told LNP.

Kenya and the U.S. have an open extradition agreement. However, there are many steps in the system: a request must be made by the Kenyan embassy to the Department of State and reviewed by the Criminal Divisions Office of International Affairs, according to the Department of States website. The Secretary of State must ultimately review extraditions.

The U.S. Attorneys Office said it does not comment on the existence or nonexistence of investigations.

Gregory Dow said he was aware a warrant was issued for his arrest after he left Kenya.

If Kenyan officials made an extradition request, he said he would get an attorney.

Theres not much I can do. I know the truth, he said. They made the accusations falsely, and they got out of hand.

Kenyan government officials placed children from the Dows orphanage in other homes or sent them to other family members, according to Brittanys Hope.

The organization has made trips back to the country to check on their welfare and has set up a new support fund for the children.

What about the children? There were 89 children in the home when the Dows left, and Brittanys Hope has been working with local Kenyan officials to try to help them, the nonprofits executive director said. We realized we cant just walk away, Mai-Lynn Sahd said. Working with local Kenyan government, Brittanys Hope has learned where 82 of the children are. Twenty without known guardians were placed in nearby childrens homes. The others were reunited with family or relatives by the government, she said. Representatives from Brittanys Hope visited more than 40 children. As a granting organization, it typically doesnt go in-country to provide care, Sahd said. This case is different, so it has gone above and beyond. Brittanys Hope has worked to set up the Litein Scholarship Program to help children go to school and then pursue higher education if they want. Already 20 children are being supported through the program, Sahd said. Children and their families are also receiving medical treatment. Past supporters of the Dows home have been informed of the scholarship fund. Children can be sponsored for $37 per month, Sahd said. These are children, and we need to protect them, Sahd said.
His Great Society and War on Poverty succeeded in reducing in half the incidence of poverty among all Americans. Unfortunately, African-American rates of poverty remain persistently high, compared to the white population.

By 1968, Dennis had graduated from Dillard. Five years later, he used his law degree from the University of Michigan to lead a successful 1972 lawsuit in Louisiana. It resulted in the first majority African-American delegation to represent their state at a major political party convention since Reconstruction.

In 1991, he turned his attention to addressing the need for quality education as a constitutional right, and a prerequisite for fully functioning citizenship.

With his fellow civil rights veteran, Bob Moses, he dedicated himself to The Algebra project. It helps students prepare for careers in science and technology.

On Monday night, he will ask us: What does it mean to be an American? How can we make one nation out of so many diverse people as we live and try to prosper in our country?

He will encourage us to remain ever vigilant in safeguarding the hard-won human rights and dignity he has fought for all his life.

We should use his example of acting upon our national aspiration to achieve equality for all.

MLK event WHAT: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration WHEN: 7 p.m. Monday. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. WHERE: Viterbo University Fine Arts Center Main Theater COST: The event is free. Nonperishable food item donations for the Hunger Task Force are encouraged.

Keith Knutson is a professor of history at Viterbo University.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
With a successful law career to her name, Rosine chose to work in a field that focuses on the common good; she chose to work with an organization that was helping vulnerable women in society by providing women opportunities and ownership of decisions which helps ensure sustainable impact in their lives.

The experience for the Rusterholzes s multiplied many times over by those of local citizens involved in academic, business, family, student-exchange programs, Sister Cities representatives, all of whom have established friendships and business relations with people around the globe.

Our own exchange student daughter from Ecuador, whom we hosted in 1989, has visited us since then as did her parents. And we visited them in Cuenca when she got married. She says she continues to pray for us every day.

Such connections foster belief in honoring Americas commitments to allies, respecting treaties, providing aid for needy nations, cultural exchanges including visiting students, and other norms of international exchange, all of which have faced challenges in the name of America First.

America First implies a selfish withdrawal from the very things that enrich our nation and build our reputation around the world.

Americas first inclinations should be the kind of servant leadership that Rosine studied at Viterbo  seeking ways to effect the common good in our global relations.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
GORDON  One question plays endlessly in the minds of people here along the rural roads deep in the North Woods.

What happened to Jake Patterson?

He was an ordinary, well-behaved kid, people here say.

Teachers and classmates at his small country school described him as smart and quick-witted  quiet, but not a loner. He had friends and was well-accepted among the 34 members of the Class of 2015 at Northwood School, most of whom had been together since kindergarten.

He played video games, board games  Risk was a favorite  and devoured Tom Clancy spy novels.

So what could possibly have transformed this lean, prematurely balding and reserved young man into the alleged perpetrator of a brutal crime that shocked a nation?

Whatever the answer, it lies along the stretch of Hwy. 53 that runs roughly 100 miles from Barron to the shores of Lake Superior.

Its here where the 21-year-old Patterson spent most of his days, living in a series of small towns dotting the highway before settling in at his fathers remote cabin 9 miles east of Gordon.
I would argue that whipping up a batch of colored milk and worrying about photo staging right before bedtime would create consternation rather than relaxation. But milk does contain the amino acid tryptophan, a natural sleep aid. Then again so do turkey, chicken, fish, cheese and other foods. But gnawing on a drumstick before bed doesnt make for such pretty photos.

Still Im in full support of anything that promotes more dairy consumption in our country. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans drank 149 pounds of milk per person in 2017. Thats a decrease from 247 pounds in 1975. While yearly cheese consumption during that time increased from slightly less than 27 pounds per person to 37, the expansion of our gut is not enough to reduce our dairy glut.

That was highlighted in the NPR story that said our country is sitting on a 1.4 billion-pound cheese surplus  the largest in U.S. history. That much cheese is equal to 900,000 cubic yards.

To give you a sense of that size, the story says its enough to wrap around the U.S. Capitol.

Oh 

Get behind me 

Satan 
Seeing that many shows in such a short amount of time really reminded me about why I went into theater, Topel said. Because I am usually backstage, I dont get to see the audiences reactions to the shows I help put on. Being able to participate in shows from an audience perspective was truly refreshing, especially because the quality of the shows we were seeing was so extraordinary.

The class was a for-credit independent study, with the students conducting research and completing papers and assignments to prepare for the trip.

The students got to see and experience everything in real life in London that they have been studying at Viterbo, said Viterbo faculty member Erin Jerozal. For me the best part was seeing the students really take to and enjoy the city life. I especially liked our afternoon tea at the National Theatre. It was a chance to all sit down together to talk about the shows we had seen so far in a relaxed and casual environment versus a structured classroom.

Study abroad opportunities also provide students with a unique global perspective they cant get anywhere else. The students were exposed to new cultures, foods and being surrounded by numerous languages being spoken around the city. The rich history of London was also incredible, Jerozal said.
The Rivoli Cafe, which opened last January at 115 N. Fourth St. in the south end of the Rivoli Theater & Pizzeria complex, closed earlier this month.

But the cafe will reopen after its been reconfigured as part of a major rehabilitation of the theater complex, Tom Misco said last week.

Misco is president of La Crosse Theatres Co., which owns the Rivoli Theatre building and the movie theater business, and plans to sell the building to Minneapolis-based developer Roers Cos.

As Tribune reporter Jourdan Vian wrote last week, Roers plans to buy the building and renovate the upper floors into apartments. Roers plans to lease the first-floor theater space to Miscos company.

Misco said Wednesday that he hopes construction work on the theater rehabilitation will begin this summer and be completed in the fall.

The party room next to the cafe may be converted to a third theater auditorium that might have new immersive or atmospheric type seats that offer special effects  perhaps such as turning when a movie shows a race car driver turning his or her car, Misco said.
- The Philippines richest man passed away yesterday, January 19, at the age of 94

- Several celebrities expressed what they feel upon hearing the sad news

- Few of them were Luis Manzano, Ai Ai Delas Alas, and Gretchen Ho

PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed

Several television personalities in the Philippines reacted and mourned for the death of Henry Sy, Sr., the countrys wealthiest man and the founder of SM Group.

KAMI learned that the influential businessman died peacefully in his sleep in the morning of January 19 at the age of 94.

Because of this, the countrys celebrities immediately sent their condolences to the bereaved family of the successful man.

Kapuso comedienne Ai Ai Delas Alas commemorated on her Instagram post the good things that Henry did for a lot of Filipinos.

She even expressed that going to SM is one of her happiness especially when she was still not part of showbiz.

Salamat po at may SM... dahil sa sm maraming pilipino ang may trabaho --- maraming schools na napatayo, maraming mahirap na studyante na napag aral, the actress quipped.

At higit sa lahat napasaya nya ako kasi noong araw pag malungkot ako pupunta lang ako SM kahit wala akong pera masaya , malamig , window shopping tapos na ang problema uuwi ka ng masaya, she added.

ABS-CBN reporter Gretchen Ho also reacted and explained that the story of the countrys richest man has inspired a lot of people.

She acknowledged how Henry Sy was able to help numerous athletes and scholars in the country.

Thank you for being a gleaming example of success through hard work, resourcefulness, consistency, determination & strong family values. Thank you for all the athletes & scholars youve helped, Gretchen wrote.

The whole Chinese-Filipino community mourns today, she added.

PAY ATTENTION: Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data!

Meanwhile, several other famous personalities posted about the much-talked-about passing of SM Groups founder.

Luis Manzano and Karen Davila sent their condolences with the latter even calling Henry as an icon in business.

In a previous article by , the inspiring life story of Henry Sy including his start in business with just 10 centavos was reported.

Henry Sy is a Chinese-Filipino businessman who took up Commercial Studies in Far Eastern University. He used to work while studying to support himself.

Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news!

Social Experiment: Do Filipinos Help People Based On Looks? A man is walking on crutches and suddenly he is falling down! The first instinct is to help him. Right? Turns out, not always.  on HumanMeter!

Source: Kami.com.ph
The Morning Show

KENOSHA  WGTD (91.1 FM) is owned and operated as a public service of Gateway Technical College and is an affiliate of Wisconsin Public Radio. For an updated schedule, visit its website at www.wgtd.org.

The Morning Show airs every weekday morning between 8:10 and 9 a.m. Following is a schedule of show topics for the coming week:

Monday  Gateway Technical College President Bryan Albrecht.

Tuesday  Leonard Mlodinow, author of Elastic: Flexible Thinking in a Time of Change.

Wednesday  Erling Kagge, author of Silence  in the Age of Noise. Kagge is the first person to reach to the North Pole, the South Pole, and the summit of Mt. Everest alone.

Thursday  WGTDs Troy McDonald discusses concerns around new data gathering techniques being used by various media entities.

Friday  First round winners in the FoxConn Smart Cities Smart Futures competition.
Criminal complaints: Wednesday, Jan. 14 through 18

This list is not comprehensive. Municipalities are listed as they appear on the criminal complaint. Suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. To see mugshots of the accused, visit www.journaltimes.com/gallery. Additional information about the complaints can be found at: journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts.
If the board votes to give supplemental pay raises in a given year, teachers with bachelors degrees would see increases in $900 increments, while increases for teachers with masters and doctoral degrees would be in $1,200 increments.

The board could choose to increase pay by more than one increment in a year, or by none. In contrast, some of the steps on the existing schedule provide raises of $2,200.

The steps were very costly, said Julie Landry, Unifieds chief of human resources. Weve come up with a model that provide some consistency across all three of the levels.

After hearing teacher concerns that the proposed new schedule didnt provide incentive for them to further their educational attainment, the district decided to add tuition reimbursement to its plan.

Under the new schedule, Unified would provide teachers earning masters degrees in education with up to $7,000 in tuition reimbursement, with prior approval.

In the new schedule, teachers starting in a shortage area, such as special education, would receive $3,000 stipends. The new schedule also expands the maximum amounts for each of the educational attainment levels, in hopes to make the district more competitive with surrounding districts.
RACINE  The Racine Unified School District is anticipating some difficult budgetary decisions on the horizon. Early in its planning for the 2020 fiscal year, the district is projecting an $8 million deficit.

But Unified has more immediate concerns to address, as its looking at a $2 million deficit in this years budget.

The district took an optimistic view when it came to financial planning for the 2018-19 school year, passing a tight budget with no built-in contingencies. Unifieds initial budget plan did include a contingency, but that had to be eliminated to balance the budget due to higher-than-expected open enrollment out of the district.

Unified Superintendent Eric Gallien said the district is doing everything in its power to be able to fund supplementary pay raises for teachers this year, but said this is not a good time for the board to vote to fund pay increases.

Budgetary projections formulated by Unified Chief Financial Officer Marc Duff dont include an expected increase in state funding from Gov. Tony Evers yet-to-be-proposed budget, or Unifieds new teacher-compensation model that would come at an approximate cost of $440,000 at existing staffing levels.
I think her and I just had more in common, Knutson said. We were just always on the same wavelength of doing everything.

The two quickly bonded as teenagers. Later they found common ground as they balanced work, parenting and marriage, and both were fascinated with each others lives on the other side of the world. Knutson had a map of Tasmania, but other than that her knowledge of Australia and Tasmania came from Cantrell, who had an equal fascination with the United States.

I always had questions and shed respond, she said. Shed have more questions and Id respond. It was always back-and-forth questions.

Longtime coming

At first the letters arrived by boat, taking three months to get from one country to the next. Now a letter takes two weeks to arrive. Knutson estimates theyve exchanged up to 400 letters.

The 10-day trip Knutson took with her daughter, Brenda, flew by quickly. After spending a couple of days in Sydney, they took a cruise ship to Hobart, Tasmania, a city of 200,000 where Cantrell and her husband live in a modest brick home. Cantrell doesnt have email, so the only photos Knutson had were dated. She still has the black-and-white wedding photo Cantrell sent decades ago.
RACINE  When city officials decided to clear the area known as Machinery Row, or the Water Street Redevelopment Area, it was the end for those former industrial buildings.

But it was the beginning of a massive salvaging of materials from them: primarily lumber, Cream City bricks and metal. The lumber harvest will mean the wood used to construct those buildings will live on, as flooring, furniture, cabinetry and more.

Since mid-September an Appleton company, Urban Evolutions, has been buying and dealing in old-growth timbers, maple flooring and decking from: the former J.I. Case Plow Works, 615 Marquette St.; and two former J.I. Case Co. factories at 820 and 900 Water St.

Urban Evolutions is buying the wood from Veit & Co., the contractor for the Redevelopment Areas deconstruction. Urban Evolutions President Jeff Janson said he pays according to what he can salvage.

Im buying it by the board foot, he said. If he (Steve Hosier of Veit) gets it out of the building and does a good job, hes going to make more money.

Janson subcontracted the processing of the wood to Recyclean of Kenosha, which is also buying all of the bricks from the site.
In 1848, President James K. Polk ordered Gen. Winfield Scott to conquer Mexico. When the U.S. Army reached Mexico City, the Mexican government surrendered, and the two nations began treaty negotiations.

Mexico offered to surrender all of its land and become part of the United States. The U.S. insisted on taking all of Texas west of the Rio Grande, large tracts in southern New Mexico and Arizona and all of what is now California, leaving the balance of land to the south to Mexico.

Now, President Trump wants to build a huge, solid wall -- similar to the former Brandenburg Wall in Germany -- to prevent Mexicans and other Central Americans from entering the U.S. The northwest corner of Mexico, near where the proposed wall is to be built, is more than 1,500 miles from Brownsville, Texas, and the northeast corner of Mexico.

Mr. Trump's proposed wall would cost billions of dollars and be totally ineffective at preventing illegal entry into the U.S. from Mexico.

I grew up in Scottsbluff, where thousands of acres of farmland were tended to by Mexican laborers and their children, many of whom became permanent residents. Many more came by train in early spring and worked until late fall to harvest thousands of acres of sugar beets, potatoes, corn and beans.
Schlafly's background wasn't dissimilar to Ginsburg's. But unlike Ginsberg, Schlafly advocated against the Equal Rights Amendment and in favor of traditional gender roles. She justified this stance by citing a desire to protect women from conscription into the Army and the obligation to serve in combat. Schlafly also sought to safeguard the advantages enjoyed by women over men in child custody and divorce cases.

It's too simplistic to argue that Schlafly and Ginsburg were diametric opposites or that Schlafly was some kind of traitor to career women. Schlafly's opposition to the ERA stemmed from very specific objections.

Inherent to the argument that men and women should be treated equally is the notion that they should be subject to the same risks. Schlafly opposed provisions of gender equality that would put the well-being of women at risk. Was she wrong to have done so?

True equality between women and men means that women must be afforded all of the same opportunities -- and risks -- as men, with no added safety nets and the exact same right as men to fail.
About a month later, in December, the FBI contacted Zoeller, who told them he received nothing from the observers. He said in a phone interview with the Journal Star he appreciated federal law enforcement's vigilance.

The observers also attempted to arrange a meeting with Jane Kleeb, chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party, who rebuffed their "very aggressive" approach.

Kleeb, who also spoke with the FBI in December, said the observers contacted her directly instead of reaching out to the party to schedule a time to sit down either at the party's office or at a hotel  what she described as "a red flag."

"We meet on a regular basis with international groups, but it's done through official channels, not just a person contacting us saying 'I want to meet with you,'" Kleeb said.

Gale said none of the officials who met with the election observers reported any unusual activity to his office, nor did the FBI ask his office about the secret recording devices.

Had there been any reported oddities during the visit, such as the observers attempting to grant a favor or leave a gift with anyone they met, Gale said he would have immediately requested the State Department revoke their visas.
An Associated Press investigation has found that at least 1,900 U.S. military firearms were lost or stolen during the 2010s. Civilians later u
A former employee of Planned Parenthood will be the keynote speaker for the 45th annual Nebraska Walk for Life in Lincoln on Saturday.

Thousands of people typically take part in the walk, which begins at 10 a.m. on the north side of the Capitol.

After a brief program, participants will march seven blocks north to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Student Union, 14 and R streets.

At the Union, information booths, baked goods and beverages will be available before the keynote speech by Catherine Adair. The event is family-friendly.

Adair worked for Planned Parenthood of New England in Boston and witnessed thousands of abortions.

The Nebraska Walk for Life is sponsored by Nebraska Right to Life and was started in January 1974 in response to the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion.

Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2
I sit at the edge of my bed for meals now, and it amazes me how much Ive gotten better, Calnan said. I can even roll to my sides on my own, which really helps out my parents.

Despite analyzing video surveillance from areas around the intersection, collecting witness statements and following up on dozens of license plate numbers for vehicles possibly involved, the Lincoln Police Department hasn't identified a suspect in the case, according to Officer Angela Sands.

"We're hoping tips from Crimestoppers will keep coming in," Sands said. "It's frustrating, because you would hope by now that somebody would have come forward with information that would help us find this person. And it's frustrating for the victim, too, because you want to help them find some closure."

Hoskins, who attributed her lifeguard training to her actions that day, said she felt like she was the right person in the right place at the right time.

For me, morally, there was no other option, she said. Getting out of the car and doing everything I could do was exactly what I needed to do.

Calnan thanked Hoskins and others who were on the scene in a Facebook post a few days after the incident, calling them guardian angels.
Brewer's work on behalf of Sandhills landowners such as the Raths also puts him knee-deep in efforts to protect the whooping cranes. On their behalf, he recently traveled to Denver to the Mountain-Prairie Regional Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to get information about the effect of the R Project on the cranes.

Brewer claimed the office used old data to determine the power line project would probably not kill whooping cranes. A newer study, he said, partially funded by Fish and Wildlife, concluded there was a reasonable expectation migrating whooping cranes could be killed, and that it would negatively affect the population.

NPPD's Becker said his company analyzed a 2008 report on whooping cranes and results of a recent satellite-tracking study by the U.S. Geological Survey, to conclude incidental killing of the cranes would not be "reasonably certain to occur."

The company then decided not to apply for an "incidental take" permit for the endangered cranes, Becker said. It is waiting, however, for a permit for the endangered American burying beetle. That permit has been delayed by the federal government shutdown.

A contractor has been selected and approved for R Project construction, and work could commence on the power lines after the permit is approved, Becker said.
Like Springsteen, he sings about everyday people and places  Give Me Back My Hometown, Homeboy and riding in the car with his dad listening to Hippie Radio.

Like Springsteen, he and the band can do some very cool covers. Saturday, they did a version of Springsteens Atlantic City with mandolin as the lead instrument  a song lifted from the Nebraska album.

Following it was a song that he introduced by saying its the got the state of Nebraska in the lyrics, were going to see if we can do it before leading the band through the blistering rock n roll of Segers Get Out of Denver as Church leaned over, bent at the waist, to read lyrics from a sheet taped to the floor.

And, like Springsteen, hes got a massive catalog  which is something I never remember until Im at a Church show and it dawns on me that hes got dozens of good and great songs. That lets him do what he promised with the Double Down tour  play two totally different shows in the same venue on two nights.
Wangchuk said that his customer base essentially consists of regulars  those who became accustomed to his dining creations at previous restaurants and followed him when he opened Tandoor.

I know lots of people, and my customers have followed me, he said. They know me and I know them, and they know what they will get [when they eat at Tandoor]. They like to come because of our friendly atmosphere  they feel comfortable here and know us.

According to Wangchuk, the restaurants lunch demographic is primarily business professionals, with families making up the bulk of the dinner dining crowd. He said that weekends are his busiest times.

Wangchuk said that Tandoors menu has had very few changes since the restaurant opened. There have only been one or two times during the two decades when he has had to adjust the menu pricing, but feels that his pricing is very fair.

Wangchuk has several personal dining creations that are standards on the menu such as wangchuk chicken, wangchuk tuna and bhutanese chicken.

Customers sometimes like something a little different, so I have tried to create some unique dishes for them, he said.
We dont want to lose a generation of small business that went away for no other reason than that it was time to retire, Reiter said.

A priority of the initiative will be to prepare manufacturing workers to take over the business once the boss retires, as they have industry expertise and a stake in seeing it succeed. A manager or superintendent could be groomed for ownership, or a group of employees could go in on it together, Swinney said.

Companies will be identified while they are still healthy and strong, long before desperate owners start to consider offers from private equity firms that often prioritize profits over jobs or the longevity of the business, Swinney said. The early start is important because it takes time to prepare workers to become owners, including securing capital.

One goal is to increase minority ownership in Illinois manufacturing sector, where 99 percent of companies are owned by whites even as many blacks and Latinos staff factory floors, according to a 2014 report from the U.S. Commerce Departments Minority Business Development Agency. The program also plans to do outreach to black, Latino and women entrepreneurs to interest them in the acquisitions.
Either of these developments, even when attempted separately, have bankrupted other organizations, the representative said. This action (the layoff) is taken only due to the extraordinarily difficult challenges ahead and would not otherwise be necessary.

The company is also preparing to send NASA astronauts to the International Space Station this summer in its Crew Dragon capsule. That project, along with the Starlink satellite constellation and the Mars Starship, are enough to challenge any company, said Greg Autry, director of the Southern California Commercial Spaceflight Initiative at USC. And he (SpaceX CEO Elon Musk) is trying to do all three at once.

Musk may also be angling Starlink for military customers. In late December, the company won a $28-million contract for the U.S. Air Forces Defense Experimentation Using the Commercial Space Internet project. The idea is to test various commercial satellite constellations to see if they could eventually be leveraged for use by military aircraft.
Username: Password: or Register

Back to

Forum

Reply to

This post

Post New

Thread Thread Rating: 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average

1

2

3

4

5

"Come To Your Senses!" Russia Slams Trump's Space-Based Missile Defense Plans LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 348173

01-20-2019 03:35 AM











Post: #1 "Come To Your Senses!" Russia Slams Trump's Space-Based Missile Defense Plans

Advertisement



Warning that Washington's missile defense strategy could restart the Cold War-era arms race, the Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday accused the White House of seeking to weaponize space while removing any limitations to development. Indeed President Trump did appear to reaffirm his controversial decision to pull out of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with Russia during his remarks at the Pentagon Thursday affirming, We are committed to establishing a missile defense program that can shield every city in the United States and we will never negotiate away our right to do this.



In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced, We would like to note that the very same logic served as the foundation of the widespread nuclear missile race that brought the world to the brink of disaster multiple times. The statement added that US defense planners apparently decided to step on the same rake, with predictable consequences, in reference to 20th century nuclear brinkmanship.



Trump and the MDR itself called for investment into "new technologies" focused on space such as space-based launch detection sensors that would coordinate anti-air missiles on the ground in places like Alaska, in order to "shield every American city". The president said the US must "recognize that space is a new warfighting domain, with the Space Force leading the way." He further promised it will be a "very, very big part" of America's future defense:



Quote: My upcoming budget will invest in a space-based missile defense layer. It's new technology. It's ultimately going to be a very, very big part of our defense and obviously of our offence.



We will ensure that enemy missiles find no sanctuary on Earth or in the skies above. This is the direction that I'm heading.

But Moscow fired back that the plan practically gives the green light to deploying elements with strike capability in space, which will inevitably lead to an arms race in space, which would have the worst kind of consequences for international security and stability, according to the Foreign Ministry statement.



The statement further urged Washington to come to its senses and abandon any restart of a new Star Wars program, first proposed under the Reagan administration. It described that the opposite of global stability and peace would be the outcome, as any weaponization of space would result in a heavy blow to international stability, which is already falling apart thanks to irresponsible actions by Washington. The statement concluded, Obviously, no one wins in this scenario.



https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-01-1...ense-plans After what many are describing as Trump's attempted channeling of Reagan's 'Star Wars' program with Thursday's unveiling of a missile defense strategy heavily focused on space as "the next war-fighting domain", Moscow has issued a predictably harsh rebuke, calling the newly published US Missile Defense Review (MDR) "openly confrontational" and a danger to global stability and peace.Warning that Washington's missile defense strategy could restart the Cold War-era arms race, the Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday accused the White House of seeking to weaponize space while removing any limitations to development. Indeed President Trump did appear to reaffirm his controversial decision to pull out of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with Russia during his remarks at the Pentagon Thursday affirming, We are committed to establishing a missile defense program that can shield every city in the United States and we will never negotiate away our right to do this.In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced, We would like to note that the very same logic served as the foundation of the widespread nuclear missile race that brought the world to the brink of disaster multiple times. The statement added that US defense planners apparently decided to step on the same rake, with predictable consequences, in reference to 20th century nuclear brinkmanship.Trump and the MDR itself called for investment into "new technologies" focused on space such as space-based launch detection sensors that would coordinate anti-air missiles on the ground in places like Alaska, in order to "shield every American city". The president said the US must "recognize that space is a new warfighting domain, with the Space Force leading the way." He further promised it will be a "very, very big part" of America's future defense:But Moscow fired back that the plan practically gives the green light to deploying elements with strike capability in space, which will inevitably lead to an arms race in space, which would have the worst kind of consequences for international security and stability, according to the Foreign Ministry statement.The statement further urged Washington to come to its senses and abandon any restart of a new Star Wars program, first proposed under the Reagan administration. It described that the opposite of global stability and peace would be the outcome, as any weaponization of space would result in a heavy blow to international stability, which is already falling apart thanks to irresponsible actions by Washington. The statement concluded, Obviously, no one wins in this scenario. 1110.00)

lop guest

User ID: 480427

01-20-2019 03:39 AM











Post: #2 RE: "Come To Your Senses!" Russia Slams Trump's Space-Based Missile Defense ...

Hebrew dominance does not tolerate talk of "defense" or "protection": "Do not resist us." LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 348173

01-20-2019 03:40 AM











Post: #3 RE: "Come To Your Senses!" Russia Slams Trump's Space-Based Missile Defense ...

1110.00) Wrote: (01-20-2019 03:39 AM) Hebrew dominance does not tolerate talk of "defense" or "protection": "Do not resist us."

Are you da borg queen Are you da borg queen Balut56

Registered User

User ID: 460895

01-20-2019 03:44 AM



Posts: 2,717









Post: #4 RE: "Come To Your Senses!" Russia Slams Trump's Space-Based Missile Defense ...

He looks for the reaction. Love from the left. Another psyop to consolidate

The brotherhood of man. Its getting bigger. Worldwide empathy for the ones affected by Trump policies. Islam gonna be preferred after war with Israel. Open your eyes. Balut56

Registered User

User ID: 460895

01-20-2019 03:46 AM



Posts: 2,717









Post: #5 RE: "Come To Your Senses!" Russia Slams Trump's Space-Based Missile Defense ...

Space force is so comic book. You all are funny too.

Back to

Forum

Reply to

This post

Post New

Thread
















Kolterman said she was at a planning meeting in Madison County on Thursday night along with a farmer proposing an poultry operation and, other than the commissioners, "we were the only people in the room."

In fact, she said, the vote on the Camezinds' proposal was the first time a Costco-related poultry operation has not been approved by a county board, although a few proposals have been withdrawn in the face of opposition.

Kolterman said there so far are about 40 poultry-producing operations either built or in various stages of construction. The company hopes to eventually have 100-125 operations overall.

She said two farms, one in Dodge County and one in Butler County, are now raising pullets, which once they are sexually mature will move onto breeding farms. The chicks hatched at those breeding farms will then go on to broiler farms, where they will spend six to eight weeks growing and gaining weight.

They will be the first birds to go to the $300 million, 360,000-square-foot processing plant in Fremont, which is scheduled to open after Labor Day, Kolterman said.

The plant will process 2 million chickens a week, which will go to Costco stores across the country.
The flooding is occurring in low-lying areas near the Nebraska 10 bridge over the Middle Loup River south of Loup City and the Nebraska 92 bridge just west of town, the service said.
SPRINGFIELD  Preserving and improving Medicaid funding for Illinois hospitals and protecting the Affordable Care Act will be priorities this year for Mary Starmann-Harrison.

The newly installed chairwoman of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association Board of Trustees outlined those plans during an interview last week at the rural Springfield headquarters of Hospital Sisters Health System, where she has been president and chief executive officer for almost eight years.

The IHA, based in Naperville with additional offices in Springfield, Chicago and Washington, D.C., is one of the most powerful advocacy and lobbying groups in the state Capitol.

Starmann-Harrison is the first HSHS official to lead the group's unpaid board. Edgar Curtis, CEO of Springfield-based Memorial Health System, was the IHA board chairman in 2017.

"I'm committed to, and passionate about, health care," Starmann-Harrison said, "and I see IHA's role in advancing access to high-quality health care for all of the citizens of Illinois as extremely important, so I wanted to be a part of that."

In her role at HSHS, Starmann-Harrison, 64, leads a not-for-profit system with nine hospitals in Illinois  including HSHS St. John's in Springfield, HSHS St. Mary's in Decatur, HSHS St. Francis in Litchfield and HSHS Good Shepherd in Shelbyville  and six hospitals in Wisconsin. The system employs 14,344 people and posts total annual revenues of $2.4 billion.

Born in Chicago and raised in Evergreen Park, Starmann-Harrison began her career as an emergency room registered nurse and previously served as the regional president and CEO of SSM Health Care of Wisconsin, another Catholic system.

The Springfield resident received total compensation of $1.37 million in the fiscal year ending in June 2016, according to HSHS' most recent IRS Form 990 report.

A.J. Wilhelmi, IHA's president and CEO, said Starmann-Harrison is a "bold thinker with a keen understanding of the hospital community and the work of the association."

Wilhelmi said Starmann-Harrison has served as chairwoman of the Wisconsin Hospital Association and as a board member for the American Hospital Association.

He said Starmann-Harrison is "a highly regarded and well-respected leader in the hospital community locally and nationally. Her ability to build relationships and navigate the political environment will be instrumental in leading our work to ensure that all Illinoisans have access to high-quality health care in their communities."

Medicaid, which accounts for an average of 20 percent of hospital inpatient revenues and 12 percent of outpatient revenues in Illinois, is a major focus for IHA when it comes to state policy, Starmann-Harrison said.

About half of the $22 billion-a-year Medicaid program in Illinois is funded by the federal government, with the other half coming from state revenues.

The state's more than $7 billion backlog in bills to state vendors, including Medicaid providers, is a concern for hospitals, Starmann-Harrison said.

The bill backlog peaked at $16.7 billion in 2017 -- in because of a two-year state budget impasse involving former Gov. Bruce Rauner, a Republican, and the Democratic-controlled General Assembly.

A $6 billion borrowing plan authorized that same year reduced the backlog and helped hospitals throughout the state, including HSHS St. John's and eight other HSHS hospitals, Starmann-Harrison said. HSHS was owed $138 million at the peak of backlog.

But delays in payment for Medicaid patients and patients have grown since then, so HSHS and the hospital association wants to work with Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, on long-term solutions to reduce the backlog, Starmann-Harrison said.

 Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever.

"Continuing to have adequate funding for Medicaid is always important," she said. "It's always a challenge, and we want to make sure we're working closely with the new administration to continue our efforts along those lines."

Although Starmann-Harrison hasn't met with Pritzker, she said she believes the new governor will be an ally to promote healthy hospitals and healthy patients.

"He's very committed, I think, to taking care of all people in the state," she said.

Last year's renewal of the hospital assessment program by the General Assembly and federal government was a "big win" for the Medicaid program, she said.

Under the redesigned program, Illinois hospitals pay a tax, or "assessment," of $1.5 billion annually. That money generates an additional federal match of $2.25 billion annually, allowing the state to pay for $3.75 billion in Medicaid services.

Starmann-Harrison said she wants to pursue even more ways of boosting Medicaid funding for hospitals to improve services.

At the federal level, IHA is working to preserve and improve Medicaid and Medicare funding, contain the rising cost of certain medicines and preserve the federal health-care coverage law, she said.

The ACA, which President Donald Trump and fellow Republicans in Congress tried unsuccessfully to repeal, is "not perfect," according to Starmann-Harrison. "But it sure did provide health care for many people who previously did not have health care."

The ACA's federally subsidized Medicaid expansion in Illinois currently covers 632,000 adults without minor children. Private insurance plans offered through the ACA's health-insurance marketplace in Illinois covered about 335,000 state residents in 2018.

Efforts to overturn the ACA, including a recent ruling by a federal judge in Texas that puts the future of the 2010 law in doubt, are a "concern for everyone, because again, the Affordable Care Act is providing coverage to many people that didn't have previous coverage."

When asked her view of Trump, Starmann-Harrison said: "Everyone cares about health care for the citizens of the United States. While approaches are very different, we've got to work with everyone -- both parties, together, to figure out how we continue to provide high-quality, accessible health-care services to all people. A bipartisan approach is really what's going to make that happen."

Starmann-Harrison said she sees no reason to alter the 2012 state law that allows not-for-profit hospitals to count much more than charity care when they annually justify their property tax exemptions.

The law's constitutionality was upheld in 7-0 rulings by the Illinois Supreme Court in September 2018 and March 2017.

Charity care -- which is discounted or free care -- cost Illinois hospitals $805.5 million in 2017, or 2.1 percent of total net revenues, according to the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board.

In addition to charity care, hospitals are allowed under the law to count subsidies for health-care services for the poor, community education programs and the difference between the cost of care and what Medicaid pays when hospitals file documents arguing that the value of such services exceeds what they potentially would pay in property taxes.

Starmann-Harrison noted that 40 percent of Illinois hospitals -- the vast majority of which are not-for-profit -- post negative operating margins or "very meager" margins. Some hospitals could afford to pay property taxes, she said, but 40 percent of hospitals probably couldn't afford to do so, she said.

Those that could afford to go onto property tax rolls "would probably have to adjust how they operate and maybe not be able to provide some of the services that they currently provide," she said.

St. John's, the flagship hospital for HSHS, posted total revenues of $529.8 million in the fiscal year ending in June 2018.

The 415-bed hospital posted about $22.1 million in revenues exceeding expenses. That figure equates to a profit margin of about 4 percent, according to HSHS financial statements.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
CHARLESTON -- Though Coles County saw some snow, much of the snow and freezing rain forecasted for the weekend skirted Mattoon. Roads are expected to get very hazardous tonight.

Cameron Craig, Eastern Illinois University climatologist, said the rain Coles County got already today has set the groundwork for very slick road conditions tonight as temperatures plummet to approximately 10 degrees.

He said at that point, the ground will be cool enough to freeze. Earlier in the morning, temperatures were low enough to see approximately a 10th of an inch of ice on the ground, but soon after, it melted.

However, the ice expected to form tonight in the area will likely not thaw anytime soon. Temperatures are expected to remain low with a forecasted high of 19 degrees Sunday.

As previously reported in the JG-TC, this is expected to be the start of a bitter chill throughout the week next week in Coles County.

Craig also said there is still a slight chance for some snow, but nothing like was forecasted throughout the week. Much of the precipitation will end later in the afternoon.

Today's departure from what was forecasted was a result of shifts in the low-pressure track overnight Friday, as was the case last weekend. This low pressure dictates where snow will land, and in this case, it went north, pelting areas like Champaign.

Craig said the low pressure, which has proved to be fickle in the past, left forecasters unsure where exactly it would land Friday night into Saturday.

"Winter precipitation is difficult to forecast," he said.

Tracking these winter storms becomes "a headache for meteorologists," he said.

 Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

While it is was frustrating for forecasters, local people out shopping didn't mind not seeing snow when they woke up including Kelly and Jerome Downs of Neoga.

"I either want a lot or I don't want any, so it worked out good for me," Jerome said.

"We got some movies. We were going to stay in anyway, but all of the sudden when it didn't do anything, we decided to get out."

Scott and Julie Roberts of Oakland were in the same boat, especially after last weekend.

"Our flight got delayed out of St. Louis, we flew to Vegas last weekend," Julie said. "We had to go to Indianapolis... The snow has not been our friend."

They said their 10-year-old daughter Amera was a little disappointed, though.

Last weekend, approximately 7 inches of snow descended on Charleston and Mattoon. And in preparation for what was anticipated a similar weekend this time around, Melissa Cowger, Rural King store manager, said they have been seeing people buying ice melt and sand at the new Rural King location, at least more than normal.

"We are going through quite a bit of ice melt," she said.

It was noted that there was not much concern of running out anytime soon, though. Cowger said the Rural King is "pretty stocked up."

She also said nobody is too panicked about power outages. Heaters and generators have not moved too much as a result of the weather, she observed.

Contact Jarad Jarmon at (217) 238-6839. Follow him on Twitter: @JJarmonReporter

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Alaeddin Borujerdi, who has previously served as the Chairman of the Foreign Policy and National Security of the parliament, said: [MEK] is part of the American puzzle against the Islamic Republic in the Warsaw security conference. Recently, weve seen European countries take measures against the Islamic Republic under pressure from the US.

These measures that Borujerdi warns against including the relocation of MEK members from Iraq to safety in Albania and the recent EU sanctions levied against Iran for terrorism, which included adding that Iranian Intelligence Ministry and two of its members to its terror watch list and freezing their assets in Europe.

This came after at least three European countries  France, Denmark and Netherlands  publically expressed concern in the last year over Irans intensifying terrorist and spying activities in Europe, including two failed bomb plots, one thwarted assassination attempt, and two assassinations.

Borujerdi recommended that Iran reduce diplomatic relations with Poland so that the Polish government understand that [the Regime] will not remain indifferent to the plotting of the Americans.

Borujerdi, a close confidant to Iranian regime supreme leader Ali Khamenei, is just the latest in a series of high-profile Iranian officials to publically voice their concerns about the conference, which will focus on Irans destructive role in the region.

On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif called the conference an anti-Iran circus and threatened to take measures against Poland.

But these officials are accidentally voicing their real fear, that tougher action against them on the international stage will weaken the Regime and help the Iranian people and their organised resistance to overthrow the mullahs. After all, anti-regime protests still rage across the country and they are only growing stronger.

American and Polish authorities announced in a joint statement last Friday that they would be holding a global conference in Warsaw to promote peace and security in the Middle East by focusing on countering the meddling of the Iranian Regime.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the meeting would focus on Middle East stability and peace and freedom and security here in this region, and that includes an important element of making sure that Iran is not a destabilizing influence.
In the three weeks leading up to The Poland Conference, the Iranian regime has shown its concern over the consequences of such an international event.

Bahram Ghassemi, Irans Foreign Ministry spokesman, evaded questions from reporters about Tehrans position regarding Warsaw and other participants in the event. I am asking your permission to refrain from making any remarks we are in contacts and finally after we finalize what we need we hope to talk more about this in the near future, he said.

Allies of Iran regimes Leader Ali Khamenei want to stand firm in the face of all conference participants. For instance, Mojtaba Zolnour, head of the Iranian Majlis (parliament) Nuclear Committee explained, Our diplomatic apparatus must adopt a proper and firm position regarding the anti-Iranian session in Poland The more we take steps back in the political world and have soft positions, the more our adversaries will demand.

In appropriate times we must have firm responses. However, he added, For the time being, the Islamic Republic has decided to continue talks with the Europeans and take steps forward to maybe see if anything happens with the special purpose vehicle. However, this doesnt mean we are relying on them.

Some Iranian regime officials advocate for a more moderate tone. According to former Majlis member Fereidoon Majlesi, who spoke to the EuroNews website,

[The Iranian regime] is isolated in todays world, not only due to the fact that others oppose or not agree with our measures. The reason is that all parties consider their relations with the United States more serious, far more important and necessary. Therefore, they are concerned over their relations with the U.S. suffering due to their ties with Iran.

Regime insider, Jalal Khoshchehre, has also raised concerns. He pointed out in an interview with the state-run Etemad daily, In addition to increasing economic pressures, the Trump administration is now focusing on two other solutions more than ever before: regional isolation and taking action to establish a global front against Iran.

Increasing protests continue to plague the country. Officials are using the terms internal disintegration, peoples distrust, foreign ambiguity and disorganization. Now, an international coalition will address its terrorist meddling and warmongering across the region. The coalition seeks to ensure that the Iranian regime halts its destabilizing force and its malign activities. This policy will have consequences for the regime.

Many countries in the Middle East and Europe have been targets of Irans meddling  and they will be participating in the Warsaw conference. The result of this conference is like to be further international isolation and increasing pressures, such as sanctions. A department of the Iranian regimes Ministry of Intelligence has already been sanctioned, and recent trends show more will come.

Former Iranian regime diplomat Ali Khorram, told the state-run Iranian Diplomacy website, If Washington is able to obtain relative victories from the February session, it will most definitely be a medium for future anti-Iranian action. Therefore, Tehran and especially our foreign policy apparatus should carry out very careful measures the situation may become far more difficult in the future for Tehran and they can create grave concerns for us through global consensus.

The daily protests and nationwide uprisings force Khamenei to worry about the future in 2019. With support for the people from the Iranian opposition Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), regime change may be on the horizon.
Canadian-Iranian Somayeh Mohammadi, a MEK member for over 20 years has spoken out about claims from her own parents that she is being kept at the MEK headquarters, named Ashraf 3 after the groups first camp near the Iran-Iraq border.

Somayeh, 38, said: When I wanted to leave Canada and join the [MEK] movement my parents (Mostafa and Mahboubeh) gave me their consent to do this.

But then, for some unknown reason, Mostafa changed his mind.

Somayeh said: [My dad] came many times in Iraq  around Camp Ashraf and installed 320 loudspeakers [through which they shouted abuse and played very loud music 24 hours a day]. My father was one of them. They threatened to kill all of us in the camp. He was claiming that he loves me as my father but he was against what I wanted to do. What kind of father would do this to their child?

She explained that the Iranian Regime often uses parents of MEK members to encourage their children to leave the group, with her own father even claiming that she was being held hostage by the group and providing childhood photos and videos of her to the Regime for anti-MEK propaganda videos.

Somayeh said: All these things are to prepare the ground for terrorist attacks against [MEK].

This is a chilling comment because the Iranian Regime actually planned to bomb the Albanian camp back in March 2018, but was thankfully thwarted by the local authorities. Then, in June 2018, the Regime tried to bomb an opposition rally in France that was attended by over 100,000 people including MEK members. Again, they were thankfully caught before anyone got hurt.

The European Union put Irans intelligence service (MOIS) on a terror blacklist earlier this month along with two of its key figures for these plots.

Somayeh accused her father of being paid by Irans Secret Service to claim that she was being held against her will.

She said: For the months he was here it was clear he was in touch with and was being directed by Iranian intelligence. He was staying at the most expensive hotel in Tirana, the Plaza. How could he afford to stay in a hotel like this for four months when back home in Canada he was a builder, an ordinary construction worker?

The prosecutor and the police in Albania, Canada, and Iraq, all of whom have interviewed Somayeh, have rejected Mostafas claims, but he continues to spread these lies.

Somayeh said that she hasnt spoken to her father in over 10 years, noting that it was hard for her to do, but when she realised that he was working for the Regime, she saw no other choice.

She has even written a book about her case, entitled An End to a Conspiracy, in which she remains confident about the Iranian peoples struggle for freedom.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi are likely to visit their respective parliamentary constituencies Amethi and Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh on 23-24 January, a party leader said Sunday.

During his two-day visit, the Congress chief is expected to take part in several party programmes and a meeting of the district vigilance and monitoring committee, the leader said.

United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi is also expected to attend the district vigilance and monitoring committee meeting in her constituency Rae Bareli, the leader added.

The Gandhis will arrive at the Fursatganj airport on January 23, from where they will leave for their respective constituencies. They will depart for Delhi on January 24.

. Read more on India by The Quint.RSS & BJPs Nehru-Netaji Cosplay: Irony Dies a Thousand Deaths2 Killed in Jammu Cable Car Crash Days Before Inauguration by PM . Read more on India by The Quint.
Lunaticoutpost.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program , anaffiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.Amazon, the Amazon logo, MYHABIT, and the MYHABIT logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.Don't be a pest to the forum.No profanity in thread-titles or usernamesNo excessive profanity in postsNo Racism, Antisemitism + HateNo calls for violence against anyone..This website exists for fun and discussion only. The reader is responsible for discerning the validity, factuality or implications of information posted here, be it fictional or based on real events. The content of posts on this site, including but not limited to links to other web sites, are the expressed opinion of the original poster and are in no way representative of or endorsed by the owners or administration of this website. The posts on this website are the opinion of the specific author and are not statements of advice, opinion, or factual information on behalf of the owner or administration of LunaticOutPost.Com. The owners or administration of this website can't be hold responsible for content hosted on sites that posters link to in; including, but not limited to, posts, signatures, private messages and such. This site may contain content not suitable for minors and if you feel you might be offended by such content, you should log off immediately.This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Users may make such material available in an effort to advance awareness and understanding of issues relating to civil rights, economics, individual rights, international affairs, liberty, science & technology, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.In accordance with industry accepted best practices we ask that users limit their copy / paste of copyrighted material to the relevant portions of the article you wish to discuss (no more than 50% of the source material) provide a link back to the original articleIf you are a legal copyright holder or a designated agent for such and you believe a post on this website falls outside the boundaries of "Fair Use" and legitimately infringes on yours or your clients copyright please contact [email protected] This website is owned by :Marco ZwaneveldDrijfriemstraat 522516 XR The HagueNetherlands.I will not rent, sell, share or otherwise disclose your personal information to any third party.We might contact you from time to time regarding your purchases or the services (like forums and announcement lists) you have subscribed to.Some of the 3rd party advertisers on lunaticoutpost.com may use cookiesto track peformance and/or to serve relevant ads.If you wish to read more and/or opt out of such cookies, please visit: http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/
The Janata Dal (United) Sunday, 20 January, said it would vote against the controversial Citizenship Bill when it is tabled in the Rajya Sabha, notwithstanding the party's alliance with the BJP.

The party's national general secretary and chief spokesman KC Tyagi said this while criticising the Congress for staging a walkout from the Lok Sabha when the Bill was being put to vote, saying it was a "farce" and "tantamount to support".

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, passed in the Lok Sabha on 8 January, seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims 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.

A large section of the people and several organisations in the northeast have opposed the bill saying it would nullify the provisions of the Assam Accord of 1985, which fixed 24 March 1971, as the cut-off date for deportation of illegal immigrants irrespective of religion.

Tyagi was speaking to reporters after a meeting of the party's national office bearers here at the residence of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who heads the JD(U).

Poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor, who joined the party in September last year and was elevated to the post of national vice-president a few weeks later, was among those who attended the meeting chaired by Kumar.

"The national office-bearers of the party reaffirmed the commitment to the legacy of socialist movement and to our old stand on issues like Ram temple, Article 370 and uniform civil code," Tyagi said.

"As far as the new citizenship bill concerning Assam is concerned, we condemn the attitude and behaviour of the Congress when the bill was put to vote in the Lok Sabha," he added.

Staging a walkout is tantamount to support and it is our apprehension that the Congress, by enacting a farce, wants to support the bill. We are going to oppose it when it comes before the Rajya Sabha, Tyagi said further.

Story continues

The stance of JD(U) assumes significance in the backdrop of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), its ally in Bihar, facing the heat on the issue in Assam where it is in power and has lost the support of its former ally Asom Gana Parishad following differences on the matter.

The JD(U) leader also said a party delegation, which would comprise Kishor and himself, among others, would soon visit Assam to take stock of the ramifications of the legislation.

Tyagi further said that the JD(U) will hold its national executive meeting here in the last week of February.

"State president Vashishtha Narayan Singh has been assigned the task of deciding candidates for the seats which our party will be contesting in the Lok Sabha polls," he said.

"He will be assisted by Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan and Vijendra Yadav, both of whom have headed the state unit in the past," he added.

The JD(U) is slated to contest 17 out of 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state, as per the arrangement it has reached with alliance partners BJP and Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).

Pavan Varma, another JD(U) national general secretary present at the meeting, said, "Our differences with the BJP on controversial issues is on principles and do not in any way violate coalition 'dharma'."

"We do not think it would lead to any misgivings as we have taken our stand on each of these issues after informing the BJP beforehand," he said.

Replying to a query, he said the party was confident that the constituents of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will finalise the seats to be contested by each party by the end of February, before the poll schedule is announced.

. Read more on India by The Quint.RSS & BJPs Nehru-Netaji Cosplay: Irony Dies a Thousand DeathsLatest News: 10 Peacekeepers Killed, 25 Injured in Mali Attack . Read more on India by The Quint.
Its not much of an exaggeration to say the majority of Decaturs roughly 72,000 residents have received a hug from or shared a smile with Terrence TAT Taylor.

He is hard to miss while standing on public service platforms that hes built throughout the community, with a charismatic personality and love his hometown large enough to embrace the entire city. If Taylor, 32, were to create a business card to fit all of the responsibilities that he has taken on, it would be a long read. Among his many titles:

Neuhoff Media radio personality

Decatur public schools family support coordinator

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Illinois board member

Boys & Girls Club of Decatur board member

Beautify Decatur Coalition member

It Starts With AG spokesperson

disc-jockey for hire

public events volunteer

Taylor attributes the love and support of his family as well as his positive upbringing while growing up in Decatur as the main reasons why he has immersed himself into giving back.

The TAT Brand

Terrence calls all of his efforts to show love for Decatur, the TAT brand. TAT is a nickname derived from his initials. The brand that he started a decade ago is built upon a dedicated, optimistic work ethic. Taylor starts most days with a 5 a.m. wake-up call and then looks for as many positive interactions that he can have in-person and on social media before the day is over, he said.

I like to be a day-brightener, if that even makes sense. I like to brighten peoples day because you never know what somebodys going through, he said. So, I like to have every interaction with anybody to be positive.

- "I just want people to remember that what I do is done out of love and positivity and that I believe that what you put out there is what you get back."  Terrence Taylor

At the core of Taylors philosophy of making life better for everyone around him is the idea that actions speak louder than words.

Im all about action. My positive thing is lets not talk about it, lets be about it, he said. I always say at the end of my radio show: Turn your cants into cans and your dreams into plans.

One of Taylors plans that he has turned into reality is becoming a Decatur public schools family support coordinator who assists kids who didnt have the uplifting childhood that he experienced. He provides guidance and resources for students when issues arise across the district, working to minimize barriers that prevent them from coming to school, while helping with the stabilization of their families.

Lawrence Trimble, the districts student services director and Taylors supervisor, said he appreciates his willingness to get into the trenches and aid challenging students. Among his accomplishments are leading social and emotional learning groups for at-risk students at Phoenix Academy alternative school which have play a role in paving the way for some children to undergo reformations and successfully return to their home schools.

These kids are going through a lot at home, so theyre easily triggered. Instead of fighting them with the same type of negative energy, I came at him with love just to calm him down, Taylor explained while describing a situation where he provided a resolution for a Phoenix Academy student.

Taylor recalled another instance where he aided a frustrated student who didnt want to listen to instruction. Taylor had previously interacted with the childs third-grade class as a representative of the Hot 105.5 hip-hop and R&B radio station. When the upset student recognized Taylor as a radio personality from that classroom visit, he respected him, and his anger dissolved.

He goes above and beyond. He does a lot of great, high-energy types of things in the schools to get kids excited about coming to school. He definitely has that it factor that brings in education what we call, relationship-building skills, Trimble said of Taylors work in the district.

Taylors love for helping youth is also manifested through his roles at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Illinois. Becoming a board member who assists in planning fundraisers to support the child-mentoring network was not enough for Taylor. He felt the conviction to become a mentor himself.

I want to be the representation and show in a world that is lacking of positive young black males , he said. I wanted to show that you dont have to be in the streets or commit crimes. You can make mistakes, but still stay on the right path to great things.

 Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever.

Tayland Conder, 18, who is being mentored by Taylor through the Big Brothers Big Sisters/Decatur Public Schools Mentor 2.0 Program, said he has appreciated Taylors continuously bright outlook on life while getting to know him over the past four years.

Conder mentioned an occasion when he was impressed that Taylor remained unshaken when calling to notify him that he would be missing a mentoring meeting because a deer ran into and totaled his car on the way there.

Ive trained myself in life to find the light when it gets dark. I was taught that by my parents just being positive, Taylor said when recalling his response to the crash.

The two have bonded over several experiences including their shared interest in music. Terrence said if Conders interest in music leads him to creating hit songs that he would look forward to playing them on his radio show. They plan to keep in touch long after the program is over.

It started at home

Taylors responsibilities with Hot 105.5/Y 103 radio stations, Boys & Girls Club of Decatur, It Starts With AG and Beautify Decatur Coalition also keep him focused on community involvement. In the same day, he can be heard talking about the latest rap and R&B news on Hot 105.5 in the morning and getting his hands dirty while doing landscaping work for a Beautify Decatur Coalition project that afternoon.

I am a Decaturan, so I want to hit every aspect from helping out the kids to making sure my city is beautiful. So, whatever I can do that is hands-on, thats what I do, he said.

Currently, Taylor is collaborating with fellow Boys & Girls Club of board members to find more ways to engage older kids with positive activities in the clubs new Teen Center. Last year, he also became the spokesperson for It Starts with Ag. He frequently promotes the program that offers Decatur public high school students a jump-start in agricultural education while hes on the air during his radio shows on Hot 105.5.

The motivation and character behind all of his work began with his family, Taylor said.

It started at home, because my parents have always been active and have always put into me and my siblings to give back and they would always say it is a blessing to bless others, he said. I am a prodigy of growing up here in Decatur in a household filled with love.

He speaks fondly of his childhood with two loving parents and a blended family of 5 older siblings and 2 younger ones. His mother, Gladys Taylor, and sister, Ashley Manley, both mentioned that his personality resembles that of his father, Lawrence The Cat Edward Taylor.

He was very important with my upbringing, it was just fantastic with having a great dad and mom. I was like a unicorn amongst my friends because being a black kid, especially growing up in the 90s, a lot of my friends didnt have their dads in the house, but I was blessed enough to have my mom and dad. It was a loving household. All we did was hug each other. Thats why I hug everybody, Taylor said with a smile.

When Terrences father passed away in 2006, he found himself at a tough place in life. At that time, he decided to take an uncompromising approach to pursuing opportunities to do what he loves to do, which led him to the fulfilling work that he is known for today.

With his passing, I feel like Ive made him proud with broadcasting and being in the community. Everything that he wanted to achieve and wanted for us, I feel like Im getting there. Im working on it, Taylor said of his father.

What is important to Taylor from all of his work, he said, is making his family proud and not wasting his blessings.

The TAT brand continues to expand as Terrence channels his hopeful philosophies and appreciation for his hometown into charismatic campaigns of community involvement that contribute to the notion that Decatur is a place where compassion and optimism is abundantly shared.

I just want people to remember that what I do is done out of love and positivity and that I believe that what you put out there is what you get back, he said of what he hopes his legacy can be.

Terrence "TAT" Taylor invests charisma in community

Contact Jim Bowling at (217) 421-6904. Follow him on Twitter: @JimBowlingPhoto

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
WASHINGTON  Pana High School senior Emily Kuhn said her participation in the March for Life events in Washington, D.C., reflects a core belief she holds.

It may be a big subject, but it is an important subject, she said Saturday. Too many unborn lives are taken.

Thousands, including those from Central Illinois, braved the cold in Washington this weekend for events tied to the march held Friday. It is the nation's largest annual anti-abortion rally and marks the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court case that guaranteed a woman's right to an abortion.

The first march took place on the west steps of the Capitol in January 1974. This years theme is Unique from Day One.

Friday featured a surprise appearance by Vice President Mike Pence with second lady Karen Pence, and a video message from President Donald Trump.

As president, I will always defend the first right in our Declaration of Independence, the right to life, Trump said.

Kyle Holtgrave, who oversees youth ministry programs for the Catholic Diocese of Springfield, which includes the Decatur region, said he invites young people and their families because the message is important

And it is a participation in our government, he said. It lets the government know we take it seriously.

Said Holtgrave: We are trying to find ways to empower women and keep their babies.

The group left on Wednesday on four buses. They arrived on Thursday and visited the Capitol building during a private tour. Their first evening was spent at a celebration with praise music and motivational speakers.

Friday began with a celebration Mass at the downtown St. Peters Catholic Church. They later assembled at the National Mall to hear speakers.

 Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

The support from government leaders was empowering, Emily said.

Trump, a strong ally of anti-abortion groups, also released a letter Friday emphasizing his opposition to any policies that House Democrats might pass that may undermine laws limiting abortion.

"I am concerned that this year, the Congress may consider legislation that could substantially change Federal policies and laws on abortion, and allow taxpayer dollars to be used for the destruction of human life," Trump wrote to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California. "I will veto any legislation that weakens current pro-life federal polices and laws, or that encourages the destruction of innocent human life at any stage."

After the rally, the group of supporters from around the country marched Constitution Avenue to the Supreme Court. Then we prayed in front of the Supreme Court building, Holtgrave said.

The Saturday agenda included Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

The local group enjoyed the weekend, but used the opportunity to stress their beliefs.

Gina Kuhn, who is Emilys mom, escorted a group of 13 people from St. Patricks Catholic Church in Pana. Eight members of the group were teenagers.

It is wonderful trip to make, she said. It is so profound to show their voices.

Emily, who has attended three of the marches, said theres a sense of community in the weekend events.

You are bolstered by the unity, to march in what you believe in, she said.

Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
3. Bauer and Weisberg. 2009. The fire cycle in pinyon-juniper was estimated at 427 years.

Specifically addressing conifers in sagebrush, this published study by Burkowski and Baker in 2013 concludes: Historical fire rotations for mountain big sagebrush were 137-217, and 171-342 years for Wyoming big sagebrush (both of which are in the Elkhorns); historical sagebrush was dominated by large, contiguous stands, with one-fourth being very dense; there were large expanses of sagebrush with trees historically present, including naturally-occurring transitions between woodlands and sagebrush ecosystems.

The Forest Service wanted scientific support for their plans to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayers dollars to cut down native junipers and burn sagebrush habitat in the Elkhorns. And they got what they paid for. What they didnt get was a credible scientific paper.

Olsen goes on to falsely claim that junipers are invasive trees that grow so thick they destroy habitat for wildlife and dont belong in the Elkhorns. But juniper, like sagebrush, is a native species that was collected by Meriwether Lewis when he traveled through Montana two centuries ago.
A woman who vanished from Great Falls last month has been found safe in Browning.

Brook-lyn Arrowtopknot had last been seen in Great Falls on the morning of Dec. 26 in the company of Guadalupe Pablo Galicia, who had previously been convicted of robbery and aggravated assault in connection with a 2014 gas station robbery, according to law enforcement. On Dec. 27, the Great Falls Police Department issued an Attempt to Locate bulletin.

On Friday, the Great Falls Police Department announced via Facebook that Arrowtopknot "has been located and she is safe."

"After receiving some very credible information, Detective [Doug] Mahlum traveled to Browning and, working closely with law enforcement officers from the U.S. Marshal Service Montana Violent Offender Task Force, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Glacier County Sheriff's Office and the FBI. Arrowtopknot was found and Guadalupe Galicia was taken into custody."

The announcement said that the investigation was ongoing, and more information would be shared when possible.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Montanas network of Small Business Development Centers this year will celebrate three decades of assisting nearly 6,500 businesses, more than 29,000 entrepreneurs and the 244,000 hard-working Montanans small businesses employ.

Nearly all businesses in Montana are small businesses, so its critical to have access to qualified support that can assist them with their needs, said SBDC State Director Chad Moore. As small businesses continue to drive our economy, SBDCs are available to help every entrepreneur succeed.

In 2018, the Montana SBDC Network helped launch 58 new businesses, provided 5,591 hours of client counseling and hosted 91 training seminars to reach 1,055 participants. The network also created or retained 494 jobs and helped small business owners launch or grow their companies by helping clients to access more than $24 million in financing.

Owners of new and existing businesses may schedule an appointment with an SBDC business advisor for free one-on-one assistance with a variety of business topics including business planning, financial analysis, market research, loan packaging, business management and more.
Just Tapped is a pretty amazing store located at 2201 N Montana Ave. If you are looking for cooking ideas, recipes, utensils, unique gifts, fine extra virgin olive oil (evoo), balsamic vinegars, rubs, spices and sauces, etc. or want to watch and learn as a chef prepares a meal for you and someone special, to enjoy in the kitchen, go in and see what they have to offer. They also offer lunches every Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. They can be reached at 406-502-1760 but stop by and see their wide range of products.

Many calls to the chamber are asking about the opening of WinCo Foods. Our understanding is that they will be hiring in February and opening around the first of March.

The Karma Korner Smoke Shop, CBD Wellness and Gifts is open and located at 1801 N. Montana Ave. A one-stop shop that's dedicated to giving the very best service with a focus on remarkable customer service, quality products, unique items and satisfaction through knowledgeable staff and competitive prices. The Karma Korner carries the highest quality in glass and silicone smoke products, CBD tinctures, CBD pain creams and patches, CBD for pets, CBD edibles, CBD E-Juice, and so much more. There's good Karma around every Korner. The Karma Korner offers parking in the front and back of the business. Hours are Monday - Friday 11 to 6 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
1. Fill in your name or an alias. Do not leave blank or use the name 'guest' or 'anonymous'.

2. No Nivul Peh. Profanity will be deleted.
Re: What is the ratio of the number of cups of flour to the number of cups [ #permalink

tharunv wrote:

What is the ratio of the number of cups of flour to the number of cups of sugar required in a certain cake recipe?

(1) The number of cups of flour required in the recipe is 250% of the number of cups of sugar required in the recipe

(2) 1 1/2 more cups of flour than cups of sugar are required in the recipe.



I got the wrong answer and I now know the correct answer but need the rationale - could someone tell me the answer and the rationale behind the answer? Thanks. I'll post the OA later.

The question is asking -- what is f/s ?(1) f = 250%(s) = (250*s)/100 ------ f/s = 5/2 ---- sufficient(2) f = s + s(1 1/2) = s + (3*s)/2 = (5*s)/2 ------ f/s = 5/2 ---- sufficientanswer is D ?
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Do you want to manage your remote workers effectively? If yes, you are in the right place. In this article,...
Re: A group of 4 junior lawyers require 5 hours to complete a legal resear [ #permalink

3 Kudos

Assuming that all junior lawyers work at the same rate, we can formulate the expression of 4*1/x (representing the 4 lawyers working together) and this equals 1/5 (reciprocal of the time it takes them together). Solving for x yields 20 hours (the time it takes one lawyer working alone). Since the assistants work at 2/3 the rate, it takes each of them 20*3/2=30 hours individually. For 3 of them working together, it takes 3*1/30 = 1/10, which is the reciprocal of 10 hours for them working as a group.



Choice B
French English

QUEBEC CITY, Jan. 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nemaska Lithium Inc. (the Corporation) (TSX: NMX) (OTCQX: NMKEF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Beaulieu as its new Vice President, Operations. Since January 3, Mr. Beaulieu has been overseeing the construction and operations readiness work that will lead to the commissioning of the Whabouchi mine and the Shawinigan electrochemical plant.



We are truly pleased to welcome Robert to Nemaska Lithium, an incredible talent developed through various Canadian and international experiences, said Guy Bourassa, President and CEO of Nemaska Lithium. Robert has led the start-up and operations of large-scale projects and we will benefit from his vast experience in transitioning from construction and development to ramp-up and commercial operations and process optimization. As we are fast approaching a new turning point in our history, his extensive track record in the development of complex and innovative mining and metallurgical processing projects will be an excellent addition to team.

A seasoned professional with more than 25 years of experience in the mining industry, Mr. Beaulieu brings valuable knowledge of project startups. He was notably at the helm of the technical commissioning and production ramp-up of Glencores Koniambo Nickel mine, in New Caledonia, from 2012 to 2018. Prior to that, he has worked in highly strategic and technological environments, leading multidisciplinary teams in the achievement of critical targets for companies including Stornoway Diamond Corporation, SNC-Lavalin, Canadian Royalties inc and Metallurgy Magnola inc.

It is with great pride that I am joining such a promising company as Nemaska Lithium, said Robert Beaulieu, Vice President, Operations. After only a few days in my new role, I have been able to witness the ingenuity and collective commitment behind Nemaska Lithiums unique process and management philosophy. Both at the mine site and at the electrochemical plant, I have met innovative and dedicated people that truly share the common goal of making Nemaska Lithium a world-renowned success. I am very excited to embark, with them, on this journey towards the commercial operations of the project.

About Nemaska Lithium

Nemaska Lithium Inc. is a developing chemical company whose activities will be vertically integrated, from spodumene mining to the commercialization of high-purity lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate. These lithium salts are mainly destined for the fast-growing lithium-ion battery market, which is driven by the increasing demand for electric vehicles and energy storage worldwide. With its products and processes, the Corporation intends to facilitate access to green energy, for the benefit of humanity.

The Corporation will be operating the Whabouchi mine in Quebec, Canada, one of the richest lithium spodumene deposits in the world, both in volume and grade. The spodumene concentrate produced at the Whabouchi mine will be processed at the Shawinigan plant using a unique membrane electrolysis process for which the Corporation holds several patents.

The Corporation is a member of the S&P/TSX SmallCap Index, S&P/TSX Global Mining Index, S&P/TSX Global Base Metals Index, S&P/TSX Equal Weight Global Base Metals Index, and the MSCI Canada Small Cap Index. For more information, visit www.nemaskalithium.com or twitter.com/Nemaska Lithium .

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of certain securities laws and are based on expectations and projections as of the date of this press release.

Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, without limitation, those related to (i) the commissioning of the Whabouchi mine and the Shawinigan electrochemical plant, (ii) making Nemaska Lithium a world-renowned success (iii) the commercial operations of the project, and (iv) generally, the above About Nemaska Lithium paragraph which essentially describes the Corporations outlook. Forward-looking statements are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the time of this press release. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Corporation as of the time of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect.

Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can directly or indirectly affect, and could cause, actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that the Whabouchi mine and/or the electrochemical plant in Shawinigan will be commissioned and will begin production, as future events could differ materially what is currently anticipated by the Corporation.

By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions do not reflect future experience. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about managements expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important risk factors and future events could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates, assumptions and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and those made in our other filings with the securities regulators of Canada including, but not limited to, the cautionary statements made in the Risk Factors section of the Corporations Annual Information Form dated October 10, 2018, and the Risk Exposure and Management section of the Corporations quarterly Management Discussion & Analysis. The Corporation cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive, and new, unforeseeable risks may arise from time to time. The Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law.

Further information regarding Nemaska Lithium is available in the SEDAR database (www.sedar.com) and on the Corporations website at: www.nemaskalithium.com .

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Victor Cantore

Investor Relations

514 831-3809

victor.cantore@nemaskalithium.com Wanda Cutler

Investor Relations

416 303-6460

wanda.cutler@nemaskalithium.com

Fanny-Eve Tapp

Media Relations

B. 514 935 2777 # 204

C. 514 442 0445

fanny-eve.tapp@nemaskalithium.com
Former Sr. R&D Manager at BASF Corporation to lead Companys product development, technical service and manufacturing efforts



NEW YORK, Jan. 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Minerals, Inc. (the "Company" or "Applied Minerals") (OTCQB: AMNL), a leading global producer of halloysite clay under the trade name DRAGONITE and advanced natural iron oxides under the trade name AMIRON is pleased to announce it has appointed Dr. Sharad Mathur its Chief Technology Officer. As the Companys Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Mathur will draw on more than 20 years of experience at BASF Corporation and Engelhard Corporation to lead the Companys product development, technical service and manufacturing efforts.

In particular, Dr. Mathur, along with the Companys CEO, Andre Zeitoun, will closely interface with the technical and engineering staffs of the Companys customer base to facilitate the conversion of the Companys pipeline of commercial opportunities.

Andre Zeitoun, CEO, stated, It is a great honor to have Sharad join the Applied Minerals team. Sharad has a long proven track record as a customer-centric commercial scientist, highly fluent across a wide range of applications on which we are focused. It is rare to find such a talented professional with the enthusiasm to match. We are very confident that Sharads contribution will be immediately accretive to the development of our business.

Dr. Mathur added, I am very excited to join the team at Applied Minerals. I look forward to applying my vast experience with kaolin clay-based technologies to the continued commercialization of the Companys DRAGONITE halloysite products, which enable the development of high performance solutions for an array of applications.

Prior to joining the Company, Dr. Mathur was most recently a Sr. R&D Manager for Global Strategic Marketing and Innovation for BASFs Paper and Water Chemicals Global Business Unit and Kaolin Global Business Unit. His duties included, but were not limited to, managing technical relationships at key accounts, directing new product development activities and managing the development of manufacturing processes.

From July 2009 to December 2014, Dr. Mathur was Head of Product Development, Applications and Quality for BASFs North American Paper Chemicals Regional Business Unit that included the Global Kaolin business. During his tenure Dr. Mathur directed a 25-member R&D team, was responsible for an annual R&D budget of $4 million and successfully managed the commercialization of a portfolio of new products.

Dr. Mathur has an M.Eng in Materials Science and Engineering from McMaster University and a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Florida. He is listed as an inventor on thirteen (13) issued U.S. patents and six (6) U.S. patent applications.

About Applied Minerals

Applied Minerals is the leading producer of halloysite clay and advanced natural iron oxide solutions from its wholly owned Dragon Mine property in Utah. Halloysite is aluminosilicate clay that forms naturally occurring nanotubes. In addition to serving the traditional halloysite markets for use in technical ceramics and catalytic applications, the Company has developed niche applications that benefit from the tubular morphology of its halloysite. These applications include carriers of active ingredients in paints, coatings and building materials, environmental remediation, agricultural applications and high-performance additives and fillers for plastic composites. Applied Minerals markets its halloysite products under the DRAGONITE trade name.

From its Dragon Mine property, the Company also produces a range of ultra-pure natural iron oxides consisting of hematite and goethite. Combining ultra-high purity and consistent quality, the inherent properties of the iron oxide from the Dragon Mine allow for a wide range of end uses in pigment and technical applications. Applied Minerals markets its comprehensive line of advanced natural iron oxide pigments under the AMIRON trade name. Additional information on the Company can be found at www.appliedminerals.com and www.AMIRONoxides.com .

Safe Harbor Statements

The following are safe harbor statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for Applied Minerals, Inc. Some statements contained or implied in this news release may be considered forward-looking statements, which by their nature are uncertain. Consequently, actual results could materially differ. For more detailed information concerning how risks and uncertainties could affect the Company's revenue pipeline, please refer to Applied Minerals' most recent annual and quarterly reports filed with the SEC. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information.
This isn't the 2019 in the U.S. House that Steve King had in mind when he won a ninth term in November.

King, a full-throated social conservative, was looking to fending off Democratic initiatives and support fellow Republican President Donald Trump against possible impeachment proceedings. Instead, the Iowa 4th district congressman is now fighting for his own political life, and vowing not to resign, after recent remarks on white supremacy elicited calls for his censure within the very first week of the 116th Congress.

It has been a contentious last 10 days for King.

House Republican leaders voted Monday to take away all of his committee assignments for the next two years in the wake of a New York Times story in which he was quoted as saying, "White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization  how did that language become offensive?" The next day, the House overwhelmingly approved a resolution of disapproval intended to rebuke King and denounced hateful expressions of intolerance that are contradictory to the values that define the people of the United States.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Sen. Mitt Romney, a former GOP presidential candidate, and Rep. Liz Cheney, the third-ranking GOP House member and daughter of a former vice president, were among the elected officials who suggested King resign his seat.

Despite the uproar, a defiant King refuses to leave.

"No, no chance at all. I'll go out of this place dead before that happens and the Lord will have to make that decision," King told WHO Radio on Tuesday.

To the contrary, King quickly sent out an email urging supporters to donate to his re-election campaign, casting himself as a victim of a cabal of the "unhinged left" and "NeverTrumpers" who are out to "destroy" him because of his unwavering opposition to illegal immigration.

In the email, King tied himself to President Donald Trump, noting the Times "relentlessly and dishonestly attacks" the Republican president and now is "coming after me by shamelessly twisting my words, quoting me out of context, and using their Leftist comrades in the media to parrot their false talking points."

We have seen this playbook before  like when the media tried to defeat President Trump by calling him a racist, he continued. "We know how that worked out, don't we?"

Before the latest controversy, King was in line for seats on the Agriculture, Small Business and Judiciary committees. As one of the president's "strongest allies," King claimed, in his fundraising letter this week, he was targeted because his Judiciary seat put him in "perfect position to defend Donald Trump against the impeachment charges that are so likely to be brought."

In a Dec. 18 interview with The Journal, King promised to vigorously defend Trump if Democrats attempted to impeach him over charges related to special prosecutor Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

King dismissed accusations that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia. He called for a deadline for Mueller to finish the investigation.

He said Americans are divided on whether Trump was involved in issues being investigated by Mueller, "based on who they want to believe," since the president has supporters and detractors, depending on how they view his policies and personal life.

Minority party

In the December interview, King also said he would support Trump's quest to build a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico. Democrats have refused Trump's demand for at least $5 billion for the wall, leading to the shutdown of non-essential parts of the federal government since Dec. 22, the longest in U.S. history.

King described the wall as the "most pivotal" and "contentious" piece of legislation this year. King, who had been in line to be the ranking member of the Judiciary's subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice after serving as chairman of the panel, argues the wall would stem the tide of illegal immigration from Mexico and Central and South American nations.

In his latest email to donors, King insisted he also was targeted by his political opponents because "(they)know full well I've been pushing for tougher immigration law for years" and "they universally understand that, were it not for me in Congress, amnesty would be the law of the land for tens of millions of illegal aliens."

Even before the latest setbacks, King was adjusting to life in the minority party after Democrats won 40 seats in the mid-term elections.

"(House Majority Leader) Nancy Pelosi will take that big gavel and kill off anything I want," King said in December.

With Democrats in charge, King in the interview said he would be forced to resort to more House floor speeches and media interviews to counteract the bad public policy pieces he assumes will be introduced.

Primary challenge

The uproar over King's white supremacist comments came just days after Randy Feenstra, a prominent Republican state senator from Northwest Iowa, announced he would challenge King in the 2020 GOP primary.

Feenstra, an assistant Senate majority leader who also chairs the powerful Ways and Means Committee, has argued King's long history of racially-charged comments has embarrassed the district and the state and reduced his influence in the House. King's recent removal from all House committees has compounded that problem, Feenstra said.

"Today, Northwest Iowa doesn't have a voice in Congress because Steve King's caustic nature has left us without a seat at the table," Feenstra said in a tweet. "It's time to #RetireSteveKing."

King's weak showing in last fall's election led Feenstra to enter the race. After winning re-election by 23 points in 2016, King squeaked by Democrat J.D. Scholten by just 3 percent in November in a district where there are 70,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats.

A poll released late last week suggested King's political standing in the district has fallen even more following the wave of negative publicity over the last week.

The poll, published by a PAC created by Jim Mowrer, a Democrat who previously ran for the 4th District seat, showed 42 percent of voters have a favorable opinion of King, while 54 percent have an unfavorable opinion. That's a far worst split than for Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds (61/31), Sen. Joni Ernst (59/30), and Trump (57/42).

When asked whether voters would choose King or a generic Democratic candidate for Congress right now, King lost to the generic Democrat, 45 percent to 37 percent, with 18 percent saying they were unsure. Poll respondents also chose Scholten over King, 44 percent to 39 percent. The poll did not test King against Feenstra or other challenges in a hypothetical primary.

20-20 Insight LLC, an Atlanta-based firm founded by Democrats, surveyed 472 likely voters in the 4th District on Jan. 16 and 17.

Mixed constituent reviews

Hannah O'Callaghan, of Sioux City, said she doesn't support King, contending reports of his support for white supremacists constitute "baggage" that makes him less effective as a congressman. In a Jan. 7 interview with the Journal, prior to publication of the Times story, she referred to King having to defend his remarks on race and support for political candidates and parties with ties to white supremacy in the final weeks of last fall's campaign.

"I don't think he should be (serving), with all the things he had going on," O'Callaghan said.

In a separate interview, also on Jan. 7, Gordon Thompson, of Sioux City, said King has been responsive to voters needs of the 4th District.

While Thompson likes King's stance on policies and has repeatedly voted for him, he said he's glad King announced two weeks ago he would break with his recent practice and hold public town hall meetings in all 39 counties of the district.

The first forum is scheduled for Thursday, but King's office has not yet announced where it will be held.

"He does care. I'm just glad someone shook him up, because now he is paying attention," Thompson said.

In the email appeal last week, King also claimed the "rabid leftist media" because they were " unable to defeat my campaign in the 2018 midterm elections" are now "blasting the airwaves in a pathetic attempt to paint me as a 'racist.' "

King has repeatedly insisted the Times "completely mischaracterized" his comments during a nearly hour-long interview. The congressman said he rejects the ideology of white supremacy, adding that he comes from a family of abolitionists who "paid a price with their lives to make sure that all men and now all women are created equal."

"Like the Founding Fathers, I am indeed a champion of Western Civilization and American culture -- I'm an American Nationalist -- not a 'White Nationalist' or 'White Supremacist,'' as the Times imply in their biased coverage," he wrote in the fundraising email.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1
Paradox Beer Company on Thursday debuted its Maple Manhattan, a cocktail-inspired brew aged in maple wood barrels with maple syrup and Italian amarena cherries.

But customers in the 17 other states to which the brewery ships its beers will have to wait to taste the new beer because of hangups related to the federal government shutdown, says Jeff Airman, brewer and blender at Divide-based brewery.

Craft brewers in Colorado and across the country that ship out of state have joined the list of those feeling the strain of the partial shutdown that has halted operations at the federal agency that regulates alcohol production and distribution. The hiatus makes it impossible for breweries to get the clearances they need to introduce varieties to out-of-state customers and open or expand tap rooms and other facilities.

Paradox, which typically introduces between 20 and 30 beers annually, has seven new brews that its yet to begin bottling because the labels havent been approved by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, Airman said.

The concept here has always been to keep changing, to keep doing new beers and new varieties. Thats really what the consumer is after these days, Airman said. Having our hands tied and not being able to release new beers makes it difficult for us to do what weve done for the past six-and-a-half years as a company.

The state has its label approval process, so beers that are being sold by Colorado breweries within Colorado dont need federal clearance.

Hundreds of thousands of federal employees have missed paychecks because of the shutdown, which began on Dec. 22 and has continued amid an impasse over President Donald Trumps demand for Congress to provide $5.7 billion to build his long-promised border wall with Mexico.

The delays related to the shutdown have made it especially tough for small, independent beermakers, who launch new and seasonal products with less lead time than major brands, according to the Boulder-based Brewers Association.

But big-name Colorado brewing companies, such as New Belgium and Oskar Blues, are also hitting potentially costly snags.

Longmont-based Oskar Blues has about 15 new beers that are in limbo, awaiting formula approval for development or other clearances for shipment out of state, said Marketing Director Dave Taylor. The company, which operates a restaurant in Colorado Springs and distributes its beers nationwide, has also put on hold canning a new version of its Steep Coast Double IPA and moving forward with tap room projects in Texas and North Carolina.

We have innovative, delicious new beers that were just sitting on, Taylor said. Its hurting our suppliers. Its hurting us. Its hurting tap rooms.

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, a Colorado Democrat, has asked Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to explain how the federal government plans to address the backlog thats holding up business for brewers and distillers, including more than 11,000 applications for alcohol labels that have accumulated since the shutdown began.

The uncertainty of a government shutdown is affecting these business owners ability to invest, hire, grow, and hit revenue targets, Bennet wrote in a Wednesday letter to Mnuchin. The inability of these companies to plan also affects farmers, suppliers and everyone along the craft brewing supply chain, an industry that contributes $76.2 billion and more than 500,000 jobs to the U.S. economy.

The shutdown is likely also preventing breweries in other states from getting label approvals needed to sell new products in Colorado, said Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association, a not-for-profit trade association.

The end of the shutdown wont bring an immediate end to the delays. The longer the shutdown continues, the bigger the backlog the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau will have to sort through when work resumes. That means it could still be months before labels and permits are approved.

Plus, the broader economic consequences of the shutdown could compound the logistical challenges that breweries have experienced due to the shutdown, even after it ends, Gatza said in an email.

As the shutdown continues with no end in sight, I also think that government workers and others are becoming increasingly worried about the economy, which could impact craft beer sales as spending changes ripple through the Front Range and whole country, he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
WOODLAND PARK  You can tell just from photos of her that Kelsey Berreth, the 29-year-old Woodland Park mother authorities believe was killed by her fiance, was a good person, said JoDee Garretson, Berreths cousin.

She had a smile that could light up a room, Garretson said last week from her home in Washington state, where Berreth grew up on her parents farm.

Since Berreth was reported missing by her mother, Cheryl, in early December, people near and far have been captivated by the twists and turns in her presumed murder. The flight instructor was last seen alive on surveillance video on Thanksgiving Day shopping with her 15-month-old daughter at the Woodland Park Safeway.

Despite not having found her body, authorities have arrested the man she was planning to marry and the father of her daughter, Patrick Frazee. The 32-year-old Florissant rancher was arrested Dec. 21 and charged with first-degree murder, as well as conspiring with others to kill Berreth. No one else has been arrested, although an Idaho woman with whom Frazee was reportedly having an affair, is under investigation, according to authorities.

Its just horrific; it breaks your heart, said Cripple Creek resident Jeff Kuykendall, who didnt know Berreth but has been following news reports about her. You just wonder what the motivation was.

With investigators justification for Frazees arrest sealed, all the public can do is guess at what happened to her and why.

Speculation on social media is rife. One Facebook discussion group has nearly 15,000 participants; another has 10,000 members, and several have about 2,000.

If you use common sense, its easy to see she was a stand-up member of society, wrote one online commenter. She held down a good job, owned a home, had two cars and loved her family. Its disgusting that people would even speculate about what she did or didnt do. The fact is that she is the victim, and thats the only thing she should be at this point in time.

National media descended on this small mountain town in the first two weeks of the investigation. They continue to follow new leads in Colorado and Idaho, where Berreths cellphone last pinged and another woman is being investigated for possible ties to the murder.

Couple met online

Unlike many millennials, Berreth did not have much of a social media presence.

But she did meet Frazee online, Garretson said.

Kelsey told me that, said Garretson, who couldnt confirm whether the two met on the dating site for rural residents, FarmersOnly.com, as has been rumored.

She was very happy and excited to be with him, said Garretson, a first cousin to Berreths mother who lives in Idaho.

Berreth, who moved to Colorado in 2016, was engaged to Frazee, although the two never lived together, her mother and Garretson have said.

Her Colorado address initially was listed as a post office box in Florissant, the town where Frazee lived and worked on his familys ranch.

They met in March 2016, said Kate Loucado, who worked with Berreth for a short time.

She was a farm girl looking for someone with strong family values and someone who held the same beliefs and morals, Loucado said on a Facebook discussion page. I think she was awestruck that this handsome cattle rancher was interested.

In February 2017, Berreth told fellow pilot Kris Ackerman that she was getting married soon.

Ackerman, a classmate of Berreths in pilot school, described her as quiet and reserved.

Very nice to anyone she interacted with, Ackerman said on Facebook.

He last spoke with her in June 2017, when she told him she aspired to fly cargo deliveries or work as an airline pilot.

At the time of her disappearance, Berreth was a flight instructor in the Pueblo office of Doss Aviation, which provides flight training for the U.S. military and international armed services. The company does not release information about employees, said a spokeswoman, refusing to say how long Berreth worked there or what kind of employee she was.

Garretson said Berreth loved the freedom of flight from a young age and obtained her pilots license as a teen.

Id forgotten how young she was when she learned how to fly, her cousin said.

And she was a damn good pilot, Loucado said.

Many unanswered questions





Authorities have not released what evidence they found that led them to believe she was killed in her Woodland Park townhome. But after searching Frazees 35-acre property and Berreths townhome, authorities said they no longer believe she is alive.

For those who knew her, its hard to imagine shes no longer alive.

She was a sweet girl, Loucado said.

Friendly and personable, said Lon Rust, who owns Paradise Spirits liquor store in Woodland Park, where Berreth was a customer. She seemed like a fairly stable person, he said.

Berreth was a very shy person until you actually get to know her, said Luda Boychuk, a friend.

She always kept to herself, until we became friends, and then she was nothing but sweet and the most down-to-earth person ever, Boychuk said on Facebook.

Berreth moved to the townhouse near downtown Woodland Park in May and didnt seem to know her neighbors.

Not many in town knew her, resident Laura Ross said on Facebook. A few remember seeing her here and there, but she didnt frequent any place specific. (She was) very private.

Although Berreths parents are active in the Sandpoint Seventh-day Adventist Church in their Idaho community, where several prayer vigils were held, Berreth was not a member of the denominations church in Woodland Park, said the Rev. Mike Kissner, pastor.

Her parents visited the church a few weeks ago, he said, likely when they were obtaining temporary custody of their daughters child, to receive prayers and consolation.

At the first of several news conferences last month, Cheryl Berreth described her daughter as loving God, her family and friends and her job. She also said Kelsey was reliable, considerate and honest.

Berreths townhouse sits dark, empty and torn apart by criminal investigators searching for evidence.

Now, only questions linger. Why was she not reported missing for 10 days? Why did Berreth hand over the baby to Frazee on Thanksgiving? Why did Frazee not let Berreths mother see the child while she was in Woodland Park, before he was arrested? Did Frazee threaten an Idaho nurse to help kill his fiancee? Who sent texts from Berreths cellphone from Idaho three days after Thanksgiving, saying she wouldnt be at work the following week? Did Frazee plot to murder her in October, as an Idaho couple now assert? Where are her remains?

This whole thing seems so unreal, Boychuk said.

Contact the writer: 719-476-1656.
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 66F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 66F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Is Colorado still a purple state that, in the future, will see voters split their votes between the Democratic and Republican parties? Or, in light of the strong performance by the Democrats in the 2018 general election, is Colorado becoming mainly Democratic  a blue state?

To answer these questions, we decided to first look backward over the past half-century of Colorado voting statistics. We studied major statewide elections for U.S. president, U.S. senator, and Colorado governor. Using only Democratic and Republican election results (we excluded third parties), we divided the study into five separate decades  the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s.

For each decade we calculated a Statewide Partisan Average (SPA), an average number summing up how the two political parties did against each other over that decade of time.

The SPA metric is something we devised many years ago. Yes, it is a bit wonky, but anyone can do the math with data provided by the Colorado Secretary of States Office.

Thus, in the decade of the 1970s, Colorado had a SPA of 51.2 percent Republican. Compared to many other states in the United States, that is a close split. Many other states are strongly Democratic or strongly Republican.

In the 1970s, Richard Nixon won a big victory for the Republicans in Colorado in the 1972 presidential election, but the ensuing Watergate scandal forced Nixon to resign the presidency. The Democrats in Colorado took advantage of this Republican scandal and elected Dick Lamm governor in 1974 and reelected him in 1978. Thus both parties had winning candidates in the 1970s, and the close SPA, 51.2 percent Republican, reflected that.

We go on to the 1980s. It was the most Republican decade in recent Colorado electoral history. The SPA hit 52.4 percent Republican, mainly thanks to Republican Ronald Reagans twin victories in the 1980 and 1984 presidential elections in Colorado. Democrats continued to dominate gubernatorial elections, however. Lamm was easily reelected to a third term as governor in 1982 and Roy Romer, also a Democrat, succeeded Lamm in the governors office in 1986. Republican presidential victories were mainly counterbalanced by Democratic gubernatorial wins, so the SPA stayed close at 52.4 percent for the GOP.

The 1990s were a comeback for the Democrats, and the decade ended with Colorado having a SPA of 50.6 percent Democratic. Bill Clinton won Colorado for the Democrats in the 1992 presidential election, but Republican Bob Dole narrowly defeated Clinton in the presidential sweepstakes in 1996. Democrat Roy Romer was reelected governor in 1990 and 1994, but Republican Bill Owens won the governor race in a squeaker in 1998. That super close SPA of 50.6 percent Democratic in the 1990s is what put the idea in peoples heads that Colorado was indeed a purple-ish state.

But the SPA score became even closer in the decade of the 2000s and ended up at 50.4 percent Republican, the closest the two parties came to an even balance in the 50-year period studied. Republican President George W. Bush carried Colorado handily in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, but President Barack Obama did even better for the Democrats in 2008. Republican Bill Owens was reelected governor by a big margin in 2002, but Bill Ritter took the governors office back for the Democrats in 2006. Again there is this pattern of both parties winning major statewide offices throughout the decade, thereby explaining that 50.4 percent Republican SPA for the early 2000s.

And now it is on to the present decade of 2010 to 2018. The SPA stands at 52.2 percent Democratic, the best the Democrats have done in any decade from 1970 to 2018. That is almost as good as the Republicans did in their best decade with 52.4 percent Republican in the 1980s. Barack Obama carried Colorado comfortably for the Democrats when he was reelected president in 2012, and Hillary Clinton won Colorado just as comfortably from Donald Trump in 2016. The only Republican win in a statewide election in Colorado in the 2010-2018 decade was Cory Gardners election as U.S. senator in 2014. At an SPA of 52.2 percent Democratic, the 2010s have been the Republican Partys weakest decade in Colorado over the past half century.

COLORADO STATEWIDE

PARTISAN AVERAGES (SPA)

BY DECADES

1970-2018

1970-1978 51.2 R

1980-1988 52.4 R

1990-1998 50.6 D

2000-2008 50.4 R

2010-2018 52.2 D

R=Republican

D=Democratic

SPA=Percentage votes for U.S. President, U.S. senator, and Colorado governor averaged together by decade.

So what can be concluded from this 50-year decade-by-decade study? Over the long haul, it appears Coloradans consistently vote in a narrow range of 52.4 percent Republican to 52.2 percent Democratic. Thus there is no historical evidence Colorado voters ever want to go strongly Democratic or strongly Republican for an extended period of time. For fifty years the statewide vote has stayed close to the 50 percent mark that determines victory and defeat. The result is that Democrats and Republicans both get elected in the state most of the time.

Can the Republicans come back from the fact that the Democrats have been on a winning streak in the 2010s and currently enjoy a 52.2 percent Democratic advantage? Well, the Republicans had a slightly better figure of 52.4 percent Republican in the 1980s, and by the end of the 1990s that Republican lead was gone. The Democrats could lose their current advantage the way the Republicans lost theirs in the 1990s.

And then there is this point. The Democrats have won a large number of statewide offices in Colorado recently, but they have won most of them by narrow victory margins in the range of 50 to 52 percent. And in every case, Democratic candidates won only because they were better able to sway a majority of Colorados large and growing unaffiliated voters. With things this close in Colorado, and most unaffiliated voters regularly up for grabs, the Republicans will not have to reverse that many votes to start winning again.

The Democrats now control all but one of the major statewide offices that compose the SPA. It is well-known, however, that voters, in Colorado as well as elsewhere, have a tendency every eight years or so to vote for out-of-office party candidates. That could help the Republicans as well, especially when, or if, Republicans can better overcome their ideological divisions. This, going forward, may be a big if.

Most pundits are forecasting Colorado as a now a predictably blue, or Democratic, state. This may prove to be the case, and demographic changes help to make that case. Further, Governor Polis is off to a good start, and Republican U.S. Senator Cory Gardner is understandably losing sleep over a likely contest against former-Governor John Hickenlooper in 2020. Still, as our close look at the last 50 years suggests, we would not yet short Republican chances over the next decade.

Warning: Just as in the stock market, past electoral performance never guarantees future gains. Except, we note, markets have an impressive way of coming back and going up after corrections, and even after recessions and depressions. So blue-ness will depend more on performance than on future expectations. Thats the way it has worked in Colorado over the past five decades.

Tom Cronin and Bob Loevy are political scientists at Colorado College.
President Donald Trump offered limited protections for so-called Dreamer immigrants in exchange for $5.7 billion to build his proposed border wall.

Even before his remarks Saturday, Democrats reject the offer as inadequate.

Congress and the White House are trying to end the longest government shutdown ever.

The partial government shutdown has led to about 800,000 federal workers missing paychecks and disrupted some key government services.

President Donald Trump on Saturday proposed limited legal protections for undocumented immigrants in exchange for money to build his proposed border wall, a plan meant to put pressure on congressional Democrats as the longest government shutdown ever drags into its 29th day.

In remarks at the White House, Trump again pushed for $5.7 billion in U.S. funding to build "steel barriers in high-priority locations"  different from the Mexican government-funded concrete wall across the entire southern border that he proposed as a candidate. But the proposal quickly came under fire from recalcitrant Democrats, as well as conservatives leery of any deal that embraced "amnesty."

The offer likely will not lead to a deal to reopen the nine U.S. agencies that remain unfunded as concerns grow about the 800,000 federal workers going without pay. Before Trump announced the proposal Saturday, Democratic leaders rejected it as inadequate or even "unacceptable" as details emerged in media reports.

The president backed legislation to give more than 700,000 immigrants, known as "Dreamers," temporary legal status and work authorization for three years if their protection gets revoked. He also supported a three-year extension of the legal status of immigrants temporarily protected from deportation.

The president called his plan "straightforward, fair, reasonable and common sense" with "lots of compromise." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pledged to bring the bill to a vote this week, which will fail unless seven Democrats support it. McConnell previously said he would not move a plan to end the government shutdown unless both the president and Democratic leaders back it.

Story continues

Trump described his Saturday offer as a way to "break the logjam and provide Congress with a path forward to end the government shutdown and solve the crisis on the southern border." He did not mention the government worker furloughed or working without pay during his comments.

Trump said the proposal includes some other provisions:

$800 million in "urgent humanitarian assistance"

$805 million for "drug detection technology to help secure our ports of entry"

2,750 more border patrol agents and law enforcement officials

75 new immigration judge teams

A mechanism to allow Central American minors to apply for asylum in their home countries

The olive branch comes as Trump faces pressure to end the partial closure that has inflicted financial pain on government workers, and disrupted services from food inspection to airport security. The president's demand for money to construct the barrier  and Democrats' refusal to fund it  led to the funding lapse that polls say Americans are increasingly blaming on Trump.

The offer likely died before Trump even made it public. Democrats  and even some Republicans and Trump aides  have urged the president to back bills passed by the Democratic-held House to temporarily reopen the government before they hold border security talks.

In a statement before Trump spoke Saturday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the proposal "a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives, each of which is unacceptable and in total, do not represent a good faith effort to restore certainty to people's lives." New York Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer called the proposal "one-sided and ineffective" in a statement.

Schumer tweet

Democrats noted that the proposal would not offer as much certainty to immigrants who, under previously discussed plans, would have been legally protected for longer and could have had a path to citizenship.

"It is unlikely that any one of these provisions alone would pass the House, and taken together, they are a non-starter," Pelosi added.

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin  the chamber's second-ranking Democrat and one of the leading voices for the so-called Dreamers  also said he "cannot support the offer as reported and do not believe it can pass the Senate." He said he would join talks to "resolve all outstanding issues" on immigration after the government is funded.

'A lot of conservatives are livid'

Some pro-Trump conservatives who back the president's immigration policy criticized his sweeteners for Democrats on Saturday. Rep. Steve King, an Iowa Republican who recently sparked bipartisan condemnation for racist comments about white supremacy, tweeted: "NO AMNESTY 4 a wall!"

Firebrand media personality Ann Coulter also tweeted that "Trump proposes amnesty." She added: "We voted for Trump and got Jeb!" She referenced former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a 2016 GOP presidential hopeful who lost to Trump after he proposed more centrist immigration policy. Meanwhile, right-leaning radio host Erick Erickson said the initial reactions from his listeners showed conservatives were "livid."

Erickson tweet

Trump said Saturday that he expected some Democrats to support the plan. However, none of the party's senators  not even the handful of more centrist voices from pro-Trump states  had endorsed the proposal shortly after the president's remarks.

The likely rejection still leaves unclear a path to reopening about a quarter of the government. In December, Pelosi rejected a potential plan to fund the wall, in exchange for legal protections or a possible path to citizenship for the immigrants.

When Republicans held both chambers of Congress last year, a more comprehensive agreement to resolve both issues fell apart. Trump rejected a deal that included $25 billion in border wall funding, along with legal status and a possible path to citizenship for up to 1.8 million undocumented immigrants. Lawmakers have sought a solution to protect the immigrants for years, and made it more of a priority when Trump tried to end the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals in 2017.

"There seemed to be very little new" in Trump's speech Saturday, said Carl Tobias, the Williams Chair in law at the University of Richmond School of Law. As the Supreme Court declined to take up Trump's decision to end DACA in its current term, meaning it could remain intact for nearly a year longer, Trump's three-year extension offer "means less," he told CNBC in an email.

"His attempts to appear reasonable are not very persuasive when he offers so little that is new," Tobias said. "If McConnell brings up a bill with these ideas, it may not even pass in the Senate and surely not in the House. The shutdown promises to continue."

A conversation last year about immigrants with temporary protected status in part led to talks collapsing. Durbin said Trump referred to Haiti and African countries as "s---hole" nations.

The president later claimed the senator "blew DACA."

 CNBC's Javier David contributed to this report

Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.





More From CNBC


Late Friday, President Donald Trump said he will make a major announcement on Saturday about the border and ongoing government shutdown. China offers to increase its annual import of U.S. goods by a combined value of over $1 trillion.

Investors banking on an early end to the trade dispute between the United States and China, sold U.S. Treasury instruments on Friday in anticipation of a stronger economy and the potential for a sooner-than-expected rate hike by the Federal Reserve. Treasury yields rose after Chinese officials offered to increase U.S. imports for six years. Investors felt this move was a positive step toward a resolution of the lingering trade spat between the worlds two largest economies.

On Friday, 2-year Treasury yields settled at 2.616 percent, up 0.052 percent. The benchmark 10-year Treasury settled at 2.788 percent, up 0.041 percent and the 30-year Treasury bond settled at 3.10 percent, up 0.024.

China Wants to Help Erase Trade Deficit

According to Bloomberg News, Chinese officials made the offer during negotiations in Beijing earlier in the month. The report said China would increase its annual import of U.S. goods by a combined value of over $1 trillion. The news prompted money managers to sell Treasurys which drove up yields.

Earlier in the week, the Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. could ease tariffs against China. According to the report, the suggestion came from Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, but faced opposition from U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.

Lighthizers opposition was not unexpected since he is seen as the hardliner in the Trump administration. Shortly after the report, a senior government official told CNBC that Mnuchin had not made any such recommendations.

Government Shutdown

Portfolio managers continued to monitor the government shutdown, which reached a record 28th day on Friday with no end in sight. However, late Friday, President Donald Trump said he will make a major announcement on Saturday about the border and ongoing government shutdown.

According to CNBC, the president did not provide any further details on what he would discuss.

Fresh developments during the week included Trump cancelling his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, scheduled for next week. He also called off sending his delegation to the meeting, out of consideration of the 800,000 workers not receiving pay because of the shutdown.

Story continues

The political rift between Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi widened last week after the president postponed Pelosis overseas trip with other members of Congress to visit U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Trump said the trip would be rescheduled when the government shutdown ends.

Earlier in the week, Pelosi sent Trump a letter, urging him to either reschedule his upcoming State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress or deliver it in writing because of the shutdown.

So far there has been very little negative impact on the financial markets from the government shutdown. The Treasury and the Federal Reserve have been unaffected by the event so its been business as usual.

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

More From FXEMPIRE:
Earnings from a more diverse group of industries are expected in the week ahead and could begin to grab more of the market's attention.

Boosted by optimism about trade, stocks have recovered quickly and the S&P looks vulnerable to a pullback or pause.

One strategist said the next target on the S&P 500, at 2,670, would be 2,700 to 2,730 but it's a risky area, considering that stocks are up more than 13.5 percent since Dec. 24.

Stocks have gotten a boost from optimism for U.S.-China trade talks, but earnings could take a bigger role in the week ahead, when reports roll in from a diverse group of companies in tech, railroads, pharma, airlines and consumer products.

Stocks closed higher for a fourth week, amid talk the market may be getting overbought. The S&P 500 AMZN was up 2.9 percent for the week, to 2,670, giving it a gain of 13.6 percent from the Dec. 24 closing low. Going into the week, strategists were wondering if the S&P could even hold above the 2,600 level, a key area of resistance, but it punched through the level, ending the week above the band of resistance.

"I think the market had made even the pros frustrated. At this point, if you haven't bought the market this year, it's not the most prudent thing to do to chase it today. At the same time, being short is frustrating," said Scott Redler, partner with T3Live.com.

Redler said he's still long the market, but is hedging because the quick gains have made it riskier. "The next stop traders are looking at is 2,700 to 2,730 ... next week could be a good week for a pause while [the market] digests the move." Redler said next week's reports will be important, but the following week will be key with Apple AAPL and Amazon AMZN .

Headlines on trade were a positive this past week, including one that the U.S. was considering rolling back tariffs and another that China was offering to ramp up U.S. imports.

"We are going to continue to see these headlines until the deadline," said Cesar Rojas, Citigroup global economist. Rojas said he expects to see a deal between the U.S. and China by the March 1 deadline, and while all the details may not be ironed out, he does not expect to see more tariffs.

Story continues

"The focus for China is to stabilize its economy. One of the reasons we see a window of opportunity for a trade deal is the growth dynamics for the U.S. and China. We see still growth in the U.S., weakening growth in China for the first half, but for the second half, we see stabilizing growth in China and moderating growth in the U.S.," he said. He said the next senior-level talks at the end of the month could be key.

"I think you want to watch trade. We have a client survey we do once a quarter, and more than half the investors thought we would not get a trade deal by March 1," said Lori Calvasina, head of U.S. equities strategy at RBC Capital Markets. "I think that's part of the reason the market's been acting better in here. It's not that anything has happened, but you have some nice news, news that's moving in a positive direction."

Economic reports in the week ahead will be limited due to the government shutdown, which in itself is a growing risk for markets as economists say it could shave a tenth of a percentage point off GDP growth for each week it continues. Regularly scheduled durable goods will not be available, but there will be existing home sales Tuesday and jobless claims on Thursday, among others.

For the stock market, earnings will be important, with nearly 60 S&P companies reporting. That includes IBM IBM and Johnson and Johnson on Tuesday; Procter and Gamble PG and United Technologies Wednesday, and Intel INTC and Starbucks SBUX Thursday.

Financial companies were a mixed bag in the past week, with some high-profile misses such as Morgan Stanley MS and J.P. Morgan, JPM with its first miss in 15 quarters.

Earnings growth at this point is expected to be up 14.2 percent, when considering companies that have already reported, according to Refinitiv.

"You have to be a little careful at this point. It's very lumpy when you're coming out of the gate sector-by-sector," said Calvasina. "I think the industrials are going to be an important sector. I'm curious to see what's going to happen to them. The margin expectations have been pretty high, and a lot of the sell-side expectations are baking in expansion." Calvasina said the sector was one of the most vocal last quarter about the impact of tariffs and could have updates on the impact.

For tech, earnings expectations have been coming down and are now at 2.6 percent growth for the sector in 2019. The lowered expectations for technology companies have trailed the declines in other sectors, such as materials, consumer discretionary and health care, Calvasina said. Overall, the S&P is expected to see earnings growth of 6 percent in 2019, down from more than 23 percent in 2018.

Even with lowered earnings expectations, technology stocks are not really reflecting the earnings cuts as much as some other sectors. Semiconductors has been a culprit, pulling down the whole group. On a price-to-earnings basis, relative to the market, technology P/Es have been creeping higher, not falling, she said.

"The damage to earnings is worse than the damage to the price," she said, meaning that the stocks could be vulnerable this earnings season.

The World Economic Forum begins in Davos, Switzerland, on Sunday. President Donald Trump and Cabinet members are not attending because of the government shutdown.

What to Watch

Monday

Markets closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Tuesday

Earnings: Johnson and Johnson JNJ , Travelers, IBM, IBM Capital One, Stanley Black and Decker, SWK UBS, Fifth Third, Halliburton, TD Ameritrade AMTD , Steel Dynamics

8:30 a.m. Philadelphia Fed survey

10:00 a.m. Existing home sales

Wednesday

Earnings: Abbott Labs, Comcast CMCSA , Procter and Gamble, United Technologies, UTX Northern Trust NTRS , Kimberly-Clark, Ford, Las Vegas Sands, LVS F5 Networks, Raymond James, Texas Instruments, TXN Varian Medical, Citrix, BancorpSouth

Thursday

Earnings: Intel INTC , Starbucks SBUX , Bristol-Myers Squibb, Union Pacific UNP , Freeport-McMoRan, Intuitive Surgical, JetBlue, JBLU Southwest Air, Textron, ETrade, Discover Financial, DFS Alaska Air, Western Digital, Norfolk Southern

8:30 a.m. Jobless claims

9:45 a.m. Manufacturing PMI

9:45 a.m. Services PMI

Friday

Earnings : Colgate-Palmolive CL , Synchrony Financial, SYF NextEra Energy, Air Products, APD Vodafone, DR Horton, Lear, LM Ericsson, Iberiabank





More From CNBC


Passenger Sonjay Dutt tweeted that it had been a "long long long long day" after a United Airlines plane sat for about 16 hours on the frigid tarmac of a Canadian airport before returning to Newark, New Jersey, where the journey had begun (AFP Photo/Lars Hagberg)

A medical emergency and a mechanical problem left passengers on a United Airlines flight stuck for about 16 hours on the frigid tarmac of a Canadian airport in the plane's barely heated interior, the CBC network reported.

United Flight 179 had taken off late Saturday from Newark, New Jersey en route to Hong Kong with about 250 passengers on board.

When a passenger suffered a medical problem the plane made an emergency landing at Goose Bay airport in Newfoundland and Labrador province, on Canada's east coast, the airline told CBC.

But after paramedics took him to hospital, the plane was unable to take off, reportedly because bitterly cold temperatures of -30 degrees Celsius (-22 degrees Fahrenheit) had caused a door to freeze.

With no customs officers on duty overnight, passengers were forced to stay on board, many shivering under the thin blankets handed out by flight attendants.

With food and water running short roughly 10 hours into the ordeal, officials finally arrived to deliver supplies from the Tim Hortons fast-food chain known in Canada for its coffee and doughnuts.

One of the passengers, Sonjay Dutt, reached by phone, said the plane was under-heated and that the arrival of the food and coffee was not enough to appease increasingly angry passengers.

A relief aircraft arrived in Goose Bay late Sunday morning. After the passengers were transferred to the plane by bus, it took off in mid-afternoon to take them back to Newark, where they originally came from the day before, CBC said.

Much of eastern Canada, as well as the US northeast, has been suffering through a glacial cold spell, with heavy snowfalls that have led to scores of flight cancellations.

At the end of the United ordeal, passenger Dutt tweeted that "it's been a long long long long day."
The current intraday chart pattern indicates that investors will have to decide between buying strength and playing for a breakout over todays intraday high at $3.373, or wait for a pullback into the support zone at $3.091 to $3.024.

Natural gas futures are trading lower on Tuesday shortly before the regular session opening. The market turned lower after hitting its highest level since December 24 earlier in the session. Were in a weather market so volatile two-sided trading can be expected.

Furthermore, the current four day rally from 2.809 to $3.373 may have been too much, two soon, putting the market in overbought territory. Although the short-term uptrend may not be affected, the market may be ripe for a pull-back into support while investors continue to digest the weather forecasts.

At 12:30, GMT, March natural gas futures are trading $3.268 to $0.021 or -0.64%.

Short-Term Weather Forecast

According to NatGasWeather for January 15 to January 21, High pressure will gain ground over the southern 2/3rds of the country the next several days as highs warm into the 60s and 70s over Texas, South, and Southeast. There will be glancing shots of cold across the far northern 1/3 for locally stronger demand. Of greatest interest, a frigid cold shot will push into the northern, central, and southern US this weekend with lows of -20s to 20s for strong demand. The West will see a mix of mild and cool as weather systems track inland. Overall, national demand will be moderate-low this week, increasing to very high this weekend.

Bespoke Weather Services said changes in the weather models over the weekend were incredibly bullish with intense cold arriving for the latter third of January. The weather forecaster went on to say that gas-weighted degree days (GWDD) are expected to jump to near-record levels for a few days.

We then see cold briefly relax, with GWDDs consistently running above average through this time, Bespoke said. There is incredible model agreement that very significant cold returns as well through the final week of January and into early February, with risks of another lobe of the tropospheric polar vortex swinging through.

Story continues

Forecast

The market is likely to remain underpinned by the bullish six- to 10-day and 11-15 day weather forecasts, however, there is a warm period between the cold blasts that may encourage some light profit-taking. We could be looking at that today.

The current intraday chart pattern indicates that investors will have to decide between buying strength and playing for a breakout over todays intraday high at $3.373, or wait for a pullback into the support zone at $3.091 to $3.024.

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

More From FXEMPIRE:
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Malaysia's finance minister said on Friday the government would be ready to discuss dropping criminal charges against Goldman Sachs linked to the 1MDB scandal if the bank pays $7.5 billion in reparations.

Goldman Sachs is being investigated by Malaysian authorities and the U.S. Department of Justice for its role as underwriter and arranger of three bond sales that raised $6.5 billion for 1Malaysia Development Berhad. The bank has denied wrongdoing.

U.S prosecutors last year charged two former Goldman bankers with the theft of billions of dollars from 1MDB.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said Malaysia was seeking $7.5 billion in reparations from Goldman Sachs over its 1MDB deals, which included fees paid to the bank and bond coupons that were "higher than the market rate".

Asked by a reporter on Friday if Malaysia would drop the charges against the bank if it paid the reparations, Lim said: "Pay the $7.5 billion, then we can discuss."

Malaysia reopened domestic investigations into 1MDB last year, after a historic election that saw the country's first change of government in more than 60 years.

The government of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak set up the 1MDB fund in 2009, and the U.S. Justice Department estimated $4.5 billion was misappropriated by high-level fund officials and their associates between 2009 and 2014.

Najib has denied wrongdoing.

On Wednesday, Goldman Sachs chief executive David Solomon apologised to the Malaysian people for the role played by Tim Leissner in the 1MDB scandal, but said the bank had conducted due diligence before every transaction.

Leissner, a former partner for Goldman Sachs in Asia, pleaded guilty in the United States to conspiring to launder money and violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Lim said the apology was "necessary but not sufficient" and that the whole scandal had caused "agony and trauma suffered by the Malaysian people".

"If not for the change of government, do you think Goldman Sachs would have apologised? We are talking about the largest investment bank in the world... its not easy to get an apology from them," Lim said.

"An apology is not enough. An apology with $7.5 billion, that is what matters." (Reporting by Joseph Sipalan)
A company logo is displayed in front of a fountain at Wynn Macau resort in Macau, China February 8, 2018. REUTERS/Bobby Yip

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - A Malaysian judge on Friday ruled in favor of Wynn Macau (1128.HK) in a case against a fund manager who owed the casino millions of dollars, the company's lawyer said, the first time a casino has been allowed to recover dues in the country.

Wagering or gaming contracts are not recognized in Malaysia, which means casinos do not have legal recourse for the gambling dues owed to them by its clients.

But in the Wynn case against the Malaysian fund manager, the casino's lawyers said they weren't seeking dues from a wagering contract but from a credit agreement that the Malaysian had failed to honor.

Wynn brought the lawsuit against Paul Poh Yang Hong in 2017 for HK$33 million ($4.21 million) he owed the casino.

Poh took a line of credit of HK$40 million from Wynn, and he had paid down to about HK$33 million before Wynn sued him, Vincent Law, Wynn's attorney told Reuters.

Poh had said at an earlier court hearing he was not aware he had signed a credit agreement and that he did not owe the casino HK$40 million.

Judge S. Nantha Balan ruled in chambers on Friday that Poh will have to pay the outstanding amount of HK$33 million plus interest to Wynn, Law told Reuters at a Kuala Lumpur court.

Poh's lawyer declined to comment on the ruling or whether they would appeal.

"If there is no appeal, I believe this judgment today will be the law in Malaysia for the foreseeable future," Law said. "It is a good sign for the whole gaming industry."

(Reporting by Emily Chow, writing by A. Ananthalakshmi; Editing by Michael Perry)
Vanguard founder Jack Bogle, who died this week at the age of 89, has been rightly celebrated as one of the most important innovators in the history of capitalism, upending Wall Street retail brokerage and the mutual fund industry.

Bogle's winning bet that the average market return would beat most active managers includes an important, if counter-intuitive lesson about success: the path to it does not always mean you have to spend more, or stretch.

If Vanguard Group founder Jack Bogle, who died this week at the age of 89, represented the pinnacle of American success, his success is one that includes a counter-intuitive lesson. Mediocrity can be its own form of excellence.

Americans have long been taught to reach to keep up with the Joneses, that paying more means getting more and moving up the societal ladder on the way to the elite class. But in investing, mediocrity (or the average return produced by a broad market index) has consistently beaten the active stock pickers' search for excellence. At a time when the historically striving American culture has become equally obsessed with fears of its own decline, Bogle's success shows that there are situations in which being average is actually the best bet.

Bogle brought the concept of low-cost index funds to the individual investor, and brought it to them directly, upending the way asset managers construct and charge for their fund products, and how and where they are sold.

"Jack did more for American investors as a whole than any individual I've known. A lot of Wall Street is devoted to charging a lot for nothing. He charged nothing to accomplish a huge amount," Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO Warren Buffett said of Bogle .

Buffett, who generated returns for his investors over the past half century that have few equals, has warned his own shareholders for years that it has become increasingly difficult to outperform the index. And Buffett has put his money where his mouth is to make this point, through a winning charity bet against hedge funds that they would not be able to beat the S&P 500 Index over a decade, and in the advice to his own wife to invest in the S&P 500 after his death.

Story continues

Vanguard and other low-cost fund providers now dominate trillions of dollars in the investing portfolios of average Americans saving for retirement. In recent years, Vanguard's success against the active management industry has been posed in stark terms: while it has continued to take in hundreds of billions of dollars from investors annually, the rest of the mutual fund industry has experienced net outflows. When I started covering mutual funds in the late 1990s, that would have been unthinkable.

The dark side of Bogle's success

The index fund's truest sign of success may be that it so riled Wall Street power brokers that at their worst they have taken to calling it "un-American", even "worse than marxism."

It is not hard to understand why the reaction can verge on the hysterical: Bogle's insight strikes at the heart of the Wall Street belief that human beings can produce the financial genius to triumph over the average. But the Bogle success template is not wholly unique. When compared to other major American success stories, in fact, it is far from radical. It is part of a trend. Many of the most successful companies in the past half century of American capitalism were founded on delivering an average product to a consumer at a price point that was reasonable: think Amazon, Walmart or McDonald's, which many of those active stock pickers on Wall Street have sung the praises of time and time again. If Walmart and Amazon and McDonald's are "American," why not Vanguard, or are they all "un-American?"

There are major downsides to these examples of accepting less as the key to excellence. To name just a few: low worker wages, traditional industries being wiped off the American map, and declining health standards. It may even be fair to ask whether successes like Walmart and McDonald's are leading indicators of American decline rather than capitalism's ability to transcend it. There is a way to look at the index fund's domination that considers decline. It may be no coincidence that the index fund rose at the time it did.

Over the 20 years from 1980 to 1999, the S&P 500 compounded at an annual rate of 17.7 percent, according to markets analysis firm DataTrek Research. Over the 20 years from 1999 to 2018, the S&P only compounded at an annual rate of 5.6 percent. Paying an active manager 1 percent to 2 percent a year over the past two decade would have cut returns by 18 percent to 36 percent, DataTrek Research noted this week in a note analyzing Bogle's impact.

"The upshot here is that indexing didn't damage the active management business (as critics often claim) as much as structurally lower US equity returns pushed asset owners to lower cost solutions like index funds. Mr. Bogle and other indexers caught this wave beautifully, but they did not create it," DataTrek wrote.

Vanguard Group has been among the most vocal asset managers telling investors in recent years to expect a world of low returns.

The big returns have left the public stock market for the world of private equity, where they are available only to the largest institutions. During this same period, housing has become more unaffordable for many Americans, rising college costs have led student loans to become the second-largest source of debt in the country, and health care costs are among the reasons that retirees are told to downsize and live on less if they want to have a "successful" retirement.

The defined benefit pension plans that guaranteed an income in retirement and were once a standard part of worker benefits in the private sector are virtually extinct. You can now make an argument that the most important innovation in the history of retirement investing wasn't even the index fund, but automatic enrollment in employer 401(k) plans rather than leaving it up the individual. Most Americans are now on their own when it comes to long-term investing.

Belief in being average

It doesn't matter whether Bogle's index fund was perfectly timed for a deteriorating wave or helped to create it, especially for the average American saving today for a home, college or retirement.

When I started covering mutual funds in the late 1990s for Institutional Investor, making my way through the maze of sales commission structures that were used by retail brokers to sell funds was a daunting task. After two decades, something equally alarming may have happened: I became blind to the fact that even for all of Vanguard's success, brokers are still out there selling mutual funds on a commission basis and finding takers. A freelance writer in their 30s who covers technology recently asked me to take a look at their investment statement from a major retail brokerage house. I was floored. There were roughly a dozen actively managed mutual funds, some duplicating coverage of the same asset classes, and with various types of sales commissions being charged across the board and which the writer did not understand.

The fear and paralysis when it comes to investing that I have seen on the part of many people I know personally has led them to put off decisions for too long, or end up "buying" the belief that someone else can sell them something better and relieve them of their fears about the future. Bogle believed in keeping things simple and his example can be set down in simple terms for the vast majority of Americans: Belief in, and acceptance of, being average can be its own form of success. If that is humbling for a culture long sold on its excellence, it doesn't change the fact that for many it is their best chance.

Read more : How to buy an index fund

Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.





More From CNBC


(Refiles to remove an errant apostrophe in the first paragraph and a redundant figure in the 16th paragraph)

By Tim McLaughlin

BOSTON, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Two of Americas best-known green investors are reassessing their stakes in global insurance broker Arthur J. Gallagher & Co after a Reuters investigation into the companys lucrative side-business in clean coal.

A.J. Gallagher has invested in 34 facilities producing so-called refined coal, which is chemically treated to make it burn cleaner and heavily subsidized by the U.S. government. The firm also holds a 46.5 percent stake in Chem-Mod LLC, which provides the chemicals used to produce the fuel.

A.J. Gallagher has accumulated about $850 million worth of U.S. government tax credits from the business. But many utilities burning the coal have pumped out more smog, not less, over the past decade, and the chemicals have contributed to elevated carcinogens in downstream drinking water supplied to more than 1 million people, according to the Reuters Special Report.

Now, the Green Century Funds and Calvert Funds - which include A.J. Gallagher in their portfolios based on its record as an insurance firm, not a coal supplier - said they will review the companys green credentials. Green Century and Calvert are two of nation's leading money managers focused on corporate environmental, social and governance matters.

The idea behind the strategy is to help investors sidestep companies whose activities they find objectionable, such as polluting the environment.

In light of this new information, we certainly will  press the company to stop profiting from schemes devised by the fossil fuel industry to the detriment of U.S. citizens and taxpayers, Green Century said in a statement, calling clean coal a myth.

A.J. Gallagher is one of about 360 companies in the $250 million Green Century Equity Fund, which advertises itself as 100% percent fossil fuel free.

The fund, which held 4,394 A.J. Gallagher shares at the end of October, is passively managed and invests in the companies that are in an index run by MSCI Inc.

Story continues

MSCI declined to comment for this story.

Calvert Research and Management, a unit of Eaton Vance Corp, said it has contacted A.J. Gallagher as part of a reassessment of the companys ESG performance. A.J. Gallagher is a holding in the $1.3 billion Calvert U.S. Large Cap Core Responsible Index Fund.

In response to this new information, we have contacted the company and will consider this information in our assessment of ESG performance, Calvert said in a statement, referring to the Reuters reporting.

The Calvert fund has built its own index, drawing from the 1,000 largest publicly-traded U.S. companies based on market capitalization. From there, using its own principles for responsible investment, that list had been narrowed to about 720 companies, including A.J. Gallagher.

A.J. Gallagher did not respond to messages seeking comment.

Assets in portfolios that use various ESG-related criteria have grown to about $23 trillion globally, an increase of more than 600 percent over the past decade, fund research firm Morningstar Inc said in a 2018 report.

Shares of A.J. Gallagher are held in at least ten other mutual funds that screen companies on environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria, including ones run by BlackRock Inc, Fidelity Investments and Vanguard Group.

The companys broad inclusion highlights the lack of clear criteria for how companies environmental credentials are vetted in this fast-growing green investment sector, said Vanguard spokesman John Woerth.

There is no universally-accepted definition of ESG, he said in a statement to Reuters.

The $4.4 billion Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund holds an investment in A.J. Gallagher. But Vanguard does not pick the companies in the index fund it offers to investors, Woerth said. That job is done by index providers such as MSCI, or in Vanguard's case, FTSE Russell.

Index funds are beholden to the benchmarks they track," he said. "While we engage with index providers to understand their methodologies, it is our view that index providers are independent and should have complete autonomy when constructing an index and assembling its constituents.

Jill Davies, a town board member for Woodstock, Vermont - which has endowment money invested in the Vanguard fund - said she was disappointed by the companys inclusion.

A.J. Gallaghers activities in coal dont seem to align with the social responsibility concept behind this Vanguard fund, she said.

FTSE Russell said it was working to improve its ESG screening methods.

This is especially relevant in a rapidly expanding area like ESG, FTSE spokesman Tim Benedict said in a statement. (Editing by Richard Valdmanis and Brian Thevenot)
(Bloomberg) -- Italys communications regulator rejected Telecom Italia SpAs plan to legally separate the carriers domestic landline network, saying it wouldnt boost competition.

Separating the network while retaining majority control would let the Milan-based company continue to enjoy a significant competitive advantage nationwide, except in Milan, regulator Agcom said in a document posted on its website over the weekend. It said it also wouldnt ease any regulatory burden.

Former Chief Executive Officer Amos Genish made the proposal last year as a compromise to avoid relinquishing full control of the network while answering demands from regulators and politicians for a more level competitive playing field.

Since then, Genish has been removed by allies of U.S. activist investor Elliott Management Corp., which is calling for Telecom Italia to spin off the network and sell a majority stake, as part of a deeper structural overhaul of the Milan-based company.

Telecom Italia shares fell 1.6 percent to 48.05 euro cents as of 10:17 a.m. in Milan.

A representative for Telecom Italia declined to comment. Agcom will put its ruling, which was earlier reported by Bloomberg, to a 45-day public consultation before making a final decision.

The Telecom Italia board should move to create a separate and single Italian fixed-line grid without further delay, a representative for Elliott said in a statement on Monday.

The new CEO backed by Elliott, Luigi Gubitosi, was appointed in November and gets an opportunity to put forward his own plans for Telecom Italia when he presents full-year earnings on Feb. 21.

Agcoms decision may lead Gubitosi to withdraw the proposal in its current form, people familiar with the matter said.

Analysts at Jefferies said in a note on Monday that the company could use the consultation period to change its proposal to include a demerger in which it would give up control of the fixed-line unit.

Analysts have estimated it is worth 15 billion euros ($17 billion). Telecom Italia rivals access the network to provide their own broadband services and it is considered of national importance to the Italian government.

Story continues

The notion of spinning off Telecom Italias fixed-line business has been debated by the countrys telecom industry for years. Genish was spurred to propose the legal separation after the government intervened to limit the influence of Telecom Italias largest shareholder, French media company Vivendi SA, over certain divisions of the carrier.

With communication providers including Vodafone Group Plcs Italian unit and CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd.s Wind Tre SpA doing broadband deals with Telecom Italias wholesale rival, Open Fiber SpA, the incumbent was also under pressure to show a clear division between its retail and wholesale arms.

The subject has been a controversial issue in Italy, whose populist government led by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte favors the creation of a single network company partially owned by state lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, which holds almost 5 percent of Telecom Italia. Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio has said he may push for a merger of the grid with Open Fiber, which is backed by utility Enel SpA and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti.

Shareholder Clash

The landline network is also at the heart of a strategy clash between Vivendi and Elliott, Telecom Italias second-largest shareholder. Vivendi wants Telecom Italia to keep ownership control of the network.

Vivendi lost control of Telecom Italia to Elliott in May and has been pushing for a special shareholder meeting so it can propose a new slate of directors and restore its influence. An annual shareholder meeting has been set for March 29.

Telecom Italia last week reported a slowdown in its home market and predicted pressure from competitors will continue to hold back earnings in 2019.

(Adds Elliott comment in seventh paragraph.)

To contact the reporter on this story: Daniele Lepido in Milan at dlepido1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Rebecca Penty at rpenty@bloomberg.net, Thomas Pfeiffer, Kim Robert McLaughlin

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

2019 Bloomberg L.P.
(Bloomberg) -- Munichs Digital Life and Design conference chose "Optimism and Courage" as the motto for its 2019 gathering. The upbeat slogan belies the more critical tone to the proceedings as attendees and consumers realize the darker side of techs biggest companies.

Issues like regulation, privacy, fake news and the rise of xenophobic nationalism will highlight the second day, as executives such as Facebook Inc.s Sheryl Sandberg and BMW AGs Harald Krueger take the stage.

Were following the developments in real time. Time stamps are local for Munich.

Airbus CTO Looks at Autonomous Planes (10:30 a.m.)

Though autopilot is not a new technology, Airbuss Chief Technology Office Grazia Vittadini said the company is hoping current advances in artificial intelligence will help complete the step to completely autonomous planes.

Thats what were looking into, artificial intelligence, to free up pilots from more mundane routines, Vittadini said in an interview with Accenture CTO Paul Daugherty. Currently, the company is working on moving to single-pilot operations, with full autonomy coming later.

Airline executives, though reluctant to speak on the topic, would benefit from autonomous planes as they seek to cut costs and handle ongoing shortages of qualified pilots -- two issues that could be addressed by efficiency improvements pilot-less planes would provide. The biggest challenge for planemakers like Airbus is convincing regulators to approve the technology, Vittadini said.

Explainability of artificial intelligence is a real challenge for us when it comes to the certification of products, she said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Oliver Sachgau in Munich at osachgau@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Tara Patel at tpatel2@bloomberg.net, ;Anthony Palazzo at apalazzo@bloomberg.net, Steve Geimann

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

2019 Bloomberg L.P.
Investing.com - Oil traders will be watching for more trade-related headlines this week, after prices enjoyed a third weekly gain in a row on hopes the United States and China would strike a deal to end a trade war between the world's two biggest economies.

Futures rallied around 3% on Friday following reports suggesting both countries were considering concessions ahead of a Washington visit from Chinese Vice Premier Liu He on Jan. 30 and 31 for talks aimed at resolving the ongoing U.S.-China trade standoff.

The biggest weekly decline in the U.S. oil-rig count in nearly three years, based on Baker Hughes data, also contributed to oils gains on Friday.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude ended Friday's session up $1.68, or 3.2%, at $54.04 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. WTI earlier rose to its best level since Dec. 7 at $54.14.

For the week, the U.S. benchmark rose about 4.3%.

Meanwhile, the global benchmark, Brent crude for March delivery on the ICE (NYSE:ICE) Futures Europe exchange, rallied $1.52, or around 2.5%, to settle at $62.70 a barrel. Brent reached a six-week high of $63.00 earlier in the session.

It climbed about 3.7% for the week.

After ending 2018 in freefall, oil is off to its best start for a year since 2001, gaining 18% since the start of January.

Overall, the recent advance for the energy complex has been powered by evidence of a decline in global output.

Offering a hint on U.S. production activity, Baker Hughes reported Friday that the number of domestic rigs drilling for oil fell by 21 to 852 in the week to Jan. 11.

It was the third straight weekly decline in the rig count and the largest weekly drop since February 2016, suggesting a slowdown in domestic crude production.

That followed a report Thursday from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, which revealed that the groups output fell by 751,000 barrels to 31.6 million barrels a day in December.

The decline was driven by a large voluntary reduction in Saudi output, as well as supply disruptions from Libya and Iran.

Story continues

Fresh data on U.S. commercial crude inventories and production activity will capture the market's attention this week. The reports come out one day later than usual due to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday on Monday.

Ahead of the coming week, Investing.com has compiled a list of the main events likely to affect the oil market.

Monday, Jan. 21

There will be no floor trading on the Nymex because of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday in the U.S. All electronic transactions will be booked with Tuesday's trades for settlement.

Wednesday, Jan. 23

The American Petroleum Institute is to publish its weekly update on U.S. oil supplies.

Thursday, Jan. 24

The U.S. Energy Information Administration will release its weekly report on oil stockpiles.

Friday, Jan. 25

{{0|Baker Hughes}} will release weekly data on the U.S. oil rig count.

-- Reuters contributed to this report

Related Articles

Russia approves $29 billion power plant upgrade program

Russia: no OPEC, non-OPEC meeting proposed over Venezuela turmoil

EU ministers reject easing of liquidity rules for gold trading
By Juliet Nalwooga

Uganda Registration Services Bureau has made a clarification on the criteria followed in registration of churches.

This is after the leadership of the born again faith federation raised concerns that some of the churches listed as born again in the recently published list of institutions licensed to wed couples by the bureau are not genuine.

Dr Joseph Sserwadda, the presiding apostle of the federation said earlier, government should give them the mandate of registering churches because they understand their doctrine and uniqueness better

However, Uganda Registration Services Bureau Senior Public Relations Officer Provia Nangobi says every church they register has an established management, and permanent premises in a public place among other statutory requirements.

Last year the Ethics and Integrity minister Fr Simon Lokodo said that government had suspended the registration of new faith-based organizations until a legal framework was instituted to monitor their operations.
VIENNA, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Austrian Post on Friday reported a slight revenue increase for the previous year as double-digit growth in its parcel business offset declining mail earnings, and confirmed it expects revenue and earnings to stay flat in 2019.

As its rivals in other countries, the group has seen its mail business shrink in recent years. It is under increasing pressure in its home market from German competitor Deutsche Post's parcel unit DHL and Amazon, which has initiated its own delivery services in the Alpine country.

Revenue grew 1 percent to 1.96 billion euros ($2.23 billion) in 2018, the majority state-owned company said. A 2.5 percent drop in its mail business to 1.41 billion euros was compensated by a 11.5 percent rise to 552 million euros in parcel revenue.

"The company targets a stable development of revenue and operating earnings for 2019 as well," it said in a statement.

Betting on the Austrians to shop even more online in the future, Austrian Post aims to double its logistics capacities in the medium term. It is also merging its mail and parcel logistics units to streamline operations and deliver faster.

The group does not expect Britain's exit from the European Union to create major operational problems as it does not have its own operations in Britain but is cooperating with several mail and logistics groups there, a spokesman said. It was too early to make any statements regarding possible delays or any other potential logistics problems, he added.

The Vienna-based group said it was still looking for a new partner to offer financial services from 2020, as lender BAWAG will drop out of their partnership at the end of this year and a planned new cooperation with Germany's Fintech group was cancelled in November.

"The structural groundwork should be laid in 2019 for the offering of financial services by the Austrian Post branch network as of the year 2020," the group said. ($1 = 0.8776 euros) (Reporting by Kirsti Knolle; editing by David Evans)
FILE PHOTO: Airbus members celebrate the landing of an Airbus A220-300 aircraft during its presentation in Colomiers near Toulouse FILE PHOTO: Airbus members celebrate the landing of an Airbus A220-300 aircraft during its presentation in Colomiers near Toulouse, France, July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau/File Photo

By Tim Hepher

MOBILE, Ala. (Reuters) - Airbus SE expanded its industrial presence in the United States on Wednesday, starting construction on a new assembly plant for the Canadian developed A220 jetliner, 18 months after agreeing to buy the plane in the midst of a U.S.-Ottawa trade dispute.

The European planemaker said it would invest $300 million and create 400 jobs in the plant, to be built in the port of Mobile alongside an existing assembly line for its best-selling A320 passenger jet, which already employs 700 people.

Alabama and the city of Mobile would provide a total of some $26 million in state and municipal incentives to support the development, officials said.

Speaking to an audience of Alabama politicians and aerospace workers, Chief Executive Tom Enders hailed a "day of pride" for Airbus at a ceremony peppered with patriotic U.S. references and highlighting other investments in helicopters and satellites.

There has been an increase in aerospace investment in the southeastern United States, where U.S. rival Boeing Co has a plant assembling long-haul 787 Dreamliners in South Carolina.

Airbus plans to use the Mobile site to assemble the 110-130-seat A220 for U.S. airlines, which have ordered 250 of the planes including 135 since Airbus took control last July.

The decision to produce some A220's in the United States was initially seen as a trade boost for Canada after Boeing accused its developer Bombardier Inc of dumping the foreign-made jet at low-ball prices to win a deal with Delta Air Lines Inc.

Although Boeing ultimately lost its trade case, Airbus said it still made sense to serve U.S. demand from the Alabama site.

"The United States is one of the largest markets for us and this is our largest industrial base in the U.S. We have the skills and employees and it is the logical thing to do," Airbus Americas CEO Jeff Knittel said.

Airbus plans to build 4 A220s a month in Alabama with the first jet to be delivered in 2020. The Montreal base for the aircraft is running at some 2.75 A220 jets a month with plans to raise capacity to 10 a month by the mid-2020s.

Story continues

The Alabama production line for the larger A320, which opened in 2015, produces 4.5 aircraft a month and this could rise to five a month by the end of the year, Knittel said.

Airbus first studied using the Mobile site for a proposed tanker for the U.S. Air Force, sweetening the bid with an offer to build commercial freighters. Airbus lost out to Boeing in 2011 after a long and politically charged contest.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Keith Weir and Grant McCool)
The energy in ocean waves has been increasing as a consequence of climate change, according to a new study

Sea level rise puts coastal areas at the forefront of the impacts of climate change, but new research shows they face other climate-related threats as well. In a study published January 14 in Nature Communications, researchers report that the energy of ocean waves has been growing globally, and they found a direct association between ocean warming and the increase in wave energy.

A wide range of long-term trends and projections carry the fingerprint of climate change, including rising sea levels, increasing global temperatures, and declining sea ice. Analyses of the global marine climate thus far have identified increases in wind speeds and wave heights in localized areas of the ocean in the high latitudes of both hemispheres. These increases have been larger for the most extreme values (e.g., winter waves) than for the mean conditions. However, a global signal of change and a correlation between the localized increases in wave heights and global warming had remained undetected.

The new study focused on the energy contained in ocean waves, which is transmitted from the wind and transformed into wave motion. This metric, called wave power, has been increasing in direct association with historical warming of the ocean surface. The upper ocean warming, measured as a rising trend in sea-surface temperatures, has influenced wind patterns globally, and this, in turn, is making ocean waves stronger.

"For the first time, we have identified a global signal of the effect of global warming in wave climate. In fact, wave power has increased globally by 0.4 percent per year since 1948, and this increase is correlated with the increasing sea-surface temperatures, both globally and by ocean regions," said lead author Borja G. Reguero, a researcher in the Institute of Marine Sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Climate change is modifying the oceans in different ways, including changes in ocean-atmosphere circulation and water warming, according to coauthor Inigo J. Losada, director of research at the Environmental Hydraulics Institute at the University of Cantabria (IHCantabria), where the study was developed.

"This study shows that the global wave power can be a potentially valuable indicator of global warming, similarly to carbon dioxide concentration, the global sea level rise, or the global surface atmospheric temperature," Losada said.

Understanding how the energy of ocean waves responds to oceanic warming has important implications for coastal communities, including anticipating impacts on infrastructure, coastal cities, and small island states. Ocean waves determine where people build infrastructure, such as ports and harbors, or require protection through coastal defenses such as breakwaters and levees. Indeed, wave action is one of the main drivers of coastal change and flooding, and as wave energy increases, its effects can become more profound. Sea level rise will further aggravate these effects by allowing more wave energy to reach shoreward.

While the study reveals a long-term trend of increasing wave energy, the effects of this increase are particularly apparent during the most energetic storm seasons, as occurred during the winter of 2013-14 in the North Atlantic, which impacted the west coast of Europe, or the devastating 2017 hurricane season in the Caribbean, which offered a harsh reminder of the destructive power and economic impacts of coastal storms.

The effects of climate change will be particularly noticeable at the coast, where humans and oceans meet, according to coauthor Fernando J. Mendez, associate professor at Universidad de Cantabria. "Our results indicate that risk analysis neglecting the changes in wave power and having sea level rise as the only driver may underestimate the consequences of climate change and result in insufficient or maladaptation," he said.

###

This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MCIUN).
Ritah Kemigisa

The chief Council for Makerere University staff Isaac Ssemakade is this evening set to hand over a letter to the Makerere University Vice chancellor prof Barnabas Nawangwe calling for negotiation with the sacked staff.

This follows the sacking of 45 staff by the universitys appointments board with the latest being that of the chairperson for the University Academic staff association Dr Deus Kamunyu.

Semakade says he has received a file and necessary documents from the affected staff and is about to finish scrutinizing them so that he can fully understand the issues at the University.

He says as a communicator for the staff, he will be ready to present their labor issues anytime the university management responds to his letter for sanity to prevail at the ivory tower.

All the joint staff associations at the university and the National Union of Education institutions have since declared a sit down strike until their demands among others the reinstatement of Kamunyu and other sacked staff are addressed.

However the University hospital, security and salaries staff will continue working.
New Delhi: Enhancing representation of women in armed forces, Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman said here the government has taken a "historic" decision to induct women in the military police.

"To improve representation of women in our armed forces Smt@nsitharaman takes a historic decision to induct women for the first time in PBOR (Personnel Below Officer Rank) role in Corps of Military Police. The women will be inducted in graded manner to eventually comprise 20% of total Corps of Military Police," official handle of the Defence Minister tweeted.

About the role of women in their new posting, it was clarified that the women would be deployed as investigating officers to probe cases of rape, molestation and thefts.

The women officers would be deployed in military operations of nature where Army needs assistance from police organisations. They would assist civil police/administration for evacuation in forward villages during hostilities as well as crowd control of refugees compromising women and children.

These women officer would also be given role in searching/frisking of women during cordon and search operations/check posts; ceremonial and policing duties like maintaining military discipline; and manning the prisoner of war camps.

Sitharaman, India's first full-time woman Defence Minister, in May last year had said that the government was working "seriously" to have women in combat uniforms.

Women in combat roles in the armed forces has been a long pending demand.

Then president Pranab Mukherjee in February 2016 announced that women will be allowed to take up combat roles to remove gender disparity in one of the world's most male-dominated professions.

The Indian Air Force in July last year inducted three women - Mohana Singh, Avani Chaturvedi and Bhawana Kanth - as the first female fighter pilots.

The Indian Navy has also offered permanent commission to women officers. In 2016, it started with a modest group of seven and vowed to expand the numbers.

Read More She News | We've long endured a culture of silence, says Dia Mirza
By Ritah Kemigisa

The state Minister for Agriculture, Christopher Kibazanga has called for a fair hearing for the pupils and schools whose PLE results were withheld by the Uganda National Examinations Board.

Majority of the over 3000 2018 PLE results withheld are for schools located in Bundibugyo.

The boards Executive Secretary Dan Odongo said some parents in this district also paid shs 50,000 to facilitate the process of cheating.

However Minister Kibazanga, also Member of Parliament for Bughendera County in Bundibugyo district says not all schools and pupils were engaged in exam malpractice.
Some achievements, even when professional, leave an indelible mark of phenomenality on the person. The energy these people radiate lingers long after a fruitful engagement. A powwow with Defense Spokesperson Dhanya Sanal was such an encounter.

This conversation happened at a time when she walked into the history books, dwarfing even the success story of cracking the civil service exam. Powered by a recent verdict aiding gender equality, Dhanya scaled the Agasthyarkoodam peak. She shares her passion about trekking and the travels her profession takes her on.

Never say no to a trek

Trekking is something I have always relished; mostly with friends. As a child, whenever my parents took me on a trip, a chance to trek filled me with joy. Even when they were skeptic, I would go all out. They are no more. Sister Divya and family are in Singapore. She cant have a say on my choice from that far, can she? She knows I cant be stopped. But its a genuine concern. I call her up and tell her where I am headed. She will ask if I have all my supplies. Im always open to anything adventurous. My friends know how I feel about it. So they too just wish me a safe trip.

First women on Agasthyarkoodam

The biggest one till date was the trek up Nilgiri in 2012 as part of civil service training. But this one was the most arduous. Its after the court verdict removing restrictions on women that I registered online for it, just as any other trekking enthusiast. But the chance to be part of the first team was accidental. I was told by the locals that women had been there before, but I was the first to trek all the way up.

Huge task

I have trekked in Wayanad, Idukki and Ponmudi before. No hill is spared! Nilgiri was a trek through dense forest for 10 days. But Agasthyarkoodam was the toughest of them all. You cant just run up these hills. Even for someone like me who walks 10 kilometres a day, it was daunting. Its not for couch potatoes, let me tell you that!

I spent two nights in Agasthyarkoodam forest. The journey starts from Bonacaud forest check post. A total of 40 kilometres, the first days task is 13.5 kilometres. We started from Bonacaud at 9:30pm and reached Athirumala base camp in three hours. Unlike usual treks where the beginning miles are comparatively easy, Agastyarkudam starts off with an arduousness first step.

Attayar and origin of Karamanayar are within the first two kilometers. This strip has thick foliage of shrubs. Then there is grassland for the next four. It will be high noon already and the sun will be beating down on a stretch thats steep and devoid of shades. Four feels like forty kilometres here. Then comes places like Muttidichan Para and Muttidichan Theri. These parts are so steep that your knees virtually hits your face on every step; hence the names. Add to it the bag containing dress, dry fruits, water, chocolate and other food stuff, weighing at least 10 kilos.

The first night was spent at Athirumala Base Camp, which has some amazing gruel and black coffee. The next day begins at 7:30 am. Breakfast, packed from base, can be had at Ponkalappara, the next stop where water is available.

Then there are three hills. The fourth is our destination. Hills have ropes to help the climb. It was demanding, yet memorable. We reached the summit at 11.10am. Started trek back at 11:45 and reached Athirumala base camp at 3pm. We spent the night there. At night it is a chill hill. We started for Bonacaud at 7:30 the next day and reached at 3pm.

Spare nothing

I dive into anything that interests me. Extracurricular activities were more fun than books. Learned classical dance for 20 years. Competed in many events in school and college arts festivals and won several prizes including kalathilakam titles. Im still crazy about dance. Joined Rigata Dance Academy in Thiruvananthapuram but discontinued for lack of time.

But trekking is different. Do it once and you wont stop. The woods are addictive. They have the serenity and peace found nowhere else. Some people love to revisit the same locations. But I crave for new destinations. They are invigorating. Try small hills first. The only supplies you need for small treks are a bottle of water and a meal  preferably packed in plantain leaf.

I wear whats comfortable on a trek. It doesnt really matter what you wear. I return from every trek with immense energy. It brings well-being in personal and professional life. Just do it!

Dreams of MBBS landed me in nursing. Worked as a teacher after completing nursing from Calicut Medical College. Love for civil service landed me Indian Information Service. Every job has its own takeaways. The current job provides many travel opportunities. I love it and it has given me much to cherish. Filming for media during Okhi disaster with the armed forces gave a totally different perspective about life.

I meet all kinds of people; take classes for sixth grade students to civil service aspirants. I dont like wasting even a minute, and thats my request to all. Do something useful; tidy up the room when you have nothing else to do. Constantly engage with life, and the returns will be truly amazing. Thats how life works.
New Delhi: Accusing the opposition of spreading misinformation in the Rafale deal, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Saturday wondered whether these parties were becoming pawns in corporate rivalry and whether the procurement of 36 fighter jets was being 'sabotaged'.

During her address at an event here, Sitharaman said ever since the Modi government assumed office, there has been a conscious effort to keep middlemen at bay from the corridors of the Defence Ministry.

"I want every strand of this debate to be explained, as much as it can be, without any of us playing into the hands of international corporate warfare. None of us should play party to any corporate warfare.

"We cannot become pawns in the hands of the corporate giants to constantly bully the government, to constantly throw misinformation at the public, to misinform the public," she said.

Her attack on the opposition parties comes a day after a newspaper report claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to buy 36 Rafale jets, instead of 126 as negotiated by the previous UPA government, was taken while bypassing mandated procedures, pushing the price of each aircraft by 41.42 per cent.

The Congress has launched a fresh salvo at the government on the Rafale deal citing this report.

Sitharaman was addressing a seminar on 'India's Strategic Interest in Context of the Rafale Deal'. She accused the opposition of doing a 'disservice' to the nation by misinforming the public on the fighter jet deal.

"You (opposition) are misinforming the public and doing disservice to the country if you are becoming pawns in corporate rivalry. Is India's interest at the top of your agenda or are you becoming a partner to some kind of corporate rivalry," she asked.

"Is your intention to sabotage this procurement? If the intention is to stop the purchase, (then) that's disservice to the nation," she said.

Responding to a question that before the announcement in 2015 to procure 36 jets in an inter-governmental agreement (IGA) was made, Dassault CEO Eric Trappier had stated negotiations for the procurement of 126 jet were on and then suddenly the deal was called off, Sitharaman said, "Dassault (Aviation) chief said negotiations were on. That's all true. Such things go on in a bureaucratic process."

She added that the Expression of Interest was signed since there was a deadlock in the negotiations that lasted for over a decade.

"After that the earlier RFI (Request for Proposal for 126 aircraft) was cancelled and IGA (Intergovernmental Agreement) was signed," she said.

Asked why the then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar was not present when Modi announced it, she said there was 'nothing illegal' in it.

"The (then) Defence Minister signed the deal. To say there was a corruption since the defence minister was not there during the Expression of Interest is wrong," she said.

The negotiations took 14 months before the two sides signed the agreement, she said.

Sitharaman also hit out at the opposition for calling Chief of Air Force B S Dhanoa a liar for his statement that Rafale was a good aircraft.

"He didn't say he loves PM Modi or he likes BJP. He just said it is a damn good aircraft, that's his business to say," she said.

Read more: Latest India news


New Delhi: BJP president Amit Shah, who was undergoing treatment for swine flue at All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi, was discharged on Sunday.

Shah tweeted later saying he was completely healthy and thanked people for their good wishes. "By the grace of god, I am completely healthy now and today reached home after being discharged from hospital. I am grateful for your good wishes for regaining health," Shah tweeted in Hindi.

"Shah was discharged at 10.20 AM from AIIMS after recovering from swine flue," an AIIMS official said.

BJP leader and in-charge of the party's IT cell Amit Malviya said Shah was fine and back home after treatment at AIIMS.

Shah was admitted to AIIMS after complaints of chest congestion and breathing issue on Wednesday.
Kochi: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman Dr K Sivan on Sunday asked students to consider 'failure as a fantastic opportunity' presented to them as it is best to learn from one's own mistakes. He was participating in the Samwad with Students at the Manorama-IBS Yuva Mastermind season 9 grand finale at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium, Kadavanthra, here.

The science and technology expo featuring over 60 projects left a lasting impression on the ISRO chairman. After going through the exhibits by students, Dr Sivan said: Day is not too far when we will have many Einsteins, Newtons and C V Ramans. The world is moving at neck breaking speed on science and technology front. I want youngsters to catch up with this speed. The student scientists assembled here have solutions to many problems. This is what Vikram Sarabhai envisioned many decades back.

Winners to witness ISRO launch

ISRO chairman Dr K Sivan tries his hand at one of the innovations by the students.

An impressed ISRO chief promised students to help them show their innovations to the world. I saw some great innovations at this event. Now, please bring your innovative ideas to us. We will show it to world. I am now giving a gift to the winners here. They will be invited to visit a launch by ISRO, Dr Sivan said.

He was all praise for Manorama's Yuva Mastermind initiative. The objective of this event by Manorama is exactly the objective of ISRO.

Dr Sivan told students that ISRO is setting up incubation centres across India, which will help science students.

The ISRO head shared some insights into India's Human Spaceflight Programme, Gaganyaan, with the students. With Gaganyaan mission, many questions are being asked. Why so much money is being wasted, is one of them.

He explained to the students that the mission is not just about sending human to space. The technology we are going to develop will do wonders. It will also ignite the imagination of youngsters like you. We need more manpower. We have only 17,000 people at ISRO now. This is not enough, he added.

The ace Indian scientist said Manorama Yuva Mastermind has resolved a human resource problem for his organisation.

Giving fire to the students' imaginations, Dr Sivan added:We are setting up incubation centres across India. So local people can work on ISRO's problem and help us. We need help from students like you. Samwad with Students (SwS) programme has really touched me.

Yuva resolves ISRO's HR problem

Manorama Yuva Mastermind resolved a human resource problem for the ace Indian scientist. You are my best human resource. You are going to run the country. SwS will give me so many ideas.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman Dr K Sivan

The ISRO chief used the occasion to share one of his dream projects with the children, which will enable the Indian space centre to catch young minds early. ISRO will launch the Young Scientists Programme soon. Three students, children going from class 8 to 9, from each state will be identified and will be trained at ISRO for a month under the project.

He asked all state governments and Union Territories to make use of this opportunity.

Dr Sivan welcomes students to join ISRO.

Welcoming the students to join ISRO, Dr Sivan said: You are not afraid of trying new things. This curiosity is key to me. Children are the best solution provider for me. Make use of all facilities we are offering.
Kochi: The Kerala Police will seek the help of Sri Lankan internal probe agency, State Intelligence Service (SIS), in the Munambam human trafficking case.

The police will cooperate with SIS for information on Sri Lankan nationals Mariyappan Satyarajan and Thambirajan Satyarajan who left on the boat to Australia on January 12. Prabhu Dandavani, who is under arrest in the case, has told the police that those who left the shores onboard the 'Dayamatha' includes 50 people of Sri Lankan origin.

Though Dandavani is a Marathi surname, Prabhu has Lankan roots. He has visited Australia and New Zealand many times on trafficking boats. The police have identified 10 middlemen in Munambam case. Prabhu had helped his colleagues in New Delhi to collect money from refugees. While Prabhu tried to mislead investigators during interrogation, another detainee, Deepak, has been cooperative. The police may consider making Deepak a witness in the case.

The boat was initially planned to leave the shores on January 9. But national strikes on 8 and 9 made that difficult. The refugees who stayed at hotels near temples in Guruvayur, Kodungallur, Chottanikkara and Cherai became restless after the travel plans got delayed. They argued over phone with Thakkala Sreekanth, the trafficking kingpin in Kerala, and teamed up to protest at their hotels. Sreekanth was thus forced to buy Dayamatha boat without a price negotiation and set sail on January 12.

Read more: Latest Kerala news
Kottayam: The mobile phone turned villain for tipper driver Ajesh, who was arrested for murdering a 15-year-old-girl here four days ago.

The girl, reported missing from Ayarkunnam in Kottayam, was found dead buried in a plantain farm behind a brick kiln. The police said she was killed when she resisted Ajesh's sexual advances.

The police said Ajesh and the girl got close over the mobile phone and had long conversations. The girl's kin told the police that she had called Ajesh on the phone and left home. Her brother-in-law and other relatives were at the house then and she left without taking the phone, the police said.

When Ajesh called again, the bother-in-law attended the call and an altercation ensued.

The family expected the girl to return soon. They started inquiries when she did not turn up by evening. They approached the police and told them of the call from Ajesh.

The police soon extricated the call data records and zeroed in on Ajesh.

Hard nut to crack

The police said Ajesh refused to cooperate with the investigation and refused to have committed the crime. He put up a face of defiance for one whole day, the police said.

After continuous grilling he admitted to the crime and took the cops to the spot where he buried the body.

He said he had bitten the SIM card to destroy it.

The police said Ajeesh had a broken marriage and he had two kids in it. Last week, he had turned up at the panchayat office with another woman seeking to register marriage. However, it did not happen for want of requisite documents.

Ajesh resided in a room near the hollow bricks kiln where he worked as a tipper driver. The others, including migrant labourers, had gone for work and no one noticed Ajesh's activities, the police said.

Forensic experts gathered evidence from the spot.

Ajesh unperturbed

Ajesh was cool and unperturbed even as the police took him to the crime scene. He got off the police vehicle and was asked to show where he had buried the body.

He showed the police the place and looked on as workers dug up the spot and took the body out.

Read more: Latest Kerala news


It turns out that at least five among the 51 women the government had claimed had entered Sabarimala are below 50 years. Earlier, when Onmanorama had called up 10 women in the list submitted before the Supreme Court by the Kerala government, it was found that the women who had gone to Sabarimala had either not gone to the shrine as claimed by the state or were above 50 years.

When Manorama News made additional calls, five females said that they had not only gone to Sabarimala this season but were also below 50 years. Three were from Tamil Nadu and two from Andhra Pradesh. Sasikala from Chittur in Andhra Pradesh was the youngest, at 44.

Ramadevi from Gundur, though she is 49, said she had not violated customs. She said her uterus had been removed, and was therefore free of menstrual restrictions. Earlier, a Sri Lankan woman, Sasikala, 46, too had told the police that her uterus was removed. According to the government, Sasikala was the third women to enter the shrine after Bindu and Kanakadurga. Sasikala's entry but is still disputed.

That the government has got the names and ages of five women right is no solace. Even the police have now conceded that the list has at least three males. The police also have found out that at least 17 of the women in the list were above 50. Most of the women who did go but were above the age of 50 said their date of birth was wrongly entered. My aunt is 59. If her age is written as 45 or 46, it is a serious offence, said Saravanan of Chennai.

After the mistakes came to light, the Devaswom Board was quick to disassociate itself. The list was not provided by the board, TDB president A Padmakumar said. The state government furnished the list on the basis of information they have. We have no idea of the list of women who had entered Sabarimala, he added.

Kanakadurga and Bindu had entered the Lord Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala on January 2.

The government, too, began to speak in two voices. Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran admitted there were defects. However, Industries Minister E P Jayarajan said that the list was based on authentic information. The chief minister's office said that the government could not take responsibility for the inaccurate information provided by devotees. But this begs another question: how could three males be recorded as females in the government list?

When thing turned too embarrassing, the government sought to shift the blame to the police force. ADGP Anil Kanth has been asked to probe how the errors crept in. A new list will be put out after thorough examination, a police source said.

Read more: Latest Kerala news
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has asked the state police chief to find and fix the errors on the list of women in the 10-50 age group who entered Sabarimala.

Additional director-general of police (ADGP) Anil Kanth has been tasked with finding out how the error, which caused quite a consternation to the government, crept in.

Reports said of the 51 names on the list, there were 17 women past 50 and three men. Sources said the police would do up a detailed list and send it to the government.

The state government had told the Supreme Court that it had nothing to do with the error induced by the police. The police version was that the list was handed over with a rider that there could be errors.

Legal sources said the police were most likely to just exude the men on the list.

The chief minister's office clarified that the onus of accuracy was on the applicant when they registered for darshan online. It was on the applicants to rectify errors and the government could only go by the documents submitted.

No one's list

The list submitted by the police to the state government was haphazardly done, say reports. That its veracity was not ascertained in spite of it going to the apex court indicated the manner in which the government handled it, sources said.

Most embarrassing was the names of men which crept into the list. This could have been spotted in a random check, sources said.

The police found the names of the 51 'young women' from the online registration portal. The police also cross-checked the 'barcode scanned' register at Sabarimala, assuming that all those were 'young women.' The police but did not ascertain whether the details submitted online were true.

The pilgrims have to indicate their age when they register. Also, the number on any identity card should be mentioned. The scanned card need not be uploaded. Some of the pilgrims have uploaded 'non-matching information.' Sources said the police could have made phone calls to the 51 people before drawing up the final list.

TDB decision

The Travancore Devaswom Board has decided to desist from taking of count of women in the 10-50 category who visited Sannidhanam as the government is already doing it.

The TDB has distanced itself from the list stating that only the government and the police were in the know.
On Sunday, when the BJP's indefinite fast against the government's actions in Sabarimala had a tame end in front of the Secretariat, the Sabarimala agitation acquired an Ayodhya-like flavour. Right wing forces led by saffron-clad sanyasins staged a massive show of strength in the capital.

Sabarimala Karma Samithi, which organised the Ayyappa Bhaktha Sangamam (Congregation of Ayyappa Bhakts), has given the Sabarimala agitation a new direction. Where the politicians had apparently failed, spiritual leaders have stepped in. Top BJP leaders, including state president P S Sreedharan Pillai, were seated among the audience. In sporting terms, it looked like they have been benched.

Inaugurating the Sangamam, Mata Amritanandamayi said: What took place in Sabarimala is unfortunate. Tampering with temple customs could invite unpredictable consequences, she added. Thousands of devotees from across the state and hundreds of Hindu spiritual leaders from across the country took part in the Sangamam.

Top BJP leaders, including state president P S Sreedharan Pillai, were seated among the audience.

There were emotional calls to protect the customs and rituals of Sabarimala. Persecution of Hindus was the theme. The temple was used as a pivot around which mass Hindu mobilisation was sought to be achieved.

No one was in doubt who the real target was. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his government. The congregation, though packed with saffron clad sanyasins, was animated more by politics than spirituality. At times, war cries were uttered. Ayyappa will take care of Vijayan, a saffron-clad speaker said. It felt a throwback to the late eighties and early nineties when the belligerent appeals of Hindu sanyasis powered the Ayodhya movement.

The congregation was packed with saffron clad sanyasins.

The presidential address of Swami Chidanandapuri was a scathing critique of Pinarayi Vijayan's police action in Sabarimala. 260-odd policemen took two pure women bhakths, a Rehna Fathima and another whose name I can't recollect, in police disguise up the hill, he said. It was just the bold statement of the tantri that he would shut down the temple and the opposition mounted by devotees that prevented the women from entering the shrine, he added.

He said it was the chief minister's haste that precipitated the crisis. The Supreme Court verdict was just a declarative order, which meant that there was no deadline specified for the implementation of the verdict. The chief minister could have called all stakeholders and tried to evolve a consensus. He should have prepared the people for the change, Chidanandapuri said.

The Ayyappa Bhaktha Sangamam has given the Sabarimala agitation a new direction.

Ministers M M Mani and G Sudhakaran also came in for ridicule. Let us forget M M Mani, he said, hinting that he was best left ignored. But it has to be said that no one had been as concerned about sanyasins as Sudhakaran. While we were in school it was usual for our mothers to ask us whether we had our underwear on. But as we grew older even our mothers were not concerned. But here we have a minister who makes it a point to ask us about our inner wear, he said.

Former DGP T P Senkumar, one of the main speakers of the day, said that it was the state government's stand that brought the Sabarimala verdict upon the state. Two of the five lawyers who argued for the state finally backed out saying they were cheated, he said. The former DGP, using right-wing patois, said there was a conspiracy against the Hindu religion. All our problems could be solved if a small amendment was made in the Constitution saying that the majority too will enjoy the same benefits as the minority in the country, he said.

Mata Amritanandamayi inaugurated the sangamam.

Mata Amritanandamayi, making her inaugural speech, said temple customs had to be preserved. She sought to make a distinction between the omnipotent God and a temple deity. They are as different as a fish in ocean and a fish in a house tank. The fish in the tank has to be taken care of, not the one in the ocean. This is also why it is said that the deity is a minor. Like a child is taken care of by the mother, the deity also has to be properly attended to by the priests and devotees, she said.
Thiruvananthapuram: The BJP is planning to withdraw its 48-day-old hunger strike, raising various demands on Sabarimala, in front of the Secretariat in the capital on Sunday.

The party had been seeking the withdrawal of prohibitory orders at Sabarimala and efforts by 'vested interests to denigrate the place of worship.'

BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pullai who visited the hunger strike venue on Saturday, said the party would continue its agitation and campaign on the Sabarimala issue.

"There were notable achievements during certain phases of the agitation, but, our fight to protect the faith was not entirely successful," he said.

"Even though we were unable to achieve 100 per cent success, we were able to garner more public support due to the blessings of Lord Ayyappa," Pillai said at the protest venue in front of the Secretariat here.

The hunger strike, now being taken forth by BJP national executive member P K Krishnadas, will conclude with P Gopinathan Nair and K Ayyappan Pillai, both Gandhian activists, giving limewater to the former. The party state president will announce other agitations planned.

The party launched the campaign after the Supreme Court lifted the age bar on entry to Sabarimala for women. The first to go on strike was party general secretary A N Radhakrishnan. He was shifted to the hospital after 10 days. BJP former state president C K Padmanabhan; general secretary Sobha Surendran; state vice presidents N Sivarajan and PM Velayudhan; and Mahila Morcha state office-bearer V T Rema were among those who took part in the hunger strike.

The party shifting its relay hunger strike to the Secretariat from Sabarimala had come in for criticism. Sections in the party had stated that the campaign had watered down and had lost the initial momentum. The BJP took a beating when two women entered the Sabarimala shrine even as the party's strike was on. On Sunday, a host of prominent people, including Amritanandamayi, are expected to take part in a campaign to be held under the aegis of the Sabarimala Karma Samiti at Putharikandam in the capital.

The BJP-led by National Democratic Alliance (NDA) met Kerala Governor P Sathasivam and submitted a memorandum seeking withdrawal of 'fabricated' cases registered against 'devotees' on the Sabarimala issue.

The memorandum, with around one crore signatures from people from Kerala and elsewhere, seeks to end the police restrictions at the hilltop shrine.

Pillai, who led the delegation, sought the release the activists who were jailed during the recent protests on the women's entry issue.

Read more: Latest Kerala news
Rajakumari: A brother of one of the two victims in the Chinnakanal estate murder has been found dead. Muthaiah's brother Anpazhakan, 47, died of a cardiac arrest on Wednesday.

Anpazhakan, also an estate worker, was one of the first relatives to see Muthaiah's body. Relatives say a visibly devastated Anpazhakan did not eat for two days. He was found dead at home on Wednesday morning.

The body was sent to Kottayam Medical College for autopsy. The police cited autopsy reports to confirm heart attack as cause of death. Anpazhakan was cremated next to Muthaiah near Powerhouse. Survived by wife Kaliyamma, the Anpazhakan had no kids.

Cardamom estate owner Jacob Varghese, 40, and his aide Muthaiah, 50, were brutally killed on Sunday inside the estate bungalow and the adjoining cardamom drier room.

The cops on Thursday night nabbed 36-year-old cardamom plantation supervisor from Madurai in Tamil Nadu. Bobin was arrested from neighbouring Tamil Nadu when he was plotting to leave for Pazhani via Theni, a small town along Kerala-Tamil Nadu border.

Read more: Latest Idukki news


Gunmen killed at least eight Chadian UN peacekeepers in an attack Sunday on one of their bases in northern Mali, Trend reported citing AFP.

The UN spokesman in Mali condemned what he described as a vile and cowardly attack and called for a "robust" response.

"According to a new toll, still provisional, at least eight peacekeepers have been killed," a source close to the MINUSMA force said.

The attack happened early Sunday at the Aguelhok base 200 kilometres (125 miles) north of Kidal and towards the border with Algeria, the source added.

A diplomat in northern Mali told AFP that several of the attackers had also been killed.

Mahamat Saleh Annadif, the UN's special representative for Mali, condemned the attack in a statement.

"Peacekeepers of the MINUSMA force at Aguelhok fought off a sophisticated attack by assailants who arrived on several armed vehicles," he said.

The "cowardly" attack, he added, "illustrates the determination of the terrorists to sow chaos.

"It demands a robust, immediate and concerted response from all forces to destroy the peril of terrorism in the Sahel."

An attack at the same base last April killed two peacekeepers and left several others wounded.

More than 13,000 peacekeepers are deployed in Mali as part of a UN mission that was established after Islamist militias seized northern Mali in 2012. They were pushed backed by French troops in 2013.
Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday entered the 2019 presidential race after forging an alliance with a staunch critic to challenge his former governing partners at a time when the Taliban has shut him out of talks to end more than 17 years of war, Trend reported citing Reuters.

Ghani, 69, is seeking a second term amid the war with the hardline Islamic militants and ongoing peace talks between the United States and the Taliban, in which his government complains it has been sidelined.

On Sunday Ghani registered as a presidential candidate for the July election, facing competition from his one-time officials who have formed new alliances.

Independent analysts said Afghanistans political landscape has been thrown into turmoil by the nominations and shifting loyalties.

A day earlier former warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar announced he was running for president, with the Afghanistan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, who currently holds a power-sharing agreement with Ghani, formally entering the race on Sunday morning.

In a televised announcement, President Ghani, accompanied by his wife and political allies, listed his National Unity governments achievements during the five-year term, including his consistent offer to hold unconditional peace talks with the Taliban.

I started the peace initiative and our team will bring stable and long-lasting peace to the country, he said, adding that if the Taliban consider themselves Afghans they should come and talk to us.
As many as eight people were killed and 10 others were injured as a result of a militant attack on a convoy of vehicles carrying the governor and other senior officials of Afghanistan's central Logar province, Trend reported citing Sputnik.

The attack left the governor unharmed, according to the Khaama news agency.

The Taliban movement has claimed responsibility for the attack, the media outlet reported.

Afghanistan has long been suffering from an unstable political, social and security situation due to the activity of various terrorist and radical groups. The violence is exacerbated by the activities of various terrorist groups, including the Daesh terrorist group.
About 300 people were arrested in France during the 10th consecutive weekend of yellow vest anti-government protests, Secretary of State of the French Interior Ministry Laurent Nunez said on Sunday, Trend reported citing Sputnik.

"There were about 300 detentions, which is obviously a huge [number], but this is in line with violence of some persons during these demonstrations," Nunez said, as quoted by the BFMTV broadcaster.

Some 84,000 people across France participated in the demonstrations. In Paris, 7,000 of them took part in the rally, while in Toulouse 10,000 people came out to the streets.

The wave of the so-called yellow vest protests  named after the obligatory attribute of French drivers  started in France in mid-November. The French government has scrapped its planned hike in diesel taxes that sparked the protests, but the yellow vests have since morphed into a broader movement against government policies and rising living costs.

In December, Macron introduced a number of measures aimed at resolving the nation's economic and social crisis and declared a state of economic and social emergency. The proposed measures included annual bonuses for employees and exemptions from increased social security tax for pensioners earning less than 2,000 euros (over $2,200) per month. The measures proved insufficient in pacifying the protesters, with rallies continuing across France every weekend.
Lebanese caretaker Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said on Sunday that positive momentum among Arab countries toward Syria's return to the Arab League (AL) was felt during the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit held in Beirut, Trend reported citing Xinhua.

Bassil made the remarks during his joint press conference with the AL chief Ahmad Aboul-Gheit after the conclusion of the Arab economic summit.

Lebanon has pushed for the return of Syria to the AL in the past few days, which is in the interest of Lebanon and all other Arab countries, he said.

Syria's AL membership was suspended in November 2011 through the rising casualties in the violent clashes during anti-government protests.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 20

By Elnur Baghishov  Trend:

This year (starting from March 21, 2019) eight mining company owners in the North Khorasan Province of Iran have been relieved of their duties, said Ali Asghar Rezazadeh, Head of the Mining Department of North Khorasan Province Industry, Mine and Trade Organization, in an interview with IRNA, Trend reports.

He noted that if the mine owner does not pay the state funds, keeps the mine inactive or does not fulfill their responsibilities, they are to be relieved of their duties.

Some 100 of the 235 mines located in North Khorasan Province are currently active, with the rest being shut down or remaining passive due to economical hardships or a lack of liquidity, Rezazadeh added. As a result of devaluation, the expenditures on production have significantly risen.

One of the main problems of mine workers is the provision of mining equipment. The rise in the prices for such equipment has hindered production. This equipment is very expensive. We are trying to support the miners in need of such equipment by giving their identity to involved banks and providing credits, Rezazadeh said.

According to a North Khorasan Province Industry, Mine and Trade Organization representative, 1,376 people are currently employed in the provinces mines.

The mine reserves of North Khorasan Province amount to 1.058 billion tons. Around 5.8 billion tons of mining products is extracted per year. Miners of the province have made 1.34 trillion Iranian rials (about $31.9 million) worth investments in developing mines.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 20

By Sara Israfilbayova - Trend:

Road Transportation Arrangement LLC under the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Azerbaijan has announced a tender to purchase consulting services for the digitization of the passenger transportation system.

The tender is held in six lots.

The tender participation fee per each lot is 100 manats.

Applicants will need to help develop an e-taxi, an e-invoice and an e-ticket systems.

Those willing to participate in the tender must submit applications before 17:00 on Feb. 1, 2019, and tender offers until 17:00 on Feb. 11, 2019.

Opening of tender packages will be held at 11:00 on Feb. 12.

Address: 29 A. Garaybayli, baku, Azerbaijan

Phone: (+994 12) 561 76 03

Contact person: Hikmat Jafarov

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @IsrafilbekovaS
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 20

By Rashid Shirinov  Trend:

For the first 11 months of 2018, individuals in Kazakhstan made 39.8 million payments and transfers totaling 2.32 trillion tenge, Trend reports referring to the Kazakh media.

The press service of the National Bank said that compared to 2017, the number of transactions increased by 57.1 percent, and the amount in money decreased by 12.8 percent.

Money from Kazakhstan was mostly transferred to Russia, Turkey, the US, Uzbekistan, Switzerland and China. The US dollar accounted for 59.4 percent of the total volume of payments, Russian ruble for 21.5 percent, euro for 12.5 percent, pound sterling for 2 percent, tenge for 1.6 percent and other currencies for 3.1 percent.

At the same time, for the first 11 months of 2018, individuals in Kazakhstan received 1.8 million payments and transfers totaling 637.5 billion tenge. Compared to 2017, the number of transactions increased by 36.7 percent and the amount in money decreased by 23.5 percent.

Most of the money came from Russia, Switzerland, South Korea, the US and Luxembourg. The US dollar accounted for 64.5 percent of the total volume, Russian ruble for 19.7 percent, euro for 7.3 percent, and other currencies for 8.5 percent.

(378.66 KZT = 1 USD on Jan. 20)

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @ShirinovRashid
Tehran, Iran,Jan.20

Trend:

Iran has allocated $47.6 million to complete the Chabahar-Zahedan-Mashhad railroad project that would develop the transportation network, said Alim Yarmohammadi, member of parliament from Zahedan, Sistan and Baluchistan Province, Trend reports citing IRNA.

"A total of $47.6 million has been allocated for completion of the Chabahar-Zahedan-Mashhad railroad and construction of highway on this route to facilitate the development of transit in the Chabahar region," he said.

Yarmohammadi noted that the inauguration of first phase of Shahid Beheshti Port at Chabahar requires specific attention to development of infrastructure.

"The current roads in Sistan and Baluchistan Province do not have good condition for truck transportation and the construction of highways on the Shahid Beheshti Port route would improve the transit," he said.

The Chabahar-Zahedan-Mashhad railway will connect three provinces of Sistan-Baluchestan, South Khorasan and Khorasan Razavi.

"The government would cooperate in making investments at various sectors of Sistan and Baluchistan Province. The parliament has succeeded to attract investment and financial resources to develop Chabahar transit route and hopefully, the public and private sector partnership will allow to develop the port project," he said.

The MP noted that the province has the investment opportunity in tourism, agriculture, mine, industry and fishery sectors.

The railroad is to have an important role in connecting Chabahar port to the International NorthSouth Transport Corridor (INSTC) that would connect Central Asia to Europe. The route primarily involves moving freight from India, Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia via ship, rail and road.
Baku, Azerbaijan, January 20

By Sara Israfilbayova - Trend:

Electric trains will run from Makhachkala, Dagestan (federal subject of the Russian Federation) to the border with Azerbaijan, Trend reports via Russian media.

The relevant agreement was reached during the meeting held in the government of Dagestan Republic under the leadership of First Deputy Chairman Gadzhimagomed Huseynov.

The meeting's agenda included discussions on draft cooperation agreement between the Republic of Dagestan and Russian Railways in the field of modernization and reconstruction of railway infrastructure in Dagestan.

The contract envisages passenger transportation in three directions: Makhachkala - Khasavyurt (one pair), Makhachkala - Derbent (two pairs), Makhachkala - the border with Azerbaijan (two pairs).

Moreover, the meeting participants agreed to run additional train pairs in the directions of Makhachkala - Khasavyurt and Derbent - the border with Azerbaijan in the near future.

Follow author on Twitter: @IsrafilbekovaS
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 20

Trend:

On January 20  the National Day of Mourning in Azerbaijan the leadership and military personnel of the Ministry of Defense of the Azerbaijan Republic visited the Alley of Martyrs, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said, Trend reports.

The servicemen paid tribute to the memory of our citizens who sacrificed their lives for the freedom and independence of the Motherland and laid flowers on their graves, said the message.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 20

By Samir Ali - Trend:

Azerbaijan has held a minute of silence to pay tribute to the January 20 victims.

The movement of traffic and pedestrians in Azerbaijans cities was stopped for a minute to honor the tragedy victims, while the minute of silence was accompanied by horns of ships in the Bay of Baku, metro cars and railway trains.

January 20 is a day that went down in history of Azerbaijan's fight for independence and territorial integrity.

On January 20, 1990, the Soviet army forces entered Baku to suppress the masses protesting the USSR-supported Armenian aggression based on territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

The result was an unprecedented tragedy for Azerbaijan. Valiant sons and daughters of Azerbaijan put the country's freedom, honor and dignity above everything else, sacrificed their lives and became martyrs.

The January 20 tragedy brought huge losses and death of innocent people. But it also demonstrated the spirit and pride of Azerbaijani nation, which couldn't stand the betrayal of the criminal empire led by Mikhail Gorbachev.

Azerbaijanis gained the independence they were dreaming of, and the country achieved sovereignty.



Despite that many years have passed since those bloody days, Azerbaijanis remember the dreadful night that took many innocent lives and marks the anniversary of the January 20 tragedy every year.

January 20 is immortalized in the memory of Azerbaijani nation as a Day of the Nationwide Sorrow.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 20

By Huseyn Veliyev - Trend:

January 20 is a day of sorrow not only for Azerbaijan, but also for the whole Turkic world, Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Erkan Ozoral told reporters on Jan. 20.

"Today, the Day of Mourning, is an important day in the history of Azerbaijan. On Jan. 20, 1990, many of our brothers became martyrs, many were injured. Today is also a very important day in Azerbaijan's independence history. Moreover, this day is a day of national pride, not only for Azerbaijan, but also for the whole Turkic world," the ambassador said.

On January 20, 1990, the Soviet army forces entered Baku to suppress the masses protesting the USSR-supported Armenian aggression based on territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

The result was an unprecedented tragedy for Azerbaijan. Valiant sons and daughters of Azerbaijan put the country's freedom, honor and dignity above everything else, sacrificed their lives and became martyrs.

The January 20 tragedy brought huge losses and death of innocent people. But it also demonstrated the spirit and pride of Azerbaijani nation, which couldnt stand the betrayal of the criminal empire led by Mikhail Gorbachev.

Azerbaijanis gained the independence they were dreaming of, and the country achieved sovereignty.



Despite that many years have passed since those bloody days, Azerbaijanis remember the dreadful night that took many innocent lives and marks the anniversary of the January 20 tragedy every year.

January 20 is immortalized in the memory of Azerbaijani nation as a Day of the Nationwide Sorrow.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @h_veliyev
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 20

By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

The case of a blogger is exaggerated and used against Azerbaijan, the Chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Deputy Executive Secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party Mubariz Gurbanli said commenting on the artificially created problem around blogger Mehman Huseynov, Trend reports on Jan. 20.

Gurbanli, referring to the latest resolution of the European Parliament, noted that out of 751 members only 30 took part in the discussions.

"And when you watch the speeches, you see that these people cannot read even what they have written. Probably, the text was given to them 10 minutes before their speech. These people are not aware of the issue, which once again shows that all this is rigged. This does not affect Azerbaijan. Because Azerbaijan has no obligations before the European Parliament. We are not a member of the European Parliament," he said.

He added that in general, the European Parliament has adopted hundreds of resolutions, which are a manifestation of double standards not only in relation to Azerbaijan, but also to other countries.

"If the European Parliament is looking for a problem, then the problem is in themselves. They should pay attention to ongoing events in European countries, where human rights are still violated," he added.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 20

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

The heroism of the Azerbaijani people on January 20 became an example for the Turkic world, Professor Naciye Selin Senocak, the head of the cultural diplomacy department at the Institute for European Studies in Brussels, told Trend.

She underlined that the Azerbaijani people were defenseless.

"On Jan. 20, the Soviet authorities wanted to deprive the Azerbaijani people of their independence by resorting to bloody reprisals," she said.

Senocak noted that on Jan. 20 a bloody tragedy occurred, about which the whole world, including the West, was silent.

"Despite all this, the tragedy of January 20 became a heroic page in the history of the Azerbaijani people," she added.

She also noted that presently, about 20 percent of Azerbaijani lands are under Armenian occupation.

"Until the OSCE and the UN act decisively on the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenia will ignore the world community and continue its occupation policy," Senocak said.

She noted that the successful state policy of President Ilham Aliyev has turned Azerbaijan into a bright star of Eurasia.

"The main reason that the world turns a blind eye to the Armenian occupation is that it wants to prevent Azerbaijan from becoming a regional power," Senocak said.

On January 20, 1990, the Soviet army forces entered Baku to suppress the masses protesting the USSR-supported Armenian aggression based on territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

The result was an unprecedented tragedy for Azerbaijan. Valiant sons and daughters of Azerbaijan put the country's freedom, honor and dignity above everything else, sacrificed their lives and became martyrs.

The January 20 tragedy brought huge losses and death of innocent people. But it also demonstrated the spirit and pride of Azerbaijani nation, which couldnt stand the betrayal of the criminal empire led by Mikhail Gorbachev.

Azerbaijanis gained the independence they were dreaming of, and the country achieved sovereignty.



Despite that many years have passed since those bloody days, Azerbaijanis remember the dreadful night that took many innocent lives and marks the anniversary of the January 20 tragedy every year.

January 20 is immortalized in the memory of Azerbaijani nation as a Day of the Nationwide Sorrow.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 20

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and first lady Mehriban Aliyeva have paid tribute to the victims of the 20 January tragedy on the National Mourning Day.

President Ilham Aliyev laid a wreath at the "Eternal Flame" memorial.

The Defense Ministrys military orchestra played the national anthem of Azerbaijan.

Participants in the commemorative ceremony included state and government officials, heads of religious communities, ambassadors of foreign countries to Azerbaijan, and representatives of international organizations.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 20

By Ilhama Isabalayeva - Trend:

Zimbabwe has a strong interest in the experience of Azerbaijan in the proper organization of governance, the conduct of independent policies based on national interests and also in the country's experience in economic and social reforms, Azerbaijani MP Tahir Rzayev told Trend, commenting on the visit of the Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa to the country.

The MP noted that Azerbaijans effective management in the mining industry, ensuring transparency of revenues from the non-oil sector, well-considered investment in other sectors of the economy, development of the non-oil sector, transport infrastructure and agriculture, achievement of 100 percent literacy and success in other areas are recognized as an interesting experience.

Rzayev added that the Zimbabwean president had chosen Azerbaijan, Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan for his overseas tour.

"These countries have been chosen to exchange experience, explore new opportunities for economic and trade cooperation, and make investments, given the fact that they have the highest rates in the CIS," he said.

He underlined that Azerbaijan will chair the Non-Aligned Movement in 2019-2022, in which Zimbabwe is also actively involved.

Rzayev added that the number of countries willing to cooperate with Azerbaijan, which is reliable, worthy and responsible participant in international relations, is growing.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 20

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

Real patriots opposed the events that took place on the night of January 20, 1990 in Baku, Valeri Chechelashvili, a Georgian political analyst and former secretary general of the GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development, told Trend.

The January 20 events were the corrosion of a collapsing empire and they were opposed by real patriots, who gave their lives for the future of their country, for the state, for their homeland.

He noted that such processes took place both in the Baltic countries and in Georgia.

He added that Azerbaijan and Georgia had to go through a very difficult period, since the establishment of statehood after the restoration of independence was fraught with great problems.

But I think Azerbaijan is very lucky that on such a difficult historical path of development, Heydar Aliyev, an outstanding person in all respects, stood at the helm of the state, Chechelashvili said. I believe that political analysts have yet to evaluate his role in the establishment of Azerbaijans statehood, because he, in extremely difficult conditions, was able to build such foreign relations and lay foundation for such big projects that ensure the well-being of not only Azerbaijan, but the entire region.

Chechelashvili also noted the great importance of the strategic partnership between the two countries, which relies on the traditional friendship between the Azerbaijani and Georgian peoples.

Georgia is lucky to have such a neighbor and a partner as Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan is lucky to have such a neighbor and a partner as Georgia, he said.

January 20 is a day that went down in history of Azerbaijan's fight for independence and territorial integrity.

On January 20, 1990, the Soviet army forces entered Baku to suppress the masses protesting the USSR-supported Armenian aggression based on territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

The result was an unprecedented tragedy for Azerbaijan. Valiant sons and daughters of Azerbaijan put the country's freedom, honor and dignity above everything else, sacrificed their lives and became martyrs.

The January 20 tragedy brought huge losses and death of innocent people. But it also demonstrated the spirit and pride of Azerbaijani nation, which couldnt stand the betrayal of the criminal empire led by Mikhail Gorbachev.

Azerbaijanis gained the independence they were dreaming of, and the country achieved sovereignty.



Despite that many years have passed since those bloody days, Azerbaijanis remember the dreadful night that took many innocent lives and marks the anniversary of the January 20 tragedy every year.

January 20 is immortalized in the memory of Azerbaijani nation as a Day of the Nationwide Sorrow.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 20

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Turkey wont forget Azerbaijans pain, the Turkish Presidential Administration told Trend in anticipation of the next anniversary of the January 20 tragedy.

Turkey remembers and will never forget the sons and daughters of fraternal Azerbaijan, who sacrificed their lives for the independence of their country, the Turkish Presidential Administration said. Despite that 29 years pass since the January 20 tragedy, this wound is still fresh in the memory of the Azerbaijani and Turkish peoples.

The Presidential Administration also noted that Turkey supports Azerbaijan always and in all issues, just like Azerbaijan supports Turkey.

January 20 is a day that went down in history of Azerbaijan's fight for independence and territorial integrity.

On January 20, 1990, the Soviet army forces entered Baku to suppress the masses protesting the USSR-supported Armenian aggression based on territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

The result was an unprecedented tragedy for Azerbaijan. Valiant sons and daughters of Azerbaijan put the country's freedom, honor and dignity above everything else, sacrificed their lives and became martyrs.

The January 20 tragedy brought huge losses and death of innocent people. But it also demonstrated the spirit and pride of Azerbaijani nation, which couldn't stand the betrayal of the criminal empire led by Mikhail Gorbachev.

Azerbaijanis gained the independence they were dreaming of, and the country achieved sovereignty.

Despite that many years have passed since those bloody days, Azerbaijanis remember the dreadful night that took many innocent lives and marks the anniversary of the January 20 tragedy every year.

January 20 is immortalized in the memory of Azerbaijani nation as a Day of the Nationwide Sorrow.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 20

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

January 20, 1990 is the date from which it is possible to start to count the new Azerbaijans history, Georgian political analyst Gela Vasadze told Trend.

"The events that took place on the night of January 20 in Baku became the very events when new Azerbaijan was born," he said. "A mental turning point occurred and the people realized that the power wasn't capable of protecting them, and moreover, it had already started to kill. After all these events, in August 1991, Azerbaijan declared its independence."

He noted that similar events took place in Georgia on April 9, 1989, when a mental turning point occurred among the population of Georgia, and after that the Soviet government was actually doomed.

"During those events, I wasnt in the Caucasus," he said. "But I happened to come to Baku in 1990 a little later, and it was, frankly speaking, a very difficult sight. Despite that enough time had passed, there were Soviet military equipment, armed patrols in Baku, and the city, which I knew as flourishing and joyful, was very gloomy and very tragic. What happened at that time was, of course, the greatest tragedy, which, on the one hand, became a black page in history, and on the other hand, was the very moment, just as the one in Georgia on April 9, when the new Azerbaijan's history started."

January 20 is a day that went down in history of Azerbaijan's fight for independence and territorial integrity.

On January 20, 1990, the Soviet army forces entered Baku to suppress the masses protesting the USSR-supported Armenian aggression based on territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

The result was an unprecedented tragedy for Azerbaijan. Valiant sons and daughters of Azerbaijan put the country's freedom, honor and dignity above everything else, sacrificed their lives and became martyrs.

The January 20 tragedy brought huge losses and death of innocent people. But it also demonstrated the spirit and pride of Azerbaijani nation, which couldn't stand the betrayal of the criminal empire led by Mikhail Gorbachev.

Azerbaijanis gained the independence they were dreaming of, and the country achieved sovereignty.



Despite that many years have passed since those bloody days, Azerbaijanis remember the dreadful night that took many innocent lives and marks the anniversary of the January 20 tragedy every year.

January 20 is immortalized in the memory of Azerbaijani nation as a Day of the Nationwide Sorrow.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 20

Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 26 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Jan. 20, Trend reports.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
A member of Iranian parliament's budget reconciliation committee says it has been decided to increase the country's military budget by around $3 billion.

The new Iranian year and the fiscal cycle begins on March 21 and the budget for March 21,2019-March 20, 2020 is currently under discussion in parliament.

The Tasnim news agency close to Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) quotes Abolfazl Hassanbeigi as saying that $2 billion was added by the reconciliation committee.

He also said that another one billion dollars will be added from revenues gained by higher fossil fuel prices.

He did not mention any details, such as the spending target for the additional appropriation. Research and development, regular army, IRGC and intelligence organization each have their own specific budgets within the overall defense appropriation.

Prices for oil-based products are set by the government in Iran, therefore any price increase will be the outcome of a deliberate decision to charge people more for fuel,

No official figures have been announced for the new budget but a reliable analyst with Tasnim had said in December that the budget of the regular army was drastically cut, while the budget of the IRGC was increased to nearly $5 billion.

Estimates in the past have put the IRGC annual budget much higher than $5 billion.

Iran's official budget numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, especially when it comes to military and intelligence activities. Given lack of overall transparency, money from various sources can be funneled to clandestine activities.

IRGC controls many businesses and no one knows how the proceeds are spent. The government can also be forced by hardliners and the IRGC to withdraw money from the country's hard currency reserves, which are set aside for future contingencies.
A top Iranian official has dismissed reports about the intention of Iranian foreign minister to resign and his countrys exit from the 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers.

President Hassan Rouhanis chief of staff Mahmoud Vaezi tweeted, The News about Doctor Zarifs resignation and Irans exit from JCPOA, published simultaneously are both lies, based on ill intentions and are against national interests.

Vaezi warned the media against the spread of fake news and called on them to be cautious and not to trumpet what enemies of the state want to spread.

A hardliner politician had tweeted January 11 that Zarif was about to resign.

Another tweet had spread rumors about Iran leaving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Actions, or Iran's nuclear deal.

The news of Zarif's alleged resignation and Iran's withdrawal from the JCPOA were also refuted by the Rouhani administration's news dissemination chief Alireza Moezi, who in a tweet rejected the stories as "suspicious" and "part of a plot".

Moezi said: "Disseminating such fake news plays into the hand of Donald Trump, who wants to challenge Iran's economy by imposing sanctions in order to rob Iranians of their hope and future."
On January 20, at the regular Congress of the Socialist Party of Ukraine (SPU), it has been decided to nominate Illia Kyva as candidate for the post of President of Ukraine, the press service of the SPU has reported on the official website of the party.

"This is an important step for me personally and for our entire party. We are returning to big politics after 10 years of oblivion," Kyva said.

One of the issues on the agenda was making a decision on the participation of the Socialist Party in the presidential election in 2019 and the nomination of its candidate for President of Ukraine.

Viktor Slysh, the presiding officer at the congress, proposed the candidacy of Kyva. During the voting, the decision was taken unanimously. Pursuant to articles 9, 10, 47 of the Law of Ukraine on the Election of the President, the SPU nominated Kyva as a candidate for the post of President of Ukraine from the party.

"A year and a half ago, when you entrusted me to lead the Socialist Party, the task was to raise it from its knees. Today, the grassroot organizations of the SPU have been revived, and, most importantly, we have become participants in the electoral process. This will give us the opportunity of representing the interests of the people in Parliament. And, first of all, it will help us to establish high social standards of life for Ukrainians. We will win, because with us is strength and truth, and I believe in it," Kyva said.
ELKO  Union Pacific Railroad will be concluding its 150th celebration of completing the Transcontinental Railroad this spring, and a special event is planned Jan. 25 in Elko to mark the occasion.

The Great Race to Promontory has been helping communities along the route to celebrate the linking of east and west. Elkos event begins at 1:30 p.m. at the Western Folklife Center. After reviewing the railroads remarkable history, UP spokesman Nathan Anderson will present a spike to city and county officials.

Central Pacific broke ground on the railroad in Omaha in 1863, but did not start laying rails until July 10, 1865. In 1866, the Civil War was over and an influx of labor, materials and money allowed the railroad to push through Nebraska and into the mountains in southern Wyoming, crossing the continental divide on April 5, 1868.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

By 1869, the Union Pacific line had reached into Utah, where it would connect with tracks being extended eastward from California. The Golden Spike completing the railroad was ceremonially driven into the ground at Promontory, Utah, on May 10, 1869.
This blog may be a labor of love for me, but it takes a lot of effort, time and money. For over 14 years and 30,000 articles I have been providing accurate, original news that would have remained unnoticed. I've written hundreds of scoops and sometimes my reporting ends up making a real difference. I appreciate any donations you can give to keep this blog going.
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
Ukraine boosts electricity exports by almost 20% in past year

Hungary accounted for 58% of electricity sales to foreign customers.

If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter
Location of next summit with Kim chosen, says Trump

US President Donald Trump says a lot of progress has been made with North Korean on denuclearization issue. Photo by AFP/File

U.S. President Donald Trump the location has been decided for his next summit with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, around the end of February.

"We picked a country," Trump told reporters on Saturday, without giving more details.

A Vietnamese government source earlier told AFP that "logistical preparations" were under way to host the encounter, most likely in the capital Hanoi or coastal city of Da Nang.

The White House on Friday confirmed that the second Trump-Kim meeting would occur next month, following a rare visit to Washington by a senior North Korean general.

Vice Chairman Kim Yong Chol, a right-hand man to the North Korean strongman, met Trump at the White House on Friday for an unusually long 90 minutes as the countries seek a denuclearization accord that could ease decades of hostility.

On Saturday, Trump said a "lot of progress" has been made on the issue.

Kim Jong Un and Trump first met in June in Singapore, where they signed a vaguely worded document in which Kim pledged to work toward the "denuclearization of the Korean peninsula."

Progress stalled soon afterward as Pyongyang and Washington -- which has 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea -- disagree over what that means.

The United States expects Pyongyang to give up its nuclear arsenal, doggedly built by the Kim dynasty despite sanctions and nationwide famines.

Kim, whose family has brutally ruled North Korea for three generations, is seeking guarantees of the regime's survival as well as relief from biting UN sanctions.

Analysts say that a second summit has to make tangible progress on the issue of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons if it is to avoid being dismissed as "reality TV."
Smoke rises from the chimney of a paper factory outside Hanoi, Vietnam, May 21, 2018. Photo by Reuters/Kham

A nationwide survey finds employment, environmental pollution and corruption are issues of leading concerns among Vietnamese citizens.

The 2018 survey, conducted by the Mekong Development Research Institute, Hanoi (MDRI), covered 1,400 people aged 18 and over in 34 provinces and cities in Vietnam.

It found 24.12 percent of respondents saying employment was their primary concern. Air pollution followed with 17.06 percent and corruption 15.96 percent.

Dr. Phung Duc Tung, Director of MDRI, said the results reflect reality in Vietnamese society. The 18 to 30 years old demographic was naturally more anxious about employment than other age groups.

Preoccupation about jobs was stronger among respondents in the countryside, high school graduates and those who earned less than VND5 million a month ($215). Vietnam's average GDP per capita in 2018 was around $2,500.

Also, 2.19 percent of people in the working ages were unemployed, down from 2.24 percent in 2017.

On pollution, the survey came up with an unusual finding on gender difference.

"Interestingly, men are more troubled by air pollution than women, and respondents between 30 and 40 years old are the primary worriers of this pollution," Tung told VnExpress International.

The MDRI also found that citizens in the north of the country were more worried about air pollution than those in the central and southern regions, and the level of concern was the same among urban and suburban dwellers.

Hanoi, with a population of 7.7 million, recorded air pollution four times higher than WHO standards in 2017.

Regarding climate change, 43.22 percent of respondents think the climate change situation will worsen in the next five years, 37.12 percent are positive about improvement, while 19.66 percent think it will remain static.

While job and air pollution were primary concerns of people in the 18 to 40 age bracket, those 50 years and older saw corruption as a greater concern.

"The more educated, the more they are worried about this issue," Tung said. More specifically, 50 percent of postgraduates were concerned about corruption, while only 8 percent of people without degrees shared the concern.

"There is a visible contrast between workers in the public and private sector. 23 percent in the former say corruption is a worry, while only 14 percent in the latter say so," the MDRI director noted.

On the bright side, the study found most people (68 percent) believe the corruption situation will improve in the next five years. Only about 17 percent think the situation will not change and a small percentage believes it will get worse.

In the past three years Vietnam's sweeping corruption crackdown has ensnared scores of high-profile officials, especially in the energy and banking sectors.

Last year a large number of officials, including in the military, and businesspeople faced criminal charges including for mismanagement of military land, faced disciplinary action or were arrested for corruption.

Vietnamese people are also worried about healthcare (11.32 percent), water pollution (8.16 percent), food hygiene and safety (7.28 percent) and education (6.32 percent).

The MDRIs "2018 Sociological Survey" was conducted in June last year and took five months to complete.
Vietnams first casino for locals opens on three-year trial basis

Casino bussiness is allowed in a hotel-amusement complex on Vietnam's largest island Phu Quoc. Photo by Shutterstock/Visualize Creative

The first casino in Vietnam that allows locals to gamble has opened in Phu Quoc Island off the country's southern coast.

The Corona Resort and Casino is part of an ecotourism and amusement complex built by Phu Quoc Tourism Investment and Development JSC at a cost of VND50 trillion ($2.15 billion).

The casino will remain open 24 hours a day during a three-year pilot, and Vietnamese who want to gamble must be over 21, earn a minimum of VND10 million ($430) a month and have no criminal record or objections from family.

The entry fee is VND1 million ($43) for 24 hours or VND25 million ($1,000) a month (with a maximum play time of 720 hours).

Three months ago the government approved the three-year trial period allowing Vietnamese to enter the casino.

Vietnam, which treats gambling as a "social evil", has hitherto prohibited locals from gambling in the seven casinos around the country. Only foreign passport holders can enter them.

Vietnam's per capita income was around $2,500 last year.

One of Vietnam's biggest real estate developers Sungroup is currently building another casino in Van Don in northern Quang Ninh Province, home of popular Ha Long Bay.

Phu Quoc, Vietnam's largest island, is one of the top holiday destinations in the country.
The author of The Atlantic article, Taylor Lorenz, was arguing that the battle against the rising tide of email is a lost cause, and the numbers would appear to support her case: She notes a recent study by the Radicati Group, a market-research firm, reporting that people worldwide sent and received 269 billion emails a day in 2017. By 2021, that number could surpass 333 billion.

A day.

And it seems as if every one of those messages eventually will end up in your inbox.

Lorenz argues for "Inbox Infinity," which she describes as "accepting the fact that there will be an endless, growing amount of email in your inbox every day, most of which you will never address or even see. It's about letting email messages wash over you, responding to the ones you can, but ignoring most."

Now, to me, that sounds more realistic than Inbox Zero, but both approaches really are means to the same end: Freeing up time that we used to spend obsessing over email.
The Malaysian Coalition Against the Death Penalty today refuted former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Noors statement that the governments decision to abolish the death penalty had been made in haste.





In a statement here today, the coalition said the issue had been brought up as early as 2010 when the then Minister in the Prime Ministers Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz publicly stated that the death penalty was not suitable for Malaysia.





It said since then, studies were carried out to review the efficacy of laws relating to the death sentence, including one commissioned by the government and undertaken by the International Centre for Law and Legal Studies in Malaysia that in 2016 recommended to the Cabinet the total abolition of the death penalty.





For the former IGP to say that no proper study had been undertaken or that the present Cabinets decision to totally abolish the death penalty for all crimes is premature has certainly failed to take into account the existing facts in relation to the question of the abolition of the death penalty in Malaysia, it said.





On Wednesday the former IGP expressed his objection to the governments proposal to abolish the death penalty and had urged the government to review it.





Rahim also suggested that a referendum be held at the Dewan Rakyat to decide on the matter.





The coalition also lauded the government for showing leadership in deciding to abolish the death penalty.





The statement said that there was also no credible empirical evidence to show that the abolition of the death penalty in a particular jurisdiction had led or would lead to an increase in the crime rate in that jurisdiction.





The ineffectiveness of the death penalty as a deterrent was initially recognised in the amendment to the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 effected in 2017 which removed the mandatory death penalty for drug-related offences. The then Minister in the Prime Ministers Department in charge of law said that this was a baby step towards the eventual total abolition of the death penalty.





As the former IGP will himself be personally familiar, the existence of even harsh punishment does not deter a person from commiting a crime, be it for an offence of causing hurt or for murder, the statement said.





The coalition also stressed that abolition of the death penalty as a form of punishment did not mean that the perpetrators of crimes would be set free, and that they would still be punished for the crimes they had committed.

 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE!





"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde

thesundaily.my, January 20, 2019
Moroccan activists are still calling for the abolition of the death penalty, a decision that may not be so far-fetched.





The Moroccan Coalition Against the Death Penalty has reiterated its call to the government to remove the death penalty from the countrys Penal Code.





During a meeting with his general assembly on Friday in Rabat in the presence of justice minister Mohamed Aujjar, the coalitions coordinator, Abderrahim El Jamii, stressed the need tofight for human rights and abolish the death penalty.





El Jamii urged Aujjar to join the Moroccans calling for abolition, while emphasizing that the ministers attendance at the meeting gave hope and opened a new political and human rights chapter.





El Jamii, on behalf of the coalition, pointed out the incompatibility between Article 20 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to life to all human beings and the Penal Code, which allows the death penalty.





Although still an option, Morocco has maintained a de facto moratorium on the death penalty since 1993.





The new president of the National Council of Human Rights (CNDH), Amina Bouayach, strongly criticized the governments indecisiveness towards abolishing the death penalty.





She said that there is a big hesitation on the states part to abolish the penalty and called for a national dialogue to make a final decision.





Morocco had six chances prior to 2018 to join the UN moratorium banning the practice, but each time the country chose to abstain from the vote, adding to activists frustration.





For his part, Aujjar revealed that the state is gradually showing an inclinations toward ending the death penalty.





Morocco is not far from joining the growing global initiatives to abolish the death penalty, he stated.





Calls for the death penalty for Imlil murder suspects









RELATED | Morocco tourist beheadings: More suspected ISIS fanatics arrested after Scandinavian hikers slain at mountain campsite Ahmed Chaouki Benyoub, the minister delegate at the National Council of Human Rights, drew attention to the case of the murder of 2 Scandinavian tourists in Morocco in December.





Benyoub said that in the wake of the terror attack against the tourists, very few people would be against giving the murderers the death penalty, if the government were to take an opinion poll.





However, Benyoub expressed his readiness for inclusive dialogue on abolition.





Following the brutal murder of Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, from Denmark and Maren Ueland, 28, from Norway, in the Atlas Mountains near Mount Toubkal, at the hands of radicalized terror suspects, many Moroccans called for the death penalty.





The Moroccan Organization of Human Rights (OMDH) and the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty (WCADP) have been urging Morocco to join an international agreement ending capital punishment.





Moreover, the Swedish and Norwegian ambassadors to Morocco conveyed their full support for the coalitions efforts to abolish the death penalty, which does not only violate human rights but also the individuals dignity.

 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE!





"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde

Morocco World News, January 19, 2019
Marko Arnautovic's move to Chinacollapsed on Saturday night after Guangzhou Evergrande pulled out of the proposed 45million deal.The West Ham striker had been left out of Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth after manager Manuel Pellegrini said 'his head was on another issue' and hinted at problems in training by adding: 'A manager must choose the players that work better during the week'.The 29-year-old Arnautovic had made it clear he wanted to leave after Guangzhou offered 35.2million and wages of 280,000 a week. His brother and agent Danijel released a statement saying 'he wanted to win titles in China'.West Ham had rejected the first bid but Guangzhou were prepared to increase their offer to 45m and West Ham had begun actively working on possible replacements with Celta Vigo's Maxi Gomez emerging as the favoured target.There had been concerns aired over the payment structure but those were dismissed by the Chinese who were willing to match West Ham's valuation.However, the move was called off on Saturday as the Chinese club had a re-think and opted against moving for the temperamental Austrian.It's not clear at this stage whether a deal could be resurrected as the Chinese Super League window remains open until February 28.Though West Ham would be keeping their in-form striker, they now face the potentially troublesome task of reintegrating the sometimes volatile Arnautovic back into the squad and seeing if he can win over fans that he waved goodbye to at the London Stadium just over a week ago.Arnautovic still retains the faith of Pellegrini who has been supportive throughout the talks, recognising the financial opportunity on offer.However, Arnautovic's state of mind at missing out on 14.5million a year in wages could yet prove problematic and derail the club's season.The club and supporters have been loathe to go through another saga similar to the one experienced when Dimitri Payet demanded to leave in 2017 but Arnautovic's situation will likely create an all too familiar scenario.
Two motorcyclists electrocuted, another critically injured

Two youths were electrocuted to death while another got critically injured by a live wire at Kuwarampur in Janakpur Sub Metropolitan City on Saturday.
The rally was non-partisan, with none of the speakers telling rally-goers explicitly who to vote for. Many attendees, however, brought along picket signs  at least a few of which were explicitly anti-Trump.

Others waded into todays cultural politics, with one man carrying a poster that read my razor gets it, why doesnt the White House? in an apparent reference to the conservative backlash on Gillettes recent advertising campaign discouraging toxic masculinity.

Since the original Washington, D.C. Womens March in 2017, the leaders of the national movement have been dogged by infighting and allegations of anti-Semitism. But Ann Pehle of AAUW Carlisle, one of the rallys organizers, said that locally-organized events have sought to distance themselves from problems at the top.

By no means do we support the anti-Semitism that has been problematic for those at the top of the national organization, Pehle said.

At various points throughout Saturdays rally, members of the Carlisle Area Youth Council, an advocacy group of Carlisle High School students, led the group in chants that advocating for inclusion.
A handful of the more than two dozen elderly care facilities that were taken over by the state last year are likely to close.

Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman Leah Bucco-White said the company operating Wausa Care and Rehabilitation Center nursing facility, Sidney Care and Rehabilitation Center nursing and assisted-living facilities, and Sorensen Care and Rehabilitation Center nursing facility in Omaha has requested to close them.

The four were among 21 nursing homes and 10 assisted-living facilities the state was forced to take over in March because of financial problems of their owner, Cottonwood Healthcare, also known as Skyline.

The centers were put into receivership and the state hired Klaasmeyer and Associates to manage them.

Klaasmeyer has sought district court permission to close the four facilities, Bucco-White said. The company cited low resident numbers and poor financial performance as the main reasons for seeking closure of the facilities.

Klaasmeyer said in court filings that the Wausa Care and Rehabilitation Center has averaged only 15 residents on a daily basis since Klaasmeyer took over and the Sidney facilities have averaged only about 30 residents.
In secret, behind locked gates, our Nation's Oldest City dumped a landfill in a lake (Old City Reservoir), while emitting sewage in our rivers and salt marsh. Organized citizens exposed and defeated pollution, racism and cronyism. We elected a new Mayor. We're transforming our City -- advanced citizenship. Ask questions. Make disclosures. Demand answers. Be involved. Expect democracy. Report and expose corruption. Smile! Help enact a St. Augustine National Park and Seashore. We shall overcome!
The 2016 IPCPR Trade Show was one of the busier ones for La Palina Cigars. One cigar that made its debut at the 2016 Trade Show was a line called El Ano 1896. The El Ano 1896 became the first all box-pressed line to be introduced by La Palina Cigars. This was a cigar that was produced by Abe Flores at the PDR Cigars factory. At the time of the launch, the El Ano 1896 was in the shadows of another launch, the AJ Fernandez-made La Palina Nicaragua. Even after the El Ano 1896 was released, it remained one of the quieter lines in La Palinas ever-growing portfolio. In 2018, we learned that La Palina was revamping the El Ano 1896. Production of the cigar was moving from PDR to Plasencias El Paraiso factory  and the blend would undergo a change. Today, we take a close look at the news El Ano 1896 blend in the Robusto size.

The name 1896 is significant in the history of La Palina Cigars. It was in 1896 when Samuel Paley, the grandfather of La Palina Cigars owner Bill Paley founded the La Palina brand. Its not the first time the 1896 name has been used on a La Palina Cigar. When Bill Paley resurrected the La Palina brand in 2009, the first release would be a small batch limited edition known as the La Palina 1896 Limited Edition. It was a cigar that was developed at the Graycliff factory in the Bahamas. That cigar was a one-time release, and other than using 1896 in the name, the El Ano 1896 is a completely different cigar.

Without further ado, lets break down the La Palina El Ano 1896 Robusto and see what this cigar brings to the table.

SPECIFICATIONS

Blend and Origin

As mentioned the blend for the La Palina El Ano 1896 was revamped after production was moved to Plasencia. The El Ano 1896 is highlighted by a Costa Rican wrapper (the original blend used a San Andres Maduro wrapper), a Dominican binder, and a combination of Dominican and Nicaraguan filler.

Wrapper: Costa Rican Oscuro

Binder: Dominican

Filler: Nicaraguan, Dominican

Country of Origin: Honduras

Factory: El Paraiso

Vitolas Offered

The La Palina El Ano 1896 is available in three box-press sizes. Each is presented in 20-count boxes.

Robusto: 5 x 52

Toro: 6 x 50

Belicoso: 6 1/2 x 52

Appearance

The Costa Rican Oscuro wrapper of the La Palina El Ano 1896 Robusto had a dark coffee bean wrapper to it. There wasnt much in the way of oil on the surface of the wrapper. While there were some visible wrapper seams, there were very few veins that were visible. The box press is on the sharper side.

The band of the La Palina El Ano 1896 is different than the other La Palina bands. The band is black with gold trim. On the center of the band is the alternate La Palina LP logo. Above the logo is the text LA PALINA in white font while the text EL ANO 1896 is in white font below it. Toward the lower part of the band is the text OSCURO in gold font.

A little over half of the cigar from the footer is covered with a parchment sleeve with the black and white image of Goldie Drell Paley, the grandmother of Bill Paley (who is seen on much of La Palinas branding). The text El Ano 1896 rests over the image in a large white cursive font.

PERFORMANCE

Pre-Light Draw

After removing the parchment sleeve from the El Ano 1896 Robusto, a straight cut was used to remove the cap. From that point, it was time to progress with the pre-light draw. The dry draw delivered a mix of cedar, coffee, and assorted pepper notes. Overall, I considered this to be a satisfactory pre-light draw. At this point, it was time to light up the El Ano 1896 and see what the smoking phase would have in store.

Tasting Notes

The El Ano 1896 Robusto started out with notes of coffee, earth, red pepper, cedar, as well as a slight mineral note. The coffee and earth notes quickly moved into the forefront with the other notes settling in the background. By the middle of the first third, the coffee notes took control in the forefront. At times the coffee had a chocolate flavor creating a mocha-fusion. Meanwhile, there was an additional layer of red pepper on the retro-hale.

During the second third, the earth, pepper, and cedar started to build up in intensity. The earth increased at a more rapid rate and by the midpoint rejoined the coffee notes in the forefront. By this point, the chocolate qualities present had begun to dissipate.

By the last third, the red pepper and cedar increased more in intensity, but did not increase enough to make it the forefront. The coffee and earth notes still remained in control and there was still a slight mineral component in the more distant background. This is the way the El Ano 1896 Robusto came to a close. The resulting nub was soft to the touch and cool in temperature.

Burn

While the El Ano 1896 Robusto maintained a straight burn path, there was some jaggedness along the way with the burn line. Meanwhile, the resulting ash was on the firmer side with a salt and pepper color. As for the burn rate and burn temperature, both were ideal.

Draw

The El Ano 1896 Robusto performed quite nicely when it came to the draw. There was a nice balance of openness and resistance. Sometimes a draw can be more open that I prefer on a box press, but no such problems with the El Ano 1896 Robusto. This cigar also produced an ample amount of smoke.

Strength and Body

In terms of strength and body, the El Ano 1896 Robusto started out in the medium range. There was a build up in strength in the first half and just past the midway point, I found this cigar had just enough intensity to cross into the medium to full range for both attributes. During the second half, I found the increase in intensity leveled off and the cigar remained medium to full for strength and body.

In terms of strength versus body, both attributes balanced each other nicely with neither overshadowing the other.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

Ive smoked the original El Ano 1896 line and this new line out of Plasencia and one thing I can tell you is that the newer version is a much better cigar. Im not sure why La Palina chose to be very low key about the changes made recently as I think it would have worked in favor of this particular cigar. While its not a cigar that undergoes radical flavor transitions, nor is it a cigar that is going to deliver a revolutionary new flavor profile, its still a very nice cigar. Its one I would recommend to an experienced cigar enthusiast, but its one I wouldnt discourage a novice from trying. Its a cigar I would easily buy and smoke again.

Summary

Key Flavors: Coffee, Earth, Chocolate, Cedar, Red Pepper, Mineral

Burn: Very Good

Draw: Excellent

Complexity: Medium

Strength: Medium (1st Half), Medium to Full (Remainder)

Body: Medium (1st Half), Medium to Full (Remainder)

Finish: Good

Rating

Value: Buy One

Score: 89

References

News: La Palina El Ano 1896 Oscuro Launched at 2016 IPCPR

Price: $8.50

Source: La Palina

Brand Reference: La Palina

Photo Credits: Cigar Coop
I recently saw a 2017 documentary on YouTube called Harvested Alive: The 10 Year Investigation which was very startling and compiles a broad amount of evidence showing the large-scale live organ harvesting of State labelled dissidents, predominantly Falun Gong practitioners in China since 1999.

The video is translated into English and details evidence from Chinese Communist Party officials, military leaders, the Judiciary, hospitals, Police and more, showing a massive and organised State-led system of forced human organ harvesting. The documentary details how organs are procured from Falun Gong practitioners who have been systematically imprisoned and tortured since 1999 in secret concentration camps, to be transported to hospitals for transplantation with a one or two week waiting time for the recipient, some receiving the donor organ in as little as four hours.

The ordinary wait time for a donor to receive an organ in the United States can be five to ten years. Evidence revealed that a hospital was disposing of corpses after their organs were harvested in the boiler room and not a morgue, allowing people to vanish without a trace after being harvested for any organ of financial value, including the cornea, heart, liver and brain.

A particularly harrowing account comes from a Police Officer who stood guard as a female Falun Gong practitioner screaming in pain was cut in two with no sedative or pain medication and her heart was cut out and the rest of her organs extracted. This documentary details this appalling practice led by the Chinese Government and concludes that this practice of forced human organ harvesting is still in widespread implementation across China.

As a Christian to hear of these things and the evidence behind it reveals an atrocious and vile evil that is ongoing and seems to operate with impunity.

Shining light on darkness

The Scripture tells us in Luke chapter 8 verse 17 For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.

Bringing to light the injustice and evil done in secret is something we are called to support: Ephesians chapter 5 verse 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

Documentary maker Dr. Zhiyuan Wang was an aviation military doctor in China for 30 years and came to the United States in 1995 to study cardiovascular disease. In March 2006 his life changed when he heard of the wide scale organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners and thereafter set himself to investigate and prepare the documentary which he released at Washington DC on the 23rd of June 2017. Falun Gong is a spiritual practice that combines the Chinese qigong, a slow-moving exercise popular in the 1990s, with Taoist moral teachings. They exercise a non-violent belief said to be centred on the tenets of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance.

Persecution of Falun Gong practitioners began in 1999 and increased greatly over subsequent years, with the practice being banned outright and declared an evil cult, a threat to society to be stamped out by the Chinese Communist Party, whose members itself must be Atheist. Falun Gong practitioners numbered at around 70 million at this time. In 2001 reports and footage of five people alleged by the State as Falun Gong practitioners pouring fuel over themselves and lighting themselves on fire at Tiananmen Square supported Government led persecution efforts.

A Washington Post article on August 5, 2001 reported: Some local governments had experimented with brainwashing classes before, but in January, Beijing's secret 610 office, an interagency task force leading the charge against Falun Gong, ordered all neighborhood committees, state institutions and companies to begin using them, government sources said. No Falun Gong member is supposed to be spared. The most active members are sent directly to labor camps where they are first "broken" by beatings and other torture, the adviser said.

The article describes the use of electric truncheons and other torture techniques to re-educate the Falun Gong, to have them renounce their beliefs.

Jesus spoke in Revelation chapter 2 verse 10: Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

A massive State-led persecution campaign, imprisonment, torture and organ harvesting of the followers of a religion the Chinese Communist Party deemed an unscientific evil cult should bring concern for Bible believing Christians.

Why Christians should take this seriously

As of 2010 a Pew forum estimated there are 67 million Christians in China, similar to the amount of Falun Gong before the persecution. Christianity is the fastest growing religion in China, and currently practice must be at State prescribed churches with State prescribed teachings and all underground churches including home churches, preaching the Gospel and non-sanctioned meetings are strictly banned, with persecution against Christians in China growing strongly.

Christians should take these matters seriously and remember the warnings of Jesus Christ and what He told us would happen before His return: Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My names sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. (Matthew chapter 24 verses 9 to 10)

We are warned again in Matthew chapter 10 verse 22: And you will be hated by all for My names sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

I myself have dreamed of Christians being labelled and arrested under terrorism laws for speaking about the end times and the tribulation here in Australia. I know that great persecution against Christians is coming as the Word of God tells us it will be so, and I imagine the coming persecution of Christians may in some ways mirror that of the Falun Gong in China.

Hope in a dark world

I see the signs of what is coming in the world. The forced organ harvesting in China seems to continue unhindered and I am reminded of the many other atrocities that go on every day in this world. Abortion is now the leading cause of death in the world with 41 million babies killed in 2018, with now almost one in four of all pregnancies being aborted (murdered) as reported by Breitbart on 31 December 2018, and this is carried out by brutal techniques including cutting, tearing and suction of living babies, often limb by limb.

We live in a world where evil runs rampant and is often covered up and excused. We should not be afraid to speak the truth as followers of Jesus Christ and to expose the unfruitful works of darkness. We should soberly consider what is going on in the world and what God tells us will come.

I feel led to pray for those Falun Gong practitioners who are suffering and facing brutal persecution, for the Chinese people and for all those facing oppression and persecution around the world, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. I hope that the light of God through Jesus Christ may shine upon them to the saving of their souls, and that the Lord may strengthen and deliver them.

Christopher Harris is 28 years old and confessed his faith in Jesus Christ in 2016 and has sought to set his focus on the Lord. He makes videos on his youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/JESUSisLORD and believes the world is living in those times prophesied by the Holy Bible as the last days.

A link to Christophers other articles: https://www.pressserviceinternational.org/christopher-harris.html
WASHINGTON  Presidents get too much credit when the economy is good, too much blame when the economy is bad.

That has been my mantra for months and months whenever people ask about unemployment, stock markets or any other economic or financial measure, and how President Trump stacks up to his predecessors. Presidents cant power-steer economies, I always say: They can affect things on the margins, through policy choices and leadership, but ultimately, business cycles are driven by forces beyond their control.

But given how many serious policy mistakes Trump has made lately, Im starting to rethink that response.

To be clear, the economy today still looks strong, according to most headline economic measures (well, at least the few measures not suspended by the government shutdown  more on that in a bit). Unemployment remains close to a 50-year low, for instance.

Even so, the risks of a recession in the near term appear to be rising. In a recent Wall Street Journal survey of economists, more than half said they expected a recession to start in 2020. The risk of recession in the next year predicted by the Treasury spread  the difference in yields of government bonds of different maturities  has climbed to 21 percent.
This is the blog of China defense, where professional analysts and serious defense enthusiasts share findings on a rising military power.
if we are to honor Kings message and not merely the man, we must condemn Israels actions: unrelenting violations of international law, continued occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, home demolitions and land confiscations. We must cry out at the treatment of Palestinians at checkpoints, the routine searches of their homes and restrictions on their movements, and the severely limited access to decent housing, schools, food, hospitals and water that many of them face.

Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh. blogspot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work.

.

..20 January '19..At a time of increasing tension in the US surrounding identity politics and the antisemitism afflicting the Womens March movement, trust theto add to the toxic mix just in time to commemorate Martin Luther King Day.Theres something ironic in the headline given that the newspaper is one of Israels most strident critics, frequently publishing news and opinion pieces about Israel. Hardly much of a need to Break the Silence on Palestine.Its sad that Alexander looks to Martin Luther King as her justification for penning an op-ed of over 2,000 words attacking Israel. She writes:
Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh. blogspot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work.

.

..JNS.org..19 January '19..Once again, Israel found itself under attack by international media, left-wing non-governmental organizations and the Palestinian Authority, but this time for a different reasonthey simultaneously accused the Jewish state of carrying out a policy of apartheid against its Arab population.The firestorm of allegations followed the opening of a new 5-kilometer (3.1 miles) stretch of highway to the east of Jerusalem, which contains separate lanes for Israeli citizen and non-citizen traffic divided by a concrete wall with a fence on top.Motorists and Israeli officials, however, are praising the new Eastern Ring road, Route 4370, which bypasses an overtaxed entrance to Jerusalem, as a game-changer that is already alleviating the recurrent and maddening traffic jams in the area.Jewish and Arab leaders participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this month launching traffic on the new road.In response to the rampant accusations that the segregated road represents a form of apartheid, Rachel Greenspan, senior advisor for foreign affairs and media to Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, told JNS that this road represents the exact opposite of apartheid, by easing congestion and movement for the citys Arab residents, especially those in the Shuafat Camp and in Issawiyya.She added that this road will allow Arab and Jewish residents alike to move throughout the city more efficiently, improving day-to-day life for all.
As arbitration grinds on at Canada Post following back-to-work legislation passed in November, the union has made a series of proposals beyond standard contract negotiations on wages and benefits: they want the Crown corporation to open a new bank for low-income people and turn the post office into a hub for green technology

With one of the country's largest vehicle fleets that could be converted from gas to electric power, 6,000 distribution outlets where electric car-charging stations for consumers could be built, and old buildings ready to be retrofitted with solar panels, the post office is well positioned to help Canada transition to a greener economy, said the union's president.

There's one major problem with the ambitious proposal, according to critics: Who's going to pay for it?

Debates over how institutions should reduce their carbon footprint  and how the changes should be financed  are playing out across the public and private sectors as leading scientists warn the world has just 12 years to drastically reduce emissions to avoid catastrophic climate change.

"Climate change is the biggest challenge facing humanity," Mike Palecek, president of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) said in an interview. "We have to address it ... Canada Post is the biggest piece of federal infrastructure, it has the largest vehicle fleet in the country, it would be a good place to start."

He couldn't say how much the proposals would cost.

Canada Post declined to comment on demands for a postal bank and the green retrofit. "With the arbitration process now underway, it would be inappropriate to comment on specific negotiations issues," a spokesperson told CBC News by email. "We are committed to the process and are fully engaged with the union and the arbitrator."

A government-appointed arbitrator is expected to announce a deal for a new contract in March, after workers on rotating strikes were legislated back to work in late November amid long delays for packages amid the Christmas delivery rush.

Story continues

Banking on change

The proposed postal bank is aimed at rural residents, including First Nations, who often don't have easy access to a bank branch, said John Anderson, researcher with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, a think-tank whose advocacy areas include reducing income inequality. It would also benefit low-income Canadians, including pensioners and the working poor who often depend on payday lenders for loans, cheque cashing and other financial services.

Popular in France, the U.K., Italy and other countries, postal banking in Canada would almost certainly be profitable, he said, citing a 2016 survey that suggested three million Canadians and about one-third of businesses would use financial services from the post office.

Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press

The post office already handles financial transactions, and the federal government runs other successful banking organizations, such as the Export Bank of Canada and Farm Credit Canada, Anderson added.

Canada's federal pension plan even invested in China's postal bank, he said, indicating that such plans are financially viable.

"The federal government  through its ownership of Canada Post  is the only body that could bring modern financial services to every community in Canada," Anderson said. "That would be great competition for the big banks, which are profitable partially because of the high service fees they charge compared to other banks worldwide."

Taxpayer interests

Canada Post hasn't been receptive to demands for the green retrofit or the postal bank, according to CUPW's president.

That's a good thing, said Alex Whalen, vice-president of the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies, a Halifax-based think-tank that supports reducing government spending.

"I don't think taxpayer interests would be served by those proposals," Whalen said. "The concern has to be that there are public dollars involved."

As a Crown corporation, Canada Post is required to be financially self-sustaining. With more than 60,000 employees, the company made a pre-tax profit of $74 million in 2017, largely due to increased parcel delivery thanks to Amazon, according to its financial statements. Investing in projects outside of its core mandate of delivering mail could jeopordize its profitability, Whalen said.

"If there were good returns in this kind of business, the private sector would already be doing it," Whalen said of the proposed postal bank. "If the union thinks this is a great idea, are they going to be an investor in the bank?"

Pension financing?

To finance the union's proposals, there is one obvious source of funds outside of asking taxpayers or the company: workers' pensions.

With about $25 billion under management, stocks in the big Canadian banks and oil companies  some of the very industries the union's proposals are trying to tackle  make up some of the largest investments for postal workers' pensions, according to 2017 financial statements.

The workers, however, have no say over how their pensions are invested, Paleck said. "We have no decision-making power whatsoever."

Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press

That situation isn't unusual for Canadian workers, said Tessa Hebb, a researcher at Carleton University's Centre for Community Innovation who specializes in responsible investing.

"Some representation from employees would be really beneficial, both for the positive components for adjusting to a low-carbon economy and also for the basic protections for workers," from bad decisions by pension fund managers, she said.

However, she cautions against the idea of using pension funds from CUPW to finance new initiatives at Canada Post like the postal bank or green retrofit.

"You don't want the pension funds to be constrained in investing in their own business," Hebb said. "The legal term for that is self-dealing."

Such moves have often hurt workers when the companies themselves face financial trouble and look to their employees' pension funds as a source of capital, she said, citing the examples of Sears and Nortel Networks.

In the U.S., pensions under union control  or funds jointly managed by workers and management  have made a series of profitable investments in green technologies or urban renewal projects like affordable housing, she said. And there's no reason why similar successes couldn't be replicated in Canada.

"Ten years ago, if you were a pension fund in California and you were an early investor in Tesla, you certainly made your money back and then some," Hebb said. "The shift to a low-carbon economy is going to bring forward some really interesting investment opportunities."
Thai firm likely to get contract for Bhairahawa airport second phase

Aeronautical Radio of Thailand is likely to win the bids for the installation of communications, navigation and surveillance (CNS) and air traffic management (ATM) systems at the Gautam Buddha International Airport project in Bhairahawa.
A Canadian man has been detained in Kenya on suspicion he may be connected to this week's deadly attack in Nairobi.

Abdihakim Guleid and five others are accused of aiding extremist gunmen who launched an assault on a hotel and business complex in the country's capital, killing at least 21 people.

A judge ordered the suspects held for 30 days while authorities look into the assault on the dusitD2 hotel complex that was carried out by al-Shabaab, a group linked to al-Qaeda and based in neighbouring Somalia.

Despite appearing in court on Friday, Guleid, 46, has not been charged with anything.

Noordin Haji, director of public prosecutions in Nairobi, said authorities are investigating a phone call Guleid allegedly received from one of the attackers.

"He alleges that his phone is registered to his wife," said Haji. "But after the communication, he SMSed a phone number. And that's what we are investigating."

AFP/Getty Images

Global Affairs Canada said it's aware a Canadian has been arrested in Kenya and said it's working to gather more information.

The agency also said that the family of the Canadian arrested is being provided consular services.

Stephanie Carvin, a security specialist from Carleton University in Ottawa, said Kenyan investigators are looking for any and all connections.

"After such a severe attack, it doesn't surprise me that the Kenyans would be looking at pretty much any opportunity they could to try to find out what happened," she said, noting that it is "not at all surprising" that Kenyan authorities would cast a wide net due to the aggressive reputation of the country's intelligence services.

Originally from Somalia

Guleid's passport, which was issued in Edmonton, shows he was born in Somalia. His Ontario driver's licence shows an address in Etobicoke, in the west end of Toronto.

This is not the first time Canadians have been linked to al-Shabaab or been the group's victims.

Story continues

Ben Curtis/Associated Press

"Quite a number of Canadians have gone to Somalia, and for a long time Somalia was the No. 1 foreign fighter concern for Canada," said Carvin. "Probably somewhere around 20 Canadians have gone to East Africa, Somalia in order to engage with groups like al-Shabaab."

It's still not been proven Guleid had anything to do with the attack or has any link to al-Shabaab.

Kenya's military has been battling the group while the U.S. has launched airstrikes against al-Shabaab bases in Somalia.

Erica Marsh, a security analyst who has studied the group, said this week's attack was meant to send a message.

"A big part of this attack was to illustrate that they could still conduct cross-border attacks and large-scale, complex attacks in the face of the very strong U.S.air campaign that's been targeting them in the last two years," she said.

'Good family man'

Guleid's brother in Toronto says Abdihakim was in Kenya to deal with a family issue, and says he is "100 per cent sure" of his brother's innocence.

"He's a normal person, like any other person... a good family man, working like any one of us," he told reporters outside his home, noting he hasn't spoken to his brother since the arrest.

"We are going to hire a lawyer and he will be proven innocent," he added.

"I'm very convinced my brother has nothing to do with this heinous crime."
Local Journalism Initiative

The game was tied at eight apiece. My team was on a roll after giving up the first five points of the game. Jake Pacios stood at the point after we managed a defensive stop at the other end. Our point guard dished to Jake. For a fleeting moment, he saw an opening to pass the ball to me. The moment passed. Jake took a shot from beyond the arcand down it went! Just like that, Jake won us our first game in a best of two. Dr. Bonnie Henrys most recent easing of pandemic restrictions allowed outdoo
Peter Silk has spent years studying how to mitigate the damage caused by emerald ash borers, and now the Fredericton-based research scientist is headed to Europe to share his expertise about the "green menace."

As one of the world's leading experts on the destructive beetle, he's been invited to a meeting in Tallinn, Estonia, where an infestation of the borers is in its infancy.

Silk knows all too well what comes next.

The tiny but invasive emerald ash borer has devastated ash tree populations throughout the United States and five Canadian provinces, including New Brunswick. As its name suggests, the beetle bores into ash trees and disrupts the tree's ability to feed, killing it.

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources/The Associated Press

The insect arrived in North America after voyaging in wooden crates from China about 20 years ago. It's now spreading through Europe.

"It's now coming through Russia, in through Belarus into the eastern European countries," Silk said.

"It will be in France and Britain before long and destroy all their ash. So it's going to be a big problem for them.

"What I'm going to do in Estonia is try to push what little wisdom that we've learned on this insect in their direction."

CBC

Silk, who works with Natural Resources Canada, helped designed a trap in 2012 that's now been perfected. It's a bright green, hollowed-out triangle baited with a pheromone that smells of a female beetle ready to mate.

The borers "love" the colour green, he said, and will get stuck to the trap because it's covered in glue.

The City of Fredericton used the traps this summer for early detection of the borer's arrival.

CBC

Advanced knowledge of an invasion is essentially the only defence. Other than the expensive process of injecting individual trees with insecticide, once it's arrived there is no way to stop the beetle.

"Detection is the key," Silk said.

"If you can slow down the infestation, it gives you time to manage the problem of sanitation, tree removal or tree injection to protect them."

Story continues

invasiveinsects.ca

In addition to the trap, he will also showcase his branch sampling technique that detects larvae within the tree.

His recommendations for the officials he will meet with emphasize being proactive.

"You've got to be prepared because it's very insidious, it's asymptomatic and it's there before you know it."




Canadas arrest of a top Huawei executive has put Ottawa in Beijings crosshairs in a diplomatic showdown with no end in sight.

The relationship between Canada and China has since deteriorated since Meng Wanzhou was arrested at Vancouver International Airport at the request of the U.S. on Dec. 1, 2018. Ottawa says it was following through on an international treaty by arresting the high-ranking executive, but Beijing isnt satisfied.

China has since detained two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, in what appears to be retaliation. Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus position has remained that Canada is a country that respects the rule of law.

It is unfortunate that China has arbitrarily and unfairly detained two Canadian citizens, Trudeau told reporters on Jan. 11. We have a justice system that is not subject to political interference.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Allies have come forward to support Canadas stance, but China appears unfazed by what Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland has called a large and growing group.

It may be possible that the best option for resolving this controversy is a card that hasnt been played.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland are seen here in October 2018. The Canadian government has maintained a stance as defenders of the rule of law in their squabble with China over a high-profile arrest. Photo from Getty Images.

China is not a democracy

We have to reach out to them, Carleton University associate professor Ian Lee told Yahoo Canada. Clearly to me, its going to come with a diplomatic solution that will involve the very top leadership of China, the top leadership of the U.S. (the White House) and of course, the Prime Ministers Office in Canada.

Yves Tiberghien, a fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, told CBC News Power & Politics that he believes its a good idea for high-level officials from Canada and China to meet.

There can be at least be frank discussion, an exchange for information, a better understanding, Tiberghien explained, adding direct talks can have a positive role.

Rather than reaching out, Ottawa has chosen to focus their public efforts on defending their position as a rule-of-law country. Freeland expressed this during a news conference with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last month.

Story continues

The most important thing we can do is to uphold the rule of law, ensure Ms. Mengs right to due process is respected and that the current judicial process in Canada remains apolitical, Freeland said.

Of course, China doesnt operate the same way Canada does.

China is not a democracy, Chinas an authoritarian country. Its not a rule of law country, and theres a well-known record of human rights abuses, Lee asserted.

People hold signs and Chinese flags in support Huaweis chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver on Dec. 11, 2018. The arrest of the Chinese executive at the request of the U.S. has sparked a diplomatic dispute between Ottawa and Beijing. Photo from Getty Images.

Things could get much uglier

The professor, who also spent time teaching in China, isnt buying the argument that a diplomatically-negotiated agreement would undermine the rule of law.

That is simply inaccurate, factually, Lee said, pointing to the time former U.S. president Barack Obama granted clemency to six Iranian-Americans and one Iranian serving sentences or awaiting trial in the U.S. The move was called a humanitarian gesture that occurred while U.S. and Iranian officials were negotiating the Iran nuclear deal.

A diplomatically-negotiated solution trumps these particular charges, Lee said of the Huawei controversy. Of course, the Americans can stay the charges. The minister in Canada, the justice minister, has the full authority in law to stay any execution order of the court. And weve seen in the past with other orders to extradite somebody, he continued.

Thats not undermining the rule of law. That is exercising the rule of law.

Lee doesnt see much hope for relations to improve if officials from Ottawa, Beijing and Washington, D.C., dont put their differences aside and agree to negotiate.

If we allow the pure, legalistic process to unfold, it could take months or years and in the process its going to alienate the Chinese government, its going to make things much uglier, they will probably continue to seize more Canadians and thats not fruitful or productive to anybody, Lee insisted.

It is far more productive for the three countries to get together and come up with a negotiated agreement or settlement that will involve releasing the CFO of Huawei to China.




A lawyer and political activist is accusing Alberta United Conservative Party Leader Jason Kenney of claiming his primary residence was in Calgary while living in Ottawa, an allegation Kenney disputes.

Lawyer Kyle Morrow provided CBC News with emailed copies of documents, including expenditure reports and land title certificates, as well as parliamentary flight records while Kenney was an MP for Calgary-Midnapore.

He also detailed his questions for the UCP leader in a string of tweets sent over the weekend.

The documents show Kenney collected secondary residence subsidies in Ottawa between 2012-15 of about $10,000 each year, while his mother's retirement home in Calgary was listed as his address with Elections Canada.

His address is also listed as a home in the southeast Calgary community of Inverness in a 2013 disclosure with Elections Canada, despite the fact his mother sold the property to a couple named Ron and Kim Worth the previous year, according to the supplied documents.

"Why was Jason Kenney lying to Elections Canada about his address in Calgary? Was he also lying to the Board of Internal Economy and the Canada Revenue Agency? This could be Duffy 2.0," Morrow tweeted, referring to Senator Mike Duffy who was charged but later acquitted over accusations that his secondary residence expenses didn't comply with Senate rules.

Kenney was helping mother, says spokesperson

Kenney's deputy chief of staff Matt Wolf said they deny the accusations, which he described as "desperation" from a "failed Liberal candidate."

Morrow ran as a candidate for the Alberta Liberals in Lacombe-Ponoka in 2012. He now works as an anti-bribery and corruption lawyer who focuses on political law in Ottawa.

Wolf said Kenney has resided in Alberta for nearly 30 years, and unlike Senators, Members of Parliament are not legally required to own property.

"In the early 2000s, Jason's parents retired to Calgary. In order to assist financially, Jason sold his townhouse and helped his parents buy a house, where he rented the basement suite," Wolf said in an emailed statement.

Story continues

Jason  of course also maintained a residence in Ottawa. - Matt Wolf, deputy chief of staff for Jason Kenney

Wolf said after Kenney's father died, his mother moved into a detached bungalow unit in a retirement community, where Kenney rented the finished basement of the bungalow to care for her, and later purchased his Calgary condo where he lives today.

"Jason, as a senior federal cabinet minister, of course also maintained a residence in Ottawa, as that was where his primary ministerial duties were. Jason was afforded the same living allowance that all Members of Parliament receive for accommodation in Ottawa, and all was in line with House of Commons policy," the statement read.

"It's frankly beyond creepy to see this Ottawa lawyer and failed Liberal candidate going so far as to seemingly pull property records of Jason's mother and post floorplans of her then-home. Sadly, we expect this desperation to only get worse as both the provincial and federal elections approach."

As for the Inverness home, Wolf said it was likely an old address inadvertently filed by a volunteer with the Electoral District Association, as that's who files the information  not Kenney himself. Wolf said the volunteer may have found the information on an old cheque, noting Kenney's new address was also listed in a donation around the same time.

Kenney also disputed Morrow's allegations in a lengthy post on his Facebook page.

"While some might mock, I make no apologies for helping my parents. I am not embarrassed to say that my home was in the same dwelling, even if in a separate suite. I owe everything to them," he said.

However, Morrow said he finds it odd that Kenney is claiming to live at his mother's retirement community, which he pointed out is licensed as both a supportive living facility and an assisted living facility. The Alberta Health website states that to gain admission into supportive living, individuals must be assessed by Alberta Health Services Home Care.

A staff member at the retirement community said over the phone that the bungalows do not have bedrooms in the basement, just a single bedroom on the main floor. Wolf said the unit where Kenney's mother lived did have a finished basement, as he noted in his earlier statement.

Kenney flew to Alberta infrequently as MP

Morrow said if the bungalow was Kenney's secondary residence, he believes the flight records don't back that up  showing that Kenney only expensed 10 parliamentary flights in 2013-14, and only four in 2014-15.

"This infrequent travel to Calgary seems to suggest that he was not, in fact, permanently residing in Calgary," Morrow said.

"I am concerned that Mr. Kenney engaged in a scheme similar to the one employed by Senator Mike Duffy. If Mr. Kenney has nothing to hide, he should immediately release his tax returns, his tenancy agreement, and his travel itineraries for the period in question."

Wolf said Kenney doesn't deny that his duties kept him outside of his constituency often, but it was because he was working hard in the capital or elsewhere.

He said while Kenney was in Calgary, he liked to be able to help his mother  something he, unfortunately, couldn't do full time  but his principal residence remained in Calgary throughout.

Request for investigation

Morrow said he has reached out to the Board of Internal Economy  the body that governs the financial and administrative matters of the House of Commons  to request an investigation and plans to reach out to the RCMP to request an investigation early next week.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The government has warned it will not hesitate to use brutal force on people who are out to destroy the country's security infrastructure.Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana told the Business Times this week:"In situations where there is chaos and anarchy of this nature, and lawlessness, there is normally no bounds as to how much people will go. There have been fatalities, may be four, which includes security services.We are having police stations raided, attacked and attempts to steal weapons from the police armory in major cities. The police have the right to defend these institutions. In any country you go to the penalty for killing a police officer could be three times harder and harsher than that of attacking an ordinary citizen because of what the police represent. A police officer symbolises law and order."He added that attacks on security services are a threat to the country's stability."If people attack police stations, there is a likelihood that deadly force maybe used to defend those police stations because once those police stations have been taken over then our way of life and civilisation will be offside and no-one can allow that. An attack on a police officer may not end well."This comes after a police station in Marondera and a tollgate along Masvingo road just outside Harare were set on fire.In Bulawayo, one police officer was stoned to death by protesters.The protests began on Monday and ended on Thursday.On suggestions that President Emmerson Mnangagwa should have cut short his four-nation visit, Mangwana says Zimbabwe is a thriving democracy run by strong institutions and not strong men.The President is in Eurasia for engagements in Russia, Azberjan, Karzarkstan and eventually Switzerland where he will attend the annual World Economic Forum."Those are the same people who have been saying they want to be led not by strong men, but institutions. The institutions of state are in place to run the country. The President is in constant command of the country, right now, wherever he is. He does not stop being the President just because he has flown out of the country, " Mangwana said."Yes; there might be somebody in charge while he is not there, but he is briefed and gives direction to the country while he is away."On the internet blackout, he said it is a normal practice' when there are threats to the nation's stability."July 7th 2005 when London was under multiple attacks which were coordinated via telephones, London was on a total black-out for many hours," Mangwana said."Again London was attacked by riotous in 2011 and Blackberry Messenger was used to coordinate the attacks, the same operational decision was made. Even telephones were not working. It is a decision meant to protect people and property."Mangwana told the Business Times that due process was followed."That is not a decision taken lightly, I am not saying that is the decision which was made, if it was made, I would understand why. There are reasons. Normally these reasons go to even an independent adjudicator meaning to a magistrate or a judge who issues a warrant for people to be switched off. In this instance, I am aware of the message you are referring to (Econet). Should that message be genuine, then it means due process was followed within the confines of our law enabling access to information. That will not have been taking lightly, but to safeguard lives and people who are being extorted of money at fake roadblocks."So far, more than six hundred have been arrested in connection with the violence that rocked the country.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The government, through ZUPCO, will from Monday, the 21st of January launch the Urban Mass Transport System, with the parastatal's buses charging a dollar for local trips in all towns and cities.The hike in fuel price last weekend saw some commuter operators charging up to $5 for local trips in most towns, and the latest government intervention is expected to ease the burden on the commuters.Addressing the media in Harare this evening, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa said ZUPCO buses will complement the existing commuting system."In line with the Transitional Stabilisation Programme's thrust to modernise the entire national transport system in the country, starting from Monday 21 January 2019 at 5.am, the government through the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO), launching an Urban Mass Transportation System to complement existing commuting system. All suburbs within Harare will be $1 per trip, Chitungwiza to Harare will be $1.50 and Norton to City will be $2 per trip. These affordable rates will apply to other towns and cities," the Minister said.Mutsvangwa assured the nation that more buses will be procured for the initiative, while there will be adequate security to protect the buses and passengers.She said the introduction of ZUPCO buses will help reduce the country's fuel costs and decongest the CBD as buses carry more people than smaller forms of transportation.Minister Mutsvangwa said the fuel situation is improving despite this week's violence having affected the transportation of the commodity.She also addressed the issue of fuel coupons."On the issue of fuel coupons purchased prior to the latest fuel price review, whose value is being discounted by 60 percent resulting in a 20 litre coupon being valued at 8 litres, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development is engaging the concerned fuel companies to expeditiously address the issue," she said.The government also assured the diplomatic community, tourists, investors, guests and all Zimbabweans that the situation is under government control and peace is prevailing throughout the country.
News / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

Norton Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa has came out in support of the deployment of the army to brutalise citizens saying they are enjoying too much freedom.In an interview with SABC on Saturday Mliswa said, "The violence and violations of human rights are a result of external forces a third force. Zimbabweans must wait for five years to judge Mnangagwa. Zimbabweans are not capable of any uprising, what we saw in the last few days is an external force. Closure of internet and social media was justifiable shut down because of misinformation."Mliswa also informed SABC that he is going to Davos Switzerland to assist President Emmerson Mnangagwa market brand Zimbabwe.Watch the video below
News / National

by Staff reporter

Horror stories are slowly emerging of how the country's trigger-happy security forces brutalised ordinary Zimbabweans this week - shooting 68 people and leaving dozens others requiring life-saving surgeries nationally following deadly clashes between protesters and law enforcement agents over steep fuel price increases, the Daily News can report.This comes as civil society organisations (CSOs) have also sent distressed calls to the African Union (AU), calling for intervention in the country's deepening crisis which has seen opposition officials and pro-democracy activists being targeted by the government in its fresh assault on dissenting voices.In a comprehensive report that lifts the lid on the violence which occurred around the country during this week's stay-away called by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade of Unions (ZCTU), the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) revealed all the gory details of the brutality meted out to people by security forces."The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights wishes to share with stakeholders critical information on the unfolding human rights crisis in Zimbabwe following the outbreak of violent protests across the country and the ensuing disproportionate response by the State apparatus."To date ZADHR network of doctors across the country both in the public and private sector have attended to a total of 172 cases ... 68 cases were gunshot wounds with the affected individuals sustaining severe injuries which required urgent surgery in most cases."The remainder of the cases ranged from assaults with sharp objects, booted feet, batons, sjamboks and tarmac abrasions," the organisation said."ZADHR is also deeply worried by cases of dog bites following the alleged unleashing of police dogs on those in police custody in Kadoma."Three such cases have been documented. This constitutes a serious violation of human rights as the State is supposed to guarantee the protection of those in police custody," it added."ZADHR also witnessed with shock and condemnation the dragging of patients with life-threatening conditions to court."There are cases of patients who had chest trauma (haemopneumothorax) and fractured limbs (femur) who were forcibly taken from hospital to attend court despite the advice of doctors."ZADHR has it on record that 17 individuals have to date undergone emergency surgery as they had life-threatening conditions."More cases continue to be reported to the association as many people were barricaded from communication and accessing treatment facilities," the doctors said further.This comes after thousands of fed-up citizens heeded calls by the ZCTU to stay away from work in response to President Emmerson Mnangagwa's unpopular decision to sharply hike the prices of fuel - triggering riots in the process and the subsequent mayhem which was witnessed mainly in Harare and Bulawayo this week.The government has also since been accused of launching a vicious crackdown against the opposition, pro-democracy groups and the ZCTU leadership following the disturbances.As a result, CSOs are now asking the AU to intervene in Zimbabwe's worsening crisis.In a petition, 88 organisations falling under the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC), warn that the human rights situation in the country has deteriorated significantly.The petition - addressed to Rwanda president and AU chairperson Paul Kagame, and copied to all African heads of state - says the AU should step in to avert a catastrophic situation in Zimbabwe."The Zimbabwe State's response to the national stay-away has been disproportionate marked by a clampdown on fundamental rights and freedoms. It is our considered view that the country might be sliding into a state of emergency."There are reports of arbitrary arrests, unlawful detentions and abductions of unarmed civilians and civil society leaders, including children below the age of 16 years."Multiple threats and intimidation by government officials against trade unions, civil society leaders and ordinary Zimbabweans are continuing unabated."More than 150 people arrested  have not been charged nor brought before a competent court of law. The right to freedom of movement has been restricted, affecting the ability of ordinary Zimbabweans to sustain their livelihoods."This might result in regional instability as Zimbabweans seek food, shelter and refugee in neighbouring countries," CiCZ said.Meanwhile, ZCTU president Peter Mutasa told the Daily News that he feared for his life after suspected security agents stormed his home and seized his brother Ashley on Tuesday, whom they assaulted severely.Mutasa said his brother, who resurfaced only on Wednesday, was blindfolded and taken to an unknown location where he was viciously tortured - before his captorsdemanded to know Peter's whereabouts.On Wednesday, Mutasa - who was said to have gone missing since Monday - presented himself to Harare Central Police Station in the company of his lawyer Alec Muchadehama."Police said they had absolutely no interest in me. I then asked why they came to my home, and they denied ever doing so."I then reported that I wanted the people who broke windows and illegally gained entry into my home, harassed my family and abducted my brother to be apprehended and charged."Police said they would see what they can do. I now fear for my life because it seems there is an attempt to extra-judicially abduct me. My life is in danger," the distraught Mutasa told the Daily News.He said he was wondering who else was looking for him, if it was not the police.Meanwhile, the government says police had arrested 600 people who allegedly caused mayhem during the ZCTU strike.Although the ZCTU had called for a three-day strike, this continued yesterday, with most companies - including banks and supermarkets in Harare remaining closed.For the fourth day running, schools also remained closed due to a combination of the worsening transport crisis and fears of pupils' safety.Thousands of commuters were also stranded as commuter omnibuses remained parked and the few that ferried people were charging exorbitant fares ranging between $3 and $5 for short journeys.The situation was so dire in Bulawayo that the government was forced to re-introduce commuter trains, in a bid to get people ferried to work.The National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) said it had resumed the commuter trains to mitigate the transport crisis.The government has also appealed to commuter omnibus and other transport operators to resume their services as the situation had "normalised"."We are  appealing to all public service providers to render their services to the people of Zimbabwe and in the same vein urge transport operators to resume carrying passengers, schools to open and generally for the public to engage in their various activities freely," State Security minister Owen Ncube said in a statement.
Supporters press government to honour deals with KC

Disappointed and frustrated, supporters of the fasting Dr Govinda KC, through a mass-protest at Maitighar Mandala, on Saturday, demanded that the government implement the agreement that had been signed last year while ending thesurgeons 27-day-long 15th hunger strike.
News / National

by Staff reporter

GOVERNMENT now faces a crippling civil service strike after its' revised offer of $78 for the lowest paid worker or 20% on a sliding scale was rejected by negotiators, who want nothing less than $1 700.Apex council chairperson Cecilia Alexander said government increased its offer from $160 million from April to December, which was translating to a 10% pay raise for the least paid worker or $41 to $300 million for the same period, translating into 18,5% or $78 for the least paid worker."They came first with a message that we have been given a non-negotiable cushion allowance by the President (Emmerson Mnangagwa). We would like to appreciate that gesture although it is little compared to the crisis we are in," Alexander told journalists soon after yesterday's National Joint Negotiating Council meeting in Harare yesterday."For the negotiated salary, they brought a revised offer of $300 million, which is still far less the challenges we are facing. It can't restore the purchasing power of our salaries to levels of October 2018. So we strongly believe that as civil servants, we want something better than this."She added: "Our notice for a national strike still stands unless something meaningful comes up. So it is up to government to expedite the process."At first government had offered its workers a "paltry" 10% pay rise, but it was rejected, prompting the Apex Council to give a 14-day notice to strike.Alexander said unions representing government workers would meet on Monday to map the way forward, with a likelihood that a strike was inevitable.The stalemate will likely pile more pressure on Mnangagwa's regime, which is already seeking to reduce its wage bill and battling a worsening economic meltdown.David Dzatsunga, a member of the Apex Council team, said the offer was "too little" considering the state of affairs."This regime must be serious. We are now going back to consult the Apex Council and a way forward would be reached from there. But from the look of things, the civil servants are likely to go on strike," Dzatsunga said.Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe leader Takavafira Zhou said government was "not being serious with its workers and we want seriousness"."I can tell you that on Monday, the unions are going to reject this nonsense. At least, government should be realistic by looking at the percentages it has used to increase the price of fuel. From there, we can negotiate," Zhou saidZimbabwe Teachers' Association chief executive Sifiso Ndlovu said the offer would not cover the necessities required by the members."At the moment, one needs approximately $10 per day for transport, which translates to $200 per month. This is before we factor in lunch and other necessities. For your own information, the said offer would come into effect in April, so we are dealing with nothing; we want something meaningful," Ndlovu said.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved a new Zimbabwe Republic Police structure that abolishes the rank of senior assistant commissioner and replaces it with that of Commissioner of Police as the force continue to undergo major transformation.The new rank of Commissioner of Police is different from the rank of commissioner that existed in the previous structure.The ZRP rank hierarchy under the new structure starts from constable to sergeant, sergeant-major, assistant inspector, inspector, chief inspector, superintendent, chief superintendent, assistant commissioner, Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioner-General and then Commissioner-General.In an interview yesterday, chief spokesperson Commissioner Charity Charamba said senior assistant commissioners in the new structure were now being called commissioners as recently alluded by Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga.Last year, President Mnangagwa promoted three ZRP senior assistant commissioners to the rank of deputy commissioner-general in an ongoing restructuring exercise.The three were Senior Assistant Commissioners Mind Elliot Ngirandi, Learn Ncube and Lorraine Chipato. This brought the number of deputy commissioners-general, including Deputy Comm-Gen Stephen Mutamba, to four. The promotions came after the recent retirement from the force of three Deputy Commissioners-General Levie Sibanda, Innocent Matibiri and Josephine Shambare.Deputy Comm-Gen Mutamba is now responsible for crime, Deputy Comm-Gen Ngirandi (human resources), Deputy Comm-Gen Ncube (operations) while Deputy Comm-Gen Chipato will head the administration section.Several other senior officers were also promoted from the rank between chief superintendent and assistant commissioner.Early this year, the ZRP said it was set to undergo major transformation this year as it adopts a new structure and rebrands to win back public confidence. This was revealed by Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga in an exclusive interview with The Herald in Harare.Comm-Gen Matanga said in the New Year, ZRP will prioritise dealing with "crimes of concern" such as murder, robberies, rape and unlawful entry that spiked worryingly last year.The police, said Comm-Gen Matanga, was also ready to implement some of the recommendations of the Motlanthe Commission report such as training and equipping police officers. As a sweetener to the reforms, the new structure will save the organisation $7,7 million annually, while more cost-cutting measures will be explored.He said during the course of 2018, it had become inevitable for our organisation to undergo a restructuring exercise. He said this was necessitated by a number of factors such as the need to eliminate duplication of roles, redundancy, enhance efficiency and effectiveness, among others. The police chief said the ZRP had bought into Government's vision of transforming the economy.Explained Commissioner-General Matanga: "The new dispensation under His Excellency, President ED Mnangagwa, has already outlined the Transitional Stabilisation Programme which sets the country towards the attainment of Vision 2030 aimed at transforming Zimbabwe into a middle class economy. One of the key pillars of this policy thrust is the sustenance of peace and the rule of law."Further, the ZRP would up the fight against corruption, which is another key area of focus by Government. Comm-Gen Matanga also revealed that police would roll out technologies such as cameras on highways, buildings and other key infrastructure as a crime prevention and detection measure, although he feared the measure would be delayed due to lack of funds.The ZRP was on a restructuring and rebranding exercise to win back public confidence.
Muc suy giam cua kieu hoi toan cau trong nam 2020 thap hon so voi nam khung hoang tai chinh toan cau 2009 (4,8%).
West Fargo Police Chief Heith Janke noted the number of suicide calls to his department increased 40 percent in 2018. Whether this bill would reduce the number of suicide attempts is questionable. The bill, however, could make it more difficult for someone who has had weapons taken away to commit violence. Especially on the spur of the moment.

Safeguards need to be in place so if someone is taken to court the judge can be sure action is needed. Supporters argue the bill offers adequate due process protections by requiring a hearing to determine whether a public safety protection order should be granted. The bill also allows firearm owners to seek an order's termination.

This legislation has merit and should be given strong consideration.

The Tribune Editorial Board has reservations about other gun bills.
Any cut to the university systems funding would have an effect on the medical school, Dean Joshua Wynne said, especially as operational costs, including the increased charges to access medical journals, continue to rise.

If there were a major cut in our funding, we quite frankly would have limited options for adjusting to them, he said.

Wynne said the school has four options to adjust its budget: admit more students, accept more enrollments from out of state, raise tuition or eliminate programs.

However, each of those options come at a price, he said.

The school has maximized the clinical sites in North Dakota for medical students, and admitting more out-of-students would be contrary to what the school is trying to do. Raising tuition also could impact the number of people coming to the program, especially from rural areas, as high debt can be a barrier for some students, Wynne said.

The medical school only has eight programs, so eliminating programs is not an option, Wynne said.

All of these programs are interconnected, so which of your children do you love more? We think all of these programs are important, and Im not sure that I could pick one to eliminate, Wynne told the committee.
A bill in the North Dakota Legislature would require candidates to declare a party membership or run as independents in local races that are now nonpartisan.

For Rep. Scott Louser, R-Minot, and other co-sponsors, their support for House Bill 1375 is a matter of transparency and making elections as easy as possible for voters.

Everybody always says that all politics are local, Louser said Thursday, Jan. 17. And so I think its important we have local leaders  especially if they have the ability to levy taxes against our property  that they let the voting public know their political leanings.

Lousers bill would not allow candidates for judicial office or a superintendent of public instruction to declare a party.

Louser declined to share what he said he was saving as compelling testimony for the House Committee on Governmental and Veteran Affairs, which his bill was referred to. As of Thursday, the bills hearing had yet to be scheduled.

Personally, I dont see why someone (would) oppose this proposal, frankly, Rep. Jake Blum, R-Grand Forks, said in an email. Currently, candidates for local elections are expressly prohibited from declaring a party but many are participating in party politics as it stands.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 5
My next grand opportunity came from AARP. I spent 15 years with this rather amazing organization and again left with lifelong friends and incredible memories. The team of folks in North Dakota with whom I ended my career there were each amazing, creative, inspiring, and totally delightful individuals. It was an enormous privilege to be part of this work with these special people.

My off hours interests over these years have continued to be political, womens rights, particularly reproductive justice  thank you Planned Parenthood  and the Unitarian Universalist Church, both in Bismarck-Mandan, and in the region. Through each of these fulfilling activities I met and worked with people for whom I have deep admiration and respect and who I am honored to call friends.

And all that is before I have even mentioned what I consider my greatest accomplishments. These would be my 30-plus year marriage to Stephen Crane, a wonderful, caring man who has been a supportive partner in every possible way. And with Stephen, I had two daughters, Barbara Rosamunde and Johanna Carol. It is my great delight that they have always been friends as well as sisters and that they are engaged, compassionate human beings who, each in their own way, will surely help to create a more balanced and peaceful world. They are the lights of my life.
"I think that everything that we're doing with that project will benefit the library project as well as other projects in Medora," Corneil said.

Medora has no grocery store, and no cafe is open for breakfast in winter. January and February are the town's quietest months, according to Kim Colbert, who runs Medora Boot & Western Wear.

Services would have to expand if the library is built, Colbert said. She also questioned housing for the library's employees.

But Colbert says she sees benefits to the library's presence: more visitors, more to do and an educational element.

"I'm excited about it," Colbert said.

Special place

Olivia Titcomb, who works for Colbert, moved to Medora from Massachusetts five years ago for a summer job. She said the library seems like a fitting honor for Roosevelt.

"Having it here would be good way to show what he stood for and what he cared about," Titcomb said.

Lisa Wyckoff runs Hidden Springs Java in Medora. She grew up nearby, close to Golva, and said North Dakota residents have recognized Medora as special.
Students also must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours of coursework during the semester.

Two on fall list

Madison Trowbridge, Burlington, and Sameena Knopik, Hazen, are among students named to the University of Wisconsin-Superior fall dean's list for academic achievement.

Students must have completed 12 degree-seeking semester credits and achieved at least a 3.5 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale.

Qualified at Chadron

Colton Pacetti and Brianna Williams, both of Buffalo, S.D., are included on the fall dean's list at Chadron (Neb.) State College.

To be eligible, students must earn at least a 3.5 cumulative grade-point average and be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours of coursework during the semester.

Kanski included

Shelby Kanski, of South Heart, was named to the dean's list at the University of Rhode Island, Kingston.
The last time anyone saw Gino was when he was in Solaris with a young woman enjoying dinner a couple of days earlier. It doesn't take long for the medical examiner to find he died of drowning but had a nasty injury to his head prior to that. The community is in an uproar that most probably Gino was served too much alcohol while dining at Solaris and had fallen, hit his head and drowned. Sally is distraught with the idea that her fathers restaurant had anything to do with Ginos death.

The locals say that Gino had at times bursts of anger and arguing when playing bocce with the other older fishermen. Then, there was the mystery younger woman Gino had dined with the last day he was seen alive. Nothing adds up after Sally discovers that Gino had only been served two beers and that Anastasia, the mystery woman, was actually writing a newspaper column about the early fishermen in Santa Cruz.

Sally continues to find hints and tips that lead us to the real killer after twists and turns that result in a very unusual conclusion.

Author Leslie Karst does, indeed, have recipes at the end of the book. Karst has degrees in English literature, law and culinary arts. Now retired, she writes and includes Italian recipes in every Sally Solari mystery. I enjoyed her style of writing and she obviously writes just as she speaks. It was an easy, enjoyable read.

June Remmich Wilen is retired from 40 years of health care administration and spends her free time reading only what she enjoys.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Ramechhap bus accident leaves one dead, 25 injured

A person died when a passenger bus met with an accident at Machhedaanda in Manthali-1 of Ramechhap district on Sunday.
Wenning with NDSA

James Wenning, Beulah, has been hired as a deputy brand inspector by the North Dakota Stockmens Association.

Wenning has more than 20 years of law enforcement experience, most recently as the captain/jail administrator for Mercer County. Earlier, Wenning was a large-animal veterinary technician.

Bullinger selected

Jared Bullinger has been named the Dickinson regional president for American Bank Center, effective upon Bruce Dolezals retirement in March.

Raised on a ranch near Dickinson, Bullinger joined American in 2005 as an agriculture banking officer and became vice president of external services in 2014.

He holds a bachelor's degree in agribusiness from North Dakota State University and a master's degree in agricultural economics. He is a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado.

Two with Bianco

May Wu and Lea O'Connell have joined Bianco Realty in Bismarck as Realtors.

Metzger promoted
BAGA benefits from program

Bismarck Art and Galleries Association received a $1,000 donation from the SpartanNash Direct Your Dollars program for local charities, schools and nonprofit organizations.

The money will be used to support exhibitions and art classes at BAGA.

Energy company aids training

Great River Energy awarded $600 to Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch to purchase American Red Cross Automated External Defibrillator simulators to be used in training staff to use the AEDs on campus.

Trauma center verified again

The Emergency and Trauma Center at CHI St. Alexius Health has been verified again as a Level II Trauma Center by the Verification Review Committee, an ad hoc committee of the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons, for meeting specific criteria.

Braun Intertec gets safety award

Braun Intertec received the 2018 Safety Award-Associate Division from the Associated General Contractors of North Dakota.

It recognizes outstanding safety culture and performance in the 2017 construction season.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0
As we begin the new year, we at United Campus Ministry are celebrating our 52nd year of ministry at Montana State University Billings. We are an ecumenical student ministry supported by the American Baptists, Disciples of Christ, Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Presbyterian Church USA, United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church.

We provide opportunities for weekly gatherings to discuss questions of faith through Table Talks, learn about other cultures through our International Coffee Hour, and support and advocate for students from the Autism Support Club to Out at MSUB. We provide a space for worship and prayer and we provide service opportunities including our annual spring break trip.

Most importantly, we provide religious community that connects students, faculty and staff in the ongoing life of MSUB. And this is made possible by the support we receive in the wider community.

Thanks to all our supporting denominations and churches across the region.

Thanks to all those who contribute in prayer, financial support, and in volunteering.

Thanks to all our board members whose efforts make UCMs work possible.
Has anyone given any thought as to why Trump is obsessed with getting $5.7 billion for a wall? Could it be that he needs the money to pay back the building contractors and U.S. Steel when he cheated them out of money he owed them when he filed bankruptcy several times during the last 25 or 30 years?

He brags about using the bankruptcy laws at least five times during his rise to millionaire-hood simply because he could. The $5.7 billion could be used to give all the school teachers in the U.S. a $1,700 a year raise, with $90 million left over. It could give all the nurses in this country a $1,700 per year raise with money left over. He doesnt want any money going to better surveillance, more border patrol agents, or better vetting at the border because there is no profit in it for his construction company or his cronies.
Were told that Trump posts his inflammatory tweets to fire up his base. The poor man forgets that when he ignites their anger, he also fires up the opposition. Trump followers: 35 percent of the pop. Democrats and Independents: 65 percent. His rhetoric may pander to his followers, but it also angers the majority.

Hows this plan working for Trump? As the latest election proves, not very well. He bragged that he would unseat Sen. Tester, but even with his four trips to Montana, along with visits by Donald Jr., as well as two by Pence, Blue, Red and Purple Montanans said no. Trump did not prevail.

So take heart! Our system is alive and well, and government-by-dictator is not in our future.

Sharie Pyke

Billings

Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1
Look, weve heard a lot about the shutdown today and weve heard a lot about its impacts on families and on businesses and on our society in general. We heard a speech just recently on the floor of the Senate about how Democrats don't want border security  which cannot be further from the truth. The fact of the matter is that in 2017 we appropriated $21 billion for border security. For 2018, it was $21.5 billion.

The truth is that everybody that I know of that serves in this body, whether they be Democrat or Republican, wants to make sure that we have our borders secure. The president came in with his budget request last year to the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security  which I serve on as ranking member  and asked for $1.6 billion for a wall. And guess what that subcommittee did? And guess what the Appropriations Committee did? We gave him $1.6 billion for that wall.

And then sometime later, the president came in and said "no, I want $5 billion for a wall." and now its $5.7 billion for a wall. We had asked for a report on how this money was going to be spent and they sent us a report on how the $1.6 billion was going to be spent  with no comparative analysis on how technology or manpower or anything else to secure that border might work more beneficially to keep our borders secure and be more cost effective for the American taxpayer.
First the kitchen started running out of food. Then the bar began running out of beer, liquor and wine. But toward the end of what appears to 
Just being able to pay for medications is another help to patients, Carmody added.

Both hospitals have said the amount of uncompensated care  patient care for which they arent reimbursed  has decreased over the past two years the Medicaid expansion has been in effect. At St. Vincent Healthcare and its physician clinics, that amount totaled $7.6 million in 2015, then dropped to $4.4 million in 2016 and $3.5 million in 2017.

Higher levels of uncompensated care force hospitals to shift costs to paying patients through their insurance companies, Laslovich said.

"At the end of the day, we're all in this together," he said. "We want to make sure this doesn't cost shift to everybody else."

At the same time, It has an impact on our ability to provide high quality care and special services, Laslovich said.

Since the introduction of expanded Medicaid, Billings Clinic has seen a similar drop in the cost of uncompensated care, Carmody said.

Weve been able to use the savings to not increase our rates, she said. Billings Clinic hasnt had a substantial rate increase in the last five years.
On Wednesday, the day after a national address in which he laid forth his case for building a border wall and refusing to sign a budget without one, President Trump suggested openly that he might in fact simply declare a national emergency with regard to the border and order the Defense Department to redirect funds toward the building of a border wall.Trump stated,Trump would presumably invoke 10 USC 2808 or 10 USC 284 in order to declare a national emergency. Under 10 USC 2808, the president mayundertakeIt would be a serious stretch to suggest that military necessity dictates the overruling of Congressional powers in this case - and it sets the precedent that the executive would presumably try to declare a national emergency to redirect already-allocated defense funding to pet projects on a routine basis. Imagine Elizabeth Warren declaring aand then authorizing the military to shutter coal plants, as Erick Erickson has suggested.As David French points out at National Review, President Truman attempted to do exactly that with regard to steel works in the United States during the Korean War, and was rejected by the Supreme Court, which declared, "The order cannot properly be sustained as an exercise of the President's military power as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces."Trump could also theoretically use 10 USC 284, which allows the Secretary of Defense to "provide support for counterdrug activities" if such support is requested by the official responsible for such counterdrug activities. Such support would be restricted toBuilding hundreds of miles of new wall would probably not fall under this definition.Now, here's the real issue: arrogation of new authority to the executive branch violates the checks and balances of the Constitution; President Obama's arrogant attempts to govern by pen and phone violated the Constitution, and Trump's attempts to do the same would, too. To suggest, as Trump has, that if he doesn't get his way, he'll simply do what Obama did is to legitimize Obama's activity.Furthermore, a court will undoubtedly stop Trump. And that's presumably what he's looking for: he could try his emergency powers while simultaneously signing an end to the government shutdown. While a court works to strike down that emergency declaration, Trump can fulminate against the judiciary, the Democrats, and weak-kneed Republicans. He gets a win from his base; the government reopens; the Democrats can claim that they never caved. That's the most cynical answer to Trump's government shutdown predicament.It's also not going to get a wall built. Trump should stick to his guns if he cares about his campaign promise. And Republicans should stick right alongside him. Earmarks alone cost the federal taxpayers $14.7 billion in 2018. Each Congressperson should be forced to explain why building a bridge named after them in Podunk ought to outweigh the national security interests of the United States. The feds earmarked $65 million for restoration of Pacific coastal salmon; $500 million was earmarked for the troubled F-35 JSF aircraft and another $544 million for the similarly troubled Littoral Combat Ship; $55 million for entrepreneurial development programs within the Small Business Administration. Trump should be asking Congresspeople what their spending priorities are.If Trump instead takes the easy but ineffective way out, he'll be doing the wrong thing - and demonstrating that Republicans are more interested in optics than in actually building the wall. That wouldn't be a surprise, given their obvious indifference toward defunding Planned Parenthood, which continued to be given government grants during a wholly Republican Congress.
Tom Campbell

Imagine travelling from Raleigh to Charlotte in about 22 minutes; not by train, plane or car, but instead in a pod, transported through an almost friction-free tunnel. This concept is under experimentation right now, as nearly 1,000 learned last week at the NC Transportation Summit.Sponsored by the NC Department of Transportation and NC Go!, this day and a half event presented some innovative concepts for future travel, including the aforementioned tunnel and pod, as well as other options being tested, like self-driving or autonomous vehicles, drones and even personal scooters.But woven throughout the presentations and discussions was the ever-present challenge of how to fund transportation. Approximately 25 percent of North Carolina's transportation funding comes from the federal government, largely through the Federal Highway Trust Fund. The bulk of that money comes from the federal gasoline tax, currently at 18.4 cents per gallon, a rate hasn't been changed in 23 years. In 1993, the year the rate was established, tuition at NC State University was $1,500 per year. Last year it was $9,000. You know what has happened with costs in 23 years. Additionally, these revenues are static to declining. And while we hope it is only temporary, the federal government shutdown has halted transportation funds going to states. A growing number have already pulled road construction projects. Fortunately, North Carolina is not in that condition....yet.Our state also depends heavily on a state gas tax for funding, also facing revenue declines. Today's vehicles are more fuel efficient and use less gas, there are growing numbers using electric or solar fuel that help little in offsetting costs of construction or maintenance, and the price of gas is dropping, meaning fewer total dollars are being collected. Meanwhile, the addition of 100,000 new residents each year adds to the strain on our roads and traffic congestion. You, like the audience at the Transportation Summit, are probably getting a picture of a transportation system soon to be in crisis.Gas taxes will likely always be a funding source, however supplemental funds are needed. Among the options are tolls, the mere mention of which raises the dander of most Tar Heels. No elected official who wishes to remain in office is willing to either raise the gas tax to levels needed to build and maintain our roads or to accept tolls. But tolls are coming, likely through public-private partnerships that build optional "hot" lanes on multilane freeways. Motorists can choose to escape congestion by paying a toll. Many favor a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) funding mechanism, but there are privacy issues for folks not wanting "big brother" to know where and how often they drive. Besides, nobody has perfected how to record each motorist's annual usage or, more significantly, how to bill and collect the taxes from millions of resident motorists, much less visitors using our roads. Then there are dedicated sales taxes, yet another option that generally presents opposition.North Carolina has 80,000 miles of state-maintained roads, the second largest network in the country. For the safety of our people, the future economic development of our state and the need to efficiently transport people and goods from one place to another, we must find ways to maintain and expand this system. To do so requires adequate funding to help us travel to this future, regardless of which mode we choose.
Journalists aren't the only ones who should learn a lesson from the Raleigh News & Observer's recent loss in a multimillion-dollar libel case.The case offers a warning to other reporters, producers, pundits, activists, and advocates: Be careful not to let your favorite "narrative" blind you as you pursue the truth.A unanimous three-judge panel of the N.C. Court of Appeals affirmed last month a trial court's November 2016 ruling against the N&O. The appellate judges' decision followed years of legal battle connected with a 2010 newspaper series, "Agent's Secret." It focused on alleged abuses within the State Bureau of Investigation. Those abuses reportedly led to wrongful criminal convictions.A key target of that series, SBI firearms analyst Beth Desmond, argued in court that the N&O and reporter Mandy Locke had illegally defamed her.Because Desmond worked for a government agency, she had to prove that the newspaper did more than commit an honest mistake or engage in careless or sloppy reporting. Legal precedent forced Desmond to prove that the newspaper and Locke perpetrated "actual malice" in maligning her character. A jury agreed that six separate statements in the series met that high bar. Jurors awarded Desmond more than $9 million, including more than $7.5 million in punitive damages.To its credit, the News & Observer reported the Appeals Court decision in a prominently placed, 1,100-word article the morning after the ruling. Yet the newspaper's report omitted some of the most disturbing evidence.Twenty-two pages into her 56-page opinion in the case, Judge Donna Stroud notes that the reporter Locke first became aware of Desmond's firearms analysis through a defense attorney, David Sutton. After unsuccessfully seeking a mistrial for a murder defendant, based in part on criticism of Desmond's work, Sutton disparaged Desmond in communications with the reporter.As Lockeher first draft included a quote from Sutton, the appellate opinion notes. Desmond "just made it up. She made it up because she could, and prosecutors needed her to. It's just that simple," according to Locke's notes.Desmond later argued in court that Sutton's quote appeared to have motivated much of Locke's work on the story. "Plaintiff's theory was that defendant Locke had decided at this point 'That's what she wanted the story to be,'" the court opinion states,If the accusation were true, Desmond would havehelped secure a wrongful conviction, the court opinion continues,To write her story, LockeOver the next dozen pages of the court ruling, Stroud documents how Locke tailored various experts' responses to her questions so they would fit her pre-existing narrative.Stroud and her fellow appellate judges reached a damning conclusion:Yet the N&O moved forward with the story, even though Locke knew an independent firearm analysis was under way,The court opinion reminds readers that First Amendment case law gives news outlets "much leeway" in reporting about public figures engaged in matters of public concern. First, there's the stringent legal standard of "actual malice,"The judges also remind us that reporters enjoy legal protection even when they make reasonable interpretations that turn out to be wrong.the judges conclude.The N&O and Locke could appeal the decision, but the state Supreme Court faces no obligation to take up a case that secured a unanimous Appeals Court ruling. So the newspaper and Locke could end up paying a substantial price.The rest of us can learn a lesson for free.Locke made no mistake when she started looking into alleged misdeeds at the SBI. She made no mistake when she listened to a defense attorney's concerns about one SBI analyst. She didn't even make a mistake if she, as the court suggests, adopted that attorney's accusations as her own theory. That theory helped drive research for her article.But Locke ran into trouble when conversations with multiple experts failed to back up her theory. She could have adjusted the story - or dropped it - in response to new information. Instead documents linked to the lawsuit suggest Locke twisted the experts' words to fit her preconceived theory. Evidence "tended to show that the primary objective of defendants was sensationalism rather than truth," according to the Appeals Court.Pundits and activists should strive to avoid that type of error. Even if there's no multimillion-dollar court judgment on the line.
President Trump is moving toward his 2024 candidacy as per all indications from his enlightening address to the NC GOP on June 5, 2021. Considering this political vector as a distinct possibility: What is your electoral pleasure as an integral cog in this Representative Republic?

No Vote: Mr. Trump will never be president again as we boldly march toward a Socialist society.

Yes Vote: Mr. Trump was the best president since Ronald Reagan, and we need a real leader, who is fully cognitive of that responsibility in these tumultuous times..
Washington and Oregon Coast: Seal is Famous Again, More Strange Beach Finds

Published 01/19/2019 at 7:39 PM PDT

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff





(Oregon Coast)  The Oregon coast and the Washington coast provided plenty of wonders in the last two days, with a bevy of different finds made by the Seaside Aquarium. A seal that went extremely viral on social media last week is famous again, and some fun and even strange finds were made on various beaches lately. (Photos and video Seaside Aquarium).

That seal made famous earlier this month by a video where police officers were disentangling him from a net has wound up making a show for himself again.

Early on Saturday, Tiffany Boothe and other staff from the Seaside Aquarium responded to a call about a Guadalupe fur seal at Long Beach, Washington. It turned out to be the same seal made famous on Monday, January 7, when a video surfaced of him at Ocean Shores, Washington, with officers cutting him loose from ropes of a net. He appeared quite feisty - and bitey  as officers slowly extricated him.

Luckily Washington police officers were able to cut the fur seal free and the fur seal happily took off back to the ocean, Boothe said.

Saturday, the creature was still full of vim and vigor, according to aquarium manager Keith Chandler. Hed been seen another time in the last week and a half just south of Ocean Shores, then popped up again to haul out at Long Beach.

The three-foot juvenile fur seal is headed south and looks to be fat and healthy (minus some superficial wounds from the rope that appear to be healing), Boothe said. Good luck little buddy.

On the Oregon coast itself, things were no less adventurous for the aquarium crew this week. Friday saw some action with a call about large skate which had washed up at the Cove at Seaside. It was indeed big (see the photo below).

Upon closer examination we were able to determine that the four-foot skate was a female longnose skate (Raja rhina), which had been very close to laying an egg casing (often referred to as a mermaids purse), Boothe said. The egg casing was about 5 inches long and was still in the process of developing.

These creatures are common along the Oregon coast, and they appear periodically after storms, along with their egg casings. Seaside Aquarium has often been able to rescue the babies inside and give them a home in the aquarium.

Longnose skates can reach a maximum size of 4 and a half feet and can live for up to 20-plus years, Boothe said. They are bottom feeders, which have adapted a unique way of capturing prey, by pouncing on top of their victims and pinning them to the ocean floor.

Moon jellies were also still sighted around the north Oregon coast, Boothe said. These have made an impression over recent days, as a large number of them washed up around Cannon Beach. They were also spotted around Newport, Barview and other spots, according to Oregon Coast Beach Connection readers.

But wait, theres more. Aquarium staff also found part of a skull from a male California sea lion, and the hatched out casing from yet another skate  the black skate. These are smaller than the longnose skate. More photos of these below. Oregon Coast Lodgings in this area - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours

Juvenile Guadalupe Fur Seal Gets Some Rest on the Beach We responded to a Guadalupe fur seal today who decided hau-lout for some rest. This animal was first seen on Monday, January 7th entangled in rope near Ocean Shores, Washington. Luckily, Washington police officers were able to cut the fur seal free and the fur seal happily took off back to the ocean. The three-foot juvenile fur seal, is headed south and looks to be fat and healthy (minus some superficial wounds from the rope that appear to be healing). Good luck little buddy! Posted by Seaside Aquarium on Saturday, January 19, 2019











More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....

Coastal Spotlight



LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles

Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net

All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted
Concerning the cell phone tower application discussed in Sunday's paper, and during the Jan. 9 zoning commission meeting at City Hall...

Both the Verizon presenters and the Trinity Heights church presenter were disingenuous, evasive and hiding their agenda. It is a shame this church is "selling out" to Verizon simply to gain added income because their congregation is diminishing. Verizon gave an incomplete, incorrect presentation, and was masking their real agenda. Cell coverage is excellent, no complaints or data on complaints, and future growth is very limited along the Mount Elden corridor in east Flagstaff.

The technical presentation by Brooks Hart certainly exposed the fallacies of the Verizon position. Most new growth in Flagstaff is in the southern or western areas. By Verizon's own admission, this site is technically a very unfavorable area. It is residential, adjacent to an environmental study area, national forest, and many preschool and elementary schools. The neighborhood residents of Swiss Manor, Skyline and Shadow Mountain filled the commission's venue at City Hall to capacity, and their objections were unanimous and heartfelt.
WASHINGTON  If youre not moving forward, youre falling behind. Its a bromide, yes, but undeniably true when talking about the state of our nuclear weapons program.

In this area, America is falling further and further behind our competitors. It leaves us more vulnerable, and the world less safe.

Deterrence remains the surest way to prevent a future nuclear crisis, and that requires modernizing and upgrading Americas nuclear arsenal.

President Barack Obama took U.S. nuclear policy in the opposite direction. Deemphasizing the tried and true deterrence model, he took us on a journey the road to nuclear zero.

An early milestone was the U.S. commitment to the new START nuclear agreement with the Russians, which placed limits on the types and numbers of nuclear weapons each country could have.

It was one of the most lopsided pacts in history. Only the U.S. had to cut its arsenal. The Russians could build more  which, in fact, they did. The supposed denuclearization agreement actually resulted in more nuclear weapons  only all of the new ones were Russian.

Further, the agreement did not cover tactical nuclear weapons where the Russians already had an overwhelming advantage.
The New Horizons flyby celebration played out at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, located about 20 miles northeast of Washington, D.C. This facility serves as the New Horizons mission operation center. The party itself took place in auditorium and adjoining rooms of the Kossiakoff Center, located on the edge of the Laboratory campus.

Media began arriving on Friday, Dec. 29 and were given a tour of mission and science operations areas. This and media briefings  including one with Lowells Will Grundy, leader of New Horizons surface composition team  the following day set up for the main event on the 31st.

The Kossiakoff Center bustled with activity on the morning of the 31st, with media members and facility workers setting up their respective equipment. In the afternoon, media buzzed as they piled into the designated interview room for a press conference with astrophysicist Brian May, at the event to create 3-D images of Ultima Thule. As May pointed out, hes also produced some music. This generated laughter among the media, since May is best known as the lead guitarist of the band Queen.
A beat reverberated off the walls of downtown Flagstaff and throughout the nation as the national Womens March popped up in cities around the
Marion Rodriguez, carpenter for the Flagstaff Lumber Company, was seriously injured last Monday while engaged in his work at the mill. The accident was caused by a flying belt that had slipped off and hit Rodriguez causing him to fall a considerable distance to the floor. He was unconscious for a number of hours after being taken to the Milton Hospital and his condition was precarious for a time. Fortunately he is now better than he had been since the accident and without complication should soon get back to his normal health.

75 YEARS AGO

1944: Approximately 50 buffalo will be taken from Arizonas herd instead of the 35 head as previously determined. This year's hunt is to be held beginning Feb. 2 and continue until all 50 are taken. There are a larger number of animals ready for harvest than was first supposed. Fred Merkle, State Game Warden.

Each hunter is entitled to a front quarter of the animal at 25 cents per pound for the front and 30 cents for a hind. The hunter and the State Department of Game each pay half of a $10 fee for hiring skilled buffalo skinners and butchers. Hunting for Javelina, Arizonas wild pig, will be legal Feb. 20 to March 20. Each hunter will be allowed one adult animal of either sex and they are to be taken with a rifle only propelling bullets weighing 87 grains or more.
Thank you for running an informative article regarding cleaning out your medicine cabinet in your Tuesday, Jan. 8, edition. As Cayuga Countys local public health department, our agency often receives questions from residents about the best way to dispose of unnecessary or expired medications safely.

In addition to preventing the use of drugs in some manner they are not intended, proper disposal of medications is also important in order to protect the countys fresh water resources. Any medication flushed down your toilet has the potential to eventually find its way back to our rivers and lakes, even after processing through wastewater treatment. The impact of this includes:

 Flushed medications have been found in our lakes, rivers and streams.

 Fish and other aquatic wildlife are being adversely affected by the medications entering the water.

 Drug-resistant bacteria might develop as a result of long term exposure to antibiotics in the environment.

More information about this can be found at the New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation website https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/45083.html
KCs crucial Satyagraha

Given our revolutionary history, how has this simple mans resistance been so misunderstood?
Having fun was never an issue but when the chips were down, thats when the true meaning of friendship shone through. Mr. Ringwood died in 1978, and then Mr. Gage and my dad, Chip Clifford, were soon to follow. Friends became family, and somehow this group of women were up to any challenge. As years passed many more deaths would follow along with marriages, some divorces, lots of children and now grandkids.

We were and are travelers, from high school trips to Florida and Myrtle Beach, there have been cruises and vacations, from three to 13. Perhaps the most memorable being our 40th birthday celebration when the first of us boarded a train in Rochester and picked up the rest along the way, ending up in New York City. We enjoyed a weekend of shopping, sightseeing and Broadway! It culminated with a birthday dinner at Four Seasons restaurant, where 13 tuxedo decked waiters paraded through the restaurant with ice cream, wrapped in cotton candy, illuminated with sparklers. We were sure the other guests in the restaurant that night thought we were royalty, and we at least felt like we were! There is a yearly Christmas party, the same night every year, at one of our homes. That is the date we KNOW we will see each other. We create other opportunities throughout the year and try as hard as we can to make all of them. We travel on significant birthdays (the 0s and the 5s). This year however, we decided, hell, we are 60!! No time like the present to start traveling; no kids, no spouses, no worries, just us, every year. We aint getting any younger after all!!
Speaking in their new restaurant Thursday, the day of its soft opening, Gao and Li said they've been planning to open a second restaurant for several years. They envisioned it being a more formal, sit-down restaurant to complement the takeout business they've been doing at New China Royal since 2009, they said. They were just waiting for the right place to open that restaurant.

That place came along in September 2017, when Gao and Li bought the building at 264 Genesee St. for $98,365, according to The Citizen archives. But that was only the beginning: Gao and Li spent the next 15 months renovating. They replaced the floors, painted the walls and installed their kitchen. What was a seating area between the bar (which serves beer and wine) and the main dining room now hosts a private party area, as well as the hibachi grill and the sushi bar. There's also new wooden trim, new lighting, new tables and seats  it looks like a whole new restaurant.

Gao and Li said they liked the openness and location of the building. Now, they're spending the week until their restaurant's Jan. 24 grand opening making sure the food they serve there is also to their satisfaction. Between the community's appetite for Thai cuisine and their good relationship with that community, Gao and Li believe Spoon and Forks will be to Auburn's satisfaction, too.
How much funding distributed in 2019 depends on the campaign outcome. When making funding decisions, we research community needs and evaluate program outcomes, and we recruit and train volunteers who make the difficult funding decisions.

We require strict adherence to outcomes for programs receiving funding. The trust that you, our donors, place in us is something that we take extremely seriously. We want and need to be able to tell you that the programs we fund are doing what they said they would with their grants. These grants are an investment in our community and our citizens. To that end, we seek the best possible return.

The involvement of community volunteers is crucial to your United Ways funding process. Volunteers are the leaders in all we do. They serve as our ambassadors, they govern our organization and they make all funding decisions. Our continued relevance in the community and our ability to raise funds to help people is and has always been in direct correlation to the commitment of our many volunteers.

So what is your United Way? It's living local by giving local. Your gifts ensure that your family, friends and neighbors have an opportunity to break the cycle of poverty, to gain financial stability and independence, and to have a helping hand when they most need. Consider making your gift today at unitedwayofcayugacounty.org.

Karen A. Macier, of Auburn, has spent 20 years working and volunteering in the not-for-profit sector.

Love 4 Funny 0 Wow 3 Sad 0 Angry 3
I mostly dreaded the wait itself, but I was also wary of everything that comes with it. When more than 100 people get together in adverse conditions to spend considerable money on something scarce, anxiety can take over. The people in the front of the line can be grumpy because they've been there the longest. The people in the back can be uncertain there'll be anything left for them to buy. And if people are drinking in line for beer, as they sometimes do, that anxiety can turn to something uglier. God forbid a dispute arises about someone cutting the line or losing their place.

I should note, however, that I went to Other Half alone. Waiting in line for beer with friends can be positively fun, a time to chat as you share an experience you might reminisce about later. Speaking of which, I should also note that I'm anti-social as hell. Waiting in line for beer can introduce you to new people, perhaps over a rare bottle one of you has shared.

Alas, I was just there to get my beer and get out. And so, with gritted teeth and hunched shoulders, I stepped from my car into the 15-degree cold and took my place in line. There were about 60 people in front of me. Within minutes, there were another 40 behind me. And I'd get through whatever unpleasantness the wait threw my way, I told myself.
Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa broke off a foreign tour Sunday, saying he wanted his country "calm, stable and working again" as criticism grew over a brutal crackdown in response to protests. Mnangagwa appeared to take a more conciliatory approach than his spokesman George Charamba, who said the crackdown was "just a foretaste of things to come", as allegations mount up of shootings, beatings and abductions of opposition figures, activists and ordinary people. The security forces' operation has underlined fears of a return to the violent repression of Robert Mugabe, who was ousted from power by the military 14 months ago. At least 12 people were killed and 78 treated for gunshot injuries over the last week, according to the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, which recorded more than 240 incidents of assault and torture. The UN has criticised the government reaction to the protests, which were triggered by a sharp hike in fuel prices. Mnangagwa, who was seeking much-needed foreign investment on the tour, announced his return on Twitter, scrapping plans to attend the Davos summit of world leaders this week. "In light of the economic situation, I will be returning home after a highly productive week of bilateral trade and investment meetings," he said. "The first priority is to get Zimbabwe calm, stable and working again." He was in Kazakhstan on Sunday after travelling to Russia last Monday and then heading to Belarus and Azerbaijan. - Economic collapse - Violent demonstrations erupted across Zimbabwe on January 14 after Mnangagwa announced petrol prices would more than double in a country that suffers daily shortages of banknotes, fuel, food and medicine. He flew to Russia soon after making that announcement in a televised address to the nation. Since last Monday, about 700 people have been arrested, the internet has been temporarily shut down twice, and social media remain largely blocked. The United Nations human rights office on Friday urged Harare to "stop the crackdown" and voiced alarm over the security forces' "excessive use of force" which included reports of them using live ammunition. It called on Zimbabwe's government "to find ways of engaging with the population about their legitimate grievances". The army and police held a joint press conference late Saturday to deny any misconduct, saying some assailants raiding homes were wearing official uniforms to pose as security personnel. Mnangagwa, 76, had pledged a fresh start for the country when he came to power in November 2017 after Mugabe was toppled, ending 37 years in office that were marked by authoritarian rule and economic collapse. But Zimbabweans have seen little evidence of the promised economic revival or increased political freedoms. - Fresh start derailed - Charamba, who was also Mugabe's spokesman, added "the state must deal with" the MDC opposition party and trade unions, which he said had "unleashed" the violence. Charamba accused MDC leader Nelson Chamisa of seeking to win power "on the blood of the Zimbabwean people" by trying to overturn Mnangagwa's July election victory. "The MDC and its affiliate organisations will be held fully accountable for the violence and the looting," Charamba, who is travelling with Mnangagwa, told the Sunday News. Chamisa tweeted on Friday that his party was "committed to peace in solving the challenges that triggered the turmoil". "Our country is going through one of its worst moments. My thoughts are with the victims of violence," he added. South Africa, where hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans have fled to seek work over the last 20 years, said Sunday that it was working to assist its neighbour, without giving details. "If the situation is not attended to, the current economic challenges can derail the political and economic progress the country has made since the election of the new president," South African foreign minister Lindiwe Sisulu said. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa flew to Russia soon after announcing petrol prices would more than double Violent demonstrations erupted across Zimbabwe on January 14 Zimbabwe security forces have faced accusations of shootings, beatings and abductions duing the crackdown The country suffers daily shortages of banknotes, fuel, food and medicine
Often dubbed the Worlds cutest dog, Boo, the famous and adorable dog has died at the age of 12.

The light Pomeranian became a viral sensation after his owners began sharing pictures of him with his companion Buddy on their social media accounts.

Over the last decade Boo gained a huge internet following, with 16 million fans on his Facebook page alone.

He became a regular feature on US television shows and a variety of merchandise bearing his cute face can be found in shops such as Urban Outfitters.

Boo, the world famous Pomeranian, has died of a broken heart. Source: Instagram/ buddyboowaggytails

Boos owner, JH Lee, confirmed he passed away in his sleep and may have succumbed to a broken heart.

In an Instagram post, Ms Lee said that Boo started having health problems following the death of his canine companion Buddy in 2017, adding that they suspected his heart literally broke when Buddy left us.

With deepest sadness I wanted to share that Boo passed away in his sleep early this morning, she began the post.

Boo pictured with his best friend Buddy. Source: Instagram/ buddyboowaggytails

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

She went on to detail the amazing life Boo was lucky enough to enjoy after she acquired him in 2006 as well as the positive affect hed had on millions of fans.

Boo, we love you with all our hearts and will miss you until the day we meet again. Have fun running around with Buddy and creating adorable mischief wherever you guys go.

And beloved fans echoed Ms Lees sentiments with thousands flocking to social media to express their grief over the news.

Buddy and Boo pictured as Boo, The Worlds Cutest Dog sighting at a luxury penthouse at Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, NV in 2014. Source: AP

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

I am so sorry to hear that! But he gave so much love and joy in his life, I am glad he can rest now! one user wrote on Instagram.

Oh this breaks my heart in so many ways. The original will never be forgotten, another said.

You paved the way for so many Pomeranian legends to live their lives in the spotlight where they truly belong.
Traditional medicine store owner Gu Cheng-pu knows her dispensary can only stay open as long as her ailing father-in-law lives, their careers hostage to a quirk in Taiwanese law that is killing off the industry. At the back of her shop in New Taipei City, Gu tips a plate of freshly cut Chinese liquorice roots into a wok of boiling honey, the first step in preparing one of her many traditional remedies. "Chinese herbal medicine stores are a unique cultural icon," the 36-year-old explains. "They are not just a place where you come when you are sick to pick up medicine." But shops like hers are dying out -- with some 200 closing their doors every year -- even though traditional medicine remains wildly popular in Taiwan. Authorities have not issued any new licenses since 1998 and those that exist cannot be passed down to younger generations. Gu's father-in-law is the license owner but he recently suffered a stroke and she now fears the worst. "If I am forced to close shop, the biggest regret for me other than losing our livelihood, is losing our tradition," she laments. - Red tape - The license shortage stems from an attempt by authorities in the 1990s to better regulate the largely artisanal industry and bring traditional remedies into the purview of the professional medical community. By refusing to issue new licenses, authorities hoped professional doctors would offer traditional medicine options in a more regulated and scientific capacity. "In Taiwan the simultaneous use of Western and Chinese medicine among the public is very prevalent and we need trained medical personnel to make sure they don't interact with harmful consequences," Chen Pin-chi, division chief of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy at the Health and Welfare Ministry, told AFP. "We initially hoped that professionally trained Chinese medicine doctors or pharmacists might slowly take over the running of Chinese herbal stores," she added. But things did not turn out as planned. The lower pay and profits struggled to attract young doctors and pharmacists while patients kept going to the mom-and-pop dispensaries they trusted. The average age of a traditional medicine store license holder is now 61 while the number of remaining stores has halved in the last 20 years to just 7,900. Taiwan's approach contrasts with that of the China and Hong Kong where authorities have pushed policies to boost and export traditional medicine. - 'Experience counts' - According to the Compendium of Materia Medica, the sixteenth-century text that is the lodestar for traditional practitioners, there are more than 1,500 different kinds of herbs used in Chinese medicine. The average store might stock between 200 and 500 herbs, roots, animal parts and minerals -- 355 of which are classified as medicine in Taiwan. Traditional medicine also permeates Taiwan's cooking -- the island's signature beef noodle soup dish usually contains at least eight herbal ingredients -- meaning ingredients are just as likely to go in the cooking pot as they are a tincture. Lee Chia-ling, 42, has worked alongside her father in their family shop for more than 10 years, learning remedies from him. "It was very hard work in the beginning," she said. "You need to get your hands dirty. Sorting, washing, chopping and slicing, lots of work goes into processing raw herbs and roots ready for use." she said. "And even now, I am still learning new things from my father," she added. Her father Lee Ching-chang, 69, said it takes three to five years to learn to distinguish the basic ingredients and how they react with each other. "This is very much a profession where experience counts," said the older Lee, who entered the trade when he was 15 years old. "If the government will not issue any new licenses then the second generation cannot carry on with the shop," he lamented. The license shortage has prompted protests on the streets of Taipei and the government is in talks with industry leaders to try to find a way forward. "The Health and Welfare Ministry is well aware of the urgency of the matter and is actively trying to seek a solution," Chen Ping-chi said. "Hopefully we can come up with something soon that would allow Chinese herbal medicine shops to continue to be operated by the younger generation," she added. Gu is painfully aware the last 20 years have produced no solution and fears a change to the law may come too late for her family. "If this situation continues," she warned, "there won't be any Chinese herbal stores left in Taiwan." Traditional medicine stores are dying out in Taiwan due to a licensing law, despite remaining wildly popular The Materia Medica lists more than 1,500 different kinds of herbs used in Chinese medicine The average store might stock between 200 and 500 herbs, roots, animal parts and minerals Store owners fear that unless laws change there will be no Chinese herbal medicines stores left in Taiwan
Hundreds of Russians protested against a feared giveaway of strategic islands to Japan on Sunday, two days before a key summit between the countries' leaders in Moscow. Between 300 and 500 people gathered on Suvorovskaya Square, just outside Moscow city centre, for an authorised rally called by several nationalist politicians, opposed to any move to cede any of the four islands claimed by Tokyo. The Soviet army claimed four islands, the so-called south Kurils, in the closing days of World War II. The dispute over their sovereignty prevented the two countries from signing a peace treaty, a situation President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sought to rectify last year. Abe is set to hold talks on the issue with Putin on Tuesday, following a meeting last week between foreign ministers Sergei Lavrov and Taro Kono. Moscow has said the islands' sovereignty is not a bargaining chip and the Kurils will remain Russian territory, but many people distrust official rhetoric and suspect a different line of negotiations behind the scenes. Some protesters carried signs saying "The Kurils are Russian land" and "Giving away the Kurils is state treason", an AFP correspondent observed. The Kremlin has ridden a wave of nationalism following Moscow's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, and any attempt to structure an agreement with Japan around a territorial compromise would likely be poorly received. Protester Svetlana Fedosova, 26, said ceding the islands would be seen as a "weakness" by Russia's enemies and would lead to Russia's undoing. "Other countries will also demand re-adressing the results of World War II," she said. "Then we'll have to give away Karelia, Kaliningrad, and all the lands we've conquered," she told AFP, referring to Russia's western regions that previously belonged to Finland and Germany. "People demand a stop to backstage talks with Japan", one of the rally's organisers, leftist politician Sergei Udaltsov, wrote on Twitter after the rally. video-ma/jj The protestors was organised by several Russian nationalist politicians opposed to any concessions to Japan over the Kuril Islands Up to 500 people attended the authorised protest in Moscow The territorial dispute between the two countries prevented the signing of a peace treaty after WWII Map showing the Kuril islands disputed by Japan and Russia.
Disputes in naming Province 2

Province 2 government has been facing difficulties to decide the provinces name, its permanent capital and official language due to the rising disputes among various political parties.


Passengers on a crowded plane took the law into their own hands and tied up a drunk and abusive man who cabin crew were unable to control.

When the pilot made clear he was ready to make an emergency landing to hand the hooligan over to police in China or Mongolia, the group sprung into action.

Passengers on a crowded plane took the law into their own hands and tied up a drunk and abusive man who cabin crew were unable to control. Source: Australscope

The violent air rage passenger  aged 26 and reportedly recently released from prison in Thailand  swore and attacked travellers seated near him on the A320 flight from Bangkok.

Video shows the man tied with sticky tape and belts on the floor of the aircrafts galley.

Passengers neutralised him after stewardesses were unable to calm him  and he was tied on the floor of the jet for some four hours until the plane reached Russia.

A male passenger hit the hooligan several times and with the help of other tourists tied him up, said Colonel Irina Volk, spokeswoman for the Russian Interior Ministry.

The violent air rage passenger, 26, reportedly swore and attacked travellers on the flight from Bangkok. Source: Australscope

Witnesses confirmed that the captain had warned passengers that they might need to land in China or Mongolia because of this hooligan.

The shocking air rage incident was on a packed alcohol-free flight from Bangkok to Russias third largest city Novosibirsk, operated by S7, part of the same One World alliance as British Airways and American Airlines.

Some 158 were on board including babies and young children.

Male passengers gave up their belts to secure the shorts-yearning hooligan.

The abusive passenger had been drinking whisky from a bottle he carried on board  and started offensive and threatening behaviour three hours into the seven hour 45 minute flight, according to witnesses.

The group tied up the man with sticky tape and belts on the floor of the aircrafts galley. Source: Australscope

I spotted him at the beginning of the fight  with a half empty whisky bottle and behaving strangely, passenger Pavel Makarov posted.

Four hours into the flight, the captain intervened, he said.

There were three ways out under international aviation rules: One, the hooligan calms down. Two, we continue flying and give the guy away to police on arrival. Three, the plane lands in China or Mongolia and we sort it out on the ground.

Story continues

But he said: The abuser got more and more wild and finally passengers neutralised him.

 Australscope

Stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoo7s daily newsletter. Sign up here.
Rampant Rafael Nadal battered ex-world number four Tomas Berdych Sunday but said he would be taking a step into the unknown against "dangerous" Frances Tiafoe in the Australian Open quarter-finals. The Spanish 17-time Grand Slam winner dismissed the unseeded Czech 6-0, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4) to tear into the last eight without dropping a tournament set. Next in the firing line for Nadal is giant-killing American Tiafoe -- who celebrated his 21st birthday in style Sunday by beating 20th seed Grigor Dimitrov. "It's going to be the first time that we play each other. Yeah, he's playing great," he said of 39th-ranked Tiafoe who created one of the shocks of the tournament by knocking out fifth seed Kevin Anderson in the first round. "I know him, of course. He's been on the tour for a while. He's young. When you have younger players coming, they have always more attention." Tiafoe, whose best previous Slam result was reaching the third round of Wimbledon last year, warmed up for Melbourne by partnering Serena Williams in the mixed teams Hopman Cup. "He's a very dynamic player, aggressive one. Of course, he's dangerous," said Nadal. "He's in the quarter-finals. He won great matches during the whole event. He's super quick. And he's able to change directions fast. "He goes to the net fast. He has a huge forehand, good serve. So let's see." A shell-shocked Berdych finally exerted some pressure on the 17-time Grand Slam champion in the third set, holding set points in the ninth and 11th games. But the Czech missed five months last year with a back injury. - Clock alarm - Nadal, who also missed chunks of last season and had foot surgery after the US Open, had won 19 of the pair's 24 previous meetings. As he served at 5-4 in the breaker, Berdych let his frustration get the better of him when the serve clock mysteriously packed up. "I don't see (the clock) when we change over and I don't see now," Berdych moaned to the umpire about the finicky Spaniard being too slow between points. "Take as long as you want, Rafa," shouted one fan. Berdych dismissed the incident after. "It was not working," he said of the clock. "I think it's already done. What can we do? It's all right. It's just a clock." Nadal, who is aiming to become the first man in the Open era to win all four Slams twice if he can add to his 2009 Aussie crown, said Berdych finally came to the party after winning just one point in the first two sets and gave him a test. "I think the third set was the real Tomas Berdych," Nadal said after reaching his 11th Australian Open quarter-final. "He made more mistakes than usual in the first two sets." The 33-year-old Berdych agreed. "The first two sets it was me back before six months. For the third set, I finally showed up on the court, so that's good," said the world number 57. "That's the only positive I can take from the match. That's it." Spain's Rafael Nadal will next face giant-killing American Frances Tiafoe at the Australian Open quarter-finals Nadal says Tiafoe is a "very dynamic player" Czech player Tomas Berdych, a former world number four, struggled to exert pressure on Nadal
Carlos Ghosn, the ousted former Nissan boss detained in Tokyo on charges of financial misconduct, on Monday vowed to remain in Japan if granted bail and again proclaimed his innocence. Tokyo District Court will later Monday consider the 64-year-old's latest petition for bail but has already rejected Ghosn's previous applications, judging him a flight risk who might seek to destroy evidence. "As the court considers my bail application, I want to emphasise that I will reside in Japan and respect any and all bail conditions the Court concludes are warranted," Ghosn said in a statement released by his US-based representatives. He vowed to attend any subsequent trial "not only because I am legally obligated to do so, but because I am eager to finally have the opportunity to defend myself." "I am not guilty of the charges against me and I look forward to defending my reputation in the courtroom," concluded the statement. Ghosn stands charged of three counts of financial misconduct and even his lead lawyer has said he is unlikely to be granted bail until a trial takes place -- which could take six months. The Franco-Lebanese-Brazilian executive said he has been in his Tokyo detention cell for 64 days "with no release in sight." His stunning arrest on November 19 as his private jet arrived at Haneda Airport shocked the business world and the twists and turns of his case have gripped Japan since. Since then, he has been kept in custody in northern Tokyo and has only been since in public once, in a dramatic court appearance where a much thinner executive pleaded his innocence in a packed courtroom. His wife Carole has appealed to Human Rights Watch, claiming he is being held in "harsh" conditions and subjected to round-the-clock interrogations intended to extract a confession. - 'Solid, stable, sustainable governance' - Ghosn's arrest represented a sudden fall from grace for a once-revered tycoon widely credited with turning Nissan around from the verge of bankruptcy. Nissan immediately ousted him as chairman after the arrest, as did Mitsubishi Motors, the other Japanese firm in the three-way alliance with Renault. Late Sunday, Nissan held an inaugural meeting of a special committee designed to improve governance in the wake of the scandal. The head of the committee, Seiichiro Nishioka, said the problem was "an excessive concentration of authority in the hands of a single person." The charges against Ghosn are that he under-declared his income in official documents to shareholders over an eight-year period -- in an apparent bid to dodge accusations he was overpaid. In addition, prosecutors have formally charged him with involvement in a complex scheme they say was designed to make Nissan pay for personal investment losses sustained in the financial crisis of 2008. Ghosn's arrest has thrown into question the future of the three-way alliance he forged between Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors and Renault, which has come under pressure in his absence. French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire on Sunday denied talk of a potential merger between Renault and Nissan, despite reports in the Japanese media that Paris was pushing for that outcome. "The subject is not on the table today. What is on the table today is the governance of Renault," he told journalists during a visit to Cairo. "The most important thing for us is to have solid, stable, sustainable governance for Renault," said Le Maire. The Tokyo court has already rejected Ghosn's appeal for bail several times


The diver filmed in a close encounter with one of the largest great white on record has labelled Australias shark culling policy as backwards.

For most of us, running into a great white shark while diving would be a terrifying experience, but for marine biologist Ocean Ramsey this was a dream come true.

I was approached by this big beautiful white shark and I realise that would normally be unnerving for most people but considering Ive been working with white sharks for over 10 years, she told Weekend Sunrise.

I now actually relish the moment.

Marine biologist Ocean Ramsey shared a close encounter with the biggest great white shark on record. Source: @JuanSharks/ Juan Oliphant & Ocean Ramsey/ One Ocean Diving

Ms Ramsey has dedicated her life to shark conservation and was out with a team of divers when they spotted Deep Blue off the coast of Oahu, in Hawaii this week.

We were recording tiger sharks in the area looking for specific IDs and then everybody kind of disappeared and all the sharks disappeared and I looked down and I saw dolphins and up twirled these dolphins flanked by a white shark.

And they actually kind of danced around her for over an hour, she said.

Marine biologist Ocean Ramsey labelled Australias shark culling policy as backwards. Source: Weekend Sunrise

Great whites are rarely seen around Hawaii, as they prefer cooler seas, but this one was attracted to the area by the carcass of a dead sperm whale.

The creature was also using the divers boat as a scratching post, and came so close they were able to touch her.

I may have redirected her a few times and maybe even helped with the scratching that she was brushing up against the boat and trying to make sure she wasnt getting hit by the boat props as well, Ms Ramsey said.

Juan Oliphant snapped this great white shark in Hawaii. Its believed to be 6.5 metres long. Source: @JuanSharks/ Juan Oliphant & One Ocean Diving

One of the biggest great white sharks on record, Deep Blue is almost six metres long and weighs an estimated 2.5 tonnes.

She could potentially be pregnant or she might just be really full, the shark expert said.

Diver claims fatal shark attack very rare

While she relished the opportunity to swim with Deep Blue, Ms Ramsey hoped these videos inspired others to think differently about great whites.

She has called out Australian politicians for their approach to culling as the answer to recent local shark attacks.

Story continues

Ocean Ramsey said being fatally attacked by a shark was very rare. Source: Instagram/ Ocean Ramsey/ One Ocean Diving

A lot of love for Australia but a little backwards on the policy as far as culling.

Culling, whats going on in Australia right now is really like shooting yourself in the foot. It actually baits them in closer to shore, attracts them closer to shore.

Ms Ramsey said humans were actually safer in the water than on land.

[Getting fatally mauled by a shark] is very rare. Theres less than 10 human fatalities worldwide. More people die from jellyfish, drownings, drunk drivers, texting and driving.

Im safer in the water with sharks than I am on land with humans.

Stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoo7s daily newsletter. Sign up here.


The pain of losing a daughter on the other side of the world is a helpless feeling, Elke and Dale Lapthorne sadly know all too well.

As Melbourne and the rest of the world grieves the death of Aiia Maasarwe, the couple have spoken out to try and help ease the pain for her family.

We really want to give Aiias family our love and support for our condolences, Ms Lapthorne said.

Elke and Dale Lapthorne delivered a touching message for Aiias family. Source: 7News

Their daughter Britt died in similar circumstances 10 years ago. Source: 7News

Our daughter went through a similar situation. The circumstances are so similar, just reversed to the other side of the world and to think this event happened in our backyard is just beyond belief for us, Mr Lapthorne added.

Their daughter Britt went missing in Croatia 10 years ago.

Her body was found in the ocean three weeks later..

Her cause of death was never determined, but its believed she too, was murdered.

Ms Maasarwes father addressed crowds in Melbourne following his daughters death. Source: AAP

The circumstances are so similar. Both 21, both uni students, both lived in China. Both out for a night which they expected to get home safely, Mr Lapthorne said.

They, like Aiias father Saeed, travelled to their daughters place of death, searching for answers.

And they say the support they received while abroad, helped them get through the horrific time.

We have questions on decisions weve made, decisions our children have made.

Well question that for the rest of our life but we felt we just needed to say something to the parents, Mr Lapthorne said.

The 20-year-old was on a study abroad program from Shanghai University. Source: 7News

Ms Lapthorne also had some advice for the Maasarwes for the next tough task of burying their daughter.

You just have to stay strong, she said.

All we can say is youre not alone, but thats of little consolation, but youre not alone, Mr Lapthorne said.

An aspiring rapper accused of the murder and rape of international student Aiia Maasarwe is due to appear in a Melbourne court.

Alleged attacker to face court again

Codey Herrmann, 20, is expected to face the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday on charges of murder and rape in relation to Ms Maasarwes death in Bundoora.

The homeless man has been remanded in custody after a brief appearance in the same court on Saturday, when charges had been laid against him.

Story continues

The 20-year-old will face court again on Monday. Source: AAP

He is alleged to have assaulted and killed the 21-year-old woman on January 16 near where she alighted a tram.

Police arrested the man on Friday in the nearby suburb of Greensborough after an extensive investigation into the death of Ms Maasarwe, a Palestinian Arab of Israeli citizenship.

Body to be released

The Victorian coroner is expected to release the body of Ms Maasarwe on Monday.

Her body is expected to be given to a funeral director for repatriation.

Her father, Saeed Maasarwe, had asked for his daughters body to be released so he could lay her to rest.

(To) take her home for a proper burial and funeral, he told The Age on Sunday while he attended a tribute in her honour.

About 1000 people gathered outside a mosque in Israel on Saturday calling for her return, chanting we need Aiia home and we are all Aiias sisters, Aiia is the daughter of all of us.

Her sister Noor Maasarwe had been watching the news when she realised her sister had been found dead in Melbourne.

They didnt say for who it was, Ms Maasarwe told Nine News on Sunday from Israel.

But it matches all the details. It was on the same road. Everything. I was just praying that its not her. Then I saw the shoes and her phone  I was sure it was her.

Ms Maasarwe alighted a tram in Bundoora moments before she was attacked.

Her body was found near a shopping centre about 7am on January 16.

Aspiring rapper Codey Herrmann, 20, is due to appear in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday accused of her rape and murder.

With AAP

Stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoo7s daily newsletter. Sign up here.
Clashes broke out between police and a group of masked protesters in Athens on Sunday as tens of thousands demonstrated against a name change deal with neighbouring Macedonia that the Greek parliament is due to ratify in days. The violence flared as Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras attempts to face down a political storm over his championing of a landmark agreement with Macedonia aimed at ending a 27-year dispute with Athens over the country's name. Twenty-five police officers were hurt in the protests, according to a statement from the Greek citizens' protection ministry, while a first aid station said two protesters were hospitalised with breathing difficulties. Police estimates put the number of demonstrators at 60,000 while organisers said 100,000 people had arrived for the rally, with hundreds of buses bringing demonstrators, especially from the region of northern Greece that also claims the Macedonia name. Scuffles broke out after about 30 masked youths tried to force the closure of the parliament building, throwing stones and other projectiles. Riot police responded with volleys of tear gas, dispersing the crowd outside the legislature. The masked youths then set upon journalists at the scene, smashing the equipment of photographers and cameramen, according to an AFP reporter. According to the government "the incidents were provoked by extremists, members of the Golden Dawn, who attempted to enter parliament". "They attacked police with bits of wood and clubs, sending dozens of wounded to the hospital," said a statement from Tsipras. A wide range of Greek political parties, from the far-right Golden Dawn to the Socialists, oppose the accord to rename Macedonia the Republic of North Macedonia. But it could nonetheless be approved by the required 151 deputies in the 300-seat parliament in the coming days. - 'Government of traitors' - Flag-waving demonstrators had created a sea of blue and white on Syntagma square near the parliament, while much of the city centre was closed to traffic and some metro stations shut as a precaution. "There is only one Macedonia, the Greek Macedonia," read a sign in Greek and English held by Christina Gerodimoun, in her 30s, at the protests. "This government is a government of traitors," she said in reference to a coalition led by Tsipras, who brokered the deal with Macedonian counterpart Zoran Zaev in June. The crowd was monitored by nearly 2,000 police, equipped with drones and helicopters, a police source said. Macedonia's parliament approved a constitutional revision to change the country's name 10 days ago. But for the deal between the two leaders to go through, the change must also be approved by Greek lawmakers. Macedonia is a former Yugoslav republic, but for most Greeks, Macedonia is the name of their history-rich northern province made famous by Alexander the Great's conquests. - 'Historic step' - Tsipras termed the agreement a "historic step" towards normalising relations between the two countries. He urged "progressive forces" to support the name change, in an interview with Afghi, a daily published by his Syriza party. Tsipras' ruling coalition fell apart over the deal a week ago, but he then narrowly won a vote of confidence, setting the stage for parliament to vote on its ratification. Although political parties did not officially join the demonstration, some deputies turned up to express their individual positions, and Golden Dawn's website urged members to attend. "I came out of patriotic duty," conservative representative Fotini Arabatzi from the northern district of Serres told Skai radio. Former Greek premier Antonis Samaras said the protest was "a demonstration for democracy, for Greece and for our rights". Scuffles broke out after about 30 masked youths tried to force the closure of the parliament building Earlier tens of thousands of people gathered to oppose a planned name change for Macedonia that the Greek parliament is due to ratify in the coming days The government blamed the violence on 'extremists' For most Greeks, Macedonia is the name of their northern province made famous by Alexander the Great's conquests Ten police were hurt in the protests, according to the Greek citizens' protection ministry, while a first aid station said two protesters were hospitalised with breathing difficulties
You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close
JK McCarthy, the director of the Department of Native Affairs, said in 1963, "The Derham Report, written by a man who had no practical experience of the country, and who undoubtedly was inspired by an equally ignorant person [the Minister for Territories], was accepted without question.

Nevertheless he seemed particularly offended by the kiap practice of informal mediation in local disputes and much preferred a formal system similar to the one used in Australia.

Derham spent 37 days in the territory and did not seek the advice of kiaps in the field.

The man tasked with the review, Professor David Derham, was an early version of the long line of consultants that Canberra has engaged to advise it on what to do in PNG.

TUMBY BAY - In 1958 a clash between the colonial Administration and Tolai dissidents in New Britain led to a review of the functions of the role of kiaps in Papua New Guinea.

As a result of it, the multiple powers once necessarily held by a DC [District Commissioner] are now, or will be, split between several officers - and this 'compartmenting' is fatal to good government.

What McCarthy was talking about was the transfer of policing powers from the kiaps to a new department of police.

Instead of going to the local kiap to have legal issues resolved, many people now had to seek justice in the towns.

Under the expanded police role people were directed to local police stations, where the judicial system had been taken over by the police.

Junior police officers, some with not more than a primary education and a few months of service, began dispensing a brand of rough justice that they were totally incompetent by training or experience to prescribe and had no authority to perform.

As the police acquired this quasi-judicial status the crowds around the police stations grew larger. Members of the constabulary encouraged this attention and sought opportunities for graft.

As the level of police corruption grew, the next stage in the decline of rural administration was inevitable. The people grew tired of making long journeys to the police stations in pursuit of justice that was no better than what they could improvise themselves.

As a result powerful persons emerged in a new generation of big men. In place of traditional elders came younger opportunists. Some were former members of the Army, the public service and the police force.

The judicial system was subverted and pay-back compensation was resumed. Personal issues took precedence over crime prevention. Criminal activity could be excused if ones clan had enough money to buy off the wronged or offended.

Since there were no legal rules that all could respect, the strong subjugated the weak.

By 1970 law and order, particularly in the highlands, was rapidly breaking down. Tribal and group warfare was higher than before the outbreak of World War II.

By taking the advice of a well-meaning but totally inexperienced consultant, the Australian government had ensured the destruction of a perfectly functional administrative structure and created a nightmare where crooks and carpetbaggers posing as bigmen could thrive.

And once those neo-bigmen realised the opportunities the administrative changes offered to them there was no turning back and Papua New Guineas fate was sealed.
To be sure, there were plenty of sweeteners on the table, including allowances for Fijians to work in Australian rural regions, new teacher training programs and funding to broadcast Australian TV programs in the island nation.

Despite the symbolism of a head of state visit, Morrisons tour was a sobering reminder of how little control he has over the counter-balancing agenda.

SYDNEY - Australias efforts to woo Pacific states away from Chinas embrace kicked into a higher gear with a rare visit by Prime Minister Scott Morrison to Fiji and Vanuatu.

I urged your predecessor [Malcolm Turnbull] repeatedly to honour his commitment to clean energy. From where we are sitting, we cannot imagine how the interests of any single industry can be placed above the welfare of Pacific peoples and vulnerable people in the world over.

Consensus from the scientific community is clear and the existential threat posed to Pacific island countries is certain, Bainimarama said.

Pacific island nations are on a precarious front-line of the climate change debate as rising sea levels sink portions of their land masses and wreak havoc on their coastlines.

Morrisons muted response was to praise Bainimaramas passion and global leadership on the issue, but there was no offer of any assistance.

His ruling Liberal-Nationals coalition is hopelessly split on the future of fossil fuels and has no coherent policy on clean energy or reducing gas emissions.

On the Vanuatu leg of his trip, Morrison did promise Australia would fund projects to mitigate the impact of climate change, but there is not much expectation this will happen.

The Liberals will almost certainly lose the next election, opinion polls show, and the opposition Labor Party will no doubt pursue its own separate agenda.

Therein lies the crux of Australias Pacific problem, analysts say. It is hard to get any meaningful rapport with Pacific leaders when domestic politics block potential collaboration and cooperation.

The inability of the Morrison government to align its Pacific islands policy announcements with domestic policies  constrains any genuine deepening of Australias relationships with Pacific Island countries, said Jenny Hayward-Jones, an analyst with the Lowy Institute think tank.

Morrison was putting out political fires set by other government members, even as he was boarding the plane to Fiji.

One came from Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, who declared that Islamist extremist Neil Prakash would be deported to Fiji after being stripped of his Australian citizenship because he had Fijian residency through his father.

Fiji said that wasnt the case and refused to allow entry to Prakash, who is now being held in a Turkish jail. Suva was furious the announcement had been made without any consultation, and saw the affair as confirmation of Australias distant and patronizing approach to smaller Pacific nations.

Hayward-Jones said the clumsy handling of the issue was a mark on Australias diplomacy, noting it was hardly in the national interest to send a convicted terrorist to Fiji at a time when Canberra is committing serious military and other financial resources to improve its security relationship with Suva.

Then, former international development minister Concetta Fierravanti-Wells tossed a symbolic grenade over Australias plan to set up a US$1.4 billion infrastructure fund to counter Chinas growing economic influence in the Pacific paved by its US$1 trillion Belt and Road Initiative.

Lets be clear. A loan is a loan. It needs to be repaid. Given the Pacifics debt is already about A$5.5 billion (US$4 billion), including A$2 billion (US$1.4 billion) to the Asian Development Bank and World Bank, and A$1.5 billion (US$1.08 billion] to Beijing, why are we even contemplating saddling our neighbours with more debt? Fierravanti-Wells asked.

Morrison said two-thirds of the lending to the region was in the form of concessional finance, which usually means low-interest loans, with the rest disbursed as grants. Chinas lending in the region, as elsewhere, has recently come under fire for creating sovereignty-eroding debt traps.

Australia and New Zealand are also pushing the idea of a free trade pact, known as the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations Plus, that might eventually reduce the reliance of island nations on outside aid.

So far, however, only those two countries have ratified the deal, though it has been signed by Vanuatu, Samoa, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Nauru, Tuval, Niue and Tonga. Fiji has said it is ready to sign, but hasnt done so. Papua New Guinea, the regions other growth economy, has also stayed outside of the pact.

The opposition Labor Party hasnt said whether it will continue with these policies if it wins this years election, or if it will devote any more time to Pacific affairs than the Liberals.
YEREVAN, JANUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended a commemoration event at the Komitas Pantheon in Yerevan today in honor of the 100th anniversary of birth of renowned Armenian poet Silva Kaputikyan.

Right after the event, Pashinyan went live on Facebook to speak about the anniversary.

Pashinyan recited Kaputikyans Hayots Ashkharh (Armenian World, or World of Armenians) during the live broadcast.

The poem is included in a collection of Kaputikyans works which has been published on the occasion of the centennial.

I am reciting this poem in commemoration and in honor of Silva Kaputikyan, Pashinyan said.

Kaputikyan wrote Armenian World in 1945.

World of Armenians, Country of Armenians, Soil of Armenians, Let me live in your embrace in the wide world. An ancient castle carved from rock you are, with your towers Aragats and Ararat. Let me be the dove of your tower, let your grandeur be my protective cloak, reads a part of the poem.

Kaputikyan is recognized as "one of the most outstanding Armenian poets of the 20th century.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, JANUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. The late editor-in-chief of the Turkish-Armenian newspaper Agos, who was gunned down outside his office 12 years ago in Istanbul, was commemorated on January 18th in the Netherlands by the Federation of Armenian Organizations of Netherlands (FAON) in an event organized together with the International Institute of Research and Education.

The renowned journalists friends, and many representatives of the Armenian community were present at the event held on the 12th anniversary of the assassination.

According to FAON, Dinks widow addressed the event with a video message.

Armenias consul to the Netherlands Christine Stepanyan was also in attendance, according to FAON.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, JANUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has congratulated fans and readers of poet Silva Kaputikyan (1919-2006) on the great Armenian writers 100th anniversary of birth.

The 100th anniversary of birth of renowned Armenian poet Silva Kaputkiyan is a wonderful occasion to commemorate, appreciate the great Armenian intellectual, as well as to voice words of gratitude and homage to her, Pashinyan said in a message released through his office.

At only 20 years of age, she became the subject of attention and admiration of many literary critics with her glorious literary debut, while at 24, she already gained national recognition and acceptance with her Ode To My Son poem. This commandment-poem to some extent became a flag and motto of patriotism and [preservation of Armenian identity] both in the Motherland and the Diaspora. She took up the hard task of the protection of rights of Artsakh since 1959, clearly realizing that the path to freedom will be briery.

Silva Kaputikyan lived her entire life with the pains and concerns of her people, all segments and classes, the PM said, adding that the poetess prose, public and political activities deserve not only universal appreciation but also detailed research. I am sure that the new generation will find much to learn from it.

I congratulate the admirers of the renowned poetess poetry and generally our [book-loving] society on this beautiful anniversary.

Kaputikyan is recognized as "one of the most outstanding Armenian poets of the 20th century.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, JANUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. The Gudauri-Kobi section of the highly vital Stepantsminda-Lars road, that leads to the Verkhniy (Upper) Lars checkpoint, is open only for passenger vehicles as of 10:30, the Armenian Embassy in Georgia said.

The road is closed for cargo and trailer trucks pending further notice.

The Stepantsminda-Lars road is the only land connection between Armenia and Russia, which runs through Georgia. Stepantsminda is a small town in north-eastern Georgia. The road is used for both passenger and cargo transportations and is of major significance. Vehicles pass through the Verkhni (Upper) Lars customs checkpoint into Russia. Temporary brief shutdowns are usual during winter seasons because of weather conditions.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
Who's Watching?

A homeowners' association spies on speeders.

by Cynthia Furlong Reynolds

From the January, 2019 issue

Package theft is one of America's fastest-growing crimes; 30 percent of Americans say they have had at least one package stolen from their front porch or steps. But that's not why a Pittsfield Township homeowners association decided to install two surveillance cameras to read and record the license plates of cars passing through the neighborhood.



"We don't have any security concerns or troubles at Centennial Park, which is an upscale homeowners association south of Ann Arbor," says Jeffery Leonard, president of Pinnacle Condominium Management, which works for the association. "But we do have occasional concerns about traffic speed in the community." Centennial Park homes have Ann Arbor addresses, but the subdivision is just north of Saline High; residents suspected the culprits were teens cutting through on their way to school.



Centennial Park is the first Michigan customer for two-year-old Atlanta-based Flock Safety. The company offers "an affordable surveillance system that can help crack down on the nonviolent crimes that often go unsolved," says media director Josh Thomas. Most customers are homeowners associations like Centennial Park's.



The cameras are solar powered and communicate over cellular data services, so they can be installed anywhere. And unlike competitors' systems, clients don't have to comb through hundreds of hours of footage if problems arise. Users can type in the approximate time when a crime occurred to access that footage, or search using descriptions like "white truck." (Clients own the images and control who can access them, reducing privacy concerns.)



Centennial Park pays a $2,000 annual rental fee per camera. That's far less than the surveillance cameras used by police agencies, which typically are sold outright for between $20,000 and $40,000. On the other hand, police cameras are capable of reading license plates on vehicles going up to 160 miles per hour, while Flock's can read them only at 65 miles per hour or less.



"One of our cofounders, Garrett Langley, experienced crime in his neighborhood and learned that home security

...continued below...

cameras often don't give enough evidence," Thomas says. "He joined with Matt Feury, who is now our chief technical officer, to develop cameras that will, for a relatively low cost, offer the kind of evidence police need. Our mission is to eliminate nonviolent crimes, which account for $15.5 billion in lost property in the U.S; 80 percent of those crimes are never solved. We work closely with law enforcement to help solve crimes. We give the evidence the police need to make arrests."The cameras were installed in October, and Leonard says it's too early to say whether drivers are slowing down because of them--but at the very least, they should identify future offenders."Everyone believes the speeders are outsiders," Leonard says. "But we may learn that they're our own residents and teenagers." [Originally published in January, 2019.]
Videos

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.
PLEASE NOTE!

Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate!

All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited!

(One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!)
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
Pete Marovich/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that in exchange for border wall funding and ending the partial government shutdown, he would extend temporary protections for so-called "Dreamers" and those with Temporary Protected Status -- two key issues for congressional Democrats who nevertheless appeared to hold their ground on refusing the president's demand for $5.7 billion in wall funding.

"Our plan includes the following," Trump announced in a speech from the Oval Office. "$800 million in urgent humanitarian aid, $805 million for drug detection technology to help secure our ports of entry, an additional 2,750 border agents and law enforcement professionals [and] 75 new immigration judge teams to reduce the court backlog..."

Additionally, Trump promised "critical measures to protect migrant children from exploitation and abuse," and "a new system to allow Central American migrants to apply for asylum in their countries."

In return, Trump said he wants his $5.7 billion in border funding, which he said would be "a strategic deployment of physical barriers, or a wall."

Trump added that he and Republicans hope [Democrats] will offer their enthusiastic support and I think many will. This is a common sense compromise both parties should embrace. The radical left can never control our borders. I will never let it happen.

Trump also said that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would bring the proposal to a vote in the Senate this week.

I commend @POTUS for his leadership in proposing this bold solution to reopen the government, secure the border, and take bipartisan steps toward addressing current immigration issues.

My full statement: https://t.co/3lfItBQzEC  Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) January 19, 2019

Trump noted that he promised a wall on the southern border during his campaign and I intend to keep that promise one way or another."

"Our immigration system should be the subject of pride, not as a source of shame....our immigration systems should be the envy of the world, not a symbol of disunity and dysfunction. These problems can all be solved.

Yet, before Trump even made his 4 p.m. speech, House Democrats were calling it a "non-starter."

Twenty-five minutes before the planned start of the president's speech, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi released a statement, saying that "initial reports" about Trump's announcement "make clear that his proposal is a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives, each of which is unacceptable and in total, do not represent a good faith effort to restore certainty to peoples lives."

"It is unlikely that any one of these provisions alone would pass the House, and taken together, they are a non-starter," Pelosi continued in the statement. "For one thing, this proposal does not include the permanent solution for the Dreamers and TPS recipients that our country needs and supports," Pelosi said, referring to Temporary Protected Status designations.

Pelosi also said that House Democrats would pass a package of "six bills agreed to by House and Senate negotiators and other legislation to re-open government so that we can fully negotiate on border security proposals."

Democrats were hopeful that @realDonaldTrump was finally willing to re-open government & proceed with a much-needed discussion to protect the border. Unfortunately, reports make clear that his proposal is a compilation of previously rejected initiatives. https://t.co/MFwebWSevG pic.twitter.com/yMTm4iP27h  Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 19, 2019

After the speech, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer rejected Trump's plan.

Its clear the President realizes that by closing the government and hurting so many American workers and their families, he has put himself and the country in an untenable position," Schumer said in the statement. "Unfortunately, he keeps putting forward one-sided and ineffective remedies. Theres only way out: open up the government, Mr. President, and then Democrats and Republicans can have a civil discussion and come up with bipartisan solutions."

It was the President who singled-handedly took away DACA and TPS protections in the first place - offering some protections back in exchange for the wall is not a compromise but more hostage-taking.

Bi-partisan legislation known as the BRIDGE Act (Bar Removal of Individuals who Dream and Grow our Economy) would extend protections and provide work authorization for three years for TPS individuals and "Dreamers" -- some 750,000 young, undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children and have met the requirements to participate in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

The continuing shutdown -- which could head into its second month this week -- affects about a quarter of the federal government. Trump has said he will keep the government shut down until and unless the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives heed his demand for $5.7 billion to build more than 200 miles of walls between the U.S. and Mexico borders. Democrats recently offered about $1.3 million for border barrier funding.

Trumps announcement followed a visit Saturday morning to Dover Air Force Base in Maryland, where the president met with the families of the four Americans killed in Manbij, Syria. At the base, Trump participated in the dignified transfer of Scott Wirtz, a 42-year-old civilian contractor who was killed in the deadly ISIS bomb blast on Wednesday.

The so-called transfer of the remains of a fallen military member unfolds with strict solemnity, as a casket draped in an American flag is carried off an aircraft to a waiting vehicle which takes the remains to a mortuary.

In a somber moment, the president walked on board a C-17 aircraft that held the transfer case. Inside, a chaplain led a prayer over the deceased. The president, who was joined by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, stepped off the plane and stood silently in formation with his right hand in a salute as the case was carried to a transfer vehicle by the Navy Ceremonial Team.

Will be leaving for Dover to be with the families of 4 very special people who lost their lives in service to our Country!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 19, 2019

The four Americans  an interpreter, a Navy chief cryptologic technician, a Department of Defense civilian and an Army chief warrant officer  were killed in a suicide bombing last week, the deadliest attack on US military since troops went into Syria. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.

The deadly bomb blast came one month after President Trump declared plans to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, having  he said -- completed the mission to defeat ISIS.

This is not the president's first time to pay his respects to the fallen at Dover. Last February, the president made an unannounced trip with Ivanka Trump for the dignified transfer of a Navy SEAL killed in Yemen.

Before departing for Dover the president told reporters on the White House South Lawn that meeting with the family members of fallen soldiers is one of the "toughest things I have to do as president."

"I think it is the toughest thing I have to do, Trump said. When I'm going to meet relatives of some of our great, great heroes that have fallen, I think it might be the toughest thing I have to do as president.

In a video posted to Twitter Friday evening, Trump called the situation at the southern border both a "humanitarian crisis" and a "national security crisis." He added that it would be necessary to secure the border and that "if we don't do that, we're a very, very sad and foolish lot."

The president's promised announcement came amid an increasingly nasty back-and-forth with Democratic leaders over the protracted government shutdown -- which this week could head into its second month -- and funding over his long-desired border wall.

The president's promised announcement came amid an increasingly nasty back-and-forth with Democratic leaders over the protracted government shutdown -- which this week could head into its second month -- and funding over his long-desired border wall.

After House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked the president to postpone his State of the Union speech due to security shortages brought on by the shutdown, Trump blocked her use of a military aircraft for an official overseas trip with a congressional delegation, and suggested that she could make the trip to the war theater in Afghanistan.

On Friday, Pelosi accused the president and his administration of leaking her plans to possibly fly commercially instead and endangering lives as a result.

Immediate reaction among Trump's base was mixed, with conservative commentators Laura Ingraham and Ann Coulter offering opposing takes on the speech.

Today @realDonaldTrump is offering a deal to the Dems that is better than many of them thought possible a year ago. If they dismiss it, theyve ignored DACA folks and security.  Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) January 19, 2019

100 miles of border wall in exchange for amnestying millions of illegals. So if we grant citizenship to a BILLION foreigners, maybe we can finally get a full border wall.  Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) January 19, 2019

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
A new low-latency congestion control for cellular networks

Heavy traffic on narrow roads could be one of the leading causes of traffic congestion and this applies to communication networks, as well. If more data is collected than the allowed data capacity, communication latency appears. This has a devastating effect on the 5G-based internet services, such as self-driving cars, autonomous robots, and remote surgery.

A research team, led by Professor Kyunghan Lee in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UNIST has proposed a novel technique that can reduce the congestion issues in the network environment. The team presented their latest work, known as 'ExLL: An ultra low-latency congestion protocol for mobile cellular network' at the ACM CoNEXT' 18, held in Heraklion, Greece on December 6, 2018.

According to the research team, the new technique is noted for its superior performance over Google's Biblio (BBR), which is known as the best low-latency transmission protocol. The performance evaluation and verification of communication protocol were undertaken both at home and abroad in collaboration with Professor Sangtae Ha's research team from University of Colorado Boulder, which boasts a mobile communication network testing facility.

Communication delay is a phenomenon in which when untreated data accumulates in the network, data transmission is delayed when more data than the network can handle. This is also called a 'buffer bloat'. When buffer bloats are observed in the data center or the mobile communication network, the transmission of packets is delayed and the efficiency of data exchange and service quality are lowered.

A solution to this is a 'low-delay transmission protocol' technique. It is a method to grasp the network situation and adjust the data transmission amount and reduce the delay. In order to understand the amount of data transmission (network bandwidth) that can be handled by the network in the past, a method of probing the network state has been used by increasing or decreasing the transmission amount per unit time. The amount of data transmission is controlled while considering the change of the delay performance according to the increase or decrease of the transmission amount. However, Google's BBR has not reached the ideal minimum (slowest) performance while sending the maximum data allowed by the network (maximum data rate).

"It is difficult to achieve the ideal performance due to the inefficiency of the search itself in the existing technique," said Shinik Park, the first author of the study. "This technology is a smart phone, "We have solved the problem by changing only the transmission protocol of mobile communication terminals."

The researchers focused on elaborating the 'allowed network capacity' for an efficient low-latency transmission protocol. If data is sent only as much as the network bandwidth allowed by the mobile communication terminal, the data will not be unnecessarily accumulated. To do this, we observed the pattern of packets received by the mobile communication terminal and directly infer the bandwidth of the mobile communication network.

"In LTE networks, the pattern of the amount of data received per millisecond and the interval of arrival of packets during this time is different," says Junseon Kim in the Ph.D. program in Computer Science. "This depends on the resources allocated to the base station and the channel conditions, so it is possible to know the allowed network capacity by analyzing it, and if the observation time is different, it can be applied to the 5G network."

Once you know only the allowed network capacity (baseline), the next step is easy. The mobile communication terminal directly transmits the calculated reference to the server, and the server directly controls the data transmission amount of the mobile communication terminal. If the current throughput is less than the allowed network capacity, it will increase the throughput rapidly. If the current network capacity is almost reached, it will be increased finely.

"ExLL can eliminate inefficiencies in the search process and implement ultra-low latency networking," says Professor Lee. "It is an existing low-latency transmission protocol that plays a major role in remote surgery, remote drone control, and 5G-based autonomous navigation."

Meanwhile, the study of low-latency transmission protocol was steadily developed after the buffer buffer concept was defined in 2011, leading to Google's BBR. Google has included BBR as one of its transport protocols since 2016, and recently added BBR to the Google Cloud Platform (GCP). This is reminiscent of Google's adoption of its own development protocols (SPDY, QUID) in the HTTP / 2 and HTTP3 standards, which are Web transmission technologies.

###

Journal Reference

Shinik Park et al., "ExLL: An Extremely Low-latency Congestion Control for Mobile Cellular Networks", ACM CoNEXT '18 Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on emerging Networking EXperiments and Technologies, (2018).

This story has been published on: 2019-01-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.